News (Page 235)

by Lim Chia Ling, The Star Online   Visit any night market, fruit shop or supermarket and chances are you will find very few varieties of bananas being sold. For a crop that has been cultivated since ancient times in Malaysia (reputedly its place of origin), the lack of choiceContinue Reading

With the mango season only a few months away, Pakistan is working towards maximising its exports to the European market, aiming to increase the number by more than 40% over the previous year.   A senior official at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research said arrangements have beenContinue Reading

Two virus-tolerant varieties of papaya seeds promise to increase the fruit yield for farmers in western India.   The city-based regional station of Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) has developed ‘Pune Selection-3’ and ‘Pune Selection-1’ lines of papaya seeds that have shown tolerance to Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) – globallyContinue Reading

by Zach Dyer, Tico Times   A “green” banana never looked so good. Costa Rica’s Environment Ministry (MINAE) recognized Finca San Pablo as the country’s first carbon neutral banana farm during a ceremony Monday.   Finca San Pablo’s general manager, Geraldo Mora, told The Tico Times that the company wanted to go carbonContinue Reading

Damage to agriculture caused by strong winds last weekend have been estimated at 70% for avocado crops and at 50% for bananas in some areas of the Canary Islands. This is the general assessment carried out by technicians of the Agricultural Extension Agencies and reported by the Council this Tuesday.Continue Reading

by Niranjan Kaggere, Bangalore Mirror   While state-based mango-growers are going gung-ho about the European Union’s (EU) decision to lift ban on Indian mangoes, domestic consumers will end up paying a premium for the export-quality mangoes that will be sparsely available in the local markets.   EU had imposed a temporaryContinue Reading

by Cleo Fraser, Yahoo Australia   Biosecurity officers fear recent downpours in north Queensland may spread a fungal banana plant disease which has the potential to wipe out the $570 million industry.   A farm near Tully, in the heart of the rich banana growing industry, was last week quarantined afterContinue Reading

A firm in Guija in Mozambique’s southern Gaza province has exported 3,000 tonnes of bananas to the South African market, according to state radio on Tuesday.Radio Mozambique said the fruit has earned up to US$1 million for the African Food Company based in Chongoene.   The station said the jointContinue Reading

by Felix Chaudhary, The Fiji Times Online   The papaya export sector has been affected by pests, wet weather and increased local demand, says Nature’s Way Co-operative Ltd CEO Michael Brown.   Papaya, once the country’s premier export, has now been superseded by eggplant demand from the New Zealand market.  Continue Reading

At Lunar New Year, most Vietnamese families buy a kumquat tree — a symbol of prosperity — but where once its fruits were candied and enjoyed as a delicacy, now they are left uneaten as food safety scandals batter consumer confidence in local produce.   While communist Vietnam may notContinue Reading

Queensland’s banana farmers always knew it was possible a devastating fungal disease could emerge in the state.   AND now it looks like it has, they’re praying it doesn’t spread.   Australian Banana Growers’ Council chairman Doug Phillips has worked his banana farm near South Johnstone for 13 years.  Continue Reading