It’s long been reiterated that eating fruits and vegetables as much as you can contribute to good health. However, what if your favorites are not in season? The best option is to go frozen. The nutritional value of fresh produce has the same benefits as frozen fruits and vegetables, as they are picked and frozen quickly to confine their flavor and nutrients.
Generally, it is conserved at a temperature of -18 to -20 degrees Celsius. Additionally, frozen produce prevents any spoilage and preserves the food longer. Incorporate individually quick-frozen (IQF) foods in your menu and benefit from high nutritional value, no preservatives, and easy to prepare cuts.
1. Raspberries
IQF raspberries are rich in flavonoid and phenolic compounds with a low fructose level which helps in brain functioning and reducing the development of cancer cells. A cup of IQF raspberries can provide you one-third of the daily prescription for vitamin C. Quick-frozen raspberries are best consumed for ice creams, yogurts, desserts, jellies, or any entrée that demands raspberry pieces.
2. Blackberries
IQF blackberries contain a high balance of vitamin C and K, fiber, and manganese to boost brain health. A cup of IQF blackberries gives you 62 calories, 14 carbs, and 1 gram of fat. It can be used in baking muffins, tarts, pancakes, biscuits, pies, preserves like jams, syrup, and purees. Furthermore, it is added in ice cream, yogurts, milkshakes, cereals, smoothies, flavored beers, and wines.
3. Blueberries
IQF blueberries are high in antioxidants and have a sweet juicy flavor. It contains vitamin C and elements known to reduce cholesterol. A cup contains 84 calories with 15 grams of carbohydrates. Its unique sweetness and flavor are best used in desserts or a simple garnish, baking flapjacks, cakes, muffins, cereals, flavored milk, yogurts, ice creams, jellies, jams, purees, juice concentrates, and preserves.
4. Mixed Fruit
IQF mixed fruit has several portions of packaging. Some have mixed of all the berries, while some non-berries, or a combination of both. The most common mixes are wild blueberry, red currant, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, and raspberry. Adding IQF mixed fruit to your diet guard your cells against free radical damage. IQF mixed fruits are best known for smoothies and salad applications.
5. Strawberries
Strawberries are considered the optimum berry in making jams. It is rich in vitamin C, manganese, folate, and potassium. Varieties include Primori, Fortuna, Candonga, Sabrina, among others. Other than jams, IQF strawberries are also best to incorporate in ice creams, biscuit fillings, yogurt drinks, and chilled desserts. It usually comes diced or sliced in different sizes.
6. Rhubarb/Apple pie mix
Rhubarb was cultivated and grown in Asia for its medicinal functions. In the 18th century, Britain and America consume it for culinary purposes. Rhubarb is a good source of potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, magnesium, and calcium with the lowest sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol. A 100-gram rhubarb provides you 26% of the daily value for vitamin K1. It is ideal to use in pies, desserts, and crumbles.
7. Sour or Sweet Cherries
Generally, IQF sour cherries are processed from the Prunus Cerasus variety, while sweet cherries are from the Prunus Avium variety. These varieties are commonly from Poland, Turkey, and Russia. Eating a cup of cherries promotes a healthy digestive system. It is ideal for fruit pies, beverages, salads, parfaits, compotes, toppings for waffles, pancakes, yogurts, cereals, desserts, jams, milkshakes, coulis, and puddings.
8. Blackcurrants
IQF blackcurrants are antioxidants that contain vitamin C, anthocyanins, gamma-linolenic acid, polyphenolic substances that boost the immune system. A 100-grams of currants gives you 300% of the daily value for vitamin C that develops immunity. IQF currants are used to flavor liquors, ice cream, jams, tarts, pudding, cupcakes, compote, and pies.
9. Passion Fruit
The tropical passion fruit has a thin outer layer with juicy seeds inside. Despite its size, it is a good source of fiber, iron, vitamins C and A. It further lowers the risks of diabetes and heart disease. A piece can give you 17 calories, 2 grams of fiber, less than 10% of the required daily value of vitamins C and A, and 2% of iron and potassium’s DV. It can be served as juice, cakes, mousse, salads, and yogurts.
Banana
IQF bananas are the best sources of potassium, pectin, fiber, magnesium, vitamins C and B6. It is known to minimize swelling, reduces the development of diabetes, helps in weight loss, increases the production of white blood cells, and improves the nervous system. A medium-sized banana can already provide you with 33% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6. It is ideal for making bread, cheesecake, milkshakes, and other desserts.
Pianapple
IQF Pineapple is loaded with vitamins C, A, K, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, and manganese. All these nutrients aid in a healthy immune system and metabolism. It is also packed with disease-fighting antioxidants that combat free radicals in the body. A cup of IQF pineapple gives you 19 grams of carbs and 1-gram protein. IQF pineapples are ideal for sorbets, whips, summer drinks, cakes, smoothies, and tarts.
