2nd november,2015 daily global,regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global

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by Riceplus Magazine November 02,2015 Vol 5, Issue XI

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Daily Global

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

Rice sector lands in multiple crises High input cost for paddy cultivation leaves little for farmers in Odisha Basmati fetches low prices, growers allege cartelization National rice brand: Vietnam’s choice of jasmine rice controversial Japonica rice considered for national brand development Agriculture Minister: Indonesia Has Backup of Imported Rice U.S. rice group urges Japan to open retail market Ghana to have a National Rice Development Strategy Reversal of rice import prohibition and its consequences Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-November 02 Farm Bureau Market Report 11/02/2015 Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report USA Rice and Partners in Mexico Refine Promotions

News Detail...

Mars Food Partners with the Sustainable Rice Platform 11/02/2015

In much of the world, we take rice for granted. We‘ve got canisters of it in our cupboards, and it‘s readily available in our stores. Indeed, we can take it or leave it as part of our daily meals.But for billions of people around the globe, rice is the only thing standing between a full stomach and going to bed hungry. For millions of farmers, it‘s the only difference between a decent wage and destitution – and the only thing keeping their children alive. But with the world‘s population expanding towards ten billion in the next 40 years, we face a very real threat: there may not be enough rice to go around.Demand for rice is predicted to double by 2050, but producers – many of whom are smallholder farmers – can‘t keep up.

And simply growing more rice isn‘t an option. Rice production is having a troubling effect on the environment, in terms of both water use and emissions.This week, the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) – of which Mars, Incorporated is a proud member – launched the first-ever global standard for sustainable rice. Everyone in the rice supply chain will be able to use this standard to reduce the environmental footprint of growing rice and improve the lives of rice

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farmers.Kristin Hughes, Mars Food‘s Global Director of Nutrition & Wellness and Sustainability, explained our role and how we will use the new standard: ―We helped shape the SRP standard and we will be using it to sustainably source 100% of our rice by 2020. We‘ve already started to pilot the SRP standard in India and Pakistan.

Partnering with Bayer CropScience and the International Rice Research Institute, we invested in a controlled farming program in Pakistan, and are now rolling it out to parts of India. The key has been offering incentives to farmers to take part – we can then provide training and support on how to make their farms more sustainable. It‘s a win-win for all involved.‖Kristin spoke at the SRP‘s 5th Annual Plenary and General Assembly in Manila this week. The SRP was created in 2011 to identify and promote practices that can reduce the impact of rice production on the environment, making it more sustainable for years to come.

The new standard is made up of 46 requirements organized under eight broad topics, including productivity, food safety, worker health, labor rights, and biodiversity.Mars Food‘s efforts to improve the sustainability of global rice production are part of our wider corporate commitment to tackle the greatest environmental and social impacts in our supply chain. Since 2007, our sustainable sourcing strategy has focused on eight raw materials: black tea, cocoa, coffee, fish, mint, palm oil, peanuts and rice. In 2014, we added commitments on beef, paper and pulp, and soy. All told, Mars, Incorporated‘s updated sourcing strategy will cover 23 raw materials, covering 60% of our sourcing volume. We have a lot of work still to do, but we‘re proud of some of our key achievements to date:  

We now source 100% of our coffee and black tea from certified sources; 84% of our palm oil is now traceable to known mills;

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  

26% of our fish and seafood are from sustainable sources, putting us on track to fulfill our target of only sourcing 100% sustainable fish by 2020; We‘ve increased our purchase of certified cocoa to 36% of total volumes, moving closer to our target of 100% certified cocoa by 2020; In 2014, 82.5% of our packaging was recyclable or recoverable, where infrastructure exists.

As the owner of the world‘s largest global rice brand, Uncle Bens®, Mars Food plans to lead the way in making rice more sustainable. But as Kristin remarked at the SRP launch in Manila, we can‘t do it alone: ―Today we ask others to join us. We must work together and we must bring others along on the journey. The SRP standard helps carve the path toward a brighter and more sustainable world for all of us. We are taking an important first step together toward making sustainably sourced rice a global reality.‖ http://www.sustainablebrands.com/press/mars_food_partners_sustainable_rice_platform

South Indian curry bursts with fresh coconut flavor Faith Durand, TheKitchn.com5:01 a.m. EST November 1, 2015 (Photo: Faith Durand)

I have a cookbook problem. No, I don‘t have too many (well, maybe that, too). While the bookstores are glutted with cookbooks, and a new crop inundates us every season, I cannot find the one definitive cookbook I crave — a South Indian cookbook to guide me through learning how to cook recipes from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa. I crave South Indian food like nothing else, and today‘s recipe is another effort to reproduce the lighter, fresher, coconut-driven curries I love.I have tried many cookbooks, looking for the one to guide me to authentic and delicious South Indian cuisine. I‘ve found recipes here and there, but cookbooks tend to fall into two categories. The first is cookbooks that are published in the United States, with recipes and ingredients simplified for an American audience.

Sometimes these are all right, but more frequently they give results that don‘t taste as full or authentic.The second category is cookbooks straight from India; I have a friend who regularly brings me new ones to try. These tend to be more authentic, but I struggle to translate some of the ingredients, and to interpret instructions, which often assume a lot and take for granted a certain level of familiarity with Indian cooking.It‘s been worth the hunt — because South Indian food, for me, is the gold standard in taste and bright, astonishing flavors.Speaking very simplistically, South Indian food tends to be lighter, with drier and less rich gravies than the creamier curries of the north. The curries often rely quite a bit on toasted and ground coconut in the ―masala‖ (the spice paste that is prepped before the curry itself is made). There is more use of tamarind, the intensely tangy fruit, and of curry leaves.

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by Riceplus Magazine Curry leaves add a fragrant, slightly spicy flavor to dishes like this, and for me they are one of the key notes of authenticity in South Indian cooking.This curry, honestly, should have curry leaves, but I left them out because they are a rare ingredient for many people. They can be found fresh at most Indian groceries, and I love to use them when I get my hands on them. If you pick some up, throw in 20 or so during the simmering/pressure cooking phase.Using the pressure cooker for this recipe helps all these flavors meld and permeate the chicken even better than they would after a long slow simmer.

And it‘s ready fast — even considering the time it takes to prepare the masala, with its range of spices.This recipe, like many others I make these days, comes not from a cookbook, but from a blog. I adapted it for my taste, and for the pressure cooker, from a Keralan cook‘s blog, Induget‘s Cooking.

Kerala Coconut Chicken Curry Adapted from Induget‘s Kerala Chicken Curry with Roasted Coconut and Spices For the coconut spice paste 4 small dried red chilies 6 large shallots, peeled and halved 3

/4 cup grated unsweetened coconut

4 whole cloves 1 inch cinnamon stick 3 green cardamom pods 2 teaspoons black peppercorns 2 teaspoons coriander seeds

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2 teaspoons fennel seeds 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon turmeric powder For the chicken curry 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or coconut oil 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 large yellow onions, sliced 2 large tomatoes, sliced 2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 3 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon vinegar To serve Cooked basmati rice Yogurt For the coconut spice paste: If using an electric pressure cooker, heat it to its brown or saute setting (whichever is hotter). If using a stovetop pressure cooker, place the uncovered pot over medium heat. Roast the red chilies and shallots together until all have developed black spots. Remove and set aside in the bowl of a small food processor.

