The future of US sweet corn might be uncertain

As summer temperatures are sometimes reaching unprecedented levels in the US, the future of sweet corn might be uncertain. According to New University of Illinois research,…

Available water a limiting factor for Manitoba vegetable growers

A new Manitoba provincial strategy treats water like a precious, scarce commodity. During a recent dry cycle, Manitoba’s water resources indeed came under heavy stress,…

JP Farms to take legal action against fake 'Jamaican bananas' found in Canada

JP Farms is Jamaica’s largest commercial grower of bananas. According to company spokespeople, it is taking legal action following the discovery of bananas purporting to be…

ACIAR launches project to prevent spread of Fusarium wilt in bananas

Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research ACIAR has launched a project to protect small-scale banana growers in Mozambique and Tanzania against Fusarium wilt…

Bananas from Belize at £0.88

This series gives the average wholesale prices of bananas by country of origin. The prices are national averages of the most usual prices charged for bananas at wholesale markets in Birmingham and London. This publication is updated weekly. The current average week prices of bananas stood at £0.88 for bananas from Belize. Costa…

“The current economic context keeps the onion market balanced in spite of the drop in production”

The French onion production has been impacted by the summer drought, with a significant decrease in volumes. “Like most European producers, we have suffered from the heat waves of the summer,” explains Pierre Gélébart, product manager at Prince de Bretagne. “As a consequence, our yields have dropped by…

PepsiCo Alimentos Venezuela launches program to train potato growers in the region

PepsiCo is the largest consumer of potatoes in Venezuela, with around 2,400 tons. PepsiCo Alimentos Venezuela has launched its ‘Agro with Purpose’ program, hoping to learn new…

Potato production in Kazakhstan increased by almost 12% in 2022

The harvest of all types of vegetables increased in the 2022 season in Kazakhstan. In particular, potato production increased by 11.9%. According to the Minister of…

Planting of organic kiwifruit in China is increasing year by year

In recent years, as consumers pay more and more attention to the quality and safety of agricultural products, the cultivation of organic kiwifruit in China has increased year by year. However, organic kiwifruit planting is also facing many challenges. Firstly, the planting cost is high, and the output is…

New export season of mangosteens from Java has started

Indonesia is one of the most important mangosteen producing countries and its growing areas are scattered over almost all of the country's islands, including Java. In Java area, new mangosteen harvest has recently started. "Java is one of the main production areas, especially in the Banyuwangi, Pati, Purwakarta…

Avocados Australia looks at export markets as growers brace for another oversupply situation

By 2026, Australia's avocado supply is expected to be more than double what it was in 2021. That is one of the reasons that Avocados Australia is working to open new export…

Ugandan cane farmers opt for Hass avocado cultivation

Three years ago, Munu Nyende’s cleared his sugarcane farm for Hass avocado trees. Uganda’s soils and climate favour avocado cultivation and the fruits are considered among the…

USDA files action against Texas company for alleged PACA violations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against Mestizos Group LLC (Mestizos) for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural…

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

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

Imports of Thai fruits at Qingdao port increased by more than 40%

Recently, at the fully automated container terminal of Qingdao Port, Shandong, 5.5 tons of longan and young coconut produced in Thailand were unloaded and sent to the Huangdao…

Agriculture fears losses due to Chilean truckers’ strike

For the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex), the truckers' strike in Chile could lead to losses of nearly 500 million dollars. The indefinite strike called by the…

Cimcorp achieves record order fulfillment lead time for two Mercadona logistics centers

Cimcorp, integrator of turnkey robotic handling solutions, and Mercadona, one of Spain’s leading grocery retailers, have celebrated the successful go-live of a third large logistics center featuring Cimcorp automation. Following the start of operations in both Zaragoza and San Isidro in 2021, the…

Presentation of updated potato harvester at Interpom

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

USDA

Increased attention for apples, potatoes, grapes and cranberries

Many ads from last week were extended through Thanksgiving in order to accommodate last-minute holiday shoppers, resulting in fewer stores posting new specials this week. For those chains which did release new advertisements, Black Friday specials were in the spotlight, with even many stores which…

