UK: Sainsbury's CEO among business leaders recognized in new year honours. Simon Roberts, who has been chief executive of the UK's second largest supermarket since 2020, has been awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to the retail industry.
Source: theguardian.com read more

France has announced plans to suspend imports of certain fruits that have been found to contain residues of pesticides prohibited within the European Union. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated that a decree will be issued to block the entry of the affected produce, with the measure aimed at protecting consumers. read more

By week 51, Peru closed the season with total blueberry exports of 326,117 tons, up 19 per cent year on year and closely aligned with the revised December projection. This outcome confirms Peru's position as the leading global blueberry supplier and consolidates a high-volume export window. read more

This month, FreshPlaza will be focusing on bananas. Are you a grower, importer, or supplier of citrus? If so, we would love to hear from you. You can send us some information, or we can call you for an interview. Just let us know. You can contact info@freshplaza.com. read more

The ruling National Conference in India has urged the central government to reconsider its decision to allow apple imports from New Zealand under a new trade agreement, citing potential risks for domestic producers in Jammu and Kashmir. Party spokesperson Imran Nabi issued a statement on Thursday regarding this matter. read more

"The European Union sometimes appears to be influenced by conflicting instincts: initially, they announced a ban on combustion engines by 2035, but then recently made a partial reversal. However, in the interim, car manufacturers have made significant advancements in certain areas. Will a similar shift occur now with the ban on plastic?" read more

W styczniu do października 2025 roku Azerbejdżan importował 2539 ton kiwi o wartości 1,89 miliona dolarów według Komitetu Statystycznego. Oznacza to spadek rok do roku o 12% pod względem objętości i o 10% pod względem wartości. W tym okresie większość importowanych kiwi pochodziła z... read more

Jakub Krawczyk, export manager for Polish apple exporter Appolonia, mentions that the current demand for apples in Europe is still low. He also notes a slight slowdown in the movement of apples in India. According to him, the demand has remained mostly consistent lately, with orders from local supermarkets still relatively stable. read more

According to the State Statistics Committee, from January to October 2025, Azerbaijan exported 8,455 tonnes of fresh grapes worth USD 8.6 million. This represented a 76% increase in value and a 70% increase in volume compared to the previous year. Russia continued to be the main market, importing 6,630 tonnes valued at USD 6.9 million, showing a 51% increase. read more

Długo znane jest, że Włochy są jednym z głównych producentów kasztanów, eksportujących swój produkt do Stanów Zjednoczonych. Jednak Chiny również zwiększają produkcję tego orzecha. „To stamtąd głównie importujemy kasztany” - mówi Eyal Nahoumovich z Gaia Produce. „Chiny stały się głównym producentem kasztanów. Chińska produkcja kasztanów rośnie.” read more

Vietnam's fruit and vegetable exports continued to grow in 2025, reaching a total export revenue estimated at US$8.0 to US$8.4 billion, as reported by the Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association (VINAFRUIT). This marks an 18% increase from 2024. If current trends persist, read more

Tunisia has opened the export season for Maltese oranges to France with a first shipment of 200 tons sent to the port of Marseille. The early start aims to prolong the export period and strengthen the position of Tunisian citrus in the French market. According to Imed Bey, president of the. read more

Według dyrektora sprzedaży Greenvic, Juana Pablo Mozo, obecny sezon eksportu świeżych owoców z Chile rozpoczął się w sytuacji bardziej selektywnych destynacji, dostosowań w okresach marketingowych i wyraźnego zaangażowania w nowe odmiany. "Choć Chiny są nadal głównym miejscem docelowym, mamy" read more

Produkcja owoców w Turcji spadła o ponad 30% w 2025 roku, według danych Instytutu Statystycznego Turcji (TurkStat). Spadek ten nastąpił po sezonie, który charakteryzował się rozległymi przymrozkami w kwietniu i długotrwałymi warunkami suszy w wielu regionach produkcyjnych. TurkStat podał, że ogólna uprawa read more

"W roku 2026 firma nasienne Known-You Seed będzie dążyć do wzmocnienia swojej obecności w Europie," informuje Brian Liang, zastępca dyrektora generalnego Known-You Seed Europe B.V. "Nasze główne uprawy to cucurbits i solanaceae, czyli arbuz, melony, dynie i pomidory koktajlowe - wszystkie wysokoprodukcyjne." read more

To jest ten czas w roku, kiedy branża owoców i warzyw udaje się do Berlina na targi Fruit Logistica. Wydarzenie odbędzie się w dniach 4-6 lutego w Messe w Berlinie. Podobnie jak w poprzednich latach, FreshPlaza będzie prowadzić specjalny dział przed wydarzeniem, aby wyróżnić firmy, które będą obecne. read more

"The Chilean cherry season started 7 to 10 days earlier than usual, depending on the region and variety, with volumes significantly lower than the record 125 million boxes exported last year. This season, the focus was on avoiding forcing fruit that didn't meet quality standards, especially for…" read more

Starship robots become Santa's little helpers for Christmas deliveries in Lapland. In the town of Rovaniemi in Lapland, which is considered the official home of Santa Claus, customers are receiving their last-minute Christmas shopping from delivery robots dressed as elves and reindeer. read more

The 2025 garlic season in Spain has concluded with a 9% growth, a notable achievement considering the weather challenges and pressures from foreign markets. However, there were also warning signs during the season: hail led to a decrease in product size and increased losses. Sector analyses predict a price decline for 2026 in Castile-La. read more

The IQF fruit market continues to show resilience, driven by limited supply and ongoing demand across various categories. Berries, especially strawberries, are the main factor contributing to the current market strength. Strawberry volumes differ by origin, with Mexico facing supply shortages, Peru advancing as usual, and... read more