14th april,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine (1)

Daily

Global

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Rice E-Newsletter April 14 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I

A LITTLE ATTENTION & INTEREST CAN JUMP VOLUME OF PAK RICE EXPORT Zafar Bakhtawari Tuesday, April 14, 2015 - PAKISTAN is among those few countries in which rice, wheat, cotton, sugar cane and milk are produced in abundance. But because of lack of management,

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

Page 1

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine proper planning and government interest it is unable to get favorable outcomes. Pakistan‘s exports are not crossing the barrier of $25 billions in which there is major contribution of cotton and textile. It is important to note that Bangladesh which itself is not producing cotton has more textile exports than of Pakistan. We can‘t enhance our export until and unless we would encourage the private sector for investment and relaxation for the exporters.Rice stands second in Pakistan‘s exports after textile, but for the last few years, its exports have been stuck up at $2billions.

It can be increased up to $ 4 billion by a proper planning. Rice exports can be improved by focusing on rice producing farmers, processing factories and rice exporters. The target of $4 billion from rice export can be achieved by facilitating these three sectors. There is a need of scientific technology to improve the production of rice by the farmers, including research for hybrid seed. Nowadays, China is working on hybrid variety of rice. In Pakistan, Guard Group under the supervision of Iftakhar Ali Malik and Shehzad Ali Malik is doing research on this variety.

The government contribution in this field is negligible. The government should bring all associated institutions under the rice exporters association and it should facilitate private sector to establish new research centers. The price of fertilizer should be reduced. Urea price in Pakistan isRs.3500, it must be Rs.1200. The export of rice and other agricultural products cannot be increased unless the price of Fertilizers is reduced. The fertilizer industry in Pakistan is not working properly because of shortage of natural gas, so fertilizer is imported and sold to farmers at high rates. By suitable planning, Pakistan can manage gas problem and can run its fertilizers factories to supply fertilizers at low price to its farmers. It can also help it to save billions of dollars and can revolutionize agricultural sector.

Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project which has been delayed on international pressure. It is necessary for economic revival in Pakistan to startIran – Pakistan gas pipe line at the earliest. I suggest new fertilizers factories must be built on Iran-Pakistan border and this area should be connected with a network of railway with other parts of the country as long as the pipeline is not established.The Ministry of Commerce must support the exporters to explore the new markets for rice. Only those officials from Foreign Service should be promoted to the next grade that show the rise in export from Pakistan to the respected country and the same should be applied to the commercial counselors working in Pakistani embassies abroad. Commerce Minister, Khurram Dastgeer and the chairman of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Mr. S M Muner are very active in promoting the Pakistani export but they are not getting the same support by the beaurocracy present in different government institutions. The developed countries have made progress by putting private sector on driving seat and formulated economical and financial policies according to its suggestions, whereas, In Pakistan, we are formulating our economical and financial policy under the advice of World Bank, IMF and Bureaucracy, for the last 65 years.

It is important to come out from the hands of IMF and World Bank by ensuring the self reliance and a policy non dependence on foreign loan.We should focus on China and ASEAN market to enhance our rice export. In ASEAN the population of Indonesia is more than the all other nine member countries. We should develop a very special relationship with Indonesia. Pakistan has already preferencial Trade Agreement (PTA) with Indonesia and there is a need to sign Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to boost the trade relation with Indonesia. There is no direct flight between Pakistan and Indonesia and it is important to establish direct air link between the two most populous countries in the two regions.

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

Page 2

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

The government of Indonesia and Pakistan must evolve five year multiple visa for the businessmen to facilitate their frequent travel without wasting time to get visa. Pakistan already had a Free trade agreement (FTA) with china and the trade balance is hugely in favor of china.

Ministry of commerce must play some active role to increase the rice export from Pakistan to china which is a big market for rice consumption.Presently the senior vice president of federation of Pakistan chambers of commerce and industry (FPCCI) Mr. Abdul Rahim Janu is also associated with the business of rice export. Presently, India is the top exporter of rice and its export is $8 billion, Thailand and America rank second and third respectively and their exports are of $ 4.4 billion and $ 2.1billion. Pakistan is ranked fourth in this category with exports of $ 2 billion.

India searched its rice market in densely populated countries like China and Indonesia. India is exporting rice not only to Iran which is under international sanctions but its exports have been increased by many folds in recent years. India made a better research on rice and improved its quality and has managed to improve the export by improving the quality and reducing the price.

Commerce Minister should visit countries like China,Indonesia, Iran and Kenya with rice exporters‘ delegation to increase Pakistan‘s rice exports. In order to increase rice exports Pakistani Embassies in China, Kenya, ASEAN and ECO countries should play their role by serving Pakistan‘s Basmiti rice in festivals and other functions. Pakistan‘s embassies‘ abroad should create markets for Pakistani basmati rice by introducing this rice to the major hotels in the foreign capitals.

—The writer is former President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Email: zafarbakhtawari@gmail.com http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=261946

Japan’s QZSS GNSS to benefit Australia

by Simon Chester on 14 April, 2015 in GPS & Navigation

A team of Australian and Japanese researchers have tested a new satellite positioning system that will improve upon the US‘ GPS system by additionally transmitting augmentation signals to improve positioning performance, ultimately boosting the productivity of Australia‘s rural industries and benefitting the working and personal lives of many, particularly those living in regional and outback areas.The system is known as www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 3

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine the Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS).

The first QZSS satellite is already in orbit. When fully deployed in 2023, the constellation will consist of seven satellites providing 24 hours coverage to the region.The orbit configuration of these satellites will give continuous coverage at high elevation angles, providing improved satellite navigation in areas that challenge traditional GNSS satellite positioning capabilities, such as central city districts and other obstructed environments.While intended primarily for users in Japan, the orbit design offers significant advantages to neighbouring East Asia countries, including Australia.

One of the additional augmentation signals – the L-band experimental (LEX) signal – is designed to allow high accuracy positioning in real-time through transmission of corrections for Precise Point Positioning (PPP). This additional data delivery is a critical factor in ensuring the system can provide a continuous centimetre-level positioning service.Trials undertaken at the Rice Research Australia farm in southern NSW, near the historic rural town of Jerilderie, were completed in January.The team demonstrated the first time use of a fully robotic tractor (video here), controlled entirely by QZSS, achieving positioning accuracies of around 5cm. Data from the satellite enabled the tractor to track, turn, and operate machinery doing a variety of routine farming operations such as inter-row tillage and fertiliser applications.

The research is a major step toward demonstrating that such a system could provide correction signals to enable precise GNSS-based positioning anywhere (outdoors) in Australia, at any time.The strength of the system is the provision of wide-area positioning in areas with sparse GNSS ground stations and where mobile phone coverage does not exist. This is particularly important in Australia‘s rural and outback areas where the building and operation of additional GNSS ground stations needed for high-accuracy positioning is costly.The current research is a collaborative effort between Australia and Japan and is funded entirely by the Japanese government.

