31st may ,2017 daily global regional & local rice e newsletter

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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May 24,2017 Vol 8 Issue V

Today Rice News Headlines...  Jammu to be hub for export of quality basmati rice: SKUAST-J  New report shares details about the Global Basmati Rice 2016 Market Research Report  Bangladesh gets lowest offer of $406.48/T in rice import tender  Crop dusters buzzing in Sacramento Valley after rain delays for 2017 rice crop  Region 1 provinces named top rice producers  Customs impound 941 bags of rice  Domesticated rice dated back 9,400 years in China  Iraq Makes First Purchase of U.S. Rice Under the U.S.-Iraq Memorandum of Understanding  Rice Was First Grown At Least 9,400 Years Ago  Louisiana rice acreage down 8 percent in 2017  Pearl Universal Impex Increases Rice Harvest to 20,000MT  Region 1 provinces named top rice producers  Going against the grain when it comes to white rice  Vietnam's key rice crop output falls more than expected on saltwater, rain  TRC 2017 showcases Thailand’s potential in global arena for quality rice trade and production  Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- May 31, 2017  Nigeria: Dangote to Spend U.S.$1 Billion On Rice Cultivation  Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- May 30, 2017  Rice Smuggling: Nigerian govt threatens to shut borders with neighbouring countries Online Advertisement:mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 0321 369 2874  Nigeria Produces 5.7 Million Tonnes of Rice www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

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News Detail...

Jammu to be hub for export of quality basmati rice: SKUAST-J Published at May 30, 2017 11:42 PM Rising Kashmir News Jammu: Experts on Tuesday said that Jammu will become a hub for export of quality basmati rice in India.

This was said during a one-day workshop on ‗Quality improvement in production of Basmati rice for export‘ at Chatha, wherein about 225 farmers from Basmati rice growing region of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts participated and was attended by the national and state level experts of Basmati rice.

According to a statement, the workshop was organized by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (Jammu), in collaboration with Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), APEDA, Government of India, organized one day workshop and focused on the production, marketing, utilization and export of Basmati rice in context of development of entrepreneurship. ―A high level exchange of knowledge between the scientists, farmers and field functionaries to develop the road map for Basmati rice farming was taken up during the workshop, a spokesman said in the statemnet.

During the programme, the spokesman said, the official website of Society for Integrated Development of Agriculture, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences (SIDAVES) was launched by Prof. P.K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST-J and the chief guest of the workshop.

Prof. Pardeep Kumar Sharma congratulated the farmers for their enthusiastic participation in the workshop and appealed them to maintain the quality of their basmati produce to fetch a good price in the market and double the income of basmati growers.

He advised the farmers to keep in touch with the scientists and experts for any kind of problems in their fields.

He appealed to the basmati growers to be prepared to register themselves with the online portal to be launched shortly by the Government of India. He also congratulated Dr. Jag Paul Sharma, director Research and his team for the launch of the society SIDAVES for the benefit of mother earth and mankind.

Dr. Jag Paul Sharma, Director Research of SKUAST-Jammu, gave a lecture on entrepreneurship in Basmati and its organic cultivation. He advised the farmers to adopt scientific advisories and regulations to obtain optimum yield and quality in basmati entrepreneurship in Jammu province.

He emphasized for further improvement in basmati rice with increased grain length, high aroma, grain yield and resistance to diseases and insects and providing value addition to basmati rice varieties.

Sharma stressed upon the use organic basmati seed for organic production of basmati rice, along with the use of bio-fertilizers and bio control agents. He advised for the development of farmer

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producers organizations (FPOs) of basmati growers in Jammu province.

Dr. Ritesh Sharma, Principal Scientist (BEDF) interacted with the basmati growers of Jammu district and gave a lecture on strengths and challenges in export of Basmati rice and quality production techniques.

He enlisted Ranbir Basmati and Basmati 370 of Jammu among the top 30 varieties of basmati rice and told that Pusa Basmati 1121 contains the longest grain length and constitutes 80 percent of the total basmati export.

He discussed in detail about the problems, solutions, weaknesses and strengths of basmati growers of Jammu district and told that the pesticide residual effect is very less in Jammu Basmati as compared to other regions.

Ravi Aggarwal, Chief Manager, Northern Region, Indian Potash Limited (IPL) appreciated the efforts of scientists of SKUAST-J in improvement of production technologies of basmati rice in Jammu province and requested the farmers for optimum use of fertilizers in their fields. IPL organized a quiz competition among the participating basmati rice growers wherein five winning farmers were facilitated with 50 kg bag of potash to each. Dr. S.K. Singh, Scientist of Organic Farming Research Center- Chatha, elaborated eco-friendly diseases and insect pest management of Basmati.

Dr. R.K. Salgotra, Coordinator of School of Biotechnology presented welcome address, while, a formal vote of thanks was presented by Dr. R. K. Arora, Associate Director Extension and Incharge of all KVKs of SKUAST-Jammu. http://www.risingkashmir.com/news/jammu-to-be-hub-for-export-of-quality-basmati-riceskuast-j

New report shares details about the Global Basmati Rice 2016 Market Research Report QYResearchReports has recently announced the addition of "Global Basmati Rice 2016 Market Research Report" to its huge database of Research Reports.

The Global Basmati Rice Industry 2016 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Basmati Rice industry.

Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Basmati Rice market analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.

For more info, get a Sample PDF with TOC: http://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=520767&type=E

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Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.

Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Basmati Rice industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.

Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.

In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

Table of Contents 1 Industry Overview of Basmati Rice 1.1 Definition and Specifications of Basmati Rice 1.1.1 Definition of Basmati Rice 1.1.2 Specifications of Basmati Rice 1.2 Classification of Basmati Rice 1.3 Applications of Basmati Rice 2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Basmati Rice 2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Basmati Rice 2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Basmati Rice 2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Basmati Rice 2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Basmati Rice Access the Report and full TOC @ http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-basmatirice-2016-market-research-report.htm

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3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Basmati Rice 3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Basmati Rice Major Manufacturers in 2015 3.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Basmati Rice Major Manufacturers in 2015 3.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Basmati Rice Major Manufacturers in 2015 Related Reports Global Soy Food Consumption 2016 Market Research Repor Global Food Processing Food Market Research Report 2017 About Us: QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass. We provide a variety of syndicated studies and hold the potential of assisting our clients with their specific market research needs by offering insights based on extensive primary interviews, market surveys, company profiles, and competitive landscaping.

Media Contact Company Name: QYResearchReports Contact Person: Ivan Gary Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com Phone: +1-518-618-1030 Address:1820 Avenue, M Suite #1047 City: Brooklyn State: New York 11230 Country: United States Website: http://www.qyresearchreports.com http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3361177

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Bangladesh gets lowest offer of $406.48/T in rice import tender May 28 Bangladesh received a lowest offer of $406.48 a tonne from Singapore-based Agrocorp International in a tender that opened on Sunday to import 50,000 tonnes of white rice, officials at the state grains buyer said.

