27th october ,2015 daily global regional local rice e newsletter by rice plus magazine

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Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter |

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jangs

Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter October 27,2015 Vol 5 ,Issue XV

www.ricepluss.com www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com

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Rice News Headlines...

TDAP vows full support to rice exporters

Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’ agriculture and livestock production

Paddy arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to last year

Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in November

Thai govt approves RM 4.7 billion worth of measures to help rice farmers

36.50L MT PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON

Made in Ghana products make progress

Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin

Cox: Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa

Exports drop for ninth month

15 rice harvest nearly finished

APEDA Commodity News from India

Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal

Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

Rice Prices

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

Expert removed from post at Chinese rice research center

Changing the protection of wild rice waters: What you need to know

Mars commits to 100% sustainable rice sourcing by 2020

Prayut warns against bullyboy tactics over rice scheme

Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation Through Land Borders


New UN-Supported rice management standard sets benchmark for environmentally

sustainable and socially responsible rice cultivation

Mars Food Announces First Global Rice Sustainability Standard in Partnership with the

Sustainable Rice Platform

News Detail...

TDAP vows full support to rice exporters October 27, 2015

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Monday assured full support to the rice

exporters for increase in exports, which are on the decline due to stiff competition in the world

market. Addressing rice exporters and traders during his visit of REAP House Karachi, Chief

Executive (CE) TDAP S M Muneer said rice is an important commodity and fetching about $2

billion foreign exchange annually for the country, however its trade needs more attention to

maintain current growth and find new markets to enhance its exports. "I assure full support to

rice exporters and traders for increase in the commodity's exports and TDAP will facilitate

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exporters in exploring new markets by sending delegations aboard," he added. Talking about the

refund issue, the CE TDAP said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is personally taking interest in the

release of pending refund claims and with his efforts some Rs 25 billion claims have already

been released.

"We know that pending refund claims are hindering production and exports, therefore the

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been asked to ensure timely payment of refund claims," he

added. He said the government is making all-out efforts to facilitate trade and industry, however,

all issues cannot be resolved in a few years. "The government is fully motivated to end the

energy crisis and several new power projects have been initiated to fulfil the shortfall," he

added. Earlier, Senior Vice Chairman REAP Noman Ahmed Sheikh welcomed S M Muneer and

informed the gathering that rice trade is facing a tough time due to low prices in the world

market and rising cost of doing business in Pakistan.

He said presently some 0.5 million rice stocks of previous crop are lying in the godowns of

traders and exporters, while there are no buyers, of which they are forced to sell the commodity

even less than procured price. He urged the government to take immediate steps to save over $2

billion rice exports. "The government should address the issues being faced by rice exporters and

reduce Export Refinance Rate to facilitate rice exports," Noman maintained. He said REAP is

making efforts to explore new rice markets to enhance commodity exports. After lifting of the

US sanctions, Iran can be a big importer of Pakistani rice, however, it needs legal banking

channel to start the exports. Senior Vice President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of

Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Abdul Raheem Janu, Abdul Hasseb Khan, Zubair Tufail, Khalid

Tawab, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Rauf Cheppal, Javeed Jillani, Hamid Hussain Qureshi and Wajid

Paracha were also present.

http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1239926/

Typhoon Lando damages Philippines’ agriculture and

livestock production

Created: Tuesday, 27 October 2015 08:05

Typhoon Lando has caused considerable

damage to Philippines’ agricultural

sector, with preliminary damages

projected at US$127mn

Typhoon Lando caused heavy rains in the

thick farmlands of Philippines, leading to

flooded fields. (Image source: Flickr)

The country’s agriculture department stated

that around 277,060 hectares of land in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera

were affected. Ninety per cent of 386,000 metric tonnes lost in crop production is rice, worth

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nearly US$114mn. Other losses include 5,600 metric tonnes of corn and 21,800 metric tonnes of

high-value crops including vegetables.

Agriculture department under secretary Emerson Palad announced that a directive has been sent

out to release rice and corn seeds so damaged farms can be replanted without delay. Aside from

agriculture, livestock was affected in the typhoon as well, amounting to losses od around

US$11,100.However, the agriculture department stated that the El Nino has had a far more

devastating effect on agriculture. A local report in the Inquirer has said that seven provinces in

Luzon continue to suffer drought conditions despite the heavy rain brought by Typhoon Lando.

http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/food-commodity/typhoon-lando-damages-philippines-agriculture-and-

livestock-production

Paddy arrivals higher in Haryana as compared to last yearTNN | Oct 27, 2015, 08.46AM IST

CHANDIGARH: During the current kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh tonnes of paddy has

already arrived in the mandis of Haryana till Sunday. During the corresponding period last year,

22.98 lakh tonnes of paddy had come to markets in the state.An official of the food and supplies

department said that of the total arrivals, more than 34.89 lakh tonnes paddy was leviable. While

government procurement agencies have purchased more than 32.45 lakh tonnes of paddy, millers and

dealers have purchased 4.04 lakh tonnes. He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum

paddy at more than 8.78 lakh tonnes.

Of the total arrivals, more than 8.15 lakh tonnes of paddy arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh tonnes in

Kaithal, 5.26 lakh tonnes in Ambala, 3.09 lakh tonnes in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh tonnes in

Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh tonnes in Sonipat, 98,262 tonnes in Panchkula, 82,759 tonnes in Sirsa, 76,278

tonnes in Jind, 10,258 tonnes in Hisar, 3,512 tonnes in Faridabad, 38,846 tonnes in Palwal, 2,253

tonnes in Rohtak, 3,103 tonnes in Gurgaon, 1,320 tonnes in Mewat and 884 tonnes in Jhajjar.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Paddy-arrivals-higher-in-Haryana-as-

compared-to-last-year/articleshow/49547104.cms

Bulog expects imported rice to arrive in November

Tassia Sipahutar, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Tue, October 27 2015, 5:27 PM

The State Logistics Agency (Bulog) expects imported rice to start arriving from Vietnam in

November to underpin depleting rise reserves, its top boss has said.Bulog president director

Djarot Kusumayakti said on Monday that the agency would soon proceed with the process of

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importing the rice from Vietnam.―If there is no rain by the end of this week, we will proceed

quickly with the import plan. Vietnam has committed to exporting 1-million tons of rice and

we’d like to see the rice stream in as soon as early November,‖ he said at the State-Owned

Enterprises Ministry.

Djarot added that the committed amount initially stood at 1.5 million tons, but had been lowered

to 1-million tons owing to the loading and shipment- capacity issues.Bulog is finalizing the

import plan following President Joko ―Jokowi‖ Widodo’s decision last week to bring in rice

from the neighboring country.As reported previously, Indonesia is facing a rice shortage as a

result of prolonged drought due to the El Niño phenomenon, which poses a challenge to the

government’s rice self-sufficiency target.

