28th october,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

28th October, 2014

Today’s News Headlines…  Exporting rice when imports going up  CCMB bags CSIR award; recognition for senior scientist Rakesh Mishra  How can government lower food prices in the Philippines?  Drones to study rice in Philippines  Imports of consumer goods and capital machinery increase  Review: Nobahar Chai Khana is missing the signature Persian aroma  Ebola threat hits rice export from Kakinada port  SunRice wins Premier‘s NSW Export Award  Special Report: Thailand hosts 4th International Rice Congress to ensure global food security  Centre reduces milling charges  USA Rice Cooks Up Promotions in Colombia  Thai rice audit shows 70 pct of stocks deteriorating  Second Green Revolution seeks to leave no farmer behind  Yellow Rails and Rice Festival set for Oct. 29-Nov. 2  Horizon Ag prepping high-amylose content rice for market  Farm Bill revision shakes up America  Commerce Min: Latest round of rice auction fetches good prices  NACC near conclusion with G2G rice deal scandal  TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi- October 28  Rice Exports From India Seen Plunging 30% as Harvest Contracts  Rice exports from India seen plunging 30% as harvest contracts  Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 28  Nigeria to become rice exporter by 2017 FG  How big data is helping farmers save millions  Government to export rice to Sri Lanka at $450 per tonne

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News Detail….

Exporting rice when imports going up Shaikh Abdullah, bdnews24.com Published: 2014-10-28 00:27:02.0 BdST Updated: 2014-10-28 00:52:49.0 BdST Bangladesh is going to export coarse rice at a time when imports of the staple cereal is on the rise.

Food Minister Quamrul Islam on Monday said at the Secretariat that Bangladesh was exporting 50,000 tonnes rice to Sri Lanka.However, latest import statistics available at the central bank show imports of rice increased in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, beginning on July 1 over same previous period.They show imports of other commodities are also on the rise.

For import of rice businessmen opened letters of credit (LCs) amounting to $103.63 million in July-Sept period, when LCs worth Tk $90.07 million were settled.Opening of LC was 56 percent higher than in the same period last year.During July-Sept last FY, LCs amounting to $66.43 million were opened and $50.92 million settled for rice import.Islam, while talking to reporters after a meeting of food planning committee, said process of rice exports to Sri Lanka would begin in 10-15 days.

The Cabinet on Sept 18 gave go-ahead to rice exports.Though Bangladesh exports aromatic rice on a limited scale, overseas sale of coarse

rice is going to happen for the first time.Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) former research director M Asaduzzaman said rice exports were taking place at the government level but imports were happening at the private level.He said: ―Production of coarse rice has increased, but its demand declined. That‘s why the government can export (rice). ‖Asked about the reasons for the decline in domestic demand for coarse rice, Asaduzzaman said: ―People‘s income has risen. That‘s why they are purchasing better quality rice.‖He said the rice which is being imported now is of fine variety.Imports of commodities other than rice also went up in the first quarter of the current FY.According to the Bangladesh Bank report, businessmen opened LCs worth $10.83 billion during the period for imports of commodity.

That is 12.81 percent up over the amount during the same period last year.

CCMB bags CSIR award; recognition for senior scientist Rakesh Mishra G Naga Sridhar Hyderabad, Oct 28: The city-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the Directorate of Rice Research (DRR) have bagged the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) award for innovations in rural development. Disclosing this at a press conference here on Tuesday, CCMB Director Ch. Mohan Rao said the award was given for the contribution of the two institutes towards innovation of the improved Samba Mahsuri variant of rice, with resistance to bacterial blight and promotion of its cultivation.

In addition, Rakesh Mishra, Senior Principal Scientist at CCMB, has been elected Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) for his contributions in science and epigenetics.

(This article was published on October 28, 2014)

How can government lower food prices in the Philippines?

by Jodesz Gavilan Posted on 10/26/2014 10:03 PM | Updated 10/27/2014 6:38 PM FOOD SECURITY. Food security is important in attaining zero hunger. File photo by Fritzie Rodriguez/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – In a country that is agricultural and rich in marine resources, why are millions getting hungry? High food prices are among the culprits.―In the Philippines, food is really expensive. We are even the most costly among ASEAN countries,‖ former Bureau of Agricultural Research director Dr Eliseo Ponce said recently during a round table discussion hosted by the University of Philippines Los Baños‘ Interdisciplinary Studies Center on Food Security.

So what makes food so expensive in the Philippines? (READ: Patas o Pataas: A look at food price hikes) Ponce concludes it's the lack of framework in policy building, outdated administrative guidelines, inadequate infrastructures, and

abusive middlemen that are behind the country's food prices hike.So he suggests: in order to attain stability in food commodities, the government should be able to handle well the following situations: 

Natural calamities

Bad weather conditions already make it hard for farmers and fisherfolk to continue with their livelihood. So when natural calamities hit the country, the agricultural sector is first to suffer and is usually the worst hit.

(READ: Empowering farmers against climate change) During Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) alone, the damage to the rice sector hit almost P3.2 billion ($72.73 million)*.With less harvests due to disasters, sellers are forced to hike the price of goods.What is disheartening, based on recent data from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), is that the farmers and fisherfolk often get the lowest cut from the profit; a chunk goes to the middlemen. (READ: Preserving the tradition of heirloom rice in the Cordilleras) 

Production costs and low productivity

The high cost of energy, transportation, and labor in food production is passed on to the consumers, if producers are to make any profits. So it is important to prioritize projects that can lessen the costs of the process. For example, farm-to-market roads should be properly built with adequate materials. (READ: Farm-to-market roads: A farmer's journey) 

Limitations in land resources

The urbanization of several areas in the Philippines – especially in regions with the most fertile land for agriculture – has contributed to the decrease in productivity.

Visayas Newsbits for October 28, 2014 October 27, 2014

As a consequence, food prices increase.

(READ: PH agriculture: Why is it important?)

Proper land use maximizes resources and empower the agriculture secto. This, said the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), would help the economy and even alleviate poverty.

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE. Women contribute greatly to both national and household food security, and yet their efforts are left 'invisible and undervalued,' says the FAO. File photo by Fritzie Rodriguez/Rappler.com Clear policy needed Ponce said government needs to ―set a clear and national policy on food and nutrition security‖ to end hunger in the country.

(READ: How food insecurity threatens us) In addition, the Department of Agriculture should be transformed into a ―lean and mean‖ machine that will limit its function in order to focus on improving food security in the Philippines.―Without a properly working DA, we can give and give budget to the department and nothing good will come out of it,‖ he added.The 16th Congress is set to tackle the Zero Hunger Bill, which seeks to set a framework for comprehensive policies that will end hunger in the Philippines (READ: PH Zero hunger bill to take center stage) – Rappler.com *US$1 = P44

UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHERS IN SOGOD BAY Maasin City, Southern Leyte (PIA) — International underwater photographers will converge in the vast expanse of Sogod Bay in early December this year. Provincial Tourism Officer Nedgar Garvez said as much as 100 international underwater photographers will converge in the vast expanse of Sogod Bay December 1-5 this year for an Underwater International Photo Workshop and boost the province‘s dive tourism potentials.

The occasion will promote, as well, Sogod Bay‘s attributes in attracting more divers from overseas. Sogod Bay has been listed as a top dive site among divers‘ circles and dive magazines. At the 1st Provincial Tourism Summit here in September, Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Karen Tiopes cited the dive site‘s potentials and said its promotions is a priority of the agency in cooperation with the provincial local government unit.

Pictures from the five-day workshop will be posted in the internet and the photographers‘ blogs and highlight Sogod Bay as an ideal world-class dive destination.

KOREAN-FUNDED BENEFITS FARMERS

PROJECT

Iloilo City (PIA)—The Sinibaan Farmers Association (SFA) in Brgy. Sinibaan, Dingle, Iloilo will be the first recipient of quality seeds produced by the Department of Agriculture 6 – Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Reseach Center (DA 6-

WESVIARC) in Hamungaya, Jaro, Iloilo City.

