Unusually low temperatures have been experienced in parts of Chile and Argentina. Frost has damaged some of Chile’s citrus, whereas sources in Argentina say that the lemons in Tucuman province are unaffected (and, in any case, the harvest is all but finished).

Agrana Nile Fruits of Egypt has inaugurated a new production line for tailor-made beverage compounds, for markets in the Middle East and North Africa, in a joint project with its subsidiary Austria Juice.

US trade policy is affecting the juice market, especially in China as no offers are being made due to the proposed duties of 25%.

Polish farmers are unhappy with the low prices being offered for apples for juice processing, but processors need to ensure that there is at least some small profit in selling apples for juicing.

The total European pear crop in 2018 is estimated at 2.327 million tonnes, a 4% increase compared with last year, and a 3% increase compared with the average of the last three years. Coincidentally, it is identical to the 2013 harvest size.

TB Fruit plans to start construction of the EUR40 million (USD45.6 mln) plant in the Mazowieckie district in 2019-20.

Thai canned pineapple prices sank to record lows in the first half of 2018. However, the industry is hoping for a recovery in the second half as soon as the market finds a balance between supply, demand and price.

The Russian ban on agricultural products from western countries as well as president Putin’s propagated self-sufficiency aim, which had been put into force in August 2014, seems to have stimulated important branches of Russian agroindustry.

Skipjack raw material supply exceeds the actual demand from canneries and coldstores in the Bangkok area are building up stocks while their value is depreciating.

Ukraine's largest tomato paste producer has announced the start of the processing season, which is estimated to last until the end of September.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

Although skipjack raw material oversupply in Bangkok’s market led prices to a record-low level a week ago, latest rumours suggest increases of between 100 and 200 dollars per tonne. Industry sources say supply still exceeds demand.

Top global cocoa producer Ivory Coast continues to see a decline in its weekly cocoa arrivals as the season begins to draw to an end.

Singapore-based commodities trader Olam International reported a 13.6% fall in H1 2018 profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenues increasing by 11.4% to SGD13.72 billion (USD9.88 bln) and handled volume by 52.2% to 13.6 mln tonnes, due to a worse performance from the coffee, peanuts and edible oils sides of the business.

Cocoa futures were higher in New York, but lower in London.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

Futures were a little lower again in mostly consolidation trade for both New York and London.

Singapore-based commodities trader Olam International reported a 13.6% fall in H1 2018 profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenues increasing by 11.4% to SGD13.72 billion (USD9.88 bln) and handled volume by 52.2% to 13.6 mln tonnes, due to a worse performance from the coffee, peanuts and edible oils sides of the business.

Arabica coffee futures settled lower under pressure from a weakening Brazilian real amid a broad-based decline in commodity markets as investors sought safe havens due to the Turkish lira's crash.

Coffee exports from Peru took a 22% year-on-year dip during the first half of 2018.

The increasingly unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change pose a serious threat to coffee production in Africa, Xinhua cited experts as saying.

Arabica coffee future prices dropped, pressured by the sharply lower currency in Brazil.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

Saputo Inc reports “challenging” first quarter ended June 30 results, with lower EBITDA and adjusted net earnings offset by surging revenue led by international acquisitions.

Agrana Nile Fruits of Egypt has inaugurated a new production line for tailor-made beverage compounds, for markets in the Middle East and North Africa, in a joint project with its subsidiary Austria Juice.

Uruguay's dairy industry is riding a bullish wave thanks to favourable pricing of its key export commodities and firm production volumes that are allowing the country to increase sales and export revenue.

Colombian authorities have lent a helping hand to reducing domestic milk powder inventories by holding 13 public auctions that helped to move almost 3,500 tonnes of the product for a combined COP30.9 billion (USD10.7 million) in the past few months.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

Singapore-based commodities trader Olam International reported a 13.6% fall in H1 2018 profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenues increasing by 11.4% to SGD13.72 billion (USD9.88 bln) and handled volume by 52.2% to 13.6 mln tonnes, due to a worse performance from the coffee, peanuts and edible oils sides of the business.

The Turkish lira hit a low of TRY7.2 to the US dollar on Monday morning before rebounding to TRY6.82/USD1.00 later in the afternoon of the same day. These currency fluctuations put the brakes on Turkish hazelnut offers.

Russia's ministry of agriculture has announced it will ease the barriers to harvesting wild nuts, mushrooms, berries and herbs this autumn with the aim of significantly increasing exports.

India’s local cashew prices have fallen on average to USD3.4 per pound, down from an average of USD5.0-5.2/lb and scarcely 30 cents less than the average export price in July, after a record-high production of 817,000 tonnes and exports of 84,475 tonnes worth USD303.4 million in the 2017/18 season (from April to March).

The USDA has forecast 2018 US peanut production at 6.09 billion pounds (3.04 million short tons), down 16% from 2017.

At this time of year, the first new crop offers on dehydrated apple from China should be emerging but an empty marketplace, both in China and in the buying markets, made shippers cautious about opening the new season offers.

Potato growers and processing enterprises have started talks to determine who should pay for the drought-led harvest losses this year.

The Russian ban on agricultural products from western countries as well as president Putin’s propagated self-sufficiency aim, which had been put into force in August 2014, seems to have stimulated important branches of Russian agroindustry.

Russia's ministry of agriculture has announced it will ease the barriers to harvesting wild nuts, mushrooms, berries and herbs this autumn with the aim of significantly increasing exports.

Unusually low temperatures have been experienced in parts of Chile and Argentina. Frost has damaged some of Chile’s citrus, whereas sources in Argentina say that the lemons in Tucuman province are unaffected (and, in any case, the harvest is all but finished).