The government stated that it aimed to reach self-sufficiency in rice between the second and

third year of the five-year administration, without factoring in the drought.However, many have

predicted that this year’s El Niño will last longer and its impacts will be more severe than that

recorded by the world in 1997.Meanwhile, Bulog said that crop failures reported in several areas

had added risk to the already low reserves. As of Sunday morning, data from the agency said that

the amount of reserves had only reached between 1.3 million and 1.4 million tons.

Half of the reserves was made up of rice from local farmers, which is absorbed and distributed

by Bulog as part of its public service obligation (PSO).―About 10 days ago, we still had reserves

of 1.7 million tons. The figure has been declining,‖ Djarot said.The latest figure is concerning

because it is only sufficient to meet 10-day consumption since the country needs an average 2.5

million tons of rice for monthly consumption, according to Bulog’s observation.No detailed

information on the import costs was immediately available because Djarot said that the agency

was still completing its total import calculation.

―We are also looking at Thailand, Myanmar and Pakistan for additional import sources, but have

not reached a definite agreement with them.‖Separately, Bank Central Asia (BCA) economist

David Sumual predicted that the government would face a tough challenge in terms of price

since almost all Asian countries were facing the same drought issue.―It should’ve been more

prepared. The decision to import came quite late and now all countries are competing to acquire

rice,‖ he said.David warned that failure to manage rice availability would lead to soaring food

prices and rising inflation, possibly higher than 3 percent by the end of the year.―High inflation

may prevent us from seeing lower benchmark interest rate in 2016. Other macroeconomics

variables will change as well.

‖The government has set its full-year inflation rate target at 5 percent, while Bank Indonesia

estimates that the rate will hover between 3 percent and 5 percent.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), year-to-date and year-on-year

inflation rates stood at 2.2 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, by September. Food remained

the biggest contributor to the inflation figure, the data shows. – http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/10/27/bulog-expects-imported-rice-arrive-

november.html#sthash.El79KXKt.dpuf

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Thai govt approves RM 4.7 billion worth of measures to help

rice farmers

he measures come after growing criticism levelled at the military regime from rice and rubber

farmers who have seen their income fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by

an ousted civilian government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural communities. —

Bigstock pic

BANGKOK, Oct 27, 2015:

Thailand’s cabinet approved measures worth about 40 billion baht (RM 4.7 billion) to help rice

farmers, a government spokesman said today.The government gave the green light to three

measures to help rice farmers prepare for the next harvest, including credits and an interest rate

reduction for farmers, Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesman, told Reuters.An interest

rate cut by state-owned Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for one

million families, steps to help co-operatives and communities collect rice from markets, and

grants for farmers in the country’s north and northeast were among the measures approved, said

Sansern.

The measures come after growing criticism levelled at the military regime from rice and rubber

farmers who have seen their income fall following the end of the subsidy schemes, introduced by

an ousted civilian government, that funnelled billions of dollars to agricultural communities.The

military government that took power after a 2014 coup slashed rural subsidies saying it wanted

to wean farmers, who make up a large percentage of Thailand’s 67 million population, off

expensive schemes used by previous administrations.

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It has acknowledged in recent months that weak exports and low global commodity prices have

hurt rural income.Somkid Jatusripitak, a deputy prime minister, told Reuters last month that he

would prioritise reviving the rural economy.Last year the military government offered rice and

rubber farmers a direct subsidy of 1,000 baht ($28.18) per rai (0.17 ha), capped at 15,000 baht.

http://www.therakyatpost.com/world/2015/10/27/thai-govt-approves-rm-4-7-billion-worth-of-

measures-to-help-rice-farmers/

36.50L MT PADDY IN THIS KHARIF SEASON

Tuesday, 27 October 2015 | PNS | Chandigarh | in Chandigarh

During the current Kharif season, more than 36.50 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of paddy have

arrived in the mandis (grain markets) of Haryana till October 25. Last year, 22.98 lakh MT

paddy had arrived in the mandis.

A spokesman of State Food and Supplies Department on Monday said that of the total arrival,

more than 34.89 lakh MT paddy was leviable and 1.60 lakh MT paddy was non-leviable. While

the Government procurement agencies have purchased over 32.45 lakh MT paddy, millers and

dealers have purchased 4.04 lakh MT paddy.

He added that Kurukshetra had received the maximum amount of paddy at more than 8.78 lakh

MT. Of the total arrival, over 8.15 lakh MT paddy has arrived in Karnal, 4.56 lakh MT in

Kaithal, more than 5.26 lakh MT in Ambala, 3.09 lakh MT in Yamunanagar, 2.32 lakh MT in

Fatehabad, 1.14 lakh MT in Sonepat, 98,262 MT in Panchkula, 82,759 MT in Sirsa, 76,278 MT

in Jind, 10,258 MT in Hisar, 3,512 MT in Faridabad, 38,846 MT in Palwal, 2,253 MT in Rohtak,

3,103 MT in Gurgaon, 1,320 MT in Mewat and 884 MT in Jhajjar.

he Food and Supplies Department has purchased more than 15.34 lakh MT of paddy, 11.44 lakh

MT have been purchased by Hafed, 3.38 lakh MT have been purchased by the Haryana Agro-

industries Corporation. Tuesday, 27 October 2015

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Made in Ghana products make progress

The patronage of made-in-Ghana products, including locally produced rice, has seen substantial

increase following increased awareness and aggressive marketing by some private sector entities,

the Managing Director of GhanaMade Stores, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, has said.She said although

Ghanaians generally shied away from products, particularly rice, produced locally vigorous and

sustained educational and marketing strategies by GhanaMade and other bodies had placed

patronage on an upward trend.Speaking in an interview with the Graphic Business, Mrs Aniagyei

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advised Ghanaians and other residents to continue to support Ghana rice and other made-in-

Ghana products through loyal patronage.

''Continued and increased patronage would help keep existing producers in business and

encourage potential ones to step up to the challenge,'' she noted.Ghana stands to derive a lot of

benefits, including the creation of sustainable employment for its people, particularly, women

and the youth, should patronage increase for local products.

Some Ghanaians have often refused to accept and patronise anything produced in Ghana due to

perceived misconceptions. However, many other Ghanaians and non-Ghanaians hold the view

that once the products met quality standards they will choose them over other options.According

to her, the various types of rice sold at all the GhanaMade stores were produced by farmers

across all the regions of Ghana, key among them being the three northern regions, Volta and

Eastern regions.―The continued large scale purchase of these farmers’ produce by GhanaMade is

helping to improve their family incomes and thereby improve access to education and health for

their families,‖ she said.The Programmes Officer of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana

(PFAG), Mr Charles Nyaaba, in a separate interview, called on the government to help improve

the country's rice production.

―Currently, many rice farmers are experiencing shortage in the harvesting of their rice due to the

low rainfall in the country since last year,‖ he said.According to him, production reduced due to

climate change the previous season. The farmers under the irrigation could not produce, mainly

due to low rains.He said there was not enough water in the various irrigation facilities across the

country and that was the cause of the low production recorded last year.―The rains stopped

earlier than expected last year, so those farmers who did the late rain fed planting did not get

enough rains to prepare the harvest which also affected the outcome,‖ he said.

