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USA Rice talks trade with Mexico

In 2012, Uruguayan imports continued to increase and

lower-priced rice from Pakistan began to enter the market;

the U.S. market share fell to 65 percent by the end of the

year. By USA Rice Federation

Posted Jan. 20, 2014 @ 1:16 pm

WASHINGTON

For the past three years, the U.S. has faced competition for milled rice in the No. 1 export market

— Mexico. In 2010, the U.S. held 97 percent of the milled rice market share in Mexico. With

an influx of high quality Uruguayan rice, the U.S. market share fell to 76 percent by the end of

2011.

In 2012, Uruguayan imports continued to increase and lower-priced rice from Pakistan began to

enter the market; the U.S. market share fell to 65 percent by the end of the year. In 2013, the

U.S. saw a surge in Pakistan milled rice imports (until June, when phytosanitary concerns caused

Mexico to ban rice imports from Pakistan), and new milled rice imports from Vietnam.

By the end of 2013, the U.S. market share for milled rice had fallen to 51 percent. The higher

quality U.S. rice crop this year should compete well with Uruguayan imports, but Asian rice is

substantially cheaper and will continue to threaten U.S. rice.

Facing increased price pressure from imported Asian milled rice, Mexican millers have begun to

look to other origins (Brazil, Vietnam, etc.) for paddy rice and even milled rice to be able to

successfully compete in this new marketplace.

"When a miller is interested in importing milled rice to stay afloat, you know the market

situation has drastically changed," said Jim Guinn, USA Rice's vice president of international

promotion.

The U.S. has retained 100 percent of the paddy rice market share in Mexico, but that may not be

a given for much longer. Guinn says the USA Rice Federation will continue aggressive trade

servicing and promotional activities to ensure the U.S. retains a dominant market share in

Mexico's rice imports.

Marvin Lehrer, USA Rice's senior advisor in Mexico, will travel to Louisiana at the end of

January to attend the annual Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers' Association

meetings. Lehrer will speak about the challenges and opportunities facing U.S. rice in the

Mexican market and showcase the new logo developed for the Mexican market, which

differentiates U.S. rice from other origins.

USA Rice's Sarah Moran will be in Mexico in the next few weeks to meet with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service and USA Rice's in-country contractor,

as part of a continuous evaluation of activities and strategies to ensure they remain relevant and

effective in a changing market environment.

Read more: http://www.stuttgartdailyleader.com/article/20140120/NEWS/140129965#ixzz2rOi6YP2d

UPDATE 2-Thai government declares state of emergency as protests drag on Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:16am EST

* State of emergency from Wednesday

* Anti-government protests enter a third month

By PrachaHariraksapitak

BANGKOK, Jan 21 (Reuters) - The Thai government declared a 60-day state of emergency

to start on Wednesday, saying it wanted to prevent any escalation of more than two months

of protests aimed at forcing Prime Minister YingluckShinawatra from power.The decree,

which covers Bangkok and surrounding provinces, allows security agencies to impose

curfews, detain suspects without charge, censor media, ban political gatherings of more

than five people and declare areas off-limits.

Yingluck said her government has no intention of confronting the protesters, who have been

allowed to close off several government buildings, including her own. The military, involved

in several previous coups, has so far stayed neutral.

"We will use peaceful negotiations with the protesters in line with international standards ...

We have told the police to stick with international standards, to be patient with the

protesters," she told reporters on Tuesday.

She said police, not the military, would mainly be used to maintain control.

"We need it because the protesters have closed government buildings, banks and escalated

the situation, which has caused injuries and deaths. The government sees the need to

announce the emergency decree to keep the situation under control," Labour Minister

ChalermYoobamrung told a news conference following a cabinet meeting.

Yingluck has called an election for Feb. 2, which she will almost certainly win and which the

opposition plans to boycott.

However, the Election Commission said it would seek a Constitutional Court ruling on

Wednesday on whether it can delay the vote. It says that the protests have prevented some

candidates from registering which means that there would not be a quorum to open

parliament after the election.

