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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.
Soba noodles with grated mountain yam, okra, natto and poached egg - stirring the natto to make it stickier, by Susan Jung, in Hong Kong, May 28, 2020. 28MAY20 [FOOD SHOOT POST MAGAZINE] SCMP: Jonathan WONG
Japan

Video | Japan’s natto beans go global

The long-time breakfast staple in Japan is known as a divisive food that people either love or hate.

Malaysia

‘Durian tsunami’ sweeps Malaysia, making premium Musang King dirt cheap

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Wellness

How many lychees are safe to eat in a day? What TCM says about the fruit

China food security

Global farming, Chinese food imports at stake as El Nino threatens drought

Sharpest risks to occur in the Global South, with countries facing conflict and economic stress being the worst hit: United Nations’ FAO.

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An aerial view of barren farmland on the banks of the Cipamingkis River in Indonesia's West Java province. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images
Human rights

Opinion | Asia excels at tracking fishing vessels but fails those on board

As demand for sustainable seafood grows, the gap between the ability to monitor vessels and protect workers in the fishing industry must be addressed.

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Extreme weather

Asia’s shaky food supply shudders as ‘super’ El Nino arrives

Every few years, the Pacific runs a fever. This year, it could be worse than anything seen for decades, scientists warn.

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US-China relations

Can China-US breadbasket diplomacy sidestep tension over American’s arrest?

Farm-belt officials from both sides meet as US voters consider issues for midterms and Beijing detains US citizen.

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More than 200 Chinese and American agriculture officials, business representatives and academics from the “granaries” of their countries met in China on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua
Thailand

Costly Malaysia-Thailand seafood stand-off nears an end

Talks are advancing on resolving the dispute, but every day of delay is costing thousands of Thai shrimp farmers.

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong market sample tests positive for H9 bird flu after boy infected

Boy contracts mild strain of virus and Centre for Health Protection says risk of serious outbreak is low.

Extreme weather

El Nino is back – and it could be ‘one for the history books’

The weather event – which can bring droughts, floods and record temperatures – has officially arrived, and could grow to peak strength.

A firefighter monitors flames caused by the Hughes Fire in California, in January 2025. Scientists fear El Nino will exacerbate the heat of a planet already warming from burning fossil fuels. Photo: AP
Thailand

Once world’s largest, Thai shrimp industry on the edge as Malaysia bans imports

Prices have collapsed and buyers have vanished since Malaysia banned Thai shrimp. Bangkok is now threatening WTO action.

A Michelin-starred chef inspects a locally caught shrimp at a market in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2023. Photo: AFP
Food and Drinks

The magic of mushrooms, from foraging to fine dining

Taschen’s coffee-table book The Gourmand’s Mushroom looks at how fungi are portrayed in art, literature and music, and explores the health benefits of various species.

Science

Chinese team injects moss gene into Xinjiang cotton to beat fungus, boost output

Scientists report potential to boost cotton yield by nearly a quarter after inserting stress-resistance gene from a species of steppe moss.

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China trade

How China’s blueberry boom is reaching Southeast Asia on faster trade links

The fruit is heading to Asean markets on the China-Laos Railway, supported by the world’s largest free trade agreement.

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Farmers pick blueberries at an orchard in southwest China’s Yunnan province. Photo: China News Service via Getty Images
US-China trade war

US farm chief says reliance on China threatens American ‘freedom’

Agriculture secretary’s warning comes as tariffs weigh on China trade and Hormuz disruptions drive up fuel and fertiliser costs.

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US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins testifies before the House Agriculture Committee on Capitol Hill. Photo: AP.
Thailand

‘Lowest point’: Thai shrimp industry reels from Malaysia import ban

The ban comes as Thailand’s embattled fisheries sector faces increased competition, tariffs, shrimp disease, rising costs and reduced catch.

China-Latin America relations

‘I will sell to someone else’: Brazil’s Lula hits back at US after China beef win

The president also branded Rubio a ‘frustrated Latino’ and vowed Brazil would ‘not be treated as an insignificant little republic’ by the US.

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China food security

China’s new plan to feed 1.4 billion people: AI, gene editing and edible algae

Beijing’s latest agriculture plan focuses on harnessing frontier technologies – from AI and gene editing to alternative food sources.

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A farmer transplants rice seedlings in a paddy field in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Photo: Xinhua
China-Latin America relations

China opens door to all Brazilian beef, then slams it with a 55% surtax

Recognition lifts a long-standing sanitary barrier, but an import quota in force since January caps how far Brazilian beef sales can grow.

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China trade

Australian beef will soon be hit by 55% tariff in China, ministry says

China’s imports of Australian beef are about to surpass a quota introduced by Beijing to protect domestic farmers.

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Japan

Japan runs low on ethylene, putting bananas at risk of disappearing from homes

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has squeezed the supply of the naphtha-derived gas that Japan uses to ripen the fruit.

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Japan bought about 1 million tonnes of bananas last year, making the fruit one of the country’s most important grocery staples. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Science

Why China is weaponising a ‘towering’ hybrid crop to farm where wheat fails

The crop, known as triticale, is easier to grow in challenging conditions and can provide food for both humans and animals.

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The crop can grow up to 1.6 metres high, taller than some humans. Photo: qq.com
China consumption

Can social media save the wine industry from irrelevance in China?

China is drinking far less wine than a few years ago. To turn the tide, the industry must work with Chinese influencers, an insider says.

2026 Xi-Trump summits

‘We want teeth in it’: US farmers wary of Xi-Trump pledge without signed deal

American growers welcome China’s renewed buying commitments, but vague terms and tariff concerns cloud optimism.

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China food security

China hog prices, near decade low, seen squeezing profits amid deflation risks

Ministry data reveals nine-month slump in breeding stocks while top-listed companies face big financial hits as rising fuel and grain costs erode margins.

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A pig is seen in China’s Hunan province. The price of live pigs in the country remains near a decade low. Photo: SCMP
Banking & finance

AIIB launches US$10 billion facility to help nations hit by Iran war fallout

The new facility will help nations deal with urgent energy, food and economic resilience needs, according to the bank.

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The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was launched by China in 2016 and is headquartered in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
US-China trade war

China says US agreed to a maximum tariff rate. Could the trade war be waning?

Beijing says Washington agreed to keep future trade levies at numbers set in trade talks last year.

Indonesia

Prabowo tightens state grip on palm oil, coal amid monopolistic fears

A state agency will handle exports of palm oil, coal and ferroalloys to stem revenue loss and under-invoicing, the president says.

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