30th April, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

30th April , 2014
TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU Latest News Headlines

Farmers Forecasting Less Rice, Higher Prices Because of Drought Rice prices up again Govt gears up for impact of El Nio Farmers' fund fails to make a dent on Thai govt rice debt Commerce Ministry boasts good rice sales Thai Election Likely July 20 in Latest Attempt to End Stalemate Gambia: 'Gambia Can Produce Over Two Million Tonnes of Rice Annually' Pakistan: Rice exports post 20.19% increase in last 9 months U.S. Rice Fighting Off Competition in Mexico CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures PhilRice- Isabela to showcase agri-related machines on Santiago Citys 20th cityhood anniversary Pakistan: Rice exports post 20.19% increase in last 9 months How Vermont plans to defend the nations first GMO law Rice is nice: Five fun things you didn't know about this great grain
News Detail
Farmers Forecasting Less Rice, Higher Prices Because of Drought
By Amy Quinton
Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.com News and R&D Section mujajhid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 92 321 369 2874
Wednesday, April 30, 2014 | Sacramento, CA | Permalink
Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
California supplies virtually all of the nations sushi rice and half of it is exported. But of all the food crops in the state, rice is likely to be affected by the drought the most. The mere speculation of losses is already driving up prices.At Montna Farms near Yuba City, huge drag scrapers level a rice field in preparation for planting.The rice grown in the Sacramento Valley is primarily medium grain rice. Nicole Van Vleck with Montna Farms says the high gluten sticky rice is perfect for sushi.If youre eating sushi rice in New York, or in Florida or San Francisco youre most likely undoubtedly going to be eating California rice, which we refer to as Calrose," says Van Vleck. Van Vleck stands next to a water pump thats flooding the field behind her. So this is water thats coming from the Feather River and the Feather is just to the east of us, we divert out of the Feather," she says. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio Northern California farmers typically have plenty of water compared to those in the Southern California, even during dry years. They often profit by selling water to the south.But Dan Sumner, an agriculture economist at UC Davis says not this year."This is the first time I know of that we cut back rice acreage because surface water allocations were cut so severely to water districts north of Sacramento, says Sumner.Montna Farms gets water for its 5,000 acres from several different water districts, but Van Vleck says the change will mean a huge decrease in plantings.Ive been here at Montna Farms for 20 years and its unlike anything Ive ever had to deal with, the uncertainty this year, since th e beginning of year, day to day things change, right now were looking, we are down 48 percent over last year," says Van Vleck.That figure is with the recent increase in allocations made possible by spring rains. The California Rice Commission estimates that rice farmers will leave 100,000 acres, or about 20 percent, of their fields fallow. Van Vleck says medium-grain rice from California is a very thinly-traded commodity worldwide.If you have California being reduced and California does export about half of their crop and so if California is
affected because of the drought it all of a sudden changes the price of medium grain substantially," says Van Vleck. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio Dan Sumner says its already happened. "Farmers were getting between $15 and $20 for a sack of rice, 100-pound sack of rice, its now up in the range of $25 or $30 or more," says Sumner.At Otos Marketplace in Sacramento the price shot up at the beginning of the year. Russell Oto is the General Manager of the store which specializes in Asian foods. He says by the time the increase trickles down to the customer, it will only be slight.A lot of the distributors and everybody went in increments you dont see a big price raise all at one time, but by May or June it might go up a little bit more than what my prices are now," says Oto.The economic impact may be felt more directly in other places. Rice farmer Walt Trevathan says hell plant about 350 acres of rice on his farm in the Sacramento Valley. He usually plants about 500. He says its enough to make it through the drought, but he worries about the effect on small communities.Everybody thats raising less of anything its going to affect all the communities because theres always that trickle down of how many times our dollars get multiplied through the communities and thats certainly you know, less fertilizer, less fuel, less everything being used," says Trevathan. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio Rice dryers, rice mills and storage facilities, equipment dealers all rely on the rice industry and all will be affected by the drought. But what worries rice farmers the most is the possibility that California could see more dry years ahead. We have this wonderful system of customers that count on us each and every year and I dont know that theyll all be able to be serviced this year," says Van Vleck. "Someone else will fill that void. You might not get the customer back.And economists say thats the danger. Suppliers need a reliable quantity of rice or theyll just go elsewhere. The drought or future droughts may
send a signal to the world market that California rice isnt reliable.
Numbers and figures are provided by the California Rice Commission. Marnette Federis / Capital Public Radio
State Of Drought
Reservoir levels are at historic lows, municipalities are ordering mandatory conservation and farmers are bracing for water shortages. CapRadio has coverage on how Californians are being impacted by the drought.
Tags: environment
drought
water
UC Davis
rice
montna farm
dan sumner
Amy Quinton
Environment Reporter Amy came to Sacramento from New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) where she was the Environment Reporter. Amy has also reported for NPR member stations WFAE in Charlotte, NC, WAMU in Washington D.C. and American Public Media's "Marketplace."
Rice prices up again

