Tuesday, February 25, 2020

25th February ,2020 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter




(02/11/20) Jennings, La. — Farmers heard about several optimistic developments in the international rice trade at the 2020 meeting of the Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association on Feb. 10.
Betsy Ward, USA Rice chief executive officer, said Brexit has the potential to increase sales to the British market without the restrictions of the European Union. “We’re optimistic we can open that market to U.S. rice,” she said.
The United Kingdom had bought as much as 600 metric tons, but that dropped by 75% because of tariffs in 2017. The Turkish market for U.S. rice was lost because of tariffs, but the country bought some American rice last week, she said.
The preliminary trade agreement with China includes American rice.
China holds 65% of the world’s rice stocks, and the country is dumping the excess on the market, even selling medium-grain rice to Puerto Rico. “The prices they are selling rice for in Puerto Rico don’t make sense,” Ward said.
An anti-dumping case is being built against China, and two cases were won recently, including one that complained China was unfairly subsidizing rice production.
“I think China will come around, and I think there will be stability in trade with Mexico,” Ward said.
India, the world’s largest rice exporter, also uses unfair trade practices, “and they are just as bad an actor as China,” she said. An unfair trade complaint also is being developed against India.
The trade agreement with Canada and Mexico is a positive development for American rice. “It’s brought some stability to the market,” Ward said.
A memorandum of understanding with Iraq has been extended to 2021 to buy more U.S. rice.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is receptive to the needs of the rice industry. “He’s probably one of the best (agriculture secretaries) we’ve ever had,” Ward said.
USA Rice Chairman Charley Matthews Jr. has met twice with President Donald Trump to voice concerns of rice farmers.
Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, said trade developments worldwide are going well for American agriculture. “I’m very positive where the economy is going,” he said.
A U.S.-Japanese trade agreement will cut tariffs on American products. Rice is not included in the agreement yet, but administration officials assured him rice would eventually benefit, Strain said.
Other countries, such as Kenya, are approaching the U.S. to make new trade agreements.
China will be buying up to $37 billion in U.S. agricultural products. But some uncertainty is resulting from the coronavirus outbreak as well as two new viral diseases, Strain said.
Funding for dredging the Mississippi River is being proposed, and that has resulted in port expansions along the river, he said.
A rural task force in Louisiana will be studying what’s needed to improve life in the rural areas of the state. A broadband initiative will improve internet connectivity, and the state needs to maintain roads and bridges better, Strain said.
Also at the meeting, advertising consultant Mark Williams detailed an advertising campaign in 2018 and 2019 in north Louisiana. WiIliams, who co-founded the firm that came up with the slogan for pork, “The Other White Meat,” said the radio campaign aired 5,249 ads heard 20 times by the average citizen.
The campaign, “Start with Rice,” used radio ads and billboards, and surveys and statistics showed the project had a significant effect on consumers, Williams said.
Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president for communications, detailed last year’s 2019 Rice Road Trip. Using a truck that was eventually a raffle prize, Klein traveled across the U.S. to spread the word about rice.
Promotional items such as rice cookers were distributed to consumers along the way along with rice samples and recipes. Email addresses were collected to send regular messages with rice recipes.
Klein reminded the gathering that the 2020 USA Rice Outlook Conference will be in Austin, Texas, Dec. 9-11, and the 2021 conference will be in New Orleans.


Rice tariffs decline 23.1% year-to-date
February 24, 2020 | 11:37 pm
Description: https://www.bworldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/NFA-rice-warehouse-022520.jpg Workers at the National Food Authority warehouse in Visayas Ave. -- PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS
RICE IMPORT tariffs declined 23.1% year-on-year in the year-to-date period ending Feb. 14, amid a sharp decline in inbound shipments, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said.
Citing a report from the BoC, the Department of Finance (DoF) said in a statement that import tariff collections totaled P1.71 billion, against P2.22 billion a year earlier.
Volumes fell 61.8% year-on-year to 209,320 metric tons (MT).
The Rice Tariffication Law, or Republic Act No. 11203, was signed in mid-February 2019, and took effect in March. It removed restrictions on rice imports, and instead imposed a 35% tariff on shipments of rice from Southeast Asian trading partners. The tariffs will help fund the modernization of the rice industry.
In the 2019 period when the law was effective, the government collected P12.3 billion from 2.03 million MT of imports.
Until Feb. 14, 2020, total collections have amounted to P14.01 billion since the law took effect.



Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the revenue gives the government “ample means to do even more to make our agricultural production more efficient and extend direct aid to small farmers.”
The government must set aside P10 billion a year for five years from the tariffs to support the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which will fund farm mechanization, agricultural credit and training, and inputs such as fertilizer and seed.
The DoF said the law generated billions in fresh revenue in less than one year of implementation, “a complete reversal of its P11-billion average annual loss during the pre-RTL regime.” — Beatrice M. Laforga






Shipping lines face troubled waters as oil tankers, container carriers and cruise lines stop calling on China for fear of catching the coronavirus

·       Port calls by container carriers fell 30 per cent in February, from a year ago, according to Clarksons
·       Oil shipment to China from the Middle East fell to 12 per cent of what it was a year ago on February 5

Published: 10:30am, 24 Feb, 2020
Workers wearing face masks helping a container ship to its berth at Qingdao port in Shandong province on February 11, 2020. Photo: China Daily via Reuters
Description: Ryan SwiftPort calls to China are becoming less frequent, as fear of catching the coronavirus and a slowdown in the Chinese economy have deterred cruise liners, container ships, oil tankers and bulk carriers alike from stopping at the country’s harbours.
Commercial vessels have stopped arriving, with port calls falling by an estimated 30 per cent in February, and container throughput estimated to decline by between 20 and 30 per cent, according to Clarksons – a shipping research company. 
 are in China, including Hong Kong.
The coronavirus outbreak, which has sickened more than 75,000 around the world and killed more than 2,400, is adding to the woes of an industry that is already suffering from the US-China trade war. As many as 600 of the 3,700 passengers on the cruise ship Diamond Princess – moored in Yokohama outside Tokyo – contracted the virus while in close proximity to one another, which further deterred vessels from calling on mainland China, where more than 99 per cent of confirmed afflictions and deaths are.
As China’s labour force returns to work in phases after an extended Lunar New Year holiday imposed by the government in an effort to contain the epidemic, shipyards are slowly ramping up construction.
Description: https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2020/02/24/064edc4a-5480-11ea-8948-c9a8d8f9b667_972x_105530.JPG
Still, vessel owners expect delivery to be delayed. Nine of the 19 Chinese shipyards surveyed by Clarksons put their yards on complete suspension on February 14, with none at full production.
“We foresee the delay to be between one to two months, depending on the capability and resilience of different shipyards,” said Zhou Jian-Feng, managing director of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings, which has two ships under construction at Chinese shipyards, and has several other projects underway.
Trade shows and business meetings are likely to be postponed, which means that there will be fewer building contracts signed in the short term, according to Daejin Lee, maritime analyst for IHS Markit.
Apart from the delivery delay, China’s vessel owners and shipping lines are facing difficulty finding crew, as sailors and officers from mainland China must follow quarantine regulations that apply at every port call, adding complexities and delays.
China is the second-biggest source of maritime crew, behind only the Philippines, and ahead of India, Greece and Eastern Europe, according to data by the Hong Kong Ship Owners Association (HKSOA).
Global trade disrupted: Analysing the impact of the Wuhan coronavirus crisis
