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November 23,2015
Vol 5, Issue XI

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Rice News Headlines...

Meet A Farmer From Bihar Who Grew An Astonishing 22.4 Tonnes Of Rice On One Hectar
of Land
Balochistan Assembly seeks facilities for traders
Dossiers contain 'sufficient evidence': Sartaj
Indian hand: Aziz insists dossiers contain material proof
Only six non-career ambassadors in office: govt
Rice mills in doldrums
Paddy Procurement in Skulam Reviewed
Philippines rice mill upgrades with Bhler equipment
Drought breaker to drought maker: El Nino around the Pacific
Business Honors for Nov. 22, 2015
GRDB: Rice millers receive over $660M for rice supplied to Panama
Mekong Deltas logistics potential awakened

News Detail...
Meet A Farmer From Bihar Who Grew An Astonishing 22.4
Tonnes Of Rice On One Hectar of Land
Neha Borkar
November 22, 2015
There is a reason why Darveshpura has suddenly emerged as 'Indias miraculous village'. Sumant
Kumar, a farmer from Darveshpura, Bihar managed to do the impossible. The shy farmer grew
an astonishing 22.4 tonnes of rice on one hectare of land only by using farmyard manure!
Image Credit: Chiara Goia/Observer Food Monthly
The production is so massive, that it beat the record of 19.4 tonnes which was created by the
father of rice, Chinese agricultural scientist, Yuan Longping. At first, the Bihar state
agricultural universities refused to believe Sumant, however when the states head of agriculture
(who is a rice farmer himself) came to his village to examine his crop, it was then declared to be
true.Along with Sumant, his friends Krishna, Nitish, Sanjay and Bijay have also managed to
produce over 17 tonnes of rice. Thus, making Darveshpura a case study for agricultural

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scientists. Today, Darveshpura is lauded for its achievement. Thanks to Sumant, the village was
rewarded with electricity, a bank and a bridge.

Sumant, now attends conferences and gives lectures about his rice growing techniques. Sumant
uses the SRI technique for growing rice, which yields great results. The SRI method is about
planting single rice seeds one by one. They are planted in a grid pattern and are showered with
organic fertilisers and not with the artificial ones. Sumant is now a local hero and is working
hard to yield his next crop. More power to him and his village!
http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/meet-a-farmer-from-bihar-who-grew-an-astonishing-22-4-tonnes-of-rice-on-onehectar-of-land-247592.html

Balochistan Assembly seeks facilities for traders

SALEEM SHAHID PUBLIS HE D 2 DAYS AGO

The resolution demands that the verification fee Iran had been charging on health export certificates be

abolished.Online/File

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QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly through a
resolution on Friday called on the federal government to
evolve an import and export policy with Iran on the basis
of equality because the neighbouring country was not
offering equal business opportunities to Balochistan
traders.The resolution was moved by Syed Liaquat Agha
of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party. Acting Speaker
Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo chaired the session.The
resolution which was supported by several members,
including those on opposition benches, demanded that the
verification fee Iran had been charging on health export
certificates be abolished and business visa fee should be
the same as other category visa fee.

The mover in the resolution said that the sample of Pakistani export rice consignment should be
tested in Zahidan, instead of Tehran which causes months of delay and exporters suffer great
loss.Former speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali supported the resolution and said that the
government should take notice of the situation as Indian businessmen were selling Pakistani
Basmati rice in Dubai in the name of Indian rice. He sought a ban on the import of banana and
other fruits and vegetables from India.Deputy opposition leader Zumrak Khan Piralizai said that
Iran should extend same facilities to the Pakistani exporters that Pakistan had been offering to
Iranian businessmen. He said Iranian fruit, vegetable and other goods were coming to
Balochistan and the Pakistan government was extending maximum facilities to Iranian exporters.
Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2015

Dossiers contain 'sufficient evidence': Sartaj

November 21, 2015
AAMIR SAEED
Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Friday dispelled rumours that
Pakistan has not submitted any material evidence with United Nations and the US about Indian
involvement in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas and Balochistan. During a QuestionHour of the National Assembly, he said the dossiers shared with the UN secretariat and the US
officials contain 'substantial material' about Indian intervention in Pakistani territories.
The advisor said that Pakistan has been careful while sharing the details as "we cannot disclose
our sources of information."
To another question, he said Pakistan and Belarus have signed a number of agreements and
MoUs for promotion of bilateral relations in different fields. "Both countries have established a
business council, which will help bring investment from Belarus," he said. Aziz said that
Pakistani embassy in Iraq has been pursuing repatriation cases of 499 Pakistanis imprisoned in
Iraq. Federal Minister for Commerce Eng. Khurram Dastagir Khan informed the National
Assembly that export of rice to Indonesia, Philippines and Sri Lanka would start very soon.
Replying to various questions during a question-hour, he said, an agreement to export rice to
Indonesia has been finalised while with Philippines it is in final stage, adding that concerns of Sri

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Lanka about quality have been removed and export will start soon. e said exports of rice in the
current markets is also being increased besides Trade Development Authority of Pakistan
(TDAP) is actively supporting the rice exporters and finding new markets as Pakistan produces
world class Basmati rice.
The Minister said an agricultural exhibition was held in Russia for the first time and the Russian
Federation would become a new market for Pakistan, adding that in recent days talks with
officials of South Africa, Russia, France, Indonesia, Angola, Germany were held to increase
export of Pakistani rice to these countries. He said surplus stock of basmati rice is available with
the private sector in the country due to a bumper crop and less exports. However, it is hard to
determine the exact quantity of stocks. The minister said the reason behind a decrease in export
is depressed prices of rice in international market due to introduction of new low-cost high
yielding varieties of rice by international competitors.
He said the export of rice is in the private sector and one-time purchase of stocks by the
government will not solve the problem. He, however, said the government is in contact with
stakeholders to devise a mechanism to support the private sector in export efforts. The prime
minister has constituted a committee to support growers and has announced a Rs 350 billion
Kissan Package to help mitigate the sufferings of growers, particularly rice growers, he said. To
another question about imports, he said imports increased to US $45.98 billion from US $45.07
billion in 2013-14, showing an increase of 2.01 percent during the outgoing financial year (201415). The trade deficit during the outgoing financial year has increased from 19.963 billion in
2013-14 to 22.095 billion in 2014-15.
Since Pakistan's major imports consist of petroleum, machinery and chemicals which are
essential items for economic development. Therefore, a nominal increase of 2.01% in imports
during 2014-15 has no significant adverse impact on economy, he said. The minister said the
imports of Pakistan are essential in nature ie Machinery (16.1%), Chemical (16.2%), Petroleum
(25.4%), Metal (8.1%), food Group (10.9%), Transport (5.9%) and Textile (5.6%). However,
Pakistan has taken measures to increase exports so that trade deficit can be reduced to the
maximum possible level.
http://www.brecorder.com/top-stories/0/1248678/

Indian hand: Aziz insists dossiers contain material proof

By Our Correspondent
Published: November 21, 2015
PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
A senior aide to the prime minister, Sartaj Aziz, has rejected
media reports suggesting Islamabad has not given material
evidence on Indias involvement in stoking terrorism in Pakistan
in the dossiers shared with the United Nations or the United
States.The dossiers have been submitted to UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon and were also shared with US Secretary
of State John Kerry during the prime ministers visit to
Washington last month.A day earlier, news reports quoted the

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foreign affairs adviser as saying that the meticulously prepared dossiers contained patterns
and narratives of Indian involvement. But material evidence cannot be shared for the sake of
protecting the sources, he reportedly said while testifying before the Senate Foreign Affairs
Committee.

