Feb 23, 2008
Cashew market continues to be quiet with a slightly soft tone.. Medium & small packers have sold W240 around 3.05, W320 around 2.75, W450 around 2.55, SW around 2.45 FOB. Large packers are still asking for higher prices but no trades reported at higher levels. Prices in Indian domestic market for Splits & LWP have also eased a bit
USA roasters have bought some quantities in last few weeks for FH 2008 shipments. Europe industry seems to be well covered for most of 2008 but importers still have to buy to fulfill earlier low priced sales. Both seem to be content to pick up some quantities to cover immediate needs and wait for newcrop trends to be stabilized before making any large purchases. This seems to be prudent because any big demand now will mean higher RCN prices and consequently, inability for processors to reduce kernel prices (especially since other costs are also going up and dollar is lower compared to 2007)
Spot RCN prices in India and Vietnam were high due to limited arrivals. Prices should ease as arrivals pick up full flow in Vietnam in 2-4 weeks and India in 4-6 weeks. For the last few years, Indian RCN has been out of reach for exporting procesors (small quantities are bought to cater to niche markets - Rest of the crop is bought by regional processors who supply the domestic market)
Prices for WA RCN have opened with parity at current kernel prices but since there is not much forward demand at current levels, processors – those who bought Indonesia & East Africa at high prices and also those who have prior sales at lower levels – are unlikely to buy large quantities unless kernel demand picks up. If this does not happen, RCN prices may ease in Mar/Apr when arrivals in West Africa are at their peak (but prices will still be higher than last season). Reasonable RCN prices would be a good thing as too high prices will adversely affect all segments of the chain and impact medium & long term demand
Overall supply position seems to be comfortable (although there might be temporary tightness from time to time).. So, trend for 2008 will depend on developments on demand side… Supply side will have impact only if there is any big decline in any origin or if prices remain unreasonably high (this should be clear by end Mar/mid April at the latest).. Meantime, we will probably see some sharp movements in market during next weeks with crop news (and rumours) affecting RCN and kernel activity.
Would appreciate your comments on market situation, views on demand and market trend, news of crop prospects and any other info / news
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Monday, February 25, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Pistachio group selects industry veteran as leader
Pistachio group selects industry veteran as leader
(2/19/2008)
The Western Pistachio Association of Fresno, Calif., has selected industry veteran Richard Matoian as its new executive director.
The association, founded in 1980, promotes pistachios growers' interests.
With the June 2007 demise of the California Pistachio Commission, a state marketing order, the association stepped in to expand membership and programs and continue work in areas such as production and nutritional research, promotion and governmental affairs.
“We are very happy to have found a leader with Richard’s experience,” says association chairman Mike Woolf. “He will be a tremendous asset in advancing the interests of the U.S. pistachio industry.”
In 2007, U.S. pistachio growers harvested a record 415 million pounds from more than 115,000 bearing acres.
For the past five years, Matoian served as manager of the Fresno-based California Fig Advisory Board, a state marketing order that promotes California-grown figs.
Previously he served as president of the Fresno-based California Grape & Tree Fruit League, a statewide trade association that represents table grape and tree fruit industries.
Matoian will officially begin his duties with the pistachio association on May 1.
(2/19/2008)
The Western Pistachio Association of Fresno, Calif., has selected industry veteran Richard Matoian as its new executive director.
The association, founded in 1980, promotes pistachios growers' interests.
With the June 2007 demise of the California Pistachio Commission, a state marketing order, the association stepped in to expand membership and programs and continue work in areas such as production and nutritional research, promotion and governmental affairs.
“We are very happy to have found a leader with Richard’s experience,” says association chairman Mike Woolf. “He will be a tremendous asset in advancing the interests of the U.S. pistachio industry.”
In 2007, U.S. pistachio growers harvested a record 415 million pounds from more than 115,000 bearing acres.
For the past five years, Matoian served as manager of the Fresno-based California Fig Advisory Board, a state marketing order that promotes California-grown figs.
Previously he served as president of the Fresno-based California Grape & Tree Fruit League, a statewide trade association that represents table grape and tree fruit industries.
Matoian will officially begin his duties with the pistachio association on May 1.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Ouch!!!!
Just nuts: Supermarkets thrive on women cashew workers’ poverty
New ActionAid report shows that poverty pay and dangerous conditions are the secret behind the success of UK supermarkets. Who Pays? shows that the way UK supermarkets do business with developing countries is locking women workers into appallingly low pay and dangerous conditions.
In India the report examines the explosion in black market cashew nuts processing factories and how women workers are hit hardest by the drive to cut costs, caused partly by big supermarkets’ relentless pursuit of profits:
“That’s more than I get for three weeks’ work,” Mercy, a cashew nut worker says on discovering that the kilo of cashew nuts, which she has been paid Rs 4.25 to shell, will retail for Rs 757.10 or more in a UK supermarket.
Not only does the cashew factory job pay a pittance, it is also jeopardizing Mercy’s health.
“I get pains in my knees from squatting all day. I get headaches, dizziness and vomiting from breathing in the smoke (caused by the cashew roasting process).”
Women cashew nut workers also showed ActionAid researchers the permanent scars on their hands due to the corrosive acids produced by the nuts when shelled. Workers earn as little as Rs 25.2 (30 UK pence) a day, less than half of the minimum wage.
Mercy is one of an estimated 500,000 women who process cashews for a living in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and of two million people employed by the cashew industry across India, the world’s biggest exporter of shelled cashews. Over 6,700 tonnes were shipped to the UK from the country in 2005. Of these, at least 80% are sold through supermarkets.
Profits sans human rights
Babu Mathew, country director, ActionAid India says, “Securing a minimum wage and decent working conditions is already a big challenge for women and other vulnerable workers. Pressure from big retailers to cut costs makes their struggle all the more difficult. Foreign investment has to come with human rights standards attached.”
ActionAid researchers found that for every pound shoppers spend on cashews in British supermarkets, just one penny – and sometimes only half a penny – goes to the women workers who process the nuts. Another 22 pence is shared between farmers, traders, processing companies and exporters in India.
Workers are being trapped into a cycle of poverty and insecurity as a result of UK supermarkets’ demands for lower prices and constant changes to orders.
“Core labour standards are clearly being flouted. The Indian government is obliged to ensure that these are met. Workers also need to know their rights. In Kanyakumari ActionAid is supporting a local group in educating women and children on labour standards and encouraging workers to come together to demand minimum wages and decent working conditions,” says Babu Mathew.
The core labour standards are 1. Freedom of association (the right to form a trade union). 2. No forced labour. 3. No discrimination (in pay and conditions). 4. No child labour. “When you try to cut prices you are encouraging the re-emergence of all of these things,” adds Mathew.
What can the British government do?
“The big four UK supermarkets are increasingly eager to prove their ethical credentials to their customers. In reality the supermarkets’ ever-growing profits are boosted by the scandalously low wages and appalling conditions suffered by the women who produce the food and clothes we buy every day,” said Claire Melamed, head of trade and corporates campaign at ActionAid.
UK supermarkets are currently under investigation. ActionAid is calling for the UK Government to introduce an independent watchdog that would hold supermarkets to account for their actions overseas. Even the industry’s most effective voluntary code, the Ethical Trading Initiative, has not delivered the sweeping changes needed.
Claire Melamed says, “The supermarket giants have proved unwilling or unable to police themselves effectively. The British government needs to think very hard about the kind of corporate image UK PLC wants to portray – and if it isn’t one of exploitation and hardship then it must step in now.”
“A watchdog would make sure that UK supermarkets send a bit more of the value back to countries like India and Bangladesh that produce the goods that fill their shelves. Workers would then have a better chance of taking matters into their own hands, and negotiating higher wages and better conditions,” adds Melamed.
ActionAid is also asking the Competition Commission to recommend an independent supermarket regulator as part of its ongoing inquiry into the UK grocery market
Facts:
More than £7 out of every £10 spent on groceries in Britain goes into supermarket tills
Poor countries earn £7 million a day from food and clothes bought by UK shoppers in supermarkets
Women make up 60% to 90% of the clothing and fresh produce workforce in developing countries
Photo credits: Tom Pietrasik/ActionAid
actionaidspace_ asia bangladesh brasil chembakolli china guatemala india ireland italy kenya nepal nigeria pakistan spain sri lanka thailand uk usa vietnam
READ MORE:
Tribal women demand justice
Farmers dig in over steel plant plans
Trapped in a web of silk
Endangered livelihoods
Download Who Pays?
