28th january,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

News Detail…

Toyota Affiliate to Sell Higher-Yielding Rice

A typical strain of Koshihikari rice (left) and a new strain (right) that Toyota Tsusho plans to grow and

sell.

Toyota Tsusho Corp.

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter www.ricepluss.com

January 28, 2015 Volume 5, Issue I

Toyota Motor Corp. affiliate Toyota Tsusho

Corp. will start producing and selling low-cost

“kaizen” rice this year, seeing a business

opportunity in Japan’s domestic farming

industry.Kaizen, which means “improvement”

in Japanese, is known as part of Toyota Motor’s

manufacturing philosophy of continuously

seeking ways small and large to give its

products an edge.

The idea is nothing new to rice farmers, who have long sought to develop hardier and more

productive strains of Japan’s staple grain. Toyota Tsusho, working with an agricultural venture

company, says it has a strain of Japan’s popular Koshihikari ricethat produces about 30% to

50% more rice in the same plot size.

Japanese farmers are poised to face a challenge from less-expensive foreign-made rice if Japan,

the U.S. and other nations can agree on reducing trade barriers as part of theTrans-Pacific

Partnership talks. Rice farmers want to establish a brand name for their products so they can

charge a premium to consumers.Toyota Tsusho is pursuing a different kind of customer. “We

will sell this rice to professionals such as restaurants and bento [lunch box] producers, who want

safe products and competitive prices at the same time,” a Toyota Tsusho spokesman said.

The company is a trading house whose main job is buying raw materials for Toyota Motor. “You

may find it strange, but we’ll go anywhere we can to apply our kaizen method,” said the

spokesman. The company has also invested in farmed bluefin tuna, as the WSJ reported last

year.Demand for rice by restaurants and bento producers is rising because more Japanese are

eating out, although overall demand for rice has been falling, according to the government-

backed Organization of Stable Rice Supply Support.

Boustany backs La. rice producers in letter to Kerry

By Ripon Advance Reports | January 28, 2015

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) signed his name to a letter addressed to Secretary of State John

Kerry on Tuesday, requesting his help in preserving the rights of Louisiana rice producers to sell

their product in Iraq at a fair market price. The letter was authored by Senate Appropriations

Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS). It essentially asks Kerry to consult with the Iraqi

Minister of Trade to make sure that American rice producers can successfully compete in the Iraqi

market.

According to reports from the USA Rice Federation, Iraq is a significant

global importer of rice, buying nearly 1.5 million metric tons of rice

each year. Last fall, the Iraqi government reported it would purchase

170,000 metric tons of rice, including 80,000 metric tons from Thailand,

60,000 metric tons from Uruguay and 30,000 metric tons from

Brazil.Although American rice is being priced up to $23 per metric ton

below the prices from Uruguay and Brazil, the Iraqis bought no

American rice.

“Louisiana’s rice industry is one of the most modern and efficient in the world, but it needs a level

playing field to succeed,” Boustany said. “Iraq is an important market for our producers – but they

can’t access it if their product is unfairly discriminated against. This bipartisan letter to Secretary

Kerry sends a strong message from voices across the United States’ rice-growing regions that he

must weigh in with the Iraqi government to ensure American rice is given a fair shake at market.”

Image: Rep. Charles Boustany

http://riponadvance.com/news/boustany-backs-la-rice-producers-letter-

kerry/10311?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+January+28%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Zinc-enriched rice sees successful farming Azibor Rahman, Jhenidah

Farmers plant BRRI-Dhan-64, a zinc-enriched paddy invented by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, at a field in Jhenidah

Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR

Zinc-enriched boro paddy BRRI-Dhan-64 invented by

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute sees successful cultivation

in the district, following approval of its commercial cultivation

by National Seed Board last year.The short duration rice can be

harvested withen 100 days of planting and may yield up to 31

maunds per bigha if nurtured properly, researchers said.On

January 15, Md Saiful Islam, area co-ordinator of Agricultural

Advisory Society (AAS), organised training on the cultivation of BRRI-Dhan-64 for 55 farmers

of Jhenidah.AAS Director Harun-or-Rashid, Jhenidah Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer and

agriculturist Dr Khan Moniruzzaman and Mozibur Rahman of Havest Plus Bangladesh were

prsesnt as trainer.

