15th june,2017 daily global regional & local rice e newsletter

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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June 15,2017 Vol 8 Issue VI

Today Rice News Headlines...                    

Rice basmati remains weak on muted demand Nigeria has no business importing rice —Bauchi gov NFA council bars Subic port from accepting rice imports Cash prize for clue on plastic rice announced Tailor-made web CMS for Newspapers, Magazines, TV Channels, Radio Channels USA Rice Daily, Wednesday, June 14, 2017 Easy going curry for the family Bangladesh to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam LSU AgCenter rice field day set for June 28 in Crowley Logistics agency questions new role in non-cash rice distribution program NFA council bars Subic port from accepting rice imports NFA shifts to gov’t-to-private rice importation scheme Vietnam to be among world’s largest rice producers: FAO Myanmar exports over 180,000 tonnes of rice in May Aus paddy farming going on in Rajshahi division Not everyone gets a monsoon: Tamil Nadu is still reeling from the worst drought in 140 years Rice mills still lack monitoring Sh90 million molecular laboratory for rice research NFA sets bidding for 250,000 MT imported rice Costlier import gets nod Online Advertisement:mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 0321 369 2874 www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com www.ricepluss.com Monitor Latest Updates on www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

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News Detail...

Rice basmati remains weak on muted demand Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 6,600-6,800, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 5,500-5,800, Permal raw Rs 2,225-2,250, Permal wand Rs 2,275-2,300, Sela Rs 2,500-2,600 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,900, Bajra Rs 1,330-1,340, Jowar yellow Rs 1,550-1,600, white Rs 3,100-3,300, Maize Rs 1,350-1,360, Barley Rs 1,610-1,630 New Delhi, Jun 14 Rice basmati prices fell further by up to Rs 200 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today owing to fall in demand against adequate stocks position.

Maize also eased on subdued demand from consuming industries.

Traders said fall in demand against adequate stocks position mainly put pressure on rice basmati prices.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa 1121 variety slipped to Rs 6,600-6,800 and Rs 5,500-5,800 from previous levels of Rs 6,800-7,000 and Rs 5,600-5,900 per quintal, respectively.

Maize also shed Rs 10 to Rs 1,350-1,360 per quintal.

Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,345, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,760-1,765, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,765-1,770, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 950-960 (50 kg), Maida Rs 960-970 (50 kg) and Sooji Rs 1,040-1,050 (50 kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 6,600-6,800, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 5,500-5,800, Permal raw Rs 2,2252,250, Permal wand Rs 2,275-2,300, Sela Rs 2,500-2,600 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,850-1,900, Bajra Rs 1,330-1,340, Jowar yellow Rs 1,550-1,600, white Rs 3,100-3,300, Maize Rs 1,350-1,360, Barley Rs 1,610-1,630 http://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rice-basmati-remains-weak-on-muted-demand/1075342

Nigeria has no business importing rice —Bauchi gov Saliu Gbadamosi – Abuja Latest News

Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar

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BAUCHI State governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, has stated that with the abundant arable land suitable for rice cultivation in most of the states in the country, including his state, Nigeria has no business importing rice.The governor stated this on Sunday during his assessment visits to some major rice farmlands under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-supported Anchor Borrowers Scheme following a recent protests against resumption of importation of rice embarked upon by members of the Rice Farmers Association in the state.Abubakar noted that with the efforts and performance of rice farmers and their commitment to rice cultivation in the country, coupled with the continuous support from government at all levels in the country, Nigeria would soon emerge major rice producer.

According to a press statement signed and made available to Tribune Online, on Monday, by Press Secretary to the governor, Malam Abubakar Al-Sadique, Governor Abubakar, while addressing the farmers after visiting farmlands with over 2,500 hectares of rice in Itas Gadau and Zaki local government areas of the state, assured the farmers of government‘s commitment and continuous support to the success of the anchor borrowers scheme in the state.He disclosed that his administration had provided N400 million to the programme as a palliative measure for the farmers to continue with cultivation that would have been hampered by the delay in the release of funds to associations by commercial banks.

The governor explained that the administration was compelled to take that action because of the failure of commercial banks to release the funds to the Anchor Borrowers Rice Farmers Associations in the state, but assured them that the problems encountered in accessing the funds from the scheme in the state were being addressed with the banks. http://tribuneonlineng.com/nigeria-no-business-importing-rice-bauchi-gov/

FA council bars Subic port from accepting rice imports

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News Jun 13 2017 08:59 PM MANILA – The National Food Authority‘s (NFA) top policy-making body has introduced sweeping changes to the country‘s rice importation rules in a bid to eradicate corruption in the system and encourage small-time players to import rice.

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Among the council's decisions was to remove the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a port of entry for government-to-private imports, and to include Zamboanga City as a port of entry.

The NFA Council earlier adopted the government-to-private (G2P) mode in importing rice, doing away with government-to-government importation in a bid to reduce corruption following reports of cartel operations.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, who announced the policy changes in a news briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, however, did not explain why Subic was banned as an entry port for rice imports. He did not take questions from the media.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier ordered to halt private rice imports during the harvest season to protect local farmers. The NFA Council‘s decision, however, suggests that government officials have prevailed upon the President amid the lean season as importation would again be allowed. ―With these changes being in place, the Council considered that it is being faithful to its foremost duty, that amid the lean season, it is able to secure fair pricing and affordable yet quality rice for every Filipino household,‖ Evasco said.

