July 23 , 2015

Vol 5 ,Issue VII

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Nigeria spends N10tr on rice, sugar, wheat since 2005
Posted By: Frank Ikpefanon: July 23, 2015In:

The Federal Government yesterday said the country has spent over N10 trillion on the
importation of rice, sugar, wheat and fish since 2005.The government said the figure indicated
that the country spends over N1 trillion year importing the food items.The Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sonny Echono, said Nigerias food
import bill is growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent, while the country continued to rely
on the importation of food from the global market.Echono spoke during a two-day workshop on
Food Crisis Prevention and Management Charter held at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development in Abuja yesterday.
He added that import dependency was hurting Nigeria farmers, displacing local production and
creating unemployment.According to him, Nigerias unemployment rate is spiralling, driven by
the wave of four million young people entering the workforce every year with only a small
fraction able to find employment.Nigeria became a net importer of food and major importer of
wheat, rice, sugar and fish. Importation of these four commodities accounts for over N1trillion in
foreign exchange every year since 2005. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that
Nigeria is the worlds largest importer of United States hard red and white winter wheat with an
annual food import of N635billion.
It is also the second largest importer of rice (N700billion last year), sugar (N217billion) and fish
(N97billion). Nigerias food imports are growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 per cent per
annum while relying on the import of expensive food on global markets fuels domestic
inflation, he said, lamenting that Nigeria imports what it can produce in abundance.According
to him, import-dependency is hurting local farmers, displacing local production and creating job
loss.Echono, who was represented by the Director of Agriculture, Mr. Damilola Eniayeju,
explained that Nigeria had vast arable land for cultivation, adding that this must be harnessed by
stakeholders in order to effectively prevent food crisis and reduce import to its barest minimum.
He noted that the country has about 174 million people to feed daily as well as its neighbours,
adding that it was time to start thinking of massive agricultural production for export.Nigeria
has huge agricultural potential, with over 84 million hectares of arable land, of which only 40 per
cent is cultivated. A population of over 167 million making it Africas largest market; and 230
billion cubic meters of water, making it one of the richest sources for agricultural growth in the
world.Agriculture contributes to rural peoples livelihoods by providing them with food and
income. In addition, agricultural exports have potential to contribute to the national economy
through generating foreign exchange and improving the balance of payments.The fact that the
bread basket regionNorthcentral part of Nigeria, has the lowest unemployment rate (nine per
cent) in the country suggests that increasing investment in agricukture is a frontal attack on the
unemployment challenge, Echono added
http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-spends-n10tr-on-rice-sugar-wheat-since-2005/
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Have Scientists Found A Way To Feed The World Without
Warming The Planet?
BY NATASHA GEILING

JUL 23, 2015 2:50PMCREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK

Aside from corn, rice might be the single

most important staple crop on Earth.
According to the International Center for
Tropical

Agriculture, more

than

3.5

billion people around the world depend on

rice for at least 20 percent of their daily
caloric intake. But rice is also a major source
of methane, a potent greenhouse gas thats
more effective, at least in the short term, at
trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
Now, scientists at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences think theyve found a
solution: a high-yielding, low-methane type of rice that can cut methane emissions from rice
cultivation by up to 90 percent.To create the starchy, climate-friendly rice, the scientists
transferred a single gene from barley to rice that stimulates the production of starch in grain and
stems. According to the study, published this week in Nature, previous research has shown that
rice plants with smaller root systems tended to expel less methane than plants with larger roots,
and the scientists hoped that by emphasizing starch growth in the stems and grains, the rice
plants would naturally grow smaller root systems.
Root systems in rice secrete the carbohydrates created by photosynthesis when rice paddies
are flooded, the oxygen-devoid environment provides the perfect breeding ground for methaneproducing bacteria that feed on these carbohydrates. By reducing the size of the rice plants
roots, the scientists hoped that they could curb the amount of methane produced in the fields.To
test how the modified rice plants fared in the real world, the scientists planted the rice in two
different fields in China, alongside conventional rice, which served as a benchmark. Over three
years, they measured the methane emitted by the plants in the fall and summer, near the end of
the growing season. They also took measurements of starch content in the plants stems, roots,
and seeds.
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They found the modified rice plants extremely effective at producing starch and curbing methane
emissions. In the summer, when temperatures were highest, the modified rice cut methane
emissions to 0.3 percent of conventional rice. On average, the modified rice produced less than
10 percent the methane of conventional rice, while providing 43 percent more grain per
plant.In an essay in Nature that accompanied the studys publication, Paul Bodelier, a researcher
at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology who was not directly involved with the study, called the
findings a tremendous opportunity for more-sustainable rice cultivation, but cautioned that
large-scale trials are necessary before moving forward with full-scale commerical use.
Without more trials, Bodelier wrote, its difficult to know how the genetic modification impacts
the rice cultivars long-term chances for survival. Its also important to study how the plants
root system impacts microbes in the soil microbes that themselves contribute to
the production and consumption of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and
methane.In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Bruce Linquist, a plant scientist at the
University of California at Davis, echoed Bodeliers sentiment.
The research is too preliminary to know for sure how the genetic modification impacts methane
production, Linquist said, and there is some concern that smaller root systems might impact the
plants ability to take up nutrients.Even if further trials prove the efficacy of the modified rice, it
faces huge hurdles in order to become commercially viable. Largely in response to public
distrust of genetically modified foods, no genetically modified rice has ever been successfully
used in commercial production. Golden rice a genetically modified strain of rice that contains
beta carotene to combat malnutrition in developing countries was ready for full-scale use in
2002, but has faced staunch opposition that has kept it from market for over a decade.
Despite public distrust a January poll conducted by Pew found that 57 percent of
Americansthink genetically modified foods are generally unsafe to eat nearly all scientific
evidence suggests that genetically modified foods pose no threat to human health.There is some
concern, however, about the environmental impact of genetically modified foods. Crops like
Roundup-resistant soy or corn have led to a marked increase in the use of herbicides in the
United States, though some studies have also shown that genetically modified crops have led to a
decrease in the use of some pesticides. Since the low-methane strain of rice isnt bred to be

