16th october,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

16th October, 2014

News Details…  Agriculture in Indonesia: Update on Rice and Coffee Production  Rice plantings reduced in southern New South Wales with smaller water allocations from the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers  Rs 185 cr paid to paddy growers, 18.22 LT bought in Punjab  TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi- October 16  Northeast India turns to Myanmar, Bangladesh for rice  Raise in rice export quota demanded  Egyptian government approves plan to allow rice exports  Minister: Cabinet agrees to resume rice exports  Steps aim to stabilise rice price  India's rice exports may rise by 8.5% to 11 million tonnes in 2014: Report  Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister says cheap rice prices due to low quality  Ministry of Commerce to provide affordable household goods to Thais as a present  Commerce Ministry confident price of rice to top 15,000 baht  WASDE Report for 10/10/14  Customs to sue importers of P25M seized rice, garlic  Grain importers too will have to use jute sacks  PH rice output seen declining in 2014  Vietnam to expand low-carbon rice farming  An Agricultural Wonder: Japan’s Vanishing Terraced Rice Fields  Declines in commodity prices likely to continue through 2015, says WB report

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Agriculture in Indonesia: Update on Rice and Coffee Production 16 October 2014 | Indonesia Investments Subjects | Agriculture, Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industry, Bulog, Coffee, Coffee Production, Commodities, El Niño, EL Nino, Mochtar Luthfie, Rice, Rice Production, Robusta, Sawah, Volcafe

Indonesia‘s Agriculture Ministry estimates that Indonesia‘s rice harvest will not be severely affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon this year. The Ministry expects to see a rice production of at least 70 million tons of unmilled rice in 2014, just 1.9 percent down from the 71.3 million tons of rice that was produced last year. Meanwhile, Indonesia may see a record coffee harvest in 2015 as recent rainfall in the important coffee-producing regions have supported the development of cherries.

El Niño is a weather phenomenon that occurs once every five years on average. It involves periodical warm ocean water temperatures off the western coast of South America which can cause climatic changes across the Pacific Ocean. The impact of El Niño varies; sometimes prices of

agricultural commodities rise steeply due to weak harvests brought on by few rainfall in Southeast Asia and Australia, while on other occasions the impact of El Niño is hardly felt at all.

Indonesia has been hit by a longer dry season than usual due to the impact of El Niño. However, the country‘s standing rice crops are in a good condition and only suffered slightly. The Ministry stated that only 10,000 - of 130,000 hectares of total rice fields that were affected by the drought - failed to harvest, making state procurement agency Bulog (National Logistics Agency) decide to import 425,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam and Thailand to safeguard the country‘s rice reserves.

Indonesia Heading to Record Coffee Harvest in 2015?

After a longer-than-usual dry season, reports about plenty of rainfall in Indonesia‘s main coffee-producing regions (Sumatra and Sulawesi) have caused expectation that the country‘s coffee harvest in 2015 may constitute a record crop. Mochtar Luthfie, head of research and development at the Lampung chapter of the Association of Indonesian Coffee Exporters and Industry, said - quoted by Bloomberg - that ―most trees in Lampung have started to produce cherries. With no extreme weather through November, output will most probably be higher.‖ Indonesian coffee production may grow 8 percent to 650,000 metric tons in next year‘s harvest season, higher than the all-time record of 630,000 tons in the 2009-2010 and

2012-2013 harvest seasons. Vietnam, the world‘s top Robusta bean grower (and where picking starts this month), may see a near-record crop as well (1.69 million tons from the record 1.71 million tons produced in the preceding coffee season).

This year coffee futures have surged due to severe drought in Brazil, the world‘s most important coffee producer (particularly Arabica beans). The price of Arabica beans almost doubled to USD $2.16 per pound in New York.

In September 2014, Volcafe - the Switzerland-based subsidiary of ED&F Man - estimated that the global shortfall in Robusta beans will reach 1.9 million bags in the 12 months starting from October. The world market, which includes Arabica and Robusta beans, will see a shortfall of 8.8 million bags, the most in nine years, from a surplus of 7 million bags a year earlier.

tonnes of rice.SunRice chairman Gerry Lawson says 2015 production will be substantially lower, unless water allocations improve in the final weeks of sowing.Murrumbidgee and Murray River allocations have been announced at 40 per cent.

"We're still optimistic that more water will flow into the dams. "(But at this stage) we're looking at about a 650,000-tonne crop."We've got markets for substantially more than 1 million tonnes of rice and would love it all to be Australian rice if we could, but unfortunately its difficult to get it grown."I think that's one of the issues about water."

Audio 4:00 Sunrice chairman Gerry Lawson tells Sarina Locke that smaller water allocations would mean a smaller rice crop in 2015.

ABC Rural

Rice plantings reduced in southern New South Wales with smaller water allocations from the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers ABC Rural Sarina Locke Thu 16 Oct 2014, 10:12 AM AEDTRice growers in southern NSW will start sowing, with reduced water

allocations. SunRice forecasts a 650,000 tonne crop for 2015 Laurissa Smith Australian food manufacturer SunRice expects it'll process a much smaller rice crop next year because of the cost and availability of water.This season, southern New South Wales growers harvested just over 800,000

Speaking at the Australian Water Policy Summit in Sydney, Mr Lawson says rice has been a very profitable use of irrigation water for farmers."The price for rice for last year's crop has now increased to more than $340 a tonne, and in fact growers this week received a second payment of $50 per tonne, up from the previous estimate of $30 a tonne."SunRice sells its products in 60 markets around the world and is owned by 2,000 people, many of them farmers. It's

listed on the Newcastle Stock Exchange (NSX) in Australia.It's building a manufacturing plant in Leeton that can produce rice packets currently made in Thailand. "We'll be employing 16 people, to produce quick-cook rice that is microwaveable in 90 seconds."

