Daily

Global Rice E-Newsletter

www.ricepluss.com

January 07, 2015

Volume 5, Issue I

News Details
Promotion of exports to Libya & Malta: Pakistani envoy
urges setting up of commercial body

January 07, 2015

RECORDER REPORT

Lieutenant General Javed Zia (rted),

Ambassador of Pakistan in Libya and Malta,
has urged the establishment of a commercial
organisation for the promotion of Pakistani
exports to Libya and Malta and other
surrounding countries. Addressing the rice
exporters during a luncheon meeting held in
his honour by Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan (REAP) at REAP House, Karachi
here on Tuesday, he said that Libya and
Malta could play a very supportive role for
the increase in Pakistan's exports, however,
there was a need to form a commercial/trade
organisation for the promotion of exports to
Libya and Malta.
"We believe a commercial organization can
play a vital role in the promotion of
Pakistani export as due to a unique location,
Malta may become the trade hub for
Pakistani exporters and they can get access
to surrounding European countries," he
added. Zia informed that there were many
opportunities for Pakistani exporters in
Libya and with some efforts Pakistani
traders could dominate in these developing
markets. He offered rice exporters to set up
a Display Centre in Pakistan Embassy in
Libya free of cost to promote Pakistani
products particularly rice. Whereas, in Malta
with a very minimum investment, exporters
could increase the exports of Pakistani
products, such as cotton, rice, textile,
construction and other food items. "Libya
has been declared in war status and
Pakistani exporters can take the advantage
of the current circumstances by exporting
cement and other construction-related items.
" He also appreciated the steps of the
government of Pakistan for the evacuation
of Pakistanis in Libya during the war and for
providing some Rs 400 million for this

purpose.
Earlier,
Rafique
Suleman,
Chairman REAP, briefed the ambassador
that although there were multiple
opportunities in Libya and Malta, Pakistani
exporters of rice could not have fully availed
them. "Pakistan exported about 270 metric
tons amounting $312,517 rice during last
fiscal year (FY14). He further informed that
Kenya and China had been emerged as the
largest importers of Pakistani Rice, as
Kenya has imported 463,441 metric tons
amounting to $176.875 million and China
has imported 353,675 metric tons amounting
to $128.068 million," he said and added that
China and Kenya mainly imports Iri-6 from
Pakistan.
He hoped that with mutual efforts and
appropriate measures Pakistan could export
rice to Libya and Malta. On the occasion,
Rafique announced that REAP would send a
high profile trade delegation of REAP to
Libya and Malta to find the new exportoriented opportunities in both countries.
Lieutenant General Javed Zia (R) assured of
his full support and co-operation in making
the delegation fruitful and successful for
Pakistani trade. Chela Ram Kewlani, former
chairman REAP, Jawed Ali Ghori, Usman
Shaikh, Khalid Paracha, Fuwad Garib,
Muhammad Amjad, Bashir and others were
also present on the occasion.
Source with thanks:
http://www.brecorder.com/business-aeconomy/189/1140078/

Sugar millers, growers at

loggerhead
Staff Report
January 08, 2015

KARACHI: A group of sugar millers and

growers are at loggerhead over the pricing of
sugarcane despite the fact the Supreme Court
and high courts of various provinces have
validated prices set by the provincial

governments.

The sugar price has been set at Rs 182 per

tonne in Sindh and Rs 182 in Punjab and
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but a large number of
sugar millers are reluctant to purchase
sugarcane from farmers at these rates. Sindh
Chamber of Agriculture President Dr Syed
Nadeem Qamar said the sugarcane crop is
being wasted due to advertent delays by the
millers that will cost farmers billions of
rupees. Speaking on a TV show "The Market
Show" on Wednesday, he said the delay in
crushing of sugarcane could affect the crop at
large, whereas the season of wheat sowing has
began.
Replying to the queries of anchor Ali Nasir, he
said the provincial government raiused the
sugarcane prices as per annual increment of
Rs 10 per tonne after evaluation of farmers'
input cost, but millers insist on reducing its
price without any justification. He added that
sugarcane has been cultivated at times when
the diesel prices were on higher side, whereas
input cost were also high, but millers were
demanding sugarcane purchase price of Rs
155 per tonne, which is a bad deal for farmers.
Initially, sugar millers had taken a stay against
prices set by the government in different high
courts, but their appeals were rejected. Later,
they moved the Supreme Court which
endorsed the verdict of higher courts.

Sindh Enterprises Development

Fund
Managing Director Mehboobul Haq said
farmers have no place to market and stock
their products. "The market needs buyers and
growers basically, hence simple mechanism is
being developed in which farmers and buyers
could meet and sign deals without any
middleman," he said, adding that private
sector is reluctant towards expansion, but keen
for high bottom-line within controlled
expenses, which is not possible in long-term,
as investment is needed for higher and
continuous returns.
There are various market mechanisms
developed in international markets to benefit
growers and farmers through cooperative
business model and the provincial government
is seriously working to replicate different
models with customised needs of the local
farmers and producers. He added that a
country's food security depends on agriculture
sector, and it has a strategic position in the
world.It is widely believed that future wars in
economic and political fronts will be fought
over water and agriculture. Pakistan has a
significant agriculture produce, special cash
crops, fruits and vegetables, with significant
location base near Middle East countries, but
value addition of agri-products is very limited.

