Announcements

Job offersmore »

Specialsmore »

Recent commentsmore »

Top 5 - yesterday

Top 5 - last week

Top 5 - last month

Remaining news more »

Economic newsmore »

Exchange ratesmore »

US: No illnesses from hazelnut salmonella recall
The Oregon Department of Agriculture says they have had no reports of any illnesses associated with last month's recall of hazelnuts after salmonella was found at a Willamette Valley processing facility.Spokesman Bruce Pokarney said Tuesday that about 45,000 pounds of nuts have been recovered by the recall,..... 0 comments

Iran: Nuts, dried fruit exports up 20%
Iran exported 87,347 tons of nuts and dried fruits valued at $671,801,000 in the first nine-month period ended December 21, 2009, up 20 percent compared to the same period the year before.IRNA news agency quoted a report from Iranian Customs Administration that pistachio was the major exported item,..... 0 comments

AU: Macadamia season worst in 15 years
The 2009 macadamia season was the worst in at least 15 years, an industry expert has claimed on the back of figures released last Friday.And the coming season might not be much better.Marketing manager for Alstonville-based Agrimac Macadamias, Darren Burton, said 20 to 30 per cent of last year’s crop was lost..... 0 comments

India: Cashew exports rise in Dec
With the upward swing in the exports of cashew kernels in December, due to the festival/winter demand and the decline in its unit value, the overall squeeze in the shipments during April-December 2009 from that of the same period the previous year dropped to 2,026 tonnes.As against 84,079 tonnes valued at Rs..... 0 comments

India: Cashew kernel exports decline 4% in 2009
India’s cashew kernel exports have showed an overall drop of a marginal 4 per cent to 1,07,496 metric tonnes during the calendar year 2009 compared to the previous year. During the period January to December 2009, the value of kernel exports was marginally lower by 2.2 per cent to Rs 2,869 crore as against..... 0 comments

Japan's peanut market report
The supply of US raw peanuts to Japan doubled in 2008 to a value of approximately $15.8 million, this was due to a temporary stop on exports to Japan by China because of the increase in incidents of pesticide violations. The Japanese peanut and snack industry continues to look for reliable suppliers.Click..... 0 comments

India: Pistachios, a must eat fruit in diabetes capital of the world
According to a study conducted by the University of Toronto, Pistachios, when eaten with common high-carbohydrate foods like white bread may actually slow the absorption of carbohydrates into the body, resulting in a lower than expected blood sugar level.The study “Glycemic Response of Pistachios – A Dose..... 0 comments

Africa: Cereals board snub leaves cashew nut farmers desperate
The cereals board will not buy cashew nuts because it is cash-strapped, it announced on Wednesday, further dampening farmers’ hopes for a good price this season.A spokesman for the board however said they were looking at creating a budget for the nuts but would not mention the amount targeted nor when it was..... 0 comments

Nepal: Prices of popular dry fruits up
Prices of popular dry fruits --mostly imported -- have increased sharply over one month due to soaring import prices.According to traders, cashew nut, black cardamom and peanuts are among the popular dry fruits seeing sharp rise in their prices over the period. Bibek Chaulagain, a trader at New Road, said..... 0 comments

Kenya: State ban on exports hurts cashew nut prices
A government ban on cashew nut exports has left farmers burdened with low prices following reduced interest in the crop by processors.The growers have petitioned Agriculture minister William Ruto to rescind the ban, saying they would incur huge losses if they sold their yield at the current market price of..... 0 comments

Nigeria: Cashew nuts association tasks FG on tree regeneration
The Cashew Nuts Association of Nigeria (CNAN) has urged the Federal Government to support its cashew regeneration plan to enhance quality production.The CNAN President, Mr Tunji Owoeye, made the plea in Lagos on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of NigeriaHe said the association was collaborating..... 0 comments

Iran fears losing pistachio race to US
Iran has been a pistachio producer since the fifth century BC and the days of the Achaemenid Empire. Aficionados of the Iranian nuts ascribe their dominant position in global markets to superior taste and quality.Iranian farmers fear, however, that their glory days are numbered and they are losing top..... 1 comments

