FreshPlaza: Global Fresh Produce and Banana News

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Eric Ramirez, Tropicales del Valle:

"There could be an overproduction or oversupply of pineapple in the coming weeks"

Freight costs weigh heavily

Wide variety of organic vegetables from Mexico coming on for spring season

Galo Molina, Marplantis:

Demand exceeds supply, driving up Ecuadorian banana prices

Costa Rica special: B&C Exportadores

From family farm to the world's largest chayote exporter

Ganfer Fresh strengthens its grower network amid an increasingly pressured berry market

Chilean fruit exports to U.S. reach 260,000 pallets despite lower demand

Prices picking up as Calvillo finishes up guava supply

PennRose Farms names new president of Mexican growing operations

Brazil registers Clarinha banana variety with lower chlorophyll levels

Volume picking up on Costa Rican pineapples

Sector | Vegetables

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New HR varieties as a weapon against Nasonovia Nr:1

Increased production on Michigan asparagus for 2026

Kyrgyzstan starts early cabbage exports in Aravan district

Asparagus market stabilises at Amelinckx Fruit

"Asparagus prices more than halved within 24 hours after Easter"

"Turkish tomatoes have a strong position in international markets"

Babyleaf spinach adapts to climate and year-round demand

Carrot supply started to rebound in second half of winter

Sector | Bananas

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The decrease in the dollar's price impacts Colombian banana producers

Hortense Giraud, FARMS Digital

"We are stepping up our expansion in Latin America"

Indian banana prices collapse as export disruptions hit growers

UK banana-shaped synthesizer raises £34k on Kickstarter

Germany seizes 1.6 tons of cocaine in banana shipment from Ecuador

Non-browning banana approved in Japan and Brazil

95% of India’s banana shipments stay closed for over a month

“Even after the ceasefire announcement, freight rates have gone up, not down”

Sector | Potatoes and Onions

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Early harvest dominated by 50–70 mm onions

Greek spring onions just arrived

Ghana revises yam export data, revealing 559% increase

Egypt, India, and China are processing more potatoes, and Northwest Europe is feeling it

“Indian onion exports face double whammy from weather and war challenges”

Brazilian potato planting completed as low rainfall persists

Turkmenistan Balkan region targets 40,600 ton potato harvest

Caribbean sweet potato project advances varietal identification

Sector | Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables

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Cristian Moretti, director of Agrintesa:

"Positive green kiwi campaign, especially in recent months"

Cam Clayton - DMS Progrowers

Record season beckons for NZ kiwifruit

Robert Blanjoue, Dole

A balanced pineapple market, but more uncertain from July onwards

Luis Zapata, CEO of Agrogreen Hass

Global Hass avocado oversupply puts pressure on prices and affects Chilean market

Mango production achieves carbon-negative status with CO₂ removal

Jason Te Brake - Zespri:

"We have more than five million trays of RubyRed available for consumers across 16 markets"

Goa mango crop hit by sunburn damage and fruit drop

Sector | Company news

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Andrea Bagnolini is the new director of Battistini Vivai

Continued growth focused on innovation

SecondBloom Auctions launches 500+ lot online liquidation of Eden Green Technology

Buyers can acquire million-dollar systems at a fraction of cost"

Calling attention to clean water on Earth Day

Growy's Laura van de Kreeke on reaching national retail scale in the Netherlands

"We wanted to compete head-on with conventional produce"

Nunhems invests €40 million in next-generation seed processing facilities

Food company expands financing facility to €7 million

ZIM CEO Eli Glickman to step down after nine years

Sector | Greenhouse

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Combining tomato and cactus production in four-season climate of Colorado

US hobby breeders develop egg-sized watermelons for vertical farming and high-density production

Scaling integrated tri-country greenhouse network for consistent year-round supply

Plastic film shortage delays post-storm reconstruction

Greenhouse builders in Souss Massa under strain

"Monitoring and control can be done from Korea"

Korean smart farm technology drives hydroponic strawberry production in Uzbekistan

New tomato facility in Al Ain designed to grow 150,000 kg tomatoes annually

New shareholders for SweetPoint

Sector | Logistics

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Freight and fuel costs surge, pressuring global vegetable imports

Iran returns Strait of Hormuz to military control

Air freight rates rise on fuel costs and airspace disruptions

African reefer shortages tighten produce export supply chains

Brazil launches logistics corridor linking exporters to Africa

High fuel prices weighing on produce industry

Inland logistics capacity expands in southern Brazil

Sector | Machinery

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New fruit and vegetable dicer to debut at international trade shows

