Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine
www.ricepluss.com
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

13 November, 2014
Volume 4 Issue: XI
th
Vol 4, Issue XI
Todays News Headlines

Palay, corn output higher in 3rd qtr
Punjab, Haryana procure over 150 lakh tonnes
paddy
BOC sues rice trader, Customs brokers for 'illegal'
rice importation
Cultivation of basmati rice in Visakha Agency
mooted
4th rice trading firm linked to Bangayan charged
with smuggling
Short videos with a big biosecurity message
As New Iraq Rice Tender Closes, Pressure Builds
from USA Rice
The rice age
Thai Rice-Subsidy Loss Set at $15.7 Billion
Rice-pledging cost Thailand B682bn since 2004,
ministry says
Research collaboration for Thai rice development
Superfood Combos: Beans and Greens
Ousted Thai PM's rice scheme lost $15.8 billion, say
Finance Ministry
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News Detail
Palay, corn output higher in
3rd qtr
The Philippine Star
Provided by The Philippine Star
Palay (unhusked rice) and corn output likely
grew in the third quarter compared to the

same three-month period a year ago, the
Department of Agriculture (DA) said
yesterday.(Palay and corn output) are
positive
compared
to
last
year,
DA Assistant Secretary Edilberto de Luna
said in a briefing.It is more than last year,
he added.Palay production reached around
3.3 million metric tons (MT) in the third
quarter last year, while corn output was at
2.6 million MT.
For the January to September period in
2013, total palay output reached 11.360
million MT, while volume of corn produced
reached 5.924 million MT in the ninemonth period last year.Data on the countrys
agricultural performance, including palay
and corn production for the January to
September period is set to be released later
this week.As of the first-half, the farm sector
posted a year-on-year growth of 1.81
percent amid higher rice and corn
output.The DA is pushing for the Food
Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) to
boost local rice production to meet the
requirements of the countrys growing

population.The government missed its goal
to achieve 100-percent rice sufficiency last
year.DA Secretary Proceso Alcala said the
DA is undertaking a review of
accomplishments and targets.
We are working with IRRI (International
Rice
Research
Institute),
PhilRice
(Philippine Rice Research Institute) and
even FAO (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations) to see
what we need to improve in the FSSP. We
are hoping that we will be able to complete
the review and fine-tuning by February next
year, he said.With higher production seen
for corn, Alcala said he would discuss with
Presidential Adviser of Food Security and
Modernization Secretary Francis Pangilinan
the
possibility
of
exporting
corn
grains.Alcala said earlier they would
propose the export of the corn grains by
local farmers given an expected surplus in
production.
Punjab, Haryana procure over 150

lakh tonnes paddy
IANS Chandigarh, November 12, 2014
First Published: 18:54 IST(12/11/2014) | Last
Updated: 18:59 IST(12/11/2014)
Food grain states Punjab and Haryana have

procured over 150 lakh tonnes of paddy this
season, food and supplies officials in both
states said on Wednesday.
Of
this, over 112.41 lakh tonnes paddy has been
procured in Punjab while nearly 38 lakh
tonnes has been procured in Haryana.Of the
total paddy arrival in Punjab, nearly 98.4
percent has been procured by government

agencies, while the rest has been bought by
private rice millers and traders.Ludhiana,
Sangrur and Moga districts were leading in
paddy
procurement,
the
officials
said.Government agencies in Haryana have
procured over 28.5 lakh tonnes paddy this
year. The remaining 9.4 lakh tonnes have
been procured by rice millers and
traders.Kurukshetra, Karnal and Ambala
districts were leading in paddy arrivals in
Haryana.Procurement of paddy in both
states started Oct 1.
The bureau said Medaglia De Oro imported

more than 16,039 metric tons of rice from
Thailand and Singapore in July and August
last year through the ports of Manila, Cebu,
Davao and Misamis Oriental.Dutiable value
of the imported rice is more than P205
million while market value is more than
P641 million, according to BOC.Medaglia
De Oro has claimed private importers can
import rice without securing a permit as the
BOC sues rice trader, Customs

brokers for 'illegal' rice
importation
quantitative restrictions on rice imports

under the World Trade Organization (WTO)
expired in 2012, the bureau said.
November 13, 2014 12:58pm

Smuggling-related charges were filed
against the owner of Medaglia De Oro
Trading and licensed Customs brokers for
However, BOC argued that the law states

"only NFA can import rice, mandating
public companies... to secure from NFA the
import permit."NFA regulates rice imports
through quotas to prevent excessive and
allegedly importing rice without the

necessary permits from the National Food
Authority (NFA).
unquantifiable amounts of rice "to ensure

fair competition and viability of the local
rice industry," it added.
In an emailed statement Thursday, the

Bureau of Customs (BOC) said it filed
complaints against Emmanuel Santos, owner
and proprietor of Medaglia De Oro, and
customs brokers Denise Kathryn Rosaroso,
Raquel Sildora Cabasag, Emilio Chio,
"Any sudden surges in imported rice would

have catastrophic consequences on millions
of farmers and our agriculture industry. It is
for these reasons why the Philippine
government has been requesting for special
treatment of rice imports under the WTO for
Myrene Noynay Sollano, Gemma Garcia,

Melvin Isagan, John Kevin Cisneros,
Eduardo Borje III, and Kenneth Quial. A
separate complaint against Santos and
Customs brokers Rosemarie Sangalang
Arciaga and Baltazar Ramirez will be filed
on Friday.
the past several years, said Customs

Commissioner
John
P.
Sevilla.The
Agriculture Department, according to BOC,
reported the Philippines has achieved 96
percent rice sufficiency or equivalent to
18.44 million metric tons in 2013.

