11th february,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Rice E-Newsletter February 11 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I

Iran to resume Basmati imports from India soon AMITI SEN NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 11:

Indian rice exporters may soon be able to resume Basmati exports to Iran. Top officials in the country have assured India that the temporary ban placed on imports late last year will be lifted shortly and the process of registration of suppliers will begin.A team of officials from the Commerce Ministry recently visited Iran to hold talks with their counterparts on exports of a variety of products including rice.

Low exports likely

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine ―We were assured that Iran is ready to resume rice imports as the glut in their domestic market has eased substantially,‖ a Commerce Ministry official told BusinessLine.

Business for rice exporters, however, is not likely to be as brisk as before, as Iran still has substantial stocks of rice.―Iranian officials have indicated that they will resume the process of re-registration of Basmati suppliers.

The country is supposed to come up with its notification (on lifting curbs) on March 21.We have to find out what happens,‖ said Rajen Sundaresan from the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA).Sundaresan was part of the business delegation that accompanied the Indian officials.―We expect rice exports to Iran to be 3-5 lakh tonnes (lt), as it will not be possible to touch the earlier highs,‖ the Ministry official said.

Glut in Iran

In 2014-15, exports of rice from India to Iran are likely to be around 8 lt, as opposed to expectations of 10 lt. In 2013-14, India‘s export of Basmati to Iran was a whopping 1.4 million tonne.Sundaresan said that while Iran had not indicated how much they want to buy, the general expectation was that it would be lower this year as there was still a lot of existing stock in the market.Iran stopped importing rice late last year (August-September) as there was a glut in the country because of a robust local production and a spill-over in stocks from the previous year.

Payment mechanism

Iran had stepped up its purchase of all items including rice from India over the last couple of years to get around economic sanctions imposed by Western countries over its alleged nuclear activities.India and Iran have put in place a Rupee payment mechanism wherein part payment for the oil purchased from Iran by India is deposited in a Rupee account in India‘s UCO Bank.The money is then used to make payments to Indian exporters to Iran thereby avoiding payments in Dollars and through foreign banks.

(This article was published on February 11, 2015)

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/iran-to-resume-basmati-imports-from-indiasoon/article6883163.ece

Bill Gates gives Ghana, others $3.3m for rice production Feb 11, 2015 at 3:55pm

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the German Development Cooperation (BMZ), under their Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) project have given Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Tanzania a $3.3 million grant to boost rice production.About 120,000 small scale rice producers will benefit from the project which is expected to end 2017. Secondary beneficiaries are the rural service providers and rice millers.

The implementing institutions of the grant are led by GIZ, Technoserve, the John A. Kufuor (JAK) Foundation and Kili Trust (KT). The initiative is geared towards improving their sourcing capacity of quality supply.Speaking on the establishment of the Nigeria/ECOWAS Rice Sector Policy and Regulation Advocacy Platform in Abuja, CARI‘s project coordinator, Mr. Stefan Kachelriess-Matthess, stated that the main instrument for the implementation of CARI across the four countries on the matching grant will be on the basis of Public Private Partnership (PPP).―The projects are implemented at two levels of support, we support up to 40 percent of implementation cost and our Nigerian partners in the private sector have to provide 60 per cent of the implementation cost,‖ Kachelriess-Matthess said.

The ECOWAS Commissioner of Agriculture, Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Lapodini Marc Atouga, represented by a Director at the Commission, said rice consumption in the last two years in the sub-region had increased from 7 to 7.7 million tons, pointing out this clearly shows that production is not matching up with the consumption as it has to depend on international imports for 40 per cent of its rice supply with Thailand and Vietnam as the leading suppliers of the commodity to the region.As a way of achieving its regional Agriculture Investment Programme (RAIP), he said the Commission went a step further to develop projects and programmes that will increase rice production and productivity in the region.

Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM http://www.starrfmonline.com/1.1992346

BATAN to produce prime crop seedlings Bambang Muryanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta | Archipelago | Wed, February 11 2015, 9:16 AM

The National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) will this year release five prime crop seedlings, consisting of two types of rice seedlings, two sorghum seedlings and a peanut seedling, as the result of the application of nuclear technology.―We will immediately announce a superior rice seedling called Tropiko,‖ BATAN Radiation and Isotopic Application Center head Hendig Winarno told The Jakarta Post at the Application of Radiation Processing for Sustainable

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Development of Agriculture Seminar in Yogyakarta on Monday.The seminar and workshop, which run until Thursday and were organized by BATAN and the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), were attended by representatives from countries such as Bangladesh, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Hendig said BATAN was waiting for a decision letter from the agriculture minister regarding the Tropiko superior rice seedling, which can withstand pests and yield 10.5 tons of rice per hectare.―If developed, we can meet up to 10 percent of rice seedling demand nationally,‖ added Hendig.He said the application of nuclear technology, such as gamma rays and electron radiation, was able to produce new superior seedling varieties in bigger volumes compared to conventional methods. Meanwhile, rice farmer Sumana Sri Darwanta, from Musirawas in South Sumatra, revealed that he had tried growing Tropiko rice seedlings, saying they grew faster than usual and had strong roots and a survival rate of 95 percent.

BATAN data showed that the prime sorghum seedling called Samurai 1 could produce 1,148 liters of ethanol fuel from a 1-hectare field and the Samurai 2 seedling (suitable as food) could yield 8.5 tons per hectare, while the superior black soybean seedling, named Mutiara 2, could produce 3 tons per hectare and Mutiara 3 could produce 3.2 tons per hectare.BATAN created 17 superior rice seedlings from 1982 to 2014 and eight prime black soybean seedlings from 1987 to 2014.BATAN, equipped with nuclear technology, is also able to produce oligochitosan from prawn waste, the product of which is called Fitosan, to boost crop growth and prevent plant diseases originating from fungi, bacteria and viruses.

Another of its products is the super water absorbent hydrogel (SWA), used for agriculture on sandy or dry farms and aimed at efficient water use and maintaining the balance of soil moisture.―SWA usage for shallot cultivation in sandy soil in Samas Beach, Bantul, could minimize irrigation from twice daily to once in three days,‖ said Hendig.BATAN Nuclear Technology Development Division deputy head Anhar Riza Antariksawan said agricultural products using nuclear technology were safe to consume.―The method is safe because radiation immediately disappears,‖ said Anhar.

He added that BATAN‘s innovations in the field of agriculture could boost crop productivity and help economic growth. He expressed hope that BATAN‘s findings could be used by farmers in Indonesia.―We hope investors will be willing to produce these innovations en masse. BATAN will provide technical assistance,‖ said Anhar http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/02/11/batan-produce-prime-crop-seedlings.html#sthash.eOuWPaqG.dpuf

Malaysia; Where has the S$113.2 rice subsidy gone?

Sin Chew Daily/Asia News NetworkWednesday, Feb 11, 2015

MALAYSIA - Kedah Regency Council deputy chairman and two rice millers have lodged a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) against Agriculture and AgroBased Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob over suspected power abuse in handling

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine rice subsidy, exposing drawbacks in the RM500 million subsidy for Super Tempatan ST15 per cent broken rice.

Poor people are unable to purchase subsidied rice, due to allegedly pocketing problems involving senior officials in the government.However, Ismail Sabri, who was severely criticised recently for harming racial harmony due to his boycott call, has distanced himself from the allegation, claiming that he has no supreme decision-making power in the government's ST15 per cent national rice subsidy programme.

He said that the supply of the subsidised rice is handled by the commission led by the Ministry's Secretary-General. As the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister, how could Ismail Sabri pass the buck just like that? The accusation does not seem to be baseless as it was openly pointed out by the Kedah Regency Council deputy chairman, who is a rice miller himself.It was reported that the Kedah Regency Council deputy chairman has his rice supply quota cut from 1,000 tons to 100 tons as he refused bribery while the supply of other rice millers were completely cut off. It is believed that many other millers are facing the same problem, showing that corruption problems in the rice subsidy programme has become increasingly serious.

The government implements the ST15 per cent national rice subsidy programme and subsidies 60,000 tons of rice each month, with RM750 subsidy for each ton. However, rice millers receive only RM450 for each ton while the other RM300 was said to have passed to specific officials in the Ministry. If such a saying is true, it shows the existence of corruption practices and who are the so-called specific officials? The MACC must investigate where has the RM300 gone.

The purpose of the government to spend RM500 million for rice subsidy each year is to allow the poor buy cheap rice, helping them to ease financial burden. The intention is good, but has unfortunately been abused by corrupt officials and unscrupulous rice millers, who turn ST15 per cent broken rice into ST5 per cent rice to gain profits from it, causing ST15 per cent rice can no longer be seen in the market, and the poor still need to buy expensive rice. The government's subsidy has only benefited the senior officials. The Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry has failed to properly implement the rice subsidy programme and many problems have derived from it. The Minister's capability should be questioned.

To solve the problem of abusing rice subsidy, the government must make a thorough reform, such as revoking the quota system for Bumiputera rice millers. The Ministry allegedly allows only Malay rice millers to enjoy the subsidy while shutting the door to Chinese rice millers, rather allowing Malay millers to store up to 6,000 tons of rice and Chinese rice millers to face www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine shortage of supply. Unfair policy is also a factor causing corruption and abuse of power.Since Kedah Regency Council deputy chairman has lodged a report against the Agriculture and AgroBased Industry Minister and officials, we hope that the MACC can launch a thorough investigation on involving wholesalers, millers and officials in the ministry to lift the doubts of the people, as well as allow the poor to enjoy the rice subsidy. http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/malaysia-where-has-s1132-rice-subsidy-gone#sthash.hnscJyQd.dpuf

Small and Medium Enterprises financing can best be achieved with leasing and hire purchase: Zulfikar Thaver Web Desk February 10, 2015

Karachi, February 10, 2015 (PPI-OT) The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged the government to promote the micro and small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) through hire purchase, leasing and special schemes designed for the sector and also urged the Bankers Institute of Pakistan to co-ordinate with the government to design products for the sector.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is very important for the banks and financial institutions to relax their collateral requirements for financing the SMEs and consider financing against positive cash flows.

He appreciated the different schemes of the government including the Prime Minister Youth Loan Scheme (PMYLS) but said that since the risk in financing was of the concerned banks, the different schemes did not succeed.The PMYLS is beneficial to only those who succeed in the ballot despite of having a sound business plan. Unless the SME financing issues are addressed seriously the financing requirements of the sector will remain and the sector deprived of its rights and level playing field.

The reduction in discount rate was also much appreciated but unfortunately the commercial banks have not reduced their lending rates proportionately and their spread is high.He urged the government to provide credit guarantee to commercial banks against default by the SME borrower and said the commercial banks will not be inclined to finance the SMEs unless they are made comfortable through credit guarantee insurance. The present 40% guarantee cover is insufficient and needs to be increased substantially.

Thaver said through a survey conducted by UNISAME it was found that some of the SMEs need finance to acquire assets namely land, machinery, building. Others need working capital or running finance to purchase raw material or goods, pay utilities, salaries.Many SMEs need trade finance for import, exports and domestic trading. All the entrepreneurs complained of lack of www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine interest of commercial banks in financing them and pointed out that the banks were demanding immovable properties in selected areas as collateral.Few even informed UNISAME that the banks were not inclined to discount export bills and refused post shipment finance against bills of third world countries and letter of credits established by buyers having low rating opening banks.

