5th May, 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

5
th
May , 2014

TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU
Latest News Headlines
Water-saving technology can mitigate effects of El Nio on
rice farming
Sake boom revives vintage rice strains
Drought Reduces Rice Crops, Raises Prices
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC & Open Market-May 5
PHL Asias fastest rice producerDA
California Rice Commission Brings Water I ssues into Focus
Crop Progress: 2014 Crop 57 Percent Planted
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
Call to reopen rice cargo return case
Formalise trade in rice seeds between I ndia & Bangladesh:
Study
Farmers despair of ever being paid for rice
BAAC to seek B186bn budget for populist policy repayment
Rice may be range-bound over the next few days
NACC 'won't rush' rice scheme probe

News Detail
Water-saving technology can mitigate effects of El Nio on rice farming
May 3, 2014 4:54am

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

With an El Nio episode and its effect of low rainfall expected to begin by June or July, rice farmers may find
themselves struggling to plant and harvest crops given that rice is cultivated in continuously flooded fields. The
effects of El Nio can be devastating. According to Department of Agriculture figures, the 1998 El
Nio affected almost 74,000 hectares of agricultural lands in 18 provinces. The countrys rice and corn
production during the first half of 1998 went down by 27% and 44%, respectively.Fortunately, the International
Rice Research Institute has a simple technique, labeled Alternate Wetting and Drying, which can mitigate the
effects of the El Nio .
The concept is straightforward. A farmer can opt to dry out his field occasionally, as long as the water content
in the soil is still enough for the rice crops alive.All he needs is a plastic or bamboo pipe 40 cms. in length and
15 cms. in diameter with drilled holes. This will serve as a measuring tool of the water content in a farmer's
field.The farmer sinks the pipe into his unflooded rice field until only half protrudes above the soil. When the
water level inside the pipe drops to 15 cms. below ground level, this means the field is ready to be re-
flooded.By means of this cycle of alternate low-level flooding and drying out the field, water requirements can
be reduced by up to 30 percent, with no yield reduction, according to an IRRI fact sheet published in February
2013.As of February last year, more than 100,000 farmers in the Philippines have adopted AWD, which has
also reduced conflicts over water in shared canal irrigation systems. Kim Luces/DVM, GMA News
Published: May 4, 2014 3:00 a.m.
Sake boom revives vintage rice strains
Aya Takada | Bloomberg News
TOKYO Farmers on Japans west coast will sow Nihonbare rice this year for the first time in a decade as
growers around the country return to older varieties to meet demand for record sake exports.Overseas shipments
of the traditional rice-based alcohol reached an all-time high of 8.5 billion yen ($80 million) in the 10 months
through October as they headed for a fourth annual gain, the latest data from the Agriculture Ministry show.
Farmers from Echizen in the west will produce 1,080 metric tons in 2014, the JA-Echizen Takefu agricultural
cooperative said.Suppliers to brewers are increasing acreage as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe targets a fivefold
increase in exports of sake, rice crackers and other products made from the grain to 60 billion yen by 2020.
Thats a boon for brewers including Takara Holdings Inc. and an opportunity for some farmers to switch from
food rice as consumption falls in Japan amid more varied diets.


