California avocados get green light to export to China

While California growers have been given the go-ahead to ship California avocados to China, shipments may not begin until next season. At the end of May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that several U.S. agricultural…

“Mexican Flame crop is almost two weeks behind schedule”

The South American table grape supplies have mostly been cleaned out of the market, and US supplies are currently coming from Mexico and Coachella, though the volumes coming out of Mexico haven’t been as high as they should be in the past weeks. Ira Greenstein of Direct Source Marketing says: “Lack of…

California figs likely to produce a more 'normal' crop this season

Figs out of California will likely start production in the second week of June. “We’re in the Central Valley and I’m about two weeks away from starting our Breba and Black Mission crop,” says Erik Herman of The Specialty Crop Co./Herman Produce in Madera, CA. Herman notes that last year’s first crop of…

"This partnership will increase our market presence in Canadian markets"

Ricky Chong, Director of Sales, Sutherland S.A. Produce Inc., and Steve Snaychuk, President & CEO, Hanna International Sales Inc., announced that they are entering a joint-partnership to develop new imported produce sales into the Canadian market. Steve Snaychuk, started Hanna International 14 years ago;…

Duckwall Fruit acts swiftly after four employees test positive for COVID-19

Oregon pear producers Duckwall Fruit have announced that they encountered four positive cases of COVID-19 among their employees. Company president Ed Weathers has released the…

Onions52 welcomes Clay Jones onto their sales and business development team

Onions 52, Inc has welcomed the newest member of their sales and business development team: Clay Jones. Clay is based in San Antonio, Texas and will be focusing on new account…

Seamless transition from California to Northwest cherry crop expected

As the summer is near, Oppy is getting ready to bring the Orchard View cherry brand to domestic and international markets, with an extraordinary crop this year that promises great quality. Thanks to an exceptional growing season, the grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce from around the world…

Promising results reported for proprietary apple varieties in Southern Hemisphere

Cornell University is home to a large apple breeding program.  Located near Ithaca, New York at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, the program has released 66 apple varieties over the course of its 123-year history, including the Cortland Apple which celebrates an impressive 105th birthday…

Ecuador’s banana industry continues solid operations despite COVID-19 challenges

On June 2nd, The Business Year hosted a virtual event entitled “Ecuador’s Capacity for Strengthening Global Food Security,” which featured two virtual round-table discussions to reflect on Ecuador’s role in strengthening global food safety. Part of the first virtual roundtable featured Vicente Andrés…

Bell peppers from Coachella Valley encounter strong markets

It has been an interesting year for Coachella Valley bell peppers so far. Drew Belk, a vegetable grower in Thermal, said: "I would say the weather has been variable.” He…

Ecuador’s banana industry continues solid operations despite COVID-19 challenges

On June 2nd, The Business Year hosted a virtual event entitled “Ecuador’s Capacity for Strengthening Global Food Security,” which featured two virtual round-table discussions to reflect on Ecuador’s role in strengthening global food safety. Part of the first virtual roundtable featured Vicente Andrés…

McCain Foods delays Potato Plant Project

McCain Foods is delaying the expansion of its potato processing facility in Othello, Washington, due to the current pandemic. The project at the facility would have added…

JP/Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman

Indonesian government expects onion surplus

Last Thursday, the Indonesian Agriculture Ministry reported that the onion supply was estimated to exceed consumption by 5,745 tons between May and August as producing provinces experienced the harvest season. Farmers on Sumbawa Island in West Nusa Tenggara, the country’s third-largest onion-producing…

Mango exporters embrace real-time shipment monitoring

Several mango exporters trialled the use of loggers for real-time (RT) shipment monitoring this past season, two of them embarked on a more planned program of activity to identify and manage risks in their supply chains. Darcy Holmes works for Perfection Fresh as their Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT)…

California avocados get green light to export to China

While California growers have been given the go-ahead to ship California avocados to China, shipments may not begin until next season. At the end of May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that several U.S. agricultural…