The team includes Australia‘s Cooperative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRCSI), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which built and operates the satellite system, RMIT University, University of NSW, University of New England, Hokkaido University, Hitachi Zosen, Hitachi Ltd, Yanmar, Rice Research Australia, SmartNet Australia, C R. Kennedy, and Precision Agriculture.Although the initial testing was focused on the use of the new technology in precision agriculture, the potential uses of the new service in Australia and elsewhere are enormous. ―From mining to automated guidance of cars, indeed any outdoor application where a level of machine automation is required, this technology has the potential to help,‖ said Dr Philip Collier, the CRCSI‘s Research Director. ―My prediction is that this sort of technology will move from

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

Page 4

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine sophisticated and expensive installations in machines to mobile phones. People will, in due course, have it in their back pockets.‖The research at Jerilderie is designed to assess the capacity of the LEX signal to deliver high-accuracy, real-time precise point positioning (PPP) consistently and reliably to Australian GNSS users.

A series of correction messages relevant to Australian conditions has been developed and were tested as part of the current research project.―Our objective is to get to the point where users are oblivious to the fact that they are using multiple satellite signals and multiple systems to receive precise, reliable, dependable and accurate position for whatever the application happens to be,‖ said Dr Collier.The project is a major part of Australia‘s current drive to establish a national positioning infrastructure, which will be a key factor in boosting future Australian productivity and competitiveness in industry and business activities.

For more information on the project, please contact Dr Phil Collier.CR Kennedy, CRCSI, GNSS, HItachi Ltd, Hitachi Zosen, Hokkaido University, JAXA,navigation, precision agriculture, QZSS, Rice Research Australia, RMIT University, Slider,SmartNet Aus, trial, University of New England, University of NSW

Rice farmers need access to quality seed APRIL 14, 2015 · BY STAFF WRITER ·

Dear Editor, At several meetings across Region Two, the President has said that he realized that the rice industry is in a crisis and he will fix it soon. I wonder how soon he will fix it? Rice farmers who purchased seed paddy from the RPA seed bond at Anna Regina for this upcoming spring crop have shown me a sample of highly bug-damaged seed paddy; more than 50 per cent of the seed has damaged grains and wind paddy, and is of very poor quality. I was the first to be trained by Farm Supplies technical engineers to operate the seed dryer, cleaner and the standby power plant on this project in 2000. In fact, this place where the seed project was built was an old dumpsite for old sea defence lorries, cement mixtures and other discarded materials.

I was in charge of seeing the site cleared, and a contract was awarded to Mukesh from Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara to build the bond and the operating areas. The drying floor was constructed by Mr Seepersaud of Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, through IFAD. From my experience operating the dryer and cleaner, the poor quality seed can be due to many factors; either the dryer and cleaner fans were closed or not open enough to blow out the wind and damaged grains from the paddy, causing it to remain in the seed paddy.The other factor could be that the hopper from which the dry paddy is being discharged from the seed dryer was open at high, causing same to enter and bypass the sieve of the cleaner then goes into the wooden bin where it is stored and bagged off at 140 lbs.

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

Page 5

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The contractor and his men would do these things if no one is on the site to overlook the operation in order to make more bags, because they are being paid per bag to clean and dry the seed paddy. At the end of the day the farmers who buy this paddy suffer.These farmers bought this poor quality seed paddy for $5,000 per 140 lb bag, yet when they sold their field paddy to the millers they only received $2,400 for the highest grade bag and $400 for the lowest grade.

Seed paddy is quite literally the starting point for rice cultivation. As such, its importance cannot be overstated.

Poor quality seed such as what these farmers bought at the RPA bond, affects productivity and encourages the spread of disease. High quality seed paddy must have these factors: before you can sell it as seed, the moisture content should be 14.0; damaged kernels (single or combined) 1.0; red kernels 1.0; yellow kernels 0.1; amber kernels 0.5; green kernels 2.0; chalky kernels 2.0; broken kernels 6.0; and foreign matter 0.5; and it must be certified to ensure quality by GNBS. Farmers need seed adapted to their production, requirements and able to meet the challenges of the shifting agro-ecological systems caused by climate change. I do not think the RPA and GRDB are geared to meet these challenges in the rice industry.

There are many obstacles facing small-scale farmers in obtaining good seed at affordable prices.

Fake seed is a major problem in all rice growing regions, which has the rice industry in a crisis to some extent. Some unscrupulous dealers are selling poor quality substitute seed at a very high price to farmers, many of whom only discover their costly mistake when their crop fails.In my tenure as an Extension Officer, I had to identify clean, suitable fields free from monkey trails and all other foreign matter, then register the seed growers. The seed growers generally have small plots of land ranging from 1-10 acres, and routinely they were given basic seed from the rice research station at Burma.

Prior to the harvesting of their seed crop, extension officers are mandated to make at least 3 visits. The first is to advise on crop husbandry as well as generally overlook of the entire field.

On the other visits, the field will be sampled for purity, as well as insect and other pest damage.

If the field has reached the quality of C-1 seeds, the farmer will be issued with a certificate; this practice has not being followed by officers. The seed farmers normally sell all their seeds to the RPA bond. If the President really indeed wanted to fix the rice industry, he should begin with a transparent and efficient regulatory system to ensure that farmers have access to quality seed.

Yours faithfully, Mohamed Khan

Philippines looks to broaden range of rice suppliers Tue Apr 14, 2015 7:57am GMT

MANILA, April 14 (Reuters) - The Philippines' state grains procurement agency said on Tuesday that it would look to import rice from a broader range of countries including Pakistan, India and Myanmar, as it tries to diversify its supplies of the staple food.One of the world's biggest rice importers, the Philippines usually buys from key producers Vietnam and Thailand.But with a longer list of possible suppliers, the nation could keep a lid on the cost of purchases even if emergencies such as typhoons or other natural disasters hit agriculture at home.

Renan Dalisay, administrator at the National Food Authority (NFA), said he had coordinated with the embassies of Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Myanmar in Manila, encouraging the

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

Page 6

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine countries to enter into a so-called Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippines for rice supply.The MOA would allow those countries to participate in rice import tenders that the NFA issues from time to time, similar to agreements the Philippines has with Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, he said.Vietnam and Thailand recently won 500,000-tonne supply deals with the NFA, and hope to get more contracts as they struggle to offload some of their stocks.