PRICE increases for rice and palay continued for the third straight week, according to data released by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics on its Web site.
From April 16-22, the average farm gate price f palay stood at P20.31/kg, just 0.54% more than in the preceding week but 31.5% higher than in the same period last year.Wholesale prices of well milled rice averaged at P38.99/kg, 0.31% more than in the week prior and 19.24% more year-on-year.The average price among retail sellers was P41.61/kg, 0.19% more than in the week before and 18.08% more than in the same week of 2013.Meanwhile, regular milled rice retained its average wholesale price of P36.17/kg week-on-week, but this was 21.91% more costly than last year.The retail price, on the average, jumped by 0.10% week-onweek and 19.72% year-on-year to P38.30/kg.The National Food Authority, earlier this month, noted that price movements this period are likely affected by the summer seasons higher-quality yield and smaller harvest. -A.M. Monzon
Govt gears up for impact of El Nio

Linda Yulisman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Headlines | Wed, April 30 2014, 8:40 AM
The government has set aside Rp 2 trillion (US$173.18 million) to maintain food security amid rising risks caused by the potential return of weather phenomenon El Nio this year.About Rp 1 trillion of the funds would be used to boost rice stockpiles at state-owned logistics firm Bulog from 400,000 tons to 1.7 million tons, Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said.Bulog will prioritize buying rice from local farmers to increase its stocks, Hatta told reporters after a coordinating meeting at his office on Tuesday, which was attended by a number of ministers and officials, including Agriculture Minister Suswono, Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi and Central Statistics Agency (BPS) chief Suryamin. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) announced earlier this month that there was a high possibility of El Nio hitting Indonesia in June or July, which could cause extreme dry weather, leading to harvest failure and fires. It has advised the government to take necessary measures to prepare for the impact of the unfavorable weather pattern. Goldman Sachs listed raw sugar, together with palm oil and cocoa, as key commodities that may experience production disruption. The government recently gave a nod to Bulog to import 328,000 tons of white sugar for household consumption to meet a shortage of 340,000 tons. The rest will be supplied by domestic producers stateowned agribusiness firm PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia and PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XI.Agriculture Minister Suswono said that the prepared funds might also be used to mitigate the impact of worsening droughts. When El Nio hits, we will optimize the use of land water or water from rivers by way of pumping [to irrigate farming areas], he said.David Dawe, a Bangkok-based senior economist at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that Indonesia and the Philippines, might be the countries most affected by El Nio. However, despite the possibility of less rain in both countries, decreased production would not likely happen until early next year. If we get El Nio conditions in June, July and August, the planting decisions of farmers will be affected in November and December, he said as quoted by Bloomberg. In a separate development, the agriculture minister also said that the government had lowered the rice and soybean production targets announced in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, in October last year.Rice husk output has been lowered from 76 million tons to 73 million tons, while soybean output has been cut from 1.5 million tons to 1.2 million tons, according to Suswono.Suswono said the lesser output of rice husk was expected due to a shortage of allocated state funds needed to increase planting activities from last October until March this year, while the reduced soybean output was attributed to the failure of obtaining land to expand farming areas.The government earlier estimated that there were 155,000 hectares in transmigration regions to grow soybean.
Farmers' fund fails to make a dent on Thai govt rice debt

Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:19am EDT * Rice arrears brought down to 90.5 bln baht from 119 bln * Govt raises just 9 pct of funds needed * Time running out to sell stocks and replenish budget
By Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat BANGKOK, April 30 (Reuters) - Efforts to raise cash to pay Thai rice farmers under a state subsidy scheme have had little success, officials say, adding to the woes of the country's caretaker government as it struggles to sell down a rice stockpile.The Thai government has raised about 9 percent of what it owes from a so-called "fund to help farmers" that was launched earlier this month, seeking both public donations and investments that would offer investors a modest return. "We've raised around 8 billion Thai baht ($250 million) from the new fund," said Nipath Kuasakul, executive vice-president of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), which manages the intervention scheme for the government.But that is just a small portion of the 90.5 billion baht owed to farmers under the rice subsidy scheme that has incurred billions of dollars in losses and left hundreds of thousands of farmers unpaid.The government of Yingluck Shinawatra was swept to power in a landslide in 2011, helped by the generous rice price guarantee scheme, which effectively ended on Feb 28. However, Shinawatra has faced months of protest over a deep-seated political divide and an election in February was annulled.She now heads a caretaker government with limited fiscal powers and cannot borrow money to pay the farmers.The debt to farmers has fallen from 119 billion baht earlier in the year after the caretaker government was authorised to take money from the state budget and sold rice from stockpiles, managing to repay some farmers as tempers frayed.The government has struggled to sell large quantities of the stockpiled rice, which it bought a prices well above market levels. The BAAC has tried to raise cash by persuading local government bodies to deposit money with the fund, but critics and opponents say such an investment would be risky."It's like you are taking the central budget set aside for rural development to spend on such a risky programme, which would put the country's fiscal discipline at risk," said Nipon Poapongsakorn of the Thailand Development Research Institute.The government borrowed 20 billion baht from the 2013/2014 fiscal budget in late March to pay farmers to try to avert mass farm protests, a separate front from the political demonstrations it has faced for the past six months.That loan, authorised by the Election Commission, was made available on condition the government repaid the money to the central budget by May 31.Finance Minister Kittirat Na Ranong said the government had already returned 15.4 billion baht and the Commerce Ministry was racing to sell stocks to generate the remaining 4.6 billion. The government could face a legal charge if the money is not repaid on time, although sources said it would likely get an extension.The Thai government spent more than 600 billion baht ($18.6 billion) buying rice from farmers at 15,000 baht per tonne - about 50 percent above market prices when it proposed the figure in the runup to a 2011 election - and it held the grain in stocks in an effort to push up world prices.However, abundant supplies in Asia and a return to exports by India scuppered the plan and led to a sharp fall in exports from Thailand, the world's biggest shipper of the grain in 2012.The intervention scheme ran up massive losses, the full extent of which has not been disclosed to the public.Yingluck also faces possible Senate impeachment and may have to step down if an anti-graft panel decides she is guilty of dereliction of duty in her handling of the rice scheme. ($1 = 32.2300 Thai Baht) (Editing by Martin Petty and Richard Pullin)
Commerce Ministry boasts good rice sales

Date : 30 2557 BANGKOK, 30 April 2014 (NNT) - Commerce Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisarn has expressed confidence that the ministry will be able to return 20 billion baht to the government after May 2014 following continuously good rice sales since the beginning of the year. The ministry therefore plans to request another 40 billion baht from the government to pay rice farmers in the rice pledging program.
The minister said on Wednesday that the ministry had sold as high as 800,000 tons of rice in April and it had already returned 15 billion baht to the government. The Ministry of Finance would urgently help mobilize fund for the Commerce Ministry to pay the rice farmers and there would be more clarity on its rice payments this month, Mr Niwatthamrong said. Regarding the countrys economy, the minister said he believed politics was the main problem and added that the economy would greatly slow down if the political deadlock was prolonged. There were only exports and government spending which were stimulating the economy while consumer spending was on the decline, he said.
Thai Election Likely July 20 in Latest Attempt to End Stalemate

