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TOP Contents - Tailored for YOU
Latest News Headlines
Taiwan distribute 500 ton rice aid to Pak needy
BASF Announces New Herbicide Tolerant Rice System in Development
IRRIs new irrigation technique to ease drought effect on rice
Indonesia could double rice imports as election, El Nino loom
How wild rice in Far North Queensland could protect the future of supply
Agribiz - BASF developing new herbicide tolerant rice system
Ways and Means Subcommittee Emphasizes Need to Eliminate Barriers to U.S. Trade
WASDE Report Released
Following Iraq Trade Team Visit in May, June Rice Sales
CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
Court rice graft ruling glitter of hope
Millers, exporters at odds over rice stocks
USA Rice conducting National Rice Month Scholarship
Rice rules flat on lukewarm trade
Can Burma reclaim its status as a major rice player?
Report: Vietnam, Malaysia sign rice deal
Iran Slashes Basmati Rice Purchases From India
Commerce mulling to attract more buyers in rice selling scheme
Farmers in Asia brace for dry spell
Anger by U.S. farmers threatens ambitious Pacific trade pact
California water security attainable, study suggests


News Detail..
Taiwan distribute 500 ton rice aid to Pak needy

June 11, 2014

LAHORE (PR): A delegation from Taiwan has reached Lahore to distribute food aid among the needy and
destitute people in Pakistan. The Executive Director of Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) Rebecca
Wang was leading the delegation, while the other members included Lee Shang Lin, Huang Pei Li and Liang
Yung Kuang.This was stated by Prof Dr Ghulam Qadir Fayyaz, General Secretary ,Cleft Lip and Palate
Association of Pakistan (CLAPP), here at Lahore Press Club on Monday. President Al Mustafa Welfare Society
(Trust) Mian Khalid Habib Elahi was also present on the occasion.

Prof Fayyaz said that delegation has reached with an aid of 500 ton rice from Taiwan and it would be
distributed during the next three months with the help of Al Mustafa Welfare Society (Trust), which already has
a countrywide network. A ceremony for the distribution of rice would be held at Shahdara, Lahore on Thursday,
June 12 and later it would also distribute in other parts of the country include 15 districts of the Punjab
province, 25 districts in Sindh province and then in Muzaffarabad Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
Balochistan. The rice aid had already reached in Karachi and Al Mustafa Welfare Society was making 10 Kg
bags for each family under the supervision of Haji Muhammad Hanif Tayyab.

This was the fourth time when Taiwan was sending the rice aid in Pakistan. In 2011 we received 100 ton rice
for the flood victim, in 2012 400 tons rice and last year 500 ton rice from the brother country. The market prices
of the rice aid was estimated Rs 30 million, while Al Mustafa Welfare Society had spent Rs 5 million for
packing, transportation and distribution purposes.Prof Fayyaz said that during current year CLAPP would
conduct 300 surgeries for the children who were suffering cleft lip and palate problems. CLAPP would organise
free camps in backward and far-flung areas. Taiwan would also train the Pakistani doctors and medical staff for
modern techniques of plastic surgery and speech therapy.

The delegations members would also visit at CLAPP Hospital in Faisal Town and they would address the
training sessions for the surgeons, orthodontists and speech therapists and later they would leave for Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa to meet a small baby girl Laiba, a cranio-Facial deformity with cleft lip & palate patient, who was
operated in Taiwan. The Executive Director of Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) Rebecca Wang told
the media that cleft lip and palate patients could not smile and eat properly and even they could not attend the


school classes and they were forced to live without marriage. She said Pakistan has become the fourth largest
country in the world where about 10000 children were born every year with cleft lip and palate problems. Due
to lack of medical facilities and plastic surgeons in public sector, the number of such patients has reached more
300,000 in Pakistan. CLAPP is the largest organisation in country which sets up free medical camps and
operates the cleft lip and palate patients free of cost. Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation (NCF) will also
organise free medical camps with the collaboration of CLAPP in remote areas and conduct free surgeries for the
poor and needy patients Rebecca Wang added.

BASF Announces New Herbicide Tolerant Rice System in Development
10/06/2014

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwired - Jun 10, 2014) - BASF has announced the development
of a new herbicide-tolerant rice system.The Provisia
Rice System will provide a new tool for post-emergence

control of a broad range of grass weeds, including ALS-resistant grasses, weedy rice and red rice. It has been
developed through traditional breeding techniques. Registration is anticipated as early as 2016 in the U.S., with
other countries to follow.

The new system is comprised of Provisia seed containing the Provisia trait, which allows farmers to safely
applyProvisia
herbicide: an ACCase or group 1 herbicide site of action. Although Provisia herbicide will
initially control grass weeds, BASF is working on combinations with other herbicides that will also provide
control of broadleaf and sedge weeds."This new system will provide a different site of action, helping rice
growers control ALS-resistant weeds," said Jason Kuhlemeier, Technical Market Manager, BASF. "It was
designed to be used as a companion to the Clearfield
Production System for rice, allowing growers to rotate

herbicide sites of action for controlling grass weeds including weedy rice and red rice. This provides a
sustainable system to manage the risk of developing weeds that are resistant to available herbicides."BASF
began initial research on this new system in 2008 and filed patent applications in 2009.

"Programs with our seed breeding partners to develop elite Provisia seed began in 2012 and are progressing
nicely," explained Kuhlemeier. "We are optimistic that this new system will be available to growers as early as
two to three years from now."The most advanced Provisia seed breeding program is the Louisiana State
University (LSU) program. LSU has proven to be a leading rice breeding program recognized globally for their
breeding success. "The Provisia Rice System represents a significant advancement for rice growers," said Dr.
Steve Linscombe, director of the Louisiana State University AgCenter Rice Research Station and rice breeder.
"It will add flexibility and diversity in herbicide usage, which is critical for promoting clean fields while
minimizing weed resistance issues. I am pleased with the rapid progress we have been able to make in
the Provisia breeding program, and I expect that Provisia rice seed planted by farmers in the future will
provide strong agronomic performance and good quality characteristics.