The production of quality seeds such as PSB Rc 14 and NSIC Rc 214 in WESVIARC‘s 2.5-hectare demonstration farm was funded by the Korea Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA) under its collaborative ―Seed Multiplication and Dissemination of Promising Rice Cultivars in the Philippines‖ project with the Philippine Rice Research Institute. KOPIA, set up in 2009, is run by the Rural Development Administration of South Korea to continue its agricultural cooperation with developing nations through technological support and the codevelopment of resources.

It has centers in ten countries including the Philippines located at PhilRice in Nueva Ecija. SFA President Marlyn Daquilanea and SFA members recently attended the KOPIA Seed Production Project Farmers Field Day in WESVIARC. They were joined by a South Korean delegation including RDA and KOPIA officers, as well as farmers from San Miguel, Zarraga, Cabatuan, and Barotac Nuevo towns and Passi City.

ANTIQUEÑO STATISTICS QUIZ CHAMPS San Jose, Antique (PIA)—Contestants from this province topped the recent Regional Statistical Quiz high school level contest held at the National Economic and Development Authority office in Iloilo City. Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC) Juliana O. Cepe said the recent regional activity was conducted to mark National Statistics Month and was participated in by some 23 high school teams from various provinces in Region VI.

The Antique National School team bagged the championship title, followed by Philippine Science High School, Iloilo City; and Iloilo‘s Hua Siong College. Cepe said that ―was the second time that Antique National School bagged the championship title. They first won the title in 2010.‖ The winners will be given recognition on October 29 during the NSM culmination program in this city.

GREEN CONSUMERISM IN SIQUIJOR Siquijor (PIA)—The Department of Trade and Industry is bringing its Green Consumerism advocacy through a series of forums through the province. Dubbed ‗Consumerism on the walk – Green Campaign On Consumerism and Marketing,‖ the information drive aims to provide consumers and the business sector here with a better understanding on consumerism, green consumerism, and green marketing.

DTI Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio said, ―We hope to give helpful insights on how greening affects energy and environment conservation.‖ Along with the DTI in this project are the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Information Agency, and the Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative.

Drones to study rice in Philippines Monday, 27 October 2014 10:31

The Philippines may use drones as monitoring instrument to help researchers gather accurate data and efficiently study rice Drone will help reduce cost in multi-location monitoring and trials. (Image source: PhilRice)

Published: 2014-10-27 20:21:56.0 BdST Updated: 2014-10-27 20:21:56.0 BdST Consumer and capital goods imports have increased in the first quarter of FY 2014-15, according to the central bank.

Roger Barroga, leading the study on Future Rice Program in Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), said that a training programme on drone technology will be conducted following its recent introduction in October 2014.To be implemented next year, the training programme will highlight flight tutorials and application of the drone‘s features.The technology features a highdefinition camera, flight stabiliser and global positioning system (GPS) that allows users to programme its flight path. It can fly for eight to 10 minutes and can travel up to a maximum distance of two km.Barroga said that the technology can be maximised for research activities such as data collection, tracking growth patterns, pests and nutrient management.

Meanwhile, Dindo Tabanao, head of PhilRice plant breeding and biotechnology division, added that in a wider scale, drone can be used to inspect damages during calamities, monitor rice fields during crop establishment, and assess real time conditions in cyclone-hit areas.Researchers also said that the device can help reduce cost in multi-location monitoring and trials.―We will further explore the technology‘s features so researchers could spend their time efficiently,‖ Tabanao added.The drone is available for sale in the country for US$559.

Bangladesh Bank in a media statement on Monday said total value of import Letter of Credits (LCs) opened was worth $10.834 billion – a 12.81 percent increase during JulSept from the previous year.At the end of the first quarter, values of import LCs opened for rice, wheat, sugar and pulses were $103.63 million, $378.54 million, $231.95 million and $116.79 million respectively.

The data indicate a 56 percent increase in LCs opened for rice, a 46.04 percent increase for sugar and an 89.10 percent growth in LCs opened for pulses from the same period of the previous year.In addition, value of LCs opened for capital machinery has also increased by 9.82 percent.

In that period, imports of synthetic fibre, raw cotton, yarn, textile fabrics, and accessories for garments have also risen significantly.Values of LCs opened for yarn and synthetic fibre have registered 31.57 percent and 38.84 percent increase.

Review: Nobahar Chai Khana is missing the signature Persian aroma

By Kiran Afzal Published about 8 hours ago

Imports of consumer goods and capital machinery increase

Review: Nobahar Chai Khana is missing the signature Persian aroma

Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com

By Kiran Afzal

Published about 8 hours ago

It was with much trepidation that I approached Nobahar Chai Khana located at Bungalow number 76 at Old Clifton, the site of the now closed Café 76. The name makes it sound like a desi chai hotel and their Facebook page calls it a Persian restaurant but the menu is continental. And even though it is experimental, with a photocopied piece of paper serving as the menu, the Persian dishes had been getting rave reviews on social media, so that was what we decided to try. Plus given the option between ‗not another‘ version of chicken tarragon, trying out something new was the obvious choice.

— Nobahar Chai Khana's official Facebook page.

There are two dining areas to the restaurant — one is the well-lit but small indoor seating where we sat and the other the much more popular scenic outdoor seating, with the added bonus of sheesha servings.

Popular scenic outdoor seating, where sheesha is also served. — Photo by author.The indoor area is done all in white.

It comprises of seven tables tucked in close together with yellow lighting and ethnic

ornaments creating a cozy rustic atmosphere. Block-printed black & white tablecloths, glazed ceramic tea light centrepieces on each table and Mughal inspired tapestries on the walls contribute to the traditional feel and add the much needed colour as well.

The well-lit indoor seating area at Nobahar. — Photo by author.

The menu at Nobahar Chai Khana. — Photo by author.

Mention Persian food in Karachi, and Chelow kabab is the first thing that people talk about! So it might come as a surprise to find that it's not on the menu. There is, however, an explanation — Chelow Kebab (considered the national dish of Iran) is a style of dish comprising of saffron flavoured Basmati rice served with different varieties of kebabs (Koobideh, Joojeh, Soltani etc).

With the menu containing no detailed descriptions — it was either Persian or a skewer a grilled meat — the safest bet was to go with the waiters' recommendation. We ordered a mix of kebabs with Zafrani rice and Mast-o-khiar yoghurt. We also decided to stick to chicken and beef and skipped the lamb because of its distinct taste which the waiter thought we might not like.

After about 30 minutes from ordering, it was the start of the Persian feast with the waiters first coming in with the sides — Zafrani rice

with butter on the side and Mast-oh-Khair (yoghurt dip).

Zafrani rice served with butter on the side.

— Photo by author.

cut with the sumac, providing a lovely tart contrast.Another dish we enjoyed was the seekh kebab koobideh, with the preferred version being chicken. We had ordered the Zafrani version of the beef koobideh, but it had none of the unmistakable aroma associated with saffron.

Beef seekh kebab koobideh. — Photo by author.

The boneless grilled chicken in the platter and the joojeh kebab were our least

Then proceeded the meat fest starting with the chicken entrees, Irani seekh kebab koobideh and Irani chicken tikkah (or joojeh kebab) followed by Zafrani seekh kebab koobideh in beef, and then the Special Mix Bakhtiari consisting of skewers of boneless beef and chicken pieces served with grilled tomatoes, lemons, slices of raw onion and a bunch of coriander on the side.

The platters were huge enough for the waiter to join two tables to fit the food, but a creative demonstration of negative white space resulted in average sized servings. I wish we had been served in bigger plates — the starter plates given for eating made maneuvering the meat and sides quite difficult.

Chicken joojeh kebab and chicken seekh kebab koobideh. — Photos by author.

There is minimal use of spices in Persian food, thus what one tastes is the actual flavour of the meat.

Liberally sprinkled with sumac, the boneless beef from the mix platter was what all of us loved the most — it was juicy and easy to

favourite items. Joojeh kebab is known for moist and flavourful chicken pieces, coloured a bright saffron orange with charred grill marks. Unfortunately, the chicken was dry and with none of the characteristic exterior.

