4th november,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine by DAILY RICE NEWS LETTER

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

4th November, 2014

Today’s News Headlines…              

From Rice Beer to East Pakistan China's Existential Question: Is Rice Unhealthy? Golden Rice faces ideological and technical hurdles Gambia: President Leads First Harvest On V-2016 Rice Fields in CRR BoI backs backward integration efforts of rice millers Thailand considers bond issues to help finance rice debt Move to seize assets of 15 Nalanda rice mill owners USA Rice Filing Highlights Trade Barriers Lower rice output seen this year and next: BPS Rice diseases threatens Ayeyarwady Region Thailand considers bond issues to help finance rice debt debt Air glare on wheat, rice Rice imports last year above local demands USA Rice Filing Highlights Trade Barriers

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine News Detail….

From Rice Beer to East Pakistan morungexpress | November 4, 2014

Former Naga Army soldier Khatsümvü Zirü recollects history Vibi Yhokha Kohima | November 4

It was on a sunny afternoon in the fields of Tuophema village, Kohima that Khatsümvü Zirü and a friend were planning on drinking their rice beer after a hard day‘s work when word came that the Naga Army was in dire need of soldiers. Some villagers from Kohima village had been captured by the Indian Army in Gariphema which had created further clashes in their area. A young Khatsümvü, who had desperately wanted to join the struggle then, took the opportunity and voluntarily joined the day itself, a decision he has never regretted.

Khatsümvü was a part of the ten Naga Army groups who were trained in East Pakistan from 1962 to 1968. They travelled from Burma to East Pakistan by boats for around 15 days. Although he cannot recollect the year he went to East Pakistan, one thing he remembers is that the trip would be the first time he laid his hands on ‗foreign guns.‘ On their way back to Nagaland, they carried weapons and amenities provided which weighed more than 30kg. The situation was worse on their return home; he was later jailed and tortured for one month in Chiechama village. He was soon bailed out with the help of his wife who had been pleading him to give up the struggle. Yet, he went underground again. After some months he would soon come over ground for good for the sake of his family.

Hunger, according to Khatsümvü, was the hardest part of being in the struggle. He was one among the Naga armies who starved for days on end. The Indian Army would often capture and destroy villages which put an end to their ration supply. He also recalls their stays in Burma where they ground dry coffee beans and drank it since there was no tea. But one of the most lonesome days was the time when he would see the ripe paddy fields and he would think of his family and friends; how he‘d wished he was also working with them in the fields and harvesting the crops. Soon after coming over ground, he took up his old profession of farming to take care

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine of his family. His biggest regret is illiteracy, he says, and more so because he could not write down his days in the Naga Freedom struggle.

The passion, as he narrates his story, is lucid. Khatsümvü does not know how old he is now, nor does he have any idea which year he joined the movement, but he would always remember that sunny afternoon in the fields of Tuophema when he and a friend had planned to drink rice beer, and instead joined the Naga struggle for freedom.

China's Existential Question: Is Rice Unhealthy? What happens when the rice v. wheat debate arrives in a land that has been eating the white stuff for 12,000 years. Xin Li (2014-11-04)

BEIJING — A recent article declaring rice "the king of junk food" has set China's Internet boiling over. The article argues that white rice is nutritionally deficient, containing very little protein, adipose, vitamins and minerals, and that its starch content technically qualifies it as junk food.Generally, those in northern China tend to eat noodles, while southerners choose rice instead. Still, rice is estimated to be the staple food of more than half the Chinese population.

