Reading Time: < 1 minute Zurich | Reuters — ChemChina’s US$43 billion planned takeover of Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta has received approval from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), the two companies said Wednesday. “This represents a further step towards the closing of the transaction, which is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2017,” they said […] Read more
China clears ChemChina’s Syngenta deal
Durum lacks momentum ahead of competing harvests
Reading Time: < 1 minute CNS Canada — Canadian durum prices are at a standstill as the market looks to upcoming production, while domestic crops act as a “wild card,” one Winnipeg-based analyst says. “The durum market is certainly quiet right now. We’re kind of in that period where we’re in a lull,” said Jerry Klassen, manager of the Canadian […] Read more
U.S. Commerce chief sees no major NAFTA talks until later this year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Wednesday that substantial negotiations to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement likely will not get started until the latter part of this year and could take a year to complete. Ross, speaking to Bloomberg Television, said U.S. legal notification requirements with partners Mexico and […] Read more
Mexico will only stay in NAFTA if it suits it, minister says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — A defiant Mexico said on Tuesday it would only stay in NAFTA if it suited it and rejected the imposition of any tariffs or quotas when renegotiating the trade deal U.S President Donald Trump wants to recast to benefit the United States. Trump has vowed to exit the North American […] Read more
Mexico eyes Brazil farm products as hedge on Trump threat
Reading Time: 2 minutes Brasilia | Reuters — Amid trade tensions with the U.S., Mexico plans to send a delegation next month to visit Brazilian corn, beef, chicken and soy producers as an alternative to U.S. suppliers, its representative in Brazil said on Friday. Mexican charge d’affaires Eleazar Velasco said Brazil is uniquely positioned to expand agricultural commodity sales […] Read more
Canada stresses NAFTA talks to involve all members
Reading Time: 2 minutes Toronto | Reuters –– Any talks to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement would involve all three member nations, a top Canadian official said on Tuesday, dampening speculation the U.S. might seek to sit down with Canada first and then Mexico. “We very much recognize that NAFTA is a three-nation agreement and were there […] Read more
Canary seed market watches peso ahead of planting
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — It’s not a stellar time for canary seed prices but the situation could improve, depending on acreage this spring and what the Mexico peso does in 2017. “Prices are not showing a whole lot of strength,” said Kevin Hursh, executive director of the Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan. “We’re probably in that […] Read more
Despite Trump talk of ‘tweaking’ NAFTA, Canada could still be hurt
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Although U.S. President Donald Trump says he only wants to tweak trade ties with Canada, his pledge to renegotiate NAFTA to focus on Mexico is almost impossible and Canada will not emerge unscathed, Canadian officials and trade experts said Tuesday. Trump had warm words for Canadian trade following a meeting with […] Read more
Tim Hortons to enter Mexican market
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Restaurant Brands International said it would launch its coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Hortons, in Mexico as a part of its expansion plans. The company said it would form a master franchise joint venture with a group of investors, whom they did not name, to launch the brand. The joint venture company will […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME hogs tumble after again nearing six-month high
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange lean hogs ended sharply lower on Thursday pressured by weaker initial cash prices and fund liquidation, but not before futures approached a six-month high for a second straight session, said traders. February hogs ended 1.675 cents/lb. lower at 65.85 cents (all figures US$). April closed 2.925 cents lower […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
