29th march,2016 daily global regional,local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter March 29,2016 Vol 7 Issue III

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

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Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI Early planting of rice: some considerations GCAP boosts commercial rice farming in Northern Region Rice, Fishery exports increase in first months: Ministry ONGRESSMAN HOPES TRADE WITH CUBA WILL HELP PARISH FARMERS Giant snail poses danger to Louisiana rice farmers Association Lauds Ban On Land Border Rice Imports Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam Fareway Dietitians Think Rice for "CentsAble" Health MEET THE REAL CO: REAL FOOD FROM THE EARTH Spring Vegetable Pilau with Fennel and Asaragus Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI Wild Rice Conference hits the end of the road this week Acadiana Rice Farmers Set Eyes on Cuban Market Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam NFA: Rice supply in Davao stable Early planting of rice: some considerations Rice Prices Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

News Detail...

March 29, 2016/ Javid Husain

Iranian President’s visit to Pakistan

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Managing Editor

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Abdul Sattar Shah Rahmat Ullah Rozeen Shaukat

English Editor

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Maryam Editor Legal Advisor Advocate Zaheer Minhas

Editorial Associates

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Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid Javed Islam Agha Ch.Hamid Malhi Dr.Akhtar Hussain Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF) Islam Akhtar Khan

Editorial Advisory Board

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Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim

Assistant Professor, Gomal University DIK

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Dr.Hasina Gul

Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK

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Dr.Hidayat Ullah

Assistant Professor, University of Swabi

 Iranian President, Dr. Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Pakistan from 25-26 March is a welcome sign that the leaders of the two countries are determined to provide a boost to Pakistan-Iran cooperation in political, economic, commercial and cultural fields, improve border security, join hands in overcoming extremism and terrorism, make an effort to coordinate their Afghanistan policies, and generally strengthen Pakistan-Iran friendship. The visit took place approximately three years after Hassan Rouhani’s election as the President of Iran in 2013.

Hamlik

Dr.Abdul Basir

Assistant Professor, University of Swabi

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Zahid Mehmood PSO,NIFA Peshawar

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Falak Naz Shah

Head Food Science & Technology ART, Peshawar

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had visited Tehran twice, in May 2014 and earlier this year in January.

During his visit, President Hassan Rouhani held talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, and General Raheel Sharif besides addressing a meeting of the Pakistan-Iran Joint Business Forum anda joint news conference with the Prime Minister in Islamabad.

Hassan Rouhani’s visit took place against the background of a slow but steady process of improvement of Pakistan-Iran relations, which had been badly damaged during the 1990’s because of the clash of their Afghanistan policies. It was natural that the bitter memories of the two countries’ confrontation in Afghanistan and the mutual mistrust caused by it would fade away only gradually. It goes to the credit of the leaders on both sides to have realized that the security of Pakistan and Iran is closely ―intertwined and interdependent‖ as the Iranian President put it in his press conference in Islamabad. There are also promising opportunities for strengthening bilateral cooperation in economic, commercial, technical, and cultural fields. The signing of the deal on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of the nuclear-related sanctions by the UN Security Council, the US and EU have paved the way for the development of closer economic and commercial ties between Pakistan and Iran. The fact that a 60-member delegation of Iranian businessmen accompanied Hassan Rouhani during his visit to Pakistan shows that Tehran would like both sides to take full advantage of the new opportunities for closer economic cooperation.

The visit resulted in the signing of six MOU’s on promoting bilateral cooperation in various fields. It was decided to increase the annual bilateral trade to $ 5 billion within the next five years. However, this goal is likely to remain a pipedream unless the two governments take specific and well-considered steps to promote bilateral trade. On the Iranian side, this would involve the removal of non-tariff barriers on trade with Pakistan, particularly those involving Pakistani textiles, rice, fruit and other agricultural products, and the lowering of tariffs.

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Pakistan would have to make a special effort to resume and increase the purchase of crude oil from Iran. Hopefully, the discussion of the issue of enhancing the connectivity between Gawadar and Chabahar ports through rail, road and shipping links during the visit would also help in promoting trade between the two countries and enabling the two ports to complement each other.

The completion and operationalization of Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline would be the most important step that the two countries can take for the development of their economic ties. Hassan Rouhani pointed out that the pipeline was almost complete on the Iranian side. It is now for the government of Pakistan to fulfill its part of the deal so that the pipeline can be operationalized as soon as possible, thus, going a long way towards meeting our fast growing requirements for natural gas. We should go even further and link the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline with the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, which might facilitate the export of the Iranian gas to China through Pakistan and make Pakistan the hub of the regional trade and energy corridors.

Pakistan can also import electricity from Iran to overcome its power shortage especially in Balochistan. Hassan Rouhani offered to export up to 3000 mw of electricity to Pakistan which is already importing about 100 mw of electricity from Iran for meeting the requirements of its border areas.

The Iranian President also exchanged views with PM Nawaz Sharif on the Afghan peace process during the visit. The Iranian side agreed to the Pakistani proposal for trilateral talks among Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan on the issue. This was an important development considering the damage that the differences of their Afghanistan policies had inflicted on Pakistan-Iran relations before 9/11. Further, considering the long border that Iran has with Afghanistan and its deep historical and cultural links with the latter, the coordination of the Afghanistan policies of Pakistan and Iran is an indispensable condition for the success of the Afghan peace process. The trilateral talks among Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, therefore, must be a regular feature of the efforts for the restoration of durable peace in Afghanistan.

The border security issue has also occasionally been an irritant in Pakistan-Iran relations. Iran complained from time to time in the past, about the terrorist activities in Iranian Balochistan of some criminal gangs operating from Pakistani Balochistan. It has been alleged by Iran that these gangs had the support of some non-regional intelligence agencies. More recently, Pakistan has expressed its uneasiness about the terrorist activities in Pakistani Balochistan and Karachi, inspired and supported by RAW agents who were operating from the Iranian Balochistan.

Obviously, there are forces which in pursuit of their own nefarious designs wish to damage friendly relations between Pakistan and Iran. The two governments should not allow these efforts to succeed and should take all possible steps to ensure the security of their common border in the interest of promoting border trade and people-to-people contacts. It was, therefore, reassuring that the two governments publicly declared their intention to take necessary steps for strengthening the common border security.

The disturbing situation in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq, and the issues of extremism and terrorism also came up for discussion during Hassan Rouhani’s visit to Islamabad. One should welcome the agreement between Pakistan and Iran to cooperate with each other in fighting extremism and terrorism. As for Saudi-Iranian relations, in January this year Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif paid visits to Riyadh and Tehran in an effort to defuse tensions between the two brotherly countries and promote mutual understanding between them.