Five traders competed for the tender issued by the Directorate General of Food at a time when local rice prices have reached record highs and state reserves are at 10-year lows. (Reporting by Ruma Paul) http://in.reuters.com/article/bangladesh-rice-tender-idINL3N1IU060

Crop dusters buzzing in Sacramento Valley after rain delays for 2017 rice crop

Pilot C.J. Garrity plants rice from the air Wednesday at Gorrill Ranch in Durham. Bill Husa — Enterprise-Record

Durham >> Wait and worry were the words of the day when rain clouds continued to appear over rice fields. Now the race is on for farmers trying to fly seeds over soaked fields.Two crop dusters were in the air over the Gorrill Ranch this week, one for the ranch and another for the

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ranch directly next door.―We‘re usually at work the first of May,‖ to prepare dry fields for planting, said Gorrill ranch manager Danny Robinson. This year his crew didn‘t start until May. For the crew at the Gorrill Ranch, the rains came often enough that tractors had to wait for the land to dry.Mud is a problem, even for the heavy-duty tires on heavy-duty equipment. Plus, the soil needs to dry out in order for oxygen to reach the right depth for plants to reach. Fields are also leveled, using portable lasers as a guide, so that fields flood and drain evenly.

As crop dusters buzzed overhead at the Gorrill Ranch Wednesday, tractors were still making grooves in the soil. Those slight indentations are important, allowing seed to settle and stay in one place once water is applied.

Off in the distance, a man drove a machine to dig a ditch where water would flow, Robinson said while driving along a road that separated the fields. His goal was to rest his dirty boots by today.

Medium grain rice, the most commonly grown in California‘s Central Valley, takes about 145 day to mature. After all the work to plant the fields, another risk of a late planting season is that rains will begin again before harvest. Soggy, mature rice makes for a messy job to clear the fields and a risk that rice kernels will crack.

Some farmers may not be able to plant this year, explained Cass Mutters, University of California Farm Adviser. It‘s counter-intuitive that too much water on a rice field can be a bad thing. But land adjacent to Butte Creek was backing up during the heavy rains this year. Further south, the Sutter bypass was swollen, and some of that land may still be soaked.

Some growers need to make a the decision not to plant due to insurance policies that don‘t allow planting after June 1, Mutters explained. He also knows of one large farm that received late season flooding. The crew has been working 24 hours a day for 17 days, and will still leave 15 percent of the land unplanted.

Other snags can include slow-downs when everyone needs the same supplies and services, including water supply, at exactly the same time, he continued.

The price of rice is low right now, with a good supply of rice being grown worldwide. Growers who are planting this week may see some increase to their return per pound due to recent flooding along the Mississippi River. Places like Arkansas, normally the greatest supplier of rice in the United States, have been hit with floods after planting season, including damage to berms that hold in water during the growing season. However, the impacts of the devastation in the south won‘t be known for months. In the meantime, it‘s ―full-tilt‖ for growers in the Sacramento Valley, Mutters said.Contact reporter Heather Hacking at 896-7758.

Heather Hacking is reporter who focuses on water and agriculture. She has been writing for the Enterprise-Record since 1992. Reach the author at hhacking@chicoer.com or follow Heather on Twitter: @HeatherHacking. http://www.orovillemr.com/article/NB/20170528/NEWS/170529780

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Region 1 provinces named top rice producers May 28, 2017 Anne Hazel Fajardo-Flores SAN FERNANDO CITY, May 28 (PIA) –The provinces of La Union and Pangasinan reaped their gains in the field of agriculture as they were recently conferred the 2016 Rice Achievers Award at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City recently.

A National Screening and Evaluation Team (NSET) from the Department of Agriculture (DA) screened and assessed the provinces based on the Provincial Rice Program (PRP) in 2016.The provinces undergone series of panel interviews and validations and have proven to have contributed and supplied rice to a total of 72 percent in the entire region.Governor Emmanuel Francisco R. Ortega III of La Union said, ―This national recognition to the province is the fruit of our teamwork and a re-focused planning and implementation for our agricultural programs.‖―While we are truly proud to have joined the other outstanding provinces in rice production, we shall sustain and further elevate our position as the one of the lead provinces in terms of the rice program,‖ he added.

Pangasinan Governor Amado I. Espino III earlier said that the provincial government is doing its best to continuously implement the programs and projects initiated by the former administration and vowed to launch new undertakings that could propel their province into becoming an agroindustrial area in the coming years.Aside from La Union and Pangasinan, other top riceproducing provinces are Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Compostella Vallley, Bulacan, and Lanao del Norte.All seven awardees received a trophy and P4-million cash prize that will be used in different programs to boost agriculture in their areas.This year, Pangasinan bagged anew the award for the fourth time while La Union was bestowed with the award for the first time. (JNPD/AHFF/PIA-1) http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/3381495762467/

Customs impound 941 bags of rice By yole samuel May 30, 2017

The Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, (WMC), on Tuesday said its officers seized 941 bags of rice estimated at N6, 830,791 being smuggled into the country.The new Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Sarkin Kebbi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the seizure was barely a month after he assumed duty at the command.―As you are aware, I took over the helm of affairs in this command on Tuesday, 25th April, 2017. ―My first official assignment was on the 27th April, 2017 where I led a team of inspectors from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture delegated by the Office of the National Security Adviser to inspect a vessel, MV TEAM TANGO, that was arrested.―The visit was embarked upon to take

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samples of cargo on board, PRILLED UREA, presumed to be used by terrorists to manufacture improvised explosive devices (IEDS).

―The Western Marine Command is an enforcement unit and its main function is to protect the water-ways, fight insecurity and combat smuggling.― We have been able to make unprecedented seizures within 30 days in office across the South Western states and right up to Kebbi State in the Northern part of the country at different dates and times,‘‘ Kebbi said.The CAC said that the achievement was borne out of the new approach to duty in the command by the officers and men.He said that the goal of the command was to ensure that the waterways were safe from unscrupulous businessmen and women, whose activities endanger national security.

Kebbi said that realising the enormity of the task ahead, he intends to visit states, institutions and organisations within the command, in order to familiarise himself with the terrain and gather intelligence necessary for effective administration. ― This commenced on Tuesday, 16th of May, 2017 in company of my principal officers to Badagry and Yekemeh Stations. ― The tour extended to the paramount ruler of Badagry, Oba Akran of Badagry, as well as the Baale of Pashi, the head of Pashi community.― Both monarchs received us warmly and I expressed my gratitude to them for their fatherly love and care for the officers,‘‘ he told NAN.Kebbi said that the task of nation building was a call to service, and therefore implored smugglers to change their business to legitimate ones.According to him, there will be no hiding place for them any longer. (NAN) https://nationalaccordnewspaper.com/customs-impound-941-bags-rice/

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Domesticated rice dated back 9,400 years in China May 30, 2017 by Bob Yirka

3D image of rice bulliform phytolith from the Shangshan site for dating and identification. Credit: Houyuan Lu et al.

(Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in China has dated rice material excavated from a dig site in South China's Zhejiang province back to approximately 9,400 years ago. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes where they found the evidence of early rice, their testing and dating techniques, and what they found.

Various research groups from several countries in Asia claim to have found evidence of the earliest cultivation of rice as a food source. Now, those claims may have been dispelled, as the team in China has found the oldest evidence yet of cultivated rice.

In this new effort, the researchers worked at a dig site near the Yangtze River called Shangshan—prior work there had uncovered some ancient pottery artifacts. The team found numerous samples of phytoliths, which are tiny bits of silica that some plants fashion to protect themselves against pests. Rice plants create fan-shaped phytoliths—they are made of silica, and thus do not digest, burn or decay over time.

Specific patterns on the surface of the phytoliths offer evidence of the history of rice as it evolved from wild rice to today's domesticated rice.To date the phytoliths, the researchers collected enough samples from soil in areas where they found the ancient pottery shards and then sifted, cleaned and heated them to create a powder which could be carbon dated. Such testing showed the phytoliths to be approximately 9,400 years old.

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The team also studied the phytoliths under a microscope to note the patterns on their surfaces, which they report is neither like wild ricenor modern domesticated rice—instead, it was from a time period somewhere between the two. To add more credence to their discovery, the researchers also carbon dated other materials in the same area and depth, including seeds and charcoal, and found them to be roughly the same age.

The work by the team offers more evidence to bolster prior claims that Shangshan was one of the first places to cultivate rice, if not the first outright. More information: "Dating rice remains through phytolith carbon-14 study reveals domestication at the beginning of the Holocene," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1704304114 Abstract Phytolith remains of rice (Oryza sativa L.) recovered from the Shangshan site in the Lower Yangtze of China have previously been recognized as the earliest examples of rice cultivation.

However, because of the poor preservation of macroplant fossils, many radiocarbon dates were derived from undifferentiated organic materials in pottery sherds. These materials remain a source of debate because of potential contamination by old carbon. Direct dating of the rice remains might serve to clarify their age. Here, we first validate the reliability of phytolith dating in the study region through a comparison with dates obtained from other material from the same layer or context. Our phytolith data indicate that rice remains retrieved from early stages of the Shangshan and Hehuashan sites have ages of approximately 9,400 and 9,000 calibrated years before the present, respectively. The morphology of rice bulliform phytoliths indicates they are closer to modern domesticated species than to wild species, suggesting that rice domestication may have begun at Shangshan during the beginning of the Holocene.

https://phys.org/news/2017-05-domesticated-rice-dated-years-china.html#jCp

Phase transitions of rice farmers may offer insight into managing natural resources May 30, 2017 by Lisa Zyga feature The researchers mapped three clusters of subaks to three phases indicated by the analytical curves: cooperation (circles); disharmony (diamonds); and defection (squares). Credit: H. S. Sugiarto et al. Š2017 American Physical Society

(Phys.org)—The Balinese subak is a self-organized agrarian society on the island of Bali in Indonesia, whose members must share a limited amount of water for irrigation and rice production. Some of the farmers share the water fairly, and some don't. As in many societies, the members of the Balinese subak are segregated into different communities.

Now in a new study, scientists have found that this segregation changes a society's cooperation dynamics and may help to promote cooperation and fair resource utilization at the societal level.

The results have implications for managing natural resources, which is of particular relevance for

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addressing environmental issues such as curbing pollution, reducing deforestation, and saving endangered species—problems that require widespread cooperation.

The researchers, H. S. Sugiarto et al., from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, the National University of Singapore, and other institutions, have published their results in a recent issue of Physical Review Letters.

In their study, the researchers developed a model of social cooperation in self-organized societies that lack central governance, in which individuals are free to choose whether to abide by the rules or not. Their model shows that, as a shared resource becomes more abundant, more individuals may shift from being cooperators (who follow the rules) to being defectors (who violate the rules). At some point, the resource becomes so abundant that all individuals become defectors and social cooperation vanishes.

Then the researchers looked at the same scenario, but this time they allowed the society to selfsegregate into smaller communities. They found that the downside of the segregation is that it increases the social disharmony throughout the society as a whole. The upside, however, is that the social disharmony within each community becomes very low. In some communities, individuals are more likely to keep cooperating with each other—using the shared resource fairly—compared to the situation without segregation. These results were very similar to what the researchers observed in the segregated society of the Balinese subak.

As the researchers explained, the results can be understood in terms of phase transitions. While phase transitions are common in many areas of physics, their role in complex systems, such as human societies, is a newer area of research. In the current study, the shift from cooperators to defectors in a society without segregation as the resource becomes more abundant represents an abrupt phase transition. The researchers explain that segregation "softens" this transition by replacing it with multiple intermediate phases, which arise because some communities are full of cooperators while others are full of defectors.

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"The greatest significance of our work is in the revelation that stable phases of social and ecological regimes do exist in real-world systems," coauthor Lock Yue Chew, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, told Phys.org. "Our work has also developed mechanistic insights that address a vital question in social science through a more fine-grained and realistic application of ideas from physics."

In the future, the researchers plan to investigate how these results can help improve cooperative behavior in the real world, in order to better manage natural resources.

"Our results are relevant to applications where the induction of cooperative social behavior is the primary approach to managing the sustainable use of limited natural resources in the context of coupled human-natural systems," Chew said. "Potential systems of interest include the forest system, fisheries system, and many others, in addition to the rice production system of Bali in our paper."

Building on these results, in an upcoming paper the researchers report on how stress from pest infestation can affect rice growth, and how it can lead to an optimality in the farmers' payoff.

This work is scheduled to appear in the June 2017 issue of PNAS. Explore further: Study finds mutual reinforcement of phenotypic diversity and cooperation More information: H. S. Sugiarto et al. "Social Cooperation and Disharmony in Communities Mediated through Common Pool Resource Exploitation." Physical Review Letters.

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.208301 : https://phys.org/news/2017-05-phase-transitions-rice-farmers-insight.html#jCp https://phys.org/news/201705-phase-transitions-rice-farmers-insight.html

Iraq Makes First Purchase of U.S. Rice Under the U.S.-Iraq Memorandum of Understanding

By Michael Klein ARLINGTON, VA -- With help from a last minute, full-court press by USA Rice involving Congress, the U.S. Embassy, and high-level State Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials, Iraq made its first-ever purchase of U.S. rice under the U.S. - Iraq Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This sale will help U.S. rice exporters gain a foothold in the Iraqi market, and heightens prospects for new sales in the future.

