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Riceplus Magazine shares daily International RICE News for global Rice Community. We publish daily two newsletters namely Global Rice News & ORYZA EXCLUSIVE News for readers .You can share any development news for readers. Share your rice and agriculture related research write up with Riceplus Magazine contact riceplus@irp.edu.pk , mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com For Advertisement & Specs mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
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Gov’t requests to double rice exports to China Tue, 7 April 2015
Ananth Baliga
Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter
April 7, 2015 V o l u m e 5, Issue I
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The Ministry of Commerce is working with its Chinese counterparts to renew a rice trade
agreement, which will likely expire this month, and has requested to double the existing
100,000-tonne quota of rice Cambodia is currently able to export to China, a ministry spokesman
said yesterday.Minister Sun Chanthol, in a letter to the vice minister at the Chinese Ministry of
Commerce, has asked for the rise in rice export quota for the period of May 2015 to April2016.
The letter comes off the back of the successful implementation of the current 12-month quota
ahead of time. Cambodia had signed a one-year agreement last August to export 100,000 tonnes
of rice to China.
―The letter seeks support to increase the quota to 200,000 tonnes between China National
Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) and [Cambodia] state-owned Green Trade
Company,‖ said Ken Ratha, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce.Ratha said the two
governments have a close relationship and that the ministry will leverage the successful
implementation of the current quota to have it raised. He added that extending the agreement is
key to increasing and diversifying the Kingdom‘s rice export destinations.―I think it is important
to open up the market and we will try to increase the volume of exports,‖ Ratha said. ―We will
keep going with the relationship and another MoU with the Chinese.‖China, in the past, had
expressed concerns over the quality and hygiene standards of Cambodian agricultural products,
but Ratha said the ministry had received no complaints from the Chinese government and that
the agreement has been a ―good achievement‖.
Song Saran, CEO of AMRU Rice Co, said it was important to extend the agreement as China,
along with Malaysia, are now Cambodia‘s biggest rice export destinations in Asia. But, he said
Cambodia would need to up its procurement to meet the added demand, as well as maintain
quality standards, ―Cambodia needs to find the good quality rice and supply China what China
needs,‖ Saran said.He added that diversifying export destinations, are critical to ―transforming
Cambodia‘s rice industry‖.―It is very, very important to renew the MoU with China, otherwise
we will not reach the one million tonnes target,‖ he said.David Van, advisor to the Cambodia
Rice Federation, told the Post on Sunday that the CRF has appealed to the minister of commerce
to let them act as signatory during the next round of quota negotiations, instead of Green Trade,
citing other food organisations that are in charge of similar arrangements.
―TREA in Thailand and Vinafood have both managed directly any quota with China and CRF is
advocating for the same approach so that we could fairly and transparently reallocate any quota
obtained among all CRF members accordingly,‖ said Van.Export figures released by the CRF
last week, showed that China was the biggest importer of Cambodian rice, importing 36,081
tonnes of rice, followed by Malaysia and France. Thanks largely to the boost in shipments to
China, the Kingdom increased its exports in March to 75,867 tonnes, doubling the 37,676 tonnes
produced in February.
Rice 2.0? The search for a more sustainable staple food Winifred Bird
Tuesday, April 7, 2015 - 1:00am
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This article originally was published by Yale Environment 360 and is reprinted here with
permission.Ten thousand years ago, China‘s ancient inhabitants harvested the grains of wild rice,
a perennial grass growing up to 15 feet tall in bogs and streams.The grains were small and red,
maturing in waves and often shattering into the water. Their descendants transformed that grain
into the high-yielding annual crop that today feeds half the world‘s population.
When agronomist F.H. King toured China‘s meticulously maintained rice terraces in 1909, he
called the men and women who tilled them ―farmers of 40 centuries.‖ To him, they seemed to
have unlocked the secret to conserving soil and maintaining agricultural fertility
indefinitely.Today, with the climate changing and far more land under intensive cultivation, rice
farmers face a less certain future.In parts of Asia, melting glaciers threaten to dry up water
supplies for irrigated paddies, while higher temperatures and unpredictable rainfall stress rain-fed
fields. In uplands worldwide, where farmers grow rice on steep hillsides using slash-and-burn
techniques, fallow periods are growing shorter and severe erosion is undermining both
productivity and ecosystem health.
Sustainable upland farming
An international network of scientists is working toward a radical solution: perennial rice that
yields grain for many years without replanting.By crossing domesticated rice with its wild
predecessors, they hope to create deep-rooted varieties that hold soils in place, require less labor
and survive extremes of temperature and water supply. Plant breeders have been trying to do the
same for wheat, sorghum and other crops for decades.