"In May of this year, BASF and RiceTec completed an agreement under which Provisia Rice System breeding
will take place. RiceTec is geographically the broadest hybrid rice breeding program globally and has led the
introduction of hybrid rice in the United States. BASF is pleased to be collaborating with these strong rice
breeding programs. Discussions with other selected seed partners will continue as well. BASF will strongly
recommend that rice growers rotate the Provisia Rice System with the Clearfield Production System for rice to
create a sustainable weed control program for grass weeds, weedy rice and red rice control, which will optimize
weed control results for long-term rice production success.Provisia is a trademark of BASF.Clearfield is a
registered trademark of BASF.

About BASF's Crop Protection division

With sales of more than EUR 5.2 billion in 2013, BASF's Crop Protection division provides innovative
solutions in crop protection, seed treatment and biological control as well as solutions to manage water,
nutrients and plant stress. Its portfolio also includes products for turf and ornamental plants, pest control and
public health. BASF's Crop Protection division is a leading innovator that supports growers to optimize
agricultural production, improve their business efficiency and enhance the quality of life for a growing world
population. Further information can be found on the web atwww.agro.basf.com or through our social media
channels.

BASF - The Chemical Company

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE,
Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $19.4 billion
in 2013. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.us.BASF is the
world's leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics,
performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with
environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in
nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to
conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in
our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about EUR 74 billion in
2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the
Internet at www.basf.com.
2014 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
For more information contact:
Sandi WilsonBASF Corporation

Tel: (919) 547-2767
Email: Email Contact

IRRIs new irrigation technique to ease drought effect on rice


Category: Agri-Commodities
09 Jun 2014

Written by Alladin S. Diega / Correspondent
WATER used in producing rice can be cut down by as much as 25 percent by using a simple irrigation
technique, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said. Called alternate wetting and drying (AWD), the
technology is now being introduced to farmers across Asia, IRRI said in a recent statement.The rice institute
said its partners have high hopes for the technology, as it typically takes 2,000 liters of water to produce a
kilogram of paddy [unmilled] rice and AWD can save up to 500 liters of water per kilogram of rice.Unlike the
conventional way of planting rice that uses continuous flooding, AWD makes use of the cycle of draining and
reflooding of rice paddies, keeping an optimum water level at any particular time.

The technology can also be used in partnership with larger irrigation schemes, IRRI said, equally just as useful
for rice farmers who rely on pump irrigation.IRRI cited the case of Vietnam where farmers have credited AWD
for yield increases, a direct result of controlling the water supply which forced the rice to grow better tillers, the
branches that eventually carry grain, and stronger roots. It added the resulting improved field conditions help
reduce labor cost at harvest, as mechanical harvesting becomes feasible.

The international research center has particularly suggested the use of the technology in Central Luzon, noting
that water supply to about 27,000 rice farmers in Central Luzon in the Philippines was cut off due in part to
decreasing water levels at Angat Dam, bringing attention again to the need for everyone to save water even for
growing rice, the thirstiest of all crops.
Indonesia could double rice imports as election, El Nino loom
Source: Reuters - Tue, 10 Jun 2014 08:32 GMT
Author: Reuters
* Spectre of El Nino hangs over food markets
* Outgoing president may try to dampen food inflation
* Rice imports seen as high as 1.5 mln tonnes in 2014
* Good news for producers such as Vietnam, Thailand
By Michael Taylor
JAKARTA, June 10 (Reuters) - Indonesia could more than double its rice imports this year to keep domestic
food prices stable as an election looms and with a possible El Nino weather pattern on the horizon, industry
officials and analysts said.The outgoing administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono could set aside
its key self-sufficiency targets, importing as much as 1.5 million tonnes of rice to guard against spikes in food


prices that could risk social unrest, they said.Bigger purchases by the world's fifth largest buyer of the grain
would be good news for growers that typically supply the country such as Thailand and Vietnam.
Bangkok wants to offload grain from a controversial stockpiling scheme at the heart of its recent political
turmoil, while Hanoi is looking to follow up on its successful bid to supply 800,000 tonnes of rice to the
Philippines."It is likely that Indonesia will indeed import," said David Dawe, senior economist at the U.N.'s
Food and Agriculture Organisation in Bangkok."My understanding is that there has been a bit of a shortfall in
production, or not as much of an increase as they were anticipating."Dry weather late last year and flooding in
early 2014 hurt harvests on parts of the main rice-growing island of Java.

And forecasts that El Nino is likely to develop around mid-year could keep local prices strong. The weather
phenomenon usually brings dry conditions to Southeast Asia."They definitely don't want prices going up during
the election," said Dawe, who met with Indonesian officials in Jakarta last week. He estimated total imports at
1.1 million tonnes in 2014.With campaigning underway ahead of the presidential election on July 9 and a new
government to be inaugurated in October, Yudhoyono will have one eye on his legacy and will not want to risk
unrest over food prices, analysts said.

JASMINE, BASMATI

Although the private sector is allowed to import small amounts of specialist rice such as jasmine and basmati,
Indonesia's powerful food procurement body Bulog is the dominant rice buyer, tasked with maintaining annual
stocks of 1.5-2 million tonnes.The main rice harvest in the nation of 240 million is usually in June or August,
with Bulog typically deciding whether to import from June onwards.

Bulog is yet to ship in any rice this year, CEO Sutarto Alimoeso told Reuters, adding that while it currently had
no plans to import, the government was analysing the situation. He said that stocks stood at 1.93 million
tonnes.The agency said it did not import rice at all last year, but some industry sources estimate the nation
shipped in up to 700,000 tonnes. Government data is often disputed by market participants in Indonesia.The


U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts Indonesia will import 1.5 million tonnes of rice this year, while an
official at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) put the figure at 500,000 tonnes.

