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Daily Global Rice e-Newsletter

Aug ,2015

Vol 5,Issue XIII

September 30,2015

Vol 5,Issue XIV

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Rice News Headlines...

1. How smugglers hamper rice policy, frustrate investor

2. Asia Rice-Prices gain in Vietnam, Thailand following supply deal

3. Cambodian Rice Millers Begin Cracking US Market

4. Japan mulls extra proposal for U.S. rice imports to help clinch TPP

5. China sets 2016 wheat, corn, rice and cotton import quotas -NDRC

6. The Origins Of Black Rice Plant biologists have solved the ancient mystery of the origins

and spread of black rice

7. More rice imports next year as El Niño lingers

8. DA-12 looking at alternative palay areas in preparation to El Niño

9. Big data on 3,000 rice genomes made available on cloud

10. Odisha to procure 30 lakh tonnes paddy this year

11. Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

12. Warshaw Testifies on Importance of In-Kind Contributions in Food Aid Programs

13. LUIS ESPINO: ARMYWORMS INVADE RICE

14. Jeremy Zwinger to discuss rice outlook for U of A webinar

15. Study concludes added enzyme makes phosphorus in rice co-products more digestible for

pigs

16. Abraham Recognizes Rice in House Floor Speech

17. CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

18. CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

19. No ban on export of basmati rice: Government

News Detail...

How smugglers hamper rice policy, frustrate investor

Posted By: Chikodi Okereochaon: September 30, 2015

Apparently to halt the yearly loss of N360 billion to rice importation, the Federal Government

came up with a policy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in local production in 2013. It has a

plan to ban rice importation by the end of this year. But, the policy is threatened by smuggling,

which has also put investors in the rice value chain under intense pressure. The investors fear

their multi-billion naira investment might go down the drain, unless measures are taken now to

stem smuggling, writes Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

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Three years ago, the

Federal Government

launched a new rice

policy and set a 2015

target for the realisation

of self-sufficiency in rice

production. The policy,

initiated by the

immediate past

administration of

President Goodluck

Jonathan, is part of the

Backward Integration

Policy (BIP) and economic diversification agenda, which President Muhammadu Buhari has

promised retain and pursue.

The objective is to cut down on daily rice import bill, estimated at N1 billion, encourage local

production of rice and offer investors in the rice sub-sector incentives to invest.It (policy) is

directed at saving the country the embarrassing paradox of a nation that boasts of more than 60

per cent arable land and manpower to support local rice production, but spends N360 billion to

import rice.―Our target is that we should produce enough rice locally to feed our people and

ultimately become a net exporter of rice,‖ President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr.

Akinwumi Adesina said at the launch of the policy during his tenure as the Minister of

Agriculture & Rural Development.

Expectedly, many investors bought into the policy in the rice sub-sector and encouraged by a

combination of patriotism and anticipation of a highly rewarding investment, investors across the

entire rice value chain including farmers, processors/millers, importers, and marketers embraced

the policy.Apart from Pearl Universal Impex, which was importing 350,000 metric tonnes of rice

annually, but decided to invest in local production to aid the government‘s self-sufficiency target

in rice production, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has also thrown its hat into the rice

production ring.

DIL President Alhaji Aliko Dangote, recently announced in Abuja, the investment of $1 billion

(about N165 billion) on rice production and processing in five states of Edo, Jigawa, Kebbi,

Kwara and Niger.The Nation learnt that DIL has acquired 150,000 hectares of land in those

states for the project, which when developed, will be the largest single investment in rice

production in Africa.The project, seen as a shot in the arm of government‘s on-going reforms of

the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), which was launched in 2011, followed the

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signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DIL and the Federal Ministry of

Agriculture and Rural Development.

According to the MoU, the indigenous multinational will establish two state-of-the-art mills with

a capacity to process 120,000 metric tons of paddy each, bringing the combined capacity to

240,000 metric tons, with plans to double the capacity in two years. The rice plant is estimated to

produce 960,000 metric tons of milled rice, representing 46 per cent of imported rice.Olam

Nigeria Limited, another major investor, has unveiled plans to increase its stake in the rice

industry. Specifically, the company, according to its General Manager, Mr. Reji George, will

begin the processing of 200,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice in Doma Local Government Area

of Nassarawa State this year. He said his firm‘s integration plan will aid local rice production

and job creation.

The plan came on the heels of the introduction of the company‘s locally-produced rice to the

Nigerian market in Lagos. Olam‘s Business Head for Rice, Anil Nair, explained that the

company is into commercial rice production with 6, 000 hectares in two cities. The 12,000

hectares would definitely assist in bridging the demand and supply gap.According to him,

Olam‘s involvement in local rice production will assist Nigeria in becoming self-sufficient in

rice production.

Spanner in the works

However, palpable fear and apprehension has gripped investors over the fate of their investments

following the rising wave of rice smuggling into the country.The latest figures made available by

the Patriotic Rice Association of Nigeria (PRAN), show that 80,000 metric tonnes of rice are

smuggled into the country through the porous land borders with Benin Republic every month,

with the revenue loss hitting N10 billion.In the conservative estimate given by the Nigerian

Customs Service (NCS), the economy lost over N27 billion to rice smuggling through the land

border with Benin Republic in the last four months.

According to reliable sources, thousands of metric tonnes of rice from India, Thailand, Singapore

and other Asian countries berth at the ports of Benin Republic and Cameroun for onward

dumping in the country.The President, Rice Millers Importers and Distributors Association of

Nigeria (RiMIDAN) and Chairman, Rice Investors Group, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, echoed the

frustrations of investors when, at a meeting with the Presidential Committee on Trade

Malpractice in Abuja, he lamented that while the local rice producers are working hard to aid

government‘s self-sufficiency plan, some importers are taking advantage of the free trade zones

to import rice and deny the country of much needed revenue.Owoeye alleged that neighbouring

countries are taking advantage of the disconnect in the rice policy to exploit Nigeria.

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―They ship in quite a large number of parboiled rice into Benin Republic and Cameroun, but we

know that the rice is destined for Nigerian markets and government has taken note of that,‖

Owoeye told the Committee, claiming that the country loses $1 billion daily on rice smuggling.

Why smugglers hold the ace

Apparently to achieve self-sufficiency in local production, the Federal Government increased the

tax on imported rice from 50 to 110 per cent in January 2013. That was a 60 per cent increase.

The tax was to encourage locally produced and processed rice and significantly trim down

import, that has been gulping N360 billion annually in foreign exchange before a total ban this

year.

However, government‘s solution in form of a higher tariff regime on importation became the

problem. The tariff imposed on the commodity and the consequent higher market prices opened

the floodgate for smugglers to push large volumes of rice into the local market with zero duty, a

development that is now making the self-sufficiency target in rice production to hang in the

balance. Also at stake are the multi-billion investments of by private investors in local

production.

Some industry operators told The Nation that as soon as Nigeria announced the tariff hike, some

neighbouring countries such as Benin, Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Gabon, among others, pulled

a fast one by quickly lowering their own tariffs on rice. The duty differentials between Nigeria

and itsWest African neigbours encouraged smuggling from all parts of the globe.For instance, in

response to Nigeria‘s 110 per cent tariff on imported rice, the Republic of Benin and Cameroun

are said to have crashed their import duty on rice to as low as 30 per cent. Some unscrupulous

Nigerian businessmen also relocated their businesses to Benin and Cameroon, a development

that is further fuelling smuggling.

