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Top 5 -yesterday
- Onion markets see regionalization
- Mexican table grape industry challenged to ship 25 million boxes in 10 weeks
- Dominican Republic pineapples selling well in Europe
- Australian mango industry to receive a $2.7million boost through two major projects
- “Harvest of the early cherry varieties has already started”
Top 5 -last week
Top 5 -last month
Thursday, May 19, 2022


Mexican table grape industry challenged to ship 25 million boxes in 10 weeks
Table grape harvest in Northern Mexico has started, in Hermosillo and Guaymas in the state of Sonora. The first grapes crossed the border with Nogales, AZ ten days ago, on May 9. The start date is similar to last year, but it is a few days later than the average start of May 5. “The great majority of…


Onion markets see regionalization
"For the first time in my career I’m seeing the markets regionalize in a way I’ve never seen before.” So says Shay Myers of Parma, Idaho-based Owyhee Produce of the current state of the onion market. “In the past at this time of the year, onions from the Northwest would be marketed at lower prices…


Retail promotions help build Michigan asparagus demand
Demand for Michigan asparagus continues to grow. Michigan supplies of asparagus have improved in the last few days due to the heat the state saw last week. “We see increases in our Michigan asparagus sales annually. Retailers have continued to promote it and excite customers into buying up the first spring…


Similar plans in the books for vine crops
Oishii opens new product segment by introducing $20 berries
"We always want to start with best-in-class products and make them more available to the masses. We aren't here to mass produce a low-quality product," explains Hiroki Koga, co-founder, and CEO of Oishii. In 2018, Oishii took the world by storm when Hiroki and his co-founder Brendan Somerville brought…


USDA
2022 California almond forecastInitial subjective forecast for 2022 production at 2.80 billion pounds
The initial subjective forecast for the 2022 California almond production is 2.80 billion pounds. Forecasted production is 4% below last year's production of 2.92 billion pounds. Forecasted bearing acreage for 2022 is a record high of 1,370,000. Forecasted yield is 2,040 pounds per acre, 8% lower than…


Thursday, May 26
Gearing up for 2022 US apple season at Apple Quality Summit
Hazel Technologies Inc. announces open registration for its 2nd annual Apple Quality Summit next week. The one-hour event will be held on Thursday May 26th and feature presentations focused on preparing the U.S. apple industry for the 2022 season. Speakers will include Dr. Desmond O’Rourke, founder and…


45-year Canadian produce veteran hangs up his hat at Oppy
After three and a half decades, Oppy’s vice-president of Canadian sales Walt Breeden is off on his next adventure: retirement. Joining Oppy from Vancouver-based retailer Woodward’s to sell California-grown produce to Western Canadian customers in 1987, Breeden’s role grew as he added New Zealand apples,…

Leadership coach set the tone for Women's Fresh Perspectives Conference
Attendees at the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference (WFPC) last month offered rave reviews for the opening general session from Wendy McManus, leadership coach of Connect 2 Potential. McManus’ talk was titled, “Get on the Same Page: How to shape your culture collaboratively from any seat in the…

ASOEX announces retirement of Mr. Ronald Bown Fernández
"The Board of Directors of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association A.G. (ASOEX) announces that Mr. Ronald Bown Fernández has initiated his retirement process. Consequently, he…

Diesel costs deliver heavy blow to North American trucking industry
Experts say that with diesel prices remaining elevated, forcing significant costs onto shippers and trucking companies, the impact of fuel costs on inflation could put a dent…

Vietnam: year-round dragon fruit supply thanks to local investments
Vietnamese dragon fruit has a strong potential for the European market. Vietnam grows three dragon fruit varieties: white flesh, purple pink and red dragon fruit. Purple pink and red dragon fruit is slightly sweeter than the white flesh variety. Under the correct storage conditions dragon fruit can be…

"Two key factors for success in the packaging industry are product diversity and environmentally-friendly materials"
"The food boxes we produce are often made of food-grade PP and food-grade PET, but we also customize our packaging to meet the specific requirements of our clients for materials and colors." That is according to Ms. Li Lu of Zhejiang Qunlu Innovative Materials Co., Ltd. She recently introduced their food…

Thailand's mangosteen production will increase by 38% to 380,000 tons this year
It is the season for the production and listing of critical economic fruits in Thailand now, such as durian, mangosteen, and rambutan. According to the Ministry of…

