Buenos Aires | Beijing | Reuters – Argentina is nearing an initial agreement with China that could pave for the way for potential investments by the Asian giant in local pork production for export, Argentina’s undersecretary of trade and investment promotion told Reuters. That could eventually lead to Chinese-backed hog farms in the South American

Argentina nears China hog deal it hopes could turbocharge local pork production

Cheek by jowl
China pork crisis spurs pig farms’ return to cities
Reuters – China is building industrial pig farms near its urban areas, reversing years of policies to relocate the livestock over waste concerns, as the government prioritizes food security over the environment after African swine fever decimated its herds. The world’s biggest pork consumer will add about 200 million pigs by constructing new farms around
China’s meat importers fret about delays as port runs virus tests
China’s meat importers fear clearing delays and a hit to demand after one of the country’s major ports began requiring coronavirus tests for all meat and seafood containers to prevent contamination. Tianjin on the northern coast, the primary port for Beijing, started testing batches from every arriving container on June 15, two importers and an

China tells state firms to halt purchases of major U.S. farm products
Purchases of soybeans, pork, corn, cotton on hold
Beijing/Singapore | Reuters –– China has told state-owned firms to halt purchases of soybeans and pork from the United States, two people familiar with the matter said, after Washington said it would eliminate special treatment for Hong Kong to punish Beijing. Large-volume state purchases of U.S. corn and cotton have also been put on hold,

China to resume imports of Canadian canola, sources report
Beijing | Reuters — China has agreed to allow imports of Canadian canola to resume, two sources briefed on the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, lifting a ban in place since March 2019 that had halted US$2 billion worth of trade. The agreement was reached during a call held by China’s customs administration and Canada’s

China encourages firms to raise pigs overseas
Officials aim to plug domestic pork shortage
Beijing | Reuters — China said Monday it is encouraging companies to build pig farms overseas to plug a severe domestic pork shortage after a worse-than-ever African swine fever slashed almost half of its pig herd. China has urged local authorities to support qualified domestic firms to “go out,” and build hog farming bases in

China’s chicken chain comes unstuck
Chaos of virus measures has derailed a sector that enjoyed rapid growth
Reuters – China’s chicken farmers had been looking forward to a bumper year. But an unprecedented lockdown on people and goods to curb the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted the short but intense poultry life cycle, threatening output of meat just as the world’s most populous country faces a massive pork shortfall. China’s poultry production expanded

Trade deal will not affect China’s other ag suppliers, Liu says
Beijing | Reuters — China’s other suppliers of agricultural commodities will not be impacted by the Sino-U.S. trade deal since buying will be based on market principles, Vice-Premier Liu He said, according to a report from state-owned CCTV on Thursday. Liu was speaking on Wednesday at a press briefing after signing the Phase One trade

China approves two new GM crops from U.S. for import
Beijing | Reuters — China approved two new genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Monday that could boost agricultural purchases from the United States, while renewing permits for 10 others, the Chinese agriculture ministry said. Earlier this month, Beijing and Washington announced a Phase 1 trade deal, under which China has agreed to import

Chinese importers scoop up Brazilian soybeans
Uncertainty over a U.S.-China trade deal has been causing buyers to lock up supplies
Chinese buyers scooped up at least 20 cargoes of Brazilian soybeans last week as uncertainty over a trade deal with the United States sent them rushing to lock in supplies, traders said Nov. 25. Importers also jumped on the new-crop Brazilian beans because of attractive margins, said two traders who declined to be identified. The purchases were for