23rd january,2014 daily global rice e newsletter by riceplus magazine

23rd January , 2014

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Exports of non-textile products up
Are top rice importers operating illegally in PHL?
Cambodia produces 9.3 mln tonnes of paddy rice last year
Rice farmers still fighting for water
Rice import curbs in effect until 2017
Govt vows to sell out rice in the next six months
Senate rice probe shifts focus
Foodgrain imports soar
Oreo Launches Two New Flavors, and They’re Both Delicious
Rice prices range-bound
TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi-Jan 23
KTB: No loans for rice scheme
Rice farmers set payment deadline
Cold weather: Record lows kill 63, destroy rice crop

NEWS DETAILS:
Exports of non-textile products up
THE NEWSPAPER'S STAFF REPORTER

Daily Rice E-Newsletter by Rice Plus Magazine www.ricepluss.com
News and R&D Section mujajhid.riceplus@gmail.com
Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Updated 2014-01-23 12:37:19

ISLAMABAD: Export of non-textile products grew marginally by 1.38 per cent in the first
half of the current fiscal year from a year ago.
There was a massive year-on-year growth in export of
petroleum products to $459.862 million from $51.309m.
Petroleum products and naphtha led the growth in the
petroleum sector‘s export.The export of carpets, rugs etc
witnessed a growth of 7.88pc during the first half of the
current fiscal year from a year ago.The export of sports
goods grew by 5.51pc year on year during the months
under review.Foreign sales of footballs jumped by
20.64pc. The rise in footballs exports is an encouraging
sign because it was on the decline for the last few years.The export of tanned leather witnessed a
growth of 13.56pc.Leather products export also increased by 8.68pc, while export of leather
garments rose by 9.09pc during the first half year from a year ago.Export of footwear swelled by
6.98pc, mainly driven by 12.46pc growth in export of leather footwear.Export of surgical goods and
medical instruments went up by 6.62pc and engineering goods by 30.21pc during the period under
review over last year.Export of molasses witnessed more than 100pc growth during the period under
review.
Year-on-year export of gur declined by 41.86pc, cement 15.52pc, handicraft 96.90pc, furniture
4.20pc and jewellary 77.38pc.Exports of meat, oil, spices, tobacco, pulses, vegetables, fruits and fish
increased while in agriculture sector, rice exports grew by 25.89pc in July-December period this
year from a year ago.Year-on-year export of basmati rice was up by 1.67pc during the period under
review.Non-basmati rice exports grew by over 40pc during the period under review over last year.

Are top rice importers operating illegally in PHL?
January 23, 2014 11:50am

Some rice importers in the Philippines are operating illegally even if they pay duties, because they don't have a
permit to import, an official of the National Food Authority (NFA) said.In an interview on GMA News'
―Balitanghali‖ on Thursday, NFA Public Affairs Department director Rex Estoperez said private companies

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importing rice into the country are operating without the required import permits."Kahit nagbayad ka ng buwis
kung wala ka pa ring import permit that's still illegal," Estoperez said.
A paid advertisement that appeared in several newspapers Wednesday listed the top private rice importers and
the amount of tax each of them paid the government.Philippine laws identified the NFA as the sole agency that
can import rice, mandating public companies who wish to do the same to secure from the NFA the import
permit.According to NFA records, among the private companies operating in 2013 without import permits were
Silent Royalty Marketing, Medaglia De Oro Trading, and Jade Brothers Farm and Livestock Inc.Silent Royalty
is the second largest importer of rice next to NFA, while Medaglia De Oro is the sixth and Jade Brothers the
21st. NFA said rice imports of the companies are currently on-hold in several ports nationwide. Medaglia De
Oro and Jade Brothers earlier told the NFA that they can import rice without a permit citing a World Trade
Organization agreement that the Philippines entered into several years ago removed such restrictions against
private importers.
Estoperez, on the other hand, vowed to look into the operations of more rice importers to know whether they are
operating illegally. "I-isa-isahin namin 'yan and we will evaluate and validate," he said, adding that they will
also look into the records of private companies which imported rice from 2011 to 2012 to find out if these
companies were used by rice smugglers.NFA internal auditor Lina Vincente admitted they are finding it hard to
track down companies operating without permits as some of the records of the NFA committee issuing import
permits are missing. "May mga naibigay pero hindi talaga kumpleto kasi kagaya dun sa validation process
siyempre tsine-check namin... Na validate ba 'to? Nasaan yung resulta ng validation?" Vincente said. –
Elizabeth Marcelo/VS, GMA News

