Global Snapshot: Thai Rice Output From Main Crop May Fall 5.3% on Flooding

(News resource: http://www.bloomberg.com)

Rough rice output from the main harvest in Thailand, the world’s biggest exporter, may drop by 5.3 percent as the worst floods in five decades devastated crops, according to the Office of Agricultural Economics. Prices will stay high because of increasing demand amid declining output from major supplies after floods destroyed rice crops in Thailand and Pakistan, Apichart Jongskul, the office’s secretary-general, said today. Thai rice prices, the benchmark for Asia, surged to a nine- month high of $567 a metric ton on Dec. 2, boosted by year-end demand. The price was quoted at $565 on Dec. 22, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

For more details, please link to the webpage of bloomberg.com.

Global Snapshot: Thai Farmers Threaten To Dump Paddy At Government House

(News Resource: http://www.bernama.com)

Thai rice farmers have threatened to dump paddy in front of Government House after the New Year, if the government did not take any initiatives to solve the problem of falling rice prices, Thai media reported Thursday. Wichian Phuanglamchiak, vice president of the Thai Farmers Association, said on Thursday that he had discussed the issue with representatives of farmers from over 40 provinces and most of them were upset with the government's slack in tackling the problem, China's Xinhua news agency cited Bangkok Post online as saying.

For more details of the news, please link to the webpage of Bernama.com.

[Taiwan News] COA minister sees agriculture as key to nation's futu

Although Taiwan’s more lucrative, high-end industries are widely thought to have left agriculture in the dust, in the eyes of Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Wu-hsiung, it is not a sunset industry.

“On the contrary, with a global food crisis looming as a result of climate change and natural disasters, it is evolving into an industry of ever-increasing strategic importance,” Chen said.

In an exclusive interview with Taiwan Today, Chen talked about how the role of agriculture is more crucial than ever, and how the industry should revolutionize itself if it seeks to prosper in the future.

See more details,please click the website of COA TAIWAN

Global Snapshot: Rice Husks Provide Alternative to Chinese Coal in Cambodia

(News resource: http://www.fastcompany.com)

The Cambodian rice miller and exporter, Angkor Kasekam Roongroeung (AKR), is set to launch its rice husk-powered electricity generator at the start of next year, enabling the company to double its rice exports to 70,000 tons per year.

The plant comes with community perks, too. AKR will sell its excess electricity to nearby villagers at $0.22 cents per kilowatt, lower than the $0.27 per kilowatt price they would normally pay for power from the national grid.

For more details, please link to the webpage of FastCompany.com.

Global Snapshot: Cambodian tobacco, rice to be tax-exempt to Vietnam

(News resource: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn)

Rice and dried tobacco leaves imported from Cambodia in 2010 and 2011 will not be subject to import tax, the Ministry of Finance has said. Under Circular No 37/2010/TT – BTC that becomes effective on January 17, 2011, the zero rate will apply to goods registered with customs offices from November 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010 and declared rice and tobacco from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011.

For more details, please link to the webpage of VNS.

Global Snapshot: Japan Seeks 60,000 Tons of Foreign Rice in Tender

(News resource: http://www.bloomberg.com)

Japan is seeking to import 60,000 metric tons of rice in a tender on Dec. 14, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). Of the total, the government plans to buy 13,000 tons from the U.S. and 11,000 tons from Thailand, with the remainder from any country, according to the ministry’s grain-trade division.

For more details, please link to the webpage of Bloomberg.

Global Snapshot: USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

(News resoruce: http://www.bloomberg.com)

USDA has release its report of supply and demand estimates. Regarding to U.S. rice export in the report, there's a larger-than-expected export commitments of medium-grain milled rice to North Africa led to the increase in the combined medium- and short-grain export projection. Although export commitments of long-grain rice through November have been strong, the pace of additional sales will likely slow as U.S. prices have become less competitive with Thailand and Vietnam.

For more details about the report, please link to the webpage of Bloomberg for a text one, or the website of USDA for a completed one.

Global Snapshot: Persistent Rains In Eastern Australia To Help Crops

(News resouce: oryza.com)

According to official rainfall data for the month of November, key wheat production regions in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland received up to three times their monthly average rainfall. Eastern Australia appears to have finally broken the grip of the longest and most severe drought in recorded history.

For more details of the news, please link to the webpage of oryza.com.

Global Snapshot: (India) Farmers' plea to Kiran on rice export

(New resource: http://www.hindu.com/)

The Confederation of Farmers' Associations led by Lok Satta Party president Jayaprakash Narayan and farmers' leaders have appealed to Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy to convince the Centre for removing restrictions on export of non-Basmati rice. They requested the Chief Minister during a meeting with him here on Monday to make out a strong case for sale of rice in the international market at the meeting of Economic Affairs Empowered Committee on Tuesday at Delhi and help farmers get a good price.

For more details of the news, please link to the webpage of Hindu.com.

