Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
17th October, 2014
News Headlines
Plunging paddy prices leave farmers reeling Northeast India turns to Myanmar, Bangladesh for rice Cambodia Rice Forecast Down Minister: Cabinet conditionally agrees to export rice UPDATE 1-Egyptian government approves plan to allow rice exports Some rice-based foods for people with celiac disease contain relevant amounts of arsenic Raise in rice export quota demanded Breakthrough in increasing per hectare output of hybrid rice Arsenic dangers in gluten-free rice foods for celiac disease Split hits Telangana State rice procurement Etala allays fears of PDS beneficiaries Concentrating on family farming and technology Farmer-scientist group slams GMO, pushes for organic farming in PH Climate change may hit rice yields in Asia: IPCC report Import, export of agriculture goods: good quality control system helps to improve standards of products: minister Millers yet to give 29000 MT rice Industry backs training for healthier food Rice importer faces smuggling raps One Step Closer to Unhindered U.S. Paddy Rice Exports to Colombia USA Rice Outlook Conference Covers Farm bill, Trade Topics, More AARQ Association for the Administration of Rice Quotas, Inc. Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures For Advertisement Specs & Rates: Contact: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874
News Detail…. Plunging paddy prices leave farmers reeling By Zaw Htike | Friday, 17 October 2014
Paddy prices have taken a big hit from a recent drop in demand from China, as border officials have strangled the bilateral rice trade by stepping up efforts to prevent illegal imports. Rice exports to China make up over 50 percent total rice exports, but while they are legal from Myanmar‟s perspective the exports are illegal from Beijing‟s point of view as there is no bilateral agreement on health standards. Yet its border officials had generally allowed the trade until a crackdown on illegal imports began last month.Chinese buyers had paid higher-thanmarket rates particularly over the past few months, even as negotiations have begun on the Sanitary and Phyo-Sanitary (SPS) health agreement that would allow legal Myanmar rice exports to China. Closing the border to Myanmar rice has led to significant problems for rice exporters, causing prices to drop ahead of the harvest, said U Thein Aung, chair of the Myanmar Freedom Farmer League. “We were expecting quite a good price for exports from this year‟s harvests. But [if the closure continues], farmers will be stuck with all the rice they have grown, and exports will be terrible,” he said.Rice prices have increased significantly for local farmers over the past two years, driven partly by the surge in Chinese demand. A World Bank report from earlier this year said there was negligible overland rice trade to China in 2010-11, while it constituted 752,000 tonnes by 201213. China has also significantly increased prices for rice, paying about US$436 a tonne in 2013, compared with $381 a tonne in 2012 and $316 a tonne in 2011. Prices for 2014 were understood to be higher still, until the recent border crackdown.Traders told the Myanmar Times in August that exports could increase further this year as Chinese buyers looked to diversify away from Vietnamese imports. Spurred by the expected increase in demand, farmers have been expanding the areas under cultivation and spending more on inputs such as fertiliser, said U Thein Aung.“We worry that if paddy prices drop, prices will be below the breakeven point,” he said.U Lu Maw Myint Maung, joint secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation and a leading exporter, said he expects the paddy price to continue falling.“Exporters have already decreased the amount of rice they are buying to ship to the Chinese market. If this trend continues, exporters won‟t buy a lot of rice for the harvest season and it can lead to further loses for farmers,” he said. “I don‟t think paddy will be more than K3000 a basket if this trend continues.”Rice exports to Europe have also decreased slightly since August, though not on the level seen by China.
Overall, U Lu Maw Myint Maung said Myanmar‟s current level of production is geared towards exporting about 100,000 tonnes a month, and if volumes drop below that, rice prices will also decline.He added that Myanmar had been exporting up to 3500 tonnes of rice a day to China, but shipments now total less than 20 tonnes a day through the Muse border gate in northern Shan State.“Myanmar traders are not sending their rice through Muse because they are worried it will be confiscated, and Chinese traders are not coming to Muse to buy Myanmar rice as they were doing before,” he said. “In Myanmar, the local price is already decreasing as a result.”
Northeast India turns to Myanmar, Bangladesh for rice Published: 2014-10-17 11:03:07.0 BdST Updated: 2014-10-17 11:03:07.0 BdST Transport bottlenecks have forced India's northeastern states to procure much needed rice from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.
The Indian government has floated bids to import rice from Myanmar for Manipur and Mizoram. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is ferrying rice from other parts of India via Bangladesh for Tripura.The poor transport connectivity in some northeastern states worsened after train services from the rest of India were halted in southern Assam Oct 1, snapping rail connection to Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.This has been done so that rail tracks can be converted from metre to broad gauge.
