29th August, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.
com
News and R&D Section mujajhid.riceplus@gmail.com Cell # 92 321 369 2874

29
th
August , 2014

TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU
Latest News Headlines

Bangladesh PM proposed to supply rice to northeast India: Tripura
minister
National Rice Month Spotlight: Rice State Activities
National Rice Month Promotional Item of the Week!
Rice Foundation Accepting Applications for 2015 Leadership
Development Program
Japan Announces FY 2014 SBS Tender
ME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
NFA to rebid rice buffer import
Meet a scientist: Dr. Ming Chen
Research and Markets: North American Rice Seed Treatment
Market - Forecasts to 2020
Tough action against Sri Lankan rice traders hiding rice stocks
Rice bank opens to delight of industry
Arkansas Rice Farmers Urged to Help Count Marsh Birds
China Produces Slightly Less Early Rice in 2014
Philippines may rerun rice tender after prices in sale too high
Labour shortage dents Thai plans to boost rice exports
FACTBOX-Asian rice schemes and subsidies
Paddy output seen falling 18pc due to natural disasters
TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi- Aug 29
Commerce Ministry plans rice auction in September
Rice already taking hits from drought as El Nio looms over Colombia

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.com

NEWS DETAILS:
Bangladesh PM proposed to supply rice to northeast India: Tripura
minister
Agartala Correspondent, bdnews24.com
Published: 2014-08-29 18:43:59.0 BdST Updated: 2014-08-29 18:43:59.0 BdST
Bangladesh is ready to supply rice to food-
starved northeastern Indian states and can allow
all its ports to ferry goods bound for those
regions, a Tripura minister says. (Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina) has proposed to
supply rice to Tripura and other northeastern
states which will reduce the cost for carrying
food grains to the region from far-off states like
Punjab or Andhra Pradesh, Tripuras
Industries and Commerce Minister Tapan
Chakraborty said on Friday.He referred to his
meeting with Hasina recently in
Dhaka.Chakraborty was a member of Indian delegation led by Indias Minister of State for External Affairs
General (retd) VK Singh that visited Bangladesh for a business conclave earlier this week.
He said: After attending the one-day conclave on India-Bangladesh trade and improving connectivity between
the two countries, the Indian delegation met Bangladesh prime minister .During the meeting Madam Hasina
proposed to supply rice to Tripura and other northeastern states to meet their scarcities.(She) categorically
said that the Bangladesh government can allow all its ports including sea ports in mutual interest to transport
goods from any part of India to northeastern region via her country, the Tripura minister Chakraborty
added.The first-ever consignment of 5,000 tonnes of the total 10,000 tonnes of rice in small ships reached
Ashuganj river port from Kakinada port in Andhra Pradesh via Kolkata port on Aug 5.From Ashuganj port, 40
km from Agartala, Bangladeshi trucks have been carrying the rice since Aug 7 to FCI warehouses in
Nandannagar.Earlier in 2012, Bangladesh had allowed Indias state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
(ONGC) to ferry heavy machinery, turbines and cargo through Ashuganj port for the 726 MW Palatana mega
power project in southern Tripura.
The Indian government had spent several millions of rupees on developing the port and related infrastructure.It
is much easier to carry foods, essentials and heavy machinery to several northeastern states via Bangladesh


from different parts of India as surface connectivity is a key factor for the mountainous region surrounded by
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan and China.The only land corridor to the northeastern states from within India is
through Assam and West Bengal.For instance, Agartala via Guwahati is 1,650 km from Kolkata and 2,637 km
from New Delhi, while the distance between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh is just about 350 km.Tripura,
Mizoram and a few other northeastern states have been pressing Indian government to finalise a permanent
multi-model transit route via Bangladesh to carry foods, essentials and heavy machinery.Recently, there was
also a proposal to procure rice for Mizoram from neighbouring Myanmar.Tripra minister Chakraborty said:
We have proposed a direct bus service between Agartala and Kolkata via Bangladesh.
Discussions were also held about the development of infrastructure of the Land Customs Stations along the
India-Bangladesh borders to further improve trade between Bangladesh and northeastern states.The 70 km
road between southern Tripuras border town Sabroom and Chittagong sea port has to be improved to carry men
and materials to and from India and Bangladesh, he added.The minister said preliminary works had been done
to build a bridge over river Feni to connect with the Chittagong port in southeast Bangladesh.Tripura would be
a gateway for northeastern states if accessed to Chittagong international port was availed, the minister added.
The Indian government has also undertaken a 252 crore Rupees project to construct a 15-km railway track
between Agartala railway station and Akhaura railway junction to open a new railway link between the two
neighbours.The Indian Chamber of Commerce and the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry
in association with the Indian High Commission in Dhaka organised the conclave last Sunday.Meghalaya Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma, Indias High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pankaj Saran, ministers, officials and
investors from Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam and Tripura took part in the summit.Bangladesh shares a 4,097-km
border with the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

National Rice Month Spotlight: Rice State Activities
Final in a series of three articles this week highlighting
upcoming USA Rice NRM promotions

