New software system helps predict the start of apple harvest

Using artificial intelligence and computerization to assess the size and quality of produce. That’s what Canada-based Croptracker has been doing for…

Finally, a potentially more upbeat California lemon season after many unfavorable years

California lemon production traditionally sees a lull during late July and the month of August. Production picks up as the season transitions into…

Cara Cara oranges coming off peak import supplies

There looks to be a greater amount of some imported specialty citrus this year. “Weather issues in the Southern hemisphere countries like Chile were…

Tropical Storm Hilary pushes prices up on asparagus

Supplies of asparagus out of Mexico look to be good right now. “We currently have a steady supply of asparagus for the next several weeks and the…

Washington apple grower partnership ends next year

After many years of successful partnership, Starr Ranch Growers and Gilbert Orchards will part ways in 2024. Regardless of this change coming in the new year,…

Extreme weather and fires might lead to job losses for Okanagan migrant farmworkers

Hundreds of temporary foreign farmworkers are facing job and income losses as wildfires and heat waves are affecting British Columbia’s crops. It seems that…

The Chilean plum industry is preparing for the consequences of a not cold enough winter

"This season will tell us how to act in the future in the face of rising global temperatures"

Although the conditions during the plum season have been clearly good in terms of rainfall, it has been one of the worst in terms of accumulation of…

Growers Nova Scotia faced with a year of extreme weather events

Farmers in Nova Scotia are struggling to maintain and harvest crops after back-to-back rain events across the province this summer. Andy Vermuelen grows…

Mexico will produce the Luna Ucr avocado variety

Avowork, headed by J. Marroquin, and Organic Produce from Mexico, led by the businessman Eloy Vargas, have joined the international platform for avocado…

Grower-shipper celebrates 10 years of business at Southern Innovations

Ark Foods is celebrating its 10th anniversary in business. Two notable product launches this month honor this momentous year as the company reflects on…

Commercial Matsutake mushroom season to commence in Oregon next week

Starting next week, in the Deschutes National Forest and other forests in Oregon, people will start picking Matsutake mushrooms. The U.S. Forest Service says…

New York state: 31 counties will get federal agriculture disaster designation

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand have announced that the USDA approved the New York State Farm Service Agency’s…

Creating 50 jobs in the region:

US (GA): $27 million investment brings new greenhouse to Metter

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that 4 Fungi's Regenerative, a CEA and food production company, will establish a new…

California and Arizona citrus projects funded

The California and Arizona departments of agriculture received funding for four citrus-related projects from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for…

Hurricane Idalia Operations update

Hurricane Idalia made landfall this morning in Florida and will move across southeastern Georgia as a Category 1 storm through this evening. The National…

Market and Crop Update for August 31, 2023

Washington onion growers have been very busy for the last two weeks

MARKETWashington:Matt Murphy with L&M in Raleigh, NC, told us on Aug. 30 that the Warden, WA, program is running full steam and shipping all colors and sizes.…

Orange juice price forecast as Hurricane Idalia nears

Data by TradingView shows that orange juice prices jumped to $3.20 on Tuesday, a few points below the year-to-date high of $3.31. It has soared by more…

Colombia aims to increase potato production by 73% in 20 years

The National Potato Council was held on Friday and led by Jhenifer Mojica, the Minister of Agriculture. The Productive Management Plan was formalized at the…

South African avocado growers happy that their fruit can go to China

The agreement on exports of avocados to China is an exciting new development for South African growers and exporters. Following a memorandum of understanding…

Irrigation board queries new water allocation

Gamtoos mood lifts along with the dam levels

The Gamtoos Valley’s Kouga Dam is the fullest it has been in seven years and farmers gained a 15% increase in water allocation (albeit up from 20%).…

Edrean Ernst – South African Avocado Growers’ Association

South African avo industry awaits finalised postharvest and shipping protocols with China

A few final protocols concerning shipping and postharvest treatment need to be finalised before South African avocados can make their official way to…

Westfalia Fruit unveils packhouse expansion plans in Mozambique

Westfalia Fruit is pleased to announce a significant development that underscores its commitment to propelling Mozambique’s avocado sector forward.…

Piet van Vugt, Van Vugt Kruiden:

"Offering continuity is tricky, but it lets you create a growth market"

With open-field and greenhouse cultivation in two locations in the Netherlands, Piet van Vugt is committed to sustainability and minimizing food miles.…

Tom Meijers, Vitacress Real:

New line of fresh-cut herbs under Vitalicious BIO-Organic label

"We began cultivating organic herbs a while ago but have only recently found the right moment to go public with our organic line," proclaims Tom…

Dick Hylkema, Nederlandse Aardappel Organisatie:

"Dutch potato chain could play a very important international role"

The Netherlands' development as an agricultural country and retaining enough farmland. And ensuring potatoes remain in Dutch consumers' minds. According to…

Difficult weather causes Greek pear production to drop by 20 per cent

“Greek wildfires cause some growers to lose entire pear production”

The Greek pears are sitting comfortably in the cold chambers, says Greek pear exporter Paris Karastergios, of Karastergiou Bros: “The Greek pear season…

Interko -

Retrofit can decrease energy consumption in ripening rooms by 70%

Interko, a designer, manufacturer, and installer of innovative ripening rooms, is ready to introduce Ripe Pilot to customers worldwide. Ripe Pilot is a…

Costa Group financial results H1 2023

International segment drives Costa Group’s revenue growth

Costa Group Holdings Limited, the Australian grower, packer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables today announced its financial results for the…

French company unveils next-gen optical potato sorter

DOWNS has extended its range of optical potato sorters with the arrival of the I-CropVision: a modular version of the CropVision, it incorporates the…

So far, quick growth in almond production is not met with strong exports in Georgia

As the 2022-2023 almond season is over and the new one is underway, EastFruit analysts note that Georgia exported about 10% of the production in the last…

An unusual pet is the latest sensation on social media

“I love you, my precious mango pit”

Most people have had a cat, dog, or fish as a pet. Many have wished they could have much more exotic pets, such as a raccoon, a falcon, or -why not- even a pet…

Twitter.com

Annual 'Tomatina' street battle took place in Spanish town of Buñol

Approximately 15,000 people, including many tourists, pelted each other with tomatoes as Spain’s annual “Tomatina” street battle took place in the town…

Japanese study: Kencur ginger might have anti-cancer properties

The Kaempferia galanga L. is a tropical plant of the ginger family cultivated mainly in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. Researchers from Osaka…

UK robotics company raises £710,000 in funding for asparagus robot

Robotics company AutoPickr has recently secured £710,000 in an early funding round to support the development of its farm-based robot, Gus. This robot,…