17th january,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

17th January , 2014

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13 rice output to exceed year-ago level
By Ronnel W. Domingo:Philippine Daily Inquirer
9:51 pm | Thursday, January 16th, 2014

Agriculture officials expect domestic rice output in 2013 to have beaten
the record volume of 18.03 million metric tons posted in the previous
year despite massive crop losses sustained in the aftermath of strong
typhoons.Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala told reporters that
based on initial reports from the Department of Agriculture’s field
units, the volume of production last year appeared to have exceeded the
2012 level.Earlier, officials were expecting that the growth in palay
output might have been flat, considering the weather disturbances

experienced last year.According to Undersecretary Dante S.
Delima, a 1.5-percent production growth in Central Luzon helped
shore up the nationwide volume.Delima said that output expansion was expected to be about 4 percent to 5
percent in the next three years, which would be short of the 6 percent needed to meet domestic demand.lcala
earlier said the goal to attain full rice self-sufficiency in 2013 was not attained and that the sufficiency level
reached only 97 percent to 98 percent.The agriculture chief said the government was now reviewing its food
self-sufficiency program (FSSP).―The FSSP targets need to be fine-tuned and reviewed because of the
magnitude of flooding and storms that hit the country in the past few years,‖ Alcala said in an interview.

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―Earlier projections when the FSSP was conceptualized might not be reasonable given the current situation,‖
Alcala said.Earlier, the Food and Agriculture Organization said the effects of bad weather in the Philippines,
along with similar problems in China and Pakistan, contributed to a reduction of 5 million tons in the forecast
global rice output for 2013.The United Nations agency said in a report that it had lowered its growth forecast
from 1.5 percent to 1.1 percent, with output to reach 741.4 million tons of paddy rice or palay—equivalent to
494.2 million tons of milled rice.―The deterioration of prospects primarily concerned China, Pakistan and the
Philippines, which were hit, in recent months, by erratic climatic events,‖ the FAO said.

Thai anti-corruption agency to investigate PM's rice subsidy
Policy helped Yingluck Shinawatra's Puea Thai party into power but alleged corruption and tax cost has fuelled
protests
theguardian.com, Thursday 16 January 2014 15.09 GMT
Yingluck Shinawatra at a meeting to discuss whether to defer elections she has called for February. Photograph:
Gao Jianjun/Rex Features
A Thai anti-corruption agency said on
Thursday it would investigate a rice
subsidy programme that has fuelled
opposition to Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra, as protesters marched
through the capital demanding she
resign.The unrest flared in November
and escalated
this
week when
demonstrators
led
by
former
opposition
politician
Suthep
Thaugsuban occupied main road
junctions in the capital, Bangkok,
although the number of people
camping out overnight appears to be
dropping.The turmoil is the latest
episode in an eight-year conflict that
pits Bangkok's middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck
and her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.Yingluck's Puea Thai party was helped to power in
2011 by offering to buy rice at well above the market price to help poor farmers.Critics say the programme is
riddled with corruption and – a particular gripe of the more well-heeled protesters – that it has cost taxpayers as
much as 425bn baht (£7.9bn), although that figure would drop if the government managed to find buyers for the
rice in state stockpiles

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."Those who oversaw the scheme knew there were losses but did not put a stop to it," Vicha Mahakhun, of the
National Anti-Corruption Commission, told a news conference.Yingluck is nominally head of the national rice
committee and could therefore eventually face charges.The intervention price made Thai grain so
expensive Thailand lost its position as the world's top rice exporter, overtaken by India and Vietnam.Thaksin's
rural and working-class support has ensured he or his allies have won every election since 2001 and Puea Thai
seems certain to win an early election Yingluck has called for February.
The anti-government protesters have rejected the election.They want to suspend what they say is a fragile
democracy destabilised by Thaksin, whom they accuse of nepotism and corruption. Their goal is to eradicate the
political influence of his family by altering electoral arrangements, though in ways they have not spelt out,
along with other political reforms.

Rice is part of our shared culture, but few consumers know much
about it
Rice is a common part of our shared culture, but few consumers know much about its origins and the
roleit plays in reducing poverty, writes Ruth Williams
In the January sunshine on the Asia Society Hong Kong
Centre's roof garden, a handful of villagers from Choi
Yuen Tsuen are cooking and sharing char guar (Hakka
teacakes). They roll and shape glutinous rice, then fill
them with either a savoury mix of white radish, dried
shrimps and celery or crushed peanuts, with chopped
Chinese fever vine and mallotus leaves.Neighbours Wong
Kwai-chun and Fung Yu-chuk explain how these
traditional steamed glutinous rice cakes have acquired a
new significance for them and their fellow villagers.
In 2009, Choi Yuen Tsuen residents learned their homes
would be torn down to make way for the Hong Kong-Guangzhou high-speed railway. As they took a stand
against the plans at the now famous demonstrations outside Legco in late 2009 and early 2010, the villagers
made char guar to sustain them during the long hours protesting, and gave them away to their supporters."Food
was used as a political method, in a peaceful way, to protest against the government decision, and to show in a
very peaceful manner that all they wanted was to keep their homes and to keep their way of life," says Daisy
Tam Dic-sze, research assistant professor, department of humanities and creative writing, Hong Kong Baptist
University.The snack has since then become symbolic of the villagers' desire to maintain a sense of community.
Reluctant to relocate to urban areas, about 40 of the 150 households opted to pool their compensation money to
buy land so they could still farm and live together.
Two years ago they began rebuilding homes at Choi Yuen New Village, which is close to their former home.
Fung explains that the villagers enjoy cooking together in outdoor open areas, something they are striving to
recreate and continue in their new village."Coming together to cook is very important for family and the

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villagers are our family," says Wong, who gives guided tours of the village that include organic farming and
cooking lessons.The cooking demonstration and tasting was held last Sunday in a day of activities titled "In a
Grain of Rice: Food & Culture for South & Southeast Asia", part of the Asia Society's "No Country:
Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia" programmes.Academics, restaurateurs, chefs, farmers, artists
and food lovers discussed, cooked and tasted rice dishes as they explored the link between food and culture. The
focus was what French culinary great Auguste Escoffier called "the best, the most nutritive and unquestionably
the most widespread staple in the world".
Panelists and the audience discussed everything from the need to
develop high yielding climate change-proof rice to the science of
cooking it perfectly. This led to expert advice from restaurateurs
such as Drawing Room Concepts' Tony Cheng and Chôm Chôm's
Peter Cuong Franklin on to how to cook the perfect congee and
Hainan chicken rice, and how to wrap rice paper rolls.Panelists
acknowledged that although restaurants in Hong Kong are
increasingly stressing the provenance of their produce, and many
foodies can name a dozen grape varieties, few could name a
dozen types of rice.In a city where a meal is not complete without
some form of rice, there appears to be little interest in knowing
more about the origins of that particular food on our tables.
The glutinous rice and the rice flour used in Hakka tea cakes, like most rice used in Hong Kong, is imported
from Thailand. In fact, for most Hongkongers, Thai jasmine or fragrant rice is regarded as the standard. This has
been true for decades. But that is changing.In 2007, rice importers brought in 90 per cent of Hong Kong's rice
from Thailand. But over the past seven years, white fragrant rice from Vietnam has grown from less than one
per cent of imports to almost 42 per cent, with Thai rice exporters shipping 45 per cent of fragrant rice sold in
Hong Kong.Less than a tenth comes from China, with nominal amounts from Australia, the US, and other
countries accounting for our wild rice, organic rice, brown rice, basmati, arborio, bomba, sushi rice and other
varietals.For researchers at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), based in the Philippines, gaining a
detailed understanding of preferences for rice taste and texture is part of their work to reduce poverty and
hunger by ensuring rice production is stable and sustainable."IRRI scientists think 10 years in advance.
Now we are seeing climate change happening, we have climate change-ready rice ready to go," says Dr Rosa
Cuevas, who specialises in grain quality, specifically on the mouthfeel of cooked rice - what makes people
prefer one grain over another.Scientists may suggest new varieties of rice to farmers, but if consumers don't like
the taste it would be pointless. By relating the starch structure of rice to its mouthfeel, Cuevas and her team seek
to gauge local and cultural preferences.The IRRI leads the conservation of rice's genetic diversity. It holds in
trust some 110,000 rice types, including traditional or heirloom varieties, in two separate locations for
security.As the world needs another eight to 10 million tonnes rice each year, or an extra 1.5 per cent per year at
a time when water and land supply is diminishing, the IRRI seeks to meet demand for staple and keep rice
affordable.

