Category: Blog

Incredibly enough, a survey by VeggieTracker.com led to the conclusion that one in four Americans have never eaten a vegetable in their life.

Ridiculous as that sounds, the survey reveals that many are motivated to increase their vegetable intake. About 72% admit they wish they ate more vegetables while 67% feel guilty for not having some with their meal. As for why people aren’t eating their vegetables, a quarter of the respondents say their produce rots before they can cook it, and the same number says vegetables are too expensive. Another 22% say veggies take too long to prep, and 20% aren’t sure on how to properly cook them.

Most popular vegetables
The most popular vegetable in America is corn! That’s according to a survey of 2,000 Americans who were asked which vegetables they liked and disliked the most.

Overall, a whopping 91.4% of respondents enjoy eating corn. Potatoes came in an extremely close second at 91.2%, while carrots and tomatoes were tied for the third-most-liked vegetable at 89%. Rounding out the top five are onions and green beans, which tied as the fifth-most popular veggies (87%) according to the survey, which was commissioned on behalf of VeggieTracker.com by Dr. Praeger’s.

Curious as to the rest of the results? Here’s a look at the top 10 most popular vegetables among Americans:

Corn                              91%
Potatoes                     91%
Carrots                         89%
Tomatoes                    89%
Onion                             87%
Green beans               87%
Cucumbers                 86%
Broccoli                         85%
Cabbage                       84%
Peas                              83%

The most hated vegetables, according to the survey:

Turnip                      27%
Beets                       26%
Radish                      23%
Brussels sprouts           21%
Artichoke                   20%
Eggplant                    20%
Butternut squash          20%
Zucchini                    8%
Mushroom                    18%
Asparagus                    16%

By Fresh Plaza

The California plum season is all but over, with the majority of growers having shipped the last of their fruit. While there are a few particularly late varieties still around from a handful of suppliers, the season can be described as finished. “We packed our last plum variety – which was the red Flavor Fall – in late September,” said Jeff Simonian of Simonian Fruit Company.

Average season with mixed market
Simonian described the season as average, with mixed market conditions but generally favorable weather, except for the late start. “The season had its ups and downs,” he said. “This is certainly the case most years. Our season was five days late from the start to the end due to the cooler than normal spring.”

On a positive note, the fruit was of good quality and the market – although experiencing variations – was generally good. “We had some excellent quality fruit,” Simonian shared. “And the market was solid for the majority of the year.”

Pomegranates now in season
Simonian Fruit Company has several stone fruit varieties within each of the main categories. For plums, the season begins with Yummy Beaut and Black Beaut in June, ending with Flavor Fall in September. “Flavor Fall is a red plum that is known for its good size and superior flavor,” Simonian shared.

Although its stone fruit season is now over for the 2019 crop, the company is now focusing on pomegranates. The pomegranate harvest is on now and fruit will be available until the end of the year. Additionally, although much of the pomegranate crop is exported, Simonian doesn’t foresee any problems with the tariff situation.

“Our attention has now turned to pomegranates. We will be packing these into next month, and we can expect fruit to be available into December. About 40 percent of our crop is exported, but most of the countries we ship to have not applied any additional tariffs.”

By Freshplaza

An MRL (Maximum Residue Limit) or a food tolerance, as it is known in the USA, is the maximum amount of a pesticide residue that can be found in or on food. While any food with a pesticide residue under an MRL should be safe to eat, it is important to remember that an MRL is not a safety limit. That being said, a residue over an MRL is not necessarily a safety hazard, but rather a violation of good agricultural practices (GAP).

If you are growing, packing, importing/exporting, or otherwise involved in the domestic or global trade in agricultural commodities, it is critical that you be aware of any MRLs that may affect your commodity and the regulations around them. This article is meant to give you a basic introduction of pesticides and their limits, but no single article can cover all the complexities and local variations in MRLS. If you have questions about your specific situation, reach out to your PCA, local farm advisor, grower group, or a Safe Food Alliance representative.

Let’s start with some definitions.

Pesticide
A pesticide is defined by the EPA as: “Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.”, “Any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.” or “Any nitrogen stabilizer”.

Active Ingredient
The active ingredient (AI) in a pesticide is the chemical or chemicals that actually have the desired effect and do the heavy lifting (the AI in Round Up is glyphosate). The rest of a pesticide product is the inert ingredients such as solvents (e.g. water) and adjuvants which are additives that improve pesticide performance (spreaders, wetting agents).

Pesticide Residue
A pesticide residue is the trace amount of any pesticide remaining on the crop after treatment (and any post treatment steps required by the label, such as a reentry period). It is important to note that an MRL may refer to an AI, adjuvant, or any other residue that results from a pesticide application, like metabolites. Remember, all MRLs are specific to a pesticide and crop combination. For example, if you find the fungicide Imazalil on oranges, and the market does not have an MRL for it, then any Imazalil residue found on an orange is illegal (a positive list system or PLS).

Default MRLs
Some markets, like Europe or Japan, have default MRLs where if there’s no specific MRL for a given crop/pesticide, but the pesticide isn’t specially banned, the MRL defaults to a given value (usually 0.01ppm). These default MRLs are generally set to around the current limit of detection for most pesticides, though, so there’s often little difference between a default MRL and no MRL.

Residue Definition
The last important definition we’ll discuss is the residue definition. The residue definition tells you what chemicals need to be measured to determine if your commodity conforms with the MRL. For example, the residue definition for the herbicide oxyfluorfen is just the chemical oxyfluorfen, but for fosetyl-aluminum both the parent compound, fosetyl-aluminum and the chemical it degrades into in the environment, phosphonic acid, needs to be measured. This can also change based on the commodity and market: the residue definition for glyphosate for wheat in the United States is different than the definition for almonds in Australia.

How are MRLs made?
While an MRL is not a safety limit, the setting of an MRL begins with safety testing.