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With rice, the vision finally is nearing reality. Chinese scientists are preparing to release a variety
that they say performs well in lowland paddies and, with more breeding work, eventually could
thrive on marginal land as well. ―This line of research foreshadows a more sustainable way of
raising crops in the uplands,‖ said Casiana Vera Cruz, an expert on upland agriculture at
the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.She said the research
especially could affect women, because they are most often responsible for the hard work of
hand-planting rice each spring on small mountain farms.
The biggest strides are taking place in China, where geneticist Fengyi Hu and his colleagues at
the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences are completing nearly a decade of trials on
perennial rice varieties, including PR23 (PDF), a strain they claim yields harvests close to those
from conventional rice for four years or more.One agricultural company in Yunnan will test
PR23 and similar varieties on more than 1,500 acres this year, and researchers are trying out
PR23 in Laos as well. If Yunnan‘s government approves the new rice for widespread release to
farmers, it will be among the world‘s first perennial grains to be grown beyond experimental
fields.
Desmanthus4food via Wikipedia
Seeds of fertile, rhizomatous plants developed from a cross between Oryza longistaminata and
domestic rice by rice breeders at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Hainan
Province, PRC.
Critics argue, however, that perennial grains
such as PR23 never will be able to feed the
world‘s growing population. Kenneth Cassman,
an agronomist at the University of Nebraska
whose work focuses on global food security,
said devoting a greater share of the world‘s
limited agricultural research funding to
perennial rice research would be a mistake. ―The
goal is not just to increase agricultural
productivity, the goal is to lift people out of
poverty and provide adequate nutrition and
health,‖ said Cassman, who worked at IRRI in
the mid-‗90s. ―And there‘s no way that low-
yielding perennial grains grown on small, marginal farms can lift anyone out of poverty.‖Instead,
he argues that farmers should grow drought-resistant trees or pasture — not grains — on steep
hillsides to stabilize soils, and scientists should focus on improving annual grain yields in
environments truly suited to them, such as flat fields with adequate water.
Fighting poverty and malnutrition
Nevertheless, those involved with the perennial rice research in China say it could have global
environmental implications. Millions of farmers in Asia and Africa grow rice in marginal upland
areas at the cost of massive soil loss (steep, unterraced rice fields in Laos, for instance, lose soil
around 20 times faster than the average global rate at which new soil forms).The same is true for
other crops on other continents. Half the world‘s population depends on marginal lands for food,
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according to a 2010 paper in Science, and annual plowing often degrades these fields further.
Meanwhile, population — and demand for grain — is growing rapidly.
One widely promoted answer is called ecological intensification, in which sustainable farming
techniques such as cover crops and polycultures are used to increase yields without expanding
the area of land under cultivation or the environmental harm it causes.But proponents of
perennial grains argue that agriculture needs a more fundamental fix — in essence, a shift away
from humanity‘s 10,000-year-old habit of clearing the ground each year and starting anew. ―So
many problems that we think of as being part of the package of agriculture — nutrient leakage,
soil erosion, carbon loss, weed invasion — are actually attributes of this highly disturbed
ecosystem,‖ said Timothy Crews, research director at the Land Institute in Kansas, founded in
1976 with the goal of developing grain fields that mimic prairies.
―They‘re very predictable in ecology. And yet, if you go out and you look at mature native
[grassland] ecosystems, you do not have those problems.‖Developing perennial versions of rice
and other grains is a difficult task, however. While domesticated annual grains pour 30 to 60
percent of their energy into producing seeds, perennial grasses divert much more toward building
roots for long-term survival.To boost perennial yields, Crews explained, plant breeders must
coax perennials to allocate a bigger slice of the energy pie to seed production. They also can take
advantage of the fact that perennials tend to have a larger energy pie to start with: They generally
start growing earlier than annuals each spring and photosynthesize sunlight for more days each
year.
Growing interest in perennial grains
For years, Land Institute staff were among only a scattering of scientists pursuing the
development of perennial grains. Recently, though, interest has grown significantly. In 2013 the
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations held an expert workshop
(PDF) on the topic, and is planning another this fall.The U.S. Agency for International
Development is investing in perennial sorghum research, and the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation is funding a study on the risks and benefits of perennial wheat, sorghum and pigeon
pea in five African nations. Still, progress is uneven due to differences in genetics, breeding
techniques, growing conditions and research interest for various grains. Perennial wheat — a key
crop at the Land Institute — remains decades from yield parity with annual wheat, according to
Crews. Perennial maize research is even farther behind.
