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☆ Why the world is barreling towards a 'food war,' according to one commodity trader
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-26 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Food wars will rise amid trade barriers and climate risk, Olam Agri's CEO warned. Advertisement"Food wars" are looming over global stability, as trade barriers and the climate crisis strain supply, the head of trading firm Olam Agri warned. We will fight bigger wars over food and water," he said during last week's Redburn Atlantic and Rothschild consumer conference. Though agricultural commodity traders took the blame for rising food costs after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the CEO pushed back. Instead, the outbreak of non-tariff trade barriers was likely the chief culprit, with 1,266 curbs proliferating that year.

Persons: —, Sunny Verghese Organizations: Service, The Financial Times, Rothschild Locations: Ukraine

☆ Democrats: College campus protests highlight tensions in Biden’s coalition
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images Pro-Palestinian protesters confront a Texas state trooper at the University of Texas in Austin on Monday, April 29. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Protesters link arms at Emerson College in Boston on April 24. Brian Snyder/Reuters House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to the media on the campus of Columbia University after meeting with Jewish students on April 24. Alex Kent/AFP/Getty Images People watch from a window as New York University students set up a tent encampment on April 22. Stefan Jeremiah/AP Israeli flags are reflected in the sunglasses of a demonstrator in front of Columbia University on April 22.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Alex Kent, Biden, Andrew Bates, “, Chuck Schumer, –, Hind Rajab, Mike Johnson, ” Johnson, Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Mike Lawler, Israel –, Jared Moskowitz, Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders, ” Moskowitz, Sanders, “ Bernie, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, “ Sen, Sanders ’, ” Ocasio, tikkun, ”, Ocasio, Joseph Prezioso, Suzanne Cordeiro, Cliff Owen, Qian Weizhong, David Dee Delgado, Mike Stewart, Sarah Reingewirtz, Jay Janner, Brandon Bell, Brian Snyder, Timothy A, Clary, Matthew Hatcher, Nuri Vallbona, Jordan Vonderhaar, Zaydee Sanchez, Caitlin Ochs, Cameron Jones, Stephanie Keith, Andres Kudacki, Tayfun, Joe Buglewicz, Fatih Aktas, Michael M, Mary Altaffer, Scott Eisen, Columbia's, Stefan Jeremiah, Selcuk, Kena Betancur, Josh Gottheimer, Dan Goldman, Richard Nixon, Netanyahu’s, Elizabeth Warren of, Bernie, ’, Warren, ‘, Netanyahu, Israel, ” Sanders –, Sanders –, Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy of, who’s, ” Murphy, Elise Stefanik, ” Stefanik, CNN’s Donald Judd, Kevin Liptak, Annie Grayer Organizations: CNN, Israel Democrats, Capitol, Columbia University, Hamilton Hall, Getty, New York Democrat, College Democrats, America, Columbia, Republicans, Democrats, GOP, Jewish Democrats, Israeli, GOP Rep, Democratic, Florida, New York Rep, Hamilton, Columbia Students, Justice, Brown University, University of Texas, George Washington University, AP, University of California, UCLA, Getty Images, New York University, Rueters Georgia State Patrol, Emory University, MediaNews, Los Angeles Daily News, Austin Statesman, USA, Network, Reuters, Austin, University, Emerson College, Swarthmore College, Bloomberg, Getty Images Police, University of Southern, Reuters New York, Reuters Columbia, New York Times, Sproul Hall, Yale University, University police, York University, The New School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Library, New York Police Department, Occupy, Hamas, Democratic Party, Biden, White, International Court of Justice, Sunday, Fox News, New York, Republican Locations: Gaza, New York City, Columbia, Palestinian, ”, Gaza City, Palestine, New York, Vermont, Alexandria, Israel, Cortez, Providence , Rhode Island, AFP, Texas, Austin, Washington ,, Los Angeles, New, Rueters Georgia, Atlanta, Getty Images Texas, Boston, Swarthmore , Pennsylvania, University of Southern California, Berkeley, Sproul, Anadolu, New Haven , Connecticut, Cambridge, New Jersey, Washington, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, “ State, Chris Murphy of Connecticut

☆ Opinion: I’m a Jewish student at Yale. Here’s what everyone is getting wrong about the protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Opinion Ian Berlin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Last week, I sat in Yale University’s Beinecke Plaza leading around 50 classmates in nigunim — wordless melodies from the Jewish Hasidic tradition — and other Jewish songs and prayers. As a fourth-year Yale student, I find this characterization to be deeply frustrating, as it could not be further from the truth. Indeed, Yale Jews for Ceasefire exists because of — not in spite of — our Jewish values. Our present moment is a precarious one for the Jewish people, fraught with disagreement about what our Jewish values mean to us. At Yale, organizers of all faiths continue to build a community that is dedicated to moving forward in collaboration with, not opposition to, Jewish students.

