Palm | Kelapa Sawit: Grain

Tampilkan postingan dengan label Grain. Tampilkan semua postingan

Tampilkan postingan dengan label Grain. Tampilkan semua postingan

India needs to raise annual foodgrains output by 1.34%: Govt

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Food Security, Grain, Growth, India, Parliament

The country needs to increase its annual food grains production by 1.34 per cent to meet the output target of 280.6 million tonnes (mt) by 2020-21, Parliament was informed today.

This assessment has been made by the National Centre for Agricultural Economics & Policy Research (NCAP) of agri research body, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Charan Das Mahant, said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

“Taking into account the current year’s estimated production of 250.42 million tonnes of foodgrains, the average annual increase of 1.34 per cent would be required to achieve the production level of 280.6 million tonnes of foodgrains by 2020-21,” he said.

To another question, the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, replied that the demand for rice and wheat for the terminal year of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2016-17) is estimated at 110.21 mt and 89.06 mt respectively.

He said according to the second advance estimates for 2011-12, against the demand of 98.79 mt of rice and 77.36 mt of wheat, production would be at 102.75 mt and 88.31 mt respectively, during the year.

Mr Pawar said in order to enhance foodgrains output, a number of crop development schemes and programmes, including the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and the Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (SOPOM), are in operation.

To achieve higher agricultural productivity, ICAR is also conducting basic and strategic research related to crop improvement, production and protection technologies in pulses and other crops, Mr Mahant said.

The Hindu

Australia's wheat output seen down

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Australia, Barley, canola, Grain, Wheat

Australia's wheat output is likely to slide more than 15 percent in 2012/13 from a record-large crop this year as lower global prices may prompt farmers to shift to other crops such as canola and barley.

Wheat output is expected to fall to 25 million tonnes in the year to June 2013, down from an all-time high of 29.5 million tonnes which is estimated to have been produced this year, according to a Reuters survey of 10 analysts.

Australia is typically the world's fourth largest wheat exporter, and sales are unlikely to diminish in 2012/13 as 25 million tonnes still constitutes a better-than-average crop, analysts said.

But the amount of wheat farmers will want to plant is likely to fall, with global supply forecast to exceed record highs next year and weigh down prices.

The benchmark US wheat futures has lost 1.2 percent so far in March, giving up more ground after finish lower last month due to plentiful supplies.

"We expect a pullback in Australia wheat plantings this year as canola plantings are likely to be the big winner this season because of the margins," said Paul Deane, a senior economist with ANZ.

Adam Davis, a senior commodity analyst at Merricks Capital and who participated the survey, added:

"Barley prices are slightly less than wheat but yield is much higher and therefore a better cereal crop from a gross margin perspective in the southern states where they don't grow much high protein wheat."

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) will announce its forecast on wheat and other crops next week.

Analysts said plentiful rains in the main crop growing regions boded well for wheat, barley and canola - crops that are planted in the season starting in April.

World wheat stocks at the end of the 2011/12 season look set to eclipse the previous record set more than a decade ago, according to the International Grains Council (IGC), raising its forecast for production to an all-time high.

The IGC, in a monthly update, increased its forecast for world wheat production by five million tonnes to a record 695 million, partly reflecting higher estimates for Kazakhstan, India and Australia.

Global crop prices will retreat sharply this year as farmers around the world expand production to bring stability back to commodity markets and ease fears of food inflation, the US government has forecast.

After two years of razor thin stocks, world crop supplies, led by wheat, are recovering.

Ukraine exports 1.24 million tonnes of grain

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Export, Grain, Ukraine

Ukraine exported about 1.24 million tonnes of grain, mostly corn, in the first 24 days of February, Kiev-based consultancy ProAgro said on Monday.

It said Ukraine exported about 951,000 tonnes of corn and 266,000 tonnes of wheat.

No figures for the same period of 2011 were immediately available.

The consultancy said Ukrainian wheat went mostly to Italy (38,500 tonnes), Jordan (25,500 tonnes), Israel (72,000 tonnes) and Spain (52,500 tonnes).

