William Nannes (Beemsterboer):
"Overseas destinations for onions are failing"
The overseas destinations are failing a bit when it comes to demand for Dutch onions. That is what William Nannes, who specialises in far destinations, from export company Beemsterboer shares. "A good amount of onions were sent off to countries such as Russia and Brazil last month, but that seems to have.....

Growth is in industrial segment in Belgium
Brussels sprouts area in North Western Europe increases by 600 ha
The past season did not go well for all Brussels sprouts growers. In certain cultivation areas such asBelgium(West Flanders) and England the start of production in the Spring was difficult due to the abundant rainfall. In some areas the sprouts couldn't be planted until after the 15th of May, and in certain.....

Belgium: First chanterelles at FME
Fresh Mushroom Europe had the scoop in February of this year withfreshmorels; now the mushroom company offers the first chanterelle. "The pickers areenthusiasticand I am too, to be honest. The new harvest is magnificent," says Corné Verboom of FME. The golden orangeCantharellus cibarius, also known.....

Netherlands: Various citrus fruits at Versa Foods
The South African citrus fruit season has also started at Versa Food. Owner Rico Potter expects to market a bit more citrus fruit in Europe this year. "My expectations are that we will have limited volumes available for the free trade, thanks to our loyal customers.""The total citrus fruit production of the.....

"Sugar snap prices very high for six weeks"
According to a Belgian trader the sugar snaps are very expensive at the moment. "A normal price would be around 4.5 Euro per kilo, but at the moment an average price is between 8 and 10 Euro. It started a few weeks ago, when Egypt stopped supplying earlier than usual. This meant that we barely had any supply.....

Agricola Don Camillo
Good quality of Sicilian mini-watermelons
"We have been processing mini-watermelons from the Pachino area in the Ragusa province at the Licata (Sicily) and Brescello (Emilia Romagna) facilities for one month now, and quality is really good," reports Ettore Cagna (in the photo, taken in the Brescello warehouse), chairman of Agricola Don.....

Poland: The growing popularity of asparagus
Asparagus is proving a runaway hit on the Polish market after many years of neglect.“According to our estimates, annual production levels reach about 5,000 tonnes,” noted Marian Jakobsze, chairman of the Polish Asparagus Producers Association, in an interview with the Puls Biznesu daily.“The vast majority.....

Hans Derks, FresQ Sales:
"Peace and trust in pepper market result in stable prices"
The start of the pepper season was slow. "During the first weeks supplywas small and peppers mainly went to European retailers. With that, the market was reasonably in balance," sales manager Hans Derks of FresQ Sales remarks."In the last few weeks the production increased quite a bit and at about the same.....

Spain: Overproduction and competition cause low prices for Canary Islands bananas
On the Canary Islands there is some dissatisfaction in regard to the low prices of bananas during the 2013 campaign. "This is because production exceeds demand,'' says Ricardo Torres, manager of FAST.Normally, banana consumption drops as soon as the summer fruit reaches the market. Then the price of.....

UK: Ocado deal means uncertainties ahead for Morrisons and Waitrose
Ocado has made its name by developing automated technology that has allowed it to deliver upmarket Waitrose food across the Southeast of England. In contrast, Morrisons’ origins are in market stalls and the corridor of the M62 motorway stretching from Liverpool to Humberside.This clash of cultures is just.....

Spain: Start of melon season: lower volumes, good prices
With two weeks delay due to excessive rain, the season for watermelons and Sandia melons in Almeria set off with decent price levels. The yield per square meter is lower, although temperature and many hours of sunshine have now accelerated the ripening process.Sandia watermelon"Growers normally supply 7 to 8.....

"The congress offers a mix of commerce and science"
Veiling Hoogstraten organises second International Strawberry Congress
This year,Veiling Hoogstraten organises the second International Strawberry Congress. This eventwill take place in Antwerp from 4 to 6 September 2013. The program includes a varied mix of speakers talking about scientific and trade directed subjects. "We have, like the last time in 2010, consciously chosen for.....

UK: Farmers urged to help reduce red tape and save industry £1bn
DEFRA Secretary Owen Paterson claims moves to reduce and improve guidance on complying with environmental regulations could save rural businesses more than £1 billion over 10 years.As part of Defra’s Better Regulation Red Tape Challenge, farmers are being urged to help reduce the mass of guidance.....

UK: Tesco plans to tackle food waste
In a major move aimed at showing that Tesco can use its scale to create social change, Philip Clarke will say that it is important that the supermarket promotes a new image to its customers. Food will come in smaller sizes, and food promotions will be tailored to stop encouraging people to buy large amounts.....

Science steps in to aid British strawberries
As Britain steels itself for the prospect of yet another washout Summer, strawberry growers are finding themselves forced to come up with increasingly sophisticated ways of assessing the threat posed to their livelihoods by inclement weather.For fruit growers, predicting the weather is vital. It causes fruit.....