He added that Sindh Enterprise Development

Fund is an initiative for providing institutional
framework towards promotion of value
addition, however, it is a gradual process not

an overnight phenomenon. "We have

upgraded rice mills through BMR and the
result and inevitable rice millers were
reluctant initially but they realized to upgrade
their units which could be seen now as
benefits and high pricing.
We need to select the cluster and target them
to develop through planning and policies. We
are focusing on those clusters that are being
deprived of investments, but will get
immediate response in terms of return such as
horticulture and forticulture."
Source with thanks:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business/08Jan-2015/sugar-millers-growers-atloggerhead

Wheat per acre yield

declines, rices increases
Shahid Iqbal
KARACHI: Despite tall claims about better
agriculture productivity, the countrys main crop
wheat has shown a declining trend in per acre
yield during the last four years.The State Banks
latest Statistical Bulletin issued on Monday
showed the per acre yield achieved in 2010
could not be achieved again in the next three
years.The per acre yield of wheat in 2010-11
was 2,933kg while in 2013-14 it dropped to
2,797kg per acre.However, the area for
cultivation of wheat increased during the last
four years from 8.901 million acres in 2010-11
to 9.039m acres in 2013-14.Wheat is the biggest
crop and the staple food for many millions but
neither the government nor the private sector

seems to have made significant efforts to

improve the low yield.

A significant development is that private banks

have started disbursing credit in this sector.The
State Bank has set Rs500 billion target for the
agriculture loans for 2014-15. The banks
disbursed Rs98bn during first quarter (July-Sept)
of this fiscal year compared to Rs70.8bn doled
out in the corresponding period last year,
showing a growth of 38 per cent.While yield for
wheat dropped, other major crops showed
improvement during the same period.The rice
per acre yield was much higher than the three
years earlier.
It went up to 2,437kg in 2013-14 from 2,039kg
in 2010-11, a 20pc increase.The massive
production has created a rice glut in the local
market as the exporters could not benefit from
high yielding rice crop.The area under
cultivation of rice also increased during the
period from 2,365 acres to 2,789 acres in 201314.Cotton production also increased from 725kg
per acre to 774kg per acre during the four years.
Yield per acre of maize increased to 4,053kg
from 3,806kg per acre during this period.
Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App:
Apple Store | Google Play
Source with thanks:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1155379

5 items identified for export

to Russia
Mubarak Zeb Khan

to Russia stood at $41.779m in the year

2013-14, a 2.480pc share in the total imports
of Russia from the global imports of citrus
which stood at $1.60bn.

ISLAMABAD:
The
Ministry
of
Commerce has evolved a strategy for a share
in the agriculture and food market of the
Russian federation and in this regard five
products including citrus varieties, potato,
rice, dairy products and tobacco have been
identified for exports.Talking to Dawn an
official of the ministry said a business
delegation of leading food exporters will
visit Russia by end of January.The
delegation will interact with Russian buyers
to identify the routes and mode of payment
during the period of US trade sactions on
Russia.
Bilateral trade between the two countries
stood at $419.34 million in 2013-14 as
against $484.47m in the previous year,
reflecting a decline of $65.13m or 13.45 per
cent. The decline is mainly driven by falling
Pakistans exports to Russia, which fell by
10.36pc
during
the
period
under
review.Currently, Pakistans major export
items to Russia include woven cotton
fabrics, fruit and fruit preparations, synthetic
fabrics, rice all sorts, articles of apparel
other than textile material, vegetables,
medical and surgical instruments.
According to a ministry document, Russian
food and agriculture imports stood at $43
billion last year. The major imports include
beef products, dairy products, citrus,
tomatoes, potatoes, tobacco, fish, apples,
pears etc.Pakistans average exports of citrus

Russians have taste for seedless varieties of

citrus, the official said. He added the
demand for Pakistani citrus is on the rise but
it needs proper marketing and facilitation to
exporters.Major exporters of citrus to Russia
include Turkey ($431m) and Spain ($103m).
The rest of the exports are shared by
Morocco, Egypt, South Africa and
China.The second potential item is potato.
Its exports to Russia stood at $16.182m, a
share of 6.933pc in the Russian total imports
of potatoes. There is a great potential in
export of potatoes to Russia once Pakistan
improves its quarantine and quality
standards.
The leading exporters of potatoes to Russia
are Egypt ($233 million), the Netherlands
($27 million). Other exporters include China
and Azerbaijan.Rice is another product, of
which Pakistan is the 4th largest exporters to
the world. Russia has imposed ban on
imports of rice from Pakistan in the year
2011 but it was lifted in April 2012. This
decision has led to a loss in share of
Pakistans exports of rice to Russia and
diverted the trade to India.
The official said that exporters will be
facilitated to enhance rice exports to Russia.
Currently, Vietnam is the major exporter of
rice to Russia followed by Thailand and
Myanmar.Russian imports of dairy products
stood at $4.3bn, alone $3bn from the
European countries. Russia imported
$2.2bn cheese and curd.
Pakistan is one of the leading milk
producers in the world and has a fair chance
of grabbing value added exports of dairy

products, the official added.Pakistans

export of tobacco stood at $1.380m, which
is 0.119pc share of the Russian total
imports. The share in frozen vegetables
exports is 1.020pc ($1.06m) of the total
Russian global imports.
Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2015
Source with thanks:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1155375/5items-identified-for-export-to-russia

