20th march,2015 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine
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Riceplus Magazine shares daily International RICE News for global Rice Community. We publish daily two newsletters namely Global Rice News & ORYZA EXCLUSIVE News for readers .You can share any development news for readers. Share your rice and agriculture related research write up with Riceplus Magazine contact [email protected] , [email protected] For Advertisement & Specs [email protected]TRANSCRIPT
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Farmers oppose to “Golden Rice” Mar 20, 2015 | News
TAGBILARAN CITY – Militant farmers belonging to Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon
(HUMABOL), an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) have opposed to the
genetically modified “Golden Rice.”Danilo Olayvar, HUMABOL chair, told “Sumada” program
anchored by Alan Mangmang over DyTR recently that the based on research “Golden Rice”
appeared harmful to human and to plants.He said that instead of Department of Agriculture‟s
endorsing the said “Golden Rice” to farmers, it would be better for the government to encourage
the planting of local varieties of root crops, fruits and vegetables which are rich in Vitamin A.
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
March 20 , 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I
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These local varieties of crops are more sustainable than the genetically-modified “Golden Rice,”
he said. “Golden Rice” is promoted since it contains Vitamin A, he added.“Amo gyud nang
batukan,” (We will oppose it), he said. And this “Golden Rice,” if commercially viable, could
also spur grain price changes, if not price increment, in the locality because this is business.The
government appeared not looking for the benefit of the consumers but to the businesses, Olayvar
said in vernacular. It was not immediately known if the “Golden Rice” has already penetrated
discreetly in Bohol.
Earlier, the provincial government through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has enacted an
ordinance banning the entry and field testing of genetically-modified-organism (GMO) plants or
seeds. Monitoring and vigilance activities had been conducted. But these efforts have been
allegedly abandoned for unknown reason.According to the research, “The (golden) rice also
displays an enhanced iron content and in the grain, the presence of such enhanced levels of beta
carotene results in a yellow tint that has prompted the name of “Golden Rice.”The studies
pointed out that “Vitamin A, by nature, is almost completely absent from rice. Diseases caused
by this deficiency are widespread in many Asian countries in which the grain serves as dietary
stales.
”“Through the use of gene technology, researchers have developed a variety of the plant that
produces greater proportions of beta-carotene, a compound which may processed by human body
into vitamin A.”“The lack of this vitamin increases the chances of blindness and susceptibility to
disease. Vitamin A deficiency is a significant problem among children in developing countries.”
It is estimated that one cup of golden rice, around 670,000 children will die each year from the
problem, while 350,000 will go blind.
”Reports said that “Golden Rice” has been introduced since this variety is pest-resistant and have
high yiled, ther report said.The need for more rice production appeared prompted the Philippines
to pursue this since it has only 1.9 million hectares of irrigated rice fields available for local rice
production. This is lower than Thailand with 9.9 million hectares and Vietnam with 7.5 million
of rice fields.The project to develop Golden Rice started 20 years ago in 1993 by German
researchers with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. It is the brainchild of Professor Ingo
Potrykus of Zurich and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg.
Their collaborative efforts they were able to show that “production of B-carotene could be turned
on in rice grains using a minimum set of transgenes.”It was learned that the research of this
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“Golden Rice” at Syngenta (Nature of Biotechnology 2005) is funded by the Rockefeller
Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), Philippine Dept. of Agriculture, HarvestPlus, European Commission,
Swiss Federal Funding, and the Syngenta Foundation. The International Rice Research Institute
(IRRI) together with PhilRice carriedout the field testing, the report said. (rvo) http://www.boholnewstoday.com/201503/farmers-oppose-to-golden-rice.html
Two rice importers in smuggle raps
By Vito Barcelo | Mar. 20, 2015 at 12:01am
Two rice traders on Thursday were charged with smuggling for the illegal importation of
rice valued at P31 million, the Customs Bureau said on Thursday.Charged before the
Department of Justice were Elmer Caneta and Michael Abella owners of EC Peninsula
Commercial and New Dawn Enterprises, respectively, Customs Commissioner John Sevilla
said.The two tried to import rice without permit and misdeclared their shipments in violation
of customs law Sevilla said.