The council approved the importation of 250,000 metric tons of rice under the G2P mode, but set guidelines to ensure competition and avoid oversupply during the harvest season, which could hurt local farmers.

At least 30 percent of the imports should arrive between August and September, and the rest should arrive between December 2017 and February 2018, Evasco said.The official said the country‘s domestic rice index situation as of June 7, 2017 showed that household and commercial stocks were in ―comfortable status,‖ with household stocks at 44 days worth and commercial stocks at 28 days.The council decided to split the importation of the total volume of 250,000 metric tons of rice to eight to 10 lots, at a minimum 25,000 metric tons and a maximum of 50,000 metric tons per lot.

The council also ordered the NFA administration to release import permits within a day after a trader completes the submission of required documents.

To encourage smaller players to participate in bidding, the council also reduced the payment term from 365 days to 15 days, ―since only big time players can afford to wait for 365 days.‖ In an apparent bid to prevent corruption, the council also decided to directly appoint members of the Bids and Awards Committee.Suppliers with pending liabilities before 2017, who were previously disqualified, will be allowed to participate in the bidding. ―After all, they still enjoy the presumption of innocence, but the NFA should continue to demand collection and file legal cases as appropriate,‖ Evasco said. http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/13/17/nfa-council-bars-subic-port-from-accepting-rice-imports

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Cash prize for clue on plastic rice announced Staff Reporter VIJAYAWADA , June 14, 2017 01:19 IST Updated: June 14, 2017 01:19 IST Misconceptions force govt. to announce the reward

Even as the rumours about ‗plastic rice‘ are going viral on social media, the State government has offered a prize of ₹50,000 to those who give a lead to such rice.Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Civil Supplies Minister Prathipati Pulla Rao rubbished reports that plastic rice was being sold in the State. These reports were unfounded and baseless.

The people need not panic as no such case had been reported so far. The government would give away the cash prize if any clue on the so-called plastic rice was provided, he said.

Officials and organisations like the Rice Millers Association had already clarified that there was no possibility of cooking with plastic rice. The misconceptions were that it would float, bounce and cost the same as regular rice continued to flood the social media.

The videos to distinguish between real rice and the so-called plastic variety also flooded it.

Apparently, the misconceptions had forced the government to announce the prize.

Ramzan Tohfa Referring to Ramzan Tohfa, Mr. Rao said the government would provide it to Muslim families from June 19 to 25. The government would incur an expenditure of ₹65.69 crore on it but was providing at ₹38.69 crore. Each family would get 5 kg wheat flour, 2 kg sugar, a kg vermicelli and 100 grams ghee in the kit. People could lodge complaint over 1100 if poor quality or less weight was found in the provisions supplied at the fair price shops, he said http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/cash-prize-for-clue-on-plastic-riceannounced/article19034177.ece

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All the content listed is property of Daily Pakistan and reproduction without permission will be considered an infringement of Publisher's copyrightsOfficials to hand-over food grains to FCI THE HANS INDIA | Jun 14,2017 , 01:16 AM IST In-charge Collector S Prabhakar Reddy at a review meeting in Peddapalli on TuesdayIn-charge Collector S Prabhakar Reddy at a review meeting in Peddapalli on Tuesday Peddapalli: The food grains procured by various procuring centres in the district and that were stored in rice mills must be handed over to Food Corporation of India (FCI) in time, District in-charge Collector S Prabhakar Reddy directed the officials. He chaired a meeting with the district officials along with rice millers at the Collectorate conference hall here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the in-charge Collector, S Prabhakar Reddy, said that the procuring centres in the district have procured about 65,36,826 quintals of different food grains and these will be handed over to the FCI by August 31 in the ratio of 68 kg for one quintal.

He ordered the officials concerned to make arrangements for four additional godowns in the district to store food grains, as the existing two godowns were not sufficient for storing huge quantities of food grains that have been procured.The rice millers must follow the guidelines and instructions issued by the government strictly without giving any scope for irregularities. Otherwise stringent actions would be taken on them, warned the in-charge Collector. District Civil Supply Officer Rehaman and Manger of Civil Supply department Lakshmi Narayana were present along with rice millers

USA Rice Daily, Wednesday, June 14, 2017 June 14, 2017 USA Rice is redesigning our website and needs your input. In exchange for your feedback, you'll be entered into a drawing for a $100 Visa gift card!

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7 You have until Friday, June 16, to complete a brief content sorting exercise where you'll be asked to organize a list of topics into groups that make sense to you.

Mighty Indeed, eh?

