agricultural

Spain is an agricultural giant with mud feet

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To understand the current problem of the Canarian banana only two figures are needed: the first is 0.42 (“The average price that the producer will receive for the most quality fruit (…) per kilo “); the second is 0.75 (” the production costs “of that same kilo of bananas). To understand the full problem, we have to take perspective. Because, if right now the Canarian sector is dying, a couple of months ago we saw the bananas in the peninsula up to seven euros per kilo. What is happening? As Roman Delgado explainedtoday (and with the data of week 36 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) prices “continue to generate losses in the crop, because with them the exploitation costs are not covered.” And yet, this would not have to be as bad as it really is. The Canarian banana, Thanks to the Posei Program of the European Unionhas one of the most refined compensation systems in the country. In principle and in these circumstances, the EU would complete the producers’ accounts with 33 cents. However, the situation is so tense that (in many cases) or with those aids, costs would be covered. And that prices have not been as low as they feared. Above all, because it has entered much less Latin American banana in the peninsula of what was expected. Meteorological problems on the other side of the puddle and logistics problems have produced a relative shortage of peninsular markets. This means that, although (as happened in 2024) everyone expected a price drop – related to the decrease in institutional demand with the arrival of summer, fortunately the collapse has been lower. Map (Via Canarias now) A problem that comes from afar … That is, the banana has saved furniture at the last moment and, even so, they are in free fall. But the key question is why: and the answer is a succession of years between bad and nefarious that have led On the verge of bankruptcy to any of the main cooperatives of the archipelago (which dragged problems from the eruption of the palm). … And that nobody is clear how long it will arrive. Because, remember, 2025 was the good year. That is, everything seems to indicate that as is the case with other traditional Spanish crops (such as the olive tree), the Canary Islands banana is on the edge of death and does not know. For now, it is still alive because the possei is armored until 2027, when the next budget framework of the Union is approved. The problem is that chaining another three bad years waiting for a solution from heaven to “fall very similar to” survive hooked to a machine. ” Even more when The ghost of the European agreement with Mercosur Threat to complicate (even more) the situation. The truth is that Canary Islands, Like the rest of Spanish agricultureneed a background reflection: it has grown thanks to the European “regulatory walls”, but those walls have been cracking for years. It’s time to reflect seriously about what we want to be older. Image | Brando Makes Branding / Diego Catto In Xataka | If the question is what to do with the millions of bananas that Canary Islands throw every year, there are already those who are clear: wine

The world is waiting for Depseek’s new great model to compete with GPT-5, but Depseek has other plans: the agricultural AI

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At the beginning of the year, the Chinese startup Deepseek put the world of AI up with Deepseek R1a free and open source model that was placed at the height of GPT-4 or Claude. After the coup on the table, in Depseek they have been quite quiet, but now we know what its next objective is: the agriculture. Before the end of the year. A few days ago Bloomberg reported that Deepseek is working on an advanced and very ambitious agent. He will be able to perform multiple tasks with minimal user intervention and will learn as he works. According to sources close to the company, the founder of the company Lian Wenfeng is pressing his team so that the new agentic model is ready before the end of the year. The company has already taken a step in this direction with the Deepseek v3.1 presentation Just two weeks ago. As detailed by the company in A post in Wechatits new model improves performance in reasoning tasks and agricultural abilities. A step back. Deepseek R2, the expected successor of the successful model with which Deepseek revolutionized the industry making begging. Instead they gave us Deepseek v3.1 and now the rumors suggest that their next great launch will be an AI agent. What is happening? There are voices, such as This Chinese journalistthat they see this turn to the agricultural AI as a way of taking a step back and getting away from the expensive and competitive career of the foundational language models. That The generative AI is reaching its roof It is something that is being talked about Since last year. GPT-5 is the test more recent than The big jumps are a thing of the past. If we add to this that China has a more conservative way of proceeding, with more long -term strategiesDeepseek’s turn towards an agriculture instead of launching Depseek R2 makes sense. Restrictions Although we have seen The most ingenious forms to make fun of themUnited States restrictions on chip export to China are also impacting the plans of many Chinese and Deepseek companies do not get rid. This also involves extra pressure that forces new routes with which to market their products. In fact, there is something striking in Deepseek v3.1 and it is that the model has been specially designed for Chinese chipswith the objective of Avoid dependence on foreign chips. Generate income. The agricultural AI opens another way for Deepseek, one in which you can get benefits more easily. Large language models have a problem: They cost a money and monetize them is not being a simple task. Given this, IA agents rise like a Most reasonable business model. Deepseek R1 has already given a whole lesson in Resource efficiencyIt makes sense that the company wants to opt for the fastest path to the benefits. A more conservative position. Although He has trimmed positionsChina lags in AI in terms of investments and access to the most advanced chips. Despite this, his approach in this AI race is being different. We see it in your Bet on the Open-Source wave “Personified“But perhaps the biggest difference is that, while their competitors in the United States continue to squander billions, in China they are choosing to be more conservative and not waste. This turn to the agents is in that conservative line to achieve a more sustainable industry. Image | Matheus Bertelli, via Pexels In Xataka | There is a city in China that is measured face to face with Silicon Valley: welcome to Hangzhou, the house of the ‘Six Little Dragons’