UK: Early start for 'Vibrant' strawberry
The new early season strawberry variety, ‘Vibrant’, which was awarded the accolade of the ‘Best New Variety – Edibles’ at the Grower of the Year Awards in 2012, has started the 2013 season with exceptional quality fruit.Demand for early season UK strawberries is being fulfilled in part by Vibrant, a recent.....

Bolzano
South Tyrolean apples at Gourmet Festival
From 24 to 26 May, South Tyrolean apples will feature strongly in the second edition of the biennial event devoted to the region's outstanding gourmet specialities.The region's PGI-certified apples will be proudly displaying their ‘Mela Alto Adige IGP/Südtiroler Apfel g.g.A.’ certificates, forming one of the.....

UK Looking forward to good top fruit
Adrian Barlow, Chief Executive of English Apples and Pears, said the cold February and March meant that trees remained dormant and did not waste any energy growing slowly.When the warm weather finally came in the third week of April the trees were able to put all that stored energy into producing thick.....

Dirk Cornelis, Pomuni: "Spanish potato prices highest in 20 years"
"This season will be a fight for potatoes"
There have been high prices in the market for import potatoes throughout the entire season. At the moment there is mainly volume arriving at Pomuni from Israel and Cyprus. The first volumes from Spain are expected next week. "The expectations are high this season," says purchaser Dirk Cornelis. "Due to the.....

Store estimate for Dutch top fruit:
Apple and pear stores over 40$ lower than last year
The Productschap Tuinbouw published the store estimate for apples and pears on the first of May 2013. The store of Jonagold (including Jonagored) is equal to that of 2011 at 32,000 tonnes, but a lot lower than in 2012 (56,000 tonnes). The store of Elstar is also a lot lower than the 21,000 tonnes from last.....

"Added value when marketing fruit and vegetables
SPS introduces packaging with a glossy look
Smart Packaging Solutions (SPS) makes around 75,000 tonnes of solid cardboard packaging annually. "As a company we are always looking for innovation and our creed is: 'A top product deserves a top packaging'," says Johan de Neef, Business Unit Manager at SPS. "People buy a product with their eyes first. A.....

Spain: Gold Mine has negative impact on quality potatoes
Several potato producers from Coristanco (in the Spanish province of A Coruña) warn that the operation of a gold mine in Corcoesto has serious implications for the "production, quality and sale" of potato production labelled Indicación Xeográfica Protexida Pataca de Galicia.Although exploitation of the mine.....

Van Kempen Koudetechniek and DWA help sustainability ripening process
Energy demand 31% lower in new distribution center Nature's Pride
Importer of exotic fruit, Nature's Pride in Maasdijk, is building a new distribution center. Compared to the conventional distribution centers, the demand for energy by Nature's Pride is 31 percent lower. Van Kempen Koudetechniek is responsible for conditioning the business areas at Nature's Pride. In.....

John van Laethem: "Wild garlic gives a dish added value"
New presentation of wild garlic at Van Laethem
Van Laethem's versatile assortment consists of culinary herbs, edible flowers, mini vegetables, sea vegetables and salads. A product that is also in the assortment again at the moment is wild garlic. The wild garlic(Allium ursinum) is a plant from the chive family(Alliaceae). It is a fairly rare variety.....

Cooperative C.O.P.A (Lazio)
Italy: We had to wait until mid-April to have consistent volumes of asparagus
"This year, the harvesting of green Canino asparagus (Viterbo -Lazio) started twenty days late. Therefore, whereas usually open field production start in the second half of March, this year we had to wait until mid-April. Volumes available at the end of April and in the first days of May were 50 tonnes per.....

UK: Morissons signs deal with Ocado
Morrisons, the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain, is going into business with internet grocer Ocado.Morrisons says it has agreed a deal that will enable it to launch an online grocery service by January 2014.The delivery vans will carry the Morrisons brand, with logistical support by Ocado from its.....

Asda reports significant improvement
Asda has reported a robust Q1 sales performance, including like-for-like sales growth of 1.3%, in the 14 weeks to April 12. This marked a significant improvement from the previous quarter, with the retailer attributing this to the success of its programme of investing in lowering the price of everyday.....

What does the future hold for retail?
UK: Ocado chief to speak at 2013 Annual Retail Lecture
What does the future for retail hold and how are successful online retailers changing the rules of the game?Now in its fourth year, the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC’s) Annual Retail Lecture is set to challenge industry thinking, inspire fresh ideas and present new possibilities.Taking place in London on.....

"Thanks to the government"
Ukraine: Fruit and veg consumption up 33%
The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food has announced that consumption of fruits has increased, via a ministry issued statement. "Thanks to government support, consumption of fruit in Ukraine has increased by 33%," the statement said.According to the statement, the government paid fruit and grape growers.....

