19th january,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Rice News Details…

Turmoil hits rice millers hard

Yasir Wardad

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter www.ricepluss.com

January 19, 2015 Volume 5, Issue I

The ongoing blockade which started from

January 6 last has affected the operation of

nearly 80 per cent of rice mills during the

peak Aman season.Meanwhile, the city

traders said the prices of rice have already

recorded some rise and the trend will

continue because of their depleting stocks.

The price of Swarna, the widely grown rice

variety in Aman season is being traded at Tk

35-36 per kg while Miniket at Tk 48-52 per

kg, Paijam at Tk 38-40 (new) and Tk 44-46

(old) per kg, Najirshail at Tk 56-57, Brri

dhan-28 at Tk 42-44 per kg, Brridhan 29 at

Tk 40-42 per kg in the city's kitchen markets

for the last two weeks.Supply of rice from

the big milling hubs including Dinajpur,

Rangpur, Kushtia, Joypurhat, Naogaon and

Pabna has declined by 80 per cent for ten

days, Md Abdul Wahed, a rice trader at

Kochukhet Bazar said."I need supply of 18

tonnes of rice per week.

The last truck entered my godown

Kochukhet Bazar on January 4," he

said.Traders at Maulovibazar, Chhoto Katra,

Nowabganj Bazar and Mohammadpur

Krishi market also had the same views that

of Mr Wahed.

They said their stock will be exhausted in a

few days which may cause increase in

price.Secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major

and Husking Mills Owners' Association, the

biggest platform of the country's rice

millers, KM Layek Ali, said that the sector

is incurring at least Tk 1.0 billion loss per

day due to the suspension of operation of 80

per cent mills.Nearly 7.0 million workers do

not have any work to do.He said 80 per cent

out of 20000 mills across the country have

stopped their operation which will have a

serious impact on market as price of the

staple may hike significantly.

He said in peak seasons like Boro and

Aman, millers husk nearly 60000 tonnes per

day (for three months) which has been

reduced to just 15000 tonnes as orders from

Dhaka, Chittagong and elsewhere in the

country are being cancelled fearing

vandalism in highways.Mr Layek said

nearly 550-600 trucks laden with 10000

tonnes of rice move to big cities per day

from north-western region.

The number has been reduced to now just

80-100, he said.Shahidur Rahman Patwary

Mohan, executive member of BAMHMOA

said truck owners are not willing to ply their

vehicles and the owners who are taking risk

is charging double fare."Truck fare from

Dinajpur has gone up to Tk 24000-25000

which was Tk13500-14000 in pre-blockade

period," he said.He said apart from the 22

million farmers, nearly 7.0 million people

are directly involved in rice milling and

another 4.0 million are indirectly depend on

it.

He said the mill owners and the workers are

passing a tough time due to the

blockade.Most of the mills depend on bank

loans and count interest of 17-19 per cent

which is adjusted in three months' basis.He

said, "Most of the millers will not be able to

pay back the loan in 45 days which will put

them in difficulties to get loans in future.

"However, transport owners are in great fear

to run their vehicles on highways during the

ongoing blockade despite the government's

assurance of providing enough security and

compensation.Truck, bus and covered van

owners said they were not getting enough

confidence to run their vehicles because of

growing attacks on transports like buses,

trucks, pickups and covered vans on the

country's highways.Official data showed

that a total of 230 vehicles were torched

since January 4 to January 15 by the pickets

all over the country. The number included

115 buses, 65 trucks, 65 covered vans and

cargoes, 15 pickups and 8 cars.

[email protected]

Source with thanks:www.thefinancialexpress-

bd.com/2015/01/18/76480

Ensuring survival of jute

mills

The closure of as many as 25 jute mills, as a

sequel to sluggish jute export to the world

market and plummeting demand for jute bags

across the globe, is an unpropitious

development. It makes a sad commentary on the

state of affairs involving jute, once called the

golden fibre of Bangladesh. On its part, the

government had framed the mandatory jute

packaging law 2010 in a bid to cushion the

export-dependent industry against vagaries of

international trade.

Under the provisions of that piece of law, jute

sacks should have been used mandatorily to

pack food grains and other items. Even all rice

millers and traders could be instructed to clear

their stock of plastic bags. But private sector

businesses still remain non-compliant -- citing

higher costs of jute sacks than poly-propylene or

plastic bags.Furthermore, no effective step has

yet been taken to help diversify uses of jute

although the International Jute Study Group

(IJSG), headquartered in Dhaka, has a good deal

of expertise in this regard.

The IJSG could help its member-countries

including Bangladesh diversify the uses of jute

by transferring low-cost technology. Without

diversification of products and implementation

of the mandatory use of jute bags locally, the

country's jute mills would turn sick in the near

future. It is time to enforce effectively the

provisions of the Jute Packaging Act to create

domestic demand for jute products. What is the

import of the law if it is not implemented even

after five years? It is relevant to note that India,

Bangladesh's next-door neighbour, enforced its

law about domestic uses of jute goods in 1987

but that is still to be done so in this

country.Diversification of uses of jute can help

restore the glory that it once enjoyed so

enviably.

In neighbouring India, a United Nations

Development Programme-supported project

(UNDP) has facilitated diversification of jute

sector by developing new technology, promoting

employment opportunities by encouraging new

entrepreneurs to set up production units and

developing indigenous machine manufacturing

sector. Some of the on-going projects there are

aimed at facilitating uses of jute for production

of paper, needle-punched carpets as well as

development of multi-component yarn from

wool, natural and other fibres for floor

coverings, blankets and knitwear.More than

400,000 people from farmers to exporters' level

are involved in Bangladesh's jute sector. A total

of 145 jute mills are operating under the BJMA

and 26 under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation

(BJMC), representing private and public sector

production units respectively.

Major government-owned jute enterprises in the

jute sector under the BJMC need to analyse

more closely the cost of production and its

impacts on the viability of the private sector.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/01/18/76480


The private sector mills do also need to be

encouraged pro-actively to be innovative. At the

same time, this has to be kept in mind that

efficiency of men and machine makes or breaks

the industry. Therefore the situation needs to be

closely reviewed at that level. The sector has to

look at means to achieving greater efficiency if

it is to survive. Also the fact remains

incontestable that in this situation, the

government should implement the mandatory

jute packaging law immediately. In the future

Bangladesh's jute goods would largely have to

be marketed locally.

Source with

thanks:http://www.thefinancialexpress-

bd.com/2015/01/19/76556

Rice board head: Cuban

trade could be big for

Louisiana

By - Associated Press - Sunday, January 18, 2015

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - Lifting the U.S.

trade embargo against Cuba could mean the

return of a major market for Louisiana rice,

Louisiana Rice Promotion Board chairman

Kevin Berken says.He said Cuba imports

about 600,000 metric tons of rice a year,

with Vietnam as its biggest supplier.―Prior

to the embargo, Cuba was the largest

importer of Louisiana rice,‖ he told a

conference Friday at the Petroleum Club.

―So it is critically important for us to be

able open trade with other countries, Cuba

being the main focus. It has been a focus for

the last 20 or 30 years.‖Berken was among

four panelists, The Advertiser

(http://bit.ly/1GfwpKt ) reported. It

happened to be a day after the government

announced President Barack Obama‘s

amendments to existing Cuban

sanctions.Only Congress can fully end the

54-year embargo.―Eventually, the embargo

will be lifted, and there isn‘t a thing in the

world that Cuba doesn‘t need,‖ said Gary

LaGrange, president and CEO of the Port of

New Orleans. Its location 700 miles from

Louisiana‘s coast makes New Orleans an

especially convenient port, he said.

Source with

thanks:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/

jan/18/rice-board-head-cuban-trade-could-be-big-for-

louis/#ixzz3PJObfPTW

Commerce Minister visits

Hong Kong for cooperation

Date : 18 มกราคม 2558

HONG KONG, 18 January 2015 (NNT) – The

Thai Minster of Commerce is on a business trip

visiting Hong Kong to enhance the trade

cooperation and push forward the ASEAN -

Hong Kong FTA framework to be completed by

2016. The Minster of Commerce Gen. Chatchai

Sarikulya has revealed his official meeting with

the Secretary for Commerce and Economic

Development of Hong Kong Gregory So, that he

is satisfied with the meeting‘s outcome.

