21st August, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.
com
News and R&D Section mujajhid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 92 321 369 2874

21
st
August, 2014

TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU
Latest News Headlines
Century of rice production celebrated at the RGA Annual
Conference
2014 Rice Pre-Season Technical Meetings
Reminder: California Rice Field Day August 27
National Rice Month Promotional Materials Now in Stock
Rice Field Day this month
RiceTec Field Day: Studies show hybrid rice offers
sustainability benefits
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Aug 21
Record harvest loss, food shortages hit dry Sri Lanka
Weak monsoon: no impact on paddy; cotton, maize hit in
Pb
Indian monsoon to display lull as floods ease
Accord signed to make hybrid rice research centre
Plastic from Rice Waste? A Biodegradable Option
Iraq issues tender for at least 15,000 T Indian rice -trade
Nigerias shrinking imports data show policy gaining
traction
Rice price for Panama market still to be settled
Innovative concepts: Setting up Pakistans first rice bran
oil plant
NEWS DETAILS:

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.com

Century of rice production celebrated at the
RGA Annual Conference
The Ricegrowers Association of Australia Inc. (RGA) has enjoyed
another very successful Annual Conference this year, celebrating
100 years since the first commercial rice crop was planted just
outside Swan Hill, Victoria.Over 180 growers, government officials
and industry experts attended the conference which was held on 7
and 8 August at the Swan Hill Town Hall.RGA President, Les
Gordon, said the event was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the
success of the rice industry over the last hundred years and is
excited about the future.
Our two day Conference commenced with the unveiling of a new
monument at the site where Jo Takasuka planted the first rice crops
at Vinifera, around 20 kilometres north of Swan Hill. The local
Nyah District Action Group approached Swan Hill Council to have
the road where the rice monument stands renamed Takasuka Road,
and this new sign was also presented to three of Jo Takasukas
grandchildren in recognition of their familys contribution to the
rice industry and the area.Following this event, it was fitting our
first speaker at the Town Hall was Dr Gary Lewis, author and
historian, who presented a captivating account of the struggles of Jo
Takasuka and his family in those early years, and the sheer
perseverance that was needed to eventually achieve a successful
rice crop, Mr Gordon said.Other guest speakers were dairy farmer
and Dairy Australia Chairman, Geoff Akers, and Senator Simon
Birmingham, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the
Environment.Mr Akers spoke to the delegates about how to
understand the key drivers to improve farm profitability using
examples from the dairy industry.Geoff addressed issues that face
many agricultural industries and was a great example of how
industries can learn from each other. Mr Gordon said.It was also
a privilege to have Senator Birmingham join us at the conference
and the growers enjoyed his acknowledgement of the importance of
the rice industry to Australia and his recognition that the industry is
well suited to Australias climate Mr Gordon said.Another
highlight of the Conference was the launch of a new, fragrant rice


variety, Topaz, by the Australian Rice Partnership. This variety will
be available for growers to plant during the upcoming rice season.
Photo: Unveiling the upgraded rice monument on the newly named,
Takasuka Road. (L-R) Mr Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Embassy of Japan;
RGA President, Les Gordon; Jo Takasukas grandchildren, Henry
Watters, Murray Watters and Nona Ratcliffe; and Bill Maher,
Chair of the Nyah District Action Group.
2014 Rice Pre-Season Technical Meetings
This years Rice Pre-Season Technical Meetings will be held Monday 25 August to Thursday 28
August 2014. Meetings will be at the same six regional locations as last year and cover a broad
range of relevant information on budgeting, technical and topical issues to help growers prepare
for the C15 crop. Breakfast or light lunch will be provided.
Click here for dates, times and venues.

Reminder: California Rice Field Day August 27
Last year's crowd
BIGGS, CA -- This year's California Rice Field Day will be held here on
Wednesday, August 27, at the Rice Experiment Station. The annual event is
sponsored by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation and the
University of California. The general session begins at 8:30 a.m., followed by
field tours where growers can learn about variety improvement, and disease,
insect, and weed control. Rice researchers also will be on hand to discuss
individual research projects and vendors will be there displaying the latest in


rice farming equipment.The lead in to Field Day is a Farm Bill Grower meeting on Tuesday, August 26. Reece
Langley, USA Rice Federation vice president of government affairs, and Dr. Joe Outlaw, from Texas A&M,
will provide a briefing on farm bill enrollment and discuss online tools growers can use to make their program
selection. The informational meeting will be from 1-3 p.m. at the Bonanza Inn in Yuba City.
Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444
National Rice Month Promotional Materials Now in Stock

