Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson yesterday delivered a strong
exhortation to the EU to take a lead in shaping global rules on GM
trade - particularly in defending objective science as a benchmark
- or suffer the economic consequences.
It may be a lucrative time for farmers, but the continuing boom in
grain and meat prices will put the squeeze on plant managers to
find ways to cut costs out of their supply chains.
A sweetener industry body claims the current US sugar policy is
harming the nation's food and beverage industry by driving prices
up and sending production oversees.
The European Commission has used its latest Monitoring Agri-trade
Policy (MAP) report to assess the current debate on the potential
impact of agricultural trade liberalisation in the context of the
Doha Development Agenda.
The suspended WTO farm talks featured in the organisation's
agriculture committee's meeting yesterday, with members' failure to
supply up-to-date information a source of frustration.
A successful outcome from the currently suspended Doha Development
Round of WTO trade negotiations is still possible, but agriculture
remains a key issue of difficulty.
Tate & Lyle has formed a joint enterprise to build and operate
a sugar plant in Israel, a move that will partially replace
traditional sugar imports from the European Union.
If the Chinese government gives in to mounting international
pressure to revalue its currency, it could spell the end of cheap
exports, a move that many anticipate would have a knock-on effect
on raw materials costs for the food industry....
Banana prices in the US have seen a significant increase in recent
months, as leading supplier Chiquita attempts to offset losses
after facing tough trading conditions in Europe.
Further compounding the problems a long-grain rice ban in Japan
will have on US producers is the threat that bans could eventually
be implemented in the EU.
Banana supplier Chiquita has reported a sharp fall in profits after
new European tariffs on bananas forced the company to slash its
prices in the region and increase its prices in North America in an
attempt to offset losses.
The short sighted failure of greedy WTO trading partners to achieve
any sort of meaningful agreement on global agricultural tariffs is
bad for Europe's food industry.
China has lifted a three-year ban on imports of selected cuts of US
beef that has been in place since the first case of mad cow disease
was detected in the nation.
The current move towards harmonising global regulations on
genetically modified food is a good thing, though agreement on
labelling remains as far away as ever, an IFT conference heard this
week.
French colloid firm CNI has been recognised by the government as
the best export agent of 2005, representing something of a coup for
the Iranex group-owned ingredients business.
The CIAA has called on the EU to maintain pressure on negotiating
partners in order to ensure a balanced and successful outcome to
the current round of WTO talks.
New Zealand has launched a new promotion of food and beverages in
upmarket Chinese retail outlets, in a bid to seek new sales in the
fast-growing market.
A number of Japanese seafood and frozen food companies will this
year add new capacity for sushi products at plants in Thailand,
according to a report.
It is unrealistic to expect the European Union to make more big
concessions at the upcoming World Trade Organisation talks, argues
the European Dairy Association against critics of Europe's stance.
The EU trade commissioner has today attacked the US as the 'biggest
single block' to the successful completion of the Doha round of
trade negotiations, casting doubts that a successful conclusion can
ever be achieved.
Weak and stagnating prices for food, agricultural raw materials and
manufactured goods in 2005 could mean further bad news for
exporters this year, according to a World Trade Organisation
report.
Greater international co-ordination in reducing the amount of
illegally declared foods entering and exiting the EU's borders
could be the result of a meeting held yesterday by the bloc's
anti-fraud office.
Tate & Lyle has formed a joint venture to build and operate a
sugar plant in Israel, a move that will partially replace
traditional sugar imports from the European Union.
Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel explains why the formal adoption
this week of the EU sugar reforms was vital, and why it doesn't
mean the end for Europe's sugar industry.
The EU has attacked the US for 'seriously twisting the truth about
the value of the European Unions agricultural market access offer
in the Doha Round'.
EU claims that the stalling Doha round of negotiations in not the
fault of Brussels but the result of intransigence from other states
shows just how little was achieved in Hong Kong.
The CIAA has urged the new EU presidency to push ahead with the
liberalisation of the global food trade in order to open new
markets and tackle the slowdown in productivity growth.
Global trade in caviar, one of the world's most expensive foods,
has been put on hold in a desperate attempt to protect increasingly
endangered populations of sturgeon.
Pessimism and intransigence from both Europe and the US means that
next week's vital WTO trade talks in Hong Kong will collapse in
embarrassing failure unless concessions are made fast.
The FAO's warning that urgent policy reform is needed comes just
days before the make-or-break WTO Hong Kong summit on liberalising
agricultural trade.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will allow
extra sugar imports into the country in an effort to prevent market
shortages after hurricane damage to sugarcane crops, delayed sugar
beet harvests, disruptions...
The draft WTO Hong Kong ministerial declaration is considerably
less ambitious than the stated original objectives of the meeting,
according to the European food industry.
The resumption of trade negotiations between the EU and
Mediterranean countries is vital for the expansion of lucrative new
markets, according to the CIAA.
Despite some important concessions, Japan remains unlikely to open
up to the full rigours of the global free market just yet, to the
frustration of western commodity firms.
Europe's food industry will significantly benefit from a
satisfactory WTO agreement, but for this to happen the EU must
maintain its multilateral approach and issues such as export
support must be addressed.
The EU today submitted a new lower tariff of €187 per tonne for
bananaimports, after its previous proposals on opening up the
bloc's market wererejected by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).