World Farming Agriculture Commodity news - Weekly Updated - Exclusive and very popular - Delivering a Media service 365 days of the year.
Two kings stand on opposite sides of the global chessboard, fighting for influence. They eye each other pointedly, and the pawns feel the tension. Instead of moving one step at a time in a prescribed, discrete manner, these kings behave more like knights, free-spirited, jumping over geographies and conventions, and attacking many squares across the board. Their movements are anything but predictable. Sometimes they seem to be part of a well-crafted master plan. At other times, they seem to lack coordination. Indeed, it is hard to move a piece with one hand while the other is rewriting the rules of the game.
The world is now a battlefield between two spheres of influence: the US and China. This power struggle includes wars like those in Ukraine and the Middle East and economic statecraft like tariffs, subsidies, and key export restrictions. Though this may seem obvious to anyone who reads a newspaper today, RaboResearch has been writing about a fragmented world for almost a decade (special credit to our global strategist Michael Every). Whereas agricultural outlooks written four years ago focused on supply and demand as their starting point, in the current climate, we must begin with geopolitics.
Blueberry consumption continues to grow in key markets. In the US, consumption is deepening among top buyers, but household penetration still presents room for growth. There is evidence that overall blueberry demand is increasing significantly and outperforming other fruits. Snacking represents opportunity for future demand growth, both in traditional and emerging markets. Peru's export surge has opened the door for new entrants, but fragmentation remains. Early signs of consolidation across the berry sector suggest a strategic shift toward scale, integration, and year-round supply.
Global blueberry supply is expanding and diversifying, with exports exceeding forecasts and new origins reshaping competition. Peru leads, but Morocco is quickly gaining ground and could eventually overtake Chile and Canada. US production is holding steady, Canada is stabilizing, and Mexico faces pressure to improve cost efficiency. South America is embracing varietal innovation, while Europe is facing labor and regulatory headwinds. Africa is consolidating around Morocco's growth. Meanwhile, China will remain the top producer and is starting to export. Together, these shifts point to a more integrated global supply landscape, where scale, genetics, and logistics will drive future competitiveness.
Global blueberry demand is gaining momentum, led by North America and Europe. US consumption of fresh blueberries exceeds 1.3kg per capita and continues to climb, while EU household purchases remain strong despite price volatility and uneven supply. Asia offers long-term potential, with countries like India and Thailand showing early import growth. China, although the largest producer, still consumes less than 0.5kg per capita, highlighting room for expansion. As health and convenience trends persist, unlocking demand will require targeted marketing, consistent quality, and strategic supply alignment.
In May 2022, the World Bank Group and the G7 Presidency co-convened the Global Alliance for Food Security, which aims to catalyze an immediate and concerted response to the unfolding global hunger crisis. The Alliance has developed the publicly accessible Global Food and Nutrition Security Dashboard, which provides timely information for global and local decision-makers to help improve coordination of the policy and financial response to the food crisis.
The heads of the FAO, IMF, World Bank Group, WFP, and WTO released a Third Joint Statement on February 8, 2023. The statement calls to prevent a worsening of the food and nutrition security crisis, further urgent actions are required to (i) rescue hunger hotspots, (ii) facilitate trade, improve the functioning of markets, and enhance the role of the private sector, and (iii) reform and repurpose harmful subsidies with careful targeting and efficiency. Countries should balance short-term urgent interventions with longer-term resilience efforts as they respond to the crisis.
The live and feeder cattle futures markets during the last half of October and into early November saw steep price downdrafts that included limit-down daily price moves. President Trump shocked cattle futures traders by proclaiming he wants lower beef prices at the meat counter and would import more beef from Argentina. When the cattle futures began to erode on that news and saw their first big down day on Oct. 22, the speculative, chart-based bears began licking their chops. The next session saw active futures contracts close locked down the daily limit. The cattle futures bears mostly kept their foot on the gas until live cattle and feeder futures markets hit multi-month lows two weeks ago. At the same time, spooked cattle futures traders were mostly standing on the sidelines.
Said Glen Ring, veteran livestock market watcher at that time: “What ultimately scares me about the current events is my experience--that when liquidation explodes in the cattle arena, logic flies out the window.” We suspect that late-October/early November selling purge in the cattle futures markets has run its course. Now that the speculative technical traders have played their hand, it’s likely cattle markets will return to trading on the overall supply and demand fundamentals in the cash cattle and beef markets--which remain firmly bullish. Consumer demand for beef remains strong, supporting boxed beef values and packer margins. Fed cattle supplies in feedlots remain historically very tight.