As Warmer Weather Invades Canada, So Too Do New Rice Recipes

By Sarah Moran

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TORONTO, CANADA - Change of season, change of routine. Warmer weather is a game

changer for Canadians from coast-to-coast. They embrace virtually every outdoor activity imaginable, move their cooking outdoors, and shift to eating lighter fare while mild temperatures last. "Eating smart is the best way to fuel your body for lots of activity this summer," is the message USA Rice Canada recently shared with the national food editor at Sun Media, a huge and influential media company that owns English and French language newspapers and news websites throughout the country.

These messages were then featured in nationally syndicated food columns and online portals, including newly developed recipes such as "Supergreens, shrimp and rice salad" and "miso collard wraps" that showed Canadians how to eat smart with rice, the mighty grain. To date, 21 articles have appeared, reaching an audience of 4.55 million, with an editorial value of $199,802.

"We have different strategies in our export markets depending on whether it's a mature or developing market," said Brian King, USA Rice's Chairman. "As our fourth largest export market which consistently brings in more than 200,000 MT of U.S. rice each year, Canada is definitely a mature market, so our activities focus on maintaining our dominant market share.

Our promotional activities consist of a strong social and traditional media presence as well as becoming involved with Canada's foodservice sector." Canadian rice consumption is slightly behind the U.S.'s at 23 pounds per capita annually.

Easy going curry for the family June 14, 2017 Herald Reporter

Who says curry has to blast the top of your tongue off?

This winter you can offer the family a mild creamy curry that will not scare anyone‘s tastebuds but is still a tasty meal.Serve this mildly spiced curry with rice noodles, basmati rice or even bread.It serves two to four, depending on your appetite.

Chicken, sweet potato and coconut curry Ingredients 1 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tsp mild curry paste 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 4 tbsp red split lentils 300ml chicken stock 400ml can coconut milk 175g frozen peas

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Method

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or wok, stir in the curry paste and fry for one minute.

Add the chicken, sweet potatoes and lentils and stir to coat in the paste, then pour in the stock and coconut milk.

Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.

Tip in the peas, bring back to the boil and simmer for a further four to five minutes.

Season to taste before serving. http://www.heraldlive.co.za/my-heraldlive/2017/06/14/easy-going-curry-family/

Bangladesh to import 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com Published: 2017-06-14 18:13:45.0 BdST Updated: 2017-06-14 19:08:43.0 BdST

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The stock in government warehouses until Apr 27 stood at 305,000 tonnes against 750,000 tonnes in the same month last year, according to data posted on the food ministry's website.

The food ministry has received the green light from a cabinet committee to import a quarter million tonnes of rice from Vietnam under a government-to-government deal.The cabinet committee on public purchase, headed by the finance minister, cleared the import of 250,000 tonnes of rice at Tk 9.08 billion on Wednesday.

Bangladesh will buy 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice at $470 per tonne and another 200,000 tonnes of white rice at $430 per tonne, Cabinet Division's Additional Secretary Mostafizur Rahman said at a media briefing after the meeting.

Vietnam‘s state-run Vinafood 2 will supply 60 percent of shipments through Chittagong port and 40 percent through Mongla port.

Bangladesh last imported 250,000 tons of rice from Vietnam in fiscal 2011-12.

The stock in government warehouses until Apr 27 stood at 305,000 tonnes against 750,000 tonnes in the same month last year, according to data posted on the food ministry's website.

The government plans to buy 1.5 million tonnes of grains during the Boro crop season this year, which may not be possible now after flash floods inundated crop-fields in the northeast.

Unseasonal downpours in early April caused the floods leaving crop-fields inundated in Sunamganj, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Moulvibazar, Sylhet, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Brahmanbaria.

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Flash floods damaged Boro crops, which would have yielded about 600,000 tonnes of rice.

Unofficial estimates put the number at 2.2 million tonnes of rice http://bdnews24.com/economy/2017/06/14/bangladesh-to-import-250000-tonnes-of-rice-from-vietnam

LSU AgCenter rice field day set for June 28 in Crowley Bruce Schultz | 6/13/2017 3:05:45 PM (06/13/17) CROWLEY, La. — The LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station will hold its annual field day June 28 for scientists to explain their work being done to benefit farmers.―We encourage anyone connected to the rice industry to attend the field day to hear about the research being conducted by the station‘s scientists, research associates and technicians,‖ said station director Steve Linscombe. ―The work is being done to keep our rice farmers competitive with growers worldwide.‖ The field tours start at 7:15 a.m., with the last tour starting no later than 9 a.m. Presenters will give talks on weed control, rice breeding, hybrid development with a drone demonstration, agronomy, pathology and entomology.

The field tours will be followed by a poster session until 10:30 a.m.

The indoor program begins at 10:45 a.m. with comments by Jackie Loewer, chairman of the Louisiana Rice Research Board; Betsy Ward, chief executive officer of USA Rice; and Michael Deliberto, LSU AgCenter economist, who will give an update on the rice market.

Jennifer James will talk about sustainability in U.S. rice production. James, a rice farmer from Arkansas, chairs the USA Rice Sustainability Committee.

Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture, and Rogers Leonard, LSU AgCenter associate vice president, will also make remarks. A sponsored lunch will follow.

