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TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU Latest News Headlines…
USA Rice Educates New Orleans "Locavores" on Benefits of Rice CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures Amira Nature Foods Ltd to Participate in the Jefferies 2014 Global Consumer Conference City of Bastrop signs on to protect Colorado River Millers warn of more rice price hikes Solid harvest for growers Vinafood 2 denies kickback allegation in Philippine rice contract Thailand Ends Controversial Rice Subsidy Scheme Soldiers join provincial officials in taking care of rice stockpiles nationwide NCPO may offer rice farmers subsidy of Bt1,700-per-rai in three-way meet today Rice piles up as exports slow Thai rice farmers paid $2.9 billion of arrears, state bank says Six agencies in collaborative venture to promote high-quality rice seed production Ricce Pledging Project draws to Close Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- June 17 India to Offload 25% of Rice Stocks as Monsoon Threatens Prices Rice exporters’ dilemma Iraq's central government suffers mortal blow Ghana: Farmer Applauds Govt for Banning Rice Importation
News Detail… USA Rice Educates New Orleans "Locavores" on Benefits of Rice Jemison speaking to a crowd Randy Jemison Knows Local Rice NEW ORLEANS, LA - The local food movement is growing at a rapid rate throughout the country and New Orleans is staking its claim as a pace setter. The New Orleans local food eating population, or "Locavores" as they are called, is on the rise and in its fourth year the New Orleans "Eat Local Challenge" (ELC) has set a goal to register one thousand participants to eat only locally-sourced foods during June.USA Rice's Randy and Mary Jemison attended the ELC weekly meeting at the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center last week and presented a farm-to-table report of Louisiana and U.S. rice production.
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Rice recipe brochures, information on the nutritional value of rice, and statistics on rice sustainability were shared with attendees. "There is a greater interest these days in building a connection with food sources, said Lee Stafford, co-founder of the New Orleans Eat Local Challenge. "The average consumer is better informed and is reading labels. The [USA Rice] presentation was a way for participants to build that connection."Supreme Rice Mill of Crowley, Louisiana is a sponsor of the month-long challenge and provided bags of Louisiana-grown rice to participating Locavores. Contact: Randy Jemison (337) 738-7009
SA Rice Annual Report Wins Excellence in Publishing Award ARLINGTON, VA - The 26th Annual APEX Awards for Publication Excellence have been announced, and the USA Rice Federation's annual report, "Viability," has been named a winner.The APEX awards are a highly competitive business communications contest sponsored by the editors of Writer's Web Watch and the Writing that Works Archives."APEX 2014 awards were based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the success of the entry-in the opinion of the judges-in achieving overall communications effectiveness and excellence," the contest sponsors said in a release. "Each year, the quality of entries increases. Overall, this year's entries displayed an extraordinary level of quality. The APEX judges saw only the most promising publications that professional communicators could enter. From them, they had the truly difficult task of selecting the awardwinning entries." This year's contest included more than 2,000 entries across 11 major categories and 122 subcategories. There were 82 entries in the annual report category with the nonprofit grand awards given to New York Methodist Hospital's "Report to the Community" and The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi of Baton Rouge's "2012 Phi Kappa Phi Annual Report: Mission in Action." Worth another look
"Being recognized by writing and design professionals from amongst so many high level entrants is very gratifying," said Deborah Willenborg, USA Rice's manager of marketing and communication who shepherded "Viability" from initial concept through to finished product."Viability" not only serves as an annual report to the members of the USA Rice Federation, highlighting the organization's major recent accomplishments, but it also tells the story of the U.S. rice industry, including sustainability efforts and industry trends. You can access the award-winning publication online, or contact USA Rice's communications team to receive hard copies.
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Contact: Michael Klein (703) 236-1458
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for June 17.
Month
Price
Net Change
July 2014
$14.650
- $0.015
September 2014
$14.010
- $0.140
November 2014
$14.190
- $0.155
January 2015
$14.335
- $0.155
March 2015
$14.495
- $0.155
May 2015
$14.495
- $0.155
July 2015
$14.495
- $0.155
Amira Nature Foods Ltd to Participate in the Jefferies 2014 Global Consumer Conference DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jun 16, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Amira Nature Foods Ltd (the "Company") ANFI +0.55% , a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice, today announced management will present at the Jefferies 2014 Global Consumer Conference on June 18, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
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Live audio of the presentation will be simultaneously webcast on the investor relations section of the Company‘s website at www.amira.net . The webcast of the presentation will be archived and available on the Company‘s website. About Amira Nature Foods Founded in 1915, Amira has evolved into a leading global provider of branded packaged Indian specialty rice, with sales in over 40 countries today. Amira sells Basmati rice, which is a premium long-grain rice grown only in certain regions of the Indian sub-continent, under its flagship Amira brand as well as under other third party brands. Amira sells its products through a broad distribution network in both the developed and emerging markets. Amira‘s global headquarters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it also has offices in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
SOURCE: Amira Nature Foods Ltd Amira Nature Foods Ltd Bruce Wacha Chief Financial Officer 201-960-0745 bruce.wacha@theamiragroup.com or ICR Katie Turner 646-277-1200 katie.turner@icrinc.com Copyright Business Wire 2014
City of Bastrop signs on to protect Colorado River Coalition members say community benefits from protecting rice farmers By Miles Smith Austin Community Newspapers Staff A coalition formed to protect the surface water rights of Lower Colorado River Basin communities picked up strength Tuesday when the Bastrop City Council voted unanimously to become a member of the
