Brandon Alexander grew up on farms, acres and acres of wheat and other broad acre crops in Texas and Oklahoma. So, it’s not entirely surprising that he applied his other expertise—based on a robotics degree from the University of Texas and work at Google X—to some of the biggest issues facing modern...

The international agriculture sector is a dynamic world and South Africa an esteemed player – with world-class...

Half Moon Bay, California – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the San Mateo County Agricultural Commissioner’s office have eradicated a Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) infestation centered in and around the City of Half Moon Bay, ending a 56-square-mile quarantine that began...

World Food Day on 16 October reminds us that 821 million people in the world are undernourished and that sustainable agriculture requires mainstreaming of biodiversity. Farmers across the world are facing difficult times. Unpredictable weather patterns make it difficult to know exactly when to plant and when to harvest crops. Big commercial...

APAL has been advised that the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources will begin an import risk...

Tampa, Florida – October 15, 2018: IFCO, the world’s leading supplier of Reusable Plastic Containers for fresh...

CHICAGO (Oct. 15, 2018) – Hazel Technologies, Inc., a USDA-funded post-harvest solutions company, continues to gain traction in the fresh produce industry with its easy-to-use post-harvest quality-protection technologies. Hazel prides itself on offering solutions that stand out in the category due to their user-friendliness, requiring minimal time and investment from packers while...

Fair trade pays off: Lidl is the first retailer in Germany to offer 100% Fairtrade-certified bananas in...

The Congress of Mexico has asked the Government to establish conditions in the renegotiation of the North...

China has strengthened its position as the world’s largest fruit and vegetable producer, according to the latest...

Due to the favourable weather events all over Europe in spring and early summer, Prognosfruit forecasted an...

That’s why it was named after Mount Everest, says Bruce Reisch, a horticulture professor and grape breeder...

The robot takeover of farm labor inched forward in a big way this week as researchers unveiled...

GONZALES, Calif. (Oct. 10, 2018) – Misionero, leading grower and pioneer in the organic leafy greens category, will unveil its new salad kits, bowls, and washed-and-trimmed lettuces at PMA Fresh Summit. Misionero is passionate about providing fresh food with fresh thinking and its latest items are a result of that dedication to...

VALENCIA, SPAIN, 10 October, 2018 — Laser Food, the creator of innovative, environmentally-friending laser labelling for fresh fruit, has announced the Europe wide launch of a new brand name for the technology, Natural Branding. Reflecting the profound environmental benefits of the system, the Natural Branding name will shortly be seen in grocery...

Tefen, Israel – StePac L.A. Ltd. launches XflowTM, a patented, functional, flowpack solution for blueberries as a...

Pacific Green is a new green asparagus variety adapted to both warm and more temperate climates. Seed...

The groundcherry (Physalis pruinosa), also called ‘husk cherry’ and ‘strawberry tomato,’ is native to Central and South...

Auckland, New Zealand, October 4, 2018 – Compac has launched the Sizer Simulator, a unique simulation tool...

SanLucar, the premium brand for fruit and vegetable, celebrated its 10th anniversary of production in Tunisia with...

Hamburg Vessel Coordination Center (HVCC) and Kotug Smit Towage, provider of harbour towage, will in future work...

MADRID, SPAIN, 02 October, 2018 — North Carolina-based Farm Fresh Produce is targeting export expansion in the Middle East and Europe through its participation in this year’s Fruit Attraction trade exhibition, which takes place in Madrid, Spain from 23-25 October. In keeping with its impressive export expansion for its sweet potatoes in...

A new robot, code-named Sweeper, has been developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) to take...

Selah, WA; September 24, 2018: Rainier Fruit today announced the addition of its new Wholesome to the...

If you are a lover of chocolate, coffee, or both, you will appreciate the effectiveness of a...

WASHINGTON – Under Secretary Greg Ibach today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $102.7...

As technology improves, radio frequency identification (RFID) is increasingly being used for tracing foodstuffs. Andreas Behrens, head...

Pomegranates symbolize life and vitality in many cultures. They are mentioned in the Quran, in ancient Greek...

A nationwide pilot to bring migrant workers to UK farms has been announced by the Home Secretary...

Citrus plays an important role in Morocco’s economy as an essential source of foreign currency. With an estimated value...

These berries yield like the dickens. Cornell’s berry breeding program is releasing two new varieties, which will...

Tarzan, shown here, travels over crop fields with an energy-efficient swinging motion. One day, such robots might...

MADRID, SPAIN, 03 September, 2018 — Fruit Attraction, one of Europe’s leading trade exhibitions for the international...

Fruit and vegetable production in Mexico has doubled since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came...

The United States accounted for 85% of the total citrus exports of the shipping company SeaLand in...