The rice shipments arrived December last year at the Port of Cagayan De Oro. Both importers
misdeclared the rice imports as kitchen wares and tiles.Both traders were also slapped with
similar charges last January by the BOC after they were caught illegally importing over 1.3
million kilograms of glutinous rice worth P82.68 million in Cagayan De Oro Port last November
2014.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/03/20/two-rice-importers-in-smuggle-raps/
Japanese firm Yanmar forms JT venture with Ropali
By Louella D. Desiderio, The Philippine Star
Posted at 03/20/2015 7:40 AM
MANILA, Philippines - Japanese agricultural and construction equipment maker Yanmar Co.
Ltd. has formed a joint venture with local firm Ropali Corp. to sell agricultural machinery for
rice farmers with the aim of cornering at least 30 percent of the market by 2018.Naoki
Kobayashi, managing director for agricultural operations business at Yanmar Co. Ltd., said in a
press conference the firm decided to form the joint venture Yanmar Philippines Corp. given
opportunities here as the country is among the biggest producers of rice in the world.“Our
objective to establish Yanmar Philippines Corp. is not just to improve farmers‟ income, but also
the sustainability of the Philippine agriculture sector.
The Philippines is the eighth biggest producer of rice in the world, but it also relies on importing
from other countries. By establishing the joint venture with Ropali, I think we can contribute to
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the agriculture sector,” he said.For his part, Ropali Corp. president and chief executive officer
Roberto Alingog said the partnership is not only expected to increase farmers‟ incomes, but also
the country‟s rice supply.“This will be a transformation very much like what happened in the
1970s but now attended by the higher levels of technology and comfort for the farmer. Higher
yield too is expected with the use of the Yanmar tractors, transplanters and rice combine
harvesters,” he said.
The joint venture, which has an invested capital worth P120 million with 60 percent accounted
for by Yanmar Corp. and the balance coming from Ropali, would engage in the import, sale and
service of various types of agricultural machinery.Yanmar Philippines Corp. president Hideaki
Ikezawa said the target is to achieve sales worth 6.5 billion yen by 2018.“The earlier we achieve
that target would be better,” he said.Yasuji Arima, executive officer and divisional manager for
overseas business promotion division at Yanmar Co. Ltd. said the 6.5 billion yen worth of sales
would translate to about 30- to 40-percent market share for the firm.While the firm would want
to manufacture its products here, he said much would depend on the sales volume.“If sales
volume get very big, of course, we wish (to manufacture products here),” he said.
In the future, Kobayashi said the joint venture may expand its business to vegetables and fruit
production.Yanmar Group, which is engaged in business domains: agriculture; marine; power
generation and air conditioning; construction; and industrial engine, has 66 companies
worldwide.Apart from the Philippines, it has presence in Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia in
Southeast Asia.The Ropali Group, meanwhile, is engaged in banking, sales and distribution of
agri-machineries and motorcycles, manufacturing as well as real estate.
Read more on The Philippine Star
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/19/15/japanese-firm-yanmar-forms-jt-venture-ropali
Farmers oppose to “Golden Rice” Mar 20, 2015 |
TAGBILARAN CITY – Militant farmers belonging to Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon
(HUMABOL), an affiliate of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) have opposed to the
genetically modified “Golden Rice.”Danilo Olayvar, HUMABOL chair, told “Sumada” program
anchored by Alan Mangmang over DyTR recently that the based on research “Golden Rice”
appeared harmful to human and to plants.He said that instead of Department of Agriculture‟s
endorsing the said “Golden Rice” to farmers, it would be better for the government to encourage
the planting of local varieties of root crops, fruits and vegetables which are rich in Vitamin A.
