28th january,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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Global Rice E-Newsletter www.ricepluss.com

January 28, 2015 Volume 5, Issue I

News Detail‌ Toyota Affiliate to Sell Higher-Yielding Rice A typical strain of Koshihikari rice (left) and a new strain (right) that Toyota Tsusho plans to grow and sell.

Toyota Tsusho Corp.

Toyota Motor Corp. affiliate Toyota Tsusho Corp. will start producing and selling low-cost “kaizen” rice this year, seeing a business opportunity in Japan’s domestic farming industry.Kaizen, which means “improvement” in Japanese, is known as part of Toyota Motor’s manufacturing philosophy of continuously seeking ways small and large to give its products an edge.

The idea is nothing new to rice farmers, who have long sought to develop hardier and more productive strains of Japan’s staple grain. Toyota Tsusho, working with an agricultural venture company, says it has a strain of Japan’s popular Koshihikari ricethat produces about 30% to 50% more rice in the same plot size.

Japanese farmers are poised to face a challenge from less-expensive foreign-made rice if Japan, the U.S. and other nations can agree on reducing trade barriers as part of theTrans-Pacific Partnership talks. Rice farmers want to establish a brand name for their products so they can charge a premium to consumers.Toyota Tsusho is pursuing a different kind of customer. “We will sell this rice to professionals such as restaurants and bento [lunch box] producers, who want safe products and competitive prices at the same time,” a Toyota Tsusho spokesman said.

The company is a trading house whose main job is buying raw materials for Toyota Motor. “You may find it strange, but we’ll go anywhere we can to apply our kaizen method,” said the spokesman. The company has also invested in farmed bluefin tuna, as the WSJ reported last year.Demand for rice by restaurants and bento producers is rising because more Japanese are eating out, although overall demand for rice has been falling, according to the governmentbacked Organization of Stable Rice Supply Support.

Boustany backs La. rice producers in letter to Kerry

By Ripon Advance Reports | January 28, 2015

U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) signed his name to a letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, requesting his help in preserving the rights of Louisiana rice producers to sell their product in Iraq at a fair market price. The letter was authored by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS). It essentially asks Kerry to consult with the Iraqi Minister of Trade to make sure that American rice producers can successfully compete in the Iraqi market.

According to reports from the USA Rice Federation, Iraq is a significant global importer of rice, buying nearly 1.5 million metric tons of rice each year. Last fall, the Iraqi government reported it would purchase 170,000 metric tons of rice, including 80,000 metric tons from Thailand, 60,000 metric tons from Uruguay and 30,000 metric tons from Brazil.Although American rice is being priced up to $23 per metric ton below the prices from Uruguay and Brazil, the Iraqis bought no American rice.

“Louisiana’s rice industry is one of the most modern and efficient in the world, but it needs a level playing field to succeed,” Boustany said. “Iraq is an important market for our producers – but they can’t access it if their product is unfairly discriminated against. This bipartisan letter to Secretary Kerry sends a strong message from voices across the United States’ rice-growing regions that he must weigh in with the Iraqi government to ensure American rice is given a fair shake at market.”

Image: Rep. Charles Boustany http://riponadvance.com/news/boustany-backs-la-rice-producers-letterkerry/10311?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+January+28%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Zinc-enriched rice sees successful farming Azibor Rahman, Jhenidah

Farmers plant BRRI-Dhan-64, a zinc-enriched paddy invented by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, at a field in Jhenidah Sadar upazila. PHOTO: STAR

Zinc-enriched boro paddy BRRI-Dhan-64 invented by Bangladesh Rice Research Institute sees successful cultivation in the district, following approval of its commercial cultivation

by National Seed Board last year.The short duration rice can be harvested withen 100 days of planting and may yield up to 31 maunds per bigha if nurtured properly, researchers said.On January 15, Md Saiful Islam, area co-ordinator of Agricultural Advisory Society (AAS), organised training on the cultivation of BRRI-Dhan-64 for 55 farmers of Jhenidah.AAS Director Harun-or-Rashid, Jhenidah Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer and agriculturist Dr Khan Moniruzzaman and Mozibur Rahman of Havest Plus Bangladesh were prsesnt as trainer.

