1. Daily Rice News by RICEPLUS MAGAZINE
www.ricepluss.com
Unedited Verison
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

2. 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.

3. "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.

4. 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 selfexiled 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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-nextmonth-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

9. PICTURE
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
VDO
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 offseason rice
exceeds

10. 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 offseason 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,
KhwaeNoiBamrungDae
n 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

11. used thus far.
To make the matter
worse, the RID
reported that the
cultivation of offseason 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)

12. 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) 1,1801,185, 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 1,3201325 and Rajasthan 1,080-1,090

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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

16. • 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.

17. 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.