FreshPlaza: Global Fresh Produce and Banana News

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Charles Mwirumbi - Charic Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Exporters

Ugandan exporter sees big interest at Macfrut

Tewodros Zewdie - Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporter’s Association

"Blueberries and avocados are up and coming products for export”

today in Perpignan

French growers protest Moroccan imports

Post-harvest digital platform plays vital role in global success of Goede Hoop Citrus

BLE report Week 19:

'Moroccan TOVs are disappearing from the market'

East Africa faces food shortage after floods

Cameroon banana market: New player on the rise

National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria

Nigerian onion association announces expansion plans

Kakuzi outlines plans to sustain positioning as an Integrated International Markets Focused Agribusiness Enterprise

Tomato prices soar in Morocco

Sector | Vegetables

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Moroccan tomato exports have increased significantly over the past decade

“Sea freight costs surged by 20%, intensifying competition in the export market of mushroom logs”

Vincent Elegoet, Saveurs du Bout du Monde

Tomato taste or price?

How indoor farms can strengthen the fresh produce supply of outdoor growers

Queensland market challenges major retailers with 5 cent avocados and cucumbers

Tomato prices soar in South Africa due to erratic weather

Pop Vriend Seeds -

Dutch vegetable seed company confirms resistance to Pe. 20 for a large part of its spinach assortment

Sector | Bananas

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Canary bananas reach the Polish market

"We produce our fruit to have it marketed, not withdrawn from the market to keep prices stable"

Mina Maged - Mimac

“We will start to export our bananas to Europe at the end of June"

Golden Exotic reports over €1.8 mln losses from 2023 Akosombo Dam spillage

Farmer acquires banana and macadamia farm on KZN South Coast

Mozambique banana exports dropped to US$32.3 million in 2023

"The situation forces us in Finland to find alternative origins for Spain and other southern producer countries"

Latam banana producers object to Italian retailer's discount pricing of €0.85 cents per kg

Sector | Potatoes and Onions

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Lennaert Aardse, Dutch seed supplier De Groot en Slot

“Robust varieties with sturdy root systems are most sought after”

New legislative framework for seed potatoes:

Examining the EU's proposed plant reproductive material regulation

Onion turns of Ukraine – from free to very expensive in just a couple of weeks

Cultivating innovation in Rwanda's potato industry

Adverse weather destroys potato crops

Impending food shortage in Nyandarua due to floods

Francisco Moya, Réseau Vitalis

“The switch from ware to early potatoes is going well”

New onions in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are sold at incredibly low prices

Sector | Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables

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Thijs Boersma, Biesheuvel Knoflook:

"With fresh garlic from Italy, we are bridging the period to the new Dutch harvest"

"Chlorine dioxide preservative can effectively increase the shelf life of lychees"

Fresh Del Monte collaborates for release of Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” movie

Only six papaya producers left in South Africa

"It's a disaster": Third season of papaya scarcity in South Africa

Recently unveiled product was showcased at this year's Cibus exhibition

Pomegranate arils with a shelf life of up to 20 days

First maritime shipment of sugar mangoes from Colombia to U.S. to meet growing demand

“Peru’s ginger production 20% lower, prices are going to be higher”

Sector | Company news

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Barton & Redman expands operations with new warehouse at New Smithfield Market

Bostock Group sells conventional apple orchards to Scales Corporation

Dole plc reports First Quarter 2024 financial results

Revenue of $2.1 billion, an increase of 6.6%

Hapag-Lloyd with good start to 2024 in first quarter of year

SILAL inaugurates largest automated packhouse in UAE

HHLA result affected by weakened economy and supply chain disruptions in Q1 2024

International Primeur magazine now available online

Sector | Greenhouse

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New trends in the greenhouse produce industry

Greenhouse locations migrate and product innovation continues

Italy: Greenhouse-grown, zero-residue eggplants to hit the shelves

Horti Demo Centre – Dr Estelle Kempen, Adaduma Msana, Kholosa Nakani

"All South African greenhouses should collect and recycle rainwater"

UK Salads Limited

Bankruptcy spiral UK greenhouse after client rejections

Pleun van Malkenhorst, Thanet Earth Peppers Ltd / Thanet Growers:

