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

Daily Global Rice

E-Newsletter

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October 31,2017 Vol 9 Issue X

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

Govt bans paddy from UP Farmers expect good returns on basmati Rice millers owe 7,500 crore to Punjab Sri Lanka closes 200,000 Metric Tons int’l rice tender Pakistan rice exports surge by 28 pct during July-Sept Phl rice import dependence down to 5% DA plans to build P120-M rice corn complex in Sarangani’ India to export rice to Bangladesh Vietnam's Jan-Oct coffee exports down, rice up Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 31, 2017 Yingluck's rice case closed, after no appeals Rice prices increase on low local output and expensive imports (Kenya) Rice worth $320.242 mn exported in first quarter Rice basmati edges up on stockists' buying Myanmar govt to harvest 71,000 acres of rice paddy abandoned by Rohingya Muslims PhilRice Negros showcases farm tech in ‘LakbayPalay’ Rice exports surge 32 percent in July-September Chinese researchers discover gene variation can increase grain yield Cookbook Features Home Cooks and Their Favorite Rice Recipes Rice to be imported thru' 3 more customs stations Rice gene FZP mutates in nature, can increase yields by 15%: scientists Rice, dairy industries call out FDA to police labeling issues Sri Lanka closes Metric Tons int-l rice tender Raising excise from liquor collection uphill task in Punjab Creature no larger than a grain of rice colours BC forests a deathly red New Strain Of Saltwater Rice Could Feed 200 Million People In China Pure Farming 2018 Videos Highlight Machinery Licenses Online Advertisement:mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 0321 369 2874 www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com www.ricepluss.com Monitor Latest Updates on www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

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News Detail...

Govt bans paddy from UP Oct 31, 2017, 12:40 AM; last updated: Oct 31, 2017, 12:40 AM (IST)

Why banned... 

 

Sources said the ban was imposed amidst reports that rice millers were purchasing paddy from the neighbouring state at a cheaper rate for Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 per quintal Millers procured local paddy only in papers by managing gate passes in connivance with officials of the market committee and agencies The custom milled rice obtained from paddy brought from UP wassupplied to hoodwinkthe government andearn extra profits

Sushil Manav Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, October 30 Apprehending shortage of gunny bags due to unregulated arrivals in the future, the state government has banned paddy from UP. The ban has discomforted rice millers as cheaper crop from the neighbouring state helped earn extra profit in custom milling of rice (CMR) for procurement agencies.

In his orders issued to the Deputy Commissioners of Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Palwal, Sonepat and Faridabad districts on October 27, Additional Chief Secretary (Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Departments) Ram Niwas said, ―It has been decided to seal all border points with UP from where paddy/rice is arriving. You may ask the police to set up round the clock check points from UP side to ensure that no paddy/rice arrives in Haryana mandis from that side.‖ Unhappy with the move, the rice millers have announced to raise the issue with the state government. ―The ban orders are uncalled for. On one hand, the Centre says that farmers can sell their produce anywhere in the country, but here they are being stopped from bringing their crop to the state. Farmers from UP come to Haryana because of better remunerative prices and instant payment,‖ said Rajender Agarwal, president of Yamunanagar Rice Millers‘ and Dealers‘ Association.

However, sources that the ban was imposed amidst reports that rice millers were purchasing paddy from the neighbouring state at Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 per quintal.

The Tribune has learnt that millers procured local paddy only in papers by managing gate passes in connivance with officials of the market committee and agencies. The custom milled rice obtained from paddy brought from UP was supplied to hoodwink the government and earn extra profits.

Two days ago, Asha Rani, secretary, market committee, and Rajiv Langyan, inspector, Food and Supplies, Karnal, were suspended for allegedly issuing gate passes to commission agents without arrival of paddy.

The ACS also ordered physical verification of paddy through multi-agency teams consisting of representatives of the DC, officers of other departments and representatives of district and block vigilance committees.

Meanwhile, 55.62 lakh MT of paddy has arrived in various grain markets of the state until now against 50.05 lakh MT received last year.

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Out of these, 52.38 lakh MT has been procured by government agencies and 3.24 lakh MT by private millers.

UP farmers block highway Muzaffarnagar: Farmers blocked the Khatima-Panipat Highway at Kairana in UP on Monday after the Haryana police stopped their paddy-laden tractor trolleys from entering the state. The paddy was being taken to mandis in the state for sale. Shivbahadur Singh, Additional District Magistrate of Shamli, said the blockade was lifted after the agitating farmers were pacified. —

PTIhttp://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/govt-bans-paddy-fromup/489815.html

Farmers expect good returns on basmati CSR-30 variety likely to hit market by first week of Nov After getting good prices for the Pusa-1121 and Pusa-1509 varieties, farmers growing aromatic paddy varieties are expecting the CSR-30 basmati variety to fetch good returns this year.Favourable market conditions and drop in area under cultivation are raising farmers‘ expectations. The CSR-30 variety is likely to enter the market by the first week of November.While the Pusa-1121 variety is being sold at between Rs 3,100 and Rs 3,300 per quintal, farmers are expecting pure basmati to fetch between Rs 3,800 and Rs 4,000 per quintal.

The pure basmati and Pusa-1121 varieties had fetched between Rs 5,800 and Rs 6,000 and between Rs 4,400 and Rs 4,500 per quintal, respectively, in the past.Bhagat Singh, who had grown CSR-30 on over 21 acres, said, ―The Pusa-1121 and 1509 varieties have witnessed good returns this year and we expect the same from CSR-30. The crop is almost ready and harvesting will start shortly. Farmers expect the basmati variety to fetch around Rs 4,000 a quintal.‖Duni Chand, president, Commission Agents‘ Association, Ambala City grain market, said, ―The prices of Pusa-1509 have improved to Rs 2,900 per quintal while Pusa-1121 has recorded Rs 3,300 a quintal.

The CSR-30 variety is likely to be sold at between Rs 3,700 and Rs 3,800 a quintal. Exporters have encouraged farmers and the area under basmati cultivation is likely to be increased next year.‖Vijay Setia, president, All-India Rice Exporters Association, said, ―Farmers have got remunerative prices for their crop after three years, which is a good sign. The major reasons behind increase in prices are healthy exports, lower carry forward stock, drop in area under cultivation and almost level playing field due to GST. ‖―A couple of years back, the crop was in abundance and there was huge carry forward stock of nearly 30 per cent, which was one of the major reasons for low prices last year. This year, there is less than 10 per cent carry forward stock, which is with financial institutions. The area under cultivation of aromatic varieties has dropped by around 10 per cent. The prices will remain firm any major uptrend is unlikely.

Farmers will get good prices for the CSR-30 variety,‖ he added. http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/farmers-expect-good-returns-on-basmati/489355.htm

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Rice millers owe 7,500 crore to Punjab CHANDIGARH: There are 1,537 rice millers in the defaulters' list of Punjab as they have failed to return the levy rice worth Rs 7,500 crore to the state government after milling paddy in the last 10 years. "Onetime settlement scheme(OTS) has not been as per our expectation. They (millers) say that it is due to liquidity crunch. Though some rice sellers have taken its (OTS) benefit," said K A P Sinha, principal secretary in the department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs.

He added that as per the clause put in the custom milling policy, "along with the persons, rice sellers will also be treated defaulters." Addressing the media here, Sinha said this year the state government is expecting procurement of 182 lakh tonne paddy by December 15, which is an all-time high. He said last year, a total of 168 lakh tonne paddy was procured by various agencies in the state.

Till October 29, procurement agencies and millers have procured over 123 lakh tonnes paddy as compared to 121 lakh tonnes last year in the corresponding period. "We have got Rs 28,000 crore cash credit limit (CCL) sanctioned on October 5 this year, which is in time. We are ensuring payment to farmers within 24 hours," said Sinha. He added that this CCL is valid till the end of October and the state government has asked for more CCL to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore from the Reserve Bank of India. Sinha said because of the good weather this season, procurement agencies have been receiving the paddy within the 17% prescribed moisture content limit.

Answering a question, Sinha said that payment of provident fund to the labourers is a statutory responsibility of the arhtiyas which they cannot escape.