Mango
Mango contains dozens of polyphenols like mangiferin, which acts as an antioxidant. It helps boosts immunity as it carries folate, vitamins B, C, K, and E that helps improve immunity, digestive, anticancer, skin, and hair health. A cup also provides you 10% of the daily intake for vitamin A. It is a versatile fruit that can be easily added to your diet. It can be incorporated in smoothies, salsas, and salads.
Hail storm fallout leaves hop crop down by up to 60 per cent
Four months on from the hailstorm that devastated Tasman’s horticulture industries, the effects are coming to fruition at harvest time.
Motueka’s Mac Hops was one of the major casualties from the Boxing Day hailstorm which swept across Tasman, leaving dozens of homes and businesses affected.
With hop gardens at its Motueka home block and at Lower Moutere – Mac Hops director Brent McGlashen said the damage had been substantial right across the board.
“There were very few varieties that escaped it – two of the blocks up the Moutere just disintegrated.”
There are concerns over the welfare of animals stuck on livestock carriers as the Suez Canal remains blocked.
There is a backlog of hundreds of ships waiting to pass through the busy shipping channel after the vessel Ever Given became stuck last week.
Among those are at least 20 livestock carriers, according to The Guardian, with many concerned if the Ever Given is not freed soon thousands of animals could be killed.
Labour inspectors keeping close eye on Hawke’s Bay orchards
Labour inspectors will be visiting orchards in the Hawke’s Bay this week, making sure apple growers are paying their employees correctly and keeping accurate records.
It comes as the industry faces a massive worker shortage, with apple and pear growers warning of export revenue losses of around $100 million due to a lack of pickers and packers.
Labour Inspectorate regional manager Kevin Finnegan said inspectors would be doing random checks on orchards in the area to make sure employees are receiving the correct entitlements and accurate records are being kept .
New fishing catch limits to come into force in April
A number of new fishing catch limits introduced on Friday aim to make sure the country’s fish resources are sustainable.
Changes to the catch limits of 14 fish stocks were announced by Fisheries New Zealand, along with the introduction of a full year-round closure to harvesting shellfish at Cockle Bay/Tuwakamana on Auckland’s east coast.
Fish stocks are reviewed twice a year, in April and October, to see if any changes to catch limits are needed.
“If the science tells us more fish can be sustainably caught, then we increase the catch limits, says Emma Taylor, Fisheries New Zealand director of fisheries management.
Expanding existing and creating new trade relationships will be essential if agriculture is to act as the cornerstone of the Queensland economic recovery from COVID-19.
While horticulture is an exceptionally efficient engine in turning sunshine, soils, energy and water into regional jobs and wealth, we need new destinations for our produce.
Government interventions to stimulate production, including irrigation water price reductions, will only disrupt domestic markets unless export market access is expanded.
AUSTRALIAN barley production for the 2020/21 season was the second highest on record behind 2016/17, coming in at 12.7 million tonnes according to Australian Crop Forecasters.
Estimating carry in from the previous season of 2.6mt, Australian barley supply is at 15.3mt for 2020/21.
Hot sea freight market boosting Australian export opportunities
A big spike in ocean freight rates, driven by strong demand for grain and coal vessels, is creating some turmoil in the dry bulk commodity market at present – as consumers and the trade scramble to cover forward business.
The leading sea freight index on London’s Baltic Exchange closed higher for the third consecutive week last Friday.
Charter rates for the larger capesize and panamax vessel segments increased for five consecutive sessions to close at 2281, which is the highest level since September 2019.
ONE OF the major problems facing those in continuous cropping systems is the issue of declining soil carbon, which in turn runs down nutrient levels.
A CSIRO expert has said there is no quick fix and farmers cannot rely simply on cranking up nitrogen (N) fertiliser levels to boost fertility.
Speaking at the Grains Research and Development Corporation update in Bendigo last month Mark Farrell said it had been well recorded that soil organic carbon levels had been decreasing in many Australian cropping systems.
Australian dairy farmgate pricing influenced by three new factors
The dairy industry code of conduct, new contract arrangements for the majority of farmers and the COVID-19 pandemic have fundamentally altered the way dairy farmgate prices are set in Australia, according to Dairy Australia’s March 2021 Situation and Outlook report.
The report said this season had set a different pattern from the norm.
“Australian dollar denominated returns for dairy products have largely improved over the course of the current season, whilst competitiveness of imports has correspondingly declined,” it said.
Argentina’s exports rise 9.1% year-on-year, but for smaller volumes
Argentina’s National Institute for Statistics and Census (INDEC) Friday announced the country’s exports increased 9.1% since March 2020, while imports went up 16.4% for the same period of time, for a combined foreign trade worth of US $ 8,488 million, 12.1% above last year’s figures.
Export revenues grew mainly due to a 14.2% increase in prices, while in quantities they decreased 4.5%. Manufactures of agricultural origin (MOA) went up 41.9%, while those of industrial origin (MOI) showed a small 0.2% fall.
The trade surplus reached US $ 1,062 million, 125 million below that of the same month of 2020 due to the fact that the rise in imports – driven by an increase in quantities – exceeded the growth of exports, which was due to mainly to the increase in prices.
