Edition:
HIGHLIGHTS
Donald Trump’s China policy
NEW
US-China relationsHong Kong economy
News
Hong KongChinaEconomyAsiaWorldSportThis Week in AsiaUS Elections
Business & Tech
BusinessTech
Opinion
Latest
Lifestyle
LifestylePeople & CultureStylePostMagK-popOutdoorCooking
More +
VideoTalking PostSCMP FilmsInfographicsPicturesPodcastsSCMP SeriesExplainedSCMP SpotlightNewslettersSpecial ReportsGames
Topics
Donald Trump’s China policyUS-China relationsHong Kong’s Article 23 national security lawChina’s militaryChina's economic recoveryTrending in ChinaTaiwanChina’s Communist PartyUkraine warWellness
Focus
Greater Bay Area
We use cookies to tailor your experience and present relevant ads. By clicking “Accept”, you agree that cookies can be placed per our Privacy Policy
ACCEPT
Advertisement
avatar image
TOPIC

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.
Durians from Malaysia are displayed for sale at a supermarket in Beijing in April. Photo: Simon Song
China trade

Northeastern Chinese want fresher durians. A port operator is making it happen

New transit centre in Liaoning province will help ‘cut out the middleman’ along a lengthy durian supply chain in the world’s largest consumer market for the delicacy.

videocam
China trade

China, Pakistan pledge stronger tech and trade cooperation amid US charm offensive

videocam
China-EU relations

China issues anti-dumping ruling on European pork, charges deposits

videocam
16
Indonesia

400 Indonesian children ill after eating Prabowo’s free school meals

The children, aged 4 to 12, were hospitalised for stomach pain, leading to a temporary kitchen closure for an investigation.

videocam
Indonesian students consume their free meals at a school in Banda Aceh, Indonesia in August. Photo: EPA
Xinjiang

Could this small ancient shrimp be the next big thing in Xinjiang aquaculture?

The tiny animal has been spotted in extremely saline conditions, and might be an option for China’s food security menu.

Healthy eating

Opinion | How Asian consumers are driving a revolution in healthier food choices

The change appears to be more than a passing fad, not least because innovators are tailoring solutions to the Asian diet.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Indonesia

Opinion | How China can help rewrite the future of Indonesian palm oil

Jakarta’s crackdown on illegal palm oil plantations will have limited impact if Chinese buyers, a key source of demand, do not also insist on sustainable sourcing.

videocam
People shop at a supermarket in Binzhou city, Shandong province in China on August 9. Many Chinese consumers remain unaware of the presence of palm oil in their lives, from mooncakes to instant noodles. Photo: Xinhua
Japan

Over 90% of poor Japanese families struggling to feed their children: survey

Rice prices have doubled in the last year, partly due to supply shortages and a surge in tourists.

videocam
Hong Kong culture

Opinion | How Hong Kong can become a cauldron of culinary ingenuity once again

Instead of relying on imported labour, the city must take a proactive approach to reclaim its status as a food and drink industry pioneer.

videocam
China-Australia relations

China is turning away from Canadian canola. Will Australia fill the gap?

China is already purchasing Australian canola on a trial basis as Canadian shipments plunge due to Chinese tariffs, industry sources say.

videocam
6
Fields of canola, a crop used for making cooking oil, are in full bloom on the Canadian prairies. Canada has been China’s dominant supplier of canola in recent years, but shipments are now plunging due to Chinese tariffs. Photo: Reuters
US-China trade war

With no US trade deal, China continues Brazil pivot for soybean supply

US farmers have petitioned for soybean orders to be part of a trade agreement with China – but Brazil is unlikely to cede its status as top supplier.

videocam
24
China relies on imports for much of its soybean supply, with Brazil now making up the vast majority of shipments. Photo: Xinhua
US-China trade war

US soybean farmers urge Trump to make purchase deal with China

China, the world’s top soybean buyer, is turning to Brazilian cargoes amid trade tensions with the US, which could cost US farmers billions.

16
Malaysia

Malaysians embrace ‘babi’ banter as pig farming course goes viral

A university’s social media promotion of a course on pig rearing has thrust the playful use of a loaded term into the spotlight.

