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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.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
A worker carries a sack of rice inside the National Food Authority warehouse in Valenzuela City, the Philippines, on February 4. Photo: Xinhua
Asean

Opinion | Southeast Asia’s rice crisis is a ticking time bomb

Ensuring food security for the region and beyond requires urgent action to modernise agriculture, diversify suppliers and strengthen cooperation.

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Food and Drinks

Plunging price of tequila ingredient agave gives farmers a headache

China deflation

‘Farmers can’t bear it!’: China’s poultry industry scrambled by falling prices

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Tourism

Why more Americans are holidaying on farms, saving farmers in the process

Picking fruit, going on hayrides and other farm-stay experiences are attracting city folk as farmers turn to Airbnb amid volatile markets.

A family enjoys a holiday at Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm, in the US state of Illinois. Agritourism boomed during Covid-19 and the industry has continued to grow since, driven by increasing numbers of city dwellers seeking peace and solitude and farmers seeking additional ways to infuse their farms with much-needed cash. Photo: Instagram/dawnpopex0
Indonesia

With deforestation rising, is Indonesia missing the forest for the trees?

Indonesia lost more than 26,000 sq km of primary and secondary forests last year, according to a new NGO report.

Old Hong Kong

Why is the banana the king of the Hong Kong fruit stall?

Hong Kong’s most consumed fruit by far is the humble banana, but where do we get ours?

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US-China relations

Mystery seed packages from China return to Texas, prompting alarm

State officials warn the contents could be harmful and urged those who receive unsolicited packages to report them.

In 2020, residents across the US received mystery seeds, usually from China, baffling the public. Photo: Twitter/WSDAgov
Science

More rice, less gas: Chinese-Swedish team makes hybrid to cut methane emissions

Researchers hope to register their rice in China for farmers and are working with firms to add oxantel to fertilisers.

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United States

US restaurants crack under pressure of egg shortage as prices skyrocket

Soaring costs and dwindling supplies have forced some eateries to switch to liquid eggs for dishes such as omelettes.

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The Philippines

Philippines declares food security emergency to slash rice prices

The annual rate of increase in rice prices hit a 15-year high in 2024. The Philippines is among the world’s largest rice importers.

A vendor sells rice at a market in Quezon City, the Philippines, in 2023. Photo: Xinua
Science

Could this rice discovery by Chinese scientists boost global food security?

New method of regulating plant hormones allows researchers to increase quality and yields of rice crops grown in saline soil.

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As global warming diminishes global crop yields and quality, Chinese research holds new promise for growing more stress-resistant food. Photo: AFP
China's economic recovery

How a bumper fruit harvest helped China gain ‘cherry freedom’

Cherries were once considered a luxury item in China, but a flood of cheap Chilean imports has tanked prices ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

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China food security

High-steaks challenge: how China feeds its huge, meat-hungry population

China’s 1.4 billion consumers have developed Western-style appetites for high-protein foods such as pork and beef, prompting far-reaching changes in the global economy.

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China's economic recovery

‘Incomparably nice’: Chinese supermarket wins viral fame for stellar service

Pangdonglai has proved there is still life in bricks-and-mortar retail in China, with customers queuing for hours outside its stores ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

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Customers crowd the aisles in a Pangdonglai supermarket in Xuchang, Henan province. Photo: Weibo
Vietnam

Vietnam’s sticky, ‘delicious’ Lunar New Year delicacy takes 12 hours to make

Wrapped cakes of glutinous rice, green beans and pork belly have been a Lunar New Year speciality in Vietnam for centuries.

A couple eat “banh chung” at their home in Hanoi. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong environmental issues

Should Hong Kong end Japanese seafood import ban after Chinese test results?

Restaurants urge review of ban, but others cautious after tests of samples near Fukushima show no signs of negative impact on marine life.

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Indonesia

Asian Angle | As Indonesia’s army expands under Prabowo, is society the target?

Critics question if the Indonesian military is quietly reasserting the broad ‘dual function’ influence it once had over civilian affairs.

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Donald Trump

Kristi Noem confirmed as Homeland secretary, as Trump pushes migrant crackdown

The ex-South Dakota governor shares the US president’s hardline views on illegal immigration, which she has called an ‘invasion’.

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Kristi Noem is sworn in before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for her confirmation hearing in Washington on January 17. Photo: AP
Indonesia

As Indonesia scores a palm oil ‘win’ over EU, will its biofuel gamble pay off?

Jakarta is celebrating the WTO ruling, but analysts warn demand and market access issues could stall hopes of progress for it – and Malaysia.

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Singapore

‘Singaporeans don’t want this job’: city state’s hawker culture faces revolution

Singapore’s hawker culture is facing a manpower crisis, with many locals unwilling to work long hours for low pay. To address this, some hawkers are turning to robots.

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Japan

In Japan, ‘mind-blowingly expensive’ cabbages make beloved dish hard to digest

Intense heat and rain decimated crops, driving up prices and forcing restaurants to reduce tonkatsu servings.

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A pork cutlet dish served with shredded cabbage at a restaurant in Tokyo. Photo: AFP
China trade

Philippine official ‘positive’ on trade with China despite political friction

Trade official says his country can still be a ‘platform’ for China trade, even as US President Donald Trump threatens transshipment tariffs.

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China and the Philippines are working to maintain strong trade relations despite their political tensions. Photo: SCMPOST
China trade

China breaks durian import record as Vietnam, Malaysia nip at Thailand’s heels

In a year that saw China import US$7 billion of the fruit – a record – upstarts Vietnam and Malaysia are eyeing Thailand’s top spot.

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Indonesia

Indonesia’s US$1.4 billion fish start-up accused of faking most of its sales

EFishery was a darling of the nation’s start-up scene. Then a whistle-blower alleged that the company’s accounts weren’t accurate.

China food security

Opinion | Could GM crops plant seeds of change for China’s food security push?

Fears over the safety of genetically modified crops are complicating the central government’s plans for their role in China’s food security.

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A farmer checks newly harvested soybeans in Xiagu village in central Henan province on October 14, 2023. Photo: Xinhua
Indonesia

Foodborne illness cases mar roll-out of Prabowo’s free-meal scheme in Indonesia

Despite the reported lapses in food safety, officials say Prabowo aims to accelerate the programme’s expansion.

Pupils enjoy their breakfast in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia, on January 6 as part of a free-meal scheme. Photo: Xinhua
Thailand

Sweet surrender? The Thai sugar farmers being pushed to the brink

Farmers say they feel besieged as global price collapse, Chinese ban on syrup imports and government’s fight against air pollution add to dilemmas.

Indonesia

Indonesia may need US$6 billion more to expand free lunch programme

President Prabowo Subianto’s free lunch programme is a result of a campaign promise to improve health, education, and grow the economy.

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