He has said that both sides have agreed to extend

the trade cooperation and exchanged beneficial

comments for trade developments in the future,

especially for the ASEAN - Hong Kong Free

Trade Area (FTA) agreement, which Thailand is

appointed as the coordinating country to push

the FTA framework forward towards the

targeted time in the year 2016.



http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/18/rice-board-head-cuban-trade-could-be-big-for-louis/#ixzz3PJObfPTW



The ASEAN - Hong Kong FTA will benefit

ASEAN countries in the inclusion of utilizing

the trade gateway of Hong Kong to mainland

China free of tax, while Hong Kong can extend

its trade and investment to the ASEAN market

that houses 600 million residents. The Thai

Minister has said that the Ministry of Commerce

has settled the strategies and plans to extend the

Thai rice exports to the Hong Kong market

through various strains of rice to comply with

the individual demands in Hong Kong.

For example, the Hom Mali Rice is aimed for

the domestic consumption market through

modern trade, and the Hom Patum Rice is aimed

for restaurants and hotels market, while the

organic rice will be introduced to the younger

generations. In this occasion, the Minster of

Commerce has given the Best Friend of Thai

Rice Award to the seven Hong Kong rice

importers that have imported Thai rice in the

past ten years. He has also stressed that the Thai

government is aware of the Hong Kong market's

importance to Thai rice, and will control the

quality of rice exports to be high in accordance

with demand of consumers in Hong Kong.

Source with

thanks:http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/news

en/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNECO58011

80010012#sthash.kv4Nytyo.dpuf

Million-Ton Rice Export

Goal Remains Elusive

BY GEORGE STYLLIS | JANUARY 19, 2015

This was meant to be a milestone year for

Cambodia‘s rice industry, with the

government aiming to export 1 million tons

of the country‘s staple crop by the end of

2015.But with milled rice exports reaching

just 387,061 tons in 2014, up a mere 2.2

percent from 378,856 tons in 2013,

according the Agriculture Ministry, the

government has revised down its

expectations for this year. And industry

experts say major hurdles remain if the

country is to hit the ambitious export target

in the years to come.

Hean Vanhan, deputy director-general in the

Agriculture Ministry‘s general directorate of

agriculture, estimated that Cambodia would

export about 600,000 tons of milled rice in

2015, depending on how successful the

government and private sector are at tapping

into new foreign markets.―We are still in the

middle of big rice exporters in the region.

We‘ve just started [exporting] so it‘s not a

bad result,‖ Mr. Vanhan said Sunday.―We

need to find more markets and for

consumers to recognize Cambodian rice,‖ he

added.In 2010, the government created a

new rice policy with the goal of increasing

paddy production, encouraging domestic

milling and ultimately raising exports, all in

a bid to boost the country‘s rural economy.

According to an October economic update

from the World Bank, significant gains were

made in the ensuing years.―[Cambodia‘s]

modern rice milling capacity (i.e. the larger

mills) increased sevenfold, from 96 tons per

hour (tph)…in 2009 to over 700 tph in late

2013,‖ the report says.It adds that paddy

production more than doubled from 2003 to

http://thainews.prd.go.th/centerweb/newsen/NewsDetail?NT01_NewsID=WNECO5801180010012#sthash.kv4Nytyo.dpuf



https://www.cambodiadaily.com/author/george-styllis/

2013, from 4.3 million tons to 9.3 tons, and

notes that Cambodia‘s jasmine rice has been

repeatedly named the world‘s best rice by

the World Rice Conference.

Another industry development came in May,

when the country‘s myriad miller and

exporter associations united to form the

Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), electing

Sok Puthyvuth, the son of Deputy Prime

Minister Sok An and CEO of local

conglomerate Soma Group, as its

president.Upon being elected, Mr.

Puthyvuth said the two greatest obstacles to

increasing exports were a lack of available

funds and the quality of crops.Nearly eight

months later, Mr. Puthyvuth said this year‘s

focus would be on improving seed quality,

financing, transportation, market access and

branding of Cambodian rice.

―[It] has been about 7 months now since the

federation started, and it‘s been challenging

trying to fulfill our members expectation and

overcoming our current internal and external

challenges,‖ Mr. Puthyvuth said in an email

last week.The biggest blow to exports last

year, he said, was due to the competition

from Cambodia‘s neighbors.―Given that

Myanmar [is] coming into the picture, and

Thailand still [has] a lot of surplus.

Cambodia will need to work very hard this

year to improve our competitiveness,‖ he

said.

From January to March, year-on-year

exports plummeted 11 percent, from 95,228

tons in 2013 to 84,330 tons last year, due

mainly to Thailand offloading its vast rice

stocks to international buyers following the

crash of its state subsidy plan.And

Thailand‘s rush to sell is showing no signs

of slowing.According to the Thai Rice

Exporters Association, Thailand exported

9.49 million tons last year, compared to 6.61

million tons in 2013, a figure expected to

remain steady this year.And since Burma

entered a duty-free trade program with the

European Union in 2013—similar to the one

that boosted Cambodia‘s exports beginning

in 2010—the country has emerged as a

major rice exporter.

Srey Chanthy, an independent economist

who focuses on agriculture, said last week

that the fallout from Thailand‘s failed

subsidy program would continue to drag

down Cambodia‘s exports. And with fierce

competition from India, Pakistan and

Burma, he said, the 1-million-ton target

remains a long way off.―Cambodia cannot

compete and I don‘t think it‘ll achieve the

million ton target because it is far beyond

[our reach],‖ Mr. Chanthy said.Darren

Cooper, a senior economist at the London-

based International Grains Council, said the

CRF has been integral to giving the industry

a ―credible platform,‖ adding that Cambodia

needed to find new markets for its rice if it

hopes to increase official export figures.

―Most international forecasters would

probably say that shipments are already at

that [1-million-ton] level when one takes

into account unofficial or border trade for

instance,‖ Mr. Cooper said in an email

earlier this month.―In the longer term, the

emphasis will be on further expanding the

geographic diversity of the country‘s exports

if they are to move significantly higher,‖ he

said.In August, Cambodia made a

significant step toward upping its exports

when it signed a breakthrough deal with

China to export 100,000 tons by April.

The government inked a separate 30,000-ton

deal with China later last year.But

Cambodia still lacks the transport

infrastructure, facilities and capital to

guarantee the supply necessary for major

trade deals, David Van, executive director of

rice miller and exporter Boost Riche

Cambodia, said last week.Mr. Van said the

country also needs far more high-quality

seeds than it currently receives in order to

produce bigger and better paddy yields. Due

to a lack of funds available to farmers and

restrictive seed-import conditions set by the

government, the quantity of available seeds

is ―a far cry‖ from what is needed, he said.

―You need a license to import seeds. But it‘s

not easy to get a license because it takes

about six months and you have to submit

seed samples and wait for the Ministry of

Agriculture to plant and test them,‖ he

said.Another hindrance to official exports is

the informal cross-border trade in paddy,

Mr. Van added.―Millers don‘t have easy

access to loans to buy and store rice and

farmers have to sell the paddy to pay back

their loans,‖ he said. ―So if the millers don‘t

have sufficient access to capital, its natural

the paddy leaks out to Vietnam.‖The World

Bank‘s October report also notes that high

fuel and electricity costs in Cambodia make

milling 30 percent more expensive than in

Vietnam and Thailand.

―In theory, the existing milling capacity

could process almost the entire paddy

surplus in Cambodia,‖ the report says.An

area in which Cambodia has made

particularly slow progress is in forming

institutions to certify and test crops before

shipment.According to a report released last

week by the Geneva-based International

Trade Center, this was an impediment to

trade for 89 percent of agriculture exporters

in the country last year.―Few agencies in

Cambodia are capable of testing and

certification of products for export,‖ the

report says.

Despite a mountainous task ahead, Yaing

Saing Koma, president of the Cambodian

Center for Study and Development in

Agriculture, a local NGO, said on Friday

that he believed the government could hit its

1-million-ton target by 2017.―This year, the

government may make energy costs go

down, which will also help the profitability,‖

he said.―And if there are more government-

to-government deals, especially with China,

we‘ll be able to export more.‖

[email protected]

Source with

thanks:https://www.cambodiadaily.com/business

/million-ton-rice-export-goal-remains-elusive-

76355/

Cuban trade holds many

benefits for Louisiana Jessica Goff7:29 p.m. CST January 17, 2015

Louisiana is ready to regain a major industry

it lost 50 years ago when the United States

placed an embargo on Cuba. ―Prior to the

embargo, Cuba was the largest importer of

Louisiana rice,‖ said Kevin M. Berken,

chairman of Louisiana Rice Promotion

Board, Friday inside the Petroleum Club.