How It’s Done
The registrant of a pesticide performs animal studies to determine the smallest amount of the active ingredient that the animal can be exposed to before having an adverse reaction. This amount is the no observable adverse effect level or NOAEL.
From there, they take the NOAEL and multiply it 100 times to give a range (Safety Margin) to include as much of the population as possible.
The safety margins and two toxicological values are then applied: the smallest amount that it is acceptable for humans to consume at one sitting (acute reference dose or ARfD) and the smallest amount that it is acceptable for humans to consume on a long-term basis (acceptable daily intake or ADI) are calculated.
The registrant carries out field trials, where the pesticide is applied to the commodity at the highest proposed rate and the crop is then handled according to GAP.
Finally, the MRL is set based on statistical analysis on the range of pesticide residues found on the crop from the field trials, after all applicable harvest activities. What that means is they analyze how much of the crop is left after harvest and measure if it might get people sick.

Following The Directions
Again, while the MRL needs to be at a safe level (all sources of consumption are summed and the MRL is only approved if the public’s estimated consumption is under the ADI and ARfD), it is really a way of ensuring that GAP was followed in the application of the pesticide. If the instructions in the pesticide label are followed, the pesticide residue, by the time the commodity reaches the consumer, should be under the MRL. It is important to follow the label, as an MRL violation is a sign that GAP was not adhered to, possibly risking harm to the environment, workers and those who live nearby the spray site.

How to Stay Informed on MRLs
The world of pesticide regulations is large and constantly changing. Even the basic information covered in this article may seem like a lot to have to keep track of, without getting into the specifics of how MRLs work in each individual market. Europe alone is worth its own (much longer) article, one that might go out of date in the time between writing and reading. The good news is that all the information you need to stay informed on the state of MRLs is publicly available if you know where to look.

For the most up to date information, make sure to stay in communication with any PCAs, farm advisors, or grower groups who may have firsthand knowledge of your crop, growing methods, and target market. Second, visit an online database where you can find information on what MRLs there are for your crop and market. Online databases are available for the United States, Europe, Japan, Korea, Canada, for starters, but that can still be a lot to have to keep straight. Bryant Christie Inc. keeps an excellent MRL database that covers over “…1000 pesticides, 875 commodities, and 125 markets”; due to a grant from the federal government. Access is free to users within the United States.

Remember, the key to avoiding pesticide residue issues is to stay informed. By knowing where there may be potential issues ahead of time and testing for residues before you ship your commodity, you can manage your pesticide risk.

The new US-Japan trade deal will provide staged reduction of Japanese tariffs for more than $2 billion (1.63 billion pounds) worth of US beef and pork, matching access now granted to the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact countries, a text of the agreement shows.

US President Trump presided over a White House signing ceremony on Monday for the final text of the limited bilateral trade pact, more then 2-1/2 years after he pulled the United States out of the much broader TPP.

The move left US farmers and food producers at a disadvantage in the Japanese market to competitors from Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and the US-Japan deal aims to even that playing field by cutting Japanese tariffs on many of those products.

The US Trade Representative’s office said the pact would immediately eliminate Japan’s tariffs on US food and agricultural imports valued at about $1.3 billion per year, including almonds, blueberries, cranberries, walnuts, sweet corn, lactose, milk albumin, grain sorghum, food supplements, broccoli and prunes.

‘Great news’
According to agnetwest.com, farmers and ranchers are celebrating the trade deal.  American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Today’s signing marks the successful end to more than a year of negotiation between Japan and the United States. This agreement means sharply lower tariffs on our farm and ranch exports with the promise of more to come. And while we aren’t yet finished opening this market, the conclusion of these talks means we can now trade with Japan with the same advantages enjoyed by signers of the CP-TPP trade agreement. That’s great news.”

“We hope the momentum from this win carries through to the negotiations with China this week and sets the stage for similar bilateral agreements with other countries involved with the CP-TPP. We appreciate this Administration’s efforts to improve trade opportunities for farmers.”

By Fresh Plaza

The driest southern winter in six decades has left a complex balance: 6 of the 16 regions in Chile are suffering the effects of the rainfall deficit, which in the case of Valparaiso and Santiago reached 77%. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, there are about 37,000 farmers at risk. In addition, nearly 106,000 animals in the regions between Atacama (north) and Maule (south) have died due to lack of water and food, according to data from the ministry.

Chile meets most of the nine vulnerability criteria set forth by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including areas prone to drought and desertification.

“The situation is complex,” acknowledged Javier Maldonado, the governor of the province of Chacabuco, which houses several of the communities affected by the drought. “We have to be realistic, climate change is here to stay,” he added.

In the courtyard of her house in the commune of La Ligua, in Valparaiso, Dominga Mondaca showed the barren land where the water used to irrigate strawberry and citrus plantations used to flow. “We had very little water for many years, but this year was the worst. It didn’t rain at all,” said Dominga, one of the more than 600,000 people who need to be supplied with water.

In Petorca, the water beds are now dry. But in some areas, the withered landscape contrasts with the green of hills filled with citrus and avocado plantations, a crop of great demand of which Chile is one of its largest exporters. In this town, not only is there a lack of water but the water resources are being poorly managed, ensure its inhabitants.

In the central mountain range of Chile, the accumulated snow presents a deficit of 65% compared to the historical average, according to official data. Scientists estimate a 5 to 10% decrease per decade in practically all the Andes, one of the main water reservoirs in the country.

“The central zone of Chile is very dependent on the summer melts of both snow and glaciers. That means that if the amount of snow cover decreases, the availability of water resources will also decrease,” stated Raul Cordero, an expert on climate change at the University of Santiago.

“Chile used to live as if it were a country that had an abundance of water, but climate change and global warming have probably changed that forever,” said President Sebastian Piñera, announcing investments of 5 billion dollars to cope with the drought.

By Fresh Plaza

Though the equipment is not yet in widespread use, robotic pickers may be the future of U.S. apple production.

Apple growers graft their trees, care for them, the weather cooperates, bloom goes well in the spring, and fruit begins to weigh down branches.

Next comes harvest—who’s picking the fruit?

Since the seasonal workforce hired to harvest tree fruit varies from one year to the next, and orchardists have stringent regulations for accommodating workers, the industry continues to struggle with having an adequate workforce—hence looking to technology to replace at least some of the humans.