By Chris Blake and Suttinee Yuvejwattana Apr 30, 2014 10:00 PM GMT+0500 hailands government, which has been operating for months as a caretaker with limited powers amid political unrest, reached an agreement with the Election Commission to hold new general elections on July 20.Election Commissioner Puchong Nutrawong said the organization will draft a decree calling for the fresh vote that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra can send for royal approval. The government and EC are determined to make the new election successful, Puchong told reporters yesterday in Bangkok. A July election would be the second attempt to choose a government since Yingluck dissolved parliament in December in a bid to calm weeks of opposition-backed street protests aimed at removing her from office. The protesters, whose blockade of some polling stations prompted a court to annul a Feb. 2 vote, have said they will disrupt any ballot held before rules are rewritten to make sure Yingluck and her family are excluded from politics.Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanjana said the Election Commissions proposed poll date was acceptable and the Cabinet would consider the draft decree next week. The government had previously called for elections as early as June and had accused the commission of deliberately delaying the organization of a new poll.
The Stock Exchange of Thailand Index rose 0.2 percent yesterday to 1,414.94. The election date was announced after the end of trading. The index has gained 9 percent this year, compared with the 0.8 percent decline in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The baht has gained 1.1 percent against the dollar this year. Yesterday, it fell 0.3 percent to 32.357. Thai markets are closed today for May Day.
Previous Boycott
The main opposition Democrat Party boycotted the Feb. 2 vote, and the partys leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, warned April 29 against scheduling new elections before resolving political tensions that have led to the deaths of at least 25 people in the past six months.If we have a quick election and disputes cont inue, I think most people would prefer a delayed election that goes well, Abhisit told reporters April 29 after his own meeting with the Election Commission. Yesterdays agreement may complicate Abhisits recent efforts to find a solution for the political impasse, Democrat Party spokesman Chavanont Intarakomalsut told reporters. The party will meet at an appropriate time to decide whether to contest the vote, he said.If Yingluck is confident that this election can be held smoothly, then please go ahead and take responsibility for what will happen, because the Democrats think that the upcoming election wont go well for sure, Chavanont said. Constitutional Court Its possible that Yingluck wont remain in office long enough to contest the poll. The Constitutional Court may decide as early as next week whether she abused her power to benefit a relative during the transfer of a security official in 2011.The case has the potential to force Yingluck and her ministers from office and spark a constitutional crisis, depending on how the court interprets the charter. The protesters, led by former Democrat powerbroker Suthep Thaugsuban, have said a power vacuum may allow them to install the temporary, unelected government they seek. Suthep late yesterday urged his supporters to gather for a major rally in Bangkok on May 14 to regain power from the current group of people who have been abusing the authority we gave them.Yinglucks opponents accuse her of corruption and being a puppet of her brother Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and lives abroad to avoid a jail sentence in a corruption case he says was
politically motivated. Parties linked to Thaksin have won the past five national elections.Yingluck has
denied the abuse-of-power charge as well as allegations that she neglected her duty as head of a committee that oversaw the governments rice-subsidy program. A move to replace the government without an election may be met with protests from Yinglucks supporters that could lead to further violence. Puchong played down the possibility of Sutheps protesters derailing the July poll, and said security agencies and the military would assist in holding the election.Please dont guess on what will happen in the future, he told reporters. We want to have positive thinking here. To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Blake in Bangkok at cblake28@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rosalind Mathieson atrmathieson3@bloomberg.net Tony Jordan, Dick Schumacher
Gambia: 'Gambia Can Produce Over Two Million Tonnes of Rice Annually'
BY MUSA NDOW & AMADOU JALLOW, 30 APRIL 2014
The Gambia has the potential to produce more than two million tonnes of rice annually, ten times more than what is required, if all the rice fields visited are developed, the president of the Republic has disclosed.Speaking Monday during visits to rice fields in the Lower River Region (LRR), as part of his ongoing "Vision 2016 rice selfsufficiency tour," His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh said his government is exploring all avenues to make sure that the country stops food importation and engage in full export in the next 10 years."I can see that even the Central River Region (CRR) alone the potentials are there and when you go to Fatoto coming down and even beyond, we can produce millions of tonnes of rice and other cereals in this country. After so many years of being a net importer of food items, we will become one of the biggest exporters of rice in five years time. We must achieve that," he stressed. Words to private sector As part of efforts towards meeting this objective, the Gambian leader disclosed plans by his government to create a company that will be responsible for most of these fields. The government, he said, will no longer entertain the smallholder type of agriculture as part of efforts to making the nation a major exporter of rice."My objective is for agriculture to be all all-year-round affair. What I want is to have all-year-round rice production like I have in Kanilai. So it is going to be harvesting all year round," he assured. The government, he said, will transform vast lands that are not being utilised into productive sites for the development of the sector.Diversification The Gambian leader also
stressed the need for agricultural diversification, stressing that the country's food source must not only be centered on rice, but other varieties in order to enhance nutrition.
"Be it corn, cassava, beans and even fruit trees, I see no reason why The Gambia cannot be a major producer of coconut because in certain areas where the water is brackish, are the ideal place for coconut plantation. Of course why not become a major producer of palm oil? So we can turn some of these fields into great palm tree plantations like Malaysia," he noted. Budget allocations.The Gambian leader spoke of his government's commitment to increase budgetary allocations to agriculture once construction of certain major roads are completed."The constructions of major roads have almost been finished except for Laminkoto-Passimas and Basse-Vellingara. For that of LaminkotoPassimas, we are just at the implementation stage and once all these are fixed, the bulk of the funds from the government [the budget] will be geared towards agricultural production," he disclosed. Visit to Jarra Sutukung and Jappineh Meanwhile, the Gambian leader earlier visited other vast lands in Jarra Sutukung and Jappineh, all in the LRR to see for himself the potentials of rice cultivation in these areas. Like in many of the other fields visited, President Jammeh assured these rural dwellers of better rice cultivation, but hastened to challenge them to make use of the vast endowed natural resources at their disposal. "This is the only way any country can stand on its own and end the decades-long dependency on foreign aid," he concluded.
Pakistan: Rice exports post 20.19% increase in last 9 months

