High-end smart agricultural machinery accelerates application in autumn farming; Agricultural ETF Tianhong underlying index rises 0.59%

JPMorgan has warned that the next global food crisis could erupt next year, and China's A-share agricultural sector surged in response on August 17. Nongfa Seed and Luoniushan hit their daily trading limits, while Qiule Seed, Shennong Seed, Western Animal Husbandry, Sukin Agricultural Development, and Longping High-Tech also moved higher. Seed, grain concept, and pork concept stocks all strengthened. JPMorgan noted that shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and a potentially historic super El Niño could reduce crop yields, pushing global food inflation from 2.8 percent in the first half of 2026 to 5 percent in the first half of 2027. Data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization show that the food price index averaged 131.1 points in July 2026, up 1 percent year on year, with the cereal price index rising 3.4 percent month on month and the vegetable oil price index reaching its highest level since June 2022. Monitoring by the National Climate Center shows that the equatorial central and eastern Pacific has entered the watch zone for a strong El Niño event, with the probability of a super El Niño later increasing, and the event is expected to last at least until next spring.

Global food prices rose in July to their highest level in more than three years, amid concerns over production volumes and key grain export routes. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations reported that its world food price index increased 0.6 percent from the previous month, reaching the highest since January 2023, driven mainly by higher prices for cereals, sugar, and vegetable oils. A major risk stems from the Black Sea region after attacks between Russia and Ukraine intensified, raising concerns over grain exports and helping push wheat prices to a two-year high in June. Meanwhile, Europe is facing one of its most severe drops in grain production on record due to extreme heat, and key growing areas in the United States are experiencing drought, increasing risks to corn and soybean output. Food price risks could rise further in the near term due to the prospect of an unusually strong El Niño, coupled with fertilizer supply issues and still-high energy costs.

Walmart, General Mills, and ADM are collaborating on a new regenerative agriculture program covering 40,000 Midwest wheat acres. The initiative targets soil health, water quality, and carbon sequestration, and is designed as a model for broader industry change across food and retail supply chains. The program ties Walmart's shelf offerings to specific environmental outcomes, linking its retail scale to farm-level practices. For investors, this signals how the retailer is managing long-term supply reliability and environmental expectations simultaneously.