May 2016

  Exclusive Honey Gold mango grower, Piñata Farms, is counting the 2015-2016 season among its best since commercial production of the specialty fruit began in 2009.   Managing director, Gavin Scurr, said this was despite seasonal factors including poor flowering and hail storms which affected the southern Queensland crop –Continue Reading

  Papaya is the third most consumed tropical fruit and demand has grown steadily in recent years because of it being considered a healthy product. It has been traditionally produced in Latin America, India and Indonesia, but now it is also being grown in Almeria.   The advantage of havingContinue Reading

by  Lauren María Alexander, Growing Produce   Growing seedless watermelon requires greater management and attention to detail than seeded watermelon production, and additional steps must be taken into consideration to ensure adequate pollination and strong, healthy yields.   Because seedless watermelon are not self-pollinating, pollenizers, or diploid watermelon crops, must beContinue Reading

  Producers in the department of Rivas have had to reduce the area devoted to papaya cultivation and have had falling crop yields because of the effects of climate change and a lack of funding.   According to the Fourth National Agricultural Census (CENAGRO), conducted by the National Institute forContinue Reading

  The earlier start of Almeria’s melon and watermelon season has entailed difficulties in the fruits’ marketing, since supermarkets still have some supply from overseas countries, as revealed by an analysis of the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Andalusian Council of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.   Despite this,Continue Reading

  As is generally known, the weather continues to have adverse consequences for the entire agricultural sector. In the specific case of Peruvian avocados, the harvest that kicked off more than a month ago suffered an unexpected delay, causing in turn a later start of exports. “We are starting withContinue Reading

  Researchers have published a study in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, which demonstrates new understanding of how bananas make and store carotenoides. Carotenoids which are found at various levels in different banana cultivars, are important vitamin precursors for eye health. Their findings could somedayContinue Reading

  The forecast for the banana industry is not encouraging for the first months of 2016 as it states that this year’s volumes will be similar to those reported last year.   According to the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH), by January 2016, exports of this fruit totaled 33.9 millionContinue Reading

  Paul and Maria Bidwell moved from their avocado orchard in Western Australia to North Motton, Tasmania in the hope of slowing down and working less. Yet it turns out that avocados flourish in Tasmania soil and the couple now have to consider whether they can manage what has becomeContinue Reading

by Heather Goulooze, Fresh Plaza   Avocado prices have been strong this year in Norway, although this is more to do with current European price levels as opposed to something brought on by the Norwegian market.   As global demand for avocados has increased, the Norwegian market has been no exception.Continue Reading

  Good prices have been paid for mangos for the last few months, and prices are currently still extremely high. “Everybody wants mangoes,” Sjoerd Meijer of Fruitmarket summarises the market situation. “We personally do not have any mangoes currently available. We had our final container last week. Importers, who nowContinue Reading