"Price must be understood as an entire management process"

What to do in times of increasing price sensitivity? Prof. Dr. Martin Fassnacht, Director of the Chair of Strategy and Marketing at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management, presented his ideas on this topic during a lecture on "Herausforderndes makroökonomisches Umfeld: Was ist zu tun?"("Challenging…

Solidus appoints Jesse Rep as Head of Sustainability

Solidus, a company specialised in fibre-based packaging solutions in Europe, has appointed Jesse Rep as Head of Sustainability. The appointment coincides with the launch of…

Restrain appoints Dr. Benedikt Cramer as new Managing Director

Restrain, a provider of ethylene-based sprout control solutions, has announced the appointment of Dr. Benedikt Cramer as its new Managing Director. The current MD Dirk Garos…

Raquel Aguado appointed as director at Fedemco

The Spanish Federation of Wooden Light Weight Packaging and their Components, Fedemco , has announced the addition of Raquel Aguado Muñoz as director to its team. Aguado is an…

“To what extent can we trust the authenticity of our fruit?”

Identifying fraudulent activities in agricultural markets is becoming a significant challenge, according to Vincenzo Salento, a consultant on the Italian market for WikiFarmer: “Practices that damage small and medium-scale farmers and buyers, such as origin mislabelling of fruit, mainly benefit the…

The World Avocado Organization triples its support to the retail sector

The World Avocado Organization (WAO) has ended its 30th collaboration with distributors, establishing agreements with renowned supermarkets in 12 countries, and more than…

Belgian, French potato sectors sign new 2023-2026 Robust Organic Potatoes' Convenant

Earlier this week, the Belgian and French organic potato sectors signed the new 'Covenant on robust organic potatoes 2023 - 2026'. That happened at the international Potato Europe trade show in Belgium in the presence of that country's federal agriculture minister, David Clarinval. It is the first time France is also signing such a deal. The first Belgian agreement began…

UK: Horticulture and Potatoes Board strive for diverse representation

At the beginning of the year, the NFU Council approved a series of reforms, including several aimed at improving member representation in the policy-making process. At the outset, the Council recognized the critical role of the sector boards and the importance of ensuring that members continue to have the…

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Workforce shortages worsen and grower sentiment plummets one year on from Jobs & Skills Summit

One year after the Federal Government’s Jobs and Skills Summit, the crippling workforce shortages facing Australian vegetable growers have only worsened, and many growers are now reconsidering their future as vegetable producers. An alarming sentiment survey conducted by AUSVEG, the vegetable peak…

Victorian celery farm underpaid migrants more than $91,000

The Fair Work Ombudsman has commenced legal action against one of Australia’s largest celery producers, alleging it underpaid three visa holders $91,907 across one year.…

Abrafrutas defends the restructuring and competition for Agricultural Auditors

On the afternoon of this past Thursday, the 24th, the president of the Brazilian Association of Exporters of Fruits and Derivatives, Guilherme Coelho, participated in a public…

‘Delays to new border checks are causing huge uncertainty’

Labour has written to the UK government demanding clarity on the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), the plan for bringing in remaining post-Brexit controls. A draft of the…

Climate and Drosophila Suzukii: the cherry industry meets with Marc Fesneau

Given the emergency facing the cherry sector - unfavorable weather and pests - the FNPFruits along with the PDO Cerises de Table, Cerises d'Industrie, and the inter-professional association for the Bigarreau d'industrie (ANIBI) have asked the Minister of Agriculture for rapid solutions: financial…

Sun World strengthens and expands Global Licensing Team

In support of a growing portfolio of premium fruit varieties and licensed producers, Sun World International LLC announces the appointment of two global licensing directors to…

Australian experts claim more money or time needed to complete water buybacks

Experts have warned that the Albanese government will face a tougher time buying back water to fulfil the Murray-Darling Basin plan. This is due to increased corporatisation,…

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How Mexico’s horticultural export sector responded to the Food Safety Modernization Act

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)—officially named the “FDA Food Safety Modernization Act”—was designed to improve the capacity to prevent food safety problems and detect and respond to such problems, as well as to improve the safety of imported food. Among its many provisions, FSMA gave the U.S.…

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US: Farmer funding opportunities database launched

Community Alliance with Family Farmers has launched a new Farmer Funding Opportunities Database, available online in English and Spanish. The database offers listings for grant programs and cost-share opportunities for farmers and local food systems. Searchable listings allow users to see when grants are…

"Global blueberry industry faces significantly disrupted year"

The global blueberry industry, which has become accustomed to stellar growth in nearly all key measures over the years, was somewhat surprised as the average global yield fell for the first time since 2016. The industry also faces "a significantly disrupted year with markets under pressure due to…

Brisbane remembers Mike Ahern

It is with great sadness that we advise the Markets community of the passing of Former Queensland Premier and Treasurer, and inaugural Brisbane Markets Limited (BML) Director, Michael Ahern AO. He…

