Judy Louie Brown pulled off a memorable Christmas prank on her dad, shared on X (formerly Twitter). She devised a playful yet diabolical scheme involving Ferrero Rocher chocolates and Brussels sprouts. Embracing the Christmas spirit of fun and inner child-like antics, Brown carefully unwrapped
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A brand new vessel built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, for One Ocean Network, has just departed from Cape town, and is en route to Rotterdam. read more

As the year is nearing its end, the Ecuadorian banana industry stands at a crossroads. The looming December 31st deadline for producers and exporters to sign contracts for the 2024 exports is fast approaching. However, the pace of adherence to the process remains sluggish. read more

CMA CGM, a French container shipping firm, has revealed new surcharges for several global routes via the Panama Canal. The company will specifically apply a surcharge of US$150 per Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) for all cargo categories. This charge will be effective from January 12, and it
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Drewry’s World Container Index increased by 9% to $1,661 per 40ft container this week. read more

The New Year's Eve tradition of eating grapes for good luck, popular in Spain and Latin America, is going viral on TikTok. Originating in 19th-century Spain, the custom involves eating 12 grapes at midnight, with each grape symbolizing good luck for one month of the coming year. read more

According to Nishanth K., a banana farmer from Kerala’s Wayanad district, every district in Kerala has its favorite banana. Nishanth himself has over 250 varieties of bananas on his farm. His farm is something of a museum of bananas, showcasing rare varieties from across the globe. There is
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It is the peak season for mangoes. The demand for Brazilian mangoes is strong this season, but the supply is limited due to the hot weather. Peruvian mangoes face weather challenges and low-priced competition from Brazilian mangoes, which has impacted exports. Fragmented supply and logistics in
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For Egyptian citrus exporters, the Red Sea crisis is casting a shadow over the season. The most worried are those specializing in the Asian market, for whom the passage of ships through the Bab Al Mandab Strait is essential. Mahmoud Elmedany, Globagro's Export Manager, is nevertheless optimistic
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Industry body Fresh Markets Australia (FMA) appointed directors at their annual general meeting on November 28. Shane Schnitzler was unanimously re-elected as Chairperson. Additionally, Carlo Trimboli of Freshmark was named the new Deputy Chairperson. This appointment follows Hamish Montague’s
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The potential for exporting bananas from Pakistan to Central Asia was the focus of a workshop hosted by Sindh Agricultural University in collaboration with the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC). Agricultural and economic experts at the event stressed the importance of
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In marketing year (MY) 2023/24, lemon production is projected to grow by 6.7 percent and reach 175,000 metric tons (MT) due to high profits and an increase in area planted. Exports will increase by 8.8 percent and reach 74,000 metric tons. In MY 2023/24, orange production will decrease by 2.2
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Fruit shipments from Bahia had surpassed R$ 1 billion by November, marking a 37% increase in revenue compared to the same timeframe in 2022. The data, sourced from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock's foreign trade monitoring system (Agrostat/Mapa) and released by Bahia's Secretariat of
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In the Chinese market for Chilean peaches and apricots during the current 2023/2024 season, the Frutas de Chile country brand stands out. According to Iván Marambio, president of Frutas de Chile, “In 2023, we believe that our fresh fruit advanced in positioning and new markets. For example,
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The Belgian greenhouse vegetable market is unusually calm as the year draws to a close. Various traders seem to be remarkably quiet. "There's always a slight slowdown in greenhouse vegetables towards the last weeks of December, but the Christmas rush is definitely over now," they say. read more

The Egyptian citrus season was proceeding at a steady pace, with calm competition, until the advent of the "Suez Canal crisis". Logistical disruptions are worrying exporters, particularly those focusing on non-European markets, and are driving up prices. Abdullah Elrehiewy, CEO of Royal Foods,
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Transform a pineapple stem into a charming Christmas tree for a unique and festive charcuterie centerpiece. Start by cutting off the pineapple crown and setting it aside. Next, create a pineapple star using a star-shaped cookie cutter and a slice of pineapple. Place the crown upside down on the
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One of the main thematic axes of the first edition of DEMOCITRUS will be how to increase productivity and efficiency in citrus harvesting and reduce labor dependency and high operating costs. The slogan for this first edition is ‘Optimizing the profitability of citrus crops’ and the event
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The maturity date (MD) of fruit plays a crucial role in determining the market supply period and fruit flavor. It is influenced by factors such as the fruit setting date, as well as the duration of fruit enlargement and ripening. Understanding the regulation of fruit MD is particularly valuable
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We would like to wish all of our readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New year. The Fresh Plaza team will be back on 2nd of January with all of the latest news in the fresh produce industry. read more