15th december,2020 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

Daily Global, Regional & Local Rice E-Newsletter
1 | w w w . r i c e p l u s s . c o m , w w w . r i c e p l u s m a g a z i n e . b l o s g s p o t . c o m
December 14 ,2020 Vol 11 Issue 12
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com 92 321 3692874

Editorial Board
Chief Editor
 Hamlik
Managing Editor
 Abdul Sattar Shah
 Rahmat Ullah
 Rozeen Shaukat
English Editor
 Maryam Editor
 Legal Advisor
 Advocate Zaheer Minhas
Editorial Associates
 Admiral (R) Hamid Khalid
 Javed Islam Agha
 Zahid Baig(Business Recorder)
 Dr.Akhtar Hussain
 Dr.Fayyaz Ahmad Siddiqui
 Dr.Abdul Rasheed (UAF)
 Islam Akhtar Khan
Editorial Advisory Board
 Dr.Malik Mohammad Hashim
Assistant Professor, Gomal
University DIK
 Dr.Hasina Gul
Assistant Director, Agriculture KPK
 Dr.Hidayat Ullah
Assistant Professor, University
of Swabi
 Dr.Abdul Basir
Assistant Professor, University of
Swabi
 Zahid Mehmood
PSO,NIFA Peshawar
 Falak Naz Shah
Head Food Science & Technology
ART, Peshawar
Rice News Headlines…
 Final Sales Results Show Big Benefits for USA Rice Partner in
Korea
 Basmati battle: biding time
 Microwave process could improve rice yield, add millions in
profits
 Vietnam Nov coffee exports drop 8.4% m/m, rice down 3.1%-
customs
 Dong Thap expands high quality rice cultivation
 Prolonged VAT exemptions to benefit farmers
 Can Thailand save its rice bowl, or will China, India and Vietnam
eat it for lunch?
 Myanmar aims to export 2 mln tons of rice, broken rice in FY
2020-21
 Rice, soybean oil prices continue to soar in Dhaka
 Election materials issued in line with COVID protocol
 Rabi sowing up 4% despite farmers’ protests
 Cambodia bans burning of rice straw, garbage to reduce air
pollution
 Shortage of shipping containers at Shanghai port leaves
exporters scrambling to meet delivery schedules
 2.6m Tons of Rice Output Will Meet 85% of Demand

Final Sales Results Show Big Benefits for USA Rice
Partner in Korea
By Sarah Moran
SOUTH KOREA -- After the success of last year's wholesale promotion with Samyang
Corporation, USA Rice expanded promotions to include a second wholesaler, Daesang
Corporation, known for its food and distribution capability. The new promotion with Daesang
ran from August through September this year and, recently released sales data shows how
effective it was in boosting sales.
"Samyang began to participate in table rice auctions for U.S. rice after a USA Rice seminar last
year," said Jim Guinn, director of USA Rice Asia programs. "They sold 15,000 20kg-bags of
U.S. rice in less than three months of promotion after never marketing U.S. rice before. As we
know, success breeds success, and Daesang was eager to partner with USA Rice on a promotion
effort in hopes of achieving similar results."
Daesang Corporation consists of thirteen subsidiary companies, one of which, Daesang Bestco,
focuses on food wholesale markets located in major cities nationwide. Bestco has a reputation
for maintaining food safety by carrying out continuous material monitoring and inspection, and
partnering with this well-respected name brand automatically positioned U.S. rice in a positive
light with Korean consumers and foodservice establishments.
The Bestco promotion was three-pronged: banners and leaflets extolling the specific
characteristics of U.S. medium grain rice were on display at each of the company's twelve
outlets, USA Rice-trained Bestco personnel were positioned in each store's rice section
explaining the advantages of U.S. medium grain rice, and the promotion was announced through
a mobile messenger app called Kakaotalk.
As of January 2020, 37 million people in Korea were using Kakaotalk -- 72 percent of the
population. The app began as a messenger service but has become a platform for distributing
third-party content, letting users follow brands to receive exclusive messages, coupons, and other
real-time information. Daesang Bestco has its own Kakaotalk channel, with more than 30,000
followers, that they use to share sales flyers with consumers. The flyers also were distributed to
residents nearby each location.
"Earlier in the year, Daesang had reported a gradual decline in U.S medium grain rice sales," said
Guinn. "However, during our promotion, total sales of U.S. medium grain rice increased by 147

