Nuts and dried fruits

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

US: Pistachio crops continue expanding
A shake-up in the California pistachio industry is not limited to the machinery that rumbles through orchards and jostles nuts from the trees.It also involves greater attention to food safety and renewed efforts to market pistachios domestically and abroad at a time when exports have grown substantially in..... 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

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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

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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

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US (CA): Walnut production down in state
California's walnut production is forecast at 415,000 tons, down 5 percent from 2008's production of 436,000 tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.The forecast is based on an objective measurement survey conducted from Aug. 1-22. Following a record 2008 crop, this year's crop is considered..... 0 comments

California Walnut industry delivers high-quality crop
The 2009 walnut harvest, currently under way in the California Central Valley, is estimated to be 415,000 short tons according to USDA NASS California Field Office estimates, a number which will be confirmed in February 2010. Overall, the California walnut crop has increased by 74% since 2000, though the..... 0 comments

Israel: Make a date with dates to protect your arteries
Dates are very sweet but they don't raise blood sugar levels and do help protect against the clogging of arteries (atherosclerosis), according to new research at the Rambam Medical Center and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.According to a study by Technion Prof. Michael Aviram that will soon..... 0 comments

India: Almond futures rise on pick up in demand
Almond futures prices gained 0.38 per cent on the Multi Commodity Exchange today due to pick up in demand in spot markets amid fall in arrivals.Almond for September contract gained 0.38 per cent to Rs 329.50 per kg with an open interest in 741 lots.Similarly, almond for delivery in October contract edged up..... 0 comments

Saudi dates festival attracts people from all over the Arab World
The fifth Onaiza dates festival continued in Saudi Arabia with the event attracting people from the GCC region and Arab world.The General Manager of the Festival, Yousif Al-Dakhil, told KUNA that Al-Qassim region's dates were among the best in the world, revealing that the region has around five million palm..... 0 comments

Pistachios grown in California; Changes to handling regulations
SUMMARY: This rule invites comments on changes to the handling regulations prescribed under Marketing Agreement and Order No. 983 (order), which regulates the handling of pistachios. The changes were recommended by the Administrative Committee for Pistachios (committee), which is responsible for local..... 0 comments

India: Dates are in hot demand
The fruit is an integral part of Ramzan, not just to break the fast but also to increase the bond between families. No wonder, date merchants can't stop smilingBangaloreans are being spoilt with dates galore during the holy month of Ramzan.Muslims across the world break their fast with dates and a glass of..... 0 comments

Mozambique to sell 95,000 tonnes of cashew nuts
The Mozambican National Cashew Institute (INC) expects to start selling 95,000 tonnes of cashew nuts within the next two weeks, which is 30,000 tonnes more than in the previous season.Production of cashews this year exceeded the national average over the last few years, which was around 80,000..... 0 comments

India emerges as major importer of California almonds
India has emerged as the fourth largest importer of California almonds with inward shipments rising by nearly 20% in FY09 compared to 2007-08. According to the Almond Board report, India has grown to become the fourth largest export market for California almonds after Spain, Germany and China. Shipments to..... 0 comments

Malaysia: Dates are 10pc costlier this Ramadan
Ramadan's arrival every year is much awaited by date traders as it is when demand for dates is at its highest as Muslims make it a must to put dates on the dinner table.The 10 per cent higher market price this year did not prevent Muslims from getting their supply of dates from the many sellers at every..... 0 comments

Malaysia: Imported potatoes, garlic and ground nuts become price controlled items
The government has listed imported potatoes, ground nuts and garlic under the list of the price controlled items for the Hari Raya Puasa festive season from Sept 13 to Sept 27.Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said potatoes imported from (Indonesia and..... 0 comments

South African company invests in macadamia nut production in Mozambique
Tenga Lda, made up of a group of South African investors, is investing in macadamia nut production in Niassa province in northern Mozambique, the company’s director Ryan Stainbak told Macauhub.Stainbak said that the project was being carried out in an area of 165 hectares, and the company’s board planned to..... 0 comments

