13th april ,2017 daily globa regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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April 13,2017 Vol 8 Issue IV

Today Rice News Headlines...  World Rice Production 2016/2017  California Farmers Get Full Water Supply, 1st Time In Years  New reservoir could help Texas Rice Belt  Rice prices to rise if imports stopped: execonomic managers  Nigeria: Customs Service forbids exit of rice from Free Trade Zones  Why has the rice cereal factory been left abandoned?Rice prices soar amid flash floods  Odisha’s agri varsity to sign MoU with IRRI for high nutritional rice productionjio rice hilarious tweets goes viral LOL photo captions on twitter  Where Indian buffalo meat exports go  Food safety with mood lighting USA Rice Attends Codex Food Safety Meeting

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News Detail...

World Rice Production 2016/2017 April 2017 This month the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that the World Rice Production 2016/2017 will be 481.14 million metric tons, around 0.8 million tons more than the previous month's projection.

Rice Production last year (*) was 472.25 million tons. This year's 481.14 estimated million tons could represent an increase of 8.89 million tons or a 1.88% in rice production around the globe.

Rice Production by Country (Values in Metric Tons) China: 144,850,000 India: 106,500,000 Others: 41,293,000 Indonesia: 37,150,000 Bangladesh: 34,581,000 Vietnam: 27,861,000 Thailand: 18,600,000 Burma: 12,400,000 Philippines: 11,500,000 Brazil: 8,160,000 Japan: 7,780,000 United States: 7,117,000 Pakistan: 6,800,000 Cambodia: 4,700,000

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Egypt: 4,554,000 Korea, South: 4,197,000 Nepal: 3,100,000 Next Update will be May 10, 2017 https://www.worldriceproduction.com/

California Farmers Get Full Water Supply, 1st Time In Years Tuesday, April 11, 2017

By Associated Press Credit: Associated Press Above: Irrigation water runs along the dried-up ditch between the rice farms to provide water for the rice fields in Richvale, Calif., May 1, 2014.

Farmers in a vast region of California will receive their fully contracted amount of irrigation water this year for the first time in more than a decade.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced the allocation on Tuesday following one of California's wettest winters in years. It comes days after Gov. Jerry Brown lifted the years-long drought emergency for most of the state.

The federally run system of reservoirs and canals provides water to irrigate roughly one-third of California's farmland.

California leads the nation in agriculture, producing nearly half the nation's fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Pablo Arroyave, of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said everybody should be careful not to waste water. He said the next drought could be around the corner http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/apr/11/california-farmers-get-full-water-supply-1st-time-/

New reservoir could help Texas Rice Belt Cary Blake

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The Lower Colorado River Authority announced in January they have received an $8 million federal partnership award to help construct a new reservoir in Colorado County that will improve agricultural water use efficiency, a positive prospect for Texas rice farmers.

Rice growers in Southeast Texas are acknowledging they are happy to hear about plans to construct a new reservoir in Colorado County that may offer some irrigation relief during critically dry times in the future.

Logan Hawkes 3 | Apr 12, 2017

Until last year, this decade had been tough on Texas rice farmers in Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda counties. For four-plus years growers in the Texas Rice Belt were limited from pumping Colorado River water for irrigation as the result of an emergency drought order issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

As water use from the Highland Lakes region increased dramatically across communities of Central Texas, especially in the City of Austin, the curtailment of interruptible stored water from lakes Buchanan and Travis were required in successive years to provide basic water needs in that area. The result of that action created a hardship for rice growers in the lower basin who have long depended on water releases from the reservoirs to grow their crops.

Related: Rice producers bracing for higher costs, tighter margins But last year, the rains finally returned to drought-stricken areas of Texas as great amounts of spring rain fell across expansive areas of the state, bringing desperate relief, including to rice growers and other agricultural producers, communities and industries in the lower Colorado basin. As the rains continued to fall into the autumn and winter months, water levels in the Highland Lakes continued rising until finally an exceptionally wet year ended what was being called the worst drought in history.

DROUGHT FEARS

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But as every farmer knows, the weather is always subject to change, and ever since the drought years of 2010-2015, many producers remain nervous in spite of full reservoirs and good soil moisture. With climate conditions trending warmer and drier in recent months, many fear the return of water curtailment. While many rice producers turned to other, more drought resistant crops during dry times, not all have returned to growing rice. While there is some cautious optimism for the future of rice growing in Texas, trepidation and doubt persist.

But rice growers in Southeast Texas are acknowledging they are happy to hear about plans to construct a new reservoir in Colorado County that may offer some irrigation relief during critically dry times in the future.

