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TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU
Latest News Headlines

Govt mission to push premium Thai rice in Japan
Vietnam. Aprils rice exports fail to meet target
Thailand Rice Exporters Regain Status After Stockpiling Program Ends
Vietnam rice exports slump as Thailand takes over major markets
Joy of bumper paddy yield remains short-lived
Modified paddy cultivation method seems to hold better promise
Fuel Tax Credit Scheme vital to farmers
RGA rejects Commission of Audit recommendations
RGA welcomes new Minister to water portfolio
Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships - closing 30 June 2014
In Memory: Leroy Isbell
Vetter Committed to Enforcing Trade Rules
Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
Thailand Rice Exporters Regain Status
Costa Rican rice producers fight elimination of gov't-backed price controls [The Tico Times, San Jose,
Costa
News Detail
Govt mission to push premium Thai rice in Japan


TO PROMOTE exports of rice, particularly premium varieties, the Foreign Trade Department will send a mission to
Japan, targeting the high-end market.Promoting rice in Japan will increase opportunities for sales in one of the
highestpurchasing- power markets for Thai rice, director- general Surasak Riangkrul said yesterday.Thai rice, especially
jasmine rice, which is acknowledged for high nutrition and good quality, should get a better response in this market.The
Japanese are also known for being health-conscious.The mission will visit Tokyo from May 1519. Promotional activities
will be held at Yoyogi Park, where many Japanese, especially housewives, often go to relax.The department will promote
Thai rice directly to consumers so that they can understand how to cook it.

Unlike Japanese rice, which has short grains, Thai jasmine rice has long grains and requires less water for cooking.The
department will also stress the quality and nutritional value of Thai rice, as Japanese consumers are acutely aware of their
health and nutritional foods.Japan is the 10th-largest overseas market for Thai rice. Exports of the grain to Japan were up
6.25 per cent to US$37.63 million (Bt1.218 billion) last quarter after surging 26.8 per cent to $139.63 million last year.To
foster closer cooperation with Japan, the department will also meet with the agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister
during the trip.

Vietnam. Aprils rice exports fail to meet target
08.05.2014
Rice exports failed to meet the target of 700,000 tonnes for April due to a fall in most markets.
In April the Vietnam Food Association (VFA) said that 60 percent of rice exports were destined for China, and shipments to China
rose by 51 percent.However, the total volume of rice fell in most markets, particularly in Africa, leading to the Vietnamese failure to
reach its monthly target, VFA said.In recent years, China has become the largest import market of Vietnamese rice due to increasing
demand and its close geographical proximity as a neighbour.Vietnam plans to ship abroad 6.2 million tonnes of rice in 2014,
excluding the amount transported over land via border gates with China, the association said.

Thailand Rice Exporters Regain Status After Stockpiling Program Ends
Thailand Is Poised to be the World's Second-Biggest Rice Exporter This Year

By ISABELLA STEGER
May 8, 2014 7:24 a.m. ET


Thailand's rice exports are recovering after the government ended its
controversial stockpiling policy. The country is poised to be the world's
second-biggest rice exporter this year, the Food and Agriculture Agency
predicted on Thursday.The United Nations body said in its biannual food
outlook that Thailand is now on track to export 8.7 million metric tons of
rice in 2014, putting it second to India, which the agency predicts will
hold the top spot at 9.5 million metric tons.Thailand lost its crown as the world's leading rice exporter in 2012
because of the government's rural income-support policy, which paid farmers above-market prices.
The program also left Thailand laden with huge stockpiles of rice and debts, and contributed to political turmoil. The
government suspended the program in February, which caused a resurgence of Thai rice sales into global
markets.Vietnam and Thailand both exported about 7 million metric tons of rice last year, according to the
FAO.Despite increased exports, Thailand's farm revenues are now crimped by lower international rice prices for
some grades. The FAO's latest rice-price data for April show that while rice prices on average were stable from the
previous month, benchmark Thai white 100% B rice plunged 5.1% from March.The FAO attributed this to
Thailand's failure to win a large Philippines' tender in April for 800,000 tons of rice. That tender was won by
Vietnamese companies.Darren Cooper, an analyst at the London-based International Grains Council, said that the
Philippines tender was a "barometer of the fortunes for Thai rice exporters."The FAO forecasts that production in the
region will drop marginally, by 0.5%, compared with the previous year.This fall is likely in part because of potential
climatic effects from the possible return of El Nio, but is also because of "less favorable price incentives." The FAO
predicted a 2% drop in rice planting and production in Thailand this year because of falling prices.Meanwhile, the
Vietnamese government is encouraging farmers to shift production away from rice to higher-yielding, more
profitable crops like maize and soybeans.
Write to Isabella Steger at isabella.steger@wsj.com