World Farming Agriculture and Commodity news - Short update 10th November 2025
Spain orders nationwide poultry lockdown
Government expands containment measures as bird flu risk rises across Europe
Spain’s Agriculture Ministry on Thursday ordered an immediate nationwide lockdown of all poultry, expanding last week’s restrictions that had applied only to high-risk areas. The move comes amid a sharp rise in avian influenza cases across Europe — 139 since July — including 14 in Spain, with half detected in Castille and León.
The ministry said the new measures were prompted by “an increased risk of the disease entering Spain in the last week.” The order applies to all farms, including organic and small-scale operations, and aims to prevent contact between domestic birds and migratory species that can carry the virus.
Besides mandatory indoor confinement, Spain has banned mixing ducks and geese with other poultry, the use of untreated surface water, and the holding of bird fairs and exhibitions. The expanded lockdown is intended to curb potential transmission routes as neighboring countries also report rising outbreaks.
Brazil’s beef exports surge in November, nearly 70% above 2024 levels
Record-breaking pace continues as U.S., EU, and Chile increase purchases despite tariffs
Brazil’s beef exports have surged sharply in November, with shipments up nearly 70% compared to the same period in 2024, according to preliminary trade data for the first five business days of the month. Exporters shipped an average of 20,100 tonnes per day, versus 12,000 tonnes a year earlier, totaling 100,530 tonnes so far this month — already 44% of November 2024’s total volume of 228,130 tonnes.
The average export price reached $5.51 per kilo, just below October’s $5.54 but 13% higher year-on-year, signaling continued firm global demand. The report notes that Brazil is on track for another record-breaking year after setting all-time highs in both September and October.
Key destinations and market trends. The European Union led the increase in Brazilian beef imports in October, followed by Chile, while the United States boosted purchases for a second straight month despite maintaining an additional tariff on Brazilian beef. Although U.S. import levels remain below pre-tariff volumes, the rebound underscores strong demand amid constrained global supply.
Outlook: With solid external demand and resilient prices, Brazil’s beef sector anticipates a record finish to 2025. Industry analysts say the performance cements Brazil’s position as the world’s leading beef exporter, with further upside possible if China’s state buyers return to the market in December.
Facts and figures regarding cattle prices
A cattle industry contact details: “Cattle prices moving from $210 to $250 from July through September was 85% due to government policies (tariffs with Brazil and Mexican border being closed) not industry manipulation of prices. If the Trump administration wants beef prices down, reopen the Mexico border and let Brazilian imports get back to business as usual. Of note: Brazilian imports is 90% trim and grinds and affects the quick service restaurants more than retail. But all ships move up and down the price ladder with the tide. No Brazil imports acts like pulling back 8% of U.S. production. Please feel free to pass that along to those in this administration that might understand this.” And extremely tight cattle supplies due to smallest cattle herd and smallest beef cow herd since 1951 are a factor, too.
Tyson’s chicken boom defies Trump’s price-fixing claims
Earnings show poultry strength as beef losses deepen amid record cattle costs
Tyson Foods’ latest earnings undercut President Trump’s accusation that U.S. meatpackers have been colluding to inflate beef prices. While Trump has called for a DOJ antitrust investigation, Tyson’s results show the opposite dynamic: packers are losing money on beef as cattle costs surge and herds shrink.
For the September quarter, Tyson reported adjusted earnings of $1.15 per share, beating Wall Street’s 84-cent forecast. Sales grew 2.2% to $13.86 billion, slightly below expectations. The standout performer was chicken, where sales climbed to $4.41 billion, up 3.7% in volume and 28% in operating profit to $457 million. Tyson credited strong demand for affordable proteins as beef prices hit record levels — $12.26 per pound, up from $10.89 a year earlier.
In contrast, Tyson’s beef business posted a $94 million operational loss, with volumes down 8.4% even as prices rose 17%. CEO Donnie King said consumers are turning toward chicken “as an affordable, high-quality protein” while high feed and cattle costs squeeze packers.
The Meat Institute’s Julie Anna Potts added that beef packers “have been operating at a loss due to a tight cattle supply and strong demand.” Live cattle futures have fallen about 6% in the past month but remain 24% higher than a year ago, leaving processors unable to offset record livestock prices.
Looking ahead, Tyson expects 2%–4% sales growth in fiscal 2026, driven largely by chicken, with adjusted operating income projected between $2.1 billion and $2.3 billion.
The beef segment is forecast to post losses of $400 million to $600 million, as USDA projects a 2% decline in beef and 3% drop in pork production next year, while chicken output edges up 1%.
The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by CRA and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
Commodities Top Performers
