6th september,daily global,regional and local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

6th September,2016 daily global regional and local rice e-newsletter by riceplus magazine www.riceplusmagazine.blogpsot.com www.ricepluss.com contact

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Australian, Indian researchers work together to develop salt-resistant rice Source: Xinhua 2016-09-06 10:37:57 MELBOURNE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A team of Australian researchers have partnered with an Indian research foundation in an effort to develop a variety of salt-tolerant rice, as part of a broader project to address food security.

A team from the University of Tasmania's School of Land and Food will work with the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation to develop the salt-tolerant rice.

Holger Meinke, head of the School of Land and Food, said that given rice production in Asia was increasingly impaired by seawater intrusion, the development of a durable variety of the grain was of utmost importance.

"Researchers from the University of Tasmania, supported by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, will be using a variety of wild rice that is capable of growing in highly-saline coastal areas to identify and transfer traits that confer its remarkable salinity-stress tolerance," Meinke said in a press release on Tuesday.

"These traits will be transferred to traditional rice cultivars using a range of modern plant-breeding techniques to create a salt-tolerant rice variety which will be suitable for growing conditions in India and other saline environments around the world."

The three-year, 1.5 million U.S. dollar project would be funded by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund which receives equal contributions from the Australian and Indian governments.

Sergey Shabala, the project leader from the University of Tasmania, said the project could have wide-reaching benefits for the agriculture industry.

"Rice is Australia's third largest cereal grain export, and the ninth largest agricultural export. The industry generates around 600 million U.S. dollars revenue per annum, with around 380 million U.S. dollars of this coming from value-added exports," Shabala said.

"The development of salinity-tolerant rice variety will help improve outcomes for Australian farmers who are affected by transient salinity.

"This is the first step towards developing agricultural systems that are highly salt-tolerant. The capabilities and technologies developed through this project have the potential to ultimately enhance the agricultural productivity for other major crops such as barley and wheat."

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016-09/06/c_135665957.htm

Australian, Indian researchers work together to develop salt-resistant rice Source: Xinhua 2016-09-06 10:37:57

MELBOURNE, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A team of Australian researchers have partnered with an Indian research foundation in an effort to develop a variety of salt-tolerant rice, as part of a broader project to address food security.

A team from the University of Tasmania's School of Land and Food will work with the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation to develop the salt-tolerant rice.

Holger Meinke, head of the School of Land and Food, said that given rice production in Asia was increasingly impaired by seawater intrusion, the development of a durable variety of the grain was of utmost importance.

"Researchers from the University of Tasmania, supported by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, will be using a variety of wild rice that is capable of growing in highly-saline coastal areas to identify and transfer traits that confer its remarkable salinity-stress tolerance," Meinke said in a press release on Tuesday.

"These traits will be transferred to traditional rice cultivars using a range of modern plant-breeding techniques to create a salt-tolerant rice variety which will be suitable for growing conditions in India and other saline environments around the world."

The three-year, 1.5 million U.S. dollar project would be funded by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund which receives equal contributions from the Australian and Indian governments.

Sergey Shabala, the project leader from the University of Tasmania, said the project could have wide-reaching benefits for the agriculture industry.

"Rice is Australia's third largest cereal grain export, and the ninth largest agricultural export. The industry generates around 600 million U.S. dollars revenue per annum, with around 380 million U.S. dollars of this coming from value-added exports," Shabala said.

"The development of salinity-tolerant rice variety will help improve outcomes for Australian farmers who are affected by transient salinity.

"This is the first step towards developing agricultural systems that are highly salt-tolerant. The capabilities and technologies developed through this project have the potential to ultimately enhance the agricultural productivity for other major crops such as barley and wheat. www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-09/ru-wwc090116.php

Farmers seek help to cope with more rice imports By: Ronnel W. Domingo @inquirerdotnet Philippine Daily Inquirer 12:05 AM September 6th, 2016

Local farmers need greater government support amid the expected expiration of import curbs for milled rice, which is cheaper than homegrown grains, according to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag).

The umbrella group of farmers, agri-business operators and party list groups Monday also said the removal of import quotas for milled rice would not cut prices of the staple grain. ―The liberalization of the agriculture sector since the mid-1990s saw the dumping of agriculture imports but it did not redound to the lowering of prices of most, if not all, agriculture products,‖ Sinag chair Rosendo So told the Inquirer.

So said that, for example, the garlic industry—which sources as much as 90 percent of supply from abroad— did not see lower prices, and even experienced a price spike. ―Quantitative restrictions on rice did not hinder the importation of greater volumes. In fact, the Philippines has been one of the top importers of rice in the last decade or so,‖ he said. ―This does not even take in to account the flourishing trade of rice smuggling that continues to this day,‖ he added.

