Management

Romanian government wants overseas workers to come home

According to Romania’s Minister for Labour, he and his government want Romanian workers to return home. The government in Bucharest has launched an advertising campaign to…

UK: Unannounced inspections check workers’ welfare in Lincolnshire

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has conducted unannounced compliance inspections in rural Lincolnshire. It is an attempt to check on agency workers’ welfare…

EU seems ready to grant Brexit extension

As EU officials downplayed the chances of a breakthrough in time for this week’s crunch summit, European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has talked up the prospects…

Ecuador: President agrees to change fuel subsidy cuts

Ecuadorian president Lenin Moreno agreed to swap a law that ended decades-old fuel subsidies for new legislation that will direct more resources to the needy as part of a deal…

Southern Africa Customs Union announces Post-Brexit economic partnership with UK

The Southern Africa Custom Union (Sacu) countries, along with Mozambique, recently announced the agreement in principle of a new economic partnership agreement (EPA) with the UK. The parliamentary processes needed to bring the agreement into effect are currently in progress. The deal, which will govern…

Violators based in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York and South Carolina

USDA restricts PACA violators from operating in produce industry

As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the Department of…

Cayman Islands must reduce hundreds of millions in food imports

It will come as no surprise to the average Caymanian that almost all food consumed on-island is imported. Given that imported foods (even in the case of fruit and vegetables)…

U.S. tariffs will affect Spanish citrus fruits starting October 18

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has officially authorized the rise of US tariffs on European products, valued at 7.5 billion dollars, in response to the aid that Spain, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom provided to the giant of the Airbus aeronautics. Said tariffs will affect the community…

The value of Mexican tomato exports to the US fell by 11%

According to data provided by the Bank of Mexico, the value of Mexican tomato exports decreased by 11% in July 2019, totaling 124.1 million dollars. However, in terms of volume, sales increased by 9.7% year-on-year in July, reaching 140,676 tons. In May 2019, the United States formally finalized an…

New Zealand summer fruit growers will vote on industry levy

Industry body Summerfruit NZ has been consulting growers around the country on renewal of the sector's commodity levy order, which expires before the start of the 2020 summer…

Like Alibaba’s Freshippo retail stores

Alibaba Chairman Daniel Zhang focuses on his successes

Since last month, Daniel Zhang has faced the enormous task of taking over from Jack Ma as chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Now he has revealed one of his top strategies for keeping the company at the top of its game. In a September interview with McKinsey Quarterly, Zhang said he does a…

On people's plate, not in the garbage

Coop is actively fighting food waste

Two million tonnes of food will end up in the waste unnecessarily every year in Switzerland. This is a waste of valuable resources like water and farmland. That's why Coop is committed to ensuring that as little food as possible ends up in the waste. "We only have to dispose of about 0.2 percent of the food…

EEU and Iran to have free-trade zone agreement

Member of the ministerial board of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) Veronika Nikishina, has stated that reduced export duties and zero customs barriers will put on a specific group of wares. Food, textiles, building materials, and also Iranian vegetables and fruits will be part of special trade.…

Darling River running low

New South Wales farmers forced to stop production

Australian farmers are desperate to negotiate compensation claims with the Federal Government. They were forced to halt production because of low flows down New South Wales’…

CSIRO investigating alluvial water source in Flinders Shire

If the Flinders Shire Council can scientifically prove the sustainability of an alluvial water source close to its 15 Mile irrigated agriculture project, it predicts 10,000 to…

European Commission releases report on implementation of trade agreements

Report shows that trade accounts for 35% of EU's GDP

Despite the difficult global economic climate, European companies have continued to make good use of the opportunities created by the European Union's trade network - the…

US-Japan interim trade agreement: A big win for Virginia farmers

According to an article on augustafreepress.com, Virginia farmers stand to benefit from the recently signed U.S.-Japan interim trade agreement. The agreement will lower or completely cut tariffs for many agricultural products, including fresh and frozen beef and pork, according to a statement from the…

