The Drewry Airfreight Price Index increased by 13% from October to a worldwide average of $3.57. This rise was driven by double-digit growth in the Asia-Europe westbound (+19%) and transpacific eastbound (+18%) sectors. In the transatlantic sector, rates increased by 1% eastbound but decreased by 5% in the opposite direction. read more

Newheat and Les Tomates d'Auïtou, located in the Corrèze department, have recently inaugurated the largest solar thermal power plant ever dedicated to heating greenhouses for vegetable production in France. This groundbreaking facility ushers in a new era for a sector that is becoming more self-sufficient. read more

The North Island of New Zealand experienced a cool and wet winter, which, as usual, posed challenges for planting seed onions. "Planting began in June and was completed by the end of August," said Simon Vale from Balle Bros. "Our production team made use of any dry periods to sow the seeds, and..." read more

Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI), a weighted average of regional spot container freight rates, increased by 6% in the fortnight ending on November 30, 2025, to $667 per 40ft container. read more

Ethiopia and the Netherlands are preparing to celebrate a century of trade relations in 2026, strengthened by a renewed emphasis on enhancing Ethiopia's agricultural sector and advancing sustainable development. Paula Schindeler, the Deputy Head of Mission at the Netherlands Embassy, made the announcement of this milestone. read more

The Darjeeling Mandarin Orange has been officially awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, a designation formalized by the GI Registry on November 24, 2025, as confirmed by officials on Monday. The Darjeeling Organic Farmers Producer Organization (DOFPO) is the registered proprietor of the GI. read more

Italy ranks second in Europe for fruit and vegetable surfaces, accounting for 14% of the total, with Spain in first place with approximately 2.2 million hectares. Elisa Macchi from Cso Italia provides an overview of the Italian fruit and vegetable sector, focusing specifically on Sicily. read more

We had already discussed it in one of our articles (click here to learn more), and it seems we were right. read more

Ethiopia is making a major change in its horticulture industry by transitioning avocado exports from costly air freight to a more efficient and sustainable sea freight method. This initiative is being spearheaded by the Ethiopian Agriculture Authority and the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers and Exporters. read more

The sezon starts with high hopes in Lebanon, which is expected to recover after two seasons heavily impacted by the war in the region. Souad Fadel, export manager at Fadel Trading, reports a positive beginning to the export campaign, highlighting the promising avocado production. read more

Romania's retail shelves now feature more than 85 percent local products, according to Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu, who is urging consumers to choose goods processed within the country. He noted that despite an increase in imported vegetables during the colder months, domestic production is... read more

In the last live stream dedicated to pumpkins (for more in-depth information click here), we highlighted how the sector was growing, and apparently this trend has also been noticed abroad, as Egypt, according to EastFruit data, continues to push for the export of pumpkins. read more

The rapidly increasing food import bill in Africa, currently estimated at $70 billion per year and expected to reach $111 billion by 2025, highlights the critical importance of investing in agricultural biotechnology and climate-smart food systems, according to experts. This was emphasized in discussions with The New Times. read more

Garden Fresh, a local horticultural exporter, has experienced significant growth since it started exporting in 2016. The company's annual export value has increased from less than $1 million to over $3.5 million today, and its export volume has risen from 200 to 1,000 tonnes per year. The company's workforce has also grown. read more

Let's go back to talking about Lidl, this time focusing on the group's fruit and vegetable department. Last week, we talked about the project dedicated to Sicilian avocados, which are included in the assortment of the group's stores. Today, Alessia Bonifazi, corporate affairs manager, will provide more information. read more

Egypt's agricultural exports have increased to 8.5 million tons so far this year, which is almost 700,000 tons more than the same period in 2023, as reported by Agriculture Minister Alaa Farouk. Citrus fruits continue to be the top export of the country, with shipments nearing 2 million tons. read more

The Hass avocado has brought about a significant transformation in Peruvian agriculture, benefiting tens of thousands of families, promoting the formalization of agricultural employment, and positioning the country as a major player in the global Hass avocado market. Arturo Medina, the general manager of ProHass (the Association read more

Morocco experienced significant rainfall in late November and early December, providing relief from the arid conditions of the prolonged seven-year drought. While this rain was uplifting for morale, it is not sufficient to fully alleviate the effects of the long-lasting drought on fruit production. read more

Tanzania will start building a new port in the eastern part of the country in December, putting an end to a decade-long delay caused by previous objections to the initial contract terms with foreign developers. The Bagamoyo port is part of a larger special economic zone plan that incorporates industrial development. read more

Record results for the medium-sized watermelon with black skin produced by O.P. Francescon, Peviani S.p.A., and O.P. La Mongolfiera. In a year when part of the sector has suffered, Perla Nera sales have grown by 20% in volume compared to the previous year, impacting some groups. read more