USDA

Florida tomato growers are moving forward after Hurricane Ian’s aftermath

As Florida’s tomato industry begins to rebound, the headlines coming out of Florida are “not all is lost”. Tomato growers in Florida are moving forward after Hurricane Ian’s aftermath. Even though central Florida took the brunt of the storm, replanting has begun, and the weather is looking favorable.…

“There is definitely potential for our products in Asia

Love Beets from G’s is a well know product both in Europe and abroad and it was launched in the US 10 years ago. It has also gained traction in Asia and Australia through a partnership with Australian company One Harvest. There is also brand presence in the South African market. “One Harvest has decided…

Storms and heavy rains over parts of regional Queensland

Heavy rain fell across parts of regional Queensland overnight and the Bureau of Meteorology is urging residents to prepare, with storms and possible hail predicted for the…

Jamaica Producers veteran Marshall Hall has died

Yesterday, former longtime group managing director of Jamaica Producers Group, Marshall Hall passed away at the age of 88. Hall served as group managing director of Jamaica…

"U.S. dollar and Chinese yuan may soon be neck and neck"

The U.S. dollar has always been the world's strongest currency. But for how much longer? For many emerging economies (especially in the region between Europe and China), that…

Seedless varieties of table grapes are being prepared for planting in Uzbekistan

Seedless varieties of table grapes of foreign selection will be planted in Uzbekistan. Seedlings of seven varieties of foreign selection of table grapes are currently grown…

Hortgro

'SA area planted under cherries could expand by 90% in the next five to six years'

'In the uncertainty of life, the one thing we can be sure of is change.' That was the theme of the Cherry Associations annual general meeting, which took place on 27 July 2022 in Paarl. Hortgro Cherries chairperson, Arno Marais, said that change is not always easy, but it is the people and the businesses…

British Columbia fruit packer focuses on developing pear category

Pears out of British Columbia, Canada are seeing a strong crop. “They’ve come through the weather events with very little damage or issues at all,” says Bryan Key, category director with The Star Group based in Kelowna, B.C., who notes that its pear grower/packer, Day’s Century Growers, has the only…

"Almost no Hoogstraten strawberries until March; after that, there may be a surplus"

This winter, there will be almost no Hoogstraten strawberries in European stores. "We usually have several growers going through, but this year, due to the all-too-familiar reasons, there are only two," says Michiel Vermeiren of Coöperatie Hoogstraten. "That's a pity. Of course, we'd prefer things be…

Chilean cherries' harvest and export season has begun

"Chile is currently the leading exporter of fresh fruits in the southern hemisphere, with special leadership in cherries and plums. More than 8,000 producers are able to grow a variety of fruits in Chile thanks to the fresh air of the Pacific Ocean and the country's different climatic regions. Cherries…

"The recent price of Chilean cherries is lower than the same period last year"

At present, it is time for the concentrated arrival of Chilean cherries shipped by air. Due to the increased production of Chilean cherries this season and the fact that the Chinese New Year is coming earlier this time, the arrival volume of airfreight cherries is more than last year. Recently,…

"Apple sales are under pressure, and the market demand for preservatives is increasing"

At present, the storage of domestically produced apples is coming to an end in China. Under the circumstances that the current market momentum is not good and the fruit market has entered the off-season of consumption, the changes in the inventory and the later consumption end are the focus of merchants'…

Awe Sum Organics’ winter organic table grapes to arrive soon

Awe Sum Organics, one of the largest importer of organic table grapes from the Southern Hemisphere has begun the 10th season of their organic Peruvian winter table grape program. Awe Sum Organics helps to fill the winter organic fruit void with high-quality organic table grapes from early December, when…

Shelf-life extension technology reduces brown stems in grapes

Since commercializing their flagship shelf-life extension technology in 2016, Hazel Tech’s Hazel 100™ has proven to be very effective in the table grape category. “Our technology continues to drive a lot of value for grape growers/packers/shippers/importers, and retailers,” says Hazel Tech’s Mario…

