94.1% of the fruits and vegetables exported by Spain are transported by truck

Road transport is undoubtedly the primary means by which Spanish fruits and vegetables reach their export destinations. 94.1% of all exports in 2021 were transported by…

Australia: Union alliance and Woolworths partnership should support all workers

The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) congratulates Woolworths Group and the Retail Supply Chain Alliance (RSCA) on their recently agreed Memorandum of Understanding…

USDA

Movement of Mexican asparagus crossing through Arizona, California and Texas expected to increase

The release of the latest Consumer Price Index by the U.S. Census Bureau confirmed what buyers were already feeling – almost everything costs more these days. The April index shows an 8.3% year-over-year increase from 2021. This increase hit different industries unevenly, with vegetables one of the few…

Poland ranked third among EU countries, regarding strawberry production

Regarding strawberry production, Poland is ranked third among the European Union countries, with a share of 13% in EU production. It is thirteenth in the global market. The…

NSTP

Malaysia: Modern farming popular with young agropreneurs

For Malaysia, the agriculture sector's contribution to the GDP is smaller than when the country gained independence due to the growth of other sectors such as manufacturing and services. However, the agricultural sector's contribution cannot be overlooked because it may be the answer to several…

Estonia: Tomato and cucumber production costs up

The production costs of Estonian tomatoes and cucumbers have increased by several dozen percent. The sale price of cucumbers, however, has been dropping, and initially, high…

Bangalore: Vegetables enter the 'Rs 100 club'

It is now the vegetables turn in the Bangalore area to join the ‘Rs 100 club’. It is probably for the first time that many vegetables in the city are being priced over Rs 100.…

"Greenhouse lettuce demand and prices fluctuate"

This season's Dutch greenhouse lettuce market has its ups and downs. "There have been good and not-so-good moments. The lettuce market has been far tougher in the last ten days. But other vegetable prices have dropped too," says Henk van Doorne, who also markets some fellow growers' lettuce. With his…

Time for Polish strawberries

Poland is among the leading producers of strawberries in the European Union. The share of the strawberry cultivation area in the total domestic berry cultivation area is 27–28%. In the production of strawberries, Poland is ranked third among the European Union countries, with a share of 13% in the EU production and thirteenth…

The Netherlands produces almost 7 times more cucumbers per square meter than Spain

The data shared by FAOSTAT on cucumber production in two major producing countries, Spain and the Netherlands, shows the difference in yield per area in the cultivation of…

Australian berry industry has seen significant growth in recent years

Australia’s berry industry has gone through a period of significant growth in recent years; production grew strongly to over a billion dollars in farmgate value in 2019/20. While exports experienced solid growth, domestic consumption remains the primary market at over 95 percent. Growth in production has…

Kerala government decides to fix Minimum Support Price for five more crops

The Kerala state government has decided to fix a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for five more crops in the state. The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices recommended setting MSPs for yam, pumpkin, brinjal, bottle gourd, and watermelon. The department of agriculture has approved the recommendations…

3,500 Nigerian growers targeted for new hybrid tomato & cabbage tests

Some 3,500 Nigerian tomato farmers have been targeted for a new and improved hybrid tomato variety in two northern states. The hybrid tomato variety known as “Xaman,”…

Almeria's agricultural land bubble

The scarcity of land with irrigation concessions and the growing interest of investment funds and international companies in the agri-food sector has triggered a rise in the…

University of Connecticut supports greenhouse industry

The Romans used controlled environments in 30 A.D. to grow a predecessor of the cucumber; it was the start of the modern-day greenhouse industry. Today, greenhouses are still essential for growing crops. The ongoing research in controlled environment agriculture is creating innovative technologies that…

Mexico to suspend import duties on food staples to counter inflation

Mexico will waive import duties for one year on a range of household staples, most of them food-related, in a bid to curb inflation, the government said on Monday. Earlier…

Investigating high-tech horticulture in urban areas

A project was completed in 2021 that examined a range of high technology systems and assessed their applicability to urban Australia. The project team provided recommendations on how the Australian horticulture industry can realize opportunities surrounding high technology horticulture production in…

"Strawberry prices dip due to increased supply"

“Supply and demand” is how Miguel Demaeght, BelOrta's Fruit Sales Manager, explains the recent dip in strawberry prices. There were several factors at play on the supply side. "There are still reasonable volumes of Spanish strawberries on the market. Not in Belgium, but in the countries we normally…