Cambodia produces 9.3 mln tonnes of paddy rice last year
Jan 23,2014

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia had produced 9.3 million tons of paddy rice in 2013, which was
comparable to the amount in 2012, according to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday."With
this amount, besides local consumption, the country will have about 4.78 million tonnes of un-husked rice, or
more than 3 million tonnes of milled rice, left over for exports this year," the report said.Hean Vanhorn, director
of the single window secretariat for facilitating milled rice exports, called on rice exporters to increase their
exports in order to help the government to achieve its self-imposed goal of exporting one million tonnes of
milled rice by 2015.
Currently, some 84 companies have been exporting rice to 66 countries and regions around the world, he said,
adding that key buyers are France, Poland, Malaysia, the Netherlands and China.The Southeast Asian nation

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had exported some 379,000 tonnes of milled rice last year, up 84 percent year-on-year.Commerce Minister Sun
Chanthol said Tuesday that the country was expected to achieve the target of exporting one million tonnes of
milled rice by 2015 thanks to the government-private joint efforts and good quality of rice.He said Cambodian
fragrant rice was awarded the world's best rice for two consecutive years at the Global Rice Tasting
Competitions held in Indonesia in 2012 and in Hong Kong, China in 2013.Cambodia is an agrarian country with
over 80 percent of the population being farmers. Agricultural sector accounted for 27.5 percent of GDP in 2012,
according to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Rice farmers still fighting for water
Posted: Wednesday, January 22, 2014 3:08 pm

By JODY LARIMER news@journal-spectator.com
EL CAMPO — Although Wharton County has received rain in recent months, it‘s not enough to ease the
drought, making water a hot topic on the agenda at last week‘s Western Rice Belt Rice Conference.Colorado
Water Issues Committee Chairman Ronald Gertson gave an update on the most recent measure approved by the
Lower Colorado River Authority to increase the amount of water necessary in the upper lakes, before water can
be distributed.―We fear real economic and social suffering in our communities that have relied on rice farming
for generations,‖ Gertson said during last Wedneday‘s event at the El Campo Civic Center. ―The water cutoff
will have a ripple effect.‖One of those rippling effects concerns agricultural support industries.―Our
infrastructure, those folks we count on for our seed, fertilizer, flying, storage, delivery, sales ... those folks are
just barely hanging on,‖ Gertson said.
―And those of us who are still in the rice business need them to hang on. We need for them to thrive.―It‘s
important that every acre that we can ... we get in, in rice and give these folks the boost they need to continue
being the lifeline for us that they are. That‘s why, even though some of you might not depend on Colorado
River water, what‘s happening with Colorado River water is important to you because the acres that that water
sustains is important to sustaining the infrastructure that we all need.‖Another ripple affects current water
resources.―What the unavailability of service water has caused is a glut of new well drillings,‖ Gertson said.
―Particularly in Colorado and Wharton counties. We‘ve added about 45 new irrigation wells, primarily in the
lakeside irrigation district around Eagle Lake. That is now threatening to put too much pressure on the aquifer
that many of you depend upon and have depended on for a long time.‖In an effort to manage the dwindling
water supply caused by the drought, the LCRA board issued an emergency order, ultimately cutting off water to
most farmers downstream the last two years, and a third year of water curtailment is looming.
Claims in 2011 and 2012 were approved by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and a trigger was
set at 850,000 acre feet necessary in highland lakes before water could be distributed downstream.The LCRA
once again issued an emergency order and approved to raise the trigger to 1.1 million acre feet at the November
2013 board meeting in an 8-7 vote.Raising the trigger to 1.1 million acre feet is 54 percent of the total capacity
of the system. Lakes Travis and Buchanan, the region‘s water supply reservoirs, are currently at 764,863 acrefeet of water or 38 percent.―Unless we have at least 54 percent of the system full (by March 1), rice farmers,