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Considering the complexity of the issues involved and the depth of the misunderstandings and sensitivities on the part of both Iran and Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif’s efforts did not achieve much success. It remains to be seen whether the latest exchange of views between the leaders of Pakistan and Iran would lead to the lessening of tensions between Riyadh and Tehran which is in the best interest of the Muslim Ummah. Hassan Rouhani rightly stressed that Muslim countries should resolve their problems peacefully in the interest of peace, progress and prosperity.

Pakistan-Iran relations, which had reached their nadir in 1990’s because of the differences of the two countries on the Afghanistan issue, are on the mend. Earlier during his visit to Pakistan in April 2001, Hassan Rouhani in his capacity as the Secretary General of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council had played an extremely important role in arresting the deterioration in this relationship in recognition of the reality that Pakistan-Iran friendship is vital for the security and well-being of the two countries. It is befitting that he should again play a constructive role in taking Pakistan-Iran cooperation to new heights through his recent visit.

Hopefully, both sides would seize the opportunity provided by the agreements signed and the understandings reached during the visit to provide a new impetus to the development of Pakistan-Iran friendship and cooperation in various fields.

More by Javid Husain

The writer is a retired ambassador and the president of the Lahore Council for World Affairs.

Email: javid.husain@gmail.com http://nation.com.pk/columns/29-Mar-2016/iranian-president-s-visit-to-pakistan

Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI TNN | Mar 29, 2016, 12.56 AM IST Lucknow: After 10 years of research, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a 'transgenic rice' which will reduce arsenic accumulation and contamination in rice grains.Arsenic contamination in rice gives rise to serious health risks like kidney disease, cancer and skin problems. In Uttar Pradesh, Ballia is most prone to arsenic contamination followed by Bahraich, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Meerut, Chandoli and many more.

The technology is ready for field trials. Senior NBRI scientist Debasis Chakrabarty, who conducted the research recently, visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine and discussed the possibilities of field trials. The institute in principal agreed to help in this regard.

"The institute invited us to become familiar with ongoing research work at NBRI and has agreed in principle to conduct field trials subjected to clearance by governments of both countries," said Chakrabarty, head of the eight-member team, which carried out research published recently in an international journal 'Metallomics' published by 'Royal Society of Chemistry'.

The scientists said the transgenic rice has 'arsenic methyl transferase', a gene isolated from a fungus that accumulates less arsenic and would be less toxic.He explained that arsenic present in 5|www.ricepluss.com , www.riceplusmagazine.blosgspot .com

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter groundwater percolates in soil during irrigation and contaminates rice with arsenic. Chronic arsenic exposure through groundwater contamination affects more than 150 million people worldwide and over 500 million people in Ganga, Meghna and Brahmputra areas.

Rice is the crop most susceptible to absorbing arsenic during cultivation. Cultivating rice varieties that accumulate less amount of arsenic can tackle the challenge of exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing elements) that affect population in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Low-arsenic-rice-grain-fromNBRI/articleshow/51591807.cms

Early planting of rice: some considerations What will Mid-South see in 2016 medium grain crop?

Mar 29, 2016 David Bennett | Delta Farm Press Delta Farm Press

Prior to rainclouds settling for a prolonged period over the MidSouth, a very warm winter meant many producers were prepping fields and planting crops. The heavy rains generated by the storms kept crews shop-bound for several weeks. By the third week of March, though, farmland activity was swinging again.Among those in the field were rice producers.―I heard some rice was planted around March 10, just before the huge rains hit the state,‖ says Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas Extension rice specialist. ―Then, around March 17 another couple of fields were planted. That really kicked off rice planting in the state. By (March 21), a bunch of growers were planting pretty hard.‖ What about acreage expectations for 2016? ―At this point, we may be staring at a minimum of 1.6 million acres of rice in Arkansas. ―How the crop ends up faring is still up in the air, of course. But the ability of many growers to get their rice in this early points to a high-acreage year. A record acreage of 1.8 million acres may be possible, if not likely; the sky is the limit at this point. Though I hope market improvements in our other crops helps keep the number down, it may happen soon enough to slow down our rice planting.‖

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

The early warm weather ―has presented some very interesting environmental setups for producers to make choices about putting rice in the ground. The go-getters may be planting hard and heavy while their neighbors haven’t even hooked up to a drill – and they don’t plan to for another week, or two. ―Now isn’t the time to put the majority of the state’s rice into the ground. There’s a lot bad that could happen before the rice emerges or when it’s small. The margins are very tight. The last thing we want is to have to replant a lot of rice. Replanting a field, or two, isn’t good but can be handled. How much risk are you willing to take?‖ Despite his misgivings, Hardke hasn’t ―been inclined to discourage anyone wanting to plant so early. The current conditions and forecast could be far worse than they are. I’d be a lot more worried if the forecast was showing cooler nighttime temperatures. We’re just in a weather pattern that looks to be the same a week or 10 days out, even well into April.‖

GCAP boosts commercial rice farming in Northern Region Posted Mar 29, 2016 at 10:09amThe Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project (GCAP) is

supporting nine investors to cultivate rice in the Nasia-Nabogu valley in the Northern Region.The initiative aims at boosting commercial rice farming in the area and contributes to reducing rice importation into the country.

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter As part of the initiative GCAP will from next month undertake land preparation for the nine investors.GCAP in collaboration with the Northern Regional Directorate of the Lands Commission has also sensitized the Chiefs and people of the Nasia traditional area to laws governing land acquisition in the country.At a sensitization forum, the Zonal Coordinator of GCAP, Bloomfied Attipoe, appealed to the Chiefs and people to support the project to create jobs for the teeming youth in the area.He explained that, the sensitization programme aims at preventing conflict between the investors and land owners. http://m.gbcghana.com/1.8848157

Rice, Fishery exports increase in first months: Ministry Tuesday, Mar 29, 2016, Posted at: 11:57(GMT+7) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that the volume of polished rice and fishery export increased in the first three months. In the first quarter of 2016, total amount of polished rice export is 1.59 million tons worth US$692 million, an increase of 41.6 percent in the volume and by 40.8 percent in the value compared to last year.The price of polished rice export reaches US$433 per tons, down by 5.78 percent compared to last year. Indonesia is becoming Vietnam’s biggest market for export of rice with 31.42 percent, followed by China with 17.15 percent and the Phillipines with 13.75 percent.

