Strong consumer demand for natural, organic and wellness products meets structural barriers to scaling, a topic on the agenda at CHFA NOW Toronto this September. Canada’s natural, organic and wellness sector has become one of the country’s fastest-evolving consumer categories, with sustained interest across natural health products, organic foods and wellness lines. According to the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), the challenge is not a lack of demand but the structural barriers businesses face when scaling: retail concentration, commercialization hurdles, regulatory complexity and rising operating costs. These issues will be examined during State of the Industry: Growth, Competitiveness & the...

Heat and tight supply keep prices firm in Europe, while abundant volumes from Mexico and California push prices down in North America. In Europe, heatwaves have reduced volumes and are supporting prices across several markets. In France, tight supply pushed prices to around €17/kg at the shipping stage in mid-August, though production is beginning to recover. In Spain, Huelva accounts for roughly 90% of national production and achieved a 5% increase in volume thanks to everbearing varieties, although total value fell 3% under competitive pressure from third countries. In North America, the situation is reversed: expanded cultivation in Baja California...

The 2nd edition of the International Specialization Course in Blueberry Production will take place in Guadalajara on October 28-29. As the blueberry industry adopts more efficient, technology-driven production systems, interest in specialized training and knowledge sharing continues to grow. In this context, CASM Blueberries is organizing the second edition of its International Specialization Course in Blueberry Production in Guadalajara, Mexico. The first day will feature technical presentations by international advisers from different production regions, covering crop management, physiology, and plant health, and will close with an expert panel on current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the blueberry industry in Mexico...

A strengthening El Niño, expected to intensify from September, brings crop, logistics, and trade risks across Latin America. Researchers expect this El Niño to potentially exceed the intensity of the 2015-16 event, the strongest on modern record. The pattern brings contrasting effects across the region: above-normal rainfall in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil could improve soil moisture for soybean, corn, and wheat, though flooding and muddy roads may disrupt field operations and transport routes to ports. Farther north, Peru’s coast faces flood risks while its highlands could experience water scarcity, a pattern also expected in Chile. Warmer Pacific waters...

Drought, limited supply, and high freight costs are reshaping the global onion market in mid-August 2026. In Europe, a dry, hot summer marks the start of the new season. Tight supply is supporting steadily rising prices in the Netherlands, while Spain’s storage onion harvest, running up to 15 days ahead of schedule, is reviving export demand after months of oversupply. However, heat and water stress could reduce bulb sizes across several production areas, a point of attention for buyers in the months ahead. In North America, freight costs of USD 10-12 per 50-pound bag remain a major challenge, opening the...

Ghana’s tomato imports exceed US$230 million annually Ghana’s tomato imports exceed US$230 million annually, while a disease-driven collapse in ginger production has left the country more than 99 per cent dependent on imports, according to researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Dr Michael Kwabena Osei, Principal Research Scientist and vegetable breeder at the CSIR Crop Research Institute, said national demand for fresh and processed tomatoes exceeds 1.4 million tons annually, while local production meets only about 15 to 18 per cent. Ghana produces about 120,000 to 180,000 tons from an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 hectares. The situation...