9th may 2018 daily global regional local rice e newsletter by DAILY RICE NEWS LETTER

www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 0321 3692874

News Detail… MEGHALAYANEWS ALERT

Prof. Dr Tapas Dasgupta.

A perfect storm I for one dread the day when I will go to a bank and it will not be able to cash my cheque, and so should everyone else Kashif Noon MAY 8, 2018

The Supreme Court of Pakistan recently gave its judgement on land procurement in Karachi‘s Bahria Town. The judgement was quite comprehensive, and is considered case law now. Sale and purchase of land in Bahria Town is illegal ab initio. However, this development failed to garner much attention in mainstream media. Only one mainstream English daily carried the story, and the English media was also eerily quiet. This is strange, considering the implications this case could have. The litigation pile up in civil courts will likely go through the roof, but that is another topic for another time. There are also incalculable economic implications. In 2007, a mortgage crisis triggered the worst recession seen by the global economy since the Great Depression. It all started in the real estate and housing sector. The housing bubble burst leading to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures. This internal meltdown in the US economy‘s real estate sector triggered a shock wave hitting all economies except perhaps China‘s due to the cushions of insulation. Pakistan was also hit by this worldwide wave. Even today, the global economy is struggling to stabilize itself. This is an oscillation pattern which follows global economic crises. Pakistan‘s economy is resting — or more illustratively — contained within the real estate bubble. Investments in real estate are one of the few growth industries in Pakistan. The service sector‘s GDP contribution amounts to55.6 percent and industry a mere 19.6 percent. The service sector intrinsically follows capital flows (according to data available with Pakistan‘s Ministry of Finance in 2016). Our trade deficit stands at $25.5 billion according to OEC estimates. Pakistan‘s major exports are varieties of textile and rice. The only major manufacturing industry is textile. Excuse the pun — but we are only spinning yarn. This narrow dependency creates huge economic vulnerability. Dampening of demand in the global market will hit this industry very hard, resulting in amplification of stress across the whole economy. Therefore due to the vulnerability of textile — or the manufacture sector in general — capital flows are directed towards real estate. Services just follow.

In 2007, a mortgage crisis triggered the worst recession seen by the global economy since the Great Depression. It all started in the real estate and housing sector A cadastral survey of Pakistan was last done decades ago. It is the only method that legally defines the real property boundaries. Many changes have taken place since. Properties have been divided due to inheritance and sold out multiple times. In truth, no one in Pakistan should be too sure that they own whatever piece of land they think is theirs. Therefore, the land record computerisation based on existing property demarcation may be a trifle off the mark. The data entered in flashy computers does not matter if it is all wrong. This is a property speculators ‗perfect storm‘. The civil side of the legal system also has its role to play in further muddying these murky waters. There is a pattern in which civil cases go through the Revenue Bureaucracy all the way to the top; from the Tehsildar till the Board of Revenue member for years, until they finally land at the bottom of the Civil Court. All this takes years. On average, the case pendency time in civil cases is intergenerational. It is also said axiomatically and sadly that 90 percent of land ownership is based on who actually holds the qabza on the ground. This huge legal anomaly is accepted as a norm in Pakistan, as some form of perverted reassurance. But is it legal? More importantly, is it moral? This land speculator and grabber friendly environment is at a high risk of becoming a literal economic black hole. The SC‘s decision will eventually come to the media‘s attention, creating a perfect recipe for market panic. As Fredric Hayek described, the market behaves like a spontaneous human organisation, acting instinctively. The real estate market‘s capital flows may suddenly dry up as the court order and its implications are comprehended. Then panic selling will ensue. This will inevitably result in defaults and foreclosures. This will destroy lives. As the bubble bursts, so will honest people‘s honest investments. This economic implosion will not only affect the propertied class, in fact it will be the non-propertied class which is effected the most. The loss of small businesses and daily jobs will be devastating for low income households. The subprime crisis in the US was mitigated by a bailout package of $168 billion by US government to manage market liquidation. Do we have that kind of money? If not, then it is the responsibility of the Government to work out a solution to solve this impending national crisis. It will not matter who rules Islamabad or Lahore or Karachi or even Peshawar and Quetta. The storm is brewing and it will not discriminate. The state of denial will help no one. The real estate sector needs to be managed through legislation, reform, regulation, taxation and all that can be mustered from the basket of Government actions. I for one dread the day when I will go to a bank and the bank will not be able to cash my cheque, and so should everyone else.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/237182/a-perfect-storm-3/ 3

NFA completes bidding for rice imports 07.05.2018 | UkrAgroConsult The National Food Authority (NFA) has finally awarded the supply of 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice imports to the governments of Vietnam and Thailand after a reopening of offers.The two governments lowered their offers to match NFA‘s adjusted reference prices after the failure of the first bidding conducted last April 27.NFA‘s reference price for the second bidding was set at $531 per MT for the 15 percent broken and $520.50 per MT for the 25 percent broken rice, based on the prevailing world market prices and the peso-dollar exchange rate as of May 3, 2018. However, the agency‘s spokesman, Rex Estoperez said that the country may have secured lower prices if the bidding was allowed to be done earlier. ―That is what we call as the complexity of NFA operations. Decision should always be on time. We should have imported that towards the last quarter of last year,‖ he expressed. The NFA also mentioned that the import prices could have been lower if more countries were allowed to join aside from Vietnam and Thailand. The agency said that the governments of India, Pakistan and Myanmar submitted their letters of intent to join the bidding but is still being reviewed by the Department of Foreign Affairs up to now. Vietnam offered to supply 80,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice at $517.50 per MT and 50,000 MT of 15 percent broken rice at $520 per MT.Meanwhile, the government of Thailand initially offered $520 per MT for the supply of 120,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice, but adjusted its bid to match Vietnam‘s $517.50 per MT for the same volume. ―We are happy that we have successfully completed the bidding for this initial NFA rice import of 250,000 MT so that we can immediately replenish our buffer stock and bring back our P27 per kg and P32 per kg NFA rice back in the markets,‖ NFA administrator Jason Aquino said. After a notice of award is given, NFA said the two supplying countries have four working days to post a performance bond before they can secure a notice to proceed that will allow them to start loading and shipping the rice.Of the total volume, Thailand will bring in 60,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice not later than May 31, and the balance of 60,000 MT not later than June 15. On the other hand, Vietnam will bring in 40,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice not later than May 31, and another 40,000 MT not later than June 15. The 50,000 MT of 15 percent broken rice will be shipped by Vietnam to the designated ports not later than June 30.

The 25 percent broken rice will be loaded to the ports of Poro Point in La Union, Subic,Batangas, Tabaco, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu City, Tacloban, Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, General Santos City, Manila and Surigao City. For the 15 percent broken rice, designated ports are Subic, Cebu City, Davao Cityand Manila.After completing the government to government deal, NFA is already preparing for the procurement of another 250,000 MT of rice that will be under an open tender scheme, where supply could come from any country and suppliers could be from either the private or government sector.

Interested suppliers may acquire bid documents at the NFA‘s special bids and awards committee secretariat in its central office in Quezon City until May 21, 2018, for a fee of P75,000. http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/nfa-completes-bidding-for-rice-imports

Tractor Work Gears Up on the Rice Farm! Tractor work starts on the rice farm thus kicking off the 2018 crop year. We are breaking ground with our tractors, prepping the soil to plant rice seed. We are running a Case Magnum 340 and two Case Magnum 260 tractors. Each tractor has a chisel plow, used to rip the ground deep. This is the first step in preparing the soil, turning it into a rice field. � Subscribe! Stay updated with California rice production: https://goo.gl/pOjVfO Please share this episode if you found it entertaining and/or educational. Rice Farming TV aims to promote the US rice industry through dynamic and educational videos that range from rice production to the family life of a rice farmer. �Recommended Playlist "Rice Farming TV | Starting at Episode 1": https://goo.gl/j25ujs �Please contact me with any questions or feedback. I will make an effort to respond within 24 hours.

Watch Video on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbJjEiX-jk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdbJjEiX-jk

Rice, corn output up in first quarter of 2018 08.05.2018

| UkrAgroConsult Some 4.7 million metric tons of rice is produced between January to March of this year, up 6.8% from the same period last year. Corn production is at 2.5 million metric tons, gaining some 4.2% year-on-year.Rice and corn production improved during the first quarter of the year, according to Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. Some 4.7 million metric tons of rice were produced between January to March of this year, up 6.8% from the same period last year. Corn production was at 2.5 million metric tons, gaining some 4.2% year-on-year.The Department of Agriculture (DA) attributed the growth to farmers' increased adoption of modern technologies. ―Farmers now use good quality seeds. There is now greater awareness and they realize that using quality seeds can increase their harvest two-fold,‖ said Piñol.The DA is also confident that the

country is on track to hit the 97% target of rice sufficiency this year.―We don‘t want to go beyond that because we don‘t have a program on how to export our rice. Prices will fall in the market, farmers could take a hit if we have an oversupply,‖ Piñol said. Output figures may be stable, but several factors in play have made life harder for farmers. For instance, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) says farmers earned 10% less because of the implementation of the tax reform law.The agriculture chief says he is in favor of increasing ―to an extent‖ the farmgate price of palay."I favor increasing [the farmgate price], but we cannot just carelessly bring it up to a level where consumers will be affected," Piñol said.According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the average farmgate palay price is at P20.79 per kilogram, as of May 2, up 0.39% the average price two weeks ago. Moreover, consumers still took a hit despite the steady supply, due to the low supply of affordable rice. Last week, the National Food Authority awarded the supply of 250,000 metric tons of rice imports to Vietnam and Thailand to remedy the issue.To encourage farmers to sell their produce to the NFA, the DA is planning to reward them with farm implements and machinery."If they sell around 20 metric tons [of palay], you will have one power tiller," Piñol added. http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/rice-corn-output-up-in-first-quarter-of-2018

The Impact of the Growing Reliance on Overseas Food Supplies in Egypt 9 MAY 2018 Christopher Crellin, Research Assistant, Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme

Ethiopia is preparing to fill the 79 billion cubic metre GERD, which is expected to have pronounced ramifications for Egypt‘s already scarce water supplies. Egypt and Ethiopia have been at cross purposes, not being able to agree on the time frame for filling the dam. Egypt‘s irrigation ministry has estimated that if the dam is filled in three years the reduced water flow could destroy 51 per cent of Egypt‘s farmland, compared to a 17 per cent loss over six years. This loss of farmland would hinder crop production and reduce food security. Egypt is already facing severe food security implications, as a consequence of a scarcity of water and resources that has been magnified by climate change. The World Food Programme states that approximately 16 per cent of the population (95 million) has poor access to food. Water scarcity, desertification and urbanisation have led to decreased domestic crop production and Egypt has become highly dependent on food imports. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that Egypt will import 11.7 million to 12 million tonnes of wheat in the 2017/18 financial year. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that Indonesia, in the same financial year, will import approximately 12.5 million tonnes of wheat, due to changing dietary habits. If those estimates are accurate, Egypt will no longer be the world‘s largest wheat importer, a position it has held since 2007/08. Egypt‘s dependability on wheat imports is highly volatile, however, due to its current economic situation and the global commodity market. It could, therefore, return to that position as the world‘s leading wheat importer. In 2014, the Egyptian Government commenced rolling out an economic reform programme, with the aim of invigorating the economy. The reform programme led to a gradual increase in the growth rate of GDP, which reached 5.2% in 2017/18. Despite recent modest economic growth, the unemployment rate remains high at 11.3%. High rates of unemployment can be directly linked to increasing levels of poverty affecting the ability of families to purchase food. Currency fluctuation and consumer tax reforms have put further pressure on society, through inflation and reduced purchasing power. A volatile Egyptian economy is susceptible to fluctuations in global commodity prices. Egypt, already an import-dependent country, has been attempting to narrow its trade deficit; however, if wheat prices were to increase, the deficit could potentially expand. On a larger scale, if the wheat supply is restricted due to poor yields, unexpected weather events or export bans, a food security crisis could occur. The 2010 Russian wheat export ban, for example, was a result of drought causing global prices to rise, which triggered social unrest and contributed to the Arab Spring. Rice, like wheat, is a staple food source in Egypt and it has been forecast that Egypt could become a rice importer by 2019. Due to water scarcity, desertification, increased levels of soil salinity and the reduced flow of water in the Nile, the government has introduced a national strategy for water resources for the period 2017 to 2037. According to Hossam el-Emam, a Ministry of Irrigation spokesperson, one of the main pillars of the strategy is to rationalise water use by reducing the cultivation of water-intensive crops. The government has announced that

only 750,000 acres of rice can be planted this year, approximately half of the area cultivated in 2017. The logical expectation is that the reduced production of rice will lead to higher domestic market prices, which will impact on the already vulnerable lower to middle income classes. It will also see Egypt become ever more dependent on imports to ensure food security. As Egypt trends toward an increased reliance on importing these crops, a negative impact on economic growth could be experienced. Although, at first glance, relying on imports for food security does not seem like a serious fundamental issue, it becomes a problem when the import costs take money away from key development agendas. It becomes a bigger problem, when the food security dilemma is still not completely resolved. It can also be foreseen that if a crisis does occur, whether caused by trade bans or unprecedented climatic events, social unrest could result, causing political instability. Any opinions or views expressed in this paper are those of the individual author, unless stated to be those of Future Directions International.

Published by Future Directions International Pty Ltd. 80 Birdwood Parade, Dalkeith WA 6009, Australia. Tel:+61 8 9389 9831 Fax:+61 8 9389 8803 Web: www.futuredirections.org.au http://www.futuredirections.org.au/publication/impact-growing-reliance-overseas-food-supplies-egypt/

Global Rice Seed Market Growth by 2023: Dupont Pioneer, Bayer, Mahyco, Kaveri and Nuziveedu Seeds by Socorro Barner/ May 9, 2018/ Food and Beverages/ No Comments The in-depth study on the global Rice Seed market report adheres the significant facts of the industry. It covers Rice Seed market proportions, recent developments, growth factors, major challenges, opportunities, and various market categories. The Rice Seed analysis is based on the past data as well the current market requirements. The Rice Seed market involves several methodologies implemented by the market players. Through this, it supports the growth of the Rice Seed market and has its uniqueness in the growing industry. The Rice Seed market report shows a significant growth in the CAGR during the forecast period 2018 to 2023. The report segregates the overall Rice Seed market report on the basis of product type, applications, top players and geographical regions. The deep study includes the key Rice Seed market outline, guidelines, rules and market policies. It focuses on the valuations of Rice Seed market stake, market dynamics, and key players.

Moving ahead, it specifies the Rice Seed current and future major plans, market dignity, growth rate and market consumption. The Rice Seed report also considers the global market strength, their pricing, and cost of the raw materials. In addition, the Rice Seed market unveils the ups and downs analysis, and thorough investigation of Rice Seed import and export strategies. Furthermore, this Rice Seed report offers basic information related to the products that involve product bifurcations, scope, as well its synopsis. Similarly, the Rice Seed market report comprises the stats on the basis of demand and supply ratio, financial assessment, yearly income, growth features, and Rice Seed product demand from end users. The forthcoming Rice Seed market sectors contain informative data that assist the current market players in analyzing the various Rice Seed business stats, to make proper decisions based on this research and plan accordingly before stepping ahead in the Rice Seed market. Access the sample page at: http://emarketresearch.us/global-rice-seed-market-20172022/#Request-Sample The global Rice Seed market report is mainly classified on the basis of: Prominent market players consisting of: Rasi Seeds, Nuziveedu Seeds, China National Seed, Dupont Pioneer, Opulent Technology, Hefei Fengle, Kaveri, Syngenta, Grand Agriseeds, Longping High-tech, Anhui Nongken, RiceTec, Mahyco, WIN-ALL HI-TECH SEED, Zhongnongfa, Guangxi Hengmao Agricultural Technology, JK seeds, Dongya Seed Industry, Krishidhan, Bayer, Gansu Dunhuang Seed, Saprotan Utama, Keeplong Seeds and Dabei Nong Group Product types consisting of: Short-grain rice, Long-grain rice and Medium-grain rice Applications consisting of: Scientific Research and Agricultural Production The report focuses on the division of regional and worldwide Rice Seed market. The regional exploration of the Rice Seed market consists of Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Europe, United Kingdom and North America respectively. Along with, in-depth research on the market of several traders and sellers. The Rice Seed market describes the Rice Seed market structure, economical landscaping and a thorough breakdown of pricing. Simultaneously, the report studies the Rice Seed market dimensions surveyed along with the forecast period and circumstances. The global Rice Seed market report emphasizes the well-planned strategies to improvise the market strength, their shares, and competences. Moreover, the Rice Seed market defines SWOT analysis as well as project feasibility. However, the research includes business trends, market application, tactics and approaches for analyzing the Rice Seed market scenario. For any query related to the report, enquire here: #inquiry The report comprehensively explains the global Rice Seed market in a subsequent way: — It summarizes the company plans, upstream and downstream, of the Rice Seed market segments, scrutinizes the cost structure, recent updates on technological development, market synopsis, the scope of the Rice Seed product, and driving factors. — It includes the geographical regions, Rice Seed economic factors as well political facts. — Global Rice Seed market explains its segmentation that includes product, and applications.

— Top market players along with their establishment year, business profile, Rice Seed key segment, acquisitions, and mergers, recent developments, financials related to Rice Seed sales and gross, contact information‘s and so on. — Competitive Rice Seed market, their analysis on various aspects of marketing stats, region wise trade record associated with the market sale. — Demand and supply forecast for global Rice Seed market, region wise contribution, and market summary. — Various sales network that involves sellers, Rice Seed distributors, buyers, and others sources. — Rice Seed market report encompasses research findings, evidence connected to market data, and appendix. The global Rice Seed market report imports an inspiring output, influencing factors, in-depth cost analysis. Rice Seed market report explains the major factors including market restraints, opportunities, trends, and driving elements. It evaluates the historical and current data of the Rice Seed market scenario to encounter the future market plans and obstacles. Also, the report submits the current Rice Seed market players along with the upcoming players. Socorro Barner Socorro Barner has been into market research industry for last 4 years. She has a keen interest and deep knowledge of research industry. She worked as an Research Analyst in GlobeMertix. Her goals in life are simple - to stay happy, healthy and to keep writing as long as she possibly can. https://dailyassessment.com/2018/05/09/global-rice-seed-market-growth-by-2023dupont/https://dailyassessment.com/2018/05/09/global-rice-seed-market-growth-by-2023dupont/

Researchers Publish Research in Plant Science Showing that Novel Transcription Yield10 Factors Represent a Promising Approach for Increasing Crop Productivity May 08, 2018 08:30 ET | Source: Yield10 Bioscience, Inc.

WOBURN, Mass., May 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN), a Company developing new technologies to create step-change improvements in crop yield to enhance global food security, today announced the publication of peer reviewed research showing that novel global transcription factors (GTFs) found in plants represent a promising approach for increasing crop productivity. The research paper has been published in Plant Science, an international journal of experimental plant biology. ―In this paper, we describe in detail for the first time the identification of two novel plant global transcription factors for which modulating their activity boosts key parameters of photosynthetic

efficiency and significantly increases plant biomass,‖ said Kristi Snell, Ph.D.,Chief Science Officer at Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. ―Through this work, we have determined that these transcription factors are widely distributed across plant species and may represent valuable gene targets for increasing crop yield. Our C4000 series of traits are based on this foundational research, allowing us to identify a series of genome-editing targets to improve performance in key commercial crops. We are currently working on these targets in rice and wheat, and expect to expand into corn this year.‖ The Yield10 research paper is titled ―Novel Transcription Factors PvBMY1 and PvBMY3 increase biomass yield in greenhouse grown switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.).‖ Yield10 refers to these transcription factors as the C4001 and C4003 trait genes, respectively. The objective of the research was to identify global regulatory genes associated with photosynthesis and related carbon metabolism with the goal of identifying candidate genes that would enable increased carbon fixation and efficient carbon capture in biomass. The authors describe the identification of two previously uncharacterized global transcription factor genes (GTFs). Yield10 found that using genetic engineering to increase the activity of the GTF genes in switchgrass plants resulted in large increases in photosynthesis and biomass yield. The C4001 gene increased biomass production by 75-100% in leaves and stems as compared to control plants. Expression of C4003 in switchgrass resulted in a total increase in biomass of 100-160% in leaves and stems as compared to control plants. Increasing biomass yield is important for forage crops such as sorghum, silage corn, and alfalfa. Further, Yield10 also observed increases in root biomass upon expression of C4001 and C4003. The researchers identified genes closely related to C4001 and C4003 in major food and feed crops including corn, soybean, and rice. In corn, the equivalent C4001 and C4003 genes were found to be expressed in a broad range of maize tissues with the highest levels in the tissue of seeds 12 and 16 days after pollination, suggesting that C4001 and C4003 genes may be good targets for increasing seed yield. The authors of the Plant Science paper include Madana M.R. Ambavaram, Aminat Ali, Kieran P. Ryan, Oliver Peoples, Kristi D. Snell and Maria N. Somleva, all of Yield10. About Yield10 Bioscience

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. is focused on developing new technologies to achieve step-change improvements in crop yield to enhance global food security. Yield10 has an extensive track record of innovation based around optimizing the flow of carbon in living systems. Yield10 is leveraging its technology platforms and unique knowledge base to design precise alterations to gene activity and the flow of carbon in plants to produce higher yields with lower inputs of land, water or fertilizer. Yield10 is advancing several yield traits it has developed in crops such as Camelina, canola, soybean and rice. Yield10 is headquartered in Woburn, MA and has an Oilseeds Center of Excellence in Saskatoon, Canada. For more information about the company, please visit www.yield10bio.com. (YTEN-G) Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical, including, without limitation, the use of technology to successfully identify targets for increasing crop yield and progress by Yield10, constitute forwardlooking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including the risks and uncertainties detailed in Yield10 Bioscience's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Yield10 assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the matters described herein. Contacts: Yield10 Bioscience:

Lynne H. Brum, (617) 682-4693, LBrum@yield10bio.com

Investor Relations: Amato and Partners, LLC admin@amatoandpartners.com Media Inquiries: Eric Fischgrund Fischtank Marketing and PR eric@fischtankpr.com

https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/05/08/1498462/0/en/Yield10-ResearchersPublish-Research-in-Plant-Science-Showing-that-Novel-Transcription-Factors-Represent-aPromising-Approach-for-Increasing-Crop-Productivity.html

Logistics agency introduces barcode system to monitor commodities Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman The Jakarta Post Jakarta | Wed, May 9, 2018 | 10:38 am State Logistics Agency (Bulog) president director Budi Waseso (Antara/Wahyu Putro A)

In a bid to ensure the availability of food stocks ahead of the Ramadhan fasting month starting next week, the government has introduced the use of a barcode system to monitor an online database of commodities. The system was launched on Sunday. State Logistics Agency (Bulog) president director Budi Waseso said on Tuesday that the system could prevent hoarding. â&#x20AC;&#x2022;The use of barcodes is to control the sales of commodities. The system will detect anyone who buys too much [of a certain

commodity],‖ he said.

