Cuba: First Steps Toward Market Access

A hot commodity in Havana

WASHINGTON, DC -- Following President Obama's announcement last month that the U.S. would

begin to re-engage in trade, travel, and diplomatic relations with Cuba,U.S. policy changes that alter

previous travel and trade regulations were announced by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control

(OFAC) yesterday and published today in the Federal Register. These changes go into effect

immediately. On the trade front, OFAC announced that the interpretation of "cash in advance" would

Daily Global Rice E-Newsletter www.ricepluss.com

January 16, 2015 Volume 5, Issue I

revert to the pre-2005 definition, meaning "cash before transfer of title or control.

" This new interpretation is an important, positive move,

and has long been advocated by the USA Rice Federation.

Another new and positive regulatory change will allow

U.S. financial institutions to open accounts at Cuban

banks to facilitate transactions. "Up until now, U.S.

government restrictions have limited the ability of the U.S.

industry to compete in Cuba," said USA Rice President &

CEO Betsy Ward. "Foreign competitors, have stepped in

since they can provide credit and face none of the barriers

to trade that we have had imposed on us.

" Tourist travel with Cuba remains prohibited, but new travel policies include expanded categories under

which U.S. citizens can travel to Cuba and have eliminated the need to obtain a license from OFAC prior

to travel. For instance, professional research and meetings travel now falls under a general license. U.S.

citizens may also use their debit or credit cards in Cuba, and airlines may operate flights to and from

Cuba."USA Rice has been advocating for open trade and travel with Cuba since the mid-1990's and we

were the first U.S. ommodity back in Cuba in 1999," said Ward.

"Our commitment to the market and the Cuban people is genuine. We understand these are the first steps

in the process but we're ready to engage with Congress both independently and through the U.S.

Agriculture for Cuba Coalition (USACC) to advocate for complete normalization of trade with Cuba."

Contact: Kristen Dayton (703) 236-1464

New rice trials in Mackay to give cane growers more options QLD Country Hour

David Sparkes

Updated Thu at 5:30pmThu 15 Jan 2015, 5:30pm

PHOTO: Farmacist planting rice in Walkerston near Mackay, where a trial is under way into a

new rice variety that could be grown on cane properties (David Sparkes)

MAP: Mackay 4740

A trial has begun near Mackay to see if a new variety of rice can be successfully grown in

the region.

If successful, it will give the Mackay region's cane growers a reliable crop to use on fallow

ground, bringing in extra income and boosting the health of the land.Media player: "Space" to

play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.

AUDIO: Farmacist consultant Tony Crowley discusses the trial of a new rice variety in the

Mackay region (ABC Rural)

Agricultural consultancy, Farmacist, was busy planting the rice seed over 11 hectares on a cane

property in Walkerston on Thursday.The team were planting about 1.3 tonnes of doongarra seed,

a variety that grows on dry land, rather than in submerged paddy fields like conventional rice.

PHOTO: Farmacist consultant Tony Crowley. The company is trialling a new rice variety on

cane properties in the Mackay region (David Sparkes)

The variety has been successfully trialled on a large scale further

north in the Burdekin, where the climate is drier.However, it has

never been tried on a large scale in the Mackay region, where there

is more rain and humidity.Farmacist consultant, Tony Crowley, said

small trials had been successful in the Mackay region, but those

could not give an understanding of the problems or economics of

growing a larger crop.He said he is confident the trial will show

doongarra rice is suitable for the Mackay region and the trial will provide much needed

knowledge on the best way to manage the crop.

"(Walkerston cane grower) Andrew Barfield has been working

with this seed for nearly twelve years now, trying all different

varieties, and he has finally got a variety that should grow in the

wet tropics in Mackay," Mr Crowley said."It is an aerobic variety,

which means it doesn't need to grow in a rice paddy field, it grows

above the ground."(It's new) in Mackay to grow rice not in a

paddy field, but to grow it aerobically."We want to get a yield

return out of the paddock, watch all our costs, see what we do.

We've completed all the soil tests, nutrient tests and all those sort of tests and we will analyse the

ground and see what happens with the crop."