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organization.The relatively new Lower Colorado River Basin Coalition was formed to push back against Highland Lakes stakeholders that, in the midst of a long-running drought, have sought to raise the trigger point for release downstream to 1.4 million acre-feet, a level that Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape says would have grave ramifications for Bastrop County and rice farmers in Matagorda County.The point of the coalition is not to deplete the already-low lake levels in lakes Travis and Buchanan — the current 850,000 acre-feet release point is fine, says Pape, who serves on the coalition‘s executive committee. However, higher release points could result in a diminished supply of water for the Colorado River running through Bastrop County and rice farmers as well as create the potential for flooding downstream when heavy rainfall finally occurs. ―Those lakes are at historic low levels, and we wouldn‘t even think about asking for water this year with Lake Buchanan as low as it is,‖ Pape said. ―But lakes Travis and Buchanan were never meant to be constant level lakes. They are meant to go low and high.―When the lakes are full, and you get 20 inches of rain, the water comes down the river and floods us. Right now there is enough water for people to shower and drink. The rice farmers haven‘t had water released downstream to them in three years, and that‘s up to nature. But we don‘t want to go too far and be too restrictive.‖Benefits of lower trigger points include the likelihood that water will be released downstream through Bastrop County, ensuring the river remains healthy and a tourist attraction that gives the city character, which contributed to the council‘s decision to join. ―Our city‘s interest in this is that we need to keep up our river,‖ said Bastrop Mayor Ken Kesselus. ―It‘s the heart of our city, and it‘s been here since the beginning. Our logo incorporates the river.‖The city will pay a $500 membership fee to join the organization.Pape said the coalition was pleased to have Bastrop on board.―I‘m excited to have the city of Bastrop join us in the coalition to protect the Lower Colorado River Basin‘s water interests.,‖ Pape said. ―It just shows that we are all in this together. ‖The coalition held its first meeting on June 9, where it elected its officers and executive committee. Kirby Brown, executive director of Ducks Unlimited, is chairman; rice farmer and ex-state representative Robby Cook is co-chair; Mitch Thames is treasurer and Robert Howard is secretary. Bastrop County representation on the board includes Pape and Mark Rose of Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative and former Lower Colorado River Authority general manager.Ensuring the health of the rice industry in Texas is important for myriad reasons, Pape stressed, noting that without irrigation releases, water flowing down the Colorado River is almost all treated wastewater effluent from Austin.―When the rice farming industry is eliminated,
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there will be little reason for interruptible water releases,‖ Pape said. ―We in Bastrop County, and everybody else who benefits from those irrigation releases, will bear the consequences.‖
Millers warn of more rice price hikes By Anselmo Roque Inquirer Central Luzon 8:34 pm | Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 A worker unloads commercial rice in front of a warehouse in Dagupan Street, Tutuban in Manila on Sunday. Commercial rice prices are expected to go up by P1 to P2 per kilo during the lean months beginning this June according to National Food Authority (NFA) said. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija—Rice millers in Nueva Ecija province, the country‘s top rice producer, said the public should be ready for more increases in the prices of rice, especially during the lean months.―We bought the dried palay at P25 a kilogram and paid P20 to P21 for the fresh harvest. At that purchase price, we cannot be expected to sell it at lower than P38 a kilo of the milled rice,‖ said Edgardo Alfonso, president of the 26-member San Jose City Rice Millers Association.He said from wholesalers, to whom rice millers deliver their supply, the shipment still has to go to retailers. He said retailers would increase the prices so they could earn.―We agree that there is a thin supply of rice in the market due to the unattained target [in the government's] rice self-sufficiency program and that‘s why the government imported rice. But we don‘t see that the price of commercial rice can be pushed down as that would mean losses for those engaged in the grains business,‖ he said. Reports said the current market price of rice was P2 higher than the price three months ago. Alfonso said the government can control only the prices of rice that the National Food Authority imported. But he said the millers‘ selling price for their wholesale clients may still go up.This ―is just the beginning of what may be an upward trend in the pricing of commercial rice. We are buying palay from traders for at least at P26 a kilo. This means that the premium rice (whole grains) will be sold to wholesalers at P45 a kilo while those with broken grains will be sold at P40 a kilo,‖ he said. He said he did not believe reports that a rice cartel was dictating the prices of rice in the market.
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He said millers‘ association supplies wholesalers in Metro Manila, Cebu province and provinces in Southern Tagalog with at least 30,000 bags of milled rice daily. They price their commodity without the influence of any group or individual, he said.Alfonso said there appeared to be a problem in the strategy used by the Department of Agriculture and the NFA in handling the rice supply problem in the country.―In the first place, why did the DA allow the rice millers and the traders to offer very high farm gate prices of palay at an unprecedented level this year? It should have made some interventions. It was okay that farmers earned much, but how about the consumers now? They are crying because of the high price of milled rice,‖ he said.According to him, the government should consult with the leaders of the rice industry to draw up correct strategies in handling the situation.
Solid harvest for growers By TALIA PATTISON June 17, 2014, midnight WITH the region's rice harvest finishing up, Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) president Les Gordon has predicted another solid year for growers.Mr Gordon expected yields to be on par with last year, if not better.Earlier this year the RGA forecast this year's harvest to bring in about 700,000 tonnes.There were some setbacks early in the season, as well as rain bringing some growers to a halt just as they started to strip their paddocks.Mr Gordon said most feedback had been positive. "All of the growers I've spoken to are pretty happy with how it went this season," Mr Gordon said."They seem to be pretty pleased this year."I haven't seen any of the final figures for the Murrumbidgee, but we're hoping it will be the same, if not better, than last year."Prices also appear to be pretty solid, so that is good news for growers."A warm summer also helped most rice crops in the Leeton shire region.Mr Gordon said the short-term forecast for the region meant favourable conditions for growers."There's been a bit of rain about," he said. "However, the inflow into the dams (Burrinjuck and Blowering) has been a bit slow."In saying that I've flown in and out of Canberra a couple of times in the last few weeks and could see from above just how wet the upper Murrumbidgee is."Hopefully that will run into the dams and allocations will be increased in July and August."Time will tell how that turns out, but it's looking like a pretty good start to the year."