Rice stockpiles in India, Vietnam and Thailand are big enough to meet the needs of Asian importers until early
2015, according to the IRRI.Indonesia's government has cut its estimates for unmilled rice output to 73 million
tonnes this year, compared to 71.29 million in 2013, but industry sources said this was still an ambitious
prediction.The nation was self-sufficient in rice in the early 1980s, but output gradually declined as farmland
was used for housing as the population boomed.Yudhoyono introduced a number of tough 2014 self-sufficiency
targets in 2009 after food prices spiked, but government efforts have been hit by a series of corruption scandals,
while expansion plans have often been blocked by red-tape.(Additional reporting by Yayat Supriatna in Jakarta
and Erik Dela Cruz in Manila; Editing by Joseph Radford)

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.

How wild rice in Far North Queensland could protect the future of supply
DANIEL BATEMAN
THE CAIRNS POST
JUNE 11, 2014 12:30PM
FOOD SUPPORT: Professor Robert Henery and PhD
candidate Tiparat Tikapunya from the Queensland
Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation search for
wild rice in Queensland's Lakefield National Park
Source: Supplied WILD rice growing in the Far North
may hold the key to protecting the worlds supply of rice
from future threats.Scientists from the University of
Queensland have identified gaps in the DNA of
Australian wild rice growing in swampland in Cape


York.The gaps, they suggest, are evidence of natural selection events that occurred in prehistoric times, well
before rice became domesticated. By dipping into this reservoir of environmentally adapted genetic diversity,
scientists could exploit it for improving cultivated rice varieties.
Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation director Professor Robert Henry said the wild rice
populations represented an invaluable source of diversity, supporting the security of one of the worlds most
important food commodities.Most Asian wild rice populations have been displaced by cultivated rice since
domestication started in China about 7000 years ago.Australian wild rice has been isolated from the impacts of
domestication in Asia, so its genes still carry huge variation, Prof Henry said.
Natural selection in the wild was not due to humans.Australian wild rice has enormous diversity but we can
still see evidence of a major selection event happening, pre-domestication, probably millions of years ago.If
rice faced any new challenge, ancient DNA in Australian wild rice would be crucial to the industrys defence,
Prof Henry said.The research was funded by the Australian Research Council, the Department of Science and
Technology, the Government of India and the Indian Council for Agricultural Research
Jun 10, 2014
BASFs new Provisia rice system under development will provide a new tool for post-emergence control of a
broad range of grass weeds, including ALS-resistant grasses, weedy rice, and red rice.Developed through
traditional breeding techniques, registration is expected as early as 2016 in the U.S. with other countries to
follow.The new system is comprised of Provisia seed containing the Provisia trait which allows farmers to
safely apply Provisia herbicide - an ACCase or Group 1 herbicide site of action.
Although Provisia herbicide will initially control grass weeds, BASF is working on combinations with other
herbicides to provide control of broadleaf and sedge weeds.This new system will provide a different site of
action to help rice growers control ALS-resistant weeds, BASF says.It was designed to be used as a companion
to the Clearfield production system for rice by allowing growers to rotate herbicide sites of action for
controlling grass weeds, including weedy rice and red rice.This provides a sustainable way to manage the risk
of developing weeds that are resistant to available herbicides.BASF began initial research on this new system in
2008 and filed patent applications in 2009.
Programs with seed breeding partners to develop elite Provisia seed began in 2012. This system could be
available to growers possibly in 2-3 years.The most advanced Provisia seed breeding program is at Louisiana
State University (LSU). LSU is a proven leading rice breeding program recognized globally for breeding


success.This May, BASF and RiceTec completed an agreement under which Provisia rice system breeding will
take place. RiceTec is geographically the broadest hybrid rice breeding program globally and has led the
introduction of hybrid rice in the U.S.BASF recommends that rice growers rotate the Provisia rice system with
the Clearfield production system for rice to create a sustainable weed control program for grass weeds, weedy
rice and red rice control.This would optimize weed control results for long-term rice production success.

Following Iraq Trade Team Visit in May, June Rice Sales
GBI does a close inspection
ARLINGTON, VA -- The USA Rice Federation hosted a team from the Grain Board of Iraq (GBI) in early May (see The
USA Rice Daily, May 15, 2014)
to address Iraqi concerns that were impeding U.S. rice shipments into
Iraq. The team visited mills, shipping facilities, and farms in
Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.SA Rice Regional Director
Hartwig Schmidt escorted the team and remarked that "this was the
most positive and successful team visit with which I have ever been
associated." Prophetic words considering, less than three weeks later
on the very next tender from the GBI, the U.S. was awarded a
contract for 30,000 MT of long grain milled rice. This added sale
brings the total U.S. rice sales this marketing year (August-July)
to131,000 MT, following more than two years with no U.S. rice sales to Iraq. As recently as 2006, Iraq was the
United States' number two export market at more than 380,000 MT, but a variety of technical issues arose with
new tender specifications that cut the market off."We're thrilled we were able to help deliver this victory for the
industry," said Betsy Ward, president and CEO of USA Rice. "We want to thank everyone who participated in
the GBI tour to make it a success."
Contact: Jim Guinn, (703) 236-1474

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures
CME Group (Preliminary): Closing Rough Rice Futures for June 11


Month Price Net Change
July 2014 $14.125 + $0.090
September 2014 $13.875 + $0.115
November 2014 $14.035 + $0.095
January 2015 $14.185 + $0.085
March 2015 $14.340 + $0.075
May 2015 $14.340 + $0.075
July 2015 $14.340 + $0.075

Court rice graft ruling glitter of hope
Published: 10 Jun 2014 at 15.08 | Viewed: 5,861 | Comments: 12
Online news: Opinion
Writer: Veera Prateepchaikul
There are two welcome news items, each with both good news and
bad, about the discredited rice pledging scheme. The first is the
Chaiyaphum provincial courts ruling on a corruption case involving a
rice mill taking part in the rice pledging scheme and a group of rice
farmers.The owner of Nopporn rice mill, in Ban Khe Wa district of
Chaiyaphum, and nine rice farmers were charged with falsifying
official documents, repeated use of bai pratuan, rice pledging
documents, to claim money from the Bank of Agriculture and
Agricultural Cooperatives, and stealing rice from the mills stockpile
and re-pledging it to the same rice mill.The court was told the group
had made 11 million baht in ill-gotten gains from re-pledged paddy
stored at the mill. A total of 621 tonnes of paddy and 129 tonnes of
milled rice were missing from the rice store.