To help matters, the Lower Colorado River Authority, charged with managing the waters of the lower river, announced in January they have received an $8 million federal partnership award to help construct a new reservoir in Colorado County that will improve agricultural water use efficiency and benefit customers throughout the lower Colorado River basin. The project represents the second LCRA reservoir project in the lower basin designed to bring relief to farmers and communities who have suffered during the drought years. ―This grant will help us build a second reservoir in the lower basin and further enhance water supplies for our customers,‖ said LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson in a release last week. ―We are grateful for the diverse group of partners working with us on this project, and we are especially grateful for the continued support of Congressman Michael McCaul.‖ FEDERAL FUNDING The $8 million award is part of $15.8 million in partnership awards to Texas projects announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service.

The federal funds are awarded through the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

The planned Prairie Conservation Reservoir in Eagle Lake will include a 2,000 acre-foot, offchannel reservoir and a possible new pump station on land LCRA owns within Colorado County.

The reservoir will be designed to provide water to agricultural customers in the Lakeside Irrigation Division and will be filled from river flows during the off-irrigation season to provide initial water to Lakeside canals at the start of each season. During the irrigation season, the reservoir would serve Lakeside water customers, who use water from the lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes.

LCRA officials say the reservoir has the potential to save up to 20,000 acre-feet of irrigation water ordered from the Highland Lakes in a typical year through increased efficiency.

Wildlife groups are hoping the reservoir will enhance habitat for waterfowl and water birds in the lower coast region, which suffered severe cutbacks as a result of four years of emergency drought orders that prohibited water releases from the Highland Lakes.

While the new reservoir is limited in its supply and scope, it does represent an effort to help provide water to lower basin users during dry or drought times. While rice growers say the new reservoir falls far short of solving all the water needs in the lower basin, any and all projects designed to address water issues are ―welcomed and appreciated.‖ LCRA and partners are pledging more than $1.35 million of in-kind technical assistance and outreach for the new Colorado County reservoir.

Partners in the project include Ducks Unlimited, USA Rice, Texas Rice Producers Legislative Group, Colorado Water Issues Committee, Audubon Texas, National Watershed Coalition, Bay

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City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Eagle Lake Chamber of Commerce, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Colorado County, City of Eagle Lake, Colorado County Soil and Water Conservation District, Wharton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Coastal Bend Groundwater Conservation District, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Beaumont, Texas A&M AgriLife Wintermann Rice Research Station at Eagle Lake, and Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resource.

http://www.southwestfarmpress.com/rice/new-reservoir-could-help-texas-ricebelt

Rice prices to rise if imports stopped: ex-economic managers ABS-CBN News

Posted at Apr 12 2017 09:24 AM | Updated as of Apr 12 2017 09:51 AM

MANILA – Rice prices could go up if government bans imports of the staple grain, a trade advocacy group composed of former economic managers said.

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The Foundation for Economic Freedom also urged President Rodrigo Duterte to liberalize the rice trade by removing the ―monopoly‖ of the National Food Authority on imports.

The group pushed for tariffs on rice imports so that revenues could be used to help farmers shift to higher-value crops. ―Stopping all rice importation as Agriculture Secretary (Emmanuel) Pinol wants is a dangerous policy that could lead to significant shortages and increased rice prices,‖ the FEF said in a statement late Tuesday.

Pinol said there was no immediate need to import rice due to projections of a good harvest.

Duterte last week fired deputy cabinet secretary Maia Valdez following alleged disagreements with NFA administrator Jason Aquino on the country’s rice importation policy.

On Monday, Duterte ordered the NFA to buy rice from local farmers first before importing.

Allowing only the NFA to import rice is the ―wrong policy‖ since this would slow the process and provide opportunities for corruption because of the lack of competitive bidding, the FEF said. ―Decisions to import are best left to the private sector since it is in the interest of the private sector to import at the lowest possible price and in an amount that will not lead to an oversupply,‖ the group said.

The NFA, the government's food security watchdog, is required to maintain a rice stockpile good to last for 15 days at any given time and for 30 days at the onset of the lean months. As of February, the stockpiles were sufficient for only 14 days.

The agency said on Monday that it needed to buy 490,800 tons of rice to boost its stockpiles that have fallen below the required level ahead of the July to September lean harvest season. -- with a report from Reuters https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/12/17/rice-prices-to-rise-if-imports-stopped-ex-economic-managers Traders not buy rice despite price reduction in Mekong Delta Farmers have slowed harvest of ripening winter spring rice in the Mekong Delta because unseasonable rains have caused many areas fall to the ground and prices have dropped continuously for the last couple of days.

