If more Norwegians are to work in agriculture, the store price must go up

Price is key

The Corona situation has created great uncertainty among the country's fruit and vegetable centres ahead of this year's season. The danger of importing infections and strict infection control rules…

Ward Verberck, VLAM Brexit supervisor

"Due to Brexit hassles, flexible trading is no longer an option"

The United Kingdom left the European Union on January 1, 2021, as a result of which European exporters are faced with formalities, inspections, long waiting times at the border and paperwork. To support Belgian export companies and producers, VLAM has appointed Ward Verberck as Brexit supervisor. With…

The Canarian banana sector falters after three decades of being protected by Europe

The Canarian banana started this year with difficulties. The obligation to establish a minimum price and the impossibility of selling at a loss, as proposed by the draft…

Spain asks Europe to make sure Morocco complies with the terms of their trade agreement

The Secretary-General of Agriculture and Food, Fernando Miranda, stated that the Government of Spain had asked the European Commission to make sure Morocco complies with the…

CBP officers seize about 12,000 Lbs. of marijuana, worth $27 million, within a shipment of papayas

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the commercial facility at the Otay Mesa port of entry seized more than 12,000 pounds of marijuana found commingled within a shipment of papaya hauled by a tractor-trailer rig, with a street value of $27 million. At about 5:45 p.m. on Monday, a…

Mr. Apple appoints Advertising and Marketing Supervisor

Mr. Apple, one of New Zealand’s largest apple producers, has announced the appointment of Jo Turner as internal marketing manager. Global sales and marketing manager Ben…

The association will join the national strike on February 24

UNA faces the enormous challenge of changing Almeria's agricultural sustainability model

Almeria's Union of Agricultural Producers (UNA) was established in April 2019 to manage the foundation of a new exploitation model in the Almeria countryside and the southeast of the peninsula. Small and medium-s…

Law on the indication of origin applies to all

Amazon must also indicate origins of fruit and vegetables

Every local supermarket must inform its customers where the fruit and vegetables on its shelves have come from. But this is not possible with online delivery, Amazon claimed…

Citrus sector of Murcia and Alicante asking for "direct aid to producers"

As reported by sources from the citrus sector in the Spanish Region of Murcia and the province of Alicante in a statement, producers are receiving between 0.16 and 0.18 Euro…

Massimo Scozzoli

Suggestions to the European Commission for new commercialization rules

Before modifying the commercialization standards for agricultural products, including fresh produce, the European Commission granted all Member States the opportunity to make suggestions. 156 entries were made from all over Europe, though only 4 from Italy despite it being one of the leading producers…

Spain hopes to negotiate with the United States to eliminate its tariffs before August

The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, recently said that he hopes to negotiate the elimination of US tariffs before next August with the new US…

"The fact that they promote highly-processed products ahead of fresh produce is something that we cannot understand"

Peak fruit industry bodies encourage their growers not to use Health Star Ratings after "baffling" changes to juice calculator

Australia's peak apple and pear industry body is calling on growers and juice producers to strongly consider removing the Health Star Rating from their labels, following a decision to give fresh fruit and vegetable juice a lower health star rating than diet cola. The Australian and New Zealand…

For the provinces of San Felipe and Los Andes in the region of Valparaiso

Chile declares an agricultural emergency

Maria Emilia Undurraga, the Minister of Agriculture, declared an agricultural emergency for the provinces of Los Andes and San Felipe as a way to support the farmers affected by the last weather front that affected the country's south-central area. “After evaluating the damage caused by the weather in…

Freshfel and FPC urge UK government to extend derogations on phytosanitary certifications for fresh produce

The impact of Brexit is a big challenge for businesses on both sides of the Channel with EU27 exports representing over 3 million tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables to the…

'Welcome Brett Kelly'

Australian Mango Industry Association

Australian Mango Industry Association appoints new CEO

Australian Mango Industry Association welcomes Brett Kelly to the role of CEO. Brett will start with the organisation on the 1st March and will be bringing a wealth of experience and…

The main debate of the CAP revolves around its green architecture, according to the European Commission

The trialogues between the European Commission, the Council, and Parliament to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which started at the end of last year, are expected…

IICA and the Spanish Cooperation Agency start a new stage of collaboration with a focus on Central America

