24th dec 2015 daily global regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

24th December.2015 Unedited Version

Daily Global Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine www.ricepluss.com ,www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

Louisiana rice farmers challenged by 2015 weather conditions ADVOCATE NEWS SERVICES

Dec. 22, 2015; 4:37 p.m.

Excessive rainfall in south Louisiana and hot temperatures in the north were a challenge this year for many rice farmers, who saw a decline in their first crop but an exceptional bounceback in the second crop in south Louisiana.

“Most everybody I’ve talked to is pleased with the second crop yields,” said Steve Linscombe, director of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station.

“Numerous producers say this is by far their best second crop from the standpoint of yield, and the quality is very good, too.”

That will take some of the sting out of low prices and the lower first crop yield, he said.

Linscombe estimated the 2015 first crop harvest was down 10 to 15 percent from last year. But the per-acre average for the second crop would probably fall in the low to mid20 barrel range, although he heard of many who cut more than 30 barrels an acre.

“I even heard of a few 40-plus in the second crop,” he said.

He said the north Louisiana rice crop endured unusually hot, dry weather that could affect grain quality.

The crop year in south Louisiana started with heavy rainfall that interfered with planting and spraying.

“This has been one of the most difficult years for rice producers that they’ve seen in a long time,” said Dustin Harrell, LSU AgCenter rice specialist, who estimated the first crop yield decrease at 10 percent.

Harrell said the excessive spring rainfall complicated the season because fertilizer applications were delayed. In addition, early in the season, small rice plants were submerged for a considerably long time, he said.

Linscombe said disease also was a factor for the first crop.

Even though planting was delayed by weather, the first crop harvest went smoothly with few rain interruptions, and dry weather prevented farm equipment from rutting the fields, Linscombe said. That meant a good start for farmers growing a second crop. http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/neworleansnews/14367612-123/louisianarice-farmers-challenged-by-2015-weather-conditions Bobby Coats says the “Monster” El Nino of the winter of 2015-16 is shaping up to be very similar to what happened in 1997-98. Because of the weather associated with the phenomenon, long grain rice supplies fell and prices rose that year.

“2015 has many similarities to the 1997 and 1998 period where there was a significant demand for U.S. long grain rice,” says Dr. Coats. That’s because the rice crops in several countries which normally export rice were negatively impacted by the weather phenomenon.

World rice consumption continues to trend higher, reaching 484.5 million metric tons in the 2014-2015 marketing year. That’s compared to world rice production of 469 million metric tons in 2014-15. “Thus production is lagging demand,” he notes.

World rice trade, which includes shipments between exporting and importing countries is expected to have reached 41 million metric tons in 2014-15, which is down slightly from 42.4 million in 2013-14 and 43.3 million in 2012-13.

RELATED

Taking the good with the bad in rice 2015-16: Part I Rice farmers 'thankful' they enrolled in PLC World ending stocks are also declining – to 88 million metric tons for 2014-15 – which is also a positive for world prices. The last time world ending stocks were as low as 88 million metric tons was in 2007-2008 when riots occurred over high rice prices in southeast Asia.

“Given likely global events, there are more reasons to be bullish than bearish on trade,” said Coats, who moderates the University of Arkansas Systems Division of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness webinars that have been presented throughout 2015.

“The global economy faces huge economic headwinds in 2016,” he notes. “Increasing levels of global stimulus will emerge as the year progresses, and this could be bearish for bonds and bullish for hard assets such as many stocks, commodities and others. Near term U.S. Treasuries must finish consolidation and hard assets need to finish a bottoming or consolidation.”

Coats believes the Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently consolidating and will complete the consolidation process and break out of its current trading range in 2016. “That will help provide leadership for the commodity sector.”

For more information on presentations at the USA Rice Outlook Conference, visithttp://usarice.com/about/meetings/meeting-registration/2015-presentations.

Monster’ El Nino showing similarities to 1997-98 marketing year: Part II Dec 23, 2015Forrest Laws | Delta Farm Press

Bobby Coats says the “Monster” El Nino of the winter of 2015-16 is shaping up to be very similar to what happened in 1997-98. Because of the weather associated with the phenomenon, long grain rice supplies fell and prices rose that year.

