Ceres in the mountainous Koue Bokkeveld in Western Cape is leading 2025’s production campaign for sweet cherry (Prunus avium) cultivars in South Africa. According to Saffarazzi, industry marketing leader Tru-Cape expects a 5 to 7% bigger crop than the frost-hit 2024 equivalent. Soluble sugar levels are also up at 25º Brix, above other years when levels oscillated between 18 and 22º. The current...
The Vietnam blue swimming crab export returns up 1%, courtesy Western markets
Vietnam has reaped a January-September 2025 blue swimming crab export growth of 1% year-on-year (y-o-y), thanks to Western markets. According to Seafood Vietnam, the year’s initial 9 months brought $58 million from exports, a slight recovery from Q3, 2024. The European Union (EU) and the United States both upped their purchases., countering import growth cuts in virtually all major Asian...
The Philippines contemplates value chain fairness via onion and pork msrp
The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) is mulling a maximum suggested retail price (msrp) for pork and onion sales to redeem value chain fairness. According to the Secretary of Agriculture Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., in a passing interview on November 6, 2025, both items currently enjoy overpricing. Despite the government extending a 50,000-tonne onion import window to January 2026 to increase supplies,...
Traceability system throws lifeline to pricey red meat in South Africa
South Africa on June 4, 2025 launched the second leg of the Red Meat Information System (RMIS) Traceability Platform, in the face of smashing prices. The Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen directed the re-launch to hone sales’ accountability in the country’s meat sector. Ranchers, butchers, processing plants, logistic companies and markets will all be pooling retail chain details on the...
Worldwide blueberry prices stabilize early November per international brands’ offers
The worldwide Blueberry Price Index comprising prices by 14 international retailers ended week 45 (November 3, 2025) down 1.1%, showing market stability. According to Italian Berry, Carrefour, Walmart, Albert Heijn and 11 others that week sold berries at between €5.73 and 36.76 ($6.6-42.31) a kg. The cheapest weight category was the 454-gram punnet at €5.73 ($5.44) while the dearest the 125-g one at €15.92...
China selectively lessens Ag tariffs on the United States
China has suspended the 24% levy it had added above the 10% reciprocal tariffs of March 10, 2025 on mainly Ag goods from the United States. The move confirms the flagging of a such a reprieve by the White House early November. Confirmation came from Beijing’s tariff commission on November 5, which suspended the 24% additional levy on U.S.’ goods for a...
The Western Australia avocado crop rebounds, aims orient conquest
Orchardists in the southwest of Western Australia (WA) are happy this season from looming record avocado crop, fueling oriental market desires. According to Trevor Bendotti of Bendotti Avocados via the ABC, WA is heading towards the “largest season on record.” If the projection actualizes, the state will beat the 2023-24 harvest that tailed off at 65,000 tonnes. The bumper harvest...
To save rice in Texas, pesticide researchers race against time
The Texas ratoon or second rice crop is homing in but could slash drastically unless researchers combat rice delphacids. Researchers at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Beaumont so far are making efforts to contain the invasive pest. The team cites that two insecticides in use are apparently not perfect, hence the need to explore extra solutions....
Registrar hooks sugar repackaging in Kenya amid tightening production
The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) has notified companies repackaging sugar to register by November 17, 2025 for traceability standardization, amid waning production. Re-packagers need comply within the 3-week window via online registration or face enforcement including possible business suspension. The KSB usually registers all repackaging agencies from individuals to entities to whom it then extends licenses for sugar retail. According...
China’s Shaanxi kiwifruit harvest processing revolves around agri-tech
The winter kiwifruit harvest is underway in northwest China, with production leader Shaanxi province using smart tech to process deliveries. A new processing plant at Zhouzhi County is currently sorting out the fruits using infrared and precision technologies to ascertain freshness and quality. According to Dahe news on November 2, 2025, the facility photographs the fruits 240 times inside sorting lines to...