Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
A cooler, unsettled weather pattern has replaced last week’s heat across key West Coast growing regions, according to a press release by Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Sporadic showers, increased humidity, and prolonged morning moisture are forecast for most regions starting Wednesday, October 21, and continuing through Thursday, October 22. Markon is working with growers to pack orders ahead where necessary to ensure 100% fulfillment. Harvesting crews will take measures to keep field-packed boxes as clean and dry as possible.
Salinas Valley, Santa Maria & Oxnard
- Showers are expected Wednesday through Thursday, with estimated rainfall totals of 0.30″ to 0.75″ in the
- Salinas Valley and 0.50″ to 1.25″ across Santa Maria and Oxnard growing areas
- Dry conditions will return by the weekend
Huron
- Approximately 0.25″ to 0.40″ of rainfall can be expected between Tuesday and Thursday
- Dry conditions will return by the weekend
Arizona/California Desert Region
- Warm weather will continue through midweek before temperatures dip later in the week
- Breezy conditions and isolated showers are possible, with rainfall generally expected to remain below 0.05″
Field Outlook
Production and loading delays can be expected over the next several days, pending field conditions, particularly in Salinas, Santa Maria, Huron, and Oxnard.
Rain-related challenges that may develop, including but are not limited to:
- Bottom rot, decay, increased mildew pressure, premature pinking, shortened shelf-life in commodity and value-added lettuce items
- Bruising, decay, soft texture, rain damage, reduced yields, and shortened shelf life in strawberries
- Pin rot, decay, bead discoloration, hollow core, increased mildew pressure, and shortened shelf life in broccoli
- Black mold and shortened shelf life in cauliflower
Reduced yields and variable case weights remain possible in affected row crop commodities.
Markon inspectors will closely monitor commodity and value-added lettuce and tender leaf items and will update further as needed. Ordering for quick turns is recommended; strict cold-chain management remains critical to maximizing product quality and shelf life.
An overlap is expected this fall with transition from imported citrus to domestic production.
Lange Farms of St. Louis, MO reports following a season laden with weather challenges, inconsistent arrival quality and periods of heavy supply, attention is now turning to whether improving fall demand will be sufficient to absorb incoming fruit.
During the Southern Hemisphere season, the company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lange Companies in St. Louis, sources citrus from South Africa, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Argentina, providing flexibility as growing conditions, quality and availability shift between origins.
With California production is just getting underway, but imported and domestic fruit are expected to overlap more than usual.
Lange generally aims to work through imported citrus by the end of October as California production comes online. This year, however, imported supplies could remain in the market into November, making inventory management and timing particularly important. Improving fall demand could help absorb some of that supply, but the amount of imported fruit still moving toward North America will remain a key factor in how smoothly the transition develops.
While Mexican avocado production for the 2026/27 started last summer, significant exports to the U.S. has just started. Volume is expected to be similar to last season.
Mexican growing operation Coliman Avocaods reports Mexico becomes the primary avocado supplier to the U.S. with strong volumes available.
Mexico becomes the largest avocado supplier to the U.S. market in September and forward. Colombia will also continue shipping fruit to the U.S., although a greater share of its production is expected to be directed toward Europe.
Coliman Avocaods notes proximity to the U.S., with consistent supply and quality aare key advantages.
Logistics also support the Mexican position because fruit can reach the U.S. border within 24 hours, while virtually any city in the country can be reached within four days.
Year-round availability further strengthens Mexico’s position. Mexican avocados are available 52 weeks a year, even though some retailers turn to other origins during the summer. Consistent availability and quality remain important to importers, distributors and retailers looking to maintain supply throughout the year.
Coliman Avocaods exports primarily to the U.S., with , Canada is its second-largest market by volume. The company also exports to Japan and the Middle East.
El Niño’s impact is proving more severe than expected, even though the cultivated Peruvian blueberry area is 15% larger. according to Proarándanos, the Peruvian blueberry growers and exporters association.
The group has published its fifth export forecast, lowering the September estimate by 4.2%.
According to it latest forecast, Peru is expected to export about 366,000 tons of fresh blueberries in the 2026–27 season. That is 4.2% below the September estimate of 382,000 tons and 4.4% below the 383,000 tons exported in the previous season.
