Tuesday, February 09, 2016

22nd January 2016 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Ricpelus Magazine

·        Today Rice News Headlines...
·         Uproar over Beef: Government shows double standards
·         How Jonathan govt. issued multi billion naira rice import quotas last day in office
·         U.S. Reaches Deal on Rice Exports to China, Trade Group Says
·         Dream of realising ‘food sovereignty’ dashed by TPPA?
·         U.S.-China Reach Agreement on Phytosanitary Protocol for Rice Exports
·         Western Rice Belt Conference:  "New Water and Funding Could Lead to Increases in Texas Production" 
·         U.S. rice exports doing better despite competition: Part II
·         MP fears TPPA will abandon local rice industry
·         Kupang Needs Additional Stock of Rice to Forestall Shortage
·         Government advises against planting rice as dry season looms
·         Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report
·         Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Jan 22
·         Severe weather events cut palay output in ’15

News Detail...
Uproar over Beef: Government shows double standards 

Every year lakhs of cow, buffaloes and calves are killed in India. There is a lot of controversy about beef these days. Many places are witnessing communal tensions due to this issue. Many persons have been killed and attacked in different parts of India.

Some states like Haryana have imposed strict ban on beef and legal provisions provide for imprisonment in case any cow is slaughtered. As per a 2015 law, "cow", which includes bull, bullock, ox, heifer, calf, and disabled/diseased/barren cows, can't be killed in Haryana. Recently, many shameless politicians have been a part of so called "beef parties".

 In Focus
Now let us see some points which show double standards of politicians. Politicians supporting beef ban and supporting slaughter, both the categories have their vote bank politics at stake. Let us have a look at some hidden facts:

From where the slaughter began:in medieval times when there was Muslim rule in India, historical facts state that at that time sheep, goats and camels were used as food. But later with time cows started replacing camels. At that time killing cows was used as a method to humiliate local Hindu population. During the British rule, lakhs of cows were sacrificed for food of the English army. Cow slaughter was a part of the British policy of divide and rule so killing cows created a wide gap between Hindus and Muslims. Despite many states imposing ban on beef, there are states like, West Bengal, Kerala, north east of India. Many states allow killing of such animals on wide scale. For example in Punjab, "Beef" doesn't include imported beef; "cow" includes bulls, bullocks, oxen, heifer, calves. Their slaughter is allowed for export.

Treatment given to these animals: first animals for killing are treated very badly. There is no place for animal rights. Blunt knives are used to kill, which makes it more painful. Animals are transported in bad shape. Trucks loads full of animals are sent in which poor animal can neither stand nor sit. A lot of torture is given to them while packing them in trucks. There is no provision for food or water on the way. Even after reaching the slaughter house they are kept hungry and thirsty for days. Sick, old, diseased, healthy – no discrimination made by the knife.Export of meat: India has always been a major exporter of beef. On one hand state governments are doing this drama of banning beef, on the other hand it is a fact that India is one of the largest exporters of beef. States are imposing bans and there is no stopping export of meat. If there is ban on slaughter then from where the beef for export is coming?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, India is world's largest exporter of beef.
According to estimates, India exported 2.4 million tonnes of beef in 2015. Most of this meat is exported to Asian nations. At present India is earning more from the export of meat than from Basmati rice. Cow slaughter is fully banned in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Then from where so much meat is coming to be exported?
The central government is not taking any step to stop cruelty towards animals. Of course this is a multi –million rs. Game. Our tolerant, Hindu majority, cow worshipping nation is world's largest exporter of beef. This is a shame. If crores can be spent on Modi's foreign trips, then why nothing can be done to protect animals. They are voiceless, their pain can be felt on seeing any picture showing slaughter. All legs tied together, killing while doing Halal how much pain can humans give to animals. It has to stopped. Why cow shelters can not be made in every city that can take care of stray animals, old and diseased animals. These steps are absolutely necessary. Killing a cow with tied legs, captured by 6-7 men and in terrible pain can never be a humane act. Lord save the poor animals from humans
http://www.merinews.com/article/uproar-over-beef-government-shows-double-standards/15912944.shtml#sthash.wWalIP4T.dpuf

