Wednesday, October 28, 2015

27th October,2015 Daily Global,Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Rice News Headlines...
·         TDAP vows full support to rice exporters
·         Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’ agriculture and livestock production
·         Paddy arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to last year
·         Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in November
·         Thai govt approves RM 4.7 billion worth of measures to help rice farmers
·         36.50L MT PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON
·         Made in Ghana products make progress
·         Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin
·         Cox: Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa
·         Exports drop for ninth month
·         15 rice harvest nearly finished
·         APEDA Commodity News from India
·         Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal   
·         Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of
·         CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures  
·         Rice Prices
·         Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
·         Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center
·         Changing the protection of wild rice waters: What you need to know
·         Mars commits to 100% sustainable rice sourcing by 2020
·         Prayut warns against bullyboy tactics over rice scheme
·         Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation Through Land Borders
·         Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center
·         New UN-Supported rice management standard sets benchmark for environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice cultivation
·         Mars Food Announces First Global Rice Sustainability Standard in Partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform

News Detail...

TDAP vows full support to rice exporters

October 27, 2015
Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Monday assured full support to the rice exporters for increase in exports, which are on the decline due to stiff competition in the world market. Addressing rice exporters and traders during his visit of REAP House Karachi, Chief Executive (CE) TDAP S M Muneer said rice is an important commodity and fetching about $2 billion foreign exchange annually for the country, however its trade needs more attention to maintain current growth and find new markets to enhance its exports. "I assure full support to rice exporters and traders for increase in the commodity's exports and TDAP will facilitate exporters in exploring new markets by sending delegations aboard," he added. Talking about the refund issue, the CE TDAP said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is personally taking interest in the release of pending refund claims and with his efforts some Rs 25 billion claims have already been released.
"We know that pending refund claims are hindering production and exports, therefore the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been asked to ensure timely payment of refund claims," he added. He said the government is making all-out efforts to facilitate trade and industry, however, all issues cannot be resolved in a few years. "The government is fully motivated to end the energy crisis and several new power projects have been initiated to fulfil the shortfall," he added. Earlier, Senior Vice Chairman REAP Noman Ahmed Sheikh welcomed S M Muneer and informed the gathering that rice trade is facing a tough time due to low prices in the world market and rising cost of doing business in Pakistan.

 He said presently some 0.5 million rice stocks of previous crop are lying in the godowns of traders and exporters, while there are no buyers, of which they are forced to sell the commodity even less than procured price. He urged the government to take immediate steps to save over $2 billion rice exports. "The government should address the issues being faced by rice exporters and reduce Export Refinance Rate to facilitate rice exports," Noman maintained. He said REAP is making efforts to explore new rice markets to enhance commodity exports. After lifting of the US sanctions, Iran can be a big importer of Pakistani rice, however, it needs legal banking channel to start the exports. Senior Vice President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Abdul Raheem Janu, Abdul Hasseb Khan, Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tawab, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Rauf Cheppal, Javeed Jillani, Hamid Hussain Qureshi and Wajid Paracha were also present. 

http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1239926/

Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’ agriculture and livestock production


Created: Tuesday, 27 October 2015 08:05

Typhoon Lando has caused considerable damage to Philippines’ agricultural sector, with preliminary damages projected at US$127mn

Typhoon Lando caused heavy rains in the thick farmlands of Philippines, leading to flooded fields. (Image source: Flickr)
The country’s agriculture department stated that around 277,060 hectares of land in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera were affected. Ninety per cent of 386,000 metric tonnes lost in crop production is rice, worth nearly US$114mn. Other losses include 5,600 metric tonnes of corn and 21,800 metric tonnes of high-value crops including vegetables.

Agriculture department under secretary Emerson Palad announced that a directive has been sent out to release rice and corn seeds so damaged farms can be replanted without delay. Aside from agriculture, livestock was affected in the typhoon as well, amounting to losses od around US$11,100.However, the agriculture department stated that the El Nino has had a far more devastating effect on agriculture. A local report in the Inquirer has said that seven provinces in Luzon continue to suffer drought conditions despite the heavy rain brought by Typhoon Lando.
http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/food-commodity/typhoon-lando-damages-philippines-agriculture-and-livestock-production



Paddy arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to last year

  
 CHANDIGARH: During the current kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh tonnes of paddy has already arrived in the mandis of Haryana till Sunday. During the corresponding period last year, 22.98 lakh tonnes of paddy had come to markets in the state.An official of the food and supplies department said that of the total arrivals, more than 34.89 lakh tonnes paddy was leviable. While government procurement agencies have purchased more than 32.45 lakh tonnes of paddy, millers and dealers have purchased 4.04 lakh tonnes. He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum paddy at more than 8.78 lakh tonnes.

Of the total arrivals, more than 8.15 lakh tonnes of paddy arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh tonnes in Kaithal, 5.26 lakh tonnes in Ambala, 3.09 lakh tonnes in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh tonnes in Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh tonnes in Sonipat, 98,262 tonnes in Panchkula, 82,759 tonnes in Sirsa, 76,278 tonnes in Jind, 10,258 tonnes in Hisar, 3,512 tonnes in Faridabad, 38,846 tonnes in Palwal, 2,253 tonnes in Rohtak, 3,103 tonnes in Gurgaon, 1,320 tonnes in Mewat and 884 tonnes in Jhajjar.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Paddy-arrivals-higher-in-Haryana-as-compared-to-last-year/articleshow/49547104.cms

Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in November 


Tassia Sipahutar, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Tue, October 27 2015, 5:27 PM
The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) expects imported rice to start arriving from Vietnam in November to underpin depleting rise reserves, its top boss has said.Bulog president director Djarot Kusumayakti said on Monday that the agency would soon proceed with the process of importing the rice from Vietnam.“If there is no rain by the end of this week, we will proceed quickly with the import plan. Vietnam has committed to exporting 1-million tons of rice and we’d like to see the rice stream in as soon as early November,” he said at the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.

Djarot added that the committed amount initially stood at 1.5 million tons, but had been lowered to 1-million tons owing to the loading and shipment- capacity issues.Bulog is finalizing the import plan following President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s decision last week to bring in rice from the neighboring country.As reported previously, Indonesia is facing a rice shortage as a result of prolonged drought due to the El Niño phenomenon, which poses a challenge to the government’s rice self-sufficiency target.