Cambodia Rice Forecast Down 17 October 2014
CAMBODIA - Planting of the 2014 main (wet) season paddy crop, which normally accounts for about 80 per cent of annual production, is almost complete. Overall, rainfall between June and mid-October has been near-average over much of the country benefiting sowing activities and crop development.However, a dry spell over northwestern parts of the country between June and August, coupled with localised floods in August in the Mekong River Basin, affected close to 166,000 hectares of agricultural crops, of which some 36,000 hectares were damaged.As a result, FAO‟s latest forecast puts the 2014 main season rice output at 7.2 million tonnes, 2 per cent below last year‟s record level of the same season. Assuming an average 2014/15 secondary (dry) season harvest, FAO‟s preliminary forecast for the aggregate 2014 rice production stands at 9.3 million tonnes, marginally below last year‟s record level.Harvesting of the 2014 maize crop began in September and will continue until the
end of October. FAOâ€&#x;s latest forecast points to a 3 per cent decrease to 900 000 tonnes, reflecting a contraction in planted area, after the record level in 2013.This 18-month two-phase track conversion work undertaken by the Northeast Frontier Railways is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.Mizoram Food and Civil Supplies and Transport Minister John Rotluangliana told IANS: "We have asked the central government to import rice from Myanmar. The Metals and Minerals Trading Corp (MMTC) has floated tenders for this purpose. "We are expecting rice from Myanmar very soon," Rotluangliana added.He said he recently visited Chin hills in Myanmar adjoining eastern Mizoram to gather knowledge regarding transportation of rice from there.Mizoram shares an unfenced border of 404 km with Myanmar.According to the minister, Mizoram, with a population of 1.1 million, requires about 52,000 quintals of rice per month for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS).The MMTC last month floated global tenders to import about 100,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar for Manipur and Mizoram. Tripura Food, Civil Supplies and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told IANS: "Rice is being ferried from other parts of India via Bangladesh to avoid the long and mountainous surface road up to Tripura via Assam and Meghalaya."Also, the stoppage of train services has created serious problems for carrying rice through the traditional system and route."Saha also said that 5,000 tonnes of rice transported in three small ships from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh reached the Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh Oct 12."From Ashuganj, Bangladeshi trucks will carry the rice to FCI warehouses in Nandannagar (near Agartala) within a day or two," the minister told IANS.In August, 5,000 tonnes of rice reached Tripura through the same route.Ashuganj port over the Meghna river in eastern Bangladesh is located around 40 km from Agartala. The minister said the FCI had recently floated tenders to carry another 10,000 tonnes of rice via Bangladesh.The eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, are largely dependent on Punjab, Haryana and other states for foodgrains and essential commodities sold through PDS.The railways transport more than 70 percent of foodgrain to northeastern states from the rest of the country.Transportation via Bangladesh is easier as road connectivity is a big factor for the landlocked northeastern states surrounded by Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China.There is only a narrow land corridor to the northeastern region through Assam and West Bengal.But this landslide-prone route passes through hilly terrain with steep gradients and multiple hairpin bends, making plying of vehicles, specially loaded trucks, very difficult. The distance from Kolkata to Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km and from New Delhi 2,637 km. The distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is only 350 km.The railway line is broad gauge from Assam's main city Guwahati up to Lumding in southern Assam.From Lumding it is metre gauge -- in southern Assam and till Agartala, western Manipur and northern Mizoram.The 437-km Lumding-Agartala metre gauge rail line, covering southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, will be converted into broad gauge in two phases.Supply
Minister: Cabinet conditionally agrees to export rice
Friday, 17 October 2014 Date of publication:Friday, 17 October 2014 Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Khaled Hanafy on Thursday 16/10/2014 said that the cabinet agreed to export rice but on conditions.Any exporter wants to export rice, he should meet the government conditions of delivering the supply ministry with one ton of rice at a price of EGP 2000 as well as paying $280 export duties on every rice ton, he added. The move will contribute to reducing the prices of rice allocated for supply commodities and will be in favor of the Egyptian citizens who have smart supply cards, the minister said in statements.In the same context, Trade and Industry Minister Mounir Fakhry Abdel-Nour said that the cabinet has agreed to allow exporting rice until August 2015.The government has set a number of conditions to make sure that the Egyptian markets' needs of rice were met before allowing exporting surpluses, the minister said in a statement.Abdel-Nour added that the decision is meant to achieve the interests of farmers, consumers and the state's public treasury.
Climate change may hit rice yields in Asia: IPCC report In Indo-Gangetic plains there may be a 50 per cent fall in wheat area Rural poverty in parts of Asia could be exacerbated due to negative impacts from climate change on rice production, and a general increase in food prices and the cost of living, says the report of working group two of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report. Launched on Thursday, the report Climate Change 2014 Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability of the IPCC says rice is a key staple crop in Asia and 90 per cent or more of the worldâ€&#x;s rice production is from Asia. The most vulnerable regions were western Japan, eastern China, the southern part of the Indochina peninsula, and the northern part of South Asia. However, the report has some good news for Pakistan. In contrast, climate change may provide a windfall for wheat farmers in parts of Pakistan. Warming temperatures would make it possible to grow at least two crops (wheat and maize) a year in mountainous areas according to studies. In the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia there could be a decrease of about 50 per cent in the most favourable and high-yielding wheat area as a result of heat stress. The report says Asia experienced the highest number of weather and climate-related disasters in the world during the period 2000–2008 and suffered huge economic losses, accounting for the second highest proportion (27.5 per cent) of the total global economic loss. Flood mortality risk is heavily concentrated in Asia. Severe floods in Mumbai in 2005 have been attributed to both climatic factors and non-climatic factors. Impacts of climate change on food production and food security in Asia will vary by region, with many regions to experience a decline in productivity. This is evident in the case of rice production. People living in low-lying coastal zones and flood plains are probably most at risk from climate change impacts in Asia. Half of Asiaâ€&#x;s urban population lives in these areas.