Sake producers have become ever more aware
of the importance of rice quality, said
Shunsuke Kohiyama, an export adviser at the
Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.
They approach this like wineries in France
getting the best grapes.Nihonbare was the
most popular rice for eating in Japan until the
1970s, when it was overtaken by the sweeter
and stickier Koshihikari grain. Brewers still
favor the strain for its low protein count to
produce dry-tasting sake.Its high-yielding and
will help boost incomes, said Sadahiko Yasui,
assistant director at the cooperative.
Nihonbare also shows resistance to high
temperatures and typhoons, and is relatively
easy to cultivate.In Abes home prefecture of
Yamaguchi, Asahishuzo Co. is increasing production of top-grade daiginjo sake using Yamadanishiki rice,
another vintage strain, said Kazuhiro Sakurai, the brewers executive vice president.
Asahishuzo prizes Yamadanishiki for its large grain and condensed starch core and used 2,400 tons last year to
brew aromatic and clean sake, according to Sakurai.Abe offered the closely held companys Dassai-labelled
sake to French President Francois Hollande when he visited Tokyo in June and to Russias Vladimir Putin on
his 61st birthday.Output of Yamadanishiki in Hyogo prefecture, where the variety was developed 90 years ago,
increased to 15,796 tons in 2012 from 15,227 tons in 2011, according to the local government.Sake exports to
the U.S. reached 3.2 billion yen, or 38 percent of the total shipments of the alcohol, in the 10 months through
October, data from the Agriculture Ministry show. Sales to the American market for all of 2012 were 3.25
billion yen.Sales overseas are increasing with the popularity of Japanese food, said Tomoko Sakaguchi, a
spokeswoman for the sake unit of Takara Holdings.Takara is the biggest seller of sake in overseas markets,
where it shipped about 7.3 million liters (1.9 million gallons) from its breweries at home and abroad in 2012,
Sakaguchi said.

Image: Exports of sake from Japan have grown, causing rice farmer to grow vintage grains.

Drought Reduces Rice Crops, Raises Prices

Friday, May 2, 2014
Amy Quinton, Capital Public Radio


Californias drought is expected to have a dramatic effect on rice production. The state supplies virtually all of
the nations sushi rice and half of it is exported. Economists say of all the food crops in California, rice is likely
to be affected by the drought the most, and the mere speculation of losses is already driving up
prices.California's drought may drive up the price of rice and affect the state's export of the grain.At Montna
Farms near Yuba City, huge drag scrapers level a rice field in preparation for planting.
The rice grown in the Sacramento Valley is primarily medium grain rice. Nicole Van Vleck with Montna Farms
says the high gluten sticky rice is perfect for sushi.If youre eating sushi rice in New York, or in Florida or San
Francisco youre most likely undoubtedly going to be eating California rice, which we refer to as Calrose," she
said.Van Vleck stands next to a water pump thats flooding the field behind her.So this is water thats coming
from the Feather River and the Feather is just to the east of us, we divert out of the Feather," she said.Northern
California farmers typically have plenty of water compared to those in the southern California, even during dry years.
They often profit by selling water to the south. But Dan Sumner, an agriculture economist at UC Davis says not this
year."This is the first time I know of that we cut back rice acreage because surface water allocations were cut so severely
to water districts north of Sacramento," he said.Montna Farms gets water for its 5,000 acres from several different water
districts, but Van Vleck says the change will mean a huge decrease in plantings.
Ive been here at Montna Farms for 20 years and its unlike anything Ive ever had to deal with, the uncertainty this year,
since the beginning of year, day to day things change, right now were looking, we are down 48 percent the mere
speculation of losses is already driving up prices over last year," he said.That figure is with the recent increase in
allocations made possible by spring rains. The California Rice Commission estimates that rice farmers will leave 100,000
acres, or about 20 percent, of their fields fallow. Van Vleck says medium-grain rice from California is a very thinly traded
commodity worldwide.If you have California being reduced and California does export about half of their crop and so if
California is affected because of the drought it all of a sudden changes the price of medium grain substantially," he said.
Dan Sumner says its already happened.Farmers were getting between $15 and $20 for a sack of rice, 100 pound sack of
rice, its now up in the range of $25 or $30 or more," he said.At Otos Marketplace in Sacramento the price shot up at the
beginning of the year. Russell Oto is the General Manager of the store which specializes in Asian foods. He says by the
time the increase trickles down to the customer, it will only be slight.A lot of the distributors and everybody went in
increments you dont see a big price raise all at one time, but by May or June it might go up a little bit more than what my
prices are now." he said.The economic impact may be felt more directly in other places.