Sinag believes that, instead of relying on imports ―that only help the rice farmers of rice exporting countries,‖ the government should pursue the ―genuine development‖ of the local rice industry through the following efforts.

First, support rice farmers with the provision of farm inputs including seeds, irrigation, credit and insurance coverage, as well as support in the post-and marketing stage.

Second, increase the farmgate support price of National Food Authority.

And third, provide incentives to local rice millers who want to modernize their milling operations and facilities.

So said the cost of producing palay in the Philippines was around P10-P12 per kilo while farmers in Vietnam grow palay at P6.50 a kilo and in Thailand and India at about P9 a kilo.

The import quota system—which will expire on June 30, 2017, even if the government does not lift it—commits the government to allow into the Philippines a minimum of 805,200 tons yearly

http://business.inquirer.net/214546/farmers-seek-help-cope-rice-imports#ixzz4JTASkiCU

Kenya’s Sh7 billion rice imports hurt economy, cause job losses Sep. 06, 2016, 2:00 am

By JOHN MUCHANGI

Workers carry counterfeit rice seized in Industrial Area on November 14, 2015. The rice from Pakistan was being repackaged with local trademarks /MONICAH MWANGI Reliance on imported rice costs East Africa nearly Sh50 billion every year and thousands of jobs. Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa president Agnes Kalibata yesterday said the region has to improve domestic production to cut losses.

Rice rivals maize-based meals - including Ugali and Githeri – as Kenya‘s most consumed food.

―If we don‘t improve, it will get worse. We need to ensure our farmers are connected to markets,‖ she said during the opening of the week-long African Green Revolution Forum.

Kenya spends more than Sh7 billion every year on imports, mostly from India and Pakistan, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation has said.

The majority of Kenyans consumes between 10 and 18kg of rice every year. The total domestic consumption is more than 250,000 tonnes annually, against an annual domestic production of between 45,000 and 80,000 tonnes, Kalro has said. The gap is met through imports, which FAO says are rising.

Kalibata said farmers should use improved technology. Agriculture CS Willy Bett said domestic food production can be improved through mechanised farming. ―We have to make agriculture profitable, otherwise farmers will only engage in it for subsistence,‖ he said.

Bett said the government will work on eliminating brokers. ―We were giving farmers more market information so they can negotiate better prices. We now have technology applications that farmers can use to access information,‖ he said. The agriculture forum is being held at the United Nations headquarters in Gigiri. This year‘s forum is themed Seize the Moment: Africa Rising through Agricultural Transformation. http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/09/06/kenyas-sh7-billion-rice-imports-hurt-economy-cause-joblosses_c1415043

Customs loses N600bn to diverted vehicle imports   

In NIGERIA 1 day ago Jeremiah Benameisigha

Hameed Ali

Nigerian ports have lost a whopping N600 billion in the last three years due to diversion in the importation of vehicles from the nation‘s ports to neighbouring ports, especially the Cotonou port in the Republic of Benin findings have revealed.This figure is said to be the value of the revenue that ought to have been collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) if the vehicles were shipped directly to Nigerian ports.

This is even as activities at the terminals designated for handling of Roll on Roll off (RORO) have plummeted.

Similarly, rice smuggling through the country‘s borders has been on astronomical increase since the ban on rice importation through the country‘s land borders.

The federal government had in March, announced the re-introduction of the ban. This was a reversal of an earlier policy in October 2015, which allowed rice imports through land borders provided appropriate duty was paid.

It would be recalled that the NCS had stated that during the five-month period October 2015 and March 2016 when the importation was allowed, a total of 24.992 metric tonnes of rice valued at N2.34 billion was imported through the land borders. This however fell short of the projected revenue to be generated with the removal of import restrictions.

The smuggling of rice has continued at the land borders unabated, as evidenced by the volume of foreign rice in the country. Between January and February 2016, about 9,238 bags of rice were seized from smugglers, with about N64.67 million as duty paid value.

According to figures by the terminal operators in Lagos ports, the number of cars and vans discharged at the ports dropped by 63 per cent from 27,000 units in January 2014 to 8,000 units in January 2015 and 5,000 units in August 2016. It was learnt that Nigerian ports, which previously handled the importation of over 400,000 units of vehicles annually, now handle just about 25 per cent of the figure.

Terminal operators attributed the lull to the implementation of the automobile policy adopted by the country under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

It would also be recalled that the automobile policy was introduced in October 2013 to encourage local manufacturing and discourage importation of vehicles as well as gradually phase out used cars (popularly known as Tokunbo cars).