He also informed that prices of basmati rice are fluctuating but the market is good and rice millers are purchasing it.Sinha added that the state government has flagged the issue to settle around Rs 31,000 crore debt incurred for foodgrain procurement during the previous government. "This includes Rs 12,000 crore principal amount and over Rs 18,000 crore interest. The chief minister had taken up the issued with the Prime Minister.We have sent the reports demanded from us by the Centre," said Sinha.He said the government had paid Rs 16,000 crore to the farmers for paddy so far. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/rice-millers-owe-7500cr-tostate/articleshow/61350087.cms

Sri Lanka closes 200,000 Metric Tons int’l rice tender The international rice tender recently floated by Sri Lanka for global procurement will close at 2pm today. Meanwhile, 17000 MT of parboiled rice from India is already in the local marketplace, now sold via Lanka Sathosa outlets at Rs 74 per kilo. ―We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortages for the consumer‖ said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen during his discussions with his top officials at the ministry earlier.

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6 Accordingly, Sri Lanka floated this international tender on 19 October for a 200,000 MT rice tranche consisting of 90,000MT of Parboiled Nadu rice, 60,000MT of Samba (parboiled) rice, and 50,000 MT of White Raw rice. Along with global bidders, Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest tender. Of the 200,000 MT rice called for in the tender, Sri Lanka expects 100,000 MT to arrive in Colombo by end November 2017 and the other 100,000 MT to arrive by end of December 2017.

Meanwhile, 17000 MT of the 100,000 MT rice consignment ordered from an Indian private supplier have been received in Colombo in the last few days and cleared by Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE). Under the directions of the government‘s Cost of Living Committee (CoLC) of Sri Lanka announced on 13 October Sri Lanka will import 500,000 MT rice to overcome domestic supply shortages as a result of fall in paddy supplies for three straight seasons. The aim of CoLC and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is to give the Lankan consumers with lowest prices and a steady supply. http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sri-Lanka-closes-Metric-Tons-int-l-rice-tender--139428.html

Pakistan rice exports surge by 28 pct during July-Sept Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-29 00:43:55| Editor: Zhou Xin

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's rice exports surged by 28.74 percent during the first three months of the country's current fiscal year starting from July 2017, according to a statement from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Saturday.

The PBS said rice exports from the country jumped to 621,094 metric tons during the period as compared to the exports of 482,445 metric tons of the same period last year.

During the period under review, rice worth 320.242 million U.S. dollars were exported as compared the exports of 242.694 million U.S. dollars of the same period last year.

Exports of the "Basmati" brand rice grew by 2.43 percent and reached at 86,672 tons valuing at 90.31 million dollars in the three months as against 92,321 metric tons worth 88.772 million dollars of the same period last year, said the statement.

In the said period, about 534,442 metric tons of rice other than basmati worth 299.321 million dollars were exported as against the exports of 390,124 metric tons valuing 153.922 million dollars of the same period last year.

During the last fiscal year from July 2016 to June 2017, Pakistan's total rice exports dropped by 17 percent year-on-year in terms of quantity, and 15 percent in terms of revenue earned http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-10/29/c_136712208.htm

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Phl rice import dependence down to 5%

By Louise Maureen Simeon

(The Philippine Star) | Updated October 30, 2017 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is gradually decreasing its dependency on imported rice after the country‘s import dependency ratio went down to five percent last year from 11 percent in 2015.Based on a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the

rice import dependency ratio decreased to 4.99 percent in 2016 from 11.07 percent in 2015.

Rice imports declined by 54.71 percent to $278.87 million in 2016. In terms of volume, shipments fell 58.87 percent to 609,360 metric tons (MT).

Because of the reduction in the importation level last year, the country‘s selfsufficiency ratio of rice increased to 95.01 percent from the 2015‘s ratio of 88.93 percent.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said the increased awareness of local farmers in using modern technology significantly contributed to the higher production. ―Policy reforms instituted administration like providing free irrigation, banning rice importation during peak harvest season, mechanization and easy access credit contributed to the enthusiasm of farmers to produce more,‖ Pinol said. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is expecting a better rice production this year, further lessening the country‘s dependence on imports. ―We will aggressively implement a hybridization program next year which targets 600,000 hectares, solar and small irrigation projects, a national mechanization program to cut post-harvest losses and an easy access financing program to allow farmers to buy better seeds and sufficient farm inputs,‖ Piñol said. ―The target is to increase national yield to six metric tons per hectare per harvest which would produce enough rice for Filipinos over the next five years,‖ he said. Meanwhile, the PSA also reported that importation was also lesser for fishery products such as milkfish, round scad, tilapia, crabs and oysters with import dependency ratio.However, agricultural products that showed high dependent.

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DA plans to build P120-M rice corn complex in Sarangani’

DA plans to build P120-M rice, corn complex in Sarangani

By Joseph Jubelag ALABEL, Sarangani- The Department of Agriculture (DA) is mulling the establishment of a P120-million rice and corn complex in the province in

https://news.mb.com.ph/tag/da-plans-to-build-p120-m-rice-corn-complex-in-

India to export rice to Bangladesh In a first of its kind arrangement between India and Bangladesh in recent years, India would be exporting around six lakh tonne of rice for meeting its domestic demand and creating a buffer stock.In a first of its kind arrangement between India and Bangladesh in recent years, India would be exporting around six lakh tonne of rice for meeting its domestic demand and creating a buffer stock. In a first of its kind arrangement between India and Bangladesh in recent years, India would be exporting around six lakh tonne of rice for meeting its domestic demand and creating a buffer stock. Sources told FE that the government has authorised agri cooperative Nafed to export rice to Bangladesh.

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At present, Bangladesh is facing a shortfall of 1.5 million tonne (mt) of rice this year due to crop losses by heavy flooding in the monsoon months. The matter relating to rice exports from India was discussed during the external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj‘s recent visit to Bangladesh. Nafed officials and the Bangladesh government would be negotiating the modalities of rice exports on a G2G (government-togovernment) in the next couple of days in Dhaka. Officials said as the rice exports would be carried on a G2G basis, there would not be any tender for rice exports from India. Around 1.5 lakh tonne of rice has been already exported to Bangladesh by private trade this fiscal. Bangladesh has imported some rice from Thailand and Cambodia.

Nafed is expected to source parboiled rice from Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha for exports to Bangladesh as the region has similar food habits. The immediate agreement would be 1 lakh tonne rice exports from India to Bangladesh and Dhaka would soon be placing further orders for rice imports from India shortly. Earlier this year, the Bangladesh government had set a rice production target of 19.1 mt, but floods in the northeastern region have damaged around 2 mt rice.

―One thing needs to be clear that the decision to import doesn‘t mean that there is a crisis. The stock in government warehouses as well as the supply in market is ample,‖ Bangladesh food minister Qamrul Islam had said recently. Currently, the price of the common variety of rice in Bangladesh is around taka 50 ($0.62), which is an increase of more than 78% from 28 taka a kg prevailed about four month ago.

Around 75% of requirement in Bangladesh is of parboiled rice while the rest is of white rice. domestic rice prices are expected to be soften as kharif paddy for 2017-18 crop year (July-June) has started to arrive in the market.

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India produced a record 110 mt rice in crop year (2016-17) while in the current year, the output could decline marginally because of patchy monsoon rains in some of the key growing areas. India is the world‘s largest exporter of rice with annual shipment of more than 10 mt for last couple of years. Trade sources said that India is well-placed to supply rice, because of physical proximity to Bangladesh compared to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. The cargo consignment from India can reach Bangladesh within a day via land, or 3-4 days via sea. http://www.financialexpress.com/market/india-to-export-rice-to-bangladesh/912963/

Vietnam's Jan-Oct coffee exports down, rice up HANOI, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Vietnam‘s coffee exports are expected to have fallen an estimated 22 percent in the first 10 months of this year from a year earlier, while rice shipments are set to have risen 21.6 percent, the General Statistics Office said in a report on Sunday.

COFFEE Coffee exports from Vietnam will drop an estimated 22 percent in January-October from the same time last year to 1.18 million tonnes (19.7 million 60-kg bags).

