Friday, June 24, 2016

23rd june 2016 daily global reional local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine



Rising hope for economy

Higher farm, oil prices spur upbeat forecast
Description: C:\Users\WINDOW\Downloads\Rising hope for economy _ Bangkok Post_ business_files\1835417_620x413.jpg
The sun rises behind buildings in Bangkok's Sam Yan area. Thailand's economy is starting to show some positive signs thanks to higher farm and oil prices but concerns remain over drought and late rainfall. THANARAK KHUNTON
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The business sector is feeling upbeat about economic prospects and predicts the economy is likely to gain recovery pace in the second half of the year, based on improving automotive and motorcycle sales as well as higher farm prices.
Isara Vongkusolkit, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), said farmers' purchasing power had improved following a rise in key farm prices and oil prices in recent months.
The price of paddy with 15% moisture, for instance, rose 3.87% in May to 8,074 baht a tonne from 7,773 baht in March, with third-grade rubber sheet up 36% in May to 54.12 baht per kilogramme from 39.78 baht, and fresh palm nuts up 16.4% to 5.24 baht per kg from 4.50 baht.
The price of raw sugar increased 15.9% to 17.79 US cents per pound from 15.35 cents.
However, the price of tapioca remained low largely due to a flood of output from neighbouring countries.
Mr Isara said a recent online survey of the chamber's members in the provinces found farmers' income had improved, reflected by higher motorcycle and car sales in May, while global crude oil prices were unlikely to see any further drop and stay stable at US$50-60 per barrel.
"We strongly believe that the economy will recover in the second half," he said.
"Every increase of 1,000 baht per tonne in the rice price is estimated to help generate about 30 billion baht, while every 10-baht increase in the rubber price will raise about 40 billion baht more for the country's economic system.
"We estimate about 100 billion baht will be generated once higher prices of other farm products are included. This will be another key factor to boost the economic recovery in the second half."
The government's investment in infrastructure products and accelerated budget disbursement were other key drivers, Mr Isara said.
The TCC forecasts the economy will grow by 3.3% in the second half from about 3.2% in the first half, boosting economic growth to 3.2-3.5% for the whole year.
Nonetheless, Mr Isara said the business sector remained concerned about delayed credit line extensions by financial institutions, China's fragile economy and the impact of drought and late rainfall that might affect productivity in the farm sector.
The sector is also worried about the impact of the termination of the Generalised System of Preferences in European countries, plus the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Mr Isara believes exports will also improve in the second half in line with higher oil and farm prices.
Exports are predicted to increase 2.6% in the second half, leading shipments for the whole year to bounce back to growth of 0.8% after falling continuously over the last three years.
Wallop Vitanakorn, vice-chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said exports were projected to contract by 2% in the first half after shrinking 1.24% in the first four months of the year to $69.4 billion.
"I think the situation remains very cloudy, as all major importers such as the United States, European Union, Japan and China remain in economic trouble," he said.












Monsoon advances to Kashmir, likely to cover entire country much before July 15 schedule

By Jayashree Bhosale, ET Bureau | Jun 22, 2016, 04.37 AM IST
Description: Monsoon advances to Kashmir, likely to cover entire country much before July 15 scheduleMonsoon advances to Kashmir, likely to cover entire country much before July 15 schedule
PUNE: Monsoon has galloped to Kashmir, covering a vast stretch of the country in just three days, and is poised to extend to the rest of India well before the normal mid-July date.

However, rainfall so far has been relatively weak. Weather scientists said the effect of El Nino, which disrupted last year's monsoon, has lingered for a few weeks even though the adverse phenomenon is now reversing, setting the stage for much heavier rainfall in the weeks ahead.

"Monsoon is likely to cover the entire country much before its normal date of July 15. Currently, it is lacking in rainfall in parts like interior Maharashtra, Telangana, etc.," said Sunitha Devi, director (weather forecast) at the India Meteorological Department in Pune. Rainfall is deficient in the Gangetic West Bengal as well.

On Tuesday, monsoon covered all of Maharashtra, most parts of west and east Madhya Pradesh, east Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the entire Jammu and Kashmir. While Uttarakhand and Himachal were getting widespread to fairly widespread rainfall, there was not much rain in Jammu and Kashmir. Delhi has been getting good pre-monsoon showers, which are likely to decrease.

"It is a 'weak advance' of the monsoon. Rainfall is sporadic," said an IMD scientist, who did not want to be named.

Though sowing operations have started with one or two rains, including the nursery sowing of paddy, the key kharif foodgrain crop, July rains will play the crucial role in the prospect of the crops. Paddy transplanting, which will happen in July, needs standing water in the fields.

El Nino, which had adversely impacted previous two consecutive monsoon seasons of India, has become neutral. However, meteorologists said it has become neutral only in terms of the sea surface temperatures. The atmospheric features will still take some time to fall back to their normal flows.

"Currently, there is no organised flow pattern as the lower and upper level flow features are not coupled," said Sunitha Devi. As the IMD had forecast, June rainfall is expected to be below normal. In a normal monsoon year, at least one low pressure system or a depression is formed, which gives good rainfall. However, this year, not a single low pressure or depression has formed and the next circulation in the making is also a feeble one.