Among major staples, only perennial rice is ―approaching reality,‖ according to the proceedings
of the 2013 FAO meeting. The first reports of crosses between perennial and annual rice
emerged in the 1980s. Inspired by these signs of success, IRRI established a breeding program in
the mid-1990s aimed at helping poor subsistence farmers combat erosion on steep slopes.It was
dropped in 2001 due to shifting research priorities, but by then, Dayun Tao, a geneticist at the
Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, had made the promising cross that eventually would
lead to PR23. This was a significant achievement. Perennial and annual rice are closely related
but distinct species, which makes crossing them difficult. Often, fertilization occurs but the
embryo is not viable. Tao used what plant breeders call ―embryo rescue,‖ a procedure that Crews
likens to placing a premature baby in an incubator. Once the plants got through that bottleneck,
future generations were able to reproduce normally.
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Perennial rice soon ready to leave experimental fields
The next step for Tao and his colleagues, including Hu, was to improve the crosses and choose
the best ones. With funding from China‘s National Science Foundation and, more recently, the
Land Institute, they launched a series of field trials, using conventional growing practices in
typical lowland fields.Hu said PR23 and several other varieties are now good enough to release
to farmers in Yunnan, although he has not yet published any papers on their performance in peer-
reviewed journals. Perennial rice is by no means ready to withstand the rigors of poor soil, scant
water and extreme temperatures in the uplands, however. One challenge will be bringing in
genes that instruct the plant to become dormant and shut down leaf production during the dry
season to conserve water; another is adapting plants to the acid soils common in upland areas.
―As we go to more and more extreme environments, we‘ll have to develop better and better
materials with more traits to get them adapted,‖ said Len Wade, a perennial grain expert at
Australia‘s Charles Sturt University who is advising Hu‘s team and coordinating the trials in
Laos. ―So there‘s no one answer here. It takes a series of answers or a series of targets.‖ Yet
those further improvements are key, because the very places that most desperately need an
alternative to conventional rice also tend to have the toughest growing conditions. In the
mountains of northern Laos, for instance, farmers typically burn patches of forest in March or
April and scatter rice seed over the ashes.Before the plants have had a chance to grow strong
roots, heavy rains wash away soil and leach nutrients. Yields fall, weeds invade and farmers
move on after two to three years.
―Soil quality is decreasing very fast,‖ said Pheng Sengxua, a Lao agronomist involved in the
trials, which for now are taking place only in more favorable southern areas where the terrain is
flatter and soils better. ―The population has increased and the forest is being destroyed by upland
farmers. The Lao government wants to decrease upland farming systems like slash and burn to
reduce erosion and deforestation.‖ That has led to government interest in the new varieties from
China, which promise benefits that go beyond grain, Wade said. A rice crop that stayed in the
ground for years on end could conserve soil and provide hay, fodder and fuel during the dry
season, making it a key element of a sustainable farming system in hilly areas.
That vision — of a perennial rice tough enough to flourish in some of the world‘s most difficult
growing conditions — is still a distant one. But within the next few years, Chinese farmers could
have access to PR23, a variety unlike any other in the long history of rice farming. For the
perennial grains research community, that alone would be a significant milestone.
Rice Prices Succumb To Heavy Asian Supplies
World rice prices are plummeting amid high Thai government inventories and a smoothharvest in
Vietnam, according to media reports. The export price of Thai long-grain ricecomes to around $420 a ton,
down 5% from the recent February high and the lowest sincelast June. The Vietnamese harvest, which
began in late February, has weighed on themarket. Thailand amassed much of its inventories under a
government program that paid apremium for the rice. Stockpiles rose to around 20 million tons a year ago
and are said tobe around 15 million tons even now. The government is trying to sell them off, but
saleshave been sluggish. Thai export prices rose sharply last August, after exports were haltedfollowing
May's military coup, but have trended lower since sales resumed. The FAO AllRice Price Index dropped
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to around 219 points in March 2015. The index has been droppingover last few months- shedding 10%
since September 2014.
Powered by Commodity Insights http://www.indiainfoline.com/article/capital-market-commodity-futures-mid-session-commentary/commodities-buzz-rice-prices-succumb-to-
heavy-asian-supplies-115040700585_1.html#sthash.yC3kgJFB.dpuf
Rice harvest kicks off in Riverina with better-than-expected yields
THE WEEKLY TIMES
APRIL 08, 2015 12:00AM
Head start: Jeremy Morton, in a field of koshihikari rice being harvested at his farm near Moulamein, in NSW.
