World Agriculture
Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture
-
Food in the age of biofuels~ ~ Food in the Age of Biofuels ~~José Graziano da Silva ROME - Over the past several years, biofuels have become a bone of contention. For some, a renewable energy source produced from organic matter amounts to a magic wand in the fight against climate change. But others view biofuels as an existential threat, because the plants used to create them compete for agricultural land and water that would otherwise be used to grow food. But this is a false dichotomy. The choice cannot be between food and fuel. We can make good use of both. Given the right conditions, biofuels can be an effective means to increase food security by providing poor farmers with a sustainable and affordable energy source. In some land-locked African countries, gasoline costs three times the global average, making fuel prices one of the main barriers to agricultural growth. Extending the use of biofuels in these regions could boost productivity and create new employment opportunities, especially in rural areas. The effect could be made even stronger if the additional demand for feedstock created by biofuels was met by family farmers and small-scale producers. Biofuels have become a fact of life, and their use is expected to continue to increase steadily. In 2013, biofuels accounted for 3% of the total transport fuel used around the world, according to a report by the Food and Agricultural Organization and the OECD. While this percentage is expected to remain steady, we can nonetheless expect the production of biofuels to grow in absolute terms as the global market for transport fuels also expands. Indeed, global biofuel production is projected to be double by 2023 relative to its level in 2007. If that prediction is borne out, biofuels will consume 12% of the world's coarse grain, 28% of its sugar cane, and 14% of its vegetable oil. As production of these fuels grows, we will require policies, programs, and capacities that ensure that they are used sustainably, without distorting food markets or compromising food security, which will always be the first priority. The pioneers of biofuels would probably be surprised by how little they contribute to the total world fuel supply today. Rudolf Diesel's first engine, designed in the late 1800s, ran on fuel derived from peanut oil. Henry Ford once scouted Florida in hopes of buying tracts of land to plant sugar cane, convinced that the United States would not tolerate the pollution from burning fossil fuels or the dependency implicit in importing oil to produce gasoline. Only in recent decades have biofuels regained their original appeal, owing to efforts to secure affordable energy, generate income, and mitigate the dependency of which Ford warned. More recently, concerns about pollution, climate change, and the finite nature of fossil fuels has driven a spike in demand - one that must now be managed. Flexibility is key to efforts to leverage the world's growing reliance on biofuels to boost agricultural productivity, accelerate rural development, and increase food security. For example, policymakers must defuse the competitive pressures between food and fuel by designing schemes to counter price volatility for basic foodstuffs. Authorities could require that the percentage of biofuels blended with conventional fuel be increased when food prices drop and cut when they rise. This would serve as a sort of automatic stabilizer. Poor farmers would continue to enjoy robust demand for their products even when food prices dropped, and consumers would be protected from rapid or excessive price increases. National targets could also be made more flexible. If mandates for biofuel use were applied over several years, instead of only one, policymakers could influence demand in order to minimize pressure on food prices. Finally, at the individual level, greater flexibility could also be built in at the pump, through the promotion of flex-fuel vehicles of the type already in use in Brazil. If cars are equipped with engines that can run on conventional fossil fuels or blends with high percentages of biofuels, consumers can adapt to changes in prices by switching between one or the other. Finding the right balance will not be easy. But if we harness our collective knowledge, include developing countries' smallholder farmers in this effort, and maintain our focus on reducing poverty and protecting the vulnerable, we can have more fuel, more food, and greater prosperity for all. Read more at http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/biofuels-food-security-climate-change-by-jose-graziano-da-silva-2015-06#pv1CQrRE14Dmv90J.99
-
Global oilseed production to increase to 0.5164 billion tonnes over the next decadeAccording to the "Agricultural Outlook 2015-2024" report jointly released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), global oilseed production will continue to grow in the next ten years, and is expected to increase from 0.4514 billion tons in 2015 to 2024.0.5164 billion tons. For comparison, global oilseed production averaged 0.4252 billion tons per year between 2012 and 2014. The report shows that global oilseed consumption is expected to reach 0.5157 billion tons in 2024, higher than the 0.4507 billion tons expected in 2015, and the global average consumption between 2012 and 2014 is 0.4284 billion tons. Global oilseed exports are expected to reach 0.1574 billion tons in 2024, compared with 0.1383 billion tons expected in 2015 and an average of 0.1207 billion tons between 2012 and 2014. The ending stock of oilseeds in 2024 is expected to be 44.4 million tons, compared with 50.7 million tons expected in 2015 and 41 million tons average between 2012 and 2014. Global oilseed prices are expected to be $459.6 per tonne in 2024, compared to $403 in 2015 and an average price of $511.20 between 2012 and 2014. Source: FAO
-
