FreshPlaza: Global Fresh Produce and Banana News

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GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW ASPARAGUS

Softer demand for import apples pushes back start date

Record date sales for this year’s Ramadan

Ecuadorian plantains grow in U.S. market, aim to expand processed exports to Europe

Mexican yellow mango supply to tighten during transition

NatureSweet strengthens leadership team

U.S. cranberry exports rise in growing South African market

New avocado packinghouse opens in Guatemala to boost exports

After a challenging 2024, Peru's Hass avocado exports could grow by 37% this year

IFPA names 2025 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award winners

Sector | Vegetables

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André Dippenaar – DW Fresh

Seller’s market for Limpopo veg farmers as months of rain halve Brits crop

Bill seeks to name giant cabbage Alaska’s state vegetable

Qatar sold over 37,000 tons of local vegetables in 2024

U.S. vegetable availability falls to 376 lb in 2024

The export of Sicilian carrots to Northern Europe has officially begun

Rick Mengers (ZON): "Rising demand for alternative grades"

"Late last week, it seemed all of the Netherlands was craving asparagus again"

Spain's green asparagus harvest is well underway

Sector | Bananas

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Tanzanian media reports blocking of humanitarian food aid and fertilizer to Malawi

Tanzania bans South African apples after “long struggle” for its bananas

Coliman Bananas - AGGALL Group celebrates its 47th anniversary

Honeyglow bananas to be launched in Europe

Chiquita named one of Newsweek’s America’s Most Loved Brands 2025

Colombian banana growers aim to boost exports to EU market

Fedco reports Cavendish banana decline in the Philippines

Rain damages 1,300+ hectares of crops in Jalgaon and Nashik

Sector | Potatoes and Onions

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Vidalia sees another strong sweet onion crop

Wisconsin strengthens protections for certified seed potatoes

Creek Side Potatoes opts for Optica Q

"Stepping into the future with a new optical sorter"

PepsiCo boosts Saudi potato plant investment to $80 million

Jordi Calatayud y Monge (Mulder Onions):

"Onion prices skyrocket: Temporary Easter demand or sign of more to come?"

New crop potatoes make their way into Easter pull

U.S. potato stocks down 6% from April 2024

Sector | Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables

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Martina Garletti (McGarlet): "Increase in volume, satisfactory quality"

Mango season ends in Peru: Good news from Brazil and Mexico

"An even broader range under one roof"

MBF Savannah operations to start from De Mooij Amsterdam location on 5 May

Late April produce update: Steady asparagus, rising avocado demand

More volume of California avocados expected later in the season

Uttarakhand supports kiwi, dragon fruit farming with subsidies

Growing regions for pomegranates transitioning in Peru

Week 16 Fruit Wholesale Market Report

Rising New Zealand apple volumes pressure prices as durian arrivals continue to grow

Sector | Company news

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Washington Apple Education Foundation announces new Board Chairman and honors outgoing leader

Bygaard’s founder Lasse Carlsen:

“We sold the prototype, not the dream”

FruitMasters director Adriaan Vis looks back on annual figures and ahead to the future:

"To make an impact, we must keep taking initiative"

New president for WECO and Multiscan

Inside PeachyKeen’s off-grid vertical farm pilot in Scotland:

"If this works in a 100-year-old building, there's no reason why it can't work on high streets"

Exotifruit EU declared bankrupt

USDA restricts PACA violators in California and Florida

Sector | Greenhouse

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Update on Canadian green greenhouse project

Canadian consumers ask for locally grown produce

“It’s such a good feeling to see the pull in demand”

Serragrow 4.0 by Ofylia (Italy)

The traditional greenhouse is now smarter

Interview with Enrico Garrasi, sales director of Agriplast S.p.a.

