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Mekong Delta Receives Help To Boost Farming Techniques
Sierra Leone News: Rokupr Rice Research Center re-emerges as Center of Excellence
Int'l Rice Research Institute releases 44 new rice varieties in 2013
1,000 farm tractors, 15,000 farmers head to Bangkok
Rice may trade in ranges
Government must ensure fall in global price of rice benefits locals, says opposition MP
With no water shortage, Khon Kaen farmers starts planting off-season rice
Commerce Ministry: A Rice Farmers Bank can be established if without political interference
Indonesia Sees Signs of Thai Rice Suppliers Dumping Rice: Trade Official
200,000 MT rice lack import permits
BOC tags 5 firms in illegal rice trade
Rice rout seen extending as Thai sales quicken
Amira Nature Foods Ltd Announces Third Quarter 2014 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

NEWS DETAILS:
Mekong Delta Receives Help To Boost Farming Techniques
HANOI, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- A project funded by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the
World Bank (WB) is supporting Mekong delta provinces in keeping up with advanced farming techniques to
boost competitiveness.The Closing Rice Yield Gaps in Asia (CORIGAP) 2013-2018 project aims to improve
rice productivity and quality and reduce gaps in rice yield in the region, Vietnam News Agency (VNA)
reported.
By developing modern rice farming models, the project hopes to contribute to reducing poverty, ensuring food
security and improving livelihood of locals.A group of local scientists from Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and
Myanmar met to discuss the project's activities in Can Tho city this week.The Mekong Delta is targeting an
annual rice output of 24 million tonnes from 2020 to 2030 to remain as the country's top rice producer.To reach
that goal, the region will have to zone 4.3 million hectares of land for rice farming from now to 2030.Data from
the Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute showed the region increased its rice output from 4.2 million tonnes in
1976 to 24.5 million tonnes in 2012.-- BERNAMA

Sierra Leone News: Rokupr Rice Research Center re-emerges as Center of
Excellence
The Rokupr Agriculture Research Center in Kambia was established in 1934 as an institute to research
Mangrove Rice Seed Multiplication. During the eleven-year rebel war in the country, the center was
devastated.However, recent funding from the Government of Japan amounting to US D 10m, through the West
Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) and the Rural and Private Sector Development
Programme (RPSDP), the center has been rehabilitated and several agricultural research activities have since
been undertaken, which has earned the center the accolade of Center of Excellence for Mangrove Rice Research
in West Africa region.This was disclosed during a meeting with different stakeholders at the Research Center in
Kambia during the visit of the World Bank and Food and Agricultural Organization to inspect the WAAPP and
RDSDP projects since September 2013.The capacity building has seen the training of about fourteen young
researchers both locally and internationally on new rice production methods, has two stationed researchers and
an additional two, a researcher and a scientist have been sent to Nigeria and Ghana for further studies on
mangrove rice.

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The center has also produced large quantities of rice varieties including Nerica L19, Rok 3 and Rok 5.The
rehabilitation work done on the center includes, the construction of a drying floor, an experimental site, a
breeding ground, storage facilities and six residences for the research staff all amounting to USD 75, 000
(seventy five thousand Dollars).About the Research Center, Berth Meertens, Coordinator for the Center and
Africa Rice said the main target of the center is to build capacity on mangrove rice research and production for
the sub region and to lift the institution’s status from its immediate past decadent status.He said their main
research focus is on rice but that sometimes, they do same on cassava. He revealed that during the last season
they focused on implementing core research programmes with emphasis on mangrove rice. He maintained that
the exercise is a sub regional programme since the WAAPP project has selected Rokpur as the center of
excellence for mangrove rice research for the sub region.He said the impact of this research programme will
ensure that more research activities at the center with more farmers benefiting through improved and increased
yields. He went on to add that with more of these research activities will add impetus to practical agricultural
work rather than relying on technologies explained in text books.

