September 18 ,2018 Vol 9 ,Issue 9
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September is National Rice Month Y'all
Squeeze everyone in
By Emily Woodall
CLEVELAND, MS -- For those who love to eat rice, the 28th Annual Delta Rice Luncheon was the place to be last Friday. More than 500 people from across the Mississippi Delta came to celebrate National Rice Month at the annual luncheon sponsored by Delta Rice Promotions and USA Rice. The focus of the event was the many delicious rice dishes provided by local restaurants, but the day also included updates from Bolivar County's Extension Service and Farm Bureau as well as door prizes. The history of this event dates back to 1991 when President George H.W. Bush signed the official proclamation designating September as National Rice Month. That year Bolivar County officials decided to celebrate the occasion with a rice tasting luncheon that was so successful it became an annual tradition. The luncheon is held on the third Friday of September. "Every year we have a crowd but we're always pleasantly surprised by the number of visitors we have from out of town," said Candy Davis, chair of Delta Rice Promotions. "They learn so much they didn't know about rice production in Mississippi, and that makes the education element of the luncheon exciting USA Rice Daily
How to Make Sake Cup from Rice Straw Click Next Link to Watch the Video or Copy this link in the search box https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyUnCZHWGsE
Bank guarantee dampens spirit of Punjab rice millers Sep 18, 2018, 12:55 AM; last updated: Sep 18, 2018, 12:55 AM (IST)
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Move to check rising defaults by unscrupulous shellers
Illustration: Sandeep Joshi Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 17 An expected bumper paddy crop this kharif marketing season makes over 3,700 rice millers of Punjab nervous after the state government has sought a bank guarantee in advance, equivalent to 5% of the acquisition cost of paddy stored in their mills. The bank guarantee is to be deposited with the Food and Civil Supplies Department, state government sources said. The state has recently notified ‗Punjab Custom Milling of Paddy Policy‘ for kharif 2018-19. The government officials, however, justified the bank guarantee because this would prevent defaults by the millers. District Food Supplies Controller, Amritsar, Rajnish Kumari said, the
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clause of bank guarantee was introduced to deter the millers from default. She said there were at least three rice mills who did not return rice after accepting paddy. One of these millers owed rice worth Rs 4 crore. ―Last year, some of the millers had defaulted in rice delivery valued at around Rs 200 crore,‖ said Tarsem Lal Saini, president, Punjab Rice Millers Association. The Association has suggested the government to seek bank guarantees from big millers handling more than 5,000 MT of paddy, he added. Millers are also upset due to the rising input costs such as high power tariffs and capital costs. The millers‘ capital would get stuck in the advance payment of guarantees, Amritsar Rice Millers Association chairman Surjit Singh Kang said. ―The government has imposed the bank guarantee on all rice millers who are doing government rice milling. In the border belt, 75% milling units are already closed and most of them are not in a condition to pay the bank guarantee. We request the government to revoke the decision,‖ he said. The move has been opposed by the rice millers, particularly of the Majha region. The region anticipates good returns as the government has raised the MSP to Rs 1,750 this year from Rs 1,550-1.590 in 2017.
Rice milling season — 2018 12% country‘s cereal production in Punjab 190 lakh MT expected paddy procurement 5% mandatory bank guarantee for millers https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/business/bank-guarantee-dampens-spirit-of-punjab-ricemillers/654660.html
Rice processing by-products could aid probiotic production may offer synbiotic potential By Nathan Gray
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17-Sep-2018 - Last updated on 17-Sep-2018 at 13:19 GMT ddThis Sharing Buttons
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Fractions of rice bran, a by-product from rice production, could be useful in the production of commercial probiotics – and may offer potential for synbiotic formulations, say researchers. A ‗major‘ by-product of rice production could be used to support growth of probiotic bacteria, according to researchers writing in Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies. “Rice bran is major by-product obtained in the rice processing,” noted the team – led by Premsuda Saman from Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research. The international research team – made up of scientists from research institutes in Thailand, Spain, Portugal and the UK – noted that since bran constitutes approximately 8–10% of the whole rice kernel, and recent data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), suggest global annual production of rice to be around 680 million tons, approximately 60 million tons of bran by-product is produced every year.“Currently, the rice bran is used mainly in animal feeding,‖ they said. “However, this use is not considered to be economically productive, and research is required in the search for value-added products from rice bran.”
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Study details Saman and colleagues prepared fractions of rice-bran. Using debranning technology they created six rice fractions were produced with increasing debranning degrees – all of which then had fermentation media were prepared from them, and were evaluated for supporting the growth of two probiotic strains, Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826 and Lactobacillus reuteri NCIMB 8821. “The fermentative capacity of rice fractions obtained by debranning technology shows a strong dependence on the specific probiotic lactic acid bacteria,” the team revealed. “In fact, in all fractions, L. plantarum performed considerably better than L. reuteri since greater cell biomass, substrate utilisation (TRS and FAN) and lactic acid production were obtained.” Analysis showed that a 3.7% debranning degree resulted optimal stimulation and growth of the selected probiotic strains – as such, the team suggested that this fraction “might be suitable for producing potential synbiotic formulations.” “This suggests that fractionation using controlled debranning could be implemented as an easy and inexpensive scale-up process to obtain functional ingredients that might be used for the production of potential synbiotic food products,” they added. Furthermore, Saman and colleagues suggested additional studies should also focus on the in vivo analysis of the prebiotic potential of the rice fractions. Source: Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.ifset.2018.05.009 "By-products of the rice processing obtained by controlled debranning as substrates for the production of probiotic bacteria” Authors: Premsuda Saman, et al
Scientists developing new rice variety to replace ‘Jyoti’ Nida Sayed
| TNN | Sep 17, 2018, 03:32 IST Panaji: The Old Goa-based ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI) is developing a new rice variety which will serve as a replacement for the existing Jyoti variety of rice in the state. ―Farmers in Goa have largely been using the Jaya and Jyoti varieties of rice, but there are other varieties that need to come into the picture. We are likely to come out with this new variety in another six months,‖ said ICAR-CCARI director E B Chakurkar.
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While experts are yet to name this variety, it will be titled in the same series as Goa Dhan. Two new varieties, Goa Dhan 1 and Goa Dhan 2 that were developed by ICAR last year have been recognized as better yielding compared to Jaya and Jyoti. ―At present, the ICAR scientists are working on the new Goa Dhan variety. It‘s yield will be better than the existing Jyoti variety,‖ Chakurkar said.
The commonly-cultivated Jyoti is prone to suffering damage in case of rainfall.
In addition to this, the ICAR-CCARI is also popularising the cultivation of Sahbhagi Dhan in the state‘s uplands. ―This variety can be grown well in areas with less water. We have already distributed 1.5 tonnes of its seeds to farmers in Canacona. It has come through the cooperative movement of the International Rice Research Institute. The variety works for all South Asian countries,‖ Chakurkar said.
In the salt areas, mainly khazan lands, the scientists have distributed the Goa Dhan 1 and Goa Dhan 2 seed varieties among farmers which are being cultivated in the ongoing Rabi season. ―Our aim is to improve production for farmers so that they get more yield and remuneration, as they would otherwise not find agriculture to be a sustainable job. We are working out techniques considering all aspects of farming,‖ he said.
RICE FARM’S NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS ARE A FACTOR FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE CONCERN HomeSpace NewsRice farm‘s Nitrous oxide emissions are a factor for global climate concern Rice farm‘s Nitrous oxide emissions are a factor for global climate concern Intermittently flooded rice farms will emit forty-five times additional inhalation anesthetic as compared to the utmost from unceasingly flooded farms that preponderantly emit paraffin, per a brand new study revealed in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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This raises the prospect that rice farming across the globe may well be answerable for up to double the extent of climate impact relative to what was antecedently calculable.