percent and 224 percent, in August and September, respectively, compared to the same period in
2019. This followed a drop in sales that had averaged 57.5 percent from February to July 2020,
compared to the same period in 2019."
Rice is a key part of My Family and Culture
Traditional Mexican food is so versatile that one ingredient can be transformed and incorporated
into every meal. When we think of Mexican cuisine here in California, we can assume that we
will be served traditional red rice with our meal. Rice is a cultural staple in the Latino
community. Though it was thought to be a simple side on our plates when we go out for dinner
with our friends, it is a food that brings many Latino families together. Due to living

circumstances and economic barriers in Latino neighborhoods, rice is made for breakfast, lunch,
dinner, and dessert because it is affordable and filling.
Let’s take a brief look at the types of recipes my family has made using rice and I’ll let you know
which one of them is my absolute favorite! Our family dishes include Mole con pollo y arroz,
horchata, caldo de pollo, arroz con leche, y arroz con verduras. To put it short, some of these
recipes are made daily to feed families and some are made for a special occasion, as some dishes
require a lot of time to make. My personal favorite is arroz con leche, which essentially means
rice with milk – similar to rice pudding. The main ingredients are rice, milk, cinnamon,
condensed milk, butter, an orange peel, and some other goodies.
Our family tradition is to make arroz con leche as the season changes to fall or winter. In our
family, my grandmother heats up the rice and milk combination, which then heats the room
where our family gathers to talk and spend quality time. Then she adds in the cinnamon and
orange peel, which fills the room with a sweet aroma. The children get so excited and start to
help her, adding the condensed milk and sprinkling some sugar with their little fingers. As soon
as the dish is ready to be served, everyone lines up with a bowl and spoon in hand, ready to enjoy
this hot rice pudding made with love. I cherish these memories!
Food brings people closer, but when you make it with love, it’s a whole new experience.
https://calrice.org/rice-is-a-key-part-of-my-family-and-culture/
Basmati battle: biding time
Federal government’s czar for Commerce took to social media last week to announce filing of
Pakistan’s Notice of Opposition to India’s claim of exclusive rights to the origin of basmati rice.
Earlier in September, the next-door frenemy had filed a Protected Geographical Indications
(PGI) claim at the European Union’s eAmbrosia register.
Has Pakistan successfully managed to ward off the attack by an increasingly hostile neighbour?

First, it needs to be made explicitly clear that this is only a start of what – in all likelihood – will
be a very protracted battle. The Notice of Opposition only signals Pakistan’s ―intent‖ to take
legal recourse against Indian claim. According to domestic media, the Notice of Opposition has
been acknowledged by EU in the nick of time, as EU rules allow up to 90 days for
acknowledgement since the filing of the original PGI claim. However, the eAmbrosia register
does not list Pakistan’s notice in its online database, whereas Indian claim is available for public
access since at least September 12th. Why will the battle be prolonged? It is worth reproducing a
section of Commerce Advisor’s quote: ―We assure the rice community that we will defend our
case with due diligence and commitment‖. Moreover, as per news reports in international media,
the country has employed the services of a Brussels based legal firm Altius to dispute Indian
claim. Suffice to say that the opposing side has carefully crafted this attack and, will not cow
down to filing of a mere Notice of Opposition. Two, it is paramount that this modern form of
trade warfare is nipped in the bud immediately. The Commerce czar raised concern that India
may also be considering registering PGI claim for Pink Himalayan Salt as well. And he is right.
The attacks won’t stop here: the extent of cultural overlap, shared history and heritage, and
commonalities in goods traded by both countries mean that from Multani Mitti, to Peshawari
Chappal, all goods historically originating from subcontinent may be at risk. It doesn’t help that
given the sheer size of Indian economy and its greater productivity, the trade numbers will
almost always be on its side.
Will Pakistan succeed? While taking legal recourse has ensured that basmati exports will
probably remain unaffected in the near term, it is not easy to be optimistic. It is worth
remembering that Pakistan finally promulgated its GI law only in March 2020, whereas the
opposing country operationalized its law two decades ago, and has already successfully
registered PGI for Darjeeling Tea back in 2011. Moreover, as far as basmati is concerned, India
has buttressed its claim by demarcating unique regions of basmati origin domestically by
excluding historically non-basmati growing regions such as Madhya Pradesh from its claim at
EU. Because Pakistan’s legislature is two decades too late to the party, it has so far been unable
to draw any such demarcation locally. Doing so right now – smack in the middle of a
transnational lawsuit – may be akin to opening a can of worms. While limiting Pakistan’s claim

