Analysts have been predicting price rises and a slowing of economic growth in Southeast Asia as the drought that has gripped the region since the start of the year continues to disrupt water supplies, and Indonesian fires rage.
Last year, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and its partners released 44 new and improved rice varieties, taking the number to around a thousand since it was launched in 1960.
China’s food safety issues and the subsequent turn by middle-class consumers towards quality imports have made it a hot market for Malaysia’s halal foods, according to a top Malaysian government official.
Human patients infected with the A(H7N9) strain of avian influenza are not able transmit the virus to animals, including birds, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation.
spiritsEUROPE tells BeverageDaily.com that the EU is keen to seal a free trade agreement (FTA) with Vietnam to help members including Diageo, Beam Inc. and Pernod Ricard open up a ‘priority’ market.
Filipino food major Universal Robina Corp's has partnered with Calbee Inc., Japan's largest snack food company, a move that will further establish both firms in Philippines’ growing packaged food market.
The Singapore government’s scientific agency has joined forces with a university in a US$20m joint-venture to develop a variety of bread that will reduce blood sugar, among other research projects.
Coconut farmers in the Philippines are in urgent need of assistance to recover their livelihoods nearly three months after Typhoon Haiyan tore through the country, the FAO has warned.
Owens-Illinois, the world's largest glass container manufacturer, will increase investment in its Jakarta plant, having already increased its production line speed and capacity to support Southeast Asian growth.
India’s buffalo meat (carabeef) exports to Southeast Asia are growing fast, thanks to rising demand in China, even though the world’s second-biggest economy has not officially opened its doors to India in this sector.
Food giant Nestlé has found a new research partner in the form of a Singaporean government agency to study, with whom it will be studying a number of food and packaging-related fields, including biotransformation.
A Southeast Asia industry body has warned Asean governments that they are missing out of the full economic potential of the agri-food sector by dawdling with the harmonisation of food standards.
The Vietnamese government has given Vinamilk the go-ahead by to pursue its latest international investment – the purchase of a majority stake in Cambodian dairy processor, Angkor Dairy Products.
A patent-pending blend of compounds from kava with none of the potentially adverse liver effects may see the much-maligned herb re-emerge in the dietary supplement space, say researchers from the University of Minnesota.
One month after Typhoon Haiyan struck a devastating blow to the Philippines, farmers who lost essential crops and supplies are receiving the first wave of emergency seeds, restoring hope for a productive planting season and much-needed food for the coming...
Hershey has committed to purchasing 100% traceable and sustainably-sourced palm oil by the end of 2014. Greenpeace has welcomed the move, but has reservations about timelines and terminology.
US-based International Flavors & Fragrances, one of the world’s biggest developers of flavours and fragrances for consumer products, has revealed plans to invest over US$50m in its flavours operations in Jakarta.
Philippine fishers face immense damage to the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in regions affected by Typhoon Haiyan, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said, calling for prompt and sustainable actions to help rebuild livelihoods.
Scientists in the Far East have discovered a rice gene that in preliminary testing increased production by 13-36% in modern long-grain indica rice varieties—the world’s most widely grown types of rice.
What began as outrage over phone bugging accusations has now escalated to the point that Indonesia revealed it was turning away from Australian food imports.
Benecol has expanded its plant stanol, cholesterol management-based health offering in the UK by adding vitamins that permit approved EU heart and bone health claims – a move analysts said should resonate with older consumers and give rival pro-activ...
Many confectioners are sidestepping responsibilities on sustainable palm oil by only ensuring products meet ‘inadequate’ RSPO standards, according to Greenpeace.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s emergency chief expects that crops in areas of the Philippines that were worst hit by this month’s Typhoon Haiyan have been “severely compromised”, and has warned that action must be taken quickly...
New Zealand’s prime minister is looking to put his country’s relationship back on track with Thailand after the damaging botulism crisis in August by embarking on a trade visit of the Southeast Asian country over three days.
While the scale of destruction in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan constitutes a major humanitarian crisis, its impact on rice production in the worst-affected Filipino provinces is yet to be fully understood.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture organisation has been mobilising support to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, which tore through the country causing severe damage to the fisheries and agriculture sectors, as well as massive loss of life.
In July, we reported on the first certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) shipment from Thailand to Europe, bringing the world’s third-largest producer of the crop in line with other sustainable exporters. We thought we would follow this up as part of our...
Deforestation, loss of habitats, social upheaval and vast swathes of smoke: there’s no doubt the palm oil industry is guilty of continuing atrocities against both planet and humanity.
By By Marieke Leegwater, palm oil programme manager at Solidaridad
Even though often invisible, palm oil is present in many product formulations. Currently, it is the worlds most used vegetable oil and its production and demand are forecast to grow.
Carlsberg’s CEO says his firm remains well-positioned for future growth after breaking ground on Burma's 'first ever' international brewery and starting construction on another facility in China.
Italian botanicals giant Indena will market a high-potency cranberry extract made by French firm Pharmatoka in global markets like South Korea, India and Russia, under a new alliance.
Over two-thirds of Singaporean consumers are taking food inflation on the chin, saying they can absorb rising prices in their household budgets without having to make spending cuts elsewhere, according to a report released by Nielsen.
Kellogg cannot shirk its palm oil responsibility by deflecting attention to its supplier, says RAN following a statement from Kellogg calling for productive talks between its supplier Wilmar and the environmental group.
The Hershey Company will make its single largest investment in Asia with a new factory in Malaysia, a country the firm says gives it a strong route to 25 markets in the region, including China.
Fonterra has denied it has “any legal liability” to Danone in relation to its recent whey protein concentrate (WPC) contamination scare, despite being in talks with the French dairy giant over the possible payment of compensation.
While Thailand has successfully controlled its problems with undernutrition over recent decades, the country is now facing an outbreak of overnutrition.
By Rick Beckmann, senior foreign legal counsel, and Aldi Rakhmatillah, associate, of Susandarini & Partners, in association with Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
How should Indonesia and, more to the point, the local community, benefit from foreign investment in plantations?
Omega 3 from herring caviar will find a new market in Southeast Asia following a deal inked last week between Norway’s Arctic Nutrition and Holista Colltech of Malaysia that will see the fatty acid added to its supplements.
By Rick Beckmann, senior foreign legal counsel and Aldi Rakhmatillah, associate, of Susandarini & Partners in association with Norton Rose Fulbright Australia
The Indonesian Government is planning to crack down on further expansion of groups in the powerful palm oil plantation industry and, indirectly, foreign conglomerates.
GreenPalm has announced the first certified trade of palm oil by-product for feed use, hailing the development a triumph in supply chain sustainability for food manufacturers.
The Indonesian deputy trade minister has said that after successfully increasing domestic cocoa grinding capacity the country should lower cocoa bean import duties to prevent shortages in the future.
