Strawberry tip production in Morocco supports Northern European propagation needs

During a recent visit to Planasa’s nursery in Kenitra, Morocco, Ronnie Kersten, Business Development Director Northern Europe at Planasa, joined customers, propagators and partners to evaluate strawberry tip and microplug production and assess its potential for Northern European markets.

“The objective was to look at the strawberry tip and microplug production, and to understand the opportunities and possibilities for our customers in Northern Europe,” he shares.

He adds that the visit provided valuable insight into how Moroccan propagation can support European growers and propagators facing increasing operational challenges. “Many propagators are short in capacity, labour availability is an issue, and increased labour and energy costs have made the search for alternative production locations more important.”

Advantages of Moroccan tip production
One of the highlights for him from the visit was the role Morocco can play in supplying certified propagation material to Northern Europe.

“Producing tips in Morocco for Northern European propagators offers significant advantages in terms of timing, quality and cost reduction.” He notes that Moroccan authorities recognise the European certification system, enabling certified plant material to move efficiently through the supply chain.

The Kenitra nursery produces strawberry tips from a wide range of varieties originating from different breeding companies, providing flexibility for propagators working with diverse genetics and market requirements.

Plant health as a foundation
A strong emphasis on plant health leads the propagation programme. Certified mother plants free from pests and pathogens are used as the starting point, while monitoring and testing continue throughout the propagation process.

“High-quality propagation starts with certified plant material and consistent phytosanitary control at every stage,” Douglas Rodriguez, Global Plant Health Director at Planasa, says.

The operation follows a global propagation material certification programme covering mother plants, tissue culture multiplication, pre-basic, basic and commercial nursery stages. Plant material transferred between countries is also subject to internal certification procedures designed to minimise phytosanitary risks.

Supporting these activities is a dedicated plant health laboratory, which increases testing capacity and enables rapid diagnosis of target pathogens.

Digital monitoring and integrated crop health management
Another area highlighted during the visit was the use of digital monitoring systems. Pest and disease observations are recorded digitally, providing real-time access to information and supporting faster decision-making.

“Early detection is critical. Digital monitoring allows teams to respond quickly and prevent issues from spreading through the propagation chain.”

The nursery also combines conventional crop protection with biological and biorational solutions. Staff receive ongoing training in pest and disease identification, integrated pest management and responsible pesticide use, while application equipment is regularly calibrated to ensure accurate treatments.

Impact on grower performance
Propagation quality has direct implications for crop performance after planting. Even asymptomatic infections can affect establishment, plant development, yield and fruit quality.

“Healthy propagation material is one of the most important factors influencing crop performance later in the growing cycle. The benefits of strong phytosanitary management are seen throughout the production process,” Douglas says.

Reflecting on the visit, Ronnie praised the local operation in Kenitra. “We were very impressed by the team, the organisation, the professionalism and the quality of the plants.”

For more information:
Planasa
Ronnie Kersten
rkersten@planasa.com
www.planasa.com

Study finds strawberry colour can mislead harvesting robots

Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA), working with agri-tech firm Antobot, have found that the colour of strawberries captured by cameras may not always provide an accurate indication of ripeness, raising questions about the reliability of vision-based agricultural robotics.

As automation becomes more common in crop monitoring and harvesting, cameras are increasingly used to assess fruit ripeness, detect disease, estimate yields, and support quality control. For strawberries, ripeness is largely judged by colour.

Prof Graham Finlayson, from UEA’s School of Computing Sciences, said: “In the race to modernise agriculture, farmers are increasingly relying on technology to monitor plant health or predict crop yield.

“Cameras have taken on jobs once done by the human eye – for example, they may be monitoring crop health, detecting disease, estimating yields, deciding when fruit is ready to harvest or determining what ends up on supermarket shelves.”

To investigate the accuracy of camera-based assessments, researchers photographed strawberries under field conditions while the fruit remained on the plant. They then compared the images with berries selected for harvest by experienced pickers.

Postgraduate researcher James Bennett said: “When we processed images using standard camera settings, the strawberries showed noticeable differences in colour – even when they were equally ripe.

“But after applying a simple calibration technique using a colour checker placed in each image, much of that variation disappeared.”