Compounding the risk for coastal communities, Asia has more than 90 per cent of the global population exposed to tropical cyclones, the report adds. Keywords: rice production, food prices, IPCC Click the following link to View/Download Full REPORT: http://www.climatechange2013.org/
Northeast India turns to Myanmar, Bangladesh for rice Last Updated: Thursday, October 16, 2014 - 17:48
Agartala: Transport bottlenecks have forced India`s northeastern states to procure much needed rice from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.The Indian government has floated bids to import rice from Myanmar for Manipur and Mizoram. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is ferrying rice from other parts of India via Bangladesh for Tripura.The poor transport connectivity in some northeastern states worsened after train services from the rest of India were halted in southern Assam Oct 1, snapping rail connection to Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram. This has been done so that rail tracks can be converted from metre to broad gauge.This 18-month two-phase track conversion work undertaken by the Northeast Frontier Railways is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.Mizoram Food and Civil Supplies and Transport Minister John Rotluangliana told IANS: "We have asked the central government to import rice from Myanmar. The Metals and Minerals Trading Corp (MMTC) has floated tenders for this purpose."We are expecting rice from Myanmar very soon," Rotluangliana added.He said he recently visited Chin hills in Myanmar adjoining eastern Mizoram to gather knowledge regarding transportation of rice from there. Mizoram shares an unfenced border of 404 km with Myanmar.According to the minister, Mizoram, with a population of 1.1 million, requires about 52,000 quintals of rice per month for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS).The MMTC last month floated global tenders to import about 100,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar for Manipur and Mizoram.Tripura Food, Civil Supplies and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told IANS: "Rice is being ferried from other parts of India via Bangladesh to avoid the long and mountainous surface road up to Tripura via Assam and Meghalaya."Also, the stoppage of train services has created serious problems for carrying rice through the traditional system and route. "Saha also said that 5,000 tonnes of rice transported in three small ships from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh reached the Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh Oct 12."From Ashuganj, Bangladeshi trucks will carry the rice to FCI warehouses in Nandannagar (near Agartala) within a day or two," the minister told IANS.In August, 5,000 tonnes of rice reached Tripura through the same route.Ashuganj port over the Meghna river in eastern Bangladesh is located around 40 km from Agartala.The minister said the FCI had recently floated tenders to carry another 10,000 tonnes of rice via Bangladesh.
The eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, are largely dependent on Punjab, Haryana and other states for foodgrains and essential commodities sold through PDS.The railways transport more than 70 percent of foodgrain to northeastern states from the rest of the country.Transportation via Bangladesh is easier as road connectivity is a big factor for the landlocked northeastern states surrounded by Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China. There is only a narrow land corridor to the northeastern region through Assam and West Bengal.But this landslide-prone route passes through hilly terrain with steep gradients and multiple hairpin bends, making plying of vehicles, specially loaded trucks, very difficult.The distance from Kolkata to Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km and from New Delhi 2,637 km . The distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is only 350 km. The railway line is broad gauge from Assam`s main city Guwahati up to Lumding in southern Assam.From Lumding it is metre gauge -- in southern Assam and till Agartala, western Manipur and northern Mizoram.The 437-km Lumding-Agartala metre gauge rail line, covering southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, will be converted into broad gauge in two phases.
UPDATE 1-Egyptian government approves plan to allow rice exports Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:53am GMT * Has exportable surplus of one million tonnes * Middle East traders welcome decision * Rice council says conditions set will hinder exports (Adds details, quotes) CAIRO, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Egypt's government has approved plans to allow rice exports, the supplies minister said on Thursday in a move welcomed by traders but carrying terms which could hinder the return of the country's medium-grain rice to the international market.Traders would be allowed to export rice provided they sell the government one tonne of medium-grain rice at 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($279.72) for every tonne of rice they export. Exporters would also have to pay a tariff of $280 per tonne exported, the minister said.Egypt produced around 4.3 million tonnes of rice this year, but only consumes 3.3 million tonnes implying an exportable surplus of one million tonnes.Egyptian medium grain rice mainly competes with U.S. and Australian rice in global markets.Egyptian rice could fetch just above $800 dollars a tonne, according to the head the rice committee of Egypt's Agricultural Export Council.The conditions set by the ministry for exporters would act as a hindrance, Mostafa elNaggari told Reuters. "The fact that they are stipulating that rice be sold to the government at 2,000 Egyptian pounds a tonne while it could have cost the traders around 3,200 Egyptian pounds means eventually traders could pay above $400 dollars just to be allowed to export if you calculate that price
difference and the export tariff," Naggari said."This is unrealistic as Egyptian rice would then have to fetch around $1,200 a tonne abroad to make this feasible which will not happen, the most it can fetch is around $800 or slightly above," he said.U.S. medium grain rice is now priced at around $900 a tonne or slightly above. END OF BAN WELCOMED
Still, the end to the ban was welcomed by Middle East traders who had relied on Egyptian rice as a more convenient alternative to the U.S. and Australian origins."This is great news for us because instead of importing from the U.S. where it can take around three months for the grain to reach us we can buy from Egypt and have the commodity arrive within just three days," a Syrian trader who imports Egyptian rice said. Egypt first imposed a ban on exports in 2008 saying it needed to save the rice for local consumption and wanted to discourage rice farmers from growing the crop to save water.However, rice exporters have complained that the ban on free exports has led to the rise of a contraband trade by creating a large price difference between domestic and export markets.The Supplies Ministry procures rice for the country's subsidy programme through the state grain buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC). Rice is sold in the domestic market at a subsidised price to around 70 million Egyptians. Export licences were last sold in an auction at the trade ministry in November 2013 to sell 102,000 tonnes of rice abroad. The licences were suspended just days after being issued sending confusion to global markets.Egypt had started lifting the ban on rice exports in October 2012, through holding export licence tenders at the Trade Ministry. (1 US dollar = 7.1500 Egyptian pound) (Reporting by Ehab Farouk and Maha El Dahan; writing by Lin Noueihed; editing by Jason Neely)
Some rice-based foods for people with celiac disease contain relevant amounts of arsenic The arsenic content is high in some rice-based products for people with celiac disease. Credit: Sandra Munera-UMH
Rice is one of the few cereal grains consumed by people with celiac disease, as it does not contain gluten. However, it can have high concentrations of a toxic substance - arsenic - as revealed by the analyses of flour, cakes, bread, pasta and other foods made with rice, conducted by researchers from the Miguel Hernรกndez University of Elche, Spain. The European Union is working to establish the maximum quantities of arsenic in these products.
