South Africa on October 22, 2025 officially resumed shipping maize from local ports to Zimbabwe after Harare lifted an import ban. The Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen stated that the removal of the moratorium boosts regional food security and bilateral trade.  This follows the invoking of Statutory Instrument 87 (2025), which automatically opened the Zim market again for SA’s maize and...

The 2025 Honshu island’s autumn harvest of the specialty Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai), especially Housoi, is returning moderate volumes but sweet taste profiles.  In Tochigi Prefecture 100 km north of Tokyo, Utsunomiya City’s Nikkori pear harvest had reached its peak by October 20, 2025.  So far, fruit size of this cross between Niitaka/Shinko and Housoi is proving smaller than usual due to weather...

There maybe only four states producing sugarcane in the United States, but Coca-Cola is going ahead with distributing Coke made from domestic cane sugar.  The Atlanta-based multinational has already begun stocking select locales with soda made from U.S.’ cane sugar despite raw material shortage.  Coca-Cola’s quarterly earnings already reveal progress towards that goal because health-conscious consumers prefer products with natural...

Vietnam is making headway to ending Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing inside and beyond its sovereign waters. During a stakeholder meeting with PM Pham Minh Chinh on October 21, 2025, it emerged that 8 out of 21 urgent assignments had succeeded.  The PM had on October 14 assigned all 21 coastal provinces these tasks, covering the  October 15-November 15...

Industry stakeholders from over 60 nations including keynote New Zealand are observing the World Dairy Summit in Santiago, Chile, on October 20-23, 2025.  This year’s theme is “nourishing a sustainable world” with particular emphasis on facilitating technology.  The International Dairy Federation (IDF) via its president Gilles Froment says the 2025 schedule incorporates a program showcasing innovations. Innovation highlights include artificial...

Farmers in Dijanpur, northern Bangladesh are sowing early potatoes, with seeds extremely cheap but fertilizer rates up due to syndication.  Despite enjoying a fraction of potato seed costs afloat ongoing national potato price slump, growers are courting currently dear fertilizer. By October 19, 2025, TSP and Urea were costing 1,350 Taka ($11.06) apiece, versus the government’s 1,250 Taka ($10.24), per the Dhaka Tribune....

Days after hinting at a “deal” to reduce runaway beef prices, President Donald Trump of the United States on October 19, 2025 suggested economical sourcing from Argentina. According to the Associated Press, the president said aboard Airforce One in Florida that “we would buy some beef from Argentina.” The suggestive remark qualified his earlier “deal” mention on October 16 after...

Vietnam is slowly but surely tilting its rice export axis to West Africa where trade is stable amid waning demand in southeast Asia.  Turning the spoke is the indefinite import moratorium by Vietnam’s biggest rice trade partner, the Philippines, in September 2025.  According to Customs, rice dispatches to Manila this September slumped by 93.3% while the value fell 92.6%, month-on-month. The abrupt...

The Suez Canal Economic Zone and Infinity Fabric on October 15, 2025 proposed a $15-million textile production facility at Ain Sokhna in Egypt.  Occupying 2.4 hectares of land near the Red Sea, the factory will churn out 6,000 tonnes of yarn and 15,000 tonnes of fabric annually.  Upon completion in quarter 3, 2026, the plant will prioritize production and dawn some 1,000...

The European Commission’s smoked salmon stiffening duration rule lost to processors via Mowi Poland on October 14, 2025, at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). The CJEU ruled that the Commission did not back its claim with enough science to warrant a stiffening limit of 96 hours. Stiffening is a freezing method for firming up salmon before...