Expectations of new presidential administration for potato industry and agriculture as a whole

With the inauguration of President Biden a week behind us now, the new administration is settling in and gearing up to tackle the issues ahead of them. There has been a lot of speculation on what might be expected from this new administration for the produce industry as a whole. Kam Quarles, CEO of the…

Importer reports strong first year of shipping Moroccan citrus

Citrus supplies from Morocco have been solid, says one importer. “We’re in the middle of our Moroccan campaign and it’s been a great season,” says Terry Cook of Trucco Inc. in Vineland NJ. The company first transitioned to mandarins from Morocco following the end of the Chilean season in the fall and…

California growers watchful of imminent rain and snow

As a series of storms including rain and snow move through California, growers and shippers are watching weather developments with a close eye. “The further north in California you are, the more the forecast storm activity will affect growers. Heavy rains are forecast for northern and central California…

Ontario greenhouse grower plans 2021 growth in Mexico, Canada and US

Red Sun Farms, a vertically integrated greenhouse grower with locations in Canada, USA and Mexico, is making a significant investment in its facilities. In 2020, Red Sun Farms completed 27 acres of construction on a three-phase project totaling 63.8 acres in Kingsville, Ontario. Red Sun is making…

Oppy invests in enhancing California cherry deal

As Oppy continues looking for increased efficiencies and partnerships across its operations, the grower has brought together two top cherry brands, Katicich Ranch and Brookside, to form Katco Packing. Katco Packing, located in Stockton, California, will see numerous operational efficiencies, particularly…

Calavo Growers partners with Apeel for longer lasting avocados

Calavo Growers, Inc. a worldwide fresh avocado company since 1924, is partnering with Apeel, creators of the plant-based solution which enhances the shelf life of avocados and other types of produce. As a pioneer and category leader in fresh avocados, Calavo has always been on the cutting edge of…

Verdant™ Technologies brings on new vice-president of sales

Verdant™ Technologies is starting the new year with a new executive team member—Scott Harker as vice-president of sales. Harker’s responsibilities include managing customer…

Florida tropicals company appoints new CEO

J&C Tropicals has announced the appointment of Jessie Capote, Esq. as their new CEO. He assumed responsibilities on January 1, 2021, and will succeed Carlos Capote. Capote has…

Ready-to-eat coconut brand debuts three new fresh coconut meat offerings

Ready-to-eat coconut brand, Genuine Coconut, recently launched three exciting new products in the North American market. Their new Fresh Organic Coconut Chunks, Fresh Organic Coconut Toppings, and FreshOrganic Grated Coconut are made with just one ingredient – freshly peeled organic mature coconut meat.   The…

Church Brothers Farms hires new marketing director

Jennifer Wagner Sanchez has joined Church Brothers Farms as director of marketing. Sanchez has more than 20 years of experience in the fresh produce industry in marketing,…

Ban on selling below cost price could help Spanish banana producers

In the light of the Spanish government’s current review of its legal prohibition on supermarkets selling agricultural produce below cost price, and banana industry debate…

Expectations of new presidential administration for potato industry and agriculture as a whole

With the inauguration of President Biden a week behind us now, the new administration is settling in and gearing up to tackle the issues ahead of them. There has been a lot of speculation on what might be expected from this new administration for the produce industry as a whole. Kam Quarles, CEO of the…

Growth of Australian lychee industry on track despite weather challenges

The Australian Lychee Growers Association (ALGA) says despite some adverse weather, new tree plantings in recent seasons will increase volumes of the fruit in the next 5-10 years. “Production is heading upwards although extreme weather events, for example, dry and hot days, as well as rain and cyclone…

Calavo Growers partners with Apeel for longer lasting avocados

Calavo Growers, Inc. a worldwide fresh avocado company since 1924, is partnering with Apeel, creators of the plant-based solution which enhances the shelf life of avocados and other types of produce. As a pioneer and category leader in fresh avocados, Calavo has always been on the cutting edge of…

Ontario greenhouse grower plans 2021 growth in Mexico, Canada and US

Red Sun Farms, a vertically integrated greenhouse grower with locations in Canada, USA and Mexico, is making a significant investment in its facilities. In 2020, Red Sun Farms completed 27 acres of construction on a three-phase project totaling 63.8 acres in Kingsville, Ontario. Red Sun is making…

Automated refrigerated container monitoring results in fewer claims

In most ports, terminal automation primarily focuses on container handling while the monitoring of individual containers is done manually. Monitoring is key in keeping the temperature of perishables at the right levels, but it is a very labor-intensive job as the temperature setting and monitoring are…

