25th April ,2016 Daily Global,Regional & Local Rice -Enewsletter by Riceplus Magazine

8/18/2019 25th April ,2016 Daily Global,Regional & Local Rice -Enewsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter 2016

www.ricepluss.com www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

For information : Mujahid Ali [email protected] 0321 369 2874

1

www.ricepluss

www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot

Vol 7,Issue IV

April 25 ,201


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Editorial Board

Chief Editor

Hamlik

Managing Editor

Abdul Sattar Shah

Rahmat Ullah

Rozeen Shaukat

English Editor

Maryam Editor

Legal Advisor

Advocate Zaheer Minhas

Editorial Associates Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid

Javed Islam Agha

Ch.Hamid Malhi

Dr.Akhtar Hussain

Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqu

Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)

Islam Akhtar Khan

Editorial Advisory Board

Dr.Malik Mohammad Has

Assistant Professor, Gomal

University DIK

Dr.Hasina GulAssistant Director, Agriculture KPK

Dr.Hidayat UllahAssistant Professor, Universit

Swabi

Dr.Abdul BasirAssistant Professor, Universi

Swabi

Zahid Mehmood

PSO,NIFA Peshawar

Falak Naz ShahHead Food Science & Techno

ART, Peshawar

oday Rice News Headlines...

Restaurant Review: Bahaar Pakistani is a unique and enlightening

dining experience

04/25/2016 Farm Bureau Market Report

Babies Who Eat Rice Cereal Have Higher Arsenic Levels, Study

Finds

USA Rice Touts Sustainability Record at SIAL Canada

Is guar gum‘s future really bleak?

ARE YOU SERVING YOUR INFANT ARSENIC-LACED RICE?

Small but Powerful

APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1458

Thai rice yield shrinks, coffee crops die in VN

Aman rice output hits a new high Thailand plans to sell 11.4 mln T of stockpiled rice within two months

MOAC announces rice farming strategy to balance supply and

demand


Thailand to Sell 11.4 Million Tons of Stockpiled Rice

SunRice promises $400/t in 2017

El Niño less damaging to rice than expected

Coffee crops die in Vietnam, Thai rice yield shrinks

Drought in delta poses serious food security threat Navigating Asia‘s Troubled Waters

Boro Paddy harvesting continues

Rice imports from India jump to Rs13.43 billion


CBN provides rice farmers with N4.9bn loan

Kebbi 1m metric tonnes of rice achievable – Emefiele

News Detail...

Restaurant Review: Bahaar Pakistani is a uniquend enlightening dining experiencey Alan Bennett, Samuel Shepherd and Anthony Panciocco or The Maine Campus t seemed to be a lonely night in the Bahaar Pakistani restaurant, located at 23ammond St. in Bangor. As we walked in, the family that ran the business was enjoyingnner at a table in the back corner, a testament to the restaurant‘s atmosphere. Adornedith traditional Pakistani art old trim and decor and st lized with ars of various s ices


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For the table, we ordered a skewer of beef tikka (small meatballs cooked in a clay oven) and aloo pakora, which are essentially crispy potato pancakes. The consensus of the appetizers was positive, as we scarfed down our small basket. The beef tikka managed to stay tender despitehaving a significant char. Both appetizers were plated in one basket and served with two sauces:one a spicy tomato chutney, and the other a cool, creamy yogurt sauce with fresh herbs. The aloo pakora were crunchy and were well complemented by both the tomato and yogurt-based sauces,and the yogurt sauce was additionally tasty with spicy beef.The server also said that, on Saturdays, people travel hundreds of miles to eat at Bahaar. Heclaimed that Bahaar was the only Pakistani restaurant north of Connecticut. I found the alleged popularity puzzling because in the 90 minutes we were in the restaurant, no one else came in todine. This made our experience all the more intimate and led our server to engage in a lot ofconversation. This is where our experience became about more than food.Despite the three of us venturing into a new country‘s cuisine, the most fascinating part of theBahaar‘s experience was speaking with the waiter. While serving us water, he spent a fewminutes speaking to us about Zagg‘s iPhone screen protectors. He says they‘re the best.The man was also very intuitive, sensing that we were having trouble deciding what to order.When we ordered chapati bread, he quickly corrected us to naan bread.―If I‘m spending money on bread,‖ he said as he walked away, ―I‘m ordering naan.‖ While this would have annoyed us at an Applebee‘s, it was welcome at a restaurant that isunfamiliar with a large, whirling menu.The server sparked up a conversation about Pakistan, where we grew up. He said that he rarelygoes back because of all of the tension. He spoke of the recent bombing in a recreational park inLahore, Pakistan‘s capital.He spoke to us softly, except for when he was forcefully ordering us dishes. He had somesurprising, to us, comments about being ―randomly‖ selected for airport security checks. He saidthat he didn‘t mind being checked, because ―they don‘t know‖ who could be a terrorist. It was atonce both a humbling and insightful experience.

The lamb vindaloo, served with basmati rice abundant, was a little bland, but it‘s probably the patron‘s own fault — spicy food hurts our news editor, and his philosophy on food is that myfood should not leave him in physical pain. The lamb was ordered as a three on the one-to-tenspicy scale. The server said it could go to a seven, as it was a cream-based dish, but his advicewas neglected.Our news editor would like to offer the following on the topic of basmati rice: ―I believe it to bean immaculate vessel for Indian and Pakistani. As I eat my way through the border from Indiainto Pakistan, I find myself enamored with the long-grain rice. It‘s fragrant, holds up well whensoaked in sauces and compliments every single meat I‘ve paired it with. I want to be buried in acasket filled with basmati rice. I‘ll make the casket out of naan bread.‖ On the naan, Bahaar‘s is impeccable. Tender and chewy on the inside with a crisp, slightly oily

and salty exterior, it disappeared in seconds.The bowl of vindaloo had an inviting aroma, with hints of ginger hidden in the broth. There werea small handful of tender lamb chunks bathing in it as well, and there could have been more,considering the amount of both broth and rice to accompany it. Some members of our party didnot enjoy the lamb for, despite its tender texture, they couldn‘t get past its gamey flavor.An order of beef biryani arrived at the table perfectly sculpted and as tall as the best sandcastleyou‘ve ever seen. A dish of seasoned rice, vegetables and seared beef meatballs, it was averitable citadel of flavor waiting to be invaded. The meatballs were dispersed throughout the


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Sep '16 1135.0 1096.0 1120.5 +27.0

Nov '16 1144.5 1110.0 1129.5 +27.0

Jan '17 1160.5 1160.5 1144.5 +26.5

Mar '17 1157.0 +26.0

May '17 1159.5 +26.0

Rice CommentRice futures were higher across the board. A decent export total gave the market a boost this week. USDA

says 121,300 metric tons for delivery this marketing year. Of course, 90,000 of that was the previouslyreported sale to Iraq. The market will be watching crop progress closely. If farmers plant what they

reported to USDA in the survey, the large crop will limit the upside potential. Currently, USDA says 48%

of the crop in the ground and 19% emerged. In Arkansas, the totals are 55% planted and 11% emerged.

Demand is also a key factor. May closed on the 50% retracement line at $10.83, and now has an upside

objective of $11.16, the 62% retracement level

Babies Who Eat Rice Cereal Have Higher Arsenic Levels, StudyFindsApril 25, 20163:48 PM ET

A new study finds that babies fed rice cereals and other rice-based snacks have higher concentrations ofarsenic in their urine.When it comes to introducing babies to solid foods, rice cereal is often first. And rice is a staple in many babyand toddler foods.