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herbicide or pesticide resistant, this most likely wont be an issue with this particular strain
though the way that its root-system interacts with microbes in the soil is something to watch.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/07/23/3683754/gmo-rice-climate-change/

SCIENTISTS WARN OF RISK OF ARSENIC IN RICE

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015
Scientists at Queens University in Belfast are warning of the risks of arsenic in rice, in particular for
babies and young children.

They have found that using plenty of water during cooking can significantly cut the level of
arsenic.Coffee percolators have been found to be particularly good for cooking rice.Inorganic
arsenic is found in all types of rice, where its grown under flooded conditions which causes soil
minerals, including arsenic, to be absorbed by the plant.A range of health problems including
bladder and lung cancer can be caused by arsenic consumption.
Professor Andy Mehang of Queens University said that babies in particular can be at risk.

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"There's more concern over young children," he said.He added: "Their exposure to arsenic from
rice is three times higher than adults, so I'd be especially careful to avoid as much as possible a
reliance on rice products for young children - and there are many of them out there.
http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/2015/07/23/scientists-warn-of-risk-of-arsenic-in-rice/

Stuttgart Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center

researchers working to fight rice blast
According to Dr. Yeshi Wamishe, Extension plant pathologist, along with Dr. Jarrod Hardke,
Extension rice agronomist of the UA Cooperative Extension Service, blast has been reported in
four counties in Arkansas (Desha, Prairie, Arkansas and Greene).
By Stuttgart Daily Leader Staff
Posted Jul. 23, 2015 at 4:22 PM
As most rice farmers in Arkansas know, rice blast is one of the most devastating rice
diseases.According to Dr. Yeshi Wamishe, Extension plant pathologist, along with Dr. Jarrod
Hardke, Extension rice agronomist of the UA Cooperative Extension Service, blast has been
reported in four counties in Arkansas (Desha, Prairie, Arkansas and Greene). It has occurred in
fields planted with Jupiter and CL 151 varieties. Last year, almost all rice-producing counties in
Arkansas reported blast disease on several varieties, including Jupiter and CL 151. The extent of
damage varied among the producers surveyed.
Because the blast pathogen is air, seed or residue-borne, it can easily move long distances and
attack the leaves and seedheads of the rice plant. It can cause dramatic yield loss on susceptible
rice varieties under certain conditions.The Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center
(DBNRRC) has worked with university colleagues to develop new tools for producing blast
resistant rice varieties. Drs. Yulin Jia and David Gealy recently had these new findings
published in the prestigious science journal, Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions.
Working with scientists from Washinton University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst
and the University of Arkansas Rice Research and Extension Center, they sought to understand
the genetic basis of weed adaptation in rice to blast disease. The scientists evaluated the disease
reactions of 60 U.S. weedy rice accessions with 14 blast races commonly found in Arkansas and
southern U.S. rice production areas, and investigated the QTLs (quantitative trait loci where rice
genes contribute small effects) associated with blast resistance in two major ecotypes of U.S.
weedy rice. They discovered that U.S. weedy rice had a broad resistance spectrum.

Using a new genetic technique called genotyping by sequencing (GBS) with next gen DNA
sequencing, they identified 28 resistance QTLs in two U.S. weedy rice groups. When they
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compared with publically available databases, they found the resistance genes at these resistance
QTLs are novel, suggesting that U.S. weedy rice is a potential source of novel blast resistance
genes for resistant breeding.According to Dr. Yulin Jia, This is the first report to investigate the
quantitative trait loci with resistance to rice blast in U.S. weedy red rice.
These findings not only provided important insights into the molecular basis of the adaptive
evolution of weeds, but also discovered a potentially important resistance resource for U.S. rice
breeders.Five genetic loci with broad resistance spectra defined in weedy rice can be used to
breed for durable resistance to blast pathogens. These newly identified blast resistance genes
from weedy red rice can be readily used in combination with deployed major blast resistance
genes to effectively prevent blast disease in Arkansas. For more information, contact Jia at the
DBNRRC.
http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/article/20150723/NEWS/150729782