Learning from past events

Australian growers prepare for storm season

For all Queensland, the motto is: preparedness is key to minimise negative effects on horticulture. In the past decade the state was impacted by more than 80 significant natural disaster events, resulting in more than $15.7 billion in damage to public infrastructure including a significant blow to…

“Brexit will reshape Europe’s logistics landscape”

According to Wolfgang Lehmacher, leading logistics consultant and the former head of Supply Chain and Transport Industries at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and New York,…

European Commission publishes list of 20 priority pests

The European Commission has published a list of 20 regulated quarantine pests qualifying as priority pests, including Xylella fastidiosa, the Japanese beetle, the Asian…

Boost for South Africa’s black farmers

Emerging black farmers in South Africa are set to benefit from a multibillion-Rand fund set up by businessman Patrice Motsepe. Motsepe said this during the African Farmers…

South African water situation

Below-normal summer rain predicted for Eastern Cape and Limpopo

Although water supply scenarios for much of South Africa are currently deemed more or less comfortable, forecasts of a chance of below-normal rainfall for early summer do not…

USDA announces plans to purchase $30 million in fresh table grapes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to purchase $30 million in Fresh Table Grapes for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.…

Oxfam campaign against human suffering: 1 year later

“Many more steps still necessary for large supermarket chains”

One year ago, Oxfam launched its international campaign to tackle the human suffering faced by the women and men that produce our food. This was also a call to action for both…

Re-labeling cafeteria vegetables with palate-enticing names:

Stanford psychologists try to entice students to eat more vegetables

According to a new study published in the journal Psychological Science, a team of researchers - led by Bradley Turnwald of Stanford University - took on the challenge of figuring out how to get college students to eat more vegetables. Turnwald: “College students have among the lowest vegetable intake…

Assistant Prof Global Development Studies Reena Kukreja claims:

“Migrant strawberry pickers in Greece face deadly risks living in flammable shacks”

Each year, from October to May, as many as 12,000 undocumented Bangladeshi migrant men work in the Greek agrarian labour market. Although they consider Greece a transit stop to other European countries, most end up staying for years. The migrant farm workers say the farmers reap rich profits but are so…

NZ: Government must focus on maintaining productive capacity

The government must focus on maintaining land’s productive capacity, says Horticulture New Zealand. "We need a national policy that ensures New Zealand can grow enough…

New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries

Extensive set of registers and lists for exporters of fruit and vegetables

The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries has compiled an extensive set of registers and lists of people, operators, and businesses associated with exporting fruit and…

"Eastern Cape in South Africa is experiencing the worst drought in a thousand years"

According to the South African Weather Service, not much rain for the Eastern Cape is predicted before December. Climatologists are saying the weather is becoming more difficult to predict and that the prospects are dire. With no rain or other solution in sight, donors have stepped in to drill boreholes…

California Citrus Mutual urges Congress to pass USCMA

California Citrus Mutual is part of a broad coalition that is urging Congress to pass the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).  USMCA is widely seen as an improvement over NAFTA…

Europe shows its support for the banana community

Political representatives attended a conference recently held in the European Parliament about the current situation of European bananas and the worrying loss of absolute value and the saturation of the banana  market in the EU. Delegates unanimously showed their concern about the effects generated by the…

By February 2020

Agreement to end sale of Chlorpyrifos in California

The California Environmental Protection Agency announced today that virtually all use of the pesticide chlorpyrifos in California will end next year following an agreement between the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and pesticide manufacturers to withdraw their products. “For years,…

Northern Cape welcomes 30 million Rand in drought aid

President David Mabuza announced that R30 million (€1.8 mln) would be made available for the procurement and distribution of animal feed to the drought-stricken Northern Cape…

Tariffs will affect Spanish citrus

Spain considers the US sanctions "unacceptable"