The former Soviet republic supplied corn mostly to Egypt (172,000 tonnes), Iran (139,500 tonnes), South Korea (59,700 tonnes), Japan (50,100 tonnes), Germany, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Turkey.

An additional 957,000 tonnes of corn, 257,000 tonnes of wheat and 106,000 tonnes of barley would be exported in the near future, it said.

The Agriculture Ministry forecasts exports at about 23 million tonnes of grain in the 2011/12 season after Ukraine harvested a record 56.7 million tonnes of grain in 2011.

Iranian importers to buy Indian rice

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Grain, Import, India, Iran, Rice

Iranian rice importers could open letters of credit in Indian rupees to pay for Indian rice this week, the president of the All India Rice Exporters Association said on Wednesday.

India said last week its exporters should be able to receive payments in the restricted rupee currency for sales to Iran to help maintain trade, despite US banking sanctions.

"I think it will be operational this week," Vijay Setia told Reuters on the sidelines of a grains conference in Dubai.

"The trouble that Indians are facing is that most of Iranian trade is indirect through Dubai and it is on the basis of long term 90 to 220 days credit," Setia said.

He said a weakening Iranian currency was making it even more difficult for Iranian buyers to pay for staple food imports.

One Iranian rice importer, who had not moved rice from India in two months because of large exchange rate fluctuations, said rupee payments might help revive trade.

"It is going to happen but it is not yet functional...we are waiting for the people to start with small quantities," Shahrokh Khazaei, executive director of Mohsen Line Trading, said.

Khazaei, whose firm trades around 200,000 tonnes of mostly Indian rice per year, said he had cargoes ready in India but was waiting for more clarity on payments before resuming imports to Iran.

Ukraine denies curbing wheat exports

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Export, Forecast, Grain, Ukraine

Ukraine's government said on Wednesday it had not urged grain traders to limit wheat exports, denying local media reports it had done so, and it forecast that there would be no shortages of grain on the domestic market.

"There are no recommendations to limit wheat exports," Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk told reporters.

"Traders are telling us they will not be able to export more than 300,000-500,000 tonnes of wheat a month and our balance (of exports and consumption) allows for that." Ukrainian media reported last week that traders and the government had agreed to limit exports of wheat due to the threat of future shortages following weather damage to winter crop plantings.

Prysyazhnyuk said drought during the winter sowing in 2011 and severe frosts in January-February had damaged about 3.0 million hectares of Ukrainian winter grains and 500,000 hectares of winter rapeseed.

"We expect that all of these areas would be reseeded this spring.

We recommend farmers to sow corn, spring wheat, barley, soybean and these crops allow us to keep the harvest at a high level," he said.

He said Ukraine would harvest 42 million to 50 million tonnes of grain this year, including 15 million-16 million tonnes of wheat, adding that this would be enough to meet domestic demand.

Ukraine harvested a record of 56.7 million tonnes of grain in 2011, including 22.3 million tonnes of wheat.

But this year's winter crops have been hit by drought and extreme cold.

He said Ukraine consumed no more than 26.5 million tonnes of grain per season.

Brazil's 2012 maize output seen at record 60 million tonnes

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Brazil, Corn, Grain, Production Figures

Brazil's total maize output, including main and second seasons, is expected to rise 7 percent to a new record of about 60 million tonnes in 2012 due to a surge in winter plantings, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Tuesday.

The areas planted for the second season are estimated to expand significantly, including a 29 percent surge in plantings in the state of Mato Grosso, to offset an expected fall in the main season output after a long dry spell in major southern growing regions, the FAO said in its country brief.

Earlier this month, Brazil's government estimated the country's total maize (corn) crop at 60.83 million tonnes this year.

Maize export from Brazil, the world's third-biggest exporter, in the 2011/12 marketing year is seen at about 10 million tonnes, down from the record 11.7 million tonnes in the 2010/11 marketing year.

The fall is partly in response to growing demand from the domestic livestock industry, the FAO said.

Dry weather in the main southern growing areas has also hit 2012 soybeans crops, which are expected to fall 8 percent from last year, the FAO said without giving precise figures.