According to the researchers, uncorrected images showed ripe strawberries ranging from deep magenta to bright orange-red depending on lighting conditions, while calibrated images produced more consistent colour measurements.

The calibration method reduced variation in strawberry colour measurements by 48 per cent, indicating that much of the inconsistency originated from the imaging process rather than the fruit itself.

The findings suggest that some colour differences detected by automated systems may be caused by image capture and processing conditions rather than actual variation in ripeness.

Prof Finlayson said: “As automation becomes more widespread, ensuring the fidelity of visual data will be crucial for reliable decision-making – from yield predictions to quality control.”

Marc Jones of Antobot added: “Autonomous robots are only as good as the information they receive. Improving the consistency and reliability of crop data is fundamental to making better decisions in the field, whether that’s monitoring crop health, identifying harvest readiness or improving yields.

“This research is an important step towards building more intelligent, more trusted and ultimately more productive autonomous farming systems.”

For more information:
Lisa Horton
University of East Anglia
Email: l.horton@uea.ac.uk

Jim Mellon invests in UK’s berry-picking robots

Fieldwork Robotics has announced an investment from SEED Innovations Ltd, the AIM-quoted investing company chaired by prominent British businessman Jim Mellon. The investment forms part of a £2.5 million Seed+ fundraise and combined investment and grant funding announced in April 2026.

Jim Mellon is one of the UK’s most prominent early-stage investors, with a long track record of identifying and backing transformative technology businesses. Through SEED Innovations, which is focused on high-growth robotics and AI ventures, Mellon has been vocal about the opportunity for autonomous systems to address real-world labour and productivity challenges, an ethos that sits at the heart of Fieldwork’s mission.

Berry growers worldwide face rising labour costs, a shortage of available fruit pickers, and supply chain pressures that drive up harvesting wages. These challenges increase food waste, push up consumer prices, and contribute to higher climate emissions. Large volumes of soft fruit are lost due to a shortage of pickers. Fieldwork’s autonomous harvesting robots address these issues directly, reducing reliance on seasonal labour, boosting productivity, and operating efficiently across entire farms, helping growers protect margins and scale production sustainably.

The Seed+ fundraise enables Fieldwork to accelerate farm adoption of its autonomous harvesting technology and transition from the technology validation stage to commercial trials. The Company is currently deploying production robots in a two-year IUK ADOPT programme with Place UK in Norfolk and Littywood Farm in Stafford. Subject to these trials, Fieldwork expects multi-robot fleets to be operating on farms from 2027, with planned international trials in Australia as part of its global expansion strategy.

David Fulton, Fieldwork Robotics CEO commented: “SEED’s support at this stage is vital as we move into this important next chapter for Fieldwork. This fundraise supports the demand for our robotic harvesting capabilities from our grower customers and builds on the significant commercial progress we are making and gives us the platform to accelerate farm adoption of our technology at scale. We are now focused on delivering results, expanding our commercial trials and progressing our international expansion, and we are well positioned to do so with the right investors alongside us.”

Jim Mellon, Non-Executive Chair of SEED, commented: “Fieldwork is a UK company which epitomises how AI and robots can solve a very real-life problem. Up to 30% of soft fruit is lost due to a shortage of pickers, which affects not only growers’ profitability, but also the costs passed on to consumers. Fieldwork’s berry picking robot offers an innovative and scalable solution to this problem. We are delighted to be supporting Fieldwork at this stage of its development and look forward to following its progress as it continues to commercialise and expand internationally.”

For more information:
Fieldwork Robotics Ltd.
Cambridge Innovation Park
Cambridge, CB25 9PB
United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 (0) 1223 210 376
info@fieldworkrobotics.com

“The asparagus season has just passed its lowest point”

The 2026 asparagus season got off to a good start, according to Christian Befve, an international expert in the asparagus sector. Despite delays initially reported in several French regions following heavy rainfall, the start of the season ultimately proved positive. “We had an excellent start to the season, although the inability to access the fields to carry out earthing-up operations ahead of the season caused some concern and led to a delay in the start of the season.” But once these difficulties were overcome, production quickly found its pace, giving an overall sense of a successful start to the season. Unfortunately, this situation did not last, as the market is now suffering from an imbalance in favor of supply.

