Illicit Tobacco Crackdown: Philippines’ Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla blamed “endemic” corruption for P141bn in revenue losses from illegal tobacco trade, urging enforcement against operators; DA cited P14bn lost in 2024-25 (P118.1bn cigarettes, P22.9bn e-vapor). Farm-to-School Push: Vermont awarded $1m via 34 grants to expand farm-to-school education and local food access for students and early childhood programs. Ghana Skills Boost: Ghana’s Trade Minister broke ground for CSIR ITAED-HUB, aiming to close TVET-to-industry skills gaps with competency-based training. Export Certification Win: Sri Lanka’s Pussalla Organic Cinnamon secured EU Organic and USDA Organic certifications, strengthening high-value export prospects. Sustainability Compliance: Sri Lanka’s rubber sector mobilized over 80 stakeholders to prepare for EU Deforestation Regulation requirements. Trade Finance Snapshot: ITFC reported $9.35bn in 2025 trade finance approvals, including $1.57bn for food and agriculture. Market Oversight: Tanzania tightened avocado rules to improve quality, grading, and reduce buyer-farmer disputes. Organic Processing Investment: India’s Finance Minister inaugurated Northeast India’s largest organic spice processing facility in Meghalaya. Drought Relief: Tropical storm Arthur brought measurable rain to drought-hit North Carolina, easing conditions after weeks of dry weather. Small-Farm Value: Kenya highlighted low adoption of research innovations as a key barrier, calling for scaling solutions beyond labs. Food System Economics: South Asia’s food economy faces big losses and low value capture, with processing and market access flagged as the growth lever. Agrivoltaics Law: Virginia signed its first agrivoltaics bill, backing solar-agriculture integration. Regulatory Market Moves: India’s Sebi approved faster AIF fundraising via GARUDA and moved to revive agricultural commodity derivatives trading. Horticulture Innovation: Single-portion watermelons advanced toward market rollout in Europe, targeting convenience-led demand.