9th march,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

Page 1

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement [email protected] Cell : +92 321 3692774

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

9th March , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I



Page 2


Farm bill update: Medium grain rice and peanuts Mar 9, 2015Bobby Coats Delta Farm Press

Editor's note: Bobby Coats is a professor, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Medium grain rice

A number of questions have been asked about medium grain rice ARC/PLC program participation.

The presentation at the following link provides some perspective on this issue.This article builds on

our previous article where we looked at a simple comparison of expected PLC and ARC-CO

payments for long grain rice, soybeans, corn, and wheat. The accompanying tables to the

presentation below provide real perspective on possible PLC (SCO – Not Included) and ARC

payments by county and years 2014-2018. Note the probabilities.I will restate: If one (for any

number of reasons) is simply not going to use a farm bill decision aid and wants to gain an increased

understanding of their farm by farm and crop by crop options, this discussion may provide some

insight into ARC-CO and PLC (SCO-Not Included) program options.

One option is to use the Texas A&M and Missouri FAPRI ARC/PLC Evaluator for Generic Base Module or

Decision Tool.This tool compares expected PLC and ARC-CO payments (the average payment across

many possible future realizations of prices and yields) for a county of your choice. In the

calculations, they use two key assumptions.• First, they assume that you would have a PLC Payment

Yield equal to the default value assigned by FSA in the absence of a yield history.



Page 3


• Second, they assume expected prices equal to the latest FAPRI projections.The output reflects

only expected payments for PLC and ARC-CO. It should be noted, that choosing ARC-CO

precludes one from purchasing the crop insurance Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO).

Expected net SCO indemnities are not reflected in the output.Dr. Nathan Smith, Department of

Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Georgia, did an excellent job of discussing the

2014 farm bill peanut program and peanut outlook in our webinar. He is recognized domestically

and globally as a leading authority on economic, policy and farm bill issues related to peanuts.

More Rice, Fewer Farms

by Rick Fahr on Monday, Mar. 9, 2015 12:00 am

Economies of scale continue to play a huge role

in Arkansas agriculture.Farmers increasingly

look to expand the scope of their operations by

purchasing ground, entering into traditional rental

agreements with landowners or forging

managerial relationships.However the method,

the result is that fewer farmers are farming more

acres today than a generation ago.According to a

U.S. Department of Agriculture report, the

number of rice farms in the nation dropped by 46

percent from 1992 to 2007. At the same time, overall rice acreage fell only 12 percent.Average

acres of rice per farm grew from 278 to 453, an increase of 63 percent.

The number of farms featuring at least 1,000 acres of rice more than doubled in that period, to

616 from 292. Smaller-size rice farms shrank significantly.

Why?

Operating costs for rice farms are much higher than for most other row crops. The USDA report

indicated that from 2005-2009, typical operating costs per acre for rice totaled $415.11,

compared to $242.81 for corn and $109.74 for soybeans. Cotton costs were the most similar to

rice, $402.04 per acre.Of course, the value of the resulting crop plays a role in why rice is as

popular as it is.The average gross value of each rice acre‘s production was $846.33 in 2005-

2009, compared to $454.36 for corn, $352.71 for soybeans and $477.88 for cotton.By extension,

rice was almost twice as profitable per acre as any other row crop.That profitability and

expanding scope have their own costs, though. A typical rice farm has hard assets of nearly $2.5

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/103786/more-rice-fewer-farms

mailto:[email protected]



Page 4


million — equipment, irrigation equipment, etc. By comparison, an all-soybean farm would

require less than $1 million in assets.

TAGGED: U.S. Department of Agriculture


NFA approves Vietnam, Thailand rice deals Reuters

Posted at 03/09/2015 12:34 PM

MANILA - The Philippines' state grains procurement agency awarded rice supply deals for up to

500,000 tonnes to the world's top rice exporters, Vietnam and Thailand, and said it would not

rule out importing more this year.Officials of the National Food Authority (NFA), however, have

yet to discuss any new plan for imports, a spokesman told Reuters on Monday, after announcing

the council's approval of the government-to-government deals with Vietnam and

Thailand."There are no discussions yet" in the NFA Council on any additional purchases, the

spokesman said.

Vietnam will deliver 300,000 tonnes while Thailand will ship 200,000 tonnes before May to

build up state stockpiles ahead of the lean harvest season which begins in July. The deals

followed an auction held on Feb. 27.The Philippines remains one of the world's biggest rice

buyers despite record-high domestic harvests in recent years, including last year's.The Southeast

Asian nation imported around 1.7 million tonnes last year, the biggest amount in four years, as

local supplies run low, pushing food price inflation to the highest in more than five years.

Unlike last year, however, there is little pressure now for the NFA to rush purchases as the

country's rice inventory stood at more 2.35 million tonnes as of last month, up 17.3 percent from

a year earlier, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.The agency is also looking to

buy as much as 189,845 tonnes of paddy rice from local farmers from January to June this year,

the highest volume since 2010, when first-half purchases totalled 230,965 tonnes.The

government expects the country's paddy rice output in the first half to rise 2 percent from a year

earlier to 8.55 million tonnes.

Vietnam, Thailand tapped to supply rice

http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/tagged/U.S.+Department+of+Agriculture




Page 5


NEIGHBORS Vietnam and Thailand have bagged contracts to supply a total of 500,000

metric tons (MT) of rice to boost the Philippines’ buffer stock in time for this year’s lean

months, an official from the National Food Authority (NFA) said yesterday.

―The NFA council approved the award in a special meeting last Tuesday. Notices of award were sent last

Wednesday,‖ NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay said in a phone interview.The council earlier agreed

on the importation of 250,000 MT of 25% broken, well-milled long grain white rice and another 250,000

MT of the 15% broken variety. The auction was held last Feb. 27.

Mr. Dalisay said Vietnam won the contract to supply 300,000 MT, involving 150,000 MT each of the

15% and 25% broken varieties.Thailand will deliver the remaining 200,000 MT to cover the balance of

each rice variety.―Both offers of Vietnam and Thailand are below the reference or world market prices,‖

Mr. Dalisay said.Auction reference prices for the 15% and 25% broken rice varieties were set at $442.94

per MT and $425.85/MT, respectively.Vietnam, whose original bid was $442.5/MT, matched Thailand‘s

$441/MT offer for the 15% broken variety. With an original offer of $424.50/MT, Vietnam likewise

matched Thailand‘s $421-million/MT bid for the 25% broken rice.

Half of the volume awarded will be delivered by the end of this month, Mr. Dalisay said, adding that the

balance will be due for importation by the end of April.Rice stocks from the two countries will ensure

buffer stocks for the three-month lean season that starts in July, the NFA administrator said.He added that

there are no plans yet for a new round of rice importation, saying: ―the NFA Council will decide on the

matter‖ but no meeting has been scheduled for this discussion.Existing bilateral rice agreements allow the

Philippines to import stocks from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia through government-to-government

procurement mode. Cambodia did not participate in the last auction.

Mr. Dalisay said last month that the government imported last year around 1.5 million MT of rice,

equivalent to 8% of 2014‘s total domestic output. Last year‘s palay production hit 18.97 million MT, up

2.87% from 18.44 million MT in 2013 amid increased harvest due to utilization of high yielding variety

seeds, more fertilizer usage and favorable weather conditions.

1ST QUARTER OUTLOOK CUT

An official update released yesterday showed that the Philippine Statistics Authority-Bureau of

Agricultural Statistics (PSA-BAS) has cut its palay and corn output projections for this quarter due to a

contraction of harvest area; a drop in yield due to the impact of storms Seniang and Amang that affected

southern Luzon and the Visayas in December last year and January, respectively; ―intense heat‖;

insufficient water supply; pests and diseases; and damage from strong winds in some provinces.Updated



Page 6


PSA-BAS estimates, as of Feb. 1, cut palay output projection for this quarter by 2.8% to 4.46 million MT

from 4.59 million MT seen in January.

The latest estimate, however, is still 3.6% more than the 4.31 million MT actually harvested in 2014‘s

first quarter.For corn, first-quarter output is now seen at 2.43 million MT, 0.6% below the earlier forecast

of 2.44 million MT but still 6.6% above the 2.28 million MT actually harvested in 2014‘s comparable

three months.The NFA Council makes import recommendations to the President, who then makes the

final decision. The NFA was transferred to the Office of the President from the Department of Agriculture

under Executive Order No. 65 last year.

Besides Mr. Dalisay, the council consists of Food Security Sec. Francis N. Pangilinan; Bangko Sentral ng

Pilipinas Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr.; Development Bank of the Philippines Chairman Jose A.

Nunez Jr.; Land Bank of the Philippines President Gilda E. Pico; Secretaries Cesar V. Purisima (Finance);

Gregory L. Domingo (Trade) Proceso J. Alcala (Agriculture) and Arsenio M. Balisacan (National

Economic and Development Authority); as well as farmer sector representative Edwin Y. Paraluman and

Board Secretary Ofelia Cortez-Reyes. -- Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=vietnam-thailand-tapped-to-supply-

rice&id=104049

Fall in rice output tests Jokowi’s food vision

Satria Sambijantoro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Tue, March 03 2015, 5:45 AM

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=vietnam-thailand-tapped-to-supply-rice&id=104049

http://www.bworldonline.com/content.php?section=TopStory&title=vietnam-thailand-tapped-to-supply-rice&id=104049



Page 7


Headlines News

Farmers reported declining rice production throughout last year, indicating a challenging test for

President Joko ―Jokowi‖ Widodo‘s goal to secure the domestic rice supply without imports.The

Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported on Monday that total output estimates, harvest area and

farmers‘ productivity in the rice sector all declined in 2014 from the previous year.Latest BPS

data show that total rice-production estimates declined 450,000 tons year-on-year to 70.8 million

tons in 2014, a sharp turnaround from a 2.2 million ton increase posted the previous year.The

declining rice production last year was due mostly to seasonal factors such as bad weather, BPS

deputy head for statistics Sasmito Hadi Wibowo told a press briefing.

