Thailand – Rice snapped up amid price fears
Source: Bangkok Post21/07/2011 – Many shoppers yesterday sought to stock up even though the Commerce Ministry has confirmed no shortages or hoarding have been detected so far.
Japan – Japan to conduct nationwide survey on use of rice straw as feed for beef cows
Source: The Mainichi Daily News19/07/2011 – The government is set to conduct a nationwide survey on the use of rice straw as feed for beef cows, following revelations that such feed contaminated with high levels of radioactive cesium had been distributed in extensive areas across prefectural borders.
Report: Genetic breakthrough could increase value of rice by 25%
Source: CNN19/07/2011 – Scientists say they are close to identifying the genes responsible for the chalkiness of rice, knowledge that could lead to increasing yields of the staple crop, the International Rice Research Institute reports.
Philippines – Rice management tips offered online
Source: Business World18/07/2011 – The country’s rice farmers, cooperatives and extension workers, as well as groups helping this sector can get growing and post harvest management tips online — especially this rainy season when the crop is more susceptible to pests — through the Pinoy Rice Knowledge Bank (www.pinoyrkb.com) or PinoyRice, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)…
USA – Vermont farmer experiments with cold-hardy rice
Source: The Examiner18/07/2011 – Erik Andrus considers himself a beer and bread man, but he’s had limited success growing high quality grains on his sometimes soggy swath of Vermont farmland. This spring, in an effort to turn a liability into an asset, he switched focus and began experimenting with rice.
Rice exports from Vietnam may beat target on bigger harvests, new markets
Source: Bloomberg15/07/2011 – Rice shipments from Vietnam, the world’s second-biggest exporter after Thailand, may exceed the goal for the year as production increases and exporters aim for new markets, including neighbor China.
Ghana – Rice imports killing Ghanaian growers – FAO
Source: GBN14/07/2011 – The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says Ghana’s over-reliance on foreign imported rice is becoming a source of worry. “By limiting the importation of rice, the country will save money and invest in market development to increase productivity and expand growth. This is how most countries develop,” said FAO Representative in Ghana,…
USA – Climate adaptation of rice
Source: USGS13/07/2011 – Rice – which provides nearly half the daily calories for the world’s population – could become adapted to climate change and some catastrophic events by colonizing its seeds or plants with the spores of tiny naturally occurring fungi, just-published U.S. Geological Survey-led research shows.
Bangladesh – Bangladesh expands hybrid rice seed production area
Source: philStar.com10/07/2011 – Bangladesh , one of the world’s biggest rice consuming countries, is expanding its hybrid rice seed production area from 300 hectares this year to 3,000 hectares in the coming years, “as it recognizes the contribution of the high-yielding seeds to its rice production program.”
Thailand – Rice trade halts ahead of pledging scheme
Source: The Nation05/07/2011 – As a quick response to the Pheu Thai Party’s promise to restore the rice-price pledging scheme, domestic rice trading has ground to a halt, as millers are keeping their supplies off the market on speculation that prices will shoot up.