Rs 185 cr paid to paddy growers, 18.22 LT bought in Punjab Press Trust of India | Chandigarh October 16, 2014 Last Updated at 18:36 IST Paddy growers in Punjab were paid Rs 185 crore during the ongoing kharif marketing season with crop procurement in the state reaching 18.22 lakh tonnes so far. The payment of Rs 185 crore was made to farmers against the purchase of their paddy crop by different procurement agencies, said an official spokesman here today. Out of total purchase, the government-owned agencies lifted 17.22 lakh tonnes while rest was bought by private millers or traders, said the spokesman. Among government agencies, Pungrain lifted 4.82 lakh tonnes, while Markfed, Punsup, PSWC and Punjab Agro bought 4.18 lakh tonnes, 3.91 lakh tonnes, 1.65 lakh tonnes and 1.75 lakh tonnes, respectively. FCI procured 88,761 tonnes of paddy crop. Punjab is eyeing to procure 140 lakh tonnes of paddy during ongoing season.

Meanwhile, in Haryana more than 14.15 lakh tonnes of paddy have so far arrived and out of which over 12.78 lakh tonnes were purchased by the procuring agencies during the Kharif 2014-15. While stating this here today, a spokesman of the Food and

Supplies Department said that over 1.36 lakh tonnes of paddy have been purchased by millers and dealers. He said a maximum of over 4.04 lakh tonnes of paddy have arrived in the mandis of Kurukshetra followed by over 3.81 lakh tonnes in Karnal and over 2.01 lakh tonnes in Kaithal. He said among the procuring agencies the Food and Supplies Department has procured over 5.99 lakh tonnes of paddy whereas HAFED has procured over 3.83 lakh tonnes, Agro Industries Corporation over 2.01 lakh tonnes and Haryana Warehousing Corporation 94,407 tonnes.

TABLE-India Grain PricesDelhi- October 16 Thu Oct 16, 2014 4:28pm IST TABLE-India Grain Prices - Delhi - Oct 16 Rates by Asian News International, New Delhi Tel: 011 2619 1464 Indicative Previous Grains opening close (in rupees per 100 kg unless stated) --------------------------------------------------------Wheat Desi 1,900-2,700 1,900-2,700.

Wheat Dara 1,600-1,750 1,600-1,750.

Roller Mill (per bag) 1,700-1,750 1,700-1,750.

Maida (per bag) 1,800-1,900 1,800-1,900.

Sooji (per bag) 2,100-2,200 2,100-2,200.

Rice Basmati(Common) 7,7008,500 7,700-8,500.

Rice Permal 2,100-2,300 2,100-2,300.

Rice Sela 2,600-2,700.

I.R.-8 1,900-2,000.

Gram 2,620-3,820.

Peas Green 2,400-3,000.

Peas White 2,300-3,700.

Bajra 1,100-1,400.

Jowar white 1,400-1,600.

Maize 1,300-1,520.

Barley 1,500-1,650.

2,600-2,700 1,900-2,000 2,950-3,500 2,400-3,000 2,300-2,700

Mizoram. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is ferrying rice from other parts of India via Bangladesh for Tripura.The poor transport connectivity in some northeastern states worsened after train services from the rest of India were halted in southern Assam Oct 1, snapping rail connection to Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram.This has been done so that rail tracks can be converted from metre to broad gauge.

1,100-1,400 1,400-1,600 1,300-1,520 1,500-1,650

Source: Delhi grain market traders.

Northeast India turns to Myanmar, Bangladesh for rice Published: 2014-10-17 11:03:07.0 BdST Updated: 2014-10-17 11:03:07.0 BdST Transport bottlenecks have forced India's northeastern states to procure much needed rice from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The Indian government has floated bids to import rice from Myanmar for Manipur and

This 18-month two-phase track conversion work undertaken by the Northeast Frontier Railways is scheduled to be completed by March 2016.Mizoram Food and Civil Supplies and Transport Minister John Rotluangliana told IANS: "We have asked the central government to import rice from Myanmar. The Metals and Minerals Trading Corp (MMTC) has floated tenders for this purpose."We are expecting rice from Myanmar very soon," Rotluangliana added.He said he recently visited Chin hills in Myanmar adjoining eastern Mizoram to gather knowledge regarding transportation of rice from there.

Mizoram shares an unfenced border of 404 km with Myanmar.

According to the minister, Mizoram, with a population of 1.1 million, requires about 52,000 quintals of rice per month for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS).

The MMTC last month floated global tenders to import about 100,000 tonnes of rice from Myanmar for Manipur and Mizoram.Tripura Food, Civil Supplies and Finance Minister Bhanulal Saha told IANS: "Rice is being ferried from other parts of India via Bangladesh to avoid the long and mountainous surface road up to Tripura via Assam and Meghalaya.

