31st March , 2014
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FCA set sugarcane, rice targets as 68.83mT, 2.786mT respectively Indian Panel Said to Propose Record Price for Rice, Cotton Crops Enquiries drive Pusa-1121 prices up Thai Leader Defends Herself Over Rice Subsidy Commerce to open auction for 200,000 tons of rice Commerce hopes to secure a deal to sell rice to Philippines REFILE-WRAPUP 2-Thai PM defends negligence charges as economy falters Pornsilp: Government must take a step back Beleaguered Thai PM defends herself against rice charges High-yield crops to replace rice Blackbirds Attacking Newly Planted Arkansas Rice Drought, salinity strike central, southern Vietnam Food prices show mixed trend REAP, Guangdong grain body sign MoU LCCI visited: China invites rice growers to join hands for more import Guangdong shows interest in boosting import of Pak rice Chinese grain sector shows interest in Pak rice export Kharif crops 2014: Irsa stores 2 MAF rain water in reservoirs Futures rice sales target 1m tonnes Louisiana Ag official worries millions owed in rice suit PhilRice launches momentum drive For NFA, import restrictions effectively deter smuggling Chiayi station unveils new rice variety Panel’s Warning on Climate Risk: Worst Is Yet to Come Dot Earth Blog: Climate Panel Sees Global Warming Impacts on All Continents, Worse to Com U.S. agency knew about G.M. flaw but did not act Butte County farmers show and tell for governor candidate Kashkari California Drought: After years of overpumping groundwater, state may be ready for reforms China looks abroad for greener pastures Climate Panel Sees Global Warming Impacts on All Continents, Worse to Come
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NEWS DETAILS: FCA set sugarcane, rice targets as 68.83mT, 2.786mT respectively * PASCO to procure 1.6 million tons wheat
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) fixed 68.83 million tons sugarcane production target for 2014-15 from an area of 1.167 million hectares. The rice targets for 2014-15 crops were fixed at an area of 2.786 million hectare and production at 6.81 million tons.Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Friday in a press conference said out of 6.81 million tons rice, Punjab will produce 3.5 million tons, Sindh 2.6 million tons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 0.1 tons and Balochistan 0.6 tons. The meeting also fixed the target of other crops including maaize, mash, chillies and tomatoes, he said.The minister said the government has not signed NonDiscriminatory Market Access (NDMA) with India and government would protect interest of farmers as will as other sectors. ―In-house deliberation is going on regarding the NDMA with India and the ministry also held discussion with farmers representatives about it,‖ he said while address a press conference after the meeting of the FCA.The minister said our seed is sector very week but the passage of the new Seed Bill would help in ensuring quality seed. ―The present government is making efforts for the betterment of 97.5 percent small farmers in the country,‖ he said. He said that the government has enough stock of wheat and ready to cope with any untoward situation. The government has asked PASCO to procure 1.6 million tons wheat, he said .He said that following the directives of finance minister, the FCA will now be held after every three months instead of six months. The committee reviewed the performance of Rabi crops 2013-14 and fixed crops targets including Sugarcane, rice and other crops as well as discussed the position of supply of agriculture inputs for Kharif season 201415, he said.Representatives of provincial Agriculture Departments, Ministry of Finance, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Communication, Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Pakistan Meteorological Department, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd (ZTBL), National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC), Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Agriculture Policy Institute, Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, Department of Plant Protection, Federal Water Management, Pakistan Oilseed Development Board, PASSCO and senior officers of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.The provincial representatives of agriculture department emphasised that adequate supply of urea and phosphate fertilizers during the Kharif must be ensured to achieve targets fixed. The committee was informed that irrigation water availability position for current Kharif season 2014-15 was estimated at 108.15 Million Acres Feet (MAF).The minister said that water availability during Kharif 2014-15 would remain satisfactory in view of the present position of the reservoirs and snowfall during the current winter. ―Kharif crops would only face five and eight percent‖, he said.The committee was informed that quantity of certified seed for Kharif crops would be available at around cotton 40%, rice 81.3%, maize 39.6% while pulses 14.8% of their total requirements. The committee was informed that the availability of urea and DAP would be ensured during Kharif as per their requirements.He said the pesticide availability position during Kharif was reported satisfactory. The representative of banks informed that allocations of credit for agriculture had been substantially increased and 13% higher from previous year.
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Indian Panel Said to Propose Record Price for Rice, Cotton Crops By Prabhudatta Mishra and Pratik Parija Mar 31, 2014 12:36 PM GMT+0500 India, the world‘s largest rice exporter, may set record prices for purchases of unmilled rice and cotton from farmers, according to government officials with knowledge of the matter.The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, which advises the government on crop rates, recommended paying 1,360 rupees ($22.7) per 100 kilograms (220 pounds) for common paddy in the year beginning July 1, compared with 1,310 rupees now, said two government officials, who asked not to be identified because the proposals are private. The panel wants the price of long-staple cotton increased to 4,050 rupees per 100 kilograms from 4,000 rupees and the medium variety raised to 3,750 rupees from 3,700 rupees, they said. Manoj Pandey, a spokesman for the Agriculture Ministry, declined to comment. A decision will be taken by a new government after general elections next month, they said.The government sets the prices to safeguard farmer incomes and provides subsidies on sales of grain and cooking oil to the poor. It buys about 30 percent of the country‘s rice production from farmers at these prices.The minimum rates of corn, soybeans and peanuts may be kept at levels now, said the officials, citing the panel recommendations. The government buys black soybeans at 2,500 rupees per 100 kilograms, yellow soybeans at 2,560 rupees, peanuts at 4,000 rupees and corn at 1,310 rupees. To contact the reporters on this story: Prabhudatta Mishra in New Delhi atpmishra8@bloomberg.net; Pratik Parija in New Delhi at pparija@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@bloomberg.net Thomas Kutty Abraham
Enquiries drive Pusa-1121 prices up KARNAL, MARCH 31:
Trade enquiries pushed up prices of full grain and brokens of Pusa 1121 varieties by ₹100-300 a quintal on Monday, while other aromatic and non-basmati prices continued to rule flat. Amit Kumar, proprietor of Ginni Rice, told Business Line that fresh enquiries mainly pushed up Pusa-1121 varieties. Traders expect the market to witness some buying in the coming days and major alteration in prices is unlikely.In view of the financial year end, trading was lukewarm and buyers placed orders only according to their requirement, said Kumar.In the physical market, Pusa-1121 (steam) moved up by ₹200 and was sold at ₹9,100-9,200 a quintal, while Pusa-
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1121 (sela) improved ₹300 and to be quoted at ₹8,150 a quintal. Pure Basmati (raw) was quoted at ₹12,200 a quintal. Duplicate basmati (steam) was sold at ₹7,000. Pusa-1121 brokens improved by ₹100-150. Pusa-1121 (second wand) was sold at ₹7,200 and Tibar at ₹6,250, and Dubar at ₹5,200. In the non-basmati section, Sharbati (steam) was sold at ₹4,850, while Sharbati (sela) was quoted at ₹4,300. Permal (raw) was sold at ₹2,330, Permal (sela) at ₹2,350, PR-11 (sela) at ₹2,700 and PR-11 (raw) at ₹2,600. PR14 (steam) was sold at ₹2,950. (This article was published on March 31, 2014)
Thai Leader Defends Herself Over Rice Subsidy Source: Wall Street Journal 31/03/2014 In: World Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, center, arrives at the National Anti-Corruption Commission in Nonthaburi province. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images. Before proceeding, share this article with friends so we continue trying to bring you further news
Commerce to open auction for 200,000 tons of rice Published on March 30, 2014 by TFP · No Comments
SINGBURI, 30 March 201 (NNT)– The Deputy Commerce minister has disclosed that the next auction for nearly 200,000 tons of rice in the government‘s stocks is scheduled to take place on April 9 According to the deputy minister, Yanyong Pawongrat, the lot to be auctioned off comprises white rice and Hom Mali rice in the government‘s warehouses in various provinces: Buriram, Udon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Suphanburi, Singburi and Chainat.Those warehouses will be opened between April 2-8 for would-be bidders to check the quality of rice stored there. He expected a number of buyers to participate in the auction.The auction will be done through the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand, or AFET. The ministry has so far sold more than 500,000 tons of rice through the AFET. It hopes to sell more than 1,000,000 tons in June, generating 10 billion baht to fund the derailed rice pledging scheme. ( บุษบา ศิวะสมบูรณ์)
Commerce hopes to secure a deal to sell rice to Philippines Date : 31 มีนาคม 2557
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BANGKOK, 31 Mar 2014, (NNT) - The Commerce Ministry is working to achieve a sale of 800,000 tons of rice to the Philippines on April 15th, saying the other main contender is Vietnam. The Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade Surasak Riengkrua noted that the upcoming auction is open to any country, either in the form of governmental units or via the private sector, avoiding the need to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with the Phillipines administration. He said his department is forwarding the matter to the ministry to seek approval to join the auction. According to a source in the Commerce Ministry, the Philippines wants to purchase 800,000 tons of 25% rice, citing the top contenders as Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Pakistan. Thailand's rice is priced at 350 US Dollars a ton, which is somewhat cheaper than Vietnam‘s at 355 dollars and India‘s at 365 dollars a ton. The source‘s analysis indicates that Vietnam is experiencing a rice oversupply, making the country the biggest rival of Thailand in selling the grain. It is of the opinion that the two competing countries could drive the price way below the standard price in order to secure a deal.
