New Zealand investors focus on agtech

Finistere Ventures, an investor in agrifood technology companies, today announced the launch of the $40M NZD Finistere Aotearoa Fund in partnership with New Zealand Growth…

Germany: Demand for Italian products at record high at Landgard

As the days get longer and warmer, the season flowering plants and Mediterranean herbs from Italy are really picking up speed. "From January, the sales of fresh Italian herbs already started at retail level and since the end of March, consumers have been able to buy flowering plants from Italian…

BBC

UK exports to Europe partially rebound after January slump

After a steep drop in January - following Brexit - trade between the UK and EU partially recovered in February. According to official export figures, shipments to the EU jumped by 46.6%, from £3.7 billion to £11.6 billion. Still, the Office for National Statistics said exports remained below last year's…

More Qatari vegetables sold in March

According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms programs achieved significant sales in March. A total of 3,751 tons…

Pam Harnden / Livermore Falls Advertiser

US: Greenhouses find ways to keep growing during pandemic

The past year was not "business as usual" for local greenhouses and gardening centers. Each growing season can be a bit different for plant growers but the coronavirus pandemic and the weather created challenges that left greenhouses and their customers scrambling. “Every day was a Saturday for two…

Murcia exported 112,000 tons of peppers in 2020

In the Spanish region of Murcia, one industry experiencing the most growth in export sales is pepper cultivation; last year there was an overall production of 165,000 tons.…

Tom Zaunmayr/Broome Advertiser

Broome supermarkets run out of fresh fruit and vegetables due to roads flooding

Broome in West-Australia has become a victim of cyclone Seroja, as supermarket shelves there are bare of fresh produce. Although Broome lies more than 1,300 km from the Seroja’s epicentre in Kalbarri, it has suffered from restricted freight movements due to flooded roads in the Pilbara and Kimberley.…

The Newport Buzz

Rhode Island supports local food production with 160,000 grant

The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announces that more than $160,000 in funding under the Local Agriculture & Seafood Act (LASA) grant program is available for projects that support the growth, development, and marketing of local food and seafood in Rhode Island. The LASA program provides…

Tomato prices up in South Africa

A South African tomato producer has confirmed there's a temporary shortage of the fruit, which has caused prices to shoot up. A statement from the ZZ2 group of companies says the heavy rains earlier…

"Consumers plant more fruit & vegetables"

While millions of new gardeners picked up their trowels due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the appreciation for tending green spaces doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Ferry-Morse, the largest home gardening seed packet company in the U.S., is reporting even higher online sales for the first quarter…

US: Western Growers launches global harvest automation initiative

Western Growers (WG) is spearheading a Global Harvest Automation Initiative (GHAI) to accelerate harvest automation across the fresh produce industry, with a goal of…

New agrifood-tech seed fund launched

PeakBridge, the agrifood-tech venture capital fund manager investing globally, and EIT Food, an agrifood Innovation Ecosystem supported by the EIT, have announced the launch of PeakBridge FoodSparks SCSp, a new seed fund for European agrifood-tech start-ups. The FoodSparks fund will invest in…

Costa Rica is a potential market for Peruvian paprika

Paprika has potential in Costa Rica as it represents a commercial opportunity for national companies, said the Minister of the Diplomatic Service of the Republic of Peru in…

"As soon as people get a taste of our strawberries, we will conquer the market”

At Royal Berry, the strawberry season has begun. Since the beginning of March, the grower from the Dutch province of Gelderland started picking their Malling Centenary, and last week the Elsanta was ready for picking as well. Traditionally, Malling Centenary is an early growing variety. At the moment,…

Imports of bell peppers and tomatoes now in full swing

The bell pepper and tomato season from the Netherlands and Belgium has started at Cherry Passion. The produce is commercialized under the Cuori Rossi brand. "Significant volumes of Dutch bunch tomatoes are now becoming available. Big retail chains, who prefer programming, constant volumes and uniform…

Greenhouse vegetables from Central Asia: which ones and where to export?