 

 

 

How Jonathan govt. issued multi billion naira rice import quotas last day in office


A few hours to the expiration of President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure, papers for a huge rice import quota worth billions of Naira were rushed in for the president’s accent, ostensibly as parting gifts to cronies and businessmen close to the power corridor.A state House memo dated May 27, 2015 and obtained by PREMIUM TIMES conveyed the President’s approval of another memo forwarded to him only a day earlier by his Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
In the earlier memo dated May 26, 2016, the then Vice President had sought a subsidy approval for select rice importers to bring in a total of 782,000 metric tonnes under what was termed ‘2015 Rice Quota Allocations’.The then President signed the largesse deal on his last day in Aso Rock. But the allocation was rejected, and cancelled by the succeeding Muhammadu Buhari administration.PREMIUM TIMES had on December 21, 2015, published an investigation detailing the corruption that plagued the 2014 Rice Quota Allocations and how some of the privileged beneficiaries of the rice subsidy colluded with smugglers to subvert the national rice development policy.The report exposed the ingenious ways employed by the beneficiaries to sell their quotas to pure businessmen, helping them to dodge the payment of 40 percent tariff to government.
The same ingenuity was deployed to divert cargoes originally meant for Cotonou, a notorious seaport that thrives on welcoming any vessel carrying items on Nigeria’s import prohibition list. The May 27, 2015 quota was not the first to be released for the year 2015.A botched attempt was earlier made on April 13, 2015 when a list of 22 beneficiary companies was released by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture after what was supposed to have been a laborious due process.

However the joy of the new beneficiaries were short-lived when nine days later, on April 22, the same Agric Ministry reversed itself and cancelled and withdrew all allocations.Before the then Agriculture Minister, Akinwunmi Adesina, departed for the African Development Bank as its president, he had in a memo titled ‘Approved List of Companies Allocated Rice Import Quota for April 2015 – March 2016 Period’ and sent to his Finance Ministry counterpart, mentioned that his ministry had identified a domestic rice supply gap of 1.3 million metric tonnes for the year 2015.He said he had, therefore, issued import quota allocations to 22 approved companies to import 961,000 metric tonnes of rice at 10 percent duty and 20 percent levy.

However, in announcing the cancellation of Mr. Adewunmi’s quota list, Permanent Secretary Of the ministry, S. T Echono, talked about a new information reaching the ministry to the effect that some Nigerian rice farmers were unable to sell their paddy to local rice millers due to a flooding of the market with imported rice.Industry watchers blamed the flooding on influx of smuggled rice from Cotonou and Niger Republic.To keen observers, the discordant tunes coming from the same Ministry belied high-powered politics in the scramble for a chunk of a new national cake.The second quota announced by Mr. Adewunmi had new beneficiaries such as Arewa Livestock Farms, African Farms, Olea Nigeria Ltd, Dependable Foods & Confectionary, Blue Line Investments Nigeria Ltd, Quarra Rice, Hammond Wright Nigeria Ltd and Blaine & Wilkes Nigeria Ltd.All of them were however thrown out of the list of the third quota beneficiaries supervised by Vice President Sambo.