GMO Rice Produces Higher Yields, Less Greenhouse Gases

By Jim Algar, Tech Times | July 23, 9:02 PM

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An alteration of a single gene produces a strain of rice that yields more grain but creates less
methane, researchers say. The finding could bring more sustainable rice production to help feed
the world, they say.
(Photo : Spencer Platt | Getty Images)
A new strain of GMO rice, with just a single altered gene, shows significant increases in yield
per acre while reducing emission of methane, a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon
dioxide.A single gene borrowed from barley has created the new strain that produces 43 percent
more rice grain per plant while creating significantly less methane, researchers say.With more
than half of the world's population consuming rice as a dietary stable, rice paddies around the
world constitute one of the largest human-linked sources of methane, with a greenhouse gas
effect 20 times that of carbon dioxide.
It is estimated global rice production puts between 25 million and 100 million metric tons of
methane into the atmosphere each year.The researchers inserted a barley gene into the rice to
cause it to store more carbon in the form of starch and sugar in its stems and grains, and less in
its roots, they report in their study appearing in the journal Nature.In rice paddies, the plants'
roots leak carbon into the soil, where it is converted into methane by microbes. With less carbon
in the roots, there is less raw material for the microbes to work on, the researchers explain.In
laboratory tests and field trials in China, methane emissions from the GMO rice were 0.3 percent
compared with 10 percent produced by non-modified rice, they say.
"For three years of field trials it worked very well," says study senior author Chuanxin Sun of the
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.At the other end of the plants, the grain was
starchier than conventional rice, increasing the food yield of the plants.The dual benefits
higher yield with lower methane emissions suggest "a tremendous opportunity for moresustainable rice cultivation," Paul Bodelier, a microbial ecologist at the Netherlands Institute of
Ecology, wrote in an essay accompanying the published Nature study.It could be the better part
of 10 years before this new strain of rice is widely available, the researchers caution, as more
testing and more extensive field trials need to take place first.
It will also take years to selectively breed the genetic modification into a new variety of rice in
sufficient volume to begin sending it to farmers for planting and harvesting, they say."Right now,
of course, it's a GMO issue, and we cannot deliver this variety directly to farmers," says Sun.
"We have to use traditional breeding methods and breed the new, society-acceptable variety for
farmers.

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http://www.techtimes.com/articles/71475/20150723/gmo-rice-produces-higher-yields-less-greenhousegases.htm

Rice cooked in coffee maker can reduce arsenic intake

Rice has 10 times more arsenic than other foods because it is grown in flood plains.

By Stephen Feller | July 23, 2015 at 12:33 PM

Up to 85 percent of arsenic in rice, absorbed from soil in floodplains, can be removed by cooking it in a
coffee maker instead of boiling it in a pan. Photo by Mrs_ya/Shutterstock

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, July 23 (UPI) -- Researchers are suggesting people cook rice in a
coffee maker instead of boiling it in a pan to reduce potentially harmful levels of arsenic in the
food.Rice contains on average 10 times more arsenic than other foods because it is grown in
flood plains. This causes inorganic arsenic to be released by soil minerals, which are then
absorbed by the plant."This is a very significant breakthrough as this offers an immediate
solution to decreasing inorganic arsenic in the diet," said Andy Meharg, a professor of Plant and
Soil Sciences at Queen's Institute for Global Food Security, in a press release.Researchers sought
a simple way to remove arsenic from rice by testing two types of percolating technology, one a
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normal store-bought coffee maker using tap water and the other using freshly hot distilled water
recycled by condensing boiling-water steam.
Both methods removed up to 85 percent of arsenic depending on the type of rice. The steam
method of percolating on average removed 59 percent of arsenic from white rice and 69 percent
from whole grain rice. The store-bought filtration coffee maker removed and average of 49
percent of arsenic from samples of 6 white and 6 whole grain brands of coffee."We discovered
that by using percolating technology, where cooking water is continually passed through rice in a
constant flow, we could maximize removal of arsenic," Meharg said. "Chronic exposure to
inorganic arsenic can cause a range of health problems including developmental problems, heart
disease, diabetes and nervous system damage. However, most worrying are lung and bladder
cancers."The researchers said that children and infants were of most concern for arsenic
poisoning because they eat about 3 times as much rice as adults, and their organs are still
developing.
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/07/23/Rice-cooked-in-coffee-maker-can-reduce-arsenicintake/4051437665024/

Rice Expo scheduled for Aug. 7 in Stuttgart

Posted: Thursday, July 23, 2015 9:06 am
By Mary Hightower U of A System Division of Agriculture

Gov. Asa Hutchinson will deliver the keynote at this years Arkansas Rice Expo, set for Friday,
Aug. 7, in Stuttgart.The half-day event opens at 8 a.m. at the Grand Prairie Center, 2709 U.S.
165 in Stuttgart. There is no cost to attend and the event ends with a catfish lunch. Field tours of
research plots, food demonstrations and family fun are all part of the expo, a salute by the
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture to rice production in Arkansas.Arkansas
is Americas No. 1 rice state, growing more than half of the rice produced in the United States,
said Mark Cochran, head of the UA Systems Division of Agriculture.
The Rice Expo is our opportunity to celebrate the successes of the farmers who make
agriculture the states largest industry and share some of the exciting developments from our
research and extension programs.We also see the Rice Expo as our open house an invitation
for the community to meet our researchers and extension educators and see their work firsthand, he said. We are very pleased that Gov. Hutchinson will be our keynote speaker this
year.The governor is scheduled to speak at 11 a.m.Hutchinson is no stranger to the Arkansas
Rice Expo, having attended the last two years.
Rice industry issues
This years event features breakout sessions that focus on issues looming large in the rice
industry, including the implications of rice trade with Cuba, marketing rice and managing
barnyardgrass.Expo-goers will get an up close and personal look at the work being done for the
rice industry by Division researchers, who will be leading field tours.Event attendees with
problems in the garden or landscape can take advantage of the plant disease clinic by bringing
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samples for diagnosis.There will also be a feral hog exhibit, food preservation clinic, equipment
display and an update on crop application technologies.Staff from the Arkansas 4-H Youth
Development program will be there with activities for youngsters.Dont miss the cooking
demonstrations and tastings, and see the finalists in the rice recipe contest and the creativity on
display in the rice tabletop centerpiece competition.
http://mymonticellonews.net/news/article_0222825c-3144-11e5-86db-335bed00ccbe.html