How these AI solutions for agriculture are keeping plants and growers happy

The perceived challenges to technology implementation seem overwhelming. These include the cost of hardware, software, and talent; the complexity of specialized applications; and the fear of change around committing to a new, innovative pathway rather than sticking with traditional methods. But with the…

Israeli innovation stopping food waste in its tracks

The numbers are simply astounding. According to a report published at the end of last year by the Environmental Protection Ministry and Leket Israel, the leading food rescue organization in Israel, in 2020, nearly 2.5 million tons of food waste was thrown away in Israel, amounting to NIS 19.1 billion ($6…

Government orders ferries using UK ports to pay minimum wages

Ferries sailing regularly in and out of UK ports will be required to pay their employees the equivalent of the country’s minimum wage, the government announced on Tuesday. The…

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South Korean agtech to push smart farming in the Philippines

The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently welcomed South Korean-based company Green Plus, which plans to promote smart farming technologies in the Philippines. Green Plus specializes in high-tech greenhouses with its vertically-integrated business structure covering the entire process from design and…

Good weather means ample radish supplies

Radish supplies nationally are strong right now. Todd Miedema, marketing director for Hudsonville, Michigan-based Miedema Produce, Inc. (which also has operations in Arizona to help supply radishes year-round), says that right now, winter radishes are coming out of both Florida and Arizona. California…

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Opportunity mapping for horticultural waste streams

Approximately 74 percent of Canadian fruits and vegetables are wasted before they reach consumers for a myriad of reasons. One-third of that total is considered unavoidable because of current processing and grading standards, which generates expenses for producers and processors who must dispose at…

Vietnam: Crop failures pushes up pepper imports

Crop failures have dented pepper production, leading to an increase of nearly 7 percent in pepper imports in the first four months. Specifically, Vietnam imported 12,105 tons of pepper during the period, of which 10,456 tons was black pepper and 1,649 tons white pepper. Cambodia became the largest pepper…

Strawberry growers face labour and transport challenges

The global strawberry market is currently going through some ups and downs, depending on where one looks. The excellent weather during the growing season in Northern Europe has led to an abundant domestic supply in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. The UK even…

State Agriculture Department providing free vegetable seeds to the public

If you’re interested in starting a vegetable garden, the state AG Department is willing to help you put down some roots. Free seed starter packs will be available at nearly 60 Universities of Florida IFAS locations across the state. In north-central Florida, seeds are being distributed in Alachua,…

UK strawberry crop predicted to be 50% larger than last year

This year's crops of British strawberries are predicted to be 50% larger than last year's - with higher brix. According to British summer fruits, strawberries ripened under…

Australian Organic Limited welcomes re-election commitment to implementing domestic organic standard

Australian Organic Limited (AOL) has welcomed today’s Coalition Government re-election commitment to implement a domestic standard for organic production, processing, supply chains, and labeling. Australia is currently one of the only developed nations in the world without a mandatory domestic standard…

Shanghai officials move to impose tightest restrictions yet

Shanghai is now in its seventh week of city-wide restrictions, but instead of the situation easing, city officials will, over the next few days, further restrict access to…

"Ample good-quality strawberry supply at favorable prices makes it an ideal time for extra promotions"

This week in Belgium, Coöperatie Hoogstraten sent out an appeal: now is the time to score with strawberries. "We hope to convince shoppers to buy extra strawberries. There are plenty of favorably-priced strawberries available. That makes it an ideal time to use extra promotions to get these top-quality…

Late Easter results in dollar gains for fresh produce

The shift in Easter/Passover dates from early- to mid-April moved holiday dollars from March to April, and as such, from the first to the second quarter. Easter is typically a big selling season for fresh produce and was the most disrupted of the major holidays in 2020 when most states were under…

Image: Scarab4/Grow Soe Simple

UK: North East seed business hoping for growth after supermarket deal

A North East family business has landed a contract with a supermarket chain that will see its product sold in almost 150 stores throughout the UK. Grow Sow Simple, based in Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate in North Tyneside, secured a deal to supply its biodegradable and plastic-free seed pod boxes to Asda…