Ripening rice fall to the ground because of unseasonable rains in Dong Thap province (Photo: SGGP) According to Mr. Nguyen Cong Ly, owner of a combine harvester establishment in Cao Lanh district, Dong Thap, the price now drops to VND4,400 a kilogram of normal rice, VND4,900-5,000 a kilogram of fresh long grain rice and VND5,200 a kilogram of fragrant varieties.

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Talking to Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper yesterday, Mr. Ly said that many traders left their deposits, refusing to buy ready to harvest rice to mitigate losses.

Mr. Le Van Hoang from Phuong Thinh commune, Cao Lanh district said that traders left the deposit of VND200,000-300,000 a hectare they paid formerly to buy long grain rice at the price of VND5,400 a kilogram. Farmers have been seeking consumption sources accepting low prices to reduce losses.

Some traders in Dong Thap, Vinh Long and Tien Giang provinces say that five percent broken rice price now approximates VND6,700 a kilogram, 25 percent broken rice is sold at VND6,500-6,600 a kilogram.

These prices are not high but businesses have slowed buying, resulting in traders’ purchase reduction.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reports that the Mekong Delta has harvested over 1.2 million hectares of winter spring rice out of the total of 1.5 million hectares. Productivity reaches 6.4-6.5 tons a hectare.

In addition, local famers have sown over 450,000 hectares of summer autumn rice crop as per plan.

Last month, businesses exported nearly 419,000 tons of rice worth $186 million, taking the total number since early this year to one million tons worth $472 million.

By Long Hoa – Translated by Hai Mi

Nigeria: Customs Service forbids exit of rice from Free Trade Zones Tuesday, 11 April 2017 - 19:02 (Ecofin Agency) - Determined to ensure total compliance to the ban on rice imports into the country, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has forbidden the exit of rice from Free Trade Zones in the country.NCS’s Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, who recently announced this in Abuja said some Nigerians were leveraging on the FTZ status –as a country within a country– to smuggle rice into the country. ―The NCS has discovered that some operators are taking advantage of the status of the FTZ. They now circumvent the law restricting rice importation through the land borders,” he said.It should be recalled that it was in a bid to preserve foreign exchange and boost local rice production that the Buhari administration engaged, last year, in a mission to end rice imports. According to the minister of agriculture,

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Audu Ogbeh, the measure has helped the country save $5 million daily which it used to spend on importing the grain. http://www.ecofinagency.com/agriculture/1104-36747-nigeria-customs-service-forbids-exit-of-rice-fromfree-trade-zones

Why has the rice cereal factory been left abandoned?

By STAFF WRITER April 12, 2017 Dear Editor, It has been two years now since the rice cereal factory which was built by contractor Seecharran was left abandoned. No one knows for sure who the owner of this factory at Anna Regina is, and whether it belongs to the Government of Guyana, the municipality or the Regional Democratic Council. The aim of this factory was to buy farmers and millers’ rice to produce breakfast cereal, holiday foods, rice puffs, rice flour, edible oil (from the rice bran) and wine, etc. To date no activity has taken place in this factory and the people of the region are left to wonder if it is a ghost house or a white elephant. This factory has costs the taxpayers and government millions of dollars to build and its primary aim was to employed 200 workers from the region since jobs are scarce to get here.

The building is located at an ideal spot with a lot of space and easy access to raw materials from rice millers and rice farmers who have their own mills. Lorries can take the shipments of the finished product to the wharf and Georgetown. Essequibians and rice farmers were high in praise when this rice cereal factory was constructed; farmers felt that paddy prices would increase and they would be in a better position to earn more money for their produce. But as time has passed and nothing has been done to produce cereal and other products, they have lost hope.

The big question now that they are asking is when this project will come on stream. Is a lack of vision by the Minister of Agriculture the reason that nothing is happening, or is it that Essequibians don’t count, given that a plantain chip factory is being built at Leguan which will bring much needed benefit to the cash crop farmers? At Anna Regina a factory is already on the ground only waiting for the installation of the machines and the packaging facility to start working. If the government doesn’t have the money it can privatize it.

Local businessmen would make better use of the investment, but as it is the rice cereal factory has become waste of scarce resources.

I have seen documentation whereby the Regional Democratic Council and the Anna Regina Town Council are looking to take control of this factory. I do not know if these two entities are looking at it as a money-making venture or to create jobs for the people of the township. If that is so I wonder where they will find the money to buy the equipment and raw materials, and pay wages and salaries for the workers.

