4th may,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Thailand occupies more than 60% of rice market in

Hong Kong 2015-05-04THAILAND

[GOOGLE-TRANSLATOR]

Thailand occupies more than 60% of rice market in Hong Kong

BANGKOK, 4 May 2015 (NNT) – The Hong Kong Trade and Industry Department

imported 49,900 tons of rice from Thailand in the first quarter 2015, a 48.9% increase

compared to the same period last year. The higher rice exports to Hong Kong brought

Thailand’s rice exports to all markets to 62.2% in the first quarter 2015. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce Duangkamon Chiambut said the Hong Kong Trade

and Industry imported 80,400 tons of rice during the first three months this year, increasing by

0.75%. Drop in Thai Hom Mali rice price and importers’ higher confidence in Thai rice were

important factors which led to the first quarter growth, the spokesperson added. The

strengthening of relations between the Thai government and Hong Kong rice importers also

helped Thai rice exports achieved a growth target of higher than 60%, she said.In 2013, Thailand

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

May 4 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I

http://news.thaivisa.com/thailand/



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exported 6.6 million tons of rice, worth 4.42 billion USD, worldwide. In 2014, Thai rice exports

were 10.9 million tons or 5.34 billion USD

PM calls for a halt to collusion

Tue, 5 May 2015

Chan Muyhong

Prime Minister Hun Sen urged provincial governors yesterday to stop government officials from

colluding with traders to fix agricultural commodity prices, giving farmers no choice but to sell their

products at below-market rates. The PM’s call comes a day after the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and

Fisheries released an announcement stating that an investigation would be launched into the possible

scheme.―Please look into the issue. Do not only wait for the Ministry of Commerce or the Agriculture

Ministry [to take action],‖ he said speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of National Road 55 in

Pursat province.―This is a serious case. If found to be the case, officials who are found plotting with

traders will be punished,‖ he added.

The premier went on to say that prices for agricultural products should be determined by ―free market

mechanisms‖.―Those who offer the highest price will get the products. Let the price be set by the free

market,‖ he said.Chan Sophal, the governor of Battambang province, said there were no such cases of

official involvement in price rigging schemes in his province.He said, however, that he would encourage

rice millers to trade directly with farmers instead of having to go through traders.―Now I have talked to

rice millers to be more open to buying paddy from farmers and giving them a good price instead of

buying from traders.

‖Big traders often block smaller brokers from competing with them, said Kan Vesna, a rice farmers’

representative in Battambang province, leaving fewer options to farmers who are often under pressure to

sell because of outstanding loans.―It is good that the government is now trying to strengthen the local

authorities’ capacity to tackle this issue, but we still need to wait and see how effective the

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/author/chan-muyhong/20335

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implementation will be,‖ he said.―So far, there is not much action. It would be more effective if

there was a hotline so farmers could report any irregularities to officials.‖Middlemen dealing

Cambodian agricultural commodities are mainly traders from neighbouring countries who round

up goods from farmers to sell to buyers across the border, said David Van, senior adviser to the

Cambodia Rice Federation.

―In this instance the middlemen are rich and even lend money to farmers to buy seeds and

fertilisers to use, and in return buy back the crops from farmers at harvest time,‖ he said in an

email yesterday.―The government has not been able to provide any assistance to alleviate the

burden of access to loans or working capital for millers/exporters despite repeated pleas over the

last few years.‖Van added that provincial departments of ministries like the Ministry of

Commerce should provide weekly updates on global market prices to farmers and traders so they

do not fall prey to manipulation

A girl adds rice to a stockpile in the middle of a rice paddy in Battambang province earlier this year. Heng Chivoan

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/pm-calls-halt-collusion

FG Rice Policy: Adesina Lacks Power To Waive Import Duty –

Reps

Bode Gbadebo, Edegbe Odemwingie

— May 5, 2015 4:42 am

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rice Imports Quota and Duty Payments

has said that the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has no

power to grant duty waivers to rice importers under the current rice policy of the federal

government.The committee chairman and deputy leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor, made the

disclosure yesterday during on-going investigative public hearing being conducted by the Ad-

hoc Committee on alleged fraud, abuses and non-payment of import duties by some rice

importers and investors in the country.

The lawmakers also resolved to invite Adesina to appear before the public hearing to tell the

committee what he knows about the flagrant violations of rice import quota and illegal waivers

granted to some importers, who refused to pay import duties on their excess importations.The

committee therefore questioned the powers of the minister to grant such waivers on the basis of

encouraging investment and job creation when in actual sense, the practice is discouraging local

investors who don’t even have the capacity to utilise their allotted quotas.―The minister lacks this

power, he shouldn’t even deceive himself. He need to come and explain to us, Nigerians want to

hear and rice millers want to hear,‖ Ogo said.

Earlier in his welcome address to declare the session open, Ogor stated that the public hearing

was sequel to a resolution of the House. mandating the Ad-hoc Committee to investigate alleged

fraud abuses, evasion of import duties by rice importers in the country.―The aim is to uncover

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/author/heng-chivoan/416

http://leadership.ng/reporter/bode-gbadebo

http://leadership.ng/reporter/edegbe-odemwingie



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fraud and expose the endemic corruption in the importation of rice with a view to stemming the

tide and boost employment generation as well as strengthen the nation’s depleting foreign

reserve.―The minister has no reason not to be here because the Ministry was duly served the

invitation. I see no reason why people would be invited to a hearing that’s for the benefit of the

people and will not turn up.

―You are a servant of the people just like we all are. What we are doing here is for the benefit of

our nation’s economy. So, before the end of the hearing, we are hoping to see people from the

Ministry come in, otherwise we might be forced to make some very strong pronouncements,‖ he

declared.One of the concerned importers, Olams Nigeria Ltd, who has failed to pay duty accruals

for exceeded importation quota to the tune of over N3.5billion, the company’s representative,

Mr. Anil Nair, told the committee that as the largest farm owner on the African continent, it

couldn’t have grown its business by disobeying the rules, insisting that there was no directive

asking the company to pay import duties for exceeding its quota.