"As the effects of the strong El Nino reduce, we expect the normal pattern of monsoon, in which rains happen every seven to 10 days, to establish," said B Mukhopadhyay, head of the weather office in Pune.

24th june 2016 daily global regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine



Pakistan calls for aid for its millions of Afghan refugees

Pakistan, home for decades to millions of Afghan refugees, calls for the support of the international community as it warns that without help, the flow of those fleeing Afghanistan's decades-long war to Europe could increase

Published 1:46 PM, June 23, 2016
Updated 1:47 PM, June 23, 2016









A Pakistani man distributes rice to Afghan refugees gathered outside a food distribution center before breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Islamabad on June 20, 2016. Farooq Naeem/AFP

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan, home for decades to millions of Afghan refugees, called for the support of the international community as it warned that without help, the flow of those fleeing Afghanistan's decades-long war to Europe could increase.After the Soviet invasion in 1979, "5 million Afghan refugees came to Pakistan," then with the support of the international community, said minister for border areas Abdul Qadir Baloch at a meeting devoted to Afghan refugees in the capital Islamabad Wednesday, June 22.

Thirty-seven years later, there are 1.5 million registered and about as many undocumented refugees, with growing insecurity in Afghanistan impeding voluntary return programs.
Over the last decade, international support has vanished, the minister said.Pakistan receives just $5.20 per refugee per year in international aid to provide the displaced with healthcare and education – and that is only for those who are registered.He denounced the meagerness of this aid compared to that provided to Turkey, which officially hosts 2.5 million refugees, including many Syrians.

However Western countries are now beginning to recognize the problem, he said, "because refugees are pouring into Europe and 30 percent of them are Afghans"."This percentage could increase," he warned, stressing that there was a limit to Pakistani tolerance for the problem."The issue of Afghan displacement has been overlooked," agreed high UN commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi at the same event. "We must strengthen the support to host countries."The refugee crisis in Europe, which is struggling to cope as millions try to reach its shores while fleeing war and poverty, "is a tragedy but also an eye opener: if you don't solve problems which appear to be far away from you, these problems will come to you," he warned.

Afghan refugees living mainly in camps in the poorest rural areas of Pakistan exist in administrative uncertainty because of the short duration of residence permits issued by the Pakistani authorities, who regularly threaten to deport them
http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/south-central-asia/137401-pakistan-aid-appeal-afghan-refugees


UNISAME urges govt to save rice sector from collapse

SLAMABAD: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan to take appropriate and timely steps to regain the Pakistani basmati rice share in global markets and save the basmati rice from collapse.UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver urged the commerce minister to first get the zero rating for the rice sector to provide it instant relief from the burden of multiple taxes on the entire supply chain from farms to markets. The farm inputs have become very costly and the promised relief, though insufficient, has not yet become available, he added.
Thaver said rice is the second largest sector after textiles and deserves the support of government to overcome its downslide in global commodities’ markets.“This is the best time for support as the new crop is on the threshold,” he said, adding that the white and parboiled rice sector both need support to get back on their feet.He urged to get the Geographical Indication (GI) of basmati rice approved by the Intellectual Property Organisation and simultaneously get basmati trademark approved by the Registrar of Trade Marks in favour of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to enable all stakeholders to use it as a national property ownership. He also suggested the Commerce Ministry to co-ordinate with the other ministries for research in seeds to develop other varieties.
He said it was very important to improve the entire supply chain from farm to markets while all the sectors from primary to tertiary sectors need to be upgraded.“Other issues that are faced by the exporters include exports to third world countries, as the commercial banks are not inclined to discount documents and bills drawn on buyers or their banks since most banks are of low rating,” he added.
To overcome this impediment, Thaver said, other countries have state owned export credit guarantee insurance companies, which work on low premiums to facilitate and promote exports to third world countries. “The bank charges have also increased, making the transactions costly.”The UNISAME president emphasised the need for Commerce Ministry to act promptly and save the rice sector from big losses. 
http://dailytimes.com.pk/business/23-Jun-16/unisame-urges-govt-to-save-rice-sector-from-collapse