"In America, whether rice or wheat is healthier has always been a controversial subject," says Zhang Chao, who studied and lived in the U.S. for many years.Zhang recalls a lunch he had with a Thai classmate. When seeing the rice they were eating, one American classmate told them with disdain, "Why do you Asian guys like this non-nutritious stuff?" Then the American pulled out some yogurt with oats — a "perfect" food from a strictly nutritional point of view, because it's rich in dietary fiber, aids digestion, stimulates gastrointestinal motility, and avoids fat being stocked in the body.This was a big shock for Zhang, who had been eating rice as a staple food for over 20 years. Zhang's American classmate wasn't wrong. The official website of Harvard's School of Public Health nutrition department has designed a Healthy Eating Pyramid to guide consumers. It divides daily nutrition sources into four major groups — the ones to be eaten the most often (and the greater variety the better), the ones to be eaten more moderately, the ones to eat very moderately, and the ones to be eaten sparingly.The pyramid recommends avoiding white rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, red meat, processed meat and butter, refined grains, sugary drinks, sweets and salt. But 20 years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was putting rice, bread and grains at the bottom of the pyramid, meaning that they were supposed to be staple foods. Refined or unrefined? Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine In dietetician Liu Na's view, demonizing rice is out of context. "We have to specify one concept first â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for example, most of the rice or bread we eat today is refined. Therefore, when talking about nutrition, white rice is often taken as a negative example because this beautiful grain that has been polished and de-husked provides too many empty calories while containing only 36% of other nutritional ingredients." The science of dietetics is relatively new. The brown rice that nutritionists now prefer used to be a symbol of poverty back when machinery was underdeveloped, meaning that unrefined rice still contained the cortex, the rice aleurone layer and the germ. It takes much longer to cook and also tastes rough. But while it may be a little unappetizing to some, brown rice provides dietary fiber that people often lack, not to mention a considerable amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Mealtime in Shanghai. Photo: OG2T So why is rice considered inferior to wheat? As Liu Na points out, most grains are refined. "For instance, the best part of the flour â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the wheat bran â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is almost all gone in white flour. It's true that if the same quantity of refined rice and flour are compared, the flour has twice as much vitamin B1 and B2 as the rice. In recent years nutrition experts have come to attach greater importance to B1 and B2 because problems such as fatigue are related to inadequate intake of these vitamins. The trouble is that they can't be stored in our bodies, and therefore they need to be consumed frequently. People eating rice as their staple food are also more susceptible to suffering from Beriberi, a metabolism-related disease that can lead to total paralysis of the limbs and, eventually, death. This is probably the strongest criticism of rice. The disease ravaged Japan in the late 19th century and almost destroyed the entire Japanese Navy. Knowing that the British Navy had stopped the scourge of scurvy by changing the soldiers' diet, Japanese medical officers compared the Japanese army diet with that of the British. The most apparent difference was that the British ate almost no rice, instead consuming other grains such as barley. When the Japanese army substituted barley for the rice, it solved the problem. So since the Meiji Restoration, as milling technology advanced, brown rice disappeared from the diets of urban Japanese and members of the army. "From a protein point of view, though, rice contains an average of 7.3%, while wheat contains 10.7%," Liu says. "The wheat is poorer in nutrients because of the lack of lysine. Besides, 45% of Chinese people are intolerant of the protein in flour, which leads to a chronic allergic reaction and causes them to be overweight, though most people don't know this. In addition, rice contains more water and gives more of a sense of satiety with a relatively lower thermal energy and is thus easier for weight loss." Building the races with food Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine No longer a rice eater, Zhang Chao notes that "people in southern and southeast Asia who eat rice as their main food are relatively small in stature." He also quotes the theory behind The Food of China written by American ethnobiologist Eugene N. Anderson. Though the Chinese continent comprises high mountains and basins and is rich in flora and fauna that provide diverse food options, the book notes, the Chinese somehow chose â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and choose â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rice as their staple. It may be nutritionally poor, but it is high in economic value and has helped the Chinese spawn a large population. Reaping the harvest in Guangxi. Photo: Grey World Food writer Hong Yie rather prefers to argue that humans have always followed the optimal foraging theory in choosing their food sources according to the environmental conditions they live in. "The fact that southerners prefer rice and the northerners wheat is determined by the environment," Hong says. The warm, humid lushness of the Chinese south is a natural bed for wild rice, so as early as 12,000 years ago rice had been domesticated. Meanwhile, the arid north can only plant drought-resistant and alkali-resistant grains such as millet or corn. Wheat was a foreign grain that didn't come to China until about 4,000 years ago. "Thanks to its advantages of yield and resistance to pests and diseases, it replaced other grains to become the northerners' main food," Hong says. Zhang is convinced that "none of the nations in the world whose staple is rice is strong physically," but Hong disagrees. Advantages of height or physique are never the result of a single food but are related largely to the environment and physical activity. "The Japanese conducted some experiments encouraging people to eat more noodles and bread," Hong says. "But their scientists discovered eventually that an increase in height has nothing to do with the intake of pasta. Rather it's more to do with soybean and milk products because a proper calcium intake will help people to grow bigger." Rice vs. wheat self-images While there is no clear will cause physical in a piece entitle "Rice in Science last May, that psychological Western culture is more its thinking, whereas oriented and interested in

evidence that eating rice or flour differences, scientists concluded Theory," published different staple foods lead to differences. For instance, individualized and analytical in Asians are more communityholistic thinking.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine One of the tests conducted in this rice theory research asked participants to draw their own social network with circles representing themselves and their connections. The researcher then measured the size of circles to find out the implicit measurement of these participants. The test discovered that people from rice-growing regions are much more inclined to draw their own circles smaller than those of others. The people from wheat-growing regions have an inflated ego compared compared to others. "Preferences to physical characteristics such as tall or short are more influenced by cultural factors than by animal instinct," Hong says. "Evolution is more about adaptation, not about superiority." Guarding the stock in Wuxi. Photo: DaiLuo

Golden Rice faces ideological and technical hurdles November 4, 2014 | Genetic Literacy Project

