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Top 5 - yesterday
- "Climate change is the new reality for Moroccan agriculture"
- The limits of a plastic covering in a weak supply chain
- California underway with late but great quality stone fruit
- "At the end of the road, yellow onion prices shoot up again after all"
- "The mango season in central and northern Senegal is starting slow"
Top 5 - last week
- UK and Europe “screaming for citrus” but still more rain for South Africa
- Large volumes of Vietnamese Kanyao durians on the market, Thai mangosteen in short supply with rising prices
- "2023 avocado season off to a good start"
- “Right now, everybody in the US is desperate for grapes”
- Grape farming firms among Namibia’s fastest-growing companies in 2023
Top 5 - last month
- Risk of heart disease might drop significantly by drinking these fruit juices
- South African strawberry aficionados in for a Woolworths treat
- Japanese farmer produces mangoes that sell for $230 each
- UK and Europe “screaming for citrus” but still more rain for South Africa
- Large volumes of Vietnamese Kanyao durians on the market, Thai mangosteen in short supply with rising prices
Vegetables

Uneven pricing for field tomatoes
This is the time of year to especially watch the quality on tomatoes says Roger Riehm of Blue Creek Produce LLC. “The concern is always that it’s the tail end of a season and the beginning of a new season and you’re also watching to see how much the rain is affecting local crops in different areas of the…

Flipped pricing on California and Mexican broccoli
More broccoli supplies are coming out of Salinas, California. “They were delayed by the rain but they have now gotten to the point where they can harvest and the quality on…

Labor costs are the big caveat to high asparagus prices
The asparagus season in the northwest usually starts mid-April, but this year the crop was almost a month late due to a really cold spring. “When Mexico stopped shipping the third week of April, we weren’t even packing asparagus in Idaho,” says Shay Myers with Owyhee Produce. The late start created a…

The garlic harvest starts with a 15% drop in production but with good quality Spring garlic
According to forecasts, this season's garlic production will decrease by 15%; however, the quality of the Spring garlic variety is quite good, stated Julio Bacete, sector…

Egyptian garlic is more competitive this season despite higher prices
The Egyptian garlic campaign is ongoing, with demand outstripping supply and prices rising, but it's in a more competitive position than other origins, according to Ralph Nakhal of Egyptian producer Tomna. Ralph said, "We are currently in the midst of the cured fresh garlic export season, fulfilling all orders…

Géraldine Cuadras, commercial director of Cuadraspania:
"Prices are no longer a reference to determine whether a campaign is good or not"
Last winter, the leafy vegetable production suffered from the impact of climate change, "which is increasingly noticeable in our sector," said Géraldine Cuadras, commercial director of Cuadraspania. "In November and December, the temperature was very high and caused the harvests to start earlier, which…

Sipo
The bad weather has affected vegetable yields
This is truly a bad year for Emilia-Romagna: first there was the drought, then the frost followed by the excessive rain and hail and, finally, the flood. "The bad weather that hit the heart of our region as far as the Riviera Romagnola caused serious damage to the agricultural sector," reads a Sipo note.…

Photo 19835941 © Surachai Suparsreepipat | Dreamstime.com
Counts of e-coli in vegetables from retailers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
A new study by Ihab Habib, Rami H Al-Rifai, Mohamed-Yousif Ibrahim Mohamed, Akela Ghazawi, Afra Abdalla, Glindya Lakshmi, Neveen Agamy and Mushtaq Khan investigates the counts, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genome-based characterization of Escherichia coli in 11 different types of fresh salad…

Increase of Albanian greenhouse vegetable exports insignificant in period Jan-Apr
The weather has favored Albanian agricultural production this season. The warm winter enabled uninterrupted production of cucumbers, while tomatoes hit the market almost a…
Sweet corn crops in danger, among others
NZ farmers worried as destructive fall armyworms spread
The fall armyworm has been referred to as the world's number one corn-killing pest; it was first detected in Tauranga in March of 2022. Now it has already travelled south,…

ProNatura
New unheated French greenhouse tomato launched
Générose, the new tomato developed by ProNatura in collaboration with the MédiTerraBio growers' group, is a variety that “combines all the characteristics of heirloom tomatoes, with its generous flesh, melting texture, juiciness and sweet flavor.” It is grown exclusively in the southeast of France in…

© Joan Egert | Dreamstime.com
Nigeria: Tomato price crashes as supplies from Ghana, Cameroon hit the market
The price of tomatoes has crashed in most Nigerian markets as supplies from Ghana and Cameroon have arrived the county’s markets. Daily Trust findings revealed that due to the recent tomato scarcity that hit the nation as a result of the Tuta Absoluta pest attack on tomato plantations, tomato merchants…