30.04.2014
Rice exports from the country during first three quarters of current financial year registered an increase of 20.19 percent as compared to the same period of last year.During the period from July-March, 2013-14, about 2.683 million tons of rice worth US$ 1.666 million exported as comparing the exports of 2.494 million tons valuing US$ 1.368 million in the corresponding period of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.The data reveled that exports of basmati rice grew by 7.09 percent and about 440,835 metric tons of basmati rice worth US$ 0.493 million exported which was recorded at 477,926 metric tons of US$ 0.460 million during first nine months of last financial year. During the period under review, the exports of rice other then basmati also increased by 26.71 percent and reached at 2.242 million tons worth US$1.173 billion.The exports of rice other then basmati was recorded at 2.016 million tons valuing US$ 926.148 million during the first nine months of last financial year, the data added.During first three quarters of current financial year, the fish and fish preparations exports grew by 8.84 percent and reached at 103,833 metric tons worth US$ 253.065 million as compared to 103,796 metric tons valuing US$ 232.510 million i same period of last year.Meanwhile, the meat and meat preparations exports also witnessed 13.72 percent growth and reached at 58,730 metric tons valuing US$ 177.50 million as against 46,261 metric tons of US$ 156,098 million during same period of last year, it added.The exports of fresh fruits
registered 19.14 percent increase where as vegetables exports decreased by 2.39 percent respectively during the period under review.
U.S. Rice Fighting Off Competition in Mexico
U.S. rice's dominant position in Mexico is under attack and still at Still #1 significant risk. The share of U.S. rice in Mexico's total rice imports is now 89%, down from nearly 100% in 2010. The USA Rice Federation says that, according to Mexican import data, total U.S. rice exports to Mexico were reported at 183,952 MT during the 1st quarter of 2014. This is down 27% by volume from the same period one year earlier. The decreases were led by both paddy rice, (down 28.6%), and milled/parboiled rice, (down 12.2%). There were small increases recorded in "other" and "brown".The slip in U.S. rice exports to Mexico can be attributed to three factors: (1) in 2008 Mexico suspended import duties on rice and other basic grains from all origins, eroding a NAFTA-based duty edge U.S. rice had enjoyed; (2) aggressive government support to producers in Vietnam and Thailand beyond what is allowed by the World Trade Organization, enabling rice from these origins to significantly undercut U.S. prices; and, (3) high quality rice from Uruguay and Asia is making inroads in the market. "Simply put, Vietnamese and Thai rice is seen by importers and traders as about the same quality as U.S. rice, but at a 17 percent discount when delivered to Mexico City wholesale markets," said Marvin Lehrer, USA Rice's Mexico representative.The dramatic fall of U.S. milled rice market share in Mexico is troubling. From a high of more than 97 percent in 2010, down to 51 percent in 2013, and only reaching 40.5 percent for the first three months of 2014, this is a struggling segment. Lehrer said Uruguayan milled rice has gained significant market share in recent years, and is clearly seen as the quality leader in Mexico, replacing the U.S.'s long held position. The major independent rice packer in Mexico, who positions his brand as the quality leader, now uses Uruguayan milled rice almost exclusively. He tells USA Rice that he consistently receives high quality rice from Uruguay, but cannot say the same about U.S. rice. Customers of Mexican millers are also beginning to more aggressively import milled rice directly, which has put a squeeze on Mexican millers, which in turn, pushes U.S. paddy sales down. Another threat to U.S. paddy sales is alternate origins, and while Lehrer says there is no shift yet, millers are reportedly seeking offers from Brazil."Nobody can predict the future of rice exports to Mexico based only on the first three months of the year," said Jim Guinn, USA Rice's vice president of international promotion. "But the fact remains that the impact of Asian and South American rice is making a serious dent in both U.S. paddy and milled rice sales.""Importers tell me they strongly prefer to buy from the United States," said Lehrer. "It's easier to deal with the U.S., there's less transport time, they really know the people, and they are extended credit, but the numbers just don't work for many against lower priced Asian rice."Guinn says USA Rice is not
taking these challenges lying down.He points to the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of U.S. long grain rice with the formation of a voluntary elite line evaluation protocol prior to commercial release. Just last week, a private breeder asked to submit the first elite line to undergo this evaluation by rice millers/quality evaluators. These evaluators will look at five of the most important quality criteria including chalk, kernel uniformity, and overall appearance - all issues that have been expressly raised in the Mexico market. The evaluation worksheet and protocol is availableonline. Guinn says USA Rice is also in regular direct contact with Mexican importers and relays concerns to major American exporters. To that end, he told USA Rice Daily that an important Mexican trader will be attending the USA Rice Millers' Association annual meeting this summer, where he is expected to deliver messages directly to U.S. traders and millers. On the promotion side, Guinn says USA Rice works closely with the USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS) and their partners in Mexico. Adjustments to USA Rice's strategy and efforts are made in consultation with these thought leaders. In the coming year, USA Rice will focus very heavily on maintaining A sign of quality market share as opposed to just increasing demand. The focus will be on building brand loyalty to those brands that are 100% U.S. origin, whether milled in the U.S. or in Mexico. As part of this effort, USA Rice is registering a trademark that can be used on packages of 100% U.S. rice. This logo was developed in consultation with the two largest millers and importers of U.S. rice in Mexico who informed USA Rice that Mexican consumers have a high opinion of U.S.-grown rice, especially with regard to food safety. USA Rice has also identified production subsidies in Vietnam, Thailand, and India that appear to be well in excess of WTO commitments, as well as export subsidies that simply violate WTO rules. Guinn says USA Rice is vigorously pursuing remedies for these market distortion policies with U.S. policy makers."We recognize the problem is both price and quality, and we know that there is no reversing the market liberalization undertaken by the Mexican government, and halting unfair subsidies is a long-term endeavor," said Betsy Ward, USA Rice's president and CEO. "It's important for us to realize there is no silver bullet that will magically return the U.S. to its previous market dominance in the Mexican market, but addressing the quality issues head-on, building brand loyalty, and tackling unfair trade practices are three ways that the U.S. may be able to stem the tide."
Contact: Michael Klein (703) 236-1458
CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation todayannounced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2013 crop, which became effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Prices are unchanged from the previous announcement.
World Price Milled Value ($/cwt) Long-Grain Medium-/ShortGrain Brokens 17.72 17.35 12.14 Rough ($/cwt) 11.63 11.88 ----
MLG/LDP Rate Rough ($/cwt) 0.00 0.00 ----
This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S. milling yields and the corresponding loan rates: U.S. Milling Yields Loan Rate Whole/Broken ($/cwt) (lbs/cwt) Long-Grain Medium-/Short-Grain 57.94/11.23 63.26/7.45 6.65 6.58
The next program announcement is scheduled for May 7.
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 30
Month May 2014 July 2014 September 2014 November 2014
Price $15.615 $15.555 $14.570 $14.690
Net Change - $0.010 + $0.015 - $0.005 - $0.015
January 2015 March 2015 May 2015
$14.875 $15.050 $15.050
- $0.020 - $0.020 - $0.020
PhilRice- Isabela to showcase agri-related machines on Santiago Citys 20th cityhood anniversary
BY: MERLITO G. EDALE, JR. Tuesday 29th of April 2014 SAN MATEO, Isabela, April 28 (PIA) The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Isabela will showcase its agricultural machines during the weeklong 20th cityhood anniversary of Santiago City. Helen Pasicolan, PhilRice Isabela development coordinator said the agency will be participating during the citys anniversary aimed at introducing the products, programs, projects so the public would know how PhilRice could help the farming communities to increase their agricultural yields."The agri-related machines that will be showcased are rice hull stve, plastic drum seeder, micromill, multi-crop mill, open-type carbonizer, micro tiller and laboy tiller," she added.Pasicolan said there will be displayed handouts on climate change, integrated pest management and other IEC materials for agricultural production. A video on National Year of Rice will be played inside the booth during the duration of the citys anniversary and seeds and souvenir items like t-shirts and caps are up for sale with minimal price, Pasicolan bared. Pasicolan invites the public to visit the PhilRice booth on the weeklong observance of Santiago City's 20th cityhood anniversary to be held at the city hall grounds from May 1-5, 2014. (ALM/MGE PIA2-Isabela)
Pakistan: Rice exports post 20.19% increase in last 9 months

