Paris | Reuters –– Worldwide wine production is expected to fall this year to its lowest since 2012, chiefly due to adverse weather that sharply cut output in France and South America, wine body OIV estimated on Thursday. Global wine output is set to decrease by five per cent compared with last year to 259.5 […] Read more
World wine output seen at four-year low
U.S. farmers race to ready for Hurricane Matthew’s blast
New York | Reuters — Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, roiled commodities markets and forced companies from cane refiners to orange juice makers to shutter as it whipped its way toward the southeastern U.S. on Thursday. Southeastern companies were closing down operations ahead of a storm that could threaten some […] Read more
B.C. greenhouse peppers cleared for Japan
Canada and Japan have agreed on import conditions by which British Columbia’s produce growers will be able to ship greenhouse peppers to Japan. The agreement, effective immediately, means the province’s growers “could be looking at up to $20 million worth of pepper exports a year to Japan once the agreement is fully implemented,” B.C. Agriculture […] Read more
Switzerland to recognize Canada’s organic wine, processed foods
Canada and Switzerland have reached a deal to recognize each other’s organic certifications on wine and “multi-ingredient” foods. The two countries on Thursday announced expansions of their previous organic arrangement, which deems their respective certification systems to be equivalent for organic ag commodities and agrifood products. The amended deal takes effect Saturday (Oct. 1). The […] Read more
Russia may ban Egyptian citrus amid wheat dispute
Moscow/Cairo | Reuters — Russia threatened to ban Egyptian citrus imports on Tuesday, a move that could escalate a trade dispute over exports of Russian wheat to the world’s largest importer of the grain. Moscow said this week it hopes to hold talks with Egypt, its top buyer, over Cairo’s failure to approve Russian wheat […] Read more
Ontario’s Leal jumps in on vegetable marketing proposal
Ontario’s Farm Products Marketing Commission has been ordered to change its approach on proposals to deregulate vegetable contract talks between growers and processors. Provincial Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal, in a letter dated Wednesday to commission chair Geri Kamenz, said “concerns have been raised about an apparent lack of both adequate and sufficient information and consultation […] Read more
China money, market spur Canadian blueberry deluge
Richmond, B.C. | Reuters — An aging mansion sits vacant on an estate outside Vancouver, the garage overtaken by a blueberry sorter and a walk-in cooler packed with the fruit. The owner, an investor from mainland China, leases the estate to Fred Liu at such a bargain the farmer grows blueberries in its fields even […] Read more
SunOpta pressured by shareholders after sluggish sales
Reuters – Canadian organic food company SunOpta Inc, already under pressure from U.S. hedge fund Tourbillon Capital Partners LP, is being prodded by a second activist shareholder to explore the sale of all or part of the company, according to sources familiar with the matter. Canadian hedge fund West Face Capital, which pushed SNC-Lavalin to sell […] Read more
Constellation seeks $1B valuation for Canadian wine unit
Reuters — Constellation Brands is seeking a valuation of about $1 billion for a possible initial public offering of its Canadian wine business this year, Bloomberg reported on Friday. The unit, which includes eight wineries and 160 retail locations across Ontario, is expected to list in Toronto as early as the fall, Bloomberg reported, citing […] Read more
Scientists peel back carrot’s genetic secrets
Reuters — Scientists have gotten to the root of the carrot, genetically speaking. Researchers said Monday they have sequenced the genome of the carrot, an increasingly important root crop worldwide, identifying genes responsible for traits including the vegetable’s abundance of vitamin A, an important nutrient for vision. The genome may point to ways to improve […] Read more
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