According to Nair, Olams will gladly pay what is due to it as import duty or levy if the

government require it to do so, a development which confirmed that the minister actually waived

such duties without due diligence.―Olams farm is the single largest farm on the continent of

Africa with the capacity to import 243,747 tons of rice on 10% levi and 20% duty. If you look at

all the rice value chain, we have made up to date payment of duties and levies as applicable for

which we made presentation previously.―If we are asked to pay for the excess in importation, we

will oblige and pay without any hesitation,‖, Nair said.

The Customs delegation led by ACG Adeoye Ajade had told the Committee in a position paper

that import duty defaulters were communicated to after the rice policy was reviewed in July,

2014.―Olam import was over 245.000 metric tons with excess quota amounting to over

N3.5billion which is the duty liability arising from that importation.―Given the review of the

policy, rice millers tried to make false declaration of duty values by under-declaring their actual

import volume. So the policy review now came with dual rate of 10per cent duty raise and 20 per

cent levy,‖ Ajade said.

http://leadership.ng/news/430982/fg-rice-policy-adesina-lacks-power-to-waive-import-duty-reps

No relief to rice consumers

B. CHANDRASHEKHAR

The consumers of rice, the staple food of people in Telangana, are facing a paradoxical situation with no signs

of any letup in its increasing price in the open market on one hand and the millers claiming that the wholesale

prices in the international markets are heading southwards on the other.Against the claims of the

Rice Millers’ Association of Telangana that the wholesale price of superfine quality rice in the

State had been hovering around Rs. 30 per kg for the last seven years, its price in the open

market witnessed a constant rise during the period.In the upward supermarkets the retail price of

quality superfine variety rice is ranging from Rs. 47 to Rs. 52 per kg.



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―The wholesale price of preferred varieties of rice is constantly ranging between Rs. 30 and Rs.

35. The fact that we have supplied 44,873 tonnes of superfine-old rice at Rs. 36 per kg and

superfine-new rice of 1.29 lakh tonnes at Rs. 32.5 per kg to the State government so far for the

purpose of welfare hostels and mid-day meal scheme buttresses our claims‖, says president of

the association G. Nagendra.

Govt. green signal

The rice millers succeeded in getting government

nod recently for export of one-lakh tonnes of

superfine varieties of rice – sale in the

international markets or in other States in the

country – on the premise that there were stocks of

over 14 lakh tonnes rice available in the State and

it was more than sufficient compared to the

needs.―As the stocks of rice piled up with the

millers, the impending milling of paddy being

procured in rabi season adds to our woes as there

is no demand for rice in the local markets‖,

reasoned association general secretary V. Mohan

Reddy.Supporting the argument of Mr. Mohan

Reddy, president of South India Rice Millers’

Association T. Devendar Reddy stated that

average prices of rice in the international markets

was less than the prices in the country by over Rs.

400 per quintal.

Behind the variation

Asked why there was so much variation in the price of preferred varieties of rice in the retail

market in spite of lesser prices in the international market and availability of more than sufficient

stocks in the State,Mr. Nagendra explained that it would depend on overhead costs involved,

type of retailer and quality within the preferred varieties.―Superfine rice is available at the prices

being quoted by me with the wholesale rice stores even in the cities like Hyderabad‖, he argued.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/no-relief-to-rice-consumers/article7172034.ece

Pakistan sets up Nepal earthquake relief fund at home and

missions abroad

(PTI) / 3 May 2015



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The Foreign Secretary said the Prime Minister has established an exclusive Relief Fund for

Nepal.

Islamabad - Pakistan has set up a special fund to collect

donations for the victims of earthquake in Nepal and will airlift

20,000 tents and 20 tonnes rice for the battered country.Foreign

Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed media on Pakistan’s

response to help Nepal after the quake on April 25 which has

killed over 7,000 people.He said Pakistan was quickly

responding to the needs of Nepal under the guidance of Prime

Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was constantly monitoring the

situation in Nepal in the aftermath of the devastating

Earthquake.Chaudhry said the Prime Minister has established

an exclusive Relief Fund for Nepal.He said accounts under the

Relief Fund will be opened within the country and in Pakistani Missions abroad and ―Pakistanis

at home and abroad would be mobilised to generously contribute to it‖.

―In response to the Nepal government’s request, (Pakistan) Prime Minister has further approved

provision of 20,000 tents and 20 tons rice. The part consignment was delivered yesterday

(Saturday) by two C-130 aircrafts,‖ he said.He said Pakistan’S Prime Minister, who was on an

official visit to the UK when the Earthquake struck Nepal spoke with his Nepalese counterpart

Sushil Koirala to offer all out assistance.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-

1.asp?xfile=data/international/2015/May/international_May101.xml&section=international

PARC introduces 11 new high-yielding rice varieties BY INP

The Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) approved 11 new high-yielding rice

varieties including seven hybrid and four open-pollinated seed for cultivation in various

ecologies.The Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) on Rice was held here at PARC

headquarters under the Chairmanship of Member Plant Sciences Division Dr Muhammad Shahid

Masood.In total, 19 rice varieties were presented before the VEC including 14 hybrid and five

OP varieties, out of which 11 were approved and eight were rejected due to Bacterial-Leaf-

Blight (BLB) disease susceptibility and poor grain quality performance. The approved varieties

have been recommended to the National Seed Council.

Details show that the hybrid varieties approved by the VEC have yield potential up to 92 mound

per acre whereas the OP rice varieties have potential to produce much yield than the existing

IRRI-6 and KSK-133 varieties.The OP varieties have been developed from the Green Super Rice

(GSR) germ-plasm provided by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Philippines to

PARC and National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE).These OP

varieties have high yield potential and also submergence, salinity and water stress tolerance

characters.―With the addition of new recommended hybrids of rice in the national system of the

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country, it is expected that there will be a significant improvement in rice production in

Pakistan,‖ VET Chairman Dr M Shahid Masood said.He appreciated the role of stakeholders for

taking interest in rice research and development and working in close collaboration with the

public sector.The VEC meeting, among others, was attended by 20 technical members of the

committee from National Agriculture Research System (NARS) of the country including rice

breeders, agronomists, entomologists, pathologists, seed experts, policy-makers, private seed

companies’ representatives and provincial seed cooperation representatives.

