30th october,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine by DAILY RICE NEWS LETTER

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine www.ricepluss.com

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

30th October, 2014

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Govt to make fresh Golden Rice production bid Government’s rice subsidies benefit foreign buyers only: survey South Korea buys 9,742 T of rice for January Researchers are cream of the crop GOV. RICK SNYDER SAYS ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY SURPASSES $100 BILLION GOAL Thailand regaining rice crown Erich Parpart and Petchanet Pratruangkrai Government’s rice subsidies benefit foreign buyers only: survey Cambodia rice yields lowest Concerns Grow Over Severe Slump in Rice Prices Nepal imported rice worth Rs 2.66 billion from India Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 30 Rice extends losses after drop to 4-year low on ample supply Crop forecasting system How Sick Chickens and Rice Led Scientists to Vitamin B1 Odisha Government decides to keep default rice millers out of paddy procurement Telangana farmers eye AP millers for high prices USDA Holds 2014 Farm Bill Listening Section WTO Rules U.S. Is Anything But COOL Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported Cheap Sushi May Be the California Drought’s Next Victim Japan aims to fill bigger share of global rice bowl Conserving diversity, conserving options

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine News Detail…. Govt to make fresh Golden Rice production bid Abu Bakar Siddique The move to obtain fresh permission comes as officials were not satisfied with the results of the previous trial The government has again planned to produce a rice variety which is rich in vitamin A, after the first move failed to yield satisfactory results. The variety is known as Golden Rice.Jibon Krisna Biswas, director general of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), told the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday that permission had already been sought from the National Committee on Biosafety to import the genetically modified rice seed from IRRI.―BRRI is trying to obtain the permission for the second time as we were not satisfied with the first trial,‖ he added. In 2003, the government and the International Rice Research Institute inked a deal to produce Golden Rice in Bangladesh by modifying the gene of the country‘s most popular Boro variety BRRI 29. The government imported two grams of seed from IRRI in 2005. ―We can initiate the greenhouse trial of the seed by January next year, provided the permission is obtained in time,‖ the BRRI DG said, adding that the same amount of seed would be imported again.Crop varieties like Golden Rice, Bt brinjal and potatoes are transgenic crops, and need special approval from the bio-safety authorities for use in research, including field trials.

Solaiman Haider, deputy director of the Department of Environment and member secretary of the National Committee on Biosafety, told the Dhaka Tribune that the application would be granted soon. Golden Rice is reportedly capable of overcoming Vitamin A deficiency in pregnant mothers and children. The gene of the variety is extracted from a gene of maize that gives the rice grain a bright yellow colour – hence the name Golden Rice. Jibon Krisna Biswas said producing the final seed for distribution among farmers would take another five years because of the number of processes involved, including greenhouse trial, confined laboratory trial and restricted field trial.Similar researches and procedures to produce the variety are going on in the Philippines and Indonesia. The objective to produce genetically modified crop varieties is to improve crop protection mechanism by introducing resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards the use of herbicides. In October last year, the released four varieties of modified brinjals – Bt Uttara, Noyontara and Bt Isd 006 condition of cultivating the limited scale.

government genetically Bt Kajla, Bt – with the crops on a

Of the varieties, Bt Uttara was released in Rajshahi, Bt Kajla in Barisal, Bt Noyontara in Rangpur and Dhaka, and Bt Isd 006 in Pabna and Chittagong in compliance with bio-safety guidelines.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Government’s rice subsidies benefit foreign buyers only: survey VietNamNet Bridge – The policy on rice subsidy does not benefit Vietnamese farmers and consumers, as rice export prices are even lower than domestic prices.

Thanh also pointed out that there were problems existing in the current policies related to rice production and export. The subsidies have led to overproduction of medium- and low-quality rice and to exports that are sold at low prices. Meanwhile, the policy on the rice floor price does not bring stable profits to farmers, but discourages them to grow high-quality rice varieties. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, the most renowned rice expert in Vietnam, believes that Vietnamese rice products have been undervalued by export companies, which offer low prices in order to compete with Thai exporters. The problem is that the prices do not reflect the true production costs.Xuan said the State has to pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year for irrigation works, but the expenses are not counted when calculating rice production costs.

A research team from the Agriculture Alliance has released a report which shows that subsidies benefit importers and foreign buyers, but not Vietnamese consumers or rice producers.Dr. Nguyen Duc Thanh from the Hanoi National University, the head of the research team, said that some links in the rice production chain had been supported by the State, including irrigation or infrastructure. As such, when Vietnam exports rice, it unintentionally subsidizes foreign consumers. ―The tax policies are designed to support irrigation and infrastructure systems. The financial support is not counted when calculating the rice prices,‖ Thanh said.―If rice is consumed domestically, the support will be given back to taxpayers. However, we cannot take back support from exports,‖ he said.

He said the low prices on exports caused farmers losses, but also placed high risks for Vietnamese enterprises. Sources said that Vietnam‘s rice, like other seafood products, could face a lawsuit in the US because the rice is sold at low prices in the market. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc De from Can Tho University said that export prices are much lower than domestic prices.―The problem is that if Vietnam does not make rice exports a priority, the domestic market would not be able to consume the entire annual rice output,‖ De said.The gap between domestic and export prices is due to an unreasonable taxation scheme. While the enterprises that distribute rice in the domestic market bear a VAT of 5 percent, export companies don‘t have to pay the tax. He has suggested removing the VAT on domestic rice distribution in order to create a level playing ground for both domestic distributors and exporters.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine However, opinions about the subsidies vary. Nguyen Hung Linh, chair of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), denied that the Vietnamese government was subsidizing the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s rice consumers. Linh said that Vietnam could not control rice prices in the global market and could not unilaterally establish export prices, adding that the prices are based on supply and demand.

