Archive For The “News” Category
Florida’s commercial citrus acreage declined in 2026, while citrus output increased during the 2025-2026 season, according to two USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports released on August 27, 2026.
Total citrus acreage stands at 165,359 acres (66,919 hectares), down 21 per cent from the previous annual survey. The industry recorded a gross loss of 48,027 acres (19,436 hectares) and 5,200 acres (2,104 hectares) of new plantings, resulting in a net loss of 42,827 acres (17,332 hectares). In 2025, total citrus acreage was 208,186 acres (84,250 hectares).
Orange acreage declined 22 per cent to 143,650 acres (58,133 hectares). Valencia oranges account for 67 per cent of total orange acreage, while non-Valencia varieties represent 31 per cent. Grapefruit acreage decreased 10 per cent to 11,456 acres (4,636 hectares), while specialty fruit acreage declined 11 percent to 10,253 acres (4,149 hectares). Tangerines and tangelos account for 4,813 acres (1,948 hectares) of specialty citrus.
All 23 published counties recorded acreage declines. Polk County registered the largest reduction, losing 10,944 acres (4,429 hectares), but remained the leading county with 37,529 total acres (15,187 hectares). Highlands County followed with 34,671 acres (14,031 hectares).
Despite the reduction in acreage, Florida’s citrus crop increased during 2025-2026. All citrus output reached 15.7 million boxes, up 7 per cent from 14.7 million boxes in the previous season. Orange output increased 5 per cent to 13.0 million boxes. Non-Valencia oranges reached 4.77 million boxes, up 4 per cent, while Valencia oranges increased 7 per cent to 8.18 million boxes.
Grapefruit output increased 4 per cent to 1.35 million boxes. Tangerine and tangelo output was up 15 per cent from the previous season, while lemon output increased 34 per cent.
Polk was the largest citrus-producing county at 3.27 million boxes, followed by Highlands at 3.07 million boxes, Desoto at 1.66 million boxes, St. Lucie at 1.40 million boxes, and Hardee at 1.31 million boxes. Together, these counties accounted for 73 per cent of the state’s total citrus output.
An Analysis by the American Farm Burea measured against a 2010 baseline, reveals United States fresh fruit imports are up 69 percent by volume while domestic fruit production has fallen 32 percent. The two curves crossed in 2013 and have not converged since.
While U.S. domestic fruit production is decline, America’s population expanded by 10 percent.
Between 2020 and 2025, pesticide costs rose 25 percent, fuel 31 percent, fertilizer 37 percent, and labor close to 50 percent, while average cash expenses on specialty crop farms passed $466,000 in 2023, up 47 percent from 2021.
Fruit offers few tools for absorbing that: crops are perishable, harvest windows are short, storage is rarely an option, and there is no futures market to hedge a price collapse.
As domestic volume has contracted, imports have taken the space. Figures from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) show imports supplied 59 percent of US fresh fruit availability in 2023, up from 50 percent in 2007, leaving domestic sources at roughly 41 percent.
Much of that growth still fills genuine seasonal gaps, but the report’s crop-level analysis finds imports increasingly arriving earlier and staying later, a pattern USDA economists call market window creep, which concentrates competition in the early and late weeks when domestic growers have historically earned the prices that carry a season.
The AFBF’s conclusion is that trade remains necessary, but a shrinking domestic base leaves US fruit supply more exposed to weather, political instability, and food safety events abroad.
According to a monthly survey, the total number of apples in storage on Aug. 1, 2026, was 23 million bushels, seven percent less than last August’s total of 25 million bushels. Data are not yet available to calculate the July five-year average.
Michigan did not report holdings for August 2026. Michigan’s holdings two months ago (June 2026) were 1.3 million bushels. It is assumed that a portion of those apples remain. Michigan also did not report their storages in July 2026, so movement will not be inflated by unreported August holdings.
Fresh apple holdings this August totaled 16 million bushels, 13 percent less than the inventories reported for last August. Processing holdings totaled 7 million bushels, 11 percent more than last year on August 1.
Tamara Dardari ALC Marketing
As the seasons shift from summer to fall, the produce harvest undergoes a major transformation. Shipping lines transition from delicate summer fruits to autumn produce like apples, pears, cranberries, pumpkins, potatoes, squash, and many more delicious foods. This shift also creates regional capacity surges across the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest, where a lot of these crops originate. Along with this change comes a transition in the equipment used to transport these perishable goods. While fall fruits still require temperature control from refrigerated vans, many autumn vegetables can be safely transported in insulated dry vans. With vented air circulation, dry vans create a safe environment for moving perishables while reducing fuel costs compared to refrigerated trucks.
