agriculture | farmers | food

plus livestock, forestry, etc

Thai-Korean trade talks hung up on rice
Thailand and South Korea will continue to work toward a bilateral free-trade agreement, according to Nitya Pibulsonggram, the minister of foreign affairs. Trade talks between the two countries were now focused on cutting tariffs for rice and fruit, two key Thai exports.
Trade agreements would boost state's pork industry
When it comes to U.S. trade policy, in recent years it has seemed more difficult to gain bipartisan agreement among American policy-makers than to negotiate with foreign governments.
India`s ASEAN offer alive to concerns of plantation sector`
India's latest offer on duty cuts under the proposed FTA with ASEAN addresses long-term concerns of tea, coffee and pepper producers who are embarking on a major replantation drive, government has said.
US-S Korea FTA means $10 more per pig
The White House has made details of the US-South Korea Free Trade Agreement available to the public, and according to the National Pork Producers Council, US pork producers have a lot to be happy about: an additional $10 per pig as a result.
Trade future isn't rosy in Ecuador
Washington might decide this summer not to renew the trade benefits that allow Ecuador to sell roses and other items duty-free to the United States. As many as 250,000 jobs are at risk in Ecuador's flower industry alone.
Starving the poor
The connection between instability in the Middle East and the cost of feeding a family in the Americas isn't direct, of course. But as with all international trade, power tilts the balance.
Letter from Lebanon: Farmers risk losing big
As Lebanon heads down the fast track to trade liberalisation, some commentators are predicting a devastating impact on small-holder farmers. Unable even to sell produce on the Lebanese market let alone for export, farmers are painfully unprepared to compete with subsidised imports. Yet little is being done to fortify the agricultural industry as the fruits of major bilateral and multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) and liberalising reforms loom on the near horizon.
NPPC applauds deal to vote on trade agreements
The National Pork Producers Council has applauded the Bush administration's House Speaker Pelosi and congressional leadership for reaching a bi-partisan deal to move forward free trade agreements that will enable increased exports of US pork.
Japan to draw up farmland reforms to keep up with global FTA trend
Japan will draw up a package of farmland reform measures by this fall in a bid to enhance the competitiveness of its ailing agricultural sector and keep up with the global trend of sealing free trade agreements, a key government economic panel said Wednesday.
FTA with EU to hurt S Korea's alcohol, meat, dairy sectors: report
A free trade pact with the European Union (EU) is expected to hurt South Korea's alcoholic beverage, meat and dairy sectors, a report by Nonghyup Management Institute, a semi-official research institute. said Monday.