He said making technical theories more practical makes the research farmer-friendly to ensure their
successes.Senior Field Officer at the Farm Management Site, Abdulai Bapiayor Kamara, said they are mainly
concerned with rice research and that they promote researched seedlings to farmers. He said they also advice
farmers on the use of the variety of rice seeds available on site that includes, Rok 24, Rok 4, Rok 10 and Nerica
L19. He maintained however that local farmers mostly go for the Rok 25, Rok 10 and Nerica L19 varieties.The
Senior Site Manager explained that whenever they identify a new rice variety it is introduced to the farmers and
that the farmers normally go for it. He noted that feedbacks from farmers indicate that the research activities
have helped improve their production and yields greatly.
However despite the successes, the team is faced with challenges which include lack of logistics, inadequate
supply of seedlings and fertilizers as well as inadequate storage facilities.Speaking on the staff quarters, the
Programme Coordinator for WAAPP and RPSDP, Peter Kaindeneh said the project is in two phases of 15
houses each to be fitted with electricity, pipe borne water. He said the rehabilitation work which lasts for six has
already kicked off, with two already completed. He said the first phase will only see six staff quarters
rehabilitated. He said junior scientists will understudy their senior colleagues in order not leave a vacuum
whenever it may occur.The Programme Coordinator maintained that researches conducted at the center will not
only benefit the country but the region as a whole, noting that countries like Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast
will come to the country to do research on Mangrove Rice.
By Betty Milton
Wednesday February 19, 2014

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Int'l Rice Research Institute releases 44 new rice varieties in 2013
02-20-2014 16:16 BJT
|

MANILA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partners
released 44 new and improved rice varieties last year to help Asian and African countries prop up their rice
output despite declining resources.IRRI said in a statement released on Thursday that rice varieties resilient to
climate change were among those released last year. These include nine salt-tolerant varieties in the Philippines,
three flood-tolerant varieties in South Asia, and six in sub-Saharan Africa.The research institute said resilience
to climate change is a " big thrust" of its work in improving rice varieties that will help farmers produce more
rice with the same, or declining, amount of resources.
"These improved rice varieties are considered public goods. Hence, our partners are free to release these for
farmers' use or for more breeding work to suit local needs in their countries," said Eero Nissila, head of IRRI's
breeding division.Last year, a total of 21 new and improved rice varieties were released in the Philippines, six in
Bangladesh, five in Myanmar, three in Nigeria, two in Tanzania, two in India, and one each in Cambodia,
Vietnam, Indonesia, Mozambique, and Rwanda.Since its establishment in 1960, the Philippine-based research
institute said it has released 1,000 improved rice varieties across 78 countries.One of these is IR8, which was
introduced more than 50 years ago and was later dubbed as "miracle rice." IRRI said IR8 served as a key driver
of the "Green Revolution" and prevented famine in rice-eating Asian countries.

1,000 farm tractors, 15,000 farmers head to Bangkok
The Nation February 20, 2014 6:10 pm

A long convoy of rice farmers
from four central provinces is
heading to Bangkok to demand
for unpaid subsidy for pledged
rice.As of 6 pm, they have
reached Ayutthaya and they are
expected to enter Bangkok
Friday.The total number of them
is estimated at 15,000, who are
travelling in 1,000 tractors and
improvised farm vehicles. Former
Chat Thai Pattana Party MP

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Chada Thaiset, who represents Uthai Thani-based farmers, said that part of the farmers would be heading to
Suvarnabhumi airport, on purposes he did not specify.
A leader of Lop Buri-based farmers, Ubolsak Bualuangngarm, said farmers would blockade the capital for
seven days if the government failed to pay them, but would not cooperate with anti-government movement
People’s Democratic Reform Committee in its drive to oust the government. He also asked capital residents to
stockpile food supplies for seven days before then."If the goverment wants to disperse farmers’ protests or
arrest us. All of us are ready to die, and donate our bodies, if the government wants to do anything to farmers,"
he said, adding that the farmers travelling with this convoy would be joined by those travelling from the
Northeast and the West who are expected to reach Bangkok Friday

Rice may trade in ranges
OUR CORRESPONDENT
KARNAL, FEBRUARY 20:

