South Africa citrus on its way to the U.S. despite uncertainties around tariffs

South Africa's citrus season started off slower than usual. However, harvest picked up about three weeks ago and is in full swing now. "We are packing…

Flame Seedless grape crossings from Mexico reach lowest point in recent history

Mexico's Sonora table grape season started later than originally expected and just a few weeks into harvest, the season was interrupted by weather…

U.S. tariffs impacting garlic shipments

Following a challenging 2024-2025 season for supplying garlic due to weather issues that impacted most garlic-growing regions, the 2025-2026 season is…

Almond processor closing Sacramento plant

Sacramento-based Blue Diamond Growers is set to phase out its historic Midtown processing plant, transferring core almond operations to Turlock and Salida…

Peru shifts blueberries to China over U.S. tariffs

In Peru, amid the arid expanse of the Pisco Desert, blueberry bushes stand out notably, adapting through genetic advancements. Traditional varieties required…

Aingeru García San Martín, APPBOSA:

Drop in volume and water shortage affect Peru's organic banana sector, but prices remain stable

"In the last six months, banana production has experienced a 40-45% drop, affecting all cooperatives and exporters. This is mainly due to poor water…

David Murdock, Dole's former owner and CEO, passes

Dole Food Company has announced the passing of its former owner, Chairman, and CEO, David H. Murdock, on June 9 at the age of 102. The company paid…

U.S. pistachio exports down 21 percent year-over-year in April

Data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) on June 5 indicate that U.S. pistachio exports amounted to 19.9k metric tons (mt) in April 2025.…

California producers ask the USDA to reactivate Mexican avocado inspections due to pest risk

California's Avocado Commission (CAC) has asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to resume inspections of orchards and packing plants in…

South African macadamia growers face U.S. tariff threat

Gene Likhanya's South African macadamia nut enterprise, originating from personal savings and evolving over two decades in Madimbo valley, is currently…

Seasonal perishable products weekly update:

Slow asparagus movement from Mexico

Produce movement across the U.S. remains mixed this week, with seasonal shifts and pricing fluctuations impacting trade activity. Below is a concise breakdown…

Enoki mushrooms recalled nationwide over listeria risk

Hofood99 Inc., based in Brooklyn, New York, has issued a nationwide recall of its 200-gram packages of enoki mushrooms due to potential contamination with…

Fresh-cut fruit demand drives new launches

In the U.S. market, the nexus of consumer interest in convenience and health alongside retailers' demand for labor-efficient solutions sustains a robust need…

"we put the whole fruit in"

16 fruits and vegetables power new skincare line

We used to talk about feeding the world when we discussed the increasing need for greenhouse vegetables, but now… let's talk about feeding your face.…

U.S. potato exports down 4%

From July 2024 through March 2025, U.S. potato exports displayed varied performance across categories. According to U.S. Department of Commerce data, exports of frozen potatoes rose…

Rain brings canker risk to Florida citrus groves

Recent rains offered relief to Florida, yet pose potential challenges for citrus production. Chris Oswalt from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and…

Workers end Panama strike over pension dispute

Panamanian workers of US-based Chiquita Brands reached an agreement to conclude protests and roadblocks after negotiations in a pension dispute leading to mass…

Nelson Cordero Arévalo, Comercializadora y Exportadora NCA:

Chilean garlic is on the rise due to Mexico's deficit, but China's supply is putting pressure on prices

Chile's last garlic season, which runs from the end of October to mid-February, ended with positive results. The 2024-2025 season exceeded expectations…

Candice Landsberg - First Technology

Future-proofing the fresh produce chain

Agriculture has entered a period of rapid digital transformation, a journey for which the fresh produce chain has no better partner than First…

Lleida is already harvesting all species except the platerina

"Stone fruit demand is slightly outstripping supply"

The stone fruit season is already well underway in the Spanish province of Lleida. Apricots arrived more than two weeks ago, and nectarines, peaches,…

Erik Vernooij, De Kersenhut:

"The key to growing cherry sales lies in better early-season varieties"

At the fruit company of Theo and Erik Vernooij in Cothen, the new Dutch cherry season has begun. "The trees aren't as heavily laden as they could be,…

Due to drought, several medicinal and aromatic plants are disappearing from the Moroccan market

The prices of many medicinal and aromatic plants have skyrocketed in Morocco, while several others are virtually impossible to find on the market,…

"Between 70 and 80 per cent of the Turkish cherries have been damaged this season"

It's difficult to find positives for the challenging Turkish cherry season, as losses are huge, says Alper Kerim, owner of Turkish fruit exporter Demir…

Favorable prospects for the table grapes of Corinth

“Two more rainfalls and everything will be alright”

The table grape growing season has developed exceptionally well so far for the growers of Corinth, one of the most important regions for this crop in…

Clayton Hiskins - BeeHero

"We can also build data to generate a pattern of how often the bees visit certain areas"

Growers need bees to pollinate crops, but how do they know how effective the process has been, or how different aspects, such as how the climatic…

Organic grower Hugo Jacobs: "Early season and good-sized organic cherries"

Kick-off Bioweek: Flemish organic acreage exceeds 10,000 hectares for the first time

Last Saturday, 7 July, Bioweek in Flanders kicked off at Hugo Jacobs' organic farm. Flemish Agriculture Minister Jo Brouns officially opened Bioweek at…

Emilie Bardin, Prince de Bretagne

French broccoli season starts a little early this year

Prince de Bretagne, which produces 80% of France's broccoli, reports on the start of the season and consumption of this summer/autumn cabbage. Early production…

40 years of EU membership pay off for Spain's fresh produce sector

Spain officially joined the European Economic Community (EEC) on 1 January 1986 after signing the Accession Treaty on 12 June 1985. In that first year of…

Dominican senator proposes suspending garlic imports for three months

Senator Rogelio Genao asked Dominican President Luis Abinader to suspend garlic imports during August, September, and October to ensure the placement of the…

Vietnam produce exports face SPS hurdles

Agricultural exports in Vietnam face increasingly strict technical barriers, necessitating proactive adaptation in areas such as growing, processing, and…

Turkey hazelnut forecast disputed amid frost

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) has released its 2025/26 hazelnut production forecast, estimating 520,000 tons. This contrasts with a 609,400-ton…

Vietnam’s durian exports hit by sharp decline and quality control issues

Vietnam's booming durian export sector is facing a major downturn, with export revenues plummeting in early 2025. Speaking at the June 10 "Sustainable…

Crocus Labs' Dr. Prashanth Makaram:

“Our system is designed to integrate with virtually any existing multi-channel lighting setup"

Crocus Labs has developed a lighting control system that turns existing multichannel LED setups into adaptive lighting platforms. The Berlin-based…

Kazakhstan denies Russian accusations over virus in tomato shipments

A shipment of 46 tons of tomatoes from Kazakhstan's Green Capital company, based in Aktobe, was returned by Russian authorities in late May 2025 over suspected…