Whether the new government could achieve its future goal to secure food supply without

imports, Sasmito said, would depend on whether it could realize the farming infrastructure

projects planned for this year.The Jokowi administration has vowed to improve farming

infrastructure as the President seeks to strengthen domestic food supply to make the nation less

reliant on imports. His plan includes an ambitious project to build 49 new dams over five years

to improve irrigation for local farmers.Total output of rice, the main staple food for Indonesia‘s

citizens, is targeted by Jokowi to rise to 82 million tons by the end of 2019, up more than 15

percent or by 11.2 million tons from the current level.In the corresponding period, corn

production is expected to hit 23.4 million tons from the current rate of 19 million tons, while

soybean production is hoped to reach 1 million from 953,000 tons.Coordinating Economic

Minister Sofyan Djalil said Monday that he was still optimistic about the food sovereignty goal,

citing the government‘s planned support to local farmers in order to boost their productivity.



Page 8


―We plan the involvement of the TNI [the Indonesian Military] and its Babinsa unit [non-

commissioned officers assigned to villages] to safeguard the distribution of seeds and fertilizers

and to help local farmers,‖ he said at his Jakarta office.―There will be a systematic effort to boost

rice production.‖In its efforts to bolster the domestic food supply, the new government is

hampered not only by declining rice output, but also by the prevalence of traders illicitly

manipulating rice prices in the market.This year, rice prices in certain areas of Indonesia have

already surged more than 30 percent, with Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel blaming the issue on a

―rice mafia‖ looking to push the government to open stalled imports.On Monday, the BPS

revealed a finding that justified suspicions that unscrupulous traders were hoarding rice

stockpiles to benefit from higher prices.

Despite the increase in rice prices in the market, the price of unhusked rice(gabah) produced by

local farmers fell to Rp 4,922 (0.37 US cents) per kilogram in February from Rp 5,357 per kg a

month earlier, the statistics agency reported.―Some traders are reaping huge profits here, as they

manage to buy rice at low prices from farmers and sell it at high prices,‖ said the BPS‘

Sasmito. He argued that the government‘s decision not to import rice was the correct move, as an

influx of imports would only serve to push down the value of unhusked rice sold by local

farmers, eventually affecting their welfare and purchasing power.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/03/fall-rice-output-tests-jokowi-s-food-vision.html#sthash.BiX4JEKn.dpuf

Delta farmers hope for hybrid rice gain

Farmers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta who are set to harvest F1 hybrid rice seeds and a rice crop

grown using the seeds this winter-spring hope to have very good yields.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/03/fall-rice-output-tests-jokowi-s-food-vision.html#sthash.BiX4JEKn.dpuf



Page 9


In Can Tho city's Co Do District, farmers expect the yield to

be four tonnes of seeds per hectare, higher than

before.Nguyen Van O, who is growing F1 hybrid-rice seeds

on 1.5ha in Co Do, said, "I have grown hybrid rice seeds for

14 crops. "Thanks to the advice of agricultural officials from

the Southern Seed Joint Stock Company (SSC), my skills at

planting F1 hybrid rice seeds have improved."Together with

the winter-spring crop, farmers in Co Do are growing seeds

on 85ha, including varieties like Bac Uu 903 KBL, Nam Uu

603, and HR 182.Almost half the area is part of a

Government agriculture extension programme to develop F1

hybrid seeds to expand the rate of domestically-grown

seeds.

The programme, being implemented in 2014-16, has been carried out in the mountainous northern region,

Hong (Red) Delta, north-central, south-central and Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) regions, and the

Mekong Delta.For it, the SSC has chosen Can Tho city and Hau Giang, Dak Lak, and Quang Nam

provinces to grow six varieties of F1 hybrid seeds on 240ha.It buys all the hybrid seeds for farmers.Pham

Van Hanh, a farmer in Co Do District who has grown F1 seeds the last six seasons, said growing hybrid

seeds needed a lot of labour and costed around VND30 million (US$1,400) per hectare.The seeds fetched

VND20,000 a kilogramme and farmers could earn a profit of VND50 million ($2,380) per hectare from a

crop, he said.

Nguyen Hoang Tuan, deputy general director of the SSC, said the main factor for success was that

farmers had been trained to grow these seeds. So the rice plants grew well, had less diseases and yielded

many seeds, he said.Around 300 tonnes of hybrid seeds grown under the programme in winter-spring will

be sold at 14 per cent lower than the cost of imported seeds, according to the SSC.In Viet Nam hybrid rice

strains are grown on around 700,000ha a year, or 10 per cent of the total area under the crop.Domestically

produced F1 seeds meet only a third of the demand and the country has to import 11,000-12,000 tonnes

every year.

New varieties

Farmer Tran Van Chin, who has planted KC06-1 hybrid rice for the first time in Long An Province's Tan

Lap District, said he would harvest his crop next week, and estimates a yield of 10 tonnes per hectare.The

variety grew well and was resistant to rice blast disease, a common disease in the Mekong Delta, he

said.KC06 hybrid rice varieties were created by SSC and include KC06-1, KC06-2, and KC06-3.Tran

Quang Giau, head of the Kien Giang Province Department of Plant Protection, said during winter-spring

the weather was cold and there was often fog, creating conducive conditions for rice blast disease.

Non-hybrids required more pesticides to prevent diseases while KC06 varieties did not need pesticides, he

said.Besides, hybrids grew well even in acidic soil and could thus be planted in the Long Xuyen

Quadrangle and Ca Mau Peninsula, he said.Prof Bui Thi Tram, a hybrid-rice scientist, said KC06 varieties


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

10


were resistant to diseases, salinity, and acidic soil.They had great potential in the context of the increasing

effects of climate change on agriculture, especially in the Mekong Delta, she said.

VNS

Tags:hybrid rice

National scene: Ministry to revamp rice-for-poor program

The Jakarta Post, Pekanbaru | National | Mon, March 09 2015, 6:09 AM The Social Affairs Ministry has unveiled plans to improve the national rice for the poor (raskin) program

in an effort to overcome rice shortages.Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the plan

was also aimed at curbing graft.―The Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK] has requested that the

raskin program be redesigned,‖ Khofifah said on Saturday.Khofifah said that the ministry had enlisted

several other government institutions, including the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in the restructuring

program.

The plan was to start the restructuring program without affecting food sufficiency.A number of regions

have experienced rice shortages over the past several weeks. Last month, the ministry appealed to Bulog

to immediately distribute rice to the poor.―Based on instructions issued by Vice President Jusuf Kalla,

Bulog should immediately distribute rice to the poor,‖ Khofifah said on Feb. 24

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/09/national-scene-ministry-revamp-rice-poor-

program.html#sthash.2c1VCkPL.dpuf

Rice Production Up in State

By Express News Service

Published: 09th March 2015 06:06 AM

Last Updated: 09th March 2015 06:06 AM

KOCHI: There has been an increase in the state‘s rice production in autumn (July-Oct) season

due to increased use of areas that were lying unutilised or underutilised in the previous

years.According to the latest data, the total production of rice showed an increase of 20,232

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/09/national-scene-ministry-revamp-rice-poor-program.html#sthash.2c1VCkPL.dpuf

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/09/national-scene-ministry-revamp-rice-poor-program.html#sthash.2c1VCkPL.dpuf



11


tonnes or 14.32 per cent to 161,476 tonnes in 2014-15, compared to previous year‘s 141,234

tonnes.

Last year‘s increase in production figures comes after a decline of 12.32 per cent in 2013-14

compared to 2012-13, when the production stood at 161,083 tonnes. 2014-15‘s figures are also

higher than the production in 2012-13. The area of cultivation increased from 51923 hectares in

2013-14 to 63981 hectares in 2014-15, as per the Directorate of Economics and Statistics.Paddy

is cultivated in three seasons in Kerala with winter (Nov-Feb) season (50.5 per cent of total

production) accounting for the biggest in terms of production and least in summer (Mar-Jun)

season (23 per cent).

Palakkad district occupies number one position in production in autumn and winter seasons and

Alappuzha district occupies number one position in summer season. Alappuzha, Kannur and

Kasargod districts are in the next positions in autumn season, where as Thrissur, Alappuzha,

Wayanad and Kottayam occupy the next positions in winter season and Thrissur, Kottayan and

Palakkad comes next in summer season.

In the last autumn season, Palakkad, the highest producing district in autumn season, showed a

decline in production to 95,178 tonnes from 97,030 tonnes, though there was an increase in area

of cultivation from 35561 hectares to 37371 hectare in 2014-15.Alappuzha, considered the ‗rice

bowl of Kerala‘, showed a steep increase in production from 20,589 tonnes to 28,432 tonnes as

the area of cultivation increased to 11,073 hectares from 6339 hectare, a growth of 74 per

cent.Kottayam also showed a sharp increase in production in 2014-15-from 2,834 tonnes to

14,354 tonnes as the area of cultivation rose from 1106 hectares to 5059 hectares.The area under

rice has been declining consistently over the last several years. After a long period of continuous

decline, area under rice increased from 2.29 lakh ha in 2007-08 to 2.34 lakh ha in 2008-09 but it

sharply declined by 20828 ha in 2010-11 period over to the previous year, according to the

government.

