News Headlines
TPP Talks Conclude without Progress on Rice USA Rice on the Road in Texas Study: Americans who eat rice regularly have healthier diets India may cede top rice exporter spot under Southeast Asian price onslaught USA Rice Reaches Food Bloggers in Japan CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures Japan, U.S. achieve basic agreement on TPP issues Fines for rice adulteration may increase dramatically Fluctuations unlikely in rice prices Farmers continue demanding payment of the rice pledging scheme Gambia to invest in farm technologies to end rice importation in 2016 Monsoon rains will be below normal this year in Odisha due to El Nino effects Govt targets 20% growth in rice production Rice Farmers Decry Slow Distribution Of Fertilizer Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC & Open Market-April 25
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identified a path forward on important bilateral TPP issues," but with little specifics. Japan is seeking a carve out from trade liberalization under the Trans Pacific Partnership for five sensitive commodity groups, with rice at the top of the list. USA Rice has strongly and consistently urged U.S. negotiators not to agree to a deal unless there is a significant improvement in the quantity and quality of access for U.S. rice. "While we seek the benefits of an ambitious TPP agreement, USA Rice applauds the persistence of U.S. negotiators in not agreeing to what Japan is seeking on rice," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice's President & CEO. "Our pragmatic position on rice market access acknowledges Japan's acute political sensitivities, and it is time for Japan to respond with ambition or risk being left behind." Reportedly, the next TPP negotiating session is scheduled for mid-May in Vietnam at the chief negotiator level. "USA Rice will continue to advise U.S. negotiators, emphasizing our industry priorities," said Ward. Contact: Bob Cummings, (703) 236-1473
Clockwise from upper left: Rice Belt Warehouse; Douget's; Texas producer LG Raun and USA Rice's Betsy Ward; a flooded Texas rice field; and Rice Belt. CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Final): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 25 Month Price Net Change
May 2014
$15.420
+ $0.015
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More rice, more veggies What they found: Consumers who ate more rice tended to get more nutrients while eating less fat and added sugar. They also tended to eat more fruit and vegetables.Our results show that adults who eat rice had diets
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more consistent with what is recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, and they showed higher amounts of potassium, magnesium, iron, folate and fiber while eating less saturated fat and added sugars, Nicklas said. Eating rice is also associated with eating more servings of fruit, vegetables, meat and beans.On average, Americans eat about 27 pounds of rice a year. Of that, about 70 percent is enriched white rice.Most of that rice was grown in the USA; American farmers grow an estimated 20 billion pounds of rice a year, according to the USA Rice Federation.California, the No. 2 rice-growing state, annually accounts for about 4.5 billion pounds, mostly short-grained rice. Virtually every piece of sushi made in the U.S. contains California-grown rice. Image: On average, Americans eat about 27 pounds of rice a year. Of that, about 70 percent is enriched white rice grown in the United States. (MCT)
India may cede top rice exporter spot under Southeast Asian price onslaught
Thu Apr 24, 2014 2:30am IST
* India's total 2014/15 rice exports seen at 8 mln T vs 10.5 mln year ago -exec * Non-basmati exports seen down at 4 mln T vs 6.5 mln year ago * Nigerian import duty, rupee gain also weighing on India rice exports By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI, April 24 (Reuters) - India's rice exports could slide by nearly a quarter this year and knock the country off its perch as top exporter of the grain due to stiff competition from Southeast Asian rivals that have recently slashed prices, Indian industry executives said.A drop in Indian exports could help Thailand trim a record inventory chalked up under a controversial rice-buying scheme. Thailand may also be able to reclaim its status as the world's biggest rice exporter, which it lost to India two years ago.It will also leave more rice in Indian hands at a time when the country's stocks are bulging and it faces the prospect of a record harvest, creating problems of storage."We are almost out of the market now. Thailand and Vietnam are selling aggressively and it is difficult for Indian exporters to match those prices," B.V. Krishna Rao, managing director at Pattabhi Agro Foods Pvt Ltd, India's biggest non-basmati rice exporter, told Reuters."Thailand will again become the world's biggest rice exporter. Our non-basmati rice exports could drop to 4 million tonnes," Rao said.India toppled Thailand in 2012 to become the world's biggest rice exporter after the government lifted a four-year-old ban on non-basmati rice shipments in 2011 to trim a growing mountain of the
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grain following bountiful harvests.In the 2013/14 financial year that ended on March 31, India's total rice exports stood at a record 10.5 million tonnes, comprising 4 million tonnes aromatic basmati rice and 6.5 million tonnes of the non-basmati variety. While India's shipments of the basmati variety are likely to remain steady in 2014/15 at around 4 million tonnes, total rice exports could drop to 8 million tonnes due to the slide in exports of non-basmati rice, industry officials said.Desperate for revenues, Thailand has this year been selling larger quantities of the grain from state warehouses at low prices to private traders. Thailand-origin rice was offered at the lowest price in an international tender from Iraq's state grains buyer to purchase at least 30,000 tonnes, European traders said on Tuesday.The push could boost Thailand's rice exports to 9 million tonnes in the 2014 