Strong year for Malaysian durians

It’s nearing the middle of the year, which also marks the durian season. However, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) is anticipating a lower-than-normal yield…

Indian mango production likely to drop 4.36 pc to 20.44 million tonnes this year

Mango production in the country is estimated to lower by 4.36 per cent at 20.44 million tonnes in the crop year 2019-20 ending this month, the latest data from the agriculture…

Fama expects lower Malaysian durian yield this season

Malaysia’s Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (Fama) is expecting lower-than-normal durian yields this season at below 300,000 metric tonnes. Fama said conditions…

Peru still dominates Hass avocado shipments into Europe

In week 22, avocado shipments from Peru to Europe encompassed 116,000 cartons of Greenskins and 2,239,000 cartons of Hass avocados, for a total of 2,532,000 units. No shipments came in from Chile. The numbers for South Africa were  220,000 (Greenskins) and 416,000 (Hass). Click here for the full report. Source: avocado.co.za  

Russia’s GC Rost plans construction of greenhouse complex in the Far East

The Khabarovsk territory in Russia may soon have another resident. One of the largest producers of greenhouse vegetables in Russia, the Group of companies Rost, announced…

Annual Report reveals a stable, profitable and well-prepared Girteka Logistics

At the start of 2020 Girteka Logistics was ready for another period of strong, sustained growth. COVID-19 and the ensuing economic crisis altered this agenda – people, companies and even countries are now facing an unprecedented situation and a drastically new set of challenges. “Considering the changing…

Vending by JSR

Vending machines open up market for UK growers

JSR supplies out of Blairgowrie, Scotland, supplies fresh produce vending machines to farmers in the UK. Sales and marketing director Stuart Retson said many farmers now realise it is a viable way to sell all their produce, following the success of milk vending machines on dairy farms. “Typically, folk…

"Virtual exhibitions will indirectly foster innovation"

Around the globe companies are trying to come up with ways to cope with the COVID-pandemic. The fruit and vegetable sector was not as affected by the measures and shutdowns as others but keeping distance and finding enough employees has been a challenge. Another big change has been the cancellation of…

“This is an opportunity we should take advantage of”

In less than three weeks, the produce industry will experience its first virtual trade show ever, organized by the United Fresh Produce Association. “With our membership going back three decades, we’ve been a long-time supporter of the association,” says Marsha Verwiebe with Volm Companies. “We know that…

PMA launches the Essentials of Produce Safety online training program

The Produce Marketing Association has announced the launch of its eLearning certificate course Essentials of Produce Safety, an entirely online, affordable and in-depth…

Hungary investing over 231 million Euro in modernization of agricultural and livestock sectors

The Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture is launching an HUF 80 billion (231.24 million Euro) investment program for farmers involved in animal husbandry and the horticultural…

Ukrainian government plans creation of online sales platform for small and medium growers

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers plans to create an online platform through the Ukrainian Startup Fund to facilitate the marketing of products from small and medium-sized…

VegNET enters Phase Two

Hort Innovation has commenced the second phase of VegNET, the vegetable industry extension program, which will fund ten regional development officers located across Australia to support vegetable…

USDA restricts PACA violators in Florida and Texas

As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the Department of Agriculture…

World Bank

Top 10 economies in Asia

Some of the Oriental power houses...