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Researchers look at ways to enhance the nutritional value of rice varietals, or use more nutritious varietals. But
while brown rice contains more vitamins and minerals, and requires less processing, relatively little is eaten by
big rice consumers such as India, China, and Indonesia. It is often marketed to the middle class as a gourmet or
health food, and is more expensive.While researchers can scientifically measure many aspects of rice grains and
cooking, Cuevas says that people are always the best judge of rice quality. The IRRI assembles panels that blind
taste rice for aroma, taste and describe how they judge rice's physical qualities such as colour, clarity,
chalkiness, grain size and shape.
"I want chefs to come and visit the IRRI more often, as their influence in popularising different types of rice is
crucial," says Cuevas. Consumers and chefs have a major role to play in influencing whether a greater variety of
rice types become more widely available.
life@scmp.com

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Grains of truth

Against the grain
Vietnam’s farmers are growing a crop that no longer pays its way
Jan 18th 2014 | HANOI AND CHAU DOC | From the print edition

THE prospect from Sam mountain, a rocky outcrop in southern Vietnam’s Mekong delta, is timeless. Paddy
fields shine emerald. Irrigation canals reflect the sunlight like mirrors. Three times a year, farmers in
surrounding towns put on their rubber boots and plant rice seedlings in the deep soil. A few months later they
sell their sacks of grain to traders, who bring it to riverside mills for processing. In its essence, this activity is
timeless, too.

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Rice cultivation is deeply rooted in the Vietnamese psyche. In September 1945, a day after declaring Vietnam’s
independence from France, Ho Chi Minh told his cabinet that dealing with a widespread failure of the rice crop
was its priority. He later collectivised the paddies. In the 1980s his successors promoted hybrid seeds and
modern irrigation. Today Vietnam’s $4 billion in rice exports (see chart) accounts for more than a fifth of the
global total.Party officials trumpet their ―rice first‖ agricultural policies.
Yet, more and more, Vietnam’s rice farmers are being left behind. Part of the problem is that Vietnamese rice
strains tend to be of low or middling quality—a contrast to the premium varieties grown in Thailand. The costs

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of fuel, fertilisers and pesticides are rising. And Vietnam’s rice-export sector is dominated by state-owned firms
with links to corrupt officials. Some farmers, especially in the country’s north, are finding it more profitable to
let their land lie fallow.In An Giang province, at the heart of the Mekong delta, an average family earns just
$100 a month from cultivating rice, or about a fifth of what coffee-growers earn in Vietnam’s Central
Highlands, says Oxfam, an advocacy group. Tran Van Nghia, who farms near Sam mountain, says young
people in his area supplement farm incomes by working as hotel porters or construction workers in Ho Chi
Minh City and other urban centres.Vietnam’s rice woes are likely to worsen. Myanmar, long ago South-East
Asia’s rice basket, is emerging again as an export rival.
The bulk of Vietnam’s crop is sold directly to other governments, but some of its biggest clients, including
Indonesia and the Philippines, are boosting domestic production. Arup Gupta, a commodities trader in Ho Chi
Minh City, adds that as a consequence of a crackpot and expensive campaign in Thailand to subsidise the
country’s rice farmers, Vietnam is now being undercut as Thailand unloads stockpiles at bargain-basement
prices.Scientists also warn that the Mekong delta, which produces about half of Vietnam’s rice, is showing
signs of environmental stress. The earth dykes that were built to keep seasonal floods from inundating the rice
paddies prevent the Mekong river’s alluvial floodwaters from bringing nutrients to the delta’s soil.Vo-Tong
Xuan, a rice expert who has advised the government on agricultural policies, reckons that many soils in
Vietnam’s rice-growing regions are now so poor in nutrients that they cannot immediately be put to other uses,
such as cultivating maize.
Other problems, he says, include a lack of farmer representation in the powerful Vietnam Food Association, and
resistance by state-owned rice exporters to reforms that would eat into their profits. It does not help that
Vietnam’s new constitution, which passed in late November, calls for state-owned enterprises to keep a central
role in the economy.The countryside, for the most part, is a patchwork of tiny plots. The average Vietnamese
rice farmer cultivates a little over an acre (0.5 hectares), when two or three hectares is the ideal plot size.Still, a
new land law coming into force in July will give many farmers 50-year land leases, a big improvement over the
current 20 years.
The longer leases may help create larger farms producing crops other than rice. Yet the government stubbornly
maintains a policy of preserving about 90% of existing rice land in perpetuity.That might make sense if
Vietnam still struggled with crushing food insecurity, as it did in the early 1980s. Yet a third of its rice harvest
is sold abroad—more, if unofficial exports to China are counted. Meanwhile, rice is falling as a proportion of
the national diet; a rising middle class is developing a taste for meat and wheat. Next month in Ho Chi Minh
City, the son-in-law of the prime minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, is scheduled to open the country’s first
McDonald’s. Its local competitor, a fast-food chain whose speciality is the ―VietMac‖, a rice burger, has its
work cut out.

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From the print edition: Asia

PHL government to consider Thai rice offer
By DANESSA O. RIVERA, GMA NewsJanuary 17, 2014 3:09pm
Tags: phlthailand

The Philippines will consider any good offer from rice suppliers, including Thailand, under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade agreements , a
National Food Authority (NFA) official said Friday.But that's if Thailand renews its rice supply
agreement."Lahat naman, we consider them. Kung sino ang mababa ang offer at kayang mag-supply, 'yun ang
pipiliin namin," spokesman Rex Estoperez told GMA News Online on Friday.
"It's just that Thailand's agreement expired last year," he said.Bangkok, which is battling a campaign to oust
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, offered to sell rice at a huge loss to be able to pay farmers under its rice
intervention scheme, Reuters reported.The offers continued until Yingluck dissolved parliament last month to
counter the campaign against her administration, leaving the caretaker government lack of authority to take
major decisions which include the export of state rice stocks, the wire service added.The Philippines is required
to import at least 350,000 metric tons (MT) of rice to meet its minimum access volume (MAV) as part of the
WTO agreement.
MAV is "the amount of imports of an agricultural product allowed to be imported into the country at a customs
duty lower than the out-quota [or the regular] customs duty," according to the Tariff Commission.Under the
WTO commitment, the 350,000 MT of rice may enter the Philippines at 40 percent duty –lower than the 50
percent tariff levied outside MAV. Other countries with existing rice supply agreements are member states of
the ASEAN. Last November, the NFA said Vietnam Food Association bagged the deal to supply 500,000 MT
or rice to replenish the country's inventory following the wrath of Typhoon Yolanda on Nov. 8.
Vietnam offered the lowest bid of $462.25 per metric ton during the November tender, beating Thailand's $475
offer.After awarding the deal to Vietnam, Estoperez said a representative from Thailand came here to discuss
grains and gave a lower offer in a bid to bag the deal."Thailand offered $462, pero tapos na ang bidding.
Though advantageous to government, it's not the procedure and we already came out with a decision," he
said.On Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said palay production last year is expected to have