Iraq's precedent-setting purchase of 30,000 MT of U.S. long grain milled rice comes after more than 16 months without any Iraqi purchases of U.S. rice. "We are very pleased to see that Iraq has stepped up to meet its commitment to purchase U.S. rice under this agreement," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. "This could not have come at a better time for the U.S. rice industry, and we are grateful for the cooperation of the Iraqi Grain Board (IGB) and the Ministry of Trade (MOT), and are confident that this transaction will mean more Iraqi purchases of U.S. rice in the near future."

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The 30,000 MT sale for July delivery was awarded to ADM, and comes almost a full year since the MOU was negotiated between the MOT and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. "The USA Rice team, including our local office in Iraq, worked hand-in-glove with Congress, the State Department, and USDA over the last year to keep the pressure on, ensuring that Iraq follows through on its commitment to purchase competitively-priced U.S. grown rice under this MOU," said Hugh Maginnis, USA Rice vice president international. "We appreciate the teamwork and persistence of so many people who contributed to this successful sale. This gives our rice farmers a very welcome shot in the arm."

Rice Was First Grown At Least 9,400 Years Ago Archaeologists have unearthed bits of rice from when it was first domesticated in China.

Rice paddy in China's Jiangxi MAY 29, 2017 Around 10,000 years ago, as the Pleistocene gave way to our current geological epoch, a group of hunter-gathers near China‘s Yangtze River began changing their way of life. They started to grow rice.Remarkably, archaeologists have now unearthed bits of this rice at a site called Shangshan. The grains, of course, were eaten long ago and the plant stalks have long been rotten,

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but one tiny part of rice remains even thousands of years later: phytoliths, or hard, microscopic pieces of silica made by plant cells for self-defense. Rice leaves have fan-shaped phytoliths that don't burn, digest, or decompose. It‘s specific patterns on these phytoliths that suggest people in Shangshan were not just gathering rice, but actually cultivating it 10,000 years ago—a transition that would profoundly shift the human diet to the point where half of the world relies on the staple crop today.

Chinese archaeologists began excavating Shangshan in the early 2000s. They quickly found evidence of a rice-dependent diet: rice husks buried in pottery shards and stone tools that looked like they were used for milling. But far more abundant than artifacts are phytoliths, which are ubiquitous, if microscopic, in soil. Less than a tenth of an ounce of soil might yield thousands of phytoliths, says Dolores Piperno, a phytolith expert at the Smithsonian who was not involved in the study.

So the Chinese team went through the tedious process of sifting the phytoliths from dirt, washing and sieving and heating until they ended up with a white powder of pure phytolith. They then used carbon-14 dating to pinpoint the age of phytoliths found at different depths in the excavation. To prove the reliability of dating phytoliths, they compared the ages to that of other material, like seeds and charcoal, found at the same depth ―It‘s robust and they very carefully compared phytolith dating side by side,‖ says Piperno. The oldest material was as old as 9,400 years.

Then they peered at the phytoliths under the microscope. The rice that the people cultivated at Shangshan 9,400 years ago was not like the rice we eat today. The grains were likely small and thin. They scattered easily—as seeds trying to disperse themselves are wont to do. Just as 10,000 years of domestication has transformed rice into fat, starchy grains that cling to the stalks for easy harvest, they have transformed the phytoliths, too. The team turned their attention to surface patterns on the phytolith which are shaped like fish scales.

Phytoliths in modern rice have more than nine fish-scale decorations. The ancient phytoliths in Shangshan were a mix of different numbers of fish-scale decorations—as they got younger, the proportion with more than nine increased and more like modern rice. This is evidence of rice‘s gradual domestication, a process that is ―long and slow,‖ says Jianping Zhang, a geologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences who was part of the study. Wild rice didn‘t become modern rice overnight.

But what exactly do fish-scale decorations and domestication of rice have to do with one another? These phytoliths are in leaf cells, which curl up to hold water when dry. ―Wild rice usually grows in swampy conditions,‖ says Zhang, so they get plenty of water. ―Domesticated rice leaves are erect and distant from water, and so the leaves need to curl repeatedly to hold water.‖ The curling creates more fish-scale decorations. These microscopic fish-scale patterns tell the story of a rice plant that lived some 10,000 years ago.

The phytoliths add to accumulating evidence that Shangshan is the first place where rice has been cultivated—at least that has been found. But there is some controversy over whether it‘s the only time rice was domesticated. Genetic evidence has pointed to one, two, maybe even three

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domestications over time to explain the different varieties of rice in Southeast Asia. The story of rice‘s domestication may have begun in Shangshan, but it‘s since continued all over the continent and all over the world. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/05/rice-domestication/528288/

Louisiana rice acreage down 8 percent in 2017 Rice on an estiated 400,000 acres in state

Bruce Schultz 1 | May 30, 2017

This year‘s Louisiana rice planting, estimated at 400,000 acres, is 8 percent less than last year.AgCenter estimates for the 2016 crop were 432,168 acres.Dustin Harrell, LSU AgCenter rice Extension specialist, told farmers at a June 25 rice field day in Vermilion Parish the 2017 crop got an early start because of warm weather. Some rice was planted in February, and rice in those fields have already headed.―We‘ll probably be two weeks earlier on our harvest.‖ Flooding after planting caused some problems that could result in yield losses. Fertilizer may have been lost from high water if nitrogen was applied on flooded fields.A new product will be

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on the market in 2018 that will prevent nitrogen losses better than Agrotain, Harrell said.Andrew Granger, LSU AgCenter county agent in Vermilion Parish, said prices have increased slightly because of a decrease in Arkansas rice acreage.

AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson said Dermacor is effective protection against rice water weevils but some farmers may choose not to use the $18-an-acre seed treatment to save money.

Cruiser and Nipsit are less expensive alternatives, he said, and like Dermacor, they protect against other insects but not stem borers.Wilson expects the Mexican rice borer will become more of a problem to farmers in the eastern part of the rice-growing area as populations build from the west.Some Cercospora disease has been found, probably after surviving on rice during the warm winter, said Don Groth, AgCenter plant pathologist. If left untreated, Cercospora could become uncontrollable.

Granger said Cercospora seems to be localized, with not much of the disease in the northern and western parts of Vermilion Parish.Some farmers have been unable to obtain the fungicide Sercadis, but the alternative product, Elegia, is also effective, Groth said.Eric Webster, AgCenter weed scientist, said the herbicide benzobicyclon has been labeled for use in California. The product, which controls sedges, grass and broadleaf weeds in flooded rice, probably won‘t get approval for Southern states until 2019.Another new herbicide, Loyant, will be available next year. It effectively controls aquatic grasses and broadleaf weeds. ―It has a lot of potential in the weeds we see in a rice-crawfish rotation,‖ Webster said.

