Monday, June 29, 2015

29th June (Monday),2015 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Fake rice allegation was untrue, baseless

BY HASHINI KAVISHTRI KANNAN - 27 JUNE 2015 @ 6:43 PM PUTRAJAYA: Health Ministry clarified allegations that a rice producing factory in Kedah produces fake rice was untrue and baseless. "Based on our checks in the factory, we found that allegations on the factory is untrue," said the ministry's director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. With the clarification, he advised the public not to be worried as monitoring and enforcement of food safety activities were constantly being carried out to ensure food sold in the market was safe. "If consumers are worried and uncertain about the safety status of food in the market, consumers can make a complaint to the Ministry of Health through state health departments and offices or make an online complaint at http://fsq.moh.gov.my or health ministry's official Facebook page," he added.
Dr Noor Hisham said the ministry takes serious of any allegation in regards of food safety and now the alleged fake rice from China which has gone viral on social networking sites. Adding further, he said the issue has already been clarified by PadiBeras Nasional Berhad (Bernas) and the ministry has issued a statement last May 21 that a majority rice import were from Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan. "Rice import from China is very small, less than 0.01 per cent compared to 800,000 tonnes of rice a year. "Rice from China is usually on request for use in Japanense and Koren food restaurant in Malaysia," he added
http://www.nst.com.my/node/89936

Alapala, Buhler receive GRAPAS awards at conference


6/26/2015 - by World Grain Staff
COLOGNE, GERMANY – Buhler AG and Alapala were joint recipients of the GRAPAS innovation award at the 2015 FIAPP/VICTAM/GRAPAS International exhibition and conference June 8-11 in Cologne, Germany. The companies received the award for innovations in the flour milling industry which were on display at the VICTAM trade show. Other innovation award winners at the conference were Tovalia Intelscan, France, which received the Aquafeed Innovation Award, and Adifo, Belgium, which was given the FIAPP Animal Nutrition Award. Thousands of visitors came through the doors of the KoelnMesse Exhibition Centre for the conference, held every four years in Cologne. Attendees came from as far away as Australia and every continent was represented at the event, which targets the animal feed, flour and rice milling, grain processing and biomass pelleting industries. 
The 276 exhibitors at the trade show were busy with serious trade enquiries and discussions, and there was much to see for the trade professionals as a wide range of new products that were launched at the show. Conferences held during the event were the FIAAP Conference, Aquafeed Horizons, AEBIOM Pellet Workshop, Petfood Forum Europe 2015, GMP+International Feed Safety Assurance certificate, the IFF Feed Conference and the Global Milling Conference with GRAPAS International 2015. For the first time ever, FEFAC (the European Feed Manufacturers Federation) held its Annual General Meeting during the event and their members joined the exhibition as well. Additionally Victam arranged for free tours to the Vitelia feed mill and the newly opened Feed Design Lab in the Netherlands. 

Victam celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a celebration dinner and an evening of entertainment for 500 guests at the Flora and botanical gardens in Cologne. During this dinner the president of the Victam Foundation, Andre Oosterveld, thanked the guests for their continued support of the exhibitions and especially praised the exhibitors for their professional and innovative stands, as well as, the enormous and varied amount of products on display. Earlier in the day at a press conference, Henk van de Bunt, general manager of Victam International BV, announced that Victam, in conjunction with some of their conference organizers, will shortly be launching a new venture.
 They will organize a series of industry conferences at a venue near Cologne in early summer of 2017. There will also be an additional area where companies will be able to have table-top exhibits. Van de Bunt also announced that FIAAP, VICTAM & GRAPAS Asia 2016 will take place from March 29-31, 2016 in Bangkok, Thailand. It will once again be held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC). Over half of the available exhibition space for the show is already reserved. Victam will also celebrate its 25th year since it first organized a show in Southeast Asia. The exhibitions and conferences will cover animal feed ingredients and additives, aqua feed ingredients and production, biomass pelleting technology, petfood ingredients and production and flour and rice milling & grain processing. There will be the 2nd meeting of the ASEAN Feed Associations as well as the 2nd edition of the ASEAN Feed and Rice Symposium.
These will bring together members of the milling associations from throughout Asia with acknowledged industry experts. Van de Bunt said there will be some changes within the Victam organization. New members will be appointed to the Board from within the feed, flour and grain industries. This will bring new ideas and experience to its Board. Van de Bunt announced that he will retire on July 1, 2016. He will, however, still be the general manager for the next event in Bangkok. Van de Bunt said it is the intention of the Board to appoint a new general manager to succeed him and that hopefully either he or she will be in Bangkok for the next show so as to be introduced to the industry.

CBN explains denial of foreign exchange to rice importers

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Friday explained its new policy of making public lists of goods and services items barred from for accessing foreign exchange in the Nigerian market for their imports.The Bank’s Director of Trade and Exchange department, Olakanmi Gbadamosi, said the new policy was part of efforts at stabilising the foreign exchange market and stimulating local production of goods and services.“It has become imperative to exclude importers of some goods and services from accessing foreign exchange at the Nigerian foreign exchange markets in order to encourage local production of these items,” Mr. Gbadamosi said.“The implementation of the policy will help conserve foreign reserves as well as facilitate the resuscitation of domestic industries and employment generation,” he added.
Some of the affected items included rice, cement, margarine, palm kernel, palm oil products, vegetable oils, meat and processed meat products, vegetables and process vegetable products, poultry (chicken, eggs, turkey), tomatoes/tomato paste, soap and cosmetics and clothes.Other items included private airplanes/jets, Indian incense, tinned fish in sauce (Geisha/sardines, cold rolled steel sheets, galvanized steel sheets, roofing sheets, wheelbarrows, head pans, metal boxes/containers, enamelware, steel drums and pipes, wire mesh, steel nails, wood particle boards and panels.
The policy also covers security and razor wire, wood particle boards and panels, wood fibre Board and panels, Wood fibre Boards and panels, wooden doors, furnitures, toothpicks, glass/glassware, kitchen utensils, tableware, tiles (vitrified, ceramics), textiles, wooden fabrics, plastic/rubber products (polypropylene granules, cellophane wrappers, euro bond/foreign currency bond/share purchases.Since the announcement of the new policy on Wednesday, speculations have been rife that the CBN had banned the importation of these items.But in a statement Friday, the CBN clarified that the policy could not be misconstrued to mean the decision to ban the importation of these items.“These items are not banned,” Mr. Gbadamosi declared. “Thus, importers desirous of importing these items shall do so using their own funds without any recourse to the Nigerian foreign exchange markets.”Urging authorised dealers on these goods and services to ensure strict compliance, the director warned that defaulters would be sanctioned in line with the regulatory powers of the Bank.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/manufacturing/185715-cbn-explains-denial-of-foreign-exchange-to-rice-importers.html

Civil Supplies chief suspends official

 June 28,2015, 02.18 AM  IST | | THE HANS INDIA
 
Nizamabad: The Telangana State Civil Supplies Commissioner Rajat Kumar placed  the  Assistant Grain Purchasing Officer (AGPO) Srinivas under suspension on Saturday and directed the district-level officials to conduct an inquiry into the ‘custom milling of rice scandal’.  
According to reliable sources, the Civil Supplies Commissioner took action against  AGPO Srinivas, on charges  that he was favoring some rice millers in paddy procurement violating rules and guidelines. He was found to have wasted time in collecting the required quantities of rice from millers and allotted the paddy to the non-working rice mills. During the 2014-15 Kharif season, the Civil Supplies Department issued 2,42,278.688 metric tonnes of paddy to the 340 rice mills for ‘custom milling of rice’. The millers collected the paddy from the Civil Supplies department and procured 68 percent -   1,62,787.775 metric tonnes of rice from the department. However, many millers have defaulted and they owe dues to the tune of Rs 29 crore to the Civil Supplies department on 11,757 metric tonnes of rice .  

Though the department officials issued notices to defaulter millers  they have not responded to the notices. Finally, the District Collector and Joint Collector also held meetings with millers several times and gave warnings. But they failed to respond to the notices, warnings and, remained indifferent. 
Consequently, the State Civil Supplies Commissioner and state-level officers constituted a committee under the supervision of Karimnagar District Supplies Officer Chandra Prakash and conducted raids with 12 teams on 38 rice mills in various places in the district. The teams found out that the AGPO Srinivas connived with the rice millers and allotted  the paddy to closed and defunct  rice mills; of these rice mills, a few of them were defaulters.  Finally, the Commissioner took action against AGPO Srinivas on the basis of a report submitted by the Karimnagar DSO team. 
http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-06-28/Civil-Supplies-chief-suspends-official-159970

BOC files smuggling raps vs. traders over P130-M rice shipment

By MARK MERUEƑAS,GMA News June 26, 2015 4:48pm

   

 

Tags: Bureau of Customs

 

BoC files smuggling raps vs. broker, rice trader. Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina (right) files smuggling-related complaints against the owners and customs brokers of Malingas Multi-purpose Cooperative and RMJR Grains Center Corp. before the Department of Justice for alleged illegal entry of over 4.2 million kilograms of rice worth P72.4 million through the Manila International Container Port. Benjie Castro

 

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday filed criminal complaints with the Department of Justice against the owners and customs brokers of two rice trading companies for allegedly smuggling into the country some 4.2 million kilograms of rice with a street value of P130 million.