A widespread heatwave that caused a surge in volumes
Everything changed with the arrival of the intense heat in recent weeks. “All regions of France started producing at the same time,” explains Christian Befve. “Usually, yields hover around 150 kg/ha/day, but they have shot up to 200-300 kg/ha/day.” This simultaneous surge in production across all growing areas has led to a massive influx of asparagus onto the market, resulting in supply far outstripping demand, which has not kept pace with the same growth.

Consumption lagging behind a saturated supply
“While production has suddenly doubled, consumption has obviously not been able to keep pace.” This phenomenon was exacerbated by several factors. “School holidays may well have acted as a brake, of course, but above all, asparagus was not the only crop to arrive in huge quantities on the market following this major heatwave. Strawberry production also rose sharply. With strawberries in such abundance and on offer at attractive prices, I think this supply led consumers to make trade-offs.”

Price pressure and increased European competition
The oversupply has, unsurprisingly, led to a fall in market prices. But the situation has been exacerbated by foreign competition. Greece has exported heavily to Germany, which has in turn redirected part of its volumes to France. “Germany, with production in full swing, is sending significant quantities onto the French market at prices as low as 2.20 euros [2.51 USD] per kilo, completely disregarding any notion of profitability,” explains the expert. This phenomenon has increased the pressure on French operators, particularly in the wholesale sector, which is considered to be hit the hardest. “Producers who sell directly to consumers, at markets or to the catering sector, are less affected by this drastic fall in prices. Those supplying supermarkets, even with promotional campaigns planned well in advance, are also less affected. Those suffering most from the situation are the operators who supply their produce to wholesalers. It is in this sector that foreign competition is strongest and prices have fallen the lowest.”

Impact on quality and labor shortages
This overproduction has also had an impact on quality. With harvests that were too large, farms have at times been overwhelmed. “Some growers have even halted production in their asparagus fields due to a lack of labor. Because, faced with this overproduction, more than 1 person per hectare would have been needed to ensure optimal quality. However, labor is not that easy to come by.” The result is a drop in the proportion of top-grade produce and a rise in second-grade produce, exacerbated by the fact that ridging could not always be carried out properly due to the wet spring conditions.

Is the market gradually recovering?
At the start of this week, however, the market seems to be rebalancing itself. “It is clear that in recent weeks, some asparagus has been sold below cost price, but the situation seems to be improving very slightly since the start of the week. Volumes are starting to fall due to some asparagus farms halting production and cooler temperatures. Prices are not really changing at the moment, but at least stocks seem to be gradually clearing up, which is a rather good sign.”

For more information:
Christian Befve
Christian Befve & Co
christian@befve.com
www.befve.com

Fresh Mode to be introduced in Monterey

Berry Fresh will return to the Organic Produce Summit (OPS) in Monterey this July, where the company will highlight its organic berry offerings and introduce attendees to Fresh Mode™, its new lifestyle-driven brand platform built around the connection between fresh nutrition and active living.

The company is focused on creating an engaging experience that highlights the role fresh berries play in supporting healthy, everyday habits. Fresh Mode reflects the company’s belief that simple choices—like reaching for fresh, nutritious foods—can help fuel energy, movement, and overall well-being.

“OPS continues to be an important event for connecting with retailers, industry partners, and organic produce leaders,” said Laudan Chaffin, marketing director for Berry Fresh. “Fresh Mode is about celebrating the connection between fresh nutrition and active living, and OPS provides the perfect opportunity to bring that story to life.”

Visitors to the company’s booth will have the opportunity to learn about its organic offerings while taking a moment to refresh themselves with the company. The Fresh Mode Refresh Station will give attendees a quick moment to recharge during the busy event. The activation reinforces the brand’s focus on helping consumers—and in this case, industry professionals—feel refreshed, energized, and ready to keep moving.

As consumer interest in wellness, nutrition, and fresh foods continues to grow, the company sees Fresh Mode as a long-term platform that strengthens the connection between produce and everyday wellbeing.

The company invites attendees to stop by booth #417 during OPS to learn more.

