Baghdad/Dubai | Reuters — Iraq, a major Middle East wheat and rice importer, has replaced the head of its state grain buying agency, government sources and a document showed on Tuesday. Naeem al-Maksousi was replaced by Hassanein Mahdi Elwan, a document reviewed by Reuters showed. The reason for the replacement, which comes after a week […] Read more
Iraq replaces state grain agency’s chief
Crown pension fund bids for Australian ag firm Webster
Reuters — Australian agribusiness company Webster Ltd. said on Thursday it has signed a deal for a A$854 million (C$763.65 million) takeover by shareholder PSP Investments, one of Canada’s biggest pension funds. The walnut, cotton and livestock producer said the A$2 per share offer — a 57.5 per cent premium to Wednesday’s ordinary shares closing […] Read more
South Korea confirms new cases of African swine fever
Seoul | Reuters — South Korea has confirmed new cases of African swine fever at hog farms in cities near the capital Seoul after the country’s first outbreak of the deadly virus last week, the agriculture ministry said on Monday. The new case occurred at a pig farm with about 1,800 pigs in the city […] Read more
Pot producer CannTrust’s federal license suspended
Reuters — Troubled Canadian pot grower CannTrust Holdings said Tuesday its license to produce and sell cannabis has been suspended by Health Canada. CannTrust had delayed its second-quarter results last month awaiting a decision from Canada’s health regulator on a large amount of inventory put on hold after discovery of illegal cultivation by the company. […] Read more
Worst-case no-deal Brexit plan warns of food shortages
London | Reuters — The British government’s plans for a no-deal Brexit warn of severe disruption to cross-Channel routes, affecting the supply of medicines and certain types of fresh foods, and say that protests and counter-protests will take place across the country, accompanied by a possible rise in public disorder. The “Operation Yellowhammer” worst-case assumptions […] Read more
Ukraine president plans farmland reform, large privatizations
Kiev | Reuters — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy ordered his new government to submit a draft law for land market reform by the start of October and to prepare large-scale privatizations of state companies starting in April next year. Zelenskiy has pledged to lift a longstanding ban on the sale of farmland, a move that […] Read more
KFC to test plant-based nuggets, wings
Reuters –– Yum Brands said on Monday it will be testing plant-based nuggets and boneless wings at an Atlanta KFC restaurant, the latest fast-food chain trying new options to attract vegan diners. The quick-service fried chicken restaurant will nationally roll out the vegan menu items, produced by U.S. processor Beyond Meat, based on the customer […] Read more
Mexico and U.S. reach deal to end tomato tariff spat
Mexico City | Reuters — Mexican tomato producers have reached a deal with the U.S. government to avoid an anti-dumping investigation, Mexican Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said on Wednesday, ending a testy tariff dispute that had rumbled on for months. Under the deal, the vast majority of Mexican tomato exports will be subject to border […] Read more
Philippines checks for swine fever as pig deaths rise
Manila | Reuters — The Philippines has set up a crisis management team to determine if the deadly African swine fever virus has reached the country after officials detected a rise in pig deaths in some areas. The Bureau of Animal Industry had reported an increased mortality of pigs “raised by farmers in their backyards” […] Read more
U.S. CFTC says Kraft, Mondelez to pay $16M in wheat price manipulation case
Reuters — The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Thursday Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International will have to pay US$16 million in penalty regarding a wheat manipulation case that dates back to 2015. Kraft Heinz, which was Kraft Foods until 2015, and snack food firm Mondelez bought $90 million of December 2011 wheat […] Read more
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