Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber

You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker).

As we provide the news for free, we are relying on revenues from our banners. So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.
Thanks!

Click here for a guide on disabling your adblocker.

Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber
We'll be back on the 11th of August!

FreshPlaza summer break

Michigan apple harvest expected to start ahead of normal schedule

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW ONIONS

U.S. frozen blueberry shippers hope for tariff relief following U.S.-Japan trade agreement

U.S. Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook July 2025:

USDA forecasts near-record 2025 almond crop

Early signs show strong yields on 2025 potato crop

Consumption of alternative mushroom formats increases at the cost of fresh

California grape season launches with sustainable packaging and steady supply

North American produce industry urges U.S., Canada, and Mexico leaders to resolve tariff disputes

Japan issues public consultation for the importation of Mexican bell pepper

Sector | Vegetables

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

New open-field demo site under construction
Ben Meadows - Harvest Moon:

"Snackables carrots are ticking every box, nutritious, portable, and versatile"
Product manager Norman van Domburg (FV Seleqt):

"This year, we're expanding the availability of Crunchino"
TopControl presents MHP1200

"Our goal is to pack peppers, courgettes, and other vegetables as efficiently as possible"

Slicing cucumbers is a skill...

Artichokes in the spotlight at IFPA Foodservice Conference

Salinas lettuce harvest ends as brassica rotation begins

Sector | Bananas

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Ecuador is facing new outbreaks of moko in banana and plantain crops

Vietnam grows banana and coconut exports

Dominican farmers protest Agrarian Institute merger

Vietnamese banana and passion fruit exports expected to hit $1 billion

Chiquita to lay off last 1,189 workers in Panama

Vietnam’s banana industry eyes bigger export role

Saint Lucia launches banana storm insurance

Sector | Potatoes and Onions

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Peru potato consumption hits 96 kg per capita

UH releases new green onion variety for local growers

BASF reports strong U.S. potato crop despite challenges

Lower production of sweet potatoes in Egypt
Fernando Gómez, Semiagro:

Peruvian onion exports increase, but prices remain low

End of a below-average season for Egyptian onions

“It’s been a promising export season for Indian onions”

Sector | Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

"Greece's production of kiwis this season is more or less comparable to last year"
CANAPEP

Costa Rica's pineapple sector's technical sustainability model

Mexico begins avocado exports to Brazil amid U.S. tariffs

"High temperature may reduce kiwifruit production this season"

Mango exports fall as local demand rises

"Combination of automation and precision increased our daily packing capacity by at least 30%"

“Our mangoes needed better market support”

Sector | Company news

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
35 ripening cells, 36 packaging lines, and new packaging robots

Trofi-Pack expands and gains access to a complete DC
Hydro Hunter Italy

Increasing the likelihood of success in subsurface water detection

Bonsai Robotics acquires Farm-ng for AI farm tech
Planted Detroit’s COO on urban farming with purpose

“You can build a successful business that’s also a steward for the greater good”

"Ahold Delhaize targets acquisitions in U.S. and Europe"

Fresh Del Monte appoints senior leader to expand deciduous and citrus categories

Duda Farm Fresh Foods adds to sales leadership team

Sector | Greenhouse

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

"Coming next is climate-resilient, high-yield hybrids made for India’s conditions”

Ambassadors of the fruit and vegetable industry to meet in Cabo San Lucas

Calls for immediate negotiation of new tomato trade agreement

Other solutions proposed over U.S.- Mexico tomato tariff discussion
From mission-driven beginnings to being a leader in South African pepper production:

“We’ve got one of the best pepper growers on the continent”

"New medium-sized TOVs' high yields are distinctive"
DENSO on the Axia acquisition

"Accelerating the development of innovative cultivation methods"

Sector | Logistics

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
World Container Index - 24 Jul:

Drewry's World Container Index drops 3% to $2,517

Brazil court denies Maersk bid halt at Santos port
A clearer picture of what’s packed and how it’s received

“We’re building trust and confidence with every shipment”