"BRRI-64 has been invented through cross pollination with local variety. Seventy-five acres of

land have been brought under its cultivation in Jhenidah, Magura and Jessore districts," said

Nasir Uddin Khan, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Jessore

region.

District-wise, the areas are 50 acres in Jhenidah, 15 acres in Magura, and 10 acres in Jessore. The

researchers claimed that the newly invented paddy will play a vital role in fighting zinc and

protein deficiency in human body, especially for children and women.As rice is the staple food

of Bangladesh, the newly invented variety could provide useful food value for zinc enrichment

for people and it will be especially helpful to prevent and cure diarrhoea and pneumonia in

children, they said.

"The local varieties contain 9-12 miligrams of zinc per kg while the newly invented zinc

enriched variety contains around 24 miligrams. It will prevent zinc deficiency in human body

and help physical growth and mental development of the children," said Dr Alamgir Hossain,

post doctorate fellow, Harvest Plus Bangladesh. "I took training on the cultivation of BRRI-64

Dhan on Januray 15 and I am cultivating it on one bigha of land this season," said Abdul Jabbar,

a teacher of Narikelbaria ZA High School.

Published: 12:00 am Thursday, January 29, 2015 http://www.thedailystar.net/zinc-enriched-rice-sees-successful-farming-62171

Japan tests new satellite on robotic tractors in Riverina NSW Country Hour

By Laurissa Smith

Updated yesterday at 7:37pmWed 28 Jan 2015, 7:37pm

PHOTO: A drone hovers over the Japanese robotic tractor trialled at Rice Research Australia in south-west NSW. (Laurissa

Smith)

MAP: Jerilderie 2716

How would you feel about leaving a tractor to drive itself in one paddock, while you work

in another ?

To the busy farmer, struggling to find local labour, it's an appealing concept. 00:00

00:00

AUDIO: Phil Collier from the CRC for Spatial Information explains how Japan's satellite system

works (ABC Rural)

Around the world, manufacturers, engineers and

researchers are now trying to turn that into a reality.In

Japan, they've designed a self-steering robotic tractor

which can sow, plough and spray crops.An advanced

positioning signal is transmitted from Japan's Quasi-

Zenith Satellite System to control the tractor's

movements.The Japanese Government is funding trials to

test the tractor on crops at Rice Research Australia near

Jerilderie in south-west New South Wales.Engineering

firm Hitachi Zosen, machine manufacturer Yanmar,

Hokkaido University and several other Australian universities are working together on the

project.

Phil Collier, research director with Australia's Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial

Information, hopes the technology can help farmers run their equipment with more

accuracy."The satellites in the sky determine the position of the tractor in a global frame of

reference," he said."The additional information that comes from the QZSS Satellites brings the

precision down from several metres to two centimetres."The whole objective is to bring down

the precision to a reliable level and a consistent level to allow that tractor to navigate its way

down the rows of crops so things aren't getting run over.

"If the trials prove successful, people in rural and remote Australia will have access to precise

positioning, without having to rely on the mobile network.At the moment, the robotic tractor is

being tested on rice crops and paddocks late at night and into the early hours of the morning,

when the satellite is passing over Australia.The boundary of the field, the tractor's path and the

start and end point of where it can turn are all programmed on a computer inside its cab.This is to

ensure the tractor doesn't veer off into a fence or an irrigation channel.The CRC's Phil Collier

says the technology's application won't be limited to precision farming.

"From mining to automated guidance of cars, anything where there's a level of machine

automation required that's outside, then this technology has got that ability to solve that

problem."My prediction, if I can be so bold, is that this sort of technology will move from

sophisticated installations in machines like this to mobile phones in due course and people will

have it in their back pocket."

The Japanese Government intends to deploy another three satellites in the near future, which will

give Australia 24 hour coverage of the advanced positioning signals, once the technology is

commercialised.

Topics: rice, agricultural-machinery, jerilderie-2716

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-28/robotic-tractor-on-rice-crop-2801/6052366

Rice-sized laser, powered one electron at a time, bodes well

for quantum computing news

28 January 2015

Princeton University researchers have built a rice grain-sized laser powered by single electrons

tunnelling through artificial atoms known as quantum dots. The tiny microwave laser, or

"maser," is a demonstration of the fundamental interactions between light and moving

electrons.The researchers built the device - which uses about one-billionth the electric current

needed to power a hair dryer - while exploring how to use quantum dots, which are bits of

semiconductor material that act like single atoms, as components for quantum computers.