According to associate degree incidental to world analysis discharged by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), paraffin and inhalation anesthetic emissions from rice farms might have identical long warming impact as regarding 600 coal plants (1,900 MMT each year CO2e100).
In the short-run, this warming impact may well be the maximum amount as one,200 averagesized coal power plants (3,600 MMT each year CO2e100) as a result of inhalation anesthetic lasts more decades within the atmosphere than paraffin.
The short-run vs long climate exchange
The authors additionally found associate degree inverse correlation between paraffin and inhalation anesthetic emissions from rice farming: water and organic matter management techniques that cut back paraffin emissions will increase inhalation anesthetic emissions. this is often crucial as a result of inhalation anesthetic could be a durable gas that traps many times additional heat within the atmosphere than paraffin over each twenty and 100-year time frames.
To monitor and mitigate rice farming's inhalation anaesthetic impact, the authors invoke 1) scientists to map flooding regimes and live inhalation anesthetic emissions at a diversity of rice farms across the world; 2) countries to report these emissions; and 3) rice producers to optimize water, atomic number 7 and organic matter used to scale back emissions of those 2 necessary greenhouse gases. Rice could be a vital supply of nutrition for the world's chop-chop growing population, providing additional calories to humans than the other food.however growing rice is additionally resource-intensive: rice cultivation covers Martinmas of the earth's cultivatable land, consumes tierce of irrigation water.
With the assistance of native partners, the authors investigated gas emissions from rice farms across the south Asian country and located that inhalation anesthetic emissions from rice will contribute up to ninety-nine of the whole climate impact of rice cultivation at a range of intermittently flooded farms. These emissions contributed considerably to heating pollution -
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way more than the estimate of 100 percent antecedently prompt by multiple world rice analysis organizations
https://newsspaceflight.com/rice-farms-nitrous-oxide-emissions-are-a-factor-for-global-climate-concern/
RACIAL DIFFERENCES WILL ERASE CLIMATIC MIGRATION – SCIENTISTS – NEWS ZIK.UA magictr | September 17, 2018 | News |
Scientists from rice University in Houston in the United States believe that racial differences between people are erased through climate migration. The results of this study publishes Mach, reports Polyp. According to the study, in 2050 the number of climate migrants will reach 143 million people. The inhabitants of Africa, Latin America and South Asia fleeing from the heat, droughts, sea level rise or changes in precipitation. ―Racism will be history because after 5-10 generations of people become like each other,‖ says biologist Scott Solomon.
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The researchers predict that the Erasure of racial boundaries will begin in 125 years. Changes will also need to reach the immunity of future people – they will have to adopt a more long-lasting protection from ―tropical‖ diseases, which after migration will become more common in temperate climatic zones.Recall that the Rate of melting of glaciers in Antarctica has tripled. https://sivpost.com/racial-differences-will-erase-climatic-migration-scientists-news-zik-ua/21286/
Meghan cooks for Grenfell: Duchess makes secret trips to help volunteers create a charity cookbook in first solo project as a royal
The Duchess of Sussex is supporting the publication of a cookbook helping Grenfell families and others Meghan Markle has written the foreword to new book produced by cooks from Hubb Community Kitchen Duchess first visited the kitchen in January and has made other private trips to centre to meet volunteers Meghan says of the kitchen in the book: 'It is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together' The book, Together: Our Community Cookbook, is available in stores from Thursday and priced at £9.99 By MARK DUELL FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 10:12 BST, 17 September 2018 | UPDATED: 07:14 BST, 18 September 2018
The Duchess of Sussex made secret trips to a community mosque to cook with Grenfell Tower victims after the horrifying inferno that left 72 dead, it emerged today as she helped to release a new cookbook. In her first solo project as a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle has written the foreword to the new book produced by cooks from the Hubb Community Kitchen, an initiative based near the site of the West London tower. The duchess, who said she 'immediately felt connected' to the kitchen at the Al Manaar cultural centre, first visited in January and has made other secret trips to the centre to meet volunteers and learn more about their work.
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One of the contributors to the book, Munira Mahmud, 34, told how Meghan donned an apron and mucked in with the cooking, including washing rice. The duchess says in her introduction for Together: Our Community Cookbook: 'I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.
+33Meghan cooks with women in the Hubb Community Kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre in West London https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6175569/Meghan-cooks-Grenfell.html
Webinar: Climate Change, CO2, and Rice Production in the 21st Century: Now What? – Sept. 20 September 17, 2018 By Bobby Coats, University of Arkansas Ag Economist
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Rice heads at sunrise. Photo: University of Arkansas Join us Thursday, Sept. 20 at 3 PM CST for our next Food and Agribusiness Webinar ‗Climate Change, CO2 and Rice Production in the 21st Century: Now what?‘ with Dr. Lewis Ziska. Rice is widely recognized as a major caloric source globally. What challenges do rising carbon dioxide and climatic uncertainty pose for global rice production? From threats, to consequences; from challenges to promise, Dr. Lewis Ziska, former project leader for climate change at IRRI, will discuss a range of issues related to quantifiable and qualitative rice impacts; from pollen sterility, to increased weed pressures; but will also stress opportunities, with a focus on genetic and management adaptation. Dr. Ziska is a Plant Physiologist with the USDA‘s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland. After graduating from the University of California, Davis, he began his career as a Smithsonian fellow, and then took up residence as the Project Leader for global climate change at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines before joining USDA. Since joining USDA, Dr. Ziska has published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles related to climate change and rising carbon dioxide that address: 1. Agriculture and Food Security; 2. Weeds and weed management; 3. Invasive species; 4. Plant biology and public health. Dr. Ziska is a contributor to the 2014 International Panel on Climate Change report (Food Security Chapter); the 2014 National Climate Assessment (Public Health Chapter); and most recently, The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment. His work has appeared in Scientific American, USA Today, CBS Nightly News, CBS‘ Sunday Morning, National Geographic, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Weed Biology and Climate Change (with Jeff Dukes, Wiley Press) and the editor of Invasive Species and Global Climate Change (with Jeff Dukes, CABi Press). His most recent book is: Agriculture, Climate Change and Food Security in the 21st Century: Our Daily Bread, through Cambridge Scholars publishing.
https://agfax.com/2018/09/17/webinar-climate-change-co2-and-rice-production-in-the-21st-century-nowwhat-sept-20/
Economic managers urge Legarda to back rice tariffication Sherrie Ann Torres, ABS-CBN News Sep 14 2018 09:36 PM MANILA – Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia and Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno on Friday attended a closed-door meeting with
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Senate Finance Committee chair Sen. Loren Legarda.Diokno said inflation concerns were discussed during the meeting. The economic managers stressed the importance of passing the Rice Tariffication bill to help tame the rising prices of rice, he said. ―We plan to remove talaga ‗yung existing restrictions on importation kung kailangan talagang mag-import. And, of course, sa long-term solutions, ‗yung sa rice ‗yung Senate approval of tariffication on rice,‖ he said. The lower House has already approved the rice tariffication bill. Diokno also assured the public that rice supply and prices would stabilize next month. ―Things will normalize‖ as supply from imports and local harvests flood the market next month, he said.