He indicated that some farmer groups in the northern part of the country had to lose their rice to

bush fires last year because they were finding it difficult to get a combine harvester to harvest

their rice.Explaining further, he said access to input had been a big problem to the farmers, such

that in recent years, high cost f inputs like fertiliser was having its toll on the rice farmers.

He recalled increased fertiliser prices globally impacted the price of the subsidised ones in

Ghana.―The MPK fertiliser which is subsidised for this season is still selling at GH?89, and with

that not all the farmers, especially the smallholder farmers who are able to access the subsidised

fertiliser,‖ he added.

Responding to the trend in the market, he said, for once Ghanaians are gradually developing a

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taste for the local rice, adding that the onus fell on the producers to do more in terms of the

packaging and branding so that it would catch the attention of majority of the citizenry.he

Programmes Officer added that the importers of rice most of the time tried to undermine the

market for the local rice.He alleged that some rice importers bought the high quality local rice

and packaged it as imported rice and sold it, a situation which persuaded the buyers from buying

the local rice without knowing it was local rice.

He said the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority was revamping a number of irrigation

facilities to help boost rice production across the country, such as the Tolon Irrigation Facility,

which is under the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, the World Bank and the

USAID.That project is expected to boost rice production all-year round and it will attract private

investors

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/business/Made-in-Ghana-products-make-progress-390162

Secrets of a rice-killing fungal toxin

posted by news on october 27, 2015 - 10:30am

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Sciences (CSRS) have discovered

the enzyme needed for synthesis of tenuazonic acid (TeA), a well-known toxin that is produced

by multiple types of fungus and affects fruits, vegetables, rice, and other crops. In their study

published in Nature Communications, the authors describe how they found the gene for this

enzyme, and reveal that its structure is unique among known enzymes.

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi that are not directly involved in growth,

development, or reproduction. These secondary metabolites typically colonize crops and are a

real economic burden for farmers. TeA is known to be produced by at least three different plant

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pathogenic fungi, and is associated with spoiling of fruits, vegetables, and food-crops, as well as

post-harvest decay."Now that we know the gene responsible for biosynthesis of this harmful

toxin," notes co-lead author Takayuki Motoyama, "after further testing we might be able to

devise a way to regulate its expression and prevent destruction of important crops."Rice blast

disease resulting from the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid (produced by the fungus Magnaporthe

oryzae). Credit: RIKEN

When studying microorganisms like fungus, researchers have found that genes for many

secondary metabolites are silent under laboratory conditions, which has made finding them

especially difficult. The CSRS group led by Hiroyuki Osada has extensive experience studying

secondary metabolites, and the team reasoned that OSM1--a gene associated with responses to

environmental stress--might also be related to TeA production in Magnaporthe oryzae, a

pathogenic rice fungus. While wild-type M. oryzae did not yield any TeA, researchers were able

to produce it from OSM1 knockout strains. They were also able to produce TeA by culturing

wild-type M. oryzae with 1% dimethylsulphoxide, perhaps as a response to the unfavorable

environment.

Having two methods to produce TeA in the lab proved invaluable for identifying the gene

responsible for its biosynthesis. To do so, the team performed a DNA microarray analysis using

the total RNA extracted under the two conditions that yielded TeA. Only one gene was found to

be expressed significantly more in these conditions than when no toxin was produced. Further

tests were run to determine whether this gene really is responsible for TeA biosynthesis. First,

knocking out this gene yielded a strain that could not produce the toxin, and researchers

tentatively renamed the gene TeA synthetase 1--or TAS1. Then, the team created an M. oryzae

strain that overexpressed TAS1, and as expected, this strain produced the toxin under normal

conditions.

Next, researchers examined the structure of TAS1 and found that it is a hybrid enzyme

containing an NRPS region followed by a PKS region. "This was very surprising", explains

Motoyama. "It was assumed because of TeA's structure that it would be synthesized by a PKS-

NRPS hybrid enzyme. In fact, the order of these regions was totally reversed!" While NRPS-

PKS hybrid enzymes have been found in bacteria, TAS1 is the first fungal enzyme for a

secondary metabolite to be discovered with an NRPS-PKS structure.

After analyzing how TeA is generated and determining that TAS1 synthesizes it from isoleucine

and acetoacetyl-coenzyme A, the researchers searched for homologues in other organisms. While

they found several other species of fungi that have genes for homologues sharing the same

domain structure, bacterial sources with similar amino acid sequences did not share the same

characteristic domain structure. Further research will be needed to find out if this novel enzyme

has homologues that biosynthesize other compounds with useful biological functions.

While preventing TeA synthesis might me a goal for crop preservation, TeA also has antitumor,

antibacterial, and antiviral properties that could prove beneficial in many situations.

Understanding exactly how it is synthesized by TAS1 is therefore an important next step. "Now

that we know that the KS domain of TAS1 is unique," notes co-lead author Choong-Soo Yun,

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"X-ray crystallographic analysis of this domain will be important for uncovering the reaction

mechanism."

http://www.sciencecodex.com/secrets_of_a_ricekilling_fungal_toxin-

168301?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+October+27%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2

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

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/chandigarh/3650l-mt--paddy-in-this-kharif-

season.html

Cox: Great Nepalese cuisine at Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa

Onion Bhajji from Yeti Restaurant in Santa Rosa. (JOHN BURGESS / The Press Democrat)

BY JEFF COX

FOR THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

October 26, 2015, 5:11PM

If you remember, there was a Lyons restaurant at the north end of Farmers Lane in Santa Rosa,

one of a chain of Denny’s-like places strewn across northern California like oases of culinary

mediocrity.The chain tanked in 2012, but the building was excellent. The large dining room has a

low ceiling and soft lighting for intimacy, and the 10-stool bar’s back-bar mirror lets you check

out the other imbibers without being obvious about it.Narayan Somname, owner and chef of the

popular Yeti Nepalese restaurant in Jack London Village in Glen Ellen, spied this empty space

and decided that Santa Rosa needed its own Yeti. Now open for lunch and dinner, it’s is a

friendly, comfy place to have some very well made Nepalese and Indian food.

Yeti Restaurant Highlights

It especially affords hard-working Santa Rosans a lunch venue that’s a little out of the ordinary,

with its spicy curries and decent prices.Saag paneer over rice with a side salad, and chicken curry

over rice with a side salad, are $11 each. Or fuel yourself with a large lunch that for $15.99

includes rice, naan, salad, tandoori chicken, dal (lentils), vegetable curry, papadum and yogurt

with fruit.The wine list carries local favorites in the $30-$50 range, but beer always seems a

better choice with Nepali or Indian food. House-brewed Yeti Pale Ale is a lightly hopped and

delicious choice. The full bar serves the usual suspects among cocktails: margarita, cosmo,

bloody mary, manhattan, vodka collins and a misconceived gimlet made with fresh lime juice

instead of Rose’s Lime Juice. Cocktails are mostly $10 each.

