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Friday, July 24, 2015

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Australia strong on Asian market
Peru focuses on seedless varieties after Red Globe surplus
The grape market is clearly divided into two seasons. The northern hemisphere runs roughly from May until December, with a peak in September and October. The southern hemisphere runs contrary, from October to May, with a peak in March. Big players on the international market are Italy, Chile, South Africa.....

Job Offers:

• Vineland Research and Innovation Centre , Research Scientist, Ornamental Breeding - Canada (ON)

New crop of tradtional Breton shallots started
The harvest of the traditional shallots has begun at the end of week 29 in Brittany, France. It’s going slowly as the weather is changing a lot between rain and sun, according to Pierre Batadiere form Daniel Cadiou."Regardless of the weather, once we have harvested, we can supply a dry productafter 2-3.....

Guatemalan exporters sent mangos to Europe, eye Chilean market
While the vast majority of the mangos shipped by Guatemalan exporters go to the United States, the eight exporting companies in the country are looking to expand their reach. This past season was the first time they sent fruit to Spain and Germany, and they're aiming to reach more international markets in.....

Key export markets: strong demand for AU oranges
Key export markets, including Japan and China, are showing strong demand for Australian oranges, lifting returns to growers.Citrus Australia Market Development Manager, Andrew Harty, said Navel taste was very good and has spurred demand in key markets. “Movement in Japan is progressing well now that US.....

Compensations, new markets and smuggling routes
Retrospect: one year of closed Russian borders
Almost a year ago, the EU imposed sanctions on Russia due to Russian support to the separatists in Eastern Ukraine. In response to the sanctions, Russia closed the borders to products including fruit and veg from Europe, North America and Australia. We’re looking back on a year full of commotion for the.....

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Deprez Handling Solutions - ERC-Machinery - Qreenno - Longobardi - Modesta
Onion specialists join forces in Onion Tech Alliance
Five suppliers in the onion processing sector have joined forces in the Onion Tech Alliance (OTA). The companies offer the market a transparent platform, and have a firm ambition to get onion processing at home and abroad to a higher level.OTA has the objective to be involved in 90% or more of projects.....

US (CA): Rain brings down strawberry volumes
Strawberry volumes coming out of California were affected by recent heavy rains throughout the state. With supplies not meeting current demand, pricing has been strong.“In general, volumes from California have been down due to rains,” said Derek Sass of Beachside Produce in Santa Maria. “Demand picked up and.....

Harold Schuurmans, Westland Mushrooms:
“Growing revenue Asian mushrooms not at the expense of white mushrooms”
Sales of Asian mushrooms used to fluctuate at times in the past, but they’re starting to becoming more and more stable. “In the past, I was sometimes afraid that sales of Asian mushrooms would take over part of the sales of white mushrooms, but the revenue of these products is increasing year over year, and.....

US (CA): Leek market steady, consumption increasing
Though sales of leeks are usually better during the fall and winter, the market for the commodity has been stable this summer. Consumption of the product has also grown as a result of increasing awareness of it on the part of consumers.“We plan for this time of year and try to scale back production of leeks.....

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North America

Tanimura & Antle is 2015 Produce Mom partner of the year
Tanimura & Antle is the 2015 Produce Mom Partner of the Year. The recognition was announced on Monday at the Indianapolis Colts Complex during The Produce Mom® annual meeting. The Produce Mom’s annual meeting is an invitation-only event that provides partners with networking opportunities and an intimate.....

Blueberries : up to 80% loss in Quebec
The blueberry season has begun, but harvest will not be as abundant as last year. Some producers north of Saint-Jean Lake are even expecting a loss of up to 80% from frost and wind last winter. Marc Larouche, President of the Quebec blueberry producers Union says that this year will not be as bad as 2013.....

'Handpicked Chef Series'
Elite chefs partner with Northwest Cherry Growers
Elite chefs from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Montana have partnered with Northwest Cherry Growers to spend a day in the kitchen creating a series of videos that showcase their favorite recipes using the summer bounty, including Northwest-grown sweet cherries. Northwest-grown sweet cherries are a.....

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US (FL): Referendum for amendments to citrus marketing order
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct a referendum on proposed amendments to the federal marketing order regulating the handling of fresh citrus produced in Florida.The referendum will be held from Sept. 14 to Oct. 5, 2015, to determine support for the amendments. Ballot material will be mailed to.....

McDonald's looking at breakfast to fight downward trend
McDonald's Corp could start offering all-day breakfast in its U.S. restaurants as early as October, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an internal company memo.The company started testing the idea in March and the tests were encouraging, the Journal reported on Tuesday, citing the memo sent by.....

