Agriculture

1. Policy Shift & Immediate ImpactThe European Union reinstated pre-war trade quotas on Ukrainian wheat and barley Friday, ending three years of unrestricted access granted after Russia’s invasion. The move provides modest relief to EU farmers grappling with: 2. Farmer Reactions & Market RealitiesWhile French wheat union AGPB called it a “crucial first step,” traders warn benefits […]

Missouri authorities have launched a criminal investigation into a falsified press release about New World screwworm infestations that sparked panic selling in U.S. cattle futures last week. The state’s Department of Agriculture confirmed the fraudulent alert—sent to a northwest Missouri radio station on May 27—precipitated a 2% plunge in Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) live cattle futures before being debunked. Key […]

In Maqiao village, just an hour from the famed Terracotta Warriors, combine harvesters kick up dust as they work through parched wheat fields—a stark sign of the relentless drought gripping China’s northwestern Shaanxi province. But for farmers like Zhou Yaping, 50, this year’s harvest brings little joy. “I’ve grown wheat for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen a drought this […]

U.S. wheat prices surged by over 1% on Wednesday, driven by escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia and concerns over dry weather in China, according to market analysts. The conflict in the Black Sea region, where Ukraine intensified attacks on Russian infrastructure, heightened global supply worries, prompting investors to buy back short positions (short-covering) in […]

Ukraine’s 2025 grain harvest could decline by 10% to 51 million metric tons, down from 56.7 million tons in 2024, according to Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval. The drop is attributed to abnormal weather, wartime disruptions, and mined farmland from Russia’s ongoing invasion. Key Factors Impacting Production: Export Uncertainty:While Koval withheld an official 2025/26 grain export forecast, analysts project 40.9 million tons, including 15–15.5 million tons […]

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two Chinese nationals—Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34—with smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a fungal pathogen labeled in scientific literature as a potential agroterrorism weapon, into the United States. The fungus causes devastating “head blight” in crops, resulting in billions in annual global agricultural losses. According to an FBI complaint, Liu smuggled […]

Tunisia expects its 2024 grain harvest to reach 1.8 million metric tons—a 64% increase from last year’s drought-stricken output—marking the country’s strongest season in five years and providing critical relief as it battles a severe financial crisis, Agriculture Minister Ezzedine Ben Cheikh announced Wednesday. Key Drivers 🌧️ Rainfall Revival: Broader Context 📉 Decadal Averages: Challenges Ahead 💸 Financial Strain: What’s Next?

The United States will likely restart Mexican cattle imports before 2025, the USDA’s chief veterinarian said Wednesday, after a temporary ban imposed this month over the spread of the New World screwworm—a parasitic pest that can kill livestock. The agency also aims to contain avian flu in dairy cows by year-end, as outbreaks slow. Key Updates 🛑 Screwworm Crisis: 🐄 Cattle Trade […]

Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry reported new bird flu cases in wild migratory birds in Minas Gerais state on Tuesday, while investigating a potential outbreak on a commercial poultry farm in Rio Grande do Sul—the same region where the country’s first-ever commercial farm infection was confirmed earlier this month. Key Developments 🦜 Wild Bird Cases: 🏭 Commercial Farm Alert: 🌎 Trade Fallout: Why It […]

Argentina is in the final stages of negotiations to secure a deal allowing beef offal exports to China, according to sources close to the talks, as Beijing looks to broaden its food import sources while locked in a trade standoff with the U.S. Key Deal Details 🤝 Negotiation Status: Why It Matters for Argentina 🇦🇷 Export Boost: China’s Strategic Shift 🇨🇳 Diversification Drive: […]