Limited supply pushes prices for glasshouse fruit and vegetables
In the first four months the growers of glasshouse vegetables and topfruit received a lot more for their product that the previous year. The higher prices are a result of a more limited supply, according to a survey by the European Commission. The information about the Dutch market will be issued to other.....

First Greek watermelons on their way to PeDe
The first Greek Dumara melons were loaded on Tuesday and are expected to arrive on Friday at PeDe in Venlo. The melons are from Pantazis, one of the largest melon exporters in Greece. "The oblong Dumara melons are very sweet in flavour and are one of the most delicious melons. They weigh 6kg and upwards,".....

Improving quality and storage life of broccoli
Broccoli growers will be interested to note that the final report and growers’ summary for HDC project FV 395, Strategies for broccoli management to improve quality and extend storage life, is now available to download from the HDC website.UK consumers’ fluctuating demand for broccoli throughout the season.....

Holfeld speed up integrated soft fruit packing lines
Holfeld continues to be committed to innovation and technological breakthroughs assisting the sector to maintain profitability with their latest auto de-nest technology.As a first-to-market Holfeld Plastics has developed a ‘one size fits all’ auto de-nestable range of punnets across its standard crate fit.....

Stefanie De Puysseleir, Capespan: "Europe cries out for apples"
"Topfruit market overseas boiling hot at the moment"
The overseas top fruit season is in full swing. According to Stefanie De Puysseleir of Capespan there is talk about a good market situation. "There is still a reasonable quantity of pears and apples to arrive before the end of September. Harvesting is going well and the quality of the products is first.....

Raiffeisenbank appeals refusal to nullify JFC loan deal
The Thirteenth Commercial Court of Appeals has agreed to hear a Raiffeisenbank appeal of a lower court ruling that refused to invalidate a one-billion-ruble loan contract between JFC spin-off companies, according to the Supreme Commercial Court website.Raiffeisenbank is appealing a ruling by a St. Petersburg.....

Spain: Ailimpo updates active ingredients manual for lemons
TheLemon and GrapefruitInterprofessional Association, Ailimpo, has once again reviewed and updated the manual "Active ingredients recommended for lemons" (version number 9) with the collaboration and advice of Alfonso Lucas Espadas, of Murcia's Plant Health Service. The manual recommends the most adequate.....

Sean Harrison (Satori): Good demand and little supply
Lime prices from rock bottom to sky high
After the limes hit rock bottom this Spring with prices between 2.50 and 3.50 Euro, there are now less limes being shipped from Brazil. Various Brazilian shipper have stopped exporting. The Mexican limes also started exporting to Europe later this year, as the prices remained high in America and the product.....

Italy: Sicilian new carrot campaign is ending
The Sicilian new carrot campaign is ending. "The campaign was all right thanks to two factors: less sowed surfaces and the fact that it started 15 days early with satisfactory prices, which also increased towards the end. This was met with delays in production in Veneto and Lazio, because of an exceptionally.....

Davide Marmocchi
Italy: Sicilian new potatoes are arriving
Davide Marmocchi from Argenta's Marmocchi Angiolino srl (Emilia-Romagna) announces the start of the season of Sicilian new potatoes."The first new potatoes arrived on 13th May 2013. The produce is looking good, grades are also good and the colour is excellent - the quality is really high," says Davide.The.....

Spain: Russia potential market for stone fruit
The season of early stone fruit has met with delays of 7-10 days, without consequences for quality. The Winter was rainy throughout the Mediterranean. This has proved favourable for production, as this year the expected volume is up 25%.Compared to previous years, Russia seems to stand in front of the line.....

Spain: Maritime Fresh Produce export from Almeria and Huelva to Rotterdam
Alveis Ibérica, subsidiary of the Dutch shipping Alveis Shipping, is starting this June with maritime transports to Rotterdam. The shipments will carry mainly horticultural crops from Almeria and Huelva.The company has sent a message to its customers which states that they will provide intermodal transport.....

Spain (Almeria): Better vegetable prices
The significant drop in tomato prices a few weeks ago seems to make way for a slight average increase to about € 0.63 / kg.According to the recorded price in Andalusia and market indications of vegetables, in early May there was more demand for the green tomato. The ribbed tomato has an average price of 1.....

France: Casino granted permission to buy Norma
Casino has received permission from the French Competition Authority in its bid to acquire 38 outlets from Norma, the German discounter.The stores in question are located in the Southeast of France, with the majority in the Lyon region and along the Mediterranean coat. While Casino's acquisition is expected.....

Most UK consumers see convenience stores as essential
An independent survey commissioned by Hermes has found that convenience stores and corner shops play an important part of the local community, providing a high quality experience that the majority of residents feel is at least on par with that of large supermarkets.Almost 90% of the respondents agreed that.....