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sherrie ann torres@sherieanntorres Finance Sec Carlos Dominguez, NEDA Dir-Gen Ernesto Pernia & Budget Sec Benjamin Diokno met with Senate finance committee chair @loren_legarda @ABSCBNNews@ANCALERTS 8:05 AM - Sep 14, 2018
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the administration's economic managers were preparing a draft Executive Order to tame inflation. https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/09/14/18/economic-managers-urge-legarda-to-back-rice-tariffication
Philippine paddy rice losses from typhoon exceed forecasts Enrico Dela Cruz
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 / 7:01 AM MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines lost a total of 250,730 tonnes of paddy rice due to the strong typhoon that hit its northern provinces over the weekend, according to initial official estimates, exceeding a worst-case forecast by 60 percent. A man trapped in raging flood waters caused by Typhoon Mangkhut is pictured before his rescue in Tarlac, Philippines, in this still image from a September 15, 2018 video from social media. Aquino Lord/Social Media/via REUTERS The Philippines, one of the world‘s biggest rice importers, had been under pressure to boost its stocks of the grain even before Typhoon Mangkhut struck, with soaring retail prices helping to push inflation to its highest in nearly a decade.The Department of Agriculture initially estimated crop damage at about 9.6 billion pesos ($177 million), but said that may increase as more field reports come in.―We‘re looking at about 11 to 12 billion (pesos) in agricultural damage,‖ Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said in an interview with CNN Philippines. ―It‘s not a nice figure to look at.‖Typhoon Mangkhut has swept over Hong Kong and Macau and on into China‘s southeast province of Guangdong, after devastating the Philippines, where the death toll is likely to surpass 50. MORE RICE, CORN IMPORTS LIKELY
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Even before the storm hit, the Philippines had already planned to import an additional 383,500 tonnes of rice this year, on top of approved purchases earlier this year of more than 1 million tonnes.The state grains procurement agency, National Food Authority, also has a ―standby authority‖ to import an additional 250,000 tonnes for delivery early next year. Prospects of new deals with the Philippines pushed up export prices last week from its main supplier Vietnam.The nation‘s rice crop losses from the typhoon were bigger than the agriculture ministry‘s forecast of up to 157,000 tonnes in a worst-case scenario. ―The rice sector could recover because we have coordinated with the National Irrigation Administration ... to not close the irrigation systems because right after the typhoon our farmers actually could replant,‖ Pinol said in the interview.―But for corn, it‘s a sad sight. Almost all crops were damaged,‖ he said. Pinol said he may recommend that the country also import corn to fill the possible shortfall. Pinol downplayed the impact of rice crop losses on prices, saying there are still enough stocks in typhoon-hit regions and that the harvest season in other areas has begun. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-asia-storm-philippines-rice/philippine-paddy-rice-lossesfrom-typhoon-exceed-forecasts-idUSKCN1LX03W https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2018/09/17/Rice-processing-by-products-could-aidprobiotic-production-may-offer-synbiotic-potential
ANI to import 2 MMT of rice yearly By Jasper Y. Arcalas September 18, 2018 LISTED agriculture firm AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) is set to import as much as 2 million metric tons (MMT) of rice annually, starting next year, following its $1-billion supply deal with Hanoirun Vietnam Southern Food Corp. (Vinafood) II. ANI said it has entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Vinafood II to be its exclusive supplier of long-grain rice annually.
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The MOA was signed by ANI President and CEO Antonio Tieu and Vinafood General Director Nguyen Ngoc Nam over the weekend, the firm said. The MOA was meant to help address the country‘s rice-supply issues, ANI said. Vinafood II is a state-owned corporation duly designated and assigned by the government of Vietnam to export rice and help achieve food security in Southeast Asia, ANI said. ―The terms and conditions of the exclusive supply agreement shall be finalized in accordance with applicable Philippine laws, including but not limited to, the proposed rice tarification bill,‖ the firm said in a disclosure to the local bourse on Monday. Last month ANI said the National Food Authority (NFA) has granted ―original proponent status‖ to its unsolicited joint venture (JV) proposal for the financing and purchase of 500,000 MT of imported rice to augment the country‘s buffer stock. Under its proposed JV agreement, the ANI consortium would shoulder all the expenses for the supply of NFA‘s stockpile. ―Both parties shall jointly determine the origin, suppliers, delivery and arrival periods, packing and loading and discharging ports,‖ the company said. ―NFA will solely determine the type of commodity to be imported, specifications and quantity,‖ the company added. The NFA would not spend even a single peso under the proposed JV agreement, ANI said. https://businessmirror.com.ph/ani-to-import-2-mmt-of-rice-yearly/
DTI-attached agency wants to import 3 million bags of rice By: Roy Stephen C. Canivel - @inquirerdotnet Inquirer Business / 03:17 PM September 14, 2018
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The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is proposing to import 150,000 metric tons of rice, as the more costly price of the staple gave a huge push to inflation last August. In a statement on Friday, DTI said this will be done through its attached agency, the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC), in order to augment the current supply of the National Food Authority (NFA). However, the NFA Council, the agency‘s policy-making body, has not yet approved this proposal. Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, who is also part of the same council, said PITC is on standby until it gets cleared. If approved, she said the importation — which is equivalent to 3 million bags of rice — is expected to arrive by December. These would be sold to consumers at P27-P32 per kilo. DTI did not say where it would source its import. Poor Filipinos have been waiting in line for NFA rice, which give them the needed pause from the current prices of commercial rice that reached an average all-time high of P43 a kilo. However, delays in NFA‘s importation schedules and shipments have made the unbearable wait even longer. This develops as the prices of basic goods and services reached last month their highest in close to a decade. Rice, which has grown more expensive, helped push inflation to 6.4 percent in August. It remains to be seen if the council would approve this proposal, especially after it had already approved the order to purchase 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice. NFA‘s manner of importing the 250,000 MT of rice differs from the one PITC would like to pursue. The 250,000 MT of rice will be purchased through an open tender scheme, wherein private suppliers are allowed to participate in the bidding and would be covered by the procurement law. Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco even previously described this as the option that is more competitive, transparent, and least corrupt.
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On the other hand, PITC, the country‘s premier government-controlled trading corp., would import through a government-to-government procurement. This has no bidding, although it is considered the fastest way to import rice. ―NFA‘s strategy to flood the market with affordable rice is laudable, but an open tender scheme might take a longer time to implement,‖ the DTI said in its statement. The DTI said PITC will implement ―strategies‖ that will lower the price of rice ―even before imported rice reached the country.‖ DTI did not expound on those strategies. ―By flooding the market with imported rice, hoarders will be left no option but to release their supply in market and eventually stabilize the prices of rice,‖ DTI said. When asked for further information on PITC‘s capabilities, Castelo said that the state-owned firm has imported rice before under the Arroyo administration. ―They did this in 2002 to augment NFA rice until 2010. [They] stopped in [Aquino‘s] administration,‖ she told the Inquirer in a text message. /kga
https://business.inquirer.net/257245/dti-attached-agency-wants-import-3-millionbags-rice#ixzz5RRnxYg3U
Kenya Accused of Banning Importation of Rice From Tanzania By DENIS MWANGI on September 17, 2018 - 1:15 pm President Uhuru Kenyatta and Tanzania's John Magufuli DAILY NATION
The future of trade between Kenya and Tanzania suffered another blow following accusations by Tanzanian Government officials. The country's Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prof Adolf Mkenda claims that the Kenyan government has stopped the importation of rice from the country over claims of poor quality and packaging. He stated that they would be seeking an explanation on the ban and was optimistic that the issues would be negotiated for the best interests of the two countries.
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Another issue on contention was that 15 lorries carrying wheat flour had been stopped from entering Kenya and were stranded at the border according to The Citizen.