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Spanish Cooperation Agency (Aecid) have begun a new stage of collaboration for the construction of a…

"USITC's ruling sets a precedent for other Mexican export products that are currently under investigation"

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has determined not to impose tariffs on US imports of Mexican blueberries. This ruling was taken in the framework of a…

Industry reactions

ITC determines blueberry imports don't cause injury to domestic industry

The ITC decision on the 201 investigation regarding blueberry imports was made yesterday, February 11th. The ITC determined that fresh, chilled, or frozen blueberries are not causing injury to the domestic industry; they are not being imported into the United States in such quantities as to be a…

Calavo Growers announces changes to organizational structure

Calavo Growers, Inc. has announced changes to enhance the organizational structure within the company’s operations department. Under Jim Gibson, chief executive officer,…

Venture capital interested in the powerful Spanish agri-food sector

According to data from the Spanish Association of Capital, Growth, and Investment (Ascri), private equity funds in Spain alone have 4,500 to 5,000 million available to invest.…

SHAFFE annual general meeting elects new Chilean-Uruguayan presidency team for 2021-23

SHAFFE, The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporter, has held its Annual General Meeting at the 4th of February 2021 online that has served as a starting point…

What's happening in India?

Indian farmers are on a war footing since the Indian Parliament passed the Indian Agricultural Acts of 2020, often referred to as the Farm Bills, in September of last year. Since the end of November, hundreds of thousands of protesters have gathered on the outskirts of New Delhi to protest against the changes brought by law,…

Investment funds invest in Spain's agri-food sector

In recent months, there have been important investment operations in the Spanish agri-food sector. In January 2021, MCH Private Equity partnered with the SanLucar premium…

"AgPick has helped them plan their days, reduced stress and saved them money"

The digital management tool streamlining the harvest process for some Australian growers

An Australian harvest management software system has received "phenomenal feedback" since it started running two years ago, according to its creators. South Australian-based Agricultural Picking Technology (APT) launched AgPick to capture and record harvest activities out in the field, but chief…

Iván Hernández Grabalosa, of Vicasol's Commercial Department, explains the export procedures

A vegetable's journey to London in post-Brexit times

Since January 1 of this year, the United Kingdom has officially ceased to belong to the European Union. However, even though the agreement reached by both parties in late…

The strawberry group will meet on February 16

The Hispano-Franco-Italian-Portuguese Joint Committee on Fruits and Vegetables' to start 2021 meetings

The different contact groups created within the framework of the Spanish-Franco-Italian-Portuguese Joint Committee will start their 2021 meetings on February 16. The…

Robert Guenther, Senior Vice President of Public Policy

United Fresh’s priorities for the new presidential administration

Working closely with the government to ensure that the concerns and challenges faced by the produce industry are taken into account in legislative decisions is one of the key goals of the United Fresh Produce Association. Robert Guenther, the Association’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy,…

Argentina and Portugal analyze the status of the EU-Mercosur agreement

Argentina's Secretary for International Economic Relations, Jorge Neme, and the Secretary for European Affairs of Portugal, Ana Paula Zacarias - who currently are the…

Secretary Vilsack receives unanimous support of the Senate Agriculture Committee

A confirmation hearing for Former Secretary Tom Vilsack to be Secretary of USDA in President Biden's cabinet has provided Vilsack with unanimous support. United Fresh Produce…

Cobram and District Fruit Growers’ Association (CDFGA)

Victorian Government provides more seasonal workforce support for the state's farmers

The Cobram and District Fruit Growers’ Association (CDFGA) has received $430,000 from the Victorian state government to support 30 farm businesses in the region to attract and provide for the workforce they need. The grant, as part of Government’s $6 million Seasonal Workforce Accommodation Program…

Washington farm groups sue state over emergency COVID-19 regulations

Agriculture groups in Washington state announced yesterday they are taking legal action against the State of Washington over recently renewed emergency COVID-19 regulations…

Seasonal laborers are Norwegian farmers' main COVID-19 headache

The Norwegian insurance company, Frende Forsikring, commissioned Sentio to do a survey. Its results show that Norwegian growers are most concerned about sufficient foreign…

Limoneira.com

Limoneira announces new Director of Human Resources

Limoneira Company a diversified citrus growing, packing, selling and marketing company with related agribusiness activities and real estate development operations, today…

McCain Foods South Africa appoints new managing director

McCain Foods South Africa has appointed Unathi Mhlatyana as its new managing director (MD) effective yesterday. Mhlatyana brings more than 20 years experience in the FMCG…

How do the EU's trade agreements with third countries impact the European agri-food sector?