The Sambo committee reviewed downward the national supply gap from 1.3 million MT to 782,000 MT just as it pruned beneficiaries from 22 to 20. But even the third quota allocation is not recognised by the Customs service, and is treated as though it never happened.The gulf in the two figures bandied as national supply gap is seen by concerned stakeholders as indicator of how sentiment and cronyism are robbing government of much-needed revenue in the face of dwindling oil fortunes.A policy analyst, Evelyn Beredugoh, blamed the discrepancy on phantom local capacities as claimed by many of the local rice investors.She said, “For you to qualify for import quota you must have a rice farm or rice mill the size of which determines the size of your allocations. Some people call themselves investors even when they have no verifiable business down the rice value chain.“Some of the investors quote local capacities that are only a figment of their imagination. Because there is no serious verification exercise, these phantom figures are added up as national rice production capacity. The higher the local capacity, the lower the national supply gap.
“In the end, you find that the actual supply gap might be higher than the 1.5 million metric tonnes quoted in 2014. The real beneficiaries remain the smugglers while the real investors face hard times in boosting local production which is the only objective of the rice policy.”
Premium Times


U.S. Reaches Deal on Rice Exports to China, Trade Group Says

American rice farmers to get foothold in world’s largest market for grain

A farmer walks through his rice field near, which has various types of rice forming a map of China, near Shanghai in October 2015. China, the world’s largest consumer and producer of rice, is close to accepting U.S. shipments of the grain. PHOTO: JOHANNES EISELE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
By JESSE NEWMAN
Jan. 22, 2016 10:05 p.m. ET
The U.S. reached an agreement that would enable rice exports to China, according to a trade group, a development that would give U.S. rice farmers their first foothold in the world’s largest market for the grain.USA Rice, which represents growers, millers and exporters, said late Friday that officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture had informed it that Washington and Beijing agreed on a protocol to allow U.S. producers legal access to China, which has long barred American rice.Such a deal has been under negotiation for roughly a decade. USA Rice said the accord came after the two nations settled on steps the U.S. industry must take to control insects and on labeling requirements for rice shipped overseas.
Officials at the USDA and China’s embassy in Washington, D.C., couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.“This extraordinary agreement has been a long time coming,” Dow Brantley, an Arkansas rice farmer who is USA Rice’s chairman, said in a statement.A USA Rice spokesman, citing USDA officials, said exports to China could be allowed by early spring, barring any disruptions. U.S. mills and storage facilities will need to be inspected by both the USDA and Chinese regulators, and China must issue a decree authorizing the imports, the group said.“The challenge now is to move from agreement to shipments,” said USA Rice Chief Executive Betsy Ward.

It could take time before China becomes a major destination for U.S. rice. Rice trade-group members expect China would increase its purchases slowly, with the country in the first few years not likely to rank among the 10 biggest customers for U.S. rice, which include Mexico and Haiti.Ultimately, however, the U.S. industry officials say China could become a top buyer, providing a considerable lift to the U.S. rice industry. The grain long has been is a staple in Chinese diets, and the country is the world’s largest rice importer as well as the largest producer.
Federal forecasters project the U.S. will produce 6.1 million tons of the grain in the 2015-16 crop year—more than half of which, 3.2 million tons, will be shipped overseas. The total U.S. rice crop was worth $3.1 billion in 2014.

Write to Jesse Newman at jesse.newman@wsj.com
http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-reaches-deal-on-rice-exports-to-china-trade-group-says-1453518342


Dream of realising ‘food sovereignty’ dashed by TPPA?


 Gooi Hsiao Leung     Published Today 12:35 pm     Updated Today 12:36 pm     
  
MP SPEAKS Late last year, Agriculture Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek was very focused on publicly promoting the idea of achieving, what he called “food sovereignty” for Malaysia.
According to the minister, “food sovereignty” is a policy of strategic importance for Malaysia to produce our own food to feed our population so as to not become dependent on imported food supplies.However, since the full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) was released, little more have been said on achieving “food sovereignty”, and there has been almost no public engagement by the Agriculture Ministry on the benefits of TPPA on the local rice industry.Shockingly to this date, the government, either through the Agriculture Ministry or the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti), or via the Muda Agriculture Development Authority (Mada), or the local Farmers Organisation Authority (PPK), have totally failed to engage, consult and brief the local stakeholders involved, in particular the rice farmers, rice millers’ associations or even rice traders in Kedah, on the impact of TPPA.