Commodity Prices Lower Than in 2015: Minister

Thursday, 23 June, 2016 | 06:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman has claimed that the prices of a number of commodities were lower in June 2016 than what these were in the same month of 2015.
The minister told the House Commission IV on agriculture affairs on Wednesday that commodities whose prices were lower this year included RI 42 rice, red curly chili, large red chili, red cayenne pepper, green chili and wheat."The lowest prices are recorded in case of red cayenne pepper that went down 28.44 percent, red curly chili 26.88 percent and IR 42 rice 15.8 percent," the minister informed.
However, at the same time, prices of other commodities increased, such as IR I, II rice types, Muncul I rice, rice of equivalent premium quality, cooking oil, shallots, garlic, chickens, chicken eggs, sugar and beef.
The increase was highest in case of garlic whose price rose 61.24 percent, while sugar prices went up by 36.9 percent and chicken by 34.62 percent.Compared with commodity prices during the fasting month in 2015, food commodity prices fell, with the maximum 49.92 percent fall being in case of cayenne pepper, while red chili prices came down by 24.12 percent and cooking oil by 16.56 percent.
"Prices rose in case of rice, sugar, eggs, shallots and garlic. The highest increase was recorded for garlic at 78.25 percent, shallots at 57.32 percent while sugar prices rose by 14.67 percent," he said.
In order to bring down prices, the agriculture ministry took a number of steps, including launching bazaars at Jakarta markets and organizing market operations through farming shops (TTI) where food commodities were offered at low prices.During market operations, the TTI shops offered beef at Rp80,000 per kilogram (kg), shallots at Rp23,000, cooking oil at Rp9,500 per kg, chicken at Rp30,000 per kg, sugar at Rp12,000 per kg, garlic at Rp22,000 per kg, rice 7,900 per kg, and red chili at Rp16,000 per kg.
http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2016/06/23/056782336/Commodity-Prices-Lower-Than-in-2015-Minister

China tightens control over rice imports from Vietnam
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam and China have signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements on Vietnamese rice and rice bran exports to China. The protocol sets stricter sterilization inspection of exports.
From May 30, 2016, when the protocol takes effect, all the rice export consignments to China must satisfy the phytosanitary requirements and they must be sterilized to be sure that nine harmful biological objects are eliminated.

Le Van Banh, former head of the Mekong River Delta Rice Institute, commented that in principle, farm exports to China or any other countries, must be quarantined and disinfected.
Vietnam and China have signed a protocol on phytosanitary requirements on Vietnamese rice and rice bran exports to China. The protocol sets stricter sterilization inspection of exports.
In the past, since there was no such a protocol, Vietnam’s rice exports found it hard to enter the Chinese market because of complicated phytosanitary procedures. This stalled Vietnam’s rice exports and Vietnamese exporters had to export rice through unofficial channels – across border gates.

Therefore, the newly signed protocol is beneficial for Vietnam. “The protocol is what Vietnam has wanted for a long time. Quarantine is a must. And once the two sides can reach an agreement on the issue, this will help boost Vietnam’s rice exports.”

The Vietnam Plant Protection Agency has provided a list of nine sterilizing units to China for approval.

Under the protocol, instead of carrying out the inspection over Vietnam’s rice in China, Chinese agencies will send their officials to Vietnam to supervise production, processing and sterilization in Vietnam, before rice is shipped to China.


Duong Van Chin from Loc Troi Group, a rice exporter, said Vietnamese exporters must satisfy the requirements set by import countries.Loc Troi now has 100,000 hectares of safe rice growing area which can satisfy requirements to export to China. If each of the Vietnam Food Association’s members can develop a growing area of 10,000 hectares, Vietnam would have 1.4 million hectares which allows Vietnam to export its rice to any country in the world.Developing material areas is not what many rice exporters do. They simply collect rice from domestic sources and export to other countries. 

In many cases, the exports are rejected by importers as they discover high plant protection residues in rice. This causes a loss of billions of dong to every container of refused rice.“Once China tightens inspection over imports from Vietnam, Vietnamese companies will have to change to satisfy the requirements of the partners,” he said.An analyst said that the protocol has been signed in the context of Thailand, the biggest rice exporter, planning to sell 11.4 million tons of rice in stockpile to earn $2.8 billion.However, Chin said there was no need to worry because Thailand is selling old products, and Vietnam offers new rice.

USA Rice Relationship with Cuba Deepens

By Peter Bachmann

ARLINGTON, VA -- This morning, the minister counselor for the Cuban Embassy's Economic and Trade Office in Washington, DC, Rubén Ramos Arrieta and Commercial Specialist Alina John Mayo met with USA Rice staff to discuss details of the growing partnership between the U.S. rice industry and Cuba.

USA Rice, the Cuban Embassy, and the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture are developing a detailed plan for regular technical exchanges between the U.S. and Cuba to address rice growing, processing capacity, and infrastructure in Cuba and the U.S.During the meeting Ramos Arrieta said, "I have been able to see the shift in Members of Congress over the last few months from not supporting our efforts to supporting and it's because of the work you [USA Rice] are doing here in Washington."

USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said she's "looking forward to continuing to grow this productive relationship both here in Washington with the Embassy and on-the-ground in Cuba during our future technical exchanges.  I think the leg work we're doing now is going to pay off tenfold when the embargo is lifted and we are able to very quickly gain market share through our relationships built in advance and the open lines of communications between our industry and Cuba."Efforts to normalize trade with Cuba were thwarted this week by political gridlock in Congress that derailed a crucial vote on pro-Cuba amendments that would have removed financing and trade restrictions for agricultural commodities as well as withdrawn the travel ban.  The House will likely consider the legislation following their return to session after the Fourth of July holiday.