"BRRI-64 has been invented through cross pollination with local variety. Seventy-five acres of land have been brought under its cultivation in Jhenidah, Magura and Jessore districts," said Nasir Uddin Khan, additional director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Jessore region.

District-wise, the areas are 50 acres in Jhenidah, 15 acres in Magura, and 10 acres in Jessore. The researchers claimed that the newly invented paddy will play a vital role in fighting zinc and protein deficiency in human body, especially for children and women.As rice is the staple food of Bangladesh, the newly invented variety could provide useful food value for zinc enrichment for people and it will be especially helpful to prevent and cure diarrhoea and pneumonia in children, they said.

"The local varieties contain 9-12 miligrams of zinc per kg while the newly invented zinc enriched variety contains around 24 miligrams. It will prevent zinc deficiency in human body and help physical growth and mental development of the children," said Dr Alamgir Hossain, post doctorate fellow, Harvest Plus Bangladesh. "I took training on the cultivation of BRRI-64 Dhan on Januray 15 and I am cultivating it on one bigha of land this season," said Abdul Jabbar, a teacher of Narikelbaria ZA High School.

Published: 12:00 am Thursday, January 29, 2015 http://www.thedailystar.net/zinc-enriched-rice-sees-successful-farming-62171

Japan tests new satellite on robotic tractors in Riverina NSW Country Hour

By Laurissa Smith Updated yesterday at 7:37pmWed 28 Jan 2015, 7:37pm PHOTO: A drone hovers over the Japanese robotic tractor trialled at Rice Research Australia in south-west NSW. (Laurissa Smith) MAP: Jerilderie 2716

How would you feel about leaving a tractor to drive itself in one paddock, while you work in another ?

To the busy farmer, struggling to find local labour, it's an appealing concept. 00:00 00:00 AUDIO: Phil Collier from the CRC for Spatial Information explains how Japan's satellite system works (ABC Rural)

Around the world, manufacturers, engineers and researchers are now trying to turn that into a reality.In Japan, they've designed a self-steering robotic tractor which can sow, plough and spray crops.An advanced positioning signal is transmitted from Japan's QuasiZenith Satellite System to control the tractor's movements.The Japanese Government is funding trials to test the tractor on crops at Rice Research Australia near Jerilderie in south-west New South Wales.Engineering firm Hitachi Zosen, machine manufacturer Yanmar, Hokkaido University and several other Australian universities are working together on the project.

Phil Collier, research director with Australia's Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information, hopes the technology can help farmers run their equipment with more accuracy."The satellites in the sky determine the position of the tractor in a global frame of reference," he said."The additional information that comes from the QZSS Satellites brings the precision down from several metres to two centimetres."The whole objective is to bring down the precision to a reliable level and a consistent level to allow that tractor to navigate its way down the rows of crops so things aren't getting run over.

"If the trials prove successful, people in rural and remote Australia will have access to precise positioning, without having to rely on the mobile network.At the moment, the robotic tractor is being tested on rice crops and paddocks late at night and into the early hours of the morning, when the satellite is passing over Australia.The boundary of the field, the tractor's path and the start and end point of where it can turn are all programmed on a computer inside its cab.This is to ensure the tractor doesn't veer off into a fence or an irrigation channel.The CRC's Phil Collier says the technology's application won't be limited to precision farming.

"From mining to automated guidance of cars, anything where there's a level of machine automation required that's outside, then this technology has got that ability to solve that problem."My prediction, if I can be so bold, is that this sort of technology will move from sophisticated installations in machines like this to mobile phones in due course and people will have it in their back pocket."

The Japanese Government intends to deploy another three satellites in the near future, which will give Australia 24 hour coverage of the advanced positioning signals, once the technology is commercialised.