Researchers are cream of the crop 30 October 2014

Graeme Hammer

Thanh Mai Tags:rice subsidies

South Korea buys 9,742 T of rice for January Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:16am GMT

SEOUL, Oct 30 (Reuters) - South Korea bought 9,742 tonnes of non-glutinous rice from China for January arrival via a tender closed on Oct. 29, the state-run Korea AgroFisheries & Food Trade said on its website (www.at.or.kr). Details are as follows: TONNES GRAIN TYPE SUPPLIER Price($/T) PORT 9,742 Brown Short Daewoo Int'l $898 Incheon (Japonica) Tenders for the remaining ones issued on the same day will be held at a later date after sample inspection. * Note: The agency sought U.S. No.3 for the rice product. (Reporting By Kahyun Yang; Editing by Sunil Nair)

University of Queensland researchers will play a key role in the Queensland node of the $22 million Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis. The new centre will explore how changes to photosynthesis can increase the yield of important staple crops such as sorghum. The photosynthetic process varies among species and within locally adapted crop populations, which suggests some plants have evolved novel ways of converting sunlight into energy and processing carbon. Key role for UQ in new ARC centre The UQ research component will include major projects on photosynthetic variation in sorghum and mathematical modelling of photosynthesis. A UQ project investigating the mechanisms and genes regulating photosynthetic performance in sorghum will be led by Associate Professor David Jordan,

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine while research on developing a dynamic crop model linking leaf function and field performance will be led by Graeme Hammer (pictured). "In collaboration with participants from ANU and CSIRO, we will be linking a model of a leaf's photosynthetic biochemistry to canopy growth and crop yield models for major cereals," Professor Hammer said. The centre will bring together world leaders in photosynthesis research from six institutions: UQ, the Australian National University, the University of Sydney, the University of Western Sydney, CSIRO and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. Chief Executive of the Australian Research Council, Aidan Byrne said one of the key features of the ARC Centres of Excellence scheme, in addition to long-term funding, was that it allowed relationships to be built nationally and internationally between universities and industry. "This is an important research program at a time when there is unprecedented demand on food supply and food security," he said.

GOV. RICK SNYDER SAYS ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY SURPASSES $100 BILLION GOAL Agency: Agriculture and Rural Development

MSU Product Center estimate shows impact now at $101.2 billion

For immediate release: October 29, 2014 Media Contact: Contacts: Sara Wurfel, wurfels@michigan.gov or Dave Murray, murrayd1@michigan.gov, 517-3356397 Jennifer Holton, 517-284-5724 or holtonj@michigan.gov LANSING, Mich. –Gov. Rick Snyder today announced that Michigan‘s food and agriculture system has surpassed its economic impact goal of $100 billion. According to an interim estimate by the Michigan State University Product Center, Michigan‘s agri-food system has reached a total annual economic impact of $101.2 billion. (Infographic below) Snyder has continually encouraged the industry to set its sights on topping the $100 billion mark. ―Michigan‘s food and agriculture businesses have helped lay the foundation for our economic turnaround,‖ Snyder said. ―They recognize the value of investing in their communities and creating hometown jobs. Let‘s keep this great momentum going. The future is exciting for this dynamic industry.‖―We are known for crop diversity as well as safe, high-quality products to meet growing global consumer demand. Michigan is well-poised to see increased development in the food and ag arena,‖ said Jamie Clover Adams, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. ―It‘s a great time to be in food and agriculture. We are innovators, and the possibilities for career opportunities, new business creation and expansion are bountiful.‖ The study was first conducted in 2006 using 2004 data. Then, the food and agriculture system was determined to be valued at $60.1 billion. An interim estimate in 2009 showed

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine an increase in value to $71.3 billion. In 2012, the study highlighted more growth, pegging it at $91.4 billion. The newest estimate shows the food and agriculture system continues on a consistent growth trend. Chris Peterson, director of the MSU Product Center and the study‘s lead investigator, said strong commodity and food prices, along with growing domestic and global demand, help drive the increase.―The study includes direct and multiplier effects of numerous aspects of the agri-food system,‖ he explained. ―The impact of production agriculture alone is nearly $13.6 billion, or 13.4 percent of the overall total.‖ The MSU Product Center produced the interim estimate at the request of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The last full report was issued in 2012 using 2010 data. Data from 2015 will be used to generate the next full report in 2017.―Data from several different sources are used to create this report,‖ Peterson said. Unfortunately, full data sets are only available every five years.‖ The MSU Product Center provides coordinated, university-wide assistance to help Michigan entrepreneurs develop and commercialize high-value, consumer– responsive products and businesses in the agriculture, food, natural resources and bioprocessing sectors.

Thailand regaining rice crown Erich Parpart and Petchanet Pratruangkrai

Publication Date : 29 -10-2014

Thailand is set to regain its crown as the world's No-1 rice exporter, but the consequences of the populist pledging policy of the previous government are still hampering the recovery of the sector, the country's leading exporter of parboiled rice told a major international conference yesterday.Vichai Sriprasert, president of Riceland International, cited a shortage of dock workers and relatively high export prices - due to too many millers competing for supply from farmers - as problems holding back the industry's return to its full export potential.

Speaking at the three-day "Global Rice Market and Trade Summit", arranged by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Bangkok, he said the rice-pledging scheme had left the country with 18 million tonnes of stockpiled rice, which must either be exported or consumed domestically before it turned rotten. However, the current shortage of stevedores, resulting from a lower volume of rice exports when the costly scheme was still in effect, has contributed to recent port delays, he told delegates. Vichai expects the Kingdom to ship around 10 million-12 million tonnes of rice this year, which would make it the world's biggest exporter of the grain once again, but overseas shipments could be even higher - but for the shortage of dock workers.Last month alone, shipments of around 500,000 tonnes were delayed, mainly due to this factor, he added.

The Nation "Thai rice is selling like crazy since we regained

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine our price competitiveness, but we cannot deliver to [meet] demand because of the sins committed by the previous government in the past two to three years," he said."We have exported 30-40 per cent less than what we can, due to the rice-pledging scheme, and this has led to a shortage of stevedores, many of whom previously fled the industry due to a lack of jobs - and this problem has resulted in a bottleneck for the export of rice at the moment," he said. Meanwhile, Vichai said the price of Thai rice, which was now cheaper than that of Vietnam, was still higher than what it should be due to millers increasingly competing for supply.This has been caused by the same populist policy, as more millers entered the market during the period when the "disastrous" subsidy scheme was implemented, he explained. He said the number of millers had increased over the past two to three years as they had been able to profit from and take advantage of the corruption that surrounded the "pricedistortion scheme", and now there were three times more millers than needed for the overall supply of rice.

added. India produced 106 million tonnes of rice last year, and normally exports around 10 million tonnes per year. While the export amount is expected to be in this region this year, it could fall to around 7-8 million tonnes in 2015, since Thailand is going to find a way to offload its 18 million tonnes of overstock, said Mohanty. Meanwhile, the effect of the Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will have damaged India's rice exports more than Thailand's, since India supplies 70 per cent of the 900,000 tonnes imported annually by the three countries, The Commerce Ministry's third auction for 207,000 tonnes of rice attracted many traders offering good prices, encouraging the ministry to continue with the fourth bidding next month.

Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rice subsidies benefit foreign buyers only: survey VietNamNet Bridge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The policy on rice subsidy does not benefit Vietnamese farmers and consumers, as rice export prices are even lower than domestic prices.