Vinafood 2 denies kickback allegation in Philippine rice contract Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) has rejected a news report that the firm had bribed a Filipino official to win a government-togovernment rice export contract in April.
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Bribe giving is impossible at such an international competitive tender, Nguyen Ngoc Nam, deputy general director of Vinafood 2, told the Daily after the news appeared on www.oryza.com, a popular website on global rice markets.According to the website, a Philippine agriculture official allegedly struck a ―midnight deal‖ with Vinafood 2 in April this year to hand the firm a contract to supply 800,000 tons of 15% broken white rice between May and August this year.However, Nam turned down the allegation, explaining that this was an international tender, so anyone offering the lowest bid would win the contract. The Philippines has organized rice auctions many times with bidders in the region such as Thailand, Cambodia, India and Pakistan sticking to the rule.There might be some internal disputes in the Philippine agency, Nam told the Daily via telephone last Friday. In April, Vietnam won the bidding to supply 800,000 tons of 15% broken rice to the Philippines.Vinafood 2 offered an average Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) price of nearly US$439 per ton, lower than those of other bidders by around US$30 a ton. Cambodia and Thailand bid for US$469 and US$474 per ton respectively.Between 2001 and 2003, Indonesian media reported that Vinafood 2 gave kickbacks to an official of Indonesia‘s state food procurement body Bulog to obtain a rice export contract.Vinafood 2 then denied the allegation, saying the governments of the two countries had signed the rice purchase contract in 2001 and that Vinafood 2 was just chosen to implement the deal. Rice shipments to Philippines behind schedule *Vietnam has been able to ship only 118,000 tons of rice to the Philippines more than one month after winning the 800,000-ton contract, much lower than the goal of 200,000 tons a month.Pham Van Bay, vice chairman of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), said local enterprises exported 493,000 tons of rice to the Philippines in the first five months of this year, including part of the 500,000-ton contract in 2013 and part of the 800,000-ton contract this year. In May, Vietnam exported just 118,000 tons to the Philippines, far below the target of 200,000 tons each month. However, Bay said Vietnamese exporters have not been fined for failing to meet quality requirements. Earlier, the National Food Authority (NFA) of the Philippines announced it would fine Vietnamese firms if they failed to meet the broken ratio, with fines of US$3 for a ton of rice whose broken ratio surpasses 1% and US$6 for 2%.Some enterprises sought approval from VFA to pull out of the contract due to strict quality requirements
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and fears of possible losses. However, Vinafood 2 and Vietnam Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1) have encouraged them to implement the contract to protect the nation‘s prestige, Bay said. SGT/VN Tags:VinafoodPhilippine rice contract,
Thailand Ends Controversial Rice Subsidy Scheme Ron Corben Last updated on: June 16, 2014 7:51 AM BANGKOK — Thailand's military government ended a rice pricesupport scheme, put in place under the former civilian government, as investigations continue into widespread corruption and losses of billions of dollars from the program.The policy change comes as Thailand is predicted to return as the world's largest rice exporter, eclipsing the current market leader, India.Thailand's military leader, General Prayuth Chan-Ocha, said all rice price-support schemes were dismissed unless they provided direct benefits to the farmers. Prayuth said alternative measures were needed to boost agricultural development and support to farmers. Under the rice price-support scheme of former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the government paid farmers 50 percent more than world market prices. The government believed the plan could make Thailand, then the world's largest rice exporter, a price leader and force up global rice prices.The program was a central policy of Yingluck's government and key to the Pheu Thai party's 2011 election victory.But the scheme, costing over $19 billion and shrouded in official secrecy, floundered as Thailand, unable to sell its rice at the higher prices, was left with millions of tons of the grain in warehouses, while the government was engulfed by allegations of widespread corruption. Government financing for the scheme dried up last year, leaving hundreds of thousands of farmers unpaid. About 20 farmers are alleged to have committed suicide because of financial distress, while others took to the streets in protest in Bangkok pleading for funds.In March, Yingluck's caretaker government, in a bid to raise money, began releasing rice at discounted prices onto the world market.Thailand's warehouses could be holding as much as 18 million tons of rice - double normal levels.David Dawe, a senior economist with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said sales of Thai rice this year led to lower global prices."One of the ways that they were raising money is they realized that they were going to have to sell some of the huge stocks that they had," Dawe said. "They just couldn't continue to borrow money and sit on all these
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stocks and so they just started selling stocks. Thailand only went out of the market because they were trying to hoard everything."
