Early apricots in Greece suffered from weather conditions

The weather has caused some issues for the early apricot varieties in Greece, says Paris Karastergios, import-export coordinator for Greek produce exporter Kastargiou P. Bros S.A.: “The Greek apricot campaign started only two weeks ago, with some Mogador apricots from southern Greece at the beginning and…

Stone fruit in Murcia still affected by heavy rainfall and hailstorms

Since the European stone fruit harvest forecasts were announced, adverse weather conditions have been reported in various producing areas. There have been storms accompanied by hail in Italy, Spain and southern France, and volumes continue to fall. In Spain, the storm persists in the Levante area, with…

New Columbia Fruit Packers: Employees concerned about working conditions

More than a dozen workers have shared concerns about the working conditions at New Columbia Fruit Packers facility in Yakima. Laborers at the fruit packing company, formerly…

South Africa: New Hortgro-funded initiative aid pome and stone fruit growers

South African pome and stone fruit growers have to always chose the best cultivars for their location. This requires an understanding of ecophysiology: the interactions…

"We are seeing a higher demand for cherries in Italy due to the impact of the floods"

The cherry season is underway in Zaragoza with a good demand and acceptable prices, since the supply from other areas has been affected by adverse weather conditions. Given the high yields, prospects point to a large stone fruit production, with generally smaller sizes than usual. "We have been harvesting…

"A super-intensive cherry tree system cannot be exposed to risks"

Entering the market earlier with early varieties of outstanding quality is an undeniable advantage in the cherry sector; just as much as being able to guarantee that the production won't be affected by any weather adversity. Cherry producer and international cherry growing consultant Javier de Pablo…

US senators call on USDA Secretary for disaster assistance to help NY growers

Late may frost and below freezing temperatures wreaked havoc on orchards & vineyards across New York state last week. With more frost forecast this week, senators are now…

California underway with late but great quality stone fruit

The California stone fruit season is off to a delayed start by approximately two weeks. “We have some earlier ranches in Kettleman City that we start about two weeks ahead of the valley and so we started around May 1st this year. Typically we would have started about April 15,” says Chad Allred of…

“Overnight, producers discovered they had no harvest to pick”

According to the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of the Region of Murcia (Fecoam), the heavy rains have caused damages to apricot crops that range between 15 and 20…

"Water shortage by far this Spanish stone fruit season's biggest challenge""

In the Netherlands, Marni Fruit is currently transitioning from stone fruit from southern Spain to that from that country's north. "On Tuesday, we'll start getting supply from Zaragoza - peaches and then nectarines. Flat peaches and Platterinas will soon follow," says Erik-Jan Thur. He says this season's…

"We also didn't expect to offer Flemish cherries now already"

In Belgium, the season's first Flemish cherries came from the Demedts - De Mey strawberry farm's greenhouse. These are the region's very first cherries grown under glass. "We had to wait and see how it would all go, but the quality is surprisingly good, as is the production," begins Benoit Demedts. He and…

More Turkish farmers turn to peaches and nectarines

Overall production of Turkish peaches and nectarines is increasing as more farmers turn to the specific crop. Mustafa Arslan, owner of Turkish fresh produce exporter MDA Agricultural Products, says: “Although peach and nectarine vary from year to year, Turkey ranks 6th in world production with an average…

Growers hopeful as China opens doors to Pakistani cherries

Gilgit-Baltistan growers hope to double their incomes and profit margins as China has for the first time allowed the import of cherries from the northern region and other…

Back end of Pacific Northwest cherry crop to be lighter with bigger cherries

Last week’s jump in temperatures in Washington was welcomed by Pacific Northwest cherry growers. In turn, this also means that the back end of the cherry crop is likely to be a more moderate crop. Northwest Cherries president B.J. Thurlby notes that the increased temperatures, which reached the 80s…

Demand for Turkish cherries stronger than it was last year

After a couple of years of low volumes during the cherry season, Yigit Gokyigit, commercial coordinator for Alanar, thinks this is finally the year that turns it around: “We expect a higher volume of cherries in Turkey this year, compared to the last couple of years. Last year, 2022, was very challenging…

Collaboration with Spanish company allows flexibility to extend or shorten seasons

Lincolnshire grower Peloton Produce is looking towards a bright future as they lay the foundations for a 3.5 acre extension to the current premises, the extension will include a new 1000 pallet high humidity cold store complex and additional loading bays, thus doubling their current cold storage…

Obstbau Simon

"With our organic apricot, we are at world championship levels"