Food security at stake: climate change poses greatest threat to poor~~Food security at risk: Climate change hitting poor the hardest, says minister By News Desk Published: June 30, 2015 Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan has called for making country's agriculture sector adapt to changing weather patterns caused by global warming. In a press release issued on Sunday, the minister said growing risk of climate change-induced natural disasters was most likely to aggravate state of poverty in the Asia-Pacific region. “The best viable way to tackle poverty in the region is to help people, particularly farmers, adapt to changing weather patterns caused by climate-altering global warming ." Boosting adaptation in climate-sensitive agriculture, water, livestock, fisheries and forest sectors in the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to two thirds (743 million) of the world's total extremely poor people, has become indispensable to abate economic inequality as mostly the poor bear the brunt of natural disasters, Khan suggested. According to the Global Climate Risk Index-2015, five of the top 10 countries most affected by climate change-induced disasters during 1994-2013 are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Philippines and Vietnam, the minister highlighted. He said the recent UN report titled 'Economic Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific' concluded that the Asia-Pacific region accounted for 38 per cent of global disaster-related economic losses between 1980 and 2009. People in the regional countries are four times more likely to be affected by disasters than those in Africa, and 25 times more likely than in Europe or North America, he said quoting from the report. He said precarious weather extremes are occurring in the Asia-Pacific region more often than any other region of the world. “This gives the region a huge stake in mitigating global temperature rise while adapting to already rising climate change impacts in shape of floods, typhoons, cyclones, sea level-rise and heat-waves," Khan shared. The Asia-Pacific countries urgently needed to boost investment in disaster management, climate-resilient infrastructures, he said while referring to different global studies. “Investing in disaster risk reduction (DRR) as part of climate change adaptation does make sense, because, every dollar spent for DRR saves at least $4 in post relief and rehabilitation costs," Khan said. We must realise as various studies indicate that the climate change-induced extreme weather events are scuttling efforts to haul the poor out of poverty and measures aimed for boosting the trajectory of economic growth, the statement quoted the minister. Referring to the Asian Development Bank's recent study “Confront Climate Change to Make Growth More Inclusive”, the minister said the report concludes that devastation caused by climate change-induced disasters is more skewed towards the poor. The minister said it was a matter of concern that climate change was not viewed as an urgent development agenda at the local level in most of the regional countries including Pakistan. Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2015. http://tribune.com.pk/story/911869/food-security-at-risk-climate-change-hitting-poor-the-hardest-says-minister/
-
Global corn stocks expected to decline year-on-year~ ~ global corn stocks expected to decline year-on-year 2015-05-12 10:17 | source: China Grain Network | the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release its monthly supply and demand report for May at 12 noon Eastern Time on Tuesday (early Wednesday morning Beijing time). According to a survey by the Wall Street Journal, analysts predict that the U.S. Department of Agriculture may slightly increase global corn stocks for 2014/15. Analysts this month expect global corn stocks to be 0.1895 billion tons in 2014/15, slightly lower than the USDA's April forecast of 0.1885 billion tons, with a forecast range of 0.1865 billion to 0.194 billion tons. Analysts on average forecast the global corn ending inventory for 2015/16 to be 0.1854 billion tons, with the forecast range between 0.171 billion tons and 0.2005 billion tons. The USDA will release its first forecast for the 2015/16 annual supply and demand data on Tuesday. The following table is a breakdown of forecasts for each institution for the month. (Source: Boyi Master)
-
IGC: Global Wheat Production Forecast for 2015/16 Lowered to 0.7113 billion Tons~ ~ IGC: Global Wheat Production Forecast for 2015/16 Lowered to 0.7113 billion Tons 2015-06-30 10:18 | source: China Grain Network | zhongda according to the June monthly report released by the International Grains Council (IGC), the global wheat production (including durum wheat) in 2015/16 is expected to be 0.7113 billion tons, lower than the earlier forecast of 0.7151 billion tons and 0.7208 billion tons last year. The IGC expects EU wheat production to be 0.1488 billion tonnes in 2015/16, down from an earlier forecast of 0.15 billion tonnes and 0.1562 billion tonnes the previous year. The United States 58.2 million tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year was 55.1 million tons. Russia 55 million tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year was 59.7 million tons. Canada 30 million tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year's 29.3 million tons. Australian wheat production is expected to be 25.5 million tonnes, compared with an earlier forecast of 27 million tonnes and 23.7 million tonnes the previous year. Ukraine's wheat production is expected to be 22 million tons, compared with an earlier forecast of 21 million tons and 24.1 million tons the previous year. Kazakhstan's wheat production is expected to be 13.5 million tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year's 13 million tons. Argentina's wheat production is expected to be 12.5 million tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year's 13.9 million tons. China's wheat production is expected to be 0.127 billion tons, the same as last month's forecast, the previous year's 0.1262 billion tons. India 89 million tons, lower than the earlier forecast of 91 million tons, the previous year's 95.9 million tons. IGC expects global wheat consumption to be 0.7132 billion tons in 2015/16, down from the earlier forecast of 0.7151 billion tons and 0.7104 billion tons in the previous year, of which feed consumption is expected to be 0.1399 billion tons, compared with the earlier forecast of 0.1411 billion tons and 0.1412 billion tons in the previous year. The consumption is expected to be 0.4839 billion tons, compared with an earlier forecast of 0.4835 billion tons and 0.4783 billion tons the previous year. Industrial use is expected to be 22 million tons, compared with an earlier forecast of 22.2 million tons and 22 million tons the previous year. The IGC expects global wheat trade to be 0.1494 billion tonnes in 2015/16, compared with an earlier forecast of 0.1493 billion tonnes and 0.1529 billion tonnes the previous year. Global wheat ending stocks in 2015/16 are expected to be 0.1958 billion tons, compared with an earlier forecast of 0.1996 billion tons and 0.1976 billion tons the previous year.