Dispelling these rumours on Friday, the prime ministers adviser on foreign policy said the
dossiers shared with the UN secretariat and the US officials contained substantial material on
Indian intervention inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan has been careful while sharing the
details as we cannot disclose our sources of information, the adviser clarified during the
Question Hour of the National Assembly.
To another question, he said Pakistan and Belarus have signed a number of agreements for
promotion of bilateral relations in different fields. Both countries have established a business
council, which will help bring in investment from Belarus, he added.Sartaj also said the
Pakistan Embassy in Iraq was pursuing repatriation cases of 499 nationals imprisoned in Iraq.
Halal food
A report of National Assembly Standing Committee on Science and Technology on The
Pakistan Halal Authority Bill, 2015 was also presented in the House.The bill proposes
establishing an authority to promote imports and exports, and trade and commerce with foreign
countries and inter-provincial trade and commerce in Halal articles and processes.Replying to
different questions, Federal Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir said the export of rice to
Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka would start soon. The agreement with Indonesia has
been finalised while with the Philippines, it is in the final stages. Sri Lankas concern about the
quality of rice has been removed and export will start soon.He said the Trade Development
Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) was actively supporting rice exporters and finding new markets
as Pakistan produced world-class basmati rice.
The minister added an agricultural exhibition was held in Russia recently and the Russian
Federation was likely to become a new market for Pakistan. Talks with officials from South
Africa, Russia, France, Indonesia, Angola and Germany have been held to increase exports of
rice.He said the prime minister constituted a committee to support growers and announced
Rs350 billion Kissan Package to help mitigate the sufferings of the farmers, particularly rice
growers. To another question about imports, Khurram replied that imports had increased to
$45.98 billion from $45.07 billion in 2013-14, showing an increase of 2.01 per cent during the
outgoing fiscal.The trade deficit during the outgoing financial year has increased from
Rs19.963 billion in 2013-14 to Rs22.09 billion in 2014-15. Since Pakistans major imports

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consist of petroleum, machinery and chemicals, which are essential for economic development,
the nominal increase in imports has no significant adverse impact on economy, the minister
claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2015.

Only six non-career ambassadors in office: govt

By Zeeshan Ghayur
November 21, 2015

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday clarified issues of national significance in the Lower
House of the parliament, including the Mina stampede, non-career ambassadors, balance of trade
and hepatitis.National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister (PM) Sartaj Aziz, who hails from
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), informed the House that around 88 pilgrims offering
Haj on government-sponsored scheme lost their lives in Mina and that for private schemes the
number of martyrs is 100. One dead body was flown back while the rest were buried in Saudi
Arabia, clarified Aziz. Clarifying induction of non-career ambassadors as Pakistani
representatives overseas, Aziz said around six such officials are serving currently and that retired
armed forces officials are representing Pakistan in countries where their armed forces skills are
required.
Aziz said one-fifth of the ambassadors can be non-career professionals. PML-N lawmaker
Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan clarified that India has not been declared as the most-favourite
country and that for Indian imports at Wagah border a list of less than 150 products exist and
only those are allowed in. Dastgir said that being a member of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO), We cannot bar products of any country with which we have bad relations, he said,
adding that although India and China are not friendly with each other but nonetheless the trade
among them stands at $75 billion, annually.
He said trade negotiations with India did not take place after January 2014. Clarifying on the
stance of protecting the local market from foreign cotton yarn dumping, Dastgir said that a duty
of 15% was imposed. Dastgir said that having liberalised the rice export there has been a 600%
rise in exports and stressed that the total rice export fetches for the national exchequer $2 billion.
He said that the rice exporters have suffered a blow because the premiums of rice have fallen in
the international market.
For providing relief to the rice processing units unable to paying back the bank loans, he said that
the federal government is contemplating on the issue. Dastgir said that an agreement has been
reached with Philippines for rice export and that a similar agreement with Indonesia is in the
making and that Sri Lanka has agreed with re-opening the rice import from Pakistan. PML-N
lawmaker Dr Darshan clarified that the tackling of hepatitis after the 18th amendment has been
transferred to the provincial governments. He added that the federal government has been
organising awareness campaigns such as the disposal of used syringes and that in association
with World Health Organisation (WHO) needle cutters were distributed to the public hospitals.

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Darshan said that there is a 500,000 increase in hepatitis cases countrywide. He said that for
hepatitis B a vaccination is injected right after birth and that a prescription medicine curing
hepatitis more effectively than the injections is being sold at 98% less rate compared with its
premium in the international market. He said that the provincial governments of Sindh and
Balochistan have conducted raids on barbers who used one blade on multiple customers and that
all provincial governments should perform similar crackdowns.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/21-Nov-2015/only-six-non-career-ambassadors-in-office-govt

Rice mills in doldrums

Prijs Zonnepanelen 2015

P. RAM MOHAN

Many rice mills are in the red and are likely to stop milling any time. Photo: By K.V.
RAMANA
Over 200 mills out of 320 in Nizamabad have closed since January
The entire rice mill industry has been in doldrums due to drastic reduction in paddy production
over the last couple of years, enormous increase in input costs and total ban on levy paddy by the
government to millers.According to a study, over 200 mills out of 320 in the district have closed
since January, and the rest are also not in a sound financial position. Many of them have been in
the red and are likely to stop milling any time soon, said industry sources.The State lost its
monopoly in rice production, market and export, and slowly other States took its position. Paddy

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production and milling of rice tremendously improved in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Maharasthra and Karnataka, and they are able to trade the product at competitive prices. Millers
in Telangana, consisting of more than 2,500 mills, are unable to compete with them in terms of
market price.
District Rice Millers Association president Dayanand Gupta said that the custom milling is not
at all beneficial, hence millers have stopped it. Millers need to give 67 kilogramme rice to the
government for quintal of raw paddy, which is given to them by procuring it from farmers. We
keep incurring excessive losses as we cannot get the same amount of rice if the paddy is milled,
he said.Since other States where the paddy is being produced have not bothered to pay minimum
support price (MSP) to farmers, and the government here strictly following the payment of MSP,
the production costs are higher, incapacitating millers to compete with others.