New ActionAid report shows that poverty pay and dangerous conditions are the secret behind the success of UK supermarkets. Who Pays? shows that the way UK supermarkets do business with developing countries is locking women workers into appallingly low pay and dangerous conditions.
In India the report examines the explosion in black market cashew nuts processing factories and how women workers are hit hardest by the drive to cut costs, caused partly by big supermarkets’ relentless pursuit of profits:
“That’s more than I get for three weeks’ work,” Mercy, a cashew nut worker says on discovering that the kilo of cashew nuts, which she has been paid Rs 4.25 to shell, will retail for Rs 757.10 or more in a UK supermarket.
Not only does the cashew factory job pay a pittance, it is also jeopardizing Mercy’s health.
“I get pains in my knees from squatting all day. I get headaches, dizziness and vomiting from breathing in the smoke (caused by the cashew roasting process).”
Women cashew nut workers also showed ActionAid researchers the permanent scars on their hands due to the corrosive acids produced by the nuts when shelled. Workers earn as little as Rs 25.2 (30 UK pence) a day, less than half of the minimum wage.
Mercy is one of an estimated 500,000 women who process cashews for a living in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and of two million people employed by the cashew industry across India, the world’s biggest exporter of shelled cashews. Over 6,700 tonnes were shipped to the UK from the country in 2005. Of these, at least 80% are sold through supermarkets.
Profits sans human rights
Babu Mathew, country director, ActionAid India says, “Securing a minimum wage and decent working conditions is already a big challenge for women and other vulnerable workers. Pressure from big retailers to cut costs makes their struggle all the more difficult. Foreign investment has to come with human rights standards attached.”
ActionAid researchers found that for every pound shoppers spend on cashews in British supermarkets, just one penny – and sometimes only half a penny – goes to the women workers who process the nuts. Another 22 pence is shared between farmers, traders, processing companies and exporters in India.
Workers are being trapped into a cycle of poverty and insecurity as a result of UK supermarkets’ demands for lower prices and constant changes to orders.
“Core labour standards are clearly being flouted. The Indian government is obliged to ensure that these are met. Workers also need to know their rights. In Kanyakumari ActionAid is supporting a local group in educating women and children on labour standards and encouraging workers to come together to demand minimum wages and decent working conditions,” says Babu Mathew.
The core labour standards are 1. Freedom of association (the right to form a trade union). 2. No forced labour. 3. No discrimination (in pay and conditions). 4. No child labour. “When you try to cut prices you are encouraging the re-emergence of all of these things,” adds Mathew.
What can the British government do?
“The big four UK supermarkets are increasingly eager to prove their ethical credentials to their customers. In reality the supermarkets’ ever-growing profits are boosted by the scandalously low wages and appalling conditions suffered by the women who produce the food and clothes we buy every day,” said Claire Melamed, head of trade and corporates campaign at ActionAid.
UK supermarkets are currently under investigation. ActionAid is calling for the UK Government to introduce an independent watchdog that would hold supermarkets to account for their actions overseas. Even the industry’s most effective voluntary code, the Ethical Trading Initiative, has not delivered the sweeping changes needed.
Claire Melamed says, “The supermarket giants have proved unwilling or unable to police themselves effectively. The British government needs to think very hard about the kind of corporate image UK PLC wants to portray – and if it isn’t one of exploitation and hardship then it must step in now.”
“A watchdog would make sure that UK supermarkets send a bit more of the value back to countries like India and Bangladesh that produce the goods that fill their shelves. Workers would then have a better chance of taking matters into their own hands, and negotiating higher wages and better conditions,” adds Melamed.
ActionAid is also asking the Competition Commission to recommend an independent supermarket regulator as part of its ongoing inquiry into the UK grocery market
Facts:
More than £7 out of every £10 spent on groceries in Britain goes into supermarket tills
Poor countries earn £7 million a day from food and clothes bought by UK shoppers in supermarkets
Women make up 60% to 90% of the clothing and fresh produce workforce in developing countries
Photo credits: Tom Pietrasik/ActionAid
actionaidspace_ asia bangladesh brasil chembakolli china guatemala india ireland italy kenya nepal nigeria pakistan spain sri lanka thailand uk usa vietnam
READ MORE:
Tribal women demand justice
Farmers dig in over steel plant plans
Trapped in a web of silk
Endangered livelihoods
Download Who Pays?
Monday, February 11, 2008
Weekly cashews update
Feb 9, 2008
This week, the market has been quiet but the undertone continues to be firm; offers are in the range of 3.10-3.20 for W240, 2.85-2.95 for W320, 2.60-2.65 for W450. Stray business done in the middle of the range. Indian domestic market eased a bit but the prices for brokens are still much higher than the international market. Vietnam is closed for holidays and Brazil is quiet due to limited availability
Nothing new to report on supply side – everything so far points to good availability in Mar-July but the concern still remains the price level. If prices open too high, processors will be faced with difficult choice. March will give an idea of which way things are headed but a clearer picture will be available by mid April
On the demand side, it seems that there will continue to be steady demand for nearby shipment to meet delivery commitments. There might also be some “insurance” covering by traders to protect against delays and further price increase. There will not be any big forward buying unless there are signs that market can absorb current levels which are higher than average of 2007 prices and substantially higher than average of last few years – there will be the fear that some months down the line, demand may soften due to high prices. Nobody wants to be left carrying the bag both ways – up and down
General feeling is that prices will remain firm in the very short term and move in a narrow range for the medium term.. Trend for second half of the year will depend on what prices are paid for RCN in Mar-May
What do you think about current situation ? What are your views & forecast on demand and price trends - short & medium term ? Would appreciate any info from origins and demand side
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
This week, the market has been quiet but the undertone continues to be firm; offers are in the range of 3.10-3.20 for W240, 2.85-2.95 for W320, 2.60-2.65 for W450. Stray business done in the middle of the range. Indian domestic market eased a bit but the prices for brokens are still much higher than the international market. Vietnam is closed for holidays and Brazil is quiet due to limited availability
Nothing new to report on supply side – everything so far points to good availability in Mar-July but the concern still remains the price level. If prices open too high, processors will be faced with difficult choice. March will give an idea of which way things are headed but a clearer picture will be available by mid April
On the demand side, it seems that there will continue to be steady demand for nearby shipment to meet delivery commitments. There might also be some “insurance” covering by traders to protect against delays and further price increase. There will not be any big forward buying unless there are signs that market can absorb current levels which are higher than average of 2007 prices and substantially higher than average of last few years – there will be the fear that some months down the line, demand may soften due to high prices. Nobody wants to be left carrying the bag both ways – up and down
General feeling is that prices will remain firm in the very short term and move in a narrow range for the medium term.. Trend for second half of the year will depend on what prices are paid for RCN in Mar-May
What do you think about current situation ? What are your views & forecast on demand and price trends - short & medium term ? Would appreciate any info from origins and demand side
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Monday, February 04, 2008
Storm costs swell
Friday, February 01, 2008
Storm costs swell
Crop damage estimates climb into hundreds of millions
Elizabeth Larson
Capital Press
Friday, February 01, 2008
Estimates of agricultural losses as a result of January storms continue to rise in Northern California counties known for their orchard production.
Storms in early January - specifically Jan. 4 - dealt serious damage to the Northern Sacramento Valley counties of Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Sutter, Yuba and Colusa.
Hardest hit was Butte County, with about $69 million in damages, a figure that includes not just the coming year's crops but the replacement costs for mature trees and lost income to growers, said Robert Maurer, county executive director of Butte County's Farm Service Agency.
"Almonds were the hardest hit," said Maurer, who said that they're estimating $65 million just for the county's damaged almond acreage, with $2.2 million in losses for plums and $1.9 million for walnuts.
Maurer said the process of seeking emergency funds has started, but he said funding is very tight right now.
To get emergency funding, he said, there usually has to be an emergency designation, which is triggered by a 30-percent crop loss. This is an unusual case, said Maurer, because the losses aren't restricted to crop damage.
Nick Oliver, supervising agriculture and standards biologist for Sutter County's Agriculture Department, put that county's initial losses at $13.6 million, with overall damages at $60.5 million.
Winds in some areas of Sutter county, especially around the Sutter Buttes, reached 70 miles per hour, Oliver said.
That played havoc with the area's almonds which, like those in Butte, were hit hardest. Sutter has only about 5,000 acres of almonds - far smaller than Butte's 39,000 acres - and so the county's overall losses were higher. Oliver said growers lost 50 percent of their crop.