The government stated that it aimed to reach self-sufficiency in rice between the second and third year of the five-year administration, without factoring in the drought.However, many have predicted that this year’s El Niño will last longer and its impacts will be more severe than that recorded by the world in 1997.Meanwhile, Bulog said that crop failures reported in several areas had added risk to the already low reserves. As of Sunday morning, data from the agency said that the amount of reserves had only reached between 1.3 million and 1.4 million tons.

Half of the reserves was made up of rice from local farmers, which is absorbed and distributed by Bulog as part of its public service obligation (PSO).“About 10 days ago, we still had reserves of 1.7 million tons. The figure has been declining,” Djarot said.The latest figure is concerning because it is only sufficient to meet 10-day consumption since the country needs an average 2.5 million tons of rice for monthly consumption, according to Bulog’s observation.No detailed information on the import costs was immediately available because Djarot said that the agency was still completing its total import calculation.


“We are also looking at Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan for additional import sources, but have not reached a definite agreement with them.”Separately, Bank Central Asia (BCA) economist David Sumual predicted that the government would face a tough challenge in terms of price since almost all Asian countries were facing the same drought issue.“It should’ve been more prepared. The decision to import came quite late and now all countries are competing to acquire rice,” he said.David warned that failure to manage rice availability would lead to soaring food prices and rising inflation, possibly higher than 3 percent by the end of the year.“High inflation may prevent us from seeing lower benchmark interest rate in 2016. Other macroeconomics variables will change as well.

”The government has set its full-year inflation rate target at 5 percent, while Bank Indonesia estimates that the rate will hover between 3 percent and 5 percent.
According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), year-to-date and year-on-year inflation rates stood at 2.2 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, by September. Food remained the biggest contributor to the inflation figure, the data shows. –



Thai govt approves RM 4.7 billion worth of measures to help rice farmers




he measures come after growing criticism levelled at the military regime from rice and rubber farmers who have seen their income fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by an ousted civilian government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural communities. — Bigstock pic
BANGKOK, Oct 27, 2015:

Thailand’s cabinet approved measures worth about 40 billion baht (RM 4.7 billion) to help rice farmers, a government spokesman said today.The government gave the green light to three measures to help rice farmers prepare for the next harvest, including credits and an interest rate reduction for farmers, Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesman, told Reuters.An interest rate cut by state-owned Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for one million families, steps to help co-operatives and communities collect rice from markets, and grants for farmers in the country’s north and northeast were among the measures approved, said Sansern.

The measures come after growing criticism levelled at the military regime from rice and rubber farmers who have seen their income fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by an ousted civilian government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural communities.The military government that took power after a 2014 coup slashed rural subsidies saying it wanted to wean farmers, who make up a large percentage of Thailand’s 67 million population, off expensive schemes used by previous administrations.
It has acknowledged in recent months that weak exports and low global commodity prices have hurt rural income.Somkid Jatusripitak, a deputy prime minister, told Reuters last month that he would prioritise reviving the rural economy.Last year the military government offered rice and rubber farmers a direct subsidy of 1,000 baht ($28.18) per rai (0.17 ha), capped at 15,000 baht.

http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2015/10/27/thai-govt-approves-rm-4-7-billion-worth-of-measures-to-help-rice-farmers/


36.50L MT PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON


Tuesday, 27 October 2015 | PNS | Chandigarh | in Chandigarh

During the current Kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy have arrived in the mandis (grain markets) of Haryana till October 25. Last year, 22.98 lakh MT paddy had arrived in the mandis.

A spokesman of State Food and Supplies Department on Monday said that of the total arrival, more than 34.89 lakh MT paddy was leviable and 1.60 lakh MT paddy was non-leviable. While the Government procurement agencies have purchased over 32.45 lakh MT paddy, millers and dealers have purchased 4.04 lakh MT paddy.

He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum amount of paddy at more than 8.78 lakh MT. Of the total arrival, over 8.15 lakh MT paddy has arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh MT in Kaithal, more than 5.26 lakh MT in Ambala, 3.09 lakh MT in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh MT in Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh MT in Sonepat, 98,262 MT in Panchkula, 82,759 MT in Sirsa, 76,278 MT in Jind, 10,258 MT in Hisar, 3,512 MT in Faridabad, 38,846 MT in Palwal, 2,253 MT in Rohtak, 3,103 MT in Gurgaon, 1,320 MT in Mewat and 884 MT in Jhajjar.
he Food and Supplies Department has purchased more than 15.34 lakh MT of paddy, 11.44 lakh MT have been purchased by Hafed, 3.38 lakh MT have been purchased by the Haryana Agro-industries Corporation.
 Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Source: Graphic.com.gh

 

Made in Ghana products make progress


The patronage of made-in-Ghana products, including locally produced rice, has seen substantial increase following increased awareness and aggressive marketing by some private sector entities, the Managing Director of GhanaMade Stores, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, has said.She said although Ghanaians generally shied away from products, particularly rice, produced locally vigorous and sustained educational and marketing strategies by GhanaMade and other bodies had placed patronage on an upward trend.Speaking in an interview with the Graphic Business, Mrs Aniagyei advised Ghanaians and other residents to continue to support Ghana rice and other made-in-Ghana products through loyal patronage.

''Continued and increased patronage would help keep existing producers in business and encourage potential ones to step up to the challenge,'' she noted.Ghana stands to derive a lot of benefits, including the creation of sustainable employment for its people, particularly, women and the youth, should patronage increase for local products.
Some Ghanaians have often refused to accept and patronise anything produced in Ghana due to perceived misconceptions. However, many other Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians hold the view that once the products met quality standards they will choose them over other options.According to her, the various types of rice sold at all the GhanaMade stores were produced by farmers across all the regions of Ghana, key among them being the three northern regions, Volta and Eastern regions.“The continued large scale purchase of these farmers’ produce by GhanaMade is helping to improve their family incomes and thereby improve access to education and health for their families,” she said.The Programmes Officer of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Mr Charles Nyaaba, in a separate interview, called on the government to help improve the country's rice production.
“Currently, many rice farmers are experiencing shortage in the harvesting of their rice due to the low rainfall in the country since last year,” he said.According to him, production reduced due to climate change the previous season. The farmers under the irrigation could not produce, mainly due to low rains.He said there was not enough water in the various irrigation facilities across the country and that was the cause of the low production recorded last year.“The rains stopped earlier than expected last year, so those farmers who did the late rain fed planting did not get enough rains to prepare the harvest which also affected the outcome,” he said.