Kathryn Mae P. Tubadeza/VS, GMA
News
Cultivation of basmati rice in

Visakha Agency mooted
Special Fertilizers - Production of organic and
chemical fertilizers. www.hydrofert.it
since last two years. In 2013, the scientists

of RARS sowed two varieties Sumathi and
Sugandhi - both failed due to pests and other
problems. This year, we sowed 30 export
quality varieties, and are hopeful that a few
would click, he said. Basmati rice is mostly
cultivated in states like Punjab, Haryana,
Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Uttarakhand and in some parts of
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Sumit Bhattacharjee
According to Mr. Sekhar, this variety of

flavoured rice needs a cooler climate and the
climatic condition of the Agency area suits
it. The normal temperature in the Agency
area between October and January is about 8
to 13 degree Celsius and this suits the
basmati variety, he said. According to him
the yield per acre could be between 20 to 22
quintals and the pricing could vary between
Rs. 80 to 110 per kg. In the Agency area,
about 40,000 acres are under paddy
cultivation by the Girijans, which includes
terrace farming.
Basmati rice sown by Regional Agriculture
Research Station at Chintapalli on
experimental basis in Visakha agency area.Photo: By Arrangement
TOPICS
Girijans who are into paddy cultivation in
the Agency area of Visakhapatnam district,
might have a reason to smile in the next two
years. Plans are afoot by the government to
cultivate basmati rice in the 11 mandals of
the Agency area. The Regional Agriculture
Research Station (RARS), at RV Nagar in
Chintapalli mandal, has sowed 30 varieties
of basmati on a few acres, on experimental
basis.
According to Senior Scientist of RARS, D.
Sekhar, they had been toying with the idea
If we are successful with our experiment,

then at least 20,000 acres can be converted
to basmati cultivation. The rate per kg is
twice more than what is being presently
cultivated and if packaging and marketing is
taken up by some government agency such
as GCC, it will hugely benefit the Girijans,
said Mr. Sekhar.
According to him, the demand for the Indian
varieties is high from countries like Saudi
Arabia and Iran and if the Girijans can
contribute a small percentage to the total
export, which was around 37 lakh tonnes,
valued at over Rs. 29,000 crore in the last
year, good days are ahead for the paddy
cultivators in the Agency areas.
Keywords: Basmati Rice, Visakhapatnam
Agency area, yield per acre could be
between 20 to 22 quintals

4th rice trading firm linked to
Bangayan charged with
smuggling
employee, grower, shareholder or a member

of their family
By Virgil B. Lopez
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Applications for the first scholarship for

2015 are now open, with potential applicants
encouraged to apply before Friday 5
December 2014.Jan Cathcart was a 43-year
contributor to the rice industry and sadly lost
her battle with cancer in September 2014.
The scholarship program recognises Jans
high
principles,
commitment
and
contribution to the Australian rice industry,
SunRice and their shareholders and growers.
A RICE importing firm linked to alleged

rice smuggling king Davidson Bangayan,
alias David Tan, is facing a complaint at the
Department of Justice (DOJ) for illegally
shipping over P626-million worth of rice
from Thailand.Medaglia de Oro is the fourth
of five traders allegedly under Bangayan's
control to be charged with smuggling by the
Bureau of Customs. The other firms are
Bold Bidder, Silent Royalty, and
Intercontinental Grains Trading Inc. The
BOC has yet to press charges against
Starcraft.
Last Edition of the RGA Bulletin
Following a review of RGAs current
communication materials, we have decided
to cease publication of the Bulletin and this
will be the last issue. We intend to replace
the Bulletin with an E-Newsletter which is
more tailored to the Australian rice industry
and a link to subscribe to this publication
will be made available on our website in the
future.The Jan Cathcart Memorial
Scholarship Applications now open
On 13 November 2014, SunRice launched
the inaugural Jan Cathcart Scholarship
Award; a $300,000 fund to support women
with a connection to the rice industry in their
tertiary study.Under the 10-year program,
SunRice will award one $30,000 scholarship
every year to support the study by a female
It is designed to support talented women

who demonstrate a passion and commitment
to the rice industry and who can contribute
and play a critical part in shaping a positive
future for the rice industry. To be eligible
for the Jan Cathcart Memorial Scholarship,
applicants must be female and be a SunRice
Group employee, grower, shareholder or a
relative of any of these groups. Ideally
applicants tertiary study will align to
positions in greater demand across regional
Australia, including but not limited to
agricultural science, engineering and finance
business.
Priority will be given to applicants from
regional Australia, preferably those from
rice growing areas, however SunRice
welcomes all suitable applications. Please
note as a part of the program scholarship
recipients
will
be
offered
career
opportunities within the SunRice Group.
The first scholarship will commence from
Semester One, 2015. To apply, and for
further information on the application
process and eligibility guidelines, please

