World Agriculture

Developments, trade, data, and topics in world agriculture

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2013-12-05
G-33 countries urge WTO to agree on food securityG-33 countries urge WTO to agree on food security 2013-12-02 20:19 0 source: china News Network china News Agency, Bali, December 2 (Reporter Gu Shihong) Ministers or representatives from G-33 member states held a meeting in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia on the 2nd to urge WTO members to reach an agreement on food security issues. The meeting was presided over by Indonesian Trade Minister Jeddah as part of the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, which will open on the 3rd. Jeddah told reporters after the meeting that the meeting reached agreement on G-33 proposals related to food security, including reducing trade barriers, enhancing the competitiveness of developing countries, and emphasizing the need for special product agreements and special safeguard mechanisms. It also emphasized that the WTO should play its fair role in ensuring the healthy development of the multilateral trading system. G-33 hope that other WTO members will approve their proposals, including changes to the WTO's agricultural agreement so that they can provide greater subsidies to farmers. Indonesian presidential palace spokesman Julian also said on the 2nd that Indonesian President Susilo will attend the Ninth World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, which opens on the 3rd. It is said that nearly 10,000 trade ministers and representatives from 167 countries around the world will attend the meeting and discuss global trade issues. (END)
2013-12-04
India's pesticide market will reach 3.7 billion in 20182013/11/26 World Agrochemical Network according to the "2018 India Pesticide Industry Pre-analysis" report, the Indian pesticide market is expected to reach 229.8 billion Indian rupees (approximately US $3.68 billion), with a compound annual growth rate of 14.7 from fiscal year 2014 to fiscal year 2018. Factors such as increased farmer awareness, economic affluence, preference for organic food, increasing focus on R & D, expansion of contract farming, and GDP growth will drive the growth of the plant protection industry in India in the future. The pesticide industry in India can be broadly divided into 6 categories, including pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, biological pesticide plant growth regulators and rodenticides. Among the above categories, pesticides account for the highest proportion of pesticide market revenue, accounting for about 45%. Although the market share is far ahead, the market share of pesticides has declined steadily over the past few years. The market share of herbicides is behind that of pesticides. Herbicides are the fastest growing segment of the overall pesticide market. Biopesticides are another important component of the pesticide market. Biopesticides currently account for only a small proportion, but the potential for growth in the coming years is huge, mainly due to government support and increased awareness of the use of non-toxic, environmentally friendly pesticides in India. Pesticide consumption in India is unevenly distributed across different regions. The use of pesticides in the northern part of India accounts for the vast majority, while the eastern and northeastern parts of India account for the least. Large states with pesticide consumption in India include Andhra Pradesh, UP, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The plant protection industry in India is capital intensive and highly regulated. The industry is mainly composed of manufacturers of original drugs and manufacturers of preparations. The manufacturer of the original drug usually sells the high-quality original drug in bulk to the formulation manufacturer, who then mixes the carrier, solvent, surfactant and other related compounds to formulate the preparation. UPL, Bayer CropScience, Syngenta, Laris India and BASF are some of the major players in the sector and account for the majority of the sector's revenues in India based on FY2013 sales performance. Man of Feeding
2013-12-04
UN Report: World Food Gap Up to 70% by 2050UN Report: World Food Gap Up to 70% by 2050 comprehensive report on the through train for agriculture, rural areas and farmers: according to the news on the United Nations website on December 4, a research report released by the United Nations Environment Programme and other institutions shows that the world population will reach 9.6 billion by 2050, and the food demand at that time will be 70% more than it is now. The report notes that it is possible to fill this gap, but not solely by increasing the production of food crops. The World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future, authored by the World Resources Institute, UNEP, the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, shows that increasing the productivity of crops and livestock on existing agricultural land is essential to save forests and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but increasing production alone is not enough to fill the food gap. The report found that in order to avoid clearing more land for agricultural use, crop yields would need to be increased by 40 per cent over the next 40 years compared to the previous 40 years. Statistics show that the world loses about 1.3 billion tons of food every year, equivalent to 1 trillion US dollars, which not only causes serious economic losses, but also puts pressure on natural resources. According to the report, reducing food loss and waste by half by 2050 could fill 20% of the food gap. Statistics also show that between 2006 and 2050, human beef consumption will increase by 80%. Reducing the excessive demand for animal products would prevent tens of millions of hectares of forest from being converted to pasture, the report said. It is estimated that between 2006 and 2050, the population of sub-Saharan African countries will surge, and it is necessary to triple the current food production to meet the per capita food demand. The report suggests that helping to reduce the birth rate by improving health care and education could fill 25 percent of the region's food gap. The report devotes a great deal of space to making recommendations on how to increase food production. The Third Global Conference on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Change is currently being held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The report was published at the time of the meeting. The report published on the 3rd is only an interim report of the report, and the full report will be completed in mid -2014. http://www.gdcct.gov.cn/politics/headline/201312/t20131204_806345.html
2013-12-02
Global wheat production in major exporting countries in 2013/14Global wheat production in major exporting countries in 2013/14 2013-12-02 10:02 China Grain Network foreign media reported on December 1 that according to the latest report released by the International Grains Council, the wheat output of the world's major exporting countries in 2013/14 is expected to be 0.3575 billion tons, compared with the previous forecast of 0.3574 billion tons. 0.3144 billion tons. The IGC pointed out that the world's major export countries include Argentina, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. Wheat exports from the world's major exporting countries in 2013/14 are likely to be 0.1321 billion tons, compared with the earlier forecast of 0.1313 billion tons and 0.1192 billion tons in the previous year. Including food, industrial and feed consumption, the total consumption of wheat in the world's major exporting countries is expected to be 0.2311 billion tons, compared with the earlier forecast of 0.2315 billion tons and 0.2261 billion tons last year. The IGC expects ending stocks of wheat in the world's major exporting countries to be 51.5 million tonnes, compared with an earlier forecast of 53.4 million tonnes and 48.3 million tonnes the previous year. (Source: Master Boyi) this article is reproduced from: China Grain Network (www.cngrain.com)
