AKC Commodities, Inc.

Chinese state media defend Beijing's veto of a UN resolution condemning Syria's violent crackdown on protesters, as violence continues across the country.
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ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: The government has written off loans of about Rs1.1 billion in Malakand, Swat, Buner and Chitral districts through budgetary support under fiscal relief for Khyber-Pahtunkhwa, FATA and PATA.
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KARACHI, Feb 4: The Iranian government has refused to renew import permits for Pakistani citrus and raised customs duty manifold making kinno export to Tehran unviable.
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The roof of a factory building caved in in Lahore when its boiler exploded, DawnNews reported.
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China tells its airlines not to pay charges to the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme, aimed at cutting carbon emissions.
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KIEV: The deadly cold snap that has gripped Europe for more than a week wrought more havoc across the continent on Sunday, straining emergency services, grounding flights and pushing the death toll past 300. The homeless population has borne the brunt of the suffering, with dozens of transients freezing to death in unheated apartments, fire [...]
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WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama said on Sunday that he did not think Israel had made a decision on whether to launch a pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear installations, a threat that has rattled the region. Obama â
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NICOSIA: Syrian army deserters destroyed a military control post in the northeast overnight, killing three officers and capturing 19 soldiers in the process, a rights group said on Monday. The attack happened in the village of Al Bara in the Edleb region, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that none of the army [...]
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ISLAMABAD: Eid Milad-un-Nabi (SAWW) was celebrated on Sunday with religious zeal and fervour. Rallies were taken out and congregations were held to mark the day. Ulema and scholars addressed the gatherings across the country as cities and towns were tastefully decorated to celebrate the event in a befitting manner. The day dawned with special prayers [...]
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the issue of Nato attack was also referred to the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which comprised the chosen representatives and had complete backing of the people of Pakistan. The Committee has finalized its recommendations and now the Joint Sitting of the Parliament would debate on the issue [...]
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Party leaders in Greece's governing coalition are to resume crisis talks on backing a 130bn-euro rescue plan needed to avoid a debt default.
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The US is working closely with Israel to use diplomacy to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, President Barack Obama says.
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Panama's jailed ex-leader Manuel Noriega is moved from his prison cell to hospital, suffering hypertension, and having possibly had a stroke.
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The Queen is marking 60 years as monarch of the UK and Commonwealth and says she is dedicating herself "anew to your service".
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Mimi Alford, a former mistress of President John F Kennedy, reveal new details of their relationship in a book, according to US media reports.
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Finland elects its first conservative head of state in decades, the pro-European Sauli Niinisto, after a run-off vote.
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Egypt says it is to try 43 people - including Americans and other foreigners - over the alleged illegal funding of non-governmental organisations.
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Soldiers patrol the streets in the Brazilian state of Bahia where a police strike has caused the crime rate to soar.
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MULTAN: Central leader Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Mukhdoom Javed Hashmi said that Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif should accept responsibility of deaths of patients due to sub-standard medicines. While addressing the procession of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) , Mukhdoom Javed Hashmi said that CM Punjab who was also Health Minister Punjab should resign as Health [...]
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DOHA: Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed at a meeting in the Qatari capital on Sunday that presidential and legislative elections must be held â
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Imports

All Commodities:
-0.1% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

Fuels & Lubricants:
-0.5% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

All Imports Excluding Fuels:
+0.1% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

Exports

All Commodities:
-0.5% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

Agricultural Commodities:
-2.6% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

Nonagricultural Commodities:
-0.2% in Dec 2011
Historical Data

p- preliminary

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USDA Announces CRP General Sign-up

Landowners and Producers Will Have 4-Week Window Beginning in March to Enroll

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012—Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services (FFAS) Michael Scuse announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup, beginning on March 12 and ending on April 6. CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States.

"It is USDA’s goal to ensure that we use CRP to address our most critical resource issues," said Scuse. “CRP is an important program for protecting our most environmentally sensitive lands from erosion and sedimentation, and for ensuring the sustainability of our groundwater, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams. As always, we expect strong competition to enroll acres into CRP, and we urge interested producers to maximize their environmental benefits and to make cost-effective offers.”

CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP. Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, signup basis.

Currently, about 30 million acres are enrolled in CRP; and contracts on an estimated 6.5 million acres will expire on Sept. 30, 2012.

Offers for CRP contracts are ranked according to the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) collects data for each of the EBI factors based on the relative environmental benefits for the land offered. Each eligible offer is ranked in comparison to all other offers and selections made from that ranking. FSA uses the following EBI factors to assess the environmental benefits for the land offered:

Wildlife habitat benefits resulting from covers on contract acreage; Water quality benefits from reduced erosion, runoff and leaching; On-farm benefits from reduced erosion; Benefits that will likely endure beyond the contract period; Air quality benefits from reduced wind erosion; and Cost.