This week, the European Commission released a study evaluating the impact that the EU's trade agreements with third countries, as a whole, has had on the community's…

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

USHBC seeks nominees for regional member positions

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is seeking nominees to fill Regional Member and Alternate positions. The nomination period will begin on February 1, 2021. Current USHBC…

Spain asks Brussels to consider granting compensations if US tariffs are not lifted

The Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has asked the European Commission to study compensating the producers affected in the event that the…

Florida tropicals company appoints new CEO

J&C Tropicals has announced the appointment of Jessie Capote, Esq. as their new CEO. He assumed responsibilities on January 1, 2021, and will succeed Carlos Capote. Capote has…

Fruit and vegetable transport and customs after 3 weeks of Brexit

"The worst is over. Now we are preparing for the entry into force of the phytosanitary certificate and the REX system"

The entry into force of the Brexit process in 2021 has caused delays in the entry of European fruits and vegetables to the United Kingdom, mainly due to changes in the documentation required. Álvaro Partida, Head of the Commercial Area of Partida Logistics, a Spanish company specialized in customs…

The endless fight against illegal growing of proprietary varieties

Grapa’s vast experience enforcing the rights of their protected varieties has led to several seizures of suspicious grape shipments from oversees. In July 2020, a shipment of 11 tons of illegally grown grapes arriving from Egypt was seized at the port of Ravenna, Italy. The variety in subject is the…

Interview with Federico Baraldi

What changes for the Italian fresh produce sector after Brexit

After finally reaching the Brexit deal, the trade of agricultural and food products between the EU and the UK has also been regulated. The UK is worth €3.4 billion and is the fourth market for Italy. The essential elements of the deal include the absence of custom duties and the ongoing protection of…

FEPEX warns Congress that the Chain Law may lead to an increase in Spanish imports

The director of FEPEX, Jose Maria Pozancos, appeared before the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Commission, which is working to amend Law 12/2013, of August 2, to improve the operation of the food chain. Pozancos said he shared the objectives of the law and the directive on unfair commercial practices.…

The EC will take the citrus sector into account in the next evaluation of the trade agreement with South Africa

The European Commission will take into account the citrus sector's input when they evaluate the trade agreement with South Africa this year, as revealed in the course of a virtual meeting between LA UNIÓ de Llauradors and a dozen representatives of the European Commission's General Directorates of…

USDA announces contracts for round 5 of the Farmers to Families Food Box Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it has approved contracts for the additional purchase of Farmers to Families Food boxes. These contract awards are part of…

Call to eat local during Israeli festivity

Fresh fruit industry increased to €1.7bln

As Tu Bishvat is coming closer (New year of trees on the 28th of January), Yaron Belhassan, CEO of the Israel Fruit Growers Association, calls on the public to consume fresh…

California firm posts two $250,000 employment bonds

Los Angeles Produce Distributors LLC, operating out of Los Angeles, Calif., has posted two $250,000 surety bonds to employ Fernando Patoja and Tony Perez, as required by the…

Without unnecessary red tape resulting from the new Indian Order on non-GM certification

Freshfel Europe urges Trade Commissioner for swift solutions to secure EU fresh produce exports to India

Freshfel Europe is urging EU Executive and Trade Commissioner Vladis Dombrosk for a prompt solution on the requirement of a new Indian Order requesting upon import non-GM…

AU: Hort production to fall, prices to rise, labour to bite

Prices of summer vegetables, stone fruit, pome fruit and table grapes are forecast to rise by between 15% and 25% in 2020–21 according to Australian Bureau of Agricultural and…

The EC has a new opportunity to try to eliminate or suspend US tariffs

The change of Administration in the United States represents a new opportunity for the European Commission (EC) to try to eliminate, or at least suspend, the new tariffs that…

EC recommendations for Spain's CAP Strategic Plan promise greater competitiveness

In December, the European Commission published its recommendations for each member state to contribute to the development of their strategic plans for the common agricultural…

One company cites, another company's sanctions lifted

USDA PACA updates in Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on Bella Fresh Houston LLC, Houston, Texas, for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These sanctions include barring the…