REFILE-WRAPUP 2-Thai PM defends negligence charges as economy falters Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:25am EDT By Amy Sawitta Lefevre BANGKOK, March 31 (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday defended herself against negligence charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office, the latest development in a political crisis that has gripped the country for months.As the country stumbles along, the central bank said Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, heavily reliant on tourism, was expected to contract in the first quarter after consumption and investment fell.Yingluck has been charged with dereliction of duty for overseeing the rice-buying scheme, a policy that brought her to power in the 2011 election with the help of the rural poor but that has since run up huge losses and left hundreds of thousands of farmers unpaid.The charges were brought against her by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) which, should it forward the case to the Senate for possible impeachment, would mean Yingluck being suspended from official duties.It was unclear when such a decision would be made, but it could take weeks. Yingluck spent 30 minutes at the commission's headquarters. Her legal team carried three cardboard boxes filled with documents to present to anti-graft officials. Her main defence document was 150-pages long.Yingluck asked for more time to call on 10 witnesses and to submit further documents to support her defence, NACC member Prasart Pongsivapai told reporters following the meeting.The commission will decide on Tuesday whether to extend the deadline."The prime minister submitted documents in her defence and gave a short statement," said Prasart. "We have to consider whether (those) witnesses and documents relate to this scheme. The commission will act with justice toward the prime minister and in a straight-forward manner."Yingluck has come under pressure over the past five months from protesters who have occupied state offices and parts of Bangkok in a bid to remove her and rid the country of the influence of her brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.Protesters disrupted a Feb. 2 general election, halting voting in parts of Bangkok and the south. The Constitutional Court nullified the election this month, throwing Thailand into deeper turmoil and leaving Yingluck in charge of a caretaker government with severely restricted powers. TOLL ON TOURISM
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The protests have also taken a heavy toll on the tourism industry with visitors staying away from the normally bustling capital. Mathee Supapongs, senior director with the central bank, said he expected tourism to pick up if there was no further violence from street protests.Twenty-three people have been killed and hundreds wounded in sporadic violence since the protests kicked off in November.The Bank of Thailand's private consumption index dropped 1.2 percent in February from January and 2.5 percent from a year earlier. Its private investment index was 1.9 percent lower on the month and was down 7.7 percent on the year.Mathee told a news conference that growth could contract in the first quarter from the fourth but might rebound in the second quarter. "Overall economic activities in February 2014 softened further from the previous month owing to prolonged political protests. Households and businesses continued to hold back spending, while imports and manufacturing production contracted," the Bank of Thailand said in a statement.Kasikorn Research cut its full-year growth forecast to 1.8 percent on Monday, down from 3 percent in January. It also predicted an economic contraction of about 2 percent in the first quarter of 2014 from the previous three months.Thailand has really been in crisis since Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup. The conflict broadly pits the Bangkok-based middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and Thaksin.Yingluck criticised the NACC last week for not giving her enough time to gather evidence and for fast-tracking the investigation.Government supporters accuse the courts and independent agencies, including the NACC, of bias and say several judges are aligned with the conservative establishment. Her allegations prompted the anti-graft commission to issue a statement defending the way it has handled Yingluck's case."As there were suspicions that Yingluck abused her position... the NACC has had to investigate the suspicions to get to the truth," the NACC said in statement."Yingluck has received just and fair treatment (by the NACC) under the framework of the constitution."Thais voted on Sunday for half of the country's 150-seat Senate in a key test of Yingluck's government. A Senate dominated by anti-government politicians could hasten her exit but any decision to remove Yingluck would require the votes of three-fifths of the senators.The results are expected in a week. (Additional reporting by Aukkarapon Niyomyat, Pracha Hariraksapitak and Kitiphong Thaichareon; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Pornsilp: Government must take a step back ate : 31 มีนาคม 2557 BANGKOK, 31 March 2014 (NNT) - The Deputy Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce has put forward the view that the only solution to Thailand‘s political problem is for the government to take a step back. According to Pornsilp Patcharintanakul, the Deputy Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the government should stop performing its duties and hold talks with all sides to pave the way for national reform. Following that, a new council consisting of members accepted by the general public should be appointed. Pornsilp stated that at this point there is still no clear sign that Thailand‘s political conflict will subside. However, he believes that a new government will eventually be appointed, probably starting next year. Should that scenario materialize, the Thai economy will definitely see an improvement and recover by the third quarter of 2015 at the latest.
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The Deputy Chairman believes that the outlook for the Thai economy is still bleak at the moment, as the private sector and many investors are too afraid to risk their money in Thailand‘s current political environment. Statistically, foreign interests annually invest at least 500 billion baht in Thai stocks and securities, but reaching that figure is nowhere close this year.Exports are also stalling this year, as Thailand‘s major trading partners are facing their own problems. Pornsilp further added that even though the Baht is showing signs of depreciation, many business operators are still plagued with problems of high production costs. For this reason, he believes that exports will grow less than 5% this year.
Beleaguered Thai PM defends herself against rice charges Published on Mar 31, 2014 4:18 PM
BANGKOK (REUTERS) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday showed up to defend herself against charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office.The charges were brought against her by the National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC). Should the commission forward the case to the Senate for possible impeachment, Ms Yingluck would be suspended from official duties.It was unclear when such a decision would be made, but it could take weeks.Ms Yingluck arrived at the anti-graft commission's headquarters to defend herself, following earlier speculation that she might send lawyers to represent her instead. In Phot: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra greets people after casting a ballot at a polling station in Bangkok March 30, 2014. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Monday, March 31, 2014 showed up to defend herself against charges linked to a ruinous government rice pledging scheme that could lead to her removal from office. -PHOTO: REUTERS
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High-yield crops to replace rice VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam will transition 100,000 hectares of rice-growing areas to cultivate other crops, Pham Van Du, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Crop Production Department told Youth Newspaper.
Do you think the decision will help to cut down the volume of annual animal feed imports by the country? The old concept of food security is no longer appropriate for the current times, as many countries have adopted the policy of self-sufficiency in food production. If Viet Nam continues to focus its efforts on rice production, it will undoubtedly face difficulties in rice exports. In the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, there are three main crops in a year:winter-spring, summer-autumn, and winter-autumn crops. Of the three crops, summer-autumn is entirely in the dry season, so drought is a major problem that hinders the growth of rice plants. As a result, its yield is the lowest among the three crops.Based on these facts, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed to reduce the rice plantation acreage for the summer-autumn crop to plant other crops.It is a wellknown fact that moving over from rice to other crop production cannot be achieved overnight. It will take time to conduct some pilots to convince the farmers that crop production will bring more benefits to them than rice production. In addition, the change will also depend on the prevalent conditions in each locality. However, the objective of the change is to stabilise the acreage put under rice production and to establish regions specialised in growing maize and soybean. We plan to grow maize on an area of 100,000-150,000 hectares in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta. The current yield of maize is between 6-7 tonnes per hectare per crop.So, if 100,000 hectares of rice-growing area is used for maize cultivation, we will produce from 600,000700,000 tonnes of maize per crop. This means that the volume of imported maize for animal feed will drop considerably.
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Does you department have solid evidence on the effectiveness of maize over rice crops? We have conducted several demonstrations on plots in the provinces of Long An, Vinh Long, Dong Thap, and An Giang. All the results show that maize production brings between 30-100 per cent higher returns than that of rice. However, if we want to ensure success while moving over from rice to maize cultivation in a farming area of 100,000 hectares, the government should invest in infrastructure development and develop high-quality maize varieties and subsidise the seeds for the farmers. What is most important is that the government should be able to ensure viable output for crops planted on the converted land. Besides the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, which areas will move from rice to maize cultivation? The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta and the Dong Nam bo (South East region) are the two regions having climatic conditions suitable to switch from rice cultivation to growing maize and soybean. However, crop and plant restructuring need further study before making the final decision. However, with a good irrigation system in place and the farmers' rich knowledge on extensive agricultural activities, the South East region is ideal for us to switch from rice to maize production. But, the challenge we are facing is the shortage of labour force and the fact that industrial development is encroaching on the farming areas in the region. What are the other problems faced by the farmers if they agree to change from rice to other crop plantation? Viet Nam has invested in rice cultivation for nearly 40 years. Most of the rural agricultural infrastructure has focused on rice cultivation and processing. So, it is not easy to switch to other crops in a short period of time. In addition, we also need time to prepare for maize procurement and processing, including capital resources, drying yards, and processing machines. Last but not the least, we need more time to conduct research on production procedures for each type of crop in different bio sub-regions. As of now, we do not have the relevant experience in advance technology in the field of crop plantation, except for wet rice. Source: VNS
Blackbirds Attacking Newly Planted Arkansas Rice LITTLE ROCK, AR - Some Arkansas rice farmers are battling wildlife at planting time.
That's why this spring, a new seed treatment product known as AV-1011 received a Section 18 emergency exemption for use in Arkansas. This product is intended to deter blackbirds from feeding on rice seed. Agriculture officials say there has been some recent confusion about AV-1011, including the cost of the product. Here are a few things to know:
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The application rate is 18.3 oz per 100 lbs of seed (18.3 fl oz / cwt).
The suggested grower price per gallon is $195.
At a 70 lb / acre seeding rate, this product would cost ~ $19.50 per acre.
At a 30 lb / acre seeding rate, this product would cost ~ $8.36 per acre.
Situations where growers might see the most benefit from this product:
Very early or very late planted fields.
Isolated fields.
Fields that are water-seeded.
Fields that are broadcast-seeded.
This product is labeled for use as a seed treatment ONLY.
Click here to see the label and documentation (always read and follow label directions). Story by: Jarrod Hardke, Rice Extension Agronomist Copyright 2014 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. SOCIETY
Drought, salinity strike central, southern Vietnam TUOITRENEWS UPDATED : 03/31/2014 18:40 GMT + 7 Vietnam is experiencing serious drought, worsened by saltwater intrusion, with water levels in reservoirs at many hydropower plants much lower than previous years. Drought is hitting the central and southern regions much harder this year than in the past while salinity proves to make everything more severe for the southern part of the country.According to hydrometeorology stations in the southern region, the salinity of the local rivers has suddenly increased in the year to date, exceeding the average rate recorded in 2013.On Saturday, the Center for Hydrometeorology
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Forecast of the southernmost province of Ca Mau said the salinity of the provincial waters has increased by 13‰ compared to the same period last year, which is forecast to continue rising in late April and early May.Specifically, salinity rates in Ca Mau City, the provincial capital, and Song Doc Town were measured at 25-27‰ and 29-31‰, respectively. In addition, saltwater intrusion has made its way up to 75km inland in some places in the province.People in many Mekong Delta provinces are also suffering from a shortage of freshwater for daily use and production. "In the past few days, we have had to use water contaminated with salt for all purposes, except cooking and drinking, due to a lack of freshwater. My family has recently bought bottled drinking water at some VND10,000 per 20-liter bottle, from a local market for survival,‖ complained Le Thi Phenh in Thanh Phu District, Ben Tre Province.They have to spend VND180,000 buying 1,000 liters of saline water as freshwater has become a rarity, Phenh said while scooping a ladle of water to prove that it is a saline solution.For comparison, residents in Ho Chi Minh City, the country‘s largest economic hub, pay a mere VND5,800 for every 1,000 liters of clean water.Pham Trung Tinh, deputy director of the Center for Water and Sanitation in Ben Tre Province, said the center currently manages 46 water plants with a total capacity of over 1,200 cubic meters per hour, serving more than 40,000 households in rural areas. However, the proportion of rural population with access to tap water accounts for only 36 percent.
