Aussie Mangoes celebrate the start of summer with Mango Mess-tival
Summer officially arrived in Australia yesterday when two home-grown icons – mangoes and Nippers – came together on Bondi Beach to celebrate the new season at the annual mango Mess-tival. Hundreds of children from North Bondi – one of the largest children's programs in the country - shrugged off early.....

European Zespri® kiwi season begins
Zespri® has kicked off the new European-cultivated kiwi season. To be able to meet demand all year round, the company grows the fruit in both of the planet's hemispheres. From now until the month of April, all Zespri® kiwis consumed in Spain will arrive from European countries.It is worth noting that Zespri®.....

Colombia: Passiflora has big export potential in Europe
As was confirmed in the II Latin American Passiflora Congress, which ended last week in Neiva, and which was attended by the entire production chain and international speakers who discussed the sector's current topics, Passiflora fruits, produced in large volumes in the department of Huila, have a big export.....

Mexico: US suspended exports of avocado from Tancitaro
U.S. officials said they were concerned about the worker's safety at Tancitaro, which is why multiple inspectors working in the avocado packing facility withdrew from operations last week."Last week, the U.S. Embassy's Regional Security Office, in coordination with the Department of Animal and Plant Health.....

"Pineapples have become a commodity product"
"Del Monte's prices harmful for Spain and Portugal's pineapple market"
The price war between Del Monte and Orsero was already deeply affecting Spanish and Portuguese operators from other brands, although it seems that the new route adopted by Del Monte for the shipment of its pineapples from Costa Rica to Europe has been the key to destroying the pineapple market in the Iberian.....

The U.S, Spain, and The Netherlands are the biggest buyers of Peruvian avocado
United States, The Netherlands and Spain are the three biggest destinations for Peruvian avocado. According to the Association of Exporters (ADEX), they accounted for 87.6 percent of total exports between January and September.In total, this fruit's exports amounted to 113,605 tonnes in volume and $179.4.....

Mexico: The avocado from Michoacan leads the Japanese market
The avocado from Michoacan continues to maintain its leadership in the Japanese market, target destination to which a little more than 42,000 tonnes, at a weekly rate of about 935 tonnes, of avocado have been sent this year, stated the specialized portal Infohash.The site noted that, after the United States,.....

Chile's fruit exports leave Australia far behind
The South American country of Chile has become the world's number one exporter of grapes, apples, peaches and avocados. Chile's fruit exports have doubled to Asia in the past six years, with total fruit exports worth $4.3 billion last year.Chilean Government figures show fruit exports were worth $4.3.....

Philippines: Coconut farmers count the cost of Typhoon Haiyan
Typhoon Haiyan killed thousands of people as it tore a path across the Philippines.But coconut farmers in the eastern part of the country whose crops were destroyed fear the devastation could also have a long-lasting impact on their livelihoods.The Philippines is one of the biggest producers of coconuts in.....

Bitter melon extract may have potential to fight head and neck cancer
Extract taken from an Asian vegetable may have therapeutic qualities to treat head and neck cancer, a Saint Louis University researcher has found.Preliminary findings of the research were published in the Public Library of Science One Journal by Ratna Ray, Ph.D. associate professor of pathology at Saint.....

Galicia
Spain: Kiwi growers seek entry to Chinese market
Kiwis have a promising future in the Spanish region of Galicia. The president of the Galician Government, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, encouraged this fruit's production, as "Spain is not able to produce as much as it consumes, so we have a great opportunity ahead." One in every two pieces of fruit harvested in.....

President of Galician Government visited Kiwi Atlántico's facilities
Spain: Kiwi Atlántico celebrates 25th anniversary
The President of Galicia's Government visited Kiwi Atlántico's facilities in Ribadumia accompanied by the president of the company, José Pérez Expósito, local authorities and the brand manager, Carlos Vila.Kiwi Atlántico was founded in 1988 from the union of 30 kiwi producers from the Spanish regions of.....

Strong demand for Spanish Blanquilla pears in Israel
Despite a 10 day delay in the start of the harvest, Catalonia's pear season has arrived with larger production volumes than last season, even though hailstorms had caused damages in the plantations. Unlike apples, which have been more affected, "the quality of pears is just as good as always," affirms Xavier.....

