11th October , 2013
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China to buy 1 million tonnes of Thai rice 3 Billion baht to be injected into rice compensation fund Climate-resilient traditional rice poised for comeback in Sri Lanka Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Oct 11 – Reuters TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi-Oct 11 Cultivation of new Basmati variety proves profitable’ Cyclone Phailin: Mass evacuations in eastern India Government urged to begin paddy procurement from farmers Very severe' Cyclone Philin heads for Odisha, Andhra Pradesh at wind speed of 200 km per hour
NEWS Detail: China to buy 1 million tonnes of Thai rice Published: 11 Oct 2013 at 16.25:Online news: News China has agreed to buy one million tonnes of Thai rice over the next five years, Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach said on Friday.However, Beijing has denied earlier claims made by Thai officials about other rice orders totalling 1.2 million tonnes.The deal announced by Mr Yanyong involves China's largest oil, cereals and foodstuffs import and export corporation, Cofco, a state enterprise.The documents were signed on Friday with the Thai Rice Exporters Association. Cofco would buy rice directly from Thai traders, not from government stocks. Rice farmers work in a paddy field in Mukdahan province. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha).Mr Yanyong did not reveal any details of the price arrangements, but traders were more forthcoming. He also did not say when the purchases would begin.Asked about concerns about the quality of Thai rice, given that much of it has been stored for a long time, Mr Yanyong said the Chinese buyers could send surveyors to inspect quality of the grain.Other countries interested in buying Thai rice were also welcome to send people to inspect the quality of
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the rice, he said.Chookiat Ophaswongse, honourary president of the exporters' association, confirmed the memorandum of understanding. He said it would involve 200,000 tonnes of Hom Mali, white and glutinous rice annually over a period of five years, He said rice quality was not a concern as Cofco orders rice from Thai trading firms that are members of the association every year, such as Asia Golden Rice, Thai Fah and Capital Cereals.The value of the rice purchase deal would be around US$750 million, based on an average price for all kinds of rice at $750 per tonne, Mr Chookiat said.He said the deal would not affect the price of Thai rice this year, as there would be no deliveries for the moment. Rice prices were expected to increase when the ordered rice is delivered.A memorandum of understanding is an agreement in principle, not a commitment.China, meanwhile, has thrown cold water on earlier claims by Thai officials of another government-to-government deal.Visiting Premier Li Keqiang confirmed that purchases over the next five years would be from private firms, making no mention of 1.2 million tonnes that the government claimed last month as sold in a government-to-government deal.His comments came in an article published by Thai media and on the Chinese central government website (www.gov.cn). "Thailand is famous for rice production among other farm products and China is willing to support domestic firms to import 1 million tonnes of Thai rice in 5 years, in addition to other agricultural products," Li wrote in the article.Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan has said government stocks would fall to 10 million tonnes by the end of the year after 5 million tonnes have been shipped out. But the Chinese state-owned agribusiness he named as having bought 1.2 million tonnes of Thai rice has denied signing any contract."We have never imported Thai rice and we only source rice locally," said an official with the Heilongjiang Beidahuang Rice Industry Group Co Ltd.Indonesia and the Philippines, the other importers mentioned by Mr Niwatthamrong as buyers, also said no such business has taken place."We have bought a total of 205,000 tonnes this year, all from Vietnam," said Rex Estoperez, spokesman of the Philippines' National Food Authority."Nothing from Thailand and I am not aware of any recent meeting between the Philippines and Thailand on a rice deal. We don't need to buy more this year."In Jakarta, Sutarto Alimoeso, chief executive of state procurement body Bulog, said there was no deal with Thailand
3 Billion baht to be injected into rice compensation fund Friday, 11 October 2013By NNT
BANGKOK, 10 October 2013 - The National Rice Policy Committee has approved an injection of 3 billion baht into a scheme to pay compensation to farmers who could not pledge rice in time for the 2012/2013
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harvesting season ending September 30.Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan said after the meeting of the NRPC committee that the meeting addressed the issue of rice growers who could not harvest in time for the September 30 deadline.The meeting resolved to propose to the cabinet an allocation of 3 billion baht to pay to the farmers 2,500 baht for each ton of rice mortgaged with the government.As for rice growers who have yet to receive payment for their pledged rice accounting for 300,000 tons, the Minister revealed that the amount is currently being processed.