US: Kingston Fresh partners with Crown Jewels Produce
Kingston Fresh and Crown Jewels Produce have joined forces to implement a program that is designed to expand Kingston’s product line and extend their shipping season of green, red, and yellow bell peppers, Italian and yellow squash, eggplant, melons, grapes and other fruits and vegetables. The companies look.....

Fox Packaging re-vamps website
Fox Packaging, dealing in flexible packaging solutions, have announced the re-launch of its website, which allows for a more customized user experience.As part of the new design, visitors are able to easily navigate through Fox Packaging’s innovative line of fresh produce bags to learn about the different.....

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Avocados From Mexico introduces fall promotions
Avocados From Mexico (AFM), the No. 1 selling avocado in the U.S., is thrilled to announce fresh new Fall promotions for both the general and Hispanic markets. In addition to working with major partners, AFM will be capitalizing on the popular American tradition of tailgating, as well as Fiestas Patrias.....

Dole goes big with new salad kits
Dole Fresh Vegetables is launching a pair of chopped salad kits and a Brussels sprouts mesh bag this summer.The kits aim for a larger size, with seven servings per bag. They start shipping nationwide Aug. 19 with a suggested retail price of $5.49 to $5.99.

US (FL): State Citrus Department executive director resigns after DUI
Doug Ackerman resigned this week as executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus following a recent arrest on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge and several traffic citations stemming from a traffic accident in South Lakeland.The resignation came at the request of Marty McKenna, chairman of the.....

Lebanese exports to enter U.S. duty-free
Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale said Wednesday that a newly reinstituted trade program would help boost Lebanon’s economic growth by granting Lebanese exporters duty-free access to the U.S. market. Late last month, President Barack Obama signed a law reactivating the Generalized System of.....

US: Crop insurance for fruit, nut producers broadened
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the expansion of crop insurance to provide additional options for fruit and nut producers. The Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and the Actual Production History (APH) Yield Exclusion are now available to cover fresh fruit and nuts in select.....

Chiquita: Court rejects bid to hide terror payment records
A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has ruled that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) should release to the National Security Archive some 9,257 pages of records produced by Chiquita Brands International to the SEC as part of an investigation of the company’s illegal payments to a.....

Q2 5% sales increase for eat brighter!™ participants
Quarterly research surveys administered by Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Research Center show positive results for eat brighter! sales in Q2, including a 3 percent average increase in sales year-over-year as reported by participants. Some participants reported increases as high as 11 percent. eat.....

Central America

Fruit Fly Detected in Belize
The Mediterranean Fruit Fly has been detected in two areas in southern Belize. That’s the report today via a press release from the Belize Agricultural Health Authority, better known as BAHA. The pest, which can cause the country to lose its citrus, bananas and other fruits for export if it is not contained,.....

South America

Organic bananas will be the flagship product of Alto Piura
According to Jimmy Torres Sias, head of Sierra Exportadora Piura, an entity that is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, organic bananas will be one of the flagship products launched by Sierra Exportadora in August in Alto Piura.The business plans for organic bananas that start in August, in addition to the.....

Asia

Kashmir walnut industry in 'shambles'
Those associated with the walnut trade accuse the government of making no efforts to create infrastructure essential for the survival and growth of this industry.President of Jammu and Kashmir Walnut Growers’ and Dealers’ Association, Haji Bahadur Khan said, “There is total lack of infrastructure in this.....

New star of Taiwan's fruit exports
Not to be outshone by Taiwanese mangoes, exports of which have doubled so far this year, local pineapples have seen sales in the overseas market increase by nearly 200 percent. Given that only 5 percent of the pineapples are being exported, the Council of Agriculture is planning on helping farmers sell more.....

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India: Wholesale onion price up by 70% in one month
The wholesale onion price at Lasalgoan in Maharashta, Asia's biggest market for this kitchen staple, has shot up by 70% in just about a month, hitting its highest level for the month of July in the past two decades.Prices in July usually tend to be higher because the supply goes down and the onset of monsoon.....

India: Many Nashikities benefit from produce trade
Nashikities seem to be raking in the moolah despite the slack in overall economy over the past couple of years. The city which is likely to be included in the Centre's smart cities project has 45 crorepatis, who have declared an annual income above Rs 1 crore in the last fiscal.Sources from the Income Tax.....

Jordan: Produce prices plummet to "unprecedented" levels
Jordan Exporters and Producers Association for Fruit and vegetables president Saadi Abu Hammad Tuesday appealed to officials in the ministries of agriculture and transport to lift barriers to veggies' exports to avoid a glut in the local market.The production surplus coupled with a slump in exports to.....

