Cattle on pasture in the Philippines. (LeoLee/iStock/Getty Images)

Canadian cattle’s access to Philippines restored

Reading Time: 2 minutes The regulatory path has been cleared to resume exports of live Canadian cattle to the Philippines, reopening a market worth an estimated $8 million per year. The federal government on Monday announced the resumed export clearance, along with new market access for Canadian sheep and goat genetics exports to both Indonesia and the Philippines. The […] Read more

World Crop Briefs: Australia reaches trade deal with Indonesia

Reading Time: 2 minutes Australia has agreed to a trade agreement that could see it export as much as 500,000 tonnes of feed grains into Indonesia tariff free in the first year. The Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) includes provisions for a five per cent increase in allowable tariff-free feed grains into Indonesia each year. The agreement is […] Read more


ICE weekly outlook: Canola enjoying broad-based support

Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada –– ICE Futures Canada canola contracts are benefiting from developments down south. The U.S. Commerce Department on Monday imposed antidumping duties on biodiesel imported from Argentina and Indonesia. The department claimed the fuel was being sold at prices below market value in the U.S. The move was enough to lift soyoil in the […] Read more



Sea Temple of Pura Luhur, Uluwatu, south Bali, Indonesia. (CIA.gov)

Australia, Indonesia renew push for trade deal

Reading Time: 2 minutes Sydney | Reuters — Australia and Indonesia on Wednesday said they would formally resume long-stalled negotiations aimed at sealing a bilateral trade agreement between the often uneasy neighbours within 18 months. Australian Trade Minister Steven Ciobo and Indonesian Trade Minister Thomas Trikasih Lembong said in a joint statement talks would resume in May after a […] Read more

Indonesia’s president says country intends to join TPP

Reading Time: < 1 minute Washington | Reuters –– Indonesian President Joko Widodo, speaking after a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday, said his country intends to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal the U.S. has forged with Canada and 10 other countries. “We are the largest economy in Southeast Asia,” Widodo said through a translator. “And Indonesia […] Read more


Air quality index site AQICN.org’s real-time map for Indonesia and surrounding jurisdictions for Sept. 29 at about 7 p.m. CT. The site categorizes readings between 201 to 300 as “very unhealthy” and greater than 300 as “hazardous.” (AQICN.org)

Indonesia making no progress against hazardous haze

Reading Time: 2 minutes Pekanbaru, Indonesia | Reuters — Indonesia has sent nearly 21,000 personnel to fight forest fires raging in its northern islands, the disaster management agency said on Tuesday, but smoke cloaks much of the region with pollution readings in the “very unhealthy” region in neighbouring Singapore. Slash-and-burn agriculture has blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia in […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Cargill sees $1B investment in Indonesia, eyes poultry sector

Reading Time: 2 minutes Jakarta | Reuters — Cargill may invest US$1 billion in Indonesia over the next three to four years, with a focus on entering the poultry sector and expanding its palm business there, the CEO of the top global commodities trader said Tuesday. Earlier this year, Indonesia entered talks to resume poultry shipments to Japan after […] Read more


Australia’s four grain export terminals are operated by farmers through their
CBH co-op.

Australia’s approach to grain co-ops

Owned by 4,200 farmers, the giant CBH Group adds a whole new dimension to phrases like value-adding and diversification

Reading Time: 6 minutes Given the demise of the prairie pools and the recent sales of a number of Canada’s new-generation co-operative grain terminals, it would be understandable if many Canadian farmers, grain traders, farm advisers and policy makers believe co-operative grain marketing ventures are simply not viable in today’s world. Just don’t try and tell that to Western […] Read more