AgCenter rice breeder Steve Linscombe said the AgCenter could release a rice hybrid within two to three years. The Lounsberry Farm, where the field day was held, has provided land for variety trials and experimental line testing for 33 years.Check-off research funds provide money for conducting research that originates from the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. ―I can promise you we wouldn‘t be doing this research if not for the check-off funds,‖ Linscombe said. http://www.deltafarmpress.com/rice/louisiana-rice-acreage-down-8-percent-2017

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Pearl Universal Impex Increases Rice Harvest to 20,000MT May 29, 2017

By Ruth Tene Natsa, The Chairman Pearl Universal Impex Limited (APJS Group Company), Mr. Pulkit Jain has said the company has made tremendous investments and increased its local rice production to about 20,000metric tonnes.Pearl Universal Impex is one of Nigeria‘s integrated rice value chain companies with operations in Seed procurement, paddy cultivation, storage, parboiling,milling, bagging, logistics and marketing.

It will be recalled that Pearl Universal Impex Limited was one of the earliest companies to embrace the federal government backward Integration policy in the rice sector, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development designed to boost local rice production and reduce Nigeria‘s dependence on rice imports.

According to Mr Jain ―Pearl‘s farming strategy is to cultivate rice, three times in a year, covering both dry and wet seasons. He said The Company has kept faith with this strategy and so far harvested over 20,000 metric tonnes of paddy.

On his last visit to the farm in early May, he said he was‖ impressed that the investment by Pearl has brought significant improvements in the lives of several Nigerians by way of employment as well as out-grower rice farmers who are being trained by Pearl. Before the institutionalization of this policy, Nigeria was the second largest importer of rice in the whole world.

He added that, the company had to build new irrigation systems incorporating the latest technologies required in a 21st century mechanised farm as well as import several farming machinery and earth equipment to prepare the land for farming. These activities as well as the construction and maintenance of storage facilities, residential apartments, office and administrative buildings, provision of power and electricity have brought tremendous improvements on the land and the communities in the area.

Mr. Jain urged the government to sustain the ban on rice importation to enable rice producers and investors add value to the nation‘s economy through backward integration into rice milling and farming in the country.

While Appreciating the warn reception of people and government of Nigeria, Mr Jain assured that Pearl Universal is in Nigeria for the long haul and will continue to increase its investment until Nigeria attains self-sufficiency in rice production and milling.

Mr. Jain who was present during the signing of the agreement with the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority to lease 7,500 hectares of farmland has severally met with the Governor

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of Niger State, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as district heads and people of New Bursa area on whose lands the farm is located. http://leadership.ng/2017/05/29/pearl-universal-impex-increases-rice-harvest-20000mt/

Region 1 provinces named top rice producers May 28, 2017 Anne Hazel Fajardo-Flores SAN FERNANDO CITY, May 28 (PIA) –The provinces of La Union and Pangasinan reaped their gains in the field of agriculture as they were recently conferred the 2016 Rice Achievers Award at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City recently.A National Screening and Evaluation Team (NSET) from the Department of Agriculture (DA) screened and assessed the provinces based on the Provincial Rice Program (PRP) in 2016.

The provinces undergone series of panel interviews and validations and have proven to have contributed and supplied rice to a total of 72 percent in the entire region.Governor Emmanuel Francisco R. Ortega III of La Union said, ―This national recognition to the province is the fruit of our teamwork and a re-focused planning and implementation for our agricultural programs.‖ ―While we are truly proud to have joined the other outstanding provinces in rice production, we shall sustain and further elevate our position as the one of the lead provinces in terms of the rice program,‖ he added.Pangasinan Governor Amado I. Espino III earlier said that the provincial government is doing its best to continuously implement the programs and projects initiated by the former administration and vowed to launch new undertakings that could propel their province into becoming an agro-industrial area in the coming years.

Aside from La Union and Pangasinan, other top rice-producing provinces are Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Compostella Vallley, Bulacan, and Lanao del Norte.

All seven awardees received a trophy and P4-million cash prize that will be used in different programs to boost agriculture in their areas.

This year, Pangasinan bagged anew the award for the fourth time while La Union was bestowed with the award for the first time. (JNPD/AHFF/PIA-1) http://www.graincentral.com/cropping/riverina-rice-harvest-best-in-three-years/

Going against the grain when it comes to white rice EVELINE GAN EVELINE@MEDIACORP.COM.SG PUBLISHED: 11:48 PM, MAY 30, 2017

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SINGAPORE — White rice is a common staple on most dinner tables here. However, the starchy grain has gained a bad reputation ever since local health authorities singled it out last year as one of the top concerns in the nation‘s battle against diabetes.Diabetes risk rises 11 per cent for every daily serving of white rice, according to a meta-analysis by the Harvard School of Public Health published in the British Medical Journal. Replacing it with wholegrain options (like brown or red rice) may cut diabetes risk, and Singapore‘s Health Promotion Board (HPB) recommends consuming wholegrains instead of refined grains wherever possible.

But nutrition experts say when it comes to diabetes and weight management, the answer is not always so clear-cut.

WHITE IS BAD, BROWN IS GOOD? While Asians are genetically more predisposed to Type 2 diabetes than Caucasians, principal dietitian at Raffles Diabetes and Endocrine Centre Bibi Chia pointed out that in the past, obesity and diabetes were not public health issues although previous generations probably consumed more white rice than most people do today. ―We can‘t just blame rice. It‘s also about what you‘re eating the entire day — how much fat, excessive sugar, processed food, deep-fried food — as well as the lower amount of physical activity people are doing these days. Rising obesity rates mean that more people are also developing insulin resistance,‖ said Ms Chia at the media launch of Kinmemai Better White and

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Better Brown rice earlier this month.

The Japanese-crafted healthier rice products, processed using a gentler rice-buffing technique that retains more fibre and nutrients, will be available in Singapore next month, offering more options for healthier rice.

The main reason white rice gets a bad rap is due to its high glycaemic index (GI), which is a measure of how rapidly a starchy food affects blood sugar after it is digested.

A value of 55 or less is considered a low GI rating, while 70 or above is considered high, said Dr Iain Brownlee, director of operations for food and human nutrition at Newcastle University (Singapore).

High GI foods cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, which over time, could raise Type 2 diabetes risk. Some preliminary research has also linked high GI diets to other conditions like colorectal cancer and age-related macular degeneration.

For diabetics, prolonged high blood sugar levels can also lead to life-threatening complications as their bodies are unable to effectively manage them, said Dr Brownlee.

Nutrition-wise, white rice also pales in comparison to wholegrain varieties as its hull, bran and germ, the outer part which contains most of the fibre, B-vitamins and other nutrients, are removed.

The polishing process leaves only the endosperm, which contains mainly starch and some protein.

On the other hand, wholegrain rice like brown rice, which retains its germ and bran, has a lower GI and almost five times the fibre of white rice. This keeps a person fuller and blood sugar levels stable over a longer period, making it a recommended choice from the perspective of weight and diabetes management, said Ms Riddhi Naidu, a clinical dietitian at HealthQuay Medical.

PROCESSING, COOKING METHODS, AND PORTION SIZES MATTER TOO However, Dr Brownlee said it is not always possible to accurately predict the GI of different types of rice as many factors can affect its digestibility.