30.04.2014 Rice exports from the country during first three quarters of current financial year registered an increase of 20.19 percent as compared to the same period of last year.During the period from July-March, 2013-14, about 2.683 million tons of rice worth US$ 1.666 million exported as comparing the exports of 2.494 million tons valuing US$ 1.368 million in the corresponding period of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.The data reveled that exports of basmati rice grew by 7.09 percent andabout 440,835 metric tons of basmati rice worth US$ 0.493 million exported which was recorded at 477,926 metric tons of US$ 0.460
million during first nine months of last financial year.During the period under review, the exports of rice other then basmatialso increased by 26.71 percent and reached at 2.242 million tons worth US$ 1.173 billion. The exports of rice other then basmati was recorded at 2.016 million tons valuing US$ 926.148 million during the first nine months of last financial year, the data added.During first three quarters of current financial year, the fish and fish preparations exports grew by 8.84 percent and reached at 103,833 metric tons worth US$ 253.065 million as compared to 103,796 metric tons valuing US$ 232.510 million i same period of last year.Meanwhile, the meat and meat preparations exports also witnessed 13.72 percent growth and reached at 58,730 metric tons valuing US$ 177.50 million as against 46,261 metric tons of US$ 156,098 million during same period of last year, it added.The exports of fresh fruits registered 19.14 percent increase where as vegetables exports decreased by 2.39 percent respectively during the period under review
How Vermont plans to defend the nations first GMO law