Early melons are lacking, leading to skyrocketing prices
The situation is "tragic" when it comes to melons: production is very low and prices are skyrocketing. The early produce is severely lacking in Sicily and volumes are low in Spain as well. The whole of Europe is looking for melons, but they are difficult to find. "I have never seen anything like it in the…
In week 18, melon prices at origin in Almeria were 60-70% higher than last year
As the melon campaign in Senegal, and other overseas origins end, Almeria's melon takes over the European markets
The overseas and Senegal's melon campaign is over and Almeria is taking over as the European markets' main source of production and supplier. This was reported by the Price…

Early watermelon imports increasingly popular in Georgia
There has been a rapid growth of Georgian watermelon imports in 2021. Last year, large early imports resulted in low prices for local producers. Over the past 8 years, imports…
Vegetables more »

Retail promotions help build Michigan asparagus demand
Demand for Michigan asparagus continues to grow. Michigan supplies of asparagus have improved in the last few days due to the heat the state saw last week. “We see increases in our Michigan asparagus sales annually. Retailers have continued to promote it and excite customers into buying up the first spring…

Similar plans in the books for vine crops
Oishii opens new product segment by introducing $20 berries
"We always want to start with best-in-class products and make them more available to the masses. We aren't here to mass produce a low-quality product," explains Hiroki Koga, co-founder, and CEO of Oishii. In 2018, Oishii took the world by storm when Hiroki and his co-founder Brendan Somerville brought…
Bananas more »
Javier Palenzuela, general director of Coplaca:
"We estimate that about 50,000 tons of fruit may have been lost on the island of La Palma"
On December 13, 2021, the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma came to an end; undoubtedly long-awaited news that was widely celebrated, but an end that also meant…

Ecuadorian Ministry of Agriculture investigates complaints surrounding banana pricing
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is investigating the complaints received against four exporters who have disregarded the minimum support price for a box of bananas.…
Potatoes and Onions more »

Onion markets see regionalization
"For the first time in my career I’m seeing the markets regionalize in a way I’ve never seen before.” So says Shay Myers of Parma, Idaho-based Owyhee Produce of the current state of the onion market. “In the past at this time of the year, onions from the Northwest would be marketed at lower prices…
Market and Crop Update for May 19, 2022
"Imperial Valley experienced some heat recently so we are trying to get onions out the door as quickly as possible”
MARKET California/Texas: Jason Pearson with Eagle Eye Produce gave his report from his Nyssa, OR, sales office this week. “Demand is good this week but it hasn’t necessarily…
Exotic/Tropical fruit & vegetables more »

Mexican avocados: Costa Rica lifts restrictions on the fruit after seven years
In 2015, Costa Rica unilaterally decided to ban the import of Mexican Hass avocados, stating that a pest called Sunblotch Viroid (sunspot) could enter the country via the…
Meituan Select releases Report of Tropical Fruit Circulation 2022
Tropical fruit sales increase by over 30% in China
The Report of Tropical Fruit Circulation 2022 released by Meituan Select on May 18 showed that tropical fruit continued to be popular in 2021 in China, with an overall sales…

Australian mango industry to receive a $2.7million boost through two major projects
The Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA) is confident that two major projects over the next five years will significantly help improve grower productivity and profitability. AMIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Brett Kelly says the projects, which were announced today, will integrate extension and…
René Noordam, OptiTrade International: “Pineapple prices in Europe really good at the moment”
Dominican Republic pineapples selling well in Europe
Pineapple prices are really good across Europe at the moment as shipping costs remain challenging, comments René Noordam from OptiTrade International, who sources the produce from the Dominican Republic. However, he fears the good pineapple prices will not last long as more strawberries are coming on…

Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh mangoes for US president Biden
The Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu. will hand over a box of Indian mangoes to the staff of US president Joe Biden at a mango promotion event in Washington…
Company news more »

First selective asparagus harvest's developer files for suspension of payments
More than a year ago, in a Dutch asparagus field, Cerescon proudly presented its 0 series of the Sparter to the press. This was the first selective asparagus harvest in the world. Yesterday the company, which employs 13 people, filed for suspension of payments. "A confluence of circumstances" is how…

45-year Canadian produce veteran hangs up his hat at Oppy
After three and a half decades, Oppy’s vice-president of Canadian sales Walt Breeden is off on his next adventure: retirement. Joining Oppy from Vancouver-based retailer Woodward’s to sell California-grown produce to Western Canadian customers in 1987, Breeden’s role grew as he added New Zealand apples,…

Greenyard signs a real estate transaction, with a view to long-term refinancing and room for growth
Greenyard announces it has reached an agreement with a real estate investor on the lease-and-lease-back of its facility of the Greenyard Prepared division in Bree, Belgium,…

ASOEX announces retirement of Mr. Ronald Bown Fernández
"The Board of Directors of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association A.G. (ASOEX) announces that Mr. Ronald Bown Fernández has initiated his retirement process. Consequently, he…