It is pertinent to mention here that the VEC on wheat recently

released four new rust resistant wheat varieties including a bio-fortified variety having 50

percent Zinc (Zn) contents. The bio-fortified variety is the first-ever such introduction in the list

of recommended varieties for farmers’ choice in any agro-ecology.Meanwhile, Chairman PARC

Dr Iftikhar Ahmad lauded the efforts of the scientists and other stakeholders for introducing new

rice varieties.―I expect that the introduction of new rice varieties would not only produce

promising crop yield but would also help farmers to raise their incomes to improve their

livelihood and ultimately play role in building of overall economy of the country,‖ he remarked.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/05/03/business/parc-introduces-11-new-high-yielding-rice-

varieties/



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MyPlate Video Search is a Success

Get healthy with Hamilton

ARLINGTON, VA -- Last week

marked the end of the two-month

Check Out MyPlate Video Search

for kids, a MyPlate promotional

activity launched by USA Rice and

six other MyPlate National

Strategic Partners to reach children

and parents with healthy eating

messages. The video search

received more than 10,000 unique

visitors and generated more than 100 video entries from kids across the country.

"We challenged kids to submit a video about how they eat healthy using MyPlate and get

moving with their favorite physical activity," said Katie Maher, USA Rice's manager of

domestic promotion. "This was the first time we hosted a promotion like this and we are very

impressed with the engagement we received as well as the quality and creativity of the videos."

This month, all of the entries will be reviewed and judged by MyPlate and Let's Move! There

will be one Grand Prize winner ($1,000) and one Runner-Up ($300) for each age category: 2 -

10, 11 - 13, and 14 - 18. Winners will be announced in early June.If you're looking for a good

laugh or something to brighten your day, take a look at some of the video entries here.

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

USA Rice Fuels a Local Charity Race

Rice wins every time!

FALLS CHURCH, VA -- USA Rice participated in a charity race at a local high school here to help

support the school's athletic program. More than 400 adults and children took part in the annual "Raider



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5K Run" that raised an estimated $10,000 for the community.

USA Rice used the new Think Rice logo on t-shirts all the runners received. In addition, staff was on-

hand to pass out Think Rice-branded rice marshmallow treats to the finishers. "Not only was this a fun

event on a beautiful spring day, but we literally reminded runners that they should 'Think Rice' -- it's a

complex carbohydrate that helps fuel the body and is a great food for athletes," said Katie Maher, USA

Rice's manager of domestic promotion who also ran the race.

Contact: Michael Klein (703) 236-1458

Crop Progress: 2015 Crop 61 Percent Planted

WASHINGTON, DC -- Sixty-one percent of the nation's 2015 rice acreage is planted, according to today's U.S.

Department of Agriculture's Crop Progress Report.

Rice Planted, Selected States

Week Ending

State May

3, 2014

April 26,

2015

May 3,

2015

2010-2014

average

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rO7pxG7C6BTmH_l4rsAzCl3EJxYl8-rwHRM779A8JDtURCjn7se4y_hdlbApmcOh14jFCllSYmVvV_fxm5deoqZoXbYcCmHGW9xq4NeCQmHnVPad4qfL6mIiVpXkjdEWH2Rq7Tt6vGatu5TKb2RgygzNAPmgznDOFWGSPezBH3JBSmS8-m4n8Uv596QKt_VLSbI0ni6CzssggnX5z5qrw==&c=jUL0KDIZoLiMQcQDxdVIMxdOA07-wfNywzNGjmaRwgsGts14RfExHA==&ch=FrsK1nnWH0CIIypwmuXWxYUqoU3P65fxb-uUwmJw1M3uDQMDHl2gbQ==


www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine Page

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Percent

Arkansas 62 37 64 68

California 11 7 38 15

Louisiana 92 85 88 93

Mississippi 47 49 66 62

Missouri 54 3 37 63

Texas 84 64 65 91

Six States 55 39 61 62

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for May 4

Month Price Net Change

May 2015 $9.850 - $0.100

July 2015 $10.105 - $0.100

September 2015 $10.375 - $0.100

November 2015 $10.625 - $0.100

January 2016 $10.875 - $0.100

March 2016 $10.925 - $0.100

May 2016 $10.925 - $0.100

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0013rO7pxG7C6BTmH_l4rsAzCl3EJxYl8-rwHRM779A8JDtURCjn7se41fWq3b4tIadCKy7XvqIvl8jRnRDnkGMeuAzfj-GiizcZ3dZ8SQhPbsRccXvZpGnou4h1GngNfoWEkIgbcUmOkA6ePSkNjrfPvCAkqIzkrKUjt0KTvIOOz2r4rC69y-A5d8bAJQ5_e6MAql8KNQMII_bWFO8Vej2z4yuMLkZcAubNEO7SeJvCnJg9TbOu-M-AdT5HPbMBDacjbHF7DQCfWprLbcXgWOw5KT7a3rSrIn9&c=jUL0KDIZoLiMQcQDxdVIMxdOA07-wfNywzNGjmaRwgsGts14RfExHA==&ch=FrsK1nnWH0CIIypwmuXWxYUqoU3P65fxb-uUwmJw1M3uDQMDHl2gbQ==



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Weighing in on the farm bill safety net: Part 2 May 4, 2015Forrest Laws | Delta Farm Press

Greg Cole makes no secret of the fact he believes farmers, particularly those in the Mid-South,

would have been better off from a safety net point of view if Congress had kept direct payments

in the Agricultural Act of 2014.Cole, president and CEO of AgHeritage Farm Credit Services,

has told several audiences ―the loss of direct payments in the new farm bill will have a greater

impact on farmers in the Mid-South than in any other part of the country,‖ a comment he

repeated at the Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference in Memphis,

Tenn.―You only get help when things are not so good,‖ said Cole, who spoke on his impressions

of the signup for the new farm bill. ―So if you trigger a payment, more than likely you’re already

losing money on an overall basis. So that’s a fundamental shift.

‖The new law ended direct payments, which Cole said creates a different dynamic in

farm country. ―Obviously, we liked direct payments. Producers liked them. They were easy to

quantify; you knew how much they were. ―You knew when you were going to get them. And for

lenders, it was easy to make that link.‖ Cole says it appears most farmers in the area served by

AgHeritage selected the Agricultural Risk Coverage or ARC program for corn and soybeans.