visit the SunRice Careers page.Horizon
Scholarship offers $5,000 a year for students
studying Agriculture School leavers looking
to start an agriculture-related university
degree are being encouraged to apply for the
prestigious Horizon Scholarship.
Applications for the Horizon Scholarship are
now open and need to be submitted by 30
January 2015.The Horizon Scholarship, an
initiative of the Rural Industries R&D
Corporation, in partnership with industry
sponsors, provides $5,000 per year for the
duration of a students university degree.The
Horizon Scholarship also offers students
annual industry work placements that give
them first-hand exposure to modern
agricultural practices, access to industry
leaders,
professional
development
workshops and opportunities to network and
gain knowledge at a range of industry
events.
The Horizon Scholarship will appeal to
university students who want to broaden
their networks, are passionate about
agriculture and are ready to develop their
leadership skills. To be eligible for The
Horizon Scholarship students must be
entering their first year of university and
studying a degree related to agriculture, such
as agricultural science, rural science,
livestock/animal science, veterinary science
or agribusiness and plant science. Students
must also have started their tertiary studies
no longer than two years after leaving high
school.Scholarship recipients will be
selected on the basis of their commitment to
a career in agriculture, as well as their
leadership potential and high school
academic record.
Applications close on 30 January 2015 and

shortlisted applicants must be available for a
telephone interview in late February 2015.
The Scholarship winners are announced at
the end of February 2015.Application forms
can be downloaded from the RIRDC website
at www.rirdc.gov.au/horizon or by contacting
RIRDC on 02 6271 4132.Sponsors of the
Horizon Scholarship are ANZ, Woolworths,
Lallemand Animal Nutrition, the Australian
Department of Agriculture, the Australian Egg
Corporation, Australian Pork Limited, the
Cotton Research and Development Corporation,
the Grains Research and Development
Corporation, Horticulture Australia Limited,
Meat & Livestock Australia, Sugar Research
Australia, McCaughey Memorial Institute, and
RIRDC (Rice and Chicken Meat research
programs).
Short videos with a big

biosecurity message
Two short videos to help producers reduce
the potential risks of diseases, pests and
weeds coming onto or leaving their farm
have been added to the Farm Biosecurity
Program website.
Videos are one of the tools used by the
program to generate awareness about good
on-farm biosecurity practices. These are the
third and fourth instalments as part of an ongoing video project, which will eventually
see videos produced for each of the six
biosecurity essentials producers need to
know about.
The latest videos cover the biosecurity
essentials farm inputs and farm outputs.
They highlight the many biosecurity risks
that exist when anything enters or leaves the

property and illustrate the actions that can be
taken to reduce these risks. Duncan Roland,
Animal Health Australias Manager
Biosecurity Services, said the videos include
practical advice, tips and interviews with
real-life
farmers,
demonstrating
the
biosecurity measures they implement on
their properties.
These videos show risks around common farm
inputs and outputs, such as introducing new
stock and plant material, or disposing of plant
and animal waste material. They also
demonstrate the actions which can be taken to
manage the risks: keep feed in a dry and secure
storage area, quarantine new stock and complete
all required animal health statements to help if
the need to trace stock arises, he said.
Alison Saunders, Plant Health Australias

Manager for Biosecurity Planning and
Implementation, said the videos show simple
steps that farmers can take to improve their
biosecurity within their day-to-day operations.
Taking up good biosecurity practice should be
straight forward and I think there is a message
here for anyone who wants to improve this
important aspect of their business, she said.
The information, interviews and visual

demonstrations in the videos are applicable to all
agricultural industries.These videos have
something for anyone looking to improve
biosecurity practice on their farms. Both plant
and animal biosecurity risks and actions are
covered. Thats what the Farm Biosecurity
Program is all about: providing up-to-date,
relevant information for all Australian
producers, Ms Saunders said. The Farm
Biosecurity Program is a joint initiative of
Animal Health Australia and Plant Health

Australia managed on behalf of members.
To
view
the
videos
farmbiosecurity.com.au/videos
go
to
As New Iraq Rice Tender

Closes, Pressure Builds from
USA Rice
All eyes on the Iraqi Trade Minister
ARLINGTON, VA -- American rice

farmers, sitting on a large, high quality, and
price competitive crop, are turning their
attention to Iraq's Ministry of Trade who's
latest tender for rice closes on Sunday.
"Despite very competitive bids, the U.S. was
shut out of the previous tender, which raises
the question of where these decisions are
being made, at the Iraqi Grain Board, or
some higher political level within the
Ministry itself," said Betsy Ward, president
and CEO of the USA Rice Federation.
Ward said following the Iraqi Grain Board
(IGB) visit to U.S. rice country this spring, it
appeared all technical questions had been
answered and that the way had been paved
for additional U.S. rice sales.
However, USA Rice has just learned that
the head of the IGB, Hassan Ibrahim, who

toured Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana
in May, and was so upbeat about U.S. rice,
has been sacked and replaced by his deputy.
How Michael Bosworth grew one of the

Sacramento Valleys most abundant crops from
lowly side dish into a farm-to-fork star
Earlier today, Ward led a small group to

meet with USDA Under Secretary Michael
Scuse and his staff to discuss the situation
and impress upon them the need for
immediate intervention with the Trade
Minister in advance of this weekend's
tender.
By
Janelle
This article was published on 11.13.14.
Bitker
Rue & Forsman Ranch sits covered in water.