In other news, Samarendu Mohanty, head of the Social Sciences Division at the IRRI, told the summit that cyclone Hudhud had damaged around 500,000 hectares of rice fields in India and that this, along with other effects from drought and flood problems in the previous growing season, had lowered the country's rice production to about 100 million tonnes this year. India is also likely to export less next year, due to the expected increase in competition from Thailand, he Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine A research team from the Agriculture Alliance has released a report which shows that subsidies benefit importers and foreign buyers, but not Vietnamese consumers or rice producers.Dr. Nguyen Duc Thanh from the Hanoi National University, the head of the research team, said that some links in the rice production chain had been supported by the State, including irrigation or infrastructure.As such, when Vietnam exports rice, it unintentionally subsidizes foreign consumers.―The tax policies are designed to support irrigation and infrastructure systems. The financial support is not counted when calculating the rice prices,‖ Thanh said. ―If rice is consumed domestically, the support will be given back to taxpayers. However, we cannot take back support from exports,‖ he said.Thanh also pointed out that there were problems existing in the current policies related to rice production and export.The subsidies have led to overproduction of medium- and low-quality rice and to exports that are sold at low prices.Meanwhile, the policy on the rice floor price does not bring stable profits to farmers, but discourages them to grow highquality rice varieties. Dr. Vo Tong Xuan, the most renowned rice expert in Vietnam, believes that Vietnamese rice products have been undervalued by export companies, which offer low prices in order to compete with Thai exporters.The problem is that the prices do not reflect the true production costs.Xuan said the State has to pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year for irrigation works, but the expenses are not counted when calculating rice production costs. He said the low prices on exports caused farmers losses, but also placed high risks for Vietnamese enterprises.

Sources said that Vietnam‘s rice, like other seafood products, could face a lawsuit in the US because the rice is sold at low prices in the market.Dr. Nguyen Ngoc De from Can Tho University said that export prices are much lower than domestic prices.―The problem is that if Vietnam does not make rice exports a priority, the domestic market would not be able to consume the entire annual rice output,‖ De said. The gap between domestic and export prices is due to an unreasonable taxation scheme. While the enterprises that distribute rice in the domestic market bear a VAT of 5 percent, export companies don‘t have to pay the tax.He has suggested removing the VAT on domestic rice distribution in order to create a level playing ground for both domestic distributors and exporters.However, opinions about the subsidies vary. Nguyen Hung Linh, chair of the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), denied that the Vietnamese government was subsidizing the world‘s rice consumers. Linh said that Vietnam could not control rice prices in the global market and could not unilaterally establish export prices, adding that the prices are based on supply and demand. Thanh M Tags:rice subsidies,

Cambodia rice yields lowest Thu, 30 October 2014 Chan Muyhong

Cambodia's rice industry remains hindered by the size of cultivation land and an absence of domestic milling facilities as well as irrigation, according to an Asia

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Development Bank (ADB) report launched this week.The ADB‘s study, released Tuesday and titled Improving Rice Production and Commercialization in Cambodia, states that Cambodia‘s average rice yield ranks the lowest among almost all Southeast Asian nations. Cambodian rice yields currently stand at 3.3 tonnes per hectare, according to the report, which took into account survey results from 750 households across 18 communes in Battambang, Kampong Thom and Takeo provinces.Meanwhile, Vietnam produces around 6.2 tonnes per hectare, Indonesia produces about 5.7 tonnes, the Philippines 4.3 tonnes, Laos 4.1 tonnes, and Thailand 3.5 tonnes per hectare. ―Area cultivated by farm/farm size is [the] most important determinant of improved production and commercialization,‖ the report, which was presented in Phnom Penh by ADB country director Eric Sidgwick on Tuesday, states.

raised. We cannot solve all the problems at once,‖ Hean Vann Horn, deputy director general of the General Directorate of Agriculture, said yesterday. ―But the government has been focusing on a more long term action plan, of which increasing rice production has been prioritised, followed by paddy collection and processing, simplified rice exporting processes and finally market planning,‖ Horn reasoned. Horn said that the foremost challenge for the industry is the lack of capital for exporters to stock paddy rice. As a direct consequence, paddy flows to neighbouring countries more rapidly as farmers scramble for finances during the harvest. According to the ADB report, 44 per cent of respondents said they had no access to irrigation systems. Meanwhile, only 14 per cent said they had access to high-yield rice seeds and only five per cent said they were aware of regional and even domestic market prices. Srey Chanthy, independent economist, said the ADB report‘s findings were not surprising and represent the same issues that have been plaguing Cambodia‘s rice industry for almost two decades.

The study concludes that agricultural productivity in Cambodia would increase with strengthened land titling and skills development efforts from the Cambodian government, and improved access to finance, which in turn could prompt investment in irrigation and domestic milling.―In our meeting just last week with the private sector, the same issues have been

―If we thought we had all the answers, then why is the issue still there? We have to ask how policy is being implemented,‖ Chanthy said, adding that little domestic revenue is spent on strengthening the agriculture sector. Chanthy said improving knowledge and skills in farming should be the first priority for the Cambodian government. He called for commercial banks and microfinance institutions to increase the amount of credit available to the fledgling industry from an

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine estimated $800 million to more than $1 billion. Image:A rice farmer in Kandal province in March. An Asian Development Bank report has found that Cambodia‘s rice industry remains hindered by the size of cultivation land and an absence of domestic milling facilities as well as irrigation. Hong Menea

Concerns Grow Over Severe Slump in Rice Prices By KYAW HSU MON / THE IRRAWADDY| Thursday, October 30, 2014 A farmer plows fields in Dala Township, Rangoon Division. (Photo: The Irrawaddy) RANGO ON — Rice prices and exports have experienc ed a sharp drop this year as a result of a tightening of import restrictions by China, Myanmar Rice Federation Chairman Chit Khaing said on Thursday.The slump in rice prices comes ahead of the start of the main rice harvest season and could have a serious impact on the livelihood of Burma‘s farmers, already among the country‘s poorest groups.Chit Khaing said prices currently stood at about US$330 per 100 baskets of paddy (about 1,500 kilogram), down from about $400 per 100 baskets last year.