In partnership with Washington state apple growers, Abundant Robotics, Inc. in Hayward, CA, has developed an automated apple-picking system. For the first time in the history of apple harvests, some apples sold in the United States this year will have been plucked off trees by a robot, not a human.

Much like its human counterparts, the machine moves through rows of trees, using artificial intelligence to scan for ripe fruit. When found, a robotic arm with a vacuum gently sucks the apples from their spurs and places them in a bin. Though the equipment is not yet in widespread use, robotic pickers may be the future of U.S. apple production.

Another form of technology revolves around AgTools BB #:355102, a software application that aggregates information from multiple sources (including trade associations, government agencies, and more) to offer users real-time intel on crops, availability, and pricing.

According founder and president Martha Montoya, Irvine-CA based AgTools uses “data algorithms to help manage market volatility, increase profitability, and reduce food waste.”

In the specific case of apples, AgTools could provide users with pricing and volume trends based on current and historical market conditions with variables such as currency fluctuations or geopolitical impacts.

By providing real-time data to partners throughout the supply chain, AgTools aims to reduce communication gaps and simplify decision making—with the ultimate goal of getting perishables to their intended destination and reducing waste.

By Produce Blue Book

Suppliers are noting that the table grape market is well balanced right now, especially in comparison to last season. With less acreage on certain varieties, along with steady movement thanks to aggressive retail promotions, inventories are sitting at comfortable levels.

“According to the most recent USDA report, there are close to 3 million fewer boxes in cold storage, due to a combination of less acreage of Scarlet Royals and better overall movement,” observed Ira Greenstein of Direct Source Marketing. “With fairly aggressive pricing and solid program business in place, marketers and retailers have found a synergistic middle-ground and are keeping fruit moving through the system.”

However, he warned that while overall quality has been good, some condition issues have arisen and are set to continue. Additionally, the momentum of strong consumer support will be needed through October as there is still plenty of fruit remaining.

Red seedless
There is still good volumes of red seedless grapes available out of the San Joaquin Valley. Some of the varieties include Scarlet Royals, Sweet Celebration, and Krissy, among others. Suppliers say the general market is down, despite good movement and less fruit around than at the same time last year.

“With 1.7 million fewer boxes of red seedless currently in cold storage, marketers are in a much better position in comparison to last year,” Greenstein noted. “Pricing on good quality red seedless currently ranges from $12.95-$13.95 on medium/large, $13.95-$14.95 on large and $14.95-$16.95 on x-large with the mostly market at $15.95.”

He added that QA teams will be paying closer attention to fruit condition on arrival as the weeks go by. “Typically, by the 15th of October the industry should look to move away from Scarlet Royal and focus on later varieties.”

Early finish for green seedless?
As shippers transition to latter-season green seedless varieties like Autumn Kings, Autumn Crisp, Pristine and Sorbet, quality inspections will become more important as the industry looks to avoid any issues – such as mildew – relating to the wet conditions in California earlier in the season. Expectations are for the season to finish earlier than anticipated, prompting marketers to consider raising prices.

“Overall market conditions on green seedless are beginning to shift as the industry works through the last remaining mid-season varieties and transitions into the late-season storage crop,” Greenstein explained. “Pricing currently ranges from $14.95-$15.95 on medium large, $15.95-$16.95 on large and $17.95-$20.95 for x-large. Some growers are still looking to discount weaker quality lots with pricing $1-$2 below general quotes. Look for overall pricing to adjust higher week by week on California green seedless.”

Organic supplies contracting
When it comes to organic table grapes, Greenstein has described the season as “hit or miss”. Volumes are declining now and pricing is moving higher as this tightens further. He said, “Pricing on good quality organic red seedless currently ranges from $22.95 on 19# bags and $24.95 on 10/2# clamshells. Organic green seedless pricing has ticked higher ranging from $24.95-$26.95 on 19# bags and $26.95-$28.95 on 10/2# clamshells. Look for pricing to remain at these levels as availability begins to tighten week by week.”

Good volumes on black seedless
Lastly, the black seedless crop continues to produce steady volumes. Autumn Royals are now being packed and suppliers expect these to be available through the middle of December. Greenstein shared that pricing on early Autumn Royal currently ranges from $16.95-$18.95, depending on size. He also noted that Midnight Beauty is still seeing good volumes.

“There have been decent volumes of Midnight Beauty black seedless with growers and shippers looking for a premium with pricing ranging from $16.95-$20.95. Look for excellent opportunities to promote California Autumn Royal through the balance of the fall.”

By Fresh Plaza

Thanks largely to the weather, supplies of blackberries out of Mexico are currently proving tight.

“Supplies of blackberries are low because of the heavy rains that have been happening in Mexico. There was even a tornado,” says Jorge Mardones of OTC Produce LLC. based in McAllen, Tex. Mardones adds that supplies right now are lower than at this time last year.

Blackberries are currently coming from Michoacán, especially the centrally-located Tacámbaro, while competition is coming from Jalisco.

Symptoms of rain
Those rains are also creating additional challenges for shippers. “The serious problem that has arisen this last month with blackberries is around the quality of the berries arriving in the U.S. Many receivers have had to invest in cleaning the fruit at the destination, or in many cases, adjusting prices,” says Mardones. “All of this is due to the intense rains, which have generated the proliferation of post-harvest diseases.” He adds that this is proving to be a significant challenge in this area, to improve the situation post-harvest and to have better phytosanitary programs in the field.

As for demand, Mardones says demand is much higher than supply and it’s coming from all over the U.S., but especially California. “There are also big movements in Chicago and on the East Coast,” adds Mardones. “With greater demand than supply, consumption of blackberries will remain high which is very good for the industry.”

That said, prices remain even and Mardones doesn’t anticipate that changing any time soon, adding that prices currently are between $9-$10 FOB.