Benin and Cameroon have become the destinations of choice for rice imports meant en route the

Nigerian market. For these neighbouring countries, Nigeria‘s large market size of 170 million

people and over 300 entry points are too tempting to ignore. Through such illegal entry points,

shipments diverted to neighboring countries by major rice exporters from South and Southeast

Asia found their way into the country.The illegal routes are located in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara,

Cross River, Rivers, Taraba, Borno, Adamawa, Kastina, Sokoto and Zamfara states.With the

influx of cheaper rice through these routes, local rice producers and processors have been losing

sleeps because they cannot compete with the prices of smuggled rice.

Globally, Nigeria ranks next to China in rice importation, consuming between 5.5 million metric

tonnes and six million metric tonnes of rice yearly at an estimated value of N360 billion,

according to Dr. Olusegun Aganga, the former Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment.While

1.8 million metric tonnes are produced locally, the country imports 3.7 million metric tonnes

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annually. More than 50 per cent of this 3.7 million metric tonnes that find their way into the

country are said to be smuggled in through the land borders and other unapproved routes.

Presently, local rice production accounts for less than 50 per cent of the country‘s total

consumption, leaving a huge demand gap for polished/milled rice imported from India, Thailand

and Brazil.The Chairman of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN),

Vicky Haastrup, puts the local production capacity at 30 per cent.

―It is a fact that local production cannot match local demand, which creates a recipe for

smuggling,‖ she said.According to her, ―our neighbouring countries are profiting from the policy

by dropping their own tariffs on rice, and because they are benefitting, they give tacit support to

these smugglers.‖She said that rather than encourage local production, the 110 per cent policy

will stifle it because of the high smuggling rate.To Haastrup and other stakeholders, the nation‘s

chances of achieving the rice self-sufficiency target by this year will continue to getting slimmer

unless government stems cross-border smuggling.

The country is already in the last quarter of the year and the anti-smuggling campaign has not

gathered enough steam for the realisation of the target.Beyond cross-border smuggling, which

has been a pain in investors‘s neck, the consumption preference of Nigerians for imported rice to

the detriment of locally-produced rice has not helped matters.The market boasts of high-quality

and well-packaged Nigerian rice such as Quarra Rice, Umza Rice, Ebony Super Rice, Eko Rice,

Mikap Rice, Ashi Rice, Queen of the Niger, Ofada Rice, Abakaliki Rice and Mama‘s Pride,

among others, which are more nutritious than foreign brands. But, partly because of their

penchant for foreign-made products, and partly because of the price difference between the local

and foreign brands, many Nigerians still prefer imported rice.

However, rice investors insist that they have the capacity to meet local demand for rice if the

right policy and investment climate are put in place to de-emphasize massive importation of the

commodity, which in turn breeds smuggling. The investors are therefore of the view that

government should assist rice farmers to boost the rice value chain by helping them secure arable

land for rice cultivation and providing other inputs such as pesticides, fertilisers, and high-

yielding, disease-resistant varieties, among others.―We, as Nigerian investors have made

sacrifices by paying higher duties for the importation of rice through the official channels, while

some of our members have begun the backward integration process for rice value-chain. We

cannot allow smugglers to keep destroying these investments,‖ said Bunmi Owolabi, a local rice

farmer in Kogi State.

Economy, investors hurting

The Chairman of PRAN, an association of local growers and legal importers of rice, Alhaji

Habilu Maishinkafa, is livid. He said a bleak future is steering investors in the face because of

the upsurge in the activities of rice smugglers.He lamented that the rate of smuggling of the

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commodity remains quite high, with concomitant effects of loss of investment, market share, job

losses, revenue and increase in youth unemployment. The PRAN chair said large scale

investments in farming and milling industries by private businesses are being jeopardised by the

free reign of rice smugglers.

Explaining the process of rice production, experts say the farmers must plant rice and produce

paddy (raw) rice, sell the paddy rice to the processors, who turn the rice into finished products.

They lamented that the processors no longer buy paddy from the farmers in sufficient quantities

because the price is not attractive for business.Noting, for instance, that local rice farms and

milling plants have been unable to impact on host communities as they are supposed to following

the ugly development, Maishinkafa expressed fears that the rice policy is gradually being eroded

in view of the unrestrained activities of economic saboteurs, illegal importers and smugglers. He

appealed to the Federal Government to tighten the porous borders.

Against the backdrop of the Buhari administration‘s avowed commitment to boost the nation‘s

agricultural sector, PRAN appealed to the government to help its members contribute to the

realisation of the dream of self-sufficiency in rice, stating that it was ready to partner with the

administration to realise the dream.The rice dealers added that there is the need to sustain the

synergy earlier formed between the Federal Government and the organisation to achieve the

production and supply value chain on rice.According to them, the new rice policy of backward

integration was a step in the right direction, which should not be reversed by the current

administration, the group observed that for the first time, the government was making

conscientious efforts to jump-start local production and shield investors from the onslaught of

international importers and daring smugglers. http://thenationonlineng.net/how-smugglers-hamper-rice-policy-frustrate-investors/

Asia Rice-Prices gain in Vietnam, Thailand following supply

deal By Reuters Media on Sep 30, 2015 at 8:18 a.m.

We, as Nigerian investors have made sacrifices by paying higher duties for

Rice farmer Boonhome Suaydee, 57, gestures in Khon Kaen, Thailand, on Sept. 14.

REUTERS/Jorge Silva

HANOI - Rice export prices in Vietnam and Thailand went up this week following a supply deal

both signed with the Philippines even though markets were relatively quiet, traders said on

Wednesday.Vietnam and Thailand won a tender at mid-month to supply 750,000 tons of 25

percent broken rice to the Philippines at $426.60 a tons between November and March

2016.Also, Indonesia plans to import up to 1.5 million tons of rice from Thailand and Vietnam

next month."The news from the Philippines and Indonesia has boosted prices," said a trader at a

rice exporting firm in Ho Chi Minh City.

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"However, the market is relatively quiet these days as China, one of the main Vietnamese rice

importers, will temporarily stop trading to celebrate its National Day."Vietnam's 5 percent

broken rice rose to $340-$345 a ton on a free-on-board (FOB) basis, from $330-$340 a ton a

week earlier. The 25 percent broken variety rose to $325-$340 a ton, from $320-$330 a week

ago.China has also been buying more Vietnamese rice this month after its August imports hit a

five-month low, boosting Vietnam's export prices for the grain and narrowing the spread

between high and low quality varieties.Still, with China's week-long national holiday starting on

Thursday, those purchases are set to slow.

Vietnam's rice exports in the January-September period would drop 10 percent from a year ago

to an estimated 4.48 million ton, bringing the nine-month revenue down 15.7 percent, the

Agriculture Ministry said last week.In Thailand, the world's second-biggest rice exporter after

India, the market was relatively quiet in thin trade as well."We shipped about 10 containers last

week but we haven't been shipping at all this week," said a rice trader in Bangkok.Thai 5 percent

broken grain <RI-THBKN5-P1> edged up to $342-$352 per ton, from $340-$348 a week earlier,

FOB Bangkok."Prices slightly rose, but I think it's mainly because it's been a while since it has

increased," the trader said.