China exports

Hard to switch: why US farmers are embracing Chinese drones despite concerns

US farmers are increasingly relying on drones and other systems made by Chinese companies, despite Washington’s security fears.

videocam
11
Chinese-made drones are becoming increasingly popular among US farmers as companies like DJI target agriculture and other commercial applications. Photo: TNS
Singapore

Asian Angle | Why Malaysia and Singapore must make food security a priority in the JS-SEZ

With import shocks and climate change risks rising, the new Johor-Singapore special economic zone offers hope for lasting food security.

Farmers dry corn in China. Singapore imports much of its food and Malaysia’s self-sufficiency is declining in staples like rice, wheat and corn. Photo: Shutterstock
US-China relations

China’s early South American soybean buys squeeze US out of peak export window

Purchases of 12 million tonnes for September and October reflect about half China’s demand for the period, cutting need to buy US crop.

18
Food and Drinks

Could plant-based egg be answer to UK’s allergy and sustainability concerns?

Just Egg’s vegan egg has just launched in the UK, one of the world’s most allergic countries, where one in 20 people develop an egg allergy.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
US-China trade war

‘Far from a walk in the park’: what’s next after another US-China tariff truce?

Analysts say ‘piecemeal’ trade agreements could precede Trump-Xi meeting, but China will not be pressured into a one-sided agreement.

videocam
11
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng shake hands in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 28. Photo: Handout
China Future Tech briefing

Robotics | Farming robots help China feed, clothe shrinking population

Robotic cotton and tea pickers, driverless tractors and automated drones are helping Chinese farmers increase agricultural yields while using fewer workers.

videocam
US-China trade war

Citing China’s ‘significant steps’, Trump extends US tariff truce

Extension follows two weeks of mixed signals from Washington, after negotiators finished a third round of trade talks in Stockholm, Sweden.

videocam
49
Donald Trump

Trump urges China quadruple US soy buys, as trade truce nears deadline

The push is happening as US farmers are weeks from their next harvest, boosting supplies available to sell. China is the top buyer of the oilseed.

videocam
Jason Kwapi operates a combine during soybean harvesting in Iowa last year. Photo: AP
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong restaurants to stay in ‘survival of the fittest’ mode: analysts

Two-dish eateries multiply and fast-food outlets like Jollibee thrive even as closures continue amid a segment ‘reset’.

6
Kuen Fat Kitchen in Causeway Bay serves two-dish meal sets for HK$43 (US$5.48), on July 17, 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee
China consumption

China’s consumer prices flat in July, while producer deflation persists

CPI reading beats market expectations, but data suggests demand remains weak amid trade turbulence.

The Philippines

Philippines puts 60-day ban on rice imports to protect local farmers

The suspension period will cover the country’s peak harvest season, when domestic supplies are adequate.

China-Africa relations

Booming coffee class and zero-tariff policy drive China’s push for African beans

Africa’s coffee exports to China grew 70.4 per cent in the first quarter, with more deals expected to satisfy the discerning middle class.

videocam
In China, a growing middle class has led to a boom in coffee sales. In the traditional tea-growing Puer area, in China’s southwest Yunnan province, a staff member pours coffee for guests at the Xiaowazi, or Little Hollow, coffee plantation. Photo: AFP
Vietnam

Vietnam’s swine fever infections triple in 2 weeks to over 100,000

The surge in cases is threatening to disrupt the country’s food supplies, as the government scrambles to curb a nationwide livestock crisis.

A street seller grills pork skewers beside a river walkway in Hoi An. African swine fever threatens to disrupt pork supply in Vietnam. Photo: Getty Images
Indonesia

Indonesia arrests founder of high-flying fish start-up over fraud scandal

An investigation revealed aquaculture start-up eFishery claimed revenues of over US$500 million more than its true earnings.

China food security

China wants people to eat more high-quality beef, unveils quality-grading system

Agriculture official says Chinese people’s diets are not well balanced, contends they need more high-quality proteins, as Beijing looks to beef up the industry.

videocam
7
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement