Category: Agriculture
China Blocks Vietnamese Fruit Trucks From Entering One Day After Hanoi Upgrades Diplomatic Ties With Washington
Hundreds of Vietnamese trucks carrying fresh fruit are backing up at Chinese border crossings due to newly introduced inspection requirements. The timing of these new inspections is prompting speculation that it could be a form of retaliation against Vietnam for upgrading ...
Q&A: African, Chinese and European Scientists Collaborating to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Kenya’s Smallholder Farms
A growing number of joint research projects between Chinese and African scientists on climate change is increasing collaboration, producing different data to help address challenges brought on by changing weather patterns. At the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Zhu ...
Thailand Worries of Losing Spot As China’s Top Durian Supplier
Analysts estimated that about three decades ago, Thailand sent to China its first batch of fresh durians – the pungent, spiky fruit native to Southeast Asia. Since then, Thailand’s Monthong durian’s creamy and custard-like texture has dominated the Chinese palate. “Thai ...
South African Avocados Are the Latest Entrant Into China’s Already-Saturated Market
Chinese consumers will soon be able to purchase South African avocados in their local supermarkets thanks to a new export agreement signed on the sidelines of last week's BRICS summit in Johannesburg. The move is part of a larger Chinese effort ...
Graph of the Day: How Chinese Demand Is Shifting the Global Soybean Market from the U.S. to Brazil
China is now the largest buyer of Brazil’s soybean crop, as part of a move away from U.S. exports. Chinese buyers have consistently bought large quantities of Brazilian soybeans but are now even putting in orders for delivery in October, traditionally a quiet time in Brazil’s soybean ...
African and Chinese Scientists Collaborating to Stop Desertification in Vulnerable Countries
The 3rd Taklimakan Summit in Xinjiang last month saw experts from Ethiopia and Nigeria joining specialists and representatives from 14 countries for a series of training and field visit experiences on combating desertification deep in China’s largest arid zone. ...
Re-Election of China’s Man at the Food & Agriculture Organization Could Reverberate in the Global South
By Felix Brender Earlier this month, China’s Qu Dongyu was re-elected as head of the UN’s Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). Media coverage was rather muted inside and outside China, where official media foregrounded Qu’s being the first Chinese in such a role and ...
Small Fish Sizes in Ghana’s Waters Indicate Effects of Illegal Trawling by Chinese and Other Vessels
The latest policy from the Fisheries Commission in Ghana reveals that data from catch assessment surveys shows considerable levels of overfishing leading to a GDP decline from 1.5% in 2015 to 0.9% in 2019 due to overexploitation of the fisheries resources.
Hunan’s Trade With Africa is Up 90% in 2023
The central Chinese province of Hunan has spent years positioning itself as an African trading hub, and according to the latest customs data, its efforts are now paying significant dividends. Trade between the province and African countries surged by 90% in ...
23 Tons of Kenyan Avocados Sold Out on the Day They Arrived in Hunan Province
Kenyan avocados are once again flowing into the Chinese market, but not soon enough for many buyers who snapped 23 tons of the fruit that arrived last month in the Hunan capital of Changsha in central China. Changsha is fast emerging ...
Connecting the Dots: China’s Hebei Province and Africa
Beyond the central government and the Chinese Communist Party, China's engagement with African countries is increasingly being driven by its provinces. Hebei, the crescent-shaped province circling Beijing, is a key example. We tracked how Hebei is boosting China's presence in Africa across three different sectors:
Chinese-Funded, Constructed Dams Prioritized in Zimbabwe’s Irrigation and Energy Plan
Zimbabwe is accelerating the construction of 12 large dams to irrigate at least 350,000 hectares by 2025 and generate hydropower while also providing potable water. The acceleration plan is meant to increase land acreage under irrigation with farmers in Zimbabwe ...