Colombia: Pineapples may have the highest growth in the agricultural sector
The Colombian Fruit and Vegetable Association and The National Fund for Fruit and Vegetables organized the first Pineapple Latin American Congress, which took place in Villavicencio, where they announced the latest news for the production, harvest, post-harvest, marketing and logistics of the fruit.200.....

Manbulloo Mangoes
Tough season for Australian mangoes
The Australian mango season is proving a difficult one to say the least. Overall the expectation is that the NT crop is about 1.7 million trays versus 4.3 million trays last year. Significant losses have been seen in the Northern Territory and the crop in Queensland is also between 20 – 40% less than most.....

AU: Large scale pomegranate orchards up for sale
Large-scale pomegranate orchards owned by Pomegranates Australia and Oceania Farms are up for sale. They entered into voluntary administration in September.The farm comprises four titles across 2548ha of freehold land at Wanbi Downs and Mindarie in South Australia. It includes 1922ha of arable land and a.....

34% more than in 2012
Peru exported 84,000 tonnes of avocado to Europe this year
The President of Commercial Fruits from France, Gabriel Burunat, reported that in the 2013 campaign, which ended in October, Peru exported 84,000 tonnes of avocado to Europe, more than 34% than in 2012.In that regard, he indicated that the Hass avocados exported from Peru to Europe this year had a very high.....

Closest relatives of papaya come from Mexico and Guatemala
For many decades, researchers thought the closest relatives of papaya were certain trees from the Andes, the so-called highland papayas. A study employing DNA sequences from all species of the papaya family instead revealed that the closest relatives of papaya are three herbaceous species and a small tree.....

Richard Belmar of Belfrut S.A.C
Peru:"It's illogical to ship mangoes by air rather than by sea"
The behaviour of the mango season in the Piura region has been uneven, even though there was a great flowering, the weather and the assistance have played a role."The weather has delayed the campaign's onset, as well as the formation of the fruits and their respective evolution. In addition, there has been a.....

Lenovo parent company now diversifying with fruit
China: Legend Holdings uses technical back ground to its advantage
Legend Holdings, parent of Lenovo Group, has made headway in its diversification into the food business as it seeks to bring its high-profile and widely-trusted brand into an industry that remains beset with concerns over food safety.Chaired by renowned businessman Liu Chuanzhi, the company has invested more.....

Del Monte to pay $1.2 million to settle worker-discrimination lawsuit
Del Monte Fresh Produce has agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle a lawsuit related to the mistreatment of Thai immigrants working on pineapple farms in Hawaii.The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Del Monte and several farm labour contractors in 2011, accusing the companies of discriminating.....

AU: Mango prices strong as fruit from Queensland arrives
Northern Territory mangoes are now up against fruit from Queensland, however prices remain strong. Wholesaler, Alex Caroline, says mangoes from the sunshine state started to arrive in the Sydney markets about 10 days ago.He says good fruit is still selling for about $40 a tray."It's still a strong market for.....

Peru will export 3,000 tonnes of mangoes by air
Armando Grados Mogrovejo, CEO of Frio Aeroe logistics operator, reported that a total of 3,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fresh mangoes would be exported by air this season, which lasts from November to February.The manager explained that the volume of air exports would remain the same as was exported last.....

France: Lychees back on the shelf
The lychee season has started. Almost a month earlier than expected. After a brief relapse the fruit is now increasingly found on shelves. At the moment, the lychee is sold for 10 to 15 Euro per kilo.The drought has created a sweet fruit. A long dry spell is also the cause of its small size. Insiders say.....

Peru plans to increase avocado exports next year
Next year, Peru plans to export about 132,000 metric tonnes of avocado, a 20% increase over this year's campaign, said the president of the consulting company Inform@ction, the engineer Fernando Cillóniz.He explained that the increase would be due to the new and very extensive plantations of avocados that.....

Nestlé Pakistan to help mango farmers increase yields
Nestlé Pakistan announced a pilot initiative, which will support mango farmers in southern Punjab through a joint effort with the Australia-Pakistan Agriculture Sector Linkages Programme (ASLP). In the initial phase of the endeavour - titled the 'Chaunsa Project' - farmers in Multan and Khanewal will benefit.....

