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January 08, 2015

Volume 5, Issue I

Rice News
Incentive Boost for Rice Millers
By Express News Service

Published: 09th January 2015 06:03 AM

Last Updated: 09th January 2015 06:03 AM

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government

has announced incentives to encourage rice
millers in paddy procurement and export of
surplus
rice.While
the
Government
exempted two per cent Central Sales Tax
(CST) on inter-State trade of rice, the millers
can reimburse two per cent market fee paid
to regulated market committees on
equivalent paddy traded outside the State.
According to rice millers, the waiver of CST
will boost the trade of surplus rice in a
transparent manner.The State Government
has made a provision of `one crore for
reimbursement of market fee to the millers.
The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare
Department has requested district Collectors to
ensure that levy rice due from millers is
collected before they dispose of any stock in the
open market. The millers are required to deliver
25 per cent of levy rice to the Food Corporation
of India out of the paddy procured by them from
mandis or directly from farmers.With the
exemption of CST and market fee, the Odisha
traders will be able to compete with traders of
other States. Odisha being a rice surplus State,
millers can sell the surplus rice to registered
dealers through fair means, official sources said.

Neighbouring States like West Bengal,

Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar have

already allowed free trade of rice.The State

was at a disadvantage due to the prevalent
tax structure. As surplus rice could not be
moved out of the State, Odisha was facing
acute shortage of storage space.For paddy
procurement under levy route, the millers
have to pay the entire cost. The
Government, however, debarred defaulting
rice millers from taking part in the paddy
procurement process.As per procurement
guidelines for Kharif Marketing Season
(KMS) 2014-15, the millers can participate
in procurement process only if they have
delivered 100 per cent custom milled rice
for the paddy taken by them during 201314.In order to implement the decisions, the
Government has decided to have a facility to
store paddy on temporary basis. It has
decided to store 10 lakh tonne of paddy
during KMS 2014-15 in CAP (cover and
plinth) storage locations under the open sky.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/I
ncentive-Boost-for-RiceMillers/2015/01/09/article2610950.ece

Exporters contract one

million tons of rice this year
Member enterprises of the Vietnam Food
Association (VFA) have already clinched export
contracts for at least one million tons of rice
with delivery scheduled for this year.

Most of the volume will be delivered to

customers this year based on the contracts that
VFAs member enterprises signed with

importers last year. The volume is 200,000 tons

higher than the same period last year.Huynh The
Nang, general director of Vietnam Southern
Food Corporation (Vinafood 2), however, said
local rice exporters might face many more
difficulties this year.The demand for rice of the
Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia is forecast
to jump, but Vietnam will have to compete with
Thailand, which wants to reduce its huge rice
stockpiles.China, a major importer of
Vietnamese rice in recent years, is said to have
inked a memorandum of understanding to
purchase two million tons of rice from Thailand
this year.
However, Nguyen Dinh Bich, an expert in the
rice industry in Vietnam, has cast doubt on the
news, saying Thailand reportedly sold two
million tons of rice to China in 2013 but the real
volume was only 300,000 tons.Concerns have
risen among domestic rice exporters for tougher
competition from India and Pakistan as these
two nations have cut prices of their low and
medium-grade rice to compete with similar
products of Vietnam.Currently, India and
Pakistan sell 5% broken rice at US$385-395 per
ton and US$380-390 per ton respectively,
compared to US$380-390 per ton for Vietnams
same type. Their 25% broken rice is priced at
US$350-360 per ton and US$335-345 per ton
compared to US$350-360 per ton of Vietnam.
According to VFA, Vietnam had exported 5.96
million tons of rice from January 1 to December
18 last year, falling 11% against the previous
year. Up to 83% of the volume was shipped to
Asian and African countries and the rest to
America, Europe and Oceania.Last year,
Vietnams FOB rice export prices averaged
US$439 per ton, inching up 2% per ton against
2013. The price of low-grade rice slightly
increased while that of 5% broken rice decreased
4-5% from the years beginning to US$393 per
ton at the end of last year.To order to boost rice
shipments this year, the Ministry of Industry and
Trade suggested rice exporters diversify
markets, and seek to make full use of the
opportunities from bilateral and multilateral
trade agreements, and follow updates on
importing markets.The ministry also urged VFA
and relevant agencies to enhance the quality of

Vietnamese rice and help local rice exporters

cope with challenges.
SGT
Tags:rice export,

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/12061
7/exporters-contract-one-million-tons-of-ricethis-year.html

Thailand off-season rice

crop to fall 30 pct on yr as
drought hits
Source: Reuters - Thu, 8 Jan 2015 10:17
GMT
Author: Reuters
A worker drives a tractor to scoop rice grains at
a mill in Suphan Buri province, about 65.2 miles
(105 km) north of Bangkok October 28, 2014.
REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

BANGKOK, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Drought will cut

major rice exporter Thailand's 2015 off-season
crop by over 30 percent, according to the latest
report from the Office of Agricultural
Economics.Thailand is one of the world's top
three rice exporters but the smaller harvest is
unlikely to have a big impact on global prices,
which are under pressure from still large
stockpiles in Thailand and bumper output in
rival exporters India and Vietnam.The expected
decline in production, however, could provide a
floor under the local market <RI-THBKN5-P1>,
where prices slid 5 percent in the last quarter.

Thailand's off-season rice is grown between

November and April after the main crop is
harvested. The second crop needs irrigation as
there is little rain during that period.But
Thailand is experiencing drought in eight
provinces, according to the Ministry of
Agriculture, and the government has said it
would not provide water for rice farming along
the length of the Chao Phraya river from
October through April.The Chao Phraya,
Thailand's main river, flows south through the
fertile central rice-growing region and on to
Bangkok.Thailand will produce around 6.7
million tonnes of off-season rice this year
compared to 9.7 million tonnes in the previous
year, the ministry said.
"We don't see a big impact because Thailand has
to compete with other exporters," said a
Singapore-based trader. "One benefit is that
lower production will be less of a headache for
the Thai government."Thailand's military
government is still trying to sell off stockpiles
bought under the previous government's ricebuying scheme that paid farmers well above
market rates for their rice.Thailand's legislature
begins a hearing against ousted former Prime
Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday over
the rice subsidy scheme that critics denounced as
a wasteful handout to her supporters.If found
guilty, she could be banned from politics for five
years.Thailand was expected to surpass Vietnam
and India last year to regain the rank of largest
rice exporter, with 10.2 million tonnes to be
shipped, compared with India's 10 million
tonnes, according to the U.N. Food and
Agriculture Organization.
India toppled Thailand three years ago to
become the world's top rice exporter as the
government intervention scheme priced Thai
rice out of the export market and as Delhi lifted
a four-year ban on non-basmati rice sales in
2011 to trim stocks. (Reporting by Kaweewit
Kaewjinda and Panarat Thepgumpanat, with

additional reporting by Naveen Thukral in

SINGAPORE; Editing by Simon Webb, Amy
Sawitta Lefevre and Tom Hogue)
We welcome comments that advance the story through
relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a
comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate,
you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse
links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent
those of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. For more
information see our Acceptable Use Policy.