Gerard will take rice to the head of the


ARLINGTON, VA -- Across the rice producing states, National
Rice Month (NRM) promotional events and activities are held to
celebrate the harvest that is underway in most areas, and show
support for farming families that contribute to the rice
industry. Below are some of the highlights USA Rice is involved with that you can expect to hear about
throughout the month.
The Arkansas and Louisiana rice industries will arrange for local food bank donations and convene at the state
capitals for NRM proclamation signings by their governors.
The Louisiana event is scheduled forSeptember 17 and the Arkansas event for September 19. USA Rice is
continuing school outreach by working with Missouri rice growers to hold classroom learning events at three
elementary schools and one high school in the New Madrid County Central school district, as well as an event
at an elementary school in Cape Girardeau on September 16 and 17.In Mississippi, the Annual Rice Tasting
Luncheon on September 19, sponsored by Delta Rice Promotions, Inc., will attract more than 1,500 people to
celebrate NRM and sample nearly 300 different rice dishes. USA Rice will exhibit at the luncheon and provide
attendees with rice recipes, educational information, and promotional items.
The Louisiana Rice Promotion Board is a sponsor of the Annual Louisiana 5-K Rice Run onSeptember 20,
which celebrates the many nutritional and economic benefits of U.S. rice. Nearly 200 runners participated in
last year's race and participants received rice nutritional information and promotional giveaways.The Arkansas
Rice Council is sponsoring the Rice and Ride Carbo Dinner on September 26, the night before the Big Damn
Bridge100 bike race in Little Rock. The event is expected to attract 400-700 attendees and will serve gumbo,
chicken and rice, and other rice specialties.All month long, high school seniors in rice producing states will be
conducting their own U.S. rice promotions to enter the annual NRM scholarship contest, sponsored by Dow
AgroSciences.
Teens will plan creative activities to promote U.S.-grown rice, NRM, and the importance of rice in their
state. Be on the lookout for promotions going on in your state and support our scholarship applicants."It's
important to take advantage of National Rice Month to tell our story," said Blake Gerard, a Missouri rice
producer who will be conducting the classroom lessons in Missouri. "U.S. rice has a great story to tell -
healthy, nutritious, safe, economically and environmentally important for the country, and grown right here in
the U.S. Not only do our activities help drive those messages home, I think they contribute to a sense of pride I
hope all U.S. rice farmers feel for what they do."

Contact: Katie Maher (703) 236-1453
class
National Rice Month Promotional Item of the Week!


It's not just National Rice Month, it's also back to school time.Send your young rice
industry advocate to class with these awesome NRM colored pencils. With a built in
sharpener!Don't hesitate to buy a set for the whole class!

Order these or other items in theUSA Rice Online Store.

Rice Foundation Accepting Applications for 2015 Leadership
Development Program

STUTTGART, AR -- The Rice Foundation is accepting applications for the
2015 Rice Leadership Development Program. Rice producers or industry-
related professionals between the ages of 25 and 45 are eligible to apply for the
program. The application deadline is October 5. The Rice Leadership Development Program provides a
comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and
communication skills.
During a two-year period, class members attend four one-week sessions designed to strengthen leadership skills
through studies of all aspects of the rice industry. The class is comprised of five rice producers and two
industry-related professionals chosen by a committee of agribusiness leaders. The committee evaluates the
applications of all candidates, reviews letters of recommendation and conducts personal interviews with the
finalists. Interviews will be conducted at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock, AR, in
December.The program is sponsored by John Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc. and American Commodity
Company through the Rice Foundation and managed by the USA Rice Federation. For additional information
on the Rice Leadership Development Program or an application form, go to http://www.usarice.com and click
on the 2015 Rice Leadership icon.

Contact: Chuck Wilson, (870) 673-7541

Japan Announces FY 2014 SBS Tender
Announcement: 29 August 2014


Tender: 19 September 2014
Quantity: Total 30,000 MT
Whole-kernel (Brown or Milled) 27,000 MT
Broken (Milled) 3,000 MT
Shipping Period: 31 December 2014
ME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for August 29.

Month Price Net Change
September 2014 $12.585 - $0.100
November 2014 $12.665 - $0.150
January 2015 $12.860 - $0.150
March 2015 $13.040 - $0.145
May 2015 $13.185 - $0.145
July 2015 $13.365 - $0.145
September 2015 $13.065 - $0.145

NFA to rebid rice buffer import


After a failed bidding on August 27, the National Food Authority is ready to amend the approved budget for
contract to ensure rice import delivery by September.FOR REBIDDING. After a failed bidding on August 27, the
National Food Authority is ready to amend the approved budget for contract to ensure rice import delivery by September. File
photo by Noel Celis / Agence France-Presse
MANILA, Philippines After the failed bidding for the importation of rice buffer stocks on August 27, Food
Security chief Francis Pangilinan said the government used conservative estimates in determining the approved
budget for contract (ABC) for the shipments.
We tried to bring it down as much as possible because we dont want to
burden the government with such a huge expense. That is why we put it
in conservative estimates, Pangilinan said on the sidelines of a coconut
industry stakeholder meeting on Thursday, August 28.Market prices are
very difficult to predict and its very difficult to over budget. So we will
be discussing that according to the prevailing market prices, Pangilinan
added.
The National Food Authority (NFA) special bids and awards committee on Wednesday rejected all bids for the
importation of 500,000 metric tons (MT) rice buffer stock as all offers were way below the ABC of $456.60 per
MT.The NFA is expected to rebid the supply contract by amending the ABC in the terms of reference, and
possibly the timeline as the first tranche of deliveries are scheduled for end-September.Once the rebidding for
the contract is open, new suppliers may join the tender.
Bids submitted by LG International, Vietnam Northern Food Corporation (Vinafood 1), Louis Dreyfus Corp.,
and Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2) ranged from $460 per MT to as high as $496.75 per
MT.None of the bidders are prepared to supply the full volume. Only Vinafood 2 is prepared to supply as much
as 400,000 MT. The 3 others were only prepared to supply 200,000 MT, 100,000 MT, and 50,000 MT.The high
bids submitted by importers imply that they are unwilling to sell supplies at low prices because of current high
prices in the world market, brought about by the prevailing lean season in Southeast Asia.
Sticking to the plan