2013-12-02
Russian and Ukrainian wheat exports to declineRussian and Ukrainian wheat exports to decline according to UkrAgroConsult, an industry analyst, as of November 20, 2013, Russia and Ukraine had exported 16.4 million tons of wheat, accounting for 65% of the export target. The agency said that in the remaining seven months of 2013/14, Ukraine and Russia may export about 8 million tons of wheat. This means that from January next year, Black Sea wheat exports will decline. This article is reproduced from: China Grain Network (www.cngrain.com)
2013-12-01
Brazil's climate assessment report says global warming won't reduce agricultural production in BrazilWorld Agrochemical Network: No matter how the global temperature changes, Brazil's agricultural production will continue to rise. The forecast was made by Nelson Ananias Filho, technical adviser of the Brazilian Federation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), at a hearing held by the Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development and Supply Committee of the Chamber of Deputies. At the hearing, scientists explained the contents of the first national assessment of climate change. This report summarizes the results of more than 300 Brazilian researchers. The report shows that by 2100, the average temperature will rise by 3-6 degrees Celsius. This will affect rainfall in Brazil: in the southeast and the Mata Atlantica region in the south, rainfall may increase by 30%, while in parts of the Amazon and Katinga drought will occur, with rainfall reduced by up to 40%. Disagreement at the hearing, Luiz Carlos Molion, a professor at the Centre for Meteorology at the Federal University of Aragoas, criticized the report by the Brazilian Climate Change Research Group and refuted the findings of most scientists. Molion believes global temperatures will drop over the next 20 years. He believes that the sun's activity is periodic, the star will enter a period of low activity and emit less heat. In addition, the temperature of several oceans, especially the Pacific Ocean, is also falling, which will also have an impact on the global temperature drop. Adaptation the disagreement did not influence CNA consultant Nelson Ananias Filhoa's opinion on climate change. He said: "We will seize every opportunity to increase agricultural production. Eduardo Assad, a researcher at the Brazilian Agri-Tech Company (Embrapa), was involved in drafting the national assessment report on climate change. He reaffirmed predictions that temperatures could rise across the country. Assad added another consequence of climate change in Brazil, namely the increased frequency of "extreme events. He said: "What used to be considered normal still occurs and is increasing, with several days of the year when the temperature is surprisingly high, some days when it rains particularly heavily, and some days when the temperature is particularly low. These climatic phenomena can have a strong impact, especially on Brazil's agriculture and the population in the poorest areas". Embrapa researchers believe that this will adversely affect soybean, corn, coffee and wheat yields in the first place. But on the other hand, rising temperatures are beneficial to grassland growth and sugarcane production. Eduardo Assad stressed that one way to reduce the impact of climate change on agriculture is to grow adaptive plants. For example, he said, some corn grown in northern Brazil can withstand high temperatures and uncertain rainfall. These corn can be tested in the south. According to his information, these corn grown in the northeast are not as productive as the varieties in the south, but they also provide farmers in that area with an alternative to planting. Citation from World Agrochemical Network http://cn.agropages.com/News/NewsDetail---6312.htm man of Feeding
2013-11-29
EU farmers' groups express concerns over GM policyEU farming groups express concerns about GM regulations 4 Nov 2013 08:49 The restrictions on growing GM crops in the European Union are greater than anywhere else in the world. Efforts to change them provoke controversy and, because the steps necessary to effect change depend in part on politicians taking a view about public opinion, the restrictions remain in place. In an effort to free the log jam, EU farming groups, including the NFU, NFU Cymru NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers' Union, have added their names to an open letter written by the French Association for Plant Biotechnology to the Commission expressing deep concern about the effect of GM policies and regulations in the EU. It calls for better access to the best crops including GM varieties 'so that agriculture in Europe can be more sustainable and less reliant on imported products', and says that the lack of options can lead to loss of income and missed opportunity for EU farmers. At present there are only two varieties of GM crop licensed to be grown in the EU, and in six member states - Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Luxembourg - even those may not be grown. They have invoked a safeguard clause in a 2001 Directive which allows member states to prohibit the use or sale of genetically modified organisms if they have justifiable reasons for considering that the organisms pose a risk to human health or to the environment. The European Academies Science Advisory Council has recently published a report which warns of grave scientific, economic and social consequences of current EU policy and calls for a 'rethink' of the widespread rejection of GM technology. It looks for a reform of EU regulations which focus on risk benefit analysis rather than on risk alone. The report has received backing from the national science academies of all the member states and Norway and Switzerland, and from the EU's chief scientific adviser, Anne Glover. She also says that the EU should not miss the opportunities offered by emerging plant breeding technologies and should not 'make the mistake of regulating them to death as we have done with GM '. The anti-GM lobby has been active too. After the World Food Prize was awarded to employees of Syngenta and Monsanto (which has abandoned GM work in the EU), the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility issued a statement challenging claims from the UK government and biotechnology companies that GM foods are safe. This in turn has provoked a firm rejoinder from the chairman of the Agricultural Biotechnology Council in Australia who referred to a report from the World Health Organisation which says of GM foods that no effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of such foods by the general population in the countries where they have been approved. The anti-lobby will no doubt reply that the World Health Organisation says nothing about the effect on the environment. QED - The scientists will never achieve a sufficient consensus to stiffen the political sinews.