Topics: rice, sugar, mackay-4740, walkerston-4751

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-16/new-rice-trials-on-mackay-cane-properties/6020770

Vietnam’s reliance on imports in agriculture leaves less profit for farmers

15.01.2015

Vietnam had a bumper 2014 with bountiful crops and high farm produce export prices, but

farmers believe there is nothing to be happy about.Analysts noted that though the production

value and export turnover were high, the money farmers could pocket was modest. The problem

lies in the fact that Vietnam had to import many kinds of raw materials.A report by the Ministry

of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) showed that the total farm, forestry and seafood

produce import turnover in the first 11 months of 2014 reached $19.78 billion, of which the

majority were agricultural materials.

Vietnam had to spend $690 million on pesticides and input material imports during that period

and $774 million in 2014, an increase of 3.5 percent over 2013.Vietnam vows to develop the

animal husbandry, but in order to do that, it has to import most of the animal feed products

needed. The import turnover reached $3.24 billion in 2014, higher by 5.2 percent over 2013 and

higher than the money Vietnam earned from rice exports.Vietnam cannot produce plant seeds.

MARD reported that Vietnam had to spend $500 million to import 8,000 tons of seeds for the

country’s 700,000 hectares of vegetable area in 2013.Dr. Le Hung Quoc, former head of the

MARD’s Plantation Agency, said these facts are not surprising.

He said that all the input materials used in agricultural production in Vietnam are imports (except

farmers and land).―The best varieties used in Vietnam are imports,‖ he said. ―Vietnam even

cannot make cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, carrot, cucumber, tomato seeds, the popular kinds of

vegetables.‖How much does Vietnam earn from farm exports?

Though Vietnam is the world’s biggest rice exporter, the money it can pocket form rice exports

is small.The Vietnam’s rice export price hovers around $400-450 per ton, which is lower by $50-

75 per ton if compared with the products of the same kinds from India, Pakistan and Thailand.

While government agencies report great achievements in the agriculture sector at workshops and

conferences, Vietnamese farmers have quietly given up their rice fields.According to MARD,

42,785 households gave up farming in 2012-2013, leaving 6,882 hectares idle. As many as 3,407

households gave back agricultural land to the state.The Chair of the Vietnam Farmers’

Association, Nguyen Quoc Cuong, said farmers can make a profit of only VND100,000-200,000

per 360 square meters from every crop within a three month period.

http://www.blackseagrain.net/novosti/vietnam2019s-reliance-on-imports-in-agriculture-leaves-

less-profit-for-farmers

Punjab planning to conduct analysis of soils, water to

develop agriculture January 17, 2015

Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE - Punjab Government is planning to conduct chemical analysis of soils consisting of

21 million acres and water analysis of one million tube wells to promote balanced use of

fertilizers and reduce production costs. This was stated by Rashid Mehmood Secretary

Agriculture Punjab while presiding a meeting of Agricultural Scientists held at Ayub

Agricultural Research Institute to review the agricultural research activities of Rice Research

Institute Kala Shah Kaku.

The secretary agriculture asked the agricultural scientists to develop new hybrid rice varieties to

increase rice export. Dr. Abid Mehmood Directore General Agricultural Research Punjab,

Professor Dr. Iqrar Ahmad khan, Vice Chancellor University of Faisalabad, Agricultural

Scientists, extension workers and farmers attended the meeting. Secretary Agriculture stated that

new crop varieties developed by agriculture scientists possess high yield potential but our

average per acre yield is very low. Dr. Abid Mehmood informed the meeting that Pakistan is the

4th largest country in rice production and that the scientists of Rice Research Institute Kala Shah

Kaku have developed 24 new rice varieties.

