Low demand weighs on barley prices in Jaipur.

Barley prices were down in Jaipur because of subdued demand from feed sector and stockists amid rising arrivals of the coarse grain. New crop arrivals of barley were estimated at 170,000 bags (1bag=85kg) compared with 150,000 bags. Supply of barley has been on a rise because new crop arrivals have gained pace. Barley inventories at warehouses more than doubled to 222 tonnes from 101 tonnes the previous day.

Barley exports down 23% from last year in Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan barley exports turned down in 2017 and 89.8 KMT of this commodity was shipped for export against 148 KMT 2016 (down almost 40%). Thus, Kazakhstan exported 27% less barley in the five months of the current season compared to the same period a year ago (445 KMT against 609 KMT in September-January 2015/16). Iran remains the top market for Kazakh barley with an export share reaching 90%. Shipments of Kazakhstan barley continue to the US market in which U.S. imported 18.5 KMT of barley from Kazakhstan that is almost twice as much as last season. In Kazakhstan, total barley harvest in net weight was 3.2 MMT in 2016, or 18.5% more than in 2015.

India needs 120 million tonne rice by 2030.

India will need to produce 120 million tonnes of rice in 2030 to feed its one and a half billion plus population using less land, less water, less manpower and optimising all agri input usages. Cultivable land areas are expected to shrink and there will be pressure on resources. Rice is the staple food for more than 60% of Indians. The current production is about 106 million tonnes. (Source: Times of India)

Guyana cleared for paddy exports to Mexico.

Guyana will now be able to bid on three quotas, totalling 30,000 metric tonnes of paddy for export to Mexico, following the Govt of Mexico decision to allow the tax-free importation of 150,000 metric tonnes of paddy and rice products from outside of the North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA) member states. Normally taxes for countries, other than NAFTA member states, trading with Mexico, are 9% on paddy and 20% on rice products.

Govt to spend Rs225 billion on wheat procurement in Pakistan.

Govt decided to purchase Rs225 billion worth of 7.05 million tonnes wheat, allow export of 200,000 tonnes of sugar and to pay one-month salary to Pakistan Steel Mill employees. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Syria gets 50,000 tonnes of Russian wheat in aid.

Syria has received 50,000 tonnes of Russian wheat as humanitarian aid. Russian govt said in November their country plans to send around 100,000 tonnes of wheat as aid to Syria. A deal struck in October for Syria to buy 1 million tonnes of Russian wheat with little known firm Zernomir is in jeopardy.

Govt imposes 10% import duty on wheat with immediate effect.

Govt has imposed a 10% customs duty on import of wheat with immediate effect to restrict fall in their prices following a bumper crop in the country this year. Govt had scrapped the 10% import duty on wheat as supply in wholesale markets had dried up and prices had hit a record high. In the benchmark Indore market, wheat was sold lower than the MSP. After the removal of the duty in December, imports of wheat rise to a record 5 million tonnes in the current financial year.