Corruption charges In early May, prior to the military takeover of the Thai government, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found Yingluck at least partially responsible for corruption related to the scheme.A subcommittee is examining the former prime minister's declared assets along with those of other cabinet members linked to the program.Farmers from neighboring rice-growing countries, including Vietnam and Cambodia, were illegally shipping their rice to Thailand to be sold at the higher prices. Rice millers are also under investigation for overstating rice stocks.The NACC is investigating losses of up to $16 billion, with almost 3 million tons of rice missing from warehouses. Thai Rice Exporters Association honorary president, Vichai Sriprasert, said the military is now assessing the
actual quantity of rice in warehouses."We address first the quantity - let's say the quantity, how many tons do we have? That hasn't been resolved yet. And after the quantity is resolved, to check the quality is much more difficult because the warehouse is full," Vichai said. "You cannot really go into the center of the warehouse. It's not possible to do that now - but once you know the quantity is correct, then the second stage would be to identify quality. "Currently, Vichai said Thai rice is the cheapest on the global market, as the country works to clear the backlog.However, the outlook for Thai rice is optimistic.The U.S. Agriculture Department said Thailand is forecast to be the largest rice exporter again by 2015, shipping almost 10 million tons - the highest since a record of 10.6 million tons in 2011 prior to the rice-price scheme. FILE 1- Thai workers unload rice from the truck of a farmer, at a rice collection center, in the northeastern province of Roi Et , in Thailand.
FILE 2 - Thai farmers march through the street during a rally to put pressure on the Office of the AntiCorruption Commission in Bangkok, Thailand, Feb. 7, 2014.
Soldiers join provincial officials in taking care of rice stockpiles nationwide Tuesday, 17 June 2014By NNT
BURIRAM, 16 June 2014 - Military officers in Nakhon Ratchasima and Buriram Provinces have been instructed to support government officials in taking care of stockpiles of pledged rice in the areas, in their bids
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to prevent unauthorized transfer of rice stocks. The Military Circle of Buriram has announced it would look after Klangpreecha Panitch silo in the province that houses the 2013/2014 pledged rice, making it the fourth party to oversee the rice stocks in addition to the Public Warehouse Organization (PWO), a surveyor company, and the provincial administration. The move is part of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)‘s efforts to prevent smuggling or moving the stockpiles from the silo pending a new round of inspection. Similarly in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, military personnel and the provincial police and PWO officials have been dispatched to examine the stockpiled rice in Ratchasima Boonnapha warehouse. After the inspection, officials put on padlocks on the establishment, a gesture signaling the venue is now under the watchful eyes of the military. All the 48 rice silos in the province are now under the protection of the soldiers.Meanwhile, Managing Director of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Luck Watjananawat has announced that it will close the rice pledging scheme for the 2013/2014 planting season soon with the final payment of 20 billion baht being made on Tuesday June 17th, a bit earlier than the previous schedule of June 22nd.
NCPO may offer rice farmers subsidy of Bt1,700-per-rai in three-way meet today Petchanet Pratruangkrai The Nation June 18, 2014 1:00 am The military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order will today (June18) consider granting farmers a riceproduction subsidy of Bt1,700 per rai, after farmers proposed Bt3,000 per rai.The NCPO's economic team is scheduled to meet with farmers and rice millers today to finalise measures to help farmers in the upcoming rice-harvest season.The junta earlier decided not to support farmers as previous elected governments had done through costly pledging or priceguarantee projects. But farmers pleaded for some form of assistance as the market price for paddy white rice has dropped to only Bt5,000-Bt6,000 per tonne.A senior government official said reducing the costs of production could be the final choice to help rice farmers, as it would not cost much. The military government will ask manufacturers of chemical fertiliser and pesticide to cooperate by reducing their retail prices. Other cost-reduction measures could include asking landlords to reduce rental fees for rice plantations, and providing some funds for community cooperatives to purchase rice seeds.However, a source with a fertiliser manufacturer said producers could only reduce their prices for a short period, since they faced rising costs of imported chemicals because of the weaker baht and other factors.Vichian Phuanglamjiek, president of the Thai Rice Growers Association, said farmers
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wanted the government to grant them about Bt3,000 per rai (Bt18,750 per hectare) to reduce their production costs.He said farmers wanted the government to set a price for rice based on the average production cost plus a 40-per-cent profit margin so they can survive.Vichian pointed out that the cost of rice cultivation was currently Bt5,000-6,000 per rai, very close to the market price. Farmers are now facing losses. Workers plant a new crop of rice in Kampong Cham‘s Batheay district late last year. Only 20 per cent of rice produced during the past harvest season has been sold.Hong Menea
Rice piles up as exports slow Wed, 18 June 2014 Hor Kimsay Lagging demand from foreign buyers has led to Cambodian rice being stockpiled at the country‘s mills, according to the head of the country‘s peak rice body.Sok Puthyvuth, president of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), said that with exporters receiving fewer orders, the country‘s larger rice millers have been able to sell only 20 per cent of stock produced during the most recent harvest season.―[Orders] have fallen sharply in recent times. Exports this year are proving very difficult for our members,‖ he said, adding that this time last year, at least 70 per cent of stock had been sold by the bigger companies for export. Puthyvuth said the slump in Cambodian rice orders was due to deflated prices in Vietnam and in Thailand, where a recent rice surplus sell-off saw 12.8 million tonnes – equal to about a third of the world‘s total export market – flood the market from January.Cambodian rice currently trades at $440 per tonne. Meanwhile, rice in Thailand and Vietnam is selling for $385 per tonne and $405 per tonne respectively.With the next harvest season due to begin in just three months, Lim Bun Heng, chairman of rice export firm Loran Group, said that millers had been pressuring his company to find buyers for Cambodian grain.―They are concerned and are asking us to find a way to export the rice stocks as soon as possible,‖ he said.―Most of them borrow money from banks to buy the rice from the farmers in the first place, so they need to start repayment. ‖In addition, the informal export of raw paddy, which is often traded over the border, has also slowed, making collection easier for local millers.However, as demand for exports of Cambodian milled rice weakens, a bottleneck is resulting, which itself results in increasing stockpiles, Heng added.A rice mill owner, who asked not to be named for fear of damaging his business‘s reputation, said that he had more than 2,000 tonnes of rice waiting for a buyer in Battambang province.The mill owner added that he had accrued over $400,000 worth of
