Author: Hithaishi CB

DA has established 932 P20 rice selling sites nationwide Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) is accelerating the nationwide rollout of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship food program, “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!”, as the government moves to temper the impact on vulnerable households of rising costs driven by the ongoing energy emergency. President Marcos has directed the DA to scale up the initiative—which offers rice at P20 per kilo—by extending selling hours and opening more distribution outlets across the country, broadening access at a time when higher fuel costs continue to feed into food prices. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel…

Expanding Korea’s international export potentials in Organic food The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS) announced that it will launch the ‘2026 Organic Processed Food Export Promotion Support Project ‘ starting on the April 20th to help domestic organic processed foods enter overseas markets . It is expected to contribute to expanding sales channels by providing customized support, ranging from export preparation to connecting overseas buyers , to certified organic processed food businesses facing difficulties in entering overseas markets . In particular , the basic export education and customized counseling, which are being introduced for the first time this year , plan to provide practical assistance by identifying company-specific difficulties through preliminary diagnoses ranging from export tips , and offering 1:1 customized…

New Zealand RubyRedKiwifruit makes official debut in Vietnam New Zealand’s RubyRed kiwifruit has officially arrived in Vietnam for the first time through large-scale imports, priced at around VND350,000 (US$13.29) per kilogram—20% higher than gold kiwifruit. The fruit has quickly gained popularity among consumers over the past two weeks due to its vibrant red flesh, unique flavor, and edible peel. Hoa, a consumer in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), expressed surprise at the red color, different from the usual green or yellow kiwifruit, and purchased two boxes for VND700,000, noting its sweeter and more intense taste. Previously, the fruit was occasionally…

Olam Agri has opened a $50 million state-of-the-art soybean crushing plant and feed milling facility in Ilorin, Kwara State, expanding its consumer offerings in Nigeria. The soybean crushing plant is the largest in sub-Saharan Africa with a processing capacity of 250,000–350,000 metric tonnes annually. The plant will support local soybean production in the country and help supply the feed milling unit of the business, as well as its subsidiary, Ruyat Oil. In a statement, Anil Nair, country head and managing director, Olam Agri in Nigeria, affirmed that the business will continue to invest in developing key value chains, people, food…

The 32,000 sq ft hub, is designed to support start-ups in agri-food, built environment, and energy solutions sectors Singapore-based sustainability hub Vidacity has launched a new innovation platform at JTC’s LaunchPad at one-north on April 15, aimed at accelerating the development of green technologies by providing start-ups with a space to test and refine their products before scaling to market. The 32,000 sq ft hub, is designed to support start-ups in agri-food, built environment, and energy solutions sectors. With facilities for workshops, laboratories, and demonstrations, Vidacity plans to back up to 200 companies and facilitate 80 pilot deployments over five…

Joint venture targets oil palm, sugarcane, and broad-acre operations across Southeast Asia, the United States, and South America with commercial deployment set for Q3 2026. DroneDash Technologies and GEODNET, the world’s largest decentralized GNSS-RTK network, announced the formation of GEODASH Aerosystems Pte. Ltd. — a Singapore-incorporated joint venture developing a new class of agricultural spraying drone engineered for large-scale, industrial farming operations. Unlike conventional agriculture drones that require repeated manual pre-mapping before each deployment, GEODASH Aerosystems’ platform uses real-time AI Vision and centimetre-accurate RTK positioning to perceive, navigate, and adapt dynamically during flight. The result: faster deployment, lower operating costs,…

LENZELTA® is a new vaccine significantly reducing the incidence and severity of clinical mastitis in vaccinated cows and heifers Boehringer Ingelheim has introduced LENZELTA®, a new vaccine designed to advance mastitis prevention in dairy cows by significantly reducing the incidence and severity of clinical mastitis in vaccinated cows and heifers. Administered through two doses during the dry-off period, LENZELTA® addresses one of the most pressing challenges for dairy farmers and livestock veterinarians globally—mastitis, which impacts cow health and poses a significant economic burden on dairy farms. Offering the earliest onset of immunity and the longest-lasting protection against key pathogens S. aureus…

Transition towards a net-zero economy The European Commission has approved a €3.7 billion Czech scheme to support the construction of biomethane production stations in line with the objectives of the Clean Industrial Deal. This measure will contribute to the transition towards a net-zero economy. The scheme was approved under the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework (CISAF) adopted by the Commission on 25 June 2025. The Czech measure Czechia notified to the Commission a €3.7 billion scheme to support the production of sustainable biomethane, to be used in transport, heating and industry. The scheme will run until 31 December 2030. The scheme will support…

2026 Innovation Challenge_ Five Countries: 11 Innovators_Singapore on 12–13 May Future Fit Asia, a decade-long advocate for understanding the interconnected solutions to Food, Health, and Planet challenges, proudly unveils the 11 startups chosen for its 2026 Innovation Challenge. This milestone event, part of the 10th edition of their flagship conference, will take center stage at the Goodwood Park Hotel in Singapore on 12–13 May, showcasing the next wave of transformative innovation. This year’s conference is structured around three distinct thematic sessions that share a unifying thread, emphasizing the interconnected nature of the solutions Future Fit Asia has championed over the…

EDC announces CAD$360 M financing package for SK ecoplant focusing on Canada and South Korea Export Development Canada (EDC) has anounced KRW 390 billion (approximately CAD$360 million) in financing to SK ecoplant, SK Group’s AI infrastructure solution provider. This marks EDC’s first financial guarantee transaction with SK ecoplant and builds on EDC’s broader strategic relationship with SK Group. It is the first transaction following the Market Leader Partnership (MLP) memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with SK Inc. in 2024. As part of the SK Inc.–EDC MOU, EDC and SK ecoplant recently concluded a MLP MOU to formalize their collaboration and…