The government is still considering to procure the volume through government-to-government procurement,
which would narrow down the supply competition between Cambodia and Vietnam the only two countries
with supply agreements with the Philippines.A source from the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Thailand
has not yet renewed its supply agreement with the Philippines.Either way, the government would strive to bring
in stocks within the year, preferably within the original delivery period of September. Were working on the
same delivery date by end of September," Pangilinan reiterated.
There is also a large demand for imports as Indonesia is procuring 500,000 MT of rice this year.The NFA
Council has also approved on standby the importation of another 500,000 MT for this year if needed.The
Philippines may reach 98% rice self-sufficiency by the end of 2014, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said
during his departments budget hearing on August 13.We project that we will be 96%-98% rice self-sufficient
in 2014, Alcala previously said.The projection though does not consider typhoons that may again damage the
agricultural sector this year.The Philippines is currently 96% self-sufficient in rice. It did not meet its target of
100% self-sufficiency in 2013 because of damage caused by typhoons, notably Super Typhoon Yolanda
(Haiyan), Alcala said. Rappler.com
Meet a scientist: Dr. Ming Chen

Editor's Note: This is the fourth in a series introducing the scientists of the Dale Bumpers National Rice
Research Center.
Photo by Dawn Teer/Stuttgart Daily LeaderDr. Ming Chen
By Dawn Teer dteer@stuttgartdailyleader.com
Posted Aug. 28, 2014 @ 4:54 pm
STUTTGART
Meet Dr. Ming Chen, research chemist
Describe what you study and what you do at DBNRRC.
I have several projects involved in enhancing health promoting compounds found in
whole grain (brown) rice. I develop methods to determine the amounts of these
compounds in rice varieties that are collected from around the world to find the ones with
the highest amounts that can be used to improve U.S. cultivars through breeding. I
collaborate with university professors and other scientists within the agency to study


which compounds in rice promote health and how that occurs. The ultimate goal is to develop healthier rice
grains for the food industry to use in various processed rice products, as ingredients in health food products, or
directly, as table rice.
How did you get involved in this line of work?
I saw a job advertised on studying and improving the vitamin E content in the bran of brown rice. I loved the
idea of the project and had the chemistry skills necessary, so I applied and got the job.

Did you always love science? What was your fascination with it that made you want to do this type of
work?
I enjoy the logic the process of thinking through a problem and solving it. I am very good with my hands. I
enjoy cooking in the kitchen and that has carried over to mixing chemicals in the lab.
What brought you to DBNRRC?
I was transferred to DBNRRC two years ago when the Beaumont, Texas research unit was closed.
What project are you working on now?
My current projects involve enhancing the health promoting compounds in whole grain rice and in improving
the shelf life of whole grain rice (brown rice).
What projects have you worked on that you feel have an affect on food qualities or have helped farmers
in growing the crop?
I have helped developed genetic markers for rice cooking quality that U.S. breeding programs are using to
select new varieties of rice. So by helping breeders, both in the public and private sectors, we get to help
farmers indirectly.
What do you like most about your job?
Solving problems.
What do you like least?
Due to the complexity of some of these research problems that require long term research, we sometimes do not
get to see the immediate impact on the public or community


Research and Markets: North American Rice Seed Treatment Market -
Forecasts to 2020

August 28, 2014 05:21 AM Eastern Daylight Time
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research an markets
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/r5zqz3/north_american) has announced the addition of
the "North American Rice Seed Treatment Market - Growth, Trends And Forecasts (2014-2020)" report to their
offering.North American Rice Seed Treatment Market - Growth, Trends And Forecasts (2014-2020)
The North American market for seed treatment in rice, estimated at US$52.1 million in 2014, is further
projected to reach US$69.2 million by 2020.
The United States leads North America in terms of demand for seed treatment in rice, with an estimated share of
89.4% in 2014, though Mexican demand for the same is likely to maintain the fastest CAGR of 5% between
2014 and 2020.
The market for seed treatment gains in significance due to a number of factors, prominent among which are
agronomic trends that comprise development of high quality seeds through the enhanced potential offered by
genetically modified organisms (GMOs), changes in climatic conditions, increasing rates of crop rotation,
flexibility in sowing approaches and greater pressure from regulatory requirements.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Global Market Overview
2. Introduction
3. Market Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities
4. North American Market Analysis for Seed Treatment in Rice
5. Market Share Analysis
6. Company Profiles
7. Regulatory Environment
8. Appendix