Most rice producers chose Price Loss Coverage or the PLC program for their crop.―With the

rapid decline in rice prices, it looks like if they did get signed up, there will be a pretty good

payment for the 2014 crop,‖ said Cole. ―Obviously, we want receive that until later at the end of

the fall.Those who follow rice know it has joined other markets as a crop with an excess of

supply and a rapid decline in price to about $4.50 per bushel after selling for $6 to $7 per bushel

during the 2013-14 marketing year.

The new farm bill, on the other hand, offers a $6.30 per bushel reference price for PLC

calculations for rice (minus any discounts and multiplying it by 85 percent of a grower’s base

acres. But some observers may not have considered all the dynamics of the situation.―You may

think that if I sell my rice for $4.50 per bushel, I’m going to get $6.30 because of the reference

price,‖ says Cole. ―But if the price of rice rises for the remainder of the year, you may not get a

payment. So you basically just sold your rice for $4.50.‖ He suggested growers try to hedge

against such developments by using co-op pools.Cole said he was somewhat surprised to see that

sales of federal crop insurance coverage, which was supposed to be the underpinning of the new

farm programs, did not increase in the Mid-South for the 2015 crop year.―In the Mid-South, we

haven’t used crop insurance to the same level they have in the Midwest,‖ he said. ―But I thought

we have a lot more producers buying crop insurance. But in our area, in our part of the

Mississippi Delta we haven’t seen that. Actually the sales are flat or down where I thought they

would skyrocket.‖

To read more about the Agricultural Act of 2014,

visithttp://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=farmbill

What Latin America’s rice sector offers the world

http://deltafarmpress.com/author/forrest-laws

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=farmbill



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Written by Adriana Varón Molina.

There is one occasion that Brazilian farmer Geovano Parcianello never misses. Every year, he

travels 503 kilometers from his farm in the municipality of Alegrete to the city of Cachoeirinha,

where the most important rice experiment station in the state of Rio Grande do Sul is located.

Being there with a thousand other rice growers gives Mr. Parcianello an opportunity to find out

about new varieties, disease control measures, and options for crop rotation—knowledge he can

apply on his own 900 hectares of rice.

An international technology festival

This year, the ―technology festival‖ organized by the Rice Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (IRGA)

had an extra dimension. Not only did participants come from places such as Alegrete, Santiago,

San Antonio, and Itaqui but they also came from 33 countries of Latin America and the

Caribbean (LAC), Europe, and Asia, making the field day international. The foreign guests were

among 460 participants at the XII International Conference on Rice in Latin America and the

Caribbean, which took place in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, on 23-26 February 2015.

―Listening to presentations on topics such as genetics, crop improvement, agronomy, and climate

change, and visiting the field plots opened our minds to what’s happening in the rice sector, not

only in the region but in the whole world,‖ said Eliécer Araya, president of Costa Rica’s National

http://flar.org/en/horizons-competitiveness/

http://flar.org/en/horizons-competitiveness/

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Rice Corporation (Conarroz, its acronym in Spanish). ―This also gave us an opportunity to

further reinforce the knowledge network that strengthens us all.‖

Taking LAC’s rice sector to new ―horizons of competitiveness‖—the slogan of the conference—

is a central aim for organizations such as the Latin American Fund for Irrigated Rice (FLAR) and

its 35 members, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), IRGA, and

the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). The regional alliance draws as well

on support from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), CGIAR’s lead center for

the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP)—which believes in the important role of this

region in the coming decades to meet the rising global demand for rice.

A world-stage performance

High productivity (with some countries obtaining yield as high as 16 tons per hectare), extensive

mechanization, the use of direct seeding, and excellent grain quality are among the key features

of LAC’s production that are attracting world attention.―Latin America has enormous land

resources and abundant water, and its rice production is technically advanced,‖ said Robert

Zeigler, IRRI director general. ―The challenge for this region is to analyze global markets

carefully and design strategies that will enable production to meet demand.‖

Joe Tohme, director of CIAT’s Agrobiodiversity Research Area, stressed the importance of

regional integration through networks such as FLAR and the Consortium on Hybrid Rice for

http://www.conarroz.com/

http://ciat.cgiar.org/partnersandcollabora/latin-american-fund-for-irrigated-rice

http://irri.org/ciat.cgiar.org

http://reports.weforum.org/manufacturing-growth/brazilian-agricultural-research-corporation-embrapa-brazil/

http://www.cgiar.org/our-research/cgiar-research-programs/rice-grisp/

http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/management/robert-zeigler

http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/management/robert-zeigler

http://ciat.cgiar.org/?mtt_page=tohme-joseph

http://www.ciatnews.cgiar.org/2013/04/23/hybrid-rice-for-latin-america/

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Latin America (HIAAL). ―CIAT’s Rice Program helps countries across the region to strengthen

their capacity and make production more competitive by using the genetic materials and

agronomic practices that we and FLAR are developing,‖ Dr. Tohme said.―Strategic alliances are

what can make us strong as a region,‖ said Flavio Breseghello, director general of Embrapa Rice

and Beans. ―The presence of Asian scientists in Latin America, thanks to GRiSP, makes them

more aware of our strengths and us more aware of theirs. The good practices of each continent

complement one another.‖

National governments have a key role to play in building strategic alliances, explained Bas

Bouman, GRiSP director. ―The way forward is to strengthen national capacity, working side by

side with governments and their programs, and devise strategies that enable countries in LAC to

compete with the biggest rice producers in the world.‖

Ingredients of a production miracle

―There’s little point in doing research without extension. The most important thing is transferring

knowledge to producers—that’s the key,‖ said Carlos Pereira, former president of IRGA, who

now works as an agronomist with the state’s Agricultural Secretariat.

IRGA, with its 75-year history, offers a good example of how the rice production chain can be

strengthened. In 10 years, growers in Rio Grande do Sul managed to raise average rice yield by

50%. This production miracle resulted mostly from a training program created for 100 IRGA

technicians and extension agents from private companies and farmer cooperatives.

