25 november,2013 Daily Rice- -e-Newsletter (global & oryza news)

25th November , 2013

TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU Bengal to give subsidy for setting up rice mills BURDWAN (WB), NOV 24: West Bengal government would give a subsidy of Rs 80 lakh and Rs 50 lakh to those who would set up rice mills in tribal and non-tribal areas of the state, state Food Minister Jyotipriya Mullick said here on Sunday.―State government has taken this decision to increase the number of rice mills in the state. A total of Rs 80 lakh and Rs 50 lakh would be given as subsidy to those who would set up rice mills in tribal and non-tribal areas of the state,‖ Mullick said at the annual general meeting of Rice Mill Owners’ Association here.He also said that the state government will build godowns near the rice mills to help farmers stockpile their paddy while coming to see the crop to the rice mills.―All the 165 blocks will have one such godown near the mill. Farmers will be able to store their paddy crop when coming to sell it to the rice mills,‖ he said.He regretted that the ration dealers were not cooperating with the state government in providing digital ration cards to the beneficiaries.State government will implement it to bring in more transparency, he said adding that messages will be sent in the mobiles of 15 important personalities of an area after a ration dealer is handed over the goods from a dealer.West Bengal government has set a target to procure 22 lakh tonne rice this year, he said.

(This article was published on November 24, 2013) Keywords: West Bengal, subsidy, set up rice mills, state Food Minister, Jyotipriya Mullick

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Unmasking Golden Rice

BY VON POSTED ON 11/25/2013 10:10 AM | UPDATED 11/25/2013 10:31 AM

HERNANDEZ

There’s no denying that Golden Rice – as other genetically modified organisms (GMOs) – is an astounding scientific feat. But so was the nuclear bomb. This comparison is not a simplistic attempt to equate one with the other.

But its purpose is to drive home the point that while science technology have given us countless benefits, it is a realm that, just like politics, the public must be able to critique in order for society to make informed opinions and choices.Unfortunately, this democratic feature seems to be in contradiction with what promoters of Golden Rice and other GMOs would like to see happen. People who question the necessity of Golden Rice or GMOs in general, and who voice out their ideas and opinions, are subjected to public name-calling and bullying, or worse, intimidated with lawsuits.So what are Golden Rice developers afraid of? It may sound like an eerie coincidence, but the answers are the same things that totalitarian states despise: the right questions, people who ask them, and the voices of those who matter – in this case, the poor, the farmers, mothers and consumers.

Consider the following facts: Rice varieties do not naturally contain vitamin A. Golden Rice, developed to put vitamin A producing genetic material from another organism into rice, is currently being promoted as a solution to vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This prescribed solution has taken decades and almost around 100 million US dollars to create.But even after creating Golden Rice, the developers themselves admit ―the best way to avoid micronutrient deficiencies is by way of a varied diet, rich in vegetables, fruits and animal products.‖ They also say that the use of Golden Rice to alleviate VAD should be done in conjunction with already existing VAD eradication efforts.

Curbing Vitamin A deficiency?

Meanwhile, in the three decades it took to develop Golden Rice, countries such as Bangladesh and the Philippines have been making major strides in curbing VAD by food fortification, supplementation and kitchen and community vegetable garden programs. In the Philippines these efforts taken over a 15 year period, halved VAD cases as well as other micronutrient deficiencies such as iodine deficiency. These projects did not require decades to develop and cost considerably less than US $100 million.In addition, there are many natural food sources which already contain vitamin A and which do not require decades of research or funding for genetic modification. Common examples include squash, carrots, and sweet potato (kamote) – crops, which grow everywhere in the Philippines and which are cheaper to cultivate than rice. One is therefore tempted to ask why GMO promoters have taken the trouble to genetically engineer vitamin A-lacking rice into Golden Rice when a

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cup of ―lowly‖ kamote can easily provide more than six times the vitamin A found in a cup of Golden Rice?While scientific studies on Golden Rice abound, these are limited to papers from the developers of the technology themselves or their promoters. As with all GMOs, there are no independent studies to verify the safety of transgenic crops because access to the research materials is severely restricted.

What questions can we glean from the above?

If the best way to address VAD is through provision of access to a diverse diet, then why are the millions of dollars being used for GMO research not spent instead to support the best, proven and lower-costing solution?.As its developers claim, Golden Rice, once approved, should be just one component of already existing and successful VAD eradication programs. It does not sound sensible that millions are being spent on what is merely a supplemental solution at best, while the main solutions themselves are overlooked?.Moreover, how can Golden Rice be a sustainable solution to micronutrient deficiency when it encourages the poor’s dependence on just one type of food, contravening the need to give the poor access to more diverse diets?.In the absence of independently verified safety studies, shouldn’t Golden Rice be proven safe first before it is commercialized, rather than assuming that it is safe until it is proven dangerous?

Given the above, do we need Golden Rice at all?

