Agriculture

• Wednesday, April 17th 2019 - 09:20 UTC

  English farmer becomes winner of top shearing contest in New Zealand, the first since 1991

  

  A late change of plans to fly home in England in mid-March was just the ticket for Dorset farmer's son Henry Mayo on Friday as he became the first overseas shearer in 28 years to win a New Zealand Shears title in Te Kuiti.

• Friday, April 12th 2019 - 21:33 UTC

  Instead of agrochemicals, Uruguay uses wasps to develop non-genetically modified soy

  

  In Uruguay, non-genetically modified soy (GMO) soy is being developed in order to compete in a market saturated by the volume of crops in the region. Nevertheless, the country’s government hopes Uruguayan soy will stand out for its quality rather than for the volume of harvests motivating soy producers to use “biological controls” to combat pests.

• Friday, April 12th 2019 - 18:06 UTC

  Swiss government wants to get rid of its coffee emergency stockpile

  

  The Swiss government wants to put an end to its emergency stockpile of coffee after declaring that it is “not essential” for human survival. Switzerland began storing emergency reserves of coffee between World War One and World War Two in preparation for potential shortages.

• Friday, April 12th 2019 - 17:32 UTC

  A leading Brazilian coffee exporter files for bankruptcy, hoping to restructure a debt of US$ 282 million

  

  Terra Forte, one of the largest Brazilian coffee exporters, has filed for bankruptcy protection in a Sao Paulo state court, lawyers for the company said. Law firm Freire, Assis, Sakamoto e Violante said Terra Forte was looking to restructure 1.1 billion reais (US$ 288.2 million) in debt.

• Friday, April 12th 2019 - 00:18 UTC

  French court finds Monsanto legally responsible for ill health of farmer who ingested weed-killer

  

  US biotech giant Monsanto is legally responsible for the ill health of a farmer who ingested its weed-killer product, a French court has ruled.

• Thursday, April 11th 2019 - 17:56 UTC

  Argentina chairs the World Wine Trade Group in London, amidst record numbers of observers

  

  Under the current Argentine Presidency, the meeting of the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG) is being hosted in London over the course of today and tomorrow.

• Thursday, April 11th 2019 - 09:27 UTC

  Bumper harvest of soybeans and corn expected in Argentina, says Rosario grains exchange

  

  Argentina's soy production will likely reach 56 million tons for the 2018/2019 season, two million tons more than previously estimated, the Rosario grains exchange said on Wednesday, a fillip for the sector that was battered by drought last year.

• Thursday, April 11th 2019 - 06:45 UTC

  US/China closer to a deal: they agree to establish “enforcement officers”

  

  The United States and China have largely agreed on a mechanism to police any trade agreement they reach, including establishing new “enforcement offices,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday.

• Monday, April 8th 2019 - 10:57 UTC

  Grain loaders say the collapse of a bridge in north Brazil will not impact harvest transport

  

  Hidrovias do Brasil SA, a Brazilian logistics company, said the collapse of a bridge on the Moju River in Pará state on Saturday will not have any impact on its operations in the region, according to a statement on Sunday.

• Monday, April 8th 2019 - 10:40 UTC

  Argentine soy harvest with “excellent” yields expected to reach 53 million tons

  

  Argentina's soy harvest has progressed at a brisk pace over recent days, showing “excellent” yields that could push the crop higher than the currently forecast 53 million tons, the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange said in a report last week.