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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.
A shopper browses a mound of durians at a market in Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee
China trade

Durian Express? China brings in cheaper fruit with new Southeast Asia train

A new cold-storage rail service is whisking mountains of durians from Thailand to China, reducing prices for the prized fruit.

Thailand

‘Destroying the world’s kitchen’: the poisoning of the Mekong River

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Thailand

Thai influencer sells premium durians for dirt cheap to save national ‘pride’

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Food and Drinks

Beyond steak: 3 Hong Kong chefs share dry-ageing tips for fish, lamb, poultry

Dry-ageing isn’t reserved for beef only – chefs from Fireside, Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei and Tori Jukusei offer techniques for home cooks.

Fireside’s fridges for dry-ageing meat and fish in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
US, Israel war on Iran

Outside In | The Iran war is brewing a food crisis we must avert

The world’s focus has been on energy shortages but famine and widening food insecurity are faces of the same coin.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s durian growers in ‘survival mode’ as early glut squeezes export trade

An early bumper harvest and rising fuel and freight costs are squeezing premium durian exporters as they race to get their fruit into China.

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Food and Drinks

The soy sauce artisans making the Chinese condiment with a dash of attitude

Two craft soy sauce makers in Sweden and Australia are turning away from ‘boring’ mass production methods to make the condiment in new ways.

Handcrafted soy sauce from Sweden-based producer Ramona Lee, aka the Soy Sauce Lady. She and Australia-based Mike Fung of Cinwaan Soy Sauce are producing the ancient Chinese condiment in exciting new ways. Photo: Ramona Lee
US, Israel war on Iran

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

Food and Drinks

How asparagus benefits your health – and the different ways to cook it

Chefs share their tips, from simple grilling to fermenting, highlighting the vegetable’s versatility and seasonal appeal … but why does it make your urine smell?

China food security

‘Sharp swings’: why China is warning of food security risks despite bumper crops

The country has ample grain supplies but could still face challenges if extreme weather or global conflict spark global shortages, Beijing says.

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A worker sorts imported soybeans at a processing company in Binzhou, China, on March 6, 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Australia

Australian farmers relieved after Indonesia agrees to supply fertiliser

The deal makes up 20 per cent of fertiliser needs for the planting season in Australia, a major supplier of food to Southeast Asia.

A seeder sows wheat at a farm in Bencubbin, Australia. Photo: Reuters
2026 Trump-Xi summit

‘Won’t back down’: Greer seeks more funding for Trump’s trade wars

US trade chief says more resources needed to expand trade probes and counter China, warning farmers remain exposed ahead of Beijing summit.

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Food and Drinks

Want an authentic farm-to-table experience in Hong Kong? Here’s one

A weekend event in rural Hong Kong teaches guests the true meaning of sustainability through mindful activities and delicious seasonal food.

Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Multi-storey pig farm? Not in Hong Kong please

Readers discuss the government’s plan for a multi-storey pig farm, Discovery Bay transport, and English teachers.

A multi-storey pig farm in Ezhou city, Hubei province in 2023. Photo: Xinhua
European Union

Ireland police remove farmers, blockades protesting against fuel price rises

The protests have led to blockades at Ireland’s only oil refinery and prevented tanker trucks from delivering fuel to petrol stations.

Tractors block O’Connell Street on the fifth day of the National Fuel Protest, in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday. Photo: AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Asia’s ‘panicked farmers’ brace for a looming rice crisis post-Iran war

Shortages of imported fertilisers and fuel could not have come at a worse time for many Southeast Asian rice farmers.

2026 Trump-Xi summit

High fertiliser prices mean more soybeans for farmers – and greater reliance on China

Analysts question the cost of China deploying ‘fertiliser diplomacy’ and boosting soybean purchases ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

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Science

2 years on: China’s ‘desert wheat farms’ show the seeds of success

Chinese project turns sand dunes into cropland to combat desertification and strengthen food security.

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Chinese farmers have grown wheat in the country’s largest desert, Taklamakan, amid ongoing efforts to turn arid deserts into fertile soil and the drive to strengthen food security. Photo: Weibo
China-Latin America relations

Cattle prices rocket as Brazil set to exhaust Chinese beef quota by May

As Beijing tariff nears, Brazil’s exporters are rapidly reaching their quota for China, forcing South American industry to seek new buyers.

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Africa

Opinion | Beijing’s supply-chain hedging strategy can help African food security

While governments must avoid swapping one dependency for another, Beijing’s inroads could help enhance food security efforts.

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Myanmar

Fuel crisis at planting season threatens Myanmar’s fragile economy

Rising fertiliser costs and fuel rationing have affected farmers’ productivity, but Myanmar has little capital to replenish these stocks.

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An employee refuels a vehicle at a petrol station amid rising prices in Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 20. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Filipino farmers leave crops to rot as fuel prices drive up cost of harvest

It costs farmers 30 US cents to produce a kilogram of cabbage, which sells for as little as 5 US cents.

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A farmer harvests cabbages at a farm in Atok in the Philippines on March 31. Photo: Reuters
100 Top Tables: Cities of Gastronomy

The Chinese Wine Awards shine a spotlight on flourishing mainland vineyards

Local restaurants and the Chinese Wine Awards mark the growing interest in home-grown vintages.

Supported by
Macau Government Tourism Office
China inflation

China to boost frozen pork reserves as hog prices tumble to multi-year troughs

The national average hog price fell to an eight-year low of 10.68 yuan per kg in the fourth week of March.

US, Israel war on Iran

Why spike in fertiliser prices could boost China’s political clout

Beijing could see its regional leverage grow as the Iran war hits supply, though weaponisation of exports is unlikely, analysts say.

Farmers harvest rice in Aceh Besar, Indonesia. The first planting season of the year is just months away in much of Asia. Photo: EPA
100 Top Tables: Cities of Gastronomy

Macau’s culinary festival blends luxury dining with sustainability

Restaurants across the Greater Bay Area are underlining their commitment to the environment by showcasing zero-waste kitchens, hyperlocal seafood and organic ingredients.

Supported by
Macau Government Tourism Office
Crispy codfish balls at Mesa by José Avillez, where the menu is a product of what the kitchen grows itself. Photo: Handout
The Philippines

How soaring fuel prices are pushing Filipino farmers to the brink

Farmer Elmer Ullani spent seven hours transporting his produce to a trading post, but says he has nothing left after paying for fuel.

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China food security

How China’s massive pig farms created a serious pork supply glut

Vast hog farms – some rising 26 storeys high – have caused China’s pig herd to swell, but consumers dislike the industrially produced meat.

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