Colder temperatures slow organic lettuce production

Organic lettuce supplies have been somewhat impacted by temperatures in Arizona. “Due to recent colder temperatures, the supply has been affected by slow growth. We are also seeing some product quality issues due to frost damage and the cold weather in general,” says Patty Emmert of Duncan Family Farms…

"Noticeable increase in demand for brown mushrooms"

Cultivated mushrooms from Germany are more in demand than ever. This trend towards regional mushrooms and mushroom exotics has accelerated noticeably since the Corona outbreak, observes Dieter Dömges, joint managing director of Pilzhof Nettetal & Co. Brown mushrooms are seeing very strong advances, says…

“People are starting to realize Thailand can export asparagus”

More consumers and importers are becoming aware of the asparagus from Thailand. As the country has received international help to increase both quality and yield, production is ramping up and demand is increasing. Nattharinee Ruecha, a consultant for agricultural businesses in Thailand, states asparagus are…

Peru will boost the export of organic bananas from Piura

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Roberto Sanchez, spoke about the measures that the government will take to promote the export of organic bananas from the Piura…

"Sweet potato demand bound to rise"

The first North American sweet potatoes had arrived at Farm Fresh Produce's European sales office in the Netherlands in November already. But the real volumes will be coming in over the next few weeks. "In the winter, Egypt and Spain were massively on the market at rock-bottom prices. Then it makes no…

68% of the Peruvian avocado exported was sent to the Netherlands, the US, Spain, and Chile

The president of the consulting firm Inform@cción, Fernando Cilloniz Benavides, stated that Peru had exported 525,829,494 kilos of fresh avocado for $1,050,664,197 in 2021,…

South Mill Champs expands Atlanta distribution center

South Mill Champs, one of the largest high-quality mushroom growers in North America, announced it has expanded its Atlanta distribution center. In addition, the company…

Hazel Tech announces Asia Pacific office expansion and investment

Hazel Technologies, Inc. announced a strategic Asia-Pacific (APAC) expansion along with new funding from EDBI, a Singapore-based global investor in select high growth…

The Bonduelle group extends its capital to farming partners and creates the concept of "shareholder producer"

Operating in the international agro-industrial sector, the Bonduelle Group was founded over 160 years ago by the Bonduelle family, who were originally farmers and some of whom…

Vertically integrated berry producer launches in Ontario

Ever Tru Farms, a new Ontario-based, vertically integrated berry producer of scale, has entered the market. Ever Tru Farms will launch with its first crop this March, using a sustainable hydroponic growing process that leads to a better, more consistent and locally grown product.   Ever Tru Farms’ dynamic leadership…

USDA

Flight suspensions add to agricultural shipping problems US

In response to Hong Kong’s new quarantine requirements on locally based cargo crew, on December 30, 2021, Cathay Pacific airlines announced the suspension of all long-haul cargo and cargo-only passenger flights until January 6, 2022. It is estimated that the impact of the seven-day flight suspension on…

'Expansion of trucking apprenticeships, new truck driver boards and studies to improve working conditions'

In December, as part of Administration’s approach to strengthen America’s supply chains, address bottlenecks, and lower prices for Americans, the U.S. Department of…

”We have informed authorities about the complex port situation so that they implement protocols that allow ships to operate”

As Simfruit recently reported, the logistics situation is extremely complex for the country's exports, especially its fresh fruit exports. The president of ASOEX, Ronald Bown,…

'Worn-out containers increase risks for shippers and vessels'

Cargo insurer TT Club highlighted a little-considered risk of the ongoing crunch in containerized freight capacity. With the intense strains on the supply chain, the…

Port of Oakland import volume hit new record in 2021

Containerized, loaded import cargo volume hit a new record at the Port of Oakland in 2021. The Port reported that it handled the equivalent of 1.05 million 20-foot import…

Long-term container shipping contracts 200% higher than a year ago

The earnings from container shipping are expected to remain strong well into 2022, showing another year of rising profits for shipping lines. In fact, the spot rate for a…

Reemoon introduces a world-first smart system to South African packhouses

Reemoon is a name that has become increasingly familiar in Southern African packhouses and the Chinese company’s South African office recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.It is run from Tzaneen, headed up Gerard Meyer who has been with Reemoon since its entry into South Africa. Gerard has worked in…

John Deere

John Deere debuts autonomous tractor

During January’s CES 2022 show, agriculture equipment maker John Deere announced a major advancement for precision farming in the form of a self-driving autonomous tractor. The fully autonomous driverless machine combines Deere’s 8R tractor, its TruSet tillage technology coupled with a chisel plow, GPS…

Fresh produce prices expected to soar

In Canada, a leading food analyst says to expect an increase in food prices, as record inflation hits the country. Dairy and fresh produce will be seeing the biggest price…

Taiwan and St Lucia sign 5-year agricultural agreement

Sources say Saint Lucia's agricultural sector will reap the benefits of the signing of a major agreement between the governments of Saint Lucia and Taiwan on Friday, January…

"Paying in local currency could save European fruit importers plenty of money"

You would think European importers make good money bringing in Brazilian mangos or Colombian roses. Yet, according to Laurens Maartens of StoneX, money is often unnecessarily wasted along the way. "European importers often can't pay in local currencies. They have absolutely no idea what exchange rate the…

"There is no shortage of supply of fresh produce in South Australia"

Another wave of COVID in Australia has seen reports of empty supermarket shelves. Staff shortages and supply chain issues have been reported as the reason behind this, but this is not the case at independent retailers or local fruit and veg stores. "There is no shortage of supply of fresh produce in…

