Global Agtech Leader Hectre to Welcome Fruit Industry Executives From 10 Countries in Chile Tour
Hectre, a New Zealand agtech firm, is hosting more than a dozen senior fruit‑industry executives from ten countries on a week‑long tour of Chile’s top packhouse operations. The delegation will see the company’s Arc camera, which delivers near‑99 percent accuracy in fruit size, color and defect detection, in real‑world settings. Backed by the Punakaiki Fund and global investors, Hectre is growing at roughly 100 percent annually and aims to turn technology demos into lasting partnerships. The program blends cultural experiences with workshops and on‑site demonstrations to showcase efficiency gains for commercial fruit producers.
ADAMA Reports 2.9x Increase in Reported Net Profit and Four Percent Sales Growth in Q1 2026
ADAMA Ltd posted first‑quarter 2026 results showing sales of $1.037 billion, up 4% year‑over‑year, and an adjusted gross profit of $318 million, a 5% increase with margin edging to 30.6%. Reported net profit surged 2.9‑times to $82 million, while adjusted net profit rose...
No Soil, No Problem: How Hydroponics Pose an Growing Alternative in the Face of Climate Change
In Grenada, the Benjamin family boosted lettuce yields using a solar‑powered hydroponic greenhouse funded by the FAO and the Green Climate Fund. Production rose from about 500 to 1,300 heads—a 160% increase—while water use fell up to 90% compared with...
Huckleberry Signals Is Helping the Fresh Produce Supply Chain Turn Scattered Data Into Answers
Huckleberry Signals, founded by industry veterans Joe Vargas and Amanda Kuelker, has launched an AI‑powered conversational analyst called Huck that sits atop existing ERP, warehouse, BI and spreadsheet systems in the fresh‑produce supply chain. The platform creates a governed data...
Fresh Del Monte Names Pittsburgh as New Hub for Foods Division
Fresh Del Monte has designated Pittsburgh as the central hub for its newly acquired Del Monte Foods division. The hub will host core functions such as supply chain, finance, commercial operations, and research & development, with senior leadership relocating to...
Agronometrics in Charts: Peru's Dominant Blueberry Exports Surge 21.5 Percent
Peru’s fresh blueberry exports surged to roughly 419,000 tons in the 2025/26 campaign, a 21.5% rise from the prior year’s 344,000 tons. Export volumes peaked in October with about 200.2 million pounds, underscoring a concentrated fourth‑quarter surge. La Libertad remained the backbone, delivering nearly...
World Fresh Readies Three New Canadian Cherry Drops
World Fresh Exports, a British Columbia fruit marketer, is set to launch three new Canadian‑bred sweet cherry varieties, including the AAFC‑approved Sansia and Safirah cultivars and an unnamed third line timed to the Regina harvest. The company is already promoting...
Hass Avocado Board Unveils New Foodservice Report
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) released a new quarterly Foodservice Insights report, created with Datassential, to map avocado usage across restaurant menus. Despite weak consumer sentiment and rising food prices, diners are shifting toward value and convenience, keeping avocados in...
South Africa: Late Mandarin Exports Stabilize in 2026 with Slight Drop
South Africa’s late‑mandarin export season for 2026 showed a modest year‑on‑year decline, signaling a move toward stabilization after several years of rapid growth. While the flagship Nadorcott/Tango variety slipped 1.6% to 30.5 million 15‑kg boxes, the Leanri variety expanded 13% to...
Sun World’s Extra-Long Mango Program Continues with Ultra Late-Season Variety, Blyde Late
Sun World International is expanding its global mango program with the ultra‑late‑season cultivar Blyde Late, grown in South Africa and staying on shelves into May. The initiative links early‑season varieties such as Kankun and Lady Jane with Blyde Late to...
California Citrus Program Secures $2 Million in Annual Federal Funding
The House Committee on Appropriations added $500,000 to the California citrus program, raising its annual federal funding to $2 million after a prior $1.5 million allocation and Citrus Research Board contributions. Based in Parlier and partnered with UC Riverside, the program will...
Iván Marambio Calls Strong Attention to Quality: Chile Must Improve Growing Standards
At an IFPA seminar in Santiago, Iván Marambio, president of Frutas de Chile, called for a sweeping upgrade of the country’s fruit‑quality standards. He warned that Chile’s fruit sector has been trapped in a “middle‑income” plateau since 2012 and that quality...