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bank loans to buy the rice off local farmers in the hope of selling it on to exporters for overseas markets.―To pay back the bank only, I am forced to sell the paddy off at a lower price than what I bought it for,‖ he said.Independent agricultural analyst Srey Chanthy said Cambodia must lower both paddy and milled rice prices to maintain sustainable competition with regional producers.―Our rice quality is already good, so what we need to do is focus on price,‖ he said.―If we can produce and sell at a similar price as others, we will be able to enter many other markets.‖
Thai rice farmers paid $2.9 billion of arrears, state bank says BY APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT BANGKOK Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:56am EDT CREDIT: REUTERS/CHAIWAT SUBPRASOM (Reuters) - Thailand's military government has paid rice farmers all the arrears of 92.4 billion baht ($2.86 billion) owed under a controversial state purchase scheme, a senior official of the bank that funded the program said on Tuesday.The move ended the government's biggest expenditure on the costly scheme, following a vow by the junta government to halt it for now. Farmers had been waiting for their money since last October. "The government and the BAAC have managed to pay all those 800,000 farmers now and we don't have any plan to spend on buying rice from now on," Supat Eauchai, an executive vice-president of state-owned Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), told Reuters.The farmers had been left unpaid for months after former premier Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved parliament in December, turning her government into a caretaker one that had no power to borrow money to pay off the arrears. An anti-government group staged a 6-month-long protest that led Thailand into a political impasse until the military took control on May 22.Thailand's military leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Friday the ruling military council had no immediate plans to maintain the rice-buying scheme begun by the ousted Yingluck.The scheme was one of the major policies that brought Yingluck to power in 2011, thanks to a promise to pay farmers grain prices way above market rates.Supat said the government had spent 8.80 billion Thai baht in buying rice from farmers since the policy was adopted in October 2011.
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The scheme was expected to run up huge losses as the government was forced to sell rice from state stockpiles at market prices that were more than 50 percent less than the price of 15,000 baht per metric ton it had paid farmers.Yingluck's government never revealed the exact losses to the media during its time in power.However, the military government had said it would start checking on rice stocksthroughout the country immediately before preparing a plan to manage the remaining stocks, amounting to more than 10 million tonnes, and to cover the losses. ($1=32.3500 Thai baht) (Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Six agencies in collaborative venture to promote high-quality rice seed production Photo: A Thai farmer works on his rice field in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok March 1, 2014.
Six agencies in collaborative venture to promote high-quality rice seed production The Nation June 17, 2014 1:00 am
Six key organisations have joined hands to promote the production of high-quality rice seeds.The agencies involved in the collaboration are the Rice Department, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, the Thai Rice Foundation under Royal Patronage, the National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office, the Agricultural Research Development Agency and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA).The shortage of high-quality seed is one of the major problems faced by rice farmers and others in the sector in Thailand, as it directly affects the production and quality of rice grains entering the domestic and world markets. Currently, only 40 per cent of rice-seed demand is met, leading to production problems such as low yield and inconsistent and low-quality rice grains. The root causes of problems in rice-seed production are many: access to elite lines and master seeds; a lack of seed-production knowledge among farmers; a shortage of inspectors to certify high-quality seed; a disconnection between producers and distributors; and weak financial structure to support the production/distribution chain. The six organisations will, therefore, work together to address these problems based on the strength and expertise of each body. Thaweesak Koanantakool, president of the NSTDA, said the overall objective of the collaboration is to develop the network of rice-seed producers and distributors; upgrade the system of production and certification of highquality seed; and meet the Kingdom's rice-seed demand. The activities to be undertaken will comprise the launch of a training programme in seed production and boosting human capital in the field of seed certification; raising awareness among farmers of the importance of quality seeds; and access to financial resources for farmers and business operators in the value chain.With this collaboration, rice production in Thailand can be
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advanced, generating significant income for farmers as well as increasing the competitiveness of the rice industry in the global market, he said.
Ricce Pledging Project draws to Close Date : 17 มิถุนายน 2557
BANGKOK, 17 June 2014, (NNT) - Several offices of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) have started terminating their rice support projects, as most of farmers participating in the scheme have been paid. Most of the rice farmers in Ang Thong have started withdrawing their payments from the BAAC to fund their next rice planting season, after the bank transferred the funds into their accounts on June 12. The BAAC's Ang Thong branch has so far paid 92% percent of the amount owed to farmers, amounting to 1.451 billion baht, according to the BAAC officials, adding that the remaining debts of 126 million baht would be paid by tomorrow. Meanwhile, the bank's Udonthani branch has announced the termination of its rice pledging scheme, saying it has since June 12th paid all of the 13,470 farmers for the 20,897 warehouse receipts submitted by them. The province will from now on focus on promoting traditional organic farming in order to reduce production costs and raise farmers' income, in line with the National Council for Peace and Order‘s policies.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- June 17 Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:43pm IST Nagpur, June 17 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) firmed up again on increased demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing belts. Fresh rise on NCDEX, weak overseas supply, healthy rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and reported demand from South-based millers also pushed up prices, according to sources. *
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FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram Kabuli moved down in open market in absence of buyers amid increased supply from producing regions.
