USDA researchers have found that freeze-dried berry powder, in particular strawberry, can act as stabilisers for ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts.

The worst drought in 50 years has taken its toll on harvested raspberry volumes in Chile, causing prices to increase by 14% compared with the beginning of the season.

A pool of researchers has identified a cocktail of bacteria which would enable a reduction in water and pesticides usage for strawberry cultivation in the Huelva province of Andalucia where fields surround the UNESCO’s world heritage site of Doñana National Park.

Ukraine's organic industry has reported that due to a decrease in organic area under raspberry, the harvest has also fallen.

The blueberry harvest was interrupted by rains in the southern zone of Chile, slowing down shipments for fresh in the first week of February.

Blueberry prices recorded in the southern hemisphere have declined slightly; the first sign of market saturation.

The expected expansion in cultivated area, Brexit and the new regulation on anti-sprouting has set the premises for an uncertain potato season in 2020.

Dutch cooperative Cosun reported better results in 2019 than in the year before, principally due to strong operating profit from its potato processing subsidiary Aviko which offset poor performance by its sugar and juice subsidiaries.

Dutch potato processor Aviko has announce that it will pay more for long-term storage in order to compensate growers for the potential losses linked to the phasing out of the anti-sprouting CIPC.

According to China’s Ministry of Transport Water Bureau, Tianjin and Shanghai ports have reached their maximum storage capacity for frozen foodstuff. Scheduled ships have been advised to choose alternative ports for loading.

The Hungarian frozen sweetcorn price has shot up since the end of the crop over reduced volumes available on the market, sources told IEG Vu.

Industry representatives have requested a temporary increase in the limit set for the use of sprout suppressant chlorpropham (CIPC) for 2020 in order to avoid cross-contaminations.

USDA researchers have found that freeze-dried berry powder, in particular strawberry, can act as stabilisers for ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts.

Ferrero’s consolidated revenues hit EUR11.4 billion (USD12.33 bln) in 2019, a 6.2% increase compared with the previous EUR10.7 bln.

Italy’s farmers’ organization, Confederazione Nazionale Coldiretti (Coldiretti), has blamed “fake news” for a 2.1% dip in fresh milk consumption in Italy last year, according to data collated by the body.

So far, around 30% of Chinese companies expected to exhibit at Fruit Logistica have cancelled their participation this year. Further cancellations before the trade fair opens next week in Berlin are expected, a spokesperson told IEG Vu. 

German dairy giant DMK has announced that it will sell its ice cream factory in Waldfeucht-Haaren in order to streamline its ice cream production.