https://www.scmp.com/rss/325741/feed Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on food and agriculture, with a focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Göktuğ Çalışkan Göktuğ Çalışkan The first tankers that turned away from the Strait of Hormuz did not just redraw shipping maps. They redrew grocery lists, too. After Iran’s partial closure of the strait disrupted a chokepoint that carries roughly 20 per cent of the world’s oil, traders priced in something they know too well: war is not only about missiles; it’s about the bill that lands on kitchen tables months later. Brent crude climbing back above US$100 a barrel, and touching roughly US$120 on the worst days, is already... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349221/war-premiums-hit-groceries-china-deals-give-africa-room-breathe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349221/war-premiums-hit-groceries-china-deals-give-africa-room-breathe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Myanmar’s weak economy is being brutally exposed to the fuel crisis, with farmers unable to fill up tractors to work their fields and a fertiliser shortage caused by the throttling of the Strait of Hormuz threatening food security just as the planting season begins. Battered by civil war and runaway inflation, and with a quarter of its population already lacking sufficient food, Myanmar is poorly positioned to absorb the oil shock and its cascading effects on an economy that is among the most... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349380/myanmars-food-security-crisis-fuel-fertiliser-shortages-threaten-fragile-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3349380/myanmars-food-security-crisis-fuel-fertiliser-shortages-threaten-fragile-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:06:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Filipino farmers like Romeo Wagayan have ⁠been left with little choice ⁠but to let their vegetables rot in the ⁠field rather than sell them at a loss, as rising oil prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East drive up the cost of harvesting, labour and transport. “There’s nothing we can do,” said Wagayan, a 57-year-old vegetable farmer in the northern Philippine province of Benguet. “If we harvest ‌it, our losses only increase because of labour, transportation and packing costs. We don’t... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349246/filipino-farmers-leave-crops-rot-fuel-prices-drive-cost-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349246/filipino-farmers-leave-crops-rot-fuel-prices-drive-cost-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:53:03 +0000 Wilson Fok Wilson Fok In 2024, the inaugural Chinese Wine Awards took place in Macau. The event was the first of its kind in the city, showcasing wines produced in China judged by a panel of international experts and critics. The awards have since expanded in scale, featuring a larger panel of judges, and this year included activation events in Beijing leading up to the judging sessions and award ceremony. Macau is the ideal spot for such an event: not only famous as a Unesco City of Gastronomy, but also for its... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348625/chinese-wine-awards-elevate-ao-yun-and-other-labels-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348625/chinese-wine-awards-elevate-ao-yun-and-other-labels-world-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:12 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China will carry out its second round of frozen pork stockpiling this year for state reserves after live hog prices in March fell to their lowest level in nearly eight years, as policymakers seek to cushion a deepening plunge that is hurting rural incomes and adding to deflationary pressure. The Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that it would work with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Finance to undertake pork stockpiling. “The Ministry of Commerce... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348920/china-boost-frozen-pork-reserves-hog-prices-tumble-multi-year-troughs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348920/china-boost-frozen-pork-reserves-hog-prices-tumble-multi-year-troughs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:00:17 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The US-Israel war on Iran has crippled exports of fertiliser from the Persian Gulf, raising the spectre of higher food prices if the conflict drags on. The disruption could hand China – the world’s largest fertiliser producer – greater political leverage over countries already locked in disputes with Beijing, though it is unlikely to weaponise exports, according to analysts. Global fertiliser prices have soared since Iran effectively blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348573/why-spike-fertiliser-prices-could-boost-chinas-political-clout?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Lee Hill-choi Lee Hill-choi Macau has long been a city of intersections – East and West, old and new, tradition and reinvention. As a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy, it is now staking a claim to another kind of convergence: a place where world-class fine dining and genuine environmental responsibility are not in tension, but in lockstep. That ambition takes centre stage at this year’s International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, which for the first time extends beyond Fisherman’s Wharf into a new satellite venue in the... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348524/macaus-culinary-festival-highlights-luxury-dining-alongside-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3348524/macaus-culinary-festival-highlights-luxury-dining-alongside-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:30 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran After a seven-hour drive to a trading post in northern Philippines, 35-year-old farmer Elmer Ullani took home nothing but an empty petrol tank even after selling 10 tonnes of cabbage. Ullani, who hails from the northern town of Tinoc in Ifugao province, said he only managed to sell his produce – yielded over three harvest rounds – at a paltry rate of 8 to 9 pesos (15 US cents) per kilogram, earning him a total of 90,000 pesos (US$1,482). All of his earnings went towards covering his fuel... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348448/filipino-farmer-pleads-stop-us-iran-war-after-soaring-fuel-prices-wipe-out-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348448/filipino-farmer-pleads-stop-us-iran-war-after-soaring-fuel-prices-wipe-out-earnings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:28 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s pig prices have plunged to their lowest level in nearly eight years, as the country struggles to deal with a persistent supply glut triggered by the spread of huge industrial farms and a post-holiday drop in meat consumption. Live pigs were selling for 11.05 yuan (US$1.60) per kilogram on average during the third week of March, down 2.9 per cent from the previous week and 28 per cent from a year earlier, data from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs showed. Prices are now... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348423/chinas-massive-pig-farms-spark-supply-glut-hog-prices-hit-8-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348423/chinas-massive-pig-farms-spark-supply-glut-hog-prices-hit-8-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Indonesia is looking to save up to 40 trillion rupiah (US$2.3 billion) by cutting back on its free meal programme, an official said on Sunday, in a first austerity measure taken in response to price pressures from conflict in the Middle East. The meals, primarily intended for schoolchildren across the country, will be distributed for five days a week instead of six starting March 31 in a move that is expected to save “around 40 trillion rupiah”, National Nutrition Agency deputy head Nanik... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348319/indonesia-cuts-free-meals-save-us23-billion-fuel-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348319/indonesia-cuts-free-meals-save-us23-billion-fuel-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:36:46 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan As US President Donald Trump heads to a delayed, high-stakes mid-May summit with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, he is already claiming victory, touting on Friday past trade talks with Xi as a win for American farmers, a crucial electoral bloc battered by his tariffs and the ongoing war with Iran. “Thanks to our trade deals, you’re now sending over US$40 billion in American soybeans to China,” Trump said on Friday, telling farmers and ranchers at the White House he personally secured the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348219/trump-pitches-china-trade-win-us-farmers-ahead-xi-meeting-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:27 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is urging companies to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the crucial spring planting season, as the US-Israel war on Iran strains supplies of key raw materials to the world’s largest grain producer. Beijing is also expected to keep export restrictions on some fertiliser ingredients in place beyond the spring, as it strives to ensure Chinese farmers retain uninterrupted access to vital agrichemicals at reasonable prices despite the Middle East conflict. Tehran’s effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Meltwater from snow-capped mountains is fostering an emerging trout-farming industry thousands of kilometres from the sea in western China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The region, famous for its cotton, is on track to become China’s top trout producer as it ramps up efforts to diversify its agricultural base following criticism of labour practices in the cotton sector that led to import bans overseas. In 2018, in response to rising domestic demand for Atlantic salmon and limited local... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The United Nations has warned the conflict in the Middle East is sending shock waves from the fertiliser industry to food prices, as countries across the northern hemisphere – including China – enter their spring planting seasons. If the conflict lasts longer than three months, the impact would become “significantly more serious”, affecting input costs in agriculture and disrupting the next planting season with longer-term consequences, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347036/prolonged-iran-war-could-have-serious-impact-food-prices-says-uns-fao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347036/prolonged-iran-war-could-have-serious-impact-food-prices-says-uns-fao?