He indicated that some farmer groups in the northern part of the country had to lose their rice to bush fires last year because they were finding it difficult to get a combine harvester to harvest their rice.Explaining further, he said access to input had been a big problem to the farmers, such that in recent years, high cost f inputs like fertiliser was having its toll on the rice farmers.
He recalled increased fertiliser prices globally impacted the price of the subsidised ones in Ghana.“The MPK fertiliser which is subsidised for this season is still selling at GH?89, and with that not all the farmers, especially the smallholder farmers who are able to access the subsidised fertiliser,” he added.

Responding to the trend in the market, he said, for once Ghanaians are gradually developing a taste for the local rice, adding that the onus fell on the producers to do more in terms of the packaging and branding so that it would catch the attention of majority of the citizenry.he Programmes Officer added that the importers of rice most of the time tried to undermine the market for the local rice.He alleged that some rice importers bought the high quality local rice and packaged it as imported rice and sold it, a situation which persuaded the buyers from buying the local rice without knowing it was local rice.
He said the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority was revamping a number of irrigation facilities to help boost rice production across the country, such as the Tolon Irrigation Facility, which is under the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, the World Bank and the USAID.That project is expected to boost rice production all-year round and it will attract private investors
Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin
posted by news on october 27, 2015 - 10:30am
 Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Sciences (CSRS) have discovered the enzyme needed for synthesis of tenuazonic acid (TeA), a well-known toxin that is produced by multiple types of fungus and affects fruits, vegetables, rice, and other crops. In their study published in Nature Communications, the authors describe how they found the gene for this enzyme, and reveal that its structure is unique among known enzymes.
Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi that are not directly involved in growth, development, or reproduction. These secondary metabolites typically colonize crops and are a real economic burden for farmers. TeA is known to be produced by at least three different plant pathogenic fungi, and is associated with spoiling of fruits, vegetables, and food-crops, as well as post-harvest decay."Now that we know the gene responsible for biosynthesis of this harmful toxin," notes co-lead author Takayuki Motoyama, "after further testing we might be able to devise a way to regulate its expression and prevent destruction of important crops."Rice blast disease resulting from the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid (produced by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae). Credit: RIKEN
When studying microorganisms like fungus, researchers have found that genes for many secondary metabolites are silent under laboratory conditions, which has made finding them especially difficult. The CSRS group led by Hiroyuki Osada has extensive experience studying secondary metabolites, and the team reasoned that OSM1--a gene associated with responses to environmental stress--might also be related to TeA production in Magnaporthe oryzae, a pathogenic rice fungus. While wild-type M. oryzae did not yield any TeA, researchers were able to produce it from OSM1 knockout strains. They were also able to produce TeA by culturing wild-type M. oryzae with 1% dimethylsulphoxide, perhaps as a response to the unfavorable environment.
Having two methods to produce TeA in the lab proved invaluable for identifying the gene responsible for its biosynthesis. To do so, the team performed a DNA microarray analysis using the total RNA extracted under the two conditions that yielded TeA. Only one gene was found to be expressed significantly more in these conditions than when no toxin was produced. Further tests were run to determine whether this gene really is responsible for TeA biosynthesis. First, knocking out this gene yielded a strain that could not produce the toxin, and researchers tentatively renamed the gene TeA synthetase 1--or TAS1. Then, the team created an M. oryzae strain that overexpressed TAS1, and as expected, this strain produced the toxin under normal conditions.
Next, researchers examined the structure of TAS1 and found that it is a hybrid enzyme containing an NRPS region followed by a PKS region. "This was very surprising", explains Motoyama. "It was assumed because of TeA's structure that it would be synthesized by a PKS-NRPS hybrid enzyme. In fact, the order of these regions was totally reversed!" While NRPS-PKS hybrid enzymes have been found in bacteria, TAS1 is the first fungal enzyme for a secondary metabolite to be discovered with an NRPS-PKS structure.
After analyzing how TeA is generated and determining that TAS1 synthesizes it from isoleucine and acetoacetyl-coenzyme A, the researchers searched for homologues in other organisms. While they found several other species of fungi that have genes for homologues sharing the same domain structure, bacterial sources with similar amino acid sequences did not share the same characteristic domain structure. Further research will be needed to find out if this novel enzyme has homologues that biosynthesize other compounds with useful biological functions.
While preventing TeA synthesis might me a goal for crop preservation, TeA also has antitumor, antibacterial, and antiviral properties that could prove beneficial in many situations. Understanding exactly how it is synthesized by TAS1 is therefore an important next step. "Now that we know that the KS domain of TAS1 is unique," notes co-lead author Choong-Soo Yun, "X-ray crystallographic analysis of this domain will be important for uncovering the reaction mechanism."
http://www.sciencecodex.com/secrets_of_a_ricekilling_fungal_toxin-168301?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+October+27%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/chandigarh/3650l-mt--paddy-in-this-kharif-season.html

Cox: Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa


Onion Bhajji from Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa. (JOHN BURGESS / The Press Democrat)
October 26, 2015, 5:11PM 
 If you remember, there was a Lyons restaurant at the north end of Farmers Lane in Santa Rosa, one of a chain of Denny’s-like places strewn across northern California like oases of culinary mediocrity.The chain tanked in 2012, but the building was excellent. The large dining room has a low ceiling and soft lighting for intimacy, and the 10-stool bar’s back-bar mirror lets you check out the other imbibers without being obvious about it.Narayan Somname, owner and chef of the popular Yeti Nepalese restaurant in Jack London Village in Glen Ellen, spied this empty space and decided that Santa Rosa needed its own Yeti. Now open for lunch and dinner, it’s is a friendly, comfy place to have some very well made Nepalese and Indian food.

 

Yeti Restaurant Highlights

It especially affords hard-working Santa Rosans a lunch venue that’s a little out of the ordinary, with its spicy curries and decent prices.Saag paneer over rice with a side salad, and chicken curry over rice with a side salad, are $11 each. Or fuel yourself with a large lunch that for $15.99 includes rice, naan, salad, tandoori chicken, dal (lentils), vegetable curry, papadum and yogurt with fruit.The wine list carries local favorites in the $30-$50 range, but beer always seems a better choice with Nepali or Indian food. House-brewed Yeti Pale Ale is a lightly hopped and delicious choice. The full bar serves the usual suspects among cocktails: margarita, cosmo, bloody mary, manhattan, vodka collins and a misconceived gimlet made with fresh lime juice instead of Rose’s Lime Juice. Cocktails are mostly $10 each.

