China’s African swine fever outbreak ripples across Asia

Just as China bore the brunt of its mishandling of SARS -- recording the most infections and deaths -- it is poised to incur serious economic consequences from African swine fever that could last well into the next year or two, according to experts. 'There will be macroeconomic impacts from the disease, first and foremost,' said Even Pay, an agricultural analyst at China Policy, a strategic advisory firm in Beijing. 'It will make food prices—not just pork but also chicken and eggs and anything that consumers might choose as an alternative protein—more expensive for the next one to two years. The impacts of this will be felt disproportionately by the poor and middle class.' ASF, as the disease is known, was first reported in China last August and is now present in all of its administrative regions. The current crisis will also drive inflation, Pay said, creating a drag on the country's economy at a time when growth was already slowing.

why China’s dependence on farm subsidies is an obstacle to a trade war deal with the US

While some protections remain high, China had been gradually removing many of its subsidies for major agricultural products. But the start of the trade war put some of these moves on hold. 'Every signal we had is that China was going to drop minimum purchase prices for wheat but it has now become a bargaining chip in the trade war,' said Even Pay, an agricultural analyst at the China Policy consulting group.

China to expand agriculture reforms to bolster rural economy

As in previous years, it also called for stable grain production, but also an increase in imports of agriculture products where there are shortages in the domestic market. 'The focus now is on retaining production capacity, in the form of high quality farmland, and using the international market to make up production shortfalls,' said Even Rogers Pay, an agriculture analyst at China Policy, a Beijing-based consultancy.

China’s DJI targets agriculture as consumer drone sales slow

But the agricultural drone market is limited by the relatively low incomes of Chinese farmers. 'There are some big hurdles for companies — like ensuring there are trained, licensed drone operators, making sure the price of a high-tech farm drone is manageable for rural entrepreneurs or covered by subsidies,' said Even Pay, an analyst at consultancy China Policy.

In undersupplied market, US-China lead trade continues amid tariff negotiations

After tariffs were announced and a date of 28th September set for their imposition, Chinese buyers rushed to get in units before the deadline. With the possibility to double the tariffs next January, such 'front loading' of deals is not uncommon, Jingwen Tong, a trade policy analyst at strategic advisory firm China Policy said in emailed comments. 'If the tariffs continue escalating, however, eventually the cost of buying from tariffed suppliers will be hard to bear,' Tong added.

Chinese consortium signs up for US$6bn Algeria phosphate project

But the state is trying to wean itself off production in a pivot toward less polluting, higher value-added industries, analysts said. The government cut subsidies for the industry in 2015, according to Fitch’s China Agribusiness Report.  The Algeria deal “is exactly in line with China’s shifting strategy on trade,” said Even Pay, a senior agriculture analyst with Beijing-based advisory firm China Policy. “China has been a long-term, major producer and user of phosphate fertilizers. But China’s reserves are limited, and the environmental impact of the industry is high,” she said. “China will be happy to have more of these fertilizers on the global market. It China wants to move up the global value chain, that is, providing the capital, technology and expertise to produce phosphate fertilizer elsewhere,” she added.

China pushes modern farming as tariffs make US crops costlier

China has imposed tariffs on American soybeans, wheat and other crops in retaliation for US tariffs on Chinese goods, making those imported crops more expensive and highlighting the country’s dependence on foreign growers. 'The trade war is definitely adding pressure and adding scrutiny,' said Even Rogers Pay, an agriculture analyst at Beijing-based research firm China Policy. 'Top officials in the [Communist] Party are particularly paying attention to agriculture.'

China wants to stop buying American soybeans entirely

"Sourcing soybeans from a bunch of trade partners is both expensive and inefficient," said Even Pay, a Beijing-based agriculture analyst at research firm China Policy. "Companies are looking for cheaper, alternative sources of protein."

US-China trade war becomes a hog’s dinner, as Beijing considers reducing soybean rations for pigs

Even Rogers Pay, lead agriculture analyst at consulting firm China Policy, said that while Beijing’s attempt to damage US exports with tariffs on soybeans might have appeared to have fallen flat, the government might have had other reasons for the move.

Chinese merchants fear Trump’s trade war is hurting a popular snack: pig feet

'The trade war has begun to hurt,' Wu said. 'No one gains.' Even Rogers Pay, an agriculture analyst at Beijing consulting firm China Policy, said the swelling price of soybeans, another tariff-affected commodity, could also increase expenses for sellers. 'Most of that soy is for pig feed,' she said.

a bright future for China’s dairy market

While traditional suppliers can count on a large and growing dairy market, policymakers have expressed an interest in diversifying import sources. We anticipate rising Chinese investment along the dairy product supply chain globally, particularly in Belt and Road countries, as well as more import approvals.

interview: China-US compromise ‘essential’ for Korea peace

Sixty-five years after the Korean War ended with a ceasefire, efforts are underway to finally reach a peace agreement between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), following a historic summit in April between the two countries' leaders. But how much progress has been made so far and what role can China and the US play? CGTN Digital spoke to Megan Cansfield, geopolitics analyst with China Policy, to get some insight.