Climate-resilient traditional rice poised for comeback in Sri Lanka Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Fri, 11 Oct 2013 07:15 AM
A farmer holds rice plants destroyed in floods in Sri Lanka's northeastern Polonnaruwa District. THOMSON REUTERS
FOUNDATION/Amantha Perera
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Ankumbura, a remote village in Sri Lanka’s Central Province, has a unique feature: It has resisted the mass shift to hybrid rice varieties that has swept Sri Lanka in the last six decades.Sri Lanka’s first hybrid rice variety was unveiled about 60 years back. It was a harbinger of change and since then over six dozen new rice varieties have been released.Today about 15 hybrid varieties dominate Sri Lanka’s staple rice harvest, expected to reach over 4.5m metric tons this year, rice experts say. These varieties account for over 70 percent of the harvest, and are valued because of their high production and
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quick growth, with the most popular varieties maturing in less than three and a half months.But traditional rice varieties – like those grown in Ankumbura – may be poised for a comeback in the face of growing climate change pressures. Experts say most are much more resilient to Sri Lanka’s increasing extreme weather – and can offer higher incomes to growers and health benefits for those who eat them.“They are extremely strong and can withstand drought and flood much better than the popular varieties,” said Chatura Rodrigo, a research economist at the Colombo-based Institute of Policy Studies. Soon after gaining independence from colonial rule in 1948, Sri Lanka set about improving rice production, particularly by introducing new varieties that could produce a high yield in a short growing season.As farmers took up the new varieties, old traditional varieties suffered. By 2009, they accounted for less than 1 percent of Sri Lanka’s total rice production.But in Ankumbura, they have survived. Manjula Wijesinghe, an agrarian instructor with the government-run Agriculture Service Centre said that there were around 100 farmers who continue to grow traditional varieties. BENEFITS OF OLD VARIETIES
“This is a very traditional village, and most of the production is for the growers’ consumption,” Wijesinghe said. Recently, however, local farmers have been able to make inroads into broader markets as traditional rice varieties are recognised for their health benefits, including low sugar content, which can appeal to diabetics and those looking to lose weight.“There is some demand for traditional varieties as a much more healthy choice. It’s growing slowly,” Wijesinghe said.But the ability of traditional rice varieties to resist weather extremes may be their biggest attraction. In a recent research paper titled Use of Traditional Paddy Cultivation as a Means of Climate Change Adaptation in Sri Lanka, Rodrigo explained that the traditional varieties could be kept in seedling nurseries for as long as three months while the hybrids do not last longer than four weeks.“In a case of drought, heavy rainfall, or floods, the traditional varieties are capable of surviving in the nursery until the field conditions are favourable for planting,” Rodrigo explained.The researcher said that the traditional varieties are taller and have a stronger stem, allowing them to withstand rains, winds and heavy evaporation. Having been developed in Sri Lanka, they are also particularly suited to the region, he said.“These are varieties that were grown in Sri Lanka for centuries before being replaced quite rapidly in the last sixty years,” he said.Rodrigo said that planting of traditional rice varieties should be promoted, given the vulnerability of the country’s vital rice crop to extreme weather events. In the last three years, the rice harvest has fluctuated, sometimes wildly, after heavy rains and droughts destroyed crops. BUT POPULAR?