Global fresh produce coalition calls for change in supply chain and cost crisis

The global fresh produce industries unite in a call to national and regional public authorities and multilateral bodies, such as WTO, FAO, UNCTAD, OECD, and others, to respond urgently to the current significant hikes in costs and an overall shortage of labor which is jeopardizing the economic viability…

Price of imported peppers from India rose significantly

Affected by the sluggish demand, pepper trading in China is not active. At the same time, the price of Indian peppers did not fall but increased significantly. What positive…

Free fall of greenhouse vegetable prices stopped, pepper prices still low

After two weeks of steeply declining greenhouse vegetable prices, the fall stopped last week, and the prices at the auctions of the Verbond van Belgische Tuinbouwcoöperaties (Federation of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives) are cautiously rising again. Only the pepper prices are still lagging behind. In…

"With outside temperatures rising, the restaurant business is noticeably picking up"

Cress traditionally enjoys a rapid increase in demand around the Easter holidays. But this year, Easter business was a little bit below average, reported Christian Gimperlein, co-managing director of the specialized grower Bio-Maintalkresse in Albertshofen. "Easter sales were not as good as in other…

Protected strawberry growing on the rise

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 2,000 farms cultivated strawberries on a total of 12,500 hectares in 2021. At 130,630 tons, the 2021 strawberry harvest in Germany…

Freshuelva blames Greece for the fall in strawberry prices on European markets in April

According to Freshuelva data, there has been a decrease in the volume collected in the first phase of the 2021/2022 campaign. This setback took place between March and the…

California desert water agencies win $100 million in U.S. funding for aging dams, canals

Southern California desert water districts with aging or failing infrastructure won big federal funding on Monday, with more than $100 million allocated for major dam and…

Coexphal and AGRA reach a new agreement for the collection of agricultural plastic waste in Almeria

Agriculture consumes only 2% of the plastic produced in the EU. In Spain, estimates are that this activity consumes nearly 220,000 tons, i.e., 6% of the national total.…

Real Assets

Indoor farming the ‘next generation' of infra investment

Christopher Walker speaks to Oliver Williams about why institutional investors should allocate capital to large-scale indoor farming.Manulife Investment Management has some $4.1bn (€3.88bn) in agricultural investments and oversees approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland and agriculture investments…

1.176 tons of virus-infected peppers from China not allowed into Transbaikalia

On May 2, when inspecting two batches of peppers from China, specialists of the department for supervision in the field of plant quarantine at the state border of the Russian…

USDA

Strawberries and raspberries highly featured on Mother's Day

Shoppers preparing for Mother's Day celebrations were met with an array of delicious, fresh options. New crop cherries, nectarines, apricots, and peaches arrived from California in time for celebratory fruit salads and desserts. Strawberries and raspberries, the perennial favorites of moms everywhere,…

USDA

Movement of Mexican asparagus crossing through Arizona, California, and Texas expected to increase

Yet another week of significant increases at the fuel pump has grower-shippers scrambling to cover the costs of transporting their goods to consumers. The weekly U.S. Energy Information Administration Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update showed a 34.9 cent increase over last week’s nationwide average fuel…

AppHarvest CEO on scaling sustainable agriculture: ‘We don’t have a choice’

AppHarvest CEO Jonathan Webb joins Yahoo Finance Live to discuss scaling controlled environment agriculture infrastructure, keeping produce prices low, and the future of farming as climate change impacts grow. "This is a challenge that not only the US will be tackling, but the world will be tackling for…

"The radish market no longer has peaks and troughs"

"The season has begun well, despite the recent warm weather," says Zoef Yilmaz of Yilmaz Radijs in the Netherlands. "The chilly evenings and sunny afternoons make for good-quality radishes." "Market demand has been good so far and is running proportionally to the quantity we grow. In recent years, the…

“Ever-rising demand for Dutch redcurrants and other soft fruit”

The Dutch redcurrant, raspberry, and blackberry season has begun at Berrybrothers. "It's the second consecutive year that we're already harvesting our first soft fruits in early May. This early start is due to us purchasing a new greenhouse for our red berries in 2021. A great development that's…

The fruit and vegetable sector restarts with in-person meetings

"Macfrut 2022 took us back to pre-pandemic times and made us hope for a better near future, despite the difficulties of the moment," said Salvatore Consoli, president of the Italian producers' organization Opens, which participated in the Rimini fair. From left: Salvatore Consoli, Rosario Raniolo, Federica…

Image: SWNS

British garden centers sell vegetable themed condoms

Condoms aimed at gardening-loving mature Brits are being put on sale in some garden centers with the idea of encouraging the older generations to continue practicing safe sex. The odd range of gardening-themed condoms – naughtily nicknamed "hornicultural" prophylactics – were developed to counter the…

Will tomato prices stay above average now that downward trend has started?