 

According to the BOC, Malingas Multi-Purpose Cooperative and RMJR Grains Center Corp shipped the smuggled the rice cargo from Thailand through the Manila International Container Port. The shipment's street value is over P130 million, but its total dutiable value is over P72.4 million.

 

The BOC said the two rice trading firms misdeclared the quantity and weight of their rice importations which constitutes technical smuggling, in violation of Sections 3601 and 3602 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines (TCCP); Section 29 of Presidential Decree No. 4; and Article 172 in relation to 171 and Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines.  

An investigation showed that Malingas' four shipments of rice arrived from Thailand on Nov. 6, 13 and 28, 2013;while RMJR's five shipments arrived in the country on Nov. 3 and 5, 2013.The BOC said the shipments exceeded the total allowable import volume of 3,562 metric tons indicated in their import permits, or an excess of 644 metric tons or 644,000 kilos of rice.

Description: BoC files smuggling raps vs. broker, rice trader 

"Any rice shipment in excess of the maximum quantity allowed under specific National Food Authority Import Permit is no longer covered by the said NFA Import Permit, and thus in violation of NFA Memorandum Circular No. AO-2K13-03-003 and considered unlawful importation penalized under Section 3601 in relation to Section 101 of the TCCP," said the BOC.The NFA is authorized by law to to regulate rice imports through quotas, to prevent excessive and unquantifiable amounts of rice, to ensure fair competition and viability of the local rice industry. “We strongly advise all rice importers to not exceed within the approved quantity or Minimum Access Volume set by the National Food Authority indicated in their NFA Import Permit in importing rice," said Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina.

 

"Any excess in volume not approved by the NFA would be considered smuggling. If you do that we will go after you,” he added.The BOC chief added: "Rice is a regulated commodity not only because it is our staple food but also a source of livelihood for millions of farming households. Any sudden increase in imported rice would have devastating consequences for our rice industry.According to the Department of Agriculture In 2014, the Philippine rice industry performed well, reaching a national production all-time high of 18.97 million metric tons. The 2.87% production growth exceeded the previous year’s record by 528,406 million tons. — RSJ, GMA News

 

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/511158/economy/finance/boc-files-smuggling-raps-vs-traders-over-p130-m-rice-shipment

CRRI indicates rice production to increase on current pace of monsoon

By Sutanuka Ghosal, ET Bureau | 27 Jun, 2015, 03.59PM IST
Last year the rice production went down to 102.54 million tonnes due to late arrival of monsoons in June 2014.KOLKATA: Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) has indicated that rice production may go up to 105-106 million tonnes if monsoon continues in the current pace. Last year the rice production went down to 102.54 million tonnes due to late arrival of monsoons in June 2014 delaying the kharif main rice crop planting process in many key rice growing areas. Talking to ET, Trilochon Mohapatra, director, CRRI said "The monsoon has gathered momentum across most parts of India. If this continues during July also we are hopeful that rice production will go up to 105 -106 million tonnes."The CRRI director said that sowing has begun in most parts of the country and transplantation of the saplings will begin in first week of July. "Farmers require good rains during July for transplantation. In regions where rains will be less farmers can use short duration paddy variety." Agriculture officials in West Bengal, the largest rice producing state in the country said that nursery preparation for paddy has picked up in south Bengal as rains have picked up. "Generally nursery preparation begins in third week of June in Bengal. Monsoon has picked up in the state and nursery preparation is in full swing now. The sowing will start from first week of July," they said.

Butter Biryani


Jun 26 2015  
Ingredients

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Butter - 3 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Cardamom - 1
Clove - 1
Salt - as needed
Ghee - 2 tsp

Mehod

1. Wash basmati rice, drain water, set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Melt ghee in a frying pan.
3. Add basmati rice, fry , set aside.
4. Melt butter in a pressure cooker.
5. Add clove, cardamom, cumin.
6. When they splutter, add green peas, fry for a few minutes.
7. Add basmati rice, pepper powder, salt, 2 cups of water, cover with a lid, cook till cooker whistles once

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9th June (Monday),2015 Daily Exclusive ORYZA Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Philippines Advises Rice Farmers to Begin Planting, Taking Advantage of Recent Rains

Jun 26, 2015
The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) has advised farmers to begin rice planting for the 2015 main crop in order to take advantage of the current intermittent rains in the country, according to a news release on the government website.“If you start planting now, by July, when it is expected to rain the most, your rice crops would have passed its flowering stage, thus there is a better chance that harvests will be maximized,” The Agriculture Secretary was quoted as saying during a media interaction.He noted that farmers in the rain fed areas can be benefitted from the intermittent rains but cautioned them that the current rains may not signify the end of El Nino weather pattern.
The Agri Secretary said the dry spell is expected to start weak in July this year and grow moderate by August, persist till December and again start weakening until early 2016. He said the government is taking measures to help farmers adapt to climate changes and to minimize the impact of adverse weather conditions on their output.“We are ready to schedule cloud seeding operations in case there is a need to induce rains during long dry seasons,” he was quoted. He assured that the Agriculture Department will install water pumps and solar water pumps in some regions which need an increase in water supplies.
Weather agencies have been warning of a dry weather condition due to El Nino from July this year. In the second week of June, the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) estimated Philippines's 2015 second quarter (April - June) production to decline by about 4.3% to around 3.898 million tons from last year's 4.073 million tons due to a decline in harvest area prompted by dry spell and insufficient water supply as well as incidence of pests and diseases in some rice growing areas.

Oryza Afternoon Recap - Chicago Rough Rice Futures Pull back below $10.000 per cwt despite Massive Gains in Wheat and Corn

Jun 26, 2015
Chicago rough rice futures for Sep delivery settled 8 cent per cwt (about $2 per ton) lower at $10.245 per cwt (about $226 per ton). The other grains continued their rally today, led by huge gains in wheat; Soybeans closed about 0.2% higher at $10.0200 per bushel; wheat finished about 5.7% higher at $5.6225 per bushel, and corn finished the day about 2.3% higher at $3.8500 per bushel.U.S. stocks traded mixed on Friday as investors digested earnings and the latest headlines on the Greece debt crisis. The major indices are on track for their first weekly loss in three. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called an urgent cabinet meeting on Friday evening to discuss a bailout deal, a government minister told Reuters.
The country's finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said in a Reuters report that Saturday's meeting with the euro group of finance leaders will try to converge on a deal that includes debt and funding. He added that Greece has made concessions and that Athens rejects a 5-month funding proposal from lenders. Earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a Reuters report he was "quite optimistic but not over-optimistic" of a deal with Greece on a cash-for-reform deal at a crucial meeting of euro zone finance ministers on Saturday. European stocks edged out a mostly higher close amid hopes of resolution on Greece. Chinese stocks plunged on Friday, with the Shanghai Composite tumbling more than 7%, its biggest one-day loss in five months.
The only U.S. economic data out Friday was the Michigan Consumer Sentiment, which posted a final read of 96.1 for June. On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 47 points, or 0.26%, at 17,936. The S&P 500 traded 2 points lower, or 0.10%, at 2,100, with utilities leading five sectors higher and information technology the greatest decliner. The Nasdaq fell 35 points, or 0.70%, at 5,076. Gold is trading about 0.1% lower, crude oil is seen trading about 0.2% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading at about 0.3% higher at about  1:00pm Chicago time.Thursday, there were 1,703 contracts traded, down from 1,738 contracts traded on Wednesday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Thursday increased by 117 contracts to 9,933.

Oryza Weekly: Thailand Prepares for Another Rice Auction; India Monitors Potential El Nino Impact