The protests, now in their third month, have closed off parts of the capital in the latest

instalment of an eight-year political conflict that has seen sporadic outbreaks of violence.

They pit the middle class and royalist establishment against the mainly poorer supporters of

Yingluck and her brother, ex-premier ThaksinShinawatra, who was toppled by the military

in 2006.

FARMERS THREATEN TO JOIN PROTEST

Led by 64-year-old anti-government firebrand SuthepThaugsuban, the protests were

triggered by Yingluck's moves last year to grant amnesty to her brother, the self-exiled

former premier ThaksinShinawatra whom Suthep accuses of nepotism and corruption.

Nine people have died since they began in November, the worst violence since 2010. It was

Suthep, at that time a deputy prime minister, who sent in troops to end mass protests by

pro-Thaksin supporters. More than 90 people died in that unrest.

He is demanding Yingluck step down and a "people's council" be appointed in place. He has

given only vague details on the reforms he wants but analysts say his chief aim is to

eradicate Thaksin's political influence.

The protesters want to suspend what they say is a democracy commandeered by the self-

exiled billionaire Thaksin and alter electoral arrangements so that his allies are unable to

return to power.

In a potentially worrying development for Yingluck, whose power base depends heavily on

rural support, some farmers have threatened to join the protesters if they do not get paid for

the rice they have sold to the state.

A scheme under which farmers are guaranteed an above-market price for their rice has been

a centrepiece of the government's programme but, as financing strains mount, some are

complaining they have been waiting three or four months to be paid.

The protests are also beginning to undermine Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

On Monday, the Thai subsidiary of auto giant Toyota Motor Corp, one of Thailand's biggest

foreign investors, said it might reconsider a $600 million spending plan and even cut

production if the unrest drags on.

And some economists expect the central bank will be forced to further cut interest rates

when it meets on Wednesday to give a lift to the economy

Thai farmers add to goverment woes with rice scheme protests BY APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT

BY APORNRATH PHOONPHONGPHIPHAT

BANGKOK Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:44am IST RELATED TOPICS

01/24/2014

Jan 21 (Reuters) - Some Thai rice farmers have threatened to switch sides and join

protesters trying to topple the government if they do not get paid for their crop, a worrying

development for Prime Minister YingluckShinawatra whose support is based on the rural

vote.

Anti-government protests, now in their third month, have closed off parts of the capital in

the latest instalment of Thailand's eight-year political conflict that has seen sporadic

outbreaks of violence.

In a sign of the impact on Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, the Thai unit of auto

giant Toyota Motor Corp said it might reconsider a planned $600 million investment, and

even cut output, if the unrest drags on.

A scheme under which farmers are guaranteed an above-market price for their rice has been

a centrepiece of the government's programme but, as financing strains mount, some are

complaining they have been waiting three or four months to be paid.

Prom Boonmachoey, leader of a farmers' group in central SuphanBuri province, said a

delegation would visit lawyers on Tuesday. If there was no way to get compensation,

thousands more would join the anti-government protests, he said.

"The Thai Lawyers Council is our consultant and it will help us file a lawsuit against the

government," Prom told Reuters. If they cannot get payment, the farmers want their rice

back so they can resell it, no matter how low the price, he said.

The protests in Bangkok pit the middle class and royalist establishment against the mainly

poorer supporters of Prime Minister YingluckShinawatra and her brother, ex-premier

ThaksinShinawatra, who was toppled by the military in 2006.

RURAL VOTE

The rural vote brought Yingluck'sPuea Thai Party to power in 2011 with a sweeping populist

platform.

But the rice programme that formed part of it meant that Thailand, once the world's biggest

rice exporter, was priced out of the global market. It left the country with a mountain of

unsold grain and the government's intervention scheme running into funding problems.

Small protests have been popping up around the rice-growing regions in the centre, north

and northeast. The latter two are Puea Thai strongholds, a worry for Yingluck ahead of a

general election she has called for Feb. 2, and which the opposition has said it will boycott.