The dinner menu has some interesting choices. Onion Bhajji ($7.99 ★★★ ) is a kind of fritter and also one of India’s top cricket stars, a man named Harbajan whose nickname is Bhajji. Garlic, ginger, onions and Himalayan spices like cardamom and coriander are mixed in a ground chickpea batter and deep fried. You get six pieces with a side of saffron bulghur and three dipping sauces: spicy hot chili that comes on slow but builds to a fiery climax; tamarind; and mint-cilantro. The fritters entice you with their aroma and drench your tastebuds with flavor.

Of all the dishes at the dinner, the six pieces of Chicken Momo ($8.99 ★★★★ ) hit several pleasure buttons at once. First, they’re delightful to see. They are made in the style of the Newari people of Kathmandu in Nepal, which so recently was struck by a devastating earthquake. Each momo looks like a tiny, fluted cap of slick and shiny steamed flour dough. Inside each is chicken minced with Himalayan spices, and they’re served with a cool mint sauce. Vegetarians and vegans don’t have to miss out, because vegetable momo also are available.

Chicken Sekuwa ($9.99 ★★ ) is a classic Nepalese dish, usually served on skewers like Thai satay but quite different in flavor, although here the skewers are dispensed with. Seven cubes of white meat are spiced with cumin, ginger and yogurt, which give them a little gingery bite. Then they’re cooked in the tandoor, some chunks emerging still juicy but others dry and toughened. The house mint-cilantro sauce is drizzled over the top.
At this point, the waiter made sure there were clean utensils and plates on the table for the balance of the meal. Attentive service is such a pleasure.
THE PRESS DEMOCRATE

 

Exports drop for ninth month

Imports also tumblein lacklustre economy
27 Oct 2015 at 03:26 3,290 viewed10 comments
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his economy czar Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak spoke with foreign and Thai chief executives Monday, including AAT president and chief executive Trevor Negus (at microphone). Mr Negus urged urgent work on infrastructure, particularly roads, which he said are "in a state of congestion and decay." (Photo courtesy of Government House)

Thailand's troubled economy continues to struggle, with exports falling for the ninth straight month in September as imports also plummeted.The Commerce Ministry yesterday reported shipments fell by 5.51% year-on-year last month to a value of US$18.8 billion, easing slightly from August's sharp 6.69% fall, the second worst this year after a 7.87% decline in June, which itself was the biggest drop since an 8.15% decline in December 2011.For the first nine months of this year, exports dropped by 4.98% to $162 billion.September imports plunged 26.2% year-on-year to a value of $21.7 billion, resulting in a nine-month fall to $154 billion, down 10.5%.Agricultural and agribusiness products contracted by 9.9% year-on-year last month to $2.65 billion.Industrial goods dropped by 1.9% to $15.1 billion despite shipments of automotive and parts rising by 20.6%, driven by a 144% surge in passenger car exports.

Somkiat: Soft demand among trade partners
Somkiat Triratpan, director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, attributed the fall in exports to the weak global economy and soft demand in major trade partners, particularly Japan (down by 20.6%), France (down 18.1%), China (down 17.9%), South Korea (down 15.9%), Britain (down 10.1%) and the US (down 3.6%).Overall crude oil prices also remained low, declining by 47.5% year-on-year in the first nine months, while global farm prices also dropped sharply, especially for rice, rubber and sugar.Export prices of rice dropped by 9.5%, with rubber down 19.8% and sugar 8.2%.Mr Somkiat insisted Thailand's export contraction was low compared with the performance of other countries such as Australia (-21.8%), France (-14.3%), Singapore (-14%), Japan (-9.2%), South Korea (-6.4%) and the US (-6.1%).The Commerce Ministry is still maintaining forecast for exports to contract by 3% this year. 

"Export contraction is likely to stay within a range of 3.5% to 4% if we come up with export values of $19 billion baht a month for the final three months of the year," Mr Somkiat said."The contraction will widen to 5% if we achieve only $18 billion a month."Wallop Vitanakorn, vice-president of Thai National Shippers' Council, said last month's lower contraction in exports was due primarily to a surge in automotive shipments.With the global economy remaining far from a recovery and Thailand's economy still weak, the country's exports are likely to fall by at least 5% this year, he said.Santitarn Sathirathai, the Singapore-based head of economic research for Southeast Asia and India at Credit Suisse, said Thailand's growth would remain lacklustre albeit more resilient than expected, as tourism numbers may provide some upside risk to its 2015 GDP forecast of 2% growth.Thailand's strong current account position means the baht will probably outperform its peers unless the Bank of Thailand takes more policy actions including cutting rates, he said.

"We continue to see room for another rate cut, but the timing remains uncertain. It seems to us the Bank of Thailand may wish to see how domestic demand will respond to various stimuli introduced by the government before adding another rate cut," Mr Santitarn said."We still think headwinds to exports will be sufficient to cap overall GDP growth in the fourth quarter, which would prompt the central bank to cut the rate by another 25 basis points by year-end."However, a December move looks more likely than the upcoming meeting on Nov 4.

"Sarun Sunansathaporn, an economist in Bank of Ayudhya's research department, said September's export contraction of 5.5% was better than the projected 8.3%."Exports in baht terms were positive, as they improved to growth of 5.5% on the back of the baht's depreciation," he said.However, Mr Sarun said last month's 26.2% import decline was a big surprise."This was even worse than economists' bearish forecast of a contraction of between 13% and 23.9%," he said.Thailand's trade account surplus widened to $2.8 billion, marking a five-month streak of surpluses, Mr Sarun said, adding that prospects for domestic demand and exports remained tepid.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/744168.

