TRADE POLICY CANNOT IGNORE BARTER, CURRENCY
SWAP, BORDER, E_COMMERCE & TRANSACTION COST
The Union of
Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) urged federal commerce minister Engineer
Khurram Dastagir to ensure the trade policy is well aligned and comprehensive
to include and promote barter trade, currency swaps, border trade and measures
to curb increasing transaction cost.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver invited
the attention of the federal minister to the proposals submitted by UNISAME through
the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) and reminded him
of the importance of the ministry’s best consideration for the proposals from
the majority sector.
Thaver pointed
out that the ministry of commerce ( MINCOM) cannot afford to ignore the barter
trade in view of the changing global practices and the crisis being faced by
the commodities market. Many industries of rice, wheat, maize,spices, food
processing and cotton ginning have closed down due to the global commodities crisis.
MINCOM also needs to facilitate third country trading whereby Pakistani
entrepreneurs could secure orders of goods manufactured by other countries and
sell them to their customers in another country. The entrepreneurs need the
facility of switching the bill of lading and opening back to back letter of
credit. There is no gateway facility for e-Commerce and the opening of merchant
account and its maintenance is very high in Pakistan as only very few banks are
offering this facility in Pakistan.
Secondly the
MINCOM needs to work hard on the currency swap agreements with the neighbouring
friendly countries to promote handsome trade.Thirdly the MINCOM needs to
facilitate the border trade to puncture the benefits of smuggling.Fourthly the
transaction cost has become unaffordable due to the advising, discounting and
negotiation charges of banks and documentation charges of shipping companies.
Even the courier charges are beyond comprehension.Fifthly the role of the
Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan
(TCP) must be revisited and reinforced on modern lines.
The TDAP needs to set up the SME export house
with complete infrastructure to promote the export of wares of the sector.UNISAME
had earlier recommended to MINCOM to make doing business easy and implement the
one window operation in letter and spirit. Needless to say the overseas
Pakistanis and foreign investors are looking forward to incentives and tax
exemptions for innovative and import substitution industries besides agro based
industries.Now that the law and order situation has improved and the government
is endeavouring to improve the energy supplies with alternate energy especially
the solar programme, the investors are inclined to invest in Pakistan to set up
industries and effort must be made to facilitate them.
http://www.unisame.org/trade-policy-cannot-ignore-barter-currency-swap-border-e_commerce-transaction-cost/
Fertilizing rice in a very wet year: Part I
Jul 13, 2015 | Delta
Farm Press
Certain years stand out in
farmers’ minds because of the events that occurred in the growing season. 1980,
1987 and 2012, for example, will go down as extremely dry years that hammered
crops for some and brought higher prices for those fortunate enough to harvest
a crop.2015 likely will be remembered for just the opposite – it was the year
when it wouldn’t stop raining, according to LSU Ag Center and University of
Arkansas researchers who spoke at the LSU Rice Research Station’s annual field
day in Crowley, La.
“2015 will be remembered as the
year it started raining before we ever got rice in the ground, and it didn’t
quit raining until we were well past mid-season,” says Dustin Harrell,
Extension rice specialist for Louisiana. “We normally receive 26 inches of
rainfall from planting to harvest at this station. This year we got those 26
inches in the first three months of the season.”Dr. Harrell and Dr. Jarrod
Hardke, Extension rice specialist with the University of Arkansas, talked about
the problems the rain caused for growers trying to fertilize rice in both of
their states during a tour stop at the at the field day July 1.As a result,
much of the state’s rice acreage stayed wet or muddy. “We had problems in a lot
of cases where we couldn’t get the water off the field,” said Harrell. “So all
this water really caused a lot of problems with the management decisions we
have to make as a producer or consultant.”
The water interfered with stand
establishment, resulting in calls to Drs. Harrell and Hardke about whether to
replant; it played havoc with herbicide applications because growers couldn’t
get ground rigs across the field; and the water and overcast skies led to more
disease incidence, including any early episode with blast in Jupiter and CL 151
rice.It also caused problems with nitrogen fertilizer applications. “If you
think about what we recommend, we want you to apply nitrogen on dry ground, at
least for that first shot,” said Harrell. “That’s why I invited Dr. Hardke to
come here to talk about what we can do to modify our nitrogen fertilizer
recommendations to accommodate these wet years.”
Fertilizing rice in a very wet year: Part II
Jul 14, 2015 | Delta
Farm Press
LSU Ag Center and University of Arkansas scientists recommend
farmers apply nitrogen fertilizer for their rice on a dry soil, just ahead of
the establishment of a “permanent” flood on their fields, normally three or
four weeks after rice emergence.Research shows putting on the flood helps
incorporate the nitrogen into the soil and can help prevent the loss of up to
30 percent of the N through a process called volatilization. Dr. Justin
Harrell, Extension rice specialist for Louisiana, talked about the
recommendations during a tour stop at the LSU Rice Research Station Field Day.“In
Louisiana, if we’re talking about a drill-seeded or a dry broadcast or any type
of a delayed-flood rice production system, we’re going to recommend you apply
your nitrogen at two application timings,” said Dr. Harrell. “We will recommend
you apply your first timing generally before the permanent flood is established
when the rice is about 4 leaves to the first tiller stage of development.“We’re
going to recommend you apply the second shot at mid-season when the rice is at
the green ring stage of development. That’s what we will use to make our
determination to call the airplane and make that mid-season application.”
The scientists recommend growers apply two-thirds of the
nitrogen at the first pre-flood timing and one-third at the mid-season timing,
says Harrell.“The first application is the most important because this is where
we have the greatest potential for nitrogen loss,” says Harrell. “We will tell
you we want you to make that first application on a dry soil. Then we’re will
recommend you get the flood across the field as soon as possible after that
application.”