In south and southeast Asian nations such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, rice is the primary food source, comprising up to 70% of the daily caloric intake. As many as a half million children, mostly in Asia, lose their eyesight because of vitamin A deficiency. Half of them will die within a year of going blind, primarily because their immune systems did not have enough vitamin A to function properly. It was that humanitarian crisis–and the failure of alternative potential solutions to the crisis promoted by biotechnology critics–that led to the Golden Rice project. Golden Rice is genetically designed to produce β-carotene—a precursor to vitamin A. Despite the fact that the modified rice is considered an ideal solution to the problem, its development remains stalled for both political and technical reasons, according to a comprehensive history of the innovation in the current issue of Nature. Several technical problems have dogged golden rice’s journey from the greenhouse to the field. Unfortunately, the golden rice strain selected for field testing does not grow as well as local rice varieties, limiting its appeal to struggling farmers. The scientific problems can be solved, but public fears over GM organisms (GMOs) may be a bigger obstacle. Activists in Europe and North America have shaped the debate by raising doubts and concerns over the environmental impact and health risks of ‘unnatural’ GMOs, even though scientists have pointed to numerous studies that should assuage these worries.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Greenpeace scientist Janet Cotter thinks it is too early to make assertions about the safety of golden rice. ―You may very well be able to create β-carotene in rice, but then the question is, what else has changed?‖ she says. ―There‘s no way you can test every single compound in a plant, and you still won‘t know about the food safety in terms of the wider population. ‖ But proponents of golden rice see this as an unnecessary objection to a promising solution to malnutrition. ―We cannot ever say the risk from GM crops is zero,‖ says Ronald Herring, a political scientist specializing in biotechnology policy at Cornell University in New York. ―But I don‘t know of any actually authenticated hazard, and I think the science all points in the same direction.‖ Posted in: Biotechnology | Crops & Food | Daily Digest: Agriculture | Daily Digests | Featured Articles | Featured: Agriculture | Green Genes & Sustainability | Regulation & Bioethics

Gambia: President Leads First Harvest On V-2016 Rice Fields in CRR Tuesday, November 04, 2014

The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji DrYahya Jammeh Babili Mansa has led the first harvest exercise at one of the many vast rice fields cultivated in CRR as part of the implementation of the country‘s anti-hunger agenda, the Vision 2016. More harvests on the same variety are expected to be carried out in March, April, August and December, 2015, respectively when there will be no more rice coming into The Gambia. Meanwhile, thousands of people had lined up the road to give President Jammeh and his entourage a befitting welcome as well as to show solidarity and love for him. They are very appreciative of their leader‘s agricultural initiatives, which have resulted to success stories today. Many of the farmers, who often render labour work on the fields, heaped praises on The Gambian leader for providing the necessary conditions which has seriously improved their livelihoods. The fields, which are specifically cultivated in that part of the country are part of the broad implementation of the Vision 2016 food self-sufficiency agenda. Launched since 2013, the V-2016 has been drawing wider support within and outside The Gambia. The overall idea is to end decades-long importation of food, especially rice into the country. Pacharr rice fields Pacharr rice fields, which have long been experimented to serve as Gambia's main food basket, has this year been turned into massive production sites by the president of the Republic to serve the very purpose of their existence. Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The Pacharr field covers about 1,105 hectares and between 1966 and 1969, a Chinese (Taiwan) agricultural team introduced rice cultivation via the method of irrigation on Janjanbureh Island. This initial enthusiasm soon faded and the project ran out of steam. This was followed by another Chinese team in 1974-1975 that set up base at the Sapu Rice Research Station. In 1973, The Gambia government started its development project. In 1982, a rice irrigation project was started at the Jahali and Pacharr Smallholder Rice Development Fields involving 1,474 hectares. About 30 years later on October 31 this month, 2014, the field (Pacharr) yielded its first harvest, part of which field has been left uncultivated after many years. It proved a resounding success with yields expecting to surpass all expectations. In a visit to the project site on Friday, October 31st 2014, the president of the Republic told reporters that he is thankful to the Almighty Allah for all the successes thus far. ―I thank the Almighty Allah for this because if it were not His blessings this would not have happened. In 20 years, we have spent millions of Dollars on rice production and yet we are getting deeper and deeper into poverty and hunger when we have this wonderful gift. This is a jewel given to us by the Almighty Allah where you don‘t need much labour. So I am happy and very grateful because by first of January 2015 this rice would be the first produced Gambian rice; it answers to Vision 2016 call,‖ the president noted. ―Over two hundred hectares are under cultivation at this site and the variety of rice grown there is called the ‗Gambianka‘ and can be harvested seven times in one season. The more you harvest the more yield it becomes and powerful,‖ the president said of the variety. About the Jahally and Pacharr rice fields The Jahally and Pacharr rice field projects took off in 1983-84 with a total land area of 1392 at the time – 545 hectares for pump irrigation, 703 hectares for tidal and 144 hectares of improved rain-fed land. The Pacharr swamps, covering about 1105 hectares, was more or less in its natural state, and comprises two distinct swamp areas located seven kilometers apart on the southern banks of the River Gambia. More about Vision 2016 Since it has been launched, the Vision has been praised as one of the greatest interventions of the Jammeh administration in addressing food security and household poverty. It recently received a tap on the back by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), following a visit to the country by its president, Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze. ―The Vision 2016 is an ambitious one, but of course it can be achieved. We have the leadership behind it, who has a strong conviction and support for agriculture particularly the smallholder and rural women. But it also calls for strengthening of institutions, consistency in policies, an

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine enabling environment for the private sector, and massive investment on rural infrastructure,‖ he was quoted as saying during his recent visit to the country at the invitation of President Jammeh. Author: Musa Ndow on in CRR

BoI backs backward integration efforts of rice millers By Press Release November 4, 2014 21:35:08pm GMT | Views: 52