Mix Bakhtiari. — Photo by author.

The Zafrani rice was another disappointment — yellow coloured rice with not a smidgen of saffron flavour or aroma. The accompanying pat of butter that should have

added that extra layer of richness, had to be added to counter the dryness. However, the Mast-o-Khair was delicious — a Persian version of our cucumber raita, the tangy yoghurt dip balanced with the sweet raisins was a necessary side for the meat and dry rice.

Mint lemonade available at Nobahar. — Photo by autho r.

With run of the mill conti nenta l food being done by almost every eatery in town, the Persian menu at Nobahar Chai Khana has the potential to develop a niche following. The outdoor seating in the Karachi breeze is the perfect foil for comforting dishes like Khoresh (Persian stew), Ash (thick Iranian soup) eaten with fresh bread which would be the logical addition if this is turned into a complete Persian outlet; the sheesha being an added bonus.

How ever, they need to work more on restaurant concept and soon because the current word of mouth is leading to divergent opinions; and a deserted Facebook page only adds to the confusion of diners looking for answers.

At almost Rs 1,700/head, the bill was on the higher side, and might not be considered value for money as the food was missing the signature Persian aroma and the chicken didn‘t have the melt in the mouth experience that is the hallmark of a good BBQ. Though the dishes were the usual 700 per entrée, paying separately for standard accompaniments (rice, yoghurt and salad) added to the final bill.

Eating at this outlet, one might end up making the inevitable comparison to Café Subhani in Saddar where a complete meal costs around Rs 500/head. Hygiene, ambiance and a convenient location are positives for Nobahar Chai Khana, but one would only be willing to pay a thousand rupees extra if the taste is absolutely sublime

Ebola threat hits rice export from Kakinada port DC CORRESPONDENT | October 28, 2014, 01.10 am IST Ebola Virus. (Photo: visualphotos.com)

KAKINADA : Rice exports from the Kakinada port have suffered a setback due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, and also due to stiff competition from countries like Pakistan and Thailand.Almost 98 per cent of rice exports from the

Kakinada port are bound for African countries. However, most European vessels are not showing any interest in going to the African countries because of the virus threat.

In the past three months, only four vessels have left for the African destinations. The number should ideally have been nine.

Crew members do not want to take any risks as there is no global insurance coverage. The insurance companies are also not keen on extending coverage to the crew going to African nations. Therefore, the crew members are also demanding higher salaries and the overheads are increasing.―The charges per tonne of rice export have gone up by 15 to 20 per cent. In terms of price, India is facing competition from Pakistan and Thailand‘‘, said, P. Srinivas, a rice exporter.

Meanwhile Shortage in TS rice adds to trouble Rice exporters are worried as the paddy crop in the Telangana region has suffered extensive damage. Rice varieties like Swarna and others, which are grown in East and West Godavari districts, are largely for the domestic market. The varieties grown in Telangana are for the export market.―Every year, traders buy 4-5 lakh tonnes rice from the Telangana region for export. This year, it will not be possible as the crops may not yield such huge quantities,‖ said P. Srinivas, a rice exporter.

To make matters worse, the Food Corporation of India has also changed its procurement policy. It used to procure 75 per cent levy and give permits for 25 per cent to be sold either in the domestic market or the global market. Now, it is only procuring 25 per cent. The rice millers are finding it difficult to provide rice to

exporters at competitive prices due to the policy

SunRice wins Premier’s NSW Export Award 28.10.2014 Leading Australian branded foods company SunRice is pleased to announce it has been named the winner of the 2014 Premier‘s Export Award in Agribusiness. One of Australia‘s longest running business award programs, the Export Awards recognise and reward the top exporting talents in NSW. Up against some of the state‘s most innovative and successful exporters, it is a significant achievement for the company to be honoured for its exporting success.

SunRice Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rob Gordon, accepted the award at the NSW Export Awards ceremony held in Sydney on 23October.―We are delighted to have won the Agribusiness Award category, and want to thank the Premier‘s NSW Export Awards for recognising us in this way,‖ said Mr Gordon.―SunRice is incredibly proud to be a part of Australia‘s agribusiness sector and in particular, of our long term contribution and support to Australia‘s rice industry.―Our growth has been underpinned by a relentless commitment from our many stakeholders across the rice industry. This award is in recognition of their efforts, which have enabled SunRice to continue to build on our strengths in 2013/14,‖ he added.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Troy Grant congratulated SunRice and this year‘s other winners of the

Premier's NSW Export Awards. "These winners are outstanding examples of some of our State‘s most innovative businesses, who are successfully competing in the global marketplace and showing the world the high quality goods and services NSW produces."―On behalf of the Export Council of Australia, I would like to congratulate SunRice the winner of the Agribusiness Award at the 2014 Premier's NSW Export Awards.

SunRice were selected from a strong group of finalists who are doing exceptional things in International business. They have shown perseverance and tenacity, and we are excited to see them develop in years to come. The 52nd NSW Export Awards winners all deserve our highest praise, and heartfelt thanks.‖ – Lisa McAuley, Chief Operating Officer – Export Council of Australia.Mr. Gordon also extended his congratulations to the other finalists in the Agribusiness category.As state winner, SunRice will now become a finalist in the 52nd Australian Export Awards to be held on 27 November 2014.

Special Report: Thailand hosts 4th International Rice Congress to ensure global food security Thailand is hosting the 4th International Rice Congress (IRC2014) on the theme 'Rice for the World' in Bangkok until November 1 in a bid to exchange knowledge on the latest rice research.

About three billion people, nearly half of the world‘s population, depend on rice as a staple food. The recent impact from global warming and a rapid population growth causes a shortage

in rice supply for consumption. Much of the work of the international rice research institute (IRRI), which organizes the congress, involves helping increase rice production to ensure food security - particularly for those people most at risk of not getting enough food.

According to IRRI Deputy Director General for Communication and Partnerships Dr. V. Bruce J. Tolentino, Thailand has been selected as the location for the congress as it is a leader in the world rice trade and has been weathering through challenges that include massive losses from the rice-pledging scheme. Local authorities recently expressed confidence that Thailand will soon reclaim its top position for global rice exports as it has now regained its status as the top rice exporter in Asean.

Local exhibitions on display at the congress including the 'Thai Rice: Soul of the Nation' and 'Rice and the King' will also be held to illustrate the importance of rice to Thailand. The exhibits will highlight His Majesty‘s contribution to the research and development of Thai rice. His Majesty has for decades dedicated his time and energy to promoting rice production and improving rice varieties, which benefit the country and the people.

About 2,000 rice scientists and rice industry players from all over the world are expected to participate in the IRC 2014. New technologies are set to be unveiled at the congress, which hosts 60 academic sessions for delegates from 64 countries. IRRI director-general Robert Zeiger earlier addressed delegates by saying that there is already profound impact for several million farmers worldwide who have adopted technologies of the second Green Revolution in rice which include flood-tolerant rice. At the IRC 2014, 29 young rice scientists have been

chosen to present their research during the science sessions and will be formally recognized during the IRC events. http://www.livescience.com

Centre reduces milling charges HT Correspondent , Hindustan Times Patiala, October 27, 2014 First Published: 20:44 IST(27/10/2014) | Last Updated: 20:45 IST(27/10/2014) This 'kharif' season has already been troublesome for rice millers across the state, so far. In another demoralising decision by the Centre, milling charges have now been reduced from `15 to `10 per quintal.Apart from that, the union government has also decided to deduct transportation rates, which were a part of milling charges for the past 40 years.

Earlier, Food Corporation of India (FCI) bore transportation costs from the grain market to stocking points of state procurement agencies or FCI up to 8km.Moreover, FCI also reimbursed transportation expenditure incurred by rice millers, if depots or stocking points were situated beyond 8km.However, according to the new decision, the government has decided not to include transportation cost in milling charges up to 8km.Instead, the Centre has decided to reimburse all transportation costs starting from zero kilometre, without fixing the rate per kilometre which is to be reimbursed to rice millers.