of unique regions of origin to historic basmati bowl of Kalar – as explained in this space
previously – will most certainly add weight to its claim, it will also result in taking domestic
differences over the designated region, public. According to Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan,
cultivation of basmati rice has now not only spread outside of Kalar region to all the way down
to southern Punjab, but also includes some recent additions from Sindh and Balochistan. Even if
the minor cultivation in the latter two provinces is excluded, regional farmers from central and
southern Punjab will not take it lightly if the demarcation is to their detriment.
How should the MoC and IPO modulate its strategy? Target the opposition where it hurts the
most. While EU may very well be Pakistan’s trading partner, the trading bloc’s total basmati
imports at $400 million dwarfs in comparison to other regions such as Gulf (excluding Iran) that
import up to $3 billion worth basmati rice annually, more than 80 percent of which is from India!
Worse still, Pakistan’s other (less than friendly) neighbour Iran imports basmati rice worth more
than $1 billion from India annually, whereas Pakistan’s basmati export to this western neighbour
(with which it shares a thousand-kilometre-long border) is less than an embarrassing trickle.
While the Gulf countries may be increasingly becoming closer to the Indian hegemon, it does not
take an international relations specialist to figure out that even if India wins the battle, Iran is
least likely to follow EU definitions. With MoC’s support, Pakistani exporters must target the
world’s largest importer of basmati. Even if it captures one-third of that neighbouring market, it
will more than compensate for the loss of EU (excluding UK). In the long run, in order to
insulate Pakistan’s already paltry exports of other commodities from future PGI trade warfare,
the country must get its legislative house in order. In absence of local regulation on demarcation
of unique origin regions, it will be hard to ward off attacks on other commodities as well.
Afterall, a Peshawari chappal originating from Karachi will be as dubious in its origin as one
originating from Mumbai. Act fast.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40040645/basmati-battle-biding-time
Date: 14-Dec-2020
https://jang.com.pk/news/858509

Microwave process could improve rice yield, add
millions in profits
AGRICULTURE
by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net) December 12, 2020 7:11 am
Send me the latest NEA news
Microwave technology may offer a faster drying system for rice than conventional heated-air
drying systems and could significantly increase profitability, said Griffiths Atungulu, associate
professor of food processing and post-harvest system engineering for the University of Arkansas
System Division of Agriculture.
Atungulu is co-principal investigator with AMTek Microwaves, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, based
company. It has received a $100,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study microwave
drying methods.
Rough rice is ideally reaped at a harvest moisture content of up to 21%, Atungulu said. Before
milling, processors must reduce the moisture content to a target of about 12.5%.

Conventional rice drying systems use natural air in-bin or crossflow column dryers. In-bin drying
can require many days to dry rice. Rice processors commonly use crossflow column dryers,
which direct heated air across a column through which rough rice falls. Dryers can speed up the
process but still take considerable time, Atungulu said.
Crossflow column dryers usually require multiple passes of the rice through the column
separated by tempering periods, which maintain the rice at a warm temperature. It commonly
takes about three passes through the crossflow dryer to reduce the rice to 12.5% moisture
content.
Tempering often takes place overnight with the drying process often requiring two days or more
to complete, Atungulu said.
It also impacts head rice yield, the percentage of kernels that are at least three-quarters of their
original length after milling, he said. The extended exposure to heated air can cause fissures in
rice kernels’ physical structure, making them brittle. Milling the rice then results in breaking
some of the fissured kernels, reducing the head rice yield. Other factors, including environmental
conditions and rice genetics, contribute to head rice yield. U.S. head rice yield averages are 55%
to 58% of the total rice volume.
―The yield could be lower, depending on prevailing environmental conditions during harvest,‖
Atungulu said.
Using a microwave dryer about the size of a commercial restaurant oven, Atungulu has
developed a method of drying rice to the target moisture content of 12.5% in a single pass under
laboratory conditions, he said.
His goal was to develop a one-pass drying method that maintained head rice yield at or above the
national average. He looked for a microwave drying method that did not adversely affect rice
color or flavor or increase rancidity, which can occur in the bran layer.
―We didn’t want to change anything that would affect consumer acceptance of rice products,‖ he
said.
In years of preliminary research, collaborating with AMTek and several rice processing
companies, Atungulu showed that a microwave frequency of 915 Megahertz — most home
microwaves operate at a maximum of 2.45 MHz — could dry rice in a single pass with less
impact on head rice yield. It also met the requirement of not affecting consumer-desired color or
flavor.