But, as we've reported, multiple studieshave found that rice-based foods containtraces of arsenic, and sometimes levelsare surprisingly high.Now comes a newstudy published in JAMA Pediatrics thatfinds babies who are fed rice cereals — and other rice-based snacks — havehigher concentrations of arsenic in their

urine compared with infants who are notfed rice."The highest arsenicconcentrations were among those whoconsumed infant rice cereal," saysresearcher Margaret Karagas, anepidemiologist at Dartmouth's GeiselSchool of Medicine. "Among those[babies] who ate rice snacks, levels were

about double [that of] non-rice eaters."


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The study was based on data from the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. Theresearchers analyzed the eating habits of about 750 infants of mothers enrolled in thestudy."We knew rice cereal was a common first food, but we didn't really know howcommon it was or what age it was introduced," Karagas says. The study found that, by age1, about 80 percent of babies had been introduced to rice cereal, usually starting at 4 to 6

months. "We were surprised by the number of infants consuming rice products," Karagassays.The potential health effects of regularly consuming infant rice cereal — and other rice-based products — containing traces of arsenic are unclear. But the authors write in their paper that "emerging epidemiologicevidence suggests that [arsenic] exposure in utero and during early life may be associated with adverse healtheffects" on immune system and brain development.Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a limit of 100 parts per billion for inorganicarsenic in infant rice cereal. Inorganic arsenic is the type that public health officials worry about the most."Our actions are driven by our duty to protect the public health and our careful analysis of the data and theemerging science," Susan Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said ina statement on the proposed limit.The FDA's statement points to research that links exposure to inorganic arsenic early in life to decreased

performance on certain developmental tests.

The FDA tested 76 samples of infant rice cereals from retail stores for concentrations of inorganic arsenic. Theagency found that about half of the samples contained levels of inorganic arsenic that were higher than 100

ppb, but most exceeded the proposed limit only slightly.So, what advice does the agency have for parents? Rice doesn't need to be the only — or first — source ofgrain in your baby's diet, the FDA says. Other sources include oats, wheat and barley."For toddlers, provide a well-balanced diet, which includes a variety of grains," the agency says.This advice is seconded by the American Academy of Pediatricians. A wide variety of foods "will decrease [a]child's exposure to arsenic from rice," concludes the AAP's advice to parents. And as the AAP notes, otherfoods — like finely chopped meats or vegetable purees — "are equally acceptable as a first food.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/04/25/475599295/babies-who-eat-rice-cereal-have-higher-

arsenic-levels-study-finds

USA Rice Touts Sustainability Record at SIAL Canada

By Sarah Moran

MONTREAL, CANADA -- The 13th edition of SIAL Canada, the North American food innovation

exhibition, was held here this month attracting more than 15,000 visitors. USA Rice participated in this

trade show that showcased 850 exhibitors from 60 countries through the U.S. Sustainability Alliance

(USSA). USSA, which featured more than a dozen U.S. commodities, partnered with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service and hosted a booth which U.S. Ambassador to

Canada Bruce Hayman chose as the backdrop for the opening ceremony of the USA

Pavilion. Ambassador Hayman later gave a cooking demonstration featuring foods from the U.S. as part

of the promotional program.

USA Rice stocked the booth with sustainability pamphlets and bags of U.S. rice and also provided a video

on rice and sustainability practices that showed alongside other producer stories from soy and wheat.

"For the last 100 years, U.S. farmers, fisherman, and foresters have served as stewards to the environment

by participating in conservation programs that help protect the land's natural resources," said USSA's

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~childrenshealth/NHBCS.phphttp://www.dartmouth.edu/~childrenshealth/NHBCS.phphttp://www.dartmouth.edu/~childrenshealth/NHBCS.phphttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs372/en/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs372/en/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs372/en/http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttps://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Offers-Advice-For-Parents-Concerned-About-Arsenic-in-Food.aspxhttps://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Offers-Advice-For-Parents-Concerned-About-Arsenic-in-Food.aspxhttps://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Offers-Advice-For-Parents-Concerned-About-Arsenic-in-Food.aspxmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.npr.org/people/2100208/allison-aubreymailto:[email protected]://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Offers-Advice-For-Parents-Concerned-About-Arsenic-in-Food.aspxhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs372/en/http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm493740.htmhttp://www.dartmouth.edu/~childrenshealth/NHBCS.php


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David Green. "It's time we share our great story with the many consumers who are demanding greater

environmental responsibility."

Is guar gum’s future really bleak?

PRERNA SHARMA

Over the last three years, guar has slowly lost its lustre due to oversupply, reduced demand onaccount of oil price crash, and emergence of substitutes that further reduced its demand. Guarproducts enjoyed their dream run for two successive years, 2011-12 and 2012-13, becoming India’slargest agricultural export item, surpassing the famed basmati rice. In 2012-13, export of guarproducts reached a record high of $4 billion but declined to $1.5 billion in FY2014-15. That fellfurther to $0.47 billion in FY2015-16 (till January). However, a careful analysis of the data showsthat guar exports volume remained more or less stable (except in 2015-16), though prices fellsubstantially.

India accounts for 80 per cent of the world’s production of guar, followed by Pakistan. Rajasthan is

the leading producer, contributing 70 per cent of India’s production. India mainly produces guargum, or guar splits made from guar seed that are further processed into guar gum powder. The otherguar products are korma and churi, which are used by the cattle feed industry.

Over 80 per cent of India’s guar products are exported, mainly to the US, Germany and China. Thetop consuming industry is oil & gas, accounting for 60-65 per cent, followed by food (25-30 per cent)and the rest by pharma. The textile printing industry is the major consumer of guar domestically.


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Guar gum started to play a key role in the extraction of shale oil and gas through the frackingprocess, post-2009. It helped the US to increase shale gas production to 11.3 trillion cubic ft in 2013,almost nine times that in 2005. The shale revolution and speculation of drought in India, together

with expectation of production shortfall, led to panic stocking by the US. As a result, the US becamethe top importer of guar, accounting for 73 per cent of global imports in 2012. However, its share fell

to 57 per cent in 2015.

Endof bull run

An unprecedented rise in prices, especially after 2009, saw Indian farmers preferring guar overcompeting kharif crops, such as cotton, moong, soyabean and bajri. As a result, India’s guarproduction has risen to 2.45 million tonnes (MT) in 2015-16 from 0.9 MT in 2005-06. New guarprocessing facilities were built in Rajasthan. Cultivation was extended to non-guar producing States.However, sharp rise in the prices of guar products prompted importing countries, such as China and

Australia, to encourage indigenous guar cultivation and processing. Also, the food industry’s demandfor guar gum was adversely impacted by extreme volatility and sharp rise in prices, especially during2011-12. Higher prices also prompted guar consuming industries to explore and shift to cheapersubstitutes.

All these developments substantially reduced the demand for gaur with implications for prices, which fell from ₹30,000 a quintal in April 2013 to 7,000 a quintal in December 2013. Crude oil

price declined from $115/barrel in August 2014 to $30/barrel in January 2016.

That gave a big jolt to guar exports in the form of reduced demand from US shale oil and gasproducers. As a result, guar prices dropped to ₹4,000 a quintal in 2015 from the high of ₹30,000 aquintal in 2012. Current prices stand at ₹6,000 a quintal. Even if crude oil price hovers around$40/barrel, US shale oil and gas production will continue to grow, though at a slower rate. China hasset a production target of 300 billion cubic meters of gas by 2020. That would mean steady demandfor guar gum.