A photo of the Kenya-Tanzania Border at Namanga Prof Mkenda accused revenue officials of frustrating another Company, Bakhresa, by overvaluing its products, leading to unfair taxation by KRA. The PS also alleged that the government was aware of reports that a consignment of beer from Tanzania was confiscated in Kenya. ―We have seen on social media platforms that consignments of beer have been confiscated in Kenya, but our High Commissioner is working on the matter,‖ he explained. He has called upon traders to be very patient as both governments strive to resolve the challenges which were hindering the cross-border trade.
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Early 2018, the Tanzanian government imposed a ban on confectionery products over claims that the sugar used was sourced from countries outside the East African Community https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/33190-kenya-accused-banning-importation-rice-tanzania
Vietnam presents 5,000 tonnes of rice as gift for Cuba Up to 5,000 tonnes of rice that are the gift of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for the Cuban people were symbolically presented at a ceremony in Havana on September 14.
Representatives of the General Department of State Reserves of Vietnam and the Cuba Food Import-Export Corporation exchange the signed document on the handover of the 5,000 tonnes of rice The gift, which has arrived at the Port of Mariel in the western province of Artemisa, was announced during a visit to the Caribbean nation by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong last March. Attending the ceremony were General Director of the General Department of State Reserves of Vietnam Do Viet Duc, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanh and Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Antonio Carricarte, among others. Duc said he was happy to visit Cuba amid the 45th anniversary of its leader Fidel Castro‘s visit to Vietnam – a milestone in Cuba‘s precious material and spiritual support to the Southeast Asian nation. He underlined the faithful sentiment and support of the Vietnamese Party, State and people for Cuba‘s revolutionary cause and congratulated the country on the recent achievements in updating its socio-economic model. For his part, Antonio Carricarte appreciated the gift as well as Vietnam‘s assistance to Cuba in improving its rice production capacity.
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Noting the countries‘ steadfast relations and each side‘s development demand, he voiced his belief in the huge potential for expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in investment, trade
and services exchange.–VNA https://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/208540/vietnam-presents-5-000-tonnes-of-rice-as-gift-forcuba.html
Bulog says rice stock sufficient this year Winny Tang The Jakarta Post Jakarta | Sat, September 15 2018 | 02:41 am The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) has reiterated that rice stocks will be sufficient at least until the end of this year, adding it plans to distribute the grain in smaller packages that consumers can afford to buy. Bulog said it will distribute the rice in smaller sizes to all provinces across the country to make sure rice is well distributed. Headed by president director Budi Wase... http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/09/15/bulog-says-rice-stock-sufficient-year.html
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Rice Prices as on : 18-09-2018 12:33:59 PM Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market. Arrivals Current
Price % change
Season cumulative
Modal
Prev. Modal
Prev.Yr %change
Rice Azamgarh(UP)
1300.00
8.33
9170.00
2260
2265
7.62
Gondal(UP)
128.00
2.4
10063.50
2290
2285
8.02
Agra(UP)
102.00
7.37
3049.00
2520
2540
-4.91
Barabanki(UP)
81.00
-22.86
440.00
2360
2290
9.26
Aligarh(UP)
80.00
6.67
2355.00
2500
2520
-2.34
Jorhat(ASM)
65.00
58.54
484.00
3200
3200
14.29
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)
65.00
8.33
3770.00
2800
2800
9.80
Kalipur(WB)
54.00
-22.86
2781.00
2450
2450
6.52
Dadri(UP)
50.00
400
844.00
2730
2670
14.95
Barhaj(UP)
50.00
-16.67
904.00
2240
2230
-
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,
Basti(UP)
41.50
-40.71
2884.50
2170
2120
2.60
Cachar(ASM)
40.00
-50
4100.00
2400
2400
9.09
Jayas(UP)
36.00
44
2025.50
2000
2000
2.56
Kandi(WB)
35.00
20.69
460.00
2510
2700
-
Allahabad(UP)
30.00
-40
538.00
2310
2300
-
Khalilabad(UP)
30.00
NC
1149.50
2145
2160
-
Lakhimpur(UP)
30.00
NC
544.00
2270
2250
4.61
Bharthna(UP)
30.00
50
6536.00
2470
2450
-
Saharanpur(UP)
28.00
7.69
1179.00
2770
2770
17.12
Gajol(WB)
24.20
1.26
1501.10
3650
3450
25.86
Sitapur(UP)
24.00
-
24.00
2285
-
2.28
Sirsaganj(UP)
20.00
11.11
957.00
2790
2780
18.72
Alipurduar(WB)
20.00
NC
880.00
2800
2800
21.74
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
18.00
-18.18
314.00
2300
2400
NC
Wansi(UP)
18.00
-21.74
608.00
2110
2115
-
Sahiyapur(UP)
17.50
25
2478.00
2165
2175
-
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
16.50
57.14
43.50
2765
2775
-
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,
Farukhabad(UP)
16.00
88.24
307.40
2350
2400
6.33
Fatehabad(UP)
14.00
115.38
90.80
2400
2350
-
Rampur(UP)
14.00
-33.33
355.50
2580
2385
-
Robertsganj(UP)
12.50
38.89
546.80
2215
2225
12.15
Vilthararoad(UP)
10.00
NC
690.00
2190
2190
1.86
Paliakala(UP)
10.00
-9.09
1083.60
2280
2280
-
Ranaghat(WB)
8.20
-1.2
270.42
3500
3400
52.17
Khurja(UP)
8.00
-30.43
849.50
2610
2610
-
Madhoganj(UP)
8.00
-23.81
126.80
2250
2240
-
Champadanga(WB)
8.00
-33.33
516.00
3200
3200
16.36
Kishunpur(UP)
7.00
NC
114.00
1800
1800
-
Chitwadagaon(UP)
7.00
NC
288.20
2100
2100
-1.41
Raath(UP)
7.00
-41.67
54.00
2000
1900
-
Jahangirabad(UP)
4.00
14.29
160.50
2650
2625
12.77
Sehjanwa(UP)
4.00
33.33
89.50
2160
2160
-
Ruperdeeha(UP)
4.00
NC
104.00
1800
1800
-
Mirzapur(UP)
3.50
-12.5
773.50
2180
2190
-
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,
Melaghar(Tri)
3.00
NC
17.50
2700
2850
10.20
Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)
3.00
-25
441.50
2300
2300
2.68
Tundla(UP)
2.50
47.06
144.30
2520
2515
-
Shikohabad(UP)
2.00
-60
17.00
2870
2920
-
Bangarmau(UP)
1.50
7.14
42.20
2275
2300
10.98
Chandoli(UP)
1.40
NC
236.60
2260
2225
-
Khair(UP)
1.00
-50
1181.00
2550
2550
NC
Khairagarh(UP)
0.80
NC
103.50
2560
2560
1.59
Achnera(UP)
0.60
NC
11.60
2560
2550
0.39
Published on September 18, 2018 https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article24975821.ece
Rice Prices as on : 17-09-2018 12:31:13 PM Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market. Arrivals Current
Price % change
Season cumulative
Modal
Rice
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Prev. Modal
Prev.Yr %change
English Bazar(WB)
123.20
6.57
1574.80
3600
3850
4.35
Sainthia(WB)
119.00
-8.46
1177.00
2520
2530
14.03
Agra(UP)
95.00
-5
2947.00
2540
2510
-4.15
Bahraich(UP)
86.40
15.97
7251.40
2290
2280
2.69
Cachar(ASM)
80.00
100
4060.00
2400
2400
9.09
Aligarh(UP)
75.00
7.14
2275.00
2520
2520
-1.56
Kalipur(WB)
70.00
-16.67
2727.00
2450
2450
6.52
Asansol(WB)
60.80
-40.97
6592.10
3100
3100
19.23
Indus(Bankura Sadar)(WB)
60.00
NC
3705.00
2800
2800
9.80
Gauripur(ASM)
50.00
NC
2455.60
4500
4500
NC
Hapur(UP)
40.00
-20
1990.00
2780
2700
21.93
Pandua(WB)
40.00
-20
706.00
3200
3200
1.59
Naanpara(UP)
32.50
16.07
1582.30
2260
2265
2.03
Karimpur(WB)
30.00
20
905.00
3800
3800
20.63
Saharanpur(UP)
26.00
18.18
1151.00
2770
2770
17.12
Mainpuri(UP)
26.00
18.18
1252.00
2900
2930
-
Dhekiajuli(ASM)
22.00
NC
296.00
2400
2300
4.35
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,
Jasra(UP)
22.00
10
107.00
2300
2300
-
Nadia(WB)
22.00
NC
433.00
3950
3850
6.76
Jafarganj(UP)
20.00
-9.09
1304.50
2340
2360
-
Purulia(WB)
20.00
11.11
356.00
2625
2600
11.70
Raiganj(WB)
13.00
30
975.00
3350
3350
32.67
Atarra(UP)
12.00
NC
