Author: Timothy Wahome (Timothy Wahome)

Aussie lychees in a China state of mind
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Aussie lychees in a China state of mind

Aussie lychees are thirsting after China with producers rushing to harvest and ship the fruits as the Lunar New Year demand mounts.  Shipments from the domestic lychee capitals of North Queensland in northeast Australia and the island of Tasmania are closely following the October-March harvest.  Mid-January through early February marks the second busiest time of...

Czech Republic’s agricultural producer prices climb 8.1%
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Czech Republic’s agricultural producer prices climb 8.1%

Czech agricultural producer prices steered upward by 8.1% year-on-year in December 2024, driving food prices up.  According to a January 17, 2025 release by the Czech Statistical Office, most costs emanate from related industries such as energy. The outlook points to hefty price tags ahead for basic foodstuff, a trend already apparent in commercial food. A monthly...

Deer hunt wraps up across the States
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Deer hunt wraps up across the States

The 2024-25 national deer hunt in North America from Texas to Saskatchewan has ended with mixed preliminary results.  In its Deer Report 2025, the National Deer Association (NDA) compared preliminary results with 2023 and 2024 progress. The report shows Illinois increased its total harvest of deer to 88,000 head in 2024 above the 2023 season. Additionally, 44% of...

India might export 1 million tonnes of sugar
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India might export 1 million tonnes of sugar

India could export 1 million tonnes of sugar in the 2024-25 season, despite expectations of low cane harvest. In a January 19 Reuters story, an unnamed official speculated that the country could authorize the million-tonne shipments. The export allowance might support local prices after millers agitated for a minimum selling price above 31 rupees ($0.36) a kg....

Corn and soy turn slightly bullish a week after WASDE
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Corn and soy turn slightly bullish a week after WASDE

American corn was nearing the $5-a-bushel mark while soy prices were strengthening by mid-January, 2025. This comes a week after January’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) revised grain supplies downward.  The January 10 WASDE estimated domestic ending stocks of corn at 1.54 billion bushels, with production 456 million bushels down. Since then, by the 17th  the...

Monsoon crops
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Agriculture budget in India: sneak preview on rural spending 

The presentation of the agriculture budget in India, probably on February 1, 2025 will mainly focus on rural income. Analysts expect Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance minister to focus on easy credit access to rural income earners.  58% Rural Portion of Urban Spending According to a preview on Economic Times, the majority rural population of India manages only...

Maize gets dear in South Africa, whets imports
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Maize gets dear in South Africa, whets imports

South Africa has in the 2024-25 market returned to official white maize imports amid domestic shortage and price surge. This comes after a pricey late 2024 prompted the country to plan to expand the 2025 corn acreage. At 6,724 Rand ($357.18) a tonne in spot markets as of January 9, 2024, maize pricing is up by 55%,...

Egg inflation hits the United States, blame on bird flu
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Egg inflation hits the United States, blame on bird flu

Consumers in United States are coping with egg inflation and are laying the blame at the door of bird flu.  According to a BBC report on January 16, 2025, U.S.’ egg prices soared in December 2024 by 36% vis-á-vis December 2023. Although the avian flu has spurred the rise by occasioning shortage, the situation also owes to overall food inflation in...

Egypt emerges top non-EU exporter of horticultural exports to Europe 
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Egypt emerges top non-EU exporter of horticultural exports to Europe 

With 917,000 tonnes in horticultural exports to Europe in 2024, Egypt has ranked the biggest non-European vegetable and fruit exporter there. The mid-January 2025 European Union (EU)’s report, courtesy Cairo Scene, shows growth of 7% for Europe-bound annual horticultural exports. Overall, Egypt trailed the Netherlands as the top vegetable, tuber and fruit shipper to Europe. The...

Beef
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Aussie beef prices shake up the year’s start

Improving weather, strong production and undersupplied export destinations are all supporting Aussie beef prices early 2025.  In week 1 of January 2025, the government of Australia reported live beef up at A¢715 (US¢440) a kg. Weekly prices rose by 8%, as of January 8, 2025, with yearly price growth up by 16% since January 2024.  Although live...