Rice                                                                            
Stocks                                                                          
                                                                                
National                                                                        
Agricultural                                                                    
Statistics                                                                      
Service                                                                         
                                                                                
USDA                                                                            
Washington, D.C.                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
Released October 31, 1997, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service      
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For     
information on "Rice Stocks" call Dan Kerestes at (202) 720-9526, office hours  
7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET.                                                      
                                                                                
                                                                                
                  California Stocks Down From 1996                              
                                                                                
Rough Rice stocks in California in all positions on October 1 totaled           
4.52 million hundredweight (cwt), down 3 percent from the total on October 1,   
1996.  Medium grain varieties accounted for 96 percent of the total rough rice  
stocks at 4.33 million cwt.  The California October 1 rough rice stocks were    
down 43 percent from August 1 stocks.                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
Milled rice stocks in all positions totaled 776,000 cwt, 27 percent below the   
comparable figure for a year ago.  Milled rice stocks were comprised of         
660,000 cwt of whole kernel rice and 116,000 cwt of second heads, screenings    
and brewers rice.                                                               
                                                                                
Gr Lg 11-3 (10-97)                                                              
           Rice Stocks:   By Positions, California, October 1, 1996-97          
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :  On Farms   :  In Mills   :  In Whses  :            :               
          :     or      :     and     :    Not     :  In Ports  :    Total      
  Date    :    Farm     :  Attached   :  Attached  :    or in   :     All       
          :    Whses    :   Whses     :  To Mills  :  Transit   :  Positions    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
1997      :                     Rough Rice - 1,000 Cwt                          
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                     221        4,294  1/        0         4,515     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Milled Rice - 1,000 Cwt                         
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                     776            0            0           776     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Rough Rice - Metric Tons                        
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                  10,020      194,770  1/        0       204,790     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Milled Rice - Metric Tons                       
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                  35,200            0            0        35,200     
          :                                                                     
1996      :                     Rough Rice - 1,000 Cwt                          
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                     401        4,246  1/        0         4,647     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Milled Rice - 1,000 Cwt                         
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                   1,069            0            0         1,069     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Rough Rice - Metric Tons                        
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                  18,190      192,600  1/        0       210,790     
          :                                                                     
          :                     Milled Rice - Metric Tons                       
          :                                                                     
  Oct 1   :                  48,490            0            0        48,490     
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
1/  Includes small amount stored on farms.                                      
                                                                                
           Rough Rice Stocks:  By Length of Grain in All Positions,             
                        California, October 1, 1996-97                          
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :      Long       :    Medium     :     Short     :      Total        
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
  State   :  1996  :   1997 :  1996 :  1997 : 1996  : 1997  :  1996  :  1997    
----------:------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :                                                                     
          :                             1,000 Cwt                               
          :                                                                     
CA        :   *         *     4,506   4,334     *       *      4,647    4,515   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
*  Not published to avoid disclosing individual reports.                        
                                                                                
                                                                                
            Milled Rice Stocks:  By Length of Grain in All Positions,           
                          California, October 1, 1996-97                        
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :                      Whole Kernels (Head Rice)                      
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
  State   :      Long       :    Medium     :     Short     :      Total        
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :  1996  :  1997  : 1996  : 1997  : 1996  : 1997  :  1996  :  1997    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :                                                                     
          :                             1,000 Cwt                               
          :                                                                     
CA        :     17      10     780     584      88      66      885      660    
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :                           Broken Kernels                            
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
          : Second Heads    :  Screenings 1/:    Brewers    :      Total        
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :  1996  :  1997  : 1996  : 1997  : 1996  : 1997  :  1996  :  1997    
          :------------------------------------------------------------------   
          :                                                                     
          :                             1,000 Cwt                               
          :                                                                     
CA        :    159      97                      25      19      184      116    
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------   
1/  Screenings included with second heads.                                      
                                                                                
The next "Rice Stocks" report will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on January 13,   
1998.                                                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in  
its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,  
disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.  Persons with    
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program         
information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA's   
TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).                                  
                                                                                
To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, USDA, Washington,      
D.C., 20250, or call 1-800-245-6340  (voice) or 202-720-1127 (TDD).  USDA is    
an equal employment opportunity employer.                                       
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                        ACCESS TO REPORTS!!                                     
                                                                                
                                                                                
For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data       
products, and services:                                                         
                                                                                
                          INTERNET ACCESS                                       
                                                                                
All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet.  For   
access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at:                
http://www.usda.gov/nass/.  Select "Today's Reports" or Publications and        
then Reports by Calendar or Publications and then Search, by Title or Subject.  
                                                                                
                                                                                
                        E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION                                     
                                                                                
All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your    
e-mail address.  Send an e-mail message to:                                     
usda-reports@usda.mannlib.cornell.edu.  In the body of the message type the     
word:  list.                                                                    
                                                                                
                           AUTOFAX ACCESS                                       
                                                                                
NASSFax service is available for some reports from your fax machine.  Please    
call 202-720-2000, using the handset attached to your fax.  Respond to the      
voice prompts.  Document 0411 is a list of available reports.                   
                                                                                
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -               
                 PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS                               
                                                                                
 CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK:   800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada)                
Other areas, please call 703-834-0125               FAX:  703-834-0110          
(Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.)               
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -             
                                                                                
                            ASSISTANCE                                          
                                                                                
For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information      
about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics     
Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail:                  
nass@nass.usda.gov.