These local varieties of crops are more sustainable than the genetically-modified “Golden Rice,”
he said. “Golden Rice” is promoted since it contains Vitamin A, he added.
“Amo gyud nang batukan,” (We will oppose it), he said. And this “Golden Rice,” if
commercially viable, could also spur grain price changes, if not price increment, in the locality
because this is business.The government appeared not looking for the benefit of the consumers
but to the businesses, Olayvar said in vernacular. It was not immediately known if the “Golden
Rice” has already penetrated discreetly in Bohol.Earlier, the provincial government through the
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Sangguniang Panlalawigan has enacted an ordinance banning the entry and field testing of
genetically-modified-organism (GMO) plants or seeds. Monitoring and vigilance activities had
been conducted. But these efforts have been allegedly abandoned for unknown reason.
According to the research, “The (golden) rice also displays an enhanced iron content and in the
grain, the presence of such enhanced levels of beta carotene results in a yellow tint that has
prompted the name of “Golden Rice.”The studies pointed out that “Vitamin A, by nature, is
almost completely absent from rice. Diseases caused by this deficiency are widespread in many
Asian countries in which the grain serves as dietary stales.”“Through the use of gene technology,
researchers have developed a variety of the plant that produces greater proportions of beta-
carotene, a compound which may processed by human body into vitamin A.”“The lack of this
vitamin increases the chances of blindness and susceptibility to disease.
Vitamin A deficiency is a significant problem among children in developing countries.” It is
estimated that one cup of golden rice, around 670,000 children will die each year from the
problem, while 350,000 will go blind.”Reports said that “Golden Rice” has been introduced
since this variety is pest-resistant and have high yiled, ther report said.The need for more rice
production appeared prompted the Philippines to pursue this since it has only 1.9 million
hectares of irrigated rice fields available for local rice production. This is lower than Thailand
with 9.9 million hectares and Vietnam with 7.5 million of rice fields.
The project to develop Golden Rice started 20 years ago in 1993 by German researchers with
funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. It is the brainchild of Professor Ingo Potrykus of
Zurich and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg. Their collaborative efforts they were able
to show that “production of B-carotene could be turned on in rice grains using a minimum set of
transgenes.”It was learned that the research of this “Golden Rice” at Syngenta (Nature of
Biotechnology 2005) is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Philippine Dept. of
Agriculture, HarvestPlus, European Commission, Swiss Federal Funding, and the Syngenta
Foundation. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) together with PhilRice carriedout
the field testing, the report said. (rvo)
APEDA NEWS
http://www.boholnewstoday.com/201503/farmers-oppose-to-golden-rice.html
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 19-03-2015
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
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Jowar(Sorgham)
1 Botad (Gujarat) Other 1055 2125
2 Kota (Rajasthan) Other 1411 1501
3 Manvi (Karnataka) Other 1000 1000
Maize
1 Amirgadh (Gujarat) Other 1535 1535
2 Bellary (Karnataka) Local 1173 1268
3 Kesinga(Orissa) Other 1500 1800
Mousambi
1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 2800 3000
2 Sirhind(Punjab) Other 2500 3500
3 Mechua(West Bengal) Other 2200 3000
Cabbage
1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 2400 2600
2 Banki (Orissa) Other 1200 1400
3 Surat(Gujarat) Other 600 1000
Source: agmarknet for more products
Egg Rs per 100 No.