In two first month of the year, Vietnam has export total volume of 160.69 million tons of polished rice to the two markets collecting US$ US$71.5 million tons, an increase of 39.3 percent in the volume and 53.6 percent in value compared to the last year.Meantime, the value of fishery export in the first quarter reached US$1.36 billion, 1.7 percent higher than over the same period last year. The US, Japan, China and South Korea are the four biggest market for Vietnam’s fishery export. The tra fish (also known as pangasius) and tiger shrimp prices in the Mekong delta increase because of unfavorable weather influencing to farming.

http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Business/Economy/2016/3/118199/

ONGRESSMAN HOPES TRADE WITH CUBA WILL HELP PARISH FARMERS Tue, 03/29/2016 - 14:24

Fifth District U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham will be in Cuba this week, trying to make sure Louisiana is first in line when trade with Cuba is allowed again.Abraham is traveling to Cuba on an agricultural trade mission April 6 with U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro, Ark., and 8|www.ricepluss.com , www.riceplusmagazine.blosgspot .com

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter producers from Louisiana and Arkansas.Currently Cuba imports 80 to 90 percent of its food but only 10-12 percent comes from the U.S. The country imports most of its rice from China and Vietnam, but it takes four to five weeks to arrive.―With New Orleans only 36 hours from Cuba we are poised to be the main port for trade with Cuba,‖ Abraham said, ―not only for rice but for soybeans, corn and sugar cane.‖In addition to the shorter transport time, Abraham feels Louisiana would be able to offer higher quality products than competitors. ―We have some of the best farmers in the world right here in Richland Parish,‖ he said.Northeast Louisiana Rice Growers Association Vice-President Scott Franklin said Abraham’s trip could be the most important development in agriculture in his lifetime not only Louisiana, but specifically our area of the state.Franklin pointed out the average American eats about 25 pounds of milled rice per year, while the average Cuban eats a whopping 180 pounds.―It is a necessity for their very survival,‖ Franklin said. Cuba does farm a very large amount of rice, but still must import between 600,000 and 800,000 metric tons of milled rice every year.

Most of that imported rice comes all the way from China, Vietnam and Thailand, which can take up to two months for it to arrive in Cuba. Furthermore, those countries do not allow the export of rough rice, so Cuban rice mills have no benefit from those imports.―We could load much smaller barges right here in Louisiana on the Mississippi River and the rice would make it to Cuba in five to seven days,‖ Franklin said. ―Additionally, we could ship rough rice (along with milled rice too) to Cuba, resulting in many more milling jobs for the Cuban people.‖ Prior to the embargo, Cuba was America’s number one rice export market and America was the no one exporter of rice in the entire world. ―Now, we ship no rice to Cuba, and America has fallen to a distant fifth in global exports of rice,‖ Franklin said. Louisiana citizens have to understand that everyone will benefit from trade with Cuba. Every grain of rice, piece of steel and ounce of beef (among many other products) that is sent to Cuba would most likely have to go through a Louisiana port. All of us are feeling the pain of increased taxes due to the state’s dire financial situation, and this is a real prospect that can generate millions of dollars for the state every year. ‖Franklin said he applauds Abraham’s efforts to work with the Cubans in setting up trade with the United States.―The embargo has gone on for far too long,‖ Franklin said. ―Politicians must put politics aside to do the right thing for the economy. This is the most important trade mission of my lifetime. I am confident that Congressman Abraham and Senator Francis Thompson will do a great job on this trade mission. They are very fluent with the issues and have a genuine desire to make this happen for Northeast Louisiana. I wish all of the Louisiana group great luck on this very important moment for American agriculture and the entire state of Louisiana.‖ http://www.richlandtoday.com/news/congressman-hopes-trade-cuba-will-help-parish-farmers

Giant snail poses danger to Louisiana rice farmers Tuesday, March 29, 2016 5:28:00 PM CDT in News Source: WBRZ By: Mark Armstrong

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter BATON ROUGE -Scientists fear the Giant Apple Snail could destroy rice crops in west Louisiana. The snail is an invasive species from South America that is slowly eating up aquatic plants across the southern part of the state."They're considered one of the worst invasive species in the world," Jacoby Carter with the US Geological Survey says. "They are in the top 100 list of bad invasive species," he added.The snails live in fresh water and can grow as large as a person's fist. Right now, they're primarily found in eastern and coastal parishes but may eventually end up in western waters where farmers grow rice.

Carter said they've been a problem in Asian rice paddies but haven't had much affect in East Texan fields, probably because farmers there keep the water levels much lower.

Louisiana rice farmers might not be so lucky because many also raise crawfish in the fields so they keep the water level much higher."It may force a management change or pose a problem for those systems where they're managing for both rice and crawfish," Carter said.Scientists have yet to discover a safe way to eradicate the snails without also destroying other species.The snails lay clusters of bright pink eggs, up to 7000 at a time. Carter said if you notice an egg cluster, take a picture and email him with the eggs location at carterj@usgs.gov. http://www.wbrz.com/news/giant-snail-poses-danger-to-louisiana-rice-farmers/

Association Lauds Ban On Land Border Rice Imports Posted by admin on Mar 30th, 2016 and filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

The Association of Rice Investors (ARI) has lauded the Federal Government for banning the importation of rice through land borders.Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Monday, the Association’s National President, Mr Tunji Owoeye, said that the policy would remove the major obstacles faced by local rice producers in the country.Owoeye said that the biggest challenge to rice farmers in the country had been removed by the government, adding that the Federal Government has listened to the voice of reason in taking such decision to protect local rice producers.He said that the decision was a clear demonstration that the Federal Government was ready for economic diversification by promoting local rice production through policy reversal and other intervention supports, adding that the initial lifting of the ban by the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hammed Ali (rtd) had boosted smuggling of the grain from neigbouring countries, which enhanced the revenue generation of those countries which also imported the rice.

He said that the association had urged the Federal Government before now to ban the importation of rice through land borders, but the government according to him, had claimed that the Association should allow goods to move freely within ECOWAS countries into the country.He said that Nigeria’s land borders are porous and there was lact of capacity to track all the rice that enter the country through the land borders, but now that this decision had been taken the Federal Government needs to be decisive in policing the nation’s land borders for effective implementation of the policy.Owoye said that through the massive intervention supports from the government, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry (BoI) 10 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter and other bodies, the insufficient gap in the rice production would be drastically reduced to the barest minimum in the country.

He said farmers especially rice farmers have been benefitting from those funds such as rice farmers in Northern part of the country who also enjoyed advantage of irrigation.He said that through the intervention support, many moribund rice mills across the country have been revived and were fully operational. http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2016/03/30/association-lauds-ban-on-land-border-rice-imports/

Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam 29.03.2016 Vietnam has lost rice export contracts as some of its major markets including Indonesia and the Philippines have canceled their import plans.The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has confirmed the information, saying that political factors in the first months of 2016 have affected import/export activities.Dan Viet reported that Bulog, the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics? has ceased rice transactions with four supply sources which have memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian government, namely Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam in the February plan.

