FreshPlaza: Global Fresh Produce and Banana News

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Florida strawberries weathered recent freeze better than blueberries

Early end of the season anticipated for Ontario apples

Shipping rates from U.S. to Middle East spike

Chena Hot Springs Resort & Fresh Greenhouse harnesses geothermal water

Producing vegetables in Alaska at 40 degrees below zero

photo_camera Photo report SEPC Southern Exposure

U.S. organic produce sales reach $22.7 billion in 2025

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visits Grimmway Produce Group

Ontario greenhouse campaign awarded

Partnership aims to develop U.S. chestnut market

From the Desk of Chairman Steve Elfering

Outgoing chairman reflects on industry challenges ahead of annual meeting

Sector | Vegetables

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Ciro Paolillo, Sales Manager of Italian specialist Paolillo

"The real challenge for fennel today is ensuring continuity of supply"

Seasonal perishable products weekly update:

Cucumber and tomato prices rise as supplies tighten

Fresh pea punnets drive consumption as a snack

Antoine Besnard, Besnard Père & Fils:

Asparagus: when artificial intelligence redefines grading standards

Oxnard fennel plantings coming on earlier than anticipated

Nacho Doménech, CEO of Agromark:

"We foresee a sharp drop in broccoli and cauliflower supply from week 12 to 14"

Pocfarmer to invest US$10 million in Kern County carrot operations

Sector | Bananas

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Cristian Salmon, Dusal:

Ecuadorian bananas rerouted due to Middle East logistics restrictions

Middle East war halts India's banana exports, prices plunge 33%

Jamaica allocates US$0.64 million for banana recovery, warns against imports

Taiwan advances TR4-resistant banana strains

Australia launches research to develop TR4-resistant banana varieties

Australian researchers map Fusarium wilt resistance in wild banana

Marianela Ubilla, Agzulasa:

Increased demand from Russia and China boosts Ecuadorian banana exports

Sector | Potatoes and Onions

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Maine lawmakers urge USDA relief for blueberry, potato, and apple growers

U.S. potato retail sales reach US$19.9 billion in 2025

Michigan potato industry meets lawmakers at state capitol

U.S. onion exports to Panama halted after tariff quota reached

Canadian potato growers review dry season and U.S. trade outlook

New potato crop, strategic expansion and more in the spotlight

Exporters urge government aid in seeds and subsidies

"Pakistani onions are sidelined by India's quality edge”

Sector | Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables

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International ginger industry to gather in Peru this May

Taiwanese pineapples move closer to U.S. market access

“Tanzanian avocados flow steadily to India despite Red Sea hiccups”

Amid tensions in the Red Sea, Kenyan exporters pin their hopes on India and China

Why buy mangoes when you can rent the whole tree in India?

Indonesia sweetens the deal with durians to boost marriages

TR Turoni technology (Italy)

Assessing fruit quality to enhance revenue

Sector | Company news

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Sponsorship announced for historical debut of foosball team at World Cup

Maersk prepares backup bid for Israel’s Zim if Hapag-Lloyd deal fails

Pete Pappas & Sons adds to team

IFPA welcomes new vice president of food safety and regulatory affairs

Kuehne+Nagel reports US$31.23 billion turnover in 2025

B&G Foods sells Green Giant U.S. vegetable line to Seneca Foods

Mushroom compost earns OMRI listing

Sector | Greenhouse

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Australian growers examine European innovation on AUSVEG 2026 Study Tour

New California-grown cucumber program launches

Little tomato with big flavor featured at Devour Culinary Classic

"India’s hydroponics supply gap demands serious commercial scale"

New organic greenhouse product line unveiled

Mexico hits peak supply on bell peppers

Indoor Ag-Con: Capital recalibrates as CEA enters next phase

“One of the brutal shocks in the last five years was realizing this is farming, not a tech business model"

Sector | Logistics

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Marc van Haaren (Shypple) on the crisis of ‘floating reefers’

“Panic and opportunism in an increasingly tight market”

Middle East conflict continues to disrupt shipping and fresh produce exports

Suez Canal traffic continues normally despite regional tensions

The comment of some operators

Middle East crisis: Longer sea routes and risks for Italian fruit and vegetable exports