-
U.S. corn and soybeans in the doldrums~ ~ U.S. Corn, Soybean Conditions Weaken Mike McGinnis 06/29/2015 @ 3:18pm DES MOINES, Iowa (Agriculture.com)-The U.S. corn and soybean crop conditions drop for a third week in a row, according to the USDA Monday. In its Crop Progress Report, the USDA rated the U.S. corn crop as 68% good/excellent vs. 71% a week ago and 75% a year ago. About 4% of the crop is in the silking stage, compared with an 8% five-year average. Within the top-producing states, Iowa's corn is rated as 83% good/excellent, llinois 62%, Indiana at 48%. Some of the biggest concerns remain with Ohio's corn rated at 42% good/excellent and Kansas corn at 56%. For soybeans, USDA pegged the crop as 94% planted vs. a 97% five-year average. As of Sunday, the U.S. crop was seen as 63% good/excellent condition vs. 65% a week ago. The soybean crop is 89% emerged vs. a five-year average of 94%. And, 8% of the crop is blooming vs. a 9% five-year average. In its report, the USDA showed the U.S. winter wheat as 38% harvested vs. a 46% five-year average. Al Kluis, Kluis Commodities, says that the USDA report is price-positive for tonight's electronic trading market. “This corn good/excellent rating was lower than the grain trade expected," Kluis says. Kluis adds, “The soybean planting rating is 94% complete. That means that nationwide, 5.8 million acres still need to be planted. This is about 3 million acres more than usual for this time in June. Soybean conditions were also lower than expected ." http://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/us-cn-soybe-conditions-weaken_2-ar49344
-
Agricultural companies welcome signing of trade promotion law~ ~ Ag Groups Welcome TPA Signing 06/29/2015 @ 3:52pm Business Editor President Barack Obama signed fast track trade legislation Monday that most farm groups hope will lead to lower tariffs on U.S. ag exports to Pacific Rim nations and Europe. Obama signed two bills into law. One gives him Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) that allows the administration to fast track any trade agreements through Congress, with only up or down votes allowed with no amendments. The second law renews and expands the Trade Adjustment Assistant (TAA) program that offers training to workers displaced by trade agreements. “The trade authorization that's provided here is not the actual trade agreements," Obama said at a White House signing ceremony. “So we still have some tough negotiations that are going to be taking place. There has always been concern that people want transparency in those agreements -- under this authorization, these agreements will be posted on a website for a long period of time for people to scrutinize, and take a look at, and pick apart ." The Obama administration is wrapping up negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal most ag groups will likely back. They, and everyone else, will finally get a look at the highly secretive TPP deal. The TPA law requires disclosure of any agreement 60 days before it's signed and long before Congress votes on it. “For the United States, TPP is potentially the biggest trade deal in decades," said Floyd Gaibler, U.S. Grains Council director of trade policy and biotechnology. “The 12 countries that are involved account for 40% of the world's gross domestic product," Gaibler said last week after the Senate passed a final version of the bill. “A comprehensive, high-quality deal is critical for U.S. agriculture, which is a consistent leader in exports. An agricultural free trade zone encompassing much of the Pacific Rim also promises to be a powerful tool for projecting exports well beyond the circle of TPP signatories ." Other groups were also hopeful that the TPP deal and another potential agreement with Europe will spur trade of U.S. commodities. “President Obama's signature today opens the door to creating new trade partnerships around the world that will drive American business forward in the international marketplace," said American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman. “U.S. agriculture is ready for ambitious trade agreements that break down barriers to products grown and made in America, so our trading partners know we mean business," Stallman said. “TPA was a key priority for the American Soybean Association (ASA) in the 114th Congress," the group said in a statement. “The bill gives the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) the ability to get the best deal possible, and it provides Congress the oversight it needs to ensure every agreement will work for American farmers ." ASA said hundreds of farmers had contacted their lawmakers in recent months over TPA. The reality of a TPP could be modest, though, as computer modeling by USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) showed last year. http://www.agriculture.com/news/policy/ag-groups-welcome-tpa-signing_4-ar49346
-
China-US Leaders Meeting Will Bring Opportunities to Agriculture~ ~ U.S.-China meetings offer access for agriculture John Frisbie 11:11 p.m. CDT June 22, 2015 Tensions are once again buffeting the U.S.-China relationship. Fortunately, there are two opportunities in the coming months to put the relationship on a better path: a high-level annual meeting this week in Washington, D.C., and, more importantly, a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September. The upcoming U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue will set the table for the Xi visit. Backed by both presidents and with interagency participation at senior levels from both governments, the dialogue is built to address the array of issues that span the relationship. National security and cyber issues will certainly be on the agenda. The economic track of the dialogue will also be full, with a prospective investment treaty and macroeconomic policy coordination just two topics to be discussed. The US-China Business Council (USCBC) believes that greater market access in China for American agriculture companies also needs to be high on the agenda. As USCBC looks at the bilateral relationship today, there is a tremendous opportunity for American companies to provide effective solutions to address China's need for high-quality agriculture products as well as their food safety challenges. U.S. agriculture companies in China face numerous market barriers, from slow and opaque approval processes for new biotechnology products, investment restrictions in agricultural processing, to counterfeiting in both seeds and crop protection products. These challenges not only hinder foreign investment and trade flows, but also limit China's goals for advanced food security and crop innovation. China's middle class is set to double over the next decade to perhaps 500 million people. Rising incomes mean greater demands on the food supply chain. This is an area where common interests should outweigh other concerns, with positive prospects for growing Iowa's nearly $3 billion in exports to China last year. Events like the dialogue and President Xi's visit will no doubt focus on the challenges in the relationship. It is also important that our political leaders highlight the opportunities to provide mutual benefit to the world's two largest economies. Expanding the agriculture relationship between the U.S. and China should be a win-win proposition. JOHN FRISBIE is president of the US-China Business Council in Washington, D.C. Contact: jfrisbie@uschina.org
