Bonduelle confirms US acquisition

Bonduelle North America has just completed the acquisition of three processing plants and a packaging centre in the US.

French fresh convenience specialist Bonduelle has confirmed the acquisition of three processing plants and a packaging centre for frozen vegetables in the US.

The deal, which was authorised by the US Competition Authorities last month, includes the purchase of four industrial frozen vegetable sites previously belonging to Allens.

The three processing plants are located in Bergen, Oakfield (New York) and Fairwater (Wisconsin), while the packaging plant is based in Brockport, New York.

The acquisition is set to bolster the market position of Bonduelle North America, which already owns seven production plants in Canada, in Quebec and Ontario, making it the market-leading brand for frozen vegetables in the east of North America.

With this transaction, and a recent acquisition in Russia, Bonduelle has spread its risk geographically. According to the company, in the next financial year, one-third of its turnover will come from France, one-third from the rest of Europe and one-third from outside of Europe.

Europatat reveals guest speakers

Guy Faulkner and Karlijn Offermans have both been added to the programme for the Kijkduin even.

Europatat, the European Potato Trade Association, is building up to its 2012 congress on 24 May by announcing that two new speakers have joined the programme.

In a joint announcement with the Dutch Potato Association, the group revealed that Guy Faulkner, the chief editor of World Potato Markets, and Karlijn Offermans from advertising agency 2 Mét, will both speak at the Kijkduin, Netherlands event.

The first day of the event will see the congress focus on the strapline 'The potato is coming home', with international food trends and marketing opportunities being discussed by experts such as Hans Steenbergen, Jan Willem Grievink and Anton Haverkort.

Meanwhile, the second day will allow participants to review the different activities of Europatat during three meeting sessions of various Europatat commissions.

Argentina: Return of lemon to US, a fundamental affair

The Argentinian ambassador in the United States, Jorge Argüello, will visit the province of Tucumán, in the frame of a mission to California during May or June. The return of lemons to the US is main item on the agenda for discussion.

n every meeting between Argentinian authorities and the United States, the request for the Tucumán lemon to re-enter the North-American market is always on the table. The management started more than 10 years ago, at the end of 2001, right after a judicial presentation by Californian citrus farmers caused the closing of the North-American market to Tucumán citrus, after two seasons of fresh fruit exports.

Now, while food safety studies demanded by the United States are being finalised, the Government in Tucumán announced pending actions to gain some time in the coming stages of the process, like political discussion and commercial aspects.

Some days ago, the governor José Alperovich suggested that they are waiting for an imminent visit to Tucumán by the Argentinian ambassador to the United States, Jorge Argüello, so he can check "in situ" the citrus culture situation. The tour is linked to the commercial mission to California that is projected by Tucumán lemon producers.

While that, the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (Iapar), in Brazil, is on the final stage of the study that pretends to show that the lemon seeds are not transmitters of CVC (Citrus Clorosis Variegada)

The secretary for Productive Development, Bartolomé del Bono, confirmed that Argüello's visit will be made Friday, but he underlined that it is fundamental in the process that the health plan block is overcome. "We are giving the first steps in the commercial part, but not in the political side", he clarified. The president of the Tucumán Association of Citrus (TAC), Roberto Sánchez Loria, explained that once Aphis approves the required information of Argentina, it will be published in the United States the so called "Propuse rules", proposed rules for the phytosanitary treatment in order to authorize NOA's citrus exports. The protocol publication is a 60 days process, adding a similar time period for oppositions to it to be presented.

Del Bono clarified that with the Tucuman businessmen tour to California, to happen between May and June, "we try to shorten the time periods, for when the phytosanitary is defined. It's expected that the technical studies results are concluded this year". The objective of the Argentinian citrus farmers is to establish commercial contacts that allow them to start again exports, right after the authorization for the lemon entrance. Tucumán is the main lemon producer in the world, with a yearly volume of 1.3 million tons, mainly exported fresh or as industrial derivatives.

The secretary for the Productive Development said that the direction to manage the export of lemons to the United States shouldn't affect on the discomfort caused in several countries by the decision of Argentina to establish obstacles to imports. "They are two completely different ways", he ended.

Source: Lagaceta 

20% more exhibitors at Asia Fruit Logistica

There has been an impressive 20 per cent increase in new exhibitors signing up to take part in Asia's Fruit Logistica.
 
The show, Asia's leading fresh produce trade event, is taking place on 5-7 September 2012 at its new home, the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, and this year promises to be bigger and better than it has ever been before.

The latest companies signing up for the first time include Asia Holland AV (The Netherlands), Zeus Kiwi (Greece), Farmsecure Fruit and Capespan (South Africa), Fruits and Greens (Vietnam), which shows the growing global interest in the show. Already companies from 28 countries across five continents have registered to exhibit later this year.

To further showcase their services and products in the exciting Asian market, so far 10 countries - Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Italy, Korea, The Netherlands and New Zealand - will be hosting pavilions and representing their respective nations.