―We reviewed the latest knowledge from different research centers—CIAT, IRGA, IRRI, and

universities—and took it to the field by means of the technicians,‖ said Sergio Gindri, an IRGA

researcher. ―It was important to develop consistent messages on basic concepts, such as early

weed control and the use of high-quality seed of improved varieties. But the route by which the

Latin America and the Caribbean region reaches its goal of serving as a food basket for the world

won’t be easy.‖

―To position ourselves in international markets, we have to tackle basic issues such as seed

quality, improved infrastructure for exports, and lower operating costs, with the aim of offering a

higher quality product at a lower price,‖ said Eduardo Graterol, FLAR’s executive director. ―The

goal is to place surplus production in international markets, while ensuring that each country can

supply enough rice for its own population.‖

The sun-drenched international field day ended with a banquet for Mr. Parcianello and the rest of

the 1,500 guests, who feasted on carreteiro, a typical dish of Rio Grande do Sul, in which rice,

of course, is the main ingredient—just as it is in the daily diets of more than half of the global

population.

_________________________________________

http://www.ciatnews.cgiar.org/2013/04/23/hybrid-rice-for-latin-america/

http://www.cnpaf.embrapa.br/languages/ricebeans.php

http://www.cnpaf.embrapa.br/languages/ricebeans.php



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Ms. Varón Molina is communications coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean at CIAT

http://irri.org/rice-today/what-latin-america-s-rice-sector-offers-the-

world?utm_source=IRRI+email+subscriptions&utm_campaign=ee469805c6-

RiceToday_Weekly5_05_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c803adc7cf-ee469805c6-

40925885

Yield rises with WeRise Written by Keiichi Hayashi, Anita Boling, and Tsutomu Ishimaru.

Unreliable weather can make or break rice farmers that rely on rainfall for water. Climate change

makes it even harder to predict weather conditions, thus lowering the chances of recovering

farmers’ investments in mitigating the impact of erratic rainfall patterns on their crops. To help

solve this problem, a prototype weather rice-nutrient integrated decision support system

(WeRise) came about. WeRise is a web application tool that integrates rice nutrients with

weather data to provide farmers with weather and crop advisories.

Rice roulette

Growing rice in rainfed environments is like gambling. It is difficult for farmers to decide when

to sow or transplant rice because they cannot predict the arrival of the monsoon. They also

cannot foresee whether the season’s rainfall will be enough to sustain their crops. Even with

http://irri.org/rice-today/both-politics-and-monsoons-can-affect-the-rice-market

http://irri.org/images/rice_today/RT14_2werise1.jpg



16


sufficient rainfall at the beginning of the season, they have no guarantee the rain will continue.

Obviously, too much or too little rainfall can lead to a poor harvest. The weather can also inflict

damage during harvest time. If harvesting coincides with rains, farmers need plastic sheets to

keep grains dry. The bottom line is that no one can tell how much of their investment can be

recovered after a cropping season.

Optimal production can be achieved through good agricultural practices, which can be designed

to fit the different types of rainy season. For example, a long-cycle rice variety should be chosen

for long rainy seasons with sufficient rainfall. In areas where the rainy season is short, a short-

cycle variety is suitable for coping when water is scarce. If the rainy season is long enough but

rainfall is insufficient, a droughttolerant rice variety can be a good candidate.

When drought occurs, a short-cycle variety should be used to avoid water shortage at the critical

stages of plant growth. However, these decisions are made at the start of the planting season.

Farmers cannot change the variety of their choice after they have planted it.

Tailor-made weather and yield reports

WeRise is a product of collaboration between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

and Japan on the project Climate Change Adaptation in Rainfed Rice Areas (CCARA). WeRise

aims to improve the chances of farmers of having good rice yields even with unpredictable

weather patterns. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries funds CCARA.

http://irri.org/networks/climate-change-adaptation-in-rainfed-rice-areas

http://www.maff.go.jp/e/




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WeRise provides crucial weather and grain yield advisories in the form of a narrative summary.

This includes the start and end of the rainy season, the expected rainfall distribution and flooding

or drought that might occur during the season, when to sow and transplant the crop, what variety

is appropriate, and how to apply fertilizer efficiently. It also contains graphical outputs of

rainfall, minimum and maximum temperatures, wind speed, vapor pressure, and solar radiation.

These sets of information are location-specific to subdistrict levels of countries in Southeast

Asia. The seasonal weather predictions are based on the localized outputs of the Scale Interaction

Experiment-Frontier (SINTEX-F) Research Center for Global Change developed byJapan’s

Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. SINTEX-F is designed to predict when the El

Niño Southern Oscillation will occur, 1 to 24 months in advance. Thus, WeRise can provide

farmers with predicted weather and yield information with enough lead time for them to prepare

and decide what and when to plant.

WeRise can also predict yield based on recommended sowing and fertilizer application timings

using the ORYZA crop modeling tool, which simulates the growth and development of rice as

well as water under different conditions, including local weather. The grain yield advisory is also

location-specific so that end-users can choose a subdistrict for this advisory.

From theory to field reality

In rainfed rice farming, the timing of sowing is crucial because good yield is linked to a

sufficient water supply and good crop growth. Some farmers plant early while others are more

cautious and start sowing late in the monsoon. Relying mostly on guesswork, farmers can have

high or low yields as a result of coincidence; thus, they cannot obtain the same result in the

following year.

In 2014, WeRise was tested in Indonesia to see whether it could minimize the effect of poor

timing. Although many farmers started sowing rice after a downpour at the beginning of the

rainy season, the WeRise team, following its weather prediction, planted rice much later.

A few weeks after the farmers planted, rainfall stopped. The young rice seedlings planted by the

farmers suffered from water scarcity and some plants did not survive. The WeRise team, on the

other hand, obtained significantly higher yield than the farmers who did not receive any weather

advisory and relied on their instincts.

http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/

http://www.jamstec.go.jp/e/

https://sites.google.com/a/irri.org/oryza2000/about-oryza-version-3



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A user-friendly tool

WeRise is designed for agricultural extension agents and farmers who can access the Internet

through smartphones or computers. Local millers and retailers of agricultural inputs are potential

users who can be sources of information for farmers with no Internet access. WeRise is now

available in English, Bahasa, and Lao, making information dissemination even simpler for small-

scale rice farmers who are not tech-savvy.

