News

Australian farmers and researchers are looking for ways to reduce dependence on imported nitrogen fertiliser as tighter supply chains and higher prices reshape planting and input decisions.

Vilmorin & Cie has signed a €300 million long-term financing agreement with the European Investment Bank. The funds are earmarked for seed R&D and reinforce Europe’s backing for agricultural innovation.

India's Regaal Resources has commissioned an expansion of its maize-processing complex in Bihar. The roughly Rs 389 crore project lifts crushing capacity, adds liquid glucose and maltodextrin output, and deepens demand for locally sourced maize.

China is continuing to reject Indian non-basmati rice shipments on alleged GMO grounds even though Indian authorities say no GM rice is grown commercially in the country. The dispute now affects dozens of consignments and is raising trade tension.

Carlsberg Research Laboratory has published a highly detailed hop genome map in Nature Communications. The work is designed to accelerate breeding for heat and drought tolerance while opening new options for quality and aroma.

British dairy farmers say farmgate prices have dropped below production costs again. The sector fears further losses among family farms even though total milk output is still being supported by larger operations.

EU agriculture ministers are assessing fertiliser supply and cost risks after disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Brussels is preparing both emergency relief and longer-term measures for farmers and the fertiliser market.

Indonesia expects rice production to remain stable despite El Niño risk, supported by irrigation measures, higher cropping intensity and large reserves.

Weather extremes in Maharashtra have sharply reduced Alphonso mango output, while disruption linked to the Iran war has further weakened exports and trade.

India is preparing to link fertilizer sales with AgriStack to track purchases at farm level, curb subsidy leakages and improve nutrient targeting.

Indonesia says it is reducing food-import dependence by raising domestic agricultural production, productivity and land use to strengthen food security.

India’s FACT has raised prices for several fertilizers, including Factamfos, after sharp increases in ammonia, sulphur and sulphuric-acid costs.

NTT, Kubota and DOCOMO say a mix of mobile and satellite communications can support remote operation of robotic farm machinery in difficult terrain.

BioPrime and Mosaic are launching a commercial partnership to blend biological additives into fertiliser products without increasing farmer costs or application rates.

German agtech firm B+H Solutions plans to invest 1 million euro in India in 2026 after securing an important regulatory registration for its nano products.

India's rabi crop prices are moving in different directions, with wheat and chana below MSP while mustard, barley and masur remain above support levels.

Heavier rainfall in Türkiye has revived grain prospects after two drought years, but fruit and vegetable quality has deteriorated and rust has appeared in some cereal fields.

Mexico is facing sharper food-cost pressure as higher fuel, fertiliser and transport costs hit producers, traders and low-income households at the same time.

An open-access Nature Communications paper finds that H5N1 can establish robust mammary-gland infection in dairy cows at a very low dose, while still showing notable barriers to transmission.

Japan has effectively stopped fresh mango imports from India after a March inspection found deficiencies in fumigation and related disinfection measures at Indian treatment facilities.

India is in advanced consultations over a possible removal of the 11 percent duty on raw cotton imports as a widening supply gap raises costs for spinning mills and textile manufacturers.

Indonesia's transmigration ministry says it is ready to support rubber growers with coordinated policy, replanting and productivity measures as ageing trees and low yields weigh on smallholder incomes.

MHP and the Federation of Employers of Ukraine used talks in Geneva to push for more transparent sanitary and phytosanitary procedures that govern access for agricultural exports.

Nigerian poultry farmers are facing chick shortages, expensive feed and reduced hatchery output, and the strain is already pushing egg and chicken prices higher.

Pineapple growers in Kerala are urging farmers to avoid fresh planting for 12 months as they confront labour shortages, a sharp price slump and weaker market demand.

India’s oil palm expansion has entered a decisive stage, but the sector argues that more acreage alone will not work without better yields, cluster development and stronger farmer confidence.

India’s farm sector is promoting high nutrient-use-efficiency fertilizers as a response to global NPK shortages, rising input prices and mounting food-security risks.

A direct-seeded rice initiative led by IIRR and SBI Foundation in Telangana delivered yield gains of 8-13% while cutting water use by 25-35%. The project expanded quickly and strengthened the case for a less resource-intensive rice production model.