Tobias Schwaighofer to kick off the wild mushroom season
"The first chanterelles are okay in terms of price, but demand is very modest"
The arrival of the first Bulgarian chanterelles marks the start of this year's wild mushroom season. "We obtain our chanterelles mainly through partners at the Munich wholesale market, where the first batches of the season have already been offered for one to two weeks now. The price of the first, early…

© Hansenn | Dreamstime.com
US (CA): Monterey County still dealing with flood damage
The summer vegetable crop in California’s Salinas Valley may be a little shorter than normal as farmers work through issues surrounding this winter’s floods. Not all the early-season leafy greens typically planted in the Salinas Valley could be, because of the significant flooding that took place on the…
Phillippe Kahn, managing director of Herbafrucht LTd, on the end of the wild garlic season:
"Many customers travel long distances, just for the assortment and quality at the Munich wholesale market"
For several years, Munich-based company Herbafrucht Ltd, which specializes in herbs, has been working with a wild garlic producer from Hungary and another from Romania. "The season usually starts earlier for both origins than German production," says managing director of Herbafrucht, Phillippe Kahn. Managing…

Xiaohongshu
Chinese are bringing cucumbers to music festivals
China festival goers are turning to alternative forms of hydration, choosing to bring cucumbers so they will not be forced to pay exorbitant prices for a bottle of water. Recently, someone posted a picture of a half-eaten cucumber to Xiaohongshu, a social media platform similar to Instagram. The caption…

Later starts in bell pepper growing regions
There’s no shortage of supply of bell peppers in the market currently. “Right now, players are getting up and running in the Coachella desert and we also have Mexico finishing up its deal,” says Prescott Leyba, vice president–pepper sales with Live Oak Farms. “Mexico should finish in the next seven to 10…

Nigel Clare - Peloton Produce
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…

BLE
Decrease of 4% compared to the previous yearVegetable cultivation trend in Germany seems to decline
In Germany, vegetables were grown on around 126,000 hectares in 2022 - a decline of around four percent compared to the previous year. This is according to the report of the "National Dialogue on Food Systems". Asparagus, onions, lettuces and carrots grew on more than half of the land. Organic with varying…

In 2022, Morocco exported more tomatoes than Spain
Morocco has exported more tomatoes than Spain for the first time ever. According to data prepared by Hortoinfo, 10 years ago Spain exported 124.74% more tomatoes than Morocco,…
Matthieu Zwaan, Bioworld:
"Scandinavian organic greenhouse vegetable growers are switching back to conventional"
In Europe, high energy prices delayed the start of this year's organic greenhouse vegetable season. "Also, organic greenhouse vegetable acreage is as much as 20 to 30% lower,"…

Sakata presents Tyrian
The first fully purple sprouting broccoli
Sakata Seed Ibérica presents Tyrian, the first sprouting broccoli variety on the market that is completely purple in its florets and stems. “Once again, Sakata, a leading brassica company, continues to lead the way in innovation with the addition of Tyrian.” This new variety stands out for its color, which…

Bayer inaugurates new facility for ToBRFV resistance testing
Bayer has cut the ribbon of a new quarantine facility dedicated to testing resistance to Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) virus in tomatoes. The facility, located in Wageningen, The Netherlands, will help strengthen and accelerate Bayer's search for resistant varieties. "This new infrastructure…

Kurdistan region bans imports of agricultural products to support local farmers
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is implementing a comprehensive reform plan to develop the agricultural sector in the Kurdish region of Iraq and expand the market for…

The market of vegetables in Ukraine decreased by 30% in 2023
The Ukrainian vegetable industry will not soon return to pre-war production levels. The total market decline is estimated at 25-30%, according to Ivo Kyumyurdzhiev, the…

A world record for Europe's longest greenhouse row crop?
Italy: Grape growers switch to tomatoes
The grape crisis, or rather crises, taking place in Italy, as repeatedly reported, was not overcame by all producers. Those who have been able to, have tried to come up with new ideas and new entrepreneurial solutions. One of them is Giovanni Mangiapane, a long-established grape grower in the renowned…

Moroccan pumpkin exports to the UK are soaring
Morocco's pumpkin exports to the United Kingdom have expanded quite a lot, reaching an impressive 11,000 tons by the end of January 2023. Over the course of one year, from…
Nigeria:
Tomato shortage looms as farmers lose N5.6 billion in one month
The scarcity of tomatoes seems to be coming for Nigerians as farmers in the five major tomato-producing states in the country are counting their losses of over N5.6 billion…

Juan Cruz Sanchez Cabezas, CEO of Grupo Newen:
"Communicating that a virus has been detected is the responsible thing to do"
The tomato industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, particularly in terms of the variety of tomatoes available. There has been a focus on developing tomatoes with distinct characteristics, such as taste, which is highly desired by both growers and consumers. The CEO of Newen Europe…

