1st august ,2017 daily global regional & local rice e newsletter

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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August 01,2017 Vol 8 Issue VIII

Today Rice News Headlines...                           

Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3: VFA Pakistan ranked seventh among states growing biotech crops Scientists discover a second ocean garbage patch New urea spray technique on paddy leaves proves appropriate, useful SKUAST-J, NABARD organise training on leaf coloured chart in rice Roll back GST on branded rice’ Texas rice farmers hope China deal brings more than a grain of relief Agreement could lead to cushion for decimated industry Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3 Trade between China and United States to take front seat US to overtake EU as China's largest trading partner Deal with Thailand this month to import rice USA Rice Weighs In with "Performance Review" of U.S. Trade Agreements Major rice producers in recovery mode – except for U.S. Rajkot Foodgrain Prices- July 31, 2017 Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- July 31, 2017 Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3: VFA BUZZ-Thailand floods: no impact on rice exports, says export body Rice basmati remains weak on sluggish demand China’s CITIC, Myanmar Rice Federation partner for $400m agribusiness plan Bagan, Myanmar 80,000 acres of paddy cultivation flooded Fourth rice consignment from Vietnam reaches Chittagong Port Government slams call for rice checks Tie-up for Indian rice farming in Ghana Bangladesh to buy rice Farmer producer firms in Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana India asks European Union to allow duty free exports of all basmati Online Advertisement:mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cellrice # 0321 369 2874 www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com www.ricepluss.com varieties Monitor Latest Updates on www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

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Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3: VFA July, 31/2017 - 10:45

HCM CITY — Demand for Vietnamese rice is expected to be stable in the third quarter of the year, Vietnam Food Association (VFA) Chairman Huỳnh Thế Năng has said.Thus, rice traders will not have to worry about finding consumption markets, he added.

The chairman made the statement after Vietnamese rice enterprises won contracts to supply 175,000 tonnes (MT) of rice to the Philippines through an open tender held by the country‘s National Food Authority (NFA) on July 25.

According to the association, in the bidding for 2-per cent broken rice export to the Philippines, four Vietnamese traders totalled 175,000 tonnes in the tender at different winning prices.

Specifically, Southern Food Corporation 2 (Vinafood 2) won a bid for 50,000 tonnes of rice at a Free on Board (FOB) price of US$369.45 per tonne; International Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes for $357 to $367 per tonne; Tân Long Group Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes of rice for $354 to $359 per tonne; and Hiệp Lợi Joint Stock Company hit 25,000 tonnes with the best price of $370.9 per tonne.

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This is the first time that private Vietnamese rice exporters were allowed to participate in such a bidding, and they proved they could meet the strict requirements put forward by the Philippines. ―Four enterprises among the total eight businesses winning the bid is a clear demonstration of the capacity of the Vietnamese rice traders,‖ Năng said.

The chairman said that the winning contracts would partly help stabilise domestic rice prices soon.

In addition to the rice export contracts to the Philippines, domestic rice exporters are also preparing to deliver goods under the previously signed contracts to Cuba, Bangladesh and Malaysia. ―Therefore, from now until the end of the third quarter of 2017, Vietnamese rice sector will not struggle with the settlement of output for farmers.‖ According to VFA, demand for rice in Asia recently had positive impact on the rice exports of Việt Nam this year.There are several new emerging needs that motivate the market. For example, Bangladesh, after three rounds of bidding for 150,000 tonnes of rice and having bought 250,000 tonnes from Việt Nam, is also negotiating 200,000 tonnes with Thailand and may continue to buy more from Việt Nam. Sri Lanka is also urgently importing 55,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan and Myanmar, and seeking supplies from other countries, including Việt Nam. Even the Philippines, in addition to the 250,000 tonnes bidding last week, may import more to shore up its stockpiles to ensure its food security. In addition to this, the consumption demand of China and India is expected to have an impact on the Vietnamese rice exports in the future.

However, whether the Vietnamese enterprises have access to these needs depends on their price competitiveness compared with the other export competitors, as well as the summer-autumn crop harvest in August and September.Nguyễn Thanh Long, managing director of Việt Rice Co Ltd, said that if domestic rice prices "turn up" too high, Vietnamese rice exporters would find it hard to compete with foreign rivals while negotiating commercial contracts.

Currently, Việt Nam‘s rice export prices are equal or a little bit higher than those of Thailand.

For example, Thailand‘s 5-per-cent broken rice is being offered at $395 per tonne, while that of Việt Nam is $407 per tonne, which will be profitable. If Vietnamese rice prices are not adjusted according to the Thai rice prices, it is difficult to attract demand and sign new contracts in the future. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, rice exports of the country in the first seven months of the year is estimated at 3.3 million tonnes, earning a revenue of $1.5 billion, up 15.7 per cent in volume and 13.7 per cent in value over the same period last year.The rice export price in the first half of the year averaged $444.6 per tonne, down 1.4 per cent year-on-year. - VNS http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/381089/demand-for-vn-rice-to-be-stable-in-q3vfa.html#3S75xkdCqzsTmsUv.97

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Pakistan ranked seventh among states growing biotech crops Faiza Ilyas

July 30, 2017 KARACHI: With the adoption of insect-resistant (IR) Bt cotton rising to an optimum level in Pakistan last year, stakeholders now look forward to the replication of the adoption percentage for IR biotech maize varieties by farmers for economic gains. Pakistan stands seventh among the 26 countries growing biotech (Bt) crops in the world. The country had achieved optimal adoption of IR cotton varieties last year, with the adoption reaching 2.9m hectares, equivalent to 97 per cent of the total 3m hectares cotton crop area.

These figures are part of a report recently launched at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) of Karachi University.

Titled Global Status of Commercialisation Biotech/GM Crops: 2016, the report prepared by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) contains latest information on the subject, global database on the adoption and distribution of biotech crops last year, country situations, trends in approval of biotech crops and future prospects of the technology.

The report says around 725,000 small-holder cotton farmers in Pakistan continued to grow IR cotton varieties in 2016, which was the seventh year of commercial planting since 2010. ―The adoption of IR cotton increased from 75pc in 2010 to 97pc last year. This is indicative of farmer satisfaction with Bt technology that may be replicated with the upcoming adoption of biotech maize in the country,‖ the report adds.It estimates that the economic gains from biotech crops for Pakistan for the period from 2010 to 2015 was $4.3bn, while it was $398m for 2015 alone.

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Identifying factors hampering Bt cotton growth, the report says that supply of substandard and spurious IR cotton varieties and the continued reliance on old IR cotton technology held back desirable cotton output.

The threat of bollworms, especially pink bollworms, the report says, was growing due to farmer‘s reluctance for timely insecticide applications. The cotton gains remained low due to repeated infestation of sap-sucking pests such as white fly and leaf hoppers spreading the cotton leaf curl virus in the absence of control measures. ―Despite these, IR cotton has proliferated in cotton growing provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and occupied almost the entire cotton crop hectarage in Pakistan,‖ the report says.

Biosafety committee The National Biosafety Committee of the Federal Ministry of Climate Change had last year approved 32 single biotech cotton varieties out of 119 pending applications.

For the first time, the report says, the committee officially approved the commercial cultivation of single and stacked insect resistant and herbicide tolerant maize varieties developed by Monsanto Pakistan, subject to varietal registration by the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Committee. ―Pakistan planted over 1.2m hectares of maize, roughly producing around 5m tonnes of maize.

Adoption of hybrid maize reached 90pc and 10-15pc of total maize area in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, respectively,‖ the report says.

According to the report, the year 2016 was significant as Nobel laureates released a statement for the first time in support of biotechnology and condemning critics for their critical stance against the technology and Golden Rice, a GM crop that had attracted major controversy in the past.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2017https://www.dawn.com/news/1348411

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Scientists discover a second ocean garbage patch

Charles Moore and his group of volunteer researchers discovered a second garbage patch.

(CHARLES JAMES MOORE VIA RESEARCHGATE.NET) BYRACHEL DESANTIS NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Monday, July 31, 2017, 4:17 PM A team of scientists led by oceanographer Charles Moore — the same man who also helped draw attention to the famous Great Pacific garbage patch in the northern part of the ocean in the late '90s — has discovered a second garbage patch made of mostly plastic debris in a largely unstudied section of the ocean.