After witnessing a downtrend earlier this week, prices of aromatic and non-basmati varieties quoted with
nominal fluctuation on Thursday.Amit Kumar, proprietor of Ginni Rice, told Business Line that a steady trend
has prevailed following restricted trading in the market. Currently, stocks are easily available but the domestic
demand is yet to pick up and that is the prime reason behind the current situation of the market, he added.
Traders expect that market may continue to witness a range-bound to steady trend for the next few days and
then, it may witness an uptrend.
In the physical market, Pusa-1121 (steam) sold at ₹
9,000-50, while Pusa-1121 (sela) quoted at ₹
7,900-8,000.
Pure Basmati (Raw) quoted at ₹
12,200. Duplicate basmati (steam) sold at ₹
7,000 a quintal.
Pusa-1121 (second wand) was at ₹
7,100, Tibar at ₹
6,150 while Dubar at ₹
5,000.
In the non-basmati section, Sharbati (Steam) sold at ₹
5,000, while Sharbati (Sela) quoted at ₹
4,600. Permal
(raw) sold at ₹
2,320 and Permal (sela) at ₹
2,340, PR-11 (sela) sold at ₹
2,700 while PR-11 (Raw) at ₹
2,600.
PR14 (steam) sold at ₹
2,950.
About 2,000 bags of Pusa-1121 arrived and went for ₹
4,200 a quintal.
(This article was published on February 20, 2014)

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Government must ensure fall in global price of rice benefits locals, says opposition MP
F EB RUARY 2 0 , 2 01 4

The upcoming end to Thailand's subsidy scheme will affect the price of rice across Asia. - Reuters pic, February 20, 2014.An

opposition MP wants
Putrajaya to ensure rice prices in the local market are lowered in line with world market trends to ensure that the reduced prices
are passed on to consumers.Alor Setar MP Gooi Hsiao Leung said this in response to the expected plunge in world rice prices
when Thailand ends its subsidy scheme at the end of this month, causing a market glut.
He said tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mohktar Al-Bhukhary will profit most with Padiberas Nasional (Bernas) making big bucks if the
price of rice in Malaysia remains unchanged.

Referring to the Reuters article entitled ―Thai rice to pour into global markets as subsidy ends‖ yesterday, he
said millions of tonnes of Thai rice will be flooded into the international market.He said Thai exporters now
predict that the price of 5% broken rice will drop from US$375 per tonne (RM1,238 per tonne) to US$350 per
tonne (RM1,155 per tonne), the lowest in seven years.He said apart from Thailand, India and Vietnam will also
see a drop in their rice prices due to high-yielding harvests.
"As a result, Malaysia as a rice importer will enjoy cheaper
imported rice. Bernas will also receive huge profits as a result of
low import prices."If the price of rice for Malaysians remains
unchanged at the old level, Bernas will stand to reap huge profits,
with the sole individual Syed Mokhtar standing to profit the most,"
said Gooi, who is also Kedah PKR vice-chairman, in a statement
today."Putrajaya ought to ensure the price is lowered for consumers
in order to help lighten the rakyat’s burden caused by the rising cost
of living," Gooi said.It was reported recently that Syed Mokthar,
who is the controlling shareholder, is trying to take Bernas private using his four companies - Perspective Lane
Sdn Bhd, Kelana Venture Sdn Bhd, Seaport Terminal (Johor) Sdn Bhd and Acara Kreatif Sdn Bhd - who are the
joint offerors in the bid.In November, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Bernas' profit will
increase by 40% to RM165 million in the short term resulting from lower international prices as a result of
excess supply of rice from Thailand, Vietnam, India and Pakistan.He said "this will profit whoever owns Bernas
in the future‖
.Under the Thai subsidy scheme introduced in October 2011, farmers were paid 15,000 baht for every tonne of
rice sold to the government.When the subsidy scheme is scraped at the end of this month, most farmers will be
forced to sell their paddy in the open market at much lower prices (47% lower), at around 8,000 to 9,000 baht
per tonne.The farmers will also be forced to sell at lower prices due to the lack of available government
warehouse facilities to store rice until the rice price recovers. – February 20, 2014.

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

With no water shortage, Khon Kaen farmers starts planting offseason rice
Published on February 20, 2014 by TFP

KHONKAEN, 20 February 2014 (NNT) â€ ‖ Rice growers in Khon Kaen have asserted they will continue to
partake in the government’s rice pledging project, because they would otherwise receive a lower price from rice
mills.Sakhon Phangthui, a farmer in Mueang district of Khon Kaen, said that he pledged 3 tons of his produce
in January, after the recent harvest, in accordance with the government’s limit of 3 tons of rice mortgage per
family. He said he had already received the warehouse receipt, and that he was not troubled by the delay in
payment to farmers.With no shortage of water for irrigation, farmers in the district had already started to grow
off-season rice, and the crop was growing better than during the previous year, he added.Sakhon said that he
would again pledge the upcoming produce in the rice mortgage scheme because he would fetch a better price
than the 12,000 baht per ton offered by rice mills.
( Namo Vananupong)