―Due to this big drop in prices a lot of farmers will face problems,‖ he said, adding that a tightening of Chinese border controls on the quality of Burmese rice and a crackdown on the smuggling of rice had caused the drop in demand and prices. ―At the same time, Thailand is increasing its rice sales on the international market too, that‘s why paddy prices here keep falling,‖ he said, adding that domestic rice demand had already been met.Until now, China had been buying up more than half of all Burma‘s annual rice export, with much of the low quality paddy produced in the Irrawaddy Delta and central regions flowing across the Burma-China border with few border checks and through smuggling routes. This year, however, China has taken steps to legalize and control its import of Burmese rice, demanding that an trade agreement be signed that guarantees that most rice is milled and meets certain quality and hygienic requirements, so-called sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards. Chit Khaing said Naypyidaw and Beijing are discussing a bilateral agreement on SPS standards that would allow the Myanmar Rice Federation to legally export some 200,000 tons of milled rice to China.Earlier this month, the federation reached an agreement with Indian rice traders to supply two states in Northeastern India with 20,000 tons of rice per month sold at $400 per ton, but Burmese traders will have to arrange the costly transport to the Burma-India border. Burma‘s rice exports had been slowly increasing after President Thein Sein‘s

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine government in 2011 began to prioritize agriculture and set a rice export goal of 4 million tons by 2020. But last year exports began to dip, a trend that is continuing this year. According to the Myanmar Rice Exporters Association, total rice exports in 2013-2014 stood at about 1.2 million tons, down from 1.47 million tons the year before.Chit Khaing, who also owns Eden Group conglomerate with interests in construction, banking, hotels and tourism, did not provide a detailed figure for the volume of the rice exports so far. Burma‘s main rice harvest season is due to start in November and will continue until late December. The agriculture sector is the country‘s largest employer and 70 percent of all Burmese live in rural areas.Chit Khaing said the government and the federation were taking steps to try to boost rice demand and shield farmers from the impact.He said the federation would seek government and private sector help so that farmers could store rice in warehouses until prices rise and in the meantime take out a loan with their rice stocks serving as collateral.―We‘re going to discuss with farmers, traders and exporters this week how to increase paddy prices,‖ Chit Khaing said, adding that the Burma Army would also buy up a significant amount rice to feed its troops this month. ―We believe that we can solve this problem soon,‖ he said, adding that in 2012-2013 rice prices had dropped even lower to $270 per 100 baskets.Kyaw Naing Oo, a farmer who owns 15 acres of paddy in Pegu Division‘s Tharrawaddy Township, said, however, that farmers in the region were deeply concerned

over the drop in rice prices and many feared they would not be able to repay their loans this year and sink into debt.―Prices had reached up to 450,000 kyats [$450] per 100 baskets last year. At that time, we guessed we could get good prices easily, but this year we have no hope,‖ he said.Kyaw Naing Oo said farmers spent between $150 and $200 per acre to prepare for a rice harvest, but were now offered farm gate prices by brokers of between $200 and $250, meaning many would earn only a small amount of cash this year. Kyaw Naing Oo had little hope that a SPS agreement between Burma and China would help the farmers, as he heard reports that one large local company would be granted the license to control all export to China and so could dictate low rice prices to supplying farmers. Paddy yields in Burma are among the lowest in Southeast Asia at 2.5 metric tons per hectare and most rice mills used outdated machinery that produces rice with a high percentage of broken grains, making it unsuitable for high-value foreign export markets such as the European Union and Japan.A World Bank report in June said the government would need to take a range of measures to improve the quality of rice through investments in rice mills, while it

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine should also reduce transport costs and formulate policies to support rice export and agricultural production. Related Posts:

Nepal imported rice worth Rs 2.66 billion from India KATHMANDU, OCT 30 - Rice imports from India rose 127.5 percent to Rs 2.66 billion in the first two months of the fiscal year 2014-15.Despite a rise in paddy production in the country, rice imports from the southern neighbour have not come down. In 2013-14, the country imported rice worth Rs 12.37 billion, a rise of 46.4 percent year-on-year, according to the Nepal Rastra Bank.Paddy production in the country rose 12 percent last fiscal year, while maize production increased 10 percent. When it comes the entire cereal imports, the country imported the products worth Rs28.62 billion last fiscal year, according to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC).Increased dependence on imported products has ballooned the country‘s trade deficit to Rs 111.92 billion as of the second month of the fiscal year, according to the NRB. At the end of the last fiscal year, the trade deficit was at Rs 618.46 billion. Traders and local mill operators attributed the rise in rice imports to comparatively cheaper price of the Indian product. ―Paddy production is not increasing in line with the population growth and farmers are turning to cash crops,‖ said Chandra Krishna Karmacharya, president of the Association of Nepal Rice, Pulses and Oil Industries.

―That is why we are becoming dependent on imports.‖ He added the Nepali rice industry is facing stiff competition from Indian rice as the production cost in India is lower due to government subsidies. Besides, Nepali farmers are facing problems related to irrigation, labour and load-shedding. Normal Indian Jeera Masino rice is available at Rs 1,400 per 25-kg pack in the domestic market, but the same type of Nepali rice costs Rs1,450-1,500, according to traders. ―In India, farmers get subsidy on seeds and fertilisers at larger scales. That‘s why Indian farmers can afford to sell their products at cheaper prices, making the Nepali production uncompetitive,‖ said Karmacharya. Due to insufficient rain, floods and landslide, domestic paddy production may be hit hard this year, experts say. Sudhir Kumar Roonja, manager of Om Agro Products, said although the government has hiked the import duty on agriculture products to 8 percent from 5 percent, the move is not sufficient.―The rising import of agriculture products like rice, pulses and oil has been a very serious issue, so the government should further increase the agriculture service tax and encourage commercial farming in the country,‖ he said, adding the government has to focus on other winter crops like wheat, buckwheat, barley and millet as substitute food products. Posted on: 2014-10-30 08:07

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 30

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Thu Oct 30, 2014 2:28pm IST Nagpur, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Gram prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) reported higher on renewed demand from local millers amid tight supply from producing regions. Fresh rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and enquiries from South-based millers also helped to push up prices, according to sources. *

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market on poor demand from local traders amid ample stock in ready position. TUAR * Tuar fataka best and medium varieties reported down in open market in absence of buyers amid good supply from millers. Reports about increased overseas arrival also pushed down prices. * Watana varieties firmed up in open market on good festival season demand from local traders amid tight supply from producing regions. * In Akola, Tuar - 4,600-4,700, Tuar dal 7,100-7,400, Udid at 7,000-7,200, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,800-8,100, Moong 6,900-7,300, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,300-9,000, Gram - 2,600-2,800, Gram Super best bold - 3,600-3,900 for 100 kg. * Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading activity, according to sources. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Previous close Gram Auction 2,400-2,740

