News (Page 240)

First it was blueberries, then came Himalayan goji berries. Now health freaks have a new superfruit to slice over their granola or blend into a smoothie: the Achacha.   Originating from the depths of the Bolivian rainforest, the small orange-coloured fruit is set to colonise the open-plan kitchens of Islington andContinue Reading

Home-grown multinational firm AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) is looking at expanding its export product line with pineapple as it eyes additional offerings to markets in Russia, China and the Middle East.   Larry R. Lacson, head of corporate affairs and communication at ANI, on Tuesday told reporters the conglomerate had beenContinue Reading

What would you think if you heard that aluminum and steel components of cars can be replaced with fibers made from fruits such as banana, pineapple or coconut?   Probably, it sounds illogical but it is possible. Brazil is preparing to revolutionize the automotive component material, integrating fruit fibers thatContinue Reading

The Sleman Salak Growers Association Primasembada has received orders for salak chips up to 1 ton per month to the US.   Farmers are asked to comply with a number of requirements such as proper labelling of nutrient content information, kosher and halal certifications, food safety, and good agriculture practiceContinue Reading

Nothing about the black sapote is as you might think. To start with, it’s not black and it’s not a sapote. Nor does it taste anything like its common nickname: chocolate pudding fruit.   None of which deters fruit evangelist Madeline Bohannon’s zeal for the tropical exotic, which will beContinue Reading

Malaysia plans to bring more local fruits such as durian and papaya into China due to its high demand in the country, said Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Saabri Yaacob.   He said his ministry was expected to hold negotiations with the related authorities for Malaysia toContinue Reading

In 2013, Ecuador exported 253 million banana crates, 5 million more than in 2012, which is a moderate increase compared to figures from 2011, when 285 million crates were exported.   Eduardo Ledesma, Executive Director of the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador (AEBE for its Spanish acronym) ensures thatContinue Reading

Wind gusts of more than 100 kph heavily damaged more than 1,230 hectares of banana in the Canary Islands on Jan 23-24. To a lesser extent, tropical crops such as pineapple, avocado, and citrus have been damaged.   Northeasten winds continuously battered the archipelago, causing heavy damage in the westContinue Reading

After entering the U.S. market, from which it was banned for 87 years due to plant health problems, Mexico’s Hass avocado production has increased by almost 200 fold in the past fifteen years. In 1997, when Mexico was able to export to the U.S., there were 21 municipalities in MichoacanContinue Reading

Mrs Lynda Zakari, a nutritionist, says moderate consumption of bananas can protect against cancer of the kidney, diabetes, osteoporosis and blindness.   Zakari told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that banana, which also combats depression, makes one smarter, cures hangovers and relieves morning sickness.   TheContinue Reading

Farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district are reaping rich returns from papaya cultivation.   “At a time when water has become a scarce resource in this belt, the returns from the papaya farm has been a saving grace for me,” says PS Baladhandayuthapani of PSB Farms. The farm is locatedContinue Reading