China’s shipbuilding industry has exploded in size over the past two decades since the nation’s membership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and in the economic recovery since the 2003 outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). China’s share of global maritime construction by tonnage almost tripled from 12 per cent in 2003 to 34 per cent by 2019, becoming the world’s largest shipbuilding nation.
Chinese shipping lines like Cosco and the financial leasing arms of the country’s biggest banks are collectively the second-largest vessel owners on the planet, which underscores their aggressive leasing activity over the past decade to carry the nation’s share of global commerce.
Description: The Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on February 13, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
The Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on February 13, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE
The world’s second-largest economy, China accounted for 14 per cent of all containerised cargo exports last year, 23 per cent of seaborne crude oil, 35 per cent of dry bulk shipped, 18 per cent of liquefied gas and 72 per cent of all seaborne iron ore.
That has taken a drastic turn, as the coronavirus outbreak gathered pace in February. Crude oil tankers have stopped sailing for China since the start of the month, compared with 3.42 billion ton-miles every day on average last year, according to satellite data provided by Vessels Value.
Shipments from the Middle East, China’s largest source of the commodity, were 280 million deadweight tonne cargo miles on February 5, a mere 12 per cent of the 2.32 billion DWT-mile shipped on the same day in 2019, according to shipping analytics firm Drewry, who note that global freight rates dropped 4.1 per cent in the second week of February, declining another 5.8 per cent this week.
That would put significant “stress” on port revenue if the low volume continues beyond March, because most European and Middle East ports have significant exposure to China, according to Fitch Ratings Agency.
Many of the world’s largest container shipping lines, including the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), AP Moller Maersk, CMA-CGM and Hong Kong’s own OOCL have all cancelled their cargo routes from Asia to Europe and North America in recent weeks.
Description: The Westerdam cruise ship at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on Feb. 14, 2020 after being turned away by five other Asian harbours. Photo: Xinhua
The Westerdam cruise ship at the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on Feb. 14, 2020 after being turned away by five other Asian harbours. Photo: Xinhua
That would crimp global commerce, according to Clarksons data, as the research company cut its growth forecast of the world’s 2020 maritime trade to 2.2 per cent from an earlier estimate of 2.5 per cent.
The slower growth would affect harbour operators like Hutchison Port Holdings, a unit of tycoon Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison conglomerate. The company, the world’s largest operator of container ports including the Kwai Tsing terminals in Hong Kong, will see “negative growth” in this year’s throughput, after last year’s 3 per cent decline, Moody’s Investors Service said on February 10.
The shipping industry has already struggled with the switch to low sulphur fuels as mandated by IMO 2020, which prohibits sulphur exhaust. Uncertainty about the availability of low sulphur fuels and their cost has led to a number of cargo lines to fit their ships with “scrubbers”, which remove sulphur from ship’s exhaust. Clarksons estimated that 77 per cent of all such refits were being done at Chinese shipyards.
Delays will cause headaches to shippers who bet on the cost benefit of scrubbers versus using low sulphur fuels.
Description: Ryan Swift
Ryan Swift is a senior business reporter focused on wealth management, green business, the shipping industry and the gaming industry. He was chief editor of The Peak and Asia-Pacific Boating magazines.

