Agriculture

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:39 UTC

  Cartes pledges motivation and support for those who help create wealth and jobs

  

  President Horacio Cartes said on Friday he wanted “a reliable and serious Paraguay, full of self esteem” taking advantage of the good economic times and pledged motivation and support for all those who help generate wealth and jobs for the country. However he also admitted that Paraguay has serious failings, “but problems are challenges and opportunities”.

• Wednesday, October 23rd 2013 - 20:51 UTC

  Wheat shortage in Argentina has seen bread prices skyrocket; Buenos Aires ton price is double Chicago's

  

  In the last few days the Argentine news media has been focusing on the fact that there does not seem to be enough wheat or corn to go around, which is driving prices higher and causing concern for the users of these grains. This is particularly true for bakeries which have been forced to charge soaring prices for bread.

• Wednesday, October 23rd 2013 - 16:22 UTC

  Monsanto and its glyphosate weed-killer embroiled in controversy in Argentina

  

  Monsanto Co. is calling for more controls on agrochemicals, including its Roundup line of glyphosate-based weed-killers, in response to an Associated Press report about concerns that illegal pesticide applications are harming human health in Argentina.

• Tuesday, October 22nd 2013 - 22:59 UTC

  EU imposes punitive duties on biodiesel from Argentina alleging dumping

  

  European Union member states agreed to impose punitive duties on imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, which are accused of selling it into the bloc at unfairly low prices, according to diplomats. Argentina has anticipated it will take the case to the World Trade Organization.

• Saturday, October 19th 2013 - 15:58 UTC

  Argentine bio-diesel exports to EU threatened by new duties: EC votes on Tuesday

  

  Argentina's bio-diesel industry warned it faces collapse if Europe makes good on a threat to impose stiff duties on their product next month. The European Commission earlier this month moved to raise duties on Argentine and Indonesian bio-fuels in response to alleged dumping.

• Saturday, October 19th 2013 - 15:40 UTC

  Fire ravages Brazil’s main sugar terminal paralyzing operations and boosting prices to a year high

  

  A fire in Santos ravaged Copersucar's sugar terminal in Brazil, paralyzing operations of the world's biggest sugar trader and putting 10 million tons of export capacity offline for six months or more.

• Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 21:09 UTC

  New highway in clogged-Brazil opens more possibilities for grain exports

  

  A highway, decades in the making, will finally open in Brazil offering a shortcut through the Amazon jungle to north-eastern waterways for the growing corn and soybean trade. The BR-163 highway connecting Mato Grosso state's soy belt to two key river ports will boost grain exports by some 3 million tons next year, offering a bit of relief to congested ports in the southeast, where most shipments originate.

• Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 20:24 UTC

  Paraguay’s economy roaring ahead is estimated to expand 13.6% this year

  

  Paraguay’s central bank increased the country’s growth estimate for 2013 from 13% to 13.6%, the highest for Latinamerica. Estimates have been on the increase since October last year, 9.5%; December, 10.5%; April 13% and now, 13.6% which compares to the 0.9% contraction of 2012, when drought and Foot and Mouth Disease hit Paraguay’s main export items, soybeans and beef.

• Thursday, October 17th 2013 - 05:27 UTC

  Paraguay vetoes bill imposing 10% export tax on cereals and oilseeds

  

  Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes vetoed the bill imposing a 10% tax on export of cereals and oilseeds in their natural state recently approved by a divided Congress, arguing it was “highly distortive and regressive”. The bill now returns to the legislative.

• Friday, October 11th 2013 - 13:11 UTC

  Paraguay congress votes 10% export tax on grains and soybeans. Cartes expected to veto the bill

  

  A controversial bill imposing a 10% tax on grains and oil seeds exported in their natural state was finally approved by the Paraguayan congress. The bill presented in 2012 was passed in the Senate, rejected in the Lower House and again ratified by the Upper House, however Deputies could not round up the necessary 53 votes to again reject it.