RPT-Asia Rice-Indian rice falls on weak demand; cyclone damages fields in Bangladesh

(Repeats Thursday's story with no changes to the text)
* Cyclone Bulbul damages 23,000 hectares of paddy in
Bangladesh
* Thailand braces for dry spell amid low water levels
* Vietnam October rice exports down 5.9% from September

By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri
BENGALURU, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Indian rice export prices
extended losses for a second week as the rupee weakened and
demand from Africa remained low, while a cyclone damaged paddy
fields in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Top exporter India's 5% broken parboiled variety
RI-INBKN5-P1 was quoted around $363-$368 per tonne, down from
$365-$370 last week.
"In dollar terms, export prices are down due to the weak
rupee. Local paddy rice prices are firm," an exporter based at
Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh said.
The Indian rupee INR=D4 fell to a two-month low on
Wednesday, increasing exporters' margins.
Tepid demand from African countries for non-basmati rice has
also played a role in dampening exports, which were down 29%
year-on-year in August at 644,249 tonnes. Many rice-growing states received rainfall earlier this
month, which delayed harvesting and damaged paddy crops ready
for harvesting, exporters said.
Last week, cyclone Bulbul ripped through coastal areas of
Bangladesh and eastern India, damaging 23,000 hectares
(56,834.24 acres) of paddy fields, as per a preliminary
assessment by Dhaka's agriculture ministry. "We will get a clear picture of the extent of the damage by
next week," said Mizanur Rahman, a senior official of Department
of Agriculture Extension.
This could be a major blow to the country at a time when
farmers have been unable to secure benchmark prices for produce,
with no fresh overseas deals in sight.
Elsewhere, Thailand's benchmark 5% broken
rice RI-THBKN5-P1 edged up to $395-$409 a tonne from last
week's $390-$408.
Demand for Thai rice has remained relatively flat despite
some optimism over a recent rice deal with Iraq, traders said
However strength in the baht THB=TH - Asia's
best-performing currency this year - continued to dent demand
for Thai rice, making it more expensive than grain from
competitors such as Vietnam and India.
"Right now, domestic prices are too low for farmers," a
Bangkok-based trader said. "Prices could go up as supply may
shrink, or the government could step in to buy rice at a high
price."
"But the current prices are already higher than our overseas
competitors, so it is tough to export."
The Thai government has asked farmers in 22 rice-growing
provinces not to grow off-season crops as the country braces for
a dry spell amid low water levels in main
reservoirs. In Vietnam, rates for 5% broken rice RI-VNBKN5-P1 stayed
flat at $345-$350 a tonne.
The market was dull, with trading done only on previously
signed contracts, a trader said. "I think the market will stay
this quiet until the end of next year."
In October, Vietnam exported around 450,000 tonnes of rice,
down 5.9% against September, customs data showed.