BG Door extend production package further
BG Doors are world leaders for doors in banana ripening cells. For mainly cool-technical companies,additional products have been manufactured at their request, like the Isoroll door, which is used to separate areas temporarily. Also the sectional coollife door has been developed further and the 80mm thick.....

Almeria out of Mediterranean Corridor
Spain: Almeria's vegetables miss the train
Almeria's link with the Mediterranean Corridor will for now remain unfunded by the European Union. Almeria's vegetables will still need to wait for this train to arrive, according to hortoinfo.The AVE (high speed train) rail section between Almeria and Murcia will form part of the Mediterranean Corridor,.....

Metro Group launching online store in Russia
Metro Group Cash & Carry in Russia are to launch an online store during 2013.A trial phase will begin this year for the service and Metro Group is said to have already selected a warehouse, located between Noginsky and Moscow. The offering will include food and non-food, with both branded and private.....

"We strive for all year round citrus program"
Wim Boon as fruit importer working for De Klerk Groenten en Fruit
Nine weeks ago Wim Boon started together with a friendimporting and selling of fruit under the umbrella of the GDK Group."Dokus had the 'De Klerk Groenten en Fruit' and it is the intention that we extend this branch further," Wim Boon says. "We are on the top floor of the former premises of Bakker.....

Ireland: Growers benefit from 200% potato price rise
The Agricultural Price indices for March 2013, released this week by the Central Statistics Office, show a rise in the price paid to farmers for potatoes, cereals, and pigs.Potatoes, at 209%, was the greatest rise.Deputy President of the Irish Farmers Association, Eddie Downey, says this trend needs to.....

Val Venosta increases its sales in Spain
The Italian firm Val Venosta has sold 7% of its apple production in Spain this campaign, from a total volume of 280,000 tonnes.According to a statement issued by the firm, despite last Spring's weather conditions, which led to an almost 20% drop in harvest volumes, Val Venosta has managed to keep all 49.....

Germany imports more and more organic food
German consumers spend 7 billion Euro a year on organic food, which comes to an average expenditure per person per year of 73.60 Euro.Even though the German market doubled its agricultural area of organic food in 2012, the vast majority of these products, especially fruits and vegetables, must be imported.....

Predicting Botrytis cinerea infection of table grapes after harvest
In Bari (Italy) on May 9th, 2013, the technical meeting aimed at manufacturers and exporters of table grapes: "Table Grapes: from harvest to market. How to extend the commercial life", was held.Participants registration.During the meeting, participants were presented with studies and tools to improve the.....

HDC releases essential crop walkers’ guide for apple growers
A new Apple Crop Walkers’ Guide, developed in response to demand from apple growers has been published by the Horticultural Development Company (HDC).The guide has been produced to support apple orchard staff in the monitoring of crops and includes pictures of all the commonly found pests and diseases. Early.....

Canary Islands
Asprocan asks Brussels to maintain Posei support on bananas
The president of the Canary Islands' Association of Banana Producers (Asprocan), Santiago Rodríguez, asked the European commissioner for Agriculture, Dacian Ciolos, to maintain the current aid to bananas within the Programme of Options Specifically relating to Remoteness and Insularity (Posei).According to a.....

Orto Serre
Italy: "I would like to place my tomatoes in Italy as well as Holland"
The Orto Serre Commercial Farm specialises in cherry tomato cultivation for bunch harvesting since 1999. Located in San Nicola di Melfi (Basilicata), the farm spreads out over 60,000 sq m, 30,000 sq m of which are protected.Click here to access complete photo report.Orto Serre uses a soil-less hydroponic.....

Britain considers inviting Eastern European agricultural workers
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in the UK said it may be necessary to admit agricultural workers from countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, or face rises of up to 15 per cent on British-grown fruit and veg.About a third of the country's 67,000 seasonal farm jobs are currently filled by.....

Spain: Murcia increases its surface area of melon cultivation
Melon Galia has experienced a rise and its average price ranges between 0.65-0. 70€/kg, the Piel de Sapo melon ranges between 0.95-1.10€/kg and the first batches of yellow melon are between 0.50-0.60€/kg. The quantities traded of the three types of melon are minority. Initial estimates suggest a reduction in.....

Allround Vegetable Processing:
Vegetable processing lines for various greens
Allround Vegetable Processingfrom Andijk supply a wide range of vegetable processing machines, directed at sorting, weighing, washing, polishing, brushing and packing of vegetables and potatoes, combined with scouring lines. The company's products include: inspection tables, lifts, washing machines, sorting.....

Mercator posts Q1 loss
Mercator Poslovni Sistem reported a net loss in the first quarter, saying the economic crisis in Slovenia and the region continues to hurt sales of the largest supermarket chain in the Balkans.Revenue fell 2.6 percent to 658.4 million Euro ($850 million), while the net loss was 8.6 million Euro from a.....

