26th august,2015 daily global regional local 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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For Blog & News Letter Advertisment contact to write : Mujahid Ali [email protected]
Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter
Aug ,2015
Vol 5,Issue XIII
August 26 ,2015
Vol 5,Issue XIII
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www.ricepluss.com & www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
Agricultural pricing policy August 26, 2015
DR HAFIZ A PASHA
Commodity prices have been falling, led by the precipitous collapse globally in the price of oil
from a peak of $120 per barrel to a low of below $40. Oil importing countries have benefited in
terms of a lower import bill, a fall in prices of electricity and transport and a decline in the
overall rate of inflation in consumer prices. But there is a flip side. As the prices of agricultural
commodities have come under pressure farm incomes have been adversely affected. This has
been manifested recently by protests by the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad Council in Lahore,
demanding measures by the Provincial Government of Punjab to minimise the loss in farm
incomes. There is also the risk of a restricted supply response to the fall in prices.
How much have prices fallen? On a year to year basis, as of July 2015, the wholesale prices of
rice, cotton and potatoes have shown declines of 19 percent, 21 percent and 72 percent
respectively. The ex-farm prices of wheat and sugarcane have remained relatively stable, due to
the presence of a procurement/support price regime in these two products.
The fundamental question is how should the Government intervene in a period of falling prices
of agricultural commodities? One option is to do nothing and to try and preserve the status quo.
The argument can be made that markets should play their normal role in determining prices.
After all, the overall international primary commodity price index has been showing a healthy
upward trend since 2005, with only one dip in 2009. Between 2005 and 2013 the index rose
cumulatively by as much as 83 percent.
The fall since then may be essentially cyclical in nature and prices will recover sooner or later.
The perspective from the consumer point of view is that low food prices will provide relief,
reverse at least partially the fall in standards of nutrition and augment overall food security in
Pakistan. The problem with this view is that lower prices may force farmers to produce less,
implying a reduction in the availability of food and agricultural raw materials. This will lead to
either a fall in exports or a rise in imports. On top of this supply problem, large farmers have
considerable political power and the vast body of small farmers can launch a process of
widespread agitation.
This may, for example, lead to disruption of traffic on key highways and temporary suspension
in the supply of essential commodities. What have the federal and provincial governments done
in the face of falling international prices in 2014? The response has been to only protect the
growers of wheat and sugarcane. As mentioned earlier, these are the only two commodities in
Pakistan for which procurement/support prices are offered. Despite falling prices, the
procurement price of wheat was raised by over 8 percent to Rs 1300 per 40 kgs. In the case of
sugarcane, the support price was increased by almost 6 percent. No significant interventions
were made in other commodity markets or in prices of agricultural inputs. The enhancement in
the procurement price of wheat implied that the Pakistani farmer was promised 30 percent more
than the prevailing international price. Clearly, this represented a potentially large welfare
transfer from consumers to producers.
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It could only be sustained by the introduction for the first time of a big regulatory duty of 25
percent on the import of wheat. A similar policy had to be followed in the case of sugar to
compel sugar factories to pay the higher support price to sugarcane growers. The consequence is
that consumer prices of wheat flour (atta) and sugar have remained high in Pakistan. For
example, a comparison of retail prices in Lahore versus Delhi reveal that in the latter city the atta
price is 20 percent lower, while sugar is cheaper by 35 percent. Therefore in the case of
extremely important items in the consumer basket, there has been no transmission of the benefit
of lower international prices in Pakistan. Simultaneously, another problem has emerged. It has
not been possible to dispose of the exportable surplus of over two million tons of wheat.
The subsidy offered by the federal and provincial governments combined has proved to be
inadequate. The result is an accumulation of stocks. Fortunately, relatively large exports of sugar
have taken place of over 700,000 tons in 2014-15. In the absence of any interventions, conditions
in the markets for other crops have deteriorated. The worst hit are rice, cotton and potato
growers. In an effort to maintain the export price of Basmati rice, the quantity exported has fallen
by as much as 27 percent. Therefore, stocks of this commodity have also risen. The export prices
of other varieties of rice have declined by about 4 percent. The potato price has collapsed in the
domestic market. The failure of the 2014 pricing policy clearly demonstrates that a change is
required. A more balanced policy of insulating the farmer from low international prices needs to
be followed, based on the following two guidelines. First, the support price regime needs to be
broadened. In particular, such protection needs to be offered to rice, cotton and vegetable
growers. Pakistan, in fact, had a more comprehensive support price system in the 90s. This was
abandoned during the Musharraf period, when agriculture was given less priority in relation to
other sectors like industry, banking and telecom. India provides the guarantee of minimum
support prices to as many as 28 commodities.
Covering more commodities with support prices ought not to prove too costly as prices are
generally expected to stabilise by mid-2016. The second guideline is that with the fall in
international prices, the support prices be fixed in such manner that there is also some general
`cascading` down of prices domestically. This is essential to pass some of the benefit of lower
food prices, especially to the poorer segments of the population. Also, too high support prices
will necessitate large export subsidies by the government, which may not be financially
sustainable. The best way to facilitate lower prices is for input costs in agriculture to be brought
down. In particular, the introduction of GST at 17 percent on fertilizer and pesticides in 2010-11
is contributing to squeezing the farmer in the presence of lower output prices. Therefore, to the
extent possible, all taxes on agricultural inputs need to be withdrawn.
The revenue loss will be at least partially compensated for by the reduction in the export subsidy
bill. The primary objective should be to confer more benefits to our domestic consumers rather
than consumers in foreign markets. In summary, there are important decisions to be taken by
Federal and Provincial Governments in the agricultural sector in coming weeks. It is of
fundamental importance that there be a balanced consideration of the interests of growers,
exporters and consumers. Also, there is need for proper co-ordination of policies among the
Federal and Provincial Governments at this time.
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The cost sharing formula should be such that the latter pick up the costs of the support price
regime while the federal government bears the loss of revenue from agricultural inputs and the
cost of export subsidies. This is essential if the agricultural sector is to achieve the target growth
rate of almost 4 percent in 2015-16. (The writer is the Managing Director of the Institute for
Policy Reforms and a former Federal Minister)
Research Reveals How Rice Plants Detect Pathogens By Samantha Mathewson
Aug 26, 2015 06:23 PM EDT,By Samantha Mathewson
Researchers recently discovered that a sensor protein from rice, Pik, binds with AVR-Pik, a protein from
the rice blast pathogen, which is a fungus that causes the most devastating disease of rice crops. The
strength of this bond, directly correlates to the strength of the plant's response. (Photo : Maqbool et al.)
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Certain types of plants can fight off plant killers, or pathogens--but not others, according to a
mid-20th century model called the "gene-for-gene" hypothesis, developed by scientist Harold
Henry Flor. New research from the UK's John Innes Centre and others bring great detail to Flor's
model, showing how a plant senses a pathogen.
"We know that plants have sensors to detect pathogens but we knew little about how they work,"
Professor Banfield, lead researcher from the John Innes Centre (UK), said in a statement.Their
study, recently published in eLife, investigated how a sensor protein in rice (called Pik) binds
with AVR-Pik, a protein from the rice blast pathogen. The latter is a fungus that causes rice's
most devastating disease. The team used X-ray crystallography facilities at Diamond Light
Source in Oxfordshire, from which they were able to identify the contact points between the
plant and pathogen proteins at the molecular level.