Persons: Ian Berlin, nigunim, Ian Berlin Ben Weiss That’s, ’, Joe Biden, —, Peter Salovey’s, Nachshon Organizations: Yale, CNN, Beinecke, Occupy Beinecke coalition, Columbia, Palestine, Jewish, Israel, Columbia University, UN, Central Locations: Beinecke, Israel, Gaza, New Haven, Beinecke Plaza, havdalah, Egypt

☆ Opinion: I thought I’d be safe from antisemitism at my college. I was wrong
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Cassidy Delgreco | Opinion Gabriel Levin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s Note: Gabriel Levin is a sophomore at Cornell University and a columnist for The Cornell Daily Sun. CNN —An arrest has been made after evil posts online called for the eradication of Jews at Cornell, the university I attend. Even though the suspect, a fellow student, is in federal custody, the constant threat of anti-Semitism looms over us still. I applied to Cornell University, where I’m now in my sophomore year, in part to get away from all that. My classmate who allegedly made those heinous threats against Jews wanted us to cower in fear, or worse, return hate for hate.

Persons: Gabriel Levin, wasn’t Gabriel, ”, I’m, Cornell, Cornellians, Russell Rickford, I’ll Organizations: Cornell University, The Cornell Daily Sun, CNN, Cornell, Jewish, Cornell’s Center, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Orange County , California, Cornell, Gaza, Israel, Illinois, Los Angeles, New York

Trudeau said that Canada was "actively pursuing credible allegations" linking Indian government agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia in June. "Obviously we're concerned about making sure (the sales) get executed," Price said, adding that he's not aware of any cancellations. Due to India's poor crop, lentil prices are high, but since Trudeau's comments Indian offers for Canadian supplies have dropped 6% to around $770 per metric ton, Price said. India consumes around 2.4 million metric tons of lentils annually, but local production falls short at 1.6 million tons, said Bimal Kothari, chairman of India Pulses and Grains Association. "Inflation within the pulses group is currently very high, making Canadian lentils a critical need for India.

Persons: Amit Dave, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Nitin Gupta, Kevin Price, Parrish, Price, Bimal Kothari, Rod Nickel, Rajendra Jadhav, Timothy Gardner Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Canadian, Industry, Olam Agri, Indian, Canadian Global Affairs, Heimbecker, Association, Thomson Locations: Delhi, India, Rights WINNIPEG , Manitoba, MUMBAI, New Delhi, Canada, British Columbia, Olam Agri India, Winnipeg, Canadian, Australia, Mumbai, Winnipeg , Manitoba

☆ Olam Group denies reports of multi-billion dollar forex fraud in Nigeria, shares slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

An Olam logo is pictured in their office in Singapore August 14, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 11 (Reuters) - Singapore's Olam Group (OLAG.SI) on Monday denied reports by the Nigerian media last week, alleging that its units in the African country were involved in a multi-billion dollar foreign exchange fraud. The Daily Nigerian and Prime Business Africa reported that Nigeria's secret police was investigating the company's units Olam Nigeria and Olam International and their associate firms for a more than $50 billion foreign exchange fraud. "The company categorically denies the allegations in the Articles," Olam said in a statement, and said it has directed its audit committee to review the matter. The company said that its unit Olam Nigeria has responded to requests for information by Nigerian authorities and will continue to cooperate.

Persons: Edgar Su, Olam, Echha Jain, Sonia Cheema Organizations: REUTERS, Daily Nigerian, Prime Business Africa, Olam International, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Nigerian, Nigeria, Bengaluru

☆ Domino effect: India rice export ban puts market on edge for copycat curbs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

New Delhi had already restricted lower quality broken rice supplies in 2022. In 2008, rice prices reached a record high above $1,000 per ton after India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Egypt, Brazil and other small producers restricted exports. CHAIN REACTIONGlobal prices have risen by around 20% since India's ban. This week, rice prices in Thailand and Vietnam soared to 15-year highs as buyers rushed to cover shipments to compensate for the decline in India's exports. Rao said only Indian supplies can restore equilibrium in the global rice market.

