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Top 5 - yesterday
Top 5 - last week
- Thai durian exporter already blocked 100 containers before mid-April harvest start
- GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW AVOCADO
- More dragon fruit from Ecuador breaks the market
- Yet more rain could spell quickened end to South African grapes
- “I hear from our clients that our Gala apple is the best Gala you can find in Europe”
Top 5 - last month
- Thai durian exporter already blocked 100 containers before mid-April harvest start
- "Consumers will happily pay two euros for a Mars bar or can of Coke but not for their veg”
- “Fruit industry in the Eastern Cape is facing a perfect storm”
- Eastern buyers prefer the taste of South African Grannies
- GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW AVOCADO
Wednesday, March 29, 2023


"The price of fresh coconuts in Thailand has increased by nearly 40%, price continues to rise"
Fresh coconut water is generally popular because of its naturalness and health, and the consumption of fresh coconuts is increasing year by year. Due to a limited domestic supply, the Chinese market has a long-term demand for imported fresh coconuts from Thailand. As summer is approaching, the market…

Iranian dates are doing well this Ramadan
The Ramadan 2023 campaign of Iranian dates has seen remarkable growth, according to Hossein Vasei, sales manager of the exporting company Amoot Iranian. Hossein said that Amoot's pre-Ramadan sales have increased by 28% compared to the same period of the last year, despite an unexpected challenge. Hossein…


Report on unseasonal rain and its impact on grape industry in Nashik, March 2023
"The rain loosened the natural protective layer, making the grapes more vulnerable to progressive defects"
The unseasonal rains seem to have a large impact on the grape industry in India. Darshan Patil, Director and CEO of Fresh Survey Pvt. Ltd. has written a report, which he shared on LinkedIn. According to the report, 40 per cent of the grapes will be rejected due to the damages, where normally no more than…

Later start of California cherry harvest
No two years are alike in California. The state experienced the driest three-year stretch on record until this last winter season came around. Torrential rain and snow drenched the state in recent weeks, adding to an already wet winter season. Another storm with more rainfall is hitting California this…


“19% percent of vegetables, 21% of fruits destroyed in transportation annually”
According to Sri Lankan Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, 19 percent of vegetables and 21 percent of fruits in our country are destroyed due to lack of proper…

Scientists from China and Pakistan collaborate to combat citrus diseases, insect pests
Chinese and Pakistani scientists are collaborating to develop biological control measures to enhance the quality and quantity of citrus fruits in Pakistan. For this reason, a…

Vietnam-grown Musang King durians more expensive than imports
Malaysia’s Musang King is currently grown by Vietnamese farmers in the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta. A kilogram of Vietnam-grown Musang King now costs VND1.5-1.8…

Amid inflating prices, Kashmir officials issue price list for fruits and vegetables
The Jammu Kashmir administration has woken up to the exorbitant food prices in the region, issuing a price list of fruits and vegetables. Department of Food, Civil Supplies,…

A large walnut plantation being set up in Navoi region of Uzbekistan
In the Nurata district of the Navoi region of Uzbekistan, a project on establishing a walnut plantation with an area of 200 hectares is being implemented with a total…

Thailand secures 500 million baht durian deal with China's Yunnan province
A memorandum of understanding was signed by Thai durian exporters and Yunnan Dimiao Electronic Commerce Ltd. This means that Thailand has secured a 500 million baht (€13.5…

Matt Palise - Red Rich Fruits
Volumes of Queensland's Imperial Mandarin up 10% this season
The Australian Imperial Mandarin season is about to kick off in Gayndah, Queensland. The local harvest, where 80% of Imperial Mandarins are grown in Australia, is around 7-10 days later than a normal growing season. Red Rich Fruits is expecting to harvest 250,000 13kg boxes of Imperial Mandarins that…

Matthew Falloon - Aspara Pacific
"Growers are always looking for high yielding varieties that maintain good tip quality"
The late Dr Peter Falloon started breeding asparagus over 40 years ago, and his son and the team at Aspara Pacific have been breeding asparagus in different forms ever since. "We currently have five commercial varieties. Four of which are mainly for fresh green production and the 5th is a purple…

