Zespri China case "disappointing"
The head of the Green Growers Association says it is disappointing Zespri is the subject of legal action in China, but a relief the case has not impacted its exports.“It is really difficult for us to understand how easy it is to run foul of the authorities over there, but it is reassuring the case hasn’t.....

CEO Kriel to leave Capespan
Mr Louis Kriel has announced that he will be leaving the services of the Capespan Group at the end of June 2013. Kriel that spent most of his adult career over the past 22 years with Capespan, 12 years of which he spent outside of South Africa, lived through the transformation of the Group since the days of.....

15% increase in volumes with respect to 2012
Italy: Solinda mini-watermelons available from May
It's called Solinda and it is thePevianimini-watermelon with excellent qualities.As company managers comment, "the campaign started on 4th May with early greenhouse productions in Almeria (Spain). Produce from Spain enables us to cover the period until 15th June. Then we start with the Italian production,.....

Pachino:
Italian company bets on Cora Seeds' Nikas F1 mini-watermelons
"The size difference between mini and traditional watermelons is of 65% and 35% respectively. This perfectly shows the conversion happening in the watermelon sector, which has been going on for three-four years in Sicily," explains Salvatore Dell'Arte (in the photo below), chairman of the Società.....

Azienda Ciuffreda (Foggia - Puglia)
Italy: "We want to transform our cherries into organic jam"
"This year we want to diversify, and we would like to transform all of our cherries into jam. We will harvest fruits at the end of May-beginning of June and, in the meantime, we are looking for operators interested in selling this product and that can assist us. I think we will manage to produce 4 tonnes of.....

Moreno Bonfatti (Fruttital)
Italy: Slight delays for imports of South African grapefruit
"Star Ruby, the sweetest red variety of grapefruit, is the most popular in Italy, whereas the White Marsh, which is more bitter, is consumed less. Ruby Red, the pink variety, has no market, while it is really popular in France and Northern Europe in general."Moreno Bonfatti(in the photo), manager of Verona's.....

Cjo:
Italy: Campaign of early nectarines in greenhouses started
"We have just started the campaign of nectarines with the first greenhouse productions (photo below) in the Salerno area. We deeply believe in early production, and in fact we have scheduled new plantings of early nectarines," announces Antonio Costantino, chairman of the Cjo - Consorzio jonico.....

Rizziconi (Calabria)
Italy: UFO 4 Saturn peaches to be harvested in a month
Francesco Rodinò's company, located in Rizziconi, in the heart of the Gioia Tauro plain (Calabria), is expecting the harvesting of UFO 4 peaches, also known as Saturn peaches, to start in a month's time."This year, the trees planted in June 2011 are ready for an abundant and high quality production as they.....

Campaing about to start
Italy: AOP Armonia expecting 10,000 tons stone fruit
"Stone fruits represent AOP Armonia's most important product in terms of quantity and because of their value. This season, we are expecting to produce more than 10,000 tons," explains sales manager Marco Eleuteri."We have started harvesting peaches and nectarines at the beginning of May, with small.....

First commercial location in Russia opened
Party week and symposium "Growing Together" in honour of 75 years of Enza Seeds
"The customer doesn't exist, neither does the consumer," said Jaap Mazereeuw yesterday at the Growing Together Symposium, organised to celebrated the 75th anniversary of Enza Seeds. He said that continual development is necessary to let a company continue successfully. During the symposium they did not.....

California table grape growers award 10 scholarships
California’s table grape growers recently awarded 10 scholarships to students in the grape growing regions of the State. All recipients are 2013 high school graduates headed to higher education in California.Six scholarships are being awarded to children of table grape field workers: three $20,000.....

United Fresh 2013 donates more than 32,000 pounds of produce
United Fresh and Feeding America have long partnered to prevent fresh produce from going to waste. After this year’s show in San Diego, more than 30 volunteers helped collect donations from the convention floor to benefit those in need serviced by Feeding America San Diego’s partner agencies such as food.....