Arkansas Hosts Colombia's Fedearroz Delegation
By Lauren Waldrip

ENGLAND, AR -- Representatives of Fedearroz, the rice producers' association of Colombia, continued their U.S. visit yesterday with a visit to the rice farm of USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley here.Fedearroz's Elkin Flores and José Barón were impressed by many aspects of Brantley's large farming operation including corn, soybean, and rice fields."They were particularly impressed by the on-farm drying and storage capabilities we have," Brantley said.  "I get the sense these aren't common in Colombia at all.  And with their average farm size of 42 acres, and the vast majority being smaller than 24 acres, that's understandable."

In addition to the economy of scale advantage U.S. growers have, Flores and Barón also commented on the high interest rates Colombian farmers face - as much as three percent per month - and the lack of a government-sponsored safety net for farmers."I shared with them about my trip to Colombia earlier this month, and told them that USA Rice looks forward to working with them on the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) for rice, and in particular to help them meet what appear to be significant domestic demands that are outside of the TRQ," Brantley said.The delegation also met with officials at the USDA NASS offices in Little Rock during the trip and will return to Colombia later this week.

Rice area to be expanded to make up for drought-induced losses


Thursday, 06/23/2016, 09:02
The Mekong Delta’s rice area in the autumn-winter crop this year needs to be expanded to make up for losses in the recent crops triggered by drought and saltwater intrusion, agriculture officials said.


Both rice area and output of the last winter-spring and summer-autumn crops declined. Hence, the rice area in the autumn-winter crop should be increased to compensate for the output, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said at a meeting in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on June 22.

He promised financial support for the regional provinces to cultivate the autumn-winter crop. He also told local officials to pay special attention to reinforcing dykes and not be subjective though the Mekong Delta hasn’t recorded floods for many years. Rice seeds should be sown in late July and early August, while high-quality varieties and safe pesticides are necessary for rice to meet export standards, he added. Doanh requested the localities to comply with the cultivation schedule so that the following winter-spring crop will not be affected.

Duong Quang Xo from the Institute of Water Resources Planning asked the Mekong Delta provinces to store water to prepare for the winter-spring crop between 2016 and 2017. Nguyen Van Hoa, Deputy Director of the agriculture ministry’s Crop Production Department, said the prolonged drought and saltwater intrusion in the south of Vietnam have heavily influenced the summer-autumn crop. Over 1.6 million ha of rice were grown in the Mekong Delta this crop, generating nearly 9.2 million tonnes of unhusked rice, down some 5,300 tonnes from the same crop of 2015, he added.

In the autumn-winter crop, the delta is expected to cultivate 867,300 ha of rice and yield over 4.8 million tonnes of unhusked rice, rising by 24,100 ha and 220,300 tonnes, respectively, from the previous crop, according to the Crop Production Department.

http://english.vov.vn/society/rice-area-to-be-expanded-to-make-up-for-droughtinduced-losses-323290.vov

U of T Mississauga professor discovers new origins for farmed rice

University of Toronto
Chew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old. The discovery, made by a team of archaeologists that includes University of Toronto Mississauga professor Gary Crawford, sheds new light on the origins of rice domestication and on the history of human agricultural practices.
"Today, rice is one of most important grains in the world's economy, yet at one time, it was a wild plant...how did people bring rice into their world? This gives us another clue about how humans became farmers," says Crawford, an anthropological archaeologist who studies the relationships between people and plants in prehistory.
Working with three researchers from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Zhejiang Province, China, Crawford found the ancient domesticated rice fragments in a probable ditch in the lower Yangtze valley. They observed that about 30 per cent of the rice plant material - primarily bases, husks and leaf epidermis - were not wild, but showed signs of being purposely cultivated to produce rice plants that were durable and suitable for human consumption. Crawford says this finding indicates that the domestication of rice has been going on for much longer than originally thought. The rice plant remains also had characteristics of japonica rice, the short grain rice used in sushi that today is cultivated in Japan and Korea. Crawford says this finding clarifies the lineage of this specific rice crop, and confirms for the first time that it grew in this region of China.
Crawford and his colleagues spent about three years exploring the five-hectare archaeological dig site, called Huxi, which is situated in a flat basin about 100 metres above sea level. Their investigations were supported by other U of T Mississauga participants - anthropology professor David Smith and graduate students Danial Kwan and Nattha Cheunwattana. They worked primarily in early spring, fall and winter in order to avoid the late-spring wet season and excruciatingly hot summer months. Digging 1.5 metres below the ground, the team also unearthed artifacts such as sophisticated pottery and stone tools, as well as animal bones, charcoal and other plant seeds.
This study builds on Crawford's previous research into early agriculture in China, in which he has examined the ancient settlements, tools, and plant and animal management efforts that occurred in different regions of the country. He is interested in better understanding the forces that compelled our human ancestors to transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers.
"The question I ultimately want to answer is, what pushed them to move wholeheartedly into the farming regime? Why did they reduce their emphasis on hunting and expand into crop production?" Crawford says. "People did what they needed to do to make their lives more manageable and sustainable, and the unintended consequence was farming. With this rice discovery, we're seeing the first stages of that shift."
###
Funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Crawford's study is published today in Scientific Reports, an online open-access journal from the publishers of Nature.
Media Contact:
Professor Gary Crawford
905-828-3783
g.crawford@utoronto.ca