The commencement of the implementation of the policy in 2013 raised the tariffs on imported vehicles from 20 per cent to 70 per cent.

The managing director of Grimaldi Agency Nigeria Ltd, a terminal designated for the handling of Roll on Roll off (RORO), Mr Ascanio Russo, said in an interview that the terminal could only handle an average of 72,000 vehicles yearly since the start of the automotive policy. ―The major beneficiary of this policy has been Benin Republic because many of those vehicles go to Cotonou and from there, they are moved back to Nigeria. This was very evident in 2014 and 2016. ―Annually, the country is losing N200 billion to neighbouring ports. Interestingly, the volume of vehicles going to Cotonou has not shrunk; in actual sense, it has continued to increase. Today, out of four vehicles for the Nigerian market, three are discharged in Cotonou,‖said Russo.

The chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, said that for trucks, the volume dropped from 2,700 units in January 2014 to 1,700 units in January 2015.

According to Haastrup, the fall in vehicular imports into Nigeria had led to an increase in the number of cars and vans discharged at the Cotonou Port. ―In Cotonou port, the total number of cars and vans discharged in January 2015 was 30,000 units against 20,000 units discharged in January 2014. This represents a 50 per cent growth. Similar trends have been registered also for trucks,‖ she said.

The managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, said a review of the automotive policy was being considered by the government.

She said: ―There‘s been a period of implementation of the automobile policy. There‘s a need to relook at it to determine the opportunities lost by the federal government vis a vis the automotive industry. This is on-going. ―We‘ll aggressively sustain this discussion to ensure that, in a timely manner, the government concludes its assessment of this policy and takes a decision on the way forward as it relates to the revenue being lost within the Authority and also the development of the automobile industry itself.‖ It would be recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service at the Ports and Terminal Multi-services Ltd (PTML) declared a 32 per cent drop in revenue to N63.18 billion in 2015 as against N91.45 billion earned in 2014.

The command‘s public relations officer, Mr Steve Okonmah, attributed the shortfall in revenue to the diversion of vehicles importation from Nigerian ports.

He noted that the policy had a devastating effect on the economy, as clearing agents had fewer jobs at the terminal because of the diversion of vehicles to Cotonou Port in the neighbouring Republic of Benin. Okonmah traced the revenue shortfall to low importation and high costs.

Speaking on statistics of vehicle imports at the command, Okonmah noted that in 2013, vehicle imports dropped to 172,174 units, declined further to 129,361 units in 2014 and to 66,823 units in 2015.

He pointed out that though the figure for 2016 was not ready, there were indications that it could be lower, especially with the economic crisis in the country.

As a viable alternative to the subsisting auto policy, the president, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has urged the government to adopt a-five year rolling plan of graduated tariffs whereby the lower the age of the car, the lower the duty on it, so that older vehicles would be made to pay higher duties.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders in the nation‘s auto industry have applauded the recent plan by the federal government, through the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), to introduce a credit scheme for local auto manufacturers.

Speaking in Lagos, the director, Policy and Planning, Mr Luqman Mamudu, disclosed that in order for the federal government to achieve its auto policy, the government, through the NADDC, had planned to launch a credit purchase scheme to give opportunities to Nigerians to purchase vehicles assembled in Nigeria at N7.5 billion interest free rate, with counterpart funding from a company in South Africa, all in order to help Nigerians buy new vehicles.

He said: ―This is what we have been working on for the past two years. We looked at the available access to asset financing in the country; we found out that the high interest rate is frustrating the purchase of new vehicles.

This is the gap we want to fill. We are currently working with a company in South Africa which has footprints in eight African countries where they have developed a commercial and financial model to recoup their investment.‖ Mamudu said the council was also planning to build capacity in local assembling to attract component manufacturers to set up their factories in Nigeria. ‗‗We are building three laboratories in Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu at the cost of about N3 billion. The one in Lagos is an emission testing laboratory to test for the level of emission. We are almost 90 per cent complete. We also have a component parts manufacturing testing laboratory in Enugu. We are doing all these to prepare for the next stage of component development because this is where job opportunities are enormous, but the entire process requires patience on the side of government and investors. ―We have to encourage these Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to come with their capacity. If we create the right environment for them, they will come with their capacity to produce here, and if this happens, we can export from here to earn foreign exchange. We are calling on the OEMs to use Nigeria as a hub for the whole of West Africa, but we must be steady and focused so that we do not lose the opportunity,‖ he said.

He noted that Nigeria currently has the capacity to assemble 384,000 vehicles yearly, but that only 25,000 vehicles had been assembled so far.