We always do
ARLINGTON, VA -- With National Rice Month (NRM)
quickly approaching, the USA Rice Federation online store
has stocked up on premium items for use in promoting U.S-
grown rice. This year USA Rice is making use of the slogan
"Reach for Rice" on t-shirts, foldaway shopper totes, aprons,
magnetic shopping lists, and more. "Of course we're always
working to promote U.S.-grown rice," said Fred
Zaunbrecher, a Louisiana rice farmer and chairman of USA
Rice's Domestic Promotion Committee, "but National Rice
Month provides a great opportunity to jump start activities.
Purchasing this branded merchandise and giving it to
customers, sending it to your children's schools, handing an
item to people in your community, or proudly using items
yourself helps keep U.S.-grown rice top of mind."

With strong support from rice producers and millers, NRM has grown into a well-known national promotion educating
consumers about the benefits of U.S.-grown rice and boosting U.S. rice sales nationwide.
Contact: Katie Maher (703) 236-1453
Rice Field Day this month

Posted Aug. 2, 2014 @ 5:00 pm
Updated Aug 2, 2014 at 5:50 PM


The Annual California Rice Field Day at the Rice
Experiment Station is always a very nice event sponsored
by the California Cooperative Rice research Foundation
and University of California. Displays and
demonstrations are spread out and very informative and
this year will be no different. There will be a rice
equipment vendor display for participants to check
out.The general session will begin at 8:30 a.m., followed
by field tours of rice research and lunch. While on the
field tours growers will learn about variety improvement, disease insect and weed control.
For more information visit http://www.crrf.org.

RiceTec Field Day: Studies show hybrid rice offers sustainability benefits
Aug 20, 2014Forrest Laws | Delta Farm Press
RSS
Sustainability is a term that has been a bit slow to catch on in the farming community. But its becoming
increasingly important for major food processors and retailers.As consumers demand to know more about
where and how their food is produced, companies like General Mills and Kelloggs and Wal-Mart are seeking
more information about topics such as greenhouse gas emissions from their suppliers.And farm organizations
and farm input providers are beginning to respond with studies aimed at learning just what those emissions and
the overall carbon footprint might be for their crops.
RiceTec Inc., is one of the latest entities to do so.Recent data out of the University of Arkansas has found that
hybrid rice or Smart Rice is about a 30 percent more efficient user of water, says Brian Ottis, marketing and
client support manager for RiceTec. Its about a 15 percent more efficient user of nitrogen and emits about 23
percent less greenhouse gas per pound of rice produced compared to conventional rice varieties.Dr. Ottis
comments came during an interview at the conclusion of the RiceTec Arkansas Field Day at its Arkansas
Business Center near Harrisburg in northeast Arkansas.
Dr. Lanier Nalley, an agricultural economist from the University of Arkansas presented results from the study
at the field day.So we learned that Kelloggs made a big announcement yesterday about using Field to Market
as their metrics for measuring sustainability in agriculture, said Ottis. And we feel that Smart Rice is
positioned perfectly for this. If a company wants to source the most sustainable rice available, they have to get
Smart Rice because it really does provide a higher yield with a lower greenhouse gas emission.Ottis also
recapped comments made during the field day about RiceTecs new herbicide-tolerant rice program.RiceTec


plant breeders are looking at two different rice mutants that are tolerant to 1) a grass herbicide or 2) a
broadleaf herbicide.
The rice lines are not genetically modified or GMO rice, but have been selected through an exhaustive
screening process to determine which naturally-occurring lines tolerate those herbicides.One of these will
target red rice and the other broadleaf weeds in rice, he said. So when you combine the two you really have a
full-spectrum package of a weed control system that we hope to launch later this decade. We are doing a lot of
work on it, and we feel like it will be something we can deliver to the customer, and they can rotate with
Clearfield rice. It will be a nice fit.
RiceTec believes the new system will control any outcrosses or ALS herbicide-resistant red rice that might be
problematic for the Clearfield system.Ottis also discussed other hybrids RiceTec is developing that will offer
other benefits, including a hybrid that is non-pubescent and has a smooth leaf and a smooth seed coat that will
reduce the itch and have less wear and tear on harvesting equipment. It has a very nice long grain length, and it
is very low in chalk.Of course with the weather weve been having in the Mid-South and the Gulf Coast, we
think the quality of this years rice crop should be fantastic, he said. Weve had just perfect conditions during
the flowering and the grain filling periods for rice, and we will have some great milling characteristics coming
out of the field this year.
For more information about RiceTec, visit www.ricetec.com.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices Open- Aug 21
Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:03pm IST
Nagpur, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing Committee
(APMC) firmed up again on increased buying support from local millers amid restricted arrival from producing
belt. Healthy rise in Madhya Pradesh pulses, no sign of monsoon revival and reported demand from South-
based millers also boosted prices, according to sources.
* * * *

FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Desi gram raw recovered in open market here on good demand from local traders amid
thin supply from producing regions.

TUAR
* Tuar varieties ruled steady in open market here matching the demand and supply
position.

* Wheat varieties moved down in open market on poor demand from local traders amid
increased supply from producing regions like Punjab and Haryana.


* In Akola, Tuar - 5,000-5,200, Tuar dal - 6,900-7,100, Udid at 7,200-7,300,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 8,000-8,500, Moong - 7,200-7,600, Moong Mogar
(clean) 8,700-9,400, Gram - 2,700-2,900, Gram Super best bold - 3,800-4,000
for 100 kg.

* 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 2,400-3,180 2,370-3,030
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 4,400-4,890 4,400-4,850
Moong Auction n.a. 5,200-5,500
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 4,000-4,200 4,000-4,200
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 3,600-3,800 3,600-3,800
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 3,550-3,650 3,550-3,650
Desi gram Raw 3,050-3,100 3,000-3,050
Gram Filter new 3,500-3,750 3,500-3,750
Gram Kabuli 8,000-9,500 8,000-9,500
Gram Pink 7,200-7,400 7,200-7,400
Tuar Fataka Best 7,400-7,600 7,400-7,600
Tuar Fataka Medium 7,000-7,100 7,000-7,100
Tuar Dal Best Phod 6,700-6,900 6,400-6,900
Tuar Dal Medium phod 6,200-6,400 6,200-6,400
Tuar Gavarani 5,250-5,300 5,250-5,300
Tuar Karnataka 5,500-5,700 5,500-5,700
Tuar Black 8,200-8,500 8,200-8,500
Masoor dal best 6,400-6,500 6,400-6,500
Masoor dal medium 6,100-6,250 6,100-6,250
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,500-10,000 9,500-10,000
Moong Mogar Medium best 8,800-9,200 8,800-9,200
Moong dal super best 7,800-8,000 7,800-8,000
Moong dal Chilka 7,700-7,900 7,700-7,900
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,000-9,000 8,000-9,000


Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 8,500-8,800 8,500-8,800
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,400-7,800 7,400-7,800
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,600 5,600-6,600
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,000-5,000 4,000-5,000
Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 2,850-3,000 2,800-2,950
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,250-3,500 3,250-3,500
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,500-3,600 3,500-3,600
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,300 4,900-5,300
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,500 1,200-1,500
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,650-1,750
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,300-1,500 1,300-1,500
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,100-2,450 2,100-2,500
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,000 1,850-2,050
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,300
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 1,950-2,350 2,150-2,500
Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,200-1,300 1,200-1,400
Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,500-1,800 1,600-1,900
Rice BPT (100 INR/KG) 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,600 2,300-2,600
Rice HMT (100 INR/KG) 3,800-4,000 4,000-4,200
Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,800-5,600 4,800-5,600
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,400-13,000 10,400-13,000
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,300-10,000 7,300-10,000
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,200-5,600 5,200-5,600
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800

WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 31.9 degree Celsius (89.4 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.0 degree Celsius (75.4 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - 91 per cent, lowest - 61 per cent.
Rainfall : nil
FORECAST: Generally cloudy sky. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 32 and 24 degree
Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)