Record Lao Rice Crop Estimated in 2013
20.02.2014

Planting of the 2013/14 mostly dry season irrigated paddy crop is almost completed, under generally favourable
weather conditions.Harvesting of the 2013 main season rice was completed in December, reports FAO.In
aggregate, the 2013 rice output (including the main wet and the ongoing secondary dry seasons), is estimated by
FAO at 3.5 million tonnes, similar to last year’s bumper output.Heavy monsoon rains from late June throughout
September 2013 resulted in localised flooding across north-eastern and southern parts of the country.According
to the National Disaster Management Office the floods are estimated to have affected at least 24 000 hectares of
paddy
crop,
limiting
potentiality
higher
production
this
year.
Continued public assistance supported larger plantings.

Commerce Ministry: A Rice Farmers Bank can be established if without
political interference
Date : 20

2557

BANGKOK, 20 Feb 2014 (NNT) - Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yanyong Phuangrach revealed it is

possible to establish a bank that would handle financial affairs of rice farmers provided that there is no political
interference. The establishment of a Thai Rice Farmers Bank was one of the 3 suggestions made at a meeting of
the Thai Agriculturist Association, the Commerce Ministry, and the Thai Rice Mills Association, in their move

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

to aid farmers suffering from delayed payment under the government’s rice pledging scheme. Another
suggestion made by rice farmers involves a call for members of the public to transfer their savings from other
banks to the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives for use in supporting farmers.
The third proposal is to initiate a Thai Rice Farmers Fund. The Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister
said that the government would conduct a feasibility study on the proposed fund. He said one way to achieve
the fund was to allocate premiums collected from rice mills upon their exporting rice. If the plan came to
fruition, it would possibly compile more than one billion baht for the proposed fund, he stated. Currently,
several funds have been established to assist farmers such as the Rubber Aid Fund, the Cane & Sugar Fund, and
the Para Rubber Fund. However, no funds have been made to particularly assist rice farmers.

Indonesia Sees Signs of Thai Rice Suppliers Dumping Rice: Trade Official
By Yayat Supriatna & Naveen Thukral on 3:17 pm February 20, 2014.
Category Business, Commodities, Featured
Tags: Illegal Rice Imports, Indonesia rice production, Thailand rice

[Updated at 6:48 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014]

Jakarta/Singapore. There are signs that Thai suppliers are dumping rice in Indonesia, a senior trade ministry
official said, as Bangkok offloads its record stockpiles on an already oversupplied global market.Asian rice
exporters and producers will come under pressure with millions of tons of cheap Thai rice set to flow into the
market when Thailand’s controversial subsidy scheme ends later this month and farmers offload the March
harvest.―There is an indication that Thai rice suppliers dumped their rice exports inIndonesia,‖ Bachrul Chairi,
the director-general of foreign trade at Indonesia’s trade ministry, told reporters. He did not provide details of
volumes or companies.―They sell their rice to Indonesia at lower prices,‖ he said.Thailand has amassed massive
rice stockpiles under a subsidy programme that paid farmers far above market rates, making the grain
uncompetitive on world markets.The scheme has run into funding problems, compounded by political unrest
that has left a caretaker government with few options but to sell at cut-rate prices to raise money.
The Thai government sold close to 1 million tons of rice from its stocks in February at relatively low prices,
traders said, dragging down the market. It plans to sell another 500,000 tons next week.Thailand is unlikely to
ship large volumes of rice to Indonesia as imports are tightly controlled by the state procurement agency, Bulog,
and Indonesia currently has ample domestic rice supply. But fears of a global glut are making authorities
nervous, traders said.―I don’t think it is dumping,‖ said Ben Savage, managing director of brokerage Jackson
Son and Co. in London.―What you are seeing is that international prices are falling below the Indonesian market
which is worrying the authorities. It could be that farmers are getting rankled about not getting good
returns.‖Benchmark five percent broken rice in Thailand is available for $375 a ton, down 15 percent this
week.The United States and some others nations have already sounded warning noises at the World Trade

