FAS Daily Attache Report Digest
Crop Situation Update
CZECH REPUBLIC, September 2, 2004 -- The Czech
Ministry of Agriculture forecasts this year's grain
production to be slightly above average at around 8
million MT (this compares to last year's
below-average production of 5.7 million MT). Yields
will be above average. Grain and oilseed quality
will be good except for low protein content. Due to
cold weather in the spring, corn planting was
delayed. Although yield is expected to be good,
harvested area will be somewhat smaller than planted
area, and corn will be imported from Hungary. Most
Czech grains will be sold at EU intervention prices
in the fall.
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Parmalat: business as
usual for Italian dairiesITALY,
September 2, 2004 -- The Parmalat Group, a
multinational dairy giant based in the Italian city
of Parma, filed for bankruptcy in December 2003
after admitting a multi-billion euro shortfall in
its accounts. After eight months from the
announcement of the financial scandal, the impacts
on Italian farmers have been much less severe than
originally expected, mainly thanks to the
intervention of the Italian Government. Nothing has
yet been announced about the future of the 14 group
subsidiaries in the United States.
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This Week in Canadian
Agriculture, Issue 29CANADA, September
2, 2004 -- * Cattle Industry Explores Contingencies
While U.S. Border Remains Closed * End Declared To
Avian Influenza In British Columbia * Canadian Farm
Cash Receipts Rise * Prairie Crop Update * Stats
Canada Released Crop Production Forecast
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Annual
CANADA, September 2, 2004 -- On August 18, 2004 the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency lifted all remaining
movement restrictions on birds, bird products and
bird by-products in British Columbia's Fraser Valley
and declared an end to the avian influenza response
operation which began on February 19, 2004. Exports
of U.S. poultry meat to Canada were sharply higher
in the first six months of 2004 reflecting the
shortfall in Canadian supplies caused by the avian
influenza crisis in British Columbia. For 2005,
Canadian chicken output is forecast to rebound and
show moderate increase while turkey output is
expected to remain flat.
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Rice Policy Update
TURKEY, September 2, 2004 -- On August 27 the
Government of Turkey announced a new import regime
for the 2004 marketing year for rice. The new regime
increases opportunities for rice imports, however,
imports remain conditional on domestic purchases
that are documented with the Turkish Grain Board (TMO).
The import regime goes into effect November 1, 2004
and ends July 31, 2005. The regime also gives
special permission to TMO to import up to 50,000 MT
of milled rice.
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Sunflower seed and
Products UpdateTURKEY, September 2,
2004 -- MY 2004 sunflower seed production is now
estimated at about 650,000 MT, slightly higher than
earlier projections. Optimum weather conditions
helped to increase yields although total area
declined. Sunflower seed imports are expected to
reach 600,000 MT due to insufficient domestic
supplies. Sunflower seed meal imports increased
significantly in MY 2003 due to abundant regional
supplies and lower prices compared to soybean meal.
The Turkish government recently increased sunflower
seed duties to 27 percent to promote the use of
local seeds.
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Cotton Update
EGYPT, September 2, 2004 -- The Egyptian government
recently announced a new program to subsidize 35,000
MT of extra long cotton varieties at a cost of LE 70
million. This action was taken to help traders
minimize their losses which resulted from the
difference between higher purchasing prices paid to
farmers and lower-than-expected export prices.
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The 2004 Japanese
Sweet Cherry Market - Production & Trade
JAPAN, September 2, 2004 -- The 2004 Japanese sweet
cherry production was estimated at 16,400 metric
tons, down approximately 15 percent from the
previous year due largely to cold temperatures and
snowfall in the core production region of Yamagata
prefecture in the early spring, according to the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
The production area increased 5 percent from the
previous season to 4,180 hectares. Japan imported
1.44 million cartons, or 13,074 metric tons, of U.S.
sweet cherries in the 2004 season, down
approximately 5.9 percent from the previous season,
according to Japan Fresh Produce Import and Safety
Association. California growers supplied 924,004
cartons of fresh cherries to Japan, down
approximately 10.4 percent from the previous season,
while Pacific Northwest (Washington and Oregon)
supplied 513,000 cartons, up approximately 3.3
percent.
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Hokkaido Onion
Production Down 6 PercentJAPAN,
September 2, 2004 -- The 2004 Hokkaido onion
production is estimated at 607,300 metric tons, down
approximately 6 percent from the previous year,
according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries (MAFF). The area harvesting onions is
estimated at 11,000 hectares, down approximately 2
percent from the previous season. Market prices of
domestic onions from the western Japan region were
strong this season, up approximately 15 percent from
the previous season. Japanese onion traders expect
that nation's onion supply situation will be easing
with the new crop of Hokkaido onions in the market
in late August. Cheap imports from China continue to
be strong.
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Vietnam's Ordinance
on Veterinary MedicineVIETNAM,
September 2, 2004 -- On May 2004, the State
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Tran
Duc Luong promulgated the Ordinance on Veterinary
Medicine, which was passed by the Standing Committee
of the National Assembly on April 29, 2004. The new
Ordinance on Veterinary Medicine will be effective
from October 1, 2004, and replaces the Veterinary
Medicine Ordinance dated February 4, 1993
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Apples and
Concentrated Apple JuicePOLAND,
September 2, 2004 -- MY2004/2005 apple production is
estimated to be similar to that of MY 2003/04
reaching 2.4 million tons. Concentrated apple juice
production will also be similar although the export
value may drop by 20 percent due to higher world
apple and CAJ supplies. As a new EU member state,
Polish apple producers will receive per hectare
subsidies. Producers and processors, when eligible,
can also receive EU co-financing funds for
investments
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Annual Report
URUGUAY, September 2, 2004 -- Uruguay´s beef exports
in 2005 are expected to increase from 360,000 to
400,000 metric tons (MT) due to stronger demand from
export markets. Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) is
under control throughout the country, with over 80
markets reopened to fresh boneless beef, including
the United States (U.S.) and Canada. Cattle exports
are forecast to increase in 2005 as markets continue
to reopen. Cattle stocks are expected to return to
the historical levels seen prior to the FMD crisis,
as calf crop will be nearly equal to slaughter plus
losses.
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Rice Weekly Update
VIETNAM, September 2, 2004 -- No summary available.
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AnnualVIETNAM, September 2, 2004 --
Vietnam's domestic cotton production has increased,
but not achieved the ambitious target set by the
Vietnamese Government. The Government had hoped
domestic production would quickly reach 10 percent
of consumption; however that goal still looks
several years away. Vietnam annually imports more
than 90,000 metric tons of cotton. The United States
has been the leading cotton supplier to Vietnam over
the last three consecutive years. This report
includes production, supply and distribution tables.
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Annual
PHILIPPINES, September 2, 2004 -- The Philippine
poultry industry is likely to expand once again this
year, fueled mainly by the growing domestic and
regional demand for Philippine chicken meat. The
high cost of feed will, however, continue to be a
limiting factor in the sector's growth. Consumption
of broiler meat is expected to outpace domestic
production even with a temporarily weakened demand
for chicken during the first quarter of 2004 due to
Avian Influenza incidents in most of Asia and parts
of Canada and the United States. Imports of broiler
meat are forecast to increase in 2004 mainly as a
result of the GRP's special chicken importation
scheme implemented between June-August, 2004.
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Annual
MALAYSIA, September 2, 2004 -- The Malaysian poultry
scene was faced with various challenges in the past
year from grappling with the higher production cost
of broilers; to keeping the Malaysian chicken farms
free from Avian Influenza; to dealing with the
impact on the poultry export market due to the
discovery of H5N1 virus strain in a village farm.
Best product prospects for US exporters continue to
be in supplying day-old chicks, broiler grandparent
stock, frozen turkey/turkey parts and frozen chicken
parts.
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Annual
ARGENTINA, September 2, 2004 -- Argentine beef
exports for 2005 are projected at 600,000 tons, the
highest since 1980. This is a result of strong world
demand, an improved sanitary status, and good
profitability. The United States, the European
Union, Russia, Chile and Venezuela are expected to
be the main markets. Beef output in 2005 is forecast
to drop after the very large slaughter in 2004.
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Record rapeseed crop
expectedGERMANY, September 2, 2004 --
The German Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food,
and Agriculture (BMVEL) has issued a preliminary
estimate for the German 2004 winter rapeseed crop at
5.17 million MT compared to the previous estimate of
4.4 million MT, and last year's result of 3.6
million MT. This record crop is due to little
winterkill, combined with favorable growing
conditions in spring and summer. As a result, yields
are estimated to remain about 40 percent above those
of 2003. The increase in area is less than four
percent.
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