While wholegrain varieties like brown rice will provide a wider range of nutrients, some may not necessarily be lower in GI than white rice.

For one, the processing methods and conditions in which the rice is grown can impact the GI of rice varieties, he added.

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Other factors such as cooking methods and how the rice is eaten can also affect its GI value, said Ms Naidu.

For example, a bowl of rice porridge has a higher GI than plain rice as the longer cooking time breaks down the cellular structure, making it easier to digest and raises blood sugar levels.

Ms Chia added while replacing a portion of white rice with brown rice lowers its GI, the common habit of upsizing one‘s rice portion can raise the GI even when consuming wholegrains.

The HPB recommends that wholegrains like brown rice form at most a quarter of a plate at every meal. ―A lot of hawker fare don‘t come with adequate vegetables. When you have just two slices of cucumber with your chicken rice, you‘ll have to eat more chicken and rice to feel full,‖ said Ms Chia. ―Another common mistake is to eat rice with a lot of gravy, which increases the carbohydrate, calorie, salt and fat content of the meal.‖ LOW GI MAY NOT ALWAYS BE HEALTHIER The experts stressed that it is also important to note that the food‘s GI value does not indicate its nutritional value.

Take rice fried in a copious amount of oil. When combined with carbohydrates, fat tends to lower the GI of the food as it slows down digestion, but it does not mean the fried item is a healthier option, said Ms Naidu.

Besides eating right, practising portion control is crucial in managing blood glucose levels and weight. ―Having low GI rice does not mean you can have more of it. If you dislike brown rice, you may choose to have parboiled or basmati rice, which are lower in GI than conventional white rice varieties,‖ said Ms Naidu.

Finally, it is also important to get moving for at least 15 minutes after every meal to manage blood sugar levels, added Ms Chia.

KNOW YOUR RICE The demand for healthier rice options has risen in recent years. NTUC FairPrice‘s director of grocery products Victor Chai said this year, the chain has seen a 25 per cent growth in demand for healthier rice products such as unpolished brown rice, red rice, mixed rice and organic rice compared to the same period last year.

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It currently offers about 30 different rice products considered to be healthier.

Ms Riddhi Naidu, clinical dietitian at HealthQuay Medical, gives the low-down on the nutritional content and glycaemic index (GI) value of the different rice varieties.

White rice The hull, bran and germ are removed, hence, it is lower in nutritional value and is easier to digest. But not all white rice has a high GI. For instance, long-grain varieties like basmati have a lower GI (under 70) than short grain options (above 70).

Brown rice The germ and bran, an outer shell that is full of fibre, B-vitamins and other minerals, are retained. It contains almost five times the fibre of white rice and takes longer to digest, keeping one‘s blood sugar levels stable over a longer period.

Red rice Contains a variety of anthocyanins that gives its bran a red or maroon colour. It has a similar amount of fibre as brown rice, but six times the amount of zinc.

Parboiled rice Also called converted rice, this type of rice has a lower GI (40) and a firmer and less sticky texture than regular white rice. It is also more nutritious because its processing method — pressure-steamed and dried — forces the nutrients and vitamins (fibre, B-vitamins and minerals) from the husk into the starch granule.

Black rice Its black-coloured bran layer comes from a unique anthocyanin combination, which causes the rice to turn a deep purple colour when cooked. It contains about three times the fibre of brown rice.

Wild rice Not a true rice, but comes from a wild North American grain-producing grass. Compared to brown rice, it contains a similar amount of fibre but twice the amount of zinc and eight times the amount of Vitamin E. It requires the most water, soaking and cooking time among other rice types.

GI of rice varieties: High (70-100): white rice, sticky (glutinous), puffed rice Medium (56-69): brown rice, basmati rice Low: parboiled (converted) rice (around 40) http://www.todayonline.com/daily-focus/health/going-against-grain-when-it-comes-white-rice

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Vietnam's key rice crop output falls more than expected on saltwater, rain

By Ho Binh Minh May 29, 2017 | 04:41 pm GMT+7

With lower output and renewed overseas interest, prices are hovering at around their highest in a year.

Saltwater intrusion and unseasonal rain have cut the paddy output in Vietnam's Mekong Delta by nearly 4 percent to 9.63 million tons this harvest, worse than previous official estimates, the government said on Monday.Deep salt water penetration late last year coupled with rain during the crucial production period hit yields during the biggest of Vietnam's three annual crops, mostly in key growing provinces such as Long An, Dong Thap and Kien Giang, the General Statistics Office said in its monthly report.

The delta's plantations also shrunk 1 percent from 2016 to 1.54 million hectares (3.8 million acres), the report said.Smaller rice output, coupled with fresh demand from Bangladesh, could further raise export prices in Vietnam, the world's third-largest exporter of the grain after India and Thailand, with quotations having already hit multi-month highs earlier this month.The Agriculture Ministry previously estimated the Mekong Delta's winter-spring rice output to dip 2 percent from last year to 9.8 million tons. Most of the grain from the crop is for export.

Last week, Bangladesh said it was looking to buy 250,000-300,000 tons of Vietnamese rice in the near-term to offset a domestic shortfall after extending a government-to-government rice trade pact until 2022.Indicative offer prices of Vietnam's 5-percent broken rice rose last week to $360-$380 a ton, free-on-board (FOB) basis, from $350-$352 at the start of May.At $380, the price is at its highest since July 6, 2016.

While rising quotations may keep the market quiet and thus cut into Vietnam's exports in the coming months, steady purchases from China, the country's biggest rice buyer, have enabled a slight recovery in rice shipments so far this year, traders said, after shipments of the grain hit a nine-year low in April.

Vietnam's rice exports this month could reach an estimated 550,000 tons, bringing the JanuaryMay shipments to 2.33 million tons, up around 2 percent from the same period last year, the government's statistics office said.

Vietnam is forecast to export 5.6 million tons of rice this year, up 10 percent from 2016 but only around half the volume India and Thailand are each forecast to ship for the whole of 2017, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said. http://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/vietnam-s-key-rice-crop-output-falls-more-than-expectedon-saltwater-rain-3591720.html

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TRC 2017 showcases Thailand’s potential in global arena for quality rice trade and production May 29, 2017 18:34

By The Nation ―Thailand Rice Convention 2017‖ (TRC 2017) – a premier international forum for rice – is currently being held by the Foreign Trade Department of the Commerce Ministry, in collaboration with related organisations from both the public and private sectors.

Highlights of the convention include the multi-dimensional facets of innovation of Thailand‘s rice industry.

Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn said the event, which ends on Tuesday, was being held under the theme ―Rice Plus‖ as it was aimed at showcasing Thailand‘s potential in the global arena for quality rice trade and production.

Various innovative rice products are being presented, showing how far the Thai rice industry has advanced in its technological development and technological integration.

Reaping the benefits of the technological revolution, all parties in the industry have benefited from tremendous value addition to rice, which corresponds with the government‘s ―Thailand 4.0‖ economic model striving to transform the Thai economy into a value-based economy, she said.

