1st april,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Rice E-Newsletter April 01 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I

IRRI introduces 28 rice varieties in Asia and Africa in 2014 Wednesday, 01 April 2015 05:56 The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partners have announced that they had released at least 28 new rice varieties to eight countries in Asia and Africa last year IRRI is an international research and training organisation headquartered in the Philippines.

(Image source: IRRI) At the IRRI Breeders’ from 23-27 March 2015, scientists implementing IRRI’s breeding agenda shared the latest in their varietal improvement work.These newly-released varieties possess highyielding and stress-tolerance traits that can help farmers overcome challenges, such as the

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine negative effects of climate change, in their rice growing ecosystems. Some of the varieties include flood-tolerant for India, drought-tolerant for rain-fed rice areas for Nepal and salinitytolerant for Gambia and the Philippines.

IRRI has released more than a thousand modern rice varieties in 78 countries since its founding in 1960.IRRI’s head of breeding and leader of its global rice research partnership in varietal improvement Eero Nissila said, “The work never stops. New challenges arise due to climate change and decreasing resources, which is why we need to keep revisiting our agenda and stay responsive to the needs of our farmers and consumers.”Critical improvements are being made to IRRI’s breeding infrastructure, which needs to be more responsive to the requirements of current and future rice demand. Responsiveness requires increasing rice genetic gain in yield and pursuing an agenda that’s driven by what consumers need and prefer. Taken together, these improvements are called Transforming Rice Breeding (TRB), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

At the Breeders’ Week, several updates were presented, which included development of profiles of rice preferred in selected countries in Southeast Asia and Africa; market research on types of rice consumers prefer; updates on the irrigated variety development pipeline that now benefits from an expedited breeding process; breeding hubs in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia; grain quality and how it integrates into the development of high-yielding rice varieties with desirable traits; managing information through bioinformatics; genotyping services; partnerships within the hybrid rice development programme; and exploration of rice’s diversity for breeding. http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agriculture/irri-introduces-28-rice-varieties-in-asia-andafrica-in-2014

Vietnamese rice exporters warned of Chinese “trap” Chinese businesses are now collecting Vietnam’s rice in large quantities, which has raised major concerns.

Professor Academic Tran Dinh Long, chair of the Vietnam Seed Association, has warned that Vietnamese businesses may fall into the Chinese “trap” when trying to sell rice in bulk to China.Many trade agreements have been signed with a selling price at VND7,500-7,600 per kilo for five percent broken rice, while the domestic price is lower, at VND7,400 per kilo.“The higher price offered by Chinese businesses makes Vietnamese businesses happy. However, they should be skeptical when doing business with the Chinese,” Long said.Observers noted that Chinese businesses that import Vietnam’s rice across the border can make fat profits.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine If they import rice through official channels, they would have to pay $70-80 per ton more in taxes and fees. Therefore, they would rather import rice across the border as they are exempted from taxes and fees. Though they have to buy at higher prices, they still make high profits.And even if they accept to pay an additional $20-30 per ton, they still can save $40-50 for every ton of rice they buy.“By raising the rice buying prices, Chinese importers harm Vietnamese businesses which specialize in exporting rice through official channels,” an observer noted.“Once Chinese businessmen pay high prices for rice, they will push the market average price up,” he explained. “If so, Vietnamese enterprises exporting rice through official channels will have to raise their export prices, thus making Vietnam’s rice less competitive.”

“If Vietnamese enterprises cannot find buyers, they would have to sell rice to Chinese businesses to clear stocks,” he said.Long said there were latent risks in exporting rice through unofficial channels. The lack of transparency gives Chinese businesses the opportunities to lower prices by using various ploys.Long said that such ploys had been used many times by Chinese businesses to push the prices down, thus making Vietnamese exporters and farmers suffer.The Vietnam Food Association said that Chinese businesses top the list of trade partners who try to lower prices by “tricks” and cancel contracts.In 2013 alone, 64 percent of rice export contracts were canceled by Chinese traders. They delayed the delivery schedules for other contracts and lowered prices.Vietnamese enterprises still accepted to sell rice to Chinese at a loss, because they had already collected rice from farmers. They needed to sell rice as soon as possible because they did not have depots for storage.Long warned that if Vietnam still relied on the Chinese market, it would have to suffer more heavily in the future because of sharp price falls.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/126869/vietnamese-rice-exporters-warned-of-chinese--trap.html