-
The American Farm Bureau Federation told the Environmental Protection Agency that the new regulations will hurt the biofuel market and the environment.~~Farm Bureau to EPA: Proposed Rule Would Hurt Biofuel Market and Environment KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, June 25, 2015 - American Farm Bureau today called on the Environmental Protection Agency to rethink its rule to reduce renewable fuels in the nation's gasoline supply. Nebraska Farm Bureau President and AFBF Board Member Steve Nelson, Iowa Farm Bureau's Charlie Norris and Illinois Farm Bureau's Wayne Anderson called the rule groundless and harmful at a special field hearing in Kansas City, Kansas. “EPA's decision not to follow the intent of Congress when it developed the RFS in 2007 is highly disappointing to all of agriculture," Nelson, a corn and soybean farmer, said. “This proposal is a step in the wrong direction and ignores the benefits ethanol and biofuels have provided Nebraska's rural economy and the nation as a whole ." iowa's Norris, who grows corn and soybeans, said “EPA's rationale for this proposed rule is flawed. The renewable fuel standard has already met and surpassed all of its intended goals, and the EPA should continue to follow the volumes specified in the law ." Anderson, a grain farmer in Geneseo, Illinois, added “Congress took a bold step when our country recognized the need to rely more on domestically produced, environmentally friendly bio-based fuels. Ethanol and biofuels are fulfilling that promise ," The RFS has reduced air pollution and our dependence on foreign oil while increasing farm incomes and creating jobs across rural America. AFBF believes this is a success story EPA should be promoting, not undercutting, for the good of the nation's environment and economy. Contacts: Will Rodger (202) 406-3642 willr@fb.org Kari Barbic (202) 406-3672 karib@fb.org
-
THINKING: Feeding poultry with more pastureFood for thought: Use more forages in livestock farming Jun 29, 2015 Brown Swiss cattle are shown in a silvo-pasture in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Credit: Diana Burbano Small-scale livestock farming in the tropics can become more intensive yet sustainable if more and better forage is used to feed the animals being reared. This could benefit farming endeavours in rural South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, and see a move away from the increased reliance on grain-based feeds, say scientists at CIAT (International Center for Tropical Agriculture) and Thomas Rudel of Rutgers University in the US, in Springer's journal Ambio. The world's livestock population has over the past two decades shifted from ruminants (such as cattle, goats and sheep that digest their food in a complex of stomachs) towards monogastric animals (such as pigs and poultry that have a single stomach). Whereas the former can quite easily digest pasture grasses, other forages and roughages, the latter cannot. In especially the developed world farmers increasingly use more grain and soybean-based concentrates to feed their animals. This has led to a rise in grain prices and has reduced the availability of food for human consumption. Rudel and his associates at CIAT argue that the "LivestockPlus" program could be a way forward by increasing the use of forages to feed livestock, which is often reared on small farms, in the tropics. Its agricultural research and extension efforts help to intensify in sustainable ways the management of forage grasses and legumes, shrubs, trees, and animals. "In addition to enhancing the food security of poor consumers by reducing global demand and prices for grains, forage-focused sustainable intensification would improve the productive capacity of poor producers who raise crops and livestock on small landholdings in rural South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Central America.", says Rudel. So far the adoption of new tropical forages has often been fitful with exception such as the large scale adoption of pasture grasses in Latin America, explains Rudel, as it often only occurs in specific locations and too slowly to produce noticeable changes in financial or environmental terms. It can be done better by introducing new and more nutritious forage varieties and animal management practices to specific farming areas, and by spreading the news about it from farmer to farmer by word of mouth. The tighter integration of forage production with other agricultural activities on a farm could also work well. Success can also better be accomplished through coordinated efforts by farmers, agricultural extension workers, and scientists from national or international organizations like CIAT. These efforts should explicitly take note of the ecological process at work in a specific agricultural production system, current farming practices, and what the capabilities are of those who are going to use the new innovations. Outside interventions like LivestockPlus would be most helpful when they fit well into the array of other smallholder activities. To assess these possibilities, farmers need specific information about planting and management requirements for forages. Suitable maps could for instance inform outreach and smallholder efforts about when, where, and how to use new forages best. Explore further: Native shrub offers dining option in drier months
-
Global trade flows and prices may be under pressure in 2015According to Rabobank's latest quarterly poultry report for the second quarter, global trade flows and prices are likely to remain under pressure for the rest of 2015. The long-term effects could be significant as a result of bans on breeding stock trade imposed by several importing countries. Producers in countries with balanced markets will continue to enjoy healthy profits. A global approach to bird flu is more important than ever. Rabobank expects prices to remain under further pressure over the next month. "The poultry industry base is facing stronger headwinds than expected from feed prices due to the strong dollar, falling pork prices and increased competition from trade restrictions," said Nan-Dirk Mulder, animal protein analyst at Rabobank. "The price of whole chicken, chicken legs and chicken feet fell further, and the price of chicken breast remained relatively strong." in such a deteriorating situation, the decline in supply growth is very important. This has been confirmed by countries with healthy markets, such as the United States, Brazil, South Africa and Japan, where the poultry industry still generates good profits. Rabobank believes that a global solution to the avian influenza problem is more important than ever before. Strict biosafety standards should be implemented and industrial business models should be adjusted to solve practical problems in new markets. The government should follow the relevant international guidelines based on avian influenza trading restrictions. Many Asian countries that have implemented restrictions on breeding poultry trading, including China, expect further shortages in the local breeding poultry supply chain and may be affected by low supply the following year. Poultry Industry Prospects by Region EU: Profits recovered slightly. Trade positions will improve due to the weak euro and the possible withdrawal of restrictions on bird flu trading. US: HPAI outbreak wave, but little impact on broiler industry. The local market demand is large and profits remain strong. Brazil: Competitive position in global trade. Rivals exist for real weakness and are caught in the bird flu ban. Russia: The market is not optimistic due to the continued increase in feed costs and the abolition of wheat export taxes. China: less bird flu, but still greatly affected. Profits are at their lowest level in five years. Thailand: Despite strong exports, supply still exceeds demand. South Africa: Profits improved, but the outlook for earnings from exports to the European Union was more uncertain. 2015/6/29 Source: International Livestock Network