A rich harvest

■ Palakkad district occupies number one position in production in autumn and winter seasons

and Alappuzha district occupies number one position in summer season.

■ There has been a rise in the production due to increased use of areas that were lying unutilised

in the previous years.

■ The total production of rice shows an increase of 20,232 tonnes or 14.32 per cent to 161,476

tonnes in 2014-15, compared to previous year‘s 141,234 tonnes.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Rice-Production-Up-in-

State/2015/03/09/article2705197.ece

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Rice-Production-Up-in-State/2015/03/09/article2705197.ece

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/Rice-Production-Up-in-State/2015/03/09/article2705197.ece



12


NFA approves Vietnam, Thailand rice deals

Reuters

Posted at 03/09/2015 12:34 PM

MANILA - The Philippines' state grains procurement agency awarded rice supply deals for up to

500,000 tonnes to the world's top rice exporters, Vietnam and Thailand, and said it would not

rule out importing more this year.Officials of the National Food Authority (NFA), however, have

yet to discuss any new plan for imports, a spokesman told Reuters on Monday, after announcing

the council's approval of the government-to-government deals with Vietnam and

Thailand."There are no discussions yet" in the NFA Council on any additional purchases, the

spokesman said.Vietnam will deliver 300,000 tonnes while Thailand will ship 200,000 tonnes

before May to build up state stockpiles ahead of the lean harvest season which begins in July.

The deals followed an auction held on Feb. 27.The Philippines remains one of the world's

biggest rice buyers despite record-high domestic harvests in recent years, including last

year's.The Southeast Asian nation imported around 1.7 million tonnes last year, the biggest

amount in four years, as local supplies run low, pushing food price inflation to the highest in

more than five years.Unlike last year, however, there is little pressure now for the NFA to rush

purchases as the country's rice inventory stood at more 2.35 million tonnes as of last month, up

17.3 percent from a year earlier, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

The agency is also looking to buy as much as 189,845 tonnes of paddy rice from local farmers

from January to June this year, the highest volume since 2010, when first-half purchases totalled

230,965 tonnes.The government expects the country's paddy rice output in the first half to rise 2

percent from a year earlier to 8.55 million tonnes

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/09/15/nfa-approves-vietnam-thailand-rice-deals

Investors eye Myanmar's rich potential for rice growing

P e t c h a n e t P r a t r u a n g k r a i

The Nation

P u b l i c a t i o n Da t e : 0 9 -0 2 -2 0 1 5

Myanmar may go back to being one of the world's major rice exporters in five to 10 years, as many Thai

and foreign investors are looking to expand in rice mills and farms in the country.Thai traders and experts

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/09/15/nfa-approves-vietnam-thailand-rice-deals



13


all believe that Myanmar has great potential to become a major rice producer in the near future because it

has plenty of land with good quality soil for raising rice, abundant water and a strategic location for

distributing rice.Vichai Sriprasert, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said last

week that some rice millers and exporters have started exploring Myanmar to establish mills and

parboiled rice processing plants after realising the country's potential to produce large quantities of the

commodity for export.

"Thai investors are studying Myanmar's investment laws and regulations. Once all issues are clarified,

they can start investing in a few years," he said.Most investors are considering setting up large-scale rice

mills to make their investment worthwhile. To build a large mill that processes up to 500 tonnes of rice a

year, an investment of up to 300 million baht is required, not including the cost of land.The areas that

Thai rice traders are eyeing are around Yangon and in rice-growing areas along major rivers in Myanmar,

such as the Ayeyarwaddy River and Bago, which flows through the central region, the Thanlwin or

Salween River, which connects to Thailand, and the Sittaung River, which lies in the east-central part of

the country.

Besides the existing rice growing areas, 40 million to 50 million rai of land in the country could be

developed and promoted for growing rice.Other foreign investors that are also keen on investing in the

farming industry, including rice, come from mainland China, Japan and Korea, and from the Middle

East.Myanmar used to be the world's largest rice supplier before the 1980s. However, after the military

government closed the country, local farmers shunned rice, as the returns became less attractive.However,

to invest in rice or other farming businesses, Thai companies need to form a joint venture with local

operators, as local farming businesses are restricted to only Myanmar citizens.Chareon Laothammatas,

president of the association, said that with the food security policy of many foreign governments, many

rice importing countries are looking to expand to developing countries including Myanmar and other

countries in Asean.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, Myanmar is projected to export 1.3 million-1.5 million

tonnes of rice this year, up from about 1.3 million tonnes last year.In 2014-15, rice production in

Myanmar is forecast to increase by 1 per cent to 12.16 million tonnes in anticipation of continued

expansion of the growing area.The construction of eight dams, which were targeted to be completed last

year, and the renovation of drainage canals in flood zones and deep-water areas in the Ayeyarwaddy

region, are likely to increase the planting acreage for dry season rice.Aat Pisanwanich, director of the

Centre for International Trade Studies, said Myanmar is one of the high-potential countries that have

attracted the interest of many Thai investors and rice is one of the potential businesses.

Rice production in Myanmar is cheaper than in Thailand, while Myanmar has many positive factors

including plenty of space, water supply and a location to support rice growing and exporting.The study

found the cost of rice production in Myanmar is about 7,122 baht per rai, and could be lower after state



14


dams are built and operating.The centre's study also forecast that Thailand would lose a total of 87.5

billion baht (or 8.7 billion baht per year) in rice exports to 2022 if a serious effort is not made to develop

the industry. The Thai share of the world market is tipped to drop to 2.3 per cent from 2.5 per cent last

year.The lost market share will go to neighbouring countries - Vietnam and Myanmar.

Thailand's market share in Asia would slump from 1.3 per cent in 2013 to just 0.3 per cent in 10 years

because other rice-exporting nations - mainly Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar - will play a more

significant role in supplying the continental market.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-71544.html

Rice exports to plunge as Thailand offloads grain from its

stockpiles Reuters Mar 2, 2015, 12.15PM IST

Tags:Thailand|stocks|rice|exports|bangkok

("The Thai govt's efforts…)

MUMBAI/BANGKOK: India's rice exports will struggle to

compete with cheaper cargoes from No.1 seller Thailand in

2015 as Bangkok looks to offload grain from its huge state

stockpiles, industry officials and traders said.B.V. Krishna

Rao, managing director of leading Indian rice shipper

Pattabhi Agro Foods Pvt Ltd, said the country's exports could

plunge by a fifth this year to 8 million tonnes, with some

other industry officials in the country making similar

warnings.Lower exports will leave more rice in Indian hands,

piling pressure on already-bulging storage and raising the

spectre of grain getting damaged in temporary silos.

But competition among the world's top two exporters will drag further on prices that have fallen

5 percent since the start of October. That's good news for African nations like Nigeria and

Senegal that are typically major buyers of Asian rice."The Thai government's efforts to sell rice

from its own warehouses has been putting pressure on global prices and limiting Indian exports,"

said Rao.Thailand will open a tender to sell around 1 million tonnes of rice in March, as it tries

to shift over 17 million tonnes of rice built up under a controversial subsidy scheme.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-71544.html

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Thailand

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/stocks

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/rice

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/exports

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/bangkok

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/rice

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/exports

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Thailand

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Bangkok

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo/46427682.cms



15


It aims to sell 10 million tonnes in 2015 and 7 million next year.Indian exporters can compete

with private Thai traders, but not with the government as it can cut prices to generate demand for

old stock, said M. Adishankar, executive director at Sri Lalitha, a major rice exporter in southern

India.In the latest tender, Thailand sold 5-percent broken rice from old stocks for $236 to $378

per tonne, although the market price for new crops was around $415. India has recently offered

the same grade at around $400.

"The government's rice is old and has been stored for a long time so its value depreciates

accordingly ... there is always a price gap between new rice and old rice," said an official at the

Thai Rice Exporters Association, who declined to be identified.India, which lost the top rice

exporter spot in 2014, could see its shipments of non-basmati or common grade rice fall by

nearly a quarter to 5 million tonnes in 2015, while exports of aromatic basmati could drop over

14 percent to 3 million tonnes, Rao said.Basmati sales have also been hit after top buyer Iran

suspended imports late last year to support local farmers, although one exporter expected

shipments to restart in April.Rice inventories at India's state-run agencies had jumped to around

25 million tonnes by Feb. 1, nearly double the targeted level, government data shows.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-03-02/news/59684014_1_thai-rice-exporters-

association-new-rice-5-percent-broken-rice

Over 7,000 tons of rice distributed to provinces

17:12 | 06/03/2015

The Prime Minister has decided to take food from the

national reserves for localities in between crop

harvests.Under the decision, the Prime Minister

assigned the Ministry of Finance to take 6,930 tons of

rice to assist 9 provinces, including Quang Ngai

(1,371 tons), Ninh Binh (265 tons), Ha Nam (1,284

tons), Kon Tum (279 tons), Quang Tri (668 tons), Lai

Chau (847 tons), Ninh Thuan (523 tons), Quang Binh

(1,219 tons) and Gia Lai (over 475 tons).In his

decision, the Prime Minister also asked the provincial

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/stocks

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-03-02/news/59684014_1_thai-rice-exporters-association-new-rice-5-percent-broken-rice

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-03-02/news/59684014_1_thai-rice-exporters-association-new-rice-5-percent-broken-rice



16


People‘s Committees to receive and wisely use the allocated rice.In early 2015, the Prime Minister

directed the distribution of rice to the provinces of Quang Tri, Lao Cai, Nghe An, Tuyen Quang, Binh

Dinh Quang Ngai, Yen Bai, Ninh Binh, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Ha Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Ninh Thuan,

Quang Binh, Phu Yen and Thanh Hoa./.