―So it is critically important for us to be able

open trade with other countries, Cuba being

the main focus. It has been a focus for the

last 20 or 30 years.‖Berken was one of four

panelists Friday who spoke during a

conference addressing the recent U.S.

decision to lift portions of the longstanding

embargo.

The conference was hosted by Le Centre

International de Lafayette.―We are not going

to talk about politics. We are going to talk

about who‘s against and who‘s for,‖ said

Philippe Gustin, international trade manager

for the center, before introducing speakers.

―We are going to talk about how Louisiana

and Cuban people can work together to

conduct business and conduct cultural

exchange and visit each other.‖Other

panelists included Gary P. LaGrange,

president and CEO of the Port of New

Orleans; Charles Larroque, executive

director of Council for the Development of

French in Louisiana; and Larry Sides,

president of SIDES & Associates.The

conference came the day after the U.S.

Departments of the Treasury and Commerce

announced President Barack Obama‘s

amendments to existing Cuban sanctions,

Gustin said.

―These changes will immediately enable the

American people to provide more resources

to empower the Cuban population to become

less dependent upon the state-driven

economy, and help facilitate our growing

relationship with the Cuban people,‖ the

White House said in its press release

Thursday.As of now, Mexico is the largest

importer of U.S. rice with 800,000 metric

tons a year, Berken said. But the rice

industry wants to re-establish its relationship

with the Caribbean country that once

demanded the domestically grown

crop.―Cuba is the second largest importer of

rice in the Americas. They have the highest

per capita consumption of rice, which is

about 200 pounds,‖ he said. Cuba grows

about 400,000 metric tons of its own rice,

but imports 600,000 metric tons, or $300

million worth, Berken said.


https://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/million-ton-rice-export-goal-remains-elusive-76355/



As of now, its biggest supplier is

Vietnam.―When we were sending rice there

in the early 2000s, there were lines formed

around the block and people would wait for

hours trying to get our rice,‖ Berken said.

―The Cuban people like the rice we grow

here.

‖Although the embargo was never lifted,

tension between the U.S. and Cuba eased a

bit during the Clinton administration, Sides

said.Sides has traveled to Cuba 24 times in

the last 15 year on the religious license. He

said he does not get involved in any political

aspect of the country. He merely goes for

mission trips and for leisure, he said.―I‘m

simply fascinated with the country,‖ Sides

said Friday. The only way the U.S. will fully

be able to establish a diplomatic relationship

with the country, and that includes tourism,

is for the U.S. to completely lift the

embargo, he said.

LaGrange agrees.

―Eventually, the embargo will be lifted,‖

Lagrange said, ―and there isn‘t a thing in the

world that Cuba doesn‘t need.‖The country

is only 700 miles from Louisiana‘s coast,

making it prime for convenient trade

especially from the Port of New Orleans,

LaGrange said.There‘s talk of a Cuban

consulate being built in the U.S. and New

Orleans may be vying against Tampa,

Florida, as a host city, he said.Culturally,

Cuba‘s Creole heritage could be well

connected to Acadiana, Larroque

said.―Louisiana should be next in line,‖ he

said. ―We need a consulate in New

Orleans.―I believe we have a wonderful

opportunity to resist the economic dark

clouds that are on the horizon by again

adding the value to the true Louisiana brand,

which is Creole,‖ he said. ―It‘s Cajun; it‘s

Creole — it‘s old colonial Creole and maybe

a new element to the mix is Cuban Creole.‖

Look ‘Inside the Embargo’

Larry Sides has made 24 humanitarian trips

to Cuba over the past 14 years, using his

camera to document life inside the embargo.

At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sides will present

―Inside the Embargo,‖ a look at life in Cuba

at The Daily Advertiser Community Room,

1100 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette.

(Photo: AP file photo)

Source with thanks:

Source with

thanks:http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news

/local/louisiana/2015/01/16/cuban-trade-holds-

many-benefits-louisiana/21896725/

Rice conference coming

next week

Posted: Saturday, January 17, 2015 3:00 am

http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2015/01/16/cuban-trade-holds-many-benefits-louisiana/21896725/



By JODY LARIMER reporter@leader-

news.com

The Western Rice Belt Production

Conference is coming to the El Campo Civic

Center Wednesday, Jan. 21 and rice

producers are encouraged to attend.―Each

year we present current market information

and current production practices,‖ Wharton

County Ag Extension Agent Corrie Bowen

said. ―But two key points of interest to

anyone in the rice market will be the latest

on farm policy and marketing for the 2015

crop.‖

Source with thanks:http://www.leader-

news.com/news/article_5841530a-9dcb-11e4-

8622-e32bcef12462.html

DA to expand rice R&D

efforts to boost output

January 18, 2015

QUEZON CITY, Jan. 18 -- The Department of

Agriculture said that it plans to expand its

research and development efforts on rice to help

further improve the production of the crop.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala in a

statement said the DA also intends to intensify

the commercialization of diversified and

integrated rice-based farming systems such as

Palayamanan to enable farmers increase their

productivity and incomes. In Palayamanan, for

instance, farmers are taught to combine rice

growing with the cultivation of vegetables and

other high value crops, as well as fish and

livestock raising. DA promotes the technology

through the Philippine Rice Research Institute

(PhilRice) and National Rice Program.Rice

production in the Philippines has been on the

uptrend for the past three years. Between 2010

and 2013, milled rice production grew by an

average of 4.04 percent according to PhilRice. In

2014, palay harvest is projected to reach 18.88

million MT, 2.4% bigger than the 2013 record

output of 18.44 million MT.

Alcala said the entire country owes this to the

farmers who tirelessly worked to lead the

country towards greater rice sufficiency and

increased food security."We could not have

reached these milestones without the farmers

and without prompt and proper intervention

from the government. Never before has the

Philippines had this increment in rice," Alcala

said.DA is also banking on its current

partnership with the International Rice Research

Institute (IRRI), in support of the government‘s

food security blueprint called the Food Staples

Sufficiency Program. Under the agreement, DA

and IRRI work together to produce and

distribute high-quality and improved rice seeds

that are adaptable to climate change. In addition,

best agricultural practices and other support

tools will be disseminated, including skills-

training for extension and field workers.

―The Department also intends to engage in

profiling, finger printing and purification of

traditional varieties with export potentials,‖

Alcala said.He added, regional or provincial

location specific technology development and

adaptive studies for irrigated, rain-fed and

upland ecosystem, is also included in the DA‘s

agenda.Participatory varietal selection for

favorable and adverse environment is included

in the DA‘s expanded R&D agenda for rice.The

DA will also enhance rice research capability

and capacity, which includes improving and

increasing facilities, equipment and manpower.

(DA-OSEC)



http://www.leader-news.com/news/article_5841530a-9dcb-11e4-8622-e32bcef12462.html



Source with

thanks:http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/17814

21247281/da-to-expand-rice-r-d-efforts-to-

boost-output-#sthash.S35E5ybQ.dpuf

Agriculture: Centre to set

up research boards in all

provinces By Peer Muhammad

Published: January 18, 2015

"There is a need to modernise our

agricultural practices on the lines of

advanced economies," Parc Chairman Dr

Iftikhar Ahmad. PHOTO: APP

ISLAMABAD: The

Ministry of

National Food

Security and

Research will

establish

agriculture

research and

development boards in all provinces in a

bid to give a push to research and

innovation in the agricultural sector.This

was discussed in a meeting held on Friday at

the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council

(Parc), chaired by National Food Security

and Research Secretary Sirat Asghar and

attended by different stakeholders.The

research boards will be part of the

Agricultural Innovation Programme, an

initiative funded by the US Agency for

International Development (USAID) and

managed by the International Maize and

Wheat Improvement Programme in

partnership with Parc and other

stakeholders.

The objectives of the innovation programme

are to increase crop productivity and the

production value of livestock, horticultural

and cereal crops, resulting in an increase in

the income of Pakistan‘s

farmers.International centres like the

International Livestock Research Institute,

International Rice Research Institute, Asian

Vegetable Research and Development

Centre and University of California, Davis

are working as partners to support the

agricultural research community in

achieving the goals of the programme.

According to an official of Parc, each of the

provincial boards will have the board of

directors and an executive committee to run

the affairs and channel grants to the

province.The research boards will support

expansion of provincial linkages to national,

regional and international communities

through a mechanism of coordination. They

will play a growing role in the

administration of competitive

grants.National Food Security and Research

Secretary Sirat Asghar commented that the

innovation programme was playing an

important role in strengthening agricultural

research.