Topics: rice, agricultural-machinery, jerilderie-2716

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-28/robotic-tractor-on-rice-crop-2801/6052366

Rice-sized laser, powered one electron at a time, bodes well for quantum computing news 28 January 2015

Princeton University researchers have built a rice grain-sized laser powered by single electrons tunnelling through artificial atoms known as quantum dots. The tiny microwave laser, or "maser," is a demonstration of the fundamental interactions between light and moving electrons.The researchers built the device - which uses about one-billionth the electric current needed to power a hair dryer - while exploring how to use quantum dots, which are bits of semiconductor material that act like single atoms, as components for quantum computers.

"It is basically as small as you can go with these single-electron devices," said Jason Petta, an associate professor of physics at Princeton who led the study, which was published in the journal Science. The device demonstrates a major step forward for efforts to build quantum-computing systems out of semiconductor materials, according to co-author and collaborator Jacob Taylor, an adjunct assistant professor at the Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland-National Institute of Standards and Technology. "I consider this to be a really important result for our long-term goal, which is entanglement between quantum bits in semiconductor-based devices," Taylor says.

The original aim of the project was not to build a maser, but to explore how to use double quantum dots - which are two quantum dots joined together - as quantum bits, or qubits, the basic units of information in quantum computers."The goal was to get the double quantum dots to communicate with each other," says Yinyu Liu, a physics graduate student in Petta's lab. The team also included graduate student Jiri Stehlik and associate research scholar Christopher Eichler in Princeton's Department of Physics, as well as postdoctoral researcher Michael Gullans of the Joint Quantum Institute.

Because quantum dots can communicate through the entanglement of light particles, or photons, the researchers designed dots that emit photons when single electrons leap from a higher energy level to a lower energy level to cross the double dot.Each double quantum dot can only transfer one electron at a time, Petta explains. "It is like a line of people crossing a wide stream by leaping onto a rock so small that it can only hold one person," he said. "They are forced to cross the stream one at a time. These double quantum dots are zero-dimensional as far as the electrons are concerned - they are trapped in all three spatial dimensions.

"The researchers fabricated the double quantum dots from extremely thin nanowires (about 50 nanometers, or a billionth of a meter, in diameter) made of a semiconductor material called indium arsenide. They patterned the indium arsenide wires over other even smaller metal wires that act as gate electrodes, which control the energy levels in the dots.To construct the maser, they placed the two double dots about 6 millimeters apart in a cavity made of a superconducting material, niobium, which requires a temperature near absolute zero, around minus 459 degrees Fahrenheit. "This is the first time that the team at Princeton has demonstrated that there is a connection between two double quantum dots separated by nearly a centimeter, a substantial distance," Taylor said.

When the device was switched on, electrons flowed single-file through each double quantum dot, causing them to emit photons in the microwave region of the spectrum. These photons then bounced off mirrors at each end of the cavity to build into a coherent beam of microwave light.One advantage of the new maser is that the energy levels inside the dots can be fine-tuned

to produce light at other frequencies, which cannot be done with other semiconductor lasers in which the frequency is fixed during manufacturing, Petta said.

The larger the energy difference between the two levels, the higher the frequency of light emitted.Claire Gmachl, who was not involved in the research and is Princeton's Eugene Higgins Professor of Electrical Engineering and a pioneer in the field of semiconductor lasers, said that because lasers, masers and other forms of coherent light sources are used in communications, sensing, medicine and many other aspects of modern life, the study is an important one."In this paper the researchers dig down deep into the fundamental interaction between light and the moving electron," Gmachl said.

"The double quantum dot allows them full control over the motion of even a single electron, and in return they show how the coherent microwave field is created and amplified. Learning to control these fundamental light-matter interaction processes will help in the future development of light sources."The paper, Semiconductor double quantum dot micromaser, was published in the journal Science. The research was supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency QuEST, and the Army Research Office. http://www.domain-b.com/technology/20150128_computing.html

Asia Rice-Prices weak ahead of Thai tender, Vietnamese harvest Wed Jan 28, 2015 2:06pm IST * Thailand's govt to sell up to 1 mln tonnes in tender * Vietnamese prices hit 15-month low * Prices fall before major harvest

By Ho Binh Minh HANOI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Trading in Asia's main rice markets was almost at a standstill this week, with prices falling to 15-month lows in Vietnam ahead of the country's main harvest and traders watching out for a big tender of grain from government stockpiles in Thailand.Thailand was the world's top rice exporter in 2014, followed by India and Vietnam.The Thai government is looking to sell about 1 million tonnes on Thursday, equivalent to about 10 percent of the country's exports in a normal year.The Thai government has been struggling to offload some 17 million tonnes of rice in its stockpiles, which were built up under the previous administration's buying programme.