China extends permits on

GM rice and corn research
Stephen Chen | January 7, 2015 | South China
Morning Post

The government has renewed permits

allowing scientists to grow three varieties of
genetically modified rice and corn in China,
more than three months after they had
expired, suggesting the technology has the
continued backing of the authorities.Some
scientists had feared that the Ministry of
Agriculture may halt research work on the
foods.Anecdotal evidence suggests that
some people in China are wary about the
safety of GM crops, amid a succession of
food safety scandals on the mainland.
GM rice cannot be sold as food in China,
with the government saying it has to be sure
that new strains are safe, but the country
already imports huge amounts of genetically
modified soya beans, mainly from the
United States.The permits issued by the
Ministry of Agriculture allow two scientific
research groups to produce two types of

pest-resistant rice and a type of high-yield

corn for five years, according to a report by
the Communist Party mouthpiece Peoples
Daily.
The fresh permits allow the scientists to
grow the crops in open fields and gather data
about potentially releasing the strains to
farmers in the future.
Source with thanks:
http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/01/0
7/china-extends-permits-on-gm-rice-and-cornresearch/

Agriculture remains our

greatest hope
Posted by Online on Jan 7th, 2015
When the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI) was set up in Los Banos,
Laguna, in 1960, with the support of the
Ford
Foundation,
the
Rockefeller
Foundation, and the Philippine government,
it proceeded to undertake research that led to
the development of new and improved rice
varieties and of rice crop management
techniques and practices.Many of our
neighbors in Southeast Asia have benefitted
from this research. Thailand and Vietnam
today produce rice surpluses which they
export to the world. It is a bit of irony that
the Philippines, where the IRRI did all its
research on a 250-hectare experimental farm
at Los Banos, is today the biggest importer
of Thai and Vietnamese rice.Filipino
scientists and researchers are known the
world over.

The latest to be recognized was Dr. William

Dollente Dar, who was honored last month
for his work at the International Crop
Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT) in India where he served for 15
years. He was cited for redirecting the
institutes emphasis from research for the
sake of researching, to research that would
actually benefit farmers. He saw to it that
the institutes studies on drought-resistant
crops peas, sorghum, millet, etc. reached
small farmers.Dr. Dar introduced four pillars
of agriculture that he developed at ICRISAT
namely, including farmers as part of the
process of development, science-based
agriculture, resilient agriculture that
responds to climate change, and a market
orientation focused on making farming a
profitable business.
Dar served as Secretary of Agriculture in
President Joseph Estradas short-lived
administration in 1998 before moving on to
ICRISAT in 1999.Agricultural research
continues today in the Philippines and
around the world. Among its latest
achievements is the development of floodresistant rice varieties. This could be the
answer to the repeated losses of our rice
farmers in Northern Luzon who periodically
lose their harvests when a typhoon brings
rains that flood their fields.Agriculture
remains the greatest hope of our countrys
economy and people. We may develop our
industries and our services sector; we may
provide jobs to our young people in tourism
and in business outsourcing.

But the Philippines is a primarily

agricultural country and the great majority
of our people live in the rural areas.We have
the land and the rivers and rains to make it
fertile. And we have the scientists and
researchers and capable administrators, such
as Dr. Dar. With these resources, we should
focus on agriculture as the center of our antipoverty, our job-creation, and our over-all
national economic development program.
Source with thanks:
http://www.tempo.com.ph/2015/01/agricultureremains-our-greatest-hope/

DA: WV likely to
surpass
2.1 million MT palay target
ILOILO CITY - The Department of
Agriculture here is optimistic that Western
Visayas could surpass its palay production target
in 2014 pegged at 2.1 million metric tons amid
challenges caused by climate change.Larry
Nacionales, DA regional executive director
(RED) for Western Visayas, disclosed that data
on rice production is now being finalized but
initially it is already more than two million
metric tons.
He explained that rice planting was affected by
the dry season from June to July
2014.Supposedly, the harvest period will be in
September but due to the weather condition, the
planting was moved to the November to
December period and is due for harvest first
quarter of 2015.This is similar with the
production in 2013 when the region experienced
a good harvest from January to June but there
was low production during the wet season after
typhoons affected maturing and standing

crops.Nonetheless, we would still exceed two

million metric tons, he said.
He added that the region still is one of the
highest nationwide in terms of rice-sufficiency
as he cited that the sufficiency level may reach
up to 117 percent.Western Visayas shares
around 12 percent of the national total
production.If the production is good this wet
season, we hope to achieve this year's target of
2.2 million metric tons, he added.Meanwhile,
Nacionales said that other commodities of the
region are performing well such as corn and
mango.Nationwide, Western Visayas ranked
first in carabao production and third in
swine.Banana was affected by super typhoon
Yolanda but Nacionales hoped that it could
recover this year. *PNA