―The system operates just like in the [modern] retail market.‖ There are at least five main commodities under Bulog‘s supervision; rice, meat, sugar, fish and soybeans.Medium-quality rice was the cheapest on the market, Budi said, adding that it could even be lower than the price ceiling decided on by the Trade Ministry last year of Rp 11,000 (78 US cents) per kilogram on average. ―We can change any regulations as long as it is for the benefit of society,‖ he argued. Apart from introducing the barcoded 5 and 10 kilogram packages of medium-quality rice, Bulog also introduced smaller packages of 200-gram medium quality rice to be sold at small kiosks, he added. Meanwhile, to ensure the distribution of rice across the country, Budi said that the agency had teamed up with regional governments, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri). During the holy month, the problem of food scarcity usually emerges because of foul play by suppliers seeking to disrupt distribution to get higher prices. (bbn) http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/05/09/logistics-agency-introduces-barcode-system-tomonitor-commodities.html

NPLs will bottom out this year, says CIMB Thai CEO Adeline Paul Raj The Edge Malaysia May 08, 2018 16:00 pm +08

This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on April 30, 2018 - May 06, 2018.

CIMB Group Holdings Bhd‘s asset quality has improved substantially in Indonesia but pressures persist in Thailand, based on the recently-released first quarter financial performance of the group‘s subsidiaries in those two markets. On April 20, CIMB Thai Bank PCL reported a 39% year-on-year improvement in first quarter net profit to THB168.9 million. However, gross non-performing loans (NPL) went up 6.5% q-oq to THB11.4 billion, which led to its gross NPL ratio increasing 40 basis points to 5.2%. This is higher than the Thai banking industry‘s gross NPL ratio of about 3%.

CIMB Thai president and CEO Kittiphun Anutarasoti tells The Edge he expects the bank‘s NPLs to bottom out this year. He says the NPL ratio is likely to improve to below 5% this year as it looks to sell more NPLs. ―I think this year we‘ll probably see a bottoming out already. We have looked at our portfolio very closely and right now, run very tight asset quality management. We think that all the problems have already been identified. This year, we should see lower provision compared to last year,‖ he says in his first one-on-one interview with Malaysian media. ―The NPL ratio, we will try to manage it down to below 5%. NPL ratio is [measured] against the loan book, so if the loan book doesn‘t grow as fast, then you need to manage down the NPLs. There are two ways to manage down NPLs — one is through restructuring and the other is though a sale. This year, we are planning to sell some of the NPLs to manage the number,‖ he adds. Last year, CIMB Thai sold some THB5 billion in NPLs over three tranches. Two tranches were sold to external parties, and the other was to an entity within CIMB Group in a deal that was done on an arm‘s length basis, he says. CIMB Thai plans to sell less than that this year, but the timing of the sale is unclear for now, Kittiphun says. Other Thai banks too have been selling NPLs to manage their asset quality, and as such there has been an influx of supply in the market. ―I‘d like it to be as soon as possible, but I really can‘t confirm the timing yet. Because of the influx of supply, we‘re not seeing very good bids in terms of pricing, so we have to basically keep trying,‖ he explains. CIMB Group bought into the Thai bank, then known as BankThai, back in November 2008 and became its controlling shareholder two months later. CIMB Thai, the ninth largest by assets in the country, is now a 93.7%-owned subsidiary.

Kittiphun took the helm of CIMB Thai in late 2016, when asset quality issues were pervasive in the industry, particularly among SMEs and in the agriculture sector. Upon joining, he and the team identified ―weak quality loans‖ that could potentially turn bad. ―The ones that went bad last year and the beginning of this year were the ones that were on our list,‖ he remarks. CIMB Thai had been saddled with a number of legacy bad loans from the BankThai days. ―These were in a variety of sectors. But the newer NPLs in the last two years were just in two or three main sectors. We had issues with rice millers last year … but most of these have been impaired already,‖ he says. He predicts that the bank will face some issues with a few companies in the rubber sector ―beginning this year and perhaps towards the middle of this year‖. ―Three or four years ago when the price of rubber had gone up, there were significant investments by these players. Now, when the price is not as strong as it used to be, some are facing liquidity issues. So we‘re seeing a few [accounts] that are more likely than not going to turn into NPL this year,‖ he says. However, the bank‘s expectation continues to be that NPLs will bottom out from this year. ―This year, there could be some more [NPLs] to go, but that should be sorted out by the third quarter of this year,‖ he says. He says CIMB Thai‘s asset quality is in line with that of the market. ―If you watch other Thai banks‘ asset quality, their NPLs are also ticking up, but they manage the overall number by selling their NPLs and non-performing assets. There was a massive supply of NPLs in the market last year. But we‘re seeing that NPL issue bottoming out this year, hopefully.‖

It was only last year that CIMB Thai returned to a full-year net profit of THB385 million after having slipped into a loss of THB630 million in FY2016. Economists expect Thailand‘s economy, which had seen sluggish growth since late 2013 due to political unrest, to improve further this year from 3.9% growth last year. Kittiphun says the improvement in the economy has so far yet to really funnel down to the general population. ―In Thailand, up until about three years ago, loan growth used to be 1.5 times to 2 times GDP growth. But for the last three to four years, loan growth is not even 0.5 times GDP growth. However, now that the private sector is starting to look a bit more positive in terms of their investment plan, I think we‘ll probably start to see more private sector investments in Thailand and that should lead to higher loan growth,‖ he says. He aims for the bank to grow loans by about 5% this year after 3.2% last year. ―The growth for us will be mostly from wholesale and retail loans. We‘re making a conscious effort to de-risk our commercial banking portfolio because of the asset quality issues, so that may actually drag the growth down a bit,‖ he says.

Thai transformation plan According to Kittiphun, the bank has internally launched a five-year transformation plan this year in a bid to become a more relevant player. Without revealing too much, he says the plan involves diversifying its loan portfolio and scaling up consumer loans significantly. As at end-March 2018, its gross loan book stood at about THB213 billion, of which about 54% comprised consumer loans and the rest, wholesale and commercial loans. ―The bank has set a five-year aspiration to try to become a mid-tier bank, which means that for the next 12 to 24 months, we have to build the right infrastructure, build the right capability for

the bank to grow on a very strong foundation. So this year, we‘re investing quite a bit on product capability. In the SME sector, for example, we‘re building credit underwriting tools and monitoring tools,‖ he says. He adds: ―We‘ve found that in the past, when we had asset quality [issues] in the commercial sector, those were mostly concentrated exposure on single clients and very concentrated in only a handful of sectors, for example, rice mills and rubber. We‘d like to be much more diversified now and go smaller per client, so there‘s less of a concentration issue.‖ Analysts point out that the group has been closing branches substantially in Thailand as it looks to go increasingly into digital banking. It is down to 84 branches now compared with 165 in 2013.

Impact on CIMB Group While CIMB Thai is not a big contributor to CIMB Group‘s earnings — it accounted for only 3% of group earnings last year — it, along with the Indonesia unit, has weighed on the group‘s performance in recent years given the high provisions made for bad loans. Last year, the regional banking group‘s gross impaired loan (GIL) ratio ticked up 10 basis points to 3.4%, the highest among Malaysia‘s eight banking groups. Analysts say the group‘s GIL ratio will improve this year on the back of continued recovery in Indonesia and the bottoming of NPLs in Thailand. The Indonesian bank, PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk, is the biggest overseas contributor to group earnings at 21% last year, followed by Singapore (5%). Last week, CIMB Niaga reported a 37% increase in first quarter net profit to IDR876.6 billion, helped by higher non-interest income and lower impairment allowances.

Absolute gross NPLs declined 9% y-o-y, while its NPL ratio improved to 3.51% from 3.75% in the preceding quarter, and 3.91% in 1Q2017. CIMB Group is expected to report its 1Q2018 numbers on May 30. Most analysts have a ―buy‖ call on the stock, and expect it to report a better net profit this year. It made a net profit of RM4.5 billion last year, and ROE improved to 9.6% from 8.3%. ―We believe earnings/ROE recovery will continue in 2018, led mainly by Indonesia credit costs narrowing further and a cleaner Thai book, coupled with some acceleration in loans growth (we forecast 6% for the group), and an improving Malaysia net interest margin after the 25bps hike in the overnight policy rate (in January)‖ says Nomura Research in a March 1 report. The stock, which has gained 12.7% this year, closed at RM7.25 last Friday. https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/npls-will-bottom-out-year-sayscimb-thai-ceo

Rice Transplanter Machines Market Trends, Drivers, Strategies, Applications And Competitive Landscape 2022 May 7, 2018 - by arun.p

Rice Transplanter Machines Market report reveals the market overview, product segment, market share, evaluation of annual reports, market size for each section within the forecasting year (2018-2023). Rice Transplanter Machines market report features the several approaches and strategies recommend by top key players for business expansion. Rice Transplanter Machines market report is highly fragmented based on the key players competing regionally and globally. Some of the top players in Rice Transplanter Machines market with their company profiles are listed below: 

Yanmar

        

Iseki Kubota TYM Jiangsu World Agriculture Machinery CLAAS Shandong Fuerwo Agricultural Equipment Mitsubishi Mahindra Agricultural Machinery Dongfeng Agricultural Machinery Changfa Agricultural Equipment

Request for Rice Transplanter Machines Market Sample Report @ https://www.360Marketupdates.com/enquiry/request-sample/11235860 By End Users Application, Rice Transplanter Machines Market report focuses on the outlook for major application areas, sales volume and growth rate for each Application, including:  

Commercial Household

By Product types, Rice Transplanter Machines Market report revenue and growth rate of each Type, primarily split into:  

Mechanical Manual

Objectives of the report are as follows:    

 

To define and segment the market for Rice Transplanter Machines To provide comprehensive information regarding the major factors influencing the growth of the global Rice Transplanter Machines market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges) To analyse and forecast the market size & share of Rice Transplanter Machines , in terms of value and volume To analyse the market segmentation and project the market size, in terms of value and volume, for key regions, such as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa To analyse competitive developments, such as new product launches, capacity developments and partnerships & agreements taking place in the Rice Transplanter Machines market To strategically profile key players operating in the global Rice Transplanter Machines market

Geographically, Rice Transplanter Machines Market report split globally into major key Regions, with revenue, market share and growth rate from 2013 to 2024 (forecast), covering: United States, Europe, China, Japan, North America, India.

