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North America

Oppenheimer to market Orchard View Farms cherries
When the Northwest cherry season begins in June, one of the produce industry’s oldest and most experienced companies will become one of the deal’s freshest faces.Through a multi-year arrangement, Orchard View Farms of The Dalles, Ore., has appointed The Oppenheimer Group as its exclusive marketing partner...... 0 comments

Importers, foreign producers and first handler included in appointments
USDA names members to National Mango Board
On February 4, 2010, Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack appointed six members to serve on the National Mango Board (NMB) for three-year terms beginning immediately and ending on December 31, 2012. The appointments were announced via a USDA press release.Ken Nabal of Frontera Produce in Boca Raton, FL and..... 0 comments

USDA approves disaster declaration for Florida crops
The U.S. Department of Agriculture declared a disaster for most of Florida's counties following the string of freezing temperatures that battered crops from berries to corn.The declaration opens the way for federal assistance in the form of low-interest loans.The federal department determined that farmers in..... 0 comments

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Inhibition of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) using whey proteins
The antiviral activity of native and esterified whey proteins fractions (alpha- lactalbumin, beta- lactoglobulin, and lactoferrin) was studied to inhibit tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) on infected tomato plants. Whey proteins fractions and their esterified derivatives were sprayed into TYLCV-infected..... 0 comments

US: Scientist works to keep apples cool
He intended to run the family farm in Kansas. Instead, he became a research scientist and rose through the ranks of academia to become dean of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at Washington State University in 1989.But Larry Schrader's greatest legacy is as a top authority on sunburned..... 0 comments

US : Citrus greening projects gets boost
The citrus greening control project has been strengthened by a donation from the International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health. This past Tuesday the Citrus Growers Association received new laboratory and vector control equipment to help combat the negative effects of diseases that are..... 0 comments

USAID grants $30 million to Champion Afghan Farmers
Roots of Peace, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization, received $30,420,241 in grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) last week to support rural farmers in Afghanistan's eastern and southern provinces over the next four years.Through USAID's Commercial Horticulture..... 0 comments

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Chiquita must face U.S. suit over Colombian terrorist murders
Chiquita Brands International Inc., owner of the namesake banana label, must face a lawsuit accusing it of helping Marxist rebels in Colombia who murdered five American missionaries a decade ago.U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra in West Palm Beach, Florida, let stand five of the lawsuit’s claims against..... 0 comments

US: Black garlic goes mainstream
A delicacy worth traveling hundreds of miles to get? No. Worth an extra couple of bucks at your local grocery store? Most definitely.A couple of years ago, I heard tell of a new ingredient that was apparently taking the United States culinary world by storm — black garlic. The claims of its gustatory prowess..... 0 comments

L&M's Colorado office adds spud, onion staffer
Pat Hansen, a veteran in the onion industry, has joined L&M Cos. Inc., Raleigh, N.C., as manager of potato and onion sales and operations at the company’s Rocky Ford, Colo., office.“Pat knows the onion business from top to bottom; he knows how to deliver the top quality service our customers need,” Tracy..... 0 comments

US: Vegetable growers seek methyl alternative
Southeast fruit and vegetable growers have a number of alternatives to methyl bromide, which is being rapidly phased out. Finding the right alternative is critical to the future success production in the region.Methyl bromide use has steadily declined since it was identified as an ozone depleting chemical..... 0 comments

US: Disease hits St Lucia bananas
Agriculture officials have confirmed that black sigatoka, a dangerous fungal disease, has been discovered in St Lucia and threatens the struggling banana industry.Agriculture Minister Ezekiel Joseph said the dreaded disease was discovered on a banana plantation in the south-east of the island and that..... 0 comments

Bexar County Master Gardeners Introduce 2010 Rodeo Tomato at San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo
Phoenix Tomato Hybrid to “Rise from the Sawdust”
The Bexar County Master Gardeners will debut this year’s hybrid tomato, the Phoenix, at the Texas Experience Building at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo February 4-21.The four-inch tall, specially cultivated tomato transplants are known as a mid-season hybrid that is heat and disease resistant. They’ll..... 0 comments