I am shocked at the lack of government engagement as rural rice farmers and millers are perceived as one of the ruling party’s most important and valued group of voters.First of all, under the free trade agreement, Malaysia will have to gradually eliminate all its import tariffs on rice from other TPPA countries, over a period of 11 years.Furthermore, the threat of losing our national control or power/“food sovereignty” in regulating our own food industry in order to protect our rice farmers and millers under the TPPA is very serious.Under the TPPA, a host of measures currently applied by Malaysia to protect the local rice industry may be viewed by other TPPA member states as trade restrictions violating the TPPA, whereby Malaysia may be forced to remove after joining TPPA.

The Agriculture Ministry needs to clarify whether Malaysia’s price controls which ensure that imported rice is more expensive than Malaysian rice can continue given the requirement to treat imported rice at least as well as domestic rice under the TPPA.Secondly, it is imperative for the Agriculture Ministry to clarify whether under the TPPA, we will have the right to replace or terminate Bernas’s role as the ‘sole’ importer of rice in the country, or perpetually maintain Bernas as a monopoly in the rice industry.Lastly, an equally important question the ministry must answer is what will happen after Bernas’s concession agreement with the government, expires in six years time on 2021.

In particular, the ministry must explain whether the practice of buying local rice first, then buying foreign rice second (as a means of protecting the local rice industry) by a designated monopoly established in the future or state-owned enterprises (SOE), will be prohibited under the TPPA.I hope the government will not in its haste in wanting to conclude the TPPA, cast aside and forget our rice farmers, millers and other stakeholders in the rice sector. I urgently request the ministry to provide immediate answers to my questions above, in particular during the Parliament sitting on Jan 26 next week for us to decide whether or not to support the TPPA, as they have potentially devastating implications to our local rice industry.

GOOI HSIAO LEUNG is Member of Parliament, Alor Setar, PKR supreme council member and Kedah PKR deputy chairperson.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/328010



U.S.-China Reach Agreement on Phytosanitary Protocol for Rice Exports 

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. officials confirmed yesterday to USA Rice that the United States and China have agreed on a phytosanitary protocol that will permit the import of U.S. milled rice.  "The challenge now is to move from agreement to shipments," said USA Rice CEO Betsy Ward. 

"This extraordinary agreement has been a long time coming and I commend the U.S. negotiators and USA Rice for sticking to it and getting us a phytosanitary protocol that while more complicated and detailed than any other rice protocol in the world, is something both industries appear able to make work that will result in a new market opening up for U.S.-grown rice," said Dow Brantley, Arkansas rice farmer and USA Rice Chairman.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials provided new details yesterday on how they intend to turn the phytosanitary protocol into actual export opportunities for U.S. rice.  USA Rice's COO Bob Cummings participated in 
Thursday's Grain Sector Strategic Planning Meeting sponsored by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) where the status of access to China was a key topic discussed by APHIS leadership.  APHIS laid out a series of steps involving separate inspections by APHIS and its Chinese counterpart of U.S. mills and storage facilities interested in exporting to China, publication by China of a list of ports eligible to receive U.S. rice and, finally, issuance of a decree by the Chinese government authorizing imports.  If there are no interruptions, imports could be permitted by early spring of this year, according to the agency.

"We have been working with APHIS for several weeks to identify U.S. mills and storage facilities interested in exporting to China and willing to comply with the insect trapping and record keeping requirements of the protocol," said Cummings.  "APHIS will soon contact these entities to arrange on-site inspections to assess compliance with APHIS's workplan.  A list of certified U.S. mills and storage facilities will then be forwarded by APHIS to China and Chinese authorities will do their own inspections, though perhaps just a sample of facilities.  USA Rice will continue to work with APHIS and take the lead in educating the industry about the specific requirements of the protocol and workplan."

