3rd October, 2016 Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Daily
Daily Global, Regional and Local Rice E-Newsletter
October 03,2016
Vol 7 , Issue 9
Global, Regional & Local

Rice E-Newsletter
www.ricepluss.com / www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
Contact Online Advertisement : mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell: 0321 369 2874

Today Rice News Headlines...
Reap vows to take rice exports to $4 billion by 2020

Tillers suffering at the hands of millers
Businessman launches hybrid rice revolution
Going hybrid to save TN's rice bowl
Agri varsity worried over occupation of research centre by army
WHY THE DEATH OF ONE RICE FARMER HAS CAPTIVATED
SOUTH KOREA
Rice prices mark fresh rise
Export woes cut kharif basmati sowing by 25% in Punjab, Haryana
Rice millers stir in Punjab threatens to derail just-begun paddy
procurement
Weedy red rice reappears in California
Phnom Penh Post - No sign of relief for rice industry
Government Investigates Rice Sector
APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1569
News Detail...
Editorial Board
Chief Editor
Hamlik
Managing Editor
Abdul Sattar Shah

Rahmat Ullah
Rozeen Shaukat
English Editor
Maryam Editor
Legal Advisor
Advocate Zaheer Minhas
Editorial Associates
Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid

Javed Islam Agha
Ch.Hamid Malhi
Dr.Akhtar Hussain
Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui
Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
Islam Akhtar Khan
Editorial Advisory Board
Reap vows to take rice exports to $4 billion by 2020

October 02, 2016
RECORDER REPORT
Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim
Assistant Professor, Gomal

University DIK
Dr.Hasina Gul
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
The newly-elected office-bearers of the Rice Exporters

Association of Pakistan (Reap) took charge of their offices at the
18th Annual General Meeting held Friday night with pledge to
take the rice exports to USD 4 billion per annum by year 2020
from the present level of USD 2 billion per annum. Mahmood
Baqi Moulvi took charge as Reap Chairman for 2016-17 from the
outgoing Chairman Ch. Muhammad Shafique while Shahjahan
Malik and Bilal Muhammad came in as Senior Vice Chairman
and Vice Chairman respectively. Haji Abdul Rauf Chappal will be
the treasurer for the year 2016-17.
Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology

2
ART, Peshawar
Speaking on this occasion Mahmood Baqi Moulvi claimed that the government would soon be
giving a special rebate to the rice sector's stakeholders. He said he would be introducing the
culture of austerity in the Association. Appreciating the efforts of the outgoing office-bearers, he
said that he and his team would try to follow in their footsteps and work for the promotion of rice
exports. Patron in Chief Reap Abdur Rahim Janoo in his address demanded that the government
should take one representative of the rice exporters in the board of the Export Development Fund
(EDF). 'They have over Rs 7 billion contribution in the EDF by REAP members and not giving
representation to this sector which is the second biggest foreign exchange earner for the country,'
he added.
He also urged the REAP members to fully participate in the upcoming 'Biryani Festival' being
arranged by the Association in Indonesia to tap that high potential market.Chairman Founders
Group (North) Shahzad Ali Malik in his address congratulated the Reap outgoing team for its
performance. He also talked about contribution of his company in introducing a rice variety
which doubled the per acre yield of coarse variety. He disclosed that his company will be
introducing a new better yield variety very soon and invited whole REAP team to visit their
factory for its demonstration. Outgoing Chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Shafique said that the
rice sector was facing three big problems when he took over the charge of REAP last year. These
include opening up of Iran market for Pakistani rice, reviving the dead Basmati rice export and
setting up of a rice technical training institute.
He disclosed that he took three delegations to Iran, China and Kuwait which were the high
potential markets. He disclosed that rice export with Iran had revived and a currency exchange
mechanism was being formulated by the government and was in the final phase. He claimed that
the Chinese market was also giving encouraging results while the REAP had signed an MoU
with the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) to train the required
manpower for rice sector. He also said that an agreement with Indonesia had also been signed.
The Managing Committee members from North and South Zones of the Association, former
LCCI President Mian Anjum Nisar, Pir Nazim Hussain Shah former Reap Chairman Ch. Masood
Iqbal, Javed Islam Agha, Taufiq Khan, LCCI Executive Committee Member Ali Hussam and
others were also present on the occasion.
SEDF TAKES INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE SMEs TO INVEST

IN AGRI SECTOR

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has arranged a meeting on 5th October
2016 between Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) and Small Medium Industrial Leasing
Estates Pvt Ltd (SMILE) at Unisame office to facilitate the SME agri based industries to obtain
subsidized finance for their rice,wheat, maize, cotton, spices and value addition units of fruits and
vegetables in Sindh.The SMILE Pvt Ltd is a facilitating company with the aim and objective to facilitate
the SME farmers, shellers, processors and exporters of rice, spices and commodities.
Mehboob ul Haq the CEO of SEDF said it is indeed a matter of great honor for him to apprise that Sindh
Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) has been created by the Government of Sindh to encourage
investment in the Agro sector both for On-Farm and Off-Farm activities with a view to facilitate efficient
production, processing and marketing for wider economic gains.
Khush Junejo co-ordinator projects SEDF said the fund provides technical and financial support to SMEs
in the rural economy by providing opportunities for value addition in the agriculture sector for multiple
economic benefits on intermediary services and productivity.
Zulfikar Thaver president UNISAME and chairman Capacity Building Group , Technical Committee
National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) said the fund would provide markup (KIBOR Portion)
subsidy to such enterprises which intends to upgrade their basic industry by introducing technology or
setup new projects in the agro sectors by introducing value addition on the basis of modern trends and
techniques. It would also provide the balancing, modernization and replacement
( BMR) finance to rice mills.
Tillers suffering at the hands of millers