15 rice harvest nearly finished
The Arkansas rice harvest is essentially complete, and a University of Arkansas agronomist said Monday that he expects the final yield will fall well below last year's record.
Read the full article here:Arkansas Online 

APEDA Commodity News from India

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 26-10-2015
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Garlic
1
Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2100
2
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
2000
3
Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t)
1800
Ginger
1
Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
4600
2
Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
5100
3
Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
3000
Guar Gum Powder
1
Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2210
2
Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
1550
3
Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t)
2650
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 26-10-2015
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Maize
1
Hassan (Karnataka)
Local
1000
1680
2
Dahod (Gujarat)
Yellow
1370
1450
3
Palthan (Maharashtra)
Yellow
1325
1452
Barley (Jau)
1
Siddhpur (Gujarat)
Other
1725
1725
2
Begu (Rajasthan)
Other
1310
1340
3
Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh)
Other
1100
1200
Pine Apple
1
Jagraon (Punjab)
Other
1500
2000
2
Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Other
1000
2500
3
Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Other
1400
2300
Brinjal
1
Chala (Kerala)
Other
2700
2753
2
Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Other
800
1500
3
Shillong (Meghalaya)
Other
2500
3000
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 26-10-2015
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
333
2
Chittoor
338
3
Nagapur
312
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 26-10-2015
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb sacks
1
Atlanta
Idaho
Russet
15.50
15.50
2
Chicago
Idaho
Russet
9
11
3
Miami
Washington
Russet
13
14
Cauliflower
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
Mexico
White
18
18.25
2
Baltimore
Texas
White
26
26
3
Miami
California
White
28
32
Grapes
Package: 19 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
California
Red Globe
21.50
23.50
2
Chicago
California
Red Globe
18
20
3
New York
California
Red Globe
22
23
Source:USDA


Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal 
 
WASHINGTON, DC -- Tomorrow, Congress is expected to take up a two-year budget bill in an effort to avert a government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling.  The deal would increase federal spending by $80 billion over two years and raise the federal borrowing limit through 2017.  However, $3 billion in cuts to the federal crop insurance program were included as an offset.
The crop insurance provision would require a renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement, the contract between insurance companies and the government.  Federal crop insurance has been continually targeted for cuts since the 2008 Farm Bill against the recommendations of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.USA Rice Vice President Ben Mosely shared his disappointment, saying, "As an important component of the farm safety net, crop insurance is a precarious area to find savings. Further cuts could jeopardize the private sector delivery of crop insurance."Mosely added, "I encourage rice farmers to voice their opposition to the crop insurance provisions within the budget deal to their representatives in Washington.  Additional cuts to crop insurance delivery negates much of the hard work Congress put into passing a five-year Farm Bill last February."

Contact:  Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475

Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of Change'  
 
Buddy Allen with wife, Allison,
and daughter, Yates
WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Buddy Allen, a rice farmer from Tunica, Mississippi, was lauded as a 'Champion of Change in Sustainable Agriculture' at a ceremony at the White House.  Allen was one of twelve champions across all of agriculture recognized for taking steps to improve the sustainability of their operations, and educating others to do the same.  To see an excerpt of the event, go here.

Allen believes in "practicing what you preach" when it comes to the sustainability arena and spends a lot of time and capital implementing soil and water conservation practices on his rice farm.  In reference to the critical importance of water to farming, Allen said, "Rice is a significant water-using crop which gives us a lot of opportunity to make an impact in conservation and stewardship.  Collectively, we've learned how to raise rice in the Deep South with about half the water we used to.  We've worked very diligently, and we're really proud of the partnerships we have with our commodity groups like the [USA] Rice Federation. "

Allen has installed a tailwater recovery system to recycle irrigation water; instituted laser land-leveling to further reduce water use and soil runoff; experimented with using a large number of irrigation practices based on geographic conditions, and installed moisture sensors to help with irrigation efficiency.

USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said, "Buddy serves as a role model for our industry by leading efforts to implement agricultural practices that benefit soil, air, and water quality.  He is a Rice Leadership alumni, a member of the USA Rice Conservation Committee, and known for being a great steward of the land.  We congratulate him on receiving this acknowledgement from the Obama administration."

Contact:  Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   
CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for October 27
Month
Price
Net Change

November 2015
$11.600
- $0.055
January 2016
$11.885
- $0.060
March 2016
$12.160
- $0.060
May 2016
$12.435
- $0.060
July 2016
$12.685
- $0.055
September 2016
$12.350
+ $0.015
November 2016
$12.350
 + $0.015

Rice Prices

as on : 27-10-2015 08:10:35 PM
Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.
Arrivals
Price
Current
%
change
Season 
cumulative
Modal
Prev.
Modal
Prev.Yr
%change
Rice
Roorkee(Utr)
700.00
2233.33
2826.00
1900
1575
24.18
Srirampur(ASM)
150.00
-33.33
1130.00
2980
2980
-
Dhing(ASM)
92.00
6.73
3462.70
1800
1800
-5.26
Gauripur(ASM)
48.00
4.35
1516.00
4500
4500
50.00
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
26.00
73.33
1922.00
2000
2100
-20.00
Chakdah(WB)
24.00
-4
672.00
2900
2900
-6.45
Sheoraphuly(WB)
10.00
-28.57
495.50
2550
2500
-12.07
North Lakhimpur(ASM)
9.00
-70.97
196.90
1900
1900
-
Silapathar(ASM)
8.50
112.5
302.60
3000
3000
NC
Lakhimpur(UP)
8.00
-15.79
598.50
2210
2190
-
Pakur(Jha)
6.00
140
129.09
3149
3150
-
Islampur(WB)
3.20
NC
209.90
2050
2050
-18.00
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article7809408.ece


Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report



A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas agricultural commodities with cash markets, futures and insightful analysis and commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau commodity analysts.
Noteworthy benchmark price levels of interest to farmers and ranchers, as well as long-term commodity market trends which are developing. Daily fundamental market influences and technical factors are noted and discussed.
Soybeans
High
Low
Cash Bids
905
845
New Crop
920
871


Riceland Foods


Cash Bids
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -
New Crop
Stuttgart: - - -
Pendleton: - - -


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Nov '15
895.25
882.00
891.25
+6.25
Jan '16
894.25
880.25
891.00
+6.50
Mar '16
896.75
882.50
893.50
+6.75
May '16
901.00
887.00
897.75
+6.50
Jul '16
906.00
892.50
903.00
+6.75
Aug '16
904.00
897.00
901.25
+6.25
Sep '16
895.00
885.00
893.50
+5.50
Nov '16
895.00
883.75
891.75
+5.25
Jan '17
896.00
895.00
896.75
+5.00

Soybean Comment

Soybeans saw fresh buying today after yesterday's sharp losses. While weather in Brazil remains a drag on soybeans, for the near term look for prices to be more reactive to U.S. export news. Today we saw delayed reaction to yesterday's positive report. Prices still need another dime before the can break resistance at $9.


