South African table grape planted area to recover after three years

Pink Globe: new table grape variety poised to make a big splash

South Africa table grape planted area, production and exports are all forecast to increase in the marketing year 2021-22, according to a USDA report. The area planted to table grapes is forecast to grow by two percent to 20,900 hectares in the 2021-22 marketing year from 20,564 hectares last year. This comes from new orchards and […]

UK apple suppliers welcome Enhanced Trade Partnership with India

Expanding the UK’s export horizons opens the door for growers to achieve superior prices for larger apple sizes not demanded by domestic retailers. Growers and exporters in the UK have welcomed the signing of an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) between the UK and India to facilitate the supply of fresh apples. The opportunities in India […]

South Africa protests disrupt citrus exports

South African farmers have been hit by days of unrest and looting as trucks carrying produce are prevented from delivering to markets. The country’s citrus exports through the port of Durban have been halted after violence erupted in the KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng regions. Crowds have this week clashed with police and ransacked shopping malls, […]

Salmonella outbreak in UK, other countries tied to melons

Melons have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak that has affected 200 people in more than 10 countries. Patients have been reported in Denmark, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada and Switzerland. Illnesses started in late March, Food Safety News reports. Czech Republic and Spain have also recorded recent Salmonella […]

In U.S. and across globe, retail success may be hard to sustain

Originally printed in the April 2021 issue of Produce Business. Though the produce category had a record year at retail in 2020, foodservice was, of course, way down as so many restaurants were closed as were institutions such as schools and their lunch and meal programs. The statistics are not all in yet, but there is […]

Freshfel Europe urges MEPs to remember Russian embargo impact

In an open communication, Freshfel Europe urged the European Parliament to not forget the strong and ongoing impact of the now seven-year Russian embargo on the fresh fruits and vegetable sector. The letter addressed to the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in the Agriculture and the International Trade Committees asked for the continued support of fruit […]

UK retailers resume avocado supplies from Kenya after boycott

Large Hass avocado to remain scarce amid strong green-skinned demand

Kenyan agricultural firm Kakuzi will soon resume exports of avocados to supermarkets in Europe which stopped buying its produce in October last year when the firm was accused of serious human rights abuse, Business Daily Africa reports. Supermarket chains Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Lidl suspended Kakuzi supplies in the wake of reports of rape and violence at Kakuzi […]