Agriculture & Food insights

According to data from the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), the global natural rubber production in 2025 is forecast to reach approximately 14,892 million tons, increasing from the 14,824 million tons of 2024, corresponding to a 0.46% increase over the same period. This trend reflects the stability of the global natural rubber industry.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The National Food Agency (Bapanas) is accelerating the development of sorghum in Karawang Regency and Bandung City, West Java, focusing on strengthening processing technology. This development is to ensure that local food does not stop as raw material, but enters the value-added supply chain up to consumer-ready products. Deputy for Consumption Diversification and Food Security of the National Food Agency Andriko Noto Susanto said, the development of sorghum in these two regions is built in an integrated manner from upstream to downstream through the use of technology. “In this region, sorghum is being developed as an adaptive commodity that can be processed into a variety of food products with higher economic value,” said Andriko, on Saturday (3/1/2026). Andriko explained, the strengthening of local food must be supported by technology to have a direct impact on farmers and SMEs. Bapanas facilitates post-harvest processing through the provision of ...

The International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) has revised its forecast for pecan production, predicting that global production of in-shell pecans will increase by 5% this season to reach 314,930 tons compared to last year. Among the major producing countries, the United States may face tighter supplies, while South Africa reported a record harvest. Although China and Brazil were affected by floods, their production saw a surprising surge. Recent forecasts from the INC show that, based on pre-harvest data, INC predicts U.S. production will increase by 8% to 129,500 tons. However, Mexican supplier Pecaninis holds a different view, predicting a 6% decrease in U.S. production due to lower yields in Texas and Georgia. Supplies are also relatively tight this season. Pecaninis predicts that Mexican production will decrease by 15% due to drought, but the INC is more optimistic, believing that the yield in Sonora province is at a high point, which can partially offset the impact of reduced production. The South African Pecan Producers Association (SAPPA) reported that this year's production reached a historic high of 50,030 tons, with excellent quality. INC data shows that South Africa's exports of in-shell pecans are strong, with China as the main destination. Although rainfall during the flowering period affected China's pecan setting, with many new plants entering the fruit-bearing period, production is still expected to increase significantly by 86% compared to last year, reaching 6,500 tons. Australia also reported strong year-over-year growth, with low-age fruit trees expected to further boost production by 2026. Brazil's production also increased by an astonishing 75% this year, reaching 3,500 tons. Despite the country experiencing two consecutive seasons of floods and droughts, production is expected to double to 7,000 tons by 2026. However, the planting of new fruit trees is progressing slowly, and limited production has driven historical highs in producer purchase prices. Image source: Pixabay 2025 International Fruit and Vegetable Report. All rights reserved. For reprint permission, contact the International Fruit and Vegetable Report and credit the source.