For more help, contact our industry expert @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/11235860 Major Topics Covered in Rice Transplanter Machines market research report are as follows: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders    

Marketing Channel and advancement Direct Marketing Indirect Marketing Market Positioning

Market Effect Factors Analysis    

Technology Progress/Risk Technology Progress in Related Rice Transplanter Machines market Consumer Needs/Customer Preference Change Economic/Political Environmental Change

Additionally, this report concluded with the Rice Transplanter Machines market size estimation, primary and secondary data sources, development trends and research conclusion, Rice Transplanter Machines market forecast by region, by types and end user application, marketing environment in present market, regional trading with import and export, Rice Transplanter Machines market key components, top most company and their profiles, SWOT analysis and more. Price of this Report (SUL): $ 3500 Purchase this Report @ https://www.360marketupdates.com/purchase/11235860 Rice Transplanter Machines market report concluded with the market size estimation, primary and secondary data sources, development trends and research conclusion, Rice Transplanter Machines market forecast by region, by types and end user application, marketing environment in present market, regional trading with import and export, market key components, top most company and their profiles, SWOT analysis and more. https://thetechnicalprogress.com/2018/05/rice-transplanter-machines-market-trends-driversstrategies-applications-and-competitive-landscape-2022/

Indo-Gangetic Plain rice-wheat landscapes get climate smart makeover 23

Julie Mollins 9 May 2018

BONN, Germany (Landscape News) – Farmers confront a daunting range of options for potentially achieving high crop yields on India‘s western Indo-Gangetic Plain, where rice and wheat are planted in rotation to meet high demand for dietary food staples. Also known as double cropping, the rotational technique has been used in the area since 1965 to intensify production in an increasingly limited growing area, initially yielding positive food security results. Over time, agricultural practices have led to troubling consequences for the landscape, leading to unreliable or lower yields for farmers. Now, new scientific research into ―layering‖ climate smart agriculture techniques shows promise, revealing the potential for crop adaptability to climate change. Scientific experiments demonstrate the feasibility of climate smart efforts offering a combination of high productivity, benefits to water and energy supplies, and ultimately a smaller environmental footprint. Throughout Southeast Asia, but particularly in the fertile Indo-Gangetic Plains area, natural resources are up to five times more stressed than other areas due to agricultural intensification, urbanization, population growth, increasing climate change risks, and land degradation difficulties. ―Land is degraded in the region because over the past 50 years crop production increased quickly leading to inefficient use and mismanagement of resources,‖ said Mangi Lal (M.L.) Jat, a Principal Scientist with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), who works with a team of scientists on sustainable intensification and climate smart agriculture.

The scientists conducted a study to determine the most effective methods to grow rice and wheat in constrained conditions where horizontal expansion of crop growing areas is no longer a viable option for increasing yields. Before beginning their research, scientists were already aware that because of overpopulation, to meet rising food demand in the Indo-Gangetic Plains area, the only option for farmers is to increase yields on land already under agricultural production. Land shortages are exacerbated by reduced availability of water and energy. By 2050, variability in growing conditions due to climate change is projected to lower crop yields by 10 to 40 percent and total crop failure will become more common. In addition, over the same time period, more than half the current wheat growing area in the Indo-Gangetic Plains will likely become unsuitable for production due to heat stress. Over pumping of ground water for rice production is simultaneously depleting the water table. ―Adaptation to climate change is no longer an option, but essential for minimizing crop losses that will occur as a result of the adverse impact of climate change,‖ Jat said, adding that the key to future food security is to use agricultural technologies that promote sustainable intensification and adapt to emerging climatic variability. ―Farmers face an enormous challenge – to be successful they must now rely on sustainable intensification management practices and adapt to emerging climate variability while playing a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon to keep global warming in check,‖ he said.

The key will be to boost the use of climate smart agriculture techniques, which have the potential to simultaneously address these challenges, maintain environmental equilibrium and produce high crop yields. The strategy opens the door to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and farmer income, adapt to and develop the capacity to resist climate change, and reduce or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. WINNING TECHNIQUES After experimental fieldwork, the scientists learned that strategically combining climate smart agricultural technologies already used selectively as a result of years of CIMMYT-designed trials in the region are most likely to lead to high crop yields and food security. Their findings are reported in a new research paper published in Agricultural Water Managementjournal. Currently, farmers are using such climate smart water and energy saving techniques as direct seeded rice, zero tillage, laser land levelling, alternate wetting and drying, weather forecast based irrigation, precision nutrient management. Other climate smart techniques include retention of crop residues on the fields to store carbon and prevent emissions and unhealthy smog levels that result from residue burning. â&#x20AC;&#x2022;Climate smart agriculture practices in isolation may not fulfill their full potential in adapting to climate risks and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in rice-wheat production systems,â&#x20AC;&#x2013; Jat said.

―However, layering of these practices and services in optimal combinations may help to adapt and build resilience under diverse production systems and ecologies to ensure future food security.‖ The scientists studied six scenarios in three different climate smart villages in India‘s subtropical state of Haryana in the Indo-Gangetic Plains.The first scenario was based solely on observing the normal practices of a farmer, the second and third scenarios were layered with different technologies used for tillage, crop establishment, residue and nutrient management, and designated as ―improved farmers‘ practices.‖ The other three scenarios were based on climate smart agriculture practices combined with the available range of technologies deployed to enhance tillage, crop establishment, laser land leveling; residue, water and nutrient management; improved crop varieties, information and communication technology and crop insurance. Scientists set out to determine the best combination of practices and found that layering of climate smart agriculture practices improved rice-wheat system productivity from 6 to 19 percent depending on techniques used. Layering also led to savings of more than 20 percent irrigation water. Global warming potential was reduced by 40 percent. ―The research leaves us feeling optimistic that the work we‘ve been conducting throughout South Asia is leading to strong results,‖ Jat said. ―Our aim now is to continue to work through various real life scenarios to see how far we can go in sustainably intensifying the entire region so that food supply can keep apace with population growth under emerging climate change challenges.‖The project was supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security. https://news.globallandscapesforum.org/27357/indo-gangetic-plain-rice-wheat-landscapes-getclimate-smart-makeover/

Delhi, we’ve a problem: Father-son conmen duo pretend to be NASA scientists and dupe businessman of Rs 1.43 crore

Conmen with Delhi Police

Updated: May 8, 2018, 10:45 PM IST

A father-son duo parading in a space suit escorted by cops is not a common sight. These are cons who allegedly duped a Delhi-based businessman of Rs. 1.43 crore claiming they worked for NASA. The Delhi Police arrested the two on Tuesday. Plastic space suits, ‗RP‘ copper plate, anti-radiation chemical stickers made by them to lure and convince their victims that they work for NASA were seized from them, police said.

The accused have been identified as Virender Mohan Brar (56) and Nitin Mohan alias Bawa Brar (30) both residents of Paschim Vihar, Delhi. Based on a complaint from businessman Narender that Mohan and Nitin cheated him claiming they were dealing Rice Pullers (RP) used by NASA for research. ―Virender posed as MD of a company stated that he can arrange the sale of ‗RP‘ to NASA at a price of around Rs 37,500 crore after testing its genuineness, which would be done by scientists of DRDO and some chemicals would be imported for the same as well. Narender was lured and told that if he invested the returns would be great,‖ said Bhisham Singh, DCP, Crime Branch. In his complaint Narender alleged that he came in contact with a man who told him that ‗Rice Puller‘ dealings involve huge profits. The accused would fool the victim by saying that the is a rare piece of copper, which is struck by thunderbolt in the hills of Uttarakhand giving it power to pull rice and is being used by NASA for advanced space research. The testing of the RP was scheduled in Hapur but could not happen as the accused persons made an excuse that the place was not conducive and after that the said testing was delayed by them on one or another pretext. Another round of negotiations for another test finalised at Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh also did not finalise. But testing was cancelled last moment stating weather issues. This is when the victim realised he cheated by the so-called scientists. What is a rice puller?

A rice puller is a conmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s device in which a fraud takes a copper plate or utensil and coat it with liquid magnet and then fill some boiled rice with small iron wires and fools the victim by pulling the rice grain towards the magnet-coated copper article. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-delhi-we-ve-a-problem-conning-father-son-duo-pretendto-be-nasa-scientists-and-dupe-businessman-of-rs-143-crore-2612996

SCIENTISTS ANNOUNCED THE INGRESS OF MERCURY IN CHINESE RICE Jan Hartman | May 8, 2018 | Science | No Comments

Grown in China, rice is gradually polluted with mercury as a result of the coal plants. This was stated in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Is exposed to contamination like fish and rice. Emissions of coal factories lead to the ingress of metal into the atmosphere, where it mixes with precipitation and falls into the water and soil, there being absorbed by the rice. Infiltrated water bacteria transform mercury into methyl mercury, a poison that can be collected in the human body. Due to the fact that rice fields

flooded throughout the growing period, the substance is there on a permanent basis. American scientists conducted a study, which showed that the change in the emissions of mercury in air affects the amount of the element in Fig. In the case of a further increase in emissions of this type of metal, its concentration in the grain could increase by 13% by 2050. https://sivtelegram.media/scientists-announced-the-ingress-of-mercury-in-chinese-rice/12840/

16 foreign bidders eyeing to supply imported rice to NFA May 8, 2018, 10:00 PM By Madelaine B. Miraflor As much as 16 foreign bidders are now looking to bag contracts to supply imported rice of as much as 250,000 metric tons (MT) to the state-run grains agency National Food Authority (NFA).In an effort to effectively build up government buffer stocks for this year‘s lean months, NFA has already begun the process of rice procurement for another 250,000 MT under an open tender scheme where supply could come from any country and suppliers could come from either the private or government sector. During the pre-bid conference yesterday, 16 companies expressed interest to supply the Philippines its much needed stocks. Of the 16 bidders, seven came from Vietnam namely Vietnam Northern Food Corp., Vietnam Southern Food Corp., Gentraco Corp., Gia International Corp., Hiep Loi Joint Stock Co., Phan Minh Investment Production Trading Services, and Khiem Thanh Co. Ltd. Thailand has five including Ponglarp Co. Ltd., Thai Hua Co. Ltd., Capital Cereals Co. Ltd., Asia Golden Rice Co. Ltd. and Thai Capital Crops Co. Ltd. The remaining bidders are Olam International Ltd. from Singapore, Phoenix Global DMCC from United Arab Emirates, Meskay & Femtee Trading Co. Ltd. from Pakistan, and Paritas Trading Corp. from the Philippines. NFA Deputy Administrator Judy Carol Dansal said that for this particular bidding, the agency scrapped the rule that limits the volume of rice that one bidder can supply to the country. ―There is [now] no limitation on the volume. This time, we allowed the participation of more [and] it‘s up to them on how many lots they would like to bid. A certain trader can bid for the entire 250,000 provided they qualify and they have the lowest bid,‖ Dansal said. According to her, the rationale behind this is for NFA to allow traders to have ―wider participation‖ and less chance of failed bidding.