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Guar gum is used to modify water properties and acts as a thickener in the food industry. TheEuropean food industry accounts for over 10 per cent of India’s guar gum exports, and is expected tocontinue importing from India. Growing awareness towards natural or organic food and further risein per capita incomes of developing countries could likely boost the demand for guar gum from thefood industry. All these developments mean steady demand for guar and make guar an attractive

investment option in the long run.

Crude oil price holds the key to demand for guar products. Crude oil prices seem to have bottomedout now. However, Iran seeking to capture its old market share may cause a further fall in crudeprices. If that happens, it may pressurise guar.

Guar price shocks in the past have prompted international buyers to look for cheaper alternatives,such as tara gum, locust bean gum and xanthan gum, which are being used in the food industry.Synthetic polymers are used in the shale oil and gas industry. But nothing has come out as effectiveas guar. Nevertheless, guar substitutes will keep guar prices from shooting up unreasonably.

The writer is VP and Head, Agriculture, Food and Retail at Biznomics Consulting

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/real-assets/is-guar-gums-future-really- bleak/article8516594.ece

ARE YOU SERVING YOUR INFANT ARSENIC-LACED

RICE?B Y J E S S I C A F I R G E R O N 4 / 2 5 / 1 6 A T 5 : 5 1 P M

A new study suggests infants who eat cereal and other products made of rice have higher levels of

urinary arsenic.L U C A S J A C K S O N ? R E U T E R

TECH & SCIENCEPEDIATRIC HEALTHFOODHEALTH AND MEDICINE

Rice cereal is one of the first solid foods an infant tries, because the bland mush is easy ondigestion. However, parents may want to be cautious about how much rice ends up in their kid‘sdiet.A study published April 25 in JAMA Pediatrics found infants who ate rice and rice-based products had significantly higher urinary inorganic arsenic concentrations than those who didn‘teat any foods that contain the grain. Inorganic arsenic, or arsenic in which no carbon is present inthe compound, is highly toxic. It‘s on the World Health Organization‘s known carcinogen list,

and high exposure is dangerous, especially for developing infants. In particular, researchsuggests inorganic arsenic can have a neurotoxic effect and is harmful to the immune system.Studies find infant rice cereal can contain levels of inorganic arsenic at approximately 200nanograms per gram of food, which is twice the amount recommended by WHO and allowed bythe U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In the U.S., rice is the largest source of human exposureto arsenic.

Try Newsweek for only $1.25 per week

http://www.newsweek.com/authors/jessica-firgerhttp://www.newsweek.com/authors/jessica-firgerhttp://www.newsweek.com/authors/jessica-firgerhttp://www.newsweek.com/tech-sciencehttp://www.newsweek.com/tech-sciencehttp://www.newsweek.com/topic/foodhttp://www.newsweek.com/topic/foodhttp://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2514074http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2514074http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2514074http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogenshttp://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogenshttp://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogenshttp://www.newsweek.com/trialhttp://www.newsweek.com/trialhttp://www.newsweek.com/trialhttp://www.newsweek.com/trialhttp://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/generalinformationaboutcarcinogens/known-and-probable-human-carcinogenshttp://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=2514074http://www.newsweek.com/topic/foodhttp://www.newsweek.com/topic/foodhttp://www.newsweek.com/tech-sciencehttp://www.newsweek.com/tech-sciencehttp://www.newsweek.com/authors/jessica-firger


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For the study, researchers analyzed data on 759 infants that were part of the New HampshireBirth Cohort Study that took place between 2011 and 2014. At the start of the study, theresearchers asked parents to keep a food diary, and checked in with the families every fourmonths. When the infants turned 1 year old, the researchers assessed their dietary patterns. In particular, the researchers asked parents how much rice and rice-based food they fed their infant,including rice cereal, snacks made of rice, and snacks that contained brown rice syrup (used as asweetener).They found that 80 percent of the infants were introduced to rice cereal in the first year of life,and 64 percent of began eating rice cereal starting at 4 to 6 months. At the year mark, 43 percenthad eaten rice cereal or some type of rice product the previous week.The researchers also analyzed urine samples taken from the infants beginning in 2013. In ananalysis of 129 urine samples at the 12-month point, the researchers found arsenic levels weresignificantly higher in infants who consumed rice and other rice-based foods compared withthose who didn‘t eat any of these products. Infants who ate rice cereal had the highest level ofurinary inorganic arsenic. On average, levels were 9.53 micrograms per liter in infants who aterice cereal compared to 2.85 micrograms per liter in infants who didn‘t eat any rice-based products.The researchers say there are some limitations to their study. The findings are partially based onself-reported questionnaires, which leave room for inaccuracy. It is also based on a population in New England where there is an unregulated water system. This may mean there‘s more arsenic

in tap water, and, depending on how much water the infants drank, could account for the higherlevels in some urine samples. Lastly, the study doesn‘t account for other common sources of

arsenic such as apple juice, which could also elevate urinary arsenic levelshttp://www.newsweek.com/arsenic-infant-rice-food-452351


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Small but Powerful A new compact rice mill may be a sound investment

by Zac Sarian

April 26, 2016 (updated)

Small-scale entrepreneurs in the countryside might as well take a second look at a compact ricemill that can perform functions of the bigger models.

This is the model LH 5001 from Korea, which is nowavailable in the Philippines through a company thatrepresents the cooperative of farm machinerymanufacturers in that country. Philip Kim, president of the

company that distributes the compact rice mill Fitcorea,says LH 5001 can be a profitable investment. One verygood reason it can be profitable is that the mill has a highmilling recovery of 68.1 percent. This means that for every100 kilos of palay milled, 68.1 kilos of polished rice isrecovered. This is much higher than the usual millingrecovery of other small rice mills that ranges from only 55to 60 percent, according to Kim.Moreover, the polishedrice comes out to be of high quality because as much as 77 percent of the grains are whole grains and only 23 percentare broken. Whole grains, of course, command a higher

price in the market. The machine has a husk separator, rice bran separator, impurities sorter, an adjustable polisher

control, and a stone separator. The milled rice is therefore very clean.Being compact, the machine can be installed in a place as small as nine square meters. And it can be operated by just one man. LH 5001 can mill five to six cavans of palay in one hour. Theinvestor can install one in a community where small rice farmers produce small quantities thatthe big rice processing complexes will not care to accept.Malou Bautista, a staff of Fitcorea, says that even if the machine operates only five hours a day,the operator can gross about p75,000 in fees of P2 per bag of polished rice. The expenses inelectricity and other costs total only P21,500 per month so there is a profit of P53,500 monthly.That‘s not bad for a small business in the countryside. One LH 5001 only costs P210,000. The

cost can be recovered in just several months.Usually, small rice farmers sell their palay right after harvest because they need cash to settletheir loans or for some other purposes. If they can have their harvest milled and sell it ascommercial rice, they will significantly increase their income, as Malou explains it.Many farmers harvest 120 cavans of palay from one hectare. If they sell the palay at R17 perkilo, the gross income will be P102,000. But if they have their harvest milled by LH 5001, theywill get a total of 3,900 kilos of polished rice. Because the rice is high quality, it will sell at P42

http://www.mb.com.ph/author/zac-sarian/http://www.mb.com.ph/author/zac-sarian/http://www.mb.com.ph/author/zac-sarian/http://www.mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/gf1.jpghttp://www.mb.com.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/gf1.jpghttp://www.mb.com.ph/author/zac-sarian/


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per kilo, with gross value of P163,000. The cost of milling is only P7,800, so there is an increasein income of P53,200 for the farmer who has his palay milled and sold as commercial rice.So, there you are. Why not give the compact rice mill a second thought?