It was with great sorrow that we learned that Wolfgang Schmidt died August 24 in his home in Spain after a long sickness at the age of 75. He was a fruit trader dyed in the grain, worked in Valence, France as an intern, then as a buyer for one of the...

The acreage devoted to a genetic variation of the Israeli pomegranate has tripled in Murcia. The crop’s...

What looks like a prop from the famous Hannibal Lecter movie ‘Silence of the lambs’ is a...

23 August, 2018 – Good winter rains to date have largely broken the severe drought in the Western Cape. This positive outlook, linked to new plantings and new cultivars, brings the South African table grape industry back on its positive growth curve. The updated and online vine census, together with a concerted...

The import of foreign citrus fruits in the Region of Valencia continues to be a problem for...

Hamburg is taking a further step toward improving air quality at its port. Innovative technology developed right...

According to Ruben Medina Niño, the head of the Secretariat of Rural Development and Agrifood (Sedrua) in Michoacan, Michoacan consolidated its position as the leading producer of limes in Mexico with a production superior to 711,181 tons of lime. This volume, he said, has allowed the state to decisively regain the leadership...

BANGKOK, Aug. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Thailand set to host two major agricultural business events which feature smart technologies during 22-24 August 2018. Attracted by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) or TCEB, these events will underscore the country’s leading position in the world’s agriculture sector and are expected to attract...

the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), some weeks ago sent a warning signal to all farmers, traders and the general public to desist from the act of ripening fruits with calcium carbide, which is said to be very dangerous to health, as it is now regarded as...

The Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo will feature educational sessions on Advanced Hydroponic Production on Nov. 8 2018. The sessions are as follows: Greenhouse Strawberry Production- Physiologies and Technologies for High Quality Fruit Production, Chieri Kubota, The Ohio State University Benefits and Risks of a Closed-Loop Irrigation, Rosa E. Raudales, University of...

August 21, 2018 – Key Technology, Inc., a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, and Heat and Control Pty Ltd. announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to support customers in Australia, New Zealand and India. Under the terms of the agreement, Key has appointed Heat and Control...

Amid a severe shortage of manpower, a team comprised of researchers from private companies and a university in Aichi Prefecture is working on developing a self-driving robot that uses cutting-edge technology to support flower-growing farmers. In fiscal 2019 the group hopes to start marketing automated, handcart-type robots that follow pickers of roses...

Global orange production for 2017/18 is forecast to tumble 6.0 million metric tons (tons) from the previous...

Tart cherries for sale at the Ossining Farmer’s Market July 7, 2018. The farmer’s market is open...

In the first half of 2018, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) improved on the already strong prior-year result. Both Group revenue and the Group operating result increased slightly in the first six months against the same period of the previous year, which was already very strong. This development was driven by...

The 2018 European apple and pear crop forecast estimates that most European countries are moving back to a full crop, after experiencing a severe setback last year due to April and early May frosts. On 9 August 2018, close to 300 representatives of the international apple and pear sector met at the...

In the first half of 2018, Russia increased the import of citrus fruits by 12.2%, according to customs statistics (FCS) for January-June 2018. In general, the share of imports of food products and raw materials for their production during the reporting period slightly decreased from 13.6% last year to 13.0%. Of the...

As reported by various media, there have been considerable frosts in June and July of this season. The low temperatures affected different producing areas, and reached -3°C to -4°C in some affected orchards. Fortunately, the extension of the phenomenon has been limited, and has only affected some sectors in the valleys and...

In the very near future, robots are going to be picking the vegetables that appear on grocery...

3 August, 2018 – A group of 30 farm workers at the South African table grape farm...

Although only in early stages, the tit-for-tat exchange of retaliatory tariffs is setting up a food fight of epic proportions that will impact businesses large and small around the globe. Global Food Fight At 12:01 AM EDT on the sixth of July, the Trump administration triggered the largest trade war in modern...

The Aegean region, one of Turkey’s most important centers in terms of food exports, has hosted Chinese food importers. A delegation consisting of procurement authorities in the Guangdong Imported Food Association established in the People’s Republic of China and five importing companies, members in this association, held bilateral business talks with 30...

Cherry producers in New York state and the Great Lakes region don’t have it easy. They face...

Round. Red. Good in salads and great on a BLT. Tomatoes are a typical find in the kitchens of families in the United States, so popular we are the world’s third largest producer of them. Though some people like to engage in the “tuh-MAY-toh” versus “tuh-MAH-toh” debate, the more popular question when...

FAVERSHAM (Britain) • After weeks of uninterrupted sunshine, the strawberry season is in full swing in the so-called Garden of England. But with a shortage of seasonal labourers to pick the fruits, a trend exacerbated by Brexit, there are growing fears many may be left to rot on their stems. “We will...