The court found the rice miller guilty on all charges and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment. The nine rice
farmers who were his accomplices in the scam were each fined and given six-month jail terms that were
suspended for two years.The good news is that the Chaiyaphum courts judgement will to be welcomed by all
who had for so long unsuccessfully demanded that the former Yingluck government, at the least, revise the rice
pledging scheme because it was prone to corruption.
The bad news is for all those rice cheats who fattened their wallets through the populist rice scheme -- a
warning they can expect the same fate if they are caught and brought to trial.Just imagine what harsh sentences
those crooked politicians and their bureaucrat cronies would face if convicted over the three million tonnes of
rice reportedly unaccounted for.Rice cheats who are still at large, or awaiting trial, would be foolish to taunt the
authorities with the "Catch me if you can" theme, as did Sombat Boonngamanong, a leader of the anti-coup
group now in custody. "Run Baby Run" is probably more appropriate, or they can turn themselves in, confess
their crimes and compensate the state for all they have stolen - in which case they may be treated leniently.
The Chaiyaphum provincial courts verdict has given us a glitter of hope that graft does not pay and the corrupt
will be dealt with accordingly, sooner or later.The other item of good news, and bad news, is a recent report that
Thailand has reclaimed its position as the top rice exporter, a ranking lost to India about a year ago. Thailand
managed to export 3.93 million tonnes of milled rice to the world market, followed by Indias 3.74 million
tonnes and Vietnams 2.4 million tonnes.The good news, for exporters of course, is that we are now once again
the champion -- and that is it.The sad news is that we reclaimed the top ranking because we sold our rice dirt
cheap and undercut both India and Vietnam, which was unimaginable before the introduction of the rice
pledging scheme over two years ago.
Chukiat Opaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said that there are still 10 million
tonnes of rice in our stockpiles and he expected it would fetch at most US$10-20 per tonne more which is
below production costs.Most rice farmers favoured the rice pledging scheme because they received more for
their crop, although not up to the prices set by the previous government because millers always pushed the price
down, citing every reason they could imagine.The farmers have little leverage to argue. So when they took their
harvest to the rice mill they had to sell at whatever price was offered - or take their rice back home.The pledging
prices set by the "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts" policy - 15,000 baht per tonne for ordinary paddy - was 40%
over-market and always unrealistic.
The scheme has cost us over 500 billion baht as a result of massive corruption and sales at a loss. There is little
chance that this policy will be continued by the National Council for Peace and Order.A panel has been set up
by the junta to consider an alternative policy to help rice farmers. It is a problem that poses a real challenge to
the interim government, which is yet to be set up, when the next main rice harvest begins in November.
Image; A rice farmer finally receives payment for pledged grain at the Bank for Agriculture and Cooperatives, May 26,
2014 (Bangkok Post photo)


Millers, exporters at odds over rice stocks

Strategy did not raise prices for government
Published: 11 Jun 2014 at 06.04 | Viewed: 699 | Comments: 0
Newspaper section: Business
Writer: Phusadee Arunmas

Thai millers proposed yesterday the junta raise rice stocks held by exporters and millers to stop plummeting
paddy prices, but exporters said the move would increase their financial costs and reduce
competitiveness. Measures to help rice farmers deal with low paddy prices and spiralling production costs
remain far from settled, as rice-related parties are still divided.The Commerce Ministry called a joint meeting
yesterday with representatives from the Thai Rice Mills Association, Thai Rice Exporters Association, the
Public Warehouse Organisation, the Internal Trade Department and the Agricultural Futures Exchange of
Thailand (AFET), a day after Gen Chatchai Sarikalya, deputy head of economic affairs for the National Council
for Peace and Order (NCPO) rejected proposals and ordered the ministry to look for fresh methods.
Banjong Tangjitwattanakul, vice-president of the mills association, said it proposed in addition to the subsidy
for production costs given to farmers, the junta should revise legal requirements for exporters and millers
requiring higher stocks. Each exporter is required to set aside 500 tonnes of rice they ship each year as stock,
but there is no such requirements for millers.Mr Banjong said the association believes it is imperative for
exporters to maintain 10-15% of the rice they export as stocks, while millers should set aside 10-30% of annual
milling capacity per year as stocks. This would absorb the rice supply in the market and boost the local paddy
prices, he said.
However, Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of Thai Rice Exporters Association, disagrees, saying the
proposal will raise exporters' costs and hurt their competitiveness. He added the proposal does not make sense,
as the Thai government built a hefty rice stock and paddy prices remained low."The authorities should stop
disposing of their entire rice stock via any means and carry out inspections," he said. "Once we know the exact
amount of pledged rice, the amount exported, the amount withdrawn from state warehouses, the amount of
quality and rotten rice, the amount that has disappeared and the total expense incurred, it will dispel market
speculation and raise rice prices."
USA Rice conducting National Rice Month Scholarship

To qualify to win a USA Rice National Rice Month Scholarship, students must conduct a promotion activity in
their local community during September with U.S.-grown rice as the central theme.
By USA Rice Federation
Posted Jun. 10, 2014 @ 10:54 am
ARLINGTON, Va.