The head of the country’s Ministry of Agriculture believes that Indonesia has sufficient rice for the domestic demand and no need to import rice. The official also attributed the fluctuations of the domestic market to speculation, affirming that this will be stopped.VFA has said that because of political issues, Indonesia would not import rice until the domestic price soars on the short supply. Import demand of the market will be clearer after Indonesia assesses the post-harvesting yield, slated for June.The Filipino National Food Authority (NFA) has also canceled the plan to import 400,000 tons of rice it announced earlier this year.The country is also awaiting the information about stocks, while it may allow private businesses to import 1 million tons of rice under the WTO’s minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism which includes 500,000 tons from special countries and the remaining 500,000 tons from other sources.

VFA said the Filipino import plan is also controlled by political factors. Some officials said the mechanism allowing businessmen to import under the WTO’s MAV has led to massive smuggling, thus badly affecting domestic production and the country’s food self-sufficiency policy.

A VFA official said the decisions by Indonesia and the Philippines, the two major export markets, have caused Vietnam lose big contracts. However, he does not think this would hurt Vietnam’s rice production and export.The rice price in the Vietnamese domestic market has been increasing rapidly as export companies now rush to collect rice to fulfill the export contracts they signed before. Meanwhile, the demand from China is very high.Phap Luat reported that farmers and merchants all try to store rice in anticipation of the price increase and short supply caused by the serious drought in Mekong River Delta.

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter The newspaper cited a source as reporting that the export volume in February was 400,000 tons higher than planned, which was 5.44 percent higher than the months before and 117 percent than last year in the same period.―The rice price has increased by VND500 per kilo. The price increase is seen in all provinces and cities in the region,‖ said Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Company. http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/big-rice-importers-cancel-rice-imports-from-vietnam

Fareway Dietitians Think Rice for "CentsAble" Health

By Katie Maher ARLINGTON, VA -- From February through April, USA Rice is partnering with retail dietitians at Fareway, a Midwest grocery chain with more than 100 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Nebraska, to inform shoppers of the many benefits of U.S.-grown rice. The three month promotion kicked-off in February with a U.S. rice feature in the store magazine and also includes website and social media placements. Fareway's CentsAble Health magazine is published every three months featuring recipes, nutrition news, and fun activities for kids. The February - April issue highlights U.S.-grown rice nutrition messaging and the "Think Rice" logo, along with USA Rice's recipe for Mandarin Orange Rice and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, as part of a larger piece about nutrients to focus on for optimal exercise performance. The magazine is distributed in all stores, reaching more than 120,000 shoppers and is archived online at Fareway.com, reaching more than 66,000 unique visitors per month.

Fareway is also featuring three Facebook posts about U.S. rice. February's post shared USA Rice's Wild & Brown Rice and Massaged Kale Salad and reminded shoppers to think rice for a healthy heart, while the March post highlights National Nutrition Month and promotes the nutritional benefits of brown rice with USA Rice's recipe for Mandarin Orange Rice & Shrimp Lettuce Wraps to boost whole grain intake. Both posts garnered more than 67,000 likes."I'm so happy we could get positive messages about U.S. rice out to consumers through our magazine, website, and social media," said Whitney Packebush, Fareway's corporate dietitian. "Promoting a nutritious, affordable option to Fareway shoppers during this busy time was a huge success!

USA Rice Daily, Tuesday, March 29, 2016

MEET THE REAL CO: REAL FOOD FROM THE EARTH ENJOY THE REAL CO - ON EARTH DAY AND EVERY DAY WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, UNITED STATES, March 29, 2016 /EINPresswire.com/ -Wilmington, DE (March, 2016) – Every year The Real Co celebrates Earth Day, honoring the precious soil that keeps us alive. This year, The Real Co is celebrating their natural roots, with 12 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter the only 100% Single Origin foods in the U.S. All through April, The Real Co is encouraging individuals to ramp up their support of the environment, by purchasing and eating natural, sustainable foods every day. The Real Co is offering some earth-friendly Earth Day recipes, highlighting their certifiable, 100% Single Origin products, including: Himalayan Pink Rock Salt, Organic Raw Cane Sugar, and organically grown White Basmati Rice.

From the very beginning The Real Co has been honoring the trust put into them by their customers with a fully transparent agenda—to provide the best tasting product directly from the original sources with the highest integrity. The Real Co promises its customers a clear understanding of the source of their food, the methods used for farming, and how it’s packaged and delivered. Honesty and trust are values they take very seriously and are extremely proud to achieve!

Just in time to welcome Earth Day, The Real Co is offering a fun, easy-to-prepare, veggiethemed recipe that serve up a healthy kick. Every grain of salt, sugar and rice can be traced to its source, which is shared on every package of food that bears The Real Co name. Every food item has the Non-GMO Project Verified seal and is sourced from one single farm, mine or rice paddy.

The Real Co products are also Vegan, Gluten Free, Organic and Kosher!

The Real Co Inc foods include:  Debuting Now - Stevia: the first 100% natural non-processed, no additives, zero calorie sweetener from Paraguay; Long grain white and brown rice from Argentina; Tri-color & sprouted Quinoa from Peru and Sea Salt from India.  The Real Co Himalayan Pink Rock Salt, handcrafted, at the Himalayan Mountains. This salt is 100% pure; 100% Single Origin; non-GMO; has 84 active minerals in every grain; is unrefined and mountain washed in Himalayan mountain water. The salt is available in a 20-ounce tub container for a suggested retail price of $6.99 or in a saltshaker container for a suggested retail price of $9.49.  The Real Co Organic Raw Cane Sugar, directly from Assukar Farms, Tayutic Valley in Costa Rica is 100% natural and organic; 100% Single Origin; raw and alive with natural vitamins and minerals; instantly dissolves in hot or cold liquids and is non-GMO. The sugar is available in 2 sizes: 8-ounce at a suggested retail price of $3.69 and 16-ounce at a suggested retail price of $4.49  The Real Co White Basmati Rice, directly from Gujrat Punjab from Farid Co-op Farm, is 100% natural and 100% Single Origin; low-GI and pre biotic; non-GMO and is gluten free. The rice is available in 2 sizes: 16-ounce at a suggested retail price of $3.99 and 32-ounce at a 13 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter suggested retail price of $6.49.

UNFI, one of the largest distributors of natural foods in the U.S., is distributing the foods across the nation to supermarkets, specialty retailers and independent operators such as Kings, ShopRite Westerly, and Balducci Fairway Market. Consumers may also purchase products online on www.amazon.com or www.healthygoodness.com. Visit The Real Co website at http://TheReal.co

Here is a recipe to get you started: The Real Co Earth Day Basmati Rice Pilaf Ingredients: 1 cup of The Real Co White Basmati Rice 1 fresh zucchini, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 cup of chopped broccoli 1 cup of fresh kale, chopped 1 cup of fresh chopped parsley or cilantro Âź cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tablespoons of The Real Co Himalayan Pink Rock Salt Cooking Directions: Cook the rice: fill pot with 7 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of The Real Co White Basmati Rice (rinsed first). Lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain when ready to mix Pilaf.

