The number of unemployed people in South Africa has skyrocketed from 584,000 to 7.8 million just as citrus exports in the Eastern Cape axis of the country need intense efforts to improve logistics. The Eastern Cape is the biggest lemon producer, exporting more lemons than the US, Brazil, Egypt or Italy. South Africa itself is the world’s second largest exporter of citrus fruit, with around 65%, or 2.25m tons, of the crop of lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit and soft citrus destined for international markets. Citrus exports have grown by more than 40% in the past decade to about R20…
Author: Akpan Akata
Photo Credit: Author The COVID-19 pandemic is boosting the sales of three exotic fruits – ginger, lime and papaya. But, in Uganda, though in high demand, farmers are afraid to start growing flowers. More than 80 per cent of Ugandans are involved in agriculture but there are fears of little interest from young people, according to a recent article in Daily Monitor. “Farmers think that flower growing is one of the most expensive and difficult businesses in Uganda that’s why few have invested in such a business of hortculture. Farmers have revealed how you can earn from this business when…
Gourmet oyster mushrooms are currently being produced by Zero Wasye Initiative just as Tanzania in 2018/20 exported 81,000 tonnes of onions. Business Environment Manager of the Tanzania Horticultural Association (Taha), Kelvin Remen, says in 2019, the African country sold 39,000 tonnes of onions to its fellow member countries of the East African Community (EAC), raking in at least Sh38 billion. In the following year (2020), the country also sold more than 42,000 tonnes of the crop to the other EAC member countries for a total of Sh42.5 billion in export earnings reports thecitizen.co.tz. According to Remen, “this shows that there are…
There are high expectations that the trade deal between UK and New Zealand will boost apple exports as half of Britain’s favorite apple crops were wiped out by freezing April weather. Almost half the crop of the UK’s two favorite homegrown apples have been wiped out by the poor spring weather. Cox’s and Bramley have suffered due to frost after overnight temperatures in April often dropped below zero. According to trade organisation British Apples and Pears, the harvest is likely to be down by around 10 per cent across the range of UK-grown varieties. Chairman Ali Capper, says the loss…
Oranges from Egypt and peppers from Turkey with chlorpyrifos residues are being rejected by European Union customs. This is as German apple harvest is below last year’s level Apples remain by far the most cultivated variety of standard fruit in Germany. In 2021, the standard fruit growers expect an apple harvest of about 937,000 tonnes and a plum harvest of 34,000 tonnes. But, the German Statistical Office (Destatis) reported in July 2021 that the apple harvest will be almost 87,000 tonnes, 8.5% lower than the previous year. Compared to the ten-year average, 24,000 tonnes of apples are expected to be…
The number of mango producing farms in Colombia authorised to export to the European Union are being incresed just as Japan’s fresh cherry production in 2021/22 is estimated to fall to 13,000 MT due to severe frost damage. The country’s production in the 2021/22 marketing year is projected to fall to 13,000 metric tons due to severe frost damage in the largest domestic cherry-producing region. FAS/Tokyo forecasts that poor domestic production will lead to increased US cherry imports in 2021/22. For peaches and nectarines, FAS/Tokyo forecasts a slight recovery in Japanese production in 2021/22 marketing year over poor 2020/21 marketing…
Fruit growers in Vietnam are facing sharp drop in prices amid the COVID-19 pandemic just as Belgian potato crop is characterised by smaller sizes and lower yields. The heavy rain and limited sunshine in Belgium mean potatoes there are growing more slowly than average. One potato dealer’s potatoes are still smaller than usual on most plots. “It’s officially the wettest July ever since measuring started. And that doesn’t help the potatoes grow well. However, there’s been some improvement in the last few days”, he says. “The sun’s shining a bit more. There’s potential in the fields, but we’ll know more…
North America is anticipating a good harvest of pomegranates in California. As its season kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere, countries like the Netherlands and the UK will welcome the new harvest arriving from Egypt, Israel and Spain. In South Africa, good growing conditions bode well for the upcoming season. Only China has concerns about the season, as they face a drop in prices as some over-eager growers harvest too early. North America After finishing up with imported pomegranates from Chile and Argentina, some growers are getting ready for the start of the domestic season. A company active in the growing…
The production outlook of US apple is currently projected to exceed 11 billion pounds. This is coming as June saw a strong increase in German grower prices for flowers, plants and lettuce. Producer prices of agricultural products in the European country were 6.8% higher in June this year than in the same period the previous year. The German Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that prices fell by 0.7% compared to the previous month of May 2021. As in previous months, the high price increase of plant products in June 2021 by 8.6% compared to June 2020 is mainly due to the…
Market watchers say there is a growing demand for new and improved flowering shrubs currently just as Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. has released its 2020 Sustainability Report which “helps define what sustainable production means at scale for large producers”. The company is taking a “bold” step in expanding its sustainability efforts beyond just its operations as a way to do its part in reducing the effects of climate change. The report delves into the company’s commitment to ongoing environmental protection, providing healthy choices for consumers, and empowering the health and well-being of its team members and communities, including a list…