In the proof of concept, Atungulu has two goals.
―First, we have to satisfy the rice processors,‖ he said. ―We want to demonstrate that microwave
drying reduces the time required for drying rice while reducing fissuring to improve head rice
yield.‖
Atungulu’s target is to improve the national average of 55-58% head rice yield to at least 65%.
―That would translate to a $145 million increase in rice value annually,‖ he said.
Also, a microwave drying system requires a smaller machinery footprint, thus saving space,
Atungulu said.
―Second, we have to satisfy consumers. That means we have to preserve flavor, texture, color
and cooking quality.‖
During the industry-scale research, Atungulu will work on optimizing the system to meet those
industry and consumer requirements. His research so far has identified 915 MHz as an efficient
frequency to meet his goals. But on a large scale, Atungulu said, that may not be the ideal
frequency for all rice varieties.
―Some frequencies may not penetrate fully into some varieties. We may also have to adjust how
the microwave energy is delivered. Perhaps some components will have to be designed to control
how the energy diffuses into the rice. These are the things we’ll have to play around with to find
the optimal design and control for commercial microwave rice drying,‖ Atungulu said.
Existing multiple-pass crossflow column dryers may be less efficient than microwaves, but
Atungulu says they have a proven track record. They are also durable, continuing to work for
decades with regular upkeep. Rice processors will not be easily convinced to convert their drying
systems. An essential goal of the proof-of-concept stage of his research, Atungulu said, is to
demonstrate with conclusive data the economic benefits of microwave rice drying.
―We understand the feasibility of microwave drying,‖ Atungulu said. ―We also want to be able to
articulate the merits of the system.‖
Even with convincing data, Atungulu expects conversion will not happen overnight but will
more likely happen in stages. Given the durability of existing rice dryers that may take
considerable time.
Rice growers were projected to plant about 1.39 million acres of rice in 2020. The acreage is a
rebound from 2019’s 1.15 million acres, but still shy of 2018’s 1.44 million acres. The modest

increase surprised some analysts who expected acreage as high as 1.5 million acres, given
prevailing market conditions.
Rice has a significant impact on the state’s economy, according to the Arkansas Farm Bureau.
The crop is the most exported from the state and is its second most valuable. The rice industry
has a more than $4 billion impact on the state’s economy and 25,000 jobs are rice dependent.
https://talkbusiness.net/2020/12/microwave-process-could-improve-rice-yield-add-millions-in-
profits/
Vietnam Nov coffee exports drop 8.4% m/m, rice
down 3.1%-customs
By Reuters Staff
DECEMBER 14, 20208:29
HANOI, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Vietnam’s coffee exports in November fell 8.4% from October to
83,730 tonnes, while rice exports in the same period were down 3.1% against the preceding
month, government customs data released on Monday showed.
For the first eleven months of the year, Vietnam exported 1.43 million tonnes of coffee, down
3.0% from a year earlier, Vietnam Customs said in a statement.
Coffee export revenue in January-November fell 1.9% to around $2.49 billion, it said.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s rice exports in November fell 3.1% from the previous month to 351,515
tonnes, the statement said.
The country’s rice exports in the January-November period fell 2.9% year on year to 5.7 million
tonnes, it said. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen Editing by Ed Davies)
https://in.reuters.com/article/vietnam-coffee-rice-idINL4N2IU0PP
Dong Thap expands high quality rice cultivation
More rice farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap have switched to growing high-
quality rice varieties, which sell well and offer high profits.
VNA Sunday, December 13, 2020 16:25

Harvesting rice in Dong Thap (Photo: VNA)
Dong Thap (VNS/VNA) - More rice farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap have
switched to growing high-quality rice varieties, which sell well and offer high profits.
More than 60 percent of rice planted in Dong Thap are high-quality rice varieties, up 4.2 percent
against two years ago, according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development.
These rice varieties include Jasmine 85, Nang Hoa 9, OM 4900, OM 6976, Dai Thom 8 and
DTM 126.
The province, which is one of the delta’s largest rice producers, grows more than 520,000ha of
rice a year with an annual output of 3.3 million tonnes.
Nguyen Van Phuc, who owns a 2ha rice field in Thap Muoi District’s Phu Dien Commune, said
he switched from growing low-quality IR 50404 rice to the high quality Dai Thom 8 rice in the