Harmoniz presents Basoche F1 and Midres F1
Tomato open day for the mini and midi plum segments
After the appointment of Saro Tumino as the new general manager for Italy, international seed company Harmoniz - which was recently created from the merger of TomaTech and Nirit Seeds - continues to demonstrate the high strategic value of the Italian table tomato market. This time, the company is…
Lee Stiles - Lea Valley Growers' Association
Thousands of tonnes of UK produce being destroyed every day
British cucumber growers have not had it easy in the last few years, and 2023 is not looking any better. “It is the perfect storm,” said Lea Stiles from Lea Valley Growers…

Simply Hot brand Thai Green Peppers recalled due to Salmonella
Thai Green Peppers from the Simply Hot brand have been recalled due to microbial contamination. The affected product is being recalled from the marketplace due to possible Salmonella contamination. The recalled product has been sold in Alberta, Saskatchewan and may have been distributed in other provinces and…

Nigerian tech enthusiast invents system to preserve tomatoes
Tech enthusiast Daniel Oseni has invented a cooling system called PeriPES. It is designed to successfully preserve and store tomatoes for up to 3 to 4 months. PeriPES works by…

FRI-EL Green House presents Strabena
Italian greenhouse growers launch new premium tomato and expansion plans
On Wednesday, May 17, at the Vergani-Navarra Institute, Fri-El Green House presented Strabena, the De Ruiter midi cherry truss variety for which it holds exclusive cultivation and distribution rights on a national level. The variety is grown all year round under controlled conditions so that it is available…

USDA
US lettuce production shifts regionally as seasons progress
In 2022, lettuce accounted for nearly one-fifth of the $21.8 billion that US growers received in cash receipts from sales of vegetables and melons. Romaine lettuce sales totaled $1.54 billion, iceberg lettuce sales were $1.33 billion, with leaf lettuce sales trailing at $1.25 billion. An estimated 85…

"Anyone can buy asparagus from us"
Dutch asparagus farm grows from 6 to 72 hectares in 11 years
"Anyone can buy asparagus from us," begins Willem van Gerven of the Dutch asparagus cultivation company of the same name. Van Gerven can count on broad sales to supermarkets, wholesalers, and the hospitality industry in the Benelux. It also has a few wholesalers from West Germany and northern France as…

Very good Memorial Day push for sweet corn
Sweet corn harvest in Bell Glade, Florida is wrapping up. “The spring deal here usually finishes up around Memorial Day,” says Geoff Taft, Sales Manager with Pioneer Growers. “Monday and Tuesday of this week were big shipping days for Memorial Day, and it has been a very good push for us,” he added.…
New Jumbo size Asparagus spears are more suitable for grilling
Move over burgers and sausages – here comes trendy new BBQ asparagus
A Herefordshire asparagus farmer has helped fixed a problem for BBQ fans who love grilling the vegetable, but find the regular spears can be too delicate for cooking on a…

bioFrische GmbH
Florian Pfahler of bioFrische GmbH on the marketing of organic mushrooms:"In terms of calculation, we are at the limit with organic mushrooms"
The cultivated mushroom sector is looking back on an eventful year due to inflation and cost increases since the start of the Ukraine war. "The harvest volume of organic mushrooms from our exclusive supplier Bio Pilzhof Leipzigerland has been stable and is still around 14 tons a week, but the cost…

‘Tomato production in Nigeria should be strengthened’
Currently, Nigerians are again struggling with the high cost of tomatoes in many parts of the country. Sources say the price of a basket of tomatoes in the producing states…

Ukraine:
Market of vegetables in 2023 decreases by 30%, does not return to pre-war level
"Vegetable production in Ukraine in 2023 will not return to pre-war 2021 production volumes, and the overall market decline is estimated at 25-30%, although this percentage differs for different crops"- Ivo Kyumyurdjiev, director of Rijk Zwaan Ukraine. "Good prices for vegetables in 2022 encouraged many…

The EU market is not very promising for Kirghiz exporters, according to an expert
Kyrgyzstan obtained GSP+ status from the European Union in January 2016. However, according to National Statistics Committee, Kyrgyzstan's exports to Europe amounted to only…

Cherry tomato supply continues to increase and prices are falling
"Maintaining the same quality standards is a challenge in cherry tomatoes"
"The tomato and cherry tomato supply continues to increase in the European markets, not only from Spain but from many countries, so competition is greater, and prices are falling because there is more supply than demand," says Miguel Angel Perez Segura, owner of Quality Fresh, regarding the current…

Mendoza's garlic acreage is expected to decrease by 25%
Even though the Institute of Rural Development (IDR) still hasn't published the data of the survey carried out among producers each year, the Association of Producers,…

Champinter Cooperative warns that straw prices complicate the viability of mushroom cultivation
"Some countries in Europe have already stopped producing mushrooms due to lack of compost"
One of the consequences of the drought that affects areas in practically all of Spain is the shortage of straw, which is leading to a large increase in straw prices. This increase in prices enormously complicates maintaining mushroom production, which depends on straw for the preparation of compost,…