BY NIRAJ CHOKSHI April 29 at 8:34 am
Edge Fuentes, left, stands with his wife Katie Spring, right, and their 9-month-old son Waylon in their planting room surrounded by seedlings for vegetables and flowers at their Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, Vt. Spring and Fuentes back the GMO labeling bill passed by the Vermont Legislature, arguing people need to be able to know whats in their food. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) Expect two things to happen now that Vermonts legislature has passed H.112. Any day now, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) is expected to make history by signing that bill into law as he has suggested, making his the first state to require genetically modified food to be labeled as such. Then, maybe not too long after that, expect the state to be sued over it.Theres no guarantee of legal action, but legislators, officials and advocates are preparing for it. Earlier this month, state Attorney General Bill Sorrell told Vermont Public Radio that he would be very surprised if the state isnt sued over the law. And officials were so sure of a challenge that the measure itself creates a $1.5 million legal defense fund, to be paid for with settlements won by the state. They thi nk its coming, but they also say theyre ready.The threat of a lawsuit worked for a while, but now it doesnt work
anymore, says Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, whose organization has for years worked with activists and lawmakers in Vermont on the issue. I think they may go ahead and sue and do it rather quickly in the hopes that it may gather momentum, he added, referring to biotech industry groups.Other states have pursued similar measures, but Vermonts law will be the first of its kind. Connecticut and Maine passed labeling requirements, but with trigger clauses requiring multiple other states to pass labeling requirements before their own go into effect. At least 25 states have considered such legislation, according to a Monday report on labeling requirements from the nonprofit Council for Agricultural Science and Technology. And advocates are hopeful they will get a measure on the Oregon ballot this year.
Efforts to label GMO foods, 2013. (Council for Agricultural Science and Technology Issue Paper 54)
Industry groups argue that such laws are costly and bad for consumers. But even some academics have questioned the reasons for implementing a labeling requirement. ThatMonday report authored by professors from the universities of California, Illinois and Missouri found no science-based reason for singling out genetically engineered foods. They also suggested that such requirements could have possible trade implications many of the labeling requirements in other countries violate World Trade Organization agreements, they write and that food costs could potentially rise if companies decide to use non-modified ingredients instead of simply slapping a genetically modified organism (GMO) label on products. (If they opt to comply with labeling requirements instead, costs could be minimal.).
A tomato breeder displays varieties grown at the Monsanto Co. facility in Woodland, California. Monsanto is the worlds large st producer of genetically engineered seed. (Noah Berger/Bloomberg)
Proponents argue that the science behind genetically modified food is far conclusive ask from and why consumers should take risks without knowing what theyre eating. If companies truly stand behind the safety of GMO foods, they shouldnt worry about having to identify them, advocates for labeling argue.Whatever the wisdom of labeling policies, though, Vermont is set to move forward with its requirement. Cummins and others are relatively calm about the prospect of lawsuits, though, because theyre prepared. Advocates expect industry will challenge the law on three constitutional grounds, none of which they expect to be successful (of course). Heres how the food industry may fight back and why labeling proponents think they can win, according to their legal analyses.
1. The First Amendment argument

The first argument that industry is expected to make in challenging Vermonts GMO law is that it violates commercial free speech rights under the First Amendment. (Businesses have limited free speech protections based on the benefit of free-flowing information to an open society.) The Supreme Court has established two tests for reviewing whether such rights have been violated, according to two legal analyses of Vermonts law.Under one test from Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Ohio the U.S. Supreme Court found that requiring commercial speech is considered constitutional if the required speech conveys purely factual information in support of a legitimate government interest, according to a memo from Emord & Associates, a food and drug law firm.
In other words, government can require businesses to make factual statements if its in the service of the public good in some way. The other First Amendment test revolves around whether a state can restrict commercial speech. It stems from New Yorks attempt, in the interest of conserving energy, to ban utilities from promoting use of electricity. The Supreme Court overturned the ban, challenged by Central Hudson Gas & Electric.In so doing, the court set up a four-part test, according to another memo from the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic, which represents the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. A limit on commercial speech must meet four requirements, the court found:
1. 2. 3. 4. First, the court has to decide that the speech is protected, meaning it must be about legal activity and not be misleading. Second, the government has to claim a substantial interest in limiting the speech. Third, the policy in question has to directly advance that interest. Fourth, that policy must not overreach in achieving its goal.
Both legal memos and labeling advocates come to the same conclusion: a labeling law will likely pass either test.
Javier Alcantar tends to corn crops at the Monsanto test field in Woodland, California. (Noah Berger/Bloomberg)
2. Does federal law trump state law?