As expected, tomato prices fell in April. The decrease was not equally strong everywhere, and in Italy, prices even increased in April, going against the trends. This is shown by the data from the European Commission's tomato dashboard. However, the main concern in the market is what will happen from now…

Unlocking the AU$2 billion potential of Australian CEA

Although the Australian-grown brand is renowned globally as a symbol of high quality, there is still a lot of potential in the Australian horticulture industry. To allow growers and the sector as a whole to seize those opportunities, The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre, trading as FIAL, an…

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Young Chinese, a new force in rural revitalization

White blueberry flowers have brought a different look to the Loess Plateau in northern China, thanks to 26-year-old Li Pengfei, who returned to his hometown five years ago to pursue a career in agriculture. "Blueberries are growing well this year because of the good weather," said Li, who owns a…

Christopher Kipsang, Standard

Kenya: Horticulture extends its lead as biggest foreign exchange earner

Earnings from horticulture grew five percent to Sh157 billion in 2021, keeping the sector at the top of the table of the country’s top foreign exchange earners. This sector earned Sh150.16 billion in 2020. Horticulture surpassed tea as the top foreign exchange earner in 2018, and since then, the gap…

Prices for local and imported tomatoes are dropping in Ukraine

Prices for local and imported tomatoes in Ukraine remained at fairly high levels throughout April. High selling prices for tomatoes this season are explained by a combination…

Kang Ki-Heon

Korea's rise in single-person households influences business to grow small peppers

Single-person households dominate the Korean population, becoming a driving force for businesses catering to them specifically. Farmer Park Sam-sup, who has been farming bell peppers since 2017, attributes his success to the growing number of people living alone. He grows the Raon variety, a cultivar…

Discounter offers cucumbers for €4.65 per kg

Cucumbers are a popular feature in many salads or as a raw food. However, in the current brochure of the discounter Lidl, they are offered for the steep price of 4.65 euros…

"Pressure from other origins drive Dutch bell pepper prices to historic low"

The Dutch bell pepper season got off to a moderate start regarding yields. "To date, this season's prices have been historically low," says Marco Bergman of Harvest House. "Prices have been under enormous pressure, especially in the last three weeks. There are, obviously, several reasons for this." The…

South African tomatoes at half the price compared to one year ago

Prices for tomatoes in South Africa have declined by half over the past year, with a kilogram now costing under R10 as large volumes of the fruit are currently available. Last…

"The lower supply of strawberries is causing prices to remain stable"

The strawberry campaign in the Spanish province of Huelva is reaching its production peak with lower volumes compared to last year. "We still have lower production levels than last season, about 15-20% less, due to the high number of cloudy and rainy days this year. The lower supply is also partly…

Auction prices for greenhouse vegetables fall further, to below the five-year average

The sharp decrease of the greenhouse vegetable prices in the week after Easter has, with the exception of aubergines, continued in week 17. Prices have dropped below the…

Peru’s blueberry market access to Israel is getting one step closer

Exports of blueberries from Peru to Israel (as a new market) are getting one step closer. The all-important phytosanitary review process to mitigate the risk of pests is underway. This is after Peru sent a proposal of mitigation measures to Israeli authorities, who are currently reviewing the submitted…

Dutch Minister: "Don't rule out bankruptcy; choose the right path"

In March, the Dutch House of Representatives received an inventory from the sector. It shows that, due to the high gas prices, 40% of horticultural businesses could be in…

Price of organic cucumbers stable above-average

In the run-up to Easter, the prices for conventional cucumbers were briefly higher than those for organic cucumbers. This was mainly the result of a major price spike for…

How much can Florida growers take?

