From Diesel to Daylight: How Government Solar Schemes Are Powering India’s Farmers
India’s PM‑KUSUM program, launched in 2019, is converting diesel‑run irrigation pumps to solar, with a central allocation of roughly $4.2 billion targeting 34.8 GW of capacity. By February 2026, more than 12 GW of solar pumps and rooftop systems were installed, reaching over 2 million farmers and saving each about $722 a year on fuel. Haryana’s aggressive subsidies have helped it install 136,000 pumps, covering 69% of its state‑level target and setting a 6,000 MW solar goal for 2030. The next phase adds battery storage and agrivoltaic pilots, turning farms into dual power‑and‑crop producers.
Philippines Aims to Export Mangoes, Pineapples to America
The Philippines is intensifying efforts to ship mangoes and pineapples to the United States, partnering with USDA‑APHIS to meet updated phytosanitary and irradiation standards. Bureau of Plant Industry officials highlighted pre‑clearance inspections and on‑site radiation treatment as key compliance steps....
Produce Season’s Prodigal Return
Tender rejection rates in Fresno’s refrigerated market have surged from under 4% in early March to above 14% within a month, the highest since June 2023. USDA spot rates for produce shipments from central California to Chicago have climbed roughly...
Indonesia on Alert for Prolonged Dry Season as El Niño Nears
Indonesia’s meteorological agency (BMKG) warns of an 83% likelihood that a weak‑to‑moderate El Niño will develop by mid‑year, extending the nation’s dry season. The drought risk intensifies from April through June, with the driest conditions projected for August, threatening water supplies...
Microplastics in India’s Agriculture: A Growing Problem Demanding Urgent Action
India generates roughly 26 million tons of plastic waste annually, with about 9.3 million tons leaking into the environment and eventually fragmenting into microplastics that infiltrate agricultural soils. A National Academy of Agricultural Sciences study finds 20‑300 microplastic particles per kilogram in...
Energy Crunch Tightens Cotton Outlook
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have driven oil prices higher, inflating energy costs for cotton growers and mills. The USDA now projects global cotton output to drop by roughly 3.9 million bales in the 2026/27 season. Rising energy expenses have...
Fuel Shortages From Iran War Threaten Asia’s Biggest Food Staple
The six‑week war in Iran has driven diesel and fertilizer prices sharply higher, choking the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting imports of key agricultural inputs to Southeast Asia. Rice farmers in Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam face doubled or...
Iowa Mowbotics Brings AI-Driven Lawn Care Into Daily Life With a Focus on Time and Practical Value
Iowa Mowbotics, founded in 2024 by sixth‑generation farmer Schyler Bardole, offers AI‑driven robotic mowing systems for residential and commercial properties. The mowers combine GPS mapping, obstacle detection and app‑based monitoring to operate autonomously, promising consistent upkeep with minimal human input....
Where First Watch Sources Its Coffee
First Watch sources its coffee beans from the Huila region of Colombia through Project Sunrise, a partnership with the Mujeres en Café collective of female farmers. The beans are hand‑picked, washed, fermented for 18‑24 hours, and meticulously sorted before being...
U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Does Little for Fertilizer Availability, Prices
The recent U.S.-Iran cease‑fire will not quickly restore fertilizer flows through the Strait of Hormuz, according to StoneX market specialist Josh Linville. About 930,000 tons of fertilizer are stranded on ships, yet India alone still requires roughly 600,000 tons more to meet...
Rice Export Rules Relaxed for Select European Countries
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced that the mandatory inspection certificate for rice exports will apply only to the EU, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Exports to all other European nations are exempt for a six‑month period, easing...
EmpowerFresh Deploys AI Produce Ordering Platform At Kowalski’s Markets
EmpowerFresh has rolled out its AI-driven produce inventory and ordering platform at Kowalski’s Markets, the upscale Minnesota grocery chain. The system provides predictive forecasting, real-time inventory visibility, and automated ordering to reduce shrinkage and increase product turns. Store teams received...
Millions of Dead Bees Spark Pesticides Debate in Uruguay
In late 2025 Uruguay’s beekeepers reported a sudden loss of roughly 15,000 hives, with 85 beekeepers confirming the crisis and fears the true toll could be double. Researchers identified chemical poisoning from complex pesticide cocktails—mixes of herbicides and desiccants—as the...