Jun 26, 2015
The Oryza White Rice Index (WRI), a weighted average of global white rice export quotes, ended the week at about $404 per ton, down about $6 per ton from a week ago, down about $3 per ton from a month ago and down about $57 per ton from a year ago.
Thailand
Thailand 5% broken rice is today shown at about $370 per ton, up about $5 per ton from a week ago, down about $5 per ton from a month ago and down about $15 per ton from a year ago.
Thailand exported around 945,597 tons of rice in May 2015, up about 7% from around 883,736 tons in May 2014, according to Bloomberg.
The government of Thailand has requested farmers in the Central region to further delay rice planting till August, when it expects rains to resume, from the earlier set July as 22 of the 76 provinces are still fighting drought conditions.
The government has not agreed to honor the farmers' demands to pay a compensation of about 1,000 baht per rai (around $185 per hectare) to suspend rice planting. But the Agriculture Minister said he would propose a package of measures to assist farmers in the economic cabinet meeting next week.
The Commerce Ministry plans to auction about 1.395 million tons of rice on July 7.
The drought in Thailand and subsequent anticipated reduction in paddy output from the 2015 main rice crop will not affect shipments to Malaysia, according to the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister.
Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is planning to improve the output and quality of Thai sticky rice as it is plagued with inefficient production systems and farmers lack requisite technological knowledge and support.
India
India 5% broken rice is today shown at about $390 per ton, up about $20 per ton from a week ago, up about $15 per ton from month ago, and down about $45 per ton from a year ago.
The pace of India's 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) which began on May 8, reached around 2.328 million hectares as of June 26,below last year's level of around 2.5 million hectares, according to preliminary data released by the Indian Agriculture Ministry.
El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole are being watched closely but so far there has been no adverse affect on production expectations. Separately, an Indian grains analyst has warned that India’s absence in global rice trade could lead to extreme volatility and exorbitant prices.
A new study finds that Indian paddy yields are becoming resilient to droughts.
The state purchasing agency in Mauritius has purchased 6,000 tons of long-grain white rice from India in a tender that closed June 3.
The government is considering increasing production of oilseeds and pulses in some states that are covered under the Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India scheme, with hopes it will reduce dependence on imports.
Vietnam
Vietnam 5% broken rice is today shown at about $350 per ton, unchanged from a week, down $5 from a month ago and down about $60 per ton from a year ago.
Vietnam has exported around 641,000 Tons of rice in June 2015, up about 13% from last month and about 18% from last year. Vietnam's rice export in the first six months of this year declined about 6.2% y/y to around 3.06 million tons, Bloomberg quoted data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The paddy output from Vietnam's 2015 winter-spring crop has declined slightly by about 0.7% to around 20.7 million tons from around 22.25 million tons last year due to lower yields, according to Reuters.
Agricultural experts in the country have noted that various rice farming technologies are outdated and urged the government to facilitate restructuring of the rice industry and total agricultural mechanization in the country.
Pakistan
Pakistan 5% broken rice is today shown at about $380 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $30 per ton from a month ago and down about $65 per ton from a year ago.
Members of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan are seeking a special package from the government to help alleviate the problems of rice growers and exporters.
The President of the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has suggested that the government should consider the pros and cons of setting up a Rice Board, especially how it would impact the rice industry and its stakeholders, according to a statement by the group. He also noted that the government should know the intentions of the stakeholders who are demanding such as Board.
Central & South America
Brazil 5% broken rice is today shown at about $550 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago and down about $115 per ton from a year ago.
The Brazilian paddy rice index maintained by CEPEA reached around 33.69 real per 50 kilograms as of June 22, 2015, down about 0.06% from around 33.71 real per 50 kilograms recorded on June 15, 2015. In terms of USD per ton, the index reached around $219 per ton on June 22, 2015, up about 1% from around $217 per ton recorded on June 15, 2015.
Five percent broken rice from Uruguay and Argentina is today shown at about $565 per ton, unchanged from a week and a month ago, and down about $10 per ton from a year ago.
U.S.
The U.S. 4% broken rice is today shown at about $455 per ton, unchanged from a week ago, down about $15 per ton from a  month ago and down about $120 per ton from a year ago.
Other Markets
The government of Indonesia is looking to redesign its rice-for-the-poor program after finding irregularities in the implementation of the program.
Cambodia, which offered a relatively higher bid in the recent Filipino tender, is working to offer a more competitive bid in the next Filipino rice tender.
Rice farmers associations in Nigeria have requested the Federal government to relax rules related to accessing credit in order to boost rice production and ensure food security in the country.
The National Food Authority of the Philippines will meet in the first week of July to discuss supply and the import of an additional 250,000 tons.
The Philippines weather agency anticipates the onset of the rainy season within the next few days. The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) has advised farmers to begin rice planting for the 2015 main crop in order to take advantage of the current intermittent rains in the country
The Philippines Rice Research Institute, along with the Department of Agriculture and the International Rice Research Institute, are developing rice varieties that can withstand adverse weather conditions and are resistant to pests and diseases.  The Philippines hopes to achieve rice sufficiency with NextGen varieties.
The EU farm Ministers Council has reached an understanding over the EU organic legislation.
Basmati rice imports by EU nations declined to around 223,549 tons during the period of September 1-June 18, a decrease of about 27% from the same period last year.
The government of Liberia needs to empower rice farmers to increase production, according to the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Bangladesh rice farmers are looking forward to using new saline-tolerant rice varieties, as salinity in recent years has left some rice acreage to lie fallow.
Bangladesh rice science researcher Dr.Md.Nazmul Haque has developed 850 new high-yielding rice varieties with a new method called "Transgressive Sagreegant Breeding" (TSB), according to local sources.TSB produces rice varieties that are superior in characters to the parent plants.
The researcher used a local rice variety called 'Dola Aman Dhan' to create several hybrid varieties with various indica rice varieties that have life span of about 105-145 days and are suitable to grow in adverse climate and yield about 33-40 maund per bigha (around 8.25 - 10 tons per hectare).
Myanmar currently exports milled rice to the EU at zero percent duty under the Everything But Arms agreement, but Myanmar exporters are struggling to meet European rice standards.
The chairman of the Rice Council of Tanzania has urged the government to settle the rice export issue with the East African Community, as Kenya and Uganda have banned rice imports from Tanzania due to its rice shipments being mixed up with low quality Indian and Pakistani rice.
The government of Togo has distributed 300 tons of improved rice seeds to farmers in efforts to increase rice production in the country.
The Central Bank of Nigeria has stopped the sale of U.S. dollars to importers of 40 items, including rice, as part of its efforts to protect foreign reserves, which have declined significantly, and to reduce pressure on the naira.
The Country Program Manager of Eastern Africa Grain Council has warned that Rwanda and Uganda have decided to levy a 75% tax on Tanzania rice imports mixed with cheap Asian rice.
South Korea’s state-run Agro Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation is looking to buy about 59,104 tons of non-glutinous rice in international tenders for delivery between October 15 and December 15.

Nepal Tries Integrating Duck and Rice Production

Jun 26, 2015
Breeding ducks in rice farms has proved useful in increasing productivity, reducing pests and diseases and reducing fertilizers in countries such as Japan and China. Rice-Duck farming, as it is called, is based on the symbiotic relationship between paddy fields and ducks.
As ducks eat weeds, insects and other pests and their droppings serve as organic fertilizers and their swimming oxygenates the water and mixes the soil without hurting the rice plants. Pesticides and insects such as mosquito and drosophila are consumed by ducks easily.
Taking a cue from the countries, which are successfully using this method, rice farmers in Nepal began an integrated rice-duck farming and showed a significant increase in rice productivity and farmers' net income. Also farmers who have adopted this method in Nepal have stopped the use of chemical fertilizers and avoided expenses on pests. On the contrary, neighboring farmers cultivating by traditional method had used three times of fertilizers.
It is an appropriate technology to address the food insecurity and climate change as well.

India Rice Planting Slightly Behind Last Year While Monsoon Rains Remain Above Normal

Jun 26, 2015
The pace of India's 2015-16 Kharif (main) rice crop (June - December) which began on May 8, has been pretty good in the week June 19 – 26 due to above-average rainfall in most of the rice growing areas.However, as of June 26, the total area planted at around 2.328 million hectares is below last year's level of around 2.5 million hectares, according to preliminary data released by the Indian Agriculture Ministry.According to the Indian Meteorological Department, India received 28% above normal rainfall since June 1, providing required support to the kharif rice and other crop plantings.
A likely drought-inducing El Nino this year is expected to lower production prospects this year. In its second forecast for 2015, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has its estimate for this year's monsoon rains to 88% of normal, from a previous estimate of 93% due to reports of a strengthening El Nino. It is expecting rainfall to be 85% of the normal in the states of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The IMD expects the El Nino pattern to reach to moderate to a strong one during the monsoon season (June – September).The government of India, in its third advance estimates for major crops, has estimated India's rice production for 2014-15 marketing year (October 2014 - September 2015) at around 102.54 million tons, down about 4% from an estimated 106.65 million tons in 2013-14, according to a statement from the agriculture Ministry.
The total Kharif crop sown area stands at 16.6 million hectares as on June 26, 2015, up about 24% from around 13.4 million hectares during the same period last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.

Indian Basmati Rice Exporters Foresee Bleak Year Ahead; Seek Export Subsidy from Government

Jun 26, 2015
Indian basmati rice exporters are foreseeing a bleak year ahead as export deal with Iran, India's biggest basmati buyer, getting delayed as well as low international rice prices, according to local sources.The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) data shows that India's basmati rice exports have declined marginally to around 3.7 million tons in FY 2014-15 (April - March) from around 3.76 million tons exported during the same period in FY 2013-14. The decline is largely attributed to fall in basmati rice shipments to Iran.
Iran, which accounts for more than a third of India's basmati rice exports temporarily banned rice imports in November 2014 citing excess stocks. India’s basmati rice exports to the Middle East nation in FY 2014-15declined about 35% to around 935,568 tons from around 1.44 million tons last year, according to APEDA.So far, there is no clue about the resumption of rice imports by Iran. Visit by a delegation from the Commerce Ministry did not yield any positive results. “The government of Iran takes a rice import decision based on the current paddy crop. Since September is the normal harvesting season, any decision on bilateral rice import will be taken only around that time. Normally, they reduce customs duty on import from the Most Favoured Nation. So, we will have to wait a couple of months for any purchase agreement to get signed with India,” the Director General of Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) was quoted as saying. He noted that demand for basmati also declined this year due to emergence of some competitors as well as some buyers using last year's stocks without ordering for new stocks.
Demand from other countries such as Saudi Arabia and the European markets supported India's basmati rice sales this year. Saudi Arabia remained largest buyer of India's basmati rice in 2014-15 with 966,931 tons, up about 17% from 2013-14. Global prices of rice have declined significantly and basmati rice prices are currently ruling near $1,000 per ton from around $1,400 - $1,500 per ton during the same time last year. The All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) President noted that basmati rice exporters had witnessed a loss of about 30% in 2014-15 due to increased production costs as well fall in prices. He noted that considering total production, procurement, storage and export costs of basmati rice, a sale price of about $1,800 per ton would help exporters breakeven, he says. But prices are currently much lower than this figure, leading to concerns that exporters may face losses for a second consecutive year.He urged the government to protect the interest of India's basmati exporters through some form of export subsidy.