As water moves across the field not only does it move laterally,
but it also helps push the nitrogen into the soil, “incorporating” it where the
rice plants can make optimum use of the fertilizer as they continue to develop.“We
know that if we can incorporate that nitrogen deeper into the soil, once we get
anaerobic conditions, it’s going to stabilize that nitrogen,” he says, “and
that’s exactly what we want to do.”
If, on the other hand, if the flood is delayed, “We’re going to
leave that nitrogen exposed to the environment, and, in that situation, we have
a lot of nitrogen loss through a process called ammonia volatilization.”Research
has shown that up to 30 percent of the nitrogen applied can be lost if it is
not incorporated into the soil as quickly as possible. “That’s up to 30 percent
of a farmer’s nitrogen dollars that are gone if the nitrogen is not moved into
the soil.”If farmers need more than two or three days to get the flood across
their larger fields, LSU soil scientists recommend they treat their urea with a
urease inhibitor or a product containing a product called NBPT. The NBPT delays
the breakdown of the urea and thus limits nitrogen losses through ammonia
volatilization.
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/fertilizing-rice-very-wet-year-part-ii
Jakarta farmers earn
living harvesting rice
The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta | Headlines | Tue, July 14 2015, 5:05 PM
Darkono, 35, pulled a toy rifle’s
trigger to shoo away birds that were making an attempt to land on his paddies
in a 4.5-hectare rice field in Semanan, Kalideres, in West Jakarta.“Birds are
farmers’ number one enemy in Jakarta. The rice fields are small in the city,
but there are lots of birds and they are a big worry,” he said.Darkono is one
of the few farmers left in Semanan. The farmers in the area work on somebody
else’s land because the land is already owned by either a rich individual or a
property developer.“We only need to pay Rp 7 million [US$525] to a middleman
after each harvest for the use of the land,” he told The Jakarta Post recently.
He and his father Sukra, 60, who have worked on the land since 2001, manage to bring in two or three harvests a year. They plant what they call IR-Kerbau paddy that matures in about 125 days.“Last May we harvested 24 tons of paddy that were sold for around Rp 4,500 per kilogram. Thus we got around Rp 108 million, from which we put Rp 50 million into our savings,” Darkono said.Rice at the market is priced at between Rp 9,000 to Rp 15,000 per liter, which is less than a kilogram.He explained that the family incurred only Rp 6 million in expenses on each hectare of the farm, expenses that include labor, fertilizer and pesticides. They save much by having their own tractor and hiring cheap workers from Pemalang, Central Java, during every planting and harvest season.
He and his father Sukra, 60, who have worked on the land since 2001, manage to bring in two or three harvests a year. They plant what they call IR-Kerbau paddy that matures in about 125 days.“Last May we harvested 24 tons of paddy that were sold for around Rp 4,500 per kilogram. Thus we got around Rp 108 million, from which we put Rp 50 million into our savings,” Darkono said.Rice at the market is priced at between Rp 9,000 to Rp 15,000 per liter, which is less than a kilogram.He explained that the family incurred only Rp 6 million in expenses on each hectare of the farm, expenses that include labor, fertilizer and pesticides. They save much by having their own tractor and hiring cheap workers from Pemalang, Central Java, during every planting and harvest season.
“We use water from the drainage for irrigation, channeling it from underground drains into our rice fields,” he said.The main problem, besides the birds, is the procurement of diesel fuel for their tractor. They have to buy the fuel in bulk to transport it to their farm.“We are not allowed to buy it by the jug so we have to pay to rent a truck,” he said.
Besides earning a living by farming, the family does other jobs. Darkono still goes back to Indramayu because he is a mechanic there. He will just go to Jakarta when his father does not have enough laborers during the planting and harvest seasons.“My sibling, Zulaeha, 27, opens a warteg [sidewalk food stall] and Andriana, 18, works as a laborer in a nearby factory while studying in a university,” the oldest from the three said.The farming idea came to the family in 1995 when they sold their 3,000-square-meter farmland in Indramayu to get business and living capital for the big city. They first moved to Serpong, in Tangerang, before moving to Semanan in 2001.“Farming a small tract of land is not cost effective,” said the tanned man.Darkono’s opinion might prove true. A few hundred meters from their land, behind the Kopti housing complex, is a 16-hectare paddy farm cultivated by Indramayu people.
Sarif, 45, is one of them. He works on a 1.5-hectare plot of land from which he got around six tons of Ciherang paddy in May and earned Rp 22 million from the sales.“However, I have to pay at least Rp 12 million in expenses including for tractor rental so I earn less than Rp 3 million a month,” he told the Post.The municipality’s Maritime Affairs, Agriculture and Food Security Agency head Renova Ida Siahaan said recently that the area of rice fields in West Jakarta had shrunk to 141 hectares this year from 250 hectares in 2013.She noted that the paddy farmland only existed in three subdistricts, namely Semanan, Pegadungan and Kalideres.The decline is inevitable as property developers are using the land to construct new buildings as it is actually already owned by them,” she said as quoted byberitajakarta.com. (rbk)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/07/14/jakarta-farmers-earn-living-harvesting-rice.html#sthash.dQN1jH1M.dpuf
Vietnam posts biggest trade value
with China of US$32b
7/14/2015
Shanghai Daily (Benchmark)
Shanghai Daily (Benchmark)
VIETNAM posted
US$32 billion in trade value with China in the first half of 2015, posting the
largest amount among the country’s trading partners, Vietnam’s General
Statistics Office said yesterday.During the six-month period, China remained
the biggest supplier of commodities for Vietnam with some US$24.4 billion, up
23.9 percent year on year, the GSO said on its website in the June monthly
report.Meanwhile, Vietnam exported some US$7.7 billion worth of products to China in
the period, up 3.6 percent year on year, said the GSO.