This is the first imagery that has been done for a pair of plant and pathogen proteins that follow
the gene-for-gene model."Harold Flor predicted that plant sensors discriminate between different
pathogen types, but at the time he had no knowledge of the molecules involved. It is remarkable
that his ideas have now crystallized into detailed molecular models," explained first author of the
study, Dr. Abbas Maqbool.The team also found that the strength at which the Pik sensor binds
with the pathogen AVR-Pik protein correlates with the strength of the plant's response, meaning
that plant responses can be engineered to better fight against pathogens. By building sensors with
increased strength of binding to pathogen proteins, plants would be able to enhance their
resistance to diseases.
"Once we understand how these plant sensors detect invading pathogens, we can devise
strategies to 'boost' the plant immune system and help protect rice and other important food crops
from disease," Professor Banfield said.
For more great nature science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines
and Global News (HNGN) http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/16240/20150826/research-
reveals-rice-plants-detect-pathogens.htm
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.
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 913 822
New Crop 899 833
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Riceland Foods
Cash Bids Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -
New Crop Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Sep '15 898.50 877.00 877.75 -16.50
Nov '15 882.00 864.00 865.00 -12.75
Jan '16 885.50 867.50 868.50 -12.50
Mar '16 885.50 868.50 869.25 -12.00
May '16 888.75 871.50 872.50 -12.00
Jul '16 892.00 875.50 875.75 -12.50
Aug '16 888.00 873.50 874.25 -13.25
Sep '16 873.75 873.75 864.25 -12.25
Nov '16 875.00 860.50 860.75 -11.50
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Soybean Comment Soybeans saw sharp losses today as prices again put in a new low for a close. Soybeans have been hit
particularly hard by the turmoil in China and increased competition from international competition. While
demand remains robust domestically, the forecast large supplies and weak exports have the market worried
about the impact this will have on ending stocks this year. Improving weather conditions are another bearish
factor for prices and could push prices below $8.50 should they continue.
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Wheat
High Low
Cash Bids 455 368
New Crop 507 400
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Sep '15 499.75 488.50 489.75 -5.25
Dec '15 504.25 493.00 494.25 -5.25
Mar '16 509.75 499.50 501.00 -4.75
May '16 512.75 503.25 505.25 -4.00
Jul '16 515.50 505.75 508.00 -3.50
Sep '16 523.75 513.75 516.75 -3.75
Dec '16 534.25 527.50 530.50 -4.00
Mar '17 540.00 -4.50
May '17 543.25 -4.50
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Wheat Comment Wheat prices weakened further today. Prices remain under significant pressure from the strong dollar and weak
demand. With other commodities seeing weakness there remains little support for wheat to push higher.
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Grain Sorghum
High Low
Cash Bids 367 329
New Crop 367 302
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Corn
High Low
Cash Bids 360 317
New Crop 385 337
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Sep '15 369.00 361.50 361.75 -3.75
Dec '15 380.50 372.75 373.25 -3.75
Mar '16 391.50 383.75 384.25 -3.75
May '16 397.25 390.00 390.75 -3.50
Jul '16 401.25 394.25 395.00 -3.25
Sep '16 394.75 388.50 389.50 -2.25
Dec '16 400.25 394.50 395.50 -1.50
Mar '17 406.25 405.50 406.00 -1.75
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May '17 412.50 -1.75
Arkansas Daily Grain Report
FOB Memphis Elevator Crops
Corn Comment Corn prices closed lower today as concerns about China and slow exports continue weigh prices down.
Improving weather conditions are likely to keep a lid on prices as we approach harvest. Look for prices to
remain under pressure until we get a clearer picture of the size of this crop.
Cotton
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Oct '15 63.21 62.31 62.56 -1.2
Dec '15 63.52 62.26 62.51 -0.65
Mar '16 63.19 62.06 62.25 -0.61
Memphis, TN Cotton and Tobacco Programs
Cotton Comment Cotton futures continued this weeks trend of sharp losses, although losses were less severe today. The market
continues to be concerned about a global economic slow down and China in particular, as it has the potential to
impact cotton demand. December futures continued to retrace the gains charted in reaction to the monthly
supply/demand report with the next support at the contract low of 61.25.
Rice
High Low
Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - -
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Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Sep '15 1139.5 1129.5 1131.0 -3.5
Nov '15 1168.5 1156.0 1160.0 -2.5
Jan '16 1197.0 1186.0 1190.0 -2.5
Mar '16 1215.5 -2.0
May '16 1240.5 -2.0
Jul '16 1244.0 -1.0
Sep '16 1145.0 -1.0
Rice Comment Rice futures traded in a narrow range before closing a bit lower. Burdensome stocks continue to keep a lid on
prices, despite the forecast for a smaller crop in 2015. Monday's low of $11.43 1/2 is providing support for the
time being. Additional support can be found at the 50% retracement level of the summer's gains at $11.06.
Cattle
Futures:
Live Cattle:
High Low Last Change
Aug '15 144.675 141.975 143.175 -0.500
Oct '15 142.425 139.650 141.675 -0.025
Dec '15 144.475 141.925 144.100 +0.125
Feb '16 144.275 141.675 143.800 -0.125
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Apr '16 143.150 140.525 142.575 -0.325
Jun '16 135.250 133.000 134.800 -0.100
Aug '16 133.500 131.800 133.500 +0.375
Oct '16 135.975 134.325 135.975 +0.625
Dec '16 136.575 135.225 136.575 +1.100
Feeders:
High Low Last Change
Aug '15 211.000 210.150 210.300 -0.600
Sep '15 199.575 196.625 199.450 +0.050
Oct '15 195.925 192.825 195.725 -0.025
Nov '15 193.275 190.200 193.075 -0.475
Jan '16 187.750 185.000 187.700 -0.375
Mar '16 185.875 183.425 185.850 -0.575
Apr '16 184.625 184.200 185.325 -1.550
May '16 185.350 183.350 184.600 -1.325
Arkansas Prices
Conway Livestock Auction
Pocahontas Livestock Auction
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City - Weekly Weighted Average Summary Wednesday
Cattle Comment Cattle prices closed lower again today. Slow cash demand and concerns about the impact declines in China
will have on demand for beef has over shadowed the improvements in the beef price in recent weeks.
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Hogs
Futures:
High Low Last Change
Oct '15 67.825 66.550 67.325 -0.175
Dec '15 63.650 61.825 62.650 -0.825
Feb '16 67.725 66.425 66.850 -0.875
Apr '16 71.525 70.325 70.700 -0.825
May '16 75.600 75.175 75.175 -1.050
Jun '16 79.600 78.300 78.775 -0.850
Jul '16 78.500 77.400 77.600 -0.900
Aug '16 76.300 76.025 76.150 -1.100
Oct '16 66.225 -0.625
Hog Comment
Shell Eggs Daily Midwest Regional Eggs
Daily New York Eggs
National Turkeys Weekly Weighted Average Prices for Whole Young Turkeys
Delmarva Broilers Daily Southern Broiler/Fryers
EG rice millers in a hard grind K.N. Murali Sankar
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Rice millers in EG district have pending dues Rs. 100 crore from the Kerala State Civil Supplies
Corporation and the Kerala State Co-operative Consumers‘ Federation.– File PHOTO
The dull export market and the Centre‘s new levy policy has delivered a double whammy on the
rice mill industry in East Godavari district. Majority of the otherwise busy 450 and odd mills in
the district have downed their shutters or on the verge of closure owing to the slump in
business.The millers have faced a major setback as dues from the Kerala State Civil Supplies
Corporation (Supplyco) and the Kerala State Co-operative Consumers‘ Federation
(Consumerfed) have mounted up to around Rs. 100 crore.