"Also, the stoppage of train services has created serious problems for carrying rice

through the traditional system and route."Saha also said that 5,000 tonnes of rice transported in three small ships from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh reached the Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh Oct 12.

Agartala, western Manipur and northern Mizoram.The 437-km Lumding-Agartala metre gauge rail line, covering southern Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur, will be converted into broad gauge in two phases.

"From Ashuganj, Bangladeshi trucks will carry the rice to FCI warehouses in Nandannagar (near Agartala) within a day or two," the minister told IANS.In August, 5,000 tonnes of rice reached Tripura through the same route.Ashuganj port over the Meghna river in eastern Bangladesh is located around 40 km from Agartala.The minister said the FCI had recently floated tenders to carry another 10,000 tonnes of rice via Bangladesh.The eight northeastern states, including Sikkim, are largely dependent on Punjab, Haryana and other states for foodgrains and essential commodities sold through PDS.The railways transport more than 70 percent of foodgrain to northeastern states from the rest of the country.

Raise in rice export quota demanded

Transportation via Bangladesh is easier as road connectivity is a big factor for the landlocked northeastern states surrounded

by Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China.There is only a narrow land corridor to the northeastern region through Assam and West Bengal.But this landslide-prone route passes through hilly terrain with steep gradients and multiple hairpin bends, making plying of vehicles, specially loaded trucks, very difficult.The distance from Kolkata to Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km and from New Delhi 2,637 km. The distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is only 350 km.

The railway line is broad gauge from Assam's main city Guwahati up to Lumding in southern Assam.From Lumding it is metre gauge -- in southern Assam and till

our correspondent Thursday, October 16, 2014 From Print Edition LAHORE: The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) has floated a proposal to increasing rice export quota under the Free Trade Agreement with Sri Lanka from 6,000 tons to 15,000 tons, a statement said on Wednesday.

Newly-elected Reap Chairman Rafique Suleman has taken up this issue with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Ministry of Commerce, saying rice exporters would get benefit of the FTA with increase in rice export quota.He urged the TDAP to allot rice export quota in advance so that exports are made without any difficulty.The Reap chairman also underlined the need to diversify pool of approved rice varieties for export purposes.

For the last several years, only approved variety is Super Basmati, which is not saleable in Sri Lanka due to its high price.

Therefore, he said, ―We request the government through TDAP that Pakistani variety PK386 LAL should be included in the list of import with zero percent duty.‖

Egyptian government approves plan to allow rice exports Egyptian medium grain rice mainly competes with U.S. and Australian rice in global markets. (AFP) By Reuters | Cairo Thursday, 16 October 2014 Egypt's govern ment has approv ed plans to allow rice exports, the supplies minister said on Thursday in a move welcomed by traders but carrying terms which could hinder the return of the country's medium-grain rice to the international market.Traders would be allowed to export rice provided they sell the government one tonne of medium-grain rice at 2,000 Egyptian pounds ($279.72) for every tonne of rice they export.

pounds a tonne while it could have cost the traders around 3,200 Egyptian pounds means eventually traders could pay above $400 dollars just to be allowed to export if you calculate that price difference and the export tariff,‖ Naggari said.―This is unrealistic as Egyptian rice would then have to fetch around $1,200 a tonne abroad to make this feasible which will not happen, the most it can fetch is around $800 or slightly above,‖ he said.U.S. medium grain rice is now priced at around $900 a tonne or slightly above.

End of ban welcomed

Still, the end to the ban was welcomed by Middle East traders who had relied on Egyptian rice as a more convenient alternative to the U.S. and Australian origins.―This is great news for us because instead of importing from the U.S. where it can take around three months for the grain to reach us we can buy from Egypt and have the commodity arrive within just three days,‖ a Syrian trader who imports Egyptian rice said.

Exporters would also have to pay a tariff of $280 per tonne exported, the minister said.Egypt produced around 4.3 million tonnes of rice this year, but only consumes 3.3 million tonnes implying an exportable surplus of one million tonnes.Egyptian medium grain rice mainly competes with U.S. and Australian rice in global markets.Egyptian rice could fetch just above $800 dollars a tonne, according to the head the rice committee of Egypt's Agricultural Export Council.The conditions set by the ministry for exporters would act as a hindrance, Mostafa el-Naggari told Reuters.

Egypt first imposed a ban on exports in 2008 saying it needed to save the rice for local consumption and wanted to discourage rice farmers from growing the crop to save water.However, rice exporters have complained that the ban on free exports has led to the rise of a contraband trade by creating a large price difference between domestic and export markets.The Supplies Ministry procures rice for the country's subsidy programme through the state grain buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC).

―The fact that they are stipulating that rice be sold to the government at 2,000 Egyptian

Rice is sold in the domestic market at a subsidised price to around 70 million

Egyptians.Export licences were last sold in an auction at the trade ministry in November 2013 to sell 102,000 tonnes of rice abroad.

The licences were suspended just days after being issued sending confusion to global markets.Egypt had started lifting the ban on rice exports in October 2012, through holding export licence tenders at the Trade Ministry.

Last Update: Friday, 17 October 2014 KSA 23:30 - GMT 20:30

Minister: Cabinet agrees to resume rice exports Oct 16, 2014

The Egyptian government will now allow rice exports once again in a move to help the country‘s recovering economy, according to Minister of Industry and Trade Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour in a statement on Thursday.―The government has agreed to open the door to export surplus rice crop with an increase in export fees on rice exports from $140 to $280 per ton,‖ he said.This step will bring income to the public treasury in the range of US$140 million (LE1 billion), in addition to the operation of rice mills and will add $500 million to the Egyptian trade balance, Abdel Nour added.

The export ban of rice in years, 2008, 2009 and 2011 had negative repercussions on the production and trade of rice since many large private rice mills had concentrated on the production of high quality rice for export because of the higher returns versus selling domestically, according to the Grain and Feed Annual 2014 report.Abdel Nour Pointed out that the price today in the international markets for Egyptian rice is in the range of $750, while production has fallen by 25 percent in the United States and the rest of the world.

He added that all the experts predict the price of Egyptian rice will be $1,000 per ton on the international market by the month of March 2015, vs $375-420 of the imported long grain rice that can be used with the local medium grain rice for General Authority For Supply Commodities GASC‘s required 1.3 million tons of subsidized rice that benefits 68 million people with ration cards.

Due to an increase in planting area to 795,000 hectares in 2014-2015 from 790,000 hectares in the previous year, the harvest is expected to reach some five million tons.As annual local consumption stands at some 3.3 million tons, this will allow for more rice to be exported.The rice crop has played a large role in Egypt‘s agriculture, occupying some 10 to 20 percent of Egypt‘s total production area, according to the Ministry of Agriculture data.

Steps aim to stabilise rice price Hom Mali medianup to B16,000 a tonne Published: 16 Oct 2014 at 06.00 Newspaper section: Business Writer: Phusadee Arunmas & Wichit Chantanusornsiri The government is considering measures to stabilise the price of Hom Mali fragrant paddy about to be released on the market next month in a bid to absorb 2 million tonnes from the main crop. The measures will include low-interest loans for farmers who agree to store their harvest to delay sales under the massive supply and closer partnerships with exporters to rev up Hom Mali rice exports to target markets such as China, Africa and Asean and promote Thai Hom Mali rice brands.

As part of the measures, which will be submitted for national rice policy committee approval, Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said his ministry had proposed setting the median price for the new Hom Mali paddy at 15,000 to 16,000 baht per tonne.The median price was considered acceptable by exporters, millers and farmers after the Commerce Ministry met with them yesterday."The median price is much like the suggested price millers should pay to buy the paddy from farmers, while farmers themselves should know how much they should sell without a loss," he said.

However, Gen Chatchai said the duration of the median price depended largely on global market prices.The government is under mounting pressure from lower farm product prices, particularly for rice, while trying to dispose of massive rice stocks carried over from the previous government.The new harvest from the main rice crop will hit the market by mid-November.The Commerce Ministry plans to put another 200,000 tonnes

of its rice stocks, mainly white and broken rice, up for auction, possibly this week.It sold 140,000 tonnes in the first two auctions, raising 1.6 billion baht.After halting rice sales to carry out nationwide inspections, the junta resumed sales of 167,000 tonnes on Aug 7 from stockpiles the Yingluck Shinawatra government collected under its failed rice pledging scheme.

In July it vowed to sell an average of 500,000 tonnes a month from state stocks, disposing of the existing 18-million-tonne surplus over three years through four channels.The channels are general auctions, government-to-government sales, direct sales and the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand.The Agriculture Ministry forecasts Thailand's rice supply for the 2015-16 season at 37 million tonnes of paddy.Of that, 27 million tonnes will come from the main crop and 10 million tonnes from the second crop.This translates into 2526 million tonnes of white rice, beating the 21 million tonnes of white rice projected by the US Agriculture Department from 32 million tonnes of paddy.The government still holds 15-16 million tonnes in stock, although this represents a large dip from the previous administration.The supply of Hom Mali fragrant paddy, mainly from the North and Northeast, is estimated at 6 million tonnes.

India's rice exports may rise by 8.5% to 11 million tonnes in 2014: Report

By PTI | 16 Oct, 2014, 02.45PM IST As per the report, lower than normal rainfall under El-Nino impact may reduce rice production to 97 million tonnes in 2014-15 from 106.29 million tonnes last year.

ET SPECIAL:

Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly Polls 2014 NEW DELHI : Rice exports by India, the world's top exporte r, are likely to increase by 8.5 per cent to 11 million tonnes this year on expected higher shipments of basmati rice, says a latest report. Total rice shipments had declined by 7 per cent to 10.14 million tonnes in 201314 marketing year (October-September) but the country still maintained its status as top exporter in the global market, it said. "We expect that India is likely to export around 10.5-11 million tonnes of rice in 2014-15 in which basmati contribution is expected to contribute around 4-4.5 million tonnes," said the latest report released by farm research and consulting body Agriwatch.

Despite expected lower domestic production of rice in view of poor rains, overall sale of rice in the international market is expected to improve with the contribution of basmati rice continue to grow by 5-6 per cent this year, it said. "Surplus domestic stocks, higher global demand anticipated from African and Middle East countries and competitive prices may push rice exports from India," Agriwatch CEO V N Saroja said.

As per the report, lower than normal rainfall under El-Nino impact may reduce rice production to 97 million tonnes in 2014-15 from 106.29 million tonnes last year. The Hudhud-cyclonic storm has destroyed the paddy field in major rice grown area in

Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, it said.

Consequently, domestic rice prices, which are currently ruling at Rs 2,900-2,920 per quintal, are expected to move in a rangebound manner with firm bias in coming week due to major crop loss in many rice growing states, it added. Presently, harvesting of kharif (summer) rice is underway and harvesting of basmati paddy variety 1509 is picking up in Punjab and Haryana.

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister says cheap rice prices due to low quality VDO

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BANGKOK, 16 October 2014 (NNT) - The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives remarked that the issue of rice quality must be solved at the production level, especially by introducing modern practices including producing organic rice.

Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya said the public must realize that the low price of rice is due to its below-standard quality and that a sustainable solution to the price conundrum would be to raise quality, not quantity.

He cited an innovation overhaul at all levels of production as the most important solution

by utilizing modern practices of crop research, cultivation and harvesting to best ensure optimal rice moisture and soil compatibility. He also stressed the importance of producing organic rice for the health market. Mr. Petipong also recognized the contribution the private sector has in increasing the quality of rice and easing the government‘s financial burden. Therefore, he said, the government would implement tax incentives to attract future business partnerships.

Ministry of Commerce to provide affordable household goods to Thais as a present Date : 16 ตุลาคม 2557 BANGKOK, 16 October 2014 (NNT)-The Ministry of Commerce is discussing with major manufacturers of everyday goods the possibility of making their products more affordable. They will be offered under a new campaign dubbed ‗Popular Brand‘. ccording to Commerce Minister General Chatchai Sarikalya, household products will be sold at lower than market prices. The retail scheme is also to be offered as a new year present to Thai people. General Chatchai has also met with a group of rice exporters and traders.

Their focus is on keeping the price of rice stable. For Jasmine rice, they have agreed that the acceptable price should not be lower than 15,000 – 16,000 baht per ton. The Ministry of Commerce will also propose to the cabinet a new method which will lower the amount of rice entering the market. This may include providing incentives to encourage higher rice stocks, creating a market network to increase rice sales and selling grains at an affordable price in small packages during the festive New Year celebrations.

Commerce Ministry confident price of rice to top 15,000 baht BANGKOK: -- The Minister of Commerce, with the cooperation of large producers, has launched a low-priced products initiative and predicted that the next crop of rice will fetch farmers no less that 15,000 Baht/ton General Chatchai Sarikalaya, the Minister of Commerce, has held a meeting with other top officials within the minister on the progress of projects deemed highly beneficial to the nation and the people.

According to him, he has been coordinating with large producers in launching the ―Popular Brand‖ initiative to sell quality products below market-price as a New Years gift to the people in line with the Prime Minister‘s wishes.

Furthermore, General Chatchai disclosed that the Ministry has reached out to rice traders and exporters on securing a guaranteed price for the 2014-15 crop yields. Assessments of both domestic and foreign markets have indicated that jasmine rice with a moisture content of under 15% should fetch an acceptable medium price of between 15,000 - 16,000 Baht.

WASDE Report for 10/10/14

By USA Rice Federation Posted Oct. 15, 2014 @ 4:11 pm WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. all rice production in 2014-15 is forecast at 220.7 million cwt, up 2.4 million from last month with the increase entirely

due to higher yield.The average all rice yield is forecast at 7,584 pounds per acre, up 83 pounds from last month. Yields are raised in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. All rice harvested area is unchanged at 2.91 million acres. Both long-grain and combined medium- and short-grain rice production are raised from last month, with long-grain production projected at 160.0 million cwt and combined medium- and short-grain production at 60.7 million. The all rice import forecast is unchanged at 21.0 million cwt.

Total use is projected at 233.0 million cwt, unchanged from last month with domestic and residual use at 131.0 million and exports at 102.0 million. All rice ending stocks are projected at 40.5 million cwt, up 2.4 million from last month, and the largest stocks since 2011-12.The 2014-15 long-grain seasonaverage farm price range is projected at $12.20 to $13.20 per cwt, down 30 cents per cwt on each end of the range. The combined medium- and short-grain farm price range is projected at $17.70 to $18.70 per cwt, up 45 cents per cwt on each end of the range.

The all rice season-average farm price is forecast at $13.80 to $14.80 per cwt, down 10 cents per cwt on each end of the range.Global rice 2014-15 ending stocks are reduced as the decline in total supplies exceed the fall in total use. The drop in global 2014-15 rice production resulted in a decline in total supplies, despite an increase in beginning stocks. Beginning stocks are increased 0.5 million tons due mostly to increases in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and a number of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

World 2014-15 rice production is projected at 475.5 million tons, down 1.5 million from last month, and a decrease of 1.1 million tons from last year's record crop. The fall in production is due mostly to a 1.0-million ton

decrease in India's crop to 102.0 million tons, due to a decline in average yield.

Below normal seasonal rains during the 2014 monsoon season in some regions of India were unfavorable for rice production.

Rice crops are also reduced in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and several Sub-Saharan African countries. Global consumption is reduced slightly, but is still a record at 481.7 million tons, up 5.6 million tons from 2013-14.

Global trade for 2014-15 is nearly unchanged from a month ago. Global 201415 ending stocks are projected at 104.2 million tons, down 0.9 million from last month, and 6.2 million below 2013-14. The decline in world ending stocks is due mostly to a decrease in India of 1.0 million tons.