AgriFORCE Growing Systems completes acquisition of food production & processing IP from Manna Nutritional Group
AgriFORCE Growing Systems Ltd., an intellectual property-focused AgTech company dedicated to advancing sustainable cultivation and crop processing across multiple verticals,…
Greenhouse more »

Shane Halpin, Welgro Produce:
"At the end of the day, everyone has to pay a higher price for the gas”
Even in the Northernmost part of the European Union, growers are feeling the effects of the global energy and fertilizers crisis. We have seen how some greenhouses in the neighboring UK did not even plant because of skyrocketing gas prices. For Irish cucumber grower, Welgro Produce too, the season…
Logistics more »

Diesel costs deliver heavy blow to North American trucking industry
Experts say that with diesel prices remaining elevated, forcing significant costs onto shippers and trucking companies, the impact of fuel costs on inflation could put a dent…

'13 million TEU of excess containers in 2023'
Over the past two years, congestion in the supply chain has led to a significant extension of the transportation time, not only in relation to the ocean-side delays, but also in relation to inland congestion and delays. When the supply chain gets longer, there will naturally be a need for more…
Machinery more »

Robot arms load 75 punnets/min. into crate
"After a tour through FruitMasters's packaging departments, I'm always amazed at how much technology goes into something as seemingly simple as a strawberry punnet," says FruitMasters's brand manager Tim Kievits on LinkedIn. "We added five of these robot arms this month. They load 75 packages into the…
General fresh produce more »

North Carolina farmers worry surging fuel & fertilizer costs could result in empty shelves
Growers in eastern North Carolina say a spike in supply costs is preventing them from planting some crops this year. Some farms have stated that unless fuel and fertilizer…
Management more »

"Agriculture must be the priority of the next government"
Secretary of the Eastern Highlands Agricultural Society, Solepa Aganisafa, today said that the next government formed after the 2022 National General Elections must make…
Miscellaneous more »

Leadership coach set the tone for Women's Fresh Perspectives Conference
Attendees at the Women’s Fresh Perspectives Conference (WFPC) last month offered rave reviews for the opening general session from Wendy McManus, leadership coach of Connect 2 Potential. McManus’ talk was titled, “Get on the Same Page: How to shape your culture collaboratively from any seat in the…
Fruit more »
Interpoma rewards innovations for water management in apple orchards
With the Interpoma Award, the Bolzano fair intends to grant recognition to those companies that present innovations for water management in apple orchards. Interpoma Award 2022 will reward those technologies that, thanks to an innovative component, lead to progress in the management of water in apple…

"Market potential of Chinese fruit is worth paying attention to as product quality continues to improve"
May is the month when various premium domestic fruits enter the Chinese market. The market for premium domestic fruit rapidly expanded in the last few years. This development has attracted attention from far and wide. Xinjiang sugar plums Guangdong Excellent Fruit Agricultural Investment Co., Ltd. manages…

Christophe Ochs, Albafruit – The new harvest is already available
"The Moroccan origin gives the grapes a real freshness advantage!"
The Albafruit company is starting its 16th campaign of Moroccan grapes. A season that this year looks promising both in terms of volume and quality: "The good weather and the last few days of heat have helped increase the sugar content of the grapes. We are hoping for a good harvest", reports Christophe…
Ecuador is the second destination market for Chilean fruits in Latin America
Trade Integration Agreement between Chile and Ecuador enters into force
The Undersecretary of International Economic Relations, Jose Miguel Ahumada, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Daniel Legarda, announced that the ACE 75 Trade…
The price increase is a foregone conclusion
China‘s apple production is expected to drop by about 30% in 2022
On May 11, strong convective weather occurred in many apple-producing areas in Gansu, and some areas experienced heavy rainfall and hail. In addition, apple-producing areas in…

Mexican table grape industry challenged to ship 25 million boxes in 10 weeks
Table grape harvest in Northern Mexico has started, in Hermosillo and Guaymas in the state of Sonora. The first grapes crossed the border with Nogales, AZ ten days ago, on May 9. The start date is similar to last year, but it is a few days later than the average start of May 5. “The great majority of…

Melons Australia announces seamless data flow in the traceability of seedless watermelons
Melons Australia has successfully demonstrated a pilot of how to overcome the hurdle of transferring data from whole fruit to cut pieces in the supermarket. The peak industry body says the project is aimed to maximise consumer engagement with the farmer while boosting confidence in the freshness and food…