Potential markets for fruit and vegetables in Central Asia are the Baltic countries, as well as Ukraine and Belarus. The dynamics of recent years show that the growth of…

What does the future of Canadian foodservice look like?

Following what many say could be the most challenging year for their businesses, where does that leave the future of foodservice? Yesterday’s CPMA virtual town hall looked deeper into this subject. While pivot may be a bit of an “it” word in the pandemic, it certainly applies to the kind of approach many…

No more seasonal workers for West Australian growers

In a massive blow for the Western Australian horticulture industry, the WA Government has advised there is no longer the capacity to accommodate seasonal workers in its…

Worth.com

How accelerators act as a springboard for women in Agtech

Fatma Kaplan is the founder and CEO of Pheronym, an agtech startup that produces biopesticides that use pheromones (chemicals capable of acting like hormones to impact the behavior of the receiving individuals) to control a wide range of agricultural pests. The company’s mission is to help growers…

Australia: Produce prices may spike as farmers warn they will not plant crops

As Covid travel restrictions and the subsequent labor shortages have had a heavy impact on the operations of Australia’s fruit and vegetable growers, some of these warn claim…

Russia lifts tomato import ban for more Azerbaijani enterprises

The Russian Federation has lifted ban on tomatoes imports for seven more Azerbaijani enterprises. This step followed negotiations between Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency and…

Russia: greenhouse vegetable production increased by 80% in five years

The total greenhouse area in Russia has increased by more than 1.5 times since 2016, to approximately 3 thousand hectares. Vegetable production has risen by more than 80% over…

Spanish cucumber exports in 2020 achieved a record value

According to the data prepared by Hortoinfo from the Estacom statistical service (Icex-Tax Agency) Spanish cucumber exports in 2020 achieved a record value of 644.13 million…

Autonomous greenhouse management introduced in Ontario

The Ontario government is supporting greenhouse growers by investing over $3.6 million in 12 innovative projects to help develop new technologies, recover from the impact of COVID-19 and enhance competitiveness and innovation. One of these approved projects is ‘Autonomous Greenhouse Management’- a…

Demand for courgettes reduced by half

"It has been an abnormal year for courgettes, both in terms of crops and sales. Until mid-February, the weather conditions did not favor the growth of the crops, but now it seems that the quantities are increasing. The problem is that the market is not responding well. In terms of prices, we are down…

High pricing on field cucumbers

Pricing is strong as field cucumbers move into transitioning supply regions. “When we hit this time of year, transition is upon us and the markets jump which they are,” says Tony Incaviglia, vice-president of sales at GR Fresh based in McAllen, TX. Pricing is strong on field cucumbers and anticipated to stay that way for the next…

Bulgarian town sets up municipal gardens to grow produce for kindergartens

Troyan, a small town in North Central Bulgaria, has set up this country's first municipal organic gardens to grow produce for the kindergartens in the town and in nearby Oreshak. The initiative implements a local programme for child and youth health care, Troyan Mayor Donka Mihailova said.The project has…

ITC held hearing on the effects of cucumber and squash imports from Mexico

The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association says yesterday’s International Trade Commission hearing on the effect of imports on the U.S. Cucumber and Squash Industries was a…

Japan increasingly frustrated by strawberry and grape copycats

The Japanese Shine Muscat grape went through more than 15 years of testing and selection before it was finally released as a new breed. Frustratingly, the grape variety is now…

Russia lifts temporary bans on plant product imports from Uzbekistan’s Fergana region

In an official statement on the Rosselkhoznadzor website, it says that the department deems it possible to allow the import of all plant products from Fergana since April 7,…

South Korean convenience stores to increase their vegetable offerings

In an attempt to attract more customers during the pandemic, South Korean convenience stores are offering vegetables at much discounted prices. This is because, as the…

China Airlines transports bees to Vancouver

On April 8th, a China Airlines’ A350-900s arrived in Vancouver from Taipei, bringing in thousands of bees. The shipment of bees originated from Australia. The insects will be…

"The requirements are tough but growers are up for the challenge"