Brazil's wheat crops in 2011 are estimated at about 5.6 million tonnes, 6 percent down on the bumper level of 2010, it said.

Ukraine exports about 335,000 tonnes of grain

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Export, Grain, Ukraine

Ukraine exported about 335,000 tonnes of grain, mostly maize, in the first nine days of February, Kiev-based ProAgro consultancy said on Monday, citing data from Ukrainian sea ports.

ProAgro said Ukraine had exported about 287,000 tonnes of maize and 40,500 tonnes of wheat.

No figures for the same period of 2011 were immediately available.

The consultancy said Ukrainian wheat went to Jordan and Israel, while the former Soviet republic supplied maize to South Korea (59,700 tonnes), Egypt (55,200 tonnes), Taiwan (49,600 tonnes), Syria (23,000 tonnes), Israel and Turkey.

ProAgro said an additional 770,000 tonnes of maize and 352,000 of wheat would be exported in the near future.

Ukraine exported 1.16 million tonnes of grain, mostly maize, in January.

Ukrainian grain exports fell to 2.18 million tonnes in December 2011 from 2.29 million in November.

Last month, Ukraine exported maize mostly to Egypt, Spain and Iran, while it sold wheat to Spain, Egypt and South Korea.

Russia's wheat seen priced out of exports market

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Egypt, Grain, Russia, Wheat

Russian wheat exporters, who failed to win any business in Egypt's latest buy tender, are gradually being priced out of the export market, though prospects for renewed sales depend on price swings abroad, analysts and producers said.

The Institute for Agricultural Market Research (IKAR) said Russian wheat was offered at $293 per tonne on a delivered basis in the latest tender held by Egypt's General Authority for Supply Commodities and was beaten out by US wheat.

GASC said on Saturday it bought 55,000 tonnes of US soft red winter wheat from Venus at $262 per tonne with freight costs of $27 per tonne, undercutting Russia, and the Egyptian buyer said US wheat would likely remain competitive.

GASC is by far Russia's largest wheat buyer.

Based on the offer levels, IKAR pegged Russian export wheat with 12.5 percent protein content at $275 per tonne on a free-on-board (FOB) basis but said Russian export prices were in "total disarray".

"At the same time, the bulk of physical shipments are currently ongoing for old contracts which Russian exporters won at only $244-250 per ton," IKAR said.

"Taking in mind all circumstances, current 12.5 percent protein Black Sea FOB is estimated at $275 per tonne," IKAR said.

It is much lower than parity domestic farmers expectations, which makes future (Russian) exports questionable until the end of the season."

A possible export duty to regulate grain exports had been under discussion in some parts of the government, but a higher-than-expected final harvest figure of 93.9 million tonnes persuaded officials to forgo limits for the time being.

The government had been expected to allow maximum exports of 24-25 million tonnes for the 2011/12 crop year, but Russia's top agriculture official, said the forecast for Russia's exportable surplus had been raised to 27 million tonnes.

The Grain Producer's Union, an industry lobby chaired by the head of a Siberian producer, issued a statement praising the government's effective decision to raise the limit on duty free exporters, saying the domestic market would rebalance to prevent excessive exports.

"For the foreseeable future, there is no basis for administrative limits on exports," Union head Pavel Skurikhin, chairman of Novosibirsk-based SAHO, said in the statement.

Skurikhin said Russia risked fresh damage to its reputation on international markets, whose confidence in Russian supplies was shaken in 2010 when the government banned exports during a catastrophic drought, leading to some cases of force majeure.

China posts bigger farm trade deficit in 2011

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: China, Corporate Farming, Export, Grain, Production Figures

China boosted imports of agricultural products last year, with the farm trade deficit rising 47.4 percent from 2010 as the country's own production fell short of demand in the world's second-largest economy.

China imported $94.87 billion worth of farm products in the whole year of 2011, with a trade deficit of $34.12 billion, the agriculture ministry said.

Imports of grains, cotton, sugar as well as livestock products all increased.

Imports of sugar rose the most, or 65 percent, in 2011 to a record 2.92 million tonnes worth $1.94 billion, the ministry said.

