Stora Enso opened a new corrugated packaging production factory at De Lier, the Netherlands. The site is part of the recently acquired De Jong Packaging Group, now Business Unit Western Europe, in the Packaging Solutions division. The major expansion has been designed with a strong focus on
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Supplies of California strawberries are coming on strong from the Watsonville/Salinas region. “We’re ramping up to peak production, which is forecasted to arrive in early-to-mid July,” says Nick Chappell, Director of Sales for California Giant Berry Farms. “Our overall supplies of
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Following intervention from the US authorities the US West Coast Port union strike was dissipated somewhat. This is despite a cargo hold-up worth US$5.2 billion. read more

The destruction of the Kakhovska Dam in Ukraine will have a major impact on the Ukranian fruit and vegetable cultivation, says Volodymyr Gurzhiy of Ukrainian apple exporter USPA: “Big volumes of fruits and vegetables, approximately 30 per cent of the entire production, are grown in the south
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Supplies of peaches out of South Carolina are extremely limited thanks to a freeze the region saw in March. “Not all growers are picking and packing and those who are, are not doing it every day,” says Michael Blume of Keystone Fruit Marketing Inc. read more

It seems that the Russian Federation expects that an agreement for establishing a free trade zone between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union will be signed before the end of the year. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said recently: "Now, indeed, the EEU has come very close to
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As Brussels seeks strengthened economic ties with Africa, in the face of competition from China, Kenya, and the European Union have signed a trade deal to that effect. Kenyan President William Ruto presided over a ceremony in Nairobi on Monday to mark the formal conclusion of negotiations for
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Bangladesh's export earnings from mango have jumped this year as local growers are supplying an improved quality of the popular fruit through both private and public initiatives. About 1,757 tons of mango were exported by air in 2022, while 600 tons of the fruit have been shipped so far this
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After consulting with the cooperatives in the sector, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias Castilla-La Mancha has estimated that the production of apricots in the region in 2023 would decrease by 65% over the previous year. read more

A first batch of Vietnamese seedless lychees arrived in the UK late last week. This was the fourth specialty fruit of Vietnam exported via the official channel to the UK this year. The shipment was imported by TT Meridian, a distributor of Vietnamese lychees and agricultural products in the UK.
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On the 1st of June, ProNatura (part of the Organic Alliance group) organized an Open Day at the Rungis market. It was an opportunity for clients and partner producers (MédiTerraBio, DOUAR DEN and BIOBREIZH) to meet and exchange ideas, and for the company to present the merger of its two sites,
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The Summit of the International Blueberry Organization will be hosted in Poland this year, which will present an opportunity for the Polish growers, says Dominika Kozarzewska of the Polish Berry Cooperative: “This season will be unique for Polish blueberry growers, as we are hosting the Summit
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The TEG Road Transport Price Index has revealed an overall price-per-mile increase of 1% in May, despite inflation finally hitting single digits at 8.7% in the UK. The index has risen 1.2% year-on-year, and last month’s figures are at their highest for May since the index began in 2019. read more

Ahold Delhaize organized their second Food Festival in Belgrade last week. This saw Serbian fresh produce suppliers from all over the country gather. Agroberichtenbuitenland.nl reports that Delhaize Serbia is the biggest retail chain in the country and is currently employing more than 13,000
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Earlier this year, an article was published about the expansion plans of Nature Fresh Farms into the organic greenhouse strawberry category in Ohio. The company is on track to begin planting this summer, with the first harvest occurring in the Fall. The season will run from October until July,
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Fresh produce companies must be compliant with the latest government legislation when it comes to labelling their produce. In some regions, this includes providing traceability information for certain high-risk ingredients, in digital format, to allow produce to be traced back to the grower in
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Morocco continues to increase its fresh lettuce exports to France, with the volumes in the first three months of the current year reaching record high, according to EastFruit. In addition, Morocco also exported fresh lettuce to the UK for the first time after a three-year break. read more

"We are currently in the middle of the stone fruit season, working, as per our schedule, with the Metis® and Pluot® before moving on with new products, such as the blood nectarine, which fascinated some European markets both last season and this year," said Macarena García-Otero Reina, CEO of
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BASF Vegetable Seeds (Nunhems® brand) has developed the Ronvine, a new seed variety for grape tomatoes that is resistant to the Tomato Brown Rough Fruit Virus (ToBRFV). read more

Researchers from Bournemouth University recommend that health professionals and schools could encourage more healthy diets by emphasizing that eating fruit can be enjoyable. Katherine Appleton, Professor in Psychology at BU, who led the research: “We know that people in the UK, especially
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