Rice farmer Walt Trevathan says hell plant about 350 acres of rice on his farm in the Sacramento Valley. He usually
plants about 500. He says its enough to make it through the drought, but he worries about the effect on small
communities.Everybody thats raising less of anything its going to affect all the communities because theres always
that trickle down of how many times our dollars get multiplied through the communities and thats certainly you know,
less fertilizer, less fuel, less everything being used," he said.Rice dryers, rice mills and storage facilities, equipment
dealers all rely on the rice industry and all will be affected by the drought.
But what worries rice farmers the most is the possibility that California could see more dry years ahead.Again, Nichole
Van Vleck:We have this wonderful system of customers that count on us each and every year and I dont know that
theyll all be able to be serviced this year. Someone else will fill that void. You might not get the customer back, she
said.And economists say thats the danger. Suppliers need a reliable quantity of rice or theyll just go elsewhere. The
drought or future droughts may send a signal to the world market that California rice isnt reliable.
Nagpur Foodgrain Prices - APMC & Open Market-May 5
Mon May 5, 2014 2:14pm IST
Nagpur, May 5 (Reuters) - Gram and tuar prices in Nagpur Agriculture Produce and Marketing
Committee (APMC) firmed up here on increased demand from local millers amid thin supply from
producing regions. Notable rise on NCDEX in gram prices and weak overseas supply also boosted
prices, according to sources.

* * * *

FOODGRAINS & PULSES
GRAM
* Gram varieties reported sharp fall in open market here on lack of demand from local
traders amid profit-taking selling by stockists at higher level.

TUAR
* Tuar varieties reported down in open market in absence of buyers amid ample supply
from producing regions.

* Moong varieties suffered heavily in open market here on lack of demand from local
traders amid good supply from producing belts.

* In Akola, Tuar - 4,100-4,300, Tuar dal - 6,300-6,500, Udid at 6,100-6,500,
Udid Mogar (clean) - 7,200-7,700, Moong - 8,500-8,700, Moong Mogar
(clean) 10,000-10,800, Gram - 2,400-2,600, Gram Super best bold - 3,300-3,600
for 100 kg.


* Wheat, rice and other commodities remained steady in open market
in thin trading activity, according to sources.

Nagpur foodgrains APMC auction/open-market prices in rupees for 100 kg

FOODGRAINS Available prices Previous close
Gram Auction 2,360-2,700 2,300-2,700
Gram Pink Auction n.a. 2,100-2,600
Tuar Auction 3,850-4,360 3,800-4,310
Moong Auction n.a. 6,300-6,800
Udid Auction n.a. 4,300-4,500
Masoor Auction n.a. 2,600-2,800
Gram Super Best Bold 3,700-4,000 4,000-4,300
Gram Super Best n.a.
Gram Medium Best 3,550-3,650 3,850-3,950
Gram Dal Medium n.a. n.a.
Gram Mill Quality 3,300-3,450 3,500-3,650
Desi gram Raw 2,700-2,800 2,850-2,900
Gram Filter new 3,000-3,200 3,150-3,450
Gram Kabuli 8,900-10,800 8,900-10,800
Gram Pink 7,900-8,300 7,900-8,300
Tuar Fataka Best 6,500-6,700 6,800-7,000
Tuar Fataka Medium 6,300-6,400 6,600-6,700
Tuar Dal Best Phod 5,800-6,000 6,100-6,300
Tuar Dal Medium phod 5,400-5,700 5,700-6,000
Tuar Gavarani 4,300-4,400 4,550-4,650
Tuar Karnataka 4,600-4,700 4,750-4,850
Tuar Black 7,800-8,000 7,800-8,000
Masoor dal best 6,300-6,500 6,300-6,500
Masoor dal medium 6,000-6,150 6,000-6,150
Masoor n.a. n.a.
Moong Mogar bold 9,100-9,500 9,500-10,000
Moong Mogar Medium best 8,500-8,800 8,800-9,000
Moong dal super best 8,800-9,000 9,000-9,300
Moong dal Chilka 8,500-8,700 8,800-9,000
Moong Mill quality n.a. n.a.
Moong Chamki best 8,500-9,500 8,500-9,500
Udid Mogar Super best (100 INR/KG) 7,700-8,000 7,700-8,000
Udid Mogar Medium (100 INR/KG) 6,300-7,100 6,300-7,100
Udid Dal Black (100 INR/KG) 5,300-5,600 5,300-5,600
Batri dal (100 INR/KG) 4,700-6,000 4,700-6,000