Influences on rice Drought and salinity are affecting tens of thousands of hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta as well. Nguyen Van Hai, head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ben Tre‘s Tan Phu Dong District, said some 25ha of rice has already been sowed although the department had recommended farmers not to produce the grain due to saltwater intrusion.Water salinity has hit nearly 50ha of communal rice, which may result in a 30-40 percent yield loss, authorities in Vinh Hoa Commune of the province‘s Ba Tri District said.Salinity incursion started rising again in the middle of this month after a short-lived decrease in Vi Thanh City and Long My District of Hau Giang, another Mekong Delta province. Le Van Doi, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said a 10,000ha rice-growing area in the two places has been suffering from salinity.Meanwhile, in Phung Hiep District, some 9,700ha has come under the attack of the salt incursion. The Mekong Delta is Vietnam‘s biggest rice-growing area, with 4 million hectares producing 24.8 million tons of rice in 2013, occupying over 50 percent of the country‘s total rice production.People in the central region are facing the same situation, with water shortages having struck about 12,221ha of land there. Water levels in the reservoirs of many big hydropower plants in the Central Highlands have been reported to be 1-4 meters lower than normal, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said at a conference on Saturday.Particularly in Quang Nam Province and Da Nang City, the water shortage issue has become a permanent concern in recent years, for saltwater intrusion has turned more serious when the reservoirs of many hydropower plants stop discharging water to the
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downstream areas to accumulate water for power generation.This year Quang Nam has about 1,500 ha of agricultural land facing water shortage risks, while in Da Nang, the situation threatens not only the agricultural sector but also the lives of 1.3 million residents in the city.
Food prices show mixed trend MOHIUDDIN AAZIM
Wheat prices have come down in the wholesale market on arrival of new crop in parts of Punjab and petering out smuggling to neighbouring Afghanistan, but rates of wheat flour stay stubbornly high. Wholesalers in Jodia Bazar of Karachi say 100kg wheat is now available for Rs3500, down from Rs3700 in February as supply of wheat from Potohar region of Punjab has begun and as wheat hoarders in Sindh have started offloading their stocks in a big way. ―The reason why wheat flour prices remain intact is that flour millers are still using costly wheat purchased earlier and most of them haven‘t got full quota of officially-subsidized wheat from Sindh food department,‖ says a Karachibased flour miller. ―Whereas in Punjab actual supply of new wheat grains have begun, in Sindh what we are getting right now is old wheat of low quality that hoarders are now offloading in the market. The milling ratio or the percentage of flour obtained out of this cheaper wheat, because of high moisture content, is so low that our cost of production is still the same,‖ explained an office bearer of the Sindh chapter of All Pakistan Flour Mills Association.Latest estimates by SUPARCO, based on satellite imaging of wheat fields put this year‘s output at 24.21 million tonnes up from initial earlier estimates of 23.84 million tonnes.This upward revision in estimated supply has also caused a decline in wholesale wheat prices, dealers say.―Besides, wheat smuggling to Afghanistan has declined both because Kazakhstan has flooded Afghan markets with its surplus wheat and also because our authorities have curbed illegal cross-border trade,‖ according to a Peshawar-based flour miller.
Smuggling of wheat was earlier going on, despite shortage at home. Pakistan had imported 377,000 tonnes of wheat in seven months to January but in February, imports fell to a negligible 210 tonnes ahead of the new crop.Prices of both Basmati and non-Basmati rice varieties increased during March. Rice dealers say whereas demand for Basmati was up on higher domestic use, coarse rice consumption was growing both in local and foreign markets.―In fact, Basmati exports have declined by nine per cent (to 366,000 tonnes) between July and February FY14, but prices continue to firm up as food companies producing packaged rice brands have been making large purchases,‖ says a local dealer. Coarse rice exports, on the other hand, increased 4.6 per cent to
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around 1.82 million tonnes in July-February 2013-14.Traders say, however, that unlike last year rice stocks are now quite large and prices shouldn‘t normally rise despite some growth in exports.
According to initial estimates, rice output this year has reached close to seven million tonnes, up from around six million tonnes last year.As expected, sugar prices fell in March as supplies from mills increased and there was no immediate word on how soon the government would allow additional exports.Wholesalers said sugar prices were hovering around Rs4600-4700 per 100kg, down from Rs4700-Rs4800 per 100kg a month earlier when millers were expecting rise of export quotas. In retail market, the price of the sweetener declined by one rupee per kg. This year, Pakistan‘s sugar production has risen past five million tonnes, up from 4.8 million tonnes last year.Prices of pulses showed a rising trend during March on scant supplies from fields. Wholesalers said prices were up due mainly to retail market dynamics adding that in wholesale markets, there was no big change compared to February. But retailers say wholesale prices are, in fact, rising as fresh supplies of pulses from Punjab have declined. Overall production of pulses this year is reportedly lower than in the last year for various reasons, including growers‘ shifting priority to oilseed crop which is far more profit-yielding.Poultry prices also went up in March. Poultry farmers link the price hike to increase in cost of production due to power breakdowns that are becoming more frequent after winter. They say that keeping controlled environment sheds‘ temperature at a certain level in the absence of regular power supply requires big expenses on huge electricity generators. They insist that increase of poultry feed prices in the past has also started to push up their cost of production.Prices of tea showed a declining trend towards the end of March, mainly reflecting the impact of six per cent gain in rupee value against the dollar which lowered import prices. Tea importers say further decline in prices would be seen in April, as imports booked in later part of March start arriving. Prices of loose cooking oil remained stable but one-kg plastic pouch became a bit cheaper, driven by about five per cent increase in local production, as reported by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, and a stronger rupee.
REAP, Guangdong grain body sign MoU March 30, 2014 RECORDER REPORT
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and Guangdong Provincial Grain Association of China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Friday to promote co-operation in grain trade, processing and technology exchange between China and Pakistan.The document was inked by the REAP Chairman Chaudhary Masood Iqbal and Guangdong Provincial Grain Association's delegation head Chen Yihe on behalf of their respective organisations. Former REAP chairman Shahzad Ali Malik, Pir Syed Nazim Hussein Shah, former vice chairman Taufiq Ahmad Khan, officials from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and rice exporters attended the ceremony. As per the agreement, Guangdong Provincial Grain Association would organise visit of relevant Chinese companies to Pakistan and study the investment environment and policies in Pakistan about grain trade, production, processing, technology and explore investment co-operation.
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While REAP would be responsible for arranging Chinese parties to meet government officials in Pakistan, grain growers and traders, rice mills and executives of trading port, discussing economic and trade co-operation. The Chinese party to the agreement would carry out business activities in Pakistan with REAP and its recommended enterprises, the MoU added. Speaking on the occasion, REAP Chairman Chaudhary Masood Iqbal said the Chinese market promises a lot of opportunities for Pakistani rice and it was evident from the record exports of basmati and non-basmati rice to China by Pakistani exporters. He said that Pakistan exported 362,560 metric tons of rice worth $161.75 million to China in year 2011-12 which increased to 589,848 metric tons of rice worth $243.887 million in year 2012-13. He said that Pakistan's annual rice production was around 6.5 million tons and around 4.5 million tons were exported every year enabling the country to have 15 percent share in global rice trade. He said Pakistan was enriched with agricultural production and rice was its third biggest crop after wheat and cotton. He said Punjab's basmati rice was known around the world for its aroma and long grain while Sindh produces best IRRI variety. Chinese delegation leader Chen Yihe in his address said that their visit to Pakistan was to explore the opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade between the two countries, especially in rice, and also to carry out research in rice trade, growing techniques, processing and trading. He said that they would be having detailed reading of the export policies, price mechanism of different agricultural commodities and carry out such activities which could further co-operation for technology exchange.
LCCI visited: China invites rice growers to join hands for more import March 30, 2014 RECORDER REPORT Guangdong (China) grain sector has shown keen interest in enhancing the volume of import of rice from Pakistan and invited Pakistani rice growers to join hands with it in the larger benefit of the two countries. Vice Chairman of Guangdong Grain Association Chen Yihe, leading a 16-member Chinese delegation, was talking to Vice President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Kashif Anwar during a visit to the Chamber. Chen Yihe said the very objective of the visit was to look into the methodology and the technology being employed by Pakistani rice growers. He said Guangdong rice importers had been doing business with their Pakistani counterparts for the last three years. He indicated that Pakistan and Guangdong province could widely cooperate in agricultural development. He mentioned that in order to facilitate agricultural business development, technical innovation, ecological and resources sustainability, agricultural education, the two sides should sign the Memorandum of Understanding. Chen Yihe said that compared to other provinces in China, Guangdong is known to have the highest GDP, largest population, and the highest volume of international trade. He said it was a rare opportunity for the rice growers in Pakistan to come forward and join hands with their Chinese counterparts. Speaking on the occasion, Kashif Anwar said China has a major role in the development process of Pakistan at governmental and business levels. Other than, at the governmental level the development of business holds prime importance
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as well. "Pakistani businessmen are carrying out their major share of trade with China. We have a total worth of 6.7 billion dollar imports from China and 2.6 billion dollar exports to China the total figure to 9.3 billion dollars." He said the volume of trade can be increased by importing and exporting rice, cereals and grains to each other. He said it is believed that agricultural techniques of China are far ahead and more developed as compared to Pakistan, adding it would be a great favour if Pakistani farmers can be trained to start farming according to latest techniques and methods. He said "Pakistan being an agrarian economy can benefit largely if the farming methods are improved and more advanced procedures are brought into practice. This will definitely increase the GDP share of agriculture in the overall GDP of the country." "Newer seeds should be brought in the Pakistani market. Research and development work should be shared. Joint collaboration of Pak-China Rice growers and traders can add substantial volume to the Pak-China trade. Knowledge sharing on agriculture techniques should be carried out," he added. LCCI former president Shahzad Ali Malik was also present on the occasion. Copyright Business Recorder, 2014
Guangdong shows interest in boosting import of Pak rice March 30, 2014 NNI Lahore - Guangdong (China) grain sector has shown keen interest in enhancing the volume of import of rice from Pakistan and invited Pakistani rice growers to join hands with it in the larger benefit of the two countries.The Vice Chairman of Guangdong Grain Association Chen Yihe, leading a 16-member Chinese delegation, was talking to LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar during a visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI former President Shahzad Ali Malik also spoke on the occasion. Chen Yihe said that the very objective of the visit was to look into the methodology and the technology being employed by Pakistani rice growers. He said that Guangdong rice importers had been doing business with their Pakistani counterparts for the last three years. In a statement issued here on Saturday, he indicated that Pakistan and Guangdong province could widely cooperate in agricultural development.
