Climate change, sustainability, and adverse weather have been on everyone’s minds throughout the year, primarily through the agriculture lens. With the effects of climate change on crops, the spread and emergence of new diseases, and the overwhelming spread of pests, the industry has had to adjust and forge a new path paved with sustainable solutions to address this year’s and the following unforeseen issues. 

Diseases and fruit flies

The banana and plantain industry has been constantly fighting the black pod disease and Fusarium TR4, both serious diseases that affect bananas and cacao. TR4 poses a significant threat to the industry. Originally from Asia and rapidly spreading, the disease has already been detected in three Latin American countries: Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela.

The industry is taking the impact of the disease seriously. This year, Peru’s National Agricultural Health Service SENASA alongside INIA and other sector agencies, worked in conjunction to contain Fusarium TR4, which has been present in the Piura region since 2021, and Japan joined the Philippines in the process of developing a plan to eliminate the diseases. Fusarium TR4 has become a significant threat to the industry, to the extent that The Global Alliance unified its efforts to fight against the disease, committed to halting its advance in the face of a major threat to the survival of bananas and plantains. 

On the other hand, South African farmers continued their fight against Europe’s citrus black spot regulations imposed by the EU two years ago. According to the Citrus Growers Association of South Africa (CGA), the required enhanced cold treatment measure for South African citrus exports, put in place due to concerns over False Codling Moth, cut South Africa's orange exports to Europe by 20% this year. In response, South Africa launched the second World Trade Organization dispute against the citrus regulations, and Spain responded with contempt, standing in support of the rules. 

In July, the EU seized 11 shipments of South African citrus due to detections of Phyllosticta citricarpa, the fungus responsible for citrus black spot, and the false codling moth. After months of back and forth, Spain has continued to push for the citrus ban, with The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) reporting they’ve found eight cases of black spot in South African citrus shipments bound for the European Union in September.

In an interview with the CEO of the South African Citrus Growers Association, Justin Chadwick said the South African government had advanced the trade dispute regarding the European Union's requirements to the panel stage at the World Trade Organization and that the EU trade measures on CBS are not founded in science. 

Huanglongbing, HLB, caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, better known as citrus greening, has also been an issue for the industry in several leading citrus-producing countries. 

This May, South Africa’s Citrus Research International (CRI) confirmed the presence of African Citrus Greening in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, in private orange and lemon nurseries. APHIS expanded the citrus greening quarantine in Louisiana in January and did the same in California in September. 

Citrus greening hasn’t been the only disease or calamity California has suffered this year. California growers had to deal with a record number of Oriental fruit fly infestations this year. In September, the California Department of Food and Agriculture established a quarantine in Redlands and neighboring communities to control the spread of the Oriental fruit fly. In February, CDFA officials ordered fruit stripped from some trees in Redlands to prevent infestation. In response to the damages, lawmakers had to push for relief for citrus growers affected by the quarantines imposed by APHIS in different parts of the state. 

During the quarantine period, growers in the Redlands area, which included San Bernardino and Riverside, only had two post-harvest treatments available (methyl bromide fumigation with a subsequent cold holding period or irradiation) to move the fruit, options that were economically viable for citrus production in the Redlands quarantine.

In April, the state announced that $22.1 million of the state's budget would be allocated to fight fruit flies to address the infestation. By July, APHIS removed and reduced the quarantines in the state after an aggressive months-long fight. By August, California was freed of all oriental fruit fly invasion. 

The state also battled with Mediterranean fruit fly, which halted the movement of goods during early February and a quarantine expansion in Alameda and Santa Clara counties in October. 

Texas also battled flies, specifically the Mexican Fruit Fly. The quarantine was first announced on March 11 for Zapata County, Texas, followed by another on March 21 for Brownsville, Cameron County, and Sebastian, Willacy County. The next day, APHIS and TDA extended yet another to Sullivan City, Hidalgo County.

In April, The United States banned the entry of Canadian cherries due to detecting the European cherry fruit fly (Rhagoletis Cerasi) in the province of Quebec, which was also an issue for New York.

Regarding flies, Chile faced significant challenges during the 2024-25 cherry season due to Mediterranean fly infestations, posing operational issues related to fruit transport, cold treatment, and other critical aspects. As a result, the country’s Agricultural and Livestock Service launched a campaign in April to eradicate the insect. By November, the country's cherry production area designated for the Chinese market was declared free of Mediterranean fruit flies, allowing the first Cherry Express to arrive in China as originally scheduled.

