Problems at South Africa’s ports and a declining rail service are an annual problem for the country’s exporters, and it seems that these problems will continue in the coming season. read more

The second phase of Cherry Growers Australia and Agriculture Victoria’s Cherries Traceability Pilot is set to commence this season with Victorian cherry grower-exporter CherryHill Orchards to pilot producer-to-customer traceability. read more

Leading US citrus grower-packer-exporter Wonderful Citrus is just one of the us companies looking to target the Vietnamese market after the Asian nation granted access to US grapefruit. read more

West Australian avocado growers have successfully shipped a verification shipment of Hass avocados to Thailand after gaining access in May. Peak industry body Avocados Australia welcomed the news of the next step towards supplying the Asian market, and applauded all those involved in the shipment. read more

Lidl has reached a 6.3% share of Spain’s grocery retail sector, which is 0.6 points more than last year, making it the fastest-growing chain, according to the “Distribution Balance” report from Kantar Worldpanel, which analyses the January-August 2023 period. read more

South African avocados have been granted access to the Chinese market. The export agreement was signed by South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza and the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi. read more

Farmers2Founders, in partnership with GROW and Innovate UK, has launched the second iteration of the Global Incubator Program - Gateway to Australia, an initiative designed to help UK agritech start-ups to land and launch into Australia. read more

Most Ukrainian producers completed the watermelon sales season this week, EastFruit project analysts report. At the same time, key market players note that this year the watermelon sales season in Ukraine ends 2 weeks later than a year ago, but Ukrainian farmers are offering the latest batches
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Spain’s Agroponiente Group has named Antonio Román as its new deputy general director. Román, who has been with the company for 30 years, will reinforce the management team led by CEO Imanol Almudí. read more

Poeldijk-based wholesaler Fine Fruits Company has made a breakthrough in extending the shelf-life of avocados with the Airocide air purifying system. read more

The Summer Berry Company (TSBC) has signed a deal with Italian breeder Berrytech to grow and distribute its Amalia Rossa raspberry variety. read more

Mission Produce has announced the elevation of its direct-to-retail service in the European market with the consolidation of operations in a ripening and forward distribution centre in Poeldijk, the Netherlands. read more

Asia’s total fresh fruit imports declined in 2022 on the back of lower volumes from key origins as suppliers struggled to keep pace with market demand. read more

New Kantar research published by Zespri finds that kiwifruit has climbed two spots to become the seventh most popular fruit in key markets. Kantar has tracked the rise of kiwifruit’s popularity amongst other fruits in 15 of Zespri’s core markets during the New Zealand kiwifruit season
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Asia’s total fresh fruit imports declined in 2022 on the back of lower volumes from key origins as suppliers struggled to keep pace with market demand. read more

Turkey’s total cherry production in 2023/24 is forecast at 900,000 tons, which is 8 per cent higher than in 2022/23, due to favourable weather and soil conditions. According to a USDA report, as of early August 2023, cherry exports had reached 75,000 tons, and are on track to surpass the
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The Spring 2023 edition of Produce Plus Magazine is now live on the Produce Plus app – available via the App Store, Google Play or on your desktop. read more

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has called for comment on an application from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to permit food from a disease-resistant genetically modified (GM) banana. read more

The apple cultivation in Greece is expected to be lower than usual, in the area that grows quite a chunk of the Greek national production, Matoula Katsika, export and sales manager for Greek fruit exporter A.C. Kissavos, says: “The apple production in our region, and in general for the
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As the Bebnissi Family Gardens company said, this year, 25 hectares of pear varieties Abat fetel, Santa Maria, Conference, and Williams Red will be planted in the territories of the former experimental and leading fruit enterprise in the USSR next to Kareli, Shida Kartli region. The garden will
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