Saturday, July 08, 2017

Rice News:8th July,2017 daily global,regional and local rice e-newsletter by ricpelus magaizne





Rice prices mark slight fall in Dhaka markets

Published at 05:05 PM July 07, 2017
Last updated at 05:13 PM July 07, 2017
Retail and wholesale prices of rice decreased by Tk1 to Tk2 per kg in Dhaka markets on July 6, 2017Dhaka Tribune

The price will decrease further when the government-imported rice will hit the market next week, businessmen sayPrices of different varieties of rice have started going down in Dhaka markets following the government move to cut the duty on rice import.

City market witnessed a fall in retail and wholesale prices of rice by Tk1 to Tk2 per kg on Thursday, reports UNB.On June 20, the government cut down the import duty of rice by 18% to keep rice price reasonable in retail markets.About 12,000 tonnes of rice reached wholesale and retail markets in Dhaka before and after Eid-ul Fitr.Businessmen said the price of the main food grain will decrease further when the government-imported rice will hit the market next week.
The government has taken the decision to import rice as its stocks fell short and failing to get expected supply from mill owners.

To meet the shortfall this year, the Ministry of Food has invited tenders for importing 15,00,000 tonnes rice.The first consignment of the imported rice will arrive at Chittagong Port by July 10, sources said.Besides, importers have an opportunity to import rice for easy import policy.
Coarse rice including Miniket and Paizam has been sold at Tk54 to Tk56 per kg which was Tk55 to Tk56 a week ago in Dhaka. Fine rice has been sold between Tk55 and Tk56 per kg which was Tk58 to Tk60 per kg a week ago.

But the prices have remained unchanged in the wholesale market.City dwellers bought a kg of coarse rice, including Swarna and China IRRI varieties of rice, between Tk43 and Tk46 this week, which they had to buy at Tk46 to Tk48 a week ago. Prices of different varieties of rice have decreased by Tk100 to Tk150 in 50 kgs sack.Rice importers said they had to pay Tk9,125 for per tonne of rice prior to the cut, now they have to pay Tk3,225.

They further said when import duty was cut in Bangladesh, the price of rice increased by $30 to 40 in the Indian market.According to Bhomra and Hili land ports, importers brought 11,080 tonnes rice between June 23 and July 6.Kawsar Alam Khan, member of Bangladesh Rice Merchants Association and owner of Messrs Samota Traders, said that though he bought per kg rice between Tk30 and Tk32, they have to bear extra Tk5 to Tk6 per kg for increased transport cost and delay in release at the land ports.

Shaon, manager of Shuvo Rice Agency at Badamtoli Wholesale market in the city, said the prices of coarse variety of rice decreased by Tk2 per kg in the wholesale market.Claiming that the price of rice has increased in the Indian market, he added that the varieties of rice they imported from Indian market at $390-400 per tonne some days ago, are now costing $420-430 per tonne.
M Manjurul Hossain Sajib of Messrs Sajib Rice Agency at Segunbagicha kitchen market told UNB that there is no impact on rice prices at retail level though the price has decreased slightly at the wholesale level.
“But fearing decrease of price, retailers willingly are selling rice at a reduced price. Price will actually decrease when new and imported rice will hit the market,” he added.
http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/commerce/2017/07/07/rice-price-mark-slight-fall-dhaka-markets/

Rice exporters write to Arun Jaitley seeking change in GST norms

All India Rice Exporters’ Association (AIREA) seek a change in GST norms to bring all rice brands under the 5% tax net
The government is likely to relook the current tax structure on rice. Photo: Mint

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New Delhi: The All India Rice Exporters’ Association (AIREA), the industry body that lobbies for rice traders and exporters, has written to finance minister Arun Jaitley, seeking a change in the current goods and services tax (GST) norms to bring all rice brands under the 5% tax net.
Under the current norms, GST on staples such as rice, wheat and cereals is zero. But branded ones with trademark registration will attract GST of 5%.
In a letter to Jaitley, dated 6 July, AIREA president Vijay Setia said that only 10% of the rice brands in India have a trademark registration. The current norm will benefit the “companies with Rs 2,000 crore revenue and above as their brands are not registered with Trade Mark Act 1999 due to some legal and technical issues.”
According to Setia, this will result in no traders willing to stock the registered branded products as they would like to stay out of the GST net.
The country’s largest selling rice brand India Gate, owned by KRBL Ltd, does not have the trademark registration, Mint reported on 6 July. Three other brands of KRBL, namely India Farm, Lotus and Unity, are also not trademarked. However, KRBL uses the trademark sign on the packages of India Gate basmati rice.
LT Foods Ltd, which sells basmati rice under the Daawat brand, has the trademark registration for only a few variants of Daawat.
Amritsar-based rice company Amar Singh Chawal Wala, the seller of Lal Qilla basmati rice, has also written to Jaitley expressing concern on the same.
However, the finance ministry had on 5 July issued a clarification stating that “registered brand name” is a brand name or a trade name “which is registered under the Trade Marks Act, 1999” and should be on “the Register of Trade Marks and remain in force”.
AIREA became vocal after KRBL, on 3 July, wrote to its distributors saying that four of the company’s brands, including India Gate, are not registered in Class 30 under the Trade Marks Act 1999, hence “nil” GST rate is applicable on them. Before GST kicked in on 1 July, branded rice companies were either exempt from tax or were paying 5% value-added tax depending on the state where the products were sold.
“We are following the government norms,” said a KRBL spokesperson. LT Foods declined to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, the government is likely to relook at the current tax structure on rice and other edible commodities as established brands are taking advantage of the current rules to claim exemptions from GST, according to a 7 July report in The Economic Times.
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/lbltRpjF6Ev0dnxFlD62TO/Rice-exporters-write-to-Arun-Jaitley-seeking-change-in-GST-n.html

NFA opens bidding for supply of 250,000 MT of rice

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:14 AM July 07, 2017
The National Food Authority is finally pushing through with the procurement of 250,000 metric tons of milled rice, this time opening the process to anyone interested—from here or abroad—instead of the usual foreign suppliers.
The decision comes after months of uncertainty amid disagreements within the NFA Council, the agency’s governing body, on when, from where and through whom to source the buffer stock for domestic emergency—whether man-made or natural.
In a notice to prospective suppliers, the NFA invited “all interested bidders, whether foreign or local,” as long as they complied with conditions of eligibility as spelled out in the implementing rules of the Government Procurement Reform Act or Republic Act No. 9184.
The agency has earmarked about P5.64 billion for the entire package, which would be divided into at least five lots with maximum volume of 50,000 tons each.
In previous years, NFA auctions for rice were done through a government-to-government importation regime —to which state-run suppliers from Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia were invited to participate.
Last month, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, who chairs the NFA’s governing body, said the NFA would continue to import milled rice, but only from private-sector suppliers, amid efforts to check opportunities for corruption in grains procurement

http://business.inquirer.net/232653/nfa-opens-bidding-supply-250000-mt-rice

There's enough rice in Leyte quake-hit areas — NFA

 (philstar.com) 
The National Food Authority's rice inventory in the Eastern Visayas is currently equivalent to 13 days of the daily rice consumption requirement. File
MANILA, Philippines — State-run National Food Authority maintained that there is enough rice supply in Eastern Visayas following the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that hit the region Thursday.
 NFA Administrator Jason Aquino said Eastern Visayas has close to 400,000 bags or 20,000 metric tons (MT) of rice available in its warehouses. 
"The agency’s rice inventory in the region is currently equivalent to 13 days of the daily rice consumption requirement," Aquino said. The prevailing market price of commercial rice in Eastern Visayas also remains stable, based on monitoring reports.
 Prices of regular milled rice remained at P33 to P38 per kilogram while well-milled rice is at P38 to P45 per kilogram.The agency continues to deploy market monitoring teams to assess the rice supply and price situation in the area.
 The NFA is inspecting its accredited retail outlets to ensure that affordable government rice is readily available and accessible to the public. It has also activated its operations center to provide quick response to queries and accommodate rice purchases from local government units and relief institutions.