By: Staff Report
03-Oct-16
LARKANA: The issue of fixing paddy rates has not yet been resolved by the Sindh's Agriculture
Department despite that fresh crop has already started reaching markets.The Sindh government
last year fixed the rate of Rs 900 per 40 kilograms but the traders and rice millers are reluctant to
pay this price to the tillers who are undergoing huge losses on the account of escalating prices.
Agriculture Minister Suhail Siyal is holding a meeting of all relevant parties in Karachi today
(Monday) in which rice mill owners and growers' representatives are expected to take part to
decide on the issue.
4
On the other hand, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has announced that if their genuine
demands are not accepted they will come out on roads and hold protest demonstrations after 10th
Muharram-ul-Haram. Sirajul Oliya Rashidi of SCA told Daily Times that currently the peasants
are given between Rs 650 to 680 per 40kg instead of fixed price of Rs 900, and nobody is there
to hold traders and millers accountable for this injustice to poor growers.
Rashidi added that growers spend over Rs 750 per 40 kg then how they can sell their commodity
at such low rates. He said due to this issue in last two years many tillers have left their field
works and are doing other labor jobs to earn livelihood for their families. He said Punjab tillers
are getting better prices than their counterparts in Sindh. He said they hope that National
Assembly Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah will also participate in their protests as he
did for the tillers of Punjab.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/pakistan/03-Oct-16/tillers-suffering-at-the-hands-of-millers
Businessman launches hybrid rice revolution

posted October 01, 2016 at 11:10 pm by Manila Standard Business

SL Agritech Corp. launched Rice
Revolution, a campaign
dedicated to exploring how
hybrid rice can be a sustainable
choice for the Philippines.Rice
Revolution is SLACs effort in
gearing farmers to convert from
inbred to hybrid seeds as a
solution to the challenge of
attaining rice self-sufficiency and
increasing rice yields in limited
space.SL Agritech Corp.
chairman Henry Lim
A rice revolution is just what we need. If we use hybrid, we can be competitive and selfsufficient in terms of rice production. We wont have to import rice in the days to come, said
SLAC chairman Henry Lim.
Lim, dubbed the father of Philippine hybrid rice, developed the first hybrid rice variety in the
Philippines, SL-8H. He is coming forward to share his knowledge and expertise to Filipino
farmers to grow nutritious rice varieties and help generate adequate rice supply.
Hybrid rice farming is key to creating a strong agricultural sector. Even for the same amount of
fertilizer, hybrid rice seeds can yield more compared to inbred. And because hybrid seeds are
deeply rooted in the soil, they are more resilient during floods allowing farmers to grow rice
seeds during dry and wet seasons and earn more while producing high-quality rice for
consumers, said Lim.

While it requires greater attention, a key advantage of hybrid rice farming is that it uses 15 to 18
kilograms of seeds per hectare and 60 percent less water compared to traditional rice varieties
that use 80 to 120 kg of seeds per hectare and 5,000 liters of water per kilo produced.
The revolution already began changing the rural landscape in Central Luzon and it needs to
keep going if we really want to be self-sufficient, said Lim.
SLAC is working in collaboration with entities from neighboring Asian countries such as
Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea and also began
exporting rice seeds to the United States and the Middle East.
SLAC is also the countrys pioneer in hybrid rice research and development, producing the
popular hybrid rice seed SL-8H, which has helped uplift the lives of many Filipino farmers
through higher rice yield.
It produces the Dona Maria premium rice varieties Miponica and Jasponica
http://thestandard.com.ph/business/217706/businessman-launches-hybrid-rice-revolution.html
Going hybrid to save TN's rice bowl

By S Deepak Karthik
Published: 02nd October 2016 03:58 AM
Last Updated: 02nd October 2016 03:59 AM
TIRUCHY: The old Darwinian theory of survival of the fittest is not a mere quote for
agriculture, a sector hit by drastically changing climatic conditions and water disputes with
neighbouring states.
The most recent warning on what is in store on the climate front came from the Asian
Development Bank. Its study said stormy rains could increase alarmingly by about a fifth in
the Cauvery delta region, coupled with a spike in temperature by as much as 1.5 degree Celsius.

