EU Imports 65280 Tons of Rice from LDCs in First Three Months of 2014-15, Up ...

The European Union's (EU) rice imports including milled and semi-milled, from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) of Asia such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar under the Everything But Arms (EBA) Agreement have increased about 5% to around 65,280 from around 62,253 tons imported during the same period last year, according to data from the Ente Nazionale Risi, the National Agency for Rice.

Under the EBA clause, the EU imports rice from the LDCs at zero-percent duty. It was basically aimed to raise incomes and living standards of farmers in the LDCs. Rice imports (milled equivalent) from EBA countries mostly Cambodia and Myanmar) increased about forty times to around 402,000 tons in MY 2013-14 from just 10,000 tons in MY 2008-09, according to the new Chairman of Copa-Cogeca.

Italy, the main rice producer, has been expressing its concern that the competitiveness of Italian rice has been declining significantly due to an increase in imports from EBA countries. The Italian government and the Ente Nazionale Risi (National Agency for Rice) have been urging the EU to adopt a safeguard clause to curtail imports from EBA countries. They also submitted their intention to the EU. Recently, the new Chairman of Copa-Cogeca (The united voice of farmers and their co-operatives in the European Union) Rice Working Party has also stressed the need for the adoption of a safeguard clause.

The Italian Minister of Agriculture and the National Agency for Rice have jointly prepared a new dossier highlighting the negative aspects of increasing rice imports from the EBA countries. The Italian Agriculture Undersecretary noted that zero-duty imports from the EBA countries had started in 2001 as a unilateral plan of the EU to support EBA countries, but it cannot be continued considering the disadvantages to local rice sector.

Meanwhile, the President of Myanmar visited the Paddy Seed Research Center (PSRC) of the Italian National Agency for Rice on October 17 and took a glance at different types of rice produced in Italy as well as latest technologies used. The Italian rice sector was reportedly surprised with the development in the light of it trying to curb imports from EBA countries, including Myanmar.   

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/eu-imports-65280-tons-of-rice-from-ldcs-in-first-three-months-of-2014-15-up/