“2015 has many similarities to the 1997 and 1998 period where there was a significant demand for U.S. long grain rice,” says Dr. Coats. That’s because the rice crops in several countries which normally export rice were negatively impacted by the weather phenomenon.

World rice consumption continues to trend higher, reaching 484.5 million metric tons in the 2014-2015 marketing year. That’s compared to world rice production of 469 million metric tons in 2014-15. “Thus production is lagging demand,” he notes.

World rice trade, which includes shipments between exporting and importing countries is expected to have reached 41 million metric tons in 2014-15, which is down slightly from 42.4 million in 2013-14 and 43.3 million in 2012-13.

World ending stocks are also declining – to 88 million metric tons for 2014-15 – which is also a positive for world prices. The last time world ending stocks were as low as 88 million metric tons was in 2007-2008 when riots occurred over high rice prices in southeast Asia.

“Given likely global events, there are more reasons to be bullish than bearish on trade,” said Coats, who moderates the University of Arkansas Systems Division of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness webinars that have been presented throughout 2015.

“The global economy faces huge economic headwinds in 2016,” he notes. “Increasing levels of global stimulus will emerge as the year progresses, and this could be bearish for bonds and bullish for hard assets such as many stocks, commodities and others. Near term U.S. Treasuries must finish consolidation and hard assets need to finish a bottoming or consolidation.”

Coats believes the Dow Jones Industrial Average is currently consolidating and will complete the consolidation process and break out of its current trading range in 2016. “That will help provide leadership for the commodity sector.”

For more information on presentations at the USA Rice Outlook Conference, visithttp://usarice.com/about/meetings/meeting-registration/2015-presentations.

Indonesia to open its market for Indian rice

PTI

JAKARTA, DEC 23: Indonesia has decided to open its market for Indian rice, pharmaceuticals and bovine meat, a big breakthrough for the country to diversify its export basket to the Southeast Asian nation with which India has a huge trade deficit.

The Trade Minister of Indonesia Thomas Lembong told Indian Ambassador Gurjit Singh yesterday that President Jokowi (Joko Widodo) has decided to include India in the list of countries from which import of rice can be authorised and market access for pharmaceuticals and bovine meat can be granted.

The Indian Embassy in Jakarta has been striving hard to seek a G2G channel for export of rice to Indonesia. Both sides are about to strike a deal for supply of rice to Indonesia.

Singh said that given the steadfast relationship between the two countries, India will standby with Indonesia to overcome the rice shortage due to drought, a statement said.

This is a big breakthrough for India, the world’s biggest rice producer after China, as it will be diversifying its export basket to Indonesia with which there is a huge trade deficit, the statement said.

Indonesia has agreed to purchase pharmaceutical products from India which is known for its high quality and price affordability. Jokowi’s government is deliberating on this to overcome the financial burden in connection with the issue of health cards to Indonesians.

India has been exploring the possibilities of export of Indian bovine meat to Indonesia since 1999.

The Indonesian side has not acceded citing Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

However, with the OIE —world organisation for animal health— certification that India is having an official control programme for FMD, a high—level delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture of Indonesia visited India in September 2015 and examined meat production facilities and quarantine issues.

The Indonesian government is expected to amend the law to allow market access for Indian bovine meat very soon.

(This article was published on December 23, 2015)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/indonesia-to-open-its-market-forindian-rice/article8021799.ecehttp://deltafarmpress.com/rice/monster-el-nino-showing-similarities1997-98-marketing-year-part-ii

Alarms are Sounding in Asia Over Agricultural Yields DECEMBER 22, 2015• ASIA• BY ASIA PATHWAYS

The green revolution has done wonders for Asia. Yields for most crops, particularly the region’s main staple of rice, have doubled over recent decades. In the Lower Mekong Delta, considered Asia’s rice bowl, the new technologies and crop strains that the green revolution brought were a big success.