Beef-addicted Uruguay aiming to make farming greener
Rotating cattle to keep the grass long, synching cows’ pregnancies and improving bovine diet are just some of the tactics Uruguayan farmers are using to mitigate the impact of cattle on climate change.
There are four cows for each person in Uruguay, the South American country of 3.4 million people where agriculture accounts for 75 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.
A large part of that comes from the methane emitted by cattle, meaning Uruguay has no choice but to focus on livestock if it wants to combat global warming.
A Look at Colombian Coffee Prices One Year on From the Stabilization Fund
MEDELLIN, Colombia, Mar 26 2021 (IPS) – It’s been just over a year since the Colombian government launched its landmark price stabilization fund. With a budget of $64 million, the fund was designed to provide a hedge against low prices by subsidizing farmers during periods when prices dropped below production costs.
The reason for its introduction was due to the torrid times the nation’s producers had been through during the latter half of the last decade, where wholesale prices regularly dropped below the cost of production. So the fact the fund launched just as COVID-19 was beginning its stranglehold on the global economy was pure luck. But as luck goes, a government underwriting your industry just as the economy comes to a grinding halt is pretty fortunate.
However, far from the stabilization fund needing to be triggered almost as soon as it was launched, in order to mitigate the fallout of COVID-19 – the last 12 months have been a bumper year for Colombian coffee producers. The reasons for this are paradoxically partly due to COVID and partly due to other unforeseen circumstances.
Brazilians beat Brits when it comes to adopting healthy eating habits
Respondents from both countries are reducing their carb consumption in a trend seen across five surveyed nations, as low-carb and keto diets gain popularity.
Brazilians are among the people most likely to use food to support positive health and wellbeing – that’s according to a consumer survey by food consultancy New Nutrition Business. Brazilians emerged as the most interested in foods for mental wellbeing (42 percent) from the survey, a proportion equalled only by consumers in Spain.
But it was a very different picture in the UK, where only 13 percent of consumers surveyed looked to food for a mental uplift.
Food fraud: an increasing concern within the beverage sector
The Lloyd’s Register survey of senior executives within the beverage sector claims that despite the risk of food fraud, it is not a high priority among many industry leaders.
A combination of widespread food fraud incidences and significant supply chain disruption signals a rising level of brand and product risk for global beverage manufacturers, according to a new report by supply chain assurance specialists, Lloyd’s Register.
In a survey of 100 senior executives across the beverage sector, 97 percent reported that they have been affected by food fraud in the past 12 months, while 80 percent agree that food fraud is a growing concern for their business.
FSA research shows UK food businesses improving in allergen handling
New research from the FSA claims the vast majority of food businesses in the UK have some form of policy on allergen labelling, and almost all had processes in place to check for allergenic ingredients.
New research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has found that food businesses’ handling of allergens has significantly improved since new regulations came into force in 2014. The regulations make it mandatory to provide information to consumers about the presence of 14 allergenic ingredients in food.
The findings reveal a dramatic improvement in provision of allergen information and better food safety for consumers.
AUSTRALIAN grain growers are set to get better crop variety recommendations faster through a major Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) international collaborative investment.
The $5.39 million five-year INVITA (Innovations in Variety Testing in Australia) investment will deliver improved predictors of variety performance, quicker access to trial data for growers, better monitoring of trial quality and variety responses to environmental stresses – underpinning greater grower profitability.
GRDC senior manager enabling technologies Tom Giles said INVITA would add value to the GRDC’s flagship National Variety Trials (NVT) program .
How has a year of lockdown changed eating and shopping habits?
As the UK marks a year of COVID-19 restrictions, one survey has shed light on the changes in the eating and shopping habits of consumers that have been observed as a result of lockdown.
A new survey of over 2,500 adults carried out by margarine and spread manufacturer Upfield has revealed how lockdown has affected eating habits a year on from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s sombre instruction to stay at home.
Pre-lockdown, taste (45 percent) and value for money (24 percent) were the focus when doing the food shop over how healthy (16 percent) those items might be. However, over half of Brits (53 percent) have now become increasingly aware of eating more healthily.
Mung beans (Vigna radiata) have been cultivated since ancient times. While native to India, mung beans later spread to China and various parts of Southeast Asia.
These beans have a slightly sweet taste and are sold fresh, as sprouts or as dried beans. Mung beans are incredibly versatile, high in nutrients and typically eaten in salads, soups and stir-frys.
Packed With Healthy Nutrients
Mung beans are rich in vitamins and minerals.
One cup (7 ounces or 202 grams) of boiled mung beans contains:
Calories: 212
Fat: 0.8 grams
Protein: 14.2 grams
Carbs: 38.7 grams
Fiber: 15.4 grams
Folate (B9): 80% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
Manganese: 30% of the RDI
Magnesium: 24% of the RD
Vitamin B1: 22% of the RDI
Phosphorus: 20% of the RDI
Iron: 16% of the RDI
Copper: 16% of the RDI
Potassium: 15% of the RDI
Zinc: 11% of the RDI
Vitamins B2, B3, B5, B6 and selenium
These beans are one of the best plant-based sources of protein. They’re rich in essential amino acids, such as phenylalanine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, arginine and more. Essential amino acids are those that your body is unable to produce on its own.