Forecast ending stocks are also lowered for Pakistan and Sri Lanka, partially offset by increases for Brazil, the Philippines, and the United States.

Customs to sue importers of P25M seized rice, garlic

By Jigger J. Jerusalem Wednesday, October 15, 2014 MISAMIS ORIENTAL. Officials of the Bureau of Customs present to the media the smuggled rice and garlic worth P25 million.

The hot items passed through the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on October 14, 2014. (Joey P. Nacalaban) SUSPECTED smugglers of imported goods that arrived in the local ports might be facing charges, officials of the Bureau of Customs in Northern Mindanao (BOC-10) said.This after thousands of kilograms of rice and garlic placed in container vans previously confiscated were opened Tuesday

by the Customs bureau at the Mindanao Container Terminal sub-port in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.The 145 metric tons of glutinous rice and about 200 metric tons of garlic seized by the Customs have an estimated value of P24.7 million.

Ruby Claudia Alameda, BOC-10 acting district collector, said those who are found to be violating the country‘s tariff and customs code could be facing charges.―Those who have grossly misdeclared (the imported goods), there is really a deliberate intent to defraud the government of its lawful [revenue], so we might be filing criminal and/or administrative action against them through Bureau of Customs‘ legal department in Manila,‖ Alameda told reporters Tuesday.Lawyer Roswald Joseph Pague, BOC-10 administrative officer, said if the seized bags of rice don‘t have corresponding permits from the National Food Authority (NFA), then the consignees of these products will be sued in court. ―There is an administrative seizure proceeding, as well as criminal liability, and if those responsible for the smuggling are found to be violating the provisions of the tariff and customs code, then we can appropriately file some cases before the Department of Justice in Manila,‖ Pague said.

Barangay Nazareth, arrived on August 24, 2014 from Shandong, China. The goods were packed in 13.332 bags that have been stored in four 40-foot container vans.―Import documents filed by Kenshien showed that the firm only paid P237,076 in duties and taxes, a discrepancy over almost 46 [percent] versus the past importations of garlic of similar weight which reached P520,000,‖ the BOC-10 said in a statement.BOC-10 said, ―under the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, a discrepancy in value between what was declared by the importer and what was found during examination by BOC examiners and assessors that exceeds 30 [percent] constitute ‗prima facie‘ evidence of fraud, with the shipment subjected to seizure proceedings. ‖The rice, on the other hand, arrived in MCT on September 4, 2014 from Vietnam and was consigned to Gold Friends Enterprises based in Barangay Kauswagan. These were packed in 2,900 50-kilogram sacks stored in five 40-foot container vans.―The rice was misdeclared as ‗household ware‘ and did not have the required import permit from the NFA,‖ Customs said, adding that following Presidential Decree 4 and Republic Act 7178 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act mandates that ―only the NFA can import rice and private entities who wish to do the same must secure a permit from the agency.‖

Discrepancy in value ―Let these seizures be a reminder to all importers that we expect no less than full compliance with the law. That means accuracy and truthfulness in all import declarations and fulfillment of requirements such as import permits from regulatory agencies,‖ Alameda said.

Tipped According to BOC-10, the garlic, consigned to Kenshien General Merchandise based in

Nestor Añonuevo, acting chief of the BOC intelligence division, said they obtained information from concerned civilians or ―assets‖ who reported to them the shipped contraband.―Our agents on the ground recommended for the appropriate action, and usually, an alert order is issued by either the district collector or the intelligence group,‖ Añonuevo said.He said that aside from tips coming from concerned citizens, the BOC intelligence group is profiling the importers, and based on this profile, ―we are able to determine whether some shipments are subject for alert. If alerted, they will be inspected. And based on inspection done by the district collector, the corresponding recommendation, a seizure order will be issued.‖ ―Aside from seizure and forfeiture proceedings on the rice and garlic shipments, the Bureau will also conduct further investigation to determine culpability for smuggling by the owners and customs brokers of both Kenshien General Merchandise and Gold Friends Enterprises,‖ BOC-10 said.Also, on Tuesday, the Customs bureau showed to the media container vans full of used television sets from Korea, bales of bed sheet, pieces of steel bars, various furniture items, luxury vehicles, and another batch of imported ―Flying Dragon‖ rice.

Grain importers too will have to use jute sacks Sohel Parvez

Jute sacks have now become mandatory as well for packing imported rice and wheat, as part of the efforts of the textiles and jute ministry to raise compliance with the jute packaging law.Prior to this, only locally produced grains were under the purview of

the law passed in 2010 and traders often resorted to the excuse of uneven playing field for not complying with the law.Their line of reasoning being that jute sacks are dearer than plastic bags and traders of imported rice would be able to undercut their prices for not needing to use the expensive packaging material.

But with the latest move, they have no pretext to not comply with the law, put in place to increase the local use of jute and cushion the export-dependent industry against the vagaries of international trade.―This will definitely boost the use of jute,‖ said an official of the textiles and jute ministry.Last fiscal year, some 30.64 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat were imported, up 65 percent year-on-year. And as of October 12 this fiscal year, around 7.41 lakh tonnes of food grains were imported, according to the food ministry.Meanwhile, an official of the food grain importing firm Mahbub Brothers said the rule to package rice with jute bags may increase transit losses, as leakages from jute sacks are higher than polypropylene bags.