Tags:News, Nation and World, Asia, Rice, Vietnam, Thailand

http://www.agweek.com/news/nation-and-world/3850438-asia-rice-prices-gain-vietnam-thailand-following-supply-deal

Few takers for PB-1509 paddy in mandis 30 2015 12:38AM

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Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Sirsa, September 29

Facing financial losses due to inclement weather, poor crops and pest infestations for the past

two crops, farmers in the state are in for another jolt as there are no buyers of PB 1509 basmati

variety in the grain markets.Once hailed as a profitable alternative to other varieties due to its

high yield and shorter duration, PB 1509 that fetched farmers a price of Rs 4000 per quintal in

2013, sold for nearly Rs 2500 per quintal last year has is now selling for only Rs 1250 now.

.Even the state government‘s announcement to purchase if for a MSP of Rs 1450 per quintal has

not worked because millers, who are otherwise on warpath with the government for their

demands, are not ready to mill this variety due to high percentage of broken grains after milling.

―Despite the government‘s orders not a single grain is being purchased in the grain markets,‖

said Surinder Minchnabadi, president of Sirsa Grain Market Traders‘ Association.―This variety

is used for mixing in other varieties. Since existing stocks were sufficient to meet the industry

needs, there were hardly any buyers, he added. Gurjeet Singh Mann, a progressive farmer from

Kirpal Patti village, who has grown PB 1509, said the crop coming to the market these days are

of early varieties, which, he said, were of an inferior quality.

Agriculture scientists had been advising farmers repeatedly to transplant PB 1509 varieties only

after July 15 because the rice grains that mature during the hot weather are of inferior quality,

lose aroma and develop a tendency to break during milling.―Though the prices will always be

driven by market forces, the PB 1509 varieties which are arrive by the end of October will of a

better quality,‖ he added.Diwan Chand Sharma, DFSC, said once the impasse between the

government and the rice millers ends, government agencies would start purchasing it on MSP.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/few-takers-for-pb-1509-paddy-in-mandis/139413.html

Cambodian Rice Millers Begin Cracking US Market Khmer Times/May Kunmakara

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times) – Domestic rice millers are preparing to compete against their

Thai rivals for a share of the US market as the European Union market becomes increasingly

competitive, they say.The move, which will see the Kingdom‘s premium rice competing with

Thai jasmine rice, which dominates rice imports by the US, is part of an overall strategy to

diversify export markets, rice exporters say.

Song Saran, president of Amru Rice (Cambodia), a leading milled rice exporter, told Khmer

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Times that exports to the EU and other markets were not increasing fast enough due to intense

competition and the fact that these markets are not growing.―The EU market has already reached

its peak and there is little room to expand there. But we see plenty of room for growth in the US

market. We need to increase our competitiveness to expand fast,‖ Mr. Saran said. Mr. Saran said

Amru will export 1,000 tons of rice to the US this year and plans to double this amount next

year. Although the US places no import tax on Cambodian rice, its price is similar to that of Thai

jasmine rice due to the lack of competitiveness in the value chain here. ―We have to compete on

brand, price and quality,‖ he said. Thailand has been exporting rice to the US for more than 25

years and has established a strong brand there, he added.

Khan Khunthy, CEO of BriCo – a domestic rice miller that exports fragrant and jasmine rice to

the EU and US – is also planning to expand exports to the US. BriCo began exporting to the US

about one year ago, he said.Mr. Khunthy said his company has exported about 6,000 tons of rice

in the first nine months of this year to the EU and the US. The amount is three times what it

exported in the same period last year, he added. ―My company has been in the [US] market for

nearly a year. The market is really big, but Thai rice dominates the market,‖ he said. ―If you talk

about jasmine everyone there knows Thai rice because they have been marketing and branding it

for nearly 20 years.‖

Mr. Khunthy also noted that Thailand‘s government has had a budget for marketing its rice

globally, but Cambodia does not. ―The US market has great potential and is huge, but to get a

share of this premium market requires us to have clear branding and marketing,‖ he

added. Economist Srey Chanthy agreed that domestic rice millers will face immense challenges

competing with Thai rice in the US market. It is ―very difficult to compete with Thailand,‖ he

said. ―Maybe Cambodian [exporters] should capture a niche market, like organic rice, or conduct

aggressive marketing campaigns and target Cambodian communities as a start,‖ he said.

Cambodia‘s Jasmine rice has been named ―The World‘s Best Rice‖ for three years in a row,

since 2013, but Mr. Khunthy said this has not appeared to benefit domestic exporters. ―We don‘t

have any branding yet,‖ he said. ―We were named ‗World's Best Rice‘ for three straight years.

We should do branding based on that, but we don‘t have a national strategy to do this,‖ he said.

―We [companies] do a lot of branding, but it is not synchronized. We need better [industry]

leadership.‖

Over the first nine months of the year Brico exported about 500 tons of rice to the US and will

export another 500 tons by the end of this year, said Mr. Khunthy.Data from the Agriculture

Ministry shows Cambodia exported 342,136 tons of milled rice over the first eight months of this

year, up 40 per cent over the same period last year. The export price of Cambodian rice is

estimated to be about $800 a ton. About 70 per cent of the total went to the EU. Just 1,197 tons

were exported to the US. Cambodia‘s share of the global rice export market was just 1.1 percent

last year, compared to 22 percent for Thailand, according to export tracking website World‘s Top

Exports. Although Cambodia‘s exports were small, they rose at the fastest pace of any exporter

last year, the website said.

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/16340/cambodian-rice-millers-begin-cracking-us-market/

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Japan mulls extra proposal for U.S. rice imports to help

clinch TPP

POLITICS SEP. 30, 2015 - 06:58AM JST ( 29 )

ATLANTA —

Japan is considering making an additional proposal for U.S. rice imports in pursuit of reaching a

Pacific free trade agreement that would create one of the world‘s biggest free trade zones, a

source close to the matter says.With talks ongoing since Saturday between chief negotiators from

the United States, Japan and 10 other countries involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal in

Atlanta, the two countries appear to remain at odds over rice, Japan‘s heavily protected staple

food.Japan has already proposed to newly set a 70,000-ton tariff-free annual import quota for

U.S. rice under the trade pact talks, but that is still far short of the 175,000 tons demanded by the

United States.

Tokyo is now looking at an additional proposal of allocating 50,000 tons within an existing

770,000-ton quota for rice imports set under an earlier multilateral trade agreement to medium-

grain rice, which is mainly grown by American farmers, the source said.Japan currently imposes

778 percent tariffs on rice to protect local farmers. But following the Uruguay Round of global

trade talks under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade framework through 1994, it set up

a 770,000-ton tariff-free ―minimum access‖ rice import quota. U.S. rice accounted for some

360,000 tons of the 770,000 tons in fiscal 2014.U.S. farmers are likely to make up most of the

50,000 tons that would be allotted to medium-grain rice, which would boost American rice

imports while squeezing allocations for other countries such as Thailand, China and Australia.