Dole Europe extends Dole Earth to pineapples
Further to the launch of its Dole Earth online platform on bananas a year ago, Dole Europe announces the extension of the website to pineapples. All Dole pineapples to Europe will carry on a newly designed hang tag the 5 digit farm code which will allow consumers to trace their fruit back to the farm where.....

Total Produce sticking to targets
Fresh produce company Total Produce has said it is sticking to its earnings target of 8 to 8.8 cent per share for this year.In a statement this morning, the company said that since the end of the year, it has agreed a deal to buy a 65% stake in the Oppenheimer Group, in two stages over five years.The.....

Agricola Don Camillo
Aromatic netted Pregiato melons directly from Sicily
They come from Licata, in the Agrigento province (Sicily) and they are of the long-life type, that is to say that they can be shipped even to those markets that are far away from the producing area and that, for this reason, they are preferred by mass retailers, who can plan their sales better.They are.....

UNIVEG Katopé UK receive first Fairtrade Citrus from Egyptian small producers
UNIVEG Katopé UK is pleased to announce the first arrival of Fairtrade Egyptian Oranges grown by the small producers cooperative – Soliman Agriculture. This success story originated in the wake of the ‘Arab Uprising’ in the Middle East. UNIVEG Katopé UK has been working with Blue Moon - A consultancy based.....

F.lli Valcalcer (Campania), lettuce and vegetable specialists
Italy: Harvesting started for watermelons, peppers and cucumbers
"At the moment, we are only harvesting 15 tons per day of aubergines, though soon we will start harvesting watermelons, peppers and cucumbers and therefore we will reach 20 tons of watermelons and 15 tons of peppers per day."This is the assessment of "Amici della Natura", a company established in the.....

Maersk seeks to double shipping rates in fragile market
A.P. Moller-Maersk is "100 percent certain" it can more than double freight rates in July despite market weakness that has seen prices fall by a third since March.The Danish group, whose Maersk Line vessels make up around 15 percent of world container shipping capacity, said its container shipping unit swung.....

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.....

Cor Heemskerk reclaims daily management of company
In 2013, Heemskerk is one of the top 10 largest vegetable processing companies in Europe. After a three-year hiatus, owner Cor Heemskerk recently reclaimed daily management of his company. “I decided three years ago that I wanted to enjoy some free time once in a while,” says Cor, “so I stepped down as.....

Paramount Citrus and Sun Pacific end Cuties partnership
Paramount Citrus, one of California's leading suppliers of fruit sold under the Cuties brand, is changing the name of its easy-peeling fruit.The company announced Monday that it is ending its nearly decade-long partnership this summer with fellow citrus grower Sun Pacific in Exeter. As part of the breakup,.....

Retarder
Italy: Paper cells enhance the value of fruit and vegetables
Paper cells are among the various solutions of the Piedmontese company Retarder, which supplies packaging and technological instruments to improve and extend the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables."Cells preserve humidity and allow good ventilation while at the same time maintaining hygrometric levels. The.....

SafeRock Minerals Ltd. launch new unique mineral resource
SafeRock Minerals Ltd. is pleased to announce the launch of its website www.saferockminerals.com which showcases a unique natural mineral resource which has been branded as SafeRock Agri. The new site has extensive content including a series of videos from top agronomists explaining the importance of soil.....

ESP Solutions develops packaging that cuts down on waste
As the the materials traditionally used for the packaging of fresh produce diminish or are phased out because of their harmful effects on the environment, new packaging materials will be needed. ESP Solutions develops packaging materials that are eco-friendly, and their 303D resin promises to increase the.....

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.....

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.....

Mexico: Hongos Leben wants to return to export
The Mexican company Hongos Leben produces fungi and mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) since 1975, this in addition to varieties like shiitake, Portobello and Crimini. The products carry major brands in Mexico City, the metropolitan area and other regions of the country.Until 2005, Hongos Leben exported to the.....