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you don‘t get anything,‖ Gertson said.If approved by the TCEQ, water would be cut off to three of the four
irrigation operations LCRA serves near the Texas coast – Pierce Ranch, the Lakeside Irrigation Division and the
Gulf Coast Irrigation Division.The TCEQ received the LCRA request on Dec. 10, 2013, according to its media
department.
The commission is expected to take it under consideration at its Feb. 12 meeting.The CWIC is fighting that
request.―We‘re saying, loud and clear, that is not fair,‖ Gertson said. ―This is all about creating a recreation pool
in those lakes because the folks that have been the loudest and who have worked the hardest to get this done,
believe it or not, is not actually the city of Austin or even the water suppliers up there.‖The Central Texas Water
Coalition of Austin, however, is in opposition and feels that even 1.1 million acre feet is not enough.―CTWC
believes that 1.4 million acre feet should be the minimum,‖ CTWC President Jo Karr Tedder said. ―We can‘t go
back to the previous year‘s trigger point number of 850,000 acre feet because it and 1.1 million acre feet are too
risky for all health and safety issues. CTWC wants TCEQ to base this decision on updated scientific data and
remember that no risk is acceptable when trying to protect the drinking water.‖CWIC see things differently.
―They were the folks clamoring to make sure to it that more water was left in the lakes so that their businesses
would thrive,‖ Gertson said referring to the opposing coalition. ―That‘s what‘s driving a lot of these poor
decisions and we as the agricultural interest downstream are suffering from misguided decisions. Currently, we
are trying to convince TCEQ of that very thing.‖TCEQ has supported the LCRA recommendations the last two
years, but Gertson said he thinks this year might be different.―We are getting a little bit different signal from
them this year,‖ he said, adding he thinks it is because the change from 850,000 to 1.1 million is more
politically than scientifically driven.―It is actually a threat to agriculture across the state because if they are
successful in creating, what is essentially a recreational pool on these lakes, they are taking water supply out of
Texas‘ water supplies at a time when Texas is saying ‗we need more water.‘ We can‘t afford to be taking water
off of the shelf to water ski on when we need water for essential purposes like growing food.‖

Rice import curbs in effect until 2017
Local agricultural production expanded by 1.2% in 2013
By Ronnel W. Domingo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

3:49 am | Thursday, January 23rd, 2014
Private-sector rice importers cannot flood the Philippine market with foreign supplies at their will since
quantitative restrictions (QRs) on importation are still in effect, according to a coalition of agriculture industry
groups.The Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (Sinag), citing World Trade Organization (WTO) documents,
said in a statement Wednesday that restrictions on rice imports stand until 2017.Sinag noted that the Philippines
has filed with the WTO its ―Request for a Waiver relating to Special Treatment for Rice,‖ asking for the
continued effectiveness of restrictions, which was unchallenged in any of the WTO‘s general council meetings

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held in 2013.
―No country has formally opposed the Philippines‘ request for waiver,‖ said Sinag chair Rosendo So. ―Of the
eight countries having bilateral talks with the country since March of last year, six have already agreed to new
terms for our QRs until 2017, including Australia, China, El Salvador, India, Pakistan and Vietnam.‖Based on
this, according to Sinag, foreign suppliers can ship into the Philippines at least 350,000 metric tons of milled
rice yearly.―(This should) set the record straight and put to stop insinuations on the status of the country‘s
request for waiver,‖ So said.
―Lawyers (who represent consignees of allegedly smuggled rice from Vietnam) who are insisting on the
expiration of the QRs are not even a party nor can they speak for and in behalf of any WTO member country,‖
he added.He noted that a portion of the shipments from Vietnam, detained in Davao City, was released last
week based on arguments that the restrictions have expired.Citing the Switzerland-based intergovernmental
body South Centre, Sinag said the only way for countries to contest the QRs currently in place is to seek redress
through the WTO Dispute Settlement mechanism and for them to actually win the case.Meantime, Philippine
agricultural production grew by 1.2 percent to P777.8 billion at constant prices despite typhoons exacting
significant damage to farms, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics.BAS data showed that, at current
prices, output expanded by 3.5 percent to P1.5 trillion.The crops subsector, which represented 51 percent of
total output value, barely grew as it inched up 0.09 percent to P397 billion. Palay farmers posted a 2.3-percent
increase in production to P156.2 billion.

Date : 22 มกราคม 2557
BANGKOK, 22 January 2014 (NNT) -- The government has vowed to sell 30 billion baht worth of pledged rice a month
for the next six months. The national rice policy committee's meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra, has agreed to seek the Council of State's opinion on whether the caretaker government has authority to
borrow funds to support the rice pledging program. The rice scheme has been plaguing the caretaker government, which
has missed payments to a large number of farmers, who have demanded that the government pay them no later than
January 25, otherwise they will stage a major protest. Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangraj said after the
meeting that the ministry would spare no effort to sell at least 30 billion baht worth of rice in its stockpile a month for the
next six months.