"The technical aspects of this agreement are unlike any other protocol the U.S. rice industry currently operates under," said Chris Crutchfield, president of American Commodity Company, a California rice mill.  "I strongly encourage all facilities and exporters who wish to be involved in the Chinese rice trade to carefully read and understand all aspects of the agreement, and to develop and follow strict standard operating procedures and protocols including the detailed maintenance of records, as everything will need to be available for inspection by Chinese government officials at their request."  Crutchfield chairs the USA Rice Millers Phytosanitary Protocol Task Force.

"We know there is a great deal of interest in China in safe, high quality U.S. rice, and we've spent years working on relationships in the trade in China in preparation for the day that we can ship high quality U.S. rice to China's consumers.  That day now looks closer.  We're very enthusiastic and we appreciate the hard work put in by our government's negotiators and our members.  We'll continue to stay on top of this until U.S. shipments arrive," said Ward. 

Western Rice Belt Conference:  "New Water and Funding Could Lead to Increases in Texas Production" 
By Randy Jemison



EL CAMPO, TEXAS -- Earlier this week, almost 500 members of the Texas rice industry packed the El Campo Civic Center for the annual Western Rice Belt Conference here.

Participants heard from a variety of industry experts on topics ranging from updated pesticide laws and regulations, rice pest and disease management, risk management tools, and a rice market outlook.  Another topic that received a lot of attention was the availability of irrigation water.Peter Bachmann, USA Rice manager of government affairs, and Ducks Unlimited's Kirby Brown opened the conference with an update on the Regional Conservation Partnership Program being implemented through their Rice Stewardship Partnership. Bachmann told attendees, "Over the next two years, USA Rice will channel $1 million to rice farms in Texas to help growers implement conservation programs that are tailored to their local resource concerns."After the conference, Bachmann said, "Since Texas is beginning 2016 with additional water availability for the first time in several years, it's exciting to see a planned increase in planted rice acres and some farmers even considering planting rice for the first time this year."

L.G. Raun, a Texas rice farmer, USA Rice member, and chair of the Texas Rice Producers Legislative Group, held his Group's meeting following the conference and said, "I'm glad that USA Rice was able to get so much exposure at this conference and share all the good work they're doing on behalf of the Texas and U.S. rice industries."Raun continued, "It was reassuring to see new faces at the Producers Legislative Group meeting and to hear from the experts that despite low commodity prices, rice is actually one of the most appealing crops considering the safety nets available to us as producers."

USA Rice was a conference sponsor and also highlighted the partnership with Ducks Unlimited with the presence of Stewardship Partnership staff and a display.


U.S. rice exports doing better despite competition: Part II

Jan 21, 2016Forrest Laws  | Delta Farm Press

Changes in rice policy in Thailand and India have complicated the lives of U.S. rice producers in recent years. Thailand’s intervention program and India’s subsidies led to a buildup of rice stocks in those countries. Despite those and Thailand’s efforts to regain lost market share, U.S. rice exports are doing better, according to Dennis DeLaughter, a speaker at the National Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference Kathmandu, January 21
Prices of consumer goods in the domestic market have skyrocketed since the imposition of blockade on Nepal-India border points because of the government’s inefficacy in managing the supply situation and failure to take stringent action against those engaged in black-marketing, a snap survey conducted by the Society of Economic Journalists, Nepal (SEJON) says.Prices of some of the goods have surged by over 500 per cent since the crisis hit the country on September 24.
Price of sunflower cooking oil, for instance, has surged by 150 per cent to Rs 300 per litre, while price of Basmati rice has gone up by 22.22 per cent to Rs 110 per kg. Clay heater, on the other hand, now costs Rs 1,500, up 500 per cent than in the period prior to the crisis, whereas wood, which used to be sold for Rs 15 per kg, now costs Rs 60 per kg.Similarly, prices of construction materials, such as cement, bricks, galvanised corrugated sheets, crushed stones and sand, have gone up in the range of 33.33 per cent to 100 per cent, while restaurant menu has soared by 33 per cent to 66 per cent.Worse, prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas have skyrocketed by up to 573 per cent, says the report of the survey, conducted in various places in Kathmandu Valley.
“Allowing the prices to go up by over five times effectively means the state mechanism has ceased to function,” adds the report of the survey, which compared prices of September 24 to December 30 with those of the period before the crisis.It has long been said hoarding of various essentials and a vibrant black market are driving up prices of various goods in the market. In this regard, Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu has arrested 133 people engaged in black-marketing.“But the concerned authorities are taking time to take stringent action against those found guilty, although there are enough laws to penalise them,” says the report.Also, the government’s market monitoring has remained ineffective and an adequate number of market monitoring teams has not been mobilised to cover all the areas, adds the report. “In addition, concerned agencies have even failed to act upon complaints filed by consumers.”
What is even more deplorable is that the government has failed to come up with a concrete plan to smoothen or normalise supplies of various goods, says the report.All this has hit the low-income and lower-middle income groups hard, as they have limited income and cannot always afford to buy essentials whose prices have inflated beyond means.