http://www.trust.org/item/20150108101514597s8

India, Pakistan spar over

GI tag for Basmati rice
By: Sajan C Kumar | Chennai | January 8, 2015
12:36 am

Indias fight to protect its iconic Basmati

rice outside the country, especially in
Pakistan, would be in jeopardy if it does not
get the geographical indicator (GI) tag in its
own country without further delay, the
Agricultural and Processed Food Products
Export Development Authority (Apeda) has
argued.Basmati rice growers in Pakistan
reportedly have Basmati GI tag partially
registered in their country and a litigation
was going on in a Pakistan court between
them and Indias Apeda over the GI tag
given to Basmati rice from Pakistan.In India,
the application for GI tag for Basmati rice
has been mired in legal tangle with Madhya
Pradesh government upping the ante against

the Apedas move to register GI tag without

bench of Justice KN Basha, chairman and

including the state.

Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal, technical member,

adjourned the matter to February last week.

The ongoing litigation in bodies such as GI

Registry and Intellectual Property Appellate

The Bhopal-based New Darpan Social

Board (IPAB) has taken a long time and was

Welfare Society had filed an implead

threatening to weaken the case, as close to

application, seeking to be included as a party

700 to 800 proceedings are pending across

to the proceedings.The Lahore-based BGA

various countries. In IPAB too, Pakistans

had also moved IPAB in appeal against the

Basmati Growers Association (BGA) has

order of the assistant registrar of GI Registry

appealed against granting of GI tag to Indian

that ordered inclusion of Madhya Pradesh in

Basmati

Union

the amended application by Apeda. BGA

commerce ministry, told the IPAB bench

had also opposed granting of GI tag to

that the delay in the proceedings was

Indian Basmati rice in totality.BGA had

hampering

of

submitted that Basmati is a name for a

protecting the rice variety as Pakistan has

slender, aromatic and long grain variety of

moved the GI dispute tribunal against

rice grown in the specific geographical area

granting of GI tag to Basmati rice, arguing

at the foothills of the Himalayas in Pakistan.

rice.Apeda,

the

under

countrys

the

prospects

that those historical geographies of Basmati

rice producing areas, are now part of

It further argued in the appeal that only the

Pakistan.When the case came up at IPAB,

rice grown in certain areas of Punjab in

the counsel for Apeda requested for an early

Pakistan, where the rice kernels are grown

hearing in the case as they are in a hurry to

on conventional rice lands and they interact

get the final order.

with the environment, atmosphere, soil and

climate to yield exquisite rice can be called

We have to first get the GI tag for Basmati

Basmati in the true sense.The counsel for

rice in India, so that we can effectively

BGA told FE that they have also appealed

counter Pakistan and other countries who are

against the inclusion of Madhya Pradesh in

throwing challenges against our Basmati

the areas for registration of GI tag for

rice variety, the counsel said.After hearing

Basmati in India.

Apeda,

Pakistan

Basmati

Growers

Association, Madhya Pradesh government,

Apeda had filed an application with the GI

the farmers and a new organisation, who

Registry to register the name Basmati for

wanted to implead in the case, the IPAB

rice covering Punjab, Haryana, Delhi,

Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and part of

The United States, China and other rice-

Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir,

omitting the state of Madhya Pradesh,
triggering protest from the farmers from the
state as well as opposition from the state
government.They informed the assistant
registrar of the GI Registry that the noninclusion of Madhya Pradesh in the Basmati
growing area would have an adverse affect
on the lives of farmers who are mainly
depending upon Basmati cultivation and its
exports.
Accordingly, GI Registry, asked Apeda to
amend its application for GI registration of
Basmati rice to include the uncovered area,

exporting countries are opposing South

Korea's move to levy a 513 percent tariff on
imported rice, saying the rate is too
high.Korea Times reported that the
countrys Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs, contends that the U.S., China,
Australia, Thailand and Vietnam objections
filed with the World Trade Organization
(WTO) about the nation's new tariff rate on
rice imports is not appropriate.

including certain area in Madhya Pradesh.

Against this, Apeda has approached IPAB
with an appeal against the order of assistant
registrar of the GI Registry, issued on
December 31, 2013, which allowed the
opposition by various parties, including the
department

of

farmer

welfare

and

agriculture development of MP, Madhya

Kshetra

Basmati

Growers

Association

Samiti based in Raisen district among others

against the application of Apeda.

Opposition to South
Korea's 513% rice tariff
By Rich Keller, Editor, Ag Professional January
08, 2015 | 11:30 am EST

"The five rice-exporting countries filed a

complaint with the WTO against our 513
percent tariff," said Kim Kyung-mee,
director of the ministry's agriculture trade
division. "They claimed the way we
calculated the rate was incorrect. But what
they really want to say is the 513 percent
rate is too high."The news reporter, Lee
Hyo-sik, noted for the past 20 years, South
Korea, as Asia's fourth-largest economy,
imported a certain amount of rice every year
under the minimum market access (MMA)
program, in exchange for a waiver. In 2014,
the nation was obliged to import 408,700
tons of rice, about 10 percent of its annual
rice consumption of 4.1 million tons. To
delay the opening of the rice market, Korea
would have to increase the MMA quota this
year.
Without objections, the WTO would issue a
certificate allowing South Korea to levy the
tariff, but with objections to receive WTO

approval, Korea will be negotiating with the

five
countries.
Those
negotiations
notoriously have taken years; it was 57
months for Taiwan negotiations to liberalize
its rice markets, according to Hyosik.Meanwhile, the tariff went into effect
January 1 and will stay in place, according
to government directors.Even after all the
negotiations with Taiwan, Hyo-sik reports,
the countrys tariff was 563 percent, and
Japans tariff is the highest at 1,066 percent.

Vietnam sets new rice

export price to meet
Philippines 0.18m import
demand

Chi Minh City.The 5-percent broken rice was

quoted this week at $380-$390 a ton, FOB basis,
widening from $385-$390 per ton quoted before
the New Year holidays, while buyers were still
absent and stocks remained low, traders said.The
Philippines, Vietnams second-biggest rice
buyer in 2014 after China, is expected to import
between 1.5 million and 2 million tons from
Vietnam this year, the Customs Department
news.

