Drought dries up reservoirs, rivers in SW China

GUIYANG – A severe drought in southwest China has dried up hundreds of reservoirs and rivers, devastated farm fields and made drinking water scarce, local authorities said. The drought, which has lasted since early July, has dried up 479 reservoirs and 349 rivers in Guizhou province, the provincial flood control and drought relief

U.N. warns on mutant strain of bird flu virus

The United Nations warned Monday of a possible resurgence of the deadly avian flu virus, saying there are indications a mutant strain may be spreading in Asia. A variant strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, which can apparently bypass the defenses of current vaccines with unpredictable risks to humans, has appeared in Vietnam and […]

Japanese scientists attempt to breed caesium radiation resistant rice

Tokyo, Aug 23 (ANI): Japanese scientists are attempting to breed a strain of rice, which is resistant to radioactive caesium, by testing over 100 varieties of the crop. Vast tracts of rice crops in northeast Japan would be destroyed in the upcoming harvest season after being contaminated with radioactivity from the

Bunge sued over biotech corn ban

Syngenta AG (SYNN), the world’s largest maker of agricultural chemicals, sued a unit of Bunge Ltd. (BG) over claims it’s illegally refusing to accept corn produced from the company’s bioengineered seeds. Bunge, which operates a network of grain elevators and receiving stations, posted a notice on its website and at several locations that it is […]

In a First, Indonesia May Export Premium Rice to South Korea

Indonesia may export 50,000 tons of premium quality rice to South Korea, the chief economics minister said on Wednesday, making it the first shipment of the grain to the country if the deal goes through. Indonesia’s agriculture ministry added that an export license had been granted to suppliers in South Sulawesi. The South Sulawesi governor […]

South American nations keen on trade pacts with India

Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Paraguay seek to cooperate in IT, oil & gas and agriculture Bilateral trade pacts and free trade agreements with countries in Latin America will play a role in increasing trade with India, according to ambassadors from four South American countries. While assuring support to inbound investments, providing swift clearances and visas,

Green Algae in China’s Yellow Sea: Growth and Consequences

FreshProduceJournal.com | by: D. Lee August 01, 2011 The green algae bloom returns to China this summer and Chinese vacationers have learned to take it in stride. In 2008, China hosted the 29th Summer Olympic Games. In addition to the usual preparations that are required of the host nation, China faced

Japan’s Food-Chain Threat Multiplies as Fukushima Radiation Spreads

Radiation fallout from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant poses a growing threat to Japan’s food chain as unsafe levels of cesium found in beef on supermarket shelves were also detected in more vegetables and the ocean. More than 2,600 cattle have been contaminated, Kyodo News reported July 23, after the

China’s farmers see hope in effort to stem soil erosion caused by Three Gorges Dam

A project inserting terraces and drainage has boosted production where soil has been severely eroded along the flood-prone Yangtze River, offering a possible solution to the bigger problem of China’s Three Gorges. As Chinese officials set about trying to repair the environmental damage that the Three Gorges

Inflation Tough to Digest for Asia as Food Costs Soar From Pork to Onions

Asian cuisine may be too much of a good thing for some of the region’s central banks as policy makers grapple with the challenge of responding to spikes in the cost of staples from rice and pork to onions and chilies. Pork prices jumped 57 percent in June in China, leading Premier Wen Jiabao to […]