He mentioned that in order to facilitate agricultural business development, technical innovation, ecological and resources sustainability, agricultural education, the two sides should sign the Memorandum of Understanding. Chen Yihe said that compared to other provinces in China, Guangdong is known to have the highest GDP,
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largest population, and the highest volume of international trade. He said that it was a rare opportunity for the rice growers in Pakistan to come forward and join hands with their Chinese counterparts. Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar said that China has a major role in the development process of Pakistan at governmental and business levels. Other than, at the governmental level the development of business holds prime importance as well.Pakistani businessmen are carrying out their major share of trade with China. We have a total worth of 6.7 billion US imports from China and 2.6 billion US $ exports to China totaling the total figure to 9.3 US billion dollars. Kashif Anwar said that the volume of trade can be increased by importing and exporting rice, cereals and grains to each other.He said that it is believed that agricultural techniques of China are far ahead and more developed as compared to Pakistan. He said that it would be a great favour if Pakistani farmers can be trained to start farming according to latest techniques and methods. Pakistan being an agrarian economy can benefit largely if the farming methods are improved and more advanced procedures are brought into practice. This will definitely increase the GDP share of agriculture in the overall GDP of the country.Newer seeds should be brought in the Pakistani market. Research and Development work should be shared.Joint collaboration of Pak China Rice growers and traders can add substantial volume to the Pak China trade. Knowledge sharing on agriculture techniques should be carried out
Chinese grain sector shows interest in Pak rice export Salim Ahmed
Sunday, March 30, 2014 - Lahore—Guangdong (China) Grain sector has shown keen interest in enhancing the volume of import of rice from Pakistan and invited Pakistani rice growers to join hands with it in the larger benefit of the two countries. The vice-chairman of Guangdong Grain Association Chen Yihe, leading a 16member Chinese delegation, was talking to LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar during a visit to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. LCCI former President Shahzad Ali Malik also spoke on the occasion. Mr Chen Yihe said that the very objective of the visit was to look into the methodology and thetechnology being employed by Pakistani rice growers. He said that Guangdong rice importers had been doing business with their Pakistani counterparts for the last three years. He indicated that Pakistan and Guangdong province could widely cooperate in agricultural development. He mentioned that in order to
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facilitate agricultural business development, technical innovation, ecological and resources sustainability, agricultural education, the two sides should sign the Memorandum of Understanding.Mr Chen Yihe said that compared to other provinces in China, Guangdong is known to have the highest GDP, largest population, and the highest volume of international trade. He said that it was a rare opportunity for the rice growers in Pakistan to come forward and join hands with their Chinese counterparts. Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI Vice President Kashif Anwar said that China has a major role in the development process of Pakistan at governmental and business levels.
Other than, at the governmental level the development of business holds prime importance as well. Pakistani businessmen are carrying out their major share of trade with China. We have a total worth of 6.7 billion US imports from China and 2.6 billion US $ exports to China totaling the total figure to 9.3 US billion dollars.Kashif Anwar said that importing and exporting rice; cereals and grains to each other can increase the volume of trade. He said that it is believed that agricultural techniques of China are far ahead and more developed as compared to Pakistan. He said that it would be a great favour if Pakistani farmers can be trained to start farming according to latest techniques and methods. Pakistan being an agrarian economy can benefit largely if the farming methods are improved and more advanced procedures are brought into practice. This will definitely increase the GDP share of agriculture in the overall GDP of the country. Newer seeds should be brought in the Pakistani market. Research and Development work should be shared. Joint collaboration of Pak China Rice growers and traders can add substantial volume to the Pak China trade. Knowledge sharing on agriculture techniques should be carried out.
Kharif crops 2014: Irsa stores 2 MAF rain water in reservoirs 03/31/2014Pakistan Agriculture The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) has stored about 2 MAF rain water in the Tarbela dam on the mighty river Indus and Mangla dam on the river Jhelum till to date virtually eliminating chronic 15 to 20 percent water shortage for sowing Kharif crops from 1st April to 10th June 2014 Punjab Irrigation department engineers told Business Recorder here on Sunday that the water regulatory body took full advantage of the four spells of rare spring rains and started refilling the country‘s biggest Mangla dam on 10th March that is now 65ft above its dead level of 1040ft with the storage of 1.25 MAF water.Similarly, water level in the Tarbela dam has also risen by 25ft during past two weeks conserving 0.6 MAF water in its belly while 0.25 MAF water has been retained in the downstream Chashma barrage on river Indus for sowing Kharif cash crops including cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables and fodder in the KPK south Punjab , Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
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They said that 31,200 cusecs water was flowing in the Indus river at Tarbela dam and 46.475 cusecs in river Jhelam at Mangla. Irsa was releasing 12,000 cusecs water below the Tarbela and 20,000 cusecs downstream the Mangla dam along with all the run of the river water of Kabul and Chanab rivers to meet the irrigation water needs of the provinces.They said that the advisory committee of Irsa comprising senior representatives of the four provinces is meeting in Islamabad on Monday (today) to allocate the available water to the provinces. source: brecorder
Futures rice sales target 1m tonnes Published: 29 Mar 2014 at 18.11 Online news:
The Commerce Ministry aims to sell 1 million tonnes of rice from state stockpiles through the futures market by June.So far, it has sold 510,000 tonnes in eight auctions through the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand (AFET), said caretaker Deputy Minister Yanyong Phuangrach on Saturday.If achieved, the sales will fetch 10 billion baht, he said.The ninth auction, to be held on April 9, will put up 196,740 million tonnes for sale, both hom mali and white rice.World rice prices average $410 a tonne now and demand is steady. The Philippines has recently called a bid for the delivery of 800,000 tonnes and China agreed to buy 100,000 tonnes more Thai rice through China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (Cofco).Commenting on the probe into the rice pledging scheme, Mr Yanyong said he would like to beg the National Anti-corruption Commission to allow the caretaker prime minister and all accused people more time to gather evidence in their defence for justice to all parties.As a deputy commerce minister, Mr Yanyong insisted the scheme was implemented accurately with the goal of upgrading farmers' quality of life.He also said the government did not ignore suggestions as reflected in the changes of criteria from unlimited purchases to a cap at not more than 500,000 baht a household and then 350,000 baht.
Louisiana Ag official worries millions owed in rice suit FARMERS GROUP UNSATISFIED WITH RESEARCH, PROMOTION EFFORTS BY MICHELLE MILLHOLLON MMILLHOLLON@THEADVOCATE.COM
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A squabble with a group of southwest Louisiana rice farmers could force state government to repay millions of dollars.―I don‘t have the money. I didn‘t spend it,‖ state Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said.Strain estimated he could be asked for $60 million to $70 million depending on the outcome of a legal battle.At issue are assessments that state boards collected from farmers for promotion and research. The assessments — which go back years — total about $1.5 million annually for research and $1 million annually for promotion.Strain is involved because the money passes through his hands.The governor selects farmers to serve on rice promotion and research boards. The boards decide how much money to assess farmers per hundredweight of rice when they take their crops to the mill.Strain transfers the assessments to the boards, which spend the dollars on promotion and research. A chunk of it helps support the LSU Agricultural Center‘s rice research station in Crowley.
Unhappy with the assessments, Jefferson Davis Parish farmers Carl Krielow, Glendon Marceaux, Phillip J. Watkins and 44 similarly situated plaintiffs sued the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Among other issues, they wanted an avenue for a refund when they objected to how their money was spent.The Louisiana Supreme Court sided with Krielow and the others, ruling last year that the Legislature improperly transferred its assessment power to the boards.―As we stated in (another case), such action is ‗legislative delegation in its most obnoxious form,‘ ‖ the court ruled.Now the courts must decide whether to certify a class action and determine damages.By Strain‘s math, they could order him to repay every cent that‘s been collected since 1992.―He‘s being dramatic. … Right now, one of the problems we‘re facing is the commissioner is continuing to participate in the collection of the tax,‖ said Larry Bankston, attorney for Krielow and the other plaintiffs.
After the Supreme Court‘s ruling, the assessments became voluntary. The idea was farmers could choose whether to pay them, and about 75 percent continue to hand over a portion of their profits when they take their rice to the mill.Bankston accused the mills of withholding money from farmers unless the assessments are paid. He said the Commissioner‘s Office is a participant.―We‘re unaware of any mills forcing farmers to do anything,‖ said Veronica Mosgrove, Strain‘s spokeswoman.John Denison, an Iowa farmer who served on the Rice Research Board for 25 years, said the legal arguments really stem from a dispute over mills benefiting from the flow of money.
Part of the assessments go the USA Rice Federation, with headquarters in Virigina, which pulls together farmers and mills under the same umbrella.Some Louisiana farmers felt the mills had too much influence and formed the Louisiana Independent Rice Producers Association.Denison said the offshoot group wants to ship rice by rail into Mexico but struggled with raising money to market the effort.
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―This is all about trying to get money into their little organization,‖ he said.Bankston said his clients had concerns about their money going to the national association.He said they wanted an option for a refund if they were unhappy with the activities supported with their money.―They told them to go away. They were unwilling to work with the farmers who were unhappy,‖ he said, referring to the state rice research and promotion boards.Denison said the plaintiffs, whom he characterized as friends and members of a splinter group, should talk to the governor about serving on the boards if they are unhappy.Most farmers continue to pay the assessments on a voluntary basis because the money helps their industry, he said.―It‘s worked for the rice farmer. It‘s kept us in business,‖ Denison said.From Crowley, rice research station Director Steve Linscombe is nervously awaiting the outcome of the court battle. A portion of the assessments help fund Linscombe‘s research, which focuses on how farmers can increase their yields.―A good three-fourths of the rice farmers understand how beneficial this program is,‖ Linscombe said.The dispute has reached the State Capitol, where Strain flirted with trying to wrest control over board appointments from the governor.Discussions with Gov. Bobby Jindal‘s aides convinced Strain to rethink that move.A number of proposals — House Bills 886, 1045, 878 and 1056 — seek to clean up the problems cited by the Louisiana Supreme Court.They provide for refunds and set the assessment amounts into state law.Farmers filled a committee room when the bills came up for discussion. Legislators never called any of the farmers to the table, choosing instead to let them get back to their crops.―You are the backbone of this country. We‘ve got to feed America. We‘ve got to feed this state,‖ mused state Rep. Frankie Howard, R-Many.