Horticulture New Zealand is welcoming Horizons Regional Council’s decision to adopt recommendations on Plan Change 2 that affect vegetable growing. "The new requirements are tough but growers are up for the challenge," says HortNZ Chief Executive, Mike Chapman.   "This plan provides a way forward in the short term.…

Russian Federation proposes raising quota for Turkish tomatoes

Russian officials have proposed to increase the quota for tomato imports from Turkey. According to a publication on a government website on Wednesday, Russia’s Agriculture…

France: Foreign seasonal workers stuck at borders

The strengthening of sanitary measures has complicated the visa application procedures for non-European workers. A difficulty to which producers must adapt in their search of…

Kazakh investors find their way into horticulture

Four projects with the overall cost of over 11 million euro are planned to be carried out in Kazakhstan this year. Thus, next year three greenhouses with planned production capacity of 5.3 thousand tons of vegetables a year should be launched. Two more complexes with the capacity of 1.5 thousand tons a…

Evokeag.com

"The gateway connecting the world to agrifood innovation opportunities"

Each day there is a new announcement, initiative, funding opportunity or open call – there are big goals that are bringing innovators together. The Australian Government is investing $86million in Adoption and Innovation Hubs to bring together research providers and research users, Agricultural…

EU: Ageing of farmers remains a major challenge in rural areas

In 2016, for every farm manager under 40, there were three farm managers over the age of 65 in the EU. The aging of Europe’s farmers is one of the greatest challenges that…

The Arab Weekly

Entrepreneurs see hydroponics as farming solution in Libya

Under a yellow tarpaulin stretched over an arched metal frame, Siraj Bechiya and his partner inspect their hydroponically-grown lettuce, pioneers of the method in mostly-desert Libya where conventional agriculture struggles. Zip ties, punctured plastic cups as pots, and PVC tubing bought in DIY shops…

NZ: ToBRFV update

Following the early detection of the unwanted virus, the tomato brown rugose fruit virus in a small tomato seed lot last year, a group of growers, GIA industry partners, and Biosecurity NZ met in…

"I'll earn almost as much by giving away this lettuce as by selling it to a distribution center"

Unions Agrarias protested in the streets of Santiago de Compostela against the low prices that large distribution chains pay Galician farmers for their products. The union…

Global tomato market: limited supply and volatile prices during seasonal switch

In the Netherlands and Belgium, the traditional tomato season is underway. Around Easter, prices were still at a high level, but increasing volumes may start to put pressure on the market. Italy also had a good week. There has been a great demand for tomatoes, especially from Germany. The Spanish season…

MEP demands the EC update the EU entry price system for Moroccan tomato

Clara Aguilera, an MEP and Socialist spokesperson for the Agriculture Committee in the European Parliament, has asked the European Commission to correct the ineffectiveness of…

Prices and production of strawberries is dropping in Georgia

Despite the continuing decline in the strawberry production in Georgia, this year’s prices may even be lower than usual. Usually, strawberries appear on the Georgian market at…

Philippines: Vegetable prices drop by 50%

According to the Filipino Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), prices of vegetables have dropped significantly.  “Our (vegetable) prices…

Belgian fruit and vegetable sector launches virtual trade fair experience

Belgian fruit and vegetables are known and sought after worldwide for their quality. To further ensure continuity in the export trade, contacts with local buyers in the export…

"Gaining new clients is a challenge these days"

The horticultural industry is developing well in China. Over the last years, many large projects have been completed and even during the pandemic, the sector continues to develop. With established clients, more and more is being arranged and assisted online. However, gaining new clients is a challenge…

California strawberry acreage up 5.7% from last year

2021 seems to become a big year for California strawberries. The California Strawberry Commission’s December acreage survey showed a total of 36,487 acres for 2021. California…

Walmart rolls out Covid-19 vaccines in 48 states

7-Eleven aims to be force for good, growthBeing an essential business amid the COVID-19 pandemic is something 7-Eleven convenience-store employees take to heart. “It’s a very important responsibility that people feel the weight of at 7-Eleven,” Marissa Jarratt, 7-Eleven’s CMO, told CSP Daily News. The…