Tests on Fukushima Rice

Finally Show Safe Results
by Lizabeth Paulat
January 8, 2015
10:00 am

Reported by: `Customs Today Report January 8, 2015

MANILA: To
meet
Philippines
private traders
rice import
demand of
187,000 tonnes, the worlds third-largest rice
exporter Vietnam has set export prices in
preparation to meet an import demand.Last
month, the Philippines state grains procurement
agency allowed private traders to import
187,000 tons of rice. Exporters must sell the 5percent broken rice to Philippine importers at
$385 a ton, free-on-board Saigon Port, industry
body the Vietnam Food Association.
The floors are $375 a tone for the 10-percent
broken grade and $365 a tone for the 15-percent
broken grade, the statement said. All the prices
are valid between Jan. 1-31.The export prices
for the Philippines now are lower than the
previous floor, so it could be the new benchmark
for other orders, said a Vietnamese trader in Ho

It has taken three years, but rice growing near

the Fukushima nuclear plant has now tested
safely for consumption. The Fukushima disaster
in 2011 caused international concern over food
safety and water contamination when a tsunami
pounded into the nuclear facility and unleashed
toxic radiation.For reference, the governments
limit on safe amounts of radiation is 100
becquerels per kilogram. The areas affected by
the disaster were the farming communities of
Fukushima, Iwate, Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba,
Miyagi and Ibaraki.

During the period after the disaster, items like

bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, beef and
rye were all testing far outside of the accepted
range. Mushrooms ranged from 150-350
becquerels, while beef was around 772
becquerels per kilogram.The danger of exporting
food from a nuclear disaster site set off long
range economic problems for Japans farmers
and fears from consumers all over the world. In
Japan,
44%
of
people said
theyd
avoid radioactive foods, with 22% preferring
stricter government control. Citizen fears are not
unfounded. In response to the nuclear disaster,
Japan actually raised its limits of acceptable
radiation exposure to 20x higher than whats
considered safe in the United States. Many felt
this was Japans way of mitigating a PR crisis.
Yet across the Pacific, the West Coast of the
United States also worried about how the spread
of radioactivity might impact their fish and
agriculture. Such fears prompted residents in
California to pass measures to improve the
testing of marine life off their shores.Although
scientists tried to calm fears, telling residents
that the levels of radioactivity in water that
reached the West Coast would be far below
international acceptable standards, it did little to
pacify concerns.
So it is no doubt that in this atmosphere of fear
and apprehension, farmers and Japanese officials
are breathing easier with the study results. More
than 360,000 tons of rice were tested in the
study. However, it seems the evidence has yet to
be corroborated by outside sources, and thats
still causing some hesitation. Many around the
world wanted the UN to oversee or take over
clean up in Fukushima, citing distrust of the
government.This was also true for the Koreans.

Reports of groundwater seepage from the

nuclear facility prompted South Korea to ban
imports from the region in 2013. Although the
Korean scientists are expected to come back
again within the month and consider lifting the
ban, many still harbor concerns over importing
the rice.Its a difficult challenge for farmers,
who have undoubtedly suffered some of the
largest economic losses in the disaster. Many
toiled on organic farms that have been ravaged
by nuclear waste. One farmer, Toraaki Ogata,
told the North Queensland Resister, All I can
do is pray there will be no radiationIts not
our fault at all, but the land of our ancestors has
been defiled.While the Japanese government
assigned about $1.3 billion for decontamination
methods in these zones, it has been a slow
moving process to get clean rice.
However, it is one that Tsuneaki Oonami
claims has been done right. Oonami, a
Fukushima official, told reporters that, The fact
that the amount of rice that does not pass our
checks has steadily reduced in the last three
years indicates that were taking the right
steps. And for the sake of the farmers, the
environment and international trade, this has
been welcome news.
http://www.care2.com/causes/tests-on-fukushimarice-finally-show-saferesults.html#ixzz3OMsgvw5Z

Nigeria: Addressing
Bottlenecks in Rice SelfSufficiency Plan
ANALYSIS

By Femi Adekoya

reforms and fiscal investments.The reforms

include the deregulation of seed and fertilizer
markets and the setup of private sector
marketing corporations to help coordinate the
market and set grades and standards.

To make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice

production by 2015, a timeline presently under
review, government embarked upon an
ambitious plan through the Agricultural
Transformation Agenda, to address the
perceived threat that increasing volumes of
milled rice imports into Nigeria are displacing
local production potential. Although, a complete
embargo is yet to be placed on the importation
of the commodity, there are concerns that
preferential treatments to stakeholders may be
threatening government's backward integration
plan in the sector. FEMI ADEKOYA examines
the issues of sufficiency of policies under the
plan and the potential to improve quality and
competitiveness of domestic rice product in the
markets.
FOR the first time in a while, the nation is
beginning to give due attention to the non-oil
sector, especially the agro-allied sector,
considering the dwindling revenue profile from
global crude oil sale.Imposition of tariffs on
commodities in some cases in a bid to protect
growth of local industries and sectors with huge
potential has been the trend under the backward
integration policy to aid the transformation
agenda I the agricultural sector.
For instance, the tariffs are intended to protect
the domestic rice sector while it undergoes
improvements in paddy production, processing,
and marketing with support of public sector

Similarly, innovative financing mechanisms for

supplying credit are also being pursued while
significant fiscal investments are being poured
into establishing staple crop processing zones
(SCPZs) that are intended to encourage the
clustering of food processing industries in
proximity to raw materials and end
markets.However, recent activities have shown
that the Federal Government's backward
integration plan for the rice industry may suffer
a major setback if key issues of discretionary
approval of waivers and unrealistic supply gap
are not addressed.
For instance, emerging facts show that the
country may continue to lose at least N20 billion
to smugglers of the commodity and another N20
billion to discretionary concessions and waivers,
especially to non-committed stakeholders under
the scheme.
With at least $183.6 million enjoyed in bonds,
there are questions bordering on the sincerity of
government under the backward integration
plan, considering the fact that investors who
have only expressed interests enjoy higher
imports than those who have remain committed
to the plan, especially now that some of them are
already trading the import quotas at higher
prices to interested importers.Findings by The
Guardian have shown that the Federal
Government through the indiscriminate granting
of waivers under the backward integration plan
may be promoting activities of smugglers while
putting the rice policy under threat.
Documents obtained and investigations by The
Guardian showed that indiscriminate approach
of the Federal Government in granting waivers

and import allocation quotas to investors who

have no investments in the industry, either in
form of paddy or rice milling may be a
dysfunctional approach to the backward
integration plan in the sector.According to the
list of beneficiaries of the preferential import
quotas, quantities of rice imports approved and
corresponding size of performance bond to be
submitted shows that of the 28 beneficiaries,
only 16 have mills, while the remaining 12 have
no mills and account for higher imports than
millers.
Investigations also show that many of the
investors who got import allocation quotas are
already trading it to interested stakeholders at
between 60 to 80 per cent levy having got the
same at 20 per cent levy.Specifically, documents
obtained showed that investors who have only
submitted expression of interests without
commensurable form of investments in the
sector, may be enjoying waivers amounting to at
least N20 billion under the exercise.