Raise in rice export quota demanded our correspondent Thursday, October 16, 2014 From Print Edition
LAHORE: The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) has floated a proposal to increasing rice export quota under the Free Trade Agreement with Sri Lanka from 6,000 tons to 15,000 tons, a statement said on Wednesday. Newly-elected Reap Chairman Rafique Suleman has taken up this issue with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Ministry of Commerce, saying rice exporters would get benefit of the FTA with increase in rice export quota.He urged the TDAP to allot rice export quota in advance so that exports are made without any difficulty. The Reap chairman also underlined the need to diversify pool of approved rice varieties for export purposes.For the last several years, only approved variety is Super Basmati, which is not saleable in Sri Lanka due to its high price. Therefore, he said, “We request the government through TDAP that Pakistani variety PK386 LAL should be included in the list of import with zero percent duty.”
Breakthrough in increasing per hectare output of hybrid rice CCTV.com 10-16-2014 20:51 BJT During his speech at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Premier Li spoke of the need to jointly fight world hunger. In fact, the FAO has estimated, that over the next decade, the demand and supply of the world‟s three major cereals: wheat, rice and corn, will be tight. And, with more than a billion people to feed, China has been continually making efforts to increase productivity of its predominant staple food: rice. On the 34th World Food Day, we look at how Yuan Longping, also known as the "father of hybrid rice" in China, may have just made a crucial breakthrough, that could potentially ease a bit of the problem of world hunger. The new target is 15 tons of output per hectare. To achieve this goal, Yuan Longping and his team have chosen twenty-eight test fields this year across China‟s rice production areas. As the rice harvest nears completion, we visited him at the Hybrid Research Center in Hunan."We have just received output calculations for the test field in Hunan province‟s Longhui County, and it‟s 15.1 tons per hectare. We‟ve hit our output target," Yuan said.A member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and in his eighties, Yuan Longping is the leader of Hunan‟s hybrid rice research. He‟s helped raise the output of hybrid rice from 10 tons in 2000 to over 14 tons.For half a century, Yuan Longping and his team have been pushing the boundaries of hybrid rice output.
They have achieved every target that has been set, no matter how unlikely it may have seemed in the beginning. Now this inspiring achievement they have made recently, is just a new starting line.He is ready to push the output to another height... 16 tons per hectare by 2020."We mainly use two measures to improve hybrid rice. One is Morphological improvement, the other is heterosis utilization of intermediate hybrids. We also use Molecular Technologies," he said.As the natural conditions vary in different areas, the average output of hybrid rice may only be seventy to eighty percent of what it is in test fields. And as Yuan pointed out, it may take at least another two years to promote these new varieties for mass cultivation.
Arsenic dangers in gluten-free rice foods for celiac disease By Lana Bandoim 2014-10-16 18:06
People with celiac disease and gluten sensitivities often turn to products made with rice flour in an attempt to escape the protein. However, researchers in Spain have analyzed glutenfree rice foods and discovered disturbing levels of arsenic. They are concerned about the impact this dangerous substance will have on people who consume large quantities of rice products. Researchers focused on a variety of gluten-free rice products including bread, pasta, cookies, milk and other items. They estimate that a typical person with celiac disease ends up with 0.45 and 0.46 micrograms per kilogram of body weight of arsenic per day after consuming rice products. This is higher than the bottom threshold the European Food Safety Authority believes is safe for arsenic. The organization considers that eating 0.3 - 8.0 micrograms per kilogram of body weight of arsenic a day is enough to cause health problems. The research from the Miguel Hernรกndez University of Elche indicates that arsenic can be found in many rice products, but legislation is not regulating the dangerous substance. In Europe, there is a movement to establish laws that would limit the amount of arsenic in rice products. However, there is still a need for a global movement to force brands and manufacturers to reduce or eliminate the amount of arsenic in food. In addition, researchers want every package to have a clear label that indicates the type or rice inside and its origin. Arsenic is a toxic chemical that can become concentrated in rice as it grows, and pesticides contribute to the problem. However, rice is not the only food product that has high levels of this chemical, and it has become an issue in apple and pear juices. Arsenic poisoning in the human body can lead to headaches, diarrhea, nausea, cramps, convulsions and death. It has also been linked to cancer, diabetes, stroke and other health issues.
Split hits Telangana State rice procurement DC CORRESPONDENT | October 16, 2014, 02.10 am IST
State unwillingness to change rules posing problems, says rice millers‟ body Hyderabad: The state‟s bifurcation has caused yet another problem for the Telangana state government, this time in the form of procurement of 10 lakh metric tonnes of rice for the Public Distribution System.