Deadline for submission of bids is on May 22 at 10 am. Opening of Bids will be held 5 minutes later at 10:05 a.m. of the same day. The total volume is divided into nine lots to be delivered via 14 designated discharge ports across the country, namely, Poro Pt., La Union; Batangas; Subic; Tabaco; Iloilo; Bacolod; Cebu; Tacloban; Zamboanga; Cagayan de Oro; Surigao; Gen. Santos City; Davao City and Manila. This private sector-led importation came just a few days after NFA succesfully conducted a government-to-government bidding for the importation of another 250,000 MT of rice. After a failed bidding, NFA last week finally awarded the supply contracts for 250,000 MT worth of rice imports to the governments of Vietnam and Thailand. This, after the two governments adjusted their offers, lowering their prices, to match NFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s reference price. Of the total volume, Thailand will bring in 60,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice not later than May 31, 2018, and the balance of 60,000 MT not later than June 15, 2018. Vietnam, on the other hand, will bring in 40,000 MT of 25 percent broken rice not later May 31, 2018, and another 40,000 MT not later than June 15, 2018. The 50,000 MT of 15 percent broken rice will be shipped by Vietnam to the designated ports not later than June 30, 2018. On top of all of these, NFA is still looking to import more rice this year as the expected supply of 500,000 MT is only going to be good for 15 days or less.

https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/05/08/16-foreign-bidders-eyeing-to-supply-imported-rice-to-nfa/

Self-sufficiency or security? Published May 8, 2018, 10:00 PM

Jejomar C. Binay Former Vice President

By Jejomar C. Binay Former Vice President

Every administration has high aspirations of making our country self-sufficient in rice. This is understandable, considering that we are a rice-consuming and producing country. The previous administration had proclaimed the country would be totally self-sufficient in rice by 2013. It failed to meet that target. From 96 percent rice self-sufficiency in 2013, the figure actually dropped to 92 per cent in 2014. And the rice self-sufficiency policy has also resulted, ironically, in rising prices of rice. As pointed out by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the policy of imposing import restrictions to achieve rice self-sufficiency actually raises domestic prices, which then reduces household food security. Research also showed that the domestic price of rice is about 40 percent higher than imported rice. Experts have been consistent in pointing out several barriers to rice-self sufficiency. Foremost is geography. Rice-exporting countries in Southeast Asia – Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos – produce more rice than the Philippines because they are all on the Southeast Asian mainland, with dominant river deltas that provide sufficient water. These countries also have vast, flat lands which make them more suitable for cultivating rice. More land is available for rice because of their low population density. On the other hand, rice-importing countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are all islands or peninsulas, with high population densities and fewer farmers growing rice because other crops more suitable to their land are more profitable. Rather than pursue a policy of rice self-sufficiency, experts have proposed that government pursue a policy of ensuring food security instead. I agree with this view. For one thing, when you talk of rice self-sufficiency, you are talking of domestic production equal to or matching the local demand for rice. On the other hand, food security, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an international agency under the United Nations (UN), is achieved when ―all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.‖ This is regardless of the source of the food. What experts recommend is for the Philippines to target 90-95 percent of rice produced domestically and import the rest from Vietnam or Thailand. Malaysia, also an archipelagic country, imports as much as 30 percent of its rice.

The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), for its part, is proposing a liberalized trade regime to ensure food security. Such a policy, says PIDS, would also help curb rampant rice smuggling. A farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC; group has estimated that some P182 billion in agricultural products were smuggled into the country from 2010 to 2014, which they say is almost double the amount of smuggled products from 2005 to 2009. Cheap smuggled rice disables competitive trade prices for local farmers and traders. Rice smuggling also distorts the data on rice supply-and-demand which is used as reference for making a sound policy on food security. More importantly, it robs government of revenues from unpaid tariff. As experts have proposed, rice trade liberalization is a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s best option under a perfect market condition, wherein a level playing field exists between exporting and importing countries. However, studies have shown that the international rice trade is not an even playing field. As I pointed out in my previous column, the support extended by Asian rice-producing countries for their rice industry far exceeds that of the Philippines. These countries provide free Irrigation water for their farmers, while for so many decades, our government makes our farmers pay irrigation fees. Poor farmers who can barely make ends meet have been a source of government revenue. Republic Act 10969, the Free Irrigation Service Act, is a step in the right direction. And I do hope our policymakers would consider making strategic investments in irrigation. If we irrigate our remaining irrigable farmlands nationwide, it will create jobs in the countryside, where jobs are most needed. It will also increase the value of farmlands to a level that would attract foreign direct investments in mechanization, modern farming technology, and fertilization. Strategic investments in irrigation will also have ancillary benefits. It will induce a lot of urban poor people to go home to their provinces since there are jobs available. We will be able to decongest cities and other urban centers, stimulate provincial economies, and improve the fiscal position of local government units (LGUs). We improve the lives of our people, we restore their dignity. That should be our ultimate goal.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/05/08/self-sufficiency-or-security/

This Indian Rice Exporter Is Not Worried About U.S. Sanctions On Iran Mahima Kapoor @mahimakapoor12 9 May 2018, 11:16 AM9 May 2018, 10:45 AM

KRBL Ltd., the maker of India Gate basmati rice, is not overly worried about the U.S. reinstating sanctions on Iran. This despite the country along with Saudi Arabia accounting for nearly 40-45 percent of India‘s basmati rice exports, according to rating agency ICRA. ―As far as rice is concerned, it is a staple food in Iran and that is why it will be out of the sanctions,‖ Anil Mittal, chairman and managing director of the company, told BloombergQuint. ―In the past too, whenever there are sanctions on any country, essential food items are out of the sanction,‖ he said citing the examples of North Korea and Sudan. U.S. President Donald Trump abandoned the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between America and the Iran, and reinstated sanctions, opening an uncertain new chapter for the country and its neighbours. The sanctions threaten to tighten global oil markets and derail billions in business deals. India, one of the close allies of U.S., exports rice and two-wheelers to Iran while importing crude oil from there. Rice exporters to Iran include KRBL, Kohinoor Foods Ltd. and LT Foods Ltd. KRBL gets 5 percent of its turnover from Iran, Mittal said. Ergo, the sanctions would not affect their business much. The company‘s stock pared early losses and was trading 3.42 percent higher at 10 a.m. https://www.bloombergquint.com/business/2018/05/09/this-indian-rice-importer-is-not-worriedabout-us-sanctions-on-iran#gs.jgJEcyg

The Impact of the Growing Reliance on Overseas Food Supplies in Egypt 9 MAY 2018 Christopher Crellin, Research Assistant, Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme

Egypt, the world‘s second-largest importer of wheat, behind Indonesia, could soon also be an importer of rice. The two crops are staple grains in Egypt. Rapid population growth, climate change and the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), have raised concerns about the security of water supplies in the foreseeable future. This concern has seen the Egyptian Government implement a national strategy for resources, to last from 2017 until 2037, with a focus on reducing the farming of water-intensive crops. As an import-dependent country, Egypt has a volatile economic landscape, where GDP growth is moderate, but unemployment remains high. Purchasing power has declined due to inflation and a consumer tax and currency fluctuations have increased domestic prices. Becoming ever more reliant on food imports, Egypt is increasingly susceptible to changes in global commodity markets, which could lead to negative impacts on economic growth and to social unrest. Ethiopia is preparing to fill the 79 billion cubic metre GERD, which is expected to have pronounced ramifications for Egypt‘s already scarce water supplies. Egypt and Ethiopia have been at cross purposes, not being able to agree on the time frame for filling the dam. Egypt‘s irrigation ministry has estimated that if the dam is filled in three years the reduced water flow could destroy 51 per cent of Egypt‘s farmland, compared to a 17 per cent loss over six years. This loss of farmland would hinder crop production and reduce food security. Egypt is already facing severe food security implications, as a consequence of a scarcity of water and resources that has been magnified by climate change. The World Food Programme states that approximately 16 per cent of the population (95 million) has poor access to food. Water scarcity, desertification and urbanisation have led to decreased domestic crop production and Egypt has become highly dependent on food imports. The Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that Egypt will import 11.7 million to 12 million tonnes of wheat in the 2017/18 financial year. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that Indonesia, in the same financial year, will import approximately 12.5 million tonnes of wheat, due to changing dietary habits. If those estimates are accurate, Egypt will no longer be the world‘s largest wheat importer, a position it has held since 2007/08. Egypt‘s dependability on wheat imports is highly volatile, however, due to its current economic situation and the global commodity market. It could, therefore, return to that position as the world‘s leading wheat importer.

In 2014, the Egyptian Government commenced rolling out an economic reform programme, with the aim of invigorating the economy. The reform programme led to a gradual increase in the growth rate of GDP, which reached 5.2% in 2017/18. Despite recent modest economic growth, the unemployment rate remains high at 11.3%. High rates of unemployment can be directly linked to increasing levels of poverty affecting the ability of families to purchase food. Currency fluctuation and consumer tax reforms have put further pressure on society, through inflation and reduced purchasing power. A volatile Egyptian economy is susceptible to fluctuations in global commodity prices. Egypt, already an import-dependent country, has been attempting to narrow its trade deficit; however, if wheat prices were to increase, the deficit could potentially expand. On a larger scale, if the wheat supply is restricted due to poor yields, unexpected weather events or export bans, a food security crisis could occur. The 2010 Russian wheat export ban, for example, was a result of drought causing global prices to rise, which triggered social unrest and contributed to the Arab Spring. Rice, like wheat, is a staple food source in Egypt and it has been forecast that Egypt could become a rice importer by 2019. Due to water scarcity, desertification, increased levels of soil salinity and the reduced flow of water in the Nile, the government has introduced a national strategy for water resources for the period 2017 to 2037. According to Hossam el-Emam, a Ministry of Irrigation spokesperson, one of the main pillars of the strategy is to rationalise water use by reducing the cultivation of water-intensive crops. The government has announced that only 750,000 acres of rice can be planted this year, approximately half of the area cultivated in 2017. The logical expectation is that the reduced production of rice will lead to higher domestic market prices, which will impact on the already vulnerable lower to middle income classes. It will also see Egypt become ever more dependent on imports to ensure food security. As Egypt trends toward an increased reliance on importing these crops, a negative impact on economic growth could be experienced. Although, at first glance, relying on imports for food security does not seem like a serious fundamental issue, it becomes a problem when the import costs take money away from key development agendas. It becomes a bigger problem, when the food security dilemma is still not completely resolved. It can also be foreseen that if a crisis does occur, whether caused by trade bans or unprecedented climatic events, social unrest could result, causing political instability. Any opinions or views expressed in this paper are those of the individual author, unless stated to be those of Future Directions International. Published by Future Directions International Pty Ltd. 80 Birdwood Parade, Dalkeith WA 6009, Australia. Tel:+61 8 9389 9831 Fax:+61 8 9389 8803 Web: www.futuredirections.org.au