Record harvest loss, food shortages hit dry Sri Lanka

hoto: Amantha Perera/IRIN
Traditional farming practices are difficult to change
COLOMBO, 21 August 2014 (IRIN) - Sri Lanka's government is scrambling to ease the impact of record
harvest losses on millions of farmers as the country enters its tenth month of an acute dry spell. Its severe. In
some areas in the North, North Central and Eastern Provinces, the water levels in the irrigation reservoirs will
be sufficient only for drinking purposes and that, too, will be barely enough.
No harvesting will be possible [until the next rains],
Lalith Weeratunga, secretary to President Mahinda
Rajapaksa and the countrys top-ranked public official,
told IRIN.According to UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 1.8 million
people (9 percent of the islands population of around 20
million) have been affected by the drought which is still
ravaging 16 of the countrys 25 districts. Weeratunga and
other government officials said they had already put relief
measures in place, including a US$10 million plan for cash-for-work programmes for drought-affected families.
Finance secretary Punchi Banda Jayasundera said
the plan aimed to repair and renovate irrigation
reservoirs and canals using labour from the more
than 111,000 affected families. One member from
each family will be provided at least 12 days of
work per month.We realize that these are short-
term measures, but they are aimed at easing the most
immediate impacts, [and] affected communities
income levels. We need to come up with long-term
measures that will mitigate the impact of extreme
weather events, Weeratunga said.Farmers will have an off season this time, Jayasundera said, adding that the
labour intervention aimed to benefit families that derive much of their income from agriculture, which makes up
around 10 percent of the countrys $60 billion GDP.


Rice harvest busted
The countrys rice harvest is likely to be down about 17 percent from the 4 million tons recorded in 2013, which
would make it the lowest in six years.We need to set a value to resources like water, so that we conserve it
when we have it. When we dont do that, we see the results of that negligence
Jayasundera told IRIN that, in anticipation of price rises, the government eased restrictions on rice imports in
late April. This year it plans to import at least 100,000 tons - around 2.5 percent of the 2013 harvest.Rice
imports will continue until the harvest picks up, Jayasundera said.However, it appears unlikely that crop
outputs will improve in the near future, and not only Sri Lankan consumers but also farmers themselves will
rely more heavily on imported food as a result.
The South West Monsoon, which hits the island nation between May and September and brings the majority of
annual rainfall, has been below average this year, prompting losses in planted extent [cultivated land area for
2014], explained J. D. M. K. Chandarasiri, director at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute in
Colombo. According to government statistics in eight districts severely affected by the drought (Anuradhapura,
Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Puttalam, Mannar, Vauniya, Moneragala and Ampara), the planted extent was 42
percent below what was recorded in 2013.
Photo: Amantha Perera/IRIN
Sri Lankan women dig a well to stave off parched harvests

Losses are likely to mount because of lack of water, Chandrasiri said, explaining that the mid-year planting
season relies heavily on irrigated water and his office was already receiving reports indicating high losses. The
next rains are not expected until mid-November.We are likely to lose a major portion of the mid-year
harvesting season, secretary Weeratunga said.

Long-term worries
Finance Secretary Jayasundera said the government was receiving weekly drought updates from the provinces
and was prepared to take further action such as increasing food imports if the need arose. But he also admitted
that the impact of changing climate patterns was a major concern for long-term policy planning.
The impact on peoples livelihoods is our primary concern, he said. Extreme weather events are nothing new
for Sri Lankan policymakers. Since 2009, the country has faced at least seven major floods and two major


droughts.Weeratunga said the time had come to look beyond reactive measures to tackle natural disasters like
drought and floods.We need to set a value to resources like water, so that we conserve it when we have it.
When we dont do that, we see the results of that negligence, he said.Government interventions to mitigate the
impact of fluctuating rainfall on the electricity sector could offer a roadmap for further long-term planning.
According to Jayasundera, a 2012 drought led the government to spend a large amount of foreign exchange - in
excess of $2 billion - to import furnace fuel to compensate for the loss of hydropower generation capacity.

During years when the rainfall is on a par with average levels, the country derives 50 percent of its power needs
from hydropower; when the rains fail (such as this year), that percentage falls. Government figures put current
hydropower generation at just 34 percent.
We are looking into planning for future extreme weather events and their impact