US: Schleicher County grower's pecans headed for China
A truck loaded with LeRoy Olsak’s award winning pecans will leave Eldorado this morning bound for Shanghai, China. The Schleicher County pecan grower says it’s his contribution to keeping world peace the old fashioned way by providing tasty delights to eat. Last year, the Texas Pecan Growers participated in..... 0 comments

India: Groundnut variety that requires less irrigation
A majority of farmers, when their crops fail successively due to some pest attack, invariably go in either for a change in their cropping pattern, or in some cases, even stop farming. But it is only a few determined farmers who try to find the root cause of the problem and overcome it.Mr. Dhirajlal Virjibhai..... 0 comments

Vietnam to host first Golden Cashew Nut Festival
The first Golden Cashew Nut Festival will be held in Binh Phuoc province from March 20-23 at a total cost of VND15 billion.During the event, there will be concerts, a parade of bicycles decorated in flowers, competitions to create a slogan and a logo for the festival, a ceremony to award scientists and..... 0 comments

US: Antioxidant levels of nuts increases after roasting
The chemical reaction that darkens a batch of roasting peanuts also boosts the amount of antioxidants they contain, according to a new study in the journal Food Chemistry.Many varieties of nuts have long been known to be a good source of antioxidants and other nutrients — especially peanuts, walnuts, pecans..... 0 comments

India: Eat pistachio to lower blood sugar
Munching a handful of pistachio nuts not only makes for a great snack but also a healthy one because it lowers the blood sugar level by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates in the body, a study said Tuesday."Pistachio, when eaten with high carbohydrate food items like white bread, may actually slow..... 0 comments

Kenya: Processing of cashew nuts seen booming due to exports ban
Cashew nuts processors currently buying nuts in Coast province expect business to boom this season following a government ban on the export of raw cashew nuts.Over 65 per cent of the cashew nuts produced in the region that was exported as in-shell nuts to China, Hong Kong and India before the ban will now be..... 0 comments

Nuts and dried fruits, healthy ending of 2009 season
For dried fruits and nuts, 2009 was not as bad as for other segments in the fruit and vegetables industry, according to President of Besana Group and Vice-President of Freshfel Pino Calcagni. The global economic slump does not endanger the nuts and dried fruits industry, which keeps growing even if various..... 0 comments

US: Walnut sales roar back after tough 2008
California's walnut industry dove off a bridge last year, only to stage a bungee-cord rebound as it now sets sales records month after month, growers and processors report.Growers harvested a record-shattering 2008 crop of 436,000 tons, only to have the market collapse in the face of last year's global..... 0 comments

High prices in raisins hinder Turkish exports
High export prices for raisins have resulted in a contraction in trade this year. A 7 to 8 percent increase in raisin export prices this season has caused a 20 percent decline in export volume during the September-December period, compared to the same period last year.Nearly 80,000 tons of sultana exports..... 0 comments

Nigeria can export cashew nuts to Israel
The Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Dada Olisa, has said that with proper processing and survey, Nigerian farmers can export cash crops such as cashew nuts, sesame and beans seeds to Israel.Olisa, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Tel-Aviv, said that Israel would..... 0 comments

Pakistan: Sale of dry fruits on the rise
The increasing chilly weather in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has boosted the profits and business of dry fruits.It has been observed that the number of customers seeking dry fruits at shops at various markets is on the increase and vendors are also exploiting the opportunity by increasing the..... 0 comments

Deal signed with VN on cashew production
Cambodia signed a memorandum of understanding Thursday to lease 6,000 hectares in Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom provinces to Vietnam to grow cashew nuts.Vietnamese officials in Phnom Penh said the deal was signed by Vietnamese officials from Dong Nai province and authorities from Kampong Cham and Kampong..... 0 comments

US: Hazelnut recall hurts Oregon growers at crucial holidays
These are not festive days for several producers of hazelnuts, Oregon's state nut and one of its top crops. The Food and Drug Administration found salmonella in a processing plant in Newberg, triggering a recall of more than 114,000 pounds of shelled hazelnuts. That recall has hit several Oregon companies at..... 0 comments

AU: Heatwave drives growers nuts
A Heatwave in August is being blamed as the cause of a likely poor nut yield from macadamia trees across the Northern Rivers.Earlier in the season, good flowering had growers and processors optimistic about the possibility of a bumper yield next year.However, those hopes have now been dashed after..... 0 comments