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TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here on subdued demand from local traders amid ample stock in ready position. * Major rice varieties recovered strongly in open market on renewed marriage season demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing regions like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Reports about delay in monsoon arrival here also activated stockists. * In Akola, Tuar - 3,800-4,100, Tuar dal - 5,700-6,000, Udid at 6,500-6,800, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,600-8,100, Moong - 7,200-7,600, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,600-9,300, Gram - 2,000-2,200, Gram Super best bold - 3,000-3,300 for 100 kg. * Wheat 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 2,050-2,440 2,000-2,400 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,800-4,250 3,700-4,170 Moong Auction n.a. 4,600-5,000 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 3,500-3,600 3,500-3,600 Gram Super Best n.a. Gram Medium Best 3,100-3,300 3,100-3,300 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a. Gram Mill Quality 2,800-2,900 2,800-2,900 Desi gram Raw 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,800 Gram Filter new 2,900-3,100 2,900-3,100 Gram Kabuli 8,000-10,000 8,200-10,200 Gram Pink 7,300-7,900 7,300-7,900 Tuar Fataka Best 6,100-6,400 6,100-6,400 Tuar Fataka Medium 5,900-6,100 5,900-6,100 Tuar Dal Best Phod 5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700 Tuar Dal Medium phod 5,100-5,400 5,100-5,400 Tuar Gavarani 4,100-4,200 4,100-4,200 Tuar Karnataka 4,000-4,100 4,000-4,100 Tuar Black 7,400-7,700 7,400-7,700 Masoor dal best 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Masoor dal medium 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold 8,900-9,600 8,900-9,600
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Moong Mogar Medium best 8,300-8,700 8,300-8,700 Moong dal super best 7,600-8,000 7,600-8,000 Moong dal Chilka 7,700-8,300 7,700-8,300 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 7,800-9,000 7,800-9,000 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 8,200-8,500 8,200-8,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,600 6,800-7,600 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,700-6,000 5,700-6,000 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,800 3,800-4,800 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,350-3,450 3,350-3,450 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,700-3,800 3,700-3,800 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 5,000-5,400 5,000-5,400 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,500 1,200-1,500 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,450-1,550 1,450-1,550 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,400 1,200-1,400 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-3,200 2,500-3,200 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,400 2,000-2,400 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,100-1,300 1,100-1,300 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,800 1,500-1,800 Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,200 2,800-3,200 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,600-2,800 Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,200 3,600-3,800 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,400-5,200 4,100-4,900 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,400-13,900 10,400-13,900 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,300-10,000 7,300-10,500 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,400 4,800-5,500 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,300-1,500 1,300-1,500 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 40.7 degree Celsius (105.2 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp. 24.5 degree Celsius (76.1 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a. Rainfall : 11.8 mm FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 40 and 25 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
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India to Offload 25% of Rice Stocks as Monsoon Threatens Prices By Prabhudatta Mishra and Ketaki Gokhale Jun 17, 2014 9:33 PM GMT+0500 will release about a quarter of its rice stockpiles into the open market and allow farmers to freely supply fruits and vegetables to rein in prices as a weak monsoon looms over crop output.The administration will sell 5 million tons of rice from central reserves at subsidized rates as soon as possible, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in a briefing in New Delhi today. The federal government will also help states to import pulses and cooking oil if needed and minimum export prices for potatoes will be fixed to discourage outward shipments, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said separately.―In light of the forecast of a below-normal monsoon, some hoarding seems to have started,‖ Jaitley said in New Delhi today. ―We will ask states to crackdown on hoarders firmly. The steps are being taken in anticipation of further price rise.‖Wholesale inflation accelerated to the fastest pace in five months in May and consumer prices rose 8.28 percent, eroding purchasing power in a nation where about 70 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day. More than half of India‘s farmlands get water from the June-September rainfall, which has been 49 percent below normal so far.―As a first step, this looks very sensible,‖ Shubhada Rao, an economist at Yes Bank Ltd. in Mumbai, said by phone. ―The government taking steps to manage all of this will have a much more calming impact on inflation.‖ Inflation Risks Food Corp. of India, the nation‘s procuring agency, has been instructed not to retain grains for more than 18 months, Paswan announced, and Jaitley said farmers will be permitted to sell fruits and vegetables anywhere they wish rather than only in state-controlled markets. The government today imposed a minimum export price of $300 per ton for onions.Food costs have boosted the inflation rate in the last couple of months and ―the hope is that with appropriate food management these prices will come down,‖ Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said in Mumbai today. He held the benchmark repurchase rate at 8 percent on June 3 after raising it three times since September to quell price pressures.A 10 percent drop in rainfall may add more than a percentage point to the consumer-price index, and a ―full blown drought‖ risks shaving as much as half a percentage point off economic growth, according to HSBC Holdings Plc. The monsoon will be 7 percent below normal this year, India‘s weather department said on June 9.The government has amassed about 21 million tons of rice and 42 million tons of wheat, more than twice the recommended buffer stock, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said June 9. Other contingency measures under consideration include a diesel subsidy to allow farmers to run pumps to irrigate standing crops, and more government funds to help buy seeds.