Steps to check conversion of paddy fields SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

State policy on agriculture includes steps to raise productivity The State policy on agricultural development approved by the government calls for stern action to prevent the conversion of paddy fields.The policy, approved through a government order issued on March 28, includes steps to enhance acreage and improve productivity of paddy.It underlines the need for strict enforcement of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008 to check the reclamation of paddy fields.Kerala cannot afford to bear the environmental and economic consequences of paddy field reclamation any more, says the policy document.Briefing the media about the highlights of the policy here on Tuesday, Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan said the drafting committee headed by K. Krishnankutty, former MLA, had come up with recommendations to ensure remunerative price for farm produce and attract more people to agriculture.

Enhancing acreage The policy document moots steps to enhance the acreage from 2,18,000 hectares to 3,00,000 hectares and improve the productivity of paddy from 2.3 tonnes per hectare to four tonnes per hectare over the next five years.It also proposes that the paddy land ownership limit eligible for various government benefits be enhanced from two to five hectares. The policy stresses the need to adopt water budgeting on a watershed basis, protect farm ponds and popularise microirrigation technology, rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge methods. It seeks to enhance the production of bio-manure and develop regional soil nutrient plans to improve crop production potential.The policy proposes agricultural labour banks in all panchayats and a production incentive for farm labourers who have worked for a minimum of 100 days.It recommends Amul model outlets and agricultural retail markets for procurement and distribution of farm produce. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/steps-to-check-conversion-of-paddyfields/article7055974.ece

Home / Business / REAP demands immediate release of Rs 26b grant in share of EDF, Rice Technical Institute establishment

REAP demands immediate release of Rs 26b grant in share of EDF, Rice Technical Institute establishment Reported by: `Customs Today Report April 1, 2015

KARACHI: The Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Rafique Suleman has demanded Federal government to immediately release the grant of Rs 26 billion in share of “Export Development Funds” and to makes efforts in order to establish “Rice Technical Institute”, adding that the government should announce to allot free of cost land for establishing “Rice Technical Institute”.He made this demand while addressing 7th Rice Export Trophy Programme, organized by REAP in a local hotel here on Tuesday.President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain, Federal Minister for Commerce & Textile Khurram Dastagir, Senior Vice-President FPCCI Abdul Rahim Janoo and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the participants, the Chairman REAP warned that export of rice could not be reached up to expected revenue target of $4 billion, if proper attention on research technology of sowing new rice crops could not be paid timely.On the occasion, Chairman REAP Rafique Suleman regretted that the previous governments did not paid any attention towards exploring new markets of exporting Pakistani rice and due to this exporters of rice are facing hardships in order to export their products into international markets.He further said that previous governments were adopted an attitude of step-mother with the exporters, who intend to increase the exports of the country, adding that the present government should take effective steps in order to restore the confidence of exporters on the polices of the present government.Chairman REAP stressed upon releasing an amount of Rs 136 billion in share of “Export Development Funds” (EDF) and refunds to the exporters, so that the exports of the country could be increased at some extent.

Rafique Suleman further informed the President and other government authorities that the Kenya has imposed $ 200 per ton duty on import of Pakistani rice into its country, which witnesses significant decline in the export of rice trend to Kenya from 12000 to 3000 tones, as previously the import duty on Pakistani rice was stood at $110 per ton.Chairman REAP further said that the rice industry in Pakistan is facing severe crises and needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned in order to boost the exports of the country.On the occasion, he further urged the President of Pakistan and Prime Minister to take the office-bearers of Rice Exporters’ Association (REAP) on board on their foreign trips, so that the export of rice could be bolster.

Later, the President Mamnoon Hussain and Federal Minister Khurram Dastagir assured the resolution of the issues faced by the export community.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine http://customstoday.com.pk/reap-demands-immediate-release-of-rs-26b-grant-in-share-of-edf-ricetechnical-institute-establishment-2/

Rice export may touch $4b target if serious efforts made: President Mamnoon Reported by: `Customs Today Report April 1, 2015 ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has said if serious efforts are made, Pakistan can achieve the rice export target of $4 billion per annum.He was addressing the 7th Export Trophy Awards of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP). He said that understanding of current trends and use of latest technology keeping in view the market demand are the pre-requisites for realising the true trade potential.