Spain's acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has travelled to Brussels to convey the Government of Spain's position to the European Commission and ask for firmness in the negotiations in the face of “unacceptable” sanctions. The Minister is asking the EU for support measures…

Barn2Door raises $3.4 mln to help farmers connect with customers

Janelle Maiocco is the CEO of Barn2Door, a Seattle start-up that makes e-commerce software for farmers. The start-up just raised a $3.4 million investment round and is now…

Queensland workshop targets growing fresh produce exports to Asia

A supply chain workshop was held today in Brisbane, whose focus was nothing less than making Queensland’s fresh produce exports the first choice of importers and retailers in…

Australia: National Farmers Federation says govt labour survey is ‘unhelpful’

Last week, the Federal Government  released The Demand for Farm Workers Farm Survey 2018 from the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Science (ABARES). One…

The risks to agriculture in KZN

KwaZulu-Natal: Land reform, climate change & cheap imports

According to a survey by the First National Bank, agriculture in KwaZulu-Natal is growing at around 12 percent per annum. This growth is driven by diversification, but there are risks to the sector posed by land expropriation, climate change and cheaper imports. KwaZulu-Natal is recovering from a severe…

Canada: Ontario government declares provincial food terminal a protected employment zone

The Ontario Food Terminal located in west-end Toronto has been declared a protected employment zone. This, in fact, prevents it from being relocated. Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark says the province made the decision to protect the estimated 100,000 jobs that depend on the terminal. The province…

The Netherlands cancels all flights to Ecuador amidst protests

Ecuadorian president Lenín Moreno declared a state of emergency last week but protests are still ongoing with increased fervor. The protestors are demanding an end to austerity and the return of fuel subsidies. Now, a night curfew has been imposed near government buildings, and several countries have…

EU accuses UK of playing ‘blame game'

Boris Johnson apparently did not have a fruitful conversation with German chancellor, Angela Merkel, triggering an angry response from Brussels that he is trying to play a “stupid blame game” over the near-collapse of talks. There was a spat after Johnson and Merkel spoke Tuesday morning, with a No 10…

Brazil exercises anti-dumping rights to extend tariffs on Chinese garlic

Brazil has extended the payment of an extra tariff on Chinese imported garlic for five years, which will benefit both the Brazilian garlic producers and the Argentine producers in Mendoza. The public and private sectors of the Argentine province and Brazil conducted an important commercial intelligence…

USDA

America’s top fruit choices: Apples and oranges

In 2017, 113.8 pounds of fresh and processed fruit per person were available for US consumption after adjusting for losses, according to ERS’s loss-adjusted food availability data. This data series takes per capita supplies of food available for human consumption and more closely approximates actual…

From farmland to city markets

Every work day, at the bus station of Taiping Town, Tianfu New District in Chengdu, Sichuan province, farmers arrive with their grapes, corn and peaches. The waiting room for the fruit and vegetable special line has long queues and farmers began waiting for the first bus to Huayang at 6:10 am. There is a fruit and vegetable…

Turkey strives to make single-digit inflation permanent

Turkey’s government will introduce a series of measures to ensure that consumer price inflation remains in single digits. The steps will include curbing prices set by the…

Rwanda: €18 million investments to support farmers

Rwandan officials have announced a four-year investment of €18 million (Rwf18 billion) - starting this year - that will benefit at least 60,000 farmer households. The…

US-Japan trade deal to put US farmers on par with Trans-Pacific competitors

The new US-Japan trade deal will provide staged reduction of Japanese tariffs for more than $2 billion (1.63 billion pounds) worth of US beef and pork, matching access now granted to the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact countries, a text of the agreement shows. US President Trump presided over a…

Boris Johnson's Brexit plan:

European Union 'open to new UK proposals, but unconvinced'

The European Union is "open but not convinced" by the UK PM's new proposals for a Brexit deal with the EU, the president of the European Council says. Donald Tusk was among…

Additional $13.2 million in funding made available

More Australian farmers to get help with drought

Horticultural Farmers with permanent plantings can now access the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate in four states and the ACT. Queensland, NSW, South Australia,…