The suggestion came under consideration as the Japanese minister in charge of TPP negotiations

prepares to attend ministerial talks from Wednesday in Atlanta.Economic and Fiscal Policy

Minister Akira Amari, who is in charge of the TPP talks for Japan, told reporters ahead of his

departure from Narita airport that an agreement has to be reached at the meeting to keep

negotiations from further dragging on.He reiterated that a final agreement could be put off for

years if the talks are not concluded this time.Some countries see a need for striking a deal ahead

of the general election in Canada next month and before the national focus in the United States

shifts later this year to the 2016 presidential election.

Such political events will make it hard for politicians in those countries to concentrate on TPP

issues, political analysts said.Major sticking issues such as intellectual property protection,

market access and automotive trade blocked ministers from wrapping up negotiations in the

previous round in Hawaii in July.The TPP negotiations were launched in 2010 involving the

United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Malaysia,

Mexico, Canada and Japan joined the talks later.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/japan-mulls-extra-proposal-for-u-s-rice-

imports-to-help-clinch-tpp

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China sets 2016 wheat, corn, rice and cotton

import quotas -NDRC

Wed Sep 30, 2015 11:25am GMT

BEIJING, Sept 30 (Reuters) - China has set 2016 low-tariff rate import quotas for wheat, corn,

rice and cotton, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on

Wednesday, with volumes the same as this year.The quota for wheat has been set at 9.636

million tonnes, for corn 7.2 million tonnes, and rice 5.32 million tonnes.The cotton quota has

been set at 894,000 tonnes, the NDRC said on its website www.ndrc.gov.cn.

(Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Pravin Char)

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFB9N10E02Q20150930

The Origins Of Black Rice Plant biologists have solved the

ancient mystery of the origins and spread of black rice.

Asian Scientist Newsroom | September 30, 2015 | In the Lab Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at:

http://www.asianscientist.com/2015/09/in-the-lab/origins-black-rice/

The Origins Of Black Rice Plant biologists have solved the ancient mystery of the origins and

spread of black rice. Asian Scientist Newsroom | September 30, 2015 | In the Lab AsianScientist

(Sep. 30, 2015) - Japanese scientists have traced the genetic origins of black rice to natural

crossbreeding. Their work has been published in The Plant Cell. Black rice has a rich cultural

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history; called ‗Emperor‘s rice‘, it was reserved for the Emperor in ancient China and used as a

tribute food. In the time since, it remained popular in certain regions of China and recently has

become prized worldwide for its high levels of antioxidants.

Despite its long history, the origins of black rice have not been clear. Black rice cultivars are

found in locations scattered throughout Asia. However, most cultivated rice species (Oryza

sativa) produces white grains, and the wild relative Oryza rufipogon has red grains. The color of

rice grains is determined by which colored pigments they accumulate (or fail to accumulate, in

the case of white rice). For instance, the pro-anthocyanidins that give wild rice grains their

characteristic red color are not produced in white rice due to a mutation in a gene controlling

pro-anthocyanidin biosynthesis. The color in black rice is known to be due to anthocyanin

pigments, but how these came to be made in the grains was not known.

The authors of the paper answered the long-standing question of how black rice became black

and, moreover, traces the history of the trait from its molecular origin to its spread into modern-

day varieties of rice. Researchers from two institutions in Japan, National Institute of

Agrobiological Sciences and Forestry and Fisheries Research Center, collaborated to examine

the genetic basis for the black color in rice grains. They discovered that the trait arose due to a

rearrangement in a gene called Kala4, which activates the production of anthocyanins. They

concluded that this rearrangement must have originally occurred in the tropical japonica

subspecies of rice and that the black rice trait was then transferred into other varieties (including

those found today) by crossbreeding.

―The birth and spread of novel agronomical traits during crop domestication are complex events

in plant evolution,‖ said Dr. Izawa Takeshi, lead scientist of the study. This new work on black

rice helps explain the history of domestication of rice by ancient humans, during which they

selected for desirable traits including grain color. The article can be found at: Oikawa et al.

(2015) The Birth of a Black Rice Gene and Its Local Spread by Introgression. ——— Source:

American Society of Plant Biologists; Photo: storebukkebruse/Flickr/CC. Disclaimer: This

article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff. Tags: Agriculture,

Japan, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences Japan, Rice Read more from Asian Scientist

Magazine at: http://www.asianscientist.com/2015/09/in-the-lab/origins-black-rice/

http://www.asianscientist.com/2015/09/in-the-lab/origins-black-rice/

More rice imports next year as El Niño lingers By Kathleen A. Martin (The Philippine Star) | Updated October 1, 2015 - 12:00am

Earlier, the NFA Council approved the importation of 1.8 million metric tons of rice this year,

including the 500,000 MT bought from Thailand and Vietnam in the first quarter. Another

250,000 MT of the approved volume were meant for the lean season, while 250,000 MT were set

aside for reserves. Philstar.com/File

MANILA, Philippines - The government plans to import more rice in the first half of 2016 due to

the adverse effects of the prolonged dry spell in some rice-producing provinces.Socioeconomic

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Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said yesterday preparations are being made to ensure the

country has enough rice buffer to cushion the impact of the El Niño phenomenon which is

expected to last until next year.Balisacan is part of the National Food Authority‘s council, the

only agency allowed by law to bring in rice shipments from abroad. ―This early, we are

prepositioning our level of imports.

We already decided to import more rice this year and we have already provisioned more import

volumes for the first two quarters of next year,‖ Balisacan said at the Philippine Economic

Briefing.However, he declined to disclose the volume of rice imports the government has been

planning to order.―We don‘t know the exact numbers (for the imports) yet but we have some

provisions already,‖ he said, noting the data on the areas that are expected to be adversely

affected by the dry spell, and the farmers‘ intention to plant, among others, have yet to be

gathered. ―What I‘m trying to say is we know there is going to be a shortfall so we are making

the minimum buffer that we need to have to ensure there would be no sharp increases in the

prices of rice,‖ Balisacan said.

Earlier, the NFA Council approved the importation of 1.8 million metric tons of rice this year,

including the 500,000 MT bought from Thailand and Vietnam in the first quarter. Another

250,000 MT of the approved volume were meant for the lean season, while 250,000 MT were set

aside for reserves.

The remaining 805,200 MT were private sector imports under the government‘s minimum

http://www.philstar.com/business/2015/10/01/1505673/more-rice-imports-next-year-el-nino-lingers

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DA-12 looking at alternative palay areas in preparation to El

Niño

ByMindanewson September 30 2015 4:32 pm

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 30 Sept) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in

Region 12 is working on the opening of ―alternative‖ palay production areas in a bid to offset the

projected reduction in local harvests due to the impact of the looming strong El Niño

Phenomenon.Amalia Jayag-Datukan, DA Region 12 executive director, said they are currently

evaluating some irrigated farm areas in parts of Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato provinces for

the planting of palay within the next few weeks.She said the targeted farmlands are located in

portions of the Liguasan Marsh that are covered by the two provinces.

―We‘re continuously looking for other alternative production areas so we can sustain our

production targets,‖ she said.Based on the DA-12‘s forecasts, the region‘s palay harvests could

drop by a total of 98,473 metric tons (MT) this year as a result of the onslaught of the El Niño,

which was predicted to begin next month and last until February next year.It expects the area‘s

total palay harvests to reach 1,316,809 MT by yearend or about seven percent lower than its

1,415,282 MT target under its Food Self-Sufficiency Program.In terms of palay production area,

the agency expects a reduction of 17,679 hectares or from its target of 358,567 hectares to

340,888 hectares due to the El Niño.