High Antioxidant Levels May Reduce Chronic Disease Risk
Mung beans contain many healthy antioxidants, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid and more.
Antioxidants help neutralize potentially harmful molecules known as free radicals. In high amounts, free radicals can interact with cellular components and wreak havoc. Test-tube studies have found that antioxidants from mung beans can neutralize free radical damage linked to cancer growth in lung and stomach cells.
Antioxidants Vitexin and Isovitexin May Prevent Heat Stroke
In many Asian countries, mung bean are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that help protect against heat stroke, high body temperatures, thirst and more.
Mung beans also contain the antioxidants vitexin and isovitexin.
May Lower “Bad” LDL Cholesterol Levels, Reducing Heart Disease Risk
High cholesterol, especially “bad” LDL cholesterol, can raise your risk of heart disease. Interestingly, research shows that mung beans may have properties that can lower LDL cholesterol.
For instance, animal studies have shown that mung bean antioxidants can lower blood LDL cholesterol and protect the LDL particles from interacting with unstable free radicals.
Moreover, a review of 26 studies found that eating one daily serving (around 130 grams) of legumes, such as beans, significantly lowered blood LDL cholesterol levels.
Another analysis of 10 studies showed that a diet abundant in legumes (excluding soy) can lower blood LDL cholesterol levels by approximately 5%
Rich in Potassium, Magnesium and Fiber, Which May Reduce Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a serious health problem because it puts you at risk of heart disease — the leading cause of death in the world.
Mung beans are a good source of potassium, magnesium and fiber. Studies have linked each of these nutrients to a significantly lower risk of high blood pressure.
Moreover, an analysis of eight studies showed that higher intakes of legumes, such as beans, lowered blood pressure in both adults with and without high blood pressure.
Fiber and Resistant Starch in Mung Beans May Aid Digestive Health
Mung beans contain a variety of nutrients that are great for digestive health. For one, they’re high in fiber, providing an impressive 15.4 grams per cooked cup (202 grams).
In particular, mung beans contain a type of soluble fiber called pectin, which can help keep your bowels regular by speeding up the movement of food through your gut.
Mung beans, like other legumes, also contain resistant starch. Resistant starch works similarly to soluble fiber, as it helps nourish your healthy gut bacteria. The bacteria then digest it and turn it into short-chain fatty acids — butyrate, in particular.
Studies show that butyrate promotes digestive health in many ways. For instance, it can nourish your colon cells, boost your gut’s immune defenses and even lower your colon cancer risk.
What’s more, the carbs in mung bean seem to be easier to digest than those found in other legumes. Therefore, mung beans are less likely to cause flatulence compared to other types of legumes.
Nutrient Composition May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
If left untreated, high blood sugar can be a serious health problem.
It’s a main characteristic of diabetes and has been linked to a number of chronic diseases. That’s why health professionals urge people to keep their blood sugar within healthy limits.
Mung beans possess several properties that help keep blood sugar levels low. They’re high in fiber and protein, which helps slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream.
Animal studies have also shown that mung bean antioxidants vitexin and isovitexin can lower blood sugar levels and help insulin work more effectively.
May Promote Weight Loss By Suppressing Hunger and Raising Fullness Hormones
Mung beans are high in fiber and protein, which can help you lose weight. Studies have shown that fiber and protein can suppress hunger hormones, such as ghrelin.
What’s more, additional studies have found that both nutrients can encourage the release of hormones that make you feel full like peptide YY, GLP-1 and cholecystokinin.
Folate in Mung Beans Can Support a Healthy Pregnancy
Women are advised to eat plenty of folate-rich foods during pregnancy. Folate is essential for the optimal growth and development of your child.
However, most women don’t get enough folate, which has been linked to a higher risk of birth defects.
Mung beans provide 80% of the RDI for folate in one cooked cup (202 grams).
They’re also high in iron, protein and fiber, of which women need more during pregnancy.
However, pregnant women should avoid eating raw mung bean sprouts, as they may carry bacteria that could cause an infection. Cooked beans and sprouts should be safe.
Versatile and Easy to Add to Your Diet
Mung beans are delicious, versatile and easy to add to your diet.
They can be used in place of most other beans in dishes like curries, salads and soups. These beans have a slightly sweet taste and are often made into a paste in Asian desserts.
To cook them, simply boil the beans until tender — about 20–30 minutes. Alternatively, they can be steamed in a pressure cooker for approximately five minutes. Mung beans can also be enjoyed sprouted, both raw and cooked. The sprouted beans are best enjoyed in stir-fry meals and curries.
Conclusion
Mung beans are high in nutrients and antioxidants, which may provide health benefits.