Source with thanks:

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2015/January/
07/businessnews2.htm

Vietnam sets rice export

prices for Philippine
demand
Reuters
Posted at 01/07/2015 5:59 PM | Updated as of
01/07/2015 6:13 PM

HANOI - Vietnam, the world's third-largest

rice exporter, has set export prices in
preparation to meet an import demand of
187,000 tonnes by Philippine private traders,
which may lead to lower price levels in early
2015, traders said on Wednesday.Last
month, the Philippines' state grains
procurement agency allowed private traders
to import 187,000 tonnes of rice and said
shipments must arrive on or before Feb.
28.Exporters must sell the 5-percent broken
rice to Philippine importers at $385 a tonne,

free-on-board Saigon Port, industry body the

Vietnam Food Association said in a Dec. 31
statement
seen
by
Reuters
on
Wednesday.The floors are $375 a tonne for
the 10-percent broken grade and $365 a
tonne for the 15-percent broken grade, the
statement said. All the prices are valid
between
Jan.
1-31.Previously,
the
association set the export price floor for the
25-percent broken variety at $380 a tonne as
of Nov. 25, 2014.
"The export prices for the Philippines now
are lower than the previous floor, so it could
be the new benchmark for other orders,"
said a Vietnamese trader in Ho Chi Minh
City.The 5-percent broken rice was quoted
this week at $380-$390 a tonne, FOB basis,
widening from $385-$390 per tonne quoted
before the New Year holidays, while buyers
were still absent and stocks remained low,
traders said.Vietnam could export 7 million
tonnes to 7.5 million tonnes of rice this year,
mainly to China and Southeast Asian
countries, after shipping around 7.5 million
tonnes in 2014, a state-run online news site
said, citing industry targets.
The Philippines, Vietnam's second-biggest
rice buyer in 2014 after China, is expected
to import between 1.5 million and 2 million
tonnes from Vietnam this year, the Customs
Department news site said, citing Vietnam
Food Association projections.
Source
with
thanks:
http://www.abscbnnews.com/business/01/07/15/vietnam-setsrice-export-prices-philippine-demand

50 DPCs opened for

procuring paddy
District Collector S. Palanisamy inaugurating
the direct purchase centre for paddy at

Pattamangalam village in Nagapattinam district

on Monday. Photo: DIPR

Five lakh tonnes fixed as procurement target

for Nagapattinam district
The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation
has opened 50 direct purchase centres
(DPCs) for procuring paddy from farmers
during the samba and thaladi harvest
season.Disclosing this after inaugurating the
procurement for the Kharif season at a DPC
at Pattamangalam village in Keezhvelur
taluk, Collector S.Palanisamy said that
initially 15 DPCs have been opened in
Nagapattinam division and 35 in
Mayiladuthurai division.More DPCs would
be opened depending on the requirement. If
there were more than 300 bags at a single
place, a mobile DPC would visit the spot to
procure the paddy from the farmers, he said.
Paddy has been raised on 1.02 lakh hectares
during the samba season in the district. A
procurement target of five lakh tonnes has
been fixed for the district.Farmers would get
Rs.1,410 a quintal for common variety and
Rs.1,470 a quintal for fine variety at the
DPCs. TNCSC employees have been
instructed to ensure that farmers did not face
any problem in selling their produce at the
DPCs. Adequate cash and stock of gunny
bags have been kept ready.Mr.Palanisamy
instructed officials to ensure that farmers
were not made to wait for long to sell their
produce at the DPCs.Nagai Mali, MLA,
M.Radhakrishnan,
Senior
Regional
Manager, TNCSC, and other officials were
present.
Source with thanks:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamilnadu/50-dpcs-opened-for-procuringpaddy/article6762135.ece?ref=tpnews

Iran ban, Iraq duty hike to

take a toll on rice exporters
Sutanuka Ghosal, ET Bureau Jan 6, 2015,
12.35PM IST
Tags:rice|Iraq|Iran|Gurdaspur
Overseas|basmati rice|All India Rice
Exporters' Association
KOLKATA: India's rice exporters may end
the current fiscal on a damp note as Iraq has
doubled the import duty to 40%,
while Iran has clamped an outright ban at a
time when price realisation has slipped 1520% in overseas markets.A senior official
of All
India
Rice
Exporters'
Association(AIREA) told ET that traders are
currently shipping only rice consignments
with permits of last year to Iran. "We are
hoping that Iran will lift the ban. We are
planning to send a delegation to Iran in early

February to sort out the issue," said the

official, requesting not to be named.The
official added that the sudden increase in
import duty by Iraq has come as a major
blow and it is bound to impact exports to the
country.
According to an estimate by exporters,
basmati shipments are likely to come down
to 35 lakh tonne from 37 lakh tonne in the
previous year.Iran has barred rice from other
countries as its local crop is reported to be
good this year and is set to arrive in the
market there.The country imported over
12.5 lakh tonne of rice during April-July

