A deal struck between Refresco and PepsiCo transfers two of the three PepsiCo factories in Spain to the Dutch bottler, where Refresco will handle production. Refresco and PepsiCo are already partners in other markets, including France, Belgium, Germany and the US.

BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, SIG Combibloc, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak have joined forces at a global level to strengthen the beverage carton position as low carbon, sustainable and recyclable packaging.

Primary agriculture in Mpumalanga is set to experience strong growth with the establishment of the Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ), which will focus on agroprocessing.

Polish juicing fruit is now selling for up to PLN0.65 per kilo, equivalent to EUR150 per tonne or USD165/tonne. This is more than double the price paid last year and considerably more expensive than raw material in China or Turkey.

Packaging systems provider for the beverage industry, KHS of Dortmund and Salzgitter Klöckner-Werke subsidiary, has developed wide-neck PET containers for hot filling as an alternative to the non-returnable glass receptacle.

Exports to the EU, Brazil’s largest market, were 225,462 tonnes in the first quarter of the current season, 56% up from 144,299 tonnes shipped in the same period in the 2018/19 season, and worth USD401.5 mln, a 48% increase from USD271.1 mln.

Around half of total tuna catches in the world is yellow or red rated, with the certified sustainable volume representing around 18.24% of the total catch, according to data released by Certification and Ratings Collaboration.

The agri-food giant Olam has announced the decision to close the tomato processing plant in Williams, California.

Primary agriculture in Mpumalanga is set to experience strong growth with the establishment of the Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ), which will focus on agroprocessing.

Around 100 pounds of canned meat from Jordan were recalled by Texas retailer Global Zakii Enterprises as they were not presented for import re-inspection, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced yesterday.

The UK-based trader Eurostar Commodities has confirmed the quality of its Italian tomato range despite the shortage recorded in the country.

Packaging systems provider for the beverage industry, KHS of Dortmund and Salzgitter Klöckner-Werke subsidiary, has developed wide-neck PET containers for hot filling as an alternative to the non-returnable glass receptacle.

Less than encouraging third quarter grind data from Europe and North America this week saw recently firm cocoa prices starting to backtrack again.

Cocoa prices closed lower as the market awaited Q3 North American cocoa demand data expected late Thursday (October 17).

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Cocoa processing in Asia climbed by 14.73% from a year earlier, a record for Q3 figures, the latest data from the Cocoa Association of Asia (CAA) showed.

North American cocoa grindings fell to their lowest Q3 level in 10 years, data from the National Confectioners Association (NCA) showed on Thursday (October 17).

Cocoa prices on Wednesay (October 16) closed lower on a decline in European cocoa grinding.

Both the major coffee futures terminals took another downward shunt this week as traders bowed to reports indicating current abundant supplies were likely to continue for some time yet.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

The United Kingdom has finally reached agreement with the EU on revised terms for its departure from the Union, and on the basis of its subsequent future partnership. But as things stand, there is still no certainty as to whether any of the provisions agreed will actually come into effect as planned at the end of this month – or at all.

Robusta coffee futures in London suffered sizeable losses amid ongoing weak market sentiment. 

Indian coffee growers are expecting a 30% decline in the new crop to be harvested from December, raising apprehensions of a third year in a row of poor output in the country, according to local press reports.

Cheese, with its growing popularity in certain areas of the world over the last 10 years, still remains an active sector in the dairy industry, helped by shifting trade balances, active M&A activity and investments in cheese capacity, Rabobank states in its latest report.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Argentina’s monthly dairy exports increased in August, according to figures from its National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec).

Polish butter has run its course, as the commodity has finally witnessed a decline after seven-consecutive weeks of growth.

Top tuna company Thai Union has announced a USD30 million venture fund for investments in innovative companies playing in the food-tech field, with the first allocation to insect-based sustainable protein start-up firm Israel Flying Spark, it was announced yesterday.

The United Kingdom has finally reached agreement with the EU on revised terms for its departure from the Union, and on the basis of its subsequent future partnership. But as things stand, there is still no certainty as to whether any of the provisions agreed will actually come into effect as planned at the end of this month – or at all.

Argentina’s new peanut sowing season was launched earlier this month with lower availability of agricultural inputs needed for the crop and a financial squeeze, due to domestic currency scarcity as banks are stockpiling cash, according to the Argentine Chamber of Peanuts (CAM).

The 2019 Spanish hazelnut output is expected to reach 12,400 in-shell tonnes, 54.9% more than last year, according to the latest forecast from Spain’s ministry of agriculture.

Mexico’s farmers are starting to collect pecan nuts in all the growing regions and are reporting new orders from China, according to the Mexican pecan association (Comenuez).

After a crowded Anuga show, business has been resumed with most traders back at their offices, Catz International noted in its latest report on dried fruit and nut markets.

The 2019 US pecan crop is expected to reach 281.0 million in-shell pounds (127,460 tonnes), 15.6% more than last year, according to the USDA.

US imports of nuts were stagnant at around 412.4 million pounds (about 18,700 tonnes) but fell by 16% in value to USD1.3 billion between January and August 2019 compared with the same period in the previous year, according to the US Bureau of Census.

Three new Chilean raspberry varieties recently introduced in the country have reported good yields and calibre in the first cultivation trials.

Primary agriculture in Mpumalanga is set to experience strong growth with the establishment of the Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ), which will focus on agroprocessing.