The big rice harvest ended last month, and
now its more than 1,000 acres of rice fields
are enjoying a good soak. Shorebirds stud
"Secretary Scuse indicated they would reengage with U.S. State Department
personnel in Baghdad on this issue now, and
over the long term," Ward reported.
Ward says USA Rice is also working with
leaders in Congress to ensure they are aware
of the situation and letting them know what
pressure they can bring to bear on the
government of Iraq.
"Given that U.S. taxpayers have a
significant investment in Iraq, I would hope
the government there, from the Prime
Minister on down, understands how
important it is for American rice farmers to
be fairly considered to win this business,"
she said.
Officially the current tender is for 30,000
metric tons of rice, but as Iraq is behind on
rice purchases this year, insiders expect the
actual tender to exceed 100,000 metric tons.
Winning bids for this tender are expected to
be announced next week.
Contact: Michael Klein (703) 236-1458
The rice age
the surface while rice straw slowly

decomposes, and Michael Bosworth drives
his truck around with dog in tow.
With Sacramentos focus on the farm-tofork movement, its logical to assume local
restaurants purchase their rice from area
farms such as Rue & Forsman, located just
south of Marysville. After all, Sacramento is
flanked by rice fields. The region holds
550,000 acres of the grain alone.Thats not
the case, though. In the rice industry, kernels
are loaded by the 50,000-pound truckload
and driven from different farms to the same
mill. The resultant bag that consumers buy
comprises a hodgepodge of California rice,
and it goes all over the worldmaybe a
grocer in Sacramento, maybe a restaurant in
South Korea.

In 2006, Bosworth had an idea: he could
control every process of his farms organic
rice and sell it directly to local businesses.
He could give his rice an identity. He could
mill the rice himself, ensure that its
refrigerated in a special facility until right
before its sold, and design its packaging
specifically for chefs.
He brought a bag to a sushi restaurant in
Yuba City for a test run.
It was a special moment to taste your own
rice for the first time, Bosworth says,
smiling. I thought it tasted good. And the
chef said it was quality rice, that it stuck
together well.
The student-run Coffee House at UC Davis
became Bosworths first clienthe had
recently finished his masters there in
agricultural economics. Soon he added the
dining halls at UC Davis, the Farmers
Kitchen Cafe in downtown Davis, and then
he expanded into Sacramento. Two of the
first chefs to sign on were Billy Ngo at Kru
and Randall Selland at The Kitchentheir
restaurants are widely recognized as some of
the citys finest.
Ngo didnt even want to try Bosworths rice
at firstits a bit more expensive, and
restaurant profit margins are notoriously
slim. But then he met Bosworth, toured Rue
& Forsman and learned all about rice
farming. After, he wanted to support it, to be
part of it.
I just think its so cool. You can think of it
kind of like winepeople make wine with
grapes grown from different vineyards,
Ngo says. Rice brands buy their rice from
different farms and we have no idea where
its from. This, we actually know where its
coming from.
On the farm
Bosworth is the latest in a long line of
family farming. Hes originally from the
Shasta area, where his family had been cattle
farmers since the 1870s. Then his mom got
remarried and they moved to Rue &
Forsman Ranch in Olivehurst. He spent
summers working on the farm and
eventually studied crop science at UC
Davisfor four years, he held down the
teaching assistant gig for the schools
infamous tractor driving course.
The ranch got its start in 1946, all irrigated
pastures and beef cattle. Bosworths
stepfather Michael Rue wanted to
diversifyhe added rice fields in 1974 and
organic rice fields in 1997.The regions
clay-heavy soil isnt so good for orchards or
anything requiring room for roots to grow.
But rice? Rice works great.
The clay layer is nearly impermeable,
Bosworth says. Its like a big
bathtub.Theres never a time for Bosworth
to fully rest or take a vacation, but he is
approaching his slowest season of
equipment repair and irrigation.
In March, the rice cycle will start over again.
Hell drain the fields and work the ground.
Fancy GPS-precision technology is used to
ensure a flat field. Then they get fertilizer
or poultry manure for the organic fields
and deep grooves for seeds to easily fall
into. The fields are flooded again, and by the
end of April, planes fly over dropping seeds
at 100 miles per hour.

Commission, only 420,000 acres of rice a
25-percent dropwere planted this year.
But Bosworth controls every step of his
own,
much
smaller
organic
rice
productionincluding the pricingwhich
provides some welcomed stability. Locally,
he sells two-pound bags for $4.95 online at
www.nextgenfoods.com, as well as at the
Midtown shop Preservation & Co. and the
Davis Food Co-op. But most of his bags go
directly to other small businesses.
Its post-harvest quiet time down the Rue &
Forsman Ranch roads.
PHOTOS BY KYLE MONK
Those seedlings grow, eventually shooting

up to become 3-feet-tall stalks of kernels.
Then its time to harvestBosworth
reported 100-hour workweeks this past
Octoberand dry, mill, package and
refrigerate the rice until its sold.According
to the California Rice Commission, 97
percent of Californias rice is grown in the
Sacramento Valley. California supplies
virtually all of the countrys sushi rice. And
its a major exporter to countries that devour
rice faster than they can grow it.
That means Bosworth has a whole world to
think about when it comes to his
conventional rice.Theres a lot outside
California impacting our bottom line every
day, he says, pointing to Californias main
international competitors, Australia and
Egypt.
Like California, Australia has been suffering
a drought and anticipates a low yield next
year. Amid turmoil in the Middle East,
Egypt placed a ban on exporting rice for
about a year. These factors drive up
demandand the price of Californias
rice, which is experiencing its own shortfall.
According to the California Rice
You want to have your two-pound bag of