While rice is cooking, steam all the veggies with the exception of the fresh kale. Add the steamed veggies to the rice, and add in the fresh kale and parsley or cilantro. Toss with 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil and 2 tablespoons of The Real Co Himalaya Pink Rock Salt – and enjoy!

About The Real Co: The Real Food Co was founded in 2013 in Valley Cottage, New York with a direct farm-tomarket approach for the organic food industry. The new 100% Single Origin Foods concept supports farms at their source, cuts out the middleman, and delivers directly to the U.S. market, cutting costs of products compared to other manufacturers.

The Real Co offers transparency to the consumer, and is developing the first Certification of 100% Single Origin Foods in the U.S. The Real Co pays fair wages and reinvests in both the land and the community that grows our products. The Real Co is available nationwide 14 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter in numerous stores in every state, also at The Market in California, Natural Grocers (national), ShopRite, Fairway Market, Westerly Natural Market, Kings, Balducci, and Healthy Goodness.

Also online atwww.vitacost.com<http://www.vitacost.com. For more information and for a full list state by state is available at www.TheReal.co For more recipes, high resolution photos, and samples contact me at: Diane Lilli Diane.Lilli@BenderGrouppr.com Office: 973.744.0707 Ext. 11 Diane Lilli Bender Group 973 744 0707 email us here

Spring Vegetable Pilau with Fennel and Asaragus

By MEERA SODHA Associated Press Mar 29, 2016

The Associated Press Spring vegetable pilau with fennel and asparagus in Concord, N.H. The combination of rice packed with spiced fennel, onions and garlic cooked slowly until soft and finished with still-crisp asparagus and peas makes for a perfect spring dish. (AP Photo/J.M. Hirsch)

Use whichever spring vegetables you have available. Green beans and spring cabbage or leeks make for a wonderful pilau, too.

15 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Start to finish: 35 minutes Servings: 6 1 1/2 cups basmati rice 3 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 green finger chilies, very thinly sliced 2 medium bulbs fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 9 ounces fresh or frozen peas or fresh fava beans (outer skins removed) 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, dill or cilantro 1 lemon, cut into wedges Set the rice in a mesh strainer and run under cool water until the water runs clear. Transfer to a bowl, then add enough cool water to cover. Set aside for 20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Drain the rice, then add to the stock. Return to a simmer, then cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a mesh strainer to strain the rice, then set aside, covered with a kitchen towel.

In a larger skillet over medium, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until translucent and softened, but not browned. Add the garlic and chilies, then cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the fennel, stir to mix, then add a couple tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the asparagus, peas or fava beans, cumin, garam masala and salt. Stir and cover, then cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Stir the herbs and rice into the vegetable mixture; you might need to delicately break up the clumps of rice using your hands. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon on the side.

Nutrition information per serving: 330 calories; 40 calories from fat (12 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 640 mg sodium; 62 g carbohydrate; 9 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 11 g protein. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE: Meera Sodha is an Indian foods expert and author of "Made in India: Recipes from an Indian family kitchen." She lives in London, blogs at www.meerasodha.com and tweets at @meerasodha http://www.timesonline.com/lifestyles/flavor/recipes/spring-vegetable-pilau-with-fennel-andasaragus/article_7bdc2306-ebb0-11e5-8023-57d7a7cfd3ab.html

Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI TNN | Mar 29, 2016, 12.56 AM IST Lucknow: After 10 years of research, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a 'transgenic rice' which will reduce arsenic accumulation and contamination in rice grains.Arsenic contamination in rice gives rise to serious health risks like kidney disease, cancer and skin problems. In Uttar Pradesh, Ballia is most prone to arsenic contamination followed by Bahraich, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Meerut, Chandoli and many more.

16 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

The technology is ready for field trials. Senior NBRI scientist Debasis Chakrabarty, who conducted the research recently, visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine and discussed the possibilities of field trials. The institute in principal agreed to help in this regard."The institute invited us to become familiar with ongoing research work at NBRI and has agreed in principle to conduct field trials subjected to clearance by governments of both countries," said Chakrabarty, head of the eight-member team, which carried out research published recently in an international journal 'Metallomics' published by 'Royal Society of Chemistry'.

The scientists said the transgenic rice has 'arsenic methyl transferase', a gene isolated from a fungus that accumulates less arsenic and would be less toxic.He explained that arsenic present in groundwater percolates in soil during irrigation and contaminates rice with arsenic. Chronic arsenic exposure through groundwater contamination affects more than 150 million people worldwide and over 500 million people in Ganga, Meghna and Brahmputra areas.

Rice is the crop most susceptible to absorbing arsenic during cultivation. Cultivating rice varieties that accumulate less amount of arsenic can tackle the challenge of exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing elements) that affect population in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Low-arsenic-rice-grain-fromNBRI/articleshow/51591807.cms

Wild Rice Conference hits the end of the road this week

By Tom Mix Today at 4:30 a.m.

FARGO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Larry Holmstrom has been digging through his archives recently in hopes of piecing together a written historical account of the Wild Rice Conference, which is disbanding at the end of this school year.Holmstrom, 64 of Wyndmere, N.D., has served as the secretary treasurer of the Wild Rice Conference for the past 23 years. Paging through old tournament programs has conjured up memories of what are now known as the glory days of the conference."I have mixed emotions about it," said Holmstrom, who is a retired teacher, coach and official. "I understand things change, but I always thought the conference has been a good thing for our area schools. It has been a big part of my life."Tuesday, March 29, marks the last time the 11-school conference will hold its annual banquet to honor all-conference teams from various sports. The banquet is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Hankinson High School gymnasium.

The Wild Rice Conference members are: Central Cass, Fairmount-Campbell-Tintah, Hankinson, Kindred, Milnor, North Sargent, Fargo Oak Grove, Richland, Sargent Central, Wyndmere and Lidgerwoodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;all of which compete in Class B.The final vote on whether to disband the 17 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter conference was 8-2 in favor of dissolving."At some point it was going to come to an end," Holmstrom said. "A lot of different factors entered into it. Part of it was financial. The banquet that we put on every year was becoming more expensive and with the switch to a super region format for Region 1, there were some schools thinking of getting out. There were some undercurrent to how long it was going to continue."

This year was Region 1's first for holding super region tournaments in volleyball and basketball.

Prior to that, Region 1 was split into Districts 1 and 2, which had separate postseason tournaments to qualify for region play. Holmstrom said he hopes some of the traditions of the Wild Rice Conference continue on in the super region era."I think it was time," Fargo Oak Grove boys basketball head coach Kyle Card said. "When we had our district meetings, it was brought up and I think the feeling was that it was getting repetitive in that athletes that were All-Wild Rice Conference were also the same ones getting All-Region."