Rice production in the Lower Mekong countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam soared 68% between 1980 and 1995. During the same period, average yields more than doubled from their levels in the 1960s to about 3.5 tons per hectare. Total land area planted with rice also increased by around 25% to 16.3 million hectares between 1996 and 2005.

By the end of 2013, however, the gains seemed to have leveled off. Between 2006 and 2013, average yield growth slowed to 22% across all of the Lower Mekong countries except Cambodia, as growth in rice production slid to 36%.

The slower trends in yield and production growth were not unique to the Lower Mekong. They also applied to the rest of Asia for various reasons. Chief among them is that green revolution technologies, particularly new rice seed varieties, had become exhausted. Poor land and water quality were also culprits in the drop-off, along with inadequate farm management practices and the rapid conversion of farmland to non-agricultural use. Eroding profit margins due to a decline in the price of rice on global markets exacted a heavy toll as well.

Low productivity There is reason for alarm at the change. Agriculture still provides 10% of Asia’s value-added output and is an important source of employment as about 45% of jobs in Asia are in rural areas.

With declining yields and production, this means that productivity, the value of output per worker, will decline further.

Already Asia’s agricultural productivity is the second lowest in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, agricultural value-added per worker in developing Asia was only $804, based on 2005 constant prices, a bit higher than sub-Saharan Africa’s $705 but still lower than the $929 average of all low- and middle-income countries.

Declining agricultural productivity trends also imply low incomes for the people in Asia who depend on farming for their livelihoods. Poverty will also become more entrenched if agricultural incomes continue to decline. To illustrate this problem, currently in Cambodia about 41% of people are poor, as measured against a threshold income of $2 a day. In Laos, this proportion is 62%.

Improved productivity is crucial if growth is to be sustainable in the Lower Mekong’s predominantly agrarian economies. In the past, increases in productivity enabled Lower Mekong countries to sustain growth in agriculture, as seen in the significant increases in yields and production that these countries enjoyed over the last three decades. However, with yields declining, the options for agriculture in the Lower Mekong are also getting limited. It seems that simply expanding yields and production will not be enough to turn the situation around permanently. It is time for concrete action to address the impediments to the growth of agriculture.

There is a need for aggressive policy reforms. Past reforms served the Lower Mekong’s agricultural sector well by taking advantage of technologies that contributed to increased production. This time, implementing appropriate reforms can further unleash the sector’s productivity potential as a veritable sub-regional food center.

One element of the reform agenda should be sustainable land management. Because the majority of farmers in the Lower Mekong own small land holdings, providing them with secured land

tenure and property rights is crucial. In addition to more integrated land and water management, a multi-stakeholder approach for land-use planning is critical to enable farmers to design a plan to restore agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

Renewed investment in agriculture also matters, especially in view of limited resources and capacity constraints in the Lower Mekong. Priorities include promoting new technological innovations, cost-effective rural infrastructure for irrigation and market support, and better seed varieties. To address the shortage of critical skills in rural areas, investment in better knowledge management for farmers is also crucial.

Better links In view of changing climate conditions and the consequent impact on agriculture, it is also important that better climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are implemented to reduce uncertainty in agricultural production systems. Now is the time to implement better regulations on the efficient use of fertilizers and irrigation and to develop national strategies to assess the impact of climate change on agriculture.

To take advantage of the increasing integration of markets in the region, the Lower Mekong’s agricultural system should be able to better link farmers to markets and new technologies, and to knowledge flow. A case in point is the development of the supply chain in rice, a key industry that offers huge potential for Lower Mekong countries. While developing this supply chain will have a strong impact on the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, it will require measures to improve food standards, enhance logistics and remove non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade.

Finally, it is time to change the mindset of the institutions that have governed the agricultural sector over the past three decades. With the technologies thrown up by the green revolution fully integrated, it is fitting to look at how the sector can survive and flourish in the current environment of rapidly integrating markets. With the private sector taking a greater role in matching agricultural production with market demands and other new institutional setups as well as better technologies and targeted regulatory interventions to correct market failures, the pieces should be in place for reinvigorated productivity and an agricultural sector that is once more on the rise.