A technician of Fitcorea poses with the compact rice mill, LH 5001.

http://www.mb.com.ph/small-but-powerful/#rMQhmI5hb3rW3sI0.99


International Benchmark Price

Price on: 21-04-2016

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Honey

1 Argentine 85mm, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 2140



Guar Gum Powder

1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 3775

2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1175

3 Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2295

White Sugar

1 CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t) 860

2 Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t) 691

3 Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t) 579

Source:agra-net For more info

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 23-04-2016


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Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Rice

1 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2700 3700

2 Dibrugarh (Assam) Other 2000 2900

3 Khatra (West Bengal) Other 2100 2200

Wheat

1 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 1600 1800

2 Haveri (Karnataka) Local 1600 1650

3 Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh) Other 1625 1990

Mousambi

1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 3400 3600

2 Dasuya (Punjab) Other 3500 4000

3 Gohana (Haryana) Other 2000 2200

Onion

1 Palayam (Kerala) Other 1100 1300

2 Deogarh (Orissa) Other 1000 2000

3 Malout (Punjab) Other 600 900

Source:agmarknet.nic.in For more info

Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 23-04-2016

Product Market Center Price

1 Pune 305

2 Chittoor 338

http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://agmarknet.nic.in/


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3 Hyderabad 280

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 21-04-2016

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 50 lb sacks

1 Atlanta Mexico Yellow 19 21

2 Chicago Texas Yellow 15 15

2 Detroit Texas Yellow 17 18

Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta California White 18.50 21.50

2 Chicago Mexico White 14 14

3 Dallas California White 23.50 25

Apples Package: cartons tray pack

1 Atlanta Washington Red Delicious 27 27

2 Chicago Washington Red Delicious 21 21

3 Miami Virginia Red Delicious 18 22

Source:USDA


Aman rice output hits a new high

THE STRAITS TIMES

ASIA NEWS NETWORK April 25, 2016 5:58 pm

ACROSS MUCH of central and north-eastern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam‘s Mekong Delta

rice bowl, temperatures are soaring into the 40s, and are likely to stay there until around the middle of

http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/


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next month.A second year of summer drought has been exacerbated by the El Nino effect. On Friday,

Thailand's meteorological office said a heatwave late this month or early next month would push

temperatures to 43 or 44 degrees Celsius. Vietnam's coffee growers have suffered, as have Thailand's rice

farmers. But while a supply dip could raise coffee prices, rice prices might not be affected, analysts say.

Scientists say the good news is the El Nino effect will start fading towards the end of next month and

annual monsoon rains will begin.

Meanwhile, in village after village, water tanks are dry, grass has withered and the ground is baked and

cracked underfoot.

In some villages in northeastern Thailand, there has been no running water for weeks, and local fire

brigades have been pressed into service to bring water from kilometres away. In many places here, for the

second year running, there has been no second rice crop.

How bad the impact of the drought will be on agricultural output - not just of rice in Vietnam and

Thailand but of commodities such as coffee in Vietnam - is still uncertain.

"This is not stopping here. It's going to get worse and worse," says Rolan Colieng, 28, as she looks at her

coffee farm in Vietnam's Central Highlands, where the family has had to cut down swathes of dried-out

coffee trees


THE STRAITS TIMES


ACROSS MUCH of central and north-eastern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam‘s Mekong Deltarice bowl, temperatures are soaring into the 40s, and are likely to stay there until around the middle of

next month.

A second year of summer drought has been exacerbated by the El Nino effect. On Friday, Thailand's

meteorological office said a heatwave late this month or early next month would push temperatures to 43

or 44 degrees Celsius.

Vietnam's coffee growers have suffered, as have Thailand's rice farmers. But while a supply dip could

raise coffee prices, rice prices might not be affected, analysts say.


annual monsoon rains will begin.

Meanwhile, in village after village, water tanks are dry, grass has withered and the ground is baked and

cracked underfoot.





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coffee trees

Sohel Parvez

Aman rice output rose to a new high of nearly 1.35 crore tonnes in the immediate past seasonowing to increased plantation, particularly of high-yielding varieties, said officials of BangladeshBureau of Statistics.Farmers planted the monsoon-based crop on 55.90 lakh hectares last season, up from 55.30 lakh

hectares a year earlier, according to preliminary data of the BBS.Aman accounts for 38 percent of annual rice production.With the 2.93 percent spike in aman production, the total rice output this fiscal year stands at1.57 crore tonnes.The output, which although is a year-on-year increase of 1.63 percent, fell short of theDepartment of Agricultural Extension's target of 1.60 crore tonnes.The DAE set out to ensure production of 24.75 lakh tonnes of rice during the aus season, 1.35crore tonnes during aman and 1.90 crore tonnes during boro season.

http://www.thedailystar.net/author/sohel-parvezhttp://www.thedailystar.net/author/sohel-parvezhttp://www.thedailystar.net/author/sohel-parvez


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However, boro production target may not be achieved as cultivation declined after many farmersswitched to other crops such as wheat and potato, according to agriculture officials and seedsellers.

Farmers grew boro paddy on 46.85 lakh hectares of land during the current harvesting season,down from last season's 48.40 lakh hectares, according to the DAE.The latest acreage is the lowest since fiscal 2008-09.―There is uncertainty,‖ said a senior official of the DAE about the achievement of the boro rice

production target. He said harvesting of the rice has begun in the haor areas in the northeast, withmany farmers encountering flash floods in their paddy fields.―Half the crop in the haor areas has been harvested. There is a risk of crop damage for

submergence,‖ said the official. Early this month, the US Department of Agriculture said total boro output in Bangladesh may be1.86 crore tonnes in the current season.Bangladesh requires more than 3.50 crore tonnes of rice a year for consumption, according to the

USDAhttp://www.thedailystar.net/business/aman-rice-output-hits-new-high-1214182

Thailand plans to sell 11.4 mln T of stockpiled rice within

two monthsBy Reuters Published: 11:12 GMT, 25 April 2016 | Updated: 11:12 GMT, 25 April 2016

BANGKOK, April 25 (Reuters) - Thailand plans to sell the remaining 11.4 million tonnes of ricein government stockpiles within two months, the country's rice management board said onMonday, starting next week.The world's second-biggest rice exporter after India has been reducing stocks left over after theend of a rice-buying scheme under the previous, civilian government.The military government which took control following a May 2014 coup has auctioned off 5.05million tonnes of rice worth $1.53 billion through several tenders since taking power.Some traders were skeptical about the government's ability to sell off remaining stocks in justtwo months.The government had previously said it aimed to clear the stockpile by the end of 2017."Auctions will start next week, with one million tonnes of rice for each lot. We aim to auction itall off within two months," said commerce ministry permanent secretary ChutimaBunyapraphasara, who is also secretary of the rice management board.Chutima said the remaining rice stocks were worth over 100 billion baht ($2.85 billion).Supachai Vorraapinyaporn, president of Tanasan Rice Group, Thailand's third largest riceexporter, said the government's target of offloading the rice within two months was not possible."This is a million percent impossible, considering that previous auctions were monthly, and onlyaround 400,000 tonnes," said Supachai."Perhaps they meant two years, not two months," he added.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Reutershttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Reutershttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Reutershttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Reuters


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Thailand has about 100,000 tonnes of what the commerce ministry has called "good grade" ricein state warehouses.The remaining stocks include 7.5 million tonnes of "substandard" rice for human consumption,1.5 million tonnes of rice earmarked for industrial use, and 2.4 million tonnes of spoiled rice.($1 = 35.1000 baht) (Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Pracha Hariraksapitak and PanaratThepgumpanat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Mark Potter)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3557517/Thailand-plans-sell-11-4-mln-T-

stockpiled-rice-two-months.html

MOAC announces rice farming strategy to balance

supply and demand

ไม มรายการวดโอ Date : 25 เมษายน 2559

BANGKOK, 25 April 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) has

announced the plan to promote rice farming in 62.12 million rais of land, set to implement the Agri-Map

system to determine which areas are suitable for rice cultivation.

