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Management
Focus on climate change, plant protection, biodiversity and water management
New fruit growing strategies in the Alte Land
The adaptation of fruit growing to the conditions of climate change, future strategies in plant protection and the promotion of biodiversity as well as challenges in water management for fruit growing farms were among the key topics during the visit of Miriam Staudte, spokesperson for agriculture and…
US Senate passes USMCA to overwhelmingly positive response
On Thursday, January 16th, the U.S. Senate passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by a bipartisan vote of 89 – 10. The agreement will now go to the President for his signature, which finalizes its enactment. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement regarding the passing…
Minister McKenzie meets with agriculture industry leaders
Australia: Roundtable shapes agriculture bushfire response
Deputy Leader of the Nationals and Agriculture Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie, has met with agriculture industry leaders to hear about the impact of the recent bushfires…
Trade deals to dictate success of new UK Agriculture Bill
Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G), the largest certifier of UK organic land has reacted to the new Agriculture Bill introduced to Parliament today (16 January 2020). OF&G welcomes the direction of the legislation prioritising environmental enhancement but warns the prospect of trading arrangements…
USDA files action against FL companies 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…
Designated counties saw at least a 30% loss of alfalfa, raspberry or blueberry crops
USDA designates 8 counties in New Hampshire as natural disaster areas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated eight counties in New Hampshire as primary natural disaster areas. According to rfdtv.com, this designation is in response to…
China sets labelling rules
China recently registered requirements relating to food labels with the WTO's TBT committee. No proposed enforcement date for these regulations has been announced. The United States Department of…
Elgon Kenya Director honoured for role in agricultural transformation in East Africa
Agro input company Elgon Kenya’s Director Bimal Kantaria has been feted with a Honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree by the United Graduate College and Seminary International, a US-based theology college, for his efforts at promoting the agriculture sector in East Africa, working with the youth in…
Australian blueberry growers still miss out by not having access to China
The announcement overnight of a trade agreement between China and the U.S. in which China has agreed to finalize phytosanitary protocols for U.S. blueberries, highlights how…
Nigeria’s agri revolution compromised by infrastructural challenges
Post-harvest losses may have been dropping in the African nation of Nigeria in the past year, but farmers are still uncomfortable with the state of infrastructure that…
Africa–Scotland Business Network is doing great
Growing trade networks for South Africa and Scotland
Since its launch last November, the Africa–Scotland Business Network (ASBN) has achieved great success in bringing trade opportunities to South Africa. Since the network’s launch in Cape Town it has grown organically to a membership of 86 and counting. Through direct engagement, ASBN is also facilitating…
Liu He: "Agreement is rooted in equality and mutual respect"
US and China sign deal to ease trade war
The US and China have signed an agreement aimed at easing the trade war that weighed heavy on the global economy. Speaking in Washington, US President Donald Trump said the pact would be "transformative" for the US economy. Chinese leaders meanwhile called it a "win-win" deal that would help foster…
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency launches project in Somaliland
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency TIKA has launched a program in Somaliland to help boost the quality and amount of crops and livestock there. The agricultural…
Australian government pledges $75,000 - emergency bushfire grants
Farm, fish, and forestry businesses in Australia’s fire-affected regions will have access to $100 million in emergency bushfire recovery funding, which will be made available following agreement with relevant state governments. Those in fire-affected regions can apply for up to $75,000 in grants, with…
The US receives more than 22,000 comments on the rise of tariffs on European products
January 13 was the deadline set by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for European agri-food sectors to submit comments about the 25% tariff increase imposed by the Donald Trump government. Up to that date, more than 22,000 comments have been received. Now a period of…
Water upgrades planned for Bundaberg North
Queensland Paradise Dam study seeks business input
A survey has been created for businesses to have their say on the impact that changes to Paradise Dam will have on their operations. The survey is part of a comprehensive…
Australian farmers and workers both losing out due to changes horti labour rules
Farmers and some workers say they are losing money because of changes to the award wage for casual horticultural employees. Since April 2019 farmers have had to pay their…
USDA restricts PACA violators in California, North Carolina and Texas
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…
€200.9 million to promote EU agri-food products in 2020