By Fresh Plaza

The production of avocados is shifting from the southern hemisphere to the north. The Spanish season has just started with the harvest of the first Bacon avocados in Malaga and Granada. Italy will follow soon and the peak season is also around the corner in Mexico. Avocados are still very popular among consumers and it is difficult to bring the supply in balance with the demand. This season there were some hurdles, like a reduction of the production volume in Chile (-25%) and South Africa (-30%). California expects another record harvest this year. Furthermore, the production of avocados is increasing in Colombia, and Australia and New Zealand have ambitious plans.

The Netherlands: Still going strong
The avocado market has been going strong for weeks. Dutch importers are currently getting their avocados from Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Kenya and the market has been good for a long time. Colombia in particular is becoming an increasingly big player on the avocado market.

In Colombia and Chile the trees are delivering a lot of small sizes, so their availability will grow in the coming period. The supply of size 12 to 18 will be limited in the coming weeks, so prices are expected to remain at a high level. Spain has also just started with the Bacon variety and will be switching to the Hass around mid-November. The Spanish harvest is estimated to be slightly lower than last year’s. The storm that raged over Spain has also resulted in some wind damage.

Belgium: Shortage of Hass avocados
The Belgian market is currently struggling with shortages of Hass avocados. The avocado season in South Africa and Peru is coming to an end and Mexico is not shipping enough to fill in the gaps in the supply. The Chilean avocados have turned out to be smaller than normal, which is why traders are now dealing with a low supply of sizes 16, 18 and 20. Due to the shortages, the prices paid for Hass avocados are very high. Peru has a smaller production this year and the country has already shipped large volumes to Europe at the start of the season. As a result, prices fell to an extremely low price level in June and July, and the country currently has little product to export.

Germany: Spanish avocados unable to meet the demand
The Spanish season will start soon on the eastern German market. Spanish avocados are slightly cheaper than those from overseas and their quality is more stable, with a better coloring, especially thanks to the shorter transit times. “The disadvantage of Spanish avocados is that they cannot meet the demand,” says a trader. “The fruit is almost only ripened on request, which means that shortages can occur and we therefore have to rely on overseas productions.”

“The Spanish Sigfrido avocados have become more relevant on the German market,” says another trader. “Kenya is also on the market, although the demand has not yet been very high.”

France: Growing demand for Hass
The demand for Hass avocados is still growing in France. Both on Rungis, the wholesale market in Paris, and on St. Charles, in Perpignan, the prices of class 1 avocados stand at around € 20 per 20 pieces. As long as there are not many avocados from Spain and Israel on the market, prices are expected to remain high.

Spain: First avocados harvested in Malaga and Granada
The Spanish season has already started in Malaga and Granada with the harvest of the first Bacon avocados. The yields are generally lower this year, mostly because this is an off-year for the crop and the temperatures were too high in the summer. The next harvest will be that of the Fuerte, and the Hass, the most common variety in Spain, will follow in mid-November. The market conditions are good for the first Spanish green avocados. There is a good demand with a reasonable price. The small sizes are more expensive when the avocados are organic, but the prices paid for the large sizes remain roughly the same.

Italy: Prices doubled in one year
The demand for avocados continues to grow in Italy. At the end of September, the fruit was imported mainly from Israel, Peru and Mexico, although the European productive season is now just starting in Italy (Sicily) and Spain. This year there has been a 30% lower production of Hass and Greenskin avocados from South Africa and Israel on the market; something that had already been foreseen in February. As a result, there were high prices on the market from the start. That situation has not changed and due to those high prices, some importers are switching to airfreight. In any case, the Spanish season is coming and Italy will follow soon.

Spain expects a normal production, with relatively small sizes in the case of the Hass and a limited amount of Greenskins. Italy only produces Hass and they see this crop as a niche that is highly sought after. The harvest starts in November. The organic production can also be considered a niche with a growing demand. In addition to the Sicilian lands, there are also 40 hectares in Taranto with a season running from November to May. In a year, the price of avocados has doubled on the Italian wholesale market. In Bologna, the price for 4 kilos of avocados amounted to between 8 and 10 Euro. Now it ranges between 16 and 20 Euro. Despite the prices, the demand for the product has not fallen.

China: Large-scale imports continue
In China, there are only a few areas where avocados can be produced: Yunnan, Hainan and Fujian. However, the volume is still very small and the quality is not always stable. Consequently, domestic avocados are not yet distributed in the Chinese market on a large scale, so the country still has to rely on imports. A lot is imported from Mexico, Chile and Peru. Mexico is now in its low season, so there is not much supply from this country on the market now. Peru and Chile are currently switching places; Peru’s import season is coming to an end and Chile’s is just starting.

The price is currently going up a little and the import market is also stable. Sales are going particularly well in third and fourth-class cities. In first-class cities, sales are slowing down because there is limited room for new sellers. So there is still a lot of potential to grow in the third and fourth-class cities of China.

South Africa: 30% less production in Africa
The South African season is coming to an end with a lower yield than last year’s record one (the production is falling by 30%); however, the prices are “fantastic” and “astronomically high” for both exports and the domestic market. Exports are now falling rapidly (especially those to the EU, UK and the little going to the Middle East) and the local market is also relatively empty. Fortunately, the late crops in the Cape region are arriving earlier due to the warm spring.

There is a high demand for avocados from local ripeners. A completely empty market is expected after Christmas until the first avocados (Maluma) arrive in March from northern Limpopo. The flowering is looking good and the hope is that this can lead to a new production record next year.

United States: Sufficient supply results in lower prices
There is currently a good supply of avocados. California’s domestic production is expected to amount to 159,000 tons by 2020, with the season taking place between February and September. 90,000 tons of avocados have been harvested this campaign. It appears that Mexico will also have more avocados in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.

90.7 million tons of avocados were imported into the US last year and a slight increase has been predicted for this year, according to a trader. “Everyone thought there would be a gap in the supply, but that didn’t happen. This year, there has been an overlap between the harvest in Loca and Aventajada in Mexico that will ensure an uninterrupted supply. ”Mexico and California dominate the US market, with a market share of around 80%. In addition, there are a number of opportunity markets in South America which mainly export to the US when the volumes of Mexican avocados are low. These are mainly Chile and Peru, but Colombia has also emerged in recent years as a possible new avocado producer.