PhilRice launches momentum drive By Ferdie G. Domingo | Mar. 31, 2014 at 12:01am
SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija—The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has launched a new campaign to sustain the momentum of increased rice production following the success of last year‘s National Year of Rice drive, a senior official said.Hazel Antonio, PhilRice senior science research specialist, said the new campaign dubbed ―Be RICEponsible‖ will focus against rice waste and benefits of eating brown rice.―We will continuously urge the public to be RICEponsible, to avoid rice waste, to consume brown rice and to value the hard work of rice farmers,‖ Antonio said.The National Year of Rice campaign resulted to a 2.3 percent increase in palay production to 18.44 million metric tons in 2013 from 18.03 million metric tons in 2012. The increase was achieved despite a series of calamities that hit the country.Some of the local governments that contributed to the rice conservation campaign were the towns in Aklan, Bohol, Ilocos Norte
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and La Union. Antonio, who was the campaign director, said Quezon City also helped by passing a resolution that called on restaurants and major fast-food chains to serve brown rice.
For NFA, import restrictions effectively deter smuggling By Ronnel W. Domingo Philippine Daily Inquirer
Import restrictions remain a key deterrent to the smuggling of milled rice, despite global efforts to further break down international trade barriers, according to the National Food Authority.―The solution to smuggling is to keep imposing tariffs and the requirement of import permits for private-sector importers,‖ NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said during a forum organized by the Philippine Agricultural Journalists held last Friday.―This is not for the NFA‘s benefit, but for the farmers who are the most affected‖ by the continued influx of contraband grains, he explained. Estoperez also announced that the agency would bid out on April 15 contracts for a total of 800,000 metric tons (MT) of the staple grain.By law, organizations that will ship in rice from abroad are required to secure import permits from the NFA.On many occasions, the Bureau of Customs seized and detained rice shipments that came in without the permits from the NFA. In other cases, legitimate permits were misused to bring in more than the allowed volume.Based on the Philippines‘ commitments with the World Trade Organization, the country is allowed yearly imports of at least 350,000 MT. Of this minimum volume, some 160,000 MT may be allocated to private importers.For cargos of this volume, importers must pay a 40-percent levy. For volumes in excess of the quota, the tariff is 50 percent.Even then, the government through the NFA—which is exempt from the tariff—has always found it necessary to import more than the so-called minimum access volume.Estoperez said this year‘s planned import volume would be the highest since the 2.4 million MT shipped in four years ago. Last year, the NFA purchased a total of 750,000 MT through two separate bids. However, for the Philippine Rice Research Institute, the long-term solution to the problem of smuggling is to lower the cost of producing rice locally.According to Flordeliza Bordey, senior science research specialist at PhilRice, Filipino farmers spend P10 to P11 to produce a kilo of palay.Bordey said farmers in Vietnam spend only P5 to P6 to produce a kilo. In Thailand, the cost is about P8 per kilo of paddy rice. ―The long-term solution is for domestic cost of production to be competitive,‖ Bordey said.In a report issued last January, PhilRice said the domestic price of milled rice was always higher than the world price from 2000 to 2012, except in 2008. In 2000, the price of local rice was 75 percent higher at $402 per ton than foreign rice at $230.This refers to a comparison of the wholesale price of domestic well-milled rice and the landed price of Thairice. PhilRice cites data from the International Rice Research Institute, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.The price difference slowly narrowed until 2008 when Thai rice fetched $677 a ton against $674 for local rice.But the gap widened again in 2012 when local rice reached $777 a ton—30 percent
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higher than that for imported rice.In an earlier interview, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said that the high cost of farm labor and the high cost of financing were two major reasons why growing local rice was more expensive.―We can address this problem by the mechanization of farms,‖ Alcala said. ―We also need to be able to provide greater access to funds with lower interest.‖He added that farmers would also benefit from key infrastructure, including post-harvest facilities and farm-to-market roads.
Overall 2014 Rice Acreage Anticipated to Rise WASHINGTON, DC -- Area planted for rice in 2014 is expected to total 2.87 million acres, 388,000 more than 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service's Prospective Plantings report released today. Planted acreage is forecast higher for three of the six major rice-producing states, with acreage in Louisiana essentially remaining the same as last year, while California and Texas will see an 18% overall reduction. Arkansas farmers are expected to plant 445,000 more acres of rice this year than last. "I think that is possible and reasonable, especially if we get some dry warm weather over the next seven to 10 days," said Dr. Chuck Wilson, director of the Rice Research and Extension Center at the University of Arkansas. "We're a little behind now because it's been so cold and wet, but if the weather cooperates, I think we can get it all in."Long-grain, representing 77 percent of the total rice acreage, is expected to be 446,000 acres more than last year. Medium-grain, 21 percent of the total rice acreage, is projected to be 38,000 acres less than the previous year. Area planted for all short-grain varieties, representing less than 1 percent of production, is anticipated to be down almost 60 percent from last year's total. "Obviously, the drought in California is having a huge impact on how much rice gets planted in the Sacramento Valley this year," said Charley Mathews, a Marysville, California rice farmer. "How the state allocates the water that is available will determine actual acres planted."Mississippi is projected to increase to 170,000 acres for 2014, a 36 percent rise. "I don't see a lot of people switching over in my area," said Gibb Steele, a Washington County, Mississippi rice grower. "Some people thought we'd maybe be at 200,000, but with soybean and corn prices better than anticipated, and rice not quite as strong, I think 170,000 is probably right, we may come in a little lower in the end.""It's not going to be people switching
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over, I don't think," said Marvin Cochran, an Avon, Mississippi rice farmer. "It's going to be your typical rice farmer increasing his production."The same cannot be said for Missouri where a 13 percent increase to around 180,000 acres total is predicted. "We'll make 180 easy if the weather cooperates," said Blake Gerard, a rice and seed producer in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. "You can bet it's going to be a pretty good year when guys call over here to buy rice seed and they've never grown rice before, and that's happening. Of course if the weather turns, all bets are off."The USDA report is based on information supplied to USDA by growers, and though generally accurate within 5 percent, actual planted acres could vary. The Rice Acreage Report, based on actual planted acres, will be published at the end of June. Contact: Deborah Willenborg, (703) 236-1444
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for March 31
Month
Price
Net Change
May 2014
$15.600
+ $0.090
July 2014
$15.660
+ $0.060
September 2014
$14.370
- $0.005
November 2014
$14.395
+ $0.005
January 2015
$14.475
+ $0.005
March 2015
$14.525
+ $0.020
May 2015
$14.525
+ $0.020
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Chiayi station unveils new rice variety Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Station under the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute unveiled March 26 a new, highly nutritious, high-yield rice hybrid, Tainung Sen Glutinous 24, the first locally developed indica strain of purple sticky rice to obtain plant variety rights.―Purple glutinous rice is nutritious and has a long history as an imperial tribute,‖ said Yang Hong-ren, director of CAES. The new rice is rich in elements calcium, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, potassium and sodium; vitamins A and E; polyphenols and folic acid. Its ability to clear free radicals is also much higher than normal indica strains, and the folic acid is of great benefit to cell division in pregnant women, according to Yang. The Chiayi station in southern Taiwan first grew the new variety in 2011, after having worked on crossing local rice strains with black sticky rice from Thailand since 1990. Last year, the cultivar was recognized by the Committee of Registration for New Plant Variety of the TARI under the ROC Council of Agriculture.―Faced with growing pressure from rice imports, local farmers are under pressure to diversify their produce and develop into quality agriculture,‖ Yang said. Tainung Sen Glutinous 24 has relatively good resistance to rice blast and the brown planthopper, allowing savings on pesticide use and prevention of pollution. Yang estimated that annual double-cropped yield is 11.09 metric tonnes per hectare, about 1.8 metric tonnes more than regular sticky rice varieties. The annual net value per hectare is also NT$180,000 (US$5,880) higher, at NT$410,000.According to CAES, the new variety‘s husk is a rich source of antioxidant anthocyanin, which can be used to make health products or as a food additive, creating additional commercial opportunities.The new sticky rice will be grown in a restricted area to prevent it from mixing with other strains and being taken for unauthorized use.
Panel’s Warning on Climate Risk: Worst Is Yet to Come By JUSTIN GILLISMARCH 30, 2014 YOKOHAMA, Japan — Climate change is already having sweeping effects on every continent and throughout the world‘s oceans, scientists reported Monday, and they warned that the problem is likely to grow substantially worse unless greenhouse emissions are brought under control.The report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations group that periodically summarizes climate science, concluded that ice caps are melting, sea ice in the Arctic is collapsing, water supplies are coming under stress, heat waves and heavy rains are intensifying, coral reefs are dying, and fish and many other creatures are migrating toward the poles or in some cases going extinct.The oceans are rising at a pace that threatens coastal communities and are becoming
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more acidic as they absorb some of the carbon dioxide given off by cars and power plants, which is killing some creatures or stunting their growth, the report found. Organic matter frozen in Arctic soils since before civilization began is now melting, allowing it to decay into greenhouse gases that will cause further warming, the scientists said.
Rajendra K. Pachauri, center, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo on Monday. CreditShizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press And the worst is yet to come, the scientists said in the second of three reports that are expected to carry considerable weight next year as nations try to agree on a new global climate treaty. In particular, the report emphasized that the world‘s food supply is at considerable risk — a threat that could have serious consequences for the poorest nations.―Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change,‖ Rajendra K. Pachauri, chairman of the intergovernmental panel, said at a news conference here on Monday.The report was among the most sobering yet issued by the intergovernmental panel. The group, along with Al Gore, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for its efforts to clarify the risks of climate change. The report released on Monday in Yokohama is the final work of several hundred authors; details from the drafts of this and of the last report in the series, which will be released next month, leaked in the last few months.
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The report attempts to project how the effects will alter human society in coming decades. While the impact of global warming may actually be outweighed by factors like economic or technological change, the report found, the disruptions are nonetheless likely to be profound.It cited the risk of death or injury on a widespread scale, probable damage to public health, displacement of people and potential mass migrations.
