Agri-Food Field Notes March 2025

In the United Kingdom, sheep meat production is expected to rise by 2% in 2025 due to a higher carryover of lambs from 2024 boosting slaughter numbers. However, a 2% decline is predicted in the lamb crop for 2025/2026, driven by a shrinking female breeding flock, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of the sector.

The United States Department of Agriculture has issued a conditional license for an avian influenza vaccine for use in chickens. The Zoetis-developed vaccine was approved based on safety and efficacy. The US approach to avian flu outbreaks to date has been focused on eradication, rather than vaccination of chickens.

The Japanese government’s food and export promoter, JFOODO, has launched a campaign in New York City, showcasing Japanese seafood at nine restaurants. Their campaign aims to highlight the exceptional quality and versatility of Japanese seafood, with a particular focus on Japanese scallops and buri (yellowtail fish).

In Australia, the Japanese encephalitis virus has been detected at two piggeries in southern Queensland. This is the first outbreak of the rare mosquito-borne virus since 2022; the virus causes reproductive issues in pigs and is passed to humans through mosquitos, where it can be deadly.

Kiwifruit marketer, Zespri Group Limited’s final forecast for the 2024/25 season is projected to exceed their NZ $4.5 billion global revenue target. Strong demand and a significantly higher crop volume than the previous year has allowed Zespri to sell a record 190 million trays at strong value for growers.

From fertilizer to machinery, how might tariffs impact the agtech sector?
[AgFunders News, 13 February]

According to a new report, tariffs imposed by the new United States (US) administration are predicted to significantly impact the US agritech sector. The report by research and insights company, Pitchbook, suggests potential impacts for US agritech companies could include higher operating costs, disrupted supply chains and force price adjustments.

It does however also recognise opportunities for agritech firms that offer real-time data, AI risk modelling solutions as food and agriculture companies may seek to optimise their supply chains in a regime with increased tariffs

Groundbreaking seed germination model developed at Rothamsted
[Agriland, 13 February]

Scientists in the United Kingdom have developed a groundbreaking seed germination model that accurately predicts the optimal conditions for seed sprouting. Traditional germination models primarily use water potential and temperature as the main drivers of seed activity. The new model developed by Rothamsted Research measures water content directly in situ, making it far more accurate in predicting germination times in field conditions.