Picture: Andy Rogers
THIS year’s rice harvest results are better than expected for growers in the NSW Riverina.
Harvest started in mid-March and according to SunRice about 20 per cent of expected production
has been delivered so far.Michael Chalmers, harvesting at Wakool, east of Swan Hill, said he
was about a quarter through his family‘s 1060ha rice crop and he was surprised at the yields.Mr
Chalmers, who farms with his wife Felicia, parents, Rod and Linda, along with brother Peter said
their opus rice was yielding an average of 11 tonnes/ha.A cold snap in the critical growth period
of January had growers worried that yields would be reduced.―The yields have been generally
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good … I‘ve been pleasantly surprised given we had real concerns in January,‖ Mr Chalmers
said. ―We put extra water depth on our rice during the critical period, because it acts as a
temperature buffer.‖Mr Chalmers said some areas of his koshihikari variety were disappointing
and yielded about 7.5 tonnes/ha, which he attributed to lack of fertiliser in parts of this crop.BR
& C Agent senior agronomist Scott Burger, who is based at Barham, in NSW, said yields in his
district were about average, with the best about 11 tonnes/ha.
Rice harvest
Rice harvest is off and running in the NSW Riverina. Picture: Andy Rogers
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Rice harvest is off and running in the NSW Riverina. Picture: Andy Rogers
He said his own paddock of reiki rice averaged 10.5 tonnes/ha, while the koshihikari rice of his
clients was yielding about 7.5 to eight tonnes/ha.Mr Burger said there had been a huge variability
in opus rice this year, which was averaging about nine to 10 tonnes/ha, but yield monitors were
reporting fluctuations between three and 14 tonnes/ha.At Moulamein, Jeremy Morton said his
22ha of koshihikari rice, a short grain Japanese-style rice, was achieving average yields of seven
to eight tonnes/ha and didn‘t appear to be affected by January‘s cool temperatures.
Mr Morton, who farms with his wife, Renee, and parents, Ian and Margaret, has reduced his rice
plantings this year. Three years ago he grew 500ha, which then dropped to 200ha two years ago,
then to 26ha last year.―I stopped growing rice on one farm because we had two years where we
were really badly affected by ducks, because when the rice is young they eat the seedlings,‖ he
said.He expected to increase rice plantings next year.SunRice said harvest should be completed
by the end of this month.
Gov’t requests to double rice exports to China
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The Ministry of Commerce is working with its Chinese counterparts to renew a rice trade
agreement, which will likely expire this month, and has requested to double the existing
100,000-tonne quota of rice Cambodia is currently able to export to China, a ministry spokesman
said yesterday.Minister Sun Chanthol, in a letter to the vice minister at the Chinese Ministry of
Commerce, has asked for the rise in rice export quota for the period of May 2015 to April2016.
The letter comes off the back of the successful implementation of the current 12-month quota
ahead of time. Cambodia had signed a one-year agreement last August to export 100,000 tonnes
of rice to China.―The letter seeks support to increase the quota to 200,000 tonnes between China
National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) and[Cambodia] state-owned
Green TRADE COMPANY ,‖ said Ken Ratha, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce.
Ratha said the two governments have a close relationship and that the ministry will leverage the
successful implementation of the current quota to have it raised. He added that extending the agreement is
key to increasing and diversifying the Kingdom‘s rice export destinations.―I think it is important to open
up the market and we will try to increase the volume of exports,‖ Ratha said.―We will keep going with the
relationship and another MoU with the Chinese.‖China, in the past, had expressed concerns over the
quality and hygiene standards of Cambodian agricultural products, but Ratha said the ministry had
received no complaints from the Chinese government and that the agreement has been a―good
achievement‖.
Song Saran, CEO of AMRU Rice Co, said it was important to extend the agreement as China, along with
Malaysia, are now Cambodia‘s biggest rice export destinations in Asia. But, he said Cambodia would
need to up its procurement to meet the added demand, as well as maintain quality standards,―Cambodia
needs to find the good quality rice and supply China what China needs,‖ Saran said.He added that
diversifying export destinations, are critical to―transforming Cambodia‘s rice industry‖.―It is very, very
important to renew the MoU with China, otherwise we will not reach the one million tonnes target,‖ he
said.David Van, advisor to the Cambodia Rice Federation, told the Post on Sunday that the CRF has
appealed to the minister of commerce to let them act as signatory during the next round of quota
negotiations, instead of Green Trade, citing other food organisations that are in charge of similar
arrangements.