Published in The Express Tribune, January

18th, 2015.

http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1781421247281/da-to-expand-rice-r-d-efforts-to-boost-output-#sthash.S35E5ybQ.dpuf



http://tribune.com.pk/author/1409/peer-muhammad/

Source with thanks: The Express Tribune

Andhra Pradesh

government inks pact with

ICRISAT to boost

sustainable farming By PTI | 18 Jan, 2015, 02.25PM IST

"The agreement with ICRISAT is part of the

state government's plans to increase

productivity of agriculture and allied

sectors," the state government

said.HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh

government has signed a pact with

International Crop Research Institute for

Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) to provide

assistance in making agriculture sustainable

and profitable. "The agreement with

ICRISAT is part of the state government's

plans to increase productivity of agriculture

and allied sectors," the state government

said. The Memorandum of Agreement was

signed yesterday in the presence of Chief

Minister N Chandrababu Naidu by Special

Chief Secretary (Planning) S P Tucker and

ICRISAT Director-General David

Bergvinson.

Through the agreement, the best

technological tools and scientific practices

from across the world will be incorporated

into primary sector activities, said a state

government release quoting the Chief

Minister. As part of the agreement, the

ICRISAT would prepare a "strategy paper"

for primary sector mission, hold research

and development and establish "sites of

learning" in districts. ICRISAT would also

bring in international expertise from other

CGIAR centres like International Livestock

Research Centre (ILRI), International Rice

Research Institute (IRRI), International

Water Management (IWMI), Asia Vegetable

Research and Development Centre

(AVRDC), International Centre for

Improvement of Maize and Development

Centre (AVRDC), World Fish Centre and

International Food Policy Research Institute

(IFPRI). This consortium (of international

organisations) will also bring in regional and

national research institutions for the benefit

of farmers.

Facilitation of detailed plan preparations for

operationalising the mission annually by

providing guidance and technical support to

mission coordinator would also be done by

the ICRISAT. The institute would establish

pilot sites of learning in 13 districts (10,000

hectares each) of AP for increasing

productivity, profitability and sustainability

through science-led development and

climate-smart agriculture.

ICRISAT would also develop quality

assurance system for soil analytical

laboratories in the state, undertake capacity

building for staff and help in upgrading

existing soil labs for complete nutrient

profile analysis. It would assist in

developing PPP mode guidelines, mobilising

private entrepreneurs and preparing DPRs

and organise Global Investors Meet, the

release added.

Source with

thanks:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne

ws/economy/agriculture/andhra-pradesh-

government-inks-pact-with-icrisat-to-boost-

sustainable-farming/articleshow/45929712.cms

/topic/Andhra-Pradesh-government

/topic/Andhra-Pradesh-government

/topic/ICRISAT

/topic/N-Chandrababu-Naidu

/topic/CGIAR

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/andhra-pradesh-government-inks-pact-with-icrisat-to-boost-sustainable-farming/articleshow/45929712.cms




Import Quota Debate:

Crisis Looms In Nigeria’s

Rice Value Chain Saturday, 17 January 2015 17:26

Written by Marcel Mbamalu

EVEN as the rice market experiences its

peak season, serious crisis may be looming

in the value chain due mainly to regulatory

snag, sharp market practices and bogus

investment speculations by investors, checks

by The Guardian has revealed. Rice

production has been hailed to be Nigeria‘s

next income spinner, with mills sprouting in

the different parts of the country and

markets flooded with locally made rice. But

feelers from government quarters and the

millers suggest that all is not well with the

so-called rice revolution.

The first hint of worry was dropped last

week when the Minister of Agriculture and

Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi

Adesina, raised the alarm that foreign

investors were sabotaging Federal

Government‘s efforts in the rice value chain,

claiming that excess import duties on rice

imports owed by investors amounted to

billions of naira. But the Nigerian Rice

Millers Association (NRMA) said the

allegations were ―baseless and

misconceived,‖ noting that a retroactive

quota allocation by the ministry was to

blame. Also, they argued that the quotas

were skewed in favour of speculated

investors who have no real investments on

ground to show for their interest in rice

production.

However, a document obtained from a

source, who is a major stakeholder in the

rice industry, revealed that the crisis in the

sector was mostly caused by sharp practices

of Indian and Thai merchants and traders

who import finished, packaged rice, causing

glut in the Nigerian rice market. According

to the source: ―Indian and Thailand

merchants and traders have dumped large

imports of finished packaged rice into the

Nigerian rice market. This has led to a major

glut in the local rice market with consequent

collapse of prices. Locally milled rice

cannot compete against cheap and low

quality imported rice from foreign countries.

Subsidies and export incentives have been

granted to these merchants in their home

countries.

Also recently, the Nigerian-Vietnam

Chambers of Commerce reportedly

disclosed that Nigeria spends about $500

million (about N90bn) annually on rice

importation from Vietnam; whereas the

latter spends a paltry $100 million to import

agricultural products like raw cashew nuts,

cassava and oil palm from Nigeria. Mr. Oye

Akinsemoyin, the President of the Chamber,

reportedly gave the figures. Mr. Timothy

Obadina, a Lagos-based licensed Customs

agent, had harped on the matter and rued

Nigeria‘s penchant for importing ―things

that are produced locally.‖

―This is the figure for Vietnam; we have

not added the ones from Thailand, China

and Indonesia. By the time we put all the

figures together, it will be

astronomical. Yet, you hear government

officials using every opportunity to say how

they have been growing the economy,‖

Obadina was quoted as saying. An email

from a rice farmer, who is very conversant

with the ‗import quota system,‘ at the

weekend, explained the far-reaching

implications of the development, saying:

―Nigerian rice farmers cannot sell their

produce of paddy.

This is the peak season for rice in Nigeria,

but farmers cannot sell because market

prices are low. Prices now offered by local

rice millers are substantially below their cost

of production. Farmers are losing, and the

earlier gains recorded in the sector are being

wiped out by the current crisis.‖ Rice

farmers generally complain of low

patronage of locally milled rice due to

prejudice and preference for imported

products, which have caused farmers severe

losses. The source claimed that, ―even

government agencies buy imported rice for

all their social functions. Some of these

agencies include National Emergency

Management Agency (NEMA) and others

involved in Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs) activities.‖

―Local farmers are in cash crisis. They are

discouraged, frustrated and are unwilling to

go back to production. Local rice millers

face business failure or may collapse. They

are left to contend with unsold stocks, zero

profits, and compounded losses. There is

also the huge infrastructure burden of

electricity,‖ it stated. Alleging poor

management of rice imports and

governments unfulfilled promises to local

farmers and millers, the document said:

―poor management of import tariff and

smuggling; import quota not released on

time and ineffectual control and

management of imports are the immediate

and remote causes of the crisis. There is also

the tardy implementation of otherwise good

policies and strategies.

Promised improvements were not

implemented such as staple crop processing

centers, silo lease, paddy aggregation

centers, agriculture mechanization, and

irrigation schemes reactivation. ―Current

import quotas are not fairly distributed. New

investors without actual investments on

ground are favoured far more than people

who have actual assets and investments on

ground. Traders and speculators are

favoured against serious local players who

are already producing with massive

investments. Government has encouraged

speculators instead of farmers and serious

rice millers.‖

The debate

The Federal Government, last week, alleged

that foreign investors were sabotaging the

rice policy, claiming that some of them owe

the government debts amounting to about

N36.56bn, which was incurred for

exceeding their preferential allocated quotas

for imports. The Minister of Agriculture

and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi

Adesina, citing data from Nigerian Customs,

identified Popular Farms and Mills as well

as other importers as responsible for

exceeding their import quotas under the new

policy.

However, The Nigerian Rice Millers

Association (NRMA), at the weekend, said

the Minister only imposed quota in

December 2014, and requested payment of

excess duties for importations made when

quota was not in place. They accused the

Federal Government of imposing penalties

retroactively.Claiming that they do not owe

the Federal Government, the rice millers

maintained that the figures are

―misconceived and baseless.‖ They said that

the letters written by some of their members

to the Minister shouldn‘t be mistaken as an

attempt at sabotage, as members had worked

out their costs, sales prices and planned

ahead based on an earlier circular. The

ministry had identified three other

companies, including Conti-Agro, Central

Trading and Export and African firms as

having imported 98,285 metric tonnes of

rice without approved quotas, thereby owing

the treasury N8.16 billion.

A statement from the ministry hinted that

the companies had imported 634,270.16

metric tonnes of finished rice without

directives by the inter-ministerial

committees or issuance of quotas. Adesina

had said: ―Nigeria cannot lose any revenue

due to the economy. All companies who

have imported rice above their allocated

quotas must pay fully the amounts due to the

treasury. With the devaluation of the Naira,

all hands must be on deck to ensure that all

leakages are blocked. Nigeria is not for sale.

