One should know summertime has arrived when Michigan vegetable shipments are moving into good, normal volume…..Some Washington apple shipments grossing a $1000 more than others.
Following a chilly spring, weather has warmed and crops have really been coming on. Buurma Farms of Gregory, MI started with light volume the last week of May with radishes, which soon were followed by cilantro, parsley, beets and celery.
Van Solkema Produce of Byron Center, MI is just getting underway with squash and cabbage, with initial loadings of celery coming just after the Fourth of July. Soon to follow will be sweet corn and cucumbers. Next will be brussel sprouts sometime during the last half of August.
Superior Sales of Hudsonville, MI handles grown green cabbage which begins any day now. By the last week of June there will be beets, bok choy, napa cabbage, zucchini and yellow squash. Sweet corn program shipments should start the third week of July.
Leitz Farms of Sodus, MI is now starting cucumbers, with blueberries getting underway next week, while grape tomatoes kick off around July 15 and romas and round tomatoes around July 25.
Naturipe Berry Growers, based in Salinas, CA, should begin shipments of Michigan blueberries before the Fourth of July.
Riveridge Produce Marketing of Sparta, MI launches its sweet cherry the first week of July, prune plums beginning August 10th, and early varieties apples in August.
Washington Apple Shipments
by Stemilt Growers
WENATCHEE, Wash. – The sweetest apple around is stepping into the spotlight thanks to Stemilt Growers’ new summertime promotion. The company is marketing its Sweet Summer Fuji Fest now through August with its finest and sweetest Fuji apples of the season.
Apples remain a key category in the produce department during the summer months. A Stemilt Fruit Tracker™ analysis of Nielsen scan data from June through August 2017 found apples to contribute 4.4 percent of total produce sales on average in the U.S. Fuji was the second top selling apple during the summer season in 2017. It accounted for 16.7 percent of apple category volume and 15.8 percent of category sales.
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Washington apple, pear and cherry shipments are grossing about $7200 to New York City, with a few loads being reported as much as $1000 more.