Wal-Mart has entered the retail produce fray with the opening of seven Supercenters in Ontario.

Company officials from Wal-Mart Canada Corp., which is part of the firm's international division, told The Produce News that the first three Supercenters were opened Nov. 8 in Stouffville, London and Ancaster. Another four have opened in Sarnia, Scarborough, Vaughn and Brampton since.

Chiquita Brands International Inc., based in Cincinnati, has agreed to sell its 12 refrigerated cargo vessels for $227 million. The ships will be chartered back from an alliance formed by Eastwind Maritime Inc. and NYKLauritzenCool AB.

The parties also entered a long-term strategic agreement in which the alliance will serve as Chiquita's preferred supplier in ocean shipping to and from Europe and North America.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that it will send Idaho nearly $11 million to eradicate the potato cyst nematode, an announcement that came just days after Mexico agreed to reopen its market to Idaho potatoes.

Mexico joined a handful of other countries in suspending imports of Idaho potatoes after PCN was detected for the first time in a soil sample collected from an Idaho processing facility in April 2006. Since then, studies found PCN in seven fields within a one-mile radius.

SALINAS, CA -- As of June 15, NewStar Fresh Foods, based here, will focus its attention and energies fully on its green onions, asparagus and spinach value-added line.

The company no longer will be involved with Iceberg lettuce, Romaine, leaf lettuces and celery. About a year ago, NewStar got out of broccoli and cauliflower. Its transition out of its commodities business is a positive and proactive step, said John Killeen, vice president of sales and marketing for NewStar.

PALM SPRINGS, CA -- Competition for the consumer's retail food dollar is still intensifying as the lines continue to blur between various retail sectors.

At least that is the view of retail expert Ed McLaughlin, director of food industry management at Cornell University, who gave the keynote address at the United Fresh Produce Association's FreshTech conference, held here April 25-28.

PALM SPRINGS, CA -- There is no doubt that improved food safety measures are being used by most companies since the spinach crisis of last September. The big question, however, relates to whether there should there be a mandatory, government-regulated component to the food safety issue.