BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) — A spike in shipping costs and lower profits resulting from a series of union protests at Argentina’s Rosario port, one of the world’s biggest grain export centres, has raised concerns among the country’s agricultural companies. Strikes by powerful unions representing river pilots, longshoremen and soy crushing workers have been frequent at […] Read more
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Protests at key Argentina port cause headaches for exporters
Saskatchewan crop ahead of five-year average
Saskatchewan crop report as of Oct. 3 Almost 80 percent of this year’s crop is harvested. Rain has slowed harvest in most areas, although progress is still ahead of the five-year average for this time of year. Rain and wind caused most crop damage. South Rain has slowed harvest. Most crops have been combined. Yields […] Read more
SaskTel wants delay in move to new rural wireless
Saskatchewan’s provincially owned telecommunications provider has requested another deadline extension for rural users of its wireless broadband internet (WBBI) service to move to a new service. Some 8,000 SaskTel customers in rural Saskatchewan were first given a deadline in 2012 to move to a new service after Industry Canada announced changes that will see service […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus reports drop in net income after U.S. drought
GENEVA (Reuters) — Louis Dreyfus Commodities said its net income for continuing operations in the first half of the year fell by around 13 percent to $258.4 million from the same period in 2012, according to a report published on its website. The results are the first released since long-serving chief executive Serge Schoen was […] Read more
Japanese fast-food chain to grow food 100 km from wrecked nuclear plant
TOKYO (Reuters) — A Japanese fast-food chain has announced plans to grow rice and vegetables on a farm 100 km from the crippled Fukushima power plant, site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Yoshinoya Holdings, which sells “gyudon,” or stewed beef over rice, has formed a joint-venture with local farmers to […] Read more
U.S. phosphate export group PhosChem disbands
(Reuters) — The U.S. phosphate export association PhosChem has disbanded, a spokesman for U.S. fertilizer company Mosaic Co. said on Wednesday, making it the second fertilizer trade consortium to break up this year. The 39-year-old Phosphate Chemicals Export Association Inc. handled U.S. exports of the crop nutrient on behalf of Mosaic and Potash Corp. of […] Read more
Big yields, imports ease supply concerns for U.S. canola crushers
WINNIPEG (Reuters) — Big canola yields in the northern Plains have eased earlier supply concerns for U.S. processors, who also look to tap a bin-busting harvest in Western Canada. U.S. farmers planted 1.3 million acres of canola in 2013, but unfavourable weather prevented them planting the crop on 426,711 acres, according to U.S. Department of […] Read more
Stake in Russia’s Uralkali likely to be sold: report
(Reuters) — A large stake in Russian potash producer Uralkali OAO is likely to be sold to one of several local bidders, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday. The report, which cited unnamed people close to the discussions, also said the Kremlin is eager to repair a rift with Belarus […] Read more
Farm worker immigration reform is part of new U.S. house bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday proposed a rapid route to citizenship for farm workers as part of an immigration reform bill. The House farm worker proposal matched the provisions of a Senate immigration bill, passed 68-27 on June 27. It would give legal status to undocumented workers and […] Read more
Agrium names Chuck Magro CEO
(Reuters) — Canadian fertilizer company Agrium Inc. said chief operating officer Chuck Magro would take over as chief executive from Mike Wilson, who retires on Dec. 31. Magro will join Agrium’s board immediately, the company said. He joined Agrium from petrochemical maker Nova Chemicals. Wilson has been Agrium’s CEO since 2003. During this time, Agrium’s […] Read more