Add the coconut and whole spices to the hot pressure cooker pan and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly until fragrant and toasted and the coconut has turned light brown. Add the turmeric and stir for another few seconds, then transfer coconut and spices to the food processor bowl.

Blend until fairly smooth, adding a 4 to 6 tablespoons of water to create a creamy paste.

Set aside.

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Shortcut Option: If you do not have the whole spices, or don‘t want to take the time to pull them together, you may substitute 3 tablespoons garam masala spice powder. Add to the coconut after the coconut is toasted, stir for another 15 seconds, then proceed with the recipe.

For the chicken curry: Add oil to the hot pressure cooker pot. When hot, add chopped ginger, garlic and sliced onions. Saute for 10 to 15 minutes, or until onions are softened and browned around the edges. Add the coconut spice paste and fry for 1 minute. Add the sliced tomatoes and fry for 5 more minutes or until tomatoes have broken down.

Stir in the chicken, salt, and vinegar. Mix well.

Cover the pressure cooker and lock the lid. Bring up to pressure. Cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally (this will take another 8 to 15 minutes).

The chicken should be thoroughly cooked, but if it is not, or if it is not as tender as you would like it to be, pressure cook for another 4 minutes, using the quick pressure release to immediately let out the steam after the cook time.

Serve with basmati rice and yogurt. Makes 6 servings.

Tool tip: I am using an electric pressure cooker so all of this is automatic; I tell the pressure cooker to cook it on HIGH pressure (15 psi) for 10 minutes, with a natural pressure release, so I set it and walk away. The pressure cooker brings itself up to full heat and pressure, cooks for 10 minutes after that, then slowly releases the pressure. I can tell that the pressure is fully released when the safety lock on the lid turns off, and the valve float drops down.

If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, then follow the instructions and method for bringing the pressure up in the pressure cooker and cook as directed above.

Stovetop directions (no pressure cooker): If you want to make this without a pressure cooker, simply follow the instructions above, toasting the spices and coconut in a skillet or Dutch oven instead of in a pressure cooker. Cook the onions and garlic in a Dutch oven or deep pot with a lid. After adding the chicken, cover and cook on low heat for 30 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Per serving (without yogurt or rice): 414 calories; 21 g fat (7 g saturated fat; 46 percent calories from fat); 18 g carbohydrates; 128 mg cholesterol; 1,298 mg sodium; 38 g protein; 4 g fiber.

DELROIT NEWS

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District-level approach to agricultural uplift MUHAMMAD MUNIR AHMED — PUBLISHED A DAY AGO

WHEN a farmer himself throws away milk or burns corn, it is an indication that things are going from bad to worse for him.Seen in this context, the prime minister‘s kissan package is a good start towards solving the problems of the rural community. But this initiative needs to be made more purposeful and result-oriented.Since agriculture is the initiator of the country‘s economic activity, a large number of business groups — like arthis; sellers of seeds, fertilisers and insecticides; and commission agents of fruit and vegetable markets — are associated with the farmers.

The role of all these affiliates is exploitative because a sizable part of the proceeds from crops and produce is taken by these market brokers in the shape of various commissions and discounts.

The situation is more pronounced in case of small farmers as compared to the big landlords.There is no institutional platform to solve such problems faced by small farmers as the representatives of agricultural chambers and growers associations largely comprise rural elites having political clout.The government allows the establishment of a chamber for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at the district level. A similar initiative is required for agriculture to enable small farmers to focus on the problems that they themselves are facing.At the district level, agricultural departments are in place to provide advisory and extension services to the farmers under the control of district coordination officers (DCO) but there is little interaction with small farmers.

At the time of sowing, the farmers do not have easy access to certified quality seeds. After sowing, the availability of genuine fertiliser and pesticide is not assured.And in case of any attack by a disease or a pest, the poor farmer is entirely on his own owing to his lack of access to sound advice from an agricultural scientist.After the harvesting of the crop, the input providers happily count their fat profits whereas the farmers worry about getting a better return for their produce. The plight of sugarcane growers is now well known.In the case of milk, the situation is not much different. After paying around Rs50 per litre to farmers, the milk processing companies are charging well over Rs100 per litre from the general consumers.

Rice growers have also been crying due to heavy losses for the last two years, but the retail price of basmati rice is more than Rs100 per kg.There is a need to make agricultural departments functional under the proactive leadership of DCOs. A DCO should be given targets for the promotion of agriculture and livestock in his area. The performance of DCOs must be linked with the fostering of a favourable environment in their districts for the farming community and their achievements may be acknowledged.Another dark area for farmers relates to the behaviour of banks as agricultural finance is considered cumbersome and small farmers treated as subprime borrowers. The highest lending rates are charged from the farmers.

It is sheer injustice that the exporters get export finance below 5pc, while the farmers — the backbone of the economy — pay more than 15pc for bank credit.Since the banks mobilise low-

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cost deposits at 3-5pc from rural depositors, the lending rate on rural credit should not exceed 910pc. At a time when farmers are getting desperate, the SBP needs to rationalise the cost of agricultural credit.The kissan package is largely quantitative in nature, aiming at certain subsidies and cuts in the prices of inputs.We are now living in a different environment. A great deal of awareness has taken root among the farmers.

The local body system is soon coming where each district will be a unit of governance.It is the appropriate time to make agricultural upliftment a high priority for the coming district governments under the leadership of district nazims and DCOs. For this, very little administrative and legislative initiatives — but a strong political will — will be required.If the kissan package is implemented in a half-hearted way, agriculture in particular and the economy in general will be badly hurt.The writer is President, Institute of Banking and Business Learning. munir9511@outlook.com

Basmati growers blame cartels for low prices “They are feeling cheated by the State government” After cotton farmers, basmati growers in Punjab and Haryana are in for a shock as popular aromatic rice varieties like PUSA 1121 are fetching ―far lower‖ prices than what they got last season.While growers accuse rice exporters of indulging in cartelisation for distress sales, exporters blame weak global demand and oversupply for the ―basmati crisis‖.Disappointed with ―low‖ prices for their crop, farmers‘ unions have now decided to launch an agitation against the government which encouraged growers to switch over to premium varieties but failed to ensure profitable prices.

Popular basmati variety PUSA 1121, which has started arriving in mandis of Punjab and Haryana, is priced in the range of Rs 1,300 to 1,800 per quintal against Rs 3,000 per quintal last season, traders said.Similarly, another variety PUSA 1509 is hovering around Rs 1,200-1,300 per quintal.However, after the intervention of Punjab and Haryana governments, this variety is now being purchased at MSP rate.―First cotton farmers faced heavy losses because of crop damage.

Now rice farmers are in problem as they are unable in getting good price for their crop which they had sown under the crop diversification programme. They are feeling cheated by the state government,‖ Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri said on Sunday.

Stir planned Mr Kokri said as many as 12 outfits, including four farm labour organisations, will launch a three-day sit-in starting November 4 at Moga and Amritsar, which are in the basmati growing belts of Punjab.―We demand Rs 5,000 per quintal for PUSA 1121 and Rs 4,500 per quintal for PUSA 1509 variety,‖ Mr Kokri said.Rice growers accused exporters of making ―high profits‖ by way of forming a ―cartel‖, thereby forcing them to sell crop at lower rates.―If prices of basmati paddy have come down from Rs 40 per kg to Rs 18 per kg then why retail price of basmati rice could not drop in the same way?

