SPC’s Venture into China Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) With fruit packager SPC entering the Chinese market for the first time, Chinese consumers will be able to enjoy the quality that Australians have come to expect. After a formal signing ceremony in Shanghai in January, SPC will take its Goulburn Valley and SPC fruit […]
Fresh Food Shortages Continue to Plague Australia Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) COVID-19 infections are pushing supply systems to breaking point, so fresh food is likely to be in significantly shorter supply on shop shelves in the coming weeks. Food industry executives have warned that government efforts to relax isolation regulations so that close […]
The Fresh Produce Sector Uncertain about Costs and Regulations Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Producers and marketers of fresh fruits and vegetables started the year uncertain as to what they should expect from the evolution of the sharp rises in costs, inflation, the framework of community aid, the application of the food chain law, […]
Omicron Fuels Labour and Shipping Hurdles A Victorian table grape grower says the recent impacts caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant have driven up the cost of production across the industry. Budou Farms Co-owner Enrique Rossi says it is nearly two years since the pandemic began and it is disappointing that primary […]
Shipping Companies Make the Most of the Situation: A Global Report Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The Indian grape season, which is about to get started, is overwhelmed with challenges. Omicron is posing a serious threat with restrictions and lockdowns, sea freight charges are going through the roof; scarcity of containers is imminent and […]
A Superior Quality of Brussels Sprouts Being Celebrated Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) This year’s Brussels sprouts harvest is now entering its second part, and that includes the one at Fruchthof Detter in Lower Austria. For many years now, owner Stefan Detter and his team have been supplying food retail outlets of the leading […]
Australia’s Crop Yield Weighs on Price Returns Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Grain markets started 2022 on a softer tone following an end of year profit taking sell-off in United States wheat futures. Benchmark CBOT wheat futures tumbled 5 per cent in the final week of 2021 as traders banked profits from the rally […]
States in Australia Open Border for ‘Free Travel’ Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Victoria has completely thrown open its border to NSW, even to those not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Premier Daniel Andrews and NSW counterpart Dominic Perrottet issued a joint statement on Thursday night announcing the states would open their borders to each […]
Shipping Troubles Haunting Almond Growers Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Kern County almond growers are facing logistical headaches this year. Industry experts say port congestion, combined with a shortage of truck drivers and other supply-chain problems, are frustrating farmers and processors working to get their product to overseas consumers. The latest official estimates say […]
Summer Heat Taking a Heavy Toll on Crops Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Summer crop production forecasts are tumbling in South America as drought conditions continue to build soil moisture deficits and crop stress in Southern Brazil and much of Argentina. The La Nina weather pattern threatens to scuttle the production potential of large […]
Are Organic Foods Always Free from Pesticides? Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) As consumers, we’ve been conditioned to believe that organic foods are free from hormones and pesticides. Walk into any supermarket, you will find fresh produce, canned foods, poultry, and even personal hygiene products labelled as ‘organic’. But what does buying organic produce […]
Potent Fungicide Receives Approval for Nuts Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) An additional fungicide for the control of diseases in almonds and macadamias has been approved. BASF’s Belanty contains a new mode of action to control Alternaria and powdery mildew. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) approved the crop and disease registrations for Belanty […]
#KnowYourAUSVEG Campaign Aims to Highlight Growers Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Three hundred Olympic-sized swimming pools full of carrots in a year. That is one of the visualisations presented in a new campaign from Ausveg to help consumers appreciate Australian vegetable production. The “Know Your Ausveg” campaign aims to educate the public on the Australian vegetable […]
Berry Producers In Line to Receive External Assistance Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) A federal government grant has been kept aside in order to aid those berry growers who have been severely hampered by pandemic induced labour shortages. In fact, the Morrison government is all set to hand over $239,000 to Berries Australia Limited. […]
Riverina the Ideal Hotspot for Locusts? Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The Australian Plague Locust Commission is keeping a close eye on locust numbers through the Riverina after recent monitoring. Across Australia, numbers are generally low, but Chris Adriaansen, head of the APLC, said in the commission’s most recent surveys there had been high […]
New Isolation Rules Lead to Shortages in Food Supply Chains Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) The Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA) is calling on state and territory governments to make immediate changes to the isolation requirements for food, transport and distribution workers that are close contacts, to ensure that the entire supply chain can […]
The Urea Crisis may Lead to a Shortage in Wheat Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Just as one crisis appeared to be over, another reared its ugly head. Indeed, there were times when crises overlapped each other. As the new year began, people found themselves queuing up for flour and sugar, while their brethren […]
Do Farm Subsidies Harm the Planet and its People? Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) Almost 90% of the $540bn in global subsidies given to farmers every year are “harmful”, a startling UN report has found. This agricultural support damages people’s health, fuels the climate crisis, destroys nature and drives inequality by excluding smallholder farmers, […]
Climate Change Affects the Farming Domain Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) While the global food system is a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, some agriculture experts contend that the solutions to climate change can be found through revolutionizing the way we farm. A new study published in Nature Food revealed that more than […]
Fresh, Roasted Nuts Still in High Demand Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech) There’s been an increasing demand for unroasted nuts in recent years. This Dutch company focuses on dried fruit and sales to not only independent supermarkets and speciality stores. They also sell to greengrocers, farm stores, and hospitality businesses. Despite what Marijn would have […]