Efforts to scale up current rice paddy production capacity has been boosted by the Bank of Industry BoI with support for rice millers stating that with increased and sustained investments in rice backward integration programme; Nigeria will attain a net exporter status in the short to medium term.The Managing Director of BoI, Rasheed Olaoluwa expressed the bank‘s commitment to the project after an inspection tour of the 42,000 capacity Tara Rice Mill and its subsidiary 1,200 hectares of rice farm in Adani, Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu state. Olaoluwa said Nigeria had embarked on a revolution in terms of rice production especially with the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which centred on the development of 10 medium sized mills with the capacity of 36,000 metric tonnes each and six high quality cassava flour mills across the country. He explained that he and his team embarked on the tour of Tara Rice Mills, which had just been successfully concluded and tested, because BoI was a financier of the project that has Mr. Charles Ugwu as the promoter. ‖This is Charles Ugwu‘s second rice mill, the first one is in Abakiliki with a capacity of 30,000metric tonnes, while this new one has a capacity of 42,000 metric tonnes, so we are looking at a combined capacity of 72,000 metric tonnes. ―This is very unique in the sense that it is not just a rice mill, he also has a 1,200 hectares of rice settlement and the whole idea is that they plan to increase that to 5000 hectares, so the sourcing of the paddy that will be required by the rice mill will almost be guaranteed,‖ he said. He stated that the visit to Ndani, Enugu state was part of Federal Government‘s effort to ensure that the objective of turning Nigeria from a major importer into a net exporter of rice was achieved as part of President Goodluck Jonathan‘s Transformation Agenda. ―So a lot of things are happening and it is hoped that at the end of the day, Nigeria will significantly reduce the amount of money that it currently spends importing food, already the expenditure of processed food has reduced from $6.9billion in 2009 to $4.3 billion currently. We believe that in the short-term, at most medium term, we should be in the position to not only eliminate food importation completely but actually ensure that Nigeria can be a net exporter of food items,‖ he said.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Welcoming the BoI MD and his team to the Mill, Charles Ugwu noted that the rice mill was initially funded by the Federal Government under the initiative on rice promotion, to deal with issues of food security, handle the crises of unemployment and to engage the small-holder farmers who produce paddy. He said that the mill had been tested, fully established and was producing rice of high quality with capacity to mill 42,000tonnes of paddy per year or about four 30 tonne trailers of paddy per day. ―The value of the mill at cost is N1.56billion out of which BoI has provided N840million and the local investors ploughed in the rest. There are about 200 people who work here directly and then about 4,000 farmers who contribute the paddy that keeps the mill running. The quality is excellent, Nigeria produces good quality paddy that does not get to stay in the silo for years and so we mill current paddy that is produced within the locality. We have a very good and nutritious paddy.‖ ―Can you imagine what it would be if it were to be 10000 hectares producing a huge volume of paddy and massive job opportunities for farmers? This is the way forward for Nigeria and if you do it for 30 or 40 mills scattered across the country, we are going forward. If we can increase the level of paddy production and the quantity of rice that we mill in the country, it will be good for Nigeria. However the major challenge still remains infrastructure,‖ he said. He commended the state government for having done quite well in the provision of link roads to the farms and mill but added that more can still be done in terms of providing power and water to the mills and farmlands.

Thailand considers bond issues to help finance rice debt Tue Nov 4, 2014 10:01am GMT

BANGKOK Nov 4 (Reuters) - Thailand's military junta is considering issuing bonds to refinance loans used for a controversial state rice-buying scheme to help reduce borrowing costs, Finance Minister Sommai Phasee said on Tuesday.The debt is now estimated at around 500-600 billion baht ($15.3-18.4 billion) and the country will need to replace it, possibly with five-or seven-year bonds, the minister told reporters."Now the market is likely accept bonds of no longer than 20 years," he said, adding the bonds would not be sold at once. "We will roll them over until the debt is paid off, which may take about 30 years," he added. The ministry's public debt management office is preparing a plan on how to manage this debt, he said, without elaborating.The military seized power in May in a bid to restore order after months of political unrest and tackle economic problems.The rice-buying scheme was one of the key policies in the populist electoral platform that brought ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra to power in 2011. Yingluck's critics said the scheme was riddled with corruption, and the junta is still estimating the losses incurred.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine In September, Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), which helps manage the rice scheme, said Thailand had lost 320 billion baht from the scheme and the final cost would rise substantially.The bank president estimated the government still owed BAAC about 750 billion baht in debt related to the scheme .($1=32.6 baht) (Reporting by Kitiphong Thaichareon; Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Move to seize assets of 15 Nalanda rice mill owners Farrukh Nadim,TNN | Nov 4, 2014, 10.35 PM IST

