The American pecans harvest for the 2024 season began in the southern states on October 20 and will run till late November. Despite the effect of Hurricane Helene, Georgia’s early harvest was yielding robustly at a minimum 42% and a maximum 57% meat yield per nut. This shows resilience since Helene wrecked 90% of pecan trees in eastern Georgia’s counties of Burke and Jefferson....
Mushroom coffee all the rage for potential health benefits
Advocates of the increasingly popular mushroom coffee are citing its potential health benefits, not least of all Megan, Duchess of Sussex. Since 2020, tens of brands have emerged, each with a unique name that distantly echoes the medicinal qualities of the content. It costs around $20 for a few servings while regular coffee in the U.S. costs less, but its content still gives it market popularity. ...
The fruit industry in South Africa hopeful despite port delays
South Africa is headed to growth in its fruit industry in the next half decade, says Anton Rabe, Executive Director at Hortgro. Speaking on a visit to Tru-Cape, the executive cites agricultural value chain contribution to national economic growth. This aligns with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s forecast of 7% growth in South Africa’s apple production alone. However, there are also significant...
Apple picking picks up in the U.S.’ northeast
From the orchards of Rhode Island to the scenic ones of Peru in New York, the northeast is tailing off its apple picking with a bang. This is even as Georgia rallies the southern U.S. harvest with “you pick” offers. The east coast is trying to beat the odds and finish its harvest before the November chill impacts quality. Radio...
The UAE goat grazing niche versus plan to regenerate forests
A late 2024 Emirates Nature-WWF initiative to replant the overgrazed Hajar mountains in eastern Dubai has underlined the grass-fed UAE goat rearing set up. In presenting its partnership with Visa to replant forests, Emirates Nature-WFF cites that overgrazing has reduced new vegetation habitats here. This is why the scientific agency wants to keep goats at bay via steel fences after planting the drought-resistant Sho’a...
Food prices in Japan get unruly, prompting cost standardization plan
Unruly food prices in Japan have prompted the government to deliberate on how to seamlessly pass agricultural costs onto consumer prices. Accordingly, the Agriculture Ministry is setting up a committee to recommend ways to feature costs into especially rice and vegetable prices. The recommendations however will only come after the panel has looked into the country’s trading set up. The aim is standardize...
California’s red abalone harvest still under ban, black abalone provides state shell
Two developments have swayed the US mollusc sector in 2024, both to do with California. They include the long-term closure of the California red abalone season and the naming of black abalone shells as the state seashell. Regarding red abalone, its fishing in the Golden State remains closed till April 1, 2026, leaving fishermen yearning for its comeback. According to the National...
The South Africa macadamia sector mulls diversifying exports outside China
The South Africa macadamia sector needs to diversify exports away from China to avoid disruptions as happened in 2015, industry experts have warned. Speaking at the Macadamias South Africa (SAMAC) summit in September 2024, Professor Ferdi Meyer of the Bureau for Food Agricultural Policy cited China’s rising acreage. Meyer hinted at uptick cultivation of macadamia in China in 2024 on 300,000 hectares versus South...
What new sea cucumber developments in Alaska and the Netherlands hold for UK’s Invertebrates Imports
The start of the 2024-25 Alaska sea cucumber season and the discovery of ten sea cucumbers in the Netherlands hold much for UK’s invertebrates’ imports. Alaska, one of the biggest sea cucumber sources in the world, began its harvest on October 7, 2024. Alaskans aim to harvest some 1.76 million pounds of the critters, slightly above the 1.67 million pounds of the...
U.S. increases Pacific bluefin tuna catches by 80% for 2025-26 season
The commercial haul of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) will increase by 80% in the 2025-26 American season, following successful restocking. The decision by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in September 2024 to increase catch limits owes to findings of ample restocking. Earlier in June, the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean had announced an impressive population...