THAILAND, April 8, 2004 -- MY 2003 rice exports are revised upward to 8.5 million metric tons, up considerably from the record 7.6 million ton of the previous year. Export demand is reportedly strong as Thailand is now a reliable source of supply, as compared to the relatively cheaper rice from Vietnam and India.

JAPAN, April 8, 2004 -- On March 19, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) conducted its final Ordinary Minimum Access (OMA) rice tender for Japanese Fiscal Year 2003 (April 2003 - March 2004). With this tender, the Government of Japan (GOJ) completed all minimum access tenders for JFY 2003. Overall, the U.S. rice import market share was 47.1%, the same level as the previous years.

VIETNAM, April 8, 2004 -- Prices continued up at the start of the week (March 29) and stayed high ($242/mt). March exports will total about 600,000 mt (excluding border trade with China).

RUSSIAN FEDERATION, April 8, 2004 -- Expanding disposable income and a preference for "ecologically clean" food products is expected to support the growth of both domestic production and imports into Russia of organic products. Although the current value of trade is small, importers and leading supermarkets recognize the market's potential, and are beginning to position themselves to take an active role.

INDIA, April 8, 2004 -- 2003/04 rice production has been revised slightly down to 88 million tons. A significant draw down in government rice stocks and the continuing appreciation of the Indian rupee against the dollar do not augur well for large exports, despite prevailing high world prices.

INDIA, April 8, 2004 -- *New food norms in the offing*, *"Third World Club" must to get heard at WTO*, *Seafood industry urges the government to fight US anti-dumping duty*, *Inquest derails Metro claim on cash 'n' carry*, *Metro arm to ramp up food product outsourcing*, *Food retailing sector growth slow*, *Pepsi to bring Gatorade to India*.

CZECH REPUBLIC, April 8, 2004 -- In MY 2003/04, total oilseed area increased by 2.8% to 421,300 hectares, but the composition of plantings changed dramatically. Due to bad weather (frosts and drought), winter rapeseed plantings dropped and were replaced with spring sunflower, mustard and soybean plantings. Due to lower yields, total production decreased by 27% to 600,000 MT. Rapeseed production met domestic demand but exports disappeared. For MY 2004/05, oilseed plantings should return to normal with rapeseed production at 630,000 MT, sunflower at 60,000 MT, poppy seed at 15,000 MT, mustard at 40,000 MT and soybeans at 7,000 MT.

INDIA, April 8, 2004 -- On March 29, 2004, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, issued a Gazette notification, Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) (Second Amendment) Order, 2004. The new order amends the effective date of implementation of the provisions of Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 pertaining to packaging material from April 1, 2004, to June 1, 2004.

CANADA, April 8, 2004 -- * CROP OUTLOOK POINTS TO LESS WHEAT, MORE OILSEEDS, CORN AND SOYBEANS * CANADIAN CATTLEMEN ELECT NEW PRESIDENT * UPDATE ON AVIAN INFLUENZA IN BRITISH COLUMBIA * COMPETITION BUREAU CLEARS MAPLE LEAF FOODS ACQUISITION OF SMITHFIELD CANADA AND ITS SUBSIDIARY, SCHNEIDER CORPORATION.

THAILAND, April 8, 2004 -- Export prices eased slightly, but remained high due to global tight supply situation.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION, April 8, 2004 -- Post forecasts total grain production in 2004 at 73.2 million metric tons (mmt), a six mmt increase from last year's winter-kill affected crop of 67 mmt. This increase is due to the better condition of winter grains at the beginning of April and an expected larger area sown to spring grains. Carry-over stocks will be quite low, meaning consumption and exports will be fairly stable. Total exports will be 6.1 mmt, composed mainly of 3.5 mmt of wheat and 2.3 mmt of barley.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, April 8, 2004 -- U.S. food and agricultural exports to the GCC-5 countries mentioned above increased 8 percent in 2003 to a record $446 million, FOB basis. The UAE is by far the largest of these markets accounting for 60 percent of the import market, followed by Kuwait with a 30 percent market share. Consumer ready products account for about 60 percent of U.S. food and agricultural product exports to these countries, where the import duty is a flat 5 percent on practically all processed foods and zero on fresh produce. U.S. food exports to Kuwait increased dramatically in 2003 to cater to the needs of the U.S. forces in Kuwait and neighboring Iraq, and due to re-exports to Iraq.

EUROPEAN UNION, April 8, 2004 -- In 2003 overall EU poultry meat production decreased. The decrease was mainly caused by the summer heat wave and the outbreak of the Avian Influenza in the Netherlands. The current outbreak of Avian Influenza in South East Asia makes the 2004 forecast difficult, however a large share of the imported chicken meat from Thailand is cooked poultry product, which is not expected to be severely effected by the EU embargo.

SENEGAL, April 8, 2004 -- Post forecasts peanut production to increase in 2004/2005 due to the reorganization of marketing practices. Production in 2003/2004 is estimated at 441 TMT with SONACOS (the parastatal oilseed processing company) expected to process about 200 TMT. The government of Senegal is in the process of privatizing SONACOS. Three companies have been selected for the final round in the privatization process. The peanut producer price is fixed at 150 F CFA/kg for the 2003/2004 marketing year.

ECUADOR, April 8, 2004 -- Domestic production of soybeans in Ecuador is insufficient to meet local demand for soybean meal and soy oil industries. Ecuador is a net importer of soybean meal and soy oil. Argentina supplies almost 99 percent of soy oil. Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina are the main suppliers of soybean meal to Ecuador