Most of the entrepreneurs were not aware of the SME Bank and those who knew said it is just like any other commercial bank and not a specific SME bank. The government must restructure the SME Bank to make it a specific SME Bank.Senior citizens complained that the commercial banks were not financing them as the insurance companies were not prepared to insure them and the unemployed youth complained that the banks were not financing them because the banks were financing businesses which were at-least 3 years old.

Incidentally senior citizens also complained that the National Saving Centres were delaying profit payments by cheques as the cheque books were in short supply and cheques were not being issued by the treasury promptly and suggesting the depositors to collect profit of less than Rs 100,000 by cash.One senior citizen pointed out that he requested for profit cheque 10 days ago but had still not received the profit cheque. Secondly new senior citizen depositors are offered very low rates and they are unable to survive on such low rates. It is very important that the government takes good care of its senior citizens and ensures their comfort as Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a welfare state.Thaver urged the Bankers Institute to educate the banks in risk management and also design products for the SMEs. UNISAME suggested the designing of SME credit cards for all micro and SME units according to their size to enable them to pay utilities and purchase bills and facilitate them for short periods till sale and realization of proceeds of their goods or services.

Secondly commercial banks must be directed to finance mandatory percentage of their lending to SMEs. Most of the banks are engaged in consumer financing and reporting it as SME financing.

This needs to be checked. Thirdly there is need to promote hire purchasing and leasing without down payments or equity as this is asset basedfinancing.Fourthly the ministry of finance must come up with schemes to finance energy companies and security companiesto promote alternate energy generation and private guards and detectives services provider companies. Business is not growing due to lack of energy and due to poor law and order.

For more information, contact: Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) 75/1 3rd Commercial Street, Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan Tel: +92-21-35884225-6 Fax: +92-21-35380642 Cell: +92-300-8245307, +92-321-8245307 Email: unisame@gmail.com The post Small and Medium Enterprises financing can best be achieved with leasing and hire purchase: Zulfikar Thaver appeared first on AsiaNet-Pakistan.

http://pakistanpressreleases.com/misc/small-and-medium-enterprises-financing-can-best-be-achieved-with-leasingand-hire-purchase-zulfikar-thaver/

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Innovative rice farming in the north S Dilip Roy, Lalmonirhat

A farmer in one of Lalmonirhat's flood prone areas shows the Binadhan-11 variety he planted, the flood tolerant variety of Aman plants were submerged for 15 days but still survived. Photo: Star Back in 2014, people living in the low-lying districts of northern Bangladesh suffered from a devastating flood, submerging traditional Aman rice varieties for 15 days, causing full or partial damage.Most of the low-lying areas of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari and part of Rangpur district are affected by these recent flash-floods, causing huge losses in agriculture in around fifty thousand households while more than fifty thousand hectares of Aman rice crops are damaged in three districts of Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha, said sources.

According to them, the loss is around 1.5 lakh tons of paddy, which is quite alarming.Some of the affected farmers who live in Teesta and Dharla, said that this is now a common crisis because of climate change. Flash flood is becoming a big threat for Aman rice production during monsoon seasons. Aman rice is one of the most important crops in Bangladesh and connected with the nation's food security.Due to climate changes, flash-floods occur almost every year during monsoon and heavy rainfall. These flash floods occur twice or thrice in the same monsoon, said an affected farmer Azizar Rahman, 65, from the flood affected village of Kalmati in Lalmonirhat sadar.

He also said, ―On the other hand, due to heavy silt deposition, most of the rivers have lost the free-flows they once had in the past which causes reduction in the depth and breadth of rivers year after year.‖―Just after continuous rainfall during monsoon, these rivers overflow their banks and flow into the adjoining fields. As a result, most of the standing rice fields are affected for about 1-2 weeks, causing severe damage of Aman rice crops,‖ said another affected farmer, Altaf Hossain, 58, at Char Kulaghat village in Lalmonirhat sadar.

Agrculture officials from three districts said that due to changes in climate, farmers lose around one million tons of rice grain almost every monsoon, leading to food shortage in the country

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine while more than one million hectares of Aman rice fields are affected partially or fully by flashfloods throughout the country.Official sources at NGO RDRS Bangladesh said that Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), under joint collaboration with International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has developed submergence tolerant rice varieties which can withstand submergence for up to 15 days whereas other existing rice varieties succumb to submergence within 4 to 6 days. The submergence tolerant rice varieties have the submergence gene (Sub1) that helps crops to renew its growth after the water recedes.

The Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of NGO RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said that considering the geographical vulnerability, the STRASA (Stress Tolerant Rice in Africa and South-Asia) project, which is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, carried out a number of demonstration trials of this submergence tolerant rice varieties in a couple of fields from flash-flood affected areas. ―Immediately after the water receded, these submergence tolerant rice plants started forming new shoots and thus proving that this new rice variety can survive even if fully submerged for fifteen days‖, he said. Deputy Director AED Safayet Hossain of Lalmonirhat said, ―After observing the outstanding performance, farmers of the flood-prone areas are now very much optimistic about these submergence tolerant rice varieties‖.

Published: 12:00 am Wednesday, February 11, 2015 http://www.thedailystar.net/innovative-rice-farming-in-the-north-64196

Research and Markets: Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015 with Forecasts to 2020 February 10, 2015 DUBLIN — Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vts5ks/global_basmati) has announced the addition of the "Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015" report to their offering.The Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the basmati rice industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure.

The basmati rice market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are also discussed and manufacturing processes and cost structures analyzed.

Basmati rice industry import/export consumption, supply and demand figures and cost price and production value gross margins are also provided.

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The report focuses on fourteen industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity production, price, cost, production value and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The basmati rice industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.

Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.

Key Topics Covered: 1. Basmati Rice Industry Overview 2. Global Basmati Rice Market Status Analysis 3. Major Regions Basmati Rice Market Status Analysis 4. Major Countries Basmati Rice Market Status and Analysis 5. Major Companies Basmati Rice Market Status and Analysis 6. Basmati Rice Industry Chain and Marketing Channels Analysis 7. Basmati Rice Industry Segment Market Analysis 8. Basmati Rice Industry Development Trend 9. Basmati Rice New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis 10. Global Basmati Rice Industry Research Conclusions Companies Mentioned 

Basmati  COFCO  Charoen  Coocosun  Fu Ji  Hai Rice  Hamsons  Ming Da  Riviana  Tilda  Uncle bens  Xin Li  Zhao Fa  Zhong Xing For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vts5ks/global_basmati Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2015/02/10/6785641/research-and-marketsglobal-basmati.html#storylink=cpy

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine http://www.heraldonline.com/2015/02/10/6785641/research-and-markets-global-basmati.html

How You Can Avoid Low-Level Arsenic in Rice and Chicken Pesticides, fertilizers in soil contain some arsenic

By Laura Jeffers, MEd, RD, LD | 2/10/15 7:00 a.m.

Every year, we hear one or two reports about too-high-to-be-safe levels of something in our food supply. In many cases, the danger is limited to a specific geographic region, but sometimes it‘s a problem that affects the entire nation.The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported in 2012 that there‘s too much arsenic in two things many of us eat frequently – rice and chicken. The levels were too low to be deemed an official threat, but the presence of arsenic in food is always a concern.Arsenic is a metallic mineral from the Earth‘s crust that is released into the soil and water via fertilizers and pesticides. Organic forms are less toxic than inorganic forms. Regardless of its form, the question is whether you can feel safe eating foods that have even low arsenic levels.

Arsenic in rice You might not know it, but you likely eat more than 20 pounds of rice every year. It might be sushi, rice pudding, rice milk, or just rice that‘s part of a comfort-food dinner. This white or brown grain holds a traditional place at our dinner table, but it also absorbs inorganic arsenic more easily than other foods we typically eat.Regular exposure to arsenic, even at low levels, can slightly raise your risk of bladder, lung and skin cancer, as well as heart disease and Type-2 diabetes. It can also have a negative impact on a baby‘s growing immune system.Recent studies evaluated arsenic in our rice supply and found most of it is, fortunately, organic. Levels have risen in recent years, but they‘re still not high enough for the FDA to be concerned. That said, there‘s still no federal limit for the levels of arsenic in our rice supply.

How to eat rice more safely Eat less rice. If you‘re worried, I suggest eating only half of the daily recommended rice intake and adding more variety to the grains you eat.

Rinse your rice. The U.S. Rice Foundation advises rinsing raw rice before cooking and using a 1-to-6 cup rice-to-water ratio, draining the excess water off after cooking.

Know which types of white rice are considered safest. Overall, white basmati rice from California, India and Pakistan, as well as U.S. sushi rice, has half the level of inorganic arsenic as other rice types. However, all rice – except sushi and quick-cooking – from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and most other U.S. locations had the highest inorganic arsenic levels.

Limit kids’ consumption of drinks with rice. Rice-containing beverages have among the highest inorganic arsenic levels, so they should be given sparingly to children younger than age 5.

Choose your brown rice carefully. Although brown rice has more nutrients than white rice, studies found brown rice has roughly 80 percent more inorganic arsenic. Brown basmati from

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine California, India and Pakistan are the best options, having one-third less arsenic than other kinds of brown rice.

Try other grains. There are gluten-free and gluten-containing grains that have almost no inorganic arsenic, according to the U.S. Rice Foundation. For example, you could add amaranth, buckwheat, millet and polenta (or grits) to your diet, as well as bulgur, barley and farro.

The problem with chicken But, arsenic in rice doesn‘t just affect the grain. It makes its way to your dinner plate in another way – through the chicken that eats the rice as feed.Arsenic was introduced to chicken feed in the 1940s as a way to improve muscle growth, fight disease and make the meat pinker. Most of the arsenic is excreted, but some ends up in the chicken meat.In 2014, the FDA called for the removal of the animal drug Roxarsone from chicken feed, saying it can transform into inorganic arsenic. But, removing it from the market is an ongoing process.

Eliminating Roxarsone from chicken feed could have a significant impact on our health in the United States. According to a 2006 Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy report, annual chicken consumption per American sky-rocketed 250 percent between 1965 and 2013, jumping from 33.7 pounds to 83.1 pounds. The same report also revealed that 70 percent of the 8.7 million chickens bred for the food supply ate feed containing Roxarsone.In the meantime, if the low levels of arsenic in chicken still make you nervous, you can choose other sources of protein, including fish, beans and tofu.However, I don‘t recommend removing chicken from your diet. I eat it regularly and will continue to do so as a part of a balanced and varied diet. http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/02/how-you-can-avoid-low-level-arsenic-in-rice-andchicken/

WASDE: All-Rice Imports Raised to 23.0 Million Cwt. FEBRUARY 10, 2015 11:07 AM

RICE: Slight revisions are made to the U.S. all rice and rice-by-class 2014/15 supply and use balance sheets. All rice imports are increased 1.0 million cwt to 23.0 million, all in combined medium- and short-grain rice. Imports of broken rice from Australia of about 21,000 tons (milled basis) were reported in the U.S. Census Bureau‘s December trade data. The all rice export forecast is unchanged at 103.0 million cwt, but the by-class projections are shifted by increasing long-grain 1.0 million to 71.0 million and lowering combined mediumand short-grain 1.0 million to 32.0 million.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine All rice ending stocks are raised 1.0 million cwt to nearly 42.0 million with long-grain stocks lowered 1.0 million to 28.1 million, and combined medium- and short-grain stocks raised 2.0 million to 11.5 million. Stocks of broken rice, not reported by class, are projected at a little over 2.0 million cwt. The 2014/15 long-grain season-average price range is narrowed to $11.90 to $12.50 per cwt, up 20 cents on the low end of the range and down 20 cents on the upper end— the midpoint is unchanged from a month ago at $12.20 per cwt.

