California Drought May Boost Mid-South Rice Production

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Will California drought boost Mid-South rice?
Mid-South to see more medium-grain rice planted?
Mar 26, 2015David Bennett Delta Farm Press
California farmers are being offered – and seriously considering – selling their water to
municipalities and sitting out the growing season. If those sales are made, might that mean
medium-grain rice production would shift to the Mid-South?
DELTA FARM PRESS
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
March 26 , 2015
V o l u m e 5, Issue I

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Rice farmer Mike Ellis: no levees, no diesel
How bad is California‟s four-year
drought? A report from NASA
says the state needs 11 trillion
gallons of water in order to pull
out of its dry tailspin.That‟s why
farmers are being offered – and
seriously considering – selling
their water to municipalities and
sitting out the growing season. If
those sales are made, might that
mean medium-grain rice production would shift to the Mid-South?
On March 19, Delta Farm Press spoke with Dwight Roberts,
president of the U.S. Rice Producers Association, about the
possibilities and how things stand going into a new cropping
season. Roberts, based in Houston, Texas, says farmers in his area
are itching to get into the field. Among his comments:
On planting progress along the Gulf Coast…
“The farmers around here are wishing the sun would come out and dry up the fields. They‟re
tired of waiting to plant, they‟re antsy. The equipment is prepped and fueled and clean. There‟s
only so much you can do at the shop.
More on Mid-South rice“There‟s been hardly any rice
planted along the Gulf Coast. I know of no one in Texas
that‟s been able to get in the field. I‟m told south
Louisiana has planted only about 1,000 acres. Here it is the
third week of March and normally 10 percent, or better, is
planted by now.“I called one of largest rice farmers – over
4,000 acres – east of Houston. He hasn‟t planted a single
seed and there‟s rain in the forecast. I asked him if the sun
came out today and there was no more rain how long it would take to dry down. He said it would
be another two weeks. Get very far into April and that eliminates the possibility of a ratoon
crop.”

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China to amend cross-border import and export regulations
Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:22
The government of China has granted rice import quotas to businesses, providing an
impetus to the exports market especially cross-border exports
The Vietnam Food Association has stated that China imported 30 per cent of rice from Vietnam
in 2014. (Image source: Henningklevjer/WikimediaCommons)
According to the Vietnam Food Association
(VFA), the country exported 6.3mn tonnes of
rice in 2014 worth US$3bn, of which 30 per
cent alone was sent to China through official
channels and two tonnes of rice crossed the
border to reach China through unauthorised
channels. ources from export companies in
Vietnam have observed that China preferred
importing rice from the Southeast Asian nation
but through unofficial channels as they are
cheaper.
If rice is imported through official channels, traders would have to pay a quota fee of US$80 per
tonne, VAT as well as import tax, all of which would cost US$160 per tonne, added the
sources.The cross-border import/export activities are unlikely to stop anytime soon, felt traders
in Vietnam, which is why amending regulations pertaining to cross-border trade would be better
than altogether ceasing it.Vo Tong Xuan, leading rice expert in Vietnam, said, “Vietnamese
exporters must not negotiate with Chinese importers through intermediaries, but directly with
importers.”In the light of negotiations failing, Xuan added that Vietnamese businesses would
require support from other Vietnamese businesses and the VFA, which is responsible for
protecting Vietnamese businesses.
Indonesia grapples with rice inflation
26 March 2015 Last updated at 03:53 GMT
Indonesians are one of the largest consumers of rice in the world, eating an average of 140
kilograms per person per year.Domestic rice production hasn't been able to meet the needs of the
country's growing population.To make up for the shortfall, the government imported the staple
crop almost every year since the 1960s.However, locals have become concerned by a spike in
rice prices in recent weeks, raising concerns of a possible supply shortage.
Kiki Siregar reports from Jakarta

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Vietnam grapples to find outlets for its rice
TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 03/26/2015 16:32 GMT + 7
Many Vietnamese exporters have warehouses full of rice but the issue of how to empty the
stocks is now a headache for the whole industry.Vietnam has lost its third post on the world‟s
biggest rice exporter tally to Pakistan, and local rice farmers and exporters are now left in grief
over their huge unsold inventory.Thailand, India, Pakistan, and Vietnam account for 80 percent
of the world‟s total rice exports, and Vietnam is the only among them to see sales decline in the
year to date.
Thailand has enjoyed a 10 percent sales increase
whereas turnover in India and Pakistan has risen
by 50 percent and 22 percent,
respectively.Vietnam‟s rice shipments in the
first three months of this year have shrunk
considerably compared to the same period last
year, according to the Vietnam Food
Agency.Local exporters are mostly completing
orders they signed late last year or earlier this
year, while new contracts are very rare, the VFA said.This could result in a record high unsold
inventory of more than two million metric tons in the second quarter of this year, the agency
warned.Vietnamese rice exporters still rely heavily on such markets as China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, and the Philippines, as it already lost the African market to Thailand, India, Pakistan,
and Myanmar.
Thailand has more than 10 million metric tons of unsold rice which it is willing to export at
much lower prices than Vietnam‟s quotes.“The Philippines and Indonesia no longer open tenders
for large purchases of rice as they can buy from Thailand at anytime,” said Lam Anh Tuan,
director of a rice exporter based in the southern province of Ben Tre.Vietnam used to offer the
lowest prices to win tenders for huge orders of rice exports to the Philippines and Indonesia, but
Thailand has sold at even lower prices to become the top rice exporter in these two markets since
last year.Nguyen Dinh Bich, a local rice expert, said the Vietnamese rice sector is hurt by the
heavy reliance on China, particularly when Chinese importers demand to buy at cheap
prices.Vietnam exported 1.5 million metric tons of rice to China only across the border in 2013,
and two million metric tons in 2014, according to Bich.
“Chinese traders know that Vietnamese exporters are struggling to sell their products so they
force them to lower prices,” Lam Dinh Quoc, director of a food company based in the southern
province of Ben Tre, said, adding this is a common trick of the Chinese importers.“Vietnam