rice in every store in America, but its tough.
Its almost better to build a direct
relationship with your buyer, he says. Im
glad I found a niche with the local
restaurants. I think when chefs get to
know you and come to the farm, theres a lot
of loyalty.
In the kitchen
Cook a batch of Bosworths organic
Calrosea regional medium-grain variety
of ricealongside a generic brand of
medium-grain rice, and its shockingly easy
to see the difference. Bosworths rice
kernels look, understandably, more uniform.
But the rice also wears a sheen and carries a
noticeable fragrance. Its fluffier, stickier.
Its just better.
Jason Azevedo, chef at Mighty Tavern in
Fair Oaks, started purchasing from
Bosworth a couple of months ago. Azevedo
says that as soon as he tried Bosworths rice,
he knew he had to start carrying it.
You tend to think of rice as a commodity,
he says. His rice definitely isnt just a
placeholder on a plate. It adds something
special.

Azevedo uses it for side dishes and a play on
creamed spinach, thickened by a rice and
onion paste. And his risotto doesnt use the
traditional Arborio riceits made with
Bosworths Calrose.Ngo had long used
Bosworths Calrose at Kru. But a couple
years ago, Ngo decided he really wanted
short-grain sushi rice instead. Most Japanese
restaurants in the U.S. use medium-grain
rice, Ngo admits, but the stickiness that
comes with short-grain rice is
unparalleled.So Bosworth planted new
grain, which Ngo has been serving at Kru
since May. Do diners notice the difference?
I hope so, Ngo says, laughing. I tell
[diners] about the rice, how this farm grows
it, mills it and delivers itthat theyre
growing this sushi rice just for us. Its
huge.All of Bosworths rice is graded No.
1the highest possibleby the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. That means it
looks creamy and whiteno gray tones
detectableand there arent broken, heatdamaged or chalky kernels.The grade
translates on the plate, too. Ngo points out
the minimal broken kernels and says it
boasts better flavor and mouthfeel. Azevedo
goes back to maintaining the farm-to-fork
ethos.Really, what are you spending your
money on? Cheap, Minute-Maid style rice,
or a quality product from a quality farmer
delivered right to your doorstep?
Thai Rice-Subsidy Loss Set

at $15.7 Billion
Thailand's massive stockpiles of rice has

found about 70 percent is deteriorating and
another fifth is inedible, leaving only one
tenth of standard export quality. REUTERS
By Warangkana Chomchuen
Nov. 13, 2014 7:37 a.m. ET
BANGKOKA controversial rice subsidy
managed by former Thailand Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra incurred a paper loss
of 518 billion baht, or about $15.7 billion,
the Finance Ministry reported Thursday in
the first official government estimate.That
figure is considerably higher than the only
earlier publicly available estimate$9.2
billion, projected by the countrys
anticorruption agency in May, although it
said the true loss was probably higher.
The new estimatewhich one official said
could growwas released two weeks before
the military-appointed legislative assembly
is expected to begin debating an
impeachment motion brought against Ms.
Yingluck for allegedly mismanaging the
Former Leader Yingluck Shinawatra

Had Hoped to Boost Prices for
Farmers, But Prices Fell
subsidy program.The $15.7 billion loss

represents annual depreciation and the
difference between the above-market prices
the government paid farmers over almost
three years for their rice to be largely stored
in warehouses versus its value today.
A worker sorts sacks of rice at a mill in

Suphan Buri province, about 65.2 miles
north of Bangkok in October. An audit of
Ms. Yingluck had hoped removing such a

huge amount of rice from the global market
would boost prices, but the opposite
happened. Thailand also lost its place as the

worlds top rice exporter to India during Ms.
Yinglucks gamble.A Thai court removed
Ms. Yingluck from office in May over her
demotion of a senior civil servant. Her
ouster came amid monthslong street
demonstrations by critics who demanded she
resign. The remainder of her government
was overthrown by the then-army chief,
Gen.
Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is now the
countrys
prime
minister.Thailands
anticorruption commission found Ms.
Yingluck guilty of mismanaging the
subsidy.Ms. Yingluck, who has been
keeping low profile since the May 22 coup,
maintains her innocence. One of her legal
advisers said he hadnt yet seen the report.
An official can be impeached in Thailand
even after leaving office. If Ms. Yingluck
were impeached, she couldnt run for office
for five years.Ms. Yingluck has insisted that
the program, which purchased rice from
local farmers at up to 50% above market
price, was meant to help boost farmers
income.
Rice growers are key supporters to her Pheu
Thai Party and their votes helped sweep Ms.
Yingluck into office. Under the subsidy
launched in 2011, Ms. Yinglucks
government offered to purchase every grain
of rice from approximately 3 million
farming households until the program
expired in February of this year. The
program left the state with 19.2 million
metric tons of rice, Rungson Sriworasat, the
ministrys permanent secretary, told
reporters.Mr. Rungson said the ministrys
rice audit committee will cross check with
another set of government data to conclude
the actual stocks.
stocks was mostly poor.If the rice quality

