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Food and agriculture

Food and agriculture
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on food and agriculture, with a focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.
A man shields his face from the sunlight as he leaves a train station in Bangkok, Thailand, on April 29. Photo: AFP
Climate change

‘Godzilla El Nino’: Southeast Asia warned of punishing climate whiplash

Experts warn the heat could increase the risk of localised flooding, put pressure on drainage systems and threaten agricultural production.

United States

Trump says US Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary is out

Malaysia

Malaysia resorts to cloud seeding to save rice crop from drought

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India

Can India’s rice farmers reap from US$30 million Amazon carbon credit deal?

The pact promises green farming and methane emission cuts, but raises questions over payouts and corporate climate accountability.

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A farm worker holds rice saplings as he prepares to plant them in a field on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, India. Photo: Reuters
China economy

Outside In | Prepare for ‘China shock 3.0’ to the global food economy

Imagine China applying the same industry policy playbook for electric cars, solar panels and AI to agriculture and food self-sufficiency.

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China-Latin America relations

China pours US$6.1b into Brazil, making it Beijing’s top global investment

Chinese miners, carmakers and tech firms are fanned out across 20 states, putting a dent in Washington’s own push throughout the region.

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Science

Will Iran war threaten next harvest? Which countries are most at risk?

As the Hormuz blockade cuts off vital agricultural inputs, Food and Agriculture Organization official views China as key food security partner.

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Blockades in the Strait of Hormuz have sent the price of urea – a widely used nitrogen-based fertiliser – soaring in the US and Brazil, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Photo: Handout via Reuters
US-China trade war

Trump-Xi summit hides simmering trade tensions under the surface, experts say

Despite declarations of cooperation, friendship and respect from both sides, major trade conflict is brewing between the two superpowers.

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Asean

Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis

The energy and fertiliser shocks come amid crucial planting windows for Asia’s farmers, exposing the region’s dire dependencies.

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Japan

Avocados push out citrus fruits as Japan warms up from climate change

Global warming is expected to expand areas suitable for ‘sensitive’ avocados in Japan 2.5-fold or more by the middle of the century.

Fuminori Arita shows off avocados grown in his orchard in Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture. Photo: Kyodo
China food security

How the Middle East crisis is expanding China’s agrochemical influence

China accounts for about a third of global fertiliser production, and 70 per cent of the raw materials for chemical pesticides.

Illustration: Henry Wong
US-China relations

Opinion | How US tech hegemony is locking out the Global South

The world deserves better than a monopoly that builds walls and hobbles development.

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China food security

China’s farmers face dual threats from El Nino and Iran war, analysts say

They warn that country’s fragmented farms are less resilient to natural disasters than bigger, more mechanised operations.

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China trade

Durian Express? China brings in cheaper fruit with new Southeast Asia train

A new cold-storage rail service is whisking mountains of durians from Thailand to China, reducing prices for the prized fruit.

A shopper browses a mound of durians at a market in Hong Kong. Photo: Eugene Lee
Thailand

‘Destroying the world’s kitchen’: the poisoning of the Mekong River

Many millions depend on the river but toxic run-off from mining for modern technology - including for war - could be an existential threat.

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A man sits in a fishing boat on the Mekong River in northeastern Thailand, with Laos seen on the left, in 2019. Photo: AFP
Thailand

Thai influencer sells premium durians for dirt cheap to save national ‘pride’

Weaker Chinese demand and growing competition from Vietnam and Malaysia threaten one of Thailand’s most valuable agricultural exports.

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Food and Drinks

Beyond steak: 3 Hong Kong chefs share dry-ageing tips for fish, lamb, poultry

Dry-ageing isn’t reserved for beef only – chefs from Fireside, Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei and Tori Jukusei offer techniques for home cooks.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Outside In | The Iran war is brewing a food crisis we must avert

The world’s focus has been on energy shortages but famine and widening food insecurity are faces of the same coin.

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A Thai farmer fills an oil drum with diesel to harvest rice, at a petrol station in Ayutthaya on April 1. Thai farmers are struggling with shortages of diesel, fertiliser and insecticides, alongside rising production costs which threaten their crops. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

Malaysia’s durian growers in ‘survival mode’ as early glut squeezes export trade

An early bumper harvest and rising fuel and freight costs are squeezing premium durian exporters as they race to get their fruit into China.

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Food and Drinks

The soy sauce artisans making the Chinese condiment with a dash of attitude

Two craft soy sauce makers in Sweden and Australia are turning away from ‘boring’ mass production methods to make the condiment in new ways.

US, Israel war on Iran

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

Women sit and eat rice noodles on the sidewalk in Hanoi, Vietnam, on April 14. Photo: AFP
Food and Drinks

How asparagus benefits your health – and the different ways to cook it

Chefs share their tips, from simple grilling to fermenting, highlighting the vegetable’s versatility and seasonal appeal … but why does it make your urine smell?

More people are waking up to the health benefits of eating asparagus. Photo: Shutterstock
China food security

‘Sharp swings’: why China is warning of food security risks despite bumper crops

The country has ample grain supplies but could still face challenges if extreme weather or global conflict spark global shortages, Beijing says.

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Australia

Australian farmers relieved after Indonesia agrees to supply fertiliser

The deal makes up 20 per cent of fertiliser needs for the planting season in Australia, a major supplier of food to Southeast Asia.

2026 Xi-Trump summit

‘Won’t back down’: Greer seeks more funding for Trump’s trade wars

US trade chief says more resources needed to expand trade probes and counter China, warning farmers remain exposed ahead of Beijing summit.

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US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks with reporters during a tour of a manufacturing facility on April 9. Photo: AP
Food and Drinks

Want an authentic farm-to-table experience in Hong Kong? Here’s one

A weekend event in rural Hong Kong teaches guests the true meaning of sustainability through mindful activities and delicious seasonal food.

A spread of baked goods by Formless Daily at the Easter potluck gathering at Blue Girl Organic Farm in April 2026. Photo: Hei Kiu Au
Hong Kong environmental issues

Letters | Multi-storey pig farm? Not in Hong Kong please

Readers discuss the government’s plan for a multi-storey pig farm, Discovery Bay transport, and English teachers.

European Union

Ireland police remove farmers, blockades protesting against fuel price rises

The protests have led to blockades at Ireland’s only oil refinery and prevented tanker trucks from delivering fuel to petrol stations.

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