The demand for the popular fruit remains strong, but a lot also depends on the trust from supermarkets that benefit from consistent quality and prices. Currently, the prices oscillate between $20 and $30 per box. Last year around this time, the price was about $10 lower. “Current prices ensure a good balance between harvest and shipments. If this continues, avocados will sell very well in the next six months.”

Mexico: Peak season is about to start
Mexico produces avocados all year round, with a focus on Hass avocados. The largest producing region is Michoacán, where 80% of avocados come from. The second largest region is Jalisco, which is unable to export to the US or China, so its main export markets are Japan, Canada and Europe. The peak season takes place from October to January, with higher volumes than in the rest of the year. This year there has been stable demand and good volumes, although the popularity of avocados makes it difficult to bring the supply in balance with the demand. A price drop is expected in the short term, as more volumes come onto the market.



Peru: Growing production
The production of avocados is growing in this South American country. The season is shorter than in Mexico and Chile and takes place between the beginning of May and the end of July; a period in which the Mexicans are in the off season. There is therefore little competition for Peruvian avocados.

Chile: 25% less volume due to drought
The main export markets for Chile are the US and China, but this season’s drought has reduced both volume and sizes by 25%. The production takes place from September to February, so they have to compete with Mexico during its peak season. The domestic market is also important for Chile. Because of the drought, some growers decided not to expand their crops, and some even switched to cherries or blueberries, which require much less water than avocados.

Australia: Record year is still expected
Nationally, Australia can still achieve a record production of avocados by June 2020. A 12% increase in the volume is expected compared to the 2018-2019 season. With the increase, Australian traders see opportunities to expand their exports. This year, premium avocados were exported for the first time to Japan by plane and industry representatives are urging the government to open the Indian market for Australian avocados.

New Zealand: Ambition to expand strongly
Growers in New Zealand have ambitious plans for the future, as they hope to quadruple their sales and triple their production by 2023, the year in which the country may host the World Avocado Forum. The country now accounts for 2% of the global avocado production and is the 9th largest exporter in world trade. 35% of the export volume is intended for the Asian market.

By Fresh Plaza

Berries could help to heal wounds thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties, new research has revealed.

For centuries, honey has been used for wound healing, but the latest research suggests berries, especially strawberries and blackberries, could also be effective for those with sores, ulcers and other wounds.

The study, published in the journal Food Research International, analysed the anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of strawberries and blackberries. 

The scientists found that blackberries were particularly good at helping to suppress reactive oxygen species – molecules that are produced when tissues are injured. Berry proanthocyanidins – the very compounds that give berries their red, blue, or purple colours – also appeared to reduce the need for nitric oxide synthesis, a compound involved in wound repair. 

Dr. Emma Derbyshire, public health nutritionist and adviser to British Summer Fruits, commented: “This new research has some very interesting findings which suggest that berries are helping to take the pressure off some of our innate wound repair mechanisms. 

“We know that plants produce phytochemicals to protect and repair environmental damage, diseases, parasites and fungi, and this research shows that eating berries or applying them to our skin could also potentially support our body’s wound repair mechanisms.  

“Ongoing research in the form of in vivo human studies are now needed. In the meantime, regular berry consumption, particularly strawberries and blackberries, for those with sores, ulcers or other wounds or injuries, could be a nice, tasty way to benefit from their anti-inflammatory effects. And to step it up even further, eating berries with a spoonful or squirt of honey could be the perfect combination to help heal wounds.”

By Fruit Net

China’s obsession with Mexican avocados looks to be running out of steam this season, causing exporters to consider European markets instead, a leading trader has suggested.

“Mexico’s exports to China are probably going to be down significantly this season,” Thomas Padilla of California-based Mission Produce, a major handler of Mexican avocados, tells Fruitnet.

“The last few seasons, the market has been over-shipped and the Chinese importers have lost a lot of money. Not that long ago, volume per week was around 30 to 40 containers; now it’s more like 10.

“Importers used to be able to move ‘overages’ to second- and third-tier cities,” Padilla adds. “But after 35 to 40 days on the water (and more time in storage), the fruit is not holding up – especially in these new markets where demand is still low.”

In the meantime, Europe has become a preferred destination for the Mexican industry. “Europe’s demand for avocados has really increased – especially for Hass,” Padilla says. “There is a supply gap at the moment; local fruit from Spain has run its course, and South Africa is just barely getting going with their season.”

Totally unacquainted with avocados at the beginning of the current decade, China imported a mere 32 tonnes of the fruit as recently as 2011.

Via social media, however, the country’s consumers have become more aware of the fruit’s outstanding nutritional characteristics and have notably begun blending them into health shakes and serving them as baby food.

As of 2018, China’s avocado imports had boomed to more than 32,000 tonnes from all sources, with Mexico enjoying a market share of around 40 per cent.

Mexico, the world’s leading producing nation with approximately 2m tonnes annually, exported more than 914,500 tonnes of the Hass variety to the US last year.

According to the Mexican Avocado Exporter Association, shipments to its northern neighbour are expected to exceed 1m tonnes in 2019/20.

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, meanwhile, notes that Mexico’s avocado acreage increased by nearly 6 per cent to 231,000ha during the 2017/18 season.

By Fruit Net

Despite Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s presence in New York to conclude a trade package with US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer, the two sides failed to bridge the gap in their positions.

The announcement of an agreement was expected to coincide with Tuesday’s bilateral between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump. “We will have a trade deal soon. We will have a bigger trade deal down the road,” Mr. Trump said before the talks held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting.

While Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale did not share details on why a trade package could not be concluded, three sources familiar with the negotiations told The Hindu that the prospects of an agreement unravelled due to the failure to reach an agreement on Information and communications technology (ICT) products. The US has wanted India to eliminate tariffs (20%) on ICT products, but New Delhi is concerned that this could open up the market to flooding by Chinese technology.

On its part, India wanted the reinstatement of preferential market access to US markets under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which was revoked in early June. It had also wanted facilitation of processes in agricultural product markets where it already had access (such as easier certification of food product irradiation facilities) and greater access in some agricultural markets (table grapes and pomegranates for instance).