2013-11-29
Achieving Zero Hunger by 2025: Asia-Pacific Countries Working for Regional Food SecurityMoving towards Zero Hunger by 2025. Asia-Pacific gearing up for food security for all 20/11/2013- Bangkok, 18 Nov 2013 -While undernourishment in Asia dropped from 24 to 14 percent over the past three decades, concerted efforts aim to eradicate hunger and achieve Zero Hunger by 2025. Some 40 representatives from civil society, development partners and UN agencies are reviewing a draft Asia-Pacific guiding framework to achieve the UN's Zero Hunger Challenge by 2025. The absolute number of hungry people in Asia-Pacific remains unacceptably high and casts a shadow on food security and malnutrition as well as sustainability and feeding future generations, FAO said today. Concrete and immediate joint actions are urgently needed to achieve the UN Secretary-General's Zero Hunger ChallenGe. FAO's regional chief, Hiroyuki Konuma, elaborated on three global concerns: “hidden hunger” or micronutrient malnutrition affecting 2 billion people with serious public health consequences; over-nutrition with 1.4 billion people overweight; and massive food losses and waste, estimated at over 30 percent of food production. ESCAP's statement stressed that peace and security largely depend on meeting the basic human right to food. “The existence of hunger and malnutrition is a manifestation of the breakdown of the social contract. This is a root cause of migration, human trafficking and other social upheavals," said Amisuzzaman Chowdhury, director of ESCAP's macroeconomic policy and development division. Multi-stakeholder efforts Led by the UN Regional Thematic Working Group on Poverty and Hunger - chaired by FAO and co-chaired by ESCAP and UNDP - a half day multi-stakeholders consultation was held in Bangkok today. The meeting reviewed a draft regional guiding framework outlining sets of outcomes and outputs to be achieved at national level to reach the Zero Hunger goal in Asia-Pacific. “Today's work will be presented at the sidelines of the 17 to 20 December 2013 ministerial level meeting on economic integration convened by ESCAP," said Mr Konuma, “and guiding future steps for implementing the Zero Hunger Challenge by countries in the region ." The consultation is attended by some 40 participants, representing civil society constituencies (fishers, farmers, consumers, landless, rural workers, pastoralists, women, youth, urban poor, human rights/right to food), non-governmental organizations and networks, and key development partners, academics and UN organizations. Submitted by: Naoki Minamiguchi FAO Office: FAO RAP Topics: Hunger mapping Strategic Objective: Help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition Country: Thailand
2013-11-27
Oasis miracle: Israel relies on technology to use every drop of water2013/11/27 14:15:00 China Quality News Network content Summary for a long time, the water resource problem has always been the main factor restricting the development of Israeli agriculture. Since the 1960 s, with the development of industry and scientific progress, Israel has been actively exploring water resources while also continuously developing new water-saving agricultural irrigation technologies and methods, and extending them to agricultural production, striving to produce more with a small amount of aquatic products. Agricultural products. At present, the alarm bell of the world freshwater crisis has sounded, and "how to deal with the threat of water" has been prominently placed in front of the people of all countries. The experience of Israel, a West Asian country, is worth learning from and using water through technology to make full and rational use of water resources. Half of the territory of Israel has a typical arid and semi-arid climate, with most of the land covered by hills and sand. The unfavorable climatic conditions and natural environment, as well as the urgent requirements of the development area, have prompted Israel to develop its own resources, tap its potential, develop agricultural production according to local conditions, and take a unique road of scientific and technological development. government to guide water conservancy construction since 1953, Israel has started to build a national water transmission project and implemented the "North-South Water Diversion Project": that is, the fresh water from Lake Galilee, which is 208 meters above sea level in the north, is extracted and transported southward to the southern Inner Gef Desert. This project will first pump the lake water to a height of 365 meters, and then use a pipeline with a diameter of 2.74 meters to transport it to the south, passing through tunnels, canals and canals along the way, and using closed pipeline lines and pressurized pumping stations and other different procedures and methods to transport it through thousands of meters of pipelines. It connects the water supply network in the central and southern regions-the production and domestic water in residential areas in agricultural areas. The annual pumping capacity is 0.64 billion cubic meters, and the development of groundwater in Israel is strictly controlled to avoid depletion and salinization of water resources. In terms of water delivery management, the state has set up MEKOROT National Water Company to manage it. In addition to managing water delivery projects, the company is also engaged in related businesses such as drilling wells, purifying seawater, brine and sewage. Israel's "Water Law" stipulates that all water resources in the country belong to the state and are specifically used for the needs of national economic construction and residents' living needs, and set up a water conservancy committee to formulate water policies, as well as water and soil conservation, prevention and control of pollution, wastewater purification, seawater desalination and other specific work related to the development and management of water resources. A council is set up within the committee, of which 1/3 are appointed by the government and 2/3 are representatives of water user units in various industries. Each year, the Water Commission allocates 75 per cent of its water consumption to agricultural operators. It is used for farmland irrigation, and then the council of the committee formulates different water allocation quotas according to the different water consumption of various crops in agricultural production, such as vegetables, flowers, and fruits. Advanced water-saving technology management for a long time, the problem of water resources has always been the main factor restricting the development of agriculture in Israel. Since the 1960 s, with the development of industry science with progress, Israel is actively tapping water resources, while also constantly developing new water-saving agricultural irrigation technologies and methods, and extending them to agricultural production, striving to produce more agricultural products with a small amount of aquatic products. Intensify the use of recycled water, and use the sewage generated by industrial and urban production and life for agricultural irrigation after centralized purification treatment. The same is done for the water used in life after desalination. In order to help agricultural operators to use more secondary purified water, the price of purified water is low. If the poor purified water is simply treated by farm farmers themselves, the price is cheaper. At present, 0.23 billion cubic meters of purified water are used for agricultural production in Israel every year, accounting for 19% of the total 1.2 billion cubic meters of agricultural water. In the future, 1/3 of agricultural water can be used with sewage purified water, which not only saves water resources, but also avoids the pollution and erosion of limited land resources and environment caused by the large amount of waste water discharged into Israel to a large extent, Therefore, it is greatly conducive to the protection of land and ecological environment. Continuously build additional water accumulation facilities to maximize the collection and storage of natural precipitation resources during the rainy season for production and planting during farming. Popularize the use of pressure irrigation techniques and methods. The so-called pressure irrigation includes sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation. Israel's agricultural irrigation has experienced several revolutions of flood irrigation, furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation, and each revolution is a great leap in agricultural irrigation technology. The