Agricultural commodities, processing and products
Crop products and commodities
Lao researchers seeking to introduce faster growing rice varieties
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The Naphok Agricultural Research Centre is seeking to produce early maturing varieties of rice seed for Lao farmers to plant in the coming years, as part of efforts to reduce the disaster related impacts of climate change. Researchers at the centre are currently conducting ongoing research into ...
Organising Vietnamese - Japanese second high-level dialogue on agriculture
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The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in coordination with Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries held the second high-level dialogue on agricultural development cooperation in Hanoi on 12 August. At the dialogue, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat called on the ...
Rubber oversupply causes price slump in Laos
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As rubber plantations mature and the trees are ready to be tapped, Lao growers stand to face a substantial loss amid a slump in the rubber price on the world market. A respected Lao researcher says poor assessment of the market prior to planting the trees ...
Decline in price of rubber leaves Cambodian farmers scrambling
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As of last year, rubber trees occupied more than 357,000 hectares in Cambodia, with more than 90,000 hectares old enough for cultivation. Now, some farmers are regretting their choice of cash crop, after a rough three years in which rubber prices have plummeted. “It’s good for ...
Extreme weather: the new normal for Myanmar farmers
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Recent flooding highlights the climactic challenges that upper Myanmar farmers are now facing on a regular basis. Sagaing Region was particularly badly hit from mid-July onward. As other rivers, streams, dams and dykes also burst their banks, houses and fields were inundated, with Kin-U, Kawlin and ...
Chinese loan for Cambodia's rice sector on hold
A project to build 10 warehouses to store rice paddy using Chinese funding has hit a roadblock, as the Cambodian government has been unable to meet criteria set by the Chinese for the project, according to an official associated with the project. Keep reading ...
New rice deals hammered out with African countries
Thailand has clinched several deals to sell 765,000 tonnes of rice worth US$313 million to African countries. Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said during a five-day visit to South Africa that Thai exporters had signed 11 memorandums of understanding with African importers for the rice, worth 10.9 ...
Vietnam to resume importing Australian oranges, tangerines and grapes from August
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Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has said resumed permission for importing three Australian fruits including oranges, tangerines and grapes is expected to be given on 1 August. Keep reading ...
Report slams push for rubber
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Protected areas and other biodiversity hotspots across Southeast Asia are increasingly under threat from expanding rubber plantations, with Cambodia at risk of losing more ecologically important land than any of its neighbours, a recent study reports. According to the study, if current trends continue, Cambodia stands ...
Southern Thailand hit by weak rubber prices
At a time when little is going right for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, Thailand is being hit hard by weak global demand for its major agricultural exports. Among the people most affected are the country’s rubber producers, suffering depressed prices since January 2014. After surging to more ...