The president said that the exporters should fully exploit the opportunities in international markets as per their true potential, suggesting that besides Europe and the US, they should also focus on Far Eastern and Central Asian markets.Mamnooon also called for establishing more institutions of research and development for the guidance of people in different fields and stressed the importance of concerted efforts to make them more effective. The president said the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor would enhance the importance of this region and transform Pakistan into a hub of regional trade activities. http://customstoday.com.pk/rice-export-may-touch-4b-target-if-serious-efforts-made-president-mamnoon/

President for focus on non-traditional markets to achieve $ 4b rice export target Tuesday, 31 March 2015 19:34 Posted by Imaduddin on Tuesday said the apprehension of current trends, use of the latest technology and keeping in view market demands, were the prerequisite to realize the true potential of trade.He was addressing the 7th Export Trophy function of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) here.The President said Pakistani exporters should fully exploit the international market opportunities as per their true potential and besides the traditional markets in Europe and the US, they should also focus on countries of Far East and Central Asia.He was confident that if serious efforts were made and these markets were focussed, Pakistan could achieve the rice export target of $ 4 billion per annum.

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain

Stressing the need of enhanced research and development, the President called for establishing more institutions of research and development for the guidance of people in different fields.He noted that the work on research and development had already been started, adding, there should be concerted efforts to make it more effective.The President said there should be an effective coordination and communication mechanism from the level of growers to exporters. It would not www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine only help strengthen this industry but would also bring improvement in every segment of this sector, he added.He noted with concern that no new rice variety was cultivated in the country during the last one and a half decade, adding, "if we focus on our fertile and best rice producing lands and our scientists make serious efforts, we can bring about a revolution in the area of rice cultivation and exports."The President said Pakistan-China Economic Corridor would amplify the importance of this region, adding, it would help transform Pakistan into a hub of regional trade activities.He also mentioned the challenges and hurdles in the way of country's progress and prosperity and said besides the masses, the traders and entrepreneurs would also have to play their due role in overcoming such challenges.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015 http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/109-world-top-news/235924president-for-focus-on-non-traditional-markets-to-achieve-$-4b-rice-export-target.html

S.Korea passes on tenders to buy 25,000 T rice Wed Apr 1, 2015 1:08am GMT

SEOUL, April 1 (Reuters) - South Korea passed on two tenders to buy a total of 25,000 tonnes of brown medium rice, a source from the state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp said on Tuesday.

The agency initially sought to buy 58,897 tonnes of rice on March 10, and consequently bought a total of 33,897 tonnes from Singsong Food Corp and Daewoo Int'l Corp on March 24 via three tenders while deferring the remaining two for quality inspection.

Though the quality of the products reviewed for the passed tenders was satisfactory, the agency decided to pass them due to higher-than-expected prices, the source said.

Details of the passed tenders are as follows: TONNES GRAIN TYPE ARRIVAL PORT 15,000 Brown Medium June 30 Gunsan 10,000 Brown Medium June 30 Busan

(Reporting By Brian Kim; Editing by Prateek Chatterjee) http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N0WY06I20150401

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In the Pink Contrary to fears, buffalo meat exports are thriving under the Narendra Modi government. But worries remain.

Ajay Modi Most of Indian business rejoiced when the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept last year's general election. But one section viewed the results with trepidation, fearing for its future - meat exporters. Given its Hindutva leanings, the BJP's distaste for meat was no secret. Modi had stoked further worry during his election campaign by accusing the erstwhile United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of promoting a 'pink revolution' - a reference to the colour of raw meat through policies which encouraged slaughterhouses and meat exporters.

The fears have been belied. With the new government taking charge in May last year, growth in meat exports did indeed see a dip in the April to June quarter. While exports rose 24 per cent in April 2014, shipments slowed in next two months - growth was a modest 10 per cent for the April to June period. But it has recovered since, rising 16 per cent in the first half of 2014/15 and 17 per cent in the first 10 months. Meat export is now a $5 billion industry, not only replacing basmati rice as the biggest revenue earner in India's processed foods category, but also making India the world's second-biggest meat exporter.