Every year, about 30,000 workers from Bihar used to come to the district to work at rice mills.
They are not coming here now as they have plenty of work in their State.Mr. Gupta said that the
100 per cent lifting of levy to millers since October gave a blow to the industry.Till last year, the
government used to collect 25 per cent levy and allowed millers to trade 75 per cent rice in the
market. The sickness in the industry rendered hundreds of families unemployed, he said.We
have no income from by-products and of late the production costs have become unbearable.
Unless the government comes to our rescue, our industry cannot survive, the association
representatives said
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/rice-mills-in-doldrums/article7902935.ece

Paddy Procurement in Skulam Reviewed

By Express News Service
Published: 20th November 2015 05:16 AM
Last Updated: 20th November 2015 05:16 AM
SRIKAKULAM: Collector P Lakshminarasimham directed the officials and rice millers to
procure paddy from all the farmers across the district. A meeting with officials and rice millers
was convened by the collector to review the paddy procurement here Thursday. During the
meeting, the collector enquired about the capacity of the godowns and availability of gunny bags.
The charges for the transportation of the paddy from the fields to paddy procurement centres
would be borne by the farmers only.
The charges to shift the paddy from the mills to FCI godowns would be met by the millers, the
collector said. The collector also directed the millers to send the rice to the FCI within 15 days of
receiving the paddy.The collector expressed his unhappiness as the millers did not achieve the
target last year. The administration has fixed a target of one lakh metric tonne to the millers but
they failed to meet it. The collector directed joint collector Vivek Yadav to shutdown rice mills
which are not in running condition.The government had given the paddy procurement centres to
the Self-Help Groups. However, the 49 SHGs are yet to receive payment from the Civil Supplies
department. The collector directed the agricultural officials to prepare a SHG-wise data listing

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the extent of land each group covers and paddy yield. He also directed for arrangement of tools
at the procurement centres to check the paddy quality.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra_pradesh/Paddy-Procurement-in-S%E2%80%99kulamReviewed/2015/11/20/article3137294.ece

Philippines rice mill upgrades with Bhler equipment

Friday, 20 November 2015 04:49
The Bhler Group (Bhler) has completed a total upgrade of milling equipment for the La
Suerte Ricemill Corporation (La Suerte) in Isabela, Philippines
The mill will soon install a de-stoner, a huller as well as a separator, all from Bhler. (Image
sourc: Bhler)
Now, the mill is running exclusively on
Bhlers technology, following the recent
installation of a 10-12 tonnes per hour (tph)
rice whitening line, a 20 tph rice hulling line in
2013 and the SORTEX optical sorting
technology in 2009.Ricardo P. Tan, CEO of La
Suerte, said that the mill now produces rice
which is superior in appearance and taste.
Bhlers highly impressive technology has
provided us with the all-important competitive
advantage we need, to take the leading position
in our industry.
Our return on investment has already been fantastic and were delighted with the result. Since
updating most of our Mill equipment with Bhler technology, we have been able to consistently
deliver perfect quality rice to our customers in the marketplace, he said.The next stage in the
mills development will come with Bhlers de-stoner, for the removal of stones and other highdensity impurities, such as metal and glass. The mill will also install a huller and separator to
deliver excellent separating efficiency, grading solutions to classify rice by kernel size, as well as
optical sorting solutions to deliver rice with a smooth, dust free and shiny surface. As part of its
investment, the mill also receives round-the-clock service from Bhler, with localised
support.Rustom Mistry, director and head of rice processing for Asia at Bhler, said: La Suerte
is one of the most respected rice millers in the Philippines. Were delighted to know that using
our technology has provided the team with peace of mind.
http://fareasternagriculture.com/crops/processing-a-storage/philippines-rice-mill-upgrades-withbuehler-equipment

Drought breaker to drought maker: El Nino around the

Pacific
ABC Rural
By Clint Jasper
Posted earlier today at 1:43am

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Farmers across the globe are bracing for a wide variety of extreme weather events
forecasted this summer, all brought on by a strong El Nino.For some, it will mean the stress
and devastation drought brings to farm land will be amplified, while others can expect their crops
and livelihoods to be washed away in flood.ABC Rural spoke with farmers and researchers in
key regions, who described how El Nino usually plays out in their patch.
Dry weather sparks PNG food crisisJust like their counterparts in Queensland and northern
New South Wales, South East Asian farmers have been battling with dry conditions and
droughts for the past several years, and the forecast of a strong El Nino weather pattern
has some farmer worried about their ability to feed their local populations.
For one of Australia's closest neighbours, Papua New Guinea, an El Nino driven drought has
sparked a major food crisis, with villagers already relying on donations of food after dry weather
and frosts wiped out crops in the region.:0
00:00
A similar situation is playing out across South East Asia, as farmers recall the previous strong El
Nino conditions felt in 1997-98.Indonesia, known for its tropical climate and high rainfall saw a
complete absence of rain, conditions which farmers fear they could be facing again.In the
Philippines, where monsoons often bring large downpours during wet seasons, it the variability
of that rainfall that makes farmers concerned about El Nino.At the Philippines-based
International Rice Research Institute senior scientist Reiner Wassmann said even though it's drier
than average year, during the current wet season you wouldn't immediately pick that."If you look
around right now everything is looking quite green, in the rainy season there is quite good
rainfall in most parts of the season.

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"However, you really have to take into account that there are two rice crops grown each year, in
the wet and the dry season, and the dry crop relies on irrigation.
"The reservoirs that supply irrigation have been draining in recent months."

PHOTO: Frosts have destroyed vital crops in Papua New Guinea's highlands, and El Nino is
expected to worsen conditions.(CARE International: Jay Lomu)
Mr Wassmann said for rain-fed rice production, the total rainfall figure was not as important as
the timing of the rain.Rice farmers need solid, early, downpours to get their crops started, but the
El Nino increased the variability of the timing of rainfalls."What has happened this year was that
the rainfall in large parts of the Mekong Basin, the rain came much later than usual."Mr
Wassmann said different regions and countries in South Asia would face variable food security
threats."We will have a really diverse picture across the region."It's difficult it bring it down to
one thing, but we will clearly have lower yields in rain fed rice production regions."These
regions are generally where farmers have the lowest income, so it will affect farmers'
livelihoods."
Latin Americans brace for flooding rains
Across the Pacific, farmers in drought stricken California are desperate for rain, as the big dry
there enters a fifth year.Heavy downpours have already caused mudslides in southern California,
and EL Nino is expected to bring more rain.But for citrus farmer John Gless, who farms just
outside of Los Angeles, while the rain is welcome, it won't be drought-breaking."I think it will

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bring some temporary relief, but it is not going to solve our problems."We have got to get our
reservoirs refilled, and we need to increase the capacity of our water storage."

Democratic state lawmaker, Marc Levine said officials weren't counting on a El Nino to being
drought breaking rains, but heavy downpours meant the state would need to be on high alert to
protect people from further mudslides."Even in times of drought, flooding is a risk and a threat to
human life, and we take that really seriously.
"We need to get better at capturing storm water, because 80 per cent of rainfall in the Los
Angeles Basin area flows right into the Pacific Ocean."Mudslides, earthquakes and flood
wrecked devastation on the South American nations, Peru and Ecuador during the strong 199798 El Nino.Severe flooding in Mexico and Argentina added to the big hit that cattle herds,
cotton, soy and wheat crops as well as important horticultural regions all took.South America is
an important region for coffee production, and it's across these regions that food security of
important staples is believed to be most at risk.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-23/global-el-nino/6954706

Business Honors for Nov. 22, 2015

ADVOCATE STORY
Nov. 21, 2015; 5:00 p.m.