Reinvigorating agricultural productivity in the Lower Mekong is republished with permission from Asia Pathways See Also: Agriculture Reforms Unlikely to Come from Japan's LDP http://www.yahoo.economywatch.com/features/Alarms-are-Sounding-in-Asia-Over-AgriculturalYields1222.html

Per capita rice volume declines steadily while corn rises

THE QUANTITY of rice available for human consumption has steadily decreased from 2012 to 2014, a trend that runs in contrast to the growth recorded for corn, latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show. “The annual per capita net food disposable (NFD) was declining from 118.89 kilograms in 2012 down to 114.22 kilograms in 2014,� the PSA said in its annual publication Supply Utilization Accounts.

For corn, the annual per capita NFD ranged from 17.55 kilograms in 2012 to 21.93 kilograms in 2014.

NFD is the volume of a commodity available in its original and unprocessed form for human consumption. This is arrived at by subtracting from the estimated disposable supply the amount used for seed, feed, spoilage, processed food and non-food use. The net is usually equated or made equivalent to the quantity consumed.

The estimated per capita NFD for the three-year period was based on mid-year population projection from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing.

In its 28th edition of the publication, the PSA said domestic production of rice, which accounted for 79% of total supply, increased at an average rate of 2.57% during the three-year period.

From 11.8 million metric tons (MT) in 2012, domestic production rose to 12.1 million MT in 2013. It further grew to 12.4 million MT in 2014, the PSA said. Total supply was 15.5 million MT in 2012, and down to 15 million MT in 2013. It increased to 15.6 million MT in 2014.

Rice imports, which contributed to around 6% to gross supply, grew significantly by an average of 54%.

The PSA said importation was highest in 2012 and 2014 at around 1 million MT and lowest in 2013 at 398,000 MT. The volume of rice exports was minimal at less than 1,000 MT in 2012 and 1,000 MT in 2013 and 2014.

The total quantity of rice available as food was recorded at 11.5 million MT in 2012. In 2013, it dropped to 11.3 million MT. It picked up in 2014 to 11.4 million MT. On average, it stood at 11.5 million MT per year.

Production of corn, which accounted for 94% of total supply, grew by a yearly rate of 2.47%, the PSA said.

It was around 7.4 million MT each from 2012 and 2013, and higher in 2014 at 7.8 million MT. Total supply of corn was on an uptrend by an average rate of 5.13% during the reference period. From 7.7 million MT in 2012, it went up to 7.9 million MT in 2013. It was highest in 2014 at 8.5 million MT. Importation of corn, which was only 4% of gross supply, continuously increased from 137,000 MT in 2012 to 575,000 MT in 2014. Corn exports were minimal from less than 1,000 MT each from 2012 to 2013, to 1,000 MT in 2014.

Total NFD rose by an average rate of 13.74% during the period. From 1.7 million MT in 2012, it increased to 1.9 million MT in 2013. In 2014, it was recorded at 2.2 million MT. -- Victor V

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=per-capita-rice-volume-declinessteadily-while-corn-rises&id=120639

Alarms are Sounding in Asia Over Agricultural Yields DECEMBER 22, 2015• ASIA• BY ASIA PATHWAYS

The green revolution has done wonders for Asia. Yields for most crops, particularly the region’s main staple of rice, have doubled over recent decades. In the Lower Mekong Delta, considered Asia’s rice bowl, the new technologies and crop strains that the green revolution brought were a big success.

Rice production in the Lower Mekong countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam soared 68% between 1980 and 1995. During the same period, average yields more than doubled from their levels in the 1960s to about 3.5 tons per hectare. Total land area planted with rice also increased by around 25% to 16.3 million hectares between 1996 and 2005.

By the end of 2013, however, the gains seemed to have leveled off. Between 2006 and 2013, average yield growth slowed to 22% across all of the Lower Mekong countries except Cambodia, as growth in rice production slid to 36%.

