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Food and agriculture

Food and agriculture
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on food and agriculture, with a focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.
As China and other northern hemisphere countries enter spring planting season, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has said war in the Middle East could have a serious impact on global food prices if it continues beyond three months. Photo: Xinhua
China food security

China taps reserves as Iran war disrupts 30% of global fertiliser trade

War in the Middle East is causing global disruption – from oil to agriculture – as countries, including China, enter spring planting season.

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Food and Drinks

How a Taiwanese chemist built a soy empire in Australia

Artificial intelligence

AI | AI to narrow China’s rural-urban economic divide

Thailand

Inside the coconut cartel: how Chinese money squeezes Thai farmers

With Chinese investors seizing the supply chain, Thai coconuts now fetch less than a piece of chewing gum, wiping out profits for growers.

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Thai coconut farmer Lamduan Haochareon. Photo: Aidan Jones
Thailand

‘Farmers bear the cost’: Iran war knocks out Thai Mideast rice exports

The situation could ripple through the nation’s economy and further batter growers struggling with falling domestic prices.

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China consumption

Beijing urged to boost rural pensions as lawmakers fight for farmers’ fair share

Appeals highlight a long-standing lack of benefits for elderly citizens outside cities, and proposals include leveraging state assets and new taxes to bridge the vast disparity.

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China food security

China targets record food-security push in shadow of US-Israeli war with Iran

Beijing is pushing for bigger harvests in its new five-year plan, coinciding with renewed pressure on global supply chains.

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Workers harvest rice in China’s Zhejiang province in October. Photo: Xinhua
US, Israel war on Iran

Sowing the seeds of hunger: war on Iran puts Asia’s next harvest at risk

As Gulf gas plants go offline, missing fertiliser shipments today could mean empty shelves and record food prices by autumn.

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China trade

Iran war fallout grows as China struggles to import vital fertiliser chemical

Supplies of sulphur – a key fertiliser ingredient – are tightening in China just as the spring planting season begins.

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Food and Drinks

Shine muscat grapes grown in Hong Kong? She’s doing it – using baby formula

Yan Fuqin’s organic farm in Kwu Tung uses Mead Johnson formula to grow soft, creamy shine muscat grapes, but its future is under threat.

Organic farmer Yan Fuqin holds a bunch of her farm’s shine muscat grapes at her stall at Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan Market. Photo: Hei Kiu Au
Food and Drinks

Can Cadbury chocolate-fed Wagyu outshine Japan’s finest beef?

Raising cattle on confectionery might sound crazy, but to Australian Wagyu producer Mayura Station, it’s ingenious and makes a difference.

Cattle at Mayura Station, located on the Limestone Coast of South Australia. Photo: courtesy Mayura Station
China food security

Explaining China’s 2026 rural blueprint

SCMP Plus annotates the No 1 document released by the Communist Party’s Central Committee and State Council setting out key rural policies for the year.

China food security

Opinion | How China’s national food security push could reshape global markets

Amid increasing pressure from trade wars and climate change, Beijing is reframing agriculture as a matter of national security.

US-China trade war

Trump lashes out at US Supreme Court, rolls out new 10% global tariffs

Decision threatens administration’s trade agenda; casts shadow on Xi-Trump summit as some China tariffs wiped out before Beijing talks.

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US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on so-called reciprocal tariffs during an event at the White House last April. Photo: AFP
China-Africa relations

China helps Zimbabwe grow US$1.2 billion tobacco crop amid debt, health concerns

As Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export and a primary foreign currency earner, tobacco dominates its trade with Beijing.

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Tobacco is Zimbabwe’s largest agricultural export and a primary foreign currency earner, dominating its trade with Beijing. Last season, it produced 352.7 million kilograms of tobacco. Photo: Getty Images
Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Editorial | Food poisoning cases in Hong Kong must prompt swift mitigation efforts

Amid the latest spate of illnesses, the city needs to adopt proactive and transparent strategies to ensure that customers can dine safely.

China-Latin America relations

Brazil races to China beef cap as 55% tariff risks price collapse

January surge puts 1.1 million tonne cap at risk, as Brasilia weighs export curbs to avert price slump and job losses.

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China consumption

China overhauls CPI basket, with never-before-seen unveiling of its composition

Beijing’s five-year recalibration aims to better reflect consumption, as policymakers shift weight away from food and housing.

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For China’s consumer price index (CPI) basket, Beijing has increased the weight of transport and communications to 14.3 per cent in its latest five-year adjustment. Photo: Getty Images
US-China relations

As Bessent tips next US-China trade talks, analysts see Trump-Xi meeting prep

Treasury Secretary Bessent confirms preparations for high-level dialogue, with analysts expecting a focus on specific transactional wins over a relationship reset.

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China consumption

China failed to hit 2025 soybean meal dependence target. US deal makes it harder

Beijing sees soybeans as the agricultural industry’s biggest vulnerability, while plans to cut their use in animal feed have little success.

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China trade

China-Canada canola deal faces test as USMCA trade talks loom, insiders warn

Initial shipments bring hope, but ‘Fortress North America’ threat and lack of long-term guarantees leave producers wary of Beijing’s commitment.

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Bottles of Canola Harvest brand canola oil, made by a Canadian agribusiness firm, are seen on the shelf of a grocery store in Beijing. Photo: AP
China food security

China signals strong soybean imports – what does it mean for food security?

Beijing also vows broader agricultural opening while safeguarding domestic production and farmers.

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China has committed to buying at least 25 million tonnes of US soybeans annually through 2028, according to Washington. Photo: Reuters
Climate change

Opinion | Why China and Europe should care about Central Asia’s water crisis

Central Asian rivers shape Eurasian trade flows, affect global food markets and contribute to geopolitical instability across the region.

China economy

Opinion | Why China’s persistently low inflation is not all bad news

For investors and policymakers, the key takeaway is what that outcome shows about the economy’s capacity to absorb shocks while rebalancing.

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Food and Drinks

Exclusive | Hong Kong chef wins Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’ first Champions of Change Award

Sustainability pioneer Peggy Chan talks about her mission and what winning the Champions of Change award means for her and the industry.

The Hong Kong-born chef and sustainable dining advocate talks about how we can change our food production systems for the better if we work together. Photo: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026
Maxim’s

Video | Customer finds tooth in loaf of bread

A customer posted the discovery on social media and filed a complaint with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.

A customer posted the discovery on social media and filed a complaint with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department.
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US-China trade war

Trump sells tariffs as farmers’ win in Iowa, but many aren’t buying it

As US president courts rural voters before midterms, growers fear Beijing may retaliate against Trump policies by curbing purchases again.

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Tourism

Taste Sweden’s delicious ‘blue food’ fresh from the sea on boat tours

From oysters and mussels to superfood seaweed, Sweden’s west coast is a treasure trove of ‘blue food’ – sustainable aquatic produce.

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