Lebanese exporters are cut off from Gulf markets

Mexico develops 303 km interoceanic rail corridor linking Pacific and Gulf ports

Middle East logistics disruption halts exports to Gulf markets

Sector | Machinery

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Calderoni launches a solution on which to apply different components

Weeding - more and more space for "precision" mechanics

Marcel Beelen, FineField:

"Within 5-15 years, fresh berry harvesting will be entirely mechanized"

Troy Cleaver - Tomra:

"The 5S Blueberry is the realization of everything we learned in ten years"

Developer of ethylene generators starts 2026 with global expansion strategy and smart ripening innovation

Sorting technology applied to date quality management

Educational session Fruit Logistica Berlin

Ethylene is essential in uniform fruit ripening, but control is necessary in preventing losses

Ripening, quality control, and postharvest systems for fresh produce

Sector | General fresh produce

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EU–Mercosur fruit and vegetable trade balance tilts strongly toward South America in 2025

Climate change reshapes global fruit and vegetable markets

Brazil increases its watermelon and avocado export supply

Colombian banana exports rise 75.7% in January

Iran suspends all agricultural exports as Middle East conflict escalates

Kuwait bans food exports and fixes domestic prices for one month

Strong partnerships are required to overcome challenges in the produce industry

Sector | Management

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Florida opens US$600 million disaster aid for farmers

USDA launches unified “One Farmer, One File” record system

John Kusters, NFO:

“To be sustainable, we must all make agreements”

Transportation and food workers at the strike forefront

Nationwide strike brings Greece to a standstill on Saturday

Overwhelming turnout at ag wage reform press conference

Panama takes over canal ports, appoints Maersk and MSC

Ohio expands statewide quarantine to contain spotted lanternfly

Sector | Miscellaneous

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Second-life batteries for irrigation in Yucatán

South African rand hits 3.5-year high

For sale: Poortcamp 10, De Lier

For lease: New distribution centre at Nieuw-Reijerwaard, Ridderkerk

Fresh produce honored on Syria's new currency

$336,560 awarded by USDA through Arkansas Department of Agriculture

South Africa citrus sector mourns Deon Joubert

Sector | Fruit

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Wian Mouton - Bosman Adama

Guardians of grapevine plant material in South Africa

Boris Manz - Fruit Growers Alianza:

"We are very pleased with how the season is ending as quality has remained very good"

Northern Hemisphere apple and pear stocks - February 2026:

European apple stocks rise 12.5%, pear stocks 15.5% y-o-y

Peruvian seminar to focus on blueberry losses and quality

Egypt became top grape supplier to Finland in 2025

Canadian research aims to reduce cherry breeding time to 10 years

U.S. study links berries, apples and citrus to higher well-being

Sector | Herbs

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Koppert Cress understands chefs' constant demand for new flavors and surprising products

Basil demand picks up ahead of Valentine’s Day

Mixed herb packets and baby leaves

Flexible solutions for changing demand

Fresh herb demand strong and steady for holiday season

Kruiden Claus celebrates 125th anniversary

"Strong demand for ginger and turmeric plants as cultivation becomes more viable"

Microgreens and in vitro cultivation pioneer reach for the skies with their vertical farm

Anthony De Ieso - Thorndon Park Produce:

"In easier to grow conditions, such as spring and summer, there are higher volumes to compete with"

Sector | Agenda

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Registration opens for Southeast Asia fresh produce meet up in Bangkok

Berry breeding programs to be presented at joint industry event in March

CPMA 2026 early bird pricing ends this week

Blue Whale Conference - Bruno Bertheloz

"Defending agricultural productivity is a priority for sovereignty"

IFPA opens registration for The Mexico Conference 2026

Fresh Produce Association of the Americas

Spring Policy Summit to “bring Washington to you”

"Moldovan stone fruit attracts Swiss buyers for post-season supply"

Sector | Citrus

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Manuel Baides, CEO of Author Fresh (Fruta de Autor):

"All programs have been canceled and for now there is no real possibility of exporting citrus to the Persian Gulf"

"Ongoing tensions in the Middle East have an indirect impact on our season"

“Spain’s mandarin season under pressure as southern hemisphere window expands”