Vietnam mainly exports farm products to China whileimporting fruits and vegetables, fertilizers, machinery,
phones and accessories, steel and materials for the garment and textile
industry, among others.In the first half, Vietnam earned US$77.7 billion fromexports to foreign markets, said the GSO, adding that the
country spent US$81.5 billion on imports.China remained Vietnam’s largest consumer for
its exportsof major
agri-forestry-fishery products.
According to a report released by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country in the first half earned US$1.32 billion from exporting 3.055 million tons of rice, down 10.5 percent in value and 6.2 percent in volume year on year.China remained the largest importer of Vietnamese rice in the six-month period, taking up 36 percent of market. However, during the period, Vietnam’s rice exports to China fell 19.6 percent in volume and 22.6 percent in value year on year, the ministry said.
According to a report released by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the country in the first half earned US$1.32 billion from exporting 3.055 million tons of rice, down 10.5 percent in value and 6.2 percent in volume year on year.China remained the largest importer of Vietnamese rice in the six-month period, taking up 36 percent of market. However, during the period, Vietnam’s rice exports to China fell 19.6 percent in volume and 22.6 percent in value year on year, the ministry said.
In the first half,
Vietnam exported 422,000 tons of rubber worth US$614 million, up
22.3 percent in volume and down 5.1 percent in value year on year.China,
Malaysia and India remained the three largest consumers of Vietnamese rubber,
taking up 72.3 percent of the market.
http://www.world-grain.com/news/news%20home/LexisNexisArticle.aspx?articleid=2405465158
Drought-hit farmers urged
to shift from rice to other crops
HA NOI (VNS) — The agriculture ministry has called on
central and northern provinces hit by the worst drought in 40 years to
encourage a major shift from rice cultivation to drought-resistant crops.The
ministry's Plant Cultivation Department has asked all localities in these
regions to advise farmers and issue policies supporting this shift, according
to Tin Tuc (News) newspaper.
 |
|
The field was dry after many weeks of drought in Tan Thang
Commune, Ham Tan District of Binh Thuan Province. About 50,000ha of farmland
across the country have been rendered barren by the prolonged drought, mostly
in the provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and Quang Tri. — Photo
tuoitre.vn
|
It
said the area that would switch from rice cultivation for the 2014-2015
winter-spring crop and the 2015 summer-autumn crop would account for about 60
per cent of the originally planned 8,527ha.However, the report also expressed
some skepticism of the plan, because the prolonged water shortage has made it
difficult for localities to grow even drought-tolerant plants.An earlier report
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) said that about
50,000ha of farmland across the country have been rendered barren by the
prolonged drought, mostly in the provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa
and Quang Tri.
It
said localities have taken various measures to cope with the drought including
digging ponds, sourcing underground water, and dredging canals to try and
provide water for irrigation and daily use. They have also worked with
hydropower plants to release water from their reservoirs and asked residents to
save water.Furthermore, the ministry has proposed that the Government provides
financial assistance to help provinces overcome consequences of the drought.
Emergency mitigation measures carried out by the ministry is said to have cost
VND57.5 billion (US$2.6 million) so far.The Tin Tuc (News) report quoted Nguyen
Xuan Dinh, head of the agriculture department in Quynh Luu District, Nghe An
Province, as saying nearly 500ha of 7,500ha of rice fields have been switched
to other crops.
The
department has asked provincial authorities to provide capital support to
compensate for losses suffered by farmers and help them restructure their
farming activities. Ho Duc Hai, who lives in Quynh Luu District's An Hoa
Commune, said his family had finished transplanting rice seedlings on nearly
1,000sq.m for the summer-autumn crop, but these had wilted and died in the
heat."My family had to switch to growing corn on that land," Hai told
Tin Tuc."I hope that the government will issue policies to support people
in shifting from rice to other crops," he said.In the central province of
Ninh Thuan, where reservoirs have almost completely dried up with water below
10 per cent of their design capacity, officials plan to stop planting rice on
10,229ha for the summer-autumn crop.
The
province has received some rainfall in recent days, but not enough for farmers
to irrigate their rice fields. The province, therefore, plans to grow corn,
beans and grass for livestock on the rice fields, said Phan Van Thuu, deputy
director of the Ninh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.Households
shifting from rice to other cash crops will receive assistance with seeds as
well as application of modern technology in production, he said. — VNS
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/273025/drought-hit-farmers-urged-to-shift-from-rice-to-other-crops.html
Vietnam loans for H1 rice
business up 31.6% from end-2014
HANOI: Banks in Vietnam extended
a total of 37 trillion dong ($1.7 billion) of loans for the purchase,
production and export of rice in January-to-June, up 31.6 percent from
end-2014, the Vietnam Economic Times newspaper said, citing central bank data.Vietnam
is the world’s third-largest rice exporter after India and Thailand.
http://www.customstoday.com.pk/vietnam-loans-for-h1-rice-business-up-31-6-from-end-2014/
RICE INSURANCE SCHEME
EXPANDED TO 2M RAI
July 14, 2015 1:00 am
The
Insurance Commission will expand its 2015 target for insurance policies for
in-season paddy fields by 500,000 rai to 2 million rai (320,000 hectares) to
fulfil rising demand from farmers facing the drought."Sales of insurance
policies for in-season paddy fields as of July 8 reached 1.33 million rai or
89.1 per cent of the old target of 1.5 million rai," secretary-general
Pravej Ongartsittigul said yesterday.