Holmstrom said before the conference expanded from its initial membership it was made up of schools that were also designated as District 1.The original seven schools that made up the Wild Rice Conference according to Holmstrom's research were Fairmount, Milnor, Hankinson, Havana, Lidgerwood, St. Francis (Hankinson) and Wyndmere.Holmstrom's research of the conference goes back as far as 1960 though it may have been around longer than that.Athletic conferences in North Dakota have gone by the wayside in recent years, but in its heyday Holmstrom said the Wild Rice Conference was known for highly competitive championship races in football and basketball."I grew up in it and it was a big deal," said Card, a 1985 graduate of Oak Grove. "When I played basketball at Oak Grove winning the Wild Rice was always one of the goals we talked about every year."

http://www.inforum.com/sports/3996638-wild-rice-conference-hits-end-road-week

Acadiana Rice Farmers Set Eyes on Cuban Market Posted: Mar 29, 2016 4:39 AM PSTUpdated: Mar 29, 2016 8:16 AM PST

By Breanna Molloy

Rice Pousson in a rice producer in Acadiana Fewer restrictions on the Cuba embargo mean more export opportunities for Acadiana farmers, and more exports mean more money in their pockets.Mark Pousson is a rice producer in Welsh and the chairman of the South Louisiana Rail Facility, a coalition that represents 160 rice farmers across Acadiana."Right now times are tough for rice farming," said Pousson.Selling to Cuba, he believes, is an opportunity to bounce back. Before the embargo, Louisiana was one of Cuba's most important trading partners. It's a relationship he hopes to build again."This would be a big shot in the arm," said Pousson. "On the scale from 1-10 this would be a 10 plus. It would have a big impact on the rice industry... much 18 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter needed."Pousson believes that Louisiana's proximity to Cuba will make them natural trading partners. Cuba is currently importing rice from Vietnam, a trip that takes over 30 days by boat.

Rice shipped from Louisiana would arrive in two days."They would get higher quality rice," said Pousson, " Healthier. Safer."Pousson hopes that exporting to Cuba will bring an economic boost to struggling farmers. Cuba imports nearly 80% of its food, and three of its largest imports are among Louisiana's largest exports -- soybeans, rice, and poultry.In June, Pousson is travelling to Cuba with Engage Cuba, a coalition of private businesses working to end the embargo. The purpose of the trip is to build business relationships in Cuba and to position Louisiana as Cuba's major exporter. Pousson doesn't know if the deals will work out, but he knows his reasons for doing it."Surviving, for my family and for the boys to continue farming... it ensures that."California, Florida, and Arkansas are among the other states vying for trade deals http://www.katc.com/story/31584028/acadiana-rice-farmers-set-eyes-on-cuban-market

Low-arsenic rice grain from NBRI TOI Lucknow Tue,29 Mar 2016 Summary: Lucknow: After 10 years of research, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a 'transgenic rice' which will reduce arsenic accumulation and contamination in rice grains.Arsenic contamination in rice gives rise to serious health risks like kidney disease, cancer and skin problems. Senior NBRI scientist Debasis Chakrabarty, who conducted the research recently, visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine and discussed the possibilities of field trials. In Uttar Pradesh, Ballia is most prone to arsenic contamination followed by Bahraich, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Meerut, Chandoli and many more.

The technology is ready for field trials. Cultivating rice varieties that accumulate less amount of arsenic can tackle the challenge of exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing elements) that affect population in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. The institute in 19 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter principal agreed to help in this regard.Lucknow: After 10 years of research, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) has developed a 'transgenic rice' which will reduce arsenic accumulation and contamination in rice grains.Arsenic contamination in rice gives rise to serious health risks like kidney disease, cancer and skin problems. In Uttar Pradesh, Ballia is most prone to arsenic contamination followed by Bahraich, Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Ghazipur, Meerut, Chandoli and many more.

The technology is ready for field trials. Senior NBRI scientist Debasis Chakrabarty, who conducted the research recently, visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine and discussed the possibilities of field trials. The institute in principal agreed to help in this regard."The institute invited us to become familiar with ongoing research work at NBRI and has agreed in principle to conduct field trials subjected to clearance by governments of both countries," said Chakrabarty, head of the eight-member team, which carried out research published recently in an international journal 'Metallomics' published by 'Royal Society of Chemistry'.The scientists said the transgenic rice has 'arsenic methyl transferase', a gene isolated from a fungus that accumulates less arsenic and would be less toxic.

He explained that arsenic present in groundwater percolates in soil during irrigation and contaminates rice with arsenic. Chronic arsenic exposure through groundwater contamination affects more than 150 million people worldwide and over 500 million people in Ganga, Meghna and Brahmputra areas.Rice is the crop most susceptible to absorbing arsenic during cultivation.

Cultivating rice varieties that accumulate less amount of arsenic can tackle the challenge of exposure to carcinogens (cancer causing elements) that affect population in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha..

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Low-arsenic-rice-grain-fromNBRI/articleshow/51591807.cms http://www.nyoooz.com/lucknow/406825/lowarsenic-rice-grain-from-nbri

Big rice importers cancel rice imports from Vietnam VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam has lost rice export contracts as some of its major markets including Indonesia and the Philippines have canceled their import plans.

The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has confirmed the information, saying that political factors in the first months of 2016 have affected import/export activities.Dan Viet reported that Bulog, the Indonesian Bureau of Logistics? has ceased rice transactions with four supply sources which have memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian government, namely Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam in the February plan.The head of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry of Agriculture believes that Indonesia has sufficient rice for the domestic demand and no need to import rice. The official also attributed the fluctuations of the domestic market to speculation, affirming that this will be stopped.

20 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter VFA has said that because of political issues, Indonesia would not import rice until the domestic price soars on the short supply. Import demand of the market will be clearer after Indonesia assesses the post-harvesting yield, slated for June.The Filipino National Food Authority (NFA) has also canceled the plan to import 400,000 tons of rice it announced earlier this year.

Vietnam has lost rice export contracts as some of its major markets including Indonesia and the Philippines have canceled their import plans.

The country is also awaiting the information about stocks, while it may allow private businesses to import 1 million tons of rice under the WTO’s minimum access volume (MAV) mechanism which includes 500,000 tons from special countries and the remaining 500,000 tons from other sources.VFA said the Filipino import plan is also controlled by political factors. Some officials said the mechanism allowing businessmen to import under the WTO’s MAV has led to massive smuggling, thus badly affecting domestic production and the country’s food self-sufficiency policy.

A VFA official said the decisions by Indonesia and the Philippines, the two major export markets, have caused Vietnam lose big contracts. However, he does not think this would hurt Vietnam’s rice production and export.The rice price in the Vietnamese domestic market has been increasing rapidly as export 21 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter companies now rush to collect rice to fulfill the export contracts they signed before. Meanwhile, the demand from China is very high.Phap Luat reported that farmers and merchants all try to store rice in anticipation of the price increase and short supply caused by the serious drought in Mekong River Delta.