Although a limited trade package could not be finalised, Mr. Gokhale said the two sides had “narrowed their areas of difference”, and made “significant progress”.

“The two leaders, therefore, felt that they were optimistic in terms of reaching some kind of a trade agreement in the near future. And discussions will continue in this regard,” he said. However, he did not provide a time frame for the conclusion of agreement.

By Fresh Plaza

The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement will provide America’s farmers and ranchers enhanced market access in our third largest agricultural export market, says the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

When implemented, this Agreement will enable American producers to compete more effectively with countries that currently have preferential tariffs in the Japanese market. The deal President Trump is delivering will provide our farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses with market access for high quality U.S. food and agricultural products to 127 million Japanese consumers. In the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, Japan has committed to provide substantial market access to American food and agricultural products by eliminating tariffs, enacting meaningful tariff reductions, or allowing a specific quantity of imports at a low duty (generally zero).

Importantly, the tariff treatment for the products covered in this agreement will match the tariffs that Japan provides preferentially to countries in the CP-TPP agreement.

KEY ELEMENTS: U.S. AG EXPORTS TO JAPAN

Out of the $14.1 billion in U.S. food and agricultural products imported by Japan in 2018, $5.2 billion were already duty free. Under this first-stage initial tariff agreement, Japan will eliminate or reduce tariffs on an additional $7.2 billion of U.S. food and agricultural products. Over 90 percent of U.S. food and agricultural imports into Japan will either be duty free or receive preferential tariff access once the Agreement is implemented.Tariff Elimination: Tariffs will be eliminated immediately on over $1.3 billion of U.S. farm products including, for example: almonds, blueberries, cranberries, walnuts, sweet corn, grain sorghum, food supplements, broccoli, and prunes.

Other products valued at $3.0 billion will benefit from staged tariff elimination. This group of products includes, for example: fresh cherries, frozen potatoes, oranges, and tomato paste.

KEY ELEMENTS: JAPAN AG EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES

The United States will provide tariff elimination or reduction on 42 tariff lines for agricultural imports from Japan valued at $40 million in 2018. Products include: certain perennial plants and cut flowers, persimmons, green tea, chewing gum, certain confectionary products, and soy sauce. The United States has also agreed to modify its global WTO tariff rate quota for imports of Japanese beef, enabling Japanese beef producers to compete for a larger share of the global TRQ quantity.

MOVING FORWARD

With Japan’s $5 trillion economy, this Agreement will expand U.S. food and agricultural exports, increase farm income, generate more rural economic activity, and promote job growth.

President Trump and Prime Minister Abe have agreed that these early outcomes will be followed by further negotiations to address remaining areas of interest to each government. The United States and Japan will continue working to achieve a comprehensive trade agreement that results in a more fair and reciprocal trade and economic relationship.

By Blue Book Services

Leading supplier concedes shipments to Australia will be a “challenge” this season.

Despite somewhat lower supplies versus last year, Wonderful (variety) pomegranates are expected to become available in good volume from California’s San Joaquin Valley by mid-October.

“The Wonderful crop looks to be down around 15 per cent this year, mainly due to some rain and wind that hit the growing areas last spring, causing flower drop,” said Gerhard Leodolter, director-international sales for POM Wonderful. “But with the lighter set, fruit sizing should be running to the large side.”

With relatively mild days and cooler nights this summer, Californian pomegranates are expected to color up well this year. Given good weather through the fall harvest, the California industry manages to export a significant percentage of its pomegranate production annually.

South Korea remains the largest market, followed by Australia. The Southern Hemisphere nation has been a steady business for California pomegranate growers over the years, importing an estimated 1,200 tonnes in 2018. However, that trade looks to be in jeopardy this season as a consequence of new shipping protocols recently imposed by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).

“Australia is probably going to be a challenge (for the industry) this year,” said Leodolter. “The new protocol now requires fumigation at the source with methyl bromide, which significantly reduces fruit shelf-life and may make it too risky for ocean shipments, which take over three weeks.”

Leodolter believed Australia’s new import policies are the result of some pests found in shipments last season from other California shippers that did not do a thorough job screening their fruit.

“POM Wonderful is the leading pomegranate supplier to Australia and we haven’t had have a single load held up from pest discoveries,” he said. “We’ll probably try a couple of shipments (under fumigation) to see how it goes but I’m not sure that anyone else will.”

According to USDA data, South Korea imported approximately 8,500 tonnes of pomegranates from the US during 2018. That is down considerably from an estimated 15,000 tonnes in 2012, however.

“Volume to (South) Korea has backed off from several years ago but they were importing way too much fruit for the market to handle anyway,” said Leodolter. “The industry was shipping well over 800 container loads about five or six seasons ago. Lately it’s been more like 500 loads, which is much more reasonable.”

South Korean demand for California pomegranates will likely receive a boost this shipping season as import duties are scheduled to be further reduced under the Korea-US (KORUS) free trade agreement.

“Duties are going down from 9 per cent to 4.5 per cent as of 1 January,” advised Leodolter. “I’m expecting most importers will hold onto their fruit for a few weeks before clearing in order to get a better deal. In another year, tariffs will be gone altogether.”

By Fruit Net

Asia’s leading fresh fruit and veg trade show will take place in the final week of September 2020, organisers reveal.

Asia’s leading fresh fruit and vegetable trade show Asia Fruit Logistica has announced new dates for its 2020 edition. It will return to AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on 23-25 September 2020, with Asiafruit Congress taking place the day before, on 22 September. The new dates, which are three weeks later than previous editions, have been scheduled to accommodate the space requirements for an important event organised by the local authority in early September at AsiaWorld-Expo.

Organiser Global Produce Events has therefore decided to hold the 2020 edition three weeks later to provide an ample timespan between the two events.

“Asia Fruit Logistica will open on Wednesday and finish on Friday as usual, with Asiafruit Congress taking place on Tuesday,” said Wilfried Wollbold, commercial director of Asia Fruit Logistica. Wollbold said the shift in dates was a one-off move, with Asia Fruit Logistica set to return to its original dates in the first week of September from 2021.