The
decision to increase the area came after discussions with agencies such as the
Finance Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry, the Bank for Agriculture and
Agricultural Cooperatives, and the Thai General Insurance Association.The
policy covers damages incurred from natural disasters as well as pests and
epidemics. The insurance policy is available until August 14, except for the
South, where it will be available until December 11.
'NO
WATER SHORTAGE YET'
The
Commerce Ministry insists there is no shortage of drinking water yet, calling
on consumers not to panic or hoard water, as the government will closely
monitor the situation. Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikulya said the
Irrigation Department insists the drought affecting much of the company has not
resulted in a shortage of water for household use. However, he acknowledged
that the prices of some vegetables had increased because of the drought. Other
goods, including drinking water, are still available as normal.
He
added that the government was preparing for the worst and had water in reserve
in case of emergency. He urged consumers to stay confident that water would be
supplied in the case of a shortage and noted that rainfall was expected by late
this month to relieve the impacts from the drought.Boonyarit Kalayanamit,
director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said a survey by the agency
found that drinking water was still being traded as normal. He warned that if
any traders or consumers were found hoarding or increasing prices unfairly,
they could be subject to Bt140,000 fines and/or a maximum of seven years in
jail.
Meanwhile,
a grocery store in Nonthaburi said many customers had brought more drinking
water than usual because of concerns about the drought."Normally,
consumers will buy only one [six-bottle] package of water, but now they will
buy two to four packages. Suppliers have also delayed delivery as they receive
more orders from grocery stores because of high demand," the retailer
said.
RELIEF
PLAN APPROVED
The
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives' board of directors gave a
green light to relief measures for farmers hit by drought, including a maximum
debt-repayment schedule of 12 months.Finance Minister Sommai Phasee, who is
also the BAAC chairman, said other measures included Bt30 billion in short-term
loans and Bt10 billion in loans for resuming production after the drought.The
long-term loans, totalling Bt10 billion per year for three years, will be
extended to farmers who enhance production efficiency or shift to more
appropriate crops.About a million troubled farmers are expected to benefit from
the relief measures, Sommai said.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/RICE-INSURANCE-SCHEME-EXPANDED-TO-2M-RAI-30264376.html
VIETNAM PRESS-Loans
for H1 rice business up 32 pct - Vietnam Economic Times
Banks in Vietnam extended a total
of 37 trillion dong ($1.7 billion) of loans for the purchase, production and
export of rice in January-to-June, up 31.6 percent from end-2014, the Vietnam
Economic Times newspaper said, citing central bank data.Vietnam is the world's
third-largest rice exporter after India and Thailand.----
NOTE: Reuters has not verified
this story and does not vouch for its accuracy. (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/14/vietnam-press-idUSL4N0ZU16020150714
Nagpur
Foodgrain Prices Open-July 14
Nagpur, July 14 Gram and tuar prices firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on good demand from local millers amid thin arrival from producing belts. Fresh rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh pulses and weak monsoon in all over Maharashtra also jacked up prices, according to sources.
* * * *
FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram filter new jacked up in open market on increased demand from local traders
amid tight supply from local millers.
TUAR
* Tuar black recovered strongly in open market here on good seasonal demand from local
traders amid weak arrival from producing regions.
* Udid varieties showed firm tendency in open market on good buying support from local
traders. Weak monsoon in other regions too also activated stockists.
* In Akola, Tuar - 6,900-7,100, Tuar dal - 9,700-9,900, Udid at 9,500-9,900,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 11,000-11,400, Moong - 7,000-8,000, Moong Mogar
(clean) 9,800-10,100, Gram - 3,900-4,100, Gram Super best bold - 5,500-5,700
for 100 kg.
* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market
in thin trading activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 3,600-4,510 3,600-4,420
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 6,450-7,330 6,290-7,330
Moong Auction n.a. 6,000-6,400
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 5,700-5,800 5,700-5,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 5,250-5,450 5,250-5,450
Desi gram Raw 4,450-4,550 4,450-4,550
Gram Filter new 5,900-6,100 5,750-5,950
Gram Kabuli 5,600-7,100 5,600-7,100
Gram Pink 6,500-6,700 6,500-6,700
Tuar Fataka Best 10,600-10,800 10,600-10,800
Tuar Fataka Medium 10,200-10,400 10,200-10,400
Tuar Dal Best Phod 9,600-9,800 9,600-9,800
Tuar Dal Medium phod 9,000-9,400 9,000-9,400
Tuar Gavarani New 7,500-7,600 7,500-7,600
Tuar Karnataka 8,000-8,200 8,000-8,200
Tuar Black 11,000-11,300 10,900-11,200
Masoor dal best 8,000-8,200 8,000-8,200
Masoor dal medium 7,500-7,900 7,500-7,900
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,600-10,000 9,600-10,000
Moong Mogar Medium best 8,800-9,200 8,800-9,200
Moong dal Chilka 8,200-8,600 8,200-8,600
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 9,700-10,000 9,700-10,000
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,400-11,800 11,300-11,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,600-10,900 10,500-10,900
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 9,200-9,600 9,100-9,600
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,800 4,400-4,800
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,300-3,400 3,300-3,400
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,350 3,100-3,350
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,200 3,100-3,200
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,700-4,500 3,700-4,500
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,300-1,500 1,300-1,500
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,100 1,800-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,850 2,500-2,850
Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG) 2,750-2,900 2,750-2,900
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 3,050-3,300 3,050-3,300
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,750 1,600-1,750
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,450 2,200-2,450
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,700 2,500-2,700
Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,200 3,800-4,200
Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500 4,200-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,100 4,500-5,100
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,500 5,100-5,500
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,350 2,100-2,350
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 35.8 degree Celsius (96.4 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
25.2 degree Celsius (75.4 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 1.1 mm
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 37 and 26 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/14/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL4N0ZU3CP20150714
Venezuela/Guyana deal not in
jeopardy -Says Agriculture Minister
The
Guyana/Venezuela rice agreement under the PetroCaribe deal is not in jeopardy,
and there is no question of Venezuela putting a halt on rice shipments before
this year’s supply contract comes to an end in November, Agriculture Minister
Hon. Noel Holder told members of the Guyana Millers and Exporters Marketing
Association today.The delegation, which was headed by Chairman of the Guyana
Millers and Exporters Marketing Association, Dr. Peter De Groot, sought an
update from the Minister, as to whether the Guyana/Venezuela rice deal was in
jeopardy.