The newspaper cited a source as reporting that the export volume in February was 400,000 tons higher than planned, which was 5.44 percent higher than the months before and 117 percent than last year in the same period.―The rice price has increased by VND500 per kilo. The price increase is seen in all provinces and cities in the region,‖ said Pham Thai Binh, director of Trung An Company http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/153004/big-rice-importers-cancel-rice-imports-from-vietnam.html

NFA: Rice supply in Davao stable Monday, March 28, 2016

By Ace June Rell S. Perez

DAVAO. Rice prices in the city have remained stable as the National Food Authority assures a sufficient supply that will last for a year amid the continuing occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon. (Darryl S. Postrano) THERE is enough rice supply for Davao City even with the onslaught of El Nino phenomenon, an official said.Rice is one of the most affected crops by the prolonged dry spell, but the National Food Authority (NFA) said that there will be sufficient supply of rice for the whole year.As this developed, Virgilio Alerta, NFA-Davao City Field Office manager, yesterday assured consumers at the "Kapehan sa Dabaw" at the SM City Annex that no hike in rice prices will be implemented throughout the year.―There will definitely no increase to be implemented for the rice prices because our supply is sufficient to meet the demand,‖ Alerta said.At present NFA rice is being sold at P27 per kilo. As per regulation, one consumer can buy five kilos a day. Alerta reported that for the Davao City inventory, there are 360,000 bags of regular-milled rice in the city.

Another 320,000 bags of rice imported from Thailand were also delivered by a vessel recently.

Apart from these, the private sector has a total of 75,000 bags as of March 23, this year.For corn, NFA-Davao City has a total of 20,000 bags.For Davao City, there are 206 accredited retailers operating in the city.NFA-Davao data for 2015 bared that a total of 1.1 million bags were imported both from Vietnam and Thailand. ―Food security is on top of our agenda. We assure everyone that there will be supply and that there is no need to worry even with the presence of El Nino. Our rice will remain affordable and stable as far as the price is concerned,‖ he said.

Meanwhile, when asked on the target of the Department of Agriculture for the country to be selfsufficient for rice and other staple food, Alerta was quick to add that at present we are still depending on importation.Davao Region’s rice producing areas are Davao del Sur (12,000 hectares), Davao del Norte (10,000 hectares), Compostela Valley (12,000 hectares) and Davao Oriental (8,000 hectares). One hectare of rice planted area is capable of producing some 100 22 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter bags of rice. Data from DA-Davao showed damage to agricultural crops in Davao Region due to the onslaught of El Nino phenomenon has reached P248.2 million as of December 11, 2015.A total of 38,506.64 metric tons (MT) of both rice and corn had been damaged, covering a total of 12,532.15 hectares.Of the said figure, 1,035 hectares have been partially destroyed, while 12,854.16 has have been totally damaged, affecting thousands of rice and corn farmers in the region.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on March 29, 2016 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2016/03/29/nfa-rice-supply-davao-stable-464828 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2016/03/29/nfa-rice-supply-davao-stable-464828

Early planting of rice: some considerations What will Mid-South see in 2016 medium grain crop?

Mar 29, 2016 David Bennett | Delta Farm Press Delta Farm Press

Prior to rainclouds settling for a prolonged period over the Mid-South, a very warm winter meant many producers were prepping fields and planting crops. The heavy rains generated by the storms kept crews shop-bound for several weeks. By the third week of March, though, farmland activity was swinging again.Among those in the field were rice producers.―I heard some rice was planted around March 10, just before the huge rains hit the state,‖ says Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas Extension rice specialist. ―Then, around March 17 another couple of fields were planted. That really kicked off rice planting in the state. By (March 21), a bunch of growers were planting pretty hard.‖ What about acreage expectations for 2016? ―At this point, we may be staring at a minimum of 1.6 million acres of rice in Arkansas.―How the crop ends up faring is still up in the air, of course. But the ability of many growers to get their rice in this early points to a high-acreage year. A record acreage of 1.8 million acres may be possible, if not likely; the sky is the limit at this point. Though I hope market improvements in our other crops helps keep the number down, it may happen soon enough to slow down our rice planting.‖The early warm weather ―has presented some very interesting environmental setups for producers to make choices about putting rice in the ground. The go-getters may be planting hard and heavy while their neighbors haven’t even hooked up to a drill – and they don’t plan to for another week, or two.―Now isn’t the time to put the majority of the state’s rice into the ground.

There’s a lot bad that could happen before the rice emerges or when it’s small. The margins are very tight. The last thing we want is to have to replant a lot of rice. Replanting a field, or two, isn’t good but can be handled. How much risk are you willing to take?‖Despite his misgivings, Hardke hasn’t ―been inclined to discourage anyone wanting to plant so early. The current conditions and forecast could be far worse than they are. I’d be a lot more worried if the forecast was showing cooler nighttime temperatures. We’re just in a weather pattern that looks to be the same a week or 10 days out, even well into April.‖ http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/early-planting-rice-some-considerations

posted: Mar 29, 2016 4:39 AM PST Updated: Mar 29, 2016 8:16 AM PST 23 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter

Rice Prices Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.

Arrivals Current

Price

% Season Prev. Prev.Yr Modal change cumulative Modal %change Rice

Bazpur(Utr)

3000.00

Bangalore(Kar)

NC

30908.41

1900

1900

35.71

1680.00

-25.33 102570.00

4000

4000

-5.88

Gadarpur(Utr)

1498.00

-32.09

93074.00

2083

1810

21.25

Burdwan(WB)

434.00

-3.98

3842.00

1740

1720

-2.25

Sultanpur(UP)

282.50

-20.65

3112.50

2200

2165

7.84

Hardoi(UP)

281.00

15.16

2150.00

2150

2150

-1.83

Kanpur(Grain)(UP)

260.00

-38.82

7750.00

2160

2120

-1.37

Bangarpet(Kar)

229.00

8.53

5654.00

1670

1860

-9.73

Mysore (Bandipalya)(Kar)

180.00

-

180.00

1900

-

15.15

Guskara(Burdwan)(WB)

159.00

-35.63

2457.00

2150

2130

NC

Memari(WB)

154.00

-37.65

2451.00

1740

1720

-2.25

Asansol(WB)

132.00

1.54

1582.50

2200

2250

-

Dahod(Guj)

131.40 838.57

1043.00

3900

3900

-7.14

Basti(UP)

116.00

5.45

4134.50

2060

2075

7.01

Mathabhanga(WB)

110.00

-8.33

3010.00

1950

1950

NC

Ballia(UP)

100.00

-23.08

6350.00

2010

1980

2.03

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Shahjahanpur(UP)