UK: More shoppers using budget chains alongside premium brands
A new survey by Vouchercloud has revealed that nearly two thirds of consumers who use upmarket stores such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Booths and Whole Foods Market top up their weekly shop at budget supermarkets.Of the 2000 surveyed, 64% admitted to using budget supermarkets as well as upmarket.....

Ahold appoint Group Chief Information Officer
Ahold announced the appointment of Ben Wishart to the new role of Group Chief Information Officer.Based at Ahold's Corporate Centre in the Netherlands, Wishart will take up the position on 17 June and will report to Jeff Carr, chief financial officer. He joins Ahold from UK food retailer Morrisons plc, where.....

UK: Iceland launches online service
Iceland Foods has announced that it has begun trials of a new online shopping service that allows customers to place orders up to 10pm for free delivery the next day, subject to a minimum order value of £25.The trial is currently taking place at a small number of selected Iceland stores in the North West,.....

New consultation on modernisation of EU's trade defence
Within the on-going "modernisation" process of the EU's trade defence instruments, started in October 2011, and after a first public consultation and a communication from the European Commission presented on 10 April, the Commission has issued a new public consultation, this time regarding the guidelines on.....

Gdansk coldstore project to serve Baltic reefer trades
Easyfresh Poland (Sealogistics) lead the venture in coordination with local authorities and players.Gdansk is a city with 1000 years history, once described as the Hanseatic granary of Europe.Now Gdansk is a key port within the Baltic range and with a superb future. Within the port area, DCT (Deepwater.....

Delays and shortages for major European vegetable crops
European vegetable canners and freezers in major producing countries are concerned over this year's Spring crops: excessive rain in the South and cold weather and a late spring in the North have resulted in very late drilling and consequently a shorter season.All important production areas in Europe face.....

McCain Foods offers EU antitrust fixes on Lutosa buy
McCain Foods Ltd. and PinguinLutosa Food Group on Thursday offered the European Commission antitrust fixes for a deal to send Pinguin's €225 million ($294 million) Lutosa division to McCain food.The European Union antitrust watchdog pushed back its deadline to review the deal until May 28 as a result of the.....

Viveros California: "The nurseries are the first front against pests and diseases"
With some 500 hectares in different triennial rotation states, which periodically include Strawberry-vegetable-cereal and afterwards strawberry or raspberry again, Viveros California begins its cultivation system in February by preparing the site. Later, in April, they plant the mother plants of different.....

First British white asparagus hits the shelves
Home grown white asparagus has gone on sale in the UK for the first time. Cobrey Farms, one of the UK's biggest asparagus suppliers, has brought the first British white Wye Valley asparagus to the market.Chris Chinn, from Cobrey Farms says it came about through requests from chefs and restaurants and the.....

Luigi Bompadre offers his experience and structures to new partners
Luigi Bompadre, owner of the Bompadre commercial farm located in Civitanova Marche (Marche) - a company specialised in the production and processing of vegetables, especially leafy greens - is looking to collaborate with a similar company or a foreign partner wishing to distribute its products.Agricola.....

Owners get two bids for Slovene food retailer Mercator
The owners of Slovenia's largest food retailer Mercator have received two bids for their majority stake in the company, the consortium of 12 local companies and banks that jointly control 53 percent said on Monday."The members of the consortium are studying the bids and expect to continue talks with the.....

Fruit Logistica 2014 present in 150 countries
The fresh produce trade is more international in scope than any other branch of business, and Fruit Logistica is specifically set up to meet the needs of this global industry. The event organisers of the world's leading fresh produce trade fair have just launched this year’s international promotional.....

F&N celebrates birthday with a new look
From a small trial starting in a handful of stores in May 2010, F&N is now the third biggest brand in produce, with one in five Tesco shoppers buying a F&N product in the past year.To celebrate its third birthday, the brand has been re-launched in a refreshed packaging design. The paper laminate.....

Courtauld Commitment Phase 3
Sirane keen to help companies meet food waste targets
Last week 45 signatories, including all the major grocery retailers and many leading brand manufacturers, signed up to the third phase of the Courtauld Commitment.Sirane an innovative packaging development and manufacturing company with a growing reputation in shelf-life extension – already has a number.....

UK: Sainsbury's profit falls despite rise in sales
Sainsbury's has posted a fall in pre-tax profits despite a rise in sales, as conditions remain 'challenging'.The supermarket made a pre-tax profit of £788 million in the 52 weeks to 16 March, a figure which was down 1.4 per cent on the previous 12 months due to property disposals. Profits from the sale of.....

UK: Ocado shares drop on Morrisons-Waitrose issues
Ocado has dropped 8% on concerns about the effect of its proposed tie-up with Morrisons on its existing deal with Waitrose.Lawyers for Waitrose are poring over its deal with Ocado to see if any move by the online grocer to help Morrisons set up a website would constitute breach of contract.The news followed.....