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Consumers are still purchasing basmati rice at same rate of Rs 80-100 per kg,‖ said Puneet Singh Thind, convener of Rashtriya Kisan Sangathan.With basmati not turning out to be profitable, farmers will again switch to water-consuming normal varieties of paddy which at least ensures minimum support price.―With the kind of rates farmers are getting for their basmati crop, they will stop growing it and shift to ordinary varieties,‖ said an official of Punjab agriculture department in Amritsar.Amritsar district is one of the leading producers of basmati in Punjab.

Out of the total area of 1.80 lakh hectares under paddy in Amritsar, basmati is sown under 1.36 lakh hectares this year.

‘Weak demand’ Rice exporters ascribed low rate of basmati to weak global demand and heavy inventory of crop.―There is weak demand for basmati in overseas markets at present. For example, Iran has not yet started placing orders.Basmati market in countries like Iraq and Yemen has shrunk which also led to dip in demand for Indian basmati,‖ said Kohinoor Foods Joint MD Gurnam Arora.―Heavy inventory is lying with exporters,‖ Mr Arora said, adding that prices of all commodities in international markets were down.Total basmati area in Punjab and Haryana is about 8 lakh hectares and 6 lakh hectares respectively. -- PTI http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/basmati-growers-blame-cartels-for-lowprices/article7831116.ece?ref=tpnews

Final hearing on Basmati GI this week IPAB to hear the claims of all the parties for three consecutive days during Nov 3-5 By: Sandip Das | New Delhi | November 2, 2015 12:28 AM India‘s famous Basmati rice is likely to get intellectual property rights (IPR) protection in the home country as the final hearing pertaining to the case is slated to be held next week at Chennai based Geographical Indications (GI) registry.Official sources told FE that the Chennai-based Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) is slated to hear the claims of all the parties—commerce ministry, exporters, farmers organisation for three consecutive days during November 3-5 prior to giving a judgment on GI certification to Basmati rice. ―The GI for Basmati rice would boost our export potential,‖ a commerce ministry official said.The GI tag for aromatic long grained Basmati rice got delayed as the GI Registry, in a directive issued on December 31, 2013, had asked the Centre if Madhya Pradesh could be included in the definition of traditionally Basmati-growing geography, inviting strong reactions from the commerce and agriculture ministries, which thinks the state‘s claim is unjustified.

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Even as the issue was pending with the GI Registry, the Madhya Pradesh government had moved the IPAB. The Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Development Authority (Apeda) subsequently told the IPAB that MP‘s claim is invalid.

Under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, Apeda is designated to be the custodian of GI rights for farm produce. ―Considering the Madhya Pradesh case for inclusion in Basmati growing region would amount to playing with rights of those farmers who have been traditionally growing Basmati in Indo-Gangetic plain,‖ a commerce ministry official said.Leading agricultural scientists have also opposed Madhya Pradesh‘s attempt to be included in Basmati-growing regions, by stating that it would adversely impact the quality of Basmati rice and sully its global repute. ―Claiming rice grown in Madhya Pradesh as Basmati is not correct as we have developed seed varieties keeping in mind agro-climatic zones of the Indo-Gangetic plain,‖ KV Prabhu, deputy director, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), and a well-known rice breeder, said.

In 2009, Apeda under the commerce ministry had applied to the GI Registry asking for exclusive (commercial) use of the Basmati tag for the grain varieties grown within the boundaries of the IndoGagentic plain in Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and 26 districts of western Uttar Pradesh and two districts of Jammu and Kashmir.GI ascribes exclusivity to the community in a defined geography rather than to an individual as in the case of trademarks and patents.

First Published on November 02, 2015 12:28 am

FINANCIAL EXPRESS

Replace costlier dals with soya products for protein: Agrieconomist Ashok Gulati

By PTI | 2 Nov, 2015, 03.20PM IST

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Amid skyrocketing pulses prices hurting common man's budget, agri-economist Ashok Gulati today suggested that consumers should replace costlier dals with soya products for high protein.NEW DELHI: Amid skyrocketing pulses prices hurting common man's budget, agri-economist Ashok Gulati today suggested that consumers should replace costlier dals with soya products for high protein. "There is a lot of pulses problem these days. We cannot produce much of tur dal, but we have a huge soya crop. We take pulses for protein.

Why don't we go for soya products like soya milk, tofu and reconstituted soya dals," Gulati said at an event organised by National Skills Foundation of India. Soya has 40 per cent protein, while pulses have only 20 per cent protein, he said while emphasising the need to treat soya as protein crop and innovation in food-processing. At present, soya crop in the country is grown as an oilseed crop, he added. Gulati, former Chairman of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and a Padma Shri awardee, was speaking on Technologies and innovation in agriculture: pushing the frontiers. Pulses prices have risen unabated due to fall in domestic production by two million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) due to poor rains. Retail prices of tur and urad are ruling up to Rs 190-200 per kg. CACP Chairman Ashok Vishandaas said retail prices of pulses have gone up to Rs 220 per kg, but farmers are still suffering as they are not getting the right price. The pulses problem has aggravated because of increased focus on rice and wheat production, he added.

Emphasising the need to raise productivity of farm labourers, Vishandaas said that around 50 per cent of the population depends on agriculture, contributing only 13.8 per cent to the country's GDP. "This means, we are under-utilising our labourers. Can we move them out of agriculture and equip them with other skills?" he said. Echoing similar views, UN body FAO India representative Shyam Khadka said only 2.3 per cent of the country's farmers are professionally trained, as against 96 per cent in Korea, 75 per cent in Germany and 53 per cent in the US. More skills are required to be taught to farmers, especially in the area of post-harvesting, food processing and animal husbandry, among others, he said. Gulati also talked about innovation in agriculture sector that is competitive, inclusive, sustainable and scalable, while citing examples of the success of Bt cotton, maize and Pusa basmati rice. Stating that new farm technologies in future are going to come more from private sector, Gulati said the sector will not bring in technology for free and diffusion of these technologies in India would be difficult if intellectual property right is not protected. PTI http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/replace-costlier-dals-with-soya-productsfor-protein-agri-economist-ashok-gulati/articleshow/49629176.cms

APEDA COMMODITY NEWS FROM INDIA International Benchmark Price Price on: 30-10-2015

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Product

Benchmark Indicators Name

Price

1

CZCE Early Rice Futures (USD/t)

324

2

Pakistani 100%, FOB Karachi (USD/t)

318

3

Pakistani 25% Broken (USD/t)

383

1

GFO, HRW, DAT Ontario (USD/t)

186

2

NYSE Liffe Feed Wheat Futures (USD/t)

177

3

NYSE Liffe Milling Wheat Futures (USD/t)

199

1

CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t)

815

2

Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t)

531

3

Thai VHP, FOB Thailand (USD/t)

460

Rice

Wheat

White Sugar

Source:agra-net

For more info

Market Watch Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 29-10-2015 Domestic Prices Product

Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Market Center

Variety

Min Price

Max Price

1

Kolar (Karnataka)

Local

2300

3500

2

Deoli (Rajasthan)

Other

1100

1900

3

Amreli (Gujaratl)

Other

1510

2300

1

Bagalakot (Karnataka)

Local

1268

1400

2

Kurali (Punjab)

Other

900

1250

Jowar(Sorgham)

Maize

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3

Akluj (Maharashtra)

