Berita Arkib

Buenos Aires, June 28 (OsterDowJones) - Argentina and China havesigned a memorandum of understanding on biotechnology and biosecurity,Argentina's Agriculture Secretariat said Monday.The signing of the memorandum, which took place at the beginning of avisit by Argentine President Nestor Kirchner to China, means Argentinawill work closer with China on agricultural trade and relatedbiotechnology issues."Through this accord, we will look to strengthen the exchange ofinformation between the two countries and, fundamentally, to facilitatethe trade of biotech products," Miguel Campos, Argentina's AgricultureSecretary, said in a statement Monday.China is a major importer of Argentine agricultural goods, especiallysoybeans and soy-based products. Last year, China bought at least $2.2billion worth of agricultural goods, according to Secretariat data."China has become our top trade partner, accounting for 14% of totalArgentine exports," Campos said. "We are very interested in maintainingcooperation with China in different areas, such as biotechnology, bovinegenetics, no-till farming and forestry."As the world's No. 2 user of genetically modified crops, or GMOs,Argentina is also interested in ensuring that China has no problemimporting such goods.To ensure cooperation on this front, Campos said Argentina and Chinawill create a "working group" comprised of technical officials from bothcountries. The aim of the group will be to "facilitate the cross-bordermovement of genetically modified organisms."Roughly 98% of Argentina's soybean crop is genetically modified,according to official data. Moreover, 40% of the country's corn crop ismodified and 20% of its cotton products are derived from GMOs. In total,23% of Argentina's planted crop area is dedicated to farming GMOs.Given that China buys about two-thirds of local soybean exports, thecreation of this new working group is "strategically important" forArgentina."Surely exports to China of new biotechnology products will increase,"the Secretariat said in a statement.Meanwhile, Argentina has also pledged to help China develop its ownbiotechnology program. By 2005, China will have invested $1.2 billionboosting its own biotech program, according to Secretariat data.Cooperation is a big part of Argentina's negotiating strategy withChina. "Cooperation first; then commerce," Campos is fond of saying."From the Secretariat that I run, we will do everything necessary sothat neither geographic distance nor cultural differences become anobstacle to the development of our commercial relationship," Campos said.On Tuesday, Campos will meet with officials from China's animal andvegetable health authority, or AQSIQ, to discuss protocols related to suchimports as citrus and beef, among other goods.Later, Campos will meet with Kirchner to inaugurate a permanentArgentine agricultural attache office in Beijing. Campos knows theposition well, as he was Argentina's agricultural attache in Brazil priorto becoming Agriculture Secretary last year.

30/6/0/4 - The apex body has urged the Indian Government to fix a minimumvalue addition norm of 45 per cent to create a level playing field for theindigenous sector.

30/6/04 - SAWIT Kinabalu Bhd will spend some RM500 million in 10 years todevelop a 50,000ha oil palm plantation under a proposed joint-ventureproject with Yayasan Sabah.

Chicago, June 29 (OsterDowJones) - The U.S. Department of AgricultureTuesday announced that it will donate 6,000 metric tons of refinedsunflower seed oil to International Orthodox Christian Charities, Inc.(IOCC), a private voluntary organization, for use in Bosnia andHerzegovina.IOCC will sell 6,000 tons of refined sunflower seed oil in Bosnia andHerzegovina and use the proceeds to provide technical assistance, directloans, improve farm efficiency and competitiveness, and to assist in theformation of agricultural associations.The donation will be made under USDA's Food for Progress program,administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service. The supply period forthis donation is fiscal year 2004.The Food for Progress program provides for USDA donations ofagricultural commodities to needy countries to encourage economic oragricultural reforms that foster free enterprise. This year, USDA expectsto donate almost 600,000 tons of U.S. commodities under Food for Progressusing both CCC funds and transfers from P.L. 480 Title I.

30/6/04 - THE Indian Government has given a further three-month reprievefor utilisation of the zero-duty one-lakh-tonne (lt) annual vanaspatiimport quota from Nepal for 2003-04.

6/28/2004 BUSINESS TIMES - MALAYSIA plans to reduce its palm oilproduction cost to remain competitive globally by setting upfully-automated palm oil mills on estates to cut labour cost.

NEW DELHI, June 25 Asia Pulse - The edible oil industry today demandednegotiations at WTO for increasing the bound rate on soya oil to 45 percent and exclusion of the sector from free (FTAs) and preferential tradeagreements with other countries.

28/6/04 - LOCAL shippers (importers and exporters) are pushing forlegislation that will compel shipping lines to consult and negotiate withthem before any tariff amendments.

6/25/2004 INTERFAX - Investment in Russia's fats and oils complex comesto $250 million annually, deputy chief of the Agriculture Ministry'sfederal agriculture agency Vladimir Kaishev has announced.

6/23/2004 Agra Europe - China's highly-stretched agriculture sector cannotkeep up with expanding domestic demand for oilseeds and products or grainsand the country will have to continue high imports, Hamburg-basednewsletter Oil World said on Tuesday.

Bangkok - June 21, 2004 - MD Chusak Prachayangprecha of Chumporn Palm OilIndustry PCL says the company plans on doubling production capacity tomeet an anticipated increase in demand in markets at home and abroad.

25/6/04 - CRUDE palm oil (CPO) prices are expected to strengthen in thenear to medium term due to stronger demand and low stockpile of the world’s other 16 edible oils and fats.