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"We discovered tremendous quantities of plastic," Moore told ResearchGate. "My initial impression is that our samples compared to what we're seeing in the North Pacific in 2007, so it's about ten years behind."

The latest patch was discovered as Moore and his team of volunteer researchers, from the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, sailed around Easter Island and Robinson Crusoe Island on a six-month trip.

Garbage patches like the two Moore has discovered happen when trash gets sucked in to gyres, or circular ocean currents. The circular motion of the gyre draws in debris to its calm and stable center, where it then becomes trapped.The newly discovered South Pacific patch is comprised of extremely tiny pieces of plastic that are smaller than grains of rice and nearly invisible to the eye.

The South Pacific gyre was previously studied by marine pollution researcher Marcus Eriksen in 2011, though at the time, he saw very little debris.

In the six years since, tens of millions of tons of plastic are thought to have descended upon the oceans of the world.

"There's very little information on plastic in the South Pacific," oceanographer Erik van Sebille told ResearchGate. "Hardly anybody goes there, and it's really very poorly studied."

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The plastic particles are smaller than grains of rice.

(CHARLES JAMES MOORE VIA RESEARCHGATE.NET) Sebille is currently working on a project to help track the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean, but was not involved in Moore's trip.The patches pose a problem not only because of their size, but because they're nearly impossible to clean up.

For starters, the patches' locations in the middle of the ocean prevent any country from laying claim to them, not that any would want to — committing to cleaning a patch would likely "bankrupt any country" who tried, according to National Geographic. Additionally, attempts to clean the patches with nets would fail because the nets would also scoop up small animals.The only solution is preventing them from the get-go, says Eriksen.

"Gone are the silly notions that you can put nets in the ocean and solve the problem," he said.

"This cloud of microplastics extends both vertically and horizontally. It's more like smog than a patch. We're making tremendous progress to clean up smog over our cities by stopping the source. We have to do the same for our seas."

Moore and his crew returned from their trip in May, and are still processing their debris samples, but the captain said he was more than ready to share at least some of his findings."There's a sense of urgency to get information out about this area, because it's being destroyed at an enormously accelerated rate," he said. http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/scientists-discover-ocean-garbage-patch-article-1.3372124

New urea spray technique on paddy leaves proves appropriate, useful Our Correspondent RAJSHAHI, July 31: Use of 'Economy-Urea spray technique' on leaves of paddy plant has been proved authentic and useful as an appropriate technology by the researchers of Faculty of Agronomy and Agriculture Extension of Rajshahi University. The 'Economy-Urea spray technique' was invented by agriculturist Arif Hossain Khan, Joint-Director of BADC Fertiliser Management department.

The research has revealed during the current Boro season of 2016-17, even after applying 35 to 25 per cent less urea through spraying on leaves of paddy plants, there was an increase of 6 to 11 per cent of production.Researchers have also noticed an increase of protein content in rice through using the technique.

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Inventor of the 'Economy-Urea spray technique' agriculturist Arif Khan informed, the success in production of paddy through using spray technique of urea might be regarded as a milestone in rice producing country of the world because no such successful method of paddy cultivation by using urea on paddy leaves through spraying method has so far been invented in any country of the world.

In this connection, he mentioned, such a successful new technique of paddy production might be model in worldwide rice production and Bangladesh might be a pioneer in this field. He sought government patronisation to spread the urea saving technique home and abroad.Arif Khan said, after the invention of the technique in 2012, it was applied on paddy plants on 6, 200 bighas of land through 275 farmers and officials till 2015 and the technique proved successful at the field level.

The technique would save some 5,00,000 tonnes of urea annually in case of paddy production only and thus the government would save Tk 16,500 million while there would be an increase of 15,00,000 tonnes of rice annually whose market value is Tk 37,500 million.Serajum Monira, an MS student of Rajshahi University who is conducting research under the supervision of Professor Dr. Aminul Haque has found that spraying nitrogen (urea) through leaves of paddy plant might be an effective and alternative method of improved rice production. She conducted the research on BRRI-28 rice during the current Boro season.

If the new technique could be reached to the farmers, they would be able to tackle crisis like drought, water logging and shortage of urea paddy by using spray method of urea successfully and would be able to save their crop by using a little amount of urea through spraying method, informed Professor Dr. Aminul Haque.

Arif Khan, Joint Director of BADC fertiliser department who is the inventor of the technique informed, in case spreading of urea on soil, the plant can absorb only 30 to 35 per cent of the fertiliser through root whereas more than 90 per cent of urea can be absorbed by plant when it is sprayed on leaves. He further said, the technique will prove also successful during the Aman paddy season when due to want of rainfall farmers failed to apply urea in their fields, they would easily apply those through spraying method on leaves of the plant and thus need of nitrogen in the tree will be covered. In this connection, he further said, the newly invented technique will require 40 to 50 per cent less urea fertiliser and thus the environment, soil and water will remain more safe and pure. http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/07/31/78632/New-urea-spray-technique-on-paddyleaves-proves-appropriate,-useful

SKUAST-J, NABARD organise training on leaf coloured chart in rice July 31, 2017

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STATE TIMES NEWS

ARNIA: Scientists of SKUAST -J in collaboration with NABARD organised a programme on training and demonstration of leaf coloured chart in rice at Kool Kalan near Arnia. The training programme was attended by more than seventy five local farmers and farm women including ex Sarpanchs and Panchs of the area.

At the outset, Vishal Raina JAEO elaborated various schemes and programmes offered by the government for the welfare of farming community. Dr. Vivak M. Arya, Scientist and PI of the Project discussed about the importance of leaf colour chart and its usage in paddy. He advocated the adjustment of fertiliser doses with leaf colour chart for better yield. He emphasised that with the use of leaf colour chart farmers can reduce the excess usage of urea in paddy which is posing threat to ecology and environment.

Dr. Arya stressed upon the farming community not to use the blanket dose of fertiliser which is causing damage to ecological integrity and soil. Pardeep Anand JAEO gave a detailed overview of the paddy husbandry. The programme ended with the vote of thanks by Subash Chander Saini Ex. Sarpanch. Farmers thanked the university scientists and officers for organising the progarmme at border belt https://news.statetimes.in/skuast-j-nabard-organise-training-on-leaf-coloured-chart-in-rice/

Roll back GST on branded rice‘ CHENNAI CHENNAI,AUGUST 01, 2017 00:51 IST Consumers may ditch brands if they have to pay more, say mill owners If you are a consumer who buys trademark registered branded rice packs, then you could easily be paying at least ₹4 to ₹5 more per kg with the government imposing 5% of Goods and Services Tax (GST). ―Around 17% of the rice in the country is being sold using brands registered with the Government of India as a trademark,‖ said D. Thulasingam, vice-president, Federation of All India Rice Millers Associations.

Addressing a press meet here on Sunday, office-bearers of the Federation said that the Centre should consider withdrawing the tax as it would unnecessarily burden the consumer.

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A total of 16 States produce rice and among those Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Puducherry, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh have the most number of brands. ―If the government continues to impose GST, consumers would soon give up brands that will stand to lose their market,‖ Mr. Thulasingam said.

Federation of Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners and Paddy-Rice Dealers Association secretary A.C. Mohan said there was a misconception that branded rice was sold at a premium which was not correct. ―Only Basmati, which is not consumed in large quantities by the common man is usually in the higher price bracket. These registered brands that take about 20% of the rice market in the State sell their products on a par with the non-branded ones. The names are there only so that consumers can relate to their quality,‖ he explained. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/roll-back-gst-on-branded-rice/article19398524.ece

Texas rice farmers hope China deal brings more than a grain of relief

Agreement could lead to cushion for decimated industry

By Lydia DePillis

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12 July 31, 2017 Updated: July 31, 2017 8:53pm

Photo: Michael Ciaglo, Houston Chronicle Farm hand Oscar Ramos drives a combine as he harvests rice at Ray Stoesser's farm Wednesday, July 26, 2017 in Raywood. Stoesser helped push for a recent deal to allow U.S. rice exports to China.

RAYWOOD — Ray Stoesser rumbled around his quiet green fields in a mud-caked SUV, noting the minute gradations of the land, which is subtly terraced to allow water to flow downhill, irrigating the fields in slow succession.