Lakhodi dal (100 INR/kg) 3,050-3,150 3,050-3,150
Watana Dal (100 INR/KG) 3,350-3,450 3,350-3,450
Watana White (100 INR/KG) 3,400-3,500 3,400-3,500
Watana Green Best (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,200 4,900-5,200
Wheat 308 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800
Wheat Mill quality(100 INR/KG) 1,750-1,800 1,750-1,800
Wheat Filter (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,800 1,600-1,800
Wheat Lokwan best (100 INR/KG) 2,150-2,500 2,150-2,500
Wheat Lokwan medium (100 INR/KG) 1,850-2,000 1,850-2,000
Lokwan Hath Binar (100 INR/KG) n.a. n.a.
MP Sharbati Best (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,700 3,200-3,700
MP Sharbati Medium (100 INR/KG) 2,500-2,900 2,500-2,900
Wheat 147 (100 INR/KG) 1,600-1,700 1,600-1,700
Wheat Best (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,750 1,700-1,750
Rice BPT new(100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,900 2,700-2,900
Rice BPT old (100 INR/KG) 3,200-3,600 3,200-3,600
Rice Parmal (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,850 1,700-1,850
Rice Swarna old (100 INR/KG) 2,700-2,800 2,700-2,800
Rice Swarna new (100 INR/KG) 2,300-2,450 2,300-2,450
Rice HMT new (100 INR/KG) 3,900-4,200 3,900-4,200
Rice HMT old (100 INR/KG) 4,400-4,700 4,400-4,800
Rice HMT Shriram (100 INR/KG) 4,900-5,900 4,900-5,900
Rice Basmati best (100 INR/KG) 10,000-13,500 10,000-13,500
Rice Basmati Medium (100 INR/KG) 7,000-9,500 7,000-9,500
Rice Chinnor (100 INR/KG) 5,600-6,000 5,600-6,000
Rice Chinnor new (100 INR/KG) 5,100-5,600 5,100-5,600
Jowar Gavarani (100 INR/KG) 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,600
Jowar CH-5 (100 INR/KG) 1,700-1,800 1,700-1,800

WEATHER (NAGPUR)
Maximum temp. 39.4 degree Celsius (102.9 degree Fahrenheit), minimum temp.
24.9 degree Celsius (76.8 degree Fahrenheit)
Humidity: Highest - n.a., lowest - n.a.
Rainfall : nil
FORECAST: Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and Minimum temperature likely to be around 41 and 25
degree Celsius respectively.

Note: n.a.--not available

(For oils, transport costs are excluded from plant delivery prices, but included in market prices.)


