ISSUE 48: JUNE 2019
 
   
   
     
  ISTF 2019 abstract submission deadline extended to June 28  
     
 

The 2019 International Symposium on Tropical Fruits (ISTF 2019) will be held at the Liberty Central Saigon Riverside Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on 24-26 September, organized by the International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), with the support of the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI) and the Southern Horticultural Research Institute (SOFRI).

For more information on the abstract submission guidelines, venue, registration fees, and important dates, visit www.itfnet.org/istf2019

 
     
   
     
  TFNet to hold MD2 pineapple workshop in Malaysia  
     
 

The International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) is leading a seminar titled Current Development and Challenges in Improving Production, Productivity, and Market Demand for the MD2 Pineapple Variety on 11 July 2019 at the Tan Sri Yusof Hashim Hall, MARDI, Serdang, Selangor.

The seminar is co-organized with the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board (LPNM), the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), the Malaysian Department of Agriculture, and the Pineapple Growers Association of Malaysia (PPNM).

  
   
       
           
  TFNet congratulates Qu Dongyu of China     Workshop on dragon fruit marketing and value chain to be held in Vietnam  
         
  The International Tropical Fruits Network (TFNet) would like to congratulate Qu Dongyu of China for being elected as the new Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).     The Food & Fertilizer Technology Center (FFTC) and Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS-SOFRI) will be organizing an international workshop on Dragon fruit Network (DFNet): Marketing and the Whole Value Chain on September 9-10 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  
           
 
UPCOMING TFNET ACTIVITES
   
OTHER TROPICAL FRUIT EVENTS
 
       
           
 

Seminar on MD2 Pineapple
Venue: MARDI HQ, Serdang, Malaysia
Date: 11 July 2019

13th Session of the TFNet Board of Trustees  
Venue: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Date: 23 September 2019

2019 International Symposium on Tropical Fruits 
Venue: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Date: 24-26 September 2019

Workshop on Banana Fusarium Wilt 
Venue: Guangzhou, China
Date: October 2019 

    

Durian Cultivation - From Gound Zero to Earlier Fruiting
Venue: Indigo Inn, Pahang, Malaysia
Date: 24-25 July 2019

Dragon Fruit Network (DFNet): Marketing and the Whole Value Chain
Venue: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Date: 9-10 September 2019

International Tropical Agriculture Conference
Venue: Brisbane, Australia
Date: 11-13 November 2019

 
           
 
TROPICAL FRUIT NEWS FROM TFNET COUNTRY MEMBERS
 
   
           
  PHILIPPINES: Country overflows with millions of mangoes as El Niño takes effect     MALAYSIA: Durian sales may spike on China’s nod to thorny fruit  
       
  The Philippines is struggling under the weight of a sweet but troublesome burden: a glut of 2 million mangoes.     China’s General Administration of Customs has approved imports of frozen whole durian fruit from Malaysia.  
               
  INDIA: Breakthrough research to combat the dreaded papaya ring spot virus     INDIA: Kerala pineapple growers shifting to MD2 variety  
       
  An independent agriculture scientist has developed a plant-based eco-friendly formulation, which provides sustained protection against papaya ring spot virus for two years.     A growing export demand has necessitated Kerala’s pineapple growers to focus on the globally accepted MD2 variety because of its better suitability for processing and extended shelf-life.  
               
  VIETNAM: Son La exports more mangoes to UK     BANGLADESH: Turning paddy to mango for more profit  
       
  Three tonnes of mangoes, grown in Yen Chau district in the northern mountainous province of Son La, were packaged on June 19 for shipment to the UK.     28-year-old farmer Saday Chandra Debnath was facing debt due to frequent losses caused by low paddy prices so he switched to mango farming.  
               
  MALAYSIA: Durian price dips as supply of king of fruits increases     BANGLADESH: Fruit exhibition to raise nutrition awareness  
       
  Durian lovers can now enjoy the fruit without having to fork out exorbitant prices.     A wide array of fruits were on display at the three-day fruit exhibition Khamarbari in Dhaka.  
               