The dinner menu has some interesting choices. Onion Bhajji ($7.99 ★★★ ) is a kind of fritter

and also one of India’s top cricket stars, a man named Harbajan whose nickname is Bhajji.

Garlic, ginger, onions and Himalayan spices like cardamom and coriander are mixed in a ground

chickpea batter and deep fried. You get six pieces with a side of saffron bulghur and three

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dipping sauces: spicy hot chili that comes on slow but builds to a fiery climax; tamarind; and

mint-cilantro. The fritters entice you with their aroma and drench your tastebuds with flavor.

Of all the dishes at the dinner, the six pieces of Chicken Momo ($8.99 ★★★★ ) hit several

pleasure buttons at once. First, they’re delightful to see. They are made in the style of the Newari

people of Kathmandu in Nepal, which so recently was struck by a devastating earthquake. Each

momo looks like a tiny, fluted cap of slick and shiny steamed flour dough. Inside each is chicken

minced with Himalayan spices, and they’re served with a cool mint sauce. Vegetarians and

vegans don’t have to miss out, because vegetable momo also are available.

Chicken Sekuwa ($9.99 ★★ ) is a classic Nepalese dish, usually served on skewers like Thai

satay but quite different in flavor, although here the skewers are dispensed with. Seven cubes of

white meat are spiced with cumin, ginger and yogurt, which give them a little gingery bite. Then

they’re cooked in the tandoor, some chunks emerging still juicy but others dry and toughened.

The house mint-cilantro sauce is drizzled over the top.

At this point, the waiter made sure there were clean utensils and plates on the table for the

balance of the meal. Attentive service is such a pleasure.

THE PRESS DEMOCRATE

Exports drop for ninth month Imports also tumblein lacklustre economy 27 Oct 2015 at 03:26 3,290 viewed10 comments

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his economy czar Deputy Prime Minister Somkid

Jatusripitak spoke with foreign and Thai chief executives Monday, including AAT president and

chief executive Trevor Negus (at microphone). Mr Negus urged urgent work on infrastructure,

particularly roads, which he said are "in a state of congestion and decay." (Photo courtesy of

Government House)

Thailand's troubled economy continues to struggle, with exports

falling for the ninth straight month in September as imports also

plummeted.The Commerce Ministry yesterday reported shipments

fell by 5.51% year-on-year last month to a value of US$18.8

billion, easing slightly from August's sharp 6.69% fall, the second

worst this year after a 7.87% decline in June, which itself was the

biggest drop since an 8.15% decline in December 2011.For the

first nine months of this year, exports dropped by 4.98% to $162

billion.September imports plunged 26.2% year-on-year to a value

of $21.7 billion, resulting in a nine-month fall to $154 billion,

down 10.5%.Agricultural and agribusiness products contracted by

9.9% year-on-year last month to $2.65 billion.Industrial goods

dropped by 1.9% to $15.1 billion despite shipments of automotive

and parts rising by 20.6%, driven by a 144% surge in passenger

car exports.

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Somkiat: Soft demand among trade partners

Somkiat Triratpan, director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, attributed the fall in

exports to the weak global economy and soft demand in major trade partners, particularly Japan

(down by 20.6%), France (down 18.1%), China (down 17.9%), South Korea (down 15.9%),

Britain (down 10.1%) and the US (down 3.6%).Overall crude oil prices also remained low,

declining by 47.5% year-on-year in the first nine months, while global farm prices also dropped

sharply, especially for rice, rubber and sugar.Export prices of rice dropped by 9.5%, with rubber

down 19.8% and sugar 8.2%.Mr Somkiat insisted Thailand's export contraction was low

compared with the performance of other countries such as Australia (-21.8%), France (-14.3%),

Singapore (-14%), Japan (-9.2%), South Korea (-6.4%) and the US (-6.1%).The Commerce

Ministry is still maintaining forecast for exports to contract by 3% this year.

"Export contraction is likely to stay within a range of 3.5% to 4% if we come up with export

values of $19 billion baht a month for the final three months of the year," Mr Somkiat said."The

contraction will widen to 5% if we achieve only $18 billion a month."Wallop Vitanakorn, vice-

president of Thai National Shippers' Council, said last month's lower contraction in exports was

due primarily to a surge in automotive shipments.With the global economy remaining far from a

recovery and Thailand's economy still weak, the country's exports are likely to fall by at least 5%

this year, he said.Santitarn Sathirathai, the Singapore-based head of economic research for

Southeast Asia and India at Credit Suisse, said Thailand's growth would remain lacklustre albeit

more resilient than expected, as tourism numbers may provide some upside risk to its 2015 GDP

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forecast of 2% growth.Thailand's strong current account position means the baht will probably

outperform its peers unless the Bank of Thailand takes more policy actions including cutting

rates, he said.

"We continue to see room for another rate cut, but the timing remains uncertain. It seems to us

the Bank of Thailand may wish to see how domestic demand will respond to various stimuli

introduced by the government before adding another rate cut," Mr Santitarn said."We still think

headwinds to exports will be sufficient to cap overall GDP growth in the fourth quarter, which

would prompt the central bank to cut the rate by another 25 basis points by year-end."However, a

December move looks more likely than the upcoming meeting on Nov 4.

"Sarun Sunansathaporn, an economist in Bank of Ayudhya's research department, said

September's export contraction of 5.5% was better than the projected 8.3%."Exports in baht

terms were positive, as they improved to growth of 5.5% on the back of the baht's depreciation,"

he said.However, Mr Sarun said last month's 26.2% import decline was a big surprise."This was

even worse than economists' bearish forecast of a contraction of between 13% and 23.9%," he

said.Thailand's trade account surplus widened to $2.8 billion, marking a five-month streak of

surpluses, Mr Sarun said, adding that prospects for domestic demand and exports remained tepid.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/744168.

15 rice harvest nearly finished The Arkansas rice harvest is essentially complete, and a University of Arkansas agronomist said

Monday that he expects the final yield will fall well below last year's record.