How Cuba could be an opportunity for one-time top trade partner Louisiana

BY RICHARD THOMPSON| rthompson@theadvocate.com
More than a half-century ago, ferry-boats regularly brought tourists from New Orleans to Cuba, separated by only 700 miles.Now, with commercial air service expected to resume to the isolated island nation amid normalizing U.S. relations, Louisiana could reap some benefit from ramping up business with its onetime leading trade partner. That’s according to a range of state leaders and experts in Cuba’s aging infrastructure, culture and struggling economy, who spoke at a business summit Wednesday at Gallier Hall.“As we work together, it’s a two-way street,” said Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain. “We have to work to rebuild the relationships, and the greatest way to rebuild the relationships is with trade.”
Potential reforms could help boost U.S. agricultural exports, including chicken, rice and soybeans, he said. That could be big news for companies like New Orleans Cold Storage, one of the largest suppliers of beef, poultry and pork exports in the country.“If you think about the potential, it’s incredible,” Strain said, “and it’s amazing how fast things are moving.”Cuba was Louisiana’s top trading partner before Fidel Castro seized power in 1959.
Now, they remain trading partners in goods limited to agricultural and humanitarian provisions.“It’s in a unique position of becoming a major trade partner with the United States,” said Teo Babun, CEO of BH Consultants, which provides strategic services related to Cuba.The summit was hosted by the Louisiana Alliance for Cuba, a statewide business group that promotes trade between Louisiana businesses and Cuba.
Nearly two centuries after foreign investment began trickling in, Cuba’s government is appealing for billions of dollars to update specific development sectors, including agriculture, industrial, tourism, energy and transportation.Investing in Cuba has advantages, according to Eduardo Bencomo Zurdos, a former president of the International Finance Bank of Cuba and former president of CIMEX Corp., the largest Cuban corporate conglomerate. Those include “wide possibilities in virtually all productive sectors,” as well as a “privileged geographical location” and burgeoning tourism destination and a rich, well-known culture.
But it’s going to be costly. “The infrastructure exists, but it needs a lot of work, and it needs to be perfected for the purposes of what we’re doing,” Babun said.Cuba has 10 international airports; 38,000 miles of roads; 9,300 miles of railroad; and 1,000 miles of expressway. For foreign investors, potential opportunities may include expanding airport facilities and terminals, upgrading communications and improving rail access to and from Cuba’s ports.But if the trade embargo is lifted, it’s going to be “slow-going” initially for U.S. companies to gain market share, said Jamie Warshaw, CEO of Farmers Rice Milling Co., which operates the largest rice mill in Louisiana.
“When you lose a market, if you’re in the business of selling, not only do you lose the customer but you lose the momentum,” he said.
http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/16187673-184/how-cuba-could-be-an-opportunity-for-one-time-top-trade-partner-louisiana

Task force on wheat and rice

By Daily Trust | Publish Date: Jun 24 2016 5:00AM
A National Task Force to drive the production of wheat and rice was recently inaugurated in Abuja with Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu as its chairman. His state, Kebbi, is expected to play a pivotal role in the program along with Kano and Ebonyi states. Other committee members include Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, President of Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria and President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria.
At the committee’s inauguration, Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo said that move was necessary to consolidate government’s diversification policy.
He said, “What we are trying to achieve is to make agriculture our mainstay and we are trying to evolve a strategy for the economy.  A strategy for employment and a strategy for feeding our people.  Rice and wheat is our main focus and we intend to make sure that in one year we can show the world that we are serious.” The committee is mandated to fix production targets for rice and wheat among the states taking part in the programme.  It will also determine the scope, markets and government’s commitments necessary for success.  Also listed among the terms of reference is the removal of deficiencies in the value chain and facilitating farmers’ access to support facilities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s [CBN] Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

At this time of foreign exchange scarcity, it is commendable to fashion alternatives to the importation of these two products that have become some of the biggest consumers of foreign exchange.  At a point, Nigeria was the largest importer of wheat from the United States.  Even when we fell to third position in 2010/2011, we were still the most consistent customer of American wheat producers when we imported 3.5 million tons of wheat in the first quarter of that year.  We are also one of the largest importers of rice in the world. Therefore, while we applaud the government’s goal and its efforts, we cannot but entertain some fears.

There has always been a disconnect in this country between laudable policies and their implementation. Our archives are laden with once celebrated but long forgotten policies. Making state governors the fulcrum of the committee could become a problem because they have more than enough on their plates already.

In this goal we must take serious note of the country’s climate.  While rice is a tropical crop and almost all states in Nigeria can produce it, same cannot be said of wheat which needs low temperature, a lot of water, a lot of fertiliser, a lot of pesticides and many other difficult requirements. It is well to recall that in the late 1980s, President Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime introduced the Accelerated Wheat Production Programme to wean Nigeria off massive wheat imports as part of the Structural Adjustment Program, SAP. Babangida also banned wheat imports. Despite massive Federal subsidies, or perhaps because of them, the program failed and was later abandoned.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t try again because of past failures.  We must however learn from previous mistakes and not to commit them again.  The Bagudu task force should set realizable targets and eschew over ambition.  Nigeria could establish a competitive edge in rice production, being a tropical crop but we may have to restrict rice imports while we pursue our production targets. We must also straighten out some of the policy ironies of the Jonathan regime, including allowing rice millers to import husky brown rice at a concessionary duty, only for them to turn around and import fully polished rice.


