Ukrainian farmers are already shipping blueberries cheaper than last year
Blueberry prices in Ukraine continue to drop rapidly, and this berry is already cheaper than in the second half of July 2022, EastFruit project analysts report. At the same time, key market

Basil and salad are grown in apartment buildings with aeroponics
There is a cultivation technique that can reduce water and soil consumption by 98%. We are talking about aeroponics, a cultivation method thanks to which even urban contexts, such as apartment

“My beard went from half grey to 100% grey in just a few weeks”
The Mexican grape season kept getting pushed back due to a May month that was unusually cool. Although the weather helped with the coloring of the grapes, it slowed down the maturity. “The grape

US government to help Kenya expand its avocado export market
The US government will help Kenya expand its avocado export market under a $160 million (Sh22.6 billion) initiative. United States Agency for International Development (USAid) Chief of Staff

Retail partners keep asking for new exotic items
Most exotic produce items are in season currently. “We offer both conventional and organic exotics,” says Melissa Hartmann de Barros, Director of Communications at HLB Specialties. Within the

Chiquita keeps its London bus campaign on the road
Fruit marketer Chiquita says a total of seven branded double-decker buses will bring brightness and cleaner air to parts of London this summer. The recurring outdoor advertising has become an

EU to drop ban on hazardous chemicals
A leaked document indicates that the EU is set to drop a ban on hazardous chemicals, which represents a key element of the EU’s Green Deal. According to the leak, the EU will renege on its

GBF reports strong demand for Cherish
New Zealand apple grower-packer-marketer Golden Bay Fruit (GBF) is fine-tuning its marketing for Cherish apples to highlight the key attributes driving growing demand for the variety across Asia.

UK and Turkey to broker new FTA
The UK and Turkey have today (18 July) announced plans to begin talks on an updated free trade agreement (FTA). The deal would replace the existing UK-Turkey FTA, which was rolled over from when

Fruit and vegetable price trends in Italy as at 17 July
The apricot campaign is now in full swing, with the arrival of new varieties such as Goccia d'oro. Apricot quality is increasing with the start of sales of the Pellecchiella and Faralia cultivars.

Kenya is the leading supplier of basil to Europe at this point in time
Kenya is currently the leading supplier of basil to Europe. The European market sources 80% of its supplies for the fresh produce market from Kenya. The produce arrives in Europe via chilled air

Meloni, programming and branding make the difference
We will never tire of repeating it: finding a different key is often what makes the difference between success and mediocrity. And this is what companies in our sector must do, identifying their

UK signs accession protocol for trans-continental trade deal
Yesterday, UK officials signed the accession protocol, to join a multinational trade bloc that can open doors from Canada to Japan. Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch signed off on the

Is the UK ready for the Brexit import controls, and will these push up prices?
The proposals from the UK government for its new post-Brexit border strategy - beginning this autumn - will require all goods arriving from the EU that are subject to sanitary and phytosanitary

Hugh Lowe Farms buys premium salad grower LJ Betts
Premium salad grower LJ Betts has been acquired by the Regan family who own major berry producer Hugh Lowe Farms and plant propagator Blaise Plants. Laurence J Betts Ltd grows a wide range of

Huelvan berry exports dip in 2022/23
Huelva exported 243,310 tonnes of strawberries in 2022/23, a fall of 10 per cent on the previous season according berry association Freshuelva. It said the campaign was plagued by bad weather,

Iván Marambio nets key commerce role
Asoex president Iván Marambio has been elected as the new president of the Chile-India Binational Business Council of Sofofa, Chile’s leading business organisation. Sofofa’s Binational

Turbulent times for Iranian banana imports
Since the unilateral abandonment of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by the US in 2018, and the return of crippling sanctions on Iran, imports of bananas into the country have once again

What can be done to keep blueberry production profitable?
Generally, I am pleased that our varieties have found their way into the tests here. Especially as they are showing well here," said Leon Schrijnwerkers, evaluating both plant growth and

What can be done to keep blueberry production profitable?
Generally, I am pleased that our varieties have found their way into the tests here. Especially because they are showing well here," said Leon Schrijnwerkers, evaluating both plant growth and

RedStar confirms key board appointment
Marieke van Heeswijk has joined the supervisory board of international tomato specialist RedStar, effective 1 June, the company has announced. The company said it planned to “make good use” of

Poor' fruit and vegetables dominate 2023 with stellar prices
We are in the middle of the summer campaign and, by now, all the key references of the season have made their debut; these last few months have presented us with the bill for climate change; in

Seasonal fruit under the NFI lens
This morning was subdued as far as sales are concerned, probably there is a drop in turnout due to the holiday effect. For watermelons, we report a slight but not significant drop in price; for

"Clients keep returning for our own brand Dumara watermelons"
The Moroccan Dumara watermelon season is in full swing at Ibrahim Nieuwegein, a fruit and vegetable/meat wholesaler in the Netherlands. "We carry these under our own brand Lamyae. They're bright

Former minister calls on UK and EU to agree under-35s visa scheme
Former Environment Minister George Eustice has called on the UK government to agree a new reciprocal visa scheme with the EU for workers aged under 35. This might address ongoing skills shortages