Posts Tagged “apple shipments”
Fairly normal shipments of U.S. apples is predicted this season, with the exception of one state that is expecting volume to rise by nearly one-third. Also, here’s a look at what to expect with potato shipments from Wisconsin.
Apple shipments in the U.S. this coming season should hit nearly 246 million bushels (42 pounds boxes) this fall, which is slightly over the five-year average. However, Michigan might edge out New York state as the second-leading apple producer and shipper for the first time, assuming the U.S. Apple Association’s annual forecast holds true to the end of the season.
The projection for U.S. apple shipments is 3 percent over the 2015 crop and the five-year average. This would make it the 11th-largest crop overall (with the USDA’s 248-million-bushel estimate). The estimate for Michigan apple shipments, at 31 million bushels, is 31 percent over its 2015 harvest, and exactly 1 million bushels higher than the apple association’s New York estimate for 2016.
The association’s Washington crop estimate of 149 million bushels (USDA’s is 152.4 million) is a 5 percent increase from last season’s shipments and 1 percent less than the state’s five-year average.
While production has been increasing in recent years, bearing acreage has dropped significantly in recent years due to higher yields per acre.
“We’re still growing the same sized crops, in fact, in the last five or six years we’ve had some of the bigger crops in history, with the 2014 crop of 272 (million bushels) just a shade below the record crop of 1998,” the apple association said. In four of the past five years, the association’s estimates have been closer than the USDA’s, which is released in the month before the annual Outlook conference.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
This is a more normal year. Last year, Wisconsin had very high yields and a bumper crop.
In each of the last two seasons, Wisconsin growers have produced about 63,000 acres of potatoes. But in the booming production of 2015, there was an average of 460 bags per acre. This year the average will still be strong at 430 100-pound bags per acre. The total production for 2015 was 28.98 million hundredweight. This year this number is expected to be 27 million.
The vast majority of the acreage is harvested in September.
U.S. potato crop will be close to last year in shipments, or down no more than 1 or 2 percent.
Central Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $1000 to Chicago.
Here are shipping updates on for Northwest potato shipments starting soon, as well as U.S apple shipments that are winding down before the new crop is ready.
Potato shipments from the Northwest could get underway a week or more earlier than usual this season.
Unlike a year ago when drought and triple digit heat was hitting potato fields, weather this year has been much more favorable. Columbia Basin potato shipments from Washington and Oregon should get underway in late July. That’s a significant change from last year when both potatoes and tree fruits suffered from heat stress.
While estimates have not yet been released on projected volume many see similar volume to last year and probably more. Because of great growing conditions there are concerns of oversupply as shipments take off in August and September.
The great growing conditions in the Northwest includes Idaho, easily the nation’s largest potato shipper.
For Washington’s Skagit Valley potatoes, one of the later starting regions in the Pacific Northwest, is expected to start earlier this year. Harvesting could begin as early as August 15th. For the past few years, Labor Day has been a more typical kickoff.
Apple Shipments
About 238 million bushels of U.S.-grown apples were grown in the U.S. in 2015, 12% fewer the current season that is winding down in the next month or so.
The July estimate, the last one of the 2015-16 season from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, was also 1% lower than the five-year average and 2% lower than a preseason estimate, according to an analysis of the data by the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.
The estimate was higher, however, than the 235 million bushels forecasted at U.S. Apple’s 2015 annual marketing conference.
Shipments by industry leader Washington fell from 174 million last season to 142 million bushels this season.
Washington’s 2015 total was also 4% below the five-year average, and 8.3 million bushels lower than the 2015 USDA preseason estimate.
Shipments from industry No. 3 Michigan also fell, from 24.4 million to 23.7 million bushels. That was 3% less than last year but 14% above the five-year average and comparable to the preseason USDA estimate.
The second and fourth largest U.S. shippers, New York and Pennsylvania, both saw volumes increase in 2015.
New York jumped from 30.8 million to 32.4 million bushels, Pennsylvania from 11.7 million to 12.4 million bushels.
New York’s total was 5% above last season and 13% above the five-year average, Pennsylvania’s 5% above last season and 7% above the five-year average.