Flikweert Vision introduces upgraded QualityGrader with higher capacity and AI-driven sorting

New generation of sorting machines for potatoes and onions

Global demand supports shipments of aril extraction and potato sorting systems

AI-powered 4C optical sorter introduced for nuts and IQF processing

Norman Nieder-Heitmann – Gossamer:

"The constraint in most packhouses isn't people, it's flow"

"Growing interest in blueberry sorting machines is not random; it reflects global trends"

AGVs gain ground in the fresh produce sector: “It brings greater control to production”

Sector | General fresh produce

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U.S. soft robot detects ripeness and harvests strawberries

New Zealand fruit exports rise as kiwifruit and apples drive growth

Australian growers lose up to 1 million tons to food waste

Mexico expands EU market access under updated trade agreement

Brazil targets top 10 position in global fruit exports

From Rotterdam to Scandinavia within 24 hours

Chocolate-coated grapes and mango ripening rooms: Fruity Pack's convenience ambitions

MultiWeigh GmbH celebrates its 25th anniversary:

"Traditional multi-head weighers for fruits and vegetables are increasingly being customized"

Sector | Management

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Vegetables NZ chief executive to step down as new industry body launches

Oil prices fall after US-Iran's conditional two-week ceasefire agreement

CBP seizes $17.7 million meth hidden in blackberry shipment

U.S. farmers face water shortfall as Mexico misses treaty targets

WTO talks stall as Brazil blocks e-commerce moratorium extension

Cermac, Promos, and the Ministry

Agreement signed for companies from Italy and Uzbekistan

U.S. lawmakers push tariffs on Mexican produce to support Florida growers

Sector | Miscellaneous

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Australian growers turn to stabilised nitrogen as supply tightens

Global fertiliser supply tightens as affordability pressures grow

Currency markets react to U.S.-Iran ceasefire uncertainty

Second-life batteries for irrigation in Yucatán

Conditioned warehouse with freezer space and 22 docks available from Q2 2026

For rent: Prismalaan West 3 in Bleiswijk - approx. 20,300 m² and part-letting from 4,500 m²

South African rand hits 3.5-year high

For sale: Poortcamp 10, De Lier

Sector | Fruit

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PSB Producción Vegetal launches its new campaign and will start with its visit days from week 17 onwards

"This confirms our position as a leader in extra-early stone fruit innovation"

Rob Pakvis (Berryland) on India's potential

“If those 1.4 billion people start eating 100 grams of blueberries per person…”

Ogulcan Sariboga of Raiffeisen Obst & Gemüse GmbH in Leverkusen:

"Unlike raspberries, we can barely keep up with the demand for blueberries"

Mohammed Ezzat, Egyptian grapes exporter:

"Buyers are focusing more on predictability"

Chilean blueberry sector shifts to quality and varietal renewal

Cautious Greek cherry traders:

“Better let the weather speak before we speak”

Africa achieves first gene-edited grapevine with improved resilience

Sector | Herbs

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Colombian mint processing improves insect removal and efficiency

Aromatic and medicinal plants production in Morocco recovers from prolonged drought

Tom Amery - The Watercress Company:

"We are very proud that for the last 25 years we have not used any pesticides on our beds"

Demand jumps in 2026 for fresh herbs

Herb merchant Ahmed Bouklata on the current market situation:

"Year after year, we offer more cut herbs of Italian origin"

War, rain and flight cancellations disrupt basil supply to Europe

Nepali herbal exports from Nepalgunj reach 1.3 million kg

Sector | Agenda

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Bangkok meet up adds fresh produce golf event to program

Morocco’s agriculture shifts from performance to sustainability

Takeaways from Fresh Produce India 2026

"Cultivating premium fruit varieties requires premium effort"

Hort Connections 2026 to take place in Adelaide in June

Full program announced for Fresh Produce India

Key takeaways from ChangeNOW Paris and Chapter Zero by Fatiha Charrat, Delassus

Agriculture cannot escape its paradox: both responsible and exposed

We will be back Tuesday 7th of April

Happy Easter from the FreshPlaza team

Sector | Citrus

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Producers urge EU treaty review after European mandarins lose 19 per cent market share

Alessandro Barbera, owner and general manager of the eponymous group

Sicilian Rhaetus melon in the spotlight for its new campaign, with attention also to table grapes

Week 16 Fruit Wholesale Market Report:

South African grapefruits arrive earlier, while Queen apple supply increases

Christo de Jong – CAPAC

In a season of rising costs, packhouse focuses on unlocking value

Brazilian orange growers face rising costs ahead of 2026/27 season

"Introducing Onix in South Africa shows how innovation can travel between hemispheres"