New secretary and first chairman for the NEPG

The NEPG which till December 31st was a 5 country organisation (EU-05: B, D, F, GB, NL), started on January 1st without the British AHDB. Due to different factors, AHDB…

Nature’s Pride Foundation and GAIN join forces to put workforce nutrition into the spotlight

At the start of the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, as designated by the UN General Assembly, The Nature’s Pride Foundation (NPF) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) announce a new partnership today, which aims to improve health by promoting better nutrition of workers in…

Helping the food supply chain to find critical workers

The newly launched, Association of Labour Providers ‘Extra Workers Needed Portal’ supports the food supply chain to address critical worker shortages. A short demonstration video may be viewed here. Despite rising unemployment figures, ALP’s recent labour supply survey identified that 92% of food growers…

AVA-ASAJA

"Government and the EU must stop speculation of funds in the agricultural sector"

On January 13, AVA-Asaja presented the Agricultural Balance of 2020; a year in which important capital operations have been carried out in the agricultural sector, and which…

Sara Kuijer, Skal, the Netherlands:

"New organics regulation does permit selling of loose organic produce"

Suzanne van der Pijll recently wrote an article about 'organics returning to plastic'. She is from Schuttelaar & Partners, which is a Dutch communication consultancy…

NSW DPI aiming to strengthen the future of agriculture planning through a proposed land use strategy

The New South Wales Agriculture Commissioner is seeking feedback from farmers and horticulture industry members, after releasing an options paper to improve planning outcomes and recommending the development of an Agricultural Land Use Planning Strategy (ALUP Strategy). In a video released by the…

WHO urges governments to promote healthy food in public facilities

A new WHO Action framework for developing and implementing public food procurement and service policies for a healthy diet aims to increase the availability of healthy food…

US blueberry growers testify to ITC about harm of imports

Members of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance, a group representing U.S. domestic blueberry farmers, provided information to the U.S. International Trade Commission…

Individuals not responsibly connected to past WA violator

USDA cites North Carolina company for PACA violations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on Wayne Bailey Inc., Chadbourn, N.C., for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These sanctions…

Innovation Norway ups €7 million fruit and vegetable grants to €12 million in 2021

Innovation Norway (Innovasjon Norge) is a state-owned company. It grants annual subsidies to Norwegian provinces. This year, it's made some €60 million (NOK 622 million)…

Marketing department changes for citrus agribusiness

Limoneira Company, a citrus growing, packing, selling and marketing company with related agribusiness activities and real estate development operations, announced organizational changes to its marketing department. John Chamberlain retired from Limoneira after more than 15 years with the company. John Chamberlain,…

Producers of Florida citrus vote to continue federal marketing order

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that fresh citrus producers voted to continue the marketing order regulating the handling of oranges, grapefruit,…

Serbia: Duty-free export of fruits and veggies to the EU for another five years

Fruit and vegetable producers and exporters from Serbia and other Western Balkan countries will continue to sell their goods to the EU customers duty-free in the next five…

Post Brexit trade deal with Ghana almost done but tariffs have already hit banana imports

Further to our report in November last year about the threat of Brexit to imports of bananas from Ghana, the UK and Ghanaian government announced on Tuesday this week that they have “reached a consensus on the main elements of a new trade agreement. This provides the basis to replicate, the effects of…

Recent events regarding the strikes and new agrarian law in Peru

On 30 November, an agricultural strike in the Ica region began and lasted five days. The call for a strike denounced the poor working conditions and mistreatment that,…

USDA extends harmonized GAP Assistance Program for fruit and vegetable growers in 16 states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Assistance Program to remain available to eligible producers until…

Nigel Jenney - Fresh Produce Consortium

“Whilst the government has had years to plan for this they have given the industry a matter of weeks"

The UK and EU agreed a last minute Brexit deal on 24th December, which has been widely welcomed by the fresh produce industry. It means goods can still be traded tariff free…

Australian fruit and veg losses top $38 million over labour shortage

Crop losses across Australia, directly as a result of ongoing labour shortages, have continued to mount over the festive season and have now topped $38 million. The National…

Honduras' banana sector needs $40 million to ensure the next banana harvest

According to estimates from the Association of Independent Banana Producers of the Sula Valley, the sector needs to invest nearly 40 million dollars to recuperate from the…