The all combined medium- and short-grain season-average price range is narrowed to $17.90 to $18.70 per cwt, down 10 cents on the low end of the range and a decrease of 30 cents on the high end—the midpoint is lowered 20 cents from last month to $18.30 per cwt. Two additional combined medium- and short-grain farm prices are introduced this month: a California price (on an October-September basis) and a price for Other States (on an August-July basis). The California combined medium- and short-grain price is forecast with a midpoint of $20.00 per cwt, and the midpoint for the Other States is $15.10.Global 2014/15 rice supply and use projections are lowered from last month. Global 2013/14 rice production is forecast at 474.6 million tons, down 0.9 million from last month.

The largest declines for Thailand and Cambodia are partially offset by increases for Sri Lanka and Iraq. Thailand‘s 2014/15 rice crop is lowered 1.0 million tons to 19.5 million due to a reduction in dry-season plantings resulting from an on-going drought and a reduction in irrigation water availability concentrated in the Central Region. Thailand‘s 2014/15 crop would be the smallest since 2006/07. Cambodia‘s crop is lowered 200,000 tons to 4.7 million due mostly to flooding of the main-season crop. Global consumption is down slightly from a month ago. World trade in 2014/15 is lowered 400,000 tons due mostly to reductions for Thailand and Cambodia. Imports are lowered for Iraq.

World ending stocks are lowered 0.8 million tons to 98.2 million due mostly to a reduction for Thailand, which is partially offset by increases for Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Thailand‘s 2014/15 ending stocks are lowered 1.4 million tons to 9.6 million, the lowest since 2011/12. Pakistan‘s 2014/15 ending stocks are raised 0.5 million tons owing to a reduction in the 2013/14 export projection. http://www.agweb.com/article/wasde-all-rice-imports-raised-to-230-million-cwt-NAA-agwebcom-editors

Trends in global rice trade Written by Samarendu Mohanty.

Historically, a small amount of rice is traded globally compared with other crops such as wheat, corn (maize), and soybeans. However, after remaining stagnant for almost two and a half decades, rice trade expanded in the late 1980s in the wake of trade liberalization in many countries and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 1994.Global rice trade now stands at around 42 million tons compared with 10–12 million tons in www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine the late ‗80s. The current trade accounts for nearly 9% of global production compared with 4% in the late ‗80s (Fig. 1)..

Structure of global rice trade Rice is a political commodity in the majority of Asian countries and its price is an important barometer of government performance. Thus, it becomes imperative for policymakers to control rice trade flow for domestic rice market to be stable. State agencies are involved in controlling the flow of rice in and out of countries and, in many cases, they also take part in importing/exporting rice through government-togovernment (G-G) contracts.

State agencies in many rice consuming countries such as the National Food Authority of the Philippines, the Bureau of Logistics of Indonesia, and BERNAS of Malaysia are solely in charge of importing rice into their respective countries. Similarly, state agencies in many exporting countries are also involved in rice exports through G-G contracts. For example, Vietnam exported in excess of 400,000 tons of rice monthly in 2013 and 2014 through G-G sales to Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and other Asian and African countries (2014 World Rice Conference, Cambodia). The extent of the hold of the governments in rice trade was evident during the 2007-08 rice crisis when exporting countries such as India and Vietnam enforced an export ban, and importing countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, and Nigeria scrambled to stockpile rice for domestic food security.The rice export market is highly concentrated with the top five rice exporters accounting for 80% of global rice trade. Of the five top exporters, four (Thailand, India, Vietnam, and Pakistan) are from Asia.

Thailand has occupied the top spot for the most part of the past four decades. For these Asian rice-exporting countries, rice is still the most important staple, and domestic food security and strategic reserve is extremely important. Unlike the high concentration in export market, the import side is quite fragmented. The top five rice importers account for around 30% of the total trade and the top ten account for less than 50% of total imports. Many of the major importers, including the current top importer, China, are from Asia and account for a quarter of the total trade. The other major importing regions are the Middle East and Africa, with nearly half of the total global trade. These two are the fastest growing rice markets, with the trade volume doubling from 10 to 20 million tons in the past decade.

Types of rice traded Global rice trade can be broadly divided into fragrant and nonfragrant rice. The fragrant rice market includes basmati and jasmine rice while the nonfragrant rice market includes white, parboiled, and glutinous rice. In the case of basmati trade, India and Pakistan export 100% of this www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine rice to all parts of the world, with Middle Eastern countries as the major destinations, followed by the European Union. In the past 15 years, the global trade of basmati rice has grown from 1 to more than 4 million tons, with India capturing almost all the market expansion while Pakistan‘s market share declined from 50% to less than 20% during the same period.

For the jasmine rice market, Thailand used to dominate with an almost 100% market share a decade ago. But, Vietnam and Cambodia have made significant inroads into the market in recent years, with Thailand‘s share dropping below 50%. Vietnam has evolved to become the biggest competitor for Thai Hommali jasmine rice, with nearly 40% of the market share. But, despite its rising market share, Vietnamese jasmine still sells for a hefty discount in the market. The average spread between Thai Hommali and Vietnamese jasmine has been around US$400 per ton ($1,000 per ton for Thai Hommali vs. $600 per ton for Vietnamese jasmine) in recent years.In the past decade, the volume of jasmine trade was growing at a snail‘s pace from 1.7 million tons in 2005 to 2.5 million tons in 2013 (Source: The Rice Trader).

The major markets for jasmine rice are the United States, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ghana, Côte d‘Ivoire, and Malaysia. In addition, 600–700 thousand tons of 100% broken jasmine rice, primarily Thai Hommali, are mostly exported to three West African countries, namely, Senegal, Côte d‘Ivoire, and Ghana.In the case of white and parboiled rice, the market is segregated based on the percentage of broken rice (major types are 5%, 15%, 25%, and 100%). All major exporters are involved in white rice trading to all parts of the world. On the contrary, the majority of parboiled rice originates from India and Thailand, with African and Middle Eastern countries as its main destinations.

Future trends Since the 2007-08 rice crisis, many rice-consuming countries have been reluctant to depend on imported rice and have rolled out measures to improve self-sufficiency. Many rice-importing countries have initiated programs to expand their rice production and reduce their dependence on foreign rice.Both India and China have also emerged as major players in the global rice market in the past few years with India‘s unprecedented rise to the top of the export chart and China‘s unexpected rise to the top of the import chart (Fig. 2). In 2012, India displaced Thailand from the top spot by exporting 10.4 million tons of rice vis-à-vis 6.9 million tons for Thailand. Like India, nobody expected China to become the largest importer of rice in the world, displacing Nigeria, with 3.5 million tons of imports in 2013.

India‘s lifting of its export ban on the nonbasmati market in late 2011 after a 4-year gap, burgeoning domestic stocks, and a weak rupee supported India‘s exports in the past two years.

But, earlier in 2014, Thailand stopped the rice pledging scheme and has regained the majority of markets lost to India in 2012. Thailand recaptured the top spot in 2014 and is expected to further strengthen its position in 2015.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Despite all these uncertainties, the global rice trade will continue to rise in the future. The rising popularity of rice in many non-Asian countries, including parts of Africa and the Middle East, is likely to greatly contribute to the uptrend in rice trade. A lot depends on Africa, where rice consumption is expected to grow much faster than in any other regions in the world.

Based on our projections, 112 million tons of additional rice will be needed globally by 2040 and nearly 40% of this additional demand will be coming from Africa. If African production growth cannot keep pace with its rising consumption, then the continent will emerge as a growing importer of rice from Asia. Many Asian countries are likely to simultaneously export and import different types of rice asconsumers diversify their diet and create demand for different types of rice. China, however, remains the biggest question mark in the rice market.

It appears that the rapidly rising costs of production, pressure on rice area from competing crops, and water shortages are likely to make imported rice an attractive option for Chinese traders. In addition, the demand for different types of rice such as sticky rice from Vietnam, jasmine rice from Thailand, and long-grain rice from Pakistan is growing as Chinese consumers diversify their consumption habit with rising income. As long as the Chinese government is not strongly determined on self-sufficiency and allows imported rice to enter the country, it is reasonable to assume that Chinese imports will steadily rise in the near to medium term. On the export side, the current major exporters (India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Pakistan) will continue to remain in the market, while Myanmar and Cambodia have the potential to upgrade their rice sectors and become bigger exporters in the future.

Dr. Mohanty is the head of the Social Sciences Division and program leader (Targetting and policy) at IRRI. http://irri.org/rice-today/trends-in-global-rice-trade?utm_source=IRRI+email+subscriptions&utm_campaign=456eae392eRiceToday_Weekly2_5_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c803adc7cf-456eae392e-40925885

A four-decade quest to improve rice in Latin America and the Caribbean Written by Edgar Torres.

The past 40 years have seen major advances in rice improvement for the unique and diverse growing conditions of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The Rice Program of CIAT has contributed greatly, working in collaboration with its many national partners.In search of an ideal grain Each new rice variety is an expression of the ideal plant type that the breeder has in mind. This is one of the insights that guided the work of renowned rice scientist Peter Jennings, who www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine ledCIAT‘s research on the crop in its early years. During a fourdecade quest to boost yield potential, CIAT breeders and their partners developed hundreds of rice varieties—some of which demonstrate the steady genetic gains in yield amounting to 3.4 tons per hectare—and accruing over 32 years between the release of CICA 8 in 1978 and the development of the elite line CT21375 in 2010.This finding comes from an experiment for measuring the amount of increase in performance that is achieved through artificial genetic improvement (or genetic gain) programs designed by the author and Camila Rebolledo, a rice physiologist, at CIAT in Palmira, Colombia. The idea was to evaluate 17 rice varieties (see Figure) grown under the same conditions and agronomic management for two seasons.

The experiment showed genetic gains in yield (an annual average of 106 kilograms per hectare) as well as changes in other traits that characterize the plant types developed over four decades. The resulting rice plants produced more total biomass, are higher yielding, and are more efficient because they waste less energy on unproductive tillers.

Instead, these plants produce stems that mostly develop large and fertile panicles with more grains.The plant type that has guided much of the work of CIAT‘s Rice Program since its beginnings was developed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the early 1960s and reached CIAT through the variety IR8 (see Breeding history). The design of this plant type allows more sunlight and less lodging (or falling over), and responds efficiently to fertilizer.

In 2002, Dr. Jennings and other researchers proposed to develop another plant type based on results obtained by CIAT‘s Rice Program through selection under direct seeding. This plant type has an adequate number of panicles containing more full grains, while staying green longer, thus increasing its productive period, and it has greater height. This experiment showed that combining several traits can effectively raise yield potential in rice—a key aim of CGIAR‘s IRRIled Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP).