Other commodity crop losses totaled 15 percent for prunes, 10 percent for English walnuts and 3 percent for cling peaches.
Glenn County Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Jean Miller estimated that the accumulated damage to Glenn's agriculture totaled $48 million, a figure which also accounts for long-term losses due to downed mature trees.
"When you lose a tree, you've lost 10 years of production and most of the trees were in their prime," she said.
The Jan. 4 storm brought fierce winds which was a major factor in destruction of orchard trees.
"I don't remember storm damage this bad over the last 10 years at least, maybe even longer," Miller said.
The wind also knocked down telephone poles which caused power outages, resulting in thousands of gallons of milk and cream being dumped by area dairies and cheese processors, Miller said.
Other losses included damaged bee hives and a 50-percent loss on the county's navel orange harvest, the latter totaling about $270,000.
In Colusa County, Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Jon Richter totaled this year's crop damage for orchards at $5 million, with replacement and production costs at $14 million for a $19 million total.
"We put in for a crop disaster designation with the Office of Emergency Services," Richter said.
The Padre variety of almond tree, in the 15- to 20-year-old range, seemed to be the biggest victim of the winter winds, Richter said. Many of the trees had not rooted deeply enough, they were planted on an east-to-west pattern and their larger canopies caught the winds.
Rick Gurrola, agriculture commissioner for Tehama County, said almonds, walnuts and prunes took the brunt of the damage from the storm in his county, with almonds projected at a nearly $4 million loss, with all crop damage and losses totaling $18.5 million.
Yuba County Agricultural Commissioner Louie B. Mendoza Jr. said their prunes were hit hardest, especially older orchards. Walnuts and peaches had minor losses.
The winter weather "has slowed down operations quite a bit," he said.
The county's overall agriculture losses are at $7.4 million, a figure which Mendoza said includes some infrastructure, such as damaged shops, buildings and packing houses.
Elizabeth Larson is a staff writer based in Lucerne. E-mail: elarson@capitalpress.com.
Storm costs swell
Crop damage estimates climb into hundreds of millions
Elizabeth Larson
Capital Press
Friday, February 01, 2008
Estimates of agricultural losses as a result of January storms continue to rise in Northern California counties known for their orchard production.
Storms in early January - specifically Jan. 4 - dealt serious damage to the Northern Sacramento Valley counties of Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Sutter, Yuba and Colusa.
Hardest hit was Butte County, with about $69 million in damages, a figure that includes not just the coming year's crops but the replacement costs for mature trees and lost income to growers, said Robert Maurer, county executive director of Butte County's Farm Service Agency.
"Almonds were the hardest hit," said Maurer, who said that they're estimating $65 million just for the county's damaged almond acreage, with $2.2 million in losses for plums and $1.9 million for walnuts.
Maurer said the process of seeking emergency funds has started, but he said funding is very tight right now.
To get emergency funding, he said, there usually has to be an emergency designation, which is triggered by a 30-percent crop loss. This is an unusual case, said Maurer, because the losses aren't restricted to crop damage.
Nick Oliver, supervising agriculture and standards biologist for Sutter County's Agriculture Department, put that county's initial losses at $13.6 million, with overall damages at $60.5 million.
Winds in some areas of Sutter county, especially around the Sutter Buttes, reached 70 miles per hour, Oliver said.
That played havoc with the area's almonds which, like those in Butte, were hit hardest. Sutter has only about 5,000 acres of almonds - far smaller than Butte's 39,000 acres - and so the county's overall losses were higher. Oliver said growers lost 50 percent of their crop.
Other commodity crop losses totaled 15 percent for prunes, 10 percent for English walnuts and 3 percent for cling peaches.
Glenn County Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Jean Miller estimated that the accumulated damage to Glenn's agriculture totaled $48 million, a figure which also accounts for long-term losses due to downed mature trees.
"When you lose a tree, you've lost 10 years of production and most of the trees were in their prime," she said.
The Jan. 4 storm brought fierce winds which was a major factor in destruction of orchard trees.
"I don't remember storm damage this bad over the last 10 years at least, maybe even longer," Miller said.
The wind also knocked down telephone poles which caused power outages, resulting in thousands of gallons of milk and cream being dumped by area dairies and cheese processors, Miller said.
Other losses included damaged bee hives and a 50-percent loss on the county's navel orange harvest, the latter totaling about $270,000.
In Colusa County, Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Jon Richter totaled this year's crop damage for orchards at $5 million, with replacement and production costs at $14 million for a $19 million total.
"We put in for a crop disaster designation with the Office of Emergency Services," Richter said.
The Padre variety of almond tree, in the 15- to 20-year-old range, seemed to be the biggest victim of the winter winds, Richter said. Many of the trees had not rooted deeply enough, they were planted on an east-to-west pattern and their larger canopies caught the winds.
Rick Gurrola, agriculture commissioner for Tehama County, said almonds, walnuts and prunes took the brunt of the damage from the storm in his county, with almonds projected at a nearly $4 million loss, with all crop damage and losses totaling $18.5 million.
Yuba County Agricultural Commissioner Louie B. Mendoza Jr. said their prunes were hit hardest, especially older orchards. Walnuts and peaches had minor losses.
The winter weather "has slowed down operations quite a bit," he said.
The county's overall agriculture losses are at $7.4 million, a figure which Mendoza said includes some infrastructure, such as damaged shops, buildings and packing houses.
Elizabeth Larson is a staff writer based in Lucerne. E-mail: elarson@capitalpress.com.
Weekly cashews update
Feb 2, 2008
In the last few days, there has been reasonable activity in the cashew market and prices have moved up a few cents. Business done to USA & Europe - W240 around 3.10, W320 around 2.80, W450 around 2.55 FOB. Most of the trades were for nearbys but some business was done for second quarter as well. Vietnam has been quiet as people started going away for holidays
Spot RCN prices are firm and this is likely to continue in Feb till new crops start in Vietnam, India, West Africa from March onwards. Weather conditions in all these origins have been good and if nothing adverse happens in next few weeks, we can expect good crops in all the origins. RCN price trend will depend on how processors operate in the first few weeks of the crop.
Situation is very difficult. If kernel demand is strong in Feb/Mar, processors will be inclined to be aggressive at the beginning the season and this will put upward pressure on prices. And if kernel market does not support the higher levels, there is a risk of processors holding high priced inventory. If kernel demand slows down, processors might be able to keep away from RCN buying for some time and this will help to keep RCN prices at reasonable levels.
Feb/Mar will be crucial months – trend and volume of kernel activity in this period will have significant impact on the cashew market for rest of the year
Would appreciate your views on the market situation - esp. on the demand side and also how you feel market will move in coming weeks / months + any info from origins
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
In the last few days, there has been reasonable activity in the cashew market and prices have moved up a few cents. Business done to USA & Europe - W240 around 3.10, W320 around 2.80, W450 around 2.55 FOB. Most of the trades were for nearbys but some business was done for second quarter as well. Vietnam has been quiet as people started going away for holidays
Spot RCN prices are firm and this is likely to continue in Feb till new crops start in Vietnam, India, West Africa from March onwards. Weather conditions in all these origins have been good and if nothing adverse happens in next few weeks, we can expect good crops in all the origins. RCN price trend will depend on how processors operate in the first few weeks of the crop.
Situation is very difficult. If kernel demand is strong in Feb/Mar, processors will be inclined to be aggressive at the beginning the season and this will put upward pressure on prices. And if kernel market does not support the higher levels, there is a risk of processors holding high priced inventory. If kernel demand slows down, processors might be able to keep away from RCN buying for some time and this will help to keep RCN prices at reasonable levels.
Feb/Mar will be crucial months – trend and volume of kernel activity in this period will have significant impact on the cashew market for rest of the year
Would appreciate your views on the market situation - esp. on the demand side and also how you feel market will move in coming weeks / months + any info from origins
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
At least eight Japanese were sickened,
Source: Dow Jones Newswires
30/01/2008
Tokyo, Jan. 30 - At least eight Japanese were sickened, including a child who remains in a coma, after eating Chinese-made dumplings contaminated with an insecticide, police and health officials said Wednesday.
A family of three in western Hyogo and another family of five in Chiba, near Tokyo, suffered severe abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea after eating the frozen dumplings imported from China by a Japanese company, the Health Ministry said.
A 5-year-old girl in Chiba remained in a coma and her mother, two brothers and a sister were in serious condition, a Chiba police spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in accordance with police policy.