"The government is willing to sell the remaining rice stock at a more affordable price, so the market is monitoring whether the price will be lower than what's being offered right now," a Thai trader said, adding private firms were interested in the tender.Prices at the tender would be used as a reference in the market, a Vietnamese trader said.Thai benchmark 5 percent broken rice was quoted at $415 a tonne, free on board, down from $416 a tonne the previous day and compared with $405-$416 a week ago.In Vietnam, 5 percent broken rice fell to the lowest in more than 15

months, touching $360-$370 a tonne on Wednesday, FOB, versus $370-$380 a week ago.The 25 percent broken rice fell to $340-$350 a tonne from $350-$360.

"China has yet to buy. Maybe they will start purchases in March," a Vietnamese trader said of Vietnam's biggest rice buyer. "Africa is also not buying anew thanks to high stocks."Vietnamese prices are the same as or above those offered by Pakistan, making it difficult to compete with the South Asian country for sales to Africa, he said.Prices have not been helped by news that the Philippines planned to import up to 500,000 tonnes for delivery between March and May to boost stockpiles.Vietnam will harvest the winter-spring crop, its biggest, from late next month and prices are expected to ease further.Thailand could export a record 11 million tonnes of rice in 2015, followed by India with 8.2 million and Vietnam with 6.9 million, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has projected.Rice exports from the three countries account for more than 60 percent of global trade. (Additional reporting by Pairat Temphairojana in Bangkok; Editing by Alan Raybould)

500,000-MT rice import eyed for shipment March January 28, 2015

The Philippines plans to import up to 500,000 tonnes of rice for deliveries starting in March to boost its stockpiles ahead of the lean harvest season, government and trade sources said.The state grains procurement agency, National Food Authority (NFA), wants the shipments to arrive in two batches of 200,000 tonnes and one for 100,000 tonnes, to be completed by May, a government official with knowledge of the plan told Reuters.The official, who is not authorized to speak to the media about the plan, said the NFA might go for a government-to-government deal, similar to transactions last year with Vietnam and Thailand.Local rice traders, however, are hoping the NFA will give them import permits for the planned purchases, which are tariff-free, a Manila-based trader told Reuters.

Fresh demand from the Philippines could give a boost to falling rice prices in top producers and sellers Thailand and Vietnam, the Philippines’ key suppliers.The Philippines usually buys rice early in the year to prepare for the lean harvest season that begins in July.Private traders have been allowed to import up to 187,000 tonnes of rice this year, with tariffs as high as 35 percent, under the government’s Minimum Access Volume – Omnibus Rice Importation program.Despite record-high domestic harvests in recent years, including last year’s output, the Philippines remains one of the world’s biggest rice buyers.

The Philippines bought more than 1.8 million tonnes from Vietnam and Thailand after Super Typhoon Haiyan destroyed crops in November 2013, prompting the government to release supplies from state stockpiles for relief operations and to arrest the sharp increase in local retail prices.Last year’s rice purchases by the Philippines were the biggest in the last four years. This year’s imports may hit 1.6 million tonnes, based on a forecast by the United States Department of Agriculture.The government official said, however, that this year’s imports may be less than 1 million tonnes as local retail prices have eased from the record highs seen at mid-2014.Secretary

Francis Pangilinan, the country’s food security chief and chairman of the NFA Council, would give no detail on any rice import plans and said that the media should “wait for the official announcement.” http://www.mb.com.ph/500000-mt-rice-import-eyed-for-shipment-march/

Libya still in talks buy 50,000 T wheat, 25,000 T rice- trade Reuters Middle East HAMBURG, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A Libyan state grain buying agency is still in talks on international tenders to buy 50,000 tonnes of milling wheat and 25,000 tonnes of rice but payment issues due to political turmoil have prevented a deal, European traders said on Wednesday.The agency issued the tenders on Jan. 14 and no purchases have yet been made, traders said.Two governments allied to armed factions are vying for control of Libya four years after the toppling of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The United Nations and Western powers do not recognise the administration which controls ministries in Tripoli."I was offered payment in the tender from a bank in Tunisia which did not work out," one European grain trader said. "Another offer is being made with funds from a large bank in Tripoli."Another trader added: "They still want to buy but the payment problems are hindering a sale. A new payment offer is being made.