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exceeded the 18.03 million MT yield in 2012 despite damage from the typhoon.However, he did not say
whether the 2013 target of 19 million MT was reached.
The rice subsector incurred P2.4 billion worth of damage from Yolanda, keeping the Philippines from achieving
self-sufficiency and requiring government to augment the country's depleted stock after the staple grain was
distributed to hard-hit areas.Agriculture Undersecretary Dante Delima earlier said the country has achieved 97
percent self-sufficiency but with only about 60 to 70 days buffer stock.Rice self-sufficiency means covering the
yearly domestic consumption level plus 90 days of buffer stock.Last April, Delima told GMA News Online the
Philippines would still have to import rice to fulfill its international trade agreements even after achieving rice
self-sufficiency. – VS, GMA News

Thailand offers rice at a loss as it struggles to pay farmers
By APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT and NAVEEN THUKRAL, ReutersJanuary 17, 2014 7:23am

BANGKOK/SINGAPORE - Thailand's embattled government offered to sell rice at a huge loss, officials said,
as it sought to shore up Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's support among farmers who are concerned that
the administration could run out of money to pay them.The government, battling a campaign to oust Yingluck
that has pitted the royalist, Bangkok establishment against her mainly rural supporters, offered rice at around 30
percent below cost on the export market to continue funding a rice intervention scheme, a Thai and a Philippine
official said.The offers continued until Yingluck dissolved parliament last month to counter the campaign
against her government.Her caretaker government lacks the authority to take major decisions, including the
export of state rice stocks, and has to rely on domestic sales to pay the mounting bills it owes rice farmers in
Yingluck's provincial strongholds.The government does not disclose at what prices it offloads rice in the
domestic market, but traders estimate they will be substantially below anything offered on the international
market."We need to adjust ourselves in order to sell rice at appropriate prices to get liquidity to run the ricebuying scheme," said Surasak Riangkrul, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, which oversees
sales of the government's rice stocks.He declined to disclose the exact price Thailand is offering but another
official in the commodity trade department said Bangkok quoted $475 a tonne in a government-to-government
deal with Manila last month to supply 500,000 tonnes.This is almost a third below the estimated cost of 22,000
baht ($669) per tonne the government incurred on buying paddy from farmers, milling and storage. At the time,
rice prices in the world market were around $400-$420 a tonne.A spokesman of the National Food Authority
(NFA) in the Philippines said Thailand reduced the offer price further to $462 per tonne as it tried to outbid
Vietnam, which quoted $462.25, highlighting Bangkok's desperation."But it was too late because we had
already decided to award the deal to Vietnam," said Rex Estoperez, NFA's spokesman.The subsidy, which has
cost the government billions of dollars, has fueled the political crisis that is being played out on the streets of

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Bangkok.Protesters are seeking to topple the government, which swept to power in 2011 with support from
rural voters, many of them rice farmers who had welcomed the generous intervention scheme. City dwellers are
angered that their taxes are paying for the subsidy.However, hundreds of farmers, some unpaid since October,
have also joined the demonstrations against Yingluck, disillusioned by the government's inability to reliably
fund the controversial program.Farmers who have not been paid by the state for rice bought under the scheme
threatened to block roads in 26 provinces last month.Thailand is sitting on a massive rice stockpile, estimated
between 15 and 17 million tonnes.

Reprieve

But in a reprieve for the government, Thailand's state-backed farm bank, which runs the rice scheme, raised
32.58 billion baht ($991.33 million) in a domestic debt issue that was far better subscribed than expected,
officials said on Thursday. It had aimed to raise 20 billion baht.Earlier this week, Thai rice prices slipped as
fears of payment disruptions under the rice-buying scheme forced farmers to unload the grain in the market,
despite higher prices offered by the government, traders said.The money raised in the bond issue looks set to be
used to pay farmers since rice sales are limited by the ban on exports.
"The caretaker government has no authority to seal any state binding agreements, including rice deals, so
government-to-government rice sales will halt automatically," Surasak said.Thailand sold 1 million tonnes of
rice to China in November to be supplied over a period of one year but the shipments have been held up as the
Election Commision says the caretaker government cannot enact long-term contracts that would commit any
new government, an official of the commission said.The rice-buying program made Thai rice more expensive in
the global market, and in 2012 the country lost its crown as the world's top exporter, with India taking
over.Anti-Yingluck protesters say the rice scheme is corrupt and has helped wealthy farmers and regional
politicians more than the poor.Protesters brought parts of Bangkok to a near-standstill this week but the
government is sticking to a plan for a Feb 2 election as it believes support for the leader of the agitation is
waning.

The protesters have rejected the proposal to hold elections and want an unelected "people's council" to take
power.Nevertheless, rival exporters Vietnam and India fear losing market share when Thailand resumes exports
with reduced prices."Definitely there's a big chance that we will buy more from Thailand if they offer a better

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price," said Estoperez of the Philippines' NFA, one of the world's biggest buyers of rice. "Whether it is a
government-to-government deal or a private transaction, the price and quality are always important for us." —
Reuters

Palay production up 2.3%
By Ronnel W. Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11:33 pm | Friday, January 17th, 2014

The Philippines produced 18.44 million metric tons of palay in 2013, a new record that exceeded by 2.3 percent
the previous one set in 2012, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.The BAS said in a report that the
harvest volume improved in most regions in the country, except those that were heavily affected by
typhoons.―The significant (increase in output) in some regions has offset the losses incurred in regions affected
by the series of typhoons in the second half of the year,‖ the agency said.Also, the BAS said the rice yield rose
because of the increase in the use of hybrid and high-yield seeds as well as fertilizer, enough water supply, and
lesser occurrence of pests and diseases.
In addition, output gains were attributed to the expansion in the harvest area and improvement in yield,
particularly in Central Luzon, Caraga, Soccsksargen, Bicol and the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao.Overall, nationwide harvest area grew by 1.2 percent to 4.75 million hectares, while yield expanded
by one percent to 3.89 MT per hectare.For the first half of 2014, the BAS forecasts a 5.4-percent rise in palay
output to 8.43 million MT.In the same period, harvest area is expected to expand by 3.7 percent to 2.12 million
hectares, while yield may go up by 1.7 percent to 3.9 MT per hectare.Earlier, agriculture officials expected flat
growth in the production of palay because of the weather disturbances last year.
Last December, Alcala said the goal to attain full rice self-sufficiency this year would not be attained and that
the sufficiency level ranged from 97 percent to 98 percent.The agriculture chief said the government would
review its food self-sufficiency program (FSSP) after it failed to reach its targets in 2013.―The FSSP targets
need to be fine-tuned and reviewed because of the magnitude of flooding and storms that hit the country in the
past few years,‖ Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said in an interview.―Earlier projections, when the
FSSP was conceptualized, might not be reasonable given the current situation,‖ he added.

Palay production up in 2013 despite typhoons

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BY CHERRIE

REGALADO

POSTED ON 01/17/2014 6:22 PM | UPDATED 01/17/2014 8:17 PMHIGHER OUTPUT. Palay output grew in 2013 despite typhoons.Photo by
AFP.