Investigators found traces of organic phosphorus insecticide in the dumplings, their containers and the patients' vomit, the ministry said in a statement. Authorities were attempting to determine the source of the contamination, it said.
Police were investigating the case, and the ministry has ordered the dumplings' importer and distributor, JT Foods Co. Ltd. - an affiliate of Japan's largest tobacco company - to recall the product.
The dumplings were imported in November from the same Chinese manufacturer, Hebei Foodstuffs Import & Export Group Tianyang Food Processing, the ministry said.
Telephones weren't answered at the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, which oversees the safety of China's exports. The agency's Web site made no mention of the incident.
JT Foods distributed 13 tons of dumplings each in Chiba and Hyogo, the ministry said.
China's exports have come under intense scrutiny in the past year after a number of potentially deadly chemicals were found in goods including toothpaste, toys, pet food and seafood.
China's government launched a four-month campaign last August to improve the quality of Chinese products and restore international confidence in its goods. Officials termed the campaign a success.
30/01/2008
Tokyo, Jan. 30 - At least eight Japanese were sickened, including a child who remains in a coma, after eating Chinese-made dumplings contaminated with an insecticide, police and health officials said Wednesday.
A family of three in western Hyogo and another family of five in Chiba, near Tokyo, suffered severe abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhea after eating the frozen dumplings imported from China by a Japanese company, the Health Ministry said.
A 5-year-old girl in Chiba remained in a coma and her mother, two brothers and a sister were in serious condition, a Chiba police spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in accordance with police policy.
Investigators found traces of organic phosphorus insecticide in the dumplings, their containers and the patients' vomit, the ministry said in a statement. Authorities were attempting to determine the source of the contamination, it said.
Police were investigating the case, and the ministry has ordered the dumplings' importer and distributor, JT Foods Co. Ltd. - an affiliate of Japan's largest tobacco company - to recall the product.
The dumplings were imported in November from the same Chinese manufacturer, Hebei Foodstuffs Import & Export Group Tianyang Food Processing, the ministry said.
Telephones weren't answered at the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, which oversees the safety of China's exports. The agency's Web site made no mention of the incident.
JT Foods distributed 13 tons of dumplings each in Chiba and Hyogo, the ministry said.
China's exports have come under intense scrutiny in the past year after a number of potentially deadly chemicals were found in goods including toothpaste, toys, pet food and seafood.
China's government launched a four-month campaign last August to improve the quality of Chinese products and restore international confidence in its goods. Officials termed the campaign a success.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Vietnam to hold world top cashew exporter position this year
Vietnam’s cashew industry aimed to export 160,000 tons of cashews worth US$680 million in 2008, the Vietnam Cashew Association (VINACAS) said Saturday.
Vietnam was likely to remain the world’s top cashew exporter for the third year in succession, the association said.
The nuts were worth around $4,750 a ton, it said.
Vietnam has exported cashews to 40 countries; the US, China and Europe are the largest markets.
Exports earned $579 million in the first eleven months of last year, 26 percent more than 2006.
Reported by Quang Thuan
Story from Thanh Nien News
Published: 27 January, 2008, 11:50:52 (GMT+7)
Copyright Thanh Nien News
Monday, January 21, 2008
Nut trees hot ticket at nurseries
Bob Krauter
Capital Press
As growers push out older almond orchards like this one near Santa Nella last year, many are replacing them with new trees. A check of major nurseries in the state shows that almonds, walnuts and pistachio trees are in high demand.
California farmers' love affair with nuts shows no signs of stopping anytime soon based on a check of the state's major nurseries. Grower demand for almond, walnut and pistachio trees - in addition to olives and some types of citrus - remains strong.
Jack Poukish, general manager of business and sales for Sierra Gold Nursery in Yuba City, said demand exceeds supply of bareroot walnut trees. Other nuts are going strong, too.
"There is always going to be a strong trend forward for orchardists to lean to lower-labor tree crops - that means almonds, walnuts, this new super high-density olive system for the production of olive oil," Poukish said. "Orchardists are hesitant to increase acreage for high-labor-intensive crops like cherries or peaches."
At 615,000 bearing acres in 2007, almonds are the state's No. 1 nut crop. A decade ago, almond acreage was 442,000 acres, but as acreage has increased the industry's marketing and sales have kept pace. Poukish said sales of almond trees have slowed, but they still represent a major portion of sales for major nurseries.
"A lot of people thought almonds were overdone 10 years ago and we have seen such an expansion of the market and acreage," Poukish said. "Yes, we probably hit a peak about three years ago, but just like it is for Burchell, Wilson and Fowler and the other major bareroot nurseries, it is a significant segment for all of the bareroot nurseries serving orchardists in California. Even if it was just on replant business alone, that's a lot of trees."
The early January winter storms that swept through the Sacramento Valley blew down an estimated 10,000 almond trees, and Poukish said growers are already lining up replacement trees.
Tom Burchell of Burchell Nursery in Modesto, agrees that almonds, walnuts and pistachios are the hot items for nurseries.
"The nuts are going nuts. We wish we had more walnut trees," Burchell said. "Almond sales are a little flat right now, but they have been good. Pistachios have been good."
According to state data, bearing pistachio acreage has risen 68 percent between 1997 and 2006. Walnut acreage is up a healthy 12 percent for the same period.
Both Burchell and Poukish said sales of trees for high-density olive plantings is one of the newest and hottest trends.
"There is a positive trend in the super high-density olives," Poukish said. "There's been significant acreage planted in both the Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley although that is still a very new industry that many people are waiting to see how things go."
Because the high-density olives can be picked mechanically, Poukish said they fit with what California orchardists are looking for to avoid the scarcity and higher costs of labor.
Among the other in-demand trees being planted in the state are seedless citrus, particularly mandarins.
Bob McManaman, nursery sales for Tree Source Citrus Nursery in Exeter, said the Tango variety of seedless mandarin is popular. State data show that bearing acreage of tangerines, mandarins, tangelos and other specialty citrus has risen 61 percent between 1997 and 2006. Seedless mandarins like the Tango have helped lead that charge.
"It is anticipated to be real successful," McManaman said. He added that that the Cara Cara navel orange has seen strong sales in his area and lemons are making a comeback.
"We are seeing a greater interest in lemons than typically what we would. We don't have substantial lemon acreage and we are by no means a premiere lemon area, but for us there is more lemon interest than we have had in the past," he said. The Limoneira 8A Lisbon, because it is less frost sensitive, is the lemon variety that growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley are planting, noted McManaman.
Tom Burchell said apricots have languished for several years. Bearing acreage of apricots has steadily declined from 20,000 acres a decade ago to about 13,800. Jack Poukish said sales of apple trees, which had been on a decline for years, have reversed course.
"There is a pretty good trend on apples and nurseries in the Northwest and those on California that grow apples for the Northwest have been seeing an increasing trend in nursery tree sales," Poukish said.
While sales of prune and cling peach trees have remained stable, pear tree sales have slumped.
The pear thing for nurseries is very dead," Poukish said. "There are no new pear plantings to speak of."
Bartlett pear acreage which hit 15,600 bearing acres in 1997 has dropped to about 12,000 acres.
Bob Krauter is the California editor based in Sacramento. E-mail: bkrauter@capitalpress.com.
Capital Press
As growers push out older almond orchards like this one near Santa Nella last year, many are replacing them with new trees. A check of major nurseries in the state shows that almonds, walnuts and pistachio trees are in high demand.
California farmers' love affair with nuts shows no signs of stopping anytime soon based on a check of the state's major nurseries. Grower demand for almond, walnut and pistachio trees - in addition to olives and some types of citrus - remains strong.
Jack Poukish, general manager of business and sales for Sierra Gold Nursery in Yuba City, said demand exceeds supply of bareroot walnut trees. Other nuts are going strong, too.
"There is always going to be a strong trend forward for orchardists to lean to lower-labor tree crops - that means almonds, walnuts, this new super high-density olive system for the production of olive oil," Poukish said. "Orchardists are hesitant to increase acreage for high-labor-intensive crops like cherries or peaches."
At 615,000 bearing acres in 2007, almonds are the state's No. 1 nut crop. A decade ago, almond acreage was 442,000 acres, but as acreage has increased the industry's marketing and sales have kept pace. Poukish said sales of almond trees have slowed, but they still represent a major portion of sales for major nurseries.
"A lot of people thought almonds were overdone 10 years ago and we have seen such an expansion of the market and acreage," Poukish said. "Yes, we probably hit a peak about three years ago, but just like it is for Burchell, Wilson and Fowler and the other major bareroot nurseries, it is a significant segment for all of the bareroot nurseries serving orchardists in California. Even if it was just on replant business alone, that's a lot of trees."