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To contact the reporters on this story: Prabhudatta Mishra in New Delhi atpmishra8@bloomberg.net; Ketaki Gokhale in Mumbai at kgokhale@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.netJeanette Rodrigues, Karthikeyan Sundaram
Rice exporters’ dilemma By Ashfak Bokhari
RICE exporters feel the government has let them down badly by ignoring their key concerns in the new budget despite a firm assurance of relief by the minister concerned. Their dilemma stems from the rupee‘s appreciation against dollar in recent months which was hailed as a sign of good health and a blessing for the country‘s economy by all and sundry. But for rice tycoons, it came like a bolt from the blue, turning a happy event into a misfortune. The pre-appreciation orders booked at a time when a dollar was worth Rs108 now gave them earnings at the rate of Rs 98 a dollar – a difference of almost 10 per cent. The rupee appreciation was very rapid in a short period of 15 days and rice exporters were not mentally prepared for the ―shock. ‖Their key and urgent demand is compensation for the losses they have suffered. The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has now come up with a figure of total losses by its members: Rs6 billion. How has this huge figure been worked out is not clear. Dozens of REAP members claim to have incurred losses of up to Rs50 million each. Most of these losses relate to the month of March and onwards.REAP did welcome the dollar‘s depreciation as a great event that would make the rupee stable against other currencies, but deplored the fact that it was not taken into confidence by the government while undertaking important policy measures. The association had presented a list of proposals to the finance minister, but none of them was taken into consideration in the budget. A senior REAP vice-chairman Chela Ram pointed out at a recent press conference that they had pinned much hope on Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir‘s promise of providing compensation for the losses through budgetary measures, but Finance Minister Ishaq Dar made no such statement in his budget speech. In fact, he did not utter the word ‗rice‘ in his long speech, although the rice export industry is second only to textiles in earning foreign exchange. There are multiple ways to compensate the exporters if the government did not want to do it in cash. It can provide subsidies for freight and on exports, and cut their utility bills.He said if the government fails to provide relief, a large number of rice units will close down and Pakistan‘s traditional customers would turn to other exporting countries.
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Explaining at the same time why the closure must be avoided, he said the demand for Pakistan‘s long grain white rice has increased in the global market due to its high quality, despite its high rate of $400 per tonne, as compared to other rice exporting countries like India, Thailand and Vietnam. In fact, buyers are willing to pay an extra $30 to $40 because of its excellent quality.Meanwhile, the country‘s rice exports in the first 10 months (July 2013-April 2014) of this fiscal year, according to PBS data, decreased by 5pc (2.66 million tonnes), while those of the basmati variety fell by 7pc (514,541 tonnes) over the same period last year. However, earnings rose by 18pc ($1.87 billion), and those of basmati variety by 3pc ($545million) against last year‘s figures. This means that the outflow of rice is continuing undisturbed despite non-compensation of the losses, and that there is no evidence of closure of rice units in protest against the government‘s indifference.In another development, rice exporters are now keen to resume trade with Mexico by resolving their differences with that country. They want the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan to take up their case with Mexico and work out a settlement. Mexico had banned rice exports from Pakistan in June 2013 after finding traces of Khapra beetle in some shipments. Its port authorities placed about 3,000 tonnes of Pakistani rice in quarantine, and later returned the whole quantity to Pakistan. The exporters had rejected the charges, but deplored the lack of interest by the commercial attaché of the Pakistan embassy there in taking up their case.Since then, there has been no trade between the two countries. Prior to that incident, Mexico had imported around 16,000 tonnes of Pakistani rice in the first half of 2013 and 7,400 tonnes in 2012. Now, the exporters intend to take appropriate measures to prevent a repeat of such an incident. It takes about 70 days for Pakistani rice to reach Mexico.In its latest report, the USDA Post says rice production in Pakistan is recovering from three years of successive floods. It has increased its estimates for milled rice production during the country‘s Marketing Year 2013-14 (November-October) to 6.6 million tonnes, and put exports at a record 3.9 million tonnes, up about 8pc from an estimated 3.6 million tonnes exported in MY2012-13. Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, June 16th, 2014
Iraq's central government suffers mortal blow By Fawaz A GergesLondon School of Economics Demonstrators shout slogans in support of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant in Mosul Regardless of whether the Iraqi government in Baghdad rolls back the recent military advances by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), the central authority has suffered a mortal blow. ISIS's takeover of most of the so-called Sunni Triangle, as well as Mosul, the second largest city with almost two million people, hammers a deadly nail in the coffin of the post-Saddam Hussein nation-building
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project.Fragile Iraqi institutions now lie in tatters.It is doubtful if Baghdad could ever establish a monopoly on the use of force in the country, or exercise authority and centralised control over rebellious Sunni Arabs and semi-independent Kurdistan.The best-case scenario for Iraq is devolution of power from the centre in Baghdad to local Shia, Sunni Arabs and Sunni Kurdish communities; the worst is splintering of the country to three separate entities.ISIS's swift advance has exposed the state's structural and institutional weaknesses, as well as a deep ideological and sectarian rift in society. After eight years in office and monopolising power, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has delivered neither security nor reconciliation and prosperity.Iraqi security forces, which number hundreds of thousands of men, almost disintegrated under a stunning sweep of only a few thousand, lightly armed al-Qaeda-linked fighters.More than a decade after the Americans removed Saddam Hussein from power and dissolved his army, the reconstituted military lacks a unifying identity and professionalism, and is riddled with corruption.For example, in Mosul, ISIS militants had a joy-ride through the city because senior and junior officers had already deserted their positions and weapons, and ordered soldiers to flee home. A security force in Mosul made up of tens of thousands melted away.Coming to the rescue of a sinking ship, a representative of the highest Shia authority in the land, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, said the "defence of Iraq and its people and holy sites is a duty on every citizen who can carry arms and fight terrorists".A parallel army of an estimated 100,000 volunteers, mainly Shia, has joined the fray, increasing the risks of sectarian strife.Concerned about misinterpretation of his call to arms, Ayatollah Sistani's office subsequently qualified his statement by warning his supporters against "any behaviour that has a sectarian or a nationalist character that may harm the cohesion of the Iraqi people". Broken system It is misleading to exaggerate ISIS military prowess and exploits as many reports in the Western media do.Its strength stems not only from the weakness of the Iraqi state, but also from the communal and social cleavages that are tearing society apart; it is a manifestation of a bigger revolt by (tribal) Sunni Arabs against what they view as Mr Maliki's sectarian authoritarianism.t the very heart of the fierce struggle raging in Iraq is a broken political system, one based on "muhasasa", or distribution of the spoils of power along communal, ethnic and tribal lines, and put in place after the US invaded and occupied the country in 2003.Sunnis Arabs, particularly in the last four years, have felt excluded and disfranchised by what they view as Mr Maliki's sectarian-based policies.When the US left Iraq in 2011, the al-Qaeda brand was in decline, unpopular among Sunnis.Three years later, ISIS has revived by finding a "hadana shaabiya", or social base, among dissatisfied and alienated Sunni Arabs. Devolution Seizing the opportunity afforded by the Syrian armed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi expanded his activities to the neighbouring country and established a powerful base which has yielded new recruits and precious financial and operational assets.ISIS has aligned itself with
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insurgent Sunni groups, such as officers of Saddam's dissolved army, and co-opted hundreds of these skilled fighters to its ranks, a turning point in its ability to plan and execute complex operations in both Iraq and Syria. In Falluja, Mosul, Tikrit and other towns, Sunnis welcomed al-Qaeda militants as liberators and armed men joined the advancing units.