In the past, Sri Lanka had imported high-cost furnace fuel to supplement power generation. However,
Jayasundera explained, Sri Lanka has increased its coal power generation capacity to compensate for
unpredictable hydro-generation. August data, for example, showed the coal component in power generation at
31 percent. During the same period in 2012, coal power generation hovered around 15 percent.
According to Weeratunga, planning needs to extend to areas such as agriculture. We are looking into planning
for future extreme weather events and their impact, he said.Local challenges, including convincing rice
farmers to shift to other crops such as onions and maze when the rains fail, remain daunting, experts say.
According to Chandarasiri, the agrarian expert, Sri Lankas rice crop relies on traditional practices handed down
through generations that determined the type of seed, water levels and harvesting patterns. Harvesting patterns
based on scientific research were taking time to gain acceptance.We have tried to change behaviours, but it
will take a lot more effort and convincing to get farmers to ditch traditional harvesting patterns.ap/kk/cb
Theme (s): Aid Policy, Disaster Risk Reduction, Environment, Food Security,Governance,
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
Weak monsoon: no impact on paddy; cotton, maize hit in Pb
Press Trust of India | Chandigarh
August 21, 2014 Last Updated at 17:56 IST


Kharif crop- in Punjab and Haryana with sowing season getting over, even as the input cost of paddy growers
went up significantly for watering the crop. Though crop sowing in Haryana almost remained insulated from
"weak" monsoon, the sowing of cotton and maize was hit in Punjab in the wake of "lesser" rains. Punjab, which
is a well-irrigated state, has witnessed 60 per cent deficient rains while Haryana observed 57 per cent lesser
rains during Kharif sowing season so far, officials said here.

Even as apprehensions were expressed over lesser area coverage under paddy because of "deficient" rains, the
area under paddy crossed the targeted area to 28.20 lakh hectares in Punjab. "Area under paddy has finally
reached 28.20 lakh hectares as crop sowing is over now," an official of Punjab Agriculture department said here
today. A target of 26.50 lakh hectares was set for paddy during the current season as the state government had
proposed to bring down area by 2 lakh hectares under "water guzzling" crop as part of crop diversification
programme. However, that could not take place. Punjab paddy growers' cost is expected to increase by Rs 6,000
to Rs 7,000 per acre because of "deficient" rains as farmers had to spend extra money on diesel and deepening
of tubewells for irrigating paddy in the wake of lesser rains. In neighbouring
Haryana, a total of 11.36 lakh hectares was brought under paddy crop as against target of 11.50 lakh hectares,
said an official of Haryana Agriculture department here. As far as other Kharif crops are concerned, cotton area
in Punjab could not reach the targeted mark of 5.20 lakh hectares which will lead to lesser cotton output this
year. Area under cotton could reach only 4.50 lakh hectares as against target of 5.20 lakh hectares," an official
of Punjab Agriculture department said. Similarly, area under maize, which was being promoted by the Punjab
government as an alternate crop to paddy, was also not up to the mark as a total of 1.63 lakh hectares could be
brought under it as against the target of 2 lakh hectares.

Farmers were not encouraged to bring more area under maize as they preferred to spend extra money on saving
paddy crop which has an assured market, the official said. However, cotton area in Haryana zoomed to 6.42
lakh hectares, surpassing the target of 6 lakh hectares. Similarly, area under guar crop in the state also went up
to 3.40 lakh hectares against the targeted area of 3 lakh hectares, official said here. Notably, Punjab government
has been pressing for special central assistance of Rs 2,330 crore from the Centre in order to combat "deficient"
rain conditions. Haryana government had sought financial assistance of Rs 850 crore from the Centre.

Indian monsoon to display lull as floods ease
BY RATNAJYOTI DUTTA
NEW DELHI Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:29am IST


A man pulls a cycle rickshaw through a flooded street during a heavy monsoon rain shower in Agartala, capital
of Tripura August 14, 2014.
CREDIT: REUTERS/JAYANTA DEY
(Reuters) - India's monsoon rains will be weak next week, weather officials said on Thursday, giving relief to
cane- and rice-growing areas of northern and eastern regions that were recently hit by floods.The annual rains
are vital, because over half of India's farmlands lack irrigation, and the farm sector accounts for 14 percent of
the national economy.The monsoon is the leading determinant of rural spending on consumer goods ranging
from lipstick to cars as two-thirds of its 1.2 billion people live in villages.
In India, the monsoon has been weak for the past two weeks, but that
is unlikely to cut output prospects for summer crops such as rice,
corn, soybean, cane and cotton, because these crops have entered the
germination stage, when less rain is required."Soybean has entered
the initial growth stage when it does not need heavy rains, but
requires intermittent rains for a healthy growth," S.K. Srivastava,
head of the state-run Directorate of Soybean Research, told Reuters
over the phone from Indore in central India.Soybean-growing areas of
central India now need rain at intervals.
"A prolonged dry spell until next week would be harmful for the planted soybean crop," Srivastava said.Most of
the summer crops, except late-sown rice varieties in some parts of the northwest region, have entered the
growing stage and need moderate rain to ensure good yields."Cane is still in good condition in Maharashtra
despite the weak monsoon, except Marathwada belt where the crop has been hit by drought," said Raju Shetti,
head of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana, a farmers' lobby group from Maharashtra, the leading sugar producing
state of India.
WEAK PHASE
Weather officials forecast less rain in flood-hit areas of North India next week, while the monsoon is expected
to be poor over the cotton and oilseed belts of western region."The weak phase is expected to spill over to the
next week," said D.S. Pai, the lead forecaster of the India Meteorological Department (IMD)."We expect a wet
run from late August to early September," Pai said from the western city of Pune.