After the Central government altered its policy of rice procurement by Food Corporation of India from 75 per cent levy and 25 per cent non-levy to 25 per cent levy, and 75 per cent non-levy, the residuary AP state had taken some steps like non-insistence of MSP (Minimum Support Price), certificates to millers for lifting the non-levy stocks etc. But Telangana, which produces 10 lakh tonnes of boiled rice out of total 30 lakh tonnes of production, may have to face a problem this year especially as the paddy crop area has reduced due to inadequate power supply, no rains and also due to no irrigation in command areas in north Telangana region.The new Central government guidelines on procurement of food grains was intended to reduce the financial burden on FCI for Public Distribution System and allow respective state governments to frame their own policies on procurement to meet their local demands. However, when it co-mes to Telangana, the FCI will now restrict its procurement to only 25 per cent, forcing the st-ate government to enter into further procurement to meet its needs.“It is a precarious problem that the new-born state is facing. We wanted to appraise the state government on how to overcome the problem but it seems there is no one to listen to us,” said T. Devender Reddy of the Telangana Rice Millers Association. With the government is not inclined to come out with fresh guidelines, traders other than rice millers may enter the market and purchase the rice for exporting. Most Hyderabadis prefer to consume Sona Masuri variety of rice which is not grown in Telangana. Normally traders buy Sona Masuri from Guntur, Kurnool and Gangavathi area of Karnataka and sell it in Hyderabad. Now, due to the tax burden on account of the state‟s bifurcation, the open market prices of Sona Masuri varieties may go up from November, said a source in the civil supplies department. As far as ordinary Masuri varieties supplied under the Public Distribution System are concerned, procurement will still be a problem as the government is not inclined to change its rules, Mr
Devender Reddy added.He also said that the two-day in a week power holiday had been extended to the rice milling industry, which was unusual. “If we have to buy more stocks we have to pay more taxes to the state government; in a way the government will be losing revenue as well as face an additional financial burden to meet its demand for the Public Distribution System,” Mr Reddy added.
Etala allays fears of PDS beneficiaries Staff Reporter
Says supply of rice to the existing white ration card holders will continue until new cards are issued to eligible persons Allaying apprehensions of the beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System, Minister for Finance Etala Rajender reaffirmed that the supply of rice to the existing white ration card holders would continue until the new cards (food security cards) were issued to eligible persons. The Telangana government will issue the new cards (meant only for distribution of rice) based on the data collected during the recent household survey and Aadhaar cards to all eligible people after the ongoing process of receiving applications. People should be wary of the misinformation campaign being carried out by some vested elements over the ration card issue and desist from falling prey to the evil tactics of middlemen, he cautioned. Mr. Rajender was in town in connection with some official and private functions on Wednesday. Talking to media persons in the afternoon, Mr. Rajender said there are around 6.52 lakh white ration cards were in circulation in the district at present. Over four lakh persons have applied for the new cards till date in the district, he noted. The Telangana government is determined to ensure adequate quota of rice to all the genuine beneficiaries and prevent misuse of rice under PDS. Over 12 lakh bogus ration cards were surrendered voluntarily by persons in possession of such cards in the State as per an appeal made to this effect a few months ago. This has helped save huge quantity of rice of 20,000 metric tonnes (around 2,000 lorry loads of rice) per month, he pointed out. The government is evolving foolproof systems to extend education, health and welfare schemes to the intended beneficiaries in an accountable and transparent manner, he asserted. Expressing serious concern over the drought like conditions in the State, he said there was a shortfall of around 1,400 MW to 1,500 MW of power despite the best efforts by the government to draw power from other States. Taking an indirect dig at the TDP government in Andhra Pradesh, he alleged that the denial of Telangana‟s due share of 54 per cent of total power output had led to the present precarious power situation in the State. Our government has drawn up plans to augment power generation by setting up new thermal power plants of 6,000 MWs in Khammam and Karimnagar districts. He said the government had initiated specific measures to ensure purchase of paddy at minimum support price by the rice millers and IKP centres.
Concentrating on family farming and technology Shykh Seraj
SCIENTISTS' role in ensuring global food security is evident. The world's most renowned rice scientist and the father of hybrid rice, Yuan Longping, has ensured food security for the highest populated country of the world, China. In a developing country like Bangladesh, there have been contributions from many scientists, including the greats like Dr. K.M. Badruddoza, Dr. Hasanuzzaman, and Dr. Noor Mohammad. Their persistent research endeavour, initiatives from extension workers at field-level and, above all, the valuable labour invested by our farmers could ensure food security for this agrarian country. To achieve the impossible, a scientific process has worked like a force behind this success. I remember what father of hybrid rice Yuan Longping said to me: “A government that focuses on science and technology will certainly move that country forward.” The research has to be in the field, or else there will be no result. Green Revolution was a success through which food security was ensured for the ever-increasing population of the world. It was a revolutionary advancement. It clearly proves science and technology have always played the most vital role in the expansion of agricultural civilisation. During March-April this year, I had the privilege to visit Rwanda to attend the 2nd Global Conference on Biofortification. I had the opportunity to meet world famous agricultural scientists and agro-policymakers. I met the 'Indian Father of Green Revolution,' Dr. Swaminthan. During an exclusive interview he said: “Yes we're adding vitamins in the crops and vegetables, but the soil has no nutrients.” “We've made the soil infertile due to heavy use of chemical fertilizers and it has now lost its nutrients,” he added. “As long as we can't make the soil nutrient-rich, no efforts will work. If there is no soil, how can there be produce,” said the legendary geneticist. In 1970, Bangladesh had about 9.7 million hectares of cultivable land for nearly 70 million people. Bangladesh back then used to import around 2 million tons of rice. Now, land has decreased drastically, some say it's 8.5 million hectares, and some say it's below 8 million hectares. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension it's over 9 million hectares. The population has more than doubled after liberation, but the country has seen threefold increase in food grain production. We didn't only become self- sufficient in food grain production, but also gradually started exporting our rice. It was possible due to internationally accredited research, evidence-based policy and timely farming-friendly initiatives. The world is now at a state of stable food security. Yes, there is extreme hunger and poverty in underdeveloped countries of the African continent. However, the overall poverty across the world came down quite impressively. World Food Day is being observed across the globe with the main theme, 'Family Farming: Feeding the world, caring for the earth.' The theme clearly states the present need is different. There are many significant issues which are already attached with the concern for food security. Almost two billion people of the world are faced with hidden hunger, which means they suffer
from malnutrition. We have seen diversified research initiatives to tackle this major concern, the scene is still unchanged. It is said that if a child is faced with nutrition deficiency during its first two years, it will be impossible to make up the deficiency. Globally, GDP comes down by 10% as a result of nutrition deficiency. On September 29, I was invited as a panelist on IFDC's 40th Anniversary held in Washington D.C. to take part in a discussion on global food security and how technology can be an effective aid. The world is looking at the global agricultural issues with common objectives. The importance of nutritious diet, soil health and other issues were discussed by the panel. In the past, we focused more on the increase of production. Because of this, the soil has lost its inner strength, or the organic matter. To bring back these vital ingredients, global policymakers, researchers, extension workers and media professionals agreed on the same goal and committed to work hand in hand. Bangladesh was represented as a role model in the discussion. At the same time, the efficient application of guti urea (Urea Super Granule) by our farmers was also discussed. Returning organic qualities to the soil would be the best achievement, and that is the prime demand. Bringing down the production cost, ensuring fair price for farmers and development of livelihood status are three major areas to concentrate on. This is where the issues of technology, indigenous knowledge and science come in. It takes 50 kgs of urea to produce rice from one bigha land, this but amount can be reduced by two-third by using USG. If farmers use Leaf Colour Chart they can measure what amount of urea fertilizer they actually need in the field. By doing this, they can reduce the use of fertilizer hugely. The question is why are these technologies not spreading across the world? The demand can be cut to half if the advanced technologies are properly implemented. If that is done, first of all, production cost will come down. With it, soil and environment will remain healthy. Carbon emission can also be reduced. To keep the fertilizer elements active in the field, farmers use more water. Methane is produced through this process. Methane and carbon dioxide are very harmful for the environment and climate. Advanced, effective and cost saving technologies are keys to achieving a healthy environment and a constructive farming sector. Family farming has been valued as the most important issue in this year's World Food Day. Across the world, the heritage of family farming is becoming extinct. Many of the ancient farming families are leaving the tracks of their forefathers and moving to non-farming professions. Most of the land owners in Bangladesh are stepping away from farming. Those who are cultivating are sharecroppers. However, there is no alternative but to bring back the true heritage of farming -- and that is family farming. The government must take special measures to give more incentives to family farming. If there is no family farming, there will be no agricultural culture in future, which will eventually affect food security. Considering all these, the United Nations has announced 2014 as the 'International Year of Family Farming.' Family farming, reviving soil quality and protecting it, giving more importance to nutrition are the most vital challenges ahead of us, and if we don't achieve those we can never be able to achieve 'food security,' 'safe food' and 'healthy world' in reality.
The writer is an Agriculture Development and Media Activist. He is an Ashoka Fellow and an FAO A.H. Boerma Awardee. At Channel i, he is Director and Head of News. He is also Director, Planner and Presenter of the popular Agro-Documentary "Hridoye Mati O Mansuh". E-mail: shykhs@gmail.com
Farmer-scientist group slams GMO, pushes for organic farming in PH By Aries Joseph Hegina |INQUIRER.net 5:46 pm | Thursday, October 16th, 2014
MANILA, Philippines―A group of farmers and scientists slammed Thursday the proliferation of genetically modified food products in the country as it urged Filipino farmers to practice organic agriculture. In a program conducted to celebrate the 2014 World Food Day, the Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad sa Agrikultura (Masipag) said that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are potentially hazardous to the consumer‟s health and only benefits companies promoting transgenic crops. “GMOs are a technological fix that is meant to address complicated problems with just a single solution. Consider the Golden Rice – it is only meant to address Vitamin A Deficiency when in fact, the problem on malnutrition involves other nutrients as well, which is caused by the lack of access to safe and sufficient food,” said Dr. Chito Medina, national coordinator of Masipag. The Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Rice Institute promote the use of “Golden Rice” in the country. “Golden Rice” contains beta-carotene, a source of Vitamin A. The farmers and scientists group alleged that GMOs also endanger the environment which will largely hit the livelihood of poor farmers. Instead of using GMO crops, the group urged farmers to use local rice varieties, complemented with sustainable and organic agricultural practices, to improve their farm output. “Through sustainable agriculture and organic farming, not only were we able to improve our farm production, but it also helped us farmers become an important part of community development. We are able to assert our inherent rights against technologies and projects that could harm our farm, our health and our livelihood,” said MASIPAG chairman Carlito Seguiro.