Coronavirus did not originate in Wuhan seafood market, Chinese scientists say

·       Analysis of genomic data from 93 samples of the novel coronavirus suggests it was imported from elsewhere
·       The busy market then boosted its circulation and spread it to the whole city, research shows
Description: He Huifeng
Published: 7:38pm, 23 Feb, 2020
Description: New research has shed fresh light on the origins of the deadly coronavirus. Photo: Simon SongDescription: New research has shed fresh light on the origins of the deadly coronavirus. Photo: Simon Song
New research has shed fresh light on the origins of the deadly coronavirus. Photo: Simon Song
The novel 
 that has claimed the lives of more than 2,400 people did not originate at a seafood market in the central China city of Wuhan
 as was first thought, according to a new study by a team of Chinese scientists.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was instead imported from elsewhere, said researchers from Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Institute for Brain Research.
The team, led by Dr Yu Wenbin, sequenced the genomic data of 93 SARS-CoV-2 samples provided by 12 countries in a bid to track down the source of the infection and understand how it spreads.
What they found was that while the virus had spread rapidly within the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, there had also been two major population expansions on December 8 and January 6.
Deadly coronavirus may not have originated in Wuhan seafood market, Chinese scientists say
According to the study, which was published on the institute’s website on Thursday, analysis suggested that the coronavirus was introduced from outside the market.
“The crowded market then boosted SARS-CoV-2 circulation and spread it to the whole city in early December 2019,” it said.
Earlier reports by Chinese health authorities and the 
 said that the first known patient showed symptoms on December 8, and that most of the subsequent cases had links to the seafood market, which was closed on January 1.
US-CHINA TRADE WAR NEWSLETTER
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The research went on to say that based on the genome data it was possible that the virus began spreading from person to person in early December or even as early as late November.
“The study concerning whether Huanan market is the only birthplace of SARS-CoV-2 is of great significance for finding its source and determining the intermediate host, so as to control the epidemic and prevent it from spreading again,” the research team said.
The scientists said also that although China’s National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 2 emergency warning about the new coronavirus on January 6, the information was not widely shared.
“If the warning had attracted more attention, the number of cases both nationally and globally in mid-to-late January would have been reduced,” they said.
Meanwhile, Xiang Nijuan, a researcher at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday that people infected with the new coronavirus were contagious two days before they showed any symptoms.
Therefore anyone who had been in close contact with someone within 48 hours of them being confirmed as infected should put themselves in isolation for 14 days, he said.
 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.
Description: He Huifeng
He Huifeng is an award-winning journalist who has reported on China since 2001. She has gained an in-depth knowledge of political, economic and social issues in mainland China through years of close observation, which has given her a love for journalism in the field.

Import tax collection from rice traders down 23% to P1.71B

February 24, 2020
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has collected P1.71 billion in duties from rice imports by private traders under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14 this year, down by 23.1 percent from P2.22 billion in the same period last year.

BOC collections from rice imports of private traders since the enactment of RA 11203 in March 2019 will benefit palay growers as such revenues are earmarked for the annual P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (Rcef).

The fund was set up under RA 11203 to finance farm modernization by directly providing local growers with wider access to credit and training along with funds for mechanization and inputs like fertilizer and high-quality seeds.

The excess of P10 billion collected for Rcef will also be used to finance other programs to boost the yields of farmers and improve their global competitiveness.

As a result of the liberalized rice trade following President Duterte’s signing of RA 11203, the average retail cost of the staple has, since its enactment, fallen by at least P9 per kilo. This trend has pulled down inflation as rice accounts for a sizable portion of the food expenses of most Filipino households.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the BOC said it has collected a total of P1.71 billion from imports of 209,320 metric tons (MT) of rice from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14.

The volume of rice imports from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14 is lower by 61.8 percent from the 759,810 MT brought into the country during the same period in 2019, when the RTL was not yet in effect, the BOC said at a recent executive committee meeting of the Department of Finance (DOF).

Last year, the BOC collected a total of P12.3 billion in cash revenues under the RTL from 2.03 million MT of private sector imports.

The RTL has imposed a minimum 35 percent tariff on rice imports in lieu of quantitative restrictions (QRs).

With over P12 billion in import tariffs collected in 2019, Dominguez said the government “has ample means to do even more to make our agricultural production more efficient and extend direct aid to small farmers.” Section 13(c) of the rice tariffication law states that 10 percent of the P10 billion Rcef shall be made available in the form of credit facility with minimal interest rates and with minimum collateral requirements to rice farmers and cooperatives.

The rest of the Rcef will be set aside for farm machinery and equipment; rice seed development, propagation and promotion; and rice extension services, as provided under RA 11203.

On top of paying tariffs, rice importers are required under RA 11203 to secure sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances from the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry, which assumed the food safety regulation function of the National Food Authority (NFA) under this law.

This requirement will ensure that rice imports are free from pests and diseases that could affect public health and local farm production.

