Archive

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission considers that there is still too much hop production in the European Union, despite a five year subsidy programme designed to help growers grub-up or leave their fields fallow until demand increases. As a result, it has asked EU ministers to extend the Euro 12 million scheme for another year; it was to be wound up after the 2002 harvest, but it will now probably survive until next year’s crop is gathered in.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
FRANZ Fischler has given himself a tough job; trying to persuade dairy farmers it is time to expose themselves to unfettered world markets when prices are at rock bottom, while facing hostility to further CAP reform from some European Union governments, notably France.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has published a list of exported American confectionary and baking industry products that could be saddled with protective duties of up to 100 per cent, because of a World Trade Organisation ruling allowing Brussels to retaliate against the US’s use of foreign trade corporations to give its exporters illegal tax breaks.…

BY MARK ROWE
A VERMONT maple syrup producer has joined forces with environmental groups to sue the American government for recklessly contributing to global warming, claiming it has damaged his business.

A lawsuit filed by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace in San Francisco claims that two American export credit agencies illegally provided US$32billion in financing for oil fields, pipelines and coal-fired plants over the past 10 years without assessing their contribution to global warming, as required by national law.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
EUROPEAN Union ministers have been asked to permanently ban the additive konjac in jelly mini-cups and similar jelly confectionary, because consumers have choked to their deaths on the sweets. Konjac prevents the jelly dissolving and so was temporarily banned this April by the European Commission.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE EUROPEAN Commission has asked the EU Council of Ministers to formally ratify the new International Cocoa Agreement 2001. The current International Cocoa Agreement 1993 is to remain in force until 30 September 2003 at the latest, when it will be superceded by the new deal.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
INDIAN researchers have developed a package of techniques that could allow confectionary companies to market organic cashew nut bars. Scientists at the Kerala Agriculture University’s Cashew Research Station have identified high density planting systems using natural oil insect repellants, secondary crops between trees which drive out weeds, and carnivorous insects to attack other pests.…

BY SWINEETHA DIAS WICKRAMANAYAKA
HINDUSTAN Lever’s strategy of promoting Kwality walls as an umbrella brand for its ice creams, rather than product-driven marketing has led the company to at last profit from ice cream. Profit before interest and tax in the quarter ending June 2002, was IND Rupees 49.4 million; last year, the same period, losses were Rupees 29.1 million.…

BY MONICA DOBIE
BEN & Jerry’s has been accused of falsely claims by labelling some of their ice cream and frozen yoghurt products “All Natural.” Not so, because they contain hydrogenated oils and alkalised cocoa powder, claimed the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a US health and food safety advocacy group.…

BY KEITH NUTHALL
THE ARGENTINE government has launched the first stage of disputes proceedings at the World Trade Organisation, launching formal talks with Chile over Santiago’s imposition of 14 per cent temporary safeguard duties on fructose. Argentina claims that Chile broke the WTO’s GATT agreement by imposing the duties.…