Philippines: Import accreditation aligned with BIR permit
Importers who have already acquired a clearance certificate from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will automatically be accredited by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for a period of three years, instead of only a year.BOC Secretary Alberto D. Lina, keynote speaker in Thursday's opening of the three-day.....

Africa

Lifting restrictions may boost Kenyan products in Europe
As a result of the lifting of the 10% reinforced checks on all Kenyan exotic product exports (excl. flowers), french beans, snow peas, sugar snaps, passion fruit, garden peas, baby corn, etc., the country’s export volumes are expected to increase. Andrew Githae, Managing Director of.....

Europe

Pierre Sweep:
"There could not be a better transition to the new celeriac season"
The new celeriac season has started, "On Monday we will be in the new harvest," says Pierre Sweep from A&P Sweep in Zevenbergen, The Netherlands. "The season went great. We had really good quality tubers from the old crop and demand was really good. Despite the fact that there were 30% more tubers in.....

Record asparagus acreage in 2015, but lowest yield since 2007
Contrary to the first forecasts the farmers in Brandenburg did not have a satisfactory asparagus yield in 2015.Low temperatures at night and the dry weather had a negative influence on the yield. The preliminary results are estimated at 15,900 metric tons. That is 1,200 metric tons lower than last year (-7.....

Gerco Mast, Purple Pride:
"Slight revival on eggplant market after difficult season"
The eggplant market is going through a difficult time. The high Spanish supplies already caused a rough start of the season, and the Russian boycott is also heavily affecting eggplant growers. "We are having one of the worst seasons in years. 2012 was a historically bad eggplant season, and in terms of.....

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Castile and Leon
Caderechas expects to have a lower but more competitive production
Sometimes, it’s possible to make profit from lower production due to the quality of the product. The technical director of the Caderechas Guarantee Cherry Brand, José Ignacio Velasco said that, despite the high temperatures, production would exceed 100,000 kilos; a number that is considerably lower than the.....

Sunshine makes the fruit sweet
Switzerland: Summer fruit results so far
The first numbers of the local summer fruit harvests are good. Although they don’t quite reach the levels of last year, the farmers are satisfied with the quality.The beginning of the strawberry season in May was influenced by cold weather, but the warm weather in June secured a good harvest, reports the.....

850,400 tonnes
Spain: 23% drop in future lemon harvest expected
AILIMPO's first lemon harvest estimate (volume) for the 2015/2016 campaign points to a production in Spain amounting to 850,400 tonnes, a figure 23% below that of the previous season, when a record production (1,100,000 tonnes) was obtained. This lower harvest volume is the result of adverse weather.....

French plum season begins
The season began during week 27 with the first varieties, Allo and Obilnaya, then the Japanese-American varieties and now the Reine-Claude d’Oullins variety. The supply should expand with the golden Reine-Claude in the South West at the end of July/ beginning of August, followed by the first mirabelles at.....

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Little produce from Italian farms
New varieties low yield - normal harvest of later varieties expected
According to the German full service provider KÖLLA the upcoming Italian season is characterized by the development of new white, red or black grapes varieties. "Despite the newly planted vines the expectations for this year, are about 30 to 35 percent lower than last year," states the company, “The.....

More differentiation in packagings, capacities and varieties
Belgium discovers soft fruit
In Europe, Norway and Great Britain are real soft fruit countries. Consumption of blueberries and raspberries is higher in these countries. In the Netherlands and Belgium, strawberries are by far the most popular. The soft fruit market in Belgium is also growing. Jo Lambrecht, commercial manager at BelOrta,.....

Changing habits of watermelon consumers in Hungary
Following an analysis of watermelon prices in Hungary, which range between 80-90 HUF (0.26-0.29 Euro) in some areas of the country and 160-180 HUF (0.52-0.58 Euro) in markets of Budapest and other major cities, Ledó Ferenc, president of the country's Fruit and Vegetable Interprofessional Organization and.....

Storms affect French cherry production
The Moissac cherry is one of the fruits that gives the Tarn region in France it’s reputation as a fruit growing area. Professionals at the beginning of June thought that “this year, the harvest would be perfect”. But storms in mid June affected the quality of some cherry varieties. Drought which followed the.....

Egyptian grape season is coming to an end
Lower prices will have a positive effect on sales
The grape season in Egypt is coming to an end and the supply of Egyptian grapes is running low. “Our supplier is one of the few who still has Egyptian grapes in his range,” explains a German importer in Dusseldorf. "And grapes from Spain are arriving and those have been selling quite well thus far."He.....