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:00:03 +0000 Andrew Sun Andrew Sun Taiwan-born Eric Hsu never imagined his hard-earned chemistry degree would be put to use making tofu and soy products in Australia. “In Taiwan, I was working for international companies like Dow Chemical,” says the now 72-year-old pioneer, who immigrated to Australia in 1986. “At that time, I couldn’t find the same kind of job, so I was looking at whatever opportunities I could.” Hsu recalls one of his friends joking that they wanted to eat tofu, but there was “none on the market”, and that he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346739/how-taiwanese-chemist-built-australian-tofu-empire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346739/how-taiwanese-chemist-built-australian-tofu-empire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:20:09 +0000 Wency Chen,Zhang Tong Wency Chen,Zhang Tong China is counting on artificial intelligence (AI) to help the 450 million people living in rural areas left behind by the nation’s economic boom. Farmers are already benefiting from the technology, using AI offerings such as DeepSeek or ByteDance’s Doubao for help with issues like pig rearing, pest control and government subsidies. The State Council’s “No 1 document” of 2026, extended a push for the “digital upgrading” of farming, with an emphasis on the greater integration of AI, drones, robots... https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/tech/tech-trends/article/3346713/ai-narrow-chinas-rural-urban-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Hands knotted by a lifetime of hard work, Supon Haochareon says Thai farmers in his position do not get to retire. Instead, the 81-year-old and his wife Lamduan, 74, must tend more than 300 trees in Samut Sakhon, an hour west of Bangkok, agonising each year as prices slump and their coconuts grow smaller in the withering heat. This month brought the lowest prices on record: two baht (six US cents) per coconut – less than a stick of chewing gum – virtually wiping out all profit from their... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346531/inside-coconut-cartel-how-chinese-money-squeezes-thai-farmers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346531/inside-coconut-cartel-how-chinese-money-squeezes-thai-farmers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thai rice exports to the Middle East were halted as the escalating war disrupts shipments to the nation’s largest market for the grain, further straining farmers grappling with rising costs and reduced overseas demand. Two ships carrying a combined 80,000 tonnes of rice bound for Iraq were suspended at a Bangkok port this week, with buyers instructing containers be unloaded and the grain returned to warehouses, Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346518/iran-war-knocks-out-thai-mideast-rice-exports-squeezing-farmers-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346518/iran-war-knocks-out-thai-mideast-rice-exports-squeezing-farmers-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Some Chinese lawmakers and advisers are pushing to secure higher pensions for elderly farmers, underscoring the persistent income disparity between the country’s urban and rural residents. The latest government work report, approved on Thursday, confirmed a 20-yuan (US$2.91) monthly increase to basic pension payments for a third consecutive year, bringing the national minimum to 163 yuan. However, some deputies from China’s top legislature contend that this level is inadequate. “A pension of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346368/chinas-rural-pensions-focus-lawmakers-fight-farmers-fair-share-amid-income-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346368/chinas-rural-pensions-focus-lawmakers-fight-farmers-fair-share-amid-income-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has pledged to raise grain output to record levels over the next five years, as part of efforts to guarantee food security for its vast population amid geopolitical shocks and supply-chain uncertainties. Under the nation’s 15th five-year plan unveiled during the “two sessions” parliamentary meetings, Beijing set a target to raise annual grain production capacity to 725 million tonnes by 2030, driven by wider use of high-end agricultural machinery and advanced breeding technologies. As in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346235/china-targets-record-food-security-push-shadow-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346235/china-targets-record-food-security-push-shadow-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain How does a missile strike on a Qatari gas plant end up raising the price of rice in Bangladesh? The answer is fertiliser, an unglamorous commodity that nevertheless sustains much of what the world eats. Qatar burns natural gas to produce ammonia. Ammonia is converted into urea. Urea goes into the ground and out of the ground comes grain. Disrupt the first step, as Iran did when it struck QatarEnergy’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facility on March 1, and the consequences travel along... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346201/war-iran-threatens-asias-food-supply-fertiliser-prices-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346201/war-iran-threatens-asias-food-supply-fertiliser-prices-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The escalating conflict in the Middle East is having a direct impact on China’s access to sulphur – a raw material for producing fertiliser – just as the country enters its vital spring planting season. With China sourcing a large chunk of its sulphur from the Persian Gulf, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already sending prices for the chemical shooting upwards as Chinese buyers complain of tightening supplies. China relies on imports for 47 per cent of its sulphur supply,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au In a corner of Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan Market, a bustling indoor market where the floor is permanently damp and the air smells of wet fabric and drying fish, a sign reads Fu Kam Organic Farm. Below it, a cluster of grapes hangs from a metal pole – plump, luminous and impossibly glossy. There is no premium packaging, no branded box, no chilled display case, just bunches of shine muscat – the darling of Japanese fruit fanatics – and the woman who grew them. “Come buy our local, organic shine muscat... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345345/shine-muscat-grapes-grown-hong-kong-farmer-doing-it-using-baby-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345345/shine-muscat-grapes-grown-hong-kong-farmer-doing-it-using-baby-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Jeff Yeung Jeff Yeung Most meat lovers will be familiar with the grass-fed versus grain-fed debate, but what happens if instead you feed cattle chocolate? Over at Australia’s Mayura Station, that’s exactly what they’ve been doing – and it’s certainly caught our attention. Established in 1845, Mayura Station is one of Australia’s most prized Wagyu producers and among the first to import full-blood Wagyu from Japan, starting in 1997. Its unique location, on the Limestone Coast of South Australia, makes for brilliant... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3344438/do-cattle-fed-cadbury-chocolate-make-tastier-wagyu-chefs-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3344438/do-cattle-fed-cadbury-chocolate-make-tastier-wagyu-chefs-weigh?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:00:16 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.5-Plus and edited for accuracy by a Post journalist. It is for reference only and is not the official English version. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:02:47 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May A single policy could redraw global food supply lines and scramble markets from the Americas to Southeast Asia. In early February, the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee and State Council released the annual “No 1 document”, the country’s first policy statement of 2026 and its blueprint for agriculture, farmers and rural areas. As one of the world’s largest agricultural producers, importers and exporters, any shift in Beijing’s food strategy carries global repercussions. Covering... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344152/china-seeks-cultivate-food-supply-immune-geopolitical-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344152/china-seeks-cultivate-food-supply-immune-geopolitical-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Bochen Han,Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Mark Magnier Khushboo Razdan,Bochen Han,Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Mark Magnier In a consequential decision with billions of dollars on the line, the US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a lower-court ruling striking down President Donald Trump’s tariffs, coming just as the White House confirmed his visit to Beijing from March 31 to April 2. The South China Morning Post had exclusively reported the trip dates last week. By invalidating tariffs imposed under emergency presidential powers, the decision removes a powerful tool the White House had used to pressure Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344180/us-supreme-court-rules-trumps-tariffs-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344180/us-supreme-court-rules-trumps-tariffs-unlawful?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 15:06:49 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Driven by Chinese demand, Zimbabwe produced a record 352.7 million kilograms of tobacco – valued at about US$1.2 billion – in last year’s marketing season. This represents a major turnaround for an industry that, if not for Chinese investment, would have nearly collapsed two decades ago, although it remains a crop of concern for health campaigners. As Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export and a primary foreign currency earner, tobacco dominates its trade with Beijing. Last year, China imported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343817/china-helps-zimbabwe-grow-us12-billion-tobacco-crop-amid-debt-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343817/china-helps-zimbabwe-grow-us12-billion-tobacco-crop-amid-debt-health-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:00:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Food poisoning, while traumatic for victims, rarely draws wider attention unless there are clusters of cases. A spate of recent incidents linked to oysters served in Hong Kong must prompt quick action from the industry and health authorities to find the source, ensure safety and make changes to protect the city’s reputation. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s Centre for Food Safety has identified dozens of cases linked to raw shellfish imported from South Korea, Spain and France.