The European Commission launched the calls for proposals for European agri-food promotion programmes, in the EU and abroad.For 2020, a total budget of €200.9 million is…
New Zealand orchardist fined for breaches against Bay of Plenty migrant workers
An agri employer, based in Hawke's Bay, who was fined for breaching labour laws in 2015 has again been penalised for breaches against "young and vulnerable" migrant employees…
Canada import regulations for horticultural products updated
In Canada, current legal requirements come into effect from January 2020 with regulations for, among other things, permits, preventive controls and traceability requirements for horticultural products. The labeling and packaging are also discussed and the detailed requirements they must meet. The USDA has…
Rentia Operating Group
The major cooperatives in Almeria, Spain, are committed to digitalize the sector
Applying Big Data and artificial intelligence to crop production can optimize decision making and, ultimately, substantially improve profitability thanks to the savings in the…
India: Lack of agri planning causes inflation
Lack of proper agriculture planning in India lead to high inflation, hurting the poor most. The food inflation in the third quarter of 2019 indicates the need to dig deeper into the agricultural policies and improvise them to avoid such a situation in the future. High onion pricesThe soaring onion prices…
“Smart Farming” for sustainable intensification
Farms of the future: innovation in fresh produce supply chains
Agriculture has been slower than some other major industries to see disruption through new technology. But the opportunities in this area are fast being realised and there has…
US: Southern fruit and vegetable growers to meet US trade officials
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will begin working with southern fruit and vegetable farmers to ensure fair competition with their Mexican counterparts. This is a…
Ports now expect smooth Brexit
UK sees volumes decline after stockpiling spike
The port of Dover says it is expecting a smooth Brexit, claiming no major headaches are expected at British ports when Brexit happens on January 31. However, industry leaders warn much still needs to be sorted out before the end of the year. Meanwhile, the trend line on the port throughput graph is…
Argentine peso to weaken further
Forecast: World’s weakest currency to drop ever lower
Argentina’s peso, the world’s weakest currency for the past two years, has nowhere to go but down as the nation struggles to rein in runaway consumer price increases,…
Comprehensive export guide to opening Chinese market's doors
China is the largest global exporter of, among other products, potatoes, apples, and peanuts. However, the Chinese market is open to importing overseas fruit (see our article of 15-1-2019). The country's middle class is becoming more affluent. The trend is, therefore, that they are no longer buying fruit…
Brexit issues around Irish border could land UK in court
The Irish border could yet become a problem for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal. Experts are saying it will be impossible to deliver the computer systems for the special…
Liberal National Party of Queensland
Queensland bushfire action plans revealed
The Liberal National Party of Queensland has released its bushfire mitigation strategy for the state, as the fire emergency continues to grip southern states. The Ten-point…
US retail advertisements cater to healthy eating this month
The USDA National Retail Report shows that this week, retailers continued to cater to shoppers' intentions to eat well. Popular juicing items such as apples, mangoes, kale,…
UK port set to make an undisclosed number of redundancies
Port of Dover confirmed staff cutbacks are imminent
The Port of Dover, which last month opened its Cargo Terminal West, confirmed in a statement that employees and trade unions are in the process of being briefed as to the nature of cutbacks that may occur. A Port of Dover spokesperson said: “A process has been started to consider where we can secure…
Pagoda launches Daba Musang King durian brand
Pagoda announces new standards for Musang King durian during grand ceremony in Beijing
Pagoda organized a grand ceremony in Beijing on the 9th of January to announce both the official new standards for Musang King durian and the Daba Musang King durian brand. During the press conference, Pagoda introduced an integrated system for Musang King durian standards in the Chinese market. The new…
Strong need for Express Sea Route from Mexico to Northern Europe
To start the new year on a strong note, UPM and Apeajal organized an agro-exporters meeting with the main goal of the pre-registration of avocado exporters from Mexico to…
AUSVEG offers bushfire support
The devastating bushfires around the country have had a significant impact on Australian agriculture including Australian vegetable and potato growers. While various fires still rage in many areas…
FAIRS report USDA
Export rules Barbados
In order to export to Barbados without any problems, it is necessary to pay attention to specific and extensive regulations. The USDA publishes these regulations in an annual report. This report pays…
UK and Brexit
MPs give final backing to Withdrawal Agreement Bill
British MPs have given their final backing to the bill that will implement the government's Brexit deal. The House of Commons voted 330 to 231 in favour of the Withdrawal…
Banana workers in Panama fear companies won't pay salary increase ordered by government