With the rotation of money coming to a halt, the millers now are finding it tough to run their
units by paying hefty power bills and maintenance charges.The first three months of a financial
year is very crucial for the rice exports from the Kakianda Anchorage Port, which contributes to
nearly about half of the rice being exported from the port. The export figures for the April, May
and June were put at 1.79 lakh metric tonnes, 1.68 lakh metric tonnes and 2.28 lakh metric
tonnes respectively. Last fiscal year, as many as 22.01 lakh metric tonnes of rice were exported
from the port.―
Slowdown owing to the price fluctuations has taken the sheen off the export market. Our traders
are not getting a competitive price due to slump in demand,‖ observes Dantu Surya Rao,
president of the Cocanada Chamber of Commerce.As the flow of produce into the export market
is not on the expected lines, the millers have no other options to clear the stocks. ―Most of them
are not in a position to operate their units owing to recurrent losses. Every year, we export rice to
Kerala, especially the ‗Bondalu‘ variety. Given the bad debts of the Supplyco and the
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Consumerfed, we are not in a position to send the stocks to Kerala,‖ says Ambati Ramakrishna
Reddy, president of the East Godavari Rice Millers Association.
Slowdown owing to the price fluctuations has taken the sheen off the export market. Traders
are not getting competitive prices due to slump in demand
Dantu Surya Rao,president, Cocanada Chamber of Commerce www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/
Say Goodbye to Gluten!
A Gluten Free diet doesn‘t mean you have to compromise on flavour orvariety. In
fact, eliminating gluten opens up a colourful world of fresh foodand fibre-rich
ingredients, like our nutritious Wholegrain Basmati and Quinoa. Thinking more
deeply about your ingredients and what goes into your meals can help you discover
the joy of creating a beautiful, healthy, Gluten Free meal from scratch.
Scrutinizing Prescience Point's Short Attack On Amira
Nature Foods
Aug. 24, 2015 11:25 PM ET | About: Amira Nature Foods (ANFI)
Disclosure: I am/we are long ANFI. (More...)
Summary Prescience Point has accused Amira Nature Foods of fraud, and has slapped a $0 price target on the
stock.Reviewing the two reports laid out by Prescience, there are questionable aspects which raise doubt
as to the quality of the analysis.I believe a fair value on the stock is $7.50-10 until the dust settles on the
fraud accusations.Amira Nature Foods Ltd. (NYSE:ANFI) is an international company with origins in
India that is engaged in the processing, distribution, and marketing of packaged specialty rice.
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On the surface, that may sound like an uninteresting stock, but ANFI has been absolutely
hammered from $12 to less than $3, before rebounding since the start of August amid fraud
allegations led by Prescience Point.
Investors have feared that there may be some truth to this research firm's claims, as the company
recently changed auditors for the second time in a couple of years. The value proposition on
ANFI is obvious, as the company's price-to-earnings ratio sits at only 2.7 at a $3.75 stock price.
Calming investor concerns over the fraud allegations would lead the stock to having 2x-5x
upside, as it has turned into a deeply discounted value play. KRBL Limited (KRBL.NS) is the
largest player in the Indian rice industry, and currently has a P/E of 11 and P/S of 1.2. As some
investors sell their shares at all-time lows out of fear, others such as myself have picked up
shares in hopes that the fraud allegations turn out to be baseless or greatly exaggerated.
What do chefs pack for their kids?
Published on Wednesday, 26 August 2015 05:44 - Written by Arthi Subramaniam, Tribune
News Service Restaurant chefs are like every other parent when it comes to wanting to give their
children specially prepared, tasty and healthy school-box lunches. But they have an advantage
because of their professional background and access to a variety of foods, and can almost pull off
anything when it comes to pleasing their child‘s palate.Here‘s how they think outside the box for
the back-to-school days.
---
SONJA FINN
Sonja Finn, chef and owner of Dinette in Pittsburgh‘s East Liberty, does not favor sugared foods
for her 3-year-old son, Miles, but insists on some sort of fruit.What she packs: A pasta with
walnut-basil pesto. Sometimes she would pack baked spinach rice, which she makes with
basmati rice, onion, spinach and vegetable or chicken stock; or a roasted chicken breast; or some
version of a peanut butter sandwich made with no-sugar peanut butter and low-sugar wheat
bread. A banana is a must, and so is some sort of a cut-fruit like watermelon, strawberries or
apricots. Miles‘ favorite is matzo balls made by his nana.
Her prep technique: ―I make pesto ahead of time and keep it in the freezer. On Sunday night, I
cook a pound of pasta and then add the frozen pesto to the hot pasta. I keep stirring until the
pesto melts completely, coating the pasta and at the same time cooling it. That way I don‘t need
to wait for it to cool to pack it away (waiting isn‘t an option anyway since it‘s already midnight
by the time I get around to making the school lunch). I can immediately pack it into individually
covered containers and put it in the fridge, and I‘m set for the week.‖ Frozen walnuts will ensure
that the pesto will be green, she says.
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What she won‘t pack: ―No juice boxes and no yogurt shooters.‖From Dinette‘s menu: Dinette
doesn‘t have a lunch menu, and so sometimes Miles gets a slice of cheese pizza that was made
the night before. ―A lot of Miles‘ lunches are prepared at Dinette.‖Her school lunch: ―I didn‘t
take lunch from home. I did school lunch the whole time.‖Changes in lunch-box fare: ―The
convenience foods and prepackaged foods have gotten worse. There is more sugar, more salt and
the sizes have gotten bigger.‖
BILL FULLER
Bill Fuller is the corporate chef at Big Burrito. He has an 11 and 14 year old and packs their
lunches every day.What he packs: ―Either a sandwich, milk (I pack the milk with a small ice
pack together in a baggie because my kids hate warm milk), fruit and snack (crackers, chips, etc.)
or a thermos of soup or leftovers instead of the sandwich. Occasionally two slices of leftover
pizza in place of the thermos of soup/sandwich. If they are sweet, I‘ll drop a piece of leftover
Halloween candy or some cookies in there.‖What he won‘t pack: ―Nothing that won‘t be
temperature safe through the course of the day. Not very many sweets. Never soda.‖
From Casbah‘s menu: ―I always sent leftover pastas from Casbah (his restaurant in Pittsburgh‘s
Shadyside), especially the Ricotta Cavatelli. Both my kids devour that.‖His school lunch: ―We
rarely packed lunches but when we did it was a sandwich, chips/snack, fruit. We usually ate
school lunch because my grandmother cooked in the cafeteria. In those days, they actually
cooked, so it was my grandmother cooking for us every day in grade school. Also, we got free or
reduced lunches throughout school too, and that was hard to pass up.‖
His lunch box: I had an ―Adam-12‖ box when I was a little kid. Also a Spider-Man one, I think. I
remember the ―Adam-12‖ one best because I hit Eddie Krauch in the face with it once and got in
trouble. We were friends, mostly, but got in a fight that day.Changes in the lunch-box fare: Not
much in my world. I guess I can afford fresh fruit and my mother couldn‘t. A lot of kids bring
pre-packaged stuff. My older kid likes to take Ramen noodles occasionally since the middle
school cafeteria has a microwave. We never had a microwave!