BJ’s Wholesale Club Selects FoodLink® to purchase fresh produce
FoodLink®, the fresh food commerce and traceability platform, today announced that BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. is leveraging FoodLink’s buying platform toassist in the sourcing and purchasing of fresh produce across BJ’s 15-state chain.“Produce is an increasingly important category for our club members, and we.....

Canadian potato grower/packer earns CEO of the year
First, winning Ernst & Young (www.ey.com/CA/en/Home) Entrepreneur of the Year 2012, Atlantic winner, in the Business-to-consumer products and services category, John Griffin, CEO and President of W.P. Griffin Inc. was named as one of the Top 50 CEO's in Atlantic Canada for 2013, by the Atlantic Business.....

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.....

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.....

Argentinian pomegranate exporters gaining relevance
"Five years ago, pomegranates were grown almost nowhere in Argentina," explained Horacio Raiman. There were some small plantations, but production volumes were insufficient for export. Seeing a good opportunity to create a business that could increase pomegranate production and make exports viable, Raiman.....

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.....

Philippines: AgriNurture to invest $24 million in bananas
AgriNurture plans to spend as much as P1 billion ($24 million) for expansion of banana plantations and cold storage, a top company official said yesterday at the International Food Expo Philippines in Pasay City.Antonio L. Tiu, AgriNurture’s president, chairman and chief executive officer, told reporters.....

Maersk posts Q1 profit
Maersk has posted a first-quarter profit as freight rates picked up.Maersk Line’s net income totaled $204 million, compared with a loss of $599 million a year earlier, the Copenhagen-based group said today in a statement. That beat the average estimate of $160 million in a Bloomberg survey of six.....

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.....

Limoneira pairs with Canadian experts to "Unleash the Power of Lemons"
After launching its new marketing campaign, Unleash the Power of Lemons last year, Limoneira Company, a leading agribusiness, announced its partnership with five Canadian based experts in the areas of health, beauty, food and drink, lifestyle, and cleaning to promote the many innovative uses of lemons. The.....

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.....

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.....

Q1 results
Camposol reports sales of $46.6 million
Camposol Holding Plc. reported sales of 40.6 million, up 8.1% from Q112 mainly due to an increase in volume sold of fresh mango and higher prices of fresh white asparagus.During the first quarter of 2013, EBITDA before fair value adjustments (b.f.v.a.) was USD 4.0 million, 11.2% higher than Q112. EBITDA.....

"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.....

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.....

New Technology promises to keep fruit fresh longer
Scientists have proposed the use of a new technology that promises to keep fruits, vegetables and cut flowers fresh for longer period, reducing the billions of dollars of loss incurred each year from wastage.Nicolas Keller, Marie-Noelle Ducamp, Didier Robert and Valerie Keller explain that fruits, vegetables.....

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.....

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.....

Fowler Packing hires Derrick Bender for key sales post
Fowler Packing, one of the largest grower, packer and shippers of stone fruit, table grapes and clementines has hired Derrick Bender as Vice President of New Business Development. In his new role, Bender will help expand Fowler Packing’s domestic and international programs on their entire product.....

Coliman Group celebrates first 50 years
This year, Coliman, the Mexican fruit exporter celebrates 50 years of operations. The company has announced it is using the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to offering high flavour, quality and nutrition."The group was born in the state of Colima, hence the name," said Jorge Aguilar Jr., Corporate.....

In the Northwest of Egypt
Egyptian company Magrabi will cultivate peaches and nectarines from Brazil
Last week a technical cooperation agreement between the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and the Magrabi Agriculture Co., head quartered in Cairo (Egypt), was signed. According to the Brazilian company the goal is to test the adaptation of selections and crops of peaches and nectarines.....

Syngenta and DuPont agree on technology exchange
Syngenta and DuPont have announced technology licensing agreements that will broaden each company's crop protection product portfolio and enable both to bring new products to market more efficiently.Syngenta has obtained a global license from DuPont to develop products containing DuPont's fungicide.....