The USA Rice Federation is conducting a National Rice Month (NRM) scholarship contest, sponsored by Dow
AgroSciences. Rising high school seniors from rice-growing counties in Arkansas, California, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Missouri and Texas are eligible to apply. To qualify to win a USA Rice National Rice Month
Scholarship, students must conduct a promotion activity in their local community during September with U.S.-
grown rice as the central theme. Scholarship entries will be judged on their creativity and impact in promoting
U.S.-grown rice, NRM and the importance of rice in their state. USA Rice encourages students to invest some
of their summer vacation time in planning an innovative rice promotion campaign for a chance to win a
scholarship.
The grand prize is a $4,000 scholarship and a trip to the 2014 USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock for
the scholarship presentation. The second-place winner will receive $3,000 and third-place, $1,500. Entries are
due Oct. 13.September is National Rice Month a time for America to salute its rice farmers and everyone
involved in the U.S. rice industry. NRM was initiated by an act of Congress in 1991 and is conducted by the
USA Rice Federation. For more information and entry form, visit www.usarice.com.

Read more: http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/article/20140610/News/140619966#ixzz34Pta7OAs

Jun 10, 2014
Provisia rice system under development will provide a new tool for post-emergence control of a broad range of
grass weeds, including ALS-resistant grasses, weedy rice, and red rice.Developed through traditional breeding
techniques, registration is expected as early as 2016 in the U.S. with other countries to follow.The new system
is comprised of Provisia seed containing the Provisia trait which allows farmers to safely apply
Provisia herbicide - an ACCase or Group 1 herbicide site of action.Although
Provisia herbicide will initially control grass weeds, BASF is working on combinations with other herbicides to
provide control of broadleaf and sedge weeds.This new system will provide a different site of action to help rice
growers control ALS-resistant weeds, BASF says.It was designed to be used as a companion to
the Clearfield production system for rice by allowing growers to rotate herbicide sites of action for controlling
grass weeds, including weedy rice and red rice.This provides a sustainable way to manage the risk of
developing weeds that are resistant to available herbicides.


BASF began initial research on this new system in 2008 and filed patent applications in 2009.Programs with
seed breeding partners to develop elite Provisia seed began in 2012. This system could be available to growers
possibly in 2-3 years.The most advanced Provisia seed breeding program is at Louisiana State University
(LSU). LSU is a proven leading rice breeding program recognized globally for breeding success.This May,
BASF and RiceTec completed an agreement under which Provisia rice system breeding will take place.
RiceTec is geographically the broadest hybrid rice breeding program globally and has led the introduction of
hybrid rice in the U.S.BASF recommends that rice growers rotate the Provisia rice system with the Clearfield
production system for rice to create a sustainable weed control program for grass weeds, weedy rice and red rice
control.This would optimize weed control results for long-term rice production success.
Rice rules flat on lukewarm trade
OUR CORRESPONDENT
KARNAL, JUNE 11:

With not much trading taking place in the market, prices of aromatic and non-basmati rice varieties remained
unchanged on Wednesday.Amit Chandna, proprietor of Hanuman Rice Trading Company, told Business
Line that the market is moving at snails pace. Trading has been lukewarm over the few days. Not only the
buyers but sellers are also not participating actively in the market at present, he said.The market has not seen
any alteration in prices since last week and its unlikely to see any major change in the next few days too, said
market experts.

In the physical market, Pusa-1121 (steam) sold at 8,600, while Pusa-1121 (sela) quoted at 7,000. Pure
Basmati (raw) quoted at 12,000. Duplicate basmati (steam) sold at 6,800. Pusa-1121 (second wand) was at
6,700, Tibar at 5,800 while Dubar at 5,000.
In the non-basmati section, Sharbati (steam) sold at 4,300 while Sharbati (sela) quoted at 4,000. Permal
(raw) was sold at 2,100, Permal (sela) at 2,300, PR-11 (sela) sold at 2,400 while PR-11 (raw) at 2,500.
PR14 (steam) sold at 2,600 a quintal.

(This article was published on June 11, 2014)

Can Burma reclaim its status as a major rice player?

By ORYZA
11 June 2014


o Imagine Burma being the second largest rice exporter in the world, just
behind Thailand, while Vietnam is the worlds fourth largest rice
importer. This was the situation in the international rice market 50 years
ago. However, when you think of major players in international rice
markets, Burma, officially known as Myanmar, doesnt come to mind
despite its neighbors dominating world rice trade.It has remained close to
self-sufficiency in rice for the last 50 years and despite exporting rice in
most years, much smaller nations like Uruguay and Cambodia have been
exporting more rice in recent years.
This is despite the fact that Burma is the seventh largest rice producing country in the world. It has been
exporting rice to sub-Saharan African countries and its neighbor Bangladesh, but these trade volumes are not
consistent year to year. Instead, it may be argued that Burma sees international rice markets as a way of
getting rid of surplus rice stocks.Could Burma once again become a major rice bowl for international markets
like neighboring Thailand? It has huge natural resources for growing rice like the Irrawaddy Delta; however,
average rice yields have been flat and actually dropped slightly over the last decade.
Domestic rice consumption is still very high with 50 percent of daily calorie consumption per person coming
from rice, but there has been a decreasing trend where locals are substituting rice for other foods. Burma also
has the second lowest population growth rate in Southeast Asia behind Thailand.Whether Burma can re-
establish itself as one of the worlds major rice exporters really depends on if it can complement its reducing
domestic demand for rice with addressing stagnating rice productivity.
This article was originally published in Oryza on 10 June 2014. Oryza is an industry leader in rice and a
media partner of DVB. Author Adam John is a PhD economics candidate at the Agricultural and Food Policy
Studies Institute at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and is based in Stockholm. His thesis
looks at international rice prices and their effects on rice markets. The views expressed in this article are the
authors and do not reflect DVB editorial policy.
Report: Vietnam, Malaysia sign rice deal

HANOI: Vietnam recently signed an agreement to supply around 100,000 tonnes of rice a year to Malaysia, the
Vietnam Economic Times reported.The shipment this year is slated to start in August, the report said.Vinafood
2, the country's largest rice exporter, will execute the deal, the report added.Reuters also quoted the Cambodia
Daily as reporting that trade between Cambodia and Malaysia increased during the first quarter of this year by
17.6 percent from the same period last year, a Malaysian official said on Tuesday.