"Peru must define type of papaya for U.S. and start producing it"
Given the possible entry of Peruvian papaya to the U.S. market, William Daga, fruit specialist at the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA), said Peru should be prepared regarding the fruit's production. To do this, he said, they must define what type of papaya the United States wants and start.....

Morelos
Mexico interested in exporting avocado from Cuernavaca
The head of Agricultural Development of the City of Cuernavaca, Carlos Alaniz Romero, revealed that avocado growers from Buena Vista del Monte might enter the expanded export avocado program.The councillor said that, together with the three levels of government, they have been working to include producers.....

Its quality will be better than last year
Peruvian mango production will reach 140,000 tons this year
"In general, we've noticed that the fruit's quality is much better than last year," said Alberto Irazola, president of the Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (Apem).He reported that the guild estimated that this season's production would reach 140,000 metric tons, 7% more than in the.....

NZ: Kiwifruit industry optimistic at three year PSA anniversary
It's three years to the month since the PSA disease was discovered at a kiwifruit orchard, an orchard on the outskirts of Te Puke.And the head of Kiwifruit Vine Health says the industry is in a better place now than it has ever been since the discovery of PSA.Since November 2010, 2292 orchards have been.....

Sicily Avocado Farms
Italy: "Dolce di Sicilia" organic pomegranates now available
Organic pomegranates with soft arils ("Dolce di Sicilia") are now available atSicily Avocado Farms. They are particularly popular in Europe because of their high quality."Pomegranates will be sold until December. They weigh 400g on average, have a great colour and no imperfections (cracking, sun damage),".....

Mexico will export 520,000 tons of avocadoes to the U.S.
According to a press release by the Association of Avocado Producers and Packers of Michoacán (APEAM), the guild still expects to harvest 680,000 metric tons of avocadoes in Michoacan and export about 520,000 tons to the United States in the 2013-2014 season."Thus, Eduardo Serena, APEAM's marketing director,.....

AU: Weather bad for mango growers, beneficial to rambutan industy
The weather conditions which have caused problems for mango growers this year have had the opposite effect on Australia's rambutan industry. A warm dry season and some early rains around Darwin have rambutan trees loaded with quality fruit.The first lot of Northern Territory rambutans have arrived in the.....

Wednesday, Dec. 4th at 4pm (EST)
National Mango Board’s annual industry outreach webinar
The National Mango Board will host a virtual industry outreach meeting via webinar on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m. (EST). During the webinar, NMB staff will navigate through the industry section of mango.org, highlighting the various resources and tools available to better support mango industry members and.....

Mexico: Sagarpa will monitor plague that affects cherimoya crops
The head of Sagarpa’s 128 District, Sixto Arturo Espinoza Franco, explained that a technician from the State Plant Health Committee is conducting tours in municipalities with plantations of fruit trees to monitor the crops and check if they are being affected by pests or disease.In this case there is the.....

Peru: FCE Export SAC starts off 2014 mango export campaign
“We work with a Kent mango program for importers, who also provide programmed fruit volumes to their clients,” pointed out Miss Diana Sajami, General Manager of FCE Export SAC.Our greatest export volumes have always been shipped to the Netherlands; however, this year we are exporting to new destinations,.....

Blue Skies to hit American market
The United States Mission in Ghana is putting finishing touches to a pact with local fruit processing company to start exporting fresh cuts to the US market.Blue Skies, which already exports to the European Union, a low hanging fruit scenarios to start exporting cut fresh fruits such as pineapples, mangoes.....

Villita Slice 'n serve Avocados breathe easy with BreatheWay
Agroexport, LLC is introducing its first commercial offering of Avocado products featuring BreatheWay® patented packaging technology. Packed under the Villita brand, Agroexport’s new Slice ‘n Serve avocado packages deliver fresh, ripe avocados that last 14 days longer than traditionally packaged avocadoes.....

According to a report
Peru: Water shortage delays mango exports
Mango shipments from Piura will have a three week delay due to the scarce water supply in San Lorenzo's Reservoir and the irregular rainfall in the region, said Juan Carlos Rivero, president of the Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM).According to him, in the last months of the year.....

