Unusually strong Florida tomato market

Demand for Florida-grown field tomatoes is strong, even after the Thanksgiving holiday. “Typically, it’s pretty quiet coming off Thanksgiving, but business is better than usual this time around,” says Tony DiMare with DiMare Fresh. While demand is relatively normal, the strong market is mainly supply…

Ecuador sees 6.3% increase in banana exports for October 2023

Ecuador has had a 6.36% growth in banana exports compared to the same period of the previous year, although pre-pandemic levels have not yet been reached. For the month of October 2023, accumulated exports were 292.38 million boxes of bananas. In 2022, exports were 2/4.90 million boxes of bananas, which represents…

No suggested retail price for onions, despite high prices

There is no plan to impose a suggested retail price (SRP) on onions despite a spike in retail prices as the bulbs are sold at P220 per kilo. According to Bureau of Plant Industry director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, at least 21,000 tons of onions are expected to arrive in December to ensure a steady supply…

Potato prices remain elevated in Bangladesh

Although the harvest of early-winter potato varieties has begun in Bangladesh, the arrival of new potatoes is yet to provide any price relief to the local market. Stored potatoes continue to sell at Tk 45-55 per kilogram across the country. Newly harvested potatoes are retailing at Tk 120-160 per…

Flanders makes a case for local Belgian ginger

People in Flanders, Belgium, see chances to expand local ginger cultivation. Researchers wanted a project to address the biggest challenges in support of ginger farming in…

First container of Rwandan avocados arrives in the Netherlands

On Monday, November 27, the first reefer container of Rwandan avocados arrived at Avor in the Netherlands. Rwanda's ambassador to the Netherlands, Olivier Jean Patrick Nduhungirehe, his colleague Jean Hugues Mukama, Nico Spruijt of Avor, and Tom Bouwman of Flying Swans were there to welcome it. "The fruit's quality is good, and the avocados are suitable for ripening for our…

"High prices cause lag in avocado demand"

"Hass avocado volumes have remained stable these past few weeks, but they're mostly smaller sizes (20 to 32)," says Elena Rogojnikova of The Greenery. "Arrivals from Chile in…

Filipino’s want to scale up coconut industry as yields decline

The Filipino Department of Agriculture is looking to upscale the coconut industry to boost the production of the sector. The latter covers over a third of the country's agricultural exports, amid a declining yield. The Philippines are the second largest coconut producer in the world behind Indonesia, but…

Mango pricing could pick up in near future

Supply of mango in the U.S. has been sporadic thanks to some delays. “It’s going to shorten up quickly. The glut over Thanksgiving was a one-time hit,” says Cindy Schwing, VP of Marketing for Splendid by Porvenir, noting that last year at this time, mango supply was more abundant and consistent. Mango…

South Africa's dried mango dilemma

A year ago, Jaco Fivaz (right) from Mohlatsi Farm, a Hoedspruit mango farmer and former chair of the South African Mango Growers’ Association, realised their own mango drying facility was facing some export challenges. He spent months researching the global trade in dried mango and told the recent…

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan enters strategic partnership with Montague

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and its Australian agriculture subsidiary AustOn Corporation (AustOn) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a strategic partnership with Montague. As part of this partnership, Pomona Valley, a subsidiary of Ontario Teachers’, will acquire a majority equity…

Oasis Grower Solutions introduces precision propagation media

To succeed in today's market, commercial growers need every competitive advantage, including a precision propagation substrate that channels success. To address that, Oasis Grower Solutions (OGS) is launching OASIS® RhizoPlug™ Sheet, a new engineered foam growing media designed especially for precision…

Solar panels in greenhouses are not profitable for the time being

The energy market is in full swing. Energy prices are rising, and there is a transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources with a focus on electricity. For this reason, large areas covered with solar panels have been increasingly constructed across the country in recent years. Could those…

South African ports: dire situation

Despite all the meetings from the operational level to Minister Pravin Gordhan and the National Logistics Crisis Committee under the auspices of the President, we are finding ourselves in a dire situation with all the ports in the country. The amount of anger and frustration has reached boiling point in…

Boxships now hit by Panama Canal crossing restrictions

Container ships are now being held up in the Panama Canal as the number of transit slots for such vessels will be reduced from 1 January 2024, according to Linerlytica’s report. Linerlytica noted that congestion at the Panama Canal is starting to build up with 22 container ships waiting at the end of…

Sea Intelligence

Carrier results drop to pre-pandemic levels

All major shipping lines that report on their financial figures have recorded sharp Y/Y revenue drops in 2023-Q3. In fact, the smallest contraction was of -51.8%. While this does sound alarming, we have to remember that the Y/Y comparison is against a period of high rates. To counter this volatility, we…

Automation should alleviate harvest labor shortages in Australia

Engineering consultancy start-up Vision AI has clinched an $8 million deal that could revolutionize the labor-intensive task of growing fruit and vegetables. The company will use new technology to introduce labor efficiencies into operations at Victorian glasshouse fruit and vegetable grower Flavorite.…