Image: A Thai farmer works on his rice field in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok. Reuters

Vietnam rice exports slump as Thailand takes over major markets

TUOITRENEWS
UPDATED : 05/08/2014 16:23 GMT + 7


Vietnams rice exports suffered drops in both volume and value in the first four months of this year in an
unusual development as many of their traditional markets have been taken over by Thailand, the Vietnam
Food Association (VFA) reported last week.
Last month the Southeast Asian country exported nearly 537,000 tons of rice of all kinds, raking in US$236.8
million in revenue, the VFA said in a report dated April 28.Export volume fell 7.32 percent compared to a month
earlier and was far below the target of 700,000 tons.This is an unusual development as April used to be a key month
for exports thanks to abundant supply from the winter-spring crop, the association remarked.The slump in April
made total exports in the first four months reach only 1.75 million tons, worth $765 million, an 18.17 percent
decrease in volume and 18.49 percent slip in value compared to the same period last year.

The VFA noted that most of the rice shipments last month were to China, which accounted for 60 percent of the total
volume.Malaysia and some African nations are among the traditional markets of Vietnams rice exporters, with
Africa being the second-largest market after China.But we have lost this major market to Thailand, the VFA said.
Malaysia has already purchased rice from Thailand to meet domestic demand for the whole year of 2014, while
Indonesia is not in demand of importing rice.

The Thais are selling rice at any cost to empty their huge
stockpiles, so it is impossible for Vietnam to compete,
VFA deputy chairman Pham Van Bay explained.Thailand
currently has massive stockpiles of 14 million to 17
million tons of unsold rice, according to the latest reports
by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.The only positive development
in the year to date is the contract to export 800,000 tons of
rice to the Philippines Vietnam won in a tender in mid-
April.The VFA forecast that Vietnams rice shipments will
top 6.2 million tons by the end of this year, excluding exports across the border with China.The main objective is to
export all of the rice purchased from local farmers, Bay said.

Image: Farmers harvest rice in a field in Can Tho City, located in southern Vietnam.
Joy of bumper paddy yield remains short-lived
The Hindu


Farmers are again at the receiving end due to delay in procuremen
The delight of getting a good paddy yield during the season was short-lived as the farmers had much difficulty
in selling their produce and the unprepared and short-staffed district administration failed to stop millers from
exploiting farmers in the district.Farmers cultivated paddy in more than 2 lakh hectares, highest in the recent
past and second only to Karimnagar in Telangana. Following heavy rains in October, the Agriculture
Department estimated that the farmers would take up paddy cultivation in more than 2 lakh hectares six months
ago. There is ample time to make arrangements for paddy procurement, but officials say that they could not
make arrangements properly as they had been caught up in election work.
Root of problem
Of the over 10 lakh tonnes of yield expected, the
millers procured 3.80 lakh tonnes, while 331
government procurement centres procured just over
1.50 lakh tonnes.Government agencies like IKP, Civil
Supplies Corporation, District Cooperative Marketing
Societies had to sell the paddy being procured by them
to millers, who were chosen by the district
administration. Here lies the whole problem.
Faulty machines?
The millers delay the unloading of paddy sent by
government agencies showing various reasons like
lack of porters, poor quality of paddy and others due to which the farmers are caught for 15 to 20 days in
government agencies set up markets.Speaking to The Hindu, Chileveru Chandraiah, a tenant farmer from
Lakshmipuram village of Thipparthy mandal, said that he had brought the paddy to the market 20 days ago, but
is yet to sell his produce.
Saying that many like him were spending days in the market, he said that this had encouraged his peers to
approach the millers directly where the paddy is purchased immediately and the purchase price is about Rs 100
less than MSP Rs 1,345 a quintal.The moisture content in the paddy is allowed up to 17 per cent, but the
moisture checking devices used by the millers are erratic which shows more than 17 per cent for even properly
dried up paddy.
case filed against miller
A farmer filed a case against a miller at Vemulapally police station during last kharif season as he caught the
miller using the faulty moisture checking machine.Most millers are accepting paddy having up to only 16 per
cent moisture, against the government stipulated 17 per cent and they cut the price of 1 kg at each point increase
in moisture in a 70-kg bag.
Rain damage