"The decision by the Centre is not at all lucrative for rice millers since the government has failed to fix rates per kilometre to be reimbursed to us from grain markets to stocking points," said Tarsem Singh Saini, president of the Punjab rice

miller association.Saini said the decision of reducing milling charges was totally anti-rice shellers and was a cause of harassment to the milling industry of Punjab."On one hand, tariff commission appointed by the government to consider the revision of milling charges, has been recommending an increase in milling charges but on the other hand, the government has reduced it by one-third of charges before," said Saini.The millers appealed to the Punjab government to take up the matter with the Centre to fix transportation rates prior to reimbursement for the delivery of procured paddy to stocking point.

USA Rice Cooks Up Promotions in Colombia Chef G贸mez in action

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA -- The USA Rice Federation has begun promotional activities in Colombia focused on the burgeoning hotel and restaurant sectors here and in Medell铆n, Cali, and Cartagena. Chef Bernardo G贸mez, a renowned chef who teaches at various institutions throughout Colombia and the region, and who was the recipient of the Gourmand Award in 2010 for the "Best Cookbook of Colombia," conducted workshops on various types of U.S.grown rice and shared innovative recipes created by pairing U.S. rice with other Colombian delicacies. More than 100 individuals from hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, culinary schools, and companies attended the workshops.

"The new promotional efforts in Colombia are designed to boost market share in the important foodservice sector," said Brian King, a rice merchant in Marked Tree, Arkansas, and chairman of USA Rice's Western Hemisphere Promotion Subcommittee. "Under the TRQ agreement we increase our access to Colombia each year, and these workshops help us bolster demand for our product."

Colombia is one of the United States' top ten rice export markets, bringing in nearly 80,000 MT of rice valued at over $60 million in the first seven months of 2014.

Contact: Sarah Moran (703) 236-1457

Thai rice audit shows 70 pct of stocks deteriorating Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:47am GMT * That could drag on prices, hurt farmers * Large rural population is key influence on Thai politics

BANGKOK, Oct 29 (Reuters) - An audit of Thailand's massive stockpiles of rice has found about 70 percent is deteriorating and another fifth is inedible, leaving only one tenth of standard export quality.The findings in the state inspection will ramp up pressure on the generals running Thailand as they battle to offload grain from around 18 million tonnes in national stocks, likely pushing them to speed up sales before the bulk of it rots.That could drag on global prices, hurting rice growers in the world's No.2 exporter of the crop, where the large rural population is a key influence on politics.

Duangporn Rodphaya, chief of the country's foreign trade department, said the rice that was discoloured and of diminished quality would still be fit for sale and that authorities were aiming to shift it within three years."The low-quality rice does not mean that it cannot be of use," she told reporters on Tuesday."But it's just of a lower standard and we have a market to support such rice already," she said, estimating its weight at 10 million tonnes.

The military government in July launched the inspection of rice warehouses around the country to gauge the quality of grain stockpiled under a scheme run by a government it ousted in May that paid farmers way above market rates.Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said 100,000 tonnes of rice were found to be missing from the stockpiles and the National AntiCorruption Commission would launch a probe to try to uncover where it had gone and who was responsible.Prayuth said it was crucial to shift the remaining stocks quickly and though 70 percent had diminished in quality, it could still be sold.

"Rice in the stockpiles were kept for a long time, so it's imperative to accelerate sales to prevent more deterioration," he told reporters on Tuesday.Prayuth said about 4-5 percent of the rice was "downgraded" and therefore inedible. It would likely be used for ethanol conversion.

LATEST SETBACK

The audit is the latest setback for a government grappling with a slowing economy and under pressure to resolve Thailand's rice problem, the scale of which is starting to emerge.Low prices and the end of the loss-making rice-buying scheme in February have hurt farmers, many of whom were staunch supporters of the government the military overthrew.Prayuth's government announced a loans scheme for farmers on Friday, offering zero-interest credit until Feb. 28 next year in return for keeping their rice off the market, with additional incentives for storing it themselves.The commerce ministry also revealed preliminary results of its tender for nearly 208,000 tonnes of rice on Tuesday.

Around 203,000 tonnes of rice was sold for a total of 1.93 billion baht ($59.44 million) to 18 bidders, it said.The ministry has held two other tenders so far this year, in which it sold a total of about 145,000 tonnes. About 59,600 tonnes was also bought by the private sector in a direct sale earlier this month.The sales have generated a combined 2.18 billion baht.

(1 US dollar = 32.47 baht) (Reporting by Aukkarapon Niyomyat and Kaweewit Kaewjinda; Editing by Martin Petty and Joseph Radford)

Second Green Revolution seeks to leave no farmer behind on 28 October 2014.

Bob Zeigler on the IRC2014 keynote (Photo: J.R. Cabañero)

BANGKOK, Thailand, 28 October 2014 – The second Green Revolution in rice has been under way for more than 6 years, reckons Robert Zeigler, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).This second Green Revolution, or GR2.0, seeks to benefit the most unfavorable rice-growing areas and leave no farmer behind.Zeigler addressed around 1,500 attendees from 69 countries at the opening ceremony of the 4th International Rice Congress, or IRC2014, at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC).IRC2014 is being held under the patronage of the Royal Government of Thailand, specifically the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, and is touted as the ―Olympics of rice science,‖ being the largest gathering of rice science and industry held every four years.In his keynote message, the head of the world‘s premier center for rice research reported that ―there is already profound impact for several million farmers worldwide who have adopted one of the first technologies of the second Green Revolution—flood-tolerant rice."―Many of these farmers belong to the poorest of the poor who, for various reasons, did not benefit fully from the first Green Revolution in rice,‖ Zeigler pointed out.Zeigler, citing marginal farmers as an added focus of IRRI‘s research, is echoed by Apichart Pongsrihadulchai, Thai vice minister for agriculture and cooperatives, who said that he now feels hopeful again for Thai farmers.Thailand was the world‘s top exporter for a long time, but two years ago, it lost the top spot. The country‘s agriculture authorities, however, feel a change in the wind. ―Thailand can be the number one exporter again soon,‖ the minister said, ―but it does not mean we‘d be happy to be number one, if the farmers are still poor."

Revolution stirs in the deep puddles Zeigler told the story of Mr. Asha Ram Pal, a poor farmer from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh who tills a hectare of land in an area hostile to growing rice.At 1:10 in the afternoon of 31 July 2008, ignoring the advice of his neighbors, Mr. Pal made the decision not to plow under his severely ravaged and sick-looking rice crop. His field had been submerged for 17 days from two floods.The rice that Mr. Pal planted, a new variety that had the SUB1 gene for flood-tolerance, recovered to yield 4.5 tons—the global average rice yield per hectare.―Since then, Sub1 rice varieties have spread like wildfire in eastern India and other regions where flooding is a perennial problem for rice farmers in such marginal environments,‖ he said.

high-science revolutions in genetics, molecular biology, and plant physiology.―Over the next 10 to 20 years, during which GR2.0 will phase into GR3.0, we will seize opportunities for sustainable rice production in ways that will stagger our imagination,‖ he confidently forecasted.

The work never stops

Early epiphanies The start of the first Green Revolution in rice, Zeigler thought back, could have been in July 1963 when IRRI‘s first breeder, Peter Jennings, found F2 (second-generation) rice plants from a set of 38 crosses involving dwarf rice varieties from Taiwan. Later generations of this selection ultimately resulted in the semi-dwarf IR8—andall succeeding modern rice varieties.―Forty-five years between the start of GR1.0 and of GR2.0was a pretty long time,‖ Zeigler said. ―But a lot had to be done. GR2.0 is profoundly more scientifically rich and complex and that is something to really get excited about,‖ Dr. Zeigler told the IRC2014 delegates. ―GR2.0‘s run will be fruitful—and quicker than GR1.0—particularly for farmers in marginal weather-stressed environments,‖ he predicted.He cited the very wide array of problems, previously thought to be absolutely insurmountable, that researchers can now find solutions for more rapidly using scientific tools coming out of parallel

In another bold prediction, he envisions the start of GR3.0 sometime around 2030, when farmers start planting far more robust C4 and nitrogen-fixing rice varieties and consumers begin finding nutritious rice in the marketplace. Leading the charge of GR2.0 and 3.0 will be a crop of vibrant and intelligent young scientists in league with IRRI through the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP) and spread out across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, ―many of whom are attending their first International Rice Congress now,‖ said Zeigler, himself a plant pathologist who started young working on various crop staples.

