Asian Agribusiness Consulting

South Australian delegation visits Yantai apple garden and apple juice processing plant

" An apple a day keeps the doctor away". This week the South Australian delegation visited the Yantai Andre Pectin apple garden and its apple juice processing plant in Yantai.

During the visit the delegation was shown around Andre's company orchard, where an introduction on the apple-growing processes was held.

AAC 2017-05-12

China's taste for Australian beef a blessing for the industry

Thailand sugar production rises

Thailand produced 10 million tonnes of sugar from 93 million tonnes of sugarcane during the 2016-2017 crop from December 6, 2016 to the first week of May 2017.

The figure represents an improvement on last year, when the country produced 9.8 million tonnes of sugar from 94.5 million tonnes of sugarcane.

Rains in several sugar planting areas resulted in abundant sugarcane with higher sugar content.

Better yields in the 2016-2017 season has benefited Thailand, the world’s second largest sugar exporter, especially with global sugar prices on the rise, a situation likely to encourage farmers to switch from rice to sugarcane.

Previously, experts projected that global sugar production will increase to 190.3 million tonnes in 2017-2018 crop from 176.9 million tonnes in the 2016-2017 crop.

Source: VNA Date 2017-05-12

Hanoi’s hi-tech farm expansion remains slow

Agricultural production in the capital city remains small-scale and outdated, despite successful land reform and investment in irrigation networks for many years, says the Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.

The outdated production methods are due to slow application of modern technologies, and it has led to low economic values.

Land use certificates have been successfully granted, which is a prerequisite for farmers to expand production or contribute land as a capital contribution to investment projects.

However, the city’s agricultural production has not yet reaped high economic value because most of households still use traditional production methods.

Explaining the slow application of technology in agricultural production, Chairman of the Quoc Oai District People’s Committee, Nguyen Manh Quyen, told the paper that “at present the municipal authority fixed land areas for rice planting”.

“This is an obstacle for transitioning the land for other crops that require high technologies and bring higher economic values,” said Quyen.

However, in Quoc Oai District, some businesses have bought lands from residents to set up hi-tech farms and achieved some progresses, he said.

Still, though, businesses face the difficult fact that agricultural land prices rocket upward when locals hear about hi-tech farming projects, he said.

Analysing the situation, Dr. Dang Van Dong, director of the Vegetable and Fruit Institute, said “this is due to ineffective management and a lack of close co-operation among farmers, businesses, scientists and authorities”.

“So far, we haven’t mobilised sources from domestic private and foreign businesses to invest in hi-tech farming,” he said.

Chu Phu My, director of the Hanoi Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said in the context of fierce climate change and rapid urbanisation, farming is indispensable to surviving and competing in the international integration process.

The capital city set a goal that by 2020, hi-tech agricultural production value will account for 35 percent of the total agricultural value.

However, so far, the hi-tech farming area designated for 2016-2020 is still slow, according to review of the city’s steering committee of new rural development.

According to Ha Minh Hai, director of the Hanoi Finance Department, appropriate policies are considered a prerequisite for luring capital to hi-tech farming. Each local needs to review agricultural production plans to attract investors.

Source: VNA Date 2017-05-12

Australian red wine promotion in Qingdao (2)

AAC- On May 10th, the South Australian government, in cooperation with Asian Agribusiness Consulting, organized a red wine promotion in Qingdao. During the event a seminar on the topic “South Australia -Qingdao Trade & investment” was held, highlighting the cooperation between the South Australia and China.

One of the highlights of the event was the celebration of the 170th anniversary of 1847, a renowned winery from Lyndoch, South Australia. To commemorate this milestone, a speech was held by Alexander Wang, owner of 1847.

During the event Michael Boddington, managing director of AAC, met with Anthony Grundel, Chief Wine Maker at 1847, and Justin Patrick Gilhooly.

At the tasting people could enjoy various types of wine by a large number of Australian wineries.

AAC 2017-05-11

Australian red wine promotion in Qingdao

AAC- On May 10th, the South Australian government, in cooperation with Asian Agribusiness Consulting, organized a red wine promotion in Qingdao. During the event a seminar on the topic “South Australia -Qingdao Trade & investment” was held, highlighting the cooperation between the South Australia and China.

One of the highlights of the event was the celebration of the 170th anniversary of 1847, a renowned winery from Lyndoch, South Australia. To commemorate this milestone, a speech was held by Alexander Wang, owner of 1847.

During the event Michael Boddington, managing director of AAC, met with Anthony Grundel, Chief Wine Maker at 1847, and Justin Patrick Gilhooly.

At the tasting people could enjoy various types of wine by a large number of Australian wineries.

