Author: Timothy Wahome (Timothy Wahome)

Export pork
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Europe’s animal product exports on the crossroads in China after EV tariffs

China could heavily tax incoming animal products from Europe in retaliation against tough Electric Vehicle (EV) tariffs that the European Union (EU) imposed on June 12, 2024. Following the announcement of EV tariff raises from 10% to 38.1% starting July 4, focus quickly shifted on possible retaliation. China is apparently already readying to launch a probe on Europe-originating dairy...

Pepper from Vietnam
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Vietnam’s pepper export value 20.6% up from 2023

At $493.1 million, Vietnam’s pepper export value is up year-on-year (y-o-y) in the five months of 2024, the Vietnam News Agency reports.   This increase in revenue was however ill-matched by a yearly export volume decrement of 13.2% to 114,424 tonnes.  Prices Buoy Vietnam’s Pepper Export Value  Handsome international prices of pepper however propped the fall in volume...

Horseshoe crabs on U.S. shore
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New York bans commercial, biomedicine harvest of horseshoe crabs 

A legislation in New York State has prohibited the fishing of horseshoe crabs for reasons other than educational studies.  Fishing quotas will only apply to scientific education purposes but not for biomedicine or commerce. This effectively means that the long-lived “vulnerable-to-extinction” species will spawn freely this summer in the state.  According to a June 7, 2024...

Food groceries
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Cereals, dairy inch up global food prices in May 2024 

The world’s food prices continued to rise for three consecutive months in May 2024 following upshot cereal and dairy prices despite low-priced vegetable oils. According to the FAO Food Price Index (FPPI) report of June 7, 2024, May’s food prices edged those of April by 0.9%. At 120.4 points, May’s FPPI was 1.1 points more than April’s upward...

Bulgaria roses
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Rose-picking begins early in Rose Valley, Bulgaria

The rose harvest in Kazanlak, Bulgaria has begun early June in the famous Rose Valley, the starting point of premium rose oil. For 2024, rising temperatures have propelled an early harvest as pickers worry a rainfall-heatwave combination may impact yields. But this has not prevented thousands of sightseers from coming from around the world to see the rose-picking event....

The Pacific Northwest cherry harvest to deliver over 18 million boxes
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The Pacific Northwest cherry harvest to deliver over 18 million boxes

The Pacific Northwest cherry harvest in Washington, Utah, Oregon, Idaho and Montana began bravely early June 2024 with high yields.  Farmers are already reporting strong volumes of high-quality cherries as a result of fair weather during the spring-growing phase. The regional harvest organizer, Northwest Cherries, predicts an output of 17 to 18 million 20-pound boxes of cherries.   Sweet...

Viatina-19 fetches $4 million in Brazil cattle auction
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Viatina-19 fetches $4 million in Brazil cattle auction

A June 2024 cattle auction in Brazil has lately crowned Viatina-19 as the world’s most expensive cow, worth 21 million reais (4.3 million).  A hardy snow-white cow, Viatina-19 FIV Mara Movéis fetched $1.44 million for a partial share at a Sâo Paulo auction.  The 2,400-pound cow boasts triple ownership but only one entity sold its share. This means that its...

Naartjie citrus
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“NO HLB IN SOUTH AFRICA:” Citrus industry asserts

South Africa is free of citrus greening disease or huánglóngbíng (HLB) despite recent reports of its spotting in Eastern Cape province, the industry says.  Selina Wamucii got an insider look at the clarification statement by Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa. It reads as follows: “HLB (Huanglongbing or Asian Citrus Greening, and...

Mexico tomatoes
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Tomato production in Mexico up 2% amid dumping fears in the U.S. market

Forecasts show that tomato production in Mexico will increase to 3.3 million tonnes in 2024. This at a time when the U.S. market wants to check cross-border “price dumping” of Mexico’s tomatoes through tariffs.  USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported on June 4, 2024 that it expects Mexico’s production to increase by 2% over 2023’s 3.22 million...