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should thus try to diversify its export markets to solve the issue,” Bich said.Local rice exporters,
meanwhile, said Vietnam should first attempt to reduce its prices.Vietnamese rice prices have
been more expensive than those of India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Thailand so it is very difficult
to find buyers, according to industry insiders.“For the same type of rice, the importers will sign
contracts with the exporters who offer the lowest price,” a director of a rice exporter said.Even
though Vietnamese rice is costlier than other countries, local farmers still complain that they
cannot make a profit.“This is really an issue,” the director said
Ministries amend regulations on cross-border rice exports
VietNamNet Bridge - Watchdog agencies are drafting a farm-produce export development
strategy, planning to tighten control over cross-border rice exports to minimize risks for
Vietnamese exporters.
The Chinese government has granted rice
import quotas to businesses, portending
an increase in exports to the market,
especially exports across border
gates. According to the Vietnam Food
Association (VFA), Vietnam exported
6.3 million tons of rice in 2014 worth $3
billion. Of this amount, 30 percent was
exported to China through official
channels, while 2 tons of rice were
exported to the market across border
gates.
The director of an An Giang-based export company said he was negotiating with Chinese
businesses on the consignments of rice to be exported in April.He noted that Chinese prefer
importing rice from Vietnam through unofficial channels - across the border line – to cut costs.If
they import rice through official channels, they would have to pay a quota fee of $80 per ton,
VAT and import tax, which would cost them $160 per ton. As such, if they bought Vietnam‟s 5
percent broken rice, which is sold at $460 per ton, they would have to pay $620 per ton.The
director said that the Chinese demand for cross-border rice has been increasing because of higher
domestic demand and increasingly high prices in China.Vietnamese businesses also like
exporting rice to China because lower quality products are accepted there. However, Ho Cao
Viet from the Southern Agriculture Science & Technique Institute, said it was risky to trade with
the market.
In most cases, Chinese businesses pay only 20 percent of the consignments‟ value in advance
and make payments only after they receive goods. Viet said the risks faced by Vietnamese
businessmen are high.If the Chinese importers are smugglers, the risks would be even higher,
because the consignments of goods would be seized by Chinese customs agencies and

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Vietnamese businessmen would not get paid for exports.This is why Ministry of Industry and
Trade (MOIT) has repeatedly called on Vietnamese businessmen to export products through
official channels.
However, Professor Vo Tong Xuan, a leading Vietnamese rice expert, believes it is impossible to
stop the cross-border import/export activities. Therefore, it would be better to tighten control
over cross-border exports to minimize risks rather than request exporters to say „no‟ to the cross-
border trade.“Vietnamese exporters must not negotiate with Chinese importers through
intermediaries, but directly with importers,” he said. Xuan said that in case negotiations fail,
Vietnamese businesses will need support from other Vietnamese businesses and the Vietnam
Food Association which is responsible for protecting Vietnamese businesses
Four biggest export markets of Vietnam
VietNamNet Bridge - According to the General Department of Customs, by the end of February 2015, Vietnam’s four major
export markets, the US, China, Japan and South Korea, brought $9.8 billion to the country.
The US is the largest export market of Vietnam, with turnover of up to $4.471 billion. In 1994,
the figure was only $94.9 million.Notably, earnings from textiles and garments from this market
were the highest, with $1.57 billion, accounting for 35% of total exports.
The second export market is China,
with $2.21 billion. The major export
products to China are computers,
electronic products and components,
fiber and yarn, cameras and
camcorders.Vietnam also exported
300,000 tons of crude oil to China in
the past two months, an increase of
62.5%. Machinery, equipment and
spare parts also reached $94 million, up
60.4%. China is also a big market for
Vietnam‟s rice and footwear.At third
place is Japan, with about $2.064 billion. The major products to this market are textiles and
garments ($412 million), up 9.4%, followed by vehicles, machinery and spare parts ($207
million), bags, wood and wood products, seafood, and footwear.The fourth is South Korea with
$1.087 billion, with major products consisting of machinery, electronics, computers, textiles and
garment.With a total turnover of more than $9.8 billion, these four markets accounted for 42.8%
of the total export turnover of the country in the first two months of 2015.
Nga My
Brunei likely to buy more Thai rice
26 ar 2015 at 12:50 1,852 viewed
27 WRITER: PATSARA JIKKHAM