USDA
Chile: Fresh deciduous fruit semi-annualChilean table grape production projected to increase by 15.2 percent in MY2021/22
In MY2021/22, experts have projected that Chilean table grape production will increase by 15.2 percent, totaling 760,000 MT. Exports will increase by 14.2 percent, totaling 600,000 metric tons. For MY2021/22, the estimated apple production stands at 1,036,000 MT a 4.8 percent decrease from MY2020/21 on…

Turkey will have more volumes available for export than last season
“Harvest of the early cherry varieties has already started”
The cherry season in Turkey has started and producers estimate an increase in volumes of about 10 to 15% this year. Due to the war in Ukraine, Turkish producers might have to divert to other European markets to export their cherries to. According to Banu Er, the general manager for Turkish agent and…
Herbs more »
Ira Gonen, Bless S.R. Ltd:
“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…
Agenda more »

Thursday, May 26
Gearing up for 2022 US apple season at Apple Quality Summit
Hazel Technologies Inc. announces open registration for its 2nd annual Apple Quality Summit next week. The one-hour event will be held on Thursday May 26th and feature presentations focused on preparing the U.S. apple industry for the 2022 season. Speakers will include Dr. Desmond O’Rourke, founder and…
Citrus more »
The event will be held in person on June 21 and 22 in Alicante and on June 23 in a 100% online session
More than 40 expert speakers to present the latest developments at Citrus Forum
The technical program of the 1st International Citrus Forum CITRUS FORUM is going to feature more than 40 expert speakers. The event will take place on June 21 and 22, 2022 at…
Organic more »

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…
Health more »

Pineapple extract may help treat Alzheimer's disease
An extract derived from pineapple stem may potentially improve the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease generally characterized by…
IT more »

Will Artificial Intelligence and robotics usher in an era of sustainable precision agriculture?
Across midwestern farms, if Girish Chowdhary has his way, farmers will someday release beagle-sized robots into their fields like a pack of hounds flushing pheasant. The…
Innovations more »

Moisture control technology launches to extend shelf life of produce
SAVRpak, a food technology innovation company, announced the launch of SAVRpak Drop-In, a moisture control technology that extends the shelf life and freshness of produce up to four times. It does this by eradicating the number one cause of premature molding, wilting, and spoilage of peel-less and…
Processed fruit and vegetables more »

Connecting greens to the zodiac for National Salad Month
Dole Food Company Inc. has added another selection criteria to the 12 recipes featured during its “Healthier by Dole” recipe series in May. The alignment of the stars. In honor of National Salad Month in May, and in the spirit of encouraging more Americans to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables on the…
Cooling more »

New cargo and bus maintenance facilities will create 100 jobs at Erbil International Airport
dnata boosts Erbil operations with over US$ 17 million invested in advanced facilities
dnata, a leading a global air and travel services provider, has announced a significant expansion of its operations in Erbil, Iraq. The company opened a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility for its state-of-the-art bussing fleets at Erbil International Airport (EBL), which…
Food safety more »
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
FSSAI destroys 14.7 tons of artificially ripened fruits in Coimbatore
During spot checks conducted in fruit stalls in Coimbatore on Wednesday, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) seized and destroyed 14.7 tons of…
Nuts and dried fruits more »

USDA
2022 California almond forecastInitial subjective forecast for 2022 production at 2.80 billion pounds
The initial subjective forecast for the 2022 California almond production is 2.80 billion pounds. Forecasted production is 4% below last year's production of 2.92 billion pounds. Forecasted bearing acreage for 2022 is a record high of 1,370,000. Forecasted yield is 2,040 pounds per acre, 8% lower than…
Packaging and Labelling more »

SSG Market
South Korea introduces "One a Day Banana" approachSmarter banana packaging means fruits are staggered by ripeness level
Bananas were none too common until recently in South Korea, as the nation doesn't have the climate to grow them. It wasn't until shipping links were set up with a Dole plantation in the Philippines that the fruit started to show up in Korean supermarkets. However, Korean companies have invented packaging…
Climate more »

Food prices to go up more if 'triple-dip' La Niña creates more chaos
The price of food hasn't been this high in Australia since the last time the nation had back-to-back La Niña weather systems. This happened a decade ago, but now there's a chance the country could be in for a rare "triple-dip" La Niña. That would mean a continuation of the devastating weather that has…
Retail more »

Dreamstime
Amazon prepares to open its first Amazon Fresh supermarkets in New York and New JerseyTarget: Q1 sales rise as earnings fall
Amazon Fresh to enter New York, New JerseyAmazon is getting ready to open its first Amazon Fresh supermarkets in New York and New Jersey. Seattle-based Amazon said that it will begin hiring for Amazon Fresh stores in Paramus, New Jersey, and Oceanside, New York. The e-tail giant reported that it aims to…