Craig Stauffer, CEO of Vanguard International

“I believe 2023 may become the most challenging year in recent history”

In 1991, Craig Stauffer and Guy Kisling founded Vanguard International with the explicit goal of becoming the link between growers and customers around…

Promotable volumes on Washington pears, especially organic

As the Washington pear season hits halfway into the 2022 crop, supplies for Superfresh Growers are steady on Anjou, Red Anjou, Bosc and organic Anjou.…

US sees early start to apple import season

The import apple season has started earlier than usual following Washington’s smaller 2022-2023 crop. Don Roper with Honeybear Brands says the…

Citrus cooperative celebrates 130th anniversary

As farmers, family, and a community, Sunkist Growers is celebrating its humble California roots with Sunkist Citrus Day on March 1. The fresh citrus…

Cold snap could have impact on Okanagan cherries

A cold snap is on the way for the Okanagan with temperatures expected to dip into the negatives as early as today. The colder weather could put crops at risk,…

U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable imports keep growing

Last year, the United States again imported more fruit and vegetables. At 22.1 million tons, that is three percent more than in 2021. Imports increased…

National Retail Report - specialty crops

Lemons and limes well-advertised at the beginning of Lent

Last week, retailers were preparing for the beginning of Lent and aimed to help shoppers create tasty, meat-free meals. Lemons and limes were well…

Homegrown Organic Farms expands into conventional berry category through acquisition

Over the last few months, Homegrown Organic Farms has been busy outlining the details to bring HBF International (HBFI) into their growing berry…

"The organic sector is cautiously optimistic about the future"

PHOTO REPORT - BioFach 2023

Around 36,000 trade visitors attended the double exhibition BioFach/Vivaness 2023 in Nuremberg (Compared to 2022, when there were around 24,000 and in 2019, 51,488). According…

Pete Pappas & Sons grows organic sales team

Pete Pappas & Sons is thrilled to announce the arrival of Kevin Benson and James McKinnis, two industry veterans, joining their sales team. "Kevin and…

Ghana's Sugar Loaf pineapple now available for global shipping

“The pineapple that melts in your mouth”

Kingsley Ansong grew up in Canada, but his family roots are in Ghana. He is the founder and president of Elefante Farms. Elefante Farms is growing…

Imported banana prices at Birmingham and London wholesale markets

Banana prices from Colombia increased by 7%

The wholesale prices for banana in the UK markets has remained relatively stable this week, bananas from Colombia had a 3% decrease while those from Costa Rica…

“Investor in citrus is betting on a new line of business”

Each variety of tangerine is a separate world. And each one of them has carved a niche for himself in the world. In the 2022 campaign photo, a defenseless…

Egyptian citrus exporter

"We are on track to achieve our sales targets for this season"

The first half of the Egyptian citrus season has been "very successful", according to Mohamed Maatouk of the exporter Egyptian Emirati. "Several…

Kenyan exporter aims to double avocado exports to China

In an effort to quadruple its exports of avocados to China, the agricultural company Kakuzi is in discussions with a significant fresh product importer in…

South Africa sees stage 6 loadshedding "Until further notice"

Stage 6 load shedding will be in effect until further notice, according to South Africa's power utility provider Eskom. This comes as approximately eight power…

Pahoia Orchards

How a New Zealand grower has built and is expanding a successful multi-fruit orchard

A New Zealand fruit grower says that, while it was as challenging season weather-wise for its blueberry crop, they were still able to produce strong…

South Island apple growers help cyclone hit growers

Apple growers near Nelson have donated machinery to try to help counterparts in Hawke’s Bay, to salvage crops, and clean up cyclone-hit orchards. A truckload…

Australian berry grower trials robot harvester

Fruit farmers are turning to robots to help with harvest amid a human worker shortage. One Tasmanian soft fruit farm is using 16 robotic harvesters to help…

Australia’s Shepard avocados to be showcased in Hong Kong

Australia’s Shepard avocado season has started and to showcase this special fruit Avocados Australia, Hort Innovation, Trade Investment Queensland and the…

Philip van Geest, Van Geest International:

"Cautious drop in price of Spanish peppers sets in, tomatoes still 'insanely expensive'"

After bizarrely high prices for Spanish greenhouse vegetables last week, the prices of various vegetables have finally dropped a bit this week.…

Dutch supermarket chain to stop flying in fruit and vegetables

As announced last year, the Dutch supermarket chain, Albert Heijn (AH), will stop flying in fruit and vegetables. From June 1, 2023, products like…

Roger Knoors, Geobas:

"Despite logistical challenges, new Azerbaijani persimmons looks good"

Geobas, an importer in the Netherlands, got the new persimmon crop from Azerbaijan in December. However, the Ukrainian conflict caused some issues.…

"In the date industry, actual competition is between producers rather than between varieties"

Consumption patterns change drastically in Muslim countries during the month of Ramadan, and one fruit that benefits from Ramadan dietary trends is the…

Long-term contracts key to survive shocks for Hungarian fresh produce cooperative

The Hungarian fruit and vegetable cooperative Szatmár Régió, based in the eastern part of the country, said that, due to long-term contracts, they are…

Current date market and demand very good for Israeli exporter

The current date market and demand are both very good, noted Israeli exporter Avi Dugal from Agrifood Marketing, an Israeli dates exporter. He is also…

Dutch exporter warns of defaulter from India

Daniel Michailidis of Hermes Exports in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, wants to warn others against a defaulter. "It's a Mr. Sushil Shirodkar from Mumbai, India, who trades…

Vietnam targets 2 billion USD in dragon fruit, banana and durian

In 2023, it is anticipated that the export of durian, dragon fruit, and bananas will total 2 billion USD. Early in 2023, the export of fruits and vegetables…

HZPC helps to develop potato industries in China and Vietnam

Exceptional weather conditions, strict corona measures and political elections. HZPC has been involved in China since the beginning of this century,…

MPIC enters vegetable sector with greenhouse project in Batangas

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) is building a greenhouse facility in San Rafael, Batangas, this is the company's first involvement in the vegetable…

India’s first commercial exports of Purandar figs arrive in Hong Kong

The first commercial shipment of 550 kg of GI-tagged Puranadar figs from India was successfully sold to Hong Kong by a farmer producer firm in the Purandar…

ONE and Sony to develop smart containers worldwide

Ocean Network Express (ONE), a Singapore-based container line, has announced plans to cooperate with Sony Network Communications Europe to create and implement…