2019 - 2020 winter – spring rice crop.
He harvested a yield of 8 tonnes of paddy per hectare in the 2019 - 2020 winter – spring rice
crop, up 1 tonnes against the 2018 - 2019 winter – spring rice crop. He sold Dai Thom 8 rice for
1,000 VND higher than normal rice varieties.
Farmers and co-operatives that grow high-quality rice varieties have signed farm contracts with
rice companies to guarantee outlets and stable prices.
The Thuan Tien Agriculture Services Cooperative in Cao Lanh District’s Gao Giong Commune
has signed farm contracts with companies to produce high-quality rice.
According to Nguyen Thanh Hung, chairman of the Thuan Tien, the cooperative’s high-quality
rice is guaranteed an outlet with a price of 150 – 200 VND a kilogramme higher than the market
price.
The cooperative members earn a profit that is 15 – 20 percent higher than before and have stable
outlets.
About 46 percent of the province’s rice growing areas have been guaranteed outlets by rice
companies.To supply high-quality rice varieties for farmers, the province has conducted research
and planted several new high-quality rice varieties suited to its soil and weather conditions.
Le Ngoc Hoa of the Dong Thap High-Tech Agriculture Application Centre said the province had
planted on a pilot basis two new varieties – RD71 and AD61 – in Hong Ngu and Tan Hong
districts.The two rice varieties are high quality, have a short maturity period, and yield 6 -7
tonnes per hectare.
Hong Ngu and Tan Hong districts are also expanding the cultivation of other high-quality rice
varieties like OM 221 and OM 124 as they have a high yield of seven tonnes per hectare.
In the ongoing 2020 -21 winter – spring rice crop, the province targets growing about 200,000ha,
focusing on high-quality varieties that meet market demand and are resistant to disease,
according to the province’s Plant Cultivation and Protection Sub-department.
Nguyen Van Muoi, director of the Tan Thuan Agriculture Services Cooperative in Chau Thanh
District’s An Phu Thuan Commune, said: ―For the 2020 - 2021 winter-spring rice crop, the co-
operative decided to grow rice varieties that have high quality and high yield to increase profit
for its members.‖

Dong Thap authorities in recent years have encouraged farmers to turn ineffective rice fields to
other high-value crops like fruit and aquaculture.
The average profit of fruits is about 370 million VND (16,000 USD) per hectare a year, 3 - 8
times higher than profits from rice cultivation, according to farmers.
Tran Van Nam in Thap Muoi District’s Thanh My Commune has switched from rice to growing
lime on his 1.3ha rice field. He now earns a profit of 400 million VND (17,300 USD) per hectare
a year.
More rice farmers have also rotated the cultivation of rice in the rainy season and other short -
term crops like sesame in the dry season to save irrigation water and prevent the spread of rice
diseases.
Rice farmers in the province have converted more than 16,240 ha of rice fields to high-value
crops like fruit, vegetables, flower and ornamental plants and aquaculture, according to the
province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development./.
VNA
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/dong-thap-expands-high-quality-rice-cultivation/193073.vnp
Prolonged VAT exemptions to benefit farmers
Thou Vireak | Publication date 14 December 2020 | 21:54 ICT
The General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE) has opted not to impose
new value-added taxes (VAT) on select agricultural equipment in policies set to take effect on
January 1. POST STAFF
As revenues have soared, the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE)
has opted not to impose new value-added taxes (VAT) on select agricultural equipment in
policies set to take effect on January 1, next year.
According to the GDCE’s announcement, signed by director-general Kun Nhem on October 13,
the government will not levy VAT on motorised water pumps with a flow capacity up to 8,000
cubic metres per hour.

Larger types of industrial pumps are still subject to obligations and taxes according to the
provisions in force, with exceptions granted by the GDCE for certain projects aimed at
agricultural sector usage.
The GDCE defines VAT as a tax on goods or services supplied locally and levied on end users at
a rate of 10 per cent in Cambodia.
Hun Lak, director of milled-rice exporter Mekong Oryza Trading Co Ltd, said placement of
VAT under burden of the state on imported water pump machinery contributes to reducing
farmers’ production costs.
But he pointed out that it does not quite make them as competitive as their counterparts in
neighbouring countries.
―If the government optimises VAT exemptions, it will help lower production costs and make it
easier to compete in milled-rice export markets.
―We know that our neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam, boast lower costs of rice production and
processing than in Cambodia,‖ Lak said.
For Lun Yeng, secretary-general of the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), this type of tax
exemption will benefit farmers because most use water pumps to irrigate rice fields.
―If importers do not have to pay VAT, they can sell at a cheaper price, which enables farmers to
afford the equipment they need,‖ he said.
At an annual meeting in February this year, Kun Nhem said the GDCE collected more than $3.21
billion last year, an increase of 30 per cent over 2018.
He noted that revenue collected in major taxes categories saw remarkably high growth, with
import duties up 30.7 per cent, special taxes up 33.6 per cent and VAT collections rising 28.8 per
cent.
By type of goods, vehicles and machinery continued to be primary sources of tax receipts,
accounting for 52.7 per cent of total revenue.
―Revenues collected last year were the highest in the last 20 years. This has occurred in a context
where preferential tariffs, both in terms of investment incentives and for priority sectors, as well
as the implementation of free trade agreements, are steadily increasing year by year,‖ he said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/prolonged-vat-exemptions-benefit-farmers