Jordanians complain about sudden cucumber price hike

The head of the Jordan Valley Farmers Union, Adnan al-Khaddam, has said that the current increase in the prices of cucumbers is due to the inability of the few cultivating…

Strong demand in US for Mexican blueberries

The US blueberry market is currently being supplied by Mexico, with California getting ready to start their harvest at the end of April. While there have been a few ups and downs in the market so far this year,  blueberry demand in the US remains strong. Berry People, a year-round, full-line shipper of branded…

Huelva farmers protest in Moguer demanding fair prices and decent treatment

Nearly 60 farmers and ranchers in the province of Huelva supported the call made by the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA Huelva) rallying on Monday in Moguer to demand…

93% of the Moroccan temporary workers hired at origin are already in Huelva

93% of the Moroccan seasonal workers hired at origin to work in Huelva's berry campaign are already in the Andalusian province, according to the Government Sub-delegation.…

Risingunoverport.co.za

South African local farm plans on hydroponic tunnel farm

With the COVID-19 pandemic having had a dire impact on jobs and people’s livelihood, the eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, continues to support women and youth co-operatives in the agribusiness sector. This week, the mayor of eThekwini, Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda visited the Cato Ridge Poultry Farm in…

Australian agriculture criticized for labor circumstances

As the autumn harvest season begins, Australian horticulture is reportedly facing a crisis. According to a website set up by the National Farmers Federation — where farmers…

In the last 5 seasons, Almeria's tomato exports decreased by 21% while its purchases from Morocco increased by 200%

The province of Almeria dominated Spanish tomato exports in 2020 with 58.44% of total sales, according to data from the Estacom statistical service (Icex-Tax Agency) prepared…

USDA

Canada remained top US export market, accounting for 49 percent of total

The 2020 US Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of US agricultural commodity exports to the world and the United States’ primary trading partners. In 2020, the value of US fresh fruit and vegetable exports to the world reached $6.9 billion, a 2- percent decline from the prior…

Abu Dhabi: Silal signs up 850 farms to supply fresh produce

Abu Dhabi's new fresh produce and agritech company Silal has signed agreements with more than 850 local farms to supply more than 30,000 tons of fresh produce during the…

Prices of Ugandan tomatoes are up due to rising demand in Kenya

Kenya’s decision to re-open its market for Uganda’s produce has increased demand for all kinds of produce from the country. This, in turn, has led to an increase in the prices…

UAE consumer chooses locally-grown fruits and vegetables

Barakat is an important supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables in the UAE. In many parts of the country, consumers began valuing fresh produce sourced locally, hoping it would…

Winners of 2021 Produce Excellence in Foodservice announced

United Fresh is proud to announce nine of the country's most innovative chefs and foodservice professionals representing an array of culinary styles and backgrounds will be honored this June during the United Fresh 2021 Convention & Expo as part of the United Fresh Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award…

Hortyfruta is working so that the extension of the quality standard can be applied this year

The Interprofessional Organization of Fruits and Vegetables of Andalusia (Hortyfruta) held its XIV Ordinary General Assembly in El Ejido in which it presented the actions that…

India Hyderabad tomato prices dropping as new arrivals pick up

Hyderabad’s Gudimalkapur Market receives 400 tons of vegetables every day: With the rabi season coming to an end, the markets in the city, particularly the Gudimalkapur…

India gets five new chilli hybrids resistant to virus

The Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) in Bengaluru has developed five new chilli hybrids, which should be resistant to the devastating leaf curl virus (LCV).…

The European Commission sees favorable prospects for EU agricultural markets in 2021

According to the 'Short-term Outlook for EU agricultural markets in 2021' report recently produced by the European Commission, the outlook for European agricultural markets in…