PH may import more rice as El Nino worry persists

Reuters
Posted at 07/23/2015 4:20 PM | Updated as of 07/23/2015 6:24 PM

MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers, could ship in
more to boost buffer stocks and keep local prices stable because of an El Nino dry weather
pattern now forecast to last until next year, potentially hurting the local harvest."The economic
managers have indicated that they are reassessing the rice supply-demand conditions for the rest
of the year (to see) if there is a need to do another importation," Zeno Ronald Abenoja, director
at the Department of Economic Research of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said on
Thursday.The central bank is represented in the National Food Authority Council (NFA), which
approves rice imports.Purchases this year have reached 750,000 tonnes - 550,000 tonnes from
Vietnam and the rest from Thailand.
The NFA has permission from President Benigno Aquino to import an additional 250,000 tonnes
if drought conditions worsen and hurt local rice production.Timely imports of the staple have
prevented a repeat of last year's spike in rice prices caused by damage to supply chains from
Super Typhoon Haiyan in late 2013. Food prices have a weighting of 39 percent in the consumer
price index.Central bank Governor Amando Tetangco, in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday,
said he saw no need to alter monetary policy settings for now but cited the potential threat of an
extended El Nino as one of the reasons to be careful.
Inflation is expected to inch up later in the year, after slowing to a two-decade low in June, due
to the potential impact of the worsening dry spell and possible adjustments to electricity
prices.Latest government data shows local rice prices have fallen around 5 percent from a year
earlier. The expectation now is for the domestic harvest to be "lean" in the third quarter before
rebounding in the final three months, Abenoja said.The Philippines' weather bureau forecasts a
"moderate" El Nino that is likely to intensify and last until early next year.Private rice traders
have also been given permission to import 805,200 tonnes of rice with a tariff of 35 percent,
although so far they have applied to ship in only about 300,000 tonnes.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/07/23/15/ph-looking-import-extra-rice-el-nino-intensifies

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PHL worlds 8th biggest rice producer by 2016World Bank
byMary Grace Padin - July 23, 2015
The Philippines will be the worlds eighth-largest rice producer by the end of 2016, according to
the latest report released by the World Bank.In the report, titled Commodity Markets Outlook, the
World Bank estimated that the Philippines is estimated to produce 12.4 million metric tons
(MMT) of milled rice by the end of 2016. In 2015 the World Bank estimates that the country will
produce some 11.9 MMT of milled rice.The worlds largest rice producer is China, which is
estimated to produce 146 MMT by 2016 and 144.5 MMT of milled rice by 2015.Global rice
production is set to increase in 2015-2016 by 4 MMT [from last seasons 476 MMT] in response
to better crops in Asian rice-producing countries, including China, India and Indonesia, the
report stated.
With the expected increase in production, the World Bank estimated that the countrys rice
imports will decline to 1.3 MMT by the end of 2016 from the expected 1.7 MMT this year.This
will make the country the worlds sixth-largest importer of the commodity by 2016. The largest
importer of rice is also China which is expected to import some 4.7 MMT by 2016.The World
Bank estimated that the Philippiness rice stocks may reach 2.5 MMT by 2016. This is higher
than the rice stocks this year, which is estimated at around 2.1 MMT.The report also bared the
World Banks rice-price estimates, particularly for Thailand-sourced rice. Data showed that the
prices are expected to escalate to $410 per metric ton (MT) by 2025 from $400 per MT in 2015.
Agricultural prices fell 2.6 percent in the quarter, due to large declines in food commodities
especially edible oils and grains on further improvements of supply conditions and despite
some adverse weather in North America and El Nio fears.The World Bank expects agriculture
prices to average 11 percent below 2014 levels this year, revised downward from 9 percent in
April, the World Bank said.Meanwhile, the World Bank increased its 2015 forecast for crude
oil prices from $53 in April to $57 per barrel after oil prices rose 17 percent in the April to June
quarter.
The World Bank reports that energy prices rose 12 percent in the quarter, with the surge in oil
offset by declines in natural gas (down 13 percent) and coal prices (down 4 percent).However,
the World Bank expects energy prices to average 39 percent below 2014 levels. Natural gas
prices are projected to decline across all three main marketsthe US, Europe and Asiaand
coal prices to fall 17 percent.Excluding energy, the World Bank reports a 2-percent decline in
prices for the quarter, and forecasts that nonenergy prices will average 12 percent below 2014
levels this year.Demand for crude oil was higher than expected in the second quarter. Despite
the marginal increase in the price forecast for 2015, large inventories and rising output from
Opec [Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries] members suggest prices will likely
remain weak in the medium-term, said John Baffes, senior economist and lead author of
Commodity Markets Outlook.
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/phl-worlds-8th-biggest-rice-producer-by-2016-world-bank/
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Japan

may allow import of less than 100,000 tons rice under

TPP
The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News NetworkThursday, Jul 23, 2015

TPP minister Akira Amari aims to reach agreements with his US and Australian counterparts in
separate talks later this month. Photo: Reuters
The government considers allowing less than 100,000 tons of rice to be imported from the
United States and Australia under the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, it has been
learned.Under Japan's planned tariff-free import quota for rice as a staple food, the amount for
the United States could be increased to 70,000-80,000 tons, while Australia would be granted
about one-tenth of the US amount, according to sources.TPP minister Akira Amari aims to reach
agreements with his US and Australian counterparts in separate talks later this month, the
sources said.
http://business.asiaone.com/news/japan-may-allow-import-less-100000-tons-rice-under-tpp