287.00
2000
2000
NC
Utraula(UP)
12.00
50
220.70
1630
1610
-
Islampur(WB)
12.00
20
843.50
3450
3450
53.33
Champadanga(WB)
12.00
NC
508.00
3200
3200
16.36
Khurja(UP)
11.50
15
841.50
2610
2625
-
Banda(UP)
11.00
-
11.00
2225
-
14.10
Muzzafarnagar(UP)
10.50
-36.36
27.00
2775
2775
-
Madhoganj(UP)
10.50
34.62
118.80
2240
2240
-
Vilthararoad(UP)
10.00
NC
680.00
2190
2180
1.86
Chitwadagaon(UP)
7.00
NC
281.20
2100
2100
-1.41
Fatehabad(UP)
6.50
-7.14
76.80
2350
2350
-
Dibrugarh(ASM)
5.30
-39.08
655.90
2920
2920
29.78
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,
Vishalpur(UP)
4.20
-47.5
295.50
2575
2600
-
Mirzapur(UP)
4.00
33.33
770.00
2190
2210
-
Chhibramau(Kannuj)(UP)
4.00
NC
438.50
2300
2300
2.68
Ruperdeeha(UP)
4.00
-33.33
100.00
1800
1800
-
Kalyani(WB)
3.50
NC
164.90
3200
3200
-5.88
Shamli(UP)
3.00
-
3.00
2800
-
-
Khair(UP)
2.00
33.33
1180.00
2550
2610
NC
Tundla(UP)
1.70
-5.56
141.80
2515
2520
-
Doharighat(UP)
1.50
NC
13.50
2000
2000
-
Khairagarh(UP)
0.80
NC
102.70
2560
2560
1.59
Jagnair(UP)
0.70
16.67
72.60
2560
2550
0.79
Published on September 17, 2018 https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rice-prices/article24966027.ece
Senate‘s rice tariffication bill reported out to plenary September 17, 2018 | 9:37 pm PHILSTAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN
SENATOR Cynthia A. Villar reported out to the plenary on Monday the rice tariffication bill, which seeks to liberalize rice imports while imposing a tariff system on the commodity.
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In her sponsorship speech, Ms. Villar, who chairs the Senate committee on agriculture, said the bill will help reduce rice prices and provide support for local farmers who will be affected by the influx of cheaper imported rice.
―It‘s really timely that we implement rice tariffication, not only because of our commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) but also to address the country‘s present problems with the price and supply of rice,‖ she said. Senate Bill No. 1998 seeks to amend Republic Act No 8178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act to implement a system of rice tariffs. A 35% duty will be imposed on imports coming from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while a 50% rate will apply to imports from non-ASEAN countries. Ms. Villar said the bill will also remove the authority of the National Food Authority (NFA) to regulate the importation of rice and to issue import licenses or permits for the private sector.
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―In effect, it will remove unnecessary government intervention in the rice market… and the government can focus on regulating to ensure food safety and fair market competition,‖ she said. Another feature of the bill is the creation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund consisting of an initial appropriation of P10 billion sourced from the national budget until such time that there are sufficient collections from tariffs. Funding for succeeding years will come from the tariff revenue for rice importation, estimated at P8 billion yearly. The proposed fund will be allocated as follows: 50% for grants to farmers‘ associations, registered rice cooperatives, and local government units in the form of rice equipment, to be implemented by the Philippine Center for Post-Harvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech); 30% for the development, propagation and promotion of inbred rice seeds to rice farmers and organizations, to be implemented by the Philippine Rice Research Institution (PhilRice); 10% in the form of credit at preferential rates to rice farmers and cooperatives to be managed by Land Bank and the Development Bank of the Philippines; and 10% for extension services to teach rice farmers modern methods of farming, seed production, and farm mechanization, to be administered by PhilMech, PhilRice, the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). Beneficiaries of the rice fund will be listed in the registry system for basic sectors in agriculture, which will also be managed by the Department of Agriculture (DA). The bill also mandates the completion of the rice industry road map in order to encourage sustainable investment and to restructure delivery of the government‘s support services in the rice industry. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have cited the rice tariffication bill as one of the measures that will help ease inflation, which hit 6.4% in August.
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The bill‘s counterpart version at the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading on Aug. 14. It has been identified as a priority bill by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). — Camille A. Aguinaldo http://www.bworldonline.com/senates-rice-tariffication-bill-reported-out-to-plenary/
Farmers protecting Rice Creek By Submitted Today at 5:00 a.m.
St. Olaf students Allie Raduege (left) and Nisha Albert sample water in Rice Creek in July 2018. Photo courtesy of Kathy Shea By Alan Kraus, Cannon River Watershed Partnership Increasingly, Minnesota farmers are being challenged to make a profit growing soybeans and corn while simultaneously, making our rivers and lakes cleaner. This is a tall order for any business, especially one that has to deal with the whims of 100-year rainstorms or mid-summer droughts. To help area farmers with this daunting challenge, the Fishers and Farmers Partnership, Rice County Soil and Water Conservation District, St. Olaf College, Minnesota Department on Natural Resources, and farmers and landowners in the Rice Creek watershed are teaming up with
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the Cannon River Watershed Partnership in a project to protect the only trout stream in Rice County. Beginning this fall, eight farmers will plant cover crops on about 800 acres of land in the Rice Creek watershed. Cover crops are plants like winter rye, turnip or oats that are planted sometime during or after the growing season of soybeans and corn to keep the soil covered between fall harvest and spring planting. These crops capture excess fertilizers and can improve the ecology of farm soils. This research project will measure how planting cover crops can improve soil health and crop production while at the same time reduce fertilizer and sediment loads into Rice Creek. The farmers in this project will plant cover crops on the fields for three consecutive years, report the costs to implement the practice and record the soybean and corn yield differences between cover-cropped fields and those without. St. Olaf College will test field tile drainage water from cover-cropped fields and controls for nitrate so farmers can compare the level of nitrate fertilizer leaving tile lines. St. Olaf College will also monitor stream nitrate, total phosphorus, total suspended solids (sediment and algae) and aquatic insects for three years. At the end of the study period the DNR will conduct a fish survey. Results from these monitoring efforts will be compared to studies conducted in 2012 and 2015. http://www.republican-eagle.com/sports/outdoors/4499530-farmers-protecting-rice-creek
BOC-10 official denies 'holding' rice imports in Region 10 By Jigger Jerusalem September 17, 2018, 8:26 pm CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A Bureau of Customs-10 (BOC-10) official denied Monday any intention to put on hold imported rice supplies for Northern Mindanao.A BOC-10 official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to issue statements to the media, blamed the delay in the processing of papers due to the sheer volume of container vans that arrived at the
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Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental over the past few days.
