The 2023-24 yearly license to sell wild ginseng in Wisconsin between September 1 and March 31 is about to end. Focus now shifts to some other of Wisconsin’s specialty crops, which will be in bloom this spring. While the harvest of wild ginseng lasts two months between September 1 and November 1, the legal sale period extends for 6 months. Specialty crops on the...

Agricultural land in Ukraine is fading back in the picture amid the war courtesy of a landmine removal scheme. According to a March 14 ministerial report, Kyiv had cleared 330,000 hectares of landmine-compromised agricultural land by end 2023. So far, 200,000 acres of safe land have gone back to local farmers and will ensure timely sowing of spring grains.  Ukraine’s agriculture ministry’s...

Vietnam’s durian export momentum is past the point of no return after China increased export permits to 876 durian-growing areas.  This comes barely a month after Beijing also allowed its southeastern neighbor, the Philippines, similar durian export allowances.  Though Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia have had existing permits, not all growing regions are permissible for exports. China sets strict requirements including the cultivation of the fruit...

Agricultural markets are expectant on the forthcoming March 29 planting report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  Last week, USDA’s World Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report lowered Brazil’s 2024 soy crop output to 1 million tonnes. The report also sustained its previous corn/wheat 2023-24 stock estimates. WASDE is strategic at offering monthly estimates on coarse grain, oilseed and cotton supplies...

Papua New Guinea is committing K3.5 million ($903,350) to various mills to procure oil palm seedlings and phase out ageing trees.  The oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) tree, not only echoes the Pacific island’s own name but remains the country’s main national export.  In 2022, the oil palm industry contributed K2.8 billion ($722.7 million) to the national GDP of K115.2 billion ($30.63 billion). Ageing...

Colombia‘s fabled sugar mango has entered its second straight export year into the U.S. since its maiden shipment in May 2023.  One major exporter is Florida-based Seasons Farm Fresh, now shipping the exotic fruit to North America for the second season. At a critical mango-pricing timing, Selina Wamucii learned a few market expectations from Nicholas Bernal, CEO at Seasons Farm...

In just 3 years, Lebanon has turned from a regional exporter of avocados into an international player in Europe, especially Ukraine, Germany and the Netherlands.  Avocado exports to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have grown manifold but this is not all. Shipments to Europe shot up from just 40 tonnes in 2020 to 1000 tonnes in 2023. This echoes a revenue...

Commercially young but boasting multiple culinary uses, Australian fingerlimes (Citrus australasica) are breaking ground outside specialty restaurants into consumer markets. Many savour them as wholesome table fruits while others enjoy them as  juicy extracts or pies. Now, thanks to the Australian Native Fingerlimes Alliance (ANFA), this exotic fruit is slowly bursting out of its commercial infancy. Through consumer information and worldwide distribution,...

A senate inquiry in Australia is taking place on amicable payment arrangement between farmers and grocers.  While it takes 2 to 3 weeks for farmer remuneration by a local supermarket to happen, a pay rise often takes years. On March 11, 2024, producers in Orange, New South Wales, were bracing for a March 12 senate inquiry hearing against supermarkets. Many view the inquiry as...

Affordable cereals and vegetable oil helped lower world food prices by 10.5% year-on-year, per the FAO Food Price Index of March 8, 2024. A 22.9% yearly drop in cereal quotations counterbalanced appreciating animal products and lowered the February 2024 index.  FAO measures the appreciation or depreciation trends of agricultural commodity prices in terms of points every month. These points are the averages...