"It is basically as small as you can go with these single-electron devices," said Jason Petta, an

associate professor of physics at Princeton who led the study, which was published in the journal

Science. The device demonstrates a major step forward for efforts to build quantum-computing

systems out of semiconductor materials, according to co-author and collaborator Jacob Taylor,

an adjunct assistant professor at the Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland-National

Institute of Standards and Technology. "I consider this to be a really important result for our

long-term goal, which is entanglement between quantum bits in semiconductor-based devices,"

Taylor says.

The original aim of the project was not to build a maser, but to explore how to use double

quantum dots - which are two quantum dots joined together - as quantum bits, or qubits, the

basic units of information in quantum computers."The goal was to get the double quantum dots

to communicate with each other," says Yinyu Liu, a physics graduate student in Petta's lab. The

team also included graduate student Jiri Stehlik and associate research scholar Christopher

Eichler in Princeton's Department of Physics, as well as postdoctoral researcher Michael Gullans

of the Joint Quantum Institute.

Because quantum dots can communicate through the entanglement of light particles, or photons,

the researchers designed dots that emit photons when single electrons leap from a higher energy

level to a lower energy level to cross the double dot.Each double quantum dot can only transfer

one electron at a time, Petta explains. "It is like a line of people crossing a wide stream by

leaping onto a rock so small that it can only hold one person," he said. "They are forced to cross

the stream one at a time. These double quantum dots are zero-dimensional as far as the electrons

are concerned - they are trapped in all three spatial dimensions.

"The researchers fabricated the double quantum dots from extremely thin nanowires (about 50

nanometers, or a billionth of a meter, in diameter) made of a semiconductor material called

indium arsenide. They patterned the indium arsenide wires over other even smaller metal wires

that act as gate electrodes, which control the energy levels in the dots.To construct the maser,

they placed the two double dots about 6 millimeters apart in a cavity made of a superconducting

material, niobium, which requires a temperature near absolute zero, around minus 459 degrees

Fahrenheit. "This is the first time that the team at Princeton has demonstrated that there is a

connection between two double quantum dots separated by nearly a centimeter, a substantial

distance," Taylor said.

When the device was switched on, electrons flowed single-file through each double quantum dot,

causing them to emit photons in the microwave region of the spectrum. These photons then

bounced off mirrors at each end of the cavity to build into a coherent beam of microwave

light.One advantage of the new maser is that the energy levels inside the dots can be fine-tuned

to produce light at other frequencies, which cannot be done with other semiconductor lasers in

which the frequency is fixed during manufacturing, Petta said.

The larger the energy difference between the two levels, the higher the frequency of light

emitted.Claire Gmachl, who was not involved in the research and is Princeton's Eugene Higgins

Professor of Electrical Engineering and a pioneer in the field of semiconductor lasers, said that

because lasers, masers and other forms of coherent light sources are used in communications,

sensing, medicine and many other aspects of modern life, the study is an important one."In this

paper the researchers dig down deep into the fundamental interaction between light and the

moving electron," Gmachl said.

"The double quantum dot allows them full control over the motion of even a single electron, and

in return they show how the coherent microwave field is created and amplified. Learning to

control these fundamental light-matter interaction processes will help in the future development

of light sources."The paper, Semiconductor double quantum dot micromaser, was published in

the journal Science. The research was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation,

the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency QuEST, and

the Army Research Office.

http://www.domain-b.com/technology/20150128_computing.html

Asia Rice-Prices weak ahead of Thai tender, Vietnamese harvest

Wed Jan 28, 2015 2:06pm IST

* Thailand's govt to sell up to 1 mln tonnes in tender

* Vietnamese prices hit 15-month low

* Prices fall before major harvest

By Ho Binh Minh

HANOI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Trading in Asia's main rice markets was almost at a standstill this

week, with prices falling to 15-month lows in Vietnam ahead of the country's main harvest and

traders watching out for a big tender of grain from government stockpiles in Thailand.Thailand

was the world's top rice exporter in 2014, followed by India and Vietnam.The Thai government

is looking to sell about 1 million tonnes on Thursday, equivalent to about 10 percent of the

country's exports in a normal year.The Thai government has been struggling to offload some 17

million tonnes of rice in its stockpiles, which were built up under the previous administration's

buying programme.

