On November 5, the district administration of Peshawar in Pakistan reduced vegetable prices amid food inflation but consumers see no respite. At a glance, fixed onion prices fell to Pakistani Rupees 120 ($0.43) per kilo. The prices of white and red potatoes also depreciated to Rs90 ($0.32) and 130 ($0.47) respectively. Sources around the district, however, say that tomatoes and...
Five curious happenings on climate, larvae exports and species’ invasion dominated lobster and crab news end October, 2023. First, the fairly good news concerns the crab invasion on Canada’s Pacific coast in the week ending October 23. Matt Peck, a researcher, recounted to The Guardian of finding a rocky coast off Haida Gwaii archipelago swimming with oyster-catchers. Their prize? Thousands of...
Banana is, next to mango, among the most important fruits in India. It is also not surprising that it is the most popular fruit in the United States. In Africa, plantains and banana are essential food security kitchen staples. Perhaps the most important banana strain is Cavendish, which accounts for 50% of all worldwide production. A major...
The renewal of a major free trade pact is the defining topic at the ongoing 20th African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum in South Africa. Signed during Bill Clinton’s presidency and terminating in 2025, the free trade pact gives some AGOA members tariff-free American market access. Hence, key beneficiaries will be seeking to renew the deal for 10...
In anticipation of a wheat drought around the world, China has bought bulk wheat from Oceania, Europe and North America. This has happened after rain damaged around 25 million tonnes or 20% of the Far-east country’s yearly wheat production. An earlier report had painted a bleak picture on the Chinese wheat fields when heavy rainfall decimated its 2023 crop. ...
Seaweed production in the Philippines clocked 365,775 tonnes between April and June 2023, earning a 33.8% portion in the fisheries sector. On the flip side, the Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed plans on October 26 of refining seaweed to make cheap alternative animal feed. DA’s undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias, Victor Savellano hinted at full plans for the“conversion...
In Ashkelon, a southern Israel farming center bordering the volatile Gaza demarcation, the potato planting season is just starting. The region is the food basket of Israel, accounting for a third of all vegetable production in the Middle-East country. Potatoes from the region represent 40% of all national consumption. In 2021, Israeli potato production hit 509,000 metric...
Till end 2023, the minimum price for India’s onion exports will stop at $800/ton, the government warned October 28, to bolster home supplies. From October 31 to December 31, 2023 all freight-on-board (FOB) onion shipments will have to adhere to the new regulation. Delhi cites the insufficient harvest from the rabi crop (winter season) as inadequate...
Two new apple hybrids by Maryland researchers may turn around the falling production of the fruit by the year 2026. This is even as Washington state awaits a six-year record-breaking 2023 apple harvest. These crosses will help recoup the glut of American apples, whose 2022 harvest was the smallest in 10 years. The two inventions include a yellow...
Leading fishmonger of Atlantic Halibut, NOHAL, more popular as Nordic Halibut reports that Quarter 3’s halibut prices hiked by 2% over the 2022 equivalent. The Norwegian firm said that its sales clocked to Norwegian Krone (NOK) 147 ($13.15) a kilogram in the quarter ending September 30. Additionally, there has been a year-on-year 14% price surge in 2023 whose...