No publication on Thursday, 6 and Friday 7 February, 2025 -

FreshPlaza is off to Fruit Logistica

It's that time of year again, when members of the fresh produce sector are in Berlin for Fruit Logistica. The FreshPlaza team are looking forward to…

Transitioning growing regions for import asparagus

The imported asparagus supply is currently shifting to a new growing region. "Peru is winding down, with moderate supplies still available, but this…

Pricing reasonable on Mexican and Guatemalan watermelon

The supply of imported watermelon is at a reasonable level right now. "They're at $200/bin and I think we're at a good level," says Dennis Peterson of…

Stone fruit importer visits South African plum operations

Two executives from Pacific Trellis Fruit just wrapped up an exciting visit with their South African plum-growing partners. Marcial Hernandez, Vice…

New Salix Fruits country manager for South Africa

Salix Fruits announced Andy Froggatt as its country manager for South Africa. With extensive experience in the international fruit sales and…

“With the 30-day tariff postponement from the US, there’s still uncertainty about what will happen next.”

The Mexican Persian lime industry is relieved, but yet anxious about looming trade tariffs from their main market of the U.S. that was postponed for 30…

Nonprofit launches programming in Greater Philadelphia

Brighter Bites, a national nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families' hands, announces the launch of its 12th location…

Third-generation grower to launch new Ontario greenhouse

A new chapter in greenhouse agriculture is beginning with the opening of KingsOne Farms in Kingsville, Ontario. Spearheaded by Cole Mucci, a…

Strategic union in packaging industry

Excalibur Plastics, a manufacturer of plastic and greenhouse supplies solutions and Tychon Packaging, known for sustainable packaging solutions, have…

Canada considers lowering tebuconazole residue limit on grapes, impacting U.S. imports

Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has initiated a consultation on a proposal to revoke the maximum residue limit (MRL) for tebuconazole on…

Karlhos Quinde Rodríguez, of CEDEPAS Norte:

"Piura's banana production has been reduced due to heavy rains and prolonged droughts"

Peru was once the world's leading producer of organic bananas, but growth has stagnated since the 2017-2018 season due to more frequent weather…

Florida citrus growers urge funding to fight greening disease, support marketing efforts

Citrus growers in Florida have urged lawmakers to maintain funding for research and marketing to support an industry that has experienced a drastic decline in…

U.S. fresh produce farmers see higher prices and financial gains but face trade concerns

U.S. farmers started 2025 on a positive note, with the January Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer rising 5 points from the previous month to 141.…

Florida strawberry growers battle Arctic cold to protect Valentine’s Day harvest

Florida's strawberry sector, particularly in Plant City, faces challenges due to Arctic air reaching as far south as the state. Known as the "Winter Strawberry…

Jorge García Monfort, of García Ballester:

"There is high demand and an eager search for mandarins in the fields"

The second part of the Spanish mandarin season is notably ahead of the 2024 campaign, both agronomically and commercially. There's an eager search for…

Dennis Brito Madrid, from Golden Sweet Spirit:

"It's not decoration, it's a superfood with real health benefits"

Andean fruits such as gulupa, grown at altitudes above 2,500 meters, have gone from being an exotic ornament to a functional food in demand in the…

Fewer Egyptian oranges expected on European market this year

After Egypt's record crop in 2024, there could be 30% fewer Egyptian oranges on the European market this year. That country's citrus season runs from…

Max van Ooijen, Tolpoort Vegetables:

"The Netherlands has quite stable chicory consumption, so a slight shift in supply greatly affects prices”

The chicory market had an unusual 2024, says Max van Ooijen of the Tolpoort Vegetables Cooperative, the market leader in the Netherlands. He notes that…

Miguel González, MG Fruit about Spanish strawberries:

“There’s only place for the tastiest strawberries”

"There are more and more Dutch greenhouse strawberries, especially from mid-March, and full soil ones, from late April. If that continues, there's a…

Casper Brink and Gerhardt van Bosch – Voor-Groenberg Nurseries

”Part of our job is keeping the industry excited”

Voor-Groenberg Nurseries, or VG Nurseries, have picked up a fair bit of experience during their 36 years, says Casper Brink operations manager. Made up…

Russian discounter Mere (Svetofor) expands in Greece

“We want to enhance our offer with seasonal products of long durability”

Russian discounter Svetofor continues expanding in Greece. After entering the Greek market in 2021 under the brand Mere, currently run by Torg Hellas…

George Milos - Agricrafters

“We aim to be the biggest producer of premium blueberries in Europe"

Traditionally Romania is not known for its large blueberry production, but things are changing. Big investment is being made in the country and new…

Rolf Weber (Global Producers) looks ahead to Costa Rican melon season:

"Weather in Europe in March and April more influential than import volumes"

"The unusually heavy rainfall in November, December, and early January completely destroyed our melon plantings for the first two export weeks (weeks 3…

Grower Rik Vanackere:

"We see great potential in Salanova for the coming years"

Despite products such as young spinach, baby leaves, and Salanova—Rik Vanackere's specialties—being more popular in the summer months, the grower from…

SAFTA aims to give fruit an identity

"We are carving out our own space to drive change"

At the beginning of last year, the South American and African Fruit Trade Association (SAFTA) was established with the goal of creating an equal…