Add to these, the never-ending dispute over water-sharing.
It is clear that the need of the hour is a long-lasting, two-prong strategy that involves climate
change resistant crops and overhauling of the irrigation system for optimum use of available
water.Rice, the most common produce from the region, is a water-intensive crop. Experts say
about 3,000 to 5,000 litres of water is needed to produce a kg of rice. This is something huge to
ask of a State that has about 41 per cent less per capital availability of water when compared to
the national average - 900 cubic metres per annum as against the national average of 1,545 cubic
metres. This has created an almost absolute dependency on the Cauvery.
Though traditional paddy breeds are more resilient to the vagaries of climate, their yield is low
when compared to the better breeds. Unfortunately, the better breeds are not resilient to climate
change. This, however, cannot be a reason to abandon paddy crop. As rice is the staple food in
Tamil Nadu, any sudden shift to alternative crops would affect food security, say agriculture
experts. Paddy is the suitable crop for delta districts, where the soil will not permit any other
alternative cropping practice. To sustain agriculture in the face of multiple challenges, we have
to develop high yield paddy breed that also defies climate change, and also promote micro
irrigation system, Dr P Pandiarajan, dean of Anbil Dharmalingam Agriculture College and
Research Institute near here, tells Express.
Following micro irrigation techniques can help avoid complete reliance on canal irrigation - drip
irrigation, for instance, can reduce water consumption by half, experts say. When we randomly
wet the crop, chances are equally high for the weeds to grow between the main crop. Since drip

irrigation is based on the water requirement of the crop, as much as 50 per cent of water can be
saved, Pandiarajan adds.
Molecular breeding
Both traditional and modern (post-Green Revolution) paddy breeds have their advantages and
disadvantages. The former is more resistant to the changes in weather, but the latter gives more
yield.
Through molecular breeding, we can combine the resistance and low maintenance qualities of
the traditional breeds and the high yield potential of the modern breeds to produce a new breed,
said agronomy assistant professor Dr T Ramesh.
Experts suggest that this new breed can be planted during the Kuruvai (short-term) season for
which water availability is less. It will also ensure that the Samba (long-term) crop can be left
untouched till the results are clear. It is not just the agriculture research institutes here that are
involved in these efforts. Even the International Rice Research Institute has been working at
producing multi stress tolerant paddy breed. We cannot keep on growing the same paddy
breeds, we also need to promote alternative crop. Governments should support that type of
cultivation, for which we need to change our food consumption style, said Mahadhanapuram
Rajaram, president of Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association
www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Going-hybrid-to-save-TNs-rice-bowl/2
Agri varsity worried over occupation of research centre by army

By Reader Correspondent on October 1, 2016
By Aakash Hassan
Kulgam: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)
authorities have expressed concern over army setting up a camp in a part of the Mountain
Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC) at Khudwani.Earlier, the police and CRPF had been
occupying about three hectares of the facility for 25 years and had vacated it in June this
year.The MRCFC, established in 1942, is an internationally recognised centre for maintenance of
various indigenous and exotic genotypes of rice, wheat and oilseed crops.
The forces vacated the facility in June after the intervention of the current chief minister. That
happened after we had raised the matter with successive governments. They have again taken
over the facility on September 12, said Associate Director MRCFC Ghulam Ahmad Parrey.It
is very unfortunate for our research work. The research we carry out is labour oriented work we

are facing shortage of manual labour because no one wants to work when forces are stationed at
the same place, he said.
Armys 1st RR has been stationed at the centre after army was deployed in parts of south
Kashmir, which has been the epicentre of the raging anti-India uprising.After forces vacated in
June we begun the renovation process with the hope that this internationally acknowledged
research centre will touch new heights, said SKUAST vice-chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad.This
is an internationally acknowledged institution in rice research and we have tied up with various
organizations and institutes to promote our research but the presence of forces will affect it
adversely, the VC added.
Stating the significance of the research centre, the VC said, Rice is staple crop of Kashmir and
about 80% of the seeds are provided to farmers from this centre. We even provide seeds to
Chenab valley.He said many significant buildings of the institution are under armys control
now.He said during the 2010 uprising, oilseed, wheat and rice crop suffered extensive damage as
protesters used to regularly attack the forces stationed inside the centre.
You cannot quantify that loss in monetary terms because researchers put years of work into
raising crops here, said a researcher.The VC said that the army has been provided space on the
condition that they will vacate the facility once the situation improves.A few researchers this
reporter spoke to blamed the incompetent district administration, saying the army could have
been provided alternative sites.Deputy commissioner Showkat Aijaz said we are looking into
the matter
http://kashmirreader.com/2016/10/01/agri-varsity-worried-over-occupation-of-research-centreby-army/
WHY THE DEATH OF ONE RICE FARMER HAS

CAPTIVATED SOUTH KOREA
BY STEVEN BOROWIEC
1 OCT 2016
South Korean farmers burn sheaves of rice after marching against the government's agricultural policy in
Seoul, demanding the government stop rice imports for meals and come up with measures to resolve the
incident involving Baek Nam-ki, a farmer who has been in critical condition since November 2015 when
he was knocked down by a police water cannon during a protest rally. Photo: EPA
10

