Idaho supermodel Chelsey Hersley, runner-up in the 2011 Cycle 15 of CW network’s “America’s Next Top

A recent Salmonella outbreak and the ensuing media coverage have cast papayas in a bad light, but a leading importer and distributor of the fruit wants retailers to know that the outbreak was limited to one variety of papaya from Mexico, and there are tremendous sales opportunities for retailers who market papayas correctly.

Melissa Hartmann de Barros, director of communications for HLB Specialties, based in Pompano Beach, FL,

CHICAGO -- Mark Seetin, director of regulatory and industry affairs for the U.S. Apple Association, discussed the anticipated 2011 U.S. apple crop during the first day of the association’s Apple Crop Outlook & Marketing Conference, held here Aug. 18-19.

South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, the Hon. Ebrahim Rasool, joined the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum Aug. 16 in Philadelphia to host members of Congress and their representatives, and other partners in the fruit import business, at an event to highlight the importance of South African summer citrus and how expanded trade between Africa and the United States benefits the regional and broader U.S.

It will be welcome news to many retailers and other buyers that fresh grapes from California, which have been running light and late since the start of the season, should finally be coming on strong, in excellent quality and promotable volumes, from late August well into fall. That is the anticipation of most of the shippers The Produce News talked to in early August.

Besides being late due to a cool spring and early summer, some early-season varieties such as Flames have