Don't Just Eat Rice; Eat With Rice

Jun 26, 2015
A U.K.-based camping and outdoor equipment manufacturer is planning to launch a new range of eco-friendly tableware and kitchenware made with rice husk, according to a U.K. magazine.The range of products will include mugs, tumblers, plates cutlery, bowls, set of round or rectangular storage containers as well as other kitchen accessories. Items can be purchased as a set or individually.
The rice husk ware is made of discarded rice husk and are extremely eco-friendly and biodegradable as well as be safely be used in microwave also. The material looks like plastic but uses up to 70% less CO2 to make than conventional plastic. The products are certified by the German Institute of Standardization (DIN).The company is planning to release the rice husk ware in September 2015. The price would be in the range of £2.99 (around $3.15) for a tumbler, £34.99 (around $55) for a set of storage boxes and £58.99 (around $93) for a complete set.

Bangladesh Researcher Develops 850 High-Yielding Hybrid Rice Lines

Jun 26, 2015
Bangladesh rice science researcher Dr.Md.Nazmul Haque has developed 850 new high-yielding rice varieties with a new method called "Transgressive Sagreegant Breeding" (TSB), according to local sources.TSB produces rice varieties that are superior in characters to the parent plants.The researcher used a local rice variety called 'Dola Aman Dhan' to create several hybrid varieties with various indica rice varieties that have life span of about 105-145 days and are suitable to grow in adverse climate and yield about 33-40 maund per bigha (around 8.25 - 10 tons per hectare).
The new varieties consist of longer stem and biomass that give the rice plants additional strength during storms and strong winds. These varieties can be cultivated both at high and low lands and are suited to grow in areas with low temperature, saline soil, and water logged conditions throughout the year in Aus, Aman and Boro seasons. Also these varieties require less fertilizer and are highly pest and disease resistant.He also told that the new varieties contain high zinc and iron content than the traditional varieties. Zinc content can be increased up to 46.38 parts per million (ppm) in these varieties, while the highest content so far in Bangladesh in only 22 ppm (in BRRI Dhan 64).
The Dr.Haque has tried these varieties with some farmers in his district Bogra and obtained good results but the research needs to be promoted at the larger scale and rechecked before extension of the newly developed rice varieties, said the Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Bogra.The DAE Extension in Bogra found some promising rice lines which are suitable to release across the country.Dr.Haque urged the government to include the rice varieties to the national resource after patenting by genome sequencing. He expressed confidence that the research would help to promote future rice research in the country.

Vietnam Rice Exports Recover in June 2015, Reports MARD

Jun 26, 2015
Vietnam has exported around 641,000 Tons of rice in June 2015, up about 13% from last month and about 18% from last year. Vietnam's rice exports in the first six months of this year declined about 6.2% y/y to around 3.06 million tons, Bloomberg quoted data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.Meanwhile, the paddy output from Vietnam's 2015 winter-spring crop has declined slightly by about 0.7% to around 20.7 million tons from around 22.25 million tons last year due to lower yields, according to Reuters.Paddy output in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) accounted for around 13.48 million tons, while the northern region accounted for around 7.22 million tons. Most of the rice produced in MRD is exported.

Pakistan Rice Sellers Lower Some of Their Quotes; Other Asia Rice Quotes Unchanged Today

Jun 26, 2015
Pakistan rice sellers lowered their quotes for 25% broken rice by about  a $5 per ton to about $335-$345 per ton today. Other Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.                                                                                                                       
5% Broken Rice
Thailand 5% rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about a $20 per ton premium on Vietnam 5% rice  shown at around $345 - $355 per ton.
India 5% rice is indicated at around $385 - $395 per ton, about $10 per ton premium on Pakistan 5% rice shown at around $375 - $385 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thailand 25% rice is shown at around $345 - $3505 per ton, about a $20 per ton premium on Vietnam 25% rice shown at around $325- $335 per ton.
India 25% rice is indicated at around $350 - $360, about $15 per ton premium on Pakistan 25% rice shown at around $335 - $345per ton, down about $5 per ton from yesterday.
Parboiled Rice
Thailand parboiled rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton.
India parboiled rice is indicated at around $365 - $375 per ton, about a $30 per ton discount to Pakistan parboiled rice shown at around $395 - $405 per ton.              
100% Broken Rice
Thailand broken rice, A1 Super, is indicated at around $315 - $325 per ton, about $5 per ton premium on Vietnam 100% broken rice shown at around $310 - $320 per ton.
India's 100% broken rice is shown at around $280 - $290 per ton, about a $15 per ton discount to  Pakistan broken sortexed rice shown at around $295 - $305per ton.

Thailand Agriculture Ministry Plans to Improve Sticky Rice Output, Quality

Jun 26, 2015

Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is planning to improve the output and quality of Thai sticky rice, according to local sources.The Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives told local sources that there is a need to overhaul the Thai sticky rice sector as it is plagued with inefficient production systems and farmers lack requisite technological knowledge and support.He noted that the government has assigned the Rice Department to introduce new technology to farmers under its Smart Farmer campaign in order to reduce their production costs and reduce dependency on chemical fertilizers.The Minister added that the campaign will be initiated in the provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani and Khon Kaen during the rice farming season, then in 15 other provinces during the off-season farming period.

Download/View On-Line the above News in pdf for
mat,just click the following link

Saturday, June 27, 2015

26th June (Friday),2015 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus

Govt urged to examine pros and cons before setting up PRB

June 26, 2015
KARACHI - The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) urged the government before setting up Pakistan Rice Board (PRB) as suggested by the vested interest must first examine the pros and cons and question those suggesting it as to the injury caused to the rice industry by the Quality Review Committee (QRC) set up by the government on their recommendations and supported by them.he QRC eliminated the SME rice exporters and those adding value to the grains.

Unisame was against the QRC from day one and time and again requested the authorities to remove this committee which was used as an instrument to eliminate the SME rice exporters.President Unisame Zulfikar Thaver said ever since they have lost control of QRC they are trying to find ways and means to regain control in a different form and Mincom must not let them have another government sponsored tool for their vested interest like they did with QRC.ortunately Mincom finally comprehended the futility of QRC and decided to disband it but after the damage was done.
Unisame kept informing Mincom about its negative role and is on record.Thaver said the SME rice exporters even filed petitions and law suits against this defective body.Even if the government decides to form the PRB it must include experts from the growers, millers, processors and exporters to avoid conflict of interest but it is very important that the government must first study the role and function of the PRB as it would simply duplicate the functions of Mincom & Minfal and will entail huge expenditure in maintaining it when the matter of rice cultivation to its final exports are in the domain of the ministries of agriculture and commerce.Only thing which is needed is co-ordination between the two

.If co-ordination is achieved and integrated efforts are made a positive policy could be made for the betterment of the rice industry which is on the verge of collapse.The PRB will be another institution not worth its name because it entails policy making which is the function of the government through the Minfal and Mincom based on the recommendations of the Rice Commissioner in the Minfal, the Rice Research Institute and the stakeholders


CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures   
CME Group (Prelim):  Closing Rough Rice Futures for June 26
Month
Price
Net Change

July 2015
$9.960
- $0.085
September 2015
$10.245
- $0.080
November 2015
$10.515
 - $0.080
January 2016
$10.780
 - $0.080
March 2016
$10.985
- $0.080
May 2016
$10.985
- $0.080
July 2016
$10.985
- $0.080


The latest Texas Rice Crop Survey reports

The latest Texas Rice Crop Survey reports (updated through Friday, June 26, 2015) are available through the Beaumont Center web site at http://beaumont.tamu.edu/CropSurvey/

The crop survey provides detailed data on rice acreage across the Texas rice belt, including information on varieties and crop development.
incerely,
Ted

----------------------------------------
Lloyd T. (Ted) Wilson
Professor and Center Director
Texas A&M AgriLIFE Research Center
1509 Aggie Drive
Beaumont Texas, Texas 77713

Rice Leadership Class Finishes Session II in Arkansas and Mississippi            
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS -- After leaving the great mid-west area of the country, the 2015/17 Rice Leadership Development Class traveled to Arkansas to study the state's rice farming practices and processing industries.  The itinerary included professional development seminars and meetings with executives at Producers Rice Mill and Riceland Foods. The group also discussed conservation practices with Ducks Unlimited President and rice farmer George Dunklin and toured the Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center to learn about the latest developments in rice research.   

Class member Collin Holzhauer, with Southern Rice & Cotton, said, "The highlight of Session II for me was touring George Dunklin's farming operation south of Stuttgart. George is president of Ducks Unlimited, and is a devout conservationist who employs management practices that are truly incredible. He plants a few hundred acres of rice just for the ducks to eat over the winter, and operates a tree nursery where they grow containerized bottomland hardwood species for restoration.