PHL Asias fastest rice producerDA

Category: Agri-Commodities
04 May 2014
Written by Alladin S. Diega / Correspondent
DESPITE achieving only 97 percent of its rice self-sufficiency last year, the Philippines is now the Asias
fastest rice producer after registering a 2.71-percent improvement in milled rice production from 2010 to 2013
period, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said.Quoting a data from the World Market and Trade
of the US Department of Agriculture released last month, PhilRice said that from 9.77 million metric tons
(MMT) of milled rice recorded in 2011, production increased to 10.99 MMT last year.An attached agency of
the Department of Agriculture (DA), PhilRice said last week in a statement that with produce, the Philippines
surpassed major rice exporters including China and India, which showed an improvement of only 1.63 and
negative 5.10 percent, respectively.
PhilRice also noted, that Thailand, a leading rice exporter, posted a 0.20-percent improvement in rice mill
production of the same period.The Philippines, considered a key importer in the world rice trade, posted
imports that was maintained at 1.50 MMT during the last two years, Tom Slayton, former editor of The Rice
Trader publication was quoted by PhilRice, as saying.The Rice Trader is an international trade publication
dedicated to in-depth analysis of the global rice industry.The rice research agency also reported that Bangladesh
registered a 0.25-percent change difference in imports from 2011 to 2013, while China, although one of the
largest rice producers in the world, registered 0.10 percent.
Rice trade researchers Tin Htut Oo, Tim Maung Shwe, and Larry Wong was also quoted by PhilRice saying that
the increasing private sector efforts in integrating increasingly Association of Southeast Asian Nations-wide
modern farming and modern economic activities along agri-food supply chains and international trading
networks could and should be harnessed and leveraged to complement and supplement ongoing government
efforts [toward food security in Asia].Meanwhile, the US agriculture department reported in its recent market
outlook that US food and farm exports to the Philippines reached a record $2.4 billion in fiscal years 2013,
making it the United Statess 10th-largest agricultural export market.The report also noted that US agricultural
exports to the country have increased nearly 20 percent over the last two years, led by a surge in sales of
soybean meal, which grew 82 percent between 2011 and 2013.

California Rice Commission Brings Water Issues into Focus


SACRAMENTO, CA -- The California Rice Commission (CRC) has developed
an infographic to clearly and effectively communicate on water issues in the
state and where rice fits into the debate."It's our experience that there are a lot
of misunderstandings and misperceptions about water use in rice," said Jim
Morris, Communications Manager for the CRC. "Probably because water is so
visible in rice fields when compared with other crops. We wanted to take the
opportunity to put it all in perspective."And they do. According to the graphic,
the amount of water the state of California uses to keep the Sacramento Capitol
Mall green could be used to produce one million servings of rice.Morris said
the infographic was just one way they are communicating on this important
issue with their core audiences -- legislators, regulators, decision makers,
opinion leaders, the media, and the general public -- and he said initial reaction
to the infographic has been very positive, particularly on social media.

You can view the original CRC tweet and retweet it here.
https://twitter.com/RiceNews/status/458996890965934080/photo/1

Contact: Michael Klein, (703) 236-1458

Crop Progress: 2014 Crop 57 Percent Planted
WASHINGTON, DC -- Fifty-seven percent of the nation's 2014 rice acreage is planted, according to today's
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Crop Progress Report.
Rice Planted, Selected States
Week Ending
State
May 4,
2013
April 27,
2014
May 4,
2014
2009-2013
average
Percent
Arkansas 47 47 64 69
California 36 8 12 23
Louisiana 92 87 93 92


Mississippi 14 24 51 67
Missouri 62 45 55 63
Texas 97 79 85 94
Six States 53 45 57 65

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for May 2

Month Price Net Change
May 2014 $15.525 + $0.025
July 2014 $15.515 + $0.025
September 2014 $14.565 + $0.045
November 2014 $14.680 + $0.045
January 2015 $14.840 + $0.040
March 2015 $15.005 + $0.030
May 2015 $15.005 + $0.030


Call to reopen rice cargo return case
PPI
May 05, 2014

KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged SM Munir the chief executive
officer (CEO) of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to reopen the case of return of rice cargo
from Mexico and re-examine the matter threadbare to enable the rice exporters to again begin exports to this
handsome market.President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said Mexico suspended rice imports from Pakistan
following the detection of the Khapra beetle in some rice shipments from Pakistan. Around 3,000 tons of
Pakistan rice shipment was placed in quarantine and returned to Pakistan.The rice exporters pleaded that the
Mexican Port should return rice containers in which the khapra beetle was found and other containers should be
examined to check for contamination and if no contamination found should be accepted Unfortunately the
Pakistan Embassy did not help and paid no heed and behaved irresponsibly causing heavy losses to the
exporters.
It was expected by the exporters that the Pakistan embassy would intervene and get the matter resolved
judiciously but the officials did not bother to mitigate the problems of the exporters.The transit period from
Pakistan to Mexico is around 70 days and Pakistani rice had been properly fumigated to ward off khapra
beetle.Some rice exporters alleged that the American and Mexican lobbies wanted to prevent Pakistani rice
imports to Mexico because Pakistans rice is about $100 per ton cheaper than US rice. However, most of the US
rice that Mexico imports is paddy (rough) rice, milled by Mexicos domestic mills. Only the US and Brazil allow
exports of paddy rice, they added.