On Monday, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha chaired the opening ceremony of TRC 2017 and delivered a keynote speech on ―Thai Rice Trade and Its Future‖, outlining government policies towards the sustainable development of the Thai rice industry.

The convention welcomes more than 1,000 participants from over 40 nations, including producers, importers and product developers, as well as delegates from major trading partners, namely China, Japan, Malaysia, Iraq, Iran, Spain, the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

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Also attending the event are experts and academics, farmers, and media agencies.

On this occasion, the Iraqi minister of planning and acting minister of trade, Salman Ali Hasan Al-Jumaili, and his delegation comprising executives of the Grain Board – the Iraqi government‘s official body responsible for rice imports – held an important meeting with Apiradi to jointly discuss opportunities for future rice trade and bilateral cooperation.

Similar discussions were held between the Thai minister and Tran QuocKhanh, Iraq‘s deputy minister of industry and trade.

On Tuesday, international delegates will participate in post-conference field trips to sites related to rice and rice innovation, including the Royal Chitralada Project, which is considered Thailand‘s first pioneering laboratory for rice development. Since its establishment, extensive researches have been carried out at the project to study rice cultivation, milling, the pros and cons of different types of rice barns, and the breeding of new rice varieties.

Alternatively, participants can choose to visit Choheng Factory, a long-established producer of rice products such as glutinous rice flour, rice vermicelli, and rice noodles; or Pathawin Company – a respected producer and supplier of cosmetics to consumers both in Thailand and abroad. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30316658

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- May 31, 2017 Reuters | May 31, 2017, 01.20 PM IST

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-May 31 Nagpur, May 31 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on good demand from local millers amid thin supply from producing regions. Notable hike in Madhya Pradesh pulses and reported demand from South-based millers also jacked up prices. About 1,700 bags of gram and 1,300 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources. FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Desi gram raw recovered in open market here on renewed demand from local traders amid weak supply from producing belts. TUAR * Tuar

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varieties ruled steady here on lack of demand from local traders. * Masoor dal, udid varieties and lakhodi dal moved down in open market on lack of buying support from local traders amid good supply from producing belts. * In Akola, Tuar New - 3,800-3,900, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,8006,000, Udid Mogar (clean) - 9,200-10,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram - 5,8006,100, Gram Super best - 7,800-8,200 * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Pre-monsoon rains in the region affected arrival. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 4,600-5,060 4,500-5,100 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,400-5,050 3,350-5,050 Moong Auction n.a.

3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,500-1,628 1,500-1,628 Gram Super Best Bold 8,000-8,400 8,000-8,400 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 7,400-7,800 7,400-7,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Desi gram Raw 6,350-6,550 6,300-6,500 Gram Yellow 7,900-8,100 7,900-8,100 Gram Kabuli 12,300-13,400 12,300-13,400 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,500-5,800 5,500-5,800 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,300-5,500 5,300-5,500 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,800-5,200 4,800-5,200 Tuar Gavarani New 3,900-4,000 3,900-4,000 Tuar Karnataka 4,000-4,150 4,000-4,150 Masoor dal best 5,400-5,600 5,500-5,700 Masoor dal medium 5,100-5,300 5,200-5,400 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,500-6,800 6,5006,800 Moong dal Chilka 5,400-6,500 5,400-6,500 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 6,900-7,900 6,900-7,900 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 9,500-10,500 9,800-10,800 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 8,000-9,000 8,000-9,200 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,000 5,800-6,200 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,600 5,200-5,600 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,100-3,300 3,300-3,500 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,500 4,000-4,500 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,050 1,950-2,050 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,650-1,750 1,650-1,750 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,350 2,150-2,350 Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,050 1,850-2,050 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,2002,350 2,200-2,350 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,150 2,000-2,150 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,400 3,100-3,400 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,800 2,300-2,800 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,400 3,100-3,400 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,500-4,000 3,500-4,000 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,5002,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,450 2,300-2,450 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,4002,500 Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,200 4,000-4,200 Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,650-4,850 4,650-4,850 Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG) 6,8007,000 6,800-7,000 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 11,000-15,000 11,000-15,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-8,000 6,500-8,000 Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG) 4,600-4,800 4,600-4,800 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,300 5,800-6,300 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,1005,300 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 41.1 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 24.8 degree Celsius Rainfall : 0.2 mm FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum and minimum temperature would be

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around and 41 and 25 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-may31-2017/articleshow/58925020.cms

Nigeria: Dangote to Spend U.S.$1 Billion On Rice Cultivation

Photo: The Guardian

Lagos — The Dangote Group shone at the just concluded 2017 Gateway Trade fair which was held in Abeokuta, emerging as the second most patronised exhibitor, just as the Group disclosed that it was investing N10 billion dollars in rice cultivation in five states to boost food selfsufficiency.

To mark its Day at the Fair, a subsidiary of the Group, Dangote Cement, gave out several tools and implements to the block makers in Ogun State in appreciation of their patronages. Tools such as wheel barrowers, shovels, umbrellas and hand gloves were donated to block makers who assembled from different areas of the state.

During the 10-day trade fair, Dangote Flour delighted customers and participants with free sampling of its new pasta products.

The wet sampling made the Group's pavilion the center of activities at the Fair as participants trooped in for their daily meal.Customers were rewarded with branded coolers, kitchen aprons, exercise books and customized ladles.Commending Dangote Group for its sponsorship and participation at the Fair, President of Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and

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Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) Mrs. Adesola Adebutu said the support given by the Group went a long way in making the staging of the Fair a success.

She commended the Pan African Conglomerate for its giant strides in economic development of the country through massive investments in several sectors of the economy describing the feat as worthy of emulation by other Nigerians.A director of Dangote Group, Tunde Mabogunje who represented the Group at the special day, said that the partnership with OGUNCCIMA is beneficial as Ogun State is the host of the 12 mmtpa Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, the second largest cement plant in Nigeria.

Dangote Cement, he said, "through the plant provides thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the state. As a responsible corporate citizen, we participate fully in all events and activities designed to drive social and economic welfare of the state.

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- May 30, 2017 Reuters | May 30, 2017, 01.40 PM IST

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC/Open Market-May 30 Nagpur, May 30 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices firmed up in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) auction on increased demand from local millers amid weak arrival from producing regions because of pre-monsoor rains in the regions. Fresh rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and enquiries from Southbased millers also pushed up prices. About 1,200 bags of gram and 2,500 bags of tuar were available for auctions, according to sources. FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor. TUAR * Tuar gavarani declined further in open market on lack of demand from local traders amid good supply from producing belts. * Moong dal chilka reported down in open market on poor buying support from local traders. * In Akola, Tuar New - 3,800-3,900, Tuar dal (clean) - 5,800-6,000, Udid Mogar (clean) - 9,000-10,000, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,800-7,200, Gram - 5,800-6,100, Gram Super best 7,800-8,200 * Wheat, rice and other commodities moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in thin trading activity. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 4,600-5,270 4,400-5,100 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction 3,400-5,050 3,3005,050 Moong Auction n.a. 3,900-4,200 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a.