'Changes to Pacific Islander Labour Mobility scheme lack seasonal flexibility'

Australian representatives of the domestic horticulture industry warn that changes to the Pacific Islander Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme in Australia could decrease the…

Kettle Produce must seek planning permission to expand seasonal worker's accommodation

Kettle Produce, owners of Balmalcolm Farm in Cupar, have submitted a retrospective planning application to put five caravans on a portion of ground to house its workers.…

PM Sunak's proposed visa fee hike sparks protests

The UK government's proposed increase in visa fees for migrant workers is being criticized by various business groups. PM Rishi Sunak had announced plans to raise the levies,…

Jimmy Russo appointed as new president of UK's Lea Valley Growers’ Association

The members & Executive Committee of the Lea Valley Growers’ Association have announced the appointment of Jimmy Russo as the Associations next president. Jimmy brings to the…

India and UAE sign MoUs to internationalize use of the rupee

Last weekend, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Bank of United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) signed two memorandums of understanding. The first MoU was for establishing…

Albanese government will invest $2.8 mln to bolster biosecurity capability

Northern Australia will get another line of defence in the fight against plant pest and diseases, with more federal support for biosecurity in the region. The Albanese…

ToBRFV and tomato imports to Germany: quantifying the correlation

When you see it, it’s too late. There’s no treatment available and no solution to stop its spread. And despite all the efforts, there are no varieties available yet with suitable resistances. No wonder ToBRFV, the rugose virus, has caused a lot of turmoil in the tomato world. In November 2018, the first…

Spain installs working group to boost the desalination plant of La Axarquía

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Carmen Crespo, "the technical working group of the desalination plant of the Axarquía is meeting today to diligently promote this infrastructure of state competence." Crespo said that these water resources are "fundamental…

Aussie regions spur projected $4B hike in horticulture sector, new report shows

The Australian fruit, vegetable, nut, turf, and nursery industries are projected to surge by up to 22.5 percent in combined value by 2030, increasing $4B to reach $21.8B, according to data released today.Commissioned by Hort Innovation, the Contribution of Australian horticulture industry report…

Eskom returns generating units to service, hoping to ease load shedding

Following the return to service of at least six generating units at power stations, Eskom expects to implement Stage 1 and Stage 3 load shedding until further notice.…

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Fight against papaya mealybug stepped up in Kenya

In Kenya, the fight against the devastating papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) is being stepped up. Papaya mealybug is a serious pest, originating in Central America. It spread to the Caribbean and South America in the 1990s. The pest was first detected in Africa in 2010 in Ghana and in Mombasa…

French fruit on sale on the wholesale market and large quantities of Spanish products

Peaches and Apricots of France and FNPFruits have contacted the Union of Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers (UNGCFL) to “organize an urgent meeting and find solutions.” “The market of summer fruit and vegetables is very complicated at the moment. Many products have been in crisis for the past ten days, as…

Italy defends the importance of fruit and vegetable packaging in Brussels

In response to the proposed Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR), Pro Food felt it was time to ensure that all politicians in the European Parliament and the Commission understood that packaging should not be criticized, but on the contrary, appreciated, since it prevents food waste.…

Canadian Ministers thank all parties for their commitment to end the strike

On 13 July, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan Jr., Minister of Labour, and the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, issued the following statement regarding the…

Vermont governor Scott requests Secretarial Disaster Designation from USDA in response to severe flooding

Governor Phil Scott has requested that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issue a disaster designation for the State of Vermont in response to severe July…

Ann Celen appointed as CEO of Special Fruit

Ann Celen has taken over as the new CEO of Special Fruit. The board of the company announced that Bert Barmans has decided to leave the organisation. Celen brings a wealth of…

APHIS removes the Mexican Fruit Fly quarantine in Valley Center, San Diego County, California

On July 1, 2023, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) removed the Mexican fruit fly…

‘Japanese authorities are watching yen moves carefully’

On Thursday, Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs Masato Kanda said that Japanese authorities were watching currency market moves carefully, in the wake of the…

Finding funding for CEA in a challenging economic environment

"What we're seeing now in the industry is not unusual. A lot of capital has come in for companies that raised a lot of money at very high valuations at a time when general markets were really strong. The only challenge that most companies yet have to be is positive unit economics. However, that makes it…

Australian federal court finds labor hire company at fault for underpaying 87 visa holders

A labor-hire company in Far North Queensland has received a court penalty of $106,430 for underpaying vulnerable visa holders working on farms. NQ Powertrain Pty Ltd admitted…

Karnataka state government revokes amendments to APMC Act

Last Friday, the Congress-led Karnataka government announced that they have decided to revoke changes made to the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) act by the…

Westfalia Fruit Group welcome new Board chairperson

Westfalia Fruit Group, the global avocado expert, is proud to announce that Dr Khotso Mokhele has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Westfalia Fruit International…

