News (Page 241)

The avocado industry is approaching the end of its export season and it has been a good one, with strong demand and a better supply compared with last year.   Industry body New Zealand Avocados is forecasting three million trays of export fruit this season, each weighing bout 5.5kg, withContinue Reading

A study published in The American Journal of Medicine reveals that a whole diet approach, which focuses on increased intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and fish, has more evidence for reducing cardiovascular risk than strategies that focus exclusively on reduced dietary fat. This new study explains that while strictly low-fat diets haveContinue Reading

Banana prices in India have seen rapid rises over the past few days to an all-time high of Rs10 (US$0.16) per fruit, the Hindu reports.   The increase has occurred as a result of monsoon ailure for the past two years, as well as decreasing area for cultivation of theContinue Reading

A Dutch government development group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Senegalese Agency of Export Promotion (Asepex), building on a relationship that has already seen strong growth for the West African country’s mango sector.   The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Centre for the Promotion of ImportsContinue Reading

Restrictions to protect New Zealand’s horticulture industry which went as far as posting officials in the fruit and vegetable section of a Whangarei supermarket have been lifted more than two weeks after a lone Queensland fruit fly was found.   The Ministry for Primary Industries lifted all restrictions on theContinue Reading

Farmers of local fruit, especially salak (snake fruit), are struggling to maintain market demand due to an increasing number of imported products. I Nyoman Sepel Diantara, a member of Giri Arta agribusiness, which consists of Sibetan salak farmers in Karangasem, said the existing market had yet to support the programContinue Reading

Scientists have dispelled concerns by some fruit consumers in Tanzania that the bigger mangoes and pineapples flooding the local market could be genetically engineered varieties.   The researchers confirmed that no approved genetically engineered mangoes and pineapples are in the local market or elsewhere in the African continent.   Recently,Continue Reading

Third generation banana farmer Tim Johnson said Tweed growers were facing tough competition from Queensland farmers who could grow the fruit twice as fast. The Clothiers Creek farmer said our cooler weather was no match for the hot, tropical and ideal growing conditions enjoyed in North Queensland, which generally producesContinue Reading

A group of researchers from North Carolina State and Purdue universities have identified a winning combination for pollenizers of seedless watermelon varieties.   They found three pollenizer varieties that not only shed substantial amounts of male pollen but also are resistant to Fusarium root rot, according to a news release.Continue Reading

A variety of durian fruit that is so smelly it has never before been successfully imported to this country is set to be sold in the UK for the first time.   Malaysia’s musang king durian is described as the “king of fruits” across South-East Asia, and is said toContinue Reading