The Dutch Seed Potato and Seeds General Inspection Service (NAK) recently announced that in 2023, 38,776 hectares of seed potato acreage were registered for inspection. That is six percent less than the previous year. Acreage in Germany and France is shrinking, too. That brings about an
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The Australian Government has issued QUT a licence to commercially release QCAV-4, a genetically modified (GM) variety of Cavendish banana designed to help save the world’s Cavendish banana production. read more

Almost 3.4 million hectares of land were planted to fruit in the EU in 2017, representing 1.9 % of all utilised agricultural land. Nut orchards accounted for one third (33.8 %) of the total area of fruit, pome fruit orchards (apples and pears) a further one fifth (19.2 %) of the total, stone
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After much consideration and deliberation, the Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association’s board of directors has decided to close the association. read more

The South African Table Grape Industry (Sati) body said their season is expected to end earlier than last year, which concluded in Week 14. By Week six the SA table grape industry had passed the three-quarter mark of its packing season, with 78% (59.5 million cartons) of its estimated volumes
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An Ecuadorian delegation is set to head to Russia to address challenges concerning banana exports, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry announced. The mission aims to tackle phytosanitary issues flagged six months prior, affecting the trade flow of bananas to Russia. read more

Drewry’s World Container Index dropped by 1% to $3,733 per 40ft container this week. read more

The Philippines has made a significant move to double the import volume of chipping potatoes to 60,000 tons under the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) scheme, aiming to bolster the local snack manufacturing sector with a reduced tariff. This adjustment is in response to the escalating demand for
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The Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of Tammy Dawson–Doughty as the new Head of UK Fresh Produce Network (UK FPN). Joining the team in late 2023, Tammy brings a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and dedication to the growth and development of agrifood businesses in
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In Europe, the farmer protests may have pushed the campaign somewhat into the background, but from February 1st to 7th, Flanders once again celebrated the Week of the Belgian Chicory. That is when this 'Belgian glory' is highlighted, yet it provided much food for thought, says Charles Cattoir of
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The export of Polish apples picked up again in the new year, after a slow period at the end of last year. According to Karol Osior, Export Manager of Polish apple exporter Fruit Active Sp. z o.o., demand is on a good level right now: “After the demand slowed down at the end of 2023, at the
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The world's leader in cherry production and exports, Chile, has overcome early spring rains at the start of the season to reach their second biggest export crop of just over 415,000 tons. They also exported their second biggest crop to China, reaching more than 376,000 tons. The Chinese New Year
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According to EastFruit, Egypt is expanding its export markets for vegetables and fruits, and Brazil is one of the most promising destinations. In 2023, Egyptian exporters doubled their shipments of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables to Brazil and gained a strong foothold for some products. read more

International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) held its annual Executive Leadership Summit (ELS) in Berlin on February 6. The invitation-only event, held in conjunction with Fruit Logistica, welcomed more than 120 executive leadership from 24 countries to discuss the major issues facing the
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The Chinese New Year (CNY) is synonymous with bright red cherries from Chile, with the second biggest export number of this sought after fruit sent to this Asian nation this year. According to Andy Xie, an importer from the company Junli based in Shanghai, China, the pricing was higher just
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With the Florida-grown Juicy Crunch Craft Cultivated Tangerines selling out a fifth year in a row, the tangerine’s harvest is ending early. The fruit was ready early this season and, facing other Hurricane Ian hangover challenges, the tangerine still had the highest brix of any full-grown
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LC Packaging has received the predicate ‘Royal’ in honour of its 100th anniversary. On the 4th of December 2023, the designation Royal was granted to LC Packaging by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands. This privilege is reserved for a very select group of Dutch
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The Fruit Logistica fruit and vegetable industry show, which took place from 7 to 9 February, recorded growth in terms of visitors, exhibitors and exhibition space. The trade fair was also more international than ever according to the organisers. read more

The protests in France and Belgium have now spilled over to Spain. "In the past 24 hours, protesting Spaniards have repeatedly pulled over trucks from Morocco and Senegal. These activists then drive these to local depots, where they switch off the refrigeration and leave the doors open. Then, if
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Valentine's Day has come and gone. Around this time, thoughts might typically turn towards champagne and strawberries, or perhaps even tomatoes. However, a quintessential Belgian vegetable, chicory (witloof), might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, BelOrta sees a natural connection
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