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY? Golden Rice, currently undergoing field trials in the Philippines, is supposed to be the world's answer to Vitamin A deficiency. Photo from International Rice Research Institute

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If the poor had a voice in this debate they probably wouldn’t be asking for Golden Rice. It’s hard to imagine that the onset of VAD will send them knocking on scientists’ doors to ask for genetically engineered rice to address their micronutrient deficits. It is safe to assume, however, that most everyone including the poor, would desire to have better access to a balanced and nutritious diet. To be clear, Golden Rice is not a solution that poor has asked for, but a prescription being pushed upon them by Western scientists and their corporate backers.According to its developers, Golden Rice ―can be a technological fix, a bandage that can help address a clear nutritional problem until we can solve the much harder problem of poverty.‖ Now, there are fixes that lead to the long-term solution, and fixes that detract from it. Golden Rice falls into the latter category. A key part of the long-term solution to poverty is people’s access to food and seeds. If these seeds are controlled by a global oligopoly of seed manufacturers—who also happen to hold the patents to Golden Rice and virtually all GMO crop development—then the prospects of a poverty-free future become a lot dimmer.

Farmers' voices Which brings us to our farmers. The idea of patents and royalties for crops and seeds are not popular concepts in developing countries. For centuries, farmers have controlled the seeds they have planted. It is their collective toil and work on rice seeds that have given the global community the diversity of rice that we now enjoy. The tens of thousands of rice varieties developed for different uses and growing conditions, have been provided by farmers to the world for free.Would farmers plant Golden Rice knowing that these genetically modified seeds can contaminate and possibly endanger the thousands of natural rice varieties, which they have freely developed and had full ownership of for centuries?

Farmers are not clueless about the endgame lurking behind the aggressive global promotion of Golden Rice.

While its developers had waived patents and royalties for so-called humanitarian reasons, a nagging suspicion persists that proponents are using this to prepare the ground for public acceptance of GMO crops, and sweeten the bitter pill of greater and more insidious corporate control over the global food supply.Filipino farmers did speak out in August this year in an act of frustration when 400 of them uprooted a Golden Rice field experiment in Bicol. The farmers were greatly concerned about the possibility of GMO contamination of their organic and traditional rice varieties. If genetic contamination occurred due to these open field trials, the country’s rice heritage would be in jeopardy. This action by farmers, denounced by GMO pushers as an act of vandalism, was actually a defensive maneuver by local farmers to protect their rice and their livelihoods against the dangers of unwanted genetic pollution.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has also voiced its concern about the risks of Golden Rice. In Mindanao, the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board (MMHCB), considers GMO food, including Golden Rice, as masbooh—or best to avoid, given the absence of scientific consensus regarding its safety.

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As for consumers, food safety is a primary concern. GMO crops have never been tested for safety in human beings. The Golden Rice experiments conducted in the Philippines were meant to test the crop’s suitability to planting conditions—not whether they would be safe to eat by humans, let alone children.Last May, Green Moms, a nationwide coalition of mothers advocating organic food and breastfeeding practices in the Philippines, conducted a creative protest against Golden Rice. These mothers believe that the best way to address VAD and malnutrition is not through Golden Rice, but through feeding children with available products like breast milk and a diverse diet of fruits, vegetables, fish and meat products from ecological farms. Filipino mothers are not the only parents concerned about the safety of feeding Golden Rice to children. Parents in China, whose children were made to eat Golden Rice in a scandalous experiment were outraged when they found out their children were given GMO rice without their knowledge and consent.If one listens to the pronouncements being made by the Golden Rice pushers, which include the IRRI, corporate backed scientists, USAID, and their mouthpieces in the media, one gets the impression that Golden Rice is a perfect solution, that there is completely nothing wrong or risky about it, and that the true intentions of the donors and scientists who created this wonder crop are completely altruistic.

Here it helps to be reminded that the true and ultimate beneficiaries of Golden Rice are the multinational agrochemical corporations, who have already invested billions of dollars in developing and propagating GMO crops around the globe. There is a massive effort underway to effect corporate control over the world’s staple crop production via genetic engineering, and Golden Rice is the ambassador of this mission in the rice producing and eating nations of the world.

Von Hernandez is currently the Executive Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia and was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2003. He is also the convenor and current President of the Ecowaste Coalition.

The other side of the debate: "Why I support Golden Rice," by Dr Michael Purugganan (Oct 22, 2013)

Aman prices cheer up farmers Sohel Parevz:Published: Monday, November 25, 2013

Farmers are celebrating a bumper aman season with an increase in prices of the newly-harvested paddy on the back of higher demand from rice millers.Prices of each maund of coarse aman paddy, which traded at Tk 550600 last year, climbed to Tk 740-760 this season, while the medium coarse paddy edged up by about Tk 200 to Tk 800, according to Layek Ali, convenor of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association.The reason for the price spiral, he says, is the exhaustion of the carry-over stocks that millers

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usually have at this time of the year.―As a result, they are in a buying spree,‖ Ali added.―It is nice to see prices are higher this time. It will most definitely give us a handsome return,‖ said Mohamamd Mokhlesar, a small farmer at Adamdighi Bogra, who cultivated aman rice on one acre of land this season.Shoyeb Ali, a farmer at Pirganj of Rangpur, is hopeful that the aman paddy will turn out to be more profitable for famers than boro, harvested earlier this year.Meanwhile, the higher price of aman paddy, he says, has had a knock-on effect on the overall market: the interest in growing rice in the coming boro season is higher.Conversely, the higher prices of paddy have resulted in a spiral in farm wages and shortage of quality seeds.

This season, the wages for harvesting and threshing paddy on one bigha of land is Tk 1,600, which was Tk 1,300 last year.Nirod Boron Saha, president of Dhan O Chal Aratdar O Babosayee Samity, however, is being cautious in his outlook.―The supply of newly-harvested paddy is yet to start coming in full swing. Once that happens, the prices of paddy are bound to come down,‖ he said, while tipping the prices of rice, which has been showing an upward trend, to fall next month as well.Over the last one month, the retail price of coarse rice rose 3 percent to Tk 33-35 per kilogram at city markets, while that of medium coarse rice increased 8.33 percent to Tk 38-40 and fine-quality rice 7 percent to Tk 38-54, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Largest study widens rice, arsenic link in Bangladesh November 25, 2013:RECORDER REPORT

An unprecedented probe into high levels of arsenic in Bangladesh's groundwater strengthens suspicions that eating rice boosts exposure to the poison, scientists said on November 18. Samples provided by 18,470 volunteers living in an arsenic-contaminated district showed that those who ate large amounts of rice had higher levels of arsenic in their urine than those who ate little rice, they said. In addition, the big rice-eaters also had more symptoms of arsenic toxicity, such as skin lesions.

The paper, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, is the biggest-ever probe into whether arsenictainted groundwater in Bangladesh poses a risk for people who consume rice, the staple food. The study demonstrates "arsenic in water and the food chain is a serious problem", said Parvez Haris, a specialist in environmental biomedicine at De Montfort University in the central English city of Leicester. "(It) also shows that exposure to arsenic from rice can have harmful effects on human health, as it correlated with increased prevalence and incidence of skin lesions." Arsenic in groundwater in parts of Bangladesh is a growing concern, say watchdogs.

The toxic element occurs in water naturally - the problem is that tens of millions of rural dwellers are exposed to it through shallow wells drilled in the 1970s in "access-to-water" programmes. Most investigations have focused on the risk from drinking water, but there is now widening interest in whether the poison can also be passed on in rice, through irrigated fields. The study was conducted in the district of Araihazar, Dhaka state.

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Arsenic levels in the local rice were not determined in the study, although contamination of the area's water is well known. There are nearly 6,000 wells in an area of just 25 square kilometres (9.6 square miles). The work could also have implications for other parts of the world where there can be relatively high levels of arsenic in rice, said the authors. Parts of Cambodia, China, India and Vietnam fall into this category.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013

Cambodian Jasmine Rice Wins World’s Tastiest Rice Award Nov 23, 2013

Cambodian Jasmine rice was adjudged the world’s best in taste at the Competitive Rice Tasting event held at the 2013 Rice Traders World Rice Conference held in Hong Kong earlier this week. This is the second consecutive year that Cambodia’s Jasmine rice has found a place at the top, according to Federation of Cambodian Rice Exporters (FCRE).FCRE says there is a change in perception among consumers about rice.

Earlier, rice was considered as a commodity and a general food item, but now rice is increasingly getting recognized for its taste.Cambodia is located between two top rice exporters Thailand and Vietnam. Rice exporters in Cambodia say that rice from Cambodia is relatively less known compared to Thai and Viet rice, but Cambodian rice is better in taste than rice from the other two origins.

Tags: cambodia rice, rice taste

China Rice Milling Machinery Industry Report 2013 Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2fbmcl/china_rice) has announced the addition of the"China Rice Milling Machinery Industry Report 2013" report to their offering.

The report first provides basic information on the rice milling machinery industry, covering definitions, classification, application, industry chain structure and overview. Market analysis is provided for both the international and Chinese domestic situations including product and technology developments, competitive landscape analysis, key regions development status, trends and market comparisons. Development policies and plans are also discussed and manufacturing processes and cost structures analyzed. Import/export consumption, supply and demand figures and cost price and production values are also provided.A key feature of the report is its focus on 13 industry players providing company profiles, product specification, capacity production, price cost, production value and contact information. Up and downstream industry analysis is carried out for raw materials and equipment. Rice milling machinery marketing channels, industry development trends and proposals are analyzed as well as the feasibility of new investment projects. Finally the report offers overall research conclusions.

Key Topics Covered: Chapter One Rice Milling Machinery Industry Overview

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Chapter Two Rice Milling Machinery International and China Market Analysis Chapter Three Rice Milling Machinery Industry Development Environmental Analysis Chapter Four Rice Milling Machinery Development Policy and Plan Chapter Five Rice Milling Machinery Manufacturing Process and Cost Structure Chapter Six 2009-2013 Rice Milling Machinery Productions Supply Sales Demand Market Status and Forecast Chapter Seven Rice Milling Machinery Key Manufacturers Analysis Chapter Eight Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis and Influence Chapter Nine Rice Milling Machinery Marketing Channels Analysis Chapter Ten Rice Milling Machinery Industry Development Trend Chapter Eleven Rice Milling Machinery Industry Development Proposals Chapter Twelve Rice Milling Machinery New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis Chapter Thirteen China Rice Milling Machinery Industry Research Conclusions Companies Mentioned - B端hler - HUNAN XIANGLIANG - Hubei Bishan Grain & Oil Equipment Co, Ltd - Hubei YONGXIANG - Hunan Chenzhou - JIANGSU HEXI MACHINERY CO, LTD - MUYANG - SATAKE MANUFACTURING - Wufeng - YANGZHOU ZHENGDA MACHINERY MANUFACTURE CO, LTD - YUTAI GOLD AND GRAIN OIL MACHINERY - Zhejiang QiLi Machinery Co, Ltd - Zhejiang Zhancheng Machinery Co, Ltd For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2fbmcl/china_rice