Tilapia Imports From Vietnam Surpass Brazilian Export Totals for the First Time, Alarming Local Industry
Brazil’s February imports of Vietnamese tilapia fillets topped 1,300 metric tons, outpacing the country’s own exports for the first time. The imports, valued at roughly $8 million, represent about 56% of Vietnam’s monthly tilapia revenue and are driven by a preferential trade...
Port of Baltimore Breaks Ground on New Grain Transloading Facility
The Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore broke ground on a new grain transloading facility at the Seagirt Marine Terminal, a joint venture between Ports America Chesapeake and Frey Commodities. The four‑acre site will feature three silos with a combined...
Chef Robotics Expands AI-Powered Automation Into Meatpacking
Chef Robotics, a San Francisco‑based food robotics firm, has extended its AI‑driven automation platform to tray assembly for meatpacking. The system can pick, orient and place raw, frozen and precooked proteins—such as pork loins, chicken breasts, steaks and sausage links—onto...
"Vertical Farms Aren't a Silver Bullet, but There Are Cases Where They Make a Lot of Sense"
Growcer, an Ottawa‑based modular farming firm, won the 2026 Governor General's Innovation Award, highlighting its role in Canadian food resilience. The company now boasts over 120 installations in Canada and more than 1,000 worldwide, shifting market conversations from basic awareness...
"We Continue to Focus on Realistic Business Models and Industrial Applications that Already Create Demonstrable Value"
Urban Crop Solutions has been named to the FoodTech 500 ranking for 2025, confirming its position among the world’s most innovative AgriFoodTech firms. The Belgian company’s strategy centers on scalable, industrial indoor‑farming solutions with a clear B2B focus, proven technology and...
US (PA): Aquaponics Operation Looks to Expand
WestWinn Urban Agriculture Co., a subsidiary of The Winner Companies, launched a 25,000‑sq‑ft indoor aquaponics farm in Sharon, Pennsylvania in June 2023. The facility grows lettuce and other crops year‑round by fertilizing plants with nutrients from on‑site fish waste, operating seven...
Rwanda's Urban Farming Push: Vertical Farms and Hydroponics Tackle Land Scarcity
Rwanda’s government is combating rapid loss of farmland to urban growth with a multi‑pronged initiative that includes satellite mapping, strict zoning enforcement and fines of up to $3,000 for violations. The Kigali master plan reserves 22% of the city’s land...
ASMS Launches Agri-Commerce Network AYOU in Hyderabad
Avio Smart Market Stack Ltd., formerly Bartronics India, is rolling out its agri‑supply platform AYOU in Hyderabad, with commercial operations slated to start next month. AYOU will aggregate fresh produce directly from farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations, then distribute to...
Georgia Ports Authority to Open Inland Port, Targeting Manufacturers
The Georgia Ports Authority will launch the Gainesville Inland Port in May, a $134 million rail terminal that can handle 200,000 containers a year and links directly to the Port of Savannah’s 40 weekly ship calls. The facility targets roughly 330...
Food Tech Faces Funding Reset as Investors Demand Profits over Promises
Food‑tech funding is shrinking; Q4 2025 VC investment fell 8.6% to $2.5 billion across 128 deals, down 16.3% from a year earlier and far below the 2021 peak. Exits also stalled, with only 85 transactions worth $287.7 million versus $12.8 billion in 2024....
South Korea Goes Tropical: Global Mango Imports and E-Commerce Drive Demand
Mangoes are moving from exotic novelty to a staple in South Korean households, driven by expanding fresh and processed uses. Latin American exporters, led by Peru, are gaining market share alongside traditional Southeast Asian suppliers. The growth is underpinned by...
Australian Growers Urge Retailers to Accept Price Increases
The National Freshfood (NFF) Horticulture Council has sent an open letter to Australia’s major supermarket chains urging them to accept cost‑reflective price increases from fresh‑produce growers. Rising fuel, levy and freight surcharges – in some cases up to 65% of...
Ireland Maps the Road for Horticulture Leading up to 2030
Ireland’s Teagasc Horticulture Road Map 2030 outlines a sector that contributed roughly $702 million in 2025, with potatoes alone accounting for $240 million of that output. The industry supports about 7,000 primary‑production jobs and another 11,000 in downstream services, despite occupying less...