degradation and the missing stocks are
worse than we thought, and if the price of
rice sold is lower than the benchmark rate
we used, then the loss figure is going to
increase, Mr. Rungson said.The committee
used a quotation as of May 22 as a
benchmark price, he said.The export price of
Thai rice has declined since the beginning of
this
year,
when
Ms.
Yinglucks
administration started dumping state rice
stocks in the market to generate cash to fund
the program. Thai 5% broken white rice, a
benchmark grade, is quoted at about $415
per ton, down $35-$40 from January,
according to the Thai Rice Exporters
Association.
Thai rice exporters are hopeful that Thailand
will be able to export some 10 million tons
thanks to the competitive price. Yet, the
price decline is partly blamed for sluggish
domestic spending by the Thai rural
population. That poses a challenge to the
juntas effort to boost the fragile economic
recovery.The Thai Finance Ministry recently
cut the countrys growth forecast for this
year to 1.4% from a previous projection of
2%.Gen. Prayuths interim government last
month approved a one-time cash handout
worth a total of $1.2 billion to support 3.4
million farmers. The government also
encouraged farmers to delay the sale of
some rice from the coming harvest to try to
support prices. Supplies of fresh, newly
harvested rice tend to pressure the price of
older grain.
Write to Warangkana Chomchuen
warangkana.chomchuen@wsj.com
at
Earlier, the Commerce Ministry reported

18.6 million tons of rice. Gen. Prayuth has
said before that the quality of state rice

Rice-pledging cost Thailand
B682bn since 2004, ministry
says
76% of losses generated by Yingluck's
scheme
Published: 13 Nov 2014 at 17.35
Online news: General
Writer: Online Reporters
More than a dozen rice-pledging schemes

since 2004 have cost the country 682 billion
baht, but about 76% of those losses were
caused by the previous governments four
programmes, the Finance Ministry said. A
farmer in Kong Krailas district of Sukhothai
province harvests rice after her field was
flooded in September 2014. (Photo by
Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Permanent secretary for finance Rangsan
Sriworasart told a press conference
Thursday that a subcommittee reviewing
balance sheets for 15 rice-pledging schemes
run between 2004 and May 22, 2014
calculated a total loss of 682 billion
baht.The ministry said the first 11 projects
resulted in a loss of 163 billion baht, but the
final four projects implemented by the
Yingluck Shinawatra government generated
a loss of 518 billion baht, or about 75.9% of
the total.
During the 2011 election, the Pheu Thai
Party initially promised to give farmers
15,000 baht per tonne of unmilled white rice
with no limit on pledged amounts. The
campaign pledge brought victory to the
party and fugitive ex-premier Thaksin
Shinawatra's youngest sister, who was
appointed prime minister. While limits and
price changes were introduced in later stages
of the programme, the four stages combined

bought in a total 85 million tonnes of
unmilled rice for 1.1 trillion baht. There are
19.2 million tonnes of rice remaining, worth
approximately 225 billion baht. The country
got 347 billion baht from sales of rice in the
stock.The subcommittee found that the rice
pledged under Ms Yingluck's programme
had 10%-40% rates of deterioration and the
government still has to pay other expenses,
including
warehouse
rent,
milling,
management fees and interest.
He said the account-closing for ricepledging scheme had been carried out under
proper accounting standards and audited by
the professional council and the Comptroller
General's Department. However, it has not
taken into account the result of any stockchecking, which has been done by the
National Rice Policy Committee.Mr
Rangsan said the subcommittee would
report account-closing details to the NRPC
and
await
further
instruction.The
subcommittee said the rice scheme's balance
sheet will run through Sept 30, the end of
the 2014 fiscal year. Then the government
can set aside funds to repay the Bank for
Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperative,
which is responsible for paying farmers for
pledged grain.
He said losses might be higher if the NRPC
instructed the Finance Ministry to combine
the loss incurred by stock-checking. The
loss will also depend on the selling price and
quality of rice in the stock."The amount of
loss is not beyond expectations. The
government may have to find a method to
pay the debt without causing problems to the
country's development and public-debt
position. It may take too long time to rely
solely on budget allocations, so bond may
need to be issued," said Mr Rangsan.

Research collaboration for
Thai rice development
Date : 13 2557
PATHUM THANI, 13 November 2014
(NNT) The National Science and
Technology
Development
Agency
(NSTDA) under the Ministry of Science
today signed a collaborative agreement with
the
Ministry
of
Agriculture
and
Cooperatives' Rice Department in order to
continue a rice development program. For
more a decade the two agencies have been
working together in trying to develop rice
breeds, strengthening rice strains to
withstand drought, flash floods, insects,
diseases and climate change, while
producing higher yields, consuming less
water, and offering more nutrition, which
will give farmers more value for their rice
plantation.
The two ministries recently made their
partnership official, and is the second signed
agreement after the first 5-year agreement
expired on 9 February 2014, after the
successes of the first contract. The
collaboration also resulted in the
development of two new rice breeds. These
include 51, which is rice that can
withstand flooding and is photosensitive and
is intended to be grown in the north and
northeastern regions, and 18, which is
sticky rice that withstand Rice Blast Disease
and is photosensitive, and will also be grown
in the north and northeastern regions of the
country.
the rice industry, such as a mobile