Recent events on two commodities have drawn even more attention to a pressing issue for East Coast growers, but how much pressure is too much? The first one is green peppers. The crop had seen some damage following the freeze in the late winter that occurred in both Georgia and Northern and Central…

USDA

U.S. agricultural exports supported more than 1 million jobs throughout the economy in 2020

The benefits of agricultural exports to the U.S. economy far exceed the value of shipments alone. The production, processing, storage, transportation, and marketing of farm and food products bound for the export market support many full-time jobs throughout the United States. Related job statistics are…

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Vegetable planting on balconies goes mainstream amid recent COVID-19 flare-ups in China

"If you are a novice, we suggest you try leeks, lettuce, spinach, cherry radish, and other fast-growing species with short cycles. You can harvest in about half a month," a salesperson from the e-commerce platform Taobao told the Global Times when asked about vegetable planting methods for residential…

“Freight costs change weekly, so fresh herb prices from Israel to customers have to change”

The weekly changes in airfreight costs make it challenging for Israel-based exporter Bless S.R. Ltd to offer stable prices of fresh herbs to clients in Eastern Europe and Asia. The unpredictable freight costs due to the Russian war in Ukraine also influence the edible flowers they export to Asia. The…

Codema bankrupt: "It seems that Codema has been hit harder than similar companies"

In the market, it was known that the situation at Codema Systems Group wasn't stable over the last couple of years. With the bankruptcy declared yesterday, more than sixty years of horticultural history have come to an end. At the same time, various parties are already showing interest in taking over…

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UK: Update on plant health import controls of EU goods

The UK Government has announced that the remaining import controls on EU goods, including plants and plant products, will no longer be introduced this year. Instead, traders will continue to move their goods from the EU to GB as they do now.   This will not affect the proposed changes to the frequency of checks and…

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“Cities should embrace vertical farming”

As global food insecurity worsens, the cost of living skyrockets, and urban areas continue to be overpopulated, city policymakers need to urgently find ways to make supplies sustainable, including by producing more of their own food, according to a new report released today by the Tony Blair Institute…

USDA

Asparagus, tomatoes and bell peppers of both domestic and imported origins remain widely available

Seasonal changes have led to a shift in the commodities of interest. Asparagus, tomatoes, and bell peppers of both domestic and imported origins remain widely available and reported. At the same time, cucumbers and avocados have replaced strawberries and blueberries as the Florida and Peru growing…

LGV Frischgemüse

"Mini cucumber replaces imports from southern European countries with long transport routes"

One of the dedicated and innovative farmers of Stadternte Wien is Martin Flicker (r) in Vienna-Donaustadt, where the Vienna vegetable season kick-off took place a few days ago. Gartenbau Flicker Ltd is the largest domestic and regional producer of mini cucumbers in the eastern region. Here, mini…

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High produce costs in grocery stores leading some to start home-gardening

According to the Consumer Price Index, the price for two heads of lettuce has gone up nearly 8% in a year, causing some in Siouxland to look into starting their own self-sustainable supply this spring. Shawn Emge has served Siouxland gardeners for nearly a decade now at Earl May Garden Center in…

Pakistan: Price of tomatoes increases in twin cities

As the festival of Eidul Fitr neared, traders continued enjoying the benefits of a free-market economy in their favor, with prices of tomatoes increasing by around Rs10 on a…

"Climate-friendly and economically viable production of fruit & veg in Austria is possible"

Dispensing with fossil fuels and using geothermal heat: Styrian family business Frutura is a pioneer in climate-friendly agriculture and supplies regional fruit and vegetables to some 3 million Austrians daily, even in winter and spring. This increases the country's self-sufficiency while reducing…

Dutch climate minister: major risk of greenhouse horticulture relocating abroad in light of European CO2 prices

There is a major risk that the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector will relocate abroad when CO2 prices rise in Europe. This has emerged from independent research (see annex)…

US: Demand for organic heirloom tomatoes returns

As the Mexican season is winding down, the demand for organic heirloom tomatoes is returning. Alejandro Madrigal of Covilli Brand Organics Inc., based in Nogales, Arizona, says its organic heirloom tomatoes have approximately three weeks left of production in Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe region. “Right…

"Heating is the real reason behind high-priced tomatoes

Prices are still high for canteen tomatoes, with a trend that has shown no sign of changing for months. Giorgio Puccia, fruit and vegetable commissioner at the Italian Vittoria market, spoke on the situation. Giorgio Puccia “As a matter of fact, the price for tomatoes (see table below) has been quite high…