Dot Earth Blog: Climate Panel Sees Global Warming Impacts on All Continents, Worse to Com MARCH 30, 2014
―Throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to slow down economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode food security, and prolong existing and create new poverty traps, the latter particularly in urban areas and emerging hotspots of hunger,‖ the report declared.The report also cites the possibility of violent conflict over land or other resources, to which climate change might contribute indirectly ―by exacerbating well-established drivers of these conflicts such as poverty and economic shocks.‖The scientists emphasized that climate change is not just some problem of the distant future, but is happening now. For instance, in much of the American West, mountain snowpack is declining, threatening water supplies for the region, the scientists reported. And the snow that does fall is melting earlier in the year, which means there is less meltwater to ease the parched summers.In Alaska, the collapse of sea ice is allowing huge waves to strike the coast, causing erosion so rapid that it is already forcing entire communities to relocate. ―Now we are at the point where there is so much information, so much evidence, that we can no longer plead ignorance,‖ said Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization.The experts did find a bright spot, however. Since the group issued its report in 2007, it has found growing evidence that governments and businesses around the world are starting extensive plans to adapt to climate disruptions, even as some conservatives in the United States and a small number of scientists continue to deny that a problem exists.―I think that dealing effectively with climate change is just going to be something that great nations do,‖ said Christopher B. Field, co-chairman of the working group that wrote the report, and an earth scientist at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Stanford, Calif.Talk of adaptation to global warming was once avoided in some quarters, on the grounds that it would distract from the need to cut emissions. But the past few years have seen a shift in thinking, including research from scientists and economists who argue that both strategies must be pursued at once.
Tracks were flooded at the South Ferry subway station in 2012, after Hurricane Sandy hit New York.CreditHiroko Masuike/The New York Times
A striking example of the change occurred recently in the state of New York, where the Public Service Commission ordered Consolidated Edison, the electric utility serving
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New York City and some suburbs, to spend about $1 billion upgrading its system to prevent future damage from flooding and other weather disruptions.The plan is a reaction to the blackouts caused by Hurricane Sandy. Con Ed will raise flood walls, bury some vital equipment and launch a study of whether emerging climate risks require even more changes. Other utilities in the state face similar requirements, and utility regulators across the United States are discussing whether to follow New York‘s lead.But with a global failure to limit greenhouse gases, the risk is rising that climatic changes in coming decades could overwhelm such efforts to adapt, the panel found. It cited a particular risk that in a hotter climate, farmers will not be able to keep up with the fastrising demand for food.
U.S. agency knew about G.M. flaw but did not act Many rich countries argue that $100 billion a year is an unrealistic demand; it would essentially require them to double their budgets for foreign aid, at a time of economic distress at home. That argument has fed a rising sense of outrage among the leaders of poor countries, who feel their people are paying the price for decades of profligate Western consumption.Two decades of international efforts to limit emissions have yielded little result, and it is not clear whether the negotiations in New York this fall will be any different. While greenhouse gas emissions have begun to decline slightly in many wealthy countries, including the United States, those gains are being swamped by emissions from rising economic powers like China and India.For the world‘s poorer countries, food is not the only issue, but it may be the most acute. Several times in recent years, climatic disruptions in major growing regions have helped to throw supply and demand out of balance, contributing to price increases that have reversed decades of gains against global hunger, at least temporarily. The warning about the food supply in the new report is much sharper in tone than any previously issued by the panel. That reflects a growing body of research about how sensitive many crops are to heat waves and water stress.David B. Lobell, a Stanford University scientist who has published much of that research and helped write the new report, said in an interview that as yet, too little work was being done to understand the risk, much less counter it with improved crop varieties and farming techniques. ―It is a surprisingly small amount of effort for the stakes,‖ he said.Timothy Gore, an analyst for Oxfam, the anti-hunger charity that sent observers to the proceedings, praised
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the new report for painting a clear picture. But he warned that without greater efforts to limit global warming and to adapt to the changes that have become inevitable, ―the goal we have in Oxfam of ensuring that every person has enough food to eat could be lost forever.‖
Scientists ID Genes that Could Lead to Tough, Disease-Resistant Varieties of Rice Last Modified 6:11 PM, March 31, 2014 mtunews@mtu.edu 906-487-2343, By Marcia Goodrich
Michigan Tech scientists have pinpointed genes that could be key in the development of hardy, disease-resistant grains, including rice. Thinkstock photo
March 31, 2014— As the Earth‘s human population marches toward 9 billion, the need for hardy new varieties of grain crops has never been greater.It won‘t be enough to yield record harvests under perfect conditions. In an era of climate change, pollution and the global spread of pathogens, these new grains must also be able to handle stress. Now, researchers at Michigan Technological University have identified a set of genes that could be key to the development of the next generation of super rice. A meta-data analysis by biologist Ramakrishna Wusirika and PhD student Rafi Shaik has uncovered more than 1,000 genes in rice that appear to play key roles in managing its response to two different kinds of stress: biotic, generally caused by infectious organisms like bacteria; and abiotic, caused by environmental agents, like nutrient deficiency, flood and salinity.Traditionally, scientists have believed that different sets of genes regulated plants‘ responses to biotic and abiotic stress. However, Wusirika and Shaik discovered that 1,377 of the approximately 3,800 genes involved in rice‘s stress response played a role in both types stress. ―These are the genes we think are involved in the cross talk between biotic and abiotic stesses,‖ said Wusirika.
About 70 percent of those ―master‖ genes are co-expressive—they turn on under both kinds of stress. Typically, the others turn on for biotic stress and turn off for abiotic stress.The scientists looked at the genes‘ response to five abiotic stresses—drought, heavy metal contamination, salt, cold and nutrient deprivation—and five biotic stresses—bacteria, fungus, insect predation, weed competition and nematodes. A total of 196 genes showed a wide range of expressions to these stresses.―The top genes are likely candidates for developing a rice variety with broad stress-range tolerance,‖ Wusirika
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said.Next, they would like to test their findings. ―We want to do experimental analysis to see if five or 10 of the genes work as predicted,‖ he said. Their study is described in the paper, “Machine Learning Approaches Distinguish Multiple Stress Conditions using Stress-Resposive Genes and Identify Candidate Genes for Broad Resistance in Rice,” published in the January edition of Plant Physiology. Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.
Butte County farmers show and tell for governor candidate Kashkari Farmers talk water, ag, regulations and more when Kashkari visits By Heather Hacking hhacking@chicoer.com @HeatherHacking on Twitter POSTED: 03/28/2014 05:10:21 PM PDT
A visit that was part stump speech and part education on Northern California water issues had gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari in Oroville and Richvale Friday.Kashkari toured the inner workings of Oroville Dam and met with reporters at the top of the vista point at the lake, which is about 170 feet below maximum capacity.The candidate has made water issues one of the cornerstones of his campaign. He sees the money proposed to build high speed rail in California as a waste of money that is better spent on new water storage. His plan is to ask voters to rescind approval for the rail system and instead approve $9 billion for new water storage.In the Central Valley, land is subsiding, he said during a brief chat with the Enterprise-Record while traveling across the valley. "There are limits to what we can do in the middle of a drought. But in my view, let's get going right now ... to capture more water before the next drought."Another proposal is to have a 10-year mandatory sunset for regulations. At that point regulation would be reviewed or expire, he said.Later in the trip, Kashkari arrived at the Butte County Rice Growers Association in Richvale, where he met with farmers and leaders of the Butte County Farm Bureau.He checked out a giant storage facility piled nearly to the ceiling with golden-colored
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rice,The mound is seed for about 80,000 acres of rice, explained association president Carl Hoff, who told Kashkari about the wildlife that thrives in Sacramento Valley rice fields. The association headquarters is right down the road from the Rice Experiment Station, Hoff explained, where success in rice breeding has helped California growers produce 9,000 pounds of rice per acre.Due to drought restrictions, a predicted 800,000 acres in agriculture will go fallow this year, a grower said later, when local ag leaders gathered around the association boardroom table. Locally, many growers will see surface water allocations decreased by 50 percent, they said.The visit with rice growers came about when 3rd Assembly District candidate Ryan Schohr, a rice farmer in Gridley, struck up a chat with Kashkari at the Colusa Farm Show. Schohr invited Kashkari to check out the very dry Lake Oroville, and talk with local residents about water and farming. Part of Kashkari's push is to help agriculture continue to be a major factor in California economics, a view Schohr shares.Colleen Cecil, manager of the Butte County Farm Bureau, said "every regulation that comes out of Sacramento impacts Butte County agriculture," and the new regulations seem endless.Kashkari agreed and talked about his regulatory sunset proposal, as well as his call for reform of the California Environmental Quality Act. He criticized Gov. Jerry Brown for giving expedited review for the Sacramento basketball arena, but not giving the same favored status to other projects.Farmer Stacy Gore said the impacts of less water are easy to see in the valley. His father in Willows is talking about growing only 40 percent of his normal crop, Gore said. That means at least "two guys won't be working for me. "These are workers with families, Gore continued.Kashkari said he had recently visited the food bank in Fresno, which is expecting an influx of people in need of food, as jobs dry up in the Central Valley.The difference between farming and other industries in California is that farmers can't leave, Cecil of the Farm Bureau said.Kashkari's background is in investment banking with Goldman Sachs, and he was appointed assistant secretary for the Treasure for International Economics and Development. He played a role in overseeing the Troubled Asset Relief Program during the financial crisis of 2007-2008. Later he worked for Pimco.Other highlights of Kashkari's platform include: • Allowing companies operating outside California, or operating within California, to open new manufacturing in California and be free from corporate taxes on income for 10 years, with safeguards against fraud. • Reducing trade barriers that impact California. • Clearing existing reservoirs of sediment to increase storage capacity. • Supporting oil development of the Monterey Shale Formation. • A cap on personal injury lawsuits to $250,000.
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Contact reporter Heather Hacking at 896-7758.
California Drought: After years of overpumping groundwater, state may be ready for reforms By Paul Rogers
progers@mercurynews.com
For nearly 50 years, California has passed sweeping environmental laws that limit private property for the common good -- from the nation's toughest automobile pollution standards to curbs on clear-cutting forests to rules requiring that developers keep beaches open to the public.However, when it comes to preserving one of the state's most critical and politically divisive resources -- billions of gallons of groundwater that are vital to farms and cities -- California lawmakers and voters have done almost nothing.Now, driven by the historic drought and new pressure from Gov. Jerry Brown, the chances of reform appear better than ever.