The feedback from 53 research and extension workers in Indonesia, Lao PDR, and the

Philippines has been positive. They found WeRise easy to use and understand. They also said

that explaining the advisory to farmers was easy.―The information is more complete and it has

graphs,‖ said Beby Noviani, an extension worker from Indonesia.Muhammad Jono, another

Indonesian extension worker, summed up his experience with WeRise in one word: ―simple.‖

Raising farmers’ odds

With WeRise, rice farmers will be able to use their resources efficiently by choosing a suitable

variety, avoiding a failure in crop establishment, and using an efficient fertilizer application. This

can help reduce their risks and make rainfed rice farming better and more stable. By providing

farmers with timely, accurate information, farmers can enjoy better harvests, which translate into

higher earnings and more reliable profitability. Thus, WeRise could make rainfed rice farming




19


attractive to young people by changing the perception that rainfed agriculture is an all-or-nothing

occupation.

_________________________________________

Drs. Hayashi and Ishimaru are seconded scientists from the Japan International Research

Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) working on the CCARA project. Dr. Hayashi is the

project coordinator who leads the agronomy and soil science component. Dr. Ishimaru is a plant

breeder who leads the genetics and breeding component. Dr. Boling is a former postdoctoral

fellow of CCARA.

http://irri.org/rice-today/yield-rises-with-

werise?utm_source=IRRI+email+subscriptions&utm_campaign=ee469805c6-

RiceToday_Weekly5_05_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c803adc7cf-ee469805c6-40925885

Thailand looks to export rice to China, ASEAN countries

English.news.cn 2014-07-28 16:11:54

BANGKOK, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Thailand is looking to release millions of tons of rice to China

and a few Southeast Asian nations throughout the latter part of this year.According to Duangporn

Rodphayathi, Thai Foreign Trade Department director general, a quantity of 900,000 tons of rice

is yet to be delivered to China under a government-to-government dealing by which China had

earlier agreed to buy a total of one million tons of Thai rice.However, a single volume of

100,000 tons has been delivered to China so far while the relatively huge volume of 900,000 tons

is yet to follow under the bilateral rice dealing, the department chief said.A delegation of the

department is scheduled to visit China on Thursday to negotiate the balance of the rice supply

with COFCO Limited, a Chinese state firm, she added.

Meanwhile, Thailand will seek an increase in purchase volumes for Thai rice in neighboring

Malaysia preferrably under government- to-government dealings while private Thai rice

exporters will look to expand markets in the Philippines and Indonesia.In addition to the Foreign

Trade Department's rice export plans, the private sector will play a stepped-up role in the

expanding of Thai rice markets throughout the rest of this year, according to the department

chief.Top Thai ruler Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha earlier instructed Thai authorities to look for ways

and means to release quantities of rice currently stored up at rented warehouses under a rice

subsidy program earlier implemented by a previous Yingluck Shinawatra government.He chaired

a meeting of the Rice Administrative Policy Committee on Monday in a bid to streamline a

substantial release of the rice to the world markets.

An average of 500 U.S. dollars had been offered for a ton of rice to farmers nationwide under the

populist rice program only to see millions of tons stored up at warehouses without signs of being

released in substantial volume.The previous government had rented more than 1,700 privately-

owned warehouses in all parts of the country for the rice purchased from farmers since last year's

harvest season.Former ministers under the Yingluck cabinet had earlier maintained that the Thai

http://www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/

http://www.jircas.affrc.go.jp/

http://irri.org/about-us/our-people/specialists/tsutomu-ishimaru



20


rice would have sold at a high price had it been stored in the warehouses for a period of time,

waiting to be released to the world markets.

But a large quantity of the government's rice had been found rotten or stolen from the rented

warehouses over the past several months, apparently prompting the ruling military to begin to

release much of it from now.Gen. Prayuth earlier commented that such rice subsidy programs

will no longer be implemented because it has been allegedly prone to corruption and incurred

immense financial losses.Instead, the authorities will look to cut the costs of farmers' rice

production, including those for fertilizers and pesticides, provide more financial aid for them and

expand current rice markets and find new ones worldwide.Compared to the 500 U.S. dollars for a

ton of rice purchased from farmers by the previous government, only about 283 U.S. dollars a

ton will be offered by an upcoming interim government, according to an official of the

Commerce Ministry.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/business/2014-07/28/c_133515762.htm

The government claims success in new rice production policy

Saturday, 02 May 2015

By NNT

BANGKOK, 1 May 2015 -The Thai government has successfully helped rice farmers produce

more grains at a lower cost via a new program designed to improve rice growing efficiency.The

government has claimed its new program provides full-cycle supervision to every stage of rice

farming starting from production to grain quality control and market opportunities.Under the

program, white rice farmers are able to increase the productivity per rai from 729 kilograms

previously to 870 kilograms nowadays.

Their production costs have declined by around 3,000 baht per ton since the program was

introduced.Jasmine rice growers have also seen their productivity increase with around 100

kilograms more of rice produced per rai and were able to save as much as 3,000 baht per ton in

production capital.Farmers participating in the program have found that they can sell their grains

at 30% higher than the market prices as many silo owners and buyers are joining in the program.

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/the-government-claims-success-in-new-rice-production-policy-

46774#sthash.ZZ4ZBuDk.dpuf



21


Nigeria: N21 Billion Rice Importation Tax Evasion - Reps

Summon Okonjo-Iweala, Adesina By Emman Ovuakporie

Abuja — MEMBERS of the House of Representatives have summoned the Minister of Finance,

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adeshina and others over

alleged N21billion rice importation tax evasion scam.Vanguard reliably gathered that the

ministers and 25 rice importers are expected to explain to the lawmakers how over N21bn tax

was evaded despite the provision of subsidy by the Federal Government to the importers.A

source privy to this development who spoke to Vanguard in confidence said "the whole exercise

was grossly abused by the importers and laced with fraud"."We'll unravel those government

officials who aided these economic saboteurs and ensure that all the tax they cornered is returned

to government coffers".