FLOODS EASE
Floods are expected to ease as the weather office forecast poor rain over the northern region until the middle of
next week.Last week's heavy showers in the Himalayas inundated nearly 1,500 villages in northern India,
killing 80 people and leaving thousands homeless, according to the latest official updates.An official at the
National Disaster Management Authority said there had been 10 deaths in the eastern state of Bihar due to
floods, caused by overflowing rivers in Nepal.
On Friday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will make an aerial review of the flood situation in the worst affected
areas of Uttar Pradesh, the top producer of cane in India, the world's second-biggest producer after
Brazil.Experts said last week's flash floods over northern Uttar Pradesh state could affect growth of rice and
cane crops in the Himalayan foothills.But sugar output is unlikely to decline drastically despite floods in the
north and drought in western regions as production is expected to improve in South India.
(Additional reporting by Sharat Pradhan in LUCKNOW; editing by Jane Baird)
Accord signed to make hybrid rice research centre
Staff Report
August 21, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Yuian Longping High-Teeh Agriculture
Company Limited (YLHTACL) China and Guard Agricultural Research and Services (Private) Limited
(GAR&SPL) Lahore have signed a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) for the establishment of Hybrid Rice
Research and Development Centre (HRRDC) in Lahore.

All the organisations have decided to establish a joint Centre in Pakistan to develop fine grain rice hybrids to
meet the market demand in Pakistan. The main purpose of the HRRDC is to breed elite high quality hybrid rice
varieties by taking full advantage of the worlds leading hybrid rice breeding technology of China and the elite
rice germplasm of Pakistan, improve the hybrid rice breeding and innovation level of Pakistan and promote the
rice productivity, as well as the food security in Pakistan. Dr Iftikhar Ahmad Chairman PARC, Lui Lin Hui
incharge Hybrid Rice Project in Pakistan YLHTAC China and Dr Shahzad Ali Malik Chief Executive
GAR&SPL signed this agreement.
Plastic from Rice Waste? A Biodegradable Option
Aug 20, 2014 05:35 PM EDT


Researchers claim to have developed an inexpensive and eco-friendly bio-plastic that degrades at a more
acceptable rate, compared to traditional plastics. The plastic, they say, is made from vegetable waste and the
byproducts of rice and cocoa production, meaning that it will place no new demand on the Earth as well. (Photo
: Reuters )
Take a look at that plastic bottle
sitting next to you. If that bottle
was left there untouched, it
would take an average of 450
years to fully disappear. If it
were made with Polyethylene
Terephthalate (PET) it might crack eventually, but it will never be fully
gone from this world. Never.Even broken down micro-plastics are
plaguing our oceans and contributing to the formation of rock-like plastic fossils that are even more resistant to
the aging process. Experts have long suggested that when humanity is gone from this world, plastic waste will
be our sole-surviving legacy.

How much of that legacy we leave behind, however, could change.Researchers at the Italian Institute of
Technology claim to have developed an inexpensive and eco-friendly bio-plastic that degrades at a more
acceptable rate, compared to traditional plastics. The plastic, they say, is made from vegetable waste and the
byproducts of rice and cocoa production, meaning that it will place no new demand on the Earth as well."This
opens up possibilities for replacing some of the non-degrading polymers with the present bioplastics obtained
from agro-waste," the researchers said in a recent statement.

