4th november,2015 daily global,regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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November 04,2015 Vol 5, Issue XI

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Rice News Headlines...

Farmers suffer losses as paddy prices crash Govt. to procure 36 lakh MT of kharif paddy; MSP set at Rs. 1,450 per quintal Iran Comes to Rescue of Indian Rice Farmers as Curbs Eased In distress, paddy farmers learn harsh lessons Official denies Iran ban on rice import lifted Rice farmers call for ppp to boost production Thai junta turns to populist subsidies to ease farmer tensions Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report Fact Sheet:Regional Partner: West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and

Development APEDA COMMODITY NEWS FROM INDIA 2015 USA Rice Outlook Conference Early Bird Registration Closing; Contest Winner Announced Kroger Dietitians Enjoy Healthy Competition CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures Hutchinson urges Cuba credit sales

News Detail...

Farmers suffer losses as paddy prices crash

A farmer sits on his paddy sacks at the new grain market in Karnal. Tribune photo: Ravi Kumar

Tribune Reporters

Rohtak, November 4 Paddy-growing farmers of the region have suffered massive losses with the price of their produce

recording a sharp decline over the past three years. Paddy growers lamented that 1509 variety of

paddy, which used to fetch up to Rs 4,200 per quintal in 2013, was purchased at around Rs 3,000

in 2014. This year, the minimum support price (MSP) of this variety has been fixed at Rs 1,450 a

quintal by the government, which shows steep fall in paddy prices.Farmers said while the 1509

variety of paddy which was being purchased at Rs 1,450 per quintal, the 1121-basmati variety

was also fetching a low price in the range of Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 per quintal.“We are in dire

straits.

The cost of farm inputs is much more than the returns we get in the form of the price of our

produce. Thanks to the price crash, natural calamities and disease-attacks, an average paddy

farmer is suffering losses to the tune of Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 per acre,” maintains Rajbir of

Sanghi village and Balwan of Bahu Jamalpur village.A visit to the local grain markets by The

Tribune revealed that most of the paddy-growers have brought 1121-basmati paddy, which is

being purchased by rice-millers for Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 per quintal.The farmers, however,

maintained that the 1509 variety is being procured by the government agencies at the MSP of Rs

1,450. The paddy-growers, who have brought their produce to the Rohtak grain-market, lament


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that farmers who have taken land on contract for farming are the worst sufferers as their input

cost is much higher as compared to those who have their own agricultural land.Their views are

echoed by Devender of Kheri Sadh and Karambir of Dhandhlan village. Amit of Achhej

Paharipur village in Jhajjar district, who has brought his produce to the Rohtak grain market,

rues that the government has increased water charges supplied for irrigation.Prem of Chamaria

village says due to a disease-attack on his crop, he could have produced only five quintals from

his three acres of land. Ramesh of Bayyanpur Ladhaut says 1121-basmati variety fetches Rs

1,600 to Rs

1,800.

Millers-agencies nexus deny MSP to farmers Sirsa: Farmers as well as traders alleged that an unholy alliance of rice millers, procurement

agencies and officials of the market committees were fleecing farmers by buying their crop on a

lesser price.“The modus operandi is quite simple. When a farmer comes to us with his crop, he

finds no takers for it for four to five days. When he approaches millers, they quote price ranging

from Rs 1,200 to 1,300 per quintal for his crop. Harried farmers are left with no other option than

selling their crop in distress. Once farmer sells his crop, the millers who already have a

connivance with the procurement agencies, get it entered in their records to claim payments as

per the MSP,” explained Dinesh Mehta, a trader in Sirsa grain market.

Jagsir Singh, a trader from Kalanwali grain market and a former president of Kalanwali

Municipal Committee, said the fleecing of farmers does not end here.“They cut 3 kilograms per

quintal in the name of Jhaarh (cleaning) and often, a further cut of 3 kilogram per quintal by

telling farmers that the moisture contents in his paddy are more than 17 per cent,” alleged

Jagsir.He said farmers had locked the Kalanwali grain market against this loot last week, but no


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action was taken by the authorities concerned in this regard.As per rules, procurement agencies

buy farmers‟ paddy and give it to millers for custom milling, millers rule the roost in

procurement as they have tacit understanding with agencies and government officials responsible

for safeguarding farmers‟ interests. Swaran Singh Virk, state vice-president of the Haryana Kisan

Sabha alleged that his organisation had given several memorandums in this regard, but all had

fallen to deaf ears of the authorities concerned.

Survival of farmers’ paddy, bajra at stake Faridabad/Palwal: “The survival of paddy and bajra crops was at stake and we need to consider

an alternative for the next time,” said Hare Kishan, a farmer of Mindkola village of Palwal

district.Irked at poor rates and improper paddy procurement, he said almost all farmers suffered

irreparable losses and were unable to recover even half of the production cost.Tej Singh, a

farmer of Jorkhera village, said it was for the first time that farmers had suffered losses on such a

large scale.Ranbir Singh of Deegot village said no one has procured the common variety of

grade- A also known as “mota chawal” at the MSP of Rs 1,450 per quintal, he said he was

among those who had to dispose it off at a rate of Rs 1,200.