The misuse of agricultural machinery is behind a surprising number of events

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We are in full heat wave and extreme precautions. Reminders we do not lack and one of the last ones has given the Agrarian Association Young Farmers (ASAJA), for a good reason: the danger that these days supposes The misuse of agricultural machinery. 131 fires. The use of machinery and engines, especially in the agricultural context, has been triggered 131 forest fires in Castilla y León so far this year. Are ASAJA datathat cite a letter from the General Director of Natural Heritage and Forest Politics, José Ángel Arranz, in which the increase in forest fires of agricultural origin was alerted. This implies, Asaja points out, an increase of 37.9% compared to the average of the last five years: 95 fires. In a statement, Asaja details that these fires would have burned 750.57 agricultural hectares and 52.53 hectares of forest soil. The Administration indicated that 17 causes of fire by harvesting had been identified, but that the investigation continues in other cases. One third. According to data of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Planning of the Territory of the Board of Castilla y León, this year (on July 30, the latest data we have) have occurred in the Autonomous Community 391 fires, most of them, 313, conatos (fires in which the burned surface is of a hectare or less). This implies that around a third of the fires produced in the Castilian-Leon territory would have their origin in this type of machinery. The 17 fires caused by harvesting would represent more than 4% of the total. A double risk. This type of fire has a double impact on the agricultural sector. First, when producing in agricultural farms, these fires disproportionately affect the field, putting at risk not only harvests and facilities, but also the workers themselves. In second place, Asaja remembers that to the risk of fires must add the sanctions, which can take different, administrative or criminal. The fact that the event is accidental and even complying with the regulations does not exempt from civil liability derived from the fire caused. The last alert of the Board. In this context, the Junta de Castilla y León has made a special appeal To the citizens to extreme caution. It also published a resolution of the General Directorate of Natural Heritage and Forest Politics in which certain actions are prohibited. Among them “the use of machinery that, in its usual functioning, dismisses sparks or electrical discharges such as torch, welders and radials, both in the mountain and in a strip of 400 meters of the terrain that surrounds it.” The resolution also prohibits lighting fire in open spaces in the mountain, as well as in recreational and camping areas, “even in areas enabled for it”; also the use of barbecues located in open spaces of the mount or nearby areas; and suspend events such as fireworks, other elements of pyrotechnics, and in general, the use of fire in activities. In Xataka | Turning Portugal into eucalyptus monoculture was a disaster. And the last fires do nothing but remind us Image | Asaja Castilla y León

EU’s new agricultural strategy begins in an unexpected place: in the school dining room

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The market share of fruit and vegetables imported has grown up in a sustained way In the last years of countries outside the EU. Meanwhile, local producers see how their margins narrow before a competition with other rules. Faced with this reality, the European Commission It raises a turn in one of its most daily policies: That schools prioritize foods of community origin in their menus. A discreet measure in appearance, but that points directly to the heart of the European agricultural model. A proposal of Brussels. All the fruit, vegetables and milk that reaches school canteens from EU countries will have to be local products. The proposal, presented last week, directly affects the European school program in force since 2017which seeks to promote healthy eating habits from nursery to high school. According to the draft to which Financial Times has had accessthe new text includes an explicit clause to favor “Made in Europe” products, not only for nutritional reasons, but as part of a broader strategy of impulse to community production. More than health. On the one hand, the initiative is part of a protectionist tendency that has already reached other key sectors such as defense, energy or critical raw materials. On the other, it is part of the debate on the future of common agricultural policy (PAC), one of the key pieces of the European budget. According to El Confidencial reportthe reform of the multiannual financial framework (2028–2034), endowed with two billion euros, cuts the PAC in favor of items such as defense, which has caused strong criticisms of the agricultural sector. Associations of Spanish farmers have already protested in Brussels against cuts that consider “a conviction” for the field. Concern is not only economical, but also structural. The Commission recognizes, in the document itself, that there is a growing imbalance in the food chain that especially affects primary producers. In the words of the text: “The unfair distribution of income, risks and cost burden disproportionately affect the agricultural sector.” Adaptation of the new standard. The new approach seeks to adapt the current school program of the PAC to the current demands. According to the draft filtered by Financial Times and confirmed by the official website of the Commissionproducts of community origin will be prioritized, with low climatic footprint, certified as ecological, sustainably packaged or from small local farms. In addition, those products rich in added sugars and saturated fats will be excluded from the plan. A community official cited by FT Thus summed up the philosophy of the measure: “It is good that the children know that this apple comes from a tree five kilometers from their home.” Currently, 17 Member States already apply criteria for local or regional preference in their school programs, according to the commission itself. The intention is to harmonize this practice at European level and reinforce it. The structural problem. The school reform arrives at an especially sensitive moment. Morocco has established itself as one of the main suppliers of EU fruits and vegetables, displacing in some cases the European product. According to An article by El Economistathe community import of Moroccan fruits and vegetables grew by 14% in the first quarter of 2025. A commitment to food sovereignty. Although the school proposal may seem secondary in economic terms, it is part of a broader paradigm change. As Financial Times remembersBrussels has begun to introduce “Made in Europe” clauses in strategic areas such as defense, state aid to the green sector and now also in the agri -food system. The objective is not to close borders, but to establish fairer reciprocity conditions and reinforce sectors considered strategic for the stability of the continent. Among them, food. According to the commissionguaranteeing access to safe, affordable and quality foods is one of the pillars of the European project, together with the defense of the rural economy. A difficult bet. Beyond the food debate, what is at stake is a definition of economic, commercial and social model for the future of Europe. In an era of growing global protectionism, the European Commission gives clear signals: from defense to school breakfast, the “made in Europe” wants to impose as a norm. But in the attempt to protect the European farmer, Brussels site delicate land, where commercial tensions and market realities are not always so easy to digest. Image | Pexels Xataka | ASML, Airbus and Mistral are planted before Brussels. They ask that the application of the law of AI and notify the risks delay