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Outwitting rice diseases CIAT‘s Rice Program has devoted considerable effort to combating pest and disease threats, especially rice hoja blanca virus and rice blast (caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae).Genes conferring resistance to hoja blanca were found in tropical japonica varieties such as Takao Iku 18 and its offspring, Colombia I, as well as in African lines, such as IRAT 120. Just as critical were the methods developed to check rice for resistance to both the virus and its insect vector under controlled conditions.Dealing with rice blast required an innovative approach designed by Dr. Jennings, which involved combining desirable traits, known as gene pyramiding, through multiple crosses between diverse sources of resistance from plants from different locations.The idea was to combine different genes that had evolved with the pathogen separately, making the pathogen unable to accumulate all of the virulence genes needed to overcome disease resistance.

In addition, rice plants will be selected for resistance under a wide fungus diversity at the Santa Rosa experiment station in Villavicencio, Colombia—a ―hotspot‖ site with exceedingly high levels of rice blast—that has optimal conditions for disease development.Segregated populations were moved between CIAT headquarters in Palmira—where rice is transplanted, complete irrigation is used, and conditions are very favorable for high yield—and Santa Rosa—where direct seeding is used and rice is grown under rainfed conditions with more stresses, in general, to enable the plants to adapt to wider environments. The results were excellent.

Innovators in abundance Breeding rice for resistance to rice blast under direct seeding in favorable upland environments led to many useful innovations. One was a system for detecting rice blast, developed and improved by Dr. Carlos Bruzzone, Dr. Edward Pulver, Dr. Jennings, and other researchers. Dr. César Martínez and Dr. Surapong Sarkarung devised an approach for selecting rice in uplands with acid soils. Dr. Martínez also developed superior lines using wild rice relatives, such asOryza rufipogon. Dr. James Gibbons contributed excellent varieties and crosses, including CT8008, which gave rise to more than 12 varieties in Latin America.Dr. Elcio Guimarães, CIAT‘s regional research director for LAC, and Dr. Marc Chatel undertook rice improvement through recurrent selection, using methods developed by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and French Center for Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD).

Manuel Rosero, Federico Cuevas, and Luis Eduardo Berrío disseminated thousands of improved lines through the IRRI International Network for Genetic Evaluation of Rice (INGER), leading to the development of important commercial varieties; Mr. Cuevas and Mr. Berrío also devised a method for delayed harvest under controlled conditions to select for high milling yield.Plant pathologist Robert Zeigler, now IRRI director general, improved selection methods for rice blast and rice hoja blanca virus. Several innovative concepts, such as lineage exclusion, were introduced by Purdue University Professor Morris Levi and Fernando Correa, currently with RiceTec Solutions, to facilitate the development of blast-resistant varieties. Economist Luis Sanint conceived and played a critical role in creating the Latin American Fund for Irrigated www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Rice (FLAR), which works with rice organizations across the region through plant breeding and other activities in an integrated approach designed to make the sector more competitive.

Tangible results of CIAT‘s and FLAR‘s ongoing collaboration with Colombia‘s National Rice Growers Federation (Fedearroz), which focuses on improving yields, grain quality, and disease resistance, while stabilizing production, include varieties such as Fedearroz 50, Fedearroz 2000, Fedearroz 60, and Fedearroz 174. Edgar Corredor, Pompilio Gutiérrez, James Gibbons, and Luis Berrío all contributed importantly to this work.Recent years have placed new demands on rice research, including greater resilience in the face of the impacts of climate change, higher yield potential, superb grain quality, and more competitive rice sectors overall. A new generation of rice researchers has arisen to confront these challenges, benefiting from new tools and more abundant information. Even so, they still look to the past for inspiration in confronting future challenges. _________________________________________ Edgar Torres is leader of the Rice Program at CIAT. http://irri.org/rice-today/a-four-decade-quest-to-improve-rice-in-latin-america-and-thecaribbean?utm_source=IRRI+email+subscriptions&utm_campaign=456eae392eRiceToday_Weekly2_5_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c803adc7cf-456eae392e-40925885

Counterpoint: The science is clear: Protect our wild rice Article by: PAULA MACCABEE Updated: February 11, 2015 - 7:16 PM

Minnesota‘s limits on sulfate pollution are thoroughly vetted — and necessary.

The Earth is not flat, there is no tooth fairy and sulfate limits are required to protect natural stands of wild rice.A recent commentary on wild rice and pollution from an official of Minnesota Power (―For sulfate limits, stick to the science,‖ Jan. 29) respected neither sulfate limits nor science. In order to defend a major paying customer for its coal-generated power, Minnesota Power misrepresented the impacts of decades of sulfate pollution from the U.S. Steel Minntac tailings disposal facility.

The evidence is clear that sulfate pollution from the Minntac facility has devastated downstream beds of natural wild rice in Minnesota‘s Little Sandy and Sandy lakes. There are decades of discharge-monitoring reports that document how sulfate pollution from the Minntac tailings facility (there is no other nearby sulfate source) has exceeded Minnesota‘s water quality standard by more than an order of magnitude.Wild rice is Minnesota‘s state grain, an important tribal resource, and a vital plant to support aquatic life, ducks and mammals. The state has permanently www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine lost tens of thousands of acres of this resource. Resource managers believe wild rice is in crisis.Four years ago, with the support of the mining industry, some members of the Minnesota Legislature tried to eliminate the state‘s water quality standard that protects wild rice from sulfate pollution.

However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stepped in to safeguard our water quality. The EPA explained that it is illegal under the federal Clean Water Act to weaken or remove a water quality standard unless there is good science showing the standard is not needed.Minnesota then spent over $1 million to provide rigorous scientific research on whether our sulfate limit of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) is needed to protect natural stands of wild rice.

State regulators hired the best scientists from the University of Minnesota and made sure that they could do their research objectively.Based on this recent, targeted scientific research, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) reached the following conclusions in February 2014: • Sulfate is not directly toxic to wild rice. However, sulfate in the surface water can be converted by bacteria to sulfide in the rooting zone of wild rice.

• Sulfide is toxic to wild rice.

• The 10 mg/L sulfate standard is needed and reasonable to protect wild rice production from sulfate-driven sulfide toxicity.

• The 10 mg/L wild rice sulfate standard should continue to apply to both lakes and streams To add another layer of scientific protection from special-interest pressure to deregulate pollution, the MPCA had a panel of seven scientists from around the world review the wild rice sulfate research in detail. These scientists issued a final report in September 2014.Although the wild rice peer review panel asked for more statistics to tease out sulfate interactions in the environment and told the MPCA that sulfide may be even more toxic than the agency had thought, the panel found Minnesota‘s research and regulation limiting sulfate to protect wild rice scientifically valid.

The peer reviewers explained that, just as one must limit mercury to prevent the formation of toxic methylmercury, ―sulfide is harmful, but sulfate is what has to be regulated.‖Powerful interests can claim otherwise, but the scientific evidence shows that sulfate pollution must be controlled to protect natural wild rice.Thankfully, if one believes in science, control over sulfate pollution is possible. Technology to treat polluted mine discharge has been used extensively across the United States. Wild rice and aquatic habitats can be protected if Minnesota regulators require water quality treatment at the Minntac tailings facility and other pollution sources.We have the tools in our hands to prevent environmental degradation; now all we need is the courage to stick with the science.

Paula Maccabee is the advocacy director for WaterLegacy and serves on the MPCA Wild Rice Standards Study Advisory Committee.

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Is rice safe to eat?

Likely, yes, but growers and consumers await results of FDA testing for arsenic

By Robert Speer robertspeer@newsreview.com This article was published on 02.12.15.

What would you do if, after many years of building a company, you learned that, through no fault of your own, your products contained potentially dangerous levels of a notorious poison?

That‘s exactly what happened to American rice growers beginning in 2012, when reports surfaced in the media that rice contained worrisome levels of arsenic. The grain, it turns out, is uniquely efficient at pulling naturally occurring arsenic out of the soil and absorbing it—up to 10 times as efficient as, say, wheat.This raised further questions: How should consumers respond to this new information? Should they continue eating rice as usual, stop eating it, or eat less? Are some rice products—baby cereal, for example—more dangerous than others?

These are not questions rice farmers can answer. ―We‘re not scientists,‖ Grant Lundberg, chief executive officer of Richvale-based Lundberg Family Farms, said in a phone interview. ―We depend on researchers in universities and the government‖ to understand the issue and come up with standards and recommendations, he explained.It‘s complicated. Rice is a staple in the diet of half the world‘s people, and it‘s grown on hundreds of thousands of rice farms. The amount of arsenic in the soil varies from region to region. Even if consistent regulations were in place, monitoring production and enforcing those regulations would be difficult, if not impossible.Not only that, so far the experts don‘t agree on how much arsenic people can safely consume.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency holds that any dose of arsenic carries a cancer risk.

Consumer Reports, which has studied the issue and done its own testing, recommends no more than 120 parts per billion in rice and rice products. Codex Alimentarius, a body that develops international food standards for the United Nations and the World Health Organization, has proposed a maximum level of 200 ppb specifically in white (or polished) rice.Right now the rice industry is anticipating a long-awaited risk assessment and set of recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that should provide consumers with definitive guidance on how much rice can be ingested safely. Nobody seems to know when the FDA‘s report will be released, however.

In the meantime, industry spokespeople are insisting that rice remains a healthful and nutritious food, especially when eaten as part of a balanced diet that includes other grains.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine If you go on the website of the California Rice Commission or the Farmers‘ Rice Cooperative, two of the most important organizations serving the rice industry, you‘ll find no mention of arsenic in rice. It‘s not something people are interested in, apparently.As Brandon Harder, the director of governmental affairs and communication at Farmers‘ Rice, put it during a phone interview, ―I‘ve been working here a little over a year, and you‘re the first person who has asked about it.‖Harder told me to call Jim Morris, the communications manager for the California Rice Commission. Morris was eager to help but couldn‘t tell me much. ―We have no scientists on staff,‖ he said, echoing Lundberg. Like others in the industry, the CRC is waiting for the FDA‘s risk assessment.― We want to be able to address customers‘ concerns, and we support the FDA‘s research,‖ Morris said. ―We‘re very comfortable that rice is safe.‖Morris referred me to the USA Rice Federation, which operates a website called Arsenic Facts. It notes that, according to a September 2013 report, FDA scientists have ―determined that the amount of detectable arsenic is too low in the rice and rice product samples to cause any immediate or short-term adverse health effects.‖Also weighing in on the website is Dr. Stephen R. Daniels, chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Nutrition. ―These FDA data are reassuring,‖ he writes. ―While there is inorganic arsenic in rice and rice products, it is at a level that should be safe for consumption across the population. Diets that follow the AAP guidelines include a variety of foods and a variety of grains and remain a healthful approach to eating for children and adolescents.‖For their part, the folks at Lundberg, the nation‘s largest producer of organic rice and rice products, decided early on that they wanted to get out in front of the arsenic issue. ―Since this bubbled up in 2012,‖ Grant Lundberg said, ―we‘ve been committed to staying on the issue. … This comes from our principles as a company. We believe consumers have a right to know what‘s in their food. We take that seriously.‖Wanting to create a three-year baseline for monitoring arsenic levels, Lundberg Family Farms tested its rice and rice products for arsenic in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and posted the results on its website, which also includes succinct but useful explanations of the issues surrounding arsenic in rice.In its testing, the company determined that the average amount of arsenic in its products was 92 parts per billion, below the Consumer Reports threshold and well below the 200 ppb level set by Codex.