For more information:
Berry Fresh
press@berryfresh.com
www.berryfresh.com Publication date: Tue 23 Jun 2026

Britischer Erdbeererzeuger testet neue Technologie gegen Lebensmittelverschwendung

LiVA Biotechnology und Dyson Farming haben bekannt gegeben, dass sie in Zusammenarbeit mit einem der führenden Einzelhändler in Großbritannien ihre Kooperation auf ein Pilotprojekt im kommerziellen Maßstab ausweiten. Dieser Schritt folgt auf den erfolgreichen Abschluss eines strukturierten Versuchsprogramms, das im Winter 2025/26 durchgeführt wurde und die präbiotische Bio-Schutztechnologie von LiVA im gesamten Premium-Erdbeeranbau von Dyson Farming validierte.

Die Versuche
Das Versuchsprogramm zeigte, dass die mit LiVA behandelten Erdbeeren den Premium-Qualitätsstandard von Dyson Farming während der gesamten Lieferkette beibehielten – angefangen beim Versand vom Feld über die Ankunft im Einzelhandel bis hin zum Verbraucher. Innerhalb von zwei Tagen nach Erreichen des Regals blieben die mit LiVA behandelten Früchte von Preisnachlässen verschont, die normalerweise die Erlöse der Erzeuger schmälern, wenn die Früchte anfangen zu verderben – wodurch die Lebensmittelverschwendung deutlich reduziert und mehr hochwertige britische Beeren auf den Markt gebracht wurden. Am sechsten Tag nach der Ernte wiesen die mit LiVA behandelten Schalen im Vergleich zu unbehandelten Kontrollproben einen doppelt so hohen Anteil an erntefrischen Früchten auf, wodurch das Geschmackserlebnis erhalten blieb, auf das die Anbaustandards von Dyson Farming ausgerichtet sind.

„Erdbeeren sind von Natur aus empfindlich, weshalb das traditionelle Pflücken und Verpacken stark von manueller Handhabung abhängt. Unser Fokus verlagert sich zunehmend auf die robotergestützte Ernte und fortschrittliche Automatisierung, um diese Abhängigkeit zu verringern und die Konsistenz, Effizienz und Präzision der Handhabung entlang der gesamten Lieferkette zu verbessern. Doch selbst bei streng kontrollierten Anbaubedingungen und automatisierten Systemen lassen sich kleinere Oberflächenverletzungen kaum vermeiden. In der Vergangenheit musste die Produktionslinie deshalb verlangsamt werden, um eine manuelle Nachkontrolle zu ermöglichen – was sich negativ auf den Ertrag auswirkte und die Lebensmittelverschwendung erhöhte”, sagte Oskar Szymanski, Senior Technical Manager bei Dyson Farming.

„Durch die Integration von LiVA in automatisierte Prozesse können wir ein neues Maß an Sicherheit schaffen. Robotik und Automatisierung werden letztendlich eine schnellere und gleichmäßigere Handhabung ermöglichen, während LiVA auf der Ebene der einzelnen Früchte eine zusätzliche Schutzschicht bietet. Diese Kombination reduziert den Bedarf an manuellen Eingriffen erheblich, erhält die Effizienz der Verpackungslinie aufrecht und trägt – was entscheidend ist – dazu bei, Lebensmittelverschwendung deutlich zu vermeiden.

„Das Ergebnis ist ein doppelter Vorteil: Wir bewahren die Produktqualität durch Automatisierung und reduzieren aktiv Lebensmittelverschwendung, indem wir die Widerstandsfähigkeit der Früchte erhöhen – selbst wenn geringfügige Druckstellen an der Beerenoberfläche auftreten können. Wichtig ist, dass dies mit einer natürlichen, präbiotischen Lösung statt mit chemischen Behandlungen erreicht wird – was sowohl Nachhaltigkeitsziele als auch die Erwartungen der Verbraucher unterstützt.”

So funktioniert es
Die patentierte präbiotische Formulierung von LiVA aktiviert das bereits auf der Fruchtoberfläche vorhandene nützliche Mikrobiom – wodurch Verderbniserreger verdrängt, feuchtigkeitsbedingter Verfall unterdrückt und die Früchte trotz der physischen Belastungen der modernen Logistik stabilisiert werden. Das Format ist ein Aufkleber, der später durch eine beim Verpacken aufgetragene Drucklösung ersetzt werden soll, was keinerlei Investitionskosten und keine größeren Änderungen am bestehenden Verpackungsprozess erfordert. Es ist vollständig kompatibel mit den hochwertigen, minimal-interventionellen Anbaumethoden von Dyson Farming.