The final USDA estimate for New York was 6.2 million bushels, or 24%, higher than its 2015 preseason estimate.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
The Northwest United States, including British Columbia, is shaping up to be an excellent season for produce haulers to haul cherries.
With a very early start expected for Northwest cherry shipments, the prognosticators expects to ship 20.7 million 20-pound boxes this season. Initial cherry shipments from the Northwest should get underway between May 23 and May 25. A total of 200,000 boxes could be shipped in May alone.
If this estimate holds, Northwest cherry loadings would be 7 percent above last year’s 19.3 million boxes, but short of the record 23.2 million boxes shipped in 2014. Rainier cherry shipments in 2016 are expected to total 1.7 million 15-pound boxes, about the same as last year.
The total Northwest cherry industry has the potential to ship 11 million boxes in June and another 9 million in July. Good volume cherry shipments are expected to start in early June, with significant cherry volume by the week of June 15th. Peak cherry shipments are expected between the middle of June and continue through the middle of July.
Yakima Valley apple shipments – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
B.C. Cherry Shipments
British Columbia cherry shipments will start in early June. Record shipments are predicted this season with 12 million pounds being estimated. This volume would be up from the 10.5 million pounds in 2015. Most British Columbia cherry shipments are destined for markets in Western Canada and the United States.
California Cherry Shipments
California cherry shipments are now in full throttle from the San Joaquin Valley. A good, but not record crop is now being shipped and will continue for another couple of weeks.
San Joaquin Valley produce shipments- grossing about $4400 to Chicago.
California produce shippers are looking to a spring and summer of good produce shipments, while mostly avoiding talk of bumper crops.
It should be a decent year for produce haulers looking to transport items ranging from stone fruit, to table grapes, cherries, melons, apples, citrus or berries. While El Nino didn’t happen, at least to the extent many thought it would, there has been average rains in much of the state that have helped to fight, but not eliminate the California drought. Adequate labor also continues to be a concern.
Here’s a look at California produce shipments in the coming months.
Apple Shipments
California apple shipment should get underway the week of July 20th with galas and continue through September. Fujis loadings should be available from mid-August through October. Granny Smith apple movement should be from late August through December; Pink Lady apple loadings will occur from mid-October through December.
About 1.8 million boxes of apples will be shipped, with around two-thirds of the volume marketed by Primavera Marketing of Linden, CA.
Berry Shipments
Strawberry shippers from Ventura County are in a seasonal decline. However, good volume is predicted for Watsonville starting in May and will continue into August. Strawberries out of Santa Maria have started and will continue through July. Raspberries have a similar season, although there is much less volume with shipping gaps. California will ship blueberries through May, before loadings shift to the Pacific Northwest.
Melon Shipments
California cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon shipments should be in good supply this summer. Prior to California, there will be cantaloupe loadings starting out of Yuma, AZ. This is followed by the melon harvest shifting to Huron, CA around June 20th.
Stone Fruit Shipments
Loadings for stone fruit shippers from the Southern San Joaquin Valley are just starting and will continue for the next four months. Leading items are peaches, plums and nectarines.
Citrus Shipments
Late-season navel oranges and mandarins continue to be shipped for a few more weeks. Valencias get underway in July. Lemon loadings are virtually over in the Central San Joaquin Valley. Loadings are now shifting to production areas on the coast.
Orange and mandarin shipments – grossing about $5000 to Atlanta.
Grape Shipments
Coachella Valley grape shippers should start the first week of May and continue through most of June. Shipments will then shift to the Arvin district (Bakersfield) around July 1.
Vegetable Shipments
There is light but increasing volume with vegetable shipments from both Santa Maria and Salinas. Items range from head lettuce, to leaf lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, romaine, celery, kale, parsley and cilantro, among others. There should be good volume by early May.
Santa Maria vegetable shipments – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
The roller coaster ride of Western desert lettuce volume has steadied in recent weeks. More consistent loading opportunities will hopefully continue the rest of the season from Yuma and the Imperial Valley.
