Elon Musk's SpaceX brings 'tomato seeds' to International Space Station

It seems that 'Cosmic Tomatoes' will be introduced into space. SpaceX is presently delivering new supplies to the International Space Station. The mission took off from NASA's…

"We can look forward to a decent leek price campaign"

After an extremely tough year, the European leek market seems to be recovering reasonably well this year. For Calsa, this winter vegetable is, by far, one of the main products…

Microgreens from South Tyrol sold to the local market

'To bet on microgreens is to bet on the winning ticket', although that's what this company sees. Ulrich Kager and Patrick Sanin founded Profarms three years ago, which built a vertical farm to supply microgreens to the northern Italian province of Bolzano.  Ulrich Kager Kager is 23 years old and began thinking…

"The market situation for Italian vegetables is of serious concern"

"In September and October, many vegetables reach their peak ripeness around the same time. This has everything to do with the weather conditions during that period. Prices have been falling continuously for almost a month," says Emile Fellini of Italy's Fellini Patrizio. The supply is far too large and…

Productive meeting of international asparagus companies

For the first time, the "International Asparagus Meeting" was held in parallel with the asparagus and strawberry trade fair expoSE, both at Messe Karlsruhe, on 23.11.2022. There, experts from different European countries and North America, who are active in the cultivation and marketing of asparagus,…

fruitnet.com

Bio-Chain project to develop greener solutions for Chinese vegetables

Kimitec’s MAAVi Innovation Centre has joined forces with Chinese vegetable producer Yunong and the Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS) to develop sustainable solutions to boost the productivity of broccoli, lettuce, and Chinese cabbage without the use of chemicals that are…

Tomato prices in Uzbekistan have stabilized

In early November, EastFruit wrote about record-high prices for tomatoes in Uzbekistan. As of November 4, 2022, tomato prices were at the highest level, and wholesale prices…

EU saw 4.228.169 tons of bananas being supplied in 2021

The total supply of bananas in the EU 2013-2021 has roughly been on upward trend, ending in 4.228.169 tons of the fruit being supplied in 2021. The forecast January to April 2023 production currently stands at 192.053 tons Ecuador remained the largest Latin American supplier in 2021, shipping out 1.599.818…

"Challenge to translate rising Dutch onion purchase price into exports"

"The onion export sector is finding it increasingly difficult to give growers the ever-rising prices they currently want. Purchase prices were stable for a long time with a…

“Europe and Asia are down 15-20% on volume, so we expect good demand for NZ onions"

The 2023 New Zealand onion season is looking very good. As many regions in the world like Europe and Asia are expecting less production. “Europe and Asia are down 15-20% on volume, so we expect good demand for high quality NZ onions,” said Phil Bird from Integrow Marketing. “The volume of onions from New…

Georgia starts importing potatoes as local stocks are running out

EastFruit analysts once again pay attention to the potato market in Georgia. Recall that Samtskhe-Javakheti, a key producing region, had a poor harvest this season, which led…

UK: Defra raises seed potato derogation granted to Canada with EU

The UK government has acted on requests that it seek the same derogations for Scottish seed potatoes that allowed imports to the EU from parts of Canada. Imports of seed…

Kenya managed to export 1,700 tons of avocados to China in past three months

Kenya has hit a record high of 1.7 million kilos of avocado exported to the Chinese market in the last three months. This means that the horticultural sector continues to post…

Rwanda to launch its first avocado sea freight shipment

Rwanda is set launch a sea freight shipment with avocados for the first time. According to the National Agricultural Export Development Board, the move sets out to meet the…

NTB supports foreign large-scale retailers in their purchases in Italy

"The various international retail chains send us their orders for fruit and vegetables from Sicily, Apulia, Calabria, Campania and Latium; we bundle all the goods, organize pickups, control the loading temperature, organize the whole process of documents from the simple DDT to CMR, and in the case of…

Food-tech venture Pluckk records $5 mln annualised revenue run rate in October

Pluckk, a fresh produce food-tech venture owned by Fruveggie Tech Pvt Ltd., has clocked record revenues of $5 million in a short span of time since its launch in January 2022,…

Dutch pallet company officially inaugurates new building

Mopal Palletindustrie moved into its new building, right behind its existing one, in early November. "We were outgrowing our premises, both location and production-wise," begins Anita Manniën. She supported this Dutch company's three partners, Arie and Jacqueline Monhemius, and Pierre van de Wijngaart,…

Fruit importer happy to be back at Asia Fruit Logistica

Asia Fruit Logistica 2022 returned to its face-to-face format after being affected by the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In its 2022 edition, the fair was held from November 2 to 4 in Bangkok, and not in Hong Kong where the event was traditionally held. “I saw a lot of enthusiasm from all…

Very strong third-quarter financial results in a more challenging economic and geopolitical environment

The Board of Directors of the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, has issued the financial statements for the third quarter of 2022.  Commenting…