LING ROBINSON
Ling Robinson, executive chef and owner of Asiatique Thai Bistro in Larimer‘s Bakery Square,
who has four children and two grandchildren, says it‘s important to prepare a different lunch
everyday for children as they will remember it. ―It‘s a gift from childhood that creates special
memories of how much their mother or father loved them,‖ she says.What she will pack: Fresh,
healthy, non-processed food.‖ I always include a protein, fruit and vegetable. I grill chicken or
beef or salmon, steam vegetables, thinly slice apples, cut up some carrots, and put it all together
in one container with a light dressing using olive oil. For my older boys, who require more
calories, I would make a sandwich containing salmon, beef or chicken.‖
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What she won‘t pack: ―Chips, soft drinks or prepackaged meats.‖From Asiatique‘s menu: ―I
would pack foods such as our Summer Roll, which is quick and easy to make, and contains fresh
leaf lettuce, cilantro, mint, avocado, tomato and tapioca skin.‖ She wraps it with chicken or
salmon and rice noodles.Her school lunch: ―Growing up in Thailand, I would take rice with
mixed vegetables and seafood.‖ She says she was fortunate because her parents insisted on those
foods along with fruit. ―All kinds of fruits.‖
Her lunch box: ―My lunch box was a vertical stack of containers - the bottom one had rice, the
middle one had steamed vegetables and the top held fresh fruit. I also carried one metal spoon -
no plastic spoons. If you had brothers and sisters at the same school, you also carried their
lunches in your lunch box. You just added more containers to your stack. It was usually the older
child who had to carry it to school.‖
Changes in the lunch-box fare: ―Back then, our lunch boxes featured these three different
compartments for three food groups. It was easy to open and was safe and secure. Today,
everything is taken in Ziploc bags, which are sometimes not so easy for the children to open
without spilling on themselves. Also, it‘s all about processed fruits and puddings in plastic
containers. I do use the safe plastic box containers that are easier to open. My boys and
grandchildren would have a hard time carrying the stacked lunch boxes today, so it‘s the next
best thing.‖
Philippines: Government targets 6.5% rice output growth in
2016, says may buy more
reuters via ABS-CBN News.com | Aug 26, 2015
The Philippines aims to increase rice production by as much as 6.5 percent next year after an
expected fall in this year‘s output, with state spending to boost crop yields helping to offset
possible losses from the El Nino dry weather condition, a senior official said on Tuesday.Higher
domestic output, however, does not mean the Philippines, one of the world‘s biggest rice
importers, will not import the grain any more, with the government finalizing plans to buy an
additional 250,000 tonnes before the year ends, Francis Pangilinan, the country‘s food security
chief, told a congressional budget hearing.Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said at the same
hearing that the target next year is to harvest as much as 20.09 million tonnes. That compares
with the 18.86 million tonnes output that the government statistics agency has projected for this
year, below last year‘s record harvest of 18.97 million tonnes.
http://ricetoday.irri.org/philippines-government-targets-6-5-rice-output-growth-in-2016-says-may-buy-
more/
Ningbo becomes import base for rice from Thailand
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distributed by noodls on 26/08/2015 09:32 Ningbo becomes import base for rice from Thailand
2015-08-26 16:50:14
Ningbo citizens will have the opportunity to buy the fresh "Thai rice". On the morning of August 24, a
container ship docked at the Daxie Wharf of Ningbo Port of, and a large bridge crane lifted the container
full of rice imported from Thailand from the ship to the truck, marking both the overall opening of the
"COFCO Express" and the establishment of the import base for farm produce from Southeast Asia.
Based on the four Southeast Asian shipping routes, two from Thailand to China, one from Burma to
China, and the other one from Cambodia to China, the "COFCO Express" is able to increase the weekly
container volume of the imported rice from 960 cases to 1900 cases.In October 2014, Ningbo Port was
approved as one of the first designated rice import ports by the State Bureau of Quality Inspection. After
the farm produce are imported, they can be shipped to the markets in East China by land, and can also be
shipped to other ports along the Yangtze River by water.According to Hong Qihu, Director of Business
Department of China Port Co. Ltd., at first the monthly delivery of the imported rice from Thailand to
Ningbo via the "COFCO Express" stands at 3000 tons on average, accounting for over 20% of the Thai
rice in Ningbo market. After becoming the new import market for the COFCO, Ningbo will become a
more important import crop distribution center in East China.
http://www.noodls.com/view/AC7173D35F3D4824D9CF3B87AF1F5871B463F6B8?7691xxx1440583275#sthash.flEP4pXZ.dpuf
Rice Price in Traditional Markets Skyrocketing REPORTER : NURITO | TRANSLATED BY : TRIAS RISANGAYU | 08-26-2015 03:52 PM | HITS
209
( Photo : Nurito / Beritajakarta.Com)
Rice price in a number of traditional markets began to rise. The increase in rice prices has
occurred since a few days ago. "It hikes since last Tuesday. The price had increased from the agent"
Wisnu (38), a trader in Rawasari Market, Cempaka Putih,
Central Jakarta acknowledged since last Thursday has
increased. For a 10 kilograms of rice packaging sack sold
for Rp 160 thousand. In fact, on Monday (8/24) it was Rp
150 thousand.For other brand sold for Rp 100 thousand
which previously sold Rp 90 thousand and Rp 120
thousand."It hikes since last Tuesday. The price had
increased from the agent," he said, Wednesday (8/26)
Due to the rise, the number of buyers was fairly decreased. Moreover, the stall is only open from
5 AM to 12 PM. They maximally sold 2 bags of rice, 50 kg size.―I could buy two sacks of rice,
but tomorrow it could only 1.5 sacks since the price goes up,‖ he said.Similar statement was also
stated by another rice trader, Slamet (40).―Price hiked since post ied-ul fitr, it hikes gradually.
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The condition worst by the drop of rate exchange,‖ he expressed.Separately, Assistant Economy
of City Secretary, Mangatas Panjaitan uttered indeed rice price is hiking up in Cipinang
Wholesale Rice Market in the third week of August.According to him, price increase due to the
amount of spending is higher than revenue despite normal supply with an average of 3,586
tonnes per day.
http://beritajakarta.com/en/read/7104/Rice_Price_in_Traditional_Markets_Skyrocketing#.Vc-7HvlViko
A group of farmers in queues for 3 days unable to sell paddy
WEDNESDAY, 26 AUGUST 2015 - 8:14
It has been reported to our news team from several areas with regard to the way farmers are
inconvenienced as a result of paddy purchase not taking place in a systematic manner.Some farmers told
our regional correspondents visiting the relevant locations that they were staying in queues for three days
to sell paddy.This situation is widely prevalent in the Matale District. The farmers said further that paddy
sale was further delayed as the Paddy Marketing Board had appointed only one manager for the store.
Our news team inquired about this problem from PMB Chairman M. B. Dissanayake.
The PMB Chairman said that the Paddy Marketing Board did not have enough efficient
personnel for handling paddy purchase.He said that however he hoped to carry out paddy
purchase in manner not inconveniencing the farmers by using the mobile purchase service.
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(Pix by - Kanchana Ariyadasa) http://www.hirunews.lk/115493/group-farmers-in-queues-for-3-
days-unable-to-sell-paddy
Colombians flee Venezuela after mass deportations
Colombians have begun fleeing their homes in Venezuela, rather than risk deportation. The
exodus comes as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed to extend a crackdown on illegal
migrants living along the border.