Bilateral trade rose to $105.4 million from $89.63 million, Rasazlan Abdul Rashid, the Malaysian ambassador
to Cambodia, told about 150 people at the opening ceremony of a trade exhibition in Phnom Penh.
Reuters said it has not verified the reports. - Reuters

Iran Slashes Basmati Rice Purchases From India
Shipments Fall by Half Over Past Three Months
By Biman Mukherji And
Benoit Faucon
June 10, 2014 2:19 a.m. ET

A vendor at a rice warehouse store in Mumbai in March. Bloomberg News
Iran has slashed its purchases of India's basmati rice by around half over the past three months, helping push
India's domestic prices nearly 10% lower in recent weeks.In cutting its purchases, some Iranian buyers have
cited stringent new Iranian standards on chemical contamination and dissatisfaction with the quality of rice
being delivered, saying grades were below those specified in contracts.
India's export prices haven't fallen yet, but it is only a
matter of time before they do, traders said."We expect
to see a price impact on Indian [rice] exports within a
week," said Vijay Setia, a member of the All India
Rice Exporters Association.India and Iran created
what is essentially a barter system two years ago to
skirt Western sanctions on Iran over its disputed
nuclear program. In exchange for Iranian oil, India
sells Iran a range of goods, primarily rice, soymeal and
pharmaceuticals.Under the trade arrangement, India
pays for part of the crude oil it receives from Iran in
rupees.
The funds are then deposited at India's state-run UCO Bank 532505.BY -0.17%UCO Bank Ltd. India:
NSE
107.27 -0.18 -0.17% June 12, 2014 3:25 pm Volume : 3.76MP/E Ratio 5.46 Market Cap 112.73
Billion Dividend Yield 1.86% Rev, and used to pay Indian companies for exports of food and other products to


Iran.Mostafa Pakzad, chairman of Iranian trading company Pakzad Consulting Corp., whose business includes
commodities, said Iran's rice imports from India had fallen because of tightened regulatory oversight by Iran.
Rajan Sundaresan, executive director of All India Rice Exporters Association, suggested Iranian buyers might
be positioning themselves to demand lower prices. "There is going to be a meeting soon and we are hoping it
would be smoothed out by the end of the month," he said.Whether a recent slowdown in oil deliveries from Iran
to India is affecting the rice trade isn't clear. Iranian oil exports to India fell by more than half to 200,000 barrels
a day in April from 415,000 barrels a day in January, according to data from the International Energy Agency.
India is the largest exporter of rice to Iran. In the financial year ended in March 2014, India's sales of basmati
rice to Iran totaled 1.45 million metric tons, valued at $1.83 billion, Indian government data show. India shipped
about 130,000 tons a month of basmati until February, but sales have since plunged to 50,000-60,000 tons a
month, Indian traders said.India exports only high-grade basmati rice to Iran, so the decline in shipments isn't
expected to have much impact on the price of lower-grade rice from major exporters such as Thailand or
Vietnam. Basmati rice costs nearly five times as much as common grades.
In India, domestic prices for basmati have fallen over the past two weeks as a result of weaker demand from
Iran. Benchmark 1121 basmati has been trading at around $1,400 to $1,500 a ton for most of this year, but some
buyers have started asking for discounts of $50 to $100 a ton.The drop in shipments to Iran comes as Indian
farmers are planting more basmati rice to meet previously strong demand from Iran and other traditional buyers,
including Saudi Arabia and Iraq.Slow processing of payments in rupees by UCO Bank to Indian exporters from
an Iranian account is also hampering trade, Mr. Pakzad said.
UCO Bank executives denied that any payments had been delayed.Tejinder Narang, an independent
commodities analyst, said it is unclear when shipments of basmati rice to Iran may pick up again. In any case, it
is likely to happen eventually, because Pakistan is the only other supplier of basmati-type rice to Iran, but it has
smaller available stocks and no formalized barter trade.
Write to Biman Mukherji at biman.mukherji@wsj.com and Benoit Faucon atbenoit.faucon@wsj.com

Commerce mulling to attract more buyers in rice selling scheme
Date : 11 2557
BANGKOK, 11 June 2014 (NNT) -- The Ministry of Commerce has confirmed its plan to sell out more rice
under the mortgage scheme in the near future. Permanent Secretary for Commerce Srirat Rasathapana said after


her meeting with rice millers, exporters and executives of the Agricultural Futures Exchange of Thailand
(AFET) on Tuesday that the ministry was waiting for the green light by the National Council for Peace and
Order.
Mrs. Srirat said the meeting also discussed how to promote rice auctions through AFET and other channels.
Previous rice auctions by AFET drew only a few numbers of bidders, causing rice to earn lower prices than
expected. Therefore, the ministry is mulling over strategies to attract more buyers to AFET rice auctions by
improving its information system and offering greater incentives for the participants.
Farmers in Asia brace for dry spell
Reporter: Barnaby Lo CCTV.com
06-11-2014 07:50 BJT
Its the rainy season in the Philippines, but weather and climate experts are warning of a possible dry spell
brought about by a weather pattern called El Nino. Heavy clouds hanging over one of the most vital reservoirs
in the Philippine but this isnt nature at work. For weeks now, the government has been conducting cloud
seeding operations to induce rain and try to slow down the decline of the water level in the dam.
This dam is the major source of water both for farmlands north of Manila and the city itself. Right now the
water level here is already below critical but theres fear that a dry spell caused by a weather pattern called El
Nino could last for months. said Barnaby Lo, Angat Dam, Philippines.El Nino is an oceanographic event that
happens over the Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by increasing sea surface temperature, which alters the
normal circulation of the air. So when there is an El Nino, the impact on the Philippines is a decrease in
seasonal rainfall. said Anthony Lucero, Philippines Weather Bureau.
Which could mean a water shortage for those living in the city and more significantly, for rice farmers like
Lando Hernandez.Were very worried. We will have no water for irrigation, which means we will not be able
to farm and make any money. I hope it doesnt come. said Lando Hernandez, Rice Farmer.But chances are, it
will. And thats why the government is giving an early warning.So if the conditions tell us that we will be
having less rainfall, then we should not grow rice. Instead we should grow some other crops like vegetables,
where the need for water is not that high. said Anthony Lucero, Philippines Weather Bureau.Question is will
Filipinos stop eating rice? Not likely. So a shortage in the supply of rice could still drive food prices up. The
hope, however, is to keep this to a minimum and prevent any form of unrest as a result.