Can Thailand save its rice bowl, or will China, India
and Vietnam eat it for lunch?
 Jasmine rice, once the star of Thailand’s grain exports, is facing the heat from cheaper varieties
in the region
 As the country cooks up a plan to regain world dominance, observers say more incentives
and support for farmers are needed
Jitsiree Thongnoi
A farmer harvests rice in a field in Thailand. Photo: AFP
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3113651/can-thailand-save-its-rice-bowl-or-
will-china-india-and-vietnam
Myanmar aims to export 2 mln tons of rice, broken rice in
FY 2020-21
Source: Xinhua| 2020-12-12 22:08:53|Editor: huaxia
YANGON, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar government aims to achieve the export target of 2
million tons of rice and broken rice in fiscal year (FY) 2020-2021 beginning October, an official
from the Ministry of Commerce said Saturday.
"Rice export depends on domestic market price and export demand. Myanmar managed to export
around 2 million tons of rice in previous fiscal years," said Myo Thu, director of the ministry's
trade promotion department.
Myanmar surpassed its rice export target of 2.5 million tons in last FY 2019-2020, showed data
from the Myanmar Rice Federation.
According to the federation's latest figures, the Southeast Asian country has exported 232,841
tons of rice and 117,418 tons of broken rice, earning over 131 million U.S. dollars as of Nov. 27
this fiscal year. of the total rice exports, 41.17 percent is achieved through border gates, and the
rest through the sea route. Enditem
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-12/12/c_139584673.

Rice, soybean oil prices continue to soar in Dhaka
Staff Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 12 Dec 2020 03:10 AM BdST Updated: 12 Dec 2020 03:10 AM BdST
 Prices of rice of continue to trouble buyers in Dhaka, rising by up to Tk 8 per kg in 10 days.
Unpacked soybean oil prices have increased by up to Tk 10 per litre in this period.
The retail price of fine quality Miniket rice increased by Tk 400 to Tk 3,100 per sack of 50 kg.
Prices of coarse varieties of rice also rose by Tk 1 or Tk 2 per kg.
Haji Mohiuddin, a wholesaler at Mirpur-1, and retailer Ferdous Monwar of Pirerbagh, said on
Friday that rice prices have increased to the highest level in two to three years.
Rahmat Ullah, a trader in Agargaon, said he heard that a rise in paddy price has made
rice costlier.
When the government decided to procure rice at Tk 37 per kg and paddy at Tk 26 per kg in the
current Amon season, the mill owners declined to sell at the fixed prices.
They claim they will suffer losses if they sell the grain at the fixed prices.
In this situation, the government has recently begun importing 100,000 tonnes of rice at Tk 34.35
from India.

Wholesale prices of packaged soybean oil rose by up to Tk 100 to Tk 567 per bottle of five litres
in a month, said grocer Shaheen Mia of Pirerbagh.
he maximum retail price of a five-litre bottle of soybean oil was Tk 630 on Friday. The prices of
unpacked soybean oil have increased by Tk 10 per litre to Tk 115 in a week, he said.
Citing mill owners, Mohammad Golam Mawla, president of Bangladesh Wholesale Edible Oil
Traders Association, said the prices increased due to a rise in prices in the international market.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh, prices of fine varieties of rice have
increased by 6.36 percent in a year, medium quality rice by 10.20 percent and coarse varieties
30.14 percent.Unpacked soybean oil prices have increased by 23.64 percent in this period, one-
litre bottle by 12.20 percent and five-litre bottle by 10.22 percent.
https://bdnews24.com/business/2020/12/12/rice-soybean-oil-prices-continue-to-soar-in-dhaka
Election materials issued in line with COVID protocol
KOCHI , DECEMBER 10, 2020 00:50 IST

All booths sanitised; 25,90,200 voters to exercise franchise in Ernakulam
District Collector S. Suhas said that all arrangements had been completed for holding
elections to local bodies in the district on Thursday. Distribution of polling materials,
with strict adherence to the COVID 19 protocol, was completed by late afternoon on
Wednesday. He told reporters that all polling booths had been sanitised.
Polling will take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. Those in queue after 6
p.m. will be given slips, and they can vote up to 6.30 p.m.
At a glance
There are 25,90,200 voters in the district. Of them, 12,54,568 are men and 13,35,591
are women. As many as 41 voters are transgenders.
The Kochi Corporation has 4,29,623 voters, of whom 2,07,878 are men, 2,21,743 are
women and two are transgenders.
There are a total of 4,33,132 voters in 13 municipalities of the district. Of them,
2,08,135 are men, 2,24,986 are women, and 11 are transgenders.
There are 17,27,445 voters in 82 panchayats in Ernakulam, of whom 8,13,365 are men,
8,88,862 are women, and 28 are transgenders.As many as 2,045 representatives will be
elected to 111 local bodies. There are 82 grama panchayats, 14 block panchayats, 13
municipalities in the district.
The total number of candidates in the fray is 7,255. There are 400 candidates in the
Kochi Corporation, while 1,415 candidates are contesting in municipalities and 105 in
the district panchayat council. There are 611 candidates in the fray for block panchayats
and 4,724 for grama panchayats.The district has 3,132 polling booths, of which 2,366
are in panchayats, 439 in municipalities, and 327 in the Kochi Corporation. A total of
1,833 wards will host polling booths.
As many as 15,660 polling officials have been deployed. There are 3,132 officials in
the reserved list.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/election-materials-issued-in-line-with-covid-
protocol/article33293634.ece