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Organisation because of Thailand’s lack of transparency on sales and stocks.India, which emerged as the top
global exporter in 2011/12, and Vietnam, the No. 2 supplier in the world, are likely to see sales drop in
2014.India exports a total of about 10 million tons a year of rice. Total Indian rice production is forecast to be
about 106 million tons in 2013/14, up from 105 million a year earlier.Vietnam has said it expects its rice exports
in January-March to decline by a quarter with African buyers switching to cheaper Thai cargoes.It plans its own
rice stockpiling scheme and new price floor as a big harvest reaches its peak next month, traders said, in a bid to
prevent prices from sliding.
Reuters

200,000 MT rice lack import permits
RICE imports that lacked requisite permits from the National Food Authority (NFA) reached over 200,000
metric tons (MT) last year, the Customs bureau claimed yesterday.
―We’ve discovered that the volume of rice that was imported without permits last year was almost 200,000
MT, based on the info given to us by the NFA,‖ Customs Commissioner John Philip ―Sunny‖ Sevilla told
reporters
in
a
chance
interview.
The amount is roughly 57% more than the 350,000-MT minimum access volume (MAV) of rice that the
Philippines has committed to import at 40% duty, under agreement with the World Trade Organization. Imports
outside
the
MAV
get
a
50%
duty.
Mr. Sevilla also said that only 50,000 MT of rice were issued import permits last year. The number is expected
to rise to 55,000 to 60,000 since the NFA extended the validity of rice imports until January this year, due to the
political turmoil in Thailand.Of the 200,000 MT that lacked import permits, 150,000 MT were traced to only
five companies: Silenty Royalty Marketing, Bold Bidder Marketing and General, Starcraft International
Trading, Medaglia de Oro Trading and Inter-Continental Grains.Most of the shipments, Mr. Sevilla said, arrived
at the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Port (MICP) while others arrived at the ports in
Davao, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and the Mindanao Container Port in Misamis Oriental.
The Customs chief said the bureau is also investigating its employees regarding how the shipments were
imported
into
the
country
despite
the
lacking
requisite
NFA
import
permits.
―We’re looking at what happened here; were there fake import permits or recycled import permits?‖ Mr. Sevilla
said.―We want to start with them. We have to start making our own people accountable, so I want to find out
what is really happening,” he added. -- Mikhail Franz E. Flores

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

BOC tags 5 firms in illegal rice trade
By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 21, 2014 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - At least 200,000
metric tons of rice were illegally imported
into the country last year with about 75
percent of that allegedly consigned to only
five importers, Bureau of Customs (BOC)
Commissioner John Sevilla revealed
yesterday.Sevilla said data from the
National Food Authority (NFA) showed the
200,000 metric tons of rice was imported
without the required import permit, which
far surpassed the estimated 55,000 MT of
legally imported rice.Sevilla identified the
five rice importers as Silent Royalty
Marketing, Bold Bidder Marketing and
General Merchandise, Starcraft International
Trading, Inter-Continental Gains and
Medaglia de Oro Trading.
These five firms reportedly accounted for 75 percent or 150,000 MT of rice that were brought into the country
via the Port of Manila and the Manila International Container Port without import permits.Sevilla added the
remaining 25 percent of illegal rice importations passed through the ports of Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro and
he sub-port of Mindanao Container Terminal in Phividec, Tagoloan and Misamis Oriental.Coincidentally, the
BOC identified them as the top rice importers for year 2013, next to the NFA.Starcraft was previously
mentioned in the investigation of suspected rice smuggler Davidson Bangayan, who is reportedly also known as
David Tan.―So internally what we are looking for is how this happened when the law and procedure (on
importations) have been clear. Were there fake import permits? Did they recycle the import permits?‖ Sevilla
asked.They also noticed that the bulk of the rice importations without import permits took place around
October, before the alert orders were issued and some two months before the BOC started receiving court
injunctions.These occurred during the second week of December when the courts ordered the release of the
seized rice shipments.They have so far received five court injunctions with the expectation of two more because
there are pending petitions for injunction, Sevilla said.
The importers Starcraft, Bold Bidder and Silent Royalty were among those who filed an injunction case against
the BOC.Since the BOC does not blacklist importers under investigation, they would just place the five firms’
future shipments under alert if these fall under the category of illegal import.At the moment, Sevilla said they
are concentrating efforts on looking into the activities of their own BOC personnel, specifically the assessors
and examiners who processed the release of questionable cargo.Customs deputy commissioner for Intelligence
Group (IG) Jesse Dellosa is reportedly in charge of investigating the transaction of 18 examiners and

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assessors.Dellosa said the 18 would remain in their posts during the course of the investigation.In the case of
Silent Royalty, the NFA said it has not issued even a single import permit to the firm.―So we are backtracking
on our records and determining how many shipments came in for Silent Royalty. Who cleared the release? Did
they present an import permit to the BOC employee? Can we see that import permit? Was it fake?‖ Sevilla said.
Legal question
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has raised a legal question on the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice
imports.In a 12-page confidential legal opinion, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the NFA has no power to
extend the imposition of QR following the expiration of the government’s commitment to the World Trade
Organization-General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in June 2012.While the agreement has expired, De Lima
said it had provisions saying extension of the QR on agricultural products ―shall only be by agreement after the
conduct of negotiations.‖
De Lima believes such provisions are binding. – Edu Punay

Rice rout seen extending as Thai sales quicken
Shipments from India will probably expand to a record 11 million tonnes in 12 months through March,
according to AIREA

Thailand spent 689 billion baht ($21 billion) in the past two years buying from farmers to boost rural incomes. Photo: Indranil Bhoumik/Mint

Bangkok: Global rice prices will extend declines as
Thailand is forced to offload grain from record stockpiles
accumulated under a state-buying programme, according to
the Vietnam Food Association, the main shippers’
group.―Exports to China and Africa from the secondlargest shipper will drop this year on increased competition
from Thailand as well as from India and Pakistan amid a
global glut,‖ said Truong Thanh Phong, chairman of the
Ho Chi Minh City-based group.While Thailand’s reserves
built up as the government paid farmers above-market
prices since 2011, the programme is now short of funds
and unpaid growers are demanding stockpile sales.

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The unrest by the growers adds to opposition targeting Yingluck Shinawatra’s caretaker administration, which
has faced months of demonstrations. Phong’s comments reflect concern among exporters about the pace of sales
from holdings that are large enough to cover 39% of annual world import demand.―The rice market has seen
fierce competition for the past two years due to the global surplus,‖ said Phong, who has been chairman of the
group for 13 years. ―Global prices will decline this year because they’re guided by Thai rates,‖ he said.―The
price of new-crop Thai 5% broken white rice, a benchmark grade, tumbled 23% last year and was at $460 a
tonne on 12 February. The Vietnamese 5%-broken variety is about $395 a tonne, higher than $370 for oldharvest Thai grain,‖ Phong said, without giving price forecasts. Rough rice fell 0.3% to $15.81 per 100 pounds
in Chicago on Wednesday.
Rural incomes

Thailand spent 689 billion baht ($21 billion) in the past two years buying from farmers to boost rural incomes.
That spurred the buildup in the inventories to 14.7 million tonnes this year from 6.1 million tonnes in 2010,
according to the US Department of Agriculture. The programme is set to lapse at the end of this month as Prime
Minister Yingluck’s caretaker administration doesn’t have the authority to extend it.Given the caretaker
government’s troubles in securing financing to pay farmers for their paddy pledged during the past wet-season
crop, it seems likely that they will try to increase sales, said David Dawe, Bangkok-based senior economist at
the Food and Agriculture Organization.
If they are sold too soon and all at once, the global price will fall, but if they are sold too late then the quality
will continue to deteriorate.Thai farmers blocked roads in the provinces and protested in Bangkok this month,
urging a faster pace of sales from the stockpiles so that the government can make missed payments to growers.
It may take about five years for the state stockpiles to be sold off and a further slump in prices is possible as
more of the grain is shipped out, Thai Rice Exporters Association president Chareon Laothamatas said on 5
February.
Planned sales
―Thailand plans to sell about 1 million tonnes a month from stockpiles during the first quarter,‖ deputy prime
minister and commerce ministerNiwattumrong Boonsongpaisan said on 17 February. ―The government will
clear all remaining payments to farmers within six to eight weeks using short-term borrowings,‖ finance
minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said the same day.―Vietnam’s exports are forecast at 6.5 million to 7 million
tonnes this year, with shipments of 1.2 million tonnes seen this quarter and 3.5 million in the first half,‖ Phong
said.