Market report desiccated coconut December 2009
With 2009 running to an end, we hereby send you our traditional December report on desiccated coconut.Looking back at the last 1,5 years, it becomes evident that we are looking on one of the most challenging periods in recent history, with unexpected external factors dominating most soft commodity..... 0 comments

It's a shaky year for Texas pecan growers
Between the drought, an untimely freeze and heavy rain in early fall, pecan growers in Texas faced challenges this year that will keep the holidays from being as cheerful as they might have been.“We were going to have a real good crop and everything went wrong with it,” said Kenneth Pape with Pape Pecan..... 0 comments

Qatar: Date palms to be classified on genetic profile
After the successful genome mapping of date palm, early this year, the experts at the Weill Cornel Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) are set to make a unified scale based on genes to standardise date palm classification.Standard genetic information about the date palm is extremely valuable to researchers who..... 0 comments

US: Part of rat found in frozen veggies claims East Texan
Recently, East Texans have found half of a toad and a complete frog in their frozen vegetables. Now, a White Oak man says he found a rat's jaw!"You can see, there's a root and then there's a root," said Ben Leonard.He has carefully studied what looks like a bone fragment. He says his wife found it in a..... 0 comments

Kenya: Ban on nuts exports gets backing
The government ban on all in-shell tree nuts exports will enhance the processing and export potential of local industries, players in the industry have said in support of the move.This will in turn help address yawning under-employment in the country and stop brokers, who normally export to in-shell..... 0 comments

Vietnam: Cashew processors lack raw materials
Demand for agricultural exports including cashew, vegetables and fruit is increasing, but local companies are short of raw materials for export.The Viet Nam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VFVA) said export orders had risen substantially compared to previous months, and prices on the world market had also..... 0 comments

Tunisian dates fuel economic growth
Ali Fudl, who has just shinned a 50-foot-high date palm, uses his bare feet to anchor himself as he brings his sickle down to slice through a thick stem holding a huge bunch of hundreds of dates.He then carefully passes the 25 kilogramme load down to Majoub Thebet lower down the palm trunk who cries out a..... 0 comments

India: Groundnut consumption doubles in three years
Groundnut has witnessed a turnaround in consumption pattern — from a major oilseed for premium class consumers to a preferred choice for direct users. Direct consumption of groundnut doubled to 60 per cent of its total production, from 30 per cent three years ago.Experts attribute this rise to the change in..... 0 comments

US: Oregon company recalls hazelnuts
An Oregon company is recalling about 110,000 pounds of shelled hazelnuts over concerns that they may be contaminated with salmonella.The Willamette Filbert Growers or Meridian Organic shelled hazelnuts were processed from Oct. 12 through Nov. 25. The hazelnuts were distributed in Oregon and California.No..... 0 comments

US: New study reveals pistachios have anti-inflammatory properties
New research published online, December 10, 2009 indicates that bioactive compounds in pistachios, and molecules present in pistachios, have anti-inflammatory properties.Pistachio oil decreases levels of an inflammatory marker known as "Ifit-2" (INF-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 2)...... 0 comments

US (CA): Tulare County crop report
Deciduous tree fruits, nuts and grapes: Growers are pruning tree-fruit orchards. Shredding pruned limbs and pre-emergent application for weeds are well under way. Old orchards are being pulled, ripped, and laser leveled in preparation for spring planting. Table grape inventories are getting low. Almonds..... 0 comments

UAE: Al Foah plans concept stores for dates
One of the world's largest date companies is now planning to set up a unique chain of concept stores for dates across the globe to promote the favourite fruit of Arabia.Al Foah Company, under the General Holding Corporation, Abu Dhabi, and the largest date procuring and processing company in the UAE, is..... 0 comments

Mozambique: Cashews and Co-ops help farmers earn more
The cashew trees turning northern Mozambique’s landscape green are also producing tons of valuable nuts for export as USAID helps the country try to regain its place as the world’s leading exporter of cashews.At Condor—the largest cashew processing factory in Mozambique—600 men and women fill the factory..... 0 comments

A daily dose of pistachios can help keep lung cancer at bay, concludes a
US: Pistachios can cut lung cancer risk
According to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, a diet that incorporates a daily dose of may help reduce the risk of lung and other cancers."It is known that vitamin E provides a degree of protection against certain forms of..... 0 comments