In fact, they may protect against heat stroke, aid digestive health, promote weight loss and lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
Since mung beans are healthy, delicious and versatile, consider incorporating them into your diet.
Today is National AG-Day in America, the team here at Tradelink is in full support, as together we recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture.
Year-round demand for berries a boon for Northland grower
A Whangārei berries producer is expanding its operation in the hopes of tapping into growing demand for year-round supply of fresh fruit.
Maungatapere Berries is partnering with local iwi Ngāpuhi and Far North District Council’s commercial arm to build a new 28 hectare site in Kaikohe, which is north of the company’s existing operation.
Company co-founder Patrick Malley said consumers’ changing needs had prompted the move.
“We’re seeing demand across the calendar, rather than just in certain peak months, for people to have access to good, healthy, safe, fresh, and affordable produce,” he said.
Apple industry fears even bigger losses as labour shortage bites
The apple industry is feeling the full force of a chronic labour shortage, as a new forecast shows this year’s crop will be down 14 per cent on last year.
New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc expects the export share of the national crop will be 19.3 million cartons, 3 million cartons fewer than last year, which represents a $95 million to $100m fall in export earnings.
But a Hawkes Bay grower believes those numbers are too ‘’optimistic,’’ and that his region alone will be down $100m.
Paul Paynter of Yummy said the figures reflected ‘’the calm before the storm’’ as some varieties were still to be picked.
Onions miss the boat as horticulture exports struggle with shipping issues
Exporters are starting feel the impact of shipping problems, as vessels skip or stay shorter periods at ports, and empty containers remain unevenly spread throughout the country.
Over 50 containers of export onions, collectively worth about $600,000, missed their ship to Europe at Port of Tauranga last week, just as the onion export season hits its peak.
Onions New Zealand chief executive James Kuperus said the exporters concerned were hoping to catch the next ship in a week, but it was happening to growers every week.
Shipping delays cause headaches for primary sector exports
Global shipping delays are starting to cause headaches for New Zealand primary sector exports.
COVID-19 is causing delays at ports around the world and the impact in New Zealand has been exacerbated with severe delays at Ports of Auckland, which is only using around third of its crane capacity.
Auckland is often a first call for ships arriving in the country to deliver imports, and the vessel delays of up to 14 days are flowing to other New Zealand ports, causing a container yard congestion at Tauranga.
Study shows native plants can help boost crop yields
New research shows fruit and vegetable growers can utilise native bush to increase yields and protect plants from pests.
The Plant and Food Research study found having more native plants near crops could attract insects that help with pollination and combat some harmful pests.
Figures from the Ministry for Primary Industries showed insect-pollinated crops such as kiwifruit and avocados were worth about $2 billion to the national economy.
Co-author of the study Dr Melanie Davidson said more farmers were starting to restore native flora and this research showed they would be rewarded for their efforts.
Rain could shoot cattle prices to yet another record
SHOULD this week’s forecast rain fill in many of the dry patches in Queensland cattle country, the upward pressure on the cattle market will come hard and fast.
So say agents, who report there are plenty of operations in the country’s biggest cattle producing state that will stop offloading and start restocking overnight on decent foundation winter falls.
With a Bureau of Meteorology eight-day forecast that has colour in every part of Queensland, plus most of NSW and Victoria, restocking fervour could see new heights in the next few weeks.
Some of the dryer central and north-west parts of Queensland are expecting more than 50mm.
A MAJOR Australian organic wine producer has backed calls standardised domestic regulations to protect markets and enhance consumer confidence.
Angove Family Winemakers operates across two vineyards spanning 300 hectare in South Australia’s rich McLaren Vale and Riverland regions, and last year experienced a lift in revenue of $5.5 million to $7.6m because of a surging domestic and global appetite for organic wine.
Joint managing director Victoria Angove said she held concerns for consumer confidence in the entire organic sector without regulations for the consistent use of the word “organic”.
A week of wet weather across Queensland’s major cropping areas has delivered the ideal for the 2021 winter crop.
Heavy and sometimes torrential rains stretching from northern, central, and southern Qld dumped a general 40mm to 60mm across the state’s winter cropping areas. Some areas received upwards of 100mm for the week.
Rainfall totals across the Central Highlands were variable. Most areas saw upwards of 40mm with Clermont recording 170mm in torrential storm. Last week’s rain will trigger early winter crop plantings across CQ where winter frosts are less of a problem than in southern Queensland.
Warning out to watch for revitalised rust in cereal crops
Agriculture Victoria researchers are warning farmers that varieties they consider resistant to foliar fungal diseases such as stripe rust may be more at risk than first thought.
Plant pathologist Grant Hollaway said the University of Sydney had detected seven different strains of stripe rust disease last year, including an old strain, which meant the resistance ratings needed to be considered according to the strain.
He said the industry was providing two ratings this season, one reflecting resistance to the more common strains of the disease and one judged against the old strain.