Wholesale prices of fruit and vegetables on Casablanca market

This is an overview of the weekly wholesale prices for the most sold fruit and vegetables on the wholesale market in Casablanca (Morocco). These are minimum and maximum sales prices in Moroccan dirhams per kg. Of the 38 wholesale markets for fruit and vegetables in Morocco, the market in Casablanca is by…

Spinach leaves could benefit growth of lab beef

Boston College research has shown that the veiny skeleton of a spinach leaf can support the growth of artificial meat. As synthetic meat is growth from a culture of animal…

A Queensland project utilising horticulture production and waste reduction to create a sustainable food city

A community in Queensland is on track to become Australia's ‘sustainable food city’, featuring digitally integrated urban horticulture and community composting systems. Yarrabilba is a 2,062-hectare purpose-built town in South East Queensland, and the project, which is being co-ordinated by the Food…

Russian quota on tomato exports from Turkey to expire soon

Russia’s export quota for tomato producers and exporters from Turkey will soon expire. Industry officials are looking for a complete removal of the quotas that are currently…

Why BMG Financial Group invests in Sundrop & Sunridge

As a high-growth sector, BMG Financial Group has been involved over the past decade in advising international and local clients on their food security investment plans. One…

Utilising potential of Bangladesh's vegetable exports

As Bangladesh's export trade is practically dominated by a single item -Readymade Garments- its diversification has become a top government priority. In fiscal year 2018-19…

Minas Gerais seeks to strengthen the strawberry production chain

It's hard to imagine that 60% of the strawberries cultivated in Brazil come from seedlings that had to be imported from countries such as Spain, Argentina, and Chile. Imports raise production costs and generate a series of problems for farmers. The quality of the seedlings is often compromised due to the…

US: Blueberry crop may see effects of cold and wet weather

Mississippi’s recent bout of bad weather came at a critical time for producers of blueberries, the state’s largest commercial fruit crop. Blueberries can be easily damaged by cold weather, but the timing of mid-February’s icy weather limited the potential damage. “Fortunately, most blueberry flower buds…

Virtual seed sector visit to the Netherlands by Egyptian delegation

Earlier this month a delegation of Egyptian decision-makers engaged with counterparts in the Netherlands to exchange knowledge and experiences on plant variety protection, breeders’ rights and variety inspection. Originally planned as a study visit, due to COVID 19 this was transformed into a hybrid…

Greenhouse tomato markets to strengthen?

The market on greenhouse tomatoes is anticipated to pick up.  “The tomato market has been low for the last two months. We have been focusing on serving our core customers. Not only…

Breakingbelizenews.com

Belize Minister of Agriculture visits hydroponics operation

Minister of Agriculture Abelardo Mai continues visiting agricultural producers around the country and today he went on a field day in the rural Belize district. Minister Mai’s first stop was a visit with Jim Jones, an individual producer specializing in lettuce grown hydroponically. Apart from different…

Dutch sweet pepper export to the US halved in 2020

The export of Dutch sweet peppers to the United States halved in 2020. Roughly 8 million kilograms crossed the Atlantic compared to the 16 million kilograms in 2019, as shown…

Increasing interest in light green courgettes

There is a growing interest in the light green courgettes in international markets and Italy is working hard to meet the demand. Once mainly grown in the south of the country, this courgette has now expanded to other areas as well. A variety that is becoming more and more popular is Giovì F1, which,…

Unións Agrarias-UPA complains that some Spanish distribution chains are selling lettuce with volume discounts

Unións Agrarias-UPA, the agricultural association from Galicia, has denounced that large distribution chains have been selling lettuce with volume discounts for months,…

International Strawberry Symposium 2021

"Taking part in the International Strawberry Symposium 2021 is not like attending an ordinary webinar. Indeed, the symposium is conceived not only as a time for education and information, but also as an opportunity for scientific exchange," said Bruno Mezzetti, associate professor and co-organizer of the…

Graffiti aubergines - eye-catching in stores and on your plate

"More and more people are spending time in their kitchens. They want to prepare the tastiest, healthiest meals. So, they experiment a lot with cooking techniques, dishes, and products. That creates opportunities for new products, like graffiti aubergines", says a spokesperson for The Greenery in the…

