May 10 (Bloomberg News) —

Rice output will increase 4% from 680 million tons in 2009, as rice production in India, the world’s second largest grower and consumer of rice, is set to increase by 15% to 151 million tons. This data is according the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) e-mail report.

“The chances of El Nino conditions dissipating over the coming months have improved, which would support a return to more normal weather conditions. This to the benefit of still to be planted crops,” said FOA, “India is anticipated to drive much of the production upturn in the region.”

Increased global rice output might help extend a slump in prices, as it eliminates the risk that India may turn to the overseas market to domestic demand of rice. Rough rice futures hiked to last year’s high of $16.27 per 100 pounds in Chicago in part because of speculation that India may become a net importer of rice for the first time in twenty years.

“Greater availability of supplies from the harvesting of the 2009 secondary crop in the northern hemisphere and the 2010 main crops south of the equator could give grounds for further price declines,” quoted FOA.

Rice production in the Philippines, the world’s largest rice importer, might expand by 9% to 17.4 million tons, down from the disappointing 2009 season, as the Philippine government provides seed subsidies to farmers, and the European Union offers a $13.5 million agriculture assistance program, said the FOA.

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1. Philippines to Quadruple Rice Yield by 2011

Bandar Seri Begawan, March 12^th, 2010 – (Brunei Darussalam) The Philippines can increase its rice yield up to 4 tons per hectare, plant its main crop twice a year and attain a 20 percent rice self-sufficiency by 2011 in only 1,300 hectares of land.

While farmers can increase their yields by double cropping – it’s going to take a lot of hard work said, Ronilo A. Beronio, head of the Philippine Rice Research Institute, a Philippine government research and entrepreneurial institution.

During the Wasan farm demonstration, Beronio was quoted as saying, “we have demonstrated that the Philippine rice production system works despite the problems”. Beronio is part of a three member delegation researching the issue. The delegation was comprised of rice and soil experts and who made a three-day strategic assessment of the 1,500 hectares of land planted with rice in the four districts.

Other experts that visited the Philippines (Brunei) were international rice expert Dr. Eulalio Bautista, Dr. César Mamaril, and the PhilRice OIC Deputy Executive Director for Research. They left the country yesterday. When asked about the groups findings, Beronio said that the present problem is strategic , very challenging and a double whammy.

One of the main issues in Philippine rice production is that of problematic drainage, which making the land hard to dry out. Because there are toxicities in the water and land, the drainage issue is exacerbated. “The soil is acidic, salty, full of sulphur, and deficient in nutrients,” Beronio said, adding that in Brunei, seawater floods the land during high tide.

Dr Mamaril, a retired scientist from the International Rice Research Institute, developed the Minus-One Element Technique (MOET) that checks if the soil has enough nutrients for the rice to seed thereby guiding farmers in the use of fertilizers. MOET uses a pre-weighted, low-cost fertilizer formulation from PhilRice to identify the nutrients present in the soil and those needed to nourish the plant. The technique was debuted at the Wasan demonstration farm last year. Since then, rice experts from the Philippines and PhilRice have been sent to Brunei to develop new varieties of rice suited to Philippine soil, aid in seed production, as well as help train local Filipino extension workers in farm techniques.

“We will send two to three Philippine extension specialists to conduct a field school with Brunei farmers,” said Beronio. “They will live and work with the local farmers for three or four months and guide them in the art and science of modern rice production. After all, farming is a full-time job”.

20 students and a teacher from the Wasan Vocational School, as well as 10 extension workers from the Ministry of Industry & Primary Resources are expected to fly to the Philippines for a three-week training and education program at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station. The assessment survey and overseas training are part of the Brunei Darussalam-Philippine Bilateral Cooperation Project to help the Sultanate attain rice self-sufficiency.

For more information please visit the Borneo Bulletin at  http://www.borneobulletin.com.bn/

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1. Rice Production to Rise to Record This Year

Philippine Rice Farming

HONG KONG – The rising cost of food is driving Asian inflation rates higher, increasing the stakes for a successful harvest this year in a region still bruised by the 2008 food crisis.

Prices for rice, sugar, milk, and in some places, fruits, vegetables and cooking oils, have risen in recent months, putting pressure on overall consumer prices. The region’s most important economies, including India, China, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia, are all grappling with how to handle rising prices without snuffing out their economic rebounds. Food-price increases are leading to higher inflation rates across much of Asia, though energy costs and tighter labor markets are also putting pressure on prices.

Asia was hit hard in 2007 and 2008 when shortages of foodstuffs, especially rice, led to hoarding and riots. Armed guards were dispatched to protect rice warehouses in Thailand and the Philippines; Indonesia deployed border agents to prevent smuggling.