-
Japan allows corporate enterprises to purchase agricultural land to promote modern agricultural developmentEconomic Daily, Tokyo, June 23 (Reporter Yan Haiphong) In order to improve the comparative advantages of agriculture and promote the transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, the Japanese government has introduced a number of agricultural reform measures in recent years to allow corporate enterprises to purchase agricultural land to encourage strength Of enterprises participate in agricultural production. Recently, in addition to some manufacturing enterprises entering the agricultural field, large supermarkets and chain stores that directly sell agricultural and sideline products have also entered agriculture and participated in agricultural production and technological development. In recent years, Japan's largest supermarket companies "Ito Yang" and "Aeon" have opened large farms around Tokyo and in the northeastern region, using advanced agricultural machinery and modern information technology to mass produce rice, fruits and vegetables. "Yongwang" also cooperated with local rice production experts and farmers to develop a new rice variety "Caiguang", which has a taste significantly better than previous varieties. After the Japanese government announced the "agricultural special zone" policy, "Ito Yang" established an "agricultural product production base" to produce dozens of vegetables and fruits, which are provided to a series of retail stores across the country. The company decided that in the next five years, it will expand its "agricultural base" to more than 30 regions across Japan. After successfully planting new varieties of rice, Yongwang decided to broaden the channels of agricultural production, produce a large number of vegetables, and also develop and introduce new vegetable varieties in the way of joint experts and farmers. The large Japanese chain store "Rosen" has also recently used the "agricultural special zone" policy to set up "farms" in various parts of Japan, and at the same time set up large vegetable greenhouses to produce a variety of vegetables with high freshness according to the sales characteristics of the chain store. This practice of large supermarkets in Japan has been welcomed by consumers. According to a survey conducted by relevant Japanese agencies, the proportion of agricultural products independently produced by large supermarkets and some chain stores in Japan has reached 23%, and will increase to 30% in one year. According to an official Japanese survey, the comparative advantage of agriculture is improving as corporate enterprises actively enter the agricultural field and transform agricultural production to electronic, information-based and energy-saving. 2015/6/23 Source: China Economic Net-Economic Daily
-
Global wheat supply is abundant and competitive market prices are falling.As of the week of June 19, 2015, the global wheat market prices mostly fell, continuing the rise of last week, mainly due to sufficient global wheat supply, fierce competition in the export market and sluggish demand. In addition, the weather in the winter wheat producing areas of the United States tends to be dry, which helps farmers to speed up the harvest of winter wheat and is also detrimental to wheat prices. On Friday, the July 2015 soft red winter wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) fell 15.25 cents from a week ago to 488.50 cents per bushel. The July hard red winter wheat futures on the Kansas City Futures Exchange (KCBT) closed at 503.25 cents per bushel, down 22.75 cents from a week ago. The July hard red spring wheat futures on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) closed at 543 cents, down 18.25 cents from a week ago. The September 2015 flour wheat period on the EU Euronext exchange closed at about 178.50 euros, down 1.75 euros from a week ago. The seller of Argentine spot wheat (12% protein content) quoted US $226 per ton, the same as last week, FOB price. The September 2015 wheat futures of Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange closed at 2,564 yuan per ton, down 28 yuan from a week ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted last week that the global wheat ending stock in 2015/16 would be 0.2024 billion tons, slightly lower than the 0.203 billion tons predicted last month, but still higher than the already huge stock of 0.2004 billion tons last year and 0.18998 billion tons in 2013/14. Harvesting of winter wheat in the United States has begun. Recently, the weather has continued to rain, and excessive rainfall in some areas has delayed the progress of wheat harvest. However, the weather forecast said that the weather in the Great Plains of the United States will tend to be dry, which will help farmers harvest winter wheat crops, triggering long profits to unwind and sell. According to the crop weekly report released by the US Department of Agriculture, as of June 14, the harvest of winter wheat in the United States had been completed by 11%, compared with 4% last week and 15% in the same period last year, with an average progress of 20% in five years. From the perspective of U.S. wheat exports, according to the weekly export sales report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as of the week of June 11, 2015, the net sales volume of U.S. wheat in 2015/16 was 315,700 tons, slightly lower than the 376700 tons a week ago. As of June 11, total U.S. wheat export sales (shipped and unloaded) in 2015/16 were 5.0473 million tons, down 26.9 percent from a year earlier. The USDA currently expects to export 48.31 million tons in 2015/16 and 49.26 million tons in 2014/15. In Australia, due to the possibility of dry weather in eastern Australia due to El Nino phenomenon and the possible reduction of wheat planting area, the Australian Bureau of agricultural resources and economic science this week predicted that Australia's wheat production in 2015/16 would be 23.6 million tons, slightly lower than 23.67 million tons in the previous year, which would also be the second consecutive year of decline in Australian wheat production. ABARES had earlier expected a wheat yield of 24.4 million tons. In Russia, Russian wheat prices remained stable last week. Despite the bright outlook for production, it is still difficult to resolve market concerns about wheat export tariffs. The Russian government will implement new wheat export tariffs from July 1. If the ruble weakens in the next few months, the new floating export tariffs could threaten the pre-sale profits of Xinmai, analysts said. According to IKAR, a Russian agricultural consulting agency, as of the end of last week, Russia's new wheat quotation (protein content 12.5) was US $190 per ton, FOB price, which was also stable for the third consecutive week. 2015/6/24 Source: Food Industry Network