"Growing demand from British retailers for lit cultivation"

"Consumers in the desert benefit from Dutch greenhouse technology"

Dean Taylor with Mastronardi Produce:

“There is always a high level of excitement when we launch a new Bombs variety”

Sector | Logistics

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ICTSI to invest in new Southern Luzon gateway

Improved connectivity:

Port of Salalah highlights growing East African market potential

Suez Canal projects revenues of $9 billion for fiscal year 2024/25

Maersk speeds up supply chains in Europe with new Cross Dock facility

Market panic triggers sharp rate surge in China

Asian ports hit by Red Sea backlogs

Maersk establishes itself at SEGRO Park Amsterdam Airport in Hoofddorp

Sector | Machinery

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Introducing Scalibur: Potato slicing with Dual Rotation Technology

A fully automated cherry truss tomato harvesting robot to hit the market

Manufactured by Bulltec for Colt.Or: watch the video!

A fennel grader focused on the utmost efficiency

Italian machinery company celebrated 100 year history of sorting at Macfrut 2024

Worldwide demand for Tong’s latest Unifill big bag and box filler

TopControl CEO Michael Saltuari (Italy)

"Our solutions for reducing costs and improving efficiency"

Watch the video!

Karmen field scales for grapes: a new season approaches

Sector | General fresh produce

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New tariffs on Chinese goods announced by the U.S.

Value of U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable exports to the world was $7.0 billion in 2023

Sunak unveils landmark £2.4B support plan to boost British farming and food security

Turkey’s fresh fruit and vegetable exports reached $211.49 million in April

Nigeria's agricultural sector faces challenges due to increased production costs

Short-term outlook for EU agricultural markets in 2024

EU consumption of fresh apples falls as production declines

Fresh Line Fruit Services GmbH

Fresh Line Fruit Services continues on its expansion course

"Faster, targeted, and efficient services for returned and rejected goods"

Sector | Management

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France fights shrinkflation in supermarkets

India and Nigeria to strengthen economic ties with local currency agreement

Fairtrade launches a global campaign to make farmers’ voices heard

Zimbabwe initiates campaign to attract foreign investment, highlighting its new currency

New micropropagation lab to produce up to 24 million plants a year

Project encourages diversification into tomatoes, onions, French beans, bananas, and more

Expanding irrigation in Embu County, Kenya

Manish Sirohi appointed as CEO of Decco WW

Sector | Miscellaneous

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Compensation initiative for farmers in Kenya

Zespri faces potential loss due to mouse infestation in kiwifruit shipment

Leaf beetle infestations found only on Seychelles' Mahe Island, says senior official

Berry fruit production and water challenges in Mangualde

“Non-negligible probability of long-term establishment in France,” according to ANSES

Reinforced surveillance of Asian fruit fly

Astronauts to study plant growth and development on the Moon

Does Ramadan reduce productivity in packing houses?

Sector | Fruit

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Stone fruits hit hard as well

Devastating frosts lead to significant blueberry losses in Ukraine

Huelva's strawberry campaign enters its final stretch with higher prices

Mónica Tierno, from Agrupación de Cooperativas del Jerte: "volumes will increase next week"

"There is more demand for cherries than supply at the moment"

Eric Tastayre, Apifood

“The plum market should be balanced this year”

Mehri Ahmadova - Berry Blue

“70% of our production goes for export as it is quite a new product in Azerbaijan"

This year, Washington state will likely be the latest cherry production region in North America

Kölla kicks off a promising 2024 cherry season in five European countries

Sector | Herbs

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Moroccan rosemary supply hit by drought

Peter Mair of Gruppo Mec:

"Italian arugula cultivation becomes more professional and sustainable with each passing year"

Ton Verheijke, Janyra Organics:

"With our first full-scale herb harvest, we should gain a foothold in the Netherlands"

Belgian company sees organic as a step toward the future

"We want to be a pioneer in the organic segment"

Retailer in North of England finds supplier with fresh range of new herbs

Results obtained by Bonati, supervised by Ecofarm

How irrigation ozone treatment can protect basil

Natalia Moranth, Green Explosion:

“We want to introduce our Colombian fresh fruit to Europe”