Nimal Dissanayake, the head of the country’s Rice Research Institute, agreed that traditional varieties could withstand rough weather better than the hybrids, but said that rebuilding their popularity would be a stiff task.“People would have to develop a taste for the traditional varieties,” Dissanayake said, noting that 90 percent of paddy land in Sri Lanka is today planted with popular hybrid varieties that mature quickly and taste
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sweeter than traditional varieties.Dissanayake also pointed out that paddy cultivation has become heavily dependent on fertilizer and pest control to maximize yields, and traditional varieties normally were grown without fertilizer or pesticides before they fell out of favour.He said the best locations to bring back growing of traditional varieties would be in particularly wet zones that account for about 20 percent of national production. Due to poor soil quality, yields in wet zones are low, and traditional varieties could make inroads in the region because they can be sold for a higher price, earning farmers a bigger profit, he said.Traditional varieties are twice as expensive as some hybrid varieties in some of the country’s markets.But persuading farmers to begin growing traditional rice varieties will need “a long-term plan and incentives for the farmers to shift,” he said. Amantha Perera is a freelance writer based in Sri Lanka. He can be followed on Twitter at @AmanthaP
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-Oct 11 – Reuters Fri Oct 11, 2013 2:42pm IST Nagpur, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Gram prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) jacked up on increased festival season demand from local millers amid tight supply from producing regions. Notable rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and enquiries from South-based millers also helped to push up prices, according to sources. *
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FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Deshi gram raw showed weak tendency in open market in absence of buyers amid high moisture content arrival. TUAR * Tuar black reported down in open market on lack of demand from local traders amid increased supply from producing regions. * Lakhodi dal moved down sharply in open market on poor buying support from local traders amid profit-taking selling by stockists at higher level. * In Akola, Tuar - 4,100-4,300, Tuar dal - 6,300-6,500, Udid at 4,700-4,900, Udid Mogar (clean) - 5,500-5,800, Moong - 6,000-6,400, Moong Mogar (clean) 7,100-7,300, Gram - 2,800-3,000, Gram Super best bold - 4,000-4,200 for 100 kg.
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* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading activity, according to sources. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 2,460-3,150 2,450-3,080 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,750-4,150 Moong Auction n.a. 3,800-4,000 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 4,300-4,500 4,300-4,500 Gram Super Best n.a. Gram Medium Best 3,850-4,100 3,850-4,100 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a. Gram Mill Quality 3,700-3,800 3,700-3,800 Deshi gram Raw 3,100-3,200 3,150-3,250 Gram Filter Yellow n.a. n.a. Gram Kabuli 7,700-10,000 7,700-10,000 Gram Pink 7,600-8,000 7,600-8,000 Tuar Fataka Best 6,700-6,800 6,700-6,800 Tuar Fataka Medium 6,400-6,500 6,400-6,500 Tuar Dal Best Phod 6,000-6,100 6,000-6,100 Tuar Dal Medium phod 5,600-5,800 5,600-5,800 Tuar Gavarani 4,200-4,300 4,200-4,300 Tuar Karnataka 4,100-4,200 4,100-4,200 Tuar Black 7,000-7,100 7,000-7,200 Masoor dal best 5,400-5,500 5,400-5,500 Masoor dal medium 5,000-5,100 5,000-5,100 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold 7,200-7,500 7,200-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium best 6,800-7,100 6,800-7,100 Moong dal super best 6,200-6,500 6,200-6,500 Moong dal Chilka 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 6,200-6,800 6,200-6,800 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,500 5,000-5,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,000 4,800-5,000 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 3,700-3,800 3,700-3,800 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,800-2,900 2,900-3,000
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Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,350-3,400 3,350-3,400 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,400 3,300-3,400 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 7,800-8,000 7,800-8,000 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,550-1,600 1,550-1,600 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,300 1,850-2,300 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,900 1,700-1,900 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,600 3,100-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,900 2,600-2,900 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,500 1,400-1,500 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,600 1,500-1,600 Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,500 2,800-3,500 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500 Rice Swarna Best (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice Swarna Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,250 2,000-2,250 Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 4,100-4,500 4,100-4,500 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,300-4,850 4,300-4,850 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-12,500 10,000-12,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,200-7,500 6,200-7,500 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,400 4,900-5,400 Rice Chinnor Medium (100 INR/KG) 4,300-4,700 4,300-4,700 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,650 1,500-1,650 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 29.2 degree Celsius (84.5 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp. 22.7 degree Celsius (72.9 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - 100 per cent, lowest - 77 per cent. Rainfall : n.a. FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 29 and 23 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
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TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi-Oct 11 Fri Oct 11, 2013 3:08pm IST
TABLE-India Grain Prices - Delhi - Oct 11 Rates by Asian News International, New Delhi Tel: 011 2619 1464 Indicative Previous Grains opening close (in rupees per 100 kg unless stated) ---------------------------------------------------------Wheat Desi 2,250-2,550 2,250-2,550. Wheat Dara 1,655-1,755 1,675-1,775. Atta Chakki (per 10 Kg) 210-235 210-235. Roller Mill (per bag) 1,715-1,870 1,710-1,875. Maida (per bag) 1,850-1,950 1,850-1,950. Sooji (per bag) 1,810-1,910 1,810-1,910. Rice Basmati(Sri Lal Mahal) 12,000 12,000. Rice Basmati(Lal Quila) 11,000 11,000. Rice Basmati(Common) 7,225-7,825 7,250-7,850. Rice Permal 2,425-2,525 2,450-2,550. Rice Sela 3,110-3,210 3,100-3,200. I.R.-8 2,250-2,350 2,250-2,350. Gram 3,200-4,150 3,200-4,150. Peas Green 3,250-3,350 3,250-3,350. Peas White 2,600-2,700 2,600-2,700. Bajra 3,150-3,250 3,150-3,250. Jowar white 2,450-2,675 2,450-2,675. Maize 1,500-1,550 1,500-1,550. Barley 1,320-1,450 1,310-1,445. Guwar 3,310-3,710 3,310-3,710. Source: Delhi grain market traders.
Cultivation of new Basmati variety proves profitable’ KARNAL, OCT 11:
Cultivation of new variety of paddy namely Pusa Basmati-1509 has proved very profitable to the farmers of Haryana as yield of this variety, which is 20 to 22 quintals per acre, could fetch farmers Rs 75,000, a Haryana Agriculture Department spokesman said today.Apart from being high yielding, it is also a short duration variety
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and takes less time in cultivation, he said, adding that PUSA-1509 variety has become immensely popular among the farmers due to its high yield as compared to Pusa-1121.The agriculture scientists are of the view that this variety would replace the Pusa-1121 variety as it is an improved version.District Karnal is famous in the entire country for its basmati production. The basmati produced in Karnal also has high demand in Europe, he said and added that Anaj Mandi of Taraori is considered to be a big mandi of basmati.He said that the arrival of Pusa-1509 variety of paddy has already started in this mandi.Farmers have got up to Rs 3,800 per quintal and 20 to 22 quintals per acre is being produced.The farmers have been getting up to Rs 75,000 for their yield. The procurement is being carried out by different agencies in various mandis of the district. He said according to the experts, PUSA-1509 is very aromatic and long grained, hence has a great demand in foreign countries.It could be marketed in Arab countries, the US, the Europe and other countries and would get best prices in world market, he added.Giving details of the Pusa-1509, the spokesman said that after sowing, this variety is ready for harvesting in 85 to 90 days.He said that the right time for sowing this variety is from July 20-25.During the current season, this variety of paddy has been sown in about 50,000 hectares of land in various regions, including Haryana and Punjab.About 200 quintal seeds have been given to farmers this year and next year more area would be covered under it, he added. (This article was published on October 11, 2013) Keywords: New paddy variety, proves profitable, Pusa Basmati-1509, very profitable, high yielding, short duration, Pusa-1121
Cyclone Phailin: Mass evacuations in eastern India Sanjoy Majumder reports on preparations being made as the cyclone approaches
More than 400,000 people in India have been evacuated as a massive cyclone sweeps through the Bay of Bengal towards the east coast. Cyclone Phailin, categorised as "very severe" by weather forecasters, is expected to hit Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states on Saturday evening.The Meteorological Department has predicted the storm will bring winds up to 220 km/h (136mph).A deadly super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa.But officials say this time they are better prepared, the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi
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reports.However, the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii is forecasting even stronger winds, predicting sustained speeds of up to 269 km/h (167 mph).