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Thailand, Brunei, rice export, cooperation
Brunei is expected to increase its imports of rice from Thailand because it is favoured by 90% of
the population for its healthy properties, according to government spokesman Yongyuth
Mayalarp.He was speaking when the delegation led by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
arrived back in Bangkok from Brunei on Thursday morning.Mr Yongyuth told reporters at Wing
6, Don Mueang airport, the prime minister had thanked Brunei for its support for Thai rice. The
country imported 30,000 tonnes of Thai rice last year.The spokesman quoted Brunei authorities
as replying that 90% of the Brunei population ate Thai rice and that imports were likely to
increase because it was considered to be healthy and reduced the risk of diabetes, especially
riceberry rice and brown rice.
During Gen Prayut's two-day visit the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding
on agricultural cooperation. Mr Yongyuth said the MoU covered cooperation on fisheries and
livestock development and the halal food industry.Gen Prayut asked Brunei to invest in halal
food production in Thailand as there was big export potential, the spokesman said.He added that
the Sultan of Brunei accepted Gen Prayut's invitation for an official visit to Thailand in the near
future.
link:http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/509289/brunei-likely-to-buy-more-
thai-rice. View our policies at http://goo.gl/9HgTd and http://goo.gl/ou6Ip.
Commerce Ministry to prepare specific plan on rice export
to Africa
By PTI | 26 Mar, 2015, 04.16PM IST
"There is a higher demand anticipated from African countries for rice and India can tap that
potential," the official added.
ET SPECIAL:
NEW DELHI: Worried over declining exports
of agriculture products, particularly rice, to
Africa, Commerce Ministry is considering to
formulate a specific action plan to boost
shipments of basmati and non-basmati rice to
the continent.In a recent meeting, Commerce
Secretary Rajeev Kher has asked Agricultural
and Processed Food Products Export
Development Authority ( APEDA) "... to look
into formulating a specific export plan on

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export of rice to African countries," a senior official of the Ministry said.
The official added that a ministerial delegation may also visit some African countries and hold
meetings with potential rice importers to "push rice export to Africa"."There is a higher demand
anticipated from African countries for rice and India can tap that potential," the official
added.Exports of several agriculture products, including rice, tea, coffee, cereals, oilmeals, fruits
and vegetables, registered negative growth in February.In all, seven out of 13 main agriculture
products that are closely monitored by the Commerce Ministry, were in the negative zone.Rice
exports in February dipped by 12.36 per cent to USD 649 million as compared to USD 740
million in the same month last year.
Export of basmati rice during the April-December period contracted by 6.19 per cent to 2.57
million tonnes (MT) from 2.74 MT in the same period last year.For India, major export
destinations for basmati rice are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE.However, major
export destinations for non-basmati rice include Benin, Bangladesh, Senegal, South Africa and
Liberia.Decline in these exports is a key factor for a slow growth in India's overall merchandise
exports.During April-February, the country's total merchandise exports grew by only 0.88 per
cent to USD 286.58 billion.
Agri-products account for over 10 per cent of the country's total exports.The government is
struggling to improve exports number and it is hovering at around USD 300 billion for the last
three financial years.In 2013-14, the shipments fell short of the USD 325 billion target but
managed to touch USD 312.35 billion.The country's exports stood at USD 300.4 billion in 2012-
13 and USD 307 billion in 2011-12, respectively.In the current fiscal also, the shipments are
expected to reach USD 320 billion as against the target of USD 340 billion.As per estimates,
outbound shipments of agri-produce in 2010-11 amounted USD 17.35 billion; USD 27.43 billion
in 2011-12; USD 31.86 billion in 2012-13 and about USD 45 billion in 2013-14.
Simple Rice Cooking Method May Drastically Cut Calorie
Count, Scientists Say
Mar 25, 2015, 4:14 PM ET
By LIZ NEPORENT
A new coking metod for rice could dramatically reduce calories according to preliminary
findings from the
A simple method for cooking rice could someday reduce its calorie count by as much as 60
percent, the authors of a new research study say.The technique involves boiling the rice with a
small amount of coconut oil, placing it in the fridge for several hours to cool it down and then

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microwaving it briefly."The hypothesis is that we turn more of the starch into an indigestible
form of starch, which reduces the amount of calories the body will absorb," Dr. Pushparajah
Thavarajva, the researcher from the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka who supervised
study, told ABC News.
The scientists looked at 38 varieties of Sri Lankan rice and chose
to test the one with the lowest amount of naturally occurring
starch resistant to digestion, explained Sudhair James, the
graduate student who presented the preliminary research earlier
this week at National Meeting and Exposition of the American
Chemical Society in Denver. After trying out a variety of
cooking approaches, they found adding oil during cooking and cooling the rice down worked
best, he said.“The beautiful piece is there was a fifteen-fold increase in the amount of resistant
starch after using this method,” James said in a news conference earlier today. “This led to a 10
to 15 percent calorie reduction.”Starch molecules are shaped like doughnuts, explained
Thavarajva. The added oil seeps into the holes of the molecules during cooking to help block
digestive enzymes. Cooling the rice then allows the rice molecules to rearrange and pack
together more tightly to increase their resistance to digestion, he explained.
The technique shows such promise, James said, that one day it might be used in commercial
preparations and could be a low-cost way to help fight obesity and type 2 diabetes.“We as
scientists believe that if we are going to do this process on the best varieties and if this method is
going to work this could be a massive breakthrough,” James said. “We could lower the calories
in rice by 50 to 60 percent.”But Thavarajva was quick to point out that the cooking technique
will not be effective with all varieties of rice. He said that they are not clear why it works with
some types but not others and that the team needed to do more research to find out how well
their experiment translated into the real world.
“We know that it will increase the amount of resistant starch and reduce calorie count, that‟s
true. But it might not lead to any real calorie reduction benefits depending upon how the starch is
used by the gut bacteria,” he said.There is precedence for this theory, Thavarajva added. Work
done on potatoes at Harvard University and studies at Indian Universities using legumes and
cereals noted similar starch-and-calorie reductions using similar preparations, he said.“Could we
do it with other starches like bread?” he asked. “That‟s the real question
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/simple-rice-cooking-method-drastically-cut-calorie-count/story?id=29905370
China to amend cross-border import and export regulations
Thursday, 26 March 2015 09:22
The government of China has granted rice import quotas to businesses, providing an
impetus to the exports market especially cross-border exports
The Vietnam Food Association has stated that China imported 30 per cent of rice from Vietnam
in 2014. (Image source: Henningklevjer/WikimediaCommons)