MANILA,
Philippines
–
Palay
production
increased
by 2.3% in
2013
despite the
havoc
caused by
the
typhoons
that struck
the country
in
the
second half
of
last
year.Data released by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) on Thursday, January 16, showed that
unmilled rice production for last year amounted to 18.44 million metric tons (MT), higher than the 18.03
million MT of 2012.The country was visited by typhoons Santi, Vinta, and Yolanda in the second half of 2013,
causing high production losses in palay-producing areas.Damage to agriculture due to Typhoon Yolanda
(Haiyan) alone was more than P18 billion. The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will need more than P9
billion to rehabilitate the agriculture and fisheries sector in the affected areas.The government also noted that
the country will not be self-sufficient in rice due to the havoc brought by Yolanda.The BAS said the total
production output last year was pulled up by the increased rice production in other regions barely affected by
Yolanda.The bureau said higher rice production output were recorded in Central Luzon, Caraga, Soccsksargen,
Bicol, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regions. This is due to the expansion of
harvest areas.The follow-through on the quick turn-around program of the DA – which involves 5 croppings in
2 years – also helped.On a national level, total harvest area expanded to 4.75 million hectares in 2013, an
increase of 1.2% from the 4.69 million hectares in 2012.Harvest area during the 4th quarter of the year expanded
to 1.83 million hectares, up by 7.4% from 1.71 million hectares in the same period in 2012.
Palay production

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Palay yield per hectare also increased to 3.89 MT, up by 1% from 3.84 MT.Palay production for the last quarter
of 2013 increased by 8.62% to 7.08 million, from 6.54 million recorded in the same period in 2012.Palay
production output is expected to increase by 5.4%, reaching 8.43 million MT in the 1st half of 2014.Harvest
area, on the other hand, is likely to expand by 3.7% to 2.12 million also in the 1st semester of 2014.Yield per
hectare is likely to improve from 3.91 MT to 3.98 MT in the 1st half of 2014.Palay production in the first
quarter of 2014 may increase by 8.5%, reaching 4.53 million MT, while harvest area may expand to1.18 million
hectares from 1.11 million hectares also in the 1st quarter of 2014.Yield per hectare is also expected to reach
3.83 MT in the first 3 months of 2014 from the 3.75 MT recorded in the same period in 2013.Majority of the
harvest for the 1st quarter of 2014 will likely come from Western Visayas, Central Luzon, ARMM, Northern
Mindanao, and the Zamboanga Peninsula."Harvest area may expand in these regions due to the immediate
replanting of damaged areas affected by typhoons Santi and Yolanda, early plantings due to sufficiency of
irrigation water and rainfall, utilization of in-fallow areas and availability of quality seeds from the seed
banking program," BAS noted.
Corn production
Corn production in 2013 fell by 0.4% to 7.38 million MT, from 7.1 million MT in 2012. This is due to
insufficient soil moisture in the 1st half of the year and damage caused by strong typhoons in the 2ndhalf of the
year.Corn harvest areas also fell to 2.56 million hectares from 2.59 million hectares in 2012.Production reached
1.45 million MT, 3.5% for the last quarter of 2013. This is lower than the 1.51 million MT produced in
2012.Harvest area contracted to 554,000 hectares from 576,000 hecares in 2012."Expansion in harvest area
maybe attributed to the utilization of in-fallow areas, early plantings, seed assistance from local government
units, and financial support from traders, shifting from sugarcane and banana, and additional green corn areas,"
BAS said. – Rappler.com

Rice/DU partnership focus of upcoming meeting
Begins at 9 a.m. at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart, Ark.

Jan. 17, 2014Ed Phillips | Delta Farm Press
The U.S. rice industry and Ducks Unlimited are working together to preserve and expand the benefits that
waterfowl, rice fields and water contribute to society.

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Rice production and waterfowl conservation will lead the topics at the Jan. 30 annual meeting of the Arkansas
Rice Council and theArkansas Rice Farmers.
Rice production and waterfowl conservation will lead the topics at the Jan. 30 annual meeting of the Arkansas
Rice Council and the Arkansas Rice Farmers.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart, Ark.Dale Hall, Ducks Unlimited CEO,
will headline the event.The meeting will provide information on the rice industry’s new stewardship partnership
with Ducks Unlimited, said Ben Noble, Arkansas Rice Federation’s executive director.―We are excited to work
alongside a conservation group to preserve and expand the benefits that waterfowl, rice fields and water
contribute to society,‖ said Noble.USA Rice Federation and Ducks Unlimited announced its new partnership in
February 2013.In March 2013 representatives for the two groups met to develop an agenda of activities to
conserve and improve working rice lands, waterfowl and water. Also featured will be Betsy Ward, USA Rice
Federation president and CEO. She will present an update on USA Rice activities, share recent successes, and
outline future efforts to promote the industry.Arkansas Rice Farmers will also hold an election for the board of
directors District 5 position, which includes Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Pope, Yell, Conway, Perry,
Saline, Pulaski, Faulkner, Lonoke, White, Cleburne, Stone and Independence counties.
The Arkansas Rice Annual Meeting is sponsored in part by Ag-Pro Companies.An awards luncheon will follow
the meeting for all registered guests. Register online atwww.arkansasricefarmers.org/registration2014 or call
(501) 375-1100.

Brown declares California drought emergency

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

By Josh Richman and Paul Rogers

POSTED: 01/17/2014 09:09:42 AM PST | UPDATED: ABOUT 20 HOURS AGO

SAN FRANCISCO -- Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday declared a drought emergency in California as the state
struggles with the least amount of rainfall in its 153-year history, reservoir levels fall and firefighters remain on
high alert."We are in an unprecedented, very serious situation," said Brown, who asked California residents and
businesses to voluntarily reduce their water consumption by 20 percent. "Hopefully, it will rain eventually. But
in the meantime, we have to do our part."The drought declaration also streamlines the rules for water agencies
to transfer extra water from one part of the state to another, easing shortages. It also directs the state to hire
more seasonal firefighters, limits the landscaping of highways and raises public awareness.
Brown was governor in 1976 and 1977, one of California's most severe dry periods in the 20th century. The
most recent extended drought was from 1987 to 1992.The last
governor to declare a drought emergency was Arnold
Schwarzenegger, who did so during a period of low rainfall in
2008 and 2009. Brown lifted that declaration in 2011 after a wet
winter.Asked how his prior experience as governor during a
drought might help now, he replied, "I don't know that I kept my
notebook from 1977."However, the state won't hesitate to redirect
whatever resources are necessary, Brown told reporters. "When
the house is burning down," he said, "you have to pour water on
the fire, and if that costs money, we'll spend money."Although
California has a Mediterranean climate and periodically
experiences drought, current conditions are particularly dry.
The Sierra Nevada snowpack on Thursday was 17 percent of normal. And last year, most cities in the state
received the lowest amount of rain in any living Californian's lifetime. The rainfall records go back to 1850.For
the past 13 months, a huge high-pressure ridge in the atmosphere has sat off the West Coast, diverting storms
that normally would bring winter rain northward to Canada.As a result, reservoir levels are low, farmers and
ranchers are suffering, and fire danger is at an extreme level.Brown's declaration generally won praise from
Republicans and Democrats, environmental groups and farmers.

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"It's entirely appropriate for the governor to declare a drought emergency, and we appreciate his timely action,"
said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation.He called for more state spending on
dams and reservoirs, which he hopes will be included in a water bond proposed for the November
ballot."Farmers across California face wrenching decisions today, as well as in coming months," Wenger said.
"Will they have enough water to plant crops, to water their livestock, and keep trees and vines alive?"An
additional concern is how many people they may have to lay off as a result of water shortages. Any way the
state and federal governments can provide assistance in adding water to the system will help.
"So far, farmers have been affected more by the dry conditions than most California residents.Although many
residents think that population growth is the main driver of water demand statewide, it actually is agriculture. In
an average year, farmers use 80 percent of the water used by people and businesses -- 34 million acre-feet from
a total of 43 million acre-feet that is diverted from rivers, lakes and groundwater, according to the state
Department of Water Resources.Most of the water goes to irrigate crops. Without rain, many farmers have been
heavily pumping groundwater in the Central Valley, and some areas expect that thousands of acres of fields will
be fallowed this summer.In the Bay Area, large water districts that serve the majority of residents say they will
wait until March or April to make a decision about whether to put mandatory restrictions in place.
Those include the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the San Francisco
Public Utilities Commission and the Contra Costa Water District.The reason for the delay, officials said Friday,
is that many have water in storage and have been running conservation and rebate programs for years, so they
are not in a crisis."If it remained bone dry, we would have to look at restrictions," said Contra Costa Water
District spokeswoman Jennifer Allen. "But it's still too early to say what supply we will have."The Santa Clara
Valley Water District has a year's supply stored in underground aquifers, and another year's supply is stored
underground at the Semitropic Water District near Bakersfield."We are hoping we can wait until the end of the
rainy season to propose a target," said Marty Grimes, a spokesman for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
"What happens in February and March could change the situation."
Brown's declaration also:

and promote water conservation, with a goal of reducing water usage by 20 percent.

