International tomato specialist RedStar has appointed CFO Peter Kalden as CEO, effective November 1. He thereby succeeds Henri Lambriex, who takes his seat on the STAK. In addition, Koen van Hartevelt has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer. Van Hartevelt comes from growers' cooperative
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There is a new project, set up by a consortium of sector groups and experts, to help potato growers fine-tune storage practices. UK growers are being encouraged to sign up to the project, which is based on the Strategic Potato (SPot) Farms model run by AHDB Potatoes, prior to its demise. It has
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The updated forecast for the 2023–24 orange crop in Brazil’s citrus belt is 307.22 million boxes of 40.8 kilograms each. That’s a reduction of 2.12 million boxes, or 0.7%, from the September forecast of 309.34 million boxes. The update was issued Dec. 11 by Fundecitrus in cooperation with
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According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, vegetable harvest in Ukraine reached nearly 29 million tons. The sufficiency for the next season hinges on storage conditions. read more

Earlier this week, Hungary's Minister of Agriculture stated that Ukraine's accession to the European Union would compromise the livelihood of producers of other member states as ‘European farmers cannot compete with Ukrainian estates of hundreds of thousands of hectares owned by Western
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In November, Novorossiysk monitored 119,000 tons of imported goods for potentially harmful organisms, as reported by the Department of Rosselkhoznadzor. The imported fruits and vegetables originated from 52 countries, with Egypt, Turkey, China, and Israel being the main exporters. read more

The European Commission has confirmed the first interception of a shipment of pomegranates with false moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta). The shipment originated from Morocco, a third country that -up until now- was considered a free zone of this quarantine plague. AVA-ASAJA expressed its "extreme
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"It's not an easy year for South African mangoes," remarks a retail buyer after what has been called a 'mini-tornado' tore down the Blyde River Valley, border Mpumalanga/Limpopo, blowing off scores of mangoes from trees on Friday evening. read more

The supply of potatoes across the country is ample and promotions are increasingly being put in place to move them. “We’re in a different kind of year than the last few years in that we have an excess of supply,” says Rachel Atkinson-Leach, vice president, brand & category excellence
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On 7 December an important research forum took place hosted jointly by Avocados Australia (AAL) and the Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA) at the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Redlands Research Facility in Cleveland, Queensland. The event brought together professionals with the
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Producers, technical advisors and market operators will be among the nearly 120 participants who are expected to attend the French Allium Day (garlic, shallot, onion and leek) organized by CTIFL, to be held on January 30th, 2024 at the Balandran research center. read more

There is usually less demand in November, but the green asparagus Christmas demand has now erupted, says Lisa van Zon of Yex: "There are, however, very few, especially of the larger sizes." read more

A New Zealand mushroom company has collaborated with Callaghan Innovation to scientifically confirm that the native Pekepeke-kiore mushroom, Hericium novae-zealandiae, contains compounds that are good for cognitive health. Mushroom grower and supplement company Mynd now sells an approved dietary
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In Spain, people end their New Year's Eve celebration by eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. According to this deep-rooted Spanish tradition, each grape one eats brings good luck and represents a wish for each of the new year's twelve months. read more

The marketing of German ware potatoes is going very smoothly at the moment. "There have been several price increases recently. This in turn has contributed to the farmers' reluctance to sell. This is because they are speculating there will be further price increases in the coming weeks.
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According to a monthly survey, the total number of apples in storage on December 1, 2023, was 173 million bushels, 29 percent more than last December’s total of 134 million bushels and 19 percent more than the five-year average for that date. read more

In the lush landscapes of Northern Australia, Manbulloo Ltd stands as a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of Australian agriculture. Marie Piccone, the Managing Director of Manbulloo Ltd, Australia's largest grower of the iconic Kensington Pride and R2E2 mango varieties, offers an
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Aussie growers could soon reap the benefits of technology from across the globe through a scan of startups that offer innovative solutions to labour challenges. read more

A farmer shared a useful tip for selecting ripe watermelons: check the spacing between the dark and light green lines on the watermelon's rind. The key is to find a watermelon where these lines are at least two fingers' width apart. This method was discovered by a woman who spoke with the farmer. read more

European potato prices are soaring as heavy rains leave spuds mired in the mud, curbing supplies just as demand for the Christmas-dinner staple rises. Farmers in Belgium, France and the UK have sidelined tractors, which have difficulty navigating waterlogged fields, limiting collection. The
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