AI tools help SMBs adapt to new NMFC freight rules

UV-C treated irrigation water saves banana plantations
Sonja Bouman, WEC Lines

Short sea shipping via small ports as an alternative to road transport
World Container Index - 17 Jul:

Drewry’s index drops 2.6% to $2,602 per 40ft container

Sector | Machinery

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
A recent innovation from the Italian company Rinieri

Mechanical weed control technology exported to 60 countries worldwide

“We are launching the FAP-3000 industrial pineapple peeler and corer in October”

"The future of potato processing is local, smart, and increasingly customized"

Georgia corn operation adds on fresh-cut corn processing facility
WaterMed CEO, Gilbert Bell:

“We’re putting medical-grade water tech into the hands of growers”

Launch of large-scale robotic mushroom harvesting and scanning system
don’t miss out!

Potato and onion processing machines up for auction

Sector | General fresh produce

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Photo Report: IFPA Southern Africa conference 2025

Chile achieves record food exports, boosted by its fruit exports

Fruit, vegetables 34% of U.S. ag imports from Mexico in 2024

IEPS allows Ecuadorian small-scale producers to access public, private, and international markets

FPEAK marks 50 years of exports

South Korean farmers protest U.S. tariff talks

Việtnam struggles to meet $8 billion fruit export goal

Sector | Management

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

South Africa aims to strengthen trade ties with U.S., China, Japan

USDA announces major reorganization and relocations

Chiquita executives jailed in Colombia, $3.4m in fines issued

China to halt U.S. ag tariff exclusions from August 1

Court blocks Kist trademark over Sunkist confusion

Philippines reviews impact of U.S. trade deal on agriculture

U.S. tariff threatens Brazil’s fruit exports and prices

Sector | Miscellaneous

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
Tshedisegang & Kagisho Molatedi - KLP Agri

Land reform success calls for skin in the game
Alheit du Toit

Guardians of the green: Why auditors must do more

Iranian exports have returned to their normal course

War catches up with Iranian exporters

Mild impact of strikes on Iranian fresh produce exports
Clayton Hiskins - BeeHero

"We can also build data to generate a pattern of how often the bees visit certain areas"

Grower coalition demands transparency in H-2A wage calculations

Sector | Fruit

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Peru aims to become one of the world's leading exporters of frozen strawberries

Blueberry breeding cuts maturity time to 3 years
International Strawberry Congress returns after three years

"Global strawberry sector needs to engage in dialogue"
Trend shift in early Greek strawberries

“Arwen seedling orders have quadrupled this summer”

“Prices should fall by 40% to enable truly active grape exports”

India-UK trade deal excludes apples to protect local growers

Weather keeps Indian grape exporters cautiously optimistic

Sector | Herbs

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
Thomas Baars, SemperVere:

"We're replacing imported herbs with sustainable, local, year-round available crops"
Georgia series – part 13:

Modular vertical farms for restaurants and private clients in Tbilisi and beyond
Europe Retail Packing:

Rising herb consumption demands local availability
Piet van Vugt, Van Vugt Kruiden

Fresh basil, year-round, from the Netherlands
Marco de Jager, Vitacress Real:

“New packing concepts encourage people to buy fresh herbs more often”

Due to drought, several medicinal and aromatic plants are disappearing from the Moroccan market
StoreField founder Martin Balaz:

“We wanted to bridge the gap between vertical farming and the everyday consumer experience"

Sector | Agenda

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
Technology Vision 2030 and HortiConnect India 2025

“The Indian industry can grow, so we want to help it do so”

Peru advances blueberry sector through new genetics
Darwin, Australia, on 23-25 September and on Zoom

2025 International Symposium on Tropical Fruits

Registration opens for reimagined Organic Grower Summit
Brazil Conference & Expo

A strategic summit for international players

Registration opens for SWIPE 2026
Consistency and consumption in blueberries, with a striking example from greenhouse vegetables

Photo Report: Sekoya Field & Forum in The Netherlands

Sector | Citrus

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
CATsystem sets a precedent in the evolution of precision post-harvesting