In February, Europe rejected six citrus shipments from Egypt, Turkey, and Brazil

Lighter forecast for 2026 Ojai Pixies

HLB detection triggers new citrus quarantine in Ramona, California

California growers report pressure from imports, costs, and buyer consolidation

Sector | Organic

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Long-term strategy outweighs short-term economics

Dutch sauerkraut producer converts entire cabbage cultivation to organic

Gerard Kenens, VerKen Bio Deli-Vers:

"Earlier start for Natyra due to higher volumes, but you do not leave a good apple unsold"

Organic shifts from niche retail to structured programs

“Organic success depends on agreements, not ideals”

Hugo Jacobs, Jacobs Fruit:

"Challenging organic apple season, but sales now picking up"

Biofach is a key event for operators specializing in organic products, such as Toñifruit

"Supplying tasty organic fruit is the best way to increase organic and biodynamic consumption in Europe"

“Exports offer an outlet for pears, but not for apples with quality differences”

“The season’s biggest challenge undoubtedly lies with organic apples”

Piura rotates its organic banana with watermelon crops

Sector | Health

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Flavonoid-rich foods associated with happiness in U.S. women

Scientists develop vitamin A-enriched tomato

Apple fiber helps fend off colon cancer and more

Moderate fruit and vegetable juice intake and its health effects

The consumption of superfoods continues to grow in France

New dietary guidelines reinforce essential role of fresh produce

Produce industry shows support of new Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Sector | IT

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"We develop AI-based solutions for growers and nurseries"

BerryWorld live with QC app from FreshControl

“It took a next-level effort to incorporate all requirements into the inspection report”

Robotic apple harvesting

Indonesia advances digital agriculture with new farm-app deal

Johan Mostert – DiPAR Systems

Inside the architecture driving real-time fruit supply chain decisions

U.S. to turn to AI and robots to support farm production

Bradford Warner - AgroFresh

"This is valuable business intelligence for the fresh produce industry"

Sector | Innovations

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UAE FoodTech Challenge win

Akorn Technology readies for expansion in Africa and South Asia

Monitoring more than one million citrus trees with the help of AI

Pop Its snack cucumbers tap into demand for true bite-sized convenience

Fruit quality meters help manage harvest timing, lot segregation, and shelf-life performance

When efficiency in blueberry harvesting becomes a necessity

Custom LED gains ground as Italian nurseries push for efficiency

Extending shelf-life of blueberries and avocados by storing and shipping under low pressure

Sector | Processed fruit and vegetables

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Brazilian orange juice inventories rise 75.4% by end of 2025

Brazilian processor installs 30-ton-per-hour frozen potato line

Simon Matthews - AgriCoat NatureSeal

Cost-effective sulphite-free anti-browning dip for peeled, sliced, and diced potatoes

Jordanian NGO grows and exports fresh produce

Shifting trade dynamics may support Polish apple concentrate exports

Wider distribution eyed for new sugarcane juice beverage

Del Monte cannery closure disrupts California fruit processing sector

Sector | Cooling

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Cool Control expands to four cold stores with 12,000 pallet spaces in 30 years

"By offering a total package, we have grown with the foreign growers' organisations"

New 3,000-tonne freezing complex to be built in Ak-Suu, Kyrgyzstan

Year-round fruit supply in Australia depends on cold storage

“Bringing cold storage costs back to the levels of ten years ago is our principal aim”

Isolcell's vision for the future of fresh produce

"Controlled atmosphere, tailored ripening, and new global balances"

One Frio launches European cold storage platform after seven acquisitions

“The new cooling facility brings increased flexibility”

Sector | Food safety

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Canada recalls macadamia nut products over Salmonella risk

Canada recalls Dan-D nuts in over Salmonella risk

The European Commission updates the MRLs for various pesticides starting this year

“If Canada’s Destination Inspection Service closes, we destabilize the market and create long-term reputational damage”

Canadian Food Inspection Agency plans on discontinuing their produce inspection services

EU intercepts this year's first Egyptian oranges with banned residues and pesticides

EU rejections of third-country fruit and vegetable imports with unauthorized active substances rose by 6.5% in 2025

Sector | Nuts and dried fruits

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Iranian disruptions and U.S. crop cycle tighten pistachio supply