Current average week price at £0.61 for bananas from Belize

This series gives the average wholesale prices of bananas by country of origin. The prices are national averages of the most usual prices charged for bananas at wholesale markets in Birmingham and London. This publication is updated weekly. The current average week prices of bananas were at £0.61 for bananas…

High winds cause damage in California avocado and citrus groves

High winds along the hills and coasts of Southern California have caused damage to avocado and citrus orchard. Growers in the region are eyeing the weather reports as they…

Meal kits and home cooking help move herbs

Both supply and demand of cooking herbs is strong and it looks to stay that way for the near future. Herb supplies should see strong production through to summer. “The weather is starting to turn a little bit, at least where herbs are being grown, and now we’re coming into the strongest part of the…

The first edition of Digital Agrifood Summit Portugal closes with significant international participation

Hundreds of international buyers from 61 countries held business meetings with the 74 Portuguese companies that ‘exhibited’ at Digital Agrifood Summit Portugal between 20 and 23 January. The pioneering online trade show organized by the Portuguese Agrofood Cluster – a group made up of PortugalFoods,…

Argentina's black truffles get ready to arrive in the US and the UK

The production of black truffles (Tuber melanosporum), one of the -most high-value products in the world market, only began to expand in Argentina in the last decade. One of…

First normal litchi season in a while as new avo campaign approaches

“The new avocado season is upon us. On early greenskins like Fuerte and Pinkerton we should be seeing a normal crop but on Hass from South Africa the industry volume might be a bit reduced compared to 2020 because of alternate bearing,” says Don Westcott, Westfalia commercial manager, noting that the…

Positive impacts of organic agriculture

Modern consumers have more choices than ever before. Whether they’re buying appliances, books, clothing or any of the myriad necessities of daily life, consumers have a wealth…

Organic bananas set new records in the US in 2020

Although 2019 marked a first hiatus in the uninterrupted growth of organic banana imports for the US market, 2020 is breaking all records. The import growth has made a…

A website built to meet user needs: Lucchini Web 3.0

Over the course of 2020, Idromeccanica Lucchini - always up to speed when it comes to research and innovation - has renewed its communication strategies. In a world blocked by the pandemic, which has made it difficult to meet in person, it has hastened the information and communication digitalization…

Ready-to-eat coconut brand debuts three new fresh coconut meat offerings

Ready-to-eat coconut brand, Genuine Coconut, recently launched three exciting new products in the North American market. Their new Fresh Organic Coconut Chunks, Fresh Organic Coconut Toppings, and FreshOrganic Grated Coconut are made with just one ingredient – freshly peeled organic mature coconut meat.   The…

Turkey reverts to 2018 customs tariff for walnuts

The Turkish government published a presidential order. That was on 31 December 2020 in the Turkish Official Gazette. It says that unshelled walnuts import tariffs would…

California growers watchful of imminent rain and snow

As a series of storms including rain and snow move through California, growers and shippers are watching weather developments with a close eye. “The further north in California you are, the more the forecast storm activity will affect growers. Heavy rains are forecast for northern and central California…

"This season, Spanish auction vegetable supplies are down by about 25%"

This season, ZON fruit & vegetables is currently auctioning about 25% less Spanish vegetables volumes than last year. That's according to this Dutch cooperative's auction sales manager, Els van Herpen. "We received less product up to Christmas. That's because there was less day trade demand. That's…

Barbastro pink tomato harvest expected to be record-breaking

The largest producer of Barbastro pink tomatoes, the company Grupo Correas, has invested half a million Euro in the conditioning of 3.5 new hectares of land for the production…

Church Brothers Farms hires new marketing director

Jennifer Wagner Sanchez has joined Church Brothers Farms as director of marketing. Sanchez has more than 20 years of experience in the fresh produce industry in marketing,…

Verdant™ Technologies brings on new vice-president of sales

Verdant™ Technologies is starting the new year with a new executive team member—Scott Harker as vice-president of sales. Harker’s responsibilities include managing customer…

Oppy invests in enhancing California cherry deal

As Oppy continues looking for increased efficiencies and partnerships across its operations, the grower has brought together two top cherry brands, Katicich Ranch and Brookside, to form Katco Packing. Katco Packing, located in Stockton, California, will see numerous operational efficiencies, particularly…

Fyffes launches new website

During 2020 Fyffes worked on the development of a new website, which is now live. The new website makes it easy for customers and other users to find the information they need about our products and…