Snacking trend leads to increased year-round production of mini cucumbers

Canada’s summer sunlight hours make the country very suitable for greenhouse vegetable production about nine months out of the year. “In winter, roughly from the end of November until the end of January, we just don’t get enough sunlight,” says Jeff Richardson with Great Lakes Greenhouses. Canadian…

Box rates could deteriorate to pre-Covid levels in December

Further slides in the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) are continuing, and it is expected that in December, freight levels will be at pre-pandemic levels. On 18…

Freight rates on Indian trades hit new lows amid weakening demand

Container freight rates on major trades out of India have hit new lows in November amid falling cargo volumes, according to the latest market analysis by Container News. On…

Presentation of updated potato harvester at Interpom

"The demand for cutting machines for halving and quartering potatoes remains undiminished within the market. This development requires extra attention and therefore, based on current machine data and wishes/needs of our customers, our R&D engineers have rolled out several updates for the Start/Stop…

Over 400 exhibitors - Amount of visitors at pre-Corona levels

This year's edition of the expoSE/expoDirekt trade show duo will be remembered as a success. On both the first and second day, visitor numbers were pleasing and roughly at pre-Corona levels. Regarding the number of exhibitors, the shows were particularly successful as well: over 400 exhibitors were at…

Long wait at Bulgarian border hinders Turkish fruit and vegetable exports

The problems at a laboratory in Bulgaria that inspects Turkey exports to European countries are causing long delays for trucks at the common border, impacting the local fruit…

UK growers warn of more shortages in supermarkets

Britain's vegetable industry could be under threat as farmers warn they're not being paid enough to grow stables, including tomatoes, due to soaring energy costs. Labor…

Seasonal workers urged to sign NFU letter to the Immigration Minister

The NFU is writing to Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick amid concerns over visas for seasonal workers in the future. Growers are being encouraged to add their names to the letter. British growers are being urged to add their name to an NFU letter to the Immigration Minister calling for reassurances on…

Collect&Go (Colruyt) tests self-driving vehicle for grocery delivery

Collect&Go, Colruyt Group's online grocery delivery service, is currently testing the technology of a brand new innovation: an unmanned vehicle developed by Estonian company Clevon that combines remote control with an advanced autopilot. Remotely controlled, the self-driving vehicle took to public roads…

South African early table grape export volumes trending lower than last season

The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) held the first bi-weekly marketing forum meeting for the 2022-2023 season, noting that early export volumes will be less than…

USDA

US cranberry harvest expected to be 5 percent larger in 2022

With the 2022 US cranberry harvest wrapping up just in time for Thanksgiving, this year’s crop is forecast to be 5 percent larger than last year’s crop. The 2022 cranberry crop is estimated at 7.44 million barrels but is expected to be smaller than in any of the previous three years (2018–20). Cranberry production, as…

Jazz launch apple campaign 2022-2023

For the 2022-2023 campaign, the Jazz apple is in the spotlight. This year, three major operations will follow one another in order to allow consumers to live new experiences thanks to the famous two-tone apple. “Giving back purchasing power”The first operation consists of “giving back purchasing power” to…

Almost 60 percent crop increase on Ontario Honeycrisp this season

Ontario, Canada is welcoming a large apple crop for 2022-2023. “We have a big crop with good quality and growers are talking about exceptional color this year,” says grower Cathy McKay, chair of the Ontario Apple Growers. She notes that the crop overall is 29 percent bigger than last year and 20 percent…

"The energy market's uncertain, so there's more weekly strawberry sales rather than fixed prices"

The Dutch greenhouse multiple strawberry crop season is nearing its end, and the first imported strawberries are entering the market. Sjraar Hulsman of Frankort&Koning takes stock. "Whereas in recent years, lit greenhouse strawberry cultivation expanded sustainably, growers are now taking a step back,"…

Blackberries and raspberries know no crisis

There are segments that know no drops in orders or in consumption despite the current period of uncertainty and economic crisis. One of them is that of berries. Alberto De Vincenzis is a sales manager at OP Terre della Luce, a producer organization from Basilicata that started the new berry season…

Wholesale prices for “Moldova” grapes of 2022 harvest are unlikely to further grow

The quality of “Moldova” table grapes in Chisinau retail stores is noticeably degrading in November. You can still find high-quality Moldova grapes in retail markets in the…

The new yellow apple returns to the European market

The new yellow-skinned specialty in the apple segment has returned to the market to satisfy the most demanding consumers. Since the end of October the yello® apple, produced exclusively in Europe by the VOG and VIP Consortia, has been available again with its abundance of tropical aromas, juiciness and…

France: dynamic demand for dried herb bouquets

According to Anthony Lepage, in charge of commercial development at Les Herbes du Roussillon, “dried herb bouquets sell really well this time of year.” He has developed a whole line of bouquets for vegetable trays, with different combinations of herbs depending on the dish (fish, pork, poultry…). But…

