Agriculture

• Friday, August 22nd 2014 - 08:04 UTC

  Argentina suspends beef exports 15-days to contain domestic prices

  

  The Argentine government has decided to restrict beef exports for a 15-day period seeking to stem the rise of prices in the domestic market. The decision was confirmed by Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich and sparked criticism by business leaders in the sector with some voices saying the strategy will have “no positive effects.”

• Tuesday, August 19th 2014 - 08:57 UTC

  Cattle rustling an everyday issue in Uruguay, claim farmers

  

  Cattle rustling in Uruguay has become a daily issue and it's unfair that farmers should be forced to change of activity because “justice is lenient” when and if the perpetrators are caught, claimed the president of Uruguay's Rural Association, ARU, Ruben Echeverria.

• Tuesday, August 19th 2014 - 08:51 UTC

  Uruguay's 2014/15 wool clip estimated in 30 million kilos

  

  Uruguay's 2014/15 wool clip has been estimated at 30 million kilos, a volume similar to that of 2013/14, according to numbers discussed in a recent meeting of sheep farmers, government and regional officials to address prospects for the industry.

• Monday, August 11th 2014 - 09:40 UTC

  FAO July Food Price Index at its lowest level since January 2014

  

  The FAO Food Price Index averaged 203.9 points in July 2014, down 4.4 points (2.1 percent) from a revised value in June and 3.5 points (1.7 percent) below July 2013. While meat prices rose for the fifth consecutive month and sugar remained firm, sharp declines in grains, oilseeds and dairy quotations pushed down the FAO Food Price Index to its lowest level since January 2014.

• Thursday, August 7th 2014 - 08:10 UTC

  Rousseff claims EU has yet to agree on a proposal to exchange with Mercosur

  

  President Dilma Rousseff claimed before the Brazil's farmers lobby that the trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union is stalled and is not fulfilled because of the 'resistance' from several European countries, and specifically named France, Hungary and Ireland.

• Wednesday, August 6th 2014 - 21:21 UTC

  Latam food prices at slow growth rate for third month running, says FAO

  

  FAO’s Monthly Food Price Report notes that food prices in Latin America and the Caribbean reduced their growth rate for the third consecutive month. Regional food inflation increased only 0.5% in June, down from 1% in May and 1.2% in April, which is particularly relevant for the poorest, who spend a larger proportion of their income on food.

• Wednesday, August 6th 2014 - 08:54 UTC

  US and India clash over food security clause at WTO and suspends TFA protocol

  

  The failure of the two major players in global trade negotiations to bridge their differences has put paid to the adoption of the protocol of amendment for implementation of the contested Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) for the time being.

• Tuesday, August 5th 2014 - 06:42 UTC

  Food loss and waste in Latam could feed the region's 47 million hungry

  

  In Latin America and the Caribbean more food is lost and wasted than is needed to meet the nutritional needs of the 47 million people who still suffer from hunger in the region, according to FAO. The report Losses and waste of food in Latin America and the Caribbean of the FAO Regional Office says that 6% of global food losses occur in the region.

• Monday, July 28th 2014 - 07:56 UTC

  Argentine farmers and government again clash over the 'preyed-upon decade”

  

  Argentine Agriculture Minister Carlos Casamiquela and Federal Planning chief Julio De Vido rebuffed the criticism of the head of the Argentine Rural Society (SRA), Luis Etchevehere, who at the opening of the Palermo livestock show accused the government of President Cristina Fernandez of being “ignorant and arrogant”.

• Monday, July 28th 2014 - 07:04 UTC

  Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia private sectors unite to combat Mercosur protectionist policies

  

  The private sectors from Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia agreed to form a business lobby, Urupabol, with the purpose of actively combating protectionist policies and other obstacles implemented inside Mercosur, mainly by senior members Argentina and Brazil.