Blaming the government machinery, Sunil Bisla of Dayalpur village claimed that he had to

suffer a loss of at least Rs 9,000 per acres due to poor rates in the market. He had grown 1121

variety of Basmati rice on several 20 acres and over 100 quintals of Bajra grown by him had no

buyer at respectable rates, he claimed, adding that Bajra was being sold almost at Rs 200 less

than the MSP.District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC) Ram Avtar said various agencies had

procured around 13,604 Metric tonnes of paddy in Faridabad. He said official agencies procure

only grade- A while others, including the Muchhal and 1121 paddy, were procured by mill

owners.

Farmers, Agents on a collision course

Ambala farmers face price cut in the name of moisture Ambala: Farmers in Ambala district who had sown non-basmati varieties of paddy are facing

huge price cuts in the name of „high moisture content‟ even as the government continued to look

the other way. A visit to various grain markets of the district revealed that that while farmers

were being issued receipts of Rs 1,450 per quintal, which is the MSP fixed by the government,

they were paid only Rs 1,200 per quintal as the government agents imposed price cuts ranging

between Rs 70 to Rs 140. Vinod Kumar of Sambhalkha village, who faced a price cut of Rs 80

per quintal of his produce, said agents use a hand-held device to measure the moisture content.

He said the agents never showed him the exact readings, but told him that moisture content was

24.50. — TNS

Commission agents blame farmers for current situation Kurukshetra: Farmers have been expressing their resentment over lesser MSP for their

produce. Suresh Kumar, a farmer from Jyotisar, said: “About 15 days ago, I sold 90 quintals of

PR variety for Rs 1,375 to Rs 1,425 a quintal but I was given the receipts of Rs 1,450 per quintal,

the MSP. The commission agent said that the moisture content was on the higher side.” On the

other hand, the commission agents blame farmers for the situation. A commission agent wishing

anonymity said: “Every year, farmers get instructions that they must bring their produce after

drying and cleaning, but they don‟t do so.” He said: “In such a situation, millers don‟t agree to

accept the paddy on the MSP. A cut of Rs 15 per quintal gets imposed on every per cent of extra

moisture and it is done with the consent of farmers.” —TNS


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(With inputs from Sunit Dhawan, Sushil Manav, Manish Sirhindi, Nitish Sharma and

Bijendra Ahlawat)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/farmers-suffer-losses-as-paddy-prices-crash/154602.html

Govt. to procure 36 lakh MT of kharif paddy; MSP set at Rs.

1,450 per quintal

The State government on Wednesday

announced guidelines for procurement of

paddy Kharif 2015-16 specifying the rates of

different grades of food grains. In its

guidelines issued, the Government has made

sure that the quantum of procurement for the

Targeted Public Distribution System is

met.Accordingly, it was proposed to procure

36 lakh metric tonnes of paddy for TPDS and

Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) in the State.

The farmers would get Rs.1,450 a quintal for

“A” grade variety and Rs.1,410 a quintal for

the Fair Average Quality (FAQ) of paddy.

The government has however made provision for lifting up of 54 lakh metric tonnes of paddy

under custom made, boiled rice, which would be contributed to the central pool.

If the overall procurement of the State is in excess of the total allocation of the State made by the

Centre, under TPDS or OWS, such excess quantity shall be treated to be outside the Central

Pool.The government shall hold with itself the stocks of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) thus

procured under proper scientific storage for distribution under TPDS or OWS as per allocation

made by the Centre at prices notified. It would have to restrict availing credit facility from RBI

for the estimated stocks of paddy to be procured for the Central Pool only.

If the Stocks of the Rice procured by the government exceeds its allocation under TPDS and

other Welfare Schemes, such excess stocks shall be handed over to the FCI by the

government.However, the FCI shall have the option to specify whether such excess rice that

would be handed over to FCI for Central Pool by the State shall be in the form of raw rice or

parboiled rice to meet the overall consumption requirement of the country under TPDS, OWS

and type of rice milled in the State.The A.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd.(APSCSCL),

the government‟s agency, shall procure paddy on a large scale to protect the MSP by opening as

many paddy procurement purchase centres as required through Women Self Help Groups (SHG),

Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), District Cooperative Marketing Societies

(DCMS) etc.

The millers may purchase paddy of FAQ at a price not less than the Minimum Support Price.

They shall invariably make payment to the farmers through A/c payee cheques / RTGS / NEFT

transfer. For sale of preferred varieties of rice within the state, no release certificate is required


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by the miller. For sale of rice outside the State, the miller shall take release certificate consequent

on sale of 2 unit of rice within the state for sale of 1 unit of rice out side the State.A.P.S.C.S.C.L

all make necessary arrangements for opening as many paddy purchase centres (PPC), identifying

PPCs and tagging of rice mills to the Paddy Purchasing Centres (PPCs) for custom milling.

Transport arrangements for immediate shifting of paddy to the rice mills or to the intermediary

godowns, if necessary.