Holzhauer continued, "George also graciously hosted a Rice Leadership Alumni dinner at his lodge.  There was an amazing turn out - more than seventy people attended, including some who drove from Mississippi and Louisiana.  That's how dedicated people are to this program."

From Arkansas, the class traveled to Mississippi to tour Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc. in Greenville, a regional grain marketing company serving over 2,900 producers/owners in the Mississippi delta, southeast Arkansas, and northeast Louisiana.

"As rice farmers and industry professionals, we watch our crops grow and see their progression throughout the growing season and harvest, but there are so many moving parts of the rice industry that we don't see on a daily basis that hold a vital role in the production of rice," said Nicole Creason, a class member and rice producer from Jonesboro, Arkansas. "In Session II, we got the chance to witness some of these processes in action and it was very enlightening."

The Rice Leadership Development Program is sponsored by John Deere Company, RiceTec Inc. and American Commodity Company through The Rice Foundation and is managed by the USA Rice Federation.

Contact:  
Chuck Wilson (870) 673-7541

APEDA India (News)
Price on: 24-06-2015
Product
Benchmark Indicators Name
Price
Apricots
1
Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
5975
2
Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t)
5375
3
Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)
4375
Raisins
1
Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2682
2
South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t)
2286
Sultanas
1
Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)
3037 
2
Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t)
1873
3
Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)
2150
Source:agra-net
For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 24-06-2015
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Barley (Jau)
1
Dahod (Gujarat)
Other
1200
1250
2
Guna (Madhya Pradesh)
Other
1150
1150
3
Deoli (Rajasthan)
Other
1050
1130
Maize
1
Dhing (Assam)
Other
1320
1500
2
Meghraj (Gujarat)
Other
1300
1400
3
Khanna (Punjab)
Other
1000
1130
Pine Apple
1
Chala (Kerala)
Other
3200
3250
2
Shillong (Meghalaya)
Other
2000
2200
3
Ropar (Punjab)
Other
2400
2800
Carrot
1
Mannar (Kerala)
Other
2500
2700
2
Bonai (Orissa)
Other
2000
3000
3
Kamthi (Maharashtra)
Other
2600
3000
Source:agra-net
For more info
Egg
Rs per 100 No
Price on 24-06-2015
Product
Market Center
Price
1
Ahmedabad
397
2
Chittoor
440
3
Hyderabad
390
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices
Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 24-06-2015
Product
Market Center
Origin
Variety
Low
High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1
Atlanta
Colorado
Russet
20
23.50
2
Baltimore
Idaho
Russet
16
19
3
Detroit
Wisconsin
Russet
19
19.50
Cauliflower
Package: cartons film wrapped
1
Atlanta
California
White
23.50
23.50
2
Baltimore
Mexico
 White
23
23
3
Miami
California
White
19.50
20
Grapes
Package: 18 lb containers bagged
1
Atlanta
Mexico
Red Globe
21.50
23.50
2
Dallas
Peru
Red Globe
28
28
3
Detroit
Mexico
Red Globe
24
26
Source:USDA


Pakistan Railways ‘out of intensive care’

26 Jun 2015
Description: Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has said Pakistan Railways is now ‘out of intensive care’.PAKISTAN: Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has said Pakistan Railways is now ‘out of intensive care’. The federal budget for 2015-16 has allocated Rs41bn for PR’s non-staff costs, a business class Karachi – Islamabad passenger service has been launched and freight services to Iran restarted.The 2015-16 budget allocation includes Rs0·9bn to acquire land for a container terminal and railway link at the port of Gwadar; Rs2·8bn for the mechanisation of track maintenance; Rs2·5bn for the procurement of 125 locomotives which would be assembled locally; Rs2·0bn for repairs to flood damage from 2010; Rs1·8bn for modernising the Karachi – Khanpur line; Rs2·5bn for resignalling the Lodhran Khanewal –  Shahdara Bagh route; and Rs1·0bn for doubling and upgrading the Port Qaism – Bin Qasim line.Additional wagons are also to be ordered, 100 existing locomotives will be repaired and returned to traffic and a feasibility study for a dedicated freight corridor will be commissioned.

A revived international freight service from Quetta to Zahedan in Iran was inaugurated on June 9, following an agreement between the two countries on May 18. PR had been operating a monthly train as far as Taftan to deliver post, food, water and salaries to employees, but freight trains have now returned to the Iranian section of the route after five years.It is envisaged that oil traffic from Iran to Pakistan will cover the service’s operating costs, with additional traffic to include sulphur, coal and chemical imports to Pakistan and rice exports to Iran. At the inauguration the Chief Minister of Baluchistan province expressed hope that a passenger service would also be reinstated.On May 14 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Greenline Train, a daily business class passenger service which is timetabled to cover the Karachi – Islamabad route in 23 h 15 min. It has sleeping cars, full air-conditioning, wi-fi, meals, newspapers, improved toilets and online booking. Passenger lounges are to be provided at Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.Speaking at the launch of Greenline Train, the Prime Minister said he envisioned a train service would one day run from Kashi in China to Karachi, and from Pakistan to Turkey.
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/policy/single-view/view/pakistan-railways-out-of-intensive-care.html

TMR : SNP Genotyping and Analysis Market: European Unstable Economy Continuously Tormenting Market Growth
by TRANSPARENCY MARKET RESEARCH on Jun 26, 2015 • 3:23 am

Description: Biotechnology21
According to a recent research report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global SNP genotype and analysis market had reached value of US$10.70 billion in the year 2012. It is expected that this market will attain a value of US$17.65 billion by the end of 2019, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% between the period of 2013 and 2019.The market analysis report is prepared after extensive study of the SNP genotype and analysis market offering both the quantitative as well as qualitative analysis of this industry.
Browse the full SNP Genotyping and Analysis Market Report @ :http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/snp-single-nucleotide-polymorphism-market.html
The market study provides an in-depth analysis on the basis of the past performance, current condition, and future prospects of the SNP genotype and analysis market across the globe. It is titled as “SNP Genotyping and Analysis Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 – 2019”.The global SNP genotype and analysis industry is evaluated on the basis of technology employed, applications used, and the regional distribution of this industry.On the basis of technology, the global market for SNP genotype and analysis is categorized into Mass ARRAY MALDI-TOF, SNP GeneChips and Microarrays, SNP by Pyrosequencing, AB SNPle, Taqman Allelic Discrimination, and others. Based on applications, pharmacogenomics and pharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology, diagnostic research, and breeding and animal livestock are the segments of the global SNP genotype and analysis industry.
Browse the full SNP Genotyping and Analysis Market Press Release @ :http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/snp-single-nucleotide-polymorphism-market.htm
A significant amount of revenue is used up on research to develop diagnostic products those are similar to companion diagnostics, which would enable a preview of how a genome would open out as an individual and grow older. There is a high amount of intensity in researching the food crops such as wheat, rice, oats, maize, corn, and other grasses. SNP genotyping in agriculture attained approval long before other applications. The GeneChip Rice 44K array provided by Affymetrix is one of the trendy platforms for rice genotyping that determines variants that affect the yield. SNP type assays of Fluidigm have been used by International Rice Research Institute that account for the largest ex-situ collection of rice germplasm in the world, and plays an important role in continuing this repository. The market for SNP genotype and analysis is expected to decline further as the efforts to introduce new technologies have been initiated. At the same time, slower and ineffective methods are being phased out.
North America held the largest market share in 2012 among all other regions, namely Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. The unstable economy in Europe is tormenting the genomics market continuously, which SNP genotyping is a part of. The Asia Pacific SNP genotype and analysis market and various economies in Rest of the World are likely to hold the biggest potential during the period of 2014 to 2020, in terms of revenue.
About Us :
Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company’s exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR’s experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.
TMR’s data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.
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Suite 700,
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Research and Markets: South America Rice Market Report - Analysis And Forecast To 2020

June 25, 2015 07:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f4hnb8/south_america) has announced the addition of the "South America: Rice - Market Report - Analysis And Forecast To 2020" report to their offering.