United States due to a prevailing trade agreement

signed by both parties.ANINSA President,
Eduardo Rojas, said imported rice was
endangering more than 1,000 Costa Rican farmers.
The increase in the tariff will improve internal
productivity of the country and allow rice to be
sold at more affordable prices for Costa Ricans.
The WTO allows the country to use such
instruments so that we can organize internally and
improve production, Rojas said.The owner of
Canas de Guanacaste, Fabin Chacn, was pleased
with the announcement released Thursday because
he believes that this way the grain stays in-country,
unlike many other products.You want to restore
food security in this country. Corn and beans have
practically disappeared from production. The last
one on the table is rice and its being seriously
threatened by imports, voiced Chacn.
Meanwhile, another domestic producer of rice,
Alex Rojas, said the increase in the tariff will
ensure a healthy competition between rice
suppliers.This move comes at the right time
because opportunists importers from Uruguay
recently surfaced who were cheap that what we
could compete with, he added.Moreover, the
MEIC is analyzing a further proposal to reduce the
price of rice by 4%. This negotiation will be

http://allafrica.com/stories/201501071281.html

New Imported Rice Tax

Increase Actually Lowers
Prices While Strengthening
Domestic Producers in Costa
Rica

resolved in the coming weeks. (Amelia Rueda)

By TCRN on January 8, 2015 in Business

The Costa Rica News (TCRN)

The Costa Rica News (TCRN) Domestic Costa
Rican rice producers are applauding the
governments decision to increase tariffs from 35%
to 62.06% on imported milled grain, a measure
that will benefit both consumers and domestic
suppliers.The safeguard proposed by the National
Association of Rice Manufacturers (ANINSA) and
adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and
Trade (MEIC) will be in effect for four years, and
excludes milled rice from Central America and the

San Jose, Costa Rica

http://thecostaricanews.com/new-imported-ricetax-increase-actually-lowers-prices-whilestrengthening-domestic-producers-in-costa-rica

Vietnam clinches one

million tonnes of rice deal
in 2015
Friday, 09 January 2015 03:51

Member enterprises of the Vietnam Food

Association (VFA) have already clinched
export contracts for at least one million
tonnes of rice with delivery scheduled for
this year
The volume is 200,000 tonnes higher than
the same period last year. (Image source:
IRRI)
According to VietnamNet, most of the
volume would be delivered to customers in
2015, based on the contracts that VFAs
member enterprises signed with importers
last year.The volume is 200,000 tonnes
higher than the same period last year.
Huynh The Nang, general director of
Vietnam Southern Food Corporation
(Vinafood 2), however, said local rice
exporters might face many more difficulties
this year.The rice demand of the Philippines,
Indonesia and Malaysia is forecast to jump,
but Vietnam would have to compete with
Thailand, which wants to reduce its huge
rice stockpiles, The Nang added.China, a
major importer of Vietnamese rice in recent
years, has signed an MoU to purchase two
million tonnes of rice from Thailand in
2015.Concerns have also risen among
domestic rice exporters for tougher
competition from India and Pakistan as these
two nations have cut prices of their low and
medium-grade rice to compete with similar
products of Vietnam.Currently, India and
Pakistan sell five per cent broken rice at
US$385-395 per tonne and US$380-390 per
tonne respectively, compared to US$380390 per tonne for Vietnams same type.
Their 25 per cent broken rice is priced at
US$350-360 per tonne and US$335-345 per

tonne compared to US$350-360 per tonne of

Vietnam.According to VFA, Vietnam had
exported 5.96mn tons of rice from 1 January
to 18 December 2014, falling 11 per cent
against the previous year. Up to 83 per cent
was shipped to Asian and African countries
and the rest to America, Europe and
Oceania.In order to boost rice shipments this
year, Vietnams Ministry of Industry and
Trade suggested rice exporters diversify
markets and seek to make full use of the
opportunities from bilateral and multilateral
trade agreements, and follow updates on
importing markets.
http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/crops/agri
culture/vietnam-clinches-one-million-tonnes-ofrice-deal-in-2015

Why Nigeria still import

rice- Group
By Adesanya Alao
January 8, 2015 20:36:22pm GMT |

farm

WorldStage Newsonline-- The Chairman, Rice

Processors Association of Nigeria, Mohammed
Abubakar,
said
Thursday
explained
why Nigeria still import rice, saying it does not
produce enough paddies to meet the demand to
attain self sufficiency.Speaking in Abuja at a
press conference organised by the Nigeria Rice
Investors Group, he said that although the total
amount of rice produced locally was about 2.5
million to three million tons, only about 800,000
tons were processed annually by integrated rice
millers, adding that Nigeria has only 24
integrated rice millers.Rice produced by
integrated rice millers are cleaner than those
produced by remote rice farmers.
According to Abubakar, Nigeria consumes over
five million tons of rice annually.He noted that
investors were intensifying efforts in the
production of paddy rice in other to end
importation, adding that in three years Nigeria
will end rice importation.Abubakar said, We
have the capacity to process 800,000 tons. But
that is not for all the places you expect rice
production in Nigeria. But we are growing
because we have a growing population. The total
production that we have has not exceeded 2.5
million to three million tons. That's why there is
a room for importation.We have a long way to
go. That is why we are advocating that you, me,
and everybody should come and join the centre
so that we can produce more paddies which will
translate to more rice and eventually translate
into stopping importation of rice into Nigeria.
Almost all the investors are going back to the
production of paddy. That means maybe by two
or three years, the issue of import will come to
rest. The issue of policy change, policy
summersault will come to rest because we will
have enough paddies that we can process and
use to feed our country.Earlier in his address, a
former Attorney General of the Federation and
Former Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoaaka,

said no government gave attention to the rice

value chain as the present administration.
He said, As the chairman of a company that is
involved in local rice production and also a key
government official in the past, I can assure you
that in recent times, I can vow and say no
government has given attention to agriculture as
this present government. The revolution put in
place by this government is capable of creating
jobs and stemming the rising unemployment in
the country.People should take advantage of
locally produced rice because if you buy one bag
of local rice, you are helping the farmers. If we
mill one bag, the bulk of money goes directly to
the farmers. That is why the President has
vowed to support local farmers through out the
country.
The President, Nigeria Rice Investors Group,
Mr. Tunji Owoeye, stated that although there
were challenges in the rice sector, businesses in
the industry were doing better presently than
before.He said, We are not politicians but
businessmen. I can assure you that businesses
and even farmers in this sector are doing well
now compared to what is used to be in past.
However, that does not mean that we dont have
challenges, we have a lot of them, but we are
making progress.
http://worldstagegroup.com/index.php?active=n
ews&newscid=19924&catid=36