AU: Early finish to short macadamia crop
Estimates of the 2009 Australian macadamia crop continue to fall as the full impact of severe weather conditions on both production and kernel recovery become clear.As at the end of July, some 30,300 tonnes nut in shell (NIS) has been received for processing according to figures provided by the Australian..... 0 comments

Pakistani dates banned in Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir government has sought an explanation from the deputy director (E), Regional Plant Quarantine Station (RPAS), Amritsar Punjab, for banning the import of dry fruits including the high demanded dates from Pakistan administered Kashmir through weekly LoC trade.Sources said that on 31-07-09, the..... 0 comments

US: Veteran citrus and nut crops advisor retires
Some of the common practices used in growing almonds were developed from research conducted by Mark Freeman, who has retired after 29 years as University of California Cooperative Extension citrus and nut crops advisor for Fresno County, the university says.Much of Mr. Freeman's research -- such as using ant..... 0 comments

AU: Macadamia growers target $2.50/kg
A smaller than predicted macadamia crop for the second season in a row is starting to put upward pressure on prices at long last – final processor offerings for 2009 nuts are settling towards the $2 a kilogram mark, up 15 per cent on last year.However, deliveries with more than three per cent unsound kernel..... 0 comments

Turkey, blueberries to replace hazelnut crops?
To eradicate illegal hazelnut production, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture will fund those hazelnut farmers who will switch to other cultivation options such as cut flowers and blueberries. This initiative, in accordance with the recent “hazelnut strategy”, was revealed on August 20. The government..... 0 comments

Afghanistan: Low almond prices hit farmers
Almond production in Afghanistan has increased by over 20 percent on last year, but the price they fetch has gone down by over 40 percent, according to provincial officials, who have expressed concern for farmers' livelihoods.The northern province of Samagan produced over 1,000 tons of in-shell almonds this..... 0 comments

India: Cashew cultivation expansion programme
Labour Minister P. K.Gurudasan will inaugurate the State-level cashew cultivation expansion programme here on August 25 on the Asiatech Export Enterprises Cashew Factory compound. Mayor N.Padmalochanan will preside over the function and N.Peethambara Kurup MP, will plant the first grafted sapling.MLAs A A..... 0 comments

Mtex proud to announce start of Medjoul dates
Mtex will be shipping the first new crop Medjoul dates from Israel under the Red Sea label. The Medjoul season has started last week and the first shipments of NEW CROP are scheduled to arrive at the end of week 35. The first dates to be shipped from Israel are grown in the southernmost part of the country..... 0 comments

Pakistani dates add flavour to Ramzan in Baramulla
As the holy month of Ramadan has set in, people in Baramulla seem to be enthusiastic about breaking their fast with yellow Pakistani dates imported from across the Line of Control. The dates have seen a huge surge in demand during the preceding three days. Dokka is one of the Pakistani date varieties that..... 0 comments

Pakistan: High prices pull down dates demand by 50%
The demand of dates has taken a nosedive of more than 50 percent due to its high rates during Ramazan in the wholesale and retail markets of the city.Prices of quality imported dates currently stand at Rs 150 to Rs 160 per kilogramme (kg) in the wholesale markets which is far higher as compared to previous..... 0 comments

Australia: Payments cut for dried fruit
Dried fruit processor Clynes foods has told growers they'll only be getting half the money they're owed for their fruit this month.The fruit that's been sitting in storage has discoloured, which means it won't get as much money on the export market.That's lead Clyne's to delay payments until March next..... 0 comments

US (CA):Almond industry goes nuts for solar power
A leading California almond processor, the Minturn Nut Company, has completed the installation of a 403 kW solar power system on its main warehouse facility in Le Grand, California. The system was designed and installed by Cenergy Power, a specialist in agricultural solar applications. California supplies..... 0 comments