―I will not be intimidated, bought or

corrupted. I will not sell my country to any

foreign company. The President has given

us a clear matching order to make Nigeria

self-sufficient in rice and we will fully

achieve this. All who owe the Federal

Government must pay what they owe and

Nigeria must lose no single naira. No

amount of malicious representation will

derail the new policy.‖ According to the

statement, ―rather than pay the levies owed,

the two firms wrote letters to the Minister

asking for a revision of their rice import

quotas; Olam asked for 400,000 metric

tonnes rice import quota, to cover the

quantities of rice that they had gone ahead to

import (or still desire to import) without any

approved quotas or Domestic Rice

Production Plans (DRPP) as required, but a

mere agreement with Nigerian Customs that

they would pay the duties due once the

quota allocations are out.‖

But the NRMA, in a statement, said that

the minister didn‘t present the true picture of

things, as there must have been gaps in

information passed to him. According to the

statement, ―Sometime in May 2014, the

Minister of Finance issued a circular titled,

2014-2017 Fiscal Policy Measures on Rice,

in which it states that the President had

granted approval for the review of the fiscal

policy measures on rice to encourage

investments in the rice value chain through

backward integration with effect from May,

26, 2014.‖ The circular, according to the

NRMA read: ―Importation of Husked

Brown rice (H.S. Code 10006.2000.00) and

semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether

or not polished or glazed (H.S. Code

10006.3010.00), by investors with rice

milling capacity and verifiable backward

integration programme, shall attract 10

percent duty rate with a levy of 20 percent

and will be limited to the national supply

gap to be determined by the Committee (for

a period of fours) and; Importation of

Husked Brown rice (H.S. Code

10006.2000.00) and semi-milled or wholly

milled rice, whether or not polished or

glazed (H.S. Code 10006.3010.00), by pure

traders, shall attract an import duty rate of

10 percent plus 60 percent levy.‖

After complying with the dictates of the

circular, importing rice to meet the national

supply gap, the NRMA claimed to have

received a letter early in December dated

November, 27, in which the Minister of

Agriculture and Rural Development,

informed them that an import quota had

been tentatively assigned to each of the rice

importers and demanded that they pay into

the national treasury a higher tariff of 10

percent duty and 60 percent levy for a

surplus. According to the statement, ―The

circular came into immediate effect and our

members with clearly verifiable backward

integration investments proceeded to import

rice and paid duties and levies based on the

circular.

This step was timely as it helped to stabilize

the price of rice in line with the Federal

Government‘s objective.Surprisingly, by a

letter dated November, 27, 2014, received

by importers early in December 2014, the

Honourable Minister for Agriculture and

Rural Development informed our members

that an import quota has been tentatively and

unilaterally allocated to each of the rice

importers and demanded that they should

pay into the national treasury a higher tariff

of 10 percent duty and 60 percent levy for

surplus. The surplus arose from a quota

allocated six months after the circular.‖

―The quota allocated bore no relationship to

the billions of naira invested by the rice

millers.

Instead it weighed heavily in favour of

intending investors who propose to go into

production in 2017. Apart from the

relatively low quota, and the retroactive

imposition of very steep penalty, the

Honourable Minister‘s letter also imposed

the requirement of a Domestic Importers and

Rice Production Performance Bond without

due consultation with the stakeholders and

highlighted several penalties to be meted out

in the event of non-compliance,‖ it read. The

NRMA claimed that the letters written by its

members was intended to put matters in

proper perspective and shouldn‘t be

misconstrued as an attempt to sabotage local

rice production, noting that the accusation

was serious and alarming.

Interest Rates And The Nigerian Rice

Market Situation

SIMILARLY, the Federal Government‘s

recent monetary policy has been quite harsh

on the rice industry. Nigeria has an

estimated rice demand of 5.6 to 6 million

tons per year out of which the domestic

production is put at 3.2 million tons per

year; creating a short fall of about 2.8

million tons, which Nigeria imports from

India, Thailand and other South Eastern

countries of Vietnam, Bangladesh and

others. Nigeria is the world‘s second largest

importer of milled Rice next to

Philippines. Thus, it spends about $1.56

to $2.2 billion to import the shortfall of 2 to

3 million tonnes of milled rice per year.

Yet, analysts argue that Nigeria has suitable

ecology for rice production but needs to

invest resources to create irrigation facilities,

mechanisation and equip the farmers with

skills and knowhow to grow several

croppings of rice per year based on the

supply of good inputs and support services.

But a source, who would ―not want to be

part of the public debate with the Ministry,‖

said, ―if current agricultural initiatives and

momentum are maintained, Nigeria can

produce all the rice it needs and can, indeed,

export to neighbouring countries within the

Economic Community of West African

States (ECOWAS) within a short period of

time. This is the strategy of Agriculture

Transformation agenda as promoted by the

Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Dr.

Adesina. He said that, with careful

planning, ―Nigeria can save $1.56 to $2.2

billion if she can grow our own rice and stop

importation. Moreover, the local rice

production is of high quality, many experts

have argued.

―The new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),

governor had, from the onset, identified rice

as one of the key products, which can be

grown locally and had started a new strategy

of backward integration aimed at driving

new investments into the local rice

production within a short period. ―This

would be achieved by providing low cost

capital to investors in the Rice Value Chain

(through CBN-CACS. ―Unfortunately, the

panic measures embarked upon by CBN to

support and shore up the value of the naira

will impact very adversely on the efforts

being made to promote the local production

of rice,‖ said the source. The source

further argued that the ―increase in interest

rate is a catastrophic blow to the laudable

initiative towards local rice production.‖

Based on the new monetary policy rate (at

which the apex bank lends to the banks),

which was changed from 12 percent to 13

percent, the banks have hiked interest rate to

as much as 30 percent per annum. CBN took

steps to devalue the Naira in order to reduce

pressure on the local currency, as people

seek to purchase the US Dollar.

To mitigate some of the effects of increased

lending rates in banks, the CBN is pushing a

zero-charge regime in banking services, a

development being privately protested by

the banks. It is feared that high interest rate

will frustrate investments and discourage

those making investments in the productive

sectors of the economy such as in the local

rice production. Industry experts argue that

local production is the only way of getting

out of the crisis.

Source with

thanks:http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/busine

ss/194296-import-quota-debate-crisis-looms-in-

nigeria-s-rice-value-chain

Gravy on that rice:

Louisiana farmers eyeing

trade with Cuba

Embargo still stands, but trade rules

loosen

BILLY

GUNN| [email protected]

Jan. 18, 2015

Louisiana rice farmers would be one of the

biggest beneficiaries of expanded trade with

Cuba, a country ruled by a communist

regime that has been under varying degrees

of a U.S. trade embargo since the 1960s.―It‘s

critically important for the United States to

open up trade with Cuba,‖ said Kevin

Berken, a rice farmer in the Jefferson Davis

Parish town of Lake Arthur who speaks for

the industry in Washington.Berken was a

speaker Friday in Lafayette at a Le Centre

International de Lafayette-sponsored

Conference on Cuba.

In December, after 18 months of secret U.S.-

Cuba negotiations that led to Cuba freeing

53 political prisoners, President Barack

Obama announced the nations — 90 miles

apart — had restored diplomatic relations.

On Friday, more trade rules were

relaxed.Though only Congress can end the

embargo, the recent changes loosen the rules

greatly.Berken said Louisiana rice farmers,

who he said grow rice that is the envy of the

world, got a taste in the 2000s of how

lucrative it can be to sell the commodity to

Cuba. But later changes instituted by the

U.S. on the way Cuba had to pay for goods

— cash up front instead of credit — brought

the amount of rice Louisiana was selling to

the island nation to zero by 2009, Berken

said.

The Port of New Orleans‘ chief executive,

Gary LaGrange, told the conference Friday

the new rules include Americans in Cuba

being able to spend any amount of money

they wish, a change from the former

restriction of less than $200 a day.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/business/194296-import-quota-debate-crisis-looms-in-nigeria-s-rice-value-chain



mailto:%[email protected]

http://theadvocate.com/news/nationworld/11119864-123/us-cuba-reach-historic-accord

http://theadvocate.com/news/nationworld/11119864-123/us-cuba-reach-historic-accord

http://www.lecentre.org/discover_lecentre_english.asp

http://www.lecentre.org/discover_lecentre_english.asp

http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/11119805-123/how-louisiana-could-reap-the

http://www.portno.com/

Americans also can now purchase goods

with U.S. credit cards and can return home

with Cuba‘s famous cigars without breaking

the law.LaGrange said efforts are underway

to further open trade. On Saturday, six

members of Congress, all Democrats,

traveled to Havana for more talks.Still,

Cuba‘s evolution as a full trading partner,

where commerce flows both ways, faces

barriers, LaGrange said.