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According to the Vietnam Food Association (VFA), the country exported 6.3mn tonnes of rice in
2014 worth US$3bn, of which 30 per cent alone was sent to China through official channels and
two tonnes of rice crossed the border to reach China through unauthorised channels.
Sources from export companies in Vietnam
have observed that China preferred importing
rice from the Southeast Asian nation but
through unofficial channels as they are
cheaper. If rice is imported through official
channels, traders would have to pay a quota fee
of US$80 per tonne, VAT as well as import
tax, all of which would cost US$160 per tonne,
added the sources.The cross-border
import/export activities are unlikely to stop
anytime soon, felt traders in Vietnam, which is
why amending regulations pertaining to cross-
border trade would be better than altogether ceasing it.
Vo Tong Xuan, leading rice expert in Vietnam, said, “Vietnamese exporters must not negotiate
with Chinese importers through intermediaries, but directly with importers.”In the light of
negotiations failing, Xuan added that Vietnamese businesses would require support from other
Vietnamese businesses and the VFA, which is responsible for protecting Vietnamese businesses.
http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agriculture/china-to-amend-cross-border-import-and-export-
regulations
Rice Producers Say High Prices Aren’t Their Fault – Check
Your Corner Grocery for Gouging
posted (March 26, 2015)
Will the price of the rice you buy from
the store go down? Importer Jack Charles
says that he can import Guyanese rice
that can be retailed for as little as 69
cents per pound, 50 cents cheaper than
the current price. But Government isn't
prepared to give him the green light to
import because of the effect it will have
on the local rice producing
industry.Charles says those producers are gouging customers with a high mark up because they
have a monopoly on the Belizean market. He says that if he is allowed to bring in cheap
Guyanese rice, it would drive down the price you pay for a pound of rice.

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Well, the local rice producers decided to go public today to tell the customers that Charles has it
all wrong. They say they're not the ones taking advantage of consumers, it's the retailers - your
neighborhood grocer - who is price gouging. They held a press conference today where Dr.
Henry Canton, the president of the Agro-Productive Sector explained that position today:
Dr. Henry Canton - Chair, Belize Agro-productive Sector
"Rice has a price control of 90 cents, whether it's wholesale or retail - it's still debatable. By
word of mouth, we understand its 90 cents per pound is a wholesale price. Most of the rice
coming out or the hands of these gentlemen is price controlled and right now as we speak, rice is
being sold below the 90 cents, which is the price control and in fact
rice is being offered right now currently I think out ofSpanish
Lookout community as low as 84 cents. There is a surplus of rice
even in our country. So, it's not that we are "gouging." The word
"gouging" is being used and I want to be very clear in removing that
word "gouging." What happens to us with rice, is that when we sell
it in a hundred pound bag and most of our bags are labeled from
where it is coming.
That rice is then taken into the retailers' house and repackaged. We don't know - plastic bags -
you go and you buy it. They tell you 9 pounds, it might be 8 pounds - nobody ever checks it and it
is sold at $1.20 - $1.25. So what is happening with our rice, is that we are selling it within the
confines of the price control, but then we have a mark-up for public transportation etc. and then
a further mark-up going into the retail market and that's where, if you really look at it, that's
where the discrepancy in who gets the lion share of the mark that comes out."
"We feel that we are being scrutinized on price control and how much we are producing it for.
But nobody is really scrutinizing - once they buy it from us - how the mark-up structure is put in
place."
Arturo "Tux" Vasquez - President, Belize Chamber of Commerce Industry
"While they may not be able to stop the importation of rice, I think we need to look at the
long term and I think government do have a responsibility of protecting the producers. I
know that they have been working together to see how best they can produce at a cheaper
price, but I think that negotiations continues. However, the Chamber really is lobbies for its
members, but it keeps of course, consideration on the consumer as well and I think the bottom
line here really is as Dr. Canton has mentioned also is, there is a price control on the productive
side of the thing, but not on the retail side and I think that's really where the problem is. You can
sell rice for whatever price you want, I understand."
"Agro-productive Sector is visited more than you believe. We live with BAHA and we live with
everybody else, because we are the easiest people for them to come to. It's more difficult for them
to go to every little shop and check the change. So, the first person they come to, is the biggest
person...let me audit."