Joint team of FCI, govt. to oversee procurement and attend to complaints

Farmers to be paid online through RTGS /NEFT money transfer

If total quantity of CMR falls short of allocation, the Centre will meet the deficit

Non-preferred varieties to be sold without permit or certificate

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Vijayawada/govt-to-procure-36-lakh-mt-of-kharif-paddy-msp-set-

at-rs-1450-per-quintal/article7843814.ece

Iran Comes to Rescue of Indian Rice Farmers as Curbs

Eased

Pratik ParijaNov 04, 2015 4:20 am ET

(Updates shares in final paragraph.)

Iran‟s decision to end curbs on imports is set to boost demand for basmati rice, the aromatic

grain used in biryani and pilaf dishes, and send its prices soaring, according to KRBL Ltd.,

a rice miller and exporter based at Noida, near New Delhi. Exports to Iran may increase for the

first time in two years, the company said.Basmati rice prices plunged more than 50 percent in the

past two years after Iran cut purchases and Indian farmers boosted planting. The easing of

international trade sanctions on Iran sees the country having access to more supplies at a time

when Thailand is looking to dispose of its near-record state stockpiles.

The scrapping of the import ban, imposed to protect domestic farmers during the harvest, may

lead to fresh purchases, according to the All India Rice Exporters Association.“Basmati rice

prices will increase in the domestic market and overseas buyers will also need to increase their

offers,” Anil Kumar Mittal, KRBL‟s chairman, said by phone on Tuesday. “Looking at our

prices, Iran will increase its purchases.”Plunging PricesPrices of some basmati rice in India

slumped to about $700 a ton from as high as $1,600 a ton in 2013 as Iran reduced imports, said

Mittal, who has been trading rice for three decades at the family-owned company founded in

1889. Iranians will prefer Indian basmati rice over white rice from the U.S., he said.Indian

basmati rice exports to Iran dropped 35 percent to 935,567 tons in 2014-15 and Saudi Arabia

replaced it as the largest buyer. Iran‟s total rice imports are seen at 1.6 million tons in 2015-16,

up from 1.5 million tons a year earlier, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

Iran will probably issue new import licenses in December or January, according to R.

Sundaresan, executive director of the All India Rice Exporters Association. Exports may climb

6.9 percent to about 1 million tons in the year through March, Mittal said.India is the world‟s

largest exporter of basmati rice and ships half of its output of about 8.7 million tons to countries

including Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Basmati rice, preferred over other

varieties for its length, aroma, taste and texture after cooking, is mainly grown in India and


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Pakistan.KRBL and other mills retailing packaged rice in India will be able to increase prices

and that‟ll boost their profit, Mittal said. Shares of KRBL and LT Foods Ltd. have more than

doubled this year, while Kohinoor Foods Ltd. jumped 16 percent, on prospects of better

earnings.-

-With assistance from Manish Modi in New Delhi. THE WASHINGTON POST

Iran Comes to Rescue of Indian Rice Farmers as Curbs Eased

Pratik Parija

November 4, 2015 — 12:48 PM PKTUpdated on November 4, 2015 — 2:20 PM PKT

Rice farmers and mills in India are banking on Iran to end a two-year slump in prices.Iran‟s

decision to end curbs on imports is set to boost demand for basmati rice, the aromatic grain used

in biryani and pilaf dishes, and send its prices soaring, according to KRBL Ltd., a rice miller and

exporter based at Noida, near New Delhi. Exports to Iran may increase for the first time in two

years, the company said.Basmati rice prices plunged more than 50 percent in the past two years

after Iran cut purchases and Indian farmers boosted planting.

The easing of international trade sanctions on Iran sees the country having access to more

supplies at a time when Thailand is looking to dispose of its near-record state stockpiles. The

scrapping of the import ban, imposed to protect domestic farmers during the harvest, may lead to

fresh purchases, according to the All India Rice Exporters Association.“Basmati rice prices will

increase in the domestic market and overseas buyers will also need to increase their offers,” Anil

Kumar Mittal, KRBL‟s chairman, said by phone on Tuesday. “Looking at our prices, Iran will

increase its purchases.”

Plunging Prices

Prices of some basmati rice in India slumped to about $700 a ton from as high as $1,600 a ton in

2013 as Iran reduced imports, said Mittal, who has been trading rice for three decades at the

family-owned company founded in 1889. Iranians will prefer Indian basmati rice over white rice


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from the U.S., he said.Indian basmati rice exports to Iran dropped 35 percent to 935,567 tons in

2014-15 and Saudi Arabia replaced it as the largest buyer. Iran‟s total rice imports are seen at 1.6

million tons in 2015-16, up from 1.5 million tons a year earlier, according to U.S. Department of

Agriculture data.

Iran will probably issue new import licenses in December or January, according to R.