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THE PHILIPPINES: Researchers genetically alter rice in hopes of new 'Green Revolution' November 22, 2013

By AKIRA UCHIDA/ GLOBE Staff Writer

Withered rice plants float listlessly across a paddy submerged in 50 centimeters of water. But next to them, a more verdant crop pokes up through the water’s surface. These healthy specimens are a new strain of rice that can survive under water for up to two weeks.This experimental field on the outskirts of Manila is run by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). ―Usually, if water stays for more than a week, you lose more than 70 percent to 80 percent of the field,‖ says 55-year-old researcher Abdelbagi Ismail, who is from Sudan. ―However, this variety still produces a sufficient amount of rice even if there is a flood.‖In marshy lands across Asia and Africa, flooding can devastate rice cultivation. This new variety of rice was introduced to India in 2009, and soon spread to Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. It is now used on more than 4 million farms.―It has provided a lot of security for poor farmers and a big boost to their incomes,‖ Ismail says.The IRRI, a nonprofit research body, was established in 1960 by the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation and others. It has gathered around 100 researchers from across the globe to work on its test farms, which cover an expanse equivalent to 53 Tokyo Domes. In the 1960s, the IRRI developed the ―IR8‖ strain and rolled it out across Asia. This was dubbed ―Miracle Rice‖ for its large yields.This huge increase in crop production, due also in part to the massive use of chemical fertilizers, became known as the ―Green Revolution.‖ It saved millions from starvation and provided the foundation for Asia’s economic growth.The IRRI is also developing rice varieties resistant to drought, heat and salinity. It is trying to kick off a second revolution in low-productivity regions that the original Green Revolution passed by.

The world’s population currently stands at 7.2. billion, a figure the United Nations estimates will balloon to 9.6 billion by 2050. Rice will form the staple for nearly half of these people, so there is an urgent need to increase output."That means we have to increase yields by 1.3 percent to 1.5 percent per year,‖ says Achim Dobermann, the German deputy director general of the IRRI. He emphasizes that the potential to add more land is limited, so the IRRI needs to create higher-yielding varieties that are more tolerant to stressful environments.‖The key lies in genetic information. The rice genome was fully sequenced in 2004, and scientists are now trying to understand what each individual gene does. It is now possible to fine-tune the rice-improvement process by only selecting those hybrid strains with the right genes. This method is three times faster than conventional breeding, which often takes decades to produce results. Japan is a world leader in this field and a strong supporter of the IRRI’s research.Farmers are now demanding rice that can grow faster without any decrease in yields. One person trying to meet this demand is 37-year-old Tsutomu Ishimaru, a researcher sent over from the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), an institution based in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.

Ishimaru has produced a variety of rice that can ripen seven days quicker than previous strains. He is trying to cut the time down even more.Around two-thirds of the world’s rice paddies come equipped with irrigation. The rest rely on rainfall. This puts farmers at the mercy of the elements, but a shorter growing time would reduce

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this risk.―With climate change becoming a more serious problem, we need to develop many different varieties of rice,‖ Ishimaru says.The IRRI is now testing a rice strain from Japan that is highly tolerant to drought. The Japanese National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), a body that played a leading role in sequencing the rice genome, developed the variety after first discovering a gene that helped roots grow deep within the earth. The NIAS has also uncovered genes resistant to the ―rice blast‖ disease, as well as those related to the length and weight of rice grains.

Although Japan’s rice research has made a big impact on the global stage, it has run up against an invisible barrier at home: taste. A strain of rice may well become more tolerant to harsh conditions, but if it loses some of its flavor in the process, it won’t make many Japanese fans. There are several genes that regulate flavor, and it’s hard to tell how rice will taste until it’s harvested and eaten.Masahiro Yano, 56, who coordinates the NIAS’s cutting-edge genome research, is optimistic, though.―By studying the genes, I hope we can also unlock the secrets to taste in about three years,‖ he says.

JAPAN: RICE OFFERS HOPE FOR HAY FEVER SUFFERERS Spring can be a rough time for many pollen sufferers, but help is on the way from an unlikely source: a tasty bowl of rice. With support from the agriculture ministry, researchers have now developed ―hay fever therapy rice.‖Until now, rice varieties have been improved by crossing different strains, but this new kind of rice is the product of genetic engineering.At the Awajishima Monkey Center in Hyogo Prefecture, seven simian hay fever sufferers were chowing down on bowls of rice in early September. The center has been feeding the Japanese monkeys one cup of therapeutic rice a day for the past three years to study its effects.According to the center’s head, 59-year-old Toshikazu Nobuhara, around 10 percent of the island’s monkeys are allergic to cedar pollen, so when spring comes, their eyes water and they can’t stop sneezing.―I'm pleased their hay fever has naturally improved just through eating food,‖ Nobuhara says.At first glance, the monkeys’ therapeutic rice looks much the same as regular rice. It is the popular ―koshikikari‖ strain, but one implanted with protein, the cause of hay fever. However, the structure of this protein has been engineered not to cause allergic reactions. When the rice is eaten on a continuous basis, the body stops treating cedar pollen protein as a foreign substance, so no allergic reaction takes place.