Galicia
Spain: Historic delay in kiwi harvest
The rains and lack of cold temperatures will cause an historic delay in the kiwi harvest in Spain's main producing region. The technician of Kiwi Atlántico, Martín Fernández, confirmed yesterday that "over the past decade, the ripening has never been as late as this year." The harvest should have already.....

AU: New mango variety unveiled
A new mango variety, known as the Lady Jane, was unveiled in the Northern Territory today. It took Katherine mango breeder Ken Reyner almost 20 years to develop the high-blush fruit, which could be harvested almost two weeks earlier than other varieties.Mr Reyner said although it's been a long process, he is.....

Production of Hass avocados in Colombia clearly rising
Colombia is worldwide renown as one of the biggest avocado producers. According to information from the FAO the crop covers a cultivation area of nearly 25,000 acres. Only Mexico and Chile have a larger cultivation area. In the past, however, only indigenous varieties were grown which were not suitable for.....

Kenya: Mango and banana farmers to benefit from new processing plant
It is good news for more than 30,000 mango and banana farmers at the Coast following plans to set up a fruit processing plant at Msabaha in Kilifi County. The Sh500 million ($5.8 million USD) modern plant will give farmers a ready market and is to produce 90 tonnes of processed fruit products daily.Malindi.....

Mission Produce and Lantao:
Teaming up to introduce Mexican avocados to Chinese consumers
Lantao received the first ocean container of Mission Mexican Avocados which arrived this week into Shanghai, China. The Shanghai market has handled avocado shipments before, but this will be the first time that the fruit will be distributed across China to various so-called second tier cities. Lantao has.....

AU: Prices soar as mango shortfall hits
A critical mango shortage in WA's north has growers scratching their heads and consumers digging into their pockets.Kununurra growers are picking up to 90 per cent less than average but cannot fully explain why production is so low. "I have been picking for two weeks and have done less than 1000 trays - I.....

Peru: Avocado production could increase by 17.2% this year
Avocado production could increase by 17.2% in 2013, in comparison to the previous year due to the favourable weather conditions, according to projections made by the consultant Maximixe today.Furthermore, the avocado production volume would benefit from increased access to water, use of new acres and.....

Opportunity for avocados in Thailand for New Zealand traders
"Australian fruit being shut out of Thailand over a regulatory issue has opened up an unexpected opportunity for New Zealand avocado growers this season," says Southern Produce director Carwyn Williams. It is predicted the market in the Southeast Asian country will take somewhere between 20,000-30,000.....

Kenyan mango growers discover cheap and effective way to trap fruit fly
A section of innovative mango farmers in the country are using low-cost plastic bottles as traps to fight the notorious fruit flies responsible for over 60 per cent of fruit losses.The cheap baiting solution has seen them record a significant drop in insect-infested harvests and helped them cut down on.....

Mexico: Avocado exports to drop by 25% this year
Mexico will find it difficult to achieve last year's avocado export volumes (500,000 tonnes), as the harvest this season will be smaller and foreign sales are thus expected to drop by around 25%, down to 400,000 tonnes.However, unlike last year, prices this season will be higher. "If we ship 350,000 tonnes.....

Pineapple market disrupted for weeks
Fruit marketing is currently difficult across the board, one particular example is in the pineapple market. "The first six months sales of pineapple were super, until August there were good margins, but since week 35/36 there has been a change which has gone on for weeks," explained an importer."There are.....

Successful Feria de la Pina, pineapple event, in Dominican Republic
The "Feria de la Pina", a pineapple event, was held at Cavicos, a company located in Cotui (Dominican Republic), on 4th-6th October 2013.Cevicos is leading in the pineapple cultivation sector in the Dominican Republic and in fact it hosted the second edition of the trade fair organised by APROPIC, the.....

Michael Schutt of Raley’s honored as 2013 Mango Retailer of the Year
The National Mango Board (NMB) has honored Michael Schutt of Raley’s as their 2013 Mango Retailer of the Year. Finalists for the award, also known as Mango Model Retailers, are Keith Durham of Brookshire’s, Dick McKellogg of Lowes Foods and Tom Eynon of Giant Eagle.These individuals and their companies were.....

Cambodia: First mango export factory planned
Mong Reththy Group is co-investing $2 million to build a factory in Preah Sihanouk province for the packaging and export of n mangoes, the first company to formally ship the fruit overseas.Located in Koe Phos commune, the factory will cover 12 hectares of land and is a joint investment with Singaporean.....