The supportive policies Modi railed against remain in place - the government still offers a grant of up to Rs 15 crore to set up new abattoirs or modernise existing ones. More and more players are jumping in - leading B2B online marketplace IndiaMart saw a 20 per cent increase in registration of meat exporters in the past year. "India is among the world's largest meat exporters and there are reasons for it," says Sirajuddin Qureshi, Chairman and Managing Director of Delhi-based Hind Agro Industries Ltd, one of the leading meat processors and exporters in the country.India is among the world's largest meat exporters and there are reasons for it: Sirajuddin Qureshi, CMD, Hind Agro Industries

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine What are the reasons? The primary one is pricing. Indian meat is almost 20 per cent cheaper than Brazil's mainly because Brazil rears cattle specifically for slaughter, which is expensive, while in India water buffaloes - at least the female ones - are sent to the abattoir only after they grow old and stop yielding milk. A secondary reason for Indianmeat's popularity in the Persian Gulf countries and others with large Muslim populations is that buyers are assured it is halal - slaughtered in the manner Muslims consider ritualistically appropriate. Indian meat is exported to 65 countries, the biggest markets being Vietnam (40 per cent), Malaysia (nine per cent), Thailand (seven per cent) and Saudi Arabia (six per cent).

Still, some disquiet remains, as evinced by the refusal of some in the business - including the owners of the biggest export house, Allanasons - to speak to Business Today. The BJP's discomfort with the meat industry is far from overcome, as the Maharashtra government's blanket ban from early March, on the sale and even possession of beef, with harsh penalties for offenders, showed. Vigilante attacks on trucks carrying cattle have also increased in that state.

Haryana, another BJP-ruled state, has followed suit with a ban. The BJP's sister organisations the Rashtriya Swayaksevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) - continue to clamour for a total ban on meat export.The bulk of the meat exported is buffalo - and therein arises part of the animus. Buffalo meat is sometimes erroneously referred to as 'beef', which it is not. There are restraints on the processing or sale of beef - normally cow meat - since the cow has religious significance for Hindus.

Accordingly, cow slaughter has been either banned or severely restricted in most Indian states barring Kerala, West Bengal and some northeastern ones - for decades, the ban reinforced by a Supreme Court judgment in 2005. It is buffalo meat, against which there are no religious or legal strictures, which is processed and exported. India's foreign trade policy expressly forbids export of cow meat.The campaigners insist cow meat continues to be illegally sold - and even exported - under the guise of buffalo meat. "If you ask for Indian cow flesh in Dubai, you can get it," says Ashoo Mongia, President, Rashtriye Goraksha Sena, one of the activist groups. "We hope the Modi government will act against meat exports. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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" The industry dismisses the charge. "After investing so much and building a market, who would take the risk of ruining it all by selling cow's meat clandestinely?" says Sunil Sud, Partner at Delhi-based Al Noor Exports, which runs a meat processing unit at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Other objections include Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi's charge last September - citing a police report - that some of the meat industry's funds were being used to back terrorism. "Money through trade of slaughtered animals goes into terrorism, therefore into killing us, why are we allowing this?" she was quoted as saying at a Jaipur event.

The industry calls the allegation baseless.

An Uttar Pradesh based dairy player - who preferred not to be named - also expressed the fear that rising slaughter of female buffaloes could affect milk availability in coming days. But Mohammad Ali Qureshi, President, Bombay Suburban Beef Dealers Association, notes that lactating buffaloes cost so much more that slaughtering them makes no sense. "The average price of the buffaloes we buy is around Rs 25,000, while that of a milk yielding buffalo is Rs 50,000," he says.

"Besides, why would a farmer sell a buffalo for slaughter when it is generating daily income?"

On the contrary, after farmers sell their aged buffaloes, they usually reinvest the money in young, milk yielding cattle, increasing their overall milk production. "As milk production rises, so does buffalo meat production and export," says Al Noor's Sud.A visit to the districts of Meerut, Aligarh and Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh - the state is the country's meat hub, exporting $3 billion worth per year - shows rearing buffaloes has indeed become much more popular than keeping cows. "A cow has to be fed till it dies, while a buffalo can be sold once it stops giving milk," says Sud. Nor is the phenomenon confined to Uttar Pradesh. "Booming meat export has triggered large scale farming of buffaloes in states like Maharashtra and Punjab," says Mohammed Ather, Managing Partner of New Delhi-based meat exporters, the Azan Group.

India's meat exports Many meat processors have entered into arrangements with buffalo farms to ensure steady supplies. While females are retained by

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine farmers so long they give milk, males are sold much earlier. "Farmers sell us male buffaloes aged six months and we look after them till the age of 18 months," says Hind Agro's Qureshi.