http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/us-rice-exports-doing-better-despite-competition-part-ii


MP fears TPPA will abandon local rice industry

 | January 22, 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: Alor Star MP Gooi Hsiao Leung hopes that the Federal Government would not be hasty in concluding the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) without taking into consideration the rice farmers in the country, millers and other stakeholders in the rice industry. “I hope that some answers will be provided during the Special Parliament sitting on TPPA on January 26.
“The TPPA has potentially devastating effects on the rice industry, which is one of the ruling party’s main supporters.”
He noted that the TPPA calls for the elimination, within 11 years, of all import tariffs on rice from other member countries. “The Ministry of Agriculture must explain the TPPA regulation that imported rice from member countries must be treated as domestic rice. What will become of Malaysia’s price control policy on rice? Imported rice is now more expensive than domestic rice.”
Also, he added, what will become of Bernas as the sole rice importer? “Will it still continue to operate, having a monopoly in the industry, or will it be eliminated by TPPA?
“What will happen after Bernas’ concession agreement with the government expires in 2021, in six years’ time?”
Not so long ago, recalled Gooi, Minister of Agriculture Ahmad Shabery Cheek was talking about “food sovereignty” but nothing is being heard about this anymore, especially since the TPPA emerged as the way forward for Malaysia. “Food sovereignty is a policy of strategic importance for Malaysia. We have to produce our own food so that we don’t depend on other countries.”
He argued that it was important for the country to be able to feed itself from domestic production.

 
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/01/22/mp-fears-tppa-will-abandon-local-rice-industry/

Kupang Needs Additional Stock of Rice to Forestall Shortage
 FRIDAY, 22 JANUARY, 2016 | 09:12 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The district of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, said it needs additional stock of rice to forestall shortage with harvest failure in some areas of the district as a result of El Nino-triggered prolonged drought.The eastern part of the country has been hit the hardest by the drought caused by the weather phenomenon over the past year."We have asked for supply from Jakarta. Hopefully we will receive the shipment soon," Regent Ayub Titu Eki said on Thursday.Currently the district administration has only 11 tons of rice in stock, the district head said, adding it is feared the stock would not be enough to meet the requirement.Most farmers in the district chose to grow vegetables, and groundnut, which are more resistant to drought.