Read the full article here:Arkansas Online

http://us.geosnews.com/p/us/ar/15-rice-harvest-nearly-finished_1671152

APEDA Commodity News from India

International Benchmark Price

Price on: 26-10-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Garlic

1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 2100

2 Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 2000

3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1800

Ginger

| 15



1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4600

2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 5100

3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3000

Guar Gum Powder

1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2210

2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1550

3 Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2650

Source:agra-net For more info

Market Watch

Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 26-10-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Maize

1 Hassan (Karnataka) Local 1000 1680

2 Dahod (Gujarat) Yellow 1370 1450

3 Palthan (Maharashtra) Yellow 1325 1452

Barley (Jau)

1 Siddhpur (Gujarat) Other 1725 1725

2 Begu (Rajasthan) Other 1310 1340

3 Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh) Other 1100 1200

Pine Apple

1 Jagraon (Punjab) Other 1500 2000

2 Mumbai (Maharashtra) Other 1000 2500

3 Udaipur (Rajasthan) Other 1400 2300

| 16



Brinjal

1 Chala (Kerala) Other 2700 2753

2 Mumbai (Maharashtra) Other 800 1500

3 Shillong (Meghalaya) Other 2500 3000

Source:agmarknet.nic.in For more info

Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 26-10-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 333

2 Chittoor 338

3 Nagapur 312

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 26-10-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Potatoes Package: 50 lb sacks

1 Atlanta Idaho Russet 15.50 15.50

2 Chicago Idaho Russet 9 11

3 Miami Washington Russet 13 14

Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped

1 Atlanta Mexico White 18 18.25

2 Baltimore Texas White 26 26

3 Miami California White 28 32

Grapes Package: 19 lb containers bagged

| 17



1 Atlanta California Red Globe 21.50 23.50

2 Chicago California Red Globe 18 20

3 New York California Red Globe 22 23

Source:USDA

Crop Insurers Targeted in Budget Deal

WASHINGTON, DC -- Tomorrow, Congress is expected to take up a two-year budget bill in an

effort to avert a government shutdown and raise the debt ceiling. The deal would increase

federal spending by $80 billion over two years and raise the federal borrowing limit through

2017. However, $3 billion in cuts to the federal crop insurance program were included as an

offset.

The crop insurance provision would require a renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance

Agreement, the contract between insurance companies and the government. Federal crop

insurance has been continually targeted for cuts since the 2008 Farm Bill against the

recommendations of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.USA Rice Vice President

Ben Mosely shared his disappointment, saying, "As an important component of the farm safety

net, crop insurance is a precarious area to find savings. Further cuts could jeopardize the private

sector delivery of crop insurance."Mosely added, "I encourage rice farmers to voice their

opposition to the crop insurance provisions within the budget deal to their representatives in

Washington. Additional cuts to crop insurance delivery negates much of the hard work Congress

put into passing a five-year Farm Bill last February."

Contact: Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475

Mississippi Rice Farmer Named White House 'Champion of

Change'

Buddy Allen with wife, Allison,

and daughter, Yates

WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday, Buddy Allen, a rice farmer

from Tunica, Mississippi, was lauded as a 'Champion of

Change in Sustainable Agriculture' at a ceremony at the White

House. Allen was one of twelve champions across all of

agriculture recognized for taking steps to improve the

sustainability of their operations, and educating others to do the

same. To see an excerpt of the event, go here.

| 18



Allen believes in "practicing what you preach" when it comes to the sustainability arena and

spends a lot of time and capital implementing soil and water conservation practices on his rice

farm. In reference to the critical importance of water to farming, Allen said, "Rice is a

significant water-using crop which gives us a lot of opportunity to make an impact in

conservation and stewardship. Collectively, we've learned how to raise rice in the Deep South

with about half the water we used to. We've worked very diligently, and we're really proud of

the partnerships we have with our commodity groups like the [USA] Rice Federation. "

Allen has installed a tailwater recovery system to recycle irrigation water; instituted laser land-

leveling to further reduce water use and soil runoff; experimented with using a large number of

irrigation practices based on geographic conditions, and installed moisture sensors to help with

irrigation efficiency.

USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward said, "Buddy serves as a role model for our industry by

leading efforts to implement agricultural practices that benefit soil, air, and water quality. He is

a Rice Leadership alumni, a member of the USA Rice Conservation Committee, and known for

being a great steward of the land. We congratulate him on receiving this acknowledgement from

the Obama administration."

Contact: Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for October 27

Month Price Net Change

November 2015 $11.600 - $0.055

January 2016 $11.885 - $0.060

March 2016 $12.160 - $0.060

May 2016 $12.435 - $0.060

July 2016 $12.685 - $0.055

September 2016 $12.350 + $0.015

November 2016 $12.350 + $0.015

| 19



Rice Prices as on : 27-10-2015 08:10:35 PM Arrivals in tonnes;prices in Rs/quintal in domestic market.

Arrivals Price

Current

%

change

Season

cumulative Modal

Prev.

Modal

Prev.Yr

%change

Rice

Roorkee(Utr) 700.00 2233.33 2826.00 1900 1575 24.18

Srirampur(ASM) 150.00 -33.33 1130.00 2980 2980 -

Dhing(ASM) 92.00 6.73 3462.70 1800 1800 -5.26

Gauripur(ASM) 48.00 4.35 1516.00 4500 4500 50.00

Dhekiajuli(ASM) 26.00 73.33 1922.00 2000 2100 -20.00

Chakdah(WB) 24.00 -4 672.00 2900 2900 -6.45

Sheoraphuly(WB) 10.00 -28.57 495.50 2550 2500 -12.07

North Lakhimpur(ASM) 9.00 -70.97 196.90 1900 1900 -

Silapathar(ASM) 8.50 112.5 302.60 3000 3000 NC

Lakhimpur(UP) 8.00 -15.79 598.50 2210 2190 -

Pakur(Jha) 6.00 140 129.09 3149 3150 -

Islampur(WB) 3.20 NC 209.90 2050 2050 -18.00

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/article7809408.ece

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas agricultural commodities with cash markets,

futures and insightful analysis and commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau commodity analysts.

| 20



Noteworthy benchmark price levels of interest to farmers and ranchers, as well as long-term commodity

market trends which are developing. Daily fundamental market influences and technical factors are noted and

discussed.

Soybeans

High Low

Cash Bids 905 845

New Crop 920 871

Riceland Foods

Cash Bids Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -

New Crop Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Nov '15 895.25 882.00 891.25 +6.25

Jan '16 894.25 880.25 891.00 +6.50

Mar '16 896.75 882.50 893.50 +6.75

May '16 901.00 887.00 897.75 +6.50

Jul '16 906.00 892.50 903.00 +6.75

Aug '16 904.00 897.00 901.25 +6.25

Sep '16 895.00 885.00 893.50 +5.50

Nov '16 895.00 883.75 891.75 +5.25

Jan '17 896.00 895.00 896.75 +5.00

Arkansas Daily Grain Report

| 21



FOB Memphis Elevator Crops

Soybean Comment Soybeans saw fresh buying today after yesterday's sharp losses. While weather in Brazil remains a drag on

soybeans, for the near term look for prices to be more reactive to U.S. export news. Today we saw delayed

reaction to yesterday's positive report. Prices still need another dime before the can break resistance at $9.

Wheat

High Low

Cash Bids 498 498

New Crop 515 434

Futures:


Dec '15 518.00 506.50 509.25 +0.25

Mar '16 522.75 511.50 514.25 -0.50

May '16 527.00 516.00 518.75 -0.50

Jul '16 528.75 518.00 520.50 -0.75

Sep '16 536.00 526.75 528.50 -1.25

Dec '16 549.25 538.50 540.50 -2.75

Mar '17 550.50 -3.75

May '17 550.25 -4.50

Jul '17 542.00 542.00 538.00 -4.50


| 22




Wheat Comment Wheat prices remain volatile as speculators continue work to balance their long and short position. After

yesterday's strong rally we saw prices close mostly lower today, despite yesterdays crop condition report

showing the condition of this years crop much worse than previous years. While wheat continues to try and

move higher, slow demand will remain an issue and limit long term gains.