This balance between temperature control and efficiency is becoming increasingly critical as extreme heat waves across the contiguous U.S. cost the economy an estimated $18.5 billion annually. Compared to the damage that localized disasters like tornadoes or hurricanes cause, extreme heat affects a wide range of geographic regions for weeks at a time. For shippers moving fresh produce or frozen goods, this prolonged exposure makes it difficult to find reliable refrigerated equipment. This matters because shippers must find trustworthy, vetted carriers with high-performing refrigerated units, pre-cooling compliance, and modern technology.
Since the summer heat doesn’t seem to be ending with fall approaching, it is important to know what measures to take to keep your trucks and freight in the best condition. Protecting perishable cargo starts with strict pre-cooling protocols that ensure the trailer reaches its optimal set-point temperature before loading. Carriers must complete thorough pre-trip equipment inspections and verify proper cargo spacing to maintain continuous airflow throughout the trailer. By combining disciplined prep work with routine in-transit temperature monitoring, drivers can detect heat spikes early, safeguard product quality, and ensure on-time, damage-free deliveries through late-season heatwaves.
*****
Tamara Dardari graduated from Chapman University in May of 2025 with a BA in Strategic and Corporate Communication and a minor in Creative and Cultural Industries. She started her career with the Allen Lund Company in the Marketing department last October.
tamara.dardari@allenlund.com
United States shelled cashew imports fell 29 percent in 2025 to 277.3 million pounds, dropping below the 300-million-pound threshold for the first time in 12 years, a July assessment by the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS) reveals.
The US produces no commercial cashews and relies entirely on international trade, with suppliers varying dramatically over two decades. India and Brazil accounted for 80 percent of imports between 2000 and 2002, before specialized processing centers propelled Vietnam into the position of primary supplier.
This led to the Asian country accounting for 89 percent of US cashew imports from 2022 to 2024.
However, higher US tariffs on Vietnamese imports, aggressive demand from China and the European Union, and new regulations for cashew processors drove the import volume reduction and elevated unit values, according to the ERS’ Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook report,
“Policy changes in several African countries affecting in-shell cashew exports further supported global prices and raised raw material costs for Vietnamese processors,” the document noted.
Raw cashew nuts contain urushiol, a corrosive oil also found in poison ivy. To make them safe for consumption, cashews require high-heat steaming or roasting to neutralize the oil before processors split, peel, and dry the nuts.
“A comparative advantage in processing efficiency and labor cost has led countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Tanzania to historically export large volumes of in-shell cashews to India and Vietnam where nuts are shelled and re-exported or consumed domestically,” the document explains.
Although US imports recorded a slight year-on-year increase of 11 percent between January and May 2026, volumes remained nine percent below the five-year average.
“Recent earnings reports from two major companies known for branded snack nut products indicated retail margins in early 2026 were pressured by increased fuel costs and trade disruptions for import-dependent commodities,” the report said regarding prices.
ERS analysts project that geopolitical challenges and elevated fuel costs will continue to exert pressure on domestic prices and import volumes through the second half of 2026.
The Port of Oakland announced a 7.7 percent year-on-year volume increase in June, handling 181,356 TEUs (twenty-foot containers). The increase was driven by solid rising imports and exports, with loaded container cargo growing 10.3 percent year over year.
“The June performance marks another month of strength in loaded cargo, underscoring continued demand through Northern California’s international trade gateway,” explained the port authority in a press release.
Full imports reached 78,114 TEUs in June, up 11 percent year over year, while full exports increased nine percent to 65,140 TEUs. Combined loaded container cargo totaled 143,254 TEUs, a 10 percent increase compared to June 2025, while empty container volume declined one percent to 38,102 TEUs.
“We’re encouraged by the continued strength in loaded cargo and remain focused on providing reliable, efficient service for our customers,” said Port of Oakland Acting Maritime Director Jason Garben.
Through the first six months of 2026, the port has handled 1,114,665 TEUs, sitting 2.5 percent below the same period last year.
The year-to-date decline reflects lower empty container repositioning, while loaded cargo increased 0.3 percent compared to the first half of 2025.
June’s gains were driven by increases in both loaded imports and loaded exports, reflecting continued activity among retailers, manufacturers and California agricultural exporters.