US: Light brown apple moth rears its hazardous head again
Quarantine set up after Australian invader, found in Los Osos in July, surfaces in NipomoCounty agricultural officials are dealing with a second infestation of the light brown apple moth, an invasive pest.Two adult male apple moths were found in September in a canyon off Zenon Way in Nipomo. The discovery..... 0 comments

US: Fruit and vegetable consumption improved by online programs
Online programs that provide information and tips about fruits and vegetables may be the key to getting more Americans to eat healthier, say researchers at Henry Ford Hospital.Researchers found that when given access to an online program about fruits and vegetables, participants increased their daily fruit..... 0 comments

Canada: B.C. apple, cherry development work funded
Tree fruit breeders in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley have picked up funding from the federal and Quebec governments in a bid to get new apple and sweet cherry varieties commercialized more quickly.No, that wasn't a typo. Quebec's ministry of agriculture, food and fisheries (MAPAQ) and the Reseau..... 0 comments

US (MN): Grants available to specialty crop growers
Specialty crop growers in Minnesota can now apply for grants through the state.The Minnesota Department of Agriculture says the Specialty Crop Block Grants help growers of crops such as fruits, vegetables and nursery plants compete in today's marketplace.Minnesota's federal allocation for the grants is just..... 0 comments

US: Tests find bacteria in packaged salads
Test results released this week by Consumer Reports reveal that some pre-packaged salads contain high levels of bacteria.The results found bacteria that are "common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination, in some cases at rather high levels," according to the report.The tests failed to detect..... 0 comments

US: Late and plentiful California cherry crop could crash Northwest prices
California may produce a 10-million-box cherry crop this year and that's a concern to Pacific Northwest cherry growers, especially if the California crop is late.California's crop comes first. In a perfect season it opens the pipeline and gets juices flowing for cherries before the larger Northwest crop,..... 0 comments

US: MAC reveals rebate on Michigan Jonathans
A new offer from the Michigan Apple Committee (MAC) will reward retail chains with cash rewards up to $6,000 for advertising Michigan Jonathan apples during the month of March.The “Jonny Be Great” rebate gives participating retailers a chance to earn a $1 per case rebate on Michigan Jonathan purchases as..... 0 comments

US: Ocean Spray makes tasteful 2010 Games logo
Ocean Spray has a new flavor this winter: Cran-Olympic.The Lakeville-based growers cooperative will pour 13 million cranberries into a floating display - in the shape of the Canadian Olympic Committee logo - in the city of Richmond, host of the speedskating competitions, and pay tribute to that region’s..... 0 comments

US: No bail for ex-CEO of SK Foods
Scott Salyer, the Monterey agribusiness executive accused by the federal government of overseeing 10 years of corrupt practices in the processed tomato industry, had no plans to flee the country to avoid prosecution, his attorney said Friday."I was astounded they came to that conclusion," said Malcolm Segal,..... 0 comments

US: Agriculture Department announces federal specialty crop grant deadline
Proposals for projects that increase the visibility and market share of the state’s produce, nursery, horticultural and nut products, are being accepted through March 5, said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.The proposals are part of a two-phase competitive process for the federal Specialty Crop Block..... 0 comments

US: Disaster assistance available for drought, freeze damage
With almost all of Douglas County and most of the rest of North Central Washington still encompassed in severe drought, federal government disaster assistance programs may come in handy.The Farm Service Agency allocates federal money to qualified farms and farmers when areas have been designated disasters..... 0 comments

US: Funky Monkey Snacks(R) finds freeze-dried fruit category ripe for picking
It's a jungle out there in the grocery aisle. But with a proprietary freeze-drying process and niche brand that conveys fun, convenience and healthy nutrition, Funky Monkey Snacks has swung onto the shelves of many of America's top food retailers--not to mention into the pantries of hundreds of thousands of..... 0 comments

Fewer than 1% of U.S. farms are organic, USDA says
Fewer than 1% of American farms are organic, and generated $3.16 billion in sales in 2008, the U.S. Agriculture Department found in its first in-depth survey of organic farming.The USDA said Wednesday that it tallied 14,540 organic farms and ranches that were either certified by the USDA or exempt from..... 1 comments

Central America

Mexico gangs cut into Super Bowl avocado bounty
This sunkissed corner of western Mexico is the source of an annual bounty of guacamole dip for U.S. Super Bowl fans, but extortion and kidnapping by drug gangs has cast a grim shadow over its avocado farmers.The drug lords of Michoacan state have branched out in recent years from trafficking narcotics to..... 0 comments