Wheat
High
Low
Cash Bids
498
498
New Crop
515
434


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Dec '15
518.00
506.50
509.25
+0.25
Mar '16
522.75
511.50
514.25
-0.50
May '16
527.00
516.00
518.75
-0.50
Jul '16
528.75
518.00
520.50
-0.75
Sep '16
536.00
526.75
528.50
-1.25
Dec '16
549.25
538.50
540.50
-2.75
Mar '17
550.50
-3.75
May '17
550.25
-4.50
Jul '17
542.00
542.00
538.00
-4.50

Wheat Comment

Wheat prices remain volatile as speculators continue work to balance their long and short position. After yesterday's strong rally we saw prices close mostly lower today, despite yesterdays crop condition report showing the condition of this years crop much worse than previous years. While wheat continues to try and move higher, slow demand will remain an issue and limit long term gains.


Grain Sorghum
High
Low
Cash Bids
395
319
New Crop
394
339



Corn
High
Low
Cash Bids
395
360
New Crop
411
381


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Dec '15
387.50
379.00
380.00
-4.50
Mar '16
396.75
388.75
389.75
-3.75
May '16
402.75
395.00
396.00
-3.50
Jul '16
407.50
399.50
400.75
-3.00
Sep '16
405.00
398.00
399.00
-2.25
Dec '16
411.50
404.75
405.75
-2.25
Mar '17
420.00
415.25
415.25
-2.25
May '17
423.00
421.50
421.25
-2.00
Jul '17
427.25
425.50
425.25
-2.00

Corn Comment

Corn prices closed lower today as the market found little technical support to continue yesterday's gains. As harvest continues and slow exports remain an issue it will be difficult for corn to break out of the sideways pattern they are currently in.


Cotton
Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Dec '15
63.18
62.18
62.34
0.21
Mar '16
62.95
61.94
62.16
0.23
Dec '16
63.38
62.97
62.82
0.15

Cotton Comment

Cotton futures recovered a bit, moving back to close above previous support at 62 cents. Technical selling in the face of overbought indicators has resulted in the downturn of the past two weeks. The crop is 42% harvested nationwide, but behind schedule in the eastern costal states that are still waiting for fields to dry out to be able to evaluate the condition of the crop and get the pickers rolling.


Rice
High
Low
Long Grain Cash Bids
- - -
- - -
Long Grain New Crop
- - -
- - -


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Nov '15
1184.5
1147.5
1160.0
-5.5
Jan '16
1213.0
1175.5
1188.5
-6.0
Mar '16
1222.0
1207.5
1216.0
-6.0
May '16
1260.0
1250.0
1243.5
-6.0
Jul '16
1280.0
1270.0
1268.5
-5.5
Sep '16
1235.0
+1.5
Nov '16
1235.0
+1.5

Rice Comment

Rice futures closed at the 50% retracement level today, which coincides with the up trendline drawn off the May low. A close below $11.60 will signal a move to the 62% retracement level of $11.18. Global production problems have helped support the market since the summer, however, disappointing U.S. yields have likely been built into prices at this point.


Cattle
Futures:
Live Cattle:
High
Low
Last
Change
Oct '15
139.225
136.550
138.550
-1.000
Dec '15
141.825
140.050
141.750
-0.250
Feb '16
143.550
141.875
143.450
-0.450
Apr '16
142.300
140.825
142.300
-0.425
Jun '16
133.225
131.850
133.175
-0.275
Aug '16
130.700
129.425
130.600
-0.425
Oct '16
132.600
131.275
132.425
-0.450
Dec '16
133.650
132.200
133.300
-0.525
Feb '17
132.400
131.650
131.900
-1.300
Feeders:
High
Low
Last
Change
Oct '15
193.225
192.350
193.100
-0.575
Nov '15
190.200
187.200
189.175
-2.050
Jan '16
182.050
179.600
181.575
-1.550
Mar '16
178.975
176.850
178.725
-1.000
Apr '16
179.625
177.725
179.500
-0.925
May '16
179.525
177.600
179.500
-0.675
Aug '16
179.975
178.175
179.975
-0.575
Sep '16
177.950
-1.550

Cattle Comment

Cattle prices continued their slide today. Both live and feeder cattle prices saw sharp losses today as the weak boxed beef and cash cattle markets remain a drag on prices. After the recent rally in cattle prices have become technically weak will need fundamental support to hold gains.


Hogs
Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Dec '15
62.975
60.825
60.900
-1.950
Feb '16
66.050
64.200
64.275
-1.525
Apr '16
69.775
68.525
68.650
-0.975
May '16
74.575
73.750
73.825
-0.750
Jun '16
77.600
76.550
76.550
-0.925
Jul '16
77.200
76.450
76.600
-0.500
Aug '16
76.250
75.600
75.600
-0.700
Oct '16
66.800
66.200
66.775
+0.125
Dec '16
64.200
63.900
64.200
+0.300

Hog Comment



Shell Eggs

National Turkeys

Delmarva Broilers

http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/

Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center


2015-10-27 15:25:42

CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, has been removed from office, sources with the center in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, confirmed on Tuesday.Yuan, 85, known in China as "the father of hybrid rice," will continue his research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the world's first hybrid rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a target unit yield of 700 kg per mu (0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000 and 2005, respectively, setting world records both times. In 2014, his team achieved a record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of 1,026.7 kilograms per mu.
Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and on farms. In September, Yuan visited Cambodia to promote "super rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects to raise the unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He said he will devote his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid rice.China, one of the world's most heavily farmed countries, faces problems including limited land and water resources, and rising pollution, making food security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as a staple food.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm

Changing the protection of wild rice waters: What you need to know

 

EnvironmentDan Kraker · Duluth · Oct 27, 2015
Wild rice beds on Lower Rice Lake, Sept. 30, 2015. Dan Gunderson | MPR News file
In a move that could have an impact on mining in northeastern Minnesota, the state started taking public comment this week on a proposal to change the way it protects waters where wild rice grows.The state has had a law on the books since the 1970s limiting how much sulfate can be discharged into wild rice waters, but that law has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years from business groups, state legislators and others.• Timeline: Wild rice regulations in Minnesota
Here's what you should know about the law and potential changes.