The workers of the Panamanian banana industry remain alert to the possibility that the companies in the sector try to block the 8% wage increase that was approved by the…
The US wants to increase the tariff on Mexican tomato imports again
Mexican tomato producers are concerned as the US Chamber of Commerce has requested increasing the tariff on Mexican tomatoes to 22%, alleging unfair competition. If the…
China now open for Chilean kiwifruit
Chinese kiwifruit export to Chile is now allowed if the kiwi fruit meets the regulations in relevant Chinese laws as well as the regulations set out in the "Treaty between the…
California court says truckers exempt from 'gig worker' law
After a federal judge temporarily blocked a California labor law meant to take effect on Jan. 1 by granting a temporary restraining order, now the courts say that truckers are exempt from the 'gig worker' law. This means California’s new “gig worker” law does not apply to independent truck drivers…
Taiwan's new import rules explained
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has collated Taiwan's new import regulations in a report. These new regulations provide rules for labeling, packaging,…
The WTO could solve the avocado conflict between Mexico and Costa Rica in 2020
According to estimates from the Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex), the panel of experts of the World Trade Organization (WTO) could issue a final resolution in the dispute over the Hass avocado trade between Costa Rica and Mexico by the end of 2020. This conflict started in 2015 when Costa Rica stopped…
Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation:
"Congress’s New Year’s Resolution should be agri labor reform"
In a recent article, Vincent “Zippy” Duvall, the 12th president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, explained his vision on the necessary US agri labor reforms. He claimed…
Long-awaited shift seems underway
Ukraine: Agricultural sector might see historic reforms
In Ukraine, 2019 was marked by more record crops of grains and oilseeds, the abolition of the state monopoly on production of alcohol, and a high-profile bill set to launch historic land reform in October 2020, if adopted. The most significant event for Ukrainian farmers in 2019 was the long-awaited…
Latin American banana growers join against EU pesticide restrictions
In mid-December, Latin American banana producers met at the facilities of the National Banana Corporation of Costa Rica (Corbana) to analyze the possible consequences that the new EU regulation on maximum pesticide residue limits in imported agricultural products could have on Latin American exports and…
Wisconsin native is elected president of National Onion Association
Wisconsin native Doug Bulgrin has been elected National Onion Association President and will serve as the nationwide organization’s chief for the next two years. The National…
Dhaka demands prior notice over export bans from Indian government
State officials have said that Bangladesh will request India to notify it at least six months before it introduces a trade ban on any commodity export. They said the urging…
Chinese fresh ginger granted entry to New Zealand
On December 20, 2019, the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries released new hygienic standards for imports of fresh ginger (Import Health Standards, IHS) for human…
Vietnamese fruit export to China decreased by 68%
Is Vietnamese fruit exported to China "disguised" as Cambodian fruit?
Everybody knows that Chinese importers are extremely careful with fruit imported from Vietnam ever since Vietnamese fruit farmers struggled with food safety issues. China…
Integrated production promoted in Spanish region of Extremadura
Integrated agricultural production is an increasingly widespread environmental practice in Extremadura, promoted by the regional government through the payment of an annual premium per hectare for five years. Currently, according to data from the Council of Agriculture and Rural Development corresponding…
Turkish development aid for Somaliland agriculture
TIKA empowers Somaliland with development project
TIKA, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, has launched a project to boost agriculture in Somaliland; the project will be covering the training of farmers, delivery of seeds and the modernization of agricultural equipment. The recently-launched project aims to boost the quality and amount of…
USDA PACA restrictions update
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 Agriculture (USDA) continues…
Brexit drawing closer
UK parliament debates bill to exit EU
Prime Minister Johnson's Brexit deal is back before the British parliament, but with his strong Conservative majority, this time it's set to pass. That move should clear the…
Western Growers urges Senate action on agriculture labor crisis
On January 2nd of this year the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for 2020 went into effect, which is an increase over the 2019 rates. The AEWR is the U.S. Department of…
Pakistani Government Finance Division:
“Food inflation in Pakistan on the decline”
According to its Finance Division, the Pakistani government is taking aggressive measures to control essential commodities' prices by eliminating major contributory factors to…
Farming onions, pepper and leafy greens
Ghana: Vegetable farmers Pusiga district call for support
More than 250 vegetable farmers in the Pusiga district, in Ghana’s Upper East Region, are calling for the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) policy support, in the hope it will provide them with subsidized farming inputs to increase their production this dry season. The dry season irrigation farmers who…
