Improved water and labor availability for California stone fruit

California is experiencing an optimal stone fruit season so far. "Up until now, temperatures have been very mild, and it has been below average cool,"…

British Columbia kicks off blueberry season

Blueberry harvest in British Columbia, Canada, began this weekend. "These are just initial volumes–some people may have started already for farm…

Lime market could shift thanks to recent rains

While there continues to be a lot of small sizes on limes from Mexico, this could change in the near future. "In the next two weeks, there will be the…

40 acres of greenhouses, with an option to expand to 80 acres

US: Little Leaf Farms will more than double capacity with new Tennessee campus

Little Leaf Farms is continuing its expansion with a new campus in Tennessee. The new 215-acre site, located in Manchester, Tennessee, is initially…

Governor DeSantis approves $140 million to revitalize Florida's citrus industry

Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 2500, the General Appropriations Act, which includes an investment of nearly $140 million ($139,673,565) to revitalize…

Salmonella cucumber cases rise to 69 in 21 states

Public health officials in the United States continue to identify Salmonella Montevideo cases connected to fresh cucumbers despite the CDC's declaration that…

DOL suspends 2024 farmworker rule after court rulings

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced the suspension of the enforcement of the 2024 Worker Protection Rules. The move follows a judicial…

Keynote speakers for IFPA’s 2025 Global Produce & Floral Show announced

The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) has announced its keynote speaker lineup for the 2025 Global Produce & Floral Show, taking place in…

Guatemala produce association celebrates 10th year anniversary

The Guatemala Produce Trade Association (GPTA) is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The association aligns U.S. importers and industry service providers with…

Upgrading to Fairtrade bananas is less expensive than a single sock

Equifruit is stepping boldly into the Organic Produce Summit 2025 with an eye-opening message: the cost of upgrading to Fairtrade bananas for an entire…

Scientists develop AI technology to help growers assess crop damage after hurricanes

Imagine using a generative AI platform similar to ChatGPT to get crop-damage information after a hurricane. That's what University of Florida…

Preparing resistant crops for newly identified downy mildew race

A newly identified race of Bremia lactucae, the pathogen responsible for downy mildew in lettuce, has been confirmed by the International Bremia…

New Chairman announced for Enza Zaden's Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board of Enza Zaden has appointed Alexander Wessels as Chairman effective July 1, 2025. With this appointment, he succeeds Gerard de…

Sweet cherry harvest highest since 2017

The National Ag Statistics Service confirms that the current sweet cherry harvest marks the largest output since 2017, showing a 4% rise compared to the…

California pear crop rebounds to 2.4 million boxes

California's Central Valley pear shippers project a normalization in crop yields compared to last year's downturn. As initial harvests for early varieties…

Guatemala bets on avocado as a strategic export crop

Avocado has become a strategic crop for Guatemala to strengthen its agricultural sector and open up new international markets. Growers, exporters,…

Mexico produces avocados all year round

Mexico is the only country in the world that produces avocados all year round. It can do so thanks to a combination of natural factors, such as different…

Ban tightened:

No more Dutch seed and planting material to Russia

As of June 30, 2025, the import of Dutch seed and planting material from protected cultivation into Russia will no longer be permitted. This has been announced…

"We are committed to improving the supply efficiency of ready-to-eat avocados in the domestic market"

Mr. Avocado launches a new ripening center in East China

Following years of rapid development, avocados have gained strong market recognition in China, with growing consumer demand. However, enhancing the…

Apricot season started at Kwekerij Demedts - De Mey

"Strong demand for Sweet Royalla blackberries"

At Kwekerij Demedts - De Mey, the apricot season has begun once again. This fruit, typically associated with southern Europe, is gaining popularity…

Georgia series – part 9:

Georgia aims to meet growing global demand for walnuts

In the sun-drenched region around Telavi, against the majestic backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains, Georgian Walnut Enterprise is carving out its place…

Juan Antonio Martínez, manager of Toñifruit:

"The first batches of organic table grapes confirm the season's promising prospects"

With the arrival of summer, the seedless table grape season, one of the most eagerly anticipated in the organic sector, gets underway in southeastern…

Papenburg bell pepper producer Björn Schubert:

"Due to the Jordan virus, we have also converted our tomato cultivation to bell peppers"

This year's bell pepper harvest took place around two weeks earlier than last year. "Thanks in part to the beautiful weather, we were able to offer the…

