Prices firming up on California iceberg lettuce

Even though supplies of iceberg lettuce out of California have tightened up, there’s enough availability to meet demand. “Some of the volume decreases we are experiencing is a normal planned reduction for this time of year as more local/regional harvesting comes into play for the summer months,” says…

US Northeast region sees 5% increase in consumer asparagus consumption

The Peruvian Asparagus Importers Association (PAIA) has released its 2021/2022 Fresh Asparagus Statistics, Category Trends and Demographics Report showing a Northeast region…

Bananas from Belize at £0.86 this week

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 £0.86 for bananas…

"Despite record exports, the onion market's mood's been bland just about all season"

Last Wednesday, Monie, an onion sorting and packaging company in the Netherlands, received new winter onions harvested on Monday. According to Eric Moerdijk, they look good.…

2022 NZ kiwifruit harvest complete

The 2022 harvest of New Zealand’s largest horticultural produce, kiwifruit, is now largely complete with almost all 2,800 growers’ orchards from Kerikeri in the north to…

Joby Young named AFBF Executive Vice President

The American Farm Bureau Federation has named Joby Young the organization’s next Executive Vice President, stepping into the role in mid-July following the retirement of Dale…

Equitable Food Initiative elects two new board members

Equitable Food Initiative has named two new board members. Fernanda Suárez will now represent NatureSweet Tomatoes and Natalie Camacho Mendoza takes the place of retiring Bruce Goldstein for Farmworker Justice. EFI attracts board members who reflect the diversity of perspectives across the fresh produce…

Al Jasin retires after 30 years in the industry

After more than five years with Gold Coast Packing, Al Jasin, regional sales, is retiring. His career in produce spans 30 years. Jasin started his career in produce as…

Pandol Brothers announces passing of Winnie Pandol

It is with great sorrow that Pandol Bros., Inc. announces the passing of Winifred Mary Pandol (nee Zaninovich), who died on Saturday, June 25, 2022, in Bakersfield, California. Winifred (Winnie) was born July 19, 1925, in Porterville, California. She was the spouse of Pandol Bros., Inc. co-founder and…

T&G takes big step towards low carbon future with Sustainability-Linked Loan

T&G Global has announced it has signed Aotearoa New Zealand’s first Sustainability-Linked Loan in the horticulture sector – borrowing $180 million. The three-year loan is the…

Sunnier days welcome for mini cucumber growers

Lots of sunshine predicted for the province of British Columbia, Canada, means the onset of a steady supply of baby cucumbers. Jeff Madu, Vice-President of Sales for Windset Farms®, based in Delta, B.C., grows the Fresco® Baby Cucumber which it offers in a 1.75 lb. Punnet for large gatherings or families…

Peruvian transporters turn off their engines

The president of the National Union of Heavy-duty Transporters (UNT), Javier Marchese, announced that the union has called for an indefinite national strike starting Monday,…

Container Terminal Altenwerder: World’s first climate-neutral container handling facility recertified

Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA)’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) has once again received certification as a climate-neutral company from TÜV NORD. This highlights CTA’s pioneering role in the industry as a sustainable, innovative company. In 2019, CTA was the first container handling…

Container-ship building binge is not over yet

The price of newbuild container ships keep rising, but still, liner operators and ship-owning companies keep placing more orders (mostly at Asian yards). This will lead to an ever-larger spate of new vessels in 2023-25. According to Alphaliner, capacity on order has now reached 27.9% of on-the-water…

Solinftec launches its new AgTech robotic platform into Canada

Solinftec, a global player in agricultural digitalization, has announced that it will expand the launch of its new cutting edge AgTech robotic platform, Solix Ag Robotics,…

Automated seeding can be a great help to agriculture

In the agriculture sector, the use of robots in fieldwork can help ease the labor shortages that are now occurring in both the United States and Europe. Robots and other…

Chemical shortages hamper US growers

US farmers have cut back on using common weedkillers. Now they are on the lookout for substitutes to popular fungicides, and they are changing planting plans over persistent…

USDA

Peaches, nectarines and cherries were among the sweetest deals this week

Peaches, nectarines, and cherries were some of the sweetest deals this week, as fruit ads increased in preparation for Independence Day celebrations. Berries got in on the action too, with patriotically colored strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries ripe and ready for desserts and salads. Summer…

USDA

May saw many ports recording record numbers of imports as backlogs and arrival delays were largely resolved

The month of May saw many ports recording record numbers of imports as last year’s unloading backlogs, and arrival delays have largely been resolved. The Port of Los Angeles, the nation’s busiest, saw its third-highest volume on record, while the Port of Oakland, the Northwest Seaport Alliance (covering…

Latin America's leaders try to curb inflation without much success

Latin America's leaders are desperately trying to combat inflation. The region has some of the highest interest rates in the world. Mexico's Central Bank made a record rate…

North Dakotans are outraged as Bill Gates apparently buys $13.5 million potato farm

Billionaire Bill Gates is America's largest farmland owner. Now, he has apparently bought a potato farm in North Dakota, and local residents aren't too thrilled about it. The…

"We're central to handling everything for our clients in far-off destinations"

Less than three months ago, brothers, Paul and Henri Schockman, and Robbert and Ruud Krul started Freshclusive. This Dutch company focuses on overseas fruit and vegetable exports. Since then, many customers at distant destinations have been supplied with fruit and vegetables from all over the world. "We…

From the ordering app to the eCommerce operating system

Increasing staff shortages and growing complexities in operational structures call for digital solutions to meet both old and new challenges. Orderlion, founded in 2018 by CEO Stefan Strohmer and CTO Patrick Schubert, addresses these challenges and aims to help suppliers automate their processes in order…

