Markets/Trade
- Ron Corben reports for Voice of America that with the revocation of Thailand’s rice support scheme the country is on track to reclaim its title as the global leader in rice exports. Now that the country is no longer hoarding rice it is selling at discounted prices to remove the massive stockpiles, estimated at 18 million tons, from warehouses, lowering global prices. Thai rice is currently the cheapest on the global market with an optimistic outlook.
- Oryza.com reports that the current military government in Thailand has halted all rice exports as it inspects warehouses following a report from the Finance Ministry that nearly 3 million tons of rice were missing from government stockpiles. The decision to halt deliveries was to help the government take account of all rice stocks as it investigates the report.
- GhanaWeb.com reports that a Ghanian rice farmer and seller recently lauded the government program to ban rice imports from the Ivory Coast, declaring that with the elimination of cheaper rice from neighboring countries Ghana’s rice production and sales of local rice have risen by 40%. Rice smuggling has also dropped substantially, providing further incentive for local farmers to increase production and receive better benefits for their hard work.
Production
- AgWeb.com offers a report from the Mississippi State University Crop Situation blog about managing armyworms in rice fields. The article offers 4 tips for control of the pests, noting that armyworms tend to burrow into the soil in the evening, are vulnerable to pyrethoids but not susceptible to seed treatments, and that growers should be diligent about scouting fields even if the pests do not appear to be present.
- The Woodland Daily Democrat reports that Shinmei U.S.A Corporation has begun construction of a new rice facility in West Sacramento to produce gluten-free rice buns with locally grown rice. The facility will create 150 jobs as well as provide an additional outlet for area farmers to sell their crops.
On the Lighter Side
- This one may not have much to do with rice, but Charisma Madarang of Foodbeast reports on The Huffington Post that if you have a rice cooker you can make more than perfect, fluffy rice in it. Turns out rice cookers are also great for making monumental, extra fluffy pancakes in a no-muss, no-fuss fashion by tossing all your ingredients in the cooker pot, using it as your mixing bowl, and popping it straight into the rice cooker to cook for 45 minutes. The result is the King of all Pancakes, with minimal cleanup required.