Yellow

1431

1431

1

Chala (Kerala)

Other

4000

4100

2

Solan (Himachal Pradesh)

Other

2000

3000

3

Mumbai (Maharashtra)

Other

1000

3000

1

Surat (Gujarat)

Other

2000

4000

2

Devala (Maharashtra)

Other

1500

3600

3

Barnala (Punjab)

Other

2200

2800

Orange

Onion

Source:agmarknet.nic.in

For more info

Egg

Rs per 100 No Price on 02-11-2015 Product

Market Center

Price

1

Pune

385

2

Chittoor

358

3

Hyderabad

345

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices

Unit Price : US$ per package Price on 30-10-2015

Product

Market Center

Origin

Variety

Low

Potatoes

High Package: 50 lb cartons

1

Atlanta

Colorado

Russet

17

17.75

2

Chicago

Idaho

Russet

13

16

3

Miami

Idaho

Russet

17

18

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Cabbage

Package: 50 lb sacks

1

Atlanta

Georgia

Round Green Type

12.50

13

2

Dallas

Colorado

Round Green Type

11.50

11.50

3

Miami

Canada

Round Green Type

13.50

14

Grapes

Package: 19 lb containers bagged

1

Atlanta

California

Red Globe

26

26

2

Chicago

California

Red Globe

18

20

3

New York

California

Red Globe

20

20

Source:USDA

Rice sector lands in multiple crises ASHFAK BOKHARI

AS the new rice crop starts arriving, local prices are dropping and are already down 30pc from this time last year. And the farmers are hardly enthused as they know they will be paid peanuts for the crop they produced with strenuous labour and at a higher cost.

This scenario at the rice market emerged over the last few years. The country‘s rice sector is currently passing through multiple crises and one is at loss to foresee an early recovery.The reasons include the soaring cost of production because of expensive inputs, lower yielding seeds, unsold stock of 500,000 tonnes from the last two years (valued at more than $1bn), an acute shortage of funds, and the inability of growers, millers and exporters to repay their loans.

And the government seems to be indifferent to the situation.

Pakistan’s rice exports have declined 8pc during the first two months of this fiscal year

Besides, after the devolution of agriculture to the provinces, there is much confusion over policy issues. The provinces are reluctant to take initiatives to resolve the rice growers‘ problems and expect the centre to step in if the nature of the problems is similar in all the federating units.Even the much-vaunted Rs341bn agriculture relief package has failed to earn applause from rice

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growers, who argue that the cash support of Rs5,000 per acre offered to them is insufficient to make up for the losses they have incurred.

The losses are estimated to be around Rs30,000 per acre — six times more than the incentive being given to them.As a result, Pakistan is losing its coveted place in the global rice market. It has become uncompetitive, especially in the case of various basmati varieties, and rice-importing countries have begun turning to India, Thailand and Vietnam. The demand for Pakistani rice is drying up because of its comparatively higher prices.

The Export price of Pakistani basmati, which is much sought-after in Arab countries, is higher by at least $100-150 per tonne when compared to its Indian counterpart. Pakistan‘s rice exports have declined 8pc during the first two months of this fiscal year.About two years ago, when rice exports were worth $2.2bn, the basmati and Irri varieties earned virtually the same amount of foreign exchange. But last year, out of $1.8bn total rice exports, Irri‘s share went up to $1.2bn and basmati‘s dropped to $600m, indicating its shrinking role.In terms of quantity, the country has been producing about 2m tonnes of basmati rice, half of which is consumed domestically and the rest exported. But from 2011 onwards, the exports started declining for various reasons.One reason for basmati‘s drop is that since 1997 no new basmati seed has been introduced in the market. Meanwhile, the Indians came up with five new varieties in the last 10 years.

Pakistan launched a long grain Basmati 385 variety in the 1980s which was a major success in terms of yield. In the 1990s, another high-yield and longer grain variety, called Super Basmati, was introduced.But after being in use for around two decades, these varieties have lost much of their potency and their yields have declined drastically. Later, the Indians also introduced Basmati 385 and Super Basmati based on smuggled seeds from Pakistan and started marketing them abroad under the same brands.However, a more immediate problem faced by the rice industry is the shortage of cash flow. The exporters are not in a position to even paddy from growers, although the crop has already arrived in some areas and is available at extremely low prices.But the rice millers are the main buyers. As many as 3,000 individuals, including millers, farmers and exporters, have taken Rs100bn worth of loans from banks, according to the Pakistan Rice Mills Association.

But they are unable to repay their dues.To pacify the concerns of the rice industry, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced in a meeting with a delegation of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) that loans of the industry will be rolled-over until June 2016 to prevent defaults. But the decision has not been implemented yet.Reap‘s other major demands include the withdrawal of the 3.5pc withholding tax on local purchase of rice, repayment of export refinance loans in 360 days instead of the current 180 days, an industry status for rice milling and the reduction of the withholding tax on rice to 0.25pc from the current 1pc.The group also wants no intervention by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan and Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation in the rice trade, in addition to the privatisation of rice research institutes at Kala Shah Kaku and Dokri and the adoption of a sui generis geographical indications law.At another meeting convened by the State Bank of Pakistan on September 4, the banks agreed to facilitate borrowers by allowing them roll-over facility and releasing their pledged stocks as their quality may deteriorate if kept for long.

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However, the banks have yet to convey their policy decision to their branches.During the meeting, it was pointed out that only those borrowers who had genuine difficulties would be accommodated and that it was not a blanket relief.

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, November 2nd, 2015

http://www.dawn.com/news/1216840

High input cost for paddy cultivation leaves little for farmers in Odisha Satyasundar Barik

Agriculture seems to have been reduced to a traditional compulsion rather than an economic option in Odisha.An analysis says that a farmer in Odisha would earn a profit of Rs.3,000 per acre of paddy cultivation after toiling months in the field as input cost has gone up sharply in past decade. While present cost of cultivation per acre is estimated at Rs.17,000, the farmer gets yield around 15 quintal of paddy per acre of land which fetch him around Rs.20,000.According to Orissa University of Agriculture Technology (OUAT), till 2011-12, the cost of cultivation for one acre of land in Odisha was Rs.1,4439.26 and given then minimum support price for paddy at Rs.1,110, farmers were getting Rs.16,650 per acre. Thus the net profit was around Rs.2,000.

OUAT had then arrived at a calculation that a farmer was spending Rs.1,225 per quintal of paddy while the MSP for paddy was fixed at Rs.1,280 leaving slender profit.―The paddy cultivation during Kharif season has become non-remunerative. The earning margin per acre of paddy cultivation ranges from Rs.2,000 to Rs.5,000 depending on the weather condition, land fertility and wage components,‖ said S. K. Tripathy, head of department of agricultural economics of OUAT‘s College of Agriculture.Prof Tripathy said the cost of paddy cultivation in 2004-05 was Rs.7,295 per acre which sharply rose to Rs.14,439 per acre in the year 2011-12. If monsoon become erratic or any disaster strikes, the slender profit margin in paddy cultivation get wiped out.According to OUAT analysis, farmers make profit in Rabi crops.