Más Brócoli's XIV Assembly
Broccoli consumption in Spain in 2023 already exceeds 2 kg per capita
Más Brócoli, the association for the promotion of broccoli consumption, held its XIV Assembly on Friday, May 19. The event was attended by partners and customers and involved the participation of experts, institutional personalities, and personalities from the Region of Murcia's agri-food sector. The assembly…

Nature Choice SAT:
"Cucumber production in Almeria, and also in our case, has been the highest in recent years"
"Overall, the winter cucumber campaign has been good," says Antonio Escobar, manager of the Almeria-based Nature Choice SAT. "We have been able to successfully meet the demand of all our European customers. At the company, we work with great respect for the product at every step, from production to…

OP Albani:
Sicilian elongated peppers reach European markets
It's an exceptional year for Sicilian Lamuyo elongated peppers - the season started in March, and quotations have been high. We talked to OP Albani, located in Vittoria, to better understand the 2023 trend. Giovanni Albani "We have never seen such a brilliant campaign for peppers, especially considering that it…

Jan Potgieter – GROW Group
Economy under so much strain “you can almost touch it”
Most of South Africa’s tomatoes are coming from Limpopo, followed by the Onderberg in Mpumalanga.Some tomato farmers on the West Coast are still cropping, while farmers on both sides of the Orange River are gearing up for their tomato season.Over the past two months tomato supply has been sufficient and…

Dominican Republic awaits word on vegetable pre-clearance program
Growers and shippers in the Dominican Republic are waiting optimistically for an action plan to help expand the USDA APHIS pre-clearance program and allow the country to ship…
Switzerland:
Carrots are the most popular vegetable
Carrots are the most popular vegetable in Switzerland. The Swiss ate almost 7 kilos of them per person per year last year. Tomatoes are in second place. If cherry tomatoes…
Tuta Absoluta outbreak: Nigerians should consider alternatives, says nutritionist
A professor of nutrition and dietetics, Olivia Afam-Anene, has explained how consumers can manage the outbreak of Tuta Absoluta, also known as tomato ebola, a pest that has…

Two of Scotland’s longest established fresh produce organisations join forces to create Pease Bay Farms
Cupar-headquartered East of Scotland Growers Ltd (ESG) and R&K Drysdales Ltd (RKD) have joined forces to create Pease Bay Farms. This means that two of Scotland’s…

Turkish suppliers plan to increase tomato shipments to Russia
Turkish news agencies have reported on Russia's decision to increase imports of Turkish tomatoes, citing Hayrettin Uçak, president of the Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable…

Florida Democrat claims state won't have vegetable pickers due to new immigration law
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz claimed that the new law is 'going to devastate our economy, tourism, construction, agriculture'. According to her, the new law, which goes into…

Bell peppers are best seller at Sicilian Vittoria market
The trend for the main references at the Vittoria Fruit and Vegetable Market marks a slight but gradual decline in prices. Prices have been declining for about ten days now, but without discouraging the operators excessively because we have to consider that we are in mid to late May. A more detailed…
Panay Island, Philippines
Farmers in Antique province urged to produce more vegetables
Farmers in Antique province are encouraged to produce more vegetables and other agricultural products. Yesterday, Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA)…

Denmark: "Collaborating with chefs in Copenhagen boosts our image"
When possible, Danes prefer local, sustainably produced food. Add Copenhagen's luxury restaurants to that, and you have the ideal breeding ground for a company like Funga Farm: a small-scale urban farm that grows organic, fresh, high-quality specialty mushrooms and supplies them exclusively to about 20…

Sustainable seal for packaging companies presented
The Spanish federation of wooden lightweight packaging (FEDEMCO) participated at the tomato industry event held in Rotterdam on Tuesday, May 16. Salvador Martínez, the federation's secretary, presented to over 300 industry professionals the reasons why wooden packaging, also for the tomato category, is a…

Ostrom Mushroom Farms to pay $3.4 million fine, resolving lawsuit
Ostrom Mushroom Farms, a major producer in the Pacific Northwest, will pay a $3.4 million fine for gender discrimination and other unfair and discriminatory practices. This…
Haryana State, northern India
Unstable prices, lack of processing units as well as cold storage facilities worry tomato growers
Unstable prices of tomatoes and the lack of processing units and cold storage facilities have become a challenge for tomato growers, who adopted crop diversification by…

Class action challenges labeling of ‘New Mexico Chili’ peppers
Badia Spices faces a proposed class action that alleges the company’s “New Mexico Chili” peppers are essentially misbranded given that the product is grown in Mexico, not New…