The Nigeria Customs Service is still trying to recover 21 billion naira in unpaid duty from the rice importers that exceeded their quotas. Governor Bagudu’s task force has one year to prove its worth. This must not be another failed national program.

New origins for farmed rice discovered

Date:June 22, 2016
Source:University of Toronto
Summary:
Chew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old. The oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old. Chew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old.The discovery, made by a team of archaeologists that includes University of Toronto Mississauga professor Gary Crawford, sheds new light on the origins of rice domestication and on the history of human agricultural practices.
"Today, rice is one of most important grains in the world's economy, yet at one time, it was a wild plant...how did people bring rice into their world? This gives us another clue about how humans became farmers," says Crawford, an anthropological archaeologist who studies the relationships between people and plants in prehistory.
Working with three researchers from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Zhejiang Province, China, Crawford found the ancient domesticated rice fragments in a probable ditch in the lower Yangtze valley. They observed that about 30 per cent of the rice plant material -- primarily bases, husks and leaf epidermis -- were not wild, but showed signs of being purposely cultivated to produce rice plants that were durable and suitable for human consumption. Crawford says this finding indicates that the domestication of rice has been going on for much longer than originally thought. The rice plant remains also had characteristics of japonica rice, the short grain rice used in sushi that today is cultivated in Japan and Korea. Crawford says this finding clarifies the lineage of this specific rice crop, and confirms for the first time that it grew in this region of China.
Crawford and his colleagues spent about three years exploring the five-hectare archaeological dig site, called Huxi, which is situated in a flat basin about 100 metres above sea level. Their investigations were supported by other U of T Mississauga participants -- anthropology professor David Smith and graduate students Danial Kwan and Nattha Cheunwattana. They worked primarily in early spring, fall and winter in order to avoid the late-spring wet season and excruciatingly hot summer months. Digging 1.5 metres below the ground, the team also unearthed artifacts such as sophisticated pottery and stone tools, as well as animal bones, charcoal and other plant seeds.
This study builds on Crawford's previous research into early agriculture in China, in which he has examined the ancient settlements, tools, and plant and animal management efforts that occurred in different regions of the country. He is interested in better understanding the forces that compelled our human ancestors to transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers.
"The question I ultimately want to answer is, what pushed them to move wholeheartedly into the farming regime? Why did they reduce their emphasis on hunting and expand into crop production?" Crawford says. "People did what they needed to do to make their lives more manageable and sustainable, and the unintended consequence was farming. With this rice discovery, we're seeing the first stages of that shift.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160622164324.htm

UTM professor discovers new origins for farmed rice


Professor Gary Crawford
Wednesday, June 22, 2016 - 1:08pm
Sharon Aschaiek
Chew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it’s about 9,000 years old. The discovery, made by a team of archaeologists that includes University of Toronto Mississauga anthropology professor Gary Crawford, sheds new light on the origins of rice domestication and on the history of human agricultural practices.“Today, rice is one of most important grains in the world’s economy, yet at one time, it was a wild plant…how did people bring rice into their world? This gives us another clue about how humans became farmers,” says Crawford, an anthropological archaeologist who studies the relationships between people and plants in prehistory.
Working with researchers from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Zhejiang Province, China and Fudan University in Shanghai, Crawford found the ancient domesticated rice fragments in a probable ditch in the lower Yangtze valley. They observed that about 30 per cent of the rice plant material – primarily bases, husks and leaf epidermis – were not wild, but showed signs of being purposely cultivated to produce rice plants that were durable and suitable for human consumption.
 Crawford says this finding indicates that the domestication of rice has been going on for much longer than originally thought. The rice plant remains also had characteristics of japonica rice, the short grain rice used in sushi that today is cultivated in Japan and Korea. Crawford says this finding clarifies the lineage of this specific rice crop, and confirms for the first time that it grew in this region of China.
Crawford and his colleagues spent about three years exploring the five-hectare archaeological dig site, called Huxi, which is situated in a flat basin about 100 metres above sea level. Their investigations were supported by other U of T Mississauga participants – anthropology professor David Smith and graduate students Daniel Kwan and Nattha Cheunwattana. They worked primarily in early spring, fall and winter in order to avoid the late-spring wet season and excruciatingly hot summer months. Digging 1.5 metres below the ground, the team also unearthed artifacts such as sophisticated pottery and stone tools, as well as animal bones, charcoal and other plant seeds.
This study builds on Crawford’s previous research into early agriculture in China, in which he has examined the ancient settlements, tools, and plant and animal management efforts that occurred in different regions of the country. He is interested in better understanding the forces that compelled our human ancestors to transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers.
“The question I ultimately want to answer is, what pushed them to move wholeheartedly into the farming regime? Why did they reduce their emphasis on hunting and expand into crop production?” Crawford says. “People did what they needed to do to make their lives more manageable and sustainable, and the unintended consequence was farming. With this rice discovery, we’re seeing the first stages of that shift.”Funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Crawford’s study is published today in Scientific Reports, an online open-access journal from the publishers of Nature.
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/utm-professor-discovers-new-origins-farmed-rice

Monsoon rains in India 7% below average in past week

The June-September monsoon rains have remained 18 percent low so far, but have covered almost the entire country, and helped quicken the planting process of summer crops such as paddy rice, soybeans, cotton and pulses.