USDA sanctions California company for PACA violations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on Poblano Fresh Produce Corp., Los Angeles, Calif., for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These…

Procitrus

Peru's citrus fruits are getting closer to the Indian and Vietnamese markets

Sergio del Castillo, general manager of the Association of Citrus Producers of Peru (Procitrus), said they expected to open the Indian and Vietnamese markets for the export of…

Magazine includes Frieda Caplan in its 2020 memorial

INC. Magazine has issued its tribute to iconic entrepreneurs who died in 2020 and included Frieda Rapoport Caplan, the founder of Frieda’s Specialty Produce. Caplan passed…

USDA announces fifth round of Farmers to Families Food Box Program

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture will purchase an additional $1.5 billion worth of food for nationwide distribution through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. In total, USDA has distributed more than 132 million food boxes in support of…

Tasmania: Expected arrival of harvest workers from Vanuatu

Fruit Growers Tasmania has welcomed the imminent arrival of harvest workers from Vanuatu, as well as the end of quarantine for previous arrivals from Tonga.Coming to Australia…

United Fresh launches 117th Congress Meet and Greet Series

United Fresh welcomes the 117th Congress, sworn in on Sunday, January 3, 2021 to Washington, D.C. This new congress, which includes 67 freshman members of the House and…

Berry executive joins global importer/exporter’s advisory board

Long-time berry industry executive Felipe Juillerat has joined the advisory board of global fresh fruit company Terra Exports. Juillerat, best known for his prior role as…

PMA executive departs to lead peanut industry organization

Produce Marketing Association’s Richard Owen will leave his position to become the next president and CEO of the American Peanut Council. His position with the APC is…

Agriculture and business coalitions challenge Cal/OSHA emergency standards

A coalition of Californian agricultural and business employers, including the Western Growers Association and the California Farm Bureau Federation, have filed a lawsuit to…

COEXPHAL continues to work to streamline the administrative procedures of its exporters

Almeria's producers happy with post-Brexit agreement

The Association of Organizations of Fruit and Vegetable Producers of Almería, COEXPHAL, is happy with the agreement reached for post-Brexit commercial relations between the…

The United States simplifies the entry of cucurbits from Panama

The National Director of Plant Health of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, Olegh Aguilar, stated that the United States had eased the requirements for the entry of…

Argentina eliminates withholdings for pear and apple exports

Through the publication of Decree 1055/2020, the Government determined to eliminate withholdings on pear and apple exports. This measure will have a great impact on the Valley's fruit growing sector, as it will allow it to save nearly 1,000 million pesos a year. The measure came into effect on January 1,…

United Kingdom and Cameroon secure Economic Partnership Agreement

The United Kingdom and Cameroon have secured an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that ensures mutual continuity of trade. An agreement has been reached to roll over…

Gibraltar braces for Brexit disarray without a Spain agreement

The tiny British territory at the entrance to the Mediterranean risks starting the New Year with fresh restrictions at its border with the European Union unless the UK and…

New VP of Finance for Naturipe Farms

Naturipe has named Alvaro G. Alezard as its new vice-president of finance. Alezard will manage Naturipe’s finance department and help implement strategies to optimize…

United Fresh kick-starts 2021 with new programming

The United Fresh Produce Association will kick-start the new year with unique programming beginning Tuesday, January 5, 2021. The United re-Fresh Experience is a series of 10…

Update - EU and UK strike a deal

A trade deal has finally been reached between the UK and the EU, Number 10 said "everything that the British public was promised during the 2016 referendum and in the general election last year is…

Reflects on priority areas for association activities to aid Southern Hemisphere exporters in 2021

SHAFFE closes 2020 with virtual Northern America meeting

SHAFFE has closed the 2020 association year with its now virtual North America meeting. Gathering SHAFFE’s members from across the Southern Hemisphere, the meeting examined…

Mexico might have to import labor due to the growth of its agricultural production

According to Victor Villalobos Arambula, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader), the implementation of the T-MEC Treaty between Mexico, the…

Dan Duda retires from family-owned company after 40 years

Dan Duda, CEO and former president of Duda Farm Fresh Foods, will retire from the six-generation family-owned company effective December 31, 2020 after 40 years. Dan’s brother…