Prof Dr. Iqrar Ahmad informed that in order to increase rice production 80000 plants per acre are

required whereas the farmers plant 50 to 60 thousand plants per acre. Dr Muhammad Akhtar

Director Rice Research Institute Kala Shah Kaku briefed the meeting that last year rice was

cultivated on 4.5 million acres and 3.54 million tons production was obtained.

http://nation.com.pk/business/17-Jan-2015/punjab-planning-to-conduct-analysis-of-soils-water-to-

develop-agriculture

Also published in Business Recorder Pakistan

Arsenic In Your Rice? Consumer Reports Issues Guidelines

Why children should eat less rice products, according to Consumer Reports

By Consumer Reports

It's very possible that there are levels are arsenic in the food you eat every day; much of it found

in rice and other grains. In fact, some is eaten by children. While some is unavoidable, there are

new guidelines limiting how much rice you and your children should eat. NBC 7's Consumer

Bob has the options you might want to consider. (Published Thursday, Jan 15, 2015)

Thursday, Jan 15, 2015 • Updated at 7:57 PM PST

Consumer Reports has issued new guidelines on how much rice you and your children should

eat.The ratings magazine analyzed Food and Drug Administration data on more than 600

foods that contain rice and found some with worrisome levels of inorganic arsenic, which is

linked to several types of cancer.The Food and Drug Administration recommends parents

consider other options rather than rice cereal for their children’s first solid food.

Consumer Reports’ analysis found that hot rice cereal and rice pasta can have much more

arsenic than its lab saw in previous tests.So Consumer Reports now recommends that children

rarely eat these foods, which means not more than twice a month. And the group recommends

children under five limit rice drinks, rice cakes and ready-to-eat rice cereals. Levels of arsenic

vary.The reviewers based their recommendations on the higher levels in each food group to

offer consumers the best protection. As for rice itself, lab tests in 2012 found high levels of

inorganic arsenic in white rice and even higher levels in brown rice.

Consumer Reports has tested other types of rice and other grains and has found several

alternatives with much lower levels of inorganic arsenic. Some good choices — sushi rice

from the U.S. and white basmati rice from California, India and Pakistan. On average they had

half the amount of arsenic as most other types of rice.And brown basmati rice from California,

India and Pakistan has about one third less inorganic arsenic than other brown rice. Other good

options — bulgur, barley and faro, as well as gluten-free grains like amaranth, buckwheat,

millet and quinoa.In response to Consumer Reports’ investigation, the USA Rice Federation

issued this statement:

―Research conducted by the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. rice industry shows

arsenic levels found in U.S.-grown rice are below safe maximum levels established this year

by the World Health Organization. Studies show that including white or brown rice in the diet

provides measureable health benefits that outweigh the potential risks associated with

exposure to trace levels of arsenic. The U.S. rice industry is committed to growing a safe and

healthy product; we continuously test our crop, and research ways of reducing the already low

levels of arsenic found in rice even further."

The Food & Drug Administration issued this statement:

"The FDA’s ongoing assessment of arsenic in rice remains a priority for the agency. Last year,

the FDA released what we believe to be the largest set of test results to date on the presence of

arsenic in rice and rice products, and we are planning to release a draft assessment of the

potential health risks associated with the consumption of arsenic in these same foods.

Until that review is completed, the agency continues to recommend that consumers, including

pregnant women, eat a well-balanced diet containing a variety of grains. Parents should feed

infants and toddlers a variety of grains as well, and consider options other than rice cereal for a

child’s first solid food. Published studies and ongoing FDA research indicate that cooking rice

in excess volumes of water – five to six times that of the rice – and draining the water can

reduce the arsenic content, though it may also reduce the nutritional value of the rice."

Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Arsenic-In-Your-Rice-288768651.html#ixzz3P7iOeACY

Cuban trade holds many benefits for Louisiana Jessica Goff,8:56 p.m. CST January 16, 2015

(Photo: By Jessica Goff)

CONNECTTWEETLINKEDINCOMMENTEMAILMORE

Louisiana is ready to regain a major industry it lost

50 years ago when the United States placed an

embargo on Cuba."Prior to the embargo, Cuba was

the largest importer of Louisiana rice," said Kevin M.

Berken, chairman of Louisiana Rice Promotion

Board, Friday inside the Petroleum Club. "So it is

critically important for us to be able open trade with

other countries, Cuba being the main focus. It has

been a focus for the last 20 or 30 years."