BIHARSHARIF: Tightening its noose around defaulting rice mill owners in Nalanda district, the local office of the State Food Corporation (SFC) has initiated a process to confiscate assets of 15 millers across the district to realize around Rs 16 crore, which they failed to pay against around 90,000 quintal rice, to the corporation in the financial year 2012-13. The sword of confiscation of assets on the heads of 20 other rice millers is also hanging after they failed to return 20,000 quintals of rice worth Rs 5 crore in 2011-12 fiscal, pending disposal of writ filed by the alleged offenders in the Patna high court.District FCI manager Sushil Kumar said the department has initiated a process to attach properties of 15 defaulting rice mill owners who did not return 89,339 quintals of rice worth Rs 15.9 crore in 2012-13 fiscal. He said 54 rice millers across the district had to return 6,44,097 quintals of rice but instead a total of 5,54,718 quintals rice was returned to the department but 15 rice mills failed to return 89,339 quintals rice till date.He said despite repeated reminders, they remained unmoved and hence the department was left with no option but to begin punitive action. The defaulting rice mills which have been identified by the department to be punished include Param Dayal, Buddha Bihar, Mahalaxmi, Shiv Sagar, SK, Jai Thakur, Kisan Agro Enterprises, Deep Jyoti, Maa Gayatri, Raj Automatic, Maa Bhagwati, Guru Gobind, Hari Om and Prakriti rice mills spread across the district.The FCI official added besides these 15 rice mills, there are 20 other rice mills across Nalanda district which have also not returned the department's rice worth Rs 5 crore against which similar action will be taken once the writ they have filed in the Patna high court is disposed off. He said in 2011-12, 20 rice millers did not return around 20,000 quintals of rice against paddy they had received from the department.The value of the paddy stands around Rs 5 crore and the defaulting firms will not be spared once the litigation is cleared, added the FCI official.

USA Rice Filing Highlights Trade Barriers How much is too much?

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation has responded to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) request for an analysis of trade barriers standing in the way of U.S. rice exports. USTR will consider the USA Rice submission as they publish the 2015 National Trade Estimates Report (NTE) that highlights the substantial trade barriers facing U.S. exporters. This year's submission highlights the continuing difficulties faced by U.S. rice exporters in key markets in Asia because of protectionist foreign government policies, as well as continuing constraints faced on shipping to the European Union because of the EU's complex and discriminatory duty structure on rice imports. The USA Rice letter also summarizes the finding of research sponsored by USA Rice on the compliance of key competing rice exporting countries with the requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Thailand, for example, likely exceeded the limit on domestic support for rice that it agreed to in the WTO's Uruguay Round because of a very generous price support program. When that support, called the paddy pledging scheme, resulted in a huge increase in government-owned stocks, Thailand very likely turned to using export subsidies to move the stocks onto the world market, contrary to the country's WTO commitment not to use export subsidies for rice. "The NTE report is a valuable tool for USA Rice to present to the Administration and Congress in one place the policies and trade barriers of foreign governments that hold back U.S. rice sales," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "We look forward to the publication of the report early next year and to working with U.S. trade officials to remove these barriers." Contact: Kristen Dayton (703) 236-1464

Lower rice output seen this year and next: BPS Linda Yulisman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Tue, November 04 2014, 11:29 AM

Indonesia is bracing for a lower output of rice, its main crop, this year: an early challenge to President Joko ―Jokowi‖ Widodo‘s plan for self-sufficiency within the next three to four years.Domestic rice production, as measured by the output of unhusked paddy rice, will decrease by 0.94 percent, or equal to 670,000 tons this year from last year, as harvest areas shrink because of drought in several production centers, as well as floods in others, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported Monday. ―A relatively big decline in rice output may happen in Central Java, West Java, South Sumatra, North Sumatra and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).‖ BPS chief Suryamin told reporters in a press conference.The figure is an improvement from the 1.98 percent slide predicted by the agency in July because of a feared El Niño phenomenon that would have brought severe drought to the sprawling archipelago of more than 17,000 islands. The extreme weather conditions did not happen.The lower output was caused by a loss of 66,930 hectares of harvest area, or a 0.48 percent dip, amid unfavorable weather and a 0.47 percent slide in productivity that translated into a loss of 24 kilograms per hectare, the agency said.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The agriculture ministry‘s acting director general for food crops, Haryono, said that the potential decline in rice output was not alarming and the situation was still in line with expectations.The government has priced in a potential for lower output caused by a reduction in producing farmland, particularly as the planting season began very early late last year.―Based on our surveillance of standing crops from May to September and from September to December, we believe that the realized rice production for the whole year will likely pick up,‖ he told reporters after the conference.Lower rice production could lead to higher prices, which is always a key concern in Indonesia, the world‘s fourth most populous nation with nearly 250 million people for whom rice is a staple food. Rice prices have been manageable, with rice only contributing to 0.03 percent of October‘s 0.47 percent inflation rate.Asked whether the government would need to import to maintain competitive prices against the backdrop of an expected lower rice output, Haryono said that rice imports would only be necessary when there was an urgency for them.―In the era of climate change, who can guarantee availability of stocks? We only have stockpiles that can suffice for three months,‖ he said.However, with the new government under Jokowi imports seem to be unlikely as he has promised food sovereignty. On the day of his installment, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman vowed to boost production of staple foods, including rice, corn and soybean, in the next three to four years, to stop imports. The measures would include the revitalization of irrigation infrastructure, mechanization of agriculture, expansion of planting areas and introduction of an agricultural insurance program for farmers.Meanwhile, in contrast with rice, the agency predicted that production of two other key crops — corn and soybeans — would likely rise by 3.33 percent to 19.13 million tons and 18.12 percent to 921,340 tons respectively. Apart from benefits derived from enhanced productivity, behind those increases were a 1.54 percent expansion of harvest areas for corn to 58,720 hectares and a 11.08 percent expansion of harvest areas for soybeans to 61,010 hectares.Indonesia is bracing for a lower output of rice, its main crop, this year: an early challenge to President Joko ―Jokowi‖ Widodo‘s plan for self-sufficiency within the next three to four years. Domestic rice production, as measured by the output of unhusked paddy rice, will decrease by 0.94 percent, or equal to 670,000 tons this year from last year, as harvest areas shrink because of drought in several production centers, as well as floods in others, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported Monday.―A relatively big decline in rice output may happen in Central Java, West Java, South Sumatra, North Sumatra and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).‖ BPS chief Suryamin told reporters in a press conference. The figure is an improvement from the 1.98 percent slide predicted by the agency in July because of a feared El Niño phenomenon that would have brought severe drought to the sprawling archipelago of more than 17,000 islands. The extreme weather conditions did not happen. The lower output was caused by a loss of 66,930 hectares of harvest area, or a 0.48 percent dip, amid

