Barfoots celebrates 50 years of ‘forever farming’
Barfoots’ Keston Williams takes Fred Searle on a sustainability journey, from energy self-sufficiency to water resilience, as the pioneering producer marks its 50th anniversary
Potato growers urged to submit CIPC residue samples
CIPC Residues Monitoring Group encourages fresh sector to participate in potato monitoring programme as one in seven stores still return detectable sprout inhibitor residue
How water became the watchword in fresh produce
As growers face multiple consecutive heatwaves and low rainfall, Nina Pullman explores the challenges and opportunities around water resilience on farms, from reservoir construction to collaborative catchment projects
Government hails ‘farm robot revolution’ with £20mn funding round
Growers and agri-tech companies can now apply for funding designed to fast-track field robots and help ease seasonal worker shortages
Asaja Murcia forecasts 30 per cent drop in Fino lemon harvest
The agricultural organisation said it expects production deficit to lead to a favourable price scenario in the 2026/27 season
Fruits Ràfols boosts exotics portfolio with new Sweet Panda brand
The company will present its new exotic fruit brand at this year’s Fruit Attraction
Water action needed 'immediately' for food security, says NFU
Union calls for flexible abstraction licences, streamlined planning system and investment in on-farm reservoirs
PPWR: Pro Food joins calls for postponement of implementation date
‘Stop the Clock’ campaign argues that complete rules are needed before the regulation is enforced
Wilson’s Country trials low-carbon potato production
County Armagh potato packer and processor begins trials using digestate as sustainable crop fertiliser
Fruitful Ventures consolidates commercial activities Freshpride under Hoofdman-Roodzant
Integration will create a single, stronger commercial platform while retaining the specialist expertise built by both companies
Montosa anticipates high-quality mango harvest and larger fruit sizes
The company is expanding its commercial programmes across Europe, with France as its main growth market
Taiwanese exporters target UK market with premium fruit
Suppliers set out ambitions for fruit exports to UK at NCGM tasting event, following first shipments of lychees and mangoes in July
Date and sponsors revealed for 2026 Onion and Carrot Conference
Event will take place in November, with sponsorship from plant breeders Elsoms and Bejo and a gala dinner speech by former England rugby star Tom Youngs
Tesco hails ‘melon mania’ as heatwaves drive demand
Total melon sales up by a third as UK’s biggest grocer expands range with new Waikiki variety
Nottingham uni project aims to reduce use of legume fertilisers
Plant scientist awarded £1.9 million grant to explore biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) as sustainable alterative to fertilisers
Paranova unveils £20mn investment in new fibre-focused facility
Sustainable packaging manufacturer’s investment will enable expansion of fibre-based operations to meet growing demand
Ifco moves to support customers on EU packaging regulation compliance
RPC specialist Ifco has issued a Declaration of Conformity to help customers and pooling partners navigate the EU’s incoming PPWR
Cherries provide cheer for UK growers
UK cherry sales have risen in both volume and value over the past year, with producers optimistic about the category’s future
Zero Carbon Forum welcomes first wholesaler in Sysco GB
The non-profit organisation says building resilience is becoming as important as reducing emissions for hospitality businesses, necessitating the expansion of industry collaboration
Food industry giants back new letter calling for Good Food Bill
Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco is the latest to join over 100 food industry giants sounding the alarm over Britain’s food supplies
Romagna PGI Peaches and Nectarines unveils new marketing campaign
Co-financed by the Emilia-Romagna Region, the two-year initiative will cover Italy and Germany
RFID pilot scheme aims to eliminate the need for manual labelling of picking crates
The initiative is a collaboration between Agromanager, Munckhof and five fruit growers
Table grapes emerge as top choice among younger consumers
Gen A opting for grapes above other fruits, showing significant growth potential for the category, Regina di Puglia 2026 hears
Cítricos Valencianos PGI maintains volume despite challenging production season
The regulatory council increased the number of audits it carried out by one-third in 2025/26
Fyffes highlights strong brand awareness in Ireland
Tropical produce specialist has published new Kantar consumer research showing high brand awareness and purchase consideration scores
Comment: Thriving in Europe’s challenging apple business
Jan Nowakowski of Genesis Fresh says that ensuring consistent quality and maintaining reliable supply remain the priorities
NFU urges action to secure water for farming
As half the UK suffers from drought, the NFU has called for joined-up thinking from government to secure water for farming and protect nation’s food security
FPC launches petition with Delifresh to scrap UK-EU Reset
So far, over 1,000 UK chefs and food professionals have signed the ’One Squeeze Too Far’ petition to scrap border reset
Innocent awards £1mn in grants to fruit and veg projects
Winning projects will support growers in 14 countries to adopt climate-friendly farm practices and secure the future of core ingredients in Innocent’s range, from citrus to coconut
Farm donations to food banks jump 55 per cent
Farms salvaged 228,000 tonnes of surplus produce in 2025 as global reliance on food banks increased
Environment Agency activates water transfer scheme in Lincolnshire
A transfer between three rivers and an emergency reservoir has been made available to support growers in Lincolnshire as more UK regions enter prolonged dry weather or drought
Spain’s fresh produce imports climb once more
New customs data processed by Fepex reveals growth in Spanish fresh produce imports during January-May 2026, with fruit volumes surging 8 per cent
AMFresh South Africa launches exclusive Alizza fruit at Checkers
The seedless, easy-to-peel Alizza variety is now available exclusively at Checkers stores across the country
PPWR: What to do now, and what can wait
With less than two weeks to go to the implementation of the new rules, Nico Broerson, CEO of Simvia (formerly Agriplace) sets out a readiness blueprint for produce companies
Charities pledge to treble food redistribution in next decade
Felix, City Harvest and The Bread and Butter Thing among the redistributors joining forces on governance, programme management, food sourcing, logistics and allocation