 

What is the origin of the wild rice standard?


A biologist named John Boyle sampled lakes and rivers around the state in the 1930s and '40s. He found that wild rice did not grow well when the water had high concentrations of sulfate. Because wild rice is such a cultural touchstone here, being the state grain and very important to tribes, the Legislature passed a standard in 1973.

How is the proposed new standard different from the current one?


The current standard limits the amount of sulfate in water where wild rice grows to 10 milligrams per liter. That translates to about seven gallons in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.The new rule would replace that broad standard with a formula that figures out how much sulfate is safe for wild rice in each specific water body. It would be a more flexible standard.

Why is the MPCA proposing this change?

The agency says the current standard is too rigid. It says in some lakes, wild rice can grow with a lot more sulfate than 10 parts per million. But in other lakes, it may not be able to tolerate even that much.That's because it's not actually the sulfate that harms the wild rice. When that sulfate mixes with bacteria in the muck at the bottom of lakes, it converts into sulfide, which is toxic to wild rice plants.But recent research has shown that naturally occurring iron and organic carbon that are also in that muck play a role in how readily that sulfate is converted to sulfide.
Under this new proposal, researchers would sample the sediment in a specific water body, find out how much carbon and iron is there, and then plug that into a formula to figure out how much sulfate is safe for wild rice.

 

How would this affect the mining industry?

Sulfate occurs naturally, but it's also released by mining operations and other industries. There are also a lot of wild rice waters downstream from mines on the Iron Range, so this rule potentially could have a big impact up in northeast Minnesota.
It was actually the industry that pushed the state to scrutinize the old standard and come up with an alternative. The reaction from mining interests and the Iron Range delegation to the proposed change has been generally positive.

Who are the critics and what are their concerns?

Environmental groups have said a flexible standard could create openings for political pressure.John Pastor, who's a biologist at University of Minnesota Duluth, has been critical. He did much of the research for the MPCA's recent study that analyzed the old 10 parts per million standard.Pastor says the MPCA hasn't shown the formula it's proposing can accurately predict a safe level of sulfate.He also says that to get an accurate measure of the iron and organic material in the sediment, the MPCA would have to collect up to a hundred different sediment cores in just one lake. Pastor says those conditions in the sediment in any given lake can change from year to year.The MPCA says it is investigating those issues and how exactly the new change would be implemented.

What does Pastor propose?


He says his research showed that the old, 10 parts per million standard will protect wild rice 80 percent of the time. He thinks it should remain in place. The MPCA has said that standard isn't wrong, it's just imprecise.

 

What happens next?

This issue is far from settled. The proposal is now open for comment until Dec 18. Ultimately, the federal Environmental Protection Agency would have to sign off on any change Minnesota makes to its wild rice sulfate standard. The MPCA estimates a new rule wouldn't go into effect until January 2018.

Mars commits to 100% sustainable rice sourcing by 2020
By Hannah Abdulla | 27 October 2015
Mars will only source sustainable rice by 2020
Mars has pledged to sustainably source 100% of its rice by 2020.
The Uncle Ben's owner announced what it called "the first global standard for sustainable rice", a move made in partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform, a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society organizations, which is convened by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute.The standard consists of a set of criteria for sustainable rice cultivation that can be used globally to reduce the environmental footprint of rice production and improve the lives of rice farmers.
The standard consists of 46 requirements organised under eight broad topics, including productivity, food safety, worker health, labour rights, and biodiversity.Mars plans to will use the standard as a benchmark against which to assess its rice supply chains – identifying where there are gaps and developing strategies to improve sustainability. It has already begun piloting implementation of the standard with rice farmers in Pakistan and India.
"Caring for our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more than usual corporate responsibility. It's an imperative for Mars Food," said Fiona Dawson, president of the group's non-confectionery Mars Food business unit. "Through the global standard, we hope to create benefits for all involved from the farmers to our consumers.  The benefit for us is that is that we are ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also ensuring a higher income for farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations. It is a truly mutual solution."http://www.just-food.com/news/mars-commits-to-100-sustainable-rice-sourcing-by-2020_id131459.aspx

Prayut warns against bullyboy tactics over rice scheme
The Nation October 27, 2015 1:00 am
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday instructed the National Rice Policy Committee (NRPC) not to give in to stakeholders in the rice-pledging scheme if they threaten or intimidate officials.Speaking before the NRPC meeting, Prayut said the move to seek civil liability for the rice pledging scheme stemmed from his own concern that the statute of limitation on the case may expire. "I would like you all to prevent anyone, especially those who are the stakeholders in the case, from issuing threats or intimidating related officials. You must adhere to righteousness and abide by the law,'' he said.He informed the committee that, of the total rice stockpiles under the rice-pledging scheme, 9 million tonnes of the rice are regarded as being in good condition, 2 million tonnes are degraded rice and the quality of 2 million tonnes cannot yet be determined.
He said the government would consult the Thailand Development Research Institute and other rice associations about how to make use of the degraded rice and distribute rice under the scheme without affecting the price of rice.
He said the government had secured several new rice deals after penetrating new markets in countries such as China, the Philippines, and was exploring new markets in African countries. Prayut said the government is finding solutions to prevent rice-related problems such as oversupply and subsidies. "We have to have a systematic and comprehensive plan before rice is planted. We must know how much should be planted.
 If prices of rice fall, please opt to plant other crops. If farmers keep asking for rice subsidies, the country will become mired in a vicious circle,'' he said.He said he instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives to find solutions to the oversupply and falling price of rubber also. The government is planning to do away with the rubber subsidy, he said."We will no longer give subsidies in terms of 'differences in prices', because it is against the law and we have an effective Rubber Act,'' he said.
The Nation 

Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation Through Land Borders


By Henry Umoru and Joseph Erunke
Abuja — Director-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali, rtd, has explained that he decided to lift the ban on importation of rice through land borders due largely to the great increase in the activities of smugglers of the commodity, which he noted was largely reducing the revenue generation of the agency.He also said the high number of death of personnel coupled with other associated risks they were facing in the course of pursuing the smugglers contributed to his decision.
Speaking when he appeared before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Import Duty Waivers,to explain why he reversed the Federal Government policy on rice importation, Col. Ali insisted that his agency decided to lift the ban because smuggling of the commodity was so common in the nation's land borders, leading to great loss of revenue.