  VIETNAM: Long-term direction for dragon fruit     INDIA: Kerala town makes planting of fruit trees essential to get occupancy certificate  
       
  After 6 years of cooperation, the New Zealand Plant & Food Research (PFR), the Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI), and the Institute of Agricultural Electrical and Post-Harvest Technology (SIAEP) have chosen 3 promising dragon fruit varieties.     A Kerala town has made it mandatory for all new buildings to plant native fruit trees as a condition for the grant of the occupancy certificate, without which the building cannot be occupied.  
               
  MALAYSIA: Malacca Delite, the sweet mango of southern state     PHILIPPINES: Ormoc stages festival for its main produce, pineapple  
       
  Malacca can also be proud of its own mango variant, the Malacca Delite, which is a favourite among locals and tourists     The Ormoc City government staged its third Piña Festival on June 23 to promote its main agriculture produce, pineapple.  
             
 
TROPICAL FRUIT NEWS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
 
   
               
  THAILAND: Possible outbreak of “Panama Disease” reported at Chiang Rai     GHANA: Gov’t to supply 13.3 million variety of pineapples to farmers for 2019  
       
  Officials from the Department of Agriculture have been dispatched to a banana plantation in Chiang Rai province after a report of an alleged outbreak of Panama disease.     The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has handed over two million pineapple suckers to two farmers in the eastern region of Ghana under the second phase of its pineapple supply base expansion program.  
               
  JAMAICA: Florida supermarkets to sell Jamaican mangoes     COLOMBIA: Citrus crops ravaged by HLB  
           
  Jamaica has shipped 12,000 pounds of “Julie” & “East Indian” mangoes to the United States, and the first shipments have been slated for several supermarkets in South Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.     Municipal leaders in Colombia have called for the declaration of an agricultural calamity in the Atlantic due to the devastating and widespread effects of citrus greening.  
               
  PERU: Organic banana exports are expected to grow by 5%     KENYA: Farmers to benefit from banana production project  
       
  According to a report from the Chamber of Commerce of Lima (IDEXCAM-CCL), organic banana exports could increase by up to 5% in 2019 compared to 2018, valued at around USD 175 million.     Farmers in Mumias West Sub-county will receive 1,000 tissue culture banana plantlets from Kakamega county government to boost the production of the crop in the area.  
               
  HONDURAS: Rambutan exports will amount to USD 5 million     CAMBODIA: China urged to speed up work on mango shipments  
       
  According to a report published by the National Agricultural Food Program (Pronagro), Honduras’ rambutan exports will amount to USD 5 million this year.     Cambodia's Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon met with Hu Wei, Vice Minister of China's Administration of Customs, to discuss phytosanitary requirements for mango exports.  
               
  ECUADOR: Banana exports to EU fall in Q1     THAILAND: Single durian sells for astounding USD 49,000 at Thai auction  
       
  Ecuador sent 15% less bananas to the EU in the first three months of 2019, due to significantly lower prices from other sources.     The kanyao variety – which is the most expensive in the world – attracted bids from dozens of wealthy fruit lovers at an event in Nonthaburi, central Thailand.  
               
  USA: Tariff threats push avocado prices to highest level since 2017     SOUTH AFRICA: Pioneering dragon fruit venture builds momentum  
       
  Mexico grows most avocados eaten in the United States, so a price hike could affect millions of Americans’ wallets.     A South African dragon fruit venture is introducing new varieties into the country, with plans of exporting to the EU.  
               
  PERU: The market for rambutan has potential for growth in the EU     NEPAL: Banana farming creates jobs for 60,000  
       
  Rambutan is starting to gain prominence in Europe’s fruit markets and it has had a great reception among Asian consumers who are on living the continent, as well as in specialty stores.     According to an expert, banana farming and trade has employed as many as 60,000 people in Nepal.