Chefs See Rice Flour as a Secret Ingredient to Make Everything Better By Lesley Dixon ARLINGTON, VA -- Trends show that both in the restaurant and at home, chefs are increasingly using rice flour to fry foods. Frying doesn't have to involve a thick, heavy batter that creates a greasy, bready crust. Substituting rice flour for wheat flour in practically any fried food is a refreshing alternative that is weightless, crispy, and tender. Though it's been recently popularized in the U.S., the technique of frying with rice flour is universal. In Asia, it's used in everything from Japanese tempura vegetables to Korean fried chicken, lending Asian fried foods their characteristic pillowy crunch. It also has a strong presence in Italian cooking, where chefs use finely-ground arborio rice to make such classic dishes as Tuscan-style fried chicken, calamari fritti, and the region's signature breaded zucchini, thinly sliced and sautĂŠed in olive oil. Stateside, rice flour has been used in Southern-style cooking for generations. In the Carolinas and the Deep South in the 19th century, rice flour, then just a byproduct of the mills, was often cheaper and more available than wheat flour. Some versions of Creole dumplings and pancakes are still made with rice flour. But it's rice flour's frying qualities that put it in the spotlight. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart has a recipe for Korean-inspired fried chicken with a rice-flour batter, and celebrity chef Bobby Flay introduced a fish and chips recipe using rice flour and panko breadcrumbs that rivaled classic English recipes on his show Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. Flay claimed rice flour was a "secret weapon" that he uses in many fried recipes for a nice, light batter. Even many of your favorite fast food French fries - yes, the perfect, golden, crispy fries you know and love so well - are dusted with rice flour before frying to give them that characteristic, satisfying crunch. Burger King, Jack in the Box, and Carl's Jr./Hardees all use rice flour on their French fries. Chef Mike Manno The benefits of frying with rice flour aren't all aesthetic; it's healthier, too. "Rice flour absorbs less oil than other flours while frying, resulting in fewer calories from fat and a less oily product," says Mike Manno, research and development chef at CSSI, a foodservice agency. In a study conducted by the Southern Regional Research Center, part of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service, chicken drumsticks fried in rice flour absorbed up to 62 percent less oil than those fried in traditional breading flour. Frying with rice flour is also a perfect alternative for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance who still want to occasionally enjoy a good plate of chicken wings - which happens to be Manno's favorite way to utilize the unique properties of rice flour. "I got sick and tired of the same old chicken wings, so I decided to try something different," Manno said. He first poaches the wings and lets them cool, then coats them in seasoned rice flour. "Rice flour is so versatile. It's a blank canvas you can season any way you want." Once the wings are fried to crispy perfection, Manno tosses them with sticky-sweet Asian sauce and sprinkles something to add texture on top, like sesame seeds. "Rice flour is a really fun way to make something crispy and crave-able, even for people with dietary restrictions." If you're frying with rice flour at home, Manno recommends you use smaller pieces of meat and vegetables, since rice flour is finely ground and browns faster than wheat flour. And you don't always have to make a tough choice when frying, either. "A lot of chefs tend to blend traditional wheat or cornstarch batters with rice flour these days," says Manno. "Not only does it lighten the batter up, but it also reduces some of that gumminess you get with wheat." One last editorial recommendation, if you're feeling adventurous: try dusting your bacon lightly in rice flour before frying in a pan or baking in the oven. The result is shockingly crisp, juicy, and evenly cooked. The rice flour makes the outside of the bacon perfectly crunchy, while soaking up just enough of the bacon grease to keep it juicy on the inside.

Iran tenders to buy 20,000 tonnes rice from Pakistan trade The tender closes on June 12Image used for illustrative purpose Getty Images

By Michael Hogan, Reuters News HAMBURG - * Iran's state grains buyer GTC has issued an international tender to buy 20,000 tonnes of rice to be sourced from Pakistan, said European traders * The tender closes on June 12

* The super basmati rice is sought in two 10,000 tonne consignments (Report ing by Michael Hogan) ((michael.j.hogan@thomsonreuters.com; +49 40 419 03 4275; ReutersMessaging: michael.hogan.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net) https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Iran_tenders_to_buy_20000_tonnes_rice_from_Pakistan __trade-TR20180508nL8N1SF1MJX2/

Iran tenders to buy 20,000 tonnes rice from Pakistan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; trade The tender closes on June 12 HAMBURG - * Iran's state grains buyer GTC has issued an international tender to buy 20,000 tonnes of rice to be sourced from Pakistan, said European traders * The tender closes on June 12 * The super basmati rice is sought in two 10,000 tonne consignments :https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Iran_tenders_to_buy_20000_tonnes_rice_from_Pakistan__tradeTR20180508nL8N1SF1MJX2/

India Gate Basmati rice: GST profiteering charge against KRBL dismissed

New Delhi, May 8 () The National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) has dismissed charges against Basmati rice-exporting firm KRBL of not passing on price reduction benefits under Goods and Services Tax (GST) to consumers. This is the second time in a row that the NAA has ruled in favour of the company against whom a complaint was filed for indulging in profiteering. Last month, the authority had exonerated a dealer of Honda cars of the charges of not passing on the benefit of reduced tax incidence to a consumer. According to the complaint lodged with a standing committee under GST in November last year, KRBL Ltd had not passed on to the consumers the benefit of reduction in the rate of tax on 'India Gate Basmati rice'. The applicant had attached the image of price of 'India gate Basmati Rice (Mini Mogra)' printed on 10-kg packet showing the price at Rs 540 in August 2017 and Rs 585 in October 2017 in its complaint. The Director General of Safeguards (DGS), which investigated the complaint, found that the tax rate on packed Basmati rice has been increased from 'Nil' to '5' per cent after the implementation of GST. The company has started paying 5 per cent GST with effect from September 22, 2017, pursuant to a government notification. The input tax credit (ITC) claimed by the company worked out to be between 2.69-3 per cent and the balance of G ST had been paid by the company in cash since the ITC available was less than the GST liability on outward supplies, the DGS noted. "It is also apparent from the returns filed by the respondent (KRBL) for the months of September, October and November, 2017, that the ITC available to him as a percentage of the total value of taxable supplies was between 2.69 per cent to 3 per cent whereas the GST on the outward supply of his product was 5 per cent which was not sufficient to discharge his tax liability. "Moreover in this case the rate of tax has been increased from 0 per cent to 5 per cent instead of a reduction in the same. Therefore, there appears to be no reason for treating the price fixed by the respondent as violation of the provisions of the anti-profiteering clause," the NAA said while dismissing the plea against KRBL. The NAA, in its order, also said that the tax invoices submitted by KRBL show there was an increase in the purchase price of paddy in year 2017 as compared to 2016. The price increase from Rs 540 to Rs 585 for 10kg rice constituted an increase of 8.33 per cent keeping in view of the increase in the purchase price. "Therefore, due to the imposition of the GST on the above product as well as the increase in the purchase price of the paddy there does not appear to be denial of benefit of ITC as has been alleged by the Applicant as there has been no net benefit of ITC available to the Respondent which could be passed on to the consumers. Accordingly, there is no substance in the application filed," the order issued by NAA chairman B N Sharma and other members stated. As per the structure of the anti-profiteering mechanism in the GST regime, complaints of local nature will be first sent to the state-level screening committee, while those of national level will be marked for the Standing Committee. If the complaints have merit, the respective committees will refer the cases for further investigation to the DGS. The DGS then sends its report to the NAA, which passes final order on the case after hearing both parties. JD BAL BAL https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-gate-basmati-rice-gst-profiteeringcharge-against-krbl-dismissed/articleshow/64081705.cms

16 firms keen on supplying rice to PHL A total of 16 firms bought bid documents on importing 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice, in line with the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s efforts to boost the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s supply of the commodity. In a pre-bid conference in Quezon City on Tuesday, the National Food Authority (NFA) reported that the firms are from Thailand, Vietnam,

and the Philippines. Those from Thailand include Asia Golden Rice Co. Ltd., Capital Cereals Co. Ltd., Ponglard Co. Ltd., Thai Capital Corps Co. Ltd., and Thai Hua Co. Ltd. Those from Vietnam are Gia International Corp., Gentraco Corp., Hiep Loi Joint Stock Co., Khiem Than Ltd., Phan Minh Investment Production Trading Services, Vietnam Nothern Food Corp. (VinaFood I), and Vietnam Southern Food Corp. (VinaFood II). And those from the Philippines are Paritas Trading Corp., Singapore-headquartered Olam International Ltd. and Maxwill (Asia) Ptr. Ltd., and Dubai-headquartered Phoenix International Ltd. Under the terms of reference released by the NFA on Tuesday, the rice importations will be in two shipments. The first batch of 200,000 MT of 25 percent brokens is required to arrive in the Philippines not later than July 31, 2018. The 25 percent brokens is a rice category, of which 25 percent has been broken into two or more pieces during the milling process The second batch of 50,000 MT of 15-percent brokens is required to arrive not later than Aug. 31, 2018. The terms specified that the rice must have been harvested on or after November 2017, and must be freshly milled within four months before loading and shipping to the Philippines. —VDS, GMA News http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/652616/16-firms-keen-on-supplying-rice-tophl/story/

LSU AgCenter sets dates for rice field days Bruce Schultz | 5/7/2018 7:26:04 PM

(05/07/18) CROWLEY, La. — The LSU AgCenter will hold a series of field days to help rice farmers learn about the latest recommended practices to improve their crop production. Experts will make presentations on variety development, fertility, growing soybeans and controlling problems of diseases, insects and weeds. ―These field days give us the chance to provide details about our research projects,‖ said Don Groth, resident coordinator of the AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. ―Also, our scientists will be available to answer questions from growers.‖ The field days will be held on: — May 30, southwest Louisiana rice field day at Johnny Hensgens Farm, at the corner of David and McCown roads south of Iowa, starting at 8 a.m. — May 31, Evangeline Parish rice field day at the Bieber Farm, 1 mile west of Mamou on Bieber Road, starting at 8:30 a.m.

— June 5, Vermilion Parish rice field day at the Lounsberry Farm east of Lake Arthur on La. Highway 14, starting at 4 p.m. followed by supper at the Klondike Fire Station. — June 13, Acadia Parish rice field day at the South Farm of the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, starting at 8:30 a.m. — June 27, Rice Research Station. Field tours start at 7:15 a.m. and the last trailer will leave at 9 a.m., followed by a poster session and indoor presentations. — July 18, northeast Louisiana rice field day at the Colvin Farm at 632 Scales Road, Rayville, followed by indoor presentations at the Rayville Civic Center at 817 Louisa St., Rayville, 9 a.m. until noon. http://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/rbogren/articles/page1525721164154

NFA rice tender for private suppliers scheduled for May 22 May 8, 2018 | 10:04 pm

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Workers unloading sacks of rice. -- AFP

THE National Food Authority (NFA) will launch a tender for another 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice on May 22, with the order to be filled by 16 private companies. The tender will allow the NFA to replenish its buffer stock and will ask participants to fill orders for well-milled long grain white rice. The Approved Budget of the Contract (ABC) is P6.52 billion. The tender for private suppliers completes the NFA‘s import procurement program of 500,000 MT. NFA Special Bids and Awards Committee Chairperson Judy Carol L. Dansal on Monday said that the terms of reference (TOR) are unchanged except for the removal of volume limits to ―allow wider participation of traders and businesses.‖ The former minimum lot size was 50,000 MT for eligible bids. The bidders are from Thailand. Vietnam, Pakistan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. According to the TOR read out during the pre-bid conference, 50,000 MT of the order will be filled with 15% broken rice while the remaining 200,000 MT will be 25% broken rice. The 25% broken rice should arrive not later than July 31 while the 15% broken rice should arrive not later than Aug. 31. The shipments will be bid out in nine lots for delivery to 14 designated ports. The TOR calls for penalties for failure to comply, but Ms. Dansal said penalties to bidders are unprecedented. ―But of course, to protect the interest of the government, we always provide controls and penalties to ensure compliance,‖ she added.