Demanding resignation of President Moreno

Ecuador: Transport workers take to streets to reject Pro-IMF reforms

Ecuadorian striking transport workers are demanding either the withdrawal of austerity measures or the resignation of President Moreno. This meant that Ecuador woke up on Thursday with a total stoppage of activities as a result of the nationwide strike announced by transport workers and taxi drivers to…

Deadline for this is end of this week

Macron tells Johnson to overhaul Brexit plan

French president Emmanuel Macron has given Boris Johnson until the end of the week to fundamentally revise his Brexit plan. This move increases the chances of the negotiations imploding within days. The UK proposals tabled last week are not regarded in Brussels as being a basis for a deal and Macron…

Horticulture NZ warning: "Lettuces could cost $5.50 by 2043"

Horticulture New Zealand is warning vegetable prices could increase by nearly 60 percent by 2043, if those central and local government policies are accepted that will stop…

Zimbabwean ‘water barons’ cash in on shortages

In Zimbabwe, corrupt individuals are taking advantage of the current water shortages. Most of them are experienced in influencing urban councils and have taken control of…

USDA files action against New York Mart Group for alleged PACA violations

As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the U.S. Department of…

USDA trade mitigation purchases of peppers and onions

On July 25, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced details of additional actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would take to support American…

European Commission short-term outlook report

"Production of peaches and nectarines estimated to increase by 4%"

In 2019, EU production of peaches and nectarines is estimated to increase by 4% compared to last year, reaching 4.1 million tons. This will lead to higher consumption and processing. Similarly, total EU production of tomatoes should reach 16.8 million tons, an increase of 4% compared to 2018. The rise is…

India: Kashmir region registers 40% decline in fruit exports

There has been 40 percent decline in the export of Kashmiri fruits to other states of the country since the entire valley was thrown into a state of political uncertainty this…

Zimbabwe will introduce new currency in November

This November, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will introduce a new currency, said a member of the bank's Monetary Policy Committee, Eddie Cross. Cross, a renowned economist,…

Seven things to know when exporting to China

Dr Mathew McDougall is CEO of Reach China and he is also known to be an expert in doing business with China. As Australia’s trade relationship with China is growing by the…

Central West region - New South Wales

On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate extension to benefit growers around Orange

Winemakers and orchardists with permanent plantings can now access the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate in an effort to save valuable trees and vines during the current drought. This means that growers in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT are now able to access the…

USDA trade mitigation purchases of potato and strawberry products

On July 25, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced details of additional actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would take to support American…

Ninjacart tries to fix India’s Farm-To-Fridge Food Supply Chain

Fresh fruits and vegetables are an integral part of the Indian diet. It’s something every Indian household keeps a track of and no matter the frequency, each home will replenish its stock of fresh produce. In cities and larger towns, fruit and vegetables can easily be delivered to the doorstep these days…

'Brexit plan even risks damaging economy Northern Ireland'

EU officials still unconvinced by Johnson's Brexit offer

A senior European Union official has stated that PM Boris Johnson’s last-ditch Brexit proposal “can’t fly” because it would be an unworkable move backwards, leaving Britain…

New chairman of PFVA promises to leave no stone unturned for betterment of sector

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) was held at the office of the Association on 30th…

Federal Minister Julia Klöckner to introduce Nutri-Score®

Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, today in Berlin, announced the model of a simplified extended nutritional labeling she wants to introduce in Germany. This was preceded by comprehensive, scientifically based and independent consumer research on behalf of the Ministry. In the run-up to…

Irish officials: “Boris Johnson’s Brexit offer is unacceptable”

Boris Johnson’s final “take it or leave it” Brexit offer to Brussels is in danger of being dead on arrival after it was rounded on by government and opposition parties in…