Dalisay issued the statement after Pakistan, the world's No.4 rice exporter, approached the Philippines for a 50,000-tonne supply deal. A delegation from the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan was in Manila recently to explore deals, he said.Dalisay said Pakistan could sell as much as 50,000 tonnes to the Philippines through the Minimum Access Volume scheme under which local traders are allowed to import an annual volume of up to 755,200 tonnes with a 35percent tariff. That scheme covers private purchases and is separate from the state-buying seen in NFA tenders.

But the NFA Council has yet to open the MAV window this year, with local media reporting the government is looking into the possibility of removing tariffs on rice imports.Other countries that can also sell rice to the Philippines under the MAV scheme include China, India, Australia, and El Salvador.The Philippines imported a total of around 1.7 million tonnes of rice in 2014, the most in four years. It may buy 1.6 million tonnes this year, according to a forecast by the United States Department of Agriculture. (Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Joseph Radford)

Market Watch: South Korea -- A Changing Market?

A puzzling dynamic

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA -- This country of 50 million is a small, but high-value market for the U.S. rice industry. The U.S. exports have averaged more than 104,000 MT of rice to Korea annually over the past 6 years -- representing about 25 percent of the roughly 410,000 MT imported by volume, or 26 percent of imports by value. However, a shift may be coming. While Korea continues to purchase U.S. rice, officials are attempting to manage rice supplies that exceed domestic demand. In 2013, Korea's rice harvest produced a nearly 200,000 ton surplus.

In reaction, the Korean agriculture ministry is looking west to tap into China's rice market.

In order to boost shipments to China, the South Korean government must lift restrictions that inhibit the volume and price of rice exports. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has just published an exporters' handbook containing key information about prominent buyers in crucial importing countries as a means of assisting Korea's export market to countries like China. In addition, last year, Korea announced they were shifting to rice tarrification, eliminating the country-specific quota the U.S. and others utilized. The United States, and several other countries, have objected to Korea's version of rice tariffication in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and those complaints remain outstanding, meaning that Korea's current rice import regime has yet to be officially approved by the WTO.

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

Page 7

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

"We're active with promotion efforts in Korea because there is demand for high quality U.S. rice, but we do have potential market access problems as a result of tariffication, which began in January," explained Jim Guinn, USA Rice's vice president of international promotion. "We are urging the U.S. to engage with Korea to address our concerns, and the fact that Korea is now looking to increase exports, clearly indicate this is a challenging market. We'll continue to monitor the situation."

Contact: Colleen Klemczewski (703) 236-1446

Sesame rice UPDATED 6:00 AM EDT Apr 14, 2015

This rice accompaniment can be kept quite simple, or it can become more substantial with the addition of other ingredients such as chopped scallion, minced green or red bell peppers, or other vegetables such as cut asparagus.

Sliced or slivered almonds can replace the sesame seeds.

1 tablespoon canola oil 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups cooked rice (brown, white, basmati, or wild rice) ½ cup frozen baby peas 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon soy sauce ½ teaspoon dark (Asian) sesame oil Dash of ground white pepper, or to taste Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the rice and remaining ingredients. Heat, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 8

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 14 Month

Price

Net Change

May 2015

$10.210

+ $0.105

July 2015

$10.465

+ $0.110

September 2015

$10.715

+ $0.110

November 2015

$10.930

+ $0.105

January 2016

$11.160

+ $0.105

March 2016

$11.210

+ $0.105

May 2016

$11.210

+ $0.105

Mars research unearths world of possibilities at WWU

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

The Bellingham HeraldApril 14, 2015 Melissa Rice, assistant professor at Western Washington University, has a few of her undergraduate students analyze images sent by Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity that help explain what types of materials are on the surface. WILSON CRISCIONE — The Bellingham Herald

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

Page 9

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

BELLINGHAM — Melissa Rice‘s career revolves around answering a question that continues to entice the human imagination: Can life evolve elsewhere in the universe?

Rice, an assistant professor at Western Washington University, thinks the answer may be found on Mars.―We can‘t travel to other solar systems. We can‘t even see the surfaces of planets around other stars,‖ Rice said. ―And so, if we want to answer this question — can life evolve on other planets — the best way to do that is right here in our own neighborhood.‖Rice, 32, is part of a team of NASA scientists making discoveries on Mars that hint the planet was once habitable to life. In her first year teaching at WWU, her research is inspiring a group of students who, like her, hope to one day find an answer to the same question she has been chasing.

For a couple days each month, Rice helps with rover operations that help NASA decide where the Curiosity rover will explore minute by minute. She analyzes images taken from the rover, then discusses a new plan for the rover‘s next-day activities via teleconference with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Then she helps fellow scientists come up with a sequence of commands detailing where the rover will drive, stop or take pictures.―We tell the rover every detail of what it‘s going to do throughout its day,‖ Rice said.The pictures taken by Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, offer scientists a glimpse into the history of the planet. Curiosity currently is ascending from the base of Mount Sharp, a mountain 3 1/2 miles high of rocks formed billions of years ago in Gale Crater. The pictures taken by Curiosity help scientists analyze minerals at the base of the rock that reveal vital clues about whether the planet was once habitable.

Just this week, calculations made on the Curiosity mission indicated that conditions in the Gale Crater location were favorable for small quantities of brine to form at night.The most profound discovery made by Curiosity, Rice said, were rocks found at the bottom of Gale Crater that could only have been formed by an ancient lake with water that would have been good enough to drink, Rice said. It was the first definitive evidence for an environment on Mars where life as we know it on Earth could have thrived.Rice, from Sammamish, has wanted to study Mars since she was an undergraduate studying astrophysics at Wellesley College near Boston. The college www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 10

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine already had a strong astronomy program while she was there, and one of her professors focused his research on the rings of Saturn.

Rice, though, knew that wasn‘t the area of research she wanted to study.―I already knew that Mars was the place I wanted to be,‖ Rice said.She pursued opportunities outside of her college, one of which was a summer research project at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, where she studied the surface of Mercury. She earned her Ph.D in astronomy at Cornell University in 2012, with minor concentrations in geology and science communication. As a planetary geologist, her research specialty is imaging spectroscopy, meaning she works with images taken in many wavelengths of light.This school year, she came to Western eager for the opportunity to pioneer a planetary studies program.

She said she wanted to build a new program in a place interested in going that direction.Thanks to her presence, students at WWU interested in researching planetary science can now do so in Bellingham. Winter quarter marked the first year Western has offered a planetary geology course. Rice said some WWU students sought her out as soon as they heard the ―Mars lady‖ was coming.Michael Reynolds, a WWU junior, is one of the students using Rice as a mentor. He compiles images that were taken by the Spirit rover, which landed on Mars in 2004, and analyzes those images to determine how reflective the surface is.