The NFA has standing memorandum of agreements with various relief agencies which allow them to withdraw rice on credit from the food agency for their relief operations during calamities and emergencies.Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture said no damage on the farm sector has been reported yet.
 "No significant damages in agriculture and agri facilities have been reported to us by affected LGUs. Our people from the region are doing ongoing field validation," DA said.

Rate adjustments may be possible with new Provisia rice technology

Provisia herbicide may offer some flexibility in the rates that can be applied, LSU AgCenter weed scientist says
Forrest Laws | Jul 06, 2017
Rice can behave quite a bit differently in a field setting than it does in small plots that are three rows wide and two feet long.
That’s how Eric Webster, weed scientist with the LSU AgCenter, began his discussion of reports of crop injury in some of the seed increase and demonstration plots of the new Provisia rice system in Louisiana and Arkansas this season.
“Sometimes if you get a little bit of wind burn in a plot or you get insect movement into it, it can be difficult to tell what’s going on,” Dr. Webster told rice growers and industry representatives attending the LSU Rice Research Station Field Day in Crowley, La.
“A lot of times you don’t really know what a new product or a new herbicide is going to do until it gets in the hands of the growers, and you start seeing what’s happening in the field,” noted Dr. Webster, who has been working with the new Provisia rice almost since the day Steve Linscombe, the rice breeder at the LSU AgCenter, began placing it in those small plots.”
Dr. Webster has applied 15.5 ounces of Provisia, formerly known as quizalofop or Assure, in test plots at the Rice Research Station in Crowley and at its South Farm south of Crowley. He has also applied 31 ounces per acre, which is, in effect, a 2X rate of the grass herbicide, which he used for a number of years to control red rice in soybeans.
Applying a 2X rate
“What we did on the South Farm on a large area – two 15-acre blocks plus another 15-acre block in the crawfish area – was actually put 31 ounces out in one application,” he said. “And where we saw the main issues was where we were overlapping. So we went from a 31-ounce rate to a 62-ounce rate, and we were putting out quite a bit of Provisia on that rice.”
Dr. Webster said he also believes the rice has been stressed due to weather conditions this year. “We’ve had a lot of days just like this,” referring to the cloudy, overcast skies that dominated during the field day on June 28.
“If you think back to the days when we first got Whip herbicide, we always had trouble with injury when we got three or four days of cloudy weather, and even more so if that was coupled with a fertilizer application,” he said. “So a lot of times with Whip we would back off the rates a little bit.”
He reminded growers that when they were applying Assure to control Johnsongrass and red rice in soybeans, they frequently were applying lower rates of the herbicide – between eight and 12 ounces per acre – rather than the 15.5-ounce recommended rate for Provisia.
“What I like about this 10-ounce rate,” he said pointing to a plot that had received two 10-ounce applications of Provisia. “If you look across this plot you can see a height difference between the applications.
Third application if needed
“Provisia is extremely active on most grasses, especially the weedy rice. I like it because it gives us a third application. If you think back to the Newpath days when we first got Clearfield rice we had two applications of Newpath and that was it. So the first year we started seeing airplane skips, or place under power lines or in the corners where the sprayer couldn’t get. We needed that third application.”
Two years later in 2004, he said, “we got Beyond, which was sort of a cleanup application. The way I look at these three 10-ounce shots is, if you need it, you have that third application. Or you may be in a situation, and I think the label will say this, you can use that third application in your ratoon crop.
“If we had it, we could spread that out and, basically, buy ourselves an insurance policy for later in the season.”
http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/rate-adjustments-may-be-possible-new-provisia-rice-technology

Vietnam targets exporting 4 million tonnes of rice by 2030
Vietnam aims to export 4 million tonnes of rice in 2030 under a 2017-2020 rice export development strategy with a vision to 2030 recently approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. 


Vietnam aims to export 4 million tonnes of rice in 2030


Per the plan, fragrant rice and specialty rice will account for 40 percent of the export volume, glutinous rice 25 percent and white rice roughly 25 percent, while special rice products such as rice fortified with micronutrients, parboiled rice and organic rice, rice bran and rice powder will gradually increase to 10 percent. By 2030, Asia is set to account for half of Vietnam’s total rice sales abroad, Africa about 25 percent, the Middle East 5 percent, Europe 4 percent, the Americas 10 percent and Oceania 4 percent. 

The strategy aims to maintain Vietnam’s shares in traditional export markets and develop new ones while increasing connectivity between manufacturing and trade via value chains, affirming Vietnamese rice’s prestige on international markets. Vietnam shipped 413,000 tonnes of rice worth 182 million USD abroad in June, raising the six-month volume and value to 2.8 million tonnes and 1.2 billion USD, up 6.3 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. China remained the top importer of rice from Vietnam.
VNA
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/181574/vietnam-targets-exporting-4-million-tonnes-of-rice-by-2030.html

Cambodia's rice export to China doubles in first half of 2017

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-07-08 13:23
PHNOM PENH - Cambodia exported 94,720 tons of milled rice to China in the first six months of 2017, up 101 percent compared to the same period last year, according to a government report on Friday. China is the top buyer of Cambodian rice, followed by France, Poland, Britain and the Netherlands, said the report compiled by the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export.
According to the report, Cambodia exported a total of 288,562 tons of milled rice to 56 countries and regions during the January-June period this year, up 7.6 percent over the same period last year. The Southeast Asian country produced over 9 million tons of paddy rice a year. With this amount, it has more than 3 million tons of milled rice left over for annual export, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2017-07/08/content_30041524.htm
Bangladesh rice prices falling on supply glut after duty cut

On Thursday, wholesale prices of local rice dropped by Tk 1 to Tk 1.5 per kilogram.
Rice prices have started dropping in Bangladesh as traders are importing huge consignments on low duty announced in the wake of sudden price hikes and concerns over shrinking stock.The import in the first four days of July was 60,000 tonnes, which is nearly half of the total import made last fiscal year.
On Thursday, wholesale prices of local rice dropped by Tk 1 to Tk 1.5 per kilogram. Imported rice prices were down by Tk 2 to Tk 2.5 a kg.The fall, however, is yet to have much effect on the retail prices. But the government’s trading arm, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), claims coarse rice prices have dropped by Tk 2 to Tk 3 per kg and the fine varieties by Tk 1 to Tk 2.

Nizam Uddin, General Secretary of the Rice Traders' Association in the capital's largest wholesale rice market Badamtoli-Babubazar, said the prices are slipping back to a comforting level following the duty cut.The government announced the cut in duty on rice import from 28 per cent to 10 per cent before the Eid-ul-Fitr to rein in the prices and to encourage the private importers, reports bdnews24.com.
Traders said prices have also dropped in northern district Dinajpur, one of the largest producers of the staple in Bangladesh.All the consignments that came in until Wednesday were private imports.Food Minister Qamrul Islam says the prices will decline more in a blow to the mill owners and hoarders who had stockpiled to create an artificial crisis in the market, taking advantage of the floods in Sunamganj.
He expects the market to get normal within a month after the government's consignments arrive.The government has floated new tenders to procure 100,000 tonnes of rice. It has also given the green light for a purchase of another 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam under a government-to-government deal.
Monir Hossain, a trader at Babubazar, said huge consignments are coming from India every day after the duty cut.The price of coarse rice dropped by Tk 200 to Tk 250 per sack of 50 kg. Fine variety rice price also fell by Tk 100 to Tk 150 per sack.
Before the Eid, coarse rice varieties -- Swarna and Paijam -- were on sale at Tk 48-50 per kg and other low-quality coarse rice at Tk 46 in the kitchen markets of Shewrhaparha, Mohakhali, Rampura, Karwan Bazar, and Hatirpool.Traders retailed Miniket and Najirshail at Tk 56-62 a kg.
On Thursday, at Shewrhaparha and Hatirpool, coarse rice was being sold at Tk 45 to Tk 48 per kg while thin grains were priced at Tk 57 to Tk 60.Shewrhaparha rice retailer Shyamal Kundu said, "The Eid mood is still in the air. Fewer people are coming to the market than usual. Sale hasn't picked up yet.
"I haven't brought new (imported) rice...I can't count losses by selling rice from old consignments at lower prices. That's why I have stuck to the previous prices," he said.
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/07/07/76180/Prices-of-rice-fall-on-supply-glut