Blueberries will be the main focus at the next Macfrut

Is the growth of the blueberry so relentless? Is it still sustainable to have such fruit travel from one part of the globe to another just for the sake of having a tray in the supermarket counter even in December? What are the best varieties? This and many other questions will be answered during the…

DaVida, the new BIO+ and CO2 neutral brand of citrus fruit to give the organic market a push

Organic citrus fruit with a positive impact, grown on preserved land in western Andalusia. This is the commitment of DaVida, the new brand developed by Arco Fruits for the French organic market. The goal is to make this brand the reference of a new organic agriculture. But DaVida also wants to become an…

France: green clementines for the holiday season

Originally known for its grape production, the Peruzzo group regularly seeks innovations to expand its range with new original fruit and vegetables. After the Rossy red kiwi, the Calabrian clementine, the Bo&Bon melon, the Lucas Oro Italia grapes and the Chocolate & Vanilla oranges, Peruzzo is now…

First supplies of Limoré to become available soon

Temperatures are starting to drop in the Rocca Imperiale valleys. This has accelerated the veraison of the famous PGI lemons, thus enabling a quicker and more homogeneous coloring of the fruits. "We think we will be able to start harvesting around December 10th, one week earlier than in the previous campaigns.…

Castellon's citrus exports are growing thanks to the fall in production in Italy

According to the latest data from the Territorial Directorate of Commerce in the Valencian Community, the province of Castellon's citrus exports from January to September…

UK South West Regional Organised Crime Unit

South African orange shipment reveals R75 million worth of cocaine

UK police officials say they found 49 kgs of cocaine concealed in a shipment of oranges from South Africa. The cocaine would have been worth R75 million (€4.2 mln). An image released by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, an umbrella organisation that combines the efforts of several English…

Louisiana scientists work to grow citrus indoors

The number of commercial citrus growers is still decreasing in south Louisiana, with saltwater intrusion making citrus cultivation all but impossible in some areas. For…

“Our connected hives allow us to measure the actual impact of our orchards on biodiversity”

Beyond the values advocated by organic farming, SICA Gerfruit has decided to take its commitment to agroecology even further. Given the lack of studies on the topic, the company chose to create its own database to measure the actual impact of its activity on biodiversity. Romain Tessier, producer and co-president…

Five superfoods that might lower cancer risk

While there is no sure-shot way to prevent cancer, a healthy lifestyle consists of having a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meat, and cutting down consumption of alcohol and smoking can do wonders in reducing the risk of certain cancers. When it comes to cancer, prevention is better…

"Industry has growing needs for temperature and humidity data loggers"

With fewer restrictions of pandemic measures in major markets and an increase in trade volume, market demand for temperature and humidity data loggers have increased. Frigga is a professional real-time temperature monitoring solution provider. At present, the company's real-time temperature data loggers…

'Monitoring water use by mango trees might improve irrigation management'

In Far North Queensland, kids and grown-ups alike are out gathering mangoes. Mango growing is a multi-million-dollar industry, with growers across northern Australia competing…

Egyptian canned vegetable producers continue to serve the Russian market

The Egyptian exporter Wadi El Nile, which markets its products under the brand names "Wadi ElNile", "Vida", "Al Shahid" and "Mando", continues to serve the Russian market without interruption. The company offers a wide range of products: a dozen varieties and shapes of olives, artichokes, cucumbers, peppers,…

Kashmir apple farmers panic because of overproduction, lack of cold storage and tanking prices

The bumper harvest of apples this year in the Kashmir Valley should have brought a lot of cheer among the apple farmers there but instead, they are considering it one of their…

Project looks at E. coli risk during romaine post-harvest cooling

Several researchers have examined the fate of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 bacteria on romaine lettuce in the field and during post-harvest washing at processors. But…

France: "This year’s walnut campaign faces several challenges”

Despite the recognized unparalleled quality of French walnuts, Jonathan Rhodes, director of Perlim Noix, is concerned about the future of the origin for several reasons. “Walnuts are part of a globalized market. Today, several factors complicate the marketing of French walnuts.” 17% increase in walnut production…

Exports of hazelnuts from Turkey in 2022 are to exceed last year's exports by 65,000 tons

Exports of hazelnuts from Turkey in the first 10 months of this year brought the country $1.3 billion. Hazelnuts are grown in 13 provinces of the country: Trabzon, Ordu,…

Edible packaging addresses both food waste and plastic waste

Spain's Bio2Coat is attacking the twin problems of food waste and plastic waste coming from packaging materials. The company has developed a 100% natural, edible coating that…

"Promoting the appropriate vegetation cover could help bring back the summer storms in about 15 years"

The Citrus Management Committee (CGC) organized yesterday a conference by Millan Millan, Director Emeritus of the Centre for Mediterranean Environmental Studies (CEAM). Millan Millan advocated using European resilience funds to promote reforestation policies to restore the quality of the Mediterranean…