But irrigation facilities are not available in all pockets.Although MSP was determined according to the rise in input cost, but cost of inflation with regards to other necessary commodities a farmer purchases from market other than rice was never taken into consideration.The outcome is visible. Majority of farmers and agricultural labourers are leaving their villages to participate in more remunerative off-farm works. Emphasis on agro-processing, diversification of cultivation and value addition measures are some measures by which the government could reverse the exodus of farmers, said Prof Tripathy.http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/highinput-cost-for-paddy-cultivation-leaves-little-for-farmers-in-odisha/article7831011.ece?css=print

Basmati fetches low prices, growers allege cartelization

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Chandigarh, November 1After cotton farmers, basmati growers in Punjab and Haryana are in for a shock as popular aromatic rice varieties like PUSA 1121 are fetching ―far lower‖ prices than what they got last season.While growers accuse rice exporters of indulging in cartelisation for distress sales, exporters blame weak global demand and oversupply for the ―basmati crisis‖.Disappointed with ―low‖ prices for their crop, farmer unions have now decided to launch an agitation against the government which encouraged growers to switch over to premium varieties but failed to ensure profitable prices.

Popular basmati variety PUSA 1121, which has started arriving in mandis of Punjab and Haryana, is priced in the range of Rs 1,300 to 1,800 per quintal against Rs 3,000 per quintal last season, traders said.Similarly, another variety PUSA 1509 is hovering around Rs 1,200-1,300 per quintal. However, after the intervention of Punjab and Haryana governments, this variety is now being purchased at MSP rate.―First cotton farmers faced heavy losses because of crop damage. Now rice farmers are in problem as they are unable to get good price for their crop which they had sown under the crop diversification programme.

They are feeling cheated by the state government,‖ Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Kokri said today.Kokri said 12 outfits, including four farm labour organsiations, would launch a three-day sit-in starting November 4 at Moga and Amritsar, which are in the basmati growing belts of Punjab. ―We demand Rs 5,000 per quintal for PUSA 1121 and Rs 4,500 per quintal for PUSA 1509 variety,‖ Kokri said.Rice growers accused exporters of making ―high profits‖ by way of forming a ―cartel‖, thereby forcing them to sell crop at lower rates.―If prices of basmati paddy have come down from 40 per kg to Rs 18 per kg then why retail price of basmati rice could not drop in the same way?

Consumers are still purchasing basmati rice at same rate of Rs 80-100 per kg,‖ said Puneet Singh Thind, convener of Rashtriya Kisan Sangathan.

With basmati not turning out to be profitable, farmers will again switch to water-consuming normal varieties of paddy which at least ensures minimum support price.―With the kind of rates farmers are getting for their basmati crop, they will stop growing it and shift to ordinary varieties,‖ said an official of Punjab Agriculture Department in Amritsar.Amritsar district is one of the leading producers of basmati.

Out of the total area of 1.80 lakh hectares under paddy in Amritsar, basmati was sown on 1.36 lakh hectares this year. Rice exporters ascribed low rate of basmati to weak global demand and heavy inventory of crop. ―There is weak demand for basmati in overseas markets at present. For example, Iran has not yet started placing orders. Basmati market in countries like Iraq and Yemen has shrunk which also led to dip in demand for Indian basmati,‖ said Kohinoor Foods Joint MD Gurnam Arora.―Heavy inventory is lying with exporters,‖ Arora said, adding that prices of all commodities in international markets were down.

Total basmati area in Punjab and Haryana is about 8 lakh hectares and 6 lakh hectares, respectively. — PTI

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http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/basmati-fetches-low-prices-growers-allegecartelisation/153427.html

National rice brand: Vietnam’s choice of jasmine rice controversial VietNamNet Bridge - While many countries in the world have reduced the cultivation of Jasmine rice, because it is difficult to grow and sell, the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has decided that Jasmine will be the national rice brand for Vietnam.

The VFA‘s choice to develop Jasmine as the nation‘s rice brand has faced strong opposition from experts, businesses and state management agencies as well.Some rice export companies in Mekong River Delta have joined forces with farmers to grow and export Jasmine rice, exports are below expectations.In the 2014-2015 winter-spring crop, Tan Cuong Cooperative grew 1,000 hectares of Jasmine 85 rice under a contract signed with the Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1). Under the contract, the enterprise is in charge of providing seeds and commits to buy rice at the market prices.However, the cooperation failed.

Tan Cuong could not sell rice to Vinafood 1 and had to terminate the cooperation contract. The problem was that the rice could not satisfy the standards set before in the contract.Experts warned that the demand for Jasmine rice in the world has shrunk. If Vietnam grows this variety of rice, it will find it difficult to sell the products.Professor Vo Tong Xuan, the best known rice

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expert, said this variety of rice has been eliminated in many countries in the world.In the US, Jasmine 85 appeared in 1989, but now imports 700,000 tons of Thai fragrant rice because consumers do not like Jasmine‘s taste and fragrance.In 1989, the US Agriculture Department decided to improve Jasmine and turn it into Jazzman which has the scent more similar to Thailand‘s Hom mali. Jazzman 2 is now sold in the US at $3.77 per kilo, while imports from Thailand $2.64-3.08 per kilo.Xuan noted that foreign consumers only care about the quality of rice, while they do not care about the history and culture – the highlights in the national rice brand development project drawn up by VFA. If Vietnam still decides to choose Jasmine as the nation‘s rice brand, it will go against the world‘s consumption tendency.According to MARD, a national brand needs to be the representative of the nation, and it must be outstanding and sustainable. Jasmine is a rice variety created by the Filipino IRRI, which is the result of the mix between IR262 high-yielding variety and Thai aromatic Khao Dawk Mali.Jasmine 85 has a scent similar to Thai‘s rice, but it gives low yield. Therefore, small merchants tend to mix Jasmine with high-yield varieties to have easier-to-grow and scented rice. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/144885/national-rice-brand--vietnam-s-choice-of-jasmine-ricecontroversial.html

Japonica rice considered for national brand development VietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnam Food Association (VFA) has suggested adding Japonica, a Japanese rice variety, on the list of rice varieties for consideration to develop a national rice brand.

Under the plan to develop the brand by 2020, three varieties have been chosen for consideration, including Jasmine rice, scented rice and a sticky rice specialty. However, VFA has suggested that

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Japonica should also be considered.VFA‘s secretary general Huynh Minh Hue said there were two reasons behind the association‘s decision. First, the market demand for Japonica rice is relatively high.

And second, Vietnam has favorable conditions to organize the production of the rice.―We have heard that 10,000 hectares of Japonica rice were grown in the provinces of Kien Giang and An Giang last crop and the sales were very satisfactory. This shows that we are capable of growing Japonica in our conditions,‖ he said.

Hue, who went on a business trip to Yunnan province indit China some days ago with officials from the Ministries of Industry & Trade (MOIT) and Agriculture & Rural Development (MARD), has found that the demand for Japonica rice in the Chinese province is relatively high. The provincial rice center needs up to 1.4 million tons of Japonica rice a year.―We were told that 70 percent of the demand in the locality is for Japonica and the other 30 percent is for long-grain rice,‖ he said, adding that he and other officials had the opportunity to visit a rice market.Hue said that it was still necessary to learn more about the market to clarify the information, but the demand for Japonica appears to be high in China. Besides, Vietnam also hopes he can sell Japonica rice to other markets.