Exports revenue was estimated to edge down 1.8 percent annually to $2.7 billion, the report said.

October shipments of beans in Vietnam, the world‘s largest robusta producer, are estimated at 80,000 tonnes, same as September, the report said.

RICE Ten-month rice exports from the world‘s third-largest shipper of the grain were forecast to rise 21.6 percent to 5 million tonnes. Revenue from the January-October rice exports was seen rising 20.3 percent year-on-year to $2.2 billion.

Vietnam would ship an estimated 400,000 tonnes of rice in October, compared to 516,000 tonnes in September, the report said.

ENERGY Vietnam‘s January-October crude oil exports edged up 2.6 percent year-on-year to an estimated 5.9 million tonnes, or 178,000 barrels per day (bpd).Crude oil export revenue in the ten-month period rose 24.4 percent to $2.39 billion.

Oil product imports increased 11 percent to an estimated 10.6 million tonnes, while the value of imports jumped 40.9 percent to $5.6 billion.Vietnam‘s liquefied petroleum gas imports during the period increased 18 percent from a year earlier to 1.18 million tonnes. (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Sam Holmes)https://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL4N1MZ3YY

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Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 31, 2017 OCTOBER 31, 2017 / 1:52 PM /

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices – APMC/Open Market-October 31 Nagpur, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Gram and tuar prices reported down in Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) on poor buying support from local millers amid high moisture content arrival. Downward trend on NCDEX since last two session, weak trend in Madhya Pradesh prices and high moisture content arrival also pulled down prices here, according to sources.

FOODGRAINS & PULSES

GRAM * Desi gram raw declined further in open market on lack of demand from local traders.

TUAR

* Tuar gavarani showed weak tendency in open market in absence of buyers amid good supply from producing regions.

* Udid varieties and Batri dal firmed up in open market here on increased demand from local traders.

* In Akola, Tuar New – 3,950-4,075, Tuar dal (clean) – 5,700-6,000, Udid Mogar (clean) – 7,700-8,300, Moong Mogar (clean) 6,900-7,200, Gram – 4,700-4,825, Gram Super best – 7,100-7,300

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* Wheat, rice and other foodgrain items moved in a narrow range in scattered deals and settled at last levels in weak trading activity.

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

FOODGRAINS

Available prices

Gram Auction

3,450-4,350

Gram Pink Auction Tuar Auction

n.a.

Udid Auction

2,100-2,600 3,550-3,940

n.a. n.a.

Masoor Auction

3,900-4,200 4,300-4,500

n.a.

Wheat Mill quality Auction

2,600-2,800 1,600-1,688

Gram Super Best Bold Gram Super Best

3,700-4,500

3,500-3,935

Moong Auction

Previous close

1,600-1,642

7,500-7,800 n.a.

Gram Medium Best

7,500-7,800

n.a.

6,200-7,000

6,200-7,000

Gram Dal Medium

n.a.

Gram Mill Quality

5,000-5,100

5,000-5,100

Desi gram Raw

4,800-4,850

4,850-4,900

Gram Kabuli

12,500-13,200

Tuar Fataka Best-New

12,500-13,200

6,200-6,400

Tuar Fataka Medium-New

6,000-6,400

5,700-6,000

Tuar Dal Best Phod-New

5,700-6,000

5,300-5,600

Tuar Dal Medium phod-New Tuar Gavarani New

n.a

5,300-5,600

4,800-5,200

3,750-3,850

4,800-5,200

3,800-3,900

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13 Tuar Karnataka

4,100-4,400

4,200-4,500

Masoor dal best

4,900-5,400

4,900-5,400

Masoor dal medium Masoor

4,500-4,800

n.a.

4,500-4,800

n.a.

Moong Mogar bold (New)

6,800-7,400

Moong Mogar Medium

6,300-6,600

Moong dal Chilka

5,600-6,200

6,800-7,400 6,300-6,600

5,600-6,200

Moong Mill quality

n.a.

n.a.

Moong Chamki best

7,000-7,500

7,000-7,500

Udid Mogar best (100 INR/KG) (New) 8,000-8,500

7,900-8,400

Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG)

6,000-7,100

Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) Batri dal (100 INR/KG)

6,100-7,100

5,200-6,200

5,000-5,400

Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)

2,800-3,000

2,900-3,000

Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG)

2,900-3,000

3,800-4,400

1,900-2,000

Wheat Mill quality (100 INR/KG) Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)

5,000-5,300

2,800-3,000

Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)

Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)

5,100-6,100

3,800-4,400

1,900-2,000

1,700-1,850

1,700-1,850

2,100-2,300

Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG)

2,100-2,300

2,200-2,450

2,200-2,400

Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,150 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG)

n.a.

n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,000-3,600 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) Rice BPT best (100 INR/KG) Rice BPT medium (100 INR/KG)

1,900-2,100

2,200-2,700

3,000-3,500 2,800-2,900

3,000-3,600 2,200-2,700 3,000-3,500 2,800-2,900

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14 Rice Luchai (100 INR/KG)

2,200-2,400

Rice Swarna best (100 INR/KG)

2,200-2,400

2,500-2,600

Rice Swarna medium (100 INR/KG) Rice HMT best (100 INR/KG)

2,500-2,600

2,300-2,400

3,600-4,000

Rice HMT medium (100 INR/KG)

2,300-2,400 3,600-4,000

3,250-3,600

3,250-3,600

Rice Shriram best(100 INR/KG)

4,600-5,000

4,600-5,000

Rice Shriram med (100 INR/KG)

4,200-4,500

4,200-4,400

Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-14,000 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG)

5,000-7,500

Rice Chinnor best 100 INR/KG) 4,700-4,900 Rice Chinnor medium (100 INR/KG) Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)

10,000-14,000

4,700-4,900

4,400-4,600

2,000-2,100 1,700-2,000

5,000-7,500

4,400-4,600 2,000-2,100

1,700-2,000

WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 33.3 degree Celsius, minimum temp. 15.3 degree Celsius Rainfall : Nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 32 and 15 degreeCelsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, butincluded in market prices) https://in.reuters.com/article/nagpur-foodgrain/nagpur-foodgrain-prices-open-october-31-2017idINL4N1N63WS

Yingluck's rice case closed, after no appeals  

29 Oct 2017 at 11:16 14,727 WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

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The rice-pledging case against former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been closed after neither Yingluck nor the Office of the Attorney General had filed an appeal by the Oct 27 deadline, Isra News Agency reported on its website , quoting an OAG source.The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions on Sept 27 sentenced Yingluck to five years imprisonment without suspension after finding her guilty of neglect of duty for failing to take action to stem damages from the rice-pledging scheme carried out by her government.

Yingluck has fled the country and is now residing abroad. Her exact whereabouts are not clear.

The source told Isra News Agency that the OAG contacted the Supreme Court on Oct 27 and was informed that Yingluck had not sent her legal representatives to file an appeal or to seek an extension of the appeal period. The OAG, as the plaintiff in the case, said it has no intention of filing an appeal.

Since neither side filed an appeal, said the source, the case has been closed.

The next step is for the OAG to send a letter to officially inform the Foreign Ministry of the closure of the case so that it can continue with the process to revoke Yingluck's passport.

It is believed the ministry will send the letter to the Foreign Ministry shortly, said the source.

Norawich Lalaeng, Ms Yingluck's lawyer, confirmed this matter. He added that since the court postponed the reading of the verdict from Aug 25 to Sept 27, he has not been contacted by his client. This explains why he had not filed an appeal nor sought to extend the appeal period.Surasak Treerattrakul, deputy chief of the panel of prosecutors handling the rice-pledging and the fake

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16 government-to-government rice sales cases, said the rice-pledging case is now over because no appeals had been filed by the deadline.

He said Khemchai Chutiwong, the attorney general, decided on Oct 27 that since the Supreme Court's ruling had addressed all points raised in the lawsuit, there is no reason to appeal.Authorities concerned can now press ahead in the execution of the verdict, and seek Yingluck in order to deliver the punishment.

The statute of limitations in the case has expired, Mr Surasak said.