The Louisiana Rice Research Board and the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board will meet separately in the Rice Research Station main office building immediately after lunch

Logistics agency questions new role in non-cash rice distribution program Fedina S. Sundaryani

The Jakarta Post Jakarta | Wed, June 14, 2017 | 01:18 pm

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Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution (right) talks to Cabinet Secretary Pamono Anung before a press conference in Jakarta. (ANTARA/Yudhi Mahatma)

State Logistics Agency (Bulog) is seeking an explanation from the government about its new job when non-cash food assistance for low-income families becomes a nationwide program to replace the distribution of 230,000 tons of rice per month.―Bulog has questioned what will happen to all that rice when [the new system] if implemented,‖ Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said after a meeting to discuss food issues at the State Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Darmin explained that with 13 to 14 distributions of rice in one year, Bulog was responsible for distributing about 3 million tons of rice annually.

Currently, a trial run is currently being conducted on the government‘s non-cash food assistance program in 44 cities through the Prosperous Family Card (Kartu Keluarga Sejahtera). Lowincome families have been able to use the cards to buy food commodities in appointed outlets for the past six months.

The government has plans to turn it into a national program over the concern that conventional rice distributions may miss its target and after people complained about the poor quality of rice they received.

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Bulog is also responsible for stocking rice supplies, but the government and Bulog still need to discuss how much rice has been accumulated, Darmin said.―We, in fact, have too much [rice].

What will we do with the stock if we replace rice distribution with a non-cash system? If we just sell [the supply] in the market, prices will become volatile,‖ he said. (bbn http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/06/14/logistics-agency-questions-new-role-in-non-cash-ricedistribution-program.html

NFA council bars Subic port from accepting rice imports Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

Jun 13 2017 08:59 PM MANILA – The National Food Authority‘s (NFA) top policy-making body has introduced sweeping changes to the country‘s rice importation rules in a bid to eradicate corruption in the system and encourage small-time players to import rice.

Among the council's decisions was to remove the Subic Bay Freeport Zone as a port of entry for government-to-private imports, and to include Zamboanga City as a port of entry.

The NFA Council earlier adopted the government-to-private (G2P) mode in importing rice, doing away with government-to-government importation in a bid to reduce corruption following reports of cartel operations.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco, who announced the policy changes in a news briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, however, did not explain why Subic was banned as an entry port for rice imports. He did not take questions from the media.

President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier ordered to halt private rice imports during the harvest season to protect local farmers. The NFA Council‘s decision, however, suggests that government officials have prevailed upon the President amid the lean season as importation would again be allowed. ―With these changes being in place, the Council considered that it is being faithful to its foremost duty, that amid the lean season, it is able to secure fair pricing and affordable yet quality rice for every Filipino household,‖ Evasco said.

The council approved the importation of 250,000 metric tons of rice under the G2P mode, but set guidelines to ensure competition and avoid oversupply during the harvest season, which could hurt local farmers.

At least 30 percent of the imports should arrive between August and September, and the rest should arrive between December 2017 and February 2018, Evasco said.

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The official said the country‘s domestic rice index situation as of June 7, 2017 showed that household and commercial stocks were in ―comfortable status,‖ with household stocks at 44 days worth and commercial stocks at 28 days.

The council decided to split the importation of the total volume of 250,000 metric tons of rice to eight to 10 lots, at a minimum 25,000 metric tons and a maximum of 50,000 metric tons per lot.

The council also ordered the NFA administration to release import permits within a day after a trader completes the submission of required documents.

To encourage smaller players to participate in bidding, the council also reduced the payment term from 365 days to 15 days, ―since only big time players can afford to wait for 365 days.‖ In an apparent bid to prevent corruption, the council also decided to directly appoint members of the Bids and Awards Committee.

Suppliers with pending liabilities before 2017, who were previously disqualified, will be allowed to participate in the bidding. ―After all, they still enjoy the presumption of innocence, but the NFA should continue to demand collection and file legal cases as appropriate,‖ Evasco said. http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/13/17/nfa-council-bars-subic-port-from-accepting-rice-imports

NFA shifts to gov’t-to-private rice importation scheme By: Nestor Corrales - Reporter / @NCorralesINQ INQUIRER.net / 07:16 PM June 13, 2017

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio ―Jun‖ Evasco Jr. (Photo from Malacañang) The National Food Authority (NFA) Council has agreed to make changes in the government‘s rice importation program, shifting from the old government-to-government scheme (G2G) to government-to-private scheme (G2P).Secretary to the Cabinet Leoncio ―Jun‖ Evasco Jr., chair of the NFA Council, told reporters on Tuesday that ―the policy shift is consistent with President Duterte‘s call for change.‖ In a news briefing, Evasco said the policy shift received ―overwhelming support‖ from the National Food Security Committee (NFSC). ―This year‘s government-to-private importation seeks to do away with the old G2G that lacks transparency and competition,‖ he said, adding that rice traders from the private sector would allow for more competition.Evasco said that under the G2P scheme, a a tranche-based delivery of rice in the Minimum Access Volume and the G2P would be implemented.

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―For the private sector-led importation or the Minimum Access Volume program, the following changes are hereby instituted: First, delivery period of private sector-led importation shall arrive in tranches. At least 30 percent of the volume import quotas should arrive between August and September, and the balance to arrive between December 17 and February 2018,‖ Evasco said.