Anger by U.S. farmers threatens ambitious Pacific trade pact


BY KRISTA HUGHES

WASHINGTON Tue Jun 10, 2014 4:12pm EDT

(Reuters) - U.S. farmers are in an uproar over signs Japan will maintain some barriers to agricultural exports
under a Pacific trade pact, which threatens to unravel a deal that is central to U.S. efforts to retain economic and
security influence in the region.Four years into Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks, U.S. negotiators are
fighting to balance the goal of total tariff elimination with the sensitivities of Japanese and American farmers
and the needs of other trading partners.Central to President Barack Obama's strategic shift toward Asia, the TPP
would connect a dozen economies by cutting trade barriers and harmonizing standards in a deal covering two-
fifths of the world economy and a third of global trade.
After an April summit between Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a compromise seems likely to
allow Tokyo to keep some protection for goods like beef, sugar, dairy or wheat, judging by a change in tone
from U.S. officials in recent weeks to talk about tariff elimination "to the maximum extent possible."This
contrasts with the original goal, upsetting American farmers. Dairy farmers have threatened to withhold their
support for the deal if the markets are not opened in a meaningful way, and other farm groups have called for
Japan to be excluded from the trade deal.We are not going to allow a bad deal with Japan to go forward," said
Nick Giordano, vice president of the National Pork Producers Council, which represents pig farmers. "It's going
to invite other countries in the TPP to scale back what they are willing to give the United States.
"Past U.S. trade deals have also fallen short of total tariff elimination. But the extent of the concessions is
crucial, especially in winning support of the influential U.S. farm lobby, which could scupper TPP in
Congress.Acting Deputy United States Trade Representative Wendy Cutler said U.S. negotiators were working
with Japan to achieve the maximum possible access for U.S. farm exports. "We are really focused on
concluding TPP with Japan. That is why we are spending so much time with them," Cutler said on Tuesday in
response to a question at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event.
A deal that expands U.S. farm exports and is backed by farmers could help Obama win over skeptical
Democratic lawmakers who associate trade deals with lost jobs. Farm lobby support is also crucial for
Republicans, who are generally pro-trade but would likely reject a deal opposed by farmers.A deal with broad
agricultural exemptions would be "dead on arrival in the House of Representatives," said Republican Aaron
Schock, a member of the congressional trade panel which has called a hearing on agriculture trade for
Wednesday.


He noted that 60 seats in the House represent agriculture-dominated districts.The United States is the world's
biggest farm exporter. It greatly outstrips the next two biggest farm exporters in the TPP, with exports more
than three times greater than Canada and five times greater than Australia.U.S. Trade Representative Michael
Froman insists a final Japan deal will be comprehensive and give American farmers better access to Japanese
markets.
"Im confident that TPP will cover the full range of Japanese agricultural products," he told Reuters. "Our
overall goal for TPP is to deliver market access gains across the board, including through tariff elimination, that
can be maximized by American farmers and ranchers."How that would happen is unclear. There are many
variables, including which goods will have no tariffs, how quickly tariffs will be phased out and which goods
might retain tariffs."You can get a deal that covers 95 percent of tariff lines but it's not a good deal if the 5
percent of tariff lines that it leaves out are the ones you are most interested in," a former U.S. agriculture trade
negotiator said.
DOMINO EFFECT
Many see the 2012 U.S.-Korea trade deal as a benchmark. It excluded rice and kept tariffs on goods such as
milk powder in exchange for a bigger duty-free import quota."We didn't want to throw that agreement away
because it did not eliminate every single tariff line. We are pragmatic," said Jaime Castaneda, senior vice
president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.But if Washington fails to pry open Japan's markets sufficiently,
experts fear it will have a domino effect.
A "TPP-lite" would give trading partners few incentives to accept rules on intellectual property and protection
for foreign investors, an important element for U.S. companies."We cannot sign off 21st-century rules and
ignore 20th-century unresolved market access issues, of which deep pockets of high protection in agriculture ...
are unaddressed," New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said on Friday, warning the TPP could still
stumble.With talks splintered into bilateral negotiations, trading partners say they fear there will be an uneven
playing field at the end, undermining their ability to sell the deal at home.
Many deals are interdependent.The United States wants better access to Japan and Canada before allowing New
Zealand dairy farmers to sell more in America.New Zealand, which exports 95 percent of its milk but accounts
for 2 percent of global supply, might settle for a good deal from Japan and Canada and not then press the United
States. To win concessions from Canada and Japan, the United States may have to open its sugar market to
Australia."It's going to be a process of give and take," said Representative Ron Kind, leader of the pro-trade


New Democrat Coalition. "My suspicion is that we are not going to be dropping all the tariffs on our side so it
would be a bit disingenuous for us to insist on that for other countries."
(Editing by Jason Szep, Leslie Adler and Dan Grebler)
California water security attainable, study suggests

