Despite robust demand from exporters, availability of local supply has recently improved as high domestic prices have encouraged farmers to unload stocks, an exporter said. Despite the limited trading activity, offers for Thai rice have remained firm due to the strong baht, a second exporter said. Not many importers are interested to buy at the moment because shipment cost is too expensive," a Bangkok-based trader said. Export prices, however, are likely to remain steady at high levels as...

The market remains with the recent range established late last week, unable to move beyond the recent price points, a floor broker said. Fresh fundamental news remains absent but the funds supported the market, the analyst added. Cash rice prices in Asia were unchanged Wednesday in light trade as high freight rates limited activity, exporters said. Department of Agriculture is scheduled to release the weekly export sales report for the period ended May 17 at 8:30 a. Thailand is the world's...

It's a reversal of fortune for California rice farmers, as a result of the state's dry spring weather. California farmers say most of their rice is in good or excellent condition, much improved from a year ago. Favorable weather boosts rice planting. About 85 percent of the state's rice has been planted. A year ago, only a third of the crop had been planted, because of cool and rainy weather. No content may be reused without written permission. Rice farmers are ahead of their typical...

report on USAID's "MARKETS" program in Kano (Mp3) Listen to report on USAID's "MARKETS" program in Kano (Mp3) In northern Nigeria, the US Agency for International Development, USAID, is helping promote agriculture by improving varieties of cowpeas and sorghum, and with improved farmer training. report on USAID's "MARKETS" program in Kano (Mp3) Listen to report on USAID's "MARKETS" program in Kano (Mp3) In northern Nigeria, the US Agency for International Development, USAID, is helping...

Indonesian rice farmers in Java and Bali must invest in hardier crops and better water storage methods if they hope to maintain harvests in the face of man-made climate change and weather systems such as El Nino, according to a new study. The warm El Nino weather system has already been shown to wreak havoc with the region's rice production by delaying monsoon rains, disrupting the planting of the main rice crop and prolonging the "hungry season" before the main rice harvest. The...

The market price of the newly harvested Boro rice marked a fall by Taka 2 per kg on an average in rural areas of the northern districts as the local markets have been flooded with the newly harvested Boro paddy. The price of the same remained almost unchanged in the urban areas, farmers, officials and market sources said. They said an all-time record bumper production of Boro crop is likely this year as the farmers are getting excellent yield rates at this peak time of harvesting the major...