“We recognise the new dates in 2020 will be better timing for some of our visitors and exhibitors, and not so convenient for others,” he said. “We apologise for any inconvenience the shift causes for our many participants from all over the world, and we can confirm we will return to our original dates in 2021. “We are looking forward to delivering another highly successful edition of Asia Fruit Logistica in 2020.”

More than 12,000 high-quality trade professionals from all over the world made the most of the opportunities to meet and do business with over 800 exhibitors from more than 40 different countries at Asia Fruit Logistica 2019, which took place on 4-6 September at AsiaWorld-Expo.

For more information on exhibiting and visiting Asia Fruit Logistica, please contact the organising team by email: info@gp-events.com or visit www.asiafruitlogistica.com

The brand family

Asia Fruit Logistica, the leading continental trade show for Asia’s fresh produce business, takes place on 23-25 September 2020 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.

Fruit Logistica, the leading global trade fair for the fresh produce business, takes place on 5-7 February 2020 at Berlin ExpoCenter City in Germany.

China Fruit Logistica is now working at full speed to establish exciting new partnerships to create a new format in Shanghai for 2020.

By Fruit Net

Only 5 or 6 years ago, imported fruits were still very rare in the China market. Now, as a lot more items have gained access, a variety of fresh fruit imported from across the globe can be found everywhere. With the rapid growth of imports, importers and consumers in China are increasingly demanding in terms of quality. More and more importers are now controlling quality and reducing possible quality-related risks by working with third-party commodity inspection agencies after establishing work relationships with suppliers.

Ms. Huang, manager of HQTS, a commodity inspection agency, discussed the business scope of commodity inspection agencies and the market trends that she has observed.

“As a third-party commodity inspection agency, we conduct quality inspections on fruit covering all aspects of harvest, storage, processing, packaging, and transportation, in accordance with the requirements of customers, to ensure that external factors will not have an unfavorable impact on product quality. In addition to the processing environment, we also grade product quality based on factors such as water content, sugar content, and sizing in accordance with the requirements specified in customers’ orders. Citrus and grapes are the two largest categories we currently handle. This is because China’s imports of these two categories are very large, and they are prone to quality problems during processing and transportation,” Ms. Huang explained.

“Customers looking for quality inspections are mainly large and medium-sized importers who have fruit trade with Egypt, South Africa, Spain, Chile, Australia, and Russia, as well as local exporters. With the increase of imports from South America, many companies having business dealings with South America have also come to us for consultancy. ”

With the continuous increase in the volume of imports and exports, there are more and more institutions providing inspection services in China and abroad. When asked about the market strengths of HQTS, Ms. Huang said, “Our unique advantage is that our clients will get a dedicated coordinator, and we can also offer flexible service time. We have more than 1,500 inspectors in more than 40 countries around the world. No matter where the urgent requirements occur, clients only need to contact the dedicated coordinator and we will mobilize our resources to help our customers.”

Founded in 1987, HQTS is the first Chinese commodity inspection agency to join the International Inspection Union. In addition to fruit quality supervision, the company also offers assessments of suppliers and their production environment according to the requirements of importers, and third-party notarization for disputes over quality arising from the process of import and export. “We hope that more companies will be aware of the third-party commodity inspection industry, and we are also looking forward to reducing the quality risks for more importers and exporters.”

By Fresh Plaza

There is only a couple of weeks remaining for the almond harvest in California. Growers say the majority of the initial crop has been harvested – the Nonpariel varieties that make up much of the volume. For the most part, growers are half way through harvesting their second crop – the pollinators – and this should be completed by the end of September.

“We have just finished our first crop and are half way through our second,” said Justin Diener of Red Rock Ranch in Five Points, California, adding that yield is set to be higher this year. “We have not yet processed all of our almonds yet, but of what we have processed, yield is 20 percent higher than last year. Overall, it seems to be a bigger crop this year.”

Diener explained that weather conditions last year reduced the yield, so this year things are back to normal. “We had a late frost last year which reduced yield, but this year the trees are in much better condition,” he said. “The crop experienced a good pollination season in the spring, and summer growing conditions have been relatively mild.”

The harvest began on August 1 and continues for about 60 days. Once harvested, the almonds are stockpiled, with processing taking around four to six months.

Market performing well despite tariffs
The good news for almond growers is that the market has not reacted negatively to the China-US tariffs, as earlier feared. Instead, prices are maintaining what can be considered a typical level for this time of year. Diener explained that despite a bigger crop than last year for growers like Red Rock Ranch, volume has been lower in other parts of the state, which may explain the steady market.

“Despite the tariffs, the market seems to be doing reasonably well,” he observed. “Prices are in line with other seasons and demand remains good. In other parts of California – notably the northern and eastern parts – growers did not have as good a harvest as we have had, so overall supply is steady.”

Red Rock Ranch is a grower of almonds. Once harvested, the company sends them to a processor which handles the almonds, before subsequently shipping them onwards to packers and other processors. In conclusion, Diener summed up the mood of almond growers this season. “We are feeling very positive about the crop this year.”

By Fresh Plaza

Salinas and Santa Maria continue to produce steady volumes of lettuce. These regions will continue to supply much of the California lettuce volume until the desert season which starts later this year. Growers say warmer than usual weather has caused the crop to creep ahead of schedule and questions are starting to be asked about what will happen towards the end of the Salinas and Santa Maria seasons.

“Both Salinas and Santa Maria are still in full production,” noted Mark McBride of Coastline Family Farms. “One of the main issues we are seeing at the moment is that the crop is 7 – 14 days ahead of schedule. Extended warm weather has stretched into September, with night time temperatures not getting below 50.”

He added that the situation is reminiscent of last year, when a warm summer brought the Salinas and Santa Maria seasons to a premature close and created a very challenging period of limited supplies. “If the season continues as it is right now, there is the possibility that we could see a gap and subsequent shortage down the line. It’s not like the desert deal will begin early.”

