Ecuador could nationalize banana exports

Ecuador's president has vowed to assist banana growers who have been 'abused' by exporters, while the country also aims to boost its presence in South Korea.

March 22 , 2011

Seedless cherimoya gene discovered

A U.S. scientist believes the seedless cherimoya could become 'the next banana', after a gene discovery in conjunction with Spanish researchers.

March 18 , 2011

Delays cause Chile Red Globe grape oversupply

Grape harvest delays in Chile's northern region will setback the industry's opportunities for 'early' grape varieties in Asia, but market researcher iQonsulting finds a silver lining with new opportunities in Europe.

March 17 , 2011

Chile to join 'big leagues' with own fruit varieties

The Australis Breeding Programme has yielded positive results, with Chile's Agricultural Minister positive on export prospects for new genetic fruit varieties.

March 16 , 2011

Argentine scientists find calcium fertilizer benefits

Scientists from Argentina's National University de La Plata (UNLP) have found calcium-based fertilisers can boost blueberry growth performance by more than 5%.

March 15 , 2011

Chinese agricultural group to acquire 200K hectares of land globally

China's largest agricultural company plans to buy 200,000 hectares of land globally in 2011, as Argentina and Brazil are on the cusp of introducing new foreign ownership laws.

March 15 , 2011

Zespri takes hold of Korean kiwifruit market: Chile takes notice

Chile's kiwifruit industry has been reticent towards Zespri's exclusivity strategy in South Korea, but insiders say the move could cause serious problems.

March 14 , 2011

Zap of life for fragile fruit

New research has found fruit shelf life could be extended by up to five days through the use of plasma beam technology.

March 11 , 2011

Containers in short supply in Peru, says IMO

The International Mango Organization (IMO) has announced the possibility of very limited containers from the Peruvian port of Paita for the next three weks, after discussions with shipping line executives.