A study published in The American Journal of Medicine reveals that a whole diet approach, which focuses on increased intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish, has more evidence for reducing cardiovascular risk than strategies that focus exclusively on reduced dietary fat. This new study explains that while strictly low-fat diets have the ability to lower cholesterol, […]

Banana prices in India have seen rapid rises over the past few days to an all-time high of Rs10 (US$0.16) per fruit, the Hindu reports.   The increase has occurred as a result of monsoon ailure for the past two years, as well as decreasing area for cultivation of the fruit.   Water shortages, particularly […]

A Dutch government development group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Senegalese Agency of Export Promotion (Asepex), building on a relationship that has already seen strong growth for the West African country’s mango sector.   The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) has […]

Restrictions to protect New Zealand’s horticulture industry which went as far as posting officials in the fruit and vegetable section of a Whangarei supermarket have been lifted more than two weeks after a lone Queensland fruit fly was found.   The Ministry for Primary Industries lifted all restrictions on the movement of fruit and vegetables […]

Farmers of local fruit, especially salak (snake fruit), are struggling to maintain market demand due to an increasing number of imported products. I Nyoman Sepel Diantara, a member of Giri Arta agribusiness, which consists of Sibetan salak farmers in Karangasem, said the existing market had yet to support the program to protect local fruits and […]

Scientists have dispelled concerns by some fruit consumers in Tanzania that the bigger mangoes and pineapples flooding the local market could be genetically engineered varieties.   The researchers confirmed that no approved genetically engineered mangoes and pineapples are in the local market or elsewhere in the African continent.   Recently, consumers say they have noticed […]

Third generation banana farmer Tim Johnson said Tweed growers were facing tough competition from Queensland farmers who could grow the fruit twice as fast. The Clothiers Creek farmer said our cooler weather was no match for the hot, tropical and ideal growing conditions enjoyed in North Queensland, which generally produces larger bananas. “The North Queensland […]

A group of researchers from North Carolina State and Purdue universities have identified a winning combination for pollenizers of seedless watermelon varieties.   They found three pollenizer varieties that not only shed substantial amounts of male pollen but also are resistant to Fusarium root rot, according to a news release.   Seedless watermelons need male […]

A variety of durian fruit that is so smelly it has never before been successfully imported to this country is set to be sold in the UK for the first time.   Malaysia’s musang king durian is described as the “king of fruits” across South-East Asia, and is said to be far larger and more […]

TFNet facilitated a study visit with organizing partner, SOFRI or the Southern Horticultural Research Centre of Vietnam, for officers from the Department of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia to the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam from 6 – 9 December 2013.   The objectives of this study visit were to: Highlight some of the technologies to […]

Led by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representative Dr. Hassan M. Ali Dinar, a group of delegates from the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Agriculture will attend a study tour in Malaysia on 1-12 March 2014.   The study tour is organized by International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) and will cover public […]

China is one of the major countries planting genetically modified (GM) crops, but only the papaya is on the market as edible GM farm products (processed products not included), as reported by people.cn, citing Chen Xiwen, office director of China’s Central Rural Work Leading Group.   Chen said the rumor that some tomatoes, chilis, and […]