drip irrigation equipment now produced by the NETAFIM Drip Irrigation Company can supply water ranging from 1 to 20 liters per hour. This irrigation system is very suitable for fine planting. Compared with other irrigation systems, the advantages of drip irrigation are obvious: it saves water resources. Drip irrigation supplies water directly to the plant roots, reducing the evaporative loss of water. It does not irrigate the soil, but irrigates the roots of plants, and can also deliver fertilizer and water to crops. Maintain good aeration of the soil, reduce the degree of soil salinization and reduce the growth of weeds; Farmers do not have to stay in the field during irrigation, but can also engage in other fertilization, pruning, harvesting and other work. The amount of pesticide can be reduced, thus saving capital and labor input, and ultimately reducing the production cost of farming. The invention and development of drip irrigation technology is a milestone in the history of the development of Israeli agricultural production technology in recent decades, and it is Israel's greatest contribution to the world's agricultural irrigation and methods. At present, pressure irrigation is used in irrigated land throughout Israel, which has reduced water consumption per unit area by 50-70%, while water utilization has been greatly improved and agricultural water use has been greatly reduced. Israel has introduced new irrigation techniques and equipment every year, and now it has derived buried irrigation from drip irrigation, as well as other irrigation methods such as spray irrigation and spread irrigation. Relying on this set of water-saving technologies and systems, Israel has developed agriculture in the river valley and built oases in the desert, making Israeli agriculture enter the agricultural ranks of developed countries. http://america.twwtn.com/Agriculture/ man of Feeding
2013-11-27
EU approves first agricultural reform policy~~22-11-2013 03:44 AM | Arable, Cereal, Crops, Finance, News EU approves first reform of farm policy A deal with the Council on five legislative acts reforming EU farm policy has been endorsed by Parliament. The post-2013 Common agricultural policy (CAP) will put more emphasis on environmental protection, ensure fairer distribution of EU funds and help farmers to cope better with market challenges. “The first ever reform of the EU farm policy decided jointly by ministers and directly-elected MEPs, has just been given its final shape. During this long and challenging journey, Parliament made major improvements. The new CAP will strike a better balance between food security and environmental protection, better prepare farmers to face future challenges and be fairer and more legitimate," said Agriculture Committee chair and lead negotiator Paolo De Castro (S&D, IT). To ensure that direct payments go only to active farmers, MEPs persuaded Council to draw up a blacklist of entities, such as airports or sports clubs, to be automatically excluded from EU funding unless they prove that farming contributes a substantial share of their income. Parliament also insisted on a mandatory EU-wide scheme to give young farmers an extra 25% in top-up payments for their first 25 to 90 hectares. Small farmers could also get more money, whereas large farms receiving more than €150,000 will see their payments above that level cut by at least 5%. "In addition to shifting some money from big to young and small farmers, we ensured better distribution of EU funds across the EU. By 2020 farmers from different member states should receive at least 72% of the EU average direct payment”, said Luis Manuel Capoulas Santos (S&D, PT), rapporteur for direct payments and rural development regulations. Under the new CAP, 30% of member states' budgets for direct payments may be spent only if mandatory greening measures, such as crop diversification, maintaining permanent grassland and creating "ecologically-focused areas", are carried out. "Double funding", I .e. paying farmers twice for delivering the same set of environmental benefits, will not be allowed and farmers who fail to apply mandatory greening measures will face additional penalties on top of losing their “greening” subsidies, which will be phased in during the first four years of the new CAP. "It is a matter of fairness to give farmers more time to familiarise themselves with the new rules. No penalties will be imposed in the first two years of the new CAP and only then will the share of so-called green payments withheld gradually rise to a maximum of 25%", said Giovanni La Via (EPP, IT), rapporteur for the financing, management and monitoring regulation. “With new tools to keep and promote rural economies, increased environmental protection and no double funding, public money will be better used to deliver public goods for everyone”, said Mr Capoulas Santos Parliament also ensured that farmers' organisations will be given additional tools to help farmers cope with market volatility and strengthen their price bargaining position. "For instance, the scope of sectors in which farmers' organisations may negotiate supply contracts on behalf of their members without breaching competition rules will be widened. Stronger producer organisations must not turn into cartels but should help farmers to improve their economic situation," said Michel Dantin (EPP, FR), rapporteur for the common market organisation regulation. The CAP reform process, launched in Parliament in 2010, reached its final stage in June 2013 when negotiators for Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached a political agreement on the major issues. . The final plenary vote comes after another round of negotiations in which the remaining issues have been resolved. The voted package includes four regulations on 2015-2020 EU farm policy and a regulation setting transitional rules for 2014. Read more in the background note (link to the right). http://www.farminguk.com/news/EU-approves-first-reform-of-farm-policy_26858.html
2013-11-27
China and EU cooperate on food security, agriculture, biotechnologyEU and China to cooperate on food, agriculture and biotechnology research The Letter of Intent will pave the way for an ambitious strategic long-term partnership in the fields of Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology, building on the long-standing EU-China research and innovation cooperation, within the overall context of the Scientific & Technological Cooperation Agreement. The EU and China have launched at the end of last week, the first EU-China flagship initiative for research and innovation with the signature of a Letter of Intent on Research and Innovation Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology (FAB) between the European Commission and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). This new initiative will ensure concrete, substantial and balanced joint research and innovation cooperation activities on selected priorities of common interest. It was announced during the 1st EU-China Innovation Cooperation Dialogue (see joint statement ). This Letter of Intent was signed on the European Commission side by: D. Ciolo? responsible for Agriculture and Rural Development; M. Geoghegan-Quinn, in charge of Research, Innovation and Science; T. Borg responsible for Health; and J. Potocnik in charge of the Environment. On the Chinese side, it was signed by Li Jiayang, President of the CAAS and Vice-Minister of Agriculture. The Letter of Intent will pave the way for an ambitious strategic long-term partnership in the fields of Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology, building on the long-standing EU-China research and innovation cooperation, within the overall context of the Scientific & Technological Cooperation Agreement. Under the terms of the Letter of Intent, the EU and China will: -Harness their respective Research and Innovation Programmes (EU Horizon 2020 and ASTIP - Chinese Agricultural Science and Innovation Programme) to increase funding and improve mechanisms for cooperation; -Design and implement joint and coordinated research programmes and support joint collaborative research projects and activities based on identified common challenges and shared objectives; -Reinforce their position of searching for innovative solutions to address the common challenges of global food security, quality and safety and help in finding a sustainable model of agriculture, developing a sound bio-economy and, ultimately, improving their trade relations; Work on the following priority areas of common interest: -food related science including food waste, -sustainable agriculture, including integrated pest management and bio-control, low-input and organic farming systems, water and soil management, -animal health and sustainable livestock production systems, -urban agriculture to contribute through urban greening to the Urbanization Partnership, -biotechnology, including new sources of biomass. ©2013 Agri.EU http://agri.eu/eu-and-china-to-cooperate-on-food-agriculture-and-biotechnology-research-news5480.html