2014, compared with 14.5 lakh tonnes in the

year-ago period.In the past two years, Iran
has bought over 2.5 million tonne of basmati
rice from India.The average price realisation
has declined to $800-1,100 per tonne from
$1,0001,300 per tonne last year.
Exports of basmati rice in the first seven
months of the current fiscal declined over
8% to 19.36 lakh tonne from 21.13 lakh
tonnes in the year-ago period. However,
exports of non-basmati rice between April
and October 2014 stayed almost the same as
in the previous year, at about 4.2 lakh
tonne.The lacklustre export demand of
basmati rice has pushed down prices in the
domestic market as well, with farmers
getting Rs 3,200 per quintal for Pusa 1121
crop, compared with Rs 4,100 last
year.Retail prices of basmati rice may fall
further in the domestic market if exports
slump, said Bal Krishna Mittal, managing
director of Gurdaspur Overseas, which deals
in basmati rice.Output of basmati rice in the
kharif, or summer, season in 2014 was
robust at about 81 lakh tonnes, up from 66
lakh tonnes in the previous year.
Source with thanks :The Economic Times India

I mark for basmati delayed

as MP cos, farmers oppose
APEDA
Apeda representatives said GI registration
should be seen from a "national interest"

While
the
Agriculture
and
Processed Food Products
Export
Development Agency (Apeda) is in a hurry
to register the geographical indication (GI)
for Basmati rice, the agencys legal battles
with Madhya Pradesh-based companies and
farmers are delaying the process. Basmati
Growers Association of Pakistan has also
challenged
Apedas
move.Apeda representatives said the GI
registration should be seen from a national
interest perspective, as Pakistan is also
claiming rights over Basmati.
Apeda and the Madhya Pradesh government
and growers have been locked in a dispute
on whether the Basmati grown in these parts
has the characteristics of original Basmati
grown in Uttarakhand, claimed for inclusion
in GI registry.The agency has challenged the
GI Registry order, asking them to amend the
application for registration to include the
uncovered area, including certain areas in
Madhya Pradesh, before the Intellectual
Property Appellate Board (IPAB).The legal
battle is on at IPAB, in Chennai. On
Monday, when various appeals and petitions
related to the GI registration had come up, a
new petition was filed by MP-based New
Darpan Social Welfare Society to implead in
the case.

perspective, as Pakistan also is claiming rights

over Basmati
Gireesh Babu & T E Narasimhan | Chennai
January 7, 2015 Last Updated at 22:32 IST

During the hearing, IPAB chairman K N

Basha and technical member (trade marks)
Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal posted the matter
for hearing to the last week of February .
The Board has heard six of the nine
applications, related to the matter and need
to hear the Basmati Growers Association

Source with thanks: The Business Standard

Rice may become first crop

in cap-and-trade program

from Pakistan, along with another

application from Daawat Foods, a leading
company in the business.A K Gupta,
director of Apeda, said, We must have the
GI for Basmati before others start claiming
and it is important from the global
perceptive as the matter is of national
interest. He added if everybody starts
claiming and growing, it would lead to
oversupply. This will have consequences on
farmers.
Apeda is defending the GI of Basmati grown
in two districts of Jammu and Kashmir,
undivided Punjab, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh, western Uttar Pradesh and
Delhi.We are in a bit of hurry to register
the GI in India, the counsel for Apeda told
IPAB on Monday.Experts said if Apeda
includes MP, other states will claim it, too.
This would make the GI weak. The
Pakistani claim says: Basmati is a name for
a slender, aromatic and long-grain variety
of rice grown in the specific geographical
area at the foothills of the Himalayas in
Pakistan.Three years ago, it was proposed
that both India and Pakistan apply for a GI
but for various political and legal reasons,
the plan was dropped.

Posted: Wednesday, January 7, 2015 12:08

am
By
Andrew
Creasey/ acreasey@appealdemocrat.com
Rice could soon become the first crop in
California's cap-and-trade program, but it is
unclear if the program provides enough
incentives to motivate farmers to change
their growing practices.In a December
meeting, the California Air Resources Board
directed staff to begin the process for
including rice in the cap-and-trade program,
which is part of a statewide program to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990
levels by 2020.
The idea is to provide economic incentives
for major investment in cleaner technologies
and conservation practices. It's a key
element of California's greenhouse gas
emissions reduction strategy and a
component of the state's ba tle against
climate change, according to a staff
report.The program would allow rice
farmers to sell carbon emission allowances,
which they can accrue by changing their
growing practices to reduce the number of
days rice fields are flooded during the
growing season.
The proposed voluntary program offers two
ways for farmers to receive carbon
credit.The first is to switch from wet
seeding, when farmers plant seeds into
already-flooded fields, to dry seeding, where
farmers drill or scatter into a dry or moist
seedbed. The practice could result in an
additional seven to 10 non-flooded days
during the cultivation season, according to