Mamudu further pointed out that the federal government would continue to pursue strategies to stop the influx of second-hand vehicles into the country, noting that this scheme would go a long way to give alternatives to people who patronise fairly used cars.

Speaking on the credit scheme, the director-general of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, said the policy, which had attracted investment from about 45 assemblers and part builders such as Toyota, Ford and Volkswagen was laudable.

According to him, government must look at policies that will improve the economy and help people survive the current hard times rather than the ones that bring further hardship.

On the ban of ‗tokunbo‘ vehicles or increase in tariff on vehicles in the country, he said it was not realistic at the moment, adding that even in advanced economies, fairly used vehicles are still being sold.

The chairman, Nigeria Automotive Manufacturers Association, Mr Tokunbo Aromolaran, in a chat, disclosed that the investors in the Nigerian auto manufacturing segment are indeed hopeful and that is why there is still tremendous activity in the automotive sector in spite of the very difficult operating environment of policy uncertainty, dearth of skilled labour, poor infrastructure and scarce foreign exchange.

Aromolaran explained that with the relative unavailability of foreign exchange and the fluctuation experienced lately in the money market, the OEMs still cannot operate at optimal capacity with the current level of patronage. ―We need volumes to drive down the unit cost of vehicles. And when viewed against the economics, our industry, the environment has to be right with good policies, implementation of the auto policy, enhanced purchasing power, introduction of consumer credit, government patronage and, above all, restriction of imports, including used car imports. ―It is time for the government to reel out policies needed to assist OEMs to operate optimally and empower patrons too,‖ he said. https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/177453/customs-loses-n600bn-diverted-vehicle-imports

Sierra Leone News: As the Leone Depreciates, Queuing for Rice Begins

Queuing in front of stores of rice importers to buy a bag of rice has started, as importers fear that increasing the price of a bag of rice despite the continuous drop in the value of the Leone will anger the public and authorities.The continuous depreciation of the Leone to major foreign currencies especially the US Dollar has pushed importers to sell rice on retail basis instead of passing the responsibility to wholesalers. The role of the middlemen and women has been taken over as the importers fear that an increase in the country‘s staple food will lead to public outcry. Both

wholesalers and ordinary men and women now queue in front of the headquarters of rice importers to buy 50 kilogram bags of rice at retail cost.

Some of the importers who are ―not of negro African descent‖ an expression that defines citizenship in Sierra Leone fear that despite the amount of money they have to pay to get the Dollar and import the rice from Asia, it is very difficult for them to raise prices at this time. Even on the condition of anonymity, they could not explain the reason but kept saying that the best way to do it and please both government and the people is to get rid of the retailers.

The buying rate of the US Dollar on the black market on September 1st was Le7,100. Barely a week ago it was selling in the same market at Le7,000. The volatility of the exchange rate and the fear not to anger both the governors and the governed is pushing retailers out of business.Rice is a major commodity in the Consumer pricing index (CPI). It has a huge impact like fuel in the CPI basket. Inflation has increased to double digits and currently stands at 10.53 percent. Some believe inflation has gone in real terms beyond the current figures and they predict that a dollar will sell for 10,000 before the end of the year.

Monday September 05, 2016 http://awoko.org/2016/09/05/sierra-leone-news-as-the-leone-depreciates-queuing-for-rice-begins/

Sales of El-Walili Group reach EGP 250m in 6 months, $12m exports: managing director Company to establish production line for packaging food products with EGP 50m investments next month Basma Tharwat

El Walili Group for Development and Investment achieved 50% growth in exports in the first half of this year, as a result of the increase in the value of its exports following the devaluation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar.Managing director of the group, Adham Magdy El-Walili, said that the group‘s exports in the first half of this year amounted to $12m, compared to $8m in the same period the last year.

He added that the company‘s exports of broken rice contributed to increasing the exports value, explaining that the total exported amounts of Egyptian broken rice reached 92,000 tonnes worth $30m—14,000 tonnes of which were produced by the company at a value of $4.5m.

He noted that the European Union countries imported the majority of the Egyptian broken rice (fragments of rice grains, broken in the field, during drying, during transport, or by milling) to use in manufacturing beer, animal feed, and baby formula.

El-Walili estimated the company‘s sales in the first half of this year at approximately EGP 250m, compared to EGP 150m last year.

He said that the increase in the US dollar exchange rate and rice prices during the last season significantly increased the exports and sales. The US dollar price increased from EGP 8 in the last year to EGP 12.50 in the unofficial market.