Brothers Michael and Christoph Simon are currently establishing an organic orchard in Mollram with 10,000 fruit trees, 5,000 of which are apricot trees. "Of course, we looked at similar projects in Germany and South Tyrol and everyone said we were crazy. Because the cultivation of the apricot alone is…

Assisted cherry pollination in Chile part of smart solutions now expanding to Europe

Hard times call for smart solutions. This includes assisted pollination of cherries and kiwi fruit as well as portable anti-frost machines. These are just some of the solutions that Chile’s Zimex Smart Agro has turned to as part of their focused smart solutions to solve and meet the needs of growers.…

Österreichische Hagelversicherung

Stone fruit, pome fruit and more affected in Styria

The first severe thunderstorms of this year caused agricultural damage in several regions of Austria on Tuesday, with hail, heavy rain and partly stormy winds. As Österreichische Hagelversicherung VVaG announced in the evening, storm cells, which moved in particular from the Waldviertel to the eastern…

"Aragon's stone fruit production figures this year will be similar to those of 2019"

It will still take a few days before the stone fruit campaign is in full swing in the Spanish region of Aragon. At the moment, producers are carrying out the thinning and harvesting of the first cherries, for which some declines are reported at the start. "The extreme heat during the bloom caused some…

"The demand for apricots is great, as long as they are good and of the right size."

Although weather conditions are not typical for this time of the year, apricots are certainly in demand at the market. "It is a strange season. The bad weather not only impacted the yield of the early varieties, it also disrupted the production plans of growers and caused many growers to lose heart,"…

"Availability of quality cherries is holding up this season"

In week 20, Bienek Fruchthandels began selling Spanish cherries this year. "The season started with smaller fruits, each carrying a diameter of about 26-28 mm. However, since the middle of this week, we also have larger calibers with 30+ available. Due to the fact that the weather in Spain has been…

Georgia peaches affected by climate trends and bad weather

This summer, as a mix of long-term climate trends and a spate of bad weather added up to an almost entire loss of the Georgian peach crop. First, the climate: Peach trees need…

Lower apricot exports from Hungary to rest of Europe due to frost damage

Hungary’s 2023 apricot export season, set to start next month, will see lower volumes sent to the rest of Europe due to widespread frost damage during spring. Last year producers and exporters in the country had a good season, with reasonable volumes, while prices received from Germany, Austria, Czech…

New PLU number launched for Audra Rose cherry variety

River Valley Fruit, an apple, cherry and pear grower, packer and shipper is introducing the Audra Rose cherry bag, complemented by its newly assigned PLU number, 3550. "This development marks a significant milestone for the Audra Rose cherry, a unique and highly sought-after variety." Audra Rose cherries…

Cherry field day in Spain centered around low-chill program

Table grape and cherry breeder International Fruit Genetics LLC (IFG), announced that its international cherry team hosted its first-ever European IFG Field Days in Zaragoza, Spain on May 16, 2023. Over 50 cherry growers and retailers across four continents attended the event, where IFG provided…

French apricot volumes are slightly lower than last year

According to Peaches and Apricots of France, “the very first harvest of French apricots will take place this week (week 20), and more significant volumes should arrive on the market from the end of next week (week 21) and in week 22. For the whole season, forecasts are based on a volume slightly lower…

9th International Cherry Symposium takes place in China

The 9th International Cherry Symposium takes place in China and several activities are being developed during this week: International academic conferences, China Cherry Expo, and the first Beijing Cherry Culture Festival. More than 300 people, including international horticultural experts, growers and…

Okanagan cherry yield expected to be down

In the Okanagan, a cold April has been followed by record-high temperatures in May. Due to this, cherry yields are expected to be down. Balpreet Gill, who is the operations…

California cherry production gets underway

Fruit World has embraced a delayed start to stone fruit season and is now shipping the ripest early cherry varieties - Hazel and Royal Lynn, with Coral variety soon to follow. Staggered spring pollination on cherries led to mixed maturity in the orchard.  “Spring pollination was staggered this year, which…

French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish peach and nectarine producers analyze forecasts for 2023

The peach and nectarine contact group, which is made up of government and sectoral organizations -including FEPEX- from the group's member countries (France, Italy, Spain, and…

Entrepreneur decides to uproot its cherry trees, stirring controversy

When Michele Bernocco, an entrepreneur from Ruvo di Puglia (BA) who, over the past few days, uprooted his cherry orchard covering one hectare, it was an act of despair. "Over 90% of my cherries showed cracking problems, even the fruits that were still green. It has been raining for days in Puglia, or anyway the humidity…

