Nancy Reyes Lumen, Editor in Chief of Cook Magazine in her blog claimed that last week’s church sermons peppered the new government’s policy by making a clarion call – “No to Casinos, no to resorts, no to motels, no to Shabu (meth/illegal drugs).” While the Philippines Inquirer reported that “The lure of easy money is being promoted by some very powerful men”.

It is feared that these gambling centres may become focal point of other “shadow” industries common to casino culture. The blog added that illegal recruiters were on the prowl to lure hapless poor girls (and boys), offering jobs as maids or entertainers, eventually landing them in flesh trade.

Cristino Naguiat, chairman of the PAGCOR informed AFP on Tuesday “We are way behind Macau and Singapore in terms of the casino industry… (but) we would like to be positioned right at the top.” He also revealed that “Like other Asian gambling industries, the Philippines wants to tap into the vast mainland Chinese market.”

The new government of President Benigno Aquino, which took office on June 30, has suspended issuing fresh licenses to casinos giving free hand to existing operators in the country to monopolistically control the gambling industry. There are four licensees, and each is required to spend at least one billion dollars in developing the ambitious Entertainment City.

The four licenses to build the Entertainment City on reclaimed land along Manila Bay were awarded in 2008 under the former President Gloria Arroyo. The moment the government announced its decision to exploit revenue generation through gambling, the shares of the licensees hit new highs in the stock market.

Toboc Trade News

Consequently, several Latin American and Asian countries will be importing more rice to offset the resulting shortage. The South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia and Panama and the Asian countries like India and the Philippines are understood to have increased their import quotas as El Nino effect is likely to last till June.

The US Rice Producers Association President Dwight Roberts told Bloomberg that Brazil may start buying this month, a total of 1mn metric tons throughout the year, direct fallout of El Nino. In another statement, the Agriculture Undersecretary of the Philippines Bernardo Fondevilla said his country, the world’s biggest rice buyer could lose more than 0.8mn tons of paddy rice, from a severe dry spell caused by El Nino triggering renewed rice imports.

Brazil would be importing from Vietnam, the largest rice exporter behind Thailand after the latter fulfills its November and December tenders from the Philippines. As per the Philippines National Food Authority figures, the delivery of four tender amounting to 2.25mn tons mostly from Vietnam would start from January to June.

The Filipino government has set aside about $37mn to mitigate the impact of El Nino on crop and fishery production this year. The phenomenon is expected to devastate 453,204 hectares of rice, 227,843 hectares of corn fields and 14,160 hectares of the fishery industry in the Philippines alone.

Robert on a rice update to Bloomberg informed that Iraq, the fifth largest rice importer, might buy at least 120,000 tons by next week. El Nino effect is likely to peak this month causing speculative buying in the global rice market.

Robert told that the apparent decline in Mercosur production and increased demand in the South American and other Central American countries, supplies will be tight and some markets could pay considerably higher prices for imported rice. The data on rice stockpiles and production trickling in from almost all regions across the globe indicate world rice market is in for severe price rice which in a worst case scenario could even reach the all time high of 2008.

Toboc Trade News

The Trade and Industry Senior Undersecretary Thomas Aquino led the team to Australia, and were able to gain a first hand knowledge on the best practices of Australia’s halal meat processing system. Aquino observed that the visit gave in depth knowledge about how proper halal procedures on the slaughter of cattle, sheep, goats and chicken were conducted.

The term ‘halal’ means goods or actions that are ‘permissible’ as per Islamic laws. The halal standards are complementary with other food standards, such as the Good Manufacturing Practice and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

However, the team was of the opinion that all features of the Australian system could not be adopted as the Australian government’s regulation was centered on halal meat exports to gain access to overseas markets. It has been recommended that an export certificate for halal products by introducing a modified veterinary quarantine certificate of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) would strengthen the acceptability of halal certification issued by Philippine Islamic organizations.

The Philippine delegation had sought technical assistance from the Australian counterparts in acquiring the knowledge on halal certification process. The Philippines is expecting to start the certification program through the training of Filipino Muslim butchers and the workforce involved in the meat industry.

The global halal market has about 1.6bn consumers from 112 countries, and is valued at around $150bn. Indonesia with 212mn is the largest consumer of halal products among Muslim nations followed by Pakistan with 158mn, Bangladesh with 127mn, Egypt with 69mn, Iran with 67mn, Turkey with 66mn and Nigeria with 64mn. The non-Muslim countries with sizable Muslim consumers include India with 174mn, China with 38mn, Russia with 11mn, the US with 7mn, the Philippines with 5mn and Thailand with 4.5mn.

Toboc Trade News