"It has been a weakening year for the fruit category, declining $237.2million, with the volume also declining but marginally"
A concentrated sector has contributed to farmgate values dropping slightly in the fruit category
Despite strong growth showing positive signs for many growers in several individual categories, mixed performance across the sector saw the overall value of the Australian fruit sector fall four per cent over the past financial year. The Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook found that for the…


Will paper packaging be capable of replacing plastic?
With new regulations emerging across the globe, consumers and businesses are getting the message that excessive plastic usage is bad for the environment. “The problem is that there is too much plastic waste and not enough economically viable means to establish effective recycling options,” says Steve…

Dutch company focuses on sorting, washing and packaging machine sales
"The market is ready for optical sorting"
This year is the Dutch company Remach's fifth anniversary. "We initially wanted to trade used machines. But after a few months, we decided to focus entirely on selling new sorting, washing, and packaging machines. We sell them for products like potatoes, onions, carrots, red beets, and other vegetables,"…

Innovative concepts for closing and labeling of fruit and vegetable trays
Multivac offers two resource-saving solutions for the closing of fresh produce trays with labels with their Top Wrap and Top Close labellers. At interpack 2023, Multivac will be presenting the new L 310 Top Wrap/Top Close conveyor belt labeler, which enables both labeling operations to be performed on…
Vegetables more »
Interview with Agostino Marcellino of HM. Clause Italia
Is the end to the ToBRFV threat a possibility?
In response to the threat of ToBRFV, which is having an increasingly strong impact on Sicilian tomato production, HM. Clause Italia recently launched its first varieties with…
Bananas more »

Lidl in Germany to pay price premium for Fairtrade bananas
The German discount retailer Lidl commented on paying a price premium and so called "living wage" for bananas: “Lidl is currently implementing another milestone within its banana range: In cooperation with Fairtrade and the global Fairtrade certification company Flocert, the company will be the first…

In week 11, Peruvian banana shipments experienced a 34% year-on-year increase
Last week, Peruvian fresh banana exports finally ended the six-week streak in which shipments were lower than in the previous season. “In week 11, Peru exported 5,467 tons of…

Banana exports lower in February 2023 -
Ecuador sees -99.17 percent drop in banana exports to Ukraine due to Russian war
Ecuador's banana exports to Ukraine fell by -99.17% or 1.55 million boxes less in February 2023 compared to the month just before the Russian invasion started a year ago in February 2022. Only 13 060 boxes were sent to Ukraine this February compared to last year’s 1,566,944 boxes, which clearly shows the…
Potatoes and Onions more »

Turkmenistan reveals data on planned potato acreage in Dashoguz region
Farmers of the Dashoguz region of Turkmenistan plan to plant 8,800 hectares of potatoes this season. Recent information shows, it is planned to harvest 123,200 tons of…
Demand by chips makers is up
Potato prices down in Indore
This season potato prices in Indore's Choithram market have plunged to Rs 7-10 per kg much lower than the cost of cultivation at Rs 12-13 per kg, traders at the Choithram market said. A drop in…
David Ortega, from Santo Boniato: “The market isn't ready to pay a high price for this product”
“Frozen sweet potato is an interesting line that we have been considering”
After having experienced a very rapid evolution in recent years, we can say that the sweet potato industry is currently in a readjustment process, stated David Ortega, of the…

India: Disease resistant potatoes get govt approval
For the last few months, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the Indian government agency that monitors and approves GM activity, has approved field trials of…
Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables more »

“We anticipate a great avocado season with favourable prices”
The Kenyan avocado season got off to a slower start than expected, says Dipesh Devraj, commercial director of Kenyan avocado exporter Keitt Exporters: “The much-awaited avocado season for Kenya officially commenced on 24th March, just a few days ago. The start of the season has been slower than…

India: Sundarja mango of Rewa district receives GI tag
On 26 March 2023, Union Minister Piyush Goyal shared information on social media that Sundarja mangoes of the Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh have been given the GI tag. The…

Thailand secures 500 million baht durian deal with China's Yunnan province
A memorandum of understanding was signed by Thai durian exporters and Yunnan Dimiao Electronic Commerce Ltd. This means that Thailand has secured a 500 million baht (€13.5…