“Unprecedented situation" for the peach and nectarine 2023 harvest

During the 2023 crop forecast webinar, Eric Hostalnou explained that the sector is “facing an unprecedented situation this year.” The current weather conditions, the drought in Spain and France as well as the recent floods in northern Italy, make it very difficult to estimate the losses that these events…

Ögema GmbH

"We are now increasingly importing our organic apricots from Spain instead of Italy"

The massive rainfall in Italy is not only affecting the Emilia-Romagna region, but also other growing areas in the country. "The Italian fruit and vegetable sector is in a very bad position at the moment. In Emilia Romagna, the main damage is to pears, apples, stone fruit, kiwis, vineyards and cereals. We…

Pakistan and China sign MoUs to facilitate cherry exports to China

Officials, businessmen and representatives of various Chinese chambers of commerce, intent on facilitating  the cherry trade, have returned after a successful visit to Gilgit-Baltistan…

"There is a shortage of stone fruit in the market, and it will continue for at least two more weeks"

Various factors, with the weather conditions as common denominator, have led to the supply of Spanish stone fruit being limited at the moment on the European market. It will still be necessary to wait for important production regions, such as Extremadura, to start delivering larger volumes. "There is a shortage…

Late spring rain damages Hungary’s early 2023 cherry crop

Heavy late spring rain across Hungary last week caused significant cracking damage to early season cherry orchards. “The damage is reportedly widespread, even some sweet cherries under plastic cover suffered losses,” according to Peter Kelemen, from the Medifruct cooperative in Hungary, who are growers…

Good volumes of French cherries despite the lack of water

Les Fruits de Provence started harvesting and marketing its cherries more than a week ago. “We cannot complain, the volumes are quite good,” explains Alexandre Cerdan. The lack of water was obvious but this did not affect the production. “We were able to water just enough. We are on the banks of the…

“Next week, prices for Turkish cherries will be much lower than expected”

Now that the Turkish apple season is coming to a close, Demir Fresh Fruit will focus on the cherry season, says Alper Kerim, owner of Demir Fresh Fruits. He states that demand is on the up right now: “I’m happy to say that the cherry cultivation has seen very nice improvements this year. The weather…

This spring’s Washington cherry yield might be a winner

It looks like this year’s spring fruit crop will be coming up cherries in Washington state.  According to Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington Tree Fruit Association, the state’s…

"It's a chronicle of a death foretold"

Afrucat has held a press conference in a nectarine plantation in Castellserà that clearly shows the effects of the closure of the Urgell Canal. The trees are getting rid of their dehydrated fruits and there is a widespread lack of leafiness. According to Manel Simon, the CEO of Afrucat, “It's a chronicle…

“My advice: come to Canada to pick cherries”

According to Mexican tiktoker Walter, despite being a profitable job, there is a worrying lack of fruit harvesters, in general. Walter recommends traveling to Canada to…

"In Europe we are in the middle of a very important leap in the quality change of cherries"

The cherry season is starting with the first extra-early fruits, whose quality, in many cases, is not the one expected by an increasingly volatile market in terms of consumption and prices, and that invites reflection on the suitability of many of the varieties that are currently being grown. Luis Elías,…

"We are having trouble coping with all the stone fruit orders at the moment"

The supply of Spanish stone fruit is still not abundant and import demand is taking off as temperatures gradually rise in central and northern Europe. In view of this situation, there are some problems at the moment to meet all the orders, according to Clasol's manager, César Claramonte. "So far, the…

A sustainable packaging choice for the stone fruit season

The stone fruit season has reopened, but choosing the ideal packaging can be a bit tricky, especially if you want to keep up with the times and prioritize the use of a more sustainable and recyclable packaging. Antonio Castelluccio of Pack System, a company from southern Italy specialized in the manufacture…

This year, Ukraine can't count on a large harvest of early fruits and berries

This summer, there will be a lack of apricots, cherry plums, and early sweet cherries. The harvest of plums, cherries, and late sweet cherries is also uncertain as it depends…

Strong demand for California stone fruit will keep prices elevated this season

As California stone fruit season begins, growers and shippers know the pressure will be on the state’s supplies of fruit. “Demand is pretty strong, especially with everything being late. Retailers are trying to fill their shelves with product,” says Mauricio Jimenez-Castro, director of sales for Prima…

US Northwest Cherry Growers estimate 50% increase in crop size for 2023 harvest

The US Northwest Cherry Growers believes there is potential for a crop of 19.9 million 20 lb. boxes. This would constitute a 50% increase in crop size as compared to the 13.3 million box crop in 2022. May 17, 2023. These Chelan variety cherries are being grown by NW Cherry Grower Patrick Sullivan.  Pat expects…