50% lower melon and watermelon prices in Castile-La Mancha
Initial melon and watermelon prices this season for the Lonja Hortofrutícola de Castilla-La Mancha (the interprofessional association for melons and watermelons in the region) are almost 50% lower than those of 2014 and fail to cover production costs.The first melons of the season have reached 0.19 to 0.21.....

Opportunities for melons and watermelons in the processing sector
Consumption trends and the production process for sliced fresh melons and watermelons and their future were among the topics discussed at the Melon and Watermelon Global Event, organised by Rijk Zwaan and held in Murcia.Melon consumption in northern Europe remains stable, with about 2-4 kilos per capita and.....

Germany: This year’s strawberry harvest in Lower Saxony lower than last year
According to the preliminary results a strawberry harvest of 41,300 metric tons can be expected.The Lower Saxony Office of Statistics (LSN) estimates that the yield will be 4.5% lower than last year. The lower harvest isn't related to the yield per hectare, which was at an average levelwith 124 metric tons.....

AUER Packaging starts anniversary year with record sales
AUER Packaging has achieved the best result of their 30 year existencewith a turnover of 76 million Euros in 2014. With a plus of 31%, the Bavarian packaging specialist significantly surpassed their results of the previous year (58 million Euros). But with the positive results for five consecutive years the.....

“Agrologistics Cluster Westland: Deltaplan Westland is vital.”
Westland needs to green, grow and innovate
Six agrologistics business parks in Westland in the Netherlands have united in the Agrologistics Cluster Westland. Karla Peijs, president of the organization, says this cooperation is essential to get projects like Deltaplan Westland started, which supports horticulture in Westland. “Deltaplan Westland.....

Bioplanet
Italy: A parasitoid may save us from Drosophila suzukii
The quick spreading in Europe of Drosophila suzukii meant defence strategies for many crops - cherries and other drupes in particular, strawberries, small fruit and even grapes - had to be revised."Phytosanitary product authorisations were issued to supply producers with containment solutions but many are.....

Rob van Opzeeland and Ad Goes a year after relaunch Goes Handling Centre:
“By adding value, we make improvements in the chain”
The bankruptcy of 100-year-old company GOES Transport caused a shockwave in the fruit and veg sector a year ago. Kivits-Drunen was about to double its new, conditioned distribution in Waalwijk, but when talking to GOES, it turned out that apart from mutual trust, there were also many benefits in a joint.....

Chris Hans van der Hout from Freight Line Europe talks about the crisis in Calais
"Transport to the UK is like Russian roulette"
Tires were burning again in Calais Tuesday (July 21). Disgruntled employees from MyFerryLink wanted to make their views known about the layoffs at the ferry by erecting barricades on the A16. Although the barricades at the entrance to the port were cleared by the authorities, traffic in the Eurotunnel was.....

France : Self-propelled harvester for green beans
Two French vegetable farmers, Gaël and Pierre Landais, have managed to boost their bean production by buying a self-propelled harvester, called the Big Jack, made in the USA. “Before, it would take us between 20 and 30 hours to harvest one hectare of beans,” explains Gaël. “With the new machine, we can do it.....

Syngenta says profit, pipeline shows company can stand alone
Swiss agrochemical maker Syngenta AG used an upbeat earnings report to bolster its case against a $45 billion takeover bid from U.S. rival Monsanto Co., saying the numbers prove it can stand alone with a product pipeline stretching to the end of the decade.“A lot of the new products are starting to pay off,”.....

Eric Moerdijk, Monie:
"We're missing a big buyer on the onion market"
Sales of Dutch onion sets are difficult for now. "Sales are too low to keep prices on par, we're missing a big buyer," says Eric Moerdijk of onion sorting and packing station Monie from Nieuwdorp. "Prices vary per destination, and they're really bespoke at the moment. The various destinations sometimes have.....

French law to strengthen bioplastics market
The French parliament adopted the law on energy transition and green growth proposed by Ségolène Royal, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy yesterday. European Bioplastics (EUBP) welcomes the opportunities created by the new law to introduce biobased, compostable plastics to selected.....

Asparagus and strawberry harvest in 2015 above average, but still a bit lower than in 2014
The asparagus yield of 2015 will be a bit lower compared to the record harvest of 2014, however this year’s yield was still above average. Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) estimates the total German harvest of asparagus at 112,100 metric tons. Source© DestatisThe harvest of strawberries in Germany is.....

Flexible acreage in uncertain market
Van Veen Asia has been producing Asian products for twenty years now. The product range comprises 20 to 25 Asian greenhouse vegetables. Jan van Veen: “We mainly supply our leafy vegetables and fruit to tokos. Supermarkets don’t really come into it, because our 6 to 8 kg packagings aren’t really suitable for.....