Senate rice probe shifts focus
By Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 24, 2014 - 12:00am

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Workers unload imported rice from a ship docked at the Manila Harbour Centre yesterday. At least 35,700
metric tons of Vietnamese rice arrived at the port last week, as part of a 500,000-ton shipment to boost local
supply. EDD GUMBAN

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate committee on agriculture and food is moving from the issue involving
alleged big-time smuggler David Tan to focus on other personalities linked to rice smuggling in the
country.Senator Cynthia Villar, chairman of the committee, said she was done with the issue of David Tan after
the latter‘s connection with businessman David Bangayan had been established.Bangayan was found to have
admitted in an import document in 2005 that he is also known by the name David Tan.
Villar said they would next hear the
testimony of Elizabeth Faustino,
treasurer of a federation of rice
cooperatives known as Biklat, to shed
light on the activities of the late
Philippine
Tourism
Authority
administrator Nixon Kua. It was
alleged that Kua was among the
financiers of the farmers‘ cooperative
for the importation of rice.―She will
shed light on why one of the
financiers was murdered… Her name
came out during the (Senate)
investigation last year as being a
broker for Kua,‖ she said.Villar said
Faustino was identified by some of the
cooperatives as the person who
provided them with funds, on behalf
of Kua.Faustino also appeared before the Senate committee on agriculture and food‘s investigation into rice
smuggling in 2012 when it was still chaired by former senator Francis Pangilinan.
At the time, the Bureau of Customs seized about 450,000 50-kilogram sacks of rice abandoned at the Subic
Freeport in Zambales, which was reportedly linked to Kua.stino pointed to Kua as the financier and middleman
for the multimillion-peso Subic rice shipment.Kua was killed in what police claimed was a robbery attempt at
his home inside an exclusive subdivision in Calamba, Laguna in July 2012, or about the same time the Senate
committee on agriculture and food began its probe on the suspected smuggling syndicate at the
SBMA.Magdangal Maralit Bayani III of cooperative St. Andrew Field Grains and Cereal Trading, who was
detained for over a month at the Senate, informed the committee that Kua was involved in the seized rice
shipment at Subic.In one of his affidavits submitted to the Senate committee, Bayani said Kua had asked him if
he was interested in getting an allocation of the rice stocks at Subic.

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―As far as I know he (Kua) was an agent. He approached me to inquire about any interested buyer,‖ Bayani said
during one of the hearings.He said Kua approached him and informed him that there were still available sacks
of rice at Subic and assured him that the rice supply had documents to back up the application of an import
permit.Kua was reportedly a close friend of Angelito Banayo, who was then the administrator of the NFA.Villar
said she was hesitant to invite Banayo in the next hearing because he was already recommended for
investigation under the committee report prepared by Pangilinan.―He is a biased party. It might not be proper to
invite him because he is biased,‖ she said.
Duterte to attend Senate probe
Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday he is willing to attend the Senate inquiry on rice
smuggling so he could shed light on the controversy involving Bangayan.Senator Grace Poe sought to invite
Duterte to share any information on Bangayan.―Of course I will go. I am going to tell the Senate what I have
been saying here all along. That would be better,‖ Duterte said, adding that he has been monitoring the Senate
inquiry.He said he would be more than willing to divulge all information about Bangayan and rice smuggling
operation in his city.However, he said he has not received any invitation from the Senate committee on
agriculture and food, which is conducting the inquiry.
De Lima asked to resign
Duterte, who had been at loggerheads with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima over the rice cartel issue, also asked
her to step down.He said De Lima easily opens her mouth for publicity, but has failed to do her job, citing the
investigation into the rice smuggling case. –With Edith Regalado, Eva Visperas