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Hundreds of Colombians left Venezuela Tuesday, fleeing the country with their belongings
instead of risking being deported empty-handed like more than 1,000 people sent home in the
last week in agrowing border crisis."We left at 3:00 am (0800 UTC) in the clothes we were
wearing. We wanted to come back before they deported us," said Rosana Morena, a 25-year-old
Colombian who fled Venezuela with her two children.
Colombians waded through the waist-deep water of the river that forms the border with
Venezuela, carting refrigerators or mattresses on their backs as they made the trek back to their
home country.Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro closed the border between Tachira and the
Colombian department of Norte de Santander last week in response to an attack by unknown
assailants on an anti-smuggling military patrol. A civilian and three soldiers were wounded in the
attack.Maduro has sought to combat the rampant smuggling of heavily subsidized food and other
goods out of Venezuela. He initially ordered the border closed for 72 hours, but later extended it
indefinitely after accusing Colombia of waging "an attack on Venezuela's economy."
Venezuela has deported more than a thousand people in the last week amid a smuggling
crackdown, convincing many more to leave on their own accord.
Venezuela has long taken advantage of its oil wealth to subsidize goods such as rice and toilet
paper, making them up to 10 times cheaper than in Colombia. But now the country is in the
midst of shortages, exacerbated by falling oil prices.The Venezuelan government launched mass
deportations of Colombians shortly after closing the border, drawing scathing criticism from
Colombian Interior Minister Juan Fernanda Cristo, who decried the deportations as "a
humanitarian tragedy."The majority of the deportees were sent home for lacking documents,
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without their families or their belongings. Some 600 of them are currently being housed in
shelters, while 400 are staying with relatives, according to officials.
Another 400 to 700 people have crossed the border into Colombia to avoid deportation,
Colombian police said.Many of those fleeing have accused Venezuelan soldiers of robbing their
belongings and ordering them to leave their homes within a matter of hours.The Colombian and
Venezuelan foreign ministers are scheduled to meet Wednesday in the Colombian city of
Cartagena to discuss the crisis.
bw/lw (AP, AFP) http://www.dw.com/en/colombians-flee-venezuela-after-mass-deportations/a-18672312
Venezuela’s Food Shortages Trigger Long Lines, Hunger and
Looting Violent clashes flare in pockets of the country as citizens wait for hours for
basics, such as milk and rice 1 of 10fullscreen
A National Guard soldier leads detainees accused of illegally selling contraband state-controlled food goods in
Maracaibo on Aug. 13. MIGUEL GUTIÉRREZ FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Shoppers wait in a long line to enter the "Latino Supermarket" in the Dr. Portillo area of Maracaibo, Venezuela, on
Aug. 12.MIGUEL GUTIÉRREZ FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
By MAOLIS CASTRO and
KEJAL VYAS
Aug. 26, 2015 5:30 a.m. ET
LA SIBUCARA, Venezuela—Hours after they looted and set fire to a National Guard command
post in this sun-baked corner of Venezuela earlier this month, a mob infuriated by worsening
food shortages rammed trucks into the smoldering edifice, reducing it mostly to rubble.The
incident was just one of numerous violent clashes that have flared in pockets around the country
in recent weeks as Venezuelans wait for hours in long supermarket lines for basics like milk and
rice. Shortages have made hunger a palpable concern for many Wayuu Indians who live here at
the northern tip of Venezuela‘s 1,300-mile border with Colombia.
‗We are going very hungry here and the children are suffering a lot.‘ —María Palma, 55, of La Sibucara
The soldiers had been deployed to stem rampant food smuggling and price speculation, which
President Nicolás Maduro blames for triple-digit inflation and scarcity. But after they seize
contraband goods, the troops themselves often become targets of increasingly desperate people.
―What‘s certain is that we are going very hungry here and the children are suffering a lot,‖ said
María Palma, a 55-year-old grandmother who on a recent blistering hot day had been standing in
line at the grocery store since 3 a.m. before walking away empty-handed at midday.In a national
survey, the pollster Consultores 21 found 30% of Venezuelans eating two or fewer meals a day
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during the second quarter of this year, up from 20% in the first quarter. Around 70% of people in
the study also said they had stopped buying some basic food item because it had become
unavailable or too expensive.
‗If people aren’t outside protesting, they’re outside standing in line for goods.‘ —Marco Ponce, head of the Venezuela Observatory of Social Conflict
Food-supply problems in Venezuela underscore the increasingly precarious situation for Mr.
Maduro‘s socialist government, which according to the latest poll by Datanálisis is preferred by
less than 20% of voters ahead of Dec. 6 parliamentary elections. The critical situation threatens
to plunge South America‘s largest oil exporter into a wave of civil unrest reminiscent of last
year‘s nationwide demonstrations seeking Mr. Maduro‘s ouster.―It‘s a national crisis,‖ said
Marco Ponce, head of the Venezuela Observatory of Social Conflict, noting that unlike the
political protests of last year, residents are now taking to the streets demanding social rights.
The nonprofit group recorded 500 protests over food shortages during the first half of 2015, 56
looting incidents and dozens of attempted lootings at grocery stores, pharmacies and warehouses.
Even delivery trucks are frequently targeted. ―If people aren‘t outside protesting, they‘re outside
standing in line for goods,‖ Mr. Ponce said.The unrest is a response to dramatically worsening
living conditions for Venezuelans as the economy reels from oil‘s slump following more than a
decade of populist spending that left the government broke.
‗They’re committing treason against our country, taking food and crossing the border.‘ —National Guard Gen. Manuel Graterol
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In past years, when oil prices were high, Venezuela‘s leftist government flooded markets with
subsidized goods ranging from cooking oil to diapers. It gave citizens in border towns like La
Sibucara not only access to cheap supplies, but also a source of income as many people
trafficked products—including nearly free gasoline—to neighboring Colombia, drawing
handsome profits.With the government now struggling to pay for imports, there is less inventory
to go around. In recent days, Mr. Maduro upped the ante by ordering troops along the border to
seize contraband, deporting hundreds of Colombians whom the government blames for
smuggling and shortages.
Armed soldiers monitor supermarkets as part of an effort the president calls ―Operation People‘s
Liberation.‖ More than 6,000 alleged smugglers have been arrested this year, according to the
attorney general‘s office. Images of soldiers posing with handcuffed suspects and stacks of
decommissioned goods are splashed on state media.―We‘re going to get to the root of the
problem,‖ Mr. Maduro said in a national address last week after a shootout with smugglers in the
frontier state of Táchira left three National Guard troops injured and pushed Venezuela to shut
key border crossings.
The smugglers targeted by the government crackdown are called bachaqueros, named after a
leaf-cutter ant that can carry many times its weight. The word, first used here in the northwestern
state of Zulia, has become part of daily national parlance as a label for Venezuelans who buy
price-controlled goods and resell them for profit on the black market.While the government
blames the shortages on bachaqueros, economists say they are the consequence of price controls
and a broken economic model that has left average Venezuelans with diminishing employment
options.―The people that used to give us work—the private companies, the rich—have all gone,‖
said Ms. Palma in La Sibucara, adding that she also occasionally traffics goods to get by. ―It‘s
not the greatest business but we don‘t have work and we have to find a way to eat.‖
Earlier this month, Venezuela‘s military raided homes and warehouse around the town, seizing
tons of allegedly hoarded goods that were destined to leave Venezuela or be resold on the black
market for well above the state-set price.Lisandro Uriana, who had a black eye and a bandaged
leg, said he and two friends were badly beaten up when a neighbor‘s house was raided. ―They
didn‘t say or ask us anything,‖ recalled the 46-year-old Wayuu father of four, who lives in a tin-
roofed house of two rooms. ―They just beat us and we couldn‘t defend ourselves because they
were armed and were many. I don‘t even smuggle…and now I can‘t even get up to work.‖
The day of the raids, neighbors said residents pleaded with troops at the National Guard
command post to distribute seized food to non-smugglers but were turned away. An angry mob
soon formed, sending soldiers fleeing before they attacked the office and even stripped it of scrap
metal.
