
Prices of Japan-grown no-wash rice have risen 20% in a year in certain cases.
The U.S. produces about 30% more rice than Japan.
Prices of Japan-grown no-wash rice have risen 20% in a year in certain cases.
China will import American rice for the first time after a new trade deal was agreed to Thursday.
"The agreement with China has been in the works for more than a decade and I'm pleased to see it finally come to fruition, especially knowing how greatly it will benefit our growers and industry," said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a statement.
China produces 20 times more rice than the U.S., but it's also the world's biggest consumer. Recently it has been buying more rice abroad, spending way over $1 billion in some years, to feed its population. Last year, China imported about 5 million tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The U.S. alone couldn't satisfy that demand. America exports between 3 million and 4 million tons a year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. China was once largely able to feed itself, especially with rice. But it's been relying more on imports in recent years, said Rob Bailey, an expert in food security at Chatham House, a policy institute in London. Rising food imports partly reflect challenges in Chinese agriculture. The rural population is aging, crop yields are low and there are high levels of soil depletion. Pollution and climate change also threaten production. Bailey said China was being smart in finding new sources of rice because temporary export bans from other Asian countries have caused problems in the past. "China's probably thinking, 'If we are going to import rice, let's not be too reliant on the Asian market'," he said. Related: China is crushing the U.S. in renewable energy The USDA said exports to China can begin once Chinese officials have completed an audit of U.S. rice facilities. China's Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The breakthrough comes two months after the U.S. Commerce Department announced a dealthat will allow U.S. beef and natural gas exports to flow into China. And it comes in the week that top Chinese and U.S. officials met to talk about trade. Nevertheless, the relationship remains strained. President Trump has called out Beijing for what he considers to be unfair trading practices, and he wants to reduce America's huge trade deficitwith China. This sentiment was echoed by U.S. officials after the Wednesday meetings, with a statement saying there was a "shared objective to reduce the trade deficit" with China. A Chinese statement that came out later mentioned the deficit, but focused on many more issues that the two sides should cooperate on over the coming year. Meanwhile, the issue of steel trade continues to be a delicate matter. Trump's administration may soon slap tariffs on Chinese shipments of steel to the U.S. -- Nanlin Fang and Donna Borak contributed to this report.![]() |
South Korean Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Kim Yung-rok. (Yonhap) |
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This resolution follows on the heels of a June 1resolution which removed the phytosanitary pest Tilletia horrida from Colombia’s official pest list. ICA conducted a study that found that tilletia horrida is already present in various locations in Colombia. The study, which collected 54 samples from farms and mills, found tilletia horrida in 92 percent of the collected samples.
On June 6, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) published “Official Resolution No. 6705 of 2017” which removed a previous resolution that restricted imported U.S. paddy rice to the port of Barranquilla. The previous resolution also implemented phytosanitary measures for the transportation of U.S. paddy rice and for the management of residues (such as husks) after being milled in Colombia. These mitigation procedures and restrictions to one port in Colombia are now null and void. This resolution follows on the heels of a June 1resolution which removed the phytosanitary pest Tilletia horrida from Colombia’s official pest list. ICA conducted a study that found that tilletia horrida is already present in various locations in Colombia. The study, which collected 54 samples from farms and mills, found tilletia horrida in 92 percent of the collected samples. “This is excellent and long-awaited news,” USA Rice Chairman Brian King said. “By removing the restrictions on U.S. paddy rice and allowing it to enter any maritime port, U.S. rice will be more competitive in the Colombian market.” In June of last year, USA Rice led a trade mission of 10 people to Colombia to meet with ICA and stress the importance of concluding the study in a timely manner and improving access for U.S. rice. Within three months of the visit, ICA agreed to reduce the mandatory minimum grain moisture content of U.S. rough rice, one of the required mitigation procedures. “USA Rice has been working with APHIS and FAS since 2012 to remove these restrictions on U.S. paddy,” USA Rice President and CEO Betsy Ward said. “We are thrilled to see that everyone’s hard work has finally paid off.” Last year, the U.S. exported 140,000 MT of rice valued at $58 million and more than 40 percent was paddy rice. Colombia, our 51st largest market prior to the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, has become one of the top fifteen U.S. export markets for the past four years.![]() |
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