Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers perception on frozen food has changed positively and buying habits now demand traceable food attributes. Growth in the frozen fruit market is driven by the long shelf life benefits, minimal food waste risk, and consumers desire to limit shopping trip frequency.

The global frozen fruit market is set to grow at a significant CAGR through 2023, and as Laura Rush, vice president and divisional merchandise manager over frozen foods at Walmart, said “Frozen foods are evolving through innovation.” Recently changing the way innovative frozen products are merchandised, its important to emphasized that the frozen fruit are just as fresh, if not fresher, as perishable fruits do have some preservatives to extend shelf life.

Peru’s blueberry area is expected to increase by 35%, reaching 14,789 hectares. Peru is gaining space on the market also because it will need outlets in all destinations worldwide, having a production that is growing at levels never seen before in the global panorama.The increase in this region in the last decade has been so considerable that it has positioned the country as the world’s largest exporter of this fruit. According to data from the Association of Blueberry Producers of Peru (Proarandanos), in the 2015/16 season, Peru had 2,424 hectares of blueberries installed. Four years later (2019/2020) that area had quadrupled to 10,936 hectares. Peruvian blueberry exports took a big hit in the first half of 2020, with their value falling by 48% year-on-year to US$44.8m

South Africa’s Blueberry harvest is facing difficulties with air freighting which are a challenge for the exporters. The blueberry crop of 24 000 tons is expected in the 2020/2021 production year, up from 18 000t in 2019/2020. Roughly 75% of the current season’s crop would be exported to various international markets. This record harvest could be attributed to additional hectares that were coming into production, as well as to existing plantings that consisted of older plants, which could bear larger yields. 46% of South African blueberry exports went to the UK, with the same volume going to the EU, and the remainder to the Middle East and Far East.

Chile’s Blueberry exports ended with a growth of 16% higher than last season, growth led by new varieties. Exports are estimated to reach more than 150 thousand tons in the 2020 – 2021 season, projecting that 111.551 tons will correspond to fresh blueberries.

Canadas growers are struggling to salvage their crops, the industry is facing significant challenges due to poor weather conditions and shortage of labour. Crop volumes are anticipated to be down significantly from the approx. 200 million pounds in 2019. With more than 25,000 acres in production, there is a huge need for labour however the pandemic has had a big impact on labour availability. The is hope that the Frozen market wont suffer the same impact due to the crops been mainly machine harvested.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

Responsible Sourcing
From Farm to Fork, our concern and focus is on food safety, with the end goal being that of providing safe, non-contaminated, properly labeled product to the consumer. We monitor the sourcing, production and handling of each product to make sure it meets our stringent standards and provides transparency & traceability.

Facility Expectations
Tradelink’s quality assurance doesn’t stop at the fields, the processing plants that are used are an important part of the process. We engage globally recognised inspection & certification firms in countries of origin to negotiate & validate supplier legitimacy. All ingredients we supply have in place a third party certified HACCP program, and our factories are certified with one of the internationally recognized Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards.

Promoting Transparency
We remain committed to providing transparency and make sure that every product is not only safe, legal and ethically sourced, but is also of the great quality and value that our customers expect. The Tradelink team visit the farms prior to placing orders to ensure social responsible principles & carbon footprint standard are in place.

Sample Product Specifications

TradeLink specializes in supplying product to your specifications. Use our quote request tool at the bottom of this page to submit your particular requirements.

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Country of Origin: South America & North America

Appearance: Free flowing, clean berries.

Taste: Typical, without off flavour or odour, soft texture

Colour: Dark Blue, max 5% red/dark pink, 0% green or part green

Packaging: 10kg bag in box or 4 x 2.5kg, labelled with Packer, Product Description, Net weight, and Lot Number
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Quality (per 100PCS)
Broken berries : 3% max
Unripe berries : 1% max
Overripe berries : 1% max
Frozen blocks, uneasy to separate : 1% max
Stalks : 0.5% max
Berry Count (per Kg) : 400-600

Microbiological Specifications
Total Plate Count : < 100’000
Total coliforms : < 1’000
Yeast & Mould : < 1’000
E-Coli : Absent in 25g
Staph aureus : < 20
Bacillus cereus : < 20
Salmonella : Absent in 25g
Lsiteria : Absent in 25g
Pesticide Residues : MRL to Australian Standards

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Nutritional Information (per 100g)
Energy – calories : 54
Energy – Kjoules :
Protein (g) : 0.36
Carbohydrate total (g) : 12
Fat total (g) : 0
Dietary fibre (g) : 3.07
Sodium (mg) : 0
Added Sugar : 0
Added Salt : 0