Sundaresan, executive director of the All India Rice Exporters Association. Exports may climb

6.9 percent to about 1 million tons in the year through March, Mittal said.India is the world‟s

largest exporter of basmati rice and ships half of its output of about 8.7 million tons to countries

including Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Basmati rice, preferred over other

varieties for its length, aroma, taste and texture after cooking, is mainly grown in India and

Pakistan.KRBL and other mills retailing packaged rice in India will be able to increase prices

and that‟ll boost their profit, Mittal said. Shares of KRBL and LT Foods Ltd. have more than

doubled this year, while Kohinoor Foods Ltd. jumped 16 percent, on prospects of better earnings.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-04/iran-comes-to-rescue-of-indian-rice-farmers-as-

import-ban-ended

In distress, paddy farmers learn harsh lessons Posted at: Nov 4 2015 1:55AM

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Sirhind/Chandigarh, November 3 Call it export crunch or “non-existent demand”, basmati growers of Punjab are forced into

distress sale. Sample this: PUSA-1121 variety of basmati has fetched Rs 1,750-1,800 per quintal.

Last year, the price hovered around Rs 2,800 per quintal. The going rate for the less preferred

1509 variety is anywhere between Rs 1,250 and 1,400 a quintal against last year‟s Rs 2,500 a

quintal.Farmers have decided not to opt for basmati cultivation next season. “Sowing basmati

has cost us heavy. After suffering losses between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per acre crop, we

have decided not to repeat our mistake,” said Sher Singh, a farmer from Jalbera village of

Fatehgarh Sahib.

The “basmati chaos” has reportedly been created by a considerable rise of supplies in the Indian

market and an almost static export of the crop.“Punjab has registered 40 per cent rise in arrival of

basmati at 39 lakh metric tonne as compared to just 22 lakh metric tonne in 2013-14. But the

annual Indian basmati export quotient has been static at 13 lakh metric tonne in the past three

years. This has led to a huge pileup with exporters. We are advising farmers against cultivating

basmati. They will fetch good price only if annual basmati arrival in the markets remain around

20 lakh metric tonne,” said Ravinder Singh Cheema, president of the Punjab Arhtiya Association

and vice-chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board.He said the only way out before the Punjab

Government was to either support basmati growers with a Minimum Support Price or come up

with export and milling policies. “The major problem is that basmati growers of Punjab solely

depend on private players,” said Pushpinder Singh Khinda, a farmer based in Sultanpur Lodhi of


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Kapurthala district.A major reason for an almost nil growth in the crop export was the reported

lack of interest of North America, Europe and Australia due to high pesticide content in it.

“Indian basmati demand is limited to gulf countries only,” Cheema said. http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/in-distress-paddy-farmers-learn-harsh-

lessons/154297.html


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Official denies Iran ban on rice import lifted Wed Nov 4, 2015 11:39AM

Iran needs about 3 million metric tons of rice a year, with the deficit bought from abroad.

An Agriculture Ministry official has denied that Iran had removed a ban on rice imports

aimed at protecting domestic farmers during their harvest.

“Although there is need for imports to adjust domestic market, no authorization has been issued

yet for rice imports,” director general of the grains and basic crops of the ministry Kaveh

Khaksar said on Wednesday.The rebuttal came after another official was quoted as saying that

the import ban had been lifted as of November, prompting a surge among Indian rice

shippers.Khaksar said local farmers had produced 1.8 million metric tons of rice in the current

crop year although harvest was not complete yet.Iran needs about 3 million metric tons of rice a

year, with the deficit bought from abroad.Khaksar said 400,000 metric tons had been already

imported in the first six months of the current Iranian year which ends on March 20, 2016.“The

rice prices are going up and given the ban of over a year, it seems there is need for new imports,”

he said.

On Tuesday, Deputy Agriculture Minister Ali Qanbari was quoted as saying the ban on rice

imports was lifted on Oct. 23 and Iran‟s Government Trading Corporation (GTC) had launched

an international tender to purchase rice. Quoted by the Reuters news agency, Qanbari also said

lifting sanctions would help bring the cost of imported wheat down by as much as 30%.The

removal of sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) would

sharply slash the costs of transportation, he was quoted as saying on the sidelines of a conference

in Dubai."We are hoping that by the lifting of sanctions, especially on IRISL, the costs would

fall by 20 to 30 percent," said Qanbari, who is also the chairman and CEO of GTC.

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/11/04/436271/Iran-agriculture-rice-wheat-imports


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Rice farmers call for ppp to boost production

By GNA

New Edubiase (A/R), Nov 05, GNA - The Association of

Rain-fed lowland rice farmers under the Ministry of food

and Agriculture (MOFA), has called for increased capital

injection through public-private partnership (PPP) to

scale up the production of the local staple. Mr Maxwell Adu - Opoku, the coordinator in charge of

the sustainable rain-fed rice production project in the

Ashanti Region, speaking on behalf of the Association

told the Ghana News Agency that the sector supporting

the lives of about 1,396 farmers and their dependents,

could reduce the country's rice import bills substantially.