Companies Mentioned

Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd
Advanced Biological Marketing Inc
BASF SE
Bayer CropScience AG
BioWorks Inc
BrettYoung Limited
Chemtura AgroSolutions
DuPont
Germains Seed Technology


INCOTEC Group BV
INTX Microbials LLC
Monsanto Company
Novozymes A/S
Nufarm Ltd
Plant Health Care
Precision Laboratories LLC
Syngenta International AG
Valent USA Corporation
Wolf Trax Inc
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/r5zqz3/north_american
Tough action against Sri Lankan rice traders hiding
rice stocks

Fri, Aug 29, 2014, 09:01 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Aug 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka Consumer Affairs Authority announced Thursday that the rice millers are required
to submit the records of their stocks to the Authority by September 15.The Authority said that private rice mills
and stores would be raided after that day for hidden stocks and stern action would be taken against rice
hoarders.Consumer Affairs Authority officials say that some rice millers had hidden the rice stocks to inflate
prices of rice in the market and after the deadline such rice mills would be raided and hidden stocks would be
confiscated.
The price of the staple food of the Sri Lankans is soaring and the rice is sold at high prices despite the price
control.Sources say that the paddy purchased by the state owned Paddy Marketing Board and Cooperative
Wholesale Establishment have been sold out to the private sector.Cooperative Wholesale Establishment has a
retail network but their rice stocks have also been sold to the private sector, industry sources charge.Meanwhile,
due to the prolonged drought the government is planning to import 100,000 metric tons of rice to control the
escalating price.
Rice bank opens to delight of industry
Fri, 29 August 2014
Hor Kimsay


Cambodia Rice Bank (CRB) announced yesterday it was equipped to buy and store up to 100,000 tonnes of
local rice.CRB, which was established in Battambang province in 2011 but took years to build the necessary
infrastructure like silos and storage sheds, emerged yesterday with $30 million in capital.Phou Puy, chairman
and chief executive officer of CRB, said the capital will be used to buy up Cambodias paddy rice from October
the beginning of new harvest season.We hope that this bank will become a big centre in Cambodia to store
rice to be ready for receiving big order from foreign buyers, Puy saidHe said exporters can loan or buy rice
from the banks stockpiles while millers can sell to the mass storage provider.
David Van, executive director of rice miller and exporter Boost Riche Cambodia, said the CRB was a much-
needed piece of infrastructure for the sector capable of collecting and consolidating paddy stock to serve millers
or exporters.In a harsh operating environment without much government assistance . . . the private sector in the
rice industry has to take initiative to solve its own problems hoping that along the way, a helping hand could be
extended.
A previous version of this article incorrectly named David Van as acting secretary general of the Cambodia Rice Federation.
Arkansas Rice Farmers Urged to Help Count Marsh Birds
08/28/2014 09:00 AM

LITTLE ROCK, AR (News release) - Does driving the rice
combine ever get monotonous, or do the long days of
harvesting leave you looking for creative ways to stay awake?
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has a new game you
can play to help pass the time. Its the farmers version of I
Spy, with king rails getting you the most points in the game.
The commission is asking that you look for all marsh birds, but
the king rail is the most important species for this effort. Rice
fields are the home for rails in the late summer through winter.
The majority of observations of king rails have come from
farmers or bird enthusiasts riding on rice combines during
harvest. The other marsh bird species to keep an eye out for are
the Virginia rail, yellow rail and black rail. The king rail is
known to frequent rice fields in Louisiana and they were
historically common in Arkansas rice fields. Their love of rice
fields has even provided their nickname of the rice chicken.
Participants should look for a slightly reddish bird, roughly 15
inches tall, with a white underside to its tail. The tail is one of
the key marks to look for. When flying, which will only be
about 20 yards or so, their legs will be dangling below them.
The other rail species will have the same white underside to the tail and also will fly with their legs dangling


below them. If you think you see a rail, send the AGFC your observation. Its been well over 50 years since a
thorough survey of king rails has been carried out in Arkansas rice fields. To help with future research projects
and to try and estimate the king rail population, the AGFC is hoping farmers can help report their observations.
You only have to be as specific as you want to be, but the more detailed information you can provide the
better. According to the AGFCs nongame migratory bird program coordinator Karen Rowe, examples of
desired location information include GPS coordinates, section-township-range, or the nearest road intersection.
If youre not comfortable with that, that is fine. What we would prefer at a minimum is the county of your
observation, Rowe explained.

The commission would also like reports of the species observed and the number of birds. To report your
observations contact Karen Rowe at 877-873-4651 or send an email to krowe@agfc.state.ar.us.
Copyright 2014 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten, or redistributed
Image: An adult King Rail calling. This is a large rail with bright rufous-orange neck and breast, a black and
white striped belly, and black and tan striped back. Photo courtesy: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
An adult King Rail. Photo courtesy: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
China Produces Slightly Less Early Rice in 2014
29 August 2014

CHINA - China produced 34.01 million tonnes of early rice in 2014, a decrease of 125,000 tonnes, or 0.4
per cent, from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday in a statement.