application to detect and count brown
planthopper insects, how much pesticide
residue there is on rice. They have also
developed an "Insect Server" in which
information
from
the
Metrological
Department given to researchers can better
help them forecast the direction that insects
will spread in order to warn farmers to guard
their crops.
After the presentation, Dr. Thaweesak
Koanantakool, NSTDA President and Mrs.
Parichart Sriwipat Rice Department Deputy
Director signed the cooperative agreement.
The cooperation will allow both agencies to
share
laboratory,
research
findings,
information, budgeting, organize seminars
and workshops to further support the
knowledge for staff of both agencies to
know more about rice. Continuing
developing the rice breeds for sustainable
food supply and ease farmers in growing
rice, the research will also extend to
development of the whole value chain on
rice from the plantation to consumption.
The two agencies expressed gratitude and
strongly believe that
through the
collaboration will be another step for Thai
rice development, brining out the best of
each agencies and department to create the
maximum potentials and results for rice
plantation and development of the entire rice
manufacturing processes.
Superfood Combos: Beans and

Greens
Representatives from each working group

reporting on their project found benefits for

Three one-pot recipes, big on protein,
vitamins, and antioxidants.
By Conan Milner, Epoch Times | November 13, 2014
Last Updated: November 13, 2014 7:55 am

Beans and greens make for a healthy meal.
Cat Rooney/Epoch Times
The most promoted superfoods usually have
a fabulous nutritional profile, and an exotic
pedigree. However, there are everyday
superfoods that also deserve your culinary
attention. Theyre not only healthy, but
cheap too.
Beans
Consider the humble bean. For thousands of
years, beans and other legumes have
sustained many civilizations. Today, they
are more likely to be the subject of a
flatulent punchline than a meal.What
happened? Why does the modern American
menuexcept for an occasional side of the
Boston baked variety neglect beans?
Its not for a lack of nutrients. Beans provide
a hearty dose of low fat protein, slow
burning carbohydrates, and are excellent
sources of fiber, magnesium, and potassium.
These nutrients have shown to lower
cholesterol and blood pressure, and
encourage weight loss.True, beans have
earned a reputation for gas. Complex sugars
found in beans require special enzymes for
digestion which your body may lack if you
rarely consume legumes. But take heart,
these enzymes are replenished with regular
bean consumption. In general, the more
often you eat beans the better your system

can tolerate them.
If you rarely
touch
beans,
start slow with
either pinto or
adzuki
beans,
which are some of the gentlest to digest.
Some beans can be sprouted or fermented to
be even easier on the gut.Another aspect
contributing to the gas factor is poor
preparation. If dry beans arent properly
soaked before cooking or are undercooked
they can be much harder to assimilate.
Cultures that feast heavily on beans also
address gaseous tendencies with the addition
of digestive herbs, such as bay leaf, cumin,
epazote, ginger, and thyme.
Dry Vs. Canned
Another stumbling block with beans is that
they require at least a day of forethought.
Dry beans are most digestible if soaked
overnight and cooked for two hours, or
more, although time can be cut substantially
with a pressure cooker.
Canned beans are a convenient alternative to
dry. Unlike vegetables, beans lose few
nutrients in the canning process, and unlike
dry beans they always come out perfect. If
you choose the canned route, consider a
company that does not use the synthetic
estrogen Bisphenol A (BPA) in their
packaging.
If you decide on dry beans, figure about half
the weight of canned for a recipe
replacement. Also consider the addition of a

kombu seaweed strip in the cooking water. It
gives no discernable flavor but it will help
soften beans faster and add valuable
nutrients.
which is packed with protein and iron. Wild

greens have other valuable nutrients not
found in their cultivated cousins. Harvest
young, before they go to seed.
Greens
Italian White Beans with Kale

Photo by Cat Rooney/Epoch Times
This recipe features cannellini beans, also
known as white kidney beans. Cannellinis
are slightly larger than navy and great
northern, but all white beans are good
sources of calcium, help stabilize blood
sugar, and protect against insulin resistance.
Kale brings a high concentration of
antioxidants to the party.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 shallot chopped
8 cloves of garlic sliced
1 bunch of kale chopped, discard ribs
8 to 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped of
leaves. Discard stems.
2 bay leaves
teaspoon sea salt
cup water
2 15oz cans of cannellini beans, drained and
rinsed
fresh ground black pepper to taste
teaspoon umeboshi plum vinegar
(optional)
Greens are also

humble, but due
to the current
kale craze they
tend to get
much more respect.Several varieties of
greens hail from the cruciferous family of
vegetables, which are known for their liver
detoxification and anti-cancer properties.
These include kale, collards, mustard greens,
and bok choy. They are good sources of
vitamins A, C, K, antioxidants, and are also
mineral rich, featuring healthy doses of iron,
potassium, selenium, and zinc.
Unlike salad greens, cruciferous greens
work much better as a cooked vegetable.
Tough and bitter when raw, cruciferous
greens are best served hot and tender with
lemon, olive oil, and sauted garlic.Other
familiar greens come from the chenopod
family, such as spinach and Swiss chard. In
addition to vitamins and iron, they contain
antioxidants beneficial to eye health. These
are more delicate than the cruciferous
greens, and dont need to be cooked as
long.Most greens play well with other foods.
Toss a handful of spinach into your soup and
youve added an extra vegetable to your
daily intake without a lot of bulk.
If youre looking for an adventure, try a wild
green, such as goosefoot (also a member of
the chenopod family) or stinging nettles
In a large covered pot, saut onion, garlic, and

shallot in oil until transparent. Turn heat to
medium, and add water, salt, kale, bay, and
thyme leaves. Cook covered until greens are
soft, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat,
add beans and pepper and cook another few
minutes. Remove bay leaves and add
umeboshi vinegar before serving.aag
Chana