-
Milan Expo 2015: Agriculture and food safety challenges get the most attentionThe 2015 Milan World Expo revolves around the theme of "Feeding the planet, the source of life" (energy for life). The 2015 Milan World Expo will last from May 1 to October 31. It is a comprehensive international Expo after the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, with 148 countries and international organizations participating. The concept of "sustainable" and "innovation" runs through the theme. Seeking to provide sustainable food security for the world the 2015 Milan Expo has seven sub-themes, namely food and food supply, agriculture and biodiversity, food supply chain, meal education, food and life, food and culture, food cooperation and development, etc., aiming to explore the world Provide sufficient, high-quality, healthy and sustainable food security, and find effective ways to rationally use resources, protect the environment, nourish humans, and feed the earth, find a balance between human and natural development. This year's Milan Expo broke the tradition of dividing venues by geographical location or region of each continent. The tour routes were designed according to the theme and the venues were allocated accordingly. All the participating venues faced the same Expo Avenue. The master plan idea shows the various processes of crop cultivation, food processing, food distribution and food trade. The Milan Expo Park has a total area of one million square meters, and the host country, the Italian National Pavilion, has attracted much attention. The Italian Pavilion covers an area of 13000 square meters. The design concept is "urban forest". The structure is complex and ingenious. The total cost is reported to be 44 million euros. For the first time, Expo Milano will feature food from different countries and seek to address the food needs of up to 9 billion of the world's population by 2050. The U.S. Pavilion at the Expo is sponsored by private individuals and corporations and covers an area of 35000 square feet with a 7200 square foot vertical farm. When US President Barack Obama announced the US participation in 2014, he said that the United States will show its contribution and innovation in food to improve global agriculture and human health. The U.S. Pavilion will send food vans to tour the venue, offering American cuisine. The U.S. Pavilion also has interactive facilities on obesity, genetically modified foods, etc., while discussing food safety issues in a warming climate. The China Pavilion covers an area of 4590 square meters, while the China Enterprise Joint Pavilion and Vanke Pavilion cover an area of 1200 square meters and 900 square meters respectively. The theme of China Pavilion is "the field of hope, the source of life". In addition to national pavilions, Expo Milan 2015 also features a children's theme park, an art and food area, and a future food area that introduces the latest food technology in various countries. 8 million tickets for the Milan Expo have been sold worldwide through an agreement. The six-month Expo is expected to attract more than 2000 million tourists from all over the world. On May 1, the media reported that more than 1 million tickets for the Milan Expo have been sold in China. The organizing committee predicts that 1.5 million Chinese tourists will travel to Italy and visit the Expo during the Expo. It is understood that the Milan Expo tickets according to the age of the ticket buyers, the number of people, visit the date and number of days to set the price of different stalls. "Sustainable development is a common problem facing the world. I hope people will use the opportunity of the Milan World Expo to study how to balance the relationship between business activities and sustainable development." Italian Minister of Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Maurizio Martina said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters in Brussels a few days ago that agriculture involves many aspects. Italy is most concerned about people's responsibility for food safety and food safety at this World Expo. Challenges. When introducing the government's approach to ensuring food safety, Martina said that in Italy, food labels on sale must provide sufficient information to ensure food safety and reliability. If a business violates the regulations, it will be severely punished. He pointed out that Italy's official food safety guarantee system is coordinated by multiple departments and is mandatory. At the same time, the Italian food industry and private owners have also developed a series of standards for different food types. It is the combination of public and private systems for food safety control that ensures food safety and high quality. Martina also said that in setting the topic of the World Expo, Italy focused on and integrated the United Nations strategy and issues related to food. At that time, it is of great significance for exhibitors to share experience around agricultural science and technology and agricultural innovation, and is expected to promote a better balance between agricultural production and demand. It is reported that during the Milan World Expo, the exhibitors will sign the "Milan Charter" to make joint commitments on food security and other issues, and submit it to the visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on "World Food Day" on October 16. Future Supermarket: Big Data Takes You to Picking Vegetables "Business Week" reported that compared with the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, which captured global attention with large-scale buildings, the 2015 Milan World Expo, Italy, known for its wine and food, focused on the most primitive human needs: eating. The 2015 Milan World Expo, from the origin to the dining table, the world's smartest head, to solve the problem of "eating. Since the debut of the first World Expo in 1851, it has been an arena for countries to showcase the use of new technologies and promote human progress. For example, the debut of harvesters 164 years ago promoted the industrialization of agriculture, and the technology of reinforced concrete ushered in the world of high-rise buildings; including airplanes, movies, computers, etc., all took the lead on the stage of the World Expo. This time, countries are showing the use of science and technology to solve food safety, food supply, sustainable agriculture and other issues. In the first week of its opening, the world's focus was on a "supermarket of the future". Inside the supermarket is a wide and high-rise space. The front and back, high and low screens show the big data (Big data) operation in real time. Who is coming, what products are purchased, and what activities are going on in the market. Just like the interaction, exchange and goods grabbing between people and vendors in the traditional market, with big data, everything is clear at a