'); document.write('

EU-Australia wine trade agreement enters into force
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:22:54 +0300
'); document.write('A new agreement governing the wine trade between Australia and the European Union enters into force tomorrow (1 September 2010). This agreement replaces the one signed in 1994. The new agreement safeguards the EU’s wine labelling regime, gives full protection to EU geographical indications, including for wines intended for export to third countries, and includes a clear Australian commitment to protect EU traditional expressions. It also provides for the phasing out of the use of a number of important EU names such as Champagne and Port on Australian wines within a year of the agreement coming into force. \"The agreement provides important safeguards for EU wine interests. It ensures the protection of Geographical Indications and traditional expressions for EU wines in Australia and beyond\", said Dacian Cioloş, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. \"The agreement is a win-win outcome and achieves a balanced result for European and Australian wine makers. Crucially, we have obtained the commitment that Australian wine producers will phase out the use of key EU Geographical Indications and traditional expressions for wine. This is of utmost importance for European producers\". The agreement provides for the immediate protection of other EU Geographical Indications for wines. For the use of some terms, phase out periods have been agreed. In particular, Australian producers will not be able to continue the use of important EU names such as \"Champagne\", \"Port\", \"Sherry\" and other European geographical indications, along with some traditional expressions such as, \"Amontillado\", \"Claret\", and \"Auslese\" from 1 September 2011 onwards, i.e. one year after the entry into force of the agreement. The new agreement safeguards the EU wine labelling regime, by listing optional particulars which may be used by Australian wines (i.e. an indication of vine varieties, an indication relating to an award, medal or competition, an indication relating to a specific colours, etc.) and by regulating the indication of vine varieties on wine labels. The new agreement also outlines the conditions for Australian wine producers to continue to use a number of quality wine terms, such as \"vintage\", \"cream\" and \"tawny\" to describe Australian wines exported to Europe and sold domestically. The agreement was signed in Brussels on 1 December 2008. The Australian authorities informed the European Union on 27 July 2010 that they had completed their ratification procedures. In 2009, EU wine exports to Australia were worth € 68 million and Australian exports to the EU were worth € 643 million. '); document.write('
Saskatchewan Harvest Still Just Inching Forward
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:49:59 +0300
'); document.write('The Saskatchewan harvest continued to just crawl along this past week. Only 8% of the 2010 crop had been combined as of Monday, with an additional 22% swathed or ready to straight combine, according to today?s provincial crop report. That?s up from just over 2% harvested and 9% swathed or ready to straight combine the previous week but trails the five-year average of 28% and 25%, respectively. Last year at this time, just under 8% of the 2009 crop had been combined. An additional 13% was swathed or ready to straight combine. The southwest had 15% of the crop combined as of Monday, the southeast 14%, and the northeast and northwest each had 2% combined. In east-central Saskatchewan, 4% of the crop was combined and in west-central Saskatchewan 6% of the crop was off. Southeast: Many crop reporters are having difficulty assessing yields at this time due to crop immaturity, flooded areas and disease. The average yields for the region are as follows: winter wheat 50 bu/ac, spring wheat 34 bu/ac, durum 32 bu/ac, oats 65 bu/ac, barley 51 bu/ac, fall rye 48 bu/ac, flax 20 bu/ac, canola 28 bu/ac, mustard 880 lb./ac, lentils 1,100 lb./ac, peas 30 bu/ac, canaryseed 1,400 lb./ac and chickpeas 1,200 lb./ac. Although there was one day when the temperature was above 30C, several days of warm weather are still needed to push the crops along. Many areas are still one to two weeks behind normal crop development. Wet fields are causing problems with harvesting equipment. Some farmers are having to dump grain into grain carts on the road as the fields are too soft. With all the rain, many crop reporters are concerned about crop quality. Heavy dew in the mornings and again in the evenings makes for short combining days. Very little fall seeding is being done. Southwest: Crop reporters are indicating the following average crop yields at this time: winter wheat 41 bu/ac, spring wheat 32 bu/ac, durum 33 bu/ac, oats 50 bu/ac, barley 48 bu/ac, fall rye 54 bu/ac, triticale 35 bu/ac, flax 20 bu/ac, canola 27 bu/ac, mustard 1,000 lb./ac, lentils 1,200 lb./ac, peas 30 bu/ac, canaryseed 1,300 lb./ac and chickpeas 1,000 lb./ac. Frost is a worry as temperatures have dipped to 5C on occasion. Rain on desiccated/swathed pulses and cereals has farmers worried about crop quality. A few weeks of dry and sunny weather are needed, as most crops are one to two weeks behind normal in development. East-central: Crop yields are difficult to assess at this time. Crop reporters are indicating the