Berken was one of four panelists Friday who spoke during a conference addressing the recent

U.S. decision to lift portions of the longstanding embargo. The conference was hosted by Le

Centre International de Lafayette."We are not going to talk about politics. We are going to talk

about who's against and who's for," said Philippe Gustin, international trade manager for the

center, before introducing speakers.

"We are going to talk about how Louisiana and Cuban people can work together to conduct

business and conduct cultural exchange and visit each other."Other panelists included Gary P.

LaGrange, president and CEO of the Port of New Orleans; Charles Larroque, executive director

of Council for the Development of French in Louisiana; and Larry Sides, president of SIDES &

Associates.The conference came the day after the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and

Commerce announced President Barack Obama's amendments to existing Cuban sanctions,

Gustin said.

These changes will immediately enable the American people to provide more resources to

empower the Cuban population to become less dependent upon the state-driven economy, and

help facilitate our growing relationship with the Cuban people," the White House said in its press

release Thursday.As of now, Mexico is the largest importer of U.S. rice with 800,000 metric tons

a year, Berken said. But the rice industry wants to re-establish its relationship with the Caribbean

country that once demanded the domestically grown crop."Cuba is the second largest importer of

rice in the Americas.

They have the highest per capita consumption of rice, which is about 200 pounds," he said.

Cuba grows about 400,000 metric tons of its own rice, but imports 600,000 metric tons, or $300

million worth, Berken said.As of now, its biggest supplier is Vietnam."When we were sending

rice there in the early 2000s, there were lines formed around the block and people would wait for

hours trying to get our rice," Berken said. "The Cuban people like the rice we grow

here."Although the embargo was never lifted, tension between the U.S. and Cuba eased a bit

during the Clinton administration, Sides said.Sides has traveled to Cuba 24 times in the last 15

year on the religious license.

He said he does not get involved in any political aspect of the country. He merely goes for

mission trips and for leisure, he said."I'm simply fascinated with the country," Sides said Friday.

The only way the U.S. will fully be able to establish a diplomatic relationship with the country,

and that includes tourism, is for the U.S. to completely lift the embargo, he said.LaGrange

agrees."Eventually, the embargo will be lifted," Lagrange said, "and there isn't a thing in the

world that Cuba doesn't need.

"The country is only 700 miles from Louisiana's coast, making it prime for convenient trade

especially from the Port of New Orleans, LaGrange said.There's talk of a Cuban consulate being

built in the U.S. and New Orleans may be vying against Tampa, Florida, as a host city, he

said.Culturally, Cuba's Creole heritage could be well connected to Acadiana, Larroque

said."Louisiana should be next in line," he said. "We need a consulate in New Orleans."I believe

we have a wonderful opportunity to resist the economic dark clouds that are on the horizon by

again adding the value to the true Louisiana brand, which is Creole," he said. "It's Cajun; it's

Creole — it's old colonial Creole and maybe a new element to the mix is Cuban Creole."

Look 'Inside the Embargo'

Larry Sides has made 24 humanitarian trips to Cuba over the past 14 years, using his camera to

document life inside the embargo. At 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22, Sides will present "Inside the Embargo,"

a look at life in Cuba at The Daily Advertiser Community Room, 1100 Bertrand Drive,

Lafayette.

http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2015/01/16/cuban-trade-holds-many-benefits-louisiana/21896725/

CME Group/Closing Rough Rice Futures

CME Group (Prelim): Closing Rough Rice Futures for January 16

March 2015 $11.325 - $0.005

May 2015 $11.575 - $0.005

July 2015 $11.810 - $0.005

September

2015 $11.430 + $0.010

November

2015 $11.570 + $0.010

January 2016 $11.860 UNCH

March 2016 $11.860 UNCH

Month Price Net Change

Rice exports lag behind expectations SaiGon GP English

Vietnam exported 6,316 million ton of rice worth US$2,789 billion last

year. The export volume lags behind the intended number of 7 million

tons and becomes the lowest for the last four years, reported the

Vietnam Food Association.The rice export last year reduced 300,000 tons

in volume and US$100 million in value over 2013.Meantime Thailand exported 9.49 million

tons equivalent to US$4.69 billion in the first 11 months of 2014, an increase of 60 percent in

volume and 18 percent in value over the same period in the previous year.Rice prices remain low

in the Mekong Delta ranging from VND6,700-7,000 a kilogram.