The early January winter storms that swept through the Sacramento Valley blew down an estimated 10,000 almond trees, and Poukish said growers are already lining up replacement trees.
Tom Burchell of Burchell Nursery in Modesto, agrees that almonds, walnuts and pistachios are the hot items for nurseries.
"The nuts are going nuts. We wish we had more walnut trees," Burchell said. "Almond sales are a little flat right now, but they have been good. Pistachios have been good."
According to state data, bearing pistachio acreage has risen 68 percent between 1997 and 2006. Walnut acreage is up a healthy 12 percent for the same period.
Both Burchell and Poukish said sales of trees for high-density olive plantings is one of the newest and hottest trends.
"There is a positive trend in the super high-density olives," Poukish said. "There's been significant acreage planted in both the Sacramento Valley and the San Joaquin Valley although that is still a very new industry that many people are waiting to see how things go."
Because the high-density olives can be picked mechanically, Poukish said they fit with what California orchardists are looking for to avoid the scarcity and higher costs of labor.
Among the other in-demand trees being planted in the state are seedless citrus, particularly mandarins.
Bob McManaman, nursery sales for Tree Source Citrus Nursery in Exeter, said the Tango variety of seedless mandarin is popular. State data show that bearing acreage of tangerines, mandarins, tangelos and other specialty citrus has risen 61 percent between 1997 and 2006. Seedless mandarins like the Tango have helped lead that charge.
"It is anticipated to be real successful," McManaman said. He added that that the Cara Cara navel orange has seen strong sales in his area and lemons are making a comeback.
"We are seeing a greater interest in lemons than typically what we would. We don't have substantial lemon acreage and we are by no means a premiere lemon area, but for us there is more lemon interest than we have had in the past," he said. The Limoneira 8A Lisbon, because it is less frost sensitive, is the lemon variety that growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley are planting, noted McManaman.
Tom Burchell said apricots have languished for several years. Bearing acreage of apricots has steadily declined from 20,000 acres a decade ago to about 13,800. Jack Poukish said sales of apple trees, which had been on a decline for years, have reversed course.
"There is a pretty good trend on apples and nurseries in the Northwest and those on California that grow apples for the Northwest have been seeing an increasing trend in nursery tree sales," Poukish said.
While sales of prune and cling peach trees have remained stable, pear tree sales have slumped.
The pear thing for nurseries is very dead," Poukish said. "There are no new pear plantings to speak of."
Bartlett pear acreage which hit 15,600 bearing acres in 1997 has dropped to about 12,000 acres.
Bob Krauter is the California editor based in Sacramento. E-mail: bkrauter@capitalpress.com.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Weekly Cashews Update
Jan 19, 2008
Cashew market has been very quiet in the last two weeks but sellers price ideas have moved up a few cents due to higher RCN prices & weaker USD.. Last traded levels were W240 around 2.85, W320 around 2.55 FOB (about ten days ago) and now sellers are asking minimum 10 cents higher (large packers are not offering). Except for stray sales to some markets, there has not been any business at higher levels to main line markets but there is reasonable interest at last traded levels
RCN prices in all origins have moved up (as there is not much available now). Even in India, small processors who cater to domestic market are buying spot parcels of imported RCN at high prices. This will continue for few weeks until newcrop arrivals start. So far conditions in all origins have been good - in coming weeks we can expect various news & rumours which will affect market sentiment & prices but cleatr picture will not be available for quite some time
In importing countries, inventories are low and if demand for deliveries in first quarter is high, prompt shipment demand will continue and this will keep the market firm. Otherwise, there is a possibility that prices may ease in Feb/Mar when RCN arrivals start in Vietnam and India
Overall, downside is limited and volatility may be high in the next month or two. Activity in this period will have an important impact on prices for rest of the year
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Cashew market has been very quiet in the last two weeks but sellers price ideas have moved up a few cents due to higher RCN prices & weaker USD.. Last traded levels were W240 around 2.85, W320 around 2.55 FOB (about ten days ago) and now sellers are asking minimum 10 cents higher (large packers are not offering). Except for stray sales to some markets, there has not been any business at higher levels to main line markets but there is reasonable interest at last traded levels
RCN prices in all origins have moved up (as there is not much available now). Even in India, small processors who cater to domestic market are buying spot parcels of imported RCN at high prices. This will continue for few weeks until newcrop arrivals start. So far conditions in all origins have been good - in coming weeks we can expect various news & rumours which will affect market sentiment & prices but cleatr picture will not be available for quite some time
In importing countries, inventories are low and if demand for deliveries in first quarter is high, prompt shipment demand will continue and this will keep the market firm. Otherwise, there is a possibility that prices may ease in Feb/Mar when RCN arrivals start in Vietnam and India
Overall, downside is limited and volatility may be high in the next month or two. Activity in this period will have an important impact on prices for rest of the year
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Almonds Market update from Ned
Dear Friends:
Happy New Year! We are off to a quiet start as the almonds market prices remain steady to slightly lower from last month. Almond Board Position Report for December was released last Tuesday showing record shipments for December at 94.5 million (just ahead of last December‘s 94 mil) and record crop receipts of 1.314 billion. We expect total receipts to be in the range of 1.350 to 1.360 billion—a little more than the 1.330 billion estimate. As for the market, buyers are holding off covering more at this time in hopes of lower prices. Most handlers are holding firm at present prices, so we have a standoff. Commitments remain ahead of last year and most handlers are busy shipping this month, so we don’t expect much price decline in the near future. Buyers and sellers will be watching pollination outlook a month from now as we begin bloom. These observations will affect market prices up or down. We always recommend covering needs gradually over the crop year for an average price and minimum risk.
Here is how the supply looks for the remaining 7 months of the crop year—same as projected last month:
Carry in Aug 1, 2007 134 mil lbs
2007 crop marketable (97%) 1320
Supply 1454
Shipments expected 1200 (1066 last year + 13%)
Carry out July 31, 2008 254
Now that the supply is known, the only variable is demand. Year to date, we have shipped 14% more than last year. We need to ship 10 to 15% more, which would leave a carryout of 225 to 275 mil lbs, so need to keep up the present pace of shipments. As always, we have the potential for price decrease (slowing shipments &/or good pollination) and for price increase (stronger shipments &/or poor pollination). Following prices are at the asking or trading level. Many buyers are looking for .05 to .10/lb lower:
Following are market prices, unpasteurized.
2007 crop
Nonpareil Supreme 23/25 2.70
Nonpareil Supreme 27/30 2.35
Carmel SSR 23/25 AOL 2.30
Butte SSR 27/30 AOL 2.05
Cal Std unsized 5% 1.90
Blanched Sliced 2.75
Please send your comments and questions.
Best regards, Ned
Ned T Ryan
Happy New Year! We are off to a quiet start as the almonds market prices remain steady to slightly lower from last month. Almond Board Position Report for December was released last Tuesday showing record shipments for December at 94.5 million (just ahead of last December‘s 94 mil) and record crop receipts of 1.314 billion. We expect total receipts to be in the range of 1.350 to 1.360 billion—a little more than the 1.330 billion estimate. As for the market, buyers are holding off covering more at this time in hopes of lower prices. Most handlers are holding firm at present prices, so we have a standoff. Commitments remain ahead of last year and most handlers are busy shipping this month, so we don’t expect much price decline in the near future. Buyers and sellers will be watching pollination outlook a month from now as we begin bloom. These observations will affect market prices up or down. We always recommend covering needs gradually over the crop year for an average price and minimum risk.
Here is how the supply looks for the remaining 7 months of the crop year—same as projected last month:
Carry in Aug 1, 2007 134 mil lbs
2007 crop marketable (97%) 1320
Supply 1454
Shipments expected 1200 (1066 last year + 13%)
Carry out July 31, 2008 254
Now that the supply is known, the only variable is demand. Year to date, we have shipped 14% more than last year. We need to ship 10 to 15% more, which would leave a carryout of 225 to 275 mil lbs, so need to keep up the present pace of shipments. As always, we have the potential for price decrease (slowing shipments &/or good pollination) and for price increase (stronger shipments &/or poor pollination). Following prices are at the asking or trading level. Many buyers are looking for .05 to .10/lb lower:
Following are market prices, unpasteurized.
