Kaluga region of Russia exports 645 tons of mushrooms

The Interregional Department of Rosselkhoznadzor summed up the results of exports from the Kaluga region. The department reports that in 2022, the region's farmers sent 645…

Zero-residue radicchio, an extra chance to gain interest among consumers

The range of pest-free vegetables offered by the Italian company Fellini Patrizio continues to expand. Red, pest-free radicchio started to be available a few weeks ago. "Right now, the product is from the Marche region. We have grown in Romagna until November. The quality is good and the harvest is…

Garlic insurance returns to normal after two years of high incident rates

After two years of negative results, with more than 45 million euro of compensation in the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, last year, garlic insurance -which gives ample coverage to…

“The artichoke processing industry should also adapt to the Green Queen”

The fields of the largest artichoke production area in Spain have been covered with a layer of ice for several days, which will have a considerable impact on production. “There have been frosts recorded from Alicante to Lorca, and in the Guadalentín Valley almost all the fields are affected,” stated Pepe…

Pricing back down to historical levels for green bell peppers

Supplies of green bell peppers have been fairly steady. As Michael Wilson of National Produce Marketing Inc. in Etobicoke, Ontario, notes, it is bringing in green bell peppers…

EU three-week average price of European bananas at €101 per 100 kgs in week 2 of 2023

In week 2, the three-week average wholesale prices of bananas from Latin America stood at €112/100 kgs. Average wholesale prices of bananas from Latin America were at €119/100 kgs in the Netherlands. Prices in Belgium stood at €96/100 kgs, while Italians paid €129/100 kgs and the French paid €115 per 100…

Dominican Republic: Bananas and other products have dropped in price

According to Eddy Alcántara, the Executive Director of the National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) bananas and other agricultural products…

Governments of Canada and Manitoba invest nearly $100,000 to upgrade horticulture storage facility

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing $98,970 through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to upgrade the University of Manitoba’s horticulture storage…

New generation kiwis find firm footing in the right South African localities

The advent of Actinidia chinensis yellow and red kiwi selections with lower chilling requirement has opened the door for South Africa, which had a stab at creating a kiwi industry in the 1980s, but with a focus on green kiwis “South Africa’s big opportunity is not to be a big player but to be a player of…

Mango board seeks nominees

The National Mango Board is seeking nominations for seven open board member positions, six positions will be to fill out the term 2024-2026. One first handler position will start their term…

Increasing consumer consumption is the key to growth in 2023 for a North Queensland Papaya grower

A leading North Queensland papaya grower says it is important to increase consumer awareness of the fruit, and in turn consumption, to help grow the category and help meet rising production costs. Skybury Farms, General Manager Candy MacLaughlin says input costs over the past twelve months across the…

“The red guava would be an exclusive, ultra-exotic fruit in this market”

The red guava season has recently kicked off in India. The history of India and guava is a long one, says Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of Indian fresh produce exporter Kay Bee Exports: “India has a long-lasting and extensive expertise at growing various varieties of guava. For several years, it has remained the…

Seeka collaborates with Ministry of Social Development to deliver series of job expos

Over 400 jobs are up grabs as this year’s Kiwifruit season takes off in Taitokerau, and there’s something for everyone. Horticulture employer Seeka has collaborated with…

Sunrise Fresh appoints Greg Wilson

Sunrise Fresh, LLC has named Greg Wilson as vice president, sales. Wilson of Eugene, Oregon, has extensive experience in the food industry including his own brand consulting…

Village Farms raises $25 million

Village Farms, the produce grower that also grows cannabis under the Pure Sunfarms banner, has raised $25 million.  The capital was raised through the sale of shares and warrants with a combined price…

Drewry

Drewry’s composite World Container Index dropped 2% this week

Drewry’s composite World Container Index decreased by 2% to $2,046.51 per 40ft container this week. The composite index has dropped by 78% when compared with the same week last year. The latest Drewry WCI composite index of $2,047 per 40-foot container is now 80% below the peak of $10,377 reached in…

Europe to Asia reefer rates slide

Freight rates on the Europe to Asia trades have begun to follow the wider container market down after a period of resistance. According to a market update from freight rate…

How citrus packhouses can improve profitability with the latest sorting and grading solutions

Citrus packhouses are striving to meet evermore demanding quality expectations, yet must also increase quantities and improve yields. This is a tricky balancing act, but it can be done, as Clinton Jeffries, Global Category Director Citrus at TOMRA Food, explains. The fact that consumers are getting…

Russia and Turkey intend to strengthen control over the supply of fruits and vegetables

Negotiations between representatives of the Rosselkhoznadzor and the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkey took place via video link, to discuss how to strengthen the control over…

"California keeps looking for ways to raise prices, drive away more businesses and destroy growth"

McDonald's USA president Joe Erlinger seems unhappy with California's politics and policies. He wrote an open letter, which can be read below. "Whether you're a lawmaker, a business owner or leader, or an everyday vote…

Crisis update: "European price cap could cause sudden market changes"

Friday, January 20, the short-term TTF gas price closed at just under 67 euros per megawatt hour. During last week, the price rose due to more wintry weather. Electricity prices are also on the rise. In this new crisis update, we list the price and market developments again. TTF gas price for February…

"We are entering the Valentine's Day campaign with good demand for strawberries and rising prices"

The drop in temperatures starting the second week of January reduced the supply of strawberries in Huelva, increasing prices, which continue on an upward trend. Loli Garcia, Grufesa's Sales Director. "European markets are relatively empty of strawberries, and it seems that this will continue to be the…