Available prices 2,430-2,830

Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,1002,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,9504,200 Moong Auction n.a. 5,200-5,500 Udid Auction n.a. 4,3004,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,6002,800 Gram Super Best Bold 3,850-4,200 3,850-4,200 Gram Super Best n.a. Gram Medium Best 3,650-3,750 3,650-3,750 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a. Gram Mill Quality 3,450-3,550 3,450-3,550 Desi gram Raw 2,850-2,900 2,850-2,900 Gram Filter new 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600 Gram Kabuli 8,500-9,800 8,500-9,800 Gram Pink 7,200-7,400 7,2007,400 Tuar Fataka Best 7,300-7,500 7,400-7,600 Tuar Fataka Medium 7,050-7,150 7,150-7,250 Tuar Dal Best Phod 7,150-7,250 7,150-7,250 Tuar Dal Medium phod 6,850-7,050 6,850-7,050 Tuar Gavarani 5,150-5,250 5,150-5,250 Tuar Karnataka 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600 Tuar Black 8,300-8,600 8,300-8,600 Masoor dal best 6,700-6,800 6,700-6,800 Masoor dal medium 6,500-6,600 6,500-6,600 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold 9,500-9,800 9,500-9,800 Moong Mogar Medium best 8,500-9,000 8,500-9,000 Moong dal super best 8,000-8,400 8,000-8,400

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Moong dal Chilka 7,600-7,900 7,600-7,900 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 7,500-8,800 7,500-8,800 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,500 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,0007,500 7,000-7,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 6,3006,800 6,300-6,800 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,800 4,200-4,800 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,900-3,100 2,900-3,100 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,250-3,400 3,200-3,400 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,3003,400 3,250-3,350 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,5005,200 4,400-5,200 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,500 1,200-1,500 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,6501,700 1,650-1,700 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,400 1,200-1,400 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,1002,350 2,100-2,350 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,800-2,000 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 2,8003,200 2,800-3,200 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 1,9502,350 1,950-2,350 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,300 1,200-1,300 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,800 1,500-1,800 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 3,0003,500 3,000-3,500 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,900 1,700-1,900 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,3002,600 2,300-2,600 Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 4,0004,400 4,000-4,400 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,8005,800 4,800-5,800

Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,20013,300 10,200-13,300 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,200-9,800 7,200-9,800 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,700 5,200-5,700 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,3001,500 1,400-1,600 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 32.6 degree Celsius (90.7 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp. 16.1 degree Celsius (60.9 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a. Rainfall : n.a. FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 34 and 16 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are exclude

Rice extends losses after drop to 4-year low on ample supply Rice Extends Losses After Drop to FourYear Low on Ample Supply Oct 29, 2014 Prices for rice, a staple for half the world, extended losses after reaching the lowest since 2010 in Chicago as the outlook for a jump in U.S. production and increased exports from overseas producers signal ample supplies.Shipments from Thailand, vying with India to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s largest exporter, almost doubled in September, the government said yesterday. Myanmar expects output to increase as much as 15 percent annually as it boosts yields. U.S. rough-rice production will rise to a four-year

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine high, the Department of Agriculture said Oct. 10. Prices have dropped 20 percent this year, heading for the biggest loss since 2001 and keeping a lid on global food costs that the United Nations said fell for a sixth month in September. The Bloomberg Agriculture Index of seven commodities slid the most last quarter since 2008 as the USDA projects combined global output of rice, corn, soybeans and wheat will advance to a record this season.Plunging prices are ―a signal that we have plenty of rice,‖ Dwight Roberts, president of Houston-based U.S. Rice Producers Association, said in interview at a conference in Bangkok yesterday. ―Some markets are buying hand-to-mouth.‖ Rough-rice for January delivery fell 0.5 percent to $12.24 for 100 pounds on the Chicago Board of Trade at 1:50 p.m. Singapore time. Futures lost by the limit of $1.10 to $11.375 yesterday, the lowest intraday price since September 2010.Aggregate trading was more than double the 100-day average for the day yesterday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.An index (BCOMAG) of 55 food items dropped 2.6 percent month-onmonth to 191.5 points, the lowest since August 2010, the United Nation‘s Romebased Food & Agriculture Organization said in an online report Oct. 9. Export Demand U.S. inventories of rice will rise 26 percent before the 2015 harvest, according to the USDA. Prices may have to fall further to make U.S. exports attractive to foreign buyers, said Dennis DeLaughter, president of researcher and consultant VantageRM in

Austin, Texas.Iraq, the fifth-biggest importer, is tendering tomorrow for 90,000 metric tons of milled rice, and U.S. prices are at least 15 percent above offers expected from Thailand and Vietnam, according to DeLaughter. ―The U.S. milled-rice price is too high, and we have a big crop to sell,‖ said DeLaughter, who has been farming and trading rice since 1977.Rice prices in Texas range from $12 to $12.75 for 100 pounds, with mills bidding lower for new high-yielding hybrids that produce lower-quality finished product, DeLaughter said.U.S. long-grain exports are ―completely uncompetitive,‖ according to Jeremy Zwinger, president and chief executive officer of The Rice Trader, a Durham, California-based researcher. This is because of the problems created by the lower quality of hybrid varieties, he said. Prices for 5 percent broken Thai white rice, an Asian benchmark, was at $426 a ton on Oct. 22, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association. bloomberg.net

Crop forecasting system By The Newspaper's Reporter ISLAMABAD: A new state-of-the-art geospatial system has been introduced at Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) that will increase accuracy and decrease costs of data collection and crop yields each year. The system, procured and installed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) under a US Department of Agriculture-funded ‗FAO Pakistan Agriculture Information Systems‘ project, which improve quality of agricultural

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine statistics in Pakistan using geospatial information.The crop reporting services of Punjab and Sindh, supported by USDA and FAO, has also been launched at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad and Sindh Agriculture University at Tando Jam, to improve quality of agricultural statistics using geospatial information. With US funding, FAO provided the software and hardware for crops monitoring system and trained staff at Suparco, as well as the crop reporting services of Punjab and Sindh to support the adoption of satellite imagery data and for more accurate forecasting of crop yields.Speaking at an introductory ceremony, Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said that with the use of the new system, the government and farmers would also have access to accurate, timely and informative reports both at the provincial and federal levels. FAO Representative in Pakistan, Patrick Evans stated that crop yield forecasting is essential for the government to plan the country‘s export targets and ensure food security, especially for the two major crops, wheat and rice.Pakistan is a major player in the global commodities market. However, a poor year in production of wheat or rice could have an impact on global food prices and lead to increased production both worldwide and in Pakistan, thus reducing food security in the country. If the government knows that the yield of wheat or rice is going to be low, it can take measures to prevent food shortages.Similarly, if yield of cotton is

expected to be low, the country can either import cotton to keep factories running or adjust export targets and the plants for that year‘s budget spending accordingly. Published in Dawn, October 30th , 2014

How Sick Chickens and Rice Led Scientists to Vitamin B1 The discovery of thiamine began with the search for a microbe. SARAH LASKOWOCT 30 2014, 2:05 PM ET