Foodgrain imports soar
Sohel Parvez

Foodgrain imports have surged 95 percent in the first half of the current fiscal year from a year ago, driven by
increased prices of rice and wheat flour in local markets against reduced global prices.Rice and wheat imports
rose to 18.65 lakh tonnes between July 1 and January 9 from 9.57 lakh tonnes in the same period a year ago,
according to food ministry data.Total foodgrain imports till now have already exceeded imports for the whole of
last fiscal year. High domestic rice production had helped reduce import dependence the previous fiscal year.In
fiscal 2012-13, foodgrain imports were 18.87 lakh tonnes, including 28,930 tonnes of rice."There was a glut of
rice in the domestic market last year. But that is not the case this year. This is one of the main reasons behind
increased rice imports," said a senior official of the food ministry, seeking anonymity.The food ministry official
said rice and wheat prices are currently lower in the international market than a year ago, while local rice and
wheat prices have risen in recent months.More than two-months of political unrest, a marginal increase in last

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year's boro output and slow release of paddy by farmers on speculation of further price hikes have led to the
increase in local prices.
"The price difference between domestic and international markets has encouraged the private sector to import as
they get a margin," he said.From July to January 9 this year, rice imports surged to 2 lakh tonnes from only
15,800 tonnes in the same time a year ago.Wheat imports rose 77 percent to 16.65 lakh tonnes in six months
since July.Sheikh Wazed Ali, owner of Lakhya Flour Industry at Narayanganj, attributed the increase in wheat
imports to rising rice prices and a low carry-over stock of wheat at the beginning of the fiscal year.The
government's distribution of wheat flour at subsidised rates through open market sales is another reason behind
an increase in imports, he said.Sarwar Alam, a rice importer, said most rice imports came from India as prices
are lower there.In the fortnight ending January 10, the wholesale price of rice was $338 a tonne in Kolkata,
while it was $434 in Dhaka, according to Fortnightly Foodgrain Outlook by the Bangladesh food ministry.
Nirod Boron Saha, president of an association of rice and paddy commission agents at Naogaon, linked
increased prices of rice to supply shortfall resulting from less than expected production in the last aman and
boro seasons."It appears that scented rice was cultivated on more lands in the immediate aman crop season. It is
likely to cause a shortfall in coarse and parboiled rice production," he said.Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics is
yet to finalise the rice output in the recently completed aman season, which accounts for 38 percent of annual
rice production. However, production of rice in the aus season rose 8 percent to 23.26 lakh tonnes in the last
harvest from 21.58 lakh tonnes in the previous harvest, according to provisional estimates of BBS.
Published: 12:00 am Friday, January 24, 2014
Last modified: 11:51 am Friday, January 24, 2014

Date : 22 มกราคม 2557

BANGKOK, 22 January 2014 (NNT) -- The government has vowed to sell 30 billion baht worth of pledged rice
a month for the next six months. The national rice policy committee's meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra, has agreed to seek the Council of State's opinion on whether the caretaker government
has authority to borrow funds to support the rice pledging program. The rice scheme has been plaguing the
caretaker government, which has missed payments to a large number of farmers, who have demanded that the
government pay them no later than January 25, otherwise they will stage a major protest. Deputy Commerce
Minister Yanyong Puangraj said after the meeting that the ministry would spare no effort to sell at least 30
billion baht worth of rice in its stockpile a month for the next six months.

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Oreo Launches Two New Flavors, and They’re Both Delicious
Prepare your palates for "cookie dough" and "marshmallow crispy" Oreos
By Samantha Grossman @sam_grossmanJan. 23, 201433 Comments

Continuing its tradition of creating flavor after new flavor, Oreo has launched two brand-new varieties: cookie
dough and then something called ―marshmallow crispy‖ which is clearly based on a Rice Krispies Treat but for
legal reasons, we assume, cannot be called that.Nothing could ever beat the classic Oreo — with its perfect
textures and optimal cookie-to-creme ratio — but we conducted a taste test, and we‘ll say this: these new
flavors are tasty.First, there‘s the cookie dough variety. After taking a bite of the treat, one person‘s eyes lit up
with joy and wonderment as he declared it even better than the original. Then he promptly went back for
seconds.Here‘s the thing, though: it doesn‘t really taste like cookie dough. Several staffers said they got hints of
coffee or caramel, and one said it should be renamed the Frappuccino Oreo. It‘s good, we all agreed, but if you
were to taste it blindly, you most likely wouldn‘t guess that it‘s supposed to represent cookie dough. Still,
because it‘s technically a cookie dough-flavored cookie, one colleague dubbed it the ―meta Oreo.‖