He saud: "We decided to lift the ban on rice importation through the land borders because we discovered that we have developed the capacity and then we have the wherewithal to collect duties at the borders and this products are coming through the borders.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201510260246.html
Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center

English.news.cn   2015-10-27 15:25:42

CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, has been removed from office, sources with the center in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, confirmed on Tuesday.Yuan, 85, known in China as "the father of hybrid rice," will continue his research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the world's first hybrid rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a target unit yield of 700 kg per mu (0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000 and 2005, respectively, setting world records both times. In 2014, his team achieved a record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of 1,026.7 kilograms per mu.

Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and on farms. In September, Yuan visited Cambodia to promote "super rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects to raise the unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He said he will devote his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid rice.China, one of the world's most heavily farmed countries, faces problems including limited land and water resources, and rising pollution, making food security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as a staple food.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm

New UN-Supported rice management standard sets benchmark for environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice cultivation

 

MANILA/BANGKOK, 27 October 2015 – The world’s first standard for sustainable rice, which sets new and more efficient standards for rice cultivation, was launched today by the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society organizations convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).The SRP Standard for Sustainable Rice Cultivation uses environmental and socio-economic benchmarks to maintain yields for rice smallholders, reduce the environmental footprint of rice cultivation and meet consumer needs for food safety and quality.

The development of the standard was led by SRP members, UTZ Certified, Aidenvironment and IRRI, and draws on global experience in other sustainable commodity initiatives such as sugarcane, cotton, coffee and palm oil. It is made up of 46 requirements ranging from productivity, food safety, worker health, labour rights and biodiversity. It is supplemented by a set of quantitative Performance Indicators to enable farmers and market supply chain actors to gauge the sustainability of a rice system, and to monitor and reward progress.Rice plays a critical role in global food security and provides livelihoods for over 140 million smallholders in developing countries. However, this comes at a price to the environment. Rice cultivation uses 30-40 per cent of the world’s freshwater and contributes 5-10 per cent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.
Inefficient use of farm inputs such as agrochemicals presents additional challenges to long-term sustainability.“For most of Asia Pacific, rice is a staple. It is part of the social fabric and influences many aspects of our lives – economic, social and religious. The SRP Standard and Indicators will help ensure that the cultivation of this vital commodity becomes more sustainable and benefits people, communities and the planet,” said Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP Regional Representative and Regional Director of the UNEP Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific.

Robert Zeigler, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) which co-founded the SRP, added: “The SRP Standard represents the world’s first initiative that will set environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice production management standards. Our key challenge now is to incentivize and scale up adoption, especially among resource-poor small farmers.”The SRP Standard and Indicators will be field-tested and validated by national government agencies, research institutes and private companies in a multi-location farm trial to be coordinated by the SRP and IRRI. Ultimately, the Standard and Indicators are intended both as a basis for certification of value-added rice products and also as a benchmark for policymakers.

http://irri.org/news/media-releases/new-un-supported-rice-management-standard-sets-benchmark-for-environmentally-sustainable-and-socially-responsible-rice-cultivation

Mars Food Announces First Global Rice Sustainability Standard in Partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform

Business | October 26, 2015 
MANILA, Philippines, Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Mars Food, in partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform, (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food businesses, public sector and civil society organizations convened by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), today announced the first global standard for sustainable rice at the 5th Annual Plenary Meeting and Assembly here.As the leading corporation with the SRP and owner of the world’s largest rice brand, UNCLE BEN’S®, Mars Food played a pivotal role in developing the standard. Mars Food also announced today its commitment to sustainably source 100 percent of its rice by 2020 using the SRP standard.
“Caring for our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more than usual corporate responsibility. It’s an imperative for Mars Food,” said Fiona Dawson, President of Mars Food. “Through the global standard, we hope to create benefits for all involved from the farmers to our consumers. The benefit for us is that is that we are ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also ensuring a higher income for farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations. It is a truly mutual solution.”The SRP standard consists of a set of criteria for sustainable rice cultivation that can be used across the globe to reduce the environmental footprint of rice production and improve the lives of rice farmers. The standard consists of 46 requirements organized under eight broad topics, including productivity, food safety, worker health, labor rights, and biodiversity. Rice plays a critical role in global food security, providing livelihoods for over 140 million smallholder farmers in developing countries and is a staple food for nearly half of the world’s seven billion people.

Mars Food will use the standard as a benchmark against which to assess its rice supply chains – identifying where there are gaps and developing strategies to improve sustainability. Mars Food has already begun piloting implementation of the standard with rice farmers in two countries – Pakistan and India. A controlled farming program in Pakistan, in partnership with Rice Partners, LTD, IRRI and Bayer CropScience, has grown from 31 smallholder farmers in 2011 to 400 farmers in 2015 who produce Basmati rice grown with the correct application of chemicals and harvested with practices to improve food safety and water quality. In India, Mars is embedding new learnings while also piloting the SRP standard.The standard complements and builds upon the company’s Purpose – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow – and the Mars Mutuality Principle, which demonstrate the company’s commitment to helping rice farmers improve yields while reducing water use and greenhouse gas emissions and improving socioeconomic conditions in the communities where high-quality rice is grown. 

About Mars Food
Mars Food is a fast-growing food business, making tastier, healthier, easier meals for all consumers to enjoy.Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Mars Food is a leader in producing great tasting products.  Our portfolio includes the following brands: UNCLE BEN’S®, DOLMIO®, SEEDS OF CHANGE®, MasterFoods®, SUZI WAN®, EBLY®, ROYCO®, KAN TONG® and RARIS®.  In 2013, global sales were approximately $2 billion.  Our ambition is to become a model business in the areas of health and nutrition and sustainability, as expressed by our purpose: Better Food Today.  A Better World Tomorrow.

Mars Food is a segment of Mars, Incorporated.
About Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned business with more than a century of history and some of the best-loved brands in the world including M&M’S®, PEDIGREE®, DOUBLEMINT® and UNCLE BEN’S®. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars has more than $33 billion in sales from six diverse business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks and Symbioscience. More than 75,000 Associates across 73 countries are united by the company’s Five Principles: Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality and Freedom and strive every day to create relationships with stakeholders that deliver growth we are proud of as a company.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visitwww.mars.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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