The Minister explained that Guyana had varied from its
schedule of shipments by increasing the rate of rice shipments. This has caused
problems at the receiving end in Venezuela and Guyana has been asked to revert
to the agreed schedule. The total quantity under the existing contract will be
accepted until the contract comes to an end in November. The Venezuelan Authorities have indicated to Guyana
that they are prepared to discuss continued shipments of rice and other
commodities as part of a revised agreement for 2016.
A high level team, inclusive of representatives from
the Guyana Millers and Exporters Marketing Association is expected to visit the
Spanish speaking country shortly, to discuss the way forward for the supply of
commodities in exchange for oil under the PetroCaribe agreement.“Venezuela has
assured us that rice shipments from Guyana have not been stopped. However, the
rate of supply has to be adjusted in keeping with the agreed schedule,”
Minister Holder said.Chairman of the Guyana Millers and Exporters Marketing
Association, Dr. Peter De Groot, welcomed the announcement, alluding to the
fact that the Association will be working collaboratively with the Guyana
Government and Venezuela, to ensure that all avenues are looked at and that the
present misconception is cleared.The meeting was also attended by Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. George Jervis.
http://www.gina.gov.gy/home/index.php/home/all-news/item/2871-venezuela-guyana-deal-not-in-jeopardy-says-agriculture-minister
Image: Minister of Agriculture
Noel Holder meeting with members of the Guyana Rice Millers and Exporters
Marketing Association
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/621696/rice-insurance-selling-like-hot-cakes-as-drought-hurts
USA Rice Producers' Group,
USA Rice Council Elect Officers
Gerard and Owen
Gerard (l) and Owen
DALLAS,
TX - Two USA Rice member organizations elected officers during annual business
meetings here last week. Blake Gerard, a
rice farmer from Cape Girardeau, MO, is the incoming chairman for the USA Rice
Producers' Group, the national association representing U.S. rice farmers. Joe Mencer, a rice farmer from Lake Village,
AR, was elected vice chairman. Both will
serve a two-year term starting August 1.
On behalf of the association's members, Gerard thanked Louisiana rice
farmer John Owen, who has chaired the organization since 2013, for his
dedicated service and leadership.
Zaunbrecher
and Doherty
Zaunbrecher
(l) and Doherty
The
USA Rice Council also elected officers for the 2015-2017 term. Rice farmer Sean Doherty from Dunnigan, CA,
was elected chairman, along with four farmers who will serve as vice
chairs: Byron Holmes, Forrest City, AR;
Josh Sheppard, Biggs, CA; Eric Unkel, Kinder, LA; and Curtis Berry,
Robinsonville, MS. Carl Brothers with
Riceland Foods, Stuttgart, AR, was elected secretary, and James Warshaw with
Farmers Rice Milling Company, Lake Charles, LA, was elected treasurer. Chairman-elect Doherty expressed the
Council's appreciation to Fred Zaunbrecher, a Louisiana rice farmer, for his
outstanding service as chairman the past two years.
"The
hard work of John Owen and Fred Zaunbrecher in their respective organizations
has benefited rice farmers in all states and our entire industry," said
USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley, an Arkansas rice farmer. "I want to add my appreciation for their
exceptional leadership and commitment and I look forward to working with their
successors, who also will be great assets to their organizations and USA Rice
as a whole."
Contact: Trish Alderson (703) 236-1472
CME Group/Closing
Rough Rice Futures
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Hog heaven: Wild
pigs pose problems for La. farmers
An LSU AgCenter economist
estimates that feral hogs caused more than $30 million in damages to crops on
Louisiana farms in 2013, a problem that may increase around the state as the
hog population grows.Shaun Tanger of the AgCenter said much of the trouble has
been localized, but with a mobile feral hog population of at least 500,000 in
Louisiana, hogs can cause damage in most parts of the state. Worse, the hogs
are capable of rapid breeding — females can bear up to two litters a year of
four to eight — which makes it difficult to control the population.Farmers told
the AgCenter wild hogs root up crops and eat them, damage farm equipment and
spread disease. Soybean farmers — they reported $9 million in damages — were
most beset with feral hog woes. But the animals also laid heavy waste to hay
fields, $7 million; rice, $5 million; and corn, $5 million.
Tanger said sugarcane farmers
reported about $500,000 in damages in 2013.Although farmers in Lafayette and
surrounding parishes did not report heavy damages from wild hogs, they are
present across parts of Acadiana.Steven Linscombe, director of the LSU AgCenter
Rice Research Center in Crowley, said he has found evidence of feral hogs in a
northern section of the property, near woodlands and a bayou, and has trapped
juvenile hogs.“It’s not widespread,” Linscombe said. “But if you get a herd
they can destroy two or three acres of rice.” Total that up around the state,
he said, and $5 million in rice damage sounds reasonable.Glen Gentry at the LSU
AgCenter in Clinton said the Spanish introduced hogs to North America. Hogs
escaped captivity and now move in what are called “sounders,” typically two
female hogs and their piglets. Boars, he said, are more solitary. Females grow
to 180-215 pounds, but boars can grow to 300 to 500 pounds.