MOAC Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya has revealed the Ministry‘s plan to solve the rice oversupply

issue, stating that rice production each year exceeds demand, while the rice variations do not meet

consumer's demand, and farmers are being taken advantage of from the lack of proper management.

He has said that the MOAC has set the new rice production target at 27.17 million tons for the 2016-2017cycle, which is slightly higher than the demand calculated by the Ministry of Commerce, which was at

25.01 million tons. The extra supply will be reserved to substitute deteriorated rice from pests and natural

disaster.

To ensure that the Kingdom's rice production strikes a balance between supply and demand, the MOAC

will also push forward a complete cycle plan, which includes the declaration of rice farming promotion

areas using the Agri-Map system, plans for harvesting and post-harvesting seasons, and marketing

strategies for the domestic market which include the revision of Hom Mali Rice standards, the promotion

of rice consumption,

http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/newsen/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNECO5904250010012#sthash.amMm9HLY.dpuf


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Thai rice yield shrinks, coffee crops die in VNTHE STRAITS TIMES




next month.

A second year of summer drought has been exacerbated by the El Nino effect. On Friday, Thailand's

meteorological office said a heatwave late this month or early next month would push temperatures to 43

or 44 degrees Celsius.

Vietnam's coffee growers have suffered, as have Thailand's rice farmers. But while a supply dip could

raise coffee prices, rice prices might not be affected, analysts say.

Scientists say the good news is the El Nino effect will start fading towards the end of next month andannual monsoon rains will begin.Meanwhile, in village after village, water tanks are dry, grass has

withered and the ground is baked and cracked underfoot.








coffee trees.




next month.A second year of summer drought has been exacerbated by the El Nino effect. On Friday,

Thailand's meteorological office said a heatwave late this month or early next month would push

temperatures to 43 or 44 degrees Celsius. Vietnam's coffee growers have suffered, as have Thailand's rice

farmers. But while a supply dip could raise coffee prices, rice prices might not be affected, analysts say.


annual monsoon rains will begin.Meanwhile, in village after village, water tanks are dry, grass has

withered and the ground is baked and cracked underfoot.





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"This is not stopping here. It's going to get worse and worse," says Rolan Colieng, 28, as she looks at hercoffee farm in Vietnam's Central Highlands, where the family has had to cut down swathes of dried-out

coffee trees.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thai-rice-yield-shrinks-coffee-crops-die-in-VN-

30284670.html

Thailand to Sell 11.4 Million Tons of Stockpiled Rice

FILE - Soldiers check rice stocks at a warehouse in Ayutthaya province, north of Bangkok, Thailand, July 3, 2014. Thailand plans to sell the remaining

11.4 million tons of rice in government stockpiles within two months.

BANGKOK —

Thailand plans to sell the remaining 11.4 million tons of rice in government stockpiles within twomonths, the country's rice management board said onMonday, starting next week.The world's second-biggest rice exporter after India has been reducing stocks left over after the endof a rice-buying scheme under the previous, civilian government.The military government which took control following a May 2014 coup has auctioned off 5.05million tons of rice worth $1.53 billion through several tenders since taking power.Some traders were skeptical about the government's ability to sell off remaining stocks in just twomonths.

http://gdb.voanews.com/1E078D7E-64DC-4A97-9F68-1FA0F94BCC4A_cx0_cy2_cw0_mw1024_s_n_r1.jpg


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The government had previously said it aimed to clear the stockpile by the end of 2017."Auctions will start next week, with one million tons of rice for each lot. We aim to auction it all offwithin two months," said commerce ministry permanent secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara, who isalso secretary of the rice management board.Chutima said the remaining rice stocks were worth over 100 billion baht ($2.85 billion).

Supachai Vorraapinyaporn, president of Tanasan Rice Group, Thailand's third largest rice exporter,said the government's target of offloading the rice within two months was not possible."This is a million percent impossible, considering that previous auctions were monthly, and onlyaround 400,000 tons," said Supachai."Perhaps they meant two years, not two months," he added. Thailand has about 100,000 tons of whatthe commerce ministry has called "good grade" rice in state warehouses. The remaining stocksinclude 7.5 million tons of"substandard" rice for human consumption, 1.5 million tons of rice earmarked for industrial use, and2.4 million tons of spoiled rice.

SunRice promises $400/t in 2017ANDREW MARSHALL

26 Apr, 2016 07:43 AM

SunRice has jumped early to lock in guaranteed rice production commitments from southern

NSW growers next summer, promising $400 a tonne for medium grain Reiziq crops.

While this year‘s harvest is still underway, the industry pr ocessor and marketer will also pay$380/t for Sherpa crops harvested in 2017 if they are forward sold into the contract.As the cotton industry notches up another season of expansion and expected yield successes in

the south, SunRice is trying to limit the loss of any more precious irrigation water from itstraditional grain cropping heartland in the Murrumbidgee and Murray valleys.Irrigated nuts and maize crops have also soaked up available water this past summer.The 2015-16 Australian crop expected to have slumped to yield around 300,000 tonnes.That compares with last year‘s 690,000t harvest and is well below SunRice's annual domesticand export market for at least 1 million tonnes.Many ricegrowers sold their limited 2015-16 irrigation entitlements last spring, rather than planting rice, as water values soared above $250 a megalitre.SunRice‘s chairman, Laurie Arthur, said on an overall farm system basis, independent research

showed return on capital from planting rice in the Riverina was ―compelling‖, particularly whencompared with wheat, canola and maize.

―Rice continues to maintain strong returns while other crops have experienced significantvolatility in recent times,‖ he said. ―We have significant demand for Australian rice and this contract is designed to ensure growersare able to make commercial decisions now to grow rice for harvest in 2017 and participate in premium markets.‖ Although traditional pools will also operate next season, the special contracts will open on May2, taking a limited volume.

http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/sunrice-promises-400t-in-2017/2752358.aspx


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They close when an undisclosed tonnage is reached, with growers signed up on a ―first in, firstserved‖ basis. Meanwhile, SunRice is still trying to finalise plans for a shareholder vote on the grower-ownedcompany floating part of its capital structure on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

Andrew Marshall is the national agribusiness writer for Fairfax Agricultural Media Email: [email protected]

http://www.farmweekly.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/sunrice-

promises-400t-in-2017/2752358.aspx

El Niño less damaging to rice than expected

THE Department of Agri cultur e (DA) has maintained its palay production estimate for 2016

at just under a mil li on metric tons (MT) over 2015 levels, saying i t is confi dent that damage

from the strongest El Niño to ever hi t the country wil l be less than ini tiall y expected.

―We‘re still targeting 19 million MT,‖ Department of Agriculture Chief Proceso J. Alcala told

reporters on the sidelines of the Agri-Pinoy awards on Tuesday. In 2015, palay production was

18.15-million MT, down 4.31% from a year earlier.

According to Mr. Alcala, the initial proposed budget for 2016 was drafted with a view

towards palay output of about 20-million MT, but not all proposals were approved on review.