Some analysts warn that the structural issues that caused the 2008 food emergency—too much demand and not enough food—are still in place.

For now, prices aren’t near levels that would create major dislocations. For example, in Bangkok, rice is trading at $592 a ton, according to the Thai Rice Exporters Association, after rising 10% from September through December to $618 a ton.

But prices are climbing and businesses hit by rising food costs in 2008 are again feeling the heat. Macquarie Group analysts recently downgraded Hong Kong fast-food company Café de Coral, citing higher food prices. Many of Café de Coral’s dishes are a combination of meat and rice.

A company spokesman said in an email that food prices are a challenge.

“We are not able to raise prices across the board and we have to absorb a substantial portion of the increases,” the Café de Coral spokesman said. “We will need to change the menus periodically to accommodate some of these increases.”

–You can find this article and more like it at: online.wsj.com

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We’ve all experienced a wedding where a handful of rice is thrown upon newlyweds for good luck. This ancient ritual of throwing rice originally symbolized fertility and the blessing of many children – today it symbolizes prosperity and abundance.

Rice is the first food a new Indian bride offers her husband, often during the wedding itself and, perhaps instead of wedding cake. In India, it is also the first food offered to a newborn. Indians say that the grains of rice should be like two brothers – close, but not stuck together.

In Japan, there is an almost mystical aura surrounding the planting, harvesting and preparation of rice. It is believed that soaking rice before cooking releases the life energy of the rice and gives the eater a more peaceful soul. To persuade Japanese children to eat all of their rice, the grains are warmly called little Buddhas.

In China, young girls with fussy appetites are warned that every grain of rice they leave in their rice bowls will represent a mark on the face of their future husband. A typical Chinese greeting instead of “How are you?” is “Have you had your rice today?” One is expected to always reply, “Yes” to this greeting.

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Although almost all the nutrients are stripped from white rice when the bran layer is removed during milling, ninety percent of all American grown rice is enriched with thiamine, niacin and iron and in some instances riboflavin, Vitamin D and Calcium. White rice because it is enriched has more iron and thiamine than brown rice, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the better option. Brown rice has five times more Vitamin E and three times more magnesium. Brown rice provides twice as much fiber as white rice, but it is not an especially rich source of fiber. The fiber in brown rice is better for its “slow burn” qualities – that is, it takes longer to digest and doesn’t give you a “burst” of carbohydrates all at once.

On the other hand, rice bran alone is an excellent source of fiber. Rice is a fair source of protein containing all eight essential amino acids. It is low in the amino acid lysine, which is found in beans making the classic combination of rice and beans, popularly known as complimentary proteins, a particularly healthful dish. Rice is gluten free and easily digestible making it a good choice for infants and people with wheat allergies or digestive problems.

A half cup of cooked white rice provides 82 calories; an equal amount of brown rice provides 89 calories. Non American varieties of rice have a mixture of these properties – Basmati rice, for example is not heavily processed with nutrients taken out then added back in, its grains are naturally nutrient dense and rich in fiber.

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1. Brown Rice

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Something for Everyone - so many varieties of rice

Something for everyone – new varieties of rice are being discovered everyday.

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Brown rice (or “hulled rice”) is un-milled or partialy milled rice. It is a kind of whole, natural grain. Its mild nutty flavor is slightly chewier, and more nutritious than regular white rice. Any rice, including short-grain, long-grain or sticky rice, may be eaten as brown rice.

Brown rice and white rice contain similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and protein. The important differences between the two forms of rice lie in processing and nutritional content.

Only the outermost layer of a grain of rice (the husk) is removed to produce brown rice. White rice, on the other hand, is produced by removing the next layers underneath the husk (the bran layer and the germ), leaving mostly the starchy endosperm (white grains).

Many vitamins and dietary minerals are lost during this removal and subsequent polishing process. Some of these missing nutrients, such as Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, and iron are occasionally added back into the white rice making it “enriched”. Food suppliers in the US are required to do this by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Of course these nutrients have now lost their original form and are added back in a synthesized way.

One important mineral not added back into white rice is magnesium. One cup (195 grams) of cooked long grain brown rice contains 84 mg of magnesium while one cup of white rice contains 19 mg.

As the bran layer is removed to make white rice, the oil in the bran is also removed. Studies have shown that rice bran oil may help lower LDL cholesterol. Brown rice also retains other key sources of nutrition: fatty acids and fiber.

Brown rice is certainly has more nutritional value that white, but that doesn’t mean that all rice can’t be part of a healthy overall diet.

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