(Photo : Bayer et al. 2014 American Chemical Society. DOI: 10.1021/ma500855)
The experimental process that makes this potentially world-changing polymer was detailed in a study recently
published in the journal Macromolecules, an American Chemical Society (ACS) publication.
According to the study, the researchers made use of an organic acid that occurs naturally and can process
cellulose - the most abundant polymer in nature. This polymer is a key building component in plants, and can be
extracted from stems, husks and pods using such an acid.The researchers quickly determined that various
solutions using this polymer could form plastics with a wide range of traits, such as brittle, soft, and stretchy -
much like commercial plastics. What's best, is that these new plastics are biodegradable and are not doomed to
last until the end of man.


Still, more work needs to be done to determine the full potential of this new product.

Tagsplastic, polymer, Organics, plants

Iraq issues tender for at least 15,000 T Indian rice -trade
(Adds detail from paragraph 3)
HAMBURG, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Iraq's state grains buyer has issued an international tender to buy at least
15,000 tonnes of basmati rice to be sourced from India, European traders said on Thursday.The closing date for
the tender is Sept. 1 and offers must be valid until Sept. 5.Traders said they believed the new tender may
indicate Iraq made no purchase in a previous tender to buy at least 15,000 tonnes of Indian basmati rice which
closed on July 21 with offers remaining valid until July 25.
Volumes in Iraq's rice tenders are nominal and the country frequently buys more than it tenders for.On July 4,
Iraq purchased 87,500 tonnes of basmati rice from India after also seeking offers for at least 15,000 tonnes.On
Aug. 15, Iraq rejected offers in a separate international tender to buy at least 30,000 tonnes of rice from the
United States, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam or Thailand, saying prices offered were too high.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan, editing by David Evans)

Nigerias shrinking imports data show policy gaining traction
August 21, 2014 | Filed under: Exclusive,main story | Author: Edozie Ifebi
Recent trends in Nigerias import trade dynamics have seen import values shrink since the last quarter of 2013,
indicating that governments policies to improve the countrys terms of trade are gaining traction.These policies
include the Agriculture Transformation Agenda, National Industrial Revolution Plan, backward integration
programme, among others.Imports into Nigeria have been falling for the two most recent quarters for which
data are available (Q4 2013 and Q1 2014).The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) import figures for Q4 2013
show that imports fell by 19 percent from Q3 2013, recording a trade surplus of 20.3 percent for the period.
Nigerian exports in the first quarter of 2014 also rose by 14.2 percent from the previous quarter, while imports
fell by 8.3 percent, resulting in a trade surplus of N2.4 trillion. Q1 2014 trade surplus rose to 35.4 percent,
higher than the surplus for the previous quarter. Imports fell by 8.3 percent from Q4 2013, and 6.2 percent from
the corresponding quarter of 2013.Nigerias import figures have been falling markedly since the new Federal


Governments policy on rice, sugar (initiated in February 2013, but took effect in June 2013), fish, and most
recently, the new automotive policy.

The policies, aimed at boosting the nations agric sector, have seen food imports fall by N2.5 billion in the last
three years, according to Akinwumi Adesina, minister of agriculture and rural development, adding that Nigeria
would surpass its target and produce 22 million tonnes of additional food by 2015.When we started in 2011,
our aim was to produce additional 20 million tonnes of food to the existing production. As at the end of 2013,
17 million tonnes of additional food had been produced since 2011, and by 2015, 22 million tonnes of
additional food would be produced, said Adesina.He said Nigeria was now the reference point for agriculture
on the continent as the country was rapidly closing its food importation gap.The new policies have seen a
significant fall in the volume of those goods imported. Since the Federal Government imposed the new levy in
addition to the import duty on rice imports, the Nigerian Customs rice-related annual revenues have fallen by at
least 70 percent.Prior to the implementation of the policy, rice imports accounted for between 70 percent to 90
percent of the Apapa Area One Customs Commands monthly revenue.
Revenue generated from rice levies dipped by 90.6 percent, from N125.3 billion to N11.8 billion.Charles Edike,
Customs area controller, Apapa Area1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said in an interview
that the new import policy affected the revenue collection of the command.Fish, which used to be the second
revenue source for the command, was also affected by the policy of government, Edike said.The NBS
classification by section showed that the structure of Nigerias import trade was dominated by boilers,
machinery and appliances (23.7 percent) mineral products (16 percent), vehicles, aircraft and parts (13 percent),
base metals and articles of base metals (9.5 percent), and chemical and allied industries (8.5 percent).At specific
product level, motor spirit had the greatest value of imports, comprising 12.5 percent of total imports for Q1
2014, followed by spelt (common wheat) and meslin (a mixture of wheat/rye) at 3.5 percent, and machine tools
at 3 percent of the total value of imports.Wheat and wheat-related products, accounting for the second largest
import commodity by value, highlights the degree of food dependency of the Nigerian economy.
This means that the Nigerian economy is still susceptible to fluctuations of food commodity prices on the
international market. Increased wheat prices internationally will have knock-on effects for the FMCG industry
and subsequently result in imported inflation.Classification by broad economic categories showed that industrial
supplies comprised 28.2 percent of total imports, followed by capital goods (22.3 percent) and transport
equipment and parts (14.4 percent).Nigerias trade surplus figures have acted as a boosting factor to the
countrys macro-economic fundamentals. The value of the naira is expected to be stable in the near term, as
demand for dollar eases, going by the analysis of the trade data. More accretion in the foreign reserves is also
expected.
Edozie Ifebi