―TREA in Thailand and Vinafood have both managed directly any quota with China and CRF is
advocating for the same approach so that we could fairly and transparently reallocate any quota obtained
among all CRF members accordingly,‖ said Van.Export figures released by the CRF last week, showed
that China was the biggest importer of Cambodian rice, importing 36,081 tonnes of rice, followed by
Malaysia and France. Thanks largely to the boost in shipments to China, the Kingdom increased its
exports in March to 75,867 tonnes, doubling the 37,676 tonnes produced in February.
PHNOMPENH POST
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APEDA NEWS:
International Benchmark Price
Price on: 07-04-2015
Product Benchmark Indicators Name Price
Garlic
1 Chinese first grade granules, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 2100
2 Chinese Grade A dehydrated flakes, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 2000
3 Chinese powdered, CFR NW Europe (USD/t) 1800
Ginger
1 Chinese sliced, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 4600
2 Chinese whole, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 5100
3 Indian Cochin, CIF NW Europe (USD/t) 3000
Guar Gum Powder
1 Indian 100 mesh 3500 cps, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 4170
2 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps basis, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 1590
3 Indian 200 mesh 3500 cps technical grade, FOB Kandla (USD/t) 3625
Source:agra-net For more info
Market Watch
Commodity-wise, Market-wise Daily Price on 06-04-2015
Domestic Prices Unit Price : Rs per Qty
Product Market Center Variety Min Price Max Price
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Jowar(Sorgham)
1 Amreli (Gujarat) Other 1205 3515
2 Theni (Tamil Nadu) Other 1280 1360
3 Pitlam (Telangana) Local 1200 1300
Maize
1 Amirgadh (Gujarat) Other 1430 1430
2 Koraput (Assam ) Other 1310 1330
3 Deoli(Rajasthan) Other 1350 1480
Pine Apple
1 Harippad (Kerala) Other 2500 2500
2 Sirhind(Punjab) Other 2000 3000
3 Nagpur(Maharashtra) Other 1000 3100
Brinjal
1 Chala (Kerala) Other 1700 1750
2 Banki (Orissa) Other 2800 3000
3 Sirhind(Punjab) Other 1000 1400
Source:agra-net For more info
Egg Rs per 100 No
Price on 06-04-2015
Product Market Center Price
1 Ahmedabad 272
2 Chittoor 278
3 Hyderabad 232
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Source: e2necc.com
Other International Prices Unit Price : US$ per
package
Price on 06-04-2015
Product Market Center Origin Variety Low High
Onions Dry Package:50 lb sacks
1 Atlanta Washington Yellow 14 17
2 Baltimore Mexico Yellow 15 16
3 Detroit Nevada Yellow 15 15.50
Carrots Package: 20 1-lb film bags
1 Atlanta California Baby Peeled 18.50 21
2 Chicago California Baby Peeled 17 17.50
3 Dallas Arizona Baby Peeled 17.75 18
Grapes Package: 18 lb containers bagged
1 Atlanta Chile Red Globe 27 27.50
2 Baltimore Peru Red Globe 23 23
3 Chicago Peru Red Globe 18.50 22
Source:USDA
15-member Reap delegation leaves for Malaysia
April 07, 2015
RECORDER REPORT
A 15-member trade delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) headed by it
chairman Rafique Suleman proceeded to Malaysia and Phillippine. During the three days (April
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6 to 8) visit to Malaysia, the delegation will have meetings with Minister of Agriculture & Agro-
Based Industry, government of Malaysia, officials of BERNAS, trade body of Malaysia, as well
as officials of various chambers, such as Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce (ACCCIM),
Kuala Lumpur Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce (KLSICCI), Jasmine Food Corporation
and Syarikat Faiza.