The discovery of vitamin B1 began with a search for microbes. In the late 1800s, microbes were the hot new idea in medical science: Louis Pasteur had recently linked disease to germs, and doctors were looking for microscopic explanations for all kinds of ailments. Even when those ailments had nothing to do with germs at all. Take beriberi for example—a common disease that could cause nerve damage or heart failure. Beriberi had already been linked with diet, but when Dutch scientists started looking for its cause, they thought they might be looking for a microbe. To find that microbe, they tried infecting small

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine animals (rabbits, monkeys, chickens) with the disease by exposing them to blood and urine from animals with beriberi. When they did that, something strange happened. The rabbits and the monkeys never got sick. But the chickens, kept in coops at a research institute in Indonesia, did get sick. The problem was, they allgot sick—not just the chickens that had been exposed to blood and urine, but the control groups, too. Christiaan Eijkman, who was running the experiment, bought more chickens and tried to infect some; he separated them from one another; they all got sick. Then, somehow, they got better. The reason, he found, was their diet: When the chickens were fed on white rice alone, they came down with beriberi. When they were fed brown rice, they did not. No urine or blood required. But even after further experiments had linked beriberi to a diet of white rice, and shown how consuming rice husks could prevent or cure it, scientists—including Eijkman—still believed the disease came from a pathogen or toxin, and that whatever was in the brown rice husks prevented it from taking hold. It wasn't until 1901 that Eijkman's successor, Gerrit Grijns, articulated clearly that it was the absence of some crucial substance, found in the husks of brown rice, that caused the disease. Eijkman didn't come around to that view until 1906.

A few years later, around 1910, an American Army captain in the Philippines started working on treating beriberi, and he brought in a chemist, Robert R. Williams, to help. The captain handed over a small bottle of of rice polish. Williams' task: Isolate and synthesize whatever it was in this stuff that was keeping beriberi at bay. Williams wasn't the only scientists working on this problem: In 1911, a British scientist, Casimir Funk, crystallized a rice huskderived substance that cured beri-beri. He called it a "vital-amine." In 1926, Dutch scientists in the same professional lineage as Eijkman and Grijns isolated the crucial factor, but managed to get its formula wrong. Throughout, Williams kept working on the task. At one point he "confiscated his wife's washing machine" to use as a centrifuge, the American Chemical Society reported. With support from Merck—and more professional lab equipment—he finally managed to synthesize the substance— thiamine, or vitamin B1—in 1936. By this time, no one was looking for the microbe that caused beriberi anymore: Vitamins C and B2 had already been synthesized, and it was established that it was not exclusively the presence of unseen forces, like microbes, in the body but the lack of other tiny factors that could cause disease. Today, all kinds of foods are fortified with these vitamins, including Williams's B1. And beriberi is

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine rare, but now of thiamine.

treatable

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Odisha Government decides to keep default rice millers out of paddy procurement

Thursday, October 30, 2014 Bhubaneswar: The Odisha state government has decided to disallow defaulting rice millers from taking part in the next round of paddy procurement in the state. According to the new guidelines prepared by the state government, rice millers can participate in procurement operation for the Kharif Marketing Season 2014-15 only if they have delivered 100% custom milled rice for the paddy taken by them during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2013-14. In order to implement the decisions, the government has decided to have a facility to store paddy on temporary basis. It has decided to store 10 lakh metric tonne (MT) of paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season 2014-15 in CAP (cover and plinth) storage locations under the open sky. Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) will manage the CAP storage and MARKFED would take over the responsibility from next Kharif Marketing Season (2015-16), said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare secretary Madhusudan Padhi in a letter to all the district collectors. ―Over last few years, the number of defaulting millers has been increasing with about 72 millers misappropriating about Rs 150 crores.

Few officers have been arrested on the ground of misappropriation by millers and put behind bars in last few months, creating a lot of resentment in the field among officers of the Food Supply & Consumer Welfare Department,‖ said the letter. In order to store paddy in CAP, the government has directed the collectors to identify big market yards of RMCs with boundary/fencing and office space for starting CAP storage from November/December 2014 so as to store the paddy procured by the societies in the current KMS. ―It is suggested that one CAP location should have capacity to store minimum of 5000 MT of paddy so that dedicated manpower for same is efficiently used. A weigh bridge near the CAP location may be identified for conducting transactions (both receipt and issue) at CAP storage point,‖ said Padhi in the letter.

Telangana farmers eye AP millers for high prices DC CORRESPONDENT | October 31, 2014, 05.10 am IST Telangana government is also in favor of farmers sellingt their produce to AP men Nizamabad: Farmers of Telangana districts are showing interest to sell their paddy to ricemillers belonging to Andhra Pradesh, instead of local millers as the former are offering remunerative price to their produce. In the last few days, lorries from Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts were found lined up in north Telangana districts, particularly in Nizamabad district, to purchase paddy from farmers. Of the estimated 5 lakh metric tonne

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine yield in kharif season from Nizamabad district, the Andhra millers had already purchased around 1 lakh metric tonne from

farmers. The government declared an MSP of Rs1,360 and Rs1,400 per quintal paddy of common variety and Grade ‗A‘ respectively. But the AP millers are offering more than MSP — something between Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,650 per quintal. Further, they are buying stocks right from the farmers‘ doorsteps and making the payment instantly, without raising issues regarding the moisture content.

coarse and it neither eaten by people of TS or AP. Most of the common variety of rice is exported to foreign countries. In addition, boiled rice is exported to Kerala and Gulf countries from Nizamabad. The AP government has permitted rice millers to export 5 lakh metric tonnes rice to foreign countries and it is for this reason that millers are thronging TS to procure paddy, as it has been harvested early, compared to AP. Paddy arrivals begin in December in AP. Rice millers association Nizamabad district secretary V. Mohan Reddy said the state government‘s attitude in paddy procurement would lead to adverse results. Transportation of paddy from TS to AP would affect PDS.‖

USDA Holds 2014 Farm Bill Listening Section Farm Bill Listening Session Brandon Willis of the USDA

Surprisingly, the Telangana government is also in favor of farmers sellingt their produce to AP men. Minister for agriculture Pocharam Srinivas Reddy directed the civil supplies officials not to seize lorries transporting paddy from TS to Andhra Pradesh. Reportedly, the AP Rice millers have been offering remunerative prices to the paddy as they have an opportunity to export the rice to foreign countries through ports. They also get more profits than their Telangana counterparts in byproducts of paddy. The millers from AP are buying the common grade paddy, specially, the 1010 variety. This grain in this variety of paddy is

STONEVILLE, MS - Yesterday, the USA Rice Federation attended Farm Bill listening sessions here with staff members from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Senate Agriculture Committee. Growers were invited to provide feedback and bring questions for USDA staff about the implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill. Among the concerns producers voiced to Risk Management Agency (RMA) staff were availability of the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) for 2016 and crop margin insurance product availability for rice and other crops.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine WTO Rules U.S. Is Anything But COOL

"RMA

is working to expand the Supplemental Coverage Option to additional crops and counties for 2016," said Brandon Willis, Risk Management Agency Administrator. "For rice, RMA hopes to include all counties that currently have a rice crop insurance policy."Recently, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board approved a margin protection pilot program that will be available for rice producers. Questions were also raised regarding the rulemaking process to define "significant contribution of active personal management" which would further define which producers are eligible to participate in Farm Service Agency (FSA) commodity programs.

