Commercial fishing in South Australia under ban courtesy algal bloom

Commercial fishing in South Australia under ban courtesy algal bloom

Toxic algal bloom toll on marine fish and business activity has prompted South Australia (SA)’s government to selectively ban commercial fishing. The month-long moratorium starts November 1, 2025 on the popular Gulf St. Vincent and Kangaroo Island fisheries, to replenish stock. Commercial bluecrab and scalefish fishing in these two areas will also remain indefinitely suspended till June 30, 2026. For Spencer Gulf, recreational...

Northern Thailand producers grow longan like this

Land Bank’s disaster support benefits longan producers in northern Thailand

Longan (dimocarpus longan) producers in Chom Thong district of Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand have attracted disaster help from Land Bank. According to Thairath newspaper on October 24, 2025, deputy Prime Minister Sophon Sarun advised the banking agency to support farmers on land issues. Land Bank first focused on land/disaster issues facing the district’s Ban Huay Muang Land Reform Community Enterprise Group. ...

Northwest Province is also a major maize-growing area

Maize from South Africa meanders back to Zimbabwe after ban lifting

South Africa on October 22, 2025 officially resumed shipping maize from local ports to Zimbabwe after Harare lifted an import ban. The Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen stated that the removal of the moratorium boosts regional food security and bilateral trade.  This follows the invoking of Statutory Instrument 87 (2025), which automatically opened the Zim market again for SA’s maize and...

Housoi pear is a popular Japanese pear

Japan’s Housoi pear harvest apexes with smaller sweeter crop

The 2025 Honshu island’s autumn harvest of the specialty Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai), especially Housoi, is returning moderate volumes but sweet taste profiles.  In Tochigi Prefecture 100 km north of Tokyo, Utsunomiya City’s Nikkori pear harvest had reached its peak by October 20, 2025.  So far, fruit size of this cross between Niitaka/Shinko and Housoi is proving smaller than usual due to weather...

The United States cane sugar profile shares Coca-Cola’s facelift 

The United States cane sugar profile shares Coca-Cola’s facelift 

There maybe only four states producing sugarcane in the United States, but Coca-Cola is going ahead with distributing Coke made from domestic cane sugar.  The Atlanta-based multinational has already begun stocking select locales with soda made from U.S.’ cane sugar despite raw material shortage.  Coca-Cola’s quarterly earnings already reveal progress towards that goal because health-conscious consumers prefer products with natural...

Vietnam is combating IUU fishing

Tide turning on IUU fishing on Vietnam’s waters

Vietnam is making headway to ending Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing inside and beyond its sovereign waters. During a stakeholder meeting with PM Pham Minh Chinh on October 21, 2025, it emerged that 8 out of 21 urgent assignments had succeeded.  The PM had on October 14 assigned all 21 coastal provinces these tasks, covering the  October 15-November 15...

a world of dairy products

New Zealand graces the World Dairy Summit in Chile  

Industry stakeholders from over 60 nations including keynote New Zealand are observing the World Dairy Summit in Santiago, Chile, on October 20-23, 2025.  This year’s theme is “nourishing a sustainable world” with particular emphasis on facilitating technology.  The International Dairy Federation (IDF) via its president Gilles Froment says the 2025 schedule incorporates a program showcasing innovations. Innovation highlights include artificial...

growing potatoes in Bangladesh

Early season potatoes in Bangladesh cast adrift costly fertilizer syndication

Farmers in Dijanpur, northern Bangladesh are sowing early potatoes, with seeds extremely cheap but fertilizer rates up due to syndication.  Despite enjoying a fraction of potato seed costs afloat ongoing national potato price slump, growers are courting currently dear fertilizer. By October 19, 2025, TSP and Urea were costing 1,350 Taka ($11.06) apiece, versus the government’s 1,250 Taka ($10.24), per the Dhaka Tribune....

beef cattle Argentina

Trump’s price-lowering “deal” singles out beef from Argentina   

Days after hinting at a “deal” to reduce runaway beef prices, President Donald Trump of the United States on October 19, 2025 suggested economical sourcing from Argentina. According to the Associated Press, the president said aboard Airforce One in Florida that “we would buy some beef from Argentina.” The suggestive remark qualified his earlier “deal” mention on October 16 after...

rice from Vietnam

Africa new darling of rice from Vietnam as Asia demand wanes

Vietnam is slowly but surely tilting its rice export axis to West Africa where trade is stable amid waning demand in southeast Asia.  Turning the spoke is the indefinite import moratorium by Vietnam’s biggest rice trade partner, the Philippines, in September 2025.  According to Customs, rice dispatches to Manila this September slumped by 93.3% while the value fell 92.6%, month-on-month. The abrupt...