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Asia: Rising fertilizer costs are catching up to rice farmers, threatening supplies

Soaring fertilizer costs have rice farmers across Asia scaling back their use, a move that threatens harvests of a staple that feeds half of humanity and could lead to a full-blown food crisis if prices aren’t curbed. From India to Vietnam and the Philippines, prices of crop nutrients crucial to boosting…

UK delays post-Brexit food checks on EU imports until end of 2023

The UK government is postponing checks on imported food and fresh products from the EU until the end of 2023. These controls were due to be introduced in July of 2022, but the…

Ukraine situation could increase negative outlook for paper and forest products industry

According to Moody’s, the paper and forest products industry’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) will decrease by 10-12% over the next…

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Bulgarian Recovery and Resilience Plan will support modernizing and greening of farms

The EU will provide EUR 6.3 billion in grants to Bulgaria under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which have to be spent by 2026.  The agriculture chapter of the plan, Sustainable Farming, has BGN 986.1 million leva, including BGN 457.3 mln under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Sustainable Farming…

USDA

Total fruit and veg ad numbers see 3% increase from last week

US shoppers are ready to have some Cinco de Mayo fun, and retailers have all the necessary supplies. Roma tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, onions, garlic, tomatillos, limes, mangos, and avocados were displayed together this week, providing customers with a convenient source for salsa and guacamole…

Chilean vegetable exports contracted by 13.2% during the first quarter of 2022

According to data from the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (Odepa), Chilean vegetable exports totaled 94.6 million FOB dollars in the first quarter of 2022, i.e.,…

Dutch government wants climate-neutral greenhouse horticulture 2040

On Friday, 22 April, the government announced a package of sustainable subsidy options and tax changes that will enable the greenhouse horticulture sector to make the energy transition more quickly. Below is the full message from the Hague. The greenhouse horticulture sector must accelerate the energy…

"Kazakhstan could well become Russia's preferred fruit and vegetable supplier"

Kazakhstan seems to be becoming one of the countries on which many eyes from the Dutch horticulture sector are focused. That was clear from the growing number of participants at the trade fair in Kazakhstan last week. But is this interest justified? And if so, how do you explain it? Marc Broeren of…

"German king trumpet mushroom benefits from changing eating habits"

The cultivated mushrooms business is fluctuating wildly at the moment, Bavarian producer and marketer Franz Ulrich tells us. "The Easter business was roughly similar to pre-pandemic times. After the holidays, however, sales in food retailing plummeted," says the mushroom merchant. In general, sales and…

Irish grower secures new €7.5M contract with Aldi

Irish strawberry greenhouse Sunglow Nurseries has agreed to continue supplying the 150 Aldi Ireland stores with their early-season premium Bord Bia Quality Assured Irish strawberries. The new €7.5M contract was signed last week.  Sunglow Nurseries has supplied the Irish Aldi stores for more than 14 years. Last…

Strawberry in integrated production promotes sustainable development

Raising the quality standards of strawberries with added value while allowing the traceability of all stages of production is just one of the advantages offered by integrated…

"We are the first to supply the major retail chains while being 100% CO2 neutral"

French-Moroccan family company Azura, whose production areas are in the Agadir region of Morocco and whose logistics platform and headquarters are in Perpignan in the south of France, was founded in 1988 and specializes, among other things, in the production and marketing of tomatoes, herbs, edible…

Integrated production of strawberries promotes sustainable development in Brazil

Regarding strawberries, it's not just the physical characteristics of the product that matter. Knowing where the product came from, how it was grown, by whom it was harvested…

Mottech: We are committed to reducing water waste and improving water use efficiency

Sumati Amrit came to China to study from 2000 to 2006 and returned to work in China in 2015, where he was responsible for the field of agricultural irrigation, and joined Mottech in Israel a year ago. In a recent conversation with HortidailyChina, Amrit shared some of his views. Mottech is the world's…

Experts forecast rise in food prices as fertilizer costs are up

The U.N. Food and Agriculture index shows food prices are at an all-time high, but experts predict the war in Ukraine is about to make matters a lot worse largely due to the…

Cyber-attacks on cooperatives during planting and harvest more likely

Recently, the FBI has issued a warning to US agricultural cooperatives that ransomware attacks could be more likely during the planting and harvest seasons. While attacks…