A grower, packer and shipper of Washington tree fruit, Sage Fruit Company, is bracing for new crop apple and pear season. This is happening as the end of the harvest has brought rather mixed results for the Ardèche blueberry in France. Thanks to these high altitude blueberries, the production reached a hundred tons, but is still nearly 5 times lower than last year. For the producers below 1,000 m of altitude, the harvests are very small due to the April frost. “The blueberries were early at lower altitudes,” explains President of the Ardèche Blueberry Association, François Blache, which is drawing up…
Citrus harvest in South Australia which started in late May, is currently is looking very good. It is even being showcased in gift packs. In South Africa, Valencia and navel focus group met and decided to further reduce the export estimate by 235,000 15kg cartons. The Valencia export estimate is now 55,475,000 cartons, down from an estimate of just under 58 million cartons at the start of the season. Fruit sizing is smaller than initially expected when excellent weather during blossoming and fruit set as well as good late summer rains in Northern provinces, seemed to indicate otherwise. By the…
Egyptian, Spanish, Israeli pomegranates are entering the market early just as there is hope for lung cancer. Researchers from Okayama University in a study reported in Food and Chemical Toxicology, describe the effects of Yamabudo, a garden vine, in mitigating lung cancer in the lab. Lung cancer is known to be the most fatal form of cancer. Chemicals like 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) found in tobacco are usually the main culprits behind smoking-related lung cancer causing cancer biologists to actively explore targeted treatments. Now, a research group led by Associate Professor Arimoto-Kobayashi Sakae at Okayama University has reported the potential of a berry-producing…
Chinese flower sector is having issues it must tackle before launching into the growing lane. But, in Ecuador, flower sales decline, forcing growers to switch to hemp. After the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a decline in Ecuador’s flower sales, the country’s farmers have turned to hemp as a new crop to make ends meet. Its s total flower exports decreased by 8% last year, according to a Reuters report, and rose farmers are now planting hemp, which Ecuador law defines as cannabis containing less than 1% THC. Floriculture Manager of Boutique Flowers and President of hemp startup CannAndes, Klaus Graetzer, says “the…
An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations Agricultural Outlook report has projected avocado to be the most traded major tropical fruit by 2030. According to the report avocados have experienced the fastest growth in output in recent years and is expected to remain the fastest growing commodity of the major tropical fruits from 2021-2030. In response to rapidly growing global demand, avocado is expected to become the most traded major tropical fruit by 2030, reaching 3.9Mt of exports and overtaking both pineapple the current biggest export, and mango. “Production is accordingly projected to reach 12Mt by 2030…
It is citrus season again in South Africa. But, the season has not come without challenges. The season is however, in full swing with 60 percent of volumes to the US already shipped. South Africa had to endure a lot: riots in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng, escalated taxi-violence in Cape Town, a third and most severe COVID wave, as well as an unforeseen disruption of the Transnet IT system that resulted in delays at ports. The country’s citrus industry was not spared from the global supply chain pressure either. CEO of Summer Citrus, Suhanra Conradie, says “the good news is…
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is currently pushing for the expansion of the humanitarian support for hundreds of thousands of displaced persons in Mozambique. Director General of the UN migration agency, António Vitorino, says “I urge the rapid expansion of humanitarian assistance to support the hundreds of thousands of individuals displaced by the continuing insecurity in Cabo Delgado.” Vitorino was on a three-day visit to Mozambique to assess and support the humanitarian response to ongoing displacement due to insecurity, as well as IOM’s interventions on recovery, community resilience and peacebuilding. He visited Metuge district, which hosts over 125,000 of the more than 732,000 individuals displaced since late 2017.…
Pineapple farming is busy boosting Ghana exports just as in South Africa, its first full-fledged planting of saffron this year has started, and the first season exceeded all expectations, with most farmers producing successful crops. Ghana in 2019 exported $10 million of pineapples to the worldwide market as global demand for the fruit was increasing. General Manager of Sea Freight Pineapple Exporters of Ghana, Stephen Mintah, says “we received a number of requests for fresh pineapples. Because of our climatic conditions we can grow fruit which is very sweet and acceptable for the global market. “Demand is not a challenge,…
It appears, sales of Spanish corona gold oranges in China are not being affected by the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. Chinese consumers have raised their requirements for the quality of imported fruit since their living standards have improved. They pay more attention to food safety and product quality. When Chinese consumers buy fruit, the price is no longer the only important factor. Other elements now include the origin of the fruit, unique characteristics of different fruit varieties, and the nutritional value of fruit. Take oranges as an example, import oranges in the Chinese market generally come from the USA, Spain, Italy,…
Market watchers are currently saying that by 2026, the global vertical farming market will reach over $12.7 billion, growing at a CAGR of 24.6 percent from 2019 to 2026. A report published by Allied market research says so. During the forecast period, The demand for vertical farming is expected to increase rapidly due to the rise in popularity of organic food. According to the report, “it facilitates huge quantity of nutritious and quality fresh food without relying on favorable weather, high water usage, skilled labor, and high soil fertility.” It is also becoming more prominent due to a reduction of construction…