Sri Lanka to import rice to address rice shortage

Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-07 19:38:04|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao
COLOMBO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will import 200,000 metric tons of rice immediately from India, Pakistan and Myanmar to address the rice shortfall in its domestic market, a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Friday.
Due to heavy floods this year, Sri Lanka is facing a severe rice shortage. Sri Lanka will purchase 100,000 metric tons of rice from India immediately, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said, adding the rice will be purchased from private Indian importers.
The other 100,000 metric tons of rice will come from Pakistan and Myanmar. A four-member team from Sri Lanka will leave for Pakistan and Myanmar on Friday evening to pick rice varieties for the Sri Lankan market, and the purchase with Pakistan and Myanmar will be at government to government levels, Bathiudeen said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also commenced government level talks on the possibility of purchasing rice from Thailand, Bathiudeen added

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/07/c_136426210.htm

Sri Lanka rice call enters phase II with four countries shortlisted

July 07, 2017 (LBO) –  Sri Lanka has decided to take a closer look at four international rice suppliers to meet its market needs, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.“A team of technical officials including officials and food technologists from Sri Lanka are to visit these countries and test rice samples,” Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen was quoted as saying.
“We have decided to test rice samples of Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan.”A team of technical officials including officials and food technologists from Sri Lanka are to visit these countries and test rice samples after which the final supplier will be decided from Colombo.
The island is looking to bring 100,000 MT par-boiled (Nadu) and Samba from the chosen supplier.This will be Government to Government procurement –a speedy way to get rice for our domestic market, the statement added.The minister also said that talks are ongoing regarding importing another 100,000 MT rice, from India
http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lanka-rice-call-enters-phase-ii-with-four-countries-shortlisted/

Mexico Ambassador to Guyana touts Guyana’s rice strands one of the best -optimistic  rice market can be made available before December


The second shipment of 17,000 tonnes of paddy destined for Mexico left Guyana this afternoon and Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Ivan Roberto Sierra, is adamant that  strong relations the two countries share, will only continue to grow paving the way for more fruitful relations.In an invited comment, Ambassador Sierra lauded the efforts of the Guyana Government in ensuring that all the requested requirements of Mexico were met in the shortest possible time.Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Ivan Roberto Sierra recieves rice documents from GRDB official.“It is remarkable that from the business forum held in Mexico in March of this year systems were fast-tracked allowing for the start of trade in a matter of mere months. Thanks to the efforts  of the players in both countries,” he said.
The Ambassador singled out the role of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) in ensuring that all the necessary paperwork and general requirements of the Mexican market were finalized with the local producers.
He added that the two country have started out on what will be a very fruitful relationship. The trade in paddy and rice could be just a start of a long-range of products that could be sold on the Mexican market.
Asked about the possibility of Guyana’s producers selling packaged rice in Mexico, Ambassador Sierra said plans are already in the pipeline as he has been meeting with local producers of packaged rice and have provided them with samples of packaged rice sold in Mexico.
“I have showed them the quality of packaged rice on our market shelves in Mexico and I have told them that once the quality matches, that which is sold there, then I see no reason why local producers cannot access that lucrative market,” he said.
The Mexican Ambassador has just returned from a trip home during which he facilitated the fast tracking of paper work with the Panamanian authorities, relative to the next shipment of rice from Guyana to Panama which was today handed over to the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB).
“The Mexican Embassy takes very seriously its role as a facilitator, but not only between the Governments of Guyana and
Mexico’s Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Ivan Roberto Sierra.
Mexico, but also other partnering states as is with the case of Panama in the rice trade,” the Ambassador noted.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister, Hon. Noel Holder has welcomed the comments of the Mexican Ambassador, especially as  it relates to the imminent opening up of the rice trade, which will be more lucrative than the paddy deal.
He is reminding local producers that the 150,000 tonne limit gazetted  by the Mexican Government is opened to all paddy producers in the Region on a first come first serve basis. It therefore means, that if Guyanese producers are the first to apply for the entire 150,000 tonnes then it is win-win situation for the industry and Guyana as a whole.
It should be noted that producers are allowed to apply for three tranches of 10,000 tonnes each. The first contract signed allows for a total of 60,000 tonnes to be shipped. Of this amount, a ship carrying 17,000 tonnes has already left for Mexico. Shipments of paddy will continue to Mexico for the rest of the year.
The start of paddy shipments to Mexico, comes at a time when Guyana’s rice industry recorded paddy production of half a million metric tonnes for the first crop this year. The industry continues to hold strong inspite of the challenges facing rice farmers across the country
http://gina.gov.gy/mexico-ambassador-to-guyana-touts-guyanas-rice-strands-one-of-the-best-optimistic-rice-market-can-be-made-available-before-december/

Sri Lanka considers four suppliers to buy 100000 MT rice
Thu, Jul 6, 2017, 09:47 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 06, Colombo: Following a first round of assessment, Sri Lanka has decided to take a closer look at four international rice suppliers to meet its urgent market needs, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said today.On the directions of President Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lanka plans to purchase 100,000 metric tons of rice to meet its needs and has decided to test rice samples of Indonesia, Myanmar and Pakistan.Minister Bathiudeen during a discussion held on Thursday with his officials on the progress of rice procurement from abroad, said a team of technical officials including officials and food technologists from Sri Lanka are to visit these countries and test rice samples after which the government will decide on the final supplier from Colombo.
Sri Lanka is looking to buy 100,000 MT par-boiled (Nadu) and Samba from the chosen supplier."This will be Government to Government procurement - a speedy way to get rice for our domestic market," the Minister said. "If necessary we are open for private sectors support in the supplier countries as well," he added.He disclosed that Sri Lanka is also talking for another 100,000 MT rice, from India, the details of which have to be finalized.
The Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) under the minister will be the focal point for the effortMinister Bathiudeen last month held discussions with the envoys of Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan on finding a supplier of rice to Sri Lanka.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_17A/Jul06_1499357852CH.php

Govt steps up for rice imports

Reuters . Hanoi/ Dhaka | Update: 00:27, Jul 07, 2017
Rice prices in the world’s top three exporters of the staple fell this week on weak demand, traders said on Thursday.
In Thailand, benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 was quoted at $420-$430 a tonne, free-on-board (FOB) Bangkok, down from $432-$440 a tonne last week.Weak overseas demand and a falling baht have led traders to quote lower prices to attract buyers, traders said.“Prices have gone down because the baht has weakened,” a trader in Bangkok said.The mass exodus of migrant workers since 23 June following the introduction of new labour regulations by the Thai military government has also hit the Thai rice industry with labour shortages.
“The shortage of workers at warehouses and at the docks has led to delay in the loading of shipment and this has hurt exporters’ confidence in their ability to fulfil shipments,” said another Bangkok-based rice trader.
More than half of the labour force in the Thai rice industry are migrant workers from neighbouring Cambodia and about three quarters of this workforce have left the country, said Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association.
The Thai government has since delayed parts of the new labour law, but many migrant workers have yet to return.
“Thai exporters hesitate to take new order because of the labour shortage and many potential international buyers are thinking twice about buying Thai rice because of this uncertainty,” Chookiat said.
The labour shortage could raise the cost of production of Thai off-season crop, he said, which is expected to arrive from around August to September.
In Vietnam, the benchmark 5-percent broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 dropped to $405-$410 a tonne this week, FOB Saigon, down from $410-$415 last week. There were also concerns over the quality and production of the grain in the harvest period.
“Farmers said the production and quality of rice this time was not as good as usual due to earlier rainfall,” a trader in Ho Chi Minh City said, adding the exact impact had yet to be estimated.
Vietnam’s new harvest season has begun since late-June, traders said.Thailand and Vietnam are the world’s second- and third-biggest rice exporters.India’s 5 percent broken parboiled rice prices RI-INBKN5-P1 eased by $2 per tonne to $419 to $422 on faltering demand from buyers in Africa.
“Demand from African countries was weak at higher levels. They are postponing purchases expecting price correction,” said an exporter based in Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.“Even demand from Bangladesh is weak. It is not buying as much as industry was anticipating.”
India raised the minimum purchase price of common grade paddy rice by 5.4 percent to 1,550 rupees ($24.03) per 100 kg for the year starting July 1.But Bangladesh said it was still stepping up imports due to depleted stocks and record local prices following flash floods.
A Bangladeshi delegation is now in Thailand to finalise imports of rice in a government-to-government deal, officials said.“We don’t have any other option but to speed up imports,” said a senior food ministry official. “This time we won’t be able to achieve our local procurement target. We are going for state-to-state deals even if it is costlier, as importing via tenders is a lengthy process.”
Bangladesh is buying 200,000 tonnes of Vietnamese white rice at $430 a tonne and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470 a tonne in a state-to-state deal - at rates much higher than in the previous three tenders.
It is also in talks with India, and private traders have started importing rice from the neighbour after the government cut import duties late last month.Meanwhile, Philippines’ state grains buyer on Thursday also issued an international tender to buy 250,000 tonnes of 25 percent broken long grain white rice, rushing to boost thinning government stockpile.
http://en.prothom-alo.com/economy/news/153023/Govt-steps-up-for-rice-imports