Then there‘s the ―marshmallow crispy‖ cookie — also delicious,
but a bit more divisive. One person declared it inedible, throwing
it into the trash in a huff. Others, however, were particularly
excited about this variety because its creme center features bits of
crisped rice. Unlike the cookie dough variety, this cookie‘s flavor
corresponds with its name: it really does taste like a Rice Krispies
Treat. We suggest pulling off one of the cookies — which are of
the ―golden‖ vanilla persuasion — so you can taste the creme by
itself to get the full effect of the crispiness.The new flavors come
out Feb. 3 and are expected to be available for six to eight
weeks.Oh, some thought both varieties were simply too sweet —
but they‘re Oreo cookies, so that‘s kind of the point. And after we concluded the taste test, everyone seemed to
agree: Double Stuf is still the best — even if it doesn‘t truly contain double the stuf.

Rice prices range-bound
OUR CORRESPONDENT
KARNAL, JANUARY 23:

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Prices of aromatic and non-basmati rice ruled almost stable with nominal variation on Thursday.The market is
range-bound but within a positive territory, said Amit Kumar, proprietor of Ginni Rice. Expectation of good
buying in the coming days is supporting the market, he said.In the physical market, Pusa-1121 (steam) sold at
Rs 9,100-50, while Pusa-1121 (sela) quoted at Rs 8,100 a quintal.
Pure Basmati (Raw) quoted at Rs 12,500. Duplicate basmati (steam) sold at Rs 7,000.
About 7,000 bags of different paddy varieties arrived at the Karnal Grain Market Terminal. About 5,000 bags of
Pusa-1121 arrived and went for Rs 4,225-4,250, 1,000 bags of Sharbati went for Rs 2,200-2,225, while 1,000
bags of PR sold at Rs 1,300 a quintal. Our Correspondent
(This article was published on January 23, 2014)
Keywords: Aromatic rice, non-basmati rice, nominal variation, Ginni Rice

TABLE-India Grain Prices-Delhi-Jan 23
Thu Jan 23, 2014 2:40pm IST

Rates by Asian News International, New Delhi
Tel: 011 2619 1464
Indicative
Previous
Grains
opening
close
(in rupees per 100 kg unless stated)
---------------------------------------------------------Wheat Desi
2,250-3,000
2,100-3,000.
Wheat Dara
1,650-2,000
1,800-2,000.
Atta Chakki (per 10 Kg)
215-240
215-240.
Roller Mill (per bag)
1,975-2,000
1,900-2,100.
Maida (per bag)
1,900-2,100
2,100-2,200.
Sooji (per bag)
1,980-2,020
1,950-2,050.
Rice Basmati(Sri Lal Mahal) 12,000-14,000 12,200-14,500
Rice Basmati(Lal Quila)
12,000-14,000 12,000-14,500
Rice Basmati(Common)
8,800-9,100
8,500-9,500.
Rice Permal
2,100-2,400
2,100-2,400.
Rice Sela
2,850-3,000
2,900-3,100.
I.R.-8
1,850-2,000
1,875-2,025.
Gram
3,140-3,275
3,140-3,275.
Peas Green
3,050-3,550
3,050-3,550.
Peas White
2,850-3,050
2,850-3,050.

Cell # 92 321 369 2874

Bajra
Jowar white
Maize
Barley
Guwar

1,275-1,550
2,400-2,600
1,425-1,430
1,350-1,450
3,300-3,900

1,250-1,600.
1,500-2,200.
1,450-1,650.
1,350-1,450.
3,300-3,900.

Source: Delhi grain market traders.

KTB: No loans for rice scheme
Published: 23 Jan 2014 at 13.18

Krung Thai Bank has not approved 160 billion baht in loans for the government‘s rice-pledging scheme, as
reports on social media have claimed, KTB president Worapak Thanyawong said on Thursday.Mr Worapak
insisted that the issue of whether to approve loans for the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives to
pay farmers involved in the rice scheme was not on the agenda at a meeting of the board of KTB directors.He
added that he was confident the government would not attempt to use KTB to finance its rice scheme.Despite
being state-owned, Mr Worapak said KTB is a commercial bank listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand
(SET). More than 45% of its shareholders are retail and institutional investors, so it must maintain its
competitiveness with other commercial banks, he said.Loan approval standards based on risk factors and the
ability of borrowers and guarantors to service debts will be used to make loans decisions regardless of whether
clients are public and private sector, he added.