Metal Detection: 1.0mm Ferrous, 1.0mm Non Ferrous & 1.5mm Stainless Steel
Storage : at a temperature of -18°C or below
Shelf life : 24 months from production date.
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Request a Quote:

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The popularity of “Super” ingredients has increased significantly over the recent past, as consumers are more inclined toward natural and wholesome ingredients. With the demand for Chia seed growing globally, South America Chia Seeds Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% during the forecast period (2020-2025). The chia seed market was valued at USD 66.5 million in the year 2018 and the market is projected to register a CAGR of 5.8% to reach a value of USD 88.1 million in the year 2024.

The increasing popularity of vegan protein-based food, the increasing use of chia seeds in the food industry and the increased use of chia seeds as animal feed are the three important factors driving the market. About 80% of the world’s chia supply comes from Latin America – Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina are the major suppliers of chia seeds in the region, and account for almost two thirds of exports. in the world market the main buyers of chia are the United States with 53% and the European Union with approximately 17%: where the Canadian market is also highlighted, which has had great growth in recent years.

Paraguay is currently the world’s largest producer and supplier of chia. It annually produces more than 20,000 tons and exports to more than 50 countries. United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom stand out as the main buyers. Chia is highly demanded in the international market and Paraguay is currently supplying half of the world demand. The first harvests last month produced great levels of almost 1,000 kilos per hectare, the yields are very good due to the good climate.

Bolivia has between 3000-4000 cultivars in the country, and is included in the list of largest producers of chia. Bolivian chia quality is held at a high rank, and has a rapid production growth rate, mainly due to increasing demand from foreign buyers. The rising price for chia seeds in the commodity markets is attracting more and more farmers toward taking up chia seed cultivation, which is likely to further increase the competitiveness of the Bolivian chia seeds market.

Globally there is a growing awareness regarding the health benefits of a natural, balanced diet which is increasing the demand for organically grown and sustainable Foods. Chia remains a niche ingredient in Global cultures and cuisines and with current price levels it is not easy to compete with large exporters in South America.

Food security is critical to the well-being and economic stability of all nations, with our extensive knowledge of every aspect of food supply chains around the world, Tradelink guarantees full traceability of its products entirely complying with the customers’ demands. Depending on the product and the region, most of the products are covered by BRC certification, ISO certification, HACCP principles, USDA, CERES and SGS.

Our Chia Seed Specifications

TradeLink specializes in supplying product to your specifications.  Use our quote request tool at the bottom of this page to submit your particular requirements.

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Country of Origin: Mainly Paraguay & Argentina

Appearance: Round, small dark, black, dark brown seeds approx 1.5mm -2.0mm round.

Taste: Typical of Chia, fresh, no off flavours.

Texture: Hard

Colour: Overall appearance is black
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Packaging: 25kg multi ply paper sacks labelled with Packer, Product Description, Net weight, Organic
Certification Details and Lot Number

Typical Analysis:
Purity 99.9%
Damaged  <0.3%
Off-colour <0.1%
Insect infestation, part of insects Nil

Microbiological Standards:
Moisture 4g/100g sample

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[column-third-3]
Nutritional Information (per 100g):
Energy, 574kj
Protein 18-20g
Carbohydrates 12g per serving
Total Oils 25-26%
Omega 3 oils 17.5% of total oils above.
Fibre 34-36g

Metal Detection: 1.0mm Ferrous, 1.0mm Non Ferrous & 1.5mm Stainless Steel
Shelf Life: 12 months from date of delivery, stored in air cooled, brick built warehouse with appropriate vermin controls in place.
[/column-third-3]

Quality: This product shall be free from live infestation, and evidence of infestation by rodents or birds. It shall not contain pathogens at levels injurious to human health, and will comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Act 1990, and all pertinent regulations made thereunder.

Need more information?

Call Us: +54 11 5235-7858 or Email: sales@tradelinksa.com

Or let us contact you:

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New Zealand

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/122645333/390k-funding-boost-for-research-into-market-potential-of-regenerative-agriculture

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https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/all-ingredients-change

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https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/300092203/farmers-count-costs-of-new-freshwater-regulations

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Are you a successful new entrant to farming?