FIRA 2020 goes 100% virtual for 3 days

How to bring together agricultural robotics experts from around the world in the current context? GOFAR, the association organizing FIRA, decided to organize its annual event…

"We are among the few in Europe producing biodynamic lemons"

This has been the first year in which the Almeria-based company Bio Campojoyma has been able to offer Demeter-certified lemon, grown following biodynamic practices. "We are very satisfied with our first harvest of biodynamically-grown lemons. We had received many calls and there was great interest even…

Peruvian lemon exports increase

Peruvian exports have increased thanks to the high global demand for citrus fruits due to their high content of vitamin C. Between January and the third week of May 2020, Peruvian fresh lemon exports…

South African grapefruit industry pulls back exports after speedy start

About two-thirds of South Africa’s grapefruit crop has been exported in a season which got off to a sprint but has since settled into a steady jog. If the grapefruit season can be stretched until the beginning of August, growers could benefit from the traditional upswing at the tail-end of the season.…

Portugal: Citrus industry Algarve reports booming business

José Oliveira, President of AlgarOrange, has stated that it’s one of the sectors that has “suffered the least from the pandemic”. AlgarOrange is Algarve’s Citrus Operators…

Florida citrus growers sign up for 46 HLB research projects

Florida growers have signed up for 46 HLB research projects representing 2,032 acres through the Citrus Research and Field Trial (CRAFT) Foundation, Executive Director Kristen…

COVID-19 led to 34% spike of orange juice consumption

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered consumer behaviors, especially in relation to food and beverage consumption, reports Citrus Industry. Bennett Travers, senior…

New packing facility for ANB Investments

The Arisa Packhouse, located on the N2 at Buffeljags near Swellendam in the Southern Cape, has undergone a change in ownership. ANB Investments – a group with holdings in several South African agricultural companies – has recently acquired a 51 % stake in the Packhouse and it is planned that the facility…

Sales of organic products increased by almost 11% during Covid-19 emergency

Commercialized volumes increased by 10.7% with an growth in value of 17.2%. The first four months of 2020 have been characterized by a stark increase in organic produce sales, as confirmed by Almaverde Bio president Ilenio Bastoni, director Paolo Pari and Canova director Ernesto Fornari. Strawberry…

SmartFresh technology expanded to include avocado, broccoli, melon, tomato, mango and stone fruit

AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. has expanded the global application of its flagship SmartFresh technology solution to optimize the consumer experience for a wide range of crops…

"Juicer sales have fallen by 90% in the horeca and 30% in the retail"

The hotel and restaurant sector has been one of the most affected by the emergence of COVID-19 and the global health crisis caused by it. Fruit juicers have a significant presence in the Horeca, which has been brought to a halt for more than two months. Sales of these machines have therefore suffered a…

Continued growth for Australia's fresh produce exporters using phytosanitary irradiation

The 2019/20 export season delivered another record result for the Australian fresh produce industry utilising phytosanitary irradiation protocols, according to the nation's treatment provider. Despite the major disruption to airfreight caused by COVID-19, Steritech reported surpassing the 2018/19 record…

Smart Packaging Solutions now also operational in Poland

Since the 1st of June, packaging producer Smart Packaging Solutions started to supply their packaging from the warehouse of its subsidiary, Aquila in Września. Through this…

Spain relies on European funds to adapt agriculture to climate change

The impact of global warming on the Iberian Peninsula is undeniable. According to different studies, by the end of the century, the proportion of warm days is expected to…

First Dutch new season carrots

Many people in the Netherlands - including those from Katwijk - will associate the term 'Hollandse Nieuwe' (New Dutch) with the first barrel of herrings, but for Fred van den Eijkel it is really all about the first new carrots to come on the market. Today, the Dutch season has started once again. "Many of my supermarket customers…

Fusarium resistance: from breeding to commercial varieties

In 2019, Rijk Zwaan became the first vegetable breeding company to introduce three cucumber varieties with Fusarium resistance. Last season, growers in various countries gained experience with these ‘For Defense’ varieties. Jaime Jimenez from San Agustín (Almería, Spain) grew Forami RZ. “It was a…

Bell peppers from Coachella Valley encounter strong markets

It has been an interesting year for Coachella Valley bell peppers so far. Drew Belk, a vegetable grower in Thermal, said: "I would say the weather has been variable.” He…