the CARB staff report.The other method is

to drain the rice fields during harvest seven
to 10 days earlier than in a normal drainage
schedule.
The carbon offset credits would only be
offered during the growing season, so as not
to affect the amount of days rice fields are
flooded in the winter fields that are
utilized by migratory birds for habitat and
food.Climate change will affect virtually
every sector of California's economy and
most of its ecosystems, according to a report
from the 2010 Climate Action Team.
California is particularly vulnerable to
climate change due to its coastal properties,
reliance on snowpack for water supply and
vulnerability to forest fires.The issue with
the rice cap-and-trade program is that, with
the current price of carbon, there is not a
strong economic incentive for growers to
change their practices, said Paul Buttner,
manager of environmental affairs for the
California Rice Commission.
Farmers can sell carbon offsets or
allowances to industries or other entities that
produce greenhouse gases. Such entities can
neutralize their own emissions by
purchasing the carbon credits at quarterly
auctions run by the Air Resources Control
Board."The revenue potential is quite
modest, easily less than 1 percent of the cost
to produce rice," Buttner said. "They're
going to have to be keenly interested to
make that a priority."Tom Butler has been
planting rice with the dry-seeding method at
his Robbins-area farm in Sutter County
since 2007. He has participated in a pilot
program for the cap-and-trade proposal
since 2011.Butler said dry-seeding practices
have increased his yield and weed control.
But he cautioned his property is ideal for
dry-seeding, which requires the land to drain
quickly. Farmers in areas where the soil is

thick with clay will not have such success

with dry seeding, Butler said.
"The pilot program found that there is some
benefit there, but it's not a gigantic windfall
(of revenue)," Butler said. "I would have a
hard time seeing any farmer doing it to get
an extra $4 of $5 per acre. In the short and
long term, I don't think that will be
viable."Buttner said the price of carbon
could increase in the future."If it doubles or
triples, that would make the economics more
attractive," Buttner said. "There's value in
building this program and developing it for
growers."The price of California carbon
allowance futures has dropped markedly
since reaching $23.75 in September 2012.
The price had fallen to $12.58 as of Dec. 24,
according to data from the Intercontinental
Exchange.
What it means
Flooded rice fields create habitat for
microorganisms that eat and digest plant
matter and, as a byproduct, produce
methane, a greenhouse gas.Methane
emissions from rice fields account for 0.1
percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in
the United State, according to a California
Air Resource Board staff report.Rice would
be the first crop included in a carbon capand-trade program and has a potential offset
supply of 0.5 to three million metric tons of
carbon, according to the report.The
proposed action would not eliminate
existing businesses and would not affect the
creation of new businesses or the expansion
of existing businesses.
It would not eliminate jobs or affect the
creation of jobs, according to the staff
report.There will be a comment period on
including rice in the cap-and-trade program
in late February. The final vote to approve
the program is not expected until mid-2015,
said Paul Buttner, manager of environmental

affairs
for
the
California
Rice
Commission."The vote last month was
unanimous to move the program forward,"
Buttner said. "It's likely that the measure
will pass the next vote."
Andrew Creasey
Source

with
thanks:
http://www.appealdemocrat.com/news/rice-may-become-first-crop-in-cap-and-tradeprogram/article_3bf4dd5c-9641-11e4-995d6fb7a57d419c.html?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+January+
7%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+20
13&utm_medium=email

Rice farmers want export

restrictions against Cuba
lifted
Posted: Jan
06,
2015
5:34
PM
PSTUpdated: Jan 06, 2015 5:34 PM PST
By Theresa Schmidt
A group of
rice farmers
and
others
from
our
region
will
travel
to
Washington
D.C. to lobby for trade restrictions to be
lifted to allow exports to Cuba.Since 1962
there's been an embargo in place that
prevented exports to Cuba-- except for a
brief
period
during
the
Clinton
administration.Rice farmers like Brian Wild
from Jeff Davis Parish say allowing rice
exports to Cuba would make a big
difference for growers in this region. "It
would make a tremendous difference to

me. Our prices are down about 20 to 25

percent from last year.
They're below our cost of production. I've
heard figures as high as this market could
mean as much as two billion dollars to
Louisiana and to the south as a
whole."Besides, Wild says the embargo
hasn't accomplished anything."It's not an
embargo against Cuba, it's an embargo
against the Louisiana rice farmers because
that market was taken from us and Castro is
still, he's getting his rice. They're importing
their rice from Vietnam now, so they're still
getting rice.
"Wild and other farmers attended a rice and
soybean clinic in Welsh. LSU AgCenter
economist Dr. Mike Salassi says it would be
a major market for farmers here:"To rice
farmers in Louisiana it will mean a very
close, major export market that's going to
increase the demand for their product, which
is going to increase the price that they
receive and so that's why there's such
interest.Salassi says a mechanism is needed
to transfer money between the two countries
."One of the major limitations or restrictions
with trade right now is having a banking
system or banking arrangement with Cuba
that can facilitate international trade and
that's one of the factors that the producers
and the rice industry of the United States
and Louisiana are working toward to try to
get financial arrangements established so
that trade can occur between the two
countries." Wild and others including
millers and processors, plan to travel to
Washington D.C. to lobby for relaxed
restrictions to allow rice exports to Cuba.