"Spanish cherries as popular as ever"

Although its name suggests otherwise, the Dutch company Van Ooijen Citrus has, over the years, become a true cherry specialist. "We always start the year with cherries from Chile, after which there's a small gap until we get Spanish cherries. From there, we switch to Greece, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia,…

"Greenhouse redcurrant harvest starts two weeks late"

In the Netherlands, the late spring affected BerryBrothers' soft fruit production. "Last year, we started harvesting greenhouse redcurrants as early as the beginning of May. Now, we won't start until early next week, so two weeks later," begins Nijs van Zuilen. "The farm workers were especially…

"A lot of apricots lost due to bad weather conditions"

When the rain comes down in buckets and at the wrong time, much of an entire year's work can be lost just like that. It happened to Adriano Vena, a grower from Montalbano Jonico, a village in the southern Italian province of Matera. "I was hoping for a good season, not only because we escaped late frosts,…

Pacific Northwest getting ready for estimated 21 million case cherry crop

Growers and shippers in the Pacific Northwest are looking to welcome a larger cherry crop compared to 2022, which saw 12.4 million boxes. “The initial estimates could be between 20 to 21 million case crop in the Northwest. Mother Nature has been good to us right now with 90-degree days and 60-degree…

Vietnam ships first batch of ruby plums to Hong Kong

Vietnam will export a first batch of ruby plums to Hong Kong this week at VND400,000 ($17) a kilogram, nearly double the domestic price. Nguyen Ngoc Huyen, CEO of agriculture…

Honeybear Brands acquires two Washington facilities

Honeybear Brands®, furthering its growth and expansion initiatives, is pleased to announce its acquisition of two separate facilities in Pateros, Washington. The purchase of the Big River cherry facility will bolster the Honeybear Northern Washington operations by providing additional supply and…

New developments for British Columbia’s 2023 cherry season

As the British Columbia (B.C.) cherry season approaches this summer, the industry is seeing a few welcome developments. This starts with exports. “We have full access to South Korea now with a systems-based approach, which means no fumigation,” says B.C. Cherry Association president Sukhpaul Bal. The…

“Russia and the Far East are the most important markets for our cherries”

To give itself a better position in the cherry industry, Goknur is focused on both increasing production as well as extending the season. Ali Aslanali, general manager for…

Expected decrease in nectarine prices

Greenhouse nectarines produced in Shanxi and Shaanxi are about to enter the market. It is reported that this year's local nectarines have had a bumper harvest, and the picking period was delayed by about a week compared to previous years. Nectarines are one of the main products of Shenzhen Fengxianbao…

"The high-end cherry market is expected to be optimistic this year"

Due to the weather, the yield of Shandong cherries has decreased this season, and the production season has been delayed. "Because of the frost earlier on, the fruit-setting rate of cherries was affected, resulting in a decrease in production. Compared with good years, this year's production is reduced…

Steady prices for first supplies of Apulian cherries

Incessant rains are worrying Italian cherry growers about the damage from cracking that could jeopardize the harvest or a part of it. However, the situation remains positive on the commercial front, with prices holding steady for the first supplies of early cherries because there is a shortage of supply.…

“Approvals should take weather hazards into account”

For the French company Louis Rosario, the apricot campaign started 3 weeks ago with the Murcia region. The production from Valencia has just started and will be followed by…

"Extending the storage period of cherries can bring more benefits"

The Chilean cherry season has come to an end. This season, the export volume of Chilean cherries reached 415,315 tons, a sharp increase of 17% from the previous season. The…

“We are optimistic about the apricot season”

At the dawn of the 2023 apricot season, Raphaël Martinez, director of Peaches and Apricots of France, highlights the trends that are emerging for this campaign. The impact of drought on the European productionThe drought has been proven to be caused by climate change, but its effects are still poorly…

California won’t have enough cherries to meet Memorial Day demand

California’s cherry harvest has barely gotten underway. The early varieties have just started, which is about 2.5 to three weeks later than normal. “It has been so cold,” says Ira Greenstein of Direct Source Marketing. “The last six to eight weeks, the weather has been cold and rainy. Even last week,…

New technology for the detection of pips in fresh and frozen cherries

TOMRA has launched in Chile the TOMRA 5X, a very efficient machine equipped with an X-ray sensor that allows the detection of a cherry's pit. It is a technological advance, developed by TOMRA Food that solves the problem of frozen fruit processors. The IQF fruit market is going through a delicate moment.…