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https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/new-zealanders-bee-aware-month/

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Australia

https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2020/09/01/University-invests-agriculture-multimillion-dollar-research-centre-Narrabri.html

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https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/6910650/farmers-battle-spring-pests-and-diseases/?src=rss

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https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/6907015/restrictions-take-toll-on-country-shows/

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https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/queensland-fruit-farmers-face-a-chronic-shortage-of-fruit-pickers/news-story/489e828694ae10d3c3768350d898c1b3

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https://www.farmweekly.com.au/story/6912670/irrigation-timing-key-in-pasture-trial/

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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13705167

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South America

https://en.mercopress.com/2020/09/02/argentina-china-accord-to-produce-nine-million-tons-of-pork-delayed-by-environmentalists

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https://www.daily-times.com/story/news/local/2020/09/05/chile-harvests-aztec-area-farms-townsend-sutherland-new-mexico/5729431002/

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https://www.producereport.com/article/chilean-cherry-exports-expected-hit-record-high-next-season

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Argentina can be carbon neutral – but does it want to be?

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https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Threat-Of-Oil-Nationalism-In-Argentina.html

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Offshore wind energy project in Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil

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Food Updates

https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2020/08/this-vision-of-foods-future-could-have-legs-but-rather-more

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https://anba.com.br/en/brazil-the-first-country-to-have-a-carbon-free-meat-label/

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Bakery trends in corona times

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Gluten detection methods

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China’s food security could have harsh consequences on UK

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Bakery challenges and trends

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WHAT IS FREEKEH?

Freekeh is an ancient form of wheat grain, and production dates back to 2300BC, in an Eastern Mediterranean nation. The nutritional and health values  have helped the grain to gain popularity across the globe. The term freekeh, meaning “rubbed” in Arabic, refers to a step in freekeh production when the wheat grains are rubbed to remove their hulls.

 

FREEKEH APPLICATIONS

Freekeh is typically utilized as a substitute for rice and bulgur, also to a limited extent in baking. Due to its high water-absorption capacity, it would likely be required to increase the liquid ratio in a formulation.

TURKEY

Despite the many difficulties encountered by farmers, the yield this year was good thanks to weather conditions.  The total wheat production in Turkey for 2020/21 season is 18.50 million MT, compared to 17.50 million MT from the previous season. There is 7.1 milion hectares this season, with an average yield of 2.61 MT per hectare.

EGYPT

Farmers here have many complications in securing fertilizers from agricultural banks and the high prices they have in the market. Even so, production estimates are good this season since the farmers have returned to invest their lands, especially in the northern countryside. In July, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Finance in Egypt announced the provision of EGP 4 billion (USD 252 million) to the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), the state grains authority, as part of funding to cover the costs for the food subsidy card system, breadmaking and distribution expenses, as well as the purchase of locally grown wheat. Wheat production for the 2020/21 season is at 8.9 million MT, grown on approximately 1.39 million hectares. The average yield per hectare was 6.4 MT.

SYRIA

Syria also witnesses good harvest this year due to suitable climate and an increase in the cultivated lands due to improved security situation. Wheat crops are a strategic material for the Syrian people and a basic crop as it secures the subsidized bread, which is a staple for Syrians. Their wheat production was estimated at 18.50 million MT, compare to 17.50 million MT from the previous season.

Click here for more information on our Freekeh!

 

 

Being the second largest rice producer in the world, Vietnam is know to have the richest agricultural regions for rice cultivation. Their southern and northern delta and the highlands of the north make up the 3 ecosystems that dictate the rice culture.

Vietnam has 8 rice types to offer the export market, with Jasmine Rice being one of the most popular. Jasmine rice is the long grain rice which is well known for its fragrance and taste. In the 11th annual worlds Best Rice Contest held on November last year, Vietnams Jasmine Rice was given the Worlds Best Rice Award 2019  for its flavour.

In the last 7 months, Vietnam has exported 3.9 million tons of rice, earning 1.9 billion in return. Export turnover increased by 10.9% compared to last year. The average production per rai in Vietnam is 934kg. For the 2020/21 season an estimated 500 milliom tons of milled rice will be produced globally, up from the 497 million tons in the 2018/2019 season. An average yield is 736kg per rai, up from 730kg in the previous season.

In the first half of the current year, China imported 458.000 tons of rice, followed by the Philippines which consumed 1.4 million tons. Under the EVFTA agreement, Vietnam can export aprx 80,000 tons per year to the EU.

Prices have rised  due to huge demand, limited supply inIndia and Thailand, as well as increased rice quality.

We look forward to hearing from you at sales@tradelinksa.com if you would like more information!