glance. The 1500 products are displayed on the shelf one by one according to categories. When you want to pick up the orange from Sicily, the screen on your head moves before you touch it. It is divided into two, the screen is drawn, and the coordinates fall on Sicily on the world map. The varieties, producer names and price charts of oranges are presented. The next picture shows the nutrients and calories of oranges, the way they are transported from Sicily, the carbon footprint and the planting method. I don't have to touch it, but I already know it. Not only fresh products, but also pasta, biscuits and even microwave products. With a wave of his hand at the exhibition area, even the ingredients of biscuits, the factories produced, the calories and the suggestions for eating all appeared. What's more, the glass screen can also teach you how to cook! The glass tabletop in the center of the supermarket is like a jewelry display with models of cooking. After clicking on the side of the table, the glass becomes the screen at the position of the microwave oven or oven in the general western kitchen, with instructions, icons and animations, which cooperate with the model behind to demonstrate the cooking steps, with the effect like shadow play. "We want to present a seamless simulation of reality, but we don't want a bulky device like Google Glass," said Carlo Ratti, an Italian designer in charge of future supermarket curation and director of MIT's sensor technology laboratory. All the technologies used have only one purpose: to tell the story of food. He reached out to the wine area, and the screen moved. From the production area, the grape species, to the story of the winery, he looked at the bottle of wine as if appreciating a work, "Why can't consumers know these stories?" 2015/6/20 Source: International Livestock Network
-
FAO official calls on all parties to support food and agriculture in tackling climate changeAlexander Mebeck, senior policy officer for agriculture, environment and climate change of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, said recently that climate change is affecting global agriculture and will have a further impact in the future. He called on all parties concerned to support food and agriculture in addressing climate change to ensure world food security. In an interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters, Mebeck said that the countries and regions most seriously affected by climate change are those whose citizens are in a state of malnutrition and social instability. The number of vulnerable groups in such countries and areas is about 2 billion, who depend on agriculture for their survival and engage in agricultural or agriculture-related activities. "For them, a small change in climate can quickly affect food security," Mebeck said." A number of climatic parameters such as summer temperature, rainfall and rainfall area will play an extremely important role in agriculture. Even small changes will affect agricultural production and harvest. Mebeck said that climate change is already happening globally and has a greater impact on agriculture than extreme weather. He said climate change could lead to lower agricultural yields in some areas, unstable yields or change the geographical distribution of crops. He believes that agriculture accounts for a large proportion of the entire economy in developing countries and has an impact on local employment and the implementation of national development policies. Given the large number of smallholder farmers in developing and poor countries, helping these groups to improve their ability to cope with climate change will help ensure world food security. Mebeck also said that attention to climate-sensitive agriculture will help prevent and mitigate the impact of climate change, resolve the risk of food crisis, and protect the environment. He said that FAO recommends promoting food security by increasing production capacity and improving rural population structure; at the same time, agricultural production needs to adopt methods to adapt to climate change and reduce or not increase excessive greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible. Release date: 2015-06-16 Source: Xinhua
-
Brazil's soybean production is expected to hit a forecast high.International market: Brazil's soybean production is expected to hit a forecast high. 2015-06-12 8:59 Source: China Grease Net forecast data released by Informa Economics, a private analysis firm in Tennessee, USA, shows that Brazil's soybean production in 2014/15 is expected to be 95.5 million tons, 1 million tons higher than the earlier forecast. In contrast, the forecast released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday was 94.5 million tons, which was the same as the forecast in May. Informa also expects Argentina's soybean production to be 60 million tons in 2014/15, 1.5 million tons higher than the company's earlier forecast. In contrast, the U.S. Department of Agriculture this month also raised its forecast for Argentina's soybean production to 59.5 million tons from 58.5 million tons last month.
-
U.S. soybean spot market quotes are downInternational markets: U.S. soybean spot market quotes are down. 2015-06-12 9:02 Source: China Grease Net s. soybean spot quotes fell on Thursday, following the futures market lower. South American soybean production is huge, the pressure on soybean prices. On Thursday, the National Commodity Supply Company (CONAB), a subsidiary of Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, raised Brazil's soybean production to a record 96 million tons, higher than the current forecast of 94.5 million tons by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the US Bay, the average spot price of US No. 1 soybean was 10.195 US dollars per bushel, or about 374.6 US dollars per ton, down 9.5 cents per bushel from the previous trading day. The basis price in the Gulf of Louisiana is 79 to 80 cents a bushel higher than CBOT's July soybean price, and 79 to 80 cents higher in the previous trading day. In the central region of Illinois, the average price for soybean processing plants to buy soybeans was $9.725 per pu, down 9.5 cents from the previous trading day. The basis price is 25 to 40 cents higher than CBOT's July soybean futures price, which is the same as the previous trading day. On Thursday, the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean futures closed down. The soybean futures for delivery in July 2015 fell about 9.5 cents to close at 940 cents/pu. November soybean period fell about 13 cents to 908.75 cents/pu.
-
Argentina produces 24.5 million tons of corn in 14-15 years~ ~ argentina produces 24.5 million tons of corn in 14-15 years 2015-06-10 10:18 | source: China Grain Network | buenos Aires, June 9: South American agricultural expert Mike. Dr. Cordonez (Michael Cordonnier) released the report. At the same time, Dr. Cordonez maintained the 2014/15 Brazil corn production forecast unchanged at 79 million tons, but the Argentina corn production forecast was increased by 500000 tons to 24.5 million tons. In contrast, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted in its May supply and demand report that Brazil would produce 78 million tons of corn in 2014/15 and Argentina 24.5 million tons of corn.