„Dyson Farming ist genau die Art von Partner, die man sich wünscht, wenn man eine neue Technologie auf den Markt bringt. Das Unternehmen verbindet erstklassige Anbaustandards mit einem echten Engagement dafür, zu testen, was funktioniert – und der Bereitschaft, Innovationen zu unterstützen, die seiner langfristigen Vision dienen. LiVA wurde entwickelt, um diesen Ansatz zu ergänzen: um es zu ermöglichen, mehr zu produzieren, die höchsten Standards aufrechtzuerhalten und niemals Kompromisse bei Geschmack oder Qualität einzugehen. Großbritannien ist ein Markt, der sowohl Premium-Produkte als auch Nachhaltigkeit ernst nimmt, und diese Zusammenarbeit spiegelt dies wider”, kommentierte Ifat Peled Dinstag, CEO und Mitbegründerin von LiVA Biotechnology.

Kommerzielles Pilotprojekt
Das kommerzielle Pilotprojekt wird während der britischen Winter-Erdbeersaison 2026 im Erdbeeranbau von Dyson Farming durchgeführt. Weitere Details zu Umfang und Reichweite werden zu gegebener Zeit bekannt gegeben.

LiVA betreibt derzeit aktive Pilotprojekte in fünf Märkten und auf vier Kontinenten, die sich auf Erdbeeren und Paprika erstrecken. Großbritannien stellt für LiVA einen strategisch vorrangigen Markt dar – ein Land, in dem hochwertige Anbaumethoden, Standards des Einzelhandels und Nachhaltigkeitsbestrebungen das Tempo für die globale Frischobst- und -gemüsebranche vorgeben.

Weitere Informationen:
LiVA Biotechnology
liva.ag/

Dyson Farming
www.dysonfarming.com Erscheinungsdatum: Di 23 Juni 2026

Emco Cal lance à Huelva une nouvelle génération de fraises

Il y a une quinzaine d’années, des variétés comme Fortuna ont commencé à s’imposer à Huelva. Depuis, Emco Cal n’a cessé d’enrichir son portefeuille avec de nouvelles références, parmi lesquelles les fraises Felicity®, Encore™, Ember™ ainsi que la fraise blanche Florida Pearl®.

« À cette époque, le paysage variétal était beaucoup plus simple. Le secteur travaillait avec un nombre relativement limité de variétés commerciales et les producteurs disposaient de moins d’options pour adapter leurs exploitations à différentes fenêtres de production, à différents marchés ou à diverses conditions agronomiques », explique l’entreprise, qui participera à la prochaine édition du Congrès International des Fruits Rouges de Huelva.

« L’évolution a été remarquable. Aujourd’hui, Huelva bénéficie d’une offre variétale beaucoup plus large et diversifiée, issue de différents programmes d’amélioration nationaux et internationaux. Cela a considérablement élargi les possibilités de choix pour les producteurs, mais a également accru la complexité technique liée à la prise de décision et à la planification des pépinières. »

« L’un des changements majeurs a été le passage d’une approche essentiellement centrée sur la précocité et la productivité à une vision plus équilibrée, dans laquelle des critères tels que la qualité organoleptique, la conservation après récolte, la rusticité, la durabilité agronomique et l’adaptation à différents modèles commerciaux occupent désormais une place prépondérante. Emco Cal s’est efforcée d’accompagner cette évolution du secteur de l’intérieur, en travaillant constamment à proposer des variétés apportant une véritable valeur ajoutée à l’ensemble de la chaîne, depuis la pépinière et le producteur jusqu’au consommateur final. »

Les variétés qui ont le mieux résisté à la campagne difficile 2025/26 à Huelva
« La campagne 2025/26 a constitué un contexte particulièrement révélateur pour évaluer le comportement réel des variétés dans des conditions complexes. À Huelva comme dans d’autres zones de production méditerranéennes, les conditions météorologiques ont représenté un défi agronomique majeur, notamment en raison des fortes précipitations et de leurs conséquences sur la qualité commerciale des fruits, ainsi que de la pression accrue des maladies liées à l’humidité et des agents pathogènes du sol, qui ont ensemble pesé sur la rentabilité de nombreuses exploitations. »