Another argument that proponents of GMO labeling expect to hear is that Vermonts new law stomps on territory covered by the federal government. There are three conditions under which federal law trumps state law, a process known as preemption, according to the Law Clinic memo. They are known as express
preemption, field preemption and conflict preemption.Express preemption is when Congress explicitly says a federal law trumps state laws. Both memos conclude that it has not done so with such labeling requirements, which dont explicitly govern genetically modified foods. A conflict preemption exists when its impossible to comply with both federal and state law. Again, federal regulations dont touch on the use of genetically enginereed, natural or similar terms, so its possible for a business or individual to comply with federal and state labeling requirements, both memos find.Finally, federal law trumps state law when its clear that the federal interest in a field is so great that its assumed to be the one in charge. In that instance, congressional intent to supersede state laws must be clear and manifest, which neither memo finds it is.
A tassel of corn grows in a field on Pioneer Hi-Bred International land in Waialua, Hawaii. The nations leading corn seed companies have farms in Hawaii, but their fields have become a flash point in a spreading debate over genetic engineering. (Audrey McAvoy/AP)
3. Does it interfere with interstate commerce?

The third challenge labeling proponents expect to hear is that the GMO law unconstitutionally interferes with interstate commerce. While the Constitutions Commerce Clause grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce, it is also understood to implicitly limit state powers to do the same.The Supreme Court has in the past applied two tests in assessing whether a policy violates the clause. The first is whether a law discriminates against interstate commerce in other words, does it explicitly favor commerce within the state over commerce between states. Vermonts GMO law treats Vermont companies the same as companies based in other states, so advocates are confident it would survive that first test.The second
test would ensure that any burden on interstate commerce e.g. increased costs of labeling GMO foods are fairly balanced with the local benefits the law provides, such as protecting public health and the environment. Again, advocates conclude the law is balanced.
Rice is nice: Five fun things you didn't know about this great grain
Youve had it fried, boiled and puddinged. Youve savored it in many varieties, including long-grain brown and white. So you think you know rice? Think again when it comes to a versatile, nutritionally valuable complex carbohydrate, rice is a stand-out in the world of great grains.Rice is a staple of life for half the worlds population, says Anne Banville, a vice president for the USA Rice Federation. Around the world, families consume rice daily as an important energy-providing ingredient of their diet. In the U.S., its been a pantry staple for side and main dishes for generations, and each year in September we celebrate the harvest of more than 20 billion pounds of U.S.-grown rice during National Rice Month. You may think you know everything there is to know about this widely used grain, but here are a few surprising and fun facts you may not have heard:1. Its the most versatile grain. Sure you can do a lot with other grains, but when it comes to versatility and ease of use, rice is tops. Time-honored products like Minute(R) Rice and Success(R) Rice make cooking rice the easiest part of your meal prep. Minute Ready to Serve Rice, available in varieties including Whole Grain Brown, Brown & Wild, Multi-Grain Medley, White and more, is fully-cooked and heats in a microwave in just 60 seconds, making it an ideal portable lunch option. For a quick and easy weeknight meal, Success Rice in Brown, White, Jasmine and Basmati varieties yields perfectly cooked rice in just 10 minutes, plus its pre -measured in its convenient boil-in-bags. To learn more, visithttp://www.minuterice.com or http://www.successrice.com. 2. Rice offers health benefits depending on which variety you choose. Brown rice, for example, is a 100 percent whole grain and research shows that whole grains may help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer if eaten in a well-balanced diet. Rice eaters also consume more vital nutrients and a lower percentage of calories from fat and saturated fat, according to a Tufts University study. Plus, for people with gluten intolerance, rice is a great grain choice because it is naturally gluten free.3. You may already know that rice is a complex carbohydrate that helps boost mental and muscular function. But did you know that rice delivers more than 15 essential nutrients, including B-vitamins, iron, zinc and folic acid?
4. Cutting back on fat and calories? Rice is naturally low in fat. What little fat it does contain is the good kind not the trans fats or saturated fats associated with elevated cholesterol. Whats more, rice is great for calorie counting and portion control; a one-cup, single serving has just 100 calories.5. Rice can make you happier really! Eating something delicious can make you happy, but carbohydrates like rice also trigger production of serotonin in your brain, according to MIT research. The hormone is known to boost mood and help reduce your appetite. Plus, when you opt for fool-proof versions like Minute Rice or Success Rice, you can pat yourself on the back for serving something easy to make and nutritionally rewarding. Who wouldnt feel good about that? Finally, rices versatility makes it a perfect ingredient in a wide range of cuisines, and for virtually every meal of the day. Try these two simple and tasty recipes and start incorporating this great grain into your diet: Honey-Ginger Baked Salmon with Brown Rice Makes four servings. Ingredients: 2 bags Success(R) Brown Rice 1/3 cup orange juice 1/4 cup light soy sauce 1/3 cup honey 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced 4 salmon fillets (4 ounces each)
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30th April, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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30th April, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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MLG/LDP Rate Rough ($/cwt) 0.00 0.00 ----

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Price $15.615 $15.555 $14.570 $14.690

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How Vermont plans to defend the nations first GMO law

1. The First Amendment argument

2. Does federal law trump state law?

3. Does it interfere with interstate commerce?

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