Bình Phước: Mất mùa điều nhưng nông dân vẫn thắng lớn

(TN&MT) - Ngày 23/2, Hội Nông dân tỉnh Bình Phước cho biết, do bất lợi về thời tiết nên vụ thu hoạch điều năm nay, bà con nông dân trên địa bàn tỉnh thất thu.

Theo đó, mùa khô 2015 – 2016 đến sớm, trời lại không mưa nên nhiều diện tích điều ở tỉnh Bình Phước thiếu nước tưới. Do vậy, điều ra chồi non và hoa trễ khoảng nửa tháng so với những năm trước; lại bị ảnh hưởng thời tiết bất lợi nên chồi non và hoa ra ít cũng như không đều. Cùng với đó, gió mùa lại mạnh lên bất ngờ, trùng với thời điểm cây điều trổ hoa và trái non, nên khiến hoa và trái điều non bị rụng khá nhiều, ước tính rụng đến 50%...

Tuy vậy, giá điều tại thời điểm cuối tháng 2 rất có lợi cho bà con nông dân, với mức 34.000 đồng – 36.000 đồng/kg, cao hơn nhiều so với mức gần 25.000 đồng/kg hồi cùng kỳ năm trước. Với mức giá vừa nêu, trừ đi chi phí, trong vụ thu hoạch 2016, mỗi ha điều cho người nông dân lãi gần 70 triệu đồng.

Được biết, từ trước đến nay, tỉnh Bình Phước là “thủ phủ” điều của cả nước, với diện tích xấp xỉ 135.000ha; thời điểm đầu tháng 3 là vào chính vụ thu hoạch niên vụ điều 2016.

                                                                             Tin & ảnh: Thục Vy

Cote d'Ivoire hợp tác với Bình Phước phát triển ngành điều

Ngày 22/2, tại thị xã Đồng Xoài (tỉnh Bình Phước), Phó Chủ tịch Ủy ban Nhân dân tỉnh Bình Phước Trần Ngọc Trai đã làm việc với Đoàn công tác Hội đồng Bông-Điều Cote d'Ivoire và thiết lập mối quan hệ hợp tác về ngành điều, trng đó có về giống cây, kỹ thuật canh tác, mua bán điều, nhập khẩu điều thô từ Cote d'Ivoire sang tỉnh Bình Phước. 

Trao đổi tại buổi làm việc, Hội đồng Bông-Điều Cote d'Ivoire mong tỉnh Bình Phước nói riêng và Việt Nam nói chung tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho ngành điều Cote d'Ivoire tạo mối quan hệ hợp tác lâu dài để học hỏi, nâng cao năng suất sản lượng hạt điều. 

Ông Ouatara Bassifou, Trưởng ban giám sát Hội đồng Bông-Điều Cote d'Ivoire, cho biết dù sản lượng điều thô của Cote d'Ivoire rất lớn, khoảng 700.000 tấn/năm, nhưng ngược lại năng suất trung bình lại thấp từ 400-700 kg/ha/năm. Vì vậy, với năng suất trung bình điều tại Bình Phước rất cao hiện nay, phía Cote d'Ivoire rất mong muốn được hợp tác để cải thiện cây giống, hỗ trợ nâng cao kỹ thuật canh tác, năng suất chế biến hạt điều phục vụ thêm cho thị trường trong nước ngoài xuất khẩu thô. 

Phó Chủ tịch Ủy ban Nhân dân tỉnh Bình Phước Trần Ngọc Trai bày tỏ, thực tế năng suất cây điều tăng lên phụ thuộc vào nhiều yếu tố như thời tiết, thổ nhưỡng, giống... nên hai bên cần phải đi thực tế mới giải quyết được vấn đề.

Về vấn đề địa phương hỗ trợ cho một quốc gia, tỉnh sẽ có báo cáo với Bộ Nông nghiệp và Phát triển Nông thôn xin ý kiến Chính phủ để có chỉ đạo cụ thể. Tuy nhiên, công suất các nhà máy chế biến trên địa bàn tỉnh có nhu cầu chế biến điều thô cao so với điều kiện hiện nay. Tỉnh sẽ giao cho Hiệp hội điều Bình Phước xây dựng đề án cụ thể, báo cáo với Ủy ban Nhân dân tỉnh và sẽ cam kết hỗ trợ tối đa các doanh nghiệp trực thuộc Hiệp hội điều Bình Phước có điều kiến phát triển quan hệ quốc tế. 