―From the loading port, there is already an opportunity for the sellers‘ surveyor to reject the goods that are to be loaded. NFA can also send a representative to make sure that whatever is loaded [is compliant so] they can reject from the load port.‖ The NFA has two options for restocking its warehouses: through local procurement or by importation. Ms. Dansal said the NFA relies on importation when local procurement is unfeasible due to high prices. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

http://bworldonline.com/nfa-rice-tender-for-private-suppliers-scheduled-for-may-22/

Rice basmati weakens on muted demand New Delhi, May 8 Rice basmati prices fell by Rs 100 per quintal at the wholesale grains market today owing to slackened demand. Maise also eased on reduced offtake by consuming industries.Traders said sluggish demand against sufficient stocks position, mainly weighed on rice basmati prices. In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa 1121 variety declined by Rs 100 each to Rs 7,100-7,200 and Rs 6,400-6,500 per quintal, respectively. Other bold grain, maize also shed Rs 20 to Rs 1,420-1,425 per quintal.Following are today's quotations (in Rs per quintal): Wheat MP (desi) Rs 2,060-2,260, Wheat dara (for mills) Rs 1,735-1,740 Chakki atta (delivery) Rs 1,740-1,745, Atta Rajdhani (10 kg) Rs 230-260, Shakti Bhog (10 kg) Rs 255-290, Roller flour mill Rs 930-940 (50 kg), Maida Rs 960-970 (50 kg)and Sooji Rs 1,040-1,050 (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 7,100-7,200, Rice Pusa (1121) Rs 6,400-6,500, Permal raw Rs 2,375-2400, Permal wand Rs 2,475-2,525, Sela Rs 3,050-3,150 and Rice IR-8 Rs 2,025-2,075, Bajra Rs 1,250-1,255, Jowar yellow Rs 1,600-1,650, white Rs 2,850-2,950, Maize Rs 1,420-1,425, Barley Rs 1,470-1,480. https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/rice-basmati-weakens-on-muted-demand/1303633u are

FCI rice stock hits 5-year high at 25 million tonnes According to the official Second Advance Estimates, the country's rice output is estimated at 111.01 mt for 2017-18, a record Dilip Kumar Jha | Mumbai Last Updated at May 8, 2018 00:21 IST 52

Rice stocks with Food Corporation of India‘s (FCI‘s) central pool reached 25 million tonnes (mt) at end-April, the highest since 2013.As of Monday, the total of rice with it and its other nominated agencies was 32.96 mt, a third from Punjab (11.83 mt). Wheat procurement is at 29.67 mt, with plans to buy another two to three mt. ―Although the rice stock is relatively high, it is not at an alarming level. We require 32 mt of rice and 36 mt of wheat in our central pool for one year of distribution need, through the Public Distribution System (PDS). We are planning to start open market sale (OMS, of rice) in June to deal with such a high stock,‖ said R P Singh, executive director.

Since January, FCI has added at least eight mt of rice stock in its central pool. Market sources says there has been slow pick-up from states, due to high output of other cereals. According to the official Second Advance Estimates, the country's rice output is estimated at 111.01 mt for 2017-18, a record. It was 109.7 mt in 2016-17. ―We have dealt with such a high inventory in the past and, hence, it will not be a problem to handle,‖ said Singh. In April 2017, rice stocks in FCI‘s central pool were 23.08 mt; wheat was eight mt. The central government-owned agency also procures unmilled paddy and other coarse grain — 7.72 mt and 0.1 mt, respectively, at present in stock.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/fci-rice-stock-hits-5-year-high-at-25-million-tonnes118050701057_1.htmlhttp://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/fci-rice-stock-hits-5-year-highat-25-million-tonnes-118050701057_1.html

Agricultural Planting and Fertilizing Machinery Market Analysis: Recent Trends and Regional Growth Forecasts 2018 to 2025 May 9, 2018 - by Rahul Jadhav

automatically plant seeds in eight rows at a one go and is expected to attract large size farmers in the future. Recovery in Europe Agricultural Machinery Market According to the European Committee of Farm Machinery Manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Associations (CEMA), in 2017, Europe (EU) agricultural machinery market has seen growth of 4% from 2016 and also anticipates to see the growing trend during the forecast period. Therefore, EU is likely to see potential growth for planting and fertilizing machineries in the coming five years, owing to the growing factors like improving agricultural productivity through mechanization and labor shortage. However, North America is likely to cover a major share in the planting and fertilizing machinery markets compared to Europe during forecast period, owing to the high land mass and extensive, large-scale farming practices. Ask for Sample Report@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/2095117 Increasing Precision Farming After the inclusion of tractors and combine harvesters in farm mechanization, spreaders and seed drills machineries have further mechanized tasks like soil fertilization and crop planting respectively. While tractors and combine harvesters are commonplace across the globe, planting, and fertilizing machinery will further reduce manual intervention in agriculture. Apart from increasing efficiency, mechanization in fertilization and planting also increase precision. Technological innovation and precision farming are some of the areas that can be exploited for future opportunities. Besides a huge scope of development, the major constraints the sector is facing are low commodity prices and expensive machineries resulted in less affordability of machineries from farmers. These factors affect the growth of the agriculture sector; thus, affecting the growth of the planting and fertilizing machinery market. Browse complete report with table of content and list of figures@http://orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-agricultural-planting-and-fertilizingmachinery-market-analysis-of-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2018-2023 Companies Mentioned: Deere & Company (John Deere), CNH Industrial, AGCO Corporation, CLAAS, Mahindra Tractors, Kubota Corporation, Highway Equipment (New Leader), Kuhn Group, Lanco Equipment, Amazone Ltd., Yanmar Company Limited Report Customization and Benefits: This report can be customized to meet your requirements. Please connect with our analyst, who will ensure you get a report that suits your needs.

Table of Content 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Methodology 1.2. General Study Assumptions 2 .Research Methodology 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Analysis Methodology 2.3. Study Assumptions 2.4. Econometric Forecast Model 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Overview And Technology Trends 4.1. Current Market Scenario 4.2. Technology Trends 4.3. Porterâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power Of The Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Power Of The Consumers 4.3.3. Threat Of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat Of Substitute Products And Services 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry Within The Industry Continued For discount click here@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/discount/2095117 About Us: Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients. Contact Us: Hector Costello

Senior Manager – Client Engagements 4144N Central Expressway, Suite 600, Dallas, Texas – 75204, U.S.A. Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019 For More PR’s: http://orbisnewsrelease.com Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbis-research Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/orbisresearch https://truthtoday24.com/agricultural-planting-and-fertilizing-machinery-market-analysis-recent-trendsand-regional-growth-forecasts-2018-to-2025/

Global Agricultural Planting And Fertilizing Machinery Market Is Projected To Register A Cagr Of 4.6% During The Forecast Period 2018 – 2023 May 9, 2018 - by Rahul Jadhav

Global agricultural planting and fertilizing machinery market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period (2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2023). Europe is likely to grow at a faster CAGR, due to its increasing orders for agricultural machineries from domestic as well as international. Key Developments in the Market: January 2017: Kubota Corporation has launched new autonomous rice transplanter which automatically plant seeds in eight rows at a one go and is expected to attract large size farmers in the future. Recovery in Europe Agricultural Machinery Market According to the European Committee of Farm Machinery Manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Associations (CEMA), in 2017, Europe (EU) agricultural machinery market has seen growth of 4% from 2016 and also anticipates to see the growing trend during the forecast period. Therefore, EU is likely to see potential growth for planting and fertilizing machineries in the coming five years, owing to the growing factors like improving agricultural productivity through mechanization and labor shortage. However, North America is likely to cover a major share in the planting and fertilizing machinery markets compared to Europe during forecast period, owing to the high land mass and extensive, large-scale farming practices. Ask for Sample Report@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/2095117 Increasing Precision Farming After the inclusion of tractors and combine harvesters in farm mechanization, spreaders and seed drills machineries have further mechanized tasks like soil fertilization and crop planting respectively. While tractors and combine harvesters are commonplace across the globe, planting, and fertilizing machinery will further reduce manual intervention in agriculture. Apart from increasing efficiency, mechanization in fertilization and planting also increase precision. Technological innovation and precision farming are some of the areas that can be exploited for future opportunities. Besides a huge scope of development, the major constraints the sector is facing are low commodity prices and expensive machineries resulted in less affordability of machineries from farmers. These factors affect the growth of the agriculture sector; thus, affecting the growth of the planting and fertilizing machinery market. Browse complete report with table of content and list of figures@http://orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-agricultural-planting-and-fertilizingmachinery-market-analysis-of-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2018-2023 Companies Mentioned: Deere & Company (John Deere), CNH Industrial, AGCO Corporation, CLAAS, Mahindra Tractors, Kubota Corporation, Highway Equipment (New Leader), Kuhn Group, Lanco Equipment, Amazone Ltd., Yanmar Company Limited

Report Customization and Benefits: This report can be customized to meet your requirements. Please connect with our analyst, who will ensure you get a report that suits your needs. Table of Content 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Methodology 1.2. General Study Assumptions 2 .Research Methodology 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Analysis Methodology 2.3. Study Assumptions 2.4. Econometric Forecast Model 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Overview And Technology Trends 4.1. Current Market Scenario 4.2. Technology Trends 4.3. Porterâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power Of The Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Power Of The Consumers 4.3.3. Threat Of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat Of Substitute Products And Services 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry Within The Industry Continued For discount click here@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/discount/2095117 https://www.satprnews.com/2018/05/09/global-agricultural-planting-and-fertilizing-machinery-market-isprojected-to-register-a-cagr-of-4-6-during-the-forecast-period-2018-2023/

Self-sufficiency or security? May 8, 2018, 10:00 PM Jejomar C. Binay Former Vice President

By Jejomar C. Binay Former Vice President

Every administration has high aspirations of making our country self-sufficient in rice. This is understandable, considering that we are a rice-consuming and producing country. The previous administration had proclaimed the country would be totally self-sufficient in rice by 2013. It failed to meet that target.From 96 percent rice self-sufficiency in 2013, the figure actually dropped to 92 per cent in 2014. And the rice self-sufficiency policy has also resulted, ironically, in rising prices of rice.As pointed out by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the policy of imposing import restrictions to achieve rice self-sufficiency actually raises domestic prices, which then reduces household food security. Research also showed that the domestic price of rice is about 40 percent higher than imported rice. Experts have been consistent in pointing out several barriers to rice-self sufficiency. Foremost is geography. Rice-exporting countries in Southeast Asia – Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos – produce more rice than the Philippines because they are all on the Southeast Asian mainland, with dominant river deltas that provide sufficient water. These countries also have vast, flat lands which make them more suitable for cultivating rice. More land is available for rice because of their low population density. On the other hand, rice-importing countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are all islands or peninsulas, with high population densities and fewer farmers growing rice because other crops more suitable to their land are more profitable. Rather than pursue a policy of rice self-sufficiency, experts have proposed that government pursue a policy of ensuring food security instead. I agree with this view. For one thing, when you talk of rice self-sufficiency, you are talking of domestic production equal to or matching the local demand for rice. On the other hand, food security, as defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), an international agency under the United Nations (UN), is achieved when ―all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.‖ This is regardless of the source of the food. What experts recommend is for the Philippines to target 90-95 percent of rice produced domestically and import the rest from Vietnam or Thailand. Malaysia, also an archipelagic country, imports as much as 30 percent of its rice.