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine unfavorable weather and a 0.47 percent slide in productivity that translated into a loss of 24 kilograms per hectare, the agency said. The agriculture ministry‘s acting director general for food crops, Haryono, said that the potential decline in rice output was not alarming and the situation was still in line with expectations. The government has priced in a potential for lower output caused by a reduction in producing farmland, particularly as the planting season began very early late last year.―Based on our surveillance of standing crops from May to September and from September to December, we believe that the realized rice production for the whole year will likely pick up,‖ he told reporters after the conference.Lower rice production could lead to higher prices, which is always a key concern in Indonesia, the world‘s fourth most populous nation with nearly 250 million people for whom rice is a staple food. Rice prices have been manageable, with rice only contributing to 0.03 percent of October‘s 0.47 percent inflation rate.Asked whether the government would need to import to maintain competitive prices against the backdrop of an expected lower rice output, Haryono said that rice imports would only be necessary when there was an urgency for them. ―In the era of climate change, who can guarantee availability of stocks? We only have stockpiles that can suffice for three months,‖ he said.However, with the new government under Jokowi imports seem to be unlikely as he has promised food sovereignty.On the day of his installment, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman vowed to boost production of staple foods, including rice, corn and soybean, in the next three to four years, to stop imports. The measures would include the revitalization of irrigation infrastructure, mechanization of agriculture, expansion of planting areas and introduction of an agricultural insurance program for farmers. Meanwhile, in contrast with rice, the agency predicted that production of two other key crops — corn and soybeans — would likely rise by 3.33 percent to 19.13 million tons and 18.12 percent to 921,340 tons respectively.Apart from benefits derived from enhanced productivity, behind those increases were a 1.54 percent expansion of harvest areas for corn to 58,720 hectares and a 11.08 percent expansion of harvest areas for soybeans to 61,010 hectares.

Rice prices down 10 to 20 percent as supply exceeds demand Newly harvested Akita Prefecture-grown "Akitakomachi" rice is seen at Seiyu's Akabane store in Kita Ward, Tokyo, on Oct. 29. (Mainichi) 拡大写真 Prices on this year's rice crop are down, with store prices for rice this fall some 10 to 20 percent below what they were last season, the result of supply exceeding demand. While the past few years have seen bountiful harvests, consumption of rice is down. The lowered prices may be good news

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine from a consumer standpoint, but for rice farmers it is a moneylosing situation.At a Seiyu supermarket in Tokyo's Kita Ward, a special display of Akita Prefecture "Akitakomachi" rice was set up near cash registers, prominently displaying its price of 1,490 yen before consumption tax for 5 kilograms, around 20 percent lower than its price before tax of 1,790 last fall. Niigata Prefecture "Koshihikari" rice and Hokkaido "Nanatsuboshi" rice, meanwhile, were each selling for around 15 percent less than their prices last fall. A 43-year-old housewife shopping at the store said, "Since the consumption tax hike, I've been visiting many different supermarket s looking for the cheapest prices. I have four children and have to make lunches every day, so cheap rice really helps me out." Until the 1990s the Japanese government effectively set the price of rice, but now it is determined by supply and demand. According to an organization that works for the steady supply of rice, the average retail price of polished rice in September this year was 357 yen per kilogram, around 9 percent cheaper than the same month last year. The average trading price among sellers for 2014grown rice in September this year was 12,481 yen per 60 kilograms, 16.1 percent lower than the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It was also the lowest average ever since the ministry started keeping records in 2006. The rice in storage at wholesalers and the farmers' cooperative JA-group was 2.22 million tons at the end of June, slightly higher than last year, and marking a new record. Even before this year's crop of new rice hit store shelves, there was already a feeling of oversupply. Among rice farmers there is a widening sense of concern about the fallen prices. The price paid by the JA-group to farmers for Niigata Prefecture "Koshihikari" rice, a major brand, is 12,000 yen per 60 kilograms this year, 1,700 yen less than last year. JA-group is only paying 8,400 yen per 60 kilograms of Iwate Prefecture and Miyagi Prefecture-grown "Hitomebore" rice, 2,800 yen less than last year. Rice farmer Fumitoshi Yamato, 66, of Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, says, "Right now rice farmers are really in a tight spot. We can't afford fertilizer and pesticide without taking loans from the farming cooperative." The agriculture ministry published the index for this year's rice crop on Oct. 30 as 101, or on par with a typical year. However, the ministry says there is more rice than usual this year that is of insufficient quality to send to market, and one ministry official said, "Supply and demand could start to converge and rice prices could rise." Still, an overabundanc e of rice will likely continue and keep prices low over the mid- to long-term. November 04, 2014(Mainichi Japan)