Despite such projection, Datukan said they are not expecting any rice shortage in the region in

the coming months.She said the region remains rice self-sufficient and they anticipate enough

rice supplies in the local markets during the El Niño period.―We will still be 120 percent rice

self-sufficient so that will not likely affect the availability of rice supplies in the markets,‖ she

said.In 2014, Region 12 produced a total of 1.364 million MT of palay and a self-sufficiency

rating of 128 percent.Such figure was equivalent to 31.68 percent of Mindanao‘s rice production

and 7.1 percent of the entire country.Based on rainfall data released to DA-12 by the Philippine

Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, some parts of the region

already posted ―way below normal‖ levels as of the end of August.

It said the rainfall level in the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato

will drop to below normal and in Sarangani to way below normal starting the end of the

month.Datukan said the provinces of Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato will

experience dry spell this month that will intensify to drought from October to February.She said

North Cotabato will experience dry condition starting this month until January and dry spell by

February.Dry spell was described as three consecutive months of below normal or 21 to 60

percent reduction from average rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way below

normal or more than 60 percent reduction from average rainfall conditions.Drought was defined

as consecutive months of way below normal or more than 60 percent reduction from average or

five consecutive months of below normal or 21 to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall

condition

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http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2015/09/30/da-12-looking-at-alternative-palay-areas-in-preparation-to-el-nino/

Big data on 3,000 rice genomes made available on cloud By eGov Innovation Editors | 2015-09-30

Three research institutions — the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the

Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Shenzhen, and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

— collaborated to sequence the genomes of 3,024 rice varieties and lines housed at the IRRI (82

percent) and the CAAS (18 percent) gene banks. Funded by

grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the

Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, the sequencing

and initial analysis produced a dataset that contains millions

of genomic sequences from a diverse set of rice varieties

that, when combined with phenotyping observations, gene

expression, and other information, provides an important

step in establishing gene-trait associations, building

predictive models, and applying these models to

breeding.Through funding from the Global Rice Science

Partnership, the 3,024 genomes were re-analyzed against five

popular varieties that represent the three main subgroups of

cultivated rice — indica, japonica, and aus.

This new 3,000 Rice Genomes Project (3K RGP) data analysis set is massive at 120 terabytes,

which is well beyond the computing capacities of most research institutions. However, these new

results are now publicly available online, as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Public Data

Set. Accessing the data is free, and use is governed by the stipulations for data analysts and users

from the Toronto Statement.―The dataset provides access to millions of genetic markers that can

be used to design sustainable crops for the future, that is, ones that are high-yielding and more

nutritious while at the same time requiring less water, fertilizer, and pesticides,‖ said. Dr. Rod

Wing, director of the Arizona Genomics Institute at the University of Arizona and a pioneer in

rice genome sequencing.

Dr. Kenneth McNally, senior scientist in IRRI‘s T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center and a

project team member, added that the data set also comes with tools to help researchers visualize

and analyze genetic information. Data access and analysis tools are being made available for the

3K RGP dataset through the International Rice Informatics Consortium(IRIC) ), which promotes

collaboration in bioinformatics analysis of rice data and provides computational tools to facilitate

rice improvement via discovery of new gene-trait associations and accelerated breeding.

One of the tools, the SNP-Seek database, is designed to provide user-friendly access to a type of

genetic marker called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from this data. Another

tool in SNP-Seek, the JBrowse genome browser, displays chromosome-specific SNP data

derived from the set.―The 3K RGP dataset is a powerful tool that will unite researchers from

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17

around the world to help drive the next green revolution,‖ Dr. Wing said.The International Rice

Genebank of the T.T. Chang Genetic Resources Center at the IRRI contains more than 127,000

rice varieties and accessions from all over the world. These accessions hold a virtually untapped

reservoir of genes/traits that can be used to make rice cultivation more sustainable, with a smaller

environmental footprint. Traits targeted for improvement include higher nutritional quality;

tolerance of pests, diseases, and environmental stresses, such as flood and drought; and reduced

greenhouse gas emissions.

http://enterpriseinnovation.net/article/big-data-3000-rice-genomes-made-available-cloud-2136397449

Odisha to procure 30 lakh tonnes paddy this year

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited/Yahoo India News

Bhubaneswar, Sep 30 (IANS) The Odisha cabinet on Wednesday approved the state food and

procurement policy for kharif marketing season (KMS) 2015-16 that targets to procure 30 lakh

tonnes of paddy in kharif and rabi seasons.An initial target of 30 lakh tonnes of paddy has been

fixed for kharif season 2015-16 by the government procuring agencies, said Chief Secretary G.C.

Pati.As much as 23 lakh tonnes in kharif and 7 lakh tonnes in rabi season would be procured

from the farmers in the state, Pati said. Government agencies would be allowed to procure paddy

from the Regulated Market Committee yards (mandis).

Payment to the paddy farmers by government agencies would be through on-line transfer in 160

Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) blocks and through cheques in non-P-PAS

blocks, said the chief secretary.P-PAS was implemented earlier in 60 high procuring blocks of

the state during the kharif season 2014-15 and it has been extended to another 100 blocks.The

cabinet also approved the revival of a medical college and hospital in Kalahandi district.The state

government has taken over the ailing medical college and would induct a suitable private partner

through public-private partnership framework for ensuing the revival and sustainable

operationalisation of the medical college.

"The state government decided to transfer 124 students pursuing degree course in the medical

college in the last two years to private medical colleges in Bhubaneswar. We have sought

Medical Council of India (MCI) approval," said development commissioner U.N. Behera.Citing

lack of infrastructure and adequate faculty, the MCI had withdrawn recognition to the college

that was developed by Western Odisha Development Council and a private educational trust.The

chief secretary said the Orissa High Court has directed all concerned, including the MCI, to take

necessary steps for the smooth functioning of the medical college.The cabinet also accorded nod

for loan assistance of $51.20 million (Rs.312.37 crore) by International Fund for Agriculture

Development (IFAD) for infrastructure and livelihood development of particularly vulnerable

tribal groups (PVTG) in the state.

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18

The state government would avail of external assistance from IFAD for implementing the

Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme in 1,019 villages, where the PVTG

reside.While the total project cost is Rs.795.41 crore ($130.39 million), the state's share would be

Rs.464.73 crore ($76.18 million).The project to enable improved livelihood, food and nutrition

security for 32,091 PVTG households and several other scheduled castes and scheduled tribes

living in the villages would be implemented from 2015-16 to 2022-23.

https://in.news.yahoo.com/odisha-procure-30-lakh-tonnes-paddy-114404830--finance.html

Arkansas Farm Bureau Daily Commodity Report

A comprehensive daily commodity market report for Arkansas agricultural commodities with

cash markets, futures and insightful analysis and commentary from Arkansas Farm Bureau

commodity analysts.

Noteworthy benchmark price levels of interest to farmers and ranchers, as well as long-term

commodity market trends which are developing. Daily fundamental market influences and

technical factors are noted and discussed.