Surprises discovered in decoded kiwifruit genome
A new study that decoded the DNA sequence of the kiwifruit has concluded that the fruit has many genetic similarities between its 39,040 genes and other plant species, including potatoes and tomatoes. The study also has unveiled two major evolutionary events that occurred millions of years ago in the.....

Avocado Hass crops increase in Honduras
A group of producers in Ocotepeque, western Honduras, will devote themselves to growing sustainable Hass avocados in order to supply the domestic market.Hass Avocado crops in the country have increased in recent years, said Luis Cuevas, a producer.He added that this initiative is supporting producers in.....

AU: Thirsty pineapple crop in waiting for the wet season
On the drive out to one of Australia's biggest coal ports, Hay Point, you will see a few paddocks of pineapples.There's only a handful of growers left in the Mackay region and John Zelenka is one of them. While the mining downturn might be slowly coming around he says for a pineapple growers things are.....

NZ: Zespri in dark over SFO probe but will co-operate
Kiwifruit giant Zespri is being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. It comes after Zespri's Chinese subsidiary was fined almost $1 million and had an employee jailed for five years over the underpayment of customs duties on kiwifruit imports between 2008 and 2010.The SFO confirmed to Fairfax Media.....

India: Zespri offering healthy gift option during holiday season
Zespri Kiwifruit from New Zealand is an exotic, delicious and a healthy gifting option for the festive season.During festivities, many people turn health-conscious and prefer to limit their intake of high-calorie, greasy Diwali sweets and chocolates, which is why gifting the highly nutritious New Zealand.....

mango, litchi and guave heavily affected
India: Cyclone Phailin plunders fruit bowl
The mighty peripheral current of cyclone Phailin, which tore through the state on October 12-13, has taken a heavy toll on mango, litchi and guava orchards across districts, sparking concerns that next year’s yield would plummet by 40 percent.“The storm and rain have wreaked havoc across 18,000 hectares......

NZ: New antibiotic for kiwifruit disease approved
A new antibiotic to control the kiwifruit vine disease, Psa has been approved by the Environmental Protection Authority.The antibiotic Kasumin is used as a spray on crops and contains the antibiotic kasugamycin - which has previously not been used in New Zealand.ETEC Crop Solutions Limited applied to the EPA.....

AU: Mystery disorder affecting more mangoes
Reports coming out of the Melbourne and Sydney markets suggest a mystery disorder, which affects mangoes, is on the rise. Known as resin canal, the defect appears in mangoes as they ripen, and although it doesn't affect the eating quality, it causes a number of aesthetic problems for the fruit.Sydney based.....

Spanish-language mark and website
US: Hass Avocado Board unveils Saborea Uno Hoy™
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) announced Saborea Uno Hoy, its new Spanish-language mark and website to offer information to Hispanic consumers in the United States and encourage them to include fresh Hass avocados in their everyday meals. The new mark visually invites consumers to enjoy the avocado's unique.....

Mexico: Forecasts say there will be 20% more mangoes
The current weather conditions are beneficial for the development of mangos, thus predictions are there will be an excellent production and the harvest will be up to 20 per cent higher than in the 2012-2013 campaign. Currently, Michoacán ranks among the top five biggest producers with a production that.....

Avocados from Mexico launches first marketing campaign in the US
Coinciding with the Major League Baseball Playoffs, when demand for avocados usually increases, Avocados from Mexico has launched its first nationwide marketing campaign in the United States: "Avocado All-Stars".The campaign aims to persuade consumers to add some "green" to their sandwiches on game days,.....

Peruvian pomegranate production on the rise
Pomegranate is a fruit that has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in large nations like the United States and Canada in the last ten years. Happily for Peruvian pomegranate producers, markets for the typically Mediterranean fruit continue to grow.According to a report published by the market analysts at.....

AU: Avocado boom on the cards for Sunraysia
Sunraysia has the potential to replace New Zealand as a supplier of avocados over the summer months, according to Avocados Australia CEO John Tyas. Mr Tyas was in Mildura last week to attend an industry forum, talking with avocado growers and others contemplating planting the fruit. He’s upbeat about the.....