Understand S. Hemisphere–Asia Fresh Fruit Trade Flows at SHAFFE Congress
The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) on this coming Thursday, March 25, will host the first edition of the Southern Hemisphere Fresh Fruit Trade Congress, for which Produce Report is a media partner. The congress presents an ideal opportunity for participants from China to get in-depth statistics and analysis to understand the overall picture of fresh fruit trade flows from the major Southern Hemisphere exporting countries to the greater Asia region in general and China in particular.
SHAFFE was founded in 1991 as a platform for exchange between the key exporting countries of the Southern Hemisphere on matters of common concern: SPS, food safety, market access and other arising trade barriers. At present, the organization represents 25% of the global temperate fruit trade (11 million tons, $14 billion) from the eight leading Southern Hemisphere fruit-exporting nations: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and Uruguay.
RAINS IN ARGENTINA SLOW DETERIORATION OF DROUGHT-HIT SOY, CORN CROPS
BUENOS AIRES, March 17 (Reuters) – Rain storms this week in Argentina’s Pampas farm belt have slowed the deterioration of many drought-hit soybean and corn fields, crop weather specialists said on Wednesday.
Dryness has blighted Pampas since mid-2020, prompting the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange last week to cut its soy and corn harvest estimates. Soy and corn are Argentina’s main cash crops.
“The rains have been very good. This has been the first storm front to make a complete sweep of the agricultural area in almost 45 days,” said German Heinzenknecht, meteorologist at the local Applied Climatology consultancy.
With sesame allergens on the rise in the US, we may see the ingredient added to the list of major allergens which must be declared. Dr Susan Mayne of the FDA explains more…
There are currently eight major food allergens regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Currently, if a food product contains milk, tree nuts, peanuts, crustacean shellfish, eggs, fish, wheat, or soy, then this must be declared on the packaging in the ingredients section.
Now a new law has just passed through the US Senate which, if cleared by the House and then signed by President Joe Biden, would add sesame to that list. Sesame allergens are becoming increasingly common. In fact, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology claims it is the ninth most common food allergy in the US.
Sweetened beverages could increase breast cancer risk say researchers
Researchers from the University at Buffalo studied more than 900 women diagnosed with breast cancer in New York state as part of the study.
New research from the University at Buffalo suggests that breast cancer patients who drink sugar-sweetened beverages regularly are at increased risk for death from any cause and breast cancer in particular.
Compared to women who never or rarely drank non-diet fizzy drinks (soda), those who reported drinking non-diet soda five times or more per week had a 62 percent higher likelihood of dying from any causes, and were 85 percent more likely to die from breast cancer specifically. The findings were published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Handheld DNA sequencers could become a useful tool for manufacturers
Handheld devices could enable food manufacturers to perform routine surveillance quickly and has advantages over traditional lab-based methods – though there are hurdles to overcome.
Handheld devices are well suited to environmental monitoring during food production, and have key advantages in ease of use and in identifying a broad variety of bacteria, according to a new study published in the journal npj science of food (a Nature partner journal).
AN average hit ratio of 90 per cent and average kill ratio of 80pc – that’s the result of a 6000 hectare trial in Mullewa using new green on green technology which utilises camera systems to spray herbicides only on weeds.
Growers Andrew and Rod Messina purchased a 48 metre Agrifac self-propelled sprayer fitted with the technology from French start-up Bilberry in 2019, with the system used to spot spray broadleaf weeds, mainly radish, in wheat over the course of the 2020 season.
KANSAS CITY – In the 1970s, when Rick Stein was in the early years of his career in retail grocery, perimeter sales made up about a third of total sales for the East Coast chain he worked for.
Meat and produce were big. But many stores didn’t even have what we would consider retail foodservice today. And the instore bakery was still a gleam in most retailers’ eyes, if that. Deli prepared? Sure, but it might be fried chicken (but no rotisserie), a few sides, maybe livers and gizzards, and not much else. And forget about grab ‘n go.
Sustainable and reliable supply of Argentine Organic Milling Grade Chickpeas, andalso 7mm chickpeas, available for immediate delivery!
Our team have been in the fields checking for optimum yield and success in this chickpea production, giving attention to field selection, seeding, inoculation, disease control, weed management, insect pest management, harvesting and crop rotation.
Argentina’s Chickpea strength is the recent higher-level technical and productive potential for agro-industrial and export development, with National Seed Institute issuing a resolution last year stating that the Chickpea Seed must be marketed with the Identified category.
We are currently contracting the last available volumes of Conventional and Organic Mung Beans, and also Conventional Alubia Beans available for shipping in June.
TradeLink International guarantees full traceability of its products entirely complying with the customers’ demands. To ensure our products stand up to your requirements, we don’t take anything for granted. Each lot is inspected and analysed by a reputable third party laboratory to ensure the product matches or exceeds the specifications agreed to.
Our traceable source is grown under contract and has had strict quality controls from plantation through to the shipping time.
Good news for feijoa lovers after early start to harvest season
Feijoas are expected to hit the shelves this week as good growing conditions have seen harvesting of this season’s crop kick off a month earlier than usual.