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- JUL 07, 2017

Reuters | Jul 7, 2017, 01.35 PM IST
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-July 7 Nagpur, July 7 (Reuters) - Gram prices reported down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on lack of demand from local millers amid good arrival from producing region. Easy condition in Madhya Pradesh gram prices also affected sentiment. About 200 of gram and 300 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources. FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Desi gram raw recovered in open market here on good seasonal demand from local traders. TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. * Rice HMT new and Chinnor new varieties firmed up in open market on good demand from local traders amid thin supply from producing belts. * In Akola, Tuar New - 3,900-4,100, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,700-5,800, Udid Mogar (clean) - 8,200-9,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram - 5,600-5,800, Gram Super best - 7,800-8,500 * Wheat, other varieties of rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 4,400-5,000 4,300-5,070 Gram Pink Auctionn.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,450-3,800 Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction n.a. 1,550-1,650 Gram Super Best Bold 7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,600-7,000 6,600-7,000 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,100-5,200 5,100-5,200 Desi gram Raw 5,450-5,550 5,400-5,500 Gram Yellow 7,100-8,100 7,100-8,100 Gram Kabuli 12,300-13,400 12,300-13,400 Tuar Fataka Best-New 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,400 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000 Tuar Gavarani New 3,500-3,700 3,500-3,700 Tuar Karnataka 3,900-4,100 3,900-4,100 Masoor dal best 5,000-5,200 5,000-5,200 Masoor dal medium 4,600-4,900 4,700-4,900 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,300-6,600 6,300-6,600 Moong dal Chilka 5,200-6,000 5,200-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 6,600-7,600 6,600-7,600 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-9,000 8,000-9,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 5,100-5,500 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,950-3,150 2,950-3,150 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,700 3,500-3,700 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,600 4,100-4,600 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,050 1,950-2,050 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,750-1,850 1,750-1,850 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,350 2,150-2,350 Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,700 2,200-2,700 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,400 2,800-3,400 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,500-4,000 3,500-4,000 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,500 2,300-2,500 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500 Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,500-3,900 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,000 4,500-5,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,300 4,100-4,300 Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200 Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,800 6,500-6,800 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,200 5,800-6,200 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 9,500-13,500 9,500-13,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500 Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,600-4,800 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 35.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 24.8 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 35 and 25 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-jul-07-2017/articleshow/59487446.cms
Cooking for a Crowd at  Restaurant Expo in Mexico 
By Gaby Carbajal
 MEXICO CITY -- Last week, USA Rice participated in the 17th annual Expo Restaurantes, the foremost trade show for the restaurant and food service industry in Mexico that attracted more than 17,000 visitors from the surrounding metropolitan area. 

During the three-day event, professional chefs from restaurants, culinary institutions, and catering companies staffed the USA Rice booth preparing restaurant-quality rice dishes to showcase new rice recipes as well as ways to increase the use of rice in restaurants.  Attendees learned many new methods of preparing rice and were inspired to create their own gourmet dishes.

USA Rice Chef Gabriel Saucedo served as a judge for the Expo's main event:  a cooking competition for students from culinary institutions throughout the area.  U.S. rice was included in the collection of "surprise" ingredients students had to use for their gastronomic presentations in front of the judges and hundreds of spectators.  Winners received gift baskets from USA Rice containing U.S. rice products and promotional materials.
"Expo Restaurantes is an important business platform for the restaurant and foodservice sector," said Sarah Moran, USA Rice senior director for international trade and market development.  "Most who attend are responsible for restaurant purchases, whether they are owners, directors, managers, or executive chefs and our participation reinforces positive impressions of U.S.-grown rice and lays the groundwork for additional and future use of our rice.




Upcoming Rice Field Days  

July 11 - RiceTec Texas East Side Field Day
3:30 p.m. - Field tours, crawfish forage study presentation, followed by dinner.
Winnie/Stowell Community Building, Winnie, TX
Contact: Mark Spilman, mspilman@ricetec.com

July 12 -- Northeast Louisiana Rice Field Day
9:00 a.m. - Vic Jordan III Farm, Tower Drive, Oak Ridge, LA
11:00 a.m. - Program, Rayville Community Center, 817 Louisa Street, Rayville, LA
Contact: Keith Collins, kcollins@agctr.lsu.edu

July 13 -- 69th Annual Beaumont Rice Field Day
8:00 a.m. - Texas AgriLife Research & Extension Center, 1509 Aggie Drive, Beaumont, TX
Contact: Dr. Ted Wilson, lt-wilson@aesrg.tamu.edu 

July 20 - RiceTec North Louisiana Field Day
4:00 p.m. - Angelina Plantation, Monterey, LA
Contact: Mark Spilman, mspilman@ricetec.com







Finance, chit fund companies should beef up security: Siddipet CP

By AuthorTelanganaToday  |   Published: 7th Jul 2017  10:37 pm
Commissioner of Police V Shiva Kumar addressing owners of chit fund and finance companies.
Siddipet: In the wake of repeated incidents of robberies in finance companies like Muthoot Finance Corporation in Telangana, Commissioner of Police, Siddipet, V Shiva Kumar directed all the finance companies and chit fund owners to step up the security measures by installing CCTV cameras, security alarms and other technology on the premises of chit fund and finance companies. 
Speaking at a review meeting organised with the managements of over 65 finance and chit fund companies here on Friday, the Commissioner set July 27 as the deadline for the managements to improve the security measures on the premises of finance and chit fund companies.
Shiva Kumar said that they will also hold meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Textiles Association, Rice Millers Association, Medical Shops Association, Goldsmith Pawn Brokers Association, Kirana and General Stores Association, steel and cement industries, hotels, bakeries, transport, fertilisers and hospital managements to improve the security measures as preventive measures to arrest the crime rate in Siddipet.
He further observed that the CCTV cameras would also help them to track the movement of criminals and anti-social elements and announced that they would soon release guidelines for all the business establishments to follow them to keep their premises secure. Lead Bank Manager,P. Rajeshwar and others were present at the meeting.
https://telanganatoday.com/finance-chit-fund-companies-should-beef-security-siddipet-cp