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By W Hotels The dreaded detox. 14-day juice fasts sipping murky green blends that taste like
garden mulch or sweating within an inch of life after a Fort Canning stair session. Sound
familiar?
The LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station in Crowley has been renamed for the late H. Rouse
Caffey in recognition of his dedication to the rice industry and Louisiana agriculture.Caffey
retired from the LSU AgCenter in 1997 after serving 13 years as chancellor. He also was
chancellor of LSU of Alexandria, vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter and, associate director of
the LSU Agricultural Experiment Station. He was director of the Rice Experiment Station from
1962 until 1970 and was rice research project leader in Mississippi.
LAFAYETTE
Lawrence Simon of law firm Liskow & Lewis has been awarded the Institute of Energy Laws
Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award.
The award is presented to an energy litigator whose achievements have won the admiration of
peers, either in the course of a career or during a particular piece or series of litigation. Simons
practice involves litigation in oil, gas and property issues.
NEW ORLEANS AREA
Matthew Eaton, senior sales associate for RE/MAX Commercial Brokers Inc. in New Orleans,
has been awarded the Certified Commercial Investment Member designation by the CCIM
Institute.The designation is based on a curriculum that addresses financial analysis, market
analysis, user decision analysis and investment analysis and earned by passing the CCIM
Institutes comprehensive examination.
Lee K. Boothby, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Newfield Exploration Co.,
received the Chief Roughneck Award for 2015 at the annual meeting of the Independent
Petroleum Association of America.The award honors the lifetime achievements of petroleum
industry leaders. Boothby was recognized for transforming Newfield from one of the largest
producers in shallow water in the Gulf of Mexico to a top-tier performer in oil and liquid-rich
resource plays in North America.Boothby has served as president and chief executive officer of
Newfield since 2009 and chairman since 2010.He previously served as senior vice president,
acquisitions and business development, and others positions with the company.

The Greater Lafourche Port Commission was presented the 2015 Environmental
Enhancement Award by the American Association of Port Authorities for its Beach and Dune
Restoration Geotube Project, which restored about one mile of beach and dune habitat at Port
Fourchon.
Nicholls State University was recognized as a partner on the project.
Fourchon Beach is the first line of defense for Port Fourchon, which services over 90 percent of
all deepwater Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production, accounting for about 20 percent of the
nations energy supply. The Fourchon Beach area sustained extensive damage from hurricanes
Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Isaac.

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http://theadvocate.com/news/business/14004541-123/business-honors-for-nov-22

GRDB: Rice millers receive over $660M for rice

supplied to Panama
NOVEMBER 22, 2015 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS

Farmers countrywide are to benefit from over

$660M that was paid to rice millers by the
Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) for
the supply of rice to Panama.GRDBs General
Manager (ag) Nizam Hassan explained on
Saturday that this is the payment that Guyana
has received from Panama for its supply of
almost 7,500 tonnes of rice. Over $660M has
been paid out. All millers have been paid in
full.This payment was made on the second
contract for rice supplied to the Spanishspeaking country between September and October 2015.
With payment arriving in such a short time, GRDB is confident that this can be seen as a start to
the potential end of lengthy waiting periods for rice payments, by farmers, a statement from
GRDBs public relations firm said yesterday.Hassan said, Farmers can expect payment now that
millers have been paid.GRDB said it has been working closely with all stakeholders to address
the ongoing challenges farmers face in receiving early payment from millers for paddy
sold.Farmers have been facing problems collecting from millers, although regulations allow for a
timeframe of at least seven weeks from delivery.
With over 600,000 tonnes of rice expected this year again, a record production, Guyana has been
facing challenges to find markets.Compounding the challenges is the fact that neighbouring
Venezuela has ended its five-year deal to take rice and paddy, following its revival of a
simmering border claim.Guyana has commitments that Mexico will be taking some of the
surplus but this has not been finalized as yet. Millers have been paid over $600M for rice
supplied to Panama, Government announced yesterday.
http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2015/11/22/grdb-rice-millers-receive-over-660m-for-rice-supplied-to-panama/

Mekong Deltas logistics potential awakened

The Mekong Delta will house two second-class logistics centres by 2030, spanning a total area of
100 hectares to serve regional localities like Can Tho, Hau Giang, Kien Giang and Soc
Trang.They are among 18 logistics centres, including three first-class and 15 second-class, to be

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built across the country between now and 2020 under the national logistics centre development
plan.Nguyen Phong Quang, deputy head of the Steering Committee for the Southwestern
Region, said the committee will continue realising regional programmes and targets, including
the acceleration of the establishment of logistic centres.He suggested the Government instruct
ministries and centrally run agencies to help the Mekong Delta construct the logistics centres
while offering incentives to domestic and foreign investors in the centres.Can Tho has been
selected for the construction of the centres.
Other satellite logistics centres will be built in other localities to form a full logistics system that
meets regional requirements.Pham Chi Bac, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of
Industry and Trade, said that because it is located in the centre of the Mekong Delta, Can Tho
has favourable conditions for trade and service development. It can connect the satellite logistics
centres.Accordingly, a logistics centre will be built in the Cai Rang Industrial Park on a site of
70.5 hectares.The location allows easier access to the Cai Nui International Seaport, the Can Tho
International Airport, projected railways and industrial parks across the city as well as in other
localities in the region.According to Pham Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the PortCoast
Consultant Corp, up to 62 million tonnes of cargo is expected to be handled at regional seaports
by 2020. The figure is expected to reach 200 billion tonnes in 10 years.
The logistic centres will help tighten links between the Mekong Delta and import-export markets
worldwide.Le Hoang Linh from the Tan Cang Sai Gon Corporation said the Mekong Delta has a
coastline of more than 700 km, and rivers and dykes stretching over 28,000 km, of which more
than 23,000 km are exploitable, accounting for 70 percent of the countrys total
waterways.Aware of the regions substantial potential for logistics development, the Tan Cang
Sai Gon Corporation has provided waterway transport logistics services connecting the
corporations seaports with ports across the region.
Presently, four ports are able to receive containers, he said, adding that more ports will be built in
order to provide better logistics services, thus attracting more investors to the region.Le Duy
Hiep, Vice President of the Vietnam Logistics Business Association, highlighted goods owners,
infrastructure, logistics service suppliers, legal institutions and personnel training as important
factors to improve the efficiency of logistics services.He suggested goods owners who are
importers and exporters, plants, entrepreneurs and producers hire logistics companies and utilise
local ports.The region should outline policies to attract logistics companies that perform well
while training human resources to work for goods owners, State management agencies, logistics
companies, ports and warehouses, he said.The region must devise the most comprehensive and
suitable logistics development model through organisations specialising in the field, he noted.
Asias leading Renewable Energy Exhibition set to open in Hanoi