The official said that, there was a valid reason why the 220,000 sacks of rice from Vietnam and Thailand, currently stored at the MCT warehouse, were not released right away by the Customs. ―They were not held. There was just a delay in the processing due to the volume of the container vans that came in at the MCT,‖ the BOC-10 official said, adding that there is no exact date yet on when these imported items will be discharged from the MCT. Essential supplies such as rice and sugar from other countries, he said, are put on the priority lane at the MCT‘s designated examination area per the directive of Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña. In a statement posted on social media last week, Lapeña ordered ―all district collectors to expedite the processing of essential food such as rice, sugar, pork, and chicken to aid the supply issue.‖ ―Why hold it when its import papers are in order? If they lack the papers we would have already seized them. In fact, we wanted to have the imported rice released because they are perishable goods,‖ Lapeña said. Hazel Belacho, National Food Authority-10 (NFA-10) information officer, in a separate interview Monday, said the imported rice supplies in question are not owned by the agency but are intended for commercial purpose. Belacho said the rice importers have already secured permits as required by the NFA and other government agencies.NFA‘s role in this type of procurement process, she said, is to revalidate the import papers of the private importers prior to issuing them a certificate of eligibility, which they will then submit to BOC before paying the duties and taxes to the Land Bank of the Philippines. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1048263
ANI, VINAFOOD partner for $1-B rice imports September 17, 2018, 10:00 PM
By Madelaine B. Miraflor
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Publicly-listed firm AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) has signed an exclusive deal with Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (VINAFOOD II) for its importation of as much as 2 million MT of rice worth $1 billion.
(Logo from AgriNurture, Inc.) ―The terms and conditions of the exclusive supply agreement shall be finalized in accordance with applicable Philippine laws including, but not limited to, the proposed rice tarrification bill,‖ ANI said in a disclosure at the Philippine Stock Exchange. VINAFOOD II was one of the companies that failed to secure a supply contract from the last government-to-private (G2P) bidding that the National Food Authority (NFA) conducted in May for the importation of 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice. VINAFOOD II is a state-owned corporation, duly designated and assigned by the government of Vietnam to export rice and help achieve food security in Southeast Asia. Last month ANI submitted an unsolicited proposal to the NFA for its plan to import 500,000 MT of rice in behalf of the Philippine government. And although the company said the proposal was acknowledged by NFA, the agency is yet to make any decision regarding the plan.
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NFA Grains and Marketing Chief Rocky Valdez pointed out that though he has no direct knowledge of the deal, this will be subject to the approval of the NFA Council, the highest policy making body of the state run grains agency. Under the proposed joint venture agreement, the ANI consortium shall finance the supply of NFA rice with no cash out on the part of government. Both parties shall jointly determine the origin, suppliers, delivery and arrival periods, packing and loading and discharging ports. NFA, on the other hand, will solely determine the type of commodity to be imported, specifications and quantity. Under its mandate, NFA is required to ensure national food security and to stabilize supply and prices of staple cereals like rice both in the farm and consumer levels. At any given time, the agency is required to maintain a rice buffer stock good for 15 days, and good for 30 days during lean months. Since the Philippine daily rice requirement is estimated at 32,750 metric tons, ANI‘s 500,000 metric ton importation is just enough to fill NFA‘s 15-day requirement. The government is moving towards the liberalizing rice importation to stabilize supply and prices. Once amended Agricultural Tariffication Act, or the rice tariffication bill, will be passed into law, rice importation will be allowed to enter the Philippines with a corresponding tariff of 35 percent. https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/09/17/ani-vinafood-partner-for-1-b-rice-imports/
Philippine Paddy Rice Losses From Typhoon Exceed Forecasts Sept. 16, 2018, at 10:00 p.m. Philippine Paddy Rice Losses From Typhoon Exceed Forecasts A man trapped in raging flood waters caused by Typhoon Mangkhut is pictured before his rescue in Tarlac, Philippines, in this still image from a September 15, 2018 video from social media. Aquino Lord/Social Media/via REUTERSREUTERS BY ENRICO DELA CRUZ MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines lost a total of 250,730 tonnes of paddy rice due to the strong typhoon that hit its northern provinces over the weekend, according to initial official estimates, exceeding a worst-case forecast by 60 percent.
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The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers, had been under pressure to boost its stocks of the grain even before Typhoon Mangkhut struck, with soaring retail prices helping to push inflation to its highest in nearly a decade. The Department of Agriculture initially estimated crop damage at about 9.6 billion pesos ($177 million), but said that may increase as more field reports come in. "We're looking at about 11 to 12 billion (pesos) in agricultural damage," Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said in an interview with CNN Philippines. "It's not a nice figure to look at." Typhoon Mangkhut has swept over Hong Kong and Macau and on into China's southeast province of Guangdong, after devastating the Philippines, where the death toll is likely to surpass 50. MORE RICE, CORN IMPORTS LIKELY Even before the storm hit, the Philippines had already planned to import an additional 383,500 tonnes of rice this year, on top of approved purchases earlier this year of more than 1 million tonnes. The state grains procurement agency, National Food Authority, also has a "standby authority" to import an additional 250,000 tonnes for delivery early next year. Prospects of new deals with the Philippines pushed up export prices last week from its main supplier Vietnam. The nation's rice crop losses from the typhoon were bigger than the agriculture ministry's forecast of up to 157,000 tonnes in a worst-case scenario. "The rice sector could recover because we have coordinated with the National Irrigation Administration ... to not close the irrigation systems because right after the typhoon our farmers actually could replant," Pinol said in the interview. "But for corn, it's a sad sight. Almost all crops were damaged," he said. Pinol said he may recommend that the country also import corn to fill the possible shortfall. Pinol downplayed the impact of rice crop losses on prices, saying there are still enough stocks in typhoon-hit regions and that the harvest season in other areas has begun. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Richard Pullin and Tom Hogue) https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-09-16/philippines-says-typhoon-destroys250-000-tons-of-paddy-rice
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NegOcc rice stocks good for 30 days; harvest, imports to boost supply By PTV NEWS MD September 17, 2018
BACOLOD CITY — The inventory of both commercial and government rice in Negros Occidental is only good for 30 days but the upcoming harvest and expected import allocation will boost supply by October, according to the National Food Authority (NFA). NFA-Negros Occidental provincial manager Frisco Canoy said as of Sunday, stocks are ―safe and very sufficient‖ until the harvest peaks and the imported rice supply arrives. ―Within 30 days, we expect to have our import allocation,‖ he said, adding that when harvest peaks next month, there will also be additional rice supply. Canoy said rice traders may also have incoming stocks as they start to buy from other provinces. The total rice inventory in Negros Occidental reached 618,000 bags, of which, about 16,000 bags are government rice stored in the NFA warehouses. At least 600,000 bags account for commercial rice stocked by millers, wholesalers, retailers, and households. With an average daily consumption of 20,600 bags, the existing rice supply in the province will last for only a month. Canoy said NFA rice in the province only accounts for 10 percent of consumption while commercial rice has 90 percent consumption share. ―If we are going to distribute all our stocks, it will take us only two weeks to do it. We will stretch our remaining 16,000 bags until our importation arrives,‖ he added.
