El Niño Fallout in Asia-Pacific: The Philippines’ agriculture and health agencies are ramping up El Niño preparations as “very strong” conditions are expected to persist into 2027, with reported damage to rice, corn, cassava, high-value crops, and livestock; losses were put at P6.87B affecting 223,214 farmers and 249,028 hectares, alongside 338 water pumps and P10.96B in interventions. India Farm Output Under Pressure: India set a 2026-27 foodgrain target of 373.93 mt while drought concerns linger across Karnataka, Maharashtra, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan, with plans to shift toward less water-intensive crops like pulses and oilseeds. Trade Rules for Farmers: India’s agriculture minister said the government will launch an FTA awareness drive so farmers understand which products qualify, export standards, and market demand—aimed at turning zero-duty access into real farm opportunities. China Soybeans Watch: China’s soybean buying is expected to slow due to weak feed demand and negative crush margins, and soybeans were excluded from proposed tariff relief, tightening prospects for US cargoes. Agri-Tech Startup Push: Hyderabad’s T-Hub launched a venture studio with agri-tech and space-tech tracks, offering selected founders 100% equity and support to build solutions for precision farming, irrigation, climate resilience and mechanisation. China-PNG Ties: China and Papua New Guinea marked 50 years of diplomatic relations, highlighting trade, investment and engineering cooperation that includes agriculture-linked development.