Image :Inspecting a groundwater pump in San Lorenzo, Calif., 2007. (Bay Area News Group) Decades of intense pumping have dropped water tables dangerously low in places such as the San Joaquin Valley and Paso Robles. Scientific studies show that the ground is sinking in some places and that aquifers are at risk of running dry."Some people have had the attitude that our groundwater will be here forever," said John Garner, who grows rice and walnuts on 600 acres in Glenn County, 80 miles north of Sacramento."But now they realize that 'Holy crow, we could have an impact here and to protect ourselves -- although not everybody is there yet -- they realize they probably really should start better management.'
"Over the past six months, farmers, environmentalists and urban water districts have been holding workshops, hearings and private meetings in Sacramento to discuss how to preserve the state's depleted groundwater.In years past, the Farm Bureau and other powerful agricultural groups fought nearly every attempt at statewide rules."Opponents have attacked it as an attack on property rights," said Lester Snow, former director of the state
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Department of Water Resources. "But the irony is that you need rules to protect property rights. Today there is a whole different tone in this conversation." Now, for the first time, some farm groups are open to discussing measures to require landowners to report the amount of groundwater they pump, probably to local agencies. The rules could require installing meters on some wells and even limiting how much water is taken out of the ground.Depending on what bills emerge in the Legislature this summer, counties and local water districts also may be given the authority to collect fees, or "pump taxes," from farmers and other well owners to pay for programs to restore groundwater basins. Santa Clara County has had a pump tax in place since 1964. Because of farming and population growth, the water table fell 175 feet from 1915 to 1965. Since then, after years of the Santa Clara Valley Water District putting water back underground in wet years, the water table has returned to where it was a century ago.Statewide, the details are complex. But the basic problem is simple.California is largely arid. Most of the state, including San Jose, Los Angeles and much of the Central Valley, receives only 15 inches of rain a year on average, the same amount as Casablanca, Morocco. So far this year, those places have received only 4 or 5 inches of rain.Although reservoirs, creeks and rivers provide the bulk of the state's drinking and farm irrigation water, groundwater provides 30 percent of the water for farms and cities in most years, and as much as 60 percent in dry years such as this one. When reservoirs run low, farmers and cities furiously pump more water from the ground.However, in many parts of the state, they don't put any back. Overall, California pumps out about 2 million more acre-feet a year than is recharged, according to state estimates. That's enough water for 10 million people a year. "It is similar to federal budget deficits, except that the government cannot print more water, nor can we borrow it from Chinese banks," said Jonas Minton, with the Planning and Conservation League, an environmental group in Sacramento.California uses more groundwater than any other state. Other dry Western states, such as Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, require property owners to obtain a permit from the state to pump groundwater, and make data on well pumping public as a tool to manage aquifer levels. California does not.Many California farmers remain wary of any new controls, however."For farmers down here, there is a lot of concern," said Ryan Jacobsen, whose family grows grapes on 640 acres south of Fresno. "It's no secret that groundwater is what allows farmers to get through these critically dry years. And when you start talking about what could be some very substantial regulations and restrictions, that's going to hamper their operations."Jacobsen, who is also executive director of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, said that for any rules, local oversight is key, as is building new reservoirs to help store more water.Ironically, it may be a change in the type of crops grown that could lead to reforms. In many areas, expensive permanent crops, such as almond orchards and wine-grape vineyards, are replacing row crops and pasture land that can be fallowed in dry years.
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"It's in the economic interest of these high-value crops to make sure there is enough groundwater to get through droughts," said Jay Lund, director of the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC Davis.With farmers all over the Central Valley spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to drill deeper wells, often competing with their neighbors for the same water, pressure is mounting."I have people come up to me all the time and say, 'You guys have got to do something, just don't tell anyone I told you that,'" said Felicia Marcus, head of the State Water Resources Control Board. Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN.
China looks abroad for greener pastures With 1.3 billion people to feed in a nation grappling with tainted food and polluted land, Chinese companies are investing in farmland overseas.
The Shenzhen River separates the high-rises of Shenzhen, China, from farmland in Hong Kong. China has come under criticism for the amount of agricultural land it has paved over in its push for economic development. (Brent Lewin / Bloomberg / December 19, 2013) By Barbara Demick
March 29, 2014, 7:00 a.m. BEIJING — When Ma Wenfeng was a boy, his father earned so little money growing wheat and corn that the family mainly ate mantou, a steamed bread that is a staple of the poor. The last thing he would have dreamed of was becoming a farmer.Now it is his greatest ambition to start a farm, but not in China, a country where the very word for "farmer," nongmin, is synonymous with "peasant." Many Chinese farmers are long past retirement age but still tilling tiny, inefficient plots of land.Motivated by the search for big expanses of land with abundant supplies of clean water, Chinese are looking far afield — to the United States, Chile, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Australia."We're the world's fastest-growing economy, with a huge demand for agricultural products," said Ma, who works as an analyst for a Beijing-based trade association, CnAgri. "When we look overseas, we see large tracts of land where you can operate a farm that makes sense economically.
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"From an economic standpoint, Chinese investment in farmland has impeccable logic. One oft-cited statistic is that China has 20% of the world's population and just 9% of its arable land."Throughout Chinese history, our land was never enough," said Tian Zhihong, a professor of international agriculture at China Agricultural University.China suffers from chronic drought and desertification, and has compounded its problems in recent decades by polluting the land or paving it over in a headlong rush toward economic development. The Ministry of Land and Resources in December revealed the results of a five-year study (previously kept secret): 8 million acres of farmland, or roughly 2% of the country's arable land, is too polluted for farming.From exploding watermelons to cadmium-tainted rice, both the result of excessive fertilization, domestic food scandals have made foreign-grown foods more popular in China."We want to bring American sunshine, land and water back to China," said Zhang Renwu, a businessman who owns two farms in Utah growing alfalfa to feed dairy cows.Chinese companies are acquiring farmland where they can — many countries ban the sale of land to foreigners — or forming partnerships with farming enterprises overseas.
When China's largest pork producer, Shuanghui International Holdings, last year paid $4.7 billon for its U.S. counterpart, Smithfield Foods Inc., it also acquired more than 100,000 acres of farmland in Missouri, Texas and North Carolina. (Virginia-based Smithfield didn't disclose how much farmland was covered by the purchase, but just one subsidiary had reported it owned more than 100,000 acres in the three states.)In Australia, a Chinese-led consortium acquired a sprawling 200,000-acre cotton plantation known as Cubbie Station, complete with what is said to be the largest irrigation system in the Southern Hemisphere.Legend Holdings, the parent company of computer maker Lenovo Group, formed a subsidiary called Joyvio in 2012 to grow fruit abroad. Joyvio has invested in operations in Chile growing blueberries, kiwis and grapes and is scouting for new investments.These investments are contentious both at home and abroad. The Chinese government is sensitive to criticism that it has allowed too much farmland to be paved over for apartments and shopping malls and that it has dragged its feet on long-overdue changes to modernize agribusiness. Communist Party doctrine maintains that the country should provide itself with 95% of its own grain, and Mao Tse-tung preferred to let people starve in the 1960s rather than import food. Although President Xi Jinping has backed away somewhat from quotas for grain self-sufficiency, the underpinning ideology remains.From exploding watermelons to cadmium-tainted rice, both the result of excessive fertilization, domestic food scandals have made foreign-grown foods more popular in China."We want to bring American sunshine, land and water back to China," said Zhang Renwu, a businessman who owns two farms in Utah growing alfalfa to feed dairy cows.Chinese companies are acquiring farmland where they can — many countries ban the sale of land to foreigners — or forming partnerships with farming enterprises overseas.When China's largest pork producer, Shuanghui International Holdings, last year paid $4.7 billon for its U.S. counterpart, Smithfield Foods Inc., it also acquired more than 100,000 acres of farmland in Missouri, Texas and North Carolina. (Virginia-based Smithfield didn't disclose how much farmland was covered by the purchase, but just one subsidiary had reported it owned more than 100,000 acres in the three states.)
In Australia, a Chinese-led consortium acquired a sprawling 200,000-acre cotton plantation known as Cubbie Station, complete with what is said to be the largest irrigation system in the Southern Hemisphere.Legend
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Holdings, the parent company of computer maker Lenovo Group, formed a subsidiary called Joyvio in 2012 to grow fruit abroad. Joyvio has invested in operations in Chile growing blueberries, kiwis and grapes and is scouting for new investments.
These investments are contentious both at home and abroad. The Chinese government is sensitive to criticism that it has allowed too much farmland to be paved over for apartments and shopping malls and that it has dragged its feet on long-overdue changes to modernize agribusiness.Communist Party doctrine maintains that the country should provide itself with 95% of its own grain, and Mao Tse-tung preferred to let people starve in the 1960s rather than import food. Although President Xi Jinping has backed away somewhat from quotas for grain self-sufficiency, the underpinning ideology remains."The historic notion of food security and selfsufficiency is an incredible source of legitimacy for the Communist Party. This is, after all, a party of peasants that came to power during times of famine," said Jim Harkness, former president of the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.In a paper published in 2012, the Canada-based International Institute for Sustainable Development confirmed the existence of 54 Chinese projects overseas covering almost 12 million acres. (Land Matrix, an activist group that compiles information on the sale of farmland, found nearly double the amount of overseas land being farmed by the Chinese.). China's farmland investments take many forms. Large state-owned enterprises are investing in plantations in Tanzania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia, among other countries, to grow corn, rice, cassava and sesame. Some products are sold locally and some are exported to China.Smaller Chinese entrepreneurs have leased farms across the border in Russia as part of a deal with Moscow. Unlike in Africa, where the employees are local, Chinese have crossed the border into Russia as well. At least 30,000 Chinese farmers were reported to be working last year in Birobidzhan, the Siberian region carved out in the 1930s by Josef Stalin as a Jewish Autonomous Region, according to figures released during a trade fair last year in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang. Liu Jianping, an entrepreneur from Heilongjiang, who is farming on 40,000 acres in the Russian Far East, said Russia has large tracts of arable land without enough farmers."The Russians have to let their lands lie idle," he said. "They need people who know how to grow crops.But China's interest in farmland often provokes anxiety, conjuring visions of a dragon devouring the world's resources to feed its 1.3 billion people.A furor erupted when a Hong Kong newspaper in September published a news release from a quasi-military Chinese company, saying it intended to farm up to 11,562 square miles of Ukraine, long referred to as the breadbasket of Europe.From exploding watermelons to cadmium-tainted rice, both the result of excessive fertilization, domestic food scandals have made foreign-grown foods more popular in China."We want to bring American sunshine, land and water back to China," said Zhang Renwu, a businessman who owns two farms in Utah growing alfalfa to feed dairy cows.Chinese companies are acquiring farmland where they can — many countries ban the sale of land to foreigners — or forming partnerships with farming enterprises overseas.When China's largest pork producer, Shuanghui International Holdings, last year paid $4.7 billon for its U.S. counterpart, Smithfield Foods Inc., it also acquired more than 100,000 acres of farmland in Missouri, Texas and North Carolina.