On DA‘s expectation of a possible contraction in the first quarter, Mr. Alcala said: ―What‘s

possible is that if palay dips big time, it will be only one third of projected damage loss.‖

The DA said the forecast, prepared at the tail end of 2015, anticipated palay losses from the El

Niño at 957,000 MT. ―But as of April 14, reports say that lost palay production is just at 233,000

MT,‖ said Mr. Alcala.

When asked if palay output can recover in the second quarter from the projected dip in the first

three months of the year, Mr. Alcala said: ―The second quarter marks the beginning of the

summer cropping. If it does not dip so much, that would be good enough for us.‖

Mr. Alcala also assured that the Philippines prepared for the dry spell by importing 500,000 MT

of rice before the first quarter, when official weather forecasters said the dry spell would

intensify.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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In September, the interagency Food Security Committee allowed the National Food Authority to

proceed with procurement of 500,000 MT by the first quarter of 2016 via state-to-state deals as

means to top up buffer stocks in anticipation of a severe El Niño.

According to the weather agency PAGASA‘s El Niño advisory last month, ―climate modelssuggest gradual weakening of El Niño in the March-April-May 2016 season‖ but still advised

agencies to take precautionary action and intervention measures to mitigate the adverse impact of

El Niño.

When asked if the country is ready for a disaster on the magnitude of the 2007-2008 rice crisis

considering the impact of the El Niño that has hit several countries including Vietnam and

Thailand, the world‘s biggest rice exporters, Mr. Alcala said the country, a top importer of rice

should depend too heavily on satisfying domestic demand via trade.

During the 2007-2008 rice crisis, global prices shoot up by 300% to $1000 per MT in the span of

four months.

Mr. Alcala said the targets set in the 2017 Agriculture budget will revisit the 20-million metric

ton level initially contemplated in 2016.

―Currently we‘re in the process for budget preparation for 2017... we‘re double-checking how to

increase production [aims] to more than 19 million MT,‖ the secretary said. -- Janina C. Lim

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=Economy&title=el-ni&241o-less-damaging-to-rice-

than-expected&id=126372

Coffee crops die in Vietnam, Thai rice yield shrinks

02:09 PM April 25th, 2016

This picture taken on March 8, 2016 shows a girl walking along a nearly dry canal in the Long Phu

district in the southern Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang. Vietnam is suffering its worst drought innearly a century with salinisation hitting farmers especially hard in the crucial southern Mekong delta,

experts said. AFP

Across much of central and north-eastern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam‘s MekongDelta rice bowl, temperatures are soaring into the 40s, and are likely to stay there until aroundthe middle of next month.


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A second year of summer drought has been exacerbated by the El Nino effect. On Friday,Thailand‘s meteorological office said a heatwave late this month or early next month would push

temperatures to 43 deg C or 44 deg C.

Vietnam‘s coffee growers have suffered, as have Thailand‘s rice farmers. But while a supply dipcould raise coffee prices, rice prices might not be affected, analysts say.Scientists say the good news is the El Nino effect will start fading towards the end of next monthand annual monsoon rains will begin.Meanwhile, in village after village, water tanks are dry, grass has withered and the ground is baked and cracked underfoot.In some villages in north-eastern Thailand, there has been no running water for weeks, and localfire brigades have been pressed into service to bring water from kilometers away. In many placeshere, for the second year running, there has been no second rice crop.How bad the impact of the drought will be on agricultural output – not just of rice in Vietnamand Thailand but of commodities such as coffee in Vietnam – is still uncertain.

―This is not stopping here. It‘s going to get worse and worse,‖ says Rolan Colieng, 28, as shelooks at her coffee farm in Vietnam‘s Central Highlands, where the family has had to cut downswathes of dried-out coffee trees.Her family is part of the K‘Ho ethnic minority group, which has grown coffee for four

generations, and has culled 500 trees. The community‘s 50ha of coffee usually yield 100 tonnes

per season but might provide only half of that this year, she estimates. Blackouts happen twice aweek on average because nearby dams that produce the hydro-power have seen reservoirs dryup.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/files/2016/04/Vietnam-drought.jpg


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Down south in the delta, rice output was down by 200,000 tons in the winter-spring seasoncompared with the same period last year, for a total of 11 million tons, says Bui Chi Buu, asenior researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Science for Southern Vietnam.Losses from the drought rose to nearly US$250 million after coffee, fruit and vegetable and cashcrops, as well as 4,500ha of aquaculture farms, were destroyed, Vietnam‘s Central SteeringCommittee on Natural Disasters Prevention said this month.This is the worst drought in a century, Buu tells The Straits Times. Some 167,000ha of rice andtens of thousands of hectares of coffee have been affected by drought and salinity, with theCentral Highlands – home to many of Vietnam‘s ethnic minorities – being the worst hit.―Vietnamese people have a proverb: ‗Have a crop failure for one year, be poor for three years‘,‖

says Buu. ―So this will not affect us immediately, but in the longer term.‖ With the drought having killed off coffee trees, and low yields from older trees, which accountfor 35 per cent of the total, Vietnam‘s coffee exports could shrink by 25 per cent this year to onemillion tonnes, Luong Van Tu, the chairman of the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association, toldReuters this month. Tighter supply from Vietnam could see global coffee prices going up.In Thailand, Vichai Sriprasert, the president and chief executive of exporter RicelandInternational, estimates that the second rice crop could suffer a 30 per cent fall in output.It is a close estimate, says Dr. Nipon Poapongsakorn, a distinguished fellow of the ThailandDevelopment Research Institute Foundation, a local think-tank.But the second rice crop is only part of Thailand‘s output, he emphasises. Even though there is

not yet enough data to conclusively establish the impact of the drought, the main crop yield lastyear came to 23.5 million tons, while the dry season or second crop yield was 5.4 million tons.This year, the main crop yield is forecast to be up to 25.2 million tons – and the second cropshould go down to around 3.9 million tons, says Dr Nipon.Thailand is not in danger of experiencing a rice supply shortage, given that it still has some 13million tons of old rice in warehouses, Vichai notes.The second crop yield has never been this low, he says. Yet, world rice prices, which have been

low, will remain low, he predicts – because demand is also down, amid an uncertain globaleconomic environment.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/138909/coffee-crops-die-in-vietnam-thai-rice-yield-

shrinks

Drought in delta poses serious food security threat

VietNamNet Bridge – The worst drought ever recorded in V iệt Nam has prompted the government and the public to brainstorm strategies on using water sources intelligently for food

security and poverty reduction.

Professor Vo Tong Xuan, a leading Vietnamese agricultural expert, talks about his suggestions to adapt to drought and saline intrusion during the conference. Photo: VNS

The historic drought and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta caused by upstream hydropowerdams and climate change has brought fears of a reduction in rice output and threatens foodsecurity.


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Even though China has agreed to release water to support Viet Nam to fight drought anddesalinate downstream Mekong River, the lifeblood of the region, the water flow to Viet Nam isstill insufficient.Saltwater intrusion in the Delta has destroyed at least 159,000 hectares of paddy rice, and afurther 500,000 hectares are at risk before the onset of the summer monsoon.Recently, the government approved US$23.3 million in emergency funds to compensate hard-hitfarmers and provide water tanks and other critical provisions.Viet Nam has increased rice production fivefold from 4.5 million metric tonnes in 1975 to 25.5

million metric tonnes last year, which represents 17 per cent of the world rice market. Viet Namis the world‘s second-largest exporter of rice.During the past five years, the world rice market was at about 40 to 42 million metric tonnes ofmilled rice per year while demand for rice is predicted to increase.Professor Vo Tong Xuan, a leading Vietnamese agricultural expert, said that saline intrusionaffected agricultural production in the lower Mekong River basin, putting paddy production atrisk.Xuan spoke during a conference titled ―Sustainable Uses of Mekong Water Resources‖organised at Can Tho University yesterday, April 22.However, he said the challenges should be turned into opportunities by restructuring agriculturein the country, thereby improving farmers‘ incomes.