Chile shipping fewer and fewer peaches

Chilean peaches have begun shipping to Canada, though the volume of peaches out of Chile continues to get lower and lower. “Chile has seen more and more volume come out of the ground as various retailers, especially in North America, have decided to not use Chilean peaches,” says Larry Davidson of North…

Youtube.com

Spanish athlete breaks Guinness World Record by slapping watermelons

A Spanish athlete broke a Guinness World Record when he used his open hand to smash 39 watermelons in 1 minute. According to Guinness World Records spokespeople, Roberto Rodriguez took on the record for most watermelons smashed with an open hand in one minute on the set of the Italy-based TV special Lo…

“I don’t know how blueberry farmers are going to survive”

Rainbow Superfood’s blueberry farms in Rawsonville and Lambertsbaai in the Western Cape are commencing the harvest at a time when prices are slightly improving, after a dreadful season in which growers have been selling their blueberries at far below cost price just to keep programmes going.In both…

“We are known for our high-quality fresh herbs that are asked for by our clients.”

"We are known for our high-quality fresh herbs that are asked for by our clients," says Avihay Wein, Marketing Manager of Aviv export, based in Israel. They specialize in the export of fresh herbs and other agricultural products from Israel and a few more countries to mainly Europe and the rest of the…

Blueberries will be the main focus at the next Macfrut

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

Israel’s 2022-2023 citrus season estimated to be lower and challenging

The 2022-2023 citrus harvest currently underway in Israel is expected to be lower as logistics issues are also hampering business and will contribute to another “challenging year”. According to Yonatan Meron, Export Manager of Granot Fresh: “Although we had a slight reduction in the logistic costs to…

Cuba embraces eco-farming due to tightened US sanctions

Growers in Cuba are increasingly adopting ecological farming methods as the US trade embargo continues to restrict the country's access to chemical fertilizers. Without these…

'Diet rich in vegetables, whole grains and beans can decrease bowel cancer risk'

It might be that a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils can cut the risk of bowel cancer in men by more than 20 percent. A new study on 79,952 men in the…

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

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

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

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

"It's wonderful that we can work together to ensure that French fries remain affordable"

"Fresh French fries sales to the hospitality sector are shrinking somewhat, but those to food service and industry remain normal," begins Wim Lannoey, Managing Director of the Belgian potato processing company Remo-Frit. Sales to especially cafeterias have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. "Sales to…

Lineage opens new fully automated cool port II cold storage facility in Port of Rotterdam

Lineage has expanded its European network of strategically located cold storage facilities with the opening of the Cool Port II facility at City Terminal Rotterdam The fully…

Green Day Produce, Inc. recalls Enoki mushrooms because of possible health risk

Green Day Produce, Inc. of Vernon, CA is recalling its 200g/ 7.05oz packages of Enoki Mushroom (Product of Korea) sold from September 2022 - October 2022 because it has the…

Turkish hazelnut prices have changed after the lawsuit against Ferrero started

Turkish competition authorities have filed a lawsuit against Ferrero over allegations that the company has monopolized the market. Ferrero is a major buyer of Turkish…

Reclosable and sealed freshness-saving packaging with tamper-evident solution

  Nespak, part of the Guillin Group, remains committed to sustainability and is launching Securipack, an innovative plastic tamper-evident punnet. Securipack is a new option for those looking for packaging that combines security, aesthetics, functionality and sustainability. It is a freshness punnet in rPET, 100%…

“We plant a single tree with every deal that we make with a client”

Mohamed Ali, owner and founder of Egyptian packer Fresh Deal, states that the consensus on paper packaging is very positive: “The paper packaging still has a good reputation. Nowadays a lot of large supermarket chains and retailers around the world demand paper packaging instead of plastic, as many…

Manupackaging announces strategic partnership with Polymateria for biodegradable films

Manupackaging is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Polymateria in the field of sustainable end-of-life packaging solutions.Incorporating Polymateria’s…

Latest rains are "not enough to save Morocco's agricultural season"

Last weekend's rainfall interrupted a long period of drought in Morocco but was not enough to lift growers' morale. Mr. Rida Aghori, an agricultural engineer, has been observing the rainfall deficit situation since 2016, using a dashboard he has compiled from official sources. Mr. Aghori said, "the…