following average yields: winter wheat 42 bu/ac, spring wheat 32 bu/ac, durum 34 bu/ac, oats 65 bu/ac, barley 50 bu/ac, fall rye 30 bu/ac, triticale 25 bu/ac, flax 26 bu/ac, canola 24 bu/ac, mustard 900 lb./ac, lentils 1,100 lb./ac, peas 32 bu/ac, canaryseed 900 lb./ac and chickpeas 1,400 lb./ac. Canola crops are weedy in some areas. Some crops are ready to swath, but the rain is keeping farmers out of the fields. Crop quality is being reduced in the swath. Some winter wheat is being seeded, although most fields are difficult to access with seeding equipment. There are reports of combines getting stuck in winter wheat fields. In general, crops need two to three weeks to mature. Sunny and dry weather is needed. Frost is a concern. West-Central: Crop reporters are indicating the average crop yields at this time are as follows: winter wheat 43 bu/ac, spring wheat 37 bu/ac, durum 39 bu/ac, oats 76 bu/ac, barley 56 bu/ac, fall rye 54 bu/ac, triticale 42 bu/ac, flax 25 bu/ac, canola 30 bu/ac, mustard 1,200 lb./ac, lentils 1,200 lb./ac, peas 37 bu/ac and canaryseed 1,200 lb./ac. Crops are behind normal in development by one to two weeks, so many farmers are hoping for warm and sunny weather. Farmers are swathing peas, canola and winter cereals, and desiccating lentils and peas. Northeast: Crop yield predictions are quite variable across all crops. Crop reporters in the region are indicating the following average crop yields at this time: winter wheat 38 bu/ac, spring wheat 33 bu/ac, oats 68 bu/ac, barley 50 bu/ac, fall rye 37 bu/ac, flax 17 bu/ac, canola 24 bu/ac, peas 27 bu/ac and canaryseed 1,000 lb./ac. Some unseeded fields have been sprayed four times this year. Crop staging is variable, and crops are still one to two weeks behind normal in development. Fields are very wet in areas and swathers are getting stuck. Northwest: Estimated average crop yields for the region are as follows: spring wheat 38 bu/ac, oats 79 bu/ac, barley 65 bu/ac, fall rye 32 bu/ac, flax 20 bu/ac, canola 32 bu/ac and peas 38 bu/ac. The wind blew crop and hay swaths around. Disease pressures in pulses have caused some crop damage as well. Some crops are lodging in areas that received heavy rain over the past couple of weeks. Warm and sunny weather is needed. Farmers are busy finishing haying, hauling bales, getting ready for harvest and harvesting. '); document.write('
Canada - Barley prices
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:27:26 +0300
'); document.write('The Canadian Wheat Board has issued a special feed barley market update alerting farmers to the recent strength in export prices. The CWB said that for the past two years, barley from Black Sea exporters have dominated world feed markets, but an export ban from Russia and one expected from Ukraine have driven prices sharply higher. \"Traders with short positions who needed to buy barley or default, as well as feed-barley importing countries, have been seeking to cover their short- and medium-term feed barley supply needs during this time of uncertainty,\" the CWB said. Export prices are now higher than in the domestic market, the CWB said, and it has recently sold more than 200 000 tonnes of export feed barley at favourable prices. The CWB said farmers can access sales with Guaranteed Price Contracts between the CWB, grain companies and farmers. Companies bid to supply against these tenders and the winning companies work with farmers to secure the necessary tonnage. Farmers negotiate the basis (freight, handling, trucking premiums, etc.) with companies on an individual basis. Grain companies commit to supply the CWB with the agreed-upon volume. The most recent Guaranteed Price Contract had a guaranteed price of C$215 in-store Vancouver. The CWB said some recent sales were at values considerably higher than anticipated at the time of tender. As a result, it may have surplus earnings. If so, these flat, per-tonne payments will be distributed to all farmers participating in the Guaranteed Price Contract at the end of the marketing year, similar to the surplus payment structure of the CashPlus program for malting barley. '); document.write('
Jul fertilizers output down 13%, to 141,000 MT
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:02:05 +0300
'); document.write('Полный текст доступен только для подписчиков продукта Агро Новости'); document.write('
Rice Exports From Pakistan May Slump 35%, Group Says
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:53:16 +0300
'); document.write('Rice shipments from Pakistan, the world?s third-biggest supplier, may plunge as much as 35 percent after the deadliest floods in the nation?s history destroyed crops, an exporter group said. Exports may drop as low as 3 million metric tons in the year started July 1 from 4.6 million tons in the previous year, Malik Jahangir, chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, said in a phone interview today. Last month he predicted a 22 percent decline in exports. Rice soared 18 percent in Chicago since June 30 as consumers and investors sought alternatives to wheat after heat and drought ruined Northern Hemisphere crops, and as flooding in Pakistan threatened supplies. About 17.2 million people have lost homes and livelihoods in inundations that killed 1,542 people in Pakistan, according to the United Nation?s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. \"Overseas shipments are decided after domestic requirements are met,\" Jahangir said. \"If the extra rice is not exported, it will go to waste.\" Rice and wheat are the two staples for Pakistan?s people, and the government and international relief agencies are finding it hard to provide food for those affected by the floods. The UN has said damage to infrastructure may hurt farmers for years. '); document.write('