The short-staffed Legal Meteorology Department, with only five members on the staff, is not in a state to check
these machines as the district has just 270 rice mills.Meanwhile, all the government procurement agencies set
up markets in open lands in the neighbourhoods of villages due to which the paddy was swept away following
rain.These procurement centres do not have paddy tarpaulins to protect the harvested grain from rain. Adding to
the woes of the farmers, the millers and government agencies are refusing to purchase wet paddy.A farmer
leader from Valigonda, Kandala Bal Reddy, said that the loot of farmers is going on unabated due to a nexus
between millers, politicians and officials which has left the innocent farmers to suffer losses.
Modified paddy cultivation method seems to hold better promise

Rice, a major crop in Andhra Pradesh, is cultivated using water from borewells, tanks or open wells. Since the
crop grows in standing water ground water depletion is usually high especially during summer.In addition to the
water shortage, non-availability of labour on time is also increasing the cost of production, forcing farmers to
give up rice cultivation citing low productivity and high labour costs as reasons.
Different approach
A different look at newer production methods that are
relatively cost effective and use water more
productively becomes imperative against the backdrop
of the deepening water crisis and dwindling
productivity under the inundation method of rice
cultivation.SRI (systematic rice intensification) is a
proven methodology for comprehensively managing
resources changing the way land, seeds, water,
nutrients and human labour are used.But in present
times even SRI has some practical problems. The cono
weeder which is an important tool in the cultivation
practices is too heavy for pulling in the fields by the
farmers. The other problem area is transplanting the seedlings from the nursery to the main field, which is quite
labour intensive. With these in mind the Rashtiya Seva Samithi (Rass) Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Chittoor
district has slightly modified the practices using a fibre-bodied 8-rowed paddy seeder (drum seeder) for sowing
the seeds and modified the weeder in such a way that it runs between the space in (20 cm) between the two
paddy rows, says Mr. C.Manohar, Programme Coordinator at the institute.With the assistance of NABARD the
institute organised capacity building activities like training programmes on modified practices to create
awareness and motivate farmers to adopt the technology.
Field visits


Exposure visits and field days were organised to showcase the performance of the technology and finally to
disseminate the same among the farming communities in different parts of the district.About 60 eight-rowed
paddy seeders and 300 conoweeders were purchased and kept in the homes of master trainers in the villages and
at the office of the agricultural officer. Farmers who wanted to take up this cultivation could contact the
agricultural officer or facilitator for the drum seeder and weeder and return them after completion, says Mr.
Manohar.Timely availability of the drum seeders and weeders are an important step in this practice. Farmers
should be able to source the machines on time. That is why we have ensured that apart from the agriculture
office the machines are also available in their respective villages. Otherwise it becomes a problem for the
grower to get a good yield. Growers were also supplied with pre-emergence herbicide for weed management,
he adds.
The institute published a pamphlet on direct seeding technology in Telugu and distributed it to farmers to get
their feedback on this. Five facilitators were recruited in this project. In addition to this, KVK also trained ten
master trainers and their services were utilized for sowing, weed management etc in the project area.
Advisory services
Both facilitators and master trainers not only helped the farmers with modified technology but also provided
other advisory services like weather, pest and disease management, water management, weed management etc.
through the Kissan mobile service of the institute. We started the project during rabi 2010 season and completed
it in kharif 2013 season, says S. Sreenivasulu, subject matter specialist. Demonstrations of this modified SRI
method were conducted in 140 villages in the district. Results from the data of three previous years collected
showed that the average yield obtained in modified SRI method was 2,574 kg per acre, whereas it was 2,325 kg
in the traditional method. About 11 per cent yield increase was observed in the modified SRI method than in the
traditional method.
Another advantage
An additional advantage was reduction in cultivation cost. It is also observed that the cost of cultivation is
reduced by about Rs.4,000-5,000 per acre in this method due to skipping of practices like nursery raising and
manual transplanting. Duration of the crop is also reduced by 7-10 days in modified SRI method compared to
conventional practice.For more details interested farmers contact Mr. C.Manohar, Programme Coordinator,
RASS-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Renigunta Mandal, Tirupati, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, email:
arkvk@yahoo.co.in, Mobile: 09441532150.
Image: Special ArrangementModified drum technology for SRI paddy cultivation by RASS -KVK , Chittoor ,
Andhra Pradesh.