―There‘s not a thing in this room that Cuba

doesn‘t need,‖ said LaGrange, pointing

around the meeting room at the Lafayette

Petroleum Club, where the conference was

held.The country also needs a middle class

that will take it from one of the

hemisphere‘s poorest nations to one with a

vibrant economy, LaGrange said.―But we‘re

not going to get there until the embargo is

lifted,‖ he said.

Unfettered tourist travel to Cuba remains

off-limits, but it‘s opening up, Larry Sides

said.Since 2000, Sides has journeyed to

Cuba 24 times under special grants, such as

entering the country under religious license

as part of the Episcopal Diocese of

Cuba.Sides said that while the government

remains communist, the vast majority of the

population is not.―The Cuban people want a

good economy,‖ Sides said.

The government, which since the 1959

Cuban revolution has been ruled by

communists Fidel Castro and his brother

Raul, also wants a good economy, Sides

said.But pushed into a corner, the

government always ―will opt for the

principles of the revolution,‖ Sides

said.Expanded trade with Cuba has its

detractors, namely a faction of Cuban exiles

who left as a result of Castro‘s takeover in

1959.Even officials at Le Centre

International who put on the conference

Friday received complaints.

Philippe Gustin, international trade manager

at Le Centre, acknowledged ―the political

realities‖ inherent in widening trade with

Cuba.―But we‘re not going to talk about

politics,‖ Gustin said before introducing the

speakers. ―We‘re going to talk about how

people in Louisiana can work with Cuba.‖

Source with

thanks:http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/11

354648-123/gravy-on-that-rice-louisiana

Diets as medicine: Dr.

Jenkins puts emphasis on

health effects of food

JILL BARKER, SPECIAL TO

MONTREAL GAZETTEMore from Jill

Barker, Special to Montreal Gazette

Published on: January 18, 2015Last

Updated: January 18, 2015 9:00 AM EST

http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/11354648-123/gravy-on-that-rice-louisiana

http://theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/11354648-123/gravy-on-that-rice-louisiana

http://montrealgazette.com/author/jill-barker-special-to-the-montreal-gazette



Dr. David Jenkins‘s research has

more to do with improving health

than getting rid of unwanted pounds, but his

most significant contribution is the proof

that following a specific diet can replicate

the results offered by medication.

David Jenkinst

a time of year

when we‘re all

taking a long,

hard look at

our diets,

McGill is

welcoming Dr. David Jenkins to speak about

his extensive career studying the health

effects of food.Jenkins is Canada Research

Chair in Nutrition and Metabolism and a

member of the faculty of Nutritional

Sciences at the University of Toronto. He

developed the glycemic index, widely used

to determine the extent carbohydrates affect

blood sugar, and the Portfolio Diet designed

to reduce cholesterol.

He is also this year‘s winner of McGill‘s

Bloomberg Manulife Prize, presented to a

researcher who has been instrumental in the

promotion of active health.To be clear,

Jenkins‘s research has more to do with

improving health than getting rid of

unwanted pounds, something we tend to

overlook in a society where diet is

synonymous with weight loss. But Jenkins‘s

most significant contribution is the proof

that following a specific diet can replicate

the results offered by medication. And for

Canadians, his knowledge has been put to

use by Loblaws, who consulted with Jenkins

in the development of their healthy Blue

Menu products.

The glycemic index is beneficial for

diabetics who need to keep an eye on their

blood sugar, but it‘s also helpful for a

society whose collective waistbands are

expanding at what health experts consider an

alarming rate.The (diabetic) population is

growing,‖ Jenkins said. ―It used to be four

per cent or so, but now it‘s up to eight per

cent. And we expect it to double again in the

next 20 years.‖

Fewer heart attacks

Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity,

which is why anyone who has trouble

keeping their weight at a healthy range

should choose carbs with a low GI. Not only

will it trigger a slower rise in blood sugar,

compared to carbs with a high GI,

it has been associated with higher levels of

HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) and

fewer heart attacks.Examples of foods with

a low GI are pasta, lentils, barley, sweet

potatoes, peas and most fruit. Medium GI

foods include oatmeal (rolled or steel cut),

whole wheat, rye and pita bread, brown,

wild or basmati rice and couscous.

High GI foods that promote a quick spike in

blood sugar include russet potatoes, waffles,

doughnuts, potato chips, raisins, ice cream

and many highly processed foods

like crackers, cakes, soft drinks, sugary

breakfast cereals and white rice and bread

and bagels.A growing number of nutrition

researchers suggest that a diet heavy in high

GI foods is the cause of much of today‘s

obesity problems. The boost in insulin that

goes hand in hand with a boost in blood

sugar promotes fat storage, which is where

the diets of today‘s society go wrong, they

claim.

So instead of limiting foods high in fat, as

we have been doing for the past few

decades, we should be limiting foods with a

high GI.Jenkins says his research team

hasn‘t looked specifically into the

association of a high GI diet with the

nation‘s climbing rates of obesity, but he

acknowledges that we have become

increasingly enamoured with highly

processed carbohydrate-laden foods.―The

trouble is that carbs are pleasant,‖ Jenkins

said. ―Dr. Atkins‘s diet (a popular low-carb

diet) is tolerable, but it‘s not overly pleasant.

To be honest, people are not eating enough

fruits and veggies.‖

Fruits, vegetables key feature in diet

Jenkins addresses the lack of fruits and

vegetables by making them a key feature in

his Portfolio Diet. Based on the belief that

your diet, like your financial portfolio, is

healthier when diversified, it also features

plenty of proven cholesterol-lowering foods

including vegetables, fruit, nuts and

legumes.In fact, the Portfolio Diet can be as

effective at lowering cholesterol as

medication.

Vegetarian based, it features foods like

oatmeal, lentils, peas, barley, okra and

eggplant as well as healthy fats and soy

products such as soy milk and tofu, and

foods fortified with plant sterols like

margarine, broccoli, salmon, tuna and

orange juice.Jenkins cautions that anyone

hoping to maximize benefits from either the

GI or the Portfolio Diet should eat as many

of its healthy foods as possible. So forget

about singling out any one food as a super

food, a practice that has become

increasingly popular.―Most people don‘t

follow the Portfolio Diet strictly and don‘t

benefit from the 30-per-cent reduction in

cholesterol that comes with the perfect use

of the diet,‖ Jenkins said. ―But even if they

only use half the diet, they still get half the

benefit.

‖For those of you who are already healthy

and active with no signs of elevated

cholesterol, heart disease and/or diabetes,

Jenkins says his diets won‘t provide any

added health benefits. That said, there is

very little downside to making a habit of

staying away from carbs with a high GI. The

same goes with the Portfolio Diet. The best

results come from absolute compliance, but

any improvement you make in your diet is a

step in the right direction.

Dr. Jenkins will be speaking at McGill

University Centre Ballroom, 3480 McTavish

on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 12:30 p.m. Call

514-398-1248 for more information.

[email protected]

Source with thanks:

http://montrealgazette.com/health/diet-

fitness/diets-as-medicine-dr-jenkins-puts-

emphasis-on-health-effects-of-food

Tractor the future with

robotics RODERICK MAKIM

19 Jan, 2015 03:20 PM

AUSTRALIAN farmers could have an on-

farm version of Google's driverless car if a

self-driving tractor trial near Jerilderie

continues according to plan. A robotic

tractor has been trialled in a joint program

with Rice Research Australia, Japanese

companies Hitachi Zosen Corporation and


http://montrealgazette.com/health/diet-fitness/diets-as-medicine-dr-jenkins-puts-emphasis-on-health-effects-of-food



http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/tractor-the-future-with-robotics/2721398.aspx

Yanmar Co. and three Australian

universities.

Source with thanks:

http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture

/general/news/tractor-the-future-with-

robotics/2721398.aspx

DA to expand rice R&D

efforts to boost output

Sunday, January 18, 2015

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said that it

plans to expand its research and development

efforts on rice to help further improve the

production of the crop.Agriculture Secretary

Proceso Alcala said in a statement that the DA

also intends to intensify the commercialization

of diversified and integrated rice-based farming

systems such as Palayamanan to enable farmers

increase their productivity and incomes.In

Palayamanan, for instance, farmers are taught to

combine rice growing with the cultivation of

vegetables and other high value crops, as well as

fish and livestock raising. DA promotes the

technology through the Philippine Rice Research

Institute (PhilRice) and National Rice

Program.Rice production in the Philippines has

been on the uptrend for the past three years.

