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Top 5 - yesterday
- How record rainfall is impacting California’s strawberries
- Europe undersupplied with stonefruit
- It’s time for dragon fruit to transition to mainstream
- “Onion production is about 60 per cent lower, demand is strong”
- New Zealand apples and pears available, Chilean stone fruits entered the peak of arrival
Top 5 - last week
Top 5 - last month
- "Consumers will happily pay two euros for a Mars bar or can of Coke but not for their veg”
- Supermarkets limiting sales of veg per customer
- “Fruit industry in the Eastern Cape is facing a perfect storm”
- Eastern buyers prefer the taste of South African Grannies
- Durian smell forces Turkish Airlines flight to turn back
Global Focus Machinery/Packaging

French mushroom specialist invests in Ishida technology
An Ishida multihead weigher has enabled a French specialist mushroom and vegetable supplier to optimise the packing of its new pan-fried range, significantly increasing production while reducing product giveaway to deliver an attractive return on investment. Francep, part of the Gelpass Group, offers a variety…

Remach appointment strengthens Haith’s European presence
The UK’s leading vegetable handling equipment manufacturer has strengthened its European presence with the appointment of a new dealer. Haith has appointed Remach BV as their representative in the Netherlands and Belgium. Established in 2019, Remach specialises in supplying sorting, washing and packing…

Wicketed bagger is the solution for smaller produce
Fox Solutions manufactures a wicketed bagger with a small footprint that is capable of running raw, uncut produce under six inches in diameter or length, supporting weight from one pound to twenty pounds. “The FSWB3 Wicketed Bagger is excellent for packing lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, as well as…

“The main reason projects fail to reach the predicted ROI, is that there has not been enough time put into planning"
End-of-line automation in the packing industry has been gaining ground for a number of years. The decrease in labour after Brexit followed by the social-distancing challenges of Covid has really pushed packers to look more closely at efficient, labour-saving solutions. “We have seen that labour is now…

New cherry production line launched in Washington
FirstFruits Farms has introduced the construction of an advanced cherry production line at its facility located in Prescott, Washington. The production line will feature advanced technology offering total automation which results in the ability to provide customers with high-quality fruit. “We are constantly…

S&B / Sorma
S&B Verpackungsmaschinen Ltd about automation in the fruit industry"It is important that, thanks to our solutions, medium-sized businesses can also increase their competitiveness"
In terms of packaging and plant technology, the global fruit sector is currently undergoing a comprehensive structural change. Greater efficiency and higher cycle rates, as well as sustainability, are particularly important. "In view of the difficult market conditions and high production costs, it is all…

New labour saving apple peeling application for AI-optimised 3D vision
At FPC Future, Scorpion Vision, a machine vision automation company, will present a brand new application for its AI-powered 3D vision platform. The new 3D+AI solution will enable fresh produce processors to automate the peeling, coring and chopping of apples without impacting yield for the first time…

EarthPad fruit pad approved for recycling
Sirane's paper recyclable absorbent pad for fruits has been approved for recycling by On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL). According to Sirane, this makes it the world's first approved recyclable absorbent pad. Simon Balderson, Sirane MD, said: "Sirane has been known for years now as the expert in absorbency and…

Mpact confident even as consumers cut back, with a number of trends in its favour
According to spokespeople from Africa's largest paper and plastics packaging group, Mpact, the company is very positive about its prospects even as tough economic conditions…

Packing line for snacking tomatoes significantly reduces labor need
The selection of tomatoes in any retail store is abundant nowadays. Both retailers and consumers ask for different types of tomatoes as well as all sorts of packaging. In response to this demand, JASA Packaging Solutions is offering packing lines that have the ability to pack most tomato varieties, from…

Cutting fresh herbs with precise cuts
Fresh herbs play an essential role in making dishes taste better. But cutting herbs can be a tedious task, especially when you need to prepare large quantities. That's why FAM Stumabo offers two cutting machines that make your job much easier - the FAM Flexis and Volantis™. The FAM Flexis Optitec is a…

Packaging program engages consumers in sustainability efforts
There's no doubt about it; sustainability is top of mind for today's consumers, whether it's around how their food is grown or what it's put in in a grocery store. In fact, sustainable packaging is an issue trending across the produce aisle, and that includes even smaller parts of the packaging category,…

Laura Stawinsky from Verpackungskontor Nord on developments in the packaging sector:
"Given the increased prices, many are switching back from cardboard to returnable crates"
In the paper packaging sector, a price reduction can currently be observed, while the shortage of materials and the associated delivery times are also tending to decline. "However, falling material prices are only one factor because, at the same time, all other costs, whether logistics, energy, or…

SIKO supports project for autonomously operating harvesting vehicle in fruit orchards
SIKO GmbH is currently supporting an agricultural research and development project with two rotary encoders from its range for mobile machines. The project is currently in the…

NewTec will showcase innovative Laser Flowpack700 at upcoming MacFrut event
Newtec recently announced that it will showcase its innovative Laser Flowpack700 packaging solution at the upcoming MacFrut event, taking place from May 3 to 5t at the Rimini Expo Centre in Italy. The Laser Flowpack700 is a state-of-the-art, fully automatic laser welding machine that is ideal for…

Global Focus on Machinery and Packing
In March FreshPlaza will be focussing on machinery and packing, are you involved in these sectors? We would love to hear from you. You can send us some information or we can call you for an interview, just let us know. You can contact info@freshplaza.com MarketingWould you like to get some extra promotion for your…