Kurt Ratschiller, Sales Manager at VIP

"This season is different from the previous one"

Kurt Ratschiller, sales manager of VIP, knows the dynamics of the apple market very well and provides a clear and detailed view of the current…

Giorgio Donnarumma, sales manager of Milan-based Nuovafrutta

"Exotic fruit market stagnant, some positive signs from papayas"

The avocado market is going through a complicated period. Demand in Europe is currently very low, and January was marked by minimal consumption. "We…

The Grenoble Walnut PDO will be present at the International Agricultural Show

"The French walnut sector is in a state of emergency"

With the Grenoble Walnut PDO facing a major crisis since 2022 (overproduction and sales at a loss in 2022, followed by a sharp drop in production in…

Western Cape Visit: Rossouw Cillié – Laastedrif Agri

Laastedrif makes its own weather through intensively adding value

Ceres-based farming enterprise Laastedrif Agri is undertaking a value-adding deep dive into the 38,000 tons of vegetables they annually harvest from…

Ifapa is studying using reptiles for biological pest control in Almeria's greenhouses

The Andalusian Institute of Agricultural, Fisheries, Food, and Organic Production Research, and Training (Ifapa) have begun work in Almeria to identify…

Mexico's blueberry production drops 9% in 2025 amid competition and climate challenges

Mexico is a leading global producer of blueberries, ranking sixth worldwide. Production is forecast at 73,500 metric tons (MT) for calendar year (CY)…

Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit volume set to double this season

More than three million trays, or 10,800 tonnes of Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit will be available this season, with its berry-like taste available for the…

South Africa regains market access for fresh apple exports to Thailand

The Republic of South Africa's Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen announced that the country has regained market access for exportation of fresh…

Boosted blend delivers soil health and crop benefits for Aussie farmers

Australian farmers seeking to improve soil health are reporting promising results after trialling biologically enhanced efficiency fertiliser (EEF)…

Chile exported 397,417 tons of citrus in 2024

Chile's Citrus Fruit Committee announced that Chile exported 397,417 tons of citrus last year, slightly less than the 399,824 tons it exported in 2023.…

Hai Duong cooperatives rebuild after storm, boosting vegetable harvests and exports to Asia

At Au Viet Farm Cooperative in Kim Thanh, Director Bui Van Duy joined farmers on February 1 to harvest crops such as tomatoes, pumpkins, and bell…

World Macadamia Organisation expands membership to wider value chain

The World Macadamia Organisation (WMO) has introduced a new membership category for a wider range of partners in the macadamia industry, making it easier for…

"How do you celebrate the return of your Costa Rican pineapples?"

How do you celebrate the return of your Costa Rican pineapples to the Netherlands? This Dutch importer chose a creative approach—spelling out the word…

Spanish fruit and vegetable exports to the USA stand at 29,663 tons, 0.2% of the total

Up to November 2024, Spain exported 29,663 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables worth 84.3 million euros to the United States, which accounts for 0.2% of its…

New world watermelon production record

In 2023, world watermelon production reached a record 104,932 million kilos, according to data prepared by Hortoinfo based on data from Faostat, the United…

"Minister warns pesticide ban could lead to crop failure and black-market trade

Minister John Steenhuisen addressed South Africa's Parliament Agriculture Committee, cautioning that prohibiting pesticides such as terbufos may result in crop…

Middle East investment key to expanding South Africa's agricultural exports and infrastructure

Given fragmented trade dynamics and South Africa's pursuit to diversify exports, the Middle East emerges as a region of interest. The Economist article titled…

Morocco explores CRISPR gene editing to boost agricultural resilience in North Africa

Morocco has not yet adopted genome editing technologies like CRISPR, but initial research is taking place at the University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P).…

Philippines' inflation steady at 2.9% in January as food prices diverge

The Philippines' inflation rate remained at 2.9% in January 2025, consistent with December 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This…

Nepal boosts agricultural exports with new pest treatment training and facilities

For Nepal, with a GDP per capita of approximately $1,377, developing new agricultural export markets offers potential for job creation and income growth for…

Vietnam's fruit exports surge, driven by durian demand and market expansion

Vina T&T Group CEO Nguyen Dinh Tung discussed the company's export activities in early 2025, highlighting monthly exports of 320 tons of durian and 500 tons of…

Bonduelle reports 1.7% sales decline in first half of 2024-2025, impacted by private label drop in Europe

Over the period from July 1 to December 31, 2024, the Bonduelle Group's sales for the 1st half year of the fiscal year 2024-2025 amounted to 1,119.4 million…

Marketing climate-affected produce: resilience messaging may boost consumer acceptance

The economic implications of food waste in Australia are substantial, with an estimated $36.6 billion lost annually. A significant portion of fresh produce is…

Pukekohe's Vegetables Big Day Out highlights IPM, agri-tech, and industry insights

Over 200 participants, including growers, agronomists, and researchers, attended the inaugural Vegetables Big Day Out in Pukekohe, New Zealand. The event was…

Jamaica's vegetable prices drop by up to 66% despite severe drought conditions

Jamaica's agriculture sector is experiencing one of its driest periods, with over half of its parishes receiving less rainfall than their 30-year average.…