Romanians are increasingly "replacing" the Slovaks
Harvest worker record in South Tyrol
Never before have there been so many harvest workers in South Tyrol as in 2019, and Romanians are increasingly "replacing" the Slovaks. Agriculture was a job engine last year.…
Support available for farmers South Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Midlands
UK: Farming Recovery Fund for flood-affected farmers open for applications
The Farming Recovery Fund is a £2 million fund to support farmers who suffered uninsurable damage to their property in the devastating floods in November has opened for applications on Monday 6 January. The Government confirmed in November 2019 that it would extend its Farming Recovery Fund so farmers in…
Agriculture Minister Ezechiel Joseph
St. Lucia: Food Import Substitution Program is a major project for 2020
According to Agriculture Minister Ezechiel Joseph, the vegetable import substitution program is one of the major projects for his ministry in 2020. Joseph said that Saint…
Temperature incursions in cold storage containers lead to increased food waste
Over the last two decades, supply chains have witnessed incredible progress with regard to expediting freight movement and improving operational efficiency. However several…
US-Mexico-Canada Agreement
Florida farmers continue to raise alarms on ‘NAFTA rewrite’
Florida fruit and vegetable farmers, including tomato growers in Manatee County, worry they will continue to lose market share to their Mexican counterparts under the ‘new NAFTA’ trade deal. Democrats and Republicans came together last month to push an overhaul of the North American Free Trade Agreement…
Applications open now
AU: New horticulture industry labour agreement increases access to migrant workers
From 1 January 2020, businesses in Australia’s horticulture industry will be able to apply for the new Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement. The Horticulture Industry…
Jordanian tomato grower problems persist despite border openings
According to the Jordan Valley Farmers Union, the nation’s growers are facing serious challenges, and they are “scared, rather than excited” for the new year. Union President Adnan Khaddam told The Jordan Times that the opening of the Jabir-Nasib border crossing with Syria and the Karameh-Turabil border…
UK government earmarks £3 billion to cover loss of EU farm subsidies after Brexit
Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid has earmarked £3 billion to spend on farmers in 2020 to help them after Brexit. The cash - to be spread over two years - will be used…
Agriculture Workforce Coalition demands action
US Senate urged to solve agricultural labor crisis
Closely following the government-mandated increase in farmers’ labor costs, the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC), a diverse group of organizations representing the needs…
'UK prices should reflect production costs'
Angus Soft fruits commercial director, John Gray told The Scottish Farmer: “Our wish is for happy consumers satisfied with their purchase of British soft fruit from happy…
Channel hosts e-shops from 832 poor counties across China
E-commerce companies lend a helping hand to farmers
Chinese e-commerce sites are rolling up their sleeves to help farmers sell their agricultural products. This seems to be a combination of philanthropy and business that contributes to the nationwide eradication of poverty by the end of the year. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is scheduled to launch its annual…
Murcia appealing against limited water transfers from other Spanish regions
The Government of the Spanish Region of Murcia has started the procedures for an administratively contentious appeal against the country's Ministry for Ecological Transition. According to the Councilor of Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Environment, Antonio Luengo, "the Ministry has made an…
Profitability and competitiveness: crucial concepts for Spanish greenhouse vegetables
The lack of profitability and competitiveness of the Spanish greenhouse vegetable production was one of the key points discussed at the meeting of the protected vegetable sector, held with the presence of the Director General of Agricultural Productions and Markets, Esperanza Orellana. She acknowledged…
Uberization: the future of agriculture without producers
Business concentration in agriculture, as well as its "uberization", is not a recent issue. “It has been going on for years, and it is actually getting worse. In the current context, after the protests organized on November 19 in Almeria, it is time for the acting government to remain alert, even though…
Farm policy – big changes beyond 2020
While the Brexit outcome will have economic implications, it is unlikely to alter farm support in 2020, says Andersons research consultant Caroline Ingamells. Defra and devolved administrations have all stated the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) will continue next year and the delays to Brexit mean any…
Report shows 98% of US farms are family farms
The 2019 edition of the America’s Diverse Family Farms report indicate that 90% of all farms in the United States are family farms, which represents 88% of production. The…
Uganda restricts chili exports to avoid EU ban
The Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture has imposed a restriction on the exports of chilies, allowing only a few traders that meet a tight set of requirements to export chiles.…