This figure is doubly significant because the company tested only brown rice, whose arsenic levels tend to be higher than those of white rice.―We just put the data out there so our consumers can make more informed choices,‖ Lundberg said.

Image: Grant Lundberg, CEO of Lundberg Family Farms, says his company stayed true to its values when confronting the arsenic scare.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUNDBERG FAMILY FARMS

http://www.newsreview.com/chico/is-rice-safe-to-eat/content?oid=16279480

Nigeria in full swing with rice production NigeriaAgriculture Economic News Update 11 Feb 2015 Investment in production and the rollout of higher-yield strains are helping put Nigeria on track for self-sufficiency in rice, potentially opening the possibility for exports further down the line. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Oil-rich Nigeria has long been dependent on staple imports to feed its 170m people, with a total bill of $4.3bn at the end of December 2013. Nigeria has typically consumed around 6m tonnes of rice a year, importing almost half the amount to bridge its supply deficit.However, a tighter fiscal environment – a result of declining oil revenues – alongside efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector, has prompted a state-led push to improve local staple crop production and sustainability.

To that end, the government plans to ban all rice imports by the end of this year, saving some N360bn ($1.9bn) a year.The target is ambitious, but according to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina, Nigeria has recently reached 80% self-sufficiency in paddy rice production, speaking in November at the Second Nigeria Rice Investment Forum.

Production increase According to government officials, the recent increase in production has been achieved through private sector investments as well as state support schemes for growers.Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina, said the introduction of new rice varieties – that meet international standards and allow for two plantings a year to generate additional yield – will boost output and quality as well as open up export opportunities in the future.―We started a rapid process of replacing local varieties with these new varieties,‖ he told OBG. ―Within the last three years, we have reached 6m farmers who have expanded cultivated area by 2m hectares. These new varieties can be produced in both wet season and dry season, so for the first time in this country, we are doing dry season farming.‖―I expect within three years Nigeria will be a net exporter of rice just like Thailand and India,‖ he added.The new strains will be crucial but there is a broader package of measures currently being rolled out, including an upgrade of infrastructure and storage facilities, which is equally important. ―Realistically Nigeria must get its infrastructure right, including roads, irrigation and storage facilities, along with co-operatives and efficiently sourced inputs,‖ said Mukul Mathur, the head of Nigeria Olam, which has invested N18bn ($111m) in an integrated farm and milling facility in Nasarawa State. ―Only then will the discussion be about higher yielding seeds,‖ Mathur told OBG. Private sector involvement Significant investments have also been ploughed into processing capacity, with the number of rice mills rising from one plant five years ago, to 24 at present, according to the Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors‘ Association of Nigeria. Increased processing will enable Nigeria to

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine reduce milled imports and boost the value-added in the production chain.One of the biggest investments in processing was made last year by Dangote Group.

In August, the Nigerian conglomerate committed to spend more than N165bn ($1bn) in mills, farms and related infrastructure in a bid to support the country in its goal of becoming a netexporter of rice. The group acquired farmland in five states, which will be used for the commercial production of rice paddy. It will also set-up two rice mills with an installed capacity of 240,000 tonnes of rice per day.The expansion of downstream activity is crucial to ensuring that Nigeria‘s rice sector is sustainable.

Countries that have been able to fully develop their agriculture sectors have done it through commercialisation, Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited told OBG. ―Nigeria is already making strides to prioritise greater private sector participation in farming, since large commercial entities can introduce larger capital investments and productivityenhancing initiatives,‖ he added.

Imported rice destabilises market In addition to other initiatives, the Federal Government recently said it had concluded plans to establish and manage a rice levy fund to support local rice production and growers.Under the Backward Integration Programme scheme, introduced in 2013, approved investors who are developing rice processing facilities are allowed to import rice at reduced tariffs until their production capacity comes on line.

The programme, which will end in 2017 when domestic production is expected to be sufficient to meet demand, is credited with having helped attract an estimated $1.6bn in private sector investments. However, it may also have caused distortions in the market and a drain on state funds with claims of increased smuggling of rice as a result of a government price hike on imports.Cheap smuggled rice has toughened the competition for local growers, lowering the price they can attain on the market. At the same time, some companies may have obtained an import quota but have not made any investments in the rice sector, or have imported quantities of rice well about their quota, without paying the appropriate levies.

In mid-January, the government announced it would pursue instances of under-payment or non compliance, with the N36.5bn ($195.7m) in estimated debts to the state, once collected, to be put into the newly established National Domestic Rice Production Fund. http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/news/nigeria-full-swing-rice-production

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Abakaliki Rice Millers Threaten Strike Posted by King Osila on Feb 11th, 2015 and filed under Agriculture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Rice millers at Abakaliki Rice Mill Company have threatened to stop work if the state government persists with its threat to forcefully relocate them.The chairman of the mill, Chief Joseph Ununu who made this known to our correspondent at the weekend said his association was reacting to the state governor‘s recent statement that the environmental status of the mill made the rice unhygienic.―This relocation issue is distracting us, we will be forced to down tools to see whether the government will be pleased,‖ he said.

According to him, the millers would mill enough rice and preserve in order to sustain their families and gather all the mill on daily basis without doing anything.Ununu said there had been any reported case of ill health caused by the consumption of rice prepared by them.He said environmental experts continually assess their surroundings and have always certified them fit for operation.―The governor (Elechi) buys our rice always; he used our rice for campaigns during his first and second tenures,‖ he said.The millers boss further explained that the rice used by local government chairmen and traditional rulers to pay him homage were all from the Abakaliki Rice Mill.He noted that the millers would readily relocate to any site if facilities that would enable them to operate optimally were provided. ―Our machines do not operate under the sun or rain, so we need facilities where we will install the machines and preserve our produce.‖―The new mills constructed by the government are not yet functional and do not have the necessary facilities that will make us relocate from our present site‖ he said http://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2015/02/11/abakaliki-rice-millers-threaten-strike/

Counterpoint: The science is clear: Protect our wild rice Article by: PAULA MACCABEE Updated: February 11, 2015 - 7:16 PM Minnesota‘s limits on sulfate pollution are thoroughly vetted — and necessary.The Earth is not flat, there is no tooth fairy and sulfate limits are required to protect natural stands of wild rice.A recent commentary on wild rice and pollution from an official of Minnesota Power (―For sulfate limits, stick to the science,‖ Jan. 29) respected neither sulfate limits nor science. In order to

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine defend a major paying customer for its coal-generated power, Minnesota Power misrepresented the impacts of decades of sulfate pollution from the U.S. Steel Minntac tailings disposal facility.

The evidence is clear that sulfate pollution from the Minntac facility has devastated downstream beds of natural wild rice in Minnesota‘s Little Sandy and Sandy lakes. There are decades of discharge-monitoring reports that document how sulfate pollution from the Minntac tailings facility (there is no other nearby sulfate source) has exceeded Minnesota‘s water quality standard by more than an order of magnitude.Wild rice is Minnesota‘s state grain, an important tribal resource, and a vital plant to support aquatic life, ducks and mammals.

The state has permanently lost tens of thousands of acres of this resource. Resource managers believe wild rice is in crisis.Four years ago, with the support of the mining industry, some members of the Minnesota Legislature tried to eliminate the state‘s water quality standard that protects wild rice from sulfate pollution. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stepped in to safeguard our water quality. The EPA explained that it is illegal under the federal Clean Water Act to weaken or remove a water quality standard unless there is good science showing the standard is not needed.Minnesota then spent over $1 million to provide rigorous scientific research on whether our sulfate limit of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) is needed to protect natural stands of wild rice. State regulators hired the best scientists from the University of Minnesota and made sure that they could do their research objectively.

Based on this recent, targeted scientific research, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) reached the following conclusions in February 2014: • Sulfate is not directly toxic to wild rice. However, sulfate in the surface water can be converted by bacteria to sulfide in the rooting zone of wild rice.

• Sulfide is toxic to wild rice.

• The 10 mg/L sulfate standard is needed and reasonable to protect wild rice production from sulfate-driven sulfide toxicity.

• The 10 mg/L wild rice sulfate standard should continue to apply to both lakes and streams To add another layer of scientific protection from special-interest pressure to deregulate pollution, the MPCA had a panel of seven scientists from around the world review the wild rice sulfate research in detail. These scientists issued a final report in September 2014.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Although the wild rice peer review panel asked for more statistics to tease out sulfate interactions in the environment and told the MPCA that sulfide may be even more toxic than the agency had thought, the panel found Minnesota‘s research and regulation limiting sulfate to protect wild rice scientifically valid. The peer reviewers explained that, just as one must limit mercury to prevent the formation of toxic methylmercury, ―sulfide is harmful, but sulfate is what has to be regulated.‖ Powerful interests can claim otherwise, but the scientific evidence shows that sulfate pollution must be controlled to protect natural wild rice.

Thankfully, if one believes in science, control over sulfate pollution is possible. Technology to treat polluted mine discharge has been used extensively across the United States. Wild rice and aquatic habitats can be protected if Minnesota regulators require water quality treatment at the Minntac tailings facility and other pollution sources.

We have the tools in our hands to prevent environmental degradation; now all we need is the courage to stick with the science.

Paula Maccabee is the advocacy director for WaterLegacy and serves on the MPCA Wild Rice Standards Study Advisory Committee.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/291592851.html

Dr Harold Roy-Macauley appointed as new Director General of AfricaRice Posted by Marc Mcilhone.

Dr Harold Roy-Macauley, a Sierra Leonean national, was appointed as the new Director General of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) at an Extraordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of AfricaRice held on 6 February 2015, in Kampala, Uganda.The announcement was made by the Honorable Cabinet Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Republic of Uganda, Tress Bucyanayandi, in his capacity as the Chair of the AfricaRice Council of Ministers, which is the Center‘s highest oversight body.

The current Chairmanship is held by Uganda.Dr Roy-Macauley has nearly 30 years of experience in agricultural research with extensive leadership and management expertise. He is currently the Executive Director of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) – a leading sub-regional organization, which coordinates and facilitates agricultural R&D activities in 22 countries in West and Central Africa.Dr Roy-Macauley is no stranger to CGIAR, having served previously as the Regional Director for the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in West and Central Africa.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine He has consulted for numerous international and bilateral organizations on biosafety and biotechnology and was the Managing Director for the Regional Center for Improving Adaptation to Drought (CERAAS) in Senegal, a research and training center of CORAF/WECARD.Dr RoyMacauley is fluently bilingual in English and French. He obtained his PhD degree in tropical plant biology in 1993 from the Université Denis Diderot, France, his MSc in tropical plant biology in 1988 from the Université de Pierre et Marie Curie, France, and his BSc with Honors in Botany in 1982 from the University of Sierra Leone.