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Rice diseases threatens Ayeyarwady Region A recent outbreak of Ufra rice disease is decimating rice crops in the Ayeyarwady region. Photo: Hong Sar/Mizzima A recent outbreak of Ufra rice disease is decimating rice crops in Ayeyarwady Region. Caused by a tiny nematode (Ditylenchus angustus) that feeds on the inner part of unmerged rice leaves, the disease initially causes the discoloration of rice plants. Infected plants have panicles with many unfilled grains, lowering yields, and in severe cases, causing complete crop failure.In 2002, it was estimated that 15 percent of Myanmar‘s rice farmers were affected by the disease, but because of improper containment strategies, the number is now thought to be higher. For example, in Ayeyarwady Region‘s Myaungmya district, up to 68 percent of farmers are thought to be affected. This year the monsoon has unleashed widespread infestation throughout Ayeyarwady Region, particularly in Pathein district. In many cases, farmers affected by the disease are only able to harvest up to 20 baskets of rice for each quarter acre, compared to an average of more than 70 baskets in a good year. At Hay Man Village in Bogele Township, 30 acres out of 55 acres were rendered unproductive by the disease. The spread of the disease is blamed on inadequate understanding. Simple measures, such as burning crop residue, planting short-life rice varieties and proper water management, are enough to contain and, eventually, eradicate Ufra. Unfortunately, Myanmar farmers often lack enough knowledge about these measures. They also lack the tools needed to diagnose the disease from among a variety of pests and diseases likely to affect their crops. This means that they are trying to salvage their crops by using costly pesticides that are not as effective as the preventive measures outlined above. The Myanmar Agriculture Service does what it can to assist but does not have the funds to make frequent village visits to help farmers diagnose and respond effectively to outbreaks of Ufra. Another challenge is that insufficient resources have been allocated to building the embankments, floodgates and other basic infrastructure that would significantly help farmers to control the disease. During a joint Proximity Design-MAS visit to Paw De Kaw Village in Naputa Township on September 7, 2014, it was revealed that more than 50 of the area‘s farmers would be unable to implement the suggested prevention measures because their land was too close to a nearby river to allow for proper water management. In Paw De Kaw Township, floodgates are all that are needed to help control the spread of Ufra but the area‘s farmers have suffered years of poor harvests and cannot afford to build them without government support. Because the nematode responsible for Ufra needs high humidity, the disease thrives in South Asia, especially during years of heavy rain and flooding. Though cases of the disease have been documented in parts of India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, it‘s been most problematic in neighbouring Bangladesh. Even there, however, progress has been achieved by encouraging farmers to plant lowland rice varieties. Meanwhile, farmers in lower Myanmar, such as the residents of Paw De Kaw Village, continue to struggle.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Thailand considers bond issues to help finance rice debt debt mitary junta is considering issuing bonds to refinance loans used for a controversial state rice-buying scheme to help reduce borrowis, Finance Minister Sommai Phasee said on Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS 4 Nov7:00 PM [BANGKOK]

Thailand's military junta is considering issuing bonds to refinance loans used for a controversial state rice-buying scheme to help reduce borrowing costs, Finance Minister Sommai Phasee said on Tuesday. The debt is now estimated at around US$15.3-18.4 billion and the country will need to replace it, possibly with fiveor seven-year bonds, the minister told reporters. "Now the market is likely accept bonds of no longer than 20 years," he said, adding the bonds would not be sold at once. "We will roll them over until the debt is paid off, which may take about 30 years," he added. The ministry's public debt management office is preparing a plan on how to manage this debt, he said, without elaborating.The military seized power in May in a bid to restore order after months of political unrest and tackle economic problems.

Air glare on wheat, rice By G.S Mudur

Tuesday, 04 November 2014 08:20 AM New Delhi, Nov. 3: Air pollution is a far bigger threat than climate change to wheat and rice and a key factor holding back India from achieving optimum yields of these crops, a new study has suggested.

