Page 275 of articles about markets-economics

As a whole, media attention to animal welfare has significant, negative effects on U.S. meat demand, according to a new analysis by Kansas State University. The study’s results are based on an extensive search of top U.S. newspapers and magazines used to develop indices reflecting public information on animal welfare that U.S. consumers received from 1982 to 2008.

According to information published by the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing, and Food (SAGARPA), the exports of pork meat to South Korea increased by 107% during 2009, with respect to the year before.

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Keystone Foods Intermediate LLC of the US by Marfrig Alimentos S.A. of Brazil. Both companies are suppliers of meat products.

Hog production for 2011 is forecast at 27.4 million head, down 2.1 percent compared to the estimated 28 million head in 2010 which was down 4.4 percent compared to 2009. Slaughter is forecast at 20.8 million hogs in 2011, down 2.1 percent from 2010. A lower pig crop in 2010 has resulted in lower slaughter numbers. Continued lower hog exports translated into more domestic slaughter, estimated at 21.25 million head in 2010. Mirroring reduced slaughter in Canada, pork production is forecast at 1.725 MMT for 2011, or a further decline of 1.4 percent from the 1.75 MMT estimated for 2010.

The latest data from the European Commission on the principal pork importing countries show Russia as the number one importer, reaching 383.285 tons during the first half of this year, a 16% increase from the same period last year.

According to the latest figures published by the Spanish Minister of Agriculture on swine production during the first 6 months of this year, pork meat production has been stable, reaching 1.715.515 t, which represents a slight increase of 0, 19% with respect to the same period last year, while on the other hand, the number of animals slaughtered (19.972.386) has declined by 2,10% between January and June or 2010, with respect to the same period in 2009 (20.400.063).

A shift in consumer demand for meat products has caused pork prices to drop by as much as P20 per kilo, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said Monday.

President Obama is being urged by the National Pork Producers Council and 36 state pork producer organizations to work with Congress and the Mexican government to resolve the dispute over allowing Mexican trucks to haul goods into the United States.

The main production, slaughtering and distribution associations in the country (VPF, FNP, CRP de Bretagne, Coop de France, SNIV-SNCP, FNICGV y FCD) have signed an agreement to request that pork meat, as well as pork products, contain an indication of origin, whatever that may be.

By November 30, 2010 pig farmers who received loans to feed the animals from the State Fund Agriculture in 2008 may extend their repayment with one year more- until the end of 2011, has also decided the Board.

In 2010 the number of breeding pigs increased by 1.4% to 427 thousand. The number of fattening pigs decreased by 2% to 3.2 million leading to an overall reduction of 1.6% in the total number of pigs.

In a report entitled ‘Where Next for Grains?’ Rabobank Food and Agri analysts outline five major risks facing world grain markets in the coming months. Rabobank does not at this stage believe that the world is re‐entering a 2007/08‐type ‘food crisis‘ scenario. But significant risks in the U.S., China, Russia and the Southern Hemisphere could push grain prices higher over coming months.

Import of animals susceptible to FMD and non-heat treated products of animal origin to the Russian Federation will be restricted by the Rosselkhoznadzor from September 14, 2010 due to detection of FMD in cattle in Mongolia.

The Government of Canada is investing in grain research to increase yields for Canadian producers. The Canadian Field Crops Research Alliance will receive up to $4 million to develop new grain and oilseed varieties that are tailored to meet the needs of the marketplace and increase profitability for farmers.