"We're going uphill, believe it or not," Stoesser said. After more than a half century of farming, he knows what each field needs and when, harvest after harvest. "Just like taking care of your backyard," he said.

If Stoesser's land hasn't changed, the economic conditions have. Rice prices have declined for several years, averaging about 10 cents a pound last year, because of competition from huge rice producers like Vietnam and Thailand as well as increases in agricultural productivity that have boosted supplies. Over the past few decades, hundreds of rice farmers in Southeast Texas have given up the crop entirely.

But in mid-July, the Texas rice industry — which is worth about $100 million per year to farmers — was granted a reprieve: a deal to allow U.S. rice sales to China. The industry estimates that China soon could buy 250,000 tons of U.S. rice per year, out of the 9 million tons it produces, which could boost prices significantly.

Although trade between the two countries had been liberalized when China entered the world trade organization in 2001, trade in rice remained off the table. An agreement to allow exports has been in the making for nearly a decade, with talks launched by George W. Bush, continued under Barack Obama and ultimately concluded under President Donald Trump. The deal sets complex safety standards to prevent pests from entering China with rice imported from America, which, if met, opens a market of more than 1 billion rice eaters to U.S. farmers.

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The agreement comes at a critical time as the Trump administration prepares to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, potentially threatening agricultural exports to the rice industry's biggest customer, Mexico.

For the Stoesser farm, selling to China could mean a slightly bigger financial cushion in a business that can see a year's income decimated by floods or drought or both.

"If we could get to 16 cents instead of 10 cents a pound, it would take a lot of risk out," Stoesser said. "Trade is the answer to our problems."

Family business The last few decades have left the Stoessers feeling isolated.

The flat, humid counties east of Houston used to be full of rice fields — in 1968, 70 square miles of Liberty County were planted with the crop. Growing up in the area, Ray's son, Neal, always saw the rice business as his future, and he didn't finish college.

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"I went to the University of Rice Farming, I guess," he said, while piloting a giant combine around the field, gobbling up stalks with a 40-foot-wide reaper and separating them from the grains.

Source: USDA The Stoessers have owned land since Neal's great-grandfather came to the area from Germany in the late 1800s, and Neal has been driving a combine since he was old enough to climb up into the cab, as his 8- and 4-year-old sons do now. Over that time, the Stoesser farm has grown to cover several thousand acres as the family bought out surrounding farms.

The rest of Texas' rice industry, however, has shrunk to 187,000 acres from more than 600,000 in the 1950s. In Liberty County, the 70 square miles of rice fields is now eight."I hate to say it, but when I was in high school, there were 70 farmers," Neal said. Now there are just three in Liberty County — Neal, his father and his brother, Grant.

Several reasons are behind the decline, including the encroachment of suburban housing developments, which raised land prices to the point where it made more sense to sell than keep

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farming. Today, Texas accounts for about 6 percent of U.S. rice production, far behind the leader, Arkansas, which accounts for about half.

But Texas rice farmers have a few things working in their favor. New seed varieties allowed them to nearly double the yield per acre, with the assistance of experts from Texas A&M's field offices. And federal crop subsidy programs have kept them afloat through thin years, paying out $1.8 billion to Texas rice farmers between 1995 and 2014, according to a database maintained by the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that opposes farm subsidies.

Meanwhile, the rice industry has tried to expand its market by boosting Americans' rice consumption. Stoesser runs the Texas Rice Council, which collects payments from the state's rice farmers for joint marketing efforts, such as one that produced a bumper sticker on his Yukon SUV. "Eat Rice," it reads. "Potatoes make your butt big."

In one regard, they've made progress. Americans now eat 26 pounds of rice per year on average, which is nearly triple their consumption in the 1970s. But that increase is driven largely by immigrant communities that favor jasmine and basmati varieties, mostly imported from Thailand, India and Pakistan, over American medium and long grain rice.

'Selling ice to Eskimos' Back in 2005, Greg Yielding took a trip to China.

Nothing terribly official for the executive director of the Arkansas Rice Growers Association just a few visits with people like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's representative in China and the office of COFCO, China's state-owned food importer. At that point, the prospect of selling rice to China seemed like a hopeless quest — "The ultimate example of selling ice to the Eskimos," as one California official put it.

But Yielding heard differently. Chinese supermarket executives, he said, thought they could market American rice as a high-end, safer alternative to their own crops, which had suffered waves of contamination. On successive visits, funded by grants from the USDA, Yielding

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engaged a market research company to have young women hand out samples of U.S. rice at luxury supermarkets in big cities.

"I couldn't tell you that there was something better about it, but they tried it, they liked the taste of it, they liked the cooking quality," said Yielding, who soon started working for the U.S. Rice Producers Association, a Houston-based trade group. "I just kept making contacts and finding out that the Chinese wanted to buy U.S. rice."And at the time, China was about to undergo a much larger shift.

For decades, in the name of national security, China had maintained a goal of producing 95 percent of its grain domestically. Around 2012, rocked by food safety scandals, China backed off that target, allowing it to slip to 85 percent. The U.S. went from exporting about $100 million in grain and feed from the U.S. in 2007 to a peak of $4.9 billion in 2015.

"That 10 percent is big for agricultural exporters," said Luis Ribera, an agricultural trade expert at Texas A&M. Rice, however, was still barred entirely, since the two countries hadn't agreed on a common food safety protocol. So, a few years ago, the USDA started facilitating trips by Chinese scientists to visit U.S. farms and rice mills. Ray Stoesser helped shepherd them around in Arkansas.

"The Chinese were optimistic about what they saw," he said, extolling the quality and sanitation of U.S. facilities.

The Rice Producers Association, of which Stoesser is a member, wasn't the only group working for market access — the U.S.A Rice Federation, a coalition of farmers and millers, was sponsoring exchanges as well. Rice mills remove the tough husk from rice grains to make it edible. The millers were particularly keen on the Chinese market, since all the rice going there would be milled in the U.S., in contrast to the largely unmilled "rough" rice that goes to Mexico and South America.

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Two years ago, USA Rice's executive director, Betsy Ward, said she thought U.S. negotiators had a deal with China. But they could never get it signed by the Chinese, which Ward thinks may have had to do with the Obama administration having other trade priorities — such as the massive Trans Pacific Partnership, which pointedly didn't include China.

After Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, took office, Ward said her group met with him four times about getting the rice agreement done. Only a few weeks after Perdue visited China to celebrate a deal allowing exports of beef, the rice deal was finally signed.

It was a relief, after more than a decade of work. But the road forward may not be easy.

"It's a very complex agreement and gives them room to find problems when they decide they want to," Ward said.

If China, why not Cuba?

Whatever the Chinese demand, the Stoesser family stands ready to satisfy it. And the local economy in Liberty County has a stake in their success as well: More acres of rice planted mean more seed and fertilizer ordered, more storage used, more people employed (the Stoesser farm employs about 20).

But even China may not be enough, if trade deals with other countries go south. Ray Stoesser is exasperated over the failure of successive White Houses to allow rice exports to Cuba, which was the largest buyer of Texas rice before trade was embargoed in the 1960s. The Trump administration recently rolled back the small steps that Obama had taken to liberalize trade."That's a no-brainer," Stoesser said. "If we can trade with China, why can't we trade with Cuba?"

And now, there's a new worry: The reopening of negotiations with Mexico and Canada over NAFTA. If Trump chose to put tariffs on Mexican manufactured goods, as he's threatened, Mexico could retaliate by limiting its imports of U.S. agricultural products — like rice.

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"We've got to have that," Stoesser said, of NAFTA. "I don't see Trump taking that away. If he did ‌" he trails off, and looks out the window of the truck, as the fields roll by, one freshly tilled under."Get a whiff of this dirt," he said. "It just smells good." http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Texas-rice-farmers-hope-China-deal-brings-more11721801.php

Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3 Demand for Vietnamese rice is expected to be stable in the third quarter of the year, Vietnam Food Association (VFA) Chairman Huynh The Nang has said.

Thus, rice traders will not have to worry about finding consumption markets, he added.The chairman made the statement after Vietnamese rice enterprises won contracts to supply 175,000 tonnes (MT) of rice to the Philippines through an open tender held by the country‘s National Food Authority (NFA) on July 25.According to the association, in the bidding for 2-per cent broken rice export to the Philippines, four Vietnamese traders totalled 175,000 tonnes in the tender at different winning prices.

