Reefer container freight rates across global trades rose over 50 per cent to 2Q22, matching gains in dry cargo pricing and are estimated to increase further in 3Q22, outpacing dry box rates. "Some stabilization is already underway on some reefer trades and this is expected to be followed by modest declines through 2023 as cargo owners push back on unsustainable freight rate increases," according to Drewry's recently published Reefer Shipping Annual Review and Forecast 2022/23.

In July 2022, the three banana producers operating in Cameroon exported 13,203 tonnes, according to the Banana Association of Cameroon (Assobacam). This corresponds to an increase of 744 tonnes (+6%) compared to the 12,459 tonnes shipped to the international market in July 2021.

In the first half of this year, the National Insurance Institute (INS) of Costa Rica had to disburse more than ¢82 million to pay for the policies of banana producers. It is insurance that protects farmers from pests and diseases in their plantations. The policy is a fundamental guarantee for banking and financial entities granting credit to producers throughout the country.

The Dominican Republic advances with a program to modernize the port of Manzanillo and the Cibao Northwest region. The plan "will improve the competitiveness of exports of goods originating in Cibao, which represents 38% of national exports and currently leaves through the ports of Haina and Caucedo," the Minister of Economy, Pável Isa Contreras, said while visiting the facilities last week. The public-private partnership program contemplates the remodelling of Los Coquitos beach and the landfill in the area.

On July 14th, 2022, in the city of Guayaquil, DP World in Ecuador signed its adhesion to the United Nations Global Compact - Ecuadorian Network, with the aim of continuing its active business contribution and to generate a more sustainable and inclusive economy, reflecting on the ten principles universally accepted by more than 13,000 companies and organizations in the world (330 Ecuadorian) belonging to the Pact in four thematic areas: human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

The Dominican Government received from the European Union a credit of RD$356.2 million to be used to finance banana producers in the provinces of Azua, Montecristi, and Valverde. The transfer corresponds to the Banana Accompanying Measures program for the Dominican Republic" (BAM), to be executed by the Agricultural Bank in coordination with the Ministries of Economy, Planning and Development, and Agriculture.

After stabilizing for months, banana prices are on the rise again, reaching new records under the shock of consumers. In contrast, its costs exceeded, on July 13, the wholesale markets 600 dinars (USD 4.08) and the retail markets 700 dinars, according to the Algerian Protection Organization of the consumer. The latter demanded an investigation into these prices because, according to them, the prices remain too high while they are experiencing stability on the world markets.

The Bananatex company has started to apply the banana fibre fabric in a textile project. The product is extracted from the tree's trunk, and its fibre is the strongest found in its natural state. Hannes Schönegger, CEO of the company, explained that in the Philippines, "there is a specific banana species for this, mainly for the paper and rope industry, but we discovered that no one was processing it into fine threads yet. This is what we needed."

Russian forwarders have launched their liner services linking local cargo to China and India after most carriers boycotted the country since the invasion of Ukraine, reports Singapore's Splash 247. In response, the report states that Russia's Swift Line and Inteco Lines have set up shipping lines for container services between the Russian Far East and China.

It's time to crown Ireland's best banana bakers and we've teamed up with celebrity chef Donal Skehan to launch this epic battle and the competition promises to be both fierce and fun. There are a number of categories with something to suit all tastes and abilities so get those baking caps on and make your county proud! Categories include Best Junior Bake (under 12s and 13-17s)r, Best Breakfast, Best Savoury, Best No Bake, Best Vegan, Best Gluten-Free, Best Dessert, Grand Prize Winner.

The Trade Safe Project (TraSa), ISA University, and the Association of Banana Producers (ADOBANANO) signed an inter-institutional collaboration agreement to implement strategic actions and strengthen the value chain of organic bananas for export to the European Union.

According to NOAA, during May, below-average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) continued across most of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean (Fig. 1). However, negative SST anomalies weakened during the past month, as reflected by the Niño indices, ranging from -0.6ºC to -0.9ºC during the past week.

Japan imported more than 1,500 tonnes of bananas from Vietnam worth JPY166 million (US$1.3 million), a year-on-year rise of 38.5% in volume and 30.2% in value, reports Japan Customs. According to Soichi Okazaki, executive officer of AEON Co Ltd, Japan is importing bananas from several markets, including Ecuador, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Costa Rica.

China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) wants the country’s ports to ramp up their reefer handling capacity to meet the growing demand for the import of refrigerated foods. The move follows shortcomings in the food supply chain being brought into sharp focus by the recent lockdowns. The ministry said ports must add at least 6,000 reefer plugs by the end-2023. Mainline operators are expected to have added 180,000 teu of reefer capacity.

A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) is to open a new 45,000 square-metre cold chain facility in the Waikato District, New Zealand. Upon completion, the site will provide storage for 21,000 pallets of frozen and refrigerated products with more than 16,000 square metres of fully convertible temperature-controlled space. According to Maersk, integrating the state-of-the-art cold store with the depot and intermodal connections will provide better logistics solutions for import and export customers, catering to their increasing needs for more efficient, tech-enabled and temperature-controlled supply chains.