"We have barely scratched the surface in the MENA AgTech sector"

"Badia Farms is the first commercial vertical farm to launch in the GCC. We officially started operations in the heart of Dubai in 2016, but the seeds were planted further back. My background is in engineering and banking. I first took the entrepreneurial leap in Saudi Arabia in the hospitality sector by…

Intracare

Clear visualization of biofilm removal from water lines

Plant greenhouses use dripping/irrigation lines or hydroponic systems to provide the plants with sufficient water. However, invisible from the outside, a biofilm may build op on the inner lining of these water systems. Such biofilm may significantly reduce the water flow or even physically clog entire…

"Less experienced workers in the greenhouse and the nearing transition to biodegradable products help us grow”

Isis de Wit is convinced with the rise in waste costs, there will come a time growers start using biodegradable products in mass for their cultivation. On the 1st of September, she started working as account manager at Paskal Netherlands. The Israelian supplier of greenhouse accessories and monitoring…

Doubling down on biosecurity

After completing a successful summer planting season, Proplant Propagation announces another 5 acre expansion, to be completed in early 2021. In preparation for the expansion the company has doubled down on their biosecurity efforts with the completion of a new, larger and more automated building for cleaning trolleys and…

DeCloet

CAN (ON): DeCloet wins Chamber of Commerce award

The Delhi & District Chamber of Commerce has awarded its 2020 Business of the Year Award to DeCloet Greenhouse Manufacturing. "Ben DeCloet diversified into the greenhouse sector in 1986 and hasn’t looked back. The company is a leader in the design and manufacture of high quality greenhouses covering the…

Sicilian tomatoes challenge northern-European artificial-light productions

After a summer characterized by low prices between July and September, the tomato market recovered from early October onwards. "A few additional hectares or a drop in consumption at the height of summer are enough for production prices to drop. These are recurrent and predictable dynamics, just as it was…

"People connecting over food, that’s what it comes down to"

Aiming to become the single source solution for all your produce needs, NatureSweet is expanding its trusted brand to include new products, such as mini cucumbers. In the framework of celebrating 20 years of high wire cucumbers, BASF Vegetable Seeds spoke with Lori Castillo, VP Marketing at Nature Sweet,…

Eater

How this indoor vertical farm makes perfect Japanese strawberries

Oishii Berry founder Hiroki Koga combines Japanese strawberry cultivation techniques with the technology of a first-of-its-kind indoor vertical strawberry farm in America to create the highest quality strawberry possible. The engineered berries go through a meticulous growth and monitoring process from…

"Positive conclusion for Dutch peppers, cucumbers and aubergines, but tomato season couldn't be saved"

The Dutch greenhouse vegetable season is coming to an end and the Spanish season has started again. Commercial manager Henri Schockman of Levarht provides an update per product on the recent season and the current market situation. "The end result will differ considerably between the Dutch trading…

Webinar: Winners of the Urban Greenhouse Challenge'2

Wageningen University & Research in collaboration with ISHS and H2020 FoodE project would like to warmly invite you to the webinar Winners of the Urban Greenhouse Challenge’2:…

Jack Ma also checks out strawberry cultivation

On the morning of October 10th and following his visit to the Dezhou high-tech tomato greenhouses, Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, went to Licheng District, Jinan City, to inspect the development of the strawberry industry. The Licheng strawberry industry has been developing since the early 1990s and…

Transfesa Logistics and EPS join forces to promote CoolRail routes

Transfesa Logistics and Euro Pool System (EPS) have signed an agreement to promote the CoolRail route. As a result of this alliance, the first direct rail connection for refrigerated products between Valencia and Rotterdam is expanding its coverage area to reach all of Europe. Both companies are joining…

USDA files action against NC company for alleged PACA violations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has filed an administrative complaint against Imperial Frozen Foods Op Co LLC for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural…

Nichino America establishes subsidiary in Mexico

Nichino America has formed a new subsidiary, Nichino Mexico de S. de R.L. de C.V., to manage and promote the crop protection business in Mexico. The establishment of Nichino…