"The government is willing to sell the remaining rice stock at a more affordable price, so the

market is monitoring whether the price will be lower than what's being offered right now," a Thai

trader said, adding private firms were interested in the tender.Prices at the tender would be used

as a reference in the market, a Vietnamese trader said.Thai benchmark 5 percent broken rice was

quoted at $415 a tonne, free on board, down from $416 a tonne the previous day and compared

with $405-$416 a week ago.In Vietnam, 5 percent broken rice fell to the lowest in more than 15

months, touching $360-$370 a tonne on Wednesday, FOB, versus $370-$380 a week ago.The 25

percent broken rice fell to $340-$350 a tonne from $350-$360.

"China has yet to buy. Maybe they will start purchases in March," a Vietnamese trader said of

Vietnam's biggest rice buyer. "Africa is also not buying anew thanks to high stocks."Vietnamese

prices are the same as or above those offered by Pakistan, making it difficult to compete with the

South Asian country for sales to Africa, he said.Prices have not been helped by news that the

Philippines planned to import up to 500,000 tonnes for delivery between March and May to

boost stockpiles.Vietnam will harvest the winter-spring crop, its biggest, from late next month

and prices are expected to ease further.Thailand could export a record 11 million tonnes of rice

in 2015, followed by India with 8.2 million and Vietnam with 6.9 million, the UN Food and

Agriculture Organization has projected.Rice exports from the three countries account for more

than 60 percent of global trade. (Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana in Bangkok;

Editing by Alan Raybould)

500,000-MT rice import eyed for shipment March

January 28, 2015

The Philippines plans to import up to 500,000 tonnes of rice for deliveries starting in March to

boost its stockpiles ahead of the lean harvest season, government and trade sources said.The state

grains procurement agency, National Food Authority (NFA), wants the shipments to arrive in

two batches of 200,000 tonnes and one for 100,000 tonnes, to be completed by May, a

government official with knowledge of the plan told Reuters.The official, who is not authorized

to speak to the media about the plan, said the NFA might go for a government-to-government

deal, similar to transactions last year with Vietnam and Thailand.Local rice traders, however, are

hoping the NFA will give them import permits for the planned purchases, which are tariff-free, a

Manila-based trader told Reuters.

Fresh demand from the Philippines could give a boost to falling rice prices in top producers and

sellers Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippines’ key suppliers.The Philippines usually buys rice

early in the year to prepare for the lean harvest season that begins in July.Private traders have

been allowed to import up to 187,000 tonnes of rice this year, with tariffs as high as 35 percent,

under the government’s Minimum Access Volume – Omnibus Rice Importation program.Despite

record-high domestic harvests in recent years, including last year’s output, the Philippines

remains one of the world’s biggest rice buyers.

The Philippines bought more than 1.8 million tonnes from Vietnam and Thailand after Super

Typhoon Haiyan destroyed crops in November 2013, prompting the government to release

supplies from state stockpiles for relief operations and to arrest the sharp increase in local retail

prices.Last year’s rice purchases by the Philippines were the biggest in the last four years. This

year’s imports may hit 1.6 million tonnes, based on a forecast by the United States Department

of Agriculture.The government official said, however, that this year’s imports may be less than 1

million tonnes as local retail prices have eased from the record highs seen at mid-2014.Secretary

Francis Pangilinan, the country’s food security chief and chairman of the NFA Council, would

give no detail on any rice import plans and said that the media should “wait for the official

announcement.”

http://www.mb.com.ph/500000-mt-rice-import-eyed-for-shipment-march/

Libya still in talks buy 50,000 T wheat, 25,000 T rice- trade

Reuters Middle East

HAMBURG, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A Libyan state grain buying agency is still in talks on

international tenders to buy 50,000 tonnes of milling wheat and 25,000 tonnes of rice but

payment issues due to political turmoil have prevented a deal, European traders said on

Wednesday.The agency issued the tenders on Jan. 14 and no purchases have yet been made,

traders said.Two governments allied to armed factions are vying for control of Libya four years

after the toppling of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The United Nations and Western powers do not recognise the administration which controls

ministries in Tripoli."I was offered payment in the tender from a bank in Tunisia which did not

work out," one European grain trader said. "Another offer is being made with funds from a large

bank in Tripoli."Another trader added: "They still want to buy but the payment problems are

hindering a sale. A new payment offer is being made.

