Stories by Colin Packham | Canadian Cattlemen

China ban turns Australian barley growers toward domestic market

Growers may shift to alternative crops next season

By Colin Packham, GFM Network News September 3, 2020

Sydney | Reuters — Australian farmers will be forced to sell their barley supplies to the domestic livestock industry or cheaper international markets after China effectively banned imports from Australia, farmers said on Wednesday. China late on Tuesday said it would ban barley imports from Australia’s largest grain exporter, just weeks after it slapped a […] Read more

Barley, Crops, Markets, Reuters

China hits Australia with barley tariff

Duty to last for five years; China may turn to Canada, other exporters

By Colin Packham, Dominique Patton, GFM Network News May 19, 2020

Beijing/Sydney | Reuters — China added to tensions with Australia on Monday by announcing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties totalling 80.5 per cent on Australian barley imports from Tuesday (May 19), which is expected to all but halt a billion-dollar trade between them. China’s ministry of commerce said it had confirmed dumping by Australia and significant […] Read more

Crops, Reuters, Spring Wheat, Weather

Australia to import first wheat in 12 years as drought bites

By Colin Packham May 15, 2019

Sydney | Reuters — Australia will import its first shipment of wheat in more than a decade as a drought across the country’s east coast wilts supply in the world’s fourth largest exporter of the staple grain. Australia’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources said late on Tuesday that it has approved an import permit […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters, Sheep/Goats

Australian lawmaker pushes to end live sheep exports

By Colin Packham May 21, 2018

Sydney | Reuters — An Australian backbencher on Monday introduced legislation to parliament to ban the export of live sheep after the death of 2,400 animals led to widespread criticism of the A$250 million (C$241.96 million) industry. The bill threatens to expose fractures within the ruling coalition government, which last week introduced tougher oversight of […] Read more

General, Markets, Reuters

Final version of Trans-Pacific trade deal released

By Charlotte Greenfield, Colin Packham February 20, 2018

Wellington/Sydney | Reuters — The final version of a landmark deal aimed at cutting trade barriers in some of the Asia-Pacific’s fastest-growing economies was released on Wednesday, signalling the pact was a step closer to reality even without its star member the U.S. More than 20 provisions have been suspended or changed in the final […] Read more

Beef Cattle, Livestock, Reuters

Beef makes the cut as Australia, China move to boost trade

By Colin Packham March 23, 2017

Sydney | Reuters — Australia and China are expected to sign new bilateral agreements on beef exports, energy and security during a four-day visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang that began on Thursday. Li, the first sitting Chinese premier to visit Australia in 11 years, was welcomed to parliament in Canberra by Prime Minister Malcolm […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

Australia approves sale of giant Kidman pastoral holdings

By Colin Packham December 9, 2016

Sydney | Reuters –– Australia on Friday approved the A$386.5 million (C$379.3 million) sale of the country’s largest private landholder S. Kidman and Co. to a consortium led by the country’s richest woman Gina Rinehart, after blocking two previous bids. Rinehart and her minority partner, Chinese developer Shanghai CRED, will now complete the purchase of […] Read more

Livestock, Reuters

Australian bidders gatecrash deal for country’s biggest landholding

By Colin Packham October 20, 2016

Sydney | Reuters — Four of Australia’s wealthiest outback cattle families plan to make the first entirely domestic offer to buy S.Kidman and Co, the country’s largest private landholding, paying more than a rival bid of A$365 million (C$370.1 million), two of the quartet said. Kidman has already accepted a joint offer by Australia’s richest […] Read more

Dairy Cattle, Livestock, Reuters

Australia competition watchdog to widen dairy investigation

By Colin Packham August 25, 2016

Sydney | Reuters — Australia’s competition watchdog will launch a broad investigation into the country’s dairy industry, the country’s deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said on Thursday. The investigation comes after Australia’s largest dairy processor Murray Goulburn and New Zealand’s Fonterra Co-operative Group in April reduced their farm gate prices, or what they pay farmers […] Read more

Beef Cattle

Australia’s richest woman buys two cattle stations

By Colin Packham July 22, 2016

Reuters – Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart has expanded her cattle business, buying two cattle properties in the country’s north, as the billionaire seeks to profit from Asia’s fast-growing food market. The cattle properties, located southwest of the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory, were bought from one of Indonesia’s largest importers of cattle, Japfa, […] Read more

Quebec poultry packer to shut ex-Maple Leaf plant

U.S. livestock: Live cattle edge higher in subdued trade

Funds’ long position up in canola ahead of selloff

GFM Network News