The pictures are taken in wavelengths that include those unseen to the human eye, and the process mostly involves data analysis. The results can help explain what types of materials are on the surface.Reynolds said he was always interested in astronomy, but when he came to Western he didn‘t have any intent to pursue that interest. He instead will earn a degree in geology. When he found out he could incorporate space with geology, he realized that is ―truly where my passion lies.‖Genevieve Studer-Ellis, a junior, has just started doing similar work with images taken from the Opportunity rover, which also landed on Mars in 2004. She is majoring in geology, and it wasn‘t until she took Rice‘s planetary geology course that she decided she wanted to go after a Ph.D in that field. ―One of the neatest things is that when I compile the pan cam images, I am looking at something that only a handful of people have seen before,‖ Studer-Ellis said. ―There are not a lot of places that let undergrads play with data from Mars.‖The Spirit rover stopped exploring in 2011, but the data analysis is far from complete, Rice said. The Opportunity and Curiosity rovers are still sending images.The next Mars rover will be a sample-collecting one, Rice said. It‘s name, for now, is Mars 2020, for the year it will launch. Instead of having a science laboratory on the rover that determines the mineralogy, like Curiosity, it will carry tubes to store extracted rock cores, leaving the tubes on the surface for another spacecraft to pick up.

The challenge is choosing where, on an entire planet, the best samples might be, Rice said. There are currently more than 20 candidate sites, and scientists will narrow it down to one site within two years. Rice‘s graduate students will have the opportunity to study potential landing sites starting this summer.Further down the road, the goal is to have humans explore the surface of Mars, Rice said. She is part of another NASA team, consisting of around two dozen scientists, defining science objectives for a human exploration of Mars. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 11

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine ―I think it‘s going to take human explorers on the surface of Mars — astronauts who are able to explore the surface in detail to catch interesting things out of the corners of their eyes — to serendipitously make new discoveries on the surface of Mars,‖ Rice said. ―I think that‘s where the next really big leaps are going to happen.‖ To see more photos from the Curiosity rover on Mars, click here.

Reach Wilson Criscione at 360-756-2803 or wilson.criscione@bellinghamherald.com.

: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2015/04/14/4239439/mars-research-unearths-world-of.html#storylink=cpy

PhilRice pushes new planting techniques April 14, 2015 10:40 pm

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija: Some 4,000 farmers will learn the latest technologies on farming through the ―akbay-Palay‖ being conducted at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) here.The two-day ―Lakbay-Palay,‖ which kicked off on Tuesday, is being held bi-annually during harvest season.Celia Abadilla, activity lead coordinator, said that the Future Rice Farm of PhilRice, breeder seed production, and on-farm learning center are among the stations where visiting farmers, mostly from the country‘s rice granary, can learn new technologies.Abadilla said the Future Rice Farm promotes technologies that are clean, green, practical, and smart.She also said that the farm also features organic farming, nutrient recycling, use of alternative energy, and farm mechanization.Abadilla also said that the ―Lakbay-Palay‖ provides an opportunity for farmers, scientists, researchers and extension workers to talk more on rice production challenges and issues. ―Most farmers inquire about the seeds that they can plant the next season. So, in the breeder seed production area, modern rice varieties are planted for farmers to select the varieties most suited to their field. They will also see the result of planting certified seeds,‖ she said.She said that farmers will also be taught on how to use the ICT-based fertilizer guides such as Rice Crop Manager and Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) application.Rice Crop Manager, which data underwent 15 years of intensive research across the country, provides specific amount of fertilizer and its time of application while MOET application can diagnose nutrient deficiencies of the rice crop.

Immense possibilities of cooperation between SA state Gauteng and MP: CM April 14, 2015 1:55 pm

Staff Reporter, Bhopal Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that Madhya Pradesh and South African state Gauteng will work in tandem in industrial, cultural and education sectors. There are immense www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 12

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine possibilities of mutual cooperation between the 2 states.

Chouhan was holding discussions with a delegation accompanying Premier of South African State Gauteng M. David Mukhura here today.Makhura said that both states will benefit from mutual ties. An MoU for mutual cooperation was also signed on the occasion. The Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh is the fastest growing state in the country. Its economic and agriculture growth rates are maximum in the country. Special attention is being paid in the state to industrial development and investment. South Africa and India have historic ties.Mahatma Gandhi had connected India to South Africa. Both states will chalk out a roadmap jointly for mutual cooperation in trade, culture and education sectors. The Premier of Gauteng Mukhara said that like Madhya Pradesh, his state is also in the middle of the country (South Africa).

His state has 36 percent contribution in South Africa‘s GDP, 42 percent in industrial production, 10 percent in agriculture production and 62 percent in exports. On the basis of this common factor, he finds Madhya Pradesh closer to him.The state has better opportunities for industries and trade. We are striving for improvement and expansion in manufacturing sector. He said that he is much impressed by Madhya Pradesh‘s achievements in various sectors. Chief Secretary Anthony de Sa gave a presentation focusing on possibilities in Madhya Pradesh. He informed that Madhya Pradesh has better infrastructure and conducive atmosphere for industries. Madhya Pradesh‘s growth and agriculture growth rates are highest in the country.

Economic development has taken place in Madhya Pradesh at faster rate. It is the second biggest grower of wheat in the country. Good quality Basmati rice is also produced here, which is exported to North America. Country‘s only diamond mine exists at Panna in Madhya Pradesh.

Copper, limestone and other minerals of good quality are found in the state. From agriculturebased economy, the state is moving towards manufacturing-based economy. Special attention has been paid to good governance in the state.Power generation in the state is to the tune of 14 thousand MW. Madhya Pradesh is a power-surplus state.

A land bank of 25 thousand hectares is available for industries in the state. Various rules have been simplified for Ease of Doing Business. For the last 6 years, Global Investors Summit is being held in the state every 2 years. Investment proposals worth 95 million dollars were received at Global Investors Summit at Indore in year 2014.The state has immense possibilities in defence production, auto manufacturing, information technology, agro food processing and renewable energy sectors.

South African delegation comprised Mauteng‘s Minister Dr. Ismail Wadi, Dr. Issac Mile, SuBarbara Chris and Niyamak Nandi. ACS S.R. Mohanthy, Principal Secretary Commerce & Industries M. Suleman, Principal Secretary Forests A.P. Shrivastava, Principal Secretary Food www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 13

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine and Civil Supplies Ashok Warnwal, Secretary to CM Vivek Agrawal and Secretary Mineral Resources Shiv Shekhar Shukla were also present on the occasion.

Lifting of rice levy from next kharif to prove costly to ryots, consumers B. CHANDRASHEKHAR Lifting of rice levy, compulsory procurement of paddy from farmers and rice from millers, by the Centre completely from 2015-16 kharif marketing season (KMS) is being feared to have a telling impact on farmers and consumers by denying most of them the minimum support price and the commodity getting dearer in the market, respectively.In the absence of any procurement of paddy by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the first and direct impact would be on the farmers as they would have to largely depend on whatever purchases to be done by the State Government agencies such as Civil Supplies Corporation, Markfed and IKP for getting the MSP or else left to the mercy of traders and millers, who seldom pay MSP to farmers.