At IRC2014, 29 young rice scientists have been chosen to present their research during the science sessions and will be formally recognized during the IRC gala dinner on Thursday evening.

―The future of rice science is at stake.

Without new blood in the experiment plots and laboratories, the outlook for GR2.0 would be grim and there wouldn‘t even be a GR3.0,‖ he concluded

Halloween. Halloween can be a spooky time for pet owners if they do not keep treats and holiday decor away from their cats and dogs. KPLC's Britney Glaser talks to a veterinarian about the most common calls to the Animal Poison Control Center during

Yellow Rails and Rice Festival set for Oct. 29-Nov. 2 Posted: Oct 28, 2014 11:39 PM Updated: Oct 28, 2014 11:42 PM

By Anne Robicheaux

Halloween.

arobicheaux@kplctv.com Offering competitive pay has been a struggle for the City of Lake Charles.

With more industry and opportunities coming to SWLA, it's not expected to get any easier.

KPLC's Lee Peck takes a look at an employee pay survey that shows how Lake Charles compares to cities around the state. Offering competitive pay has been a struggle for the City of Lake Charles. With more industry and opportunities coming to SWLA, it's not expected to get any easier.

KPLC's Lee Peck takes a look at an employee pay survey that shows how Lake Charles compares to cities around the state.

Halloween can be a spooky time for pet owners if they do not keep treats and holiday decor away from their cats and dogs. KPLC's Britney Glaser talks to a veterinarian about the most common calls to the Animal Poison Control Center during

Updated: Tuesday, October 28 2014 11:52 PM EDT2014-10-29 03:52:19 GMT SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA (KPLC) - The 6th Annual Yellow Rails and Rice Festival begins Wednesday and lasts through Sunday in Southwest Louisiana. Birders are invited to tour local rice fields, state parks and historical landmarks. Featured activities include banding workshops in Thornwell, informational displays in Jennings and tours of the Kisatchie National Forest, Lacassine Bayou, coastal Cameron and more. In the event of inclement weather, activities may be canceled. For a full lineup of events, click HERE.The main goal of the festival is to "provide participants a unique venue to view Yellow Rails, while at the same time bringing birders and farmers together to realize the value of birds to the area's 'working wetlands,'" according to the event's web site. For more information, visit the festival's Facebook page or email yellowrailsandrice@gmail.com

Horizon Ag prepping highamylose content rice for market Oct 24, 2014 | Delta Farm Press When Tim Walker was walking his plots at the Delta Research and Extension Center at Stoneville, Miss., in 2009, he probably never dreamed he would have a greater interest in one of the rice lines he selected that year than normal.Dr. Walker, now general manager of Horizon Ag, the company that distributes Clearfield rice, talked about that variety – CLX 4122 – during the Horizon Ag field day at the Mark Wimpy Farm near Jonesboro, Ark., this year.―We are excited about this variety,‖ said Walker, who took a little good-natured ribbing about the fact he had more than a passing interest in the line, which is expected to become CL 163 if released in 2016. ―In the URN and the Mississippi on-farm variety trials, it has performed very well in comparison to CL 111 and CL 151 in all of our yield trials.‖In the trials, CLX 4122 was within 200 pounds of CL 151 and about 300 pounds per acre better than CL 111, two of the leading varieties in the current Clearfield lineup.Walker said he believes the prospective new variety will offer improvements in lodging. ―I can‘t stand here and promise you it will be as good as CL 152 or another variety I developed in Mississippi called Rex, but if we manage this variety properly I believe it will give us an advantage over 151.‖One of the main advantages of CLX 4122 or CL 163 will be what Walker called it cereal chemistry.Consumers in Central America, he noted, often cook rice on Monday and eat out of the same batch on through the week.

For that reason, they place a premium on the

cooking quality of the rice they purchase.―They want their rice to cook and be firm but be separate,‖ he said. ―A lot of that is correlated back to amylose content. A lot of the varieties that we release in the United States will be around 20 to 22 percent amylose content. This variety will be above 26 percent amylose content. ‖The variety will not have the level of blast tolerance of some varieties, he said, noting it has one gene for resistance but not the full package of some other current varieties.―We will continue to bring this variety on slowly,‖ he said. ―We will probably group this variety for a couple of years to make sure that we don‘t get the quality that we‘ve worked so hard to show our buyers mixed and comingled in with other varieties.―I can‘t pass up the opportunity to tell you how committed we are to raising that brand awareness of the USA Rice brand back to where it needs to be.‖ For more information on Horizon Ag, visit http://www.horizonseed.com/.

Farm Bill revision shakes up America

by Bria Dansby - Oct 27, 2014 As Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran awaited the results of the vote, he knew a majority of the Senate would be against the 2014 Farm Bill.For the last two years, negotiators for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate struggled to come to an agreement on which issues

should be highlighted in the bill. Some of the issues that were a concern to the government were cuts in food subsidy programs or an increase in crop insurance.

For Moran, the bill meant stability and a sense of understanding for those in the agriculture community.―A farm bill provides agriculture producers with the long-term certainty they need to produce food, fiber and fuel for our country and the world,‖ Moran said. ―It provides Kansas farmers and ranchers with the strong, stable crop insurance and disaster programs they need when facing Mother Nature, and gives producers the certainty they need to plan and do business for the next five years.‖Although the bill could provide ―long-term certainty‖ to producers, a rift has surfaced between the agriculture community concerning whether the farm bill should collaborate with subsidy programs such as food stamps.

created to support low-income individuals and families. ―Adding the SNAP and other food programs and opportunities like that to the Farm Bill really makes sense because it resonates with both urban and rural people,‖ Jordan Hildebrand, senior in agricultural communications and journalism, said. ―(People in urban communities) may not be as interested in passing legislation that‘s just crop insurance, but when you add in the feeding your constituents aspect of it they really get interested. Who cares about cows and sows when you have people to feed in your streets?‖ Although the bipartisan commitment between the senators remains a key resource for Americans utilizing food stamps today, cuts to the budget and a high participation rate makes the future of the subsidy program uncertain.

Uniting to end hunger

The Great divide

The dispute within the agriculture community concerning subsidy programs began nearly 30 years ago when thensenators Bob Dole of Kansas and George McGovern of South Dakota came together to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. In 1977, Dole and McGovern were a major influence in passing legislation to improve accessibility and antifraud provisions for the food-stamp program. Since it was created, SNAP has become one of the largest nutrition programs

During the initial draft of the 2014 Farm Bill, members of the House and Senate did not know how to accommodate the agriculture community and citizens who could be affected by cuts in food stamps. ―A farm bill, not unlike other pieces of legislation, has main parts and its provisions impact a number of individuals and groups,‖ Moran said. ―The main objective was to work toward a bill that encompassed as many varying interests as possible, while

balancing fiscal responsibility with creating programs that support producers and consumers alike.‖ While members of the government tried to keep those potentially affected happy, giving either consumers or producers more benefits in the bill could add more fuel to an already burning fire. ―A major misconception about the farm bill is that it goes only to the farmers, but mostly it goes toward food stamps and not farmers, regardless of the bill‘s title,‖ said Tom Turnell, president and CEO of Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

Since the efforts of Dole and McGovern in the ‘70s, each revision to the bill has gradually followed the path of social and subsidy programs and further away from its agricultural roots. ―One of the negatives is that the farm bill reduced spending by $22 million,‖ Turnell said. ―I see the trend of spending continuing and focusing on the SNAP program rather than farming. They did consolidate and better define SNAP and said who can and cannot use it. As a major tax payer, I thought (the changes) was beneficial.‖ Although the redefinition of the food stamps program has solved some issues and opinions in the dispute of focusing on subsidy programs in the bill, some feel that including the program will help rather than hurt the agricultural community.