Over the past 25 years, farmers, ranchers, conservationists, hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts have made CRP the largest and one of the most important in USDA’s conservation portfolio. CRP continues to make major contributions to national efforts to improve water and air quality, prevent soil erosion by protecting the most sensitive areas including those prone to flash flooding and runoff. At the same time, CRP has helped increase populations of pheasants, quail, ducks, and other rare species, like the sage grouse, the lesser prairie chicken, and others. Highlights of CRP include:

CRP has restored more than two million acres of wetlands and two million acres of riparian buffers; Each year, CRP keeps more than 600 million pounds of nitrogen and more than 100 million pounds of phosphorous from flowing into our nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes. CRP provides $1.8 billion annually to landowners—dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and creating jobs; and CRP is the largest private lands carbon sequestration program in the country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP sequesters carbon in plants and soil, and reduces both fuel and fertilizer usage. In 2010, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal to taking almost 10 million cars off the road.

In 2011, USDA enrolled a record number of acres of private working lands in conservation programs, working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and prevent soil erosion. Moreover, the Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers.

For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit a local FSA service center or www.fsa.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

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USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for February 2012

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for February 2012. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for February 2012 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 in January 2012. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during February 2012 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 in January 2012.

In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for February 2012 are as follows, 1.375 percent with seven-year loan terms, unchanged from 1.375 in January 2012; 2.000 percent with 10-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.000 in January 2012 and; 2.250 percent with 12-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.250 percent in January 2012. The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for January 2012 is 2.375 percent, unchanged from 2.375 in January 2012.

The maximum discount rate applicable for February 2012 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from January 2012. This is based on the 3.250 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number.

Past monthly releases announcing interest rates charged by CCC on commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed for that particular month reflect the interest rate the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for that month. This was the interest rate specified by CCC since Jan. 1, 1982, but the process of establishing the interest rate was changed by a provision of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (the Act), enacted on April 4, 1996.

Section 163 of the Act requires that monthly interest rates applicable to commodity and marketing assistance loans are to be 100 basis points — or 1 percent — greater than the rate determined under the applicable interest rate formula in effect on Oct. 1, 1995. This formula resulted in a rate equivalent to the amount the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for borrowing, for the month.

Further program information is available from USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Financial Management Division at 202-772-6041.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

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Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Updated and Improved Process to Resolve Discrimination Claims of Hispanic and Women Farmers

Obama Administration's Efforts Will Bring Finality to Longstanding Claims of Discrimination in USDA Program Delivery

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2012— As part of continued efforts to close the chapter on allegations that discrimination occurred at USDA in past decades, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced improvements to a process announced last February to resolve the claims of Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who assert that they were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans.

"The Obama Administration has made it a priority to resolve all claims of past discrimination at USDA, and we are committed to closing this sad chapter in USDA's history," said Vilsack. "Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege past discrimination are encouraged to participate in an improved claims process in which they have the opportunity to recover up to $250,000 in damages."

The updated claims process being announced today increases the maximum cash recovery to $250,000, instead of $50,000. The process offers a streamlined alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or woman farmer and rancher who can prove that USDA denied their loan or loan servicing for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. As announced in February 2011, the voluntary claims process will make available at least $1.33 billion for cash awards and tax relief payments, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. There are no filing fees or other costs to claimants to participate in the program. Participation is voluntary, and the program does not preclude individuals who opt not to participate from pursuing their cases in court.

This updated process comes as part of USDA's efforts to ensure that all its customers have equal access to its programs, and follows the Obama Administration's settlement of longstanding litigation brought by African American farmers and Native American farmers. Over the past months, USDA has worked to reach out to potential Hispanic and female claimants through a call center for farmers and ranchers, a website, public service announcements, and in-person meetings around the country. Individuals interested in participating in the claims process may register to receive a claims package, or may obtain more information, by visiting www.farmerclaims.gov. Individuals can also register to receive a claims package by calling the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429. USDA cannot provide legal advice to potential claimants. Persons seeking legal advice may contact a lawyer or other legal services provider.

An independent party or parties will administer the claims process and adjudicate the claims. USDA will contract with an entity that can perform the services required by the updated approach. After this selection is made and USDA announces the opening date of the Claims Period, claimants will have 180 days in which to file a completed Claims Package.

