Hartwig Schmidt (far right) shares information about U.S. rice

DUBAI, UAE -- This year marks the 20^th edition of Gulfood and USA Rice Federation is on the show floor to meet with companies conducting business in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa.  Gulfood attracts importers, manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and government officials from around the world, making this show a central place for USA Rice to tout the quality of U.S.-grown rice and network with potential traders on behalf of the industry.  

USA Rice's booth is inside the USA Pavilion, one of the largest national pavilions in the food section of the show, featuring more than 150 exhibitors.  USA Rice displays various types of rice including long-grain, medium-grain, parboiled, and wild rice to attract show attendees and help educate those unfamiliar with U.S. rice.  Brochures highlighting U.S. rice facts, recipes, and nutritional information are displayed in both English and Arabic. 

Six USA Rice members representing American Commodity Company, ADM Rice, Farmers' Rice Cooperative, Riceland Foods, and Sun Valley Rice are joining USA Rice staff and consultants at the booth to meet with existing trade partners and speak with interested importers.

"The Middle East is a key emerging market for U.S. rice," said Schmidt.  "Major markets in the region include Saudi Arabia and Jordan where 2014 U.S. rice exports totalled 101,000 MT and 88,000 MT respectively."

Eszter Somogyi makes the pitch to potential buyers

"This trade show is not only a place to collect more than one hundred potential trade leads for our members, but also a place to meet with FAS representatives from Africa and the Middle East," said Eszter Somogyi, USA Rice international program director of marketing. "It is also important to meet up with our existing trade partners in the region to maintain our relationships."

Gulfood remains one of the most significant international food shows for USA Rice.  It is an efficient way to connect potential and existing customers in the Middle East region to USA Rice members and also supports our goal of increasing importer loyalty to U.S. rice. 

Contact:  Katie Maher (703) 236-1453

WASHINGTON, DC -- Slight revisions are made to the U.S. all rice and rice-by-class 2014/15 supply and use balance sheets.  All rice imports are increased 1 million cwt to 23 million, all in combined medium- and short-grain rice.   Imports of broken rice from Australia of about 21,000 tons (milled basis) were reported in the U.S. Census Bureau's December trade data.  The all rice export forecast is unchanged at 103 million cwt, but the by-class projections are shifted by increasing long-grain 1 million to 71 million and lowering combined medium- and short-grain 1 million to 30 million.   All rice ending stocks are raised 1 million cwt to nearly 42 million with long-grain stocks lowered 1 million to 28.1 million, and combined medium- and short-grain stocks raised 2 million to 11.5 million. Stocks of broken rice, not reported by class, are projected at a little over 2 million cwt.

The 2014/15 long-grain season-average price range is narrowed to $11.90 to $12.50 per cwt, up 20 cents on the low end of the range and down 20 cents on the upper end-the midpoint is unchanged from a month ago at $12.20 per cwt.  The all combined medium- and short-grain season-average price range is narrowed to $17.90 to $18.70 per cwt, down 10 cents on the low end of the range and a decrease of 30 cents on the high end-the midpoint is lowered 20 cents from last month to $18.30 per cwt.  Two additional combined medium- and short-grain farm prices are introduced this month: a California price (on an October-September basis) and a price for Other States (on an August-July basis).  The California combined medium- and short-grain price is forecast with a midpoint of $20.00 per cwt, and the midpoint for the Other States is $15.10.

Global 2014/15 rice supply and use projections are lowered from last month.  Global 2013/14 rice production is forecast at 474.6 million tons, down 900,000 from last month. The largest declines for Thailand and Cambodia are partially offset by increases for Sri Lanka and Iraq.  Thailand's 2014/15 rice crop is lowered 1 million tons to 19.5 million due to a reduction in dry-season plantings resulting from an on-going drought and a reduction in irrigation water availability concentrated in the Central Region.  Thailand's 2014/15 crop would be the smallest since 2006/07.  Cambodia's crop is lowered 200,000 tons to 4.7 million due mostly to flooding of the main-season crop.   Global consumption is down slightly from a month ago.  World trade in 2014/15 is lowered 400,000 tons due mostly to reductions for Thailand and Cambodia.  Imports are lowered for Iraq.  World ending stocks are lowered 800,000 tons to 98.2 million due mostly to a reduction for Thailand, which is partially offset by increases for Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  Thailand's 2014/15 ending stocks are lowered 1.4 million tons to 9.6 million, the lowest since 2011/12.  Pakistan's 2014/15 ending stocks are raised 500,000 tons owing to a reduction in the 2013/14 export projection.

Read the full report here.

Around Washington

Crop Insurance Gears Up for Greater Expectations, Greater Scrutiny Agri-Pulse

With crop insurance now being considered the "linchpin" or the "cornerstone" of the farm safety net, this type of heightened performance and scrutiny could be the new normal.

Around the Country

Port Closures Could Leave California Rice Farmers Taking Big Hit CBS Sacramento

Video report: The Sacramento Valley grows nearly all of the rice in the state, and there's big money in shipping it overseas, but right now, the $5 billion a year product is moving at a snail's pace out of the ports.

Science and Technology

Hundreds of Chinese Get Taste of GM Rice Eco-business.com

Hundreds of people were invited via the Internet to taste genetically modified rice at restaurants in 23 cities across China on Sunday in a move to further promote GM foods to the general public.

JIPM Offers Rice Growers a New Resource Against the Rice Water Weevil Phys.org

An open-access article appearing in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management discusses the rice water weevil's life history and invasion biology, as well as management strategies and future directions of research.