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(Virginia-based Smithfield didn't disclose how much farmland was covered by the purchase, but just one subsidiary had reported it owned more than 100,000 acres in the three states.).In Australia, a Chinese-led consortium acquired a sprawling 200,000-acre cotton plantation known as Cubbie Station, complete with what is said to be the largest irrigation system in the Southern Hemisphere.Legend Holdings, the parent company of computer maker Lenovo Group, formed a subsidiary called Joyvio in 2012 to grow fruit abroad. Joyvio has invested in operations in Chile growing blueberries, kiwis and grapes and is scouting for new investments.These investments are contentious both at home and abroad. The Chinese government is sensitive to criticism that it has allowed too much farmland to be paved over for apartments and shopping malls and that it has dragged its feet on long-overdue changes to modernize agribusiness.Communist Party doctrine maintains that the country should provide itself with 95% of its own grain, and Mao Tse-tung preferred to let people starve in the 1960s rather than import food. Although President Xi Jinping has backed away somewhat from quotas for grain self-sufficiency, the underpinning ideology remains."The historic notion of food security and self-sufficiency is an incredible source of legitimacy for the Communist Party. This is, after all, a party of peasants that came to power during times of famine," said Jim Harkness, former president of the Minneapolis-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
In a paper published in 2012, the Canada-based International Institute for Sustainable Development confirmed the existence of 54 Chinese projects overseas covering almost 12 million acres. (Land Matrix, an activist group that compiles information on the sale of farmland, found nearly double the amount of overseas land being farmed by the Chinese.).China's farmland investments take many forms. Large state-owned enterprises are investing in plantations in Tanzania, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia, among other countries, to grow corn, rice, cassava and sesame. Some products are sold locally and some are exported to China.Smaller Chinese entrepreneurs have leased farms across the border in Russia as part of a deal with Moscow. Unlike in Africa, where the employees are local, Chinese have crossed the border into Russia as well. At least 30,000 Chinese farmers were reported to be working last year in Birobidzhan, the Siberian region carved out in the 1930s by Josef Stalin as a Jewish Autonomous Region, according to figures released during a trade fair last year in the northeastern Chinese province of Heilongjiang. Liu Jianping, an entrepreneur from Heilongjiang, who is farming on 40,000 acres in the Russian Far East, said Russia has large tracts of arable land without enough farmers."The Russians have to let their lands lie idle," he said. "They need people who know how to grow crops."But China's interest in farmland often provokes anxiety, conjuring visions of a dragon devouring the world's resources to feed its 1.3 billion people.A furor erupted when a Hong Kong newspaper in September published a news release from a quasi-military Chinese company, saying it intended to farm up to 11,562 square miles of Ukraine, long referred to as the breadbasket of Europe.
Climate Panel Sees Global Warming Impacts on All Continents, Worse to Come By ANDREW C. REVKIN MARCH 30, 2014, 11:07 PM
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest report on impacts of global warming and options for reducing vulnerability to projected changes. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released its latest report on the impacts of global warming, projected changes under various scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions and options for limiting related risks. Justin Gillis, reporting from the meeting in Yokohama, Japan, where government officials from around the world signed off on the summary document over the weekend, has summarized the prime conclusions and statements of panel leaders.You can watch video of officials‘ and authors‘ comments here.Here are the main bullet points from the summary on impacts of the changing climate that have already been detected (it‘s important to note that the panel stresses it is not, in this section, assessing how much of the change is humandriven or the result of natural variability): In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans. Evidence of climate-change impacts is strongest and most comprehensive for natural systems. Some impacts on human systems have also been attributed to climate change, with a major or minor contribution of climate change distinguishable from other influences.In many regions, changing precipitation or melting snow and ice are altering hydrological systems, affecting water resources in terms of quantity and quality (medium confidence). Glaciers continue to shrink almost worldwide due to climate change (high confidence), affecting runoff and water resources downstream (medium confidence). Climate change is causing permafrost warming and thawing in high-latitude regions and in high-elevation regions (high confidence). Many terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundances, and species interactions in response to ongoing climate change (high confidence)…. While only a few recent species extinctions have been attributed as yet to climate change (high confidence), natural global climate change at rates slower than current anthropogenic climate change caused significant ecosystem shifts and species extinctions during the past millions of years (high confidence).Based on many studies covering a wide range of regions and crops, negative impacts of climate change on crop yields have been more common than positive impacts (high confidence). The smaller number of studies showing positive impacts relate mainly to highlatitude regions, though it is not yet clear whether the balance of impacts has been negative or positive in these regions (high confidence).
Climate change has negatively affected wheat and maize yields for many regions and in the global aggregate (medium confidence). Effects on rice and soybean yield have been smaller in major production regions and globally, with a median change of zero across all available data, which are fewer for soy compared to the other crops….Observed impacts relate mainly to production aspects of food security rather than access or other components of food security…. Since AR4, several periods of rapid food and cereal price increases following climate extremes in key producing regions indicate a sensitivity of current markets to climate extremes among other factors (medium confidence).At present the worldwide burden of human ill-health from climate change is relatively small compared with effects of other stressors and is not well quantified.
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However, there has been increased heat-related mortality and decreased cold-related mortality in some regions as a result of warming (medium confidence). Local changes in temperature and rainfall have altered the distribution of some water-borne illnesses and disease vectors (medium confidence). Differences in vulnerability and exposure arise from non-climatic factors and from multidimensional inequalities often produced by uneven development processes (very high confidence). These differences shape differential risks from climate change‌. People who are socially, economically, culturally, politically, institutionally, or otherwise marginalized are especially vulnerable to climate change and also to some adaptation and mitigation responses (medium evidence, high agreement). This heightened vulnerability is rarely due to a single cause. Rather, it is the product of intersecting social processes that result in inequalities in socioeconomic status and income, as well as in exposure. Such social processes include, for example, discrimination on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity, age, and (dis)ability.Impacts from recent climate-related extremes, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, cyclones, and wildfires, reveal significant vulnerability and exposure of some ecosystems and many human systems to current climate variability (very high confidence). Impacts of such climate-related extremes include alteration of ecosystems, disruption of food production and water supply, damage to infrastructure and settlements, morbidity and mortality, and consequences for mental health and human well-being. For countries at all levels of development, these impacts are consistent with a significant lack of preparedness for current climate variability in some sectors .Climate-related hazards exacerbate other stressors, often with negative outcomes for livelihoods, especially for people living in poverty (high confidence). Climate-related hazards affect poor people‘s lives directly through impacts on livelihoods, reductions in crop yields, or destruction of homes and indirectly through, for example, increased food prices and food insecurity. Observed positive effects for poor and marginalized people, which are limited and often indirect, include examples such as diversification of social networks and of agricultural practices.Violent conflict increases vulnerability to climate change (medium evidence, high agreement). Largescale violent conflict harms assets that facilitate adaptation, including infrastructure, institutions, natural resources, social capital, and livelihood opportunities. Economic sectors For most economic sectors, the impacts of drivers such as changes in population, age structure, income, technology, relative prices, lifestyle, regulation, and governance are projected to be large relative to the impacts of climate change (medium evidence, high agreement). Climate change is projected to reduce energy demand for heating and increase energy demand for cooling in the residential and commercial sectors (robust evidence, high agreement). Climate change is projected to affect energy sources and technologies differently, depending on resources (e.g., water flow, wind, insolation), technological processes (e.g., cooling), or locations (e.g., coastal regions, floodplains) involved. More severe and/or frequent extreme weather events and/or hazard types are projected to increase losses and loss variability in various regions and challenge insurance systems to offer affordable coverage while raising more risk-based capital, particularly in developing countries. Large-scale public-private risk reduction initiatives and economic diversification are examples of adaptation actions.
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Global economic impacts from climate change are difficult to estimate. Economic impact estimates completed over the past 20 years vary in their coverage of subsets of economic sectors and depend on a large number of assumptions, many of which are disputable, and many estimates do not account for catastrophic changes, tipping points, and many other factors. With these recognized limitations, the incomplete estimates of global annual economic losses for additional temperature increases of ~2°C are between 0.2 and 2.0% of income (¹1 standard deviation around the mean) (medium evidence, medium agreement). Losses are more likely than not to be greater, rather than smaller, than this range (limited evidence, high agreement). Additionally, there are large differences between and within countries. Losses accelerate with greater warming (limited evidence, high agreement), but few quantitative estimates have been completed for additional warming around 3°C or above. Estimates of the incremental economic impact of emitting carbon dioxide lie between a few dollars and several hundreds of dollars per tonne of carbon (robust evidence, medium agreement). Estimates vary strongly with the assumed damage function and discount rate. Livelihoods and poverty Throughout the 21st century, climate-change impacts are projected to slow down economic growth, make poverty reduction more difficult, further erode food security, and prolong existing and create new poverty traps, the latter particularly in urban areas and emerging hotspots of hunger (medium confidence). Climate-change impacts are expected to exacerbate poverty in most developing countries and create new poverty pockets in countries with increasing inequality, in both developed and developing countries. In urban and rural areas, wage-labor-dependent poor households that are net buyers of food are expected to be particularly affected due to food price increases, including in regions with high food insecurity and high inequality (particularly in Africa), although the agricultural self-employed could benefit. Insurance programs, social protection measures, and disaster risk management may enhance long-term livelihood resilience among poor and marginalized people, if policies address poverty and multidimensional inequalities. There is much, much more, of course. So dig in to the summary for policymakers here and watch the news conference webcast here.
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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