He said hogs are nomadic. They’ll
move to find new food sources and generally travel along waterways.They are not
usually aggressive toward humans unless they are cornered. When cornered,
Gentry said, “They are not fearful.”He also said they are savvy, intelligent
animals. “They learn pretty quick,” he said, and if they can escape or elude
capture, they can become more difficult to recapture.He said the wild hog
population cannot be easily controlled or managed. In Louisiana, hot spots for
wild hogs are in the northeastern and south central part of the state. Because
of their rapid breeding, the state needs to capture, kill or trap 70 percent of
the population to hold their numbers even.Gentry said the state encourages
hunting wild hogs, which are edible if cooked thoroughly.
http://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/2015/07/13/hog-heaven-wild-pigs-pose-problems-la-farmers/30101371/
Global and China
agricultural machinery industry fact, research analysis and forecast for 2014 to
2016 shared in new research report
WhaTech Channel: Agriculture Market
Research Reports
Published on Tuesday, 14 July 2015
00:37
Since the implementation of policy
of subsidies for purchasing agricultural machinery in 2004, China agricultural
machinery industry has maintained double-digit growth, even with the operating
revenue growth rate of 33.8% in 2011. However, China agricultural machinery
industry transferred to a new situation (“New Normal”) in 2014 as the in-depth
adjustment of industrial structure accelerated.
Global
and China Agricultural Machinery Industry Report, 2014-2016 provides information
on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key
industry participants. In 2014, the operating revenue only went up by 8.8% year
on year, and the growth rate fell by 7.5 percentage points from 2013.
After
years of rapid growth, China’s tractor, wheat& rice harvester, transplanter
and other markets declined to varied extent in 2014, in which the tractor
market slumped most evidently, especially small tractors.
Although
China agricultural machinery industry witnesses landslide, the total subsidies
and agricultural mechanization level continue to rise. In 2014, the subsidies
amounted to RMB23.755 billion, setting a new record high; the total power of
agricultural machinery reached 1.076 billion kilowatts, representing a
year-on-year increase of 3.6%; the agricultural mechanization level hit 61.0%,
fulfilling the goal of "Twelfth Five-year" Plan in advance.
At
the same time, the mechanization level of three major crops (wheat, corn and
rice) has improved significantly, especially corn and rice. The mechanization
rate of corn harvesting jumped from 10.6% in 2008 to 55% in 2014; and that of
rice harvesting soared from 51.2% to 81.0%.In contrast, the mechanization of
potato, cotton, rapeseed, peanut and other crops still stays at a low level,
which will be the development focus of the industry in future.
In addition, national industrial
policies, market potentials and other factors have propelled almost all of
well-known foreign agricultural machinery enterprises and powerful Chinese
machinery and equipment manufacturers to successively access into the Chinese
agricultural machinery market.
John
Deere: This leading agricultural machinery manufacturer in the world achieved
the sales of USD32.96 billion in FY2014, of which USD27.12 billion came from
agricultural machinery. Currently, it has set up plants in Tianjin, Harbin,
Ningbo, Jiamusi and other places of China as well as established joint ventures
with Tianjin Tractor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.and XCG to produce 20-to-120
horsepower tractors and 75-to-203 horsepower combine harvesters.
CNH:
As of June 2015, it has established eight companies in China, including four
manufacturing plants located in Harbin, Shanghai, Foshan and Urumqi. Harbin
Base was officially put into operation in July 2014 as Northeast China's
largest manufacturing base of agricultural machinery.YTO Group: The business of
the largest tractor producer in China is mainly conducted by its listed
subsidiary -- First Tractor Company Limited. Impacted by the fast-declining
domestic tractor market, the tractor sales volume of YTO fell by 22.6% year on
year to 82,037 in 2014; the annual revenue from agricultural machinery dropped
18.7% year on year to RMB7.38 billion.
FotonLovol: In 2014, FotonLovol
gained the revenue of RMB21.98 billion, wherein Lovol agricultural equipment
revenue exceeded RMB10 billion. In 2015, the company develops medium and
high-end agricultural machinery aggressively.
In January, it acquired Matt Mark
which is an European high-end agricultural machinery enterprise; in March, the
phase I of its high-end agricultural machinery (mainly balers, grain dryers and
the like) project with the total investment of RMB2 billion was officially put
into operation.
Zoomlion Heavy Machinery: Formerly
known as Chery Heavy Industry, ZoomlionHeavy Machinery changed its name in
October 2014.The parent company Zoomlion holds 67.51% stake. The construction
of ZoomlionBozhou Industrial Park commenced in February 2014 and ended in
December of the same year, with the planned annual capacity of 1,500 large-scale
forage harvesters, 10,000 self-propelled corn harvesters, 6,500 sets of
large-sized agricultural machinery and 14,500 sets of key agricultural
equipment parts.
http://www.whatech.com/market-research/agriculture/74722-global-and-china-agricultural-machinery-industry-fact-research-analysis-and-forecast-for-2014-to-2016-shared-in-new-research-report
Lifting of Iran sanctions: Boon or bane for Indian companies?