calendar year from 6.7 million a year ago, according to a March report issued by a U.S. Department of Agriculture attache in Thailand. India's exports in the 2014 calendar year are expected to be lower than that, industry executives said. Thailand is now offering 5 percent broken rice RI-THBKN5-P1 at $390 to $395 per tonne free-on-board basis, compared to India's offer price of $400.The Southeast Asian nation usually charges a premium over Indian rice due to its longer grains."India and Thailand are quoting nearly the same price for 5 percent broken rice. Thailand's prices need to go up by $40 per tonne to make Indian exports viable," said M. Adishankar, executive director at Sri Lalitha, a leading rice exporter based in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. PROBLEM OF PLENTY Since the first week of February, Thailand has cut export prices of 5 percent broken rice by nearly 12 percent, compared with a 2 percent drop in export prices from Vietnam, the world's second-biggest exporter. Indian prices rose 2 percent during the same period as the rupee strengthened."For some grades Thailand has been offering discounts compared to Indian prices. Indian exporters can't lower prices substantially due to the appreciating rupee," said M.P. Jindal, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association.A strong rupee cuts the returns of exporters. The Indian currency has risen nearly 3 percent since the start of February. The imposition of a 110 percent import duty on rice last year by Nigeria, a major importer of the grain from India, could further hamper exports from the South Asian country.India mainly exports non-basmati rice to African countries such as Nigeria, Senegal and Benin, while Iran, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates are key buyers of its basmati rice."Shipments to Nigeria are hit due to the new duty structure," said Adishankar of Sri Lalitha.
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Other African buyers are switching to Thailand as the government has been aggressively selling stocks from its warehouses, the exporters said.Slowing exports will add to India's problem of plenty in foodgrains. Rice inventories with India's state-run agencies have already jumped above 30 million tonnes as on April 1, government data shows, against a target of 14.2 million tonnes. Moreover, the country is estimated to produce a record 106.19 million tonnes rice in the year to July 2014."Slowing exports mean more and more farmers will sell their crop to the government, but it doesn't have enough storage space," said a rice miller based in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. (Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
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Rice Planted, Selected States Week Ending April 20, 2013 April 13, 2014 Percent Arkansas California Louisiana Mississippi Missouri Texas Six States 21 9 85 7 35 90 32 17 5 69 10 4 61 25 29 5 78 15 9 73 32 46 4 79 39 38 83 44 April 120, 2014 2009-2013 average
State
Month
Price
Net Change
$15.190 $15.305
- $0.170 - $0.150
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categories, the two sides reached substantial agreement to drastically reduce tariffs on beef, pork and dairy products, while tariffs on rice, wheat and sweetenerssuch as sugarcanecan, in principle, be maintained at current levels. Therefore, there is the prospect that tariffs will be kept in all five key categories.The joint statement stipulates: The United States and Japan are committed to taking the bold steps necessary to complete a high -standard, ambitious, comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership [TPP] agreement. Today, we have identified a path forward on important bilateral TPP issues.With adjustments with other participating countries still remaining, the Japanese and U.S. governments did not announce the contents of what had been agreed in their bilateral TPP negotiations. Although the details remain unreleased, sources close to negotiators said that Japan and the United States agreed to substantially lower tariffs on beef and porkthe main focus of the bilateral TPP talksto the level of 9 percent or more, from the current 38.5 percent, over the course of about 20 years.To protect domestic farmers in Japan, the current gate price system will be maintained. To control pork prices on the domestic market, the system imposes tariffs based on price differences between standard domestic pork and imported pork.In exchange for maintaining the system, Japan is expected to drastically lower its standard domestic price at the request of the United States.Regarding dairy products, Japan is likely to lower tariffs first and then set up a new special quota for U.S. dairy products, which will be imported with low tariffs.In exchange for Japans agreement to reduce tariffs on beef and pork and dairy products, the United States seems to have compromised to allow safeguard measures, under which the original tariff rates will be restored on products from the United States if their imports surge after a tariff reduction. Tariffs on rice, wheat and sweeteners such as sugarcane are expected to be kept in line with current levels.Regarding rice and wheat, the government is likely to increase the volumes imported from the United States without tariffs.Currently, 770,000 tons of rice is imported from overseas without tariffs under the socalled minimum access system. The government is currently making an adjustment to increase the amount of U.S. rice imported under the system. Regarding sweeteners, the United States did not demand that Japan make a major compromise, the sources said.PM: Statement groundbreaking Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hailed the Japan-U.S. joint statement Friday morning as a groundbreaking achievement.For both Japan, the United States and the bilateral alliance, the joint statement marks a groundbreaking achievement. The statement articulates at home and abroad that Japan and the United States will play a leading role in securing peace and stability of Asia and the Pacific region, Abe told reporters at the Prime Ministers Office.