Between 2010 and 2013, milled rice production

grew by an average of 4.04 percent according to

PhilRice. In 2014, palay harvest is projected to

reach 18.88 million MT, 2.4% bigger than the

2013 record output of 18.44 million MT.Alcala

said the entire country owes this to the farmers

who tirelessly worked to lead the country toward

greater rice sufficiency and increased food

security."We could not have reached these

milestones without the farmers and without

prompt and proper intervention from the

government. Never before has the Philippines

had this increment in rice," Alcala said.DA is

also banking on its current partnership with the

International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in

support of the government‘s food security

blueprint called the Food Staples Sufficiency

Program.

Under the agreement, DA and IRRI work

together to produce and distribute high-quality

and improved rice seeds that are adaptable to

climate change. In addition, best agricultural

practices and other support tools will be

disseminated, including skills training for

extension and field workers.―The Department

also intends to engage in profiling, finger

printing and purification of traditional varieties

with export potentials,‖ Alcala said.He added,

regional or provincial location specific

technology development and adaptive studies for

irrigated, rain-fed and upland ecosystem, is also

included in the DA‘s agenda.

Participatory varietal selection for favorable and

adverse environment is included in the DA‘s

expanded R&D agenda for rice.The DA will

also enhance rice research capability and

capacity, which includes improving and

increasing facilities, equipment and manpower.

(PR)

Source with thanks:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-

oro/business/2015/01/18/da-expand-rice-rd-

efforts-boost-output-387366

Explore Global basmati

rice industry, 2015

WhaTech Channel: Consumer Market

Research Reports

Published on Monday, 19 January 2015

06:35

Submitted by Salil Modak WhaTech

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http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/business/2015/01/18/da-expand-rice-rd-efforts-boost-output-387366



The report includes Basmati Rice new

project SWOT analysis, investment

feasibility analysis, investment return

analysis, and development analysis.

Reportstack has announced a new market

research report on the 2015 Market Research

Report on Global Basmati Rice Industry.

This report is a professional and depth

research report on Global Basmati Rice

industry

For overview analysis, the report introduces

Basmati Rice basic information including

definition, classification, application,

industry chain structure, industry overview,

policy analysis, and news analysis, etc

For international and China market analysis,

the report analyzes Basmati Rice markets in

China and other countries or regions (such

as US, Europe, Japan, etc) by presenting

research on global products of different

types and applications developments and

trends of market, technology, and

competitive landscape, and leading suppliers

and countries‘2009-2014 capacity,

production, cost, price, profit, production

value, and gross margin. For leading

suppliers, related information is listed as

products, customers, application, capacity,

market position, and company contact

information, etc. 2015-2020 forecast on

capacity, production, cost, price, profit,

production value, and gross margin for these

markets are also included.

For technical data and manufacturing plants

analysis, the report analyzes Basmati Rice

leading suppliers on capacity, commercial

production date, manufacturing plants

distribution, R&D Status, technology

sources, and raw materials sources.This

report also presents product specification,

manufacturing process, and product cost

structure etc. Production is separated by

regions, technology and applications.

Analysis also covers upstream raw

materials, equipment, downstream client

survey, marketing channels, industry

development trend and proposals.

In conclusion, it is a deep research report on

Global Basmati Rice industry. Here, we

express our thanks for the support and

assistance from Basmati Rice industry chain

related technical experts and marketing

engineers during Research Team‘s survey

and interviews.

Companies mentioned

Charoen, Hai Rice, Tilda, Riviana, Basmati,

Uncle bens, Hamsons, Coocosun, COFCO,

Ming Da, Zhao Fa, Fu Ji, Zhong Xing, Xin

Li

To access full report with TOC, please visit

2015 Market Research Report on Global

Basmati Rice Industry

Source with thanks: http://www.whatech.com/market-research-

reports/press-release/consumer/39306-

explore-global-basmati-rice-industry-2015

<2015 Market Research Report on Global

Basmati Rice Industry> is a professional and

depth research report on Global Basmati

Rice industry

For overview analysis, the report introduces

Basmati Rice basic information including

definition, classification, application,

industry chain structure, industry overview,

policy analysis, and news analysis, etc

For international and China market analysis,

the report analyzes Basmati Rice markets in

China and other countries or regions (such

as US, Europe, Japan, etc) by presenting

http://www.whatech.com/market-research-reports/press-release/consumer/39306-explore-global-basmati-rice-industry-2015



research on global products of different

types and applications developments and

trends of market, technology, and

competitive landscape, and leading suppliers

and countries‘2009-2014 capacity,

production, cost, price, profit, production

value, and gross margin. For leading

suppliers, related information is listed as

products, customers, application, capacity,

market position, and company contact

information, etc. 2015-2020 forecast on

capacity, production, cost, price, profit,

production value, and gross margin for these

markets are also included.

For technical data and manufacturing plants

analysis, the report analyzes Basmati Rice

leading suppliers on capacity, commercial

production date, manufacturing plants

distribution, R&D Status, technology

sources, and raw materials sources.

This report also presents product

specification, manufacturing process, and

product cost structure etc. Production is

separated by regions, technology and

applications. Analysis also covers upstream

raw materials, equipment, downstream client

survey, marketing channels, industry

development trend and proposals.

In the end, the export includes Basmati Rice

new project SWOT analysis, investment

feasibility analysis, investment return

analysis, and development analysis. In

conclusion, it is a deep research report on

Global Basmati Rice industry. Here, we

express our thanks for the support and

assistance from Basmati Rice industry chain

related technical experts and marketing

engineers during Research Team‘s survey

and interviews.

Table of Contents

Chapter One Basmati Rice Industry

Overview

1.1 Basmati Rice Definition

1.2 Basmati Rice Classification and

Application

1.3 Basmati Rice Industry Chain Structure

1.4 Basmati Rice Industry Overview

Chapter Two Global Basmati Rice Market

Status Analysis

2.1 Global Basmati Rice Productions Supply

Sales and Price Demand Market Analysis

2.1.1 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Production

and Capacity Status

2.1.2 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Sales and

Price Market Status

2.1.3 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Supply

Demand and Shortage

2.1.4 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Cost Price

Production Value Gross Margin

2.1.5 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Industry

Segment Market Status

2.1.6 Global market research conclusion

Chapter Three Major Regions Basmati Rice

Market Status Analysis

3.1 Asia Basmati Rice Productions Supply



and Capacity Status


Price Market Status


Demand and Shortage





3.1.6 Asia market research conclusion

3.2 Europe Basmati Rice Productions

Supply Sales and Price Demand Market

Analysis


and Capacity Status


Price Market Status


Demand and Shortage





3.2.6 Europe market research conclusion

3.3 North America Basmati Rice

Productions Supply Sales and Price Demand

Market Analysis


and Capacity Status


Price Market Status


Demand and Shortage





3.3.6 North America market research

conclusion

3.4 Rest of World Basmati Rice Productions


Analysis


and Capacity Status


Price Market Status


Demand and Shortage





3.4.6 Rest of World market research

conclusion

Chapter Four Major Countries Basmati Rice

Market Status and Analysis

4.1 China Basmati Rice Productions Supply



and Capacity Status


Price Market Status

4.1.3 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice Import

and Export Status

4.1.4 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice Supply

and Sales Analysis

4.1.5 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice Cost

Price Production Value Gross Margin

Analysis

4.1.6 China market research conclusion

(Yesterday Today Tomorrow)