Grain Sorghum

High Low

Cash Bids 395 319

New Crop 394 339



Corn

High Low

Cash Bids 395 360

New Crop 411 381

Futures:


Dec '15 387.50 379.00 380.00 -4.50

Mar '16 396.75 388.75 389.75 -3.75

| 23



May '16 402.75 395.00 396.00 -3.50

Jul '16 407.50 399.50 400.75 -3.00

Sep '16 405.00 398.00 399.00 -2.25

Dec '16 411.50 404.75 405.75 -2.25

Mar '17 420.00 415.25 415.25 -2.25

May '17 423.00 421.50 421.25 -2.00

Jul '17 427.25 425.50 425.25 -2.00



Corn Comment Corn prices closed lower today as the market found little technical support to continue yesterday's gains. As

harvest continues and slow exports remain an issue it will be difficult for corn to break out of the sideways

pattern they are currently in.

Cotton

Futures:


Dec '15 63.18 62.18 62.34 0.21

Mar '16 62.95 61.94 62.16 0.23

Dec '16 63.38 62.97 62.82 0.15

Memphis, TN Cotton and Tobacco Programs

Cotton Comment Cotton futures recovered a bit, moving back to close above previous support at 62 cents. Technical selling in

the face of overbought indicators has resulted in the downturn of the past two weeks. The crop is 42%

| 24



harvested nationwide, but behind schedule in the eastern costal states that are still waiting for fields to dry out

to be able to evaluate the condition of the crop and get the pickers rolling.

Rice

High Low

Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - -

Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -

Futures:


Nov '15 1184.5 1147.5 1160.0 -5.5

Jan '16 1213.0 1175.5 1188.5 -6.0

Mar '16 1222.0 1207.5 1216.0 -6.0

May '16 1260.0 1250.0 1243.5 -6.0

Jul '16 1280.0 1270.0 1268.5 -5.5

Sep '16 1235.0 +1.5

Nov '16 1235.0 +1.5

Rice Comment Rice futures closed at the 50% retracement level today, which coincides with the up trendline drawn off the

May low. A close below $11.60 will signal a move to the 62% retracement level of $11.18. Global production

problems have helped support the market since the summer, however, disappointing U.S. yields have likely

been built into prices at this point.

Cattle

| 25



Futures:

Live Cattle:


Oct '15 139.225 136.550 138.550 -1.000

Dec '15 141.825 140.050 141.750 -0.250

Feb '16 143.550 141.875 143.450 -0.450

Apr '16 142.300 140.825 142.300 -0.425

Jun '16 133.225 131.850 133.175 -0.275

Aug '16 130.700 129.425 130.600 -0.425

Oct '16 132.600 131.275 132.425 -0.450

Dec '16 133.650 132.200 133.300 -0.525

Feb '17 132.400 131.650 131.900 -1.300

Feeders:


Oct '15 193.225 192.350 193.100 -0.575

Nov '15 190.200 187.200 189.175 -2.050

Jan '16 182.050 179.600 181.575 -1.550

Mar '16 178.975 176.850 178.725 -1.000

Apr '16 179.625 177.725 179.500 -0.925

May '16 179.525 177.600 179.500 -0.675

Aug '16 179.975 178.175 179.975 -0.575

Sep '16 177.950 -1.550

Arkansas Prices

Ft. Smith Livestock Auction

| 26



Heber Springs Livestock Auction

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City - Feeder Cattle Auction Weighted Average Report

Cattle Comment Cattle prices continued their slide today. Both live and feeder cattle prices saw sharp losses today as the weak

boxed beef and cash cattle markets remain a drag on prices. After the recent rally in cattle prices have become

technically weak will need fundamental support to hold gains.

Hogs

Futures:


Dec '15 62.975 60.825 60.900 -1.950

Feb '16 66.050 64.200 64.275 -1.525

Apr '16 69.775 68.525 68.650 -0.975

May '16 74.575 73.750 73.825 -0.750

Jun '16 77.600 76.550 76.550 -0.925

Jul '16 77.200 76.450 76.600 -0.500

Aug '16 76.250 75.600 75.600 -0.700

Oct '16 66.800 66.200 66.775 +0.125

Dec '16 64.200 63.900 64.200 +0.300

Hog Comment

Shell Eggs Daily Midwest Regional Eggs

Daily New York Eggs

National Turkeys Weekly Weighted Average Prices for Whole Young Turkeys

| 27



Delmarva Broilers Daily Southern Broiler/Fryers

http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/


2015-10-27 15:25:42

CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan Hybrid Rice Research

Center, has been removed from office, sources with the center in Changsha, capital of central

China's Hunan Province, confirmed on Tuesday.Yuan, 85, known in China as "the father of

hybrid rice," will continue his research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan,

also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the world's first hybrid

rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a target unit yield of 700 kg per mu

(0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000 and 2005, respectively, setting world records both

times. In 2014, his team achieved a record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of

1,026.7 kilograms per mu.

Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and on farms. In September, Yuan

visited Cambodia to promote "super rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects

to raise the unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He said he will devote

his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid rice.China, one of the world's most heavily

farmed countries, faces problems including limited land and water resources, and rising

pollution, making food security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as

a staple food.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm

Changing the protection of wild rice waters: What you need

to know

EnvironmentDan Kraker · Duluth · Oct 27, 2015

Wild rice beds on Lower Rice Lake, Sept. 30, 2015. Dan Gunderson | MPR News file

In a move that could have an impact on mining in northeastern Minnesota, the state started

taking public comment this week on a proposal to change the way it protects waters where wild

rice grows.The state has had a law on the books since the 1970s limiting how much sulfate can

be discharged into wild rice waters, but that law has come under increasing scrutiny in recent

years from business groups, state legislators and others.• Timeline: Wild rice regulations in

Minnesota

Here's what you should know about the law and potential changes.

| 28



What is the origin of the wild rice standard?

A biologist named John Boyle sampled lakes and rivers around the state in the 1930s and '40s.

He found that wild rice did not grow well when the water had high concentrations of sulfate.

Because wild rice is such a cultural touchstone here, being the state grain and very important to

tribes, the Legislature passed a standard in 1973.

How is the proposed new standard different from the current one?

The current standard limits the amount of sulfate in water where wild rice grows to 10

milligrams per liter. That translates to about seven gallons in an Olympic-sized swimming

pool.The new rule would replace that broad standard with a formula that figures out how much

sulfate is safe for wild rice in each specific water body. It would be a more flexible standard.

Why is the MPCA proposing this change?