Recent rainfall saves the stone fruit season in Tunisia

The stone fruit season begins in Tunisia, with good volumes and quality. The industry was unaffected by the drought, says Mohamed Sadok, CEO of CarthagoExpo. "After a long period of drought, we have been blessed by recent rains, especially in the southern and central regions, which saved the stone fruit season.…

US peach breeding program still adds varieties for growers and consumers

The Texas A&M AgriLife’s Stone Fruit Breeding and Genetic program, a peach and nectarine breeding program established in 1935, is a product of researchers in the Department of…

“This cherry season has a more promising potential”

Just before the Turkish cherry season starts, Ani Tarim is wrapping up their apple season, says Mehmet Çakmak, sales and marketing manager for Turkish fresh produce exporter Ani Tarim: “As of week 20, we’ll be completing 2022-2023 apple packing season with a worthwhile success to us. This season we have…

"The production of Spanish stone fruit is increasingly falling into the hands of larger and more professional companies"

The 2023 stone fruit campaign has already started in the earliest areas of Spain. Although last year there was a reduction of more than 30% in the Spanish stone fruit production, this year the volumes and quality are recovering, despite the fact that the harvest will still remain somewhat below the…

"The caliber of the first cherries has fallen a little short because of the heat, but it will improve for the other varieties"

The cherry campaign started about 15 days ago in the Jerte Valley with the first varieties grown in the area. "The volumes for now are very small, as is always the case at the beginning, and we are already almost finished with the extra-early varieties," says Eloy Buenadicha Cobos, of the company Sol del…

Jerte Valley's cherry campaign starts with higher yields than last year

Initial forecasts pointed to a late cherry harvest given the delay in flowering, but high temperatures during the spring have finally advanced the harvest in the Jerte Valley, which this year comes with more volumes. “We've been collecting the earliest cherries for a week, although so far with limited…

“Sharp decline in produce trade from North America to Europe has changed our business”

Back in the 1990s, fresh produce exports from North America to Europe were significant, as the USA and Mexico together were able to supply produce almost year-round, something Europe couldn’t do. Frenchman Thierry Delapre saw an opportunity and emigrated from France to California in 1993 to start an…

South African fruit exports making progress in new markets

As a whole, agriculture comprises 11% of SA exports, despite being only 2,5% of GDP. The overall agri sector is export focused, exporting roughly half its produce in value terms. The South African fruit industry is an overwhelmingly export focused industry, with fresh fruit accounting for around 35% of…

"The lower supply of Chilean plums in the markets is leading us to expect a good start for the Spanish plum season"

The stone fruit harvest has started slowly in Extremadura with the first apricots and with very limited volumes. Soon the first nectarines, peaches and extra early flat peaches will also arrive. "Although not a representative production for Extremadura, the stone fruit harvest in May has been reduced by…

“Current market is looking for smaller sized cherries”

The Turkish cherry season is very close to starting. Kubra Guven, marketing manager of Ana Fruit, states they’re expecting a larger harvest than they had last year. “This year, the weather conditions in Turkey have been great and we are expecting good yield for our cherries. Compared to the previous…

"Despite the high risk of frost, we will harvest our first marketable apricot crop this year"

For a long time, stone fruits such as apricots, nectarines and peaches were regarded as imported goods par excellence. But after the first, successful cultivation trials in southern Germany, the tropical fruits are now also growing and thriving in Lower Saxony. "We will harvest our first marketable…

Turkish cherry harvest delayed in early regions due to lower temperatures

The growing period for the Turkish cherries has been rather positive, says Belit Balci, deputy managing director of Turkish fresh produce exporter Alara Tarim: “The weather conditions are favourable during the cherry production period. Chill hours have been sufficient, temperatures were mild during the…

High demand for summer fruits in Saudi Arabia

The beginning of summer in Saudi Arabia, with temperatures averaging 44 degrees, boosts the consumption of fresh fruit. The market is huge, and several origins are seeking a place in it. Kashif Shahzad, Head of International Supply Chain at Global Star, gives us an overview of the trends in the Saudi…

Bulgarian sweet cherries on domestic market

Recently, Bulgarian sweet cherry has appeared on the markets in Bulgaria, selling for no more than 5.11 euros per kilogram, while imported fruit is sold for 35.80 euros per…

"Stone fruit still in short supply in May, but of good quality"

At the Staay Food Group, too, the Spanish season began two weeks late. "No numbers are available yet, but we've started," says Nico Veldhoen. "Because productions are two weeks behind, the market's completely different. A late market usually gives high prices." “It's hard for me to put a finger on the…