4.2 Thailand Basmati Rice Productions


Analysis


and Capacity Status


Price Market Status

4.2.3 2009-2014 Thailand Basmati Rice

Import and Export Status


Supply and Sales Analysis


Cost Price Production Value Gross Margin

Analysis

4.2.6 Thailand market research conclusion


4.3 USA Basmati Rice Productions Supply



and Capacity Status


Price Market Status

4.3.3 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Import

and Export Status

4.3.4 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Supply

and Sales Analysis

4.3.5 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Cost


Analysis

4.3.6 USA market research conclusion


4.4 England Basmati Rice Productions


Analysis


and Capacity Status


Price Market Status

4.4.3 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice


4.4.4 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice


4.4.5 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice Cost


Analysis

4.4.6 England market research conclusion


4.5 India Basmati Rice Productions Supply



and Capacity Status


Price Market Status

4.5.3 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice


4.5.4 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice


4.5.5 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice Cost


Analysis

4.5.6 India market research conclusion


Chapter Five Major Companies Basmati

Rice Market Status and Analysis

5.1 Charoen

5.1.1 Company Profile

5.1.2 Product Picture and Specification

5.1.3 Capacity Production Price Cost

Production Value

5.1.4 Contact Information

5.2 Hai Rice




Production Value


5.3 Tilda




Production Value


5.4 Riviana




Production Value


5.5 Basmati




Production Value


5.6 Uncle bens




Production Value


5.7 Hamsons




Production Value


5.8 Coocosun




Production Value


5.9 COFCO




Production Value


5.10 Ming Da




Production Value


5.11 Zhao Fa




Production Value


5.12 Fu Ji




Production Value


5.13 Zhong Xing




Production Value


5.14 Xin Li




Production Value


Chapter Six Basmati Rice Industry Chain

and Marketing Channels Analysis

6.1 Basmati Rice Industry chain structure

Analysis

6.2 Upstream Major Raw Materials Price

2009-2014

6.3 Upstream Key Suppliers Analysis

6.4 Down Steam Applications Scale 2009-

2014

6.5 Down Stream Key Clients Analysis

6.6 Basmati Rice Marketing Channels Status

6.7 Basmati Rice Marketing Channels

Characteristic

6.8 Basmati Rice Marketing Channels

Development Trend

Chapter Seven Basmati Rice Industry

Segment Market Analysis

7.1 Basmati Rice Industry Sub-Product

Market Structure

7.2 2009-2014 Basmati Rice Industry

Segment long-shaped rice Market Sales and

Price Status


Segment polished round-grainer rice Market

Sales and Price Status


Segment CCC Market Sales and Price Status

Chapter Eight Basmati Rice Industry

Development Trend

8.1 2015-2020 Basmati Rice Demand

Forecast

8.2 2015-2020 Basmati Rice Production and

Capacity Forecast

8.3 2015-2020 Basmati Rice Cost Price

Production Value Gross Margin Forecast



Chapter Nine Basmati Rice New Project

Investment Feasibility Analysis

9.1 Basmati Rice Project SWOT Analysis

9.2 Basmati Rice New Project Investment

Feasibility Analysis

Chapter Ten Global Basmati Rice Industry

Research Conclusions

List of Figures Tables and Figures

Figure Basmati Rice Product Picture

Figure Basmati Rice Industry Chain

Structure

Table 2009-2014 Global Major

Manufacturers Basmati Rice Capacity and

Total Capacity (Unit)


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Capacity

Market Share


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Production and

Total Production (Unit)


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Production

Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Global Basmati Rice

Capacity Production (Unit) and Growth Rate

Table 2009-2014 Global Basmati Rice

Capacity Utilization Rate List


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Sales and Total

Sales (Unit)


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Sales Market

Share

Figure 2009-2014 Global Basmati Rice

Sales (Unit) and Growth Rate


Sales-Output Ratio


Manufacturers Basmati Rice Price

(USD/Unit)


Demand (Unit) and Growth Rate


Supply Demand and Shortage (Unit)


Capacity Production (Unit) Price Cost Gross

($/Unit) Production Value (Million USD)

Gross Margin List

Figure Basmati Rice Industry Segment

Market Structure (by Region)


Market Structure (by Product)

Table 2009-2014 Asia Major Manufacturers

Basmati Rice Capacity and Total Capacity

(Unit)


Basmati Rice Capacity Market Share


Basmati Rice Production and Total

Production (Unit)


Basmati Rice Production Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Asia Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Asia Basmati Rice



Basmati Rice Sales and Total Sales (Unit)


Basmati Rice Sales Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Asia Basmati Rice Sales

(Unit) and Growth Rate

Table 2009-2014 Asia Basmati Rice Sales-

Output Ratio


Basmati Rice Price (USD/Unit)



Table 2009-2014 Asia Basmati Rice Supply

Demand and Shortage (Unit)


Capacity Production (Kg Price Cost Gross


Gross Margin List





Table 2009-2014 Europe Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Europe Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Europe Basmati Rice




Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 Europe Basmati Rice



Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)








Gross Margin List





Table 2009-2014 North America Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 North America Basmati

Rice Capacity Production (Unit) and Growth

Rate

Table 2009-2014 North America Basmati

Rice Capacity Utilization Rate List



Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 North America Basmati

Rice Sales (Unit) and Growth Rate


Rice Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)


Rice Demand (Unit) and Growth Rate


Rice Supply Demand and Shortage (Unit)


Rice Capacity Production (Unit) Price Cost

Gross ($/Unit) Production Value (Million

USD) Gross Margin List





Table 2009-2014 Rest of World Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Rest of World Basmati

Rice Capacity Production (Unit) and Growth

Rate

Table 2009-2014 Rest of World Basmati

Rice Capacity Utilization Rate List



Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 Rest of World Basmati

Rice Sales (Unit) and Growth Rate


Rice Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)


Rice Demand (Unit) and Growth Rate


Rice Supply Demand and Shortage (Unit)


Rice Capacity Production (Unit) Price Cost

Gross ($/Unit) Production Value (Million






Table 2009-2014 China Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice




Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice Sales


Table 2009-2014 China Basmati Rice Sales-

Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)


Production Import Export Consumption

(Unit) List








Gross Margin List

Table 2009-2014 Thailand Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 Thailand Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Thailand Basmati Rice




Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 Thailand Basmati Rice



Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)



(Unit) List








Gross Margin List

Table 2009-2014 USA Major Manufacturers

Basmati Rice Capacity and Total Capacity

(Unit)


Basmati Rice Capacity Market Share


Basmati Rice Production and Total

Production (Unit)


Basmati Rice Production Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice



Basmati Rice Sales and Total Sales (Unit)


Basmati Rice Sales Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Sales


Table 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Sales-

Output Ratio


Basmati Rice Price (USD/Unit)



(Unit) List



Table 2009-2014 USA Basmati Rice Supply

Demand and Shortage (Unit)




Gross Margin List

Table 2009-2014 England Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice




Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 England Basmati Rice



Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)



(Unit) List








Gross Margin List

Table 2009-2014 INDIA Major





Market Share






Market Share

Figure 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice




Sales (Unit)



Share

Figure 2009-2014 INDIA Basmati Rice



Sales-Output Ratio



(USD/Unit)



(Unit) List








Gross Margin List

Table 2009-2014 Charoens Basmati Rice

Product Capacity Production(Unit) Price

Cost Gross ($/Unit) Production

Value(Million USD) Gross Margin List

Figure 2009-2014 Charoens Basmati Rice

Product Capacity Production (Unit) and

Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Charoens Basmati Rice

Product Production Global Market Share

Table 2009-2014 HAI RICE Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 HAI RICE Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 HAI RICE Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Tilda Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 Tilda Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Tilda Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Riviana Basmati Rice

Product Capacity Production (Unit) Price



Figure 2009-2014 Riviana Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Riviana Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 BASMATI Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 BASMATI Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 BASMATI Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Uncle bens Basmati Rice


Cost Gross ($/pc) Production Value (Million


Figure 2009-2014 Uncle bens Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Uncle bens Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Hamsons Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 Hamsons Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Hamsons Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 COOCOSUN Basmati

Rice Product Capacity Production(Unit)

Price Cost Gross ($/Unit) Production


Figure 2009-2014 COOCOSUN Basmati

Rice Product Capacity Production (Unit)

and Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 COOCOSUN Basmati

Rice Product Production Global Market

Share

Table 2009-2014 COFCO Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 COFCO Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 COFCO Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Ming Da Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 Ming Da Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Ming Da Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 ZHAO FA Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 ZHAO FA Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 ZHAO FA Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 Fu Ji Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 Fu Ji Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Fu Ji Basmati Rice


Table Zhong Xing Basmati Rice Product

Specification

Figure 2009-2014 Zhong Xing Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 Zhong Xing Basmati Rice


Table 2009-2014 XIN LI Basmati Rice




Figure 2009-2014 XIN LI Basmati Rice


Growth Rate

Figure 2009-2014 XIN LI Basmati Rice



Demand Forecast


Capacity Production Forecast



($/pc) Production Value (Million USD)

Gross Margin List

Table 2015-2020 Basmati Rice Industry

Segment Market Structure (by Region)

Table 2015-2020 Basmati Rice Industry

Segment Market Structure (by Product)

Table Basmati Rice New Project SWOT

Analysis

Table 10000 Unit/Year Basmati Rice New

Project Investment Feasibility Analysis

Source with thanks: http://www.whatech.com/market-research-

reports/press-release/consumer/39306-explore-

global-basmati-rice-industry-2015

19th january,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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