'Fighting nature' Officials said Cyclone Phailin is expected to make landfall close to the city of Gopalpur (Orissa state), bringing a storm surge of at least 3m (10ft) that was likely to cause "extensive damage" to mud houses on the coast."No-one will be allowed to stay in mud and thatched houses in the coastal areas,'' said Orissa's Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patra.The army is on standby in the two states for emergency and relief operations. Officials said helicopters and food packages were ready to be dropped in the storm-affected areas.Meanwhile, the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre predicted that Phailin could produce gusts of up to 315 km/h, while the London-based Tropical Storm Risk classified Phailin as a Category Five storm - the most powerful.The Times of India newspaper warned that local meteorologists may be underestimating the severity of the storm. Meteorologists also say that the storm is not only intense but covers a wide area.
Cyclone Phailin is expected to be the biggest storm in the region for 14 years
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Relief operations are underway in Orissa to provide food and shelter for evacuees
At least 400,000 people have left their homes, many for storm shelters
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Parts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states have suffered heavy flooding in recent days
Fishermen have been asked not to venture out to sea.Rain and winds are already being felt in Orissa, where authorities said they were setting up shelters for people who would need to be evacuated."We are fighting against nature. We are better prepared this time, we learnt a lot from 1999," said Surya Narayan Patra.
Reports said that there had been panic buying in the state capital, Bhubaneswar, with shelves being emptied of food."I'm feeling scared and tense. My son is expected to arrive Sunday. Now I think he won't make it," housewife Manjushree Das told the Agence France-Presse news agency.India's eastern coast and Bangladesh are routinely hit by cyclonic storms between April and November which cause deaths and widespread damage to property.In December 2011, Cyclone Thane hit the southern state of Tamil Nadu, killing dozens of people.
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Government urged to begin paddy procurement from farmers October 11, 2013:RECORDER REPORT
Agri Forum Pakistan (AFP) Chairman Dr Ibrahim Mughal has urged the government to direct Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) immediately starting procurement of paddy directly from the farmers at the rate of Rs 100 per maund (IRRI-06) and Basmati at Rs 2200 per maund. In a statement issued on Thursday Mughal alleged that IRRI-06 crop is ready and reached the market after harvesting but middlemen in the market had brought down its price from Rs 1100 per maund to Rs 750 per maund. He said this would collectively pose a loss of Rs 17 billion to paddy growers. He said as Eid is approaching fast, growers are forced to sell their produce at throw away prices rather lower than their input cost. He criticised the rulers for playing the role of silent spectator on this occasion. He said that the government should buy paddy directly from the farmers through Passco. He also urged that the government should fix the support price of wheat for the coming crop at Rs 1500 per maund and sugarcane price at Rs 300 per maund. Mughal warned that otherwise farmers would loose heart and Pakistan might have to import agricultural commodities worth Rs 600-700 billion. It would not only waste the precious foreign exchange of the country but also force it to further beg from the IMF and World Bank.
Very severe' Cyclone Philin heads for Odisha, Andhra Pradesh at wind speed of 200 km per hour Edited by Abhinav Bhatt (With inputs from agencies) | Updated: October 12, 2013 00:06 IST
Bhubaneswar: Cyclonic storm "Phailin", classified as "very severe", is barreling towards coastal Odisha and Andhra Pradesh at wind speeds averaging 200 km per hour and is expected to hit the states around 6 pm. Some weathermen are describing it as potentially India's version of 'hurricane Katrina', one of the deadliest storms in US history.