Don’t pay prizes for published science

China and other countries should look again at how they pay bonuses and allocate grants
that are based on individual research papers.
07 July 2017
Xaume Olleros/Bloomberg via Getty
Many universities in China and elsewhere hand out research cash on the basis of academic publications.
With great fanfare, Sichuan Agricultural University held a ceremony two weeks ago to announce that it was awarding a 13.5-million yuan prize (US$2 million) to a group of its researchers, for a publication in the journal Cell.The announcement triggered social-media chatter about how much is too much when it comes to rewarding research success. Li Ping, director of the university’s rice research institute and a co-author of the published paper, was forced to clarify in a blogpost that most of the money — 13 million yuan — was actually for grants towards future research. Only the 0.5 million yuan extra was a prize, and that is being split among 27 people: no one will retire in luxury from this. Li further justified the prize by writing that researchers at small universities in China have difficulty getting stable grants, so funds such as those provided by the university are crucial for groups like his to continue their promising research.
The discovery of a disease-resistant gene by Li and his team could help countries around the world to secure their food supply. The university has a right to be excited. But is an instant cash injection — the prize was announced on Friday 30 June, the day after the manuscript was published — the right way to celebrate?
Clearly, most universities in China think so. The custom of rewarding researchers monetarily for single publications is deeply entrenched at Chinese scientific institutions. For many, it is an official policy, written in the bylaws. Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University in Lin’An, for example, pays a flat rate of 500,000 yuan for a paper published in CellScience or Nature. And it uses a table with equations to help calculate prizes for publications elsewhere. For any paper in a journal with an impact factor (IF) higher than 10, for example, the prize is IF × 1.5 × 10,000 yuan. According to a People’s Daily news story last year, some 90% of universities have policies of rewarding publications. And the practice is far from unique to China. Scientists in countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia can find themselves similarly rewarded.
That might be good for researchers, and it can be a way for universities to advertise their achievements. Whether it is good for research, in the long term, is a more difficult question. The answer is probably no. 
For one thing, it creates a culture in which scientists look at their research as a means to make quick cash. Instead of considering the best way to pursue and expand on experiments, scientists focus on getting the results published. 
The emphasis on impact factors, as has been discussed repeatedly in these pages, is greatly overblown. Such metrics already exert undue influence on the evaluation of grants, on hiring and on promotions. Monetary prizes only further inflate the importance of impact factors, at the expense of assessing the significance of what has actually been achieved.  
“Handing out prizes so soon after publication rewards science that is not yet proven.”
Perhaps more importantly, handing out prizes so soon after publication rewards science that is not yet proven. There is no reason to think that the Sichuan scientists’ discovery — a gene that confers resistance to the fungal disease rice blast — won’t stand up to the scrutiny of post-publication peer review. But what if it doesn’t? Many papers are not necessarily wrong, but their significance might have been overestimated. 
Last week’s announcement that this is more a grant than a prize makes an important distinction, but it might point to a more fundamental problem in China, as well as in other countries — a tendency to base grants on past achievement rather than future potential. The rice-blast gene has tremendous practical potential, and the Sichuan scientists might be the right group to exploit it. Or they might have found, based on their research protocol, a number of other avenues for investigation that are unrelated to this gene. Whatever the case, the best way to argue that the group deserves more grant money is through a grant proposal that lays out where the research is heading, and that is fairly evaluated against rival proposals. 
There, too, this episode raises a critical question about how research funds are being spent in China. In his blogpost, Li implies that steady funding gives scientists at major universities an advantage over more far-flung scientists, who have to depend on locally distributed monetary awards as a lifebuoy. To be sure, the concentration of resources at top institutions is a phenomenon, and to some extent a problem, around the world. It is one that the research community needs to address. But ­— centrally or locally — rigorous and fair review must come first. 
http://www.nature.com/news/don-t-pay-prizes-for-published-science-1.22275

Basmati brands seek parity in GST

ET Bureau | Updated: Jul 07, 2017, 12.20 PM IST
The opposition to GST is also sparked as top basmati brands like Dawaat and India Gate fall in exempted list while several small players have come under the ambit of the tax. CHANDIGARH: Seeking all rice brands to be brought under the 5 per cent GST, the registered basmati brands are terming the levy as discriminatory in the current version. The companies claim that distributors and retailers will prefer unregistered brands to evade GST. The opposition to GST is also sparked as top basmati brands like Dawaat and India Gate fall in exempted list while several small players have come under the ambit of the tax. Under GST rice brands that are registered under Mark Act 1999 have come under 5 per cent GST while unregistered brands have been extended exemption.

In a letter to the union finance minister Arun Jaitely, owners of Amritsar based leading rice brand 'Lal Qila' of Amar Singh Chawal Wala has said that the tax is contrary to 'One Nation One tax'. "It would promote registered companies to float unregistered companies to evade tax," Arvinder Pal Singh, director, Amar Singh Chawal Wala told ET. He maintained that no trader in India is ready to stock and sell registered branded rice products as they would like to be out of GST. "The tax will affect domestic sale and also reflect in exports," Arvinder Pal Singh, director, Amar Singh Chawal Wala told ET.


Many basmati brands with high volumes and sale are still not registered due to infringement issues. Rice major KRBL Limited on 3rd June 2017had maintained that its premium rice brands India Gate, Indian Farm, Unity and Lotus are not registered in class 30, under the Trade Marks Act, 1999 hence nil GST is applicable on it.

All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) has raised the matter with GST Council and sought clarity over ambiguity about the purview of GST on rice companies. "We are expecting more clarity over the purview of GST on registered as well as unregistered rice brands shortly," Rajen Sudershan told ET.
Presently, less than 10 per cent brands are registered with Trade Mark Act 1999 and some leading brands are unregistered due to trade mark infringement issues. "Many unregistered brands fetch high premium and volume but will now get relaxation under GST," he said. "The tax would look discriminatory in current version and defeats endeavor to build domestic brands and quality," Vijay Sethia former president AIREA. He said that several brands with comparatively lower volume would also be taxed.
Several beneficiary will include companies with over turnover of over Rs 2000 Crore as their brands are not registered with Trade Mark Act 1999 due to some Legal and Technical issues," Ashok Sethi, past president Rice Millers and Exporters Association, said.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/basmati-brands-seek-parity-in-gst/articleshow/59486180.cms

Civil Supplies Minister Pulla Rao Threatens Rice Millers To Settle Dues

07 Jul, 2017 07 Jul, 2017
Civil Supplies Minister Pulla Rao Threatens Rice Millers To Settle Dues Civil Supplies Minister Pulla Rao Threatens Rice Millers To Settle Dues: Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao, taking a tough stance, has threatened to send the rice millers to jail if they fail to settle the dues within one month, they owe to the Government.  Civil Supplies Minister Pulla Rao Threatens Rice Millers To Settle Dues:- Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao, taking a tough stance, has threatened to send the rice millers to jail if they fail to settle the dues within one month, they owe to the Government. 
Mr. Rao said that the millers involved in custom milling rice (CMR) in the 13 districts of AP have to pay nearly Rs 130 crore to the Government. Since the last two years, there are as many as 23 millers of Nellore top in the list, with around Rs 70 crore dues. A surprise check at the Sri Srinivasa Raw and Boiled Rice Mill on the Podalakuru - Sangam Road, about 30 km from Nellore city, was held by him. He expressed displeasure over the situation during the review with the food advisory committee. The Minister, who was accompanied by AP Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director Ram Gopal and other officials, went around the premises of the mill, which was mostly empty, and there was no sign of the CMR paddy being still stored.

 “Under the CMR scheme, the government supplies paddy to the miller who has to supply rice in return. This miller has not made the return supply so far and he owed Rs8.5 crore for the past two years. This is a serious offence and we will initiate criminal proceedings,” said Mr. Pulla Rao.
He attributed the dues to the millers’ failure to supply rice for the Public Distribution System (PDS) even after collecting paddy from the state. To repay the outstanding dues, a one-month deadline was set by him. Else, the joint collector would file criminal cases and auction their properties. He said they are planning to ban companies selling water and soft drinks at exorbitant rates while claiming that such firms have already identified.
The Representatives of the associations highlighted the issues such as shortage of fertilizers besides biometric and ePASS issues. Speaking to reporters at Venkatagiri, he said arrangements are being made to supply sugar, palm oil and red gram through Fair Price Shop (FPS) from September this year.
Stating that considerable time was given to such defiant millers on humanitarian grounds and due to political pressures, Mr. Pulla Rao said that this kind of attitude would not be tolerated and the government would take stringent action to protect sanctity of the programmes like CMR intended for farmers’ welfare.