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Govt. allocates Rs.6,000 Mn for Yala season paddy
purchases
Published inLatest - Defence
The government has allocated 6,000 million rupees to purchase paddy for Yala Season, the
Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne said at the Cabinet Press briefing held today at the
Government Information Department.He said the Cabinet has granted approval to release a loan
of Rs.6,000 million to the Paddy Marketing Board for these purchases. The Bank of Ceylon will
provide 4,000 million rupees and the people's bank the balance Rs.2,000 rupees to meet this
requirement. It is expected to purchase 120,000 M/T of paddy from all districts in the
country. The Sub committee on paddy purchase which was appointed by the Cabinet has met on
Wednesday(22) to discuss the modalities of the process and to adhere new purchasing methods
in order to implement the process effectively.

http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/item/8817-govt-allocates-rs-6-000-mn-for-yala-season-paddypurchases

Govt. allocates Rs.6,000 Mn for Yala season paddy

purchases
Published inLatest - Defence
The government has allocated 6,000 million rupees to purchase paddy for Yala Season, the
Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne said at the Cabinet Press briefing held today at the
Government Information Department.He said the Cabinet has granted approval to release a loan
of Rs.6,000 million to the Paddy Marketing Board for these purchases. The Bank of Ceylon will
provide 4,000 million rupees and the people's bank the balance Rs.2,000 rupees to meet this
requirement. It is expected to purchase 120,000 M/T of paddy from all districts in the
country.The Sub committee on paddy purchase which was appointed by the Cabinet has met on
Wednesday(22) to discuss the modalities of the process and to adhere new purchasing methods
in order to implement the process effectively.
http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/item/8817-govt-allocates-rs-6-000-mn-for-yala-season-paddy-purchases

Thai government told to 'cut water use'

ALL STATE agencies have been told to cut water use by 10 per cent while people in the
country, businesses and the industrial sector have also been urged to save and reduce water usage
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during this severe drought period.Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha issued the
instructions while presiding over the first National Water Resource Committee meeting at
Government House yesterday.
The committee was given strategies on water resource management to increase water access
nationwide and to tackle drought and flood issues in the long term."There are 12 projects aimed
at solving shortage for every kind of water use.The agriculture sector will get maximum water
share, followed by water for sustaining the ecology, for domestic use and for industrial use,"
Prayut explained.The 12 projects would prioritise increased tap water accessibility and focus on
preventing drought and flood in the long term.According to the plan, a total of 7,490 villages
would have access to piped water by 2021.The irrigation area will increase to 8.7 million rai in
2026 because of more ponds and artesian wells to supply water for farmlands.
The total water available for agriculture in 2026 will rise to 7,842 million cubic metres, up
sharply from the present 2,074 million cubic metres.It is estimated that the overall expense on
the projects until 2016 would be up to Bt80 billion.Prayut insisted that the government was
looking after every sector and emphasised that everyone should use the water within their
quota."If everyone doesn't use water responsibly, there will surely be a water shortage for all
sectors because all activities share the same water source," he warned.Water Resources
Department director Jatuporn Buruspat said to save water and be a role model for others, Prayut
had ordered government agencies to cut water use by 10 per cent from the current 19 per cent of
tap-water share.
Jatuporn said that while domestic, business and industrial water consumers were not ordered to
reduce water usage, the government would urge them to voluntarily save water.Regarding the
agricultural sector the biggest consumer of water he said Prayut had told the Agriculture
Department to encourage farmers to grow plants that needed less water and to re-zone
agricultural land use.He said long-term solutions included considering ways to draw water from
international rivers to Thailand; finding ways to use water at the bottom of dams; construction of
pipes to send raw water for domestic use in the capital directly from the northern region's water
source."Those plans are for the future, which still require further feasibility studies of possible
impacts, and negotiation with all stakeholders," he added.
Meanwhile, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has granted 5,000 packs of drinking water to
drought-affected residents in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi, Lam Lukka and Nong Seu districts, a
senior official at the Princess' Personal Affairs Division, Pradith Arnpothong, said
yesterday.Rice farmers in the Chao Phraya basin yesterday started pumping water into their rice
fields after the government approved the water release on Tuesday. Ayutthaya Governor Apichat
Todilokvechm said four sluice gates - Chao Ched, Lad Chado, Phak Hai and Khanom Jeen were
opened, allowing the irrigation of more than 100,000 rai of rice fields in Sena, Phak Hai and
Bang Sai districts.
In Lop Buri's Tha Wung district, Bang Nga subdistrict municipality workers installed more
pumps to deliver water from Chao Phraya River to the area's 16,000 rai of dying crops, half of
which could be saved by this operation.In Phichit's Muang district, farmers persisted with
pumping the remaining water from an irrigation canal onto rice fields, in defiance of the Royal
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Irrigation Department's orders to suspend the activities in keeping with the government's
policy.Uttaradit's Sirikit Dam reportedly received 17 million cubic metres of water per day due
to the increase in rainfall and local farmers were advised to dig a pool to store the water.Dam
director Suthep Lertmongkol said the dam would still release 11 million cubic metres of water
daily until August as per the Cabinet resolution. The dam level was at 276 million cubic metres
or four per cent of capacity, which is considered critical, he added.
http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/thai-government-told-cut-water-use