99.00

33.78

40119.10

2190

2210

8.15

Pilibhit(UP)

94.00

11.9

17702.00

2190

2195

0.46

Bareilly(UP)

93.10

-20.09

6527.60

2275

2275

10.98

Kalna(WB)

85.00

NC

939.00

1730

1790

-6.74

P.O. Uparhali Guwahati(ASM)

82.00

9.33

2976.50

2100

2100

-19.23

Aligarh(UP)

80.00

-5.88

2535.00

2100

2120

8.81

Bhehjoi(UP)

75.00

-6.25

215.00

2160

2200

8.00

Kalipur(WB)

72.00

-4

4199.00

2050

2050

NC

Thodupuzha(Ker)

70.00

NC

1890.00

2650

2650

8.16

Coochbehar(WB)

68.00

0.74

1051.00

2050

2050

-4.65

Etawah(UP)

60.00

-40

18400.00

2285

2280

3.39

Saidpurhat (UP)

60.00

-

60.00

1940

-

-

Jajpur(Ori)

56.00

250

330.00

2200

2200

-15.38

Achalda(UP)

50.00

-28.57

3022.50

2275

2270

2.25

Samsi(WB)

50.00

NC

15460.00

2800

2800

-

Pandua(WB)

46.00

NC

1373.00

2550

2550

-5.56

Jorhat(ASM)

45.00

-25

1230.00

2700

2700

-3.57

Hasanpur(UP)

45.00

-

120.00

2225

-

-

Palghar(Mah)

43.00 126.32

494.00

3851

2099

4.76

Gangavathi(Kar)

41.00

-50.6

427.00

1720

2461

-

Gazipur(UP)

40.00

5.26

1378.00

1945

1945

-2.26

Muzzafarnagar(UP)

37.00

5.71

1022.00

2180

2180

5.06

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Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Yusufpur(UP)

35.00

66.67

587.00

1920

1920

1.05

Dhekiajuli(ASM)

30.00

7.14

830.00

1900

1900

1.60

Kolhapur(Laxmipuri)(Mah)

30.00

NC

1260.00

3100

3100

-

Partaval(UP)

30.00

57.89

1116.00

2100

2100

7.97

Purulia(WB)

30.00

-16.67

1627.00

2120

2120

-9.79

Balurghat(WB)

28.00

-12.5

332.00

2780

2780

-

Mekhliganj(WB)

22.00

10

535.00

2050

2050

10.81

Dadri(UP)

20.00

-20

1602.00

2145

2140

1.66

Dibrugarh(ASM)

19.00

22.58

923.30

2400

2400

-

Alipurduar(WB)

19.00

NC

346.00

2200

2200

2.33

Lohardaga(Jha)

18.00

-25

695.00

1930

1950

13.53

Sirsa(UP)

17.00

-2.86

381.50

2085

2050

1.21

North Lakhimpur(ASM)

15.00

-40

1176.70

1900

1900

-

Chintamani(Kar)

15.00

-31.82

355.00

2050

2050

2.50

Raiganj(WB)

14.00

NC

696.00

2800

2800

12.00

Giridih(Jha)

13.54

-11.91

185.72

3500

3540

NC

Rampur(UP)

12.00

NC

399.50

2225

2210

6.97

Soharatgarh(UP)

11.50

-30.3

44.50

2065

2060

8.68

Holenarsipura(Kar)

10.00

900

43.00

1850

2800

23.33

Kasganj(UP)

10.00

11.11

502.00

1940

1960

-4.90

Cherthalai(Ker)

8.50

NC

264.50

2200

2300

-15.38

Mirzapur(UP)

8.50

-5.56

1153.50

1945

1950

-1.27

26 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Chalakudy(Ker)

8.00

NC

84.00

2580

2740

6.39

Ahirora(UP)

8.00

-

17.00

1950

-

3.17

Champadanga(WB)

8.00

-46.67

647.00

2350

2350

-9.62

Katwa(WB)

8.00

NC

137.50

2100

2100

-4.55

Bolangir(Ori)

7.00

-6.67

178.00

2300

2200

-4.17

Kaliaganj(WB)

7.00

-12.5

481.00

2600

2600

6.12

Tusura(Ori)

6.50

-7.14

168.00

2300

2200

-4.17

Baberu(UP)

6.00

-92.5

105.00

2110

2100

-

Hailakandi(ASM)

4.00

NC

107.00

2700

2700

NC

Farukhabad(UP)

3.50

16.67

187.70

2170

2170

-0.69

Imphal(Man)

3.50

2.94

158.30

2900

2900

NC

Aroor(Ker)

3.00

NC

151.70

6400

6900

-13.51

Alibagh(Mah)

3.00

NC

96.00

4000

4000

150.00

Murud(Mah)

3.00

NC

168.00

2500

3000

56.25

Melaghar(Tri)

3.00

50

93.80

2250

2250

-4.26

Khatauli(UP)

3.00

NC

22.00

2180

2165

9.00

Perinthalmanna(Ker)

2.90

NC

71.30

2800

2500

-9.68

Rahama(Ori)

2.45

-28.15

26.86

2450

2400

11.36

Thirthahalli(Kar)

2.00

100

5.00

2584

2440

-

Bonai(Bonai)(Ori)

2.00

NC

87.10

2000

2000

-9.09

Lamlong Bazaar(Man)

1.20

20

50.00

2900

2900

NC

Sardhana(UP)

1.00

-33.33

64.80

2160

2150

4.35

27 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter Kalimpong(WB)

0.90

12.5

26.20

2400

2400

-7.69

Shillong(Meh)

0.80

33.33

42.30

3500

3500

NC

Nongpoh (R-Bhoi)(Meh)

0.80

-60

3.50

4200

4200

31.25

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report Rice High Low Long Grain Cash Bids - - -

---

Long Grain New Crop - - -

---

Futures:

High

Low

Last

Change

May '16 1023.0

1003.0

1006.5

-12.5

Jul '16 1050.0

1031.0

1034.0

-12.5

Sep '16 1064.5

1050.0

1053.0

-10.5

1072.5

-5.0

1081.0

-12.5

Mar '17

1096.5

+1.5

May '17

1096.5

+1.5

Nov '16 Jan '17 1079.5

1079.5

Rice Comment Rice futures were mostly lower again today. A marketing year low of just 14,500 MT of rice were sold last week, which was down 32-percent from last week and 82-percent from the previous 4-week average. Overall rice exports are up slightly year-to-date compared to last year; however the market still needs additional sales to materialize as outstanding sales remain well below year ago levels. At the same time, though, Vietnam's 1st qtr. 2016 rice exports were up 30.1% over a year earlier at 1.46 MMT. May set a new contract low today, which brings support at $9.97 on the monthly continuation back into play.

28 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m