Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. Inc. in Coral Gables, FL, has made four key appointments to its Asian, European and North American regions.

Jimmy Tenazas, formerly vice president of Del Monte Fresh's North American deciduous program in Coral Gables, will take on the role of vice president of the Asia-Pacific region in Hong Kong, China, and will report directly to Hani El-Naffy, president and chief operating officer of Del Monte Fresh Produce Co.

BANGKOK, THAILAND -- An agreement between the governments of Thailand and the United States is in place that will allow six fresh-market Thai fruits to be exported to the United States after undergoing treatment with irradiation. And while this means that U.S. marketers would have another source to satisfy the growing consumer demand for Asian and tropical products, there remains some uncertainly about the feasibility of bringing the items to the United States due to the high costs of production and transportation.

REEDLEY, CA -- It came as a surprise to the staff of the Reedley, CA-based California Tree Fruit Agreement, which had recommended a budget for the 2006 marketing season based on a steady-as-she-goes 20-cents-per-carton assessment on California peaches, nectarines and plums. But since the lighter crop volume would have necessitated a cutback in certain promotional programs if the assessment level were unchanged, the peach and nectarine committees both voted to increase their assessment by one penny, to 21 cents a carton, in order to be able to fully fund the planned programs.

Christopher Ranch LLC has announced that it has earned a 95 percent of "Excellent" rating for its HACCP program from Primus Labs in Santa Maria, CA, in April and a 97 percent "Excellent" rating from Sillkier Inc. of Homewood, IL, in May for its processed garlic production.

Officials at Mann Packing Co. in Salinas, CA, have retained Bruce Gilkerson to serve as the company's sales manger for the central region of the United States. Mr. Gilkerson replaces Mark Plantan, who Mann promoted to vice president of retail sales on April 11.

As a result of finding six fruit flies within a three-mile radius, agricultural officials have established a quarantine zone in California's Fresno County that will adversely affect at least 500 acres of fresh figs.

"The bad news is that it impacts 5 percent of our crop," said Richard Matoian, manager of the California Fig Advisory Board. "The good news is that it is only 5 percent."