Victorian Farmers Federation welcomes skilled migrant announcement
A new agreement will allow Victorian fruit and vegetable producers to have access to skilled migrant workers after a push from struggling farmers amid a labour shortage…
New members appointed to U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of 13 members and 11 alternate members to serve on the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. The appointees will serve…
P.E.I. Potato Board elects new executive
During the board of director’s Nov. 20 meeting, it was decided that Jason Hayden will continue in the role of chairman. Hayden has been on the board for five years, serving as…
Enrique de los Ríos, director of Unica Fresh, analyzes the challenges for 2020
"As a leader in production, Spain should try to unite the main cooperatives"
With 11 years of history, Unica Fresh has not stopped growing and expanding outside Almeria, where it started and where it has its current headquarters. In the last year alone, the cooperatives Copisi, Sunaran, Coopaman and the most recent, Nulexport, have joined the group, allowing it to exceed the 500…
UK: MP Bowie calls for 70,000 temporary visas for fruit and veg pickers
Member of parliament Andrew Bowie has called for the seasonal farm worker scheme to increase to accommodate the demands of the Scottish agriculture industry. This is to be done by means of temporary visas to be given to 70,000 workers to help with fruit and vegetable picking. The scheme currently supports…
New labour agreement will aid citrus industry growth
The new Horticulture Industry Labour Agreement will prove beneficial to citrus businesses across Australia, helping them fill labour shortages and remain competitive on a…
Spain hires 6,500 Moroccan seasonal workers in first selection phase
Spanish agriculture companies have selected 6,500 Moroccan women to participate in the red fruit harvest in Spain for the 2020 season. Spanish news outlet El Diario reported that hundreds of women flocked to a recruitment center in Morocco hoping to be part of the campaign. “Companies do not find enough…
Brexit: MPs back Boris Johnson's plan to leave EU on 31 January
MPs have backed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January. They voted 358 to 234 - a majority of 124 - in favour of the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which now goes on to further scrutiny in Parliament. The bill would also ban an extension of the transition period -…
Will the price of Vietnamese fruit drop after China improves import standards?
China is the most important export market for Vietnamese fruit. Data from January this year shows that nearly 75% of Vietnamese fruit export is destined for the Chinese fruit…
Panama's banana growers strike to demand an adjustment of the minimum wage
On December 19, the Independent Banana Producers Workers' Industrial Union (Sitrapbi) of the Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro, and the Union of Workers of the Banana…
Latin American banana growers reject the EU's reduction of MRLs
Latin American banana producers and exporters have rejected the European Union's unilateral decision to reduce the maximum residue limits (MRLs) allowed in the production and export of fruits. At a meeting held on December 18, 2019, in San Jose, Costa Rica, representatives of the associations of banana…
PMA creates new award to recognize innovation in produce marketing
Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has created a new member-only award to recognize and showcase innovative merchant strategies designed to drive produce consumption. The PMA…
USMCA passes House of Representatives, now moves to Senate
Secretary Perdue: "USMCA is critical to success of rural America"
On December 19th, 2019, the House of Representatives voted 385-41 to pass the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). “I’ve long said that support for USMCA crosses…
UK's busiest container port
Strike dates set for Felixstowe:
Workers at the UK's busiest container port will take strike action for two days after Christmas in a dispute over outsourcing. More than 110 engineers will hold stoppages from 07:00 to 19:00 GMT on 27 and 28 December. The union Unite claims the Port of Felixstowe is transferring engineering jobs to cut costs, and fears it is…
Germany, Spain and France make a joint statement on the CAP under the European Green Deal
The Ministers of Agriculture of Spain, France and Germany, Luis Planas, Didier Guillaume and Julia Klöckner, have reached an agreement on the objectives of the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the last Council of Agriculture Ministers of the EU. Considering that the final round of the CAP…
More Moldovan fruit and veg exporters will be allowed to ship to Russia in 2020
In 2020, the number of fruit and vegetable companies allowed to export to the Russian market will increase from 130 to 350. Also, more goods will be exported to the Russian…
UK Parliament to vote on Johnson’s Brexit plan
On Friday, British MPs will vote on whether to back the PM Johnson’s plan for the UK to leave the EU on 31 January. The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill would also ban the government…
Strengthing export potential of oranges, lemons, tangerines and more
Azerbaijan produces list of products covered by agri insurance
In June 2019, a law on agricultural insurance was adopted in Azerbaijan. In August 2019, by the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, the Agricultural Insurance Fund was established. Now, a decree has been signed in Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers on products subject to agricultural insurance,…