"Wheat with 12 percent protein content was sought in the tender, they said. It is possible that a combination of 25,000 tonnes of wheat flour and 25,000 tonnes of wheat could be purchased, all for shipment to Tobruk, traders said.The white rice was sought in 25 kg bags with a maximum 5 percent broken grain content, they said.Libyan wheat purchases have been restrained in recent months, despite the country's large import requirements, with the conflict in the country disrupting ports and commercial activity. (Reporting by Michael Hogan, editing by David Evans) https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/libya-still-talks-buy-50-000-t-wheat-151452573--business.html

NFA mulls more incentives for rice farmers

By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 29, 2015 - 12:00am

NFA rice File photo MANILA, Philippines - State-run National Food Authority (NFA) is reviewing the incentives that could be provided to farmers to sell their palay (unmilled rice) to the agency, NFA administrator Renan Dalisay said yesterday.

He said the agency currently procures the equivalent of seven to eight percent of the total domestic rice production. Last year, domestic rice production reached 18.97 million MT. The NFA buys clean and dry palay at P17 per kilogram, providing additional incentives such as graduated delivery fee of up to a maximum P0.50 per kilogram, drying incentive fee of P0.20 per kilogram, and Cooperative Development Incentive Fund assistance of P0.30 per kilogram.

As of the second week of January, the average farmgate price of palay has been placed at P18.90 per kilogram, making it more attractive for farmers to sell their produce to traders.Dalisay said that while the palay buying price of NFA rice cannot be lowered, other incentives are being studied such as the provision of health insurance to farmers that would conform to NFA buying standards.“We are reviewing the provision of other incentives such as Philhealth insurance for farmers to sell to NFA,� he said.

The NFA currently imports most of the rice requirement for buffer stocking. This year, the state grains procurement agency may import between 500,000 metric tons (MT) to 600,000 MT of rice.The NFA Council still has to a decide on the import specifications.The NFA yesterday launched the Bantay Bigas initiative with civic organization Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership.The initiative aims to constantly monitor the prices and movement of commercial rice and NFA rice sold at various markets nationwide.

The movement also seeks to enjoin other civic society groups and local government units in monitoring the price and availability of commercial and NFA rice in various selling points.The participants, said food security chief Francis Pangilinan, would ultimately help the agency assess the status of ice supply in the country.In a related development, the NFA assured the public that no substandard rice from Thailand has entered the country after the completion of deliveries of orders in December.

The Philippines, in October 2014, awarded the supply contract for the importation of 500,000 MT of rice from Vietnam and Thailand, out of which, 300,000 MT came from Thailand.In the last quarter of 2014, around 90 percent of the Thai government’s rice stocks have been found to be of substandard quality.Dalisay said, however, that Thai rice exports to the Philippines have undergone strict quality control measures to eliminate exports not fit for consumption.He noted

that “ a minimal volume” of substandard rice that arrived in the country had been sent back to suppliers. http://www.philstar.com:8080/business/2015/01/29/1417777/nfa-mulls-more-incentives-ricefarmers#sthash.FZyJXCeu.dpuf

Efficient rice farming to curb emissions VietnamNet Wednesday 28 January 2015

New water- and cost-efficient farming techniques will allow Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in wet rice production by 15 to 20 per cent by 2020, said Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Institute for Agricultural Environment.Trinh was speaking at a recent conference on the first phase of the Project on Reduced CH4 Emissions in Wet Rice Cultivation in Vietnam, jointly held by his institute and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute in Hanoi.