Kaiaponi Farms has been growing feijoas in Gisborne for the past 20 years and sells the fruit through its Joa brand for both the local and export markets.
Spokesperson David Hansen said the first fruit would normally be picked at the start March but the harvest got under way last month and was now in full swing, with decent volumes coming through.
“We’ve been pouring plenty of water on, they like irrigation so they’ve enjoyed a good season really,” he said.
Rain brings relief to farmers anxious over dry conditions
Farmers are breathing a sigh of relief at a good dose of rain on Thursday, which is easing anxiety about continued dry conditions, after last year’s drought.
Good news for feijoa lovers after early start to harvest season
A company which ran two South Canterbury dairy farms has been fined $30,000 for failing to comply with employment law after breaching minimum employment standards in relation to 24 workers.
The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has ordered Greywacke Farms Limited and its director Dietmar Kopetschny to pay $20,000 and $10,000 respectively in penalties for failure to comply with employment law.
The company ran two dairy farms in South Canterbury that supplied milk to Fonterra while Kopetschny also operated as a sole trader, working as a share-milker, a statement from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said.
Orchard owners have been fearing labour shortages for months as the peak picking season approaches.
Mr Yummy apples grower and owner Paul Paynter said he was leaving fruit on large trees that were difficult to pick and some trees would only get picked once rather than two or three times.
NZ meat exports could soar after fresh outbreak of African Swine Fever in China
A second wave of a serious pig disease in China is expected to slow the country’s efforts to rebuild its national herd and help sustain demand for New Zealand red meat.
China is the world’s top pork producer and consumer, but in 2019 a large outbreak of the pig disease African Swine Fever] (ASF) resulted in the culling of about half of the country’s herd.
That outbreak led to scarcity of the meat and big price hikes, which in turn prompted a lift in imports of other proteins into China – including sheepmeat and beef from New Zealand.
Vic farmer encourages young people to consider being “commuter farmers”
A VICTORIAN vegetable grower reckons there’s great potential for agriculture in the concept of “commuter farmers”.
A commuter farmer is someone who lives within a major city but operates on farmland at the city fringes.
One advocate for the concept is Velisha Farms owner, Catherine Velisha.
Ms Velisha considers herself to be a commuter farmer, going from her car stacker parking in inner city Melbourne to tractors helping to grow cauliflower and broccoli on her farm at Werribee.
RESEARCHERS from the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI) are concerned at findings of wild radish populations with signs of resistance to Group H herbicides.
Reduced sensitivity to Group H HPPD (hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase) inhibitor herbicides in wild radish was reported earlier this year and followed previous concerns over several populations in Western Australia’s northern agricultural region.
Wild radish already has widespread resistance to other popular herbicides.
WHILE volunteer plants and weeds take a well-known tax on soil moisture and nutrient levels over summer and early autumn, their ability to shelter harmful pathogens and pests can also be costly.
Many of the problems affecting emerging crops depend on a green bridge to survive from the previous growing season.
Eliminating this lifeline in late summer or early autumn can help reduce the inputs required to manage diseases and pests, especially during the early growth stages when any constraint can have a significant impact on final yield.
Australia’s sheep numbers have fallen by about two-thirds in the past half a century.
The national flock has fallen from the dizzying heights of 180 million in the early 1970s, to about 64 million today, its lowest point for a century.
Now the sheep meat industry wants to learn the exact causes of this continued decline so it can try and stop it.
Wool’s plummeting price, drought and the rising popularity of other meats, like beef, and even a move to cropping, have been blamed for the worst of it.
Pick the Burnett campaign aims to find citrus harvest workers amid labour shortage
The push is on to find 500 workers to pick a bumper citrus crop in the Gayndah region, with a campaign launched in an attempt to combat labour shortage woes.
Gayndah Fruitgrowers is behind the Pick the Burnett campaign, aimed at getting information about the harvest jobs to willing workers.
The citrus picking season in the region is due to kick off in coming weeks and run until October and Gayndah would normally be bustling with backpackers ready to do the work.
But with the backpacker work force drying up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is desperate to find alternative employees to get the fruit off the trees.
Brazilian pork exports (fresh and processed) recorded a 20.3% increase in February, totaling 81,100 tons compared to 67,400 tons registered in the same period in 2020. Revenues from sales in February totaled US$ 185.7 million, 19.9% higher than the second month of 2020 when sales reached US$ 154.9 million.
Brazilian pork exports (fresh and processed) recorded a 20.3% increase in February, totaling 81,100 tons compared to 67,400 tons registered in the same period in 2020. Revenues from sales in February totaled US$ 185.7 million, 19.9% higher than the second month of 2020 when sales reached US$ 154.9 million.