Price on 19-03-2015
Product Market Center Price
1 Pune 305
2 Chittoor 293
3 Hyderabad 260
Source: e2necc.com
International Benchmark Price
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Price on: 19-03-2015
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
Apricots
1 Turkish No. 2 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t) 5875
2 Turkish No. 4 whole pitted, CIF UK (USD/t) 4625
3 Turkish size 8, CIF UK (USD/t) 3625
Raisins
1 Californian Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2443
2 South African Thompson seedless raisins, CIF UK (USD/t) 2266
Sultanas
1 Iranian natural sultanas (Gouchan), CIF UK (USD/t) 1690
2 South African Orange River, CIF UK (USD/t) 2619
3 Turkish No 9 standard, FOB Izmir (USD/t) 1650
Source:agra-net for more products
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package
Price on 19-03-2015
Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High
Onions Dry Package: 40 lb cartons
1 Atlanta Mexico
Yellow 17.50 20
2 Baltimore Peru Yellow
26 27
3 Detroit Mexico
Yellow 22.50 26.50
Cucumbers Package: cartons film wrapped
1 Atlanta Mexico Long Seedless
10 10.50
2 Baltimore Canada
Long Seedless 8 9
3 Detroit Canada
Long Seedless 7 8
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Apples Package: cartons tray pack
1 Atlanta Virginia
Red Delicious 22 22.50
2 Baltimore Washington
outh power rejuvenates paddy fields to harvest a bounty
A J VINAYAK
MANGALURU, MARCH 20:
An initiative by a few youths to rejuvenate unused paddy fields in Dakshina Kannada district is
bearing fruits now.Led by U Rajesh Naik, a progressive farmer from Dakshina Kannada district,
a group of youths began paddy cultivation on five acres of land at Brahmarakootlu village in
Dakshina Kannada district in November. The owners of the land had agreed to the request of the
youths to rejuvenate it with paddy cultivation, as it was left unused for nearly two decades.Naik
had two things in mind when he initiated this project.
First was to channelise the youth power to a productive purpose, and second to rejuvenate the
unused paddy fields in the district.Naik told Business Line that the organic cultivation on five
acres of land helped the group to harvest around 130 „muras‟ of paddy in the first week of
March. („Mura‟ is a local unit for measuring the quantity of paddy. Each „mura‟ is equal to
around 40 kg of paddy).This pilot project yielded around 5000 kg of organically cultivated rice
for this group of youths. Stating that there has been good demand for rejuvenating paddy fields
through such collaborative farming, Naik said the Brahmarakootlu youths have already identified
50 acres of land in the nearby areas for cultivation.
Their target is to cultivate paddy on around 100 acres of unused land during the next cropping
season, he said.Now these youths have gone a step ahead and have planted maize on these five
acres of land to improve fertility of the soil and to produce fodder for dairying activities. Naik
said that many temples in the district have paddy fields attached to them. In most of the cases,
these fields are left unused for various reasons. His intention now is to rejuvenate such paddy
fields through collaborative farming methods.According to Naik, nearly 40,000 acres of paddy
fields in Dakshina Kannada district have remained unused over the years.
(This article was published on March 20, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/states/youth-power-rejuvenates-paddy-fields-to-harvest-a-bounty/article7016089.ece
Nigeria: Elephant Group Partners Africinvest for Global
Rice Production Tagged:Food and AgricultureGovernanceNigeriaWest Africa
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A LEADING player in Nigeria's agricultural commodities promotion drive, Elephant Group, has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a global organisation, AfricInvest for the purpose
of boosting the federal government's backward integration initiatives on rice, crude palm oil and
fertilizer Supply Value Chain across the world.This is in line with the company's plan to
showcase its products at the international market.At a meeting in Lagos during the week,
Founder/Group Managing Director, Elephant Group, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, explained that the
company has entered into deal with AfricInvest for an equity investment in Elephant Group. Our
Correspondent reports that based on the deal, AfricInvest would acquire a minority equity
interest in Elephant Group via issuing new shares.
A statement emanating from both parties indicated that "the fund raised will be used to boost
Elephant Group's market share in agricultural commodities trading and deepen penetration of
agricultural commodities exports across selected markets in Africa even as the Elephant Group
will continue to strengthen its backward integration initiatives in the rice, crude palm oil and
fertilizer value chain".Owoeye declared: "We are excited to partner with an African-focused
investor with experience in the agricultural sector. The investment will enable the Company to
benefit further from the federal government's drive to promote agricultural productivity in
Nigeria. It would also allow Elephant Group to transform from an indigenous agricultural
commodities company in Nigeria to a vertically integrated pan-African player.