Photo for illustration (Source: vtv.vn)

http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News_English/News_Detail_E.aspx?CN_ID=702470&CO_ID=3018

1

APEDA News

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 07-03-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Rice

1 Cachar (Assam) Other 2000 2500

2 Deogarh (Orissa) Other 2000 3000

3 Mannar (Kerala) Other 3500 3700

Wheat

1 Amirgadh (Gujarat) Other 1675 1675

2 Manvi (Karnataka) Other 1550 1560

3 Cherthala(Kerala) Other 3200 3400

Apple





17


1 Karanjia (Orissa) Other 4000 4500

2 Banga(Punjab) Other 3200 3562

3 Ramnagar(Uttrakhand) Other 3000 5000

Brinjal

1 Cherthala (Kerala) Other 1500 2000

2 Banki (Orissa) Other 1400 1600

3 Dhekiajuli(Assam) Other 700 800

Source: agmarknet for more products

Egg Rs per 100 No.

Price on 07-03-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 285

2 Ajmer 255

3 Chittoor 288

Source: e2necc.com

International Benchmark Price

Price on: 06-03-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Apricots

1 Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t) 6125

2 Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t) 4875

3 Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t) 3625

Raisins

1 Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2591

2 South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2298

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/ind_prices/ind_prices.aspx

http://e2necc.com/



18


White Sugar

1 Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t) 879

2 Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t) 483

3 Thai, FOB (USD/t) 425

Source:agra-net for more products

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package

Price on 06-03-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 50 lb sacks

1 Atlanta Mexico

Yellow 14 14.50

2 Baltimore New York Yellow

10 11

3 Chicago Nevada

Yellow 10 10.50

Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta Mexico White

17 17.50

2 Detroit California

White 33 34

3 Miami Mexico

White 19 20

Grapes Package: 18 lb containers bagged

1 Atlanta Chile Black Seedless

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 09-03-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/int_prices/international_price.aspx



19


Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Maize

1 Amreli (Gujarat) Other 1220 1515

2 Koraput (Orissa) Other 1310 1330

3 Saharsa (Bihar) Other 1310 1600

Paddy(Dhan)

1 Borsad (Gujarat) Other 1225 1350

2 Bonai (Orissa) Other 1360 1400

3 Kota(Rajasthan) Other 1257 2101

Grapes

1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 3000 3500

2 Abohar(Punjab) Other 3500 6000

3 Ateli(Haryana) Other 4500 4500

Carrot

1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 3600 3800

2 Bonai (Orissa) Other 1000 1500

3 Asandh(Haryana) Other 750 800

Source: agmarknet for more products

Egg Rs per 100 No.

Price on 09-03-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Pune 290

2 Mysore 283

3 Nagapur 252

Source: e2necc.com

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/ind_prices/ind_prices.aspx

http://e2necc.com/



20


International Benchmark Price

Price on: 09-03-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Garlic

1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1800

2 Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe

(USD/t) 2000

3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1300

Ginger

1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4600

2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 5100

3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3000

Guar Gum Powder

1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2350

2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1800

3 Indian 200 mesh 5500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 3101

Source:agra-net for more products

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package

Price on 09-03-2015

Product Market

Center Origin Variety Low High

Potatoes Package: 50 lb cartons

1 Baltimore Colorado

Russet 18 18

2 Chicago Idaho Russet

15 17

3 Detroit Wisconsin

Russet 13 14.50

Cucumbers Package: cartons film wrapped

http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/int_prices/international_price.aspx



21


1 Baltimore Mexico Long Seedless

10 12

2 Detroit Canada

Long Seedless 8 9.50

3 Miami Honduras

Long Seedless 8 10

Grapefruit Package: 4/5 bushel cartons

1 Baltimore Florida Red

18 18

King visits royal projects at Chitralada Farm

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

By NNT

7 0 3 0

BANGKOK, 10 March 2015 - His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on late Monday afternoon (March

9) proceeded from Siriraj Hospital to observe royal projects at Chitralad Farm in the compound of

Chitralada Villa. At the Farm, His Majesty stopped at the Demonstration Rice Mill and toured around an

exhibition on the use of solar energy in rice milling, put up inside the mill.

The Demonstration Rice Mill mill was established in 1971 following the royal initiative to encourage

farmers to group themselves into cooperatives so that they would be strong enough to set up and run their

own rice mill, instead of selling their paddy at low price to private millers. His Majesty at that time

donated his own fund for the establishment of a demonstration rice mill to provide knowledge to farmers

on milling techniques and appropriate ways to store various types of paddy.

His Majesty later proceeded past the Suan Dusit powder milk factory and a UHT milk production center

before taking a rest at the solar-powered house built by the Defense Energy Department in honor of His

Majesty the King on the Golden Jubilee of His Majesty‘s Accession to the Throne in 1996.

His Majesty spent about an hour at the Chitralada Farm before returning to Siriraj Hospital at 4.43 p.m.



22


http://www.pattayamail.com/news/king-visits-royal-projects-at-chitralada-farm-

45493#sthash.yTNtUUBA.dpuf

Chhattisgarh PDS rice scam: probe widens as police find a

list with names, alleged bribes

Written by Ashutosh Bhardwaj | Raipur | Updated: March 10, 2015 9:41 am

The Chhattisgarh anti-corruption bureau (ACB), which is probing irregularities in supply of rice

for the public distribution system (PDS) in the state, is scrutinising an alleged balance sheet

which lists, among others, senior IAS officers and personal assistants to the food minister and

chief secretary as beneficiaries of illegal commissions.The five-page balance sheet, recovered by

the ACB from the office of Girish Sharma, personal assistant to Chhattisgarh State Civil

Supplies Corporation managing director Anil Tuteja (Sharma has since been suspended and

Tuteja removed), also has references to individuals which, it is alleged, point to Chief Minister

Raman Singh‘s wife, sister-in-law and personal assistant.

But the ACB says the inferences being drawn to involve the Chief Minister are not

correct.Additional Director General (ACB) Mukesh Gupta told The Indian Express: ―These

papers have names of some officers, but their involvement is yet to be established. It‘s a big

seizure. Things are still emerging. We can say anything only after the investigation is over.‖It is

alleged that Girish Sharma — the ACB said he also owns a department store called Suvidha Mart

— prepared a list of beneficiaries of illegal commissions received from millers who were

allowed to mix poor quality rice and sell it to the state government for the PDS.An entry in one

of Sharma‘s sheets is dated December 5, 2014 and mentions a Rs 3-lakh transaction:

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/king-visits-royal-projects-at-chitralada-farm-45493#sthash.yTNtUUBA.dpuf

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/king-visits-royal-projects-at-chitralada-farm-45493#sthash.yTNtUUBA.dpuf

http://indianexpress.com/profile/author/ashutosh-bhardwaj/



23


―Chandrakarji ne jo CM Madam ko diya tha usse Barik ko diya (What Chandrakarji gave to CM

Madam was handed over to Barik)‖.The food department has two employees named Chandrakar

while K K Barik is the personal assistant of Raman Singh‘s former personal secretary S S Bhatt,

a manager at the Raipur headquarters of the civil supplies corporation. Bhatt was suspended after

Rs 1.62 crore was recovered from his office by the ACB — both Bhatt and Sharma declined

comment.The ACB does not agree that this entry refers to Raman Singh‘s wife. ACB chief

Gupta said: ―CM Madam here refers to the wife of Chintamani Chandrakar, a staff in the food

department.

The ACB points out that on December 5, the date mentioned in the sheet, Raman Singh‘s wife

Veena Singh was not even in Chhattisgarh. Critically ill, she was under treatment outside the

state, the ACB said.Another entry dated November 24 mentions ―Rs 2500 Mobile for Bahadur‖

while an undated entry shows Rs 15,000 against ―Car for Bahadur‖. Raman Singh‘s personal

assistant is Bahadur but Gupta said: ―The driver of managing director Tuteja is also Bahadur.

This entry refers to him.‖

There is also an undated entry of Rs 3 lakh for Aishwarya Residency in Raipur. While the

upscale apartment complex is where Raman Singh‘s sister-in-law lives, the ACB says many

families live there.Last month, the ACB recovered Rs 3.64 crore from the offices of continued…

First Published on: March 10, 20153:37 am

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chhattisgarh-pds-rice-scam-probe-widens-as-police-

find-a-list-with-names-alleged-bribes/

IT’S NOT THE SIZE, BUT HOW IT’S USED: LESSON

FOR ASEAN RICE RESERVES – ANALYSIS

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chhattisgarh-pds-rice-scam-probe-widens-as-police-find-a-list-with-names-alleged-bribes/2

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chhattisgarh-pds-rice-scam-probe-widens-as-police-find-a-list-with-names-alleged-bribes/

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/chhattisgarh-pds-rice-scam-probe-widens-as-police-find-a-list-with-names-alleged-bribes/



24


MARCH 9, 2015

By RSIS

ASEAN‘s approach to stabilising rice markets and averting crises has focused on having sufficient rice

stocks as a buffer. Insights from stabilisation in currency markets show that reserve size is not as

important as the way it is used to reduce overall risk exposure.