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.....

Village Farms: Q1 in line with expectations
Village Farms International, Inc. has announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013.Net Sales decreased (10%) to $25.4 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2013 compared to $28.2 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2012;Earnings (loss) per share of $0.07 for the quarter ended March 31,.....

Maersk CEO visits Panama Expansion project
Maersk Line CEO Søren Skou visited the Panama Expansion construction site accompanied by Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano during his recent trip to Panama. Skou and other Maersk Line executives had the opportunity to see the construction site of the new locks in the Atlantic side, which will allow.....

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,.....

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,.....

CMA CGM loses Abidjan port appeal bid
Ivory Coast’s Public Procurement Regulating Authority dismissed an appeal from a group led by CMA CGM SA in relation to a bid won by Bollore SA (BOL) to run a second container terminal at the port of Abidjan.The request from CMA CGM’s group last month for an annulment was unfounded, the regulatory agency.....

Crunch Pak heads to Broadway
Crunch Pak, the fresh sliced apple specialist, is headed for a year long run on Broadway; the company will participate in marketing campaign that puts its fresh apple product portfolio on display on a gigantic electronic billboard in the heart of New York City's world-famous Times Square.The billboard,.....

Bayer CropScience celebrates opening of new facilities
Bayer CropScience celebrated the opening of its new Development North America facilities and laboratories last week. These facilities boast 40,000 square feet of space in which nearly 70 scientists will conduct crop protection and environmental science research. The renovations and remodeling, a combined.....

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,.....

No Zespri comment on China court case until after appeal
Zespri stood to gain more than its China importer by understating the value of kiwifruit for customs duty purposes, a Shanghai court has heard.Zespri's former importer in China, Liu Xiongsie, has appealed a 13-year prison sentence and $7 million fine in relation to an import duty avoidance scam for which.....

South Australian potato company collapses
A South Australia-based potato company has collapsed, with its assets now up for sale, following debts in excess of $40 million after a widespread drop in value for potato prices during 2011-12.Corporate advisory firm McGrathNicol has been appointed as receivers and managers to Mondello Farms Group, a.....

All models of PakSense temperature monitoring labels now recyclable
PakSense Inc., an innovator in sensory solutions for packaging, announced at the United Fresh annual convention all models of PakSense temperature monitoring labels, including Ultra Contact, Ultra Wireless and XpressPDF, can now be recycled through the company’s GreenSense recycling program.PakSense.....

Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds responds to healthy snacking trend
Paramount Farms launches new packaging
Paramount Farms, best known for its success in the produce aisle, is expanding its product offerings to meet the growing demand for quick, healthy snacks in convenience and foodservice channels with Wonderful Pistachios, the number one selling snack nut item, and Wonderful Almonds. The popular snack nut.....

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.....

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.....

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.....

BioSafe Systems looking forward to United Fresh
BioSafeSystems is looking forward to exhibiting at the upcoming United Fresh Trade Show in San Diego, California. Like BioSafe, United Fresh is involved in all segments of the produce industry. Their annual convention and expo will be held from May 14-16.Visit BioSafe Systems’ booth (#1347) to discuss unique.....

Zespri accused of hoodwinking Chinese Government
A Chinese man sentenced to 13 years in prison last year for smuggling kiwifruit is appealing his conviction, stating New Zealand company Zespri is to blame.Liu Xiongjie pleaded guilty to criminal smuggling in China last year and was ordered to repay an estimated $7 million in unpaid customs duties.Lawyers.....

Mexico: Asparagus packing plant to be set up in Michoacan
With the goal of reactivating Michoacan's agriculture and promoting the creation of jobs, the firm Growing Green will seek to set up a new asparagus packing plant in Michoacan's eastern region.The firm's Vice-president in operations, Roberto Jaime Díaz Celaya, stated that after an analysis of the area's.....

