ISLAMABAD - Jan 5/04 - IRIN -- The foreign ministers of the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) approved the framework agreement for a regional free-trade zone on Saturday, announcing that the South Asian Free TradeArea (SAFTA) would come into effect in two years, a move termed significant by an analyst. . . . Continue or visitors click here

NAIROBI - Jan 5/04 - IRIN -- Oxfam-GB (Great Britain) has decided to close its country office and operational program in Burundi with effect from January 2004, the international relief and development NGO informed IRIN on 2 January. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ABIDJAN - Jan 7/04 - IRIN -- The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday there has been no firm response so far to its appeal for US $13 million to feed nearly 100,000 Sudanese refugees who have flooded over the border into eastern Chad. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 9/04 - SNS -- The North American Millers' Association (NAMA) says it is important for the industry and the USDA to fend off criticism from trading partners in the World Trade Organization about U.S. food aid programs. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/04 - SNS -- Good pasture conditions in the United States has kept pressure off hay markets, with the result stocks on hand as of December 1 were up 7% from the previous year, according to the latest USDA crop report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Jan 12/04 - IRIN -- Recent rains in Madagascar's drought-affected southern region provided some relief to farmers, but food shortages remain serious, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/04 - SNS -- Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures in 2003 totaled 76.3 million tons, down 3% from the October forecast but up 3% from 2002, according to the USDA's final crop report for 2003. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/04 - SNS -- The United States experienced a net decline in forage production in 2003, according to data contained in the USDA's final crop report for 2003. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KIEV - Jan 13/04 - APK -- Since January 1, 2004 Uzbekistan introduced duties on imports of some food products, which had been imported under duty-free procedure before, Interfax news agency informed. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 13/04 - SNS -- Indications the United States is interested in restarting World Trade Organization negotiations on changing international rules for agricultural trade were welcomed by the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA). . . . Continue or visitors click here

DAR ES SALAAM - Jan 14/04 - SNS -- Tanzania's concern at the lack of food may deepen due to further failed rains, the lack of available government food aid and international donations, government and donor officials told IRIN on Tuesday. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ROME - Jan 14/04 - SNS -- The number of Ethiopians facing severe food shortages is almost half last year's levels, but at 7.2 million people, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) make it clear the country still desperately needs international help in 2004. . . . Continue or visitors click here

SYDNEY - Jan 15/04 - SNS -- Global warming will sharply reduce the number of days with below freezing temperatures, double the number of very hot summer days in some Australian cities, and bring more and deeper droughts by 2030. . . . Continue or visitors click here

ISLAMABAD - Jan 20/04 - SNS -- Pakistan's Agricultural Pesticides Rules are being brought into line with those of the United States, China, the European Union, Japan and the Organization for Economic Cooperation for Development by banning imports ofchemicals which are not approved for use in those countries. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KANSAS CITY - Jan 20/04 - SNS -- The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation office here is seeking offers of 89,940 metric tons (MT) of agricultural commodities for shipment as food aid in March. . . . Continue or visitors click here

GENEVA - Jan 22/04 - IRIN -- About 1.9 million war-affected Eritreans, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and their hosts, returning refugees and expellees, need humanitarian assistance this year, Simon Nhongo, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Eritrea said. . . . Continue or visitors click here

In other trade news: . . . Continue or visitors click here

ABIDJAN - Jan 26/04 - IRIN -- The plight of more than 110,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad from Sudan's trouble Darfur province is set to deteriorate rapidly, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Monday. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Jan 26/04 - IRIN -- More than a million Angolans are likely to need immediate food assistance until April, according to a World Food Programme (WFP) report. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Jan 26/04 - IRIN -- The World Food Programme (WFP) in Madagascar called for additional donor assistance on Monday to purchase some 4,000 metric tons (MT) of maize to feed around 130,000 people because poor rains had jeopardized the 2003-04 agricultural season. . . . Continue or visitors click here

KIEV - Jan 27/04 - APK -- In December 2003 Russian food processing industry enterprises increased output 6.2% from December 2002; over 2003 the production rose 5.1% from that of 2002. . . . Continue or visitors click here

CANBERRA - Jan 28/04 - SNS -- Australian agricultural incomes experienced severe downward pressure during the 2002-03 season, with the gross value of commodities produced sinking 17% to AUD$33.0 billion, according to the Australian Bureau of Census (ABS). . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 28/04 - SNS -- The U.S. based National Food Processors Association (NFPA) is pleased with a proposed bill which would protect the food industry from being liable if people become obese. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Jan 28/-04 - IRIN -- The number of people forecast to be in need of food aid in Zimbabwe over the next few months has risen dramatically to 7.5 million, up from an earlier estimate of 5.5 million. . . . Continue or visitors click here

A table about U.S. Gross and Usable Refrigerated Space . . . Subscribers Only

WASHINGTON - Jan 28/04 - SNS -- There was a 4% increase in general refrigerated storage capacity in the United States as of October 1. Total capacity was 3.16 billion gross cubic feet, up 4% from two years earlier. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 28/04 - SNS -- Dietary guidelines need to focus on more than just food groups, argues the U.S. based National Food Processors Association (NFPA) before the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. . . . Continue or visitors click here

JOHANNESBURG - Jan 29/04 - IRIN -- A debate on whether South African small-scale cotton farmers should opt for genetically modified (GM) seeds continues with the release of a study on the subject. . . . Continue or visitors click here

NEW DELHI - Jan 30/04 - SNS -- Fertilizer production exceeded targets during December, according data supplied by India's Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

WASHINGTON - Jan 30/04 - SNS -- Costa Rica's decision to get involved in the U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), as well as the launching of negotiations to bring the Dominican Republic into the accord, were welcomed by the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA). . . . Continue or visitors click here

LONDON - Jan 30/04 - SNS -- China's thirst for imports is having the same impact on essential oils and aroma chemicals as other specialized and bulk commodities by driving international ocean freight rates higher, notes Fuerst Day Lawson Limited (FDL). . . . Continue or visitors click here

NEW DELHI - Jan 31/04 - SNS -- India's Agriculture Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh believes the country needs to take steps to further reduce interest rates on loans to the country's farmers. . . . Continue or visitors click here

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