For more information:
Ms. Sinenart Baramirattanachai
Tel: +662 9414600
sinenart@gp-events.com
www.asiafruitlogistica.com

Spain: Delays at French border due to strike harmed strawberry export

The effects of the strike were felt last week in the soft fruit sector especially at the French border at La Jonquera, the road to Perpignan.

The effects of last week's general strike have had an affect on the Huelva strawberry campaign, mainly in transportation, as it is a sector controlled directly by the unions.

This has been explained by the manager of the Association of Producers, Rafael Dominguez Guillen, who regretted that while the harvest has not had problems, "we are seeing some now in the transportation.

"Transportation was the most complicated", as explained, while adding that "there were delays at the border on the road to Perpignan (France) and little activity in the wholesale markets is also affected the merchandise."

In the field, as indicated by Domínguez Guillén, there were cooperatives and workers who did not work."

Source: finanzas.com

US: Greening disease confirmed in California

Despite the best efforts of all involved the first case of citrus greening was detected in California last week on Friday.

The disease was found in a residential area, but the concern is that it could spread to commercial groves.

"Huanlongbing is called the world's worst disease of citrus," said Dr. Robert Leavitt of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. "It had been present until now in all of the world's major citrus producing areas – except California."

"It's disappointing," said Joel Nelson of California Citrus Mutual. "Now we'll see if this great  program that we believe we have in place is going to work."

This has been the bad news that the industry has been anticipating since the first psyllid was detected in the state back in 2008. Despite 25 years of intense research and investment there are still no effective controls.

"This is the other shoe dropping," said Ted Batkin of the California Citrus Research Board.  "We're prepared, and now we'll put our game face on."

The board will now increase its testing operations in a bid to stop the spread of the disease to the San Joaquin Valley, home to 80% of the state's citrus production.

"We've been fortunate that we have been able to learn from the experiences of other citrus-growing areas of the world," Leavitt said. "They didn't know they had the psyllid or the disease until it was too late. We have learned from their scientists and have taken a proactive approach."

All sales and shipments of citrus within a five mile radius of the infected tree have been suspended. However, the closest commercial operation is 14 miles away.

Source: news.kuwaittimes.net

Italy is host country of Medfel 2012

Italy is one of the major stakeholders in the Mediterranean basin's fruit and vegetable industry both in terms of production and trade.

The main producer regions based on production (in tonnes) are: Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Trentino Alto-Adige, Campania and Lazio.

In terms of trading activities, in 2009 Italy exported 3.4 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables with a value of 2.9 billion Euro, a slight fall compared with the year before; it imported 2.8 million tonnes, with a value of 1.9 billion Euro, a slight rise on the previous year.

The main fresh fruit exports are: apples, table grapes, kiwi fruit, followed by peaches and nectarines, and citrus fruit.

The main vegetables exported are: carrots, lettuces, potatoes and tomatoes.

In terms of imports, the main products are:

• Fruits - bananas, pineapples and tropical fruits
• Vegetables - potatoes, tomatoes and peppers.    

Italy's trade balance remains positive, even though figures are more restrained than in previous years, both in values and volumes.

India: Elephants go bananas

Five elephants have strayed into villages in Yasalur hobli in the taluk last week, causing damage to crops, including bananas.

As well as damaging crops the animals have also destroyed irrigation pipes.

The farmers have complained to forest officials, but they have stated tat they are helpless to do anything. Taluk APMC committee president H H Uday stressed the government to look into the matter seriously and hope to provide a permanent solution to their problems.

Source: www.deccanherald.com

Euroasper 2012: Growth prospects for asparagus in Europe

The Vice-president of the AREFLH Luciano Trentini expresses his great satisfaction for the success of the 2012 edition of the biennial Symposium on asparagus. Mr. Trentini chaired this event, organised by Asociafruit in partnership with the AREFLH.

The asparagus leaves its seasonal product niche
The presence of more than 160 participants, coming from 10 Countries of the world shows well the interest for the culture of the asparagus, long considered to be a culture niche. The production is in light growth and the possibilities in terms of consumption are large. Since 2000, the Europeans produce and consume more and more asparagus, but competition remains strong.

Among many of the topics discussed during the two-day work, there was focus on the discussion on the future of this culture which leaves its seasonal statute for positioning itself as a product to be consumed all year long. "We have a world production whose two hemispheres become complementary during the whole year. In Europe, thanks to the use of the forced farming techniques, we produce almost the totality of asparaguses in the first 6 months of the year."

The tradition of the European asparagus culture is consolidated and supported by many recognitions of Protected Geographical Indication obtained in Italy, France and Spain (Reg.Ce 510/2008).

The origin  and the territory are determining factors for the European asparagus consumers who tend to privilege the local source.

The key points to develop the production and the market shares of this important culture were fixed at the time of the conference and include:

• the cost cutting of production and safeguard of the environment, considering that the culture is likely to decrease in front of the difficulty in finding labor.
• The genetic improvement whose objective is to determine the most productive varieties and most suited to automated harvest.
  

Mr. Trentini pointed out that "the asparagus is undoubtedly a culture able to economically satisfy the producers. Its possibilities are enormous. We can hope that a production associated with adequate marketing strategies and advertising will assert the growth of this sector".

For more information, please visit: www.areflh.org