Before rice tariffication, the NFA regulated private rice imports and it was the chief importer of the grain, incurring a total of P187 billion in tax subsidies from 2005 to 2015 or an average of P19 billion a year.

DOF Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran has pointed out in one of his economic bulletins that the NFA lost around P11 billion annually from rice subsidies before the RTL took effect.

With rice tariffication, the government has already earned over P11 billion in less than a year, a complete reversal of its P11 billion average annual loss during the pre-RTL regime. (PR)

Rice duty collections decline in mid-Feb.

Published February 24, 2020, 10:00 PM
By CHINO S. LEYCO
The duties from rice imports by private traders declined by nearly a quarter as of mid-February this year, the Department of Finance (DOF) said yesterday.
In a statement, DOF said that duties collected by the Bureau of Customs dropped 23 percent to P1.71 billion in January to February 14 this year from ₱2.22 billion in the same period last year.
The lower duties is owing to declined rice import volume during the period, the DOF said.
Based on the Customs data, there were only 209,320 metric tons (MT) of imported rice from January 1 to February 14, lower by 62 compared with 759,810 MT in the previous year.
Last year, the Customs collected ₱12.3 billion from the 2.03 million MT of rice imported by private sector.
To recall, the Philippines implemented Republic Act 11203, or the Rice Tariffication Law, in March last year. The new measure has imposed a minimum 35 percent tariff on rice imports in lieu of quantitative restrictions (QRs).
“Collections from rice imports of private traders since the enactment of RA 11203 in March 2019 will benefit palay growers as such revenues are earmarked for the annual ₱10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF),” DOF said.
The fund was set up under RA 11203 to finance farm modernization by directly provide local growers with wider access to credit and training along with
funds for mechanization and inputs like fertilizer and high-quality seeds.
The excess of ₱10 billion collected for RCEF will also be used to finance other programs to boost the yields of farmers and improve their global competitiveness.
As a result of the liberalized rice trade, the average retail cost of the staple has, since its enactment, fallen by at least ₱9 per kilo. This trend has pulled down inflation as rice accounts for a sizable portion of the food expenses of most Filipino households.
With over ₱12 billion in import tariffs collected in 2019, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said the government “has ample means to do even more to make our agricultural production more efficient and extend direct aid to small farmers.”
Section 13(c) of the rice tariffication law states that 10 percent of the ₱10-billion RCEF shall be made available in the form of credit facility with minimal interest rates and with minimum collateral requirements to rice farmers and cooperatives.
The rest of the RCEF will be set aside for farm machinery and equipment; rice seed development, propagation and promotion; and rice extension services, as provided under RA 11203.
On top of paying tariffs, rice importers are required under RA 11203 to secure sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) from the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), which assumed the food safety regulation function of the National Food Authority (NFA) under this law.
This requirement will ensure that rice imports are free from pests and diseases that could affect public health and local farm production.
Before rice tariffication, the National Food Authority regulated private rice imports and it was the chief importer of the grain, incurring a total of ₱187 billion in tax subsidies from 2005 to 2015 or an average of P19 billion a year.
Finance Undersecretary and chief economist Gil Beltran has pointed out in one of his economic bulletins that the NFA lost around ₱11 billion annually from rice subsidies before the RTL took effect.

VIETNAM RICE EXPORTS CAN INCREASE THIS YEAR

Published On 21 Feb 2020 05:06 PM

Description: https://www.industryglobalnews24.com/images/vietnam-rice-exports-can-increase-this-year.jpeg

Vietnam Food Association Vice Chairman Do Ha Nam has said that this year, the rice exports of Vietnam are expected to increase by 6% with 6.75 million tonnes. He said:
“Demand is seen rising this year as Vietnamese rice is more competitive in terms of prices.”
Nam also added that the coronavirus epidemic in China did not have any impact on shipments of Vietnamese rice to China. Nam said that over recent....

