Fred Searle
Fred Searle is a staff writer for FPJ and Eurofruit.
NewsFrench plum production set to rise
National trade body predicts 17 per cent increase in production with leading southwest region expected to meet ‘normal’ volume potential
NewsEuropean apricot volumes to return to normal after bumper 2024 crop
Hail in Italy and Greece set to bring down volume in 2025, but French production expected to return to 2019-23 average after slump last year
NewsFrench organic sales growing again after difficult period
Supermarket saw biggest sales decline after shrinking their organic ranges in response to changing consumer behaviour
NewsAngus Soft Fruits boss publishes report on growing share of value chain
John Gray’s Nuffield Farming study highlights potential of gene-editing, data-driven production and new markets to help growers improve returns
NewsOcean pollution is UK shoppers’ biggest plastic concern, study shows
Microplastics and their impact on oceans and waterways is biggest concern among British consumers regarding plastic packaging, research shows
NewsSunny spring bodes well for British berry season
Plentiful sunshine sparks optimism as growers look ahead to start of UK soft fruit harvest
NewsNewcastle Uni launches agrifood net zero tracker
Reporting data website is first of its kind in the agrifood sector, according to its creators
NewsBig names announced for Festival of Fresh 2025
Key figures in production, retail, wholesale and sustainability confirmed in first wave of Festival of Fresh speakers
CommentPost-Brexit red tape ‘putting off overseas hauliers’
Mike Parr, CEO of PML Seafrigo in the UK and Ireland, takes stock of the major challenges facing UK fresh produce logistics, from plant health fees to port delays and government U-turns
NewsJohn Shropshire urges UK not to ‘offshore carbon footprint’ in forthright CFDL speech
G’s chairman stresses the need to support domestic food production and slams Climate Change Committee plan to rewet the Fens
NewsConsumer education key as Sinclair rolls out new compostable label
Sinclair’s senior marketing manager Duncan Jones explains why effective communication with customers and consumers is key to adoption of the new Sinclair-T55 compostable sticker
NewsKoppert launches handheld blower for dispersing natural predators
The Natutec Airobreez offers precision, efficiency and labour savings, according to Dutch biological crop protection specialist
NewsAgriAudit wins £10k grant to develop compliance app
Recently launched app helps ease the audit burden on UK farmers and growers
NewsGender dynamics ‘changing’ at New Covent Garden
CGMA chair Wanda Goldwag expects to see more female-run traders at London wholesale market in future
NewsTrade bodies call for greater support on seasonal labour after scheme extension
Industry bodies welcome five-year extension of Seasonal Worker Scheme but continue calls for a rolling scheme, nine-month visas and sustained numbers
NewsSteve Reed slated on inheritance tax at NFU Conference
Under-fire Defra secretary announces measures to boost farmers’ profitability but refuses to budge on inheritance tax and caveats seasonal worker extension with intention to reduce visa numbers in future
NewsNationwide Produce doubles capacity at AGP onion packhouse
Anglia Growing Partnership expands Lincolnshire facility as supermarket demand for English onions rises
NewsDriscoll’s Sweetest Batch to launch in Germany and Middle East in 2025
Following a successful launch in the US in 2019, Driscoll’s is preparing to introduce its premium soft fruit range in new markets
NewsBASF launches precision farming tool for fresh produce
The ‘Xarvio Field Manager for Fruits & Veggies’ will first be made available to grape growers in 2025, following BASF’s acquisition of Italian agritech firm Horta in 2022
NewsRypen celebrates rapid sales success
It’s Fresh has already sold more than a million Rypen Case Liners, with its new tech striking a chord with southern hemisphere grape suppliers