Cocoa farmers in Ghana have gained a marginal 0.03% farm gate price increase for the 2025-26 season. According to a letter by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to registered traders, the price remains 3,100 cedi ($199.3) per 64 kg. Equivalent to 49,600 cedi ($3,189) a tonne, the latest fixture mirrors the last increase in October 2024 of 48,000 cedi ($3,062). The offer is notably below Ivory...
Seasonal snow crab price fixture deadline arrives in Canada
After indecision to arrive at a seasonal price, Atlantic Canada will finally set snow crab rates on April 10, 2025. The 2025 season has had a quite interesting delay owing to the price stalemate affiliated to the 25% China/U.S. tariffs. Initially, the Fish, Food, and Allied Workers Union (FFAW) and the Association of Seafood Producers (ASP) failed to broker a...
Agricultural plan for rural modernization unveils in China
China on April 7, 2025 launched an ambitious three-stage agricultural plan that will make rural areas modern by the mid-century. With it, the Central Committee of the Communist Party aims to boost productivity and farmers’ earnings through technology, mechanization and pricing. Once realized, the “strong agriculture” plan will have overcome currently predominant small-scale farming and transform it digitally. 2027: Self-Sufficiency ...
Kiwifruit, apple shipments from New Zealand satiating strong demand
New Zealand’s fruit exporters are seizing the moment amid robust kiwifruit production and tight apple supplies set adrift unrelenting demand. According to the national export agency Zespri, apple prices remain impressive due to tight supplies against overwhelming demand. Shipments will however increase gradually as the generally 11-week apple harvest begins later in April through mid-May. Also bullish is the lingering production...
Locust alerts bear on northwest and southwest Africa
Namibia and the Maghreb expect possible locust swarms later in 2025 and are preparing digitally and mechanically. The cabinet of Namibia convened in early April 2025 to discuss potential outbreaks of pests including locusts that echo a 2024 scare. Normal and above-normal rains in strategic farming areas such as the Zambezi have sparked this latest alert. In 2024, minor cases of locusts pervaded the...
Global sugar index makes u-turn in March amid steady food prices
The global food price index broke even in March 2025 through balanced rises in vegetable oils against declines in sugar rates. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Food Price Index, demand metrics influenced most changes. While all food classes remained put at 127.1 points from February, cereals at 109.7 points and sugar at 116.9 points fell marginally. Dairy remained unchanged...
MLA navigating headwinds of beef tariff on Australia
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) will navigate the 10% beef tariff that the U.S. President Donald Trump announced on April 3, 2024. The equal duty on various Aussie products happened despite speculation by the local beef industry of possible exemption. In a press briefing on April 4, MLA’s MD Michael Crowley however owned to have anticipated the surtax from early 2025. The...
The Vietnam lychee prepares China expansion via Hekou port
A year after China signed agreements that favored lychee imports from Vietnam, the cross-border Hekou port anticipates expansive 2025 trade. Each early summer, the port receives thousands of tonnes of lychees from Vietnam. Back in May 2024 alone, 6,600 tonnes of the fruit passed via the harbor. With its well-developed rail infrastructure and fast custom clearance, this southwestern China port facilitates...
Agriculture braces for April 2 “Liberation Day” Tariffs
World agriculture is bracing for tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump will announce later on April 2, 2025 or “Liberation day.” On March 3, Trump postponed tariffs on “external agriculture product” apart from those from China, to April 2. As the day itself arrives, some countries such as Canada and India have already begun analyzing tariff effect. Canada Canada is...
Vertical farming startups plunging from “Plenty” to zero
Farming in vertical interiors has made the spotlight after startup Plenty Unlimited lost grip from billions in investments into bankruptcy. With a base in San Francisco, the company plunged into history after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late March 2025. This despite initial investments running into billions of dollars by Jeff Bezos, Eric Schmidt and others. While the firm...