UK retailers in Israel technology mission
The senior technology advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron will lead a delegation of 10 chief information officers from leading British retail chains, including Marks & Spencer, Tesco and John Lewis, in a visit to Israel, starting next Sunday. During the four-day visit, they will be exposed to.....

Total Worldfresh appoints Ethical and Sustainability Director
Total Berry’s Technical Director Rupert Carter moved in to the newly created role of Ethical and Sustainability Director for Total Worldfresh Ltd in April.The appointment aims to reinforce the businesses commitment to sustainability and welfare practices both internally and externally with its grower base,.....

Alfresco Gastro
Holfeld Plastics range of soft fruit packaging already finding favour
Now that Summer has, at last, arrived soft fruit in all its varied forms, tastes, size and colours is flying off the shelves. The benefit of an unparalleled range of products for the fresh produce market through Holfeld Plastics is already finding favour with many of its customers who see the advantage of.....

Russia: Hortex expands range
Brand HORTEX, has already won itself a lot of popularity in the Russian market, due to the wide assortment of the produced frozen products.It should be recalled that, starting with only vegetable mixtures, the company has greatly increased the range of products on offerover the past few years.Currently,.....

Lorenzo Bellassai (Mazzarrone - Sicily)
Italy: Victoria and Black Magic greenhouse table grapes campaign is starting
"Harvesting of Victoria and Black Magic table grapes is set to start on Tuesday (14th May 2013)and will go on until the end of the season (November-December)," explains Lorenzo Bellassai from the import-export firm Giovanni Bellassai located in Mazzarrone, in the province of Catania (Sicily)."Quantities,.....

No change in area
Germany: first early potatoes expected beginning of June
Because of the cold weather conditions potatoes in Germany were planted later than usual. The plants, however, could make up some time during the last few days. "The course of the weather for the coming weeks will be a deciding factor on the harvest" Martin Umhau of the'Deutsche Bauernverband' (DBV) says......

Naturland: strengthen the regional organic agriculture
The turnover achieved with organic foodstuff continually increases and at the moment amounts to more than 7 billion Euro in Germany. With this, the demand for regionally grown and processed products also increases.Organic iscurrently a fashion fad, but also a stable growth market, which needs organic.....

Le Crunch draws up successful campaign balance
Le Crunch, the umbrella hallmark for French apples can prepare a positive campaign balance for the 2012/2013 season: a large number of promotion actions in the foodstuff trade has made the consumerattentive to Le Crunch apples. Also the brand became the sponsor in November during the third European fruit and.....

Andalusia
Spain: Late orange varieties slightly increasing in price
Orange prices have increased again during week 18. Many firms from the valley of Guadalquivir, in Spain, inform that the harvest of the late orange varieties is coming to an end as a consequence of the high demand for Andalusian oranges. The fruit is mostly being shipped to processing firms in Eastern Spain......

Russia: Smallest pear import in four years
Russia imported 260,000 tonnes of pears in total between July 2012 and the end of March 2013. This is the smallestimport amount in the last four years. According to the Russian Bureau for Statistics this means that the import amount has gone down by 14% compared to last season. Only in the season 2008/09.....

UK: Waitrose unveils on the go avocados
Waitrose has announced the launch of its Good to Go Avocado with Honey and Mustard Dressing. Designed as a quick and easy lunchtime snack, Waitrose said the avocado is ready to be cut in half and drizzled with dressing.It said a ‘spife’ – a plastic spoon with a serrated knife edge is contained in the pack,.....

UK: Waitrose seeks to halt Ocado-Morrisons deal
The head of Waitrose has revealed he will reject a deal between Ocado and Morrisons and that the John Lewis business is now ramping up its own online service in direct competition to the digital retailer.In a major blow to Ocado’s plans for expansion, Mark Price revealed significant frustration over the.....

Spain: Única Group launches new snack on the basis of mini fruit and vegetables
The Spanish company UNICA GROUP has launched a new concept to enjoy vegetables at any time. It is a new format called Ready, Veggi, Go, and consists of a varied composition of mini vegetables to eat raw. It is a new easily digestible appetizer.The on-the-go format is suitable for everyday use and can be.....

Spain: FRUIT ATTRACTION grows by 11.5%
FRUIT ATTRACTION, the international trade fair for fruit and vegetables, will increase its surface area by 11.5% compared to last year. The extension entails a total of 18,000 square meters. This offers excellent prospects for the fifth edition, to be held 16-18 October at the pavilions 5, 7 and 9 of the.....

Thanks to Nikas F1 from Cora Seeds
Italy: Producers ride the wave of mini-watermelons
The tendency of the market of preferring smaller watermelons (weighing around 2 kg) is a phenomenon occurring in various countries, including Italy. "Here in Pachino, for example, it seems that this year 70% less of traditional long watermelons have been planted, in fact, farmers are switching to mini.....