Raju Chebium,12:41 a.m. PDT June 11, 2014
WASHINGTON California could save more water than what its cities use in a year by ramping up its
conservation and recycling programs and storing rainwater instead of letting it run off into the Pacific Ocean,
according to a report released Tuesday.Californians could save 10 million to 14 million acre-feet of water a year
if they were to take common-sense and low-cost steps like switching to low-flush toilets, upgrading aging
irrigation systems and using "climate appropriate" vegetation for landscaping, according to the report.That's
more than the combined 9 million acre-feet California's cities use in a year, according to the study by the
Natural Resources Defense Council and the Pacific Institute.
A commonly used measurement unit, an acre-foot of water equals about 326,000 gallons.The study didn't
estimate the overall cost of implementing the recommendations. The authors told reporters in a conference call
the price tag would vary from one region to the next, adding that their recommendations likely would cost less
than building big dams or reservoirs and still lead to greater water savings."As a state, we'd be in much better
shape today and able to weather the drought with far less hardship if we'd more heavily invested in these tools
in the past," said Kate Poole, an NRDC attorney.Pacific Institute President Peter Gleick said the steps outlined
in the report would help California well after the drought ends.
"We've hit the wall in California," he said. "We know we're in a severe drought now, but even in a normal year
or wet year, we're overextended. We take too much water out of the system."Agriculture uses most of the water
in the state. Farmers alone could save 5.6 million-6.6 million acre feet, according to the report.A drought-relief
bill introduced in February by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Assembly Speaker John Perez
and backed by Gov. Jerry Brown puts a premium on common-sense conservation measures. Brown also has
called for more community-level efforts to boost water supplies. Many of the steps identified by the report are
already being taken.
Yet, a lot more remains to be done, said Bob Wilkinson, a water policy expert at the University of California,
Santa Barbara.For instance, about 1 million acres of California farmland gets water through "flood irrigation,"


an age-old method in which water reaches the crops through furrows dug into the earth. This method is wasteful
because a lot of the water evaporates. Wilkinson said farmers could save a lot of water by switching to "drip
irrigation," a method in which crops get water through holes in plastic pipes to minimize evaporation.California
communities know that they have to solve their own water problems. They don't anticipate that "large amounts
of money are going to be spent on large-scale infrastructure as it was perhaps 50 years ago," Wilkinson said.
"Most of the investment is actually occurring at the local level by the local entities with some support from state
and federal funding sources."
Contact Raju Chebium at rchebium@gannett.com
Ways and Means Subcommittee Emphasizes Need to Eliminate Barriers to
U.S. Trade


WASHINGTON DC -- At a House Ways and Means Subcommittee hearing
here today, representatives from numerous agriculture industries testified on
the impact of trade agreements on agriculture. Chairman Devin Nunes (R-
CA) opened the hearing by emphasizing the importance of agriculture trade,
and calling for an elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S.
agriculture goods. He further noted, "to strengthen USTR's position in trade
negotiations, we must pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) without
delay. The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act introduced earlier
this year would establish clear direction to open agriculture markets and
address unwarranted SPS measures and other trade barriers."
Each of the witnesses agreed that TPA is a necessary step in achieving
successful agreements such as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Representative
Charles Boustany (R-LA) reiterated this sentiment, "the bipartisan nature of
TPA sends a message to our trading partners.""Opening new overseas markets
and preserving existing ones are critical to maintaining a prosperous and
competitive U.S. rice industry," said USA Rice Federation COO Bob
Cummings. "Today's hearing highlighted the challenges ahead and the
importance of passing TPA to strengthen our negotiators' hands."

Contact: Lydia Holmes, (703) 236-1450

.

WASDE Report Released

WASHINGTON, DC -- Rice supply and use 2014/15 balance sheets are changed little from last month. All rice
beginning stocks for 2014/15 are raised 3 million cwt, long-grain rice stocks are raised 2 million, and combined
medium- and short-grain stocks are up 1 million. The 2014/15 beginning stocks changes flow through the
balance sheets to 2014/15 ending stocks. All rice 2014/15 ending stocks are raised 3 million cwt to 37.3 million-
the largest stocks since 2011/12. Long-grain ending stocks are raised 2 million cwt to 26.3 million-the largest

LA producer J ohn Owen presents Friend
of the Rice I ndustry award to Rep.
Boustany at 2014 USA Rice Government
Affairs Conference


since 2010/11. Combined medium- and short-grain ending stocks are raised 1.0 million cwt to 8.7 million.

All rice 2013/14 exports are lowered 3 million cwt to 92 million, long-grain exports are lowered 2 million to 62
million, and combined medium- and short-grain rice exports are lowered 1 million to 30 million. Rough rice
exports and milled rice exports for 2013/14 are each lowered 1.5 million cwt to 31.5 million and 60.5 million
(rough-equivalent basis), respectively. U.S. exports and export commitments to Central America, Africa,
Venezuela, and Northeast Asia are lagging through May compared to a year ago.

The 2014/15 U.S. long-grain rice season-average farm price is projected at $12.80 to $13.80 per cwt, down 70
cents per cwt on each end from a month ago and compares to a revised $15.10 to $15.70 per cwt for 2013/14.
The 2014/15 combined medium- and short-grain rice season-average farm price is $18.20 to $19.20 per cwt, a
decrease of 30 cents per cwt on each end from last month and compares to a revised $17.40 to $18.00 per cwt
for 2013/14. The 2014/15 U.S. all rice season-average farm price is projected at $14.40 to $15.40 per cwt, down
60 cents per cwt on each end from a month ago and compares to a revised $15.70 to $16.30 per cwt for
2013/14.

Global 2014/15 rice supply and use is little changed from a month ago. Global rice production is projected at a
record 480.7 million tons, unchanged from a month ago. Global 2014/15 trade (imports and exports) are
unchanged from a month ago. Global 2014/15 consumption is lowered slightly from last month. Ending stocks
for 2014/15 are raised 900,000 tons due mostly to an increase for India. Rice production for 2013/14 in India is
raised 1.3 million tons to a record 106.3 million tons based on official statistics from the government of India.

Read the full report here.

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