2013-11-27
French farmers block Paris roads to protest EU farm reforms~ ~ French farmers blockade Paris roads over EU agriculture reforms 21/11 11:25 CET The French government has called on farmers to lift road blockades “immediately” after two accidents which killed a fireman and left six police officers injured. The 28-year-old firefighter died in the Val d'Oise after being “struck by a heavy goods vehicle” and six riot squad officers were hurt in a collision with a lorry “as part of the barricades put in place by cereal farmers," Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier told French television. One farming union, the FDSEA in Ile-de-France, said the man's death had “nothing to do with” its action as the accident happened a kilometre away from the barricade. The Val d'Oise prefecture said the fireman's vehicle had struck the back of a lorry which had been halted by the blockades. Farmers protesting the redistribution of funds under reforms to the European Agricultural Policy (CAP) have been disrupting traffic around the French capital. “We're mounting blockades here and there, there are already about ten around Paris. What we want to do is get an appointment with the Agriculture Minister Mr (Stéphane) Le Foll and if we don't succeed, we will increase (the protests) until December 10th, the date when the reforms are due to be signed," said Olivier Gousseau, spokesman for farmers in the Yvelines. The changes to the CAP, approved by the European Parliament on Wednesday, will see more EU funds go towards livestock at the expense of cereal farms, which are common in the countryside around Paris. The government admits the latter stand to lose 25 percent of the funds they receive under the CAP, but says it has to think of French agriculture as a whole. “It's a major political choice: fewer subsidies for cereal farmers indicates increased support for livestock farmers who have been suffering serious difficulties for a long time," Agriculture Minister Stéphane Le Foll told Le Figaro. “I accept the balancing which has been done in favour of these producers ." The newspaper says figures from the National Agriculture Accounts Commission (CCAN) show that the average income of farms in the Ile-de-France region around Paris was 97,800 euros last year, five times more than the amount earned by those in the Limousin in southwest France. http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/21/french-farmers-blockade-paris-roads-over-eu-agriculture-reforms/
2013-11-27
WTO chief warns global trade talks face collapse~~WTO chief warns global trade deal faces collapse Roberto Azevedo Mr Azevedo has warned that a failure to reach a deal would have grave consequences Continue reading the main story Related Stories WTO trade reform talks stumble Watch The World Trade Organization (WTO) head, Roberto Azevedo, has warned global trade deal talks face collapse. Mr Azevedo's comments came after WTO members failed to agree on a text to be presented to trade ministers next month to reach a deal. A potential global deal, first since the WTO was formed, could add nearly $1tn (£617bn) to the world economy. Mr Azevedo said that negotiations had been hurt as members "stopped making the tough political calls ". "This prevented us from getting to the finish line," the director-general added. 'Grave consequences' Diplomats from the WTO's 159 member countries had held talks over the past few days in Geneva over a range of issues. Among them were new rules that would streamline customs procedures and speed up global trade. Another key area of discussion was agriculture and the sustainability of food security programmes, such as the one being run by the Indian government. Some reports indicated that India had taken a hard stand on the issue in an attempt to win greater concessions. The trade ministers of the member countries are scheduled to meet in Bali, Indonesia early next month. Mr Azevedo said that it would not be feasible for them to hold any negotiations on the text of a global agreement and that an absence of the same meant a deal was unlikely to be reached. However, he warned that a "failure in Bali will have grave consequences for the multilateral trading system. Most of you know this. "We will fail not only the WTO and multilateralism. We will also fail our constituencies at large, the business community and, above all, the most vulnerable among us. "We will fail the poor worldwide. Not a single human being living in poverty anywhere in the world will be better off if we fail in Bali," he added. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25099257
2013-11-27
In 2013, U.S. agricultural income climbed to a new high, up 15%.U.S. 2013 Farm Income Seen Climbing 15% to Record on Big Crops By Jeff Wilson - Nov 27, 2013 3:39 AM GMT+0800. . Surging supplies of U.S. corn and soybeans coupled with higher revenue for specialty crops will boost farm incomes to a record this year even after grain prices fell, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. Net-farm income will reach $131 billion, up 8.6 percent from $120.6 billion forecast in August and 15 percent higher than a year earlier, the USDA said in a report today. Enlarge image Soybean Harvest Soybean Harvest Since Sept. 1, soybeans inspected for export shipment rose 5.9 percent from a year earlier to 585.6 million bushels, the fastest pace ever, USDA data show. Photographer: Ty Wright/Bloomberg . Farmers in the U.S., the world's biggest corn grower, are projected to produce a record 13.989 billion bushels of the grain this year. Soybean output will be 3.258 billion bushels, the third-biggest ever, government forecasts show. Global food costs tracked by the United Nations are 14 percent below the all-time high set in February 2011 as crop supplies gained. “Bigger grain crops mean farmers have more bushels to sell, and that helps to offset the drop in grain prices," Michael Swanson, the senior agricultural economist in Minneapolis at Wells Fargo & Co., the largest U.S. farm lender, said in a telephone interview. “A lot of specialty crops including hay, vegetables, fruits and nuts have done very well this year. Pistachios and almonds are just gold ." Corn prices on the Chicago Board of Trade slumped 39 percent this year, the biggest decline among the 24 commodities tracked by the Standard & Poor's GSCI Spot Index. The GSCI gauge dropped 3.7 percent, while the MSCI All-Country World Index of equities climbed 18 percent. Soybean Shipments Since Sept. 1, soybeans inspected for export shipment rose 5.9 percent from a year earlier to 585.6 million bushels, the fastest pace ever, USDA data show. U.S. corn stockpiles on Aug. 31, 2014, before next year's harvest, will be 1.887 billion bushels, more than double a year earlier. Inventories are adding $12 billion to farm income this year, compared with accounting for a loss of $8.1 billion in 2012 after the worst drought since the 1930 ravaged crops. “On soybeans, it's mainly that higher quantities were marketed than expected," Mitch Morehart, a USDA economist who oversees the income report, said in a telephone interview. 'On corn, it's the reverse. It's a potentially record crop, and a lot of it will be in year-end inventories,'' which the USDA factors into incomes, he said. The value of crops sold to companies such as Cargill Inc., Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM) and Blue Diamond Growers will be $217.2 billion, up 2.9 percent from the August estimate. Crop sales were a record $223.5 billion in 2012. Revenue from livestock sales will increase 5.8 percent from a year earlier to an all-time high of $181.5 billion. Real Estate Net-cash income, which measures the difference between cash expenses and the value of commodities sold, is forecast at $129.7 billion, 3.5 percent less than a year earlier. Farm real-estate assets are estimated at $2.484 trillion, up 7.5 percent from last year and 42 percent higher than 2009. Farm expenses are down 0.6 percent from the August forecast to $352 billion. That's still up 3.2 percent from a year earlier, the 11th increase in the past 12 years, the USDA said. In both nominal and inflation-adjusted dollars, 2013 production expenses are the highest on record. Labor and rent costs will increase the most, while producers are projected to pay less for fuel and fertilizer. To contact the reporter on this story: Jeff Wilson in Chicago at jwilson29@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Millie Munshi at mmunshi@bloomberg.net http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-26/u-s-2013-farm-income-seen-climbing-15-to-record-on-big-crops.html