Early one Saturday morning in November of last year, farmer Baek Nam-gi left his home in the
rural south of South Korea, and with dozens of fellow farmers, boarded a bus bound for
Gwanghwamun Square, a public space in the heart of the capital, Seoul, and a frequent venue for
protests.
On that day, Gwanghwamun was the site of an exceptionally tense demonstration against the
conservative government of President Park Geun-hye. Baek and his colleagues were pushing for
intervention in the rice market, asking the government to guarantee purchase of excess supply in
order to keep prices up. The farmers said that with bumper harvests causing a supply glut, prices
had fallen so low they were barely scraping by.
Hyundais largest-ever strike is dangerous for South Korea. Heres why
That days protests turned violent, with dozens of arrests after activists clashed with police. By
the end of the day, a haunting image of Baek was being shared widely across the Korean
language internet, showing the 68-year-old splayed on his back, awash in the frothy discharge
from police water cannons.
An image s hared across the Korea n la ng uage internet showing far mer Baek Na m-gi s pla yed o n his bac k, awas h in the frothy disc harge from police water canno ns. File photo
During the protest, Baek was hit by the jet from a water cannon, fell back, hit his head and lost
consciousness. He was taken to hospital, and for the next several months, as he lay in a coma, his
name became a rallying cry for the countrys liberal opposition as a bitter debate broke out over
whether the police spraying a water cannon at protesters was a legitimate, or excessive, use of
11

force.
That debate picked up momentum this week, when after nearly ten months in a coma, Baek died,
his passing coming at a time when rice prices are still tumbling, and South Koreas farmers are
growing more desperate.
12
Three consecutive years of bumper harvests have created a spike in the supply of rice, which
along with a decline in domestic consumption, has led to some of the lowest prices in years. Data

from the countrys Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural affairs show a steady slide in prices
since 2013, with an 80kg bag costing a little less than US$160 in that year, compared to around
US$125 this month.
Rice has long been Koreas staple food item. Fluffy white grains are served with breakfast, lunch
and dinner, and the common daytime greeting isnt Hello or How are you?, but Have you
had rice? The importance of rice is underscored in music, visual art and literature, where it is
often used as a metaphor for warmth and comfort. In many Korean stories, whether or not the
characters have rice means the difference between death and survival, or comfort and destitution.
Sout h Korean farmer ta ke part in a protest march w ith ba nners reading 'Preside nt Par k Geun-Hye Resig natio n' during a rally against the g overnment's agricult ural policy in Seo ul. P hoto: EPA
When making their case to the government, South Korean farmers tap into this centrality,
appealing to the publics emotions and the special place that rice occupies in the Korean psyche.
At rallies, farmers wear grim facial expressions while holding placards with messages such as
Rice is Life, and sometimes shed tears as they set fire to rice plants.
Sout h Korean farmer protesters, prepare to bur n s heaves of rice after marching aga inst g overnment's agricultural policy in Seo ul. P hoto: EPA
But at least in terms of government support, South Korean farmers already have it pretty
good. Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development show that of 36
countries surveyed, South Korea was second only to Turkey in the generosity of its support for
agriculture.
13

And its not clear how effective a strategy government intervention in the rice market really is,
said Stefan Tangermann, a retired professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of
Gttingen in Germany. Tangermann said that fiddling with market prices would create
economic inefficiencies and also have negative impacts on consumer well-being. A more
efficient and also more effective approach to supporting farmers incomes is to provide direct
payments unrelated to the production of rice.
Exploding battery: South Korean consumers snub Samsungs phone swap deal
So far, the governments efforts to keep prices up havent amounted to much. The governments
goal is to keep rice at 180,000 won [US$163] per 80kg bag, and theyve tried to get it there by
purchasing rice and keeping it off the market, but so far they havent been successful in elevating
prices, said Jo Nam-uk, a Korea Rural Economic Institute researcher specialising in rice policy.
A So uth Korean far mer bur ns rice straw. Photo: Hemis
The farmers insistence that their government step in and set matters in their favour is a symptom
of a particular situation in Korea, where interest groups of all kinds rely on their elected leaders
for solutions, said Michael Breen, a Seoul-based historian and author of the forthcoming, The
New Koreans: The Story of a Nation.Breen said it was the government thats seen as ultimately
responsible for everything here, regardless of what happens in the economy.
14
Baek was a longtime activist, having protested against the authoritarian regimes that ruled South
Korea in the 1970s and 80s, causing him to be twice expelled from university by government
order. He was active in the street protests that pushed out the countrys military regime in 1988
and achieved multi-party democracy. But instead of settling in Seoul and taking up a public life
in politics or journalism, as many other activists did, Baek returned to his home region and took
up farming. His humble lifestyle further endeared him to supporters, and was recalled fondly by
many grieving his death.
In recent years, though he
struggled to make ends meet
and
remained
politically
engaged, Baek mostly enjoyed
a quiet lifestyle, tending his
fields and relaxing with his
wife, son, two daughters and
grandchildren.
This
week, another image of Baek
made the rounds on Korean
social media, this one of him
smiling placidly in a funeral
portrait, surrounded by white
flowers atop a memorial altar.
With that image being
displayed at supporters events
15

across the country, Baeks memory may be sowing new seeds for the farmers movement to keep
trudging along.
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/society/article/2024095/why-death-one-rice-farmer-hascaptivated-south-korea
Rice prices mark fresh rise