3D Models of Plants for Research Available at Purdue Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility
Purdue's Ag Alumni Seed Phenotyping Facility (AAPF) now offers fully automated 3‑D plant models created from multi‑spectral RGB images and an X‑ray CT root scanner. Computer engineer Xiaomeng Liu developed an algorithm that stitches 2‑D photos into accurate three‑dimensional representations,...
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Irrigreen Smart Irrigation System 3.0 (2026) Review: Smart Watering, Less Hassle
Irrigreen’s 2026 Smart Irrigation System 3.0 adds pressure‑sensing, self‑cleaning sprinkler heads and a separate Smart Drip valve, extending its patented “water‑printing” technology to drip irrigation. The kit requires a full underground retrofit of plumbing and wiring, and the price remains premium,...
New Bid to Scale AI-Driven Cotton Programme
US agricultural data platform FarmRaise has partnered with AI‑powered crop developer Avalo, Inc. to expand Avalo’s AI‑driven cotton innovation programme. The collaboration will deliver structured field‑level data capture, streamlined grower workflows, and real‑time visibility across US cotton operations. By standardizing...
Molecular Farming Pioneer Moolec Science Produces Iron-Rich Beef Protein in Pea Seeds
Moolec Science, a Nasdaq‑listed molecular‑farming pioneer, announced the stable expression of bovine myoglobin—a heme‑rich, iron‑dense protein—in genetically engineered pea seeds, branded as PEEA1. The breakthrough, achieved after a 28‑month research partnership with a leading U.S. university, marks the first time...
Mould, Microbes and the $10m Mistake Food Companies Keep Making
Food‑safety failures now cost an average $10 million in direct recall expenses, but the broader economic impact in the United States tops $75 billion annually and roughly $13 billion in the United Kingdom (≈£10.4 bn). Climate volatility—heat waves, droughts, floods—and ever‑longer, multi‑tiered supply chains...
Singapore Company Signs Deals with Indonesian Firms to Scale Biofuel Production
Singapore‑based Aligned Energy has signed two MOUs with Indonesian partners PT Beon Parama Energi and PT Cipta Jagat Lestari to launch large‑scale sweet sorghum plantations on former bauxite mines in Bintan. The plan targets roughly 2,000 ha of degraded land and...
Govt Announces New Savanna Burning Carbon Methods, Beef Herd Replacement
The Australian federal government introduced two new savanna‑burning carbon farming methodologies and commissioned Meat & Livestock Australia to rebuild the beef‑herd methodology, which will credit methane‑reduction measures such as feed additives. The new methods reward early‑dry‑season burns to prevent larger...
Calling for Applicants for the Northern Beef Leadership Initiative
Angus Australia, together with the Northern Territory Cattlemens Association and Teys Australia, has launched the 2026 Northern Beef Leadership Initiative, dubbed “Find Your Northern Edge.” The five‑day, fully‑hosted program runs October 26‑30 in Queensland and will bring 12 young stakeholders aged...
Wagyu F1 Feeder Prices Settle Around 520-530c/Kg, Despite Climate of Uncertainty
Australian Wagyu feeder cattle prices have remained remarkably stable, with F1 × Angus steers trading around 520‑530 cents per kilogram despite the looming 55% tariff on beef exports to China and ongoing Middle‑East tensions. Supply‑chain surveys show higher‑grade F4‑Purebreds at 540‑570 c/kg and full‑bloods...
Gundagai Lamb Feedback Shows Where the Profit Comes From
Gundagai Lamb’s electronic‑identification (EID) system now links on‑farm data to individual carcass metrics, allowing producers to compare finishing strategies. A trial of 600 Ridgehaven lambs showed that a dry‑land lucerne paddock system generated a profit advantage of $22.86 AUD (≈$15 USD) per head...
Bijak’s GMV Drop 25% to Rs 551 Cr in FY25; Losses Stand at Rs 61 Cr
Indian B2B agritech platform Bijak reported a 25% decline in gross merchandise value to Rs 551 crore (≈$66 million) for FY25, down from Rs 732 crore the previous year. Despite cutting expenses, the company’s net loss widened 11% to Rs 61 crore (≈$7.3 million). Commodity...