Specifically, Southern Food Corporation 2 (Vinafood 2) won a bid for 50,000 tonnes of rice at a Free on Board (FOB) price of US$369.45 per tonne; International Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes for $357 to $367 per tonne; Tan Long Group Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes of rice for $354 to $359 per tonne; and Hiep Loi Joint Stock Company hit 25,000 tonnes with the best price of $370.9 per tonne.

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This is the first time that private Vietnamese rice exporters were allowed to participate in such a bidding, and they proved they could meet the strict requirements put forward by the Philippines. ―Four enterprises among the total eight businesses winning the bid is a clear demonstration of the capacity of the Vietnamese rice traders,‖ Nang said.The chairman said that the winning contracts would partly help stabilise domestic rice prices soon.

In addition to the rice export contracts to the Philippines, domestic rice exporters are also preparing to deliver goods under the previously signed contracts to Cuba, Bangladesh and Malaysia.―Therefore, from now until the end of the third quarter of 2017, Vietnamese rice sector will not struggle with the settlement of output for farmers.‖ According to VFA, demand for rice in Asia recently had positive impact on the rice exports of Viet Nam this year.There are several new emerging needs that motivate the market. For example, Bangladesh, after three rounds of bidding for 150,000 tonnes of rice and having bought 250,000 tonnes from Viet Nam, is also negotiating 200,000 tonnes with Thailand and may continue to buy more from Viet Nam.Sri Lanka is also urgently importing 55,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan and Myanmar, and seeking supplies from other countries, including Viet Nam. Even the Philippines, in addition to the 250,000 tonnes bidding last week, may import more to shore up its stockpiles to ensure its food security. In addition to this, the consumption demand of China and India is expected to have an impact on the Vietnamese rice exports in the future.

However, whether the Vietnamese enterprises have access to these needs depends on their price competitiveness compared with the other export competitors, as well as the summer-autumn crop harvest in August and September.Nguyen Thanh Long, managing director of Viet Rice Co Ltd, said that if domestic rice prices "turn up" too high, Vietnamese rice exporters would find it hard to compete with foreign rivals while negotiating commercial contracts.

Currently, Viet Nam‘s rice export prices are equal or a little bit higher than those of Thailand.

For example, Thailand‘s 5-per-cent broken rice is being offered at $395 per tonne, while that of Viet Nam is $407 per tonne, which will be profitable. If Vietnamese rice prices are not adjusted according to the Thai rice prices, it is difficult to attract demand and sign new contracts in the future.

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, rice exports of the country in the first seven months of the year is estimated at 3.3 million tonnes, earning a revenue of $1.5 billion, up 15.7 per cent in volume and 13.7 per cent in value over the same period last year.The rice export price in the first half of the year averaged $444.6 per tonne, down 1.4 per cent year-on-year. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/182951/demand-for-vn-rice-to-be-stable-in-q3.html

Trade between China and United States to take front seat

By JING SHUIYU and LI XIANG | China Daily | Updated: 2017-08-01 08:15

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The United States is expected to overtake the European Union as China's largest trade partner this year, a former vice-minister of commerce said.

At the same time, China's trade structure will continue to optimize, and private companies are likely to dominate the export sector, Wei Jianguo, who is also vice-president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

Sino-US trade will continue to boom in the second half of this year, "with China's imports from the US growing faster than its exports". Therefore, the US trade deficit with China will decline, he said.

Part of the reason why the US would surpass the EU, which was China's number one trading partner for almost the past decade, Wei said, lies in everstrengthening Sino-US economic and trade ties.

In April, China and the US agreed to initiate a cooperation plan to address the trade imbalance. Under the plan, China Wei Jianguo, former vice-minister of commerce [Photo provided will resume US beef imports, and allow to China Daily] rice imports for the first time.

Wei's predictions are in line with recent industry figures.Between January and June, Sino-US trade reached 1.85 trillion yuan ($272 billion), up 21.3 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs. The growth rate is higher than that between China and EU members, which stood at 17.4 percent in the same period. Sino-EU trade was 1.97 trillion yuan.

"With such a growth rate, it won't take long for China's total trade volume with the US to exceed that with EU members", said Wei.China's total trade volume was 13.14 trillion yuan in the first six months, up 19.6 percent year-on-year, according to the GAC. Specifically, exports grew by 15.0 percent to 7.21 trillion yuan, and imports surged 25.7 percent to 5.93 trillion yuan.

Huang Songping, a spokesman for the GAC, said earlier that the increase was mainly due to recovering external demand that pushed up exports.Looking into the overall picture in the second half of this year, Wei said China's trade would still gain momentum."The growth rate of China's

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trade with economies along the Belt and Road Initiative would be 5 to 6 percentage points higher than other regions."

Official data show trade between China and Belt and Road economies posted double-digit growth year-on-year in the first six months.Privately run companies, even some small and micro businesses, would dominate the trade sector, with more high-tech products and self-owned brands being exported, Wei added.

In the first six months, private companies' imports and exports grew 20.6 percent year-on-year to 5.02 trillion yuan, show data from the GAC. It accounted for 38.2 percent of the nation's total volume."The current domestic and foreign environment is favorable to future trade flows‌ But it is still an arduous tasks to maintain the uptrend for the rest of the year," Qian Keming, a viceminister of commerce, said on Monday at a news conference.Qian cited trade protectionism and rising costs as the major factors. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2017-08/01/content_30313013.htm

US to overtake EU as China's largest trading partner

By Jing Shuiyu | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2017-07-31 14:01

A ship loads containers at a terminal in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo/China Daily]

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The United States is expected to overtake the European Union as China's largest trading partner this year, a former vice-minister of commerce said.

Sino-US trade will continue to boom in the second half of this year, "with China's imports from the US growing faster than its exports". Therefore, the US trade deficit with China will decline, Wei Jianguo told China Daily in an interview.

Part of the reason why US would surpass the EU, which was China's top trading partner almost for the past decade, Wei said, lies in the ever-strengthening Sino-US economic and trade ties.

In April, China and the US agreed to initiate a cooperation plan to address trade imbalance.

Under the plan, China will resume US beef imports, and allow rice imports for the first time.

Between January and June, Sino-US trade amount reached 1.85 trillion yuan ($275 billion), up 21.3 percent from last year, according to the General Administration of Customs. The growth rate is higher than that between China and the European Union members, which stood at 17.4 percent in the same period. Sino-EU trade was 1.97 trillion yuan.

"With such growth rate, it won't take long this year for China's total trade volume with the US to exceed that with the EU members", said Wei, also vice-president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2017-07/31/content_30305572.htm

Deal with Thailand this month to import rice Talha Bin Habib

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The government is set to sign an agreement with Thailand in the second week of this month (August) to import rice from the Southeast Asian country, officials said.The ministry of food (MoF) will ink the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Thailand to import the main staple aiming to keep its prices stable on the local market.The MoF has already finalised the draft of the MoU on rice import from Thailand, according to sources at the state-run Directorate General of Food.

"We will sign an MoU with Thailand on rice import at the 4th Bangladesh-Thailand joint trade committee (JTC) meeting next month (August)," a high official of the MoF told the FF on Monday.He, however, did not disclose the amount of rice to be imported from Thailand, but hinted that the amount might be around 0.2 million tonnes.

Bangladesh commerce minister Tofail Ahmed and Thai commerce minister Apiradi Tantraporn will lead their respective sides at the JTC meeting which will kick off in Dhaka on August 09.Bangladesh food minister Md Qamrul Islam and Thai commerce minister Apiradi Tantraporn will sign the MoU at the meeting on August 10 on behalf of their respective sides.

Earlier, the Directorate General of Food under the food ministry had set a target to import 0.6 million tonnes of rice from different countries.Under the move, import of 250,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam is now under way. http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2017/07/31/78648/Deal-with-Thailand-this-month-to-import-rice

USA Rice Weighs In with "Performance Review" of U.S. Trade Agreements

By Gil Thompson

WASHINGTON, DC -- "Well negotiated and enforced trade agreements lead to increased rice exports." That's the simple and key message from comments submitted today by USA Rice to the U.S. Trade Representative's office (USTR). The comments are in response to President Trump's Executive Order requiring several government agencies to conduct comprehensive performance reviews on existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements entered into by the United States. These performance reviews will be the basis of a subsequent report to the president.