2007 crop
Nonpareil Supreme 23/25 2.70
Nonpareil Supreme 27/30 2.35
Carmel SSR 23/25 AOL 2.30
Butte SSR 27/30 AOL 2.05
Cal Std unsized 5% 1.90
Blanched Sliced 2.75
Please send your comments and questions.
Best regards, Ned
Ned T Ryan
Monday, December 24, 2007
Weekly Cashews Report
Dec 22, 2007
Market has been quiet in the last two weeks – not much trading from India with USA & Europe but steady business with other markets. Prices have come down few cents from the peaks of November. Levels traded W240 around 2.95, W320 around 2.60, W450 around 2.50 FOB
USA & Europe are showing interest at the lower levels – Indian packers are not keen to sell at these levels but there are reports of some sales from Vietnam for Apr forwards..
No fresh news from Brazil – jury is still out on the size of the crop… if it is as small as some people say, availability from Brazil in 2008 will be much lower than last few years
Rawcashew prices are steady – Tanzania around 1050-1075, Mozambique around 850 C&F. It seems availability from these two origins will be more or less the same as last year but prices are substantially higher & with increased processing costs, the parity is higher than current kernel prices
Going into 2008, the cashew market is at a crossroad. If the NEED of USA & Europe buyers to cover in Jan/Feb is high (like it was in Nov) then prices will move up again and timing will be very wrong. RCN prices in second quarter – when over 70% of the world crop is traded – will be high. If processors are forced to buy RCN at high prices, it will set the floor for kernel prices for Apr/May forwards - it will be interesting to see what impact it will have on buying for second half of the year. On the other hand, if buyers do not NEED to buy too much in the first quarter, prices will remain in a reasonable range and there may not be much movement
First few weeks of 2008 are going to be unusually crucial & critical – volume of activity in this period will have great impact on price (and demand) trend and consequently the fortunes of the cashew sector for rest of the year
Would appreciate your comments on market situation, consumption trends, forecast of demand and market trend.... and any other info / news
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Market has been quiet in the last two weeks – not much trading from India with USA & Europe but steady business with other markets. Prices have come down few cents from the peaks of November. Levels traded W240 around 2.95, W320 around 2.60, W450 around 2.50 FOB
USA & Europe are showing interest at the lower levels – Indian packers are not keen to sell at these levels but there are reports of some sales from Vietnam for Apr forwards..
No fresh news from Brazil – jury is still out on the size of the crop… if it is as small as some people say, availability from Brazil in 2008 will be much lower than last few years
Rawcashew prices are steady – Tanzania around 1050-1075, Mozambique around 850 C&F. It seems availability from these two origins will be more or less the same as last year but prices are substantially higher & with increased processing costs, the parity is higher than current kernel prices
Going into 2008, the cashew market is at a crossroad. If the NEED of USA & Europe buyers to cover in Jan/Feb is high (like it was in Nov) then prices will move up again and timing will be very wrong. RCN prices in second quarter – when over 70% of the world crop is traded – will be high. If processors are forced to buy RCN at high prices, it will set the floor for kernel prices for Apr/May forwards - it will be interesting to see what impact it will have on buying for second half of the year. On the other hand, if buyers do not NEED to buy too much in the first quarter, prices will remain in a reasonable range and there may not be much movement
First few weeks of 2008 are going to be unusually crucial & critical – volume of activity in this period will have great impact on price (and demand) trend and consequently the fortunes of the cashew sector for rest of the year
Would appreciate your comments on market situation, consumption trends, forecast of demand and market trend.... and any other info / news
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Israel seeks US help to fight Iranian pistachios
Posted Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:50am AEDT
A US official says Israel has asked for US help in cracking down on illegal pistachio nut imports from Iran, after Washington warned the trade was hurting efforts to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.
Israel imports pistachios worth 100 million shekels ($29.8 million) annually, mostly from Turkey.
But Washington says nuts from arch-foe Iran are mixed in with the shipments, undermining economic sanctions meant to force Tehran to stop developing its nuclear capabilities.
US Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum urged Israeli Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon this week to combat the problem. Mr Simhon agreed, but asked for guidance on how Israel might proceed.
"Israel doesn't have to be urged too much to do something that will deny Iran trade dollars," said Zvi Alon, an official in Israel's Agriculture Ministry.
A US official says Israel has asked for US help in cracking down on illegal pistachio nut imports from Iran, after Washington warned the trade was hurting efforts to curb Tehran's nuclear programme.
Israel imports pistachios worth 100 million shekels ($29.8 million) annually, mostly from Turkey.
But Washington says nuts from arch-foe Iran are mixed in with the shipments, undermining economic sanctions meant to force Tehran to stop developing its nuclear capabilities.
US Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum urged Israeli Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon this week to combat the problem. Mr Simhon agreed, but asked for guidance on how Israel might proceed.
"Israel doesn't have to be urged too much to do something that will deny Iran trade dollars," said Zvi Alon, an official in Israel's Agriculture Ministry.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Is She A Nut ? Please Comment
Please Comment and tell me What you think ? the funniest comment gets 5 free pound of pistachio nuts
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
India, Brazil, Vietnam launch cashew alliance
newsIndia, Brazil and Vietnam, the three main cashew producers, have formed a global alliance for cashew with a view to protecting their interests, union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh said. The grouping would have its headquarters in India and the government is debating the feasibility of locating it at Kochi, Kollam, Bangalore or Mumbai amidst pressures for locating it at Kollam, the minister said at a press meet.Unlike the OPEC, the minister said, the cashew alliance would work as a lose confederation of three major cashew producers of the world, aiming to ensure that interests of the three countries do not get hurt. India, which produces and imports half a million tonnes of cashew annually, is the world's largest cashew producer, importer, processor and consumer. The alliance will ensure that high productivity in a country will not have destabilising effect in the other two countries, he said. The concept was ready and the three countries have agreed for such an alliance. In the next six months, a decision in this regard is likely to be taken, he said. On the proposal for setting up a cashew board, the minister said the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade had been asked to carry out a study on the best way to organise the cashew industry in India.A global alliance for promotion of cashew had already come into force with two of the three major cashew producing and exporting countries as India and Vietnam and signing an agreement in this regard in January. Besides ensuring price stability, Brazil, India and Vietnam will work jointly and through their governments to induce international organisations like FAO, UNIDO and other similar agencies to focus on cashews with the objective of increasing consumption of cashews in all countries as a food of importance.These countries intend to work towards promotion of cashews in new and expanding areas of indirect consumption such as chocolate, confectionery and bakery products, and as food ingredients. Apart from promoting the commodity, these countries want to work in a spirit of cooperation for research and development, primarily for studies in nutritional and health benefits and product development.The alliance also plans to enlist the support of the International Nuts and Dried Fruits Council, which is specialised in the promotion of treenuts and dried fruits.The three countries would also regularly exchange information on crop prospects; production, import and export figures; reliable market information; and government policies affecting the industry. Source: domain-b.com
newsIndia, Brazil and Vietnam, the three main cashew producers, have formed a global alliance for cashew with a view to protecting their interests, union minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh said. The grouping would have its headquarters in India and the government is debating the feasibility of locating it at Kochi, Kollam, Bangalore or Mumbai amidst pressures for locating it at Kollam, the minister said at a press meet.Unlike the OPEC, the minister said, the cashew alliance would work as a lose confederation of three major cashew producers of the world, aiming to ensure that interests of the three countries do not get hurt. India, which produces and imports half a million tonnes of cashew annually, is the world's largest cashew producer, importer, processor and consumer. The alliance will ensure that high productivity in a country will not have destabilising effect in the other two countries, he said. The concept was ready and the three countries have agreed for such an alliance. In the next six months, a decision in this regard is likely to be taken, he said. On the proposal for setting up a cashew board, the minister said the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade had been asked to carry out a study on the best way to organise the cashew industry in India.A global alliance for promotion of cashew had already come into force with two of the three major cashew producing and exporting countries as India and Vietnam and signing an agreement in this regard in January. Besides ensuring price stability, Brazil, India and Vietnam will work jointly and through their governments to induce international organisations like FAO, UNIDO and other similar agencies to focus on cashews with the objective of increasing consumption of cashews in all countries as a food of importance.These countries intend to work towards promotion of cashews in new and expanding areas of indirect consumption such as chocolate, confectionery and bakery products, and as food ingredients. Apart from promoting the commodity, these countries want to work in a spirit of cooperation for research and development, primarily for studies in nutritional and health benefits and product development.The alliance also plans to enlist the support of the International Nuts and Dried Fruits Council, which is specialised in the promotion of treenuts and dried fruits.The three countries would also regularly exchange information on crop prospects; production, import and export figures; reliable market information; and government policies affecting the industry. Source: domain-b.com
UNNATI GANDHI
From Friday's Globe and Mail
December 7, 2007 at 4:52 AM EST
A cocktail of poor weather conditions, health-conscious consumers and the generous use of cranberries in everything from trail mixes to lotions has led to an industry-wide shortage of the tart red fruit this year, production and retail officials say.