Covid hasn't stopped the asparagus sector

Another 15 asparagus harvesters were shipped from the Bagioni Technology headquarters to Italy (in Foggia), France and Eastern Europe. This is a sign that there is still a certain optimism and hope towards the future. "Entrepreneurs are aware that technology is an investment that improves the yields and…

Spain asks Brussels to consider granting compensations if US tariffs are not lifted

The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has asked the European Commission to study compensating the producers affected in the event that the…

Florida tropicals company appoints new CEO

J&C Tropicals has announced the appointment of Jessie Capote, Esq. as their new CEO. He assumed responsibilities on January 1, 2021, and will succeed Carlos Capote. Capote has…

Growers have been working hard to supply the markets and get fruit into Asia for CNY

Overall, the Australian Summerfruit season has progressed well with good winter rains and plenty of chill hours resulting in good fruit set. Some recent environmental issues such as hail and hot weather have had an impact in some regions and for some growers and there have been fruit fly issues in South…

Russian scientists developed new, winter-resistant haskap variety

Researchers from the Sverdlovsk Horticultural Breeding Station have registered a new, winter-resistant haskap variety; the Polyanka Kotova. It is the first variety of haskap…

USA pears beat Guinness world record in Emirates

On January 4, more than 100 chefs from across the United Arab Emirates-UAE made history by producing 2,209 pies made with USA Pears, setting a Guinness World Record for the longest line of pies. Twelve teams participated in this special day. Each chef used the same pear pie recipe, using approximately…

“Complicated transition period for the citrus fruit”

The citrus fruit market is in a period of transition. The varieties that have been available since October are disappearing progressively from the market, making place for the second-season varieties. “This year, the transition is not without problems. This applies to both clementines and oranges,” reports…

Importer reports strong first year of shipping Moroccan citrus

Citrus supplies from Morocco have been solid, says one importer. “We’re in the middle of our Moroccan campaign and it’s been a great season,” says Terry Cook of Trucco Inc. in Vineland NJ. The company first transitioned to mandarins from Morocco following the end of the Chilean season in the fall and…

The US approves an insecticide against greening in citrus that is banned in the EU

The United States has approved the use of a pesticide, which has been banned in the EU since 2003 because of the danger it poses to health and due to its ecotoxicity, to…

California grower partners with dietitian to inspire wellness in 2021

D’Arrigo California has partnered with Stephanie Bouquet, a registered dietitian, certified specialist in sports dietetics, certified diabetes educator and certified wellness…

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Oranmore, Ireland, where coffee and broccoli are coming in by drone

Ever since the small Irish town of Oranmore became a test bed for its drone delivery service, there’s been plenty of surprises for Manna Aero. Last October Manna Aero began an extensive trial in the small town, located on the outskirts of Galway on the west coast of Ireland. All of the shops in town were…

High demand for perishables has ports looking for more cold storage space

In its Reefer Shipping Annual Review & Forecast 2020/21, London-based marine consultancy Drewry says reefer cargo will hit 156 million tons by 2024, growing at an annual rate…

Belgian company submits first protein-based biocontrol registration package to the EPA

Biotalys NV, a food and crop protection company, announced that it has submitted its first protein-based biocontrol, Evoca™, to the Environmental Protection Agency in the…

Innovation and sustainability driven by top-sealed packaging solutions

The research for new packaging solutions, both to match the new trends in fresh produce consumption and to attract a wider range of customers, has been a quite established effort in the food industry during the last few years. The evident consequences have been new developments in packaging design and…

"Mono-material packaging has become very popular in recent years"

COVID-19 has hugely influenced people and how they live. But it's also affected how things are packaged. "Before the crisis, the trend was to use as little packaging as possible. Now it's more, rather than less, packaging," says Sofie Vandereycken of Belgian packaging specialist Presa. "Many fruits and…

“The idea of having our own packing facility was born a few years back”

Indian grape and pomegranate farmers have a new packhouse to send their produce to. Magnus Farms is a new company that is stepping into the industry at a difficult time. Pomegranate production has dropped by 70% due to untimely rains and grape exporters have had a terrible year last year, and therefore…

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Metro: 2021 first quarter results

US: Tops 'ties' in produce department sustainability effortsIn its quest to ensure that even the tiniest detail of its operation is reducing environmental waste, Tops Markets LLC has partnered with TagBack by Bedford Industries to reuse and recycle small but essential produce tags and twist ties. The…

Banana train