A free training and cold storage project involving 50 farmers and 20 traders has reduced post-harvest losses in some parts of Zanzibar. The project is a partnership between Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and State University of Zanzibar (SAZU). Speaking on March 21 at SUA grounds, the Dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences at SAZU, Dr. Abdallah Rashid Mkumbukwa, praised...
Biluochun tea season arrives in Suzhou, China
Suzhou in Jiangsu province to the west of Shanghai began harvesting its highly-rated Biluochun tea leaves just before March 19, 2024. This year’s harvest follows the tradition of manual picking to guarantee the best quality for this pan-fried tea. Pan-frying is an oriental tradition that involves firing or toasting raw tea leaves to add flavor to the finished product. During a...
EU parliament relaxes rules on marketing seeds from old plant varieties
The European Union (EU) parliament voted on March 19 to give farmers relative freedom to produce or market old plant varieties. Similar to an early February 2024 relaxation on farm chemical regulations, this newest revision updates earlier tougher directives. It aims to save declining agricultural biodiversity in Europe by increasing certified reproduction stocks of plants in the market. The EU parliament also simplified rules...
Ojai Pixies: Friends Ranches extols the salient features of Ojai Valley’s “late-season citrus”
Though California has year-round citrus availability, it is late-season fruits of early spring such as Ojai pixies that garner much appeal. The pixie is a small tangerine that measures 3 inches across its cross-section. It has an easy-to-peel orange skin that harbors a juicy, seedless, sweet flesh. The fruit grows only in eponymous Ojai Valley, north-east of Los Angeles, courtesy...
Farmers in Uttar Pradesh harvest potatoes and nurture “black potatoes”
On March 19, 2024, Soraon village in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh (UP) in northern India welcomed the state’s annual potato harvest. At the same time, others in the state are growing new black potatoes. The harvest follows India’s bumper 2023 crop that amounted to 59.7 million tonnes, a 3 million-tonne rise from 2022. India has two main potato harvest seasons, rabi (December...
Across the states on National Agriculture Day, USA
The United States celebrated National Agriculture Day on March 19, the first day of spring, with festivities across all states. This year’s celebration marked an update of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s 2021 initiative known as Food System Transformation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) updated 2024’s 41st national Ag Day theme to “Agriculture: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” From Pandemic to Climate Protection...
Food inflation in Indonesia dampens Ramadan shopping
Food inflation in Indonesia has quieted expectations of a price relief during Ramadan until at least Eid al-Fitr. A lengthy dry season in 2023 cut local production and overshadowed a time when the country’s 231 million Muslims fast. Indonesia’s news site, Kompas, reported on March 18 rising prices of kitchen staples such as garlic, pepper, sugar and vegetable oil. Arguably, the hardest hit food...
Botswana sets March 21 for pioneer citrus export from Selebi-Phikwe
Botswana’s trailblazing Selebi-Phikwe Citrus Project with its 811,000 fruit trees is preparing for the country’s first ever citrus export on March 21. The South African nation expects to sell 70% of the harvest abroad and has already met international market protocols. Out of some cultivated 1200 hectares sitting on a 1500-hectare piece of land, citrus trees occupy 800 hectares, mostly lemon. The Ministry...
Argentina about to clinch MSC certification for red shrimp
Argentina’s red shrimp sector looks forward to finally gaining the coveted Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification after a 10-year chase. Ever since the country’s Patagonian toothfish won the certificate in March 2023, hope has been bubbling in the equally important shrimp industry. MSC certification with its “ecolabel” on harvested fish is increasingly becoming an essential proof of responsible fishing in seafood markets. For this...
Australia’s botanists on the path to developing disease-free crops
Botanists in Australia have developed a technology for screening disease-causing genes that stunt the growth of plants, especially wheat. In its March 2024 publication, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) cited an intention to develop disease-free crops. According to Peter Dodds, who co-heads the CSIRO project, the success could save world’s agriculture. Incidentally, farmers around the world lose $1 billion each year from crops that fail to grow properly due...