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Thousands of industry professionals have registered to attend the 1st edition of the Renewable
Energy and Energy Efficiency Exhibition, November 25-27, at the Vietnam Exhibition Fair
Centre in Hanoi, according to the organizers.
The trade event will showcase a wide range of services, technologies, supplies and equipment
from various segments in the industry such as wind power, solar power, biomass and biofuel, airconditioning and thermal pumps to name only a few.
The organizers say it aims to serve as a forum for professionals to exchange knowledge and
experience in providing solutions to tackle the emerging challenges faced by Vietnam as well as
promote positive development in the nations green technology industries.
In connection with the event, the EU-Vietnam Business Network (EVBN) has announced it will
organize a European Pavilion to connect European companies with their Vietnamese
counterparts.
Deputy Director Jana Ackerman of EVBN said the company representatives will have ample
opportunities to engage in dialogues on trends and developments of Green Technologies in
Vietnam through a myriad of info and networking events.
CIEM: Outlook dims as economists see slower growth
The Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM) has downgraded its forecast for
Vietnams growth in 2016, warning that the numbers would be weaker than the current year due
to heightened uncertainty and financial market volatility.
Speaking at a recent seminar on the countrys growth prospects for 2016 held by the CEO Club
Ho Chi Minh City, CIEM President PhD Nguyen Dinh Cung said the nation is looking at growth
of 6.5% this year.
The growth in 2015 as well as the prior two years has largely been underpinned by expansion of
the mining industry and the current level of extraction of oil and coal from the ground isnt
sustainable over the long term, said Dr Cung.
In addition, this past September the manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell
below the 50-point threshold, to 49.5, for the first time in two years, a strong foreshadowing
production is slowing down.
The senior economist stressed that the agriculture industry along with the nations farmers have
encountered a myriad of difficulties this year, most of which stem from the small scale farming
methods utilized.
Until the agriculture industry makes the transition to large scale production methods and
modernizes its machinery and equipment as well as technologies it will continue to drag the
overall economic growth of the nation downwards.
The garment and textile industries are also getting bogged down by an overreliance on imported
raw materials, said Cung, which contributes to an ever widening trade imbalance with the
nations trading partners.
He said the overall trade shortfall in the nine months leading up to October of 2015 was a
whopping US$4.03 billion. Most notably China continued to be the biggest source of foreign
goods, accounting for nearly 30% of total imports.
Cung also expressed discontent over fiscal and budgetary policy.
The budget deficit has mushroomed and public debt has expanded exponentially over the past
several years, which will wreak havoc on both economic stability and long-term growth if
remedial measures are not promptly put in place.

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Absent some unforeseeable event or series of events the economists at CIEM are forecasting the
economy in 2016 to look very similar to that of 2015 said Cung and any hopes for a
breakthrough remain bleak.
In other words, dont hold your breath for faster growth.
Chief Representative Hirotaka Yasuzumi of the Japan External Trade Organization in Ho Chi
Minh City in turn spoke about the state of health of small businesses throughout the nation
saying they are on life support and in very serious condition.
Liquidity and having sufficient working capital is the number one problem small businesses
face but only 30% of them have ready access to bank loans to acquire the badly needed funds,
the Chief Representative accentuated.
He said the government could jump start the economy by providing government-backed small
business loans at low interest rates to the nations small businesses thereby alleviating the risk of
non-payment to banks.
The government should also devise better programs for workforce development and adult
education programs along with on the job training programs to support small businesses in their
efforts to modernize, said Yasuzumi.
Citing statistics of the finance ministry, he said the number of businesses in the country shrunk
by 8.7% year-on-year in the first nine months of this year.
Nationwide the number of businesses that either went bankrupt or suspended operations was an
estimated 70,000 during the January-September period, which exceeded new start-ups by
roughly 17,000.
Vingroup opens fifth residential and commercial complex in Hanoi
On November 20, Vingroup ceremoniously inaugurated its fifth residential and commercial
complex in the Hanoi metropolitan area, which is conveniently located on Nguyen Chi Thanh
Street.
According to Vingroup officials, the complex consists of two towers, one for luxury apartments
and the other a 30-story Grade-A office building, on 13,039 square metres of land.
Connecting the two buildings is a six-story retail and commercial podium, a supercentre on the
basement level B1 and 5 additional basement levels for parking.
Nearly 380 luxury flats are located between the seventh and 30th floors, with airy, large
windows in all bedrooms. The one to four-bedroom flats range from 54 to 170 square metres, are
exquisitely designed, and inspire a feeling of classical romance.
There are modern business and recreation centres, a supermarket, Vinmec International Clinic,
Vinschool kindergarten, a glass roof outdoor pool for all four seasons, health & fitness club, a
luxurious lobby lounge, garden, 5-star butler service, and a 24/24 surveillance camera system to
ensure absolute security.
Vietnam promotes African, Mekong Francophone countries cooperation
Vietnam has played a crucial role in promoting economic, trade, and investment links, especially
the South-South cooperation, between African countries and the Francophone countries of the
Mekong region.
The countrys know-how in the fields of its strength will contribute to removing bottlenecks in
South-South partnership issues such as legal and commercial disputes and financial payment,
said Vice President of the Vietnam-Africa-Middle East Business Forum Thai Kieu Phuong.
She noted that the country holds vast potential in developing agriculture and high technology.
Vietnam has gained positive achievements with export turnover increasing to US$150 billion in
2014 from US$100 billion in 2012. It also recorded a trade surplus for three consecutive years.

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Dong The Quang, an expert from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), said
the Vietnamese Government and businesses are expected to actively swing into action to seize
investment and trade opportunities in the Francophone economic space.
The organisation hopes to receive strong support from Vietnam as it is moving to develop interregional economic links in Africa, Asia, and Europe between 2015 and 2018.
Director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys Ho Chi Minh City Office Vo Tan
Thanh said Vietnam wants to share experience in post-harvest agricultural processing with
members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Economic and
Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
Vietnam has put into operation a number of processing plants for farm produce such as rice and
cashew nut, which serves domestic market and exports, he noted.
The creation of a production value chain to churn out high-quality commodities has been defined
a major development orientation of the agriculture sector, he added.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, trade between Vietnam and UEMOA countries
increased fivefold from US$180 million in 2007 to US$854 million last year.
Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Vietnam and CEMAC nations increased to US$340.8 million
in 2014 from US$72.6 million in 2007.
Deputy head of the ministrys South-West Asia and Africa Department Hoang Duc Nhuan said
rice is the key export staple to UEMOA and CEMAC, accounting for 50-70% of the countrys
total exports to the markets, followed by garment-textile and processed industrial products.
In recent years, Vietnam has sought to export new commodities to the markets such as seafood,
steel products, machinery and spare parts.
Potential fields including farm produce, apparel and timber products are expected to gross US$5
billion worth in export revenue.
Korean firm eyes US$200 mil solar power plant project
Hanwha Group from the Republic of Korea (RoK) is destined to build a US$200 billion solar
power plant with a capacity of 100-200 MW in the central ThuaThien Hue province.
This was revealed by Lee Ji Hwang- a policy advisor from the Korean Ministry of Trade,
Industry and Energyat a recent meeting with Thua Thien Hue provincial Peoples Committee
Chairman Nguyen Van Cao.
Hanwha Group is the RoKs fifth largest investor operating in the fields of finance, construction
and energy. Hanwha is carrying out solar energy projects in Vietnam as part of cooperative
agreements reached by the two governments, said Lee Ji Hwang
The provincial leader affirmed his provinces willingness to support the groups initiative to
build a solar power plant and facilitate Hanwhas project survey and research, adding that the
groups investment is in line with the Vietnam Governments renewal energy development
policy and the provinces socio-economic development orientations.
Vietnam's fund manager acquires US distributor of Saigon beer
Ho Chi Minh City-based Saigon Asset Management Corporation has struck a deal to acquire
Heritage Beverage, the sole distributor of the popular Saigon beer in Canada and the US, local
media has reported.
The acquisition will allow the privately-owned investment manager to boost exports of
Vietnamese beer products into the countries, Louis Nguyen, CEO of the company, was quoted as
saying in news website VnExpress.
The deal's value was not revealed.