―Half of the farmers and ranchers think that partnering with the SNAP program and various other programs within the farm bill is a good idea, and the other half thinks it‘s a really, really terrible idea,‖ Hildebrand said.

Lone supporter As members of the House and Senate prepared to vote on the latest version of the bill, Moran (the only senator from Kansas in support of the bill) had to determine whether to side with his peers or vote on the behalf of concerned residents. ―After numerous conversations with Kansans and careful consideration, I decided to support the bill,‖ Moran said. ―While the legislation isn‘t perfect, it does what a farm bill is supposed to do – gives producers the certainty they need when faced with difficult circumstances. Farmers, ranchers and consumers deserve the certainty that comes with a five-year bill. I will continue to work on the farm bill‘s provisions that needs attention and may still be improved.‖ Accommodating a nation After two long years of revising the farm bill, it was passed with a vote of 68-32 on Feb. 3. Stipulations in the bill included an increase of crop insurance worth $7 billion for the next decade, new subsidies for rice and peanut growers, and would cut an average of $90 per month for nearly 1.5 million people throughout the country.

―I think it‘s a pretty good piece of legislation,‖ Hildebrand said. ―At this point in the political realm, there will never be a piece of perfect legislature again. So I think it‘s as good as it can be and it takes into a lot of consideration. The vast realm of agriculture and the implications that it will have on the crop and the livestock side as well as food production and consumers.‖

heard about the cut because I think there are other things they can cut back on instead of food stamps. This is affecting families and children.‖

With an increase in crop insurance, producers such as North Dakota farmer Brenda McDonald said they feel they will not have to worry as much if their crops get destroyed.

―Ultimately, consumers are best served when farmers and ranchers know the rules of the game, which are laid out in the reauthorization of a new farm bill every five years,‖ Moran said. ―This farm bill strengthens crop insurance, reauthorizes livestock disaster program, improves conservation programs, directs resources to agriculture research and ultimately ensures that America remains home to the safest and most abundant food supply in the world.‖

―When we get an early August freeze or a spring flood or a drought, just about all of the best farming practices in the world will fail to protect us,‖ McDonald said during an interview with Agri-Pulse. ―That is why I, like most farmers across the state, always purchase crop insurance. In fact, last year North Dakota farmers spent more than $38 million out of their own pockets purchasing crop insurance policies.‖ Despite farmers and ranchers receiving an increase in insurance, the food stamp program is expected to cut $20 billion. ―We‘ve been on food stamps for five years,‖ Sasha Hampton, a single mother of three, said in an online article from website Mom.me. ―I can‘t imagine raising my kids without them. Food stamps have been a major blessing for me. The fact that they are cutting back bothers me. I was upset when I

Although some people are still upset about the major cuts to the food stamps programs, Moran said he believes consumers have won in some aspect.

The aftermath Since the farm bill was approved, the decision to move the screening of catfish into the Agriculture Department‘s Food Safety and Inspection Service has been denied and catfish farmers will continue to send their product to the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to catfish farming, the organic industry has been approved to join the crop insurance provisions that were passed in February.

The farm bill has also approved and invested over $300 million through the USDA toward agricultural easements. The easements were

created after condensing three former programs into two; one to focus on grasslands and another for farmlands. These easements will concentrate on improvements such as water quality and habitat protection and will provide both technical and financial assistance for qualifying land for varying periods of time. ―This is another indication of a farm bill that is really focused on partnerships,‖ U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said to Capital Press. ―In this case, it‘s between landowners and the (Natural Resources Conservation Service)-USDA providing assistance and help to conserve and preserve land for high and best use.‖

Commerce Min: Latest round of rice auction fetches good prices Date : 28 ตุลาคม 2557 BANGKOK, 28 October 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the third round of bidding for over 200,000 tons of rice from the government‘s stockpile. After receiving approval from the Rice Policy and Management Committee, the Commerce Ministry has opened the third rice auction of the year, with a total of 207,000 tons put up for grabs. The lot comprised 76,000 tons of white rice with 5 percent moisture content and 131,000 tons of broken rice.

At the end of the bidding process, 18 out of 37 bidders were declared winners, securing a combined 203,000 tons of the rice. The prices offered for the white rice ranged from 10,70012,180 baht a ton while the broken rice sold for 7,000-8,660 baht a ton. Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade Duangporn Rodphaya said the results were satisfactory, given the high turnout of participants and the high prices offered. The department will continue to seek permission from the Rice Policy and Management Committee to arrange more auctions in the future.

NACC near conclusion with G2G rice deal scandal Date : 28 ตุลาคม 2557 BANGKOK, 28 Oct 2014 (NNT) - A member of the National Anti-corruption Commission has said that the case involving a G2G rice deal scandal of the previous administration is likely to be concluded soon, while the impeachment motions against 39 senators awaits further details. National Anti-corruption Commission (NACC) member Vicha Mahakul disclosed that the NACC had filed charges against 19 additional persons in the scandal involving the G2G rice deal.

The list of persons involved in the scandal included former Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom of the Yingluck Shinawatra administration. Professor Vicha said that while all charges had been filed, some additional questioning remains to be completed. He insisted, however, the case is expected to be concluded very soon. Meanwhile, concerning the impeachment motions against 39 senators involved in inappropriate attempts to amend the constitution, Professor Vicha said that the NACC had returned the case files to legal

officials to review additional details to determine whether the senators had violated the constitution or organic laws, before the case could be deliberated in the next NACC meeting.

TABLE-India Grain PricesDelhi- October 28 Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:32pm IST Rates by Asian News International (ANI),New Delhi.

Time: 281330.- Tel: 011 26191464.

Indicative Previous. opening close Grains.

(In rupees per 100 kg unless stated).

----------------------------------------------------------------.

Wheat Desi 1,900-2,600 1,900-2,600.

Wheat Dara 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800.

Roller Mill (per bag) 1,650-1,850 1,800-2,000.

Maida (per bag) 1,550-1,650 1,600-1,700.

Sooji (per bag) 2,050-2,150 ,050-2,150.

Rice Basmati(Sri Lal Mahal) 14,000-18,000 14,000-18,000.

Rice Basmati(Lal Quila) 13,000-14,400 13,000-14,400.

Rice Basmati(Common) 7,500-8,200 7,500-8,200.

Rice Permal 2,050-2,300 2,050-2,300.

Rice Sela 2,450-2,650 2,450-2,650.

I.R.-8 1,900-2,050 1,850-2,000.

Gram 3,000-3,550 2,950-3,500.

Peas Green 2,200-2,800 2,200-2,800.

Peas White 2,300-3,500 2,300-3,500.

Bajra 1,200-1,400 1,200-1,400.

Jowar white 1,500-1,700 1,500-1,700.

Maize 1,200-1,350 1,200-1,400.

Barley 1,500-1,650 1,500-1,650. ..

Source: Delhi grain market traders.

Rice Exports From India Seen Plunging 30% as Harvest Contracts 28.10.2014

Rice shipments from India, the top supplier in 2014, will probably drop as much as 30 percent as drought and a cyclone this month curb output.Exports will decline to about 7 million metric tons to 8 million tons from 10 million tons this year, said Samarendu Mohanty, head of the social sciences division at the International Rice Research Institute. Production will drop to a range of 95 million tons to 100 million tons in 20142015 from 106 million tons a year earlier, Mohanty said.

India will concede its position as the largest supplier to Thailand in 2015 after weak rains during the first half of the monsoon reduced output, according to the Food & Agriculture Organization. India‘s production of food grain sown in the rainy season may drop to the lowest in five years, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said last month.―Plantings were delayed, then floods came in many parts of the country and after

the floods, the cyclone came,‖ Mohanty said in an interview in Bangkok today. ―All these events will reduce production.‖Seeding of crops from rice to soybeans and lentils were delayed as about 90 percent of the country had below normal rainfall in June, the India Meteorological Department says.Half a million hectares were affected by Cyclone Hudhud, which hit the east coast this month, Mohanty said.