"This ensures healthy growth before they are slaughtered." Hind Agro has its own buffalo farm which houses around 35,000 animals at any time. For further supplies, meat processors turn to open markets. "There are regular cattle fairs in villages where aggregators pick and choose animals and sell them to us," says Sud. "We also procure from livestock mandis."Some in the trade, which is dominated by Muslims, suggest the real reason for the animus is a bias against their community.

"This business has a lot of potential but is becoming a victim of religious differences," says Ather of the Azan Group. Others are quick to point out that it is not only Muslims who benefit from it. Hind Agro's Qureshi says half his employees at the Aligarh plant are non-Muslims. "We have packaging, administrative and technical staff, not all of whom are Muslim," says an executive of a company with meat processing units in Punjab, who does not want to be named.

"The transporters are also usually non Muslim."Still others allege the opposition to the animal slaughter industry is actually a racket. "Activists stop vehicles carrying buffaloes en route to slaughterhouses and register police complaints alleging violation of animal rights," says Beef Dealers Association's Qureshi. "The police seize the animals but pass them on to the same activists to look after as there is no lock up for cattle. In most cases, the charges do not stand up in court, but the process takes three to four years. When the trader tries to get back the animals, the groups which stopped him ask for around Rs 40,000 per animal as upkeep charges. Since the animal can be sold for only around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000, the trader prefers to forfeit it. It is then sold back into the market.

"Exporters are trying their best to ignore these pinpricks and concentrate on expanding their markets. Two large, new markets are likely to be added soon - Russia and China. Russia has approved buffalo meat imports from India after its Western sources dried up, following the sanctions imposed on it by West Europe and the US over the Ukraine standoff.

"India can expect $500 million to $1 billion increase in buffalo meat exports once shipments to Russia picks up," says Santosh Sarangi, Chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, a division of the Commerce Ministry, with which all abattoirs and meat processing plants have to register. So too, India and China signed a memorandum of

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine understanding in 2013 over China providing market access to Indian meat. "It is well known that much of our meat exports to Vietnam ultimately reach China," adds Sarangi. "Direct access to China will lead to another quantum jump in exports."

FLESH AND BONE

Examining the entrails of Indian buffalo meat exports Meat exported from India, which comprises mainly buffalo meat, is not consumed directly as a dish. It is mostly used in products such as hamburgers and sausages. Buffalo meat is lean and blends well with other ingredients in making value-added products.The product has to satisfy the standards laid down by the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), a globally recognised food safety check. Every buffalo, whose meat is intended for export, must have an identifi cation tag to facilitate traceability if required later.

It has to be rested for 24 hours - to relax its muscles, which is said to improve the quality of the meat - and examined by a veterinary doctor before being taken to the slaughterhouse. The doctor checks for diseases and pregnancy - killing sick or pregnant animals is disallowed."Hygiene is a priority in meat processing units," says Mohammed Ather of the Azan Group. "If hygiene is compromised, the shelf life of the meat reduces and buyers are lost." Uniformed men and women, wearing caps and gloves, de-bone the buffalo after slaughter. The temperature inside is always maintained at around 12 to 15 degrees C. The packaging is mostly handled by women, with the packed meat stored in freezers at temperatures of around minus 20 degrees C. It is taken to ports - Pipavav and Mundhra in Gujarat and Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra are the main departure points - in refrigerated containers, where it is subject to tests in a government laboratory and issued a comprehensive health certifi cate testifying to its fi tness.Different parts of the slain buffalo sell at different prices. The flesh from the hindquarters fetches a better price than that from the forequarters. But fl esh is not all that is sold. So too is the offal - heart, liver, kidney, etc. - albeit at a much lower price.

"Offal is in great demand in China where both humans and pets consume it," says an abattoir worker. So too are the buffalo's bones and blood, which are sent to a rendering facility and processed into meat bone meal, used as poultry feed or soil manure locally. Even the fat is processed into tallow - used in soap and toothpaste - while the skin too has numerous uses. www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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NEW Nutritious and Delicious Wholegrain Blends!

Introducing our four delicious new Wholegrain blends. Each blend combines either Quinoa or Wild Rice with our wholesome Wholegrain Basmati, complimenting and accentuating the exceptional taste and goodness that you expect from your favourite brand of Basmati rice.