Mozambique to produce 90,000 tonnes of cashew nuts this year
Mozambique expects to produce 90,000 tonnes of cashew nuts in the current agricultural campaign, a source from the National Cashew Institute (Incaju) told Macauhub in Maputo.The Incaju source said that production would be more than enough to supply the 22 processing factories and 60,000 tonnes of unprocessed..... 0 comments

Gambia: Country's cashewnut production will rise to 5,000 metric tons by 2010
Ram Mohan, head of the African Cashew Alliance for the Gambia National Committee, has disclosed that The GambiaÂ's raw cashewnut production is expected to increase up to five thousand (5000) metric tons per year by 2010.He noted that The Gambia has an ideal climate for cashew production. According to him,..... 0 comments

AU: Almond crop set to meet industry target
The Almond Board of Australia (ABA) announced during its annual trade visit to India a 25 per cent increase in the 2010 Australian almond production, which is expected to reach 46,100 tonnes, up from 36,500 tonnes in 2009.The announcement was made last week at an almond trade function hosted by the ABA in..... 0 comments

African Cashew Alliance meets cashew stakeholders in Banjul
The African Cashew Alliance (ACA) is currently having a meeting in Banjul with stakeholders from the African Cashew Alliance.The purpose of the meeting is to sensitise cashew producers, buyers, traders, and processors to the African Cashew Alliance as an organisation and urged them to become a member of the..... 0 comments

Pakistan: Increase in dry fruits’ demand raises prices by 35 percent
In the wake of upsurge in the demand of dry fruits in Karachi amid winter season, a marked increase in prices of majority of the winter products from 30 to 35 percent was witnessed in the wholesale and retail markets of Karachi affecting buying power of consumers.The dry fruits always under high demand..... 0 comments

Philippines: Cashew self-sufficiency seen by 2015
The government has tagged cashew nuts as a niche product for local and foreign tourists as domestic self-sufficiency is targeted to be attained between 2015 to 2020.This was announced when officials of the Agriculture department and local governments launched a cashew tree propagation program in nine towns..... 0 comments

AU: Push to protect macadamia trees
The Macadamia Conservation Council says it wants a proposed conservation area in Gympie to conserve native macadamia trees.Gympie Mayor Ron Dyne will meet Premier Anna Bligh next week to discuss plans for a conservation park after the scuttled Traveston Crossing dam.Conservation council chairman Ian..... 0 comments

Philippines: Coconut seed farms eyed for synthetic variety
The Department of Agriculture through the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) is eyeing the establishment of more coconut seed farms in strategic coconut-growing areas for its latest hybrid, the Orgullo Tall SV San Ramon Coconut Variety.Otherwise known as the synthetic coconut variety, this superior coconut..... 0 comments

India: Rally in cashew market likely on low stock, high demand
Lower inventory with major buyers and lesser availability may to trigger a rally in the cashew market. Traders said with supply coming only from two producers, Tanzania and Mozambique, processors are scrambling for raw nuts adding to the firmness of the market.With big retailers tending to cover only for..... 0 comments

Tanzania: 'Cashewnut system unfair to farmers'
A study by the World Bank Dar es Salaam office has criticized the cashew nuts warehouse system, saying it does not help farmers get good prices and creates more liabilities to the government.The statement issued today by the World Bank comes a few days after Prime Minister Pinda called for reform of the..... 0 comments

Vietnam: First ‘green’ cashew plant under construction
Construction of an environmentally-friendly cashew-nut processing factory, the first of its kind in Vietnam, began in the southern province of Binh Phuoc on November 25.The VND100 billion project (roughly US$5 million) is also the first in Vietnam to solely use domestically-designed equipment and..... 0 comments

Pakistan: Dates varieties introduced in Turkey through CSF
The Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF), in collaboration with the Sindh government under the Sindh Development Fund, has introduced three new varieties of Pakistani dates in the Turkish market.Pakistan is among the top five date producers in the world adding that currently some 250 thousand metric tonnes of..... 0 comments

Argentine Peanut Crop Update as at November 22, 2009
Georgalos Peanut World
Till November 22, 2009, it continued being mainly dry, and the temperatures were normal for the season. Although there were some storms, there were not widespread precipitations. The rains were of a few millimetres, and took place in specific and isolated areas.In the central Argentine peanut region, there..... 0 comments