Soybeans

High Low

Cash Bids 909 829

New Crop 909 834

Riceland Foods

Cash Bids Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -

New Crop Stuttgart: - - - Pendleton: - - -

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Nov '15 902.25 881.25 892.00 +7.75

Jan '16 905.00 884.00 894.00 +6.50

Mar '16 908.50 887.75 897.25 +6.50

May '16 910.00 890.00 899.75 +6.75

Jul '16 913.25 894.25 904.25 +6.75

Aug '16 909.50 893.75 903.00 +6.50

Sep '16 899.25 887.00 895.50 +6.25

Nov '16 901.00 885.00 893.25 +6.00

Jan '17 891.75 891.75 899.00 +6.00

All About Rice News

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19

Arkansas Daily Grain Report

FOB Memphis Elevator Crops

Soybean Comment

Soybean prices closed slightly high today however this is disappointing given the bullish stocks

report which had stocks less than 200 million bushels. Soybeans remain under pressure from

large global and US supplies forecasted for this coming year. While prices have hopefully put in

their contract lows they still nee d help from export market to show demand remains robust for

soybeans.

Wheat

High Low

Cash Bids 492 492

New Crop 511 409

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Dec '15 515.50 498.25 512.75 +9.00

Mar '16 522.50 506.25 519.50 +8.25

May '16 527.00 511.25 524.25 +8.25

Jul '16 529.50 514.00 527.00 +7.50

Sep '16 537.25 523.50 535.00 +7.25

Dec '16 549.75 536.00 547.50 +6.25

Mar '17 560.00 548.00 557.25 +5.00

May '17 555.25 +4.75

Jul '17 536.75 +4.75

Arkansas Daily Grain Report

FOB Memphis Elevator Crops

Wheat Comment

Wheat prices closed higher today as the market finally got som supportive fundamental news.

Today stocks report was lower than most analyst estimates providing some much-needed

fundamental support for prices. Longer-term wheat will need to see additional demand before

prices can make any kind of significant rally.

Grain Sorghum

High Low

Cash Bids 399 331

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20

New Crop 399 373

Arkansas Daily Grain Report

FOB Memphis Elevator Crops

Corn

High Low

Cash Bids 399 346

New Crop 379 351

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Dec '15 394.50 383.50 387.75 -1.25

Mar '16 405.00 394.25 398.75 -1.00

May '16 411.75 401.25 405.50 -1.25

Jul '16 416.50 406.00 410.75 -1.00

Sep '16 408.50 398.00 404.00 +0.25

Dec '16 415.00 405.00 411.00 +1.25

Mar '17 423.75 415.75 420.50 +1.25

May '17 429.00 425.00 426.25 +1.50

Jul '17 431.25 426.25 429.25 +2.00

Arkansas Daily Grain Report

FOB Memphis Elevator Crops

Corn Comment

Corn prices close slightly lower today. While today's stock report was mostly neutral for prices,

corn remains under harvest pressure. Most traders expected today report to show stocks tighter

than USDA reported, this is evident in the sharp decline following the report. Corn prices remain

near resistance at $4.00 however prices also have strong supporter 360 range. Look for corn to

continue sideways pattern until supplies for this year become clear.

Cotton

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Oct '15 - - - - - - 59.49 -0.56

Dec '15 61.57 59.78 60.44 -0.56

Mar '15 61.23 59.61 60.31 -0.4

All About Rice News

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21

Memphis, TN Cotton and Tobacco Programs

Cotton Comment

December cotton charted a bearish key reversal today, suggesting that another leg down is

possible. At least for today, though, the market found support at the contract low of 59.70 cents

set last week. Hurricane Joaquin could provide some price support as harvest is delayed and

cotton quality is impacted.

Rice

High Low

Long Grain Cash Bids - - - - - -

Long Grain New Crop - - - - - -

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Nov '15 1339.0 1315.0 1320.0 -12.5

Jan '16 1365.0 1345.0 1349.0 -12.5

Mar '16 1370.0 1370.0 1374.0 -9.5

May '16 1388.5 -9.5

Jul '16 1402.0 -9.0

Sep '16 1320.0 1310.0 1315.0 -9.0

Nov '16 1315.0 -9.0

Rice Comment

Rice futures have rallied to their highest level in 14 months in the nearby contract, but turned a

bit lower today on profit taking. Reports of disappointing yields across the south coupled with

smaller acreage has fueled the recent rally. Concerns about Asian production are also a factor, as

an El Nino weather pattern has caused drought in major production areas. November continues

to find resistance at $13.39.

Cattle

Futures:

Live Cattle:

High Low Last Change

Oct '15 128.825 124.675 124.675 -4.500

Dec '15 134.700 129.800 130.250 -3.900

Feb '16 136.225 132.300 132.625 -2.500

Apr '16 135.100 131.600 132.400 -1.500

Jun '16 126.825 123.600 124.700 -0.800

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22

Aug '16 124.250 121.300 122.000 -0.950

Oct '16 126.400 123.850 124.800 -0.575

Dec '16 127.250 125.000 125.175 -0.825

Feb '17 126.850 126.550 126.850 +1.375

Feeders:

High Low Last Change

Oct '15 182.875 176.925 177.800 -3.025

Nov '15 178.475 171.825 172.175 -4.775

Jan '16 172.500 166.525 167.050 -4.150

Mar '16 170.075 164.750 165.150 -3.550

Apr '16 169.750 165.375 165.600 -3.525

May '16 169.800 165.000 165.300 -3.450

Aug '16 169.775 165.500 165.725 -3.525

Sep '16 166.250 166.000 166.000 0.000

Arkansas Prices Conway Livestock Auction

Pocahontas Livestock Auction

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City - Weekly Weighted Average Summary Wednesday

Cattle Comment

Cattle prices remain under pressure today as both live and feeder cattle markets closed down

sharply. Last weeks frozen stocks report continues to dominate the market as traders remain

worried about demand. Continued strength in the dollar and worries about the overall economy

remain a negative factor for cattle prices.

Hogs

Futures:

High Low Last Change

Oct '15 74.500 72.650 73.300 +0.050

Dec '15 67.600 66.500 66.525 -0.525

Feb '16 70.000 68.800 68.800 -1.000

Apr '16 73.175 72.050 72.050 -0.550

May '16 77.900 76.750 76.750 -0.400

Jun '16 80.750 79.725 79.925 -0.300

Jul '16 79.825 79.250 79.100 -0.175

Aug '16 79.000 78.375 78.475 -0.350

Oct '16 67.950 67.600 67.775 -0.100

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23

Hog Comment

Shell Eggs

Daily Midwest Regional Eggs

Daily New York Eggs

National Turkeys

Weekly Weighted Average Prices for Whole Young Turkeys

Delmarva Broilers

Daily Southern Broiler/Fryers

http://www.arfb.com/ag-markets-statistics/report/

Warshaw Testifies on Importance of In-Kind Contributions in

Food Aid Programs

Jamie Warshaw

WASHINGTON, DC -- Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee

held a public hearing on U.S. International Food Aid Programs. USA Rice Food Aid

Subcommittee Chairman Jamie Warshaw testified, along with five other witnesses representing

various private volunteer organizations (PVOs) and commodity groups. "Unfortunately, despite

all the efforts of the United States and other countries, there is still a significant number of

people across the world that are food insecure," said Warshaw during his opening remarks.