Sector | Agenda

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An evolving and expanding trade fair in Azerbaijan

Browse the photo gallery

The enthusiasm of exhibitors confirms Macfrut as an international event

B2B Meetings, Warsaw, Poland, 17-18 September 2024 -

New highlights for companies interested in Polish retail market

12th annual Post-Harvest Academy hosted in Washington

CAAT's first time at medFEL

Turin wholesale market to expand in France

Trade show to be held in Izmir on 26 to 28 September

"Interfresh Eurasia trade show to become Türkiye’s showcase"

Melbourne Convention Centre, 3-5 June, 2024

Tickets selling fast for Hort Connections 2024

Sector | Citrus

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The US Early Pride mandarin variety has started expanding in Peru and Chile

Lemon pricing expected to stay stable throughout summer

BiOrangePack Project from AIMPLAS

European project aims to enhance citrus logistics and packaging

Source BI - Juan Winter & Dirk Odendaal

Steering a data-driven course through choppy waters

Miguel Barber from Pomelos MBC:

"I believe that the grapefruit supply is growing at a faster pace than consumption"

Patricia Marí Minran, of Citran:

"Except for January and February, when Greece and Turkey are stronger, the grapefruit campaign is very stable"

CBS spreading and causing damage across all citrus-growing areas in Tunisia

Sector | Organic

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Andreas Kreuzwieser from Meleco Ltd on growing and marketing Austrian organic apples

"We are now trying to build a buffer for the upcoming season"

Austria: Traders and producers speak out on the organic market

"The organic selection is still much more limited, comparatively"

Better outlook for the Senegalese organic mango campaign

FAO awards $650,000 to enhance organic vegetable farming in Tanzania

New "Inverted Natural Branding" of organic fruit and vegetables

'Good prospects for U.S. organic product exports to the EU remain'

Pieter Declercq, organics product manager, REO Veiling:

"Organic vegetables' better-matched supply improves market prices"

Sector | Health

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“There is an urgent need to take action with the younger generation”

New European Good Move program

Cranberry supplements enhance athletic performance in Canada

University of Queensland collaboration

Say goodbye to garlic breath with odour-free black garlic

Increasing fruit and vegetable intake among adults

Looking at vegetable intake and cancer risk reduction

Bananas facilitate quicker recovery after running

Harvard study links fruit and vegetable intake to longevity in the US

Sector | IT

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Optiflux introduces OptiPallet and OptiLab

"We wanted to make our storage solution accessible for smaller volumes as well"

“Traders and retailers can get real-time crop insights”

Can artificial intelligence revolutionize our sector?

Producers can now do fruit counting with a free AI App

“Automated precision farming is key to fruit cultivation’s success”

Potato agronomy forecasts now available in myField App

Free farm management app to save Italian growers time this season

Sector | Innovations

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Supply chain enhancements roll out

Utrecht University

Utrecht University research

Residual waste from mushroom cultivation removes pollutants from water

Polymer found in corn, potatoes and beans

Smart windows breakthrough in the U.S.

Denise Junqueiro with Apeel Sciences

“Our technology provides shippers confidence for long haul shipments and to open up new export markets”

How more than 60 million pieces of fruit were stopped going to waste last year

Conserving two Olympic-sized swimming pools of water annually

Verdant Technologies and Sobeys partner on iceless broccoli

Using multispectral cameras to determine oranges' suitability for various products

Sector | Processed fruit and vegetables

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Driscoll's Maroc is building a berry processing plant in Larache

The process of making the famous pomegranate juice in Bangkok

Apple juice prices historically high as industry awaits indications on the new crop

Officials support mango processing plant expansion in Kenya

Collecting apples for juice and pulp processing

Second biggest processing factory in Nigeria formally opened

McDonald’s french fry perfume is real

Sector | Cooling

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Capacity expanded to nearly 16,000 pallet positions

Emergent Cold completes expansion of its Facility in Villagrán, Mexico

Michael Panuccio, Freshxpress:

"This isn’t just another cooling machine, it’s a game-changer"

To support food security in Lincolnshire

Magnavale Easton development approaches finish line

Launch of new refrigerated ocean transportation service utilizing electric field technology