Ministry of Agriculture - Vietnam

Vietnam sets target for fruit and vegetable export growth

The Prime Minister of Vietnam has just approved the project on developing the fruit and vegetable processing industry in the period of 2021 - 2030. The project has set a target by 2030, fruit and vegetable export turnover will reach from 8 to 10 billion USD. In which, the proportion of export turnover of…

Call for 2021 CEA Award Nominations

To recognize distinguished individuals and organizations in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry, Artemis today launched the 2021 CEA Awards. Nominations will…

"Diversification of markets and product branding will be key for Latin America"

The Global Fruit Latam conference wraps up today, March 26th, and multiple more educational sessions and discussions are planned for the day. Yesterday, one of the discussion panels looked at the challenges and opportunities for Latin America in the international market. The panel was led in discussion…

"In a normal year, we'd be able to supply significant quantities of peppers for another month"

There is a limited supply of peppers in the European markets. The campaign is already at quite an advanced stage in Almería and should end in April. Volumes in March have been much lower than usual. Murcia has not started yet, and the Netherlands is also late. Prices are high at the moment and actually…

USDA

'Continuing increases in fuel costs continue to affect domestic grower‐shippers and importers'

The continuing increases in fuel costs and associated trucking shortages continue to affect both domestic grower‐shippers as well as importers. The high costs combined with low demand mean that in many cases movement numbers are down, especially as the harvest season on certain commodities draws to a…

Mono Premium Melon

How these Malaysian farmers grew the world’s most expensive melons

Premium fruit is an industry unto itself in Japan, where gift-giving has long been a tradition marked with deep meaning and deeper pockets. A 15,000 yen muskmelon might just be a starting point; in 2019, a pair of Yubari King melons from Sapporo was auctioned for a breathtaking 5 million yen (over…

"The yield was not very abundant due to lack of sunshine"

At Wittenberg Gemüse, the harvest of greenhouse strawberries has begun. Since last Wednesday, the first little fruits are offered in the popular factory sale. The weather was not optimal in the first months of the year. There was a lack of sunshine. "The yield was not very abundant yet," which is why the…

Price hike of Indian chilis in China explained

Thanks to their spiciness, chilis from India are popular among Chinese consumers, and their market has become one of the points of focus of the industry. After the Chinese New Year holiday, their market has been average, but this has suddenly changed - prices have soared and traders can even be seen at…

China: Overseas market for domestic vegetables grows

Although it will still take several weeks to harvest all the cabbages, growers from Pingdu, Shandong province, have started preparing to sell the vegetables to overseas…

USDA announces ‘Pandemic Assistance for Producers’ to distribute resources more equitably

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is establishing new programs and efforts to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers and producers who felt…

Middle East weighs agri-tech solutions as pandemic underscores urgency of food security

In an age of plentiful food, it is often easy to forget just how fragile supply chains are until disaster strikes. One bloc taking stock of its pantry is the GCC, whose…

Cauliflower: once unpopular, now everyone wants a piece of it

Some compare cauliflower to the nerdy kid in high school, who became very successful later in life. The formerly unsexy vegetable is the latest healthy produce to become a…

Afghan minister of agriculture talks with farmers and investors

During his trip to Kandahar province, Dr. Anwarul Haq Ahady, minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock (MAIL) of Afghanistan, met with a number of merchants, investors, officials of agricultural and livestock companies in Kandahar Chamber of Commerce and Investment to discuss chances and…

Dreamstime.com

‘Green leafy vegetables are essential for muscle strength’

According to new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research, eating just one cup of leafy green vegetables every day could boost muscle function. The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition; it found that people who consumed a nitrate-rich diet, predominantly from vegetables, had significantly better…

UK: Seasonal workers to receive free Covid-19 tests on farms

The government yesterday called on employers of seasonal agricultural workers to help keep the nation safe and restrict the spread of Covid-19 by registering for free…

Traditional plastic protest waiting for full switch in pepper market

More and more growers from Northern Europe are gradually entering production. For red peppers, this currently means high prices of well over three Euro per kilo, and yellow…

Pepper import from Colombia into the Continental United States authorized

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is authorizing importation of five commodities of fresh pepper fruit from Colombia into…

Are growers getting a fair return?

