20th may,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter

www.ricepluss.com & http://www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com Contact for Blog & Daily E-Newsletter Advertisement [email protected]

2

May 20 ,2015

Vol 5,Issue V

Govt not planning to stop ST15 rice subsidy programme

Published on: Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Kuala Lumpur: The government is not planning to stop the ST15 rice subsidy programme yet

so as to protect the interest of various parties, including 15,000 grocers nationwide.Deputy

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said the

ministry appreciated views and recommendations on the rice subsidy programme, but also took

into account the impact on related parties if the programme was stopped."Firstly 15,000 grocery

stores nationwide, secondly 2,400 wholesale workers, 865 rice wholesalers including 607

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter www.ricepluss.com

www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com



3

Bumiputera small traders, 43 Bumiputera rice millers and 35,000 farmers who receive direct

supply of ST15 under the 20kg quota per month," he said. Gooi asked whether the government

would review the subsidy programme following recommendation from the Public Accounts

Committee (PAC) to suspend the subsidy programme for failing to benefit the poor.

Tajuddin said the ministry, however, would continue to monitor and scrutinise the programme

from time to time through the establishment of the Paddy and Rice Industries Affairs Main

Committee, which comprise the ministry's permanent representatives, its agencies and Farmers'

Organisation Authority. "The committee is responsible to consider the ST15 rice quota to

wholesalers. A technical committee will also be set up to inspect and evaluate the wholesalers

from time to time," he said.On alleged distribution leakages, Tajuddin said 60,000 tonnes of

ST15 rice produced would be distributed to wholesalers for onward distribution to retailers

nationwide, every month.

"We don't think there are leakages because the wholesalers cannot keep the rice, if 60,000 tonnes

for a month, how much for two or three months? They will not want to keep such a big amount

of rice," he said.Tajuddin said that if any elected representatives had evidence of fraud in the sale

of ST15, they can directly lodge a complaint to the ministry or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption

Commission (MACC).However, Tajuddin admitted that there were some weaknesses in the

delivery system, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, with limited access problem to rural areas as

well as the lack of personnel to carry out enforcement and monitoring activities.In addressing the

smuggling problem of ST15 rice to neighboring countries, especially Indonesia, Tajuddin has

asked leaders at the grassroots to play a proactive role to assist the ministry to curb such

problems. - Bernama

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=99909

Access to finance limits export potential for millers Wed, 20 May 2015

Ananth Baliga

Cambodian rice exports have grown year-on-year since 2009 but have fallen well short of

reaching the government‟s 1 million tonne annual target, with experts saying that limited access

to finance, warehousing and logistical support are holding back the potential of rice

millers.According to the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2015, published by

the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), despite the 3

million tonnes of paddy available for processing in Cambodia, it will not reach the 1 million

tonnes export mark in 2015 and will need to invest in scaling up milling capacity and irrigation

facilities.David Van, adviser to the Cambodia Rice Federation, said that while government

figures for paddy production are probably inflated, the issue wasn‟t the sector‟s capacity to mill

this paddy, but rather access to finance.

“Big impediment is not in milling capacity but in working capital of millers and exporters to buy

paddy and compete with mainly Vietnamese brokers with deep pockets and plenty of cash

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/author/ananth-baliga/77661



4

provided by the Vietnamese government,” Van said.The problem stems from millers and

exporters‟ ability to get finance, Van said, with the government and donor partners failing to

address the issue for years, though there was some assistance from the private sector.“Now we‟re

seeing more commercial banks, like ANZ Royal and Acleda, focusing on establishing some

„paddy banks‟, trying to team up with millers using a warehousing receipt concept - to use paddy

as collateral,” Van added.

While there is some access to financing, it was more difficult to attain when compared to

neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand, who are aided by local subsidies to buy paddy from

Cambodia, said Kunthy Kann, CEO of rice miller Brico.“Vietnam and Thailand have

government subsidies or warehouse facilities to buy during the season, so whatever is left after

buying by local [Cambodian] millers goes to these countries,” Kann said.He added that the lack

of financing and warehousing make it difficult for local millers to stock up all the rice available

in November or December, given that Cambodia has only one harvest window.While the sector

currently has the potential to produce 1.5 million tonnes of exportable rice, the mills are working

at only 30 to 40 per cent average capacity a year due to low stockpiles, Kann said.

“Each miller has to have a lot of working capital to buy the paddy and have a huge warehouse

facility, because the harvest is about eight weeks. This means you have to be able to collect as

much as you can,” he added.Kann said that logistical costs, like using road transport instead of

railways, to get rice to the ports was an additional cost that takes away from their limited capital

spending.Charles Vann, executive vice president at Canadia Bank, said that private banks have

been supporting rice exporters and millers with financing and collateral management, adding that

the onus was on the borrower to meet bank criteria for loans.

“If they do not [have] access, or not have enough [access], it means that they are not qualified to

[meet] the criteria. The rice miller needs to meet the banks criteria to qualify for a credit line,”

Vann said.He said that it is helpful where the government can provide assistance, but for the

private sector, when financing of the rice industry, collateral options would have to be a decision

made by each individual bank.Cambodia‟s rice exports in 2014 was a record-breaking 387,000

tonnes, but was still more than 60 per cent short of its intended 1 million mark.

Contact author: Ananth Baliga

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/access-finance-limits-export-potential-millers

Cuts in California rice open doors for competitors

Issue Date: May 20, 2015

By Ching Lee

Once again, California rice farmers are planting less rice due to water

restrictions, while Southern rice-growing states are expanding their production

of medium-grain rice, taking some of California‟s markets in the process.

Photo/Christine Souza

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/user/77661/contact

http://agalert.com/archive/?id=4219

http://agalert.com/archive/?series=californiawatercrisis



5

With California farmers not planting as

much rice due to water restrictions,

Southern rice-growing states are jumping

in to fill the gap by expanding their

production and taking some of the Golden

State's markets in the process."You'd think

with the drought and the reduced acres

that things would be good, but the

business went elsewhere," said Charley

Mathews Jr., a rice grower in Yuba

County.Although Southern states such as

Arkansas and Louisiana typically grow

long-grain rice and very little of the

medium-grain rice that is the dominant

variety in California, Southern growers are devoting more acreage to medium grain in

expectation of tighter supplies from California, said Nathan Childs, an economist at the U.S.

Department of Agriculture. Higher returns for medium grain also have made it a more attractive

choice for Southern growers, he added."Long-grain prices really went down last year, and so if

you're a grower in the South, you look to soybeans or medium-grain rice," Mathews said, adding

that newer rice varieties have allowed Southern growers to incrementally increase their medium-

grain production.Southern medium-grain acreage more than doubled last year to 301,000,

according to USDA, while California's total rice acreage fell 30 percent—from 567,000 in 2013

to 434,000 in 2014. Total U.S. medium-grain acreage rose 6 percent last year.

More medium-grain rice will be planted in the South again this year, as water restrictions force

California farmers to decrease their plantings even further. Initial estimates from USDA indicate

Southern growers intend to plant 311,000 acres of medium grain, while California farmers will

grow 375,000 acres of medium grain and 408,000 acres of all rice varieties, a 6 percent reduction

from 2014.California Rice Commission spokesman Jim Morris noted that the 2015 USDA

estimates were made before the state's water allocations were finalized—and that California's

total rice acreage will likely be lower.

