GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ -- By the end of 2007, the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum, based in Citrus Dal, South Africa, hopes to be more actively involved in promoting South African citrus in the United States.

Piet Smit, managing director of the forum, met with The Produce News July 24 at the organization's office at the Gloucester Marine Terminal LLC, here, to outline the future of his organization.

Sage Fruit Co. has struck a deal with Larson Fruit Co. in Selah, WA, to become its exclusive marketing and sales agent, beginning with new-crop apples in 2007.

"We are very excited to have a new partner the caliber of Larson Fruit join our team," Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing for Sage Fruit, said in a press release. "They have excellent quality and grow all varieties of apples. I have seen the quality of box that they deliver to the marketplace, and it will complement our current warehouses."

The California Department of Food & Agriculture issued a pest exclusion advisory July 18 that reversed its policy of excluding from the state commercial shipments of Mexican avocados containing armored scales, a pest that is of considerable concern to California avocado growers.

Although a poorly written press release seemingly states otherwise, the California Department of Public Health said that its warning against eating fresh ginger from China is limited only to specific lot numbers sold by Christopher Ranch of Gilroy, CA, between July 10 and July 26.

W. Newell & Co., part of the Supervalu group, held its second annual expo July 24-25 in Indianapolis. In attendance were nearly 450 of the firm's customers.

The two-day event featured Harold Lloyd as the keynote speaker. His topic was "Merchandising magic and putting that 'Super back in your market," as well as his seven research revelations, or as he calls them, pearls.

PRINCETON, NJ -- In a longstanding Jersey Fresh tradition, a number of retailers and others involved in distributing and promoting farm products from New Jersey gathered here Thursday morning, July 19, to hear the state's governor and secretary of agriculture thank them for their ongoing support and to offer a brief update on the 2007 Jersey Fresh promotional campaign.