2013-11-27
India: Safeguarding food security and farmers' interests in WTO negotiationsFood security and securing farmers' interests at WTO Anil Kumar Kanungo | Updated: Oct 30 2013, 04:07 IST Summary India must push for trade policy instruments like Special Safeguard Mechanism to uphold the interests of its farmers Related Articles 'It has to be integration of bazaar, samaj and sarkar to take India to the next level' Azam blames Cong for delaying Communal Violence Bill Maa, Papa, Dadi and Rahul's memories LS polls to be 'Mahabharath yudh' between Cong-RSS: Chidambaram India must push for trade policy instruments like Special Safeguard Mechanism to uphold the interests of its farmers The Food Security Act (FSA) may be a welcome step for the country, but how does it really help the Indian farmer make a living? The bill doesn't necessarily ensure their livelihood security especially when the agriculture sector doesn't remain a domestic issue and is linked with world agricultural trade negotiations guided by WTO. What needs to be done to make the FSA succeed is to empower the farmers in a complete sense, including their livelihood security, their rural income and development. Indian farmers will possibly be most benefited if the issues of livelihood, food security and rural development are equally considered at the WTO level (however, this is already contentious) to ensure the security of their entitlements as citizens of the country. Therefore, the issue before the government is not only spending its entire energy, using its institutional mechanism, fuel and fertiliser subsidies, PDS and instituting other fiscal measures to operationalise FSA, but also, more importantly, negotiating at multilateral trade forums to ensure all securities for the farmers. In fact, agriculture remains a bone of contention for WTO member-countries even today. A host of issues have already been discussed at great length in the ongoing Doha round of negotiations. But, there is no end in sight. What is preventing WTO members from striking a deal is disagreement between the advanced (led by the US) and the developing countries like India, China, Brazil, etc. The debate is on whether to address the economic and social security of the farmers of developing countries or focus on trade. Two-thirds of WTO members are developing countries whose food security, livelihood and rural income are critically dependent on agriculture. They have a defensive interest in agriculture and are not keen to open up the sector for world trade whereas the industrialised countries are pushing their agenda of tariff reduction and market liberalisation of the sector so that they are in a position to export their products to developing countries and establish their global competitiveness in agriculture. Huge domestic ~~ubsidies to their farm sector are further helping them sell their products at cheaper prices in the global market which the developing countries can't afford to do, as a result of which the latter's competitiveness is globally diminished. Since industrialised countries like the USA and those in the EU are powerful and influence global trade negotiations, economic and social security of Indian farmers is largely getting compromised. What the developing countries are proposing instead are certain measures that should help them protect their agriculture, earn the farmers their livelihood and boost rural income, and in some ways prepare them to remain unaffected by the onslaught of world competition as engineered by USA and EU. Two measures being proposed by developing countries are 'Special Safeguard Mechanisms' (SSM) and identification of 'Special Products' (SPs). SSM would help them to defend their triple concerns of food security, farmers' livelihoods and rural development in the event of agricultural trade liberalisation. It would enable them to raise their tariffs above the bound rates in the event of a fall in price of the imported product or an increase in volume of the imported product, beyond certain levels. SSM, therefore, would be an effective instrument to provide contingent protection to poor farmers in developing countries from negative shocks from surges in imports. The other measure initiated by developing countries to prohibit agricultural import surge is the concept of Special Products (SPs). SPs are a set of products that directly concern their food security and farmers' livelihoods, and therefore, should be subjected to no or low tariff reductions in the Doha programme. Inclusion of such provisions, the developing countries feel, will allow them to address concerns of food security, livelihood and rural development as most of their agricultural products would be outside the ambit of trade liberalisation, and secondly, will help them increase food production. It would remain relevant to the current crisis in food prices as subsistence in food production will provide food security and the developing countries won't rely on imports when there is a global shortage or price increase. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/food-security-and-securing-farmers-interests-at-wto/1188789/2
2013-11-25
America: Genetically modified foods are popularOctober 29, 2013 13:13:18 Source: Xinhua content Summary: In the three largest countries in the Americas, genetically modified food can be said to be popular. According to statistics from the International Agricultural Biotechnology Application Service Organization headquartered in the United States, the global planting area of genetically modified crops reached 0.1703 billion hectares in 2012. Among them, the United States has 69.5 million hectares, ranking first in the world; Brazil ranks second with 36.6 million hectares. In the three largest countries in the Americas, genetically modified foods are popular. The United States is the birthplace of many genetically modified crops and the largest grower in the world; Brazil in South America is the second largest country in the world to grow genetically modified crops; Canada, like the United States, does not require any labeling of genetically modified foods. According to statistics from the International Agricultural Biotechnology Application Service Organization headquartered in the United States, the global planting area of genetically modified crops reached 0.1703 billion hectares in 2012. Among them, the United States has 69.5 million hectares, ranking first in the world; Brazil ranks second with 36.6 million hectares. In Canada, it is estimated that 97.5 percent of the country's rapeseed production in 2012 came from genetically modified crops. From a consumer perspective, statistics from the American Grocery Manufacturers Association show that 75% to 80% of processed foods on the American table contain genetically modified ingredients. There is no specific mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods in US supermarkets because the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers them as safe as traditional foods. Canada's attitude is exactly the same. Health Canada's position is that once genetically modified foods are allowed on the market, their food safety is no different from traditional foods and does not need to be specified. The Canadian Ministry of Agriculture stated that the mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods may cause food production costs to rise, prices to rise, and affect consumers' purchasing decisions. Brazil's management of genetically modified foods is also relatively loose. According to regulations, foods whose main raw materials are genetically modified products must be marked on the packaging bag, but if the auxiliary materials or intermediate products are genetically modified, no marking may be made. The reporter tried to find the relevant logo on some food packaging bags, but found that it was neither obvious nor a risk warning, but added "genetic change" after the main raw material ". As a major food producer and exporter in the world today, Brazil's agricultural production in recent years has mainly relied on the large-scale application of genetically modified technology. The genetically modified crops