Chile's avocado harvest is estimated to have fallen to 186,000 tons this season
According to Francisco Contardo, executive director of the Chilean Avocado Committee, this season's production was affected by the severe spring frosts, which caused the…

"The price of fresh coconuts in Thailand has increased by nearly 40%, price continues to rise"
Fresh coconut water is generally popular because of its naturalness and health, and the consumption of fresh coconuts is increasing year by year. Due to a limited domestic supply, the Chinese market has a long-term demand for imported fresh coconuts from Thailand. As summer is approaching, the market…

Iranian dates are doing well this Ramadan
The Ramadan 2023 campaign of Iranian dates has seen remarkable growth, according to Hossein Vasei, sales manager of the exporting company Amoot Iranian. Hossein said that Amoot's pre-Ramadan sales have increased by 28% compared to the same period of the last year, despite an unexpected challenge. Hossein…

Rouxan Jansen van Rensburg – Core Fruit
Early avo market in Europe the complete opposite to last year
Core Fruit, the avocado exporter of producer ZZ2, has for some weeks been exporting early Hass (Maluma) and greenskin avocados to a European market which is presenting a very different picture to last year: avocado supply from Spain and Israel tapered off earlier this year creating a big gap in the early…

Vietnam-grown Musang King durians more expensive than imports
Malaysia’s Musang King is currently grown by Vietnamese farmers in the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta. A kilogram of Vietnam-grown Musang King now costs VND1.5-1.8…
Company news more »

Customs broker celebrates 10-year anniversary
Miami-based customs broker Advance Customs Brokers will celebrate 10 years in business on April 1, 2023. The company was founded by Pat Compres and Maria Bermudez with the aim of providing additional levels of support and expertise to companies trading in fresh produce. Over the last decade, Compres and…
Starberry MD2 promotion in the Spanish and European markets
A shaker to reduce blueberry harvesting costs
Campagnola Iberica, with headquarters in Barcelona and production at Campagnola s.r.l. in Italy, is a leader in the manufacture of agricultural equipment, such as electric and pneumatic pruning shears, olive-tree harvesters, chain pruners and more. For blueberries, it has created Starberry MD2, a shaker that…

Scales Corporation Limited - Annual Report 2022
Group generated record revenue of $619.2 million
The Scales Corporation gas issued a press statement, saying: Our 2022 results were extremely pleasing. They were driven by record results from Global Proteins and Logistics, with Horticulture dealing admirably with adverse market conditions throughout the year. As ever, exceptional leadership and…
Greenhouse more »

Bite-size cucumbers are in peak season now
Healthy snacks that taste good and are convenient continue to be in a strong uptrend. “Within the cucumber category, we have seen the snacking segment grow in all greenhouse cucumbers,” says Matt Quiring, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Nature Fresh Farms. In response to increasing…
Logistics more »

PIL to integrate China barge service offering into new PIL Intermodal Service
PIL offers river barge service in China as part of its service options to clients who require effective transportation of their goods from ports into inland China. The…
Machinery more »

Due to inflation, more Egyptian producers turn to second-hand machinery
After a 2022 year marked by growth in Egypt's agricultural machinery sector, estimated at 25-30%, investment stagnated early this year due to economic push-backs. Ahmed Heiza, general manager of Misr Vision, an Egyptian distributor of agricultural machinery, describes the situation. To begin with, the…
General fresh produce more »

Water license for NT's Jindare Station cut by 90 per cent
One of the Northern Territory's largest water licenses has been cut by 90 per cent. Taimatsu Australia, a Malaysian-owned company, was granted a license to extract 13,896…
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera
“19% percent of vegetables, 21% of fruits destroyed in transportation annually”
According to Sri Lankan Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, 19 percent of vegetables and 21 percent of fruits in our country are destroyed due to lack of proper…

Amid inflating prices, Kashmir officials issue price list for fruits and vegetables
The Jammu Kashmir administration has woken up to the exorbitant food prices in the region, issuing a price list of fruits and vegetables. Department of Food, Civil Supplies,…

Israel and UAE sign final part of free trade agreement
This weekend, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Israel Mohamed Al Khaja have signed a bilateral customs pact in Jerusalem. It was the…