Increased local demand for Ontario Red Prince apples

Ontario apples are continuing to see a strong year--a welcome change from the last two years where smaller crops followed challenging weather conditions. “This year overall we had a bumper crop. Not only was it larger in yield but it was larger in size and had great color. All regions had a great year…

“Turkish apple exports mainly went to India, Russia and Syria”

Their first apple export season in 2021 had its challenges, but Turkish produce exporter Ani Tarim is very confident about the current Turkish apple season, says Mehmet Çakmak, sales and marketing manager for the exporter. “Our ongoing apple and pomegranate export programmes make us quite happy, so far…

Moldova sharply increased exports of table grapes to the EU

Representatives of the Association of Grape Producers and Exporters of Moldova noted that in 2022 exports of table grapes from Moldova to Romania almost doubled compared to…

"No other herb brand in Australia has such an extensive range of punnets and sleeves which are fully barcoded"

Butler Market Gardens has been established for decades, CEO Rick Butler is the 6th generation of the family owned business based in  Heatherton, Melbourne. The company specialises in a wide range of vegetables and herbs. In 2018 they launched the Butler Gourmet Pantry range. "From a strategic perspective we…

IFPA opens nominations for 2023 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards program

International Fresh Produce Association has opened the nomination period for the 2023 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards Program. Developed to honor the food service…

Citrus growing in Florida still perseveres focuses on juice market

As has been reported for years now, Florida's citrus crop has been decreasing and things are not yet looking to be picking up. Centuries ago, growing and producing citrus…

A look at South Carolina citrus

Citrus has been making its way north in recent years. So far, growers in North Florida and Georgia have had success producing the crop, with only minor incursions of HLB, the disease that has been…

Citrus grower fights to keep crop healthy as Phoenix area is faced with cold spell

Arizona citrus growers are working hard this week to keep their plants thriving during this cold snap as overnight temps are hovering around the freezing mark. Fortunately,…

"Moroccan and Egyptian clementines being pushed on Belgian market"

Spanish citrus prices have been quite high this whole season. "The supply's not limited, but volumes are lower than in previous years. So, prices, especially for juicing oranges, are much higher than in other years," says Peter Breels of the Belgian wholesaler Rodiers. Quality is not lacking, though, he adds.…

USDA

South Africa tangerine/mandarin exports forecast to reach a record 560,000 tons in 2022/23

South Africa exports of tangerines/mandarins are forecast to grow by almost 8 percent in 2022/23 to reach a record 560,000 tons on higher production and strong overseas demand. The European Union and the United Kingdom account for 45 percent of total South Africa exports followed by Russia (10 percent)…

2022 US organic produce sales down in volume, up in sales

Organic fresh produce sales grew by 3 percent in 2022, while volume declined by –3.7 percent, as total sales topped $9.4 billion for the year, according to the 2022 Organic Produce Performance Report released by Organic Produce Network and Category Partners. The organic fresh berry category was the top…

Consuming more vegetables might benefit your prostate

Faced with a diagnosis of stage four prostate cancer, surfing writer Tim Baker decided to try different diets including vegan, vegetarian and keto. After seeing a…

"We offer the industry a solution that maps consensus from multiple perspectives"

Since April 2022, producer companies can prepare for certification with the latest version of the IFA standard V6 from GLOBALG.A.P.. "We are trying to improve the efficiency…

Netafim South Africa drives cost-efficient dripline supply and economic growth with local investment

Netafim South Africa is happy to announce that the first roll of locally produced Streamline™ X thin wall dripline was recently extruded at its Cape Town dripline manufacturing plant. To supply a changing market with optimal efficiency, the necessary upgrades were made to allow for advanced thin wall…

USITC set to issue anti-dumping duties on lemon juice imports from South Africa and Brazil

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) is set to issue an order imposing anti-dumping duties on lemon juice imported from South Africa and Brazil. The agency…

Optimizing blanching of IQF fruit and vegetables for maximum profit

As the shelf life of consumer goods is one of the major concerns for consumers, IQF fruits and vegetables are becoming more and more popular. Therefore, it makes sense that Future Market Insights predicts a 3.6% annual growth of the market over the next ten years. According to OctoFrost marketing…

Maryland Department of Health issues consumer advisory for Enoki Mushrooms

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is warning consumers not to eat enoki mushrooms produced by Shandong Youhe Biotechnology Co Ltd. in Shandong Province, China, because of potential contamination with Listeria bacteria. Samples collected and tested by MDH in early January were positive for the…

Mexico offers potential to grow date industry

Medjool dates are known to be grown in the Middle East and Africa, but the Bard Valley region in the United States is a well-known sweet spot for Medjools as well. However, more recently production into Mexico has witnessed an expansion. “In Mexico’s Sonora desert, the climate and growing conditions are…

Study reveals environmental benefits of modified atmosphere packaging

StePac, L.A. Ltd. analyzed supply chains it is closely involved with to assess how its packaging preserves the quality of fresh produce during handling, shipping and storing, and by doing so reduces waste and saves GHG emissions. The company commissioned researchers at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research…

Fibre-based packaging provider makes €11 mln. investment in retail packaging

Solidus Solutions invests €11 million into FUTURLINE, a range of innovative retail ready packaging solutions, including skin packaging, MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) and punnets which are already being rolled out across Benelux, France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom and Spain. Driven by the…

California rains highlight inability to capture enough rainwater

It’s been said that California doesn’t have a water issue but rather a water storage issue. Following recent record rains and even flooding in the state, where does that leave things? “A lot of water came down in California. There was the ability to catch some of it, but the main problem here continues…