Problem of plenty: Wheat, rice output hits a record high, concerns over storage

Published: February 22, 2020 12:40:38 AM

Although there is good news in store for the government as output is set to increase on back of increased rabi harvest, there are concerns regarding storage that it would have to address.

Description: rice crop, wheat crop
The government hasn’t yet shed its lopsided approach of favouring rice and wheat for procurement, as is evident from the fact that it has chosen to continue with the MSP system.
Although there is good news in store for the government as output is set to increase on back of increased rabi harvest, there are concerns regarding storage that it would have to address. So, as output for wheat and rice this season hits a record high of 101.2 and 115.63 mt, respectively, excess stock of food grains will mean that it will be difficult for FCI to do more procurement or make space for additional grain, as CACP points out in a report. The problem goes beyond FCI procurement.
Description: https://images.financialexpress.com/2020/02/chartpix.jpg
RELATED NEWS

Rice farmer groups commend government for 'eat Ghana rice campaign'



Description: File photoNyame na aye and Adom wo wiem rice farmer associations in the Sefwi- Waiwso Municipality and Bodi Districts of the Western North Region have lauded the government for taking up the "eat Ghana rice" campaign.

According to the groups, Ghana would have been exporting rice to other countries if the campaign was given the needed support and commitment.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, Mr Oduro Sarfo, president of Adom wo wiem Cooperate Rice Farmers Association, said the campaign had helped increase the number of bags they sold annually, which had subsequently boasted the local economy.

He disclosed that customers from other parts of the country now buy from them which hitherto was not the case.

He commended the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at both Sefwi- Waiwso and Bodi Districts for supplying them with free seedlings and subsidized fertilizer.

For his part, Mr Kwame Ahi, President of Nyame na aye Rice Farmers Association, mentioned lack of power tiller machines and the lack of storage facilities among others as some of the challenges facing rice farmers and appealed to the government for assistance.

He also called on other corporate institutions to help them brand and package the rice in order to export them to earn foreign exchange for the country and also help reduce employment rates in the country.

Mr Ahi also advised the youth to take advantage of the government flagship programme of planting for food and jobs, so as to create their own jobs and not depend on the government for the non-existent jobs.
Comments:

Pakistan must improve export quality level to avoid curbs

Published: February 24, 2020
Description: Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
Representational image. PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI: Today, the economy is facing severe challenges in terms of a relatively high inflation rate, lower economic growth and food shortages.
However, a few positive indicators suggest that the economy is likely to turn the corner in the coming months.
The statement at the conclusion of International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to Pakistan on February 14 highlights that the economy has stabilised, real exchange rate is in line with fundamentals and inflation is expected to begin falling in the next few months.
The SBP-IBA Business Confidence Index returned to the green zone in December 2019 after lagging in the red zone since April 2019. Although economic conditions always entail a certain degree of volatility that dents economic stability, the government must ensure it adopts viable policies. These efforts should include, but not limited to, continuous bolstering of the dollar reserves to reduce currency volatility and avoiding food shortages by relaxing restrictions on the import of essential food items.
This will ensure price stability and help avoid fluctuations that increase the risk of speculation across different markets. The large-scale manufacturing (LSM) index in December 2019 was 9.66% higher than the value reported in December 2018. Major export-based industries including textile, food and beverages, and leather products posted positive growth.
In addition to that, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that the first seven months of FY20 showed a decline of 15.6% in imports over the same period of FY19.
However, efforts must be made to boost export growth, which at 2.2% is a cause for concern. The fall of 27.9% in the trade deficit highlights the changing trend on the external front.
The current account deficit, reported by the SBP in calendar year 2019, was $7.4 billion, a 62% reduction from $19.5 billion in 2018.
This change was primarily due to the decrease in import payments for goods of approximately $10.6 billion and import payments for services of $1.15 billion. The balance on trade decreased by $12 billion. This reflects in the fall in the current account deficit. The decrease in imports was a major driver for the increase in gross foreign currency reserves of the SBP, which soared from $9 billion in CY18 to $13.2 billion in CY19, a change of approximately 46%.
Import trend
A closer look at the import trend suggests that imports of all major groups, apart from machinery, decreased in dollar value in the first seven months of FY20 as compared to the same period of previous fiscal year.
Electrical machinery and apparatus and mobile phones were the only major import items that reported a significant increase in the first seven months. Electrical machinery and apparatus imports rose 36.64% while mobile phone imports swelled 79.5%.
The whopping increase in the latter is primarily due to the documentation efforts that has formalised import of mobile phones into Pakistan.
On the other hand, there was a slight decline of 1.67% in the import of power generating machinery. Imports of office machinery, textile machinery and construction and mining machinery declined. The compression of growth is likely a major factor in the reduction of import demand.
Imports of the transport group declined about 45%, with decrease in import of completely knocked down and semi-knocked down units as the major contributing factor. Under the petroleum group, imports of all products decreased except for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Interestingly, imports of textile products dropped 18.7%.
However, imports of raw cotton rose 41.5% – a result of poor harvest of the cotton crop reported in 2019. Furthermore, imports of the metal group fell 19.5% but imports of iron and steel scrap increased 6.4%. Lastly, imports of fertilisers decreased 32.3% as local production increased.
Considering the exports, the increase in dollar value was reported for the food group and textile group between July 2019 and January 2020 over the value reported in the same period of previous fiscal year.
Exports of basmati rice increased more than 51.6%, exports of vegetables rose 50.4% and exports of fish and fish preparations went up 16.52%. On the other hand, there was an increase in the export value of finished textile products such as knitwear, bedwear and readymade garments.
Exports of leather manufactures also increased, accompanying the rise in domestic large-scale production, as indicated by the LSM index.
Incentives
In order to provide greater incentives for increasing export activities through more financing options, the SBP has increased the limit on the Long-term Financing Facility (LTFF) available to exporters for machinery purchase and also injected liquidity into both the Export Finance Facility (EFF) and LTFF.
This will help provide concessionary loans to potential exporters at a time when interest rates are relatively high. According to the SBP, foreign direct investment (FDI) into Pakistan increased 65.7%, or $620 million, in the first seven months of FY20.
According to the Board of Investment, most of the FDI went to the IT and telecommunication sector, followed by power and financial business sectors. China has been the most important source of investment, followed by the UK. In recent weeks, the spread of deadly coronavirus is likely to impact trade. Although the full extent of the impact on global production is not known, it can adversely impact trade from Pakistan.
China is by far the largest trading partner of Pakistan and its largest investor. Several of the non-tariff measures focus on good health and wellbeing of individuals.
Sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements for agricultural products are likely to become more restrictive as countries undertake policies to ensure that the import of live animals, plants and their products involves procedures and processes that inhibit the spread of potentially deadly viruses.
Pakistan must harmonise its quality standards with its large trading partners in order to ensure products imported as well as produced domestically do not face trade restrictions. In essence, the government has performed relatively better in reducing the current account deficit. However, significant progress is required for improving the overall economic conditions.
The writer is the Assistant Professor of Economics and Research Fellow at CBER, IBA

Chasing a plate in... Kolkata

24 Feb, 2020 10:00am

Description: A giant plate of kachori left Thomas and Sheena satisfied in Kolkata.
A giant plate of kachori left Thomas and Sheena satisfied in Kolkata.
NZ Herald
Kiwi food YouTubers Thomas & Sheena Southam are on an eternal quest to find the most delicious local food the world has to offer. This week, they check out the best bites in Kolkata.
Kolkata has one of the most exciting food scenes in India. Kolkatans are justifiably proud of their unique food: street food snacks like the kati roll (a flaky flat bread stuffed with juicy marinated chicken); rich, milk-based sweets and a love of fusing Indian flavours with English and Chinese dishes. All this in addition to a multitude of traditional Bengali dishes. If you love to eat, you'll be doing a lot of exploring: this city is dotted with street food pockets where you can go and spend a couple of hours hopping from one food stall to the next. Here are a few of our favourite dishes to hunt down…