Phó Chủ tịch Ủy ban Nhân dân tỉnh cũng đề nghị Hiệp hội Bông-Điều của Cote d'Ivoire sẽ có những buổi làm việc trực tiếp với hiệp hội, doanh nghiệp điều tỉnh Bình Phước và tạo điều kiện thuận lợi nhất để doanh nghiệp trực tiếp nhập khẩu hạt điều Cote d'Ivoire mà không qua khâu trung gian và mong muốn hợp tác giữa hai bên ngày càng thuận lợi và thành công.

Tỉnh Bình Phước hiện có hơn 134.000ha trồng cây điều, với năng suất bình quân 1,4 tấn/ha. Tính từ năm 2007 đến nay, diện tích điều giảm từ 170.000ha còn hơn 134.000ha, với sản lượng trung bình từ 156.000 tấn đến 190.000 tấn/năm. 

Đến thời điểm này, trên địa bàn tỉnh Bình Phước vẫn chưa có giống đạt “chuẩn” nên nông dân vẫn đang sử dụng hàng trăm loại giống khác nhau, dẫn đến năng suất vẫn chưa đạt so với điều kiện khí hậu, thổ nhưỡng thuận lợi trên địa bàn. Sản lượng điều của Bình Phước đạt 190.000 tấn/năm; trong chế biến tỉnh tự cân đối 80% và 20% nhập khẩu./.

K GỬIH

Nguồn: Vietnam+/ TTXVN

Cote d'Ivoire to cooperate with cashew development in Binh Phuoc

22/2 days at Dong Xoai Town (Binh Phuoc province), Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee of Binh Phuoc Tran Ngoc Trai has worked with the Mission Council Bong-Article Cote d'Ivoire and establish cooperation in this sector, the same school that tree cultivation, sale conditions, crude imports from Cote d'Ivoire to Binh Phuoc province.

Exchanged at the meeting, Bong-article Councils Cote d'Ivoire forward Binh Phuoc province in particular and Vietnam in general to create favorable conditions for the industry that Cote d'Ivoire create relationships long-term cooperation in order to learn , improving productivity cashew production.

He Ouatara Bassifou, supervisory council head Bong-Article Cote d'Ivoire, said that although the production of crude of Cote d'Ivoire is very large, about 700,000 Ims / year, whereas the average yield was lower from 400 -700 kg / ha / year. So, with the average yield is very high in Binh Phuoc thing today, the Cote d'Ivoire are looking forward to working to improve seedling, supporting advanced farming techniques, cashew processing capacity for added services in foreign markets crude exports.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee of Binh Phuoc Tran Ngoc Trai expressed, the fact that increased crop yields depend on many factors such as weather, soil, seed ... so the two sides need to take the new reality solve the problem.

On the issue of local support for a country, the province will have to report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Government to consult with specific direction. However, the capacity of the processing plants in the province have crude processing needs higher than current conditions. Provincial Association will assign the construction Binh Phuoc that specific proposals and report to the provincial People's Committee and will support a maximum commitment of businesses affiliated with the Association of Binh Phuoc that it is developing international relations fall.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee also recommended Bong-The Association of Cote d'Ivoire will have a direct meeting with the associations, businesses that Binh Phuoc and create the most favorable conditions for businesses online to import cashews Cote d'Ivoire without going through intermediaries and desired cooperation between the two sides increasingly favorable and successful.

Binh Phuoc province has more than 134.000ha planting cashew trees, with the average yield of 1.4 Ims / ha. From 2007 to the present, it fell from 170.000ha area than 134.000ha, with output of 156,000 Ims to an average of 190,000 Ims / year.

To this point, the province of Binh Phuoc has not yet reached the same "standard", farmers are still using hundreds of different varieties, resulting in productivity has not been reached as compared to the climatic conditions and soil upon interests in the province. Binh Phuoc's cashew production reached 190,000 tons / year; in order to balance the provincial processing 80% and 20% of imports. /.

Source: Vietnam + / VNA

10% growth of almond cashew imports in Europe and the United States in 2015

Almond cashew imports from Europe and the United States increased by 10% each in 2015 compared to 2014, observed N'Kalô. In both markets, Vietnam strengthens its leading supplier position, representing 67 and 70% of imports. This is followed by India (between 18 and 22%) and Brazil (between 3.5 and 4%).