Under Secretary Vilsack's leadership, USDA has instituted a comprehensive plan to strengthen the Department as a model service provider and to ensure that every farmer and rancher is treated equally and fairly as part of "a new era of civil rights" at USDA. He and President Obama have made it a priority to resolve all of the past civil rights cases facing the Department, and today's announcement is another major step towards achieving that goal. In February 2010, the Secretary announced the Pigford II settlement with African American farmers, and in October 2010, he announced the Keepseagle settlement with Native American farmers. Both of those settlements have since received court approval. Meanwhile, Secretary Vilsack continues to advocate for resolution of all remaining claims of past discrimination against USDA.

Audio and video public service announcements in English and Spanish from Secretary Vilsack and downloadable print and web banner ads on the Hispanic and women farmer claims process are available at: http://www.usda.gov/PSAs_Print_and_WebBanner_Ads.xml.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (Voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

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USDA Announces Greater Flexibility and Additional Tools for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2012 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Bruce Nelson today announced today a new rule that expands loan opportunities for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, while also establishing a new Land Contract Guarantee Program. The rule provides additional flexibility allowing FSA loan officers to consider all prior farming experience, including on-the-job training and formal education, when determining eligibility for FSA for farm operating and ownership loans. It also expands a previous pilot program, the Land Contract Guarantee Program, from six states to all 50 states. This program is designed to encourage farmers and ranchers to sell their property to beginning and socially disadvantaged (SDA) farmers and ranchers through the use of seller financing.

“USDA continues to find ways to improve our services for farmers and ranchers by streamlining processes, accelerating delivery, and using innovative solutions to 21st century agricultural challenges,” said Nelson. “These improvements demonstrate FSA’s commitment to helping the next generation of America’s farmers and ranchers participate in our nation’s agricultural economy. The new flexibility also enlarges the pool of potential farmland buyers, which is important to young, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers who start out or operate without established credit.”

The changes in eligibility announced today will increase access for farmers and ranchers to FSA loans and credit assistance. The new rule enables landowners to sell their farmland to the next generation on a contract for deed with a 90-percent guarantee against losses to the seller. Alternatively, the agency can provide a guarantee of three years’ amortized loan installments, plus payment of real estate taxes and hazard insurance premiums for the same three-year period.

U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing its most productive period in decades thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of America’s producers. The improvements outlined today will help producers and businesses maintain this competitive edge. In late 2011, FSA announced a series of additional process improvements that included quicker disaster assistance and less reporting dates. Details follow:

USDA is reviewing comments on a proposed rule to streamline the process for its Secretarial Disaster Designation, allowing farmers and ranchers devastated by natural disasters to obtain emergency loans and other assistance faster than before. Streamlining the process from six steps to two will enable USDA to help those in need in an expedited manner. Additionally, the proposed rule can help to ensure all eligible disaster counties receive a designation.

USDA established 15 common Acreage Reporting Dates (ARDs) for farmers and ranchers participating in FSA and Risk Management Agency (RMA) programs. The common reporting dates will reduce the reporting burden on producers and also help to reduce USDA operating costs by sharing similar data across participating agencies. Before the streamlining, RMA had 54 ARDs for 122 crops, and FSA had 17 ARDs for 273 crops.

More information on the new Land Contract Guarantee Program and the other changes are available at local FSA offices nationwide. Information about Farm Loan Programs and FSA loan qualifications can be found at www.fsa.usda.gov.

The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its best years in decades thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers. Today, net farm income is at record levels while debt has been cut in half since the 1980s. Overall, American agriculture supports 1 in 12 jobs in the United States and provides American consumers with 86 percent of the food we consume, while maintaining affordability and choice. The Obama Administration has aggressively worked to expand export opportunities and reduce barriers to trade, helping to push agricultural exports to record levels in 2011 and beyond. Strong agricultural exports are a positive contribution to the U.S. trade balance, support nearly 1 million American jobs and boost economic growth.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

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USDA Reminds Producers of Sign-up Dates for 2012 Direct and Counter Cyclical Program and Average Crop Revenue Election Program

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2012 — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Bruce Nelson today announced that enrollment for the 2012 Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP) and the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE) will begin on Jan. 23, 2012. The last day for producers to sign up for either program will be June 1, 2012.

USDA urges producers to make use of the electronic DCP (eDCP) automated website to sign up, or producers can visit any USDA Service Center to complete their 2012 DCP or ACRE contract. eDCP saves time, reduces paperwork and speeds up contract processing at USDA Service Centers. It is available to all producers who are eligible to participate in the DCP and ACRE programs and can be accessed at www.fsa.usda.gov/dcp. To access the service, producers must have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account, which requires filling out an online registration form at www.eauth.egov.usda.gov followed by a visit to the local USDA Service Center for identity verification.