A rice exporter said he agrees with Hue that the market for Japonica is large enough for Vietnam to organize Japonica rice production. ―With the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) signed, Japan has agreed to open its market,‖ he noted.―In fact, Japanese companies have visited Vietnam to organize Japonica rice production in Vietnam,‖ he said.Under the plan on developing Vietnam national rice brand, 20 percent of Vietnam‘s rice exports would bear the Vietnamese brand by 2020, while the proportion will be 50 percent by 2030. Thirty percent of total rice exports will be scented and specialty products.Vietnam is one of the world‘s largest rice export countries, but it is considered a low-cost rice exporter, though its high-end products are also available in the world. MARD‘s Deputy Minister Tran Thanh nam said that Vietnam‘s high-end rice products have been available at supermarkets overseas, but they bear foreign brands. This shows that Vietnam is capable of penetrating the high-end market segment. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/145229/japonica-rice-considered-for-national-branddevelopment.html

Agriculture Minister: Indonesia Has Backup of Imported Rice SUNDAY, 01 NOVEMBER, 2015 | 16:30 WIB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman announced that the government had already had a backup of imported rice. However, he asserted that the rice would not enter Indonesia if it were not needed."It‘s only a backup. If we still have the supply, it won‘t be sent here," Amran said in Jakarta on Sunday (1/10).According to Amran, until today, rice supply stands at 1.5 million tons, while last week, rice supply that entered Cipinang wholesale rice market reached 5,000 tons. Usually, he added, the amount of rice that entered the market was

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only

3,000

tons

of

rice.

"It shows that our production has increased,‖ he added.The government, Amran said, would optimize local rice supply until the end of the year.Amran, however, declined to reveal from which countries the backup of imported rice would come from. He also declined to reveal the amount that would be sent.Previously, President Joko ‗Jokowi‘ Widodo said that the government would import rice to strengthen national rice supply if rainy season has not arrived."We‘re going to import rice to strengthen national rice supply, but we can store it in Vietnam or Thailand, or here," Jokowi said.Jokowi decided to import rice if the government considered necessary.

According to him, if rainy season has not arrived in the third or fourth week of October or if needed, the government will import rice. http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/11/01/056714936/Agriculture-Minister-Indonesia-Has-Backup-ofImported-Rice

U.S. rice group urges Japan to open retail market JIJI NOV 1, 2015

CHICAGO – The USA Rice Federation, in a report submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, effectively called on Japan to open its retail rice market to U.S. imports.While noting that market access for rice identified as U.S. origin in Japan is ―limited by the import policies,‖ the federation said, ―U.S. rice is most often destined for government stocks, designated for food processing use or livestock feed, or re-exported as food aid.

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‖―Thus, virtually all imports of U.S. rice are prevented from entering the high-value retail market, and U.S. exporters are, as a result, unable to develop year-round marketing plans and consumer relationships,‖ it said in the report, submitted Friday.Regarding the broad agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership for free trade reached by Japan, the United States and 10 other Pacific Rim countries in early October, the report said that ―the official text has not yet been released so a full assessment of the impact on rice market access is not possible.‖The federation, made up of rice growers, drew up the report in a bid to reflect its thoughts in the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, compiled by the Office of the USTR every year. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/11/01/business/u-s-rice-group-urges-japan-to-open-retailmarket/#.VjlBi7erQdV

Ghana to have a National Rice Development Strategy In a short ceremony to open the workshop, the Deputy Minister (Crops), Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan who read the key note address declared Government’s commitment to address the rice supply-demand gap issues by supporting all productivity enhancement, quality improvement and efficient domestic marketing systems.

Published: 02.11.2015 Share

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Ghana is on the verge of having a final National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS) in place to serve as a directional policy for the production, processing and marketing of rice as one of the major food commodities that Government has directed her attention to boost its production in the country.The need for a NRDS had come about after several initiatives and interventions by Government to address the many challenges confronting rice production in the country but have not been able to solve the deficit in the domestic supply, a situation that brought about the need for imports to fill the gap.

From this back drop, the Government of Ghana subscribed to participate in the vision of the Coalition for Africa Rice Development (CARD) initiative that was launched in May 2008 during Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) IV in Japan. This sought to support African Countries to double rice production within a period of ten years (20082018).The initiative‘s starting point was to assist the subscribing countries to develop a National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS) and Ghana‘s version of the NRDS was launched in August 2009, which has been one of the major reference documents guiding public, private, civil society organisations, NGO‘s and development partners in formulating plans and programmes in rice development in the country.After six years of its existence and had generated interest among stakeholders and industry players, there was the need to review the document to bring on board emerging issues to further improve its relevance.

The Crop Services Directorate under the Ministry Of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in collaboration with the John Agyekum Kuffour Foundation (JAK) therefore, organized a stakeholder Validation workshop in Accra which converged major stakeholders and industry players to review, update and validate the revised document put forth by CARD in February 2015.The workshop among other expectations tasked participants to: review and make recommendations to improve the document, suggest the context and conditions under which proposed actions can effectively be implemented by value chain actors and make input into the proposed interventions and established their consistency with proven value chain practices of the sector.In a short ceremony to open the workshop, the Deputy Minister (Crops), Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan who read the key note address declared Government‘s commitment to address the rice supply-demand gap issues by supporting all productivity enhancement, quality improvement and efficient domestic marketing systems.

He said that current statistics indicate the country is about 56 percent self-sufficient in rice production which means that the effort to improve local rice industry is gradually being realized, adding that efforts needed to be intensified to get to a 100 percent mark as the country had been there before in the 1970‘s and can get there again.Dr. Yakubu Alhassan mentioned the strategic areas highlighted in the NRDS as: rice seed system, fertilizer marketing and distribution, postharvest and market, irrigation and water control investments. The rest he said are: equipment access and maintenance, research and technology dissemination and community mobilization, farmer based organisation and credit management.According the him, after the launch of the document, the NRDS had been one of the documents which had guided rice development in Ghana as many areas identified in the strategy document are being applied by some stakeholders in their operations including public sector institutions and NGO‘s like the JAK Foundation that

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have formulated their projects and programmes from the document. A situation he described had given the Ministry some level of confidence that the document was useful and had already received some level of attention.He expressed his appreciation for the support and guidance Ghana has obtained under the CARD initiative, together with other African countries, which would help consolidate the National strategic approaches to take advantage of the sub-regional strengths for improved rice production and marketing in Africa.

Dr. Yakubu Alhassan also expressed his gratitude to all participants assembled at the workshop for honouring the Ministry‘s invitation and urged them to focus their attention on the enrichment of the drafted document and own it.Participants were divided into seven groups with each group giving a topic touching on one of the thematic areas provided in the draft document. Out of the group‘s discussions some challenges were identified out of which recommendations were made.

All these recommendations are to be put together to inform changes in the drafted document and after which if taken through all the necessary tests would be adopted and approved as a national strategy for rice development in the country.Also present at the opening was the Chief Executive Officer of JAK Foundation, Mr. Baffour Agyemang-Duah.The JAK Foundation which sponsored this workshop in furtherance of its objectives, seeks collaboration with state institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations, as well as international development partners in programme initiation and implementation. http://pulse.com.gh/agriculture/moving-forward-ghana-to-have-a-national-rice-development-strategyid4318035.html

Reversal of rice import prohibition and its consequences on November 02, 2015 / in News, Sobowale On Business 2:21 am

By Dele Sobowale If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Yogi Bera, American Comedian.The report in the NATION, October 13, 2015, page 7, titled ―Fed Govt suspends quota issuance to rice millers‖, brought tears to my eyes. It would be the third time in my life that the Federal Government of Nigeria would drive me to tears of frustration over the national policy on rice importation. Althogu, I no longer have any investment or involvement with the sector, it is the only sector in which personal monetary investments as well as sacrifice of wellpaid job was made because of government policy announcement.