On the revocation of Ms Yingluck's passport, Mr Surasak said it is a matter to be handled by the Foreign Ministry.As for the G-to-G rice sales case, the prosecutors are waiting to see the basis of the defendants' appeal before considering whether to themselves appeal against the ruling of the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. The defendants had asked for an extension of the appeal period twice, he added.

Kittinan Thachpramuk, chief of the panel of prosecutors handling the two rice cases, said he will call a meeting of the panel in early November to consider whether to appeal against the ruling and on which points.He believed the panel would reach a conclusion by the end of November.

On the part of the defendants, he said former deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol and former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, the 1st and 2nd defendants, had already filed their appeals with the Supreme Court.

Mr Kittinan said his panel had obtained copies of the appeals of the two defendants for study and is preparing to counter the defence.If the panel was not able to finish doing so by the end of November, it would seek another extension of the appeal period, he added.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1350682/yinglucks-rice-case-closed-after-noappeals

Rice prices increase on low local output and expensive imports (Kenya) Gerald Andae | Business Daily, KenyaOctober 30, 2017

Rice prices have increased further in October following a steep decline in local production and expensive imports, piling pressure on households that are already grappling with the high cost of living.A kilogramme of Pishori rice in cereals stores in Nairobi has increased by an average of Sh30 in the past three weeks to trade at between Sh230 and Sh210, up from Sh160 in January.

The increase result from the current shortage of the grain in the market that has seen major millers hit by the lack of paddy to mill.

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The factory gate price for a kilogramme of Pishori rice at Mwea Irrigation Scheme increased from Sh145 in January to Sh200 early this month.

Mwea is Kenya‘s largest irrigation scheme, whose performance impacts the volumes of the grain available in the market as well as the pricing.

Rice production in the region has dropped by 40 per cent this year, pushing Kenya to rely more on imports.

Innocent Ariemba, a manager at Mwea Irrigation Scheme, says the price of the commodity will remain high until mid-next month when harvest from the fields is expected to commence. ―The prices will remain high until mid-November when we expect a new crop in the market,‖ said Mr Ariemba.

The value of rice imports increased to Sh15.89 billion in the six months to June, up from Sh6.6 billion in the same period last year.

The volume of imported rice rose to 353,082 tonnes from 261,819 tonnes in the same period last year, a pointer that a unit cost of imported grain increased by more than 50 per cent.

Kenya produces 150,000 tonnes of rice in a year creating a deficit of 250,000 that is met through imports from world‘s major producers.

Rice consumption has been growing every year by 10 per cent and now it stands at 400,000 tonnes annually, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mwea Irrigation Scheme, which accounts for 80 per cent of Kenya‘s rice production, was hit by drought https://asokoinsight.com/news/rice-prices-increase-on-low-local-output-expensive-importskenya

Rice worth $320.242 mn exported in first quarter Last Updated On 29 October,2017 12:59 pm

Exports of Basmati rice grew by 2.43 percent.

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Rice exports from the country during first three months of the current financial year grew by 31.91 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last year.During the period from July-September, 2017-18 around 621,094 metric tons rice exported as compared the exports of 482,445 metric tons of the same period last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

During the period under review, rice worth US$ 320.242 million exported as compared the exports of US$ 242.694 million of same period last year.

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Meanwhile, exports of Basmati rice grew by 2.43 percent and reached at 86,672 tons valuing of US$ 90.31 million in last three months as against 92,321 metric tons worth US$ 88.772 million tons of same period last year, it added.

In first quarter of current financial year, about 534,442 metric tons of rice other then basmati worth US$ 299.321 million exported as against the exports of 390,124 metric tons valuing US$ 153,922 million of same period last year, During the period under review, seafood exports from the country registered an increase of 17.64 percent as about 28,488 metric tons of fish and fish products valuing US$ 75.370 million exported as compared the exports of 21,959 metric tons worth of US$ 64.06 million of same period last year.

However, the exports of fruit, vegetable reduced by 24.37 percent and 0.99 percent respectively during the period under review, where as no quantity of pulses exported in first quarter of current financial year, the data reveled.

It may be recalled that food group exports from the country during first quarter of current financial year increased by 17.52 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

Food commodities worth US$ 742.391 million were exported during the period from JulySeptember, 2017-18 as compared the exports US$ 631.731 million of same period of last year.

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Wheat exports grew by 100 percent and about 1088 metric tons of wheat valuing US$ 344,000 exported, where as 91,916 metric tons of sugar worth of US$ 41.99 million exported which was also up by 100 percent as compared the exports of same period last year, it added.

During the period under review, all other food commodities worth US$ 140.299 million exported as against the exports of US$ 132.216 million of same period last year, hence showing an increase of 16.11 percent. http://dunyanews.tv/en/Business/411910-Rice-worth-$320.242-mn-exported-in-first-quarter

Rice basmati edges up on stockists' buying PTI | Oct 28, 2017, 14:12 IST

New Delhi, Oct 28 () Rice basmati prices firmed up by Rs 200 per quintal on emergence of stockists buying against restricted arrivals from producing belts.

Barley and maize also ended higher on increased offtake by consuming industries.

Traders said stockists buying following uptick in demand against restricted arrivals from producing belts, mainly attributed the rise in rice basmati prices.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa- 1121 variety edged higher to Rs 76007700 and Rs 6100-6200 from previous levels of Rs 7,400-7,500 and Rs 6,000-6,100 per quintal, respectively.

Non-basmati rice permal raw, wabd,sela and IR-8 also finished higher at Rs 2,225-2,275, Rs 2,275-2,325, Rs 2,400- 2,600 and Rs 1,875-1,900 from previous levels of Rs 2,200- 2,225, Rs 2,250-2,275, Rs 2,300-2,400 and Rs 1,850-1,875 per quintal respectively in line with rice basmati trend.

Other bold grains like, barley and maize too shot up by Rs 60 and Rs 20 to Rs 1,300-1,305 and Rs 1,500-1,510 per quintal, respectively.

Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,115-2,365, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,825-1,830, Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,830-1,835, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 260-300, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 970-980 (50 kg), Maida Rs 1,000-1,010 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,060-1,080 (50 kg).

Basmati rice (Lal Quila) Rs 10,700, Shri Lal Mahal Rs 11,300, Super Basmati Rice Rs 9,800, Basmati common new Rs 7,600-7,700, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,100-6,200, Permal raw Rs 2,225-

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2,275, Permal wand Rs 2,275-2,325, Sela Rs 2,400-2,600 and Rice IR-8 Rs 1,875-1,900, Bajra Rs 1,180-1,185, Jowar yellow Rs 1,400-1,450, white Rs 2,800-2,900, Maize Rs 1,300- 1,305, Barley Rs 1,500-1,510. KPS DP SDG ADI MKJ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/rice-basmati-edges-up-on-stockistsbuying/articleshow/61295849.cms

Myanmar govt to harvest 71,000 acres of rice paddy abandoned by Rohingya Muslims World AFPOct, 28 2017 15:13:36 IST Yangon: Myanmar's government will harvest rice from abandoned farmland in violencescorched northern Rakhine, state media said on Saturday, a move likely to raise concerns about the prospect of return for more than half a million Rohingya who have fled communal unrest in the area.

The border region has been emptied of most of its Muslim residents since late August, when Myanmar's military launched a crackdown on Rohingya rebels that the UN says likely amounts to ethnic cleansing.

Hundreds of villages have been razed to the ground, with more than 600,000 Rohingya, a stateless group in mainly Buddhist Myanmar fleeing across the border for sanctuary in Bangladesh.

Under intense global pressure, Myanmar has agreed to repatriate "scrutinised" refugees who can prove their residence in Rakhine.

But details of the plan remain thin, seeding concern about who will be allowed back, what they will return to and how they will manage to live in a region where anti-Rohingya hatred remains sky-high.

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On Saturday, the state media announced the government would begin harvesting 71,000 acres of rice paddy in Maungdaw the Rohingya-majority area hardest-hit by the violence.

The Global New Light of Myanmar report said workers would be brought in from other parts of the country to assist with the harvest. "For the time being, we were only assigned to harvest, dry and store," said Then Wai, head of Maungdaw town's agricultural department.