To achieve the target, the ministry will use the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a plan in which farmers will increase productivity, quality and economic effectiveness, while reducing pesticides and nitrogenous fertilisers, he said.In addition to these measures, the ministry will also encourage farmers to use green production methods. The sector will also apply Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in cultivation, which means using techniques that consume less fertilisers and water, employing better land preparation techniques and reducing methane emissions.Another technology mentioned at the conference was Alternative Wetting Drying (AWD).

“Actually, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice growing, the institute has tried AWD while implementing a project on reducing CH4 emissions in wet rice cultivation,” Trinh said, adding that AWD is no longer strange to rice growers in Vietnam, as it has already been incorporated in several other programmes, including SRI.Vu Duong Quynh, the project coordinator, said a major challenge with SRI is water management. Most problems are caused by the unfavourable terrain in many areas, fragmented rice fields and a lack of cooperation between irrigation staff and farmers. This is especially troublesome considering the fact that efficient irrigation is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To overcome these difficulties, Quynh said that in its first phase, from October 2014 to June 2016, the project intends to collect lessons learnt from efficient irrigation models and to gather data on land and infrastructure in each province, to make a water-efficient irrigation map.“When

looking at this map, one can read out which province can apply AWD, as not all types of land are suitable for this technology,” Quynh said. In the second phase, the project will incorporate other technologies. http://www.eco-business.com/news/efficient-rice-farming-curb-emissions/

Efficient rice farming to curb emissions VietnamNet Wednesday 28 January 2015

New water- and cost-efficient farming techniques will allow Vietnam to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in wet rice production by 15 to 20 per cent by 2020, said Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Institute for Agricultural Environment.Trinh was speaking at a recent conference on the first phase of the Project on Reduced CH4 Emissions in Wet Rice Cultivation in Vietnam, jointly held by his institute and the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute in Hanoi.

To achieve the target, the ministry will use the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), a plan in which farmers will increase productivity, quality and economic effectiveness, while reducing pesticides and nitrogenous fertilisers, he said.In addition to these measures, the ministry will also encourage farmers to use green production methods. The sector will also apply Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in cultivation, which means using techniques that consume less fertilisers and water, employing better land preparation techniques and reducing methane emissions.Another technology mentioned at the conference was Alternative Wetting Drying (AWD).

“Actually, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in rice growing, the institute has tried AWD while implementing a project on reducing CH4 emissions in wet rice cultivation,” Trinh said, adding that AWD is no longer strange to rice growers in Vietnam, as it has already been incorporated in several other programmes, including SRI.Vu Duong Quynh, the project coordinator, said a major challenge with SRI is water management. Most problems are caused by the unfavourable terrain in many areas, fragmented rice fields and a lack of cooperation between irrigation staff and farmers. This is especially troublesome considering the fact that efficient irrigation is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To overcome these difficulties, Quynh said that in its first phase, from October 2014 to June 2016, the project intends to collect lessons learnt from efficient irrigation models and to gather data on land and infrastructure in each province, to make a water-efficient irrigation map.“When

looking at this map, one can read out which province can apply AWD, as not all types of land are suitable for this technology,� Quynh said. In the second phase, the project will incorporate other technologies. http://www.eco-business.com/news/efficient-rice-farming-curb-emissions/

Nigeria: Investors and Abuse of Rice Import Quotas EDITORIAL THE allegations of sabotage of Federal Government's rice policy by some investors deserve thorough investigations and sanctions where applicable. Attempting to get around rules and regulations at the expense of the consumers is bad enough, but the alleged loss of a huge sum of N36.56 billion by the government over exceeded import quotas is highly unacceptable and stands condemned. Upon confirmation of this economic sabotage by any so-called investor, prosecution of culprits is a necessity as a deterrent to other saboteurs. Nigeria's economy, it must be proven to all, is not for sale or easy manipulation.