The therapeutic rice was developed by the NIAS.―If a human eats a bowl a day, it can be expected to have an effect after six months,‖ says Makoto Takano, the 58-year-old director of the NIAS’s GMO Research Center. ―The sufferer won’t need to visit a doctor. This is a far less onerous form of treatment.‖During animal experiments, mice that ate the rice sneezed less than a quarter compared to before. Awajishima’s monkeys also saw a decrease in the antibodies that cause allergies.It is not just good news for hay fever sufferers, either.The NIAS says the rice can be used to combat allergies to foodstuffs, mites and the like. The institute’s greenhouses are also growing rice to cut neutral fat levels in the blood or lower blood pressure.However, there are many hurdles to overcome before the therapeutic rice can be produced on a commercial basis. The agriculture ministry originally treated it as a food for specified health uses, but the health ministry said it ―qualifies as a drug as prescribed by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law‖ so the rice now has to be developed as a drug.

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The procedures for drugs are much more stringent and require repeated clinical trials involving humans. Many consumers are also uneasy about genetically-modified agricultural products that cannot be found in nature.The NIAS plans to start human clinical trials in two years, with the rice rolled out commercially in 10 years. To achieve this, the help of pharmaceutical companies will be needed, but with no current guarantee of profitability, the institute says it has yet to receive any overtures from drug manufacturers.

By AKIRA UCHIDA/ GLOBE Staff Writer

IMF assures cooperation to Pakistan in economic reforms Dated: 2013-11-23

ISLAMABAD: International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that it would provide every possible cooperation to Pakistan for its economic reforms. IMF Director Communications Jerry Rice in a briefing in Washington said that we are supportive of the State Bank recent monetary policy decisions. The trend in monetary tightening will help contain inflation and will also aid in the State Bank of Pakistan’s drive to rebuild foreign exchange reserves.IMF director further said that it is of principal consideration of the IMF to have a sound macroeconomic policy and framework and deep structural reforms to boost growth potential over time which will help the Pakistani people.Jerry Rice said inflation is often the heaviest tax on the poor and places the extra burden on the poor in countries. IMF believes that social protection is key to the successful implementation of this program.The IMF director Jerry Rice said that Pakistan has agreed to put in place policies to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population from the short-term impacts of the reforms.He said the trend in monetary tightening will help contain inflation and will also help its drive to rebuild foreign exchange reserves.Jerry Rice said that the increase in interest rate will help in controlling price hike. He said price hike is being considered as a major tax for poor people.To a question‚ he said that it is consideration of IMF to have a sound macroeconomic policy and framework and structural reforms to boost growth potential over the time which will help all the Pakistani people.

Untimely rain reduced paddy yield to 60%'" HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times Chandigarh, November 23, 2013 First Published: 18:52 IST(23/11/2013) | Last Updated: 18:57 IST(23/11/2013)

A delegation of rice millers of Haryana met union minister of state for food and civil supplies KV Thomas in New Delhi and apprised him of the problems being faced by them.Stating that the delegation was headed by rice millers' association president Rajender Aggarwal and chief patron Jaipal Jain, a release said that the delegates informed Thomas about the damage to the crop due to untimely rains and that the damage content in rice was to 5-6 % and it had decreased the yield to 60%.Due to increase in damage content of rice, the millers were being forced to shut down their mills as it did not conform with the specifications of the government of India, the release added.

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Containing inflation: IMF backs State Bank's new monetary policy IMF says State Bank's policies will help Pakistan build foreign reserves. PHOTO: REUTERS

WASHINGTON, DC: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) lent support to new measures by the State Bank of Pakistan to control inflation in the country bytightening the monetary policy and that the organisation was extending every possible cooperation to Pakistan for implementing economic reforms.

―The trend in monetary tightening will help contain inflation and will also aid in the State Bank of Pakistan’s drive to rebuild foreign exchange reserves,‖ said IMF Director Communications Jerry Rice in answer to a question during a press briefing on Thursday in Washington.One of the questions Rice was asked to comment on was the Pakistani public holding IMF responsible for the current wave of inflation. Rice conceded that inflation places the heaviest burden on the poor.―Inflation is often the heaviest tax on the poor.Its places the heaviest burden on the poor in countries.‖Rice though defended the programme, saying providing social protection was key for the successful implementation of the programme.―So we believe that social protection is key to the successful implementation of this program. And the government has agreed to put in place polices to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population from the short-term impacts of the reforms.‖Rice said that in the short-run, ―the program includes a significant increase in targeted transfers to the poor.‖When asked how the prospect of increased sectarian violence could affect Pakistan’s economy, Rice chose to answer indirectly.―I don’t have a specific comment on that political issue but what I would say is that it is of paramount consideration to the IMF to have a sound macroeconomic policy and framework and deep structural reforms to boost growth potential over time which will help all the Pakistani people.

ORYZA NEWS Asia Rice Quotes Unchanged Today Nov 22, 2013

Asia rice sellers kept their quotes mostly unchanged today.