While reduced plantings have had a significant impact on local communities and businesses that

depend on rice farming, Mark Kimmelshue, general manager and CEO of Associated Rice

Marketing Cooperative in Butte County, said those reductions "probably aren't going to have a

huge effect on the world market and the price of rice."He said not only has production in other

states offset the reductions in California, but the price of California rice has been relatively high

compared to other rice sources in the world. He noted that Southern medium-grain rough rice

(before it is milled) is now selling for $14 to $15 a hundredweight, while California medium-

grain rough is $21 cwt."We haven't sold as much rice as we had in previous years," he said.

"That means there's going to be more rice carried in from the 2014 crop into the 2015-16

marketing year than there has been in the past.

"Kimmelshue said while the state normally ships rice to Turkey, the country has not bought any

rice from California this year; all shipments have come from the South. Likewise, Taiwan, which



6

has been a big market for California rice, has been buying more Southern rice.Asian markets

such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan typically prefer the quality of California rice, but those

are limited markets, Kimmelshue said, and right now there's much more rice in California than

those markets could absorb.

Turkey, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia historically have been big customers of California rice

when prices were lower, but they've been turning to the Southern states' less-expensive product,

he added.Mathews said the strength of the dollar has not helped, and political turmoil in the

Middle East has affected sales to Libya and Syria, two of the state's biggest customers a few

years ago. Turkey and Libya are two of the largest buyers of U.S. medium- and short-grain rough

rice, whereas Japan, South Korea and Taiwan typically take almost two-thirds of total U.S.

medium- and short-grain exports, USDA economist Childs said.Disruption at West Coast ports

due to a nine-month-long labor dispute between shippers and dockworkers, which heightened

last winter, also contributed to the state's increased rice stocks, Childs said.Winter is usually peak

export season for rice, Mathews said, and the port slowdown affected the state's ability to ship

rice to its Middle Eastern customers, who turned to Australia, a major competitor.

Rice production from Down Under had dropped off significantly during Australia's drought

several years ago, but in recent years, it has made a huge comeback, Kimmelshue said. Australia

not only competes with California in Middle Eastern markets but in key Asian markets of Japan,

Korea and Taiwan, he added.One competitor the state doesn't have to worry much about is

Egypt, once a major supplier of medium-grain rice. In recent years, the Egyptian government has

been restricting rice exports in favor of keeping most of its supply for domestic

consumption.Mathews said California is now catching up on its export backlog from the port

slowdown, which ended in late February. He noted this summer will be a busy export season for

California rice because Japan, which usually imports rice in the winter, has shifted its purchases

to the summer due to the earlier disruptions at the ports."So we'll be able to move our crop, but

it's just very delayed," he said.

Kimmelshue said he expects the price of rice will remain at current levels for the rest of the

2014-15 marketing year and into the 2015 crop. If the state receives plenty of rain this winter,

prices could drop, because California farmers would plant more rice, increasing supplies. But if

the drought continues and state rice acreage continues to fall, prices could start moving up

again.Mathews said regardless of what happens in the market, his planting decisions remain the

same every year because his land is not suited to growing anything but rice. Plus, his water

supply is in "pretty good shape," he noted, and he has access to groundwater in some of his

fields."The summertime is when things are going to get dicey, because that's when reservoirs get

down to the bottom," he said. "What you don't ever want to see is somebody's crop getting shut

off in the middle of summer. I've never seen it before, and we just hope it doesn't happen."(Ching

Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at [email protected].) Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting

this item.

http://agalert.com/story/?id=8301&utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+May+19%2C+2015&utm_camp

aign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Amru nearing organic rice deal with the US Wed, 20 May 2015

mailto:[email protected]



7

May Kunmakara

Local rice exporter Amru Rice is close to signing an agreement with an American importer to

bring Cambodian organic rice to the American market, according to the rice exporter‟s chief

executive.Amru Rice CEO Song Saran told the Post yesterday that after analysing the US

market, his company had decided to tap into the potentially vast source of customers.“We

observed that more Americans are consuming organic, chemical-free rice, so that‟s why we‟re

trying to promote our rice there and obtain a larger market share,” he said.“We are preparing to

sign an agreement with an importer to promote our brand of organic rice to the retail market and

reach real consumers.

”However, Saran declined to reveal the name of the American company he was dealing with due

to ongoing talks.He said that plans would be finalised in June with Cambodian rice hitting the

shelves in September.Amru has already tested the market by exporting a small amount of

unbranded organic rice. “Before we just sold some unpackaged organic rice, so the consumers

didn‟t know it was made in Cambodia. Now, we want to promote our brand,” said Saran.David

Van, senior adviser to the Cambodia Rice Federation, said there was potential for the country‟s

organic rice in the US.“Amru has been working on exploring this market since last year, not only

recently,” he said.

“They‟re already exporting Preah Vihear organic jasmine [rice] to the US, drawing better

margins than others who export regular jasmine [rice],” he explained.In September last year,

Amru Rice signed a deal with eight farmer cooperatives in Preah Vihear province to purchase

2,500 tonnes of organic fragrant paddy rice.Fong Ngai, director of the Hong Kong Trade Office

in Singapore, said Cambodian rice was known to be of good quality compared to

others.“Cambodian organic rice is really good, as Hong Kong‟s consumers prefer organic

products. However, the price is a bit higher than [rice from] Thailand.”Cambodia‟s primary

organic rice exporter, the Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, known

as CEDAC, shipped 540 tonnes of fragrant organic rice to international markets last year, an

increase 20 per cent compared to 2013. The rice exporter is aiming to export 1,000 tonnes in

2015.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/amru-nearing-organic-rice-deal-us

Indonesia moves ahead with rice fields in Papua

Updated at 9:57 am on 20 May 2015

Indonesia's state-owned fertilizer maker Pupuk Indonesia is to raise $US 534-million to clear and

develop 750,000 million hectares of rice fields in Papua.The Jakarta Globe reports this is part of

President Joko Widodo's programme to establish a million hectares of rice, sugar cane, soybean,

corn, and oil palm-growing area - dubbed the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate - in

Papua by 2017.An official with Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry, Haryono, says Pupuk

Indonesia is still discussing how to fund the investment.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/author/may-kunmakara/17732



8

Private companies will be

responsible for developing

the remaining 250,000

hectares.Haryono says the

project still had to resolve

land acquisition issues, with

the majority of the land being

communally owned.He says

a plus is that Merauke's land

is flat and has irrigation

systems left by the Dutch,

which only need a few

repairs.The government

targets to clear 250,000

hectares of land by the end of

this year.