China's rising demand after the country's move to urbanisation coupled with limited farmland could prompt the country to become the world's largest importer of farm products in coming years, a government researcher said.

China has topped Canada to become the No 1 market for US farm products for the first time in 2011, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

China's imports of livestock products, including also meat, were worth $13.4 billion, up 38.8 percent on year, giving a trade deficit of $7.41 billion, up 50.9 percent on year, according to the ministry's report (www.agri.gov.cn).

Imports of rice, corn as well as wheat have also increased in 2011 from 2010, it said.

China posts bigger farm trade deficit in 2011

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: China, Corporate Farming, Export, Grain, Production Figures

China boosted imports of agricultural products last year, with the farm trade deficit rising 47.4 percent from 2010 as the country's own production fell short of demand in the world's second-largest economy.

China imported $94.87 billion worth of farm products in the whole year of 2011, with a trade deficit of $34.12 billion, the agriculture ministry said.

Imports of grains, cotton, sugar as well as livestock products all increased.

Imports of sugar rose the most, or 65 percent, in 2011 to a record 2.92 million tonnes worth $1.94 billion, the ministry said.

China's rising demand after the country's move to urbanisation coupled with limited farmland could prompt the country to become the world's largest importer of farm products in coming years, a government researcher said.

China has topped Canada to become the No 1 market for US farm products for the first time in 2011, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

China's imports of livestock products, including also meat, were worth $13.4 billion, up 38.8 percent on year, giving a trade deficit of $7.41 billion, up 50.9 percent on year, according to the ministry's report (www.agri.gov.cn).

Imports of rice, corn as well as wheat have also increased in 2011 from 2010, it said.

Thai rice exports plunge, India to sell more grain

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Export, Grain, India, Rice, Thailand

Thai rice exports slumped by more than half in January from a year earlier, which traders blamed on a government intervention scheme, while India continued to sell more grain after its government eased export curbs.

Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, sold just 350,000 tonnes of rice in January, down 52 percent from a year earlier, when it exported 730,000 tonnes, Commerce Ministry data show.

"The sharp fall in January is clear evidence that our prices are uncompetitive, and exports will continue to fall," one trader said.

Thailand's benchmark 100 percent B grade white rice was steady at $550 per tonne on Wednesday, propped up by the government's buying as demand remained thin.

The government started buying rice at 15,000 baht ($490) per tonne on October 7 to honour an election promise.

That was double the market price in the middle of last year, before the July election.

The scheme is due to end on February 29, when the main crop will have been harvested, but newly appointed Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom has said he would seek cabinet approval to extend it to cover the second crop at the same price.

Around 7 million to 10 million tonnes of rice is expected in this crop.

Harvesting is due to start in early March.

Boonsong said there would be no change in the rice intervention policy, but the government would buy more aggressively to push prices much higher to support farmers.

Some farmers are still having to sell to millers or middlemen at prices of around 9,000 baht a tonne, as many do not have trucks to carry grain to government buyers.

The buying process was also disrupted during last year's severe floods and many farmers sold cheaply to get cash quickly.

As a result, the export price, although high, has not gone anywhere near the $800 or more forecast by some exporters when the intervention scheme was unveiled.

VIETNAM UNCOMPETITIVE TOO Vietnamese rice exports are also suffering because of uncompetitive prices, traders said.

Exports in the first quarter are expected to fall 39 percent from a year ago to around 1.1 million tonnes in the face of competition from India and other Asian countries, state media have said, quoting food officials.

"Although Vietnamese rice prices are lower than Thai prices, they are still uncompetitive compared to Indian rice," said a Bangkok-based trader.

Indicative offer prices for Vietnam's 5 percent broken rice stood at $440 to $450 a tonne, free on board (FOB), against $455 last Wednesday.

The 25 percent broken rice ranged from $410 to $425 a tonne, versus $420 two weeks ago.

Trading in Vietnam was slow this week, with few transactions after a one-week close for the Tet holiday.

In contrast, business in India was brisk, with trading houses securing deals with Indian suppliers, mostly for delivery to Africa, traders said.