PH may import more rice as El Nino worry persists

Reuters
Posted at 07/23/2015 4:20 PM | Updated as of 07/23/2015 6:24 PM
MANILA (UPDATE) - The Philippines, one of the world's biggest rice importers, could ship in
more to boost buffer stocks and keep local prices stable because of an El Nino dry weather
pattern now forecast to last until next year, potentially hurting the local harvest."The economic
managers have indicated that they are reassessing the rice supply-demand conditions for the rest
of the year (to see) if there is a need to do another importation," Zeno Ronald Abenoja, director
at the Department of Economic Research of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said on
Thursday.The central bank is represented in the National Food Authority Council (NFA), which
approves rice imports.
Purchases this year have reached 750,000 tonnes - 550,000 tonnes from Vietnam and the rest
from Thailand. The NFA has permission from President Benigno Aquino to import an additional
250,000 tonnes if drought conditions worsen and hurt local rice production.Timely imports of the
staple have prevented a repeat of last year's spike in rice prices caused by damage to supply
chains from Super Typhoon Haiyan in late 2013. Food prices have a weighting of 39 percent in
the consumer price index.Central bank Governor Amando Tetangco, in an interview with
Reuters on Tuesday, said he saw no need to alter monetary policy settings for now but cited the
potential threat of an extended El Nino as one of the reasons to be careful.
Inflation is expected to inch up later in the year, after slowing to a two-decade low in June, due
to the potential impact of the worsening dry spell and possible adjustments to electricity
prices.Latest government data shows local rice prices have fallen around 5 percent from a year
earlier. The expectation now is for the domestic harvest to be "lean" in the third quarter before
rebounding in the final three months, Abenoja said.The Philippines' weather bureau forecasts a
"moderate" El Nino that is likely to intensify and last until early next year.Private rice traders
have also been given permission to import 805,200 tonnes of rice with a tariff of 35 percent,
although so far they have applied to ship in only about 300,000 tonnes.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/07/23/15/ph-looking-import-extra-rice-el-nino-intensifies

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USA Rice Gets In-depth Look at Japan Market
Yumi Kojima leads the discussion
TOKYO, JAPAN -- Last week USA Rice leaders engaged in the export trade to Japan received a
detailed briefing on USA Rice's promotional activities in Japan, where the focus is on the quality
and safety of U.S. rice and the promotion of U.S. medium grain rice to the foodservice sector,
deli operators, and retailers. U.S. rice is under particular challenge today because the depressed
domestic price of Japanese rice, coupled with the high costs imposed by the Japanese
government in the operation of the Simultaneous Buy-Sell system, severely reduces the cost
competitiveness of imported U.S. rice.
Yumi Kojima, head of USA Rice's representative office in Tokyo, outlined Japan's domestic rice
market situation, the relative competitive position of imported rice from various origins to
Japanese rice, and outreach and promotion efforts to consumers, bloggers, restaurants, and
retailers.While here, the USA Rice team also attended the 18th annual U.S.-Japan rice technical
meeting and met with staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural
Service posted to the U.S. embassy.
"These annual meetings are an excellent and important venue for discussing and resolving
technical issues with our Japanese counterparts with the goal of better mutual understanding and
more efficient rice trade between our two countries," said Alex T. Balafoutis, U.S. delegation
chairman and vice president, PGP International, Inc.

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Both sides exchanged reports on the rice supply and demand situation in the United States and
Japan, the U.S. rice export situation, and concluded with a discussion and overall positive
assessment of the quality of U.S. rice. In addition to Chairman Balafoutis, the U.S. delegation
included Todd Burich, ADM Rice; Jess Errecarte, SunWest Foods; Jim Higa, Sun Valley Rice
Co.; Kirk Messick, Farmers' Rice Cooperative; Michael Rue, rice producer, and USA Rice COO
Bob Cummings.

Contact: Bob Cummings (703) 236-1473

USA Rice Federation

EPA Sets New Threshold for SPCC Rule

WASHINGTON, DC -- Recently the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) Office of Emergency Management released the findings
of a study to determine the aggregate aboveground oil storage capacity
threshold for farms subject to the Spill Prevention Control and
Countermeasure (SPCC). The EPA storage capacity report was a
requirement of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act
(WRRDA) of 2014.
Without a national registration database of aboveground oil storage tanks on farms, EPA used
anecdotal and other data to determine that the original 1,320 gallon capacity threshold was
appropriate. However, the WRRDA required a new threshold of between 2,500 gallons and
6,000 gallons. EPA has opted for the minimum 2,500 gallon threshold as the new trigger for
compliance under SPCC -- a move that EPA states will exempt more than 80 percent of farms in
the United States.
In response to the new WRRDA report, Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) plans to
reintroduce the Farmers Undertake Environmental Stewardship (FUELS) Act, which modifies
EPA's SPCC regulations applicability on farms and raises the exemption level for a single
container up to 10,000 gallons.

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A fact sheet on the WRRDA-compliant SPCC rule for farms can be found here.
Contact: Steve Hensley (703) 236-1445

Nigeria: Kebbi Targets 500,000 Tonnes of Rice From Local

Farmers
By Garba Muhammad

Birnin Kebbi The Kebbi State Government has initiated a programme to, in collaboration
with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), provide support to rice farmers for the production of
500,000 metrics tonnes of rice this year.Governor Atiku Bagudu made the disclosure when he
received delegates of commercial rice millers and farmers led by the Special Adviser to the CBN
Governor on Finance, Mr Paul N. Eluhaiwe, in Birnin Kebbi.He stressed the need to obtain rice
quality project certification, adding that the state government already has in store, 9,000 tonnes
of rice.He called on commercial millers to provide seedling on the variety their firms preferred,
to enable farmers produce the required quality.
According to the governor, "additional farmland would be cleared and young farmers would be
provided with funds and extension services to boost production."Strategies would be worked out
for transportation of produce to the designated centres," he said.The CBN delegation and the
commercial rice millers earlier undertook tour of some rice production centres in Bunza, Suru,
Jega, Birnin-Kebbi and Argungu to assess quality and variety of rice proposed for processing in
commercial quality.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201507231470.html