Vietnam: Dried fruit imports found to be unsafe
Five of six samples of imported dried fruits and jam taken from Binh Tay Market in District 6 have failed to meet food safety and hygiene standards, officials announced this week.Of the samples taken, three contained excessive amounts of lead, four had cyclamate – a banned artificial sweetener – and two..... 0 comments

US: Pistachio growers receive $500K subsidy
Pistachio growers are getting $500,000 from the federal government for an industry re-building campaign.The subsidy is being channeled through the Fresno-based Western Pistachio Association (WPA) for a "re-building effort in light of the recent, nationwide voluntary recall of pistachios due to potential..... 0 comments

India: Chestnuts in high demand in wintry Kashmir
Kashmir produces not only high-end varieties of some fruits like apples, peaches, plum and cherries, but also the finest variety of chestnuts.The sweet tasting, aromatic cum exotic fruit that grows under the floating leaves and drops off when ripe, can be scooped out using a net while the one that grows on..... 0 comments

Vietnam metro finds lead, banned sweetener in dried fruit
Health authorities in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday said they have found dried fruits in the market containing lead and a banned artificial sweetener.The city Health Department took six dried fruit samples at random from three vendors at the Binh Tay wholesale market in District 6 and five of them failed..... 0 comments

US: Pistachio harvest yields good quality nuts this year
Pistachios by the hundreds rained down on the heads of Dayana Garcia, Yaneth Romero, Ramon Camacho and Pablo Garcia at Big Al’s Pistachio Farms in Newberry Springs on Thursday.The four pickers dislodged the nuts from the treetops, gathered them up in big blue tarps and poured them in wooden boxes designed to..... 0 comments

Senegal: Groundnut production in freefall
Farmers are complaining about a lack of technical assistance and the poor quality of seeds they've planted this year in the Kaolack region, Senegal's groundnut-producing area, 200 kilometres south of the capital Dakar.The production of groundnuts, Senegal's third-largest export product after fishing and..... 0 comments

US: People who eat dried fruit, drink 100 percent fruit juice are leaner
People who eat dried fruit and drink 100 percent fruit juice may be leaner than those who don’t, suggest two new studies presented at the 2009 Experimental Biology conference. In one of the studies, the people who drank fruit juice also exercised more and had more nutritious diets, which suggests that they..... 0 comments

Key Technology's Optyx sorter
Laser sorter for California walnuts
Sacramento Valley Walnut Growers, LLC (SVWG), a grower-owned processor and marketer of shelled walnuts, is focused on providing superior quality product. Consistently hitting high product specifications is key to their success. They recently installed Optyx with Raptor, a sorter from Key Technology that..... 0 comments

US: PistachioHealth.com wins two WebAwards
PistachioHealth.com, the leading online resource of information on the health and nutrition benefits of pistachios, was awarded both the Consumer Goods Standard of Excellence and the Food Industry Standard of Excellence awards by the Web Marketing Association.News ImagePistachioHealth.com received high marks..... 0 comments

New 28,000 Square-Foot Plant Meets Growing Demand for Processed Almonds With State-Of-The-Art Processing Enhancements
US: Paramount Farms opens new $24 million almond manufacturing plant
Paramount Farms, the world’s largest vertically integrated supplier of pistachios and almonds, today announced the opening of its new $24 million, 22,800 square-foot almond manufacturing plant. The facility is designed to meet the growing demand for manufactured almonds and to comply with today’s increased..... 0 comments

US: 18 lead-tainted dried fruits not sold in Malaysia - Ministry
The Health Ministry said on Monday all 18 lead-tainted dried fruits identified by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) are not sold in Malaysia.The ministry's Food Safety and Quality Division director Nooraini Datuk Mohd Osman said data obtained from the Food Safety Information System of..... 0 comments

Bio-oasis one of the largest producers and exporters of dates in Algeria
Bio-oasis is one of the largest producers and exporters of dates in Algeria. We founded the company in 2002 with the goal to fill a market need for Premium-Quality dates. Since its inception Bio-oasis has been engaged in marketing Premium-Quality Deglet Nour dates. We currently offer a wide range of..... 0 comments