According to the NBS, China's early rice planting area for 2014
stood at 579.5 million hectares, 0.2 per cent less than last year,
with yield per hectare down 0.2 per cent to 5.87 tonne.Huang
Jiacai, a senior statistician with the NBS, said it was still a good
harvest year for early rice given the unit yield is the second highest
in history second only to 2013.The planting area remained stable
thanks to favorable policies implemented in central China's
provinces of Hunan and Hubei, which led to an increase of
planting areas in the two regions, he said. Hunan is China's largest
producer of early rice, with an output of 8.5 million tonnes and a
planting area of 1.45 million hectares in 2014.


Neighboring Jiangxi Province ranked the second with an output of 8.2 million tonnes, according to the
NBS.Early rice is mainly planted in eight central and southern provincial-level regions of China, including
Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hubei, Anhui, Fujian and Hainan.China's total grain output consists of
three parts -- early rice, summer grain and autumn production.In 2013, China's total grain output expanded 2.1
per cent year on year to hit 601.94 million tonnes, marking 10 years in a row for increased grain
production.Based on the data in 2013, early rice accounted for nearly six per cent of total grain output.The
summer grain crops, mainly wheat and early-season rice, account for about 22 per cent of China's total grain
output. Autumn grain crops, which include corn and middle- and late-season rice, account for the remaining 72
per cent.China's grain self-sufficiency rate stood above 97 per cent in 2013 and cereal imports reached 14
million tonnes, accounting for less than 2.6 per cent of the country's cereal output, according to the Ministry of
Agriculture.
TheCropSite News Desk
China, Thailand seek alternative to 'rice for rail' plan - Headlines, features,
photo and videos from ecns.cn

Summary (ECNS) -- China and Thailand are working to find another way for the former to participate in the south-east
Asian country's high-speed rail project, after the "rice for high-speed rail" program drew to a halt due to turmoil in
Thailand, the 21st Century Business Herald reported, citing Phaichit Viboontanasarn, commercial minister at the Thai
embassy in Beijing. The plan ran aground in February as Thailand fell into political crisis. The commercial minister added
that China would continue to buy Thai rice, and that it has shown interest in infrastructure investment in his country,
while on the other hand, Thailand is interested in China's high-speed rail technology and its cost effectiveness.
Philippines may rerun rice tender after prices in sale too high
By The Vinh, TN NewsFriday, August 29, 2014 11:19
Image:Vietnamese workers load bags of rice bound for the Philippines onto a ship. Photo credit: Bao Cong
Thuong
The Philippines, the biggest buyer of rice in
Asia after China, will rerun a tender to buy
500,000 metric tons or seek supplies from
another government after prices offered today
were above-budget.While the National Food
Authority received offers for as much as
750,000 tons in the tender, the prices ranged
from $460 a ton to $496.75 a ton, according
to data from the agency. Thats more than the


authoritys budget of $456.50 a ton for the sale. Four traders including Vinafood I and II of Vietnam, Louis
Dreyfus and LG International Corp. had submitted bids.
Supplies of the staple are needed before the end of next month, according to Presidential Assistant for Food
Security Francis Pangilinan. Philippine stockpiles fell 12.2 percent to 2.03 million tons as of July 1 from the
previous month, good for 59 days, according to the agricultural statistics agency. National Foods stockpiles are
good for 14 days, Rex Estoperez, a spokesman, said before the auction.We will just have to ensure we will be
able to bring in the volume of imported rice before end of September, Pangilinan said in a statement today.
We will either do a rebid or government-to-government negotiation.
The Southeast Asian nation may import 1.6 million tons in the 12 months ending June 2015, making it the
worlds fourth-largest buyer. Purchases will be the most since 2010, according to U.S. Department of
Agriculture data.World inventory is poised to climb to the most in nine years in 2014 as production increases,
the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization estimates, helping cool advances in prices. Benchmark
Thai prices were $447 a ton for the 5-percent grade on Aug. 20, up from $384 at the end of May.National Food
set a budget of 10.27 billion pesos ($235 million) for todays tender, expecting 40 percent of volume to be
delivered before Sept. 30.
Labour shortage dents Thai plans to boost rice exports

Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:00pm GMT

* Labour shortage delays around 500,000 T rice shipments
* Confusion over migrant worker policy contributes to shortage
* Thailand may miss 10 million T export target for this year (.)

By Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat

SAMUT PRAKAN, Thailand, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Thailand is facing delays in plans to export millions of tonnes
of rice from state stockpiles because of a labour shortage at ports after hundreds of thousands of foreign workers
fled amid fears of a military crackdown on illegal migrants.The military government has started selling rice
from the stockpile amassed during a disastrous and costly subsidy scheme under the administration toppled by
the country's armed forces in a coup in May.Thailand aims to ship 10 million tonnes of the grain this year,
helping it regain the crown - lost under the subsidy scheme - of the world's top rice exporter.But shipments of
around 500,000 tonnes have already been delayed due to a labour shortage, traders said on Thursday.