Sri Lanka to import rice to address rice shortage

Source: Xinhua| 2017-07-07 19:38:04|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao
COLOMBO, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will import 200,000 metric tons of rice immediately from India, Pakistan and Myanmar to address the rice shortfall in its domestic market, a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Friday.

Due to heavy floods this year, Sri Lanka is facing a severe rice shortage. Sri Lanka will purchase 100,000 metric tons of rice from India immediately, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said, adding the rice will be purchased from private Indian importers.The other 100,000 metric tons of rice will come from Pakistan and Myanmar. A four-member team from Sri Lanka will leave for Pakistan and Myanmar on Friday evening to pick rice varieties for the Sri Lankan market, and the purchase with Pakistan and Myanmar will be at government to government levels, Bathiudeen said.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also commenced government level talks on the possibility of purchasing rice from Thailand, Bathiudeen added.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-07/07/c_136426210.htm

Wholesale rice price drop not yet reflected at retail markets

Rising imports have yet to reduce the price of rice at retail, despite a lower wholesale price. Though traders are selling coarse rice imported from India at a lower price, the price of local varieties like, Swarna, BR-28 and Miniket remains steep.On Friday, three stores in Mohakhali were selling BR-28 around Tk 50-52 per kg, BR-29 at Tk 54, Miniket at Tk 58, and Najirshail at Tk 60 per kg.
Traders at the Hajji Haider Ali Store said they had bought a 50 kg sack of Najirshail at Tk 2,730 and Miniket at Tk 2,680 a sack on Thursday from the capital's Kachukhet kitchen market.

The store was selling Miniket at Tk 58 per kg and BR-28 and BR-29 at Tk 54.Biplob Hossain, the manager of Satarkul Rice Agency in Dhaka's Badda, told bdnews24.com the same day that 50kg Miniket rice sacks had been selling for Tk 70 less for almost a week. The price of coarse rice, BR-28 and Najirshail has dropped by nearly Tk 100 a sack.A sack of Miniket rice is now Tk 2,630, BR-28 is Tk 2,350, Najirshail Tk 2,650 and coarse rice Tk 2,050.Hossain said the impact of imports had now reached the mill level and would decrease the price of all rice varieties by Tk 2-3.

But, according to Mohakhali rice seller Manik Miah, the price of rice has not decreased significantly, aside from the coarse Nurjahan Swarna grain, which comes from India.

The trader was selling Nurjahan Swarna at Tk 47 per kg and Tk 2,200 a sack. Miniket was priced at Tk 2,700 and was sold at retail at Tk 56 per kg.

Importers at the Mohammad Krishi Market were selling coarse Indian rice at Tk 2,050 a sack, said Mohakhali rice wholesaler Murad. They were selling BR-28 between Tk 2,350 and Tk 2,400 and Miniket at Tk 2,650. The rice market at Badamtali-Babubazar on Thursday had been selling coarse rice (Guti, Swarna, BR-28, Parija) between Tk 42 and 44 per kg. The price before Eid was between Tk 43 and 46.

Fine grain rice (Miniket, Najirshail) was being sold at Tk 50-53 per kg. The price had been between Tk 51-54 before Eid. Flooding in the haor areas of the north and north-east earlier in the year and the resulting destruction of Boro crops had led to fluctuations in the rice market. In response the government lowered import duties on rice from 28 percent to 10 percent before Eid.

Nigeria: UK-Sponsored Study Show Impact of Nigeria Recession On Agriculture


Photo: Irin News
By Bassey Udo
The Federal Government and international development organisations must refocus their policies on agriculture to reshape their interventions to mitigate the negative impact of the recent devaluation of the Naira on the sector growth, a study by two development groups said.The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND, and the UK Department for International Development, DFID Market Development, MADE Programme, said on Thursday a study they sponsored found the Naira devaluation policy impacted the agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta region.
The Executive Secretary of PIND, Dara Akala, said at the presentation of the findings in Abuja that the study was to examine effects of devaluation and related government trade restriction policies on four key agricultural value chains in the Niger Delta region, namely cassava, palm oil, aquaculture, and poultry.
Mr. Akala said the study also looked at the impact on agricultural inputs and leather goods as well as market responses across the value chains to the income and substitution effects that arose from the price shocks as a result of the devaluation and depreciation policies.Presenting his findings, the consultant, who conducted the study, Ogho Okiti, said there was need for the government and its partners to restructure its interventions to reflect the economic realities of a dynamic situation, especially relating to the four key commodities in the agricultural value chain."
"As the global crude oil price fell from above $100 per barrel in early 2014 to below $30 per barrel by the beginning of 2016, Nigeria's oil revenues and foreign exchange reserves dropped. The decline in reserves exerted pressure on the Naira against the dollar, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was unable to defend the Naira's peg to the dollar," the report noted.
"To reduce imports and conserve its diminishing foreign exchange reserves, the CBN devalued the Naira twice between November 2014 and February 2015 and implemented a ban on access to foreign exchange at the CBN official window for a list of 41 items, including rice, poultry and palm oil products.
"The Federal Government increased import levies on these goods and other agricultural products, and even banned imports of some entirely. The impact of this devaluation and the subsequent ban on importation differ from one agricultural value chain to another," it added.
Mr. Okiti said one of the findings from the study was the impact of the devaluation on aquaculture, which resulted in the rise in the price of catfish, as consumers turned to it as alternative to more expensive imported fish and poultry, meaning increased revenues to farmers.
Sierra Leone News: Rice







I think I’ve had rice at every single meal since I’ve arrived in Sierra Leone. The Crain Crain, Chicken Cassava, and Potato Leaf that have become such a staple of my diet are all served with a mountain of steaming white rice. My colleagues often come to work with two plastic containers: one for sauce and one for rice.I eat a lot of rice back in America so this wasn’t too big an adjustment. Rice is one of the most important foods in the world, sustaining billions of people in developed and developing countries alike. One of my favorite comedians once said, “I like rice. Rice is great when you’re really hungry and want to eat 2,000 of something.”After returning from a press conference at the World Bank building yesterday, I starting combing through their recently approved loan proposal for an article I was writing with a colleague. Amidst all the GDP statistics, economic jargon, and legal language, I found some really interesting information about that delicious grain we all love so much.
Sierra Leoneans ate about 1,000,000 tons of milled rice last year; about the same weight as 8,500 blue whales or 40 Statue of Liberties. My colleague and I did some quick math and that comes out to about two and a half 50 kg bags of rice per person every year. This mind-boggling amount of rice has been increasing right along with Sierra Leone’s population, which is expected to double by the year 2060.
One piece of data that really struck me was that Sierra Leone has vastly increased the rice production since the end of the war. About 80% of rice eaten here was grown here. Domestic rice production has increased by about 10% every year since the war. In 2001, 56% of the rice eaten in Sierra Leone was imported from abroad, but now less than 20% of rice is imported. The World Bank says that it is entirely plausible for Sierra Leone to start producing more rice than it produces, maybe even within the next decade.
This would be a massive win for Sierra Leone, not only for the economy but for sustained food security as well. Becoming a net-exporter of rice would provide more agriculture jobs, ensure local communities have access to affordable food, and excess rice can be sold to nearby countries that can’t produce enough food for their populations. Excess rice could also be stockpiled as a buffer against natural disasters like drought.
The World Bank outlined several strategies and goals to help the Ministry of Agriculture work towards this net-exporter future. First off, increasing the average yield per hectare from 1.5 kg to 2 kg by the year 2020. If my quick calculations are correct, this increased efficiency would be more than enough to end the need for any imported rice at the current population level. Reaching this goal will require better fertilizers, seeds, and farming technologies, all of which the World Bank says can come from increased collaboration with the private sector.
The plan also provides funds to increase agricultural land use, partially for rice farms. The local World Bank Country Manager, Parminder Brar, said in a press conference that only about 8% of the arable land in Sierra Leone is currently being used for agriculture, so there is a vast potential for growth. The proposal also points out the government’s current policy of waiving the 15% tax on imported rice. This policy makes a lot of sense because it keeps importers from passing that cost onto the customer and making imported rice really expensive. But now that domestic production has increased to almost meet local demand, the World Bank is calling for the government to enforce this tax to encourage people to prioritize domestic rice farmers.
I know rice is kind of boring; that’s why we smother it in meats and sauces. But after looking at the numbers, rice is more important to Sierra Leone’s future than I ever realized.
TK/6/7/17
Timothy’s Take
Friday July 07,2017.
Sri Lanka to immediately import rice to meet rice shortage
MENAFN - NewsIn.Asia - 07/07/2017
(MENAFN - NewsIn.Asia) Colombo, July 7 (newsin.asia) -Sri Lanka will import 200,000 metric tonnes of rice immediately from Pakistan, #Myanmar and #India to meet a rice shortfall in its domestic market, a statement from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said here Friday.A four member team from #SriLanka will leave for #Pakistan on Friday evening to pick rice varieties afterwhich the team will head to #Myanmar to test Burmese rice varieties for the Sri Lankan market.
This year the failure of crops from the Yala season and the floods created a severe rice shortage in the island country."We have picked Myanmar, #Pakistan and #India to import rice,' Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen, said."The Sri Lankan team, after checking both the Pakistani and #Myanmar markets, will decide whether to choose #Pakistan or #Myanmar (or both) to purchase he 100,000 metric tonnes of rice. Whether it is finally supplied by one or both countries, the purchase shall be at government to government levels," Bathiudeen said.#SriLanka will also purchase another 100,000 metric tonnes of rice from #India immediately. Bathiudeen said the rice will be purchased from private Indian importers and tenders are currently being received for this.An Indian supplier is expected to be picked by July 17.
Meanwhile, #SriLanka has also commenced government level talks on the possibility of purchasing rice from Thailand, Bathiudeen said.These talks are conducted to procure rice stocks for any future emergencies and not for immediate use.A Sri Lankan team will visit Bangkok next week to meet Thai officials and decide on varieties, possibly around 100,000 metric tonnes of rice.
http://www.menafn.com/1095605802/Sri-Lanka-to-immediately-import-rice-to-meet-rice-shortage