Reap will also hold a biryani festival during the visit to Malaysia. In the second phase, the
delegation will visit Philippine from April 9 to 11 and will have meetings with the officials of
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), National Food Authority (NFA) as well as officials
of Philippines Chambers of Commerce & Industry (PCCI). Rafique Suleman has thanked Trade
Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), officials of Pakistani High Commission in
Malaysia and Philippine for the excellent support and wonderful arrangements for the visit. He is
hopeful that this visit will produce fruitful results for the betterment of rice exports from Pakistan
and Pakistan will get a very handsome market share of both the countries. http://www.brecorder.com/agriculture-a-allied/183/1169784/
Iran Deal Roils Waters for Indian Commodity Exporters
Posted Editors on April 7th, 2015
By Biman Mukherji
A worker carries sacks of rice on his head at a Vichi Agro Products Pvt warehouse at a market in
Mumbai, India, Dec. 13, 2014. Iran is a top buyer of basmati rice from India. DHIRAJ
SINGH/BLOOMBERG NEWS
The prospect of a phased-in lifting of Western sanctions against Iran raised by last
week‘s preliminary nuclear agreement with Tehran has created uncertainty over the
fate of an oil-for-goods barter agreement involving rice, soymeal and other
products.Iran has been India‘s leading buyer of high-grade basmati rice and
soymeal, which has partly been helped because of the barter deal. That deal evolved as a means
for India to keep importing Iranian oil and pay for it in a way that would circumvent trade and
financial restrictions on Tehran.―We will have to wait and see,‖ said Arun Kumar Sampath
Kumar, an analyst with Frost & Sullivan. He said the situation could become learer after June 30
once the details of the nuclear deal between Iran and six Western powers are worked out.
If sanctions were lifted on Iran, it is likely to become easier for the nation to conduct trade for
crude based on dollar payments. However, any agreement with India will have to be negotiated
separately, as New Delhi has been eager to conserve precious dollars.For the year ended March
31, India‘s rice exports dropped about 5% to 10 million metric tons, according to Rajan
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Sundaresan, executive director of All India Rice Exporters Association. He said lower purchases
by Iran, which has raised quality objections, were a large contributor to the fall.
.
Source: Iran Deal Roils Waters for Indian Commodity Exporters
Pakistan, Sri Lanka to increase bilateral trade to 1 bln USD Source:Xinhua Published: 2015-4-6 22:21:00
Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Monday agreed to increase annual bilateral trade volume to over one billion
US dollars from the present 460 million US dollars and to boost cooperation in various fields, Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said.Prime Minister Sharif and
President Sirisena were speaking at a joint news conference after holding official talks in Islamabad and
witnessing the signing of six agreements.The Sri Lankan President arrived in Islamabad on Sunday on his
first state visit to Pakistan since he assumed office in January.Nawaz Sharif said the agreements are aimed
at enhancing mutual cooperation in the fields of shipping, tourism, economic development, anti-narcotics,
disaster management and sports.
"These agreements will pave way for further expanding bilateral ties," the prime minister said.Cement,
sugar, cotton and basmati rice are the main Pakistani exports to Sri Lanka while Sri Lanka exports spices,
particularly black pepper, betel leaf, coconut and coconut byproducts, lentils and rubber to Pakistan.The
prime minister said both countries have similar view on almost all regional and international issues."We
also discussed cooperation in the field of defense besides other sectors,"Sharif said while speaking along
with the Sri Lankan President.He said Pakistan intends to maintain good relations with all neighboring
countries and give special priority to promote ties with Sri Lanka.
In his remarks, Sri Lankan President said his country intends to further increase trade volume with
Pakistan besides intensifying mutual cooperation for the benefit of people of both countries."We need to
further enhance people to people contact and joint research activities in various fields with Pakistan," he
said. He also invited Pakistan national carrier PIA to resume its flights for Colombo.The Sri Lankan
President expressed profound gratitude to Pakistan for extending support to eliminate terrorism from his
country.He invited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to visit Colombo for further cementing Pak-Sri Lanka
relations.
Posted in: Diplomatic Channel
USA Rice Uses Government Programs to Amplify Message,
Expand Export Markets
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Ghana promote that U.S. rice
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today the Federal
Register announced that the Commodity
Credit Corporation is inviting proposals for
the FY2016 Market Access (MAP), Foreign
Market Development (FMD), and Emerging
Market Programs. These cost-share programs
help expand commercial export markets for
American products and typically contribute a
significant portion of the USA Rice
Federation's international promotion budget.
"In the current fiscal year, USA Rice received
$4.2 million in MAP and FMD funds that enable us to conduct important marketing and promotional
work for all types and forms of U.S. rice in more than 30 countries," said USA Rice Vice President of
International Promotion Jim Guinn. "We can clearly demonstrate our successful trade servicing and
market promotion programs using the current funding, and will build on this as we submit a new
application for FY2016." Each year's allocation is the result of a competitive review of past program
performance and industry support for the promotion programs.
Approximately 90 cooperator groups compete for MAP/FMD funds, with new cooperator groups being
added each year.USA Rice's proposal, which is typically about 300 pages, is due by June 8, 2015. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture expects to award funds in October 2015."With the support of these
Foreign Ag Service (FAS) market development programs, U.S. agricultural exports last fiscal year
reached a record $152.5 billion. Those exports supported more than one million high-quality, good-
paying U.S. jobs" said FAS Administrator Phil Karsting.