Barley rice increased from EGP 2,200 per tonne to EGP 4,000 per tonne, and the white rice price went up from EGP 3,300 per tonne to EGP 7,000 per tonne.

The production capacity of the rice millers affiliated to the company amounts to 600,000 tonnes of barley rice.

El-Walili added that the price of the rice hulls has increased from EGP 200 per tonne to EGP 800 per tonne, explaining that the rice residues are used in manufacturing fodder.

He noted that the company completed the establishment of a new production line for packaging sugar, rice, and agricultural crops. It is expected to start operating in early September.

He said that the new factory cooperated with both companies affiliated to the Holding Company for Food Industries to package the products distributed to the consumer complexes and ‗supply groceries‘.

El-Walili called on the Ministry of Industry and Trade to reconsider the decision to suspend exports of rice and broken rice, especially as exporting will bring foreign currency into the country. He stated that the country can benefit from exporting by importing Indian rice at $350 per tonne and exporting Egyptian rice for $750 per tonne.

He added that the prices announced by the cabinet for buying rice could help in reducing the price of rice for the final consumer. The cabinet had announced a price of EGP 2,300–2,400 per tonne for barley rice, pushing the price of white rice to EGP 4,250–4,500 per tonne, which would amount to EGP 4.25–4.5 per kg for the consumer.

He noted that the group exports fodder, chickpeas, peas, and lentils to a number of markets in the European Union, while it is targeting to expand into new markets in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, as well as Africa.

He said that the company is studying expansion into the African market with El-Nasr Export and Import Company, through the offices affiliated to the company in Africa.

El-Walili said local companies must participate in international exhibitions, especially as these will be attended by a large number of international companies with which local companies can partner and make deals with.

He said that investment in the food industries sector starts by paying attention to agriculture and agricultural crops, mentioning the importance of taking into account the climate changes that have occurred in Egypt and the marked rise in temperature.

He also called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation to reconsider the timing of sowing seeds and planting most agricultural crops, especially since several summer crops, such as corn, rice, and cotton, become spoiled due to the rise in temperatures.

El-Walili noted that it is necessary to pay attention to agriculture and to achieve self-sufficiency of major crops, instead of relying on imports. Egypt relies on the import of several crops, including wheat, corn, beans, and chickpeas. He noted that it is necessary to raise farmers‘ awareness about the usage of harmful pesticides and substances, mentioning that many crops have been affected because some farmers use substances designed to speed up the crops‘ maturity and ripeness http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2016/09/05/sales-el-walili-group-reach-egp-250m-6-months-12m-exportsmanaging-director/

We Did Not Confiscate Local Rice – Kano Customs Command

By Andrew Essein — Sep 5, 2016 12:51 pm | The Customs area comptrollerin charge of Kano and Jigawa, Comptroller Matheis Abutu Onoja, has dismissed allegations that the rice confiscated in one of the warehouses in Kano State was locally made.

Onoja explained that they got intelligence report concerning one warehouse around Dawanau in Dawakin Tofa local government area, and getting there, they found bags of smuggled rice, adding that they are mandated by law to seal any warehouse that has prohibited items.

He said there was no crime committed in raiding the warehouse, saying, ―If it were local rice, professionally, the officers would not even have confisticated them. The operation was done in collaboration with the military and the allegation is not true that local rice was confiscated.‖ Recall that last month, Customs in Kano State confiscated tonnes of rice kept in warehouses by traders at Dawanau area, along Danbatta road, in the state.

He said these while briefing journalists on the allegations just as he reiterated that rice has been banned from coming into the country through land borders, while advising that if anyone wants to import rice,he or she should do so through designated ports.

http://leadership.ng/news/549311/we-did-not-confiscate-local-rice-kano-customs-command

APEDA RICE NEWS -NEWS LETTER Market Watch Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 03-09-2016 Domestic Prices Product

Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Market Center

Variety

Min Price

Max Price

1

Aroor (Kerala)

Other

3000

3200

2

Dibrugarh (Assam)

Other

2000

2900

3

Khatra (West Bengal)

Other

2250

2350

1

Hoskote (Karnataka)

Other

1917

1917

2

Satna (Madhya Pradesh)

Other

1550

1717

3

Deoli (Rajasthan)

Other

1580

1691

1

Barnala (Punjab)

Other

2200

2400

2

Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh)

Other

1240

1280

3

Taura (Haryana)

Other

1800

2000

Rice

Wheat

Papaya

Cabbage

1

Anchal (Kerala)

Other

1500

1800

2

Nagpur (Maharashtra)

Other

400

600

3

Deogarh (Orissa)

Other

1500

2500

Note: Dear Readers: Due to Global Labor Day,We are unable to share more news with you.