Foreign Agricultural Service
FAS builds global markets for U.S. agriculture in 2019
Throughout 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continued to deliver on its promise to pursue free, fair and reciprocal trade and open markets around the world for…
Northern Cape province of South Africa:
Oriental fruit fly succesfully eradicated in ZF Mgcawu district
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development notified farmers and community members about the successful eradication of the invasive fruit fly species…
Aiming to ensure improved fruit quality, higher yields and disease tolerance
Ghana: Agricultural Technology Evaluation Project to evaluate vegetables
A project, spearheaded by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in partnership with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) of the University of…
Tougher EU regulations on fruit imports
New regulations for the import of fruits, vegetables and plants within the European Union came into effect on December 14th. It is now obligatory to declare to the DAAF the…
Chile implements a pilot inspection system for fruit for export
The Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (ASOEX) are implementing a pilot processing-line inspection program this 2019-2020 season with the goal of improving the export process of Chilean fruit. Rodrigo Astete, the head of the SAG's Agricultural and…
ANPCA
Spanish garlic sector to act against the irregular import of Chinese frozen garlic
Within the framework of the meeting of the Garlic Contact Group of the Joint Committee, held in Piacenza, Italy, the National Association of Garlic Producers and Marketers of Spain (ANPCA) will present an initiative seeking clarification regarding the drafting of the current TARIC codes affecting…
Number of farmers halves
Falling prices make Irish vegetable industry 'barely viable'
The number of Irish farmers growing vegetables has halved over the past 20 years. Vegetables like carrots, parsnips and sprouts are an integral part of Christmas dinner, but…
Drones form Outfield Technologies
Cambridge start-up helps apple growers predict crops
Cambridge-based agritech start-up Outfield Technologies is using drones to help apple producers improve yield predictions. Outfield is using a combination of drone technology, 3D computer imagery and artificial intelligence. By examining trees from 30 metres above ground in summer, about eight weeks from…
EU puts more stringent phytosanitary rules in place for Cameroon exporters
The European Union adopted a new phytosanitary regulation on December 14. Since then, its delegation in Yaoundé, Cameroon, has been conducting a campaign to raise exporters'…
Federal government will give $30 million+ to citrus growers
Darling River water bought back from irrigators
The Australian federal government has signed off on a water buyback worth more than $30 million from struggling farming families along the lower Darling River, in New South Wales. They have been seeking compensation to get out of an industry that has failed because of an erratic water supply, with the…
The strike goes on: gloomy atmosphere in Rungis
Vincent Berlemont, communication and marketing manager at Desmettre, a multi-specialist fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Rungis, confirms that the market is very calm at the moment for all products. “Since the beginning of December, we have observed a 5% decrease in revenue compared to 2018, as well as…
The FTA between Peru and Australia will enter into force in February 2020
The Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Peru and Australia will enter into force in February 2020, stated the head of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), Edgar Vasquez. This commercial agreement was ratified by Peru on February 22 through Supreme Decree No. 009-2019-RE. However, the…
Sri Lanka: Cabinet discussions to tax vegetable and fruit imports
Sri Lankan co-cabinet spokesman, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, has said that the cabinet has drawn its attention to impose taxes on vegetables and fruits that are being imported to…
Filippino vegetable traders want Baguio to lift truck ban
The League of Association of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Area at the trading post in Benguet has renewed its plea to the Baguio city government to suspend the truck ban…
US: National Potato Council urges passing of USMCA
The National Potato Council, on December 16th 2019, released the following statement, directed at Chairman Neal and Ranking Member Brady, both of the U.S. House of…
US: Western Grower Association responds to phase 1 US-China trade deal
In response to the announcement that the U.S. and China have reached an agreement on a Phase One trade deal, Western Growers President & CEO Tom Nassif issued the following…
Selection of Moroccan temporary workers for Spanish berry campaign starting soon
On December 17, 18 and 19, representatives of the agricultural organizations that produce berries in the province of Huelva will travel to Morocco to carry out the selection of the seasonal laborers that will work on the harvest for the first time. They will do this in three Moroccan cities: Asaja will…
UK factories suffer worst quarter since 2009
British Pound drops amid Brexit fears
Britain’s factory sector has suffered its worst quarter since the financial crisis, as Brexit uncertainty hurts the sector. The CBI has reported that output volumes fell in the three months to December, at the fastest pace since the financial crisis, with output expanding in only six out of 17…
