A Coast-to-Coast Fall Outlook for Fresh Produce Shipments

A Coast-to-Coast Fall Outlook for Fresh Produce Shipments

DSCN0091From Washington state apples, to Nebraska and Texas potatoes, as well as North Carolina sweet potatoes and more, here’s some fresh produce loads to consider.

Washington Apple Loads

Apple shipments are really picking up from Washington state’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys.  They have finally got the old crop out the way and the focus has shifted to new season fruit.  The harvest is still continuing, but volume should get heavy as we get into November.

Potato Loads

Shipments of red potatoes out of North Dakota and Minnesota remain only light to moderate as digging still continues.  The harvest of Red River Valley potatoes is about two to three weeks behind schedule, with a little over half of the spuds now in storage.  Loadings should increase in the weeks ahead.

Sweet Potato Loads

Another late harvest is with North Carolina sweet potatoes.  Some sweet potatoes were being shipped uncured at the start of the season, but now there has been time for curing.  Sweet potatoes are not very sweet or moist when first dug. It takes six to eight weeks of proper curing and storage before they have the sweet, moist taste and texture desired when baked.

Nebraska continues to ship light amounts of potatoes, mostly from the Imperial, Neb area in the southwest part of the state, and from O’Neill in Northeast Nebraska — about 200 loads weekly combined from both areas

There’s also similar volume of potatoes coming out of what’s know as the High Plains district of West Texas, around the Herford area.

Washington state apples – grossing about $6400 to New York City.

North Carolina sweet potatoes – about $1500 to Atlanta.