Norway's Competition Authority threatens to fine retailers

The Norwegian Competition Authority has warned it will fine retailers, NorgesGruppen, Coop, and Rema 1000, for illegal price collusion. These fines could total as much as NOK…

EU makes exceptions in regulations for organic cultivation in case of catastrophes

EU countries may apply exceptions to the rules on organic farming due to climatic disasters, animal diseases or "catastrophes" in the new regulations for this type of…

Individual not responsibly connected

USDA cites RRD Produce Co. for PACA violations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on RRD Produce Co., Los Angeles, Calif., for violating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. These sanctions…

Fall Creek adds to professional board of directors

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery, Inc., a global blueberry breeding and nursery company, announces that Tom Blaser has joined its professional board of directors. Most recently,…

Food retailers winning trust through pandemic

Consumers are more trusting in the food industry because of the COVID-19 pandemic with farmers and retailers seeing the biggest rise, according to new research. The results of…

Colombia and the United Kingdom agree to continue their current commercial relationship

Colombia and the United Kingdom have agreed to give continuity to their current commercial relationship, in force since 2013, as the internal procedures for the implementation…

Sun World appoints new executive vice-president of intellectual property

Sun World International LLC, a variety development and licensing company, has appointed Andrew Simpson as executive vice president/intellectual property. Simpson, formerly a…

Border Trade Alliance urges Congress to reject reversion to NAFTA-era treatment of Foreign Trade Zones

The Border Trade Alliance is supporting a bipartisan effort led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in urging Congress not to include a provision in the year-end spending bill that…

The Government guarantees aid to export Canarian tomatoes and cucumbers to the United Kingdom

The Regional Minister of Agriculture of the Canary Islands, Alicia Vanoostende stated that, despite the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, exporters would…

Evgeniya Kravchenko

The Russian market between closures and opportunities

Over the past few months, FreshPlaza has published a series of news items from Russia concerning greenhouse production. Let us end the year with an interview with Evgeniya Kravchenko, consultant for the Russian market, regarding the main sector trends. Evgeniya Kravchenko FreshPlaza (FP): How was 2020…

to boost consumption & raise awareness of the sector’s work

Freshfel Europe encourages support to the 2021 International Year of Fruits and Vegetables

2021 has been designated by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV). Freshfel Europe is encouraging the EU fruit and vegetable…

UK and Mexico sign trade deal

The UK-Mexico Trade Continuity Agreement will particularly benefit the automotive, pharmaceutical, textiles, agriculture, food and drink industries and other manufacturing industries - the sectors where…

The NEPG still has many uncertainties with the current potato campaign

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) is uncertain about the current situation for potatoes and does not expect any major changes when it comes to market demand in…

Houston-based nonprofit announces appointment to board of directors

Brighter Bites, a nonprofit organization delivering fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families’ hands, has added Chelsea Collins to its board of directors to further…

Unions and employers reach a preliminary agreement on the citrus handling agreement

Strike of citrus warehouses in Spanish Region of Valencia called off

The strike in citrus handling and packing warehouses, which was to take place between December 14 and 20, was eventually called off after a preliminary agreement was reached…

Del Monte, Chiquita, and Dole offer to pay up to an additional $2 per box of bananas

The drop in the available volumes of bananas, due to the strong impact of the hurricanes that hit Central America had on the sector's production, has forced the world's…

California Avocado Commission announces board officers and marketing committee

The California Department of Food and Agriculture seated newly elected California Avocado Commission board members at the Commission’s November 19, 2020 board meeting. The Board also elected CAC’s executive officers Rob Grether, chairman; Ryan Rochefort, vice-chairman; Jason Cole, treasurer and Jessica…

Industry organization finds new ways to grow in 2020

Although 2020 has been a year like no other, Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), the workforce development and training organization that partners with growers, farmworkers,…

"Tariffs would make EU exports unfeasible to UK compared to other origins with 0% tariff"

"The future trade relationship between the EU and the UK is crucial for the EU fruit and vegetable sector"

During the last weeks, FruitVegetablesEUROPE has been actively contacting EU and UK institutions regarding the negotiations for a future Trade Agreement between the European…

Supermarkets told to stockpile food, ECMT permits issued but fall short of requirements