Cherries, peaches, pears, oranges and lemons

US to implement new tariffs on fruit from EU

The US says it will implement a 10% tariff on EU aircraft and a 25% tax on "agricultural and other products" starting Oct. 18. This follows a World Trade Organization's ruling…

With Brexit looming, Ed Balls explores British trade relations

Many concerned citizens have already raised doubts about how supermarkets will continue to hold such a variety of fresh food in the event of a no deal Brexit. This did not…

Growers disappointed

India: Jammu & Kashmir government ‘Apple Deal’ falls flat

The big claims of the Jammu & Kashmir government have fallen flat after it failed to disburse the amount to the maximum number of farmers who sold their apples under the…

Brazil currency forecast to drop to new lows

Brazilian interest rate and exchange rate expectations for 2019 have hit new lows, according to a central bank survey of economists; further evidence that continued policy…

Impact of Brexit on Britain's seed sector potato production imports and exports

The seed sector makes up around 11% of potato production in Great Britain. Most (c.70%) is planted in Scotland, where unique growing conditions help to assure the high health…

“Australia's drought policy problems not alleviated by stopgap govt support”

Australia’s Agriculture Department does not seem to know how many of its farmers are in drought. Some officials said the Australian Government was not in the business of…

USDA amends U.S. standards for grades of apples

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) amended the U.S. Standards for Grades of Apples to remove smooth net-like russeting as a…

Regional government owes almost 10 bln euros

Spain: Debt of Murcia government reaches new peaks

According to the Banco de Espana, the amount of debt owed by the regional government of Murcia reached its highest level ever during the second quarter of 2019. A figure of 9,699 million euros equates to 30.7 per cent of the Region's GDP. Despite all of the cutbacks ushered in around 8 years ago as Spain…

USDA trade mitigation purchases of apple, apricot, blueberry and citrus products

On July 25, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced details of additional actions the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would take to support American…

Biggest obstacle is to prevent a hard border with the Irish Republic

UK government to reveal detailed plan for Brexit negotiations

The British government has prepared the legal text of an updated Brexit deal, government sources have told the BBC. It is expected to make more of the plans public in the next few days. The government has suggested creating "customs clearance zones" in Northern Ireland and Irish Republic, as part of the…

Confronting Climate Change Initiative

South Africa: Stone and top fruit reports 2019

The 2019 Confronting Climate Change (CCC) industry benchmark process builds on 2017 – 2018 datasets and provides a meaningful platform for the South African fruit and wine industries to improve their understanding of the use of fossil fuel-based resources and to reduce emissions over time. The seven…

Kanungu - Western Uganda

Thousand Trees Challenge

Since 1985, Farm Africa has been dedicated to improving the lives of farming communities in eastern Africa, providing essential training to help vulnerable farmers make a sustainable living. Now, on the 13th October 2019, several women from the UK’s food industry will take on the Thousand Trees Challenge, uniting to support…

Growers pushed to brink

End of fruit cropping along Australia’s lower Darling River a 'big loss' for industry

The end of irrigated horticulture on the lower Darling River will cost the citrus industry decades of technical expertise, according to the Australia’s largest citrus exporter. Fruit growers on the lower Darling have begun turning off the water to their permanent plantings — killing their trees — as they…

UK: Sainsbury’s tells suppliers to cover cost of no-deal Brexit tariffs

Last week Sainsbury’s commercial director, Paul Mills-Hicks, wrote to suppliers to confirm that they would continue to deliver goods with delivery duty paid (DDP) after October 31, including tariffs that would be enforced automatically under World Trade Organisation rules if Britain were to leave without…

Ghana coconut farmers complain about diversion of free seedlings

Through the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the central government has started the free distribution of coconut seedlings to farmers as part of efforts to increase…

State of reservoirs: 23 September 2019

Total full supply capacity of South African dams remains the same as last week

The total full supply capacity of dams this week (23-09-2019) is at 32,012.1 mln m3. Last week the number was the same, as compared to last year’s volume at this time, which was 32,302.4 mln m3. Click here for the full report.