FE Report
Prices of rice, especially of the coarse varieties, have

increased further in the city markets as elsewhere in the
country, which traders attributed to a substantial rise in the
paddy price at the growers' level.However, market analysts
have said there is no valid reason for the hike in rice prices
as the country has adequate supply of the staple.They
urged conducting strict market monitoring to combat any
simulated shortage.According to them, importers and
millers should be brought under strict monitoring to protect market from being volatile. Coarse varieties
of rice like Swarna and BR-11 were selling between Tk36 and Tk40 a kg at the retail level on Sunday
against Tk34-Tk 35 two days back.
Prices of the medium quality rice like Brridhan-28, 29, Paijam, Kajol Lata, Parija and Ratna increased by
Tk2-Tk3 to Tk40-Tk45 a kg in the city kitchen markets in the last seven days.Fine varieties like Miniket,
Najirshail and Kataribhog remained static maintaining higher rates.Miniket of different qualities were
traded at Tk46-Tk 54 a kg and Najirshail at Tk48-Tk 57 a kg in the city.
Monibur, a grocer at Mirpur Section-2 in the city, told the FE that prices of coarse varieties witnessed an
upward trend for the last few days in the wholesale markets.He said per 100 kg sack of good quality
Swarna increased to Tk3700 on Saturday which was Tk3350-Tk3400 a few days back.
Asadulla, joint secretary of Badamtoli O Babu Bazar Chaul Aratdar Malik Samity, an association of rice
wholesalers in the city, said prices have been increasing gradually at the mill gates in Kushtia, Pabna,
Naogaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Jessore.
16
He said the rate of Swarna was Tk37.5 to Tk38 in Rangpur and Dinajpur on Sunday morning.

Brridhan-28 sold at Tk42-Tk42.5 at the mill gates and the price might increase further in Dhaka, he
said.Secretary of Bangladesh Auto Major Husking Mill Owners Association KM Layek Ali said paddy
prices increased by Tk150-Tk200 a sack (75 kg) in the last two weeks.He said Brridhan-28 paddy was
selling at Tk1750 a sack (75 kg) which means per kg milled rice will be available at Tk40.Swarna paddy
is selling at Tk1500-Tk1550 a sack while price of milled Swarna rice is at least Tk35 a kg.He said
production of Brridhan-28 declined notably in the last Boro season causing the recent hike in
prices.Production of rice seemed to have declined in the just ended Aus season as prices remained higher,
he added.He said prices will come down within a few weeks after the new Aman paddy harvest hits the
market.
Md Hazrat Ali, a Nilphamari-based trader, said import of coarse rice has almost stopped following 25 per
cent import duty.He said cost of Indian Swarna will be Tk36-Tk 37 a kg--- which is same as the local
prices.Md Azizul Islam, a Rangpur-based rice miller, said many of the importers and their allied traders
are now active to force the government for a duty cut in rice import.The government should be cautious
about them as they are creating supply crunch of paddy in the market, he claimed.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the government
should conduct strict monitoring to protect market from any artificial shortage.
Stores and godowns of big importers, millers and traders should be kept under watch to combat any
simulated crisis, he said.Agricultural Economist Prof Golam Hafiz Kennedy said the government should
take policies which could benefit farmers, traders and consumers.He pointed out that local production of
rice declined to 34.57 million tonnes in the financial year 2015-16 from 34.7 million tonnes but it is still a
surplus against an annual demand of 31.0 million tonnes.He said there is no valid reason for such highrated hike in rice prices which has directly been hurting poor consumers.He said the millers should grow
tendency to make less profit which could also help both farmers and consumers.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/10/03/47984/Rice-prices-mark-fresh-rise
Export woes cut kharif basmati sowing by 25% in

Punjab, Haryana
The sowing of basmati rice across the key growing areas of Punjab and Haryana has seen a sharp
fall of 25% to 1.57 million hectares this kharif season from close to 2 million hectares reported in
2015.
By: Sandip Das | New Delhi | Updated: September 30, 2016 7:19 AM
17

The BEDF report said that in western
Uttar Pradesh, the area under basmati
rice has reduced by close to 22% to 2.6
lakh hectares, as many farmers have
sown sugarcane replacing basmati,
speculating quick returns from the state
government.The sowing of basmati rice
across the key growing areas of Punjab
and Haryana has seen a sharp fall of
25% to 1.57 million hectares this kharif
season from close to 2 million hectares
reported in 2015, thanks to a fall in
realisation from exports.According to a
survey conducted by Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), a body under the
commerce ministry, this year the rice-transplanted areas in the northern states of Punjab,
Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir have increased by more
than 4.6% to 5.9 million hectares, while the areas under basmati variety have declined in
Haryana and Punjab by 11.9% and 43.3%, respectively.
In Punjab, basmati rice acreage shrunk by more than 43% to 5 lakh hectares, mainly
because of a reduction in the area under short-duration Pusa Basmati-1509. The sowing
18