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

conserve water, including placing a moratorium on new, nonessential landscaping at
public buildings and along highways.

nt of Water Resources to accelerate spending on water supply and conservation projects that
can break ground this year.
California normally receives nearly all its annual rainfall during the winter. However, time is running out on this
winter.
On Thursday, the drought outlook worsened, as the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly update of drought conditions by
federal agencies and researchers at the University of Nebraska, classified large sections of Northern California,
including the Bay Area, as the fourth most severe of five drought categories: "extreme drought."The update showed
that 63 percent of California's land is at that level of drought now, including the Bay Area, up from 27 percent the
week before. Worse, scientists at the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center in Maryland issued a 90day precipitation outlook that said it is likely that California will continue to receive below-normal rainfall at least
through April.Staff writer Denis Cuff contributed to this report. Paul Rogers covers resources and environmental
issues. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN.

Angry farmers to demand their rice back as government defaults on
payments
Sayan Chucham,Surachai Piraksa
The Nation January 18, 2014 1:00 am

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Phichit-based farmers are planning to take their rice back from the government's rice-pledging scheme today
because
it
has
delayed
the
payment
for
far
too
long.

"We want our harvest back now. It can be sold for money elsewhere," Prakasit Jamjumrus said yesterday as he
led a group of protesters to block a key road in the province. Farmers in several other provinces are also
planning to stage roadblocks in their hometowns and join the anti-government rallies in Bangkok if payments
are delayed further. Prasit Booncheuy, president of the Thai Rice Farmers Association, said yesterday that
farmers who had pledged their rice under the scheme want to be paid by January 25."If the government fails to
meet this deadline, the farmers will close down roads in their provinces and will also join the People's
Democratic Reform Committee [PDRC] rallies in Bangkok," he said. Prasit was speaking after attending a
discussion with representatives of farmers from Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Nakhon Pathom,
Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Prachuap Khiri Khan. Kessara Daengdee, a 43-year-old farmer from
Phitsanulok, said she had received a certificate to claim Bt350,000 under the rice-pledging scheme since
October last year. "But the money has still not arrived," she said.As of press time, about 3,000 farmers had
blocked most lanes of traffic on Highway 117 at the Pho Sai Ngarm intersection in Phichit's Bung Narang
district. Farmers from nearby provinces, namely Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai and Phitsanulok,
also joined the protest. Siwaroj Jitniyom, who chairs Kanchanaburi's Tambon Nong Sarai Farmer Group, said

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

the delayed payment had seriously affected farmers' lives. "Without this money, they have to turn to loan sharks
to cover their daily expenses," he said, adding that his group had raised the issue with the governor of
Kanchanaburi earlier and had been promised the payment by January 15. "But that deadline has passed and no
money came to the farmers," he said. In Buri Ram, a group of rice farmers joined PDRC supporters who were
protesting in front of the provincial hall, saying they were angry about the delay in payment for their pledged
rice. Prasit said caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet should be held responsible for
this.In a related development, caretaker Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said at a press conference that the
government had proceeded with the scheme for two years now, buying rice for four seasons and paying out a
total of Bt680 billion. He insisted that every baht spent on the scheme had gone into farmers' hands through the
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC). The government has also released rice from its
stockpiles and earned Bt200 billion from its sale. "The government will continue selling rice," Kittiratt said,
adding that it would also secure funding, be it from the state budget, BAAC's liquidity or loans, to pay the
farmers.

Philippines sees H1 rice output up 5.4 pct
Reuters
Posted at 01/17/2014 8:14 PM | Updated as of 01/17/2014 8:14 PM

MANILA - Unmilled rice output in the Philippines, one of the world's biggest importers of the grain, is forecast
to grow 5.4 percent in the first half of this year on expectations of higher yields, the government said on
Friday.The Southeast Asian country's total rice output last year rose 2.3 percent to 18.44 million tonnes. That
was about 2 million tonnes lower, as expected, than the government's target set under its food self-sufficiency
programme.Rice production from January to June this year is forecast to hit 8.43 million tonnes as the harvest
area may expand 3.7 percent while yields per hectare may improve 1.7 percent, the agriculture department's
statistics agency said in a report.The Philippines may need to import as much as 2 million tonnes of the grain to
meet 2014 requirements after several calamities, including strong typhoons, destroyed crops and depleted
stocks.

Rice farmers rally against government
Published: 17 Jan 2014 at 16.43

Rice growers in the North on Friday blocked the Asian highway in Phichit demanding government payment for
rice sold under the rice-pledging scheme, while farmers in Buriram surrounded the provincial government
complex for the same reason.Around 3,000 farmers from Phichit, Sukhothai, Pitsanulok, Kamphaengphet and
Nakhon Sawan used farm trucks to completely block two inbound lanes of the Asian highway at Pho Sai-ngam
intersection in Bueng Narang district, northern Phichit.

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The farmers demanded immediate payment for rice pledged under the government's rice subsidy scheme and
threatened to intensify the rally unless their demand is met today.Police were deployed near the rally site to
direct traffic and maintain law and order. They advised motorists to avoid using the Asian Highway near the
Pho Sai-ngam intersection and to use other alternative routes instead.In the northeastern province of Buriram,
thousands of rice growers from 23 districts and supporters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee
(PDRC) sealed off the gates to the provincial government complex on Highway No 266 Buriram-Samed in
Muang district.The growers claimed they have still not been paid for rice pledged four months ago, and said
they have no money to service loans borrowed from banks and loan sharks.More than 100 policemen and
territorial defence volunteers were deployed inside and around the provincial government complex to ensure
peace and order.
Rampueng Parinram, 62, a rice grower from tambon Kasang in Muang district, said he joined the rally because
he wants government to pay him the money he is owed.He argued that government should not have encouraged
farmers to join its rice scheme if it does not have the funds to pay for the initative. If they had not joined the
scheme, farmers could have sold their rice to millers to earn money to pay for debts at the Bank for Agriculture
and Agricultural Cooperatives, Mr Rampueng said.Reports said a total of 50,313 farmers who sold rice under
the scheme have still not been paid for rice with a combined worth of 4.17 billion baht.

Thailand Rice Quotes Mixed Today; Pakistan Rice Sellers Lower Some of Their
Quotes
Jan 17, 2014

Thailand rice sellers lowered their quotes for 5% broken rice (for new crop) by about $5 per ton to about $435 $445 per ton and increased their quotes for 25% broken rice and parboiled rice by about $5 per ton each to
about $390 - $400 per ton and $455 - $465 per ton respectively today. Pakistan rice sellers lowered their quotes
for parboiled rice by about $15 per ton to about $410 - $420 per ton. Vietnam and India rice sellers kept their
quotes mostly unchanged.
5% Broken Rice
Thai 5% rice (of new crop) is quoted around $435 - $445 per ton, down about $5 per ton from yesterday and
about a $35 per ton premium over Viet 5% rice shown around $400 - $410 per ton. Thai 5% rice of the old crop
is shown around $370 - $380 per ton.
Indian 5% rice is quoted around $405 - $415 per ton, about a $10 per ton premium over Pak 5% rice quoted
around $395 - $405 per ton.
25% Broken Rice
Thai 25% rice (of new crop) is quoted about $390 - $400 per ton, up about $5 per ton from yesterday and about
a $15 per ton premium over Viet 25% rice shown around $375 - $385 per ton. Thai 25% rice of the old crop is
shown around $345 - $355 per ton.