Climate 

This year, several countries battled adverse weather conditions and anomalies that affected their agro-industry. Floods and heavy rains in Brazil left many dead, devastated cities, and ruined crops. The flood was the most destructive to the country in over 80 years. Rio Grande do Sul, a lead apple producer in the country, suffered occasional losses due to excess moisture in the soil. 

Spain also dealt with unprecedented floods this year, which caused damages of more than €1.09 billion ($1.17 billion) in the Valencian agricultural sector, according to initial estimates by the Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA). DANA, a destructive weather system where cold and warm air collide to produce powerful rain clouds and catastrophic flash floods—upended lives in the Community of Valencia and resulted in devastating losses to Spain’s agricultural sector, with citrus producers being hit particularly hard.  

The most affected regions were Ribera Alta, Utiel-Requena, l'Horta Sud, and Ribera Baixa in Valencia, and Baix Maestrat, Plana Alta, and Alt Maestrat in Castellón. 

In addition to losses in production and plantations, rural roads and agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation channels, walls, embankments, drip irrigation systems, storage facilities, tool sheds, irrigation wells, greenhouses, machinery, and agricultural and livestock buildings, were severely damaged.

California also experienced adverse weather conditions and events. Rains and unusually low temperatures reduced almond production, and wildfires caused over $6 million in agricultural losses. 

Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which made landfall only two weeks apart, hit several states and resulted in major agricultural losses for the United States. 

Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damages across the Southeastern United States. It was the third storm to hit Georgia in the past 13 months, resulting in an estimated $6.46 billion in agricultural losses for the state. Large pecan trees in the state, 40-50 years old, suffered about a 70% loss; younger trees have suffered around 40% loss. Some Georgia pecan growers lost 100% of their pecan trees. 

Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida, and the state’s citrus and strawberry production suffered due to the hurricane. The state sustained agricultural damages upwards of $2 billion, damaging commodities including animal products, citrus and non-citrus fruit farming, field crops, greenhouses, and vegetable farming.

In Western Australia, Cherry growers in the Southern Forests faced a devastating blow to their season due to hot, dry, and windy summer weather, compounded by an unusually warm winter with minimal frosts, which has led to drastically reduced yields, warning consumers that cherries will not be available during the holiday season. 

Adverse weather also hit the country’s macadamia production. The prolonged heat followed by extended rains and wet weather has made the harvest season challenging for many growers, leading to a 9% reduction from earlier projections.

Sustainability and climate change adjustments

This year’s 29th Conference of Parties in Baku, Azerbaijan, focused on urgency in addressing climate change. The focus was on energy, science, technology, food, agriculture, and water. Since adverse weather has become an increasingly persistent issue for growers, the industry has addressed or delayed climate change by becoming more sustainable. This year, many industry brands, associations, and leading organizations have changed their usual practices to adjust to the current challenges. 

IFCO implemented reusable packaging in partnership with Rimi to reduce waste and carbon emissions. The Colombian Corporation of Hass Avocado Producers and Exporters (CorpoHass) announced an alliance with CECODES to position the corporation as a beacon of quality and sustainability. 

CorpoHass also unveiled its new brand, which translates to “Avocados from Colombia, Sustainability at its core. " It is inspired by the harmony of nature and Colombian pride. 

Colombia’s Association of Banana Growers (AUGURA) also stressed the importance of labor sustainability, highlighting that 100% of workers in the sector are formally employed and contribute approximately 75% of the income to the municipalities where banana cultivation occurs.

Fresh Del Monte also announced that it would reach its sustainability goals ahead of schedule thanks to several efforts, including introducing reusable plastic containers (RPCs) for banana shipments in North America and eliminating 758 tons of single-use paper and more than 5 tons of plastic.

Westfalia announced the launch of laser etching on mangoes to eliminate the need for individual plastic PLU stickers and introduced sustainable avocado paper packaging made from 25-30% avocado waste. 

Fyffes spoke on the rising demand for crownless pineapples, significantly reducing carbon emissions. Because they take up less space, up to 30% more pineapples can be transported.

In Chile, a team of researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at Andrés Bello University (UNAB) developed a solution for post-harvest decay in fruits, a critical challenge for Chile's agro-export industry given the country's distance from major global markets.