"Therefore, I appreciate efforts by USAID and various members of Congress who are looking for

ways to make food aid programs more effective, but I have serious concerns about many of the

policy proposals and reforms that have been laid on the table."

Several of the proposals seek to reduce or eliminate the use of in-kind contributions to food aid

and replace them with a cash or voucher system. Warshaw highlighted recent World Food

Programme and Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports that emphasized the lack of

oversight and diversion of aid when cash or vouchers were used.

The United States has been one of the largest suppliers of

food aid, providing $80 billion in food aid since World War

II. "When we provide U.S. commodities to the world's

hungry, each farmer, processor, packer, handler, and cargo

deliverer can feel good about the work they're doing to help

alleviate hunger," said Warshaw. "Additionally, these U.S.

commodities are distributed in bags that feature the label

'From the American People.' This is a clear statement of

the commitment the U.S. has to fighting global food

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24

insecurity and is a symbol that is intended to help foster international good will."

Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) commented on the new fortified rice developments for

food aid and questioned whether the rice industry would be able to provide this product now.

Warshaw enthusiastically replied that the rice industry can provide a fortified product and in fact

has been providing enriched rice to the domestic market and some export markets for decades.

Responding to Congressman Ralph Abraham's (R-LA) question about the food safety checks for

U.S. rice versus other countries, Warshaw stated that the U.S has one of the world's safest food

supplies.

"In many other rice exporting countries, there are issues with water quality, storage and farming

practices, unregulated pesticide and herbicide use, and little to no third party oversight of the

safety of the food product. The U.S. has a strong system of objective checks that ensure the

quality and safety of our products."

Warshaw continued, "The U.S. rice industry has invested significant capital, time, and effort in

being a timely and reliable supplier of food aid. Looking forward, we are developing fortified

rice and rice products aimed to reduce global hunger and malnutrition, particularly in women and

children. We have had great success so far but global food insecurity is a challenge we're still

facing. The continued delivery of in-kind food aid is necessary to help avoid many of these

potentially serious consequences of program reforms."

Contact: Sarah Moran (703) 236-1457

LUIS ESPINO: ARMYWORMS INVADE RICE By Charmayne Hefley, Associate Editor

Larva of the armyworm, Mythimna unipuncta.

Photo by Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2015

Farmers face many threats to their crops on a daily

basis. Luis Espino, rice farm advisor UC ANR

Cooperative Extension, Colusa County, said rice

farmers are on the lookout for two caterpillar

infestations during the year when armyworms invade

rice fields. ―The first one occurs sometime in June,‖

Espino said. ―At that time all they do is just eat the

foliage, and you can usually see it when you walk into

a field. Nevertheless, the rice has a very good capacity

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25

to recover from that type of injury.‖ Espino‘s UC Rice Blog explains it is difficult to accurately

estimate yield losses due to early armyworm damage because it can reduce tillering, delay the

crop, and cause uneven maturity.

―Heading‖ occurs when the rice plant prepares to enter its reproductive phase. The first sign,

called the ‗booting‘ stage, is when the leaf stem that conceals the developing panicle bulges.

Then the tip of the developing panicle emerges from the stem and continues to grow. Rice is said

to be at the ‗heading‘ stage when the panicle is fully visible. Flowering begins a day after

heading has completed. As the flowers open they shed their pollen on each other so that

pollination can occur. Flowering can continue for about 7 days. (Source: Rice

Development, Ricepedia.)

―The second infestation usually occurs in mid- to late-August when the rice is heading out,‖

Espino said. ―At that time, armyworms can feed on the panicles, [causing the kernels to dry

before filling], resulting in blanks [without kernels to harvest] on the panicles and broken panicle

branches. That‘s when armyworms are more important.‖Espino said that the first infestation this

year was relatively large, making it harder for the treatments to control the armyworms as they

devastated the rice fields. ―There were some areas in fields where the rice was down to the

waters,‖ Espino said. ―so all the foliage was consumed, and sometimes only a little stem was left

standing.‖

During the second armyworm infestation, however, Espino said the rice fields were not as badly

affected as they had been in the first attack. ―We did see some fields with armyworm injury,‖

Espino said,― and some farmers had to treat their fields. The numbers were just so big that the

treatments were not controlling them.‖

Resources:

UCANR/CA Rice Blog, ―Estimating armyworm injury.” http://californiaagtoday.com/armyworms-invade-

rice/?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+September+30%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+Dece

mber+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Jeremy Zwinger to discuss rice outlook for U of A webinar

Sep 30, 2015Delta Farm Press

His (Jeremy Zwinger's) skills were honed during his early career as an analyst for The Rice

Trader. With his 2007 speech predicting prices to go past USD $1,000-per-ton levels, Zwinger‘s

analytical skills became well regarded. As always, he looks forward to contributing more

insights about the future of the commodity market, hoping to make yet another accurate

assessment of the future to aid the audience.

All About Rice News

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26

As farmers put the finishing touches to the 2015 rice harvest,

yields reportedly are off 5 to 10 percent in many areas. That will

make selling this year‘s crop even more challenging, according to

analysts.That‘s why the Oct. 6 Food and Agribusiness Webinar

offered by the University of Arkansas‘ Division of Agriculture

could be very timely for farmers in Arkansas and other rice-

growing states.The next webinar in the University of Arkansas

series, which will be titled ―Global Rice and Commodity Markets

Will Mover Higher… Have we hit the bottom!,‖ will feature

Jeremy Zwinger, president and CEO of Farm and Trade Inc. and

The Rice Trader Inc., and a veteran rice market analyst.Farmers

can register for the webinar, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Central Time on Oct. 6, by clicking

onhttps://uaex.zoom.us/webinar/register/99728e411b97c868c5b9141539e44ee6.

―We‘ll be looking at the global rice and commodity markets and having a frank talk about the

changing dynamics: price direction, politics, water, long grain vs.

medium grain vs. others, quality challenges and other timely

issues,‖ says Dr. Bobby Coats, professor of economics and

agribusiness at the University of Arkansas and moderator of the

webinar series.―Jeremy has also just returned from a key trip from

Asia, which adds to the timeliness of this talk.‖Zwinger is the

president / CEO of The Rice Trader, Farm and Trade Inc., International Commodity Institute and

other entities. He carries a long standing background in agriculture from growing up in a family

farming operation in North Dakota. He went through undergraduate and graduate programs at

North Dakota State University.Zwinger‘s experience extends globally in the fields of brokerage,

advisement, and consultancy services to a number of internationally respected businesses,

including several fortune 500 companies. He is well known amongst clients for his direct

advisory work and market analysis that has over the years proven to be accurate estimates of

forthcoming market developments.

In recent years, his interests have expanded to water trading, grower finance, international trade

and effecting branding.He has chaired the World Rice Conference since its inception in 2009,

being a regular participant at the World Rice Commerce series and has over the years contributed

to some extensive analysis of rice markets by adding inter-commodity analysis (wheat, corn,

soybeans, sugar, coffee, etc.) as well as how currency and oil prices impact the rice market.His

skills were honed during his early career as an analyst for The Rice Trader. With his 2007 speech

predicting prices to go past USD $1,000-per-ton levels, Zwinger‘s analytical skills became well

regarded. As always, he looks forward to contributing more insights about the future of the

commodity market, hoping to make yet another accurate assessment of the future to aid the

audience.