The slower trends in yield and production growth were not unique to the Lower Mekong. They also applied to the rest of Asia for various reasons. Chief among them is that green revolution technologies, particularly new rice seed varieties, had become exhausted. Poor land and water quality were also culprits in the drop-off, along with inadequate farm management practices and the rapid conversion of farmland to non-agricultural use. Eroding profit margins due to a decline in the price of rice on global markets exacted a heavy toll as well.

Low productivity There is reason for alarm at the change. Agriculture still provides 10% of Asia’s value-added output and is an important source of employment as about 45% of jobs in Asia are in rural areas.

With declining yields and production, this means that productivity, the value of output per worker, will decline further.

Already Asia’s agricultural productivity is the second lowest in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa. In 2013, agricultural value-added per worker in developing Asia was only $804, based on 2005 constant prices, a bit higher than sub-Saharan Africa’s $705 but still lower than the $929 average of all low- and middle-income countries.

Declining agricultural productivity trends also imply low incomes for the people in Asia who depend on farming for their livelihoods. Poverty will also become more entrenched if agricultural incomes continue to decline. To illustrate this problem, currently in Cambodia about 41% of people are poor, as measured against a threshold income of $2 a day. In Laos, this proportion is 62%.

Improved productivity is crucial if growth is to be sustainable in the Lower Mekong’s predominantly agrarian economies. In the past, increases in productivity enabled Lower Mekong countries to sustain growth in agriculture, as seen in the significant increases in yields and production that these countries enjoyed over the last three decades. However, with yields declining, the options for agriculture in the Lower Mekong are also getting limited. It seems that simply expanding yields and production will not be enough to turn the situation around permanently. It is time for concrete action to address the impediments to the growth of agriculture.

There is a need for aggressive policy reforms. Past reforms served the Lower Mekong’s agricultural sector well by taking advantage of technologies that contributed to increased production. This time, implementing appropriate reforms can further unleash the sector’s productivity potential as a veritable sub-regional food center.

One element of the reform agenda should be sustainable land management. Because the majority of farmers in the Lower Mekong own small land holdings, providing them with secured land tenure and property rights is crucial. In addition to more integrated land and water management, a multi-stakeholder approach for land-use planning is critical to enable farmers to design a plan to restore agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

Renewed investment in agriculture also matters, especially in view of limited resources and capacity constraints in the Lower Mekong. Priorities include promoting new technological innovations, cost-effective rural infrastructure for irrigation and market support, and better seed varieties. To address the shortage of critical skills in rural areas, investment in better knowledge management for farmers is also crucial.

Better links In view of changing climate conditions and the consequent impact on agriculture, it is also important that better climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are implemented to reduce uncertainty in agricultural production systems. Now is the time to implement better regulations on the efficient use of fertilizers and irrigation and to develop national strategies to assess the impact of climate change on agriculture.

To take advantage of the increasing integration of markets in the region, the Lower Mekong’s agricultural system should be able to better link farmers to markets and new technologies, and to knowledge flow. A case in point is the development of the supply chain in rice, a key industry that offers huge potential for Lower Mekong countries. While developing this supply chain will have a strong impact on the competitiveness of the agricultural sector, it will require measures to improve food standards, enhance logistics and remove non-tariff barriers to agricultural trade.

Finally, it is time to change the mindset of the institutions that have governed the agricultural sector over the past three decades. With the technologies thrown up by the green revolution fully

integrated, it is fitting to look at how the sector can survive and flourish in the current environment of rapidly integrating markets. With the private sector taking a greater role in matching agricultural production with market demands and other new institutional setups as well as better technologies and targeted regulatory interventions to correct market failures, the pieces should be in place for reinvigorated productivity and an agricultural sector that is once more on the rise.

