International Farm News, Friday April 29, 2016

Some Argentina Soybean Fields are Still Flooded

Drier weather has returned to Argentina and should continue through May.  Pro Farmer’s First Thing Today says many soybean fields still remain waterlogged.  Eduardo Sierra, the weather adviser to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, said Argentina has 21 million hectares of soybeans.  7 million are fine, 7 million are wet but not swamped, and in the other 7 million, growers have to wait for flooding to recede before they try to harvest.  He said the waterlogged fields would be at least “partially lost.”  Several experts estimate soybean crop losses at 5 MMT.

Taiwan Organizations Protest Over US Pork Imports

The Taiwan swine industry and the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union protested against a Washington delegation on the island due to the possible opening to ractopamine-containing US pork. The Taiwan Swine Association Secretary General said imports of US pork with ractopamine not only negatively affect the market but also the health of the Taiwanese people.  He said if the government lifts the ban on ractopamine-containing pork, pig farmers would organize a large-scale protest.  Taiwan’s Council of Ag Minister-designate said that that Taiwan, who needed Washington’s support to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, cannot close its doors to ractopamine-containing pork forever.  The World News Report said Washington has hinted that acceptance of US ractopamine-containing pork was a condition for the inclusion of Taiwan in the TPP.

NAFB News