Under the new policy, he said the National Food Authority (NFA) administrator must release import permits within a day, adding that his duty was ―purely ministerial or mandatory.‖ Evasco said the NFAC had ordered the NFA to issue certificates of eligibility to rice traders within 15 days. ―Under the G2P, the NFA council, per recommendation of the National Food Security Committee and Imports Committee, shall divide the 250,000 MT import authority into several tranches of arrival and will be putting a cap on each lot, to ensure competition and fair trade,‖ he said. ―To add, the council is looking at dividing the importation to eight to 10 lots with minimum of 25,000 MT and maximum of 5 http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/905170/nfa-shifts-to-govt-to-private-rice-importationscheme#ixzz4k3qGOChD

Vietnam to be among world’s largest rice producers: FAO Vietnam is expected to be the world’s fifth largest rice producer in 2017, according to the Crop Prospects and Food Situation report released by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

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The FAO forecast that the biggest rice producer this year will be China with 142.3 million tonnes, followed by India with 110.4 million tonnes, Indonesia and Bangladesh.The report said global rice output is likely to increase by 0.7 percent to 502.3 million tonnes thanks to production facilitation policies in Asia and yield recovery in South America and Australia.

After two years of decrease, global rice exports are predicted to expand by 5 percent in 2017 to 44.2 million tonnes compared with 43.6 million tonnes in the previous year, with India expected to remain the largest rice exporter.

The organisation said global rice prices have been stabilised since early 2017 due to increasing demand and currency reforms in India and Thailand http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/180191/vietnam-to-be-among-world-s-largest-rice-producers-fao.html

Myanmar exports over 180,000 tonnes of rice in May Submitted by Eleven on Wed, 06/14/2017 - 14:14 Writer: Nilar

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Workers unload rice bags at Wardan Jetty in Yangon.Myanmar exported over 180,000 tonnes of rice – worth over US$59 million – in May, including over 72,000 tonnes of rice – worth over $21 million – by ship, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

May‘s rice export volume exceeded April‘s volume by over 100,000 tonnes.

The country exported 39,115 tonnes of white and parboiled rice worth $11 million from May 28 to June 3 via sea routes: 6,430 tonnes of Emata rice to Bangladesh, 450 tonnes of parboiled rice and 150 tonnes of Emata rice to Russia, 625 tonnes of Emata rice to Madagascar, 250 tonnes of Emata rice to Andorra, 1,000 tonnes of Emata rice to Togo, 7,548 tonnes of Emata rice to Singapore, 20,000 tonnes of Emata rice to Côte d'Ivoire, 2,564 tonnes of Emata rice and 50 tonnes of parboiled rice to EU countries, and 48 tonnes of Emata rice to Sri Lanka.

Although Myanmar previously exported 80 per cent of its total rice exports via border gates, this figure has declined to 40 per cent, said commerce ministry permanent secretary Toe Aung Myint. ―Rice exports before 2003 were mainly done by the government. The country exported one million tonnes of rice in 1995 and in 2002,‖ he said. ―After that, rice exports were reduced. Myanmar broke its record when it exported 1.8 million tonnes of rice in the 2014-15 fiscal year, after it founded the Myanmar Rice and Paddy Association and the Myanmar Rice and Paddy Traders Association,‖ he said.

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Myanmar is expected to earn about $700 million from rice exports in the 2016-17 fiscal year, and the government expected to earn up to $1 billion from rice exports in 2022, according to the Myanmar Rice and Paddy Association http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/10018

Aus paddy farming going on in Rajshahi division

Roving Correspondent RAJSHAHI, June 13: Farmers of eight districts of Rajshahi division have started Aus paddy farming with a hope of getting a bumper production of the crop.

Sources from the district offices of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said thousands of peasants of Bogra, Joypurhat, Pabna, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon districts have brought around 1,19,000 hectares of land under the cultivation of the paddy variety.

Over 10 to 12 maunds of output from a bigha of land can be possible if weather condition remains favourable till the harvesting session, sources added.Farmer sources said they are expecting a good market price of the crop this season. A good number of growers said Tk 800 to Tk 900 per maund of Aus paddy will be a fair rate for them this season.Cultivators said they had sold their crop at Tk 700 to Tk 800 last year.The government has provided incentive to the poor and marginal farmers to make Aus cultivation programme successful. http://print.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/06/14/175278

Not everyone gets a monsoon: Tamil Nadu is still reeling from the worst drought in 140 years After the worst rainfall in 140 years, cropping area declined by 41.5% and paddy procurement by a more drastic 84.4%.

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19 Vinita Govindarajan

Yesterday · 12:30 pm Vinita Govindarajan

It has been a dismal year for drought-affected farmers in Tamil Nadu. Many of them could not sow their crops in the samba season, which is dependent on the north-east monsoon in OctoberDecember and is the state‘s main cropping season. Tamil Nadu received its worst rainfall in 140 years during last year‘s retreating north-east monsoon, which is the source of 60% of the annual rainfall in many of its coastal districts.

The farmers‘ despair was made clear when a small group of them traveled to Delhi in March and staged a dramatic 40-day protest there – shaving off half their heads, stuffing dead rats in their mouths, stripping naked and even drinking their own urine to draw the Central government‘s attention to their demands. They wanted loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

Now, data from the Union government has revealed the extent to which agriculture in Tamil Nadu was affected this past year.

There was a sharp decline of 41.5% in the area sown in the state in 2016-2017. And according to a report in The Times of India, paddy procurement in the same period fell even more drastically by 84.4%, more than double the decline in cropping area. At the same time, the news report said, other paddy-growing states such as Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Haryana showed an overall increase in paddy procurement – which rose 6.7% from 304.1 lakh tonnes to 324.8 lakh tonnes in the past year.

So, why has Tamil Nadu suffered this steep fall in paddy procurement?

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Why Tamil Nadu ―It is clear that overall rainfall was far below normal in all the districts of the state in 20162017,‖ said Shashanka Bhide, economist and director of the Madras Institute of Development Studies. ―Even in the irrigated belt of Cauvery delta, there was no water for irrigation. Therefore, it is expected that production of paddy would be lower both because of decline in area planted and also yields.‖ Bhide said the fall in procurement should be understood keeping in view this decline in production. ―Procurement would depend on production,‖ he explained. ―Therefore, greater decline in procurement than in area would imply that yield would also be lower than normal.‖ This could either mean that farmers planted their crops but had poor per-acre yields, or that the yield was more or less the same but they kept the rice for self-consumption.

Officials at the Tamil Nadu government‘s agriculture department said data on paddy production in the state in the last year is still being compiled and would be released in July or August. https://scroll.in/article/840515/not-everyone-gets-a-monsoon-tamil-nadu-is-still-reeling-from-the-worstdrought-in-140-years.

Rice mills still lack monitoring 23 killed in boiler explosions in 4 years, one inspector for 600 boilers in Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna regions

Jamuna Automatic Rice Mill in Dinajpur Sadar upazila after the April 19 explosion that claimed the lives of 18 workers and badly injured several others. Photo: Star Kongkon Karmaker The authorities concerned are yet to develop a minimum monitoring system for overseeing rice mill boilers, even after the April 19 deadly boiler explosion in Dinajpur Sadar.

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A few boiler explosions occurred in northern region's automatic rice mills due to unskilled operators and lack of awareness among the millers.

Reza Humayun Faruk Chowdhury Shamim, president of Dinajpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry said this while talking to this correspondent.

Besides, there is only one inspector to oversee boilers in 300 rice mills and over 300 other different mills in Rangpur, Rajshahi and Khulna regions, showing awfully poor monitoring by the government, he said.

About one lakh workers are employed in the mills.

Mill operators of the divisions said there are 300 fully automated rice mills in operation in 16 northern districts. Of them, 140 are in Dinajpur and 53 in Naogaon and most of them are 30 to 40 years old, they added.

At least 23 people were killed in boiler explosions during the last four years in the districts. Two people were killed in a boiler blast at Tumpa Automatic Rice Mill in Naogaon Sadar upazila while three died at Dinajpur's Kuddus Automatic Rice Mill in 2013. In the latest incident, 18 people died and 12 others were injured in an explosion at Jamuna Automatic Rice Mill in Gopalganj area of Dinajpur Sadar upazila on April 19.

Naogaon Rice Mill Owners' Group President Rafiqul Islam said boiler explosion in the mills is rare. One of the reasons for explosions is shortage of skilled boiler operators, he said. Besides, annual maintenance of each boiler is prerequisite for operating a rice mill, he added. Most mills in the region do not have any skilled operators and routine checkup and maintenance of boiler

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with the help of an inspector is often ignored, said Anwarul Islam, senior vice-president of Dinajpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ―Hydraulic test is the only method for checking the condition of a boiler,‖ he added.

A boiler, already rusted, being installed at a mill in the same upazila several days ago, shows utter callousness of the owners. Photo: Star A rice miller in Dinajpur said the explosion at Jamuna Automatic Rice Mill was caused due to negligence of the mill owner and the operator. ―Main boiler operator Moksedul Islam went out for having tea, whereas he cannot leave the place when the boiler is heated up,‖ he said.―The explosion could have been averted if the safety valve of the boiler had worked properly,‖ the miller said.Blaming the government for shortage of inspectors, he said there is only one boiler inspector for Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna regions.

Jamuna Automatic Rice Mill resumed operation on April 17 this year that had been closed since December last year, said the injured boiler operator Shafiqul Islam.Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna region's Boiler Inspector Humayun Kabir said the accident took place as the owner restarted the mill without any preliminary maintenance work.

There are 600 boilers under Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna regions, Humayun said, adding that inspecting such a huge number of boilers by one inspector is quite difficult.Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner Mir Khairul Alam formed a committee on April 22 to investigate the matter.The six-member committee led by Additional District Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman submitted the

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report on May 6.Chamber President Shamim said, "It was a lesson for the mill operators, workers and inspectors. ―We have formed a committee to prevent such accidents in future.‖Madina Begum, wife of late Ripon Mia, filed a murder case accusing three people, including the mill owner Subal Ghosh, on April 24. http://www.thedailystar.net/country/rice-mills-still-lack-monitoring-1420294

Sh90 million molecular laboratory for rice research

By Munene Kamau |

Updated Thu, June 15th 2017 at 00:00 GMT +3 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The Sh 90 million ultra modern laboratory due for completion by month end at Kimbimbi market, Mwea which is a global facility for rice production.PHOTO:M UNENE KAMAU/STANDAR D. DATE:JUNE 14/2017 An ultra-modern molecular laboratory for rice research in Mwea is due for completion by the end of this month. The Sh90 million complex will be used by crop scientists from African countries that produce rice. Situated on the premises of the Kenya Agricultural Research and Livestock Organisation at Kimbimbi market, the Mwea centre will carry out research on drought-resistant rice varieties and also those adoptable to global climate change.

According to the centre's manager, John Kimani, the lab has been jointly funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Kenyan Government. The rice-producing countries will benefit from the facility by sending their researchers to utilise the laboratory for the improvement of the crop.

He said the Mwea rice blast disease was first detected in the area in 2008 after farmers started replanting uncertified seeds when the sector was liberalised in 1998. ALSO READ: Kirinyaga police gun down robbery suspect Rice straws Dr Kimani added that the farmers started

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harvesting and selling rice straws as cattle feed, leaving their farms without silicon, which is ideal for the rice crop. Silicon strengthens the cell walls, making the crop resistant to rice blast, which lowers production.

"The booming rice straw business has left most rice farms suffering from acute silicon deficiency, which leads to poor harvest. To mitigate the problem, we have advised the managers of the Eldoret-based fertiliser manufacturing plant to formulate its product with the silicon mineral," he said. The laboratory will also carry out extensive research on soil salinity, which hampers rice production in many countries. Crop rotation He said in Mwea, production was being hampered by non-crop rotation.

The growing of rice throughout the year does not give the land space to dry. ALSO READ: We have a right to elect Waiguru, Kirinyaga residents tell Court "Farmers need to grow beans, water melons, and other early maturing crops to break the whole-year monotony of rice production," he said. [Munene Kamau] https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2001243548/sh90-million-molecularlaboratory-for-rice-research

NFA sets bidding for 250,000 MT imported rice

BY JAMES KONSTANTIN GALVEZ, TMT ON JUNE 15, 2017

State-run National Food Authority (NFA) is set conduct in the first week of July the bidding for 250,000 metric tons of rice supposedly to beef up government buffer stocks during the lean months.

NFA spokesperson Marietta Ablaza said that the grains agency hopes to publish the invitation to bid on Friday for them to conduct the tender ―as soon as possible,‖ noting that it would take 28 days to complete the entire bidding process alone. ―The [NFA] Council has already approved the TOR [terms of reference]for the bidding. We are just waiting for their resolution approving the TOR,‖ Ablaza said in a text message. ―Most likely if we can publish immediately or Friday, bidding will be conducted July 3,‖ she added.

Following delays due to internal politics and shady backdoor negotiations, Manila is now scrambling to fill up its buffer stock requirement of the grains with the lean months just around the corner.

The NFA earlier said that stocks at government-owned warehouses are expected to hit critical levels, with two days worth of supply left by end of June. This is well below the its mandated buffer stock requirement.

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Traditionally, lean season in the Philippines starts in July and ends in September. It is also the time when the government imports rice that would help stabilize the staple‘s prices in retail markets.

The state-run grains agency is required by law to have at least 15-day buffer stock at any given time, and 30-day buffer stock during lean months.

On Tuesday, the interagency NFA Council ordered the NFA to scrap the traditional governmentto-government (G2G) scheme and shift to government-to-private (G2P) or an open tender scheme for a more transparent bidding process.

The council noted that previous G2G schemes were exempted from the Procurement Law, hence the NFA was free to make its own guidelines and implement the same. ―Such acts that are all below the radar of government rules and procedures. Thus, in effect the G2G scheme is tantamount to ‗self-regulation‘ which, as we all know, does not work well when an agency is required to perform both regulatory and proprietary functions such as the NFA,‖ Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco said.Evasco, who is the chairman of the NFA Council, said that combining both functions makes the entire process prone to conflict of interest.He also said that delivery period of the G2P importation shall be in tranches, from July 31 until the last week of September.

To date, only Hanoi has the capability to supply Manila with rice since other major rice producing countries have no newly-harvested rice, which is one of the requirements under the terms of reference of the open tender.

However, allowing staggered delivery of the rice stocks would allow other countries and private traders to join the bidding, making it more competitive. Meanwhile, Ablaza said the NFA has yet to open application for the private sector-led importation under the so-called minimum access volume (MAV), saying that they are currently focused on filling up government coffers to a more comfortable level.

The 250,000 MT of rice to be imported by the government is expected to add another eight days to government stocks; while MAV imports, which totaled 805,000 MT, translates to about 26 days.