The probe should be thorough and conclusive to reveal the culpability of the investors given that their association has strongly expressed reservations about the accusations levelled against the members by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adesina. It will, therefore, be dignifying for the minister to address one of the rice investors' groups' claim of information gap in the ministry, which might have misled the minister to go public with the allegation.Fair enough, the contentious rice plan is seen as a flagship policy in the agricultural sector, aimed at bridging the gap between mass importation of rice and local production which Nigerians have clamoured for over the years to reduce pressure on available foreign exchange.

Government has clearly expressed its commitment to the success of the programme with 2017 as target date for bringing the national supply gap down to zero from its present 1.5 metric tonnes (MT).

Investors should, therefore, work to buy into this policy direction if they would not open themselves up to accusations of being interested only in fleecing the Nigerian economy.The minister had accused some 'foreign' investors of exceeding their preferential allocation quotas thereby incurring N36.56b debts on the treasury. This is a serious indictment. Government also threatened to come hard on importers who re-bag locally produced rice as imported products while enjoying waivers. Citing data from the Nigeria Customs Service, the ministry claimed it identified culprits among the companies that imported 634,270.16 MT of rice representing 56 per cent of the total imported finished rice under the new policy as at early December, 2014 - far in excess of approved quota, to shortchange the treasury.

Two of the companies charged and listed as 'Asian companies' are allegedly in default by N28.39 billion and were alleged to have written to the minister for a revision of the quotas to cover the quantity ordered but without approved quotas or Domestic Rice Production Plans (DRPP) as required. Only a mere agreement with the Customs to pay the duties and levies once quota allocations from the inter-ministerial committee are out cleared the way. Why then is the process open to such abuse?

Normally, a conditional approval is always given once the request is supported by a DRPP bond to guarantee commitment to domestic investments in production and processing. Failure to execute on the plans leads to a call on the bond. Unambiguous as the official explanation and the need for the minister to defend the country's integrity may seem, an instant reaction four days later by a certain association, The Nigerian Rice Millers Association (NRMA), is bound to raise eyebrows about the official claims. Curiously, five days after NRMA went public with reservations, another group, Nigerian Rice Investors Group (NRIG) countered NRMA's claims in support of the minister, calling the other group a "fictitious organisation."

The development has thus become a media war, which is totally uncalled for. Culpability of any of the parties should become a public issue only after a conclusive investigation of claims, harmonization of positions, especially since the affected debtors claimed the Customs was yet to communicate financial obligations to them. Strengthening their argument, NRMA, which cited "gaps in information," said the surplus arose from a released quota allocation six months after a circular to that effect in May 2014 by the Minister of Finance titled "2014-2017 fiscal policy measures on rice." Investors claimed to have depended upon that to import products. It also alleged that the minster's letter of November 27, 2014 received early December imposed the bond "without consultation with stakeholders" besides the retroactive levy imposition. An indication of a long-drawn battle over the matter was given by NRMA, which then said debts are "misconceived and baseless."

Certainly, some gaps are evident in the whole saga, and the information minister has to clarify the status of those investors laying claim to recognition. Also, he has to be open about the identity of the defaulters he merely described as "Asian countries" and "Asian companies" especially as NRMA denied this, saying its members are "duly registered and are operating legally as prominent rice millers, farmers and importers".Evidently too, NRMA and NRIG are in a superiority battle even though the NRIG seems a latter-day entrant into the industry going by its claim of maiden meeting in December. And it must be established if the NRMA is a fictitious organisation as NRIG claims! How far has it been dealing with the ministry? Was there any correspondence between the minister and NRMA pre-December quota raise?

From the claims and counter-claims, it is apparent that confidence level in the system is very low and the entire process is more than a little opaque. An inter-ministerial committee should intervene and investigate all claims and show fairness to all sides in bringing out the truth. More

important, all loopholes must be plugged, the losses to the country must be recouped and the system re-organised. http://allafrica.com/stories/201501281489.html

Plans are underway to control the prices of paddy and rice.

