Peruvian ginger reaches peak maturity as North American demand builds, but oversupply and supply-chain informality cloud the outlook. Most ginger reaching North America comes from Peru and is largely organic, and the crop is now entering its strongest quality window of the year. Drier conditions allow better maturity and reduce mould risk, with peak quality expected through year-end — timing that aligns well with North American demand, which builds from October and stays strong through February. The market itself is under pressure. New European protocols addressing Ralstonia have pushed some buyers toward Chinese ginger, leaving more Peruvian product on the...

Demand is waking up after the summer lull, but a bacterium is quietly redrawing the map of global ginger trade. Ginger markets are shifting on two fronts. In Europe, thinning Chinese and Thai stocks are tightening supply just as autumn demand returns, though import prices for Chinese ginger sit near half of last year’s levels. Relief may be on the way: growers in Shandong report strong rhizome development, with a high-quality harvest expected in European markets from mid-December. The bigger story is Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum. Tighter EU controls have left only a limited number of Peruvian exporters authorized to ship, pushing...

The table grape market enters September with oversupply, uneven demand and pressure on prices. In Europe, widely available Italian grapes dominate the market, while Spain remains at full output and Portugal expects its harvest to finish around 15 days earlier than usual. Greek exports are down 28% year on year, with growers receiving only €0.70/kg, and demand is beginning to recover in France after a very quiet August. Seedless varieties, particularly Autumn Crisp, continue to gain ground in new plantings. Outside Europe, California is harvesting more grapes than it ships, due to a season running almost three weeks early and...

New WTO-IFC research finds that global financial volatility restricts trade finance availability, with the sharpest effects in emerging and developing economies. Trade finance underpins international trade by mitigating payment, delivery and liquidity risks, yet unmet demand has been persistently large for at least a decade, equivalent to roughly 7-10% of global merchandise trade. Drawing on a new dataset from the International Chamber of Commerce covering more than 100 countries and over 20 global banks, WTO and IFC researchers found that a 1% increase in trade growth is associated with a 0.41% increase in bank-intermediated trade finance. The study also finds...

Canadian households are spreading purchases across more channels, with smaller baskets and growing demand for private-label products. NielsenIQ data show Canadian shoppers recorded 63.6 purchase occasions in the latest 13-week period, up from 58.1, while spending per transaction fell 3.4% to $38.08. Traditional grocers still capture 47.8% of spending but lost 1.3 percentage points, as warehouse clubs, ethnic stores and online channels gained ground. Store brands now account for 24.3% of physical volume but only 18.8% of spending. Category shifts point to a reallocation rather than a retreat from animal protein: cottage cheese volume rose 17%, while salmon fell 36%....

Delayed campaigns in Peru and Ecuador, combined with the end of the Mexican season, are widening the commercial window for Brazilian mango. Brazil’s mango sector is heading into the second half of 2026 with a favourable outlook, driven by tighter supply from competing origins and strong international demand. According to Ronaldo Araújo, CEO of Sebastião da Manga, U.S. buyers plan to keep purchasing Brazilian fruit through the end of November, with FOB prices currently around US$7.75 per box and expected to rise as demand builds. Ecuador is reportedly facing production losses close to 50%. The season has not been without...