Agriculture

• Friday, October 21st 2016 - 14:20 UTC

  Falklands in short supply of fresh produce, because of changes in Chilean Customs procedures

  

  Falkland Islanders has been warned that fresh produce may be in short supply for some time to come due to changes in the Chilean Customs' procedures. Stanley Growers owner Tim Miller said that a large order for fruit and vegetables was not shipped from Santiago last week, as Customs officials at Punta Arenas insisted for the first time that LATAM airline provide them, in advance, with exact weight and contents of the cargo.

• Friday, October 14th 2016 - 11:47 UTC

  Symbolic trial will try to hold Monsanto accountable for “ecocide”

  

  This weekend 30 witnesses and legal experts from five different continents will testify before five international judges at the three-day Monsanto Tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. Their testimonies will attempt to hold the agrochemical giant accountable for their alleged “crimes against humanity” and destruction of the environment, or “ecocide”

• Friday, October 14th 2016 - 09:37 UTC

  Falkland Island farmers tour Australia for improved sheep genetics

  

  Three Falkland Islands farmers and the general manager of Falklands Landholdings Corporation recently travelled to Australia as part of the ongoing search for improvements to lamb survival rates in the Falklands. Touring farms in both Queensland and New South Wales, the group spent three weeks inspecting Australian studs in search of better fat and muscle values in young rams.

• Monday, October 10th 2016 - 11:38 UTC

  Record global productions of wheat, rice and corn will keep prices low

  

  Global food markets will likely remain “generally well balanced” in the year ahead, as prices for most internationally-traded agricultural commodities are relatively low and stable, FAO said. The benign outlook, especially for staple grains, is poised to lower the world food import bill to a six-year low, according to the Food Outlook.

• Saturday, October 8th 2016 - 09:59 UTC

  WTO confirms ruling in favor of Argentina in biodiesel imports dispute with EU

  

  The World Trade Organization confirmed on appeal on Thursday its ruling partially in favor of Argentina in its dispute with the European Union over duties the bloc imposes on imported biodiesel.

• Wednesday, September 28th 2016 - 08:10 UTC

  Argentina lost 12% of national flock to severe drought in north Patagonia

  

  North Patagonia in Argentina is suffering the worst drought is 17 years which has meant the loss of 1.8 million sheep, since 2007, and so far this year rainfall has been 45% below the historic average.

• Saturday, September 24th 2016 - 20:04 UTC

  August FAO Food Price Index at its highest since May 2015; all commodities up except for cereals

  

  The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 165.6 points in August 2016, up 3 points (1.9%) from July and almost 7% above the corresponding period last year. The August value of the Index is the highest since May 2015. Except for cereals, prices of all other commodities used in the calculation of the FFPI rose in August, led by dairy, oils and sugar.

• Thursday, September 22nd 2016 - 22:18 UTC

  FAO forecasts higher harvest prospects for maize, wheat and rice

  

  Staple food prices rose in August even as grain prices fell and the outlook for global cereal production improved. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 165.6 points in August, up 1.9% from July and almost 7% from a year earlier. The monthly jump was mostly driven by cheese and palm oil quotations, while those for wheat, maize and rice all fell.

• Thursday, September 15th 2016 - 20:54 UTC

  Falklands' Development Corporation partners with horticultural specialists to expand commercial opportunities

  

  The Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) announced that three UK horticultural specialists will visit the Falklands next month in order to appraise the potential for future horticultural developments. The three consultants will be the Islands for a week and will hope to identify profitable, commercial opportunities for Falkland businesses.

• Wednesday, September 14th 2016 - 16:49 UTC

  Falklands registers for world shearing championships in NZ next February

  

  The World Shearing Championships Committee finds another gear as the World Event quickly approaches. Being held in Invercargill, Southland, New Zealand from the 9th to the 11th February in the ILT Stadium Southland, not only is the committee excited about hosting this event but Southland and New Zealand is getting behind a first in the South Island and only 5th time being held in New Zealand over a 40 year period (1980, 1988, 1996, 2012 – Masterton)