Indian white rice remained at $455-$465 per tonne FOB, unchanged from last week.

One Delhi-based trader reported inquiries from Nigeria, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Indian ministers will meet next week to review the rice policy.

The country initially said it would allow exports of 2 million tonnes from last September, but that cap has since been removed.

Thai rice exports plunge, India to sell more grain

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Export, Grain, India, Rice, Thailand

Thai rice exports slumped by more than half in January from a year earlier, which traders blamed on a government intervention scheme, while India continued to sell more grain after its government eased export curbs.

Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, sold just 350,000 tonnes of rice in January, down 52 percent from a year earlier, when it exported 730,000 tonnes, Commerce Ministry data show.

"The sharp fall in January is clear evidence that our prices are uncompetitive, and exports will continue to fall," one trader said.

Thailand's benchmark 100 percent B grade white rice was steady at $550 per tonne on Wednesday, propped up by the government's buying as demand remained thin.

The government started buying rice at 15,000 baht ($490) per tonne on October 7 to honour an election promise.

That was double the market price in the middle of last year, before the July election.

The scheme is due to end on February 29, when the main crop will have been harvested, but newly appointed Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom has said he would seek cabinet approval to extend it to cover the second crop at the same price.

Around 7 million to 10 million tonnes of rice is expected in this crop.

Harvesting is due to start in early March.

Boonsong said there would be no change in the rice intervention policy, but the government would buy more aggressively to push prices much higher to support farmers.

Some farmers are still having to sell to millers or middlemen at prices of around 9,000 baht a tonne, as many do not have trucks to carry grain to government buyers.

The buying process was also disrupted during last year's severe floods and many farmers sold cheaply to get cash quickly.

As a result, the export price, although high, has not gone anywhere near the $800 or more forecast by some exporters when the intervention scheme was unveiled.

VIETNAM UNCOMPETITIVE TOO Vietnamese rice exports are also suffering because of uncompetitive prices, traders said.

Exports in the first quarter are expected to fall 39 percent from a year ago to around 1.1 million tonnes in the face of competition from India and other Asian countries, state media have said, quoting food officials.

"Although Vietnamese rice prices are lower than Thai prices, they are still uncompetitive compared to Indian rice," said a Bangkok-based trader.

Indicative offer prices for Vietnam's 5 percent broken rice stood at $440 to $450 a tonne, free on board (FOB), against $455 last Wednesday.

The 25 percent broken rice ranged from $410 to $425 a tonne, versus $420 two weeks ago.

Trading in Vietnam was slow this week, with few transactions after a one-week close for the Tet holiday.

In contrast, business in India was brisk, with trading houses securing deals with Indian suppliers, mostly for delivery to Africa, traders said.

Indian white rice remained at $455-$465 per tonne FOB, unchanged from last week.

One Delhi-based trader reported inquiries from Nigeria, South Africa and Bangladesh.

Indian ministers will meet next week to review the rice policy.

The country initially said it would allow exports of 2 million tonnes from last September, but that cap has since been removed.

EU sanctions slash Ukraine's maize exports to Iran

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Bans and Sanctions, Corn, European Union (EU), Grain, Iran, Ukraine

Ukraine's maize exports to Iran dropped 40 percent in January due to problems collecting payment from Iranian buyers after the European Union tightened sanctions, a leading Ukrainian agricultural consultancy said on Friday.

Ukrainian and European traders said this week they were no longer booking cargoes on Iranian ships to transport grain exports from Ukraine because of difficulties with payments following European Union sanctions.

As news of the drop in maize exports to Iran emerged, Ukraine's farm minister said grain traders were in talks with Iran to save a valuable market.

The ex-Soviet republic is a top maize producer and exporter in the Black sea region.

"Talks are underway with Iran on the issues which have emerged.

Today, grain traders are holding consultations (with Iranian traders) but it is important for us to avoid losing this market and other markets too," Ukraine's grain traders' union UZA quoted the minister, Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, on Friday as saying.

It was not clear at what level these talks with Iran, a major importer of food and animal feed, were taking place.