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Founded in 2007, Saigon Asset Management Corporation now manages two funds -- Vietnam
Equity Holding and Vietnam Property Holding, the website reported.
More Saigon beer products are expected to be shipped to the US, following the takeover of the
US distributor Heritage Beverage. File photo
The funds have invested more than US$250 million in more than 45 companies and projects
across Vietnam, mainly in the sectors of food and beverage, education, technology and health
care.
Their portfolios also include private companies in the US.
Headquartered in California's Beverly Hills, Heritage Beverage was established in 1994 to
import and distribute the products of Sabeco, now Vietnam's largest brewer, according to
VnExpress.
Best sellers of Sabeco include 333, the red Saigon Export and the green Saigon Special.
Vietnam tire market to reach US$2.7 bln by 2020: report
The Vietnamese tire market will top US$2.7 billion in revenue by 2020 on account of many
favorable conditions, including auto sales and legislation, a global market research company has
said, citing its own report.
Prominent factors that contribute to the fast growth rate of the tire industry in Vietnam include
growing automobile sales, rising automobile fleets, favorable government policies and increasing
foreign investment in the country's automotive sector, TechSci Research said in the Vietnam
Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020 report.
The Vietnamese rubber industry also plays its part in boosting the tire market by providing
several opportunities for tire producers to establish more manufacturing factories and increase
production capacities, the report said.
There were 14 tire plants across Vietnam in 2014, yielding a total output of more than 65 million
units per annum, according to TechSci Research.
The growing demand for vehicles in the Southeast Asian country is also a major factor in the
development of the tire market, as more global and domestic companies are establishing their
manufacturing plants in Vietnam, according to the report.
The nations tire market and economy in general have been enhanced by growing foreign
investments since the Vietnamese government signed WTO and AFTA agreements, it added.
AFTA, short for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area, is a trade bloc pact
supporting manufacturing in all regional countries, which was signed on January 28, 1992 in
Singapore.
In the Vietnamese tire market, the two-wheeler tire segment accounts for the largest portion,
followed by passenger car and commercial vehicle & off-the-road (OTR) tire segments, TechSci
Research said.
However, the passenger car tire segment is expected to exhibit the fastest growth rate over the
next five years, followed by the commercial vehicle & OTR tire segment, the company added.
OTR tires include tires for construction vehicles such as wheel loaders, backhoes, graders,
trenchers and large mining trucks.
The report on Vietnam Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020 evaluates the growth
potential of the Vietnamese tire market by providing statistics and information on its structure
trends, TechSci Research said.
It is also intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision-makers take
sound investment evaluation, the company added.

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TechSci Research is a global market research and consulting firm which provides research-based
consulting solutions for its customers worldwide, spanning a range of verticals.
The company has offices in Canada, India and the UK.
French, Vietnamese firms team up to farm maize in Phu Yen
Frances InVivo NSA Group will partner with a company based in Phu Yen province to cultivate
maize on a trial basis in the central locality of Vietnam.
A cooperation agreement on the project was signed on November 19.
Accordingly, maize will be cultivated on more than 25 hectares of land in Tay Hoa and Phu Hoa
districts from this December to March 2016.
InVivo will provide technical assistance by sending experts to help local famers with growing
techniques.
It will also buy corn at prices that are the same as or 10 percent higher than market prices at the
time of purchase.
Meanwhile, its Vietnamese partner Van Thang Business Export Import Co. Ltd will be
responsible for the entire cultivation process from techniques, seedlings, fertilisers to pesticide.
The project is carried out in accordance with the Vietnamese Governments policy of switching
from rice cultivation to maize farming to improve agricultural products added value and
farmers income.
Better Rice initiative to help Mekong farmers
About 3,000 farmers from three Mekong Delta provinces will benefit from a project called Better
Rice Initiative Asia that has been launched in Can Tho city.
Carried out as part of the Integrated Coastal Management Programme, the project aims to
promote private-public partnerships along the rice value chain through adoption of a sustainable
rice cultivation model harnessing the latest technologies.
In the first phase, it will be carried out in the provinces of Dong Thap, Hau Giang, and Kien
Giang. It will seek to improve farmers' knowledge of rice cultivation and promote the adoption
of modern technologies in an environment-friendly and sustainable manner.
Its focus is also to improve the rice value chain as a whole, from input to output, to strengthen
the connection between rice production and market consumption to ensure rice quality and
market satisfaction, enabling farmers to increase their incomes.
The project aims at increasing farmers' incomes by at least 30 percent through increasing yields
and/or reducing input costs by adopting innovative rice cultivation methods. Furthermore, it said,
rice harvested from this project would meet EU quality standards.
"The focus of the project is innovative and synchronised technology solutions, including the use
of good seeds, integrated crop management, water and nutrient management, integrated pest
management to utilize effectively rice input, increasing yields and quality, reducing losses
and costs, and at the same time increasing labour productivity and farmers' incomes," Phan Huy
Thong, Director of the Vietnam National Agricultural Extension Centre, said.
"The project can contribute greatly to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change for
sustainable rice production in Vietnam.
"The project supports the stakeholders in the rice value chain in applying the large field model.
This is a key measure to restructure Vietnam's agriculture by increasing added value and farmers'
incomes and boosting sustainable rice production."
The other key stakeholders involved in the project are the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Thap, Hau Giang

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and Kien Giang provinces, the International Rice Research Institute, and the Mekong Delta Rice
Research Institute.
Vietnam, Czech Republic boost trade links
A Vietnam-Czech business forum was held on November 19 in Ho Chi Minh City as part of
President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Milan Stechs official visit to Vietnam from
November 15-20.
The function, co-hosted by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the
Czech Chamber of Commerce, aimed at creating opportunities for Vietnamese and Czech
enterprises to further links in trade and investment.
The forum brought together 50 Vietnamese firms and 15 Czech enterprises operating in the fields
of chemicals, insurance, mechanics, construction, medical equipment, and automation.
Addressing the event, VCCI Vice Chairman Vo Tan Thanh said the Czech Republic is one of
Vietnams strategic export markets and bilateral trade have enjoyed stable growth in recent
years, hitting 294 million USD in 2014, up nearly 24 percent from a year earlier.
The European country is currently ranked 44 th out of 105 overseas countries and territories
investing in Vietnam with 37 projects worth 92 million USD, mainly in energy, transport,
machinery, and equipment.
Milan Stech said the Czech Republic considers Vietnam one of the 12 most potential markets.
The two countries have signed 50 state-level agreements and Vietnam and the European Union
are likely to sign a free trade agreement in the near future.
He said he hoped the Vietnamese and Czech business communities will grasp opportunities to
boost bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
Largest coconut processing factory inaugurated in Ben Tre
The Ben Tre Import Export Joint Stock Company inaugurated and put into operation a factory
manufacturing canned coconut milk in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre on November 19.
The factory, the largest of its kind in Vietnam, covers a total area of 7.5 hectares in the Phong
Nam small-scale Industrial Complexes in Giong Trom district. It cost over 20 million USD.
The mill has an annual capacity of 37 million litres, consuming about 200 million coconuts in the
province a year.
Up to 90 percents of its products are expected to be exported to North America, Europe, and
several countries in North Africa and Asia.
Ben Tre is the countrys largest coconut cultivation locality, having 63,000 hectares generating
500 million coconuts each year.Vietjet Air launches new domestic routes
Low-cost carrier Vietjet Air launched three new air routes between Hanoi and Chu Lai (Quang
Nam), Hai Phong and Cam Ranh (Khanh Hoa), and Vinh (Nghe An) and Buon Ma Thuot (Dak
Lak), on November 19.
For the Hanoi Chu Lai route, the airline conducts four round-trip flights per week on Monday,
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with flight duration of one hour and 25 minutes.
The Hai Phong-Cam Ranh route operates five round-trip flights per week on Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday and Sunday with flight duration of one hour and 45 minutes.
The Vinh- Buon Ma Thuot service has three round-trip flights per week on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday with flight duration of one hour and 25 minutes.
VietJet Air has offered 20,000 tickets at price of 199,000 VND (8 USD) to meet the travel need
of residents in the key cities.