Iran ban, Iraq duty hike to

take a toll on rice exporters
Sutanuka Ghosal, ET Bureau Jan 6, 2015,
12.35PM IST
Tags:rice|Iraq|Iran|Gurdaspur
Overseas|basmati rice|All India
Exporters' Association

Rice

KOLKA
TA:
India's ric
e exporte
rs may
end the
current
fiscal on
a damp
note
as Iraq has doubled the import duty to 40%,
while Iran has clamped an outright ban at a
time when price realisation has slipped 1520% in overseas markets.A senior official
of All
India
Rice
Exporters'
Association(AIREA) told ET that traders are
currently shipping only rice consignments
with permits of last year to Iran. "We are
hoping that Iran will lift the ban. We are
planning to send a delegation to Iran in early
February to sort out the issue," said the
official, requesting not to be named.
The official added that the sudden increase
in import duty by Iraq has come as a major
blow and it is bound to impact exports to the
country.According to an estimate by
exporters, basmati shipments are likely to
come down to 35 lakh tonne from 37 lakh
tonne in the previous year.Iran has barred
rice from other countries as its local crop is
reported to be good this year and is set to
arrive in the market there.The country
imported over 12.5 lakh tonne of rice during
April-July 2014, compared with 14.5 lakh
tonnes in the year-ago period.In the past two
years, Iran has bought over 2.5 million tonne
of basmati rice from India.
The average price realisation has declined to
$800-1,100 per tonne from $1,0001,300 per
tonne last year.Exports of basmati rice in the
first seven months of the current fiscal
declined over 8% to 19.36 lakh tonne from

21.13 lakh tonnes in the year-ago period.

However, exports of non-basmati rice
between April and October 2014 stayed
almost the same as in the previous year, at
about 4.2 lakh tonne.The lacklustre export
demand of basmati rice has pushed down
prices in the domestic market as well, with
farmers getting Rs 3,200 per quintal for Pusa
1121 crop, compared with Rs 4,100 last
year.Retail prices of basmati rice may fall
further in the domestic market if exports
slump, said Bal Krishna Mittal, managing
director of Gurdaspur Overseas, which deals
in basmati rice.Output of basmati rice in the
kharif, or summer, season in 2014 was
robust at about 81 lakh tonnes, up from 66
lakh tonnes in the previous year.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/20
15-01-06/news/57747960_1_basmati-shipmentsbasmati-rice-india-rice-exporters

Gluten-Free Ramen, Pullet

Eggs and More
By FLORENCE FABRICANTJAN. 7,
2014

CreditRuth Fremson/The New York Times

Continue reading the main story

Continue reading the main storyShare This Page

To Indulge: Sweet Canels for All Tastes

Cline Legros has been making her tiny but

elegant canels from Bordeaux, fluted cakes
with a dark caramelized crust, for private events
and selling them online for a couple of years.
Now the lawyer turned baker has opened a shop
for her bite-size sweet and savory canels. She
said that when specializing in only one thing,
you need variation. Her sweet canels come in
a dozen flavors, including rum, pistachio,
caramel, chocolate and orange. The savory ones,
ideal for hors doeuvres, are chorizo, basil-pesto,
truffle and Parmesan. She also sells miniature
financier cakes. All are much smaller than the
ones made by other French bakeries. I noticed
how there was a trend for minis in New York,
she said: Starting at $4.90 for three at Canel by
Celine, 400 East 82nd Street, 646-678-4124,
canelebyceline.com.
Photo

CreditTony Cenicola/The New York Times

To Slurp: Gluten-Free Ramen, Noise Not
Included

The delectable enjoyment of slurping a bowl of

ramen has been mostly out of bounds for those
whose diets are gluten-free. But now Lotus
Foods, a California company that specializes in
exotic rice, has introduced rice-based gluten-free
ramen with earthy, nutty flavors that are
enjoyable even for those who do not avoid
gluten. There are three varieties, each based on a
different type and color of rice: Jade Pearl, a
green organic rice ramen infused with leaves and
stems of edible bamboo; black Forbidden Rice
ramen; and a toasty-toned ramen of millet and
brown rice: Lotus Foods Rice Ramen is $6.59
for four cakes, $35.54 for six packages; also
sold with miso soup mix, lotusfoods.com.
Photo

CreditLauren DeCicca for The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/08/dining/glut
en-free-ramen-pullet-eggs-and-more.html?_r=0

Vietnam sets rice

export prices for
Philippine demand
Reuters
Posted at 01/07/2015 5:59 PM | Updated as
of 01/07/2015 6:13 PM
HANOI - Vietnam, the world's third-largest
rice exporter, has set export prices in

preparation to meet an import demand of

187,000 tonnes by Philippine private traders,
which may lead to lower price levels in early
2015, traders said on Wednesday.Last
month, the Philippines' state grains
procurement agency allowed private traders
to import 187,000 tonnes of rice and said
shipments must arrive on or before Feb.
28.Exporters must sell the 5-percent broken
rice to Philippine importers at $385 a tonne,
free-on-board Saigon Port, industry body the
Vietnam Food Association said in a Dec. 31
statement
seen
by
Reuters
on
Wednesday.The floors are $375 a tonne for
the 10-percent broken grade and $365 a
tonne for the 15-percent broken grade, the
statement said. All the prices are valid
between Jan. 1-31.
Previously, the association set the export
price floor for the 25-percent broken variety
at $380 a tonne as of Nov. 25, 2014."The
export prices for the Philippines now are
lower than the previous floor, so it could be
the new benchmark for other orders," said a
Vietnamese trader in Ho Chi Minh City.The
5-percent broken rice was quoted this week
at $380-$390 a tonne, FOB basis, widening
from $385-$390 per tonne quoted before the
New Year holidays, while buyers were still
absent and stocks remained low, traders
said.Vietnam could export 7 million tonnes
to 7.5 million tonnes of rice this year,
mainly to China and Southeast Asian
countries, after shipping around 7.5 million
tonnes in 2014, a state-run online news site
said, citing industry targets.The Philippines,
Vietnam's second-biggest rice buyer in 2014
after China, is expected to import between
1.5 million and 2 million tonnes from
Vietnam this year, the Customs Department
news site said, citing Vietnam Food
Association projections.