Persons: Nitin Gupta, Trade Nguyen Hong Dien, Rice, B.V, Krishna Rao, Rao, Peter Clubb, Rajendra Jadhav, Naveen Thukral, Khanh Vu, Panarat, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Olam Agri, Reuters Graphics, Reuters, of Industry, Trade, Rice, Association of Pakistan, Association of India, International Grains Council, Thomson Locations: Kolkata, India, MUMBAI, New Delhi, Thailand, Vietnam, Delhi, Asia, Africa, Olam Agri India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Brazil, Pakistan, Philippines, China, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa, Malaysia, Cote d'Ivoire, El, London, Singapore, Hanoi, Bangkok

Four dealers confirmed that export contracts of around 2 million metric tons of rice, worth $1 billion, are at the risk of being cancelled. Before the export ban, India used to sell around 500,000 tons of non-basmati white rice every month, Gupta said. Now, prices are likely to drop, and the traders are likely to suffer losses, said a New-Delhi-based dealer with a global trade house. Traders say while global prices will go up because of India's export ban, local rates are likely to drop. Top buyers of Indian non-basmati rice include Benin, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Guinea, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Persons: Nitin Gupta, Gupta, B.V, Krishna Rao, Rao, Rice, Rajendra Jadhav, Mayank Bhardwaj, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Traders, Olam Agri India Ltd, Reuters, Rice, Association, El, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India, Mumbai, Delhi, Benin, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Togo, Guinea, Bangladesh, Nepal, Asia

☆ Exclusive: Ivory Coast halts cocoa forward sales as rains hit production
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Ange Aboa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummaryCompanies Torrential rains hit Ivory Coast cocoa farmsIvory Coast CCC cocoa regulator says output could declineBlack pod fungal disease spreading in farmsABOISSO, Ivory Coast, July 13 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast has stopped selling contracts for cocoa exports for the 2023-2024 season after heavy rains battered and flooded farms in the world's top cocoa-producing nation in recent weeks, the head of the country's cocoa sector regulator told Reuters. Ivory Coast is in the middle of its April to November rainy season. But Ivory Coast and other major cocoa producers Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon that account for around 70% of global production, have witnessed heavy tropical downpours in recent weeks. On May 15, tropical rains fell continuously for eight hours with unprecedented intensity in the Aboisso region in southeastern Ivory Coast, farmers and residents told Reuters. Farmers, cocoa pod counters, and cocoa exporters based in Ivory Coast, also told Reuters that they expected a significant decline in output during the first part of the main harvest.

Persons: Yves Brahima Kone, Barry Callebaut, Kone, Jean Paul Kadjo, Soubre, Kouman Kouadio, Kouadio, CCC's Kone, Ange Aboa, Bate Felix, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Ivory Coast, Reuters, United Nations, Cocoa Council, Cargill, Hershey, Nestle, Plantations, Thomson Locations: Ivory, ABOISSO, Ivory Coast, United, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Aboisso, Farmers, Akressi, San Pedro, Tai

☆ How much should you tip on a $20 food delivery? A DoorDasher went viral for saying a $5 isn't enough. We asked 10 drivers.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

DoorDash recently fired a driver after he cursed at a woman for tipping $5 on a $20 order. It comes as more businesses are asking customers to tip at cash registers and even at self-checkout stations. In a blog post from 2019, Grubhub suggested customers tip 20% — and consider adding more if it's an extra-big order, or if there's bad weather. That means the woman who tipped $5 on her $20 DoorDash order — which is a 25% gratuity — actually gave quite a good tip, drivers said. "A $5 tip on a $20 order?

Persons: DoorDash, Casa, —, Grubhub, Alberto Mendes, they've, Olam, Mendes, Covid, Juan, he's Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Google Locations: New York City, Wall, Silicon, Casa Bonita, Manhattan, That's

☆ Rice to get costlier as weather, India's farm perks threaten supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"As Indian prices moved up because of the new minimum support price, other suppliers also started raising prices." Yet even before the weather phenomenon can disrupt production, the global rice price index of the Food and Agriculture Organization hovers above an 11-year high. The price of Indian rice exports has jumped 9% to a five-year high, following a hike of 7% last month in the price the government pays farmers for new-season common rice. "Rice prices have already been rising due to limited supplies," added Olam's Gupta. Last month Indonesia signed a rare pact with India to import 1 million tons if El Nino disrupts domestic supply.

