Page 95 - Food Outlook

FOOD OUTLOOK NOVEMBER 2017
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9
RICE
COUNTRY
DATE Jun-17
POLICY CATEGORY/ INSTRUMENT
DESCRIPTION
Kenya Liberia
Jun-17 Aug-17
Import tariff Import tariff
Renewed import tariff exemptions on semi/wholly milled and broken rice, with immediate effect.
Announced that it would maintain subsidies on fertilizer prices and electricity rates for agricultural tube wells in 2017/2018, as part of its budgetary allocations. Among other measures to promote agricultural production growth, it would also reduce customs duties levied on combine harvesters, along with sales taxes on agricultural diesel engines. In addition to raising the agriculture credit target for 2017/2018
by 43 percent to PKR 1 001 billion (USD 9.5 billion), it also announced that it would launch a new credit scheme providing smallholders cultivating up to 12.5 acres (5.1 ha) with up to PKR 50 000 (USD 473.5) of credit at a concessionary rate of 9.9 percent per year.
Announced that it would allow rice to be warehoused outside Pakistan in order to facilitate rice exports.
Announced that volumes imported as part of its 2016 Minimum Access Volume (MAV) commitments would be allowed to enter the country until 30 June 2017.
According to official statements to the press, decided that international rice purchases by the state-owned National Food Authority would not be limited to government-to-government (G2G) transactions. Instead, private sector suppliers would be invited to participate in import tenders launched by the agency. Moreover, total volumes sought would be subdivided into lots to encourage competition, and deliveries would be staged in order to avoid peak harvest periods, while the terms of payment are reduced from 365 days to 15 days.
Issued an international tender to purchase 250 000 tonnes of 25 percent broken rice, open to private sector entities. Suppliers were invited to submit their bids by 25 July 2017 for eight lots consisting of 25 000–50 000 tonnes of rice from any origin. Of the total volume, 120 000 tonnes were required to arrive no later than August 2017 and the remainder the following month.
Opened applications for private sector imports of 805 200 tonnes of rice, under WTO-mandated Minimum Access Volume (MAV) quotas. Volumes imported should comprise specialty rice and/or well-milled rice with maximum broken content of 25 percent. Quantities imported under the quota will accrue a 35 percent import tariff and must be delivered between 20 December 2017 and 28 February 2018, or from 1 June 2018 to 31 August 2018.
Announced that it would expand its food aid deliveries of rice, upon completing its accession to the Food Assistance Convention at the end of 2017. To these effects, it aimed to provide up to 50 000 tonnes of rice as food aid through the World Food Program in 2018.
Announced that the government would purchase 720 000 tonnes of rice from the 2017 harvest. The volume would include 350 000 tonnes as part of the Public Rice Stockholding Program, and 370 000 tonnes geared at stabilizing domestic prices.
Decided that the 75 percent rice import duty applicable under the Common External Tariff of the East African Community would not be applied for another year. Accordingly, imports of paddy, husked, milled and broken rice would continue to accrue a 45 percent (or USD 345 per tonne, whichever is higher) tariff until 30 June 2018.
Announced that paddy prices would be fixed at XOF 125 per kg (USD 225 per tonne) in order to ensure sufficient returns for rice farmers. Decided that the Special Commodity Levy (SCL) of LKR 5 per kg (USD 32 per tonne) imposed on imports of semi/wholly milled rice would be valid until 31 August 2017.
Announced that the government would import 100 000 tonnes of rice, in order to ensure sufficient local availabilities and refurbish stockpiles.
Decided that imported broken rice would accrue a Special Commodity Levy (SCL) of LKR 5 per kg (USD 32 per tonne) for 3 months, starting from 1 July 2017. An August decision lowered the SCL on broken rice to LKR 0.25 per kg (USD 2 per tonne), effective until 31 December 2017. Raised the maximum retail price of imported Nadu rice by 4 percent to LKR 75 (USD 0.5) per kg and lowered the price ceiling for imported raw rice by 7 percent to LKR 65 (USD 0.4) per kg. The revised rates took effect on 4 August 2017, while price caps for locally produced rice and for imported Samba rice were left unvaried. The maximum retail prices of all locally produced and imported rice were successively removed, effective from 16 August 2017.
Lowered prices of eight qualities of rice sold through Lak Sathosa outlets by 2–8 percent to LKR 60–90 (USD 0.4–0.6) per kg, effective 29 September 2017.
Pakistan
May-17
Budgetary allocations, production support
Philippines
Republic of Korea
Sep-17 Sep-17
Food aid
Government procurement
Rwanda Senegal
Jun-17
Import tariff
Sri Lanka
Jun-17 and Aug-17
May-17 May-17
Export Import
promotion quota
Jun-17
Import tender
regulation, import
Jul-17
Import
tender
Aug-17
Import
quota
Jul-17 May-17
Production support Import tariff
Jun-17
Import quota Import tariff
Aug-17 Sep-17
Price controls Consumer prices
Production support
Announced that it would waive KES 100 million (USD 0.9 million) worth of service charges payable by rice farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, in order to assist them in coping with losses incurred in 2016 as a result of drought.
Renewed exemptions to the 75 percent rice import duty applicable under the Common External Tariff of the East African Community. Import tariffs for paddy, husked, milled and broken rice will continue to be 35 percent (or USD 200 per tonne, whichever is higher) for a period of one year, effective 1 July 2017.