Zurich | Reuters –– Swiss specialty chemicals group Clariant expects biofuels to get a boost from the scandal surrounding Volkswagen’s manipulation of diesel motor emissions tests, CEO Hariolf Kottmann told a German newspaper. Clariant is spending 30 million euros (C$44 million) a year to expand capacity in Munich to make bioethanol from wheat straw, and […] Read more
Clariant sees biofuels boost from VW diesel affair
TPP deal near resolution, Japan says
Atlanta | Reuters — Japan’s Economy Minister Akira Amari said on Friday negotiators were close to reaching a sweeping Pacific Rim trade deal, citing progress on the remaining issues involving autos, dairy products and intellectual property protections for expensive biologic drugs. Amari, who spoke to reporters before a meeting of the 12 trade ministers represented in […] Read more
Pacific trade ministers extend talks through Saturday
Atlanta | Reuters — Pacific trade ministers are extending talks on a free trade deal between a dozen nations through Saturday in a bid to reach a final agreement, representatives from Japan and Mexico said Thursday. Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari said the extension on Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks in Atlanta showed ministers thought there […] Read more
Bulgaria opts out of growing GM crops
Sofia | Reuters –– Bulgaria has told the European Union it will ban the cultivation of crops with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) under EU rules that allow member states to opt out of GMO cultivation, the agriculture ministry said in a statement on Thursday. “The agriculture ministry upholds its position that Bulgaria should be free […] Read more
Indonesia making no progress against hazardous haze
Pekanbaru, Indonesia | Reuters — Indonesia has sent nearly 21,000 personnel to fight forest fires raging in its northern islands, the disaster management agency said on Tuesday, but smoke cloaks much of the region with pollution readings in the “very unhealthy” region in neighbouring Singapore. Slash-and-burn agriculture has blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia in […] Read more
Talks halt on sale of malt barley trader Interbrau
Paris | Reuters –– Swiss grain trading group Ameropa said Monday it would not go ahead with the sale of German malting barley trader Interbrau GmbH to French co-operative group Vivescia, as conditions for the deal had not been met. The companies entered into an agreement in mid-July for the takeover of Interbrau by Vivescia, […] Read more
USDA analyzing effects of wild pigs on crops, livestock
Chicago | Reuters –– The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Friday it has started analyzing for the first time data it has collected on the impact that wild pigs have on U.S. farmers’ crop and livestock operations. It is estimated by federal and state agricultural officials that there are more than five million wild […] Read more
U.S. regulators revise proposal on commodity position limits
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. derivatives regulators are revising their proposal to limit the positions that traders can hold in commodity markets to make it easier for some hedge funds and banks to keep large trades. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission wants to allow financial firms to count their market positions separately from subsidiaries if […] Read more
Iran cancels import duties on wheat, barley
Dubai/Moscow | Reuters — Iran has canceled import duties it imposed on wheat and barley in July, according to an official document seen by Reuters on Tuesday. The document said the import duties ended on Sept. 6 for wheat and on Aug. 22 for barley. It gave no reason for the cancellation. The Iranian government […] Read more
Mosaic cuts potash output as demand slumps
Reuters — U.S. fertilizer company Mosaic Co. said Monday it would cut potash production and maintain its reduced phosphate output pace, lowering its outlook for sales. Delayed fertilizer purchases in Brazil and North America have weakened markets, along with volatile currency and equity markets and lower crop prices, Mosaic said in a statement after markets […] Read more
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