Keywords: Paddy cultivation, ground water depletion, Farmers' notebook, water shortage


Fuel Tax Credit Scheme vital to farmers
The Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) has grave concerns about rumours the government plans to
make cuts to the rebate farmers can claim for off-road fuel use under the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme in next
weeks Federal Budget.RGA President, Les Gordon, said the current fuel rebate scheme is a rebate payable to
farmers for the excise and customs duty paid on certain fuels, like diesel, when purchased for specific off-road
uses.The fuel excise was introduced to fund the development and maintenance of Australias road network.
The rebate is designed to ensure farmers are not being taxed for road use when they are not using the road.We
know of many family farming businesses that will be hit hard by cuts to the fuel rebate.

They are using fuel for irrigation bore pumps, tractors and earth-moving equipment that never leave the
paddock. Why should they be paying a tax to maintain roads and highways when the fuel is being used to grow
food?Mr Gordon said any cuts to the fuel rebate scheme would increase the costs of production for Australian
rice growers who compete in global markets against countries who heavily subsidise their agriculture
sectors.The Coalition continue to state that they are committed to improving competitiveness and profitability
of the Australian agriculture sector through their White Paper process.Cuts to the fuel rebate scheme would
fly in the face of this commitment and we call on the Federal Government to leave the current system in place,
Mr Gordon concluded.

RGA rejects Commission of Audit recommendations
The Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) has rejected a number of the recommendations made in the
Commission of Audits report released last week and encourages the Federal Government to do the same.After examining
the detail of the report, RGA President, Les Gordon, holds grave concerns about the impact some of the Commissions
recommendations will have on industry if they were to be implemented.Our primary concern is the reports
recommendation to halve the current cap on matching industry contributions to research and development (R&D) by
government, Mr Gordon said.This is an extremely short-sighted view. Government investment in industry R&D results
in significant public benefits in our region like increased employment and infrastructure investment.We are constantly
being pushed to increase our productivity while at the same time reduce our water use, which we have achieved only as a
result of our long-term investment in R&D. This has been successfully delivered through a partnership between industry
and government, Mr Gordon said.The RGA is also frustrated at the suggestion government should focus on water
recovery for the environment through buybacks instead of irrigation infrastructure improvements.
The assertion that infrastructure funding only provides substantial private benefits to landholders therefore should be
scrapped in favour of water buybacks which apparently maximise public benefits is just plain wrong, Mr Gordon
said.For starters, stripping the productive capacity out of irrigation regions through buyback doesnt only hurt other


irrigators, the flow on impacts hurt regional communities. Recovering water through improving irrigation efficiency
maintains the productive capacity of irrigation farms and increases regional economic activity. This was quantified only
last year.[1]The Coalition Government has promised the focus of their water recovery efforts would be on infrastructure
investment because they recognise the significant social and economic impacts that result from recovery through
buybacks. We call on the government to keep this promise and reject this recommendation outright, Mr Gordon said.

RGA welcomes new Minister to water portfolio
The Ricegrowers Association of Australia (RGA) has welcomed the appointment of Minister Kevin Humphries
to the role of Minister for Natural Resources, Lands and Water as part of the NSW Governments new
ministerial arrangements.The RGA met with Minister Humphries last week and is looking forward to working
with him on a range of very significant issues which are of concern to their members.RGA President, Les
Gordon also thanked Minister Katrina Hodgkinson for her strong representation of irrigation and water
management issues in New South Wales while she held Ministerial responsibility for the water portfolio.For
most of the time that Minister Hodgkinson overviewed the water portfolio, the Murray Darling Basin Plan was
the most pressing issue facing the government and water users in NSW, Mr Gordon said.
After extensive community concern with the Draft Basin Plan was expressed by many NSW irrigation
communities, the Minister held off signing the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to implement the Basin
Plan until NSW was satisfied a number of conditions were going to be met. This position was at times
unpopular with other Basin governments but we always supported the position taken by Minister Hodgkinson
and NSW Water Commissioner, David Harriss, that they would not sign the IGA until they were satisfied the
Basin Plan could be implemented in a way that does not hurt regional communities, Mr Gordon said.Mr
Gordon said the RGA has enjoyed a good relationship with Minister Hodgkinson during her time in the water
portfolio and we look forward to continuing to work with her in the Primary Industries portfolio.

Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships - closing 30 June 2014

Applications for the 2015 program are now open.Nuffield Australia Farming Scholarships is a unique program
that awards primary producers with a life-changing scholarship to travel overseas and study an agricultural topic
of choice.Nuffield has been selecting primary producers for over 60 years and it is the leading program for
primary producers in Australia.


Scholars are selected annually on merit as people who are committed and passionate about farming or fishing,
are at the leading edge of technology uptake and potential future leaders in the industry.The rice industry
currently sponsors a Nuffield Scholarship. For further information, including how to apply, visit the Nuffield
Australia website.Recent Nuffield Scholars supported by the rice industry include:

In Memory: Leroy Isbell

The Arkansas and U.S. rice industries are saddened by the passing of Leroy Isbell, 90, of Humnoke,
AR, on May 6, 2014. A dedicated and progressive rice farmer, Mr. Isbell pioneered new farming
practices, including zero-grade and rice behind rice rotations, as well as other innovations that brought
him international acclaim and a place in the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame. In 1996, father and
son Leroy and Chris Isbell were honored as the Rice Farmers of the Year by Rice Farming magazine.
At the time of his passing, Mr. Isbell's 65th rice crop was planted. His son, grandson and great
grandsons - who learned from the best - will see it through to harvest. isitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m.
on Friday, May 9, at Wilson-Robison Funeral Home in England, AR. Memorial services will be held
at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at Macedonia Baptist Church in Humnoke, AR. On behalf of the USA
Rice Federation, we extend heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Leroy Isbell.

Vetter Committed to Enforcing Trade Rules

WASHINGTON, DC -- This morning, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony from USDA's
Darci Vetter, who is President Obama's nominee to become the new United States Trade
Representative (USTR) Chief Agriculture Negotiator. Vetter, who grew up on a farm in Nebraska that
did business with Japan, said her experiences there showed her first-hand the value of agriculture
trade.She also said Congress and the executive branch must maintain a close relationship as the
President's trade agenda moves forward, and she remains committed to preserving open and reliable
overseas markets for "grown in America" agriculture products.Noting her years of work at both the
Senate Finance Committee and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Vetter said USTR must be
committed to leveling the playing field for agriculture goods and must enforce existing trade rules. She told Senators in
attendance that, in her view, the World Trade Organization dispute settlement mechanism must be utilized to eliminate
sanitary and phytosanitary restrictions that curb access to various countries around the world.During questioning,
Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) mentioned that many agriculture industries are concerned about Japan's lack of ambition
when it comes to agriculture goods within the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. He asked about Ms. Vetter's
strategy to create meaningful new access for agriculture goods in Japan.Ms. Vetter replied, "the negotiations with Japan
are in a sensitive stage, but they have pledged that no product will be excluded from the negotiations. The negotiations


team at USTR is committed to ambitious market access in the TPP negotiations, including the five sensitive agriculture
products -- rice, wheat/barley, dairy products, sugar, and beef/pork."USA Rice has joined many other U.S. agricultural
groups in supporting the nomination of Ms. Vetter as the next Chief Agriculture Negotiator.
Image: Darci Vetter
Weekly Rice Sales, Exports Reported
WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 33,100 MT for 2013/2014 were up noticeably from the previous week, but down
13 percent from the prior four-week average, according to today's Sales Export Highlights report. Increases were reported
for Haiti (20,900 MT), Honduras (8,800 MT), El Salvador (4,700 MT, including 1,600 MT switched from Guatemala),
Canada (2,100 MT), and Yemen (1,200 MT). Decreases were reported for Mexico (4,400 MT), Guatemala (1,400 MT),
Turkey (800 MT), and Jordan (300 MT). Net sales of 500 MT for 2014/2015 were reported for Jordan. Exports of 44,200
MT were down 21 percent from the previous week and 24 percent from the prior four-week average. The primary
destinations were Haiti (22,500 MT), El Salvador (6,200 MT), Canada (3,400 MT), Mexico (3,000 MT), and Japan (2,500
MT).This summary is based on reports from exporters from the period April 25 - May 1.
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Preliminary): Closing
Rough Rice Futures for May 8