Western Australia: Cucumber prices to rise

Australian shoppers can expect to pay more for cucumbers in the coming weeks after a dust storm wiped out crops in a significant supply region. General manager Kingsley Songer…

AU: COVID-19 trade impact on fresh vegetable exports

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an uncertain start to the year for levy-paying vegetable grower-exporters. Market closures, supply chain disruptions and air and sea freight services being ceased or heavily reduced are examples of some of the challenges exporting growers have faced in…

Palm Fruits takes over Felix Cohen

Palm Fruits specializes in 100% natural, healthy foods They have now acquired Felix Cohen, Douwes, and Hugonuts and all their activities. These are well-known Dutch brand…

Death notice for Adri van Oost

Monday night, June 1, Adri van Oosten passed away. Adri was active for years as a fruit commissioner in the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition, he was active in fruit exports to Russia for many years.…

"Quality management automated from A - Z"

Two Dutch companies, AgriPlace and Kleemans, recently joined forces. They want to offer Kleemans' clients the benefits associated with AgriPlace Chain. With Pro-aQt, Kleemans…

Onions52 welcomes Clay Jones onto their sales and business development team

Onions 52, Inc has welcomed the newest member of their sales and business development team: Clay Jones. Clay is based in San Antonio, Texas and will be focusing on new account…

"This partnership will increase our market presence in Canadian markets"

Ricky Chong, Director of Sales, Sutherland S.A. Produce Inc., and Steve Snaychuk, President & CEO, Hanna International Sales Inc., announced that they are entering a joint-partnership to develop new imported produce sales into the Canadian market. Steve Snaychuk, started Hanna International 14 years ago;…

Duckwall Fruit acts swiftly after four employees test positive for COVID-19

Oregon pear producers Duckwall Fruit have announced that they encountered four positive cases of COVID-19 among their employees. Company president Ed Weathers has released the…

“We will need to be creative with drawing people to our booth”

This is the first year that Gold Coast Packing will exhibit at the United Fresh show. While the format of the show has been changed, the company continues to look forward to their participation. Crystal Chavez, the company’s marketing coordinator, says: “We were disappointed when the show was moved to a…

Vietnam: Binh Thuan province hit by extreme drought

Bình Thuan is a province of Vietnam, located on the country's South Central Coast. Due to prolonged hot weather, the water levels in many reservoirs and lakes in the central…

Recognition of Fair Farms proves industry is protecting workers

AUSVEG, the industry representative for Australia’s vegetable and potato growers, has welcomed the Coles’ decision to incorporate the industry-led Fair Farms program into its…

Saiko3p

Indian fruit and vegetable output to cross record 320 million tonnes

A spectacular increase in the production of onions after the severe crop loss during the last monsoon season, together with relatively better yield in potato and banana, has helped India to have a record horticulture harvest of 320.48 million tonnes in this crop year, according to the second advance…

Daniel M. Cisilino

'Morocco to halt irrigation in water-stressed region of Souss'

According to the nation’s Minister of Agriculture, Morocco has stopped irrigating farmlands in Souss, one of the main agricultural regions, as the dam storage rate there has dropped to 17%. Other regions such as Al Haouz is also dealing with scarce water resources while the region of Loukous in…

COVID-19 triggers boom in fresh produce Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is likely to see a huge demand for some of its horticultural crops in Europe after production there was badly affected by disruptions caused by lockdowns as the world…

Fruit-packing workers strike in northwest US

After several weeks of strikes by workers at six fruit-packing facilities in Yakima, Washington, and a number of outbreaks of COVID-19 in food production and processing…

Locust attacks: Fruits and vegetables at risk of washout in six Indian states

Horticultural crops such as fruits and vegetables are at risk of a washout in the wake of locusts’ attack in six states of India. Fruits and vegetables account for nearly 90%…

How Nigerian ports can sustain post-COVID-19 economy

As the world gradually eases the lockdown, opening up their economies in phases, all countries have been thinking out of the box on how to survive and sustain their economies…