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Government has refused to issue a permit to importer Jack Charles - who has half a million
pounds of rice waiting to be shipped from Guyana.
He finds that position puzzling since the Government allowed the local producers to import just
over 3 million pounds from Guyana last year.
Today, the rice producers explained that what happened last year was an emergency situation
because of a drought affecting the Blue Creek rice farmers. And so they had to import from
Guyana to avoid a local shortage:
"A year ago, somewhere in early 2014 and I can speak to it because I was an integral part of it -
the rice community realized that there was going to be a shortage of rice, because in that year,
Spanish Lookout had a good crop of rice, but Blue Creek had a drought and in fact their rice
crop failed. So, we realized that somewhere going into off-season rice that we may have had a
problem with supplying the country of Belize consistently with rice. That rice when it came in,
came in as bulk rice, not bagged rice. So, it had to be off loaded in bulk. It was then taken to
Blue Creek, transportation cost from the ship to Blue Creek. It had to be reprocessed and Stanley
can share with you pictures of what that rice looked like when it came and what he found in it;
fortified iron, in screws and nails."
Daniel Ortiz
"The invoice says Guyana White Rice, which means that it's already processed - all the work has
been done on it and it was supposedly ready to be consumed. Why is it that you are saying that it
had to be reprocessed and it had to be repackaged?"
"Everybody that buys rice, don't like to buy in sacks. They want to sell you bulk, because it's
cheaper on shipping and everything else. When that rice is loaded into the ship, even rats and
everything else can go into that ship and that's why it had to be
reprocessed."
Stanley Rempel - General Manager, Circle R Products
"Yes. That rice was imported as bulk white rice. We could have put
that rice on the market, but we have to keep in mind that we would
like to guarantee a product that the consumer accepts. We can't just
put whatever product on the shelf and expect the consumer to buy it.
We have pictures, if you want to see it of what all came out of that
rice. First of all, there was a lot of shells in the rice, which had to be
taken out. We have buckets of screws and nails and rocks and dirt
and filth that came out, that I am sure no consumer would like to see in their bag of rice."
Jerry Friezen - Rice Farmer, Spanish Lookout
"The local is a very premium rice and so, there was a huge expense in processing that to the
standards that we have in place. So, yes, if you are satisfied with the grade that it is brought in,
imported it could make money if they would sell it for the same premium price that our rice is."

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And while it's interesting to know that what we thought was local rice was really from Guyana -
none of this discussion or disclosure would be happening if Jack Charles didn't decide to go
public with his plan to drive down prices by importing from Guyana.
That rice was imported by the Belize Marketing And Development
Corporation, for a price of 63 cents per pound. Then to get the rice,
the local importers had to purchase it from the BMDC for an
additional 6 cents per pound. They then packaged that rice in local
bags such as the Circle R Products packaging, and sold it for the
control price of 90 cents per pound. That means they made an
average profit of about 21 cents per bag. Still you paid their price,
giving the local producers 21 cents in profit, and an additional 30
cents to the shops. Bottom line? The consumers still didn't benefit
from the cheap imported rice, which they didn't even know about, so today we asked the local
producers why they didn't disclose this information to the public before now. Here's how they
answered:
"So, yes the Guyanese rice was repackage, but it was reprocessed, repackaged and sent into the
market. Guyanese rice was brought in through the Marketing Board (BMDC). We bought from
BMDC. We paid $6.00 for 100 pounds to bring it in. Yes, maybe in hindsight now we should
have made a statement on it, but I think if we are to be guilty on that, then BMDC also should
have been guilty in not declaring that we had to import to meet a shortfall."
"The rice we brought in was rice that we had to bring in that fitted within the category of the
price that we were selling rice for at that point in time and that's why you didn't see any dance
within the price of rice. But if you say we didn't labeled it Guyanese, mea culpa, but I think that
point in time BMDC should have said also that we had this stipulation or regulation that we
should have been informed. Next time that won't happen. Next time guarantee us that if we ever
have to bring back in again, I will be the first person to sit in front of you and say this is what we
are experiencing and this is how we are going to handle it."
So, what does all of this mean for you the consumer? Well, the producers say that the retailers
are the culprits. They are calling on the government agencies responsible for consumer
protection and price control to rein in the price gouging by the shop owners:
"We are not the retailers. We are the producers. We are not the ones that are creaming. It's the
retailers; the people that buy at 90 cents and are selling at $1.25 that are creaming. For some
reason out there is this image that it's the gentlemen that are growing that are making all the
money. The people who are making the money are the same people who do the importation trick.
What we are asking is look at us when it comes to price control from the productive side, but
start looking at the man that's selling it. Is it 10, 9 or 8 pounds in that plastic bag that you are
buying? Is he buying at 90 cents and selling at $1.25 - that's a hell of a mark-up, when we are
only making 5 or 10 cents on our pound of rice. It's not us that are gouging."

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Daniel Ortiz
"If I understand clearly what you guys mentioned today, it appears to be regulation issue for the
local retailers, where whichever government entity is responsible for consumer protection and
price regulation - they haven't been doing their jobs. It seems that you said that without saying
that you aren't responsible."
"I will say that openly. I say, the same way you check, check the market place."
This evening, importer Jack Charles sent a press release saying quote, "I am convinced...that
competition results in a stronger and sustainable national industry. This can be achieved by
allowing a small percentage of the total rice consumed in Belize, to be imported as an act of
good faith and in respect to our obligations under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy
(CSME) and continue to serve as a check and balance for our rice producers, not to abuse the
Price Control mechanisms."
He ends by going into full Robin Hood mode, saying, "Finally, I would like to apologize to the
public for having overlooked the rice prices earlier last year and in previous years, which could
have resulted in savings of several millions of dollars to Belizean rice consumers."
http://7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=32005
Vietnam grapples to find outlets for its rice
TUOI TRE NEWS
UPDATED : 03/26/2015 16:32 GMT + 7
Many Vietnamese exporters have warehouses full of rice but the issue of how to empty the
stocks is now a headache for the whole industry.
Vietnam has lost its third post on the world‟s
biggest rice exporter tally to Pakistan, and local
rice farmers and exporters are now left in grief
over their huge unsold inventory. Thailand, India,
Pakistan, and Vietnam account for 80 percent of
the world‟s total rice exports, and Vietnam is the
only among them to see sales decline in the year
to date.Thailand has enjoyed a 10 percent sales
increase whereas turnover in India and Pakistan
has risen by 50 percent and 22 percent, respectively.Vietnam‟s rice shipments in the first three
months of this year have shrunk considerably compared to the same period last year, according
to the Vietnam Food Agency.Local exporters are mostly completing orders they signed late last
year or earlier this year, while new contracts are very rare, the VFA said.This could result in a