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―The country shipped 6.68 million tonnes in 2013, the lowest level in four years,‖ according to VFA
data.―Official exports to China may drop 9.1% to 2 million tonnes this year,‖ Phong said on 14 February,
referring to trade tracked by customs. ―Unofficial shipments, not tracked by customs, may slide to 1 million
tonnes to 1.1 million tonnes from a range of 1.4 million tonnes to 1.5 million last year,‖ Phong said.
Biggest importer
China, the world’s largest buyer, will import 3.4 million tonnes in 2014, according to the USDA. Heilongjiang province halted a
plan to buy 1.2 million tonnes, deputy prime minister Niwattumrong said on 4 February, citing the province’s concerns about an
anti-corruption probe into the programme.―There’s enough evidence to charge Yingluck with negligence for her role overseeing
the policy that generated losses,‖ the National Anti-Corruption Commission said on Tuesday. Yingluck will have an

opportunity to defend herself before the commission determines whether she will be indicted. The prime
minister defended the programme in a national address on Tuesday.―Vietnam’s sales to Africa will drop as
India and Pakistan offer cheaper prices,‖ Phong said. ―Shipments were 1.9 million tonnes last year, accounting
for about 28% of the total. That’ll decline to 23% to 25% this year,‖ he said.―Shipments from India, the secondlargest producer, will probably expand to a record 11 million tonnes in the 12 months through March,‖
according toM.P. Jindal, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA). ―Exports from
Pakistan may total 3.4 million tonnes in 2014 compared with 3.5 million tonnes last year,‖ a USDA projection
shows.
Harvest forecast
―The global rice harvest expanded 0.8% to 469.5 million tonnes in 2013, outstripping demand of 467.1 million
tonnes,‖ according to the USDA. ―The surplus—together with record supplies of wheat, corn and soybeans—
helped world food costs tracked by the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization to drop 15% from a
record in February 2011.‖―Vietnam’s total output of unmilled rice this year will be similar to last year’s 44
million tonnes,‖ Phong said. ―In 2015, the harvest may decline 2% to 3% as the government implements a plan
to switch more land to other crops,‖ he said.
―The switch away from rice is designed to boost farmers’ incomes, with corn one of the alternatives,‖ Pham
Dong Quang, deputy head of the government’s crop-production department, said in an interview in September.
―Any reduction in planting will be mainly in the north of the country as the Mekong Delta in the south will stick
to rice,‖ said the VFA’s Phong.―We will try to promote trade in China because it’s our biggest buyer,‖ said
Phong, who’s been in the industry for almost four decades. ―But China will definitely demand lower prices
from us because of Thailand’s selling pressure.‖ Bloomberg

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Amira Nature Foods Ltd Announces Third Quarter 2014 Earnings
Release Date and Conference Call
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Amira Nature Foods Ltd (the "Company;" or ―Amira‖)
(NYSE: ANFI), a leading global provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, will release its third quarter 2014
financial results on Tuesday, February 25, 2014, before market open. The Company will host a conference call
to discuss these results with additional comments and details.The conference call is scheduled to begin at 8:30
a.m. ET on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. The dial-in number for this conference call is (877) 407-3982 for
North American listeners and (201) 493-6780 for international listeners. Live audio of the conference call will
be simultaneously webcast on the investor relations section of the Company's website
at http://www.amirafoods.com/.
An audio replay will be available following the completion of the conference call by dialing (877) 870-5176 for
North American listeners or (858) 384-5517 for international listeners (conference ID 13576708). The webcast
of the teleconference will be archived and available on the Company’s website.
About Amira Nature Foods
Founded in 1915, Amira has evolved into a leading global provider of packaged Indian specialty rice, with sales
in over 40 countries today. Amira sells Basmati rice, premium long-grain rice grown only in certain regions of
the Indian sub-continent, under their flagship Amira brand as well as under other third party brands. Amira sells
its products primarily in emerging markets through a broad distribution network. Amira’s headquarters are in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it also has offices in India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and
the United States.

For Advertising SPECS & RATES
Contact: Advertising Department
Mujahid Ali
mujahid.riceplus@gmail.com
+92 321 369 2874

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

20th feb.,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

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