Glass microspheres to cool greenhouses without sacrificing light

KingsOne farms begins construction on automated lettuce greenhouse in Kingsville

AMHPAC held 6th annual social responsibility symposium

Division Q invests in Skytree

Koppert Cress intends to capture CO2 from the atmopshere

Sector | Logistics

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World Container Index - 24 Apr

Drewry Container Index down 2% to $2,157 per 40ft box

Chris Ortiz from the Bremen-based freight forwarding company CoolerU GmbH:

"We see significant potential for hydrogen compared to electric trucks"

Kuehne+Nagel posts strong Q1 2025 with 15% revenue growth

Legal dispute delays Durban port deal with ICTSI

Ceará boosts fruit exports through Pecém and new air routes

Tariff shifts strain North American cross-border trucking

Managing liability in LTL produce shipments

Sector | Machinery

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Complete carrot processing line up for auction at Industrial Auctions

Complete carrot processing line under the hammer at Industrial Auctions

AI-powered cultivator surpasses 60,000 acres and three billion plants scanned

Trials demonstrate commercially viable automated strawberry harvesting

Color LCD screen for easier user experience

KA-750PM peeler launched

Global availability of new and used grading and sorting tech

No more rotting bell pepper stench in the trash can

Sector | General fresh produce

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BCFGA appoints Adrian Arts as new executive director

Call for horticulture seed center in Papua New Guinea

Drones and soft robotics reshape fruit harvesting and handling

U.S. fruit and vegetable exports to Vietnam surge after tariff cuts

Photo report CPMA Montreal

Photo report Retail Tour

A look at the fresh produce offerings of Montreal’s ethnic and discount stores

Stéphane Layani, World Union of Wholesale Markets

"Raising awareness of the importance of wholesale markets”

Sector | Management

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King Fuji Ranch to reform hiring, pay $180K after discrimination probe

Tariffs threaten growth at Philadelphia fruit import hub

Twelve states sue Trump over tariff policy

Washington growers warn of export risks from proposed tariffs

USDA allocates $340.6M in disaster aid to rural communities

Senator Gallego urges reversal of tomato import duty decision

Lawsuits filed over E. coli outbreak linked to Taylor Farms

Sector | Miscellaneous

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Alex Platt – RegenZ

Farming for resilience requires a deep dive into the soil

Empowering crops in the battle against mites and mildew

Russian drone strikes destroy office and laboratory of Ukrainian Agrivoltaics Association

Contestants compete by selling products made from high-quality, fresh market produce

New Covent Garden Market ‘hired’ in The Apprentice’s 'Crops to Cash' episode

Moroccan fruit and vegetable exporter discusses floral program

Spoiler alert: Not quite, but most do

Does every business need FX risk management?

TR Turoni to attend Fruit Logistica

"Flesh firmness measuring tools are essential for companies"

Sector | Fruit

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Fepex Cherry Committee

Cherry season starting with a slight delay

Josep Antoni Camats Carpi, from Cireres de Corbins:

"We hope that the market won't reject the bruised fruit that those of us affected by hail have managed to save"

Chile exported 51% more cherries in the season that just ended

Texas leaders push to preserve tomato trade deal with Mexico

North Carolina strawberry yields strong despite disease concerns

"I am very pessimistic about the future of the strawberry industry in Morocco"

Turkish national cherry production expected to drop 50 to 60 per cent this season

"We’ve quietly escaped the devastation of frost in our cherry orchards"

Sector | Herbs

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Spring holidays expected to boost demand for fresh herbs

"We've achieved near-complete domestic sourcing for our key herbs"

Belgian herb company turns 125

"You must teach people how to use herbs"

"Artisanal business in a dynamic market"

Cilantro gains popularity in cocktails with new bottled spirit and creative mixes

Jolien Vanden Berghe and Jorne Leemans, Dilpack:

“Strong rise in herb exports”

"Hydroponics make good economic sense in Morocco"

Sector | Agenda

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Taking a closer look at OPS 2025

Championing sustainability efforts for Earth Day 2025

We will be back Tuesday 22nd of April

Happy Easter from the FreshPlaza team

Thanos Motsiopoulos from Nutrifrucht GmbH on Freskon 2025 in Greece:

"The current cold front shaped the conversations on site"

Free webinar on the future of fresh supply chain execution

Photo Report: Freskon 2025

Viva Fresh Expo marked 10th year and saw record attendance

Sector | Citrus

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Brazil's fruit exports up 26% despite orange decline

California expands citrus quarantine as HLB threat grows

Tanzania trade terms improve as export prices rise

Argentina could produce up to 15% fewer lemons this year

Moroccan citrus fruits land on the Japanese market

Chinese pomelo season begins promisingly with projected yield rebound

Tiaan Snyman – Principle Agri

“The days of simply farming for volume are numbered”

Sector | Organic

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Preview of imported organic apple and pear program for spring and summer

"Transition to organic growing of Medjool dates was a tremendous challenge"

Roelant Komen of BeFair Bio:

“Demand for organic fruit from overseas picking up”

Jessica Cornely, Biofrais

"There is a very strong demand for 'detox' vegetables"

Merger of organic produce companies strengthens support for family farms

"We're too big for the local market, yet too small to export"

Reflecting on Organic Grower Summit 2024

Sector | Health

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Bananas may help control blood pressure better than cutting salt

Kaempferol shows promise for ALS and dementia treatment

Nonprofit launches “Food is Medicine” webpage

From pharmacy to farmacy: giving food and healthcare systems a fresh start

Eating walnuts for breakfast may boost your brain function

Tufts and Kaiser Permanente launch Food is Medicine network to expand nutrition-based healthcare

Red grape juice may reduce risk of erectile dysfunction

Sector | IT

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Gregal's VisionAgro: 25 years of know-how and a global technology partner

"More and more managers see technology as an ally to improve their day-to-day management"

Jiir Awdir from the Swiss AI start-up Hoshii AG:

"We support trading companies by making existing ERP software AI-capable"

"We launched an upgraded wireless temperature and humidity data logger at the Fruit Logistica Berlin"

Enkitek’s Co-Farmer platform:

"This technology is not a luxury, but a necessity for staying competitive in the future of farming"

GlobalG.A.P. launches new it platform to streamline certification and audits

Andre Rademeyer - AgrigateOne

‘One stop shop platform’ that streamlines the supply chain for suppliers, service providers, buyers

René van den Berg, Abstract IT

“Robots increasingly play a starring role”

Sector | Innovations

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Chirene Jelbert – C Fruit Differently

Frozen fruit industry is taking off

Gaming Garden project kicks off in Madrid:

“Urban farming can be accessible and impactful when approached simply and inclusively”

Sumika Agrotech’s Sumisansui:

Irrigating smarter with Japanese technology

Inside Mexico’s tallest vertical farm:

“We're proud to say this is the only project of its kind in Mexico”

Under the microscope, new-generation nets show their secret

Partnership to deliver iceless broccoli across Eastern Canada

Bringing post-harvest innovation to Latin America’s food inflation fight

Sector | Processed fruit and vegetables

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New visual identity for salad brand

Carrot fries make their debut

Rinke Robbers, De Terp Squashpackers

BBQ pumpkin slices added to the range

Mateusz Maćkowski, Global Onions:

"I want to place optical graders at 100 Polish peeling plants in the coming years"

Grilled and roasted vegetables: Convenience products for the food service sector

Expansion from fresh into frozen products as well as snack category

Less fresh and sundried tomatoes to be expected from Tunisia

Sector | Cooling

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Cold chain sensor to be unveiled at Transport Logistic 2025 in Germany

“We hope to provide safe cold chain logistics for fresh produce”

Vinicius Wanderley Campos, of Hevile

Brazil's cold storage gaps affect papaya and mango exports

Photo report: Maersk cold store now operational at Maasvlakte II

Treatment Cold Plus Europe leads to more efficient cooling system with less friction and faster evaporation

US technology provides energy savings of 18 to 27% in cooling systems

Branch manager Kevin Poldervaart (Kreko): "A nice bonus is that we even feed power back"

Solar-powered freezer container solves power capacity challenge for hospitality wholesaler