The chickpea (or garbanzo in Spanish) is a

versatile bean eaten throughout the world.
Most chickpeas are pale yellow; a variety
from India is small and black. While
chickpeas can irritate some people with
intestinal problems, regular consumption may
prevent colon disease. Chickpeas contain an
impressive array of antioxidants, and are
prized for their high iron content. Combined
with spinach, this makes for a particularly iron
rich meal.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion
3 to 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 large tomato chopped
12 oz of fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
red pepper flakes to taste
1 teaspoon sea salt
cup water
2 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
cup cilantro chopped
Juice of one lime
In a large skillet saut onion, garlic, ginger,
and cumin seeds in olive oil until onions are
transparent. Stir in spice powers, salt and
pepper flakes and cook for another minute.
Next add tomato and spinach and cook until
vegetables are soft and combined. Add water
and chickpeas. Stir to combine and simmer on
med-low for 20 to 30 minutes or until most of
the liquid evaporates. Turn off heat and mix in
chopped cilantro and lime juice. Serve with a
dollop of plain yogurt and cumin-scented
basmati rice.
Ousted Thai PM's rice

scheme lost $15.8 billion,
say Finance Ministry
BANGKOK Thu Nov 13, 2014 5:41am
EST
Farmers rearrange a pile of rice after
dumping them on the ground during a rally
demanding the Yingluck administration
resolve delays in payment from the rice
pledging scheme, outside a Bank for
Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives in
Bangkok March 11, 2014.

CREDIT:
SUBPRASOM
REUTERS/CHAIWAT
new rice price intervention scheme.In its

record
year
for
exports
in
2011, Thailand shipped 10.6 million tonnes
of rice.The latest audit found that around 70
percent of the rice held in stockpiles is
deteriorating.Rangsun said an official audit
of state stockpiles would be announced at a
later date by the prime minister's office.
(1 US dollar = 32.8000 Thai baht)
(Reuters) - A rice-subsidy scheme

introduced by Thailand's ousted former
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra lost
518
billion
baht
($15.8
billion,
the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.The
scheme, which paid farmers above-market
rates for their crop, helped bring Yingluck to
power in a landslide election in 2011 due to
support from farmers mostly in the country's
north and northeast.
(Reporting By Kaweewit Kaewjinda and

Kittiphong Thaicharoen; Editing by Amy
Sawitta Lefevre; and Simon CameronMoore)
Glazed Tempeh with Bok Choy

However, the scheme backfired when the

government failed to sell rice to pay arrears
to angry farmers, leaving Thailand with
massive stockpiles. The stockpiles are now
estimated at 19.2 million tonnes, said
Rangsan Sriworasart, permanent secretary
for the Ministry of Finance.Yingluck was
forced to step down in May when a court
found her guilty of abusing power in the
transfer of an official. Days later, the
military staged a coup following six months
of street protests aimed at ousting Yingluck.
The military put a halt to state rice sales and
General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the coup leader
and current Prime Minister, has ruled out a
Soy is a controversial bean. Some

nutritionists champion its phytoestrogen and
protein content (soy is the only bean with
more protein than carbs), while others say

that regular consumption is problematic due
to soy isolate and high amounts of phytic
acid. You can avoid some of the soy
concerns by choosing a fermented variety,
such as miso or tempeha firm and nutty
soy cake from Indonesia.
Tempeh
The most important consideration when

buying any soy product is genetically
modified organisms (GMOs). Nearly all soy
grown in the United States is genetically
engineered to resist pesticides, so unless the
package says organic or non-GMO, leave it
on the shelf.
1 teaspoon of olive oil

3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bunch bok choy, chopped. Discard bottom.
Separate green tops and white stems
salt and pepper to taste
Bok choy is a mild vegetable with an

alluring crunch, so dont cook it as long as
you would other cruciferous greens.
Peanut-ginger glaze
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon of each:
hemp or flax seed oil
raw honey
soy sauce
grated ginger
water
toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of olive oil

15oz block of tempeh cut into inch sticks
salt to taste
Bok Choy
In a small bowl, mix hemp oil, soy sauce,

honey, nut butter, ginger, and water until
combined. Set aside.In a large skillet, heat 1
tablespoon of olive oil to med-high and fry
tempeh sticks until golden brown on both
sides. Remove from pan, toss in glaze sauce,
and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. In
the same pan, turn down heat to medium,
and heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add sliced
garlic. Cook until it starts to brown, and add
white bok choy pieces, salt and pepper.
Before white pieces lose their crunch, add
greens and cook until wilted. Serve
immediately.
Category: Health Food & Dining Fitness &
Nutrition Recipes Fall RecipesGood to
Know
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