Experts expect plentiful peanut yield for Georgia
Georgia, the No. 1 producing peanut state in the U.S., is expecting a record- breaking peanut yield this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.At the end of harvest, Georgia farmers can expect to have 3,500 pounds of peanuts per acre, according to an October report released by the National..... 0 comments

Israel levies pistachio tax to combat Iranian import
The Knesset Finance Committee, in a bid to block a covert import from Iran, on Tuesday approved a government plan to tax roasted pistachios.Most of the roasted pistachios in Israel are from Iran and are imported through Turkey, the finance committee said in a statement, citing remarks from an Israel Tax..... 0 comments

AU: Almond supplies diminishing, says grower
Australia's largest almond grower, Select Harvests, says the world won't have enough of the nuts within five years and it is in the right product, in the right place, at the right time. Select Harvest chairman Curt Leonard (Curt Leonard) says global demand for almonds is growing and prices likely to go..... 0 comments

Wind, wet no worry; '09 good year for wrinkly-hulled nuts
US: Central valley sees another good walnut harvest
Central Valley walnut growers are shaking the second-largest crop ever from their trees, undeterred by the recent windy storm."The weather is beautiful since we had that rain," grower John Kidd said Friday from his farm west of Modesto.Prospects look sunny for the industry, thanks to an uptick in demand that..... 0 comments

Raisin and dried fruit consumption associated with better overall diets
Data recently presented at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Denver suggest that raisin and dried fruit consumption are associated with better overall eating patterns and nutrient intake. In addition, dried fruit consumption was found to be associated with..... 0 comments

US: $4,500 in walnuts stolen from Poplar orchard
Tulare County sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of about $4,500 in walnuts from a Poplar orchard.Deputies were called to Greenleaf Farms, in the area of Road 192 and Avenue 176, on Sunday, where a farm representative said about 5,000 walnuts had been taken from the orchard, according to a..... 0 comments

AU: Researchers to multiply rare macadamia tree
Researchers from the University of the Sunshine Coast will take cuttings of an endangered variety of macadamia nut tree near Miriam Vale this week for propagating.Ian McConachie from the Macadamia Conservation Trust says the Janseni tree is found in an area with high temperatures which will allow it to..... 0 comments

Vietnam: Cashew exports fall nearly 10%
Vietnam exported 134,000 tonnes of cashew nuts, earning an export turnover of US$621 million in the first nine months of the year, according to the Vietnam Cashew Association.The figure, the association said, was a 9.86 per cent increase in volume but a 9.86 per cent reduction in turnover over the same..... 0 comments

AU: Our nut is a real hit overseas
GYMPIE'S Suncoast Gold is the leading macadamia nut supplier in Australia and overseas taste buds are being tantalised too, as its export market continues to thrive despite tough economic times.On Wednesday night the company was a finalist in the agribusiness category at the 20th annual Premier of Queensland..... 0 comments

Mozambique: Bush fires damage cashew production
Uncontrolled bush fires are severely damaging Mozambique's cashew nut production, according to a report in Thursday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".Filomena Maiopue, National Director of the Cashew Promotion Institute (INCAJU), has warned that this is one of the factors jeopardizing the target of..... 0 comments

Vietnam: Lead fears in dried fruit
Inspectors from the Department of Health have begun testing samples of jam and dried fruit sold in the city’s markets for harmful additives.The move follows reports from Malaysian food control agencies on October 9 that 18 types of dried plum and prune from 15 Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers contained..... 0 comments

AU: Nut auction will help save the species
A hundred kilos of macadamia nuts have sold for more than $13,000 in a charity auction.The fundraiser was held at the annual macadamia conference gala dinner at Bundaberg in south-east Queensland last night.Growers and processors contributed to the final bid, and proceeds will go to the Macadamia..... 0 comments

India: Why JK Govt is allergic to garlic?
As if corroborating the allegations of traders, the government has not lifted the ban imposed on the import of more than six items that come from Pakistan Administered Kashmir.Interestingly the government enforced ban on items, which were gaining popularity in Kashmir. The banned items include Ginger,..... 0 comments