Ecuador and the United States Strengthen Agricultural Cooperation
Ecuador's Ministry of Agriculture held a working meeting with a U.S. delegation to deepen bilateral cooperation in agricultural trade and food security. The U.S. team, led by Lawrence Petroni and featuring USDA‑FAS officials, discussed regulatory pathways to expand market access for...
Southern Hemisphere Citrus Forecast: Production Down 6 Percent, Exports Expected to Rise 4 Percent
The World Citrus Organization’s preliminary forecast shows Southern Hemisphere citrus production slipping 6% year‑over‑year to about 26.4 million tonnes, while exports are slated to grow 4% to roughly 4.74 million tonnes. Orange output is projected to drop over 8% to 17.5 million tonnes,...
Te Mata Exports Rebrands to MG Group Exports to Reflect Global Scale
Te Mata Exports announced it is rebranding as MG Group Exports to align with its majority shareholder, Market Gardeners Limited. The name change coincides with the launch of a new US‑based team, expanding the firm’s presence beyond New Zealand and Australia...
Titan Farms Ready to Expand Retail Partnerships as 2026 Peach Season Gets Underway
Titan Farms, one of the East Coast’s largest peach growers, is gearing up for the 2026 season with strong harvest volumes. The company is actively courting retail partners to design tailored supply programs that match each retailer’s timing and promotional...
EPA Approves Soilcea’s CarriCea T1: The First CRISPR-Edited Rootstock to Offer Greening Tolerance for Florida Citrus
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Soilcea’s CarriCea T1, the first CRISPR‑edited citrus rootstock engineered for tolerance to Huanglongbing (HLB) disease. Developed by University of Florida researchers and Soilcea, the rootstock blocks the bacterium’s interaction with the tree, limiting infection....
Brazil Registers Newly Discovered Spontaneously Emerging Banana Cultivar
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) has officially registered Clarinha (SCS455), a newly discovered banana cultivar that arose spontaneously in Luiz Alves, Santa Catarina. The variety is a natural mutation of the Caturra banana and features a lighter peel with...
Five Crowns Marketing Announces Changes to Sales Leadership Team
Five Crowns Marketing announced two senior sales leadership changes. Long‑time employee Daren Van Dyke was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing, taking charge of company‑wide sales strategy. The firm also hired David Dudley as director of merchandising and...
Italy’s Ripening Market Enters a New Phase as Catalytic Generators Targets Expansion
Catalytic Generators used its first appearance at the Macfrut trade show to launch an expansion push in Italy, a market that handles over 600,000 tonnes of bananas annually and a €3.5 billion (≈$3.85 billion) avocado import sector. The company’s Ethy‑Gen II system produces ethylene...
Industry Veterans Behind Newly Formed Last Mile Acquire California-Based GreenFruit Avocados
Last Mile, a newly formed holding company backed by industry veterans and an Ospraie‑managed fund, completed the acquisition of California‑based GreenFruit Avocados on April 24, 2026. The deal brings together Simpatica’s 1,400 acres of California groves, Tahuaycani’s link to Peru’s...
Opinion | Why Fresh Produce Shippers Are Quietly Moving Away From Transactional Freight Relationships
Fresh produce shippers are abandoning ad‑hoc spot‑market freight in favor of managed carrier relationships. The article highlights that 14% of food spoils—about $400 billion annually—are linked to logistics failures, and that reefer tender rejections exceeded 20% in 2024‑25. By segmenting lanes,...
South African Citrus Shipments Challenge Geopolitical Disruptions in the Middle East
South Africa’s citrus season is now delivering fruit to the Middle East, which represents 19% of its seasonal exports. Exporters face longer transit times and higher freight costs due to rerouted shipping after the Strait of Hormuz closure. The Citrus...
The “Plum Club” Seeking to Revolutionize the Stone Fruit Market
Chile’s Hortifrut Genetics has launched the BabyPlum Club, a premium stone‑fruit breeding program that brings together eight leading producer‑exporters. The initiative introduces 16 new varieties engineered for high sweetness, crisp texture and long‑distance transport, placing consumer taste preferences at the...