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record high unsold inventory of more than two million metric tons in the second quarter of this
year, the agency warned.Vietnamese rice exporters still rely heavily on such markets as China,
Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, as it already lost the African market to Thailand, India,
Pakistan, and Myanmar.Thailand has more than 10 million metric tons of unsold rice which it is
willing to export at much lower prices than Vietnam‟s quotes.“The Philippines and Indonesia no
longer open tenders for large purchases of rice as they can buy from Thailand at anytime,” said
Lam Anh Tuan, director of a rice exporter based in the southern province of Ben Tre.
Vietnam used to offer the lowest prices to win tenders for huge orders of rice exports to the
Philippines and Indonesia, but Thailand has sold at even lower prices to become the top rice
exporter in these two markets since last year.Nguyen Dinh Bich, a local rice expert, said the
Vietnamese rice sector is hurt by the heavy reliance on China, particularly when Chinese
importers demand to buy at cheap prices.Vietnam exported 1.5 million metric tons of rice to
China only across the border in 2013, and two million metric tons in 2014, according to
Bich.“Chinese traders know that Vietnamese exporters are struggling to sell their products so
they force them to lower prices,” Lam Dinh Quoc, director of a food company based in the
southern province of Ben Tre, said, adding this is a common trick of the Chinese importers.
“Vietnam should thus try to diversify its export markets to solve the issue,” Bich said.Local rice
exporters, meanwhile, said Vietnam should first attempt to reduce its prices.Vietnamese rice
prices have been more expensive than those of India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Thailand so it is
very difficult to find buyers, according to industry insiders.“For the same type of rice, the
importers will sign contracts with the exporters who offer the lowest price,” a director of a rice
exporter said.Even though Vietnamese rice is costlier than other countries, local farmers still
complain that they cannot make a profit.“This is really an issue,” the director said.
http://tuoitrenews.vn/business/27007/vietnam-grapples-to-find-outlets-for-its-rice
Best way to get a free Cuba is to trade with them’
Mar 25, 2015Forrest Laws | Delta Farm Press
The 11 million inhabitants of the island of Cuba offer a huge potential market for U.S. rice and other
commodities. The proximity of Cuba to the U.S. rice-producing area and Cubans‟ fondness for rice
make it a natural fit.But, until a majority of members of the U.S. Congress decide to let bygones be
bygones and lift the remainder of the restrictions on rice exports to Cuba, the latter will be one more
market that the U.S. is seemingly locked out of.“In order to get a real free flow of rice back into
Cuba, we‟re going to have to see this embargo taken away,” says Dennis DeLaughter, a market
analyst with Vantage RM LLC in Austin, Texas. “That‟s going to be a real issue in Congress because
there are still a lot of people up there who believe that this 50-year policy that has been a complete
and total failure will at some time work DeLaughter, a speaker at the National Conservation Systems
Cotton and Rice Conference in Baton Rouge, La., said the continued support for the 50-year embargo

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is baffling. “We know that by definition stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again,
expecting a different result.”At some point Cuba will become a big market for U.S. rice, he said.
“We just need someone to finally wake up and say the best way to get a free Cuba is to trade with
them>
For now, U.S. rice producers face a tough slog over the next couple of years because the world has
more rice that it can consume given the current stocks outlook and the continuing economic problems
in the world‟s poorer nations.
“We‟re seeing a supply-driven bear market, which is the worst market you can have,” said
DeLaughter. “And we would expect the market to stay at low levels and down below cost-of-
production levels for the next year to possibly two years.”Much depends on rice-producing countries
in south Asia. “We know Thailand is trying to become the No. 1 exporter in the world again. So
they‟re lowering prices, and they‟re really competing against India for that. India‟s supply has
dropped dramatically. They‟re gone from about 25 million metric tons down to about 16 million
metric tons.”
Thailand is expected to finish the year with around 11 million metric tons of ending stocks. Dropping
those to a more “normal” level of about 6 million metric tons would be a positive for the world‟s rice
markets.“We could begin to see a bit of the pressure come off of prices that‟s there because of the
world supply,” says DeLaughter. “The U.S. is doing allright on the export side, but there‟s not going
to be a whole lot of additional exports that we‟re going to be able to get.”Iraq continues to be an issue
because its grain buying agency has been mostly purchasing from Vietnam when it tenders for rice.
“We‟re hoping to get more help from the Iraq market to help reduce the supply,” says DeLaughter.
“But right now our supply is way too big, and demand is just not there to cover it.”Lower energy
costs will help farmers both from the standpoint of production costs and transportation costs for
moving and storing rice. “We will see some production costs benefits, which we certainly need when
we have this kind of supply,” he noted.
When will rice prices go up? “We think in a couple of years when we see Thailand and India
improve their particular situations, the U.S. will be competitive and able to increase our world
footprint as it were,” DeLaughter says.“We‟re optimistic on a longer term basis. We think China will
become a factor in the world market in many areas, including rice. We‟re not saying the United
States will export a whole lot of rice in there, but remember that Thailand is pretty close. So as they
start to benefit from additional income and their gross domestic product growers, there will be some
big moves into China, which will affect prices in corn, in rice three to five years down the road.”
For more on the U.S. and world rice outlooks, visithttp://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/rice.aspx.
Watch video also on
http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/best-way-get-free-cuba-trade-them
McCollum blasts new wild rice plan
Tom Scheck March 25, 2015, 12:21 PM0