Rabi sowing up 4% despite farmers’ protests
Our Bureau New Delhi | Updated on December 11, 2020 Published on December 11, 2020
Pulses, wheat, oilseeds area up; rice and cereals dip
Despite widespread farmer protests against the controversial farm laws, the area under rabi crop
increased by four per cent to 507 lakh hectares (lha) till Friday as compared to the corresponding
week last year, according to data released by Agriculture Ministry.
The area under wheat, at the end of current week, stood at nearly 255 lha, a modest increase of
2.5 per cent over nearly 248 lha in the same week last year. While there is an increase in wheat
planting in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, the area came down slightly in Haryana
and Rajasthan.

Pulses, oilseeds
Led by gram, pulses area has gone up by 9 per cent to 131 lha. Maharashtra, Odisha and
Jharkhand reported higher sowing as compared to the previous year. There is a near 13 per cent
increase in gram cultivation.
At around 74 lh, the area under oilseed has surpassed the normal area slightly.

There is a seven per cent increase in acreage under oilseeds as compared to the same period last
year. Mustard, whose area jumped by 9 per cent to 67.67 lha, accounted for the increase.
Losers
Coarse cereals, on the other hand, recorded an across the board decrease in sowing. While the
area under jowar came down by nearly 5 per cent to around 22 lha, the area of maize and barley
fell down by 3 and 16 per cent to nearly 9 lha and 5.7 lha, respectively.
There is a 6 per cent drop in winter rice area, too. As compared to 11.13 lha in the same week
last year, the area under rice this week was 10.47 lha.

The Central Water Commission-monitored 128 reservoirs have a cumulative water storage of
134.06 billion cubic metres (BCM) as compared to 144.64 BCM in the corresponding week last
year.
Weekly trading guide: ITC cracks a critical resistanceITC (₹
216.3)After making multiple
attempts to crack the resistance at ₹
200 since June this year, bulls have finally gone overboard
— so the stock rallied past that level last week. While the early buiThe Hindu Businessline
TVS Group: A smart, bold GenNext helps group adapt to dynamic marketsThe TVS
Group’s ownership structure change is expected to give more operational freedom to the current
generation of the family to respond faster and better to the dynamic market situation. Family
mThe Hindu Businessline
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/rabi-sowing-up-4-despite-
farmers-protests/article33309265.ece
Cambodia bans burning of rice straw, garbage to
reduce air pollution
 SINGAPORE
 Monday, 14 Dec 2020
7:03 PM MYT
PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Cambodia has issued a directive to ban people living in rural areas
from burning paddy straw and garbage in their fields to reduce air pollution, the Khmer Times
reported on Monday (Dec 14).
Neth Pheaktra, Ministry of Environment spokesman, said according to a survey, the main
sources and activities that cause an increase of the concentration of inert particles are emissions
from industrial plants, vehicles using diesel and other fuels, forest fires, burning of grass fields,
burning agricultural waste, forest clearing, burning of rice straw, burning of solid waste in the
open and landfills, and dust from construction sites.