"Post-harvest management today is inconceivable without the support of technology"
Pieter Scholtz - Selebi Phikwe Citrus

Large-scale citrus development in Botswana now in 2nd year of production
Daniel Badger - Vitafresh Produce:

"We have limes 12 months of the year, regardless of the price"

Peru's citrus export volume increased at a 3% per year rate between 2020 and 2024
Week 30 Fruit Wholesale Market Report

Imported oranges arrive in batches, while gift-boxed peaches see strong sales

“If we had more large-sized Valencias, the season would be even better”

U.S. tariff threatens Brazil’s orange juice exports

Sector | Organic

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Photo report of well-attended Organic Produce Summit
OPS educational session

The economics of organics: opportunities and uncertainty in 2025

Tour of vertically integrated organic vegetable farm along California’s Central Coast

Forging new partnerships and celebrating the organic produce community

Data on organic apple assortment and price shared with retailers in Monterey

Katzman Produce expands into organics with 200+ SKUs

Sister companies co-exhibit in Monterey and show avocado, citrus, and mango

Sector | Health

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

New IFPA campaign spotlights produce as nature’s original prescription

Flavonoids linked to healthier aging

Norfolk Healthy Produce partners with All Aussie Farmers to bring The Purple Tomato

Bananas may help control blood pressure better than cutting salt

Kaempferol shows promise for ALS and dementia treatment

Nonprofit launches “Food is Medicine” webpage

From pharmacy to farmacy: giving food and healthcare systems a fresh start

Sector | IT

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

UF develops AI tool for crop damage detection

Moroccan farm management software attracts international growers
Candice Landsberg - First Technology

Future-proofing the fresh produce chain

Google introduces live translation during video calls

E.Leclerc launches Carbon'Info to inform consumers about the carbon footprint of products
Dr Justy Range – Freshmark Systems

How to feed 43 million people through state-owned wholesale markets

“Leveraging technology and innovation will keep our company relevant for the years to come”

Sector | Innovations

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
Fruit of Knowledge's modular, five-stage system

“It’s about understanding what makes a fruit possible"
Lucas van der Zee and Niels Peeters:

“What if we can’t rely on photosynthesis anymore?”
Sam Webster - Carbon Robotics:

"Farmers have found that crops are healthier after weeds have been lasered as opposed to being treated with herbicides"
Dyson engineers vertical strawberry system to boost UK food security

“We get two-and-a-half times uplift in the output of the greenhouses”

Scientists develop AI technology to help growers assess crop damage after hurricanes
Ambitas' Martin Balaz:

"We design with reusability and long-term adaptability in mind”
Bruce Carman on engineering modular micro-environments for urban food production

“You can keep adding capsules to your overall operation as finances permit”

Sector | Processed fruit and vegetables

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
Masseria Fruttirossi's strategy to penetrate new markets

Worldwide shipping of juices also in 200 ml cartons

100 percent single-ingredient pineapple juice introduced
Heemskerk fresh & easy

"Simple ready-made salads meet a demand"
Migel Srl (Sicily):

The demand for processed fruit is currently driven by the ice cream sector
Marco Bom, Ardo:

"Frozen vegetable availability is no longer a given"

Vietnam’s imports of areca and processed coconuts surge despite strong domestic production

China to invest $2 billion in Kazakhstan's agro-processing sector

Sector | Cooling

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Miami airport expands cold storage for produce
Sara Stickler - GCCA:

"Resilience and flexibility are two key priorities in today’s cold storage and refrigerated transportation"

Cold storage deal expands operations across Brazil
Cold chain sensor to be unveiled at Transport Logistic 2025 in Germany

“We hope to provide safe cold chain logistics for fresh produce”
Vinicius Wanderley Campos, of Hevile

Brazil's cold storage gaps affect papaya and mango exports

Photo report: Maersk cold store now operational at Maasvlakte II
Treatment Cold Plus Europe leads to more efficient cooling system with less friction and faster evaporation