"But farmers need to have access to consistent credit facilities and new technology to improve

per hectare yield to make this happen" he added.This he said could be done through public-

private partnership (PPP) to attract young farmers to sustain and revamp the rice industry as the

average 55-60 life expectancy of most of its farmers already in the 55 age bracket, threatens the

survival of the industry.Mr Adu-Opoku who was speaking in an interview at New Edubiase,

stressed the need for intensive research, technology innovation and soft credit facilities to ensure

the sustainability of the jobs of these farmers whose fate now hangs in a balance for lack of

financial assistance.

'It is so sad that returns on investment for rice farmers was far better than any crop currently

grown in Ghana, yet financial and other support to the sector was minimal', he added.The

situation, he said, worsened with the indiscriminate sale of wetlands to illegal miners whiles

Ghana's food import bill for rice continued to rise with more than half of the population living in

abject poverty in remote areas.Mr Adu-poku warned that if this trend continued, the availability

of food in Ghana in the near future will depend on imports making the country vulnerable to

outcomes of external catastrophic events and shocks that negatively affects food production from

external sources.

The sustainable rain-fed lowland rice production project was a bilateral technical cooperation

jointly initiated by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and other partners in 2009

with the objective to increase rice produce and profit margins of rice farmers in the Ashanti

region.However, he said, years of neglect without any continuous [G1] assistance from

government, in the provision of equipment and credit facilities to sustain the operations of the

rice farmers, had stalled the project.

https://www.modernghana.com/news/653831/1/rice-farmers-call-for-ppp-to-boost-production.html


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Thai junta turns to populist subsidies to ease farmer tensions

POSTED: 04 Nov 2015 14:10

Thailand's junta has approved US$1.3 billion (843 million pounds) in rural subsidies, akin to the

populist policies of the government it ousted, to appease disgruntled and politically powerful

farmers who are struggling with record low commodity prices and weak exports.

A rice mill worker holds rice fallen onto the ground in Udon Thani, Thailand, September 16,

2015. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

BANGKOK: Thailand's junta has approved US$1.3 billion (843 million pounds) in rural

subsidies, akin to the populist policies of the government it ousted, to appease disgruntled and

politically powerful farmers who are struggling with record low commodity prices and weak

exports.The rural hartland of Thailand's deposed leader Yingluck Shinawatra and her exiled

billionaire brother Thaksin is hurting as a result of the military government's economic policies,

stirring discontent and the threat of protests.The military government had pledged to wean

farmers off expensive subsidies used by the previous government which it ousted in a 2014 coup.

But last week it approved measures worth around US$1 billion to help rice farmers and on

Tuesday gave the greenlight to US$365 million to help rubber farmers who had threatened to

rally in defiance of a ban on political gatherings.

"In a situation of economic difficulty they have to stimulate consumption and what they think is:

give grassroots people money and it will circulate," said Gothom Arya, an advisor to the Institute

of Human Rights and Peace Studies at Bangkok's Mahidol University."Though the junta's action

is exactly the same as previous governments, they claim that this time money will not leak," said


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Arya.Such measures would have been unthinkable immediately after the coup which ushered in a

junta pledging to "clean up" Thailand and move the country away from corruption associated

with politicians and their populist policies.But seventeen months on, incomes in rural areas,

where more than 34 million Thais live, have collapsed and farmers in the world's second-biggest

rice exporter and top rubber exporter have been calling for the re-introduction of subsidies.

JUNTA FALLING TO SOOTHE TENSIONS

Thailand's farmers have been at the centre of a decade of political turmoil. Military attempts to

disperse 10 weeks of protests by Thaksin's "red shirt" supporters in 2010 left scores dead and

sparked the worst violence in modern Thai history.The subsidies are the latest in a raft of

measures, including soft loans through village funds, by newly appointed Finance Minister

Somkid Jatusripitak, one of the architects of the Shinawatra's populist policies, to appease

farmers and boost the economy.But while aid is rising, farmers remain critical of the junta, which

has not guaranteed crop prices as farmers demand, and their measures are far from the scale of

Yingluck's schemes.

"Rubber prices drop. We make less money. I would rather see the government help raise rubber

prices," said Samai Sribang, 58, a rubber farmer.A Yingluck rice programme which paid almost

50 percent above global market prices, cost around US$14 billion, and fuelled criticism of vote-

buying. She also spent US$620 million building rubber stockpiles under a price support

programme.In January, a military-appointed legislature impeached Yingluck for negligence over

the rice scheme that distorted markets and built up massive rice stockpiles.(Additional reporting

by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Aukkarapon Niyomat; Editing by Michael Perry)

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/thai-junta-turns-to-popul/2237738.html

Thailand's farmers have been at the center of a decade of political turmoil. Military attempts to

disperse 10 weeks of protests by Thaksin's "red shirt" supporters in 2010 left scores dead and

sparked the worst violence in modern Thai history.The subsidies are the latest in a raft of

measures, including soft loans through village funds, by Deputy Prime Minister Somkid

Jatusripitak, one of the architects of Shinawatra's populist policies, to appease farmers and boost

the economy.But while aid is rising, farmers remain critical of the junta, which has not

guaranteed crop prices as farmers demand, and their measures are far from the scale of

Yingluck's schemes."Rubber prices drop. We make less money. I would rather see the

government help raise rubber prices," said Samai Sribang, 58, a rubber farmer.A Yingluck rice

program which paid almost 50 percent above global market prices, cost around $14 billion, and

fueled criticism of vote-buying. She also spent $620 million building rubber stockpiles under a

price support program.In January, a military-appointed legislature impeached Yingluck for

negligence over the rice scheme that distorted markets and built up massive rice stockpiles.