Lack of domestic suppply causes processing companies in Ghana to look offshore
Ghana’s pineapple production and exports have slumped to the lowest in nine years, throwing more than 500,000 people, mostly farmers, out of a job. Not only has the situation denied the country the millions of dollars it used to receive in foreign exchange, the economy has lost some fruit processing.....

Climate change affects Guyana’s coconut farms
Scientists say climate change is responsible for higher air and sea temperatures, drier dry seasons, more intense rainfall, shifts in seasonal timings and greater weather extremes, among others.Dr Janet Lawrence, a Jamaican entomologist with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development.....

AU: Laser used to scare magpie geese away from mangoes
Every year across Australia, farmers are battling to keep birds off their crops. For Northern Territory grower, Han Shiong Siah, it's an annual mission to stop magpie geese from eating his mangoes during harvest. But this year, Mr Siah is using a variety of gadgets to keep the geese away, and he's having.....

Warm weather bends banana prices down and pushes up stone fruit
The unseasonably warm winter and spring has pushed the Australia's fruit market into turmoil, with bananas ripening at such a rapid rate that the fruit has flooded the market, causing prices to crash.The mild winter and warm spring will see summer fruit prices at odds, with stone fruit expected to be.....

AU: Ord mangoes few and far between
Mango growers in Kununurra, WA, are experiencing some of the lowest yields in 30 years, with many growers leaving the fruit to rot in the orchard. It's thought that a poor wet season combined with a hot dry season has lead to less flowering and therefore less fruit on the trees.The Perth market is paying.....

Mollar pomegranate season kicks off in Spain
Pomegranate cultivation continues expanding all over the world
This week, Valencian pomegranates passed the baton to Mollar pomegranates, the most valued by customers because of its organoleptic qualities, especially its sweetness and aroma, which make it ideal both for fresh consumption and processing.According to Andrés Irles, president of the Cambayas cooperative,.....

AU: Security stepped-up to protect valuable mangoes
A Northern Territory mango grower has taken the unusual step of installing security cameras (CCTV) and hiring guards to protect his crop against thieves. Tom Harbrow owns 3,000 mango trees near Pine Creek, 200 kilometres south of Darwin, and says thousands of dollars worth of fruit has been stolen from his.....

Mexico: Forecasts for the guava harvest estimate it at 100,000 tons
Over 100,000 tonnes of guava will be harvested this year in Mexico due to heavy rains, said the producers of the fruit.The President of the Association of Exporters of Irradiated Fruits of Mexico (Asefimex ), Alberto Diaz Lopez said at the Global Agribusiness Forum that the guava is grown on a rough, hilly.....

AU: Katherine mango harvest begins
The annual mango harvest has just got under way near Katherine in the Northern Territory, but it has been a slow and frustrating start for growers.Poor seasonal conditions and recent fruit drop events have seen the regional crop estimate reduced dramatically, with some growers reporting yield reductions of.....

NZ: Strong start for avocado exports
The first New Zealand avocados hit supermarket shelves in Japan this week, signalling a buoyant start to export sales. Opening prices in Australia are also at their best, according to Avoco - the grower group formed this year to present a unified face in export markets.Avoco, which represents about 75 per.....

With a higher resistance to high temperatures and diseases
Mexico: New papaya variety
A new papaya genotype with a higher resistance to high temperatures and diseases, and with a higher yield per hectare will replace the Maradol variety.Felipe Mirafuentes Hernandez, a researcher at the National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (Inifap), reported that the new hybrid is already.....

India: Sam Agri commissions new facility for year-round pomegranate supply
Over the past six years, Sam Agri’s major business focus has been on the prepared fresh fruit segment consisting of pomegranate arils & fresh cut coconut chunks. The company caters to the retail requirements of major super market chains in the UK, EU, USA, Middle East and South East Asia.The prepared.....

AU: A king’s ransom for a tray of mangoes
Carlo Lorenti of Clayfield Markets Fresh and Harry Nicolaou from Fresh Sensations Carindale together bid a king’s ransom to be crowned at the 2013 Brisbane Markets Mango Auction, held today, Thursday, 10 October.The new Mango Kings bought the symbolic first tray of mangoes with a hugely generous bid of.....