The forecast is based on information from producers and exporters as recent weeks confirm a downward trend, with a significant drop in export volumes despite approximately 15% more acres under production.
By the end of September , Peru had exported 136,000 tons, 18.7% more than the same period of the previous season (115,000 tons). However, this number can be deceptive.
From October through the end of the season, exports are expected to total 229,000 tons, 14.2% below the 268,000 tons recorded during the same period of the 2025–26 season.
The decline is more serious over the next eight weeks, with 108,000 tons projected. This is 48,000 tons less than the previous season (156,000 tons), representing a 31.2% decline.
Nova Scotia’s apple crop is forecast at about 2.2 million bushels in 2026, up roughly 30 per cent from 1.7 million bushels last year, according to the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association.
The province has 2,093 hectares of apple orchards. Following drought conditions in 2025, which resulted in smaller fruit and stressed trees, growers are reporting larger fruit and higher yields this season. Rainfall during summer supported fruit sizing, while a cool spring delayed flowering.
Early apple varieties including Sunrise, Gravenstein, and SweeTango are already being harvested. At Gates U-Pick in Port Williams, harvesting has started for Gravenstein, McIntosh, and Zestar apples, along with Clapp and Bartlett pears. Later apple varieties include Cortland, Red Delicious, and Russet.
At Willowbank U-Pick, Gravenstein harvesting is scheduled to begin on September 12, followed by McIntosh and Cortland later in the month. Honeycrisp is expected around September 25, with Gala, Ambrosia, Golden Delicious, and other varieties following in October.
Growers continue to monitor export conditions. Around 90 per cent of Nova Scotia’s apple exports are shipped to the United States, with Honeycrisp an important variety for this trade. The industry has not reported immediate tariff impacts on apple exports but is monitoring costs for equipment, materials, supplies, and fertilizer.
Ganfer Fresh of Nogales, AZ has announced the addition of Mexican sweet corn to its fresh produce portfolio, marking another step in its expansion strategy to meet evolving U.S. market demands.
The company will cultivate its sweet corn in Sonora and Sinaloa, two prominent Mexican agricultural regions known for fresh produce. It will be available from November to April, a period the company considers key to maintaining a steady supply.
Sweet corn is one of the leading vegetable crops in the United States, ranking among the top three in harvested area and total production. According to the company, the U.S. sweet corn crop was valued at around $809 million in 2022, with over 65% of that value coming from the fresh market.
Mexico has strengthened its role as a supplier to the U.S. market: Mexican sweet corn imports increased by 76% from 2000 to 2020, covering a period normally served by Florida. This is important for Ganfer Fresh, whose season runs from November to April and aligns with a critical supply period for fresh sweet corn in the U.S.
The company explains that this move aims to expand its product range and strengthen supply programs to ensure reliable, seasonal consistency.
Ganfer Fresh is aligning with a growing industry trend by expanding its fresh produce selection. This move takes advantage of favorable agricultural conditions and marketing opportunities in northwestern Mexico.
United States apple production is forecast to fall seven percent in the 2026/27 crop year to approximately 263 million bushels, according to the 2026 Industry Outlook report from industry body USApple.
The forecast, which combines US Department of Agriculture estimates with USApple analysis for states not covered by the annual USDA survey, is also three percent below the five-year average. Because not all regions took part in this year’s adjustment process, the grower organization is not publishing a final industry-adjusted national estimate for 2026/27.
The projected crop is expected to have a farm-gate value exceeding $3 billion, although production prospects vary considerably by region.
“The story this season really varies by region,” said Chris Gerlach, USApple vice president and author of the report. While conditions have improved in areas that experienced drought last year, parts of the Mid-Atlantic have faced significant weather-related challenges that are expected to weigh on production.
According to USDA’s figures, Washington will remain the leading US apple-producing state, with an estimated 176 million bushels, down two percent from the previous season and valued at more than $2 billion. New York is forecast to produce 32 million bushels, down 10 percent, while Michigan is projected at 25 million bushels, a one percent decline.
The sharpest reductions are expected in Pennsylvania and Virginia, where spring freeze damage is projected to cut production by 58 percent and 48 percent, respectively. Where states submitted their own estimates, they diverge from USDA: USApple puts New York at 29 million bushels and Virginia at 1.3 million, while Michigan’s industry representatives said USDA’s figure is too low without offering an adjusted number.