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…

Juice company fined and convicted over 2020 scalping of 18-year-old worker

A South Australian juice company has been fined $120,000 after an employee was scalped in a workplace incident. The incident occurred when the woman was instructed to clear a…

Eskom has implemented Stage 4 load shedding

Eskom has implemented Stage 4 load shedding, following increased demand and lowered generation capacity. The higher stage, implemented until 5am on Tuesday morning, will be…

"Everything is last minute, and poorly thought through," warns Nigel Jenney

The Chief Executive of the UK's Fresh Produce Consortium, Nigel Jenny, spoke to the House of Lords Horticultural Sector Committee on Thursday (6 July) urging them to heed the consortium's warnings concerning the proposed border strategy. Referencing the government's TOM (Target Operating Model), Jenney…

Reserve Bank of India's IDG wants to make the Indian rupee into a global currency

The IDG, headed by the Reserve Bank’s Executive Director Radha Shyam Ratho, wants invoicing and settling of international trade transactions in the Indian currency to increase…

New measures to prevent the spread of the ToBRFV virus in the EU will apply from September

On May 26, the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union an implementing regulation laying down measures to prevent the introduction into and spread of the tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) in the European Union and amending regulation (EU) 2020/1191. As the regulation…

Yuan firms as People's Bank of China pledges to stabilize currency

Yesterday, China's currency firmed against the dollar after the People's Bank of China offered more reassurances to markets worried by the currency's recent sharp falls. The…

New Mercosur origin articles focus on simplified rules and strengthening of trade

During the bloc’s summit meeting in Puerto Iguazú on Tuesday, the new Mercosur Origin Regime (ROM) was approved. The new text adopts international best practices, simplifies…

South African cabinet welcomes Eskom's improved energy availability

The South African cabinet has made clear it is grateful for the improvement in Eskom’s energy availability factor, which is now closer to 70%. The cabinet statement also noted…

EU seeks to allow CRISPR-Cas in future

The European Commission's new draft law for GMO plants, made public on July 5, proposes to relax regulations, which will have a significant impact on Europe's seed companies,…

Farmers continue to receive flood and storm support

More than 4,500 support payments have been processed to farmers impacted by the 2022/23 floods and storms, providing relief to primary producers across Victoria. Minister for…

French TV program attacks the HEV label

Broadcast on July 3rd on TV channel France 5, the new edition of the program Sur le Front, presented by Hugo Clément, focuses on the HEV label. It is presented as a simple “greenwashing operation” that is “partly responsible for the drop in organic consumption.” A “false debate”, according to…

South Africa’s Central Bank governor says single Africa currency is "impossible"

South Africa’s Central Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago has stated that adopting an African currency is unlikely to succeed as it is difficult to attain ‘macroeconomic…

‘Argentina insists on local currency agreements within Mercosur’

During a conference with his Mercosur peers on the opening day of the bloc's 62nd summit, Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa said that “in order to strengthen…

Eskom announces Stage 1 and 3 load shedding today and tomorrow

Due to increased failure of generation units at state power utility Eskom, daytime load shedding is expected to return. Due to improved performance at power stations, Eskom…

NFF: 1,000 reasons to give water buybacks the flick

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and its member bodies have put forward a range of alternative projects to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) plan, with the…

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva receives interim leadership of Mercosur

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will assume interim leadership of Mercosur during the 62nd Summit of Mercosur and Associated Countries, which will take place in Puerto…

Nicolas De Clercq succeeds Geert Peeters as Chief Financial Officer of Greenyard

Greenyard, a large supplier of fruit and vegetables, announced that Nicolas De Clercq will join the company as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and member of the Executive…

New Duty Reimbursement Scheme launched for businesses moving goods to Northern Ireland

A new duty reimbursement scheme has been launched for businesses sending goods from Great Britain into Northern Ireland that do not subsequently move into the EU. The scheme…

"Forward thinking, cooperation central to sustainability talks"

Belgian potato, vegetable, and fruit traders and representatives from the processing sector gathered on Tuesday, 27 June, for Fresh Trade Belgium, Belgapom, and Vegebe's annual FVPhouse event. After the general meeting, sustainable food and the agriculture and horticulture of the future were the focus of…

SA government remains focused on ending load shedding

South African Minister for Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to finding solutions to end load shedding. Ramokgopa reassured…

UK intent on easing inflation hit from planned Brexit border checks

UK officials are weighing options to blunt the cost of post-Brexit border checks on European food imports due to start in January. In particular, PM Sunak’s government has in…

“We are asking the French public authorities to work hand in hand with us”

On the 24th of April, MediTerraBio, through its president Corinne Ayme, sent an open letter to the French president. With this letter, the group of 15 organic producers from the southeast of France wished to alert the public authorities to the emergency of the situation facing a sector that is currently…