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A stalk of developing wild rice stands in Big Rice Lake, a 3,000 acre lake south of Remer, Minn.
on Aug. 5, 2014. John Enger | MPR News
DFL U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum says she‟s concerned about a state plan to change a clean water
standard aimed at protecting wild rice.The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Tuesday
it‟s updating its standard to account for new science.But McCollum said Wednesday the move
will result in lower water quality. She said she‟s worried it‟s being done to help mining
companies.“I don‟t think the state of Minnesota should be going towards lowering our water
quality standards to cater to any industry,” McCollum said.
“Protecting our water should be based on sound environmental science and nothing else. If water
quality standards are lowered and Minnesota waters are harmed, it‟s going to be impossible to
restore them.”McCollum said she‟s particularly concerned because one of the scientists who
researched the issue for the MPCA said the proposal is only a hypothesis right now.McCollum
wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy earlier this month asking her to oppose any
effort to lower the state‟s current standard. She also said the EPA should consult with the state‟s
Native American tribes about the change, since the tribes say wild rice is a sacred food for them.
They also harvest it and sell it as a business.
“They‟re very concerned about the standard and the effect on wild rice,” McCollum
said.McCollum‟s comments run counter to those from some other state Democrats.Gov. Mark
Dayton told MPR News earlier this week that the existing water standard would be catastrophic
to mining companies on the Iron Range.McCollum said Dayton and other state policy leaders
should push Minnesota‟s economic development agencies, including the Iron Range Resources
and Rehabilitation Board, to help the state‟s taconite mines meet the current water standard.

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Cell : +92 321 3692774
“Minnesotans are going to be concerned about water quality standards being lowered when there
could be an opportunity to work with an industry to put the tools in their tool box so that they‟re
developing mining jobs that protect our waters,” McCollum said.U.S. Steel said it would cost
hundreds of millions of dollars to update its Minntac Facility in Mountain Iron to meet the
existing standard. U.S. Steel executives praised the MPCA for reviewing and updating the
standard.
Update:
Dayton defended the new standard Wednesday and criticized those who are questioning the
MPCA‟s move. He said the original standard was flawed.“People who like that extreme
standard because it serves their objectives are now claiming that we are somehow backing off,”
he said. “But they‟re ones who always said we should rely on current science to drive these
decisions, and in my judgment that‟s what we‟re doing in this situation.
http://blogs.mprnews.org/capitol-view/2015/03/mccollum-blasts-new-wild-rice-plan/
APEDA NEWS
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 25-03-2015
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs/Qtl
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
Barley (Jau)
1 Amirgadh (Gujarat) Other 1310 1310
2 Banswara (Rajasthan) Other 1140 1160
3 Rewari (Haryana) Other 951 1052
Maize
1 Amreli (Gujarat) Other 1125 1750
2 Koraput (Orissa) Other 1310 1310
3 Deoli(Rajasthan) Other 1250 1400
Mango
1 Bharuch (Gujarat) Other 2500 4500

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Cell : +92 321 3692774
2 Harippad(Kerala) Other 2000 2500
3 Kamthi(Maharashtra) Other 3000 5000
Cucumbar
1 Attingal (Kerala) Other 1200 1500
2 Bonai (Orissa) Other 2000 2500
3 Banga(Punjab) Other 1100 1300
Source: agmarknet for more products
Egg Rs per 100 No.
Price on 25-03-2015
Product Market Center Price
1 Ahmedabad 294
2 Mysore 305
3 Namakkal 280
Source: e2necc.com
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 25-03-2015
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
Garlic
1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1800
2
Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe
(USD/t)
2000
3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1300
Ginger
1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4600
2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t)
5100

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Cell : +92 321 3692774
3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3000
Guar Gum Powder
1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2250
2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1700
3 Indian 200 mesh 5000 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 2775
Source:agra-net for more products
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ / package
Price on 24-03-2015
Product
Market
Center
Origin Variety Low High
Potatoes
Package: 50 lb cartons
1 Atlanta
Colorado
Russet 21 21.50
2
Baltimore Oregon Russet
14 15
3
Detroit Idaho
Russet 12 13.50
Carrots
Package: cartons 20 1-lb film bags
1
Atlanta California Baby Peeled
17.50 21
2
Detroit California
Baby Peeled 17 17.50
3
Philadelphia Arizona
Baby Peeled 16 17
Grapefruit
Package: 4/5 bushel cartons
1 Atlanta
Florida
Red 14 15
House Agriculture Subcommittee Addresses Actively
Engaged, Crop Insurance
Rep. Rick Crawford (center) meets with Arkansas rice producers Dow Brantley (l) and Steve Orlicek (r)
at this year's
Government Affairs Conference.