Contact: Sarah Moran (703) 236-1457
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 7
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
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CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for April 7
Month Price Net Change
May 2015 $10.680 - $0.145
July 2015 $10.935 - $0.115
September 2015 $11.140 - $0.070
November 2015 $11.340 - $0.055
January 2016 $11.555 - $0.050
March 2016 $11.605 - $0.050
May 2016 $11.605 - $0.050
USA Rice Federation
New coconut rice cooking method claims to slash kilojoules
by Cathy Johnson
Cooking white rice with coconut oil and then cooling it in the fridge has been found to
drastically cut the kilojoules it contains and make your gut healthier, researchers told a recent
US scientific meeting.
ISTOCKPHOTO | ELENATHEWISE
A new rice cooking method, which could cut its kilojoules by as much as half, was one of the
sexier topics presented at a recent meeting of chemistry experts.The paper combined the hot
topics of carbohydrates (in this case, rice), coconut oil (touted by celebrities and others as a
miracle fat that can do everything from control sugar cravings to boost your immunity),gut
bacteria (the microbes in our intestines that are increasingly recognised as important in
preventing disease) and weight loss. (It also touched on food poisoning and flatulence.)
The new method involves adding a touch of coconut oil to rice (around a teaspoon for half a
cup of rice), which you then cook as you normally would, before cooling in the refrigerator for
about 12 hours.The cooking and cooling together increase the amount of a type of indigestible
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starch in the rice known as resistant starch.Since the body can't break down and absorb the
energy from resistant starch, you end up with low-cal rice. "If the best rice variety is
processed, we might reduce the calories by as much as 50 to 60 per cent", predicts team leader
Sudhair James, from the College of Chemical Sciences in Sri Lanka.
A healthy gut reaction
The researchers say people should be able to replicate the process at home, although the
results might vary depending on the type of rice used. Reheating the rice doesn't mean you
will lose the resistant starch (although you will need to take care to ensure you avoid food
poisoning).Rice with more resistant starch is healthier because this type of starch nourishes
good bacteria in the large intestine, keeping the gut healthy and reducing the risk of bowel
cancer. But be warned, these bacteria have the perhaps unwelcome side effect of producing
flatulence (farts).
Magic coconut oil?
Coconut oil was chosen largely because it is cheap and widely available in Sri Lanka, James
said.The oil enters the starch granules during cooking, changing their architecture so they are
no longer affected by digestive enzymes, he says. But it's possible other oils may work just as
well. They just haven't been tested yet.(For a summary of the limited scientific evidence
available on coconut's health effects in the body, see resources put together by the NZ Heart
Foundation (and supported by the Australian Heart Foundation) Coconut and the
heart, Evidence paper: Coconut oil and the heart and Q&A: Coconut oil and the heart)
Weight loss potential
Nutritionist Catherine Saxelby describes the research as "interesting" although very
preliminary.While the researchers say their work might ultimately result in a commercial
product sold as precooked low-cal rice ready to be reheated, Saxelby questions whether this
will have a major impact on weight loss."If you're eating rice twice a day every day and you
need to lose a bit of weight, then it is probably of interest," she says. However for most of us,
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white rice is not a major part of our daily food intake (and probably shouldn't be because it is
lower in nutrients than alternatives like brown rice or quinoa, she says).
In any case "it's still early days," she points out. "They've tested the rice, but they haven't
actually tested it on humans".Indeed the researchers themselves say more work is needed to
see if the changes they've seen have the expected effects on people's digestive
systems.Saxelby acknowledges most Australians eat less than a third of the amount of resistant
starch thought optimal for bowel health, but you can easily get more by eating legumes
(beans), uncooked oats, barley and whole grains.
Other ways to boost resistant starch
In Australia some grains with a higher resistant starch have already been incorporated into
breads and breakfast cereals sold in supermarkets for some years.But in these cases, the extra
resistant starch in the grains is a result of selective breeding.The final products are marketed
primarily for their health benefits and as easy ways to get children to eat more fibre without
them really noticing.It's also long been known that cold cooked potato (as in a potato salad)
has more resistant starch than hot cooked potatoes. The same phenomenon has been shown to
occur in cold cooked pasta.
A weapon to help fight obesity
The researchers' claim their cooking method has potential to reduce obesity rates, especially in
countries where rice is a staple.But Saxelby is sceptical, saying junk food and sedentary
lifestyles are a bigger contributor to obesity than rice.She admits though that there may be
some benefit for poorer communities where rice is a staple, and that rice with a higher
resistant starch content could be helpful in reducing the risk of diabetes.Resistant starch
reduces the rise in glucose after eating that has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes
(and which is problematic for those who already have diabetes). Several studies had suggested
eating a lot of white rice raises diabetes risk, she says.