EU Seed Law Reform: Can Europe Balance Modern Breeding and Crop Diversity?
The European Union is close to adopting a new Plant Reproductive Material Regulation that would replace a patchwork of directives dating back to the 1960s. The draft requires most seeds, tubers and cuttings sold in the bloc to be registered,...
Brazil on Track to Fill China Beef Export Quota by May as Prices Hit All-Time High
Brazil is on track to exhaust its 1.106 million‑tonne beef export quota to China by early May as cattle prices hit a record R$365 (≈US$71.6) per arroba. March saw a historic 233,950 tonnes of fresh beef shipped, generating roughly R$7 billion (≈US$1.37 billion) in...
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USDA Raises Price Estimates for Several Commodities
The USDA’s latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) raised season‑average price forecasts for wheat, corn, soybeans, soybean meal, cheese and cotton. Wheat and corn prices each rose 5 cents to $5.00 per bushel and $4.15 per bushel respectively,...
3-A SSI Seeks Expert Volunteers to Update Food Safety Standards
3‑A Sanitary Standards, Inc. (3‑A SSI) is opening applications for five expert working groups to update four sanitary equipment standards and one accepted practice, with a deadline of April 27 and group launches on May 11, 2026. The effort calls for balanced representation...
Increased Salmon Volumes for SalMar in Q1; Grieg Warns Biological Challenges Will Cost USD 7 Million
SalMar reported a Q1 2026 harvest of 60,300 gutted weight tons (GWT) of Atlantic salmon, a 29% increase over the same period last year, driven primarily by strong growth in its Central Norway segment. The company’s total expected 2026 harvest now sits...
Opinion: Cutting Food Aid, Research Risks U.S. Competitiveness
The Trump administration’s budget proposal calls for cuts to Food for Peace, McGovern‑Dole and key agricultural research programs, prompting alarm from the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG). NAWG argues that these programs generate demand for U.S. wheat, support supply‑chain...
Facilitating Investment in Sustainable Palm Oil in Mexico
In 2024 IDB Invest, the private‑sector arm of the Inter‑American Development Bank, closed its first palm‑oil financing deal in Latin America and the Caribbean, partnering with Mexico‑based RSPO‑certified cultivator Prolade. The transaction leveraged blended finance from the Canadian Climate Fund for...
How War in the Middle East Paralysed an Asian Food Giant
The war in the Middle East has sharply curtailed oil and fertilizer shipments, driving diesel prices in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta to double and depleting fertilizer stocks to a fraction of normal levels. Rice mills have halted operations and barges sit...
Yara India to Ramp up Digital Strategy to Strengthen Retailer Connectivity
Yara India is accelerating its digital agenda by onboarding most of its channel partners onto the Retailer Ordering System (ROS) within the Yara Connect mobile app, boosting last‑mile product traceability. The move dovetails with expanded R&D into biological fertilizers, reflecting...
Chile Promotes Research to Improve the Quality of Hass Avocados and Reduce Black Spots
Chile’s leading avocado producers are funding a four‑year research program to curb black‑spot disorder in Hass fruit, a cosmetic defect that currently forces the rejection of 10‑20% of exported shipments. The project, led by Prof. Romina Pedreschi at PUCV, focuses on...
VIDEO | AgXeed Series 7 Tested in the Field: Can It Handle Heavy Tillage and Tight Headlands?
The AgXeed AgBot Series 7 was put through a real‑world field trial on a French arable farm, pulling a heavy cultivator and navigating tight headland turns. The video demonstrates the robot’s ability to maintain precise trajectories while delivering the power needed...
Bankrupt Robot Manufacturer Agrointelli Sold in Parts
Agrointelli, the Danish maker of the Robotti field robot, was declared bankrupt on February 27, 2026 and failed to secure a full‑company buyer by the March 12 deadline. As a result, all staff were laid off and the trustee split the assets, selling...
Global Milk Boom Continues as Prices Come Under Renewed Pressure
Global milk production remained elevated in Q1 2026, keeping supply abundant and pushing commodity prices lower. Whole‑milk powder fell about 30% and butter‑fat 40% since September, while protein‑rich products slipped roughly 15%. The dairy trade index, after six months of...