During the Extraordinary Session, the National Experts Committee (NEC), under the chairmanship of Dr Ambrose Agona, Acting Director General of the Uganda National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), carefully examined the Board‘s report on the selection process and recommended to the Council of Ministers that Dr Roy-Macauley be appointed. The NEC comprises the Directors General of the national agricultural research institutions of AfricaRice member countries and serves as the technical arm of the AfricaRice Council of Ministers.―We are pleased with the transparent and rigorous selection process adopted by the AfricaRice Board of Trustees,‖ stated Hon. Tress Bucyanayandi, thanking the Board Chair DrPeter Matlon. ―We have full confidence that Dr Roy-Macauley has the leadership experience, skills and vision needed to advance the noble mission of AfricaRice.‖Thanking the Council of Ministers and the Board, Dr Roy-Macauley said, ―I am honored to accept this very important challenge with a great sense of responsibility.‖ He added that his vision for the Center is to help position rice, which he referred to as ‗the next gold‘, as key in driving the economies of rice-producing countries in Africa and contributing to industrial development and livelihood changes of rural producers, especially women, involved in rice production.

As part of his mandate at AfricaRice, he underlined the importance of ―introducing more highend life science and socioeconomic applications in the Rice Sector Development Hubs, convened

by AfricaRice, to help consolidate the already profound and significant changes the rice value chain is undergoing in Africa.‖He also conveyed his commitment to engage with national and regional agricultural research and innovation systems, governments of member States of AfricaRice, regional economic communities, the African Union, and international partners in order to efficiently and effectively respond to and influence national, regional, and continental rice policies.Paying homage to former Directors General of AfricaRice, Dr Roy-Macauley said that he would further build on the legacies and achievements forged by his predecessors.

He highlighted particularly his admiration for the ―great dynamism of excellence in AfricaRice,‖ promoted by Dr Papa Abdoulaye Seck, former Director General of AfricaRice and current Minister of Agriculture and Rural Equipment of Senegal.The Council of Ministers, the National Experts Committee and the Board took the opportunity to highlight the exceptional contributions made by Dr Seck, which have transformed AfricaRice and taken it to new levels of excellence.They also conveyed their deep appreciation to the Interim Director General, Dr. Adama Traoré, for steering the Center over the past 18 months with great steadiness, integrity and effectiveness. ―We are sure that we can continue to rely on his strong support during the leadership transition.‖Dr Roy-Macauley will assume his post at AfricaRice on 9 March 2015. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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More zinc-enriched rice cultivation stressed NARSINGDI, Feb 11 (BSS): Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) has taken a plan for enhancing the cultivation of zinc enriched rice BRRI dhan-64 to meet the necessary requirement of micro-nutrients for a human body and increase disease resistant capacity of children.Deputy Director of DAE Subash Chandra Gayan said zinc is one of the vital micro-nutrient.

Deficiency of zinc hampers normal growth of children and it also decreases the disease prevention capacity of poor and vulnerable people and the pregnant women.

The DAE organized training to inspire the farmers to farm the new devised zinc enriched BRRI dhan-64 during the current Boro season.The department put special emphasis on enhancing cultivation of the zinc rice, a short duration rice variety which can be harvested 100 days after plantation and this variety may give yield up to 5.5 to 6 tonnes per hectare.DAE has taken 4 demonstration plots on 4 bighas of land at Belabo upazila of the district during the current Boro season and collected 40- kg seeds of the new variety from Bangladesh Rice Research Institute.The whole production of the paddy will be preserved as seeds for enhance cultivation of zinc enriched rice in the district for next year. http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/02/12/80672

USA Rice Reports Major Change to Farm Bill Program Payments USA Rice Producers' Group Chairman John Owen JENNINGS, LA -- Last night at the annual Louisiana growers meeting, USA Rice Federation Rice Producers' Group Chairman John Owen announced that USA Rice, working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA), has secured an accelerated payment calendar for rice farmers. Producers of medium and long grain rice in the mid-South will receive their Farm Bill program payment in early November and it will be based on final price numbers in the five southern rice states. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Under the original National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reporting calendar, Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program payments to rice farmers were scheduled to come out as late as February 2016. Recognizing this put a financial strain on rice farmers, Owen and USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley sent a detailed letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in January suggesting a different methodology be adopted to determine timing of the ARC and PLC payments.

At a House Ag Committee hearing this morning, Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) personally thanked Secretary Vilsack and the FSA team for "going out of your way to help America's rice farmers.

Timely payment is of the essence for producers seeking to repay loans and to demonstrate to lenders that they can sustain cash flow for another year." "It was great to be able to announce this positive development at a growers' meeting," said Owen. "We appreciate the Secretary's willingness to work with USA Rice on behalf of America's rice farmers."

Contact: Ben Mosely (703) 236-1471

Louisiana Rice Industry Convenes in Jennings From left: Dr. Mike Strain, USA Rice CEO Betsy Ward, International Rice Queen Ali Hoffpauir, LARC President Eric Unkel, and LARGA President Jeffrey Sylvester

JENNINGS, LA -- The Grand Marais Center was packed here last night for the annual joint meeting of the Louisiana Rice Council (LARC) and Louisiana Rice Growers Association (LARGA). More than 225 attendees visited with exhibitors, heard remarks from the Commissioner of Louisiana's Department of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain, USA Rice Federation representatives, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, Kevin Norton.After concluding the official business of the organizations, USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward shared market updates on Cuba, Iraq, and China. Included in her remarks was a "thank you" to Dr. Strain for his leadership on the Iraq rice tender issue, including his meetings with the U.S. State Department last month.

"As you can see, we're always trying to find ways to improve your viability," Ward told the crowd, "and improving and expanding trade opportunities is a clear way to do that."USA Rice Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Domestic Promotion Michael Klein updated attendees on domestic promotion initiatives and how USA Rice is integrating what they learned during consumer focus groups."We know the public has great respect for farmers, loves conservation and sustainability, and likes to eat local whenever they can," he said. "Our

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine promotion programs are designed to capitalize on this to help grow domestic markets for U.S.grown rice.

"Ben Mosely, USA Rice's vice president of government affairs, also addressed the crowd,

highlighting the legislative challenges and opportunities that lay ahead for the industry."Since 2010 there has been a fifty percent turnover in the House of Representatives," he explained.

"That's more than 200 Members of Congress who have never worked on a Farm Bill or really know what it takes to get one done. We've already started educating these folks to prepare for legislative battles we may not have for several years."

Capacity crowd Commissioner Strain also spoke, emphasizing the economic impact agriculture has had on the state economy, and how vital trade is for the sector. He also spoke out harshly and passionately against the proposed Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule."I'll make it real simple to remember," Strain said. "Waters of the U.S.? WOTUS? Woe to us is more like it!"The featured speaker of the evening was NRCS State Conservationist Kevin Norton who talked about the many conservation programs available to Louisiana's rice farmers.

"These programs are getting competitive, but rice is very competitive from a conservation standpoint," he said.Norton said the state's rice farmers do a good job of taking advantage of programs such as EQIP and CSP which recognize their contributions to conservation, but more can always be done, specifically pointing to the Regional Conservation Partnership Programs (RCPP) developed by USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited."You can sit back and watch change happen around you, or you can get involved in the RCPP like the rice industry has done, and shape change and build the program," Norton said.

Contact: Randy Jemison (337) 515-7250

Learn about heart-healthy foods during National Heart Month

By Luella Morehouse, NDSU Extension Service on Feb 11, 2015 at 7:27 a.m We see lots of heart-shaped items in February. Let the red and pink boxes and drawing on cards remind you of your own heart. Respect your hard-working heart by getting regular exercise and eating healthful foods.These foods were rated by nutrition experts as among the ―best of the best‖ heart-healthy foods. Note the ones that are a part of your regular diet.Salmon has hearthealthy omega-3 fats.

You can purchase it fresh, frozen, or canned. Compare prices to stretch your budget.Oatmeal is a whole-grain food that provides soluble fiber, along with minerals and vitamins. See the recipe included in this newsletter.Dry beans, such as black beans, kidney beans and other legumes, provide fiber, B vitamins and minerals. Canned beans are a convenient way to eat more beans, but canned beans are higher in sodium than the beans you soak and cook. Almonds and walnuts www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine provide plant omega-3 fats, along with magnesium, fiber and many other nutrients. Try a small handful as a satisfying snack or add some crunch to your favorite recipes.Tuna is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Shop for ―water-packed‖ tuna for a lower-calorie addition to tuna salad sandwiches.

Brown rice is a whole-grain food rich in B vitamins, fiber and minerals. Try stir-fried vegetables over brown rice.Berries, including blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and raspberries, are rich in antioxidants that help protect your body. Sprinkle yogurt with berries or make a smoothie.Carrots are rich in fiber and beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in your body. Shred some carrots into chili, or have baby carrots available as a quick snack. .

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Use spinach instead of iceberg lettuce to make a power-packed salad.Broccoli provides beta-carotene, vitamin C and minerals such as potassium. Steamed broccoli adds color and nutrition to your menu.This list also includes sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, oranges, tomatoes, soy foods (tofu, soy milk), ground flaxseed, acorn squash, cantaloupe, dark chocolate and tea.Do you notice that many of the plant foods on the list are very colorful?

Aim for a variety of foods in your diet every day, not only these foods. A piece of dark chocolate once in a while is OK, too!

Foodwise Tip of the Month Oatmeal provides heart-healthy soluble fiber. Eating it regularly may help maintain or lower your blood cholesterol.A canister of oatmeal usually is less expensive per serving than the individual packets of instant oatmeal. Be creative with your oatmeal at breakfast. Try adding a sprinkle of brown sugar and some naturally sweet fresh fruit (blueberries, apples) or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries).

Excerpted from ―http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/foodwise/newsletter-postings.‖ For more information on this topic, contact Luella Morehouse, EFNEP/FNP Education Assistant, NDSU Extension Service Stutsman County, 116 1/2 1st St. E, Jamestown, 252-9030 or luella.morehouse@ndsu.edu. http://www.jamestownsun.com/life/food/3676482-learn-about-heart-healthy-foods-duringnational-heart-month

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.

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MLG/LDP Rate

World Price

Milled Value ($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Long-Grain

15.93

10.32

0.00

Medium-/Short-Grain

15.53

10.46

0.00

Brokens

9.61

----

----

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

57.21/12.55

6.64

Medium-/Short-Grain

61.89/8.83

6.51

The next program announcement is scheduled for February 18.

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for February 11

Month

Price

Net Change

March 2015

$10.380

+ $0.145

May 2015

$10.615

+ $0.135

July 2015

$10.865

+ $0.130

September 2015

$10.895

+ $0.125

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November 2015

$11.115

+ $0.155

January 2016

$11.205

+ $0.155

March 2016

$11.205

+ $0.155

USA Rice Federation

DUBAI SHOWCASES GLOBAL TRILLION DOLLAR HALAL MARKET THROUGH GULFOOD 2015 The Halal industry is full of business opportunities for Muslim and non-Muslim nations including the United States and other Western countries.

The halal industry is expected to grow to $3.7 trillion in 2019.