Indian rupee plunges against dollar

Indian companies with US dollar loans on their balance sheets, as well as importers, are rushing to cover unhedged foreign currency exposures after the Federal Reserve's…

Florida Dpt of Agriculture and Consumer Services announces presence of Oriental fruit flies

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has positively identified the presence of Oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, in Pinellas County. A…

Scientists send out wasps to save Willamette Valley fruits

For more than a decade, Oregon State University scientists researched a fruit fly issue costing growers millions. In 2009, a berry grower in the Willamette Valley sent Oregon…

Chilean fresh fruit exports up until May increased

Chile exported 1.608 million tons of fresh fruits worth 3.657 billion FOB dollars between January and May 2022, i.e. 10% more volume and 9.6% more value than in the same…

First cherries in British Columbia being harvested

After what could be one of the longest waits between blossom and harvest, Canadian cherries are ready for harvest. Cherries in Tieton (above) in the town of Oliver in the Okanagan Valley, just 25km north of the US border, were starting to be picked yesterday June 27, which marked the beginning of the 2022…

JAZZ™ apple heroic “DC League of Super-Pets”-branded snacks to fans

JAZZ™ apples are taking part in an exciting new adventure, thanks to a new global partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, supporting Warner Bros. Pictures’ new animated adventure, “DC League of Super-Pets.” Highlighting the new partnership, JAZZ™ will release co-branded packaging and eye-catching…

Swedish Midsummer festival leads to record strawberry sales

The Swedish danced their way to record high strawberry sales as part of their annual Midsummer celebrations last Friday (24 June). “Local Swedish strawberries together with imported fruit from the Netherlands and Belgium sold for very high prices. Even lower priced strawberries from Poland sold well,”…

Stronger supplies of California organic basil in 2022

Supplies of organic basil are greater this year. Jacobs Farm del Cabo has been steadily building a stronger basil supply each year, and this year will have more available than last year.  At Jacobs Farm del Cabo, basil is grown in Watsonville, California, year-round. “Our basil supply is plentiful and local…

Successful first day of the 7th International Berry Congress of Huelva

On June 22, Huelva opened the 7th edition of the International Berry Congress. The event was inaugurated by the president of Freshuelva, Alberto Garrocho, the mayor of Huelva, Gabriel Cruz, the president of the Provincial Council, María Eugenia Limón, the general secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and…

USDA

Revised estimates for fresh lemon production up by 15 percent

For marketing year (MY) 2021/22, there are revised estimates for fresh lemon production to 1.90 million metric tons (MMT), up by 15 percent, due to favorable weather conditions. Fresh orange production is projected to increase to 920,000 metric tons (MT), and fresh tangerine production is expected to…

Impact of cold sterilization requirements on organic South African oranges

The European Commission has adopted a regulation which forces South Africa and it’s neighbouring countries to a very strict cold sterilization regime for oranges prior to and during transportation. This decision has far-reaching consequences for the organic growers where OTC Organics, organic distributor…

Clean Eating Challenge recap and a call for participants

This year, 11 participants completed the third annual Viva Fresh Clean Eating Challenge which culminated at the Viva Fresh Expo last month. Since 2020, participants have challenged themselves to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their routines. As a welcome bonus, participants have lost more…

How fixing issues that lead to food waste can increase a company's overall efficiency

An Australian supply chain data company is encouraging fresh produce suppliers to understand their supply chains better to seize opportunities for growth and increased profits while addressing issues that lead to food waste.   Escavox tracks fresh foods to provide visibility of the cold chain, making it easier to…

Eco-solutions for a concrete circular economy

The latest market research highlights how, when choosing what to buy, in everyday life, besides the product quality (which remains a constant at the top), a new variable has entered the game: the environmental impact of the product and of its packaging and the negative effects that they will have on the…

Chipotle tests Mexican cauliflower rice

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced it is piloting Mexican Cauliflower Rice at 60 restaurants in Arizona, Southern California, and Wisconsin for a limited time. The company's…

The delicate work of keeping herbs cold

Keeping the cold chain intact is always critical when transporting produce. But it may be particularly more important in moving herbs. “Herbs are a highly perishable item with a very short life. The way you manage the cold chain directly impacts the quality and shelf life of the herb,” says Grego…

Daily Harvest issues voluntary recall of French lentil + leek crumbles

Daily Harvest, Inc., New York, NY.  Daily Harvest has voluntarily recalled all French Lentil + Leek Crumbles due to consumer reports of gastrointestinal illness and potential liver…

SmartWash Boost pretreatment eliminates 99.5% of pathogens before produce reaches wash lines

Growers know it is impossible to eliminate 100% of pathogens in fresh produce. Best food safety practices include minimizing contamination opportunities in the field and…

The apple chip product tackling food waste and encouraging healthy snacking

A Victorian food manufacturing company is helping to bring a healthy diet and also reduce fresh produce waste, with its product Chippy Apples. Managing Director of Pipan Foods, Phil Gomizel’s background is in food manufacturing, and he says it is marketed towards families, with the main driver being…

"Our sector must be ready for the impending plastic to cardboard switch"

In the packaging sector, Ronald Zwaga of Stackpack considers the flow pack to top seal, and plastic to paper switches the most significant future trends. Recently, this Dutch company, specializing in cardboard packaging, received a four-year patent on a self-designed cardboard fruit tray. "The transition…

British mushroom company uses mycelium to replace plastic packaging

The latest to join the ranks of European sustainable packaging startups in Europe is Magical Mushroom Company (MMC). It has raised a £3 million seed round led by Ecovative…

New climate research shows that ‘clean eating’ is more complicated than we thought

For a while now, climate-conscious consumers have embraced plant-based diets as a way to avoid the emissions-heavy meat industry. However, new research suggests a low-carbon…