The area under kharif bajra across the country as of Wednesday was at 8,200 ha, up 34.4% on year. The rise in acreage of the coarse grain can be attributed to early onset of southwest monsoon this year. The rise in acreage under bajra is mainly driven by a higher area in Rajasthan, where the acreage was at 50,000 ha, up from 14,000 ha a year ago.
Bangladesh Govt lowers rice import duty to 10 percent down from 28 percent.
The government has decided to reduce the duty on rice imports by more than half the existing rate to encourage the private sector to import the staple and thus help stabilise the volatile rice market. The import duty will be 10 percent, down from 28 percent.
USDA Madagascar 2017/18 rice production down 0.2 MMT from last year.
USDA Madagascar 2017/18 rough rice production is estimated at 3.5 million metric tons, down 0.2 MMT from last year. The estimated output is below the 5-year average due to a severe drought in the central and northern regions of the country where nearly 80 percent of Madagascar rice is grown. Area is estimated at 2.2 million hectares, down 0.2 million hectares from last year due to the drought. Seasonal rainfall during the first half of the rice growing season (November 2016 through February 2017) was the lowest in the past 36 years. The drought in the central and northern parts of the country reduced planting and significantly reduced yields.
Kenya SGR cargo trains to ferry cheap maize.
Cargo trains start ferrying goods from Mombasa to Nairobi earlier than planned to ensure subsidised maize reaches the market on time amid a shortage of flour. The standard gauge railway (SGR) cargo trains on the new railway were supposed to start trips in January next year but the current development see them commence operations much earlier to save millions of Kenyans who have been grappling with the shortage of subsidised flour that is going for Sh90 for a two-kilogramme packet.
Ship with 660,000 bags of china maize docks at Mombasa port.
155,000 bags of relief rice from China using the standard gauge railway cargo train at the port of Mombasa, Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said the government is expecting another ship carrying 829,400 bags of maize to dock at the port. The government also witnessed the start of the transportation of food by another SGR cargo train on Tuesday, which had 90 containers of 45,000 bags of rice to Nairobi, in addition to that of 50 trucks each carrying 500 bags of rice to other parts of the country.
NCDEX maize up 1% taking cues from spot markets.
Futures contracts of maize on the NCDEX rose nearly 1%, taking cues from gains in major spot markets. August contract of maize up 0.7% from the previous close. The July contract also traded 0.8% higher. In Bihar benchmark market of Purnea, good quality maize and poor quality maize both up 10-20 rupees from previous close. Prices rose in Purnea as monsoon, which had hit parts of the state on Friday, hampered supply of the grain in markets. Around 300-400 tonne of maize arrived in Purnea, down from 500 tonne brought on previous close.
U.S. wheat rose for a fifth consecutive session.
CBOT wheat futures rose 0.2 percent to $4.73-1/4 a bushel, having closed up 1.2 percent when prices hit a high of $4.75-3/4 a bushel, as concerns over French and U.S. production due to unfavourable weather pushed prices to a near one-year high.
India Wheat prices up in Kota, fall in Delhi spot market.
Wheat prices rose by 5 rupees per 100 kg in Rajasthan Kota market due to improved buying from private companies as they anticipate a fall in arrivals leading to higher prices in coming days. About 8,000-10,000 bags (1bag=100kg) arrived in the Kota market, nearly half of the 20,000 bags during the peak season. Mill quality wheat was sold down 20-30 rupees from previous close.
Dairy body buys 1,500 tonne de-oiled rice bran.
The National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India on Friday bought 1,500 tonne de-oiled rice bran at 1,485 rupees per 100 kg and 300 tonne rice polish at 1,826 rupees through an online auction. The dairy body also bought 600 tonne maize at 1,755 rupees per 100 kg through the auction.