News (Page 205)

  Following an outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly in Adelaide, New Zealand is tightening biosecurity measures for passengers arriving from Australia.   Detector dogs may be used to greet passengers as they step off incoming Australian flights to provide greater scrutiny of hand luggage, which is the most likelyContinue Reading

by Tad Thompson, The Produce News   By mid-March, the Mexican mango season will be picking up for Higueral Produce, Inc., which is based in Rio Rico, AZ.   Higueral received the season’s first shipment on Feb. 19. Edgar Duarte, a partner in the firm, said the mangos “look really nice,” notingContinue Reading

by Jennifer Harrison, Fresh Plaza   A low papaya supply, coupled with a steady demand for the tropical fruit is creating a tightening of papayas prices for U.S. markets.   “Papayas are coming from Mexico, Guatemala and Belize, and due to weather and growing conditions in these areas, we have shortContinue Reading

  Tropical Millenium, based in Malaga, is a company which has been dedicated to subtropical products since 2002, working mainly with avocado and mango imported from several countries.   For their new warehouse, they wanted a modern and innovative system that would allow the detection of ripe fruit ready forContinue Reading

  Over the next two years, if uncontrolled, a disease known as Phytophthora could potentially wipe out avocado and macadamia trees in Murang’a and neighbouring counties in Kenya.   Olivado EPZ Ltd field officer Michael Gitahi, said that after realising the disease had invaded tree nurseries, the company decided toContinue Reading

by Joel Pitarch Diago, Fresh Plaza   According to José Enrique Sanz, manager of IGP Cítricos Valencianos, the current Valencian citrus season could be described as “commercially acceptable” because, despite a 30% drop in the Spanish production volume, prices have been somewhat better. However, expectations were much higher.   “Demand hasContinue Reading

by Kasper Friis, Atlas Obscura   Employees at Garðyrkjuskóli ríkisins take a certain pride in telling their guests that they work at the biggest banana plantation in Northern Europe.   Of course, there really isn’t much competition.   Bananas normally grow in much warmer climates. But the plantation at the Icelandic National Gardening School,Continue Reading

    The extreme cold wave weather is the severest condition that banana growers have experienced. As cold and low temperature are the enemies for banana plantation. Their growth period requires high temperature and humidity, when the temperature drops to 5 degree, banana leaves will turn yellow.   If thisContinue Reading

  At the 2016 Citrus Showcase in early March, the California Citrus Mutual announced the formation of a new association, the California Agricultural Labor Association (CALA).   The announcement was made during a workshop at the Showcase about major developments in labor compensation laws for employees paid a piece rate.Continue Reading

  Calavo Growers, an American avocado producer, did good business in the first quarter of this year. The company recently presented its quarterly figures, which show record results. Sales increased from 194.8 million dollars last year to 204.6 million dollars this year. The net profit was 19.8 percent higher comparedContinue Reading

  Northern Peru has been severely hit by heavy rains in recent days, which have caused many floods throughout the region. 5,000 hectares of crops have been seriously affected after the overflowing of the river Tumbes, with organic bananas, rice, lemon, cocoa and fruit trees as the most affected crops.Continue Reading