New Self-Fertilizing Almond Varieties Being Engineered in Australia
Australia is the world’s second biggest almond producing country after the U.S., exporting the majority of its production to India. However, with the threat of colony collapse disorder (CCD) and verroa mite infestations threatening bee populations, it is increasingly important to develop new, commercially viable varieties of almonds that not
Read moreArgentina: Soy Hoarding Doubles Amid Tensions
Farmers in Argentina are stockpiling more than double the amount of soybeans hoarded last year according to the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) and local traders, even as the government is increasing pressure on farmers to sell. The SRA and local grain exchanges estimate that farmers are hoarding 7.4 million tons of soybeans, or 14% of the 52
Read moreChina Indicates Policy Shift Away From Bumper Harvests
China has indicated that it is switching away from its policy of achieving ever-bigger harvests, and instead will be boosting imports as it focuses on safer, more sustainable food supplies and fixing the country’s environmental problems. Ever since the country’s industrialization campaign of 1958 under Mao, agricultural output growth ha
Read moreGlobal Meat Market Breakdown for 2014 – Euromonitor
Growth in emerging markets drove a 3% increase in volume in global meat markets in 2014 according to data compiled by Euromonitor. Growing wealth and shifts in consumption patterns have caused a global increase in demand for meat, with India being the top growth market posting growth of 10%, with a 50% increase in meat consumption, and an impr
Read moreFor Glencore’s Next Move – Watch Grains
The company that later became Glencore entered the agriculture space in 1982 with the purchase of Dutch grain trader, Granaria Group. In later years, Glencore chief executive officer, Billionaire Ivan Glassberg, has built the commodity group’s global presence through more than 40 deals since assuming his position in 2002. In 2012 Glencore
Read moreVietnam’s Business Tycoons Turning to Farming
Looking to seize opportunities created by the imminent free trade agreements expected to be signed this year with the EU and other partners, and the looming Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Vietnamese business leaders are turning their attention to making investments and entering the farming and agriculture space. The US$13.6 million st
Read moreChinese Pork Imports to Soar to All Time High
As the Chinese pork industry undergoes a structural shift, and smallholder producers exit the industry, the world’s biggest pork-consuming market (which consumes over half the world’s pork) will see a greater reliance on foreign imports. Despite the greater reliance on imports, consumption is expected to see only modest growth, reaching
Read moreUSDA Makes Surprise Cuts to World Corn, Wheat Stockpiles Outlook
Amid indications of growing grain demand, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report issued March 10 included surprising reductions to the department’s forecasts for global corn and wheat stockpiles. After global bumper grain harvests pushed down the Bloomberg Agriculture Index by 27% last year, improving demand for U.S. corn export
Read moreU.S. Exports at Risk as Bird Flu Hits Heart of Poultry Country
After scattered cases of bird flu have been reported in other states, last week the U.S. government confirmed cases in Minnesota and Missouri, the country’s biggest, and fifth biggest turkey producing states respectively. And this week, has confirmed the detection of H5N2 at a turkey farm in Arkansas – the country’s third biggest chicken
Read moreThis Startup is Building a Model and Raising Funds for the First High Tech Cricket Farm
After the UN Food and Agriculture Organization report, Edible Insects Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security, promoting the increase in consumption of insects was released in 2013, insect startups began appearing in the food and agriculture sector. However, these startups were faced with the challenge of safely and successfully producing
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