India may produce 1,200 tonnes of almonds in 2009-10
The production of almond- known as the king of nuts, in the country is likely to remain stagnant at 1,200 tonnes in 2009-10, while the world output is forecast to dip by 13 per cent in the same period, a latest report said.Almond production in India for 2009-10 is pegged at 1,200 tonnes, which is the same as..... 0 comments

In Egypt, financial crisis sinks price of 'Obama' date
Ramadan tradition dictates that Egypt's fruit-sellers nickname their dates to reflect unofficial popularity ratings, but this year the global recession has forced down the price of the 'Obama'.Named after US President Barack Obama who chose Cairo to deliver a landmark speech to the world's Muslims in June,..... 0 comments

Bahrain donates 20 mts. of dates
Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs Director Y.L.M. Navavi said the Government of Bahrain had donated twenty metric tons of dates to be distributed among the Lankan Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramadan.The Director said Bahrain Minister Sheick Khalifa Bin Salman Ali Khalifa visited Sri..... 0 comments

UAE: Date sellers see fruit of their labour
In the weeks leading up to Ramadan, when shops and supermarkets were shutting down, it would be time for Othman Aljbawi and his colleagues to go to work.They have been performing against the clock, at times perhaps having not slept for a day.But without them, Ramadan would not be the same.Mr Aljbawi is sales..... 0 comments

US: Average raisin crop projected
Consumers should find good supplies of raisins all year. The California raisin grape crop is shaping up to be an average size one, according to a government report. The objective measurement report for August projects a crop of more than 2-million tons. That's down 20 percent from last year but there are..... 0 comments

Vietnam investors in talks to build cashew nut facilities
Two processing factories will each have capacity to process 5,000 tonnes a year, but owners say they will buy 60,000 tonnes and export the remainder to VietnamCambodia's reliance on Vietnam for its cashew nut exports could be reduced next year if negotiations between officials from the neighbouring countries..... 0 comments

US: Consumers rank almonds ‘Most Essential Nut’
Consumers rank almonds as the most essential nut and the top nut they choose most to eat on an ongoing basis, according to the Almond Board of California’s 2009 Consumer Attitudes, Awareness and Usage of California Almonds, an independent survey of North American consumers. Simultaneously, almond shipments..... 0 comments

Turkey: ‘Produce blueberries instead of hazelnut’
The Ministry of Agriculture announced on Thursday that hazelnut farmers will be able to make great profits by switching to other cultivation options such as cut flowers and blueberries. Following the recent introduction of a “hazelnut strategy,” the government has announced it will take unauthorized hazelnut..... 0 comments

Tanimura & Antle expands Canadian sales and marketing efforts
As part of its growing commitment to the Canadian market, Tanimura & Antle is pleased to announce the addition of Martin Desrochers and B. Terry Lindemann to its team. Leading the Canadian team is Martin Desrochers. He will be based in Montreal managing sales and marketing services for both retail and..... 0 comments

US: Ramadan out of sync with date harvest
U.S. Muslims could be facing a shortage of dates, a fruit important to Ramadan meals, when the holy month begins Saturday, farmers say.Ramadan's timing is determined by a lunar calendar and begins about 10 days earlier each year. This year, it starts before the beginning of the date harvest in California,..... 0 comments

Southern California date growers scramble to fill Ramadan orders
Good thing the fruit freezes well, because the shifting timing of the Muslim holy month means this year it's out of sync with the date harvest.In June, the calls to Dennis Jensen's Riverside County date farm began to pick up. By July, he said, the calls took on a more urgent nature: "Send me some dates; save..... 0 comments

India: Boko youths’ bid to cash in on cashewnut cultivation
They are independent India’s determined young generation, who have stepped forward to usher in a green revolution in this part of the country. Young and educated people here are no longer looking up to government jobs but are concentrating all their energy on their arable land to make it highly productive...... 0 comments

Idle Iraqi date farms show decline of economy
Late July and early August is date harvesting season in Iraq, when within the span of a few weeks the desert sun turns hard green spheres into tender, golden brown fruit prized for its sweetness.But here in Iraq, one of the places where agriculture was developed more than 7,000 years ago, there are..... 0 comments