Most of that rice was parboiled grade destined for African buyers, they added. The volume is equivalent to the
combined stockpile held in North Africa.More than 200,000 Cambodians working in Thailand fled in June as


rumours spread of the military enforcing measures to regulate illegal labour, according to the International
Organization for Migration.Chan Nontakal was one of the Cambodians who fled. He has just returned to his job
as a stevedore at the Phra Pradaeng port around 30 km (19 miles) south of Bangkok, one of Thailand's biggest
rice export terminals."I fled Thailand in June when there were rumours about the army crackdown on migrant
workers and that hundreds of those who were illegal would be in jail for months," said Chan.He and his crew
clambered up steep wooden stairs, hauling 50 kilogram (110 pound) sacks of the grain on their backs from a
barge to a ship destined for the Middle East. The barges bring rice from Thai paddy fields along canals to the
ports.
Registered and illegal foreign labour, mostly from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, is key to the construction,
manufacturing and fisheries industries in Thailand, Southeast Asia's second largest economy. The migrant
workers do the work most Thais are unwilling to do.The government has denied there was a crackdown and
says it has worked to bring migrants back."The government has even sponsored buses to bring them back to
work since we don't want the disruption to last long as it will hurt our export sector," said an official at the
Ministry of Labour who did not want to be named as she was not authorised to speak to the media.But many
workers have not returned."Only around 50 percent have come back and we still face a severe lack of labour for
rice stevedoring," said Nontawat Na-rasi, the owner of Srichang Crane & Maritime Co Ltd, which loads rice for
several Thai rice exporters.

"Around 20-30 percent of stevedoring companies are out of business due to labour shortages and that will have
an impact on rice exports," he added.The exodus of workers exacerbated an existing labour shortage after two
slow years in the export industry following the introduction of the rice subsidy scheme.Thailand shipped a
record 10.6 million tonnes in 2011, before the subsidy scheme started.Exports fell sharply in 2012 and 2013 as
the government bought rice from farmers at well above market prices, making the grain too expensive to export
and leading to the buildup of an estimated 18 million tonnes in state stockpiles.

That reduced the need for manpower to load vessels and barges, leading many migrant workers to seek
employment elsewhere even before the exodus in June.The price of common grade Thai 5 percent broken rice
had reached $639 a tonne in 2011 after the rice-buying scheme was kicked off, but is currently at $435 a tonne -
in line with shipments from other major Asian exporters such as Vietnam and India.

SHIPMENTS PUSHED BACK

Rakesh Sodhia of Fortuna International, which trades several grades of Thai rice, said he was aware of some
June shipments that were delayed to August and September.Thailand exported 4.7 million tonnes of rice in the
first half of 2014 and was hoping an increase in sales in the second half would help it meet the annual target.But
delays due to the labour shortage could see Thailand miss its 10-million-tonne export target, traders said.Rice
loading is a labour intensive job and with a labour shortage like this, exports could fall far short of 9 million
tonnes, one Bangkok-based trader said.Stevedore Chan is toiling as part of a five-man crew, much smaller than
optimal for the job, said foreman Tho Sookchan."This is not even half of the manpower we need," he said.
"Normally, we use up to 20 men to load the sacks onto the ship." (Writing by Simon Webb; Editing by Himani
Sarkar and Richard Pullin)
Thomson Reuters 2014 All rights reserved


FACTBOX-Asian rice schemes and subsidies
Fri Aug 29, 2014 2:30am IST

Aug 29 (Reuters) - Indonesia's powerful anti-graft agency will launch a probe into the nation's subsidised rice
scheme unless major flaws are fixed, threatening moves to expand the role of the state food buying agency into
other staples such as corn, beef and sugar.Below are some facts on rice schemes and subsidies in Asia:
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh buys rice from local farmers to ensure a support price for them and builds stocks for welfare
programmes and emergency needs. The government provides rice to the poor at subsidised rates.
Bangladesh, the world's fourth-biggest rice producer at around 35 million tonnes a year, consumes almost all its
production at home, but it often needs to import to cope with shortages caused by floods or droughts.
CHINA
China gives farmers subsidies and sets a minimum purchase price for the grain to reduce price volatility in the
domestic market.
INDIA
India, the world's second-biggest rice consumer, spends 900 billion to 1 trillion rupees ($16.5 billion) per year
to buy grains from farmers at a guaranteed price and to sell cheaper food to the poor. It has more than doubled
the price it pays farmers for rice over the last decade.
INDONESIA
Indonesia's state food procurement agency, Bulog, is tasked with maintaining rice stocks of about 2 million
tonnes. Although it prioritises domestic rice, Bulog also often relies on imports from Thailand and Vietnam.
In addition, Bulog runs Indonesia's rice-for-poor programme called RASKIN. Although the number changes
each year, RASKIN buys about 3 million tonnes of rice to sell at a discounted rate to poor families across
Indonesia.
The RASKIN budget is between 18-20 trillion rupiah ($1.5-$1.71 billion) per year, with 15.5 million
households receiving around 15 kg per month at 1,600 rupiah ($0.13) per kilogram.
MALAYSIA
Malaysia's rice sector is highly protected through price controls, subsidies, tariffs and buffer stocks. The
government also provides subsidies to farmers and consumers, and imposes import duties to protect the
domestic industry and for food security. Rice trade is controlled through a sole importer and distributor,
Padiberas Nasional (BERNAS).
THE PHILIPPINES
Although the Philippines does not have a rice subsidy programme, the government often imports and sells rice
at lower prices than sold by private traders.
Costs of this scheme, run by the National Food Authority (NFA), was not immediately available, but debt levels
at the NFA are currently more than $3.4 billion.
THAILAND
The world's biggest rice exporter does not distribute rice to its poor, and its military government has shelved a
system under which the country would typically set aside up to 40 billion baht ($1.25 billion) to buy 20-30
percent of production each year, when prices fell during harvest.