Calls for proposals to promote European agri-food products launched

Yesterday, the European Commission launched the 2022 calls for proposals for European agri-food promotion programmes, in the EU and abroad. Similarly to 2021, this year puts a special focus on the promotion of products and methods that support more directly the European Green Deal objectives. This…

Freshfel Europe optimistic for 2022 to progressively fill the gap of consumption

Eurostat released a report indicating that only 12% of Europeans over the age of 15 are eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. This finding is consistent…

Maryland Department of Agriculture

Maryland expands Spotted Lanternfly quarantine zone

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) today expanded its spotted lanternfly quarantine to include the following counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery and Washington, as well as Baltimore City. This quarantine is effective immediately, and…

Honduras import melon season underway

Supplies of melons being imported into North America and Europe are about to shift growing regions. Galia melons in a field.  Johann Reichmann commercial representative of Agrolibano company based in San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras, a company with more than 40 years experience shipping melons to the U.S., Europe,…

Building strawberry farms to feed North America

“By the end of 2022, we will be producing 1.3 million kilograms of strawberries between three facilities. We’re not looking to replace summer production so we’ll be down for three months, then in full production for nine months,” says Yves Daoust, founder and COO of Winter Farm. The company is based…

The imported fruit price index mainly showed a trend of increase in 2021

In 2021, the price index of imported fruits fluctuated year on year, and it increased especially in the fourth quarter. The domestic fruit market was stable but weak in 2021.…

"With just ten days until Chinese New Year demand is very good, we are picking as fast as we can"

The Tasmanian cherry harvest is in full swing and at Hansen Orchards it has been a very busy last couple of weeks. "Yields have been really good," said owner Howard Hansen. "The size and quality of the cherries is exceptional and with just ten days until Chinese New Year demand is very good. We are…

South African pears allowed to enter China

Recently, the General Administration of Customs issued an announcement: In accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations and the "Protocol between the General…

Production and export of Argentinian blueberries declines

At the beginning of 2021, official statistics from Argentina showed that the total production of blueberries had reached 18.000 tons: of that volume, almost 11.000 tons of…

Changing demand for fresh herbs in Sweden

Demand for herbs in Sweden is traditionally very seasonal with curly parsley, dill, and chives seeing a good demand during the summer months and the holiday season. A lot of fresh herbs are used by chefs for decorative purposes. “These days with modern and international cuisine becoming more popular…

Aquafarm fair postponed by three months

The next editions of AquaFarm, NovelFarm, and the new AlgaeFarm project have been rescheduled from February to 25-26 and 27 May 2022. A special conference day is being planned for 27 May. During the 2020 edition, the fair registered 35% exhibitors from abroad and an international audience of 15% of the…

Florida heading for smallest orange crop in over 75 years

Florida looking to produce the smallest crop of oranges in more than 75 years, according to a forecast released this month. The state is on pace to produce 44.5 million…

Orri mandarin continues to stand out for another year

The Orri mandarin continued to stand out for another year in several important aspects, such as price, freshness, appearance, promotional campaigns and exclusive varietal…

The conversion to organic among South African growers is (at last) taking off

Volkert Engelsman, CEO of organic supplier Eosta, says the company is desperate for organic citrus and grapes from South Africa, a country whose slow transition to organic production has always puzzled him.“The organic market is exploding and there is a disproportionate demand for organic citrus from…

‘Eating fruits and veggies can help reduce risk of cervical cancer’

Most education on cervical cancer prevention focuses on the dangers of human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted infection that is the main cause of the cancer. However,…

"If you can guarantee quality throughout the chain, you significantly reduce food waste"

Fresco could well be the solution for food waste in the fruit sector. "This inspection sensor uses a penetrative detection technique that doesn’t damage the fruit,” explains Luca Galatro of Vertigo Tech, the Dutch company behind Fresco. "Each piece of fruit’s quality can be determined. Too often, we see…

Five ways gene editing is making crops climate-resilient

Our world is undergoing climate changes that have triggered a spate of calamitous disruptions on agricultural production and overall food security. From the devastations of…

Courtesy of Campbell Soup Company.

US: The legacy of Campbell Soup’s tomato breeding program

What comes to mind when you think of Campbell Soup? You might picture cans of tomato soup or perhaps an iconic Andy Warhol print of them. You probably don’t think much about the ingredients that went into those cans. But Campbell’s did, and it bet big and early on agriculture research to grow its product…

Increased demand for raspberry processing

The global export of raspberries saw a record-breaking increase in 2021, especially in Europe and North America, says OctoFrost marketing manager coordinator Sana Rehman: “This increase can be explained by the higher global prices for frozen raspberries, which led to expanded raspberry plantations.…

Cyclospora, toxoplasma and cryptosporidium detected in berries sold in Norway

Cyclospora, toxoplasma and cryptosporidium have been detected in berries sold in Norway. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries were tested for Echinococcus multilocularis,…

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets announces funding opportunities for Vermont specialty crops

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) announces $500,000 in grant funds to strengthen Vermont’s specialty crop industries and producer associations.…

Multi-million dollar reusable packaging theft operation taken down

In 2021, a major plastic container theft sting was executed in Cook County, Illinois. It resulted in the discovery of an illegal plastic regrind operation which was grinding…

Fresh produce companies turning to automation during pandemic labour shortages

A leading Australian sustainable packaging solutions company, Propak Industries has confirmed it has received increased interest in its automated systems for the fresh produce industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. "A lot of the industries that we deal with have had problems with labour…

Climate change endangers Florida strawberries

Florida’s strawberry harvest is currently underway. Although the growers are facing challenges due to climate change, there are researchers trying to help them adapt. Vance…