Although the deadline for a Brexit deal has been extended from Sunday, with reports today that negotiators will 'go the extra mile', it widely presumed that a no-deal is the most likely option. If no deal is agreed before 31 December then the UK and the EU would begin trading on World Trade Organisation…

Possible change to customs policies in China brings challenges for import agencies

Over recent years, the number of import agencies in China has continued to increase. These agencies mainly handle logistics, enabling their clients to focus on their core…

UGT and CC. OO maintain the strike in the Valencian citrus stores after mediation without an agreement

The UGT and CC. OO. unions have issued a joint statement declaring that, since no agreement was reached in this Thursday's mediation, they would carry out the strike in the…

The EU extends sanctions on Russia for 6 months

On Thursday, December 10, the European Union's heads of State and Government renewed the economic sanctions against Russia for its role in the separatist crisis in eastern…

Spain

Call for 4-day strike at fruit and vegetable packing stations in Almeria

The unions CC. OO. and UGT have called for a strike of the fruit and vegetable handling sector in Almería on December 23, 24, 26 and 28. This is due to the negotiation of the…

AVA-ASAJA warns that to stop harvesting would cause losses to producers

Concern about the strike of citrus warehouses called in the Region of Valencia

The Valencian Association of Agricultural Producers (AVA-ASAJA) has expressed its concern about the announced strike of citrus warehouses from December 14 to 20, since this is happening at a crucial moment for the citrus campaign and could have a direct impact on the prices perceived by producers. These…

Brexit: No deal most likely, EU leaders told as Australia warns UK to ‘be careful’

Ursula von der Leyen has briefed EU leaders that a no-deal Brexit is the most likely outcome of negotiations, with reports suggesting the European Commission president said…

Increasing frustration among traders with fears of further lockdowns and looming Brexit

Things are tough for fresh produce traders in the UK at the moment not only have they have to contend with two lockdowns already this year, the lifting of some restrictions is regional and very uncertain as new restrictions could be imposed at any time. Then the long-awaited Brexit is only a couple of…

USDA restricts PACA violators in California, Florida, New York and Texas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has imposed sanctions on five produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and…

Dialogue to lift suspension of crop protection agent d-limonene in Germany ongoing

The crop protection agent d-limonene has been approved for use as potato sprout inhibitor in several EU members states. Very high levels of demand have been seen, in response…

Cambodia gets ready for free trade with China

In fewer than 20 days the Cambodia-China Free-Trade Agreement (CC-FTA) comes into force after both countries signed the deal on Oct 12 during a two-day state visit by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Phnom Penh. Now questions are being asked about how the Kingdom is preparing to export products to…

Australia agrees to let seasonal workers in

Fruit farmers have been forced to destroy their crops or leave them to rot, given a severe labour hole blown open by the pandemic. The government estimates the industry requires an injection of 26,000 fruit pickersThe Prime Minister confirmed national cabinet had made a bilateral agreement to “unlock”…

Colombia Avocado Board will promote demand for Hass avocado in the US

Colombian Hass avocado exports registered a notable increase between January and September 2020. In that period, shipments totaled 50,999 tons and 95 million dollars, i.e. 43%…

Turkish exporters call for lifting of quotas on tomato sales to Russia

In a statement, the associations said it was “not possible” to understand the reason behind the quota on tomato imports from Turkey, as Moscow does not apply the ceiling to…

MEC Ivan Meyer on Gross Domestic Product statistics for agriculture

South Africa: Quarter three GDP results confirm agriculture continues to shine

"I am pleased to note that StatsSA‘s release of South Africa’s third-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) statistics highlights that the agricultural sector realised real…

UK and Canada sign trade agreement

The UK’s Deputy High Commissioner for Canada David Reed, and Canadian Deputy Minister of International Trade John Hannaford signed the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement…

Ecuador expects sales to the US market will increase by 20%

Ecuador and the US sign a trade agreement

On Tuesday, December 8, Ecuador and the United States signed the First Phase of a broader trade agreement that will eliminate obstacles, simplify trade, generate transparency…

CEO Organics Unlimited receives global award

Organics Unlimited, CEO and president Mayra Velazquez de León has been named the 2020 Global Trade Ambassador – Mexico award recipient from Women in International Trade – Los Angeles (WIT-LA). The award is given to leaders who have made unique contributions to the community and the international business…

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