Her brother Thaksin is still adored by many in the countryside for the policies he introduced

such as cheap healthcare and loans for businesses in the villages, and he is seen as the

power behind Yingluck's government.

He has chosen to live in exile in Dubai rather than serve a prison sentence for abuse of

power handed down in 2008. The protests in Bangkok since November were sparked by a

government attempt to force through a broad political amnesty that would have allowed him

to return home a free man.

Although the protests have been mostly peaceful, violent incidents are picking up.

One man was killed and dozens of people were wounded, some seriously, when grenades

were thrown at anti-government protesters in the city centre on Friday and Sunday.

National Security Council chief ParadornPattantabutr said on Monday the authorities were

seriously considering imposing a state of emergency, and that could be discussed on

Tuesday by the body handling security matters related to the protests.

The emergency decree would give security agencies broad powers to impose curfews, detain

suspects without charge, censor media, ban political gatherings of more than five people and

declare parts of the country off limits.

Rice pledging scheme not extended after next month deadline Tuesday, 21 January 2014By MCOT

35 0 2 0

BANGKOK, Jan 20 - The National Rice Policy Committee (NRPC) resolved today not to extend the February deadline to purchase rice in the 2013/2014 crop from farmers.

Caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister YanyongPuangrach said some farmers have asked the government to continue buying rice from them under the pledging price of Bt15,000 per tonne after the end of the rice pledging programme late next month.

The government doesn‘t want to be involved in additional financial obligations, he said, adding that the caretaker Cabinet will be asked to find financial resources to pay the remaining Bt700 million for rice in the 2012/2013 crop.

MrYanyong stood firm that the government has never intended to refuse payment but said that the reimbursement procedure for a caretaker government is complicated.

The government has so far paid Bt680 billion to farmers – a signal of its determination to pay and help farmers earn higher income from their rice sales, he said.

MrYanyongcriticised the labour union of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) for obstructing loans, to be sought by the government for payment to farmers.

The BAAC has made profit from the rice pledging scheme including deposits from farmers and bonus to bank employees was from the profit the bank has made from the rice subsidy scheme, said MrYanyong.

He said the BAAC should help farmers who are encountering financial constraint and the BAAC has received full payment plus management and risk fees and interest from the loans given to the government.

There has never been risk involved for the BAAC and the labour union should let management manages the issue, he said, calling on the labour unions of the Government Savings Bank and Krung Thai Bank to take that into consideration if the government seeks help from the two state banks.

The government is not asking for free service and employees should bear in mind the state enterprises‘ objectives of sustaining the economy in time of trouble, he said.

He said the Election Commission (EC) should also be aware that the rice pledging scheme is a continuous project, and not an election campaign.

Whether the government is capable of paying to farmers within the Jan 25 deadline depends on the EC‘s decision, he said.

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister/Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong is scheduled to meet with EC members tomorrow to discuss the issue.

VorapakTanyawong, president of Krung Thai Bank, gave assurances that an extension of loans to the BAAC for the rice subsidy plan, if made, will be under similar regulations imposed for other financial institutions.

―We have to take into consideration the risk factor, the applicant‘s payment capability and guarantors. The loan request must be scrutinised by a committee,‖ he said.

―Krung Thai Bank is a public company with 45 per cent of shares held by retail investors and financial institutes. It has to compete with major commercial banks and be accountable for stakeholders. It is under the supervision of the Bank of Thailand, Stock Exchange of Thailand and the Auditor General Office,‖ said MrVorapak.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/business/rice-pledging-scheme-not-extended-after-next-

month-deadline-34181#sthash.pGuXaYqv.dpuf

Farmers threaten to take legal actions against Govt for rice program

Date : 21

มกราคม 2557

BANGKOK, 21 January

2014 (NNT) - The Thai

Rice Growers

Association has

consulted with the

Lawyers’ Council of

Thailand to bring civil

and criminal charges

against the

government after the

latter failed to pay

farmers in the rice

support scheme.