Interko Is Accelerating the Ripening of Digitalization
Interko, the Dutch leader in fresh‑fruit ripening rooms, has upgraded its RipePilot control system with advanced data processing and plans to embed artificial intelligence across its next‑generation solutions. The enhanced platform aggregates sensor data on temperature, CO₂, ethylene and humidity,...
First Batch of 2026 Zhanjiang Lychees Sail for the US Market
A 21.5‑ton container of the early‑ripening Guihuaxiang lychee left Zhanjiang’s Risheng Cooperative on April 15, marking the city’s first full‑container export for the 2026 season and one of the earliest Chinese shipments to the United States this year. The fruit,...
University of Florida Research Aims to Cut $130M Cost of Strawberry Runners
University of Florida researchers are tackling the $130 million annual cost U.S. strawberry growers incur to remove vegetative runners. Doctoral candidate Kaitlyn Vondracek is mapping genetic markers that control runner formation, aiming to breed low‑runner varieties for commercial fields while preserving...
Southern Hemisphere Cherries Are Missing Out on a $800 Million Opportunity
Kroger’s fresh‑sourcing VP Patrick Haines warned that Southern Hemisphere cherries capture just 9% of U.S. cherry sales, leaving an estimated $800 million revenue gap. He compared the category to grapes and soft citrus, which retain 74‑76% of domestic volume when sourced...
China and Chile Set up a Fully Digital Phytosanitary Certification System for Exports
Starting April 20, 2026 Chile began using a fully electronic phytosanitary certification system for all agricultural and forestry exports to China, marking the first time the Asian giant has adopted a completely digital inspection process with a trade partner. The platform was...
Brazil Opens New Markets for Fruits Such as Avocados, Apples, and Citrus in the Middle East and Central America.
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture finalized a new round of sanitary and phytosanitary agreements, opening fresh‑fruit markets across the Middle East and Central America. Saudi Arabia granted entry to nine Brazilian fruits, positioning the kingdom as a key regional destination for...
T&G Fresh’s 2026 Satsuma Mandarin Season Is Underway
T&G Fresh, one of New Zealand’s largest Satsuma growers, announced that the 2026 season will yield roughly 3,500 tons, making it one of the strongest recent harvests. The crop is split evenly between domestic supermarkets and export markets, with harvesting already underway...
Japan Will Continue Importing Peruvian Hass Avocado This Season
Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries approved Peruvian Hass avocado imports for the 2026 season after a phytosanitary audit and a on‑site visit by a Japanese official. The approval enables shipments of more than 765,000 metric tons, a 6%...
Agronometrics in Charts: Extreme Weather Sparks Stunning 32 Percent Surge in US Strawberry Prices
U.S. strawberry grower prices surged 32% in January 2026 as extreme weather disrupted supply chains. Production topped 2.6 billion pounds, with California providing roughly 90% of domestic output. Late‑2025 heavy rains and early‑2026 Florida freezes cut shipments, while imports hit a...
Analysis | 2026 Is the New 2016: Why Avocados Are Still Winning the Cart
Mission Produce highlights that avocados have moved from a occasional treat in 2016 to a weekly staple in 2026, propelled by omnichannel shopping. USDA data shows 21% of U.S. households now shop both online and in‑store, with avocado repeat purchases...
Colombian Cape Gooseberry Exports Show Promising 6.5 Percent Growth
Colombian cape gooseberry exports rose to $8.5 million in January‑February 2026, a 6.5 percent increase over the same period last year, while volume grew modestly to 1,486 metric tons. The rebound follows a weaker 2025 season that saw total exports fall to $41.3 million,...
Pro Citrus Network and Foremost Fresh Direct Announce Leadership Transition
Pro Citrus Network (PCN) and Foremost Fresh Direct (FFD) announced a dual leadership transition. Executive Vice President Jacquie Ediger will assume the President role for both companies, while founder Allan Dodge moves to Chairman of the Boards. The firms also created a...
Tasmanian Cherry Exports Hit Record $50m in 2025/26 Season
Tasmanian cherry growers reported a record export value of nearly AUD $50 million (about $46 million USD) in the 2025/26 season, shipping over 2,740 tonnes—a 31% increase in volume from the previous year. The surge was driven by strong demand in Asian markets,...
