
Global food prices rose slightly in September, as firmer prices of vegetable oils and to a lesser extent dairy products offset declining prices for staple cereal grains. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 178.4 points for the month of September, up 0.8% from August and marking a 4.3% increase from a year earlier.

Agricultural powerhouse Brazil aims to revive ties with Africa after a lull and sees a vast export market for food and manufactured goods in a continent whose population is surging, its foreign minister said.

To highlight the relevance of wine and gastronomy as key components of tourism development, the 22nd UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism was held in Mendoza, Argentina on 29-30 September. The Conference was co-organized by UNWTO and the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina, in collaboration with the Region of Mendoza and the Chamber of Tourism of Argentina.

North Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, has dismissed a suggestion that agri-food trade could be regulated on an all-Ireland basis after Brexit. Agri-food is a particular challenge to the no hard border policy because of strict EU rules on food imports.

Landholdings General Manager Andy Pollard has reported that the wool market remains in a strong position, with demand increasing as customers view it as a more sustainable product than artificial fibres.

From 6-17 September, Montevideo was home to Uruguay’s biggest agricultural industrial fair, Expo-Prado, and the British Embassy was present with a pavilion focused on tourism, business, education, gastronomy and culture.

The Falkland Islands Development Corporation, FIDC, announced the latest phase of their Fresh for the Future program, bringing new commercial entrants into the horticulture market, as well as assisting keen amateur growers to step up with a training program to develop skills that may be applied over a range of production situations and optimizing crop performance.

Brazil's beef exports will return close to a record high net year, encouraged by revived growth in the cattle herd, and the industry's success in avoiding lasting bans from importers over a slaughterhouse scandal.

News of a potential offer of a tariff rate quota for 85,000 tons of beef in the Mercosur/European Union negotiations has triggered a dismayed reaction from the ICSA’s (Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association’s) Beef Chairman Edmond Phelan.

By Sharon Jaffray - The Falkland Islands flock reached 490.113 sheep of which 281.671 in East Falkland and 177.506 in the West plus 30.936 in the outer islands, according to the latest Farming Statistics 2016/2017, in accordance with the Agricultural Returns Ordinance. Likewise the number of cattle was 3.433.