"In Extremadura, we have been lucky that this year the flowering has been delayed in all the trees"

The Spanish stone fruit season is starting in Extremadura, where Frutas Biomova has just begun harvesting its biodynamic fruit. "We are going to have good production volumes of all fruits, except for the first nectarines that are harvested in May," says Jesús Moreno, of the Valdelacalzada-based company…

"Dalian cherries and nectarines had obvious advantages in e-commerce sales in recent years"

Nectarines and cherries grown in Dalian began to hit the market in March. This year, a small number of cherries were on the market early during the Spring Festival. "Some greenhouse cherries have entered the dormancy period by installing air-conditioning in the greenhouse so that they can go on the…

"We introduce a single-use real-time carbon dioxide monitor"

According to statistics from ASOEX, the export of Chilean plums to China in 2022/23 will hit a record high of 55,000 tons. Plums, including prunes, have become the second largest Chilean fresh fruit exported to China after cherries. The Chilean stone fruit season is about to start. Frigga, a professional…

The fruit and berry market in Russia has the potential to increase by almost 70%

A recent report by "Interagro" reveals that the fruit and berry market in Russia has the potential to increase by almost 70%, reaching 14.6 million tons annually. The research…

Latvian fruit growers lose harvest due to cold spring

Last weekend, in some places in Latvia, the temperature at night dropped to -7 C. Many berry and fruit farms confirmed yield losses of up to 80%-90%. The industry association…

USDA

Utilized production of pecans in state of Georgia was up 47 percent in 2022

The USDA has released key findings for the Southern Region crops.  Regarding avocados, Florida's utilized production for 2022 totaled 17,840 tons, up 25 percent from 2021 while its associated value of production was up 7 percent to $14.3 million. BlueberriesGeorgia's utilized production, at 56.2 million pounds,…

USDA

Apple utilized production in Oregon and Washington down 10 percent from 2021

In Oregon, apple utilized production totaled 136 million pounds in 2022, down 11 percent from the previous year. Value of utilized production was $40.8 million, down 16 percent from 2021. In Washington, apple utilized production totaled 5.89 billion pounds in 2022, down 10 percent from the previous year.…

"At the beginning of the new apple harvest, the market will be almost cleared"

The apple sector in the Alte Land, northern Germany, is looking back on a very extreme marketing season so far, as Jürgen Faby, managing director of the eponymous cultivation and marketing company in the heart of the Alte Land, tells us on site. "There are a lot of things coming together now: We are…

"As temperatures rise in Europe, and the exceptional quality of the fruit this year, we expect good consumption"

The stone fruit harvest is gaining momentum in Murcia, where significant volumes are already expected next week. The fruit is arriving with very good quality and high sugar levels as a result of the lack of rainfall in recent months and the high temperatures, which are forcing producers in Murcia to rely…

"In the coming years, we expect to reach 180 hectares of Sweet Pekeetah plum in Chile"

Chile already has 110 hectares of Sweet Pekeetah plums, a variety developed in Chile from Japanese plums. This variety is grown in the Metropolitan, O’Higgins, and Maule…

Lots of cherries, apricots, strawberries and cucumbers at $0.3 per kg

EastFruit expert Bakhtiyor Abduvokhidov visited the wholesale and retail market in the north of Tajikistan and shared an interesting video in which he shows the assortment,…

"Our fresh-keeping sachets help extend the shelf life of stone fruit"

According to statistics from ASOEX, the export of Chilean plums to China in 2022/23 will hit a record high of 55,000 tons. Plums have become the second-largest Chilean fresh fruit exported to China after cherries. As the stone fruit season in the southern hemisphere comes to an end, the stone fruit…

"We started the season for nectarines and peaches with 500-gr trays, but sales are still very slow"

"This year there were no significant failures regarding stone fruit, so we expect a relatively normal harvest. It is also a good year for the peels, as the fruits tend to be smaller. More rain is needed for the fruits to grow larger," the Llombart company informs us. "We have started the season for…

Majority of British Columbia cherry trees have completed pollination

Just seven days ago the team at Global Fruit was seeing the very first flowers starting to emerge, and right now the majority of orchards have blossomed. “Most likely, in 80 percent of  British Columbia’s main cherry regions, pollination has completed,” says Richard Isaacs with Global Fruit. Just a few orchards…

Cherry production in Portugal down 70% due to frosts during blossoming

The large temperature variations and very low temperatures at night during blossoming have caused a drop of up to 70% in the production of Fundão cherries, according to…

Eastern Cape growers want to bolster deciduous fruit farming levels

The Eastern Cape Department of Agriculture is on a mission to level up in deciduous fruit farming. To do this, the province is looking to the Western Cape to explore…

