Agriculture

• Wednesday, April 4th 2012 - 02:20 UTC

  Brazil soy farmers expected to plant a record acreage after this year’s dismal crop

  

  Brazilian farmers will likely plant at least 26.2 million hectares with soybeans in the next crop, up 1.1 million hectares from the current 2011-12 crop, forecaster Agroconsult said Tuesday.

• Tuesday, April 3rd 2012 - 03:47 UTC

  Food inflation in South America is higher than the average overall index

  

  In the last two years inflation in Latin America has stabilized varying between 6% and 7%, according to the latest monthly report from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) regional office.

• Sunday, April 1st 2012 - 08:45 UTC

  Sanctions on Iran force Uruguay to propose Teheran rice for oil barter deal

  

  Uruguay will consult with Iran the possibility of exporting rice in exchange for oil, the government of President Jose Mujica said on Friday.

• Tuesday, March 27th 2012 - 12:31 UTC

  World’s main food suppliers host FAO regional conference in Buenos Aires

  

  Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, opened Monday its Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference in Buenos Aires which will extend until next Friday when it will announce the issues that will guide FAO actions worldwide.

• Thursday, March 22nd 2012 - 01:46 UTC

  China announces more purchases of soybean during the first half of the year

  

  Chinese State of Administration of Grains revealed that the world's top buyer of soybeans is on course to import 25% more in the first half of this year than the first six months of 2011, which will benefit major producers Argentina, Brazil and US.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 01:19 UTC

  Drought punishing soy crops and yields in southern Brazil

  

  Drought over Brazil's southern soy growing states prompted analysts Agroconsult to strike 2.8 million tons from its forecast of the 2011/12 crop to 67.1 million tons from 69.9 million previously.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 01:16 UTC

  Argentine truckers call for indefinite strike as soy bean crop was taking off

  

  Argentina’s truckers called Monday an indefinite strike to demand higher pay rates, parking their rigs in protest just as exporters were counting on them to haul freshly harvested soybeans to port.

• Monday, March 19th 2012 - 15:44 UTC

  FAO Food price index rose 1% in February but is 10% below a year ago

  

  The FAO Food Price Index rose 1% or 2.4 points from January to February. The Index climbed nearly 2% in January – its first increase in six months. The February increase was mostly driven by higher prices of sugar, oils and cereals while dairy prices fell slightly after a marked rise in January.

• Monday, March 19th 2012 - 15:41 UTC

  FAO forecasts second highest on record wheat crop for 2012 with 690 million tons

  

  FAO forecasts that 2012 world wheat production will be the second highest on record at 690 million tonnes. According to FAO quarterly Crop prospects and food situation report forecast a 2012 wheat crop 10 million tons or 1.4% down from the record 2011 harvest but still well above the average of the past five years.

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 06:01 UTC

  EU ministers agree to free trade pact with Colombia and Peru

  

  EU trade ministers agreed on Friday to approve a free trade pact with Colombia and Peru that could boost European car and chemical exports and lift food and mineral exports from the South American countries.