New cold storage facility opens in Monterrey to meet growing demand

New iReefer Pro service enhances reefer cargo monitoring

Sector | Food safety

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Taylor Farms says it wasn’t the source of E. Coli outbreak in Romaine lettuce

Harvest NYC recalls enoki mushrooms over listeria risk

EPA approves new crop protection tool from BioWorks

Marketside celery recalled over possible listeria contamination

Agragene and associates team up on SWD pest control

Benjamin Singh (Food Freshly) on ensuring food safety

"Fresh approach is needed to stem the tide of food borne illnesses"

U.S. updates avocado import rules over pest risk

Sector | Nuts and dried fruits

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Walnut Commission opens nominations for 2025 member seats

California almond acreage rises slightly as removals continue

Is the craze for Dubai chocolate responsible for a pistachio shortage?

Daily almonds support heart and metabolic health

Australian almond exports up as China demand grows

March almond shipments down 6.6% as EU trade tensions rise

U.S. pistachio stocks low ahead of harvest, record crop expected

Sector | Packaging and Labelling

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"BOPLA packaging materials help extend the shelf life of fresh produce by 40%"

Expanding reusable packaging partnership with retailer

Italy's GI.ST.EL. Plast: The future beyond plastic is already here

Packaging and sustainability go hand in hand

foodProcess by Topcontrol, watch the video!

Smart packaging in just one click

Certified compostable PLU sticker advances sustainable packaging

Altes Land in Germany:

"We can pack around 100 tons a day"

Lettuce has a new award-winning look

Sector | Retail

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The Fresh Market has taken its ribbon cutting on the road

Aldi entered the Las Vegas market for the first time

Chipotle missed first-quarter revenue estimates

Wakefern is seeking northeastern growers to join its network of suppliers

Instacart and Earthbound Farm will bring sustainability to the table

ReposiTrak partners with World Wide Farms

Tops Friendly Markets is spending $4.4mln to remodel 2 stores

Chipotle signs development agreement to open restaurants in Mexico for 1st time

Whole Foods Market: Supplier All-Star Awards

Walmart: New distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida

T&T Supermarket: New Ontario location will open in summer 2026

METRO: 2025 second quarter results

Walmart Canada’s Easter meal includes broccoli

Albertsons posted $18.8bln in net sales and other revenue during Q4

Sector | Global Market

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GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW TOMATOES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW PINEAPPLES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GRAPES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW LIMES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BELL PEPPERS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GINGER

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW CUCUMBERS

Sector | Climate

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Frost affects Turkish fruit production in 36 provinces

"It's estimated that the damage throughout the country exceeds 575 million euros"

Study shows number of extremely hot days in Florida going up

Severe frost impact on Turkish apricots, cherries, grapes, peaches, walnuts and potentially citrus

Libya in the aftermath of Storm Daniel: "40% loss of vegetable acreage, 90% fruit acreage"

Reduced snowfall raises crop and drought concerns in Wisconsin

Wednesday 19 March in Emilia Romagna (Italy)

A night with the farmers who fight the frost

Heavy rains in Morocco raise hopes of an end to the country's longest drought

Sector | Cartoons

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Cauliflower ice cream from New Zealand targets U.S. launch

Enactus-UPEI's potato soap wins

Oakland University student's viral 'mushroom symphony'

Durian vending machine launched

Domino's unveils Garlic & Herb easter egg

Jimmy Kimmel’s $19 strawberry prank goes viral

Apples for peace: doctors in China use fruit superstitions for calm shifts

Sector | Trade War

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Costa Rica faces export challenges during US-China trade conflict

Tariffs threaten North Carolina sweet potato exports

Why the produce industry should give importing/exporting contracts a second look

Industrie Montali

The impact of tariffs on the competitiveness of European companies

Mexican tomatoes will pay a 20.91% tariff in the U.S. starting July 14

Taiwan announces support package after U.S. delays tariffs

Tariffs drive up costs for Georgia produce growers