grown in Brazil mainly include soybeans, corn and cotton. Among them, genetically modified soybeans are the largest, accounting for 68% of all genetically modified crops; the output of genetically modified corn has accounted for 84% of the total corn output. Brazil has also applied GM technology to 29 other crops, such as sugarcane with a drought-tolerant gene and the gene for the antibiotic kanamycin into tobacco. At a time when there is still a lot of international controversy over GM crops, why is Brazil so "reassured" about the development of GM? In an interview with reporters, Ferrelli Torres, an expert from the Brazilian food consulting industry Celeres, talked about the following three reasons: first of all, Brazil's large-scale agricultural production model basically follows that of the United States, and the provision of seeds and loans and the acquisition of products are often monopolized by a few American agricultural multinational companies, such as Monsanto and Bunge. Therefore, when the United States vigorously promotes the cultivation of genetically modified crops, if Brazil fails to follow up at the same time, it will have a devastating impact on agricultural production. This shows that the Brazilian government's move has a certain passive color. Secondly, compared with ordinary crops, genetically modified crops have the obvious advantages of high yield, easy management and low production cost. As a big agricultural export country, Brazil has to compete with the subsidized agricultural products of developed countries in the international market, and the economic benefits are very important. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of domestic agricultural products, opening up the cultivation of genetically modified crops is also an inevitable choice. Third, as a large developing country, Brazil still has tens of millions of people who have not solved the problem of food and clothing. Therefore, Brazil's attitude towards food safety is very different from that of relatively conservative Europe, which needs safety after eating well, while developing countries are still in the stage of having enough to eat. In addition, Brazil does not want to miss this global agricultural technology revolution when the danger of genetically modified food is still uncertain. A fact that cannot be ignored is that Brazil has become an important food producer and exporter in the world with the help of genetically modified technology. Among them, soybeans are the world's second largest producer and exporter, corn is the third largest producer, and exports are also among the top five in the world. But Brazil also has to pay huge patent fees to American agricultural giants such as Monsanto and has not fully benefited from GM. http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-10/29/c_117917376.htm man of Feeding
2013-11-24
Survey shows rapid development of organic agriculture in EU013/11/18 11:41:00 Ministry of Commerce of China content Summary recently, the European Commission released a survey report on "Data and Situation of Organic Agriculture in the European Union". The survey report shows that in 2011, the planting area of organic agriculture in 27 EU countries has reached 9.6 million hectares. Compared with 5.7 million hectares in 2002, the average annual area in the past 10 years has increased by about 500000 hectares, which is very rapid. Recently, the European Commission released the data and situation of organic agriculture in the EU, which analyzes the development of organic agriculture in the EU and its member states. The main contents are as follows: 1. organic agriculture is developing rapidly. According to Eurostat data, in 2011, the planting area of organic agriculture in the 27 EU countries has reached 9.6 million hectares. Compared with 5.7 million hectares in 2002, the average annual area has increased by about 500000 hectares in the past 10 years, which is a very rapid growth. In particular, the 15 old EU member states actively encourage the development of organic agriculture. Therefore, 78% of the EU's planting area and 83% of the organic farms are concentrated in these countries. However, organic agriculture in the new member states that joined the EU after 2004 also expanded rapidly. During the period 2002-2011, the area of registered organic agriculture increased at an annual rate of 13%, and the number of registered organic farms increased by about 10 times between 2003 and 2010. In 2011, the EU registered organic agriculture there are 270000 producers, processors and importers, 235000 of whom are producers, mainly in the 15 old member countries, but the number of producers in the new members also increased from 11000 in 2002 to 50000 in 2011. Despite this, organic farming currently accounts for only 5.4 per cent of the EU's agricultural acreage, with 186000 farms. 2. organic farms show different trends from traditional farms. The data shows that the scale of organic farms is larger than that of traditional farms. Second, the age of managers of organic farms is lighter than that of traditional farms, and they are mainly male, but the education and training level of female managers engaged in organic agriculture is higher than that of traditional farms. 3. farming and aquaculture are active areas. The figures show a positive trend in the number of agricultural farms registered in these two areas. In the farming industry, permanent pastures account for 45 per cent, cereals for 15 per cent and permanent crops for 13 per cent. In animal husbandry, organic sheep and organic cattle are the most important breeding types, accounting for 45% and 30% respectively. In addition, the proportion of organic pigs and goats is 10% and 6% respectively. Citation from Science and Technology World Network http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/53_210536.html man of Feeding
2013-11-23
United States: labeling "genetically modified" bill rejected2013/11/12 13:37:00 China Agricultural News Network content Summary: The United States recently voted on the labeling "genetically modified" bill. The voting results showed that the negative vote accounted for nearly 55%, and the affirmative vote accounted for about 45%. The final bill was rejected. Supporters believe that they should have more information about food, while opponents believe that the bill will increase the workload and costs of farmers and food companies, causing food prices to rise. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about genetically modified food, and the attitude of the United States, as a major exporter of genetically modified food, has attracted global attention. The United States voted on the "522 Act" on November 5, 2013. The statistical results were announced on the evening of November 6, 2013. The negative votes accounted for nearly 55%, and the affirmative votes accounted for about 45%. The final bill was rejected. It is reported that the content of the bill is to require food manufacturers to indicate whether the food sold in the state has been genetically engineered or contains genetically modified ingredients from July 2015. These foods include fruits, vegetables, grains and other agricultural products, as well as processed foods. Of course, some exceptions are allowed. For example, food provided by restaurants, meat and dairy products fed to animals with genetically modified feed need not have such labels. The reporter learned that in order to win votes, both the supporter camp and the opponent camp have spent huge sums of money to carry out massive publicity activities. The camp of supporters includes consumer organizations, organic food growers, producers and sellers. They believe the bill will give consumers more information about their food. The opposition camp includes Monsanto, DuPont Pioneer, Bayer and other major genetically modified crop seed manufacturers, as well as many large food manufacturers. They believe that the bill's cumbersome provisions will increase the workload and costs of farmers and food companies, causing food prices to rise. Man of Feeding
2013-11-22