Rice field, Photo: Supplied

http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/274108/indonesia-moves-ahead-with-rice-fields-in-

papua

PM okays $22mil. budget to preserve rice fields

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan

Dung has approved a budget

of 470 billion VND (about 22

million USD) to help

preserve and develop rice

fields in nine cities and

provinces across the

country.Northern Bac Ninh,

central Thanh Hoa, Da Nang,

Quang Ngai are among the

provinces earmarked for

attention, but most of the

funds will go to Mekong

Delta provinces such as Tay

Ninh, Vinh Long, Hau

Giang, Dong Thap and Kien

Giang.A Government study has revealed that rapid urbanisation and industrialisation as well as

infrastructure development have led to a decline in rice fields throughout Vietnam.Government

Decision 35/2015 will serve as a keystone policy to assist localities in preserving and developing

rice fields, ensuring the country's rice production capacity in the future.The decision stipulates



9

that for each hectare of rice field in production, localities may receive up to 1 million VND (46.5

USD) on top of other on-effect subsidies provided by the State.

The decision also encouraged localities to convert other types of land into rice fields with

subsidies of up to 10 million VND (465 USD) for each hectare.The budget will also be used for

land enrichment, upgrading water irrigation systems and supporting local farmers to apply

scientific and technological advances in rice production.In addition, the decision required

localities and individuals to be committed to and legally responsible for the preservation of rice

fields and the environment. Reports on rice fields under local authority management will be

submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on an annual basis.A

recent report by the agricultural ministry said the country must maintain rice production levels at

39.8 million tonnes in 2020 and 40.5 million tonnes in 2030 to ensure national food security.The

task of preserving rice fields is of great importance as Vietnam is among the list of countries

most affected by climate change. Up to 70 percent of its rice fields will be adversely affected by

rising sea-level by the end of the century. VNA

Tags:PM okays $22mil. budget to preserve rice fields,

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/131064/pm-okays--22mil--budget-to-preserve-rice-fields.html

Need to rethink our rice industry

It comes to mind that we need to end the subsidies on foods, even rice. Or in the case of what was

recently raised by the Malay Economic Action Council (MTEM), especially rice. And it was an eye

opener to get their data on issues plaguing our farmers.For one, it was calculated that the seasonal

revenue for padi farmers in Sanglang is a mere RM4,773 for 1.4 hectares. Meanwhile, seasonal costs

are calculated at RM3,027, thus leaving a mere RM1,004.84 for the farmers to take home to their

families.It doesn‟t sound so bad to have a thousand bucks, right? Wrong.That figure is for an entire

season, which is four months long.

This means that the farmer gets an average monthly income of a mere RM250.The rice industry for

Malaysia is huge, it is a RM7 billion industry. But put that together with what the farmer is earning?

Well, you don‟t have to be a rocket scientist to see something is wrong somewhere.Today, the

farming industry in Malaysia, particularly rice, is a dying one. There are only 13 percent padi

farming families in this nation of 30 million, with an average age of 60 years old.If you thought the

farmers have it bad, the next step in the supply chain has it equally bad.With 95 percent of the

farmers being Malays, they formed the Malay Rice Factory Association of Malaysia to set up their

own factories.From boasting 110 factories before, there are now only 35 left.With all this in mind, let

us consider what the government is targeting for the padi farmers by 2020.Among other points, this

government is targeting the opening of 400,000 hectares of new land for padi farming.

Through the Economic Transformation Programme, the Malaysian government is also targeting self-

sufficient production, 85 percent local production by 2020.That figure currently stands at 57

percent.This is no longer a case where you can provide more subsidies to farmers in order to bolster

their income. There needs to be total reform and further study into making their incomes more

attractive.

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/tags/PM%20okays%20%2422mil.%20budget%20to%20preserve%20rice%20fields/index.html

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/131064/pm-okays--22mil--budget-to-preserve-rice-fields.html



10

Shrinking rice bowl

Thus, when people say

that subsidies distort

the market, here we

are. Subsidies on rice,

yet very little

intervention down the

supply chain from

farm to fork, has

caused and will

definitely cause our so-

called rice bowl to

grow ever smaller to

the point of

insignificance.And that

is why we need to

reconsider whether

subsidising rice is truly the best move. Farmers used to be able to sustain a household in the past, but

this is no longer valid as we have seen above.So, should we reconsider paying a fair price for rice to

allow the industry to become more attractive for a future generation of padi entrepreneurs?

Or, will we be just content on increasing our import of rice to cater to local demand without a care

about food security?

This, I believe, is dependent on the government‟s next Malaysia Plan which will plot out the next

five years.Perfect timing, since the average padi farmer will be at the age of retirement by 2020.

https://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/298980

DITP hoping global rice traders will have more confidence

in Thai rice BY EDITOR ON 2015-05-20 THAILAND

DITP hoping global rice traders will have more confidence in Thai rice

BANGKOK, 20 May 2015 (NNT)-The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) has

expressed its confidence that the 7th Thailand Rice Convention 2015 will raise foreign

importers‟ confidence in the quality of Thai rice.According to DITP Deputy Director General

Banjongjit Angsusing, this year‟s convention, now underway, is held under the theme „Think of

Rice, Think of Thai Rice‟.Its objective is to reiterate to rice importers that Thailand is still the

world‟s leading rice exporter and a global rice hub. Participants of this event have been informed



11

about the environmentally-friendly methods used in producing rice grains.The 7th convention

has also been held in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn‟s 60th

birthday anniversary. More than 50 rice traders from various nations attend the convention,

which will come to an end tomorrow, the Deputy Director General said.

Liberia: Japanese Gov't Donates 8,060 Metric Tons of Rice

to Liberia

Tagged:Aid and Assistance,Asia, Australia, and Africa,Business,Commodities,External Relations,

Liberia,West Africa

By Bettie Johnson

Monrovia — The Japanese Government has handed over eight thousand Sixty Metric tons of

assorted rice to the Government of Liberia. The donation brought together several Liberian

officials, including Agriculture Minister Dr. Florence Chenoweth, Commerce Minister Axel

Addy, representatives of rice importers, Japan's Ambassador and other dignitaries.Speaking at

the Program, Agriculture Minister Dr. Chenoweth said the impact of the program supports the

whole cycle of rice production in Liberia.

"Though Ebola took away almost everything, but the full cycle of support from the Japanese

Government must be commended; the varieties are many and a selection of varieties has been

made by the Agriculture Ministry and your program supports the foundation seed and sacrifice

seed for all of the varieties. Most of our farmers in Liberia are illiterate and they know the means

of the varieties, they tell you which type of seed they want," the Agriculture Minister

said.Commerce Minister Addy commended the Japanese Government for their support to the

Liberian economy. He disclosed that the rice donation is not the first as the other donations have

led to the construction of bridges; projects and warehouses among others. Minister Addy also

pleaded with consumers to swiftly purchase the rice, which he said will help finance other

projects that will empower local farmers in the country.

Monsoon enters Sri Lanka; Kerala coast next on the list

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 20:

Establishment of monsoon conditions over Sri Lanka was the positive signal on a day when the

India Met Department suffered a setback over both the seas around the South.Winds over

Arabian Sea suddenly reversed direction to being north-westerly (atypical of monsoon) while the

watch for a „low‟ in the Bay has had to be withdrawn.

Bay arm lags

http://allafrica.com/aid/

http://allafrica.com/asiaaustraliaandafrica/

http://allafrica.com/business/

http://allafrica.com/commodities/

http://allafrica.com/externalrelations/

http://allafrica.com/liberia/

http://allafrica.com/westafrica/



12

Monsoon establishing over Sri Lanka is the most significant news after its onset over the

Andaman and Nicobar islands in Indian territorial waters on Saturday last. But it has not been

able to make any significant progress since. The Met merely hoped that it would cover more

areas in the Bay of Bengal over the next two days.It had mentioned about the prospects of a low-

pressure area developing in the Bay which could have revved up the Bay arm of the monsoon.