of this variety has been reduced to only 48,770 hectares this year, from 1.8 lakh hectares reported
in 2015. There has been sharp fall in basmati acreage of Pusa 1509 variety this year compared
to last year as the farmers got very low prices, the report said. In Haryana, the total rice acreage
based on field survey has been estimated at 1.29 million hectares in 20 districts, while the area
under basmati rice had been reduced by 12.5% to 7.2 lakh hectares compared with last year.
The BEDF report said that in western Uttar Pradesh, the area under basmati rice has reduced by
close to 22% to 2.6 lakh hectares, as many farmers have sown sugarcane replacing basmati,
speculating quick returns from the state government.
Lower output because reduced acreage in this kharif is expected to push up basmati rice prices,
said a leading exporter. At present, basmati rice prices are ruling around R5,700 to R5,800 per
quintal in the Karnal market.
According to data by the Agricultural and Processed Food Development Authority, exports
realisation from the basmati rice fell by 17% to R22,714 crore in FY16 in comparison to the
previous year. But the volume of exports rose to 4.04 million tonne (mt) from 3.7 mt during the
same period. In 2013-14, the country exported basmati rice worth of R29,299 crore.
In April, rating agency ICRA had stated that the domestic basmati rice industry, which is
witnessing excess supply and weak demand, may revive in the next harvest season in the second
half of 2016-17. The supply of basmati paddy is expected to witness some moderation as
farmers are likely to shift away from basmati, given the non-remunerative prices in the last two
crop cycles, ICRA has stated in its report. The report also stated since Iran, the biggest importer
of basmati from India, has removed the ban on rice imports, demand is also expected to improve.
Rice millers stir in Punjab threatens to derail just-begun

paddy procurement
Atul Nagpal, Hindustan Times, Fatehgarh Sahib
19

Updated: Oct 02, 2016 15:24 IST
Punjab Mandi Board officials during the paddy procurement launch in Fatehgarh Sahib. (HT Photo)
Paddy procurement began in over 1831 grain markets of Punjab, including 150 principal yards, 283
sub-yards and 1398 purchase centres, on Saturday.Punjab Mandi Board chairman Ajmer Singh
Lakhowal and deputy commissioner Kamadeep Singh Sangha launched the procurement process in
Amloh and Sirhind markets. Total 137 metric tonnes (MT) paddy was lifted by agencies in Fatehgarh
Sahib district on the first day.Lakhowal said last year 169.55 lakh MT paddy reached grain markets
of Punjab and claimed this year they were expecting 186 lakh MT to reach the markets, an increase
of 10%. It will be a record paddy production in Punjab, he said.
Lakhowal said instructions were given to district mandi officers and market committee secretaries in
the state to look after the arrangements and smooth procurement. Any negligence may lead to action
against officers, said, Lakhowal.
PRMA STICKS TO STRIKE
20
However, Punjab Rice Millers Association (PRMA) boycotted the procurement process and said it
would continue to stay away from it, till its demands are not met.PRMA has been demanding that
government lower the power tariff for them and bring it to on a par with other industries, which is Rs

4.99 per unit. They also do not want to pay milling charges as suggested by Comptroller and Auditor
Generals report. Apart from these, they want state agencies to release transportation charges. They
alleged that transportation charges of rice delivered more than 8 km from 2003-04 to 13-14 that has
been paid by Food Corporation of India (FCI) to state agencies was still not transferred to millers.
Transportation charges of the stock delivered from 0-40 km in 2014-15 and 15-16 was also released
to agencies by FCI but that too not transferred to millers.We will continue with our decision and if
government fails to meet our demands we may declare no work for whole season on October 5,
said, Tarsem Lal Saini, PRMA president, on Saturday.
NOT ENOUGH STORAGE SPACE
PRMA representatives have said the agencies do not have enough storage space for the stock and
their strike would definitely build pressure on the government. In coming days there would be huge
rush in mandis and agencies are going to fail to manage the situation, Said another
miller.Government will have to back to us. he added.
Interestingly, after the non-lifting of paddy by some millers in 2007, 9,881 MT paddy remained
unmilled till December 2008 and was damaged.
Procurement has just begun. Millers are in talks with government and there would definitely be a
solution by October 5. We will act according to the governments decision, said, Kamaldeep Singh
Sangha, deputy commissioner, while answering about the arrangements made for storage, if millers
continue the strike.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/rice-millers-stir-in-punjab-threatens-to-derail-just-begun-paddyprocurement/story-fjey5BCSemWzHI0eCNqGaO.html
Weedy red rice reappears in California

Sep 14, 2016 Todd Fitchette | Western Farm Press
Weedy red rice has been documented in the past in California

It has again been found in California's Butte and Glenn counties
Cooperative Extension researchers are helping growers find and manage the weed
University of California Rice Farm Advisors Whitney Brim-DeForest, left, and Luis Espino are
working with growers to identify weedy red rice in their fields.
21
Weedy red rice, a considerable problem for rice growers in the South, may be in at least six
fields in the northern California counties of Glenn and Butte.Also known as red rice for its color,
growers should be on the lookout for it and know the impact it can have in commercial rice.
University of California Cooperative Extension Rice Farm Advisor Whitney Brim-DeForest says
weedy rice appeared in California in 2003, and maybe back as far as the 1930s and 1950s.
California has largely avoided the problem, possibly because of its continuously-flooded rice
fields. The problem has resurfaced and farm advisors are trying to inform growers about the
issue before it could get out of hand.
What is it?
Weedy red rice is considered one of the worst weeds in rice growing regions around the world.
In 2008, surveys in Arkansas revealed 62 percent of the rice crop was infested with the weed.
One of the problems with weedy red rice is that it looks similar to cultivated rice, making it
difficult to spot.
Beyond that, weedy red rice has characteristics that can reduce yield and rice quality by
contaminating seed lots and requiring extra milling.
22