Tunisian producers in a position to take advantage of the high demand, provided it rains enough
Tunisian fruit producers are preparing for the summer export campaign, in a mood of optimism mitigated by the fear of a reversal of climatic conditions, according to Mohamed Sadok, CEO of CarthagoExpo. "Climatic conditions are currently favorable to kick off the summer season, but we are still haunted by…

Israeli startup Sufresca presents spray that adds weeks to life of fresh fruit and veg
Israeli startup Sufresca has developed a natural alternative to both preserving wax and plastic wraps, intended to keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer. It’s a spray that…
Management more »

New director for Spanish Fedemco
The Spanish Federation of Wooden Light Weight Packaging and their Components (Fedemco) has announced the appointment of Guillermo Arregui Ferrando as its new director. With extensive experience in marketing,…
Miscellaneous more »

"We want Australia to be a leader in genomics-assisted breeding, especially in horticulture crops at the international level"
How fruit genomic research can in Australia lead to better tasting and more resilient crops
Australian research is underway into creating an advanced genomics platform, which will help producers overcome industry challenges, improve performance and lead to tastier varieties of popular fruit crops. Murdoch University scientists are studying the genome of five fruits – banana, pineapple, papaya,…
Fruit more »

South African Table Grape Industry celebrates 2022/2023 China Campaign launch
On Friday, March 24, the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) celebrated a successful 2022/2023 China Market Development Campaign launch at Guangzhou’s Jiangnonghui wholesale fruit market. Joining hands at the event were representatives of the South African Embassy in China, South Africa’s Western…

Electricity costs up 133% for UK apple growers
A survey of British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) growers has revealed that they are paying more than twice as much for electricity in December 2022 than in the same month in…

“We put all our energy in the offshore melon season”
The US offshore season for melons kicked off early November. “We started with bringing in melons from the Zacapa Valley in Guatemala,” says Mark Cassius, President of Sol Group Marketing, a division of Fyffes. The Zacapa Valley is one of the main melon production regions in Guatemala. It’s a desert…

Later start of California cherry harvest
No two years are alike in California. The state experienced the driest three-year stretch on record until this last winter season came around. Torrential rain and snow drenched the state in recent weeks, adding to an already wet winter season. Another storm with more rainfall is hitting California this…

Report on unseasonal rain and its impact on grape industry in Nashik, March 2023
"The rain loosened the natural protective layer, making the grapes more vulnerable to progressive defects"
The unseasonal rains seem to have a large impact on the grape industry in India. Darshan Patil, Director and CEO of Fresh Survey Pvt. Ltd. has written a report, which he shared on LinkedIn. According to the report, 40 per cent of the grapes will be rejected due to the damages, where normally no more than…

Strong demand for Tunisian peaches and apricots
Tunisian peach and apricot growers are expecting a good season, thanks to strong demand, good weather conditions, and better productivity this year, according to Mohamed Akermi, CEO of Tunileaf. "We are putting the finishing touches and preparing to send the first shipments of the season. At Tunileaf, we…

Turkish cherry harvest expected to start slightly early
A lack of rain will result in smaller sized cherries this year, says Akin Soyleyen, marketing manager for Turkish exporter Aksun: “The weather has been ever changing since the last couple of years, which has resulted in different supply periods for fruits. This year has been no different in that sense,…
Targeting expansion to Germany and UAE
Romanian organic blueberry farm launches new global brand
Făgăraș-based organic blueberry farm Dealul cu Afine launched a new global brand amid plans to reach several international markets in the next 12 months. UAE, Saudi Arabia,…
Herbs more »
Ten companies are working in this market, growing herbs in fields covering more than two thousand hectares
In western Ukraine, farmers are growing medicinal herbs for export.
In recent years, western Ukrainian farmers have retrained from growing vegetables for borscht to cultivating medicinal herbs. These herbs are used in various fields such as…
Agenda more »

Organic Food & Eco Living Iberia will be held at IFEMA MADRID on June 7 and 8, 2023
"Ten weeks from the fair, there are only 8 stands available"
"The fourth edition of Organic Food & Eco Living Iberia aims to consolidate itself as one of the organic sector's most important fairs at the international level. The event will be held on June 7 and 8 at IFEMA MADRID, and it will have a high number of visitors and exhibitors. Ten weeks from the fair,…
Citrus more »