Gala is expected to remain the leading US apple variety, with production approaching 42 million bushels, equivalent to about 16 percent of total domestic supply. Red Delicious is forecast at approximately 30 million bushels, followed closely by Granny Smith, also near 30 million.
The varietal mix continues to shift, reflecting changing consumer preferences and market conditions. Over the past five years, production of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp and Pink Lady/Cripps Pink has increased, while Gala, Red Delicious and Fuji production has declined.
The industry enters the season after a difficult 2025/26 marketing environment. US growers produced another large crop well above the five-year average, while flat domestic demand and exports below historical levels contributed to low farm-gate prices for many varieties. Rising production costs further pressured grower margins.
Exports remain critical for US apple growers
International markets remain an important outlet for US apples. Fresh apple exports during the 2025/26 crop year reached nearly 45 million bushels, up two percent year-on-year, while imports fell 12 percent to approximately 4 million bushels. This produced a trade surplus of nearly 41 million bushels, valued at more than $1 billion.
Mexico and Canada were the two largest export markets, accounting for 39 percent and 19 percent of US fresh apple exports, respectively. Combined, they purchased nearly $650 million worth of US apples.
Mississippi’s sweet potato harvest began in the last week of August 2026, with timely rainfall supporting crop development despite hot and dry conditions affecting other crops in the state.
Lorin Harvey, sweet potato specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said rainfall arrived at key stages of the growing cycle. “It’s a strong-looking crop, but you can never really tell until you start digging,” Harvey said. “We got timely rains, which will probably be the biggest factor for this year’s success.”
Growers planted about 35,800 acres of sweet potatoes this year, an increase of almost 10 per cent. Sweet potato area in Mississippi has increased nearly 25 per cent over the past five years.
Harvey attributed the expansion to lower yields in 2025, which resulted in higher demand and prices, as well as low prices for other agricultural commodities.
Planting started in late April for many growers, with cooler temperatures allowing plants to establish before summer heat arrived.
Among the challenges facing domestic onion growers and shippers this season are costs, a fact of life trucking can certainly relate to.
Race-West Company Inc. of Clarks Summit, PA reports significant challenges for onion growers and shippers because of continued driver shortages, ever rising fuel costs, and an aging driver pool. All of these factors that continue to tighten the availability of transportation.
The average price of Number 2 diesel fuel in the U.S. is over $6 per gallon, unless you are in California, where it is over $8 per gallon.
Race-West, a grower, shipper and distributor, notes the new crop of onions across the U.S. and Canada look good and are in strong supply. While total volume may be good this season good, acreage is less than last year because of too many onions and poor markets.
Growers should have adequate supply through winter and spring.
Race-West longs for a resurgence of railroad involvement to help adjust transportation costs downward. However, rail service continues to be poor with excessive transit times and an inadequate supply of rail cars.
Most of the ginger in North America comes in from Peru and is mostly organic. China remains the other major source, particularly for conventional ginger. However, at this time of year Peru has a clear seasonal advantage in terms of maturity and quality, according to Viva Tierra Organic of Mount Vernon, WA.
The shipper, importer, exporter Peruvian reports ginger is entering one of its strongest quality periods of the year, with fully mature product now arriving in North America. At the same time, however, abundant low-priced ginger is putting pressure on the market.
Unlike many seasonal crops, Peru’s ginger supply does not simply start and stop. Different production cycles mean new crops can begin as early as April, when young and more delicate ginger is typically flown into the market. By June, ocean shipments become more common as the product reaches sufficient maturity to withstand the journey. By this time of year, however, the crop has reached full maturity.
This is now fully 100 percent mature ginger, with peak quality from Peru now through the end of the calendar year.
Despite the favorable quality window, the current market is under pressure because of an excess of Peruvian ginger in North America, partly linked to changes in European imports. New European rules were implemented for Peruvian ginger entering Europe to address Ralstonia. This has adversely affected Peruvian garlic exports, with some European buyers shifting toward Chinese ginger. This is resulting in more Peruvian product being exported to, and flooding, the U.S. market.