European Union to suspend tariffs on Ukraine imports for one year

Yesterday, the European Commission proposed a one-year suspension of import duties on all Ukrainian goods not covered by an existing free trade deal to help the country's…

Australian Labor Party defends agricultural visa scheme as farmers brace for increased minimum wages

The Australian Labor Party has defended its plan to replace the agriculture visa announced by the federal government last year and offer more incentives to farm workers from…

Europe: Mid-season prices for greenhouse vegetables halve, lettuce prices break even

As already expected (and feared), prices have started to drop in the week after Easter. The average prices in week 16 for tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, courgettes,…

France: cucumber prices are up

Cucumber prices have increased with the rise in energy costs, much like many other products.  Producers are worried about these higher prices. With 1.50€  [1.60 USD] for a French cucumber, consumers could easily…

via informaconnect

“We don’t speak about productivity, we speak about surviving”

New AG International has spoken to a number of participants in the agribusiness sector in Ukraine, including an adviser to the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, to find out how the invasion by the Russian military has impacted the country’s agriculture sector, the availability of inputs, and what it…

BASF

BASF to reduce activities in Russia and Belarus but for business that supports food production

As announced on March 3, 2022, BASF has not conducted new business in Russia and Belarus in light of the war of aggression against Ukraine ordered by the Russian government. BASF strongly condemns the Russian attack on Ukraine and the violence against the civilian population. The Board of Executive…

UK: Morrisons apologizes as lettuce shelves were seen empty

Supermarket chain Morrisons has apologized as one of its stores was recently pictured with large empty sections it its meat and poultry aisle as well as in fresh fruit and…

USDA

Mexican asparagus crossings through Calexico, CA, and San Luis, AZ expected to decrease seasonally

A week after it was rescinded, financial losses from Texas Governor Abbott’s 10-day border inspection requirement are being tallied up. Estimates are in the hundreds of millions of dollars per day, in the midst of the ongoing global supply chain crisis. Spoiled produce, missed deliveries and late…

Ireland: Horticultural input price inflation continues to squeeze growers’ margins

Teagasc has revised the figures on input price inflation, first reported in November 2021, to reflect the full extent of inflation in the past twelve months up to 31st March…

Spanish exports to the UK have recovered to pre-pandemic and Brexit levels

Yesterday, within the framework of the Brexit Channel meetings, the heads of the Secretariat of State for Trade, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Trade in London, the…

India resumes shipments to Russian Federation

It seems that India has restarted the shipment of goods to Russia again after two Russian banks have started facilitating payments in both rupee-ruble and euro. Last week,…

USDA

Total ad numbers this week at 271,308: down 11% from last week

This week, Vidalia onions from Georgia were front and center as local deals entered the marketplace. Texas and Hawaii had their state branded sweet onions featured as well. Florida watermelons and strawberries met up with North Carolina zucchini, yellow squash, and strawberries to offer shoppers an early…

“The temperature goes from 25 to 4°C in 20 minutes”

Producer of young salad shoots and baby vegetables, Picvert has recently acquired a vacuum cooling system. A fast, homogeneous, and uniform cooling solution that helps extend the product’s life span.  “The temperature of the product goes from 25 to 4°C in 20 minutes,” explains Christophe Janson, sales manager…

Robotic pickers see double success in Portugal

A Cambridge-based company has made significant step forwards in its development of a range of fruit harvesting robots to support the agriculture sector. The raspberry picking…

Growing vegetables in flower pots now a serious business in China

The pandemic has triggered the vegetable growing genes of urbanites, and they are studying vegetable growing in flowerpots on the balcony. But right now, "growing vegetables in pots" is not a small business, but a large-scale industry. Recently, Fujing China Holdings, a potted vegetable and agricultural…

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UK: Tomatoes are the latest food staple to suffer from supply chain challenges

Tomatoes are the latest food staple to suffer from supply chain and production challenges with shortages and price rises expected to hit UK supermarkets soon. A cocktail of supply issues in both the UK and abroad will see shoppers facing tomato shortages in the coming months. UK production – which is…

P&O Ferries crisis might affect independent UK retailers

P&O Ferries has let 800 British workers go in favor of cheaper foreign labor. Through its actions, the company has not only generated issues with British lawmakers, but they…

