USA – Farm bill threatening livelihood of La. rice farmers
Source: The Advocate14/06/2012 – Adam Habetz and south Louisiana’s more than 1,000 other rice farmers worry that their federal support funds and many of their rice farms will soon be gone.
Philippines – PH rice inventory dropped 21% in May
Source: Manila Standard Today13/06/2012 – The country’s rice inventory dropped 21.3 percent to 2.67 million metric tons as of May 1 from 3.4 million MT year-on-year, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics said Tuesday. The inventory is good for 79 days.
Thailand – State urged to sell rice now
Source: Bangkok Post12/06/2012 – Exporters have called on the government to start selling rice from its stockpile as local supply tightens.
Guyana – No license for Mahaicony Rice Mills until all farmers paid – Ramsammy
Source: Kaieteur News11/06/2012 – The Mahaicony Rice Mills (MRL) which is the country’s largest rice milling company that controls an estimated 40 per cent of purchases countrywide, is facing the non-renewal of its operating licence unless all farmers are paid fully, Minister of Agriculture Dr. Leslie Ramsammy warned yesterday.
Pakistan – Rice business fails to pick momentum
Source: The News07/06/2012 – Despite the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee, the rice business has still not picked up, because of a simultaneous depreciation in the Indian rupee. An increase in the domestic cost of production, with increasing prices of seed, fuel, fertilizer, insecticides and pesticides and farm wages has further compounded the woes of…
Vietnam – Rice price drop, narrowed markets make farmers, exporters weep bitterly
Source: VietNamNet Bridge07/06/2012 – The bountiful crop does not make farmers happy, because the rice price has dropped dramatically. Meanwhile, exporters have been put on tenterhooks since it’s very difficult to find importers at this moment.
Thailand – Young Thais flee their rice heartland
Source: Star Advertiser05/06/2012 – During 18 years living across the road from rice paddies, Malinee Khammon has never planted a single seedling. The daughter of farmers who is in her last year of high school, she has become adept at deflecting increasingly desperate pleas from her parents for help on the farm.
USA – Rice group weighs in on farm bill study
Source: Delta Farm Press05/06/2012 – USA Rice Producers’ Group Chair Linda Raun welcomed new analysis written by Carl Zulauf of Ohio State University describing the benefits of a price-based countercyclical approach and applauded the endorsements and attention the analysis is now receiving.
Rice poised for third record crop as food prices retreat
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek05/06/2012 – The third consecutive year of record rice production is poised to expand inventories to the most in more than a decade, driving down prices and helping to contain the more than $1 trillion spent on food imports annually.
USA – Rice diseases highlight LSU AgCenter field day presentations
Source: Delta Farm Press04/06/2012 – Rice farmers should be vigilant for disease, specifically leaf blast that is worse than in previous years. The warning was provided by LSU AgCenter experts during field days in Evangeline and Jefferson Davis parishes.