Food poisoning warning
If you want to avoid food poisoning from eating pre-cooked rice, there are a few things you
need to keep in mind:
Cooked rice should be cooled quickly and not left at room temperature.
It should not be kept for more than three days in the fridge.
It needs to be reheated very thoroughly.
Cooked rice should never be reheated more than once.
For more info on the potential for rice to cause food poisoning see: Will cooked rice give
you food poisoning if it's not stored in the fridge?
The computer smaller than a grain of rice: Tiny PC could
invisibly monitor you and your home
Michigan Micro Mote is a complete computer system less that 5mm across
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Contains solar cells that power the battery with ambient light
Can be equipped with cameras, temperature and pressure sensors
By MARK PRIGG FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 20:39 GMT, 7 April 2015 | UPDATED: 20:52 GMT, 7 April 2015
It is the smallest computer in the world - and 150 of them can fit in a thimble.Called
the Michigan Micro Mote, to tiny technology is a complete computer system.Its inventors say it
can act as a smart sensor, and give everyday objects computing capabilities. +3
The Michigan Micro Mote is the smallest computer in the world, measuring less than 2mm across.
HOW IT WORKS
The Michigan Micro Mote contains solar cells
that power the battery with ambient light,
including indoor rooms with no natural sunlight,
allowing the computers to run perpetually.This
line of 'smart dust' devices includes computers
equipped with imagers (with motion detection),
temperature sensors, and pressure sensors. By
strobing light at a high frequency, the operator is
able to send information to the computer. Once
the Micro Mote processes the data, it is able to
send the information to a central computer via
conventional radio frequencies.
The Michigan Micro Mote is the first complete,
operational computer system measuring as small as two millimeters across. 'To be 'complete,' a
computer system must have an input of data, the ability
to process that data - meaning process and store it,
make decisions about what to do next – and ultimately,
the ability to output the data.' Professor David Blaauw
explained. 'The sensors are the input and the radios are
the output. The other key to being a complete computer
is the ability to supply its own power.'
The Michigan Micro Mote contains solar cells that
power the battery with ambient light, including indoor
rooms with no natural sunlight, allowing the computers to run perpetually.This line of 'smart
dust' devices includes computers equipped with imagers (with motion detection), temperature
sensors, and pressure sensors. They are the culmination of work initiated by Blaauw and
Sylvester on very low-power processing for millimeter-scale systems. A key breakthrough in the
size/power matchup came with the Phoenix processor in 2008.The Phoenix processor is
miniscule at 915 x 915µm2, and boasts ultra-low operating voltage and a unique standby mode
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that results in an average power consumption of only 500pW. (Consider that 1pW is the average
power consumption of a single human cell.)
Blaauw explained why Phoenix's extreme
energy efficiency is so important: 'As you
shrink down in size, the percentage of the
system tends to be dominated by the
battery. 'It's actually not hard to make chips
small, but it is hard to make them low
power. 'We could have very small chips, but
we'd still end up with really large
batteries.'This line of 'smart dust' devices
includes computers equipped with imagers (with motion detection), temperature sensors, and
pressure sensors.ne key application for this line of smart sensors lies in personal security and
information, its inventors say.
The solar system allows the computer to
work under indoor lights without ever having
to be charged.'With a 1mm2 solar cell
producing 20nW, the device can harvest
enough energy under ambient light to run
perpetually,' the team say.The device's standby
power consumption is 2nA. That's about a
million times less power than the average
mobile phone consumes while on standby, or
the comparative difference between the thickness of a sheet of paper and the length of a football
field.There are currently three different systems in the M3 family, focusing on several different
applications: sensing temperature, pressure, and taking images.'Down the road we want these
sensors to be able to talk to one another,' says Blaauw, 'and we're currently working to extend
their range to about 20m.'
+3The working computer is smaller than a
grain of rice programmed and charged via
light and could be used for a variety of
medical and industrial purposes.One key
application for this line of smart sensors lies
in personal security and
information.Numerous specks of technology
could be discretely placed to invisibly
monitor a home, business, or personal
device.'We found that a lot of people were
very interested in these devices, and that's
why we went with the modular or stacked approach.' Blaauw explained. 'It's the key aspect of our design.
If you need a different sensing modality you take out one sensor and replace it with another - like mix and
match tinker toys.'
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