‗We are very peaceful people, but what happened was an act of desperation. I think this is going
to get worse.‘ —Street vendor Robert Guzmán
―These are just some isolated cases,‖ Manuel Graterol, a National Guard general overseeing
operations in La Sibucara on a recent day, said, blaming the unrest and
the bachaquerophenomenon on opponents of Mr. Maduro‘s government.―Many of them are
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being shameless,‖ said Gen. Graterol. ―They‘re committing treason against our country, taking
food and crossing the border.‖
But such food fights have broken out in numerous small municipalities around the state of Zulia.
In the nearby town of Sinamaica, the ground floor of the mayor‘s office was set on fire in early
August following a wave of unrest that included gangs looting delivery trucks. The unrest, locals
said, began after police detained a truck loaded with rice.Street vendor Robert Guzmán, wearing
a red pro-government T-shirt, said the sacking was justified. ―We are very peaceful people,‖ Mr.
Guzmán said of his Wayuu community, ―but what happened was an act of desperation. I think
this is going to get worse.‖
Resident Yusleidy Márquez said she too fears the worst. The basket of subsidized food the
government gives her mother every 15 days only feeds her family for two days. Lately, she only
eats a cornmeal patty for lunch because she can‘t afford more.―I think we‘re going to die of
hunger,‖ she said.
Write to Kejal Vyas at [email protected]
http://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelas-food-shortages-trigger-long-lines-hunger-and-looting-
1440581400
Cuba Suffers Through The Worst Drought Of ‘The Last
Century’ More than 1 million residents in the Caribbean country are now relying on trucked-in
water to survive.
Dominique MosbergenSenior Writer, The Huffington Post
Posted: 08/26/2015 01:36 AM EDT | Edited: 08/26/2015 08:49 AM EDT
YAMIL LAGE VIA GETTY IMAGES
A man fills bottles with water in the Consolacion del Sur neighborhood in the Pinar del Rio
province, Cuba on August 19, 2015.With the year-long drought in Cuba forecast to worsen in the
coming months, some residents are harboring what may seem like an unusual hope.―It is hard to
believe, but many of us are hoping for a hurricane,‖ Nuris Lopez, a hairdresser in Granma
province, told Reuters earlier this month. ―I might lose my roof, but at least I could clean my
house.‖Lopez is one of more than 1 million people in Cuba who are currently relying on trucked-
in water to survive. Reuters says one in 10 residents in the Caribbean country have been
depending on government tank trucks to make do during a record hot summer.
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Last Monday, Cuba reportedly put its civil defense system on alert due the continuing drought
that has already depleted the country's reservoirs and destroyed thousands of acres of crops
including coffee, rice, sugar cane and tobacco. ―Reservoirs are well below capacity and
underground water sources are falling as compared to previous months,‖ the civil defense
system stated.Cuban journalist Elaine Diaz wrote Wednesday that the drought, which has been
caused by the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, was the worst to hit the Caribbean
country ―in the last century.‖With the rainy season expected to bring lower-than-average rainfall
this year, experts say the drought will likely worsen in the coming months. The Cuban
government said emergency measures are already being ―taken at all levels, including stricter
rationing of water through the state-run waterworks,‖ per Reuters. YAMIL LAGE VIA GETTY IMAGES
A man fills a drum with water in the Consolacion del Sur neighborhood in the Pinar del Rio province,
Cuba on August 19, 2015.El Nino, a warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean that affects global weather
patterns, has caused terrible drought conditions across the Caribbean this year.
―California gets all the attention but in the Caribbean the situation is worse because large-scale water
transport is not possible at all,‖ Toby Ault, a professor in Cornell University‘s earth and atmospheric
sciences department, told Bloomberg in July.
In Puerto Rico, more than 1.5 million people have been affected by drought while in some areas of
the Dominican Republic, people have reportedly gone weeks without ―any liquid in the pipes.‖
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In June, Norman Gibson, scientific officer at the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development
Institute, told The Associated Press that the region's farm sector had already lost more than $1
million in crops and tens of thousands of dollars in livestock due to the dry spell. ―The outlook is
very, very bad,‖ Anthony Herman, who oversees a local farm cooperative in St. Lucia, told the AP.
―The trees are dying, the plants are dying ... It's stripping the very life of rivers.‖
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cuba-drought_55dd3e28e4b08cd3359ddfef
Scholarships Awarded Following Delta Classic Golf
Tournament Aug. 26, 2015
Brandon Moore of Marion, Paul Wolf of White Hall and Austin Cates of Marion earned
scholarships awarded following the 16th Annual Delta Scholarship Golf Classic.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department in the Dale
Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas collected
more than $20,000 for scholarships at this year‘s 16th Annual Delta Scholarship Golf
Classic.The tournament was July 24 at The Ridges at Village Creek in Wynne. Since 2000, the
tournament has generated more than $375,000 used to fund 139 scholarships while building an
endowment for future scholarships.
Students earning a Delta Classic Scholarship include Tanner Bratton, Austin Cates and Brandon
Moore from Marion High School; Drew Dillion from DeWitt High School; Seth Busby from
Green County Tech High School in Paragould; Laura Ortega from Rogers High School; Zane
Taillon from Beebe High School; Kaitlyn Turner from Tuckerman High School; and Paul Wolf
of White Hall.
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―I am currently working for a crop
consultant and we scout over 13,000 acres
of rice,‖ said Busby. ―I love doing it. My
dream is to one day be an independent crop
scout and possibly pursue an advanced
degree. This scholarship will help me gain
the knowledge to teach anyone about
where their food comes from and how it
gets to their dinner table. I look forward to
my college experience and want to help
other college students after I graduate.‖―I
hope to learn the skills to become a crop
consultant until I save the money to start a
farm of my own,‖ said Wolf.
―I would like to earn my master‘s degree and possibly a doctorate, and help future students after
I begin my career.‖James L. Barrentine Endowed scholarships were awarded to Zachary Jones, a
U of A junior from Paragould; Blake Bennett from Pocahontas High School; Tanner Schuck
from Har-Ber High School; and Helen Sha from Fayetteville High School. Barrentine, a former
Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department head, organized CSES alumni and friends
who initiated the benefit golf tournament to support scholarships prior to his retirement in
2006.―I want to thank our alumni and friends for their hard work in keeping this event going in
the Delta,‖ said tournament director Darrin Malone.
―I also want to thank the staff at The Ridges at Village Creek for helping make it a success. It‘s
been fun helping provide resources to our new and upcoming students in the Crop, Soil, and
Environmental Sciences Department. I think our alumni and friends find great pleasure in being
a small part of their future and career while they are at the University of Arkansas.‖Tournament
winners include the DuPont Pioneer 1 team of Tim Sisk, Jay Cadwell, Danny Draper and Jody
Gilbert, all from Wynne, in Flight A; the Southern Bancorp team of Gaylon Rogers and Edward
Reginold of Blytheville, and Wayne Anderson and John Bryant of West Helena in Flight B; and
the U of A Weed Science team of Bob Scott and Ward Hanna of Cabot, Clark Moore of Little
Rock and Chuck Capps of DeWitt in Flight C.