"Wheat with 12 percent protein content was sought in the tender, they said. It is possible that a

combination of 25,000 tonnes of wheat flour and 25,000 tonnes of wheat could be purchased, all

for shipment to Tobruk, traders said.The white rice was sought in 25 kg bags with a maximum 5

percent broken grain content, they said.Libyan wheat purchases have been restrained in recent

months, despite the country's large import requirements, with the conflict in the country

disrupting ports and commercial activity. (Reporting by Michael Hogan, editing by David Evans)

https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/libya-still-talks-buy-50-000-t-wheat-151452573--business.html

NFA mulls more incentives for rice farmers

By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 29, 2015 - 12:00am

NFA rice File photo

MANILA, Philippines - State-run National Food Authority (NFA) is reviewing the incentives that could

be provided to farmers to sell their palay (unmilled rice) to the agency, NFA administrator Renan Dalisay

said yesterday.

He said the agency currently procures the equivalent of seven to

eight percent of the total domestic rice production. Last year,

domestic rice production reached 18.97 million MT. The NFA

buys clean and dry palay at P17 per kilogram, providing

additional incentives such as graduated delivery fee of up to a

maximum P0.50 per kilogram, drying incentive fee of P0.20 per

kilogram, and Cooperative Development Incentive Fund

assistance of P0.30 per kilogram.

As of the second week of January, the average farmgate price of palay has been placed at P18.90

per kilogram, making it more attractive for farmers to sell their produce to traders.Dalisay said

that while the palay buying price of NFA rice cannot be lowered, other incentives are being

studied such as the provision of health insurance to farmers that would conform to NFA buying

standards.“We are reviewing the provision of other incentives such as Philhealth insurance for

farmers to sell to NFA,” he said.

The NFA currently imports most of the rice requirement for buffer stocking. This year, the state

grains procurement agency may import between 500,000 metric tons (MT) to 600,000 MT of

rice.The NFA Council still has to a decide on the import specifications.The NFA yesterday

launched the Bantay Bigas initiative with civic organization Kaya Natin! Movement for Good

Governance and Ethical Leadership.The initiative aims to constantly monitor the prices and

movement of commercial rice and NFA rice sold at various markets nationwide.

The movement also seeks to enjoin other civic society groups and local government units in

monitoring the price and availability of commercial and NFA rice in various selling points.The

participants, said food security chief Francis Pangilinan, would ultimately help the agency assess

the status of ice supply in the country.In a related development, the NFA assured the public that

no substandard rice from Thailand has entered the country after the completion of deliveries of

orders in December.

The Philippines, in October 2014, awarded the supply contract for the importation of 500,000

MT of rice from Vietnam and Thailand, out of which, 300,000 MT came from Thailand.In the

last quarter of 2014, around 90 percent of the Thai government’s rice stocks have been found to

be of substandard quality.Dalisay said, however, that Thai rice exports to the Philippines have

undergone strict quality control measures to eliminate exports not fit for consumption.He noted

that “ a minimal volume” of substandard rice that arrived in the country had been sent back to

suppliers.

http://www.philstar.com:8080/business/2015/01/29/1417777/nfa-mulls-more-incentives-rice-

farmers#sthash.FZyJXCeu.dpuf

Efficient rice farming to curb emissions

VietnamNet Wednesday 28 January 2015

New water- and cost-efficient farming techniques will allow Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions in wet rice production by 15 to 20 per cent by 2020, said Mai Van Trinh, Director of

the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Institute for

Agricultural Environment.Trinh was speaking at a recent conference on the first phase of the

Project on Reduced CH4 Emissions in Wet Rice Cultivation in Vietnam, jointly held by his

institute and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute in Hanoi.