Reinvigorating agricultural productivity in the Lower Mekong is republished with permission from Asia Pathways See Also: Agriculture Reforms Unlikely to Come from Japan's LDP http://www.yahoo.economywatch.com/features/Alarms-are-Sounding-in-Asia-Over-AgriculturalYields1222.html

Widespread protests against pro-GMO bill •

WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd meets representatives of groups opposing the Biosafety Bill, that will legalise the use of GMOs in plants and animals. (Photos by Seksan Rojjanametakun)

Biosafety legislation is needed to control the use and spread of genetically modified organisms the government insisted on Wednesday, as protests were held in Bangkok and many provinces against a pro-GMO bill the cabinet has approved in principle.

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd met representatives of 122 networks of the people, farmers and businesses at Government House, where they submitted a petition to the prime minister opposing the Biosafety Bill on Wednesday morning.

Maj Gen Sansern said genetically modified seeds and plants were available in Thailand, but with no law to control their use it would be difficult to hold someone responsible for their misuse.

The cabinet had therefore approved in principle legislation to ensure their safe use and establish clear inspection measures. The bill had been referred to the Council of State for a review and opinion on what changes need to be made to the legislation.

He said the Council of State would propose amendments to the bill, which would later be tabled in the National Legislative Assembly. The NLA could then set up a committee to scrutinise the legislation, including inviting both advocates and opponents of GMOs to provide information.

“There are both supporters and opponents of legislation. If we cannot begin a process to hear from both sides, we cannot move forward. So those opposing the issue should understand that the government will take into account your information,” said Maj Gen Sansern.

“If the legislation is not good, then I believe the NLA will not pass it into law,” he added. (continued below)

A group protesting against the pro-GMO bill gather at Government House on Wednesday morning.

There were protests against the bill in many provinces on Wednesday, including Mahasarakham, Uttaradit, Songkhla, Pha Yao, Chiang Mai, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Satun, Surat Thani and Phuket.

Representatives of a group representing alternative farming in Isan, and another 22 peoples' networks, gathered in front of the Mahasarakham city hall and submitted a petition to the provincial governor.

They said the introduction of GMOs would have an adverse affect on farmers, consumers and businesses.

They asked the government to set up a committee comprising representatives of the affected parties to improve the bill before it is forwarded to the NLA. The committee should integrate recommendations from the National Economic and Social Development Board and the Commerce Ministry.

Protests elsewhere submitted similar petitions and expressed similar concerns about the impact of GMO crops and animals on health, the environment and bio-diversity.

Get full Bangkok Post printed newspaper experience on your digital devices with Bangkok Post e-newspaper.

Rice farmers hit with water restrictions Tough management plan now in force • •

23 Dec 2015 at 03:30 3,542 viewed1 comments NEWSPAPER SECTION: NEWS | WRITER: POST REPORTERS

Fields in the entire Chao Phraya Basin from the North to Bangkok are likely to look like this within days, after the government ordered a total cutoff of water supplies to second-cropping rice farmers. (Bangkok Post file photo) The Royal Irrigation Department has told 22 provinces in the Chao Phraya Basin to stop supplying water to off-season rice growing areas, a harsh measure aimed at mitigating the impact of a predicted drought in the coming months.

Suthep Noiphairoj revealed Monday that his department sent out letters late last month to the 22 provincial governors and other local leaders concerned to stop releasing water to farming areas consuming high volumes.

This came amid concerns that the drought will begin to take its toll and that disputes over water, with the potential for violence, could erupt early next year, he said.

All of the provinces are now required to stick to the department's water management plan being implemented to help the country survive the predicted drought until the next rainy season which normally starts in July, he said.

To maintain the 4 billion cubic metres of water remaining in the four major dams, the department has already shut all 365 sluices and will only release 15.6 million cubic metres of water per day until July, he said.

If this measure is maintained, the remaining amount of water should be sufficient for consumption and for growing vegetables which require low amounts of water for up to eight months, he said.

This water will also be needed to maintain the ecological system and dilute seawater at a time when seawater intrusion is quite common, he said.

These actions are expected to be enough to survive the drought even if the rainy season comes late next year as has been predicted by the Meteorological Department, he said.

Off-season rice growing areas currently cover roughly 1.28 million rai in provinces in the lower part of the Central Plains, he said.