Source with thanks:

http://www.kplctv.com/story/27777300/rice-farmers-wantexport-restrictions-against-cubalifted?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+January+7%2C
+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2
013&utm_medium=email

Louisiana Rice Farmers

Announce Plans for State
Meeting

of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation

Service, who will discuss conservation
opportunities for rice farmers through Farm Bill
programs. USA Rice Federation staff will report
on the Federation's activities and promotional
achievements.
Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike
Strain will address issues of concern to the
Louisiana rice industry.

Jeffery Sylvester
JENNINGS, LA -The
Louisiana
Rice
Council
(LARC) and the
Louisiana
Rice
Growers
Association
(LARGA),
Louisiana's two largest grower organizations,
have scheduled their annual joint membership
meeting for Tuesday, February 10. The meeting
will be held at a new location, the Grande
Marais Center here, and will open with a trade
show and reception at 4 p.m. followed by the
program at 5:45 p.m. Dinner will be served.
Eric Unkel
"This meeting provides
an annual report to rice
farmers on programs
funded
by
the
Louisiana
rice
promotion check-off as
well
as
timely
information on other
important issues," said Eric Unkel, a rice farmer
from Allen Parish and LARC president. "I
encourage all rice industry stakeholders to
attend."The featured speaker will be Kevin
Norton, state conservationist, U.S. Department

"This is the largest gathering of rice farmers in

the state each year," said Jeffery Sylvester, an
Evangeline Parish rice farmer and LARGA
president. "It's what makes this event the perfect
place to display rice-related equipment,
technology, products and services, and show
support for the Louisiana rice industry."
USA Rice also will participate in the Central
Louisiana Rice Growers Association Annual
Membership meeting on Wednesday, February
11, 11 a.m. at Dean Lee Experiment station in
Alexandria, LA, and the Northeast LA Rice
Growers Association Rice Forum on Thursday,
February 12, 9 a.m. at the Delhi Civic Center in
Delhi, LA. For information on the meetings,
including sponsorship and exhibit opportunities,
contact Randy Jemison.
Contact: Randy Jemison (337) 738-7009
Source with thanks:USA Rice Federation

Two more varieties of hybrid

rice introduced
Abu Bakar Siddique

The new varieties, BADC Hybrid Dhan 2

and Buyer Hybrid Dhan 4, were released on
Monday, each variety having the capacity of
producing around six tonnes of paddy per
hectare

The government has introduced two more

varieties of hybrid rice for cultivation
aiming to boost the rice production in the
country.The new varieties, BADC Hybrid
Dhan 2 and Buyer Hybrid Dhan 4, were
released on Monday, each variety having the
capacity of producing around six tonnes of
paddy per hectare.Anwar Faruque, director
general of the Ministry of Agricultures
Seed Wing, said the government gives
priority to the cultivation of more hybrid
varieties to boost the food production in the
country, and introducing the two new hybrid
varieties is a part of that.

varieties of paddy so far. Of them, the

number of hybrid varieties is only six.A total
of 132 varieties of hybrid paddy have been
introduced in Bangladesh. Of them, the
BADC developed two varieties, the BRRI
developed six, and the rest were developed
by private companies.

According to the Department of Agriculture

Extension (DAE), the annual paddy
production, in Bangladesh is around 3.38
million tonnes.The paddy production using
traditional and locally developed highyielding varieties are two tonnes and 3.8
tonnes per hectare, respectively. The paddy
production using hybrid seed is 4.7 tonnes
per hectare.

Chinese High-Yield Rice

Tech to go to Bangladesh

Of the new hybrid paddy varieties, the

BADC Hybrid Dhan 2, sourced from China
by Bangladesh Agricultural Development
Corporation (BADC), has the production
capacity of 6.5-7.2 tonnes per hectare, and
the Buyer Hybrid 4, sourced from India by
Bayer Crop Science, has the production
capacity of 6-6.5 tonnes per hectare, sources
at the ministry said.Around 10-12% of the
total paddy production in the country came
from hybrid seeds, which is very low in
volume, said Anwar, who is also an
additional secretary at the ministry.
The government is trying to enhance the
use of hybrid seeds to get more production
in the gradually reducing agricultural land to
ensure food security of the country, he
added.The state-owned Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute (BRRI) has developed 62

Source with thanks:

www.dhakatribune.com/agriculture/2015/jan
/08/two-more-varieties-hybrid-riceintroduced#sthash.JkkJtSaV.dpuf

Andrian Darylle Torralba |

Jan 07, 2015 11:50 AM EST
(Photo : Creative Commons: Flickr)