http://www.abscbnnews.com/business/01/07/15/vietnam-setsrice-export-prices-philippine-demand

USA Rice and Cuba Getting Closer

Governor Nixon (l) and
Secretary Vilsack
WASHINGTON, DC -- The USA Rice
Federation has joined with more than 25
prominent U.S. food and agriculture associations
and companies to form a coalition that seeks to
advance trade relations between the United
States and Cuba. The U.S. Agriculture Coalition
for Cuba (USACC) formally launched at an
event here today that was attended by Secretary
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a bipartisan group
of Members of Congress, and Missouri
Governor Jay Nixon.
The purpose of the USACC is to re-establish
Cuba as a market for U.S. food and agriculture
exports and address liberalizing trade between
the United States and Cuba. The coalition will
work to end the embargo and allow for open
trade and investment, and coming just a few
weeks after President Obama's announcement of
a major policy shift on Cuba, is well-timed.
"President Obama's new policies on Cuba aim to
expand opportunities for U.S. farmers and
ranchers, expand choices for the Cuban people,
and create new customers for us," Secretary
Vilsack said.
"We know the Cuban market for rice is not
theoretical. It is real, it is large, and it is
compelling," said Betsy Ward, President and
CEO of USA Rice, who also spoke at the event.
"With rice imports valued at more than $300
million, Cuba is the second largest importer of
rice in the Americas. And there was a time

when Cuba was our number one export market we look forward to a return to those days."

"All we need is an open door, the hard working

farmers will do the rest," said Governor Nixon.
"Given the opportunity to compete, America's
farmers will win."
"We applaud the Obama Administration for their
recent actions, and ask our leaders in Congress
to normalize trade with this nation that we
believe will once again become a major market
for U.S. rice," Ward said. "Open trade with
Cuba would be an enormous boon for U.S. rice
farmers, and we look forward to working with
the Cuban rice industry so together we may
supply the Cuban people with high-quality,
delicious rice."

CEO Betsy Ward meets the press

The U.S. rice industry has been advocating for
open trade and travel with Cuba since the mid
1990's and was the first U.S. commodity back in
Cuba in 2001, exhibiting at the Havana Trade
Fair, which led to the first U.S. rice sale to Cuba
in more than 40 years.Throughout the last
decade, USA Rice has sponsored numerous
trade missions, led and participated in many
forums, here and in Cuba, and participated in
eight Havana International Fairs. Consequently,
by 2004, U.S. rice sales to Cuba were valued at
$64 million. However, U.S. government policy
changes reversed that trend, and by 2009 sales
fell to zero, where they remain.

Contact: Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

USA Rice Federation

Weekly Rice Sales,

Exports Reported
WASHINGTON, DC -- Net rice sales of 28,600
MT for 2014/2015 were up noticeably from the
previous week, but down 53 percent from the
prior four-week average, according to today's
Export Sales Highlights report. Increases were
reported for Haiti (9,500 MT), unknown
destinations (6,000 MT), Turkey (2,600 MT),
Saudi Arabia (2,500 MT), and Jordan (2,400
MT). Decreases were reported for Iraq (600
MT).
Exports of 50,500 MT were down 45 percent
from the previous week and 34 percent from the
prior four-week average. The primary
destinations were Turkey (28,100 MT), Haiti

(10,500 MT), Mexico (4,400 MT), Canada

(3,300 MT), and Jordan (1,700 MT).
This summary is based on reports from exporters
from the period December 26-January 1.
USA Rice Federation

CME Group/Closing
Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice
Futures for January 8

Month

Price

Net
Change

January 2015

$11.295

- $0.115

March 2015

$11.525

- $0.125

May 2015

$11.755

- $0.115

July 2015

$11.980

- $0.115

September 2015

$11.555

- $0.005

November 2015

$11.430

- $0.145

January 2016

$11.665

- $0.060

DUBAI A world-class investment

platform
and
international
business
facilitator, Gulfood 2015 is poised to play a
key role in enhancing Dubais global
position as an inclusive, transparent and
compliant marketplace for the foodstuff
commodities trade. The 20th edition of the
worlds largest annual food and hospitality
show will take place on Feb. 8-12, 2015 at
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and is
forecast to accelerate the Emirates already
brisk trade in commodities, in addition to
finished food products.
Owing to its strategic location for major

Gulfood 2015 to enhance

Dubais role as global hub
for foodstuff commodity
trade

global markets, its developed logistics

infrastructure and efficient customs service,
as well as hosting the worlds largest annual
food trade event, Dubai has become a wellconnected, cost-effective global gateway for
foodstuff commodities trade. This includes
trade in commodities such as rice the UAE

is the worlds largest re-exporter of rice,

importing rice from 32 countries and
exporting it to more than 80 countries
globally. It is also the worlds biggest reexporter of tea, with many of the worlds
largest producers and brands using Dubai as
their base. The Dubai Multi Commodities
Centre (DMCC) expected to facilitate more
than 7.5 million kilograms of tea re-exports
by the end of 2014.

Dubai and contribute to the growth and

development of the UAEs increasingly
diverse economy, said Trixie LohMirmand,
Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events
Management, DWTC. Focusing on
providing traders and investors with real
added value, the 20th edition of the show
will be more influential than ever with
business transactions expected to reach an
all-time high.

According to recent figures released by

Dubai Customs, Dubais foodstuff foreign
trade including imports, exports and reexports amounted to AED21.5 billion in the
first quarter of 2014 equating to 17 percent
growth on the AED18.3 billion recorded in
the corresponding period in 2013. This

The biggest edition in the shows history,

Gulfood 2015 is expected to attract more
than 4,800 international companies from 120
countries and over 85,000 visitors from 170
countries. With billions of dollars worth of
trading reported by exhibitors via their
participation at last years show, the US

growth reflects the increase in demand due

to economic and population growth, as well
as the capacity of the local market to
accommodate high volumes of foodstuffs. In
this context, a renewed focus on
commodities meat, rice, grains, nuts,
vegetable oil, coffee, milk, tea at Gulfood
2015 is particularly relevant and will play an
essential role in generating increased

pavilion alone - with almost 200 companies

participating - generated show-floor and
legacy sales of more than $300 million.
Other countries with a long history of
Gulfood participation including Australia,
Brazil, Egypt, Italy, France, South Africa
and Germany also reported excellent results
and acknowledged the unprecedented global
reach of the busiest show to date.

revenues from global food transactions

across the UAE and specifically in Dubai.