By Jose Ma. Luis P. Montesclaros

Stabliziing ASEAN rice markets is a crucial

concern for averting crises such as the 2007-08

global rice crisis. The current strategy towards

this is by growing the size of rice reserves in

the ASEAN-Plus-Three Emergency Ri ce

Reserve (APTERR), although the APTERR

has been critiqued for its small size relative to

total demand and low utilisation.A look into

the stabilisation policies in currency markets

shows that more important than size is the way

the reserves are used to incentivise actors towards behaviours that reduce risk exposure. As such, the

limited reserves in APTERR can be used for encouraging behaviours such as increasing

transparency/reporting, increasing partner diversification, and addressing structural imbalances in

agricultural production and consumption within countries.

Current criticisms on reserve size

Rice, as a commodity, is subject to unstable market dynamics. For instance, chance events such as a

drought in India‘s wheat market, combined with panic reactions by both exporters and importers,

triggered world rice prices to soar in 2007-08. This developed into a crisis when Thailand and Vietnam,

major exporting countries, closed their export gates following India‘s lead. This left rice importing

countries unable to purchase the needed amounts for meeting their own demand.



25


Structurally, risks of the recent crisis recurring are high since the top five exporters (India, Thailand,

Vietnam, the United States and Pakistan) occupy 81% of global rice trade, as reported by the International

Rice Research Institute. Production shortfalls in any of the five countries are likely to cause panic. Worse

still is if they engage in strategic behaviour of holding stocks to drive prices up (in fact, a rice cartel was

proposed by Thailand in 2012). Lastly, countries hardly provide accurate data on how much stocks they

have, making it harder to assess risk.

To address instability in the rice market, the 10 ASEAN countries plus China, Japan and South Korea

developed the ASEAN-Plus-Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), a multilateral institution that

holds rice reserves contributed by member countries for use during crises. The attention given in the

media is often to the low amount of reserves relative to demand. ASEAN reports show that compared to

an ASEAN demand of half a million tonnes of rice per day, APTERR is small as its overall size is only at

787,000 tonnes (enough to cover a day and a half of consumption). Overall recommendations for

APTERR have focussed on increasing accumulation and accessibility of its reserves for crises.

Of the total reserves, 87,000 tonnes come from all 10 ASEAN countries combined while the rest are

sourced from the ―Plus Three‖ countries (Japan, Korea, China), leading to calls for increasing

contributions by ASEAN countries. Relatedly, it has been critiqued for its low utilisation rate: member

countries prefer to have country-to-country rice purchases because the APTERR‘s mechanism poses the

risk that the needed rice/funds are not delivered soon enough. For instance, it requires a time-consuming

process of crisis declarations by countries in need and approvals by member countries.

How reserves should be used: It is not the size

However, the approach to rice market stabilisation through the APTERR may be insufficient from the

standards of currency market stabilisation. Rice and currency markets are comparable for a few reasons:

Firstly, they both deal with priced commodities, the latter being priced based on the exchange rate.The

International Monetary Fund (IMF) was setup after the Second World War for the purpose of stabilising

exchange rates. Similar to the APTERR, the IMF also has a system of holding reserves and releasing

them for stabilisation purposes though it has committed to doing things differently, learning from the

2007-08 global financial crisis.

The IMF has moved on from issues of size and utilisation. A key insight to be learned from its practices

in currency market stabilisation is its shift from crisis resolution to crisis prevention.What the IMF will be

doing differently is its use of reserves to influence countries towards reducing risk, by tailoring the



26


criteria for accessing reserves. Firstly, data adequacy is a key criterion for which country receives funds,

and how much of it a country can tap. Next, these criteria also include behavioural adjustments which

would reduce structural instabilities in the countries concerned, in the areas of external position and

market access, fiscal policy, monetary policy and financial sector soundness. In sum, the use of reserves is

only a last resort for the IMF while most of its work focuses on stabilising the structures of economies so

that they will have no need for the said emergency mechanism in the first place.

Moving forward: A change in perspective

Applying this to rice market stabilisation, the criteria for release of rice reserves can be tailored towards

incentivising countries to reduce their vulnerability to risk, individually. Firstly, net-importing countries

can be incentivised to prioritise rice production so that they can reduce external dependence, and to

spread their risk by diversifying into other export partners. Strategic indicators may be drawn from

current food security databases, including the Economist Intelligence Unit‘s Global Food Security Index,

or Syngenta‘s Rice Bowl Index.Next, the APTERR can also adopt the data adequacy criterion used by the

IMF to reward countries for reporting country data on rice stocks held. This would allow it to perform

effective surveillance in countries, which in turn would feed into better recommendations for reducing

long-term structural risks.

Learning from stabilisation practices in currency markets, APTERR reserves should be used not simply as

a buffer for crisis purposes. Instead, they should be tapped for incentivising countries towards reducing

overall systemic risk. In this regard, it would not be the size of APTERR, but its potential for reducing

overall risk, which should be the focus in the next APTERR meeting in 2015.

*Jose Ma. Luis P. Montesclaros is an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional

Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological

University in Singapore.

Basmati rice exports to Iran likely to resume soon



27


Iran had stopped issuing import permits since October 2014

Dilip Kumar Jha | Mumbai

March 10, 2015 Last Updated at 10:14 IST

After several rounds of discussions, Iran is likely to start issuing permits to Indian exporters, paving the

way for basmati exports. ―India may resume exports of basmati rice exports to Iran early next year,‖ said

Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Exports Organisation (FIEO).Basmati rice

exports from India in 2013-14 are likely to decline 10% due to Iran‘s temporary stoppage of fresh order

issuances. The country has not issued any fresh import permits after October 2014.

However, execution of existing and past orders has continued. ―India does not face any ban in terms of

basmati rice exports to Iran. Only thing is Iran has not issued import permits, which it does to any country

before bringing consignments into its territory, since October due to oversupply. During past years, Iran

had imported large quantity of basmati rice from India,‖ said A K Gupta, Director, Agricultural &

Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda).Once, import permit is issued, India

would commence exports of basmati rice to Iran, said Gupta.

India‘s overall basmati rice exports declined by

over 6% at 2.57 million tonne during April and

December 2014 as compared to 2.74 million

tonne reported in the corresponding period last

year. In value terms, overall basmati rice exports

declined by 2.64% to $3373.23 million in the first

nine months of the current fiscal as compared to

$3464.74 million in the same period last year.

But average per tonne realisation increased to Rs

80,000 this year as compared to Rs 75,000 during

the previous year.While country-wise bifurcation

is not available, experts believe, exports to Iran

has declined by 15-20% this year.

Basmati rice exports

Financial Year Quantity (million

tonnes) Value ($ million)

2014-15* 2.57 3373.23

2013-14 3.76 4866.29

2012-13 3.46 3564.05

2011-12 3.18 3222.3

Source : Apeda, * Apr-Dec ‘14 period

http://www.business-standard.com/author/search/keyword/dilip-kumar-jha

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Iran

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Basmati+Rice+Exports

http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Import+Permits



28


Iran is the largest basmati rice importer, accounting for around 60-65% of total premium rice exports

from India. India exported 1.44 million tonne of basmati rice worth $1,834.55 million to Iran in 2013-14.

During 2012-13, however, basmati rice shipments to Iran totaled 1.08 million tonne worth $1187.23

million.Basmati rice was India‘s second largest export commodity after buffalo meat.

A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Orgnisation (FAO) of the United Nations estimated Iran‘s

rice output in 2014 at all time record of 3 million tonne as compared to 2.9 million tonne and 2.8 million

in the two subsequent previous years. Total cereal output in Iran, however, is estimated to decline by

4.4% to 20.4 million tonne in 2014 as compared to 21.4 million tonne and 21.3 million tonne in 2013 and

2012 respectively.Apart from basmati rice, India exports non-basmati rice and other cereals to Iran to the

tune of around $150 million annually.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-exports-to-iran-likely-to-resume-soon-

115031000181_1.html

In Memory: Mike Danna

Mike Danna

BATON ROUGE, LA -- USA Rice is deeply saddened by the death of

Michael Danna, director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm

Bureau Federation and host of the organization's long-running

television program "This Week in Louisiana Agriculture." He died

Friday, March 6, in Baton Rouge at age 54 after a battle with

cancer.Mike was a great friend and supporter of the Louisiana and U.S.

rice industries. "Mike was one of the first journalists to interview me

after I became affiliated with USA Rice," said Betsy Ward, president

and CEO of USA Rice. "He was a true professional and an outstanding

broadcaster.

Mike was very knowledgeable about, and a passionate supporter of, the rice industry. He will be

missed."A memorial service in Mike's honor is scheduled on Saturday, March 14 from 8-11 a.m., at

Baker Funeral Home, 6401 Groom Road in Baker. In lieu of flowers, the Danna family has asked that

contributions be made to a Louisiana State University scholarship to be established in Mike's name.

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-exports-to-iran-likely-to-resume-soon-115031000181_1.html

http://www.business-standard.com/article/markets/basmati-rice-exports-to-iran-likely-to-resume-soon-115031000181_1.html



29


Donations for the scholarship can be made online at www.lsufoundation.org or via check payable to LSU

Foundation, in memory of Mike Danna in the notation line, and mailed to LSU Foundation, 3838 West

Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 or to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge,

www.cancerservices.org.