This transaction will be the first ever private equity investment in the Nigeria agricultural
commodities sector and we view it as a strong vote of confidence in the company".Senior Partner
and Managing Director of AfricInvest in Nigeria, Abiola Ojo-Osagie said the partnership with
the Elephant Group would enable the firm to take advantage of the opportunity to capitalise in
Nigeria's agricultural transformation agenda."We have identified a company led by entrepreneurs
and a management team with a good knowledge of the domestic market. Our goal is to build an
enduring institution with a clear potential for growth and regional expansion," Osagie
noted.Founded in 1994, Elephant Group is the largest and fastest growing indigenous agro
commodities company in Nigeria, which imports, exports, markets and distributes rice, fertiliser
and other agro-allied commodities.
The Company is currently ranked #4 in rice and fertiliser marketing with market share of 8% and
10% respectively. Elephant Group owns extensive distribution and logistics infrastructure in
Nigeria and is a critical link in the supply of main staple foods in Africa's largest and fastest
growing consumer market. The Company also has presence in Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Niger
and Cote d'Ivoire.Over the last three years, Elephant Group has focused on executing its
backward integration strategy. Elephant Group is also a key player in the Growth Enhancement
Support Scheme in Nigeria, supplying fertilizer in 36 states of Nigeria.Elephant Group's strategy
is aligned with the renewed focus by many African governments on Agriculture towards
ensuring food security.
As for AfricInvest, founded in 1994 and which today ranks among the leading private equity
firms in North and Sub-Saharan Africa with about 1 billion USD of assets under management
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across 13 PE funds and sponsored by prestigious DFIs, private and institutional investors, it
relies on a team of 50 highly skilled investment professionals with over 130 years of cumulative
PE experience, operating in six offices in Tunis, Casablanca, Algiers, Lagos, Abidjan and
Nairobi.The Firm is also a co-founder of the African Venture Capital Associations, the Emerging
Markets Private Equity Association and member of the Euromed Capital Forum.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503200453.html
Importer Wants To Penetrate Belize's Rice Market posted (March 19, 2015)
Belize produces enough rice to feed itself - but an Indian merchant wants to bring in rice from
Guyana - where it's cheaper and because he can make a profit on it.The CEO in the Ministry of
Agriculture Jose Alpuche met with the rice producers yesterday to apprise them of the situation.
He told us today that he stressed that government has no intention of granting a license to the
importer. But, it's not that simple.
Under the revised treaty of Chaguaramas which established the Caricom Single Market and
Economy - Government cannot simply block the importation of products that come from the
Caribbean to protect a local product - and you can ask Belikin about that.Still, government is
holding its ground, but the importer has indicated that he may take dispute to COTED which is
the council for trade and economic development. The merchant has indicated that he would
present it as a trade dispute between Belize and Guyana.Belize's Ministry of Agriculture is
standing firm and saying it is not a trade dispute. They intend to meet with producers again next
week to keep them updated on the evolving situation.
Rabi rice acreage down 10%
NEW DELHI, MARCH 20:
The area under rice in the Rabi season has dropped some 10 per cent to 38.27 lakh hectares (lh)
compared with 42.56 lh during the corresponding period a year ago, data released by the
Agriculture Ministry on Friday which showed.Preliminary data on the sowing of summer pulses
showed that 0.18 lh had been covered in Gujarat, 0.14 lh in Karnataka, 0.10 lh in West Bengal,
0.09 lh in Uttar Pradesh and 0.05 lh each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.The area under summer
oilseeds had been reported as 2.19 lh in Karnataka, 1.26 lh in Odisha, 1.22 lh in West Bengal and
0.87 lh in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kundaria informed Parliament that
Rabi crops, such as mustard, wheat, potato and pulses had been hit in numerous parts of the
country due to the unseasonal rain and hailstorms. Foodgrains production will likely to decline
by 3.2 per cent to 257.07 million tonnes (mt) in the current season to June.The Minister said that
according to reports, around 27 lh under Rabi crops had been affected. Around 614.69 lh has
been sown for the Rabi seasons, 535.35 lh under foodgrains and 79.34 lh with oilseeds.Union
Minister Radha Mohan Singh will visit Maharashtra and Kundaria is undertaking a visit to
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Gujarat while Sanjeev Balyan, also Minister of State for Agriculture, is already in Uttar Pradesh
to assess crop damage.