This outlook has been withdrawn on Wednesday.The onset of monsoon over Kerala normally

happens within a few days of that over Sri Lanka, and 10-12 days after Andaman and Nicobar

Islands.

No MJO support Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said it did not find support coming from the

upper levels of the atmosphere for onset of monsoon along the Kerala coast.It was referring to

the periodical Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) wave that travels periodically to the east across

the Indian Ocean. It boosts convection and cloudiness at the ground level. But the monsoon can

prevail even without MJO, provided the onset pulse packs the required strength and intensity to

drive on its own along the West Coast.

El Niño outlook Apart from triggering the onset of the monsoon, the MJO wave has also been responsible for

setting up low-pressure areas, depressions, and even storms.The Bureau did not see an MJO

moving over the Indian Ocean for at least the next two weeks. El Nino conditions in the tropical

Pacific region are likely to strengthen, says the Bureau, which closely tracks weather in the

region. Super typhoon Dolphin, which had helped drag in the monsoon faraway upstream over

the Bay of Bengal, may also be bolstering the case of El Nino by default, too.The net effect is

that moisture, storminess and cloudiness get driven away from Asia and the larger monsoon

region into equatorial and east Pacific (towards South America).

(This article was published on May 20, 2015)

Rice mills seek exemption from GST

The rice mill owners and paddy-rice dealers in the State have appealed to the Union Government

to exempt rice from Goods and Service Tax.This was one of the resolutions passed at a state-

level meeting of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners and Paddy-Rice Dealers

Associations held here on Tuesday.Since Tamil Nadu is deficit in paddy production and rice is a

major food in the State, the Government has not levied any tax on these so far.Rice millers and

farmers need additional power supply during the harvest season to dry the paddy and the low

tension power supply available to these units is inadequate.

The federation appealed to the State Government and to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory

Commission to pass the required orders for this.The mills would pay the charges fixed by the

commission for the additional supply.The paddy dealers and mill owners also appealed to the

State to remove the market cess levied on rice.The State has 277 agricultural markets.However,



13

rice and paddy were procured by the dealers and mills directly from the farmers and also from

States such as Karnataka, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, they pointed out.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/rice-mills-seek-exemption-from-gst/article7229426.ece

Duty on rice pushes up paddy prices

Yasir Wardad

Duty on rice pushes up paddy prices

The prices of paddy increased by Tk140-150 per maund (37.32kgs) at farm level in last one

week following the levying of 10 per cent duty on rice import, a market survey reveals.But

farmers are reaping little benefit from the hike in prices. Big millers and traders, who have built

up rice stocks through procurement of the main staple from domestic and external sources, are

making the most of it.By the time the paddy prices have taken an upturn, most farmers in the

country are learnt to have sold out their new harvests.Market experts said more than 60 per cent

of farmers already had sold out their produce at much lower prices to millers and their allied

local wholesalers (pikers) or mid-level traders.

Paddy prices plunged to a three-year low this Boro season with the beginning of harvest from

mid-April when per-maund Brridhan-28 sold at only Tk450-500 while finer-variety Miniket sold

at Tk500-550 per maund, according to Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM) data.The

DAM reckonings show the prices of different varieties of paddy have increased by Tk140-150

per maund (30-33 per cent rise) in last seven days. Costs of production of Brridhan-28 and 29

and Miniket were Tk750 to Tk800 per maund as per the calculation done by agriculture

ministry.The government is going to buy paddy at Tk880 per maund and rice at Tk1280 per

maund from May 30 from the farmers and millers, said food officials.Millers, traders and experts

claimed that uncontrolled import of rice from India was the key reason behind the fall in paddy

prices this Boro-harvesting season.

They had urged the government from the beginning of the year to withdraw zero duty on rice

import as lower-priced imported rice flooded the market.However, the private importers have

brought 1.417 million tonnes of rice until May 18, according to the food ministry

data.Meanwhile, imports declined to 2,500 tonnes per day during the period from April to May

18 from 4,600 tonnes a day in July-March period of the current financial year, according to the

data."As a consequence of huge imports, 60 per cent millers stopped their operation in

December-April period in the peak Aman-and Boro-milling seasons," said KM Layek Ali,

secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mills Owners Association (BAMHMOA).

He said Swarna variety's import cost was between Tk20 and 24 per kilogram when local milling

cost of the produce was Tk27 to 29 per kg.However, amid growing demand from farmers,

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/rice-mills-seek-exemption-from-gst/article7229426.ece



14

millers, experts, the government finally slapped 10 per cent duty on rice import with effect from

May 11, according to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).The duty obligation pushed up

paddy prices dramatically.Md Shah Suja, a farmer in Ramnagar Union under Nilphamari sadar

upazila, said Brridhan-28 was selling at Tk1140-1160 per 75- kg sack (Tk600-620 per maund)

now against Tk850-900 per sack (Tk450-480 per maund) a week back.He said: "The price

started to increase when most of us had sold our products. Every farmer incurred a loss of

Tk2500-3000 per bigha (33 decimal) by cultivating paddy this season.

"He said local millers, paikers and traders are reaping huge benefits from the hike following the

market intervention.Economist and rice-market expert Dr Mahabub Hossain told the FE that the

government policymakers should have analysed the matter much earlier when the number of LCs

increased significantly for rice import.He said if the duty obligation came earlier, it could benefit

most of the farmers."But, many of the farmers who are in the harvesting process will get some

benefit from recent price rises. If the paddy price increased to Tk650-700 per maund, the farmers

at least could get back their investment," he said. "Many farmers go for Boro farming much later.

We now term it Braush (Boro+Aus). The Braush cultivators will reap benefits," he said.Dr

Hossain also said, "Without ensuring profits for farmers, we cannot increase our production at

level necessary to ensure food security of the country.

Farm-economist Prof Gazi M Jalil said 60 per cent of the farmers have already sold their crop as

they needed money for the jute and Aman cultivation and also for paying back their debts.Prof

Jalil, who teaches agriculture economics at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said the

government should enact a time-befitting rice import and export policy to protect the interests of

the country's people."Government should consider rice always a strategic crop, which could help

it in framing a farmer-friendly import policy.

"However, rice (milled) prices were static marinating lower prices at mill-gate for last two

weeks, BAMHMOA secretary KM Layek Ali said.The government allowed substantial rice

import when local farmers gifted the country with record production, according to the

government data.Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data reveal that rice production was a record

34.465 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2013-14 while output of Aman and Aus crops accounted

for record 13.2 million tonnes and 2.328 million tonnes respectively in the current financial

year.Meanwhile, the production may surpass19.0 million tonnes in the current Boro season as

per the prediction of the Department of Agriculture Extension.