"The adhoc committee set up by the House will also ensure that they are speedily

prosecuted".Asked whether the Nigeria Customs Service,NCS, was also summoned, the source

said "yes they are the people that will as a matter of law make available all the necessary

statistics at the hearing tomorrow.""We've also discovered that those who got subsidy were the

ones that even evaded tax more than those that did not get a dime from government".Also asked

how the N21bn was arrived at, he said "that was a simple, it was from all the import duty

transactions carried out by the importers".

http://allafrica.com/stories/201505040280.html

Vietnam rice boom puts pressure on farmers

AAP – Mon, May 4, 2015 1:01 PM AEST

Rice farmer Nguyen Hien Thien is so busy growing his crops that he has never even visited Can

Tho, a town only a few kilometres from his farm in the southern Mekong Delta."When I was a

child, we grew one crop of rice per year -- now it's three. It's a lot of work," 60-year-old Thien,

who's been farming since childhood, told AFP.Experts say Vietnam's drive to become one of the

world's leading rice exporters is pushing farmers in the fertile delta region to the brink, with

mounting costs to the environment.The communist country is already the world's second largest

exporter of the staple grain. But intensive rice cultivation, particularly the shift to producing

three crops a year, is taking its toll on farmers and the ecosystem."Politicians want to be the

world's number one or two rice exporter.

As a scientist, I want to see more being done to protect farmers and the environment," said

Vietnamese rice expert Vo Tong Xuan.A major famine in 1945 and food shortages in the post-

war years led to the government adopting a "rice first" policy.This now generates far more of the

crop than needed to feed Vietnam's 90 million population and has spawned a thriving export

industry.Rice yields have nearly quadrupled since the 1970s, official figures show, thanks to



22


high-yield strains and the construction of a network of dykes that today allow farmers to grow up

to three crops per year.

The amount of land under cultivation in the Mekong Delta has also expanded and quotas are in

place to prevent farmers from switching to other crops.But experts question who really

benefits.According to Xuan, farmers don't reap the rewards of the three crop system -- the rice is

low quality and they spend more on pesticides and fertilisers, which become less effective year

by year.He argues the delta would be better off if farmers cultivated a more diverse range of

crops, from coconuts to prawns, with just the most suitable land used to grow rice.The country

should consider abandoning the third crop and focus on improving quality and branding to sell

Vietnamese rice at higher prices, he said.

Currently, the bulk of Vietnam's rice is exported at cut-price costs on government-to-government

contracts through large state-owned enterprises (SOEs) like the Southern Food Corporation,

known as Vinafood 2."Over the last five years, the trend is towards lower-quality rice," admitted

Le Huu Trang, deputy office manager at the firm.Some argue that such SOEs have a vested

interest in maintaining the status quo as they earn lucrative kickbacks from the huge

contracts.But even as salt water intrusion, drought and flooding increase in the delta -- to say

nothing of agricultural chemical pollution -- it is also hard to convince farmers to change."The

prevailing mindset is to grow three crops... we have to explain two crops is better," said Nguyen

Tuan Hiep from the Co Do Agriculture company.

Over the last 20 years, Co Do -- which is state-run but a flagship model of how the industry

could evolve -- has identified the best rice-growing land in the delta and helped farmers expand

their farms.They now work with 2,500 families on 5,900 hectares of land, enough for each

family to make a living -- typically the average rice farm in the delta spans less than one

hectare.The firm invests heavily in high-quality seeds and improving irrigation, while also

advising farmers on the best chemicals to use."Two crops is more sustainable long term -- the

soil is not degraded, the environment isn't polluted, and value of the rice increases," Hiep said.

Climate change is another factor threatening the delta, according to the World Bank Group's vice

president and special envoy for climate change Rachel Kyte."This is really ground zero for some

of the most difficult adaptation, planning challenges that any country in the world has," she

said.Ultimately, Vietnam has tough choices to make, including whether to help people transition

from a rice-based economy to aquaculture or other crops, Kyte added.The environmental costs of

maintaining Vietnam's current level of rice production are also rising.The system of dykes,

which blocks flood water, is preventing soil nutrients from flowing freely and over time "soil

fertility will fade", said Tran Ngoc Thac, deputy director of Vietnam's Rice Research

Institute.Scientists there are busy trying to breed new strains of rice that require fewer fertilisers

and can survive in extreme weather."If farmers don't change, if we can't find a suitable new rice

strain, pollution will continue and incomes will drop," Thac said, adding these measures were

essential to save the delta. https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/vietnam-rice-boom-puts-pressure-030106442.html



23


Rice Importers Take on Customs over N20bn Import Duty

Payment

04 May 2015

By John Iworiâ€¨

Rice importers have taken on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over its resolve to collect the

N20 billion import duty they allegedly evaded paying into the coffers of the federal

government.Following the reluctance of the rice importers to pay the import duty, the Customs

High Command had issued a public notice in selected national newspapers giving the importers

or their agents an ultimatum to pay on or before April 14, 2015.Apparently seeing the ultimatum

as an empty threat, the rice importers treated the public notice with levity.Two weeks after the

expiration of the ultimatum as contained in the public notice, the importers did not pay the

import duty and they were not arrested by NCS or any other security agency.

THISDAY checks revealed that the importers resolve to ignore the ultimatum to pay the import

duty, even as they dared NCS based on superior advice from those backing them.Impeccable

sources close to the importers and their agents said they took the decision to ignore the public

notice due to the fact that the Customs High Command presently lacked what it takes to sanction

them.―As far as rice importers are concerned, they regard NCS as a toothless bull dog. This is

because most of them know their way in the system from the presidency to the Federal Ministry

of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Investments, and Agriculture. In fact, as we speak, they are

pushing for the procurement of a waiver. Once they get the waiver, it will make nonsense of the

N20 billion import duty NCS has been demanding from them all these while,‖ the source said.

According to the source who preferred anonymity, the rice importers are adopting a multi-

layered approach to ensure that they obtain the waiver. They strongly believe the Ministry of

Agriculture lacked the statutory powers to grant such waivers. That is why they are not

restricting their pursuit of the waiver to that ministry alone. Besides, the importers are banking

on the fact of the imminent change in government, as they strongly believe that the out-going

administration of President Goodluck Jonathan may not be keen in pursuing them to recover the

money. It was gathered that while some of the rice importers may be willing to pay the N20

billion import duty, they want to buy time with the belief that the in-coming government of

Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) give them opportunity to re-negotiate the amount and the payment

terms after it takes the reins of power on May 29, 2015.