In ‘Farmtok’, agriculture takes the spotlight. What will happen if TikTok disappears?

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BUCYRUS, Ohio, USA — Zoe Kent hopes people will lighten up a little to hear her talk about farming on the internet. In one of his latest videos, he compares pesticide application to dry shampoo. “Farming is for girls,” he jokes. On Instagram and TikTok, under the username “farmwithzoe,” Kent films herself putting on boots to load corn into the bed of a huge truck, posts memes about the price of grain, and documents almost everything about life on the farm, from how He gets rocks stuck in his equipment until he eats lunch on long days working on a combine. Now, the future of TikTok — and “Farmtok,” as some creators call the agriculture-related influencer ecosystem — has become more uncertain due to a ban the U.S. government briefly implemented on TikTok over the weekend. The new Trump administration rescinded that ban, at least for now, but farmers are keenly aware that things could change, and with them, the ways they share farm life with the rest of the world. But most say they will continue to adapt to what the platforms throw at them. “It’s like building your business on rented land,” Kent said. “It’s not guaranteed to stay there.” Even before the uncertain threat to TikTok’s future, agricultural creators had to deal with the evolution of social media. As algorithms changed, they faced greater challenges communicating with an audience many see as increasingly disconnected from agriculture. But most say they will continue to adapt to what the platforms throw at them. Some producers make extra money by building an audience on TikTok or Instagram. Others use social media to advertise to local customers, such as restaurants or farmers markets. Perhaps most importantly, they want to continue building community with other farmers in the face of industry challenges such as the profession’s impact on mental health, economic pressure and climate change. Several farmers said the disconnect has grown over the years as social media algorithms have changed. “I know for a fact that our social media reach is way down now,” said Beth Satterwhite, who has been posting on Instagram about her small organic vegetable farm in McMinnville, Oregon, for more than a decade. “The stories of people working in agriculture are a little less interesting for the consumer, I don’t know if it’s really less interesting or just less visible,” he said. Neil Denton, who grows corn, soybeans, wheat and rye in Barlow, Kentucky, shared a similar sentiment. Consider that many of his more than 80,000 followers on Instagram and 33,000 on TikTok are other producers, not members of the public. He finds that “disappointing” and worries about how much people know about the food that ends up on their plates. But he thinks there’s a silver lining: “Farming is a lonely occupation because you’re not around a lot of co-workers,” Denton said. “I think some farmers use social media as an outlet… to be able to express yourself and feel like you’re not alone.” Within the farming community, it can also be helpful to learn from other farmers, many producers said. Megan Dwyer, who grows corn and soybeans and raises beef cattle in northwest Illinois, uses social media, especially X and Facebook, to gauge what’s important to other farmers. “It’s a great source of information, especially quick information,” he said. However, all that quick information comes at a price. Satterwhite described a “soup of language” around agriculture, saying it could be difficult for an outsider to say which agricultural practices are legitimately better for the climate or the environment. “I see a lot of greenwashing,” Satterwhite said, referring to the practice of falsely portraying a product or practice as green in order to market it to an environmentally conscious public. “There is definitely a lot of misinformation out there,” Kent added. “I try to filter out who has genuine questions versus who already has a stance and isn’t willing to listen to me.” That’s something many ag influencers agree on: that they still want a place to have a conversation. As Dwyer said, “You never know who you are influencing there or what can happen.”

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