At their own risk, some farmers began this new round of cultivation early last month despite warnings of the predicted drought and repeated calls for cooperation from the government, he said.

The department will not bow to any further protests by rice farmers if they use up the remaining water in the canals, he said.

A number of rice growers in Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam district who were still harvesting rice in their current crops had already planned a subsequent round of rice cultivation.

Some of them invested up to 100,000 baht in drilling an artesian well as a main water source for their off-season farming.

They said they were aware of the government's request for cooperation to avoid off-season rice growing, but as they have debts to pay they found it impossible to simply stop growing rice.

They could only grow twice a year in Phitsanulok's low-lying zones, said the farmers.

Water in the main canals in the province such as Khlong Mem and Khlong Bang Kaeo has begun to dry up as off-season rice-growing activity has continued despite many warnings from the government about the imminent drought and its adverse impact on rice farming, said an informed source.

Water remaining from the last rainy season has almost been completely pumped into the rice fields, said the source.

Rice export & farmers FROM THE NEWSPAPER — P UBLI SH ED DEC

22, 2 01 5 0 7: 00 AM

WHATSAPP 0 COMMENTS EMAIL PRINT BASMATI rice is a long, slender grain aromatic variety of rice traditionally grown in Pakistan and India. The two countries are the exclusive grower and exporter of this superior quality of rice.

Because of its aroma and well-favoured taste, it is not only liked in Pakistan and India, there is a growing demand for basmati rice in Aghanistan, Iran, the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries. Pakistanis and Indians living in Europe and America use basmati rice as their choice food.

Owing to incentives and support of the government, India controls over 70pc of the overseas market, while Pakistan accounts for the remaining 30pc.

For the last two years there has been a considerable decrease in the export of basmati rice from Pakistan while India, being the only competitor, has fully exploited our failure and increased its export of basmati rice in the world market.

Basmati rice is largely grown in Gujranwala and Lahore where agricultural holdings of farmers are small and there are no big landlords or feudals who may raise their voice in parliament or influence the government policy.

The small rice farmer is merely promised a small amount of Rs5000, which only a few of them are able to procure. Why can’t the government also grant a subsidy of Rs13,000 a ton it has announced for the export of sugar? The minister for commerce belongs to Gujranwala. He must look after the interests and be fair to the people of his area.

Maj (r) Mumtaz Bashir Lahore Updated December, 26 2015 10:55:02

Rice production grows despite harsh El Nino

Farmers harvest rice in Long Chu Commune, Chau Thanh District, Tay Ninh Province. Viet Nam's year rice production this year is estimated at about 45.2 million tonnes, 230,000 tonnes higher than the target, despite the adverse weather effects of El Nino. — VNA/VNS Photo Le Duc Hoanh

HA NOI (VNS) — Viet Nam's rice production this year is estimated at about 45.2 million tonnes, 230,000 tonnes higher than the target, despite the adverse weather effects of El Nino.

This was heard at a conference to review the performance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in 2015 in Ha Noi on Thursday.

Around 50,000 hectares of land for rice cultivation in the central region were hit by severe droughts this year, of which 10,000 hectares had to be shifted to more drought-resistant crops, Ma Quang Trung, head of the ministry's Cultivation Department, said.

Meanwhile, more than 9,000 rice hectares in southern provinces have been seriously affected by saltwater intrusion, he added.

Yet average output rose by 0.1 per cent to 57.7 quintals per hectare, making up for the damaged areas.

The increase was attributed to timely weather forecasts and accurate analysis of the situation from the ministry.

In addition, maize output surged by 378,000 tonnes to 50.54 million tonnes this year.

The ministry also reported the country earned VND82.5 million (US$3,661) per hectare of cultivable land, up VND3.8 million ($168) from 2014.

According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Service, the El Nino pattern in 2015 and 2016 will be as serious as the record pattern, 1997 to 1998, but will be longer and cover a wider area.

The rainy season began later and will end earlier than in previous years. Rainfall is also predicted to be much lower than average. — VNS

http://vietnamnews.vn/society/280405/rice-production-grows-despite-harsh-el-nino.html