Scientists from China and Pakistan collaborate to combat citrus diseases, insect pests
Chinese and Pakistani scientists are collaborating to develop biological control measures to enhance the quality and quantity of citrus fruits in Pakistan. For this reason, a…
Organic more »

Jeffrey Moret, TOFF:
"Dutch organic market dealing with inflation just fine"
There are reports that the Dutch organic market is struggling with inflation and that consumers are, thus, not buying organic goods. Contrary to that, TOFF has begun the year well. "Our customers will share their concerns with us, and we read that people are buying fewer organic products. Our sales…
Health more »
RUSH University in Chicago study claims:
'Eating leafy greens might lead to fewer brain proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease'
According to a new study performed by RUSH University in Chicago, people who eat green leafy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts and fish may have fewer…
IT more »

Australian citrus nursery uses data-driven analytics for more sustainable water management
Hitachi Vantara and Golden Grove Nursery in Australia have applied artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and sensor technology to inform data-driven irrigation water management practices for sustainable, environmentally friendly food production. Hitachi Vantara is the modern infrastructure, data management and…
Innovations more »

Bison by REV Packaging Solutions evolves together with the market
Anti-waste digitalisation and technology
Bison by REV Packaging Solutions, precisely conceived for the filling of punnets, combined with the specific denester-filler, is a weigher designed in the name of innovation (and not surprisingly subject of international patent). It represents a constantly evolving project come, by now, to its seventh…

Pear sizing mobile app delivers reliable size data earlier than ever before
Hectre, double award winners in the AgTech Breakthrough Awards, have announced that their latest innovation, the Spectre for Pears early fruit sizing app, has now been released to the market. Bartlett pears being sized by Spectre for Pears. The award-winning simple to use tech delivers high value to…
Processed fruit and vegetables more »

Moldovan producers of concentrate will process almost half as many apples in 2022-2023 season
Representatives of the Association Speranța Con believe that in the current season, apple processing will be completed in late March – early April, about 1.5 months earlier…
Cooling more »

Facility is one of the biggest in Australia
DP World opens one-stop refrigerated container facility in Sydney to serve growing demand
DP World has announced the opening of Reefer World, a new one-stop refrigerated container facility in Sydney, which will provide a wide range of reefer cleaning and repair services to customers in Australia and New Zealand. The dedicated reefer facility is the largest of its kind in Sydney and one of the…
Food safety more »

China releases National Food Safety Standard for MRL limits of 112 pesticides
In January, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Health Commission (NHC), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and State Administration of Market Regulation…
Nuts and dried fruits more »

A large walnut plantation being set up in Navoi region of Uzbekistan
In the Nurata district of the Navoi region of Uzbekistan, a project on establishing a walnut plantation with an area of 200 hectares is being implemented with a total…

Saudi Arabian date exports up 5.4 percent in 2022
According to the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, date exports from Saudi Arabia grew 5.4 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, reaching SR1.28…
Packaging and Labelling more »

Pack System
Ezy:Split for premium fruit ideal for stone fruit, grapes and strawberries
The vast catalogue of Pack System, a company specializing in the processing of cardboard, plastic and wooden packaging, also features the innovative Ezy:Split® punnet developed by ILIP. It is a niche format suitable for premium products that need to stand our from standard ones. FreshPlaza has talked about…
Climate more »
LC Packaging signs EU Commission sustainable consumption pledge
LC Packaging CEO Lucas Lammers signed the European Commission Sustainable Consumption Pledge on behalf of the company during the Consumer Summit in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday 28 March 2023. By taking the voluntary pledge, LC Packaging is committing to support sustainable consumption, beyond what is…
Retail more »

Dreamstime
Minipreço stores in Portugal: Three bidders line upAlibaba to break up empire into six units
One in six Belgian supermarkets at risk of closure: studyOne in six supermarkets in Belgium are facing structural problems and are at risk of closure, a new study has found. This equates to 16.2% of the market, or around 576 stores in total, according to the study, which was conducted by trade magazine…