Tilda Rice News

Overall 2015 Rice Acreage Anticipated to Decrease Slightly WASHINGTON, DC -- Area planted for rice in 2015 is expected to total 2.92 million acres, 24,000 less than 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service's Prospective Plantings report released yesterday. Planted acreage is forecast lower for Arkansas and California, higher for Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri, and essentially the same as last year for Texas. Mississippi rice farmers may realize the largest percentage increase in planted acres this year, up 10 percent from 2014.

The USDA report is based on information supplied to USDA by growers, and though generally accurate within 5 percent, actual planted acres could vary. The Rice Acreage Report, based on actual planted acres, will be published at the end of June.

USDA Grants $332 Million for Conservation Easements

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Conservation matters WASHINGTON, DC -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide $332 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) accepts ACEP applications on a rolling basis, but to receive funding in fiscal year 2015 you must submit by May 15, 2015.

ACEP was authorized as a part of the 2014 farm bill and consolidated the existing Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP), the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The streamlined program focuses on two types of easements: Agricultural Land Easements that prevent agricultural land from being converted to non-agricultural uses and help to ensure the integrity of productive farm and ranch land; and, Wetland Reserve Easements that restore, protect, and enhance wetlands through the purchase of an easement. Both categories include four easement options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, term easements, and 30-year contracts for land owned by Native American tribes.

To learn about ACEP and other technical and financial assistance available through NRCS conservation programs, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or your local USDA Service Center.

Contact: Ben Mosely (703) 236-1471

Innovative Car Manufacturer Rumored to be Introducing Rice-Powered Car Filling station of the future?

PALO ALTO, CA -- Stocks of electric car maker Tesla were sent surging last week, driving up the company's market capitalization by four percent, when reclusive billionaire CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the company would unveil a new product at the end of April. Wild speculation about the new invention ensued, and USA Rice Daily has uncovered tweets from a Special www.ricepluss.com R&D Section: Riceplus Magazine

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine Projects Manager, Ryce Husk, that hint at the investing being a rice-powered car capable of travelling up to 50 miles per half cup serving.

"The car runs on long grain, but you get better rice mileage when you use short grain for trips of under 25 miles, or medium grain for trips between 25 and 75 miles," read one tweet. Other tweets indicate that road tests are behind schedule because the smell of cooking rice is "delicious, and the drivers keep eating the fuel." USA Rice will continue to monitor developments and add a Motor Vehicles Department as necessary.

Contact: April Fools (703) 555-2300

More from the 2015/17 Rice Leadership Class: Inside and Out in the Gulf Coast

Class member Dustin Harrell demonstrates equipment at the LSU Rice Research Station.

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John Deere rep Kevin Ripple (far left) joins the class at Russell Marine Group on the Mississippi River.

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2014 crop, which became effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Rough rice prices increased $0.13 per cwt for both long grain and medium/short grain.

World Price

MLG/LDP Rate

Milled Rough Value ($/cwt) ($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Long-Grain

15.58

10.09

0.00

Medium/Short-Grain

15.17

10.22

0.00

Brokens

9.40

----

----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S. milling yields and the corresponding loan rates:

U.S. Milling Yields Whole/Broken (lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate ($/cwt)

Long-Grain

57.21/12.55

6.64

Medium-/ShortGrain

61.89/8.83

6.51

The next program announcement is scheduled for April 8.

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CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 1 Month

Price

Net Change

May 2015

$10.780

- $0.095

July 2015

$11.015

- $0.095

September 2015

$11.170

- $0.105

November 2015

$11.365

- $0.110

January 2016

$11.525

- $0.110

March 2016

$11.525

- $0.110

May 2016

$11.525

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Rice growers to plant crop despite water-purchase offers Tim Hearden Capital Press Published:April 1, 2015 9:21AM

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Rice growers in California are expected to plant 408,000 acres this year -- only a slight decrease considering the lingering water uncertainties in a fourth straight year of drought and an offer by urban districts to purchase water for as much as $700 per acre-foot.

WILLOWS, Calif. — Most rice growers with water apparently plan to plant a sizable crop despite offers from urban districts to purchase their water for as much as $700 per acrefoot.California farmers told the National Agricultural Statistics Service they intend to seed rice on 408,000 acres, or 6 percent below the acreage seeded in 2014, the agency stated in a field plantings report released March 31.A 6 percent decrease might be considered fairly meager considering the lingering uncertainty for many growers as to the quantity and timing of water availability amid a fourth straight year of drought.