Mann Packing supports tray sustainability with video release
Mann Packing will release a new video and ad campaign at United Fresh to reinforce the sustainability features of its lidless vegetable trays.Last fall the company re-designed its vegetable platter and removed the familiar black plastic portion of the package commonly used as the lid.The company decided to.....

Curry & Company partners with Suncrest Produce Solutions
Sweet onion program enhancement
Curry & Company has formed an exclusive multi-year partnership with Suncrest Produce Solutions LLC of Lake Wales, Florida.Suncrest is owned by 20-year industry veteran Jason Turner. Suncrest is a large importer of Peruvian sweet onions and this partnership allows these imports to become a part of Curry.....

OrCal Inc. introduces new logo and website
Or-Cal, Inc., headquartered in Junction City, OR has introduced a new company logo, branding initiatives and released their new website at www.orcalinc.com.The logo features a tractor and an artistic rendition of row crops as well as fruit trees. The sun rising over the crops represents the commitment of.....

Cinzia Busana
Italy: Availability problems for salad and chicory
"The sale season for fresh-cut salads is positive, even though at the moment there are some problems as regards the availability of raw material. In particular, there is a lack of curly salad and endive because they have not been transplanted due to bad weather. Chicory is also limited."This is the.....

US: Hollandia Produce donates 3 Salad Bars
In cooperation with The United Fresh Foundation’s Let’s Move Salad Bars to California Schools campaign to donate salad bars to 350 California schools at the United Fresh 2013 convention in San Diego May 15th & 16th Hollandia Produce, LLC of Carpinteria, CA. is proud to announce the donation of 3 new.....

Vignola Cherries
Italy: Excellent quality despite delayed production and lower volumes
The Board of directors of the cherry, plum and local Vignola fruit Consortium has recently met, and all of the members of the chain - producers, cooperatives, traders, etc - agreed on a 10 day delay of the season with respect to last year.Andrea Bernardi, chairman of the Consortium, comments on the.....

FOOD freshly® PWAM© based method extends shelf-life 30 days and beyond
FOOD freshly® has managed to extend the shelf-life of fresh cut apples to over 30 days. As a major leader in the preservative business, FOOD freshly® is able to provide a 3-step approach (3-P Concept), which enhances the shelf-life and the quality of fresh cut produce. Optimizing the 3 P’s “Pre-Sanitizing”,.....

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.....

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.....

Maersk targets Africa port accords after winning Ivory Coast bid
Maersk aims to win more African port contracts after a group to which it belongs was selected to build and run a container terminal in Ivory Coast.Maersk has operations in more than 40 African nations and generates about 10 percent of its sales in and around the continent. Besides its shipping business, the.....

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.....

C.H. Robinson results reflect slower growth
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. has reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2013. "Our results for the first quarter of 2013 reflect the slower growth and continued margin contraction that we have seen in the markets we serve. They also reflect our continued investments in our future and.....

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.....

Sunkist Growers salutes Summer citrus at United Fresh
Bring on the sunshine! Sunkist is ready for summer, featuring its fresh, seasonal citrus products at United Fresh 2013 in San Diego.“Eating Sunkist® citrus is a refreshing way to stay healthy and energized during the warm summer months,” said Sunkist Advertising and Public Relations Manager Joan Wickham......

US: Frieda's getting fired up for Summertime grilling
As shoppers kick off the grilling season with Memorial Day, Frieda’s Specialty Produce offers an exciting variety of produce to put on the grill. “Vegetables are no longer just the side show at the grill—they’re taking center stage,” said Karen Caplan, Frieda’s President and CEO. “Consumers are adding more.....

Zespri kiwi arriving in South of Europe on the 10th of May
The first vessel to the South of Europe is planned to arrive in Tarragona on the 10th of May and will start loading to customers on that day. Sales of Zespri® Gold will start a few weeks later.Global Export volumes are expected to be down from 102m trays in 2012 to an estimated 90m this year, of which 70 mio.....