To achieve the target, the ministry will use the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a plan in

which farmers will increase productivity, quality and economic effectiveness, while reducing

pesticides and nitrogenous fertilisers, he said.In addition to these measures, the ministry will also

encourage farmers to use green production methods. The sector will also apply Good

Agricultural Practices (GAP) in cultivation, which means using techniques that consume less

fertilisers and water, employing better land preparation techniques and reducing

methane emissions.Another technology mentioned at the conference was Alternative Wetting

Drying (AWD).

“Actually, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice growing, the institute has tried AWD while

implementing a project on reducing CH4 emissions in wet rice cultivation,” Trinh said, adding

that AWD is no longer strange to rice growers in Vietnam, as it has already been incorporated in

several other programmes, including SRI.Vu Duong Quynh, the project coordinator, said a major

challenge with SRI is water management. Most problems are caused by the unfavourable terrain

in many areas, fragmented rice fields and a lack of cooperation between irrigation staff and

farmers. This is especially troublesome considering the fact that efficient irrigation is the best

way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To overcome these difficulties, Quynh said that in its first phase, from October 2014 to June

2016, the project intends to collect lessons learnt from efficient irrigation models and to gather

data on land and infrastructure in each province, to make a water-efficient irrigation map.“When

looking at this map, one can read out which province can apply AWD, as not all types of land are

suitable for this technology,” Quynh said. In the second phase, the project will incorporate

other technologies.

http://www.eco-business.com/news/efficient-rice-farming-curb-emissions/

Efficient rice farming to curb emissions

VietnamNet Wednesday 28 January 2015

New water- and cost-efficient farming techniques will allow Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions in wet rice production by 15 to 20 per cent by 2020, said Mai Van Trinh, Director of

the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Institute for

Agricultural Environment.Trinh was speaking at a recent conference on the first phase of the

Project on Reduced CH4 Emissions in Wet Rice Cultivation in Vietnam, jointly held by his

institute and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute in Hanoi.

To achieve the target, the ministry will use the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a plan in

which farmers will increase productivity, quality and economic effectiveness, while reducing

pesticides and nitrogenous fertilisers, he said.In addition to these measures, the ministry will also

encourage farmers to use green production methods. The sector will also apply Good

Agricultural Practices (GAP) in cultivation, which means using techniques that consume less

fertilisers and water, employing better land preparation techniques and reducing

methane emissions.Another technology mentioned at the conference was Alternative Wetting

Drying (AWD).

“Actually, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice growing, the institute has tried AWD while

implementing a project on reducing CH4 emissions in wet rice cultivation,” Trinh said, adding

that AWD is no longer strange to rice growers in Vietnam, as it has already been incorporated in

several other programmes, including SRI.Vu Duong Quynh, the project coordinator, said a major

challenge with SRI is water management. Most problems are caused by the unfavourable terrain

in many areas, fragmented rice fields and a lack of cooperation between irrigation staff and

farmers. This is especially troublesome considering the fact that efficient irrigation is the best

way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To overcome these difficulties, Quynh said that in its first phase, from October 2014 to June

2016, the project intends to collect lessons learnt from efficient irrigation models and to gather

data on land and infrastructure in each province, to make a water-efficient irrigation map.“When

looking at this map, one can read out which province can apply AWD, as not all types of land are

suitable for this technology,” Quynh said. In the second phase, the project will incorporate

other technologies.

http://www.eco-business.com/news/efficient-rice-farming-curb-emissions/

Nigeria: Investors and Abuse of Rice Import Quotas

EDITORIAL

THE allegations of sabotage of Federal Government's rice policy by some investors deserve

thorough investigations and sanctions where applicable. Attempting to get around rules and

regulations at the expense of the consumers is bad enough, but the alleged loss of a huge sum of

N36.56 billion by the government over exceeded import quotas is highly unacceptable and stands

condemned. Upon confirmation of this economic sabotage by any so-called investor, prosecution

of culprits is a necessity as a deterrent to other saboteurs. Nigeria's economy, it must be proven

to all, is not for sale or easy manipulation.

The probe should be thorough and conclusive to reveal the culpability of the investors given that

their association has strongly expressed reservations about the accusations levelled against the

members by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina. It will,

therefore, be dignifying for the minister to address one of the rice investors' groups' claim of

information gap in the ministry, which might have misled the minister to go public with the

allegation.Fair enough, the contentious rice plan is seen as a flagship policy in the agricultural

sector, aimed at bridging the gap between mass importation of rice and local production which

Nigerians have clamoured for over the years to reduce pressure on available foreign exchange.