Cobus van Rensburg, RP Campher - South African Pecan Nut Producers’ Association

South Africa anticipates resumption of European pecan exports this year

California walnut exports to the Middle East have come to a standstill

Middle East tensions disrupt U.S. tree nut shipments

Demand continues to outpace pistachio supply

Vietnamese fruit and vegetable exports up 67.2% y.o.y

UK growers explore hazelnuts as high-value climate-resilient crop

Sector | Packaging and Labelling

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“Bio4Life positioned for international growth as EU compostable label rules take effect”

Jonathan Harf, Cintandina:

"We've developed and are selling compostable labels for fruits"

"Grape export market is undergoing shift toward more sustainable post-harvest solutions"

Edible coating and labelling reduce plastic and extend shelf life

In 2025, Italy's REV Packaging Solutions exported 70 per cent of its total

From Oceania to Europe, mono-material packaging is winning approval

California packaging rules challenge U.S. fresh produce compliance

Top honors handed out at PAC Global Awards

Sector | Retail

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Amazon invested more than $340bln in the U.S. in 2025

Grocery Outlet is closing 36 underperforming stores

Amazon has launched its Amazon Now service in Brazil

Target expects sales to grow every quarter

Publix Super Markets wrapped up fiscal 2025 with $62.7bln in total sales

ALDI's 1st Maine store

DoorDash exits 4 markets

Flagship Coborn’s Market & Table store to open in Minnesota

H-E-B continues to expand its discount format

Grupo Comercial Chedraui: Fourth quarter 2025 results

Tops Friendly Markets has completed its 50th store remodel

Food Lion Feeds is launching its annual three-week Orange Bag campaign

Report: Shopping behaviors at Trader Joe’s, Aldi and Lidl varied

Uber Eats and T&T Supermarket partnership gives on demand access to fresh vegetables and fruits

Sector | Global Market

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GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW PEARS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GRAPES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW ONIONS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW AVOCADOES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW APPLES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BLUEBERRIES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW ORANGES

Sector | Climate

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Catastrophic losses in greenhouses and crops in Souss-Massa, Morocco, plastic shortage

Irrigation infrastructure and crops in main agricultural valleys affected by heavy rains in Peru

Weekend blizzard stymies logistics in Northeast

Emergence from drought in Morocco restores growers' confidence

There's a chance for more flooding in Portugal by the end of the month

"At first glance, the damage is extremely heartbreaking"

Florida freeze pushes up corn and green bean prices

Mexican border water scarcity challenges nearshoring

Sector | Cartoons

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Madhya Pradesh banana farmer protests low prices with half-naked vow

North Korean forest rangers fired for turning tree nurseries into vegetable gardens

TikTok-fueled fruit ice cream craze empties freezers across New Zealand

Cows wearing e-collars help boost potato yields in P.E.I. pilot project

Domino’s seeks Vatican forgiveness for pineapple pizza

Aomori’s ‘designer apples’ turn orchards into art

Fruity overdose: The bold new trend transforming perfumery

Sector | Rwanda

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Rwanda special (last part): Evergreen Holding

"With greenhouse conditions, we can produce strawberries all year round, even for export"

Rwanda special: Kinvest

Canadian capital, Rwandan fields: Building profitable farms with social impact

Intercropping, outgrowers, and weekly flights: The operations model behind SOO Agro’s growth

Rwanda special: Kumwe Green Farms

"We have a lot to offer to European buyers"

Rwanda special: Virunga Biotech Limited

"We see a strong demand for chilies, ginger, and gherkins"

Rwanda special: Kotwidika

Promising trial for Valencia oranges

Rwanda special: Souk Farms

Rwanda advances steadily on the global fresh produce scene

Sector | Trade War

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Peruvian blueberry exporters have 180 days to claim US$ tariff refunds

Agexport, Guatemala

"Exports to the U.S. continue at 0% tariff after Supreme Court ruling"

Produce industry reacts to Supreme Court tariff ruling

South African agriculture welcomes possible 15% U.S. tariff cut

U.S. farmers divided after Supreme Court overturns Trump tariffs

U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, new 15% levy announced

Tensions have resulted in increased imports from Europe

Canada’s produce exports witness a boost due to limited supply and high prices in the U.S.