President of the Thai

PICTURE

VDO

Rice Growers

Association

PrasitBoonchuey and

representatives of rice

farmers nationwide on

Tuesday met with the

Lawyers’ Council of

Thailand on legal

actions against the

government and Prime

Minister

YingluckShinawatra.

The group said the

government’s failure to

pay the farmers who

participated in the rice

subsidy scheme since

October 2013 caused

them great problems.

MrPrasit insisted it was

the government’s

responsibility to find

the money to pay the

farmers. The farmers

will also send a letter

of complaint to the

Ministry of Commerce

who was a member of

the National Rice Policy

Committee.

Drought

crisis looms

as off-

season rice

exceeds

target Published on January 22, 2014

by TFP · No Comments

BANGKOK, 21 January 2014 (NNT) †” The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has voiced concerns over severe water shortages in the Chao

Phraya River Basin as

the amount of off-season rice being cultivated has exceeded the target by a large margin.

According to the RID†™s Water Watch and Monitoring

System for Warning Center, the combined amount of water stored at all major dams within the Chao Phraya River Basin

now stands at 13.61

billion cubic meters, approximately 55% of the total capacity. These dams consist of the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province, Sirikit

Dam in Uttaradit, KhwaeNoiBamrungDaen Dam in Phitsanulok and Pa SakJolasid Dam in Lop Buri.

Out of the usable portion of 6.91 billion

cubic meters, the RID plans to discharge 5.3

billion cubic meters to the residents of the Central Plains for the current drought season, which runs from November 2013 to April 2014.

However, over 2.65 billion cubic meters or 50% has already been

used thus far.

To make the matter worse, the RID reported that the cultivation of off-season crops across

the Chao Phraya River Basin this drought season had covered an area of 7.66 million rai, over 7.4 million of which was being used to grow rice,

surpassing the initially planned area by 56%.

Therefore, the RID is asking for cooperation from agriculturists to refrain from planting

more crops during this time as doing so would increase the possibility of a severe water shortage in the region.

( SurapanLaotharanarit)

Rice basmati weakens on sluggish demand Press Trust of India | New Delhi

May 11, 2011 Last Updated at 18:16 IST

Rice basmati fell by Rs 100 per quintal in an otherwise steady wholesale grains market owing to

sluggish demand at prevailing levels.

Traders said slackness in demand against sufficient stocks mainly led to fall in wholesale rice

basmati prices.

In the national capital, rice basmati common and Pusa-1121 varieties declined by Rs 100 each to Rs

5,300-5,400 and Rs 4,200-5,200 per quintal, respectively.

Following are today's quotations in Rs per quintal:

Wheat MP (deshi) 1,600-1,750, wheat dara (for mills) 1,165-1,170 chakkiatta (delivery) 1,180-

1,185, attaRajdhani (10 kg) 175, Shakti bhog (10 kg) 175, Roller flour mill 640-660 (50 kg), Maida

700-730 (50 kg) and Sooji 750-770 (50 kg)

Basmati rice (LalQuila) 9,500, ShriLalMahal 9,300, super basmati rice 9,000, Basmati common

5,300-5,400, rice Pusa-(1121) 4,200-5,200, Permal raw 1,825-1,875, Permal wand 2,000-2,100, Sela

2,100-2,150 and Rice IR-8 1,700-1,725

Bajra 990-1000, Jowar yellow 1,050-1,120, white 1,850-1,895, Maize 1,250-1,260, Barley 1,320-

1325 and Rajasthan 1,080-1,090

Pakistan's rice exports record growth of 10 pc 21 January, 2014 ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Javed Ali Ghauri said that rice export of Pakistan has been increased by 10 per cent during the current fiscal year, Our Sources reported on Sunday.

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ISLAMABAD: Former Chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Javed Ali Ghauri

said that rice export of Pakistan has been increased by 10 per cent during the current fiscal year,

Our Sources reported on Sunday.