Government has clearly expressed its commitment to the success of the programme with 2017 as

target date for bringing the national supply gap down to zero from its present 1.5 metric tonnes

(MT).

Investors should, therefore, work to buy into this policy direction if they would not open

themselves up to accusations of being interested only in fleecing the Nigerian economy.The

minister had accused some 'foreign' investors of exceeding their preferential allocation quotas

thereby incurring N36.56b debts on the treasury. This is a serious indictment. Government also

threatened to come hard on importers who re-bag locally produced rice as imported products

while enjoying waivers. Citing data from the Nigeria Customs Service, the ministry claimed it

identified culprits among the companies that imported 634,270.16 MT of rice representing 56 per

cent of the total imported finished rice under the new policy as at early December, 2014 - far in

excess of approved quota, to shortchange the treasury.

Two of the companies charged and listed as 'Asian companies' are allegedly in default by N28.39

billion and were alleged to have written to the minister for a revision of the quotas to cover the

quantity ordered but without approved quotas or Domestic Rice Production Plans (DRPP) as

required. Only a mere agreement with the Customs to pay the duties and levies once quota

allocations from the inter-ministerial committee are out cleared the way. Why then is the process

open to such abuse?

Normally, a conditional approval is always given once the request is supported by a DRPP bond

to guarantee commitment to domestic investments in production and processing. Failure to

execute on the plans leads to a call on the bond. Unambiguous as the official explanation and the

need for the minister to defend the country's integrity may seem, an instant reaction four days

later by a certain association, The Nigerian Rice Millers Association (NRMA), is bound to raise

eyebrows about the official claims. Curiously, five days after NRMA went public with

reservations, another group, Nigerian Rice Investors Group (NRIG) countered NRMA's claims in

support of the minister, calling the other group a "fictitious organisation."

The development has thus become a media war, which is totally uncalled for. Culpability of any

of the parties should become a public issue only after a conclusive investigation of claims,

harmonization of positions, especially since the affected debtors claimed the Customs was yet to

communicate financial obligations to them. Strengthening their argument, NRMA, which cited

"gaps in information," said the surplus arose from a released quota allocation six months after a

circular to that effect in May 2014 by the Minister of Finance titled "2014-2017 fiscal policy

measures on rice." Investors claimed to have depended upon that to import products. It also

alleged that the minster's letter of November 27, 2014 received early December imposed the

bond "without consultation with stakeholders" besides the retroactive levy imposition. An

indication of a long-drawn battle over the matter was given by NRMA, which then said debts are

"misconceived and baseless."

Certainly, some gaps are evident in the whole saga, and the information minister has to clarify

the status of those investors laying claim to recognition. Also, he has to be open about the

identity of the defaulters he merely described as "Asian countries" and "Asian companies"

especially as NRMA denied this, saying its members are "duly registered and are operating

legally as prominent rice millers, farmers and importers".Evidently too, NRMA and NRIG are in

a superiority battle even though the NRIG seems a latter-day entrant into the industry going by

its claim of maiden meeting in December. And it must be established if the NRMA is a fictitious

organisation as NRIG claims! How far has it been dealing with the ministry? Was there any

correspondence between the minister and NRMA pre-December quota raise?

From the claims and counter-claims, it is apparent that confidence level in the system is very low

and the entire process is more than a little opaque. An inter-ministerial committee should

intervene and investigate all claims and show fairness to all sides in bringing out the truth. More

important, all loopholes must be plugged, the losses to the country must be recouped and the

system re-organised.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201501281489.html

. Plans are underway to control the prices of paddy and rice

Wednesday, 28 January 2015 20:38

The government plans to control the price of paddy and rice to provide justification for the

consumer as well as the farmer. The government has decided to maintain a guaranteed price of

50 rupees per kilo of paddy. Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said that the government will

also mediate to prevent the increase of price of rice in the market. He said that concessions will

be given to the rice millers as well. The minister said that these concessions will be introduced in

respect of their electricity bills and for the bank loans taken by them.

http://www.slbc.lk/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/23486--plans-are-

underway-to-control-the-prices-of-paddy-and-rice.html

Missouri's Smith Questions USTR Froman on Rice Trade

Rep. Smith (l) receives

'Friend of Rice' award from

MO producer Paul Combs at 2014 GAC

WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Jason Smith

(R-MO), for whom rice is an important issue, took

the opportunity to ask a pointed rice question of

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, who

was testifying before the House Ways and Means

Committee yesterday on expanding export markets

for American-made goods and services, trade

agreements currently under negotiation, and Trade

Promotion Authority. Smith, a newly appointed

member of the Committee, reminded attendees that

his district is one of the most agriculturally diverse

in the nation, growing everything but citrus and sugar. And lots of rice.