The offensive has displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Nineveh province More alarming, Sunni officers who deserted their bases are reported to have said that they would not fight for Mr Maliki's government, a development that shows the gravity of the sectarian-political rift in Iraq today. This helps explain the shattering collapse of Iraqi security forces.Sunni tribes and disgruntled former army officers sealed the fate of the Sunni Triangle.ISIS is only a powerful vehicle for Sunni Arab grievances, though a vehicle that could ultimately crush both Sunnis' aspirations and the Iraqi state. The writing is already on the wall.In Mosul, ISIS has already laid out its iron law which caused disquiet and alarm among its religious-nationalist and tribal allies who advised caution and prior consultation.Even if the Iraqi state recaptures the cities seized by ISIS, it would be unable to pacify the population without decentralisation of the decision-making and devolution of power to the local level. Old order dead
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Various communities should be empowered to govern themselves and feel invested in the national project, a vital task to rescue the fragile Iraqi state and rid the country of ISIS and other insurgent groups.The old order is dead. There is an urgent need to reconstruct the broken political and social system along new lines of citizenship and the rule of law. The ISIS assault has allowed Kurdish Peshmerga forces to seize control of Kirkuk and its oil reserves Neither reconciliation nor institution-building would occur without a new social contract based on the decentralisation of power and an equitable sharing of resources.There is no assurance of success given the widening fault-lines among Iraqis and the lack of trust.Emerging as the biggest winner, the Kurds might be reluctant to surrender the gains recently made with their occupation of the strategically important, oil-producing city of Kirkuk and the consolidation of their Kurdistan borders.In a similar vein, the Sunni Arab leadership has not come to terms with the new realities of post-Saddam Iraq and still entertains illusions about ruling the country.Tribal chieftains have acted as cheerleaders for ISIS and seem intoxicated by a Pyrrhic victory. Shia monopoly Mr Maliki, along with the Shia leadership, bears a greater responsibility for Iraq's failure.Western countries have urged Mr Maliki to reach out to Sunnis to rebuild national unity.Having taken ownership of the country after the US occupation and overthrow of Saddam Hussein, the Shia leadership has treated Sunni Arabs like second-class citizens and has equated its numerical majority with a licence to monopolise power.Iraq's future depends on the willingness of the dominant social classes to rise up to the historical challenge and prioritise the national interest over the parochial.If history is a guide, the ruling elite might once again fail the Iraq people with catastrophic repercussions for the war-torn country and the regional and international system. Fawaz A Gerges holds the Emirates Chair in Contemporary Middle Eastern Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is author of several books, including The New Middle East: Social Protest And Revolution In The Arab World.
Ghana: Farmer Applauds Govt for Banning Rice Importation 16 JUNE 2014 Alhaji Suhiyini Ziblim, a Ghanaian rice farmer and seller on Sunday said government's ban on rice importation through the borders of the Ivory Coast has given a boost to local rice production in the country.He said: "Since October last year when the ban was imposed on the importation of rice from la Cote d'Ivoire, local rice
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production and sales has risen about 40 percent, a situation that is encouraging to local rice farmers to yield dividends for their year-long toil. "Alhaji Ziblim who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the ban on the importation had also curbed the perennial smuggling of the commodity into the country as some people took advantage of the practice to smuggle large tons thereby selling it cheaper to stifle the initiative of local farmers.In October last year, government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry banned the inland importation of rice through the West African borders, especially through the Ivory Coast, because the rice from those countries was comparatively cheaper thereby rendering the local rice farmers redundant. As a result, the consumption of local rice had risen about 40 percent according to the farmers in the last seven months, an indication that such figures could be doubled in years to come to give the farmers and local sellers the benefits of their hard work.Alhaji Ziblim wondered why this ban was not imposed so many years back, adding "I am sure if these measures were taken long time back, the local rice industry would have grown to feed all of us in this country and to feed other external markets."He appealed to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to also impose such bans on other commodities in line with government's policy to reduce the importation of rice, tomatoes, oil, onions and other commodities to give a lifeline to farmers in the country to prove their worth. "The ban I believe will also drastically check smuggling as the government was denied millions of cedis as a result of smuggling and tax evasion," Alhaji Ziblim added.He, however, called on colleague farmers and Millers to ensure good processing practices and good packaging that would sustain the appetite of consumers to increase their demand for local rice and other commodities. GNA
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