Market has risen
As it stands now, the current supply situation is strained. While not too short, volume is such that the market has strengthened in recent weeks. Currently, many of the smaller, local deals are still in production, so when these finish, the market is expected to strengthen further.

“Supplies are more limited than they normally are at this time of year,” McBride observed. “As a result, the market has picked up and we are seeing prices range from $14.50 – $15.50. If some of the home grown deals finish up, this could have a positive effect on the market.”

It’s believed that all growers in the Salinas Valley region are affected by this current acceleration of the crop. Out of the varieties, Iceberg lettuce seems to be the most affected, followed by Romaine. “There are many micro-climates in the Salinas Valley so certainly there are areas at different points in their season,” McBride explained. “For the most part though, the entire region is ahead and it will be interesting to see how things go in the next few weeks.”

By Fresh Plaza

A late bloom has delayed the Washington apple season. Although harvest is well underway, most varieties are reportedly running behind schedule in the order of 7 – 10 days. A cool spring is to blame for the delayed bloom and subsequent harvest. Currently, growers have just about wrapped up harvest of early season Galas and are about to start on some of the mid-season varieties.

“We began picking a few early season apples like Gala and Honey Crisp in mid August,” shared John Long of L&M Companies. “But it’s been extremely slow going as everything is running a little later this year. Our Gala harvest spanned from August 25 to September 10, which means we have picked the better share of this variety. We are barely getting started on some of the other varieties now, including Red Delicious, Granny Smith and hopefully Fuji any day now.”

Despite the delay on the various apple varieties, Long noted that in the context of the entire season, not much of a difference is being felt. “When compared with the long term average, the season is not too late,” he said.

Crop bigger, but fruit size smaller
Growers say it’s too early in the season to be able to determine exactly how much yield can be expected for the 2019 crop. However, the general prediction is that the crop will be bigger than last year’s. On the sizing front, fruit is expected to be smaller than average. These have already been observed in the Gala crop.

“We are not really far enough along to put a number on this year’s crop,” Long said. “The Gala crop has been close to estimates, which is pointing to a bigger crop than last year. Some of the fruit will definitely be on the smaller side. Last season, sizes were peaking between 72s and 88s, while this year we are predicting a peak from 80s to 113s/125s. This can vary depending on the orchard but we can say with some certainty that sizing will be generally smaller. Quality is expected to be very very good, and we are already seeing that in the early varieties.”

Crimson Delight and Cosmic Crisp
One of the newer varieties that has come out in the last five to ten years is Crimson Delight. Developed by Washington State University and trademarked by Apple King, Crimson Delight is a cross between Splendour and Gala. By accounts, growers are pleased with how the apple has taken to the soil and is fairly resistant to pests and diseases. Long describes it as a “hard, dense apple like a Pink Lady or Braeburn in texture, and it also keeps well”. He also noted that sliced apple processors are increasingly interested in it.

“It cleans well so many of the slicers are picking it up,” Long observed. “It eats very well but it is always a challenge to get retail to pick up new varieties. The volume is not very large but it is gaining momentum and we began organic production last year. It typically harvests from October 15 through November and ships until July.”

A more recent newcomer which will be making its first appearance in stores this year is the Cosmic Crisp. Long mentioned that there is great interest in this variety, and many trees have been planted. “Cosmic Crisp production this year will only be a few bins but in five years, there is expected to be more than 10 million boxes available. A lot of Cosmic Crisp has been planted and there is great amount of enthusiasm for this new variety. It will be interesting to see how it goes.”

Organic and pouch bags continue their momentum
Each year is seeing an increase in the usage of pouch bags, especially at the retail level. According to Long, it continues to be a trend as pouch bags are a good way to sell three or four apples instead of one. “We continue to sell more pouch bags, with the retail community particularly heavy into them,” he said. “Pouch bags display well and we will continue pushing them.”

Long added that organic is another category that continues to see growth. “Organic is really growing. Every retailer is carrying at least one variety of organic apple now. Additionally, more growers are moving in that direction.”

By Fresh Plaza

Heavy storms in south-eastern Spain have caused extensive losses to fruit and vegetable production and severely damaged infrastructure across the region.

Six people died and thousands had to be evacuated following last week’s gota fría (cold drop), the weather phenomenon which brings heavy rains during the autumn, which is believed to have been the most severe for more than 100 years.

Grower unions are calling for the government to declare the worst affected areas a Catastrophic Zone. Although it is still too early to get an accurate assessment of the extent of the damage, they fear that up to 300,000ha might have been lost.

The worst affected provinces are Valencia and Alicante, Albacete, the Campo de Cartagena in Murcia, and parts of Almería, Granada and Málaga.

Citrus is among the crops believed to have sustained the worst damage. However, the extent of the losses will depend on the number of days that the lower part of the trees and their roots remain underwater.

In Valencia, the Unió de Llauradors said table grapes that had yet to be harvested had sustained significant damage, along with citrus, persimmon and almond trees, both from the rain and the strong winds.

In Alicante, Asaja said initial estimates suggest that 150,000ha of citrus, vegetable and grape production between Elche and Pilar de la Horada have been lost.

In the area of Orihuela and the Campo de Cartagena, fields had just been planted with lettuce, spinach, celery and other vegetables, all of which are vulnerable to water damage.

Alfonso Gálvez of Asaja-Murcia said the effect of the storms had been disastrous. “In many areas such as the Campo de Cartagena the water has been devastating,” he said.

“It is still too early to know the extent of the losses, but it is clear that the water has been very bad fro crops such as vegetables, table grapes and citrus. Many packhouses used for export are flooded and the losses will be substantial.”

Producer unions in Almería said several hundreds of hectares of greenhouses had been destroyed.

In Málaga and Granada, the strong winds have damaged avocado and mango production. With almost three months remaining till the avocado harvest, thousands of kilos of fruit is on the ground.

Growers said they expected to incur a significant economic hit from last week’s storms, which compounded what had up to now been a difficult season due to the atypical climate and lack of water.

After visiting the affected areas on Saturday, president Pedro Sánchez announced that the government “will not spare any kind of material or human resources to respond to the effects of the Gota Fria”.

By Fruitnet