Christo Naudé – Malelane Citrus

Top-notch lemon season makes way for tricky grapefruit

Sector | Organic

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How BioOrganic supports organic farmers in a risky, uncertain market

Climate change and retailer pressure squeeze European organic growers

Luciana Zamora of Zamora Citrus:

"Organic lemon supply falls short of European demand"

Long-term strategy outweighs short-term economics

Dutch sauerkraut producer converts entire cabbage cultivation to organic

Gerard Kenens, VerKen Bio Deli-Vers:

"Earlier start for Natyra due to higher volumes, but you do not leave a good apple unsold"

Organic shifts from niche retail to structured programs

“Organic success depends on agreements, not ideals”

Hugo Jacobs, Jacobs Fruit:

"Challenging organic apple season, but sales now picking up"

Spain organic sector seeks reciprocity in EU-Mercosur trade agreement

Sector | Health

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Flavonoid-rich foods associated with happiness in U.S. women

Scientists develop vitamin A-enriched tomato

Moderate fruit and vegetable juice intake and its health effects

The consumption of superfoods continues to grow in France

Produce industry shows support of new Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Certain compounds found in garlic can increase the lifespan of mice

Italian study tests citrus and grape supplement for glucose control

Sector | IT

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AI system helps mushroom growers with crop monitoring and harvest prediction

Siddharth Jadhav - Polybee:

“We can tell growers exactly when to harvest for maximum in-spec yield"

Dr Sivam Krish - GoMicro AI

AI removing the "subjectivity tax" on the supply chain

"ULogs4A is more resistant to humidity and suited for long transits"

Newly launched data logger operates autonomously for up to 300 days without power

"We develop AI-based solutions for growers and nurseries"

BerryWorld live with QC app from FreshControl

“It took a next-level effort to incorporate all requirements into the inspection report”

Robotic apple harvesting

Sector | Innovations

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Palesa Motaung – Bread Africa

Farm-In-A-Box handles the paperwork so the farmer can stay in the game

USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Charleston, South Carolina

“From tissue culture to field trials, container farms allow us to control every step of plant development”

UAE FoodTech Challenge win

Akorn Technology readies for expansion in Africa and South Asia

Monitoring more than one million citrus trees with the help of AI

Pop Its snack cucumbers tap into demand for true bite-sized convenience

Fruit quality meters help manage harvest timing, lot segregation, and shelf-life performance

When efficiency in blueberry harvesting becomes a necessity

Sector | Processed fruit and vegetables

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Strong demand for fresh chilies and growth in habanero mash in a challenging market

Rob Langeveld, GreenS & SaladS:

From whole cauliflower to pre-cut convenience: how eating habits are reshaping the vegetable sector

The global geopolitical landscape has raised production costs for prepared fruits and vegetables by 5%

The SM2 pomegranate deseeder by PND (Italy)

Advanced technology for extracting arils and optimizing production space

"We're expanding our corn exports to new markets with new flavours in the pipeline"

Brazilian orange juice inventories rise 75.4% by end of 2025

Brazilian processor installs 30-ton-per-hour frozen potato line

Sector | Cooling

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Airclima expands in the fresh produce sector with refrigeration projects

"Cooling quality has a direct impact on product quality"

Chile expands Olivo cold storage capacity to 33,000 pallets

Cool Control expands to four cold stores with 12,000 pallet spaces in 30 years

"By offering a total package, we have grown with the foreign growers' organisations"

New 3,000-tonne freezing complex to be built in Ak-Suu, Kyrgyzstan

Year-round fruit supply in Australia depends on cold storage

“Bringing cold storage costs back to the levels of ten years ago is our principal aim”

Isolcell's vision for the future of fresh produce

"Controlled atmosphere, tailored ripening, and new global balances"

Sector | Food safety

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China improves pesticide practices to support exports

Russia blocks Chilean stone fruit, rejects Serbian apples over labeling issues

Russia rejects avocado and grape shipments over document discrepancies

Mexico and U.S. strengthen food safety cooperation as trade grows

UK–EU SPS deal may change pesticide and residue rules by 2027

The European Commission updates the MRLs for various pesticides starting this year

Tesco recalls grape and berry medley over salmonella

Sector | Nuts and dried fruits

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China's chestnut production increases significantly this season, supports higher export prices

Ranobo advances new construction and group identity despite geopolitical pressures

"Bright green pistachios set to disappear from the market for now"

