The trading world is dominated by metals, oil and other commodities but rarely does an organic commodity excel above these. In 2024, cacao beans which emanate mainly from Ivory Coast and elsewhere did just that thanks to steep pricing. According to experts in Chicago, cocoa tailed off 2024 as the top market performer after experiencing 172% yearly gains. A...
Grapes and olives define New Year’s Eve in Spain and in 2025 people celebrated with the 12 grapes eating tradition. From towns in Alicante province in southeastern Spain to Murcia and Madrid, residents on December 31, 2024 scrambled to eat all twelve fruits. Consuming the fruits between the 12 strokes of the midnight bells apparently brings good luck in...
With production outlook brighter for 2025, worldwide sugar prices continued a downward trend late December 2024. Leading futures markets highlighted this trend, with sugar #1 losing by -0.93% in New York on December 30. Likewise, March deliveries for sugar #5 (white sugar) in London futures lost by a similar 0.92% margin, day-on-day. The New York...
A regional panel has in late December 2024 overruled Mexico’s intention to ban GM corn imports from the U.S., setting a dispute settlement example. The panel from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ruled in favor of the U.S., terming Mexico’s claims as unscientific. With the settlement, the United States’ farmers who export their genetically modified corn to...
Associació Valenciana D’Agricultors (AVA-ASAJA) is pretty optimistic about the Valencian citrus sector after the floods of late October 2024. The floods stem from weather event “DANA,” which carries isolated storms across southeast Spain, the regional home of Valencia oranges. While betting on Valencia’s historical production guarantee for recovery from DANA, AVA-ASAJA calls for governmental support on...
2024 ends on a sustainable note for China after reaping a record 706.5 billion tonnes of grains despite fertilizer use reduction. According to the South China Morning Post on December 20, 2024, farmers made it without much fertilizer via new tech. Some of this tech is from educational institutions and scientific bodies. The agencies convert nutrients in...
The government of Jamaica has put systems in place in readiness for drought expectations in the wake of heavy precipitation. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green on December 17, 2024 confirmed of purchasing irrigation kits worth 120 million Jamaican dollars ($763,200). Farmers who farm diverse produce will receive the irrigation equipment in the dryness...
The Michoacán avocado certification office has in mid-December 2024 welcomed 100 growers who want to register their orchards before 2025. This is happening four months after the Western Mexico state launched origin certification stamps in August 2024. According to a news story by Meganoticias (MN), the hundred who sought the certification have already begun the legalization process. With...
Each holiday season, European tea lovers go for the branded Earl Grey Tea, a fusion with bergamot orange. For 2024, the picking of this fragrant dwarf citrus in southwestern Italy’s Calibria region is underway from November through March. Perfume makers and tea blenders work hand-in-hand with farmers to ensure the sustainability of the harvest. Fragrance Makers...
The last swipe of a bevy of product composition rules fell on the Hawaii hemp industry in mid-December 2024. Governor Josh Green approved rules limiting cannabis-constituent compounds known as delta 9 tetrahydroannabinol (THC) in hemp products to 0.00028%. Although this compound naturally occurs in hemp (Cannabis sativa var.), it needs control in hemp-derived beverages and medicinal...