Soft commodities

Jonathan Compton predicts the key economic and political changes investors should factor in over the next two decades.

Jonathan Compton assesses the key trends in post-pandemic agriculture and how you could profit from them.

The World Trade Organisation sides with the US over the EU's preferential treatment of its former colonies in the banana trade, on this day in 1999.

Things seemed to be turning out well for pot-heads in 2019 – and for the companies that seek to provide for their needs. Then a new, more depressing r…

The prohibitionist era is over: countries are rapidly legalising marijuana for medical and recreational use. Ben Judge reviews the latest developments…

The number of pigs in China, around 450 million, is set to shrink by a third by the end of 2019 as swine flu rages – meanwhile, US pork sales to China…

The agricultural sector has long survived by throwing more pesticides, machines and land at every problem. That won’t work any more. Merryn Somerset W…

Drier summers and a rapidly growing population mean parts of Britain will run out of water in 25 years. What can we do about it, and how much would it…

You can’t expect to find a magic money tree, but if you are a wealthier investor, then adding a forest to your portfolio could boost your returns – an…

Coffee prices have tumbled to a 12-year low, thanks to a bumper crop in Brazil – the world’s largest producer – and a stronger US dollar.

Vanilla is one of the world’s most popular flavours, but a dear one. As this chart shows, a supply squeeze over the past few years has propelled price…

Cannabis is legal in Canada and several US states. Now England’s chief medical officer wants to loosen restrictions on medical marijuana. The tide is …

US cheese prices have crumbled thanks to a glut – the block cheddar cheese benchmark price settled at around $1.54 a pound

Cape Town, South Africa’s second-biggest city, might soon have to turn off the taps. What went wrong? And is this a sign of things to come for other c…

As the world’s population soars, new technologies and changing consumption habits will be key to keeping everyone fed. Alex Rankine reports.

Next year recreational cannabis use becomes legal in California. With Canada also set to lift its ban, Big Weed will soon present a host of investment…

Vanilla prices have rocketed to a record peak of more than $600 a kilo, after a cyclone in March dented supplies from Madagascar, which accounts for h…

America’s Super Bowl, the annual final of the National Football League, is the second-biggest day for food consumption after Thanksgiving.

Toblerone, Quality Street and Creme Eggs have all been hit by “shrinkflation”, with customers getting less for more after the price of cocoa butter so…

Heavy rains in the Tanaro river basin in Piedmont, northwest Italy, have led to a bumper harvest of Alba white truffles this year.

The wholesale price of garlic in China, which accounts for more than 80% of the world’s exports, has risen since 2015 as heavy rains damaged crops. Ga…

Hipsters’ passion for lobster rolls has helped propel lobster prices to an 11-year high. Global lobster imports were 7% up year-on-year in the first q…

Spot butter prices in America hit a record peak above $3 a pound in 2015, but now they are falling. Butter stockpiles are up 52% from a year ago and c…

In 2008, wheat prices briefly spiked above $13 a bushel, sparking food riots in emerging markets. Since then, they have slumped by more than 70%.