Agriculture

• Friday, January 31st 2020 - 08:02 UTC

  Brazil streamlines trade team to ensure gains in the Chinese market

  

  A Mandarin speaking trade specialist has been appointed by the Brazilian Agriculture ministry to boost exports to China, the world’s largest commodities market. Larissa Wachholz, 36, who holds a masters degree from the Renmin University of China, was tapped in December by the Brazilian agriculture ministry to lead a trade unit dedicated to the Asian country, the first of its kind in Brazil.

• Wednesday, January 29th 2020 - 07:06 UTC

  Drastic changes to the poultry industry production in France

  

  France is to ban from the end of 2021 the hugely controversial but widespread poultry industry practice of systematically slaughtering male chicks, Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, January 22nd 2020 - 08:34 UTC

  Bolsonaro pledges to create an “Amazon Council” to protect the rainforest

  

  Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday he will create an “Amazon Council” to coordinate the protection and sustainable development of the world's largest rainforest.

• Tuesday, January 21st 2020 - 08:10 UTC

  Chinese beef importers seeking to renegotiate prices with suppliers from Brazil and Uruguay

  

  Chinese beef importers are seeking to renegotiate prices previously agreed when they closed deals to buy dozens of shipments from Brazil and Uruguay because values are too high, according to a report in the online edition of local newspapers on Monday.

• Friday, January 17th 2020 - 12:03 UTC

  Amazon indigenous leaders summit to form alliance against Bolsonaro's environmental policy

  

  Dozens of Amazon indigenous leaders have gathered in the heart of the threatened rainforest to form an alliance against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's environmental policy and his threats to throw their homelands open to mining concerns.

• Monday, January 13th 2020 - 09:44 UTC

  Uruguay becoming a premium olive oil production and exporting country

  

  Olive oil producers in Uruguay enjoyed a record-setting harvest in 2019, according to a new report compiled by Uruguay’s Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries. In effect Uruguay produced 2,775 tons of extra virgin olive oil, according to the report, an increase of more than 360% over the rolling five-year average.

• Monday, January 13th 2020 - 09:37 UTC

  Argentine farmers increased forward selling of soybeans to avoid higher export taxes

  

  Argentina farmers increased the forward selling of soybeans in the last four months of 2019 in an effort to avoid higher export taxes that are now in effect, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Saturday, January 11th 2020 - 08:56 UTC

  FAO Price Index climbs 2.5% in December, the highest level in five years

  

  World food prices rose for the third consecutive month in December, as a strong rally in vegetable oil prices drove the FAO Food Price Index to its highest level in five years. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 181.7 points during the month, a 2.5 percent increase from November and the highest level since December 2014.

• Friday, January 10th 2020 - 12:10 UTC

  Electric fences between Poland and Germany to avoid spread of African swine fever

  

  Poland recorded 55 outbreaks of African swine fever in wild boar near the German border last month, the world animal health body said on Thursday, in a sign the deadly virus is spreading near one of the European Union's biggest pork exporters.

• Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 08:52 UTC

  Brazil anticipates record 2019/20 oilseed and grains crop: some 250 million tons

  

  Brazil's 2019-20 crop of grains and oilseeds is expected to reach a record of nearly 250 million metric tons, mainly driven by a sharp recovery in soybean production, even as inclement weather in southern regions of the country is raising concerns about the corn crop.