Slovenian banana supplier opens logistics centre in Ljubljana
Slovenian company Rastoder, one of the biggest banana wholesalers in the world, this week opened a new logistics centre at the BTC shopping district in Ljubljana, from which it will supply cities up to 500 kilometres away. The centre includes a state-of-the art banana ripening facility and storage space for.....

Argentinean company produces grapes with few chemicals
Finca Don Roberto produces and exports table grapes from its fields in Argentina and uses very little pesticides.Even though the volume of fruit exported this past season was a little low, plans are to grow in the years to come.Finca Don Roberto has 250 hectares of grapes in production in the province of San.....

Maersk Line Limited spending $500 million on new ships
Maersk Line, Limited (MLL), the US-flagged arm of Denmark-based Maersk Line, says it is spending $500 million on the purchase and reflagging of eight newer and larger container ships to improve services provided to itsUSmilitary, government and commercial customers. MLL says that the investment in the.....

MAP Retarder
Italy: Modified atmosphere bags that extend shelf-life
Retarder, a Piedmontese company supplying packaging and technological tools to store and extend the shelf-life of produce, has created modified atmosphere bags, a new technology to store and transport fruit and vegetables."MAP Retarder bags create and efficient modified atmosphere system, composed of an.....

Best New Food Safety Product finalist
DeltaTrak showcases TTI solution at United Fresh
DeltaTRAK will showcase the ThermoTrace Time Temperature Indicator (TTI) solution at the United Fresh show in San Diego, California May 15th and 16th, 2013 (booth#1508). The TTI solution has been chosen as a United Fresh Best New Food Safety Product Finalist.DeltaTRAK's ThermoTrace TTI solution provides.....

Maglio & Company make per case donation to One Fund Boston
Maglio & Company has announced that for any split repack and tomato repack cases sold from its Boston distribution center during the month of May, the company is donating $.10 to The One Fund Boston. The One Fund Boston was formed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to.....

DeltaTrak® appoints Peter Norton Director of Business Development
DeltaTRAK®, a leading innovator of cold chain management solutions today announced the appointment of Peter Norton as Director of Business Development. The cold chain industry veteran brings extensive experience in global programs and project management to the company along with a thorough knowledge of.....

NatureSweet lays off 65, adjusts production
NatureSweet has now laid off about 65 of 800 total employees at its Willcox facility, a figure that does not include the 400 inmates formerly used by EuroFresh.CEO Bryant Ambelang explained last week that NatureSweet had not previously announced this reduction in force (RIF), as it did not take full.....

Fyffes expects full year results in line with expectations
Fruit company Fyffes has said it expects its full year earnings to be in line with previous expectations.Adjusted earnings per share are expected to be in the 7.5 cent to 9.2 cent range, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation charges are in a target range of €36-42m.In a brief.....

Danila Bragantini
Italy: Despite bad weather, still optimistic for cherries
The bad weather in Northern Italy over the last few days has created quite a few problems for agricultural crops. A few hailstorms have hit the Verona area, with hail as big as tennis balls.Danila Bragantini (in the photo below) from the company with the same name(www.bragantini.it) which specialises in.....

Mauro Grossi (AFE)
Italy: Strawberries are profitable, though drop expected for Summer fruit
1,080 hectares of pear trees which produce more than 11,160 tons of Summer pears (9,155 tons of which are white/red Williams) and 33,545 tons of Winter pears (24,926 of which are Abate); 750 hectares of kiwi trees which produce 19,260 tons of green kiwis and almost 800 tons of gold ones. On top of this,.....

Ridding fields of rodents can be a blast
If something you did landed you in the hospital, chances are you would stay as far away from that thing as possible. But for Ed Meyer, a trip to the hospital prompted him to develop a tool that humanely and effectively gets rid of burrowing animals. Now farmers, growers and ranchers throughout the world are.....