($1 = 35.5200 baht)

(The story was refiled to correct the title of the minister in paragraph 10)


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(Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Aukkarapon Niyomat; Editing byMichael

Perry)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/04/us-thailand-politics-subsidies-

idUSKCN0ST0J520151104

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

Rice

High Low

Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - -

Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Nov '15 1214.5 1200.0 1217.0 +27.5

Jan '16 1245.5 1217.0 1244.5 +27.0

Mar '16 1271.5 1250.0 1270.5 +27.0

May '16 1295.5 +27.0

Jul '16 1319.0 +27.0

Sep '16 1280.0 +26.5

Nov '16 1280.0 +26.5

Rice Comment Rice futures gapped higher for the second time in three days. Global production problems have helped support

the market since the summer. Traders will begin rolling out of November contracts soon to avoid delivery as

the contract expires. January completed a 62% retracement on Thursday to $11.55 and has bounced off support

at that level and has put 90 cents back on the market in only five sessions.

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

Fact Sheet:Regional Partner: West and Central African Council

for Agricultural Research and Development REPORT

from US Agency for International Development

Published on 03 Nov 2015 Objective:

Conduct, coordinate and disseminate research on agriculture practices and improved seeds to

member states and national research centers.

Support from USAID/West Africa:

2002 to Present

Linked Programs:


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CORAF partners with USAID‟sWest African Seed Program.

Geographic Focus:

22 member states: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,

Chad, Congo, Cote d‟Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana,

Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and

Togo.Description

The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development

(CORAF/WECARD) was created in 1987 to “improve the efficiency and effectiveness of small-

scale producers and to promote the agribusiness sector.” It focuses on developing new

technologies and innovations to benefit farmers in the region and on collecting and dispensing

agricultural data. It also strengthens and coordinates the existing regional agricultural systems, as

well as giving policy options to its member states that can encourage agricultural

growth.CORAF/WECARD is one of the main implementers of the Comprehensive Africa

Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Pillar 4, which had the goal of 6 percent

agricultural growth by 2015. To date, nine countries have exceeded this target (Angola, Eritrea,

Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Republic of the Congo, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and

Tanzania) and another four have achieved growth of between 5 and 6 percent. In June 2014, the

African Union extended this mission, setting a new goal of doubling agricultural productivity by

2025

USAID Support

USAID support to CORAF/WECARD has strengthened its capacity to build a solid base of

research information in West Africa. CORAF/WECARD‟s work increases farmer access to

information on food and farming systems, natural resource management, markets and trade,

climate change adaptation and biotechnology. It also focuses on scaling up agricultural

technologies to strengthen the link between research and the farm so farmers can improve

productivity and increase profit. One example of this is in Benin, where CORAF/WECARD

discovered that, if farmers precede rice cultivation with cowpeas, they will get the same yield

from the rice with half of the usual amount of mineral fertilizer. CORAF/WECARD

disseminates thousands of such best practices that have an enormous impact on the labor to profit

ratio of farming in the region.USAID support to CORAF/WECARD also includes improving the

production and availability of quality-certified seeds for farmers in the region through the West

African Seed Program, thus improving farmers‟ yields and crop quality.Activities Supported by

USAID/West Africa in 2013

• Baseline studies on agricultural research and post-harvest research for five value chains

including maize, rice, millet, sorghum and livestock.• Trials on high-yielding varieties of rice,

maize and sorghum resistant to major biotic and abiotic stresses.• Tests to improve the market

quality of targeted cereal and traditional meat processed products. • Capacity building for

producers and agro-processors.Key CORAF/WECARD Technologies and How They are Being

Scaled Up 1) Climate-smart crop varieties like submergence-tolerant rice, drought-tolerant


16

sesame and maize, heat tolerant and high-yielding millet and sorghum. Scaling up methods

include demonstration plots and engaging all value chain actors, from plant breeders to private

sector partners, to encourage commercializing new varieties of seeds.2) Integrated Soil Fertility

Management includes crop and site-specific fertilizer recommendations, best practices to

rehabilitate degraded land and preserve soil fertility, and urea deep-placement (UDP) of fertilizer

to maximize efficiency. These best practices are dispersed through demonstrations of deep

placement of fertilizer and training agro-dealers so they can educate customers on how to most

efficiently use fertilizer

3) Post-Harvest Quality Management through improved storage containers and post-harvest

practices to reduce aflatoxin levels, which in large amounts can cause fungus growth. Promotion

of storage container use and demonstrations of small-scale grain harvest machinery (stripper,

thresher, and winnower) are dramatically reducing waste.