Japonica rice ready for farming Chea Vannak / Khmer Times

Women working in a rice field in Cambodia. KT/Mom Sophon

The government yesterday announced that a new rice variety known as ‗japonica‘ is officially available for farming after having passed performance tests. Officially called ‗oryza sativa japonica‘, the rice variety will be planted in 200,000 hectares around the country, and will be shipped primarily to China, where it is very popular, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon said Monday. Tests on japonica and its adaptability to the Cambodian soil have been conducted in Kampong Speu province, after the ministry signed an agreement in January with two Chinese laboratories, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center and Jiangsu Long An Agricultural Technology, to study the grain jointly. The ultimate goal of the agreement is to feed vast demand for the grain in the Chinese market, Mr Sakhon explained. ―As planned, 200,000 hectares of land will be used for planting japonica seeds, producing up to six tonnes of paddy rice per hectare,‖ he said, although he failed to go into details regarding the provinces where the plantations will be located. In January, Hean Vanhan, director-general of the Ministry of Agriculture, said that while littleknown in Cambodia, the japonica rice variety is vastly popular in China, particularly in the north. He said planting the variety at home was an important stepping stone in boosting exports to China, which is already Cambodia‘s biggest market for rice. Moul Sarith, secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation, said japonica will also be used domestically. ―Many well-known Japanese and Korean chefs working in Cambodia like to cook with this variety, so demand is very high,‖ he said, adding that japonica fetches higher prices than any other type of rice grown in the kingdom. During the first three months of the year, 25.7 percent of all Cambodian exports of milled rice went to China (41,412 tonnes out of a total of 161,115 tonnes exported). https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50487612/japonica-rice-ready-for-farming/

Can technology keep farmers in farms? The fourth industrial revolution and the technologies it has brought with it has boosted productivity and created jobs in certain sectors. How can the world leverage technology to improve agriculture, the one sector that has lagged behind?

Despite farmer migration, agriculture will remain a top employer in Asia for some time to come, which is why technology has to be tapped to increase its productivity, says the ADB. Image: ADB By Hannah Fernandez Wednesday 9 May 2018 Automation and other technologies have created more jobs in sectors such as information and communications technology (ICT) or business proces outsourcing (BPO), but the same is untrue for agriculture.

Speaking at the Technology for Inclusion conference, Carolyn Florey, technology for development lead of International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said there is a net loss for jobs in agriculture because of technology.

IRRI and FAO step up joint efforts to globally bolster sustainable rice production Automation, for example, is replacing jobs in the agricultural sector with machines, as seen in the case of the United States where 40 per cent of the labour force was in agriculture in 1900. That number is now closer to 1 per cent, she said. Technology has also given rise to better paying jobs in urban areas, which in turn has led to a labour drain from rural communities. â&#x20AC;&#x2022;The youth are leaving farms to go to urban areas in search of opportunity. This trend will continue as wages are lowest in the agriculture sector in Asia,â&#x20AC;&#x2013; Florey told an audience from the ICT, BPO, government, and agricultural fields at the conference held at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Ortigas Centre, Pasig City in the Philippines. This was one finding reported in ADBâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s latest publication, entitled How Technology Impacts Jobs, unveiled at the conference. The report reveals there have been shifts in employment from sectors with low productivity and pay like agriculture, to sectors with higher productivity and pay, such as the service sector, as economies develop. The youth are leaving farms to go to urban areas in search of opportunity. This trend will continue as wages are lowest in the agriculture sector in Asia. Carolyn Florey, technology for development lead, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Despite rural-urban migration, the report states that by 2030 the sector will still employ 21 per cent of the workforce in Bangladesh, 43 per cent in the Laos, and 28 per cent in Myanmar, even at the current rate the youth are leaving the industry. The 368-page report stated: ―It is therefore vital that productivity and earnings in the [agriculture] sector be raised to tackle the challenge of worsening inequality in the region.‖ Florey said there must be support to get the right technologies to make make agriculture more productive, income-generating, efficient and attractive for youth to stay on farms. ―There‘s a good amount of evidence that if you‘re using sustainable practices and proper crop management and you have information about how to do that, we are able to increase productivity and keep farmers in farms.‖

In the Philippines, the Rice Doctor app also comes in a Filipino language version so that farmers can better understand and use it. Image: IRRI Technology can improve farmer productivity not simply through mechanisation, but also offering high-yielding crop varieties, and improved irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticide practices. For instance, IRRI has developed technology for farmers like the Rice Crop Manager, a mobile app that gives farmers guidelines for applying the right amount of fertilisers for crops at the right time.

There is also the automated monitoring tool (AutoMon), an Internet of Things-based tool that helps farmers in irrigation scheduling and sustainable water management. The Rice Doctor is the third tool developed by IRRI. An offline mobile app, it helps diagnose pest, disease, and other problems that can occur in rice and teaches farmers how to manage them. Farmers can also benefit from more information through the use of popular social media platforms such as Facebook or communication channels including Viber and WhatsApp. Keeping digital records of the agricultural value chain is another way to increase smallholder farmers‘ access to information and allow them to choose where and when to sell their produce in order to get the best market prices. For its part, the IRRI has taken to dissiminating information through the children of farmers, who are more tech-savvy, since the average age of farmers range from the mid to late 50s.―Who is the person in the household who we can get in touch with? If the farmer has a basic phone, we have to focus on use of SMS (short message service) to disemínate information,‖ Florey said. But farmers living and working in rural areas of countries including the Philippines, Bangladesh, and India also face difficulties in getting information due to limited Internet acces.Florey called on companies to give rural areas, not just in urban areas, access to technology. ―We really need to think about the policy and regulatory envrionment to promote, to encourage private sector investments in rural areas where the farmers are,‖ she said. The agriculture industry can benefit from technology, but it will take imagination for this to happen, said the speakers at the event. Ambe Tierro, global artificial intelligence capability and delivery lead of Accenture Technology, urged: ―If we are merely focusing on job gains and losses, we are missing the most crucial point of the use of technology. We need to reimagine the work by assigning tasks for humans and tasks fit for robots.‖ http://www.eco-business.com/news/can-technology-keep-farmers-in-farms/

TS contests originality of data used to gauge water need for paddy by AP B. Chandrashekhar HYDERABAD, MAY 09, 2018 00:34 IST

AP‘s witness fails to substantiate source of input data for PET value estimation Telangana has strongly contended before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal that the estimation of water requirement for paddy cultivation in Andhra Pradesh‘s Krishna basin by the latter‘s witness P.V. Satyanarayana is wrong since the values of potential evapo-transpiration taken for the purpose are higher than the values estimated by India Meteorological Department (IMD). During the cross-examination of Mr. Satyanarayana before the tribunal in New Delhi on Tuesday, senior counsel appearing for Telangana C.S. Vaidyanathan further argued that the crop water requirement estimated by the AP witness was inflated with the help of increased period of crop development. Although the witness denied the counsel‘s suggestion, he did not explain the authenticity of input data on potential evapo-transpiration (PET) values. Data not verified On intense probing on the PET, the process of water transfer to the atmosphere from soil through evaporation and from plants through transpiration, the AP witness admitted that he had not given details on input data sourced from the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in his affidavit. Asked whether he had tried to verify the data at least on the website mentioned in his affidavit Mr. Satyanarayana said he had not accessed it so far. When suggested that no such data was available on the website concerned, Mr. Satyanarayana, the Director of AP Rice Research Institute, said: ―I do not know, can‘t say anything‖.

On the source of information on the number of weather stations considered by CRIDA for estimating PET values, the witness said he had only spoken to the authors of AgroClimatic Atlas of AP. He, however, sought time to answer on being asked that Telangana had computed lower PET values using the very data of CRIDA referred by him. Another senior counsel for Telangana V. Ravinder Rao examined the AP witness on soil mapping and soil classification for suitability of paddy cultivation. Asked whether the witness would agree to the fact that a majority of lands in Garidpally, Chilkur and Huzurnagar mandal of erstwhile Nalgonda district, presently falling in Suryapet district, are highly or moderately suitable for paddy cultivation, Mr. Satyanarayana said he could answer only after going through the original publication of the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Utilisation Planning (NBSS&LUP). http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/ts-contests-originality-of-data-used-to-gauge-waterneed-for-paddy-by-ap/article23816921.ece

Global Agricultural Planting And Fertilizing Machinery Market Is Projected To Register A Cagr Of 4.6% During The Forecast Period 2018 – 2023 May 9, 2018 - by Rahul Jadhav

Global agricultural planting and fertilizing machinery market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period (2018 – 2023). Europe is likely to grow at a faster CAGR, due to its increasing orders for agricultural machineries from domestic as well as international. Key Developments in the Market: January 2017: Kubota Corporation has launched new autonomous rice transplanter which automatically plant seeds in eight rows at a one go and is expected to attract large size farmers in the future. Recovery in Europe Agricultural Machinery Market According to the European Committee of Farm Machinery Manufacturer‘s Associations (CEMA), in 2017, Europe (EU) agricultural machinery market has seen growth of 4% from 2016

and also anticipates to see the growing trend during the forecast period. Therefore, EU is likely to see potential growth for planting and fertilizing machineries in the coming five years, owing to the growing factors like improving agricultural productivity through mechanization and labor

shortage.

However, North America is likely to cover a major share in the planting and fertilizing machinery markets compared to Europe during forecast period, owing to the high land mass and extensive, large-scale farming practices.

Ask for Sample Report@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/2095117 Increasing Precision Farming After the inclusion of tractors and combine harvesters in farm mechanization, spreaders and seed drills machineries have further mechanized tasks like soil fertilization and crop planting respectively. While tractors and combine harvesters are commonplace across the globe, planting, and fertilizing machinery will further reduce manual intervention in agriculture. Apart from increasing efficiency, mechanization in fertilization and planting also increase precision. Technological innovation and precision farming are some of the areas that can be exploited for future opportunities. Besides a huge scope of development, the major constraints the sector is facing are low commodity prices and expensive machineries resulted in less affordability of machineries from farmers. These factors affect the growth of the agriculture sector; thus, affecting the growth of the planting and fertilizing machinery market. Browse complete report with table of content and list of figures@http://orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-agricultural-planting-and-fertilizingmachinery-market-analysis-of-growth-trends-and-forecasts-2018-2023 Companies Mentioned: Deere & Company (John Deere), CNH Industrial, AGCO Corporation, CLAAS, Mahindra Tractors, Kubota Corporation, Highway Equipment (New Leader), Kuhn Group, Lanco Equipment, Amazone Ltd., Yanmar Company Limited Report Customization and Benefits: This report can be customized to meet your requirements. Please connect with our analyst, who will ensure you get a report that suits your needs. Table of Content 1. Introduction 1.1. Research Methodology 1.2. General Study Assumptions 2 .Research Methodology 2.1. Introduction 2.2. Analysis Methodology 2.3. Study Assumptions 2.4. Econometric Forecast Model 3. Executive Summary

4. Market Overview And Technology Trends 4.1. Current Market Scenario 4.2. Technology Trends 4.3. Porter‘s Five Forces Analysis 4.3.1. Bargaining Power Of The Suppliers 4.3.2. Bargaining Power Of The Consumers 4.3.3. Threat Of New Entrants 4.3.4. Threat Of Substitute Products And Services 4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry Within The Industry Continued For discount click here@ http://orbisresearch.com/contacts/discount/2095117 About Us: Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients. Contact Us: Hector Costello Senior Manager – Client Engagements 4144N Central Expressway, Suite 600, Dallas, Texas – 75204, U.S.A. Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019 For More PR’s: http://orbisnewsrelease.com Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orbis-research Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/orbisresearch https://www.satprnews.com/2018/05/09/global-agricultural-planting-and-fertilizing-machinerymarket-is-projected-to-register-a-cagr-of-4-6-during-the-forecast-period-2018-2023/