The NFA Council, however, clarified there is no immediate need for bulk importation for both NFA and the private sector, saying that total rice stocks in the country are still at comfortable levels with 44 days for household stocks and 28 days for commercial stocks.

A staggered arrival for rice imported for both government and private sector would ensure that there will be no oversupply of the grains come harvest season starting September, the council said http://www.manilatimes.net/nfa-sets-bidding-250000-mt-imported-rice/332863/

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Costlier import gets nod Reaz Ahmad and Rejaul Karim Byron

The government yesterday sanctioned 2.5 lakh tonnes of rice import from Vietnam at prices much higher than that of another one lakh tonnes it approved for import two weeks ago.The cabinet purchase committee gave nod to the new import under a government-to-government (G2G) deal with Vietnam considering that rice price is on the rise in the international market. And with an alltime low rice stock in hand, Bangladesh requires the supply in quick time to subdue a 42 percent unusual hike in domestic coarse rice price.The food ministry yesterday convinced the cabinet body that though it would be pricey, Vietnam has promised to ship the first consignment in 15 days and complete shipping all 2 lakh tonnes of white rice (Atap) and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled (Shiddo) within 60 days.

For each tonne of parboiled rice, the government would have to bear $470 and for white rice $430. The prices are $23 to $42 (for per tonne) higher than the rate that the government had sanctioned two weeks ago to international suppliers for importing two consignments of white and parboiled rice each weighing 50,000 tonnes.

Floating international tenders in May, the government awarded two companies based in Dubai and Singapore two import shipments at $406.48 and $427.85 a tonne of white and parboiled rice respectively.But in yesterday's meeting, the government sealed the deal with Vietnam at $430 and $470 a tonne for two lakh tonnes of white and 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice.

The government would spend Tk 908.85 crore to buy the Vietnamese rice, spending Tk 56.53 crore more compared to the prices in the international market. In May, the government had sanctioned Tk 346.24 crore to buy one lakh tonnes of rice through Dubai-based Shukhbir Agro and Singapore-based Agro Crop.Food ministry sources told The Daily Star apart from Bangladesh, at least six other countries sought to import rice from Vietnam in recent weeks, putting a demand pressure thereby hiking the price. These countries are the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cuba and China.

Besides, the sources said, though Shukhbir's and Agro Crop's price offers are competitive, that one lakh tonne consignment was highly unlikely to reach Bangladesh ports in two months. On the other hand, on Bangladesh's insistence, Vietnam agreed to dispatch the first rice consignment in just 15 days. Bangladesh's such desperate move comes at a time when rice stock in public

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granaries touched a nadir at 1.98 lakh tonnes this week from over five lakh tonnes in June last year. As millers at home declined to sell rice to the government during the current Boro procurement season saying its price offer was not lucrative enough and price of coarse rice hit an all-time high of Tk 48, the authorities are mulling reducing a 25 percent duty now in place on rice import.

For the situation, experts blamed an imprudent food stock policy that the government pursued this year thereby allowing market manipulators to pick up the prices of coarse rice up to 42 percent comparing to last year's price. According to Badrul Hasan, director general of the food directorate, they could buy only 15,000 tonnes of rice in first month of a four-month (MayAugust) domestic rice procurement season, as against a target of purchasing 15 lakh tonnes.

With millers declining to sell rice to the government at low price offer of Tk 34 a kg, the government was threatening that those millers would be blacklisted for future trade.Agricultural economist Jahangir Alam told The Daily Star that although some rice was lost in the haor flashfloods, the price should not have jumped so high. He questioned why the government allowed its rice stock to deplete in the first place.

"Why they [food ministry and food directorate] have failed to keep the minimum security stock of rice in the granaries?‖ asked Ilahi Dad Khan, a former director of the food directorate who witnessed and had crucial crisis management role during 2007-08 global economic meltdown and 2011 rice shortage.―They should have noticed well in advance that how fast the food godowns were drying out due to continuous operations of open market sale since January and exhausting of stock through distributions under Tk 10 a kg rice dole programme.‖ He said during his time in the food directorate an effort was always there to keep one million tonnes of food (rice and wheat) stock reserve in the godowns. But this time around, Khan noted, the government failed to keep a crises stock and market is now at the mercy of rice millers and traders.

Food ministry and directorate sources said that on top of already existing various food dole programmes like test relief (TR), vulnerable group development (VGD), open market sale (OMS), the government introduced a Tk 10 a kg programme for 5 million ultra poor people in late last year putting a huge pressure on the rice stock.They said they thought a dried up stock would be soon replenished through domestic procurement during the current Boro season, which never happened.

Contacted, Bangladesh Rice Mills Association President Abdur Rashid said, "We've told the minister many a times that it's not possible to supply rice to government at Tk 34 a kg when we were getting Tk 39 a kg in the open market. Who would bear the Tk 1 lakh loss in each truckload of rice [20 tonnes]".Abdur Rashid, managing director of Rashid Agro-Food Products, who represents over 1,500 rice millers in the country, did not acknowledge any hoarding taking place but said rice price may come down with government and private importers bringing in shipments from international markets. http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/costlier-import-gets-nod-1420333

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