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Indian 25% rice is quoted about $360 - $370 per ton, about a $15 per ton premium over Pak 25% rice quoted
around $345 - $355 per ton.
Parboiled Rice
Thai parboiled rice of the old crop is quoted around $455 - $465 per ton, up about $5 per ton from yesterday.
Indian parboiled rice is quoted around $395 - $405 per ton, about a $15 per ton discount to Pak parboiled rice
quoted around $410 - $420 per ton, down about $15 per ton from yesterday.
100% Broken Rice
Thai broken rice, A1 Super, of the old crop is quoted around $305 - $315 per ton, about a $50 per ton discount
to Viet broken rice shown around $355 - $365 per ton.
Indian broken sortexed rice is quoted about $295 - $305 per ton, about a $20 per ton discount to Pak broken
sortexed rice quoted around $315 - $325 per ton.
Tags: Thailand rice quotes, Vietnam rice quotes, India rice quotes, Pakistan rice quotes, Asia rice quotes

Oryza Global Rice Quotes
January 17th, 2014
Long grain white rice - high quality
Thailand 100% B grade
445-455
↓
Vietnam 5% broken 400-410
↔
India 5% broken
405-415
↔
Pakistan 5% broken 395-405
↔
Cambodia 5% broken 450-460
↔
U.S. 4% broken
585-595
↔
Uruguay 5% broken 625-635
↔
Argentina 5% broken 625-635
↔
Long grain white rice - low quality
Thailand 25% broken 390-400
↑
Vietnam 25% broken 375-385
↔
Pakistan 25% broken 345-355
↔
Cambodia 25% broken
425-435
↔
India 25% broken
360-370
↔
U.S. 15% broken
565-575
↔
Long grain parboiled rice
Thailand parboiled 100% stxd
455-465
Pakistan parboiled 5% broken stxd 410-420
India parboiled 5% broken stxd
395-405
U.S. parboiled 4% broken
660-670
↔
Brazil parboiled 5% broken 590-600
↔
Uruguay parboiled 5% broken
NQ ↔

↑
↓
↔

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Long grain fragrant rice
Thailand Hommali 92%
945-955
↔
Vietnam Jasmine
560-570
↔
India basmati 2% broken
1515 -1525 ↔
Pakistan basmati 2% broken NQ ↔
Cambodia Phka Malis 895-905
↔
Brokens
Thailand A1 Super
305-315
↔
Vietnam 100% broken
355-365
↔
Pakistan 100% broken stxd 315-325
↔
Cambodia A1 Super 365-375
↔
India 100% Broken stxd
295-305
↔
Egypt medium grain brokens NQ ↔
U.S. pet food 470-480
↔
Brazil half grain
345-355
↔
Medium grain milled
U.S. Calrose 4% broken
620-630
↔
Egypt medium grain 6%
NQ ↔
All prices USD per ton, FOB vessel, oryza.com

Rice exports to China
Published 2014-01-18 07:59:37
KARACHI: Following a successful visit to China, a potential rice market, the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan
(Reap) hopes that rice exports will increase to 1 million tonnes this fiscal year as compared to last when 0.5m tonnes were
exported.A 25-member rice exporters delegation led by senior vice chairman Reap Chela Ram K.K. visited China from
January 5 to 15 and visited Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhongshan, a press release said.The delegation held
meetings with Chinese authorities and leading rice importers and was able to book huge export orders on the spot.Besides,
many Chinese importers also placed orders on trial basis. After fulfillment of these orders Pakistani rice exporters expects
to get huge quantity of orders, the release added. ―Already Pakistani rice is fetching a premium of $20 per tonne over
Vietnamese rice and on further value-addition, rice exports from Pakistan to China could even get better price,‖ Reap said.

Courts in Davao, Manila order release of rice imports
Written by Joel San Juan

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has softened on its stance not to release rice shipments that were brought into
the country without import permits.In a statement, Customs Commissioner John Sevilla admitted that he has no
other option but to comply with the orders issued by several trial courts stopping the agency, as well as the
National Food Authority (NFA) from seizing various rice shipments of Starcraft International Trading Corp.
represented by Eugene Pioquinto, a certain businessman identified as Joseph Mangupag Ngo and Bold Bidder
Marketing and General Merchandise.Sevilla lamented that the courts’ ruling allowing rice imports wil have a
devastating effect on local farmers.
―Ikinalulungkot po namin na gawa ng ilang huwes sa Davao, Maynila at Batangas, pansamantalang hindi namin
mahihinto ang pagpasok ng bigas na walang import permit sa mga lugar na iyon. Humihingi kami ng pangunawa sa mga magsasakang alam naming maapektuhan nito. Sa ayaw namin o gusto, wala po kaming choice
kung hindi sumunod sa korte,‖ Sevilla said.On December 20, 2013, Judge Maria Paz Reyes-Yson of Branch 54
of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Manila granted Starcraft’s petition for injunction against the BOC, NFA
headed by Orlan Calayag and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, in his capacity as chairman of the NFA
Council.The RTC in Manila’s directive was the second injunction order that stops the respondent government
agencies from seizing rice imports even without the required import permits.
Starcraft posted a P10-million cash bond for the issuance of the injunction order.The first injunction order, in
favor of Ngo, was issued by the Judge Emmanuel Carpio of Branch 16 of the RTC in Davao City.The third was
issued by Executive Judge Eutiquio L. Quitain of the RTC in Lemery, Batangas. It was in favor of Bold
Bidder.The said courts, in their separate injunction orders prevent the BOC, the NFA and the NFA
Council from implementing NFA Circular AO 2K13-03-003, requiring the procurement of an import permit for
all rice importations by the petitioners.The courts also order the BOC and NFA to release the shipments of the
petitioners that previously arrived in the country without import permits.
The said agencies were also barred from issuing seizure, or hold orders in the future against rice shipments of
Starcraft and Bold Bidder.Sevilla said the BOC would be releasing a total of 167 container vans containing 3.3
tons of rice that are the subject of nine specific bills of lading which the RTC in Davao City ordered to be
released.Sevilla issued the release order despite insisting that Ngo is not a registered importer with the BOC and
is not a consignee under the import entries for the rice shipments.The 167 containers are part of nearly 2,000
containers which have been held by the BOC for lack of import permits since September 2013.
Selective compliance?
SEVILLA, however, did not say if the BOC would also release the rice shipments of Starcraft and Bold Bidder
that were previouslty seized by the agency for lack of import permits.The two companies earlier criticized the
BOC for its refusal to release their shipments is which they branded as an ―open defiance to the judiciary‖ and
―utter disrespect of judicial proceedings.‖The BOC chief, however, vowed to contest the injunction orders
before the higher court.―The uncontrolled entry of rice into the Philippines will have a devastating effect on our
farmers. We will continue to vigorously challenge these court orders in the proper courts. In that endeavor, we
hope to have the support of farmers, the general public and the rest of the government,‖ Sevilla said.Rice
importers have been challenging the position of the BOC and NFA that an import permit is still necessary for
rice importations.

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Starcraft, for instance, argued that the country has lost its right to impose quantitative restrictions on rice
importations since the restriction has already expired on June 30, 2012, and has not been extended by the World
Trade Organization (WTO).Thus, it argued that the BOC is illegally holding its shipment in the Davao
port.Quantitative restrictions allow member-countries of the WTO to restrict the importation of sensitive
agricultural products.Earlier, the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), Vietnam’s official regulatory body of rice
exporters, has asked the BOC for a definitive stance over the issue on the lifting of the quantitative restrictions
(QR).The VFA insisted that the said restriction has already expired on June 30, 2012 and has not been extended,
thus, rice importations should be allowed entry to the country even without import permits as long as the
corresponding taxes are paid.
Thus, the VFA added rice exporting countries like the Socialist Republic of Vietnam can now export rice to the
Philippines with or without these QR or import permits or import quotas provided the applicable tariff rate of 50
percent is paid by importing entity after compliance with Customs procedures.It can also be recalled that former
BOC Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon also warned that the government is facing a string of civil and
criminal suits due to impasse on the issue of QR.The BOC has adopted the position of the NFA to continue
imposing quantitative restrictions on rice importations by virtue of Republic Act 8178, also known as the
Agricultural Tariffication Act which excludes rice from the lifting of the WTO quantitative restrictions on
agricultural products.