By providing a convenient and strategic

meeting platform for traders and investors
from around the world, Gulfood is perfectly
positioned to facilitate food trade through

The United States, which is among the

largest national pavilions at Gulfood 2015,
is Dubais third largest trading partner
contributing nine per cent annually,
equivalent to around AED3 billion. The list
is topped by India and Brazil, with shares of

12 and 10 per cent, respectively. While

Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa and
Western Europe are the major importers of
food products from Dubai, countries such as
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and India are some of
the newest export markets - 82 percent of
new export deals concluded in 2013 came
from Saudi Arabia. According to Dubai
Exports, Dubai is favorably placed to meet
the growing demand for dried foods in Asia-

increased demand for premium protein-rich

foods, particularly meat. SG

Pacific and for pasta in Western Europe,

with both regions witnessing strong demand
for vegetable oil.

The new varieties, BADC Hybrid Dhan 2

and Buyer Hybrid Dhan 4, were released on
Monday, each variety having the capacity of
producing around six tonnes of paddy per
hectare

With quality of produce, Halal standards and

freshness being of paramount importance,
the regional market potential is strong for
commodities, including the global meat

The government has introduced two more

varieties of hybrid rice for cultivation
aiming to boost the rice production in the
country.The new varieties, BADC Hybrid
Dhan 2 and Buyer Hybrid Dhan 4, were
released on Monday, each variety having the
capacity of producing around six tonnes of
paddy per hectare.Anwar Faruque, director
general of the Ministry of Agricultures
Seed Wing, said the government gives
priority to the cultivation of more hybrid
varieties to boost the food production in the
country, and introducing the two new hybrid
varieties is a part of that.

industry. According to the Alpen Capital

GCC
Food
Industry
Report,
the
consumption of meat is expected to grow
faster than any other food product through to
2017 at a CAGR of 3.9 per cent, followed
by fruits, vegetables, milk and cereals.

Due to significant shifts in consumption

patterns, particularly in emerging regions
such as the Middle East, consumers are
moving from carbohydrate-based foods to
protein-rich diets, including meat and dairy.
While traditional food habits still dominate,
the growing GCC population expected to
exceed 50 million by 2020 - and rising
affluence regional levels are leading to

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.r
egcon&contentid=20150108229840&utm_source=USA+Ri
ce+Daily%2C+January+8%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Frid
ay%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Two more varieties of

hybrid rice introduced
Abu Bakar Siddique

According to the Department of Agriculture

Extension (DAE), the annual paddy
production, in Bangladesh is around 3.38
million tonnes.The paddy production using
traditional and locally developed highyielding varieties are two tonnes and 3.8
tonnes per hectare, respectively. The paddy
production using hybrid seed is 4.7 tonnes
per hectare.Of the new hybrid paddy
varieties, the BADC Hybrid Dhan 2, sourced
from China by Bangladesh Agricultural

Development Corporation (BADC), has the

production capacity of 6.5-7.2 tonnes per
hectare, and the Buyer Hybrid 4, sourced
from India by Bayer Crop Science, has the
production capacity of 6-6.5 tonnes per
hectare, sources at the ministry said.Around
10-12% of the total paddy production in the
country came from hybrid seeds, which is
very low in volume, said Anwar, who is also
an additional secretary at the ministry.
The government is trying to enhance the
use of hybrid seeds to get more production
in the gradually reducing agricultural land to
ensure food security of the country, he
added.The state-owned Bangladesh Rice
Research Institute (BRRI) has developed 62
varieties of paddy so far. Of them, the
number of hybrid varieties is only six.A total
of 132 varieties of hybrid paddy have been
introduced in Bangladesh. Of them, the
BADC developed two varieties, the BRRI
developed six, and the rest were developed
by private companies.

http://www.dhakatribune.com/agriculture/2015/jan/08/two-morevarieties-hybrid-riceintroduced?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+January+8%2C+2
015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%2C+2013&utm
_medium=email

Iftikhar Soomro made

Director to Matco Rice
BoDs
January 08, 2015
RECORDER REPORT

Board of Directors. Soomro brings along his

vast corporate experience of leading many
prominent private and public sector
companies of Pakistan. He has previously
served as the Chairman of APTMA and as a
director of Pakistan State Oil, Pfizer
Pakistan, Park-Davis, Wyeth Pakistan,
SITE, KESC, Sindh Fine Textile Mills and
other
corporates. Soomro
has
also
distinguished himself in the field of public
service, previously as an elected member of
the Sindh Assembly and member of Cabinet.
Currently he is the Honorary Consul General
of the Republic of Tunisia. Commenting on
the appointment, Jawed Ghori, Chairman of
Matco Rice said: "We are extremely pleased
that Iftikhar Ahmed Soomro has joined the
board of our company, bringing with him a
unique mix of skills and experience that will
help the board to guide Matco Rice to the
next level of growth." Matco Rice is
Pakistan's largest Basmati rice exporter.
International Finance Corporate (IFC), part
of the World Bank Group, is a shareholder
of Matco Rice and invested equity in the
company for capacity-building to cater to
increasing exports, support trade, and to
establish Matco as a global corporate in the
region.-PR

http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/24326616
5/pMKmwRIp04fr0aPt

India, Pakistan spar over

GI tag for Basmati rice
By: Sajan C Kumar | Chennai | January 8, 2015 12:36 am

Indias fight to protect its iconic Basmati rice

outside the country, especially in Pakistan,

Pakistan's largest Basmati rice exporter,

Matco Rice Processing (Pvt) Limited has
appointed Iftikhar Ahmed Soomro as an
independent, non-executive Director to its

would be in jeopardy if it does not get the

geographical indicator (GI) tag in its own
country without further delay, the Agricultural

and

Processed

Food

Export

throwing challenges against our Basmati rice

has

variety, the counsel said.After hearing Apeda,

Pakistan

Pakistan Basmati Growers Association, Madhya

reportedly have Basmati GI tag partially

Pradesh government, the farmers and a new

registered in their country and a litigation was

organisation, who wanted to implead in the case,

going on in a Pakistan court between them and

the IPAB bench of Justice KN Basha, chairman

Indias Apeda over the GI tag given to Basmati

and Sanjeev Kumar Chaswal, technical member,

rice from Pakistan.In India, the application for

adjourned the matter to February last week.The

GI tag for Basmati rice has been mired in legal

Bhopal-based New Darpan Social Welfare

tangle with Madhya Pradesh government upping

Society had filed an implead application,

the ante against the Apedas move to register GI

seeking to be included as a party to the

tag without including the state.The ongoing

proceedings.