UK: New appointments to the AHDB Horticulture team

Two new faces will be leading AHDB’s IPM and crop health work in Horticulture. Don Pendergrast is to take up the position of AHDB Head of Crop Health and IPM on 30 November…

Andhra Pradesh crops inundated in over 12,000 hectares

Floods have inundated crops in over 12,000 hectares in the districts of Repalle, Bhattiprolu, Vemuru, Kolluru and Kollipara. Giant amounts of floodwater were discharged from…

Iran: Agricultural exports grow by 12 percent year-on-year in H1

According to an official with the Islamic Republic of Iran's Customs Administration, Iran’s agricultural exports in the first half of the current fiscal year (March 20-Sept.…

Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

Australian growers appeal to Federal Government to bring back backpackers

Farmers and tourism operators have written to the Federal Government pleading for backpackers to be allowed into Australia to harvest crops, care for children and travel. It comes as department officials struggle to pinpoint labour shortages this summer and almost 30,000 Australians who are stranded…

Irish Farmers' Association

Announcement of six weeks of lockdown measures to negatively affect Irish food service sector

The announcement of six weeks of strict lockdown measures again wreaks havoc on the Irish food service sector. Liftings of main crop continue around the country. It is estimated that lifting progress is around 50%. Some growers are well through but others still have a lot to do. Some regions of Donegal…

Guatemalan exporters of agricultural products call on maritime shipping lines and airlines

Guatemala’s agriculture sector has been one of the most resilient sectors in the country, despite the strong negative economic impact and costly changes that the COVID-19 pandemic brought on to it. As agriculture products are vital to keep a healthy body with a strong immune system, the entire value…

A no-deal between the EU and the UK will entail the payment of 198 M€ in tariffs each year

As revealed at the FEPEX Assembly, held on October 21 via videoconference, Brexit is one of the main challenges ahead for the Spanish fresh fruit and vegetable producing and…

US: Mixed reports on foodservice lettuce demand

Movement on foodservice lettuce continues to be a mixed bag. “Some segments, particularly the quick-service restaurants and fast casual segment, were heavily take out and drive through which have done well through this period,” says Mark Vaughan of Santa Maria, CA-based Fresh Avenue. “We have some…

How to measure the capsaicin level of chili peppers?

Chili pepper is one of the favorite foods of many consumers. For some people, the spicier the chili the better it is; other people prefer milder ones. Thai scientists have…

"Due to Corona, 2020 has been a sluggish marketing year so far"

The marketing of cresses traditionally takes place in autumn in a rather quiet way. This gives us the opportunity to look back on the past, eventful months. "Due to Corona, 2020 has been a rather sluggish marketing year for us so far. In my opinion, it is also difficult to make a forecast for the…

Organic fresh produce sales continue double digit growth in Q3

Total organic fresh produce sales and volume in the US continued to register double digit growth in the third quarter of 2020, with July-September sales increasing 16% and volume up 15% from the same period in 2019, according to the Q3 2020 Organic Produce Performance Report released exclusively by the…

Bushel Boy Farms

New compound from blueberries could treat inflammatory disorders

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), caused by chronic inflammation in the digestive tract linings, can be debilitating and life threatening. Therapeutic options include…

Is this the drive-through supermarket of the future?

What will the supermarket of the future look like? That's something many people are considering. But, there's not yet any single answer. This animation shows a creative store concept. Who knows? In a few years, you might be visiting a drive-through store like this. 

Kazakhstan: 24.5 thousand tons of greenhouse produce collected in Almaty region

Special attention is being paid to the development of greenhouse complexes in the Almaty region in Kazakhstan. As of today, the majority of such complexes use most…

Ontario growers notice longer tubers during harvesting

According to Ontario potato specialist Eugenia Banks’ October 5 update, in the Canadian province of Ontario, round varieties for both the fresh and processing markets have…

Aquaponics for the win

Hydroponics and aquaponics offer promise for growing produce and raising fish. But some may be wary of entering the industries because of perceptions about high capital and operational costs and environmental impacts. Purdue University scientists compared the environmental performances of both systems and calculated their…