Whatever the outcome, this factory needs to start working; it has been laid up too long while there is a population of unemployed young people walking on the road every day looking for jobs. https://www.stabroeknews.com/2017/opinion/letters/04/12/rice-cereal-factory-left-abandoned/

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Rice prices soar amid flash floods Farmers suffer, big millers cash in

Floodwater gushes through a badly damaged embankment in Patharchaili Haor area of Sylhet's Companiganj upazila. Photo: Star Flash floods in the greater Sylhet region have taken its toll on farmers and created a shortage of paddy for small to medium-sized rice mills. The haor areas in northern Sylhet account for nearly 10 percent of the total cultivation area of about 4.8 million hectares this year and the flooding has adversely affected about 140,000 hectares. The mills usually stock up near the end of the season, which isn't happening this season due to unexpected floods and only the big millers are well stocked with paddy. What it all boils down to is a rise in retail prices of coarse rise in Dhaka by nearly 6.5 percent over a week and there is upward price rise of such rice in other parts of the country.Although farmers in the north have sustained losses, by Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) estimates, the loss of paddy is miniscule in terms of total paddy production.

Then why are we seeing such a sharp increase in price? The shortage may be the outcome of hoarding and price manipulation since only a fraction of mills has enough paddy stock to be turned into rice. Whatever may be the case, it is imperative that the government take steps to stabilise the price of this essential commodity. If there is indeed any hoarding going on, authorities must act swiftly against these parties. There may be need to reduce the import duty on rice in the short term to compensate for any crunch in supply. Finally, farmers' losses need to be made bearable through soft loans so that they can tide over the current situation and be ready for next season's sowing. http://www.thedailystar.net/editorial/rice-prices-soar-amid-flash-floods-1389766

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Odisha’s agri varsity to sign MoU with IRRI for high nutritional rice production Home /Odisha’s agri varsity to sign MoU with IRRI for high nutritional rice production

ODISHA LATEST,STATE | April 13, 2017

Odisha Sun Times Bureau Bhubaneswar, Apr 13: Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) will soon ink an MoU with Philippines based the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) for production of high nutritional paddy seed in the state.

In view of the evolution of time and Nagada malnutrition tragedy, the pact will be inked between OUAT and IRRI very soon, said OUAT Vice Chancellor Surendranath Pashupalk.

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Meanwhile, the varsity has moved a step forward by achieving success in producing varieties of seeds and crops.

The agriculture scientists are planning to introduce 15 new varieties of crops this year. While the long research on producing crops including paddy, maize, ginger, chilly, sunflower and mustard was successful by the OUAT scientists, the new variants are waiting to get nod from state level selection committee.

Sources said that the insect and salt water resistant new varieties of crops will help to boost the economic standard of farmers.The students are now provided training on hybrid maize production, rose, honey, mushroom cultivation and packaging and marketing, milk and fish cultivation, said the OAUT scientists.Already, 151 varieties of various crops including paddy developed by the OUAT have been appreciated by the farmers. Out of total varieties, the OUAT scientists have invented 57 varieties of paddy seeds, which are being cultivated in various regions of the state. Especially, Lalat, Khandagiri, Parijata, Konark and Surendra types of paddy seeds have been highly commended by the farmers. http://odishasuntimes.com/2017/04/13/odishas-agri-varsity-to-sign-mou-with-irri-for-high-nutritionalrice-production/

jio rice hilarious tweets goes viral LOL photo captions on twitter

By PSR

April 11, 2017

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Jio. The only telecom which created a huge sensation with its entry. The Jio Telecom services introduction gave a big leap in the Telecom services. Ambani is ensuring that the subscribers will stick to jio by introducing new plan every month. So now the rice millers are using that craze.

View image on Twitter Follow Vignesh Suresh @iVigneshSuresh #Jio rice - 1 Kilo rice free per day.. additional 128 grams rice will be given if 1 Kilo gets consumed in a single day 10:59 AM - 10 Apr 2017 The rice millers in rural villages and some other small cities avail of 25 kgs of rice in the bags printed with jio logos and name. As soon as the images hit the internet, they went viral. Just like the offer by Jio telecom claiming that one recharge gives you 3-month free data+calls, netizens are making fun of this Jio Rice saying that one bag of rice won’t makes you hungry for three months.