"Congressman Smith is committed to helping farmers find and develop markets for their

commodities and he has been very helpful in key trade issues, most recently in Iraq and Cuba,"

said Betsy Ward, President & CEO of the USA Rice Federation. "We're pleased he stressed the

importance of developing this market to Ambassador Froman.""Before the 1962 embargo, Cuba

was the number one importer of U.S. rice," Smith said to Ambassador Froman during the

hearing. "Cuba is currently the second largest importer of rice in the Americas. What do you

think the benefits of normalizing relations with Cuba would be to the U.S. agricultural

community, and crops like rice?"

While Ambassador Froman said he would look into the specifics and follow up with the

Congressman, USA Rice is well aware of how important normal commercial relations are

between the U.S. and Cuba."A normalized commercial relationship is vital to growing the Cuban

economy to a place where they can import U.S. products, like rice," said Ward.

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

USA Rice Federation

Ag Interests Frustrated by West Coast Port Slowdowns

WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice Federation,

along with more than 90 groups representing food,

agriculture, and trade, released an open letter

expressing "deep disappointment" that unresolved

contract negotiations between the Pacific Maritime

Association and the International Longshore and

Warehouse Union are causing shipping slowdowns

at West Coast ports. The letter asks that the two

parties "resolve their differences as quickly as

possible" and also urges "the federal government to

consider all available remedies to bring this dispute to a rapid end.

"Last May, the parties began negotiating a new six-year contract covering 29 West Coast

container ports in anticipation of the July 2014 expiration of the previous contract. After nine

months and no resolution, the parties recently requested the assistance of a federal mediator. The

West Coast port strike is a concern in California, causing delays and significant additional costs.

Typically up to half of the California rice crop is exported and more than half of that is in

containers. "As these negotiations drag on, the movement of commerce slows," said USA Rice

COO Bob Cummings. "We are concerned that these delays have a direct effect on export sales

for rice and so we joined with others encouraging a quick settlement that will allow everyone to

get back to work."

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation

today announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted

for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan

deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2014 crop, which became effective today at

7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Rough rice prices decreased $0.27 per cwt for both long grain and

medium/short grain.

World Price MLG/LDP

Rate

Milled

Value

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Long-Grain 16.33 10.36 0.00

Medium-/Short-

Grain 15.79 10.63 0.00

Brokens 9.85 ---- ----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S.

milling yields and the corresponding loan rates:

U.S. Milling Yields

Whole/Broken

(lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate

($/cwt)

Long-Grain 55.83/12.59 6.50

Medium-/Short-Grain 62.39/7.92 6.50

The next program announcement is scheduled for February 4.

USA Rice Federation

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for January 28

Month Price Net Change

March 2015 $10.735 - $0.235

May 2015 $10.985 - $0.240

July 2015 $11.200 - $0.265

September 2015 $10.880 - $0.265

November 2015 $10.980 - $0.265

January 2016 $11.070 - $0.265

March 2016 $11.070 - $0.265

USA Rice Federation

California Montna Rice Farm

California produces a major portion of the rice that’s grown in

America. This meets a growing demand for the grain in not only

domestic use, but in meeting the needs for rice sold overseas. The

Montna family has been growing rice in the Sacramento Valley for

generations. The Montna rice fields provide the ground on which the

crop is raised and provides an important watershed for birds in the

region. The family farm floods its fields every year to break down the straw from the last

harvest. Those flooded fields provide habitat for tens of thousands of waterfowl who make their

way north and south in the Pacific Flyway. The Montnas consider their environmental efforts as

critical to protecting the land that sustains their farming family.

http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_1019/ca_montna_rice_farm.htm