Singapore Food Agency

Around 1.1 tons of illegally imported fruit & vegetables seized in Singapore

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has seized around 1.1 tons of vegetables and fruits illegally imported from Malaysia. On 14 and 15 November 2023, SFA and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) conducted a joint operation targeting delivery trucks which typically transport fresh and processed…

Dreamstime.com

Russia blocks Armenian imports over ‘sanitary concerns’

Russian customs have blocked the entry of a number of Armenian lorries for ‘violating sanitary measures’, as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate. The lorries are believed to be carrying fruits, vegetables, flowers and fish. Russia has frequently introduced restrictions of imports…

Dreamstime.com

Maharashtra and Gujarat assess crop damage due to hailstorms and unseasonal rainfall

Hailstorms and unseasonal rainfall have damaged standing crops covering over 99,381 hectares in 17 districts of Maharashtra. According to preliminary estimates, the loss is over 300,000-400,000 hectares in Gujarat state. In Gujarat, State Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel said the government authorised…

Enhancing farming practices with sustainable agrivoltaic solutions

In 2015, Laurent Coulot (CEO), Mathieu Ackermann (CTO) and Florian Gerlich (Product Architect), came together to establish Insolight, a company based in Lausanne, Switzerland. For the past four years, Insolight has been working closely with growers and agronomic centres across Europe, focusing on…

Dreamstime.com

Pakistani rupee set to end the year as Asia’s worst-performing currency

The Pakistani rupee will probably end the year as Asia’s worst-performing currency. It has fallen about 20% against the dollar this year and financial experts say its troubles are far from over. BMI analysts say the currency will fall to 350 rupees by the end of next year, while Karachi-based brokerage…

British Berry Growers launches campaign and policy board to ensure a sustainable future

British Berry Growers, the industry body representing 95% of the UK’s commercial soft fruit growers, has announced the formation of a Campaign and Policy board to advocate for the industry’s pressing needs. It is chaired by Anthea McIntyre CBE, a former member of European Parliament where she served on the…

New varieties of Ukrainian apples are successfully exported

Ukrainian apple varieties, including Gala, Schniga, Schniko Red, and Red Velox, cultivated by the agricultural company "Agrarna Kompaniya 2004" in the Khmelnytskyi region, have made their debut in international markets. The harvest from newly planted orchards is exclusively earmarked for export, with…

"If these apple varieties get more expensive, demand will only get weaker"

Polish apple exports are slowly picking up the pace again after a slow November, says Aniruddh Ramesh, director of Polish apple exporter LVMG Grupa: “The season started on a very high note to all export destinations and slowed down from November. But it has very gradually started picking up pace again,…

"We are seeing a good crop set on all blocks and are expecting the biggest volume of cherries ever"

The Tasmanian cherry harvest is still a few weeks away but so far it is looking positive. Howard Hansen from Hansen Orchards grows all of his cherry crop under cover so although the recent good weather has its advantages his crop no longer relies on it. “We had good winter chill and the spring…

Challenges and prospects in Southern Russian horticulture

Horticultural enterprises in southern Russia face challenges this year due to unfavourable weather conditions, leading to reduced yields and fruit quality. Increased costs for agricultural machinery, fuel, and fertilizers have lowered the industry's profitability to 12%. The shortage of fruit storage…

Lidl tops British apple month sales as Tesco falls short of 2022 performance

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has published sales figures for October 2023, which was British Apple Month and the first month proper of the British apple season. In October 2023, Lidl significantly outperformed its market share, buying 3,030 tons of new season British apples via BAPL members.…

Morocco's cultivated rosemary campaign draws to a close

The Moroccan cultivated rosemary season is drawing to a close, with calendars available until December. Exporters continue to supply several markets on three continents. Mehdi Benchekroun, a rosemary grower in the Ouarzazate region, shares, "While wild rosemary is exported all year round, our calendars for…

Photo report: Global Berry Congress

Despite a significant surge in input costs, particularly in labor, the pricing of berries has not kept pace, placing substantial pressure on profit margins in the global berry industry. Further complicated by climate challenges and extreme weather conditions, the industry is actively seeking a more…

"This season will be much easier than the previous"

The upcoming citrus season will be much easier from a commercial point of view for Egyptian exporters, helped by improved sizes and low competition, according to Eslam Gelila, CEO of Gelila. Eslam says, "Last season was very challenging to navigate. However, everything has improved this year - size, quality,…

Frischebrüder GmbH

"Lower yields for early clementines and oranges"

The excessively mild climate is having a noticeable impact on Spanish citrus cultivation this year. The lack of cold hours is generally reflected in weaker tree growth and the low rainfall is leading to more depleted soil, which in turn is having a negative impact on production volumes. "These negative…

Maharashtra government may absorb 50% of import duty to promote orange exports to Bangladesh

The Maharashtra government may absorb half the import duty impact levied by Bangladesh on oranges from India, said deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday. The duty hike had drastically brought down the consignment of Nagpur oranges to the eastern neighbour, which is the mainstay export market…

