import Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Pulse weekly outlook: Turkey’s record-level lentil imports expected to decrease

Country's domestic acreage expected up in 2021

By Adam Peleshaty, GFM Network News March 3, 2021

MarketsFarm — Canadian lentil exports to Turkey reached unprecedented numbers in 2020. According to Statistics Canada data, Turkey imported 534,160 tonnes worth $355 million during the calendar year, making it the second-largest buyer of Canadian lentils behind India. Last year’s total nearly equalled the amount of lentils Canada exported to Turkey over the previous three […] Read more

The U.S. National Wildlife Health Center’s map of CWD’s distribution in North America as of December 2020. (USGS.gov)

Livestock

Ontario to limit imports, transport of live elk, deer

Moves meant to keep out chronic wasting disease

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News December 21, 2020

Moving live captive cervids such as elk, deer, moose and caribou into or within Ontario is set to be banned under new provincial regulations to keep out chronic wasting disease (CWD). The province said Thursday it has amended regulations under its Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that will ban anyone from importing live, captive cervids […] Read more

Beef is on display at a Walmart in Beijing on Sept. 23, 2019. (File photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang)

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

China’s coronavirus testing chokes beef trade

Additional inspections, disinfections costly for importers

By Dominique Patton, Hallie Gu, GFM Network News November 27, 2020

Beijing | Reuters — In a supermarket in downtown Beijing, refrigerator shelves normally filled with steak from around the world sit empty as tougher testing for the novel coronavirus creates supply bottlenecks and raises prices for importers. Fresh supplies of beef won’t arrive for days, a salesman at the Suning.com-owned Carrefour outlet told Reuters — […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets

China suspends beef imports from Cargill plant

High River plant on long list of blocked facilities

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News July 6, 2020

China has temporarily suspended imports of beef from Cargill’s major beef packing plant at High River, Alta., part of a long list of meat plants blocked in the last half of June. The Reuters news service on Monday published a list of meat packing plants from around the world which during June and early July […] Read more

Crops, Lentils, Markets

Pulse weekly outlook: Levy cut an opportunity for Canadian lentils

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm, GFM Network News June 10, 2020

MarketsFarm — Canadian lentils should benefit from India lowering its import levy on lentils from 30 to 10 per cent, said Marlene Boersch of Mercantile Consulting Venture Inc. in Winnipeg. The announcement, made June 2, was intended to reduce lentil prices in the country. India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare estimated the lentil crop […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Markets, Reuters

China’s beef imports to drop as hotpot comes off the boil

By Dominique Patton, Sophie Yu, GFM Network News April 13, 2020

Beijing | Reuters — Just over two months ago, the Jinyuan Fucheng Beef Hotpot restaurant in northern Beijing had a long line of customers waiting outside its doors almost every night of the week. Now, the restaurant that can seat 800 barely fills 20 tables a day, with most people still wary of dining out […] Read more

A BASF scientist examines transgenic corn plants. (BASF.com)

Crops, Reuters

China approves two new GM crops from U.S. for import

By Hallie Gu, Shivani Singh December 31, 2019

Beijing | Reuters — China approved two new genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Monday that could boost agricultural purchases from the United States, while renewing permits for 10 others, the Chinese agriculture ministry said. Earlier this month, Beijing and Washington announced a Phase 1 trade deal, under which China has agreed to import […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Markets, Pulses, Weather

Pulse weekly outlook: Drop in India’s production may lead to lower duties

By Glen Hallick - MarketsFarm December 17, 2019

MarketsFarm — There’s a possibility the government of India could lower its import duties on pulses, including those from Canada, according to reports. With India’s monsoon rains having continued longer than usual, production of the country’s kharif (summer) pulse production fell by almost two million tonnes. Prior to the monsoons, market expectations called for 10.1 […] Read more

Federal International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr speaks at the China-Canada economic and financial strategy dialogue in Beijing on Nov. 12, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Jason Lee/Pool)

Beef Cattle, Hogs, Livestock, Reuters

Canada says bogus certificates being used to smuggle meat into China

By Kelsey Johnson June 26, 2019

Ottawa | Reuters — Unknown actors are using bogus certificates to smuggle Canadian meat into China, Trade Minister Jim Carr said on Wednesday, a day after Beijing halted beef and pork imports citing falsified paperwork. China, which has already blocked imports of Canadian canola seed and product from three pork plants, said on Tuesday it […] Read more

File photo of idled equipment in drought conditions on a farm in New South Wales, Australia. (f.ield_of_vision/iStock/Getty Images)

Crops, Reuters, Spring Wheat, Weather

Australia to import first wheat in 12 years as drought bites

By Colin Packham May 15, 2019

Sydney | Reuters — Australia will import its first shipment of wheat in more than a decade as a drought across the country’s east coast wilts supply in the world’s fourth largest exporter of the staple grain. Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources said late on Tuesday that it has approved an import permit […] Read more

Ex-GFO CEO to manage Seeds Canada

Tory MP’s bill on farm transfer tax treatment moves ahead

Forecast, flea beetles complicate canola timing

GFM Network News