Commodities Focus

The global demand for basmati rice has been rising, especially in the Middle East and the EU. As a result, the competition to sell this long-grain variety has intensified in recent years. The world's biggest Basmati suppliers -- India and Pakistan -- claim proprietary ownership over this long-grain Asian indica rice. In this podcast, we will shine some light on the fundamental issues in the basmati trade and the way forward for the two South Asian countries. Join S&P Global Commodity Insights' Asim Anand, manager, agriculture & food pricing, Dipanshi Agarwal, principal analyst, APAC crops, Ayushi Baloni and Namarita Kathait, associate price reporters for agriculture & food, in a discussion about the intricacies of the global basmati trade and why it has become a source of disagreement between India and Pakistan.

The energy landscape in Asia has been evolving in recent years. With a global push towards renewable energy, the longstanding dependence of many Asian countries on coal comes into the limelight. The discussions surround critical questions about whether these nations will be able to transition from primarily fossil fuel-based to a more clean-powered energy, especially at a time when major coal consumers India and China are trying to increase their self-reliance on coal. Join Andre Lambine, associate director, lead APAC short-term power and renewables research, Tanya Jain, associate price reporter for thermal coal and Anirudh Iyer, senior price reporter for energy transition as they speak to Vaibhav Chakraborty, senior price reporter for thermal coal about the ups and downs of achieving energy stability in Asian countries.

The first pause of triple-digit tariffs between the US and China prompted a container shipping surge. The second pause? Not so much. The US and China in May took a 90-day breather from triple-digit tariffs that largely halted container ship traffic between the world's two largest economies. Shippers and buyers raced to get Chinese goods on the water to the US during that window in a supply-driven surge to pump up inventories ahead of the holiday shopping season. Mid-August brought another 90-day pause as trade negotiations between the two nations continued, but this time shippers and buyers largely yawned. Kristen Hays, manager of the Americas freight pricing team, and Aroob Sheikh and Catherine George, reporters for North and South American container freight markets, discuss the ups and downs of the two biggest players in global trade. Links: Platts Container Rate 13 North Asia-WC North America PCR1300Platts Container Rate 5 North Asia-EC North America PCR0500Platts Container Rate 29 North Asia-WC South America PCR2900Platts Container Rate 31 North Asia-EC South America PCR3100

The landscape of gasoline pricing and supply in Southeast Asia is evolving. The rising demand for low-sulfur blend stocks as Australia prepares for its transition, the effects of reduced non-oxygenated gasoline exports from India and Malaysia's upcoming subsidy increase for 95 RON gasoline--all these factors could influence regional demand, despite potential price inelasticity. In this podcast, Jenson Ong, market engagement lead, global refined oil products, Joshua Ong, senior price reporter, APAC Light Ends and Rachelle Teo, associate price reporter, APAC Clean Products PFC, discuss the intricate interplay between domestic consumption, import dependencies, and the geopolitical factors influencing the gasoline market. Stay tuned for an engaging conversation that will shed light on the critical issues affecting one of the most vital commodities in Asia.

Asia's used cooking oil (UCO) market is navigating an upheaval this year as the US, which once used to be the largest buyer, has removed incentives for imported biofuels. However, UCO's efficacy and commercial viability as a biofuel feedstock is keeping demand steady and prices at record highs. In this podcast, Iris Leung, associate price reporter, Vasu Tripathy, analyst, oils and fats markets join Aditya Kondalamahanty, senior editor agriculture news to discuss how changing policy is reshaping trade flows and the new market opportunities that are opening for Asian UCO.

Dipanshi Agarwal, an agricultural economist at S&P Global Commodity Insights, sheds light on Japan's rice supply crisis, driven by adverse weather and rising demand. As prices reach record highs, she discusses how this creates opportunities for US and Thai farmers. The podcast delves into Japan's rice consumption habits and import dynamics, including preferences for quality that challenge exporters. Tariff uncertainties and market stability further complicate the landscape, making it a crucial time for global rice trade.

A new outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease discovered in Germany earlier this year has reshaped trade flows of European pork and led to significant pricing volatility in the region. Varying government responses to the disease have raised questions about how the European market will fare going forward and whether other global exporters will be able to fill the void left by the reduced EU hog supply. Geopolitical uncertainty has further complicated the situation, with US tariffs coming into force and the ongoing antidumping investigation on EU pork by the Chinese government. Heather Pantling leads an indepth discussion with market experts Sarah Reid, Desiré Sigaudo, and Samyak Pandey as they explore the impacts of Foot and Mouth Disease not only on the economy but also on global trading patterns. Links:Platts Protein AssessmentsEU Pork Marker eur/mt UPML00EU Pork Marker $/mt EUPMK00 Pork Belly CFR North Asia GPSEB00

As the demand for sustainable protein sources escalates, seafood production is poised to become the fastest-growing sector in the global animal protein markets in 2025. At the forefront of this growth is shrimp, which stands out as a leading sustainable and healthy protein option, capturing the attention of consumers and reshaping the landscape of the animal protein market. Jason Spaziante, EMEA manager of price reporting for agriculture and food, talks to aquaculture analyst Max Bouratoglou and price reporters Karan Dadure and Felipe Peroni about the evolution and challenges for this growing sector of protein.

Global electric vehicle adoption is increasing the demand for recycled battery raw materials. While the recent slowdown in EV sales growth and an oversupply of battery metals have weighed on battery recycling in some regions, the recognition of black mass as a sustainable source of critical raw materials has cemented its strategic importance in the eyes of global policymakers. In this episode of the Commodities Focus podcast, our experts explore the trends, challenges, and opportunities in battery recycling and black mass markets.

China's latest round of oil product export quotas had tightened compared to the same tranche a year ago. However, healthy margins and strong aviation recovery have pretty much cemented jet fuel's position as the king of the barrel for Chinese exporters, though turbulence remains. S&P Global Commodity Insights' Asia oil news editor, Neo Rong Wei discusses China's latest export quotas and export plans, as well as its impact on regional markets with Market Specialist Daisy Xu and associate price reporter Lee Shu Ling, who covers Asia jet fuel/kerosene markets.