China delays GMO corn, rice to woo the public

China has delayed the introduction of genetically modified rice and corn as it tries to head off public fears, leading government scientists said March 7. The world’s largest rice producer and consumer gave safety approvals to Bt rice and phytase corn in 2009, but has not yet begun commercial production, even though it has already

German flour mills fined for anti-competitive behaviour

Hamburg / Reuters /German cartel agency BKA has imposed 41 million euros ($54.7 million) in fines on 22 flour mills and the German flour mills association for anti-competitive behaviour. BKA said it levied the fines for agreements in the marketing of flour. The investigation started in 2008 with searches of flour mills, and previous fines


Ukraine seeks to restore irrigated agriculture

Ukraine plans to restore irrigation systems on an area of one million hectares in the southern part of the country in a bid to increase agricultural output in arid regions, the Agriculture Ministry said March 6. Ukrainian farmers used to cultivate about 2.5 million hectares of irrigated land in the Soviet era, mostly in the



India to prioritize wheat exports to grapple with grain mountain

Increased exports could weigh on global grain prices at a time when 
many exporters are expecting a return to better harvests

Reuters / India will do everything it can to push record volumes of wheat on to the global market to cut massive stocks, a senior Farm Ministry official said March 6, in a move that could hit shipments of other grains using rail and congested ports. The world’s No. 2 wheat producer is expecting another

From a tourist’s view

A trip to the beaches of Varadero, Cuba may be what you’re dreaming of. But perhaps, after some time in the sun, you might want more — to see the ‘real’ Cuba, outside of the all-inclusive resort strip. My husband and I recently spent two weeks on the tropical island. We admired the fabulous Varadero



New Zealand suffers drought

wellington / reuters The New Zealand government declared a drought in key farming areas on the North Island March 6, with no significant rainfall in more than three months threatening to cost the economy NZ$1 billion ($828.35 million). The affected areas include the major dairy-producing Waikato, south of the country’s biggest city Auckland, and horticultural


World Bank lends money for Mexican pork initiative

Reuters / The World Bank’s private-sector lender is loaning $40 million to Norson, a joint venture in Mexico of local investors and the world’s largest pork processor Smithfield Foods, to expand production and cut greenhouse gas emissions at its plants. The International Finance Corp. (IFC) said the loan will help Norson Holdings increase production, processing

Russia looks for return to normal harvests

Reuters / Russia, one of the world’s key wheat exporters, will be able to increase its 2013 grain harvest by 34 per cent, year on year, if the weather is favourable, the head of Russia’s grain union told reporters. Russia, historically the No. 3 global wheat exporter, was hit by drought last year which slashed