Group assails release of ‘hot’ rice in Davao
THE battle against rice smuggling has taken on a new twist after a court in Davao City ordered the release of
167 containers of rice consigned to companies believed to be owned by businessman Davidson Bangayan, who
has been alleged as the same David Tan who controls rice smuggling in the country.Bangayan has already been
placed on the Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) look-out bulletin after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
and the Department of Justice (DOJ) claimed that Bangayan and ―David Tan‖ are one and the same person.The
businessman has denied any role in rice smuggling but his lawyers are also the ones representing five
companies in Davao City and elsewhere who demand that a total of 2,000 containers of rice held by the BOC
since September 2013 under the request of the NFA be released.
In reaction to the release of the rice shipment on January 16 after lawyers paid the P5-million bond required by
the court, the Alyansa Agrikultura (AA) and R1, a rice watchdog, said in a news briefing that the court order
―sets a dangerous precedent‖ that could lead to the release of the rice under the BOC custody in Davao City.So
serious is the concern of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that he has warned that he would shoot rice
smugglers operating in his city, a threat that has sent chills down the spines of businessmen like Bangayan.AA
Chairman Ernesto Ordoñez, a former undersecretary at the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the release of
the 167 containers of rice could have been prompted by a statement by BOC lawyer Edward James Dy Buco
before the sala of Judge Emmanuel Carpio that QR on rice imports had been lifted and thus anyone is at liberty
to import rice from Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and even the United States.Ordonez claimed that
he has already submitted to the BOC documents from the WTO ministerial meeting held in Indonesia from

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December 3 to 7 which clearly showed that the WTO was not objecting to Philippine rice QR, thus shooting
down Dy Buco’s statement and proving that he did not brush up on the matter.
In a statement, AA and R1 said ―we believe that the Davao injunction, which has already been similarly done in
Manila and Batangas courts, sets a dangerous precedent that makes a mockery of the goal of inclusive growth.
The government is effectively rewarding rice smugglers violating the law with impunity. At the same time, it is
punishing poor farmers by depriving them of their livelihood instead of including them in a genuine inclusive
growth strategy.‖R1 slammed the court for what it claimed to be a hasty process of release, with the court
bending over backwards to give the lawyers of the consignees more time to comment on the allegations made
by the BOC, as what the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) also claimed.
The case for the release of the rice shipment was filed by Joseph Ngo, who was not the importer, on December
5 and the court immediately summoned the BOC to appear for a hearing on December 10, giving the bureau
only a full day to prepare since December 7 and 8 are Saturday and Sunday.On December 13 the court issued
the preliminary injunction against BOC after the posting of a P5-million bond.OSG filed a motion for
reconsideration (MR) on December 27 but the same court has not issued any decision yet.AA and R1 want the
release order to be rescinded, arguing that no order must be issued by the court until such time that the judge has
decided on the MR filed by OSG.
―The unprecedented successful seizure of smuggled rice shipments is seriously undermined by the release of the
initial batch of containers. It will irreparably damage the credibility of the government’s anti-smuggling drive,
which has achieved significant gains under the new BOC management,‖ Trining Domingo of the Rural
Women’s Congress said.For his part, Jimmy Tadeo of the National Council of Rice Farmers said: ―More
important, it will kill the rice industry because of the entry of subsidized cheap rice imports. We will never
achieve our goal of rice self-sufficiency, a pillar of our desired food security. With unstable prices and uncertain
supply at a time of climate change, both our consumers and rice farmers will suffer greatly.‖
With Marvyn Benaning

Trade bodies are striving to boost Pakistan-Malaysia economic ties'
January 18, 2014
RECORDER REPORT

Pakistan- Malaysia Business Council of FPCCI has organised an event in the honour of Datuk Amar Douglas
Uggah Embas, Malaysian Minister for Plantation Industries and Commodities here at a hotel. A big number of
businessmen, members of Pakistan Malaysia Business Council and FPCCI and others participated in the
event. Bashir Jan Mohammad, Chairman Pakistan Malaysia Business Council, that Pak-Malaysia Business
Council in Karachi as well as Malaysia-Pakistan Business Council in Kuala Lumpur are playing active role in
promoting our shared objective of enhancing economic and investment ties between Pakistan and Malaysia. He
said that Pakistan and Malaysia have historically enjoyed close ties based on common beliefs, culture and

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

values. Our relations go back to the days of silk route trade through the Straits of Malacca. Trade relations
between the two countries have improved substantially over the years, he added.
He said that main commodities exported from Pakistan to Malaysia are Cotton Yarn, Rice, Fish and Fish
products, vegetables, Made-up Textile articles, Cereals, Man-made Filament and Yarn, fruits, Leather goods,
ready-made garments, towels, knitwear, sport goods, furniture, cutlery and etc. Bashir said that major Pakistan's
imports from Malaysia include Palm Oil & its products, rubber, chemicals, electrical & electronic equipments,
machineries, parts and accessories. He added that historically Pakistan has been third largest importer of Palm
oil and its products from Malaysia since Palm oil happens to be the less expensive and quality edible oil for its
Vanaspati/ cooking oil industry .
Pakistan imports about two million tons of edible oils annually in which the major portion is of Palm Oil, which
at an average is about 1.900 Million tons. Pakistan and Malaysia have to find new areas of mutual co-operation
and try to further boost trade and economic ties", he added. He further said that Pakistan & Malaysia signed
Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in November 2007, which is operational since year 2008. This is Pakistan's 1st
bilateral comprehensive FTA between two Muslim countries. He said that Malaysian companies have invested
in Pakistan in joint ventures in the field of Edible Oil Refinery, Liquid Cargo Terminal (Jetty), Bulking
Installation of Edible Oil Storage, Rice, Energy, Infrastructure sectors, Oil Exploration and many other
industrial projects.
There is ample goodwill for expansion of trade and establishment of joint Ventures in various industrial sectors
including ship breaking, pharmaceuticals, Palm oil refining, Food processing, sports goods and construction
sectors. "We need urgent help in exploration of gas and project in energy sector", he stressed. Bashir said that
Pakistan-Malaysia Business Council has been taking all necessary steps for resolving some factors and
problems in the way of smooth enhancement in trade between both the countries such as: Non-availability of
direct Shipping Line for general cargo between Pakistan and Malaysian ports. Absence of direct flights from
Karachi to Kuala Lumpur (except for two weekly flights by PIA) to further foster the exports of fruits and fresh
vegetables from Pakistan. Similarly, he said, the council deals with issues as export duty on crude palm oil
which has caused significant drop in volume of its export to Pakistan.
Lack of Pakistan Exhibitors forum/place in Kuala Lumpur limited quota for rice export from Pakistan because
of more concentration on ASEAN countries and tough competition in Textile sector from countries like
Thailand, China and Indonesia because of proximity, he added. On the occasion, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah
thanked Bashir Jan Mohammad and FPCCI for arranging such a great event in his honour. He assured that he
will continue his efforts for the enhancement of Malaysia-Pak trade relations.