Most Iranian grain deals are between private entities, traders said.

Iran in 2011/12 is expected to import around 4.5 million tonnes of grain, including about 3.5 million tonnes of corn, the leading world grain for animal feed, according to International Grains Council figures.

It ranks among the top 10 global importers of maize.

Its key corn suppliers include Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine.

Iran's total grains production for 2011/12 is forecast at 18.7 million tonnes, down from 20.7 million a year earlier.

Wheat production is seen at 13.8 million tonnes versus 15.5 million, potentially drawing in more imports from Russia and Kazakhstan, traditional suppliers of high quality wheat.

EU sanctions slash Ukraine's maize exports to Iran

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Bans and Sanctions, Corn, European Union (EU), Grain, Iran, Ukraine

Ukraine's maize exports to Iran dropped 40 percent in January due to problems collecting payment from Iranian buyers after the European Union tightened sanctions, a leading Ukrainian agricultural consultancy said on Friday.

Ukrainian and European traders said this week they were no longer booking cargoes on Iranian ships to transport grain exports from Ukraine because of difficulties with payments following European Union sanctions.

As news of the drop in maize exports to Iran emerged, Ukraine's farm minister said grain traders were in talks with Iran to save a valuable market.

The ex-Soviet republic is a top maize producer and exporter in the Black sea region.

"Talks are underway with Iran on the issues which have emerged.

Today, grain traders are holding consultations (with Iranian traders) but it is important for us to avoid losing this market and other markets too," Ukraine's grain traders' union UZA quoted the minister, Mykola Prysyazhnyuk, on Friday as saying.

It was not clear at what level these talks with Iran, a major importer of food and animal feed, were taking place.

Most Iranian grain deals are between private entities, traders said.

Iran in 2011/12 is expected to import around 4.5 million tonnes of grain, including about 3.5 million tonnes of corn, the leading world grain for animal feed, according to International Grains Council figures.

It ranks among the top 10 global importers of maize.

Its key corn suppliers include Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine.

Iran's total grains production for 2011/12 is forecast at 18.7 million tonnes, down from 20.7 million a year earlier.

Wheat production is seen at 13.8 million tonnes versus 15.5 million, potentially drawing in more imports from Russia and Kazakhstan, traditional suppliers of high quality wheat.

Kenya to import 67,500 tonnes of maize by June

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Africa, Corn, Grain, Import, Kenya

Kenya is expected to import 67,500 tonnes of maize in the six months to June to boost its stocks, its Agriculture ministry said, a move likely to put weakening pressure on the shilling.

The east Africa nation said it planned to import three quarters of a million 90-kg bags of maize from regional and international markets to bolster supplies despite bigger harvests following recent good rains.

The ministry said the national maize stocks as at December 31, 2011 stood at 18.7 million bags from 16.58 million the previous month.

"If anticipated short rains production is achieved, and imports sustained at current rates with no exports, the national stocks level as at June 30 is estimated to be a surplus of 7,354,275 bags," the ministry said in a brief seen by Reuters.

"The stocks are however expected to diminish by the end of August ...

but will be replenished from the early harvests from the 2012 long rains from South Rift, and inflows from neighbouring countries and importations," the ministry said.

The ministry said the surplus is expected to ease pressure on the prices of the main staple food, handing relief to east Africa's largest economy where rising food, fuel and electricity prices are putting pressure on consumers.

Kenya's high inflation rate slowed year on year in December to 18.93 percent for the first time in 13 months and is projected to cool further partly due to favourable farming weather.

Prolonged drought in early 2011 slashed the output of most food cereals in the east African nation, leading to shortages that triggered major hikes in consumer prices.

Kenya in June removed import duty on maize and wheat to spur inflow from neighbouring countries and plug production deficits caused by drought.

The taxes will be reinstated by June this year.

John Muli, a trader at African Banking Corporation, said importation of maize would put pressure on the shilling, which plunged last year to a record low of 107 per dollar mainly due to a widening balance of trade deficit.

