Nigeria tomato processing plants require 3m tonnes of quality fruits to feed local demand

Tomato Processing

Tomato processing plants would need up to three million metric tonnes of quality processing grade tomato fruits domestically to feed Nigeria’s local demand for tomato puree sufficiently, says Hussaini Ibrahim, the director-general of the Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC). He said that access to improved seeds had become imperative for the government’s drive […]

Soybeans, corn futures see above 1% increase as U.S. crop condition slump

Soybean

Chicago soybean and corn futures saw an increase of more than one percent each on Tuesday supported by a slight decline in the condition of both crops which have benefited from near-perfect weather across the U.S. Midwest. Wheat edged higher, recouping last session’s deep losses as the market was supported by lower production in the […]

Insurgency denies Nigerian farmers sorghum export opportunity

Sorghum farmers in Nigeria have been denied a unique opportunity to benefit from the trade spat between China and the United States as a result of continuing insurgency in the country, especially in the northern parts of Nigeria. Chinese importers seeking alternative sources of sorghum are finding Nigeria, the world’s second-largest producer, unable to fill […]

China rouses interest in Indonesia palm oil import

China’s interest in Indonesian palm oil appears roused as Li Keqiang, the premier, State Council of the People’s Republic of China has said on Monday the country was considering raising import quota of Indonesian product by at least 500,000 tonnes, according to a report monitored by businessamlive.com. Speaking after a meeting with Indonesian President Joko […]

Olam sees cocoa demand overwhelming output next season

The world’s third-biggest processor, Olam International Ltd. has indicated rising consumption will probably flip the global cocoa market into a shortage next season, according to a newswire report seen by business a.m. Demand is rising and some producing countries including Indonesia are struggling to boost output, Gerry Manley, head of cocoa at the Singapore-based company, […]

Repositioning Nigeria’s cocoa export for global competitiveness

Sayina Riman, president of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria

By Joe ITAH That the world economy is driven by knowledge and technology with some developed countries of the world running trillion dollar economies lends credence to the fact that Nigeria more than ever before needs to diversify its economy from dependent on oil to non-oil. This is more so when one juxtaposes our economy […]

Cocoa posts higher future prices, rising 5.5% above trading speculations

Cocoa futures were higher on Wednesday, boosted by a stronger-than-expected first quarter grind in Europe. Europe’s first-quarter cocoa grind rose 5.5 percent from the same period last year to 358,432 tonnes, the Brussels-based European Cocoa Association said on Wednesday. Traders had expected a rise of about two to four percent. “It’s better than expectations and […]

Cotton prices expected to hit five-year high in 2018/2019 season

Cotton prices may edge up to their highest in five years next season, according to International Cotton Advisory Committee forecast cutting inventories to the lowest since 2011-2012. The intergovernmental group, in its first forecast for cotton prices in 2018-19, which starts in August, saw them averaging 84 cents a pound, as measured by the Cotlook […]

Cocoa exporters in Ivory Coast demand refund on deficit supply

Temitayo Ayetoto, with agency… Exporters of cocoa commodity in Ivory Coast are demanding that the industry regulator returns the costs and credit guarantees offered for contracts unmet due to a shortage of beans, according to four people familiar with the matter who spoke to the Bloomberg news service. The world’s biggest cocoa producer exporters are […]