Government officials could not be reached for comment about what would happen to the rice or where the proceeds would go. Myanmar denies the charge of ethnic cleansing and defends the military campaign as a counter offensive targeting Rohingya militants who attacked police posts in late August,killing at least a dozen. But media, rights groups and the UN have documented consistent accounts of atrocities at the hands of Myanmar security officers.

On Friday, UN rights experts said they were "deeply disturbed" after speaking to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The accounts they heard "point to a consistent, methodical pattern of actions resulting in gross human rights violations affecting hundreds of thousands of people," said Marzuki Darusman, who chairs the fact-finding mission. Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has no control over the powerful army recently created a committee to oversee resettlement in Rakhine, where tens of thousands of other minority groups were also internally displaced by the violence.

The construction of homes for minorities such as the Mro has begun, according to state media, while Suu Kyi's government has enticed business tycoons to donate to the rebuilding effort. But fear abounds that the rehabilitation will sideline the Rohingya, a group that has suffered under decades of state-backed discrimination.

Myanmar refuses to recognise the Rohingya as a distinct minority, rendering the 1.1 million strong group stateless. The army has spread the view that they are foreign interlopers from Bangladesh, despite having lived in Myanmar for generations. http://www.firstpost.com/world/myanmar-govt-to-harvest-71000-acres-of-rice-paddy-abandoned-byrohingya-muslims-4181173.html

PhilRice Negros showcases farm tech in ‘LakbayPalay’ Tuesday, October 31, 2017

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THE Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)-Negros showcased modern farming technologies and cultural management practices in rice production during the LakbayPalay Field Tour held in Murcia town on October 27.

Themed ―Kita kita sa Modernong Pagpanguma,‖ the event sought to assist farmers in the adoption of advanced technologies, including the use of high quality seeds, farm mechanization and climate smart management practices. It envisioned optimizing farmers‘ productivity and reducing production costs.

Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas Technical Director for Operations and Extension Manuel Olanday said the agency will continue to support PhilRice in advancing research and development activities to aid rice farmers in the region.He also urged the farmers to adopt up-to-date farming technologies, use hybrid rice seeds, and employ modern farm machinery. He stressed that farmers shall organize themselves into registered associations to avail of different programs and services of DA. Provincial agriculturist Japhet Masculino said farmers in Negros Occidental supply only 80 percent of the province‘s requirement with four metric tons per hectare average yield. ―Farmers shall embrace change and implement innovative farming technologies to attain its target yield of at least six metric tons per hectare,‖ Masculino added.Farmer-participants toured to seed production demo sites, and learned PhilRice‘s rice varieties which can adapt in varied growing conditions with its susceptibility to pests and diseases. They also visited the farm machinery demo sites, mechanization field trial site, and PhilRice Negros Water Rice Project.

Other agencies, including the National Irrigation Administration, Bureau of Plant Industry-National Seed Quality Control System, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, Philippine Carabao Center and National Dairy Authority, also participated and addressed the various concerns raised by farmers during the open forum. (PR) http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/business/2017/10/31/philrice-negros-showcases-farm-techlakbaypalay-572283

Rice exports surge 32 percent in July-September KARACHI: Rice exports increased 32 percent to $320.24 million during the first three months of the current fiscal year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data showed.

Rice exports amounted to $242.69 million in the July-September quarter a year ago. Export quantity stood at 0.621 million tonnes in the period under review as compared to 0.428 million tonnes a year earlier.

In July-September, exports of aromatic basmati marginally rose 2.43 percent to $90.93 million, while non-basmati exports climbed staggering 49 percent to $230 million.

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Exports quantity of basmati rice also increased to 86,672 tonnes during the July-September from 92,321 tonnes in the corresponding period a year ago, while 0.534 million tonnes of non-basmati exports were exported as against 0.390 million tonnes.

PBS data further revealed that rice exports increased 16 percent year-on-year (YoY) and decreased 17 percent month-on-month (MoM) to $96.31 million in September.

The country exported 0.192 million tonnes of basmati in September as compared to 0.171 million tonnes in the same month last year and 0.227 million tonnes in August. Non-basmati exports quantity stood at 0.164 million tonnes in September as compared to 0.199 million tonnes in August and 0.138 million tonnes in September 2016.

In September, exports of basmati rice declined 12 percent YoY and fell 5.1 percent MoM to $28.19 million. Non-basmati rice exports surged 33 percent to $68.12 million in September over a year ago. They, however, slid 21.1 percent over the preceding month.

Rice exports, which account for eight percent of Pakistan‘s $20 billion exports, continued to decline in the past couple of years due mainly to inability of local exporters to cope up with price competition in the international market. Alone, rice exports dropped 14 percent to $1.61 billion on 3.52 million tonnes during the last fiscal.

Analysts said the decline was witnessed in non-basmati rice, which earned the country $1.17 billion in FY2017.

Government set rice production target at 6.82 million tonnes for the current crop year of 2017/18 as against 6.6 million tonnes in the preceding year. The key summer crop was projected to be harvested on around 2.786 million hectares.

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Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations forecast that the country would have an estimated supply of 7.6 million tonnes of milled rice during the current crop year with an opening stock of 0.8 million tonnes. ―On the supply side, ample exportable availabilities are predicted to boost shipments by Pakistan and Vietnam, possibly also aiding Thailand in regaining its position as the world‘s leading supplier of rice after a six-year hiatus,‖ FAO said in its biannual food outlook report released in June https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/240363-Rice-exports-surge-32-percent-in-July-September

Chinese researchers discover gene variation can increase grain yield 2017-10-31 15:25chinadaily.com.cnEditor: Mo Hong'e

A group of Chinese researchers discovered recently a certain rice gene can vary in nature that remarkably increases grain yield by 15 percent.The findings were published on Nature Plants, an online journal of the Nature series, on Tuesday by a research team led by professor Xing Yongzhong of the College of Life Science and Technology in Huazhong Agricultural University.Over half of the world's population relies on rice as its staple food. Increasing grain yield has been a life-long aspiration for many agricultural scientists.

Xing said the production of the rice has a close relation with the rice development genes, called frizzy panicle (FZP), which is one of the crucial development genes that cannot be changed but can be controlled in volume.

According to Xing, with a high volume of expression of FZP, the grain grows bigger but the number of grains decrease, while low volume of expression of FZP will lead smaller grain and higher number of grains.The most effective way to increase the production of the rice is to increase the number of grain per ear though ear number and thousand seed weight are the other two factors to affect the rice production per acre.

"How to balance those factors to maximum the rice production is what we need to figure out next," said Xing.Xing also said the genetic variation happens in nature that can be used in breed improvement among high-yield variety in China. Related improvement on rice has been under going already http://www.ecns.cn/2017/10-31/279112.shtml

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Cookbook Features Home Cooks and Their Favorite Rice Recipes

By Gaby Carbajal

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO -- A new USA Rice cookbook, "Arroz en Nuestro Hogar" (Rice in our Home) was unveiled at a ceremony here earlier this month. Volume two of this popular magazine is comprised of rice recipes created by home cooks who have participated in USA Rice consumer cook-offs, and, thanks to the knowledge gained at these events, learned a wide range of rice dishes and are cooking more rice at home. At the breakfast, 38 guests, including several of the home cooks featured in the magazine, representatives from partner organizations that helped produce the consumer cook-offs, publishers of the magazine, and the host of the Arroz Gourmet TV show participated in a round table discussion about USA Rice activities and the impact of the magazine.

Home cooks were surprised to learn that U.S.-grown rice was so economical, nutritious, and versatile. Many said the USA Rice training had expanded their rice repertoire beyond one or two basic dishes and now included rice recipes for appetizers, main courses, and desserts. One cook said, "Before the classes, rice was a taboo for me. I always thought it was hard to prepare and not too tasteful, but we learned to combine rice with other ingredients to create a wide range of delicious recipes."

A handful of the magazine's featured home cooks displayed their recipes and gave testimonials during an Instagram live story with more than 200 participants. The home cooks were proud of their recipes and stated that they will continue to share their new creations on social media.