Global Snapshot: Vietnam raises rice export floor prices

(News resource: http://news.yahoo.com/)

According to Dec. 3 Reuters news, Vietnam raised the export floor price for 5 percent broken rice by 13.7 percent on Friday to $540 a tonne, the Vietnam Food Association said. It also increased the minimum export price for 25 percent broken rice to $480 a tonne, free-on-board basis, from $445 in place since Nov. 12, and said the new floors were applied for deals with shipment during December. VFA did not give any further details.

For more details, please link here to read the news on Yahoo.com.

(New resource: http://westernfarmpress.com)

Scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have developed a rice crop that is not only drought tolerant but high yielding despite the lack of water. These genotypes have been dispersed to other Asian countries including Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines. The study was funded by the Asian Development Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and can be found in the November – December 2010 issue of Crop Science.

For more details, please link to the webpage of Western Farm Press.

Global Snapshot: Iran tenders once more to buy 30,000T rice

(News resource: http://www.tradearabia.com)

(11.29 Hamburg) Iran's state purchasing agency has issued another tender to purchase 30,000 tonnes of rice, European traders said on Monday. Shipment is in December, and offers must be submitted on November 29. Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Argentina and Uruguay are accepted origins.

For more details of the news, please link to the webpage of Trade Arabia.

Global Snapshot: SOS to sell rice division to Ebro Foods

(News resource: http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au)

(Nov. 26) SOS Corporacion Alimentaria is to sell its rice division to Spanish food group Ebro Foods for EUR195m (US$261m). The deal, announced yesterday (25 November), could also lead to Ebro taking a 10% stake in SOS, which is selling EUR200m worth of shares to help restructure its debt and fund expansion. Announcing the sale of the rice business, the SOS board of directors said the cash will help the company reduce its debt, as well as concentrate on the development of its core business, olive oil. The SOS board said the group will also look to improve its competitive position in its main markets of Spain, Italy and the US, as well as the emerging markets of Brazil, China and Japan.

For more details, please link to the webpage of AFN.

Taiwan Rice Snapshot: TRQ Tender Held Today for 15,000 MT Rice Import Quota

(11.26 Taipei) The 1st 2011 TRQ tender is held today in Taipei. 15,000 MT of rice import quota is released at this tender.

There are more than 90 bidder today and 26 winners may share the 15,000 MT. The quota will be valid from Jan. 1st, 2011.

The next TRQ tender will be held on Feb. 24th, 2011, which is for 20,652 MT.

After becoming a WTO member, Taiwan imports at least 144,720 MT of rice every year. And there are at least 50,652 MT of rice imported by private companies who own permission to trade rice in Taiwan. The tender held today is for 15,000 of the total 50,652 MT import quota in 2011.

Global Snapshot: Thai Rice Price Drops 0.2% From 8-Month High on Weakening Baht

(News resource: http://www.bloomberg.com)

Thai rice prices, the benchmark for Asia, declined 0.2 percent, the first drop in four weeks, as a weaker local currency made the grain cheaper for overseas buyers, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association. The price of 100 percent grade-B white rice dropped to $551 a metric ton from $552 the previous week and the price of 25 percent broken rice fell to $480 a ton from $481.

For more details, please link to the Bloomberg's webpage.

Global Snapshot: Japan Purchases 81,000 Tons of Foreign Rice in Tender

(News resource: http://www.bloomberg.com)

Japan bought 81,000 metric tons of foreign rice in a tender today, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. Of the total, the ministry purchased 64,000 tons from the U.S. and 17,000 tons from Thailand, according to Kenji Okuhira at the grain trade division.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Philippines plans to lift rice import restrictions

(News resource: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com)

According to the local media news, the Philippines government is considering reducing the tariff and removing the volume restrictions on imported rice as it moves away from granting subsidies to the grain through the National Food Authority. “There is a recommendation to remove the quota system and replace this with just the usual tariff, but I don’t know what level [the tariff will be],” Budget Secretary Florencio Abad told reporters on Tuesday.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: India Plans To Sell 2.5 Million Tons Wheat, Rice From Federal Stocks

(News resource: http://www.indiainfoline.com)

India's food ministry plans to sell 2.5 million metric tons of wheat and rice from federal stocks to state governments for welfare programs, two senior government officials said. The sale of subsidized food grain will be completed by June. India's food grain stocks are more than double the requirement, and the government has been trying to reduce stocks to create storage space for the newly harvested summer-sown rice crop.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: India's Rice Exports To Bangladesh Delayed Over Pricing

(News resource: http://www.indiainfoline.com/)

The export of 300,000 tons of rice from India to Bangladesh has stalled as Bangladesh has sought a discount on the proposed sale price, complicating approvals for the shipment. Bangladesh has asked India to supply common grades of parboiled rice at slightly below $491.8 a ton. The request from Bangladesh has put the Indian government in a dilemma as it will have to sell way below the prevailing global price of $520-$540 a ton, and may also have to absorb some procurement costs.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Thai Rice harvest could be down 20%

(News resource: http://www.bangkokpost.com/)