AAC 2017-05-11

New avian flu outbreaks in Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Vietnam

 Three more avian flu outbreaks have been recorded in the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Dak Nong, according to the Department of Animal Health under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A/H5N1 avian flu outbreaks were found at two farms in Ea Rop and Ea Tmot communes in Ea Sup district in Dak Lak province, with more than 2,200 ducks culled.

Another was detected at four farms in Duc Xuyen commune, Krong No district, Dak Nong province on May 3, leading to 250 poultry and 1,800 ducks being destroyed.

So far, Vietnam has discovered seven A/H5N1 outbreaks in 11 farms in five provinces of Cao Bang, Vinh Long, Quang Ninh, Dak Lak and Dak Nong in the last three weeks.

The Department also warned of high risk of infection of new avian flu virus strains, such as A/H7N9, A/H5N2, and A/H5N8 to Vietnam via illegal transport of poultry, particularly in northern border provinces and other provinces prone to poultry smuggling. 

It urged localities to be proactive in preventing avian influenza and to strengthen their supervision to detect and handle outbreaks.

Source: VNA Date: 2017-05-11

Chinese rice trials promise solution to African food shortages

Large harvests of Chinese rice planted in Africa have raised hopes on the continent of greater grain yields to combat food shortages, a Chinese scientist has said.

"Trial plantings of quality Chinese crop varieties in Africa have shown promising results," Wang Qingfeng, director of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center in Kenya, said at a news briefing in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Monday.

Wang, who is also deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Wuhan Botanical Garden, said more than a dozen varieties have been planted in African countries, including Kenya. At least three suit the local soil and water conditions will be chosen for production, he said.

Hybrid rice planted in Kenya has yielded an average 6,000 to 7,500 kilograms per hectare, while the average yield of local rice is about 1,500 kg per hectare, he said.

China has helped African nations when their grain harvests have been affected by drought, but what the research center is doing represents a change to this aid strategy, Wang said.

The center, which was opened in September at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, focuses on biodiversity protection, remote resources sensing, microbiology, and the promotion of modern agricultural practices.

It covers 4,300 square meters and comprises a botanical garden, state-of-the-art laboratories, herbaria, greenhouses, administration offices, and conference and accommodation facilities.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences supports its management and has donated equipment worth more than $2.2 million.

Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-11

Scottish salmon graces China dining tables

China has a fast-growing appetite for fresh and smoked salmon, but Scotland's fish farmers have been struggling to keep up with demand from the lucrative market.

Scotland is one of the world's major suppliers of farmed salmon, but the industry's growth was recently hampered by sea lice infestations that led to a drop in production. Sea lice are a parasite that latches onto fish, seriously affecting their growth.

Figures from the United Kingdom's HM Revenue and Customs showed the export volume of salmon to China fell from around 11 million kilograms in 2015 to 8 million kg last year, something the industry attributed to the sea lice outbreak. In 2014, some 13 million kg of the pink-fleshed fish were shipped to the world's second-largest economy.

Despite the fall in exports to China, the value of the industry remained high. In 2016, the value of salmon exports was around 52 million pounds ($67 million). In the previous year, it was 53 million pounds.

Beijing first allowed imports of Scottish salmon in 2011.

Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organization, said: "Sea lice are nothing new, they exist in the wild and climate change is contributing to the spread. The industry has invested tens of millions of pounds on research and development of new techniques and equipment.

"I'm confident we are on top of the issue and will be able to supply really high-quality, healthy fish to the Chinese market," Landsburgh added.

Landsburgh attributed the fall in exports entirely to the early harvest.

"China likes larger fish, around 7 kg, but there was an early harvest last year in order to provide healthy and high-quality salmon, which resulted in smaller fish. That is why exports to China dipped a bit in 2016."

But Landsburgh expects business to pick up this year and anticipates increased productivity in the years to come.

JD.com Inc, one of the largest e-commerce operators in China, said a majority of Chinese consumers are willing to buy fresh products online, and seafood products are among the most popular categories. Shrimp, fish and other seafood are quite well-received, especially those who come from the inland regions.

Du Ni, a 27-year-old office worker in Beijing, said: "I like salmon, it is really fresh and tasty. I sometimes buy imported salmon from supermarkets, and at other times eat it at restaurants."

Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-11

Guangzhou Wine Showcase

On May 8th a wine showcase was held in Guangzhou. Asian Agribusiness Consulting (AAC), representative of the South-Australian Agricultural Department, helped with the arrangements of the event. The showcase provided an excellent opportunity to introduce Australian wine to the Chinese Market.

An interesting presentation was held by Martin Hamilton-Smith, Australian MP, regarding current Chinese Australian collaboration and export of Australian wine to the People’s Republic of China.

A tasting event was held where people could enjoy some of the most popular Australian brands and receive more information about the different kinds of Australian wine.

AAC 2017-05-10