[email protected]

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/05/21/93502



15

Scientists prove a plant point

Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, May 19: Government scientists have asserted that India has provided tens of

thousands of samples of key foodcrops to global gene repositories, refuting allegations by

sections of foreign researchers that India has been reluctant to share its plant resources.The

scientists with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have said India ranks first in

the list of contributors of plant germplasm in 11 gene banks maintained by the Consultative

Group (CG) of International Agricultural Centres held "in-trust" for the global community.India

has over the past three decades submitted over 66,800 plant germplasm varieties - or 9.2 per cent

- to more than 720,600 accessions maintained by the network of CG repositories, emerging at the

top of its list of contributors, the ICAR scientists said in a report that analysed the flow of plant

varieties from India.

Crop scientists view such transfer of key plant material as critical for crop breeding and

improvement programmes aimed at food security."This analysis should dispel notions that India

hasn't been sharing its plant resources," said Rishi Kumar Tyagi, a principal scientist at the

ICAR's National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, who led the study of plant germ

flow from India over the past four decades.Plant gene repositories in the US, Russia, Taiwan,

Germany and the UK also have several thousands of accessions of Indian origin. At a gene bank

maintained by the US department of agriculture, over 22,000 among its total of more than

625,000 accessions are of Indian origin.

Crop researchers based in Europe had two years ago raised concerns that access to Indian plant

germplasm was limited. Scientists from Norway had pointed out that the world's largest global

seed vault maintained by Norway in Svalbard had very few samples from India.Tyagi and his

colleagues have challenged that claim.The Svalbard gene vault has over 824,000 germplasm

accessions from over 60 gene banks, among which over 66,000 accessions - or over 8 per cent -

deposited by 24 gene banks are of Indian origin, the ICAR scientists said in their analysis just

published in the journal PLOS One.Although India has directly submitted only 25 samples to

Svalbard, over 66,000 samples are of Indian origin, having been deposited there by the CG crop

research centres or by other national gene banks.

The International Rice Research Institute in Manila, Philippines, has deposited its entire rice

germplasm collection of 116,600 at Svalbard, among which over 16,220 accessions belonging to

18 species of rice have their origin in India, the ICAR scientists wrote in their report.The ICAR

scientists have listed 16 crops, including rice, wheat, maize, chickpea, eggplant, groundnut and

pigeon pea, among others, that have been deposited by India into gene repositories across the

world. Among over 2,800,000 samples held by 446 organisations worldwide, 106,000 are from



16

India."India is also a big beneficiary of such germplasm exchange," said Kailash Bansal, head of

the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, who was not involved in the analysis.

"One recent example is kiwifruit - it's import of germplasm that brought kiwifruit to India," he

said.Crop scientists also point out that several varieties of foodcrops, including vegetables,

currently cultivated across the country owe their origin to foreign germplasm.The analysis has

revealed that the flow of plant germplasm from India has indeed slowed down over the past

decade owing to national biodiversity laws that India enacted in 2002. The national biodiversity

regulations lay down strict rules on the transfer of plant genetic material from India.From the

mid-1970s through the early 1990s, India used to supply more than 4,000 germplasm samples

each year. But over the past five years, the number has been less than 1,000 per year."Over the

past decade, the number of requests India has received for germplasm has also declined," Tyagi

said. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150520/jsp/nation/story_21087.jsp#.VV2yoflViko

Jute packaging by rice mills made mandatory in Bengal

By Ritwik Mukherjee May 20 2015

Tags: Knowledge

The Rs 8,000 crore plus jute industry in West Bengal, which has been passing through a demand

crisis and closure of mills, may get a new lease of life with Mamata Banerjee government

deciding that rice mills in the state will now have to pack at least 70 per cent of their total

production in new jute bags. There are more than 1,200 rice mills in the state.Jute mills from

West Bengal will be given requisitions by the jute commissioner and accordingly jute bags for

packaging of rice will be supplied to rice mills.In addition, a comprehensive list of rice mills in

respective districts will be provided to the jute commissioner by the department of food and

supplies to track the entire process of procurement.

The decision was taken on Wednesday at a meeting between the group of ministers and a

delegation from the Indian Jute Mills Association (IJMA).It was also decided that a 5-member

committee comprising senior officials from the departments of finance and commerce, food and

supplies, agriculture and labour will be set up. The committee will coordinate with the jute

commissioner in future. The committee will have its first meeting on May 25 to work out the

modalities.West Bengal houses 64 of the total 84 jute mills in the country. According to industry

officials, jute mills in West Bengal till recently had been running at only 60 per cent of their

capacity rendering a large number of workers jobless. There had also been a production cut of

30-40 per cent few months ago, thanks to lack of orders.“The meeting with the state government-

appointed group of ministers was positive from the perspective of the jute industry in West

Bengal.

http://www.mydigitalfc.com/2008/ritwik-mukherjee

http://www.mydigitalfc.com/knowledge



17

“The decision taken during the meeting to ensure that rice mills purchase new jute bags for

packing of levy rice is positive and encouraging. We are optimistic about the support and

guidance provided during the extensive meeting with ministers and hope that the rich legacy of

the jute industry will be taken into consideration while adopting a policy direction to revive the

industry,” IJMA deputy chairman Ashutosh Bhagat told Financial Chronicle.Under the present

system, the state government has been procuring 25-30 per cent of levy rice from nearly 1,200

rice mills. Through this mechanism, states buy paddy from millers for selling it through ration

shops, the subsidy burden of which falls on the centre. The centre has already decided to do

away with the levy purchase system by October 1, 2015.

[email protected]

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:UFJdztMaBnIJ:www.mydigitalfc.com/knowledg

e/jute-packaging-rice-mills-made-mandatory-bengal-717+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

Forget chemotherapy — try some genetically modified

lettuce to fight your colon cancer Science Friday

May 19, 2015 · 9:00 AM EDT

Producer Alexa Lim (follow)

Writer Marlisse Silver Sweeney (follow)

An agriculturist prepares to plant "Golden Rice" seedlings at a laboratory of the International

Rice Research Institute in Los Banos, Laguna south of Manila, on August 14, 2013.

Credit: Erik De Castro/Reuters

There‟s a lot of fear surrounding genetically modified fruits and vegetables. But what if scientists

could engineer food to cure cancer?

This story is based on a radio interview.Listen to the full interview.

New research suggests

scientists can use plants to

deliver a type of genetic

material called

microRNA, which can

help prevent or suppress

cancer. In experiments

with laboratory mice that

were fed the genes,

incidences of colon

cancer decreased.“It‟s a

very controversial field,” says Kendal Hirschi, a professor of pediatrics and human genetics at

theChildren‟s Nutrition Research Center at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He‟s also

an author on one of the research papers about this topic.Hirschi says that though it‟s generally

http://www.pri.org/programs/science-friday

http://www.pri.org/people/alexa-lim

http://www.pri.org/flag/flag/subscribe_person/64769?destination=node/80115&token=f9daa877bc201257a3e7d75af8f052c8&has_js=1

http://www.pri.org/people/marlisse-silver-sweeney

http://www.pri.org/flag/flag/subscribe_person/78775?destination=node/80115&token=cda5017ab047e802658b200ab5eae475&has_js=1

https://www.bcm.edu/departments/pediatrics/sections-divisions-centers/childrens-nutrition-research-center



18

understood that the healthiest diet is plant-based, there are a lot of converging opinions about the

best bets for optimal nutrition.