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TAIPEI -- Lawmakers began a review yesterday of a bill that would raise the penalties 20-fold for mislabeling, adulteration and false advertising involving rice products.The proposed amendment to the Food Administration Act would increase the maximum fine for the offenses from the current NT$200,000 (US$6,599) to NT$4 million.In addition, the maximum fine for manufacturers who refuse an inspection by authorities or fail to disclose their contact information would be hiked from the current NT$150,000 to NT$3 million.Agriculture Minister Chen Bao-ji explained that the proposed changes are aimed at preventing manufacturers from blending cheaper imports with domestic rice and passing the products off as purely domestic.
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representatives have sent an official letter to Deputy Governor Phiphop Damthongsuk in order to be passed on to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and demand payments from the rice pledging scheme. Mr. Thongchai stated that there are still numerous farmers who still have not yet been paid after theyve enrolled in the rice pledging scheme. Narong Ngampring, the Director of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BACC) reported that the number of Surin famers that still have not been paid is around 98,000 accounting for 540,000 tons of rice and more than 9 billion baht worth. Mr. Narong, however, went on to say that 45% of the farmers, or approximately 4 billion baht, have already been paid. In regards to farmers still short on cash, the BAAC is providing loans for those who wish to commence this years rice season. The loan granted to each farmer is limited to 100,000 baht each.
Monsoon rains will be below normal this year in Odisha due to El Nino effects
Friday, April 25, 2014
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Bhubaneswar: Monsoon rains will be below normal this year in India due to El Nino effects. This was informed by the Met dept. It should be noted that earlier a senior agro-meteorologist of Odisha has predicted a drought in the State this year. Though the southwest monsoon will hit the State as usual by the second week of June, it is most likely that the monsoon will withdraw from the State by August-September causing severe damage to the kharif crops, said agro-meteorologist and nodal officer of the Indian Meteorological Centre at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Dr Surendranath Pasupalak. Dr Pasupalak said going by the data from 17 international meteorological centres, there is every possibility that the southwest monsoon would withdraw from Odisha in August and September due to El Nino effect and that would influence the monsoon flow in India and Indonesia in a significant way. The El Nino is characterised by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific which influences the global weather system, he said, adding that since the El Nino is expected to intensify by the second week of August, it will have an adverse effect on the wind flow and the monsoon across the ocean. He also said if the effect of El Nino reaches high in August, it will force the monsoon to withdraw from Odisha. That is bad news because August is usually the peak time for paddy cultivation and withdrawal of monsoon would severely hit the paddy crop. Although the State will receive the average quantum of annual rainfall, it would not help the farmers as there would be excess rainfall in June and July. As a result, the possibility of floods in the State cannot be ruled out, Dr Pasupalak said. It may be mentioned here that despite average rainfall in the State last year, drought had hit as many as 39 Panchayats. Meanwhile, the Centre, acting on the monsoon predictions of a number of international Met centres, has begun working on possible measures to tackle drought and has asked the Agriculture Secretaries of various States to formulate action plans in anticipation of the threat. - See more at:
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percent self-sufficiency in rice production could be achieved in 2016. At this rate 99 percent sufficiency could be reached in 2020. He said at average growth rate of 20 percent, 80 percent self-sufficiency could be reached in 2016, adding that to attain 100 percent self-sufficiency in rice production by 2016, production has to grow at a constant rate of 29 percent between 2014 and 2016.Commenting on strategies to boost rice production, the sector minister said the ministry would strive to promote smallholder production, as well as domestic rice production on commercial agric-business enterprises in order to close the deficit gap.He said there would be development of a national rice seed roadmap to ensure national self-sufficiency in quality rice seed production by 2018.On the issue of increased livestock and poultry production, Mr. Humado indicated that by the end of 2016, import of chicken into the country would be reduced by 40 percent.He said 52,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs would be created for the youth.Mr. Humado added that MoFA was in partnership with the University of Ghana in adaptive research into high value tomato and other vegetable crop production under protected systems in the country.
