As growers face increasing pressure to reduce chemical use, the future of fruit farming may depend on the integration of biodiversity and organic practices. David Butler, a commercial fruit grower from Kent, conducted a global study as part of his Nuffield Farming Scholarship to explore methods that read more

"Just plug it in and let it grow" – that's the slogan of the Viennese start-up omni.farm. The device, also named omni.farm, is designed to produce two to three kilos of fresh vegetables and herbs within two to eight weeks, depending on the type. And all of this without needing a "green thumb". read more

Central Plains Group (CPG), located in the Lviv region of Ukraine, has started its agricultural cycle for 2025, as announced on their Facebook page. On March 27, CPG began planting potatoes. The company stated, "The potato planting season has begun at CPG." read more

The flowering of pear trees in Lleida, the largest pear-producing region in Spain, began less than a week ago, and the production prospects are far better than last year's. "The province is one of the latest areas in Spain for pear blossom, and flowers didn't start to appear until 4-5 days ago." read more

Ecuadorian banana exporter Frutadeli S.A. has filed for bankruptcy against the Russian wholesale fruit supplier Troya Import. The claim was submitted to the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region on March 30, due to an outstanding debt of $749,000 owed by the Russian company. read more

Yesterday, Frutura announced the acquisition of Montana Fruits, a company based in Colombia that is a major local packer, shipper, and marketer of avocados sourced from growers across the country. This move is aimed at strengthening Frutura's presence in Latin America. read more

Snackables carrots were introduced to the market in 2018 and have seen strong year-on-year growth since then. "Our customers love the crunch and the sweet carrot flavor. We are finding more and more consumers are looking for healthy, tasty, easy snacking options," said Ben Meadows, Category Manager. read more

"Our farm is located just a stone's throw away from the Mediterranean coast, on fertile, sun-kissed land. Vegetables with an authentic flavor flourish here, benefiting from the proximity of the sea," explains Giorgio Licitra, manager of Marina Iblea, a consortium that cultivates high-quality produce with added value. read more

"Based on forecasts made on March 1st, 2025, French leek production is expected to reach 159,100 tons for the entire 2024-2025 marketing year, which is 16,300 tons less than the previous year. In February 2025, prices were 5% higher compared to the 2023-2024 season and 15% higher than the average prices from 2020-2024." read more

The beginning of the Dutch Asian vegetable growing season has arrived at the perfect time this year for Asian Crop, located in Velden, Limburg. The cultivation and trading company typically obtains its Asian leafy vegetables in winter from Spain, where they are cultivated near Valencia. However, this year,... read more

"The marketing season for Indian grapes has started off much better than last year," says Corné van de Klundert of Origin Fruit Group. "There was significant rainfall in India at the beginning of the season, leading to lower production per hectare. The local Indian market demands its usual quality standards." read more

A plentiful crop of California strawberries has just arrived at California Giant Berry Farms, with the company reporting strong levels of its key product. The high yields of top-quality fruit from the berry supplier guarantee peak promotional volumes of California strawberries throughout the season. read more

The apple and pear contact group, consisting of producers, marketers, sector representatives, and government officials from France, Italy, and Spain, will convene on April 2 and 3 in Avignon, France. The group will discuss the progress of the season and analyze the market in France, Italy, and Spain. read more

Tympaki and Messara, located on the southern coast of Crete, are the two oldest melon-growing regions in Greece. Typically, these regions see the first melon harvests in April. However, this year has been different. "The weather conditions were a bit colder than usual and unfavorable." read more

The dry fruits and nuts industry faces challenges such as price fluctuations, reliance on imports, and complexities in the supply chain. The Nuts & Dry Fruits Council of India (NDFC) is working to bring together the sector, tackling issues related to exports, imports, quality standards, unstable pricing, branding constraints, and more. read more

Since 2019, Hishtil has been producing grafted grapevine liners using the Green Grafting method for wine and table grape vineyards across Israel. "Following three years of commercial harvests from these plantings and the establishment of thousands more vineyard acres in all major growing areas." read more

The first Swiss harvest of heated asparagus took place at the end of week 12, which is approximately consistent with the timing of last year. "We currently have a slightly greater quantity available at the beginning of the season compared to last year," says Fabian Kummer from Schmitterhof in northeastern Switzerland, where approximately four hectares of asparagus are grown. read more

South Africa is planning to increase its avocado exports to China after the market was recently opened. In 2024, a 40ft container carrying 21 tons of avocados has already been sent to China. This shipment represents only 0.03% of South Africa's total avocado exports, which amount to 81,012 tons. Derek Donkin, the CEO of the company, is optimistic about the prospects of expanding avocado exports to China. read more

HAK Fresh has gained popularity in the Netherlands after acquiring vanRijsingenfreshservice's operations. The company has been involved in the freshly cut vegetables sector for the food industry and food service for a long time. They have expanded their offerings by including fresh, grilled, and roasted vegetables. read more

"Over the past three to four weeks, the pear market has completely turned around," says Christophe Van Haelst of VHM Fruit Trade. "After Berlin, stock figures were released showing that there was 1 percent less volume in the Netherlands than last year. That's a positive sign in itself, but..." read more