In 2017, Peru exported USD380 million worth of organic products. According to local experts, there is a lot of potential for producing more organic blueberry and avocado.

Polish farmers are unhappy with the low prices being offered for apples for juice processing, but processors need to ensure that there is at least some small profit in selling apples for juicing.

Potato growers and processing enterprises have started talks to determine who should pay for the drought-led harvest losses this year.

Russia's ministry of agriculture has announced it will ease the barriers to harvesting wild nuts, mushrooms, berries and herbs this autumn with the aim of significantly increasing exports.

In 2017, Peru exported USD380 million worth of organic products. According to local experts, there is a lot of potential for producing more organic blueberry and avocado.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

As the season is coming to the end, Serbian growers reflect on a "hectic year" for raspberry.

According to the UK's Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), estimated total potato plantings this year are the third-lowest on record. Additionally, producers fear drought impact will downgrade the estimate further.

Soymeal strength supported soybean futures again Tuesday while soyoil contracts ended lower. November soybean futures gained 11¢ at USD8.79 3/4.

Corn futures closed higher Tuesday, with December up 6¢ at USD3.76 1/2.

Favourable prospects for corn in southern Europe are expected to offset the damage caused by hot and dry weather further north. But reduced cereal harvests will still leave the region reliant on record imports of corn to feed its livestock, analysts have outlined.

The lack of rainfall and heatwaves that have scorched fields in northern Europe are set to reduce the EU’s wheat harvest and lead the bloc to consume more of its own grains usually destined for exports, analysts have outlined.

US corn and soybean crops did see the condition ratings decline slightly over the past week while the ratings for spring wheat improved as harvest continues to move ahead.

Corn futures finished lower Monday, December corn down 1 1/4¢ at USD3.56 1/2.

Meat processors in Northern Ireland have joined with beef and sheep farmers to warn that 'No Deal' would be a disastrous outcome from the ongoing Brexit negotiations.

Recent rejections of tainted Brazilian poultry are likely to hamper the country’s efforts to normalise trade with the EU, while also showing the need to maintain strict UK controls after Brexit, a food recall expert has warned.

Wholesale prices for chicken meat have risen in Brazil over the past few days - with gains registered in all three of the country’s top poultry producing regions.

Having survived June's truck drivers' strike, Brazilian hog and poultry farmers now face rising production costs, especially feed - driven by rocketing corn prices.

UK food business 2 Sisters is to merge its UK Poultry and Added Value divisions as part of a major revamp unveiled by new chief executive, Ronald Kers.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

Soymeal strength supported soybean futures again Tuesday while soyoil contracts ended lower. November soybean futures gained 11¢ at USD8.79 3/4.

Singapore-based commodities trader Olam International reported a 13.6% fall in H1 2018 profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenues increasing by 11.4% to SGD13.72 billion (USD9.88 bln) and handled volume by 52.2% to 13.6 mln tonnes, due to a worse performance from the coffee, peanuts and edible oils sides of the business.

Indian palm oil imports reached their highest level since April, thanks to attractive prices vis-a-vis rival soft oils.

Rapeseed oil prices in Hamburg have firmed over recent weeks, thanks to a revival in demand from the biodiesel industry.

US corn and soybean crops did see the condition ratings decline slightly over the past week while the ratings for spring wheat improved as harvest continues to move ahead.

Soybean complex futures took back of a portion of Friday’s losses, led by gains in soymeal. November soybean futures gained 7¢ at USD8.68 3/4.

Singapore-based commodities trader Olam International reported a 13.6% fall in H1 2018 profit after tax and minority interest (PATMI) compared with the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenues increasing by 11.4% to SGD13.72 billion (USD9.88 bln) and handled volume by 52.2% to 13.6 mln tonnes, due to a worse performance from the coffee, peanuts and edible oils sides of the business.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.

The Spanish average honey prices ended the 2017/18 season (from April 2017-March 2018) with general increases. Bulk product prices rose by 14.47% to EUR3.30 per kilo (USD3.82/kg) for multi-flower variety and EUR4.71/kg for Honeydew in March 2018 compared with April 2017. 

An upgraded Price Graphing Tool featuring new currency exchange and commodity lines, the addition of country blocs to the Trade Intelligence dashboard, and a revamped Webinars & Podcasts section are just a few of the updates to your IEG Vu service in August.

The Vietnamese pepper prices have deepened their fall after being stable in the first fortnight of July, due to new harvests in Indonesia and Malaysia from July-August and slack demand in Europe and the US in August.

After a very volatile market in 2017, international vanilla buyers are keenly looking for a more balanced scenario over the remainder of this year.

The Russian Sugar Producers Union reported there were 10 out of 75 sugar mills operational in Russia as of August 13.

Raw sugar futures in New York fell to a fresh three-year low with pressure stemming from a weakening Brazilian real and broad-based commodity weakness.

Sugar mills crushed 1.563 million tonnes of cane in the week to August 5, down from 1.608 mln last week and also below the 1.568 mln in the same week in 2017, Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC) data show.

Asian agribusiness giant Wilmar International reported an almost ten-fold increase in core net profit to USS352 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2018, up from USD36 mln last year. Net profit increased five-fold to USD316 mln.

The USDA upped its outlook for sugar supplies in 2018/19 amid higher production of both beet and cane.

Prices for Madagascan vanilla and Bolivian Brazil nuts eased back while sugar futures also lost ground last week. Firmer than expected wheat and soybean prices offered some support to corn futures. Meanwhile European prices of skimmed milk powder (SMP) and lamb are edging closer to values in New Zealand.