'The Future is THIS', was the phrase I heard most often from the many participants who flocked to last week's event organised at the Mazzoni farm. The meeting was, in fact, dedicated to automated harvesting by drones in a Pink Lady apple orchard.
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The association of Entrepreneurs of Southern Spain, CESUR, presented this Thursday at the Science and Technology Park of Almeria PITA the II Summit of GeneraSur, its Centre for Innovation and Business Development. read more

While Italy and Europe debate the regulations to eliminate packaging in the fresh produce sector, Alessandro Giunchi, the administrator of the Cesena wholesale market who visited Tokyo with a delegation of the Market network as part of a trip organized by the Emilia Romagna region, reports that
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The South African government, led by Cyril Ramaphosa, is facing a logistics crisis, according to industry experts, prompting the need for immediate intervention. The National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) is focusing on long-term supply chain strategies, but mounting complaints cite issues
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The next generation of leaders working within small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food supply chain are being reminded that there is still time to apply for a round of funding and one-to-one mentoring available through Eden Search’s second Emerging Leaders programme. read more

In two recent FPJ articles – one on why the UK is no longer the destination of choice for European fruit and vegetables, and another on how we can make the UK a lower-maintenance destination for produce – I suggested that the current system of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
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Australian state-of-the-art research facility, the Almond Centre of Excellence, has received an A$6.2m injection to continue supporting growers to adopt global best practices suited to their local conditions. read more

The Linea Verde, guided by the spirit of innovation that has always distinguished it, continues its evolutionary path and, as the first company in Italy, launches a new product concept within the IV gamma market: the Micro DimmidiSì potatoes in microwaveable bags, already washed and
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A new direct freight rail service has been initiated, connecting Spain's port of Barcelona with the French cities of Toulouse and Lyon. The container service, a collaboration between APM Terminals Railways Spain, Synergy, and Naviland Cargo, will offer four weekly connections without the need
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Mobi Mushroom is an initiative of mushroom enthusiast Kees de Jong and farm store expert Hans Ravensbergen. They have developed an innovative container where shiitakes are grown within a controlled environment. read more

CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP) and LVenture Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-design and execute initiatives aimed at scouting, accelerating, and funding early-stage agri-food and climate-tech innovations. read more

Scientists from Argentina's National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) are on the brink of releasing Latin America's first genetically edited potato. Their focus has been on deactivating the gene responsible for enzymatic browning, a trait causing potatoes to darken after cutting,
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A substantial quantity of cocaine, valued at almost $16 million, was uncovered in a banana shipment at the Port of Tauranga. Customs officers detected 35kg of cocaine concealed in the engine compartment of a refrigerated shipping container loaded with bananas. The vessel, arriving from Panama on
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This is the fifth year Swift International is selling and distributing its FrostFans mobile wind machines. "Sales have shown an upward trend over the past four years. We've already sold many machines for delivery in early 2024. They'll be used on renowned farms," Ernst Slabbekoorn says
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Peru has enacted a new law focused on promoting the industrialization of potatoes to create an environment conducive to investment and stimulate agro-industrial developments. As the leading potato producer in Latin America, with a production volume of 6 million metric tons in 2022, Peru aims to
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The ongoing drought and much slower shipping transit times through the Panama Canal, as the country faces the driest rainy season and October in 73 years, is being closely watched with 82% of the over 354.6 million boxes of bananas exported yearly from Ecuador passing through this interoceanic
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The Selex Group, a major player in the large-scale retail sector, and Savi, a marketing technology company active in the management of services related to the use of discount vouchers, are celebrating the third anniversary of their partnership, which has enabled them to make available over
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With advanced electronics, the new line consists of smarter, more interactive machines that can be automatically controlled and customized to the product through sophisticated in-house software. It also takes up less space in the packaging room. read more

This year's open field harvest in Berkatal in north-east Hesse was slightly below average. "We have no irrigation facilities, which is why we have to live with the weather. In short, it is too warm in summer and too wet in autumn this year. So without irrigation, it's becoming increasingly
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A series of trials have kicked off to help develop new precision slug control solutions. read more