Israel avocado, citrus production and markets overview

The harvesting, packing and exports of avocados, citrus and dates are ongoing in Israel as volunteers stepped in to help out due to a shortage of people. According to an overview by Yosi Knop, marketing and sales manager at Galilee Export in Israel, “The unfortunate on-going situation keeps tension high…

Over six thousand tons of mandarins were imported into Russia over the weekend

The import season for new harvest mandarins is currently in full swing at the border crossings of the Krasnodar Krai. The past weekend, Russia received 337 batches of fruits, totalling more than 6,400 tons. The majority volume of deliveries came from Turkey, with 270 batches weighing 5,912 tons entering…

BGP International kicks off the Egyptian citrus campaign with vibrant lemons

November marks the start of the Egyptian Citrus Campaign by BGP International, a marketer and distributor of a wide range of agricultural products, including citrus, grapes, apples, stonefruit, and more. With a keen eye on quality and color, BGP International is excited to announce the launch of the…

Higher volumes for Moroccan Nadorcotts

For Moroccan fruit exporter Lady B, the Nadorcott season has been a positive one, says Khalid Bourass, General Manager of the company: “The cultivation of Nadorcotts this season has been successful. We have implemented advanced agricultural practices to ensure the health and productivity of our orchards.…

6th Biofruit Congress confirms rebound in growth of organic market

The 6th international congress on organic demand, sustainability and innovation was hosted by Eurofresh Distribution and IFEMA during Fruit Attraction on October 3rd, 2023.…

Dreamstime.com

Eating more nuts during middle age might prolongs people’s lives by 8 years

According to recent research, adults who take up a healthier diet during their 40s can extend their lifespan by eight or more years. Evidence from a study of more than 460,000 Brits shows that people will live longer if they eat more nuts and whole grains and reduce their sugary drinks and processed…

Cherry grower gains early data advantage

As Chile’s cherry harvest ramps up, producers and packers are gaining the benefits of a new AI solution, Spectre for Cherries S.A. Built specifically for the South American cherry industry, the technology is delivering critical cherry size and color data, earlier than ever before. Hectre developed…

"Cold chain temperature monitoring maximizes shelf-life and reduces food waste"

Fresh produce travels the globe to find its way to the end-consumer and in some cases, the product spends three weeks or more in transit before it reaches its final destination. During the transit process, different factors determine the quality of produce upon arrival. In the end, visual quality and…

Frutree s. r. o.

"Uzbekistan is the procurement country of the future"

On September 1, Frutree took over the business operations of Vetter Slovakia. With this step, the Europe-wide producer of high-quality nut and dried fruit products is not only breaking new ground in the production and marketing of its products, but also in the procurement of raw materials, as Anton…

Evergreen invests out over US$222 million on containers and reefer equipment

Taiwanese mainline operator Evergreen Marine Corporation will spend more than US$222 million on more equipment; it will buy 60,000 dry containers, 7,000 reefer containers, 7,000 reefer generators and 800 special containers. The company has stated it needs to replace older boxes and meet growing demand to…

Wholesale distribution centre set to open in Mangystauwith enabling storage of large volumes of vegetables

A wholesale distribution centre is set to open in Mangystau as part of projects aimed at stabilizing prices for essential food items, discussed at a meeting chaired by the region's head, Nurlan Nogaev. The construction of the "Aktau Wholesale Distribution Center (WDC)" is a key focus, according to the…

FSAI recalls frozen vegetable product due to ‘possible foreign body contamination’

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has issued a notice that Tesco is recalling certain batches of Growers Harvest Garden Peas due to contamination fears. These products may contain an unknown type of berry which may make the product unsafe to eat. A notice read: "Tesco, on the advice of the Food Safety…

EU extended duty-free imports of fruits, vegetables and nuts from Uzbekistan for another 4 years

In April 2023, EastFruit wrote that the European Union intends to extend Uzbekistan’s status as a beneficiary of the GSP+ system for a new cycle. At negotiations with representatives of the government of Uzbekistan, the EU delegation at that time noted that Uzbekistan had ratified the necessary…

New cling film technology provides certified recyclable alternative to PVC films

Berry Global has launched a new version of its Omni® Xtra polyethylene cling film for fresh food applications, which provides a high-performance alternative to traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cling films. While Omni Xtra is already an established solution for the packaging of fruit and vegetables,…

“Climate change forces us to constantly evolve and find sourcing alternatives”

Climate change is resulting in more extreme weather events that are having a big impact on the fresh produce industry. This year in particular, many growing regions are faced with a delayed start of harvest as well as lower production volumes. Just to mention a few examples, mango production in South…

Deep Fake

Flight attendant caught recycling orange juice

A passenger on an American Airlines flight from San Diego to Charlotte witnessed a flight attendant recycling orange juice by pouring it back into its original container. This practice, seen as unsanitary, may have been influenced by CEO Robert Isom's directive to employees to minimize unnecessary…