Monsoon rains in India 7% below average in past week The June-September monsoon rains have remained 18 percent low so far, but have covered almost the entire country, and helped quicken the planting process of summer crops such as paddy rice, soybeans, cotton and pulses. | 1 Comments Monsoon rains in India 7% below average in past week Monsoon rains in India were 7 percent below average in the week ending June 22, the weather office said on Thursday, narrowing the deficit since the season started on June 8.

The June-September monsoon rains have remained 18 percent low so far, but have covered almost the entire country, and helped quicken the planting process of summer crops such as paddy rice, soybeans, cotton and pulses. Tags Monsoon soybeans paddy rice pulses deficit rains Ads by Google ›Stocks : Garden Tips, Shop Retailers & More! Download GardeningEnthusiast - Free www.gardeningenthusiast.com ›Used Japanese Tractors : We export quality mini tractors by container load from Japan www.used-farm-machine.com

Bulog targets Rp 2 trillion funds to buy storage facilities for rice, corn, soybean.

Anton Hermansyah
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Thu, June 23 2016 | 07:07 am
People purchase rice during a market operation in Bulak Banteng subdistrict, Surabaya, East Java, on March 10. The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) organized the event.(Antara/Bima)
The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has proposed a Rp 2 trillion (US$ 150.6 million) capital injection to create storage-integrated dryers and milling facilities to increase the quality and quantity of three primary commodities: rice, corn, and soybean, the agency chief said. 
"There is a need for modern-dryer facilities because the harvest time for corn and rice happens in the rainy season, where the traditional method cannot do the job properly," Bulog president director Djarot Kusumayakti told the jakartapost.com on Wednesday at the House of Representative (DPR) complex in Jakarta.
The Bulog, which previously controlled 11 commodities, is expected to allocate Rp 1.4 trillion of the proposed funds to rice milling plants and another Rp 479 billion for corn dryers and soybean, he said. (dan)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/06/23/bulog-targets-rp-2-trillion-funds-to-buy-storage-facilities-for-rice-corn-soybean.html


APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1501

International Benchmark Price
Price on: 21-06-2016
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Apricots
1
Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
4625
2
Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
3875
3
Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)
3625
Raisins
1
Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2246
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2441
Honey
1
Argentine 85mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2140
2
Argentine 50mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2160
3
Argentine 34mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
2180
Source: oryza, agra-net
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 22-06-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Maize
1
Haveri (Karnataka)
Local
1520
1650
2
Vadali (Gujarat)
Other
1500
1600
3
Dhing (Assam)
Other
1100
1400
Paddy(Dhan)
1
Kasargod (Kerala)
Other
1500
1600
2
Sindevahi (Maharashtra)
Other
1800
1900
3
Sainthia (West Bengal)
Common
1250
1270
Mousambi
1
Manjeri (Kerala)
Other
3800
4000
2
Roorkee (Uttrakhand)
Other
1000
2000
3
Taura (Haryana)
Other
2500
2500
Brinjal
1
Palayam (Kerala)
Other
1100
1300
2
Deogarh (Orissa)
Other
1500
2500
3
Sirhind (Punjab)
Other
1000
2100
Floriculture
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 14-06-2016
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Rose Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Ecuador
Assorted Colors
12.50
14
Orchid Flower
Package: bunched 10s
1
Boston
Thailand
Dendrobium    
16
16
Lilies Flower
Package: per bunch
1
Boston
Canada
Asiatic  Type
13.50
13.50
Sunflower
Package: per stem
1
Boston
California
Large Head
1.50
1.50
Source:USDA

USDA Announces Prevailing World Market Prices and Loan Deficiency Payment Rates for Rice


Chicken Curry Dish Melds Thai and Indian Influences

June 22, 2016 By:
Keri White | JE Food Columnist

This menu was born out of a desire to create Indian dishes that work for the Exponent audience. 
Because many meat curries and kebabs are either marinated in yogurt or finished with ghee (clarified butter), they present a problem in the dairy/meat realm. I started experimenting with coconut milk and found the result was pretty terrific in both flavor and texture. Best of all, it elicited unbridled praise from my teen daughter, a rare commodity indeed.The fact that the dish veered more toward Thailand than India in the end didn’t really matter. 

The broccolini was a bit of a revelation, too. I have used this traditionally Indian “Sabzi” preparation many times with carrots,cauliflower, potatoes and peas, but was unsure about how broccolini, a vegetable that is not generally associated with that part of the world, would behave. It may well have been the best version of the dish I’ve ever made, and now will be a go-to in my side dish arsenal.

