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

Australian farmers relieved after Indonesia agrees to supply fertiliser

2026 Trump-Xi summit

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

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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.

A spread of baked goods by Formless Daily at the Easter potluck gathering at Blue Girl Organic Farm in April 2026. Photo: Hei Kiu Au
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.

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.

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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.

A woman harvests rice in Kandal province, Cambodia. Spiking fuel and fertiliser costs are rattling major rice-growing regions. Photo: EPA-EFE
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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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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People shop for beef at a supermarket in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China. Brazil’s beef exporters are rapidly filling their quota for China, leaving them now seeking new buyers. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
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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A worker turns excelsa coffee beans to dry near Nzara, South Sudan, on February 15, 2025. Photo: AP
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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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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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
Chinese wines are increasing in popularity and holding their own against old world vintages. Photo: AFP
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.

A supermarket employee cuts pork in Huaian city, Jiangsu province. Photo: Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images
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.

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
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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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Philippine farmer Elmer Ullani spells out “Stop US-Iran War” with his cabbages after having to spend almost all of the money he had earned at the market to pay for the fuel needed to get him there and back. Photo: Facebook / Elmer Ullani
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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Indonesia

Indonesia slashes free meals budget to save US$2.3 billion as fuel prices soar

President Prabowo Subianto had previously insisted that the meal programme would be untouched.

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US-China trade war

Trump pitches China trade ‘win’ to US farmers ahead of Xi meeting, midterms

Claims come despite farmers remaining unsure if China will meet its 25 million-tonne commitment for 2026, as planting season approaches.

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US President Donald Trump gestures to farmers from the Truman balcony of the White House in Washington on Friday. Photo: AFP
China food security

China rushes to stabilise fertiliser market as Iran war chokes off imports

China is pushing firms to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the vital spring planting season, as supplies of key inputs tighten.

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Smoke rises over Tehran following an explosion on March 7. The US-Israel war on Iran has disrupted global fertiliser supply chains, creating issues for Chinese producers. Photo: Reuters
China consumption

How ‘salmon’ raised in landlocked Xinjiang is netting fans in China

Aquaculture in the far-western region is expected to grow even more rapidly after a dependence on imported eggs is diminished or ended.

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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

Eric Hsu put his chemistry degree to good use, turning his garage-based business into one of Australia’s biggest makers of soy products.

King International co-founder and managing director Eric Hsu was born in Taiwan and worked as a chemist before immigrating to Australia in the 1980s. Photo: Eric Hsu
Artificial intelligence

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

Farmers, schools and healthcare facilities in rural China are benefiting from policies designed to promote the use of artificial intelligence nationwide.

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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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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