Brazil, the world's largest sugar producer, is likely to raise sugar cane output by about 10 percent in 2010/11, if seasonal conditions are normal.They are talking about an increase of about 10 percent on last season due to yield increases;they are expecting at least 140 kilograms per tonne of recoverable sugar.In 2009/10 Brazil produced about 533 million tonnes of cane.

Vietnam is expected to export 6.1 million tonnes of rice this year, with a third to the Philippines, little changed from total shipments in 2009 of around 6 million tonnes.The forecast indicated that an ongoing stockpiling scheme aiming to keep 1 million tonnes of rice off trade for some time to boost prices during the peak of a major Mekong Delta harvest would not affect Vietnam's annual export volume.

The European Commission approved four genetically modified crops on \02 March 2010, and said it might let EU countries decide whether to grow GM crops on their soil. The Commission's decision to approve the genetically modified potato and maize drew condemnation from environmental groups which accused the EU's executive arm of ignoring consumer concerns over the safety of GM products.The Commission authorised a genetically modified potato, Amflora, developed by German chemical maker BASF , marking the bloc's first GM cultivation approval in 12 years.

Guarded optimism surrounds expectations for a 2012 recovery in the U.S. steel industry, as much will depend on how firm the recoveries are in the construction and automotive sectors of the economy.

Ukraine is expected to produce 31.5 million tonnes of steel in 2010 due to higher foreign demand, more than last year's 29.8 million tonnes, Industry Policy Minister Volodymyr Novytsky said on 02 March 2010. The figure is similar to a prediction given by the steel association Metalurgprom of 32 million tonnes but lower than an earlier ministry forecast of 38.2 million tonnes. Novytsky said the production of pig iron in 2010 was likely to rise to 27.5 million tonnes while rolled steel output was seen at 29.0 million.

China, the world's largest consumer of iron ore, is pushing for a "unified price" to rein in its chaotic market in the commodity, but its woes stem from a long conflict between state-owned mills and private operators.
The China Iron and Steel Association, best known for its dramatic failure to wring price concessions from global miners in 2009, has been lobbying since last summer to fix strict "guidance" prices on iron ore and thin out licensed importers.

India's winter-sown crops output will be good and will help bring down high food prices, as per Agriculture Minister,Mr. Pawar."I am absolutely confident of a very good winter crop. A good winter crop will help food prices ease," Sharad Pawar told parliamement on 03 March 2010.

Vietnam is expected to export 6.1 million tonnes of rice this year, with a third to the Philippines, little changed from total shipments in 2009 of around 6 million tonnes.The forecast indicated that an ongoing stockpiling scheme aiming to keep 1 million tonnes of rice off trade for some time to boost prices during the peak of a major Mekong Delta harvest would not affect Vietnam's annual export volume.

China will accelerate development of its own genetically modified (GMO) crops, seeking to secure food security and international competitiveness, an official from the country's Ministry of Agriculture has recvently said.
The official from the Ministry's biosafety administration office also denied recent media reports that China had already approved imported GMO grain seeds for widespread planting

Indonesian palm oil exports are estimated to have risen 5.5 percent in January to 1.203 million tonnes, from 1.14 million tonnes a year ago, as per the data from the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) revealed on 03 March 2010."The year-on-year export growth is a good indication of demand trend from consuming countries.

Pakistan is negotiating with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to buy 650,000 tonnes of white sugar on deferred payment, the head of Pakistan's state trading agency said on o3 March 2010.Pakistan is buying sugar from the international market after a forecast its 2009/10 crop would produce about 3 million tonnes of white sugar against annual demand of 4.2 million tonnes.

Brazil's sugar industry, the world's largest, expects its production of the sweetener to jump by more than 10 percent in 2010/11, driven by rising yields and an expected recovery in global prices. The country's sugarcane production was set to grow by 10 percent in the current year, in line with other private forecasts, but pointed out that sugar content was also climbing.

Kenya produced 37.7 million kg of tea in January, up 48 percent from a year earlier thanks to wet weather in the first half of the month, as per the statement of Tea Board of Kenya made on 03 March 2010.
Kenya's January production was also 27 percent higher than the same month of 2008, but 9 percent lower than the record 41.6 million kg produced in January 2007. Kenya exported 39.2 million kg in January 2009, up 12 percent from a year earlier.

Bangladesh will import 50,000 tonnes of sugar by July of this year to keep the market stable.They will import sugar through private firms and by March the formalities are expected to be completed to invite tender," as per the staement of Ranjit Kumar Biswas, Chairman of the state-run Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC).

President Barack Obama's plan to negotiate an Asia Pacific free trade pact could have a devastating impact on the dairy, sugar and textile sectors in the United States, U.S. industry groups warned on 02 March 2010.Negotiators from the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Chile, Singapore and Brunei will meet in Melbourne, Australia on March 15 for the first round of talks on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact.

South American grain exporters will corner a bigger share of the Asian feedgrain business this year as traditional heavyweight the United States and key smaller supplier, India, struggle with quality woes and higher prices.Asia's top grain buyers, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia, have started snapping up new-crop corn and soybean meal cargoes from Brazil and Argentina, where a bumper crop is expected this year after a year of drought.

Malaysia, the world's No. 2 palm oil producer,may miss its output target of 18.1 million tonnes because of a shortage of foreign labour even as yields recover.
Industry regulator Malaysian Palm Oil Board Chairman Sabri Ahmad has recently said that Indonesian plantation workers make better pay at home as more palm oil estates start up there while employers in Malaysia have trouble hiring because of a stricter work-permit process.

Global sugar prices have little room to fall further after a near 30 percent plunge upto Feb 2010 .CSR Sugar Chief Executive Ian Glasson said on 3 March 2010 that the currency of Brazil, the world's biggest sugar producer, was set to appreciate because of demand for its commodities, including iron ore as well as sugar, which last year reached its highest price in almost three decades.