Image: Rice harvest in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu (Photo: SGGP)

http://en.baomoi.com/Info/Rice-exports-lag-behind-expectations/5/518356.epi

Rice inventory good for 89 days – PSA By Czeriza Valencia (The Philippine Star) | Updated January 16, 2015 - 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines - Domestic rice

stock inventory remains sufficient for 89

days as of December, the Philippine

Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.The

total rice stock inventory as of December

was 3.03 million metric tons (MT), up 2.7

percent from the previous month’s

inventory of 2.95 million MT. Year-on-

year, this was higher than the inventory of

2.49 million MT.Month-on-month, the

volume of rice stocks in commercial

warehouses rose 8.3 percent. Stocks in

NFA depositories – 96.5 percent of which

was imported rice – rose 12.7 percent. Rice stock levels in households decreased by 3.2 percent.

Year-on-year, rice stock levels in all sectors rose. Stocks held in households and in commercial

warehouses increased nine percent and 29.5 percent respectively. Rice stocks in NFA

depositories also increased by 62 percent.Stocks held in households would be sufficient for 46

days, those in commercial warehouses would be enough for 29 days, while those held in

depositories of the National Food Authority (NFA) would cover 14 days.Around 51.7 percent of

the total rice stock inventory in December were with households, 32.3 percent were held in

commercial warehouses and 16 percent are in NFA depositories.

Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Domestic corn stock inventory in December, meanwhile, fell 9.8 percent to 216,000 MT from

239, 500 MT in the previous month. Year-on-year, however, this was higher by 14.1 percent than

the inventory of 189, 400 thousand in the same period in 2013.Around 56.6 percent of the

December corn stock inventory were with commercial warehouses, 42.6 percent were with

households and 0.8 percent were held in NFA depositories.

Month-on-month, corn stock levels in all sectors fell. Stocks in households fell by 15.5 percent,

stocks in commercial warehouses 5.1 percent, and in NFA depositories, by 6.9 percent.Year-on-

year, stock levels in households and in commercial warehouses were up 12.3 percent and 26.1

percent, respectively. Stocks in NFA depositories fell 84.1 percent.

http://www.philstar.com/business/2015/01/16/1413287/rice-inventory-good-89-days-psa

Rice exports of Vietnam declines 3.2% to 6.38 million tonnes

Reported by: `Customs Today Report January 16, 2015

HANOI: The rice exports of Vietnam dropped 3.2 percent last year to

6.38 million tonnes, Vietnam Customs said. On the other hand, the

estimate of government is 6.41 million tonnes .The grain exports have

generated $2.95 billion in 2014, up 1.1 percent from the previous

year, the customs department, run by the Finance Ministry, said in its

monthly report.Last month, the government estimated Vietnam’s rice shipment in the whole of

2014 at 6.41 million tonnes, down 2.7 percent from the previous year. http://customstoday.com.pk/rice-exports-of-vietnam-declines-3-2-to-6-38-million-tonnes/

Thailand Remains Leading Rice Exporter

Imagen activaBangkok, Jan 15 (Prensa Latina) Thailand

will continue this year as the leading exporter of rice with a

turnover of 11 million tons, according to forecast today of

the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO). The source says the two main competitors, India

and Vietnam expect sales for eight and seven million

tonnes, respectively.Regarding target markets in Asia,

China will continue to lead with a calculated acquisition in

2.800 000 tons, followed by the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia with a million each.FAO

estimates that global consumption of the grass will be 500 million tonnes in 2015, representing

an increase of 1.7 percent compared with 2014.

The honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, Chukiat Ophaswongse

commented here that thanks to the price adjustment to equalize rates of its rivals, the rice export

volume increased again.According to a report of that entity, the Thai grain stood at $ 390 per ton

in the world market while for India and Vietnam is 420 and 400, respectively.

sus/abo/tgj/hr

Modificado el ( jueves, 15 de enero de 2015 )

ffect of Blockade

Farmers count loss as paddy prices fall

Quamrul Islam Rubaiyat, Thakurgaon

Rice sellers at Gorea Haat in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila pass their time mostly doing other

works as the market sees only a few customers due to the transport problem amid the

countrywide nonstop blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance. PHOTO: STAR

The price of recently harvested aman paddy has started falling

in the local markets of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts

due to transportation problem amid BNP-sponsored nonstop

countrywide blockade from January 5.Despite bumper yield,

especially the share-croppers, marginal and small farmers are

counting losses as they have to sell their produces to manage

expenses for cultivating boro paddy and robi crops including

wheat, potato, maize and groundnut in the ongoing peak

cultivation season.Meanwhile, a section of profit-greedy traders have raised prices of agro-inputs

like seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, taking advantage of the frequent blockades, much to the

worry of the small-scale farmers.

During a visit to different local markets including Khochabari, Gorea, Bhulli and Farabari Bazar

in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila and Boda, Moidandighi and Sakoya hats in Boda upazila of

Panchagarh, this correspondent saw the small farmers sold aman paddy for prices lower than that

of a week ago.Osman Ali, 35, a marginal farmer of Shahapara village in Boda upazila, said

―Eight days ago, I sold 12 maunds of paddy at Tk730 per maund. But now the price has reduced

to Tk 660. Despite low price, we have to sell paddy to manage expenses of potato and maize

cultivation.‖The nonstop blockade for over a week has led to fall of aman paddy price by Tk 70-

80 per maund, said Anikul Barman, 55, a share-cropper of Moidandighi village in

Boda.―Besides, we have to buy agro-inputs with high price as the trader hiked price on the

pretext of supply shortage,‖ he said.

Taking the opportunity of small farmers' helpless situation and obstruction in carrying goods due

to blockade, some local traders are hoarding huge paddy after buying it for low prices, markets

sources alleged. Kademul Islam, 48, of Gorea village in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, said the

paddy price at Gorea hat is gradually falling as the paddy buyers from other districts are unable

to come to the local market due to transportation problem.Taking advantage of inadequate

buyers, several local buyers of Gorea have made a syndicate and they are buying paddy for lower

prices, Kademul alleged.Md Zaman, a rice mill owner and rice trader of Boda, told this

correspondent paddy price has continued decreasing as supply to other districts including

Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Bogra, Natore and Dhaka remained virtually suspended due to non-stop

blockade.Local traders are buying lesser amount of paddy from the markets as they can not

supply it to outside the district, he said.

According to sources of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), farmers of Thakurgaon

district had cultivated aman paddy on 1 lakh 28 thousand 435 hectares of land against the target

of 1 lakh 20 thousand 995 hectares with a production target of 3 lakh 28 thousand 387

tonnes.The farmers have produced 3 lakh 88 thousand 151 tonnes.In Panchagarh, about 95,185

hectares land had been brought under aman cultivation against the target of 94,524 hectares with

a production target of 2 lakh 54 thousand 676 tonnes.The growers have produced 2 lakh 75

thousand 253 tonnes of aman rice.

Published: 12:00 am Friday, January 16, 2015

Last modified: 11:32 pm Thursday, January 15, 2015

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:u03Dv3APwWIJ:www.thedailystar.net/farmers-count-loss-

as-paddy-prices-fall-60235+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=pk

REAP urges government to enhance exports By Our Correspondent

Published: January 16, 2015

Pakistan exported 27,805 tons of rice to Bahrain in fiscal year ending on June 30, 2014, worth

$2.6 million. STOCK IMAGE

KARACHI: The government must focus on rice export

markets of China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Bahrain as that

will ultimately support all stakeholders, particularly rice

growers, said Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP)

Chairman Rafique Suleman.―Depressed prices in international

rice markets are affecting the agriculture sector of all rice-

exporting countries in the world; Pakistan is not an exception,‖ he

said in a statement.