European Bank loans $67 mln to key fruit producer in Turkey

Yesterday, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced that it is providing a €60 million loan to Anadolu Etap, the leading fruit producer in the…

“Currently our watercress sales are just ahead of where they were last year"

Each year there is more and more evidence to back up the claims of watercress to be a superfood. It has been known for some time that watercress is very good for you, but it takes time to get the scientific evidence together. Tom Amery from The Watercress Company said that in the last 12 months they have…

"Export price of Chinese ginger continues to soar"

"European market demand for Chinese ginger recently declined as the European countries entered their off-season. Chinese ginger export to Europe subsequently slowed down and the export volume decreased. At the same time, market demand from the Middle East and America grew stronger. This development makes…

California figs likely to produce a more 'normal' crop this season

Figs out of California will likely start production in the second week of June. “We’re in the Central Valley and I’m about two weeks away from starting our Breba and Black Mission crop,” says Erik Herman of The Specialty Crop Co./Herman Produce in Madera, CA. Herman notes that last year’s first crop of…

Prices of red kiwifruit from Guaxi, China expected to drop 10-20%

“Over recent months, many major fruit-producing regions across China experienced extreme cold weather, frost, and other adverse weather conditions, which has had a great impact on production and planting. For the kiwifruit production area of Liupanshui in Guizhou, although the area was hit by a cold snap…

Sweet black pomegranate Black Candy to be launched soon

The market will soon have the chance to enjoy sweet black pomegranates. The variety R36, which has been given the commercial name Black Candy, will be registered as a protected variety in Spain and the hope is that this will soon also happen in other countries. The variety has black skin throughout its entire…

"Substantial volumes in Chilean kiwis"

Despite the health crisis affecting the entire country, Primland is announcing substantial volumes in Chilean kiwis. As it has done each season for more than 20 years,…

Experimental breast cancer drug uses compound found in broccoli

A new drug based on a natural compound found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts and other vegetables may be effective in reversing or even preventing resistance to breast cancer…

Plus Retail selects Relex solutions to optimize operations

Plus Retail, a Dutch co-operative with around 270 supermarkets operated by independent entrepreneurs offering fresh goods, has chosen to partner with Relex Solutions to integrate Plus Retail’s space planning with forecasting and replenishment. Powered by pragmatic Artificial Intelligence (AI) and…

Energy efficiency in labor-saving IQF berry processing line

The covid-19 pandemic has forced the frozen food industry in overcoming new challenges and seizing new opportunities. Consumers’ buying habits have changed and their perception of frozen food and there is an increasing demand for ‘no hand touch’ processing lines. During off seasons specifically, the…

Positioning dates as a snack continues to pay off

The Bard Valley, located in a 150-square-mile radius of the intersection of Arizona, California, and Mexico, grows about 60 percent of all dates grown in the United States. The fruit is typically harvested in September through part of October and fruit from the Bard Valley Date Growers Association is…

"Ozone as an alternative for CIPC in transport"

The ban on the sprout inhibitor CIPC is getting closer. For those in Belgium it will be a reality on June 30 this year and in the Netherlands, the substance can still be used until October 8. Many industry associations warn that the ban will have a major impact on potatoes and onions. There are…

Carrefour agree to buy food retailer Wellcome Taiwan

Australia: Woolworths to reward over 100,000 staff with shares for virus effortsAustralia’s biggest supermarket chain Woolworths Group said it will reward more than 100,000 of its staff with free company shares for their efforts during a period of upheaval amid bushfires and the coronavirus buying…

GrubMarket: Acquisition of a leading supplier of quality produce and specialty foods

US: Bact-Off introduces world's first antimicrobial & germ free plastic shopping cart handleBact-Off, a self-care consumer packaged goods company, in partnership with Smart Plastic Technologies, announces the introduction of a simple, snap on plastic handle enabled with Smart Plastic's SPTek GARD™…

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