France: Bonduelle increases its turnover by 9.3%
The Bonduelle Group has reached a turnover of 1,430.9 million Euro after the first 9 months of its financial year, which is a 9.3% increase compared to the previous year. The French manufacturer's sales have grown by 1.4%.The firm's turnover in Europe has fallen by 1.5%, from 952.5 million Euro after the.....

Q1 2013 results
Chiquita banana sales remain weak in Europe
Chiquita Brands International saw its profits rebound in the first quarter, the company has reported, but revenue slumped as sales of its core product – bananas – remained weak in Europe.The company had $2 million in profits during the quarter, up from an $11 million loss during the same quarter last year......

US (FL): Coca-Cola to plant 5 million citrus trees
Coca-Cola Co. said Tuesday it will support what's thought to be the largest planting of citrus trees in Florida in 25 years, with a commitment to purchase about $2 billion worth of oranges from the new groves.The company's partnership with Peace River Citrus Products and Cutrale Citrus Juices — a large.....

AU: Shire ready to help SPC-impacted orchard workers
The Moira Shire Council has activated its employment response plan to help orchard workers hit by the SPC Ardmona decision to cut the intake from some fruit growers and reduce the quotas of others by up to half.The council will hold a meeting in Cobram late on Thursday afternoon for orchard staff,.....

F.lli Romagnoli
Customer retention for potatoes is possible, our tests prove it
The Romagnoli company wasestablishedas a commercial farm in 1928 however, from 1960, it developed processing, sale and service activities and nowadays Romagnoli Fratelli Spa is an international group coordinating and selling a complete range of seed, fresh, and processed fresh-cut and already-cooked.....

Freshway Foods contributes salad bar to benefit school children
Freshway Foods announced today that it has made a contribution of $2,500 to the Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools campaign. This donation will fund the placement of a salad bar in one of over 1,200 schools that have applied for support from the program.Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools is a grassroots effort.....

Spain: CASI presidency election brought forward to 18 May
The Governing Board has announced the definite candidates to preside over the CASI Cooperative. Two members have been presented and approved for the process. On the one hand, José María Andújar Andújar, current president of CASI, and on the other, José Manuel Gálvez del Águila, who was vice-president during.....

New Zespri Director named
Jonathon Mason has been appointed as a new independent director to replace John Loughlin on the Zespri Board.Mr Loughlin retired from the board on April 30, following 11 years of service. He was chairman of the board from August 2008 until November last year.Mr Mason is currently Fonterra's chief financial.....

Disney-Pixar Monsters University themed blue raspberry to debut at booth #745
Crunch Pak to launch new Flavorz™ item at United Fresh
Crunch Pak will show off its university spirit at United Fresh 2013 with the launch of Blue Raspberry Flavorz™. Created in conjunction with Disney Consumer Products, the launch of Blue Raspberry Flavorz™ coincides with the release of the latest movie from Disney Pixar, Monsters University, opening in.....

Tom Lango Co. opens new office
The Tom Lange Company is proud to announce the opening of a new office in Miami, FL, which effective immediately, will operate as Seven Seas Miami. The new office is located in a warehouse strategically located close to the Miami International Airport and in close proximity to Port Miami, which is currently.....

CMI preparing for fruitful future
CMI, one of Washington State’s largest grower/shippers of premium quality conventional and organic apples, pears and cherries, announces that one of their owners and growers, McDougall and Sons has broken ground on a new state of the art facility. CMI’s expansion project will be done in two phases and is.....

Campaign starting May 15 with good quality
Valdejalón's 2013 cherry campaign to experience 15% growth
The low temperatures registered this year in the production area of Valdejalón, in the Spanish province of Zaragoza, have caused the flowering stage to last for longer than usual. This, along with the heavy rains fallen over the past few days, have slightly delayed the start of the campaign; however, "a good.....

