January 2015 (Page 3)

by Asit Ranjan Mishra, Live Mint   The European Union (EU) has agreed to lift the ban on import of Alphonso mangoes from India before the start of next season, but the ban on import of four other vegetables from the country may stay for longer.   “They have communicatedContinue Reading

Lighter mango supplies from South America are creating strong demand in the US, according to Idaho Falls-based produce marketer Kingston Fresh. As he prepared to take delivery of its first new season arrivals of Peruvian mangoes next week, president Ken Nabal, said he expected volumes to be down by asContinue Reading

by Yasir Wardad, The Financial Express   The government has initiated a move to engage private sector in processing chips from jackfruit to add value to the national fruit, officials said.   Delicious and crispy chips are becoming favorite snacks to people of all ages. The private agro processors normallyContinue Reading

by Christina DiMartino   The North American market for papayas has been growing steadily for the last 10 years, and the majority of that growth is due to Mexican production, which now represents 72 percent of the papayas sold here.   Gustavo García Cuevas is president of the National PapayaContinue Reading

by Reshma Ravishanker, Deccan Herald   After sugarless aerated drinks, low-calorie food and high-fibre cookies, a diet-conscious Metro now picks up low-sugar fruit varieties.   While guava is known to be a much sought-after fruit for its benefits to diabetics, now overseas guava varieties seem to be pushing the indigenous varietiesContinue Reading

by Shane Hickey, The Guardian   At weddings and formal events in the Philippines, men can often be seen wearing the Barong Tagalog, a thin and transparent embroidered garment worn over a shirt.   One of the more surprising materials used in its manufacture are fibres from pineapple leaves –Continue Reading

by Lendon Keane, The Land   An Israeli plant pathologist who has been flown in to assist the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries combat cucumber green mottle mosaic virus says Northern Territory watermelon growers are in a “good situation” to win the war that has crippled the $60 millionContinue Reading

by Mike Hornick, The Packer   Maglio & Co. is expanding its retail offering of gusset bags for fresh-cut watermelon after a pilot project at about 300 stores.   The two bags — one holding a quarter cut, the other a half cut watermelon — have a large window toContinue Reading

by Clint Thompson, Albany Herald   Research by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences could help Georgia’s watermelon growers produce sweeter results.   UGA vegetable horticulturalist Tim Coolong conducts variety trial testing on watermelons as part of his work on the UGA Tifton Campus. He isContinue Reading

by Ganesh Prabhu, The Hindu   Byndoor and Cherkady are all set to emerge as centres of banana production in Udupi district as farmers have taken to the cultivation of ‘nendranbale’ (plantain) and ‘puttabale’ ( poovan varieties) bananas in these two villages, respectively.   Though many farmers have cultivated bananas in theseContinue Reading

The sweet yellow passion fruit could soon overtake the once vibrant coffee sector if more farmers embrace its production in the country.   Its farm gate price stands at Sh70 per kilogramme during the peak seasons while those lucky farmers who produce the fruit at off peak seasons can comfortablyContinue Reading