Weak rains in the first part of the monsoon will cut milled output to 104 million tons from 106.5 million tons, the FAO said in a report Oct. 2. Exports from the South Asian nation will drop 20 percent to 8 million tons, while Thailand will ship 10.6 million tons, the Rome-based agency said.The spread of Ebola may disrupt Indian shipments to Africa, Mohanty said. India is the top supplier to some countries such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, he said.

Rice exports from India seen plunging 30% as harvest contracts Exports will decline to about 7 million metric tons to 8 million tons from 10 million tons this year, says IRRI chief Mohanty Supunnabul Suwannakij

Bangkok: Rice shipments from India, the top supplier in 2014, will probably drop as much as 30% as drought and a cyclone this month curb output.Exports will decline to about 7 million metric tons to 8 million tons from 10 million tons this year, said Samarendu

Mohanty, head of the social sciences division at the International Rice Research Institute. Production will drop to a range of 95 million tons to 100 million tons in 20142015 from 106 million tons a year earlier, Mohanty said.India will concede its position as the largest supplier to Thailand in 2015 after weak rains during the first half of the monsoon reduced output, according to the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO).

India‘s production of food grain sown in the rainy season may drop to the lowest in five years, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh said last month.―Plantings were delayed, then floods came in many parts of the country and after the floods, the cyclone came,‖ Mohanty said in an interview in Bangkok on Tuesday. ―All these events will reduce production.‖Seeding of crops from rice to soybeans and lentils were delayed as about 90% of the country had below normal rainfall in June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) says.Half a million hectares were affected by Cyclone Hudhud, which hit the east coast this month, Mohanty said.Weak rains in the first part of the monsoon will cut milled output to 104 million tons from 106.5 million tons, the FAO said in a report on 2 October. Exports from the South Asian nation will drop 20% to 8 million tons, while Thailand will ship 10.6 million tons, the Rome-based agency said.

The spread of Ebola may disrupt Indian shipments to Africa, Mohanty said. India is the top supplier to some countries such as Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, he said.

Bloomberg Image: Production will drop to a range of 95 million tons to 100 million tons in 2014-2015 from 106 million tons a year earlier, says IRRI chief Mohanty. Photo: AFP

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- October 28

Tue Oct 28, 2014 2:40pm IST Nagpur, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Gram prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) reported higher on increased demand from local millers amid tight supply from producing belts. Fresh rise on NCDEX, upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices and enquiries from South-based millers also boosted prices, according to sources. *

*

*

*

FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.

TUAR * Tuar gavarani recovered in open market on increased buying support from local traders amid tight supply from producing belts. * Udid varieties reported higher in open market on good demand from local traders amid weak supply from producing regions. * Major wheat varieties moved down in open market here on poor buying support from local traders amid increased supply from producing regions like Punjab and Haryana. * In Akola, Tuar - 4,600-4,700, Tuar dal 7,100-7,400, Udid at 7,000-7,200, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,800-8,100, Moong - 6,900-7,300, Moong Mogar (clean) 8,300-9,000, Gram - 2,600-2,800, Gram Super best bold - 3,600-3,900 for 100 kg. * Rice and other commodities remained steady in open market

in thin trading activity, according to sources.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/openmarket prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 2,410-2,900 2,340-2,830 Gram Pink Auction n.a.

2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a.

3,950-4,200 Moong Auction n.a.

5,200-5,500 Udid Auction n.a.

4,3004,500 Masoor Auction n.a.

2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 3,8504,200 3,850-4,200 Gram Super Best n.a.

Gram Medium Best 3,650-3,750 3,650-3,750 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.

Gram Mill Quality 3,450-3,550 3,450-3,550 Desi gram Raw 2,800-2,850 2,900-2,850 Gram Filter new 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600 Gram Kabuli 8,500-9,800 8,500-9,800 Gram Pink 7,200-7,400 7,200-7,400 Tuar Fataka Best 7,400-7,600 7,400-7,600 Tuar Fataka Medium 7,150-7,250 7,150-7,250 Tuar Dal Best Phod 7,150-7,250 7,150-7,250 Tuar Dal Medium phod 6,8507,050 6,850-7,050 Tuar Gavarani 5,150-5,250 5,100-5,200

Tuar Karnataka 5,500-5,600 5,500-5,600 Tuar Black 8,300-8,600 8,300-8,600 Masoor dal best 6,700-6,800 6,700-6,800 Masoor dal medium 6,500-6,600 6,500-6,600 Masoor n.a. n.a.

Moong Mogar bold 9,500-9,800 9,500-9,800 Moong Mogar Medium best 8,5009,000 8,500-9,000 Moong dal super best 8,000-8,400 8,000-8,400 Moong dal Chilka 7,600-7,900 7,600-7,900 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.

Moong Chamki best 7,000-8,500 7,000-8,500 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-8,500 8,000-8,200 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500 6,900-7,500 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 6,300-6,800 6,200-6,700 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,800 4,200-4,800 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,9003,100 2,900-3,100 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,2003,400 3,200-3,400 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,2503,350 3,250-3,350 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,400-5,200 4,400-5,200 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,2001,500 1,200-1,500 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,650-1,700 1,700-1,750 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,2001,400 1,300-1,500 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,350 2,100-2,450

Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,800-2,000 1,850-2,000 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.

MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 2,8003,200 2,900-3,200 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,350 1,950-2,350 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,2001,300 1,200-1,300 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,5001,800 1,500-1,800 Rice BPT new (100 INR/KG) 3,0003,500 3,000-3,500 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,7001,900 1,700-1,900 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,600 2,300-2,600 Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 4,000-4,400 4,000-4,400 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,800 4,800-5,800 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,200-13,300 10,200-13,300 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,200-9,800 7,200-9,800 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,2005,700 5,200-5,700 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,300-1,500 1,400-1,600 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,7001,800 1,700-1,800 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 28.9 degree Celsius (84.0 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.

17.1 degree Celsius (62.8 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.

Rainfall : n.a.

FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and minimum temperature would be around and 31 and 16 degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)

Nigeria to become rice exporter by 2017 FG 10/28/2014 ,Nigerian Tribune

ALL things being equal, the N13.6 billion intervention fund to be provided by the Bank of Industry (BOI) for the establishment of rice mills and cassava processing companies will catapult Nigeria into the committee of rice exporting nations by 2017.Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adeshina dropped the hint in Abuja while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the BOI in respect of rice and cassava development in the country.According to the minister, the N13.6billion intervention fund would be deployed to the establishment of 10 rice milling companies and 6 cassava processing companies in various locations across the country.

Specifically, Dr Adesina said the 10 rice mills would be located in Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi,Bayelsa, Bauch and Anambra states while the 6 cassava processing companies will be cited in Ondo, Ogun,Abia,Delta, Cross River and Nasarawa states.Stressing that the idea of the fund was to enable the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan advance the already successful Agriculture Transformation Agenda, the minister said in the next three years, the country would become rice exporter as each of the rice mills is expected to produce 36000 metric tonnes of rice annually.

With the mechanisation of cassava farms, Dr Adesina said the 6 cassava processing companies would produce high quality cassava flower which could be used for

bread and other confectionaries.He said the project would be 100 per cent private sector initiative with the Fexeral Government providing only the enabling environment with a view to building the capacity of Small and Medium scale enterprises in the country.Speaking on the structure of the intervention fund, BOI Managing Director/ Chief Executive Ofgicer, Mr Rasheed Adejare Olaoluwa said the N13.6billion loan to be given to deserving entrpreneur would be for a period of 10 years with 3 years moratarium period and at 5 percent interest rate.He said the BOI would discharge its responsibilities in the MOU with all passion and that the bank iscommitted to ensure the achuevement of the stated objectives.

How big data is helping farmers save millions

By Helen Clark October 27, 2014 The predictive abilities of big data is being used to improve farming outcomes (Photo: Shutterstock) Data scientists studying crop growth and weather patterns in Colombia have advised rice farmers not to plant crops, saving them millions of dollars.