The agency says the current standard is too rigid. It says in some lakes, wild rice can grow with a

lot more sulfate than 10 parts per million. But in other lakes, it may not be able to tolerate even

that much.That's because it's not actually the sulfate that harms the wild rice. When that sulfate

mixes with bacteria in the muck at the bottom of lakes, it converts into sulfide, which is toxic to

wild rice plants.But recent research has shown that naturally occurring iron and organic carbon

that are also in that muck play a role in how readily that sulfate is converted to sulfide.

Under this new proposal, researchers would sample the sediment in a specific water body, find

out how much carbon and iron is there, and then plug that into a formula to figure out how much

sulfate is safe for wild rice.

How would this affect the mining industry?

Sulfate occurs naturally, but it's also released by mining operations and other industries. There

are also a lot of wild rice waters downstream from mines on the Iron Range, so this rule

potentially could have a big impact up in northeast Minnesota.

It was actually the industry that pushed the state to scrutinize the old standard and come up with

an alternative. The reaction from mining interests and the Iron Range delegation to the proposed

change has been generally positive.

Who are the critics and what are their concerns?

Environmental groups have said a flexible standard could create openings for political

pressure.John Pastor, who's a biologist at University of Minnesota Duluth, has been critical. He

did much of the research for the MPCA's recent study that analyzed the old 10 parts per million

standard.Pastor says the MPCA hasn't shown the formula it's proposing can accurately predict a

safe level of sulfate.He also says that to get an accurate measure of the iron and organic material

in the sediment, the MPCA would have to collect up to a hundred different sediment cores in just

one lake. Pastor says those conditions in the sediment in any given lake can change from year to

year.The MPCA says it is investigating those issues and how exactly the new change would be

implemented.

| 29



What does Pastor propose?

He says his research showed that the old, 10 parts per million standard will protect wild rice 80

percent of the time. He thinks it should remain in place. The MPCA has said that standard isn't

wrong, it's just imprecise.

What happens next?

This issue is far from settled. The proposal is now open for comment until Dec 18. Ultimately,

the federal Environmental Protection Agency would have to sign off on any change Minnesota

makes to its wild rice sulfate standard. The MPCA estimates a new rule wouldn't go into effect

until January 2018.

http://www.mprnews.org/story/2015/10/27/wild-rice-water-standard

Mars commits to 100% sustainable rice sourcing by 2020

By Hannah Abdulla | 27 October 2015

Mars will only source sustainable rice by 2020

Mars has pledged to sustainably source 100% of its rice by 2020.

The Uncle Ben's owner

announced what it called "the

first global standard for

sustainable rice", a move

made in partnership with the

Sustainable Rice Platform, a

global alliance of agricultural

research institutions, agri-food

businesses, public sector and

civil society organizations,

which is convened by the

United Nations Environment

Program (UNEP) and the

International Rice Research

Institute.The standard consists of a set of criteria for sustainable rice cultivation that can be used

globally to reduce the environmental footprint of rice production and improve the lives of rice

farmers.

| 30



The standard consists of 46 requirements organised under eight broad topics, including

productivity, food safety, worker health, labour rights, and biodiversity.Mars plans to will use the

standard as a benchmark against which to assess its rice supply chains – identifying where there

are gaps and developing strategies to improve sustainability. It has already begun piloting

implementation of the standard with rice farmers in Pakistan and India.

"Caring for our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more than

usual corporate responsibility. It's an imperative for Mars Food," said Fiona Dawson, president

of the group's non-confectionery Mars Food business unit. "Through the global standard, we

hope to create benefits for all involved from the farmers to our consumers. The benefit for us is

that is that we are ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also ensuring a higher income for

farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations. It is a truly mutual

solution."http://www.just-food.com/news/mars-commits-to-100-sustainable-rice-sourcing-by-

2020_id131459.aspx

Prayut warns against bullyboy tactics over rice scheme

The Nation October 27, 2015 1:00 am

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday instructed

the National Rice Policy Committee (NRPC) not to

give in to stakeholders in the rice-pledging scheme if

they threaten or intimidate officials.Speaking before

the NRPC meeting, Prayut said the move to seek civil

liability for the rice pledging scheme stemmed from

his own concern that the statute of limitation on the

case may expire. "I would like you all to prevent

anyone, especially those who are the stakeholders in

the case, from issuing threats or intimidating related

officials. You must adhere to righteousness and abide

by the law,'' he said.He informed the committee that, of

the total rice stockpiles under the rice-pledging scheme, 9 million tonnes of the rice are regarded

as being in good condition, 2 million tonnes are degraded rice and the quality of 2 million tonnes

cannot yet be determined.

He said the government would consult the Thailand Development Research Institute and other

rice associations about how to make use of the degraded rice and distribute rice under the scheme

without affecting the price of rice.

| 31



He said the government had secured several new rice deals after penetrating new markets in

countries such as China, the Philippines, and was exploring new markets in African countries.

Prayut said the government is finding solutions to prevent rice-related problems such as

oversupply and subsidies. "We have to have a systematic and comprehensive plan before rice is

planted. We must know how much should be planted.

If prices of rice fall, please opt to plant other crops. If farmers keep asking for rice subsidies, the

country will become mired in a vicious circle,'' he said.He said he instructed the Ministry of

Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives to find solutions to the oversupply and falling price

of rubber also. The government is planning to do away with the rubber subsidy, he said."We will

no longer give subsidies in terms of 'differences in prices', because it is against the law and we

have an effective Rubber Act,'' he said.

The Nation

Nigeria: Why Customs Allowed Rice Importation Through

Land Borders

By Henry Umoru and Joseph Erunke

Abuja — Director-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali, rtd, has explained that

he decided to lift the ban on importation of rice through land borders due largely to the great increase

in the activities of smugglers of the commodity, which he noted was largely reducing the revenue

generation of the agency.He also said the high number of death of personnel coupled with other

associated risks they were facing in the course of pursuing the smugglers contributed to his decision.

Speaking when he appeared before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Import Duty Waivers,to explain

why he reversed the Federal Government policy on rice importation, Col. Ali insisted that his agency

decided to lift the ban because smuggling of the commodity was so common in the nation's land

borders, leading to great loss of revenue.

He saud: "We decided to lift the ban on rice importation through the land borders because we

discovered that we have developed the capacity and then we have the wherewithal to collect duties at

the borders and this products are coming through the borders.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201510260246.html


English.news.cn 2015-10-27 15:25:42

| 32



CHANGSHA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Yuan Longping, director of Hunan Hybrid Rice Research

Center, has been removed from office, sources with the center in Changsha, capital of central

China's Hunan Province, confirmed on Tuesday.Yuan, 85, known in China as "the father of

hybrid rice," will continue his research following removal from the administrative position.Yuan,

also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, developed the world's first hybrid

rice in 1974.A team of researchers led by Yuan reached a target unit yield of 700 kg per mu

(0.0667 hectares) and 800 kg per mu in 2000 and 2005, respectively, setting world records both

times. In 2014, his team achieved a record for hybrid rice production with an average yield of

1,026.7 kilograms per mu.