NZ: Kiwifruit orchard gates open for grower field day
Western Bay of Plenty kiwifruit operators, Direct Management Services (DMS), the G3 Champions, will open their orchard gates to Growers in October to share their success in the conversion and management of the G3 kiwifruit Gold variety.DMS will host a G3 Field Day at Golf Course Orchard in Paengaroa on.....

UK: Luton fruit importer SH Pratt plans job cuts
A fruit importer in Bedfordshire plans to axe about 100 jobs from a workforce of 300 in a restructuring.SH Pratt, based in Luton, has started a 45-day consultation to look at ways of minimising the impact of the change.Operations director David Bateman said the decision was no reflection on the staff's.....

Freska Produce announces fresh mangos featuring Disney characters
In spring 2014, Freska Produce International, LLC will launch a new line of fresh mangos featuring beloved Disney characters on packaging such as stickers and display bins. Four varieties of Mexican mangos (Tommy Atkins, Kents, Keitts and Ataulfos) will be available at grocery retailers nationwide......

Pakistan: Modern mango graders wanted
Chemonics International is soliciting offers for the supply of up to 15 modern mango graders for a project in Pakistan. The mango graders will become the last component of existing mango processing lines, which include feeding, washing, hot water dipping and drying systems.“Shipping, installation, testing,.....

US (CA): Kiwifruit shipping season has begun
Beginning this week, all of the packers and handlers of California kiwifruit will be packing and shipping California kiwifruit. Some small volumes of California kiwifruit have been shipped to date and the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee will likely begin its broadcast of the KISS Weekly Price-Shipment.....

Mexico: Estimated avocado production for 2014 1 million tons
26 municipalities of Michoacan have achieved breaking a record in avocado exports at an average of 500,000 tons, which are mainly exported to the United States. The so-called green gold continues to boom and, according to estimates from the APEAM, 1 million tons of avocados will be produced in 2014......

Philippines: Bomb hidden in box of durian intercepted
Superintendent Renante delos Reyes, Midsayap police chief, said Abdulgani Malang Abas, 42, who is now considered a suspect, was intercepted following a tip from civilians who saw wires protruding from underneath two durian fruits as he parked his motorcycle near the hotel Hill Park and Restaurant on Quezon.....

Chile: Low temperatures damage 100% of kiwi-producing areas
Two weeks after the frosts in Chile, the Kiwi Committee of Chile has issued a first report on the impact of the low temperatures for the sector, with information provided by producers and exporters associated with the Committee.According to this information, 100% of the kiwi-producing areas have suffered.....

Mexican avocados in search of alternative markets
West's Fruits, along with its sister company Avoolio, is a producer and exporter of fresh and processed Mexican avocados, whose main advantage, according to Marco Antonio Hernandez Diaz, commercial director of the company, lies in the creation of a direct alliance with a group of producers from the Uruapan.....

Sparring together with Ahold and Westfalia
How can Albert Heijn achieve the same popularity for avocados as they have for bananas? That is one of the questions Ahold’s envoys have asked their avocado supplier Westfalia in South-Africa.In 2012, three Dutch envoys from Ahold called forth their expertise to boost the relationship with avocado supplier.....

Efforts in Hawaii to develop ringspot-resistant papaya hybrid
While the debate rages on about the pros and cons of genetically modified crops, a Hawaii research facility is working on developing a ringspot virus-resistant papaya – the “old-fashioned” way.The Oahu-based Hawaii Agriculture Research Center has received a federal grant to assist in cross-breeding a hybrid.....

AU: Mango Slim boosts season launch
The Top End mango season was officially launched at the end of last week in Darwin. Although the Northern Territory crop forecast is down this year, spirits remain high among growers. Crowds flowed through Darwin's Smith Street Mall today, with people taking balloons and tasting mangoes in the spirit of the.....

estimated ranged similar to 2012/13 crop
2013/14 crop report released for Californian kiwifruit
The preliminary crop estimate for the 2013/14 crop is 7.1 to 7.5 million 7-pound tray equivalents (2,529,174 to 2,667,388 volume fill equivalents). This is an estimated range that would be similar to the 2012/13 crop.All growing regions received sufficient chilling hours for the 2013/14 season. All .....