For dessert, I would opt for something simple, yet exotic: sliced mangos garnished with fresh mint leaves, pineapple chunks sprinkled with toasted coconut flakes, passion fruit sorbet, tamarind or guava popsicles. The latter can often be found in Latino or Asian markets.

Green Chicken Curry with Coconut

1½ lbs. boneless chicken 
1 bunch cilantro
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 can of coconut milk, shaken and divided
Juice of 1 lime
¾ teaspoon salt
Red pepper flakes to taste (or fresh chili pepper, or hot sauce such as Sriracha)
2 tablespoons canola oil

In a blender or food processor, make the marinade: Puree cilantro, onion, garlic, ½ can coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper or hot sauce, if using.

Place the chicken in a large Ziploc bag or Tupperware, and cover with the blended marinade. Refrigerate it anywhere from an hour to a full day.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade (save the marinade) and sear them in the oil, about one minute per side.

Pour the marinade over the seared chicken, and add the remaining ½ can of coconut milk. Cover the pan and lower the heat to simmer. Cook for two hours until the chicken falls apart when poked with a fork.

Using two forks, pull the chicken into shreds, taste for salt and serve. 

This is wonderful over brown or white basmati rice, or served in a bowl on its own with warm naan.

Serves 4 generously

Curry Pickles

2 cucumbers, skin on, sliced thinly
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
¾ cup water

Place the cucumbers in a small bowl and set aside.

In a small skillet, place the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. These can stay in the brine, refrigerated, for several days. Serve warm, at room temperature or well chilled. The leftovers are excellent on sandwiches.

Serves 4 generously

Cumin Broccolini

2 bunches broccolini, rinsed and trimmed, if needed
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cumin seeds

In a large skillet, heat the oil, salt, pepper and cumin seeds; let it cook until the seeds splutter.

Add the broccolini and stir to coat it with spices. Cover and cook over medium until just done, about eight minutes. While cooking, stir several times to ensure the spices remain evenly distributed

Foolproof' weeknight recipe for salmon rice bowls



By Bonnie S. Benwick, Washington Post June 23, 2016




Salmon Rice Bowls.

Confession: For most weeknight meals at home, I no longer use a plate. That doesn’t mean that I’m chewing over the sink — merely that I’ve gone “full bowl.” The ceramic one I picked up at a craft show in Baltimore has a flat bottom and straight, two-inch-tall sides, which means I can cut things in it. And it has the magic ability to turn what I’m eating into comfort food.
It also happens to be just the ticket for this recipe, which blends a few Asian pantry ingredients with a little citrus, some fresh greens and a zippy ginger-lime vinaigrette. This is soft food but feels substantial. Regarding this salmon preparation: The word “foolproof” comes to mind.
The original recipe calls for one full six-ounce skinless fillet per serving, but we found that was way more than needed; you could get by with just two of them for four servings. Make a trio, though, as we recommend, and you’ll have the option of extending the salad into next-day leftovers.
SALMON RICE BOWLS
MAKE AHEAD: You may have leftover vinaigrette, which can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Adapted from “Make It Easy: 120 Mix-and-Match Recipes to Cook From Scratch – With Smart Store-Bought Shortcuts When You Need Them,” by Stacie Billis (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016).

three 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets, preferably centre-cut (about 3/4-inch thick)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted or roasted sesame seeds
1 lb frozen, cooked brown rice or basmati rice
1/4 cup mirin
1 medium clove garlic
1 1/2 tsp pureed ginger or ginger paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp honey
1/4 cup plain rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 lime
3 tbsp grapeseed oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
1 bunch watercress
leaves from 4 stems cilantro (optional)
1 to 2 firm-ripe Hass avocados

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Pat dry the salmon fillets, then season lightly all over with salt and pepper. Spread the sesame seeds on a plate, then press each fillet into the seeds to coat all over, including the sides. Place them skinned side down on the baking sheet; roast for 13 to 15 minutes or until just opaque.
3. Microwave the rice according to the package directions. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the mirin, then season lightly with salt and toss to incorporate. Cover loosely to keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Mince a teaspoon of garlic and place in a liquid measuring cup, along with the pureed ginger, Dijon mustard, honey, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Grate a teaspoon of lime zest into the mix, then cut the lime in half and squeeze in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of lime juice. Whisk in the oil to form an emulsified vinaigrette. The yield is about 3/4 cup.
5. Coarsely chop watercress and the cilantro, if using. Peel and pit the avocados (to taste), then cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes or 1/2-inch-thick slices. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice over them.
6. Divide the rice among individual, wide bowls. Top each portion with equal amounts of the salmon, breaking the fish up a bit as you go. Scatter some avocado, watercress and cilantro, if using, over the salmon. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the bowls, and serve; pass the remaining vinaigrette at the table.
makes 4 servings

Nutrition | Per serving (using brown rice, 1 1/2 avocados and half of the vinaigrette): 610 calories, 34 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 33 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium, 10 g dietary fibre, 8 g sugar