Are you getting a fair return?This is a question so often raised by growers and discussed at length, with many differing views and perspectives. In this article, vegetablesWA…

New report on cli­mate pos­i­tive farming

Sustainable farming organization, LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has released its latest Global Impacts Report, showing the continued progress of LEAF Marque-certified…

Hawai'i ag programs receive $430,600 grant

Hawai‘i has been awarded $430,600 to help strengthen the state’s specialty-crop industry through a federal block-grant program. The state Department of Agriculture approved 10…

Ontario government considering vaccinating migrant farm workers on arrival

Ontario would like to see migrant farm workers vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as they arrive and is willing to take on the task if Ottawa doesn’t, a top provincial health…

Is the Netherlands still the global frontrunner in biotechnology?

"The Netherlands could become a frontrunner in biotechnology". This was the VNO-NCW headline that recently appeared above the announcement of a report on the future of biotechnology in the Netherlands, which also includes breeding. In any case, programme manager Rutger Lommerse of Greenports Netherlands…

"Suez Canal blockage adds more stain to supply chain"

The large Ever Given container ship is ‘partially refloating,’ but still stuck sideways in the Suez Canal, a crucial waterway, creating a massive traffic jam. Also for the horticultural industry, it is has consequences as many products and materials are being imported out of Asia. It is causing delays…

aHDB

Labour costs in agriculture stable in 2020

Average weekly earnings for farm workers remained stable during 2020 with minimal growth overall. As at December 2020, average weekly earnings for the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector totalled £429, according to Office of National Statistics data. This was just a £1 increase on December 2019, an…

UK imports of Moroccan fruit and vegetables have increased since Brexit

Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on December 31, 2020, Moroccan exports of fruit and vegetables to that nation have grown exponentially. Ever since the Brexit…

South Africa: Tomatoes suddenly in scarce supply and expensive

Quality tomatoes have been tough to find in South Africa in recent weeks, as heavy rains at the start of the year in the Limpopo valley negatively affected the harvests. This…

Www.gov.uk

UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement comes into force

The UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Kenya, Theo Clarke and Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development, Betty Maina, today exchanged ratification documents at an official ceremony to mark the entry into force of the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. The event was…

Basil continues to increase in popularity

Supplies of basil could become slimmer as the Easter holiday approaches. Camilo Penalosa of Infinite Herbs in Miami, FL says basil volume at this time of the year typically comes from Baja California, the interior of Mexico and Colombia. Domestically, Florida and select greenhouses in the U.S. also have…

Photo by Joey Aguilar

Qatar exporting its hydroponics farm tech in region

Qatar has started exporting its hydroponics farming technology in the region, proving its growing advancement in this field, prominent Qatari agriculturist and Agrico managing director Nasser Ahmed al-Khalaf has said. “We are developing 1mn sqm of hydroponic farm in Oman and hopefully by next year it…

Overview vegetable horticulture in South Korea

During the second edition of the Business Week Taiwan and South Korea, the agricultural department of the embassy of the Netherlands in Seoul, together with the agricultural section of the Netherlands Office in Taipei and RVO organized an agricultural session. The session focused on chances in both…

Ireland allocated €1.8 mln in EU school fruit, vegetables scheme

The European Commission has announced the budget of the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme for the school year 2021/2022. An amount of €220 million has been made available for the next school year to distribute fruit, vegetables and milk. Ireland’s definitive allocation for school fruit and…

Sales have started for fresh-cut PGI salad from Lusia

The sale of PGI salad from Lusia in fresh-cut bags from L'Insalata dell'Orto has started. The product was designed for big retail chains and is available in 150 gram bags. A lot of thought was put into the packaging so as to attract consumers and provide them with as much information as possible at a…

