Author: Hithaishi CB

Recorded 248 market access achievements, including 32 new markets and 118 improvements to existing markets Australia’s agriculture, fisheries, and forestry production is forecast to reach a record value of more than $100 billion this financial year. This milestone is a credit to the hard work, resilience, and skill of farmers, backed by strong collaboration with Australia. On National Agriculture Day, Australia acknowledges and success of world-class farmers and producers as the industry heads towards a record-breaking year. Australia has partnered with industry to create new economic opportunities for farmers by expanding export markets, strengthening biosecurity, boosting productivity, and providing support…

Farmers’ disaster response capabilities to improve for apples , pears , sweet persimmons, and astringent persimmons Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, led by Minister Song Mei-ryeong, has announced plans to launch a new comprehensive risk insurance product covering four fruit varieties—apples, pears, sweet persimmons, and astringent persimmons. This initiative aims to enhance farmers’ ability to respond to disasters and will initially be introduced in select major producing cities and counties. The comprehensive risk coverage product for apples , pears , persimmons , and astringent persimmons covers all damages caused by natural disasters throughout the growing period, including after fruit thinning , unlike…

Country’s largest crayfish nursery The Philippines has taken a significant step toward becoming a global leader in aquaculture with the launch of the country’s largest crayfish nursery. This flagship project, developed by Farm Fresh Early Catch Inc. in collaboration with Taiwan’s Da Shin Biotech Ltd. and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), marks a major milestone in the nation’s aquaculture industry. The new facility will mass-produce Australian Redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), a high-value species prized for its rapid growth, robust hardiness, and strong market demand. Officials said the project advances both the country’s food security…

Seed potatoes: a revised global benchmark Since its establishment in 1949, UNECE Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (WP.7) has developed over 120 commercial quality standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, seed potatoes, and meat. The standards provide a common trading language, enabling producers, and traders to operate confidently across borders. This week, the Working Party adopted revised standards for seed potatoes, table grapes, peas, pears, citrus fruit, inshell walnuts, prunes and ovine meat. Seed potatoes: a revised global benchmark A highlight of the session was the adoption of the revised UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes…

The enhancement complements BASF’s global APG production network—including sites in Germany, China, and a new facility scheduled for start-up in 2026 in the U.S. BASF announced the expansion of its Alkyl Polyglucosides (APGs) footprint in Asia with a new plant at the Bangpakong site in Thailand. The enhancement is a strategic response to strengthen its position in a growth geography and serve customers with greater agility and more flexibility from a robust regional network. “This investment reinforces our commitment to being a reliable partner for customers across personal care, home care, and industrial sectors. By expanding our APG production in…

As Taiwan accelerates in circular industries, the test for Southeast Asia is whether the region can align with the island’s new circular economy roadmap fast enough to unlock advantages in cross-border trade.Taiwan is sharpening its long-term vision for a more resource-efficient, low-waste future, unveiling a new draft blueprint that outlines how the island plans to scale up circular economy solutions across industries. A circular economy minimises waste by keeping materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair and recycling. Governments and businesses worldwide are turning to circular models that reduce dependence on constant extraction and cut the amount…

Aims to strengthening the competitiveness of the country’s agricultural sector through the development and use of quality local seeds: National Seed Council meeting YB Datuk Seri Haji Mohamad bin Sabu, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, chaired second meeting of National Seed Council (MBN) 2025 held at MARDI Muadzam Shah, Rompin, Pahang. The meeting brought together various representatives from ministries, government agencies and seed industry experts from the private sector. This council serves as the main platform in strengthening the competitiveness of the country’s agricultural sector through the development and use of quality local seeds, with a target of reducing…

On November 19, the Department kicked-off the 18th Annual Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week celebration, which will run until November 25. The Department of Agriculture (DA), through its Climate Resilient Agriculture Office (CRAO) and the Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Program, intensifies calls for innovative, inclusive, and collective action toward a resilient, low-carbon future. With the theme “New Philippines, New Resilient Nation: Innovative Movement for Climate and the Future,” this year’s celebration “speaks to the very heart of our mission. It is a call not just for awareness, but for action, not just for change, but…

Sorghum Strategic Alliance receives initial $13 million outlay and significant co-investment from UQ Australian Sorghum growers are set to gain from a new partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and The University of Queensland (UQ). The collaboration aims to develop higher-yielding, more resilient, and better-quality varieties of this key summer crop. The 7-year Sorghum Strategic Alliance – announced on 11 November at the TropAg Conference in Brisbane – represents GRDC’s largest collaborative commitment to sorghum research to date, with an initial $13 million outlay and significant co-investment from UQ. The Alliance includes research in four foundational areas,…

The public-private partnership (PPP) model: New Crops project marks the continuation of a successful partnership aimed at strengthening the economic, social and climate resilience of smallholder farmers in Vietnam PepsiCo Foundation, the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam (PSAV), the National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC), and CARE have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch Phase II of the “I am happy to sow” Project in Vietnam. This initiative, known as the “New Crop: Sustainable Agriculture Initiative,” was formalized during the Vietnam-US bilateral trade agreement negotiation mission held in Washington DC from November 10 to 14, 2025. “New Crop: Sustainable…