Author: Timothy Wahome (Timothy Wahome)

US duck
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Key benefiting products after India reduced duty on American agricultural imports

On September 7, 2023, India reduced tariffs to 5% on U.S. duck, turkey, cranberry, and other agricultural products.  This was a month after U.S. President Joe Biden and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi terminated a 10-year trade dispute.  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack noted that the tariff-reduction agreement would create new market opportunities for American producers and exporters.”  The...

Fruits of Israel
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Israel-Philippines agricultural trade to go on despite attacks

 The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) has downplayed any effect on its 65-year long agricultural trade with Israel despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza.  Speaking October 10, 2023, DA’s Assistant Secretary for Operations, Arnel de Messa said that there will be “very little impact.” Israel is currently involved in retaliation against Hamas, which launched a surprise attack inside...

Kiwifruit
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Zespri on its Northern Hemisphere’s Kiwifruit: “This season’s harvest will be the biggest yet”

The New Zealand kiwifruit season ends with a windfall as Zespri’s upcoming Northern Hemisphere’s harvest promises to be the “biggest yet.” This is according to the company’s Executive Officer-Northern Hemisphere Supply, Nick Kirton. “This season’s harvest will be our biggest yet and we’re looking forward to providing consumers with more high-quality ad great-tasting kiwifruit. (This is) as we...

chicken
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U.S. chicken prices hit the roof, benefit producers

Chicken prices in the United States have reached $1.96 a pound, as post-COVID production cuts and inflation bite back. Tyson’s, a key chicken producer, reduced production during the pandemic period and in 2023 may slash 4700 jobs to handle costs. Despite these cuts, the high prices of chickens are on the rebound beneficial to firms such as Tysons....

Lake trout
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Extended Trout season opens in Illinois & Pennsylvania

The popular catch-and-release practice that marks the start of fall trout season took place on October 7 in Illinois’ stocking sites. This is even as Pennsylvania continues to stock its inland waters with hatched trout for its extended fall/winter season. Stocking describes the placement of trout from private hatcheries into streams, lakes and rivers for public fishing. ...

Corn harvest with combine harvester
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Corn and soybean prices Down by 0.5% as U.S. harvest peaks

Corn and soybean prices fell on the Chicago futures market on October 5, 2023 following progress in the North American fall harvest. This was amid the mid-week weakening in oil prices that are cross-tied to the two biofuel grains. This has made experts circumspect about the sudden low demand in oil which also puts pressure on grain prices. Corn, Soybean lose,...

Dry port
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New Dry Port at Sakania to ease cross-border trade between Zambia and DRC

 President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on October 3, 2023 launched a strategic dry port in southeast Haut-Katanga province.  The largest of its kind in Central Africa, Sakania dry port on the Zambia-DRC border will connect regional mining towns. Sakania is a border post with an existing rail link to Livingstone and the Copperbelt...

apples
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Picking of apples gains momentum across the United States

The United States is currently halfway through its 2023 apple season and expects to reap 9 billion pounds.  In a year of spring freezes, floods and tropical storms, the season’s total production will nevertheless be 1.5% more than that of 2022.  Exports of apples in 2022 brought the country $885.98 million, which in turn were below the...

Olive fields
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 South Africa and Argentina successfully conclude olive harvests

South Africa successfully harvested its last olive crop for the 2023 season in September just a month after Argentina, amid global shortage. The southern hemisphere’s harvests have been the main focus of European olive oil companies for some time.  Importers have been looking south after the European season ended early in 2023 due to arid conditions in...

Forest product US
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Strategic US-UK agricultural trade deal talks to begin October, 2023

U.S. President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Rushi Sunak are starting foundational talks on an export deal this October. The negotiations will include agricultural trade, Politico reports. With the two leaders seeking reelection in 2024, they are looking forward to lay grounds for beneficial trade relations. Insiders hope that the talks will have been fruitful before the November, 2024...