And the timing couldn't have been worse, with the annual cranberry binge set to begin with the holiday season.
Blake Johnston, president of Canada's largest cranberry packing company, Bezanson & Chase of Aylesford, N.S., said he has produced 50 per cent fewer cranberries this season than expected.
"I'm short two million pounds of fresh cranberries, and that shortage started in September and continued through the season. And I've already gone through about two million pounds this year," he said in a telephone interview from Wisconsin. "I'm out here right now looking for cranberries, and there are none." Shortages tend to mean price hikes on dwindling inventories.
Prices have gone up by as much as 20 per cent in some markets this year, according to Jean-François Bieler of Atoka Cranberries in Manseau, Que.
According to data from the Cranberry Marketing Company, a U.S. industry group, the wholesale price of cranberry-juice concentrate charged by processors to juice makers and other distributors increased to $65 (U.S.) a gallon last month from $45 in August.
Mr. Bieler is one of those dried cranberry and juice concentrate processors. His company operates the largest single-site cranberry farm in the world, and exports 90 per cent of its inventory.
Mr. Bieler said that with a 15-per-cent decline in supply industry-wide since last year, and at least a 7-per-cent increase in demand, price increases this season are going to be "pretty impressive," going well beyond the average $2.99 per 12 oz. package.
In Canada, where cranberries are typically grown in Atlantic Canada and Ontario's Muskoka region, cooler and drier than normal summers in Quebec and New Brunswick this year have led to a 30-per-cent crop decline, he said.
"All I can suggest is if you see fresh cranberries in the supermarket, buy them now and put them in the freezer," Mr. Bieler said.
Tammy Smitham, spokeswoman for A&P, said there was a shortage in supplies after the U.S. Thanksgiving, but the chain is hopeful that it will have enough to last through to Christmas.
"But there won't be any especially hot advertising or promotion on it because we want to be able to ensure that we can meet demand right through," she said.
What's driving the increase in demand, which has steadily risen by 20 per cent each of the past five years in Canada and the United States, Mr. Bieler said, is the use of cranberries in everything "healthy," including cereals, granola bars and snacks.
"Whereas before it used to be just around the holidays, it's almost a staple food now. There's less and less seasonality with cranberries now."
Much of that is attributed to the marketing efforts of industry leader Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., which has been promoting the health benefits of the fruit for several years. Included in that is research that has shown cranberry juice may prevent urinary tract infections. Several studies have found that that the fruit also has high levels of antioxidants.
"We've had wild increase in demand for our products over the past year or two ... definitely in the double digits internationally and domestically," Ocean Spray spokesman Chris Phillips said.
Marc Stevens
From Friday's Globe and Mail
December 7, 2007 at 4:52 AM EST
A cocktail of poor weather conditions, health-conscious consumers and the generous use of cranberries in everything from trail mixes to lotions has led to an industry-wide shortage of the tart red fruit this year, production and retail officials say.
And the timing couldn't have been worse, with the annual cranberry binge set to begin with the holiday season.
Blake Johnston, president of Canada's largest cranberry packing company, Bezanson & Chase of Aylesford, N.S., said he has produced 50 per cent fewer cranberries this season than expected.
"I'm short two million pounds of fresh cranberries, and that shortage started in September and continued through the season. And I've already gone through about two million pounds this year," he said in a telephone interview from Wisconsin. "I'm out here right now looking for cranberries, and there are none." Shortages tend to mean price hikes on dwindling inventories.
Prices have gone up by as much as 20 per cent in some markets this year, according to Jean-François Bieler of Atoka Cranberries in Manseau, Que.
According to data from the Cranberry Marketing Company, a U.S. industry group, the wholesale price of cranberry-juice concentrate charged by processors to juice makers and other distributors increased to $65 (U.S.) a gallon last month from $45 in August.
Mr. Bieler is one of those dried cranberry and juice concentrate processors. His company operates the largest single-site cranberry farm in the world, and exports 90 per cent of its inventory.
Mr. Bieler said that with a 15-per-cent decline in supply industry-wide since last year, and at least a 7-per-cent increase in demand, price increases this season are going to be "pretty impressive," going well beyond the average $2.99 per 12 oz. package.
In Canada, where cranberries are typically grown in Atlantic Canada and Ontario's Muskoka region, cooler and drier than normal summers in Quebec and New Brunswick this year have led to a 30-per-cent crop decline, he said.
"All I can suggest is if you see fresh cranberries in the supermarket, buy them now and put them in the freezer," Mr. Bieler said.
Tammy Smitham, spokeswoman for A&P, said there was a shortage in supplies after the U.S. Thanksgiving, but the chain is hopeful that it will have enough to last through to Christmas.
"But there won't be any especially hot advertising or promotion on it because we want to be able to ensure that we can meet demand right through," she said.
What's driving the increase in demand, which has steadily risen by 20 per cent each of the past five years in Canada and the United States, Mr. Bieler said, is the use of cranberries in everything "healthy," including cereals, granola bars and snacks.
"Whereas before it used to be just around the holidays, it's almost a staple food now. There's less and less seasonality with cranberries now."
Much of that is attributed to the marketing efforts of industry leader Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., which has been promoting the health benefits of the fruit for several years. Included in that is research that has shown cranberry juice may prevent urinary tract infections. Several studies have found that that the fruit also has high levels of antioxidants.
"We've had wild increase in demand for our products over the past year or two ... definitely in the double digits internationally and domestically," Ocean Spray spokesman Chris Phillips said.
Marc Stevens
Monday, December 10, 2007
Weekly Cashews Update Dec 8, 2007
After a month of continuous rise, cashew market is taking a breather and prices dipped a bit – levels traded at the end of this week W240 around 3.00, W320 around 2.65, W450 around 2.50 FOB. There was limited activity – most of it from small & medium packers in India except for the broken grades where Vietnam was more active due to their lower prices.
Brazil continues to be quiet – in the next few weeks, there should be some selling interest from there unless the crop is very very bad. If crop is around 275,000mt as many people expect, they will have a reasonable quantity to sell for FH 2008 shipment as they do not seem to have sold much so far.
Indonesia & East Africa RCN prices did come down a bit this week following quiet kernel market but they are still at disparity considering that outturns are lower and forward kernel sales are not easy.. Processors are buying against earlier sales which were at much lower levels and they will only buy as much as they absolutely need to, unless prices ease further
If nearby short positions are covered, kernel buyers might decide to limit their buying over the next few weeks to cover gaps.. This will bring some sanity to the market but if the demand after holidays is anything like what we saw in Nov, prices may go up again in Jan/Feb.. This will mean higher RCN prices in India, Vietnam, West Africa and consequently keep kernel prices high throughout 2008
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
After a month of continuous rise, cashew market is taking a breather and prices dipped a bit – levels traded at the end of this week W240 around 3.00, W320 around 2.65, W450 around 2.50 FOB. There was limited activity – most of it from small & medium packers in India except for the broken grades where Vietnam was more active due to their lower prices.
Brazil continues to be quiet – in the next few weeks, there should be some selling interest from there unless the crop is very very bad. If crop is around 275,000mt as many people expect, they will have a reasonable quantity to sell for FH 2008 shipment as they do not seem to have sold much so far.
Indonesia & East Africa RCN prices did come down a bit this week following quiet kernel market but they are still at disparity considering that outturns are lower and forward kernel sales are not easy.. Processors are buying against earlier sales which were at much lower levels and they will only buy as much as they absolutely need to, unless prices ease further
If nearby short positions are covered, kernel buyers might decide to limit their buying over the next few weeks to cover gaps.. This will bring some sanity to the market but if the demand after holidays is anything like what we saw in Nov, prices may go up again in Jan/Feb.. This will mean higher RCN prices in India, Vietnam, West Africa and consequently keep kernel prices high throughout 2008
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
US asks Israel to stop importing pistachio from Iran
Washington displeased with nuts smuggled to Turkey from Tehran and imported to Jewish state
Itamar Eichner
Published:
US Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum demanded Monday that the Israeli import from Turkey of pistachio nuts originating in Iran be halted immediately, Yedioth Ahronoth has learned.