JavedGhauri said rise in the price of brown rice by India has provided Pakistan an opportunity to

handsomely increase its brown rice exports to EU countries as its commodity is relatively cheaper.

He said the country in past six months July to December of current fiscal year 2013 has already

exported approximately 52,000 tonnes of the said variety to EU countries and now due to duty-free

access to these markets it can export 250,000 tonnes more.

Furthermore, following a successful visit to China, a potential rice market, REAP is hoping the rice

exports will boost to 1 million tones, which was 0.5 million tonnes during last fiscal year.

End.

rice exporters bag $4 million orders initially from China

January 21, 2014 14:48

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Pakistani traders have fetched rice export orders worth 4 million dollar from China during a recent

visit. Shipment of these orders will start from second week of February right after Chinese New

Year's holidays. A 25-member delegation of rice exporters has recently visited China to further

explore the emerging rice market.

While talking to senior vice chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), said the visit

successful as initially exporters have got about 10,000 tons of rice orders. We had very interactive

meetings with Chinese authorities and leading rice buyers. Chinese consumers take keen interest in

Pakistani rice especially "long grain" because of its high quality. He said.

After fulfilling the trial orders, we are hopeful to get export orders of huge quantity of Pakistani rice in

future and trade between both the friendly countries will increase in a significant ratio.

He said, Pakistan's rice exports to china witnessed 500,000 metric tons during FY-13, after successful

visit, we are optimistic that, exports of Pakistani rice would cross 0.7 to 1.0 million metric tons at the end

of FY14.

To gain maximum foreign exchange from China and extract maximum price, we must focus on bilateral

trade, which ensures better pricing due to less freight costs and swift transfer of funds as compared to

other far of countries." he added.

This is pertinent to mention that Chinese buyers require rice with good milling quality and with this

opportunity, value addition in rice would increase and subsequently more employment opportunities

would be available for skilled laborers in the country, he added.

He requested the government to send Reap delegations to China on regular basis at least twice in every

financial year, to maintain and increase the market share of Pakistani rice, as the Pakistani rice exporters

are putting huge investments and developing their infrastructure by installing latest rice machineries and

plants for improving their capabilities to cater the export orders.

Rice importers, sellers appeal to govt By: Joseph KyeiBoateng / Daily Graphic / Ghana | Monday, 20 January 2014 15:37 |

1 0

• HarunaIddrisu —

Minister of Trade and Industry

The Association of Ghana-Cote d‘Ivoire Rice Importers and Sellers (based in Kumasi) is appealing

to the government to take a critical decision on the ban on rice importation from Cote d‘Ivoire, a

neighbouring country.

Making the appeal through the Daily Graphic in Kumasi, the Organiser of the association, Mr Yaw

Korang, said the association wanted the government to reconsider its decision to ban rice

importation from Cote d‘Ivoire. The ban on the importation of rice from Cote d‘Ivoire is expected to

take effect from January 2014.

He said the ban would cause unemployment, since a large number of rice importers and related

workers would lose their jobs.

He also said that the ban would help the Finatrade Group of Companies (an importer of rice) to

monopolise the system.

His appeal comes in the wake of a comment made by a corporate affairs director of Finatrade that

members of the association did not pay the required taxes on their rice imports, making the state

lose $40 million every year.

MrKorang described the comment as ‗unfortunate,‘ adding that the association had been paying its

taxes, and challenged Finatrade and the Ministry of Trade and Industry to check the records from

the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.

He noted that before the ban came into force, prices of imported rice from Cote d‘Ivoire were

moderate and affordable.

He also noted that rice was a foodstuff that every household depended on almost every day, and

lamented the situation where the government would ban rice importation from neigbhouring

countries and the poor would not be able to afford it.

He further noted that mostly, there had been delays in the importation of bags of rice that were not

from neighbouring countries and that should the government place the ban, many poor families were

likely to be the ones to suffer the most.

He, however, called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, take a critical decision on the

placing of the ban and called on the general public to rally behind the association to stop it.