In other words, the transit losses with PP bags are low, he said, seeking not to be named.He also said the availability of jute sacks in exporting countries will also be a factor. ―We will have to ask for jute sacks. If our supplier can provide them, we will be able to use -- otherwise, not.‖At present, only the directorate general of food uses jute sacks to pack its purchased rice and wheat.Private sector businesses remain largely noncompliant, citing reasons such as higher costs of jute sacks compared to polypropylene or plastic bags and problems in branding.Millers said the burden for compliance with the law will be passed on to the consumers in the form of higher rice prices.To enforce the law, the government started mobile court drive in rice trading

hubs, mills and markets.On the other hand, the private sector traders and millers have gone to the higher court seeking a stay on the government move, said a senior official of the department of jute.

Published: 12:00 am Wednesday, October 15, 2014 TAGS:

textiles Jute sacks Grain importers mandatory

packing imported rice

PH rice output seen declining in 2014

By Ronnel W. Domingo |Philippine Daily Inquirer 4:13 am | Thursday, October 16th, 2014

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippines‘ palay output is projected to decline this year for the first time in five years by one percent to settle at 18.6 million tons, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. By volume, the reduction is expected at 10.3 million tons of palay, equivalent to seven million tons of milled rice. In its latest Rice Market Monitor report, the FAO said the forecast assumed that the wet-season harvest would be about the same as the 2013 volume.

Still, ―the final outcome of the season will depend on the rainfall performance in the coming months, which will in turn determine the availability of water for irrigation of off-season crops,‖ it added. The United Nations agency noted that the area planted to rice or palay in the Philippines was reduced by 11 percent to 775,000 hectares, due to the late onset of rains and inadequacy of irrigation water supply. ―Cuts were widespread, but they were particularly

concentrated in Western Visayas, Central Luzon, Bicol and Mimaropa,‖ the FAO said. ―Nonetheless, part of the reduction reflected deliberate planting delays, which are expected to boost production over the last quarter of the year,‖ the agency said.

Because of erratic weather conditions, the FAO sees a ―disappointing‖ crop year with the global forecast lowered by 6.5 million tons to 744.4 million tons. ―Under current expectations, global paddy production would be marginally (0.4 percent) lower than the 2013 estimate, marking a third year of below-trend growth,‖ the FAO said. With domestic production tempered, the Philippines is expected to become the second-largest importer of milled rice in the world market this year, next to China.

Global trade of milled rice is expected to leap by 7 percent to a record 39.7 million, with the upward pressure coming mostly from Asian markets. ―Imports are predicted to increase in all major geographical regions, especially Asia, where important buyers such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, face the need to reconstitute reserves and to lower food inflation,‖ the FAO said. ―The forecast expansion (of importation) would be, to a large extent, imputable to the Philippines, which may lift its volume of purchases from (700,000 tons) in 2013 to 1.8 million tons in 2014,‖ it added.

Vietnam to expand low-carbon rice farming HO CHI MINH CITY, Oct. 14 (Xinhua): After a four-year pilot programme, the lowcarbon rice farming model is being considered for expansion in Vietnam, local Vietnam News reported today, quoting

sources from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) as saying.Reducing greenhouse gases in agricultural production is currently a general trend in the world.In Vietnam, MARD has carried out many programs and projects on adaptation to climate change.

Terraced rice fields, constructed and refined by farmers over centuries, were once a common sight on Japan‘s hillsides. Today, though, they are disappearing from the landscape. These photographs document the natural, agricultural, and cultural heritage of the tanada.

From 2010 to 2012, a low-carbon rice farming project was implemented in southern An Giang province funded by the Environmental Defence Fund (EDF) and cosponsored by the Institute of Mekong Delta Development Research Institute, the Hanoi Water Resources University and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang province.

Terraced rice fields have been described as Japan‘s pyramids, formed from the blood and sweat of the farmers who carved them into hillsides. This majestic scenery, built through centuries of unceasing efforts, cannot help but inspire respect for the labor of past generations.

The project's second phase (2012-2014) was deployed by 400 farmer households in Kien Giang and An Giang provinces, with a scale of 540 ha each crop.Results revealed that the farmers reduced seed use by 50 per cent, fertilizers by 30 per cent, pesticides by 30 to 40 per cent, water by 40 to 50 per cent and labor by 20 to 30 per cent, but the productivity was increased by 10 to 15 per cent and farmers' incomes by 5 to 10 per cent.

Gas emissions were reduced per hectare per year by 7.7 tons in An Giang province and by 45 tons in Kien Giang province. In addition, clean, safe and environmentfriendly products were produced, which are known as bio-rice.

An Agricultural Wonder: Japan’s Vanishing Terraced Rice Fields

Japan‘s steep, narrow terraced fields are being abandoned.The environment surrounding these terraced fields began to change after agricultural machinery, including rice transplanters and rotary tillers, gained popularity in the 1960s, making possible higher yields in combination with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. As large agricultural vehicles were not easily adapted to tanada, the fields were often abandoned as unsuitable for cultivation. The aging of farmers and their difficulty in finding successors accelerated the decline. Where once it was possible to see beautiful terraced rice fields anywhere you went in the country, they were soon rapidly disappearing—and attracting little interest from the Japanese population as they did.