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"These USA Rice cookbooks are popular and sell out fast," said Rocio Navarro, an editor at Mango Publishing Company. "The magazines are relatable and readers like to see people, like them, preparing rice dishes they can easily recreate in their home kitchens."

Home cooks make this cookbook a bestseller

Rice to be imported thru' 3 more customs stations Sohel Parvez

12:00 AM, October 31, 2017 / LAST MODIFIED: 12:00 AM, October 31, 2017 The National Board of Revenue has allowed rice import through three more land customs (LC) stations.The move was made to facilitate the entry of the staple from all sides of the country for curbing a price spike through increased supply.From now on, businesses will be able to import rice through LC stations at Rohanpur of Rajshahi, Akhaura of Brahmanbaria and Bibirbazar of Comilla, reads a notification issued by the NBR last week.

These will function along with the existing nine LC gateways with neighbouring India, including those at Benapole, Sonamasjid and Hilli, it said.―We think import of rice through more LC

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stations will not only ensure increased supply in all areas but also will reduce the cost of the importers,‖ said Mohammad Ehteshamul Hoque, first secretary of customs modernisation and international trade at the NBR.The NBR's latest move came two months after it allowed rice import through Sheola and Zakiganj LC stations in Sylhet.

The move was made to augment supply to arrest a price hike in the northeastern region that suffered from crop losses due to floods just ahead of the harvest of Boro rice, the principal crop.Rice prices, which began to rise from April this year, hit a record high of Tk 54 a kilogramme, in mid-September for a host of factors.These include crop damage owing to recurrent floods, hoarding by a section of millers and traders and low stocks at government warehouses.

Prices declined a bit since the third week of September because of increased imports and duty cuts by the NBR. Yesterday, retail prices of coarse rice in Dhaka city's markets were Tk 44-46 per kilogramme, down 8 percent from that a month ago. Prices of grain of the same quality were 15 percent higher year-on-year, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.Hoque, the NBR official, said rice import through rail route would get a boost on inclusion of the Rohanpur LC station.

A railway route exists connecting Rohanpur in Chapainawabganj and Singabad in West Bengal's Malda.Officials said the NBR has allowed entry of the commodity through more customs gateways based on proposals from importers and local chambers.―Inclusion of rail route will be beneficial. The more the avenues, the more supply will be,‖ said Citta Majumder, managing director of the Majumder Group of Industries, a rice miller and importer.Yet there is a problem. ―The number of engines that Bangladesh Railway has should be increased to pull wagons coming from India. Unloading of products and return of wagons are not done on time because of a shortage of locomotives here,‖ he said.

He said prices of coarse rice have declined to Tk 36-37 per kilogramme at the border because of increased supply.From July 1 to October 24 in 2017-18, rice imports stood at 14.13 tonnes, up 10 times the total import of 1.33 lakh tonnes in July-June period of 2016-17, according to food ministry data.Private traders imported three fourth of the total rice that has arrived so far. http://www.thedailystar.net/business/rice-be-imported-thru-3-more-customs-stations-1484092

Rice gene FZP mutates in nature, can increase yields by 15%: scientists 2017-10-31 14:09Ecns.cnEditor: Mo Hong'e

(ECNS) -- The Frizzy Panicle (FZP) of rice can mutate in nature, according to Chinese scientists, with the finding set to help increase rice yields by 15 percent.A research team led by Professor Xing Yongzhong at the College of Life Science and Technology, Huangzhong Agricultural

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University, has published a paper in Nature Plants, a subsidiary of international journal Nature, that explains the close relationship between rice yields and the FZP gene.

The gene could prevent the creation of an axillary meristem and help their transition into a floral meristem, Xing told Shanghai-based The Paper.

FZP is a key developmental gene in rice, and its encoded protein can't be altered, Xing said.

However, scientists could increase rice yields by controlling the expression contents of FZP. When the function of FZP is strengthened, rice particles will be bigger while their number decreases, and vice versa.

In rice samples from some East-Asia regions, including India and Bangladesh, Xing's team found 18bp fragments of FZP had mutated in nature and caused copy number variation (CNV). The mutation connected two 18bp fragments in series, and the improved gene sequence could help increase yields.

Increasing the grains of each rice spike was the most useful way to increase production, Xing said, adding that his research team was still trying to find further ways to maximize rice yields http://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2017/10-31/279093.shtml

Rice, dairy industries call out FDA to police labeling issues This article is powered by Food Chemical News  

30 Oct 2017 NEWS

Joan Murphy@Joan_FoodChem joan.murphy@informa.com Food industries are imploring FDA in meetings and letters to crack down on what they see as mislabeled food products in the marketplace.

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Rice producers are seeing a growing number of ―spurious‖ claims on imports, such as rice labeled as offering a lower glycemic index for people with diabetes.―We are seeing a variety of statements on health benefits, organic certifications, and provenance that we think deserve a closer look,‖ said Betsy Ward, president & CEO of USA Rice.

If these health claims are true, that‘s great and, if so, everybody should be able to do it, Mike Klein, spokesman for USA Rice, told IEG Policy. But if not, FDA should go after these products.In a recent meeting with FDA officials, Klein said the industry took on a ―more uphill battle‖ with regulators on another labeling issue.Of concern are products labeled as cauliflower rice that contain no rice and have a much different nutritional profile, with one being a grain and the other a vegetable, he noted.

Klein said he was watching the Stanley Cup hockey tournament when he first saw a commercial for Green Giant‘s Riced Cauliflower, with one of the advertisements suggesting rice should move over for the new product. Producers of cauliflower rice and broccoli rice are asking to stock the products right next to rice products, which may confuse shoppers, he said.

The lobby group for these producers point out the rice industry doesn‘t own the term rice, and that there is no standard of identity for rice.But there is a Codex standard of identity, and USA Rice is urging FDA to adopt that international standard by reference and has already raised marketing issues with the Federal Trade Commission. ―We‘ve said rice is a plant, not a shape,‖ Klein said.It‘s unclear whether the agency will tackle the labeling squabble, and in fact FDA officials have indicated the issue is not a priority for the agency.The rice industry has also had a ―frank discussion‖ with a maker not to label their product as rice milk, and Klein said the pasta industry is facing a similar challenge from products marketed as vegan noodles because there is no standard of identity for noodles.

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And USA Rice met recently with officials from the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) about ―fake organics‖ being shipped to the United States, and the recurring problem of some products branded they are grown in the U.S. when they‘re not, he said.―U.S. regulations are clear – imported products must be marked with the country of origin to the final consumer,‖ said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings last week. ―Portraying imported rice as U.S.-grown is not fair to consumers and our members and we are asking U.S. port officials to be vigilant.‖ The issue of fortification also plays a role in these products.―Unless imported rice is ‗substantially transformed‘ into another product, a marking of country of origin must accompany the product,‖ Cummings said. ―And if rice is marked as enriched but is not, the product is subject to regulatory action at the state and federal levels including removal from the market.‖ Resources not an issue, NMPF says But even for products with standards of identity, the industry is having a tough time grabbing FDA‘s attention. Dairy producers are desperately trying to move the needle when it comes to enforcing standards of identity issues, namely plant-based products carrying the name of ―milk‖ or ―yogurt.‖ The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) sent an Oct. 26 letter to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb imploring him to go after products marketed with names similar to dairy foods.The letter came on the heels of Gottlieb‘s comments made at a meeting earlier this month that signaled FDA was interested in assuring accurate information on food labels. ―The lack of enforcement by FDA of the long-standing labeling provisions of various standards of identity for milk and dairy products and other pertinent federal labeling regulations has led to rampant consumer fraud related to the inferior nutrient content of these non-dairy products compared to their true dairy counterparts,‖ NMPF President and CEO James Mulhern said.

NMPF points to a marketplace survey of 244 plant-based beverages in the Washington, D.C. area in 2017 that found none of them was nutritionally equivalent to real milk, and delivered the nine essential nutrients provided by milk.―Time and time again, FDA has cited a lack of personnel and resources to address the flagrant and ever-escalating labeling violations. But to be frank, that excuse has never rung true,‖ he said.