He said Bahrain is a potential market for Pakistani rice and REAP urges the government to

improve economic relations with the country to enhance bilateral trade.He said that there are

approximately 100,000 Pakistanis living in Bahrain and REAP welcomed the recent

announcement of the government of Bahrain to award dual nationality to some of them.

―Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at $200 million, and there is still

immense scope for expansion,‖ he said.Pakistan exported 27,805 tons of rice to Bahrain in fiscal

year ending on June 30, 2014, worth $2.6 million.REAP chairman noted that China has made

several government-to-government deals with neighbouring countries like Thailand and

Cambodia, which in effect, may hurt Pakistani rice exports to China.

―Since the total rice import quota of China is limited, the market share of Pakistani rice in China

will eventually decline with these agreements,’ he remarked.―We request the government to take

similar steps like China has taken up with Thailand and Cambodia in order to stabilise the rice

trade between China and Pakistan. We hope we could export additional 200,000 tons good

quality Pakistani rice every year, starting from year 2015,‖ he said.Pakistan exported 353,673

tons of rice to China in fiscal year 2014, worth $128 million.He also highlighted that the trade

balance between Pakistan and Malaysia was in favour of Malaysia because of the huge quantity

of palm oil that Pakistan imports..

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2015.

Also published in Pakkissan.com

http://tribune.com.pk/story/822430/reap-urges-government-to-enhance-exports/

Last chance for Yingluck to answer rice questions

Published: 16 Jan 2015 at 19.29

Online news: Politics

Writer: Manop Thip-osod and Aekarach Sattaburuth

Yingluck Shinawatra faces another session in the hot seat next week after failing to show up in

person on Friday to answer legislators' questions about her government's failed rice-pledging

programme. A National Legislative Assembly member reads questions about former premier

Yingluck Shinawatra's rice-pledging scheme to her representatives: former deputy premier

Kittiratt Na-Ranong, left, and her lawyer Norawit Lalaeng. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu)

The former prime minister sent others to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to represent

her, including former deputy premier Kittiratt Na Ranong. But NLA members refused to let them

answer the questions that had been prepared.The NLA has demanded to hear the answers directly

from Ms Yingluck, but time is running out as a vote on whether to impeach her is scheduled for

next Friday.The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has recommended that Ms

Yingluck be retroactively removed from the premiership and have her political rights suspended

as she failed to stop the rice scheme, despite being warned that it would end with huge losses to

taxpayers.

On Friday Ms Yingluck sent nine representatives including

former ministers and lawyers to answer the questions on her

behalf but the NLA members who posed the questions refused

to let the representatives answer.Pichit Chuenban, a lawyer for

Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai Party, complained about the NLA's

decision not to allow the former premier's representatives to

answer the prepared questions.NLA vice president Surachai

Liangboonlertchai then told the representatives to ask Ms

Yingluck to show up by 6pm to supply answers. Her representatives replied that they could not

contact Ms Yingluck and did not know where she was.

Earlier report on Yingluck no-show

NLA members then read out the questions they wanted to pose to Ms Yingluck. They dealt with

her responsibility for the damage that her rice scheme caused, including a huge loss and

extensive corruption that she failed to bring to an end.The Finance Ministry earlier concluded

that the rice scheme caused a loss of at least 500 billion baht.A question from NLA member Kitti

Wasinont sought Ms Yingluck's answer on why she did not stop the rice scheme although many

organisations informed her that the scheme was losing billions of baht and was plagued with

corruption. In addition, no government-to-government rice trades took place as ministers had

claimed, and some traders acquired pledged rice at low prices and made windfall profits from

resales.

Among those delivering the warnings were the NACC, the Office of the Auditor General and the

Thailand Development Research Institute.NLA member Thaweesak Sootkawatin asked if the

rice scheme was merely a tactic of Pheu Thai to win an election as the Yingluck government

actually bought rice at prices nearly 50% above market prices.NLA member ACM Chalee

Janruang asked whether Ms Yingluck would repeat such a programme that seemingly consumed

huge sums from the government's coffers if she had a chance to return to government.