Pakistan has exported about 16,000 tons of rice to Mexico during January May 2013, up about 1,500%
compared to the same period last year. He said that the US is traditional rice supplier to Mexico and rice exports
from the US to Mexico during January May 2013 stood at around 30,000 tons. Mexico consumes around
850,000 tons of rice annually, and rice imports by Mexico are projected at around 730,000 tons (milled rice
equivalent) in 2013-14. The US accounts for over 90% of all rice imports by Mexico.Thaver urged the CEO
TDAP to investigate the matter thoroughly and ascertain the cause and find ways to regain the Mexican market.
The CEO TDAP could also obtain an explanation from the commercial attache in Mexico for not assisting the
exporters and also question the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) for their role in the adverse
situation.

The rice exporters expected that REAP managing committee members should have reached Mexico and
persuaded the embassy officials to accompany them to port authorities and carried out on the spot examination
of cargo to advocate the cause of the rice exporters.It is pertinent to note that the commercial attaches placed at
global destinations are duty bound to help the exporters and if they remain mere spectators in times of
difficulties then it is important that they are asked to explain the irresponsible behaviour and negligence.


Formalise trade in rice seeds between India & Bangladesh: Study
By PTI | 5 May, 2014, 05.02PM IST
India and Bangladesh need to formalise bilateral trade in rice seeds as local farmers on both side of the border
are using them for cultivation through illegal channels.ET SPECIAL:

NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh need to formalise
bilateral trade in rice seeds as local farmers on both side of
the border are using them for cultivation through illegal
channels, says a study. "At present, the cooperation between
India and Bangladesh in the area of rice seed is almost
negligible. Despite several instances of informal movement
of high yeilding variety (HYV) rice seed across the border,
formal trade is conspicuous by its absence," said the Cuts
International study. The availability and accessibility of rice
seeds can be significantly improved through cooperation
between the two countries, it said. Currently, HYV rice
seeds can be imported only for trial purposes and the quantity of import is limited.

Lack of harmonisation in seeds laws, policies, regulation and standards besides the issues related to intellectual
property rights are key trade barriers between the two nations. The study said: "The issue of timely availability
and accessibility of HYV rice seeds persists. This leads to informal flow of substantial quantity of HYV seeds."
Some of Bangladeshi varieties of rice seeds popular on the Indian side are - Br-11, BRRI Dhan-28 and BRRI
Dhan-29. The Indian rice seeds varieties popular in Bangladesh are - Swarna (including Guti and Sada), Parijat,
Somsor, Swampa and Mamum among others, it said. The certified rice seeds of Swarna and Miniket variety
from India are sold to the farmers in the informal market at Bangladeshi Taka (Tk) 60 per kg, where they are
being bought from India at half the amount Tk 30 per kg, it added.

The study observed that on both the countries, the public sector is dominant in supplying HYV rice seeds and
due to inefficiencies prevailing in the public bodies, the supply falls short of the total demand leaving a gap to
be either filled by farmers' saved seeds or informal flow within and across the border. To improve availability
and accessibility, the study suggested that there is a need to identify and test HYV rice seed available in one or
both the countries that could be adaptable in the two countries. If a particular rice seed variety is found useful,
allow it for commercial cultivation in one or both the countries. That apart, there is also a need for collaboration
in research activities, harmonisation of seed laws and regulations, it added. India, the world's second biggest
producer, is estimated to harvest 106.19 million tonnes of rice in 2013-14 crop year (July-June).