MSC South Africa Inaugurates MEDLOG Cold Store Facility, revolutionizing trade dynamics in the region

Ethiopia and the Netherlands jointly construct a cooling center to support fresh produce exports

MSC inaugurates new cold storage facility in Durban

Sector | Food safety

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Zeebrugge, Belgium

Over a million trays of NZ kiwis set for destruction due to mice infestation

Spanish warning on Moroccan peppers due to insecticide concerns

EU Commission first implementation report:

The relevance of combating Unfair Trading Practices and the need for further EU actions

Industry input needed for Australian certification standards

Andrés Góngora, from COAG Almería: "This is not the first case, and we strongly fear it won't be the last"

"New health alert for Moroccan peppers reported in France"

Moroccan strawberries cleared of hepatitis A concerns in Europe

Japan's muskmelons subject to stricter inspections in Taiwan

Sector | Nuts and dried fruits

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Mercè Rovira, IRTA:

"The Spanish interest for hazelnuts has grown a lot, despite the difficulties"

Organic farming base favorably positions Turkish dried fruits and nuts in the global market

Leading pecan companies announce collaboration to elevate the pecan to new heights

The Chilean prune industry must continue to focus on China, without neglecting traditional markets

Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association visits Côte d'Ivoire

Fréderic Bostyn, The Nutty Farmer:

"Burkina Faso growers produce delicious cashews, but it's time they benefit too"

Asia and Europe are key markets for California pistachios and almonds

Sector | Packaging and Labelling

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Home compostable produce label launches with cost-effective advantage

Perfect combination of maximum freshness and attractiveness proposed by Ciesse Paper and Nespak

The right packaging for each and every type of fruit

Ronald Borst (Paardekooper) on paper flowpacks:

"For businesses aiming to reduce their plastic usage, we offer CartoPaper as a viable alternative"

“Denouncing massive imports of Moroccan cherry tomatoes during French production”

New operation to label Moroccan tomatoes in supermarkets

Nico Treurnicht & Cornel Oosthuizen – Ergopak

South African scale technology finds foothold in European and Moroccan packhouses

Parkside introduces recyclable lidding film in the UK

Concerns raised over new EU packaging rules

Sector | Retail

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Uber to acquire Delivery Hero’s foodpanda delivery business in Taiwan

Blinkit is offering complimentary coriander with customer orders

Eurocash Group has reported 'stable' sales in Q1

Alibaba announced its financial results for the quarter and fiscal year

Tesco's new plant-led range offers meals packed with a variety of vegetables, grains and seeds

Asda workers at the Brighton Hollingbury superstore have confirmed the dates they will strike

Foodstuffs: 21 different fruit and vegetable items see double-digit price falls, year-on-year

Particularly fruit and vegetables accounted for 41% of Dino Polska's revenue

Vegetable wholesaler Farm Price announced net profit

Amazon: New online store in Ireland in 2025

Welsh exotic mushroom farmer wins life-changing Aldi contract

Waitrose to source fruit and vegetables from UK farms which use regenerative practices by 2035

Major Australian supermarket fruit and veg supplier into administration

Morrisons has acquired 38 stores in the Channel Islands

Sector | Global Market

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GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GRAPEFRUIT

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BLUEBERRIES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW MANGOES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW ORANGES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW SWEET POTATOES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW STRAWBERRIES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW LIMES

Sector | Climate

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MedFEL 2024 conference

What diversification is possible in the face of climate change?

New report reveals avocados are getting smashed by climate change

Frosts cause Ukrainian apple harvest to be about 10 to 20 percent lower than usual

Sustainability at core of Italian club apple production strategies

Extreme heat impacts south and south-east Asia

East Africa faces food shortages due to extreme weather

Study looks at challenges of climate change on potato production in Canada

Sector | Cartoons

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Proper corn on the cob etiquette revealed

Euro 2024: no fruit for fans, sausages get pricey

Viral video exposes use of chemicals on cabbage in India

Unusual culinary fusion: Durian stir-fry

Match sweetcorn eating stands at 52 ears in 12 minutes

Crucial nutrients for breastfeeding moms from broccoli

haertwarmion vodei

Cow expresses love to vegetable vendor