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The tickets are available at its website www.vietjetair.com, mobile website

http://m.vietjetair.com, its Facebook page www.facebook.com/vietjetairvietnam .
Payment can be made with Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, and ATM cards issued by
24 domestic banks that have been registered with internet banking.
Vietnam promotes African, Mekong Francophone countries cooperation
Vietnam has played a crucial role in promoting economic, trade, and investment links, especially
the South-South cooperation, between African countries and the Francophone countries of the
Mekong region.
The countrys know-how in the fields of its strength will contribute to removing bottlenecks in
South-South partnership issues such as legal and commercial disputes and financial payment,
said Vice President of the Vietnam-Africa-Middle East Business Forum Thai Kieu Phuong.
She noted that the country holds vast potential in developing agriculture and high technology.
Vietnam has gained positive achievements with export turnover increasing to 150 billion USD in
2014 from 100 billion USD in 2012. It also recorded a trade surplus for three consecutive years.
Dong The Quang, an expert from the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), said
the Vietnamese Government and businesses are expected to actively swing into action to seize
investment and trade opportunities in the Francophone economic space.
The organisation hopes to receive strong support from Vietnam as it is moving to develop interregional economic links in Africa, Asia, and Europe between 2015 and 2018.
Director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industrys Ho Chi Minh City Office Vo Tan
Thanh said Vietnam wants to share experience in post-harvest agricultural processing with
members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the Economic and
Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).
Vietnam has put into operation a number of processing plants for farm produce such as rice and
cashew nut, which serves domestic market and exports, he noted.
The creation of a production value chain to churn out high-quality commodities has been defined
a major development orientation of the agriculture sector, he added.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, trade between Vietnam and UEMOA countries
increased fivefold from 180 million USD in 2007 to 854 million USD last year.
Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Vietnam and CEMAC nations increased to 340.8 million
USD in 2014 from 72.6 million USD in 2007.
Deputy head of the ministrys South-West Asia and Africa Department Hoang Duc Nhuan said
rice is the key export staple to UEMOA and CEMAC, accounting for 50-70 percent of the
countrys total exports to the markets, followed by garment-textile and processed industrial
products.
In recent years, Vietnam has sought to export new commodities to the markets such as seafood,
steel products, machinery and spare parts.
Potential fields including farm produce, apparel and timber products are expected to gross 5
billion USD worth in export revenue.UK-ASEAN Business Council to popularise Da Nang
The UK-ASEAN Business Council (UKABC) will upload images of Da Nang city and success
stories by foreign investors there on its event websites, Executive Director Ross Hunter assured
Vice Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vo Cong Tri.
Tri led a Da Nang delegation to promote tourism, trade and investment in London from
November 17-19.

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In 2016, the UKABC will hold a series of activities to help UK businesses, especially small- and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), seek and expand operations in ASEAN, towards achieving a 1
trillion GBP worth of exports to ASEAN by 50,000 SMEs, Hunter said.
He also introduced the UKABCs plan to hold an international conference on doing business
with the ASEAN member states in London next April and an international trade exposition in
Liverpool next June.
Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Dang Viet Dung said the city plans to hold
a tourism promotion campaign next June and asked for the UKABCs support to introduce the
event at the Liverpool trade exposition.
He also suggested the UKABC invite UK business delegations to Da Nang to seek opportunities.
The Vietnamese delegation also held a working session with William Ward, CEO of Clipper
Ventures host of the Clipper Race Around the World in which Da Nang is a stopover, slated
for February 17-27, 2016.
In another working session with Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Van Thao, the delegation asked
for his support to lure UK investment in Da Nang.
The ambassador suggested Da Nang partner with a UK city and screen strong businesses in
specific fields to match with UK partners.
He also put forward a proposal to launch a Da Nang-London direct flight to develop tourism,
trade and investment in the region and the city in particular.
Canada doles out 12.9 million USD for Vietnams agriculture
The Canadian Government will provide 12.9 million USD for Vietnams agriculture economy
development from 2015-1020, announced Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on November
19.
The funding will support the implementation of the Vietnam Cooperative Enterprises
Development (VCED) project, which helps reduce poverty and foster economic growth,
according to a press release from the PMs Office.
The Canadian Cooperation Society for International Development (SOCODEVI) a non-profit
development organisation with 13 years of experience working in Vietnam will carry out the
project that looks to increase competitiveness and productivity of Vietnamese agricultural
cooperatives.
Canada is a country with a great deal to offer. Our expertise in agricultural cooperatives will
help ensure that Vietnam is able to apply production techniques - that are environmentally
friendly and sustainable. This will unlock shared prosperity for families and individuals now and
into the future, Justin Trudeau was quoted in the press release.
The VCED project covers the establishing new market-oriented agricultural cooperatives,
enhancing knowledge, skills and competitiveness of Vietnamese peasants, fine-tuning
cooperative management practices, and developing policies and a regulatory environment to
impulse cooperatives.
Trade with Africa holds much potential
While the global economy is gradually recovering from the recession, Viet Nam has recovered
mush faster, creating opportunities for local and foreign businesses.
This was the consensus among development experts, policy specialists, government officials, and
business executives from Africa and Viet Nam who attended a workshop yesterday on enhancing
South-South Co-operation between African countries and the Mekong region.
Their evolving economies and expertise allow for exchange of advanced knowledge, but a
common language to facilitate communication is first needed, they pointed out.