"If you look at the 15 largest export markets for U.S. rice last year, 65 percent of those sales were to markets where the United States has a trade agreement or access because of our membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "When looking at total U.S. rice exports, 57 percent go to markets where we have trade agreements."

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The comments layout what many in the rice industry already know - NAFTA is responsible for Mexico being the number one market for U.S. rice, with sales last year of 863,000 MT or 22 percent of all exports. The U.S.-Colombia trade agreement opened a completely new market and established a long-term stream of funding for domestic rice research. Taken together, U.S. rice exports to Japan, Korea, and Taiwan were 568,000 MT in 2016, and rice, along with other agricultural products, is one of the bright spots in our trade relations with these markets. These markets would not exist today if not for the WTO.

"We also reminded the administration of what makes a 'good' trade agreement," continued Cummings. "From our decades of experience, a good trade agreement at a minimum must be

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comprehensive and with no product exclusions; provide for free trade in rice over the shortest period possible; contain meaningful and rising access through tariff rate quotas in exchange for any duty phase-outs and; provide a transparent and simple TRQ mechanism to maximize commercial opportunities for quota fill."

The comments noted that rigorous enforcement goes hand-in-hand with trade agreements, citing U.S. successes in the WTO on past cases against Mexico and Turkey, and our objectives in the U.S.'s current case against China over the level of China's domestic subsidies for wheat, corn, and rice.

"It's hard to underestimate the value of the WTO's dispute settlement provisions, if for no other reason than it is the only game in town to hold countries to their international obligations," concluded Cummings.

USA Daily Rice

Major rice producers in recovery mode – except for U.S

Bobby Coats, left, University of Arkansas, and Nathan Childs, right, USDA economist, visit with David Jessup, president and CEO of DeWitt Bank and Trust in DeWitt, Ark., at the USA Rice Outlook Conference.

Low long-grain prices, adverse weather at planting have reduced U.S. rice acreage by 20 percent.

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Forrest Laws | Jul 30, 2017 The United States seems to be the only major rice-growing country in the world that has seen a reduction in acreage – and, thus, will produce less rice – in calendar year 2017.That means there is likely to not be much draw down in the record world supplies that currently exist and not much room for improvement in world rice prices, according to Nathan Childs, agricultural economist with USDA. ―We‘re looking at record supplies; though they won‘t be up by much from 2016-17,‖ says Dr. Childs, a USDA‘s rice analyst for more than two decades. ―Many might remember the big supplies at the turn of the century that we worked on several years. It took several years to work those supplies down.‖ The featured speaker during the University of Arkansas‘ System Division of Agriculture‘s Food and Agriculture Webinar on Thursday (July 27), Dr. Childs said producer support programs, especially in China and India have kept rice acreage in those countries high. ―China's price support for rice went up slightly, I think a little bit over 1 percent, not much, but just a little,‖ he said, during the webinar moderated by Bobby Coats, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness at the University. ―India's back up. It's not a record area, but about 44.5 million hectares (10.99 million acres). China's up fractionally, nowhere near record though.‖ Thailand recovering from drought Thailand also appears to be well on the road to recovery from the woes that have beset its rice sector in recent years. Abundant rainfall has boosted its reservoir levels and, thus, it‘s rice acreage is back to normal after severe drought two years ago.

In the Western Hemisphere, Brazil is now the largest rice-producing country in the world outside of Asia. Dr. Childs said USDA-ERS analysts see Brazil‘s rice area increasing. ―There‘s more use

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of rice as a second crop or as a first crop, but we see the crop coming down as it returns to a more normal yield.‖ (Brazilian farmers can get two and sometimes three crops a season depending on the region.) ―Look at some of the economic rationale for contraction,‖ he said. ―Remember we talked about global areas up in 2017-18, but not everywhere. The U.S. harvested acreage will be down 20 percent from a year ago.‖ Low prices for long grain and heavy rainfall at planting reduced acreage – mostly in the South, but also California had heavy rainfall in the winter – reduced the harvested area. ―The planted area didn't come down as much, but the abandonment is higher than typical.‖ Egypt, the largest growing country in North Africa, is expected to see its acreage drop from a massive record in 2016-17. The government is also imposing strict export area controls that aren‘t always evenly applied.

Skirting the export rules ―They are going to be stricter, but they're often violated and then there was some shift in planting,‖ Dr. Childs noted. ―Egypt‘s had restrictions on rice planting for decades and typically grows far more rice than allowed under the government maximum.‖The Philippines, traditionally a large producer and consumer of rice, is expected to be down about 3 percent. Japan‘s production is continuing to decline based on a long-term reduction of its rice acreage.

Indonesia‘s is as well, but the decline is almost inconsequential, according to Dr. Childs.One of the biggest percentage reductions could occur in Cuba where farmers are expected to harvest a 15 percent smaller rice crop this year due to the impact of negative weather the last two seasons. ―I think it‘s the lingering effects of severe hurricanes that went through last fall,‖ he noted. ―They had come off a severe drought from El Nino. They are the major importer in the Western

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Hemisphere.‖South Korea has stocks concerns with consumption declining for food and food use declining.

To watch Dr. Childs‘ presentation, click on https://youtu.be/A0wtzvmY0OM. http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/major-rice-producers-recovery-mode-except-us

Rajkot Foodgrain Prices- July 31, 2017 Reuters | Jul 31, 2017, 02:00 PM IST Rajkot Foodgrain Prices Open- July 31 Jul 31 (Reuters) - Market delivery prices of food grains and pulses at Rajkot in India's western state of Gujarat opened on a mixed trend, traders said Monday. * * FOOD GRAINS & PULSES * Wheat prices eased due to increased arrivals. * Gram prices improved due to retail demand. * Jowar prices moved up due to thin supply. Prices of food grains and pulses in rupees per 20 kilograms, and deliveries in 100-kilogram bags: Delivery Auction price Previous price FOOD GRAIN Wheat Lokwan 00,300 320-360 320-370 Wheat Tukda 02,280 317-384 319-388 Jowar White 090 360-550 350-550 Bajra 0,055 215-265 210-251 PULSES Gram 00,650 0,915-1,041 0,800-0,980 Udid 0,200 0,735-0,950 0,650-0,930 Moong 0,200 0,690-0,860 0,617-0,880 Tuar 0,500 0,550-0,635 0,605-0,665 Maize 008 260-330 262-325 Vaal Deshi 025 0,475-0,710 0,450-0,650 Choli 0,025 0,755-1,400 0,810-1,400 Rajkot market delivery prices in rupees per 100 kilograms:. Today's Price Previous close FOOD GRAINS Wheat Mill quality 1,590-1,600 1,600-1,610 Wheat (medium) 1,750-1,775 1,775-1,800 Wheat (superior best) 2,050-2,100 2,050-2,100 Bajra 1,360-1,370 1,360-1,370 Jowar 2,9002,950 2,800-2,850 PULSES Gram 05,150-05,250 05,000-05,100 Gram dal 06,700-06,800 06,700-06,800 Besan (65-kg bag) 4,900-5,000 4,900-5,000 Tuar 03,700-03,800 03,700-03,800 Tuardal 06,000-06,100 06,000-06,100 Moong 4,400-4,500 4,400-4,500 Moongdal 5,500-5,550 5,500-5,550 Udid 05,200-05,300 05,200-05,300 RICE IR-8 2,350-2,400 2,350-2,400 Basmati Best 8,700-8,800 08,700-08,800 Parimal 2,400-2,450 2,400-2,450 Punjab Parimal 2,700-2,750 2,700-2,750 Basmati Medium 6,000-6,100 6,000-6,100

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/markets-keep-rising-steadily-sbi-stock-surges4/articleshow/59843573.cms

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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- July 31, 2017 Reuters | Jul 31, 2017, 02:05 PM IST Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-July 31 Nagpur, July 31 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices moved down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on lack of demand from local millers amid good supply from producing regions. Fresh fall in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and high moisture content arrival also pulled down prices here.