Africa accounts for only 5.4% of US imports in 2015, down from 2014 (6.2%) and 5.7% of those in the European Union, a slight increase from 2014 ( 5.7%).

In the US market, the first African exporters are by far the Ivory Coast (3433 tons in 2015) with a volume almost stable compared to 2014 and Mozambique (2369 tons) increase (34%). In terms of progress, Togo takes the cake with a rise of 96% in volumes, followed by Kenya (+ 39%) while Burkina Faso is a laggard with a fucking 98%, preceded by Ghana (-43%). Overall, exports from West Africa are down nearly 15% to 5,188 tons while that of Eastern Africa grew by 22%.

On the EU market, the main African suppliers are Tanzania (2017 tons) rose sharply (+ 69%) and Côte d'Ivoire (3887 tons), quasi-stable. The Benin (+ 165%), Madagascar (+ 107%) and Guinea (+ 97%) are the countries that have most developed their volume while Ghana (-54%) and Mozambique (29%) have the largest declines. Regionally, West African exports increased slightly (+ 6.2%) to 3868 tons and Eastern Africa increased significantly (+ 34%) to 2 620 tons in 2015.

Almond cashew imports in 2014 and 2015 (in tons)

	United States		European Union
	Import in 2014	Import in 2015	Import in 2014	Import in 2015
Benin	614	552	116	306
Burkina Faso	533	9	737	764
Ivory Coast	3322	3433	1931	1981
Ghana	1145	653	485	222
Guinea	89		33	65
Nigeria	207	220	244	435
Togo	164	321	96	95
West Africa Total	6074	5188	3642	3868
Kenya	172	238
Madagascar			48	98
Mozambique	1770	2369	720	514
Tanzania	618	523	1193	2017
Total East Africa	2560	3130	1961	2629
TOTAL	138115	152587	103170	113790

Source: Source : N'Kalô(http://www.commodafrica.com/22-02-2016-croissance-de-10-des-importations-damande-de-cajou-en-europe-et-aux-etats-unis-en-2015)

Cashew plantations in district hit by rain shortage, farmers fear price dip

Cashew, which is grown as a mixed crop across 1.2 lakh acres of land in the district including the Agency belt, has been one of the mainstays of the farmers in the region. However, this year, cashew is likely to disappoint the farming community due to various reasons and ryots are already speculating that even if there is a price hike per bag this time, the loss of crop acerage will still put them in the red.

Last year, each bag was sold for Rs 8,000. P Srinivasa Rao, a senior retired field scientist who still assists the district administration, said, "Late blooming is an issue that bothers farmers a lot. Whenever there is an extended cold season with heavy dew, the trees bloom later than usual. Usually, cashew should be in full bloom by the month of February. This time, it has not happened chiefly because of an extended cold season. We are expecting the trees to bloom properly after the first week of March and, hopefully, they will flower to their potential."

But farmers are worried that even if the trees bloom properly, if the market is already flooded with cashew from elsewhere, the prices will fall instead of going up. C Kami Naidu, a farmer from Ramannapalem village in Makkavaripalem mandal, said, "Just because the trees bloom late does not mean that the farmers and those who take the crop on lease will make a killing. It all depends on how the markets function. Once the market is flooded with cashew from down south, the prices will fall and we may not be able to make the money we think we can. For that matter, prices could even crash."

Keeping a close watch on the situation, the horticulture department officials have advised the farmers to wait and watch and hoping that there will be no crop loss as far as cashew is concerned.

"Late blooming is an issue that bothers farmers a lot. Whenever there is an extended cold season with heavy dew, the trees bloom later than usual. Usually, cashew should be in full bloom by the month of February. This time, it has not happened chiefly because of an extended cold season. We are expecting the trees to bloom properly after the first week of March and, hopefully, they will flower to their potential," said P Srinivasa Rao, Senior retired field scientist.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Banned Iran Pistachios To Come Back US Pistachio Growers Worry After Iran Sanctions Lifted

Iran pistachios were banned until recently, when levied on the country were lifted. Considered the best pistachios, they are essentially the pride of Iran. Historically known for its pistachios, brittle, and candy, they’re one of Iran’s main non-oil exports.

They are sold in huge quantities to countries like China. Even in the U.S., a large amount of the pistachios sold came from Iran. However, that changed 30 years ago.

An embargo was put in place on the Iranian nut in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-81. The American pistachio industry started booming after that. Jim Zion, with Meridian Growers in Clovis, California, told the NPR that this opened the door for the U.S. pistachio market to flourish.