Spain and China sign protocol for Spanish pistachio and dried fig exports

Pistachio prices reach eight-year high on supply constraints

U.S. almond shipments reach 117,028 tons in March

Australian macadamia program targets Asian markets

South African nut exports rise 13.3% as global demand grows

Sector | Packaging and Labelling

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Robots in stone fruit packaging

Consumers are increasingly looking for packaging options that fit their budget

Labor shortages are driving automation

How automating herb processing can halve the number of staff needed

"The challenge is preserving the quality of cherries across the supply chain"

Reusable packaging supports cost control and compliance

A new packaging approach for leafy greens is being tested

“With the right ecosystem, pomegranate aril exports become a more predictable proposition”

Sector | Retail

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Maxima Grupė: 4.1% revenue growth in FY 2025

Aldi is expanding in London with eight new stores this year

Waitrose expanding into airport travel retail for first time: Fresh fruit

REWE Group has reached an agreement to acquire up to 40 Tegut stores

Prosus has entered into an agreement to sell 4.5% stake in Delivery Hero to Uber

New data: Bananas officially Australia’s most popular fruit

SPAR Gran Canaria plans to sell 500 tons of tomatoes from La Aldea

Tesco has reported higher full-year sales and cashflow

Uber Eats has gone live in Denmark

Italmark teams up with Amazon for grocery delivery

OurCoop invests £9.3mln in new stores

Sales in January-March grow from the previous year for S Group

Sodexo slashed its annual sales and profitability targets

Coop Danmark A/S: Recovery in FY 2025

Sector | Global Market

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GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW PINEAPPLES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW STRAWBERRIES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW LIMES

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW BELL PEPPERS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW GINGER

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW CUCUMBERS

GLOBAL MARKET OVERVIEW MANDARINS

Sector | Climate

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California stone fruit and cherry growers watchful of rains

South Texas growers await word on Mexico’s water deliveries

Possible El Niño returns raise concerns in Ecuador

U.S. grower tests drone use for frost protection in orchards

Brazilian horticulture faces El Niño risks in 2026

Strawberry crop gains expected from California’s heat wave

Georgia growers relieved following last week’s cold temperatures

Sector | Cartoons

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Madhya Pradesh banana farmer protests low prices with half-naked vow

North Korean forest rangers fired for turning tree nurseries into vegetable gardens

TikTok-fueled fruit ice cream craze empties freezers across New Zealand

Cows wearing e-collars help boost potato yields in P.E.I. pilot project

Domino’s seeks Vatican forgiveness for pineapple pizza

Aomori’s ‘designer apples’ turn orchards into art

Fruity overdose: The bold new trend transforming perfumery

Sector | Trade War

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U.S. court orders US$165bn tariff refunds as CBP develops CAPE system

Peruvian blueberry exporters have 180 days to claim US$ tariff refunds

Agexport, Guatemala

"Exports to the U.S. continue at 0% tariff after Supreme Court ruling"

Produce industry reacts to Supreme Court tariff ruling

U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, new 15% levy announced

Tensions have resulted in increased imports from Europe

Canada’s produce exports witness a boost due to limited supply and high prices in the U.S.

Importers to U.S. react to lifting of Brazilian tariff

Sector | Rwanda

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Rwanda special (last part): Evergreen Holding

"With greenhouse conditions, we can produce strawberries all year round, even for export"

Rwanda special: Kinvest

Canadian capital, Rwandan fields: Building profitable farms with social impact

Intercropping, outgrowers, and weekly flights: The operations model behind SOO Agro’s growth

Rwanda special: Kumwe Green Farms

"We have a lot to offer to European buyers"

Rwanda special: Virunga Biotech Limited

"We see a strong demand for chilies, ginger, and gherkins"

Rwanda special: Kotwidika

Promising trial for Valencia oranges

Rwanda special: Souk Farms

Rwanda advances steadily on the global fresh produce scene

Sector | Costa Rica

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Costa Rica special

EARTH University: Where bananas fund the future

Luis Gustavo Arrieta, from Ambrosía Fresh

Costa Rican pineapple volumes recover in 2026, production gap is expected mid year

Costa Rica special: PCC – Piñas Cultivadas de Costa Rica

“We are the only pineapple company with pesticide-free certification”

Costa Rica special: Pineapple grower Fertinyc

"One extra week of shelf life thanks to our organic treatments and biofertilizers"

Costa Rica special: Cassava exporter The Golden Products

Drone technology, a five-year soil transformation and navigating wax regulations

Costa Rica special

Corbana takes a fresh look at how it tells the Costa Rican banana story

Costa Rica special: Upala Agrícola

"Demand for crownless pineapple, which now accounts for 15% of our exports, still grows"