South Africa has made inroads in the wind energy sector due to a ruggedly open coastline. Tapping air currents fanning this open landscape through wind farms is economically promoting climate-smart agriculture and earning landowners rental income. To learn more about the blossoming turbine network and its impact on farming, Selina Wamucii contacted renewable energy leader, Red Cap Energy. The office first shows how corporate...
Sugar in Pakistan still expensive despite inflation slowdown
The Economic Coordination Committee (EEC) is ruing pricey sugar in Pakistan that has stayed put despite a slump in national inflation. During an EEC meeting on February 3, 2025, the committee found that halfway through financial year 2025, inflation has dropped to 7.2%. In the corresponding period through the October 2023-September 2024 financial year, inflation was at a steep 28.8%. The...
Wahoo fishing gears up with a Cayman Islands’ showdown
Wahoo harvesting in Cayman Islands is an interesting commercial pastime, and 2025’s season continued thrillingly with a 2,500-dollar fishing contest. At 8 a.m., February 2, 2025, Kat Watkinson and Julius Hubbell won the HoosWho competition after landing a 64-pound monster, reports Cayman Compass. Watkinson, a veterinarian by profession, described the win simply as “the first bird catches the worm.” In fact, the winning...
Afghan agriculture makes inroads in irrigation, fish farming
Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Mawlavi Attaullah Umari (Omari) has highlighted efforts in Afghan agriculture, especially irrigation and fish farming. He was speaking during a meeting in Kabul with Stephen Rodrigues, head of the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP). The acting Minister urged the building of irrigation canals and the monitoring of existing dams to expand the country’s reservoir network. ...
The Washington Dungeness crab season builds up value
Following a belated January 15, 2025 start, the Washington Dungeness crab season has quickly garnered price value amid roaring currents. The very first haul in mid-January instantly fetched $5.75 a pound and edged the previous 2021-22 season’s record of $5.19. This season began with strong seas along Long Beach Peninsula but fishermen still managed to land jumbo and 2-pounders. It is also clear that...
Egg cuisine gets even more expensive in U.S. 2025
After reaching $4.15 a dozen in December 2024 or double 2022’s prices, eggs in the United States are still inflated. Experts now expect egg cuisine to follow suit in 2025, following bird flu-related shortage. Although still shy of the record $4.82 per dozen of mid-2023, U.S.’ egg prices could soar by 20% this year. For this reason, fast food joints cannot...
USDA lets go of veteran inspector general sensationally
After serving as Inspector General since 2002, veteran U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Inspector General (IG) Phyllis K. Fong finally let go reluctantly. According to Reuters, the long-term veteran resisted her firing by President Trump, citing such overnight notice as “not proper.” Fong was among 17 IGs under dismissal Friday January 23rd, but she still returned Monday, prompting a security escort...
Oyo State in Nigeria basks in cocoa bliss
The tripling of prices in the 2024 cocoa season has brought fortunes to farmers in Oyo State, southwest Nigeria. This at a time when the world’s supply deficit nears 500,000 tonnes for 2025, up from 439,000 tonnes in mid-2024. In southwest Nigeria itself, production has downsized to around 860 kg per smallholder farm due to mainly black pod disease. Partially thanks...
Aussie rock lobsters bring domestic price revamp courtesy Lunar New Year
A first since 2020, Aussie rock lobsters have finally dressed meals during the Chinese Lunar New Year…and buoyed domestic prices. China removed the last barriers to lobster imports from Australia in December 2024 after a ban in 2020. With lobster making a key part of the Lunar New Year cuisine, lobstermen expect good business at home and abroad. Holiday demand has spilled...
Plastic food packaging on the line following new EU directive
Seven months after passing a plastic recycling regulation in April 2024, the European Union (EU) has dropped a new directive. On January 22, 2025, the EU approved a resolution to make all plastic food packaging recyclable by 2030. Data by the European Commission shows that the new Regulation EU 2025/40 is a revision of diverse 2019 and 2021 directives. It combines the New Circular...