Against the MSP of Rs.1,400 and Rs.1,360 per quintal, at which the government agencies procure the produce from farmers, fixed by the Centre for common and super-fine varieties of paddy, the traders and millers would pay at the most Rs.1,200. ―I have not seen traders paying more than Rs.1,200 per quintal during KMS 2014-15,‖ a field official overseeing the procurement in a North Telangana district told The Hindu .―Denial of MSP to farmers by traders and millers, however, will not provide any respite to the end-consumers. Millers will have the freedom to sell the rice stocks anywhere and resort to hoarding to create artificial shortage and increase the price heavily,‖ sources in the Civil Supplies Department stated.The super-fine quality rice whose wholesale price is about Rs.32 per kg is being sold between Rs.42 to Rs.52 per kg in the open market even when the procurement is being done by government agencies, officials pointed out.

Sri Lanka: New Method of Cooking Rice Cuts Calories in Half COLOMBO – Sri Lankan scientists have discovered an innovative method of cooking rice, reducing the amount of calories absorbed in the body by 50 percent, in response to increasing obesity problem worldwide.―What I achieved with my research was to change the structure of rice,‖ Sudhair A. James, the 22-year-old creator and student at College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka, told Efe on Tuesday.

The recipe calls for adding coconut oil in boiling water before adding the grains, then cooking it in low heat for 40 minutes.The cooked rice is then to be refrigerated for 12 hours, after which it can be reheated and consumed.James recently presented his findings at the National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in the United States, and hopes to tackle global obesity with his discovery. ―We wanted to find a solution, based on food, that could prevent and www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 14

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine tackle this growing crisis,‖ said the researcher after six months of dedicated work.The key, according to the Sinhalese student, is the type of starch, the main component of rice: the less caloric resistant starch, and non-resistant.

James found that his method of cooking rice multiplied the amount of resistant starch tenfold.―We believe that we could develop a universal method for cooking all food that contains starch, for example bread, which could be nutritional and at the same time fight obesity,‖ James was optimistic.According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, rice is the staple food in 17 countries in Asia and the Pacific, nine nations in North and South America, and eight African countries.

Philippines looks to broaden range of rice suppliers Reuters April 15, 2015

MANILA: The Philippines‘ state grains procurement agency said on Tuesday that it would look to import rice from a broader range of countries including Pakistan, India and Myanmar, as it tries to diversify its supplies of the staple food. One of the world‘s biggest rice importers, the Philippines usually buys from key producers Vietnam and Thailand. But with a longer list of possible suppliers, the nation could keep a lid on the cost of purchases even if emergencies such as typhoons or other natural disasters hit agriculture at home. Renan Dalisay, administrator at the National Food Authority (NFA), said he had coordinated with the embassies of Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Myanmar in Manila, encouraging the countries to enter into a so-called Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippines for rice supply.

The MOA would allow those countries to participate in rice import tenders that the NFA issues from time to time, similar to agreements the Philippines has with Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, he said. Vietnam and Thailand recently won 500,000-tonne supply deals with the NFA, and hope to get more contracts as they struggle to offload some of their stocks. Dalisay issued the statement after Pakistan, the world‘s No.4 rice exporter, approached the Philippines for a 50,000-tonne supply deal. A delegation from the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan was in Manila recently to explore deals, he said.

Dalisay said Pakistan could sell as much as 50,000 tonnes to the Philippines through the Minimum Access Volume scheme under which local traders are allowed to import an annual volume of up to 755,200 tonnes with a 35-percent tariff. That scheme covers private purchases and is separate from the state-buying seen in NFA tenders. But the NFA Council has yet to open the MAV window this year, with local media reporting the government is looking into the possibility of removing tariffs on rice imports. Other countries that can also sell rice to the Philippines under the MAV scheme include China, India, Australia, and El Salvador. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business/15-Apr-2015/philippines-looks-to-broaden-range-ofrice-suppliers

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

Page 15

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Japan, U.S. aim for TPP deal before summit 8:58 pm, April 14, 2015 ReutersJapanese and U.S. officials will meet from Wednesday in a bid to strike a two-way deal giving momentum to the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership ahead of a leaders‘ summit late this month.Success, however, depends on whether the U.S. Congress, which returns from recess this week, approves measures to ease passage of trade deals, or trade promotion authority (TPA), Japanese officials have said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet U.S. President Barack Obama on April 28 in Washington at a summit that will also focus on security issues.Japan said U.S. Acting Deputy Trade Representative Wendy Cutler and USTR chief agriculture negotiator Darci Vetter would travel to Tokyo for talks with Japan‘s deputy chief trade negotiator, Hiroshi Oe, and economic ambassador Takeo Mori.Discussions are expected to tackle gaps remaining over agriculture and the auto industry. ―We think it would be good if the two leaders could announce something positive,‖ a Japanese government source said recently. ―We are hoping that the U.S.-Japan can send a good message.‖Japan wants to protect farm products such as rice, wheat, sugar, dairy, beef and pork, while the United States argues Japan has nontariff barriers in its auto sector.Both allies, however, are keen for a TPP deal they see as central to America‘s ―rebalance‖ of its strategic focus to Asia, in response to China‘s growing clout. ―I don‘t know if they [Abe and Obama] will use the word ‗agreement,‘‖ said another Japanese source.―There are lots of possible expressions such as ‗good discussions,‘ ‗significant progress,‘ ‗epoch-making progress‘ or ‗steady progress.‘‖Japan‘s economy minister, Akira Amari, has urged Washington to push the TPA through Congress and expressed hope he can meet U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to clinch a trade deal before the summit.Speech

Nigeria rice import drops by 3.3% to 2.9m tones in 2015 14.04.2015

Nigeria‘s rice import will drop by 3.3 per cent to 2.9 million tonnes this year, a report released on Friday by the Food and Agricultural Organisation has said.China, which was the world‘s biggest importer of rice last year along with Nigeria, would raise its import volume by 5.2 per cent to 3.2 million tonnes in 2015 due to higher demand in the mainland, the FAO said in its rice market monitor report for April.Last year, China and Nigeria each bought three million tonnes of rice from abroad.

According to the United Nations food agency, the global milled rice trade this year is forecast to drop by 2.5 per cent from 2014 to 41.3 million tonnes, due mainly to good stockpiles or higher production in Asia.Global paddy output in 2015 is forecast to edge up 1.1 per cent from last year to 749.8 million tonnes, the UN agency said.Thailand is expected to be the world‘s largest rice www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

Page 16

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine exporter this year with shipments of 11.2 million tonnes, followed by 9.3 million tonnes from India and 6.5 million tonnes from Vietnam.As such, the three Asian nations would account for a combined 65 per cent of the world‘s rice trade, down slightly from 68 per cent last year.