South America

Chilean fruit floods the US
The lucrative United States citrus market looks like being flooded with Chilean fruit this year.Chile normally sends 400,000 cartons of fruit to the US, but this year it's decided to send one and a half million cartons.Peter Walker, chair of Riversun Exports, who runs the Australian citrus exporting program,..... 0 comments

Oceania

Australian Government shuns key international trade event
AUSVEG Chairman, John Brent, today expressed dismay at the lack of Australian representation at the Fruit Logistica Trade Fair just concluded in Berlin and called on Australia’s political leaders to place more emphasis on the agricultural industry and trade.“Australia recently sent 114 officials to..... 0 comments

AU: Carbendazim use banned on fruit crops
Concerns over a potential health hazard have led chemical regulators to withdraw approval for the use of carbendazim on fruit crops.The decision by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authoirty will affect growers of grapes, cucurbits (including melons), citrus, stone and pome fruits, custard..... 0 comments

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NZ: Kiwifruit release decision in June
Kiwifruit exporter Zespri will decide later this year whether to release some of the new varieties it's been testing.Zespri has been collecting production data from several new lines of kiwifruit growing in 30 hectares of trial blocks on orchards.The exporter has written to growers advising them that it will..... 0 comments

NZ: Tax change 'boost to big Kiwi exporters'
Inland Revenue says it will come down hard on companies that abuse new tax rules for income earned by foreign subsidiaries which could lead to more production and profits going overseas.Under the new rules, income from foreign subsidiaries will no longer be taxed in New Zealand as it is earned.Previously,..... 0 comments

NZ: Apple export decision now due for release mid-year
A decision by the World Trade Organisation on New Zealand's case for apple access into Australia has been further delayed.In 2007 Biosecurity Australia agreed to end an 86-year-old ban on New Zealand apples, which was imposed due to the risk of introducing the bacterial disease of fireblight.Because the..... 0 comments

Australia: Grape growers avoid rain damage
Table-grape growers say a cool southerly breeze on Saturday appears to have prevented any rain damage to crops around Mildura and Robinvale.About 10 millimetres fell at the end of last week, prompting concerns about fruit splitting and ring-necking, and the possibility of mould infections at the peak of the..... 0 comments

NZ: Eastpack lifts performance with fresh investment
Eastpack Lifts Financial and Operational Performance to Back Fresh InvestmentBay of Plenty kiwifruit post harvest service provider, EastPack, intends to invest another $8.5 million on sophisticated new plant and automated equipment in 2010 to support higher volumes, continue to lift the quality of out-turns..... 0 comments

Africa

South Africa: Agri-Vie buys slice of pioneer salad maker
AGRI-Vie, a sub-Saharan private equity fund investing in food and agribusiness, has acquired an equity stake in supermarket convenience salad company Dew Crisp for an undisclosed sum.Avril Stassen, investment adviser at Agri-Vie, said local eating habits followed global trends, with people eating fresher..... 0 comments

Zimbabwe: Moza fruit imports suspended
Government has with immediate effect suspended the importation of fruits from Mozambique following detection of fruit flies in that country.Zimbabwe normally buys bananas, mangoes, pawpaws, guavas, pineapples, litchies, tomatoes and strawberries from Mozambique.However, two types of fruit flies -- bactrocera..... 0 comments

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World

FreshPlaza Strawberry and Organic special in February
During the rest of February, FreshPlaza will have a special on Strawberries and Organics. We are looking for companies who have any kind of relation to these topics and are willing to share it. You can send your press releases, photo reports or video reports to info@freshplaza.com. You can also contact us..... 0 comments

Europe

Large turnout Holland Fresh Group Party
At the end of the first day of the Fruit Logistica the second Holland Fresh Group Party was held. The organisation of this party was in the hands of the Nederlands-Duits adviesbureau, NL-D communication (Jochem Wolthuis) and HBAG Fruit and Vegetables (Ger van Burik). A large number of Dutch visitors..... 0 comments