China is sharing its high-yield rice planting

technology
with
the
people
of
Bangladesh.According to BD News 24,
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abul Hassan
Mahmood Ali announced a rice research
center will be set up in Bangladesh. This
after Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi paid
his country a visit.The Bangladeshi foreign
minister said the meeting was a success, and
that he believes this has strengthened the
relationship between both countries. "It's a

big development (transferring technology of

high-yield rice)," Ali said.
He also pointed out that food production in
Bangladesh needs to be increased and that
rice-growing technology used by the
Chinese people will really help them in this
area. To make the relationship even
stronger, China has decided to invest
US$1.2 billion to finance the transfer
project.In addition to the technology transfer
and setting up the rice research center in
Bangladesh, there were five areas of
cooperation the countries agreed to
prioritize. Agriculture, trade, energy,
industry, and infrastructure made it to the
list.The relocation of several Chinese
factories to Bangladesh was also discussed
during the meeting.Power plants and oil and
gas exploration projects were also discussed
during the meeting between the two foreign
ministers. Setting up a specialized economic
trade zone in Bangladesh was also raised.
Source
with
thanks:http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/3
1236/20150107/impressive-yielding-ricetechnology-china-movedbangladesh.htm#ixzz3OHW3kCLL

China helps Fiji reduce

reliance on imported rice

the South Pacific island country to demonstrate

and train farmers and agriculture officers the
technologies to increase rice production, to
improve local varieties and introduce best
cultivation techniques to local rice farmers,
according to the Department of Information.
The team is expected to work at the Northern
Dreketi Irrigation Project on 200 hectares of rice
land extension and also at the Koronivia
Research Station for rice seeds experiment and
research.
A memorandum of understanding between
China and Fiji has been signed to boost rice
production in Fiji.The China Shandong
International
Economic
and
Technical
Cooperation Group Limited in technical
partnership with world- known hybrid rice seeds
company,
Yuan
Longping
High-Tech
Agriculture Company Limited are expected to
work together with Fiji's Ministry of Agriculture
in producing more rice locally.Fiji currently
imports some 20 million US dollar worth of rice
annually, the Department of Information said,
adding that " the assistance provided by the
Chinese rice experts is an opportunity for Fiji to
reduce its rice import bill".
Posted in: Diplomacy
Source with
thanks://www.globaltimes.cn/content/900434.sh
tml

Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-1-7 14:12:28

_______________________________________
_
A team of rice experts from China helped Fiji to
implement a rice development program worth
some 5 million US dollars in Vanua Levu, Fiji's
major northern island, the Fijian government
announced Wednesday.Uraia Waibuta, acting
permanent secretary of Fiji's Ministry of
Agriculture said the Chinese expert team is in

Minister confident rice self

sufficiency in less than
three years
Rabu, 7 Januari 2015 20:46 WIB
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Agriculture Minister
Amran Sulaiman said he is confident self
sufficiency in rice would be reached in less than

three years.The minister said here on

Wednesday, President Joko Widodo sets the self
sufficiency target for rice, corn and soybean in
three years."Rice self sufficiency would be
reached in less than three years. We set the
target for ourselves that in 2016 we would be
self sufficient in rice supply," he said. He said
the government has set aside Rp20 trillion to
reach the food self sufficiency including Rp16
trillion from the state budget and Rp4 trillion in
Special Allocation Fund (DAK).In addition, the
ministry has allocated Rp4.1 trillion in fund set
aside for less productive sectors to productive
sectors to speed up the process to reach the
target, he said.

"So far damaged irrigation channels,

inefficiency in seeds, fertilizers and farming
tools and machines have been the main factors
failure in achieving food self sufficiency," he
said. Meanwhile Hasil Sembiring also said he
was confident the food self sufficiency target
could be achieved. Hasil Sembiring, who was
former head of the Sukamdani Rice Research
Center, replaced Udoro Kasih Anggoro as the
new food crop director general.He said he had
no special program, adding he needs only to
carry out the program is already set by the
minister.(*)
Source with
thanks:http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/972
31/minister-confident-rice-self-sufficiency-inless-than-three-years

The productive sectors include irrigation system,

seed and fertilizer procurement as well as
procurement of farming tools and machines, he
said on the sidelines of the installation of new
Food Crop Director General Hasil Sembiring.

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the
following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and
the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2014 crop,
which became effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Prices are unchanged from the previous
announcement.

MLG/LDP
Rate

World Price

Milled Value
($/cwt)

Rough
($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Long-Grain

16.76

10.63

0.00

Medium-/Short-Grain

16.19

10.90

0.00

Brokens

10.11

----

----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S.
milling yields and the corresponding loan rates:
U.S. Milling Yields
Whole/Broken
(lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate
($/cwt)

Long-Grain

55.83/12.59

6.50

Medium-/Short-Grain

62.39/7.92

6.50

The next program announcement is scheduled for January 14.

Source with thanks: USA Rice Federation

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for January 7
Month

Price

Net Change

January 2015

$11.410

+ $0.050

March 2015

$11.650

+ $0.045

May 2015

$11.870

+ $0.045

July 2015

$12.095

+ $0.035

September 2015

$11.610

+ $0.040

November 2015

$11.575

+ $0.045

January 2016

$11.725

+ $0.045
Source with thanks: USA Rice Federation