―I continue to be impressed with how well everything gets done and how good the final product
is,‖ said Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Department head Robert Bacon. ―It was very
gratifying for me to see a team composed of former scholarship recipients not only supporting
the tournament, but also knowing the contributions they are making to the agricultural industry
in the state. The proceeds from the tournament are extremely important in maintaining the
vitality of our undergraduate program.‖Corporate sponsors for the tournament were Farm Bureau
of Arkansas, Dow AgroSciences/Mycogen/Phytogen and DuPont Pioneer. Premier hole sponsors
were DuPont Crop Protection and Monsanto.
Hole sponsors included Ag Heritage Farm Credit Services, BASF Ag Products, Farm Credit
Midsouth, Gillett Grain Services, Producers Rice Mill, Riceland Foods Foundation, U of A Crop,
Soil, and Environmental Sciences, U of A Entomology Group, U of A Rice Research and
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Extension Center, and U of A Weed Science Group.Team sponsors included Adams Fertilizer
Equipment, Alice-Sidney Dryer and Seed Company, Armor Seed, Bayer CropScience, Crop
Production Services of Bernie, Missouri, Fuller Seed and Supply, Hickory Hill Pharmacy, Mid-
South Ag Equipment, Mid South Ag Consultants, RiceTec, Southern Ag Resources, Southern
Bancorp, and Stanley & Co.
About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College
provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the
businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human
quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders,
innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former
Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and
international agriculture.
About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally
competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic
programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied
research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional
disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent
of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World
Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities.
Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a
low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.
CONTACTS Robby Edwards, director of communications
Dale Bumpers Co
llege of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences
479-575-4625, [email protected]
http://news.uark.edu/articles/32118/scholarships-awarded-following-delta-classic-golf-tournament
APEDA INDIA NEWS
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 25-08-2015
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
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Rice
1 CZCE Early Rice Futures (USD/t) 376
2 Pakistani 100%, FOB Karachi (USD/t) 318
3 Pakistani 25% Broken (USD/t) 383
Wheat
1 CZCE Wheat Futures (USD/t) 369
2 NYSE Liffe Feed Wheat Futures (USD/t) 182
3 GFO, HRW, DAT Ontario (USD/t) 192
White Sugar
1 CZCE White Sugar Futures (USD/t) 770
2 Kenya Mumias white sugar, EXW (USD/t) 690
3 Pakistani refined sugar, EXW Akbari Mandi (USD/t) 591
Source:agra-net For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 25-08-2015
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
Barley (Jau)
1 Dahod (Gujarat) Other 1200 1275
2 Haldwani (Uttrakhand) Other 1880 1950
3 Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh) Other 1080 1246
Maize
1 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 1225 1350
2 Dhing (Assam) Other 1310 1400
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3 Koraput (Orissa) Other 1320 1330
Mousambi
1 Sirhind (Punjab) Other 2500 3500
2 Haldwani (Uttrakhand) Other 1500 2500
3 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2200 2400
Cabbage
1 Aroor (Kerala) Other 2600 2800
2 Bolangir (Orissa) Other 2800 3000
3 Sirhind (Punjab) Other 800 1200
Source:agra-net For more info
Egg Rs per 100 No
Price on 25-08-2015
Product Market Center Price
1 Ahmedabad 313
2 Nagapur 295
3 Namakkal 300
Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package
Price on 24-08-2015
Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High
Onions Dry Package: 50 lb sacks
1 Atlanta Colorado Yellow 22 23
2 Baltimore Mexico Yellow 20 20
3 Chicago California Yellow 15 16
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Cauliflower Package: cartons film wrapped
1 Atlanta Mexico White 15.50 15.50
2 Dallas California White 21.50 21.50
3 Miami Mexico White 16 17
Grapes Package:19 lb containers bagged
1 Atlanta California Red Globe 25 26
2 Dallas Mexico Red Globe 22 23.50
3 New York California Red Globe 26 28
Source:USDA
2015 USA Rice Outlook Conference to Feature Political Duo
Matalin and Carville
Keynote speakers Mary Matalin and James Carville
NEW ORLEANS, LA - Husband and wife
political strategists and best-selling authors
Mary Matalin and James Carville will be the
keynote speakers at the 2015 USA Rice
Outlook Conference to be held here this
December with a conversation about the
political outlook and what to expect during
the 2016 presidential election. True to their
reputations the couple, speaking from their
home town of New Orleans, will offer fiery
discussion and insight into the current
political landscape and share their concerns,
hopes, and predictions for the upcoming
election cycle.
Matalin is one of the most celebrated and popular conservative voices in America. Among her
many roles, she has served under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W.
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Bush. Matalin currently co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program Both Sides Now,
which is broadcast on more than 100 radio stations.
Known for his electoral successes
and remaking political underdogs
into upset winners, James Carville is
America's best-known political
consultant. Carville guided the
campaign of then Governor Bill
Clinton to defeat President George
H.W. Bush whose approval rating
was among the highest ever for a
sitting president. Carville has
written several books, including two
memoirs with his wife, All's Fair:
Love, War, and Running for President about the 1992 presidential campaign and the more recent,
Love and War: Twenty Years, Three Presidents, Two Daughters and One Louisiana Home, about
how they, and America, have changed over the last two decades.
Outlook Sponsorship Brochure
Get in on the rice industry's premier event: become an exhibitor or sponsor today
Carville and Matalin are headlining an expanded USA Rice
Outlook Conference now with two full days of
programming. Attendees will hear timely information and
outlooks on farm policy, the economy, weather trends, farm
management, food innovation, and more.Other noted
presenters will include Louisiana Congressman Ralph
Abraham, farm management expert Dick Wittman,
economist Dr. David Kohl, and many more.Visit
www.usarice.com/outlook for additional program and
registration information and watch the USA Rice Daily for
more program news.The USA Rice Outlook Conference is
the largest annual rice meeting and trade show. Several exciting exhibitor and sponsorship
opportunities are available for this premier event. To learn more, download a brochure, or
contact Jeanette Davis at [email protected], (703) 236-1447.
Contact: Amy Doane (703) 236-1458
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California Rice Industry Hosts USA Rice Leaders
Betsy Ward
USA Rice's Betsy Ward
SACRAMENTO, CA - This week, USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley traveled to California to meet with
members of the rice industry and attend the annual California Rice Experiment Station Field Day in
Biggs.
In addition to the field day, Brantley and USA Rice President & CEO, Betsy Ward attended the 8th
annual The Rice Trader (TRT) Americas Conference held in Sacramento yesterday. Ward joined
California Rice Commission (CRC) CEO Tim Johnson and President of the Northern California Water
Association David Guy as panelists on the "Politics, Water, Rice and the Future" panel during the general
session. Ward provided an overview of USA Rice's activities and mission, particularly updates on
international promotions for several export markets, farm policy and conservation efforts, and changes to
the USA Rice communication resources.
Doherty and Brantley
California producer Sean Doherty (l) and USA Rice Chairman Dow Brantley
Following the panel, Brantley and Ward along with the CRC Executive Committee and CRC Committee
Chairs provided updates relative to the California rice industry, specifically the Trans-Pacific Partnership
trade deal and the China phytosanitary protocol.
