Agriculture

• Friday, August 13th 2010 - 06:39 UTC

  Argentine wheat farmers slash land sown to a 111 year low, says FT

  

  British newspaper “The Financial Times” has run a story focusing on Argentina's wheat production, explaining that due to export limits and taxes, “farmers have slashed the land sown with wheat to a 111-year low” and cereal exports “have been halved over the past five years.”

• Saturday, August 7th 2010 - 00:43 UTC

  Brazil ready to confirm another record crop: 147.1 million tons

  

  Brazil is poised to confirm its largest crop ever, 147.1 million tons in 2009/2010, which is 9% higher that the 135.1 million of 2008/09 according to the latest survey from Conab, the country’s National Supply Agency. The latest record was in 2007/08 with 146 million tons.

• Friday, August 6th 2010 - 03:01 UTC

  Wheat futures soar as drought-stricken Russia halts grain exports

  

  Wheat futures soared on Thursday after the world’s number three exporter the Russian Federation said it would temporarily halt grain shipments. The worst drought on record have devastated crops in parts of Russia and caused international grain prices to spike as markets anticipate a drop in global supplies.

• Thursday, August 5th 2010 - 16:11 UTC

  Japan rice stockpiles to reach the highest in eight years in 2011

  

  Japan’s food rice stockpiles may reach the highest level in eight years at the end of June 2011, leading to a price drop and planting curbs by growers next year. Private and government inventories are forecast to climb 2.5% to 3.24 million metric tons from 3.16 million tons a year earlier, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a report Wednesday.

• Thursday, August 5th 2010 - 01:32 UTC

  Mining and agriculture disputing scarce water resources in northern Chile

  

  With the mining industry increasing its presence in northern Chile, problems over resources are arising between the mining and agricultural industries, especially over water.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 15:04 UTC

  Wheat prices at 22 month high; fears about drought and fires in Russia

  

  International wheat prices hit a 22-month high Monday after a severe drought and ensuing wildfires in Russia devastated crops. Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) wheat for September delivery broke through the $7-a-bushel level in US trade for the first time since September 2008 but have since falling back.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  Chilean wine industry and pork plant clash over land planning and use

  

  Winemakers in Chile’s Casablanca Valley have been fighting pork-producing behemoth Expo Pork Meat for the past two weeks, as the company looks to construct a pork-processing plant in the region.

• Saturday, July 31st 2010 - 08:01 UTC

  Falkland Islands: Tussac planted in place of mines

  

  OVER the course of two weekends Falklands Conservation staff and volunteers led by Dr Rebecca Upson, Falklands Conservation’s Plant and Habitats Officer, have carried out restoration work on two sites recently cleared of mines.

• Saturday, July 10th 2010 - 07:18 UTC

  Argentine agro-exports help boost international reserves to over 50 billion USD

  

  Argentina’s international reserves once again exceeded the 50 billion US dollars mark, boosted by an intervention to the Central Bank by the market in a record purchase of 262 million USD.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 07:59 UTC

  EU court ruling favours Argentina in dispute with Monsanto over soy-seed patent

  

  United States Monsanto Co., the world’s biggest seed company, can’t use a European patent on its Roundup Ready soybeans to block Argentinean soy meal imports, the European Union’s highest court said Wednesday.