1. Singhara and raj kachori at Tewari Brothers

Description: Thomas holding a giant plate of kachori.
Thomas holding a giant plate of kachori.
Embrace the Indian tradition of chaat and a whole world of flavours and textures will open up to you. Chaat are savoury snacks best enjoyed standing on the street and taking a small pause during the day. They're made up of a slew of ingredients which may include tangy tamarind chutney, creamy yoghurt, spiced potato, crunchy chickpea noodles (sev), or deep fried thin and crispy dough balls called puri. No matter the combination, it's guaranteed to be delicious.
Tewari Brothers is a local institution famed for using desi ghee (a type of clarified butter produced from Indian cattle) in its sweets and chaat. Come here in the afternoon to munch on singhara (what they call samosas in Kolkata), flaky pastry stuffed with garam masala spiced potato and topped with a generous ladle of tamarind chutney. Each bite is reminiscent of a Christmas mince pie: flaky pastry, aromatic and with sweet spice. And don't forget to order the raj kachori: a crispy wheat flour ball the size of your palm filled with spiced potato, lentils and chickpeas doused in tamarind and coriander chutneys and yoghurt before being sprinkled with spice, coriander and sev. It's a behemoth of a snack full of variance in texture, temperature and flavours.
Eat at: Tewari Brothers, 3A, Jagmohan Mullick Lane, Kolkata, West Bengal. Open daily, 7am to 9pm, singara and kachori available from midday).

Mutton biryani at Dada Boudhi Hot


Come and get it at the Meat Ball

Sixth annual Meat Ball celebrates local meat and produce.

The sixth annual Meat Ball hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society celebrated the variety of delicious local fare grown by Island farmers and prepared by talented artisan cooks.
This year’s event featured food prepared by Chef Jefferson Monroe, owner and founder of the Good Farm, and a killer performance by the Space Invaders.
Many Island farmers also donated food, and the community and members of the Ag Society donated their time to make the event possible
Admission to the event was $20 for adults, and $10 for kids ages five and up, with kids younger than five getting in for free.
This year’s ball put an Indian spin on the menu, with spicy curries and delicious noodle dishes as well.
Hundreds of meat lovers came out for the celebration and party, but there were plenty of people enjoying the vegetarian dishes as well, such as spicy Thai green vegetable curry over soft and warm basmati rice, featuring fresh greens from Island Grown Initiatives’ Thimble Farm. The red lentil dal was also a big hit with meat eaters and vegans alike.
Goat curry made with goat from the Good Farm and Japanese beef curry made with Grey Barn beef highlighted the incredible livestock on Martha’s Vineyard
One addition to the event this year was a raffle for various Island meats. You could buy raffle tickets for $2 each or three for $5. Some of the prizes included Island chicken, lamb, duck, venison stew meat, and almost 6 pounds of beef short ribs.
A backyard barbecue prize package was also available containing beef patties, Italian sausage, and boneless pork ribs.
After people filled their plates many times over and made their way into the gathering room, the Space Invaders immediately kicked off the night with some of their originals, and did several covers. 
Kids danced in their colorful outfits and showed off their hula-hooping skills, while couples and friends boogied down to some lively tunes. 
Ag Society vice president Julie Scott stood behind a food table dishing out yummy Thai noodles with chopped chives and a nice kick. Scott is behind organizing the event, and she said one of her favorite things about the annual Meat Ball is how it brings people together.
“We just love showcasing all the amazing local meat and bringing people together to laugh, dance, eat, and enjoy themselves,” Scott said.
As more folks filtered into the main dining area and onto the dance floor, there were even some leftovers to pack up, despite the massive turnout.
The party wrapped up around 10 pm, and everyone left with full bellies and covers of the Ramones stuck in their head. 
All in all, the event featured a great variety of musical talent and some of the Island’s freshest meat and produce.