Under former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the cost of the rice-buying scheme rocketed to 130 billion
baht each year. (1 US dollar = 60.4500 Indian rupee) (1 US dollar = 11,712.0000 rupiah) (1 US dollar =
31.8500 Thai baht) (Reporting by Michael Taylor in JAKARTA, Enrico Dela Cruz in MANILA, Anuradha
Raghu in KUALA LUMPUR; Ho Binh Minh in HANOI, Ruma Paul in DHAKA, Fayen Wong in SHANGHAI,
Krishna Das in NEW DELHI and Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat in BANGKOK; Editing by Ed Davies and
Joseph Radford)
Paddy output seen falling 18pc due to natural disasters

KATHMANDU, AUG 28 -
Nepals paddy output is expected to drop at least 18 percent due to damage caused by landslides and floods
making this fiscal years targeted 6 percent growth unachievable, said the Department of Agriculture.According
to the departments preliminary estimates, floods and landslides in different parts of the country have wiped out
up to 35,040 hectares of paddy fields including fish ponds and other crops. The loss created by floods and
landslides in 17 districts is estimated to be around Rs 1.91 billion.
Government officials said that these two unfavourable climatic behaviours are likely to affect output at a time
when paddy transplantation has been progressing at a very slow rate across the country due to untimely and
insufficient rains. As of now, paddy transplantation has been completed on less then 90 percent of the 1.52
million hectares available for paddy production. In the same period last year, transplantation was completed on
98 percent of the paddy fields.The floods, landslides and untimely rains are estimated to bring down paddy
output by 15-18 percent this year, said Yubak Dhoj GC, director general of the Department of Agriculture. The
agriculture sector accounts for 36 percent of the countrys GDP and paddys share alone stands at around 8
percent.
The Agricultural Ministrys statistics showed that paddy transplantation in the mountain and hill regions has
been completed on 94.5 percent and 93 percent of the fields. Transplantation in the Tarai region, the countrys
food basket, has been completed on 85.5 percent of the total 1.06 million hectares as of last week.Ministry
officials have estimated that transplantation will not cross 90 percent this year. Even if the plants are
transplanted after the last week of August, paddy yields will be affected. The departments statistics compiled
since mid-July showed that floods and landslides in 17 districts, including in high rice-productivity districts
Banke, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bardia, Sarlahi and Surkhet, destroyed significant amounts of paddy beds and
affected standing cereal crops like maize, mustard and millet. More than 29,000 households in 222 VDCs have
been affected by the natural calamities.
Sindhupalchok, Rautahat, Sarlahi and Ramechhap in the Mid-Western Region have been the most hit with
almost 17,365 hectares of cultivated land destroyed by floods and landslides. Likewise, 16,032 hectares have
been damaged in Banke, Bardia and Surkhet in the Mid-Western Region.This year the monsoon arrived 10 days
late on June 20 and the rains have been dismal so far.Nepals paddy output dropped 11.3 percent to 4.50 million
tonnes in the fiscal year 2012-13 due to drought that resulted in a meagre growth of 1.07 percent in the
agricultural sector. The poor agricultural output resulted in the economic growth rate plunging to a six-year low


of 3.56 percent, the lowest since fiscal 2006-07 when growth was 2.75 percent.However, there was a slight
relief when the average rainfall during the paddy transplantation season in 2013-14 rose above normal to 115.3
mm that resulted in a good cereal harvest. Accordingly, cereal output jumped 9.4 percent to 9.56 million
tonnes.The overall growth in cereal production led to the agricultural sector swelling 4.72 percent in the last
fiscal year that helped the countrys economic growth to rise over 5 percent, the highest since 2008-09.
Posted on: 2014-08-29 09:31
TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi- Aug 29
Fri Aug 29, 2014 2:29pm IST
Rates by Asian News International, New Delhi
Tel: 011 2619 1464
Indicative Previous
Grains opening close
(in rupees per 100 kg unless stated)
----------------------------------------------------------
Wheat Desi 2,400-3,200 2,400-3,200.
Wheat Dara 1,900-2,700 1,900-2,700
Roller Mill (per bag) 1,800-2,100 1,700-2,000.
Maida (per bag) 1,800-2,100 1,800-2,100.
Sooji (per bag) 1,800-2,000 1,700-1,900.
Rice Basmati(Common) 8,600-9,600 8,500-9,500.
Rice Permal 2,200-2,500 2,200-2,500.
Rice Sela 2,550-2,850 2,550-2,850.
I.R.-8 2,150-2,450 2,150-2,450.
Gram 3,550-3,750 3,500-3,700.
Peas Green 2,800-3,100 2,800-3,100.
Peas White 2,800-3,200 2,800-3,200.
Bajra 1,400-1,900 1,300-1,800.
Jowar white 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700.
Maize 1,200-1,550 1,200-1,550.
Barley 1,350-1,750 1,350-1,750.