Last year May, on my 70th birthday, I decided to travel by road to Sokoto, my last place of employment in the North. Situated on Kalabina Road, right next door to Sokoto Cement, is the carcass of HASKE RICE MILLS LTD, where I joined at 43 and worked until February 1990 as the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, GM/COO, until policy changes and death in the family forced me to abandon the dream of becoming Nigeria‘s Rice King.At 46, having made a great deal of success in the pharmaceutical and brewery sectors, as Sales and Marketing Director, I yearned for some big enterprise which will impact the lives of millions of Nigerians and which would be sustainable. By 1983, I already knew the North like the back of my hand and the first

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decision was to settle there. The second was to get involved in food production and that involved evaluating several possibilities – animal husbandry or crops or combinations of both (integrated farming).

The ultimate decision was made easy when, shortly after introducing the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, the Babangida administration announced a new rice policy designed to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production and also making the country a rice exporter by 2000.

That meant planning to grow millions of metric tonnes of rice annually of a crop which most Nigerians consumed at least once every two days.That was the sort of project for an ambitious young man wanting to feed millions. But, I was stuck at first, I didn‘t know where to start and how to enter into the sector.

Then fortune took a hand a the matter, I received a call in my office at the brewery in Kano to come and see the younger brother of a retired Major-General.As it turned out, the General and his brother had just bought a rice mill which was established by the President Shagari administration and which had been run aground in a very short time. The brothers needed a manager who could turn the mill around and one of them had been told at the Kano Club to get in touch with me. That was how I landed in Sokoto; but not before securing a five per cent stake in the business with option to increase to ten per cent.On the day of my arrival in Sokoto, there was not a grain of paddy rice to be milled.

But, the government‘s ban on rice importation had created a rice scarcity. The nearest places to get rice to Sokoto were the Bakolori Dam project near Talata Mafara, one hundred and fifty kilometers away and Yelwa Yauri wetlands; over 280 kilometers down south. But, within two months the mill was running.Later, working with thr Rice Institute at Badeggi, we developed various varieties of rice suitable for each ecological zone of Nigeria as well as wetland and upland varieties. Our biggest ―coup‖ was to have dam situated in Goronyo under the Fadama project. Those of us involved were determined to remove all the obstacles in the way of making Nigeria self-sufficient in rice.At first our greatest enemies, it turned out, were a small band of Nigerians, smugglers, aided by the rest of our Fellow Countrymen, especially those in uniform called CUSTOMS SERVICE. For private gain, they virtually rendered government policy impossible to implement.But, just as the investors in the sector were making headway and expanding paddy production, the Federal government changed policy by, first approving rice import quotas to selected firms. The problem with this was soon clear to the investors. We were suddenly faced with competition from two sources – smugglers and those with import licences. Unfortunately for Nigeria, and us, the limits on the quota licences were not strictly enforced.By 1990, the country was once again flooded with cheaper imported rice with which local millers could not compete. HASKE was in the midst of finding solutions to these problems when our Daddy died and, as new head of family, I had to resign and move to Lagos.

But, I still followed the trend of events as they unfolded. HASKE closed its gates about four months after my departure.Similat mills at Makurdi and Badeggi soon followed. Since the three were the biggest millers, it was only a matter of time before others stopped. When the Jonathan administration embarked on the implementation of its rice policy, prodded by De Adesina, the

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former Minster of Agriculture, now President of African Development Bank, they traveled down the familiar road – which had left us starting afresh every time another government announces its own ―Rice Policy‖.

Invariably, the government receives applause from those who are actually waiting to subvert it knowing it would create an initial scarcity; and also knowing that Nigerians are impatient for results. Just as certain, when the predictable scarcity emerges, smugglers, CUSTOMS, and those close to the seat of power request for import quota. That inevitably kills the rice policy. We are now repeating the same mistakes made in the past and because of this Nigeria will never become self-sufficient in rice. One of the greatest fortunes in Nigeria and the world, today, was built on quota licences granted to an individual for rice and sugar…. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/11/reversal-of-rice-import-prohibition-and-its-consequences/

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-November 02 Mon Nov 2, 2015 2:20pm IST

Nagpur, Nov 2 Gram prices today firmed up again in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on increased buying support from local millers amid weak supplyfrom producing regions. Fresh rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh soyabean prices and reported demand from South-based millers also jacked up prices, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady here on subdued demand from local traders because of higher prices.

TUAR * Tuar gavarani recovered in open market on increased festival season demand from local trader amid weak supply from producing regions. * Wheat mill quality jacked up in open market on good seassonal demand from local traders amid weak arrival from producing belts. * In Akola, Tuar - 11,500-11,800, Tuar dal - 18,200-18,400, Udid 12,900-13,300, Udid Mogar (clean) - 15,900-16,500, Moong 11,000-11,200, Moong Mogar (clean) 12,100-12,400, Gram - 4,700-4,900, Gram Super best bold - 6,400-6,700 for 100 kg. * Other varieties of wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in weak trading activity.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

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FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 3,950-4,700 3,920-4,600 Gram Pink Auction n.a.

2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a.

7,800-9,200 Moong Auction n.a.

6,000-6,400 Udid Auction n.a.

4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a.

2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 6,400-6,800 6,400-6,800 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a.

Gram Medium Best 6,100-6,300 6,100-6,300 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,000-5,300 5,000-5,300 Desi gram Raw 4,950-5,050 4,900-5,000 Gram Filter new 5,700-6,000 5,700-6,000 Gram Kabuli 5,800-7,100 5,800-7,100 Gram Pink 6,200-7,000 6,200-7,000 Tuar Fataka Best 18,000-18,500 18,000-18,500 Tuar Fataka Medium 17,000-17,300 17,000-17,300 Tuar Dal Best Phod 16,500-17,000 16,500-17,000 Tuar Dal Medium phod 15,500-15,900 15,500-15,900 Tuar Gavarani New 11,900-12,500 11,800-12,400 Tuar Karnataka 12,900-13,100 12,900-13,100 Tuar Black 18,800-19,300 18,800-19,300 Masoor dal best 8,600-8,800 8,600-8,800 Masoor dal medium 8,300-8,500 8,300-8,500 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold 12,200-12,500 12,200-12,500 Moong Mogar Med 11,500-11,700 11,500-11,700 Moong dal Chilka 9,500-10,100 9,500-10,100 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 9,000-10,000 9,000-10,000 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 17,500-18,000 17,500-18,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 15,000-16,000 15,000-16,000 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 10,900-11,600 10,900-11,600 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,600-5,900 5,600-5,900 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 4,300-4,500 4,300-4,500 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,400 3,200-3,400 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,300-3,600 3,300-3,600 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,700 1,450-1,650 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,550-1,750 1,550-1,750 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,650 2,500-2,650 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,400 2,300-2,400 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800

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MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,700-3,100 2,700-3,100 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,400 3,000-3,400 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,800 3,400-3,800 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,300 3,100-3,300 Rice HMT Shriram best(100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,600 4,200-4,600 Rice HMT Shriram med.(100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,100 3,600-4,100 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-10,000 8,000-10,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Rice Chinnor best(100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,400 5,200-5,500 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 4,600-5,000 4,700-5,000 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,900 1,700-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 30.7 degree Celsius (87.3 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.