Rice farmers set payment deadline
Published: 23 Jan 2014 at 16.33:Online news: Politics

About 500 rice farmers on Thursday blocked off the Indochina intersection in Phitsanulok‘s Muang district,
demanding the caretaker government pay them the money owed for pledged crops by the end of the month.If
they did not receive payment by Friday next week they would join forces with the People‘s Democratic Reform
Committee (PDRC) in Bangkok and not vote for candidates fielded by government coalition parties in the Feb 2
general election, group leader Capt Ubon Puttarak, chairman of the Phitsanulok Farmers Council, said.Capt
Ubon said rice growers in Phitsanulok had pledged seven billion baht's worth of rice paddy. So far, they had
only received about one billion baht.The demonstrators agreed that if the government is unable to pay them,
then it should give them back their grain, plus interest in compensation for the payment delay.The unhappy
farmers said they would stay put until the state provides them with an acceptable solution.
Phitsanulok governor Rapee Pongbuppakij and provincial administration organisation chief executive Monchai
Wiwatthanat went to the blocked intersection and implored the farmers to disperse.Mr Rapee told the farmers
that he had already submitted a petition to the government on the issue, but had yet to receive a clear
answer.Police have advised travellers to avoid the Indochina intersection.In Ratchaburi‘s Muang district, a large

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number of farmers gathered at the provincial hall on Thursday, requesting that the provincial administration find
ways to reduce the financial burden caused by the payment deferment of the government‘s rice policy.Wichit
Panpian, chairman of the Ratchaburi Farmers Council, led over 500 rice growers to submit a petition to
Ratchaburi governor Nisit Chansomwong. Members of the Phitsanulok PDRC protesting at the provincial hall
joined the group.In response, Mr Nisit sent requests to various funds that have handed out loans to farmers to
extend loan terms for them.

Cold weather: Record lows kill 63, destroy rice cropPublished: 23 Jan 2014 at
17.07
Online news: Learning From News

Online Reporters
Temperatures dropping to 2-3 C with frost possibly on the mountaintops of
the North and Northeast.The unusually long cold spell across the North,
Northeast and Central regions has killed 63 people in the past three months
and Bangkok has suffered its coldest night in three decades.Bangkok had
coldest morning in 30 years on Thursday, when temperatures fell to 15.6
degrees Celsius.Despite Bangkok recording the coldest night in three decades,
protesters still sleep outside under the stars at Bangkok Shutdown protest sites,
photo of Ratchaprasong rally site on Jan 16. (Photo: Thanarak Khoonton

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Sophon Mekthon, director general of the Disease Control Department, said on Thursday that the 63 fatalities
were reported in 27 provinces between Oct 22, 2013 and Jan 19, 2014. Most of the fatalities were men. The
youngest was a one-month-old baby and the oldest was a 81 years old. A Cambodian and a British national
were also among the victims.The northern border province of Chiang Rai had the most deaths, with six,
followed by Sa Kaeo and Nakhon Ratchasima in the Northeast with five each.Forty-five provinces have been
declared cold-spell disaster zones and more than 25 million people have been affected by the cold weather.
Songkram Aksorn, deputy director general of the Meteorological Department, said Bangkok had its coldest
morning in 30 years on Thursday, when the temperature fell to 15.6 degrees Celsius.This year's cool season has
been the longest for a decade, lasting almost three months, Mr Songkram said.Narong Sahametapat, the
permanent secretary for public health, said health officials in cold-struck provinces had been assigned to visit
villages and take care of people, particularly children and the elderly.He recommended and urged people in
cold-hit areas to exercise regularly to improve blood circulation and consume food with high energy density as
well as drink hot beverages. People should avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks.The unusually long cool
season, blamed on a cold front coming from the north, has also had an impact on Thailand's rice crop.
"The new rice harvest coming in is not of good quality, because it has flowered too early with this cool season' s
unusually low temperatures," said Vichai Sripraset, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters
Association."When temperatures are low, fertilisation is bad, and then you get a lot of empty rice husks," he
explained.The cold weather has coincided with three months of almost daily street protests in the
capital.Leaders of anti-government protests said the low temperatures had not deterred people from joining the
demonstrations. Many of them sleep out on the streets."It's been cold but not freezing, and Thai people
generally enjoy cool weather the same way Westerners enjoy sunny skies," said Akanat Promphan, spokesman
for the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), which has been leading protests in
the capital since early November.

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