The FAO revised up India‘s rice exports last year to 11.3 million tonnes from 8.2 million tonnes estimated earlier, making it the world‘s largest exporter in 2014, followed by Thailand with 11 million tonnes and Vietnam with 6.5 million tonnes.Nigeria‘s purchases abroad are forecast to drop by 3.3 per cent to 2.9 million tonnes in 2015.Rice output in China, also the world‘s top producer, had been forecast to edge up 0.2 per cent to 208.5 million tonnes this year, the FAO said.President Goodluck Jonathan had in January this year said rice farmers across the country had a new lease of life due to the transformation taking place in the sector.He said over six million rice farmers had received improved rice seed varieties, boosting domestic rice production by an additional seven million metric tonnes.

He had said, ―The rice revolution is taking place across the country, from Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Bauchi, Gombe, Niger, Kogi, Ogun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Edo to Bayelsa State. High quality Nigerian rice is now competing favourably with imported rice in the markets.Our rice millers have taken advantage of these new opportunities, and the number of integrated rice mills has expanded from one at the beginning of this administration, to 24 today.‖

Arkansas rice: Managing seed rots, seedling diseases

By Yeshi Wamishe, University of Arkansas April 13, 2015 | 4:30 pm EDT A field with yellow and poor seedling stand.

Photo by University of Arkansas

Seed rotting microbes can be associated with seeds from storage, fields from the previous season, or soil and water through secondary infection. Rotting seeds become mushy and may be surrounded by gooey substances or white moldy growth due to microbial activities. Certain environmental conditions such as puddled spots also favor seed rotting.

Causes of Rice Seedling Diseases

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

Page 17

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Multiple microbes may be responsible for causing complex symptoms in rice seedlings.

Problematic seedlings may show brownish discoloration below or above the soil line causing seedling blight. When diseases are severe the seedlings are stunted, turn yellow, and eventually could die. Seedlings may also have darker rot at the base of the plant. Pathogen structures such as mycelia may easily be detected on collar of infected seedlings or may be seen radiating from rotted seeds.

Environmental factors such as temperature and wet conditions can make soil conditions unfavorable for normal growth of rice seedlings. Cool temperatures at or shortly after planting intensify seedling problems. Warmer temperatures under wet conditions also favor some fungi that compromise seedling health.

Water seeding favors water molds and severe seedling diseases appear more in water seeded than drill-planted fields. Seedling diseases are usually severe since seeds for water seeding are not chemically treated. Even if treated, the chemicals can quickly wash off lowering the benefit of seedling protection.

Freezing nights in early spring often result in white bands (rings) on the leaf at the soil line or freeze spots. Seedling stands are not usually affected by the white bands or spots because the seedling continues growing.

Soil types play a substantial role in seedling emergence. Seedlings emerge faster and easier in sandier soil than clay soil as long as there is enough water to help the seed germinate.

Rice varieties do not all emerge equally well in different soil types. Rice cultivars clearly show differences in seedling vigor even on the same soil type. A recent greenhouse experiment showed quite a difference in emergence among 13 cultivars tested. Healthy looking seeds were selected and planted without chemical treatment.In another recent preliminary test where different ―soil-sand mixtures‖ were treated with the panicle blight bacteria (Burkholderia glumae), seedling emergence greatly varied. Knowledge about your field in relation to cultivar emergence is useful to match the right cultivar with the right soil type. The faster the seeds germinate and emerge, the higher the chance of escaping the early season disease complex.

Herbicides applied pre- or post-emergence can substantially affect young and tender seedling tissues making seedling disease diagnosis difficult. The white band (ring) formed due to freezing can be confused with symptoms caused by herbicide damage- for instance, Command.

Sometimes damage caused by herbicides can be more substantial than actual seedling diseases.

Awareness of herbicide residues and drifts will help in understanding seedling problems in some cases.

Insects such as grape colaspis can cause loss of seedling stand or render a sick appearance with the crop making a seedling disease more complex to pinpoint a cause.

Zinc deficiency in soil can show a distinct leaf bronzing symptom in rice seedlings. Zinc deficiency affects crop growth. Symptoms are more prominent at seedling stage. However, the problem will persist throughout the growth cycle of the crop – ultimately affecting the grain yield unless corrected in a timely manner. To read more on zinc deficiency, go to chapter 9 Pages 91-93 in MP192.



Consider the following to ensure adequate seed germination, good seedling stand by reducing seed rots, and seedling disease complex at early stage of your rice crop: Plant healthy-looking plump seeds treated with appropriate fungicides and insecticides.

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

Page 18

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine 

      

Higher rates of seed treatment containing mefenoxam, fludioxonil, metalaxyl, trifloxystrobin, either individually or in combinations of two fungicides need to be used for early planting or even for late planting if the season stays cold and wet. A known field with a history of disease such as rice blast requires higher rates of the appropriate fungicides.

Gibberellic acid seed treatment may be considered on cultivars with weak seedling vigor to increase emergence and seedling vigor.

Make sure seeds are treated uniformly.

Avoid using seeds stored inadequately for a lengthy period. For instance, seeds stored under high moisture and temperature can lose their viability within a few months.

Before planting, test for germination. Seeding rates may need to be adjusted based on your germination results.

Check for adequacy of soil moisture to promote seed germination.

Correct low areas that puddle in your field so you can have more uniform emergence of rice seedlings.

To maximize crop tolerance to diseases, correct nutrient deficiencies in a timely fashion.

Rice seed failure calls for official investigation Updated: 2015-04-14 08:03

(China Daily) The quarrel between rural villagers who say they have harvested little with super hybrid rice seeds and the seed provider Longping Hightech has a lot to do with not only the reputation of China's hybrid rice but also the credibility of the government.In October 2014, more than 600 hectares of rice fields in East China's Anhui province planted with super hybrid rice seed Liangyou 0923 witnessed a sharp decline in harvest or had no harvest at all. Local villagers accused the seed provider of concealing the fact that this type of seed has poor resistance against rice blast disease.