Brockton, Mass. – Concord Foods is proud to announce its partnership with California Avocado Commission (CAC) to bring free guacamole samples into retailers this summer. To maximize sales during the Fourth of July weekend, Concord Foods and CAC partner to bring flavorful, creamy guacamole prepared and the new Concord Fresh Success guacamole mixes, which include no artificial flavors,...

Pleasant Prairie, Wis. (June 25, 2018) – Dedicated to providing better-for-you food choices, Good Foods is excited...

SANTIAGO, CHILE, 14 February, 2018 — With the aim of promoting consumption of Chilean citrus, including its...

12 June 2018, Rome – After years of steady decline, child labour in agriculture has started to rise again in recent years driven in part by an increase in conflicts and climate-induced disasters. This worrisome trend, not only threatens the wellbeing of millions of children, but also undermines efforts to end global...

If no action is taken to reduce the negative impacts on agricultural yields, the researchers estimate that the environmental changes predicted to occur by mid- to end-century in water availability and ozone concentrations would reduce average yields of vegetables and legumes by 35% and 9% respectively. In hot settings such as Southern...

FEDERAL biosecurity staff are yet to pinpoint the source of a spreading outbreak of citrus canker first...

Carl Gortzig ’52, professor emeritus and chair of the former Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, died June 2 at the Oak Hill Manor Nursing Home in Ithaca. He was 87. Gortzig was also the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director Emeritus of Cornell Botanic Gardens, formerly Cornell Plantations. His research covered floriculture economics...

Renzo Gomez, member of the Passion Fruit Work Table of the Association of Exporters (ADEX), stated that Peru had 6,500 hectares of passion fruit, which yield an average of 18 to 20 tons per hectare. The area with the highest production is Chimbote with 2,000 ha. It is followed by Piura, Olmos,...

The Mexican Army seized a multi-million dollar shipment of different drugs that was hidden in boxes of fruit and was destined for the United States. The drugs included large quantities of the most commonly used illicit substances among American addicts, such as fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. In the black market,...

SANTIAGO, CHILE, 14 February, 2018 — With the aim of promoting consumption of Chilean citrus, including its health benefits, the Chilean Citrus Committee of Chile’s Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), together with ProChile, has created a promotional campaign for this season for the UK and Japan; two important export markets for these colourful,...

The capacity of farm robotics to deliver quick-fix solutions to agriculture’s labour concerns is vastly over-estimated according to researchers in the Netherlands. Dutch robotics scientist, Rick van de Zedde, told delegates at F&A Next: “Industry expectations for farm robotics are definitely too high at present. “There is a tendency for users to...

To make sustainable diet choices easier for consumers, WRI introduces a new protein scorecard ranking foods from...

Beef is extremely inefficient to produce, as cattle consume a huge amount of calories and protein in...

The restriction on Turkish tomato companies exporting products to Russia has been lifted as of May 1st. Even though press reports claimed all the restrictions have been lifted, that is not accurate as the annual aggregate quota is still in place at 50,000 tons. Before the political crisis between the two countries,...

European consumers expect a clean supply chain and biodiversity to be conserved. Therefore, reducing the inputs of pesticides and chemical fertilisers to a minimum and/or replacing them by agro-ecological or robot solutions is required. Furthermore, the average age of European farmers is among the highest of all sectors, thus farming needs to...

Robotics are being talked up as a solution to labour shortages in horticulture industries around the world. The new technology could replace crop harvesting jobs that farmers are increasingly struggling to fill. Staffing had rapidly become a global challenge for the horticulture industry, Robotics Plus founder Steve Saunders said at a conference...

The government has decided to construct small irrigation systems with solar-powered pumps for constant supply of water  to farming fields to make the production of fresh tomato an all-year round activity. Mr. George Oduro, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, said when he addressed a stakeholders meeting of the tomato farming...

Horticulture production is estimated at 307.2 million tonnes (mt) in the current year (July-June), up 2.2 per cent over last year , according to second advance estimates of released by the Union Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday. Last year’s production was 300.6 mt. The production of fruits is estimated to be about 94.4...

A group of Chilean scientists is applying artificial intelligence to help a sector not usually associated with this kind of high technology–fruit farmers. The team has designed a special software called Agronomic Simulation and Agroclimatic Information, known by its Spanish acronym SAIA, which places real-time data about the soil, plants and weather...

The World Bank announced today a USD 140 million project to support the Tunisian government’s focus on irrigated agriculture as a means of managing scarce water resources while creating economic opportunities, especially in underdeveloped rural regions. The new project will finance the repair of irrigation systems to make them more efficient and...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 21 May, 2018 — MOST, the Sweden-based creator of one of the world’s most innovative real-time data and temperature tracker for perishables, has announced new distribution agreements in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, continuing the company’s dynamic expansion across Latin America.  MOST’s new partnership will cover the three territories and is...

