PICO overcomes Egyptian challenges by driving export expansion into new markets
Major Egyptian fresh produce exporter PICO has achieved its first successful exports to North America, during a year that has also seen the firm increase sales to Russia, South East Asia and South Africa. Far from being affected by the current political uncertainty in Egypt, Cairo-based PICO successfully exported herbs to both eastern and western […]
Country House prices climb 3.1% in 2013
The average price of a prime country house in England increased by 1.4% in the final quarter of 2013 – the biggest quarterly increase in prices in more than three years. On an annual basis, prices have risen by 3.1%. A more detailed examination of the data shows that price performance is becoming increasingly dependent on […]
FUW condemns CAP funding changes by Welsh Government
FUW president Emyr Jones said: “Scotland announced a rate of 9.5% today and other EU states and regions are expected to announce low rates. “Under the Minister’s announcement, 15% of farmers’ direct payments (Pillar 1) will be transferred into the Rural Development programme (Pillar 2) which funds, amongst other things, agri-environment, processing, marketing tourism and […]
New research to shed light on Light Leaf Spot
Light leaf spot is the number one disease threat to oilseed rape crops and can cut yields by up to a tonne per hectare. SRUC researchers will also look to pin down the best timings and treatments to manage this perennially tricky problem. The £114,000 project is funded by industry body HGCA. It will be […]
NFU CAP reform proposals would deliver food security and environmental objectives
At nine per cent transfer there is enough money in the pot to honour the existing commitments and provide additional funds to renew efforts in the future agri-environment scheme. Six and a half million hectares are currently supported, plus farmers actively manage more than 200,000 hectares through the Campaign for the Farmed Environment every year. […]
Meat origin confusion
The NFU and NPA say that new European Commission rules on food labelling may lead to massive confusion for British shoppers keen to buy meat produced in the UK. The Commission voted to introduce mandatory reared and slaughtered labelling rules. The NFU and NPA say that mandatory rules should have extended to born, reared and […]
Germains Seed Technology becomes first UK participant in European Seed Treatment Assurance scheme (ESTA)
Germains Seed Technology, based in Kings Lynn, West Norfolk was formally ESTA accredited in December by the certification body, KIWA PAI. Paul Mullan, Managing Director and CEO at Germains said: “We are thrilled to be the first in the UK to achieve this accreditation. As one of the world’s leading seed technology providers we are […]
George calls for badger cull to be scrapped
Mr George who strongly argues in favour of ‘evidence-based policy making’, pointed out that he had supported the randomised badger control trials (RBCT) which commenced in 1998 and which included a much-disputed controversial pro-active cull of badgers in the Penwith area of his own constituency because he argued that the experiment was necessary to provide […]
Food supply chain interim review published
Following the horsemeat crisis in February 2013, Professor Elliott was asked by the Secretaries of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department of Health to look at what can be done to ensure that the food being bought and eaten by consumers in the UK is what it says […]