— Camille Paldi DUBAI, UAE, February 11, 2015 /EINPresswire.com/ -CEO of FAAIF, Camille Paldi, participates in Gulfood 2015 and the Halal Investment Conference Feb. 10, 2015 in Dubai, UAE. Currently, the halal food products industry stands at $2 trillion worldwide with Muslim countries accounting for $700 billion. The industry is expected to grow to $3.7 trillion in 2019. Currently, the GCC procures US$ 26 billion annually in halal food imports. The CEO of the Islamic Development Economy Development Center in Dubai, Abdullah Al Awar, states that, ―the spread of Islamic sectors such as Islamic banking, halal food, fashion, cosmetics, tourism, and other sectors is no longer a matter just for the Muslim world, but now an international phenomenon. ‖ Paldi says that this is a business opportunity, which America and other Western nations should not miss! Paldi notes that there are hundreds of US businesses from the food and beverage industry participating in the mega halal food event along with many Western delegates amongst the approximately 85,000 conference visitors. Recently, the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, during its annual meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, announced that it will work to create a commercial arbitration center for the halal industry with the formulation of rules along the lines of the arbitration rules of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce. In addition, it is imperative that measures are taken to regulate and harmonize the global halal certification industry, such as with the creation of one central, global halal certification regulatory agency to oversee, harmonize, and regulate all other halal certifying agencies.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Paldi notes that many countries such as the UAE and Malaysia have a state accreditation agency, which certifies halal production companies and slaughterhouses with the official UAE/Malaysia halal logo.Camille Paldi is a highly educated and exemplary US citizen converted to Islam and has qualified as a lawyer in four countries including the UK in addition to earning seven university degrees including an MA in Islamic finance from Durham University in the UK in 2014. In addition, Camille has obtained a post-graduate degree in the halal industry from Pakistan. Paldi is the CEO of the Franco-American Alliance for Islamic Finance and offers services in Islamic banking, halal industry, legal consultancy, advisory, and training. The FAAIF website can be found at http://www.faaif.com and Camille Paldi can be contacted at camille@faaif.com.

FAAIF Limited is a legal and management consultancy firm servicing clients in Islamic banking, finance, takaful, and the halal industry. FAAIF Events is an events production and management company http://www.faaif.com.

Camille Paldi FAAIF +971569500562 email us here http://www.einpresswire.com/

Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015 with Forecasts to 2020 Futures and Commodity Market News Feb 10, 2015 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gctj2r/global_basmati) has announced the addition of the "Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015" report to their offering. The Global Basmati Rice Industry Report 2015 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the basmati rice industry. The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The basmati rice market analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.

Development policies and plans are also discussed and manufacturing processes and cost structures analyzed. Basmati rice industry import/export consumption, supply and demand figures and cost price and production value gross margins are also provided. The report focuses on fourteen industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity production, price, cost, production value and contact information. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The basmati rice industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered. Key Topics Covered: - Basmati Rice Industry Overview - Global Basmati Rice Market Status Analysis - Major Regions Basmati Rice Market Status Analysis - Major Countries Basmati Rice Market Status and Analysis - Major Companies Basmati Rice Market Status and Analysis Basmati Rice Industry Chain and Marketing Channels Analysis - Basmati Rice Industry Segment Market Analysis - Basmati Rice Industry Development Trend - Basmati Rice New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis - Global Basmati Rice Industry Research Conclusions Companies Mentioned - Basmati - COFCO - Charoen - Coocosun - Fu Ji - Hai Rice - Hamsons Ming Da - Riviana - Tilda - Uncle bens - Xin Li - Zhao Fa - Zhong Xing For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gctj2r/global_basmati CONTACT: Research and Markets, Laura Wood, Senior Manager. press@researchandmarkets.com Fax from USA: 646-607-1907 Fax from rest of the world: +3531-481-1716 Sector: Food (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/categories.asp?cat_id=57&campaign_id=gctj2r) ((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.m2.com on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.

(C)1994-2015 M2 COMMUNICATIONS http://futures.tradingcharts.com/

The bull whose semen is worth $3,000

By Soutik BiswasBBC News, Haryana In the sprawling yard of a three-storey beige stucco building in a village in northern India, a large buffalo ambles around on yoga mats, his dark eyes sizing up the new visitors wearily.

Yuvraj is a handsome animal with oiled backwardcurving horns, a smooth grey-black coat and a slim, bushy tail. He weighs 450kg (990lbs), is 10ft long and 5ft 8in tall. He is also used to attention - and slightly disdainful of his latest admirers."Every day somebody or the other comes to see him. He's not just another bull, he's a brand," says his proud owner, Karamveer Singh, a 47year-old third generation farmer in Haryana state.Singh lives in the village of Sunarion in a district - Kurukshetra

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine - renowned as the place where a mythical battle was fought in India's best-known epic, the Mahabharata.

In real life, it is among the many villages in India where boundaries between city and countryside are blurring fast: prosperous farmers reside in large, well-appointed homes. Many of their children, first-generation college students, are enrolled in foreign universities. The hardworking farmer Singh owns a herd of two dozen cows and buffaloes, runs a business and deals in property. He lives with his wife, half a dozen cars and tractors and a retinue of household servants. One of his sons is studying for an MBA in Australia; the other is studying computer science in Rajasthan.But Yuvraj, named after an Indian cricket star, is his most prized possession. He's a Murrah bull - the best of the 13 recognised buffalo breeds in India - and a cash cow if ever there was one.Inderjeet Singh, chief of India's Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes describes Yuvraj as a "champion breeding bull".

His semen is now possibly the most expensive in India, costing up to 350 rupees ($5.65; ÂŁ3.75) a dose - possibly more than 10 times the average.A single ejaculation, triggered with the help of a teaser animal and collected in an artificial vagina, provides 500 to 600 sperm "doses", each containing 20 million sperm.

The upshot is that Singh earns anything between three and five million rupees every year selling the stuff, which he stores at home in thin frozen strips, preserved at -196C in 50-litre containers of liquid nitrogen.Semen traders, armed with cryogenic flasks, drive from all over India to queue up at Singh's door.

"We have come to buy Yuvraj's semen for the first time," says Lalit Chowdhury, from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state. "I saw him at an animal fair in Meerut last year and people were raving about him. I want to sell his semen to farmers all over India now."Yuvraj also earns money by winning state-sponsored buffalo and livestock contests, collecting up to 300,000 rupees ($4,853; ÂŁ3237) each time.

The spacious rooms in Singh's home glitter with the bull's trophies."I have never seen a healthier, productive and more handsome bull," says Inderjeet Singh.Plenty of people would like to buy this wondrous animal. Two years ago, a businessman from the southern city of Hyderabad offered Singh 70 million rupees ($1.14m; ÂŁ757,000). It was not enough."I would only consider selling him if I got an offer which was three times this offer," says Singh. "With that I could buy a helicopter." And then, in an afterthought, he mutters: "But should I be separating him from his family? Would I be able to live without him?"

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine It's a good question.

In a backyard, Yuvraj's family wanders around. There's his 19year-old mother, Ganga, who's now pregnant for the 16th time, sluggish and sleepy under a sharp winter sun. She is a "milk powerhouse" producing 26 litres of milk every day, says Singh proudly. Three-year-old brother Bhim is chewing cud absentmindedly. His 16-month-old sister, Saraswati, appears to be the quietest.It all began when Singh bought Yuvraj's father, a bull he later named Yograj, from a farmer in Rohtak district for 37,000 rupees ($597; ÂŁ397) 14 years ago. "The rest is history," he says.

But Singh's tender loving care has clearly helped to make Yuvraj the winner bull he is.His two meals a day comprise 20 litres of milk nourished with tonics and vitamins, 10kg of apples, and an equal amount of fodder and grain. All this costs 2,000 rupees ($32; ÂŁ21) per day. In the evening, two servants take Yuvraj for a brisk 5km walk on the farm."When I come back home after a hard day's work, the last thing I do before I go to bed is check whether Yuvraj is doing fine," says Singh.

In biting winters, Yuvraj sleeps in a cosy sand-filled enclosure in a tarpaulin covered shed. In scorching summers, he's kept comfortable by air coolers positioned outside the enclosure.Yuvraj needs to be rested well after coping with the incessant rush of visitors, says Singh. "People come from all kinds of places," he adds, "Canada, Brazil, Venezuela.""They take pictures of his eyes, his coat, his horn, his tail. A scientist came from Brazil and said Yuvraj was the best bull he has ever seen."But you must come in summer to see him again. He looks more handsome then."

India's buffaloes India is the world's top milk producer. More than half of its milk comes from buffaloes, even though the country's 108 million buffaloes are outnumbered by its 200 million cows.India is home to 57% of the global buffalo population. There are 13 recognised breeds in the country experts say some of them are among the best in the world.On the top of the pyramid are the Murrah water buffaloes, mostly found in northern and central India. There are six million of this breed in Haryana alone.

Murrah buffaloes are in particular demand for their high milk yield - an average of 7 litres per day, but some produce more than three times this amount. High-fat buffalo milk - thicker than cow's - is used for making sweets and mozzarella cheese. The male's semen also fetches a good price.Buffaloes are also more resistant to diseases than cows in tropical countries such as India.

Typically a cow suffers from infertility and udder infection after three lactation seasons over three years and is often sold off cheaply - the cow is a sacred animal for Hindus, and many states do not allow them to be slaughtered.A buffalo, by contrast, will easily last 10-15 lactation

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine seasons before the animal is sold to the slaughter house.No wonder then that beef - 80% of it from buffaloes - is now India's top agricultural export, beating the more famous basmati rice.

BBC News Magazine

Syed Kadir‘s nasi briyani wins food award

BY KATHLEEN MICHAEL

A GOOD plate of nasi briyani should be flavourful and aromatic.One eatery that has won over the stomachs and taste buds of Klang Valley residents is Restoran Syed Kadir in SS19, Subang Jaya.The restaurant was acknowledged as having the best nasi briyani in the The Star People‘s Food Awards.

Owner Syed Kadir Syed Mahamad said he was surprised but thrilled to have received the award.Syed Kadir has been in the business for 40 years and his name has become synonymous with nasi briyani but he has tweaked the recipe and gave the dish a new name, nasi bukhara.―We registered the name ‘nasi bukhara’ when my son created the special recipe,‖ he said.Syed Kadir added he opened his first restaurant in 1975 in Section 8, Petaling Jaya selling nasi kandar and nasi briyani.

Popular vote: Restoran Syed Kadir‘s flavourful meals attract many customers who showed support during The Star People‘s Food Awards.

―We were attracting customers with our nasi kandar but not doing as well with our nasi briyani,‖ he said. With the introduction of nasi bukhara, the dish took off and today, remains one of the most sought after in his restaurants.There are five types of nasi bukhara which is served with fish, prawns, deer meat,kampung chicken, and mutton. Customers can also order plain briyani.Syed Kadir is a firm believer that customers should get value for money and as such, he uses only the best ingredients.The spices are flown in from Egypt and only first-grade basmati rice is used for nasi bukhara.Syed Kadir has 14 restaurants in the Klang Valley and set up a restaurant in Hong Kong at Chungking Mansions two years ago.He plans to expand to Dubai through franchising.

Prize winner: (From left) Representative from Star Publications (M) Bhd Aida Ahmad presenting the award to Syed Kadir. With him is Jasmine Food Corporation Sdn Bhd central region sales manager Cheah Kok Teong.

Apart from his restaurant business, Syed Kadir also caters food.