Source: Delhi grain market traders.
Commerce Ministry plans rice auction in September
Petchanet Pratruangkrai
The Nation August 30, 2014 1:00 am
Decent prices expected as demand is high


The Commerce Ministry is preparing to hold another rice auction in September
after teams sent by the military's ruling National Council for Peace and Order
finished inspecting government stockpiles to determine volumes and quality on
Thursday.Duangporn Rodphaya, director-general of the Foreign Trade
Department, said the ministry would continue to sell small lots of rice to
private traders during the off-harvest season over the next two months."The
next auction will be held in the second week of September.

The types of rice up for bid will be mixed to reflect demand for both export and domestic supply," she said.The
ministry in early August called bids for 167,000 tonnes of rice. It sold 73,200 tonnes to 11 traders after
bargaining for higher prices. The sale generated about Bt740 million.Duangporn said the government should be
able to get suitable bids in next month's auction because demand in the rice market is high at present.The
highest price offered for jasmine rice in the August auction was Bt28,000 per tonne.
For the next sale, a ministry committee overseeing releases of rice from the stockpiles has adjusted some
conditions for setting a floor price to ensure the bids are in accordance with expectations.According to the Thai
Rice Exporters Association, the market price of 5 per cent white rice was quoted at US$441 per tonne as of
August 27, slightly down from $447 per tonne the previous week because of a weaker baht. The price of the
second-grade Thai jasmine rice was unchanged at $1,090 per tonne.
Quality inspection
Duangporn said the ministry would sell only rice that had passed the quality inspection ordered by the junta. It
will not include the 90,000 tonnes left over from the last auction in next month's sale because it has not yet
cleared the quality inspection.The ministry is confining its rice sales to small lots until the upcoming harvest
season because it wants to keep close track of the exact volume and quality of the rice in the stockpiles.It has
been reported that the government has about 18 million tonnes of rice in its stocks, but about 10 per cent is
missing or of a lower standard.Duangporn said that now that the 1,800 warehouses nationwide had been
inspected, officials would spend the next two weeks documenting the results.
Rice already taking hits from drought as El Nio looms over Colombia
Aug 28, 2014 posted by Steven Cohen
Colombias National Rice Growers Federation (FEDEARROZ)
claims to have already lost some 42,000 acres of farmland due to
drought, with more dry months expected as the El Nio weather
phenomenon approaches this fall.The problem, according to
FEDEARROZ President Rafael Hernandez, has grown particularly
bad in the central Bajo Cauca region and drought-stricken northeast
of the country, especially in the states of Cesar and La Guajira,


where acute water shortages have exarcebated a stark human rights situation amid local indigenous .
Losses have already been estimated at around $36 million, at least $15.5 of which goes directly to farmers, he
said. If measures arent taken by the government soon, Hernandez warned, harvests of some 370,000 acres
could be at risk in the similarly affected eastern plains region, should El Nio bring more dry spells during the
usually wet Colombian fall and winter months.The scariest thing, appart from the damages ot the harvest, is
that if the El Nio is as bad as they have announced it will be this semester, were not going to be able to plant
in those regions, he said.This is going to become a complicated social issue, because the growers have had
important losses.
FEDEARROZ already expects 50,000 acres of farmland to be left unplanted this coming season, but a bad dry
season could mean more multi-million dollars for growers, distributors, and sellers, as well as 48,000 or more
lost jobs, according to FEDEARROZ figures.Maybe it will rain in September in October [traditionally rainy
months in the northeast], but based off of the announcement about the phenomenon, thats what we think can be
lost, said Hernandez.Farmers will have no way of knowing exactly how bad things have gotten until the late
winter and early spring, when the harvest season begins for crops planted this fall. Until then, FEDEARROZ
officials will be particularly worried about the effects of El Nio on the major inter-Andean rice-growing
regions to the southwest of the country, which have not been predicted as clearly by weather experts.
For now, most of the largest producing states have experienced typical weather, with almost one million acres
being harvested as usual. The problem, however, is that we dont know whats going to happen in the second
half of the year, said Hernandez.Hernandez said that FEDEARROZ has made repeated requests to the
government for actions to be taken, and rice farmers took a particularly active role in recent national agrarian
strikes, demanding an end to contraband imports from Ecuador and Venezuela, among other things.But while
the government has been relatively quick to lend aid to the countrys iconic coffee sector, rice growers have
been frustrated by a lack of action from Bogota, said Hernandez, who also pointed to the relatively poor public
allocation of water resources compared to other strong rice-growing economies.
Japan, for example, has 70 water reservoirs for every four square miles of rice crop, according to Hernandez.
Colombia, meanwhile, has 0.4.Thats why weve insisted so much to the government on the need for [water]
districts, for reservoirs and dams to store the water that flows over in winter and use it during these seasons, he
said.In the future, said Hernandez, better planning will be needed in order to fix deep structural weaknesss in
the larger agrarian sector and compensate with the initial effects of a changing global climate.Climate change
is here to stay. If the government doesnt take steps to build these reservoirs for planting regions, whether
through concession or public-private alliances, in a not so distant future the country is going to start to have
problems with food shortages.

29th August, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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