Larry Maben, a grower here, said area farmers have been told to expect 75 percent of normal allocations, though their water provider — the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District — is still working out the details of deliveries. Maben is considering making up the shortfall with well water, though he’s wary of the drought’s impact on aquifers.“I’m sure it would be pretty tempting (to sell water) because you can get a pretty high price for water,” he said. “I think I can still get more from farming rice.”Among urban water agencies eying farmers’ allocations is the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which decided in early March to buy up to 200,000 acre-feet of Sacramento Valley water in 2015 and to secure conveyance and storage agreements with the state Department of Water Resources and other water districts.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine The going price for water is about $700 per acre-foot — nearly triple the rate in 2010, when the district purchased nearly 90,000 acre-feet at a cost of about $250 per acre-foot, said Bob Muir, a Metropolitan Water District spokesman. An acre-foot is enough water to serve two family households for a year.

However, the availability of water has been complicated by the prospect of reduced allocations, Muir said. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials have said they’re unsure of whether they’ll be able to send settlement contractors along the Sacramento River their full 75 percent dry-year allotments, and State Water Project contractors expect to only receive 20 percent of normal supplies.

“No pun intended but the market may be drying up,” Muir said. “They might be seeing reduced allocations. We’re not sure how this is going to actually develop with each passing dry day. It’s going to be quite a challenge to move any water this year.”Further, many water districts have restrictions on how much water can be transferred — particularly in dry years, said Charley Mathews, a Marysville, Calif., grower and USA Rice Federation executive committee member.“It could be that there won’t be an opportunity to sell water,” Mathews said.The GlennColusa Irrigation District, which covers about 175,000 acres of the mid-Sacramento Valley, caps the amount of land that can be fallowed for water transfers at 20,000 acres districtwide, general manager Thad Bettner said. Any more than that would begin to affect the local economy as well as habitat for migratory birds and endangered species, he said.

“I think we’ll be close to” the maximum this year, Bettner said. “This year is one of the most challenging water years we’ve ever had, so we’re trying to use all the options that are available.”The district prioritizes transfers to other agricultural water users over municipal and industrial users, he said. But all in all, leaving some water in the river for transfers can help the district maintain levels needed for fish while diverting some for irrigation, he said.Some fields will be fallowed because of a lack of water. About 140,000 acres of rice went unplanted last year because of water shortfalls — a 25 percent decrease from the 2013 crop, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.Rice is among many California commodities that will see declines in planted acreage this year, according to NASS’ prospective plantings report. Among other field crops: • Corn growers expect to plant 430,000 acres in the Golden State this year, a 17 percent drop from 2014.

• California’s expected 1.23 million acres of productive hay ground is down 11 percent from last year as hay shortages could persist throughout the West. Nevada’s anticipated 340,000 acres of hay would be 21 percent less than a year ago.

• The 430,000 acres of winter wheet seeded in California is down 7 percent from last year, though another 60,000 acres have been seeded to Durum wheat — 71 percent above the amount planted in 2014, according to NASS. • Cotton acreage in California will consist of 110,000 acres of American Pima and 45,000 acres of Upland cotton, each down mhttp://www.capitalpress.com/California/20150401/rice-growersto-plant-crop-despite-water-purchase-

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine offers?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+April+1%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+D ecember+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=emailore than 20 percent from the acreage seeded last year. • Plantings of dry edible beans (50,000 acres), oats (120,000 acres) and sugar beets (25,000 acres) will see increases this year of 4 percent, 9 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Image: http://www.capitalpress.com/California/20150401/rice-growers-to-plant-crop-despite-water-purchaseoffers?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+April+1%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

PAC wants ST15 rice subsidy to stop Posted on 1 April 2015 - 12:19am,Last updated on 1 April 2015 - 08:51am

Bernard Cheah newsdesk@thesundaily.com PETALING JAYA: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to suspend its ST15 Rice Production Subsidy Programme which failed to achieve its goal of providing subsidised rice to the low-income group. PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the committee found the programme to be unsatisfactory after having made an inquiry on the matter, which was brought up by the 2013 Attorney-General's report."There is no standard operating procedure (SOP) in how the rice is distributed.

"The rice could be sold to wholesalers and hypermarkets, and there is no supervision on who purchases the rice," he told a press conference here today.Nur Jazlan said the programme began in 2008 with an allocation of RM300 million, which increased to RM488 million in 2011 and RM528 million last year."The PAC sees this as a wastage if the target is not met," he said.

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