Restoran Syed Kadir received 116 votes, beating 12 other briyani nominees to win the award via public nomination and voting on Metro Online Broadcast‘s (MOB) website (www.mob.com.my)

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The Star People‘s Food Awards is a monthly contest that recognises the best street food in the Klang Valley.The public can vote for the best category-based street food such as curry laksa (March) and rojak buah (April) via the MOB website.This month, vote for your favourite popiah place in the Klang Valley.Nominations have ended and voting will begin on Feb 15 and will end at midnight on Feb 28.Those who nominate, vote or successfully share a link are automatically entered into the race to win attractive prizes such as hotel stays and dining Source with thanks: The Star Online

EQUITY ALERT: The Rosen Law Firm Files Securities Fraud Class Action Against Amira Nature Foods Ltd. -ANFI 02/10/2015 | 08:12pm US/Eastern NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights firm, announces that it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of Amira Nature Foods, Ltd. Stock (NYSE:ANFI) between September 27, 2012 and February 9, 2015. The lawsuit seeks to recover damages for Amira investors under the federal securities laws.

To join the Amira class action, go to the website athttp://rosenlegal.com/cases-506.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. or Jonathan Horne, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com orjhorne@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. The suit is pending in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.NO CLASS HAS YET BEEN CERTIFIED IN THE ABOVE ACTION. UNTIL A CLASS IS CERTIFIED, YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL UNLESS YOU RETAIN ONE. YOU MAY ALSO REMAIN AN ABSENT CLASS MEMBER AND DO NOTHING AT THIS POINT. YOU MAY RETAIN COUNSEL OF YOUR CHOICE. The lawsuit alleges: (a) Amira fraudulently overstated its Indian-produced basmati rice exports, thereby overstating revenues by at least 24% and 18.7% in FY 2013 and 2014, respectively; (b) Amira concealed that many of its counterparties are secretly related parties, including its largest customer, one of its largest suppliers, a potential counterparty to a $30 million transaction, and over a dozen others; (c) Amira's CEO used company money to pay his own personal household expenses, including salaries for a personal house manager and a chef for his farmhouse.

The lawsuit alleges that the truth was disclosed on two occasions, on April 3, 2013, causing its stock price to fall to $1.10 by April 5, or almost 20%, and on February 9, 2015, causing Amira's stock price to fall $3.45, or almost 26% from its previous close.A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 13, 2015. If you wish to join the litigation go to http://rosenlegal.com/cases-506.html or to discuss your rights or interests regarding this class action, please contact, Phillip Kim, Esq., or Jonathan Horne, Esq., of The Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via e-mail at pkim@rosenlegal.com orjhorne@rosenlegal.com. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation.

CONTACT: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. Jonathan Horne, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com jhorne@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Source with thanks: Globe Newswire

EQUITY ALERT: The Rosen Law Firm Files Securities Fraud Class Action Against Amira Nature Foods Ltd. -- ANFI Published: Feb 10, 2015 8:11 p.m. ET NEW YORK, Feb 10, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) -The Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights firm, announces that it has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of Amira Nature Foods, Ltd. StockANFI, +0.69% between September 27, 2012 and February 9, 2015. The lawsuit seeks to recover damages for Amira investors under the federal securities laws.To join the Amira class action, go to the website at http://rosenlegal.com/cases-506.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. or Jonathan Horne, Esq. tollfree at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or jhorne@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. The suit is pending in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

NO CLASS HAS YET BEEN CERTIFIED IN THE ABOVE ACTION. UNTIL A CLASS IS CERTIFIED, YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL UNLESS YOU RETAIN ONE. YOU MAY ALSO REMAIN AN ABSENT CLASS MEMBER AND DO NOTHING AT THIS POINT. YOU MAY RETAIN COUNSEL OF YOUR CHOICE.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The lawsuit alleges: (a) Amira fraudulently overstated its Indian-produced basmati rice exports, thereby overstating revenues by at least 24% and 18.7% in FY 2013 and 2014, respectively; (b) Amira concealed that many of its counterparties are secretly related parties, including its largest customer, one of its largest suppliers, a potential counterparty to a $30 million transaction, and over a dozen others; (c) Amira's CEO used company money to pay his own personal household expenses, including salaries for a personal house manager and a chef for his farmhouse.

The lawsuit alleges that the truth was disclosed on two occasions, on April 3, 2013, causing its stock price to fall to $1.10 by April 5, or almost 20%, and on February 9, 2015, causing Amira's stock price to fall $3.45, or almost 26% from its previous close.A class action lawsuit has already been filed.

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than April 13, 2015. If you wish to join the litigation go to http://rosenlegal.com/cases-506.html or to discuss your rights or interests regarding this class action, please contact, Phillip Kim, Esq., or Jonathan Horne, Esq., of The Rosen Law Firm toll free at 866-767-3653 or via e-mail atpkim@rosenlegal.com or jhorne@rosenlegal.com.The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation.

CONTACT: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. Jonathan Horne, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 lrosen@rosenlegal.com pkim@rosenlegal.com jhorne@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com Source with thanks: GlobeNewswire, Inc.

Wolf Popper LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of Investors in Amira Nature Foods Ltd. PR Newswire NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2015

NEW YORK, Feb.Ă‚ 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolf Popper LLP is investigating potential securities fraud claims on behalf of investors in Amira Nature Foods Ltd. ("Amira") common stock (NYSE: ANFI) during the period September 27, 2012 through February 9, 2015. Such investors are advised to contact Fei-Lu Qian at 877.370.7703 or fqian@wolfpopper.com.On February 9, 2015, Prescience Point Research Group issued a report concluding that Amira, among other things, had overstated its India-produced Basmati rice revenue by 146% in fiscal 2013 and 116.9% in 2014, citing reports on Basmati rice exports by the Indian government. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine  In addition, the report alleged that Amira had engaged in a related-party transaction with one of its largest distributors. On this news, Amira common stock plummeted $3.45 per share or more than 25%, to close at $9.95 per share on February 9, 2015. The next trading day, the stock declined an additional $1.45 per share, or 14.5%, to close at $8.50 per share, on February 10, 2015.Wolf Popper LLP has extensive experience representing shareholders in securities class actions and has successfully recovered billions of dollars for defrauded investors.  The reputation and expertise of the firm in representing shareholders has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed the firm to major positions in securities litigation.  See www.wolfpopper.com Attorney Advertising: Prior Results Do Not Guarantee A Similar Outcome.

Wolf Popper LLP Fei-Lu Qian 845 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 Tel.: 877.370.7703 Fax: 877.370.7704 Email: fqian@wolfpopper.com

Shareholder Alert: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Announces Investigation of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. PR Newswire NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2015 NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Advertising -- Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. ("Amira" or the "Company") (NYSE: ANFI -News). Such investors are advised to contact Peretz Bronstein or his investor relations coordinator Eitan Kimelman at info@bgandg.com or 212-697-6484.The investigation concerns whether Amira and certain of its officers and/or directors have violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. On February 9, 2015, third-party analyst firm Prescience Point Research Group issued a report on ANFI (the "Prescience Report"). Among other things, the Prescience Report charged that: 1)  ANFI had overstated its India-produced Basmati rice revenue by at least 116.9% in 2014, citing Indian government reports on Basmati rice exports; 2)  ANFI had engaged in material related-party transactions, including with its largest distributor, one of its largest suppliers, and a company from which ANFI intended to buy $30 million of land; and that ANFI CEO Karan Chanana used company resources for personal use, including to pay salaries for household help. On this news, shares of Amira fell $3.45 or 25.75% to close at $9.95 on February 9, 2015.If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation, or purchased shares of Amira, you can assist www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine this investigation by contacting Peretz Bronstein or his Investor Relations Coordinator Eitan Kimelman of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 212-697-6484 or via email info@bgandg.com. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, email and telephone number.

Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a corporate litigation boutique. Our primary expertise is the aggressive pursuit of litigation claims on behalf of our clients. In addition to representing institutions and other investor plaintiffs in class action security litigation, the firm's expertise includes general corporate and commercial litigation, as well as securities arbitration. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Contact: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Peretz Bronstein or Eitan Kimelman 212-697-6484 info@bgandg.com

The Law Firm of Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Launches an Investigation into Possible Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Directors of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. Tue Feb 10, 2015 12:44pm EST * Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: The Law Firm of Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Launches an Investigation into Possible Breaches of Fiduciary Duty by the Board of Directors of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating Amira Nature Foods Ltd. (NYSE:ANFI) in connection with possible breaches of fiduciary duty by the Board of Directors of the Company. To get more information, click here: http://zlk.9nl.com/amira-nature-foods-anfi. There is no cost or obligation to you. The investigation stems from allegations made in a February 9, 2015 report from Prescience Point Research Group (“Prescience―).

In this report Prescience suggested that: (a) Amira Nature Foods had overstated its Indiaproduced Basmati rice revenue by at least 116.9% in 2014, citing Indian government reports on Basmati rice exports; (b) the Company had engaged in material related-party transactions, including with its largest distributor, one of its largest suppliers, and a company from which it intended to buy a $30 million parcel of land; and (c) Amira Nature Foods’ CEO used company resources for personal use.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine If you own common stock in Amira Nature Foods and wish to obtain additional information about the investigation and our efforts to assist shareholders in recovering their losses, please contact Eduard Korsinsky, Esq. either via email at ek@zlk.com or by telephone at (212) 3637500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972, or visit http://zlk.9nl.com/amira-nature-foods-anfi. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firm’s attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits and have helped shareholders recover millions of dollars in losses over the years. For more information, please feel free to contact any of the attorneys listed below.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Eduard Korsinsky, Esq. Tel: 212-363-7500 Toll Free: 877-363-5972 Fax: 866-367-6510

Investigation of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. Announced by Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP Tue Feb 10, 2015 11:02am EST * Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

INVESTOR ALERT: Investigation of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. Announced by Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP announces that it is investigating potential claims on behalf of investors of Amira Nature Foods Ltd. (“Amira Nature Foods― or the “Company―) (NYSE:ANFI) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. The investigation is focused on certain statements issued by Amira Nature Foods concerning the Company’s business and financial performance. Please contact Casey Sadler at (888) 773-9224 or (310) 201-9150, or at shareholders@glancylaw.com to discuss this matter. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. Amira Nature Foods is a Dubaibased company engaged in processing, distributing and marketing packaged specialty rice and other food products.

The investigation is related to allegations that the Company misrepresented its business and financial performance and failed to disclose material related-party transactions. On February 9, 2015, a report by the analyst firm Prescience Point Research Group alleged that, according to Indian government reports on Basmati rice exports, Amira Nature Foods had overstated its India-produced Basmati rice

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine revenue by more than 116% in 2014. The report also alleged that Amira Nature Foods engaged in material related-party transactions, including with a company from which it intended to buy $30 million of land, and the Company's chief executive officer used Company resources for personal use, including to pay salaries for household help. Following this news, shares of Amira Nature Foods declined more than 25% on February 9, 2015, to a closing price of $9.95 per share on unusually heavy volume.

If you purchased Amira Nature Foods securities, if you have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Casey Sadler, Esquire, of Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at (310) 201-9150, Toll Free at (888) 773-9224, by e-mail to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at http://www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP, Los Angeles, CA Casey Sadler (310) 201-9150 (888) 773-9224 shareholders@glancylaw.com www.glancylaw.com

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