Rick Mengers, ZON fruit & vegetables:
"Asparagus supply and demand very well-balanced this season"
"We're not celebrating before we reach the finish line," says the Dutch cooperative ZON's asparagus buyer, Rick Mengers. "But, so far, the asparagus market's supply and demand are well-balanced." "Because of the cool weather, supply hasn't been excessive. The mini-tunnel season is almost over so that…

Tomato prices rebound in April, Dutch prices fall slightly harder
In the EU, tomato prices rose slightly in April after a sharp decline. That goes against the trend; prices usually keep falling in April. On average, a kilo yielded €2.20. In…

Enhanced monitoring of EU tomato imports
The price paid for the Moroccan tomatoes imported into the EU increased by 12%
EU tomato and citrus fruit imports from third countries are subject to enhanced monitoring by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. The data shows an undeniable increase in the volume of EU tomato imports from non-EU countries in recent years; mainly from Morocco, but also from other…

Karel Kaptein, Bigoud Génération
“Thanks to our loyal clients, we never have a bad asparagus season”
Located in Brittany, the Bigoud Génération farm currently grows asparagus on 19 hectares. “Originally, my father, who is Dutch, arrived in Brittany in the 1980s to grow flower bulbs,” explains Karel Kaptein, manager of the Bigoud Génération farm. “When I settled down, the activity had already lost its…

Belarusian tomatoes are more expensive than pineapples and bananas
Tomatoes and cucumbers are the most in-demand vegetables in Belarus. Their prices are high. Overseas coconuts and pineapples remain on the shelves, despite their affordable…

Golden Mushroom brand Enoki Mushroom recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes
Golden Mushroom brand Enoki Mushroom is being recalled due to Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled product has been sold in Ontario and may have been distributed in other provinces and territories. If you think you became sick from consuming a recalled product, contact your healthcare provider. Check to see if…
Vegetables in Ukraine increased in price by 38% over the year. Experts predict when the prices for these products may go down
Prices for new harvest potatoes, cabbage, and carrots rose sharply in Ukraine
In mid-May, prices for new harvest potatoes, cabbage, and carrots rose sharply. Agricultural companies began shipping young cabbage at 30% higher prices than a week ago. The…

Photo report: global tomato conference
"No more business as usual in the tomato industry"
Are you packing your tomatoes in black or white? According to research presented at the Global Tomato Conference, the contrast of the black packaging could increase sales. The event, which took place at the World Trade Center in Rotterdam, covered various familiar themes such as labor, viruses,…
Vegetables might cost 30% more by Thanksgiving, due to winter storms
California tomato growers still have trouble getting their fields dry
Much of America’s ‘salad bowl’ is still underwater after a series of atmospheric river-fueled storms hit California over the winter. And even now, with the snowmelt, tomato…

NZ vegetable growers latest problem: Getting shoppers to buy their goods
Vegetables planted since Cyclone Gabrielle are filling supermarket shelves, but now, NZ growers say they have a new problem: convincing people to buy them. According to Chair…

Niels Zuurbier, Ursem-Zuurbier
"Dutch iceberg lettuce season is good to go"
The iceberg lettuce is about to begin at the Dutch company Ursem-Zuurbier. "We should start today, which is a few days later than usual. The lettuce looks good, though they're all still a bit sparse," says Niels Zuurbier. The grower is, however, confident about sales. "The market looks good. Spain is…

Marco Babbi (Finò): "Collaboration and concrete solutions are needed - we are proposing fixed prices by geographical areas"
Everyone looking for fennel
"For months, we have been asking big retail chains for 10 eurocents more per kg for producers. They refused to pay them and now we are lacking the produce as producers are tired to lose money: the same chains are suddenly willing to purchase fennel whatever the price. I do not think this was a clever move," reports Marco Babbi…

Ongoing rain in southern Italy risks compromising garlic quality
Things seem to be changing when it comes to garlic. "The situation is rather complicated in southern Italy due to the prolonged rain of past few weeks and to forecasts for the next few days. All of this humidity could compromise quality. We are now waiting for the next 15 days to try and assess how…

Smaller ginger volumes from Peru expected this season
Until recently, US demand for ginger was strong and little product was offered. However, prices have softened as the new crop Chinese ginger has hit the market. West Coast prices from China amount to about $40 CNF per 30 lbs. In addition, Brazil is beginning to ship and airfreight ginger is $18.50 FOB.…

Nigerian traders and consumers faced with rising tomato prices
Tomato traders, as well as consumers, have lamented the recent scarcity and rising prices of tomatoes in the country. The traders attributed the scarcity and hike to seasonal…

Farmmi Inc. to ship high-volume mushroom order to Canada
Farmmi, Inc., an agriculture products supplier in China, has announced it is shipping a new high-volume mushroom order for its commercialized black fungus to export to Canada.…