“We‟re playing with this idea that the microRNAs in the plant foods can be these regulators,

something that is a bioactive compound that affects our bodies," he says.But Ken Witwer, an

assistant professor of molecular and comparative pathology at John Hopkins University School

of Medicine, says we shouldn‟t get too excited just yet. “So far we don‟t have any data on

genetically modified plants,” he says. Instead, the mice in the experiment had the microRNA

injected directly into their stomachs via a feeding tube.

The same results would be difficult to achieve with dietary intake alone, he says. But finding a

plant-based solution is an important step in the process, Hirschi explains: "There‟s something

about the delivery of the nutrients that‟s better when we eat stuff out of the plant matrix.”These

“transgenic plants” won‟t be ready for at least a couple of years, the scientists estimate. And

though GMO foods are controversial, they say this research is likely to transcend the politics. As

Hirschi points out, “Who‟s going to argue about making a plant to help a patient who has

cancer?”

This story is based on an interview from PRI's Science Friday with Ira Flatow.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-05-19/forget-chemotherapy-try-some-genetically-modified-

lettuce-fight-your-colon-cancer

ShopRite? Shop Rice!

ARLINGTON, VA -- This month, USA Rice is working

with registered dietitians to promote U.S.-grown rice

through theLive Right program at ShopRite, a chain of

more than 250 grocery stores in Connecticut, Delaware,

Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Shoppers will be educated on the health, environmental,

and culinary benefits of U.S.-grown rice through the

Wellness e-Newsletter and in-store

activities.Distributed to more than 110,000 customers,

ShopRite's Wellness e-Newsletter, A Serving of Health, provides shoppers with healthy recipes,

as well as resources and tips for healthy living. This month, there is an entire section called

"Make Over Your Meals with U.S.-Grown Rice, " encouraging consumers to add U.S.-grown

rice to their shopping list. The newsletter features key messages about rice and USA Rice's

recipe for Teriyaki Salmon with Gingered Vegetable Brown Rice.

U.S.-grown rice will be featured in the Dietitian's Selection Program from now through July, and

in the Dietitian's Selection section of the Wellness Circular Insert, that reaches 10 million

shoppers each week. U.S. rice will also be included on the Dietitian's Selection Shopping List

that customers can pick up at all ShopRite stores, and is called out on shelves as a Dietitian's

Selection. The retail dietitian team, active at 115 stores, uses this shopping list and incorporates

They're all about U.S.-grown rice

http://sciencefriday.com/segment/04/24/2015/the-most-unusual-laboratory-not-on-earth.html

http://sciencefriday.com/

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XDQvzA_L1XCCU8PAYszop6RaPQ4pazQHHFpE54YOmwcC_GquuEy4o_t_pjsZMiKF4PFQ4BqAYIM-Fd2U1vnV1HEDGp7etvPxZX7wOfH1LJdh-UaEJG083_383Dzgv9BHg1J6ABnY_m9M8qifP8H7YzVn1KGoY9e-G7u4qrTSTEoo2vJ5Yy5y0S3IE2A14bm4E6PvO4TpqO-DpNNIkw7_z655g999TX0_o6daunA-eI2bkB3lK8rlccCCpjOHVjH6PzSwBk4JYtQm9gtrbHu4XGXqB4Ub-ARYEvMfhmGfhqysMTAX0nIkgopi7IMSp1vDIQDsOCyuNR7fpPBr9DEz1FfDH3xn3Dg8_gq-GF1cBeS7vWOlpkMgUcBWlZAmtaThIU2B2OeabPXlR3iK2_XXEzHaeawY8UCatheaoY9UWg-jXwlhMVT2RFc3urXNyyZACy-n28-HZrPHjvNBgBD8T5padoO7-fyhDd6pUewg2CeL4YJdPXQwTQOGSd_pSVDvXTBqz84reM8=&c=RR4ASukqx-Don0dNBA1BvhSfxCGflk9cjm48pMAX9R4iiNAqoYO6dA==&ch=L-aCrPYnseBjQXYNjLgMtA0byA_WFIMjBBGOwsWCUPRxxZHcrVUpBg==

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XDQvzA_L1XCCU8PAYszop6RaPQ4pazQHHFpE54YOmwcC_GquuEy4o_t_pjsZMiKF-BkKpf_XsacT0kU_63rzvmpbuC-nCYjCRRN_XR6o6lOS9KI2kxB0lqh7CXEASdhw_gv8KfTrdZ0x2MY4hcL3_0ASfHWqXooN0xtHx0nsTOYYLs1bi6suYmEnDfc6cgv6jwP3elff7t-T4Jce4WOqMkoCzhU5z3t_gqZHbxxNiOM9Mdvt4vme-4QgIbigjrb_sjhC7u-fEd_r83pQmtGFxAUQeMsjOy81wdZDvxqK-cUc4wVQvqg8jgI79NJ9jBcbZ931jZG_Jsc1mI0oPuTjdQR9Hq8khrg12L01PxSrzmwbyy2ZJlLxPk3CI5rGz5MaWfuRdI5VptLPZ8gk1ai3S5aw6iwodFMLNWTnGoJFEy4=&c=RR4ASukqx-Don0dNBA1BvhSfxCGflk9cjm48pMAX9R4iiNAqoYO6dA==&ch=L-aCrPYnseBjQXYNjLgMtA0byA_WFIMjBBGOwsWCUPRxxZHcrVUpBg==



19

these items into store tours, community events, and one-on one-consultations. "Consumers look

to dietitians as a credible source on healthy living and eating," said Paul Galvani, USA Rice's

retail subcommittee chairman. "So building relationships with these dietitians and providing

them with information they can in turn share with patrons is integral to our goal of increasing

awareness of U.S. rice."

Contact: Katie Maher (703) 236-1453

One-on-One with ITC Rice Industry Study

Rice's new best-seller

ARLINGTON, VA -- Yesterday USA Rice hosted a briefing by members of the U.S.

International Trade Commission (ITC) research team that conducted the yearlong study on the

factors and policies affecting the global competitiveness of the U.S. rice industry. The study,

"Rice: Global Competitiveness of the U.S. Industry," is known as a Section 332 investigation

and examined the rice industry in the U.S. and in major producing and exporting countries, such

as China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Uruguay, and Brazil.The study looked at the impact on the

U.S. rice industry of exports from competitor countries to the U.S. and traditional U.S. markets

like Mexico, Haiti, and West Africa and found that although the U.S. rice is high quality and

enjoys favorable tariff treatment from markets such as Mexico and Central America, competition

is on the rise.


tel:%28703%29%20236-1453



20

"We used this is an opportunity for our Washington staff to get deeper into the specifics of the study,"

said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward. "We're grateful the ITC experts were willing to provide

their insight and interpretations, share anecdotes, and answer many questions from our staff."

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the

following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and

the resulting marketing loan-gain (MLG) and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2014 crop,

which became effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Rough rice prices decreased $0.21 per cwt for both

long grain and medium/short grain.

