Onion prices have appreciated by 20% in Pune in the western India state of Maharashtra after heavy rains hindered market access. Ironically, the state is having a production glut that could satiate the surging monthly all-India onion demand. But this surplus is in storage rather than markets, as farmers cope with the aftermath of an unusual heavy rain timing. As...
American wheat slides in markets following good crop prospects
Improved conditions of American field cereals dealt a 0.7% daily wheat price slide at the Chicago Board of Trade on June 3, 2025. The leading futures contract lost 0.7% to $5.35 1/4 a bushel on the 3rd at dawn, underpinned by good crop progress. On June 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rated spring and winter wheat 50% and 52% good-to-excellent,...
Emirates agriculture conference ends on innovation and empowerment promise
The pioneering Emirates Agriculture Conference & Exhibition of May 28-31, 2025 in Al Ain ended with visions of innovation and farmer empowerment. Exhibitors gained momentum from the “Plant the Emirates” greening plan by the late UAE’s leader Sh. Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan. Some 22 federal agencies, 40 private establishments and 20 startups attending the event had connections with the...
Wheat planting in Argentina underway with high production hopes
Wheat farmers in Argentina started planting the 2025-26 crop end May 2025, with conducive weather pointing to a record harvest next January. A May 29 report by the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BdeC) cites dry conditions in the northern and western wheat belts as sowing-friendly. BdeC projects sowing to cover 6.7 to 7.2 million hectares, which could nurture the second biggest crop...
Chicken in South Africa about to get pricey as processors look homeward
South Africa is bracing for costly chicken after a Brazil origin ban has forced processors to comb for limited supplies locally. Avian flu concerns in Brazil since April 30, 2025 will affect roughly 84% of all poultry imports by South Africa. Estimates put the monthly supplies of mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and offal to be at deficit during the ban....
Cultured cocoa from California could revolutionize chocolate markets
Cacao production without seeds in the northern California city of Davis has made inroads for cultured cocoa since a late 2024 pioneer. By doing this, California Cultured company could help turn around volatility in cocoa prices in key sources. The company has already made a decade-long pilot deal with Japan’s chocolate maker Meiji and is courting major chocolate giants. In a March...
Tuna fish aggregating devices cast adrift 37% of oceans
Drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) are altering tuna migration patterns and polluting seasides in 37% of the earth’s ocean area. A May 2025 study on Science Advances shows that between 2007 and 2021, 1.41 million such devices reached 157 sovereign waters. The gadgets usually attract schools of yellowfin, albacore, skipjack and bigeye tuna species, altering their natural feeding and migratory patterns. A...
Viet mangosteen command pre-harvest bookings despite Thai imports
Mangosteen enthusiasts in Viet Nam are pre-ordering the June harvest as demand for local varieties eclipses that for ample Thailand’s supplies. As of late May 2025, there was a 50% price difference between affordable Thai largesse and limited Viet alternatives. In Ho Chi Minh City, premium local young mangosteens cost 120,000 dong ($4.61) a kilo while imports rated below 100,000 dong ($3.84). ...
The Peru grapes sector records exponential production growth + strong international prices
Timely annual production increase by 127.1% in March 2025 is helping table grapes from Peru exploit currently handsome international prices. According to Agraria on May 27, 2025, the March harvest amassed 74,115 tonnes vis-á-vis 32,637 tonnes in March 2024. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasting 2024-25 grape production in Peru at 790,000 tonnes, March volumes already represent a...
Northwest cherries abloom with 10% production hike amid tariff relief
Currently tariff-exempt Northwest sweet cherries (Prunus avium) might see summer 2025’s production reach 213,800 tonnes, a 10% annual increase. Harvests will run June through August in Washington, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Utah in the Northwest, alongside Michigan. This timing coincides with the stoppage period for the enforcement of “Trump’s tariffs” till end July 2025. The top U.S.’ cherry import markets such...