FAO: Promoting the use of biotechnology on family farms to overcome the challenges faced by smallholder farmersA new FAO publication explores the role of biotechnology, from breeding to pathogens, in small-scale farming, livestock and fish production harvest Jian carp. 2013 year10 month29 day, Rome-A new FAO publication calls for increased national and international support to teach agricultural biotechnologies to small producers in developing countries. This is entitled 《 biotechnology for Smallholder Production: Case Studies of Crops, Livestock and Fish in Developing Countries the publication insists that biotechnology can help smallholder farmers improve their livelihoods and food security. Biotechnology for Smallholder Production contains 19 case studies on crops, livestock and fisheries, prepared by scientists and researchers from around the world. It describes the realities and experiences of biotechnology research in different parts of developing countries and its application to smallholder production such as bananas, cassava, rice, livestock and shrimp. These case studies cover a number of biotechnologies, including older or "traditional" biotechnologies such as artificial fertilization and fermentation, as well as cutting-edge technologies based on DNA rather than transgenic methods. The publication was prepared by a multidisciplinary team from FAO as part of an agricultural biotechnology project activity funded by the Government of Canada. "With the right institutional and financial arrangements, governments, research institutions and organizations can help to transfer biotechnology to smallholder farmers and increase their capacity to respond to challenges such as climate change, plant and animal pests and diseases, and overuse of natural resources," said Andrea Sonino, Chief of FAO's Research and Extension Section. Case Study there were four case studies from India, two from China, and one each from Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cuba, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Thailand. The researchers used their knowledge of DNA markers to develop a waterlogging-tolerant rice variety in India that could yield 1-3 tonnes per hectare more under flood conditions than previously used varieties. This new variety called "Swarna-Sub1" was quickly promoted after its release in 2009 and was adopted by 3 million farmers in 2012. "In short, waterlogging-tolerant varieties provide an opportunity to improve and stabilize yields in flood-stricken areas and play an important role in ensuring national food security," said Uma Singh, who prepared the case study at the International Rice Research Institute, and his colleagues. In China, Jian carp is a breed developed using intraparty breeding and gynogenesis (a breeding technique that results in whole-female offspring containing only maternal genes). At present, there are about 160000 fish farms breeding Jian carp, accounting for more than 50% of China's carp production. In northern Cameroon, the use of DNA diagnostic tools has enabled veterinary authorities to rapidly diagnose outbreaks of Peste des petits ruminants in the field. Peste des petits ruminants is a highly contagious viral disease affecting goats and sheep. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of the disease means that authorities can eliminate the outbreak in time to stop the spread of this deadly disease to other herds. "Without this rapid response mechanism, thousands of sheep would have died during the outbreak, resulting in millions of CFA francs in losses," affirmed Wade and Soule of the National Veterinary Laboratory in Cameroon. The editors of the publication believe that biotechnology can improve livelihoods related to crops, livestock and fish by increasing yields and facilitating market access. The adoption of new and traditional biotechnologies on family farms can also reduce production costs and improve the sustainable management of natural resources. Lessons learned the publication presents lessons learned from these case studies to inform decision makers and to assist them in making decisions on programmes involving biotechnology. Important lessons include the need for political State commitment to increase smallholder productivity and improve livelihoods; financial support from non-governmental sources to complement State efforts; and long-term State investment in scientific and technological personnel and infrastructure. The publication also notes that international and national partnerships are key to ensuring effectiveness, as is the sharing of genetic resources, technology and knowledge at the national and global levels. The publication also emphasizes that smallholder farmers should be involved in the entire process, given their knowledge, skills and initiatives. http://www.fao.org/news/story/zh/item/203672/icode/ man of Feeding
2013-11-20
Sustainable Agricultural Development in Australia: Capital and Environment2013/2/27 9:49:00 China Financial News content Summary the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resources Economics and Science has investigated and written a research report on the land management practices of more than 1300 farmers in China, such as planting, animal husbandry, native vegetation and weed treatment, between 2010 and 2011. According to the report, financial and environmental issues will be a key constraint for Australian farmers to implement sustainable agricultural practices. The Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resources Economics and Science (Abares) pointed out in a new research report that financial and environmental issues will become the key factors restricting Australian farmers to carry out sustainable agricultural practices. In other words, Australian agriculture is sustainable: no money, no environment. It is reported that the research institution has investigated the land management practices of more than 1300 domestic farmers from 2010 to 2011, such as planting, animal husbandry, native vegetation and weed treatment, and wrote the research report on this basis. Paul Morris, executive director of Abares, pointed out that the results of the study will lay the foundation for policy planning throughout government departments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. He said: "Abares has investigated issues such as the financial, environmental, personal and social network coverage in the country. The survey showed that while the entire Australian agricultural sector has expressed understanding, recognition and support for sustainable agricultural development, the lack of government financial support for farmers in this area has become a bottleneck that restricts farmers from changing their management activities, following the surplus labor time and labor." fishery production, especially aquaculture, has made great progress in the sustainable development of agriculture. According to the latest data released by Abares, from 2010 to 2011, the output value of aquaculture in Australia increased by 8%, about 0.948 billion Australian dollars. Fishery experts pointed out that the continuous growth of the output value of Australia's aquaculture industry is not only related to the market, but also environmental factors should not be underestimated, because clean sea water has become a magic weapon for the country's aquatic product marketing to win the world. The data show that the share of aquaculture in Australia's fishery production has increased steadily in the past 10 years, from 29% 10 years ago to 43% at present. In particular, Atlantic salmon farming has become the main force to promote the increasing proportion of aquaculture in the country's fishery production, with an output value of about A $0.408 billion. In addition, South Australian farmed tuna has also become one of the fastest-growing aquaculture species for farmers with soaring global tuna prices. From 2010 to 2011, its output value increased by 22%, about 0.125 billion Australian dollars, while the output value of farmed sea-mouth bass was about 35.7 million Australian dollars. Other aquaculture products such as edible oysters (about A $99 million), prawns (about A $57 million), abalone (about A $16 million) and mussels (about A $10 million) have also increased farmers' personal income. The data further shows that Australia's fishery exports also maintained a steady growth trend between 2010 and 2011. The export value of lobster was 0.369 billion Australian dollars, followed by abalone (0.212 billion Australian dollars), tuna (0.131 billion Australian dollars) and prawn (77 million Australian dollars). From 2010 to 2011, Hong Kong, China and Japan became the two most important markets for Australian fishery exports, because the export value of Australian aquatic products to these regions and countries accounted for 44% and 22% of its total export share, respectively., Mainland China, Singapore and the United States have also become the main markets for Australian aquatic products exports. Citation from Science and Technology World Network http://www.twwtn.com/Agriculture/58_168850.html man of Feeding