Iran: Pistachio exports to reach $1.5b
The Trade Promotion Organization of Iran director stated here on Wednesday that pistachio exports would bring the country $1.5b by the end of the calendar year (March 20, 2010).ISNA news agency quoted Mehdi Ghazanfari as saying: ""Some 20,000 tons of pistachio were exported in the first three months of the..... 0 comments

Australia: Almond industry dressed for success
A marketing campaign that features a dress made of almonds has been hailed a success by the Almond Board of Australia.There have been record sales of almonds over the past three months.The board's CEO, Julie Haslett, says a second campaign will be launched soon."That will really be about promoting the..... 0 comments

Malaysia: Raisin’ to the occasion
Raisins are not just for cakes and children. Use them to improvise your meals and get the good nutrients in the process.THE efficacy of raisins has been written about to death, yet one must admit that they really taste great.In case you are wondering why raisins come in so many colours and sizes, the answer..... 0 comments

Kenya: Traders raise fears over ban on raw cashew nut exports
The ban on export of raw cashew nuts, which will come into force in a week’s time, has received mixed reactions from industry players.The action was proposed by the task force appointed by the government in April, this year, to define the way forward for the Kenya’s struggling cashew nuts industry.The..... 0 comments

AU: Walnuts may reduce insulin levels
Dietary fat can be manipulated with whole foods such as walnuts, producing reductions in fasting insulin levels, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009;63:1008–15). A total 50 overweight adults with non-insulin-treated diabetes were randomized to receive low-fat dietary..... 0 comments

New Report just published on nuts in India
Euromonitor International's Nuts in India report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail salesdata in volume terms (2003-2008), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It offers strategic analysis of key factors..... 0 comments

Improved techniques help Taiwan's red date farmers increase output
Revenue generated by red dates in northern Taiwan's Gongguan township, Miaoli County, has increased by 10 to 15 percent, thanks to improved cultivation techniques a government research station has taught local farmers, officials said Tuesday.The revenue generated from red date production reached NT$60..... 0 comments

Tanzania: Traders raise fears over ban on raw cashew nut exports
The ban on export of raw cashew nuts, which will come into force in a week’s time, has received mixed reactions from industry players.The action was proposed by the task force appointed by the government in April, this year, to define the way forward for the Kenya’s struggling cashew nuts industry.The..... 0 comments

India: High court refuses to quash cashew export scam case
The Madras High Court has declined to quash a Rs 209-crore cashew export scam case, registered and investigated by theEnforcement Directorate.Justice C S Karnan, dismissing the petitions filed by G Ganapathisubramanian, said the "national offence" involved Rs 209.13 crore of public money. Noting that the ED..... 0 comments

Kenya bans cashew nuts export
The government has banned exportation of raw cashew nuts as it moves to revive the industry, Agriculture minister William Ruto announced on Thursday.Mr Ruto further said that it is only the government and the National Cereals and Produce Board, which are authorised to buy raw nuts from farmers.“Why we are..... 0 comments


Despite economic crisis, Germany is still the major market for Turkish hazelnuts
Turkey is the largest exporter of hazelnuts, supplying about 80 percent of the world’s hazelnut exports. Being the largest producer and exporter, Turkey naturally plays an important role in determining world hazelnut prices.In Turkey, hazelnuts are cultivated in an area of around 350,000 ha. The production..... 0 comments

Nigeria: Cashew production - Investors invited to consider the potential
Kwara State, situated in central Nigeria, is an excellent location for the growing and processing of cashew nuts. The Kwara State Government is inviting investors to consider the opportunities available in the cashew sub-sector.Project DetailsNigeria is the world's 4th largest producer of raw cashew but..... 0 comments

Ghana: Cashew Production, a potential for investment
Ghana has an excellent location for the growing and processing of cashew nuts. Lots of revenue accrues from that non traditional crop but till date attention to that crop is minimal. The northern part of Ghana is blessed with the land to increase production but little support and attention is given to..... 0 comments