CORAF/WECARD and the Presidential Feed the Future Initiative

Feed the Future is focused on creating sustainable improvements in agriculture by building the

capacity of West African organizations that can take ownership of agricultural work in the

region. CORAF/WECARD‟s work targets every step in the value chains of staple crops and thus

improves every aspect of West African small farmers‟ livelihoods: better yields, more efficient

and sustainable inputs, better access to markets and market data, and less wasteful processing.

CORAF/WECARD‟s strategy aligns with the mission of Feed the Future: holistic and long-term

efforts to eliminate food insecurity in West Africa. http://reliefweb.int/report/world/fact-sheetregional-partner-west-and-central-african-council-

agricultural-research-and

APEDA COMMODITY NEWS FROM INDIA

International Benchmark Price Price on: 03-11-2015

Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price

Garlic

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

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

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

Ginger

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

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

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

Guar Gum Powder

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

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

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

Source:agra-net For more info


17

Market Watch Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 03-11-2015

Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty

Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price

Rice

1 Manjeri (Kerala) Other 2800 3800

2 Bangalore (Karnataka) Medium 4000 4300

3 Samsi (West Bengal) Fine 2790 2820

Wheat

1 Nagpur (Maharashtra) Other 1500 1688

2 Dehgam (Gujarat) Other 1575 1700

3 Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) Other 1460 2300

Mousambi

1 Muktsar (Punjab) Other 2500 3000

2 Hissar (Haryana) Other 3500 3500

3 Mechua (West Bengal) Other 2500 2800

Brinjal

1 Shillong (Meghalaya) Other 2400 3000

2 Nagpur (Maharashtra) Other 400 700

3 Surat (Gujarat) Other 600 1200

Source:agmarknet.nic.in For more info

Egg Rs per 100 No

Price on 03-11-2015

Product Market Center Price

1 Ahmedabad 380

2 Chittoor 363

3 Hyderabad 347

Source: e2necc.com

Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per package

Price on 03-11-2015

Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High

Onions Dry Package: 40 lb cartons

1 Atlanta Peru Yellow 26 26.75

2 Chicago Nevada Yellow 22 24

3 Detroit Peru Yellow 25 26.50

Carrots Package: 20 1-lb film bags

1 Atlanta California Baby Peeled 20 20.75

2 Dallas Arizona Baby Peeled 17 17.50

3 Miami California Baby Peeled 17 17.50

Apples Package: cartons tray pack

1 Atlanta Virginia Red Delicious 24 24

2 Chicago Washington Red Delicious 21 23.50

3 New York California Red Delicious 20 24

Source:USDA


18

2015 USA Rice Outlook Conference Early Bird Registration

Closing; Contest Winner Announced

ARLINGTON, VA- Early bird registration for the 2015 USA

Rice Outlook Conference ends Friday, but that won't matter to

Louisiana's A.J. Sabine who is this week's winner and the Grand

Prize recipient of the #USARiceOutlook hashtag contest. Sabine will receive free registration to

the 2015 USA Rice Outlook Conference in New Orleans for his active participation in the social

media contest.

The month-long #USARiceOutlook contest encouraged members to use the designated hashtag

to share promotional content about the highly-anticipated annual USA Rice Outlook Conference.

The successful initiative resulted in more than 40 uses of the hashtag and nearly 200 interactions

on social media platforms."I think the thing that draws me to the USA Rice Outlook Conference

year after year is the diversity of issues the conference addresses," said Sabine, a member of the

2014-2016 Rice Leadership Development program. "From international trade policy to rice

cooking classes, the USA Rice Outlook Conference offers the ultimate in education on our

industry. That, combined with the camaraderie of catching up with growers, marketers, and

industry leaders-who are just as passionate about rice as I am, in my home town-well, you just

can't beat that kind of experience!"Weekly winners Mark Isbell, Sean Doherty, and Paul Johnson

will receive rice "swag bags" for their participation in the #USARiceOutlook contest. Members

are encouraged to continue using the #USARiceOutlook hashtag throughout the conference.

Contact: Colleen Klemczewski (703) 236-1446

See you in NOLA!

Kroger Dietitians Enjoy Healthy Competition

ARLINGTON, VA -- To celebrate National Rice Month

(NRM) Kroger used its own employee pool to spread the word

about U.S.-grown rice. The supermarket chain, which has more

than 2,500 stores in 34 states, encouraged staff to participate in a

rice recipe contest. Employees shared pictures of their plates

with the hashtag #ricecreations through social media.

"The NRM recipe contest was a fun, creative way to educate

employees at stores throughout the country about the versatility

and health benefits of rice," said Katie Maher, USA Rice director of domestic promotion.

"Kroger has 80,000 employees and we reached them in a way that keeps rice top of mind when

making recommendations to customers and of course, they are shoppers too."


19

Throughout NRM, Kroger's corporate dietitian used social media to post cooking tips, USA Rice

recipes, and nutrition facts about rice while promoting the contest through the company's

employee portal. One post read, "When you eat US rice, you're eating a sustainable grain! US

rice farmers protect & preserve natural resources. Remember to post your #ricecreations photo

for a chance to win $100 and a rice cooker."