India: Rapid exports seeks to expand EU mango exports
Rapid Import and Exporters are an Indian company supplying exotic fruit and vegetables to the European market. The company has an office in Germany to ensure good customer service within Europe.The Indian mango season is under way and Rapid supply the Alphonso, Keasr, Banganpalli, Totapuri varieties which.....

Germany launches potato price fix probe
Germany has launched a probe into suspected potato price fixing over the past decade which may have cost consumers and farmers hundreds of millions of Euro, local media reported Saturday.The national competition regulator is investigating allegations that at least nine production and distribution plants.....

Rosanna sales in the pink for Cancer Research UK
Stour Valley based onion specialist ‘Stourgarden’ this week presented Cancer Research UK with a cheque for over £12,000 made up from donations received from the sales of their exclusive Rosanna Pink Onion pack.Cancer Research UK was the Tesco charity of the year for 2012.Tesco onion buyer, Natasha Beagley.....

Spain: CMA CGM announces new weekly service line
CMA CGM (Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement - Compagnie Générale Maritime, specializing in overseas container transport) announces a new weekly service line from the port of Almeria. Henceforth a ship will depart every Monday. With this new service line CMA CGM intends to improve its connection from the.....

Bilbao and Gothenburg's ports begin strategic collaboration
The Port of Gothenburg, Sweden's main port, and the Port of Bilbao, in Spain, have decided to start a collaboration aimed at promoting the modal transfer of goods by sea.Practically half of the goods flowing between both countries are currently transported by road "and our objective is for large volumes of.....

Decline in turnover Bonduelle in Europe
The sales of Bonduelle in Europe declined by 0.3% (451.5 million Euro) in the third trimester of 2012. There is a cleardeclinein consumption in Europe, which represents 66% of the sales. It was mainly the sales of frozen vegetables that was affected by this.This grown shows a divided presentation with a.....

Azienda Pasquariello (Carapelle - Puglia)
Improved asparagus quality leads to more exports
The asparagus campaign of Puglia's "Pasquariello Giovanni" commercial farm started at the end of March. Because of a particularly rainy Winter, it was not possible to have produce available for Easter, the best period for asparagus."As the campaign started late, we only had good prices for a few days. Prices.....

Gianluca Casadio (Apofruit)
Italy: Positive assessment for Solarelli products in the first term of 2013
"The assessment of the first 2013 term of the Solarelli brand is very positive, with +13% in value and +11% in volume with respect of the same period last year," refers Gianluca Casadio (in the photo), marketing manager of Aprofruit."At the moment, the strawberry campaign, the leading product of the.....

Pieter de Jong, HillFresh: improvements in quality of varieties
Good prospects for Spanish melon season
Since the start of HillFresh, melons have had an important role in their fruit assortment. They work together with Gregal, Europe's largest melon producer in the Murcia region, during the Spanish season. HillFresh has Galia and Cantaloupes from Gregal greenhouses until the 29th of May which is followed by.....

Tany Nature:
Spain: Wide geographic distribution provides a large supply of stone fruit
The excessive rainfall in many areas of Spain has led to large losses in fruit production, yet companies like Tany Nature have managed to limit these influences thanks to a widespread geographical distribution. "This extensive spread is the key to a consistent fruit supply from April to October, while.....

Extremadura
Spain: 177,800 tonne stone fruit harvest expected
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias Extremadura and Extremadura's Fruit Growers Association (Afruex) have made their first estimations for the 2013 stone fruit harvest, predicting a total production of 177,800 tonnes.Of this, the largest production volumes correspond to plums, with prospects of 64,300 tonnes,.....

UK: The great rhubarb revival
In the UK, rhubarb production has moved from forced production to open field. In Yorkshire the outdoor season started 4 weeks late because of the cold Spring.Janet Oldroyd Hulme from E.Oldroyd & Sons explained, "As growth is affected by temperature, the crop has been very slow growing, this results in a.....

Belgium: Colruyt introduces umbrella private label brand
Belgian retailer Colruyt is to launch a new umbrella private label brand called 'Boni Selection'.Replacing more than 50 existing own brand lines, the new Boni Selection products will feature 'contemporary, recognizable packaging', as well as a new logo, according to the Belgian retailer. The first products.....

UK: Retailers commit to further cuts in food waste
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has announced that grocery retailers have signed up to challenging new targets for cutting food waste in the supply chain and at home.Under the third phase of the Courtauld Commitment, launched yesterday (Thursday) by the resource efficiency body WRAP, all the major grocery.....