Don’t pay prizes for published science

China and other countries should look again at how they pay bonuses and allocate grants
that are based on individual research papers.
07 July 2017
Xaume Olleros/Bloomberg via Getty
Many universities in China and elsewhere hand out research cash on the basis of academic publications.
With great fanfare, Sichuan Agricultural University held a ceremony two weeks ago to announce that it was awarding a 13.5-million yuan prize (US$2 million) to a group of its researchers, for a publication in the journal Cell.The announcement triggered social-media chatter about how much is too much when it comes to rewarding research success. Li Ping, director of the university’s rice research institute and a co-author of the published paper, was forced to clarify in a blogpost that most of the money — 13 million yuan — was actually for grants towards future research. Only the 0.5 million yuan extra was a prize, and that is being split among 27 people: no one will retire in luxury from this. Li further justified the prize by writing that researchers at small universities in China have difficulty getting stable grants, so funds such as those provided by the university are crucial for groups like his to continue their promising research.
The discovery of a disease-resistant gene by Li and his team could help countries around the world to secure their food supply. The university has a right to be excited. But is an instant cash injection — the prize was announced on Friday 30 June, the day after the manuscript was published — the right way to celebrate?
Clearly, most universities in China think so. The custom of rewarding researchers monetarily for single publications is deeply entrenched at Chinese scientific institutions. For many, it is an official policy, written in the bylaws. Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University in Lin’An, for example, pays a flat rate of 500,000 yuan for a paper published in CellScience or Nature. And it uses a table with equations to help calculate prizes for publications elsewhere. For any paper in a journal with an impact factor (IF) higher than 10, for example, the prize is IF × 1.5 × 10,000 yuan. According to a People’s Daily news story last year, some 90% of universities have policies of rewarding publications. And the practice is far from unique to China. Scientists in countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia can find themselves similarly rewarded.
That might be good for researchers, and it can be a way for universities to advertise their achievements. Whether it is good for research, in the long term, is a more difficult question. The answer is probably no. For one thing, it creates a culture in which scientists look at their research as a means to make quick cash. Instead of considering the best way to pursue and expand on experiments, scientists focus on getting the results published. 
The emphasis on impact factors, as has been discussed repeatedly in these pages, is greatly overblown. Such metrics already exert undue influence on the evaluation of grants, on hiring and on promotions. Monetary prizes only further inflate the importance of impact factors, at the expense of assessing the significance of what has actually been achieved.  
“Handing out prizes so soon after publication rewards science that is not yet proven.”
Perhaps more importantly, handing out prizes so soon after publication rewards science that is not yet proven. There is no reason to think that the Sichuan scientists’ discovery — a gene that confers resistance to the fungal disease rice blast — won’t stand up to the scrutiny of post-publication peer review. But what if it doesn’t? Many papers are not necessarily wrong, but their significance might have been overestimated. 
Last week’s announcement that this is more a grant than a prize makes an important distinction, but it might point to a more fundamental problem in China, as well as in other countries — a tendency to base grants on past achievement rather than future potential. The rice-blast gene has tremendous practical potential, and the Sichuan scientists might be the right group to exploit it. Or they might have found, based on their research protocol, a number of other avenues for investigation that are unrelated to this gene. Whatever the case, the best way to argue that the group deserves more grant money is through a grant proposal that lays out where the research is heading, and that is fairly evaluated against rival proposals. 
There, too, this episode raises a critical question about how research funds are being spent in China. In his blogpost, Li implies that steady funding gives scientists at major universities an advantage over more far-flung scientists, who have to depend on locally distributed monetary awards as a lifebuoy. To be sure, the concentration of resources at top institutions is a phenomenon, and to some extent a problem, around the world. It is one that the research community needs to address. But ­— centrally or locally — rigorous and fair review must come first.
http://www.nature.com/news/don-t-pay-prizes-for-published-science-1.22275

NIPGR develops Genetically Modified rice that can reduce phosphorus fertilizer usage