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343888/food-poisoning-cases-hong-kong-must-prompt-swift-mitigation-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3343888/food-poisoning-cases-hong-kong-must-prompt-swift-mitigation-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil is on course to exhaust its annual beef export quota to China by September, industry researchers said on Tuesday, as the government warns that uncontrolled shipments could trigger a collapse in domestic prices and jobs in the cattle sector. If the pace of exports recorded in January is maintained, Brazil will fill its 2026 quota of 1.106 million tonnes well before year end, according to the Centre for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics at the University of Sao Paulo, known as Cepea. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343849/brazil-races-china-beef-cap-55-tariff-risks-price-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343849/brazil-races-china-beef-cap-55-tariff-risks-price-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 19:53:03 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing has for the first time revealed the intricate composition of China’s consumer price index (CPI) basket, and a fresh recalibration sees it shift more weight towards services and new types of consumption goods. The basket adjustment itself, conducted every five years, comes as the Chinese leadership seeks to steer the world’s second-largest economy out of deflationary pressure while avoiding a prolonged Japan-style spiralling of prices. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343465/china-overhauls-consumer-price-basket-never-seen-unveiling-its-composition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343465/china-overhauls-consumer-price-basket-never-seen-unveiling-its-composition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Any coming high-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington will be in preparation for US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April, analysts say, as both sides wish to keep a fragile trade truce intact, even though significant breakthroughs in the bilateral relationship remain up in the air. On Monday evening in the US, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent posted on social media that senior Treasury staff had travelled to China last week, “to strengthen channels of communication... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3343081/next-us-china-trade-talks-tipped-advance-trump-xi-summit-fragile-truce-holds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has been working to cut the use of soybean meal in animal feed – the primary end-use of imported soybeans – as part of its strategy to reduce external dependence, but the latest industry data suggests these efforts have made limited headway. Last year, the proportion of soybean meal in domestically produced feed stood at 13.4 per cent, unchanged from the previous year, according to data released by the China Feed Industry Association (CFIA) last week. This indicates that the goal set by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:22:02 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China’s resumption of Canadian canola purchases, brokered during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s state visit to Beijing last month, faces an uncertain year, with upcoming North American trade talks posing a significant risk, industry players warn. Beyond the initial shipments, some insiders said, there remained “no public assurance” that imports would continue uninterrupted, as the United States was likely to turn the region, through a renewed trade pact with Canada and Mexico, into a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342694/china-canada-canola-deal-faces-fragility-test-usmca-trade-talks-loom-insiders-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342694/china-canada-canola-deal-faces-fragility-test-usmca-trade-talks-loom-insiders-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:14 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China will “deeply participate” in agricultural trade and expand imports of products in short domestic supply, a senior official said on Wednesday, signalling strong and sustained demand for overseas soybeans – a long-standing food security concern and a flashpoint in its ties with the United States. Despite a tight balance between production and demand, China would diversify import sources and make full use of international markets, said Han Wenxiu, head of the office of the Communist Party’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:02:46 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Central Asia’s water insecurity may seem a distant concern. But its rivers underpin Eurasian trade corridors, sustain global food markets and power regional energy systems. As water stress worsens, this is no longer just an environmental issue but a strategic threat across Eurasia – demanding urgent attention in Beijing, Brussels and beyond. Central Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, accelerating glacier retreat in mountain ranges that act as natural reservoirs. As a result,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Kun Tian Kun Tian China did not slip into outright deflation last year and that in itself matters. When weak global demand, geopolitical frictions and a prolonged property correction weighed heavily on sentiment, consumer prices stayed marginally positive. The latest data suggests an economy not in free fall but navigating a transition towards more balanced and sustainable growth, albeit