Sakata celebrates 100 years
Sakata constantly strives to advance the horticulture industry holding up the company’s motto: QUALITY, RELIABILITY and SERVICE. In 1913, Takeo Sakata founded “Sakata Noen”, predecessor of Sakata Seed Corporation. Through a worldwide research network, Sakata is developing high quality varieties. Since the.....

For Nature Fresh Farms, way forward is in innovation, efficiency
For Peter Quiring of Nature Fresh Farms, the business of growing greenhouse produce presents some challenges, like rising costs and increased competition from Mexican and Central American growers. But he believes that the way for Nature Fresh Farms to meet those challenges is to focus on the future with.....

Italy: New potato variety will supercede Sieglinde
"This year, we have sided the classic Sieglinde new potato from Galatina (a variety in crisis on international markets) with the new Musica cultivar, of which we have exclusive rights in the Salento area in Puglia. 'La Musica Terra Rossa Salento' brand name was created exclusively for such variety, which is.....

Consistency of quality, pricing and supply
Westmoreland/Topline keeps focussing on founding pillars
Click here for a photo report of the company's facilitiesAwareness of greenhouse vegetables is growing throughout North America. Though consumption is still not as high as it is in Europe, North American consumers are increasingly buying premium greenhouse produce. For a grower, this can be a tricky time;.....

Ready Pac President and CEO announces retirement
Michael Solomon, President and CEO of Ready Pac Foods, Inc., has announced his retirement from Ready Pac. Michael has been with Ready Pac since 2006 and has been President and CEO since 2008. Michael has led the company through several years of record performance. “I have decided that now since I have a.....

NZ: EastPack reports PSA reduced profits
EastPack, has announced a reduced profit for the past year, reflecting the impact of the bacterial vine disease PSA.The co-operative, which merged with Satara this year, recorded profit for the past financial year of $7.5 million before tax. That compares with a $10.6 million net profit in 2011.Revenue.....

Fresh AgroMashov
Israel: Akol to unveil advanced greenhouse growing system
At the 2013 Fresh AgroMashov Exhibition the Israeli agricultural software company AKOL, will unveil the most advanced system in the world for growing fresh produce in greenhouses. It has been ranked 5th (in 2012) in the list of innovative companies in the world by the magazine "Fast Company" - for its.....

Spain: Gruventa and Ideagro study strawberry production in Murcia
The fruit and vegetable exporting firm Gruventa is collaborating with Ideagro in the production of strawberries in Lorca, in the Spanish Region of Murcia, as an alternative crop to vegetables.After the research conducted last year by Ideagro and the results obtained, Gruventa has signed a deal to continue.....

Tateo
Italy: Early cherry varieties have big excellent quality fruits
Quality, safety and tradition - these are the virtues of Azienda Tateo Srl, a company founded in 2005 in Agro di Turi (Puglia) leader in the production, selection, refrigeration, storing and distribution of high-quality cherries and table grapes.The company is located on a 8,000 sq m site, where all of the.....

Europatat on import ban of seed potatoes:
"Russia isn't only showing Europe its teeth"
At the end of 2012 the European Potato Trade Organisation celebrated its 60th anniversary. The federation has been located in a modern office in the middle of Brussels for three years. Frédéric Rosseneu, secretary in general of Europatat, says that they collaborate with a number of other organisations here......

Hoyamar Cooperative celebrates 20th anniverary
The cooperative that exports 99% of its production and that is composed of only of five partners, President Domingo Llamas and Agustín Mulero, Antonio Marín, Francisco Mula and Domingo Fernández, just celebrated its 20th anniversary. As is natural, there was a cake with candles to be blown out at the party,.....

Hortifrut’s shareholders approve merger with Vitalberry
On Tuesday, Hortifrut shareholders approved the company’s merger with Vital Berry Spa through the absorption of its assets and liabilities.The panel also agreed to commencethe operation on June 30 or "at a later date if the Superintendency of Securities and Insurance (SVS) issues the certificate of.....