US: Douglas County hazelnut crops successful
Farmer Norm Lehne worked into the night last Monday, driving through his hazelnut orchard and mechanically picking up the nuts.In an orchard across the road, Ed Kytola worked almost until dark.They were working a long day in the lower Garden Valley area because they knew rain was coming and it's so much..... 0 comments

US: The FDA's pistachio safety steps
The Oct. 13 front-page article "A Vigorous Push From Federal Regulators" included a brief description of food safety issues with pistachios this spring that misrepresented what happened.Significant contamination of a major manufacturing facility led to positive tests finding the same strain of salmonella..... 0 comments

India: Cashew sales rise despite poor promotion
Despite poor product promotion, the domestic market of cashew nuts has seen a robust growth across the board in the recent past. The market has been growing at an annual average growth rate of 15% in the last decade, according to industry sources here.The total volume of cashew nuts sold in the market has..... 0 comments

US: Pistachio group launches nutty Web site
The Fresno-based Western Pistachio Association has teamed up with a national health magazine to create a Web site devoted to the health benefits of pistachios.TheGreenNut.org is billed as a "fun and interactive Web site that challenges and equips America to 'go green' in a nutritious way." The Web site was..... 0 comments

AU: Almond industry celebrates success
The Australian almond industry has recorded its most successful almond blossom season to date with record almond sales and festivities held across the almond growing regions.This year’s almond blossom season extended from late July through till late August.Throughout this year’s almond blossom season, the..... 0 comments

US: Walnuts recalled over contamination fear
A U.S. nut packager recalled walnuts and nut toppings possibly contaminated with a highly infective foodborne pathogen, the company said.John B. Sanfilippo & Son Food Inc. of Elgin, Ill., known for its Fisher brand of nuts, revealed Wednesday it has voluntarily recalled about 3,000 pounds of nuts sold in..... 0 comments

Kenya: NCPB fails to heed directive on cashew nuts
The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has failed to heed a government directive to buy cashew nuts from farmers, leaving them at the mercy of middlemen and private processors as the harvest season approaches.As a result, cashew nut processors are preparing to move to Coast province to buy the..... 0 comments

Domestic industry far from absorbing cashew production in Mozambique
The capacity to process cashew nuts in Mozambique is expected to total 60,000 tonnes within the next ten years, according to Mozambican newspaper Notícias.The paper added that even so capacity would be below the capacity of 75,000 tonnes per year that Mozambique had before the collapse of the cashew industry..... 0 comments

Processing plants fear shortage of African raw cashews
At a cashew industry conference in Abijan (Ivory Coast), the buzz was about African plans to develop processing plants at home, rather than export raw nuts to processors in, for example, Vietnam.Africa aims to climb the value chainAfrican cashew producers have decided that it is time to follow Vietnam’s..... 0 comments

California Walnuts' Popular Smart Menus Program getting smarter
The California Walnut Board is committed to educating and empowering Americans to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Today its Smart Menus Campaign, which launched in 2008, is expanding. Designed to provide approachable wellness and menu planning tips along with delicious, wholesome recipes that are easy enough..... 0 comments

Ministry restricts sale of imported dried fruits due to high lead content
The sale of 18 types of dried plum and prune from China, Taiwan and other Asian countries has been restricted by the Health Ministry after high degrees of lead was detected.The foodstuff - known as asam or jeruk in Malay and kiam sui tee (salty, sour and sweet) in Hokkien which are immensely popular as..... 0 comments

US: Black walnuts ready to be harvested
Now is a good time to begin harvesting black walnuts, according to Bob Frazee, natural resources educator for University of Illinois Extension.In general, the light colored black walnut kernels will have a milder flavor than the dark ones. If you prefer light colored kernels, Frazee recommends you hull the..... 0 comments

photo report (248 pictures)
PMA Fresh Summit 2009 in Anaheim, California
Last Friday, the exhibition PMA Fresh Stummit got under way in Anaheim, California. It was a great show and many people visited this exhibition. Of course FreshPlaza was present at this exhibition and made a photo report of the Fresh Summit 2009. Click here for the photo report 0 comments

Cashew festival in Bangalore to promote domestic consumption
In an effort to promote domestic marketing of cashew nuts, the Karnataka Cashew Manufacturers Association (KCMA) is holding a five-day cashew festival at Palace Ground, Bangalore, from October 1 to 5. In a press release, K Pramod Kamath, secretary, KCMA said the Indian domestic market had shown tremendous..... 0 comments