The main objective is to reinforce the company brands and develop private trademarks
Cesare Concilio is the new Foreign Sales Manager for Conserve Italia
The group is the European leader in the processed fruits and vegetables sector with 470,000 tons of processed raw materials and a turnover of almost 1,100 million euros Born in Naples 48 years ago and with a degree in Economics and Business with top marks at the university of Naples, Cesare Concilio has been..... 0 comments

UK: 6,000 tons of mushrooms were illegally dumped
A Co Tyrone man has been given a three-month prison sentence suspended for a year after more than 6,000 tons of mushrooms were found illegally dumped.Patrick Sherry (59) of Legane Road, Aughnacloy, was prosecuted at Enniskillen Court for two waste offences, the Department of the Environment said in a..... 0 comments

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France: Bonduelle confirms mushroom company buy
French vegetable group Bonduelle has confirmed the acquisition of Europe's largest mushroom producer France Champignon from private-equity group Butler Capital Partners. 0 comments

Netherlands: Shipping terminal operators begin to think outside of the container
The Maasvlakte is a flat, exposed area at the mouth of the River Maas in the Netherlands that forms part of the Port of Rotterdam. The area, reclaimed from the sea in the 1970s, is exposed to the North Sea, and the wind turbines there whir constantly .Since late last year, APM Terminals, one of the main..... 0 comments

Restructuring at East Malling
East Malling Research (EMR), recognised as an international centre of excellence for fruit research, will now focus totally on the advancement and application of horticultural science following a corporate restructure.Under the auspices of Dr Mike Solomon, Chief Executive of EMR, the team of scientists will..... 0 comments

UK: Bayer CropScience introduces new insecticide for Brassica and salad growers
Brassica and salad growers now have a new insecticide available to them for the control of sucking pests.Named Movento, the product is made by Bayer CropScience and has been approved for use on both salad and Brassica crops - including Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and indoor and outdoor..... 0 comments

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Switzerland: Syngenta AG's 2009 net profit falls 1%
Syngenta AG , the Swiss-based producer of seeds and crop protection chemicals, said Friday its full-year 2009 net profit fell 1% to $1.37 billion from $1.38 billion in 2008. Full-year sales fell 5% to $10.99 billion. Sales at its crop protection business dropped 8%, while those at its seeds business rose 5%..... 0 comments

UK: Technology and crop protection key to meeting global food demand
A two per cent increase in food production will have to be delivered by farmers every year up to 2030, with a doubling of current global production by 2050 - the stark reality facing agriculture if much of the world’s population is to avoid hunger in the latter part of this century.This is against a backdrop..... 0 comments

UK: Produce sector needs research
Any new Government must maintain and develop the existing UK produce industry, rather than lose it and recreate it at a later date.This is the opinion of NFU horticulture board chairman Sarah Pettitt, who said that the sector would thrive this way. She told the ADAS/Syngenta UK vegetable industry conference..... 0 comments

Five-year ban on GM foods proposed in Bulgaria
Following the wave of protests against a bill of amendments that would allow genetically-modified organisms (GMO) to be grown in Bulgaria, the country's ruling party will now propose a five-year ban on all genetically-modified cultures in the country, it emerged on February 5 2010.The ban would affect all..... 0 comments

Promoting the consumption of fresh fruit in the Netherlands
Due to the declining consumption of fruit and veg in schools by children aged 4-11 in the Netherlands, a campaign was started a few years ago to promote the eating of fruit. In order to form long term eating habits the campaign was aimed at younger children. It was funded by various Dutch ministries and the..... 0 comments

UK: Temperatures give exotics a warm welcome
Kiwifruit, peaches, grapes and nectarines could soon be grown in the Garden of England due to climate change, according to a new report.Growers in Kent will be able to cultivate crops that normally flourish in the heat of southern Europe, South America and Africa, it suggests.The reason lies in the decline..... 0 comments

UK: Sirane set to unveil pack innovations at Foodex 2010
Europe’s premier packaging solutions company, Sirane Ltd, has a number of premier packaging innovations to launch at Foodex 2010, NEC, Birmingham, UK, March 21-24.Jeremy Haydn-Davies, recently promoted to the post of Sales Director – Food Packaging says that ‘Foodex 2010 will catalyse our growing reputation..... 0 comments