Import prices of Indian peppers soar

Since April, the pandemic prevention and control situation in many places in China has been severe, resulting in poor sales of many varieties of peppers, and the market has been in a downturn. However, the imported Indian peppers are facing a different trend, and the transaction price of Indian peppers…

"Data Greenhouse Performance Monitor brought to life"

Data-driven growing is becoming more important by the day. Rick Gitzels of TNO presented the first findings of the Greenhouse Performance Monitor project, in which TNO cooperates with greenhouse builder Dalsem and 30MHz, during the recent edition of Future Trends and Innovations. The latter party shares…

The potential opportunities for Australian greenhouse-grown melons for export

Protected cropping can potentially provide a niche market supply of high-quality melons from North Queensland for export in the future, according to a senior Australian horticulturist. Dr Elio Jovicich from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has been working on several projects…

The use of public funds to break the deadlock of the crisis

"The international crisis that is affecting the current year 2022, with a persistent and overall rise in the cost of raw materials, energy products, and its derivatives, is part of a general picture that has seen an increase in inflation of +5.7% on an annual basis in February 2022 (Mipaaf data). The…

"Increased supply, empty shelves, good Easter demand coincide perfectly for Dutch asparagus"

"We had a great asparagus week," says Rick Mengers of the Dutch cooperative, ZON, about Easter sales. "It went from a fairly cold spell to pleasant weather, so asparagus supplies picked up nicely in the middle of last week. That worked out well, with good prices, at the end of the week." "The…

Rising tomato prices leave Bengaluru consumers and traders in a lurch

The rains in various parts of Karnataka, in concordance with a fuel hike, is now affecting tomato prices. Vegetable prices are shooting upwards, and Bengalureans and traders…

"French retailers and caterers need to raise fresh fruit and vegetables prices urgently"

The French companies preparing ready-to-use fresh fruit and vegetables, united within the Syndicate of Manufacturers of Ready-to-use Fresh Plant Products (SVFPE), are warning…

‘European Central Bank must act soon to avoid currency crisis’

The euro has declined steadily for the past year from above 1.22 per dollar to within close range of the 1.0640 low of March 2020, when the pandemic first hit. A test of…

"Limited diesel availability causing issues"

“Diesel is being rationed," says Marc Harskamp, Trader Fuel Oil/Risk Management at Orim Energy. This Dutch company focuses on trading, blending, and bunkering low-sulfur fuel. One of the reasons for the limited diesel availability, he says, is the maintenance being carried out on several refineries in…

'Creating values for the industry'

GLOBALG.A.P.’ s certification system is used in over 130 countries and is often described as the most widely adopted farm quality assurance in the fresh produce sector. We spoke with Senior Technical Expert René Capote and Team Leader of Key Account & Membership Management, Ben Horsbrugh, about…

EU bans some Cameroon export crops

Cameroon is on a list of countries banned from exporting certain agricultural products to the European Union. In a letter dated 18 April 2022, addressed to the heads of the…

"We expect to harvest blueberries year-round in Portugal for the first time this year"

In Portugal, blueberry production has been underway, in limited volumes, for several weeks. "We work closely with our partner Logofruits there, as they have two cultivation sites. One of 90 hectares in the southern region of Odemira and a second 70-hectare one just south of Lisbon. Volumes are gradually…

USDA

Value of U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable exports to the world at $7.2 billion for 2021

The 2021 U.S. Agricultural Export Yearbook provides a statistical summary of U.S. agricultural commodity exports to the world. This summary lists the United States’ top 15 trading partners. The Yearbook is produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) using…

Vietnam eyes green agriculture, private sector plays key role

The Vietnamese Government is giving priority to promoting green agriculture, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Develop Phung Duc Tien said, stressing the important role of the private sector in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing climate change adaptation. Tien spoke at a workshop coorganised…

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Drought-tolerant plants are a reality growers need to accept

For nursery and greenhouse growers, the crops they cultivate are often dictated by consumer demands and directly related to design trends proliferating throughout other business sectors. But crop cultivation might soon be dictated by an environmental need for more drought-tolerant plants. According to…

Iran lifts ban on export of tomato, eggplant, potato and onion

The Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration will not implement the decision to ban the export of four Iranian agricultural products, including tomato, eggplant, potato…