Persons: El Nino, Krishna Rao, REA, Rice, El, Nitin Gupta, Gupta, Rosa Wang, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Himanshu Agarwal, Rajendra Jadhav, Qin Ningwei, Tony Munroe, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Rice, Association, Reuters, El, Food and Agriculture Organization, U.S . Department of Agriculture, El Nino, Reuters Graphics, Shanghai JC Intelligence, Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Satyam Balajee, Vietnam, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, India, Ukraine, Asia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, New Delhi, Singapore, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indian, Philippines

Uber, DoorDash, and Grubhub are suing New York City to block a new minimum wage law for delivery workers. Beginning on July 12, delivery apps must pay drivers about $18 per hour they are active on the app. Beginning July 12, delivery drivers in New York City must earn a minimum wage of about $18 an hour, according to a law signed by Eric Adams last month. The new minimum wage would require delivery apps to either pay drivers roughly 50 cents per minute of every trip or pay drivers $17.96 per hour they are active on the app. "Now because there are more delivery drivers and people are ordering less and tipping less, it's becoming more difficult.

Persons: —, Eric Adams, DoorDash, Alberto Mendes, Mendes, we're, Grubhub, I've, Harry Campbell, Guy, Uber Organizations: New, Service, Drivers, Department of Consumer and Worker, Grubhub, Unidos Locations: New York City, New York

☆ Slump in global cashew demand pushes Ivory Coast industry to verge of collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Ange Aboa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Global demand for cashew nuts, eaten as snacks or used for cooking and desserts, has tumbled since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, driven by multiple factors, including consumer inflation and increased production. "No one wants to buy cashew, even if I ask for 150 CFA francs per kilogram ($0.24) instead of the farmgate price of 315 CFA francs. Dembele lost 20 million CFA francs ($33,000) during the 2022 season after buying nuts he could not resell to wholesale processors. Output rose from 400,000 tonnes in 2011 to 1 million tonnes in 2022, and is expected at the same level in 2023. In Bouake, the heart of the country's cashew processing industry, work has come to a near standstill as employers struggle to pay salaries.

Persons: Ange Aboa, Dembele, Ibrahim Coulibaly, Ivory Coast, Ganesh, Rajaraman, It's, Alessandra Prentice, Bate Felix, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Ivory, Farmers, Global, CFA, Factories, Thomson Locations: Katiola, Ivory Coast, Korhogo, Bouake, Dakar

☆ Middle East pivot to Asia is strategic this time
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Xi Jinping has brokered a deal the United States would have found hard to secure, despite its traditional military influence in the Middle East. The Middle East has trained its financial sights on Asia before. At current rates of growth, emerging Asia will become the top trade partner for the Gulf countries by 2028, per Asia House, surpassing advanced economies. As U.S.-China relations continue to sour, the Asian financial centre is looking to the Middle East to find new foreign companies to trade in the territory. Delegations from the two Middle East countries held talks in Beijing between March 6 and 10, the statement added.

☆ I left Manhattan for LA. It's easier to make friends, my cost of living is lower, and I'm so much happier here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Daniel Zahler | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

I got the full New York City experienceI lived in Manhattan for 12 years. In 2015, I decided to sublet my West Village pad and spend the winter in Santa Monica. Santa Monica is one of the priciest areas of California, but it's still cheaper than Manhattan. Today I'm paying $3,000 a month for a spacious apartment in the heart of Santa Monica with amazing views of mountains and palm trees. New York City is unrivaled in its energy and diversity and is the major league of cities — truly world-class.

☆ Uniqlo goes out on a limb in salary hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Fast Retailing (9983.T), owner of the Uniqlo clothing chain, announced it would hike wages by up to 40% for some roles on Wednesday. The bigger question, though, is how much of an outlier Fast Retailing will be. Although Japan’s labour market is tight, weak growth and rising prices have caused real wages to contract for eight consecutive months through November. Fast Retailing, set to announce earnings today, was a market outperformer last year and is preparing a 3-1 stock split. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ TSMC foots the bill for global chip supremacy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (2330.TW) on Thursday reported a bumper end to 2022, with December quarter earnings up a blistering 78% year-on-year to a record $9.7 billion. But costs, from overseas expansion, research and development and other factors are forecast to eat into profitability as the market enters a downturn. But TSMC also flagged R&D expenses will rise by a fifth this year, as developing next-generation technology gets pricier. Moreover, the company's new factories in the United States are adding to TSMC's expenses: executives said that construction costs are five times higher in America than in Taiwan. Capital expenditure is also forecast to be as much as $36 billion in 2023, roughly matching last year's level.