The comprehensive agreement was clinched between Iran
and P5+1 - Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany — after
torturous talks in the Austrian capital.The
comprehensive agreement was clinched between Iran and P5+1 - Britain, China,
France, Russia and the US plus Germany — after torturous talks in the Austrian
capital. The deal would specify that the related UN resolutions on
economic and financial sanctions against Iran will be terminated all at once
under a UN resolution and in an agreed framework, Iranian media reported. Trade ministry officials say that the economic boost to Iran from the lifting of sanctions could offer opportunities for Indian pharmaceutical, IT and commodity firms. In May, for example, the two countries signed a deal to develop the Iranian port of Chabahar, on the Gulf of Oman, that would open up a new trade route to Central Asia. "We may lose some engineering exports, but new opportunities could come up for products currently covered under sanctions," said an official. Some officials favour extending soft loans to exporters and lobbying for infrastructure deals.
India can freely buy crude oil from Iran
The easing of sanctions would mean India can freely buy crude oil from Iran.
Sanctions had meant that New Delhi could import no more than 9 million tonnes of oil this fiscal, the same volume it had shipped from Iran in 2013-15.
Oil prices fall as Iran, global powers reach nuclear deal
India to seek rights for developing Iranian gas field
Buoyed by Iran's historic nuclear accord with world powers to end sanctions, India will ask Tehran for rights to develop ONGC-discovered Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf even as it prepares to pay USD 6.5 billion in past oil dues.
Indian firms have so far shied away from investing in Iran for the fear of being sanctioned by the US and Europe. The same was deterring New Delhi from claiming rights to invest nearly USD 7 billion in the biggest gas discovery ever made by an Indian firm abroad.
But with Iran and six world powers sealing an accord to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme in return for ending sanctions, India is making a renewed pitching for rights to develop 12.8 Trillion cubic feet of gas reserves ONGC Videsh Ltd had found in 2008.
"We have been in negotiations with Iran over development of Farzad-B gas field. Now that sanctions will ease, we expect Iran to give us the developmental rights," OVL managing director Narendra K Verma said.
Exporters to face renewed competition for Iran market
Indian businessman Pankaj Bansal is losing sleep. He says lifting of sanctions against Iran could wipe him out.
"I have been forced to take sleeping pills now to avoid nightmares as my business with Iran has drastically come down," said Bansal, 43, from his base in a teeming commercial district of south Delhi.
Bansal's trading firm, TMA International, has expanded from metals into motors, auto parts and chemicals as rivals were shut out of Iran by Western sanctions aimed at forcing Tehran into a nuclear compromise.
He is one of thousands of exporters who enjoyed a three-year run because India did not back the sanctions. In that time, India's exports to Iran doubled to $5 billion, helping to halve its bilateral trade deficit.
Farmers to lose price premium
A delegation of Indian exporters met finance minister Arun Jaitley last week to lobby for support to help them cope with a revival of competition for the Iranian market. They came away empty handed.
"The lifting of Western sanctions on Iran would have an adverse impact, particularly on non-agricultural commodities," said SC Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).
Yet millions of farmers too would face a hit from the easing of sanctions on Iran, a buyer of basmati rice, soymeal, sugar, barley and meat. Under sanctions, Iran paid a premium of up to 20 percent over global prices to buy from India.
"Iran is shifting to other suppliers like South American countries. They are supplying at much lower prices compared to India. We cannot compete," said BV Mehta, executive director at the Solvent Extractors' Association of India.
Europe may gain at India's cost
Indian exporters say firms from Germany, Italy and France that once dominated in Iran will be back selling consumer products ranging from clothing to cars, and pitching for big-ticket contracts like the delayed Tehran metro.
"Traditionally, Iranians have a liking for European products. With the weakening of the euro, it will not be easy for us to compete," said Rafeeq Ahmed, a Chennai-based exporter who used to head the Indian export federation.
source with thanks: Times of India
Craft sake the latest trend brewing in U.S
Published: July 13, 2015, 2:00 pm Updated: July 13, 2015, 2:00 pm
In this photo taken, Friday, June 12, 2015, Dan Ford, founder of
the Blue Current Brewery, poses with a bottle of sake at the brewery in
Kittery, Maine. Steamed rice is inoculated in a sauna-like koji room for two
days as part of the six week brewing process to make "rice wine." (AP
Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
KITTERY, Maine (AP) — First came boutique wineries. Then microbreweries and craft
distilleries. Now Japanese sake aficionados are hoping to transform the
so-called “rice wine” into the next artisan alcohol-of-the-moment in the U.S.Dan
Ford, whose Maine-made sake is just hitting the market, has bet his retirement
savings that consumers will be sold on his premium sake once they give it a
try.
“We see it as a market that’s
untapped,” said Ford, who developed a taste for sake while working in Japan,
then later returned there to learn from a sensei, or teacher, before launching
Blue Current Brewery, one of about a dozen craft producers operating — or
gearing up to — in North America.Sake has been around for centuries in Japan,
but consumption has dropped in recent years. Meanwhile, it’s ticking upward in
North America, benefiting from the overall popularity of Japanese foods — from
ramen and soba to sushi and yakitori — as well as riding the trend of consumers
seeking far-flung flavors and artisanal products.Premium ginjo sake is nothing
like the rough-tasting stuff sometimes served warm at low-end sushi shops,
craft brewers say. Top-notch sake — best served chilled — has a clean flavor
profile that can be full-bodied and robust or light and fruity, sometimes with
a subtle hint of licorice.
“Its depth and subtlety are tops,
but the range of flavors that can come from rice, koji, water and yeast are
amazing to many. It just tastes darn good,” said John Gauntner, a sake expert
from Ohio who has written books on the beverage and has taught sake production
in the U.S. and Japan.Though it’s often called rice wine, sake actually is
brewed like beer. The rice is milled to remove the husk, then a type of mold
called koji is sprinkled into the steamed rice to break starches down into
sugars, a process that takes place in a room where the temperature tops 100
degrees.