About half of Australian farms are held in family trusts, making the government’s tax overhaul a major issue for agriculture. Primary producer income has been carved out of the new minimum trust tax, but farm sales and succession planning still face heavier pressure.

The UK government has effectively confirmed that annual renewals for badger culling in England will stop. The move shifts the balance of bovine TB control toward wildlife vaccination, testing and herd surveillance.

Indian tax authorities have uncovered hundreds of cases where agricultural-income exemptions were claimed without any land being declared. The probe covered claims ranging from 5 million rupees to 4 billion rupees and points to large-scale misuse of the farm-income tax regime.

A new study says greenhouse gas emissions from rice paddies have nearly doubled since the 1960s. The findings underscore how critical it is to cut emissions without undermining yields from one of the world’s main staple crops.

Kansas wheat growers are heading into harvest under severe drought, disease pressure and higher input costs, with U.S. production projected at its lowest since 1972.

Strawberry production in Gujarat’s Dang district has risen by roughly 65 percent in three years, giving farmers a higher-value horticulture model and wider market access.

FAI Director General S.K. Chaudhari says India needs close to 450 million tonnes of food grains by 2047 and must accelerate digital agriculture and smart fertilizer management.

Indonesia’s quarantine agency has deployed special task forces on major livestock routes ahead of Eid al-Adha 2026 as cattle, goat and sheep movements surge.

The Confederation of Indian Industry says India should treat fuel, fertilizer and food as one economic chain as West Asia tensions raise import, inflation and farm-market risks.

A European Commission proposal to remove leather products from the scope of EU deforestation rules is reducing compliance pressure for some exporters, but it is also provoking strong criticism from environmental groups. The dispute matters to agriculture because it sits at the intersection of livestock traceability, trade access and responsibility for land-use impacts.

Rainfall in parts of South Australia’s Mallee and Riverland is improving the mood after years of drought. Farmers are seeing better prospects for wheat, barley and lentils, but they are still dealing with poor feed quality, sand drift and locust pressure.

India and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have advanced an eight-year cooperation roadmap focused on climate resilience, rural finance, value chains and local enterprise. The framework is designed to link policy, investment and farmer institutions more tightly across rural regions.

India’s oilseed sector is getting a lift from higher global edible oil prices and tighter import availability. Industry estimates point to stronger mustard prices, record rapeseed-mustard crushing and better incentives for farmers to expand oilseed acreage in the next season.

Nova Scotia is seeing growing interest in agrivoltaics, a model that combines solar panels with grazing and crop production. Early research suggests the approach could help farms adapt to climate stress while also generating cleaner and potentially cheaper energy.

The United Kingdom has issued its first regulatory approval for a CRISPR-edited crop under its new precision-breeding rules. The decision covers a Rothamsted Research barley line with higher lipid content that could improve forage value and help cut methane emissions from ruminants.

The United States has started applying countervailing duties to fresh mushrooms from Canada after a preliminary subsidy investigation. Canada’s mushroom industry rejects the allegations and says it will challenge the decision through available CUSMA trade mechanisms.

Farmers in Central Java are testing a rice-growing package that Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory says can cut methane emissions by up to 50% while also raising yields. The pilot has already covered nearly 100 hectares and delivered a clear profit gain for participating growers.

Researchers at India’s Central Rice Research Institute say they have demonstrated the first successful use of an AI-designed genome-editing tool in plants. The work could broaden the toolbox available for breeding crops with higher yield, better resilience and lower technology barriers.

Indian cardamom exports are rising sharply after a severe crop failure in Guatemala shifted global demand toward Indian suppliers, even as shipping risks through West Asia remain elevated. Traders expect firm prices to continue, but growers are also facing higher input costs.

Australia’s chemical regulator has approved an emergency permit for stronger zinc phosphide mouse bait in grain paddocks. The move follows severe mouse pressure in Western Australia and South Australia, where growers report seed losses, crop damage and mounting costs in rural communities.

Madhya Pradesh has expanded its AgriStack-linked e-Vikas system statewide to manage fertilizer distribution through e-tokens, QR checks and real-time stock visibility. Officials say queues have fallen sharply, but experts warn that digital control cannot substitute for stable supply and subsidy reform.

West Bengal’s jute sector is urging the new state government to intervene as raw material shortages, trade restrictions and surging prices disrupt mill operations. Industry groups warn that more closures and labour distress could follow without rapid relief.