About 500 of gram and 300 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Desi gram and gram mill quality suffered heavily in open market here on poor buying support from local traders amid increased supply from producing regions. TUAR * Tuar varieties moved down in open market in absence of buyers amid profittaking selling by stockists at higher level. * Masoor varieties and moong dal Chilka reported down in open market on poor buying support from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New - 3,4003,6500, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,100-5,400, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,200-8,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,500-7,200, Gram - 4,500-4,700, Gram Super best - 7,400-7,700 * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction4,500-4,990 4,600-5,000 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,100-3,520 3,100-3,600 Moong Auction n.a.

3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,600-1,700 1,580-1,690 Gram Super Best Bold 7,500-8,000 7,500-8,000 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 6,700-7,000 6,700-7,000 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,000-5,100 5,300-5,400 Desi gram Raw 4,700-4,900 5,000-5,200 Gram Yellow 7,100-8,100

7,100-8,100

Gram Kabuli 12,300-13,400

12,300-13,400

Tuar Fataka

Best-

New 5,400-5,700 5,800-6,000 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,200-5,300 5,400-5,600 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,000-5,200 5,200-5,400 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,700-5,000 4,800-5,100 Tuar Gavarani New 3,650-3,750 3,800-4,000 Tuar Karnataka 3,750-3,900 4,050-4,200 Masoor dal best 4,700-4,900 4,800-5,000 Masoor dal medium 4,400-4,600 4,400-4,700 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 6,700-7,000 6,700-7,000 Moong Mogar Medium 6,000-6,500 6,0006,500 Moong dal Chilka 5,200-5,800 5,200-6,000 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki

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best 6,900-7,400 6,900-7,400 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 7,500-8,500 7,500-8,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,200 6,800-7,200 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,900 4,400-4,900 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,550-4,850 4,550-4,850 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,800-3,000 2,800-3,000 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,850-3,000 2,850-2,950 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,700 3,500-3,700 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,1004,600 4,100-4,600 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,000 1,900-2,000 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,750-1,850 1,750-1,850 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400 2,200-2,400 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100 1,900-2,100 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 3,000-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,700 2,2002,700 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,300 2,800-3,400 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,500 3,300-3,500 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,100 3,000-3,100 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,3002,400 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,600 2,500-2,650 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 3,700-4,000 3,700-4,000 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,000 4,500-5,000 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 4,1004,300 4,100-4,300 Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,800 4,400-4,800 Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG) 6,500-6,800 6,500-6,800 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,200 5,8006,200 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-13,500 10,000-13,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 5,000-7,500 5,000-7,500 Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,700 4,5004,700 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,000 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp.

32.0 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 24.5 degree Celsius Rainfall : 0.2 mm FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky with light rains. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 32 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)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/rajkot-foodgrain-prices-july-312017/articleshow/59844212.cms

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Demand for VN rice to be stable in Q3: VFA

HCM CITY — Demand for Vietnamese rice is expected to be stable in the third quarter of the year, Vietnam Food Association (VFA) Chairman Huỳnh Thế Năng has said.Thus, rice traders will not have to worry about finding consumption markets, he added.The chairman made the statement after Vietnamese rice enterprises won contracts to supply 175,000 tonnes (MT) of rice to the Philippines through an open tender held by the country‘s National Food Authority (NFA) on July 25.

According to the association, in the bidding for 2-per cent broken rice export to the Philippines, four Vietnamese traders totalled 175,000 tonnes in the tender at different winning prices.

Specifically, Southern Food Corporation 2 (Vinafood 2) won a bid for 50,000 tonnes of rice at a Free on Board (FOB) price of US$369.45 per tonne; International Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes for $357 to $367 per tonne; Tân Long Group Joint Stock Company won 50,000 tonnes of rice for $354 to $359 per tonne; and Hiệp Lợi Joint Stock Company hit 25,000 tonnes with the best price of $370.9 per tonne.This is the first time that private Vietnamese rice exporters were allowed to participate in such a bidding, and they proved they could meet the strict requirements put forward by the Philippines.

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―Four enterprises among the total eight businesses winning the bid is a clear demonstration of the capacity of the Vietnamese rice traders,‖ Năng said.The chairman said that the winning contracts would partly help stabilise domestic rice prices soon.In addition to the rice export contracts to the Philippines, domestic rice exporters are also preparing to deliver goods under the previously signed contracts to Cuba, Bangladesh and Malaysia. ―Therefore, from now until the end of the third quarter of 2017, Vietnamese rice sector will not struggle with the settlement of output for farmers.‖ According to VFA, demand for rice in Asia recently had positive impact on the rice exports of Việt Nam this year.There are several new emerging needs that motivate the market. For example, Bangladesh, after three rounds of bidding for 150,000 tonnes of rice and having bought 250,000 tonnes from Việt Nam, is also negotiating 200,000 tonnes with Thailand and may continue to buy more from Việt Nam. Sri Lanka is also urgently importing 55,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan and Myanmar, and seeking supplies from other countries, including Việt Nam. Even the Philippines, in addition to the 250,000 tonnes bidding last week, may import more to shore up its stockpiles to ensure its food security. In addition to this, the consumption demand of China and India is expected to have an impact on the Vietnamese rice exports in the future.

However, whether the Vietnamese enterprises have access to these needs depends on their price competitiveness compared with the other export competitors, as well as the summer-autumn crop harvest in August and September.Nguyễn Thanh Long, managing director of Việt Rice Co Ltd, said that if domestic rice prices "turn up" too high, Vietnamese rice exporters would find it hard to compete with foreign rivals while negotiating commercial contracts.

Currently, Việt Nam‘s rice export prices are equal or a little bit higher than those of Thailand.

For example, Thailand‘s 5-per-cent broken rice is being offered at $395 per tonne, while that of Việt Nam is $407 per tonne, which will be profitable. If Vietnamese rice prices are not adjusted according to the Thai rice prices, it is difficult to attract demand and sign new contracts in the future.

According to the statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, rice exports of the country in the first seven months of the year is estimated at 3.3 million tonnes, earning a revenue of $1.5 billion, up 15.7 per cent in volume and 13.7 per cent in value over the same period last year.The rice export price in the first half of the year averaged $444.6 per tonne, down 1.4 per cent year-on-year. - VNS

http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/381089/demand-for-vn-rice-to-be-stable-in-q3vfa.html#rWVsuGHjmayaSVLb.97

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BUZZ-Thailand floods: no impact on rice exports, says export body

by Reuters Monday, 31 July 2017 09:25 GMT

BANGKOK, July 31 (Reuters) - ** Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture says 2.83 million rais (400,000 hectares) of rice fields in the north and northeast of the country have been affected by floods which began in July.** President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association Chookiat Ophaswongse says floods however have not affected rice exports. ** Too early to assess damage as rice crops in the affected areas could survive short-term inundation, Chookiat says ** Out of 77 Thai provinces, 12 have been declared flood disaster zones, according to the Interior Ministry.

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um, Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and) http://news.trust.org//item/20170731092945-0vtz3/

Rice basmati remains weak on sluggish demand New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) Rice basmati prices went down by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today on muted demand.However, other grains held steady in thin trade.Traders said adequate stocks position against tepid demand mainly kept pressure on rice basmati prices.In the national capital, rice basmati Pusa-1121 and common remained weak and shed another Rs 100 each to Rs 4,900-4,950 and Rs 6,200-6,400 per quintal

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respectively.Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal):

Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,100-2,350, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,765-1,770, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,770-1,775, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 970-980 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,010-1,020 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,035-1,040 (50 kg).Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 6,200-6,400, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 4,900-4,950, Permal raw Rs 2,1502,175, Permal wand Rs 2,200-2,225, Sela Rs 2,300-2,400 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,825-1,850, Bajra Rs 1,180-1,190, Jowar yellow Rs 1,450-1,500, white Rs 2,900-3,100, Maize Rs 1,300-1,305, Barley Rs 1,465-1,475 http://www.ptinews.com/news/8934089_Rice-basmati-remains-weak-on-sluggish-demand.html

China’s CITIC, Myanmar Rice Federation partner for $400m agribusiness plan Bagan, Myanmar Photo by

Dinis Bazgutdinov on Unsplash Juliet Shwe Gaung July 30, 2017 China‘s state-owned financial services firm CITIC and the Myanmar Rice Federation are partnering to conduct a feasibility study for a plan to establish 33 agricultural business centres in ten states in Myanmar. The project is estimated to cost $400 million and aims to provide a one-stop service for farmers in the country, said Dr Soe Tun, vice chairman of Myanmar Rice Federation.