“South America: Rice - Market Report - Analysis And Forecast To 2020”
The report provides an in-depth analysis of the South American Market of Rice. It presents the latest data of the market value, consumption, domestic production, exports and imports, price dynamics and food balance. The report shows the sales data, allowing you to identify the key drivers and restraints. You can find here a strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market. Forecasts illustrate how the market will be transformed in the medium term. Profiles of the leading producers are also included.
Key Topics Covered:
1. Introduction
1.1 Report Description
1.2 Research Methodology
2. Executive Summary
2.1 Key Findings
2.2 Market Trends
3. Market Overview
3.1 Market Value
3.2 Consumption By Regions And Countries
3.3 Market Opportunities By Countries
3.4 Market Forecast To 2020
4. Production
4.1 Production, Harvested Area And Yield In 2007-2013
4.2 Production By Regions And Countries
4.3 Harvested Area And Yield By Regions And Countries
5. Imports
5.1 Imports In 2007-2013
5.2 Imports By Regions And Countries
5.3 Import Prices By Countries
6. Exports
6.1 Exports In 2007-2013
6.2 Exports By Regions And Countries
6.3 Export Prices By Countries
7. Prices And Price Development
7.1 Producer Prices
7.2 Producer Prices Index
8. Profiles Of Major Producers

Contacts

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470
For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630
For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907
Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Sector: 
Food Processing, Rice and Rice Products




Mekong Delta enjoys bumper summer-autumn rice crops

The Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute has estimated that summer-autumn crops of the region would generate 9 million tonnes of rice this year, up 120,000 tonnes from the same period last year, despite the reduction in cultivated area.
Last update 10:26 | 25/06/2015


Description: Mekong Delta enjoys bumper summer-autumn rice crops


The Mekong Delta has harvested more than 300,000 hectares of rice to date, representing 18 percent of its rice growing areas.Average yield of the entire region is estimated around 5.45 tonnes per hectare while that of Can Tho, An Giang and Dong Thap provinces reaches 6.3-6.5 tonnes per hectare.The wholesale price for paddy rice is around 5,000-5,400 VND (0.23-0.25 USD) per kilogramme. Farmers earn a profit of 27-38 percent of the price as each kilogramme produced costs them about 3,917 VND (0.18 USD).

Mekong Delta provinces have followed a strict schedule of rice farming to avoid drought, flooding and diseases.Several new cultivation techniques have been spread among local farmers, notably “3 Down, 3 Up” (3 Down: seeds, fertilizers and pesticides; 3 Up: productivity, quality and economic efficiency), and “1 Must, 5 Down” (1 Must: must use of certified rice seeds; 5 Down: decreases in the amount of sowed seeds, in the use of crop protection chemicals, nitrogenous fertilizer and water, and in post-harvest losses).The provinces focused on growing high-quality rice with more than 85 percent of paddy areas while disease control and irrigation works were well-prepared.The farmers were also provided soft loans to purchase agricultural equipment for improved cultivation.

VNA

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/134221/mekong-delta-enjoys-bumper-summer-autumn-rice-crops.html

Union Cabinet approves transfer of CRRI land to set up police station

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave its approval for the proposal of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to transfer 0.5 acre of land belonging to the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack to the Police Department in Odisha on lease basis for a period of 33 years for the establishment of a police station.

By: ANI | June 25, 2015 10:15 am
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday gave its approval for the proposal of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to transfer 0.5 acre of land belonging to the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), Cuttack to the Police Department in Odisha on lease basis for a period of 33 years for the establishment of a police station.A police outpost has been functioning inside the campus of the CRRI, Cuttack since 1982.

The Odisha Government has notified upgradation of this police outpost to that of a police station. The proposed land, after the transfer, will be used for construction, establishment and operation of the police station.Establishment of this station at Cuttack, adjacent to the CRRI, would strengthen the security of the Institute and its employees; and would also be beneficial to the people living in the area.

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/union-cabinet-approves-transfer-of-crri-land-to-set-up-police-station/89635/
Thailand’s drought crisis could knock down growth

BY EDITORON 2015-06-26THAILAND

THE NATION
Description: 30263147-01_big.JPG?1435271619552
Sommai says spending power will be hit if govt measures aren’t strong enough

BANGKOK: — IF government measures on tackling the drought are weak, the economy could be dragged down by more than half a percentage point this year owing to dampened spending power, Finance Minister Sommai Phasee warned yesterday. “If the growth rate forecast is at 3.5 per cent, it could shrink to 3 per cent,” he said, adding that if measures were strong enough, the growth rate should not be cut by any more than 0.5 percentage points.But he said the drought problem should be solved soon, as in-flows into dams tend to rise in the later months of the year. However, to help alleviate the problem immediately, state agencies should come up with measures to help farmers and consumers affected by the dry season, he added.The minister has instructed the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives to provide a debt moratorium – on both the principal and interest rate – to farmers for about six months.
Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya said his ministry and the Interior Ministry would send mobile units to 35 affected provinces to sell essential goods at cheaper prices to help people out.The ministry’s Business Development Department plans to encourage local businesses to employ affected farmers, while the ministry also plans to sell packs of rice directly to consumers.Apart from clearing the government rice stockpile, the ministry also plans to sell 1.33 million tonnes of rotten rice to ethanol-production plants.Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), said that if the government’s measures cannot ease the crisis, there was a chance that domestic consumption would be affected further. Hence, he suggested the government should create farm zones to match water supply and encourage farmers to opt for crops that demand less water.
Meanwhile, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Peetipong Phuengbun na Ayutthaya said some 4 million rai was used for rice farming in the Chao Phraya Basin.“Of that, some 500,000 rai are being worked on even after rice farmers in the area were told to delay sowing their crop,” he said, adding that more than 800,000 rai of paddy fields were at risk of withering given the water shortage.This year’s rainy season has yet to bring a significant amount of rain.Peetipong said the drought could become a real crisis if adequate rain does not arrive by early August.“If this happens, there will be an impact on tap water, on driving out seawater and on the agricultural sector,” he said.Somsak Chailert, a farmer from Pathum Thani province, said he sowed rice in his 100-rai farm early last month. “At that time, the government said it was okay to start growing rice,” he said.
 “We were told there would be irrigation for our farmland.”But now, he was really worried his crop would wither due to water shortage. The level of water in a local canal has dropped to just 40 centimetres, which has to be maintained to stop adjacent roads from crumbling. Somsak said he hoped the government would step in to help farmers.In Lop Buri, another province in the Chao Phraya Basin, the Pasak Jolasid Dam only has 69.84 million cubic metres of water, which accounts for just 7.3 per cent of the dam’s capacity.“Not a single drop of water has come into this dam for more than a week,” Attaporn Panyachom, the director of Irrigation Office 10 in Lop Buri, said.He said the amount of water discharged from the dam would have to be reduced, and warned fish farmers who rely on water from the dam to be ready.“If possible, please stop farming fish,” he said.In addition to local farmers, more than 150,000 people in Lop Buri’s Phattana Nikhom district are getting very worried that their taps may run dry.
http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/thailands-drought-crisis-could-knock-down-growth/101683/
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Jun 26

Nagpur, June 26 Gram and tuar prices recovered in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and
Marketing Committee (APMC) here on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing regions. Notable rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses, weak overseas arrival and reported demand from South-based millers also pushed up prices, according to sources.

               *            *              *              *

    FOODGRAINS & PULSES
    GRAM
   * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.

     TUAR
   * Tuar varieties quoted static in open market here on subdued demand from local
     traders amid ample stock in ready position.     

   * Rice HMT Shriram recovered further in open market on increased demand from local
     traders amid weak arrival from producing belts like Chhattisgarh and Madhya
     Pradesh.
                                                                                             
   * In Akola, Tuar - 7,300-7,700, Tuar dal - 10,100-10,500, 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 - 5,900-6,000
     for 100 kg.

   * Wheat, other varieties of rice and other commodities remained steady in open market
     in weak trading activity, according to sources.
      
 Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

     FOODGRAINS                 Available prices     Previous close  
     Gram Auction                   3,600-4,430         3,520-4,420
     Gram Pink Auction            n.a.           2,100-2,600
     Tuar Auction                6,000-7,055         6,000-6,070
     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            6,000-6,100        6,000-6,100
     Gram Super Best            n.a.               
     Gram Medium Best            5,600-5,700        5,600-5,700
     Gram Dal Medium            n.a.            n.a.
     Gram Mill Quality            5,200-5,400        5,200-5,400
     Desi gram Raw                4,250-4,350         4,250-4,350
     Gram Filter new            5,700-5,900        5,700-5,900
     Gram Kabuli                5,500-7,000        5,500-5,700
     Gram Pink                6,400-6,600        6,400-6,600
     Tuar Fataka Best             10,500-10,800        10,500-10,800
     Tuar Fataka Medium             9,900-10,300        9,900-10,300
     Tuar Dal Best Phod            9,500-9,700        9,500-9,700
     Tuar Dal Medium phod            8,800-9,300        8,800-9,300
     Tuar Gavarani New             7,300-7,400        7,300-7,400
     Tuar Karnataka             7,900-8,000        7,900-8,000
     Tuar Black                 10,900-11,200           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               10,000-10,300       10,000-10,300
     Moong Mogar Medium best        9,500-9,800        9,500-9,800
     Moong dal Chilka            8,600-9,200        8,600-9,200
     Moong Mill quality            n.a.            n.a.
     Moong Chamki best            9,600-9,900        9,600-9,900
     Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG)    11,500-11,750       11,500-11,750
     Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)    10,600-10,800        10,600-10,800
     Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)        8,900-9,200        8,900-9,200
     Batri dal (100 INR/KG)        4,000-4,600        4,000-4,600
     Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)           3,200-3,350         3,200-3,350
     Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,400        3,200-3,400
     Watana White (100 INR/KG)        3,200-3,300         3,200-3,300
     Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)    3,600-4,500        3,600-4,500
     Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)        1,400-1,600        1,400-1,600
     Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG)    1,500-1,650        1,500-1,650
     Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)        1,400-1,600           1,400-1,600
     Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)    2,200-2,400        2,200-2,400
     Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG)    1,900-2,100        1,900-2,100
     Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)    n.a.            n.a.
     MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG)    3,100-3,650        3,100-3,650
     MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG)    2,500-2,850        2,500-2,850
     Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG)        1,400-1,500        1,400-1,500
     Wheat Best (100 INR/KG)        1,900-2,100        1,900-2,100    
     Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG)        2,600-2,800        2,600-2,800
     Rice BPT (100 INR/KG)               3,000-3,300        3,000-3,300
     Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)        1,500-1,750        1,500-1,750
     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)    4,300-4,600        4,200-4,500
     Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG)    4,500-5,100        4,500-5,000    
     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)        5,200-5,600        5,200-5,600
     Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)        2,200-2,450        2,200-2,450
     Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)        2,500-2,600        2,500-2,600