“We’re completely confident in our expertise and ability to export Polish sweet cherries”

For one Polish apple grower, their sweet cherry production has been part of the business for quite some time, Mateusz Wajnert, head of sales for Polish apple and sweet cherry trader Galster, explains: “Galster’s history with sweet cherries is quite long and dates back twenty years ago. Our serious…

“We are making good advances on speed, we have increased the speed by 30% in the last two months"

Ripe Robotics was founded in 2019 with only 100,000 USD as start-up capital to create a robotic fruit picker. The major developments started in 2021, with a new robot called Eve, and the serious testing began. “We have to make sure that things that we do in the shed actually work out in the field,” said…

New patriotic program launches in time for cherry season

CMI presents its newest American Dream® CatStats in preparation for the upcoming cherry season.   Rochelle Bohm, vice president of marketing, says the program is two-pronged in its approach. “American Dream ties into some of America’s most important holidays,” she says. “It also honors those who have served and…

Photo Report: Toronto, Canada fresh produce retail visit

Vibrant displays of the freshest fruit and vegetables, sourced from around the world, were seen on the shelves of different retailers in Toronto, Canada last week (25-27 April 2023). During last week’s Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) exhibition in Toronto, a few retailers and greengrocers…

Texas drought affects 2023 peach crop

Texas is looking at approximately 25 percent of a full peach crop this season. “We’re not going to have a very strong crop of Texas peaches. Mostly our early, low-chill clingstones have good settings but once we get into the freestones, it’s pretty weak,” says Jamey Vogel of Vogel Orchard.  There are a few reasons…

“This agreement will help increase the Chilean fresh fruit's market share in northwest China”

The Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (Asoex) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Municipal Trade Bureau of Dalian, China, in order to promote the…

Commission proposes to extend suspension of tariffs and quotas on imports from Moldova

The Commission has proposed today to renew and expand the suspension of import duties and quotas on Moldovan exports to the European Union – known as Autonomous Trade Measures…

Severe frost damaged apricot orchards in Hungary

At the beginning of April, frosts of between minus 3 and minus 8°C were recorded in Hungarian apricot orchards.  There were also reports of cold temperatures during the relatively early flowering period, which started in early to mid-March. But it was the damage caused by the transported frost in early April…

"In 2022, we were already trading stone fruit by the pallet at this time of year, currently only by colli"

The persistent cold weather in the Mediterranean region has also significantly slowed down vegetation in the southern Italian stone fruit growing regions - Puglia and Sicily. "We are about 14 days behind the normal schedule for all stone fruits," says Peter Haas, managing director of the eponymous…

B.C. Fruit Growers Association optimistic about 2023 apple, pear and cherry crops

The B.C. Fruit Growers Association has issued a statement saying they’re optimistic for 2023 despite the growing season being around two weeks behind schedule. “Blossom and…

“Greek products end up at the European market as Italian or Romanian”

Thanks to great weather, Greece will have a large production of cherries this year, says Theodorou Kostas, owner of Theodorou Fruits: “This year, we are expecting big volumes of cherries in Greece. This is especially true after the mid-early varieties. Overall it means we’ll have a larger production than…

"Murcia's water availability will determine the Spanish stone fruit season's course"

In the Netherlands, 4Fruit Company received the first Spanish Galia melons on Friday. There are plenty of watermelons available, but the yellow and Piel de Sapo melon supply is still limited. Pieter de Ruiter says prices are still at a nice level, though there could be slightly more demand. "Plenty of…

Stone fruit season looking uncertain

"Although the 2023 summer fruit season has not started yet, things are already looking uncertain. The main reasons are the weather and the drought, which have already caused a 20% drop in production for apricots," explains Maurizio Fiorenza, director of OP Eco Farm. Maurizio Fiorenza "The Sicilian…

Foto: Anevo Trading GmbH

"We hear that Hungary and also Austria are experiencing frost damage to apricots and plums"

Like pretty much the entire fruit and vegetable sector, the Balkan countries were also affected by the negative impact of the war, Anneliese Vollweiler, Managing Director of Anevo Trading GmbH, tells us. "In 2020 and 2021, US and Canadian companies bought mainly frozen soft fruits and stone fruits, as…

Himachal growers pleased as high demand pushes cherry prices up

The cherry yield in Himachal Pradesh was 35% lower due to a dry winter. However, the premium quality of the fruit grown in Nankhari area is fetching record prices of ₹400 to…

"We are starting the cherry campaign with one of the best years in terms of quality and sizes"