A University of California website can be found at http://rice.ucanr.edu/Weedy_Red_Rice/ with
information on the topic.
Another problem with weedy rice is the inability to control it with conventional herbicides.
Brim-DeForest says common herbicides that could control the weed also can kill the rice because
both belong to the same genus.Additionally, weedy red rice tends to shatter, meaning it falls off
the panicle rather than remain there for harvest. This is how the weed propagates. It also has a
dormancy period, according to UCCE Rice Farm Advisor Luis Espino, meaning seeds can lay
dormant for two years and in the third germinate and reappear in the rice field.
Rice specialists say the best control method is to attempt to keep it out of fields in the first place.
To do this the University of California has a list of best management practices that include, but
are not limited to:
Equipment entering California from areas known to have red rice will be subject to inspection by
county agricultural department staff;
Use only certified seed;
Do not use an infested field as a seed field;
Red rice plants are easiest to identify at the heading stage scout fields at that time;
For minor infestations remove red rice plants from the field. Be careful not to shatter red rice
seeds while handling headed plants. Bag the headed plants before transport from the field and
dispose of them by burning them or placing in a dumpster;
Keep water on the field with no drainage during the season. Red rice germination is promoted
when water is drained from the field for stand establishment and foliar herbicide applications;
If possible, harvest affected fields last in the sequence of harvesting and do not move
equipment into uninfected fields; and,
Straw should be cut as low as possible to the ground to facilitate effective burning.
According to Brim-DeForest, a good, hot burn can destroy red rice seed.
California growers are allowed to burn a maximum of 25 percent of their rice fields to control
blast and fungal diseases, according to Paul Buttner, manager of environmental affairs for the
California Rice Commission (CRC).
Weedy red rice control was recently folded into this program, Buttner says.
It still requires a grower to obtain a burn permit.The UC recommends that growers with known
red rice populations should prioritize those fields when determining which fields to burn.The UC
also recommended to avoid fall tillage as this may bury red rice seed.
http://westernfarmpress.com/rice/weedy-red-rice-reappears-california
23

No sign of relief for rice industry
A farmer harvests his rice crop at a paddy in Phnom Penhs Russey Keo district last year. Vireak Mai
Thu, 15 September 2016
Kali Kotoski and Cheng Sokhorng
As the harvest season of Cambodias most important crop kicks off, a crisis is looming as both
rice farmers and millers face crippling capital shortages and a promised industry lifeline has yet
to materialise.
Industry experts said yesterday that these small farmers desperate to pay their debt obligations
have had no choice but to sell the harvested rice from their drought and flood-damaged fields at a
loss. Meanwhile, millers unable to obtain bank finance are cutting back on purchases, pushing
farm-gate prices even lower.
The sectors best hope a $20 million to $30 million package of government-backed emergency
loans to help rice millers purchase paddy from farmers for processing or stockpiling remains
entangled in bureaucratic red tape. If the funds are not released by the end of the harvest in
November, the economic and social impact could be immense.
The only hope is for the government to approve the disbursement of loans so that [millers and
storage depots] can buy paddy rice and help farmers resolve their issues before the end of the
harvest season, said Den Srey Lim, deputy director of Agricultural Development for
Chamroeurn Phal, an agricultural cooperative in Battambang province.
24

If there is no effective solution, farmers will face a serious crisis.
According to Srey Lim, the market price of paddy rice in the province has fallen off steeply since
the harvest began earlier this month. She said the farm-gate price on paddy had fallen from about
$250 per tonne to $190 per tonne during the short time that farmers harvested the first 10 percent
of their fields.
Farmers are now facing high risk, she said. They are concerned that if the price of paddy
remains low like this they will face losses and be unable to pay back their debts.
She explained that most smallholding rice farmers borrow from microfinance institutions (MFIs)
or fertiliser distributors at the start of the season to purchase seeds and fertiliser. The farmers
have been particularly hard-hit this year as in addition to a sharp decrease in paddy rice prices,
their crops were damaged by a prolonged drought and recent flooding.
Chhun Hang Lay, managing director of City Rice Import-Export, one of the biggest rice millers
and exporters in Battambang province, said when rice farmers face issues their problems
inevitably spread up the line.
The farmer is the first person to face an issue, which then spreads to the rice miller, and soon
the whole industry faces a crisis, he said.
Lay said the market price on paddy rice had plummeted about 25 per cent to $230 per tonne
since the start of the month. Yet despite the low price, millers including his own were cutting
down on purchases due to a shortage of capital as banks had become more strict on extending
credit.
Most of the rice millers have tried to cut down on purchases and are buying only for export
orders as they cannot afford to purchase for stockpiling, he said, adding that some millers were
holding out until the premium varieties of jasmine rice come onto the market next month. This
[lower demand] in turn impacts the farmers, as they cannot afford to store rice or wait [for paddy
prices to rebound].
In June, the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF) announced that the government had agreed to
disburse $20 million to 30 million in emergency loans through the CRF to its members to ensure
that they had sufficient capital to purchase paddy rice from farmers this season. Yet even with
the harvest already started, the fund are still nowhere to be seen.
Mey Vann, director of the financial industry department at MEF, declined to comment on the
emergency loan package.
25