Fighting poverty in China with greenhouses

Poverty is a challenge facing all countries and the international community as a whole. Promoting development, eliminating poverty and achieving common prosperity is an ideal that humanity constantly pursues. China has a large poverty-stricken population in the rural areas, making it particularly…

Micro Farms

US (IN): Vertical farm is on the way up in Nappanee

It's harvest time throughout Michiana. Then again, it's always harvest time at Micro Farms LLC in Nappanee, where growing season for tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and peppers includes every day from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. No matter what the weather is outside, the inside of Micro Farms' futuristic,…

Cleanfarms

CAN (PE): Cleanfarms is collecting unwanted agricultural pesticides this fall

This fall, farmers in Prince Edward Island (PEI) can safely dispose of unwanted agricultural pesticides and old, obsolete livestock and equine medications through a Cleanfarms clean-up program. Cleanfarms is operating the collection events at seven local ag retailer locations from November 2 to 13. “We…

Brotherton

US (WA): Verisem acquires state-of-the-art vegetable seed processing facility

Verisem North America has acquired a new vegetable seed processing facility in Warden, Washington. The approximately 134,851 square foot state-of-the-art, turnkey facility, which includes 14 buildings and a rail spur over 11.6 acres, enhances Verisem's seed processing capabilities and increases…

Focus on the use of regenerative energies

Agricultural and horticultural businesses can again receive funding from the Federal Energy Efficiency Program. The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) is…

Practical applications of plant biostimulants in greenhouse vegetable crop production

The research interest on plant biostimulant applications in vegetable crop production is gradually increasing and several reports highlight the beneficial effects that such…

Research collaboration could be ‘game changer’ for polyploid breeders

Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant breeders are collaborating with an international, interdisciplinary group of scientists to enhance a genetics tool set that could be a…

NC State University

US (NC): A special specialty crops breeder

NC State’s Todd Wehner has been breeding better specialty crops, from cucumbers to melons, for over 40 years, and his latest work with stevia could lead to new opportunities for growers in North Carolina and beyond. Wehner is a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in NC State University’s…

Up to 150 cauliflowers per minute cut with new machine

The video below features a cauliflower cutting machine that can cut up to 150 cauliflower per minute. The cauliflower are placed directly from the field onto the conveyor belt of the machine that cuts the product into pieces. The video was produced by Sweere Food Processing Equipment.

ODDBOX expansion plans bear fruit with PODFather

ODDBOX is a British food-waste-fighting fruit & veg box subscription service. It has recently selected PODFather’s fleet management and electronic proof of delivery solution to optimise plans across its rapidly expanding operation. With a fleet of 50 vehicles operating, he ODDBOX team is currently…

From war zone to award-winning coconut coir factory

Raj Janan “Janan” grew up in Northern Sri Lanka and fled the country when the civil war broke out in 1984. He met business partner John Tastad back in 2001. Over the years, they’ve started three different ventures together, ranging from technology companies to rebuilding houses after the 2004 Sri Lanka…

Etihad Cargo launches direct flight between Nairobi and Amsterdam

Etihad Airways is the second-largest airline and flag carrier of the UAE, after Emirates. Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Abu Dhabi's International Airport. The company commenced operations in November 2003. Etihad Cargo has launched its direct flight between Nairobi and Amsterdam…

NSF International honors United Fresh’s Dr. Jennifer McEntire

NSF International, a global public health and safety organization, announced United Fresh Produce Association’s Dr. Jennifer McEntire, Senior Vice President of Food Safety and…

Meet the Asia-Pacific innovators shaking up the agri-food system

Accelerating innovation in supply chain resilience, urban food systems, alternative proteins and affordable nutrition, a powerhouse of dynamic early stage start-ups from the…

Harvest London

"Bring on the post-Brexit vertical farming revolution"

As the UK and the EU stretch out yet another week of “will they or won’t they?” over a trade deal, like a painfully unromantic episode of Neighbours (no jokes about Australian models, please), businesses are not only trying to plan for what happens in January, but also questioning how much we should rely…

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