Mulhern pointed to the February 2010 event, in which FDA sent warning letters to 17 food companies in one day to notify them of false or misleading label claims, and that made a ―dramatic difference‖ in food labeling. ―Now is your time to make a clear statement against the inaccurate and misleading labels commonly associated with the plant-based dairy imitators,‖ he wrote. ―NMPF again urges FDA to take immediate regulatory action against dairy imitators with respect to applicable food labeling regulations, specifically as related to the use of an established standard of identity, and we would be happy to provide you with examples of labels to illustrate our concerns.‖

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On the other side of the debate, the Good Food Institute petitioned FDA this year to codify its existing practice of allowing plant-based food producers to use ―straightforward‖ terms, such as soymilk or almond milk https://iegpolicy.agribusinessintelligence.informa.com/PL213120/Rice-dairy-industries-call-out-FDA-topolice-labeling-issues

Sri Lanka closes Metric Tons int-l rice tender 2017-10-31 00:07:45

The international rice tender recently floated by Sri Lanka for global procurement will close at 2pm today. Meanwhile, 17000 MT of parboiled rice from India is already in the local marketplace, now sold via Lanka Sathosa outlets at Rs 74 per kilo. ―We are making every effort to ensure that there will be no shortages for the consumer‖ said Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen during his discussions with his top officials at the ministry earlier.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka floated this international tender on 19 October for a 200,000 MT rice tranche consisting of 90,000MT of Parboiled Nadu rice, 60,000MT of Samba (parboiled) rice, and 50,000 MT of White Raw rice. Along with global bidders, Sri Lankan rice importers too are eligible to take part in the latest tender. Of the 200,000 MT rice called for in the tender, Sri Lanka expects 100,000 MT to arrive in Colombo by end November 2017 and the other 100,000 MT to arrive by end of December 2017.

Meanwhile, 17000 MT of the 100,000 MT rice consignment ordered from an Indian private supplier have been received in Colombo in the last few days and cleared by Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE).

Under the directions of the government‘s Cost of Living Committee (CoLC) of Sri Lanka announced on 13 October Sri Lanka will import 500,000 MT rice to overcome domestic supply shortages as a result of fall in paddy supplies for three straight seasons. The aim of CoLC and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is to give the Lankan consumers with lowest prices and a steady supply. http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Sri-Lanka-closes-Metric-Tons-int-l-rice-tender--139428.html

Raising excise from liquor collection uphill task in Punjab Oct 31, 2017, 08.13 AM IST

CHANDIGARH: Even as the Punjab government plans to generate income by reducing liquor prices, its revenue collection from excise vis-a-vis the number of liquor vends in the state is comparatively lower than its neighbours.As per the data procured from the Punjab excise department, the state has recorded a revenue increase of 167% in the past nine years, as against an increase of 166% in Chandigarh and 207% in Haryana between 2007-08 and 2016-17.

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Sangrur-based activist Kamal Anand, who has procured the details under the RTI Act, said, "The move to lower liquor prices will only lead to an increase in consumption. If the state government wants to generate more revenue it should ideally make changes in its excise policy so that the quota of bottles and number of vends is not increased mindlessly and that the excise department gets better bids."

Sources in the excise department added that nearly 33 crore bottles were consumed in Punjab in 2014-15 and the state collected Rs 4,843.46 crore as revenue in 2015-16.Earlier, replying to another RTI query, the state government had revealed that the state consumed liquor worth Rs 35,558 crore over the last decade. The state has one liquor shop for every 1,940 voters.

While the number of vends in Punjab went up by 3,205 -- from 6,964 in 2010-11 to 9,842 in 2016-17 -- Chandigarh has reduced the number of shops over the past nine years and Haryana has just added 182 (5.5%) liquor vends. Punjab still lags behind Haryana in terms of excise collection.

During 2015-16, the total revenue collected from draw of liquor vends was Rs 308-crore and it took a dip this year due to lukewarm response from bidders due to changes in the excise policy, asking main suppliers to be enlisted to procure the Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) directly from the manufacturers, as per the fresh policy for 2016-17.

Meanwhile, chief minister Amarinder Singh had claimed in July that value added tax (VAT) revenue had gone up by 33% to Rs 6,012.96 crore from April 1 to June 30, 2017, from Rs 4,568 crore in the same period last year, transport fees/taxes had led to the collection of 25% higher revenue.

Further, he said, his government had successfully conducted excise auctions for the year 2017-18 and realized Rs

1,016 crore (23.1

%)

more than

the previous

year 2016-17.

A liquor contractor said liquor smuggling from the neighbouring states, higher prices of liquor in

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Punjab and non-availability of some key brands was the reason why the revenue generated by way of bidding was not as per expectations.

Punjab government is contemplating making liquor cheaper in a bid to earn more from excise collection but so far it has been barely able to match the neighbouring states in generating revenue from excise despite manifold increase in. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/raising-excise-from-liquor-collection-uphill-task-inpb/articleshow/61350088.cms

Creature no larger than a grain of rice colours BC forests a deathly red Aided by climate change, the Mountain Pine Beetle has already spread into BC‘s forests and threatens forests in eastern Canada.

By Jonny Warschauer · Oct. 30, 2017, 8:09 p.m.

Mountain Pine Beetles spread blue stain fungus all over pine trees, dry out the trees and turn the normally green needles red. Kristine Ho / The Ubyssey A quiet battle is being fought in the forests of western North America, and millions of pine trees are dying in its wake. Shades of green that once permeated the flora of British Columbia‘s forests are disappearing.

The insides of lodgepole pines are turning blue with a fungus — it is aptly named the blue stain fungus. The trees‘ needles are shifting to shades of dull brownish-red. Aerial surveys have observed rolling hills of northwestern pine forests stretching to the horizon without a healthy tree in sight. Estimates place the total affected area somewhere between ten and 18 million hectares— roughly the size of Syria.

Due to the epidemic, the state of North American pine trees is extremely bleak.According to Christine Chiu — a graduate student focusing on botany and chemical ecology at UBC — climate change, specifically rising temperatures, has played a major role in the widespread decline of the forests over the course of the past two decades.

But a warmer climate hasn‘t been the force directly devastating these woods. Rising temperatures from Colorado up the spine of the Rockies to the Northwest Territories have facilitated the insidious creep of an insect middleman: the mountain pine beetle.

The mountain pine beetle is the species plaguing the pine trees of Canada and the United States.

These beetles are the bridges connecting human fuelled climate change to the widespread destruction of the western forests of North America.

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Aided by human activity, the mountain pine beetle, a creature no larger than a grain of rice, is the direct cause of this arboreal strife.

Mountain Pine Beetles spread blue stain fungus all over pine trees, drying out the trees and turn the normally green needles red. Kristine Ho / The Ubyssey

In environmentally harmonic conditions, mountain pine beetles are largely unable to make it through the harsh winter of the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. It was only after a number of above average temperature winters in the 1990s that the beetle‘s population burgeoned — setting off the environmental catastrophe we are witnessing today — by allowing the species to spread deeper into the boreal forest.

If the mountain pine beetle possessed the intelligence to realize what we humans have done for their numbers, they would be forever grateful to us.

The beetle‘s success is literally rooted in the number of trees it can feed on due to its newfound resilience. Its attack strategy emphasizes quantity over quality. A tree is unable to fight, run, or hide, so all the beetles need to do is launch a barrage upon their piney prey.

The attack begins with a female, known as the pioneer beetle, who finds a tree and releases an aggregation pheromone known as trans-verbenol. Great numbers of beetles can then flock to her precious real estate. Because of this pheromone, the mountain pine beetle can wage all-out assaults on the lodgepole pines that it burrows into in order to survive.

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A lodgepole pine‘s natural defense system is the release of a chemical known as alpha-pinene, which also yields the fragrant byproduct of pine‘s unique aroma. An attack on a lodgepole pine waged by two or three beetles would prove futile — the trees are naturally adapted to such numbers. In conditions that existed prior to the 1990s, the population of the mountain pine beetle was not large enough to significantly affect large portions of forest.