Climate change may hit rice yields in Asia: IPCC report Meena Menon
In Indo-Gangetic plains there may be a 50 per cent fall in wheat area Rural poverty in parts of Asia could be exacerbated due to negative impacts from climate change on rice production, and a general increase in food prices and the cost of living, says the report of working group two of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report. Launched on Thursday, the report Climate Change 2014 Impacts, Adaptation and
Vulnerability of the IPCC says rice is a key staple crop in Asia and 90 per cent or more of the world‟s rice production is from Asia. The most vulnerable regions were western Japan, eastern China, the southern part of the Indochina peninsula, and the northern part of South Asia. However, the report has some good news for Pakistan. In contrast, climate change may provide a windfall for wheat farmers in parts of Pakistan. Warming temperatures would make it possible to grow at least two crops (wheat and maize) a year in mountainous areas according to studies. In the Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia there could be a decrease of about 50 per cent in the most favourable and high-yielding wheat area as a result of heat stress. The report says Asia experienced the highest number of weather and climate-related disasters in the world during the period 2000–2008 and suffered huge economic losses, accounting for the second highest proportion (27.5 per cent) of the total global economic loss. Flood mortality risk is heavily concentrated in Asia. Severe floods in Mumbai in 2005 have been attributed to both climatic factors and non-climatic factors. Impacts of climate change on food production and food security in Asia will vary by region, with many regions to experience a decline in productivity. This is evident in the case of rice production. People living in low-lying coastal zones and flood plains are probably most at risk from climate change impacts in Asia. Half of Asia‟s urban population lives in these areas. Compounding the risk for coastal communities, Asia has more than 90 per cent of the global population exposed to tropical cyclones, the report adds. Keywords: rice production, food prices, IPCC
Import, export of agriculture goods: good quality control system helps to improve standards of products: minister October 17, 2014 FAZAL SHER
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Thursday said the government is making serious efforts to strengthen quality control system for the import and exports of agriculture products that will help improve Pakistani goods value, which they generally lack. "Strengthening quality control system will improve reputation of Pakistani goods in the world", he said while addressing agriculture scientists on the World Food Day "Family Farming: Feeding the world, Caring for the Earth" at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) organised by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), MNFS&R, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations Pakistan, World Food Programme (WFP), OXFAM and International Alert. World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world in more than 150 countries on October 16 on the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in
1945. The minister said that Pakistan agriculture has a great potential, but it requires strong government's commitment, a concerted long-term policy of implementation and allocation of sufficient resources. He said that Pakistan agriculture has always produced sufficient food to meet the domestic need of our fast growing population. Pakistan is the world 5th largest producer of milk, 4th largest producer of cotton, 5th largest sugarcane producer, 8th largest producer of wheat and exporter of surplus rice, mangoes, other fruits and many vegetables as well as horticulture products. Wheat production is on the rise and has crossed 25 million tons mark, which is not only sufficient for domestic needs but part of it will also be available for export, he said. He said that Pakistan produces surplus rice and export around 2 million tons of rice for earning foreign exchange. The country is currently having 8.34 million farm households that are contributing to the agriculture production of Pakistan and invariably contributing to this year's theme. Seerat Asghar, Federal Secretary MNFSR, said the Ministry is making all out efforts to bring Pakistan on top of the mango exporters' list next year. He said that food security problems are being faced by many countries like Pakistan. He said that unjust marketing system and lack of value addition facility are the major issues farmers are facing which need to be resolved. Dr Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman PARC, said that this is the era of knowledge and technology. It is our responsibility to take new technology and innovative techniques at small farmers' doorsteps. About 90 percent of the small farmers can not buy tractor and other agricultural machinery, he said. Syed Moazzam Ali, Joint Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, read out the message of President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Dr Sajid Mustafa, Director PGRI-PARC read out the message of Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Francisco Gamarro, Acting FAO Representative-Pakistan read out the message of the Director General FAO-Rome and Peter Scott-Bowden, Acting Country Director WFP-Pakistan read out the message of Executive Director WFP. A documentary film on family farming in Peru, Bangladesh, Jordan and other countries was also shown to the participants. Later on, Federal Minster NFSR and other dignitaries visited an agricultural exhibition arranged at the event to share new knowledge and innovations to increase food production
Millers yet to give 29000 MT rice 15.10.2014
Notwithstanding several reminders, the state government has failed to receive 29,000 MT of rice from millers for 2012-13 kharif marketing season.This came to light during a recent review meeting of paddy procurement and recovery position of rice from millers for kharif marketing seasons 2012-13 and 2013-14. Food supplies secretary Madhusudan Padhi chaired the meeting."The government has taken a serious note of poor delivery of huge quantity of rice by millers," said a government officer, seeking anonymity. The officer said the meeting decided to take strong action against 20 millers,
identified as major defaulters during 2012-13, in eight districts. Besides issuing notices, the government would lodge FIRs and initiate certificate cases against them, the officer added.Official sources said of eight districts, 8,000 MT of rice are supposed to be collected from Balasore followed by 6,800 MT from Ganjam and 3,260 MT from Sambalpur. Other districts are Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Bhadrak and Kalahandi.With procurement of over 42 lakh MT of paddy during 2013-14 kharif, the government has started receiving rice delivery from millers, the officer said. So far, the government has received over 2 lakh MT of rice. Of the total receipt, Food Corporation of India (FCI) received nine lakh MT, the officer added.According to normal practice, the state government procures paddy through different agencies and give them to millers. Thereafter, the FCI according to its target takes rice.
Industry backs training for healthier food During the first three years, 13 young scientists will be trained in areas such as health and nutrition, consumer and sensory science, commercialisation and business leadership. Above: UQ PhD student Ms Titlayo Falade 17 October 2014
An industry-backed centre dedicated to creating healthier food choices for Australian and Asian consumers opened at UQ this week.Funded by the Australian Research Council, the „Industrial Transformation Training Centre‟ has been tasked with preparing an initial cohort of 13 young scientists for expertise in areas such as health and nutrition, consumer and sensory science, commercialisation and business leadership.The opening was attended by UQ Provost and Senior Vice-President Professor Max Lu and ARC Chief Executive Officer Professor Aidan Byrne. The training centre has been awarded $2.7 million over three years from the Australian Research Council.The centre‟s broad aim is to ensure Australia is well positioned to create and market healthier foods and to respond to a surging demand from Asia‟s expanding markets – both within a resourceconstrained world.Led by The University of Queensland, the centre will combine the expertise of principal partner the Australian Food and Grocery Council, as well as collaborating partners the International Rice Research Institute, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science.Centre Director, Professor Melissa Fitzgerald is an expert in rice quality and breeding and has extensive connections with rice improvement programs in Asia. Photo: UQ PhD student Ms Titlayo Falade
Rice importer faces smuggling raps By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 10/16/2014 9:03 PM | Updated as of 10/16/2014 9:03 PM
MANILA - The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has filed three separate smuggling complaints with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against a rice importer and its brokers.Complaints were filed against the owner of rice importer Silent Royalty Marketing, Marvin Mendoza, and the firm's brokers, Francis Rudolfh Forneste, Kenneth Quial, Elbert Lusterio, Denise Kathryn Rosaroso, and John Kevin Cisneros. They were accused of illegaly importing rice from Vietnam and Thailand with a dutiable value P245 million and an estimated market value of P648 million.The shipment, weighing 16,036 metric tons, arrived at the ports of Manila and Cebu in September and December 2013.Customs Commissioner John Sevilla said Mendoza faces 49 counts of violations of The Tariff and Customs Code.The cases stemmed from Silent Royalty's importations minus the required import permits from the National Food Authority (NFA).