5% Broken Rice Thai 5% rice is quoted around $400 - $410 per ton, about $5 per ton discount to Viet 5% rice shown around $405 - $415 per ton.

Indian 5% rice is quoted around $410 - $420 per ton, about a $35 per ton premium over Pak 5% rice quoted around $375 - $385 per ton.

25% Broken Rice Thai 25% rice is quoted about $380 - $390 per ton, about a $5 per ton premium over Viet 25% rice shown around $375 - $385 per ton.

Indian 25% rice is quoted about $370 - $380 per ton, about a $35 per ton premium over Pak 25% rice quoted around $335 - $345 per ton.

Parboiled Rice Thai parboiled rice is quoted around $470 - $480 per ton.

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Indian parboiled rice is quoted around $380 - $390 per ton, about a $30 per ton discount to Pak parboiled rice quoted around $410 - $420 per ton.

100% Broken Rice Thai broken rice, A1 Super, is quoted around $345 - $355 per ton, about a $10 per ton discount to Viet broken rice shown around $355 - $365 per ton.

Indian broken sortexed rice is quoted about $310 - $320 per ton, about a $25 per ton discount to Pak broken sortexed rice quoted around $335 - $345 per ton.

Tags: Asia rice quotes, India rice quotes, Pakistan rice quotes, Vietnam rice quotes, Thailand rice quotes

Philippines Needs 200,000 Tons of Rice to Feed Typhoon- Affected Citizens Nov 22, 2013

The Philippines requires at least 200,000 tons of rice to feed an estimated five million people affected by Typhoon Haiyan that struck the nation earlier this month, according to the Agriculture Undersecretary. Another 300,000 tons of rice imports are required to maintain buffer stocks with the National Food Authority (NFA), he said.In an emergency meeting held last week, the Philippines agreed to import around 500,000 tons of rice in government-to-government deals. Rice could be purchased from Thailand, Vietnam or Cambodia, officials had said.The Agriculture Undersecretary told local sources this week that rice production is unlikely to increase from last year’s levels of around 18 million tons (paddy) due to the adverse impact of the Typhoon Haiyan, and the Philippines cannot be self-sufficient in rice in 2013 as earlier targeted.Recently, the FAO said that rice imports by the Philippines in 2014 could increase about 20% to 1.2 million tons, but government officials in the Philippines say the FAO estimate is too high.

Tags: Philippines rice imports

Thailand Government Sells 200,000 Tons of Rice in Auction Nov 22, 2013

The Thai government sold around 200,000 tons of the 452,000 tons of rice offered in an auction held on November 20, 2013, according to government sources. However, trade sources say 300,000 tons of rice was sold in the auction. Only four bidders participated in the auction and sale prices are expected to be below market prices.The November 20, 2013 auction was the sixth by the government this year and 300,000 tons of comprised 100% second class Jasmine rice and A1- broken milled rice, and about 152,000 of 5% white rice.

Trade sources say the 5% broken rice on offer was probably sold at around 20% below the current market price of around 13,000 baht (about $408) per ton.In earlier tenders, the government has sold 293,000 tons of the 960,339 tons of rice on offer, according to local sources. The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) says that the government is keen to sell about 400,000 tons of Jasmine rice from the 2013-14 season through the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET), government-to-government deals and exporters who join the rice mill exporters matching program.

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Tags: Thailand rice exports 2013

Oryza Overnight Recap – Chicago Rough Rice Futures Ease Overnight on Low Trade Volume; Grains Seen Higher to Start Final Trading Day of the Week Nov 22, 2013

Chicago rough rice futures for January delivery are currently paused 7.5 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) lower at $15.735 per cwt (about $347 per ton) as of 8:00am Chicago time. The other grains are seen firmer this morning ahead of floor trading in Chicago: soybeans are currently seen about 0.9% higher, wheat is seen about 0.4% higher, and corn is paused about 0.1% higher.U.S. stock index futures signaled a higher open on Wall Street on Friday, with shares in Asia and Europe building on gains after upbeat initial jobless claims from the U.S. On Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 16,000 for the first time, as the number of Americans filing for jobless benefits declined to a near two-month low. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was higher in a broad-based rally on Friday, with most sectors posting moderate gains. In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei hit a six-month high and the Shanghai Composite gained 2.8%. Investors may hope to garner further hints of a start date for tapering when the St Louis Fed President James Bullard speaks on Friday. Earlier in the week, Bullard said a solid jobs report for November would increase the likelihood of tapering starting next month. U.S. stock index futures are currently trading about 0.1% higher, gold is currently trading about 0.1% higher, crude oil is seen trading about 0.2% lower, and the U.S. dollar is currently trading about 0.3% lower at 8:00am Chicago time.