☆ Gaming’s winter of discontent bolsters M&A logic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The holiday quarter is traditionally a bumper one for gaming groups, as punters stay home to play. As consumers and companies focus on “mega-brands”, smaller firms will struggle to attract staff, and match investment. Sony, for example, will need to bulk up in response to Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) $69 billion swoop on Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). However, in a tougher environment, Guillemot will need to find some way to keep his hand on the joystick. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Direct Line woes are thin end of insurance wedge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Direct Line (DLGD.L) has an extreme case of January blues. Shares of the UK home and motor insurance company dropped 28% on Wednesday morning after it scrapped its final dividend. A flood of insurance claims – as bad weather led to a rise in car incidents – was in part to blame. Inflation of car parts and second-hand car valuations helped put the group in the dreaded underwriting position where premiums can’t cover policy costs. But Direct Line’s declining commercial property valuations may also be a sign of trouble ahead.

☆ California floods strike at planners’ blind spots
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - If California’s budget speaks to lawmakers’ prognostications, flooding wasn’t supposed to be such a big issue. But a current deluge of rainfall makes it clear that planning for disasters needs to be broader and more proactive. Flooding along the state’s coast is expected to cost California more than $1 billion, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday. While the California Senate called for extra flood protection in May, the budget only set aside $246 million for risk prevention. Municipal spending was painfully low with state and local authorities spending $48 million annually.

☆ Olam’s Saudi-Singapore IPO sign of shifting times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Signs of deepening ties between Asia and the oil-rich Gulf are coming thick and fast. A planned Saudi Arabia-Singapore dual listing this year for Olam Agri, a trader of grains and seeds, is the latest example. Corporate and financial moves underscore how the global pin-code, as Olam’s co-founder and Chief Executive Sunny Verghese puts it, is changing. Between population trends, the Russia-Ukraine war and polarising geopolitics, expect the Gulf and Asia to get cosier. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Olam Group targets Olam Agri dual IPO as early as first half of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Yantoultra Ngui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Singapore commodity trader Olam Group on Tuesday said it plans to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) for majority-owned Olam Agri Holdings as early as the first half of this year, listing the unit domestically and concurrently in Saudi Arabia. A concurrent listing on the Saudi Exchange would make Olam Agri the first company to list in both countries and the first non-Gulf Cooperation Council incorporated business to list in Saudi Arabia. The plan comes weeks after Olam Group completed the sale of 35.43% of Olam Agri to Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment Co for $1.24 billion, giving the unit an equity valuation of $3.5 billion. Olam Group continues to own the remainder. Olam Group said the IPO may involve a domestic and global sale of shares it holds in the unit as well as new Olam Agri shares.

The approvals could reshape global trade flows and result in fewer sales for farmers in the United States, the world's top corn supplier. China relied on the United States and Ukraine for most of its corn supplies but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has disrupted exports. He said in an interview the list of approved Brazilian facilities that can export corn to China may be updated to include more units in coming weeks. Once China starts buying corn from Brazil, traditional Brazilian corn importers such as Spain and Egypt could shift some of their purchases to the United States. Beijing and Brasilia had signed a protocol for exporting corn from Brazil to China in 2014 but little trade had happened due to complex inspection requirements.

The defaults, though less widespread than last year, have scrambled the coffee market, leaving traders reluctant to agree to forward sales for next year's crop or the one after. "We've been told to have less exposure with (Brazilian farmers). However, when farmers default, traders do not have the physical coffee to sell to offset the futures market. That's what happened in September, when Arabica coffee futures rose from around 2.16 cents per pound to 2.32 cents late in the month, a 7% increase. A lawyer working for one of the five largest coffee exporters in Brazil said the defaults concerned less than 10% of Brazil's total forward contracts.

Last month, the Food and Agriculture Organization's global rice price index rose 2.2% to hit an 18-month high. "The international market has gone up and it will go up further," said Nitin Gupta, vice president for Olam India's rice business. Reuters GraphicsVietnam's unmilled rice output is forecast to hold flat to last year's 43 million tonnes, according to government data. Neighbouring Thailand is aiming to export 7.5 million tonnes this year, up about 7% from its previous target of 7 million tonnes, said Anucha Burapachaisri, a government spokesman. Meanwhile, Pakistan cannot capitalise on India's export curbs after severe flooding ravaged its crop.

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