Agriculture

Sunday, December 20th 2009 - 09:09 UTC
New York Times praises the quality of Uruguayan beef from grass-fed cattle

The New York Times dedicated a long piece to the quality and rising pre-eminence of Uruguayan beef in world markets, contrary to what is happening in neighbouring Argentina, still considered “king of the best beef in the world”
Friday, December 18th 2009 - 08:08 UTC
European Parliament approves 2010 budget: almost half for agriculture

The European Parliament has approved a 122.9bn Euro EU budget for 2010 - nearly half of which is to go to agriculture and natural resources. It is a 6% increase on the 2009 budget, which was worth 116bn Euros.
Wednesday, December 16th 2009 - 04:11 UTC
Soybeans bumper crop forecasted in Mercosur countries

A soy bean bumper crop in South America in early 2010 will ease world reserves of grains, currently at very low levels, and will also have an impact on international prices according to Oil World.
Friday, November 13th 2009 - 01:23 UTC
Cuba drastically slashes “farm bureaucracy” to boost food production

One of the major ills of Cuba’s state-run agricultural enterprises is “the excess of non-productive personnel,” Communist Party daily Granma said this week. The newspaper estimated the number of redundant employees in the state farming sector at 89,000, or 26% of the total.
Friday, October 30th 2009 - 21:59 UTC
Argentina buys wine from Chile to face shortfall in production

Still hurting from a yearlong drought, Argentina is turning to Chile for wine imports in order to keep up with popular demand for wine.
Thursday, October 29th 2009 - 02:32 UTC
Massive support for French farmers; Sarkozy blasts commodities speculation

French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a 650-million Euro exceptional aid plan for France's subsidized but still struggling farmers, along with one billion Euros in cheap loans. He also called on the European Commission to limit market speculation on agricultural commodities prices.
Friday, October 16th 2009 - 05:25 UTC
Argentine wheat crop, and export surplus, lowest of 32 harvests

With the lowest wheat area in 111 years, Argentina expects a 2009/10 crop of 7.5 million tons, the worst in the last 32 seasons, which means exports, --and tax revenue--, will be ten times less than the 2007/08 crop according to the Argentine Rural Society Economics Department.
Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 06:37 UTC
Argentine farmers anticipate dismal crops except for soybeans

Argentina’s farmers will be investing 4.878 billion US dollars in the 2009/2010 crop season which represents a drop of 32.6% compared to the previous cycle according to different farmers organizations quoted this week in Buenos Aires media.
Friday, October 9th 2009 - 12:00 UTC
FAO targets 2050 and how to feed a population of 9.1 billion

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said on Thursday major investment needs to be made in developing world agriculture. The FAO says that with rapid population growth and changing diets, agricultural production will need to grow by 70% before 2050.
Friday, October 9th 2009 - 11:55 UTC
Turbulence ahead for world rice market as stockpiles plunge

Rice stockpiles of the world’s five largest exporters are forecast to plunge by a third to the lowest level in five years, and below last year when prices surged to a record, according to Concepction Calpe, senior economist at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.