Louisiana Shorebird Extravaganza to Connect Working

Rice Lands with Precious Habitat

JENNINGS, LA -- The same folks who host the Yellow Rails and Rice

Festival each fall have organized a new festival, called "Waders in

Working Wetlands: Shorebird Extravaganza," that highlights the

springtime abundance of bird life in the rice-crawfish agricultural areas

of southwest Louisiana.The new festival is scheduled for April 29 -

May 3and based on the Shorebird Blitz, an "all-out shorebird count" in

Louisiana's southwest rice-growing region, first held in May 2010.

USA Rice Federation has joined 46 other organizations in support of the festival, including Ducks

Unlimited. Registration is online and includes a choice of field trips, socials, and workshops."The Yellow

Rails Festival is a great showcase for the harmonious relationship between working ricelands and wildlife

habitat," said festival co-founder and Chairman of the Louisiana Rice Promotion Board Kevin Berken.

"The Shorebird Extravaganza will complement our fall festival by providing birders the opportunity to

see many additional species not present during late fall. In the spring, the birds will be singing and in

gorgeous breeding plumage.

"Berken continued, "Many species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles take advantage of the

wetland habitat created by rice farmers, making rice a unique agricultural crop where food production and

conservation go hand in hand."Birding conservation and rice lands are attracting more and more attention

lately. In addition to being a part of the national USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Regional Conservation

Partnership Program, Louisiana recently received $1.2 million of its own from the U.S. Department of

Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service to help fund three state conservation programs that

work on rice, waterfowl, water quantity, quality, and sustainability."Festivals like ours draw public

attention to the good conservation work already being undertaken by rice growers, and serve as proof

positive to legislators and regulators that rice lands have enormous value beyond the commercial

agriculture aspects," added Berken.

http://www.cancerservices.org/

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0016iOJiAHt11wmuVXzgRu8-7vhUC-VtNfxoiwsxG1JwoKrQexJRyAmtjIgp_VigbiythnARqECs_70pctyWUkWCp-WyulNGAMyAPG12zwYuakQwsolKsbFs6_6kRHAN1PJG0GT9QonTjyBtR4d5iCjLnuXEJ3a6Bx7dg-7iqqGRP8wI_4Qj9Y62WGxapd9pATxtW-tiMDHxWg-O9Sy7SroLqSK0MpmaoysBKUM0OVCOlf_NZ-GU4hmvMg2F8ib8ADA-weQvovMKAOebX6Vj99NYLRKmJS3PnZjrNn8Ec3srTtSaGdXtkeg6cVgBn7ID_bocs32jF2Cbek3va0o3epzJbzrbqIg45WvFIEWvDVZx31_mZ7G121wOdn4dWY9rYFXmt_tqDkpsqw6769MoAQhwphlH6ZyGdt6zDz9kwtW8EL-sUak2zDwjxcffXbVvxKmPG5Jj66Bs_1M6KH_p2NCpGgCI107ymeNhvbE7PR4Jd072c_DKToSFw==&c=ku_i8dWV9bZbGGVYevECEBeGzvB0YkjRFOlvPRHUZRfqaZS5A7b4nQ==&ch=99d5iN2lmzowZ0_grbaiDSNhM7yx5LPmaKdkcNdwjpQSGJFWcgb9Nw==



30


Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for March 9

Month Price Net Change

March 2015 $10.305 + $0.070

May 2015 $10.535 + $0.060

July 2015 $10.785 + $0.050

September 2015 $10.930 + $0.060

November 2015 $11.090 + $0.060

January 2016 $11.230 + $0.065

March 2016 $11.230 + $0.065

Ken Bridges: Fuller's vision started Arkansas' rice

revolution

Ken Bridges

Posted: Friday, March 6, 2015 5:38 pm

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0016iOJiAHt11wmuVXzgRu8-7vhUC-VtNfxoiwsxG1JwoKrQexJRyAmtt0oRr4w9FN0sHyleSSK5QXkgKtSJwNgXDDl0H9f1Imyyo666P0f8mZP7bJwItda5LNgNHqrKp3gZe5mtIRuI4d2MUw4796a8ZscWN0a2hR8VupxZTLpJzXTw7-6ZJdKjLPcviEeM_diEnygAYw3JM8WlfULu5qEXsoE5cb0_YjTtd-LkwlYAbe61I3qfZoSyOVj19XrA2Dg_eTPGG27bR4XWopISiUctJrJ_DwlAXhoCmZ_tUrR4IovgJ1K330JhCfUeHbYGb3DOvAn7-XYLlcp4DvXFRVfIIGDIc9fi_bhmU_62JskmjsPZ-Ed7o2hp15P-X7cLZwNOVaYnRuKSXb0asDOGjD871r-hk70D4NyTRsttqS9RppSIooEqUEQVF1we7sKFRONk9NQndHY6R_8-W-Coz4g2J3qVEj6KARy&c=ku_i8dWV9bZbGGVYevECEBeGzvB0YkjRFOlvPRHUZRfqaZS5A7b4nQ==&ch=99d5iN2lmzowZ0_grbaiDSNhM7yx5LPmaKdkcNdwjpQSGJFWcgb9Nw==



31


Across the globe, rice is the staple of life. Far more than wheat

and other grains popular with the average American consumer,

rice is the most important portion of meals in hundreds of

millions of households each day. Arkansas has been the leading

rice producer in the United States for decades, all due to the

determination and imagination of William H. Fuller of Lonoke

County.While native to Asia, rice first began to be grown in

North America in 1694 in South Carolina. Rice required flooded

fields and hot climates to grow properly, which made the work

very difficult.

Modest attempts to grow rice in Arkansas were reported as early as 1819 at Arkansas Post, near

the confluence of the Mississippi and White Rivers. Further attempts were made in the early

1840s but failed again.Fuller, a Nebraska native, had grown up after the Civil War. He arrived in

the Carlisle area in the latter 1800s and established a successful farm. Paul Williams, a black

farmer and fellow Lonoke County resident had begun experimenting with rice cultivation on his

own in 1893, but the results were mixed.

Fuller became fascinated with rice after seeing the efforts of Williams as well as witnessing the

success of Louisiana rice fields on a hunting trip. By 1897, Fuller began his own experiments on

three acres. After the results fizzled, he traveled to Louisiana to learn rice farming firsthand. In

1904, with new water pumps and techniques, he tried again on 70 acres and produced an

astonishing 5,225 bushels of rice.

Area farmers were inspired by Fuller‘s success, and the rice industry took off in 1905. Investors

and land dealers streamed through the region, anxious to see the progress of the crops. By 1907,

a profitable rice mill had been completed in Lonoke County. Within four years, enough farmers

had begun producing rice to form the Rice Growers‘ Association of Arkansas. Stuttgart held its

first Rice Carnival in 1909 to celebrate the impact rice was just beginning to have. The event

would become a popular annual festival by 1918. Weiner and Hazen would establish their own

rice festivals in the years to follow. By the end of World War I, Arkansas had become the

second-largest rice producer in the nation, and the industry was still growing.

Fuller himself would remain a leading spokesman for Arkansas rice production through the

1910s. By the 1920s, rice production would rival cotton, long the heart of the state‘s agriculture.

Arkansas was the leading rice producer in the nation by the 1940s. Thousands of Arkansans

would come to be employed by the rice industry, and rice itself would be declared the state grain

in 2007.Globally, the United States ranks 11th in total rice production, well behind such nations

as China, India and Indonesia.

Nearly all the rice produced commercially in the United States today is produced in portions of

six states: California, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, and Arkansas. In 2014, the U.S.

Department of Agriculture reported that 28 eastern Arkansas counties produced rice. The state

remains by far the leading rice producer of the nation, with nearly 60 percent coming from the

Natural State. In fact, the state by itself produces nearly as much rice as South Korea each

year.One man‘s vision had started a revolution in an industry that had stayed largely the same for

http://www.thedailycitizen.com/community_news/article_ddf66242-c459-11e4-af5a-3336e323cfb8.html?mode=image&photo=0



32


generations. William Fuller lived his last years as a celebrity among farmers in the state, hailed

as the ―Father of Arkansas Rice.

‖ Just a century after his inspiration, rice had become a billion-dollar industry in Arkansas.Ken

Bridges, a History Professor at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado can be

reached at [email protected]. The South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society is

dedicated to educating the public about the state’s rich history. The SAHPS can be contacted at

P.O. Box 144, El Dorado, AR, 71730, at (870) 862-9890 or at soarkhistory.com/.

http://www.thedailycitizen.com/community_news/article_ddf66242-c459-11e4-af5a-

3336e323cfb8.html?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+9%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+Decem

ber+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Anticipating The Benefits Of A Trade Deal In The

Pacific

BY KRISTOFOR HUSTED

Ducks find a home on Chuck Earnest's rice fields. Earnest hopes to produce more rice for export markets

if the Trans Pacific Partnership is signed.

Credit Kristofor Husted / Harvest Public Media

After years of negotiations, a dozen countries – from New

Zealand up to Canada –are on the verge of a trade

agreement that could be worth billions of dollars to the

U.S. agriculture industry. Many American farmers and

ranchers are eager to see the expected benefits of the

Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP.A free trade agreement

across the Pacific Ocean could open up markets and raise

prices for him as well as other rice producers, said Chuck

Earnest, a rice farmer in southeast Missouri.