New Jio Offer 309 #JioDhanDhanaDhan

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15 RAJESH r@J @RAJeshraaaaJ If u Eat #Jio RICE , there will be no Hungry for 3 month's

#JioSummerSurprise

6:28 PM - 10 Apr 2017 Marketing the products using the brand names is not happening the first time. Even the crackers and kites during Deepawali and Sankranthi also use the names of movies or heroes. Some people use the pictures of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi too https://techfactslive.com/jio-rice-viral-lol-photo-captions-on-twitter/25440/

Where Indian buffalo meat exports go Vietnam is by far the largest importer, data show; it is likely, however, that the bulk of the over 6 lakh tonnes of carabeef shipped to Vietnam finds its way unofficially to China By: Express News Service | New Delhi | Updated: April 12, 2017 8:17 am

(Express photo by Javed Raja)

Brazil and India have been vying for the top spot in world beef exports over the past several years. In 2014, India dislodged Brazil from the number 1 slot, according to United States Department of Agriculture data. The latest data from 2016 show India and Brazil tied on top —

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with both countries accounting for just under 20% each of the world’s total beef exports. They, along with Australia and New Zealand, are the world’s largest beef exporting countries, as per the US data.

An important clarification here is that India does not officially export the meat of cows. The socalled ―beef‖ that it exports is buffalo meat, which is also known as ―carabeef‖. The United States ―beef‖ data includes carabeef. The bulk of India’s buffalo meat exports are to Asian countries — 11 of the top 15 destinations for buffalo meat by value in 2015-16 were in Asia and 3 in Africa (Algeria, Egypt, and Angola). Russia was the 15th destination — at No. 15 in the list of the top 15.

The biggest market for Indian buffalo meat, at Rs 13,125 crore, was Vietnam in 2015-16.

Malaysia (Rs 2,683 cr) was a distant second, followed by Egypt (Rs 2,326 cr), Saudi Arabia (Rs

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1,416 cr) and Iraq (Rs 767 cr). However, Vietnam by itself does not have the capacity to absorb this value (just under half the total) and quantity (over 6 lakh tonnes, or 46% of the total) of buffalo meat exports — and the bulk of the consignments to that country are said to make their way eventually to China. China technically does not import any buffalo meat from India.

However, a grey market has developed in recent times, with Chinese traders reportedly using Vietnam’s Haiphong port to bring in Indian buffalo meat loaded on small vessels.

The buffalo meat exported by India is mostly raw, de-boned chunks, used primarily in the processed and canned food industry. Very little makes its way to kitchens for direct consumption by individuals. This is because carabeef is tougher, and is hence considered inferior to cow meat; for this reason, it also fetches a discount to regular beef in the world market. Thus, the average free-on-board price of buffalo meat exported from India in 2014-15 was $ 3,240 (about Rs 2.1 lakh) per tonne, whereas the corresponding unit value for chilled and frozen beef cuts from Brazil was $ 4,515 (more than Rs 2.9 lakh).

Lower prices, along with the proximity to key consuming markets in Southeast Asia and West Asia, has imparted a huge competitive edge to Indian buffalo meat exports in recent years.

Thus, between 2009 and 2014, India’s beef exports more than trebled from around 0.6 million tonnes to over 2 million tonnes in carcass weight equivalent terms. In value terms, shipments more than quadrupled from $ 1,163.54 million in 2009-10 (April-March) to $ 4,781.18 million in

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2014-15. In the process, beef also become India’s No. 1 agri-export item, ahead of basmati rice ($ 4,518.25 million). http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/375619041/Hyv5Uz0iT4DXUBIz?lcf=mfbGzFqDS4bNQ 1jDta8oRvPjgESunH4NfqaGB2CDatA%3D

Food safety with mood lighting USA Rice Attends Codex Food Safety Meeting

By Lydia Holmes April 12, 2017 RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL -- Last week, USA Rice staff and Dr. Steve Linscombe, of the Louisiana State University AgCenter, participated in the eleventh session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF). The CCCF's role is to identify priority contaminants in foods, set maximum levels for residues in food, and propose best management practices for growing or processing based on available risk and trade impact data. Contaminants are substances that have not been intentionally added to food but can occur naturally.

On the agenda for this plenary session was a Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Arsenic Contamination in Rice (Code of Practice). The Code of Practice goal is to give options for agricultural production methods and risk communication to help countries that are above the maximum level for polished rice to identify ways to reduce arsenic levels and prevent further contamination. "It's important to note that U.S.-grown rice is below the maximum level for arsenic," said Linscombe. "This Proposed Code of Practice is really aimed at those countries above the level available.

The entire exercise should serve as a reminder to our customers and those concerned about arsenic in rice that the U.S. rice industry continues to lead the world in food safety."

The Code of Practice was approved by the CCCF and will now move to the full Codex Commission (CAC) for adoption this summer. A Code of Practice is non-binding and can be updated as new data becomes available. The Codex Alimentarius, or "Food Code" is a collection of standards, guidelines, and codes of practice that contribute to the safety, quality, and fairness of the international food trade, and CAC is the central part of the United Nations' Joint Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Food Standards Program.

USA Rice Daily, Wednesday, April 12, 2017

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