He said that during the dry season from December to April, the results of the previous air quality
monitoring survey conducted in capital Phnom Penh and the provinces indicated that the air
quality had deteriorated alarmingly, especially with the increase in the concentration of inert
particles floating in the air (PMID and PM2.5) above the set standard, which could be high risk
and impact people's health.
Pheaktra said to prevent air pollution in the country, the ministry is taking action with five
measures, including preventing wildfires, improving road infrastructure, removing dust on roads
and roadsides, educating people not to burn garbage, solid waste, grass, rice straw or other
agricultural waste, and preparing preventive measures for forest fires.
"We expect people and the relevant authorities to participate by reducing the amount of waste
they burn in rural areas or on plantations and land concessions because all this burning builds up
air pollution, even the smallest particle circulates in the atmosphere and can seriously affect
breathing," the newspaper quoted Pheaktra as saying.
"We also ask people not to burn their straw anymore, but to plough and bury this waste," he said.
"Please do not burn straw, it can be buried in a compost pit to turn into fertiliser."
Tep Bunthoeun, a resident living in Kampong Speu province's Phnom Sruoch district, said that
after harvesting rice he always used to burn the straw, but now he has stopped because he
understands how the smoke affects air quality and deteriorates farmland.
Sdeung Chany, a resident living in Kampong Speu province's Kong Pisey district, said every
morning she cleaned her house and burned some plastic garbage because she thought that
burning a little amount of waste was not bad for the environment.
"When I saw the Ministry of Environment's directive, I regretted my actions and now I think that
burning rice straw, forest fires and burning plastic waste makes air pollution," Chany said.
https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2020/12/14/cambodia-bans-burning-of-
rice-straw-garbage-to-reduce-air-
pollution?fbclid=IwAR05g84fUune7VRfzLMPSAAXuBHMG0r4B7uU37btXXeaAusfKwJi2l3
RGi8
Shortage of shipping containers at Shanghai port leaves
exporters scrambling to meet delivery schedules

 With exporters scrambling to meet delivery schedules and commitments, shipping freight rates
from China have surged by more than 300 per cent since March
 Uneven distribution of containers at major ports around the world is causing a major headache
for Chinese exporters
Daniel Ren in Shanghai
Published: 2:46pm, 13 Dec, 2020
Why you can trust SCMP
Empty freight containers stacked up at Shanghai’s Waigaoqiao port. A shortage of containers is
posing problem for Chinese exporters. Photo: Daniel Ren
Shipping executive Howard Xiong has spent most of his time in the office since September
frantically calling ocean liners and agents to book containers for his clients.

This has proved to be a daunting task as containers are in short supply. With exporters
scrambling to meet delivery schedules and commitments, shipping freight rates from China have
surged by more than 300 per cent since March.
―During my 25 years in the industry, I have never seen such an acute shortage of containers,‖
said Xiong, an assistant general manager with freight forwarder Shanghai Jump International.
―The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a dramatic change to the shipping business in Shanghai,
for better or worse.‖
Since China emerged from the coronavirus lockdown in June, the country has regained its
reputation as the world’s factory, churning out goods at full tilt to meet
global demand
. However, an uneven distribution of containers at major ports around the world is causing a
major headache for exporters. They either have to pay thousands of dollars extra to book
shipping space instantly or wait several weeks before their goods can be transported.
―To a certain extent, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a boon for Chinese manufacturers and
shipping businesses because lockdowns in Southeast Asian countries forced Western buyers to
turn to the Chinese market for goods,‖ said Han Haifeng, chief executive of Shanghai New Era
Printing, which supplies packaging materials to export-oriented manufacturers. ―The question is
whether the booming exports and surging shipping demand will last.‖

ship loses more than 1,800 containers in Pacific storm
Cargo ship loses more than 1,800 containers in Pacific storm
China’s exports hit an
all-time monthly high in November
, climbing 21.1 per cent year on year to US$268.1 billion, while imports grew by 4.5 per to
US$192.7 billion in the same period. This helped to widen the trade surplus by 102.9 per cent to
US$75.4 billion from the same period in 2019.
With imports in China falling way short of exports, container vessels leaving overseas ports have
not been able to reach full capacity. As a result, containers have been stacking up at container
yards abroad while ports in mainland China, including Shanghai, Xiamen and Ningbo have
insufficient inventory of containers for exporters to use.
Xiong said his clients looking to book a shipping space on a vessel bound for North America
would have to spend an additional U$$3,000 for a premium service that guarantees containers,
priority loading and shipping.
https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3113758/shortage-shipping-containers-
shanghai-port-leaves-exporters

2.6m Tons of Rice Output Will Meet 85% of Demand
A total of 2.6 million tons of rice have been produced on more than 800,000 hectares of paddy
fields across the country this year, showing a 10.34% decline compared with last year’s output,
according to the Agriculture Ministry’s director general of Grains and Essential Goods Affairs
Department.
―Last year, due to high precipitation levels and favorable weather, more than 835,000 hectares
went under rice cultivation, yielding close to 2.9 million tons of the grain,‖ Faramak Aziz-
Karimi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
He added that 4 million tons of rice bran were produced this year.
According to the official, annual domestic demand for rice currently stands at 3 million tons and
this year 85% of this demand have been met by local farmers.
The difference between domestic production and demand is imported from Pakistan, Thailand,
India, the UAE, Turkey and Iraq.
https://financialtribune.com/articles/domestic-economy/106538/26m-tons-of-rice-output-will-
meet-85

15th december,2020 daily global regional local rice e newsletter

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