A New High for Chinese Consumer Blueberry Awareness Amid ASOEX Campaign
During China’s holiday season, consumers cannot go wrong in giving to their friends, family and colleagues the gift of Chilean cherries. This year, thanks to the Chinese New Year 1.8 Million Yuan Super Lucky Draw held by the Chilean Cherry Committee of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (ASOEX), one lucky cherry fan was repaid many times over for her considerate gesture of gifting Chilean cherries during the holidays — as the grand winner of the lucky draw, she was presented the keys to a brand-new cherry red Tesla Model 3 at a ceremony held in Shanghai on March 2.
The gift was presented by ASOEX’s newly hired China Marketing Manager Patrick Xiao, as well as ASOEX’s China Marketing Coordinator Freya Huang and representatives from Tesla.
SHAFFE Congress Centers on ‘Keeping the World Supplied’ With Fruit
The Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) will hold its first Southern Hemisphere Fresh Fruit Trade Congress as an online event on March 25. The congress — the scheduling of which allows for convenient participation by fruit industry members from China — will feature information on crop trends, production prospects and trade flows of temperate fresh fruit production in eight Southern Hemisphere countries that together have an annual export volume of 11 million tons of fresh fruits worth $14 billion and accounting for a 25% share of the global produce export market.
ARGENTINE GRAINS FARMERS SET FOR RECORD HARD CURRENCY HARVEST
BUENOS AIRES, March 8 (Reuters) – Argentine grains farmers are expected to rake in a record amount of much-needed export dollars this season, with high global prices, port strikes having been defused, and enough rain to relieve growing areas that had been dry for months.
This year’s harvest is crucial for the sector and Argentina’s central government, which needs to refill its depleted foreign currency reserves after a sovereign default last year which has left bond prices at historic lows.
“The 2020/21 agricultural season should generate, at current prices, a record income of foreign currency from exports of about $37.5 billion,” said Emilce Terre, head economist at the major Rosario grains exchange.
Argentina’s economy has been in recession since 2018, while the government has maintained strict capital controls to protect the peso and the outflow of dollars from the country.
Argentine Wheat Planting Facing Pressure from Politics, Rival Barley
Buenos Aires — Argentine wheat sowing is likely to shrink this year, according to a report by Reuters, as farmers weigh the risk of state intervention in the market and Chinese demand for South American feed barley offers a strong incentive to switch crops.
With Australia sidelined by a bilateral trade dispute, Argentina (along with France and Canada) is emerging as a key supplier to China, the world’s top commodities importer.
Wheat and barley compete for sowing area on Argentina’s Pampas grains belt, and both are planted around midyear.
The importance of research to support food hypersensitive consumers
In the latest FSA Takeaway, two experts discuss some key findings of the Food Allergy and Intolerance Research Programme, how good quality research informs the FSA’s work, and where its next study will lead.For the last 20 years, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has placed science at the centre of its work to protect public health. A key part of this effort has involved using research to help us tackle food safety issues.
So how do we do this in practical terms? In some areas of food safety there already exists a wealth of scientific evidence that we can rely on to inform our guidance and policies.
Unconscious bias can worsen foodborne illness outbreaks, say researchers
Researchers from the University of Missouri believe that actions that worsen foodborne disease outbreaks are not always conscious, citing a 2011 US Listeria outbreak as an example.
In the midst of a pandemic that has claimed more than two million lives worldwide and disrupted nearly every facet of society since it appeared more than a year ago, understanding the factors that create and facilitate disease outbreaks is more important than ever.
“Protecting consumers” the key driver for food safety efforts says survey
Manufacturers have consumers’ best interests at heart when it comes to food safety according to a survey of producers, with food fraud identified as a concern.
A survey of the food industry by RQA Group has revealed that consumers are at the heart of manufacturers’ efforts when it comes to food safety.
92 percent of those that responded to the survey revealed that “protecting consumers” was the prime driver for food safety in their business. “Brand protection” and “Avoiding recalls” were also ranked highly as drivers of food safety according to the study.
BOULDER, COLO. — Rudi’s Organic Bakery is fast-tracking innovation in the commercial bread space in 2021. The company plans to add more than a dozen new products across its organic and gluten-free platforms by the year’s end, bringing its total number of SKUs to 55.
“We’re going to have 15 entirely new products by June,” said Brian McGuire, chief executive officer at Rudi’s Bakery. “We’re also relaunching all of our core items with new topicals, a new fermentation process and new packaging.”
Lessons from the pandemic —and what lies ahead —from a meat industry leader
KANSAS CITY – 2021 promises to be an interesting year for the retail meat industry, said Chris Oliviero, general manager of Northglenn, Colo.-based Niman Ranch — almost like, he said, “a tale of two years rolled into one.”The first quarter or maybe even half of the year will likely closely mirror the last nine months of 2020, he said. With people cooped up at home and worried about their health and in many cases livelihood, comfort foods came to the fore last year, and that trend will continue well into the new year.
One thing that started to change in late 2020 and will only accelerate in 2021, Oliviero added, is people getting tired of cooking at home. But because the virus is still with us, they’ll have to keep doing so for some time yet. That creates opportunities for retailers and meat producers to provide solutions that take some of that fatigue out of the equation.