WASHINGTO N, DC - Last week, the World Trade Organization (WTO) released a report concluding that the United States' Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) rule is not WTO compliant, paving the way for Canada and Mexico to proceed with retaliatory measures against U.S. products. Canada has published a lengthy retaliation list that includes import duties of 100 percent on U.S. rice. Canada and Mexico claim COOL, which requires cuts of meat be labelled according to where the animal was born, raised, and processed, discriminates against meat originating within their borders, because providing this information consistently would be too onerous for the countries' industries. The WTO agreed.

FSA staff stated that once the Secretary's proposed rule is published there will be ample time for public comment. The final rule, they added, will not be implemented mid-crop year and could possibly be delayed until the 2016 crop year to ensure public comments are considered, and FSA staff have time to correctly implement the rule. Contact: Ben Mosely (703) 236-1471

"The WTO process permitting member countries to impose retaliation is lengthy, so the earliest date when Canada and Mexico could retaliate if the issue is not settled is likely December 2015," explained Bob Cummings, USA Rice Federation's COO.Cummings said USA Rice is an active member of the COOL Coalition, a group of companies and associations that advocate for the U.S. to come into compliance with our WTO obligations.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine This morning, the COOL Coalition sent a letter to Congress urging them to grant the U.S. Department of Agriculture authority to rescind noncompliant elements of the COOL rule. The letter was signed by USA Rice and 108 other members of the coalition.On its website, the COOL Coalition has an interactive map of the U.S. exports on that would be affected by a 100 percent duty. Contact: Kristen Dayton (703) 236-1464

Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported

By Clint Rainey Follow @clintrainey Say sayonara, affordable salmon roll. Photo: Shutterstock

Add Sacramento Valley sticky rice to the list of things like artichokes andbeer that doesn't taste like baking soda that are being threatened by California's drought. The idea of less sticky rice may not stir strong feelings until you realize that the majority of American sushi restaurants depend on it. And now they're getting nervous. According to the Califor

WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 93,700 MT for 2014/2015 were up 19 percent from the previous week and 53 percent from the prior four week average, according to today's Export Sales Highlights report. Increases were reported for Turkey (40,000 MT), Haiti (25,600 MT), Japan (12,000 MT), El Salvador (6,200 MT), and Canada (3,400 MT). Exports of 61,500 MT were up 7 percent from the previous week and 53 percent from the prior 4-week average. The primary destinations were Mexico (28,600 MT), El Salvador (8,500 MT)Haiti (6,600 MT), Guatemala (4,500 MT), and Canada (4,400 MT). This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period October 17-23.

Cheap Sushi May Be the California Droughtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next Victim

nia Rice Commission's numbers, rice farmers planted 25 percent fewer acres than they did last year, and while they typically flood between 250,000 and 300,000 acres every winter, it may be as few as 50,000 this year because of the drought. (The fields also provide a habitat for lots of spectacular migratory birds, too, so there's that too.) Because Sacramento Valley rice "makes or breaks sushi" nationwide, restaurants are reluctant to buy from elsewhere, even though owners already report an 8 percent spike in prices. Expect that to climb higher in coming months, and perhaps a lot more sashimi. Related: California's Drought May Result in Nasty-Tasting Beer [AP]

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Japan aims to fill bigger share of global rice bowl

customers have been able to enjoy rice processed just days earlier. Kubota only buys from the best contract rice farmers.

TOKYO -- Exports of high-quality Japanese rice are increasing to meet surging global demand. In 2013, exports reached a record high of over 3,000 tons. Those shipments look set to grow even more, if barriers that limit Japan's rice exports can be overcome. Rice grown in Japan already has a worldwide reputation for quality. Takaya Ishizuka, head chef at Nadaman, a Japanese restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore, gets many requests from customers who want to buy the rice he serves. According to Ishizuka, the rice used by Nadaman's restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore tastes far better now that they are buying from Kubota, a Japanese manufacturer of agricultural equipment.

With more restaurants buying rice from Kubota, the company expects to export 2,000 tons of rice in 2014, twice as much as last year.

Matters of taste

Some Chinese rice producers claim their rice is as tasty as that grown in Japan. According to Gen Takahashi, Kubota's senior manager in charge of strategic planning, the secret to the flavor of the rice they sell is freshness. Previously, chefs at Nadaman in Singapore cooked older rice that had been milled in Japan and sent on a long, slow journey by ship.

Since the company set up Kubota Rice Industry (Singapore) to import, mill and sell Japanese rice in Singapore, Shangri-La

Exports of high-quality rice are growing and the trend is expected to continue. Japan hopes to double exports of agricultural products to 1 trillion yen ($9.24 billion) by 2020, with rice and related products such as sake and confectionery forecast to reach 60 billion yen. The government is confident the solid reputation of Japanese rice will help it achieve its export goal.

Still, 3,000 tons represent less than 0.01% of the global rice export market. Japan's minuscule share is usually attributed to the high price of the product. But this does not tell the whole story. Exporting to China, for example, is extremely difficult. Authorities require all rice imported into the country to be milled in facilities that meet safety standards specified by China's Inspection and Quarantine Services.

At the moment, there is only one mill in Japan able to do this. That limited exports to China to just 46 tons in 2013. Makoto Hirayama, president of major rice wholesaler Kitoku Shinryo, said Chinese inspectors will not travel to Japan to certify mills, even if they are built.

And the characteristics of the Japanese variety do not suit every palate. Rice grown in

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Japan is soft and sticky. An official with Oedo Food Services, operator of the Tori Q yakitori grilled chicken chain in Singapore, said Japanese rice goes well with dishes from that country, but is not as good when served with other Asian cuisines that are served with sauces or soups.

