NEW Zealand dairy giant Fonterra exported a record amount of product last financial year.

Fonterra chief executive Andrew Ferrier said the company exported 2.1 million tonnes of dairy product in 2009-10 - the most in its nine-year history.

Mr Ferrier said demand was consistent throughout the year, with exports up 60,000 tonnes on 2008-09.

Russia eyes Belarus

RUSSIA may have to import potatoes from Belarus to cater for winter demand in Moscow.

Russia's worst drought in decades, which is estimated to have already cost $15 billion, has threatened almost a third of the nation's potato harvest.

As a result, Moscow will import about 50,000 tonnes of potatoes from Belarus, or about 25 per cent of its requirements.

Egg blue is no yolk

LOW-cost vaccines could have helped prevent the salmonella outbreak that led to the recall of more than 500 million eggs in the US last week.

According to experts, half the nation's egg-laying hens hadn't been administered the vaccines, which prevent chickens from becoming infected with salmonella and passing the bacteria on to their eggs.

The vaccines have ensured the safety of egg supplies in Europe.

Rain boosts Kansas crop

THE start of wheat plantings in Kansas, in the US, received a boost last week with heavy rainfall.

AccuWeather.com meteorologist Dale Mohler said areas of Kansas received 25-125mm last Tuesday alone.

He said the rain could not have come at a better time, with the country's Mid West experiencing an abnormally hot and dry summer ahead of September plantings.

Garden goal for schools

STUDENTS in poor US schools will learn more about food production through the establishment of community gardens.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the pilot program aims to teach students about agriculture production, diet and nutrition.

Produce grown in the garden will be used in the schools' meals or distributed to student households, food banks or nutrition programs for seniors.

Rice price not so nice

FLOODS in Pakistan have driven up prices for local rice by 15 to 20 per cent.

According to government estimates, more than 275,000ha of crops have been damaged by the floods - the worst in a century - wiping 1.6 million tonnes from production.

Pakistan is the world's third-largest exporter of rice.