More than 100 entries were received and the contest was so successful that the company

extended the promotion for an additional two weeks. Winners for the five best entries were

awarded prizes of gift cards and rice cookers."Encouraging families to cook with U.S.-grown

rice is beneficial in every way, and our associates really enjoyed this messaging," said a Kroger

corporate dietitian. "We saw creative dishes and the exchange of ideas through our internal

social media platform. All in all, this promotion was a success for everyone involved."

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

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 $0.07 per cwt for

long grain and $0.08 per cwt for medium/short grain.

World Price MLG/LDP

Rate

Milled

Value

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt)

Long Grain 15.10 9.53 0.00

Medium/Short

Grain 14.60 9.79 0.00

Brokens 9.11 ---- ----

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


20

The next program announcement is scheduled for November 11, 2015

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for November 4

Month Price Net Change

November 2015 $12.170 + $0.275

January 2016 $12.445 + $0.270

March 2016 $12.705 + $0.270

May 2016 $12.955 + $0.270

July 2016 $13.190 + $0.270

September 2016 $12.800 + $0.265

November 2016 $12.800 + $0.265

Hutchinson urges Cuba credit sales By Scott Morris

This article was published November 4, 2015 at 2:09 a.m.

PHOTO BY BLOOMBERG NEWS / NOAH FRIEDMAN-RUDOVSKY

The MS Simon tanker sails past fishermen at the Port of Havana in June. Congressional leaders

were urged Tuesday to allow Cuba to finance the purchase of U.S. commodities in a letter from

Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday urged congressional leaders to allow Cuba to finance the

purchase of American commodities.Hutchinson, who led a three-day trade mission to Havana in

September, has said previously that the current ban on credit sales to Cuba should be lifted as an

early step toward improvements in relations between the two countries."The current cash-in-

advance requirement limits a potential market of nearly $40 million for Arkansas products

alone," Hutchinson wrote in a letter to the majority and minority leaders of Congress.

Hutchinson urged passage of legislation by Sen. John Boozman and Rep. Rick Crawford, which

would lift the credit restrictions on the sale of agricultural commodities to Cuba. Arkansas' rice,

pork and poultry producers are particularly eager to sell their products to Cuba.Boozman, R-

Ark., said in a telephone interview that he was "working hard" to repeal the credit ban but noted

that it would be difficult because of the vehement opposition of lawmakers from Florida, which


21

has a large Cuban-American population, and other conservatives who say the Cuban government

should be punished for human-rights abuses.

He said the U.S. trade embargo had failed to force political change in Cuba and that the

exchange of goods and ideas was more likely to lead to greater freedoms for Cubans.Boozman

said the best chance for passing his legislation would be to attach it to another bill."We'd like to

find a must-pass piece of legislation before the end of the year to tag this on," he said.Boozman

said the omnibus spending bill that will put into effect the recently approved budget deal was the

most likely vehicle. Lawmakers face a Dec. 11 deadline to pass that bill.Crawford, R-Ark., said

separately that he couldn't predict when the House might act on his bill but said the next step

likely would be a mark-up and hearing before the House Agriculture Committee.

He noted that the committee chairman, K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, is a co-sponsor of the

bill."It's easy to see that Cuba has the potential to be a significant export market for U.S.

agriculture, and I hope my colleagues see this legislation in the context of jobs and economic

impact," Crawford said in an emailed statement.The United States and Cuba restored diplomatic

relations this year after decades of Cold War hostility, and President Barack Obama has called on

Congress to lift the trade embargo. Even with the embargo in place, U.S. companies export

hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of food, health care products and agricultural commodities

to Cuba.

But the credit ban makes it difficult for U.S. businesses to compete with producers from

countries such as Vietnam, which allows Cuba to finance purchases for up to two years, and

overall U.S. trade with Cuba has declined. Some Cuba experts question whether Raul Castro's

government is committed to changing that trend.In his letter, Hutchinson said he had voted to

maintain the embargo while he was a member of Congress."However, I don't believe that lifting

the embargo is an all-or-nothing matter," Hutchinson wrote. "Congress, under your leadership,

can undertake efforts that would benefit Americans while maintaining political pressure on a

regime that has violated human rights for more than 50 years.

"The governor's letter went to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; House Minority Leader Nancy

Pelosi, D-Calif.; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader

Harry Reid, D-Nev.Meanwhile, Dan Hendrix, president and chief executive officer of the

Arkansas World Trade Center, which helped organize Hutchinson's trip, said another trade

mission was being planned for March or April. Hendrix said he was optimistic at least a few of

the companies that sent representatives with Hutchinson would make deals with Cuba before

then."I think we will see some momentum and positive activity between now and March or April

of next year," he said.Hendrix said he could not identify the companies that might be close to

striking deals.

Business on 11/04/2015

Print Headline: Hutchinson urges Cuba credit sales

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/nov/04/hutchinson-urges-cuba-credit-sales-

2015/?f=business&utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+November+4%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday

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

4th november,2015 daily global,regional & local rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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