Author: Hithaishi CB

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…

Seamless Integration Brings All CropX Data Directly into ReinCloud® 3, Creating Single-Platform experience for farmers Reinke Manufacturing, a leading center pivot irrigation manufacturer, and CropX Technologies, the developer of a comprehensive digital agronomic farm management platform, announced they are taking their strategic partnership to the next level with a visionary integration that transforms the farmer experience. With this new integration, farmers can now view CropX data directly within Reinke’s new ReinCloud® 3 platform, eliminating the need to toggle between multiple user interfaces. This seamless, single-platform experience represents a major leap forward in user-friendly farm management, allowing growers to access comprehensive soil,…

Goltrevo™ bioinsecticide, Varpelgo™ active: Nature-Inspired solutions to control insects, help farmers protect yield Globally, thousands of species of insects threaten crop yield by feeding on plants, transmitting diseases and damaging plant tissues, which leads to significant losses: an estimated 20%-40% for crops globally like wheat, corn and rice, at an estimated cost of $70 billion. Corteva announced two new crop protection solutions, one of natural origin and the other naturally inspired, to combat these destructive pests. Goltrevo™ bioinsecticide is a broad-spectrum, microbial-based solution designed to combat some sap-feeding and chewing insects, including whiteflies, aphids and the devasting corn leafhopper, which spreads the bacterial pathogen responsible…

Revolutionary biostimulant designed with an optimized biochemical matrix that influences key plant pathways to improve quality parameters in specialty crops Valent BioSciences LLC and Seipasa are entering a strategic partnership to advance biostimulant technology offerings to the U.S. agricultural market. Seipasa, a pioneer in the development, formulation, and production of biopesticides, biostimulants, and nutritional products used in agriculture, has named Valent BioSciences its exclusive partner for the commercialization of novel biostimulant products in the U.S. Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, Valent BioSciences is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd. Valent BioSciences is a global leader in the research, development,…