Research and Markets: Prefeasibility Report on a Rice Bran Oil Processing
Plant
January 17, 2014

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

DUBLIN — Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sqnzw7/prefeasibility) has
announced the addition of the "Prefeasibility Report on a Rice Bran Oil Processing Plant" report to their
offering.Prefeasibility Report on a Rice Bran Oil Processing Plant provides a techno-commercial roadmap for
setting up a rice bran oil processing plant. The study, which has been done by one of the world's leading
research and advisory firms, covers all the requisite aspects of the rice bran oil industry.This ranges from macro
overview of the market to micro details of the industry performance, processing & manufacturing requirements,
project cost, project funding, project economics, expected returns on investment, profit margins, etc.This report
is a must-read for entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, consultants, business strategists, and all those who are
planning to foray into the rice bran oil industry in any manner.
Key Questions Answered in This Report?
- What are the key success and risk factors in the rice bran oil industry?
- How has the rice bran oil market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
- What is the structure of the rice bran oil industry and who are the key players?
- What are the various unit operations involved in a rice bran oil plant?
- What is the total size of land required for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the machinery requirements for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the raw material requirements for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the utility requirements for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the manpower requirements for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the infrastructure costs for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the capital costs for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What are the operating costs for setting up a rice bran oil plant?
- What should be the pricing mechanism of various rice bran oil products?
- What will be the income and expenditures for a rice bran oil plant?

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- What is the time required to break-even?
*Please note that this is a prefeasibility report. It will be delivered to you within 10-12 days after the
confirmation of payment
Key Topics Covered:
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction to the Rice Bran Oil Industry
3. Rice Bran Oil Industry Analysis
4. Processing & Manufacturing of Rice Bran Oil Products
5. Project Details, Requirements and Costs Involved
6. Rice Bran Oil Processing Plant: Loans & Financial Assistance
7. Rice Bran Oil Processing Plant: Project Economics
8. Appendix
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/sqnzw7/prefeasibility
About Research and Markets
Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data.
We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies,
new products and the latest trends.

Study examines genetic diversity of indigenous upland rice
Category: Agri-Commodities
17 Jan 2014
Written by Alladin S. Diega

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A STUDY by government scientists showed that Arakan Valley’s indigenous upland rice is highly diverse with
desirable characteristics.A document by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) uploaded on its web site on
January 1, said a study of the 14 indigenous upland rice in Arakan Valley, Cotabato, revealed two—Malundiang
and Ulipapa—―have 30 percent to 50 -percent associated genes that possess the desirable qualities of being
early maturing and having high yield potential.‖The other 12 collected from local farmers include Azucena,
Bungulan, Dabao, Dinorado, Hinumay, Kapalawan, Kawilan, Magalitok, Mal-os, Manisi, Mubpon and
Sinulid.―They were subjected under laboratory and greenhouse experiments to characterize their seeds and plant
structure.
These include plant height, number of tillers per plant, number of days to flowering, number of panicles per
plant, panicle length and 1,000-grain weight,‖ the document said.The study, led by Juliet Bangi of the
University of the Philippines-Natural Sciences Research Institute, aimed to determine the ―desirable rice-gene
characteristics‖ of the indigenous upland rice in the valley.―Understanding the structure and diversity of
indigenous rice is needed by our scientists and researchers in the conservation and preservation of genetic
resources that have potential uses for future breeding purposes,‖ the BAR document, written by Anne Camille
B. Brion, said.
The study further revealed that the tallest plants are the Azucena and Hinumay, while Kawilan had the highest
number of tillers per plant, as well as the panicles produced.―The Malundiang had the earliest flowering period.
The longest panicle [a group or cluster of flowers] was produced by Magalitok, and Ulipapa, and Bungulan had
the heaviest 1,000-grain weight.‖The study also discovered that the Bungulan, Mubpon, Sinulid, and Mal-os
have diverse genes, ―and are found to have desirable genetic makeup based from their morphogenetic
characteristics.‖―Bungulan, Manisi, Kapalawan, Magalitok, Sinulid, Mal-os, and Dinorado have varied and
narrow genetic distance indicative of having distinct genes.
With a dissimilarity index of 3.32, Kawilan and Kapalawan are upland rice with different genes,‖ the study
further discovered.The BAR document said these results ―reflect the diversity of the indigenous upland rice in
the Arakan Valley Complex based on their genetic makeup, and those that were studied are part of the genetic
pool of resources in the locality.‖―High-yielding varieties with promising potentials may emerge in the future as
breeding efforts using our indigenous upland rice result in the successful improvement of grain quality,
resistance to pests and diseases, and reduction in the maturity period, among many others.‖The BAR said these
varieties ―would be substantial in meeting the ever-increasing demand for food [if breeding efforts] are
effectively managed and used.‖
Alladin S. Diega

Down to last few grains of rice
The five-month wait for payment is pushing farmers to the edge
Published: 17 Jan 2014 at 07.30

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Newspaper section: News

Several farmers in tambon Phai Phra of Ayutthaya's Bang Sai district have been left in despair by the
government's delayed payment for rice crops under the pledging scheme.Farmers at work in a paddy field in
tambon Phai Phra of Ayutthaya’s Bang Sai district yesterday. Many are waiting for payments from the
government. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD
"The
government
has
already
postponed the payment three times,
and did it again on Wednesday for the
fourth
time,"
said
Thassanee
Janbamrung, a 52-year-old farmer.Ms
Thassanee was one of tens of
thousands of paddy farmers nationwide
still waiting for payment for their
pledged rice, despite their produce
having been pledged over five months
ago."We are close to starving," said Ms
Thassanee, adding that officials at the
Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural
Cooperatives (BAAC) had told her the
government had stopped supplying
money
for
the
payment.The
government made the full payment on
time at the beginning, but then they became late, and then stopped altogether, she said.Wandee Bualek, a 25year-old farmer in the same tambon, still holds out hope the government will eventually pay her the money,
despite the near six-month delay."We farmers have never deceived anyone, so why does the government lie to
farmers?" Ms Wandee said.Both farmers owed money to the government, for farming equipment, including rice
varieties and fertiliser, through the farmer credit card scheme, which offers a credit line of 50,000 baht each.
Ms Wandee conceded she now has to rely on loan sharks to sustain her."I need to borrow tens of thousands of
baht from a loan shark with a 3% interest rate to survive and to hire workers for my paddy field for the new
crop season," she said. The cost of rice farming is steep. Hired workers are paid 300 baht a day, while the
leasing of paddy fields costs 2,000-3,000 baht per rai, she added. She said the government still owed her about
300,000 baht.
Ms Wandee, who has two young children, and her husband now have to work extra jobs to secure at least a
3,000-baht monthly income for her family.She also had to borrow almost 100,000 baht from loan sharks and
relatives for rice farming during the new crop season."I am now desperate to obtain this money since the BAAC
said it has no money to pay," said Ms Wandee."Will the government really deny us what it owes?"Many local
farmers said BAAC officials told them their names had been missed off the pledging scheme registration, so

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they were not entitled to the payment.Samran Traisuwan, a 62-year-old farmer, raised doubts about whether the
government was really sincere regarding the rice scheme.
He lashed out at the government which promised during the election campaign to receive every grain of rice
pledged by farmers, saying: "It turns out to be only 62 barrels per rai that can be pledged in reality, so how can
they say it is every grain?"Under the scheme, Mr Samran said he receives no more than 13,000 baht per tonne
for his pledged rice, following the deduction of moisture content and other contaminants, despite the scheme
promising farmers they would receive 15,000 baht.Farmers have to pledge their rice under the scheme or they
would only get paid 5,000-6,000 baht if they sell to traders, he said.He declined to comment about irregularities
in the scheme, saying the farmers did not want problems with anyone.Another farmer, Chao Trai-uphok, was
also unwilling to discuss irregularities.Mr Chao said if farmers do not receive a satisfactory answer about the
payment on Monday, when the National Rice Policy Committee is due to convene, farmers' patience will run
out and it is likely that a nationwide protest will erupt.

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