Building made from apple crates has a surprise inside
Built on a rectangular plot of 2,370 square meters, the Polish boxed building is the 2015 Expo’s fourth biggest pavilion. Its humble but evocative patterned exterior is a good magnet for visitors to explore Poland’s latest achievements in the agri-food sector, considered to be the country’s speciality.But.....

BLE Market Newsletter week 29/15
Apples from New Zealand dominate the market; Dutch iceberg lettuce cheaper than German
ApplesNew Zealand dominated the trade with Braeburn, Royal Gala, Pink and Jazz apples. Chile was second and shipped Cripps Pink, Granny Smith and Pink Lady to the German market. South Africa supplied Braeburn and Cripps Pink apples and Argentina shipped Royal Gala. The demand could be satisfied despite the.....

Open doors of the Chinese market to Spain's agricultural sector
The Murcia companies, Agromarketing and China In Crowd, open the doors of the Chinese market to Spain's agricultural sector. On June 15, the two Spanish firms and China's iFresh Information Ltd Company (www.ifreshinfo.com).signed an agreement by which Agromarketing and China In Crowd were appointed as.....

Latest new potatoes prices online daily
The Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV) posts the latest prices for early potatoesevery day at 17.00.Furthermore, the prices in the most important German potato areas and the current market situation can be requested at the Bavarian Farmers' Association information number.....

Oceania

AU: Govt.selling WA fresh wholesale market to pay debt
The State Government is selling off the Canning Vale site.Market City in Canning Vale, one of Perth’s biggest industrial sites, has been listed for sale with JLL and lead financial adviser EY.The sale of WA’s only fresh produce wholesale market, which occupies nearly 60ha of prime land, has already attracted.....

NZ research praised at potato conference
International potato industry expert Professor Gary Secor has praised New Zealand’s world-leading research, during a visit to speak at the Potatoes New Zealand Inc annual conference.Professor Secor, of the Plant Pathology Department at North Dakota State University, will be a keynote speaker at the two day.....

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Bumpy ASX debut for Costa
The Costa Group has made its debut on the ASX, and the share pricetook a 3.3% dive from $2.25 to $2.16 in the opening minutes of trade, shortly after midday, before recovering to 1.9% less at 12:20pm to sit at $2.21 per share. The highest shares reached was $2.26The float has been accompanied by more talk of.....

NZ exports to Chinese reach $699m
Goods exports to China rose $20 million from June 2014 to reach $699 million in June 2015, Statistics New Zealand said today. The rise was over a range of commodities including logs, meat, and fruit.“When we compare the same months a year apart, this is the first monthly increase in exports to China since.....

World

Are banana's going extinct...again?
It's happened once before, and seems to be happening once again. Are we on the verge of banana extinction? A recent video report from CNN gives some interesting background into the past, along with some startling figures about the current situation.Source: cnn.com

Surprising fruit and vegetable products
Seaweed pasta, beetroot soup or a rhubarb chocolate bar. Not the most obvious combinations with fruit and vegetables, but they do stand out and tickle the taste buds. For instance, oysters are said to be perfect with kiwi. Here’s a selection of unusual products.source: www.tidefordorganics.comOrganic.....

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Blueberries are booming
The Dutch blueberry season has started again in early July. Special Fruit and the production companies of Harm Valckx and Leon Schrijnwerkers have formed a partnership, Berry Packing Services, in order to fulfil the growing demand for blueberries. “We are expecting to produce 2000 tonnes of blueberries this.....

UK family owned, operated:
Fresh producer supplier offers products across the food service
Reynolds is the only national fresh produce supplier to the UK foodservice industry to still be family owned and run, according to Andy Weir, Reynolds’ Head of Marketing.“Although we now supply products right across the food service, it’s fair to say that our largest customer segment is restaurants. This.....

Retail

Fruit and veg sector adapts to Markthal
The Markthal is the pride of Rotterdam. The food mecca recently welcomed its 5 millionth visitor. According to data, 71% of those visitors actually made a purchase. Most people bought at the meat and fish departments, followed by the bakers, with the fruit and veg stalls in third place. What is it like to do.....

Amazon exceeds Walmart in market cap and launches pick-up
Canadian Loblaw to close 52 stores
US: Sales of organics growing at Smart & FinalIncreased offerings of natural and organic products are helping boost sales for Smart & Final stores, particularly among home-delivery customers, Dave Hirz, CEO, told analysts Wednesday, supermarketnews.com writes. “Natural and organic is.....

FreshPlaza Funny

Go fetch...the banana