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The first imported rice allocation for Negros Occidental this year, totaling 80,000 bags from Thailand, arrived in July. An additional importation of 6.5 metric tons or 130,000 bags will follow, but there is no arrival schedule yet. Canoy said despite the current limited volume of the government‘s PHP27 per kilogram rice, the NFA is ensuring that its warehouses will not be empty until buffer stocks are available. Since the NFA has food security requirement and has to provide rice supply in times of calamities, its stocks should not be totally sold, he added. (Erwin https://www.ptvnews.ph/negocc-rice-stocks-good-for-30-days-harvest-imports-to-boost-supply/
Senate wants to scrap NFA‘s licensing power By Jasper Y. Arcalas
September 17, 2018 The Senate is inching closer to approving its own version of rice tariffication bill, which seeks to remove the licensing power of the National Food Authority (NFA) once the quantitative restriction (QR) on the staple is scrapped. The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food issued last week its committee report which was submitted to President Duterte. The report informed Duterte that the committee has approved Senate Bill (SB) 1998, which substitutes all the pending bills at the Senate to convert the rice QR into tariffs. The committee report was signed by the chairs of the Committees on Finance, Ways and Means and Agriculture and Food. Under SB 1998, the NFA‘s regulatory powers, which include accreditation and licensing of rice traders and importers, would be removed.
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―The NFA shall no longer establish rules and regulations governing the importation of rice and issue import licenses or permits for the private sector,‖ the report read. ―Likewise, the power of the NFA to first certify the existence of a shortage before importation is allowed is hereby removed,‖ it added. The bill is seeking to mandate all importers to secure sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry in lieu of import permits. ―All importers of rice are required to secure a sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance from the Bureau of Plant Industry prior to importation in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations,‖ it read. However, the bill does not remove the buffer stocking role and market intervention powers of the NFA. Under the bill, the NFA would maintain a rice stockpile equivalent to the country‘s national consumption requirement computed by an interagency committee constituted by the NFA Council (NFAC). ―This reserve requirement shall be maintained at any given time to address calamities and emergency situations, and for price stabilization during the traditional lean months,‖ the bill read. However, the NFA would be only allowed to undertake direct rice importation when the local production is not sufficient ―for the purpose of maintaining the required buffer stock to ensure rice security.‖ The bill also empowers the President to bring down the tariffs further for a specific import volume in times of ―impending rice shortages.‖ However, the rice shortage situation shall be determined first by an interagency technical committee and confirmed by the NFAC.
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The President‘s power to bring down tariffs, through an executive order, could be exercised even when Congress is in session, the bill stipulated. Under the bill, rice imports coming from Asean member-countries would be levied with a 35percent tariff regardless of quota. The most favored nation rates for in-quota rice imports would be at 50 percent, or the tariff equivalent calculated under existing World Trade Organization agreements, whichever is higher. Furthermore, the bill would remove the export restriction on rice but subject to rules and regulations and guidelines formulated by the NFA and approved by the NFA Council. ―The NFA shall determine fees and charges of rice exports which shall, likewise, be approved by the NFA Council and shall collect taxes and charges from such exports,‖ the bill read. The bill calls for a special safeguard duty on rice to protect farmers the local industry from ―sudden or extreme price fluctuations.‖ Like its counterpart that was recently approved by the House of Representatives, SB 1998 seeks the set up of a rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEF) that would earmark all tariff revenues from imports to rice farmers. An initial P10 billion funding would be shelled out by the government to kick-start the RCEF and the programs mandated by the bill. https://businessmirror.com.ph/senate-wants-to-scrap-nfas-licensing-power/
Questions on TRAIN 2 a.k.a. TRABAHO September 16, 2018 | 9:27 pm
Corporate Watch By Amelia H. C. Ylagan
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When the inflation rate of 6.4% for August was finally announced by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) last week, there was a storm of fears that lashed stronger than the most powerful typhoon of the season (Signal No. 4), ―Ompong‖ that trashed northern Philippines and rained heavily the whole weekend on the rest of Luzon. Without believing the rumor of unsure inflation data, the perception still persists that inflation is very high — the highest in nine years (Ibid.), as it can be felt in the undeniable increase in prices of the basic needs of Filipinos, mainly in food and fuel/power costs. And then there is the rice shortage that the National Food (NFA) Administrator Jason Aquino admitted in February (CNN Philippines, Feb. 7, 2018). Sen. Francis Pangilinan is worried that the NFA buffer stock is good only for two days and said that Jason Aquino should also be prosecuted for graft and made to explain the missing P20 billion worth of rice, amidst persistent reports of tons of NFA rice being sold to private traders, who rebag the grain and sell the same as commercial rice.(philstar.com Sept. 13, 2018). And agriculturists and rice farmers are perplexed why the manipulating private traders and smugglers should be rewarded and given even freer rein by the lifting of the quantitate
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restrictions ―QR‖ (agreed World Trade Organization limits to the volume of rice imports) amidst the inflation and the rice shortage. The rice tariffication law that imposes a 35% tariff on unlimited importation is being rushed by the Legislature on the urgent request of the Executive (philstar.com, July 31, 2018). With the legitimized flooding of the market with imported rice, and the abolition of the NFA regulations, how can the local farmers compete with the cheaperproduced, lower-priced, better-quality Vietnamese and Thai rice? Is rice agriculture dead, and rice self-sufficiency a lost dream in the country that consumes roughly 11.7 million tons of rice every year? The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) says allowing cheap rice imports with tariffs will immediately lower the inflation rate by 0.4 percentage points and the price of rice by as much as P7 per kilo — but it will not bring the 2018 full-year inflation rate back to the 2% to 4% target inflation range. Agriculture groups like Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag) said the more foreign exporters would have access to the Philippines, they could, theoretically, manipulate supply to bring prices up. Inflation has to be addressed, yet it seems to have swung from yes to no that the BSP will announce an early interest rate hike after its last rate hike of 50 basis points (of 100 basis points since May, its largest in a decade) to help ease the 6.4% August inflation (Bloomberg, Sept. 14, 2018). The peso gasped in sympathetic panic to P53.88 against the dollar last week, then the lowest in 13 years (BusinessWorld, Sept. 10, 2018) and even lower to P54.004 as of Sept. 14 (BSP). Analysts say the peso is getting pummeled by rising oil prices, faster inflation, fiscal and current-account deficits and the broader investor turn against emerging markets vis-à-vis the strengthening of the dollar (Bloomberg.com, Sept. 10, 2018). Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. sees the Philippines‘ current account deficit continuing to deteriorate as infrastructure spending ticks up and other analysts think the peso may fall past P55 per dollar (Ibid.). The falling peso and rising inflation: this situation seems hardly the time to be gung-ho on giant tax reforms which will change the lives for Filipinos. ―Less than 10% of the population has a per capita income above the global middle-income level,‖ the World Bank says (ABS-CBN News, April 19, 2018). These days, an accelerating pace of inflation, triggered in large part by the government‘s imposition of new taxes on a myriad of products and services, can only be