For more information on the Food and Agribusiness Webinar series, visithttp://www.uaex.edu/farm-

ranch/economics-marketing/food-agribusiness-webinars/.

All About Rice News

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

27

http://deltafarmpress.com/rice/jeremy-zwinger-discuss-rice-outlook-u-

webinar?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+September+30%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+D

ecember+13%2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Study concludes added enzyme makes phosphorus in rice co-

products more digestible for pigs

Sep 29, 2015Source: University of Illinois, ACES

Rice is the third most widely grown cereal grain worldwide with over 700 million tons produced

per year. Co-products from the processing of rice for human consumption are an abundant feed

source for livestock. Research conducted at the University of Illinois is helping producers make

the most of these ingredients.

Rice co-products include rice

hulls, rice bran, broken rice and

rice mill feed. Rice hulls

primarily consist of lignin and

ash and have no nutritional value.

Rice bran is the outer part of the

grain after the hulls have been

removed. The bran is removed

from brown rice to make polished

white rice and makes up 8 to

10% of the weight of paddy rice.

It can be fed as full fat rice bran

or defatted rice bran.Broken rice

consists of kernels of polished rice that have been broken during the milling process. Rice mill

feed is a combination of rice hulls, rice bran and rice polishings.

"Most of the phosphorus in rice co-products is hard for pigs to digest because it's bound to

phytate," explains Hans H. Stein, a U of I professor of animal sciences. "About 84 to 88% of the

phytate is in the bran layer so rice bran is a good source of phosphorus if we can get it into a

form that pigs can absorb."Microbial phytase, an enzyme produced by specially engineered

microbes such as bacteria or yeast, breaks the bonds holding phosphorus to phytate. Microbial

phytase has been used for years to improve phosphorus digestibility in U.S. swine diets based

largely on corn and soybean meal. Stein, along with Ph. D. student Gloria Casas, set out to test

its effects on the digestibility of phosphorus in rice co-products fed to pigs.

First, they fed a group of growing pigs diets containing rice co-products with no added phytase.

The standardized total tract digestibility of phosphorus was greatest in broken rice at 75.6%. The

digestibility of phosphorus in FFRB, rice mill feed, brown rice and DFRB ranged from 26.4 to

33.1%.Adding phytase greatly improved phosphorus digestibility in some of the rice co-

products. When phytase was added to the diets, the digestibility of phosphorus increased to

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

28

64.5% in brown rice, 41.3% in FFRB, and 46.7% in rice mill feed. The digestibility of

phosphorus in broken rice and DFRB was not increased by the addition of phytase.

"Broken rice contains no bran so it has less phytate-bound phosphorus, but also much less

phosphorus overall than co-products with bran," Stein says. "Using microbial phytase in

combination with brown rice, rice mill feed or full fat rice bran makes these ingredients valuable

sources of phosphorus in diets for growing pigs."He adds that with the use of microbial phytase,

producers can also decrease the amount of phosphorus excreted by pigs. "So this not only

reduces the cost of adding supplemental phosphorus to the diets, but it also has benefits for the

environment."The paper, "Effects of microbial phytase on the apparent and standardized total

tract digestibility of phosphorus in rice co-products fed to growing pigs" was published in a

recent edition of the Journal of Animal Sciences. The full text is available online. http://nationalhogfarmer.com/nutrition/study-concludes-added-enzyme-makes-phosphorus-rice-co-products-more-

digestible-

pigs?utm_source=USA+Rice+Daily%2C+September+30%2C+2015&utm_campaign=Friday%2C+December+13%

2C+2013&utm_medium=email

Abraham Recognizes Rice in House Floor Speech

Rep. Abraham gives U.S. rice

a big hand

WASHINGTON, DC -- Yesterday,

Congressman Ralph Abraham (R-LA),

a great friend to the U.S. rice industry

and Member of the House Committee

on Agriculture, formally recognized

National Rice Month during a floor

speech here.Standing next to a large

photo of rice plants, Abraham said "I

want to pay a special tribute to the hard

working men and women who produce

rice on their family farms and I'd also

like to recognize those who mill and

market rice, all the suppliers and

buyers." He fittingly finished his

comment by thanking one of the most

important sectors of the industry, "...all

the consumers who make rice an

essential part of their diet."Abraham's Congressional District, LA-05, is the largest row crop

district in the nation and the second largest rice-growing district in Louisiana with a five-year

average of more than 113,900 acres of rice grown with an estimated $119 million farm-gate

value.Congressman Abraham will be a featured speaker at this year's USA Rice Outlook

Conference being held in New Orleans from December 9-11.

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

29

Contact: Julie Vieburg (703) 236-1467

CCC Announces Prevailing World Market Prices

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit

Corporationtoday announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough

rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan gain (MLG)

and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2015 crop, which will become

effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET). Prices are unchanged from the previous

announcement.

World Price MLG/LDP

Rate

Milled

Value

($/cwt)

Rough

($/cwt) Rough

($/cwt)

Long Grain 14.53 9.17 0.00

Medium/Short

Grain 14.04 9.42 0.00

Brokens 8.76 ---- ----

This week's prevailing world market prices and MLG/LDP rates are based on the following U.S.

milling yields and the corresponding loan rates:

U.S. Milling Yields

Whole/Broken

(lbs/cwt)

Loan Rate

($/cwt)

Long Grain 55.01/13.46 6.50

Medium/Short Grain 61.81/8.43 6.50

The next program announcement is scheduled for October 7, 2015.

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for September 30

Month Price Net Change

November 2015 $13.200 - $0.125

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Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter

30

January 2016 $13.490 - $0.125

March 2016 $13.740 - $0.095

May 2016 $13.885 - $0.095

July 2016 $14.020 - $0.090

September 2016 $13.150 - $0.090

November 2016 $13.150 - $0.090

No ban on export of basmati rice: Government By PTI | 30 Sep, 2015, 06.42PM IST

On the contrary, the government is taking all steps to explore

more markets and promote retail packs to improve the

realisation for basmati rice, the Commerce and Industry Ministry

said in a statement.NEW DELHI: The government today said it

is not considering any proposal to ban export of basmati rice, as

it sought to dispel rumours in this regard. On the contrary, the

government is taking all steps to explore more markets and

promote retail packs to improve the realisation for basmati rice,

the Commerce and Industry Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said it has come to the notice that rumours are being spread by certain elements that

the government has banned export of basmati rice. "The Government of India most emphatically

clarifies that there is no truth in such rumours and the Government is not even considering any

proposal to ban export of Basmati rice," the statement added. The export of basmati rice is

allowed subject to registration of contracts with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products

Export Development Authority (APEDA). There is no change in the policy and exports of

basmati rice which are continuing unabated, it added. During the period between April-August,

basmati rice exports grew by 17 per cent in quantity terms as compared to the corresponding

period during the previous year. In view of softening of commodity prices, the realisation of basmati

rice has gone down as has happened with many other commodities. It is expected that a good flow of

export orders is likely and the government also expects the present trend of growth in the export of

basmati rice to continue, the statement added.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/no-ban-on-export-of-basmati-rice-

government/articleshow/49170015.cms