The Beetles' strength lie in their numbers. Kristine Ho / The Ubyssey

But a pine tree with hundreds or thousands of beetles on it is doomed, and it is a common sight in affected areas today. The insects bury into its bark, spreading blue stain fungus and drying out the tree until it dies and its needles turn red. This process lays the groundwork for the next generation to emerge and repeat the calamitous cycle.

Chiu has studied what allows the mountain pine beetle to flourish in the wilderness of British Columbia and beyond. Her research focuses on cytochrome P450, an enzyme that allows the mountain pine beetle to make the aggregation pheromone that draws large numbers of them to a lodgepole pine, rendering the tree helpless.

As a result of her research, scientists now have more predictive power regarding how the beetle might thrive in pine species found further east, such as the Jack pine. The Jack pine is found in Alberta, a province in which the presence of the beetle was previously unheard of.

Chiu also found a clever tactic the beetle utilizes that could help explain its spread to regions 320 kilometres North and thousands of kilometres East of where climates once prevented the species from spreading. ―Something really cool about the beetle is that it doesn‘t simply go on the tree and make its pheromone from the alpha pinene it encounters on the tree. I found that throughout its life cycle it stores trans-verbenol in its body. It attaches it to another molecule and stores it inside its body.

When it gets on a new tree, it releases that trans-verbenol from inside the body. It‘s a very complex system. It‘s not as straightforward as it seems,‖ said Chiu.

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Pine needles dry up and turn a dull red colour in response due to beetle infestations. Kristine Ho / The Ubyssey

Forest fire suppression also plays a role in the spread of the beetles. Natural fires are a way of ―thinning out‖ a forest and increasing biodiversity. Controlling fires for the protection of local communities has bred the woods into an ecologically homogenous environment that is extremely conducive to the spread of the mountain pine beetle.

Treating this problem has proven difficult, to put it mildly. ―Preventing the spread of this species is extremely laborious,‖ said Chiu.The process involves detecting infected trees before the beetle spreads to surrounding pines, made all the more difficult by the fact that trees don‘t show signs of infection until months after the invasion starts. Imagine hunting for a needle in a haystack, except the needle only becomes visible after it‘s too late.

Then, the trees with pine beetle infestations must be cut down and burned before the beetles can spread.The primary focus of experts now is stopping the spread of the beetle before it can deal damage to the forests of eastern Canada. But forest scientists can only do so much on their own.Longstanding harmony in the forests of the U.S. and Canada will only come when we humans greatly reduce our carbon emissions.

New Strain Of Saltwater Rice Could Feed 200 Million People In China

by Mohendra Shiwnarain ShareTweetWeek In Science The world faces many problems ranging from climate change and water crisis to war and food shortages. As disasters hit, we have to figure out how to prevent disease, stop a population from starving as food becomes scarce and providing them with shelter and support. The world is

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seeing numerous disasters from forest fires to hurricanes. We also have extreme weather patterns.

There is also population expansion in areas such as China. These issues are all part of a bigger picture that results in a food crisis. Growing food is becoming difficult and facing many of the issues mentioned. In some parts, we cannot keep up with the demand for food. In other parts, we cannot grow food as we normally used too. Some of the many solutions being presented to this challenge are the creation of new and efficient agricultural technologies and practices as well as creating more efficient and resilient agricultural products. These products are the result of extensive scientific research to create something that is better and safer than previous versions.

Recently, scientists in China have created a new strain of rice that is much stronger than most strains and can feed a lot of people.

The New Strain The news surrounding the new strain was first released by China‘s state media and was the achievement of Professor Yuan Longping, who is often referred to as the ―father of hybrid rice.‖ Professor Yuan began his work on rice hybridization in 1964 and in the 1970s he, along with many others, recognized that China would enter a period of growth and expand its population greatly. Professor Yuan wanted a resource that would address this population boom. His goal was to create rice that was both easy to grow in great numbers and maintain or increase its nutritional value. Today, about 20% of the world‘s rice comes from hybrid strains that were developed by Professor Yuan and 50% of the rice that is consumed in China are from hybrid strains.

In spring, Professor Yuan and his team had planted over 200 types of rice in areas of different salinity and measured their growth over time. These strains were developed through extensive trait selection, crossbreeding, and genetic analysis. According to Professor Yuan, other rice strains meant for saline soil would only yield about 1.5 tonnes per hectare. The strains that were tested by Professor Yuan yielded over 4.5 tonnes per hectare, which is a stark difference from other strains. It also did better than wild rice strains that grow in saline, which usually yields between 1.5 to 2.25 tonnes per hectare. This new strain represents both an improved and profitable solution to growing rice. In the South China Morning Post, Professor Yuan estimated that the new strain could produce over 50 million tonnes of rice and feed over 200 million people.

Making a rice strain that is resilient to saline environments is perfect for China and many countries in Asia because there are a lot of land spaces that are not cultivated because of how saline the soil and water is. In China alone, there are about 100 million hectares of land that have relatively high saline and alkali levels that prevents normal rice strains from growing adequately.

Being able to turn these areas into usable lands would increase food yields, employment, and give a boost to the local economies in those areas. There are other potential positives to this as well because the saline high areas are not bacteria friendly and would reduce the need for things like pesticides. The rice themselves would also absorb some of the calcium and minerals in the surrounding area, which might make them more beneficial for consumption.

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Salinated areas in China represent a great opportunity to explore and capitalize on, which Professor Yuan and his team are doing. Image from South China Morning Post.

Despite all the improvement, there is still continued work that needs to be done. The rice cannot grow in all 100 million hectares of saline rich areas because some are too high or have other compounds that prevent the rice from growing.

The Future of Food Modification Professor Yuan believes that it is inevitable that the tools of biotechnology would have to be used to further add benefits to rice and create better strains. This can be said of many other food products. There is a limit to cross breeding and biotechnology and genetics would exceed those limits through genetically modified foods. There is much research into using genetic technologies, like CRISPR, to modify food products and make them better than previous versions. Researchers are working to address many different aspects of food modifications. As climate changes, it becomes important to find ways to allow crops, like the rice here, to be able to grow in more harsh environments. The soybean was originally from Asia and now it grows in many parts of the Americas. Imagine for a moment what it would mean to be able to grow food in the dry and arid parts of Africa, where many countries experience food crises. A big area that is being studied is the resilience of agricultural products against pests, disease, and herbicides. These would reduce the need for harsh chemicals or antibiotics to be used, which are usually entered into human systems via agricultural consumption or waste runoffs. There are even attempts at making meat products in the lab, getting rid of the need for large amounts of livestock.

Professor Mark Post holds the world‘s first lab-grown beef burger during a launch event in west London August 5, 2013. Image by David Parry from Reuters.

Many of these products are being researched through biotechnology and traditional crossbreeding means. They represent the future of what humans will be consuming and would offer a reprieve to the issues presented here. As we improve the technologies and methods to create these products, we may see them appear quicker and quicker. There may even be novel products that can be created, like different colored apples or other fruits. As long as they are safe and do not add to the environmental pressures that many agricultural products do, in cases of water consumption and pesticide/herbicide runoffs, then they can be a great boon to future generations. https://sciencetrends.com/new-strain-saltwater-rice-feed-200-million-people-china/

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Pure Farming 2018 Videos Highlight Machinery Licenses Tractors, tractors everywhere!

By Aaron Richardson Oct 30, 2017

Techland Publishing and IceFlames has unveiled a handful of new videos for their upcoming Farming Sim, Pure Farming 2018, which highlight some of the in-game machinery and licenses coming to the game.

Pure Farming 2018 is set to come with an array of different machines from some of the top agricultural brands. In a series of new videos, Techland show off some of those brands including Landini and McCormick. These are the first of a series of videos coming for the game that‘ll also highlight brands such as Wielton, Mitsubishi and Gomselmash. In Pure Farming 2018 players will experience an agricultural sim like no other as they travel across the globe to farm various different crops from Canola in America, Olives in Italy, hemp in Columbia, and Rice in Japan.Check out the videos below.Pure Farming 2018 is set to land on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on March 13, 2018 https://www.n3rdabl3.com/2017/10/30/195766/pure-farming-2018-videos-highlight-machinerylicenses/

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