Promising Africa

Rice demand is on the increase across the world. Global rice trade volume by fiscal 2023 is estimated to rise to 47.09 million tons, up 20% from fiscal 2013, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Plying their trade

That doesn't matter to some companies. Mitsui & Co., for example, in 2011 began exporting rice from Myanmar.

The Southeast Asian country was the biggest rice exporter to Japan from the 1950s through the mid-1960s. But then Japan achieved selfsufficiency in rice production. Myanmar's rice exports subsequently slumped for other reasons too. Production efficiency and product quality suffered as the military junta maintained an iron grip on the country.

The rise in consumption is expected to be driven in particular by African nations with high birthrates.

Most Africans cook their rice in pots today. If they can be convinced of the merits of instead using electric rice cookers, which are said to improve the taste of the staple, then demand on the continent is likely to grow further.

Generating more demand in places such as Africa will be key.

Now Mitsui workers, who have been assigned to Myanmar, train local farmers at rice paddies to help them cultivate quality rice. Employees of the Japanese trading house are also traveling to Africa and elsewhere to promote sales of rice from Myanmar. As a result of the efforts by Mitsui and others, annual rice exports from Myanmar, which once stood at 500 tons, have surged to tens of thousands of tons. The country is now shipping rice to Japan again.

(Nikkei)

"Myanmar was the same as Japan in that it had hardly been exporting rice until recently," said Satoru Shimoishikawa, a Mitsui official in charge of global grains trade. "But countries can export rice if they try to meet customer needs and improve the way rice is grown."

Marie Haga, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT), said that rescuing and conserving crop genetic diversity means giving our generation,

Conserving diversity, conserving options Thursday, October 30, 2014

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine and the next, the means to protect our sources of food.―Genetic diversity is the prerequisite to food security. It is where the traits that help agriculture adapt to challenges of the future will be coming from,‖ said Haga.Haga was the first plenary speaker at the ongoing 4th International Rice Congress, which has gathered 1,500 participants from 69 countries, in Bangkok, Thailand.Haga also said that China and India have lost 90% of their rice varieties since the 1950s and 1900s, respectively. On this note, she talked about her organization's efforts to help national and regional research systems conserve genetic diversity through genebanks.―Every crop variety lost to extinction means one less option for humanity,‖ she said.GCDT has successfully provided an "ultimate backup" to the crop genetic diversity conserved in thousands of genebanks all over the world. The Global Seed Vault located in Svalbard, Norway, now conserves in trust around 835,000crop varieties. The Svalbard collection includes a duplicate of a huge part of the collection at the IRRI Genebank. Haga also talked about the GCDT's platform for sharing phenotypic and genotypic data from conserved germsplasm through a database called DivSeek.

Research and Markets: Vietnam Seed Industry Outlook to 2018 - Rice Seed and Hybridization to Drive Future Growth October 30, 2014 DUBLIN — Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.co m/research/ddxgj7/vietnam_seed) has announced the addition of the "Vietnam Seed Industry Outlook to 2018 - Rice Seed

and Hybridization to Drive Future Growth" report to their offering. The report titled Vietnam Seed Industry Outlook to 2018 - Rice Seed and Hybridization to Drive Future Growth provides a comprehensive analysis of the seed market in Vietnam such as market size of major crop seeds, market segmentation on the basis of hybrid and non hybrid seeds, by types of seeds (Rice, Corn and Other seeds) and by formal and informal market structure. The publication discusses several parameters related to acreage, seed demand and replacement rate, price trends and hybridization rate in the country. The report also entails recent trends and developments, SWOT analysis, market share of major players in rice and corn seed market in Vietnam and future outlook and projections by hybrid and non hybrid seeds and by types of seeds in the country. Key Topics Covered: 1. Vietnam Seed Industry Introduction 2. Vietnam Seed Industry Value Chain 3. Vietnam Seed Market Size, 2008-2013 4. Vietnam Seed Market Segmentation, 2008-2013 5. Import of Major Seeds in Vietnam 6. Vietnam Rice Seed Industry Introduction 7. Vietnam Corn Seed Industry Introduction 8. Trends and Developments in Vietnam Seeds Industry 9. SWOT Analysis of Vietnam Seed Industry 10. Government Policies and Regulations in Vietnam Seed Industry 11. Major Research and Development Institutes for Seed Production in Vietnam 12. Competitive Landscape of Major Players in Vietnam Seed Industry 13. Vietnam Seed Industry Future Outlook and Projections, 2014-2018

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine 14. Macroeconomic Factors of Vietnam Seed Industry 15. Appendix Companies Mentioned - An Giang Plant Protection Joint Stock Company - Bao Tam company limited - Bioseed and SSC - CP Seeds - Maize research institute - Monsanto - NSC - Phuong Quan company limited - Syngenta - Vinaseed For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/re search/ddxgj7/vietnam_seed

Rwanda: Rab Launches New Initiative to Enhance Rice Production By Michel Nkurunziza

A new initiative that seeks to increase rice production, ensure quality along the value chain; and ease access to agro-inputs has been unveiled by Rwanda Agriculture Board (Rab).Chantal Ingabire, the in-charge of research and rice farmers welfare at Rab, said the Rice Sector Development Hub will bring together stakeholders, including farmers, dealers, private sector and researchers to share information and look for ways on how to improve production, quality and help farmers get quality seeds and market. Rice is one of the main staple foods in Rwanda and has been identified as a priority

crop by government.The crop is grown in many parts of the country by farmers in cooperatives and individuals on both commercial and subsistence basis.Ingabire also said efforts are underway to increase acreage under rice from 15,000 hectares to 65,000 hectares by 2018 to ensure the country becomes a net rice producer. "Rab will help farmers access quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. We will also train farmers in post-harvest handling to reduce the incidence of broken rice; and support them to get irrigation equipment," she added.Innocent Musabyimana, the Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary, said last week the new centre will help farmers access improved seeds and market. Statistics indicate that the average yield per hectare is at 5.5 tonnes of rice currently. Rwanda produces about 55,000 tonnes of milled rice per season, which is two thirds of the present market demand. the country imported over 126,931 tonnes of rice between 2011 and June 2013. Meanwhile, farmers who talked to The New Times say they still face a lot of challenges despite earlier Rab interventions, especially accessing water for irrigation and improved seeds. They also complain of poor prices. Ignace Gahutu from Korika Co-operative in Jabana sector, Gasabo District, said the group sells the cereal in Rwamagana District at Rwf245 per kilogramme (of unprocessed rice). Processed rice costs Rwf700 a kilo, which farmers say is too low considering the time and money invested in.Farmers in Rusizi sector sell a kilo of unprocessed rice at Rwf235, according to Kampire Rusiya from Imbanzabigwi Co-operative. business@newtimes.co.rw