California farmers may face catastrophic water restrictions

In 2015, Tulare County grower John Konda planted 75 acres of pistachios, adding to a farm he’s owned since 2003. Two years later, in order to augment his water supply, he drilled two new groundwater wells. Now he wonders whether the investments, totaling more than $1.5 million, will turn out to be a…

New Zealand growers still lack seasonal workers

Australian growers welcome increased backpacker numbers

Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed results showing a 20% increase in the number of backpackers applying for a second year working holiday maker visa. 43,219…

Various agri groups praise US-Japan trade agreement

When the details of the US-Japan Trade Agreement became known, many agricultural associations and produce industry groups have commented on the deal. Most of these have been…

Secretary Perdue visiting Michigan and pushing USMCA

Trade policies and subsidy programs were major talking points during a town hall in Frankenmuth on Thursday with the US Department of Agriculture secretary. Here, Secretary…

Also: Customs staff shortage won't result in ‘Brexit anarchy’

UK: Sixteen ports to receive Brexit Preparation Payment

16 ports across England will receive a share of a multi-million-pound funding pot to help their preparations for Brexit on October 31. The successful ports are Felixstowe, Harwich, Southampton, Portsmouth International, Plymouth, Poole, Newhaven, Immingham, Hull, Teesport, Heysham, Liverpool, Bristol,…

Mastercard and Rabobank enter partnership on new project

Plans to bring financial inclusion tools to 1 million farmers

Mastercard and Rabobank announced a partnership to give one million farmers in emerging markets access to a digital platform that makes it easier for them to sell their produce for a fair price. The platform builds on the current Mastercard Farmer Network and will be enriched by Rabobank’s experience…

Drought-affected Australian communities to receive extra $100m in federal funding

As the Federal Government is promising a new $100 million support package, drought-affected communities and farmers will get an immediate cash injection. More than half of the…

AGCO’s innovative solutions to transform agricultural sector of Benin

AGCO is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and solutions. On Tuesday, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the West African nation of Benin. The agreement is with the investment arm of Benin, the Agency for Promotion of Investments and Exports (APIEX), to…

Malawi to transform agricultural sector through mechanisation

As part of its efforts to increase production, Malawi has embarked on a programme to transform its agricultural sector through mechanisation. This was a statement from Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa on Thursday, 26 September 2019. He told journalists that the…

‘Association of Kenya Mango Traders’

Kenyan mango farmers form association

Traders, farmers and other stakeholders from 14 Kenyan counties have formed an association to promote commercial farming of mangoes and bargain for better prices for their members. Association of Kenya Mango Traders (AKMT) founding chief executive Linah Mukami said mainstreaming of the mangoes as a key…

Moroccan and Nigerian projects encourage young people to venture into farming

As unemployment is high in the remote mountains of Morocco’s Al Haouz province, many younger  farmers are migrating to cities. To make matters worse, agricultural techniques handed…

Caribbean Islands get smart, intent on defeating hurricanes

Everywhere across the Caribbean, agriculture or tourism-dependent island nations cope with record-breaking storms and rising sea levels blamed on global warming. However, the region is devising savvy ways to diversify islands' economies and boost food security. After monster Hurricane Irma annihilated…

Vietnam and its US$5 bln plan to neutralise Trump's tariff threats

Vietnam's plans to mitigate the Trump administration's trade gap concerns have now come to a coastal commune, best known for growing dragon fruit. The community could soon be…

Food writer Corby Kummer:

“USDA relocation is part of Trump's War On Science“

As the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to relocate to Kansas City, Missouri, at the end of this month, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue says…

Horticulture NZ:

“More Pacific RSE workers needed”

Industry organisation Horticulture New Zealand says the New Zealand government is moving in the right direction with its 1550 increase in Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) workers, but more workers are still needed to support the horticulture's industry's growth. RSE is the name for the Pacific Island…

“It was an absolute nightmare”