Exploring the fresh fruit section at a Hema Fresh supermarket. The group of more than 50 international entered the Super Species supermarket outlet on March 20 in Shenzhen and made a beeline for the fruit—peering, sniffing, poking and exclaiming in a manner that seemed extreme even among China’s most fruit-fanatic consumers. The...

Pullach, Germany — April 17, 2018: A new study, Carbon Footprint of Food Packaging, comparing the carbon footprints of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) and single-use cardboard boxes, has shown that RPCs emit 60% less CO2 when used for packaging, shipping and storing fresh produce. Published in February 2018, the study was conducted...

Brandon McFadden Humanity needs an innovative food system to not only survive, but to thrive. In 2050, nearly 10 billion people will populate the Earth. Future generations will be dealing with not only greater numbers of neighbors and denser population centers, but also a food system likely to face the negative impacts...

If the thought of drying your body with a towel steeped in the fragrance of “mikan” mandarin oranges has ever appealed, you’re in luck. Ehime Prefecture, the nation’s primary producer of mikan, is also renowned for its Imabari brand of cotton towels. Marrying these two aspects of the local culture was a...

A $70 million privately funded, groundbreaking agriculture venture in Huron remain confident they can produce and achieve...

rrigated pepper crop had greater and more uniform growth rates than without irrigation. • Daily irrigation provided higher growth rates when the lowest depth of water was applied. • Irrigation every two days resulted in higher growing rates when the largest water depth was applied. • The experimental plot size was always...

Apple harvest depends on a large seasonal workforce, and decreasing availability of agricultural employees, increasing labor costs, and occupational injuries are creating challenges for apple harvest activities. Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University developed a low-cost apple harvest-assist unit to improve apple harvest efficiency. The unit performed reliably during field tests. Apple...

Peach and apple are two important products in the Mediterranean fruit sector. The aim of this work is to analyse environmentally the entire life cycle stages of Mediterranean fruit production, from cradle to grave, considering agricultural, retail, consumption and disposal stages, using a multiyear approach with data from ten years of real...

The two largest deciduous fruit industry associations, the South African Apple and Pear Producers’ Association (SAAPPA) and the South African Stone Fruit Producers’ Association (SASPA) will in future be known as Hortgro Pome and Hortgro Stone. Hortgro, the deciduous fruit umbrella-group, said in a statement that the name changes will streamline future...

Raspberry fruit is very sensitive and susceptible to rapid decay. The decline in quality starts practically from the moment when the fruit is picked. Fruits initially lose strength, then release the juice, intensify the development of mold and at last the rotting process starts. The goal of all technological processes after harvest...

To understand the effect of high temperature stress on Pyrus trees, the changes in antioxidant substance, antioxidant enzymet and osmotic substance in leaves of 2-year-old ‘Huangguan'(P. pyrifolia ‘Cuiguan’) and ‘Cuiyu'(P. bretschneideri × P. pyrifolia) seedlings were measured, and the expressions of related genes at different stages were analyzed by q RT-PCR. The...

After exploring how to choose a new variety last issue with Steve Spark, AgFirst’s John Wilton shows us the ins and outs of managed club varieties.  High colour sports are now raising colour standards: Lady in Red is on the left, standard Cripps Pink on the right. Since the Australian apple industry...

Climate change impact assessments are predominantly undertaken for the purpose of informing future adaptation decisions. Often, the complexity of the methodology hinders the actionable outcomes. The approach used here illustrates the importance of considering uncertainty in future climate projections, at the same time providing robust and simple to interpret information for decision-makers....

A Washington State study into designing high density orchard trellises has some useful messages and handy online tool for Australian growers. A new online tool which can reduce the risk of trellis failure under high load by customising orchard systems to meet the demands of local conditions is the key output of...

Breeding apples is a long-term endeavour and it is imperative that new cultivars are selected to have outstanding consumer appeal. This study has taken the approach of merging sensory science with genome wide association analyses in order to map the human perception of apple flavour and texture onto the apple genome. The...

AREFLH’s general assembly (Assembly of European Horticultural Regions) was held yesterday 28th of March in Brussels. In the presence of distinguished guests such as MEP Herbert Dorfmann and João Onofre from the European Commission, the association put forward its position on the future of the fruit and vegetable sector in the post-2020...

First kiwifruit being picked  Increased harvest volumes expected this year   The first kiwifruit is being picked in New Zealand with orchards cleared to be harvested from the top of the North Island to the top of the South Island. Over 2,500 growers will be harvesting some 13,500 hectares of kiwifruit.  ...

27 March, 2018 – The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) is sad to announce the passing away of its Chairman Michael Laubscher following a serious motorbike accident. After bravely fighting for his life he passed away in a Paarl hospital last night (26 March) due to complications following the accident that...

A new agreement between Culdevco and the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) for a further 10 year period...