―We are still working at raising the money. We have invested heavily and the commodity is not

even selling as much as we had expected. So, what is the rush, in paying the excess duty? Look,

we will pay. But I do not envisage my company paying everything. Is this not Nigeria?‖ one of

the affected importers said.While no one was willing to speak publicly on the matter, a senior

official of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Abuja confirmed that some rice importers were

granted waivers not long ago just as some others are still being processed.One of those granted

waiver by the ministry is a seasoned rice grower and importer, Olam Nigeria Limited.According

to documents obtained by THISDAY, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, in the

waiver dated April 13, 2015, said he was glad that domestic rice production was already on the

increase, thereby resulting in a reduction of rice import requirements of the country.



24


Given, Olam Nigeria’s massive rice production and milling investment in Nigeria, being the

largest single existing investor in the sub-sector over the last two years with existing investments

over $120,000,000, the ministry is willing to reduce the amount owed by 50 per cent to 54,000

MT to be applied to 2015 allocations.In response to inquiries, Public Relations Officer (PRO),

NCS Headquarters, Abuja, Alhaji Adewale Adeniyi, said the position of NCS on import duty

collection had not changed.

Adewale, a Deputy Comptroller (DC), maintained that NCS would not fail to apply severe

sanctions if the importers failed to pay the statutory fees.According to him, ―We are committed

to a total recovery of the duty payable on excess importation of rice. We have the government

backing on this. The President (Jonathan) has given us the mandate to recover fully, the duty on

excess importation on rice and management has no reason whatsoever to shirk its responsibility

in this regard. It is revenue that is due, from any excess importation; and we have President

Jonathan’s backing to make this recovery.So, despite their foot dragging, they cannot escape

paying it. I can assure on that.‖

Tags: News, Nigeria, Featured, Rice Importer, Import Duty, Payment

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/rice-importers-take-on-customs-over-n20bn-import-duty-

payment/208438/

Organic rice from Thailand targets Mideast markets

Sittichai: Seeking to meet growing demand from the Middle East for healthy rice with halal

certification. PICTURE: Arno Maierbrugger

By Arno Maierbrugger

Gulf Times Correspondent ,Bangkok

In a bid to diversify away from mass rice production and get better access to the lucrative market

for organic food products, Thailand has set up a six-year strategy for organic agricultural

production that includes penetration of international markets including the Middle East.

Especially smaller and family farms are encouraged to grow and sell organic rice, as well as

vegetables and fruits on their own and seek new market channels for it.Acknowledging that

demand for organic rice is especially growing in Muslim countries – where it is appreciated as

healthy food with low sugar content that goes nice with Arab dishes – organic farmers are

increasingly seeking halal certification for their rice to get access to those markets.

One of these farmers is Sittichai Ruenpakdan, who runs the Family Hydro Farm in Thailand’s

central Chai Nat province, an area where 90% of locals are engaged in agriculture and, in the

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=News

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=Nigeria

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=Featured

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=Rice+Importer

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=Import+Duty

http://www.thisdaylive.com/go/search/?search=Payment



25


past, the widespread and heavy use of chemical fertilisers in mass rice production has led to

environmental and health problems. Sittichai, who lost his job as a human relations manager at a

Thai company as it was closed down when the disastrous floods hit the country in 2011, has

since built up a small but profitable family business and produces around 40 tonnes of organic

rice a year which sells for a multiple of normal rice.―We are selling the rice through organic

shops in Thailand, but we will also sell it to Saudi Arabia soon after we get the halal

certification,‖ Sittichai told Gulf Times.

―Our target is to sell more of the organic rice to the Middle East, as well as to the Muslim South

of Thailand,‖ he added.According to Anupa Panyadilok, head of the Learning and Development

Center for the New Generation of Farmers in Chai Nat, around 60% of farmers in the area have

already turned to organic farming.―This province has the aim to become Thailand’s largest

organic rice-producing area,‖ she said. Organic rice in Thailand is grown and processed without

the use of any synthetic chemicals as found, for example, in fertilisers, insecticides,

preservatives, seed treatment or hormones. Currently, only specially selected high-quality

jasmine rice is planted organically although other types of rice are also looked at as the number

of health-conscious consumers is growing rapidly.

To that end, the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has worked out the National

Organic Agriculture Strategies 2015-2021 to make Thai organic agriculture products better

known in both local and international markets. The strategies aim at spreading knowledge and

innovation in organic agriculture, developing organic agricultural production throughout the

supply chain, expanding marketing and improving the standards of Thai agricultural products.

Sales partnerships are also welcomed and could include foreign partners, namely for the Middle

East markets.Such sales partnerships will be essential for the success of Thai organic rice as most

farmers are struggling to find channels to sell the rice. In Sittichai’s case, he is relying on social

networks, but will have to forge a sales partnership for the Middle East market.

In fact, organic agriculture has become a major policy theme in Thailand since 2001 when the

administration of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra started agricultural development

programmes to improve living conditions for the rural population. Organic farming was enlisted



26


as an ―important national agenda‖ to promote safe food and boost national export. Many

government authorities have since initiated projects and activities centred around organic

farming. In addition, farmers have joined hands in setting up organic agricultural learning centres

and developing agro-tourism sites for visitors. http://www.gulf-times.com/eco.-bus.%20news/256/details/437570/organic-rice-from-thailand-targets-

mideast-markets

Gov't to purchase 77,000 tons of rice

2015/05/03 14:09

SEOUL, May 3 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government said Sunday it will buy 77,000 tons

of locally produced rice to help stabilize local prices.With the latest purchase plan, the amount of

fresh crop acquired by the government will reach 240,000 tons, equivalent to last year's excess

rice harvests compared with demand, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural

Affairs.

The government decided to liberalize the rice market for the first time in its history in

2014.Apart from preventing an inflow of cheap rice imports, keeping the price of locally

produced grain from falling has been a part of government efforts to protect local farmers.Last

year, the government purchased 370,000 tons of the grain, with plans to buy 30,000 tons more,

as part of plans to control prices.

[email protected]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2015/05/03/25/0501000000AEN20150503002500320F.html

mailto:[email protected]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2015/05/03/25/0501000000AEN20150503002500320F.html

4th may,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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