WEATHER (NAGPUR) 
Maximum temp. 33.9 degree Celsius (93.0 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.6 degree Celsius (76.3 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : nil
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night.
Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 35 and 25 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/06/26/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N0ZC2YM20150626

Vietnam's Jan-June rice exports drop 6.2 pct y/y

Fri Jun 26, 2015 2:53am GMT

HANOI, June 26 (Reuters) - Vietnam's rice exports in the first half of 2015 are estimated to have dropped 6.2 percent from the same period last year to 3.05 million tonnes, the Agriculture Ministry said on Friday.Revenue from the grain exports in the six-month period will reach an estimated $1.32 billion, down 10.5 percent from a year ago, the ministry said in a monthly report.Vietnam, the world's third-largest rice exporter after India and Thailand, could ship 6.5 million tonnes of the grain in 2015, unchanged from the previous year, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization has said. (Reporting by Ho Binh Minh; Editing by Martin Petty)
http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N0Z922J20150626

Bountiful June showers boost kharif planting

OUR BUREAUS
NEW DELHI/BENGALURU, JUNE 26:  
Description: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/multimedia/dynamic/02452/bl27_rice_acreage_2452638f.jpgThe rapid progress of the south-west monsoon across the country has accelerated the sowing pace of key kharif crops such as rice, pulses, oilseeds and cotton. The south-west monsoon, the lifeline of India’s agriculture, has covered the country two weeks ahead of schedule. Agriculture Ministry data showed that kharif planting has been done in 165.62 lakh hectares so far this year, against 134.18 lakh hectares in the corresponding period last year, up 23 per cent. The increase has been largely driven by higher plantings of pulses, coarse cereals, oilseeds and cotton.While rice has been sown/transplanted in 23.28 lakh ha (against 25.04 lakh ha last year), and pulses acreage stood at 11.04 lakh ha (6.14 lakh ha). Coarse cereals were sown in 19.28 lakh ha (16.74 lakh ha), oilseeds in 27.89 lakh ha (5.29 lakh ha), and cotton in 34.87 lakh ha (29.07 lakh ha), an official release said.
The country as a whole has received 167.5 mm of rains during the June 1-26 period, about 27 per cent excess over the normal weighted average for the period. Half of the 36 metrological sub divisions, covering 65 per cent of the country’s geographical area, have received excess rainfall so far.Thirteen sub divisions, accounting for 24 per cent of the area, have received normal rains, while only five sub divisions, accounting for 11 per cent of the country’s total area, have received deficient rainfall during the period.The better-than-normal rain so far has helped improve the water levels in the main reservoirs across the country that stood at 43.222 billion cubic metres as of June 25, accounting for 27 per cent of the total capacity of 155.799 billion cubic metres.
Water level higher
According to the Central Water Commission, which monitors the live storage of 91 important reservoirs, the current water level is 11 per cent greater than the corresponding last year period and 46 per cent higher than the last 10 years’ average.The States having better storage than last year for the corresponding period are Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Those having the same storage as the corresponding period last year are Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have lesser storage than the previous year period.
(This article was published on June 26, 2015)

Effect of PM Modi’s China visit: Chinese inspectors may allow Indian beef exports

By Dilasha Seth, ET Bureau | 26 Jun, 2015, 04.45AM IST
Indian bovine meat and meat products have been denied entry into China on grounds of alleged foot-and-mouth disease.NEW DELHI: Beef may be having rough days under the BJP government, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China last monthmay have cleared the way for export of the meat to the world's biggest market two years after an agreement was signed. Agri-products such as pomegranate, non-basmati rice and okra could also find their way to China as India steps up efforts to reduce the imbalance in bilateral trade. 

Beijing will send an inspection team next month to examine meat plants in India so that the facilities can be cleared for exports. Indian bovine meat and meat products have been denied entry into China on grounds of alleged foot-and-mouth disease. "China's quarantine inspectors are coming to inspect bovine meat facilities in July, which is two years after the memorandum of understanding was signed. We are hopeful that it will clear the way for our agri exports," said a government official. "This will help address the issue of trade deficit to some extent, which, if not addressed, could reach unsustainable levels." 
Description: Effect of PM Modi’s China visit: Chinese inspectors may allow Indian beef exportsIndia's trade deficit with China widened to $48 billion in 2014-15 from $36 billion the previous year. Taking no chances with the bilateral process, India also questioned China's decision to continue curbs on Indian buffalo meat imports at an agriculture committee meeting of the World Trade Organization in April. China's demand for Indian buffalo meat is estimated at about $1.5 billion a year. India became the world's top beef exporter last year.
Bovine meat overtook basmati rice as the country's single largest agri export item in 2014-15, posting a 10% growth to $4.79 billion. China is among the top beef consumers and depends on imports to meet domestic demand. India has also asked China to approve the export clearance process for agri items such as pomegranate, okra, non-basmati rice and cucumber. China recently allowed Indian mangoes, basmati rice, rape seed and oil cakes. "Chinese are mainly non-basmati rice consumers, with their annual imports ranging between $36-40 billion. So we are asking them to certify our clearance procedures for non-basmati rice.
Description: Indian bovine meat and meat products have been denied entry into China on grounds of alleged foot-and-mouth disease.They have said that they will look into it," said the official. India wants China to allow 17 farm products that it has restricted citing sanitary and phyto sanitary conditions, also considered non-tariff barriers. "Since mango they have already cleared, we are pushing for pomegranate, okra, grapes and cucumbers in the next lot," said the official. Indian fruit and vegetables and non-basmati rice have an export potential worth $1-2 billion annually, according to estimates. India has asked China to expedite export clearance for tobacco, bitter gourd, papaya, guava, brinjal, custard apple, cabbage, capsicum and beans, among others. India's exports to China fell almost 20% to $12 billion in 2014-15, while imports rose to $60 billion.
According to a foreign trade policy statement issued by India's department of commerce in April, the trade deficit with China could widen to $60 billion in the next two years if the two countries don't address market access constraints and non-tariff barriers imposed on Indian goods. India has proposed that exports from packaging units with certification from Indian quarantine authorities be recognised by the Chinese authorities. India has been strongly pushing for elimination of non-tariff barriers by China in various sectors including agriculture, IT, pharma and auto components.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/effect-of-pm-modis-china-visit-chinese-inspectors-may-allow-indian-beef-exports/articleshow/47822924.cms
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/jun/26/u-s-panel-chews-over-meat-labels-201506/?f=news-arkansas&utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+June+26%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Amira Nature Foods Ltd Participates in Summer Fancy Food Show 2015 in the United States

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.
Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:00am EDT
Amira Nature Foods Ltd Participates in Summer Fancy Food Show 2015 in the United States
Amira Nature Foods participates in largest specialty food trade event in North America; more than 25,000 buyers are expected to attend
Amira Nature Foods Ltd (NYSE: ANFI), a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice, announced today that Amira will be showcasing their new organic collections and all-natural dry rice range products at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City on June 28th – 30th.
Amira creates an experience with a variety of Amira rice dishes to sample and a henna tattoo artist at booth #5413 in the North Hall of the show held in the Javits Center.Chef Daniel Shemtob, founder of the Lime Truck and winner of the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, will be at the booth preparing an exclusive menu featuring Amira Basmati rice for a taste of India paired with modern cuisine to sample. Dishes will include Vegetable Green Curry, Middle Eastern Rice Salad and Pomegranate Walnut Stew over Amira Basmati rice.Amira will also have “Basmati Bikes” stationed in front of the Javits Center offering free pedicab rides to show guests.
“Summer Fancy Food Show is an ideal trade show for the Amira Brand as we build our brand in North America,” said Karan A Chanana, Chairman of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. “Participating in this show is another opportunity to introduce the Amira Brand to major industry retailers from around the world.”
About Amira Nature Foods Ltd
Founded in 1915, Amira has evolved into a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice and other products, with sales in over 60 countries today. The Company primarily sells Basmati rice, which is a premium long-grain rice grown only in certain regions of the Indian sub-continent, under its flagship Amira brand as well as under other third party brands. Amira sells its products through a broad distribution network in both the developed and emerging markets. The Company’s global headquarters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it also has offices in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Amira Nature Foods Ltd is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol “ANFI.”
For more information, please visit www.amira.net
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “except,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “future” or other similar expressions.
 We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our goals and strategies; our expansion plans; and our future business development. We would like to caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and you should read these statements in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed in “Risk Factors” appearing in our Annual Report on Form 20-F as well as our other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Those risks are not exhaustive and reflect our expectations as of the date of this press release. We operate in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law.
Description: http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&sty=20150626005264r1&sid=hptr4&distro=nx&lang=enView source version
Amira Nature Foods Ltd
Bruce Wacha, 201-960-0745
Chief Financial Officer