2,600-2,800 Wheat Mill quality Auction 1,500-1,628 1,500-1,652 Gram Super Best Bold 8,0008,400 8,000-8,400 Gram Super Best n.a. n.a. Gram Medium Best 7,400-7,800 7,400-7,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a Gram Mill Quality 5,400-5,600 5,400-5,600 Desi gram Raw 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500 Gram Yellow 7,900-8,100 7,900-8,100 Gram Kabuli 12,300-13,400 12,300-13,400 Tuar Fataka Best-New 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Fataka Medium-New 5,500-5,800 5,5005,800 Tuar Dal Best Phod-New 5,300-5,500 5,300-5,500 Tuar Dal Medium phod-New 4,8005,200 4,800-5,200 Tuar Gavarani New 3,900-4,000 3,900-4,000 Tuar Karnataka 4,000-4,150 4,000-4,150 Masoor dal best 5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700 Masoor dal medium 5,200-5,400 5,2005,400 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold (New) 7,000-7,500 7,000-7,500 Moong Mogar Medium 6,500-6,800 6,500-6,800 Moong dal Chilka 5,300-6,200 5,400-6,300 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 6,900-7,900 6,900-7,900 Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 10,000-11,000 10,000-11,000 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 8,000-9,000 8,000-

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9,000 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,200 5,800-6,200 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 5,6005,700 5,600-5,700 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,300-3,500 3,300-3,500 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 2,900-3,000 2,900-3,000 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,600 3,400-3,600 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,500 4,000-4,500 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,9502,050 1,950-2,050 Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) 1,650-1,750 1,650-1,750 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,350 2,150-2,350 Wheat Lokwan new (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,050 1,850-2,050 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,350 2,200-2,350 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 2,000-2,150 2,000-2,150 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,400 3,100-3,400 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,800 2,3002,800 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,400 3,100-3,400 Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) 3,500-4,000 3,500-4,000 Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,200 3,000-3,200 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,800 2,500-2,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,450 2,3002,450 Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG) 2,600-2,800 2,600-2,800 Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,500 2,400-2,500 Rice HMT New (100 INR/KG) 3,600-4,000 3,600-4,000 Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800 4,500-4,800 Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG) 4,0004,200 4,000-4,200 Rice Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,650-4,850 4,650-4,850 Rice Shriram best 100 INR/KG) 6,800-7,000 6,800-7,000 Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG) 6,300-6,500 6,3006,500 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 11,000-15,000 11,000-15,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,500-8,000 6,500-8,000 Rice Chinnor New(100 INR/KG) 4,600-4,800 4,6004,800 Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 5,800-6,300 5,800-6,300 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) 5,400-5,600 5,100-5,300 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,200 1,900-2,200 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp.

41.6 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 23.7 degree Celsius Rainfall : 2.0 mm FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely towards evening or night. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 42 and 25 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-may30-2017/articleshow/58908547.cms

Rice Smuggling: Nigerian govt threatens to shut borders with neighbouring countries May 29, 2017Agency Report Bags of rice

The Federal Government has threatened to shut some land borders if the smuggling of rice continues from neighbouring countries.Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, gave the warning on Monday while speaking to journalists on some of the Federal Government‘s achievements in the agriculture sector in the last two years in Abuja.Mr. Ogbeh said the decision had become necessary to encourage local rice farmers and to enable the country achieve self-sufficiency in rice by 2018.

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―We believe they are determined to sabotage the efforts that we are making to guarantee selfsufficiency in rice and to save foreign exchange which we don‘t have.―They insist on bringing in rice through the land borders, avoiding the duties and the levies we put on them and they are definitely bent on sabotaging our efforts and we are getting increasingly unhappy with them. ―And I must say that very soon, if they persist, we will take very nasty measures against them.―We will like to advise our neighbours, who believe that the ECOWAS treaty means that Nigeria is a volunteer nation for economic suicide.―We have no such plans, destroying our own economy to make any neighbour happy. ―The ECOWAS treaty number two does not suggest that any country can be an avenue of smuggling foreign goods not produced in that country for dumping in his neighbours territory. ―If they insist, I do not think that government is far away from considering permanently closing certain borders very near us and when we do, nothing will make us change our minds on the issue, ECOWAS treaty or not,‖ Mr. Ogbeh warned.The minister said that the importation of rice reduced from 580,000 tonnes in 2015 to 58,000 tonnes by 2016.

According to him, by the end of this year, we will eliminate the difference because more people are growing rice in the country.He said the Federal Government would distribute no fewer than 200 rice mills to millers across the states of the federation to encourage fresh milling of locally produced rice in order to make them more palatable than the imported ones.

Mr. Ogbeh said the move would save about $5 million for the country daily when achieved.According to the minister, about three months ago, there was this cry about Nigeria going to starve and we told them that there will be such thing.―We have never produced as much grains as we did in the last two years in this country‘s‘ history.―We have fed not only Nigeria, we have fed West Africa and there are still thousands of tonnes in people‘s warehouses.

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―Those who bought grains and stored believing that starvation was near and they will make a killing they are now begging us to take off the grains from them because they are getting stock.―The only shortfall we have is maize because of the disease called the armyworm. ―We are dealing with that and this planting season, we are going to support farmers to make sure that we bring that disease under control.―We have done amazing things in agriculture in two years, we are still going,‖ Mr. Ogbeh said.The minister said the government was working toward achieving self-sufficiency in staples within the next two years excluding wheat.

He said that government‘s ambition was that in five to six years from now, Nigeria should be able to earn between N10 to N30 billion from exportation of agricultural produce annually to service the country‘s debts and build robust foreign reserves http://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/business-news/232445-rice-smuggling-nigeriangovt-threatens-to-shut-borders-with-neighbouring-countries.html

Nigeria Produces 5.7 Million Tonnes of Rice

By Ruth Tene

Abuja — Efforts by the federal government to boost rice production in the country and discourage importation completely is yielding positive results as the nation's annual rice production has increased to 5.7 million tonnes.With this development, it is becoming obvious that the nation is inching towards self-sufficiency in rice production and will sufficiently start exporting the commodity to other nations in need of it.

Unlike in 2015 when Nigerians spent not less than N1 billion daily on rice consumption, the spending has drastically reduced in the face of increased consumption due to increased local production.

A report released by Growth and Employment in States (GEMS4), a programme funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DfID), indicated that Nigeria has achieved a total of 5.7 million metric tonnes of milled rice, bringing the nation's rice production closer to the 7 million projected milled rice requirement.

In the report titled, 'Mapping of rice production clusters in Nigeria', GEMS4 revealed that 18 states were selected based on their contribution to national production as per the 2015 Agricultural Production Survey (APS) http://allafrica.com/stories/201705290247.html

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