Pakistan asks Kenya to lower import duty on rice

Facing surplus rice stocks of close to 1 million ton due to fallingCOMMODITY PRICES in the
international market, Pakistan has asked Kenya to lower the import duty on Pakistani rice which is
affecting rice exports.Finance Minister Ishaq had a meeting with Kenyan High Commissioner Prof Julius
Kibet Bitok on Thursday. The minister highlighted the issue regarding enhancement in import duty on
Pakistani rice by Kenya and asked for a review of the matter.He said that enhancement of the duty was
affecting Pakistani rice exports to Kenya. The matter regarding import of Kenyan tea in Pakistan was also
discussed with emphasis on efforts to ensure import through regular channels.
It is important to mention that Pakistani exporters use Kenya as a hub for exports to the Africa region.
Pakistani exporters are facing stiff competition from Indian, Thai and Vietnamese exporters. Pakistan, for
the last two years, has not managed to export its surplus rice and this year another bumper crop of 7
million tons is expected which is estimated to increase the exportable surplus for current 0.6 million tons
to over 1 million tons.The lowering internationalCOMMODITY PRICES are impacting the farmer,
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whose cost of production is estimated around Rs 70,000 per acre but in return they are getting Rs 36,000
per acre. The government is under pressure to buy the surplus stocks from the rice mills and export them
on government to government basis to protect the farmers
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/07/23/business/pakistan-asks-kenya-to-lower-import-duty-onrice/

Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported

WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 9,400 MT for 2014/2015 were down 91 percent from the
previous week and 88 percent from the prior four-week average, according to today's Export Sales
Highlights report. Increases were reported for Venezuela (30,000 MT switched from unknown
destinations), Haiti (14,300 MT), Mexico (6,800 MT), New Guinea (3,200 MT), and Canada (1,300
MT). Decreases were reported for unknown destinations (28,000 MT), Turkey (20,000 MT), and Taiwan
(300 MT). Net sales of 132,400 MT for 2015/2016 were reported for Iraq (60,000 MT), Iran (60,000
MT),
unknown
destinations
(5,500
MT),
and
Honduras
(3,400
MT).
Exports of 92,400 MT were up noticeably from the previous week and up 53 percent from the prior fourweek average. The primary destinations were Venezuela (30,000 MT), Haiti (14,300 MT), Mexico
(12,700
MT),
Japan
(12,000
MT),
and
Ghana
(7,000
MT).
This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period July 10-16, 2015.

Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open-July 23

Nagpur, July 23 Gram and tuar prices reported higher in Nagpur Agriculture Produce
and Marketing Committee (APMC) here on good buying support from local millers amid weak
supplyfrom producing regions because of rains. Healthy rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses and
reporteddemand from South-based millers also boosted prices, according to sources.
*

FOODGRAINS & PULSES

GRAM
* Gram varieties ruled steady in open market here but demand was poor.
TUAR
* Tuar gavarani recovered in open market on increased demand from local traders amid
tight supply from producing belts. Estimate about weak production in this season
also activated stockists.
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* Batri dal and Lakhodi dal firmed up in open market here on good seasonal demand
from local traders amid restricted supply from producing regions.
* In Akola, Tuar - 7,100-7,200, Tuar dal - 10,100-10,300, Udid at 9,500-9,900,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 11,000-11,400, Moong - 7,000-8,000, Moong Mogar
(clean) 9,800-10,100, Gram - 4,100-4,200, Gram Super best bold - 5,700-5,900
for 100 kg.
* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market
in thin trading activity, according to sources.
Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg
FOODGRAINS
Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction
3,800-4,590
3,800-4,510
Gram Pink Auction
n.a.
2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction
6,700-7,530
6,700-7,480
Moong Auction
n.a.
6,000-6,400
Udid Auction
n.a.
4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction
n.a.
2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold
6,000-6,200
6,000-6,200
Gram Super Best
n.a.
Gram Medium Best
5,700-5,800
5,700-5,800
Gram Dal Medium
n.a.
n.a.
Gram Mill Quality
5,350-5,550
5,350-5,550
Desi gram Raw
4,550-4,650
4,550-4,650
Gram Filter new
5,950-6,150
5,950-6,150
Gram Kabuli
5,600-7,100
5,600-7,100
Gram Pink
6,500-6,700
6,500-6,700
Tuar Fataka Best
10,600-10,850
10,600-10,850
Tuar Fataka Medium
10,200-10,500
10,200-10,500
Tuar Dal Best Phod
9,700-9,900
9,700-9,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod
9,200-9,500
9,200-9,500
Tuar Gavarani New
7,700-7,800
7,650-7,750
Tuar Karnataka
8,100-8,300
8,100-8,300
Tuar Black
11,000-11,300
11,000-11,300
Masoor dal best
8,000-8,300
8,000-8,300
Masoor dal medium
7,700-7,900
7,700-7,900
Masoor
n.a.
n.a.
Moong Mogar bold
9,500-10,500
9,500-10,500
Moong Mogar Medium best
8,800-9,200
8,800-9,200
Moong dal Chilka
8,800-9,200
8,800-9,800
Moong Mill quality
n.a.
n.a.
Moong Chamki best
9,600-9,900
9,600-9,900
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Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 11,200-11,800
11,200-11,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 10,600-11,000
10,600-11,000
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG)
9,200-9,600
9,200-9,600
Batri dal (100 INR/KG)
4,600-5,000
4,400-4,800
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg)
3,300-3,400
3,250-3,350
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG)
3,300-3,400
3,300-3,400
Watana White (100 INR/KG)
3,100-3,200
3,100-3,200
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,800
3,200-3,800
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG)
1,400-1,500
1,400-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,550-1,700
1,550-1,700
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG)
1,300-1,500
1,300-1,500
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,200-2,400
2,200-2,400
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,900-2,100
1,900-2,100
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a.
n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,700
3,200-3,700
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,550-2,850
2,550-2,850
Rice BPT New(100 INR/KG)
2,750-2,900
2,750-2,900
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG)
3,050-3,300
3,050-3,300
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG)
1,600-1,750
1,600-1,750
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG)
2,200-2,450
2,200-2,450
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,700
2,500-2,700
Rice HMT new(100 INR/KG)
3,100-3,600
3,100-3,600
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG)
3,800-4,200
3,800-4,200
Rice HMT Shriram New(100 INR/KG) 4,200-4,500
4,200-4,500
Rice HMT Shriram old (100 INR/KG) 4,500-5,100
4,500-5,100
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 8,000-10,000
8,000-10,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-7,500
7,000-7,500
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 4,500-4,800
4,500-4,800
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG)
5,100-5,500
5,100-5,500
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG)
2,100-2,350
2,100-2,350
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG)
2,400-2,500
2,400-2,500
WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 33.2 degree Celsius (91.8 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.7 degree Celsius (76.5 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : 9.6 mm
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Rains or thunder-showers likely. Maximum and minimum
temperature would be around and 33 and 25 degree Celsius respectively.
Note: n.a.--not available
(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/23/nagpur-foodgrain-idINL3N1033GD20150723