The seed provider denied the seeds were at fault and claimed poor weather was to blame.The local seed management authorities responded to this by saying this type of rice seed suffered the most from rice blast under the same weather conditions.The fact is this type of seed has brought a harvest for villagers for a couple of years. But the output has been declining and has never been nearly as high as the publicity says.Such a single failure is, of course, hardly enough to deny the advantages of super hybrid rice seeds, which come in many different types. Yet how this incident is handled will be a test of the government's governing capability. It will also be a touchstone of whether a high-tech seed company will be able to survive a crisis of trust.It goes without saying that a thorough investigation headed by experts and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture is badly needed. , It needs to find out how much the seed has contributed to the harvest failure. If it is villagers' poor farming practices that are the cause, they need to be told about it with convincing evidence.No doubt the villagers will give a vote of no confidence to the company by choosing another seed this year.Yet if this type of seed does indeed have poor resistance against rice blast, acknowledging it would do the company no harm; if it compensated the villagers for their

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

Page 19

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine economic losses, it would win the trust of villagers instead. And doing so and working to improve the disease resistance of the seeds would make the company a winner in the long run.Otherwise if the villagers' claim is true the company's credibility will suffer and so too will the government's.

Rice supply up 26.9%; corn drops RICE INVENTORIES rose year-on-year at the beginning of March while corn stocks suffered a decline, government statisticians said.

The latest rice and corn inventory report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority -- Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (PSA-BAS) showed a total national rice supply of 2.27 million metric tons (MT) as of March 1.The inventory level was up 26.9% over the year-earlier figure but down 3.6% from the 2.35 million MT in the preceding month. ―This month‘s rice stock levels in all sectors were higher compared to their respective levels in the same period last year,‖ the PSA-BAS noted.Specifically, rice held by households rose 2.3% year-on-year. Those in commercial warehouses and depositories of the National Food Authority (NFA), meanwhile, jumped 97.9% and 19.7%, respectively.Compared to February, however, only rice stocks in NFA depositories improved with a 3.8% increase.Stocks in households and commercial warehouses fell by 7.6% and 3.2%, respectively. Total rice stocks in March are considered adequate for 67 days -- with household stocks sufficient for 29 days; commercial stocks, 22 days; and NFA reserves, 16 days.While rice stocks rose on a year-on-year basis, corn inventories at the beginning of March registered a decline.

Corn inventories totaled 186,500 MT during the period -- 30.3% lower year-on-year and down 26.2% compared with February.―This month‘s corn stocks in all sectors were lower compared with their respective levels in the same period last year,‖ the PSA-BAS said.Corn reserves held by households fell 24.8% year-on-year; while those held by commercial establishments and NFA depositories declined 31.4% and 84.6%, respectively.Compared to February, March household inventories increased by 13.2% and those in NFA depositories improved by 8.1%.However, commercial stock level declined by 46.2%.In another development, the NFA said yesterday that local rice traders are exploring possibility of importing basmati rice from Pakistan. The NFA said Filipino and Pakistani traders have met to discuss the matter, which will help the Philippines diversify its rice supply.

Around 17 representatives of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) met with 29 Philippine rice importers for a possible trade partnership last April 10.REAP Chairman Rafique Suleman said his group is the second largest export trade body registered with Pakistan‘s Ministry of Commerce and Industry.He said Pakistan is the world‘s fourth largest exporting country even though it is only the 12th-largest rice producing country.―Pakistani rice is now very

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

Page 20

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine competitive because they have made huge investments in upgrading their infrastructure and adopting the latest technologies,‖ he said in the statement.

NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay expressed optimism that this exploratory business meeting will produce positive results for both parties.―I would like to reiterate the present administration‘s commitment to provide our importers the most feasible, just, and conducive business environment where they can gain higher returns from their investments, while encouraging or inviting new players as a means to level the playing field,‖ Mr. Dalisay said.The Philippines currently has standing memoranda of agreement (MoA) with only three countries -Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia -- under the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) Rice Procurement Program.

But as part of efforts to expand sources of rice imports, the NFA has seeking similar agreements with other rice exporting countries like Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Myanmar.―Through a MoA, the countries will be able to participate in the G-to-G Rice Procurement Program of the food agency,‖ Mr. Dalisay said. But an option Pakistan can explore is the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) mechanism.Under an agreement with the World Trade Organization, the Philippines is committed to import a total of 350,000 MT of rice under the MAV scheme for the private sector.Some 163,000 MT fall under Country Specific Quota (CSQ), while the remaining are under Omnibus Origin.Mr. Dalisay said the NFA Council has set the opening of MAV to the private sector within the next two months. ―Under the CSQ, Pakistan was granted 50,000 MT out of the total CSQ of 755,200 MT under the MAV for 2015 and until 2017,‖ the NFA said.―While under the Omnibus Origin total import volume is 50,000 metric tons for 2015 from any country of origin,‖ it added.The quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice -- which should have expired in 2012 -- were extended to 2017, according to Agriculture officials last year.As part of the continuing QR on rice, the Philippines will also see reduced tariffs starting July 2015 as part of the tweaks to the MAV scheme.The current tariff of 40% on shipments up to 350,000 MT will be cut to 35% and for a larger volume of 805,200 MT. Purchases beyond that will remain subject to a 50% rate. -- Claire-Ann Marie C. Feliciano

Philippines looks to broaden range of rice suppliers April 14, 2015 3:57 AM MANILA, April 14 (Reuters) - The Philippines' state grainsprocurement agency said on Tuesday that it would look to importrice from a broader range of countries including Pakistan, Indiaand Myanmar, as it tries to diversify its supplies of the staplefood.One of the world's biggest rice importers, the Philippinesusually buys from key producers Vietnam and Thailand.But with a longer list of possible suppliers, the nationcould keep a lid on the cost of purchases even if emergenciessuch as typhoons or other natural disasters hit agriculture athome.Renan Dalisay,

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

Page 21

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine administrator at the National Food Authority(NFA), said he had coordinated with the embassies of Pakistan,India, Malaysia and Myanmar in Manila, encouraging the countriesto enter into a socalled Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with thePhilippines for rice supply.

The MOA would allow those countries to participate in riceimport tenders that the NFA issues from time to time, similar toagreements the Philippines has with Vietnam, Thailand andCambodia, he said.Vietnam and Thailand recently won 500,000-tonne supply dealswith the NFA, and hope to get more contracts as they struggle tooffload some of their stocks.Dalisay issued the statement after Pakistan, the world'sNo.4 rice exporter, approached the Philippines for a50,000-tonne supply deal. A delegation from the Rice ExportersAssociation of Pakistan was in Manila recently to explore deals,he said.Dalisay said Pakistan could sell as much as 50,000 tonnes tothe Philippines through the Minimum Access Volume scheme underwhich local traders are allowed to import an annual volume of upto 755,200 tonnes with a 35-percent tariff.