―About 40 percent of the American rice crop is exported year after year, and so we have to have

access to far more markets in order to be able to move our crop,‖ he said.The U.S. Department of


http://soarkhistory.com/

http://www.thedailycitizen.com/community_news/article_ddf66242-c459-11e4-af5a-3336e323cfb8.html?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+9%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email



http://kcur.org/people/kristofor-husted

http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kcur/files/201503/FloodedFields.jpg



33


Agriculture estimates the deal could be a $3 billion increase in agriculture exports to the region.

Tariff-free trades would be opened up across many industries, including automobiles and

pharmaceuticals. For U.S. soybean producers, the deal could mean no longer paying tariffs as

high as 20 percent in countries like Japan. For ranchers, the TPP could mean the elimination of

tariffs that are now as high as 50 percent.

―That‘s a lot of money,‖ Earnest said. ―For Missouri producers to get our share of that would be

a significant thing. It would either draw the rice price up, or it would increase rice acres in

Missouri. Either of those are good things.‖ TPP negotiations continue in Hawaii in March, and

some of the trickiest issues surround rice and other agriculture products. That‘s mostly because

of Japan, which is protective of its so-called five sacred commodities: beef and pork, wheat,

sugar, dairy and rice. ―In trade negotiations, (Japan has) tied those to motivations such as

preserving culture and food security or food safety,‖ said Wyatt Thompson, a University of

Missouri agriculture economist.

―And also other things you might not think of like flood control or having pretty

countrysides.‖Wyatt said Japan‘s strong rural farm presence influences food policy — hence

opposition to dropping agriculture tariffs and allowing more foreign competition. Although more

competitors might hurt producers in Japan, Thompson said, it could mean cheaper prices and

more variety for Japanese consumers.As for the U.S., eliminating tariffs mean more beef, pork

and rice could be sold to Japan.―For a range of commodities we might increase our exports to

Japan, which means higher U.S. prices for these commodities and somewhat greater revenue to

farmers and producers,‖ Thompson said.

Chuck Earnest, of southeast Missouri, says he and other farmers in the U.S. would benefit greatly from

more international trade deals like the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Credit Kristofor Husted / Harvest Public Media

In the United States, there are other

concerns. Some food safety groups contend the

agreement may lead to imports that don‘t meet

strict American safety standards. But the

negotiations have been private and the exact terms

of the deal are unknown, so eperts say it‘s hard to

speculate.Those in favor of an agreement,

including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom

Vilsack, say it‘s crucial to strike a deal quickly.

http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kcur/files/201503/ChuckEarnest.jpg



34


―If we don‘t get this done, the void will be filled by China and China will set the stage and set

the rules for trade with Asian nations in the future,‖ he said. ―We don‘t want to cede that

opportunity to China.‖Vilsack said to expedite approval of the deal, he and previous agriculture

secretaries have asked Congress to grant Trade Promotion Authority to President Barack Obama.

That would allow the president to negotiate a trade deal and fast track it to Congress for

approval.Ultimately, Vilsack said, nailing down a TPP agreement would help create momentum

for an even bigger trade agreement with the European Union.

TAGS: Harvest Public Media

http://kcur.org/post/anticipating-benefits-trade-deal-

pacific?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+9%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_

medium=email

Hain Celestial : Celebrates Innovation at Natural Products

Expo West 2015; Features Over 100 New and Exciting Food,

Beverage, Snack And Personal Care Products

03/09/2015 | 05:34am US/Eastern

Release date- 06032015 - LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y - The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:

HAIN), a leading organic and natural products company providing consumers with A Healthier

Way of Life, today announced that over 100 new products will be featured at Natural Products

Expo West in Anaheim, California starting today.Expo West is the world's largest event devoted

to natural and specialty food and beverages, organics, supplements, health and beauty, natural

living and pet products. Hain Celestial's products will be rolling out now through the end of 2015

and sold in selected markets in the United States. In its last fiscal year, Hain Celestial's new

products generated over $100 million in net sales on a worldwide basis.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

'This is a banner year for Hain Celestial's innovation pipeline. We are proud of our brands and

our new product innovation that demonstrates our continued leadership in the organic and natural

space,' said Irwin D. Simon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hain Celestial.

'Our ability to globally source distinctive ingredients, coupled with our nimble, innovation-

focused culture, has resulted in product uniqueness with quality and speed-to-market that rival

the rest. Our exciting line-up features food, beverage, snack and personal care products for all

http://kcur.org/term/harvest-public-media

http://kcur.org/post/anticipating-benefits-trade-deal-pacific?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+March+9%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email





35


age groups and lifestyles, with particular attention to millennial consumers, an important

segment for Hain Celestial's growth.

'Natural Products Expo West 2015 is expected to feature over 2,600 exhibitors and more than

60,000 participants who will be able to preview the exciting Hain Celestial product line-up first-

hand.'This year, our booth includes a digital experience in support of two programs. The first is

our new partnership with CARE to support girls' education around the world, and the second is

our on-going leadership to make mandatory labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

in food products a reality in the United States. Our new products along with these digital

initiatives exemplify our high standards for quality, value, enjoyment and social responsibility,'

concluded Irwin Simon.

In the year since the last Expo West Hain Celestial has acquired new brands that extend the

Company's existing portfolio of innovative and high quality natural and certified organic

products. The new brands include Rudi's Organic Bakery, a leading organic and gluten-free

brand offering a diversified line of bread and baked goods products and fresh and frozen

FreeBird chicken and Plainville Farms turkey that are never, ever given antibiotics. More

recently, Hain Celestial purchased the Live Clean personal care brand and Empire Kosher.Some

of the highlights of this year's lineup of new products includes:

Arrowhead Mills brand adds three new cereals including two new Organic Sprouted Granolas

made with organic whole sprouted oats and buckwheat in Maple & Apple and Apple and Ginger

varieties, and Organic Gluten Free Coconut Rice and Shine Hot Cereal made with Fair Trade

Coconut.BluePrint introduces new nutrient-packed 100% juices-Arugula Kale and Chard Basil.

Arugula, kale, apple, romaine, celery, cucumber, lemon and ginger provide a dose of essential

daily vitamins and minerals and superfoods chard and collards, basil, apple, romaine, celery,

cucumber and lemon combine for a flavorful and nutritious choice.

Celestial Seasonings announces completely re-imagined packaging and a variety of innovative

new product lines that appeal to new and existing tea drinkers alike. The new products include

Sleepytime Honey and Watermelon Lime Zinger Herbal Teas; Celestial Organics Herbal and

Wellness Teas; Celestial Teahouse Chai Teas; Celestial Lattes in shelf-stable ready-to-drink and

aseptic concentrate formats; Celestial Loose Leaf Tea Blending Kits; and two new flavors of

Celestial Organics Kombucha.

The DREAM brand expands its plant based offerings with a new platform of coconut based

yogurts and frozen dessert bites. Coconut Dream Yogurts have a creamy consistency with a

tropical twist and come in five luscious flavors: Plain, Vanilla, Strawberry, Blueberry and

Raspberry. Coconut Dream Frozen Dessert Bites, the first and only coconut based bite size

frozen treats, are delicious frozen nuggets coated with rich thick chocolate.Earth's Best Organic

introduces redesigned and value sized packaging and new snacks for toddlers. The Earth's Best

Tendercare Diapers and Wipes have a fresh new look, giving babies pure, chlorine free

protection. Value size options include Earth's Best Frozen Fish Nuggets, made fromMarine

Stewardship Council (MSC) certified Sustainable Alaskan Pollock and Earth's Best Organic



36


Infant formula the #1 Organic Formula brand*, is now offered in 50% larger value can. Earth's

Best Organic Freeze Dried Snacks are tiny finger-sized freeze dried fruits and veggies with a soft

texture for a nutritious first snack. Varieties include Corn & Edamame and Strawberry, Banana

& Apple.

Ella's Kitchen has new, nutritious snack and beverage options for children. Ella's Kitchen

Organic Cookies are lightly sweetened only with honey and contain 2 grams of sugar per

serving. Organic Multigrain Snacks are made with gluten free grains including Quinoa & Brown

Rice and are available in varieties including Lentil & Carrot Sticks. Kids beverage options

from Ella's Kitchen include Organic Coconut Water to help rehydrate and replenish nutrients and

Nutritional Shakes that are packed with vitamins and minerals essential for growing big and

strong.Garden of Eatin' Cantina Style Corn Tortilla Chips are thin and crispy like you'd find in an

authentic 'Mexican Cantina.' Available in White Corn with Lime and Blue Corn with Sea

Salt.GG Unique Fiber Scandinavian Thins, baked wheat crispbread in Raisin & Honey, with 40

calories and 3 grams of fiber per serving.

Imagine has a strong soup season planned for Fall of 2015. New products include Imagine

Seafood Stock which is MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified, Imagine Organic Unsalted

Free Range Chicken and Vegetable Broths sold in a 4-pack of 8 fluid ounce cartons, and a new

line of refrigerated Imagine Culinary Soup in 22 ounce tubs in 5 delicious varieties, including 3

vegetarian soups such as Potato & Kale, and 2 chicken soups including Lemon Chicken

Quinoa.Plainville Farms debuts Organic Deli Breast products-Oven Roasted Turkey, Honey

Turkey and Hickory Smoked Turkey and Organic Ground Turkey.Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery

Garlic Toast and Cheese Toast are a gluten-free take on the popular Texas Toast category. These

delicious 'heat and serve' items also contain 5 grams of fiber per slice.Sensible Portions Puffs

made with Organic Corn are gluten-free and available in four delicious varieties: Cheddar, Sour

Cream & Onion, Tomato Basil and Veggie.

