GAIN Reports from Monday, March 15, 2021

The following Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) reports were released on Monday, March 15, 2021.   Canada: Canada Proposes Federal Carbon Offset System On March 5, the federal government issued proposed regulations for a federal carbon offset system as an additional element to their carbon pollution pricing policy. Agriculture-specific protocols, yet to be developed, would allow farmers to convert carbon-sequestration practices into carbon offset credits, which could be sold to industrial greenhouse gas emitters.​ Japan: Major Cropland Support Payment Programs Operated by MAFF This report summarizes the major cropland support payment programs operated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF). MAFF's support payment programs have long focused on shifting production within paddy fields from table rice to other crops, including rice for other purposes, to better reflect domestic demand for a diverse range of agricultural products. MAFF continues to provide support to table rice producers through a year-round supply and demand purchasing system that limits price fluctuations and an income stabilization safety net program. In addition, MAFF operates a revenue insurance program and an agricultural mutual relief insurance program for all producers. South Africa: The United States and Southern Africa Agricultural Trade Decreases Due to COVID-19   The partial and full lockdowns implemented globally including in Southern Africa to address COVID19, severely disrupted the movement of people and agricultural trade in 2020. United States agricultural exports to Southern Africa were severely impacted by COVID-19, and decreased by 23 percent to US$483.7 million in 2020. In comparison, Southern African agricultural exports to the United States were more resilient and only decreased by 13 percent to US$883.2 million in 2020. This was due to more stringent measures that were placed on imports of liquor products by some countries, disruptions to supply chains, and decrease in demand due to low economic activities and consumer incomes as a result of COVID-19. Post expects improvements in agricultural trade in 2021, based on several countries lifting lockdown restrictions, improved management of supply chains, and increases in production of major crops following good rainfall received to date.  Thailand: Rice Price - Weekly   Rice export prices further declined 1-2 percent as off-season rice supplies continued entering the market and the Thai baht continued to weaken against the U.S. dollar. For more information, or for an archive of all FAS GAIN reports, please visit gain.fas.usda.gov/.     Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. This email was sent to ooseims.archieves@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service · 1400 Independence Avenue, SW · Washington, DC 20250