American corn was nearing the $5-a-bushel mark while soy prices were strengthening by mid-January, 2025. This comes a week after January’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) revised grain supplies downward.  The January 10 WASDE estimated domestic ending stocks of corn at 1.54 billion bushels, with production 456 million bushels down. Since then, by the 17th  the grain had gained at least...

The presentation of the agriculture budget in India, probably on February 1, 2025 will mainly focus on rural income. Analysts expect Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Finance minister to focus on easy credit access to rural income earners.  58% Rural Portion of Urban Spending According to a preview on Economic Times, the majority rural population of India manages only 58% proportion of urban spending....

South Africa has in the 2024-25 market returned to official white maize imports amid domestic shortage and price surge. This comes after a pricey late 2024 prompted the country to plan to expand the 2025 corn acreage. At 6,724 Rand ($357.18) a tonne in spot markets as of January 9, 2024, maize pricing is up by 55%, year-on-year (y-o-y). Shortage is one...

Consumers in United States are coping with egg inflation and are laying the blame at the door of bird flu.  According to a BBC report on January 16, 2025, U.S.’ egg prices soared in December 2024 by 36% vis-á-vis December 2023. Although the avian flu has spurred the rise by occasioning shortage, the situation also owes to overall food inflation in the U.S. The Feds did...

With 917,000 tonnes in horticultural exports to Europe in 2024, Egypt has ranked the biggest non-European vegetable and fruit exporter there. The mid-January 2025 European Union (EU)’s report, courtesy Cairo Scene, shows growth of 7% for Europe-bound annual horticultural exports. Overall, Egypt trailed the Netherlands as the top vegetable, tuber and fruit shipper to Europe. The Netherlands is primarily a re-exporter...

Improving weather, strong production and undersupplied export destinations are all supporting Aussie beef prices early 2025.  In week 1 of January 2025, the government of Australia reported live beef up at A¢715 (US¢440) a kg. Weekly prices rose by 8%, as of January 8, 2025, with yearly price growth up by 16% since January 2024.  Although live cattle prices registered 0% weekly...

Aiming to maintain a biodiesel policy known as B40, Indonesia has tightened exports of palm oil byproducts and used cooking oil. Farmers on the Line  The export curbs could hurt palm farmers’ revenue, cites Majalah Hortus in a January 11, 2025 story. This is because franchise growers can only sell their raw material to affiliate mills while independent growers have little competitive choice.  Hence, the...

Farmers in Negros Occidental province in the Western Visayas in the Philippines recently harvested cultured tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) via two farmers’ association.  This development marks a branching of the region’s primary claim as the national center of sugar production into aquaculture. According to Sunstar PH, the regional government provided the Marcelo Farmers Association (MAFA) with 5,000 tilapia fingerlings.  Although the production is negligible at...

Poor inventory targets have slowed down the global sugar sector in major markets so far in 2025, research indicates. However, supportive policies in some nations, like Jamaica, project a 2025 recovery. According to Elara Capital, the slowdown is visible through sugar prices, whose annual drop has been hovering around 5%.  By January 10, 2025, international sugar spot prices were at $0.19 a pound,...

16 cocoa cooperatives in Peru have formed the Crean Federation of Cocoa Cooperatives of Peru (FEDECACAO). According to Agraria Peru, the joint effort aims to promote sustainability and boost the livelihoods of small-scale producers. The deal, inclusive of regional co-ops, came into a reality after successful initial negotiations back in December 2024.  Upon its formation, FEDECACAO’s members elected Eliasn Cruz Godos from...