TERRA Wasabi Chips, sharp and spicy wasabi flavor on a seasonal blend of potato

chips.Tilda ready-to-heat rice is made with only the finest, authentic Basmati rice. Available in

four delicious flavors: Pure Basmati, Brown Basmati, Brown Basmati and Quinoa and Mexican

Style Chili Bean.Spectrum Whole Chia Seed is now available in a 22 ounce Value Size. Whole

Chia Seed is rich in Omega-3 ALA fatty acids and a good source of fiber.Westbrae Natural

condiments have the same great taste but are now USDA Organic. The full line of Organic

condiments include: Stoneground Mustard, Stoneground Mustard-No Salt Added, Dijon Style

Mustard, Yellow Mustard and Unsweetened Ketchup.

Yves Veggie Cuisine brand is introducing delicious new vegan burgers, patties and appetizers to

its line-up which contain on-trend ingredients such as Kale & Quinoa. New Yves Veggie Cuisine

Kale & Roots Vegetable Patties with brown rice and ancient grains and Yves Veggie Cuisine

Kale & Quinoa Bites are non GMO, gluten free and packed with veggies.Hain

Celestial's featured personal care products include:

Alba Botanica brand introduces Fast Fix, four botanically-powerful solutions to common beauty

emergencies, and Clear Spray SPF 50 Broad Spectrum Sunscreens for single-touch continuous

spray-on sun care convenience without chemical propellants.JASON brand introduces two Sheer



37


Spray Lotions for feather-light moisture in a convenient, continuous spray and the Smoothing

Coconut Body Care Collection to deliver intense moisture to extremely dry skin.

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

The Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ: HAIN), headquartered in Lake Success, NY, is a leading

organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe and India. Hain

Celestialparticipates in many natural categories with well-known brands that include Celestial

Seasonings, Earth's Best, Ella's Kitchen, Terra, Garden of Eatin', Sensible Portions, Health

Valley, Arrowhead Mills, MaraNatha, SunSpire, DeBoles, Casbah, Rudi's Organic

Bakery, Gluten Free Cafe,Hain Pure Foods, Spectrum, Spectrum Essentials, Walnut Acres

Organic, Imagine, Almond Dream, Rice Dream, Soy Dream, WestSoy, The Greek Gods,

BluePrint, FreeBird, Plainville Farms,, Empire Kosher,Kosher Valley, Yves Veggie

Cuisine, Europe's Best, Cully & Sully, New Covent Garden Soup Co. , Johnson's Juice Co. ,

Farmhouse Fare, Hartley's, Sun-Pat, Gale's, Robertson's, Frank Cooper's, Linda

McCartney, Lima, Danival, Natumi, GG UniqueFiber, Tilda, JASON, Avalon Organics, Alba

Botanica, Live Clean and Queen Helene. Hain Celestial has been providing A Healthier Way of

Life since 1993. For more information, visit www.hain.com.

SOURCE The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

Amanda Castelli, 516-587-5000

(c) 2015 Electronic News Publishing -, source ENP Newswire http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/253786327/ntl96j1AjtHjIcBe

A meaty problem

A blanket ban on cattle slaughter threatens the viability of India‘s livestock sector

Beef has always been a politically contentious issue in India, reflected in the multiplicity of laws

in different States regulating the slaughter of cows and cattle and the consumption of beef. While

the States in the North-East have no ban, as many as 23 others have some kind of restriction on

the slaughter of cows or cattle. The storm kicked up by the Maharashtra government‘s recent

decision to ban the slaughter of all types of cattle reflects the emotiveness of the issue. Two

decades after it was first cleared, the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995,

has now become law, placing a blanket ban on the slaughter of bulls, bullocks and calves, in

addition to cows (whose slaughter has been banned since 1976). Even possession of beef is now

an offence; however, water buffaloes can still be legally slaughtered in the State.

While most of the criticism of the Maharashtra government‘s move has been centred on the

imposition of a majoritarian choice on the food habits of the minority, the real argument is

economic. India may not be the largest consumer of beef in the world, but it is the world‘s largest

bovine meat exporter. Most of the exports consist of buffalo meat, which is legally classified as

http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/253786327/ntl96j1AjtHjIcBe



38


‗beef‘. In 2012-13, India had exported 1.3 million tonnes of bovine meat, worth over ₹26,457

crore. In April-December 2014-15 (the period up to which export data is available), exports had

already crossed 1.1 million tonnes.

More importantly, bovine meat is now India‘s single biggest agri export, overtaking basmati rice

exports. India has the largest livestock population in the world. It accounts for about 58 per cent

of the world buffalo population and 14.7 per cent of the cattle population, with over 300 million

cattle, over 200 million goats and sheep, and over 10 million pigs.This huge pool plays a

significant role in the rural economy and livelihood. According to the 19th Livestock Census

released by the ministry of agriculture, the sector contributes nearly 25.6 per cent of the total

value of output in the agriculture, fishing and forestry sector. The overall contribution of the

livestock sector in total GDP was 4.11 per cent in 2012-13.

A blanket ban on cattle slaughter will significantly mar the economics of the livestock and dairy

sectors since it removes the ‗exit option‘ for farmers, who will be unable to dispose of non-

yielding milch animals, and will be forced to rear unproductive male cattle and buffaloes. Such

animals are likely to be abandoned, leading to starvation and misery for the animals, and

significantly increased disease risk for the viable bovine population.Banning cattle slaughter,

without providing a solution to the farmer for non-yielding or non-productive assets, amounts to

a hidden tax on the farmer. And allowing buffalo slaughter — apart from the lack of logic in

such a distinction — only leads to the increasing ‗buffaloisation‘ of the livestock population.

Regardless of the politics, it is poor economics.

(This article was published on March 8, 2015)

Courtesy: Business line

Rice Shipments From Vietnam Climbing on Lower Prices,

China

Diep Ngoc Pham,7:43 PM PDT ,March 9, 2015

(Bloomberg) -- Rice exports from Vietnam, the world‘s third-largest shipper, will probably

rebound this year as lower prices boost demand, while competition with Thailand keeps the gain

to single digits, according to the government.―The Chinese market will definitely become active

again after quiet periods late 2014 and early this year,‖ said Tran Tuan Anh, deputy minister of

industry and trade. Competitive prices, suitable varieties, and geographic proximity in particular

to China, are Vietnam‘s advantages over Thailand, the top shipper. Exports may rise ―less than

10 percent‖ in 2015, he said in an interview in Hanoi on March 4.Global output is set to be near

last year‘s record, and Thailand will ship more this year than any country ever, U.S. government



39


data show. Futures fell to a four-year low in Chicago, helping cut food costs to the lowest since

2010.

While Thailand‘s export prices will be pressured as the country sells about 17 million metric tons

in state reserves over the next two years, they have been higher than that of Vietnam, India and

Pakistan, the Thai Rice Exporters Association says.―While generally, Vietnamese rice costs less,

Thailand does offer lower prices sometimes,‖ Anh said, without giving an estimate. Thailand is

trying to increase access to Africa, where India and Pakistan also compete ―fiercely,‖ he

said.Prices for Vietnam‘s double-water-polished milled-rice with 5 percent broken were quoted

at $355 per ton, the lowest since July 2010 and $50 less than Thailand‘s 5 percent broken for the

week ending Feb. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report dated Feb. 12.

Thai Prices

The Thai variety was at $419 a ton on March 4, according to exporters association data. Chareon

Laothamatas, president of the group, said on Feb. 3 that the price was about $405 to $410 and

compares with $355 in Vietnam, $370 in Pakistan and $380 in India. The sale of stockpiled rice

will continue to weigh on prices, Chareon said.Thailand‘s record stockpiles are the legacy of the

previous government‘s rice-purchase policy. Yingluck Shinawatra‘s administration spent $27

billion buying at guaranteed, above-market rates to aid farmers. She was ousted in May by

military leaders, who now plan to auction the grain.Futures traded at $10.53 per 100 pounds on

the Chicago Board of Trade on Tuesday after plunging to $10.01 on Feb. 3, the lowest since July

2010.

Vietnam Sales

Exports from Vietnam dropped to 6.4 million tons in 2014 from 6.7 million a year earlier,

General Statistics Office data show. Sales in the first two months of 2015 may reach 515,000

tons, down 34 percent from a year ago, the office estimates.Shipments will pick up from the

second quarter and bring the total this year to match or exceed last year‘s figure by ―a little bit,‖

Anh said, without giving exact figures.Global milled production may decline to 474.6 million

tons in 2014-15 from an all-time high of 477.1 million tons a year earlier, according to the

USDA.

Thai shipments will climb to 11 million tons in 2015 from 10.2 million tons last year, according

to the Food & Agriculture Organization. India will export 8.2 million tons from 10 million tons,

it said. China‘s imports may reach 4.3 million tons in 2014-15 from 4.1 million, the USDA

report shows.Vietnam will also continue to count on demand from its traditional markets like the

Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Anh said. While the countries are trying to boost

production and become self-sufficient, their efforts will take time and demand is still high this

year, he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Diep Ngoc Pham in Hanoi [email protected]

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jake Lloyd-Smith

[email protected] Ovais Subhani, Claudia Carpenter

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/rice-shipments-from-vietnam-seen-climbing-on-

lower-prices-china



http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/rice-shipments-from-vietnam-seen-climbing-on-lower-prices-china

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-03-10/rice-shipments-from-vietnam-seen-climbing-on-lower-prices-china

9th march,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Documents