Almonds Grown in California; Revision of Outgoing Quality Control Requirements
This rule revises the outgoing quality control regulations issued under the California almond marketing order. The order regulates the handling of almonds grown in California and is administered locally by the Almond Board of California (Board). This rule revises the term "validation'' under the Salmonella..... 0 comments

UK: Nut-lover gets nasty surprise after peeling Tesco pistachio
An unlucky nut-lover got a nasty surprise when she peeled open a Tesco pistachio and found a dead maggot inside.Suzanne Taylor was horrified to find the bug's dried corpse still imbedded in the flesh of the salty snack, which she had been about to put in her mouth.The 33 year-old has vowed never to eat a..... 0 comments

US (WA): Deadly fungus threatens walnut trees in Prosser
A deadly fungus discovered last year in Prosser continues to wreak havoc on the city's walnut trees.Worse yet, there's no known treatment.Thousand canker was discovered in Prosser last summer when a Washington State University Extension educator found six walnut trees on her property were infected. They..... 0 comments

US: Date farmers see bountiful harvest
Temperatures in the low 100s and the absence of a “monsoon season” this summer have contributed to a high-quality date crop this year, Coachella Valley farmers say.Desert fields are expected to produce 35 million to 40 million pounds of dates this harvest, which runs through December. Quality will be better..... 0 comments

Yemen: Expensive dates, healthy dates, and dates at risk
The price of Saudi dates went up by around 70 percent this Ramadan compared to last year, as a 25-kilo tin this year cost YR 12,000 (USD 60) compared to YR 7,000 (USD 34) last year.A 10-kilo tin cost YR 5,700 (USD 27) this Ramadan, instead of YR 3,500 (USD 17).The price of Saudi-grown dates increased due to..... 0 comments

India: Cashew kernels exports down 4% on economic woes
Mainly on account of the global economic recession, there was a four per cent decrease in cashew kernels exported at 1,09,523 tonnes valued at Rs 2,988.40 crore last year, said Mr Bharathan Pillai, Chairman of the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India.The total foreign exchange earned through export of..... 0 comments

US (NY): 2009 Weather makes for healthy walnut crop
There might be some extra money just laying around in your yard. That's because this week is the start of black walnut season. And picking up some walnuts could get you some extra cash.Thanks to all the rain we had this spring, walnut production should be high this year.There are 220 buying stations in 13..... 0 comments

Russia remains the largest market for Californian almonds in Eastern Europe
Despite the economic crisis and a significant decline in food imports to Russia, the imports of Californian almond to the country decreased by only 2% during the last fiscal year (ended in September) amounted to 19.7 million pounds (8,669.13 tons) compared with 20,1 million pounds (9,125.4 metric tons)..... 0 comments

Introduction Coincides with Consumer Holiday Baking Contest
US: California Walnut Board Launches Fresh New Website
Walnut lovers visiting the California Walnuts website at walnuts.org will find even more reasons to love the consumer-favorite, tasty and nutritious nut. The California Walnut Board announced today that it has revamped its website that now offers more resource information for health, food, and industry..... 0 comments

US: Consumers warned not to eat certain imported dried plums
The Texas Department of State Health Services is warning consumers not to eat certain imported dried plums and products containing imported dried plums because they have elevated levels of lead.Most of the products typically are sold as salted or candied treats in Asian and Hispanic markets but also are..... 0 comments

The deadline to apply for the Value-Added Producer Grant program for pistachio growers is Nov. 30. There's $18 million available this round
US(CA): Grants available for pistachio growers
Grants may be used for planning activities and for working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy.Eligible applicants are independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and majority-controlled producer-based business..... 0 comments

US (CA): Nut company coming to Stockton
Kennfoods USA, a nut processing company, will move its operations to Stockton and expand its business with the help of $2.5 million in industrial development bonds recently approved by the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank.The company began operations in 2006 in a 7,600-square-foot..... 0 comments

US: Date chef competition to be timed
The California Date Administrative Committee has announced the date for The Perfect Date 2010 Chef Challenge.Past winners will be invited to a live, timed chef challenge celebrating the 10th anniversary of the date competition.The event is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 11 at the Special Events..... 0 comments