The US undersecretary met with Israeli Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon in Rome during a conference organized by the International Food and Agricultural Organization.
Bill:
'No economic ties between Israel, Iran' / Tzvi Lavi
Opposition Chairman Netanyahu presents Knesset with legislative initiative prohibiting Israeli institutional bodies from investing in companies that have business ties with Iran
Full story
The Israeli embassy in Italy reported to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem that the Americans are working to stop the export of Iranian pistachio nuts as part of the economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic republic.
Keenum told Simhon that it was absurd that Israel was purchasing most of its pistachio nuts from an enemy state. According to the undersecretary, Washington was extremely troubled by this, as US pistachio growers have protested the fact that America's friend favors Iranian pistachio nuts over American ones.
Simhon, who was surprised by the information, promised to act immediately to halt the import of the forbidden pistachio nuts. "Israel is not interested in helping Iran's economy," he said.
Iran is the world's biggest exporter of pistachio nuts, while Israel is the world's biggest importer of pistachio.
"We all know what the Israelis like to do on Friday night in front of their television sets," said Zvi Alon, senior deputy-director general (foreign trade) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. "The Israelis just love their pistachio nuts."
Monday, November 19, 2007
Weekly cashews Update
Nov 17, 2007
The climb continues… during this week, price for benchmark W320 grade moved up more than 4% - 10 cents a lb. Other grades also moved up by around 5 cents. Business was done from India & Vietnam for W240 around 2.90, W320 around 2.55, W450 around 2.40 FOB. There are reports of sales few cents higher as well. USA was the most active buyer but other markets also participated to some extent
Brazil is still not offering any significant quantities – in addition to the effects of the strong Real, processors are probably concerned about size of the crop following the delay in arrivals in the main growing areas
Cashew Board of Tanzania announced daily auctions in different areas but like the procurement policy, the auction rules also are unworkable. Due to the limited availability of RCN, prices for the only available origin – Indonesia – have gone up to a level that is unworkable even at the increased kernel prices
One significant factor of the last three weeks has been that although market has gone up 10%, the volume traded has been small. We can see two reasons for this limited volume (1) most processors have adequate sales for next few months and in a sharply rising market, they are reluctant to sell large quantities – more so, due to uncertainty of RCN pricing and weak USD (2) although there has been some buying by roasters, most of the buying has been short covering by importers who were waiting for Brazil & Tanzania crops to cover Oct-Mar requirements but are now forced to chase limited quantities. Delays from some suppliers in India & Vietnam have added to the quantities they need to buy. But, they are buying only what they absolutely need to fulfill delivery commitments
Buyers are not willing to buy any large quantities for forwards at higher levels as they are not sure these levels can be sustained when Northern Hemisphere crops start in March.. Although there is a temporary squeeze in supplies there is no significant change in overall availability.. Current price rise seems to be combination of this temporary squeeze + precautionary buying + shipment delays
As we said in our previous reports, if the market strength continues in the first quarter of 2008 it will lead to higher RCN prices in second quarter which will mean that processors will have to sell in 2008 at prices substantially higher than what we have been used to in the last couple of years
The weak USD will certainly soften the blow for the roasters & retailers in non-US markets (in some cases there will be hardly any change in price) but the adverse impact on rawmaterial & processing costs in origins is quite significant
In any commodity, a sudden change in prices – up or down – has more adverse & less beneficial impact. Sudden moves – without significant change in fundamentals - give misleading signals to people who do not look at the wider picture & their reactions distort operations for all stakeholders in the chain which is not good for the growth and health of the business
We can expect uncertainty – and scarcity of offers - to continue for a few weeks and this should give everyone time to reflect on how they should react to the current situation
Would appreciate your views on present market situation, your forecast on activity & price trend for next 2-3 months and your insight on movements on demand side for 2008
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Nov 17, 2007
The climb continues… during this week, price for benchmark W320 grade moved up more than 4% - 10 cents a lb. Other grades also moved up by around 5 cents. Business was done from India & Vietnam for W240 around 2.90, W320 around 2.55, W450 around 2.40 FOB. There are reports of sales few cents higher as well. USA was the most active buyer but other markets also participated to some extent
Brazil is still not offering any significant quantities – in addition to the effects of the strong Real, processors are probably concerned about size of the crop following the delay in arrivals in the main growing areas
Cashew Board of Tanzania announced daily auctions in different areas but like the procurement policy, the auction rules also are unworkable. Due to the limited availability of RCN, prices for the only available origin – Indonesia – have gone up to a level that is unworkable even at the increased kernel prices
One significant factor of the last three weeks has been that although market has gone up 10%, the volume traded has been small. We can see two reasons for this limited volume (1) most processors have adequate sales for next few months and in a sharply rising market, they are reluctant to sell large quantities – more so, due to uncertainty of RCN pricing and weak USD (2) although there has been some buying by roasters, most of the buying has been short covering by importers who were waiting for Brazil & Tanzania crops to cover Oct-Mar requirements but are now forced to chase limited quantities. Delays from some suppliers in India & Vietnam have added to the quantities they need to buy. But, they are buying only what they absolutely need to fulfill delivery commitments
Buyers are not willing to buy any large quantities for forwards at higher levels as they are not sure these levels can be sustained when Northern Hemisphere crops start in March.. Although there is a temporary squeeze in supplies there is no significant change in overall availability.. Current price rise seems to be combination of this temporary squeeze + precautionary buying + shipment delays
As we said in our previous reports, if the market strength continues in the first quarter of 2008 it will lead to higher RCN prices in second quarter which will mean that processors will have to sell in 2008 at prices substantially higher than what we have been used to in the last couple of years
The weak USD will certainly soften the blow for the roasters & retailers in non-US markets (in some cases there will be hardly any change in price) but the adverse impact on rawmaterial & processing costs in origins is quite significant
In any commodity, a sudden change in prices – up or down – has more adverse & less beneficial impact. Sudden moves – without significant change in fundamentals - give misleading signals to people who do not look at the wider picture & their reactions distort operations for all stakeholders in the chain which is not good for the growth and health of the business
We can expect uncertainty – and scarcity of offers - to continue for a few weeks and this should give everyone time to reflect on how they should react to the current situation
Would appreciate your views on present market situation, your forecast on activity & price trend for next 2-3 months and your insight on movements on demand side for 2008
Regards
Pankaj N. Sampat
Monday, November 12, 2007
Our weekly cashews update
Nov 12, 2007
Cashew market continued its upward movement last week - business was done W240 around 2.85, W320 around 2.45, W450 around 2.30 FOB. There were rumours of some trades for W320 few cents higher as well. There was a fair amount of buying interest from USA at these levels and other markets are also picking up some quantities. Offers from India and Vietnam are limited - processors are concerned how things will move in coming weeks after the big jump on small volume. Processors in Brazil are still not offering any significant quantities... and this situation will continue until RCN arrivals pick upTanzania RCN has still not started moving. Until the stalemate is resolved, Indian processors will be reluctant to make any large sales for 2008 shipments as they do not know what price they will have to pay for seed for first quarter processing. If buying interest does not subside in coming weeks, we could be looking at firmer market throughout 2008 but on the other hand, if buyers keep away from the market for few weeks till East Africa & Brazil crops start moving we will see the market stabilising around current levels.. After that, next direction - up or down - will depend on how kernel buyers operate in first quarter (just before Vietnam, India, West Africa crops start)
Regards,
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
Nov 12, 2007
Cashew market continued its upward movement last week - business was done W240 around 2.85, W320 around 2.45, W450 around 2.30 FOB. There were rumours of some trades for W320 few cents higher as well. There was a fair amount of buying interest from USA at these levels and other markets are also picking up some quantities. Offers from India and Vietnam are limited - processors are concerned how things will move in coming weeks after the big jump on small volume. Processors in Brazil are still not offering any significant quantities... and this situation will continue until RCN arrivals pick upTanzania RCN has still not started moving. Until the stalemate is resolved, Indian processors will be reluctant to make any large sales for 2008 shipments as they do not know what price they will have to pay for seed for first quarter processing. If buying interest does not subside in coming weeks, we could be looking at firmer market throughout 2008 but on the other hand, if buyers keep away from the market for few weeks till East Africa & Brazil crops start moving we will see the market stabilising around current levels.. After that, next direction - up or down - will depend on how kernel buyers operate in first quarter (just before Vietnam, India, West Africa crops start)
Regards,
Pankaj N. Sampat
Mumbai India
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