GrowGeneration partners with Bridgetown Mushrooms to begin selling mycology supplies
GrowGeneration Corp. and GrowLife, Inc. have announced a multi-year partnership focused on the development and sale of mycology supplies, placing both companies among the…

“A perfect storm” helps push green bean prices sky high
Supplies of green beans are really light and have pushed prices up to a reported 10-year high. Why? “It’s the perfect storm,” says Tony Martinez of Primo Trading Services LLC. That started with light plantings. “Mexico plants light color green beans for domestic consumption and dark green beans for the export market…

Francis Martos, of Natura DP:
"Italian pepper consumption on the rise in Northern Europe and Scandinavia"
The bell pepper campaign has come to an end in the province of Almeria. As already reported by the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Government of Andalusia in week 16, the entry into production of Murcia and the Netherlands has directed international buyers mostly to these markets, so the…

China: "Smaller-sized garlic expected"
Chinese garlic farmers are currently in the midst of their main harvest season and are working hard to produce the best quality garlic possible. This year's harvest is expected to bring in a better income than last season, with prices averaging around CNY6.0 per kilo compared to CNY2.4 per kilo…

In 2021, the price of Spanish aubergines surpassed that of Dutch aubergines for the first time in history
According to FAO data, in a Hortoinfo analysis, in 2021 Spain surpassed the Netherlands for the first time ever in the price paid to farmers for their aubergines, as Spanish…

Dutch organic mushroom farm flings open new building's doors
On Saturday, the organic mushroom farm Nesco held an open day for invited guests in Sint Oedenrode. This Dutch company completed its new building - which can be called revolutionary - last year. Especially many local residents came to have a look. Click here to view the photo report. We spoke to Nesco's owner…
11 batches of vegetable products were brought to the warehouse "Second Wind"
More than 220 tons of vegetables from Uzbekistan were imported to the Astrakhan region
More than 220 tons of vegetables from Uzbekistan were imported to the Astrakhan region last month. The cargo included white cabbage, cauliflower, parsley, onion and radish.…

Tomato Ansal f1 might be a game-changer for Ugandan farmers
The tomato industry in Uganda has been growing steadily over the years, with farmers adopting new varieties to boost their yields and increase their income. One of the tomato…

Lots of international visitors during Champignondagen
From 10 to 12 May, the Champignondagen were organised in the Brabanthallen in 's-Hertogenbosch. Many international visitors were present during this 3-day event. Everything in the field of cultivation, preservation, packaging and trade could be found during this event. The fair was well attended, albeit…

Tomeco to focus even more on Tomélon
"Energy prices, virus pressure have changed tomato cultivation"
"Energy prices and preventative measures for viruses have changed tomato cultivation," begins Tom Verdonck of Tomeco. "It's become quite tricky to guarantee stable delivery." Tomeco is a partnership between several Belgian growers that cultivate exclusively for Coöperatie Hoogstraten. The group's main…

Azienda Agricola Gangarossa
It is better to grow organic tomatoes to keep up with the times
Located just a few km from Scoglitti (RG), Amelia Gangarossa's company produces organic tomatoes for the fresh produce market. The soil and weather conditions of this area, favored by the proximity to the sea, are excellent for greenhouse cultivation. Amelia Gangarossa In an interview with the Sicilian…

Kurnool and Nandyal district farmers plan to reduce tomato cultivation due to heavy losses
Tomato farmers in both Kurnool and Nandyal districts (Andhra Pradesh) are planning to reduce the crop area and shift to other options due to a steady slew of huge losses.…

Vietnamese scientists create corn that can be eaten raw
Vietnamese scientists have created a sweet corn cultivar that could be eaten raw without any processing. Nguyen Van Ha, from the Institute of Plant Research and Development at…

GEPC Promo starts campaign to promote mushrooms in Ireland
In order to promote European mushrooms throughout Europe, GEPC Promo (European Association of mushroom producers) has presented a new campaign co-financed by the EU with the…

The Chinese have increased the export of vegetables and fruits to the Primorsky Krai
During the first week of May, the agricultural supervision specialists branch checked almost 5.9 thousand tons of fresh vegetables and fruits imported to the Primorsky Krai…
Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat meets investors
Agreements signed to build four food factories in Jordan
Agriculture Minister Khalid Hneifat has signed agreements with a number of investors to establish four food factories with an investment volume of up to JD2 million. The…

Output reduction expected in China
"New garlic harvest will be on the market at the end of May"
The price of garlic was stable for a short time in late April, and started a new wave of increases in early May. "In the first week of May, the price of garlic rose to over ¥8/kg, an increase of about 15% within a week. In May, fresh garlic has stabilised and it is estimated the production season will be…

German asparagus harvest gets off to a cold start
Farmer Lisa Kraft from Naunheim: “When it’s dry and warm early in the year, we start harvesting asparagus at the end of March. Normally, the start is at the beginning of May.”…