Farmers despair of ever being paid for rice
Published: 4 May 2014 at 06.04 | Viewed: 776 | Comments: 1
Newspaper section: News
Writer: Patsara Jikkham
Farmers say they are giving up hope of ever receiving long-overdue payments from the government's rice-
pledging scheme.A group of rice growers spoke yesterday of their despair during their months-long rally on
Chaeng Watthana Road against the caretaker government, saying they have little faith in an earlier promise by
the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) to settle the huge debts within a year.
The government owes farmers about 90 billion baht for rice pledged under the 2013/14 crop season which
ended in February.The government cannot acquire enough money to pay us because of its caretaker status,
said Rawee Rungruang, leader of a network of farmers from western and lower northern provinces.The
government must take responsibility by resigning, which would pave the way for a new government to step in
and raise money for farmers, he said.Mr Rawee said farmers spend 5,000 baht to produce one tonne of rice, but
fetch only about 5,500 baht from millers.Despite the government offering 15,000 baht per tonne about 40%-
50% above market price for grain under its pledging scheme, Mr Rawee said the programme is riddled with
problems."Many growers claim there is huge corruption, and that few benefits go to farmers who join the
scheme," said Kittisak Rattanawaraha, a leader of farmers from the North.
The 15,000-baht offer is generous, but such spending cannot avoid causing a detrimental impact on state
coffers, he said.Buai Duangdet, a farmer from Kanchanaburi's Phanom Thuan district, said the programme
could be beneficial if it were free from graft, but she has nothing to do now except wait for the money owed to
her and attempt to raise enough cash to plant a new harvest.We have no idea what to do about another career,
Mr Rawee said.
BAAC to seek B186bn budget for populist policy repayment
Published: 5 May 2014 at 00.58 | Viewed: 1,582 | Comments: 1
Newspaper section: Business
Writer: Wichit Chantanusornsiri
The state-owned Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is poised to request a 186-billion-
baht budget from the new administration for the 2015 fiscal year to compensate for losses incurred from all
populist policies of previous governments, its chief says. Of the total, 150 billion baht will be used to repay the
Yingluck Shinawatra administration's rice-pledging scheme, 30 billion is for the Abhisit Vejjajiva government's


farmer income guarantee scheme and the remainder is for other populist projects including the debt suspension
for farmers initiated by ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The farmer's bank only expects to receive half that amount, as was the case with the 2014 fiscal budget, said
president Luck Wajananawat.Even though 2015 fiscal budget approval is highly likely be delayed for months
due to the absence of a functioning government, it should not affect the bank's liquidity, which now has a
surplus of around 200 billion baht, he said.The fiscal year runs from Oct 1 to Sept 30.A source at the bank said
the rice pledging scheme has created the most losses of all the populist policies sponsored by previous
administrations.Before the Yingluck Shinawatra government took the helm in the third quarter of 2011, the debt
burden from the previous government's rice intervention programmes amounted to 130 billion baht, but that
burden has declined as the Yingluck administration took most of the budget for the rice pledging scheme
.For fiscal year 2014, the government approved an 82-billion-baht budget to pay the debt for populist policies
managed by the BAAC, 62 billion of which was used to pay debt incurred from the rice pledging scheme
alone.Unlike rice subsidies in the past, the rice pledging scheme, the main campaign promise that helped sweep
Ms Yingluck to power, saw the government buy every single grain at the pledged prices, which were 40-50%
higher than market prices. The grain was then hoarded in warehouses in the hope that global prices would
increase significantly when a large supply was removed from the market. But a glut of rice from other
producers saw that strategy spectacularly backfire.The Yingluck government has spent over 800 billion baht to
fund its pledging programme since it began in October 2011, and it is still keeping its lips shut on the scheme's
official losses.Recently a subcommittee overseeing the accounting for the pledging scheme, led by Finance
Ministry deputy permanent secretary Supa Piyajitti, said that losses from the scheme for the three crops through
the 2012-2013 main crop amounted to 220 billion baht and could reach 400 billion baht if the two crops through
the 2013-2014 main crop are included. The Yingluck government is months behind in its pledging payments to
farmers for the 2013-2014 main crop. The caretaker government has limited borrowing authority so it does not
run up a big debt for the next government, while rice sales by the Commerce Ministry were insufficient to pay
for the pledges.As of April 29, some 99.5 billion baht had been paid to farmers, leaving 100 billion baht unpaid.
Rice may be range-bound over the next few days
Karnal, May 5:
After witnessing a downtrend last weekend, Pusa-1121 rice managed to maintain its previous price level, while
other aromatic and non-basmati varieties continued to rule flat on Monday.Tara Chand Sharma, proprietor of
Tara Chand and Sons, told Business Line that prices of aromatic and non-basmati rice varieties are ruling almost
unchanged. The market is moving at a snails pace. Not only the buyers but sellers are also inactive in the
market currently, he said.According to the trade experts, the market may continue to witness a range-bound
trend even in the coming days.
In the physical market, Pusa-1121 (steam) was sold at 9,200 a quintal, while Pusa-1121 (sela) was quoted at
8,000 a quintal. Pure Basmati (raw) was quoted at 12,450 a quintal.