Although Yuan is in his 80s, he typically works in rural areas and on farms. In September, Yuan

visited Cambodia to promote "super rice," a type of high-yield hybrid rice.Yuan said he expects

to raise the unit yield of the "super rice" to 16 metric tonnes per hectare. He said he will devote

his life to researching and promoting work on hybrid rice.China, one of the world's most heavily

farmed countries, faces problems including limited land and water resources, and rising

pollution, making food security a major concern. About 65 percent of Chinese depend on rice as

a staple food.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-10/27/c_134755012.htm

New UN-Supported rice management standard sets

benchmark for environmentally sustainable and socially

responsible rice cultivation

MANILA/BANGKOK, 27 October 2015 – The world’s first standard for sustainable rice, which

sets new and more efficient standards for rice cultivation, was launched today by the Sustainable

Rice Platform (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food businesses,

public sector and civil society organizations convened by the United Nations Environment

Programme (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).The SRP Standard for

Sustainable Rice Cultivation uses environmental and socio-economic benchmarks to maintain

yields for rice smallholders, reduce the environmental footprint of rice cultivation and meet

consumer needs for food safety and quality.

The development of the standard was led by SRP members, UTZ Certified, Aidenvironment and

IRRI, and draws on global experience in other sustainable commodity initiatives such as

sugarcane, cotton, coffee and palm oil. It is made up of 46 requirements ranging from

productivity, food safety, worker health, labour rights and biodiversity. It is supplemented by a

set of quantitative Performance Indicators to enable farmers and market supply chain actors to

gauge the sustainability of a rice system, and to monitor and reward progress.Rice plays a critical

role in global food security and provides livelihoods for over 140 million smallholders in

developing countries. However, this comes at a price to the environment. Rice cultivation uses

30-40 per cent of the world’s freshwater and contributes 5-10 per cent of anthropogenic

greenhouse gas emissions.

| 33



Inefficient use of farm inputs such as

agrochemicals presents additional challenges to

long-term sustainability.―For most of Asia

Pacific, rice is a staple. It is part of the social

fabric and influences many aspects of our lives –

economic, social and religious. The SRP Standard

and Indicators will help ensure that the cultivation

of this vital commodity becomes more sustainable

and benefits people, communities and the planet,‖

said Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP Regional

Representative and Regional Director of the

UNEP Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific.

Robert Zeigler, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) which co-

founded the SRP, added: ―The SRP Standard represents the world’s first initiative that will set

environmentally sustainable and socially responsible rice production management standards. Our

key challenge now is to incentivize and scale up adoption, especially among resource-poor small

farmers.‖The SRP Standard and Indicators will be field-tested and validated by national

government agencies, research institutes and private companies in a multi-location farm trial to

be coordinated by the SRP and IRRI. Ultimately, the Standard and Indicators are intended both

as a basis for certification of value-added rice products and also as a benchmark for

policymakers.

http://irri.org/news/media-releases/new-un-supported-rice-management-standard-sets-benchmark-for-

environmentally-sustainable-and-socially-responsible-rice-cultivation

Mars Food Announces First Global Rice Sustainability Standard

in Partnership with the Sustainable Rice Platform Business | October 26, 2015

MANILA, Philippines, Oct. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Mars Food, in partnership with the

Sustainable Rice Platform, (SRP), a global alliance of agricultural research institutions, agri-food

businesses, public sector and civil society organizations convened by the United Nations

Environment Program (UNEP) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), today

announced the first global standard for sustainable rice at the 5th Annual Plenary Meeting and

Assembly here.As the leading corporation with the SRP and owner of the world’s largest rice brand,

UNCLE BEN’S®, Mars Food played a pivotal role in developing the standard. Mars Food also

announced today its commitment to sustainably source 100 percent of its rice by 2020 using the SRP

standard.

―Caring for our environment as well as our entire supply chain from end-to-end is more than usual

corporate responsibility. It’s an imperative for Mars Food,‖ said Fiona Dawson, President of Mars

Food. ―Through the global standard, we hope to create benefits for all involved from the farmers to

our consumers. The benefit for us is that is that we are ensuring premium quality rice, whilst also

ensuring a higher income for farmers, and a better environment for current and future generations. It

is a truly mutual solution.‖The SRP standard consists of a set of criteria for sustainable rice

cultivation that can be used across the globe to reduce the environmental footprint of rice production

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and improve the lives of rice farmers. The standard consists of 46 requirements organized under

eight broad topics, including productivity, food safety, worker health, labor rights, and

biodiversity. Rice plays a critical role in global food security, providing livelihoods for over 140

million smallholder farmers in developing countries and is a staple food for nearly half of the

world’s seven billion people.

Mars Food will use the standard as a benchmark against which to assess its rice supply chains –

identifying where there are gaps and developing strategies to improve sustainability. Mars Food

has already begun piloting implementation of the standard with rice farmers in two countries –

Pakistan and India. A controlled farming program in Pakistan, in partnership with Rice Partners,

LTD, IRRI and Bayer CropScience, has grown from 31 smallholder farmers in 2011 to 400

farmers in 2015 who produce Basmati rice grown with the correct application of chemicals and

harvested with practices to improve food safety and water quality. In India, Mars is embedding

new learnings while also piloting the SRP standard.The standard complements and builds upon

the company’s Purpose – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow – and the Mars

Mutuality Principle, which demonstrate the company’s commitment to helping rice farmers

improve yields while reducing water use and greenhouse gas emissions and improving

socioeconomic conditions in the communities where high-quality rice is grown.

About Mars Food

Mars Food is a fast-growing food business, making tastier, healthier, easier meals for all

consumers to enjoy.Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, Mars Food is a leader in producing

great tasting products. Our portfolio includes the following brands: UNCLE BEN’S®,

DOLMIO®, SEEDS OF CHANGE®, MasterFoods®, SUZI WAN®, EBLY®, ROYCO®, KAN

TONG® and RARIS®. In 2013, global sales were approximately $2 billion. Our ambition is to

become a model business in the areas of health and nutrition and sustainability, as expressed by

our purpose: Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow.

Mars Food is a segment of Mars, Incorporated.

About Mars, Incorporated

Mars, Incorporated is a private, family-owned business with more than a century of history and

some of the best-loved brands in the world including M&M’S®, PEDIGREE®,

DOUBLEMINT® and UNCLE BEN’S®. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars has more than

$33 billion in sales from six diverse business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food,

Drinks and Symbioscience. More than 75,000 Associates across 73 countries are united by the

company’s Five Principles: Quality, Efficiency, Responsibility, Mutuality and Freedom and

strive every day to create relationships with stakeholders that deliver growth we are proud of as a

company.

For more information about Mars, Incorporated, please visitwww.mars.com. Follow us on

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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27th october ,2015 daily global regional local rice e newsletter by rice plus magazine

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