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expected to hit the poor most (Ibid.). The reference is to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion program, TRAIN 1, which removed the personal income taxes for those earning below P250,000 but increased excise and value-added taxes to many goods and food consumed by all income and even no-income levels. And TRAIN 2, second phase of the controversial tax reform has been ―promised‖ by Pres. Duterte in his most recent State of the Nation (SONA) July 2018. Reportedly due to public backlash against TRAIN 1, the name for TRAIN 2 has been changed to ―Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High Quality Opportunities‖ or TRABAHO. The second package proposed to cut corporate income tax from 30% to 25%and take away fiscal incentives, including tax exemption, from hundreds of businesses in export processing zones (The Philippine Star, Aug. 8, 2018). Senate ways and means committee chairman Sonny Angara has said 0.9% or less than one percent was the highest inflation rate the DoF told lawmakers when it was badgering them to approve the TRAIN law (Ibid.). In time of 6.4% inflation (and still rising), precisely faulted by critics to be mostly because of the higher end-user taxes under TRAIN 1, how should TRAIN 2 be institutionalized, if ever? Why reward corporations with a reduction in corporate income tax, when the highest-ranked Filipino companies in the Forbes list earn double-digit profit over sales, or well-covering inflation? Examples are Banco de Oro, with 21.19% P/S, which rough-estimated corporate tax reduction would be around PHP 7+ billion at PHP 54 to USD 1.00 at the 5% reduction by TRAIN 2 (computed flat, not yet refined to cumulative savings up to 2029 span of corporate tax reduction). Ayala Corp., which enjoys about 19% return on sales can save around PHP 38+ billion or so in corporate taxes, while San Miguel Corp. with its USD 14 billion sales will enjoy some PHP 38+ billion corporate tax reduction, assuming constant sales figures (roughly computed from 2017 Forbes Global 2000 list data). It is not clear whether the 25% corporate income tax proposed under TRAIN 2 will be stratified according to income levels, but it would seem not, because of the government‘s eagerness to cut subsidies to small businesses and those located in export processing zones — all subsidies will
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end in two years. These subsidized companies pay only 6% to 13% income tax, while 95% of all businesses pay the present 30% corporate income tax, the highest rate in the region, according to the Department of Finance. It would not justify the proffered largesse to corporations, just to do what the ―big boys‖ in the region, even if this is supposedly to increase business activity and draw foreign investments. Will the businesses who enjoy savings from reduced corporate income taxes really hire more workers and expand activities because of this (thereby increasing the tax basis, and offsetting the tax reduction)? What about workers made redundant by exiting erstwhile-subsidized companies? ―TRABAHO‖ can be an embarrassing misnomer. It is like taking money from the poor to give to the rich, when tax reforms based on rosy assumptions are insisted upon, in the critical Now of inflation and increasing personal tax burdens on the citizenry. Can the government be humble enough to please hold off hurried approvals for drastic economic changes, and ―Study, study, study‖ programs and projects with true and sincere concern for the welfare and survival of the Filipino? Moratorium on the ―Go, go, go,‖ and do the urgent relief-and-rehabilitation for today‘s inflation and peso crises, like the 100% focus of all departments and agencies on the torments of the recent super-typhoon ―Ompong.‖ Congratulations and thank you from the Filipino people for speedy response to disaster and calamities. Amelia H. C. Ylagan is a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of the Philippines. http://www.bworldonline.com/questions-on-train-2-a-k-a-trabaho/
Palace hopes importation compensates for P14-B damage to crops By PTV News - CD September 18, 2018
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MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday expressed hope that the government‘s policy shift to allow the importation of rice and other crops will compensate for the agriculture losses brought about by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut). The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier said that agricultural damage in the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), caused by the typhoon, reached PHP14.27 billion with huge losses in rice, corn, high-value crops, and livestock. ―We can‘t deny that PHP14 billion was a very high cost to agriculture. However, we now have a policy shift, we have allowed the entry of import of food products which we hope will bring down the cost of good,‖ Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing. Citing DA Secretary Emmanuel ―Manny‖ Piñol, Roque said that because there is an increase in the reported losses in corn, the government may have to import more corn as well. ―We‘re also hoping that open importation of these food products will also offset whatever shortage or lower supply may result as a result of Ompong,‖ Roque said. ―In other words, we hope to compensate the loss because of Ompong through importation,‖ he added. Roque is also counting on the government‘s institutional steps, such as simplifying and streamlining the licensing procedures for rice imports to address food supply issues and bring inflation down. ―We‘re hoping that inflation will not worsen the cost of institutional steps already taken by the government to help reign-in inflation,‖ Roque said. Earlier, Roque said Malacañang will urge Congress to pass the Rice Tariffication Bill within the month.
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The Economic Cluster Group will submit to the Office of the President a draft executive order, removing administrative constraints and non-tariff barriers on importation of food products. ―Kapag nag-tariffication tayo wala nang quantitative restrictions „yan eh (If we have tariffication, there will no longer be quantitative restrictions). Free market to import in exchange for payment of tariffs which we will use to provide assistance to our farmers,‖ Roque said. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Ompong left about 60 people dead. The NDRRMC deployed an additional 14-man multi-agency national incident management team to augment the ongoing rescue efforts in the CAR. (Azer Parrocha/PNA) https://www.ptvnews.ph/palace-hopes-importation-compensates-for-p14-b-damage-to-crops/
Mar Roxas calls time-out from travel blog to talk about rice crisis ‗Magkaiba paningin natin sa maraming bagay pero sa tingin ko lahat ng Pilipino gustong malutas ang problemang ito. Kaya time out muna,‘ says Mar Roxas in a rare social media post to the President Lian Buan @lianbuan Published 6:00 PM, September 18, 2018 Updated 7:52 PM, September 18, 2018
DEAR PRESIDENT DUTERTE. Mar Roxas pens a rare political post on Facebook addressing President Rodrigo Duterte and suggesting solutions to the rice crisis. File photo by Darren Langit/Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – Former senator and interior secretary Mar Roxas addressed President Rodrigo Duterte in a rare political post on Tuesday, September 18, and suggested that the administration increase the ceiling on rice imports. Roxas, who has taken an indefinite hiatus from politics since losing to Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections and who often only posts about his travels nowadays, said the President
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should ―please consider‖ his suggestions to solve the rice crisis.
―Instruct that Minimum Access Volume (MAV) be increased to 1.5 million metric tons,‖ Roxas said. This essentially means to increase the cap on the rice which can be imported by the Philippines. The current MAV is 805,000 metric tons. Roxas said increasing rice imports and asking the National Food Authority (NFA) to ―remove the usual BS so as to allow any and all in the private sector to import rice‖ will have immediate effects on supply, and result in lower prices. ―In the short term this will provide a definite physical buffer, put a definite timeframe for when supply tightness will end and induce hoarders to release their stocks bago maipit sila (before they are put in a tight spot),‖ Roxas said.
Is import a solution? But Roxas' suggestion of increasing imports, although it echoes the policy of Duterte's economic managers, has failed to tame inflation last month.
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The government imported 250,000 metric tons of rice from Thailand and Vietnam last June, but as of latest data from August, rice prices are still high. The average retail price of regular milled rice is P43.86 per kilo during the 4th week of August, while well-milled rice soared to P47.12. Like Roxas, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Senator Cynthia Villar also want to boost rice imports. Ironically, Roxas differs from the stance of his Liberal partymate Senator Paolo Benigno ―Bam‖ Aquino IV, who is pushing the government to buy rice from local farmers. Aquino wanted to improve the capability of local farmers and reduce their cost of production. A report by the Commission on Audit (COA) said that NFA‘s diversion of food security funds to pay off loans incurred from importing rice is what caused the shortage of rice supply. The COA added that the NFA should have used the funds to give incentives to farmers, and buy their produce. Roxas also suggested that Duterte put all farmer families on the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program. In the medium-term, Roxas said Duterte should repeal the tax reform law and promote industrialized farming. Roxas wrote his suggestions in a post he titled ―Dear President Duterte.‖ ―Magkaiba paningin natin sa maraming bagay pero sa tingin ko lahat ng Pilipino gustong malutas ang problemang ito. Kaya time out muna,‖ said Roxas. (Our views on many things are different but I think all Filipinos want to solve this problem. So I‘m calling a time out.) Roxas has kept silent on his plans for 2019, although the opposition has put his name on its possible slate for the senatorial elections. – Rappler.com
https://www.rappler.com/nation/212256-mar-roxas-post-about-rice-crisis-solution-to-duterte
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