How is the market evolving, and how can Sicily react to remain competitive by choosing protocols suitable to maximize production factors? Genetic improvement is the prerequisite to qualify the region's eggplant production, as it would allow it to conquer larger market shares in Europe. read more

Last week, Piet Adema, the Dutch minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Fisheries, visited the province of Flevoland. There, he went to companies like Andela Techniek & Innovation, Van der Wekken Landbouw, and Waterman Onions. read more

In some production areas, stone fruit trees have already started blossoming. There are many plants where it's in full swing, but there are also several hectares from northern to southern Italy that are about to blossom in the next few days, also thanks to the ongoing high pressure. Therefore, it
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Based on seed sales to date, horticulture input suppliers expect carrot plantings for 2023 to increase by at least 10-15%. However, early carrot varieties are usually sown in the country at the end of April, when the soil warms up enough, EastFruit reports. A lot can still change until then, if
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Germany's agriculture and food usually enjoy plenty of attention at the start of the year. That includes food trend predictions. On January 24, Nutrition Hub published its food trends for 2023 in Germany, reports GroentenFruit Huis. read more

One of the most complex aspects of last year was the high cost of the logistical chain - due to multifactorial factors, including an ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine - which impacted the industry's margins, to a lesser extent for dried plums, and to a greater extent for prunes,
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Carrefour has included kiwi from Spain in its Carrefour Círculo de Calidad brand. The company plans to sell more than 800 tonnes of this fruit from national growers from this month, when the season starts, until June. During
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Portuguese fruit, vegetable and flower exports reached the highest value ever in 2022: 2040 million euros. This result represents an increase of 15.6% compared to 2021. The announcement was made by Portugal Fresh at Fruit Logistica, in Berlin last week.  read more

Experts from the recently launched PCRR/USAID Rural Competitiveness and Sustainability Project in Moldova say that it will assist table grape growers to equip intensive vineyards such as Pergola and Gable with rain protection and underground irrigation systems. read more

In the southeast of France, Marc Puccini has been producing melons, salads, grapes for high-end wine (Domaine du Mas des Armes in Aniane) since 1986, as well as more than 40 hectares of asparagus. The early arrival of his asparagus on the market used to be his way to differentiate himself from
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Bulgaria's wholesale food costs are represented by the market price index (MPI), which increased this week by 1.58 percent to 2,383 points. According to BTA, its level has increased 2.89 percent (from 2,316 points) since the start of the year. read more

The European mushroom market is busy. "We certainly can't complain about sales. Other vegetables being so expensive benefits us, and the demand for mushrooms is skyrocketing. Since these remain a cheap product, we're selling nice volumes," says Michel Lesage of Lesage Champignons in Belgium. read more

Enza Zaden's Winter Leafy Days 2023 were held last week. An event open to all professionals in the sector in which the seed company opened the doors of its facilities in El Albujón (Murcia) with the focus on European customers, mainly in the
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Information is reaching our editorial office about cucumber imports from the Russian Federation...It is hard to believe, but it is happening. Many of us are strongly outraged by the behaviour of importers who are driven by business and supporting the Russian economy, while the country occupies the
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Alongside a wide range of other supply shortages, the UK has suffered a major hit to its tomato supply due to challenging growing conditions and logistical problems in Morocco and Spain. read more

Vip, Italy’s Val Venosta apple consortium, took the opportunity of this week’s organic exhibition in Nuremberg, BioFach, to demonstrate its leadership in European organic apples, including the launch of its new 100 per cent paper packaging. read more

In 2022, the regional government of Valencia launched a Comprehensive Citrus Plan to develop strategies to improve the competitiveness of the Valencian citrus sector. The team behind the plan are Lorena Tudela and Francesc Cervera of the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Paco Borras,
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Portuguese fruit, vegetable and flower exports reached €2.04bn in 2022, their highest value ever, according to new figures from the Portuguese Statistics Institute (INE). This was an increase of 15.6 per cent compared to the previous year. The announcement was made by Portugal Fresh at Fruit
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Greenhouse vegetable prices are skyrocketing. "Bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cucumber. You name it, everything's expensive," says Geert Baecke of Tino's Fruit in Belgium. "We're anxiously awaiting Dutch and Belgian trade, but it's going to be a big problem getting products in the
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The Spanish pomegranate season is coming to an end, in a year in which Spain's largest production area, Alicante, has recorded a significant drop in the production volumes due to the impact of rains in the spring and the unusually hot summer temperatures. read more