Amira Nature Foods : Participates in Summer Fancy Food Show 2015 in the United States


06/26/2015 | 08:02am US/Eastern
Amira Nature Foods participates in largest specialty food trade event in North America; more than 25,000 buyers are expected to attend
Amira Nature Foods Ltd (NYSE: ANFI), a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice, announced today that Amira will be showcasing their new organic collections and all-natural dry rice range products at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City on June 28th – 30th.Amira creates an experience with a variety of Amira rice dishes to sample and a henna tattoo artist at booth #5413 in the North Hall of the show held in the Javits Center.Chef Daniel Shemtob, founder of the Lime Truck and winner of the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, will be at the booth preparing an exclusive menu featuring Amira Basmati rice for a taste of India paired with modern cuisine to sample.
Dishes will include Vegetable Green Curry, Middle Eastern Rice Salad and Pomegranate Walnut Stew over Amira Basmati rice.Amira will also have “Basmati Bikes” stationed in front of the Javits Center offering free pedicab rides to show guests.“Summer Fancy Food Show is an ideal trade show for the Amira Brand as we build our brand in North America,” said Karan A Chanana, Chairman of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. “Participating in this show is another opportunity to introduce the Amira Brand to major industry retailers from around the world.”
About Amira Nature Foods Ltd
Founded in 1915, Amira has evolved into a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice and other products, with sales in over 60 countries today. The Company primarily sells Basmati rice, which is a premium long-grain rice grown only in certain regions of the Indian sub-continent, under its flagship Amira brand as well as under other third party brands. Amira sells its products through a broad distribution network in both the developed and emerging markets. The Company’s global headquarters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it also has offices in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Amira Nature Foods Ltd is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol “ANFI.”
For more information, please visit www.amira.net
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “except,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “future” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our goals and strategies; our expansion plans; and our future business development.
We would like to caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and you should read these statements in conjunction with the risk factors disclosed in “Risk Factors” appearing in our Annual Report on Form 20-F as well as our other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Those risks are not exhaustive and reflect our expectations as of the date of this press release. We operate in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for our management to predict all risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements except as required under applicable law.
Description: http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=bwnews&sty=20150626005264r1&sid=9129&distro=ftpView source version on businesswire.com:http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150626005264/en/

Saving Laos From Global Warming

BY JOSEPH HINCKS / JUNE 25, 2015 5:35 AM EDT
Description: 06_26_LaosRockets_01
Farmers stand ankle-deep in a muddy rice paddy field transplanting rice saplings in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 17, 2013. Though the country is developing fast, the rice farmers that make up its backbone face an uncertain future due to deforestation and extreme weather. TIPS/ZUMA

Every May, when commercial airline pilot Benja Henderson flies in and out of Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, he has to navigate a perennial hazard: rockets flying over the great Mekong River.  These projectiles are not the products of battle, despite the area’s history of sky-borne destruction—a covert war waged by the CIA brought over 2 million tons of ordnance down on Laos between 1964 and 1973. They’re part of an ancient agrarian ritual. At the height of Laos’s dry season, says Henderson, flight paths are modified as thousands of villagers up and down the country fire ballistics at the troposphere during boun bang fai, or rocket festivals. The rockets—PVC tubes packed with charcoal, bat excrement, sulfur and sometimes more than 250 pounds of gunpowder—are meant to provoke the irascible sky god Phaya Thaen into stirring up storms and nudge him to honoring a rain-sending pact he made with the Toad King, an incarnation of the Buddha.Rocket festivals are a reminder that the fragile relationship between agriculture and climate in Laos is imperiled.

 From the riverine paddies to the limestone karst, Laos’ subsistence farmers—about 80 percent of the rural population—depend on getting the right amount of rain at the right time. But in recent years, changes in global climate have resulted in long dry seasons, and then short, intense rainy seasons that drown cropland. Flooding destroys around 60,000 hectares of rice in Laos annually, and that number is expected to rise.  Rigorous International Water Management Institute analyses of Mekong basin rainfall from 1953 to 2004 showed a trend of longer dry seasons, and wet seasons with shorter but more intense bouts of rainfall.  Extreme weather in Laos isn’t just destructive; it’s deadly. In 2011, the Southeast Asian floods destroyed over 140,000 homes in Laos, leaving nearly 430,000 homeless, and killed at least 30 according to the U.N. In 2013, floods killed 20 people.On a recent Sunday in Phognern Village, less than 10 miles outside of Vientiane, guards with rifles slung over their shoulders ushered garlanded Hyundai trucks past vendors selling scouring pads, laundry detergent and kitchen knives.
Description: 06_26_LaosRockets_02
 Some trucks carried rockets in 30-foot-long bamboo cases. On one truck, a monk sat atop stacked speakers that blared mor lam, the Laotian country music popular in the region; farmers in drag followed another truck, thrusting wooden phalluses at the sky.Under the eaves of a stilt house set back from the highway, Khanjana Ounmany pours rice whiskey for friends seated on plastic lawn chairs. “The fields are very dry, and the water from the river is not enough. That is why we need to ask for rain,” he says through an interpreter. Khanjana, who now works for an architecture firm in the capital, had come home to celebrate boun bang fai with his family. As he toasts the start of the planting season, a loud crash sends drinkers scampering under the awnings as a rocket lodged in the gap between two aluminum roofs scatters burnt plastic onto their plates of fried grasshoppers and bowls of duck-blood soup.Phognern’s growing population and the creep of the Vientiane suburbs has scaled down the rocket festival. “Before, there were few houses and no roads. It was all rice fields,” Khanjana says. For Laotians like Khanjana and his brother Kiengkay, a lecturer at National University of Laos, development has delivered opportunities unknown to their farmer parents. Economic growth helped reduce poverty rates from 46 percent in 1992 to around 23 percent in 2013, according to the World Bank.

The annual Rocket festival in North Laos is a tradition where rockets shot toward the sky are meant to summon rain, crucial for rice cultivation in the region. BERTRAND LINET/GETTY
But many in the village still depend on Phaya Thaen’s response to the rockets. Flooding and drought, which hit at different times and intensities across the country’s hilly topography, can be devastating to subsistence farmers, the majority of whom own less than two hectares of land. “We cannot get much yield from the rice if the rain pattern is not normal,” Kiengkay says.
Climate change isn’t the only threat to rural livelihoods. The spate of investment that has enabled Laos to post remarkable growth rates in its gross domestic product for the past nine years has added pressure to vulnerable systems. Between 2000 and 2009, Laotian land deals for agribusiness, mining, hydropower and other industrial development increased fiftyfold. The problem is that much of this development has clipped back Laotian forest.

According to the Laos government, only 41.5 percent of the country’s land area remains forested. Food and Agriculture Organization  studies indicate that deforestation makes soil more vulnerable to erosion and decreases fertility.Poorly regulated foreign investment has displaced people as well as forest. Land leases drive communities off their land without adequate consultation or compensation. There has also been government harassment, intimidation and arbitrary detention of land rights defenders who objected. One particularly troubling example of what can happen to those who speak out was the abduction of internationally acclaimed community development worker Sombath Somphone. CCTV footage showed Sombath being stopped by police in Vientiane in December 2012 and then driven off in a pickup truck. He has not been seen since. The same month, Anne-Sophie Gindroz, then country director of Swiss agricultural development organization Helvetes, was given 48 hours to leave Laos after writing a letter considered critical of the government.But despite the political peril, many are stepping up to help Laotian farmers. Aid agencies, for example, are improving water management systems and introducing more climate-resilient rice varieties.

And technologies such as the International Rice Research Institute’s prototype WeRise system—which combines real time weather forecasts with crop models and nutrient management tools to enable farmers to plant the most suitable crop at the right time—offer hope to some.The government has a plan to increase rice production, secure land rights, introduce more climate resilient varieties and improve quality to meet the demands of the export market.One option is to expand and modernize an ancient practice: rice-fish farming. In these biodiverse systems, fish and other aquatic creatures are cultivated alongside rice in flooded paddies. Commercialization of rice-fish farming in Indonesia and other countries has improved rice yields as well as aquatic protein for consumption and sale.But for upland subsistence farmers who till some 400,000 hectares outside the lowland paddies that the government has earmarked for protection and development, prospects remain bleak. Michael Trockenbrodt, who runs workshops about the value of biodiversity in some of Laos’s most remote areas, says farmers are left to debate why their crops are failing. “Some people say bad luck, some people say bad spirits.

Some people say straight away, deforestation—that we don’t have any forest anymore,” he says.Back in Phognern Village, a country band played to a crowd in a field strewn with empty beer bottles and taffeta. The last of the rockets had been launched, and revelers drank under fading vapor trails. On the horizon, thick cumulus created a haze that blocked out the afternoon sun.Phongsavanh Phommavongsa, dripping with sweat, smearing white makeup across his cheeks, was among the dancers near the stage. “The rockets are going to work,” he shouted over the music. “If the rains don’t come in 15 days, you can cut off my head.”


http://www.newsweek.com/2015/07/03/saving-laos-global-warming-346583.html

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