Historic Westland fruit wall deconstructed

Yesterday the deconstruction of the historic fruit wall along the Poeldijkseweg between Kwintsheul and Watering was started. The WOS went for a look. The two hundred year old wall is threatening to collapse. The local council has now decided to take down the wall itself, to then rebuild it. The wall is a…

Israel reveals mega railway project to UAE

Avi Simhon, the Head of the Israeli National Economic Council, has revealed that Israel and the UAE are planning to establish a railway project linking Abu Dhabi with Haifa.…

More Azerbaijani enterprises can now export tomatoes to Russia

The Food Safety Agency of Azerbaijan and other relevant agencies continue to take joint measures to remove restrictions on the export of tomatoes and apples to Russia. As a…

Israeli Border Security stops gold smuggling attempt

Smugglers attempting to smuggle in gold from Gaza to the Palestinian Authority by hiding the goods in tomato boxes. They were thwarted by security forces on Tuesday. The 13 bars of gold weighed about seven kilograms, with a value of about NIS 1.3 million ($390,000). Both the produce and the gold were…

UK: Growers welcome ‘no’ vote on AHDB potato levy

Campaigners against the compulsory Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) levy on potatoes have welcomed the conclusive ‘no’ vote against its continuation, with 66.4 percent of voters opposed to the continuation of the levy. Lincolnshire potato and vegetable grower John Bratley said, “This…

Chefs maximize the versatility of cress

It can sit on the plate next to a steak as a punchy side salad. It can be whirled into a pesto. It can be lightly sautéed along with fresh spring vegetables and tossed into a pasta. When it comes to the leafy green Cress from the Coaldale, AB-based Whole Leaf Greenhouse, there are numerous things chefs…

Extremely poor lighting conditions affect Hungarian greenhouse growers

Sprouted vegetables are grown in heated greenhouses as well as in heated and cold foils. Hungary's vegetable growing area is approximately 90 thousand hectares, of which…

Tightened anti-coronavirus measures in Palestine double local farmers' losses

Palestinian farmer Maher Abu Jeish has halted his work at his farm near the northern West Bank city of Nablus until further notice due to the consequences of the tightened…

School districts partner with Belton lettuce farm for school lunches

A little known farm in Belton is looking to put the city on the map as the lettuce capital of Texas. The True Harvest Farm sits in north Belton and produces more than a million heads of lettuce a year. A variety of lettuce are grown through automation in a greenhouse through a type of hydroponics process…

Japan Forward

Of wooden plates, sweet strawberries, and reviving communities

March 11, 2021, marked the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The unprecedented catastrophe seriously damaged Japan’s economy, but it also became an important turning point for many entrepreneurs.  It was just a miserable sight, like a burned-out field after an air raid.”  This was the first impression…

Bulgaria: Subsidies provided to farmers and growers

"We continue to support farmers. Nearly BGN 83.5 million were paid at the beginning of this month to fruit and vegetable producers. The subsidies have already been provided to 12,559 farmers". This was what Prime Minister Boyko Borissov stated during the government session. The Chairman of the Bulgarian…

Qatar marketed 3,700 tonnes of local veggies through two programmes in February

The Ministry of Municipality and Environment has stated that, in February 2021, locally produced vegetables marketed through the Premium Qatari Vegetables and Qatar Farms…

2021’s strong start for produce continues in February

“In December, we saw consumers moving around much more than any other month during the pandemic,” said Jonna Parker, Team Lead Fresh for IRI. “But come February, trips and basket size trends moved back to the patterns that we saw throughout most of 2020. Trips fell below 2020 levels in February, whereas…

The construction of the tunnel between Spain and Morocco could start in the 2030s or 2040s

The project to connect Spain and Morocco through a tunnel under the Straits of Gibraltar, which has been officially studied since 1979 when Morocco and Spain created state…

Belgian supermarkets stunt with 'free' food

A price war in Belgian supermarkets is leading to giving away tomatoes and avocados for free in so-called combination sales. The Farmers Union already called for the abolition…