According to the saying of Thai Farmers Association president, this year's rice production in Thailand is expected to drop by about 20 per cent due to the massive flooding in the country. The country usually produces about 10 million tonnes of rice paddy per year. The extensive flood damage to rice fields is likely to cut the crop by about 20 per cent. However, the drop in production would not cause shortages of rice, either for domestic consumption or export, because the country still has a considerable amount of rice in stock.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: no Buyers for Paddy in India

(News resource: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

In India, there are paddy farmers complaining that rice millers have stopped purchasing paddy and government paddy purchasing centres have not opened yet. Also, the government warehouses are fully packed with paddy procured in the previous year, and even as the arrival of new paddy crop has started, neither the government nor traders or rice millers are ready to purchase their crop.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Thai Government Suspends Stockpile Release

(News resource: www.oryza.com)

Thailand's commerce minister, Porntiva Nakasai, has ordered suspension of rice exports from government stockpiles while confirming that there is an adequate amount of rice to meet domestic demand until next year.

For more details about the news, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Rice Surges to Seven-Month High in Thailand

(News resource: www.bloomberg.com)

Thai rice prices, the benchmark for Asia, advanced 3.6 percent to a seven-month high. According to the official of Thai Rice Exporters Association, the price of 100 percent grade-B white rice rose to $521 a metric ton from $503 the previous week,and the price of 25% broken rice increased to $470 a ton from $462.

For more details, please link to Bloomberg's webpage.

Global Snapshot: Vietnam Rice Price Could Reach $500/Tons

(News resource: http://www.blackseagrain.net)

According to the news, the benchmark price of Vietnamese rice is likely to be stable between $380 and $500 a tonne next year. The past three years have witnessed some of the most volatile commodities prices ever, rice included. Vietnamese rice soared to around $1,000 a tonne in May 2008 before slipping to around $350 a tonne in April this year.

For more details, please line here.

Global Snapshot: Thai Rice Price Surges to Seven-Month High on Floods

(News resource: www.Businessweek.com)

In Nov 3, Thai rice price had advanced 3.6% to a seven month high after flooding disrupted supplies. The price of 100 percent grade-B white rice rose to $521 a metric ton from $503 the previous week, and that’s the highest level since March 31.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Australian SunRice to Reopen Idle Mill

(News resource: The Australian)

SunRice says it will repoen its Deniliquin rice mill next year to help process a sharply bigger rice crop, creating 90 jobs in the process. The mill was made idle in 2008 following six years of drought that saw production fall to 18,000 tons in the year ended March 31, 2008, from 1.64 million tons in 2000-01, most of which was exported.

For more details, please link here.

Global Snapshot: Asian leaders agree to set up regional rice reserve system

(News resource: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/)

According to Japanese Mainichi Daily News, leaders of the ASEAN plus three (Japan, China and South Korea) agreed on Friday to set up a permanent emergency rice reserve system among the 13 countries in a move to boost food security in the region. They are willing to set up a system named "ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR)". Besides, the leaders also agreed to operationalize a region-wide economic surveillance body in Singapore by spring next year.

For more details, please link to http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20101030p2g00m0bu056000c.html

Global Snapshot: Philippines, Cambodia in initial talks for rice supply

10.29 Manila, Philippines - According to ABS CBN, Philippine media, Cambodia has offered to sell at least 100,000 tonnes of rice annually to Manila as it faces a supply surplus, but no deal has been reached yet. Cambodia has a surplus of 1 to 1.2 million tonnes of paddy rice which it can sell to other countries. And Philippines, the world's biggest rice buyer, was open to possibly purchasing the grain from its Southeast Asian neighbour.

For more details, please line to http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/29/10/philippines-cambodia-initial-talks-rice-supply

Global Snapshot: Japan To Transfer Rice Technology

(Resource: http://www.bernama.com)

HANOI, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- A Japan association will transfer technology to help develop new rice varieties in the midland and mountainous areas of northern Vietnam. An agreement for the technical cooperation project was signed on Oct 27 by Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Vietnam and Rector of Hanoi University of Agriculture. The five-year, US$4.6 million project aims to help Vietnam to produce new and improved rice varieties for all regions in the country and achieve long-term and nationwide food security.

For more details, please link to http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=539007

Taiwan Rice Snapshot: The Second Harvest in Progress

The 2nd rice harvest in Taiwan begins in October and is going to end after 6~8 weeks. In Taiwan, there are mainly 2 crops per year, and round-grain (Japonica) rice is the major variety of both crops.

We have a purchase policy made by the Council of Agriculture, COA. According to the policy, COA promises rice farmers to purchase their new paddy at certain prices higher than the market prices. But the quantity of the purchase is limited and depends on the hectares of rice planting.

This winter, COA will purchase at least 1.44 MT of paddy per planted hectare, which the highest price will be NTD 23.00/kg (USD 741.93 /MT).

Besides, COA also promises farmers to purchase typhoon-damaged paddy by cheaper price as long as the weight of paddy is qualified. COA asks the damaged paddy to be 500g/l or more.

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