The rice and koji are fermented
with water and yeast in casks for about 30 days before being pressed, leaving a
yellow-hued liquid that looks like huangjiu, the Chinese word for “yellow
wine,” Ford says. When it is bottled, it looks like white wine. Unlike wine,
though, sake generally is consumed fresh and isn’t aged for long periods.
Those who love the beverage say
further success in the U.S. will require educating consumers. They’re also
trying to win over those who may have had a bad experience with cheap sake,
asking them to give it another try.“My favorite phase is, ‘Wow, I didn’t know
sake could be like this.’ I’ve heard that many times, and I have only 110
million to go,’” said Greg Lorenz, head brewer at SakeOne, a brewery that
produces about 80,000 cases a year in Forest Grove, Oregon.Restaurateurs,
meanwhile, are getting more serious about proper pairings.
“Wine sommeliers are getting a
taste and realizing where it can fit. It’ll never overtake the wine world, but
people are starting to respect it and realizing that it has its place. It has a
great fit in the jigsaw puzzle of beer and wine. There is a lot of room for
growth,” said Tim Sullivan, founder of urbansake.com.
As the story goes, sake came to
the U.S. when American soldiers stationed in Japan after World War II returned
home with a taste for it, prompting Japanese sake makers to open the first U.S.
breweries in Hawaii and California. Blake Richardson’s moto-i in Minneapolis is
credited with launching the microbrew trend with the first sake brewpub in the
U.S. in 2008.Richardson, whose sister company is now milling rice for several
sake producers, including Blue Current, believes sake will grow as consumers
become educated and feel less intimidated by the Japanese characters on
bottles.“We need education to get the terminology correct so they can walk up
and say, ‘I’d like a junmai nama genshu,’” he said. That translates to sake
made from rice that’s unpasteurized and undiluted.
For Ford, he’s overcome some big
hurdles to make it this far.He received help from the University of Maine and
used a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to get his rice shipped from
Minnesota. Now he has an agreement with a distributor to sell his sake at $25
for 750-milliliter bottles or $15 for 350-milliliter bottles.“It’s going to be
slow in the beginning. We hope by this time next year that we’ll be talking crazy
growth in our category,” he said
Rice insurance selling like hot cakes as drought hurts
14
Jul 2015 at 06:26
insurance
coverage target for rice-growing areas has been raised by 500,000 rai to 2
million for the 2015 harvest year, given strong demand as Thailand faces the
worst drought in a decade.The coverage target was increased from 1.5 million
rai as farmers cultivating 1.33 million rai of rice paddy bought crop insurance
as of July 8, said Pravej Ongartsittigul, secretary-general of the Office of
the Insurance Commission.The new target has been approved by the Finance
Ministry, the Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Ministry, the
state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and the Thai
General Insurance Association. The target will soon be put up for cabinet
approval.
Rice insurance offers protection from floods,
drought, storms, pests and diseases. Besides drought, farmers also face low
crop prices and high household debt."Rice farmers are concerned their
production will be lower than normal, resulting in insurance policies selling
quickly. With increased risks, we expect this trend to continue," Mr
Pravej said.Insurance policies will be sold until Aug 14 for most of the
country, but until Dec 11 in the South. Policies are sold by seven non-life
insurance companies — Bangkok Insurance, Chao Phaya Insurance, Dhipaya
Insurance, Navakij Insurance, Thaivivat Insurance, Tune Insurance and Viriyah
Insurance.
The top three regions buying rice insurance are
the upper Northeast with 569,665 rai, the lower Northeast at 506,553 rai and
the lower North at 175,449 rai. This year's insurance
programme divides farmland into five areas depending on risk exposure. Farmers
with the lowest risk are required to pay 60 baht a rai while the government
contributes 64 baht a rai.In the highest-risk locations, farmers are required
to pay 100 baht a rai while the government contributes 383 baht a rai. Insurers
will pay 1,111 baht a rai for damaged crops from a natural disaster and 555
baht a rai for damage from pests or diseases.
Millers reject new
basmati variety-1509
Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, July 13
Concerned over the export quality of rice in the
international market, the All-Haryana Rice Miller and Dealers Association have
rejected the newly introduced Basmati variety-1509. They have also decided not
to procure this variety in the upcoming season as it does not fit the export
parameters and owing to high breakage.Vinod Goyal, state-vice president of the
association, said this decision has been taken due to high breakage of grain.
This variety also does not meet the export parameters, which results in high
rejection by the buyer of various countries.However, due to its high yield
farmers prefer this variety. They even cultivated it last year in huge
quantities, but faced a number of challenges during its export, he said.Only a
few buyers from Middle East countries prefer this variety in comparison to
other varieties such as Pusa-1121, due to which it isn’t feasible, he added.
The millers have decided not to procure this variety and they
would approach farmers not to cultivate it as it did not meet the parameters
while exporting, said Naresh Bansal, president, Taraori Rice Miller
Association.However, sources said the basic reason for the rejection of this
variety by the exporters was that they could not mix non-basmati varieties with
this variety, which is generally easy with other varieties. This variety of
paddy has been introduced recently and is popular among farmers because of its
long and thin grain and the high yield.Sewa Singh Arya, state president of Bhartiya Kisan Union,
said this variety was profitable for farmers and they have been getting a high
yield. They would cultivate it and the rice millers should think about the
farmers’ profit, before taking any hasty decision, he added.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/millers-reject-new-basmati-variety-1509/106228.html
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