Meanwhile, the Agriculture Ministry has assigned officials to different States for assessing the
damage to crops .RP Singh, Director, Directorate of Cotton Development, will assess the damage
in Maharashtra; AK Tiwari, Director, Directorate of Pulses Development in Madhya Pradesh;
MC Diwakar, Director, Directorate of Sugarcane Development in Uttar Pradesh; Narender
Kumar, Director-in-charge, Directorate of Wheat Development in Haryana; A Ansari, Statistical
Investigator, Directorate of Millets Development in Rajasthan; Subhash Chander, Joint Director,
Directorate of Millets Development in Gujarat.Mahesh Kumar, Assistant Director, Directorate of
Wheat Development will survey Punjab.
(This article was published on March 20, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/rabi-rice-acreage-down-
10/article7016102.ece
Rice exports to Nigeria slip as shippers turn cautious
VISHWANATH KULKARNI
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Reuters
Presidential poll results awaited; insurgency, currency depreciation add to concerns
BENGALURU, MARCH 20:
A sharp decline in crude oil price coupled with a fall in currency in the violence-hit Nigeria has
made the Indian non-basmati rice exporters turn cautious. As a result, shipments to the African
nation have slowed in the recent past. Indian exporters are keenly watching the forthcoming
presidential elections on March 28, after which they expect shipments to pick up.Nigeria, where
insurgency in the form of Boko Haram is on the rise triggering violence in the recent past, is one
of the largest buyers of par-boiled rice. Indian exports account for close to half of the 2.5 million
tonnes that the African nation imports. Nigeria accounts for close to a fourth of India‟s non-
basmati rice shipments. Thailand is the other major exporter of rice to Nigeria.
Slow exports
“Shipments are slow in the first half and it is a kind of uncertain situation. There is distress in the
market as developments in Nigeria are influencing prices. We expect shipments to pick up once
the elections are over,” said BV Krishna Rao, Managing Director of Pattabhi Agro Foods Pvt
Ltd, a large exporter.Rao said the non-basmati rice exports to Nigeria are estimated at around a
lakh tonnes so far this calendar year, against about 2-3 lakh tonnes in corresponding period a
year ago.
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Sliding currency
Grains trade analyst Tejinder Narang said the biggest problem being faced by Nigeria is the fall
in crude oil prices and a huge depreciation in the currency. Nigerian Niara has depreciated by 25-
30 per cent in the last few months. Also, the availability of foreign exchange is an issue for the
traders. These issues coupled with the delayed elections and politics associated with it have
slowed rice exports, Narang said.However, S Venkatesh, Head-Rice Desk at Ruchi Soya
Industries Ltd, sought to downplay the slowdown in shipments to Nigeria.“Their currency has
depreciated by about 25 per cent and oil prices are down. But rice, the cheapest cereal, is what
they cannot avoid,” Venkatesh said, adding that there was a general slowdown in offtake.He said
the main issue was the forthcoming presidential elections after which shipments could pick up.
Global competition
Rao said Indian exporters have not faced any payment issues so far in Nigeria. India this year is
facing stiff competition from Thailand, which is dumping the old cargo in market, while Vietnam
has turned aggressive, Rao said.According to Apeda, non-basmati rice shipments have increased
14 per cent in rupee terms at ₹16,670 crore for the April-January period of the current financial
year against ₹14,614 crore in the year-ago period.In quantity terms, shipments for the April-
January period stood at 6.64 million tonnes against 5.87 million tonnes.In the same period,
basmati shipments, impacted by a ban imposed by the largest buyer Iran, were down by about
3.28 per cent valued at ₹22,740 crore against ₹23,510 crore in corresponding last year.