UK: Morrisons online service to begin with Southern focus
Dalton Philips, whose efforts to battle falling sales at Morrisons include joining rivals in selling groceries online said the service, expected to launch in January, will not be available in all parts of the country to begin with.While he declined to confirm that the Bradford-based chain's online offer will.....

Lidl MD:
Ireland: New retail conduct will have cost implications
Discount supermarket chain Lidl has warned that a new retail code will add to costs without helping grocery suppliers.Lidl managing director Kenneth McGrath, said that the chain, which operates in 26 European countries and has 135 stores in Ireland employing over 3,000 people, already had a very stringent.....

Germany: REWE to offer payback from 2014
From 2014, REWE will reward its customers with Payback points for their purchases. The retail company has signed an agreement to this end with Germany’s biggest loyalty programme. “We are delighted that our customers in over 3,000 REWE stores will be able to benefit from this attractive programme starting.....

Delhaize profit helped by Belgian and US sales
Delhaize Group has reported a profit and announced CEO Pierre-Olivier Beckers plans to retire by the end of the year.Delhaize Group reported revenue growth of 2.1 percent for the first quarter, comparable store sales growth of 1.9 percent in the US and 2.4 percent in Belgium and underlying operating margin.....

Thanet Earth continues support for Discovery Fellowship
Throughout the summer months of 2012, the Thanet Earth Discovery Greenhouse at Hadlow College was buzzing with activity. Second year Commercial Horticulture degree student, Tom Pilcher, was in charge of more than 500 tomato plants in a dedicated greenhouse, conducting variety trials on behalf of protected.....

However, increasing number are empty
Rotterdam container volumes grow
Rotterdam handled 4 percent more ocean containers in the first quarter than a year ago, but an increasing number were empty because of the continuing economic downturn across Europe.The increase, to 2.9 million 20-foot-equivalent units from 2.78 million TEUs in the first three months of 2012, restores.....

Russian phytosanitary service bans import of 420 tons of produce
Since the beginning of May the experts of the Central Laboratory "Center of Grain Quality Assessment" identified and rejected approximately 426 tons of plant products of foreign origin.They were fruit and vegetables, most of which were imported from Poland and Turkey. The most frequent "claims" of the.....

Crisis changes consumption pattern
The Spaniard currently eats at home
The serious economic crisis is starting to bring changes in the consumption pattern of Spaniards. Many people prefer to stay at home instead of going out. Toinvite friends to come for dinner at home has become a favourite pastime. An outline of the most important trends and developments in the area of.....

Low acidity and easily digestible
Italy: Ribera PDO oranges become 100% juice at Parlapiano Fruit
Pure fresh fruit harvested and squeezed once it has perfectly ripened under the Sicilian sun, lightly pasteurised and with no added sugars: this is how the "Ribera P.D.O. Orange" juice is made, a 100% natural product as it not obtained from concentrated juice.With this product, theParlapiano.....

UK: Morrisons make a "Steady start" to 2013
Retail chain Morrisons has opened the year with "a steady improvement from the previous quarter," this was in line with expectations.Total sales, excluding fuel were up by 0.6%, and like for like sales were down 1.8%. According to a statement from the chain: "Throughout the quarter the industry has remained.....

NFU joins CAP coalition to demand fair treatment
The NFU has joined a coalition of farmers’ organisations from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland and Denmark to fight against CAP proposals that could result in significant reductions to farmers’ direct payments.Negotiators from the European Commission, European Parliament and Agriculture.....

Ukrainian regions to get new veg storage facilities
Each Ukrainian region will get its own new vegetable storage space.This statement was made by Mykola Azarov, the Prime Minister of the country, at a conference on Tuesday. According to the Ukrainian official, the construction of modern vegetable storage facilities in each region will ensure a steady supply.....

Northern Ireland:
"There's no potatoes left in the country"
The price of the humble spud has soared recently with a tonne of produce costing £440 - almost three times more than the price of the same weight a year ago.It means fish 'n' chip lovers could face a bit of a shock at their local chippie.Limavady farmer, James Wray, said the changing weather in recent.....

Murcia
Spain: Stone fruit campaign with more apricots and fewer plums
Murcia's stone fruit harvest started a week earlier than expected and the first exports to the European market are already being made with noteworthy amounts of great quality nectarines, peaches and apricots."There is plenty of activity this week in the market and we expect a normal campaign until mid-June,".....

First grape harvest at Giuseppe Guastella
Table grape cultivation is widespread in almost all continents with different climate conditions, which means that grapes can be produced the whole year round.In Italy, much is being done in order to further anticipate ripening and extend the offer of fresh grapes. At the moment, it starts at the beginning.....

Fresco finds niche by connecting retailers with growers
As the gateway to Europe for much of the fresh produce that enters the continent, the Netherlands has plenty of suppliers of fresh fruits and vegetables. When Fresco Foods decided to establish a presence there, and by extension establish a presence in Europe, they wanted to add something that not many other.....