« Dans ce contexte, des variétés comme Encore™ se sont distinguées par leur grande précocité, leur productivité et leur excellent comportement commercial, tout en maintenant une bonne qualité de fruit malgré les difficultés de la campagne. »

« Felicity®, en tant que variété extra-précoce, a continué à démontrer les caractéristiques qui en ont fait une référence dans ce segment, tandis que des sélections avancées comme FL 22 33 71 (V8) ont suscité un intérêt croissant grâce à la qualité exceptionnelle de leurs fruits, leur fermeté, leur résistance à la manutention et leur excellente saveur. »

« Par ailleurs, la fraise blanche premium Florida Pearl® continue de consolider ce segment, tandis que de nouvelles sélections de fruits blancs, telles que V13 (FL 22 61DN 61), se sont particulièrement démarquées par la grande qualité organoleptique observée lors des essais commerciaux », souligne l’entreprise.

Dans le cadre de sa phase d’évaluation, Emco Cal poursuit également avec beaucoup d’intérêt le suivi de variétés telles que Kallisti® et Phaedra®, qui ont démontré des caractéristiques agronomiques et commerciales très prometteuses dans les conditions méditerranéennes. « Ces variétés montrent en effet qu’il est possible de combiner rusticité, productivité et expérience gustative réellement attrayante, un critère de plus en plus valorisé par les producteurs et les enseignes de distribution. »

Évolution du concept « premium »
Le concept de « premium » a lui aussi fortement évolué ces dernières années. Désormais, il ne suffit plus de proposer un fruit visuellement attractif ; le consommateur recherche une expérience globale associant saveur, texture, arôme, régularité et qualité constante d’un achat à l’autre.

« C’est pourquoi nous observons un intérêt croissant pour des variétés capables d’offrir une expérience de consommation unique sans compromettre la productivité ni la viabilité commerciale. Le grand défi de tout programme d’amélioration consiste précisément à trouver cet équilibre entre qualité exceptionnelle et performance agronomique. »

« Dans ce contexte, les sélections V8 et V13 suscitent un intérêt particulier en raison de la qualité des fruits observée lors de nos essais. De même, Florida Pearl® continue d’occuper une position unique sur le marché grâce à son caractère distinctif et à l’originalité de son offre pour le consommateur. »

« Nous sommes convaincus que l’avenir du segment premium repose précisément sur des variétés capables de fidéliser le consommateur grâce à une expérience gustative mémorable, tout en garantissant un niveau suffisant de productivité et de stabilité pour permettre à l’ensemble de la filière d’opérer de manière rentable. »

Emco Cal participera une nouvelle fois cette année au Congrès International des Fruits Rouges de Huelva
Le Congrès International des Fruits Rouges représente chaque année une occasion privilégiée d’échanger des connaissances et d’analyser les orientations futures du secteur.

« Lors de cette édition, nous continuerons à accorder une attention particulière à des sujets tels que l’adaptation variétale au changement climatique, l’amélioration de la qualité organoleptique, la conservation après récolte, la rusticité des plants et la durabilité des systèmes de production. »

L’équipe d’Emco Cal lors de l’édition 2025 du Congrès international des fruits rouges.

« Outre nos variétés commerciales déjà bien établies, nous présenterons des informations sur de nouvelles sélections avancées de fraises qui obtiennent des résultats très prometteurs dans nos essais, ainsi que sur des matériels issus d’autres cultures de petits fruits, principalement la framboise et la mûre, qui pourraient contribuer à élargir l’éventail variétal disponible pour les producteurs de Huelva et d’autres régions méditerranéennes. »

« Parmi celles-ci, certaines variétés se distinguent particulièrement par leurs performances en matière de saveur, de qualité du fruit et de différenciation commerciale, des critères que nous considérons comme essentiels pour la prochaine génération de variétés. »

« L’innovation variétale doit permettre au producteur de gagner en compétitivité, au distributeur de se différencier et, surtout, au consommateur de profiter d’un fruit de meilleure qualité. »

Pour plus d’informations :
Emco Cal
https://www.emcocal.com/ Date de publication: mar. 23 juin 2026

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