Month
Price Net Change
May 2014 $15.310 - $0.095
July 2014 $15.500 - $0.045
September 2014 $14.485 - $0.040
November 2014 $14.630 - $0.040
January 2015 $14.815 - $0.020
March 2015 $14.935 - $0.070
May 2015 $14.935 - $0.070


Thailand Rice Exporters Regain Status

Thailands rice exports are recovering after the government ended its
controversial stockpiling policy. The country is poised to be the
worlds second-biggest rice exporter this year, the Food and
Agriculture Agency predicted on Thursday.The United Nations body
said in its biannual food outlook that Thailand is now on track to
export 8.7 million metric tons of rice in 2014, putting it second to
India, which the agency predicts will hold the top spot at 9.5 million
metric tons.Thailand lost its crown as the worlds leading rice
exporter in 2012 because of the governments rural income-support
policy, which paid farmers above-market prices. The program also left Thailand laden with huge stockpiles of
rice and debts, and contributed to political turmoil. The government suspended the program in February,
which caused a resurgence of Thai rice sales into global markets.
Vietnam and Thailand both exported about 7 million metric tons of rice last year, according to the FAO.Despite
increased exports, Thailands farm revenues are now crimped by lower international rice prices for some
grades. The FAOs latest rice-price data for April show that while rice prices on average were stable from the
previous month, benchmark Thai white 100% B rice plunged 5.1% from March.The FAO attributed this to
Thailands failure to win a large Philippines tender in April for 800,000 tons of rice. That tender was won by
Vietnamese companies.
Darren Cooper, an analyst at the London-based International Grains Council, said that the Philippines tender
was a barometer of the fortunes for Thai rice exporters.The FAO forecasts that production in the region will
drop marginally, by 0.5%, compared with the previous year.This fall is likely in part because of potential
climatic effects from the possible return of El Nio, but is also because of less favorable price incentives. The
FAO predicted a 2% drop in rice planting and production in Thailand this year because of falling
prices.Meanwhile, the Vietnamese government is encouraging farmers to shift production away from rice to
higher-yielding, more profitable crops like maize and soybeans.
Image : A flock of pigeons fly over a pile of rice drying in a courtyard at the Sahakorn Kan Kasert rice mill in U
Ya, Suphan Buri province, Thailand, on Monday, Feb. 17.
__________________________________________________


Costa Rican rice producers fight elimination of gov't-backed price controls
[The Tico Times, San Jose, Costa Rica
May 07--According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the per-kilogram price of rice in
Costa Rica is the seventh highest in the world. The ranking was published in a Rice Market Monitor report released
this week.But on Tuesday, representatives of the National Rice Corporation (CONARROZ) went on a publicity blitz
to discredit the report, calling it inaccurate.According to the FAO report, a kilogram of rice in Costa Rica costs $1.37
and trails prices in Ghana ($ 1.51), the U.S. ($1.61), Italy ($2.11), Korea ($2.27), Angola ($3.29) and Japan
($4.74).CONARROZ said the report ignores aspects of grain quality and attributed the information collected by
FAO "to a campaign by current Economy Ministry officials aimed at changing the price structure of rice in the
country.
"Eduardo Rojas, a rice farmer, called the FAO report "erroneous" and "full of lies."Rice is the only basic food in
Costa Rica with a fixed price set by the government. But an executive decree issued on May 20, 2013 calls for price
controls to end, letting the market determine the price as of March 2014. Government officials in January postponed
that decree from taking effect until March 1, 2015.Other studies by the Agriculture and Livestock Ministry (MAG)
and the University of Costa Rica's Institute of Economics Research concluded that "the current pricing system hurts
consumers and benefits only a few rice producers."Representatives of CONARROZ on Tuesday morning met with
President-elect Luis Guillermo Solis, incoming Economy Minister Welmer Ramos and incoming MAG Minister
Luis Felipe Arauz.
At the meeting, Solis said he opposes any decree eliminating price controls on rice.Rice is an essential part of Ticos'
daily diet. The country consumes 224,000 tons of rice annually, or 48 kilograms per person, according to
MAG.FAO's Rice Market Monitor report is conducted four times a year and collects consumers' prices of rice in 55
countries. With slight fluctuations, prices of Tico rice in recent reports have ranked among the world's top 10 most
expensive.
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Contact: Advertising Department
Mujahid Ali
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com +92 321 369 2874

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