Duplicate basmati (steam) was sold at 7,500 a quintal. Pusa-1121 (second wand) was sold at 7,350; Tibar at
6,400, and Dubar at 5,400 a quintal.
In the non basmati section, Sharbati (Steam) sold at Rs 4,850 while Sharbati (Sela) quoted at Rs 4,300 a quintal.
Permal (raw) sold at Rs 2,350 a quintal, Permal (sela) at Rs 2,320 a quintal, PR-11 (sela) sold at Rs 2,725 while
PR-11 (Raw) at Rs 2,700 a quintal.
PR14 (steam) sold at Rs 2,900 a quintal.
(This article was published on May 5, 2014)
NACC 'won't rush' rice scheme probe
Published: 3 May 2014 at 06.04 | Viewed: 1,036 |
Newspaper section: News
Writer: Penchan Charoensuthipan and King-oua Laohong
National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) member Vicha Mahakun has promised the NACC will not rush
its probe into caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's role in the rice-pledging scheme. The high-profile
case has far-reaching implications and the commission needs to study the details carefully, he said.The anti-
graft agency was still waiting for the conclusions from its panel investigating the case, said Mr Vicha, who led
the sub-panel which conducted the preliminary inquiry.Ms Yingluck was charged with dereliction of duty by
the NACC in January for allegedly failing to deal with corruption in the subsidy scheme.If the NACC
recommends Ms Yingluck for indictment in the Supreme Courts Criminal Division for Holders of Political
Positions and impeachment by the Senate, she will immediately be suspended from her duties as prime
minister.Mr Vicha said the NACC was in the process of summing up its findings, but stressed it must exercise
the utmost prudence to ensure the investigation is complete and based on the facts.He said the NACC must
examine the evidence closely to avoid criticism."We are not in the business of passing judgement on the politics
of things," Mr Vicha said. "We don't feel we're meddling in politics and so we have no concerns.
"Also yesterday, Bancha Porameesanaporn, one of the lawyers representing Ms Yingluck in the rice-pledging
case, denied accusations that he had threatened the NACC.On Tuesday, Mr Bancha said the NACC's decision
not to allow seven witnesses to testify in Ms Yingluck's defence was unfair and improper. He threatened to sue
the NACC members for abuse of authority, saying his team of lawyers was gathering evidence against them.He
said yesterday he had every right to protect Ms Yingluck's interests and the fact he was mulling legal action
against the NACC should not be deemed as a threat.The NACC kept reiterating that 2 million tonnes of rice
under the pledging scheme were unaccounted for, and yet refused to hear evidence to the contrary, Mr Bancha
said. If the commission was confident it had done nothing wrong, it should not be "nervous", Mr Bancha added.

5th May, 2014 Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter by Riceplus Magazine

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