UK: Stockpiling 24 tons of beetroot for Brexit

After the U.K.’s departure from the Europe was delayed in March, Nimisha Raja of snack producer Nim’s Fruit Crisps, based south east of London, was forced to rent a chilled container to store a 20,000 kg mountain of the beetroots she’d ordered in anticipation of the disruption. “It was an absolute…

Japan to slash agri tariffs, implement new quotas

Trade deal signed by Trump and Abe

On Wednesday, Japan agreed to cut or eliminate tariffs on $7.2 billion worth of U.S. ag commodities and erect new quotas under a trade deal that US President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Abe signed. About 88% of the roughly $14.1 billion worth of U.S. ag exports to Japan would be either tariff-free…

Mexican tomato must adapt to the new phytosanitary measures imposed by the US

According to data provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the average per capita consumption of red tomatoes in the United States in 2017 reached 177.042 million kilos. China accounts for 31.8% of the world's tomato production and it is the world's largest producer.…

Post-harvest regulations for garlic

Argentina demands garlic for export has official packaging and identification

The National Agricultural Food Health and Quality Service, Senasa, has reminded garlic growers of the 2019/20 campaign of the obligation to package and identify the crops in the establishments registered in the agency's Registry of Packers and Packaging Establishments to comply with Resolution ex-SAGPyA…

Federal money flowing to citrus farmers

Florida reaches halfway point in dispensing a $343 million federal citrus grant

Governor Ron DeSantis has stated that Florida has reached the halfway point in dispensing a $343 million federal grant it received for citrus farmers who sustained damage in…

Coalition of farmers, restaurants and chefs urge passage of USMCA

Farmers, restaurants and their customers will all benefit from improved trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico, according to a coalition of California agricultural…

Representatives of the UAE visit Poland to check apple production

As part of the promotional campaign 'The power of flavour, vitamins and colors - Discover the quality of apples from Europe' run by the Association of Polish Fruit and Vegetables Distributors 'Fruit Union' together with the Union of Fruit Growers of the Republic of Poland, they hosted a group of…

South Korean producer prices - negative inflation down the road

For the second consecutive month, South Korea’s producer prices in August fell against previous year, raising a further alarm for monetary authorities against unprecedented deflationary risk after consumer prices last month touched sub-zero territory for the first time. Last Tuesday, the Bank of Korea…

New requirements for packhouses from Thai FDA

As of August 25 this year, the Thai FDA will require fresh fruit and vegetable packhouses to comply with the ‘good practices’ outlined in Thailand Ministry of Public Health…

Egypt announces establishment of commodity exchange

Earlier this week, Egypt announced the establishment of the commodity exchange in October. There are still some questions about this kind of exchange, how it works, and how it…

“Discussions between Modi and Trump will continue”

India – US trade deal falls through

Despite Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s presence in New York to conclude a trade package with US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer, the two sides failed to bridge the gap in their positions. The announcement of an agreement was expected to coincide with Tuesday’s bilateral between Prime…

New Zealand reports strong fruit export numbers

Exports of several commodities including crude oil, fruit, and dairy products increased in value in August 2019, but these rises were partly offset by a fall in log exports,…

Florida: Governor DeSantis & citrus partners announce planting of 250,000 grapefruit trees

Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, raised a glass of grapefruit juice toward the sky. On either side of him stood local citrus leaders and international corporate executives,…

Current trends in view at the DOGK 2019

Trends in German market: eco-economy and away-from-home convenience

Everyone knows organics goods are booming on the German market. Organic fruit and vegetables have been on the fast track for years, a trend that is likely to continue in the future. Convenience, however, has not been able to fully lock onto the consumer yet, even if it is already indispensable within gastronomy.…

Del Monte disappointed as court throws out land case

The Del Monte pineapple plantation company argued that on October 1, 2012, it made the requisite applications for extension of the terms of various leases to the relevant…

Provincial Growth Fund

Hawke's Bay gets $14 million investment for food innovation and employment opportunities