at a subdued pace. December’s inflation figures underline this point. Consumer prices rose by 0.8 per cent year on year, the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341556/chinas-deflation-near-miss-isnt-economic-story-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341556/chinas-deflation-near-miss-isnt-economic-story-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Peggy Chan, a Hong Kong-born vegetarian chef, sustainability dining advocate and consultant, has become the first recipient of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ Champions of Change Award, which honours those who make a meaningful impact in the hospitality industry. “I’m so grateful and honoured for this recognition,” Chan tells the Post. “I really feel like it’s come full circle, too, as [the ceremony] is being held in Hong Kong, where my career started. “I cannot take this honour on my own because... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3341621/hong-kong-chef-peggy-chan-wins-asias-50-best-restaurants-first-champions-change-award?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3341621/hong-kong-chef-peggy-chan-wins-asias-50-best-restaurants-first-champions-change-award?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan After a bruising 2025 that pushed him to the brink of bankruptcy, Arkansas soybean farmer Randall Shelby starts the new year worried that US farmers could once again be caught in the crossfire as tensions between Washington and Beijing threaten to escalate anew. This comes as US President Donald Trump addressed farmers on Tuesday in Iowa, the United States’ second-largest soybean producer, to try to convince them that he has their best interests at heart in advance of the November midterm... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3341313/us-soybean-farmers-fear-china-trade-blowback-trump-ramps-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:07 +0000 dpa dpa Lars Marstone is leaning on the pier in Lysekil’s harbour, arms crossed, as though personally greeting the wind and waves arriving at this town on Sweden’s southwest coast. ‌Moored nearby is Signe, his lovingly restored wooden boat. Her name derives from the Old Norse Signý, meaning “victorious” or “blessed”. For more than 50 years, Signe has been braving the waves. Today, she will be taking us on ‍an oyster and mussel tour, the first leg of our expedition to some of Sweden’s “blue food”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341006/taste-swedens-delicious-sustainable-blue-food-fresh-sea-boat-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341006/taste-swedens-delicious-sustainable-blue-food-fresh-sea-boat-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:43:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Powdered whole milk used to make ByHeart infant formula could be a source of contamination that led to an outbreak of botulism that has sickened dozens of babies, according to US health officials. Testing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the type of bacteria that could cause the illness in two samples linked to the formula, officials said on Friday. The agency found that bacteria in an unopened tin of formula matched a sample from a sick baby. It also matched contamination... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341080/contaminated-milk-powder-likely-source-byheart-baby-formula-botulism-outbreak-fda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341080/contaminated-milk-powder-likely-source-byheart-baby-formula-botulism-outbreak-fda?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:10:49 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Vietnam saw its exports of durians to China soar by US$500 million last year, as the country shook off earlier phytosanitary issues and leveraged its geographic advantages to outcompete its Southeast Asian rivals in the lucrative Chinese market. Growers from Vietnam shipped US$3.44 billion of the spiky, pungent fruit to China in 2025, up from US$2.94 billion the previous year, Chinese customs data showed. Leading supplier Thailand, meanwhile, lost market share as its exports to China remained... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341002/vietnam-grabs-bigger-slice-chinas-durian-market-thailand-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341002/vietnam-grabs-bigger-slice-chinas-durian-market-thailand-loses-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China is starting to reap the rewards of its food-security push into the seed sector, aggressively making a play for self-reliance with domestically developed varieties dubbed the “chips” of agriculture. This strategic push, authorities say, has seen the nation make substantial progress in developing and deploying its own vital crop and livestock genetics, aiming to reduce dependence amid global uncertainties. In this once innovation-deficient sector, the domestic breeding source market share... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341011/rooted-resilience-chinas-seed-push-plants-agricultural-chips-grows-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341011/rooted-resilience-chinas-seed-push-plants-agricultural-chips-grows-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Brazilian beef exports will remain stable ‌in 2026 compared with last year, beef lobby Abiec said on ‍Monday, projecting shipments between 3.3 million and 3.5 million tonnes this year. That compares with 3.5 million tonnes of beef exported in 2025, including fresh and processed products, when Brazil’s ⁠beef shipments had their best year on record both in volumes and revenue, according to trade data. Roberto Perosa, Abiec president, said exports would remain broadly unchanged after top importer... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340478/brazilian-beef-exports-seen-stable-2026-despite-chinese-safeguards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3340478/brazilian-beef-exports-seen-stable-2026-despite-chinese-safeguards?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:46:32 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The verdant green leaves and dainty white flowers of the alligator weed are becoming a common sight in waterways across Japan. But while the plant, whose scientific name is Alternanthera philoxeroides, may look innocuous, it is an absolute menace according to Koichi Goka, head of the Invasive Species Research Team at Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). “We first had reports of alligator weed in Japan in Hyogo prefecture in 1989 and it quickly spread from there across... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3340248/japan-struggles-weed-out-plant-threatening-agriculture-ecosystems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3340248/japan-struggles-weed-out-plant-threatening-agriculture-ecosystems?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele A typical day for Aizat Halim begins at 5am, as he sets out on a drive to his fruit farm in Janda Baik, about 50km (30 miles) from his home in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur – a distance that reflects the gap between his current and former lives. Farming, the 31-year-old said, was always his first career choice, despite graduating in marketing from colleges in the US and the United Kingdom. In 2020, he started a pineapple farm on family land, leaving a cushy air-conditioned job as a marketing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340192/southeast-asias-young-farmers-dig-future-call-return-land?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3340192/southeast-asias-young-farmers-dig-future-call-return-land?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Tokyo’s famed New Year fish auction has smashed its own headline record, with a giant bluefin tuna fetching an eye-watering price. At the Toyosu fish market’s first auction of 2026, a 243kg (535lb) bluefin tuna was snapped up for 510 million yen (US$3.2 million), making it the most expensive tuna ever sold at this annual ritual. The winning bid came from Kiyomura, the company behind the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. The purchase eclipsed the company’s own record-setting bid from 2019. The fish... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339964/what-ancient-chinese-heros-fatal-love-raw-fish-warns-us-about-uncooked-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3339964/what-ancient-chinese-heros-fatal-love-raw-fish-warns-us-about-uncooked-food?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Vincent Wei led fellow Singaporean farmers around an empty Malaysian plot, laying out plans for a greenhouse and rows of leafy vegetables. What he pitched was not just space for crops but a lifeline for growers struggling to make ends meet in a city state with high prices and little vacant land. The to-be agriculture hub is part of a joint special economic zone launched last year by the two neighbours, expected to cost US$123 million and produce 10,000 tonnes of fresh produce annually. It is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339803/can-singapores-farming-future-grow-malaysias-us123-million-agriculture-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3339803/can-singapores-farming-future-grow-malaysias-us123-million-agriculture-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:18:43 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A woman from rural China has astonished netizens by taking part in 26 pig-catching competitions in a single year, successfully catching 22 pigs with her bare hands, including one that weighed 73kg. The woman’s fear was revealed during a recent rural fun sports event in Majiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou province, southern China. Wen Fengqin, 31, attracted attention after she successfully caught a 38kg pig in a pig-catching competition and took it... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3338119/hold-tight-china-woman-wins-22-pig-catching-contests-biggest-hog-weighing-73kg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3338119/hold-tight-china-woman-wins-22-pig-catching-contests-biggest-hog-weighing-73kg?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Chinese researchers have developed a form of hybrid rice that can replicate itself through seeds that are clones, preserving high-yield traits generation after generation, according to the development team. The scientists say their breakthrough could transform global agriculture by dismantling the biggest barrier to hybrid rice production: the need for farmers to buy expensive new hybrid seeds every season. As hundreds of millions of people around the world face acute food insecurity, hybrid... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339007/china-creates-worlds-first-clone-hybrid-rice-could-double-global-output?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339007/china-creates-worlds-first-clone-hybrid-rice-could-double-global-output?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:43:02 +0000