Government advises against planting rice as dry season looms

January 22, 2016 CMC Regional 

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Jan 22, CMC – The Guyana government is advising rice farmers to delay sowing their fields as the dry season begins to take effect.“If you haven’t planted already, don’t plant now because you wouldn’t get enough water, and we are trying to have enough water to save the crop that is already planted,” said Agriculture Minister Noel Holder.Holder said that while some farmers have already planted as much as 90 per cent of their fields “what at we don’t want is that extra 10 per cent to be planted because there is no water”.He said once the current crops continue as scheduled, then harvesting will be done in March or April, and lands will then be prepared to take advantage of the May/ June rains.He said the challenge in the future, for the rice crop is whether the anticipated rains are late. “If they come later, you can expect some ramifications for harvesting,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture said it is working with other agencies such as the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), and the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) to monitor the areas hardest hit by the current dry weather conditions.CDC’s Director General, retired Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup urged residents to conserve water.A government statement said that at present, all the conservancies are below full supply “which means there is no natural flow of water.“This situation has resulted in water being pumped from the conservancy into the farm lands,” the statement added.
http://antiguaobserver.com/government-advises-against-planting-rice-as-dry-season-looms/
Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

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


Futures:
High
Low
Last
Change
Mar '16
1093.0
1074.0
1081.0
-3.0
May '16
1118.0
1102.0
1118.0
+5.5
Jul '16
1145.0
1138.5
1145.0
+5.0
Sep '16
1150.0
1148.5
1150.0
-1.5
Nov '16
1175.5
-1.5
Jan '17
1176.0
-1.5
Mar '17
1176.0
-1.5

Rice Comment

Rice futures posted across the board gains today. The market is currently trading at seven month lows. March has support at the May 2015 low of $10.27 1/2, with resistance at $11. Disappointing export sales of 43,000 metric tons, down 15% from the previous week, added to the negative undertone. Tightening world stocks have provided support in recent months.
 http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Jan 22


Nagpur, Jan 22 Gram and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and
Marketing Committee (APMC) here on poor buying support from local millers amid high moisturecontent arrival. Downward trend in Madhya Pradesh pulses and reports about good overseas arrivalalso affected prices, according to sources. 
 
    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
    GRAM
   * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.
 
     TUAR
   * Tuar gavarani recovered nominally in open market on good festival season demand from 
     local traders amid tight supply from producing belts.
 
   * Moong dal chilka reported down in open market here in absence of buyers amid good 
     supply from producing regions.
      
   * In Akola, Tuar New - 8,400-8,700, Tuar dal New - 13,700-14,300, Udid - 
     12,800-13,400, Udid Mogar (clean) - 15,200-17,100, Moong - 
     8,600-8,800, Moong Mogar (clean) 9,800-10,100, Gram - 4,300-4,500, 
     Gram Super best bold - 5,800-6,200 for 100 kg.
 
   * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in scattered deals, 
     settled at last levels. 
       