World Price MLG/LDP

Rate

Milled Value

($/cwt) Rough

($/cwt) Rough ($/cwt)

Long-Grain 14.93 9.67 0.00

Medium-/Short-Grain 14.55 9.80 0.00

Brokens 9.01 ---- ----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S. milling yields and

the corresponding loan rates:

U.S. Milling Yields

Whole/Broken

(lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate

($/cwt)

Long-Grain 57.21/12.55 6.64

Medium-/Short-Grain 61.89/8.83 6.51

The next program announcement is scheduled for May 27, 2015.

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XDQvzA_L1XCCU8PAYszop6RaPQ4pazQHHFpE54YOmwcC_GquuEy4o_t_pjsZMiKFdnzgN8LP3NR0IhewBb0pDHPFLiuOX6DcP3PzNasE8hHmubLVHRt8ExnGrvargtrpkAvi8Bd9-UyLQuLZgXtxzbsAqa60yBp8OshkFIIajtGf2oejHBosZhfUTDcb-UkUIoeIPHFiKWTQp99IWJusBHVtxLE9HlyRk2gkXd2-cSghcSjvQE9I2l0Lc3Kn67S8t2xqINL2qJKXInzX2jyec9NBL0KwEgHWkfIX3hDIXlJNhnC9Ao5_APb-RH8z-GZVII4j7FZ2J50jTPpUELAXQsizVcsYn-D7w1Pw_0QoVkkdceWjCmKbBhdHvKmrMyzhkBNxsjIzI1LHutPGtvaIAxFh4oyEEVZQ&c=RR4ASukqx-Don0dNBA1BvhSfxCGflk9cjm48pMAX9R4iiNAqoYO6dA==&ch=L-aCrPYnseBjQXYNjLgMtA0byA_WFIMjBBGOwsWCUPRxxZHcrVUpBg==



21

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for May 20

Month Price Net Change

July 2015 $9.570 - $0.080

September 2015 $9.840 - $0.075

November 2015 $10.090 - $0.075

January 2016 $10.355 - $0.070

March 2016 $10.420 - $0.070

May 2016 $10.420 - $0.070

July 2016 $10.420 - $0.070

Rice Is Sticky Issue for Japan in Trans-Pacific Trade Talks

Washington wants greater access to Japanese markets; Tokyo says no By MITSURU OBE And YUKA HAYASHI

Updated May 19, 2015 3:33 p.m. ET

TOKYO—The cover photo on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‟s Facebook page shows him bowing

deeply to an elderly woman in rubber boots, standing next to a freshly planted rice paddy.The

photo symbolizes the hefty influence rice farmers wield over Japane

Log In website to see more detail...

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001XDQvzA_L1XCCU8PAYszop6RaPQ4pazQHHFpE54YOmwcC_GquuEy4o1kTHb9UrT_KWpqMe8VHQwHaiz5fatSNf0tqE616-YwH3U9eG3uzkGQxLUSmVV6AXw7MIrf9RKEMQLLLomgmkJl7VDHqPPR9hcPBgL93AhwXiLlwDTOlLmnFIqBtSqis2pqRdl3mYb0TkhEHJPhhydESPLIJf0ILmS7BeYDO-81krKYEzFvjU9Ne1OzQKjD_PrUyzJ0Us03l0A-B6GfpvEi7qXGbYOYG3DTgLjwvp5i946tWOIeSoD7N2bDzIXnphuV55gfCqERoQqODADYBzZbT5ip0yLhETGpSRsWMlzIMeSGDK4SJ_pRMOITTWmQH8rE_mf8qQIct2o75TK-QdwDahsYcpgTgK8wOVnR2bc-8HACrlPgpzTfRXCPoLLZmCBgdbXW1HiLjM6gVzsJBaVARolPj7bHV-_3y7vdShkqy&c=RR4ASukqx-Don0dNBA1BvhSfxCGflk9cjm48pMAX9R4iiNAqoYO6dA==&ch=L-aCrPYnseBjQXYNjLgMtA0byA_WFIMjBBGOwsWCUPRxxZHcrVUpBg==



22

http://www.wsj.com/articles/rice-is-sticky-issue-for-japan-in-trans-pacific-trade-talks-

1432025782?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+May+20%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13

%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Fake rice made with plastic reportedly spreading across Asia

Plastic rice sold on the Chinese market has reportedly found its way into various Asian countries,

including India, Indonesia and Vietnam.The fake rice is made by mixing potatoes, sweet potatoes

and synthetic resin, according to the International Business Times. It's long been circulating on

the market in Taiyuan, Shaanxi and appears identical to natural rice.Health experts have warned

that consuming the fake grains could seriously damage the digestive system.Authorities have

attempted to quell consumers' fears as the internet has been abuzz with news of the fake rice

landing on the shores of various Asian regions.

"As part of AVA‟s routine surveillance, imported rice is regularly inspected and sampled to

ensure compliance with our food safety standards and requirements," a spokesman from the

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) told The Straits Times after rumors surfaced that the

fake rice had entered Singapore."We have not received any feedback on fake rice."The

Malaysian Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry likewise denied receiving any reports

about the resin-laced grains, but said if it were to have gotten into Malaysia, it would most likely

be sold at small shops rather than large supermarkets.So how can you avoid consuming plastic-

tainted rice? According to Oryza.com, the fake rice grains remain hard after being boiled, and the

http://www.ibtimes.com/china-makes-fake-rice-plastic-report-263027

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/story/fake-rice-made-plastic-reported-have-reached-shores-several-countrie



23

soup made by it forms a very unappetizing plastic sheath 'that burns like plastic' when heated up.

Euuhhh.

Contact the author of this article or email [email protected] with further questions, comments or tips.

http://shanghaiist.com/2015/05/20/fake-rice-made-with-plastic-spreading-across-

asia.php?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+May+20%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+Decemb

er+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Yingluck Shinawatra Pleads Not Guilty to Negligence Over

Thai Rice Subsidy

By AUSTIN RAMZYMAY 19, 2015 Former Thai Premier Speaks Before Trial

Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra of Thailand spoke on Tuesday outside the

courthouse in Bangkok before the start of her trial on charges of criminal negligence.

By Reuters on Publish DateMay 19, 2015. Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters.

HONG KONG — Former Prime MinisterYingluck Shinawatra of Thailand pleaded not guilty on

Tuesday to charges of criminal negligence over a plan to prop up rice prices, which her political

opponents called a corrupt bid to buy support from the country‟s farmers.“I am confident in my

innocence,” she told reporters before the hearing.The Thai Supreme Court approved bail for Ms.

Yingluck, who faces up to 10 years in prison. The trial is expected to take up to a year, during

which she is barred from leaving the country.Ms. Yingluck was removed from office in a coup

one year ago and retroactively impeached in January by the military junta that replaced her. The

impeachment means she is barred from politics for five years.