TSI Italia Open Day organized in Sicily
Shape and flavor of an Italian traditional tomato: pizzutello
Sicilian producers are very interested in pizzutello tomatoes by TSI Italia, especially since they follow the indications of their trusted traders to decide which varieties to focus on. Another open day on a single cultivar was therefore organized in Scoglitti (Ragusa). A moment during the registration…

Matthias Ment, sales manager of Spargel & Beerenfrüchte Vertriebs GmbH:
"Greek asparagus came early this year, while the German supply was quite late to market"
After the rather difficult asparagus year of 2022, German asparagus growers can look forward to a regular season again, which Matthias Ment, sales manager of Spargel & Beerenfrüchte Vertriebs GmbH from Beelitz, can confirm to us. "The quality of our asparagus is very good. The only thing that still…
Phytotherapy Research study:
'Eating mushrooms might lower blood pressure levels'
In a recent Phytotherapy Research study, scientists review existing literature on edible mushrooms and their bioactive constituents and their impact on hypertension. Edible…

Lancaster Foods updates voluntary recall of various expired kale, spinach and collard green products
Lancaster Foods has updated their May 5, 2023 Recall notice to add one product (Lancaster Brand Spinach item #41714, “Best If Used By” date April 29, 2023). Lancaster Foods is voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of 3 brands of already-expired Robinson Fresh, Lancaster, and Giant brand Kale, Spinach…

This year is a “roller coaster ride” for broccoli supplies and pricing
Broccoli supplies are wrapping up in Guanajuato, Mexico and growers are shifting production to other parts of the country. “This time of the year is the most tumultuous time in Guanajuato. Temperatures rise quickly and the risk of rain and hail increases substantially as well,” says Michel Veyan Reed of…

Spanish tomato plantings continue despite drought concerns
The ongoing drought in Spain is causing significant difficulties for the country's horticultural industry. Farmers are relying on emergency irrigation to keep crops alive,…

VerticalFarmDaily.com
Lithuania: “Our products are just 10-30% more expensive than conventional products”
On Wednesday, May 10, the doors of Leafoods' vertical farm were officially opened and inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The farm is set to deliver its first products by the end of this week. By the end of this year, they aim to produce about 1000kg of lettuce a day. For now, they are supplying…
Professor Sami Ayodele:
"Nigerian growers should increase mushroom cultivation to boost agro-revenues"
According to university professor Sami Ayodele, has Nigerians should have more awareness of the cultivation of mushrooms. Ayodele, a professor of Botanical Science at the…

Brindisi Igp artichokes sent to the processing industry with unsatisfactory prices
The Brindisi Igp artichoke campaign is in its final stages. There are insignificant quantities for the fresh market, and the remaining flower heads are being sent entirely to the processing industry, also caused by the gradual rise in temperatures and high humidity that have compromised quality…
Proexport will organize the Lettuce Attraction 2023 to be held during the fair in Madrid
“Lettuce will be Fruit Attraction 2023's star product”
The director of the event, Maria Jose Sanchez, announced yesterday in Madrid that Proexport would organize the Lettuce Attraction 2023. There are many reasons to do this, she…

Michigan asparagus growers struggle with labor cost pressures
A Michigan asparagus grower says mandated wage increases by the Department of Labor are not sustainable and threaten the industry. Fourth-generation farmer Nick Ooman of Hart…

Agriculture Ministry Kyrgyzstan wants to increase vegetable exports to $300 million by 2026
The Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Agriculture plans to increase export of processed and dried fruits and vegetables, beans and nuts 2.5 times by 2026. Export of processed vegetables…

Cold temperatures delay Michigan asparagus production by two weeks
Like many crops across the country, the Michigan asparagus crop is about two weeks late this season. “It’s because of the temperatures we had. Some growers thought there would be an early start because there wasn’t a lot of snowpack but the cold temperatures changed that,” says Brian Coates of Applewood…

Almaty is running out of groceries
Monitoring of the prices of socially significant food products conducted in stores of Almaty showed that the trend of decreasing the cost of the social basket, observed in the…

Southern Seed and Progene Seed open-day event in Italy
A tomato seed for the high-end retail market
An open-day event was held jointly by Progene Seed and Southern Seed, aimed at showing support to the operators in the industry. It was an eventful morning, made up of comparisons and curiosity on the part of the professionals from the sector based on a date variety that has been popular for several…
Vegetables New Zealand
Vegetable supplies looking good as winter approaches but weather is still the wild card
Vegetables New Zealand says vegetable supplies are looking good as winter approaches but ongoing unsettled weather across the country is still the wild card. "The weather’s…

EastFruit
Analysis of the reasons and price outlookVegetable prices in Georgia declined by 6%
EastFruit analysts review the latest retail price dynamics in Georgia. According to official statistics, retail prices for vegetables in Georgia went down by 6% in April 2023 compared to March 2023. A further reduction is expected in May. Data source: GeoStat Vegetable prices follow a more general trend.…