Here are the latest updates
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1. Experts say the wind speed is at 200 to 210 km per hour and is expected to touch 230 km per hour when the cyclone hits the coasts of Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh. However, the US Navy says winds may reach 315 kmph on windfall, classifying Phailin as a Category 5 storm - the most powerful. 2. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) says 1.2 crore people will be affected by the cyclone. "Have to accept the situation has worsened from what we had anticipated. Things have changed from the bulletin we received last evening," said NDMA Vice Chairman M Shashidhar Reddy. The Indian Meteorological Department or IMD has said Phailin will remain a "very severe" cyclone, but it is not right to call it a super-cyclone yet. "Super cyclone is above 220 kmph and gusting upto 250, so this is touch and go. We are monitoring closely and don't expect further intensification," said Dr LS Rathore, Director General, IMD. Odisha, which faced the destruction and devastation of 1999's super-cyclone, says it is not ready to take any chances this time around. Odisha's Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patra told NDTV, "We are fighting against nature. We are better prepared this time, we learnt a lot from 1999." Nearly 15,000 people died in the super-cyclone that ravaged Odisha in 1999. The Odisha government has mounted a massive operation to evacuate two lakh people from six coastal districts. Nearly a lakh of people have already been evacuated from Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. Stocks of food grain and other essential commodities are being put together in cyclone relief centres in Odisha so that people do not face difficulties. Arrangements are being made to provide people cooked food at relief centres. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have been warned about extensive damage to homes, communication and power systems and crops in the storm, presaged by heavy rain and strong winds today. 64,000 people have been evacuated from Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy told NDTV. Defence Minister AK Antony has asked the Army, Navy and Air Force to be ready for emergency and relief operations. Two Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft have already airlifted 30 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, with equipment like ropes, rafts and tree cutting tools. The Indian Air Force, fully geared up, has also put its choppers on standby and is ready to swoop in with relief. Paradip Port, one of the 12 major ports in the country, has shut all cargo operations, plants and machinery and put in place a contingency plan to meet any eventuality due to Cyclone Phailin. Paradip Port serves the eastern and central parts of the country and its hinterland extends to Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Five districts are preparing for the worst impact of the cyclone: Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh and Ganjam, Puri, Khordha and Jagatsinghapur in Odisha. An official in Ganjam told NDTV that six lakh people could be severely affected in the district
Egypt halts rice exports once again to meet domestic demands Ban on rice exports lifted in October 2012 to be reinstated as government aims to meet local market demands Ahram Online, Friday 11 Oct 2013
Egypt will begin halting rice exports in order to pre-empt a domestic supply shortage, as the government needs around 1.4 million tonnes of rice to distribute through its subsidy cards.According to Al-Ahram's Arabic website, Egyptian Minister of Supply and Interior Trade Mohamed Abu Shady has agreed with Prime Minister
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Hazem El-Beblawi to stop exports on rice in order to meet all market demands, which currently stands at four million tonnes.Rationed food reaches around 69 million people out of a total population of 90 million. "Egypt's rice production in 2013 is estimated at 7.5 million tonnes; the result of cultivating 2.2 million feddans," supply ministry spokesman Mahmoud Diab told Ahram Online. In October 2012, the Egyptian government announced that it would resume exporting rice following a four-year ban.In March 2008, then-trade minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid imposed a blanket ban on Egyptian rice exports in hopes of shoring up waning rice supplies in the domestic market.According to Egypt's General Organisation for Export & Import Control, Egyptian rice exports have generated a total of $186 million so far in 2013.Despite the export ban, this figure rose in 2009 and 2010 to $409 million and $334 million, respectively.Rice exporters have urged Abu Shady to reopen the door for exporting, especially since average exports have declined from 1.2 million to 400,000 tonnes per annum.
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