(This article was published on March 20, 2015)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/agri-biz/rice-exports-to-nigeria-slip-as-
shippers-turn-cautious/article7016103.ece
Commerce delays third rice auction
20 Mar 2015 at 16:04
WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS
A farmer in Suphan Buri use a harvesting truck to harvest rice from their field on March 16,
2015. (Photo by Thanarak Khunton)
The Commerce Ministry has delayed the next auction of rice from the government stockpile to
avoid bringing down the price during the second-crop harvest.Commerce Minister Chatchai
Sarikulya said the domestic paddy price had declined during the harvest, so the ministry had
delayed the third auction to prevent it sliding even lower.According to the Office of Agricultural
Economics, the price of ordinary white rice (15% moisture content) in Phitsanulok was 7,800
baht a tonne on Friday, and Hom Mali rice in Surin was at 13,000 baht.
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He said the ministry expected the price would rise in the near future, because Thailand has an
order to deliver 200,000 tonnes of rice to the Philippines and the Foreign Trade Department is in
the process of selling two million tonnes to China. Gen Chatchai said the ministry had
ordered the setting up of 60 central farm markets nationwide to provide a direct marketing
channel for farmers and ensure they get fair prices. Get full Bangkok Post printed newspaper
experience on your digital devices with Bangkok Post e-newspaper. Try it out, it's totally free for
7 days.
Rice exports up 6 pc at 8.44 million ton in Apr-Dec 2014
By PTI | 20 Mar, 2015, 05.16PM IST
"The balance in the INR Vostro Account of Iranian Commercial Banks with UCO Bank as on
March 16, 2015 is Rs 17,895.50 crore," she added.New Delhi, Mar 20 (PTI) India's rice exports
rose by 6.1 per cent to 8.44 million tonnes during the April-December period of current fiscal
compared to 7.95 million tonnes in the same period of 2013-14.In value terms, rice exports stood
at Rs 35,157.38 crore during the period this fiscal against Rs 33,647.45 crore in the year ago
period, Parliament was informed today.Export of basmati rice during the nine-month period of
this fiscal declined by 6.19 per cent to 2.57 million tonnes from 2.74 million tonnes in the same
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period last year, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to
the Lok Sabha.
Iran is the largest importer of basmati rice from India. "During the current year, Iran had
significant carry over stocks from domestic production and heavy imports in past two years and
hence has imposed a restriction on issue of import permits from October 2014," she said.
Exports to Iran during the nine-month period declined to 705.52 thousand tonnes as against 1.18
million tonnes during the same period last year.Other major export destinations for basmati rice
are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE. Major export destinations of non-basmati rice
include Benin, Bangladesh, Senegal, South Africa and Liberia.Replying to a separate question,
the Minister said India's automobile exports have increased by 16.92 per cent at 3,322,581 units
during April-February this fiscal.
In 2013-14, it was 3,107,893 units as against 2,898,907 units in 2012-13."There is no significant
fall as such in passenger vehicle exports," she said.In a separate question on third country export
to Iran, she said the government has issued guidelines for allowing third country export of
humanitarian goods (food, medicines and medical equipment) to Iran as part of oil payments due
to that country.
"Ministry of Finance has decided that payments to the extent of USD 100 million per month for
such third country exports to Iran would be allowed from the 45 per cent INR (domestic
currency) vostro account (a kind of payment settlement mechanism) held with the UCO Bank,"
Sitharaman said.Payment over and above USD 100 million per month would be met from 55 per
cent Euro component, the Minister said."The balance in the INR Vostro Account of Iranian
Commercial Banks with UCO BankBSE -1.21 % as on March 16, 2015 is Rs 17,895.50 crore,"
she added.