© Joan Egert | Dreamstime.com
400% price increase and 90% production lossTuta absoluta destroys tomato crops in Nigeria
Nigerian tomato growers are currently navigating quite troubled waters as the tomato crops across the country are getting ravaged by a Tuta absoluta infestation. National tomato production is indeed suffering a 90% loss, with prices skyrocketing in every state. "Prices for a basket of fresh tomatoes used…

Korea Connections enoki mushrooms
Western Australia: South Korean mushrooms recalled over fears of listeria
Packets of a South Korean brand of mushrooms have been recalled amid fears of a potentially deadly bacteria. Korea Connections 300g packets of enoki mushrooms with a best before date of August 17 may contain listeria monocytogenes, and the packet itself has no instructions to cook the mushrooms before…
In March 2023, fresh vegetable prices increased by 5.8%
In nine out of twenty regions of Kazakhstan, prices for fresh vegetables are decreasing
In the first quarter of 2023, the import of vegetables such as beets and aubergines increased in Kazakhstan. In turn, the import of vegetables such as peppers, onions,…

California corn production in full swing
Harvest has begun on corn out of California though the season is somewhat delayed. “Due to the cold weather and rain that hit much of California, we started harvesting about two weeks later than we did last year,” says Victoria Kovacevich of Prime Time International. She says Prime Time just began harvesting…

"Uncontrolled imports from Morocco and EU policy threaten European tomato production"
"The uncontrolled growth of tomato imports from Morocco and the Community's policies regarding plant health and packaging, derived from the Farm to Table strategy, threaten…

Pierre Gélébart, Prince de Bretagne:
“The artichoke season has started in Brittany”
The first large artichokes from Brittany have arrived on the market. “The mild temperatures and rainfall of the last few days have delayed the production but many plots are now close to maturity,” explains Pierre Gélébart, product manager at Prince de Bretagne. “They are just waiting for warmer…

New varieties aim to bring high resistance to ToBRFV
Enza Zaden offers 18 varieties with High Resistance to Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV). The varieties are available in all significant tomato types and do not compromise on taste, yield, or quality, according to the company. Until now, the only controls against ToBRFV have been strict phytosanitary…

Chang Farm expands mung bean sprouts recall because of possible health risk
Chang Farm, 301 River Road, Whatley, MA is expanding their recall to include ALL Mung Bean Sprouts and Soy Bean Sprouts within expiry because of the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. Monocytogenes). Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections…

Dark times persist for SA’s mushroom industry
Industry experts paint a gloomy outlook for South Africa’s mushroom industry, largely as a direct result of load shedding, high input costs and the closure of two mushroom…

Cold weather stalls Michigan asparagus crop
According to Tim Boring, director of Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board, Michigan is the largest asparagus grower in the nation. Jamie Clover Adams, executive director of the…

© (c) SPAR/Gerald Flor
Regional quality with "young WILD vegetable growers"Styrian asparagus peak season starts now at SPAR
Just in time for Mother's Day and the barbecue season, SPAR is putting Styrian asparagus in the spotlight together with the "young WILD ("jungen WILDEN") vegetable farmers". The cooperation with the innovative farmers' group from southeastern Styria is now entering its fifth year. May is asparagus's main…

South African vegetable export earnings increased moderately year on year in 2022
According to the International Trade Centre, the UN Conference on Trade & Development, and the World Trade Organisation, over the past five years SA vegetable export earnings…

The rise of the sweet potato in Europe:
“By growing our own mother plants, we can keep our entire chain virus-free”
Ireland is renowned as the land of potatoes, and nowadays also, a great part of the sweet potatoes eaten in Europe have Irish roots. From their greenhouse and propagation laboratory, Beotanics creates plant material that is used in their own sweet potato propagation company in Portugal. “By growing our…

Wimex Group/Bördegarten
President of the Landtag, Dr. Gunnar Schellenberger, visits Bördegarten greenhouse in Osterweddingen"Climate-neutral waste heat from our neighbor heats the greenhouse in the transitional and winter periods"
Dr. Gunnar Schellenberger, president of the Saxony-Anhalt Landtag, has now seen for himself what sustainable production controlled by high-tech can achieve in one of the largest greenhouse facilities in Europe. He had followed an invitation from the Wimex Group, a company that produces vegetables and…
Dorus Heeren, Heereco:"New harvesting system allows us to continue offering our organic mushrooms at an attractive price in the future"
Organic mushroom farm Heereco has almost the entire mushroom chain under its own control. For instance, Heereco has its own organic composting facility, the company has three nurseries in Uden in Brabant, which collectively produce around 45-50 tonnes per week, and it also has its own certified (FSSC and…