New Zealand’s government is investing $14 million into Hawke's Bay for food innovation and employment opportunities. It's the latest round of funding to be announced through…

Impacts of U.S.-China trade conflict:

Cherry exports from Northwest Seaports to China decreased 54.56%

The trade conflict between the United States and China has resulted in a 54.56% drop in cherry exports and a 16.85% drop in potato exports from the Northwest Seaport Alliance…

U.S. organic sales more than doubled between 2012-2017

Although the total value of U.S. agricultural sales remained relatively flat between 2012 and 2017, U.S. organic sales more than doubled to $7.3 billion. Growth in the U.S. organic sector has accelerated since the early 2010s as retailers, food manufacturers, and livestock producers have increased demand…

Zimbabwe to ratify bilateral trade agreement with UK

Zimbabwe is on the verge of ratifying a bilateral trade agreement with the UK, which it aims to use to secure favorable terms of trade ahead of the expected exit of Britain…

Russian Federation: Reduction of fruit exports - increased imports

The Russian Federation has reduced fruit exports and increased imports, said the Director of the Department of Plant Production, Mechanization, Chemicalization and Plant…

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Philippines to build P306 mln pineapple packing plant in Lanao Sur

The Regional Board of Investments of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RBOI-BARMM) has approved the registration of the Wao Development Corp. (WDC) for the…

USDA restricts PACA violators in Georgia and Pennsylvania from operating

As part of its efforts to enforce the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) and ensure fair trading practices within the U.S. produce industry, the Department of…

Labor law suit in Tracy – California

Taylor Farms ‘don-doff’ deal off the table

The proposed $5.3 million settlement by Taylor Farms Pacific Inc. to resolve claims that employees were not paid for donning and doffing and other California labor law…

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue:

“Better trade news on its way”

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told attendees of the United Fresh Washington Conference that a new trade agreement with Japan may be only days away. Perdue spoke Sept. 18 at the Washington Conference. He said President Trump is working to expand agriculture exports even as the administration stands up to China’s illegal…

Gympie - Queensland, Australia

Defeating the fruit flies on persimmons

Three years ago, Mick and Kylie Carr purchased a persimmon orchard next to their grazing property Bunya Grove Produce near Gympie. The mature orchard had 11,000 trees on 16…

Consell and the EU start work agenda to defend Spanish citrus

Consell and the European Union met to discuss the threat posed by the unfair competition from South African citrus fruits and to start a work agenda in order to defend…

Arab companies join Apex Fruit Industry B2B event

Last Thursday, mangos, lemons, avocados, bananas, apples, grapes and papayas were exhibited at the Fruit industry Buyers Project by Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) at an event room in Grand Hyatt hotel in São Paulo. Twenty-eight exporting companies that participated also…

CEO Doug Bannister

UK: Port of Dover claims to be ready for No-Deal Brexit

Every year, the Port of Dover handles a sixth of the UK’s trade in goods. Port officials now claim it can cope with any disruption thrown up by a no-deal Brexit, Chief Executive Officer Doug Bannister said, suggesting some of the direr predictions of chaos are wide of the mark. “The Port of Dover is 100%…

United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization warns against 'land degradation'

India struggles to save farmland

The real estate boom that was fuelled by India’s rapid economic growth in recent years has transformed thousands of hectares of arable land in the region into plots for glass-and-steel high-rises.…

Queensland mushroom farm – Australia

Fair Work Ombudsman appeals $650k mushroom underpay

As more than 380 workers at a Queensland mushroom farm were ripped off to the tune of $650,000 at a farm called Marland Mushrooms in 2016, the Fair Work Ombudsman is trying to…

Union of Workers of the Bananera Rio Mame SA

Honduras: Collective Bargaining brings benefits for plantation workers

The Union of Workers of the Bananera Rio Mame SA (SITRABARIMASA) has signed its ninth collective agreement with the multinational company Dole, which, following good faith…

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