She and her allies, including her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have won

every election since 2001, but they have faced fierce opposition from the political elites in

Bangkok. Mr. Thaksin now lives abroad to avoid imprisonment in Thailand on corruption

charges.The rice subsidies, a key policy of Ms. Yingluck‟s during her three years in office,

involved spending billions to buy the crop at high premiums over market rates. The effort

angered the opposition, which called it a waste of public funds, and fueled street protests against

her.She has called the program an important effort to support the country‟s poor.Also on

Tuesday, the military government said it would hold a referendum on a new constitution it is

drafting. The government said the referendum would be held no later than next January. If it

passes, officials said, the election the junta has promised would be delayed until August or

September 2016.Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting from Bangkok.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/20/world/asia/yingluck-shinawatra-pleads-not-guilty-to-negligence-over-thailand-rice-

subsidy.html?_r=1&utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+May+20%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+

2013&utm_medium=email

http://www.oryza.com/22063/traces-chinese-plastic-rice-found-india

http://shanghaiist.com/staff.php


http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/y/yingluck_shinawatra/index.html?inline=nyt-per

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/thailand/index.html?inline=nyt-geo

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/24/world/asia/thailand.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/24/world/asia/thailand.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/world/asia/former-thai-leader-to-face-charge-of-negligence.html

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/t/thaksin_shinawatra/index.html?inline=nyt-per



24

Meet the Farmer Who's Helping Chipotle Go Organic

Civil EatsMay 20, 2015

By Ken Roseboro

McKaskle Family Farm supplies organic rice to more than a dozen Chipotle restaurants in

Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas. (Photo: Organic & Non-GMO Report)

Chipotle Mexican Grill made news recently when the “fast casual” restaurant chain

announced that it was serving only foods made with non-GMO ingredients.A farmer in

Missouri is helping Chipotle take its “food with integrity” commitment one step further—to

organic. Steve McKaskle, owner of McKaskle Family Farm, the only organic rice farm in

Missouri, supplies a growing number of Chipotle restaurants in his region with organic long

grain white and brown rice.

After the Tornado

Based in Braggadocio in Missouri‟s

southernmost Bootheel region, the seven-

generation McKaskle Family Farm offers an

excellent example of how a bad event can bring

a blessing in disguise. In the early 2000s Steve

and his wife Kaye grew organic cotton, which

they supplied to companies like Patagonia,

Ecosport, and Nike. But in 2006 an F4 tornado

destroyed the McKaskles‟ farm headquarters,

tractors, barns, grain bins, cotton harvesters,

and cotton gin. “We lost our entire farming

operation and three-fourths of our home,” Steve

McKaskle says. “We barely survived.”But like

the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes,

the McKaskles rebuilt their farm. Without the

cotton harvesters and gin, they switched to

growing organic rice and found greater success.

Today, their farm is thriving more than ever, as

they supply organic rice to Chipotle restaurants

in Missouri, Tennessee, and Arkansas.“We‟re

rebounders,” McKaskle says.Along with rice,

McKaskle Family Farm grows organic popcorn, soybeans, winter wheat, and oats on about

2000 acres.They also package and sell their own Braggadocio brand organic rice and popcorn

to Whole Foods store, Hy-Vee supermarkets, and natural food stores in Missouri and

surrounding states.

Steve and employees in front of mill. (Photo: Organic & Non-GMO Report)

Mill Expands Capacity To better serve Chipotle‟s needs, McKaskle Family Farm recently expanded with a new rice

processing facility that was partially funded by state income tax credits from the Missouri

Department of Agriculture. Construction of the mill was completed in November 2014.

http://civileats.com/

http://www.non-gmoreport.com/

http://www.mckasklefamilyfarm.com/

http://www.non-gmoreport.com/



25

https://www.yahoo.com/food/missouri-farmer-helps-chipotle-go-beyond-non-gmo-

118967993571.html?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+May+20%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%

2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

APEDA India News

International Benchmark Price

Price on: 19-05-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Apricots

1 Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t) 5850


3 Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t) 3425

Raisins

1 Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2378

2 South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2227

White Sugar

1 CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t) 887

2 Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t) 690

3 Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t) 551

Source:agra-net For more info

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 19-05-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price



26

Rice

1 Bonai (Orissa) Other 1900 2200

2 Cachar (Assam) Other 2000 2500

3 Kheda (Gujarat) Other 1800 3350

Wheat

1 Dhing (Assam) Other 1450 1700

2 Manvi (Karnataka) Other 1501 1510

3 Bonai(Orissa) Other 1450 1600

Mango

1 Sirhind (Punjab) Other 2000 4000

2 Pattambi(Kerala) Other 1500 2000

3 Bonai(Orissa) Other 1000 3000

Cucumbar

1 Banki (Orissa) Other 1300 1500

2 Aroor (Kerala) Other 2400 2600

3 Bharuch(Gujarat) Other 700 1000


Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 19-05-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Pune 300

2 Chittoor 328

3 Namakkal 311

Source: e2necc.com

http://e2necc.com/



27

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 19-05-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Potatoes Package: 50 lb cartons

1 Atlanta Colorado Russet 19 23.50

2 Baltimore Canada Russet 20 21

3 Chicago Idaho Russet 20 24

Carrots Package: 20 1-lb film bags

1 Atlanta California Baby Peeled 18 20.50

2 Chicago California Baby Peeled 16.50 17

3 Dallas Arizona Baby Peeled 20 20

Grapefruit Package: 7/10 bushel cartons

1 Atlanta California Red 20.50 20.50

2 Baltimore California Red 19 19

3 New York Texas Red 18 18

Source:USDA

Price on: 20-05-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Apricots



3 Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t) 3425

Raisins



28

1 Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2370

2 South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2219

White Sugar

1 CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t) 879

2 Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t) 690

3 Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t) 568


Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 20-05-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Jowar(Sorgham)

1 Amreli (Gujarat) Other 1050 3000

2 Theni (TamilNadu) Other 1280 1360

3 Jogipet (Telangana) Local 1200 1242

Maize

1 Amirgadh (Gujarat) Other 1200 1310

2 Athani (Karnataka) Local 1501 1510

3 Theni(Tamil Nadu) Other 1200 1400

Orange

1 Muktsar (Punjab) Other 1800 2500

2 Solan(Himachal Pradesh) Other 2000 2500

3 Sitapur(Uttar Pradesh) Other 2550 2750



29

Cabbage

1 Bonai (Orissa) Other 1500 2000

2 Chala (Kerala) Other 2700 2750

3 Gumla(Jharkhand) Other 1400 1800


Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 20-05-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 300

2 Hyderabad 272

3 Mysore 336

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 20-05-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 50 lb sacks

1 Atlanta Mexico Yellow 21.50 21.50

2 Baltimore California Yellow 19 19

3 Chicago Texas Yellow 15 15

Cucumbers Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta Canada Long Seedless 8.50 9.50

2 Dallas California Long Seedless 12.50 13

3 Miami Mexico Long Seedless 9 10

http://e2necc.com/



30

Apples Package: cartons tray pack

1 Atlanta Virginia Red Delicious 19 19

2 Baltimore Washington Red Delicious 20 24

3 Miami Washington Red Delicious 24 26

Source:USDA

Satake to exhibit at FOOMA Japan 2015

5/19/2015 - by World Grain Staff

TOKYO, JAPAN — Satake will exhibit at FOOMA Japan 2015 June 9-12 at the Tokyo

International Exhibition Center, Tokyo, Japan.

See detail on website…

http://www.world-grain.com/articles/news_home/Supplier_Update/2015/05/Satake_to_exhibit_at_FOOMA_Jap.aspx?ID=%7B1E8034AC-7B58-

4F79-ACA2-A462AE45DEA3%7D

20th may,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Documents