The 2023 cherry campaign has started recently in the early areas of Mequinenza, a town in the Spanish province of Zaragoza, located on the banks of the Ebro River. This is an ideal area for cherry cultivation due to its microclimate, which allows it to have the first open ground cherry productions in…

"We have to see how consumers will respond to imported kakis in the middle of the stone fruit campaign"

The arrival in Spain of the first shipment of kakis exported by Paraguay to Europe, which follows other off-season shipments already made from the region by countries such as Peru and Uruguay, has been followed with interest by the Spanish sector. "There are starting to be more exports from Latin…

China opens doors to cherries from Pakistan, but strict conditions make exports difficult

Following the opening of the China-Pakistan border on April 1, the Chinese government has allowed the import of cherries from Pakistan. However, the trade requires rigorous…

Late start to growing season in the interior of British Columbia

The fruit growing season for the BC Interior is about two weeks behind schedule. According to the BC Fruit Growers Association, while blossom and harvest times can vary as…

One year since the founding of the Consortium for the Protection of Leonforte's PGI Peach

In the first 12 months of its existence, the Consortium for the Protection of Leonforte's PGI Peach, which represents about 92% of the cultivation of this fruit with Protected Geographical Indication, carried out actions that were mainly promotional. Contacts were made with local and national…

This summer promises to be challenging for Ukrainian fruit consumers

Ukraine cannot avoid the influence of external factors on the cost of fruits in the country. This summer promises to be challenging for Ukrainian fruit consumers. As a result of Russia's occupation of parts of southern regions, Ukrainians have lost access to early vegetables, sweet cherries, and…

California stone fruit will also see late start

Like many commodities out of California this spring, stone fruit will also see a later start to the season next month. “The crop is really late--definitely two weeks later than last year,” says Jon McClarty of HMC Farms. “We grow everything around the heart of the stone fruit production area near Fresno…

"May is going to be an interesting month for stone fruit"

Murcia's stone fruit campaign started with some small quantities a few days ago. Next week, the harvest will begin in important areas such as Cieza and Abarán, so the supply will start to become more consistent, although the production in May is still expected to be lower than last year's. "We have been…

The European apricot production is recovering

The traditional medFEL crop predictions were revealed this morning. 2021 was a catastrophic year for the European apricots due to the frost that affected all production basins and caused significant losses. In 2022, the frost episodes were particularly severe in Spain, the most affected country.  This year,…

"Main function of the Cherry Committee should be to standardize the quality and condition of the fruit"

At the recent XXV International Seminar on Blueberries & Cherries, president of the National Agricultural Society (SNA), Antonio Walker presented his talk "Introduction of…

Cold front across northern China leads to concern about fruit crops

A cold front has caused temperatures to plunge across northern China, sparking concern about damage to fruit and vegetable crops and driving investors to bet on production…

Fruit breeder expands cherry season window with low-chill cherries

International Fruit Genetics LLC (IFG) is expanding its low-chill cherry program and closing a gap that has eluded retailers and cherry lovers for years. Given that IFG’s low-chill cherries are all early harvest, retailers can now offer more IFG cherry varietals much earlier in the season. The low-chill…

USDA announces plans to purchase fresh and frozen peaches

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Fresh and Frozen Peaches for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.…

Cherry acreage continues to increase as apples decline in the Okanagan

Later crops mean the Okanagan industry isn’t competing directly with the huge Washington State cherry crop, which matures earlier. G.P. Sandher Holdings Ltd. Company has…

Quebec wholesaler opens new facility and discusses summer programs

Canadawide is getting wider. Just recently, the Montreal, Quebec-based produce wholesaler opened a new facility just 10 minutes away from the company's current operations. With that new space, it doubles the company’s pallet capacity for storage as well as doubling their banana ripening rooms. In all,…

Plum production in la Costera and Vall d'Albaida plummets

The harvest of the earliest summer fruit varieties in the districts of la Costera and Vall d'Albaida is about to start and producers have confirmed that the plum has, once…

"We want to help cherry processors and sellers improve product shelf life"

Cherries are loved by many consumers, but the shelf life of cherries is short, which is a big challenge for growers and sellers in production and sales. Post-harvest preservation of cherries is critical to maintaining their quality and freshness, and effective measures need to be taken to ensure that…

No competition for Chile during stone fruit season

The Chilean stone fruit season has pretty much come to an end. “It has been a long season and the end is usually a bit of a battle,” says Cristian Ramila with Bengard Marketing. The season started off very stable as there typically is not much stone fruit on the market in December and January, the early…