The port continues to work closely with shipping lines, terminal operators and supply chain partners to maintain efficient cargo flows and dependable service for customers.
Maersk has begun the roll-out of its next-generation IoT connectivity devices for its fleet of refrigerated containers (reefers). The aim is to install the new devices across all reefers in the Maersk fleet over the coming years.
“As real-time access and data availability grow increasingly vital for our cold chain customers, the deployment of our next-generation IoT devices will provide them with a more reliable data flow throughout the container journey,” says Bruce Marshall, Head of Reefer Cargo at Maersk.
Maersk is currently completing the roll-out of its new digital connectivity platform aboard 450 vessels, providing the foundation for future cargo tracking and management solutions.
“Our fleet’s new digital platform has created a foundation for the future. The next step is to replace all existing IoT devices across our reefer fleet with the latest generation of technology, and we have already begun this work. After years of operating with several generations of devices, this upgrade will standardize our devices and deliver a more consistent customer experience,” said Marshal
“Since 2019, Maersk has offered customers access to the visibility product Captain Peter, which enables them to monitor their cargo from the moment the goods are sealed in the container through to delivery at the final destination.”
“For reefer customers, confidence that data is always available is crucial. That experience will improve once our entire reefer fleet is fitted with the latest generation of connectivity devices. The upgrade will also provide the foundation to introduce new features that will further strengthen the customer offering in the future. We want to develop our current offering from being a visibility product into a tool that helps customers interpret data and provides recommended actions.”
By Kenneth Cavallaro ALC Boston
While the technology of our modern world has many advantages for the trucking industry, it also carries a significant financial risk of stolen loads. There is a very real threat of not knowing who is behind a computer screen when attempting to book a load. Verisk CargoNet reported almost $725 million in stolen cargo in 2025 alone, an alarming 60% increase from 2024. Food and beverages were the top target. Combatting this criminal threat to protect both ourselves and our customers must be a priority.
Verifying dispatcher or driver names and contact information was previously enough. Now, the burden has increased as technology has advanced. While technology opens the possibility of scammers, thankfully, it also can be utilized for protection. VIN numbers can be tracked on platforms such as Highway to eliminate the possibility of a fraudulent dispatcher. Much like a fingerprint, the VIN contains specific details about a vehicle’s origin, make, model, engine type, and production year. This code plays a vital role in vehicle identification, enabling access to essential information crucial to ownership, safety, and compliance.
Brokers can also utilize services like Carrier411 to identify a carrier attempting to book more freight than they have capacity for by comparing the truck count against the number of active loads. A final layer of protection is to verify the carrier on FMCSA to ensure the carrier has an active USDOT status and safety metrics. Once a truck is confirmed to be legitimate and in transit, tracking apps offer additional protection. Apps such as MacroPoint, FourKites, and even our very own ALC Carrier app let the customer see where a driver is in real time. Having that information offers peace of mind until a load is safely delivered.
The American Transportation Research Institute believes cargo theft costs the industry more than $18 million per day. If the Senate passes the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), our industry will benefit from a law-enforcement task force charged with pursuing these criminal rings. This would create a division within Homeland Security that could help our industry for the better. Until this becomes a reality, we must remain vigilant in verifying drivers and dispatchers to stop criminals and prevent costly cargo theft.
*****
Kenneth Cavallaro, Jr. is a Carrier Manager in the Boston office. He began his career at the Allen Lund Company in February of 2019. Kenneth has been in the transportation industry since May of 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Salem State University.
kenneth.cavallaro@allenlund.com
Citrus from South Africa has now packed about 65 percent of its estimated volumes and has shipped close to the same amount.
Since early June, it has had weekly container arrivals into Philadelphia, with a weekly service into Savannah, operated by MSC. It has also loaded 2x its dedicated vessels with Seatrade. The first of these arrived just after 4th of July, and the second arrived the last week of July.
The product entered the U.S. market during the 1st week of June with sufficient supply. While each season is different, the Summer Citrus from South Africa organization remains committed to managing supply and demand as it complements domestic U.S. production when it is unavailable.
Planning for its 2026 season began very early, as this program requires a focus and a massive amount of coordination and effort to execute it well. Early on, the organization was able to inform the trade that it did not have the bumper crop from last year, especially on oranges. However the organization prides itself on having premium product and that it will maintain continual communications to the trade as information becomes available.