Peruvian fresh mango exports may exceed 204,000 tonnes in the 2019/20 season that is about to begin, according to new estimates released by the Peruvian Association of Mango Growers and Exporters (APEM).

The United Kingdom has finally reached agreement with the EU on revised terms for its departure from the Union, and on the basis of its subsequent future partnership. But as things stand, there is still no certainty as to whether any of the provisions agreed will actually come into effect as planned at the end of this month – or at all.

Orange fruit growers in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul will benefit from two impending federal price support auctions designed to help the outflow of 20,000 tonnes of orange fruit delivered to the processing industry.

Three new Chilean raspberry varieties recently introduced in the country have reported good yields and calibre in the first cultivation trials.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

The frozen potato giant Lamb Weston has formed a 50/50 joint venture with Sociedad Comercial del Plata in Argentina to process and sell frozen potatoes in the Latin American market, which is worth nearly USD2.5 billion .

The two Chilean companies active in the frozen fruit and vegetables market will join forces to become the country’s largest processor and exporter.

McCain Foods USA has started the USD300 million expansion of its potato processing facility in Othello, Washington.

Soybean futures settled higher Friday, boosted by strong weekly export performance. Soybean meal futures ended higher, while soybean oil futures ended lower. November soybean futures gained 2 1/2 cents at USD9.34.

Wheat futures were higher on Friday on firming cash prices pointing to robust demand.

Corn futures were lower on Friday, with the December contract down 3 3/4 cents to $3.91.

A brief foray over the psychologically important USD4/bushel levels (about USD157.50/tonne) this week showed traders remain on guard for possible future reductions to a weather-delayed US harvest.

Fears of rain, snow and freeze damage to late-harvested North American spring-sown crops, delayed planting in parts of Europe and lingering dryness issues in the southern hemisphere kept wheat prices on the boil this week.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Beef from the UK could be served up on Chinese plates by the end of this year after China finalised the details of an export approval agreement between the two countries.

A report out of Denmark stating that “alcohol, coffee and sweets are greater climate culprits than beef” has been heavily criticised by a number of organisations, partly because the study was funded by one of Denmark’s leading agriculture councils.

Primary agriculture in Mpumalanga is set to experience strong growth with the establishment of the Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ), which will focus on agroprocessing.

Brazilian meat giant JBS looks set to present a new proposal to list shares on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in the first quarter of 2020.

Conditions on European pig markets were little changed over the past week, with continuing high Chinese import demand compensating for generally slackening internal demand for pigmeat.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Soybean futures settled higher Friday, boosted by strong weekly export performance. Soybean meal futures ended higher, while soybean oil futures ended lower. November soybean futures gained 2 1/2 cents at USD9.34.

Canola’s recent price ascent appeared to be stalling this week as reports of harvest progress fostered ideas that Canadian crop losses might be less severe than earlier thought.

Moribund export trade remains an anchor on palm oil prices, forced to seek support mainly from rallies in key trade rival soy oil.

A few months ago, the USDA calculated the US could end the 2019/20 season with a truly bearish surplus stock in excess of 28 million tonnes.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Soybean futures settled higher Thursday as harvest concerns and ideas of stronger export potential lifted the market. Soybean meal futures ended higher, while soybean oil futures ended lower. November soybean futures gained 3 1/2 cents at USD9.31 1/2.

The Indian spot fob turmeric price dropped to INR5,964.3 (USD83.85) per quintal on October 17 at Nizamabad market, 6.4% less than on September 18 and mirroring March levels, when weak prices led to social riots in Indian rural areas. 

The president of the Sudanese agricultural exporter Africorp International (ACI), Dr. Mohammed Haroon, was talking to IEG VU about the Sudanese agribusiness industry, during his visit to Anuga. Sudan has great potential for products such as peanuts, cotton, gum Arabic and sesame.

The United Kingdom has finally reached agreement with the EU on revised terms for its departure from the Union, and on the basis of its subsequent future partnership. But as things stand, there is still no certainty as to whether any of the provisions agreed will actually come into effect as planned at the end of this month – or at all.

The Brazilian government has extended anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese garlic for a five-year period.

India’s Vikas Wsp has announced that it has received an order of USD30 million for the export of guar gum powder to be used in oil fields of Dubai’s company Petroplan Limited.

At Anuga, the Spanish spice and herb processor Sabater Spices revealed that is set to sell organic product in all its global offerings, comprising mainly chilli, paprika, pepper, cumin, saffron, coriander, nutmeg, mace, dehydrated garlic, laurel, thyme, parsley and mint.

Primary agriculture in Mpumalanga is set to experience strong growth with the establishment of the Nkomazi special economic zone (SEZ), which will focus on agroprocessing.

Reports that India had made subsidised export sales helped cap sugar futures’ latest attempt to break out to the upside.

Nestlé reported strong organic growth in its third quarter results, confirmed its 2019 guidance and announced plans to return up to USD20 billion to shareholders by 2020.

Ukranian sugar factories processed 3.73 million tonnes of beet into 537,000 tonnes of sugar as of October 17, the National Association of Sugar Producers (Ukrtsukor) reported.

Russia’s sugar production crossed 3.0 million tonnes on October 17, which is 0.3 mln more than was produced by the same time last year, according to the Russian Sugar Producers Union (Soyuzrossakhar).

Raw sugar futures in New York suffered further losses as market sentiment remained weak.