He said, “An average consumer, they would see an American pistachio and an Iranian pistachio, and they’re going to say, yeah, there’s something different. Ours tend to be round; theirs tend to be a little more long. Almost in every other market around the world, we compete with them on a day-to-day basis.”

In early January, the sanctions against Iran, including those on pistachios, were lifted because of Iran’s reduced nuclear program, raising fears for the American pistachio industry. Worried farmers call Zion, “We’ve had a lot of growers calling, asking. And I said, ‘It’s the way the world is.'”

He thinks that farmers shouldn’t be overly worried. In spite of domestic competition, there are plenty of other countries eager to buy the American nut.

He said, “I’m not that concerned, to be honest. It doesn’t matter whether I sell this product to someone in Chicago or someone in Singapore. It’s all the same for me.”

Also, the U.S. pistachio industry successfully lobbied for a 300 percent tariff on Iranian pistachios in 1986. Thirty years later, consumers will have to pay three times as much for Iranian pistachios when sold here as they do for U.S.-grown ones. The tariff is in place to make it a level playing field, as the Iranian government subsidizes the country’s pistachio industry. Zion stated, “It was making it a very unfair competition. All people want, especially growers, is just a fair and level playing field. We fully expect [Iranian growers] to go ahead and challenge that at some point.”

Brian Blackwell, who manages more than 10,000 acres of nuts in Tulare County, California, believes if the subsidized Iranian pistachios were allowed into the U.S., it would hurt the growers whose farms he manages. He explained, “If they’re bringing in product for less than what we can grow it for, and we have to compete in the marketplace, at least here in the United States, then that means product is going to be sold at a lower price. And therefore the processors and marketers are going to give growers a lower price.”

Blackwell realizes that the tariff may not be in place forever, and when lifted, it could become harder to sell his crop. Even so, he says he’s not sure the industry would be hurt all that bad.

He said, “This is a global market nowadays. So if Iran brought a million pounds of pistachios into the United States, that just means there’s a million pounds out there somewhere that didn’t get sold in China or Europe”

What this means is that U.S. growers could sell those million pounds of pistachios to these places instead. One main challenge that both pistachio rivals face is the changing weather affecting productivity and water availability, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian farmers may try to prove they’re not subsidized by their government in a meeting with the U.S. International Trade Commission this summer, according to Richard Matoian with the American Pistachio Growers. As a result, Iranian pistachios could hit the American market sooner than expected.

Source: http://www.inquisitr.com/2814403/banned-iran-pistachios-to-come-back-us-pistachio-growers-worry-after-iran-sanctions-lifted/

AU: Select Harvest investors jump ship

In spite of good almond sales, some big investors in almond producer and processor Select Harvests are jumping ship, as the company’s share price tumbles.

Documents lodged with the Australian Securities Exchange in the past week show investors such as HSBC Custody Nominees, National Australia Bank and National Australian Custodian Services, have been selling Select Harvests shares since the start of this month at about $5 after accumulating stock in early December last year at more than $8 a share.

Select Harvests’ share price rocketed from about $5 in June 2014, to more than $13 in June last year. But in the past seven months, the share price has plummeted back to $5.

Select Harvests managing director Paul Thompson would not comment on the company’s share price but said the business had performed well during the past year.

Mr Thompson said Select Harvests had forecast a 13,000-tonne crop last harvest at sales of about $10/kg but ended up selling a larger crop of 14,000-tonnes at more than $11/kg.

In a market update last month, Select Harvests told the ASX the company expected to deliver a half-yearly profit result this year in excess of that of the previous corresponding period.

Mr Thompson said, although almond prices had fallen 10-15 per cent recently, they were still well above the long-term average.

He said this year’s harvest was about to begin and the outlook was favourable.

PAC Partners director Paul Jensz said Select Harvests would produce a strong result when its half-yearly 2016 figures were released next week but the stockmarket was reacting to events in the US market. California, the mainstay of US almond production, was emerging from a long drought, which had driven almond prices to high levels.

Mr Jensz said almonds prices had peaked at about $14/kg last year but were now priced at about $10/kg. He said, during the global financial crisis, almond prices were about $6 a kg. “The market is assuming it will go down to those lows,” he said.

Mr Jensz said the market had assumed the US would return to full production one year out from the end of a drought, which isn't possible and he added,  “It is very unlikely the US crop will bounce back quickly.”

Source: weeklytimesnow.com.au