A long drought that characterised the raspberry growing season this year in Bulgaria caused raspberry yields in the country to drop up to 50% compared with the previous year, said Bozidar Petkov, chairman of Bulgaria's raspberry growers’ association. 

Argentinean blueberry exporters are seeking new export markets for their fruit in a bid to diversify export destinations and reduce the country’s dependency on the US that received seven out of 10 kilos of exported Peruvian blueberries last year. 

The USDA offered to purchase about 224,000 cases of frozen highbush (cultivated) blueberries.

Qujing, the capital of blueberry production, could reach 2,500 tonnes by 2020 for a corresponding value of CNY250 million (USD38.3 mln), the China Daily reported, quoting the International Blueberry Organization (IBO). 

The rise of IQF wild blueberry prices seems unstoppable, this week reaching EUR3.90-4.10 (USD4.60-4.90) per kilo, a 25% increase from the early season price of EUR3.20-3.30/kg. 

The Argentine blueberry crop should have dodged damage caused by a frost that hit the north-east of the country, thanks to anti-frost irrigation systems recently installed by farmers, the association of the producers of blueberry in Mesopotamia (Apama) reported.

The US exported last year 74% more organic fruits and vegetables to Taiwan than in 2015, a USDA report stated. 

The Belgian potato processors Lutosa has announced the launch of five new frozen products at the Cologne-based food show to be held on October 7-11. 

In 2016, potato production in the US topped 441 million cwt, about 206,000 cwt more than in 2016, the latest USDA survey reported.

In the first half of the year, customs data showed a 20% decrease in export volumes for Peruvian canned asparagus, in line with a general 15% contraction of global shipments.

The exceptional dry and hot weather of the summer has taken its toll on the Belgian peas crop with an estimated 20% loss of the volume harvested, sources told IEG Vu.

Export volumes of frozen peas from Belgium in the first half of 2017 dropped by 18% in volume and 16% value, while Spain and the UK emerged as the dark horses of the sector, recording consistent volume increase.

More transparent labelling has resulted in an increase for sales of some industrial products, including ice-cream which has seen a 26.5% increase in value, a report released from A C Nielsen states.

The evergreen ice-cream flavour has been taken off the menu from some high-street artisanal producers in the UK following the surge in the price of vanilla, the Financial Times reported. 

Demand remains strong for whole green beans, sweetcorn, broccoli spears, mushroom and bamboo shoots which recorded a double-digit increase of the imported volume in the first half of 2017 compared with the same time period the year before, the Food Institute reported. 

The Dutch-British food giant has struck a deal to purchase Weis, the family-run producer of the Australian iconic mango and cream bar.

Authorities are considering taxing and restricting the sale of ice-lollies and ice-cream with an alcohol content above 3.5%, Swedish media reported.

The record temperatures recorded in Italy in the past months have driven up consumption of fruit, vegetables, still water, but overall ice-cream, according to farmers’ organisation Coldiretti.