Wednesday, 28 January 2015 20:38

The government plans to control the price of paddy and rice to provide justification for the consumer as well as the farmer. The government has decided to maintain a guaranteed price of 50 rupees per kilo of paddy. Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said that the government will also mediate to prevent the increase of price of rice in the market. He said that concessions will be given to the rice millers as well. The minister said that these concessions will be introduced in respect of their electricity bills and for the bank loans taken by them. http://www.slbc.lk/index.php/component/content/article/1-latest-news/23486--plans-areunderway-to-control-the-prices-of-paddy-and-rice.html

Missouri's Smith Questions USTR Froman on Rice Trade Rep. Smith (l) receives 'Friend of Rice' award from MO producer Paul Combs at 2014 GAC WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Jason Smith (R-MO), for whom rice is an important issue, took the opportunity to ask a pointed rice question of U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, who was testifying before the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday on expanding export markets for American-made goods and services, trade agreements currently under negotiation, and Trade Promotion Authority. Smith, a newly appointed member of the Committee, reminded attendees that his district is one of the most agriculturally diverse in the nation, growing everything but citrus and sugar. And lots of rice.

"Congressman Smith is committed to helping farmers find and develop markets for their commodities and he has been very helpful in key trade issues, most recently in Iraq and Cuba," said Betsy Ward, President & CEO of the USA Rice Federation. "We're pleased he stressed the

importance of developing this market to Ambassador Froman.""Before the 1962 embargo, Cuba was the number one importer of U.S. rice," Smith said to Ambassador Froman during the hearing. "Cuba is currently the second largest importer of rice in the Americas. What do you think the benefits of normalizing relations with Cuba would be to the U.S. agricultural community, and crops like rice?"

While Ambassador Froman said he would look into the specifics and follow up with the Congressman, USA Rice is well aware of how important normal commercial relations are between the U.S. and Cuba."A normalized commercial relationship is vital to growing the Cuban economy to a place where they can import U.S. products, like rice," said Ward.

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444 USA Rice Federation

Ag Interests Frustrated by West Coast Port Slowdowns WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice Federation, along with more than 90 groups representing food, agriculture, and trade, released an open letter expressing "deep disappointment" that unresolved contract negotiations between the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union are causing shipping slowdowns at West Coast ports. The letter asks that the two parties "resolve their differences as quickly as possible" and also urges "the federal government to consider all available remedies to bring this dispute to a rapid end.

"Last May, the parties began negotiating a new six-year contract covering 29 West Coast container ports in anticipation of the July 2014 expiration of the previous contract. After nine months and no resolution, the parties recently requested the assistance of a federal mediator. The West Coast port strike is a concern in California, causing delays and significant additional costs.

Typically up to half of the California rice crop is exported and more than half of that is in containers. "As these negotiations drag on, the movement of commerce slows," said USA Rice COO Bob Cummings. "We are concerned that these delays have a direct effect on export sales for rice and so we joined with others encouraging a quick settlement that will allow everyone to get back to work."

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

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 decreased $0.27 per cwt for both long grain and medium/short grain.

World Price

MLG/LDP Rate

Milled Value ($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Rough ($/cwt)

Long-Grain

16.33

10.36

0.00

Medium-/ShortGrain

15.79

10.63

0.00

Brokens

9.85

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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

55.83/12.59

6.50

Medium-/Short-Grain

62.39/7.92

6.50

The next program announcement is scheduled for February 4.

USA Rice Federation

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for January 28 Month

Price

Net Change

March 2015

$10.735

- $0.235

May 2015

$10.985

- $0.240

July 2015

$11.200

- $0.265

September 2015

$10.880

- $0.265

November 2015

$10.980

- $0.265

January 2016

$11.070

- $0.265

March 2016

$11.070

- $0.265

USA Rice Federation

California Montna Rice Farm California produces a major portion of the rice that’s grown in

America. This meets a growing demand for the grain in not only domestic use, but in meeting the needs for rice sold overseas. The Montna family has been growing rice in the Sacramento Valley for generations. The Montna rice fields provide the ground on which the crop is raised and provides an important watershed for birds in the region. The family farm floods its fields every year to break down the straw from the last harvest. Those flooded fields provide habitat for tens of thousands of waterfowl who make their way north and south in the Pacific Flyway. The Montnas consider their environmental efforts as critical to protecting the land that sustains their farming family. http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_1019/ca_montna_rice_farm.htm