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Thai Kieu Phuong, deputy chairwoman of the Viet Nam-Africa-Middle East Business Forum,
said Viet Nam has huge potential in agriculture and technology, giving it a potentially important
role in economic and trade co-operation in South-South Co-operation.
Viet Nam sharing its experience in its areas of strength would help resolve issues like trade
disputes between African and Mekong countries, she said.
Speaking about co-operation between Viet Nam and West African Economic and Monetary
Union (UEMOA) and Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC) in agriculture
and agricultural exports, Vo Tan Thanh, director of Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and
Industry's HCM City chapter, said the two areas have huge demand for rice, cashew, vegetables
and technologies used in their farming.
Viet Nam has factories producing machines for post-harvest processing, he said.
Fogue Fidele Kouduahou, general director of WAKA Corporation, said since UEMOA member
countries do not have the know-how to develop their food processing industry, enhancing cooperation with Viet Nam is vital.
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Viet Nam's trade with UEMOA member
countries increased five-fold between 2007 and 2014 to US$854 million.
With CEMAC members it increased 4.6 times to $340.8 million.
Hoang Duc Nhuan of the ministry said rice is Viet Nam's major item to UEMOA and CEMAC
member countries, accounting for 50-70 per cent of total exports. It is followed by garments and
processed foods, he said.
In recent years Viet Nam has looked for opportunities to export seafood, machinery, and electric
cables to these markets.
Executives from around 100 businesses in the Mekong region primarily engaged in agriculture
and construction attended the forum, which was organised by the Viet Nam Chamber of
Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the International Trade Centre.
Commuters complain of highway toll hike
Increased toll fares on Build-Operation-Transfer (BOT) national highways are angering
commuters, Lao Dong (Labour) reported.
Last week, people in Luong Son Township of Hoa Binh Province blocked National Highway No
6 to protest the toll rate on that section.
Every day, local people who travel a few hundred metres have to pay the toll, the paper reported.
At present, the toll at the station is fixed, with the lowest rate set at VND25,000 (US$1.1) and the
highest rate set at VND180,000 ($8.1).
"The local people raised concerns about the toll collection station in the township," National
Assembly Deputy Duong Trung Quoc was quoted as saying.
"The locals questioned the transparency of the station," he added. "They said the highway
investors intended to get money from locals as much as possible."
To appease locals, the company charged with collecting tolls on National Highway No 6 has
proposed that the ministries of transport and finance offer reduced fees to local people.
Starting early next year, several toll stations on BOT highways will increase the toll rates, the
Lao Dong reported.
Even though the toll station on highway No 6 has been in operation for just two months, the fee
will increase by 40 per cent next January. The toll will range from VND35,000 ($1.6) to
VND200,000 ($9).

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Drivers said the toll on the Highway No 6 was irrational. When broken down, the toll costs
VND1,150 per km, while tolls on the newly-built and modern Ha Noi-Lao Cai Expressway are
set at VND1,500 per km.
The toll rate on Highway No 5 will be doubled with rates ranging from VND30,000 to 160,000
($1.36 to $7.30) beginning next month.
According to Finance Ministry, the toll rates for two stations on Highway No 5 will be adjusted
in two phases.
In the first phase, from December 2015 to March 2016, the toll will range from VND30,000 to
160,000 ($1.36 to $7.30). In the second phase beginning April 2016, the toll will be raised to a
range between VND45,000 and 200,000 ($2-$9).
In addition, tolls will increase at stations on National Highway No 1 in the provinces of Ha Tinh,
Thua Thien-Hue and Nam Dinh.
Notably, the toll at BOT station will be adjusted and raised by 18 per cent per year after 2017.
BOT highway investors said this is an allowable increase with the lowest rate of VND52,000
($2.36), the paper said.
Drivers and transport companies complained that high toll taxes and frequent toll stations on
highways were a nightmare.
For instance, when travelling from HCM City along the highway, each vehicle must pass 19
stations and pay VND500,000 ($22.70).
Meanwhile, when travelling from Ha Noi to Thai Binh Province, drivers must pay VND125,000
($5.7) for the 120km journey.
A personal car must pay VND20 million ($900) for several kinds of fees and charges every year.
Tra fish exports to China grow
Viet Nam's tra fish exports to China and Hong Kong (China) recorded strong growth in the first
10 months of this year, hitting US$122 million, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 50
per cent.
With this pace, it is forecast that China will become one of the three largest importers of
Vietnamese tra fish apart from the US and Europe, said Deputy Chairman and General Secretary
of the Viet Nam Pangasius Association Vo Hung Dung.
In the January-October period, Viet Nam's tra fish export value reached over $1.2 billion, 9.6 per
cent lower than that of the same period last year due to tumble in shipments to the US and
Europe.
According to Dung, most tra fish exports to China are through cross-border trade, which do not
require strict quality standards. But when the exports rise, the country is expected to apply
various regulations to the product, he said, urging domestic exporters to pay due attention to
factors related to quality standards and payment safety when selling to China.
The association will work to promote aquaculture models under the Vietnamese Good
Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) standards and strictly implement Decree No 36/2014/ND-CP
on growing, processing and exporting catfish, towards ensuring quality and increasing
competitiveness of tra fish products in new markets.
Viet Nam's tra fish products have been sold in 113 countries and territories worldwide. Tra fish
export volume and value in new markets such as China, Brazil and Mexico have been rising,
while those in traditional markets have been slowing.
Wood processing needs raw material
Viet Nam must improve the local supply of raw materials for the wood processing industry to
ensure sustainable development and meet the export targets.

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Daily Global

Rice E-Newsletter
by Riceplus Magazine

Statistics revealed that natural wood currently met only 10 per cent of raw material demand for
processing of wood export products and for the rest one had to depend on imports and rubber
wood.
Nguyen Ba Ngai, deputy general director of the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry, cited
figures that the country had around 13 million hectares of natural forests with an average reserve
of 220 million cubic metres per hectares but most trees were of low quality and could not be used
in processing for exports.
Poor farming techniques and management, high planting density in addition to small-scale
production affected the quality of wood, Vo Dai Hai, director of the Vietnamese Academy of
Forest Sciences said.
The inefficient use of raw materials was also a problem, Nguyen Ton Quyen, deputy president of
the Viet Nam Timber and Forest Products Association pointed out.
He said that exports of 11 million cubic metres of wood chips brought only US$900 million in
turnover while exports of four million cubic metres could generate up to $6.3 billion.
Reorganising of production to boost domestic supply of raw wood was necessary for sustainable
forest plantation, he said.
He said that forest land should be handed over to farmers to encourage their participation while
co-ordination between wood processing firms and farmers should be enhanced.
Modern farming techniques, especially intensive cultivation, together with high-quality varieties
need to be applied in order to enhance wood quality and output and expand the forest areas
certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Viet Nam had 170,000ha of forest got FSC's
certificates.
Vietnamese wood products were exported to 120 countries and territories.Statistics of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that in the first 10 months of this year,
exports of wood and wooden products reached $5.47 billion, up 7.9 per cent against the same
period last year.The United States, Japan and China were the three largest importers of
Vietnamese wood products, accounting for more than 67 per cent of the total export value.
The department recommended that businesses should register two digital signatures. One would
be used for payment and another for money transfer.He also suggested that businesses should not
worry about internet issues for e-tax payments as all businesses would be paying e-tax at the
same time. In addition, the data of tax notifications are small which would not slow down the
internet.Statistics from the department showed that the city has around 170,000 companies.
Normally, about 30 per cent of the total would pay value-added tax while another 30 per cent
would pay corporate income tax.
The finance ministry also asked the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to support
businesses in implementing the e-tax payment system.Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan
Phuc said the Government has been active in implementing the law on prices.It has also
accelerated the market price mechanism, price stabilisation for necessary goods while applying
the same mechanism for electricity, petroleum, coal, and healthcare services, in addition to
education.The Government has also implemented solutions to ensure State budget collections,
prevent tax arrears, and transfer pricing, while enhancing investigations and check-ups. Over the
past three years, nearly 8,000 businesses which have shown signs of transfer pricing or reported
losses were investigated. The investigations helped reduced losses of more than VND16 trillion
in the companies.
ttp://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/146701/business-in-brief-21-11.html

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