CRF finance manager Horn Theara offered two reasons for the hold-up, claiming that the
Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) had still not authorised the disbursement of the funds,
while the CRF, as guarantor of the loans, must carefully vet the recipients.
We are trying to help our members because they need it, but because this is government money
coming from private-sector taxation collection we also need to ensure that millers can repay their
loans, he said. It is a difficult balance to achieve.
Theara said that while he was unsure when the funding would begin, MEF was insisting that
millers put down rice paddy stock as collateral in order to qualify for loans. This has created a
catch-22.
Millers do not have enough working capital to purchase rice paddy stock at the moment, he
said, adding that he hoped MEF would recognise the urgency of the situation.
The CRF needs to convince MEF that there are millers that are big enough and able to be
profitable, and who thus deserve funding, he said. The $20 million to $30 million will not be
enough, but we hope that once lending begins, this will just be the first phase of many to shore
up the industry.
Theara said with the government loan package tied up in red tape, the CRF was desperately
reaching out to the Kingdoms biggest commercial banks for credit facilities but stumbling
once again on collateral.
The banks are also reluctant to lend because it is risky and they are not confident they will be
paid back, he said. The banks want the millers to put down rice paddy stock for collateral as
well before they consider lending.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/no-sign-relief-rice-industry
Government Investigates Rice Sector

Following a Monday announcement from the Agriculture Ministry that provincial officials must
ensure that the countrys rice millers pay adequate prices for rice paddy, the ministry followed up
yesterday, saying that working groups had started discussing the situation with rice millers and
rice farmers.In a post on his Facebook page, Minister Veng Sakhon said that the working groups,
consisting of 19 officials from relevant departments at the ministry, were liaising with
stakeholders to better understand how to improve conditions for farmers.
The working groups duty is to monitor, quality control and safety check agricultural products
to help farmers analyze how to reduce production costs and increase revenue, and to intervene in
26

current issues involving the prices for agriculture products, he wrote.This followed a statement
from Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak on Friday, when his ministry issued a regulation directing
all rice importers to follow the law concerning country-of-origin requirements.
All rice importing companies must respect the laws and regulations, such as having proper
packaging, company address, weight, origin of products, buying and sales contract, and a valid
date on the attached import certificate, the statement read.The ministrys reactions come amid
growing concern from domestic rice farmers that the stresses of the recent drought have been
compounded by a drop in the price that rice millers are paying.The current price for a ton of
unmilled fragrant rice is $200, down $100 from last year.
Nop Saloeun, a rice farmer in Banteay Meanchey province, told Khmer Times yesterday that
despite government statements and proclamations, she has seen no intervention locally on rice
prices. She is now receiving about 600 riel ($0.15) for a kilogram of rice paddy, whereas last
year she was able to sell it for about 880 riel. She blamed the network of brokers and millers for
the drop and their lack of a clear pricing formula.As we owe money to MFIs [microfinance
institutions] and fertilizer sellers, and there is no place to dry the newly harvested rice due to the
rain, we decided we had to sell our newly harvested rice for the lower price, Ms. Saloeun said.
We know that we will lose money, but there is no choice. Song Saran, the president of Amru
Rice (Cambodia), a rice exporting company, told Khmer Times that there were many factors
affecting the price of rice. He noted Vietnams recent move to grow fragrant rice formally a
Cambodian export to the country the low amounts millers were prepared to pay, the lack of
silos for storing rice during the rainy season and the over-supply of fragrant rice coupled with an
import of Vietnamese rice, meant that farmers and millers were now facing a crisis.
He added that the government seemed to lack a clear policy for the rice sector, or a long-term
vision.The 100,000 to 200,000 tons of rice needs at least three to four months of proper storage
before it can be sold at a higher price, but farmers cannot wait for this since they have to pay
back MFIs, and therefore the quality is low and there is a period of oversupply.
Taing Sokkhy, a rice expert at Eng Dypo Development Company, said that one way to ensure
higher prices was for rice farmers to focus on quality, not quantity. Regions should also start to
specialize in a certain rice variety, which will lower transport, storage and milling costs, and
increase prices.The solution to ensuring the market is sustainable is that farmers in a region
should select the same rice variety and then all grow it in that area. Combined with an effort
from rice millers to teach correct storage and drying techniques, then standards can be improved
and prices rise.
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29775/government-investigates--rice-sector/
27

APEDA AgriExchange Newsletter - Volume 1569
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 30-09-2016
Domestic Prices
Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product
Market Center
Variety
Min Price
Max Price
Aroor (Kerala)
Other
3100
3300
Dhekiajuli (Assam)
Common
2100
2300
Khatra (West Bengal)
Other
2450
2550
Dehgam (Gujarat)
Other
1690
1750
Satna (Madhya Pradesh)
Other
1550
1680
Sangli (Maharashtra)
Other
2000
2800
Jagraon (Punjab)
Other
2100
2500
Jalore (Rajasthan)
Other
1500
2000
Jajpur (Orissa)
Other
800
1000
Chala (Kerala)
Other
2200
2254
Panposh (Orissa)
Other
1200
1600
Taura (Haryana)
Other
1000
1300
Rice
Wheat
Papaya
Cabbage
Source:agmarknet.nic.in
28

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Unit Price : Rs per Qty

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