The re-opening of the catering sector in the US is boosting sales of lemon across the country just as the weather in Turkey has benefited the crop. But, in Spain, South Africa and China, adverse weather conditions during the growing seasons have severely limited the production of lemons, with up to 40% losses in the Chinese production due to frost damage. China The new season of Chinese lemons is set to start in September. Production areas suffered from cold temperatures in February this year and some of the lemons have been damaged by frost. The production volume is likely to…
There are fears that fruit growers in Chile are likely to be forced to abandon some crops after record dry spell in July. They are currently on red alert following the driest July on record, as concerns grow about potential production losses due to a lack of water. President of the Federation of Fruit Producers of Chile (Fedefruta), Jorge Valenzuela, says “the agricultural and fruit world is almost in a state of shock when it comes to this huge problem.’’ Continuing, the union leader said, “today, fruit generates around seven hundred thousand jobs, and if this situation continues, there will be…
Reynolds has struck a new partnership with Davin Foods, a supplier of fresh prepared vegetables, fruit, salads and juices to leading UK hotels, banqueting venues and event caterers. Davin Foods is boasting of supplying some of the most prestigious hotels, banqueting venues and event caterers in the country with top quality fresh prepared vegetables, fruit, salads and juices. ‘It says on its website, ‘’we enjoy an enviable reputation for delivering consistent quality. Cutting fresh vegetables and fruit to exacting standards is a skill, which our valuable team have in abundance. ‘’The range is extensive with every conceivable product to choose…
Plans are currently on to transform pineapple waste into vegan leather. To make it a reality, fresh produce multinational, Dole, is teaming up with a UK-based Ananas Anam to transform Dole’s pineapple waste into vegan leather. Dole Sunshine has disclosed its new partnership with vegan textiles brand Ananas Anam, which developed the Piñatex leather product over many years of R&D. The latest collaboration will see the waste from Dole’s giant pineapple farm being reused to make Piñatex. The vegan leather alternative is made from sustainably sourced pineapple leaf fibers. Dole says that the new partnership is part of its goal…
An avocado exporter in New Zealand has launched a new brand as seaports all over the world are taking centrestage during the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. Many airports, roads, and trains grounded to a halt during the peak of the pandemic last year. Now, authorities continued to wave ships into ports. Though this emphasizes the importance of shipping, the same goes for the danger of port disruptions in the future and stakeholders are witnessing the biggest disruption to ports since the start of container shipping 65 years ago. Industry player in the US, Kuehne+Nagel, says 353 container ships are currently anchored…
Organic fruit farming in South Africa is being hampered by limited data just as Kenyan farmers are tackling their lawmakers to review European Union policy. In Egypt, agricultural exports rose to 4.3 million tons The North African country’s agricultural exports have passed 4.2 million tons so far, its Ministry of Agriculture said so. Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, El Sayed El Quseir, received a report pointing out the total export volume from January to August 4. The report highlighted a 750,000-ton year-on-year increase in agricultural exports. The list of exported agriculture products during this period included citrus, potatoes, onions,…
Moves are currently on to promote value chains in Mexican avocados in a bid to standardise prices and maintain product quality. This is coming following the growing success of Mexican avocados in the US and in some European Union countries. Mexican businessman and specialist, Doporto Alejandre, explains that Michoacán is the main avocado-producing state in Mexico, as well as the only state that is certified to export the fruit to the US, increasing the requirement to maintain export levels. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have presented their Agricultural Outlook for…
The South Africa Avocado Growers Association (SAAGA) has been pushing to have the regulations to resolve a sanitary issue that has seen Tanzania’s Hass and Fuerte avocado exports to South Africa confiscated at the Beit Bridge border crossing. Though these were stopped because of a pest infestation scare, in Zimbabwe, climate change is forcing the horticultural sector to adapt. At the turn of the new millennium, Zimbabwe’s Beitbridge District has been known to have a great livestock production. However, crop production, especially the horticulture sector, remained at its lowest due to erratic rainfall patterns. Agriculture experts claim that Beitbridge requires…
Global meat giant, JBS, is currently enlarging into the fish protein sector. It says it has agreed to acquire Huon Aquaculture, the second largest salmon producer in Australia, for $313.5 million. JBS is promoting itself on its website as believing that adherence to sustainability principles in all of its operation promotes innovation and the continuous development of its business. ‘’Such commitment, translated into our Environmental Policy, is the foundation for the Environmental Management System (EMS), certified by ISO 14001.’’ The adoption of good governance practices and social and environmental management has presented itself as a successful strategy in developing initiatives…
The Guatemalan avocado industry is currently aiming to reach new markets as well as fill gaps in the European market. To this end, La Prensa Gráfica says the industry is seeking to organise production and increase export quality. This is happening as European Union (EU) average apple prices remain relatively stable within a high band range during the ongoing marketing year (recently over 20% above the historical average). Poland has been diverging from the general trend with price reductions due to a level of stocks that is higher than foreseen, logistical problems and other factors. Regarding product destinations, the internal…
