Thanks to a mild winter, the Pennsylvania maple syrup season came early in 2024 and is now in its second week. Since Pennsylvania’s Maple Ambassador Maddie Vandermark launched the season at a Bradford County farm on February 23, harvesting has been progressing smoothly. To date, harvesters have been taking advantage of the fluctuating temperatures at the start of spring to maximize yields. The interaction between...
Oman’s new banana promises to change GCC’s agricultural economy
After 9 years in the making, a new banana variety in Oman could change the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s niche of agricultural economy. A strain of the resilient Williams (AAA) variety, this Cavendish mutant boasts superior adaptation to the Arabian climate. It also promises a high economic value due to its less curved bananas and high yield capacity. Its developers from Oman’s...
Mud crab season kicks off early in Bangladesh
The mud crab season has begun in Bangladesh following a two-month yearly ban between January and February. On March 1, various fishermen took their nets and headed to the forested delta inside Mongla and Rampal coastal areas. The government gives the mud crab (Scylla olivacea)’s spawning timeline as January through February but new research reveals it usually happens in March and April. Ban in...
Grain futures fall as South American supplies trickle in
American grain futures collectively fell on March 5 for diverse reasons including a new soy harvest in Brazil. Corn futures set for delivery in May slumped in Chicago on March 5, 2024 by 3 3/4 cents or 0.94%, to $4.26 a bushel. This followed a rebound to $4.3 per bushel a day earlier, which came as a result of temporary short covering. Fears of...
Philippines’ rice supply is stable at spring harvest
Rice supply in the Philippines is heading into a stable phase through mid-2024, courtesy of the ongoing spring harvest. Additional supplies from Vietnam and a possible price stabilization deal with Cambodia will also meet domestic demand. As a consequence, the government assured on March 5 that rice prices will remain under 49 pesos ($0.88) a kg. The above retail price will also...
AB In-Bev coasting easy waters in 2024 with 4% profits
Global brewer Anheuser-Busch In-Bev has bought back some of its debt shares and now forecasts medium-term profits of 4 to 8% for 2024. Success from the Belgian beer company’s global operations has also earned the shareholders a long overdue dividend raise of 9%. These details emerged on February 29 after the brewer had settled $1 billion of the original $100b shares debt...
Vietnam targets deep-processing to strengthen pepper, coffee and shrimp exports
Deep-processing could save falling pepper exports from Vietnam, end occasional coffee depletion and boost value-addition on shrimp. Concerning pepper, the Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association (VPSA) on March 4, 2024 vowed to increase processed pepper from the reigning 30% margin of all pepper exports. This move will counter-balance lowering production of the national spice, which has been depreciating by 10.5% in recent...
Use of liquid maggot fertiliser boosts rice yields by 25% in Indonesia
A farmer in Karawang, West Java in Indonesia has used liquid maggot fertiliser and boosted rice production by 25%. His results could pave way for further research on the nutritional benefits of this hydroponic fertiliser. The farmer known as Ruskim began his fertilising routine after 7 days of planting rice seedlings. He regularly sprinkled the organic fertiliser made from decomposed black...
California avocado season promising after above-average winter rain
After a rainy winter, the new February-September California avocado season looks to nearing the production capacity of the previous season. According to the California Avocado Commission (CAC), the state will harvest 208 million pounds, just 29 million pounds below last season’s margin. CAC predicted volume increment if producers waited until March to start harvesting so as to give the fruits time to...
World’s largest beef producer in NY lawsuit for “greenwashing”
New York’s attorney general (AG) Letitia James is suing JBS USA, the world’s biggest beef producer for “greenwashing” the public about ecological commitments. Greenwashing describes the misuse of information to manipulate the public image around a company’s environmental responsibility. In this regard, the New York AG attributes the meat packer with misinformation since beef production still leads animal greenhouse emissions....