US technology provides energy savings of 18 to 27% in cooling systems

Sector | Food safety

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Floria dried apricots recalled for undeclared sulfites

Enoki mushrooms recalled nationwide over listeria risk

Kazakhstan denies Russian accusations over virus in tomato shipments

Cucumber products recalled over salmonella risk

Fresh produce and nuts lead EU food safety alerts in 2024

Fruit Dôme thyme recalled for E. coli contamination

Spinach peptides fight citrus and potato diseases

Sector | Nuts and dried fruits

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

U.S. pistachio exports reach 23.2k mt in May 2025

Date harvest year ends with notable national media exposure
Chris James – Vreemdeling Farm

All creatures, great and small, this macadamia farmer loves them all

U.S. nut imports delayed over tariff uncertainty

U.S. almond crop sales down 59% by June 2025

USDA raises 2025 almond forecast to 1.36 million tons

Bega to close Peanut Company of Australia

Sector | Packaging and Labelling

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Fruit and vegetable packaging: Between sustainability and market choices

How compostable fruit labels are a path to sustainable produce packaging

New lettuce packaging format launches

Packaging redesign highlights benefits of greenhouse-grown greens

European project to make food bio-packaging from strawberry waste

"Our product helps Turkish growers sell beyond the season by extending shelf life naturally"

Highline Mushrooms wins Best Rebrand

Sector | Retail

↑ Close section ↓ Open section
C&S Wholesale Grocers is seeking to raise $400mln through a leveraged loan sale - Reports

Loblaw Cos. reported sales and earnings growth in its second quarter
West Haven, Utah, will soon have its first official grocery store - a Walmart

Back to School at Kroger: "Keep lunchtime fresh with these fuss-free fruits and veggies"
Publix topped the supermarket category - Newsweek and Statista

Hannaford Supermarkets: “All for Good” campaign
Publix in Port Saint Lucie: Plethora of organic and conventionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables

Trader Joe’s plans to open 30 new stores across 18 states in the coming months
Supermarket News 2025 Retailer of the Year: Lowes Foods

Zupan’s Markets is celebrating 50 years
Three new Farm Boy stores are slated to open in Ontario

Lidl US Wednesday Weekly Deals: Exciting discounts across fresh produce
Walmart's Mexico and Central America unit: 10% decrease in second-quarter net profit

Alimentation Couche-Tard pulled its $46bln bid to buy Seven & i Holdings

Sector | Global Market

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW LIMES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW STONE FRUIT

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BELL PEPPERS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW CHERRIES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW APPLES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GARLIC

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BANANAS

Sector | Climate

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

A hot summer ahead in Souss Massa
So far, away from fruit and vegetable facilities

Uncontrollable, massive wildfire in Crete
Apo Conerpo Group:

Production levels are back to normal, with deliveries up by 34% and turnover up by 13%
German producers and retailers on the latest heatwave:

"Daytime temperatures well above 30 degrees are not good for any crop"

How does a Spanish and Peruvian mango's CO2 footprint compare?
Gerard van den Anker (Veiling Zaltbommel) and Jarno Kwakkel (Postuma AGF)

Heat hits fresh produce trade: Lower sales and staying cool

"Frost has impacted the harvests across Ukraine"

Sector | Cartoons

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Dolls that husk and wow

Revenge with a tearful twist

Bungling banana bandit busted

Dragon fruit plantation becomes glowing national flag
of course in Japan

The $16 tomato with a resume

Bill Gates tries durian in Singapore

Cherry bags: summer 2025's sweetest trend

Sector | Trade War

↑ Close section ↓ Open section

Brazilian export surge fails to beat August 1 tariff deadline

United States reaches trade deal with Japan

U.S. cuts Indonesia tariffs to 19% in new deal

Zero-rated South African macadamia exports to China will soften blow of U.S. tariffs

Canadian produce industry reacts to latest U.S. 35 percent tariff threat

President Trump threatens 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods from August 1
Piet Smit – Favourite Fresh Export:

Cape citrus exporter staying the course despite vexing tariff uncertainty