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The agricultural business centres will enable farmers to buy equipment, use warehouse facilities and avail financial services. ―We are looking to get a development loan from the Chinese government for the project,‖ Tun told DEALSTREETASIA. Working with the Chinese stateowned firm will help the financing for the development of agricultural sector as Myanmar looks to revitalise the agriculture sector which accounts for 38 per cent of the national GDP and 23 per cent of exports.

Corporations like Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation, which is planning to get listed on the Yangon Stock Exchange, is also planning to set up agricultural industrial parks in the Delta Region to provide better agricultural infrastructure. CITIC is also leading the Chinese consortium that will develop the Kyauk Phyu Special Economic Zone around 2019 https://www.dealstreetasia.com/stories/china-citic-myanmar-rice-fed-agri-plan-79074/

80,000 acres of paddy cultivation flooded

By Staff | Monday, 31 July 2017 The government has announced that more than 80,000 acres under monsoon paddy were flooded out of which 20,000 acres damaged due to heavy torrential rains since the start of July.

A Myanmar farmer plants rice at a field near Moulmeingyun town of Ayeyarwady Region on July 29. Photo - EPA

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Monsoon paddy have been damaged in Yangon, Magwe, Bago, Sagain, Ayeyawady, Tanintharyi, Mon regions and Kachin State due to the rain, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation was quoted as saying in Saturday‘s Myawady daily.More than 80,000 people from 19,000 households have been affected by the floods due to rising river levels as of July 20, said the daily.Compared to the total area of more than 19 million acres under paddy, the flooded area due to recent rain was not of major concern for Myanmar, which employs 60 percent of total workforce, and the agricultural products constitutes 38pc of the country‘s gross domestic product.Myanmar exported 1.5 million tonnes of rice last fiscal year which ended on March 31. http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/27027-80-000-acres-of-paddy-cultivationflooded.html

Fourth rice consignment from Vietnam reaches Chittagong Port Sun Online Desk

31st July, 2017 10:57:36

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The ship carrying the fourth consignment of rice imported from Vietnam arrived in Chittagong Port on Monday morning.MV Asian Energy, carrying 25,300 tonnes of rice, anchored at the outer anchorage of the port this early morning, Alhaz Mohammad Abul Hossain, local agent and also managing director of Uni Ship International said.

M Jahirul Islam, controller of Movement and Storage Division of Food Ministry, said the ship will be anchored at jetty immediately after sample collection and completion of customs formalities.Previously, three shipments had reached Chittagong port and the lightering of the rice is underway, he said.Vietnam‘s state-run Vinafood 2 will supply 60 percent of shipments through Chittagong port and the rest through the Mongla port

Government slams call for rice checks Sansern says move is a bid to favour Yingluck 31 Jul 2017 NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS | WRITER: WASSANA NANUAM & PHUSADEE ARUNMAS

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Government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd (inset) sees a conspiracy between politicians and rice-mill owners to call for an inspection of rice stocks under regime control. (File photos) Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd has accused politicians and rice mill owners who are calling for a new inspection of rice stocks under the controversial rice-pledging scheme of being part of a politically-motivated movement.Lt Gen Sansern said it was no coincidence the movement comes just before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions is to hand down its ruling in the rice-pledging case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Aug 25.

"This could be seen as an attempt to create some kind of impact on the case or a bid to draw public sympathy for Ms Yingluck," he said."The Commerce Ministry has already explained on several occasions its principles in releasing the rice under the scheme," he added.He said some groups are still attempting to claim that good-quality rice has been sold along with the badquality stock, which made the rice prices drop.

"The irony is that most of these groups will actually be held responsible for losses associated with bad-quality rice kept at the scheme's warehouses," he said.Previously, the owners of eight rice warehouses had called on the government to conduct a new round of quality checks on rice under the scheme, saying they weren't confident in the results of past inspections conducted by officials.

According to warehouse owners, normal rice was auctioned along with rice used for producing animal feed, which is a waste of money.They claimed they weren't aware of the government's intention to sell the rice as ingredients in animal feed until the days on which the auctions were held.

They added their move should help prevent further losses that could be worth several billion baht.Itsaraphon Khongchawi, the owner of Worachot warehouse in Ang Thong, was the first to come up with a call for new inspection of the rice, saying she was confident the rice kept at her warehouse under the rice-pledging scheme was of good quality and was never intended to be sold as animal feed.She said she had not been aware that one stack of C-grade rice at the warehouse would be sold along with four other stacks of rice graded as A and B -- edible to humans -- as animal feed.

If this 6,000 tonnes of rice is sold as animal feed, the government will face a further loss of at least 30 million baht, Ms Itsaraphon said.

The owner of Thawon Chokchai rice warehouse in Saraburi said although one half of the stock at his warehouse is of good A-grade quality while the other half is of C-grade quality, a random test conducted in 2014 showed all the rice in this warehouse was of C-grade quality, which has to be sold as animal feed.

According to the owner of Kit Charoen Sap warehouse in Lop Buri, given the 5.7 million tonnes of rice already sold as animal feed, the government is estimated to have lost more than 2 billion

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baht.Wongwirot Palawat, the owner of Charoen Prapha warehouse in Lop Buri, insisted the move to call for a new inspection of the rice stock by the eight warehouse owners wasn't politically motivated."The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) has always responded in a formal letter to every complaint by these owners of rice warehouses and mills as well as the surveyor companies contracted to handle rice quality inspections," DFP director-general Duangporn Rodphaya said.

"More importantly, these warehouses are the ones facing lawsuits lodged against them by both the Public Warehouse Organisation and the Marketing Organisation for Farmers over the substandard quality of the rice kept there under the rice scheme.

"Official results of the rice inspection that began in 2014 have been made public and used as evidence to pursue legal action against those who are held responsible for the damage in the rice scheme."At this point the eight warehouses have the right to make legal arguments and back their arguments with whatever facts they may have, but they won't be able to request for new inspection of the rice as that process has already passed."

"Nor do they have any right to suspend the government from selling the rice as the longer the rice sale is delayed, more damage will occur to the state," she said, adding that the sales of rice from the eight warehouses have been completed under the rice policy and management committee's resolution. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1296831/government-slams-call-for-rice-checks

Tie-up for Indian rice farming in Ghana HYDERABAD, JULY 31: After successfully cultivating desi tomatoes on its soil, Ghana is set to grow Indian rice varieties and medicinal and aromatic plants.Goodearth Global Ltd, based in Accra, Ghana, has inked an agreement with the National Research and Development Corporation (NRDC) in this regard.

Deal inked Goodearth is owned by Hyderabad-based international commodity trader Ch Gopal. As per the agreement signed between him and H Purushotham, Chairman and Managing Director of NRDC, the rice and medicinal and aromatic plants will be grown on 3,000 acres, which the company has leased for 50 years.

Goodearth has been present in Ghana for the past five years and is expanding operations. ―We have leased virgin land near the town of Ho in the Volta (river) region, which is fertile. The climate is also suitable for growing these crops. Access to the US and European markets is easier from there,‖ Gopal told BusinessLine.

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The company plans to grow short-duration (125 days), fine-grained blast-resistant paddy variety called ‗Telangana Sona‘. This variety can be grown both during rainy and winter seasons.

Though rice is a staple food for Ghana, where significant quantities are imported, especially from Thailand, Vietnam and India. This offers good scope and opportunity for growing rice in the African nation itself.

Goodearth also plans to lease another 3,000 acres for growing tomato, cassava and seeds. NRDC will provide the technical support, he said. According to Purushotham, the $2 million IndoGhana pilot research project for tomato production, launched in 2015 successfully demonstrated the cultivation of high-yielding tomatoes on three plots of five acres each.

At a meeting in Ghana recently, both the governments expressed interest in expanding cooperation in value-added agriculture.

Millet cultivation Ghana has also sought Indian help in boosting its rice and millet crops, Purushotham said.

Millets, particularly sorghum and pearl millet have potential in North, Upper East and Upper West Ghana to increase income and food security through strengthened capacity to achieve higher and sustainable yields in sorghum and pearl production. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/tieup-for-indian-rice-farming-inghana/article9795783.ece

BUZZ-Thailand floods: no impact on rice exports, says export body BANGKOK, July 31 (Reuters) - ** Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture says 2.83 million rais (400,000 hectares) of rice fields in the north and northeast of the country have been affected by floods which began in July. ** President of the Thai Rice Exporters Association Chookiat Ophaswongse says floods however have not affected rice exports. ** Too early to assess damage as rice crops in the affected areas could survive short-term inundation, Chookiat says ** Out of 77 Thai provinces, 12 have been declared flood disaster zones, according to the Interior Ministry. http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL4N1KM2Q3

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Bangladesh to buy rice Cambodia will reach an agreement with Bangladesh tomorrow for the kingdom‘s rice to be exported to the South Asian country, according to an official in the Commerce Ministry.―Under the deal, Bangladesh will import 1 million tonnes of milled rice from Cambodia for 5 years,‖ said Soeung Sophary, the ministry‘s spokesperson yesterday. ―An agreement will be signed in Phnom Penh on Wednesday between the ministry and representatives of the Bangladeshi government,‖ she added.Ms Sophary said Bangladesh would take delivery of all types of rice from Cambodia and the deal will not only focus on fragrant rice or white rice.

Hun Lak, vice president of the Cambodia Rice Federation, welcomed to the move, saying it was a positive move for the kingdom.―If we can negotiate with Bangladesh on the prices and get favourable ones, that‘s the outcome we want,‖ Mr Lak said.In the first quarter of the year, Cambodia exported a total of 288,562 tonnes of milled rice to 56 countries, up 7.6 percent compared with the same period last year. http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5075976/bangladesh-buy-rice/

Farmer producer firms in Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana

Farmer producer firms in Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana considering agriculture trading

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A 30-member team from farmer producer companies was in Maharashtra to study the infrastructure in the state and the establishment of logistics for a possible supply chain Puneet Singh, national director, who handles the North Indian operations of VGAI, said that although Punjab and Haryana were known for the Green Revolution, Maharashtra was very strong in agri business, trading and exports.

Farmer producer companies in Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana are considering the possibility of commencing trading in grapes, potato seeds and basmati rice soon. A 30-member team from farmer producer companies (FPCs) associated with the northern operations of the Vegetable Growers Association of India (VGAI) and the Haryana horticulture department was in Maharashtra to study the infrastructure of FPCs in the state and the establishment of logistics for a possible supply chain.

Puneet Singh, national director, who handles the North Indian operations of VGAI, said that although Punjab and Haryana were known for the Green Revolution, Maharashtra was very strong in agri business, trading and exports. ―The North is lacking in this aspect and there is more focus on MSP crops here. Therefore, a team of FPCs decided to visit Maharashtra to study agri solutions and trading between farmer producer companies,‖ he said. ―The discussions have been very positive and we are looking at the possibility of dealing in grapes, pomegranates, basmati rice and potato seeds. Our FPCs have supplied potato seeds to Maharashtra on a pilot basis and we are looking at taking this forward,‖ Singh said.

According to Singh, Punjab and Haryana have at least 50 FPCs each, of which 8 in Punjab and 9 in Harayana are part of VGAI. Maharashtra and Karnataka are strong on this front while FPCs are in the initial stages here and there is much to learn from them, he said. Moreover, the farmer producer companies in Chandigarh have a start-up which also has retail outlets. The objective is to explore possibilities of beginning supplies of commodities that are not available in these markets from Maharashtra and vice versa.

For instance, there are plans to begin the supply of potato seeds from Punjab and Haryana to Maharashtra from September and thereafter pick up winter fruit from this state to the North, Puneet Singh said. This time apart from visiting food processing facilities, the intention was to establish direct contact between farmers and producer companies to form linkages for the future, he said. Shriram Gadhave, president, VGAI, said that the teams from Punjab and Haryana had visited Nashik, Pune and Narayangaon where tomato auction has become common. They were keen on studying the cooperation system here and are looking at replicating models from Maharashtra in their states.

Puneet Singh agrees and pointed out that the Narayangaon tomato auction model could be replicated for watermelons in Punjab and Haryana. In the Narayangaon open auction, there are no agents or middlemen between the farmer and the buyer. Tomato is the only item sold in this manner and the farmers decide the price for their produce. The initiative, begun by Gadhave,

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earned him much recognition and appreciation from farmers and governments who wish to replicate this model in other states.

The direct auction rooted out the agents and directed the money into the pockets of tomato farmers. Around 1,200 -1500 tonne of tomatoes are sold here everyday, with the turnover touching Rs 150 crore to Rs 170 crore during peak season. This is also part of the initiative brewing among farmer producer companies (FPCs) across the country. Several federations of these companies are trying to enter into partnerships with federations of other states. This would not only enable companies to learn from each other and share technical inputs but also market products to different states.

Last year Gadhave was in Gujarat as part of efforts to tie-up with the Gujarat pro agri business consortium producer company. ―The attempt is to be able to bring some 100-120 companies under the umbrella of the federation gradually. The objective is to be able to service these companies well and strengthen their marketing and help them market both commodities and value-added products to sellers across the country‖, he said. Unwilling to discuss figures and the possible quantum of trade between the states, Puneet Singh is hopeful that the effort should bear fruit and is keeping his fingers crossed. So is Shriram Gadhave. http://www.financialexpress.com/market/commodities/farmer-producer-firms-in-maharashtrapunjab-and-haryana-considering-agriculture-trading/788633/

India asks European Union to allow duty free exports of all basmati rice varieties

In a move that is expected to give boost to rice exports, India has approached the European

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Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) for allowing duty-free exports of all the 29 varieties of basmati rice notified by the agriculture ministry.Trades sources told FE that a zero rate of import duty is granted to eight varieties of husked basmati rice, including 370, 386, 217, Ranbir, Pusa basmati and Super.

In a move that is expected to give boost to rice exports, India has approached the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) for allowing duty-free exports of all the 29 varieties of basmati rice notified by the agriculture ministry. At present, under a code of practice and regulations signed in 2004, only eight varieties of basmati rice are allowed duty-free exports from India to EU and UK while those varieties notified afterwards, especially Pusa 1121 (2008) and Pusa 1509 (2013), which constitute at least 70% of around 4 million tonne of aromatic rice exports annually, are subject to a higher level of import duties. Trades sources told FE that a zero rate of import duty is granted to eight varieties of husked basmati rice, including 370, 386, 217, Ranbir, Pusa basmati and Super.

While only 10% of India‘s total basmati rice production is exported to EU including UK, the realisation from shipments is much higher than the bulk of basmati rice exports to Gulf countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait. ―Currently, exports of basmati rice varieties which were notified after 2004 attract a duty of €165 per tonne, which makes it costlier against other rice,‖ an exporter said. India being the top rice exporters for last many years, shipped 3.5 lakh tonne of basmati rice to EU valued at Rs 1,744 crore in 2016-17.

Overall basmati rice export from India was Rs 21,605 crore for FY17. ―There is ample scope of increasing shipment to EU and UK as code of practices and regulations signed more than a decade back needs to be revised,‖ an official said. He also said that they have received positive feedback from EU and UK authorities. Out of the total annual value of basmati rice exports, five countries – Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait — have share of more than 68%. ―EU and UK allowing more varieties of basmati under import duty free regime would boost rice exports prospects,‖ an official said. This follows EU‘s recent decision to impose a stringent maximum residue limit (MRL) for Tricyclazole, a fungicide used by farmers against a disease which impacts basmati rice crop from December 31, 2017.

The exporters in the country have launched an extensive campaign to educate the farmers in key growing states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh on the judicious use of pesticide. ―Many a times rice exports consignments were rejected because of detection of pesticides residues and our focus would be to educate the farmers against use of excessive pesticides which would lead to higher price realisation,‖ Vijay Setia, president, All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) had said.

http://www.financialexpress.com/market/commodities/india-asks-european-union-to-allow-dutyfree-exports-of-all-basmati-rice-varieties/788627/

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