NLA member Mahannop Detpitak asked how Ms Yingluck as the prime minister would take

responsibility for the losses resulting from the scheme.NLA member Somchai Sawaengkan

asked how Ms Yingluck planned to compensate the families of 16 rice growers who had

committed suicide while waiting for her government to pay for their pledged rice.NLA member

Dr Jet Siratharanont commented that Ms Yingluck did not show up on Friday because she

wanted to postpone her answers to the date of her closing statement next Thursday.This way, he

said, Ms Yingluck would have an advantage because she would know the questions in advance

and would have more time to prepare her replies.

Rice production seen at 27.1m tonnes Published: 16 Jan 2015 at 17.03 Online news: News Writer: Post Reporters Thailand’s unmilled rice production from the 2014/2015 main crop is estimated at 27.1 million

tonnes, a by 0.06% increase from the previous season, the Office of Agriculture and Economics

said. Overall rice plantations in the season have been declining since institution of a state policy

to discourage farmers from growing several crops a year for fear of water shortages, especially in

irrigated areas. The country has around 65 million rai of plantation area.Falling rice prices also

turned farmers to other crops, according to OAE secretary-general Lersak

Riewtrakulpaibul.Farmers earned an average 7,862 and 7,878 baht a tonne of paddy in

November and December, when a large amount of paddy entered the market. The figures were

lower than the average of 8,130 baht farmers received from selling paddy last year.OAE reports

that, since the start of the season in October, about 25.5 million tonnes of paddy were harvested,

accounting for 94% of the total production.

Princeton Researchers Build Rice-Grain Sized Laser Powered

By Single Electrons

Discussion in 'Electrical | Electronics | Communications' started by Ankita Katdare, Yesterday at

10:18 AM.

by Ankita Katdare, Jan 16, 2015 at 10:18 AM

A laser device the size of a rice-grain, that

uses one-billionth of the electric power a

hair dryer needs, has been built by Princeton

University researchers in their attempt to

study quantum computing. Set out to

demonstrate the basic interactions between

the moving electrons and light along with an

aim to explore the use of quantum bits (or qubits), the research team at Princeton led by Jason

Petta, an associate professor of physics, build a super tiny microwave laser (or what's called a

'maser') which is powered by single electrons channeled through quantum dots.

These quantum dots are nothing but the smallest components of semiconductor material that act

like single atoms. Take a moment to let that thought sink in and realize that this is a significant

step towards developing quantum-computing systems of the future out of semiconductor

materials. If you thought electronic devices are only getting smaller by the day, here's something

to prove you right. With a rice grain sized laser, the researchers have demonstrated that the single

electron devices can become as small as possible. rice-grain-laser-quantum-computing. Yinyu

Liu, first author of the study and a graduate student in Princeton's Department of Physics, holds a

prototype of the device.

Prof. Petta's laboratory had set the goal of getting double quantum dots to communicate with

each other. As it was known to the team that the quantum dots could communicate through the

entanglement of photons, they designed quantum dots that emit photons when single electrons

jump from a higher to lower energy level in order to cross the double dot.princeton-university-

rice-grain-sized-laser-research-jason-petta. The rice-grain sized laser or maser.This research was

supported by the National Science Foundation, DARPA QuEST, the David and Lucile Packard

Foundation and the Army Research Office.

The team has submitted a paper titled "Semiconductor double quantum dot micromaser" in the

journal Science on Jan. 16, 2015. The paper dives deep into information about the fundamental

interaction between light and the moving electrons. The interaction shows how the coherent

microwave field is created and amplified. By understanding how to control these processors, the

light sources of the future could be developed. In fact, Claire Gmachl, a pioneer in the field of

semiconductor lasers, believes that the research work in such masers could impact sensing,

medicine and many other aspects of modern life in a significant way.

Source: Princeton University Research:http://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/princeton-

researchers-build-rice-grain-sized-laser-powered-by-single-electrons.78297/