Paddy farmers‘ per capita income in the country, which exports seven million tonnes of riceannually, is only about US$500.Drought and saline intrusion could be seen a silver lining in the dark cloud, pushing the countryto reorganise its irrigation system.―The government needs to restructure its agricultural and food production in the Mekong Deltato make good use of limited fresh water and opportunities with marine water,‖ said Xuan.


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―We have been successful in building irrigation systems bringing fresh water to paddy production for decades. Now, the government should have a comprehensive plan for farmersusing saline water in shrimp cultivation,‖ Xuan said. He said that if farmers were forced to continue with paddy on saline farmland, they wouldcontinue to face poverty.Areas not affected by marine water such as An Giang, Dong Thap and others should be arrangedfor paddy cultivation with advanced technology, meeting requirements of food security.He said the government should also develop irrigation systems for shrimp cultivation.Areas affected by drought and saline intrusion should also plant paddy crops during the rainyseason. As soon as rice is harvested at the end of rainy season, with the fields still wet containingfresh water from rains in the surrounding ditches, saline water would be allowed to enter andshrimp post-larvae would grow in the ditches, he said.―If we see marine water as the enemy, it will be our true failure,‖ Xuan added. Kenichi Yamamoto, deputy chief representative of JICA Viet Nam, who helped establish theCentre of Excellence in Can Tho University, where information related to the Mekong River isexchanged between related countries, said that drought and saline intrusion not only affectedfood production in Viet Nam, but other riparian countries along the Mekong River.Helping the delta‘s farmers realise the adaptation plan, the World Bank announced that it would provide a concessionary loan of US$300 million in mid-2016 to Viet Nam for the Mekong DeltaClimate Resiliency and Sustainable Livelihoods Project.Iain Menzies, senior water specialist of World Bank, who attended the conference, said that theWorld Bank‘s financial and technical assistance to the Mekong basin countries could beeffectively used if there was a strong civil society which openly, and in good faith, debateddevelopment alternatives and helped guide governments to make well-informed decisions basedon sound science.The project enhances the capacity to manage and adapt to climate change by improving planning, promoting resilient rural livelihoods, and constructing climate smart infrastructure in

selected provinces in the Mekong Delta. Nguyen Huu Thien, who has more than 20 years of experience working on issues of climatechange and natural resource management, said Viet Nam had received almost no benefits fromhydropower dams. But it has had to suffer huge consequences from the construction of suchdams.Besides threatening the livelihoods of millions, climate change is also threatening the shape ofthe Mekong Delta, which may disappear in the future, according to the researcher.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/155438/drought-in-delta-poses-serious-food-se

Navigating Asia‘s Troubled Waters Brahma Chellaney

Sunday, 24 April 2016

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/155438/drought-in-delta-poses-serious-food-sehttp://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/155438/drought-in-delta-poses-serious-food-sehttp://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/environment/155438/drought-in-delta-poses-serious-food-se


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Asia‘s water woes are worsening. Already the world‘s driest continent in per capita t erms, Asianow faces a severe drought that has parched a vast region extending from southern Vietnam tocentral India.

This has exacerbated political tensions, because it has highlighted the impact of China‘s dam- building policy on the environment and on water flows to the dozen countries locateddownstream.

Today‘s drought in parts of Southeast and South Asia is the worst in decades. Among thehardest-hit areas are Vietnam‘s Mekong Delta (a rice bowl of Asia) and central highlands; 27 ofThailand‘s 76 provinces; large parts of Cambodia; Myanmar‘s largest cities, Yangon andMandalay; and areas of India that are home to more than a quarter of the country‘s massive

population.

Droughts may not knock down buildings, but they carry high social and economic costs. Millionsof Asians now confront severe water shortages and some have been forced to relocate.

Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia have had to scale back traditional water festivals markingtheir New Year. The High Court of Bombay moved the world‘s biggest and wealthiest crickettournament, the Indian Premier League, out of the state of Maharashtra. In one Maharashtracounty, the local authorities, fearing violence, temporarily banned gatherings of more than five people around water storage and supply facilities.

Meanwhile, the mounting drought-related losses in some of the world‘s top rice-producingcountries – Thailand, Vietnam and India – threaten to roil the world‘s already tight rice market.Barely 7 percent of global rice output is traded internationally, because much of it is consumedwhere it is produced – in Asia.

Rice losses have been particularly significant in Thailand and Vietnam, which account for half ofall rice exports and almost three-quarters of this decade‘s projected export growth. Some230,000 hectares of paddy rice cultivation has been destroyed just in Vietnam‘s Mekong Delta,where depleted river flows have led to saltwater intrusion from the South China Sea, renderingnearly 10 percent of the rice farms potentially infertile.

This drought may be unprecedented, but it is not an anomaly. On the contrary, environmentalchallenges in Asia, such as ecosystem degradation, groundwater depletion, the contamination ofwater resources, the El Niño tropical weather pattern and the effects of global warming arecausing droughts to become increasingly frequent – and increasingly severe.

Even without droughts, Asia would be facing formidable water constraints. The annual amountof available fresh water per capita in the region (2,816 cubic meters) already is less than half theglobal average (6,079 cubic meters). As the region pursues rapid economic development,characterized by massive increases in resource consumption and serious environmental damage,its water constraints are tightening further.


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The challenge is compounded by Asians‘ changing dietary preferences, particularly higherconsumption of meat, the production of which is notoriously water-intensive.

While Asia‘s resource-hungry economies can secure fossil fuels and mineral ores from distantlands, they cannot import water, which is prohibitively expensive to transport. So they have beenoverexploiting local resources instead – a practice that has spurred an environmental crisis,advancing regional climate change and intensifying natural disasters like droughts.

As a result Asia, which accounts for 72 percent of the world‘s total irrigated acreage, now faces adilemma: It must grow enough food to meet rising demand, while reducing the amount of waterthat goes toward irrigation. Unless Asia resolves it, economic development will be imperiled,with major consequences for the entire global economy.

Yet the continent‘s water crisis is only worsening. According to a recent MIT study, there is a

―high risk‖ that Asia‘s water stress could worsen to water scarcity by 2050. Water-sharingdisputes between countries or provinces already are increasingly frequent, owing to the

proliferation of dam projects that can adversely affect downstream flows – an approach thatrepresents a continuing preference for supply-side approaches over smart water management.

The main culprit in this regard is China, which has heavily dammed the Mekong, SoutheastAsia‘s lifeline. In the current lean season, which will last until the monsoon rains arrive in June,the lower Mekong is, according to a recent United Nations report, running at ―its lowest level

since records began nearly 100 years ago.‖

China is now trying to play savior, by releasing an unspecified quantity of water from one of itssix upstream mega-dams to ―accommodate the concerns‖ of drought-stricken countries.

China‘s rulers have touted the move as underscoring the effectiveness of upstream ―waterfacilities‖ in addressing droughts and containing floods.

Of course, in reality, all of this simply highlights the newfound reliance of downriver countrieson Chinese goodwill – a dependence that is set to deepen as China builds 14 more dams on theMekong. The environmental impact of these projects is sure to exacerbate further the ecologicalchallenges, including drought, already facing Asia.

This competitive approach is putting Asia on a dangerous path, which can lead only to moreenvironmental degradation, slower economic development and even water wars. It is time tochange course and embark on the path of rules-based cooperation, based on water-sharing

accords, the free flow of hydrological data and dispute-settlement mechanisms.