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The best and worst baby foods revealed
JULY 23, 2015 5:30PM

Smart choices ... a new study has named the best and worst baby foods on the market. Source: Supplied

THE best and worst baby foods have been revealed in a new study that finds nearly half of
Australias baby foods get a four out of five star health rating.Australias baby foods have been
hailed as healthier than salt and sugar-laden products in Britain and Canada.However, parents are
warned more than half of all commercial baby foods are fruit-based and there is a risk babies
could develop a sweet tooth.
Their relatively high sugar content deriving from fruits requires close attention to ensure these
foods do not replace more nutrient dense foods, given children have an innate preference for
sweet tastes, the study says.The research by the George Institute which looked at 309 baby food
products shows 30 per cent of products are high in sugar.Only six per cent were high in saturated
fat and only six per cent were high in salt, the study published in the Journal of Maternal Child
Health shows.The message for mums and dads is that generally the products are good, but some
arent good, says University of Sydney researcher Professor Victoria Flood.Only 25 products
had a Health Star Rating of less than 3 stars while 45 per cent were four out of five stars.
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Look out ... babies could develop a sweet tooth from fruit-based treats. Source: Getty Images

The study found the worst baby foods tended to be dry finger food products and snack bars.
The four worst products were:
Heinz Little Kids Yoghurt Muesli Fingers Fruit Salad had 38.5 grams of sugar and 75 grams of
salt per 100 grams.Raffertys Garden Fruit Snack Bars Blueberry Banana Apple contained 40.1
grams of sugar and 170 grams of salt per 100 grams.Heinz Little Kids Wholegrain Cereal Bars
Apple and Strawberry with yoghurt flavour had 35 grams of sugar and 80 grams of salt per 100
grams.Raffertys Garden Fruit Snack bars with banana had 37.2 grams of sugar and 220 grams of
slat per 100 grams.The study found Australianj baby foods had less sugar and salt than foods in
the UK and Canada.

Healthier ... Australian baby foods had less salt and sugar than foods in the UK and Canada. Picture Getty
Images.Source: Getty Images
The four best products were Only Organic Pasta Bolognese which contains just 4.2 grams of sugar and 20
grams of salt per 100 grams.

Best baby food ... Only Organic pasta bolognese. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

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Raffertys Garden Beef with Veggies and Basmati Rice had 1.3 grams of sugar
and 15 grams of salt per 100 grams.Only Organic Pear, Purple Carrot, Blueberry
and Quinoa had 4.6 grams of sugar and 11 grams of salt per 100 grams.Heinz
Little Kids Tender Beef and Vegetable had 2.9 grams of sugar and 35 grams of
salt per 100 grams.Obesity experts have hailed the first three years of a childs
life as crucial to setting up their food preferences for life.They warn overloading
children with sweet and salty foods will establish a lifetime preference for these
sorts of flavours associated with obesity inducing junk foods.

Think about it ... the first three years of a childs life are crucial to setting up their food preferences for
life. Source: Getty Images
Professor Flood says parents should
persevere with introducing vegetables
to their children.Sometimes youve
got to do it 10,15, 20 times before
they

will

take

it,

she

says.Commercial baby foods are

consumed by 90 per cent of children
by the time they are nine months old
so their impact on the childs food
preferences cannot be over stated.The
market for commercial baby food is
growing at 4.8 per cent a year and is
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now worth $300 million a year.Part of the increase in this market can be attributed to time-poor parents
needing to make quick food decisions and that isnt likely to change any time soon, so we need to get it
right, says George Institute for Global Health Professor Bruce Neal.

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for July 23

Month

Price

Net Change

September 2015

$11.110

- $0.010

November 2015

$11.375

- $0.010

January 2016

$11.645

- $0.005

March 2016

$11.845

- $0.005

May 2016

$12.035

- $0.005

July 2016

$12.035

- $0.005

September 2016

$12.045

- $0.005

SA Rice Federation

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