Brantley, a rice farmer from Arkansas, shared his enthusiasm for this trip saying, "It's really been a
privilege to learn about the California rice industry firsthand while I've been in the state." He added,
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"Knowing that many challenges California faces are shared by their colleagues in the south will only
strengthen and further unify the U.S. rice industry."
Contact: Peter Bachmann (703) 236-1475
CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices
WASHINGTON, DC ---The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit
Corporationtoday announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice,
adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan gain (MLG) and loan
deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2015 crop, which will become effective today at 7:00
a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Rough rice prices decreased $0.21 per cwt for long grain and $0.22 per cwt for
medium/short grain.
World Price MLG/LDP
Rate
Milled Value
($/cwt) Rough
($/cwt) Rough ($/cwt)
Long Grain 14.56 9.19 0.00
Medium/Short Grain 14.07 9.44 0.00
Brokens 8.78 ---- ----
This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S. milling
yields and the corresponding loan rates:
U.S. Milling Yields
Whole/Broken
(lbs/cwt)
Loan Rate
($/cwt)
Long Grain 55.01/13.46 6.50
Medium/Short Grain 61.81/8.43 6.50
The next program announcement is scheduled for September 2, 2015.
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CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for August 26
Month Price Net Change
September 2015 $11.310 - $0.035
November 2015 $11.600 - $0.025
January 2016 $11.900 - $0.025
March 2016 $12.155 - $0.020
May 2016 $12.405 - $0.020
July 2016 $12.440 - $0.010
September 2016 $11.450 - $0.010
Rice Field Day: Growers get up close with industry-funded
research Rice farmers, researchers, breeders and more come together to learn about the newest developments in
rice for the annual Rice Field Day on Wednesday at the Rice Experiment Station in BiggsBy Heather
Hacking, Chico Enterprise-Record
POSTED: 08/26/15, 8:04 PM PDT | UPDATED: 2 HRS AGO
Ben Ferreira looks at a variety of rice during the annual Rice Field Day on Wednesday at the Rice
Experiment Station in Biggs.Emily Bertolino — Mercury Register
This summer has been rough for rice farmers with nearly 30 percent of the statewide rice acreage
left to bare, open ground.Yet, cutbacks on water did not keep hundreds of rice farmers from
attending the traditional summer get-together — Rice Field Day.Once a year, growers converge
on the research farm, where scientists hand-plant more than 40 acres, keeping carefully cross-
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bred plants separate from other plants.
The goal is to develop improved plants that will provide better yield, disease resistance, cooking
quality and other factors.Farmers pay a small amount per bag of harvested rice, and that money
funds the experiment station and researchers.During the drought, less rice was grown, which
meant a decreased flow of money to the research station.Experiment Station director Kent
McKenzie said his operation was fortunate that some funding from a tariff settlement has been
used to offset the lost financial support.For the past several years, the California Rice Research
Board has received funding from a tariff agreement with Colombia, Seth Fiack, chairman of the
Rice Research Board, explained. Rice buyers bid for the right to buy California rice. The treaty
allows for a phase-in of duty-free access to U.S. rice over time.
Yet, for now a few million dollars are divided among rice-growing states each year.The funding
came just in time, and has been used to ensure the Biggs experiment station is fully-
funded.McKenzie said the research center also could have had problems this year due to lack of
water. Like many landowners who receive surface water, the Biggs experiment station had
cutbacks of 50 percent.The stations has a well, but that did not provide enough water to keep all
of the research plants alive.McKenzie said some nearby landowners through Richvale Irrigation
District provided the needed water, and all of the research plants were maintained.
GROWING TENACITY
The Rice Experiment Station recently passed the 100-year mark. Tim Johnson, president of the
California Rice Commission said he is always impressed by the tenacity of the rice
industry.After four years of drought, acreage in the state is down 30 percent, with 175,000 few
acres planted.A key goal of the breeding program is to develop even better types of rice.Calrose
is the mainstay medium-grain rice grown in the Sacramento Valley. Most growers opt for one of
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just a handful of seed types, depending on their specific growing conditions. Early this year, the
board of directors approved a new Calrose named M-209, which matures early, is semi-dwarf
and has high yield.One drawback is that the variety can be damaged in cold temperatures and
more of the kernels may not mature in cooler weather.
SHARING KNOWLEDGE
A big part of Rice Field Day is for growers to learn more about their industry, especially if that
information will help them grow more or better rice. One highlight of Rice Field Day is the ride
through the 3,000 experimental rice plots. Farmers pile into the back of oversized pickup
trucks.Julie Tillman was at the event to share information about the University of California‘s
new Rice Online website, http://rice.ucanr.edu
One feature is a map that shows early and very early rice field test results in different parts of the
valley. This can be important because one type of rice plant may perform slightly better or worse
in slightly different climates.For example, the M-206 did best in Colusa County over the past
four years. In Butte County, early M-209 has done very well the past three years.
PRAISE FOR FARMERS
The annual event is also a time to honor those who stand out in the industry.The group managed
to surprise Tim Kelleher.Organizers asked Kelleher to present the Rice Industry Award to Dr. C.
Lorenzo Pope, who worked as a private rice researcher in Glenn County for 39 years.After
Pope‘s award was given, Kelleher was announced as a another recipient.Kelleher is an attorney,
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who was instrumental in helping farmer-friendly provisions in the latest version of the Farm Bill,
McKenzie said.
Contact reporter Heather Hacking at 896-7758.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reporter Heather Hacking focuses on water and agriculture, as well as many other community topics. Her
column, which is mostly about gardening, appears on Fridays. She has been writing for the Enterprise-
Record since 1992. Reach the author [email protected] or follow Heather on
Twitter:@HeatherHacking.
Rice cook off contest entry deadline nears Sherry Lucas, The Clarion-Ledger3:09 p.m. CDT August 25, 2015
(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)
Friday is the deadline to enter the Think Rice Cook Off
Contest, revived especially for a special anniversary — the
25 annual National Rice Month, and the 25th annual Rice
Tasting Luncheon at Delta State University.The luncheon
and celebration are hosted by Delta Rice Promotions. A
rice cook off contest, part of the event early on, was
revived to amp up the anniversary celebration. The contest
will be held in conjunction with the Sept. 18
luncheon.―Farmers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana,
California, Missouri and Texas grow 18 billion pounds of rice each year,‖ said Laura Giaccaglia,
Mississippi State University extension agent/coordinator for Bolivar County, who assists with
Delta Rice Promotions. ―And, nearly 85 percent of the rice Americans eat is grown by America‘s
rice farmers.‖The cook off contest will have four categories: appetizer, side dish, main dish and
dessert. Cash prizes will be awarded in each category, and cooks can enter one dish in more than
one category. The prize potential: $100 for first place winners; $75 for second place, $50 for
third place. The grand prize is $300.Contestants must be Mississippi residents 18 years old or
older. Official entry forms and more details are available at the Bolivar County Extension
Service in Cleveland, (662) 843-8371 or online
at http://msucares.com/counties/bolivar_6/info.html.Official entry forms must be turned in to the
Bolivar County Extension Service by Friday.
Prepared dishes must be dropped off for judging, 9-9:45 a.m. Sept. 18 at the Delta State
University Walter Sillers Coliseum. Winners will be announced during the Rice Tasting
Luncheon that same day.To contact Sherry Lucas, email [email protected] or call (601) 961-
7283. Follow @SherryLucas1 on Twitter.