Citrus Australia endorses Victorian Government move to increase water market transparency
Citrus Australia endorses measures introduced by the Victorian Government that aim to increase transparency in Victoria’s water markets and has called for other states to act…
Campaign To Protect Rural England:
'Half of council-owned farms have shut down, rest needs to be protected'
Half of all council-owned farms across England have been closed down. These farms, set up at the end of the 19th century to encourage young people into farming, are in…
Australian exporters hope British election result will boost Free Trade Agreement
Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, George Brandis, recently stated that an FTA between Australia and the United Kingdom was "probably less difficult than the…
Gove promises Brexit trade deal with EU by end of 2020
Michael Gove has publicly promised that the UK will have a trade deal with the EU by the end of next year, despite deep reservations in Brussels about whether this is…
Russia might put temporary import curbs on Chinese citrus in place
Russia’s agriculture safety authority, Rosselkhoznadzor, might put temporary restrictions on imports of citrus fruit and potatoes from China after finding pests in several supplies.…
Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
Agreement on pay levels for farm workers
The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board has agreed a single minimum level of pay for agricultural workers to come into force from April 1, 2020. It represents an increase of 3% across all allowances, and includes a single minimum hourly rate for all workers, irrespective of age and duties, that is equal to…
National Farmers’ Union asks for adequate funding
Farmers warn of long-term impacts from ‘unprecedented’ flood damage in UK
As reported by the NFU, the long-term effects of the flooding which has affected farmers across the country, but particularly in the East Midlands and North East, are still to be fully felt. The most recent flooding saw more than 80 hectares of land owned by Beeswax Dyson in Lincolnshire flooded after…
COAG
Spanish producing sector protesting against large distributors
COAG has announced new protests in the framework of its campaign to demand solutions to the price crisis that has hit the Spanish fruit and vegetable sector. On December 13, hundreds of agricultural producers from the main producing areas of the Mediterranean arch will gather in front of two of the main…
Strict new regulations on bringing biological items from outside EU into Finland
Strict new regulations being introduced this week put a ban on bringing most biological items into Finland from outside the EU. This means that travelers who want to soak up some…
Brexit looks certain after Conservative election victory
With the results of the UK General Election in and a majority for the Conservatives, it is looking certain the the UK will leave the European Union on 31st of January. But it is still not clear what kind of of Brexit the UK will get as Boris Johnstone as he has never said exactly what his Brexit plan is.…
US House of Representatives passes the Farm Workforce Modernization Act
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote of 260-165. The legislation includes provisions to stabilize the current…
South Africa:
Load shedding: Looming crisis in agriculture
“Eskom has implemented stage 6 load shedding from 18:00 to 22:00 on Monday evening, catching the South African economy off guard,” says Nicol Jansen, Agri SA’s chair of the…
Philippines and China sign six agreements
Diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines have been developing steadily since about 1975. Over the years, several bilateral agreements were signed with the aim to strengthen cooperation and increase the level of mutual trust and confidence. In 2018, bilateral trade between the two nations…
USDA restricts PACA violators in California and Virginia 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…
TAHA Group CEO, Jacqueline Mkindi
Tanzania Horticultural Association strives to conform to new EU safety standards
Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) is working overtime to ensure local fresh produce exporters conform to European Union (EU)'s new safety standards. Horticulture has…
Peru launches an agricultural productive reconversion project
Peru's Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation has approved four Agricultural Productive Reconversion Projects (PRPA) that will allow 54 farming families of Ica and Piura to adapt their production to the cultivation of new products. The projects will be funded through the Competitiveness Compensation…
Visionary group of Central Otago growers took a chance
New Zealand RSE scheme transformed the fruit growing industry
In the early 2000s the orchards and vineyards of central Otago were heavy with fruit. Peaches, cherries and grapes were ready to be plucked, boxed and shipped all over the world. But there was a problem. There weren’t enough people to pick them. Hiring backpackers and students on holiday was the usual practice,…
UK: Outfield Technologies helps apple growers to maximise crops
Apple producers have for ages grappled with the humblest of problems: it’s very difficult to predict the size of a harvest, and that’s risky for an apple grower’s bottom line. A Cambridge-based start-up called Outfield Technologies, which is associated with Cambridge Judge Business School, is addressing…
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