Tags: chicago rough rice futures

Oryza Afternoon Recap – Chicago Rough Rice Futures Retrace to End Week Slightly Lower; Soy Rallies on Near-term Demand Nov 22, 2013

Chicago rough rice futures for January delivery settled 9.5 cents per cwt (about $2 per ton) lower at $15.715 per cwt (about $346 per ton). Rough rice futures retraced once again today, pushing the January contract to a loss on the week. Trade volume was reduced today and traders noted a lack of follow-through buying after yesterday’s rally placed prices near a recent trading range. Outside markets were mostly supportive with US stocks trading higher and the dollar softening, however these facts were not enough to push rice future prices higher today. The other grains traded were mostly higher today with soy products rallying sharply on strong front month demand; soybeans finished the day about 2.2% higher at $13.1950 per bushel; wheat finished about 0.1% higher at $6.4950 per bushel; and corn finished the day about 0.2% lower at $4.2225 per bushel.U.S. stocks gained on Friday, with the S&P 500 on track for its first close above 1,800 and the Dow industrials setting an intraday record, as positive economic reports countered worries about the Federal Reserve curbing

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stimulus as early as December. The Dow Jones Industrial Average brushed off initial losses. After finishing above 16,000 for the first time on Thursday, the Dow set an intraday record of 16,036.22, and was up 0.4% for the week.

Turning positive for the week, the S&P 500 rose above its Nov. 15 record close, with health care the best performing and telecommunications the largest laggard of its 10 industry groups. The Nasdaq gained, and was lately up a fraction from last Friday's close. U.S. stock markets are currently trading up about 0.1%, gold is trading nearly unchanged, crude oil is seen trading about 0.4% lower, and the U.S. dollar is seen trading about 0.5% lower at about 2:00pm Chicago time.

Turning to the daily continuation chart of Chicago rough rice futures for January delivery, the market finished the week on a negative note as prices made an initial attempt to move higher but quickly came under selling pressure as traders looked to book profits ahead of the weekend. Today’s loss saw prices dip into the red for the week, with prices moving from $15.765 per cwt (about $348 per ton) on Friday November 15 to today’s close 5 cents per cwt (about $1 per ton) lower.

Despite today’s retracement the market remains within a well-defined $15.600-$15.900 per cwt (about $344$351 per ton) sideways trading range. An attempt at a breakout to the downside would likely be limited by firm underlying support at $15.670 per cwt (about $345 per ton) provided by the convergence of the 100-day and 200-day moving averages. The short-term bullish trend remains intact and provides a positive forecast for trading early next week. Today’s trading range is noted as $15.700-$15.830 per cwt (about $346-$349 per ton).Thursday, there were 350 contracts traded, down from 415 contracts traded on Wednesday. Open interest – the number of contracts outstanding – on Thursday increased by 61 contracts to 8,238.

Tags: chicago rough rice futures, U.S. rice prices, U.S. rice market

Oryza Rice Currency Analysis for Today – Brazil Real Rallies Over 1% Nov 22, 2013

U.S. dollar index was down -0.43% from the open today, when it traded at 80.722 at the close.

Euro was +0.50% higher today by the close, trading around 1.3550 by end of day, after trading between an intraday high of 1.3553 and low of 1.3462. Good data out of Germany propelled the euro higher.

Thai baht was stronger +0.09%, trading at 31.800 at the close of business.

Indian rupee was +0.12% stronger, trading at 62.8650.

Brazilian real was +1.14% stronger than the open at today’s close, when it ended at 2.2794 reais per dollar.

Pakistan rupee was -0.03% weaker trading at 107.6550.

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Vietnamese dong was unchanged at 21100.

Mexican peso was +0.40% stronger today, when it traded at 12.9763 pesos per dollar by the close of business today.

Chinese yuan was almost -0.01% stronger at 6.0936.

Argentine peso was -0.40% weaker at 6.0827 pesos per dollar.

Tags: foreign exchange rates

Oryza U.S. Rough Rice Recap – Market Dead As Holiday Doldrums Set In Nov 22, 2013

The U.S. cash market was very quiet today as we now have entered what is now by many in the industry as the holiday doldrums where many farmers take time away from marketing their rice to enjoy hunting and spending time with their families. Most analysts expect that the market will remain mostly quiet until after the new year when farmers show more interest in shipping their rice.

As of today, offers held steady near $15.65-$16.66 per fob farm (about $345-$367 per ton), depending on where they are located in the U.S. mid-South, for November through December shipment. Bids from mills decreased slightly back to around $15.90 per cwt (about $351 per ton ) or higher while bids from exporters could still be found around $15.56 per cwt (about $343 per ton), both for November through December delivery, although there were no reports of rice today.

Tags: U.S. rice prices, U.S. rice market

India Winter Rice Planting Area Reaches 730,000 Hectares So Far, Up 14% from Last Year Nov 23, 2013

India’s winter (rabi) rice planting area has reached around 730,000 hectares as of November 22, 2013, up about 14% from around 640,000 hectares recorded during the same period last year, according to government sources.

India’s rabi rice crop accounts for around 10% – 13% of the annual rice production of around 104 million tons.Overall planting area under India’s rabi crop (including rice and other crops) stands at around 31.4 million hectares, up around 7% from around 29.4 million hectares during this time last year.Total rice planting area under India's main rice crop (Kharif crop - June to December) in 2013-14 stands at around 38.1 million hectares, up about 2% from around 37.3 million hectares in 2012-13.

Tags: india rice crop planting

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Cambodian Jasmine Rice Wins World’s Tastiest Rice Award Nov 23, 2013

Cambodian Jasmine rice was adjudged the world’s best in taste at the Competitive Rice Tasting event held at the 2013 Rice Traders World Rice Conference held in Hong Kong earlier this week. This is the second consecutive year that Cambodia’s Jasmine rice has found a place at the top, according to Federation of Cambodian Rice Exporters (FCRE).CRE says there is a change in perception among consumers about rice.

