News (Page 226)

by Thao Vi, Thanh Nien News   The first consignments of Vietnamese lychees to Australia, weighing three metric tons, have arrived in Melbourne as Vietnam are trying to reduce the dependence on China as its main buyer of the fruit.     Australia and the US are two new marketsContinue Reading

by Gabrielle Easter, Fruitnet   Vietnam has topped US$600m in fruit and vegetable exports in the first five months of 2015.   Vietnam’s fruit and vegetable exports reached US$629m in the first five months of 2015, up 17.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to VietnamContinue Reading

Thai officials have explained local farmers’ practice of soaking durian in turmeric solutions to Hong Kong authorities after the latter imposed a ban on Thai durian following the detection of turmeric use.   According to Duangkamol Jiambutr, spokesperson to the Ministry of Commerce, Thai officials at the international trade promotionContinue Reading

by Fred Wilkinson, The Packer   With Peru’s presence in the global avocado market on the rise, the nation’s capital is set to play host to the 8th World Avocado Congress.   The event will take place Sept. 13-18 in at the Westin Hotel in San Isidro, Lima’s financial district,Continue Reading

by Johanna Weidner, The Record   Avocados may hold the secret to combating a deadly form of cancer, a Waterloo researcher has discovered.   Paul Spagnuolo, a professor in the University of Waterloo’s school of pharmacy, isolated a lipid in avocados that can treat acute myeloid leukemia by targeting theContinue Reading

by Christopher Serju, Jamaica Gleaner   The Banana Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, has started a sensitisation programme about Panama Tropical Race 4 (PD TR4), a disease which is posing a global threat to bananas and plantains. The programme, which began in St James targetingContinue Reading

The star fruit might be the saving grace for some cyclone-affected farmers in central Queensland.   While many fruit crops were decimated by Tropical Cyclone Marcia in February the unusual fruit, also known as the carambola, seems to be thriving.   Fruit grower Ian Groves’ mango and avocado trees experiencedContinue Reading

by Carmelito Q. Francisco, Business World   Banana growers have appealed to the government to give them a seat in ongoing trade talks between the Philippines and China as well as with other countries where the fruit is exported.   Industry representatives, in a recent dialogue with government officials, sought theContinue Reading

The Banana Freckle Eradication Program has officially moved into Phase Two, with the focus now on replanting in 2016.     Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries Willem Westra van Holthe said the community can play an active role by signing up for the free Sentinel Replanting Program.   “We’reContinue Reading

Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Standing Committee on Horticulture and Agriculture Production Chairman Ahmad Jawad said that value addition helps to widen market scope and reduce post harvest loses which gives the product a higher value.   He said that the processing and value addition isContinue Reading

A buyer has paid more than $2,800 for a premium watermelon from northern Japan.   The broker was one of several people bidding at the wholesale market in Asahikawa City. At the year’s first auction, 84 Densuke watermelon were for sale.   Consumers prize the variety, from the town ofContinue Reading