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WASHINGTON, DC -- The House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities
and Risk Management met today to discuss current issues in farm bill implementation. The
hearing was well-timed, on the heels of the USA Rice Federation supplying information to the
committee about rice priorities and concerns.Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR)
opened the hearing with an emphasis on the importance of the Farm Bill and the programs it
authorizes as well as concerns about the actively engaged proposed rule and margin coverage
insurance for rice farmers.
Crawford called newly proposed
"actively engaged" regulations
"arbitrary and capricious," noting
that the regulation "ignores the
remarkable diversity and
complexity in agriculture
today."The hearing focused more
specifically on crop insurance
programs including how the
Supplemental Coverage Option
(SCO) applies to rice."After
years of low participation and recent news that basic revenue protection will not be available this
year to rice producers, I hope you will do all you can to ensure that this new margin product
works for rice producers, in particular," Crawford said.USDA Risk Management Agency
Administrator Brandon Willis responded with an assurance that his agency is eager to find a
solution to price discovery and county coverage issues for rice and will continue to seek input
from stakeholders.
Contact: Lydia Holmes (703) 236-1440
USA Rice Wants to Hear from 2014 Outlook Attendees as 2015
Planning Gets Underway
Can it get any better than this?
ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation is seeking feedback from participants in the
2014 USA Rice Outlook Conference on their experience at this year's trade show. Members who
attended can go here to complete the online survey.The trade show was held at the Statehouse
Convention Center in Little Rock, AR during the conference and included a variety of companies
and organizations relevant to the rice industry. Seventy-two exhibitors were featured along with

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Cell : +92 321 3692774
a presentation of new products and technology to help connect industry professionals with new
vendors and products.
"We have several enhancements in mind for the 2015 trade show,
but want to hear from attendees about what they thought worked and
what can be improved," said Jeanette Davis, USA Rice's manager
for meetings. "Planning for this year's conference in New Orleans is
underway and we want to be sure we're always moving
forward."Davis is urging 2014 attendees to fill out the survey, and
said she's happy to take inquires about exhibit space or sponsorship
at the 2015 event. She can be reached at jdavis@usarice.com or (703) 236-1447.
Contact: Lydia Holmes (703) 236-1440
Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported
WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 108,400 MT for 2014/2015 were up 42 percent from
the previous week and 34 percent from the prior four-week average, according to today's Export
Sales Highlights report. Increases were reported for Colombia (63,300 MT), Haiti (14,700 MT),
Japan (13,100 MT), Honduras (5,700 MT), and South Korea (5,500 MT). Exports of 81,400 MT
were up 95 percent from the previous week and 47 percent from the prior four-week average.
The primary destinations were Mexico (27,700 MT), Haiti (24,600 MT), Colombia (17,300 MT),
Honduras (4,900 MT), and Canada (2,300 MT). This summary is based on reports from
exporters from the period March 13-19.
Study tour in Philippines
BY CIRCULAR HEAD CHRONICLE
Agriculture. Applications are now open for agricultural students wishing to embark on an
international study tour to the northern Philippines in July.
The 15 successful applicants will have face-to-face interactions with small landholder farmers
and agriculture students, to share the farming context and challenges in Australia and in return,
learn from the Filipino participants.As part of the program, students will be exposed to the latest
technology in rice research and field testing at International Rice Research Institute in the
province of Laguna, south of Manila.
Launched in 2010, the Syngenta Connections program facilitates direct exchange programs
which expose participants to different agricultural systems, crops, research and academic

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systems.Students undertaking an agriculture-focused degree in their second year and above are
eligible to apply.It is a condition of the tour that each successful applicant contribute $2000 to
the cost of the trip.Applications close on Tuesday March 31.
For more information or to apply, email connections@gradlinkprogram.com.au.
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for March 26
Month Price Net Change
May 2015 $11.110 + $0.150
July 2015 $11.355 + $0.145
September 2015 $11.490 + $0.125
November 2016 $11.600 + $0.065
January 2016 $11.725 + $0.035
March 2016 $11.725 + $0.035
May 2016 $11.725 + $0.035
India may export basmati rice, now 'infestation-free', to
China from this year
By Madhvi Sally, ET Bureau | 27 Mar, 2015, 11.15AM IST
Exporters in India, the world's second-largest rice producer, are targeting the Indian diasporas
and Middle Eastern communities.
ET SPECIAL:

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NEW DELHI: India may be able to export basmati rice to China from this year, with rice-
shelling and exporting units registered with the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO)
being declared infestation-free. Exporters in India, the world's second-largest rice producer, are
targeting the Indian diasporas and Middle Eastern communities, apart from the Chinese that are
trying out different cuisines even as they like their rice to be stickier and short grained. "By June
30, the Indian
government will send a
list of credited Indian rice
mills with the NPPO
certification of being free
from `khapra beetle'
infestation. After this, we
expect Chinese
companies to start
placing orders," said
Ashok Sethi, president,
Punjab Rice Exporters'
Association. Trade
enquiries have already
started coming in,
according to millers and
company executives.
The Chinese government has invited Indian rice exporters to visit the country to see the mar ket
and make pre sentations, said Mohinder Pal Jindal, presi dent, All India Rice Exporters'
Association. Besides China, South Africa and Mexico are the other new mar kets that Indian
companies have been exploring to augment basmati rice exports. At present, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
Iraq, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates are the major export destinations for Indian basmati rice.
Till January 31, India exported 2.9 million tonne of basmati rice and the figure for the entire
financial year to March is expected to touch 3.2 million tonne. This is considerably lower than
exports of 3.75 million tonne reported in 2013-14. "It might take us a few years to penetrate
China, but the country has potential to become a big market for Indian basmati rice due to its
huge population, increasing income levels and openness to try new cuisines," said Anil Kumar
Mittal, chairman and MD of KRBL, which sells un der the India Gate brand.
Vietnam and Thai land are the leading suppliers of rice to China, followed by Lao, Australia and
Pakistan. Vijay Se tia of Chamanlal Setia Exports said Indian traders may be able to take a slice
of the share of neighbour Pakis tan, which exports 0.35-0.4 million tonne of rice a year to China.

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