USDA computes DCP program payments using base acres and payment yields established for each farm. Eligible producers receive direct payments at rates established by statute regardless of market prices.

For 2012, advance direct payments are not authorized in accordance to the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Counter-cyclical payment rates vary depending on market prices.

Counter-cyclical payments are issued only when the effective price for a commodity is below its target price. The effective price is the higher of the national average market price received during the 12-month marketing year for each covered commodity and the national average loan rate for a marketing assistance loan for the covered commodity.

The ACRE Program provides a safety net based on state revenue losses. When the ACRE option is chosen, it acts in place of the price-based safety net of counter-cyclical payments under DCP. USDA provides the farm a revenue guarantee. The guarantee starts with multiplying an average yield calculated using a five-year state average times the most recent two-year national price average for each eligible commodity. For the 2012 crop year, the two-year price average will be based on the 2010 and 2011 crop years. When all criteria are considered in calculating the target and the annual revenue is lower than the revenue guarantee, the farm is eligible for support under ACRE, assuming all other qualifications are met.

Since 2009, producers have had the option to participate in either DCP or ACRE. A producer who initially chose to enroll in DCP has the option to switch to ACRE during the 2012 enrollment period; however, producers who chose to enroll in ACRE cannot switch back to DCP.

An ACRE payment is issued when both the state and the farm have incurred a revenue loss. The 2012 crop year ACRE payment is based on 85 percent of the farm's planted acres times the difference between the state ACRE guarantee and the state revenue times the ratio of the farm's yield divided by the state expected yield. The total number of planted acres for which a producer may receive ACRE payments may not exceed the total base on the farm.

In exchange for participating in ACRE, in addition to not receiving counter-cyclical payments, a farm's direct payment is reduced by 20 percent, and marketing assistance loan rates are reduced by 30 percent.

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Food safety and nutrition announcements, and newly posted documents on the FDA/Foods website.
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World rice prices were steady to higher today.  Chicago rough rice futures bounced from oversold levels, Viet rice exporters raised their quotes by about $5 to $10 per ton, U.S. South American, and other Asian quotes were mostly unchanged today.  Today was the first time this week U.S. ...
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The U.S. cash market was muted today as buyer and seller price ideas remain roughly $0.25-$0.50 per cwt (about $6-$11 per ton) apart as offers from re-sellers increased in tandem with the futures market which rallied on over sold sentiments. Cash offers from farmers remained unchanged at levels about $20 ...
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Ngày 2 tháng 2 năm 2012 Giá gạo châu Ấ hầu như không đổi - Asian Rice Sellers Keep Their Quotes Mostly Unchanged Gạo 5% tấm: Thái Lan: 515 – 525 USD một tấn, cao hơn Việt nam khoảng 80 USD một tấn. Việt Nam: 435 ...
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Oryza spoke to FX specialists to get an idea of where the rice currencies are heading:U.S. dollar was little changed today after data showed more job growth. U.S. index ended the day around 78.966. Thai baht moved little today, closing very similar to yesterday’s 30.88 at 30.85 today. ...
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Chicago rough rice futures for March delivery traded up 23.5 cents per cwt (about $5 per ton) to $13.875 per cwt (about $306 per ton), supported by some strength in grains and positive macroeconomic conditions. Higher oil prices provided support to commodity prices as did a slightly weaker U.S. dollar. ...
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Rice production in Vietnam faces a challenge as Japanese sweet potato farming is encroaching the lands traditionally used for rice cultivation in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam.Mekong Delta is known as the rice granary of Vietnam, contributing over 90% of the country’s rice exports. However, a vast number of rice ...
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The prices of export quality rice in Vietnam continue to fall after the Lunar New Year, contrary to what rice traders had hoped. Rice sales had dipped before the Lunar New Year putting downward pressure on the prices. Traders had hoped that the situation would improve after the Lunar ...
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India’s food grains and pulses production is expected to rise by 5.65 million tons to 250.42 million tons of during 2011-12 compared to 244.77 million tons 2010-11 thanks to higher rice and wheat production forecasts. Total rice production is estimated to reach all time high at 102.75 million ...
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The head of Mekong River Delta Development Research Institute (MDDRI) has urged the Vietnamese government to lay down mechanisms for the development of the region.The Mekong River Delta is Vietnam’s most important region in terms of rice production. Though it accounts for just 12% of the country’s total area, the ...
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Viet rice sellers raise their quotes by about $5 to $10 per ton for white rice. Thai, Indian, and Pak rice sellers kept their quotes unchanged.Thai 5% rice is quoted about $515 - $525 per ton, about a $75 per ton premium over Viet 5% rice shown around $440 - ...
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