I decided to photograph the rice fields as a record of this vanishing landscape. In the more than 10 years I have been shooting tanada around the country, I have come to realize their role in connecting people with nature as vibrant centers of production.

Farmers’ Love for Their Fields

My first eyeopening experience came at a Dondoyaki fire festival in Matsunoyama, now part of the city of Tōkamachi in Niigata Prefecture. At Koshōgatsu (Little New Year) in mid-January, villagers set fire to tall piles of straw as a New Year offering to the deity of the fields. They then drink sake together around the fire and pray for a bumper harvest in the coming year.Praying for bountiful crops at the Dondoyaki fire festival.

This was in ―snow country,‖ so the fields were covered in several meters of snow and falling flakes were swirling in the harsh, bone-chilling winds. Many of the gathered villagers were elderly, but they were all full of life. There was no end to the talking and laughter. Even though it was still months before work would begin, they had all come out to pay their respects to the local kami.

This is not something you would do if you hated working in the fields.

In early spring, fieldwork begins with the sprouting of rice seedlings. Farmers select rice seeds, sterilize them, and soak them in lukewarm water to bring about germination.

Around the same time, they loosen soil by turning up the ground, repair boundaries, and flood and level the fields. Next, they take the seedlings from the seedbed and plant them in the fields. From planting to harvest in autumn, the farmers go out every day without fail to weed, trim surrounding vegetation, manage the water, and do any other necessary jobs.Many of those responsible for heavy farm work are elderly, but they do not treat it as a hardship.

As most of the labor in terraced fields is done by hand, it is said to take about five times as long as in flat areas. Naturally, it is not only a question of time but also of backbreaking physical effort for elderly farmers.However, when you see the active figures of the people working, it appears that they genuinely seem to enjoy it. One farmer has retired so that his son can take over, but still goes out into the fields. He gripes about the tough labor, but his son later tells me quietly: ―If he didn‘t work in the fields, he wouldn‘t feel like he was alive.‖ Rediscovering the Value of the Terraces

Fortunately, in the last few years Japanese people have started to discover new value in the country‘s tanada. Their role is not simply as places to grow rice. They also help prevent landslides by temporarily containing heavy rainfall, preserve the natural environment and biodiversity, and maintain Japan‘s scenic beauty. This versatility demonstrates their importance beyond productivity alone.Terraced paddies are home to a variety of wildlife, like this Japanese pheasant.

Movements to preserve terraced rice fields based on their diverse advantages are gaining traction. The government supplies subsidies for tanada preservation.

Nongovernmental efforts include introduction of field ownership and other systems to increase citizen involvement in rice farming, as well as campaigns focusing on the scenic beauty of the fields as tourist destinations.Having met the people who work in them, I firmly believe that Japan‘s terraced rice fields will live on, though they may diminish in number.

Declines in commodity prices likely to continue through 2015, says WB report October 16, 2014 WASHINGTON, October 16, 2014 – Prices of most commodities, particularly oil, are expected to remain weak for the remainder of this year and through much of 2015, says the World Bank‘s latest issue of Commodity Markets Outlook, released today.Growing concern over a slowdown in the Euro Area and emerging economies, a strong US dollar, a well-supplied oil market and good crop prospects have contributed to a weakening of many commodity prices since the summer. The World Bank energy price index declined by about 6 percent during the third quarter, after being broadly stable in the first half of the year.“A broadbased expansion in commodity supply is coinciding with weakness in global growth, especially in emerging economies, where most of the demand expansion has been taking place,” said Ayhan Kose, Director of the World Bank‘s Development Prospects Group.

In good news for the urban poor, international food prices have been falling since their recent highs in 2012 and this trend is anticipated to continue through 2015. Maize prices are projected to slump by 27 percent, from $260 per ton in 2013 to $190 per ton in 2014, while rice and wheat prices will drop by 16 and 9 percent, respectively.Oil prices began tumbling in mid-June, a reflection of well-supplied markets and weak demand, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. The recent drop in oil prices to below $90 per barrel in early October, will bring down the average for this year to $102 per barrel.

The weakness is likely to persist through most of 2015.Metal prices are forecast to drop 5.5 percent in 2014, on top of a similar contraction last year, led by sharp decreases in copper and iron ore prices. Fertilizer prices are projected to fall almost 12 percent in 2014 on capacity expansion in the United States. A similar slide is expected in precious metals as they become less attractive as ―safe haven‖ investment vehicles, while reduced demand for precious metals by China will also contribute to the weakness.

The World Bank industrial metals index is on course to pick up slightly in 2015. Gold, however, will continue moderating, to $1,275 per troy ounce this year and $1,240/toz in 2015, from its high of $1,670/toz in 2012.Exceptions to the general downward trend in commodity prices include rice, due to worsened crop prospects in several Asian suppliers; coffee (Arabica), whose prices spiked earlier in the year causing the beverage index to rise 23 percent from last year; and cocoa, due to supply problems in Côte d‘Ivoire. The risks to cocoa prices could be exacerbated if the Ebola epidemic spreads to cocoa producers in West Africa.

“Lower commodity prices will help ease balance of payments pressures in food and energy importing countries. However, commodity exporting countries may feel the pinch because of lower export earnings,” said John Baffes, Senior Economist in the World Bank‘s Development Prospects Group.

The Commodity Markets Outlook and commodities data are available at www.worldbank.org/commodities