Brazil foods sees comm prices impact costs by 5-7% - CEO
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:26:47 +0300
'); document.write('Meat processor and food company BRF Brasil Foods (the merger between meatpackers/food companies Sadia and Perdigão) sees costs increasing by 5% to 7% by the end of the year, due to higher commodity prices, according to CEO José Antônio Fay. Increasing wheat prices in Europe, he added, are likely to boost other commodity prices, such as corn, hitting the production of animal protein in Brazil. Higher cost, though, should not pass along to products, as grains come from a period of lower prices. BRF costs with grains this year are estimated at R$ 4 billion to R$ 5 billion ($1 = R$ 1.75). The executive said that he expects an important growth in domestic sales in the second half due to Christmas-related food. \"Our domestic business will advance more than in overseas operations,\" he said, adding that the sluggish economic rebound in Europe have hit sales. Of total BRF foreign sales, European countries purchase 21%. \"It is an important market, but there are not expectations of growth. Therefore, we are now focusing on the domestic, Asian and African markets, either though exports or acquisitions.\" Currently, the food company’s main market is the Middle East, absorbing 29% of total exports in the first half. '); document.write('
Jul diesel output up 44%, to 378,000 MT
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:07:15 +0300
'); document.write('As reported Agrarika Ltd referring to this year Jul companies outputs preliminary data, within this year Jul diesel output has jumped to 378,000 MT (up 44% against this year Jun/up 42% as of last year Jul). As to report, this year Jan-Jul diesel output totaled 2,130.000 MT, down 0.6% against last year Jan-Jul. As to Agro Perspective earlier report, within this year Jun companies reduced diesel output to 263,000 MT, down 10% against this year May. As to Agro Perspective, in 2009 companies enhanced diesel total output by 10% against 2008, up to 3.909 mn MT. In 2008 companies had produced in total 3.558 mn MT diesel. '); document.write('
Germany makes first purchase of US wheat in three years
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:59:03 +0300
'); document.write('A German miller bought a cargo of US spring wheat last week as a rain-damaged German crop forced the traditional exporter to buy US milling wheat for the first time in three years, US traders said on Tuesday. The miller bought 20,000 tonnes of 13.5% protein US hard red spring wheat, which was scheduled to load at a Great Lakes port in September for shipment via the St Lawrence seaway off the East Coast, they said. '); document.write('
Within Jul petrol output surged by 77%, up to 278,000 MT
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:42:54 +0300
'); document.write('Полный текст доступен только для подписчиков продукта Агро Новости'); document.write('
Prairie Farmers on Lookout for Frost
'); document.write('Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:34:08 +0300
'); document.write('More light frost could in store for parts of the Prairies near the end of this week but the more serious threat will likely be the following week, according to a U.S. meteorologist. Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. said a weather system is expected to roll across the prairies early next week, and it?s behind that system that there could be some freezing activity. \"It?s feasible if we get a fairly good storm system that passes through the prairies, and then Tuesday or Wednesday it would probably be cool again.\" Lerner said if it freezes during that time frame, the temperatures would be more damaging than what could be experienced throughout the Labour Day weekend. Sandy Massey, warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, agreed there is a risk of frost, but added the lowest forecast temperatures for the Canadian prairies within the next week are in the 3 degree Celsius range. \"There is a chance (of frost), but aside from a couple of days, the overnight lows are always higher.\" But while the risk of frost is on the minds of producers, perhaps even more so is the precipitation that continues to fall. Lerner said there is more rain on the way for the Canadian prairies over the next week. \"For the eastern prairies, it?s going to be an awful, awful mess,\" he said. \"We should have a few dry days coming Friday, Saturday, and maybe Sunday, but I don?t think there will be a lot of aggressive field work if there is any at all on those days.\" Lerner said the next storm system is due to come into the region late Sunday and into Monday, and it is expected to bring with it substantial rainfall amounts. He said all parts of the prairies will be affected by the system, with the eastern regions being the hardest hit. \"My feeling at this point is that the eastern prairies are going to have a difficult time getting enough dry weather for crop maturation, let alone harvesting,\" he said. '); document.write('