-
California restricts agricultural water use~~California Cuts Water to Agriculture 284 by Daniel Nussbaum13 Jun 2015337 On Friday, California's top water regulators issued new cutbacks on farmers holding senior water rights dating back more than 100 years. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) ordered the curtailment of all water diversions to farmers in the Delta, San Joaquin and Sacramento River watersheds holding senior water rights dating to 1903, according to a release from the agency. The order places new restrictions on 114 senior water rights holders in total, including the cities of Chico, Placer, Paradise, and Patterson. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Water Resources (DWR), and several other municipal water districts are also affected. The new cutbacks come as California grapples through the fourth year of a record drought. In April, Gov. Jerry Brown issued mandatory restrictions on urban water use, but the governor and top water officials faced criticism for exempting agriculture from the plan. The restrictions are the first placed on senior water rights holders since 1977, according to the Board. Water diversions for roughly 9,000 junior water rights holders, or those with rights after 1914, had already been curtailed for a second consecutive year. The Board says cuts for more senior water rights holders and farmers in other watersheds “may be imminent” as the state continues to monitor the effects of the drought. The cutbacks could cause farmers to abandon thousands of acres of viable farmland, says Aubrey Bettencourt, executive director of the nonprofit California Water Alliance. “I'm already receiving calls from farmers in the North San Joaquin Valley and the Sacramento Valley saying they'll lose entire tomato and rice crops," Bettencourt told Breitbart News.“ I would expect the fallowed acreage to increase, and to hear more stories of farmers walking away from crops already in the ground ." In May, some farmers with senior water rights negotiated with state regulators to cut use by 25 percent in exchange for an exemption from cuts during growing season. California has struggled to conserve water during the drought. Statewide urban water use fell 13.9% in April, a significant improvement over single-digit percentages in February and March, but a long way from Brown's 25 percent target. http://www.breitbart.com/california/2015/06/13/california-cuts-water-to-agriculture/
-
Agriculture will drive Africa's economic rise~ Agriculture will drive Africa's rise to economic power From Mali to Tanzania, agriculture is propelling rampant economic growth. Governments need to continue to invest to support smallholder farmers Agnes Kalibata Dr Agnes Kalibata is the president of the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa (Agra). I was in Mali recently where I met a woman, Maimouna Coulibaly, who several years ago left her job in the United States and returned to her home country to start a seed company called Faso Kaba. She quickly and confidently ramped up production, from 100 tons per year to over 1,000. She is eager to keep expanding, but she's having a hard time finding financing. I have heard different versions of this story over the last few months as I travelled around the continent: African farmers and agriculture businesses experiencing an initial burst of entrepreneurial success, reflecting the tremendous potential for agriculture as an economic driver, but then encountering obstacles that raise questions about how to sustain it. The more I heard, the more I wished I could merge two important meetings taking place this week - the European Development Days in Brussels and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Cape Town. The Brussels gathering will include a heavy focus on how development assistance can help improve food production and food security in Africa. In Cape Town, the focus is on attracting private investment to Africa's rapidly growing economies. At the sidelines of WEF Cape Town, GrowAfrica particularly focuses on how to capitalise on the opportunities that abound in Africa's agriculture sector. Agriculture in Africa today represents both an incredible development and a lucrative business opportunity These gatherings reflect the combination of forces African agriculture needs today - the support and expertise provided by development assistance in league with the investment and business acumen of the private sector. I recently left Rwanda after six years as minister of agriculture and animal resources and I am now president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) a group that views agriculture - the sector that employs the majority of Africans - as the key to driving sustainable, equitable growth across the continent. What excites me about this work is that agriculture in Africa today represents both an incredible development and a lucrative business opportunity. What is even more exciting is the agreement, but also the echo to do things differently; to stop piloting and go to scale with what works (and there is already a lot that works); and to treat agriculture, including smallholder agriculture, as a business. The economies of many African countries are growing faster than anywhere else in the world - and agriculture, which accounts for a third of Africa's GDP, is poised to be the next instalment of the “Africa rising” narrative. African leaders sent a signal last week that agriculture in the ascendant sector when, for the first time ever, they selected an agriculture minister, Nigeria's Akinwumi Adesina, to head the African Development Bank. Adesina has become an evangelist for turning Africa's smallholder farmers - most of our food production occurs on farms that are less than a hectare in size - into businesses that generate growth at all income levels. And that's why agriculture is such an important development opportunity: growth in the agriculture sector is 11 times more effective at reducing poverty than growth in any other sector. Cash from cassava: better breeds of the staple crop will boost development Read more Members of the African Union are increasingly committed to agriculture-led growth. Only last year, they renewed their vows to invest 10% of national budgets in agriculture with very clear targets to which they want to be held accountable for. In places like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Rwanda, these investments already have been tied to dramatic reductions in poverty. The World Bank finds that poverty is down by 33% in Ethiopia since 2000, and agricultural growth is the main driver. In similar work in Rwanda, the Bank attributed 45% of Rwanda's rapid poverty reduction in a relatively short period of time to growth of the agriculture sector and associated industries and services. During my travels over the last few months, there was an unmistakable optimism everywhere I went. Mali, for example, boasts of having stopped importing cereal crops over the last five years and is looking to export as much as 500,000 tons of maize to its neighbours in 2015 alone. Last year, Tanzania's farmers produced one of the biggest maize crops the country has ever seen. But in many instances the progress is tempered by barriers, that need to be addressed. The bumper crop in Tanzania was a benefit mainly to farmers, who had access to storage facilities and links to market opportunities. Too many farmers were left singing about “the problem of a good year” - lots of surplus produce rotting before they see a market. In Burkina Faso, farmers need around 100,000 tons of certified seed annually, but seed availability is only 16,000 tons. Local companies - struggling to find capital to fill this demand - can currently produce only about 6,000 tons of this. Permaculture in Malawi: using food forests to prevent floods and hunger Read more In Mozambique, I met an agriculture expert from an aid agency who said it took him years to understand that boosting yields on farms is only half the battle, and that unless one goes a step further to connect farmers to market opportunities, development assistance is often a dead end. Farmers on the other hand understand this in only one season. Without a market they do not only lose income, they risk all their capital. It becomes difficult for such farmers to invest in good seeds and fertilizers again - it makes no sense. I understand that smallholder agriculture can be a difficult sell to the business community. But there are ways development assistance with the backing of hard working committed governments can bridge that divide. In Mozambique and Ghana, for example an alliance of development partners and industry organizations have helped smallholder farmers partner with SAB Miller to grow cassava for the company's new brands of cassava beer. How to grow food in a slum: lessons from the sack farmers of Kibera Read more My experience as minister of agriculture in Rwanda and my recent travels across Africa have made it abundantly clear that if we link development assistance with market opportunities - if we combine the spirit of the European Development Days with that of the World Economic Forum - we can accomplish great things. global development professionals Join the Guardian Global Development Professionals Network Join up to access commentary and insight from development experts across the world. Click here I urge our friends in the development community to embrace agriculture as an income opportunity for millions of Africans - and many are - and I ask our partners in the private sector to think about how development assistance can help smallholder farmers cross the chasm from farming as a struggle to survive to farming as a business that thrives; that they (private sector) in fact can be part of growing Africa. Dr Agnes Kalibata is the president of the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa (Agra) and until last year, Rwanda's minister of agriculture and animal resources. She is speaking at EU Dev Days. Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter. http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/jun/03/agriculture-africa-rise-to-economic-power