Since June, seven Intratuin garden centers in the Netherlands have been implementing a unique pilot project: rather than using chemical pesticides, they have been releasing beneficial insects directly onto the shop floor. These small allies are combating pests, providing a greener and more sustainable solution. read more

On many blueberry plantations in Poland, the presence of the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is increasingly observed. This invasive pest attacks healthy, ripening fruits, causing them to soften quickly and lose their commercial value. Blueberries affected by this pest read more

The exports of flowers and plants from Spain from January to May 2025 amounted to €404 million, equal to the value recorded in the same period in 2024. Plant international sales in the first five months of 2025 decreased by 1% compared to the previous year, totaling €329 million, and remaining the top selling category. read more

Henry Rombouts from Hortagri Trading & Service took photos of iceberg lettuce fields in the Netherlands last week. He reported, "Field after field, crammed with aphids." According to Henry, lettuce aphid populations have become firmly established in recent years and are now almost impossible to control. read more

The apple production is estimated to be around 3.6 million tons, which is about 5% more than in 2024. The pear harvest is expected to be about 5% higher than the previous year, reaching approximately 77,600 tons. Plum production is projected to increase by 33% to around 126,800 tons. The sour cherry harvest will be... read more

This year's plum harvest in the key growing region of Rheinhessen, Germany, is currently in full swing. Just like last year, the first early plums were harvested in mid-July, and the harvest of the popular Cacak's Schöne variety is now picking up pace. read more

Belgium: Okay opens sustainable neighborhood supermarket in Vilvoorde

Colruyt Group announced: "On Thursday, August 14th, Okay will open its 147th store in Vilvoorde. Situated at Abeelstraat 151, this convenient neighborhood supermarket offers a diverse range of products for every part of the day." read more

This year, Ukraine's Poltava region has planted over 5,000 hectares of watermelons and melons, making it the country's leader in melon-growing acreage, according to the regional Department of Agro-Industrial Development. Local farmer Hryhorii Khan manages around 1,500 hectares, of which 50 read more

The President of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cherif Chenani, has confirmed efforts to export Tunisian flowers to the Netherlands and Europe, starting from farms in the country's northwest. Chenani explained, in a statement to national radio, that around 500 families between Nafza read more

France is experiencing increasing pressure from the import of tomatoes from Morocco, particularly a significant rise in cherry tomato imports. Complaints about unfair competition are frequently reported in the news, and the topic was a central point of discussion during a recent gathering of EU market analysts. read more

The apple harvest in Finland this year is expected to be smaller than average, with professional growers predicting yields to decrease by up to 30%. Many home gardens are reporting apple trees with no fruit. This is a significant contrast to last year, when yields were high enough to make juice and jam. read more

The Bell Food Group is successfully navigating a tough market environment and still managing to achieve organic growth. In the first half of the year, sales volumes increased by 2.8% to 293.6 million tons. As a result of this volume growth throughout the entire Group, net sales also grew organically by 4.4% to. read more

W ciągu ostatnich lat Mołdawia zanotowała znaczący wzrost eksportu do Unii Europejskiej. "Przesunięcie w kierunku rynku UE było głębokie: w 2013 roku 46,8% eksportu Mołdawii trafiło do UE, ale dzisiaj ta liczba wynosi 67,3%, a kraje WNP otrzymują tylko 6,8%," powiedziała Doina Nistor.

In recent years, Moldova has seen a significant increase in its exports to the European Union. "The shift towards the EU market has been profound: in 2013, 46.8% of Moldovan exports went to the EU, but today that figure stands at 67.3%, with the CIS countries receiving only 6.8%," said Doina Nistor. read more

The market for fresh tomatoes in the European Union remains healthy, even as producers face growing challenges and uncertainties. This was the conclusion of EU market players during a recent meeting. In the 2024/25 winter season, tomato production in the Netherlands increased, thanks to lower read more

Delhaize is now selling Belgian strawberries in new cardboard packaging, replacing plastic. This switch to cardboard will result in a substantial reduction in plastic use: In 2025, Delhaize expects to save 17,000 kilograms of plastic. In the long term, as more growers adopt this packaging, read more

The Nasdaq First North-listed foodtech company Agtira AB has signed an agreement to acquire Pepino AB, one of Sweden's most established and profitable cucumber growers, along with its associated property company Gurkfast AB. This transaction will make Agtira the largest cucumber producer in Sweden. read more

Germany is the third-largest importer of fresh cherries in the world, following China/Hong Kong and Russia. From 2015 to 2024, between 55 to 77 percent of cherries consumed in Germany were imported, with the majority coming from other EU member states. The largest non-EU supplier is Turkey for sweet cherries. read more

Mike Parr, CEO of PML Seafrigo UK and Ireland, has highlighted various challenges facing the logistics sector in the UK, cautioning about potential effects on the supply and pricing of fresh produce. Parr mentioned concerns such as the sudden EU reset, the suspension of the Approved Operator Scheme rollout, and ongoing issues. read more

"This marks an important step towards a more controllable population," says researcher Herman Helsen. "At various locations in central Netherlands, we are releasing parasitic wasps of the species Ganaspis kimorum. This parasitic wasp originates from Asia and is..." read more

Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, there will be no shortage of Polish blueberries, predicted by the experts at "sadyogrody.pl". read more