Earlier, rice was considered as a commodity and a general food item, but now rice is increasingly getting recognized for its taste.Cambodia is located between two top rice exporters Thailand and Vietnam. Rice exporters in Cambodia say that rice from Cambodia is relatively less known compared to Thai and Viet rice, but Cambodian rice is better in taste than rice from the other two origins.

Tags: cambodia rice, rice taste

Oryza Quick Glance at World News Nov 22, 2013

Financial Times – *The U.S. and powerful developing-nation players, including China and India are poised to seal the first global trade deal for more than a decade, in a rare victory for the WTO, whose struggle to secure an international pact has increasingly threatened its relevance. Roberto Azevêdo, the recently appointed head of the WTO, is expected to present a finished draft of the agreement to the body’s highest organ, the general council, in a meeting as soon as Sunday or Monday.*The first of China’s former bad banks to list on a stock market, Cinda, is set to raise up to $2.5 billion as bankers close in on a price range of HK$3.00-HK$3.58 for more than 5bn shares, according to people familiar with the deal.*Samsung must pay Apple $290 million in damages for patent infringement, a jury in California said on Thursday, bringing its total award from last summer’s legal victory over smartphone designs to $929 million. *World powers and Iran remained locked in talks over Iran’s nuclear programme late on Thursday in Geneva, with both sides pointing to progress but warning that considerable differences remain. *The U.S. government is on course to realize a $10 billion loss on its $49.5 billion bailout of General Motors after it said it could sell its remaining 2.2% stake in the carmaker by the end of the year. *Goldman Sachs ―did not suffer a loss in our currencies business‖ in the third quarter, the bank, said on Thursday, seeking to reassure investors after reports that it had racked up more than $1 billion in trading losses. *Europe’s hopes of anchoring Ukraine firmly in the west through a bilateral pact lay in tatters on Thursday after Kiev halted talks with the EU just days before the agreement was to be signed and announced overtures to its traditional ally, Russia. *Oil traders are planning to transport Canadian crude thousands of miles by pipe and rail across the U.S. for export to global markets, in a bid to exploit big price differences created by surging North American output.

Wall Street Journal-

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*The Federal Communications Commission said it would soon propose allowing passengers to use their cell phones on airplanes, setting up a debate that will pit the technically possible against the socially tolerable. *The head of the ECB rejected arguments made in Germany that its low interest rates and other easy-money policies were benefiting crisis-hit euro-zone countries at the expense of frugal German savers. *Iran is courting international energy giants such as Chevron Corporation, Total SA, and Royal Dutch Shell, eager to attract Western investment back to the oil industry if it wins sanctions relief in its troubled nuclear talks with Western countries. *Italy's government has approved plans to sell up to €12 billion ($16.13 billion) in assets; a move Prime Minister Enrico Letta hopes will earn Rome a green light from the European Union to boost public investment. *Obama administration plans to keep thousands of troops in Afghanistan for years to come were thrust into doubt on Thursday when Afghan President Hamid Karzai unexpectedly called for delaying a long-term security deal until his successor is elected next spring. *Greece's government submitted its 2014 budget to Parliament on Thursday despite not having reached a deal with international budget inspectors over further cutbacks needed for next year. The budget shows a more robust primary surplus than previously expected for this year—Greece's first in a decade—strengthening Athens's hand in what has become a game of high-stakes negotiation for the Greek government with its creditors. *The struggling Mexican economy bounced back in the third quarter after a decline in the previous three months, taking some pressure off President Enrique Peña Nieto as he tries to improve the country's competitiveness through ambitious overhauls. The government's statistics institute said economic output grew 0.8% seasonally adjusted from the second quarter, which translates into a 3.4% annualized growth rate. *Iran's demand that the West recognize what it says is its right to enrich uranium has emerged as one of the final missing pieces in an interim nuclear agreement with global powers, according to Iranian, American and European officials.

New York Times*Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda is offering a bullish view on the global economy, brushing aside concerns over potential risks and maintaining confidence that the central bank is on track to meet its ambitious goal of winning the country's battle with deflation. *A court in northeast China sentenced a former vice president of China Mobile Ltd's state-owned parent, Lu Xiangdong, to life in prison for accepting bribes, state media said on Friday, the latest executive at a stateowned firm to have his fate sealed as China tries to root out corruption. *Nearly 80,000 people have enrolled in health plans through California’s online marketplace, at a rate of several thousand a day in November — a sizable increase over a month ago, state officials said on Thursday. *Ireland no longer has any margin for error in its bid to meet the E.U.'s budget deficit limit by 2015 and there is a one-in-two chance it will fail, the country's independent fiscal watchdog said on Friday. *Dozens of Americans have traveled or tried to travel to Syria to fight with the rebels against the government of President Bashar al-Assad since 2011, American intelligence officials said Wednesday. *A decision on whether to approve Bank of America Corp's proposed $8.5 billion settlement with investors in mortgage securities is now in the hands of a New York state judge, after a nine-week court proceeding ended on Thursday.

Tags: World news

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