Asia

India: Mango output may fall 40% on bad weather
Mango production in South India may see a 35-40 per cent drop this year. While warm nights have delayed the flowering in AndhraPradesh, the biennial nature of the crop can impact production in neighbouring Karnataka. Among the southern states, only Tamil Nadu is expected to have a near-normal crop this year...... 0 comments

Fruit juice giants will gather in Turkey
The "Bridging juice with science, health and technology" congress organized by the International Federation of Fruit Juice Producers, or IFU, will be held in Istanbul between May 2 and 7.Some 200 people are expected to come to the city from abroad to participate in the congress, while 150 locals are..... 0 comments

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JEPA present at Fruit Logistica 2010
Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruit and Vegetables ( JEPA) participated again in Fruit Logistica, one of the most important exhibitions for fresh vegetables and fruit.Six of JEPA's member companies participated in this exhibition, two of which produce and export vegetables, one produces and..... 0 comments

International Potato Center opens Asia branch in China
The International Potato Center, repository of the largest potato gene bank in the world, has opened a regional office in China to help boost Asian production of the ubiquitous tubers, the Peru-based center said."Research into potatoes and sweet potatoes will receive a new boost in a region which urgently..... 0 comments

India: Price drops of farm produce
There is, no doubt, great merit in price stabilization of kitchen commodities to help the common people to keep on consuming nutrients cheaply. But there are also the other vital aspects to be considered such as keeping the farmers motivated towards higher production. Farmers in one season who produce amply..... 0 comments

Taiwan planters protest against China mushrooms
Many Chinese mushroom products are sold at a lower price than those made in Taiwan, the Taiwan Mushroom Research and Development Association (TMRDA) said yesterday, according to a report of Liberty Times.Chen Tsung-ming, director-general of TMRDA, and its member Hou Wen-liang jointly noted that a package of..... 0 comments

Japanese to taste Pakistani mangoes this season
An official from the Pakistani Embassy in Tokyo has informed that Japan would likely remove the two decade old ban on country’s mangoes as they had been able to fulfill the required standards for importation to Japan. While speaking to The News Rehman Hamid, Commercial Secretary of the Pakistani Embassy in..... 0 comments

India: Kashmir farmers feel the chill: Fall in snow may upset applecart
Even as people grinningly welcome the belated snowfall in Kashmir, the precipitation has not satisfied fruit growers and peasants. They are worried of prolonged dry spells and less accumulation of snow in glaciers and upper reaches, fearing a drought-like situation in summer.Meteorology department statistics..... 0 comments

Pakistan: Fruit, vegetables reduce risk of cancer
Eating balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables plays an important part in reducing the risk of many types of cancer, this was stated in the recommendations made by Pakistan Medical Society (PMS), based on the technical session of the third national conference on “World Cancer Day 2010”.The technical..... 0 comments

Bangladesh: Vegetable production in all seasons
Vegetable is one of the essential food items for growth and maintenance of health of human beings. In the months of December to March varieties of vegetables are available throughout Bangladesh. But in the rest of the year frequently people confront tremendous shortage of vegetables. Bangladesh is..... 0 comments

Door to Japan now open for exporting farm produce
From 2010, with the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) taking effect, more than 800 farm produce and seafood items will be able to ‘enter’ Japan with the zero percent tariff, which means big opportunities for Vietnamese agriculture.According to the Vietnamese Commercial Affairs Division..... 0 comments

Philippines: DA ready to combat El Niño phenomenon
The Department of Agriculture on Friday said they had prepare for the worst scenario of El Niño phenomenon expected to attack between the months of February to last until July this year. Agriculture Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla said these measures will involve the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)..... 0 comments

Retail

• China set to overtake US as largest grocery market by 2014
• India: Shoprite rejects sale report, says decision yet to be made
• Australia: Foodworks, Aldi strike deal over supermarket leases
• Russian retail titans prepare for battle
• Australia: Woolworths invests $3.25m in sustainable farming program

Economy

• Lorries loaded with tinned food target of Belgian gangs of thieves
• India's economy expected to grow 7.2% this fiscal year
• Brazil banks push up rate-increase forecasts on GDP recovery
• Chinese growth may hit 11pc, says think tank
• Japan: Yen sees broad gains; euro drops
• Asian currencies traded quietly after gaining initially
• US: Dollar climbs as debt concerns linger

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