Nagpur, Apr 25 (Reuters) - Gram prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee (APMC) reported strong on good demand from local millers amid weak supply from producing belts. Fresh rise on NCDEX and upward trend in Madhya Pradesh gram prices also boosted sentiment, according to sources
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FOODGRAINS & PULSES GRAM * Desi gram raw showed upward trend in open market here on increased buying support from local traders amid thin arrival from producing belts. TUAR * Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market on poor demand from local traders amid ample supply from producing regions. * Udid varieties recovered strongly in open market on increased marriage season demand from local traders. Reports about 25 per cent downfall in crop position in this season also pushed up prices. * In Akola, Tuar - 4,100-4,300, Tuar dal - 6,300-6,500, Udid at 6,100-6,500, Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,200-7,700, Moong - 8,500-8,700, Moong Mogar (clean) 10,000-10,800, Gram - 2,600-2,800, Gram Super best bold - 3,600-4,000 for 100 kg. * Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market in thin trading activity, according to sources. Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close Gram Auction 2,365-2,796 2,300-2,750 Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600 Tuar Auction n.a. 3,800-4,260 Moong Auction n.a. 6,300-6,800 Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500 Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800 Gram Super Best Bold 3,900-4,200 3,900-4,200 Gram Super Best n.a. Gram Medium Best 3,700-3,800 3,700-3,800 Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a. Gram Mill Quality 3,500-3,650 3,500-3,650 Desi gram Raw 2,850-2,900 2,800-2,850 Gram Filter new 3,150-3,450 3,150-3,450 Gram Kabuli 8,900-10,800 8,900-10,800 Gram Pink 7,900-8,300 7,900-8,300 Tuar Fataka Best 6,700-6,900 6,700-6,900 Tuar Fataka Medium 6,500-6,600 6,500-6,600 Tuar Dal Best Phod 6,000-6,200 6,000-6,200 Tuar Dal Medium phod 5,600-5,900 5,600-5,900 Tuar Gavarani 4,450-4,550 4,450-4,550 Tuar Karnataka 4,650-4,750 4,650-4,750 Tuar Black 7,700-7,900 7,700-7,900 Masoor dal best 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500 Masoor dal medium 6,000-6,150 6,000-6,150 Masoor n.a. n.a. Moong Mogar bold 10,900-11,100 10,900-11,100 Moong Mogar Medium best 10,200-10,600 10,200-10,600
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Moong dal super best 9,500-9,800 9,500-9,800 Moong dal Chilka 9,000-9,250 9,000-9,250 Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a. Moong Chamki best 8,500-9,500 8,500-9,500 Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 7,600-7,900 7,500-7,800 Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,100-6,900 6,000-6,800 Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,500 5,100-5,400 Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,500-6,000 4,500-6,000 Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,050-3,150 3,050-3,150 Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,350-3,450 3,350-3,450 Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,500 3,400-3,500 Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200 Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,750 1,700-1,750 Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800 Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,500 2,150-2,500 Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,000 1,850-2,000 Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a. MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,100-3,700 3,100-3,700 MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,400-2,900 2,400-2,900 Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700 Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,750 1,700-1,750 Rice BPT new(100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,700-2,900 Rice BPT old (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600 Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,850 1,700-1,850 Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800 Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,450 2,300-2,450 Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 3,900-4,200 3,900-4,200 Rice HMT old (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,700 4,400-4,800 Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,800 4,800-5,800 Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-13,500 10,000-13,500 Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-9,500 7,000-9,500 Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,000 5,600-6,000 Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,600 5,100-5,600 Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600 Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800 WEATHER (NAGPUR) Maximum temp. 41.0 degree Celsius (105.8 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp. 23.4 degree Celsius (74.1 degree Fahrenheit) Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a. Rainfall : nil FORECAST: Mainly clear sky. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 42 and 24 degree Celsius respectively. Note: n.a.--not available (For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
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