Rapid fire:
  • New GM rice has improved Phosphorus utilization efficiency
  • Gene called OsPAP21b from traditional rice introduced
  • Improved natural phosphorus utilization capacity can reduce use of fertilizers
  • Important to increase the phosphate utilization efficiency of rice, a major consumer of phosphate fertilizers
New GM rice developed by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) can improve uptake of natural Phosphorus from the soil, cutting down the use of artificial phosphorus fertilizers.
This GM rice has been produced by introducing a gene called OsPAP21b taken out from a traditional rice genotype called Dular, found in states like West Bengal, Bihar and Assam.
Supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the study showed that OsPAP21b plays important role in improving growth on organic phosphorus substrate through better phosphate uptake and utilization.
The paper published in Plant Biotechnology Journal demonstrated that introduction of the gene produces an enzyme, which when secreted into the soil through the roots of the rice plant helps in absorption of organic phosphorus available in the soil.
This enzyme increases organic phosphorus absorption by ~50% under controlled experimental conditions and hence can help reduce the cost of fertilizer use for the farmer.
The team led by Dr. Jitender Giri and consisting of Ph.D. students, Poonam Mehra and Bipin K. Pandey has proposed OsPAP21b as a useful candidate for improving phosphate acquisition and utilization in rice.
Deficiency of plant available phosphorus is a limiting factor for cultivation of rice crops in various kind of soil on earth. Application of phosphatic fertilizers can compensate soil phosphorus deficiency but it is hazardous both to our environment and health.
Phosphorus is an important mineral in the metabolism, growth and development of plants in general and rice in particular. About 20 mha of upland area under rice cultivation is phosphate deficient. In major rice producing areas like India, more than 60% soils suffer from low to medium phosphate availability. This is compensated by application of phosphatic fertilizers.
Unfortunately, the source of such fertilizers, rock phosphate is finite, rapidly depleting and concentrated only in few regions worldwide. India imports almost 90% of its phosphate fertilizer requirement. Further, applied phosphate is quickly fixed into insoluble inorganic or organic forms due to its high reactivity and microbial action.
Since rice is a major consumer of such fertilizers it is pertinent to increase the absorption efficiency of phosphate in rice varieties. The study is a significant move towards that end.
http://www.dbtindia.nic.in/rice_phosphorus-fertilizer-usage/
Sri Lankan team leaves for Islamabad to procure rice tranche
Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad Khan Sipra (second from left), Ambassador Designate of Thailand to Sri Lanka Chulamanee Chartsuwan (fifth from left), and Ambassador of Indonesia to Sri Lanka Gusti Ngurah Ardiyasa (sixth from left) in discussion with Commerce  Rishad Bathiudeen   Sri Lanka has picked three countries to supply 200,000 MT rice immediately to meet the shortfall in its domestic market.
A four-member team of Lankan officials left for Pakistan yesterday to select rice varieties for the domestic rice market. The team will head to Myanmar from Islamabad to test Burmese rice varieties for the Lankan market on July 12. “Yala season’s failure and the floods created this rice shortage. We have picked Myanmar, Pakistan and India and the country that did not get in was Indonesia,” said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, during his progress review with his officials this week and added:  “The officials of the team, after checking both Pakistani and Myanmar markets, will decide whether to choose Pakistan or Myanmar (or both) to purchase the 100,000 MT rice.
Whether it is finally supplied by one or both countries, the purchase shall be at government-to-government levels.”  The team of officials that left for Pakistan was led by Secretary of Ministry of Industry and Commerce Chinthana Lokuhetti, and two officials from the Finance Ministry and a food technologist from ITI. More than 50 percent of this 100,000 MT rice would be par-boiled (Nadu) variety with the rest in white raw, and samba. Sri Lanka is also purchasing another 100,000 MT rice from India immediately.
This is not at Government to Government levels but from the Indian private sector (Government to private sector). Tenders from Indian private suppliers are being received and the winning Indian supplier is expected to be picked by July 17. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also commenced Government to Government rice purchase talks with Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce this week. These talks are conducted to procure ‘stand-by’ buffer rice stocks for any future emergencies and not for immediate use (as done with India, Pakistan and Myanmar).
 A Sri Lankan team of officials is scheduled to fly to Bangkok next week to meet Thai officials and decide on varieties, possibly around 100,000 MT of rice which will include par-boiled (Nadu), white raw, and samba.  On June 22nd, joined by Secretary of Ministry of Industry and Commerce Chinthana Lokuhetti and Director General of Finance Ministry PMB Atapattu, Minister Bathiudeen met Ambassador Designate of Thailand to Sri Lanka Chulamanee Chartsuwan, Ambassador of Indonesia to Sri Lanka   Gusti Ngurah Ardiyasa and Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Dr. Sarfraz Ahmad Khan Sipra at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to call for government to government rice supplies to Sri Lanka.
All the ambassadors present pledged immediate support to Minister Bathiudeen and President Maithripala Sirisena’s efforts to procure the rice tranche. The Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) under the Commerce Ministry has been roped in for the local distribution work of imported rice.
 http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sri-Lankan-team-leaves-for-Islamabad-to-procure-rice-tranche-132391.html

Farmers warned against basmati rot
Experts from Punjab Agricultural University have cautioned farmers against the blast (problem caused due to fungus) and foot rot diseases in basmati. A Tribune photograph Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 The experts of Plant Pathology Department, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), have cautioned the farmers of Punjab against the blast and foot rot diseases of basmati.Expressing their concern over these serious diseases, they urged the farmers to follow timely management practices, which if not adopted can cause significant yield losses.
The Head, Department of Plant Pathology, Dr Parvinder Singh Sekhon, advised the farmers to not cultivate susceptible un-recommended varieties such as Pusa 1401, Mushal etc. He said farmers should apply only recommended dose of nitrogen fertiliser as blast increases with high dose of nitrogen, he observed.Dr Sekhon also stressed upon the farmers to not grow basmati in those fields where blast during last year. Instead of basmati, cultivate rice varieties, he suggested.
The right time of application of recommended fungicides such as Amistar Top or Indofil Z-78 is boot stage of the crop, he said.Dr Sekhon urged the farmers to not adopt late sprays which are not effective and also pose a problem of residue in grains. The residue of un-recommended fungicides in grain lots also creates hurdles for export of basmati, he added. With respect to foot rot in basmati, Dr Sekhon said the disease spreads through the seed and infected seedling in the nursery. So, seed treatment as well as seed root dip treatment in solution of Bavistin (0.2 %) for six hours is very effective to check this disease, he advised. Former Prof nominated Dr JS Bal, former Prof, Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has been nominated as a member of the scientific committee of the IV International Jujube (Ber) Symposium, under the aegis of the 30th International Horticultural Congress (IHC), organised by the International Society of Horticultural Science to be held at Istanbul, Turkey, from August 12 to 16, 2018.A 10-member committee has been constituted by the IHC 2018 to conduct the IV International Jujube Symposium.
Bal has been inducted as the third senior most member of the committee which includes two scientists each from China and India and one each from USA, Australia, Romania, Italy, Turkey and Kuwait.Experts discuss effective delivery of knowledge to farmersPunjab Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (PAMETI) organised a training programme on ‘Information and communication technologies (ICT) for effective knowledge delivery’ from July 3 to 7, in which 27 members of Agriculture Departments, Agricultural Technology Management Agency and the PAU participated.
During the inaugural session, Dr H S Dhaliwal, Director PAMETI, said there was lack of extension staff as compared to the number of farmers they were supposed to address. So, there was a need to use the information technology for reaching out to more farmers in less time.Bharti Madan, Deputy Director (IT), PAMETI, introduced the concept of knowledge management and how information & communication technologies (ICTs) can help in the management process. She said Agricultural Knowledge Management was the process of retrieving, gathering, understanding, organising, sharing and effectively using the agricultural knowledge.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/farmers-warned-against-basmati-rot/433353.html

Adding new modes of action to boost rice weed control

Rice weed control arsenal could expand by two more products in 2018 and 2019, weed scientist says.
In the five years, he’s been studying as a graduate student with Dr. Eric Webster at the LSU AgCenter’s Rice Research Station, they have tested between eight and 11 new experimental compounds each year.
What’s even better news for rice growers is that two of those are likely to be introduced in 2018 and 2019. Dr. McKnight, who received his Ph. D. in weed science a month ago, talked about the two products during a stop at the LSU Rice Research Station Field Day in Crowley, La.
The new herbicides are Loyant, which Dow AgroSciences expects to receive registration for in 2018 and Butte, a mixture of benzobicyclon and halosulfuron, which is being developed by Gowan Company for possible introduction in 2019.
To learn about other new developments in rice weed control, visit http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/rate-adjustments-may-be-possible-new-provisia-rice-technology.
http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/adding-new-modes-action-boost-rice-weed-control



iceBran Technologies (NASDAQ:RIBT) Receives Daily News Impact Score of 0.44

Media coverage about RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ:RIBT) has been trending positive this week, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group scores the sentiment of news coverage by reviewing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. RiceBran Technologies earned a coverage optimism score of 0.44 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news articles about the company an impact score of 0 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is extremely unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the immediate future.
RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ RIBT) opened at 0.96 on Friday. RiceBran Technologies has a 12 month low of $0.69 and a 12 month high of $1.77. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $0.88 and a 200 day moving average price of $0.90. The stock’s market capitalization is $10.49 million.
A number of research firms have issued reports on RIBT. Maxim Group reissued a “hold” rating on shares of RiceBran Technologies in a research report on Friday, May 12th. Lake Street Capital assumed coverage on RiceBran Technologies in a research report on Wednesday, May 10th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $2.00 price target for the company. About RiceBran Technologies
RiceBran Technologies is a human food ingredient, functional food ingredient, packaged functional food and animal nutrition company. The Company is focused on processing and marketing of nutrient dense products derived from raw rice, an underutilized by-product of the rice milling industry. The Company has two operating segments
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https://sportsperspectives.com/2017/07/08/ricebran-technologies-ribt-given-media-sentiment-rating-of-0-44-updated-updated-updated.html