Asian countries must work together to ensure greater efficiency in water consumption, increasethe use of recycled and desalinated water and promote innovative solutions that advanceconservation and adaptation efforts.

To this end, governments must phase out state subsidies that have encouraged profligate wateruse, such as in agriculture, and focus on building new market mechanisms and effective public-


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private partnerships.

None of this will be possible without China‘s cooperation. Indeed, if China does not abandon its

current approach – from its ―water grab‖ in the Mekong and other international rivers to i ts―territorial grab‖ in the South China Sea – the prospects for a rules-based order in Asia could perish forever. Copyright: – Project Syndicate (Mr. Chellaney, Professor of Strategic Studies atthe New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research and Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy inBerlin, is the author of nine books. http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24148/navigating-asia---s-troubled-waters/curity-threat.html

Boro Paddy harvesting continues

Harvesting of Boro paddy has been continuing in full swing in all the eight upazilas of in Jessore district

during the current month.The upazilas are Monirampur, Keshabpur, Abhaynagar, Bagherpara, Sharsha,

Chaugacha, Jhikargacha and in Jessore Sadar.Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office sources

said the Boro cultivators of the district finally cultivated the Boro paddy on 0.15 million hectares of land

with the target of producing 0.60 million tonnes of rice.

The crops specialists of the DAE said the yielding rate of high yielding variety (HYV) of the Boro rice

was found on average 3.82 tonnes per hectare, the yielding rate of hybrid variety of the Boro rice was

found on average 4.75 tonnes per hectare in most of the areas of the district.Deputy Director of the DAE

in the district Nitto Ranjan Biswas said the farmers are now expecting a bumper production of the Boro

paddy after seeing the better yielding rate, according to a news agency report

Rice imports from India jump to Rs13.43 billion

Apr 24, 2016- Nepal‘s rice imports

from India jumped to a staggering

Rs13.43 billion in the first eight

months of this fiscal year,

according to a Nepal Rastra Bank

(NRB) report.In the same period

last year, rice and paddy imports

bills stood at Rs9.91 billion. Agro

experts said the figure represents a

significant imbalance in what Nepal grows and eat.


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―Irrigation, inputs and manpower are extremely important for food production. We lack of all these

resources. Hence, the imbalance between production and consumption has been growing every year,‖ said

Hem Raj Regmi, deputy director general at the Central Bureau of Statistics.

This fiscal year, even as the imports of most of the commodities from India have dropped due to a six-

month-long trade embargo since September last year, rice imports continued to rise.

―Imports of food grains are expected to rise further as the winter cro p harvest, particularly wheat output,

has been projected to be dismal,‖ he said. ―Already, Nepal‘s paddy output last summer had dropped by

more than 10 percent and deficit has been visible in the market with such an alarming imports bill.‖

According to Regmi, rice-culture is still a general food habit in Nepal and if the paddy production drops,

the deficit is offset by imports from India.

Food Imports bill has also been spurred by increasing disposable incomes of the Nepalis. ―Obviously,

rising income means, people prefer to eat imported foods,‖ he said, adding for instance, the import of

basmati rice has been increasing in a dramatic way.

The central bank‘s statistics show along with rice and paddy, imports of other agricultural commodities

like vegetables and fruits have also jumped sharply. However, despite the jump in the imports, it has not

affected prices in the market.

Looming Indian export ban

According to reports, about 330 million people in India are affected by drought, as the country reels under

severe water shortages and desperately poor farmers suffer crop losses.

The impact of drought in India is likely to affect Nepal, said Bhola Man Singh Basnet, an agro scientist.―As Nepal will be facing food deficit due to poor summer harvest and projected drop in winter crops, we

need to be extra cautious about the increasing concerns of India‘s agricultural sector this year.‖

For example, when the world suffered a worst food crisis during 2007-08, India had enforced a trade ban

on several key food items to Nepal. ―The episode could repeat again amid reports that farmers in India are

likely to suffer crop losses due to drought and water shortage,‖ Basnet said. ―The government should be

proactive to maintain sufficient food stock so that India‘s food exports ban will not affect Nepal.‖

Indian metrological officials have forecast an above-average monsoon this year, offering hope for the

struggling farmers. The same trend is reflected in Nepal and if it happens, food pressure will be eased

from the next year, Basnet said.

The Agriculture Ministry has projected the country might face food deficit of 800,000 tonnes this year if

wheat production drops sharply. The agriculture sector employs about 66 percent of the population and

contributes 33 percent to the GDP.


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Rice

1 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2700 3700

2 Dibrugarh (Assam) Other 2000 2900

3 Khatra (West Bengal) Other 2100 2200

Wheat

1 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 1600 1800

2 Haveri (Karnataka) Local 1600 1650

3 Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh) Other 1625 1990

Mousambi

1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 3400 3600

2 Dasuya (Punjab) Other 3500 4000

3 Gohana (Haryana) Other 2000 2200

Onion

1 Palayam (Kerala) Other 1100 1300

2 Deogarh (Orissa) Other 1000 2000

3 Malout (Punjab) Other 600 900

Source:agmarknet.nic.in For more info

Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 23-04-2016

Product Market Center Price

1 Pune 305

2 Chittoor 338

3 Hyderabad 280

Source: e2necc.com

http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://agmarknet.nic.in/http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/http://e2necc.com/http://agmarknet.nic.in/


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Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 21-04-2016

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 50 lb sacks

1 Atlanta Mexico Yellow 19 21

2 Chicago Texas Yellow 15 15

2 Detroit Texas Yellow 17 18

Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta California White 18.50 21.50

2 Chicago Mexico White 14 14

3 Dallas California White 23.50 25

Apples Package: cartons tray pack

1 Atlanta Washington Red Delicious 27 27

2 Chicago Washington Red Delicious 21 21

3 Miami Virginia Red Delicious 18 22

Source:USDA

CBN provides rice farmers with N4.9bn loanApril 24, 2016

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor

Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja

The Central Bank of Nigeria said on Sunday that a total of N4.9bn has been provided as loans to rice

farmers under its anchor borrower program.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele stated this while speaking during a tour of the farmlands in

Kebbi state cultivated under the intervention program of the apex bank.


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The anchor borrower program is designed to create economic linkages between farmers and processors,

not only to ensure increased agricultural output of rice and wheat, but also close the gap between

production and consumption.

Under the programme, the CBN has set aside N40bn out of the N220bn Micro Small and Medium

Enterprises Development Fund to be given to farmers at single digit interest rate of nine per cent per

annum.

Under the scheme, smallholder farmers are entitled to loans ranging from N150,000 to N250,000 to assist

them in procuring necessary agricultural inputs like seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, among others, to help

boost agricultural outputs and productivity.

Emefiele said through the intervention, a total of 78,581 farmers were mobilized in Kebbi State under the

intitiaive, with a total of 570,000 direct jobs created in the process.

The farmers,according to him would be producing about one million metric tonnes of rice for the country

this year.

The governor according to statement issued by the apex bank on Sunday described the current scarcity of

foreign exchange confronting the country as a blessing in disguise as local production of various essential

products are now being given top priority.

http://d1phczbdxyh8yo.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/30015105/Godwin-Emefiele-CBN-Governor.jpg


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The statement reads in part, ―The Governor stated that the success recorded by the rice farmers in Kebbi

state has rekindled hope in the ability of Nigeria to be self sufficient in rice and wheat production.

―He noted that with the sum

25th April ,2016 Daily Global,Regional & Local Rice -Enewsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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