That scheme coversprivate purchases and is separate from the state-buying seen inNFA tenders.But the NFA Council has yet to open the MAV window thisyear, with local media reporting the government is looking intothe possibility of removing tariffs on rice imports.Other countries that can also sell rice to the Philippinesunder the MAV scheme include China, India, Australia, and ElSalvador.The Philippines imported a total of around 1.7 milliontonnes of rice in 2014, the most in four years. It may buy 1.6million tonnes this year, according to a forecast by the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture. (Reporting by Erik dela Cruz; Editing by Joseph Radford)

Growing rice on rock plateau in northern Vietnam TUOI TRE NEWS UPDATED : 04/14/2015 09:38 GMT + 7

Farmers have to chisel rock to create hollows and fill them with soil for cultivating rice on the Dong Van rock plateau in the northern province of Ha Giang.With a lot of efforts and labor, Mong ethnic minority people living in the Ma Pi Leng Mountain have grown their crops that way.The Mong people have a proverb, ―No mountain is higher than the knee of the Mong people,‖ meaning that they can overcome the hardship and challenges of Nature.

These people have a special variety of rice called Khau Mang since it produces fragrant and tasty rice seeds.The price of Khau Mang is always around twice that of other rice varieties.Vu Se Co is the farmer who owns the biggest amount of rice on the rock plateau in Dong Van, with over a hectare and a half. He resides in Ma Xi B Village in Ma Le Commune of Dong Van District.The road leading to his house can challenge even the most experienced driver because it is often slippery over morning dew or after a rain. The road is wide enough for a car to travel and below

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

Page 22

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine it is a deep abyss.Standing on the peak of Ma Pi Leng, the Nho Que River looks like a blue thread below the Tu San Abyss.

Co‘s house is located by the abyss.A local held his mouth with two hands and made a long and loud howl, which is the way to call each other. Down the abyss, a similar howl was sounded as a reply.Waiting for a while, Co appeared with his hands wet with dew. He bowed to enter his house and carried out a can of alcohol to treat his guests.Watering rock with sweat to plant crops After some bowls of wine, Co took the guests to his rice fields located along the banks of the Xeo Ho Stream, around a hectare and a half in total area.

To own such an amount of rice, Co has worked almost all of his lifetime to transform rock into farming land for growing the grain.He recalled that he did not want to follow local practices: carrying bags of soil to stuff into rock holes and put seeds in.He decided to transform rock foundations into strips of rice fields.He works all days round, even at night under the moonlight, year after year.The story of transforming rock into rice fields can be summarized with those words and the farmer and his family have lost so much labor and sweat to this farming. ―The state granted me money to transform rock into rice fields. ―Every farmer was encouraged, and given money, to do it.―I worked to have my own rice fields, to harvest crops, and to be granted the state money. It‘s a pleasure to do it,‖ Co said.Now, Co owns 1.5 hectares of rice field, two hectares of corn farm, 45 cows, and some hundred goats.The man even lends his rice fields and cows out to other poor people in his village.Thao Xin Ho, Thao Dung Sin, Thao Va So, and Vu The Chu are those to whom Co lent his land.―The people here are poor. I am now having enough to eat so I help them,‖ Co said simply. ―I have money to buy many cows and goats. I‘ve lent them to my villagers and when the animals give birth to cubs, they‘ll get a part.‖

APEDA NEWS International Benchmark Price Price on: 10-04-2015

Product

Benchmark Indicators Name

Price

1

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

5650

2

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

4125

Apricots

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

Page 23

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine 3

Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t)

3425

1

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

2415

2

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

2222

1

Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t)

1634

2

Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t)

1650

3

Australian 5 Crown, CIF UK (USD/t)

2828

Raisins

Sultanas

Source:agra-net

For more info

Market Watch Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 14-04-2015 Domestic Prices Product

Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Market Center

Variety

Min Price

Max Price

1

Dehgam (Gujarat)

Other

1175

1300

2

Godda (Jharkhand)

Other

1350

1450

3

Aklera (Rajasthan)

Other

1260

1300

1

Songadh (Gujarat)

Other

1300

1300

2

Kendrapara (Orissa )

Other

1360

1400

3

Gumla(Jharkhand)

Other

1150

1250

1

Bharuch (Gujarat)

Other

1500

5000

2

Rajam(Andhra Pradesh)

Other

1700

2000

Maize

Paddy(Dhan)

Mango

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

Page 24

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine 3

Banga(Punjab)

Other

3791

4000

1

Pattamundai (Orissa)

Other

2000

2200

2

Gumla (Jharkhand)

Other

1200

1600

3

Sirhind(Punjab)

Other

500

700

Cauliflower

Source:agra-net

For more info

Egg

Rs per 100 No Price on 14-04-2015 Product

Market Center

Price

1

Ahmedabad

261

2

Chittoor

263

3

Hyderabad

228

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices

Unit Price : US$ per package Price on 10-04-2015

Product

Market Center

Origin

Variety

Low

High Package:50 lb cartons

Potatoes 1

Atlanta

2

Baltimore

3

Detroit

Colorado Idaho Wisconsin

Russet

21

21.50

Russet

19

20

Russet

18

18.50 Package: 50 lb cartons

Cabbage 1

Atlanta

2

Chicago

3

Detroit

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

Florida

Texas Florida

Round Green Type

8.50

11.50

Round Green Type

12

14

Round Green Type

13

13.50

Page 25

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Package: 4/5 bushel cartons

Grapefruit 1

Atlanta

2

Baltimore

3

Chicago

Florida

13

16

Red

16

17

Red

15

16.50

Red

Florida Florida

Source:USDA

PhilRice pushes new planting techniques April 14, 2015 10:40 pm

Muñoz, Nueva Ecija: Some 4,000 farmers will learn the latest technologies on farming through the ―akbay-Palay‖ being conducted at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) here.The two-day ―Lakbay-Palay,‖ which kicked off on Tuesday, is being held bi-annually during harvest season.Celia Abadilla, activity lead coordinator, said that the Future Rice Farm of PhilRice, breeder seed production, and on-farm learning center are among the stations where visiting farmers, mostly from the country‘s rice granary, can learn new technologies.

Abadilla said the Future Rice Farm promotes technologies that are clean, green, practical, and smart.She also said that the farm also features organic farming, nutrient recycling, use of alternative energy, and farm mechanization.Abadilla also said that the ―Lakbay-Palay‖ provides an opportunity for farmers, scientists, researchers and extension workers to talk more on rice production challenges and issues.―Most farmers inquire about the seeds that they can plant the next season. So, in the breeder seed production area, modern rice varieties are planted for farmers to select the varieties most suited to their field.

They will also see the result of planting certified seeds,‖ she said.She said that farmers will also be taught on how to use the ICT-based fertilizer guides such as Rice Crop Manager and MinusOne Element Technique (MOET) application.Rice Crop Manager, which data underwent 15 years of intensive research across the country, provides specific amount of fertilizer and its time of application while MOET application can diagnose nutrient deficiencies of the rice crop.

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

Page 26

Contact for Newsletter Advertisement mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell : +92 321 369 2874