International Berries Days (IBD) and International Asparagus Days (IAD)

Soft fruit in the spotlight for the first time, alongside asparagus

From October 7th to 10th, 2025, the 5th edition of the International Asparagus Days (IAD) will be held in Bordeaux. This is a key event for…

Dyson engineers vertical strawberry system to boost UK food security

“We get two-and-a-half times uplift in the output of the greenhouses”

Dyson Farming, the agricultural arm of the British technology company, is expanding its innovative approach to food production. The company's latest…

NL: "Strong cucumber demand, slight rise in vine tomato prices, green peppers remain scarce"

Despite the predicted heat, greenhouse vegetable sales are progressing well, according to Philip van Geest of Van Geest International in De Lier.…

Trackster: A patent by Dari Ecomeccanica

Harvesters available for open fields as well

The world of horticulture is constantly evolving, and the technologies that support its daily activities evolve with it. Trackster, the new frontier in…

Agriconetto (Italy):

The first batch of Acquaviva red onion bulbs is now available

The new harvest season for the Acquaviva red onion has officially begun, with the first bulbs arriving on the market about a week ago. Giammarco…

Rafael Garrido: "We are seeking opportunities in the Middle East and Asia"

Spain's best-positioned berry brand expects to continue growing in exports

After a challenging berry campaign due to the impact of the weather, the Sociedad Cooperativa Andaluza Santa María de la Rábida (Fresón de Palos) has…

Andreas Kopf on the marketing of early potatoes from Southern Baden

"Early potato industry faces disillusionment"

The first loose-skinned early potatoes from Southern Baden were delivered to wholesale markets on schedule on May 20, followed by firm-skinned early potatoes for food retailers fro…

Can Tunisian date growers avoid a repeat of last season's debacle?

The last season for Tunisian dates was severely impacted by adverse weather conditions, resulting in a loss of nearly half the expected harvest volume,…

"A noticeable shift from traditional varieties to ones more suited for export"

The Turkish fresh produce industry has had to deal with heavy hits from the frosts some time ago. According to Enes Gulbudak, foreign trade manager for…

An overview of the situation provided by Agrieuropa (Italy):

Watermelons have been positive so far, but vegetables are facing a dramatic situation

"Unlike the negative trend of declining vegetable prices, we are having a successful watermelon campaign," says Alessio Mattia, sales manager at…

Germany:

Catering wholesaler Paul Steffenhagen GmbH celebrates its 75th anniversary

Paul Steffenhagen GmbH, based in Eckernförde (Schleswig-Holstein), is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Its customer base includes…

Official start of the season at the Merz organic farm

In 2024, 22 percent of all German carrots were grown on organic land

Carrots are now available fresh from local farms again. At the start of the season, the team from meine-Möhren.de visited Hubert Merz in Baden-Württemberg, a…

Agreste

French cucumber yields expected to rise

"According to forecasts as of June 1st, 2025, French cucumber production is estimated at 183,100 tons for the 2025 season, a higher level than in the last four…

Blueberry export leaders to shift by 2030 and 2050

Blueberries have become one of the most sought-after fruits globally due to their nutritional and antioxidant properties, as well as their ease of consumption…

New global value chain department for berry operations

As part of its global growth strategy, Planasa has announced the formation of a new Global Value Chain Department. The initiative aims to integrate and…

Hapag-Lloyd orders automatic twistlocks for A19 ships

MacGregor has received an order from Hapag-Lloyd to supply its fully automatic twistlocks (ACV-1), known as "Hippo," aimed at improving cargo handling…

Tech boosts litchi shelf life, Bihar export potential

Bihar's litchi growers might access broader markets due to advances in packaging technology that extend the fruit's shelf life. Litchis, generally having a…

Lake Balaton defies low apricot yield trend

The apricot yield in Europe is expected to be low, a trend seen in Hungary as well. However, an area around Lake Balaton presents an anomaly, benefiting from…

Wim van Marrewijk, Biological Youngplants

Robust herbs, bee-friendly lavender, and smooth-skinned sweet potatoes

"We supply starting material," says Wim van Marrewijk van Biological Youngplants. "Retail requirements are becoming stricter every year. Many…

EU fresh produce PDOs and PGIs

Genovese basil, Cavaillon melons, Ribera del Xúquer kakis, and Opperdoezer Ronde potatoes. These four well-known regional products have a little something extra: they are…