Kenya to import 67,500 tonnes of maize by June

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Africa, Corn, Grain, Import, Kenya

Kenya is expected to import 67,500 tonnes of maize in the six months to June to boost its stocks, its Agriculture ministry said, a move likely to put weakening pressure on the shilling.

The east Africa nation said it planned to import three quarters of a million 90-kg bags of maize from regional and international markets to bolster supplies despite bigger harvests following recent good rains.

The ministry said the national maize stocks as at December 31, 2011 stood at 18.7 million bags from 16.58 million the previous month.

"If anticipated short rains production is achieved, and imports sustained at current rates with no exports, the national stocks level as at June 30 is estimated to be a surplus of 7,354,275 bags," the ministry said in a brief seen by Reuters.

"The stocks are however expected to diminish by the end of August ...

but will be replenished from the early harvests from the 2012 long rains from South Rift, and inflows from neighbouring countries and importations," the ministry said.

The ministry said the surplus is expected to ease pressure on the prices of the main staple food, handing relief to east Africa's largest economy where rising food, fuel and electricity prices are putting pressure on consumers.

Kenya's high inflation rate slowed year on year in December to 18.93 percent for the first time in 13 months and is projected to cool further partly due to favourable farming weather.

Prolonged drought in early 2011 slashed the output of most food cereals in the east African nation, leading to shortages that triggered major hikes in consumer prices.

Kenya in June removed import duty on maize and wheat to spur inflow from neighbouring countries and plug production deficits caused by drought.

The taxes will be reinstated by June this year.

John Muli, a trader at African Banking Corporation, said importation of maize would put pressure on the shilling, which plunged last year to a record low of 107 per dollar mainly due to a widening balance of trade deficit.

Italy raises 2011 wheat output estimate

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Euorope, Grain, Italy, Production Target, Wheat

Italy, a major grain importer in Europe, produced more soft and durum wheat last year than earlier estimated thanks to larger than expected planted areas, according to revised data from Italy's statistic agency ISTAT.

ISTAT has raised its estimate of Italy's 2011 soft wheat output to 2.85 million tonnes from previous estimate of 2.72 million tonnes as it has revised upwards planted areas view to 531,135 hectares (ha) from 507,944 ha, ISTAT data showed.

ISTAT has also raised its estimate of Italy's 2011 durum wheat output to 3.86 million tonnes from its previous estimate of 3.83 million tonnes thanks to an increase in planted areas to 1.19 million ha from 1.16 million ha, the data showed.

Both revised output figures showed that wheat crops in 2011 were still below those of 2010 which came in at 2.93 million tonnes for soft wheat and at 4.01 million tonnes for durum wheat, the data showed.

ISTAT has left 2011 maize crop estimate unchanged at 9.58 million tonnes.

Italy's 2011 barley output rose to 0.90 million tonnes from an earlier estimate of 0.86 million tonnes, according to ISTAT's revised data.

Italy raises 2011 wheat output estimate

Posted by Flora Sawita Labels: Euorope, Grain, Italy, Production Target, Wheat

Italy, a major grain importer in Europe, produced more soft and durum wheat last year than earlier estimated thanks to larger than expected planted areas, according to revised data from Italy's statistic agency ISTAT.

ISTAT has raised its estimate of Italy's 2011 soft wheat output to 2.85 million tonnes from previous estimate of 2.72 million tonnes as it has revised upwards planted areas view to 531,135 hectares (ha) from 507,944 ha, ISTAT data showed.

ISTAT has also raised its estimate of Italy's 2011 durum wheat output to 3.86 million tonnes from its previous estimate of 3.83 million tonnes thanks to an increase in planted areas to 1.19 million ha from 1.16 million ha, the data showed.

Both revised output figures showed that wheat crops in 2011 were still below those of 2010 which came in at 2.93 million tonnes for soft wheat and at 4.01 million tonnes for durum wheat, the data showed.

ISTAT has left 2011 maize crop estimate unchanged at 9.58 million tonnes.

Italy's 2011 barley output rose to 0.90 million tonnes from an earlier estimate of 0.86 million tonnes, according to ISTAT's revised data.

Langganan: Postingan (Atom)