One Step Closer to Unhindered U.S. Paddy Rice Exports to Colombia WASHINGTON, DC -- Progress is being made on efforts to reduce burdensome requirements on U.S. paddy rice entering Colombia, though an official announcement is still pending. Currently, U.S. rough rice is denied full entry into Colombia due to the discovery of rice false smut (tilletia horrida) in a 2009 shipment. U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and their counterpart in Colombia, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), are in discussions to mitigate the restrictions on U.S. rough rice and rice seed.
Tilletia Horrida
Fumigation with methyl bromide would still be required of all paddy rice cargoes at export, however, the agencies are working toward an interim mitigation that would reduce to 50 percent the number of cargoes of U.S. paddy rice requiring mandatory monitoring of fumigation by Colombian officials.A tilletia horrida survey is being conducted to determine the extent of the disease's presence in Colombia, but ICA has agreed to resume rice seed import permits, subject to tilletia horrida testing. Colombia was the United States' ninth largest export market in 2013, at 107,000 MT valued at $74 million. Contact: Sarah Moran (703) 236-145
USA Rice Outlook Conference Covers Farm bill, Trade Topics, More ARLINGTON, VA -- Farm bill education, trade, and other timely topics are on the program lineup for the 2014 USA Rice Outlook Conference, which will take place December 7-9 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. In addition to returning conference favorites Jim Wiesemeyer, Informa Economics, and Nathan Childs, USDA, this year's program will cover farm bill related topics, including a panel discussion, a learning session on the farm bill decision tool with Dr. Joe Outlaw, Texas A&M University, and a panel on conservation opportunities - sessions every grower will want to hear, as well as the state-by-state rice production and research outlooks. Vernon Crowder, senior vice president and senior analyst for Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group, will discuss longer term trends and issues facing the U.S. rice industry, including market volatility, productivity, water scarcity, and more. The program also will feature a special presentation on the Central American market for U.S. rice with representatives from the Federation of the Central American Rice Industry (FECARROZ).Milo Hamilton, president and founder of Firstgrain and author of When Rice Shakes the World - The Importance of the First Grain to World Economic and Political Stability will also speak. Watch the USA Rice Daily for more news on the conference program.
Capacity crowd at the 2013 Outlook Conference in St. Louis
Important Conference Registration and Hotel Reminders Register by November 10 for the lowest registration rate. The USA Rice Outlook Conference rate of $129 at the Little Rock Marriott is offered until November 5 or until the room block fills. Reserve your room at (877) 759-6290 oreserve your room online. Reserve Your Exhibit Space, Preferred Sponsorship Now Exhibit space for the USA Rice Outlook Conference is filling fast. To reserve booth space - or for information on sponsorship opportunities - contact Jeanette Davis, (703) 236-1447.
AARQ Association for the Administration of Rice Quotas, Inc. NOTICE OF OPEN TENDER Independent bids are invited for rights to ship U.S.-origin milled rice to the European Union under a tariff-rate quota (TRQ) granted by the EU to the United States.Bids must be submitted on November 20, 2014 for the January 2015 TRQ Tranche, in which the following quantity is available: Volume (metric tons) EU Duty Semi-Milled or Milled Rice (HTS item 1006.30)
9,681
zero
TRQ Certificates will be awarded to the highest bidder(s). Any person or entity incorporated or domiciled in the United States is eligible to bid. The minimum bid quantity is 18 metric tons. Performance security (the lesser of $50,000 or the total value of the bid) must be submitted with each bid. Potential bidders may obtain the required bid forms and bid instructions from: AARQ Administrator Economic Consulting Services, LLC 2001 L Street, NW, Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel: (202) 466-1150 Fax: (202) 785-3330 Note: Potential bidders should consult regulations in the Official Journal of the European Union to determine the applicable tariff rate on semi-milled/milled rice. AARQ disclaims any responsibility for advising potential bidders on applicable tariff rates. Potential bidders should also consult EC regulations relating to testing for unauthorized GMOs.
Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 14,900 MT for 2014/2015 were down 88 percent from the previous week 77 percent from the prior four-week average, according to today's Export Sales Highlights report. Increases were reported for Guatemala (7,500 MT, including 7,000 MT switched from unknown destinations), Honduras (6,000 MT), Mexico (3,300 MT), Canada (1,500 MT), and Saudi Arabia (900 MT). Decreases were reported for unknown destinations (7,000 MT).Exports of 30,600 MT were down 30 percent from the previous week and 21 percent from the prior four-week average. The primary destinations were Haiti (11,000 MT), Guatemala (7,500 MT), Mexico (3,600 MT), South Korea (3,200 MT), and Canada (2,000 MT). This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period October 2-9.
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for October 17
Month
Price
Net Change
November 2014
$12.545
+ $0.035
January 2015
$12.715
+ $0.045
March 2015
$12.980
+ $0.040
May 2015
$13.175
+ $0.035
July 2015
$13.355
+ $0.035
September 2015
$12.720
+ $0.035
November 2015
$12.695
+ $0.035
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