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the Colombian Rice Growers Federation have developed a computer model that can work out what crops work best under specific weather conditions in certain areas.Farming has always been as much art as science: knowing what to plant and when is often intuitive for many farmers. However the vagaries of shifting weather patterns and climate change make this much more difficult and a crop destroyed by inclement

weather or drought may cost small hold farmers and their families their livelihoods.

In Colombia, where rice yields are already dropping and free trade agreements threaten local farmers, improving farming conditions by harnessing the predictive abilities of big data is showing signs of being terrifically useful.According to CIAT: "Joint efforts on multi-environment trials with detailed physiological evaluation, studies on the adaptation of elite lines, historical data analysis, and crop modeling in Colombia provided important inputs for initiating the development of a system to better manage rice under highly variable weather scenarios.

"Considering that there are predictions of massive crop yield fall offs in the coming decades thanks to climate change, such predictive computer modelling is going to become increasingly necessary. CIAT has found that climate accounts for 30 - 40 percent of crop production variability in some parts of Colombia.Colombia‘s rice yields have apparently been hit by climate change problems and harvests of the staple food have declined by a tonne per hectare in the past five years, a steep drop.

Maize, potato, cassava and beans are also important crops and the modelling tool will eventually take these in also, under the two year agreement between CIAT and Colombia‘s ministry of agriculture.Last year, researchers from CIAT working with Colombian Rice Growers Federation, advised a group of Colombian farmers against planting crops as they predicted a drought would hit. They were right and saved farmers $3.8 million; those who did not take their advice were not as lucky and lost their crops.

Their advice was well grounded: they had developed a complex computer model that

had ten years‘ worth of data from Colombian farms, from farm management and crop yield to the types of crops and the weather conditions that year. From this inferences could be drawn on what works where, and during what kinds of weather conditions. Whilst traditional farming knowledge is already based around such concepts – otherwise how could farmers grow anything? – this refinement seems to have led to greater accuracy if their success so far is any way to tell.T his project won the UN‘s Big Data Climate Challenge in September and is already being looked at in other nations, such as Nigeria.

The UN project wishes to, "bring forward data-driven evidence of the economic dimensions of climate change," using big data and analytics. The fields of study are diverse, from transportation and smart cities to agriculture and behavioral science.

(Photo: Shutterstock), The predictive abilities of big data is being used to improve farming outcomes (Photo: Shutterstock)

Government to export rice to Sri Lanka at $450 per tonne 28.10.2014

The government had also decided to procure around 300,000 tonnes of rice (Aman) at a cost of Tk32 per kilogram this year.For the first time, the government has decided to export 50,000 tonnes of coarse rice to Sri Lanka with setting the export price at $450 per tonne.Food Minister Quamrul Islam, also chairman of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC), made the disclosure yesterday after a meeting of the committee held at the ministry‘s conference room.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury were, among

others, present.The food minister said the government had also decided to procure around 300,000 tonnes of rice (Aman) at a cost of Tk32 per kilogram this year.―We wanted to export rice at a price more than $450 per tonne, but Sri Lanka did not agree on it. We later decided to export rice at the price they offered,‖ he said, adding that a Sri Lankan team would arrive here within 10-12 days and a contract would be signed in this regard. ―This coarse rice is being sold for Tk30 per kg in local market while Sri Lanka is buying it at a cost of Tk35 per kg,‖ he added.The minister informed that 14 lakh tonnes of food grains (rice and wheat) are now in stock, up three lakh tonnes than last year.He claimed, ―The country under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has become self-sufficient in food.‖Asked why the country imports rice from India even after being self-sufficient in food, the minister said three to four lakh tonnes of fine rice (Bashmoti) are imported for ceremonial purposes.―You know that we need three to four crore tonnes of rice a year.

In comparison with requirement, a small quantity of rice is imported from India,‖ he clarified.He said the government would procure rice at a cost of Tk32 per kg while the production cost was Tk28. Last year, the government procured rice at a cost of Tk30 per kg.The minister informed that the food procurement drive would start from November 15 and continue till February 28.

The government had set a target of producing around 1.30 crore tonnes of Aman this year. Last year, the government produced 1.30 tonnes of Aman against the target of 1.32 tonnes crore.While briefing reporters, the food minister said, ―We set a target of producing 11 lakh tonnes of Boro.

But we have been able to produce 10.61 lakh tonnes.‖

We'll be No.1 for rice in 2015: PM Published: 28 Oct 2014 at 06.48 Writer: Patsara Jikkham & Nopparat Kingkaeo

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is confident Thailand will reclaim its status as the world's largest rice exporter next year. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signs copies of a book distributed to members of the public and published by the PM‘s Office about the royally sponsored robe-offering ceremony held after Buddhist Lent at Wat Ratchanatda in Bangkok. (Photo

by Seksan Rojjanametakun) He also suggests small paddy fields be integrated and resources pooled. Gen Prayut said Monday Thailand has now regained its status as the top rice exporter in Asean, and the country has a chance of reclaiming its top position for global rice exports.He estimated Thailand would export 11 million tonnes of rice this year, compared with 9 million tonnes last year.According to the Commerce Ministry, in the first nine months of this year, Thailand exported 8.38 million tonnes of rice, up 70% from the same period last year, worth 130.5 billion baht, a 29.8% surge.

Gen Prayut said the country will still produce sufficient rice for its own consumption next year, though the rice yield might drop slightly due to limited reserves of water that might prevent a second rice crop.The prime minister said the

government was promoting the cultivation of quality rice, including jasmine and glutinous rice.Thailand lost its world's No.1 rice exporter status in 2012 to India while Vietnam was in second place.

Gen Prayut said Thailand had lost its global rice-exporting lead due to competition from other rice-exporting countries which had lower production costs, adding that the country needed to urgently lower its riceproduction costs.The prime minister suggested small paddy fields should be combined into large fields and machinery and equipment should be pooled and shared as small farmers naturally bear higher costs.

Industry analysts, however, have noted that the actual reason Thailand lost its crown was because of the previous government's failed rice-pledging scheme, which attempted to manipulate the international rice market by withholding stocks to drive up prices.

Competing nations took steps to boost supply at lower prices.Gen Prayut also said the government was investigating the accounting of the government's rice stocks of 18 million tonnes, expected to be finished this month.

He said that during the investigation, the government will discuss with its legal team whether the rice stocks can be sold. If not, the government will have to shoulder the rice storage warehouse costs of about 2 billion baht a month, Gen Prayut said.Chukiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said information in September showed that Thailand had already reclaimed its top global rice-exporting status, exporting about 8.4 million tonnes of rice in the first nine months of this year.

India came second, exporting about 7.5 million tonnes and Vietnam was in third place, exporting 6.2 million tonnes, he

said.Mr Chukiat said a total export amount of 11 million tonnes would be possible if the country exported about one million tonnes a month in the remainder of the year.He said the increase in Thai rice exports is because the country's rice prices have dropped to near those of competitors, particularly when compared with the prices during the last government which introduced the ricepledging scheme.

If the government want to sustain the rice export amount next year, it must not implement any subsidy projects to push up prices, he said, adding that he believed the current price for paddy at 8,500 baht per tonne is competitive for exports.He said the outlook for the country's rice exports next year will remain positive if rice stocks are released continually, because Thailand retains its market share of old rice exports to Africa where the price of Thailand's old rice is lower than that of Vietnam.

Rawee Rungruang, chairman of the Thai Farmers Network, voiced support for the move to reclaim Thailand's global top rice exporter status, although he said the country still lacks a clear strategy to improve the quality of rice or to come up with a sustainable solution to its rice industry problems.He said the government should tackle the rice woes as a national priority and set up a committee comprising farmers, rice milling operators, exporters, and consumers to provide information to farmers.

To be the world's top rice exporter, Mr Rawee said farmers must first know which rice strains they should grow for sale. Mr Rawee said the idea to combine small paddy fields and pool resources has actually been adopted by more than 2,000 community rice centres nationwide but the problems are a lack of efficient management and personnel.