The study released by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, has found that Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s wheat yields during 2010 were on an average about 36 per cent lower than they would have been in the absence of air pollution and climate change.Researchers Veerabhadran Ramanathan and Jennifer Burney at the UCSD have also shown that up to 90 per cent of the reduction in the wheat yields could be attributed to air pollutants, mainly soot particles, or black carbon and ozone. Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Vehicular exhaust and the burning of firewood are among the primary sources of soot and ozone. Their findings appeared today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Earlier studies have indicated that yields of several crops could drop in response to rising temperatures and accompanying rainfall changes and rising ozone levels.But the new study is the first to segregate the two impacts to determine which is more significant for India‘s wheat and rice production. ―The large magnitude of the impact of air pollution (on these crops) is a surprise,‖ said Jayaraman Srinivasan, professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who was not associated with the study.―We‘ve been largely focused on how climate change may influence crop yields, these results suggest that air pollution is a larger threat,‖ Srinivasan told The Telegraph. Black carbon absorbs direct and diffuse sunlight and reduces light available to plants.About a decade ago, botanist Madhoolika Agrawal at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, had measured the concentrations of certain air pollutants in rural areas and found that the higher their levels, the lower the yields of at least three crops: beans, spinach and wheat.In the new study, Ramanathan and Burney used a set of computer simulations and crop yield models to calculate the combined effects of climate change and air pollution on wheat and rice from 1980 to 2010.India is the world‘s second largest producer of rice and wheat and yields of both crops have steadily increased over the years. The modelling study shows that the yields could have been even higher in the absence of air pollution and climate change.

The study‘s findings suggest that in Uttar Pradesh — India‘s most populous state and the largest producer of wheat and rice, providing about 30 per cent of the country‘s wheat and 14 per cent of rice — wheat yields were 50 per cent lower in 2010 than they would have been without air pollution and climate change.Similar negative impacts with wheat yield losses ranging from 15 to 56 per cent also showed up in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.Air pollution also appears to have negatively impacted rice production by more than 15 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal along the heavily polluted Gangetic plains, the researchers said. ―Crop yield increases could be a huge potential additional benefit from cleaning up air pollution that does not typically get taken into account in cost-benefit analyses,‖ Burney, assistant professor at the UCSD, said.―And the impact of air pollution mitigation is almost immediate, so this kind of action could help mitigate some of the longer-term impacts of climate change on crops,‖ she said.The study, however, observed no significant impacts on wheat yields in Haryana and Punjab from either air pollution or climate change. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, temperature and rainfall changes are likely to have a greater impact on rice yields than air pollution.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The scientists said the larger impact on wheat could be attributed to two factors.The greatest build-up of air pollution over the Indian subcontinent coincides with the main growing season for wheat.Wheat may be more sensitive than rice to ozone, another air pollutant.Srinivasan cautioned that the results are based on models of crop yields and emissions. ―These models must be validated against actual Indian data on both air pollution and crop yields for its results to be relevant.‖ But Ramanathan and Burney say their findings suggest that reducing air pollution could be important for food security. The rise in yield from any reduction of air pollution, they said in their research report, could help offset the anticipated future expected yield losses from changes in temperature and rainfall. The Telegraph,Calcutta

Rice imports last year above local demands Tehran, Nov 4, IRNA – Minister of Agriculture Jihad Mahmoud Hojjati referred to surplus import of rice into the country last year and said this has caused bulk storage for the consumption of which in the market appropriate measures should be taken.He told reporters that at present there is no restriction for import of rice but due to the high seasonal yield there has been no rice import in recent months. Stressing that some measures are underway to evaluate the current condition of rice in the country he said at present domestic rice consumption is about three million tons while production stands at about two million tons and the remaining is being imported.As for market regulation the minister said there is no problem in the field of wholesaling, supply and demand to such an extent that the least increase in prices should relate to the wholesale of foodstuffs and agricultural products. Referring to the establishment of terminals for the export of aquatics Hojjati said in the area of supplying aquatics for export measures are underway with other countries for the construction of infrastructures in order to prepare the ground for aquatics export.The minister noted that the main aquatics which are exported are shrimp and non-edible fish.He pointed to the suitable Russian market for the export of aquatics and said efforts are being made to prepare the ground for the direct export of aquatics and to this end Russian experts are due to visit Iran this month. Hojjati also referred to the readiness of Iran Veterinary Organization for the export of aquatics and expressed hope that the way will be paved as soon as possible for the direct export of Iran‘s aquatics to Russia. NS/1664 Contact Editor-in-chief: newsroom@irna.ir Contact us for Advertisement & Specs: mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2847

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine USA Rice Filing Highlights Trade Barriers How much is too much? ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation has responded to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's (USTR) request for an analysis of trade barriers standing in the way of U.S. rice exports. USTR will consider the USA Rice submission as they publish the 2015 National Trade Estimates Report (NTE) that highlights the substantial trade barriers facing U.S. exporters.

This year's submission highlights the continuing difficulties faced by U.S. rice exporters in key markets in Asia because of protectionist foreign government policies, as well as continuing constraints faced on shipping to the European Union because of the EU's complex and discriminatory duty structure on rice imports. The USA Rice letter also summarizes the finding of research sponsored by USA Rice on the compliance of key competing rice exporting countries with the requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Thailand, for example, likely exceeded the limit on domestic support for rice that it agreed to in the WTO's Uruguay Round because of a very generous price support program. When that support, called the paddy pledging scheme, resulted in a huge increase in government-owned stocks, Thailand very likely turned to using export subsidies to move the stocks onto the world market, contrary to the country's WTO commitment not to use export subsidies for rice. "The NTE report is a valuable tool for USA Rice to present to the Administration and Congress in one place the policies and trade barriers of foreign governments that hold back U.S. rice sales," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "We look forward to the publication of the report early next year and to working with U.S. trade officials to remove these barriers." Contact: Kristen Dayton (703) 236-1464

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