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
 
     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close   
     Gram Auction                3,600-4,320         3,700-4,430
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                6,800-8,500         6,900-8,600
     Moong Auction                n.a.                6,400-6,600
     Udid Auction                n.a.           4,300-4,500
     Masoor Auction                n.a.              2,600-2,800
     Gram Super Best Bold            6,100-6,500        6,100-6,500
     Gram Super Best            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Medium Best            5,800-6,000        5,800-6,000
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a
     Gram Mill Quality            4,800-5,100        4,800-5,100
     Desi gram Raw                4,850-5,050         4,850-5,050
     Gram Filter new            5,200-5,400        5,200-5,400
     Gram Kabuli                5,800-7,800        5,800-7,800
     Gram Pink                        6,300-7,200        6,300-7,300
     Tuar Fataka Best-New             14,500-14,700        14,500-14,700
     Tuar Fataka Medium-New        13,700-14,000        13,700-14,000
     Tuar Dal Best Phod-New        11,500-12,000        11,500-12,000
     Tuar Dal Medium phod-New        10,000-10,500        10,000-10,500
     Tuar Gavarani New             8,900-9,300        8,900-9,300
     Tuar Karnataka             9,000-9,100        9,000-9,100
     Tuar Black                 14,100-14,900        14,100-14,900 
     Masoor dal best            6,500-6,800        6,500-6,800
     Masoor dal medium            6,100-6,300        6,100-6,300
     Masoor                    n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Mogar bold            9,600-10,500        9,600-10,500
     Moong Mogar Med            9,000-9,700        9,000-9,700
     Moong dal Chilka            8,400-9,400        8,500-9,500
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            8,500-8,700        8,500-8,700
     Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG)    15,500-17,500       15,500-17,500 
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    13,500-15,000        13,500-15,000    
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        9,700-10,900        9,700-10,900     
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        5,700-6,200        5,700-6,200
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)          4,200-4,700         4,200-4,700
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)            3,250-3,400        3,250-3,400
     Watana White (100 INR/KG)           3,000-3,200           3,000-3,200
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,100-3,600        3,100-3,600   
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,700-1,800        1,700-1,800
     Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG)    1,675-1,750        1,675-1,750   
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)         1,650-1,850        1,650-1,850
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,100-2,500        2,100-2,500    
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)   1,950-2,250        1,950-2,250
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,600-3,900        3,600-3,900    
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    3,000-3,200        3,000-3,200           
     Rice BPT best New(100 INR/KG)    2,800-2,900        2,800-2,900    
     Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,100-2,300        2,100-2,300    
     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)         1,800-2,000        1,800-2,000
     Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)      2,400-2,600        2,400-2,600   
     Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG)      2,000-2,300        2,000-2,300   
     Rice HMT best New (100 INR/KG)    3,200-3,450        3,200-3,450    
     Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)        2,600-2,900        2,600-2,900    
     Rice Shriram best New(100 INR/KG)    4,100-4,500        4,100-4,500    
     Rice HMT medium New(100 INR/KG)    3,800-4,000        3,800-4,000    
     Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG)    9,800-11,700        9,800-11,700     
     Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)    7,800-8,000        7,800-8,000    
     Rice Chinnor best New(100 INR/KG)    4,800-4,900        4,800-4,900    
     Rice Chinnor med. New (100 INR/KG)    4,200-4,500        4,200-4,500    
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        1,800-2,200        1,800-2,200    
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)         1,700-1,800        1,700-1,800
WEATHER (NAGPUR)  
Maximum temp. 25.2 degree Celsius (77.4 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
07.1 degree Celsius (44.8 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : n.a.
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 25 and 07degree Celsius respectively.
 
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, butincluded in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N15638Y

Severe weather events cut palay output in ’15

By: Ronnel W. Domingo,Philippine Daily Inquirer

01:25 AM January 23rd, 2016

Palay output was pegged at 18.15 million tons in 2015, lower by 4.3 percent compared to the previous year’s volume and by 10 percent against the goal. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the Philippines harvested 18.97 million tons of palay in 2014 and hoped to produce 20.09 million tons the following year.The PSA said the shortfalls were mainly due to heavy rains and strong winds in the northern part of the country and dry conditions in the south.The worst effects of these extreme weather conditions were felt in the latter part of last year, during the main crop cycle.

In the fourth quarter alone, palay production decreased by 3.8 percent to 7.3 million tons.“The adverse effects of Typhoon ‘Lando’ [which devastated farms last October] pulled down the palay production in Mt. Province, Apayao, Kalinga, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Bulacan, Tarlac and Pampanga provinces,” the PSA said.“The incidence of rice black bug, tungro (rice virus) and rodents, insufficiency of water during the crop’s vegetative stage and heavy rains with strong winds during the crop’s maturing stage resulted in lower palay production in Calabarzon,” the agency added.Down south in the Caraga region, the PSA attributed the production decline to “extreme heat and unavailability of water supply.”The prevailing strong El Niño peaked toward the end of 2015. The impact of the phenomenon is still being felt but is now tapering off and may be over by around mid-year.Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in a statement Thursday his department would give more attention to livestock and poultry production since these were the least affected by inclement weather.“All components of the [livestock] subsector recorded increases during the last quarter, when the other subsectors’ production dipped,” Alcala said.
http://business.inquirer.net/206052/severe-weather-events-cut-palay-output-in-15#ixzz3y4L3OGJi