Rice price for Panama market still to be settled

AUGUST 21, 2014 BY PUSHPA BALGOBIN 0 COMMENTS NEXT ARTICLE
For Full Access Login OR Subscribe Now - for as low as 25 cents a day
With the recently announced sales deal with Panama, Guyana is hoping to cash in on the Central American
countrys rice shortage which is projected to carry over into 2015 but a price is still to be settled.Stabroek News
understands that Guyana is hoping that packaged rice sales to Panama will be anywhere from US$500 to US$520 per
tonne in the initial stages of the agreement. The commodity at the end of June averaged around US$414 per tonne,
however since then world market prices for 25% broken rice have been as low as US$395 and as high as US$460.
This newspaper was told that that Guyana will be exporting 20% broken rice to Panama under the new agreement
signed last Thursday at the ..To continue reading, login or subscribe now.

Innovative concepts: Setting up Pakistans first rice bran oil plant
20.08.2014
When thinking of a business venture, some like to do it the old-fashioned way and invest in a tried and tested
sector. But, there are those who like stepping into unexplored territory in hopes of becoming trend-setters.With
this in mind, e2e Supply Chain Management Chief Executive Abid Butt belongs to the latter category. He has
entered into a new joint venture to establish Pakistans first rice bran oil plant, which is going to start operating
from November this year.He set up e2e Supply Chain Management in 2006, making it one of the top logistics
companies in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The company launched with only $20,000 of seed capital
and eventually generated revenues of around $75 million in 2011. It was ranked number one in All World
fastest growing companies of Pakistan and number three in Arabia 500 survey (including North Africa and
Turkey).

The company has recently entered into the rice bran oil business, popular for its high spoke point of 232 C
(450 F). It is extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice after chaff (rice husk), is less sticky and due to
its mild flavor, is used for high-temperature cooking methods like deep-frying.It all began when I saw a rice
field video, in which a powdery substance was being separated from the rice, said Butt. I was amazed to see
the process, which I later learned produced very healthy cooking oil.The plant machinery cost me a little over
Rs1 billion and has been imported from India a leading country in rice bran oil technology. The production
capacity of the plant is 10,000 tons.Butt, who has majority stake in the project, intends selling the oil to edible


oil companies which will blend it with their products.Rice bran oil is blended in many countries including India.
According to American Heart Association, rice bran oil is the healthiest edible oil in the world.

Its per litre cost is close to sunflower oil but it is comparatively healthier.Pakistan can gradually improve the
efficiency of rice bran oil technology. We would like to get the support of Pakistani universities to improve the
efficiency of this technology, Butt said.Rice bran oil production is commercially viable. Even if we face
problems in selling rice bran oil to edible oil companies, we have an alternative to brand the oil ourselves and
sell it at premium. This way we will recover our investment in four to five years, which is viable by any world
standard, he stressed.

Speaking on the advantages of rice bran oil production in Pakistan, he said Pakistan is a country that produces
millions of tons of rice annually. Since the raw material is produced in the country in abundance, the
government can easily reduce its edible oil import bills by millions of dollars, he said.Despite all the problems
like energy crisis and security issues, Butt believes that Pakistan has huge potential to grow and improve its
economy. Pakistan can grow faster in coming years. But for that its business people have to continuously
looking for new business ideas to diversify the country economy.

For Advertising SPECS & RATES

Contact: Advertising Department

Mujahid Ali

mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com

+92 321 369 2874

21st August, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

21st August, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.

You might also like