20.3 degree Celsius (68.5 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.

Rainfall : n.a.

FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night.

Maximumand minimum temperature would be around and 32 and 21 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.) http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/11/02/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N12X3B320151102

Farm Bureau Market Report 11/02/2015 Rice High Low Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -

Futures:

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by Riceplus Magazine ROUGH RICE High Low

Last Change

Nov '15 1200.0 1177.0 1188.5 +27.5 Jan '16 1230.0 1193.5 1217.0 +27.5 Mar '16 1254.0 1225.5 1243.0 +27.0 1268.5 +27.0

May '16

Jul '16 1275.0 1275.0 1292.0 +30.5 Sep '16

1253.5 +29.5

Nov '16

1253.5 +29.5

Rice Comment Rice futures gapped higher today. Global production problems have helped support the market since the summer. Traders will begin rolling out of November contracts soon to avoid delivery as the contract expires. January completed a 62% retracement on Thursday to $11.55 and has bounced off support at that level.

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

---

Long Grain New Crop - - -

---

Futures:

High Nov '15 1200.0

Low

Last

Change

1177.0

1188.5

+27.5

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Rice E-Newsletter

by Riceplus Magazine Jan '16 1230.0

1193.5

1217.0

+27.5

Mar '16 1254.0

1225.5

1243.0

+27.0

1268.5

+27.0

1292.0

+30.5

Sep '16

1253.5

+29.5

Nov '16

1253.5

+29.5

May '16 Jul '16 1275.0

1275.0

Rice Comment Rice futures gapped higher today. Global production problems have helped support the market since the summer. Traders will begin rolling out of November contracts soon to avoid delivery as the contract expires. January completed a 62% retracement on Thursday to $11.55 and has bounced off support at that level. http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for November 2 Month

Price

Net Change

November 2015

$11.885

+ $0.275

January 2016

$12.170

+ $0.275

March 2016

$12.430

+ $0.270

May 2016

$12.685

+ $0.270

July 2016

$12.920

+ $0.305

September 2016

$12.535

+ $0.295

November 2016

$12.535

+ $0.295

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Rice E-Newsletter

by Riceplus Magazine

USA Rice and Partners in Mexico Refine Promotions MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- Last week, USA Rice Gluten free in any language conducted its second annual Advisory Board meeting with 30 participants and partners to discuss USA Rice activities in Mexico and ideas for successful future implementation. Participants included representatives of the rice trade, supermarket chains, press, publishing companies, restaurants, culinary schools, private organizations, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Trade Office in Mexico City.

"USA Rice does a lot for our institutions," said Marco Mendez, chef at the Dijon Culinary School. "We stand ready to help promote U.S.-grown rice in the foodservice sector, so these planning sessions are quite helpful."USA Rice has worked with more than 70 culinary schools over the past several years as a means of strategically building a network of U.S. rice ambassadors. Many of the students who had previously participated in USA Rice activities are now in decision-making positions in other culinary schools, restaurants, and hotels throughout Mexico and are continuing to promote rice in their sector.During the meeting, USA Rice also shared two recently produced promotional videos that are online and available for partners to use.

The first, "Arroz Saludable" ("Healthy Rice"), discusses the nutritional benefits of rice and clarifies negative myths about rice, including that rice is fattening and not nutritious. The second video is

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by Riceplus Magazine

venturing into a new area here - gluten free. "Arroz Libre Gluten" ("Rice is Gluten Free") explains the little understood conditions of gluten allergies and celiac disease."Everyone appreciated the concise, informative nature of the videos and requested copies to have at their institutions," said Gaby Carbajal, the USA Rice contractor in Mexico, who attended the meeting. "There was also interest in creating new materials and posters about gluten free living to be displayed in the rice aisle at supermarkets, and USA Rice has committed to developing these materials.

"Carbajal added, "We got a lot of good feedback at this meeting on the effectiveness of our promotions program. It's a great way to connect with stakeholders and share up-to-date information, and we plan to continue to hold these meetings on an annual basis."

Contact: Sarah Moran (703) 236-1457

Arroz con camarones Laly Paredes and Cristina Blackman | Oct 30, 2015

A coastal Ecuadorian dish usually served with sliced avocados or fried plantains and cold drinks

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by Riceplus Magazine

Arroz con camarones, is a coastal Ecuadorian dish usually served with sliced avocados or fried plantains and cold drinks. (Photo: Isagani Serrano/IRRI) This dish has been prepared for generations on both sides of my family. My maternal grandmother, Angeles Montesdeoca Cordero, loved seafood and learned to make it during the many summers she spent at her uncle‘s house in Manabí, Ecuador. My mother, Laly Paredes, cooked this dish regularly for my siblings and me growing up in Cuenca. I am just learning to cook and perfect it myself so that one day my daughter, Eva Kay, can share it with her own kids.

That‘s tradition!

Ingredients 

1 kg raw shrimps, shelled and deveined. (Set aside the heads for homemade shrimp broth.)



2 tsp cumin 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp mustard 2 tbsp canola oil 2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice 3 cups chicken broth or shrimp stock (or 1.5 cups of each) 3 tbsp butter 1 red onion, thinly diced 1 red or green bell pepper, diced 2 large tomatoes, peeled and diced 3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped 1 tsp achiote (achuete or annatto) ½ cup white wine salt and pepper to taste

            

Cristina enjoys being a wife and a mom and loves to cook for her family and friends. She attributes her knowledge of Ecuadorian cuisine to her mother, Laly Paredes. Cristina spends her free time working out in the gym. She also finds time to nurture her interest in spirituality, psychology, and marriage counseling. She aims to contribute to IRRI and the Los Baños community to which she now belongs. From Louisiana, USA, Cristina has joined her husband, Bryce Blackman, an agronomy extension and training specialist at IRRI. (Photo: Isagani Serrano/IRRI) Directions 1. Marinate the shrimps with salt, pepper, mustard, 1 tsp cumin, and half of the minced garlic. Let this rest for an hour.

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2. Bring water to boil in a large pot, add about 7 shrimp heads, and boil for 7 minutes.

3. Remove the shrimp heads from the water and reserve 3 cups of the water they cooked in to prepare the rice.

4. If you lack time, you could skip this step and cook the rice with 3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth.

5. Heat the oil in a large pot and add the remainder of the minced garlic. Cook for 2–3 minutes on medium heat.

6. Add the rice to the garlic and oil. Mix until the rice is coated with oil and the color turns off-white (5–10 minutes).

7. Add the 3 cups of chicken broth or shrimp stock to the rice, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low until the rice is cooked.

8. Melt the butter and achiote over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and 1 tsp of cumin. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

9. Add the white wine to the vegetable mix and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, until the onions and the bell pepper are tender.

10. Mix in marinated shrimps for about 3 minutes or until cooked. Make sure you don‘t overcook the shrimps.

11. Add the sautéed shrimps and vegetables to the cooked rice and mix well. Keep on low heat.

12. Mix in cilantro.

13. Add salt and pepper to taste.

14. Serve with fried plantains or avocado slices.

Serves 6–8 persons. Enjoy! http://ricetoday.irri.org/arroz-con-camarones

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