Whenever there's a need

WASHINGTON, DC -- Last week, the USA Rice Federation joined members of the food aid community to participate in the Food Aid Consultative Group (FACG) to discuss the latest developments and responses in the U.S. government's food security programs. 

In addition to an overview of U.S. crop production, including a large rice crop, the meeting focused on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development's food assistance programming for the coming year, particularly on the recent announcement of a new round of funding for USDA's McGovern Dole (MGD) and Food For Progress Programs (FFpr).  Both programs have used significant quantities of rice in the past. 

This year's programming will only fund three new initiatives under FFpr in Benin, Ghana, and the Dominican Republic, and five under MGD in Rwanda, Mozambique, Honduras, Sierra Leone, and Cote d'Ivoire.  It is likely that Private Volunteer Organizations (PVOs) will look to program fortified rice in MGD programs which have a strong focus on addressing micronutrient deficiencies in school age children to increase their health and productivity. 

"A significant portion of last week's meeting was dedicated to the U.S. government and the World Food Programme's (WFP) response to the Ebola epidemic in the hardest hit countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea," said Sarah Moran, USA Rice's director of International Promotion.  "Agencies are planning for a severe food and nutritional emergency based on the projections of USAID's Famine Early Warning Systems Network. They are focused on potential problems including disruption of food availability, reduced household income, below average rice harvests, the staple food for west Africa, and a reduction in overall household food consumption."

WFP is already prepositioning rice to utilize in emergency relief programs and USAID will be looking to ramp up emergency feeding interventions utilizing ready to eat supplements and fortified foods. 

USA Rice will be meeting with key contacts in the next month to identify ways to assist in emergency relief efforts utilizing milled and fortified rice. 

Contact:  Deborah Willenborg (703) 236-1444

Announcement:    Up to 40,000 tons (-5%) paddy

Tender:                  18 November 2014

Shipment Period:  1 December 2014 to 10 January 2015

Delivery Period:    1 December 2014 to 31 January 2015

Place of Delivery:  Mersin, Turkey

Discharge Ports:     Mersin, Tekirdag (TDI port), Bandirma

Note: Tender documents (draft contract, technical and administrative specifications) must be taken from TMO General Directorate

Contact:  Eszter Somogyi, 011-49-40-4503-8667

Announcement:                       10 November 2014

Tender:                                    14 November 2014

Offer details:               33,000 mt

Shipping period:         Medium Grain: From 25 December 2014 to 25 January 2015

                                    Long Grain: From 20 December 2014 to 31 January 2015

WASHINGTON, DC -- All rice supplies for 2014/15 are increased slightly from last month due to an increase in production.  U.S. all rice production is forecast at 221.1 million cwt, up 0.2 percent from last month due to an increase in yield.  Average all rice yield is estimated at 7,597 pounds per acre, up 13 pounds per acre from a month ago.  Harvested area is unchanged at 2.91 million acres.  Long-grain rice production is up 200,000 cwt to 160.3 million, and combined medium- and short-grain rice production is raised 100,000 cwt to 60.8 million cwt.

On the 2014/15 use side, forecast all rice domestic and residual use and exports are unchanged from a month ago at 131 million cwt and 102 million, respectively.  However, the rough rice export component is raised 1 million cwt to 35 million, up 22 percent from the prior year, and the largest since 2009/10.  Conversely, exports of milled rice are lowered 1 million (rough-rice basis) to 67 million.  Exports of combined medium- and short-grain rice are raised 2 million to 34 million, up 10 percent from 2013/14.  Exports of medium-grain rice are expected to be larger because of forecast tighter supplies in Australia, and a change in the export policy in Egypt that likely will constrain exports.  Australia and Egypt are two principal medium-grain rice competitors of the United States.  Conversely, long-grain rice exports are lowered 2 million cwt to 68 million, still up 10 percent from the prior year.  Long-grain milled rice markets in the Middle East and Africa are expected to be very competitive and likely will favor lower-priced rice sourced from Asia.  U.S. long-grain exports will be strong to markets in the Western Hemisphere.  All rice ending stocks are forecast at 40.9 million cwt, up nearly 1 percent from last month, and an increase of nearly 29 percent from 2013/14.

The 2014/15 long-grain rice season-average farm price range is projected at $12.20 to $13.20 per cwt, unchanged from last month.  The combined medium- and short-grain farm price range is projected at $19.00 to $20.00 per cwt, up $1.30 per cwt on each end of the range.  The all rice season-average farm price is forecast at $14.20 to $15.20 per cwt, up 40 cents per cwt on each end of the range.  Tight supplies of combined medium- and short-grain rice in California along with reduced supplies among the major competitors including Australia and Egypt are expected to support prices.  Conversely, a larger supply of lower priced Southern medium-grain rice will limit the increase in the total medium- and short-grain farm price.

Global 2014/15 ending stocks are lowered 5.7 million tons or nearly 5.5 percent due to a decrease in total supplies and an increase in consumption.  Total supplies for 2014/15 are lowered 4.4 million tons due mostly to a reduction in beginning stocks of 4 million.  India's 2013/14 ending stocks are lowered nearly 3 million tons due mostly to an increase in consumption.  Lower procurement of rice by the government of India coupled with higher disbursement of rice through the public distribution system drew down government rice stocks in 2013/14.  Additionally, 2013/14 rice ending stocks in Thailand and Vietnam are

lowered 800,000 tons and 500,000, respectively.  World 2014/15 rice production is lowered 400,000 tons to 475 million tons due mostly to smaller crops forecast for Australia and Egypt, which are partially offset by an increase for South Korea.  Global 2014/15 rice consumption is raised 1.3 million tons to a record 482.9 million due mostly to increases for India and Vietnam, partially offset by reductions for Egypt and South Korea.  Global rice trade is up 400,000 tons from a month ago with an 800,000-ton increase for Thailand, partially offset by reductions for Australia and Egypt.  Imports are increased for EU and China.  The decline in global ending stocks is due mostly to reductions for India, Thailand, and Vietnam, partially offset by increases for China, Egypt, EU, and South Korea.  Global 2014/15 ending stocks at 98.6 million tons are down nearly 8 million tons from 2013/14 and the lowest stocks since 2009/10.  Stocks among the major foreign exporters are down 18 percent from 2013/14.

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