Development

Authority

argued.Basmati

rice

Products
(Apeda)

growers

in

litigation in bodies such as GI Registry and

Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB)
has taken a long time and was threatening to
weaken the case, as close to 700 to 800
proceedings

are

pending

across

various

countries. In IPAB too, Pakistans Basmati

Growers Association (BGA) has appealed
against granting of GI tag to Indian Basmati rice.

The Lahore-based BGA had also moved IPAB

in appeal against the order of the assistant
registrar of GI Registry that ordered inclusion of
Madhya Pradesh in the amended application by
Apeda. BGA had also opposed granting of GI
tag to Indian Basmati rice in totality.BGA had
submitted that Basmati is a name for a slender,
aromatic and long grain variety of rice grown in

Apeda, under the Union commerce ministry,

the specific geographical area at the foothills of

told the IPAB bench that the delay in the

the Himalayas in Pakistan. It further argued in

proceedings was hampering the countrys

the appeal that only the rice grown in certain

prospects of protecting the rice variety as

areas of Punjab in Pakistan, where the rice

Pakistan has moved the GI dispute tribunal

kernels are grown on conventional rice lands and

against granting of GI tag to Basmati rice,

they interact with the environment, atmosphere,

arguing that those historical geographies of

soil and climate to yield exquisite rice can be

Basmati rice producing areas, are now part of

called Basmati in the true sense.

Pakistan.When the case came up at IPAB, the

counsel for Apeda requested for an early hearing
in the case as they are in a hurry to get the final
order.We have to first get the GI tag for
Basmati rice in India, so that we can effectively
counter Pakistan and other countries who are

The counsel for BGA told FE that they have also

appealed against the inclusion of Madhya
Pradesh in the areas for registration of GI tag for
Basmati in India.Apeda had filed an application
with the GI Registry to register the name

Basmati for rice covering Punjab, Haryana,

Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and part
of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir,

Porridge could be key to a

long and healthy life, says
Harvard University

omitting the state of Madhya Pradesh, triggering

protest from the farmers from the state as well as
opposition from the state government.They

Eating porridge, brown rice or corn each day

could protect the heart against disease,
Harvard University has found

informed the assistant registrar of the GI

Registry that the non- inclusion of Madhya

Pradesh in the Basmati growing area would

have an adverse affect on the lives of
farmers who are mainly depending upon

Youngsters who eat oats regularly are 50 per

cent less likely to be overweight, one study
of 10,000 children found Photo: Tim
By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor

Basmati cultivation and its exports.

Accordingly, GI Registry, asked Apeda to
amend its application for GI registration of
Basmati rice to include the uncovered area,
including certain area in Madhya Pradesh.
Against this, Apeda has approached IPAB
with an appeal against the order of assistant
registrar of the GI Registry, issued on
December 31, 2013, which allowed the
opposition by various parties, including the
department

of

farmer

welfare

and

agriculture development of MP, Madhya

Kshetra

Basmati

Growers

Association

Samiti based in Raisen district among others

against the application of Apeda.

http://www.financialexpress.com/article/markets
/commodities/india-pakistan-spar-over-gi-tagfor-basmati-rice/27319/

4:28PM GMT 05 Jan 2015

A small bowl of porridge each day could be
the key to a long and healthy life, after a
major study by Harvard University found
that whole grains reduce the risk of dying
from heart disease.Although whole grains
are widely believed to be beneficial for
health it is the first research to look at
whether they have a long-term impact on
lifespan.Researchers followed more than
100,000 people for more than 14 years
monitoring their diets and health
outcomes.Everyone involved in the study
was healthy in 1984 when they enrolled, but
when they were followed up in 2010 more
than 26,000 had died.However those who
ate the most whole grains, such as porridge,
brown rice, corn and quinoa seemed
protected from many illnesses and

particularly heart disease.Oats are already

the breakfast of choice for many athletes and
also for dieters, who find the high fibre
levels give them energy for longer.But
scientists found that for each ounce (28g) of
whole grains eaten a day the equivalent of
a small bowl of porridge the risk of all
death was reduced by five per cent and heart
deaths by 9 per cent.These findings further
support current dietary guidelines that
recommend
increasing
whole-grain
consumption, said lead author Dr Hongyu
Wu of Harvard School of Public
Health.They also provide promising
evidence that suggests a diet enriched with
whole grains may confer benefits towards
extended life expectancy.The findings
remained even when allowing for different
ages, smoking, body mass index and
physical activity.Whole grains, where the
bran and germ remain, contain 25 per cent
more protein than refined grains, such as
those that make white flour, pasta and white
rice.Previous studies have shown that whole
grains can boost bone mineral density, lower
blood pressure, promote healthy gut bacteria
and reduce the risk of diabetes. One
particular fibre found only in oats called
beta-glucan has been found to lower
cholesterol which can help to protect against
heart disease. A bioactive compound called
avenanthramide is also thought to stop fat
forming in the arteries, preventing heart
attacks and strokes.Whole grains are also
widely recommended in many dietary
guidelines because they contain high levels

of nutrients like zinc, copper, manganese,

iron and thiamine. They are also believed to
boost levels of antioxidants which combat
free-radicals.The new research suggests that
if more people switched to whole grains,
thousands of lives could be saved each year.
Coronary heart disease is Britains biggest
killer, responsible for around 73,000 deaths
in the UK each year. Around 2.3 million
people are living with the condition and one
in six men and one in 10 women will die
from the disease.
Health experts said the study proved that
whole grains were beneficial to health
Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietician at the
British Heart Foundation, said: This is an
interesting study and reinforces existing
dietary recommendations to eat more foods
high in fibre.
People with a higher intake of whole grains
also tended to have a healthier overall
lifestyle and diet so it might not be the
whole grains alone that are having the
benefit in relation to cardiovascular disease.
But at this time of year when we are all
making resolutions to eat better, switching
to whole-grain versions of bread, breakfast
cereals, pasta and rice is a simple change to
make.
The research is published in the journal
JAMA: Internal Medicine.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/1
1325968/Porridge-could-be-key-to-a-long-andhealthy-life-says-Harvard-University.html