Topic “In the News News” — Exporter Magazine

Google Inc said users of Gmail will now be able to call telephones directly from their email, putting it in direct competition with Web calling service Skype and companies such as AT&T Inc, according to GulfNews.com. Demand for gold will remain robust during 2010 as a result of accelerating demand from India and China, as well as increasing global investment demand driven by continuing uncertainty over public debt and economic recovery, the World Gold Council (“WGC”), an organisation representing mining companies, said. Dairy, bakery and beverages account for 72.9% of functional foods in the world’s biggest markets with energy/mood enhancement, gut health and heart health the dominant claims, according to NutraIngredients.com. Despite a massive increase in recent years, new research from Mintel suggests that energy drinks and shots may be struggling to find new customers in the US, according to BeverageDaily.com . Australia vegetable lobby group AUSVEG’s chief executive Richard Mulcahy says he will be banging on the door of the federal agriculture minister, as soon as he knows who it is, to talk potatoes, according to ABC’s rural news service. Wine exports are up 5% in the June year, topping NZ$1 billion for the first time, but exporters are getting much less for each litre of wine in what New Zealand Winegrowers call the toughest year in more than two decades, according to Stuff.co.nz. China for the first time allowed the yuan to trade against the Malaysian ringgit on the domestic market last Thursday in a move signalling China’s intention to progressively turn the yuan into a major global currency, according to a Wall Street Journal online report.