ENVY Sales Close to $6 Million, Cementing Global Popularity
T&G Global reports that its ENVY apple variety has reached roughly US$354 million in global retail sales, making it the world’s top‑selling New Zealand‑bred apple. The fruit is cultivated in more than 13 countries, marketed across 55 markets, and supported by a...
Fresh Pro Debuts Honey Watermelons Brand Refresh and New Mascot
Fresh Pro, a leading year‑round watermelon shipper, launched a refreshed Honey Watermelons brand on April 15, 2026. The refresh introduces Beezy, a farm‑inspired bee mascot, and a new consumer site, HoneyWatermelons.com, packed with videos, recipes, and interactive games. Retail‑ready tools—including an enhanced PLU...
Spain Expands Access to China with Agreements to Export Pistachios and Dried Figs
Spain and China have signed six new agreements, including five collaboration protocols and a memorandum of understanding on denominations of origin, to open the Chinese market to Spanish pistachios and dried figs. The deals build on a 2023 almond export...
Lesser-Known Kiwiberry Shows Potential in Preventing Early Cancer Development
Researchers at Okayama University have shown that Sarunashi, a small East‑Asian kiwiberry, can impede early lung cancer development in mice. Juice from the fruit reduced both the incidence and number of NNK‑induced lung tumor nodules and suppressed the Akt protein...
Chilean Kiwifruit Industry to Delay Harvest, Prioritize Quality
Chile's kiwifruit growers are postponing the harvest to late April, aiming for larger, sweeter fruit with a target Brix of 6.5. The delay follows unusually humid weather that has boosted berry weight and reduced the share of small‑size fruit. Harvest...
Fresh Express Chopped Kits Named Among 2026 Best New Products by Progressive Grocer
Fresh Express, the market leader in value‑added salads, earned a spot on Progressive Grocer’s 2026 Editors’ Picks Best New Product list for its Chopped Salad Kit lineup. The award highlights four globally inspired kits—Farmhouse Ranch, Creamy Goddess, Orange Sesame, and...
Tropic’s Non-Browning Banana Secures New Key Market Approvals
Tropic, a UK‑based ag‑biotech firm, received regulatory clearance for its non‑browning banana in Japan and Brazil, allowing import, sale, and cultivation in the latter. The approvals expand the company’s footprint in two of the world’s most influential fruit markets and...
New Zealand Launches Public Consultation on Import Requirements for Fresh Blueberries
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries has opened a public consultation to create import requirements for fresh blueberries intended for human consumption. The comment period runs from March 31 to May 15, inviting industry and technical stakeholders to weigh in. The initiative...
Berry Fresh Partners with ALBION SC Santa Monica to Promote Healthy Lifestyles Through Nutrition and Movement.
Berry Fresh has entered a partnership with Albion SC Santa Monica to champion healthy lifestyles through nutrition and movement. The agreement funds player tuition and includes on‑site activations, where the company supplies fresh berries as snacks at games, camps, and...
Mexican Mango Exports to the US Projected to Surpass 350,000 Tons in 2026
Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture projects mango shipments to the United States will exceed 350,000 tons in the 2026 season, the highest level on record. The forecast draws on 19,734 orchards spanning eight states and more than 252,000 acres dedicated to...
Peruvian Hass Avocado Exports Expected to Grow 6 Percent in 2026, Exceeding 765 Thousand Tons
Peruvian Hass avocado exports are forecast to exceed 765,000 metric tons in 2026, marking a modest 6% increase over 2025’s 723,000 MT. The surge follows a record 38% jump in 2025 but is expected to temper due to agro‑climatic constraints...
Argentine Lemon Outlook: Climate Challenges Meet Strong Market Demand
Argentina’s lemon season is underway but heavy rains in January and March have damaged farm roads, delaying harvests by up to two weeks. Despite the logistical setbacks, growers expect production to be stronger than last year, bolstered by a dry...
Hanseatic Global Is Now Full Owner of Florida International Terminal
Hanseatic Global Terminals, a Hapag‑Lloyd subsidiary, has become the sole owner of Florida International Terminal (FIT) in Port Everglades after paying $29.96 million to acquire AGUNSA’s remaining stake. The deal finalizes a transaction announced earlier this year and aligns with AGUNSA’s...