Lettuce shipments should remain in good volume until around April 1st, before a seasonal decline ends the season by mid April. At this point lettuce shipments will shift to Huron, CA for about three weeks before heading into the Salinas spring season.
Yuma lettuce and other vegetables – grossing about $4700 to Atlanta.
Chilean Fruit Imports
Central Chile has recently had relative humidity levels not seen in many years, leading to further losses for table grape growers. Recent rains have resulted in losses of 30 percent for Flames (red grapes) and Superiors (green grapes) in the area. Three years ago when this happened there was a lof of rot with grapes.
Normally there would be humidity of 20-40 perecent, instead of 80 percent.
This means a large amount of fruit will not meet export standards for lacking quality standards.
Apple Shipments
About 75.3 million bushels of U.S.-grown fresh-market apples had yet to be shipped as of February 1, 21 percent less than last year at the same time.
The February total was also one percent lower than the five-year average, according to the February Market News report from the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.
Washington accounted for 64.9 million bushels of the February 1 apples remaining in storage. New York had 4.2 million bushels, Michigan 3.4 million bushels and Pennsylvania 1.1 million bushels.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $3700 to Chicago.
Here’s an update on the amount of fruit remaining in storages around the country for fresh apple shipments, as well as another look at declining Florida citrus loadings.
The amount of domestic U.S. fresh apples remaining in storages totaled 90.5 million bushels on January 1, 20 percent fewer than last year at the same time. However, the January total was similar to the five-year average of 90.7 million bushels, according to the U.S. Apple Association, Vienna, Va. Washington accounted for about 76.6 million bushels of those still in storage, New York 5.7 million bushels, Michigan 4.5 million bushels and Pennsylvania 1.3 million bushels.
Washington’s Yakima Valley apples and pears – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
Florida Citrus Shipments
While about 96 percent of the Florida’s oranges are shipped to processers, 65percent of navels, 63 percent of tangerines, 40 percent of grapefruit and about 10 percent of the state’s overall citrus is shipped fresh.
Navels, grapefruit and tangerines showed declines in the latest USDA report on Florida citrus production. The USDA reported January 12 no changes in other orange production, noting navels declined 100,000 boxes to 1 million cartons.
Grapefruit production declined 700,000 cartons, with most of the losses coming in red grapefruit, which saw a 500,000-carton decline. On tangerines, decreases in early and midseason fruit, the fallglos and sunbursts, as well as the later season honeys lowered production 200,000 cartons.
Fruit droppage on oranges, however, is reported to be high across all varieties as well as with grapefruit and tangerines. Droppage is at 32 percent for the non-valencias, well above the maximum and for valencias, is reported to be the highest in more than 50 years.
In other words, Florida citrus shipping woes continue, primarily due to disease problems.
Florida citrus and vegetables – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Produce shipments should start returning to more normal movement now that we are past the holidays and receivers are starting to replenish their stocks. Here’s a look at produce shipping from several areas around the country.
Western Lettuce Shipments
Lettuce shipments, led by Iceberg and romaine are originating primarily out of the Yuma district of Arizona. Other leading items are celery, broccoli and cauliflower, although cold weather has cut into volume. Loadings are much lighter from the California desert, primarily from the Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley and Palo Verde.
Apple Shipments
Washington’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys are averaging bout 2500 truckloads per week. New York state, led by the Hudson Valley, is shipping about 250 truckloads weekly. Michigan is third in volume about 175 trucks per week.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $4500 to Dallas.
Texas Produce Shipments
Overall, it’s still relatively light for produce items here. This is light to moderate shipments of grapefruit and oranges from the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The is better volume of Mexican tropical fruits and vegetables crossing the border.
South Texas citrus and Mexican produce freight rates were up 15 to 20 percent during the holidays, depending on the destination; for example, grossing about $2900 to Atlanta. Rates could drop with the holidays past us.
East Coast Produce Shipments
Pretty slim pickin’s over all. If you’re coming out of Florida with a partial load, there’s very light volume of cabbage and greens being shipped from Southern Georgia…Eastern North Carolinas is loading sweet potatoes in moderate volume….Dry onion shipments are coming out of Orange County, NY. Partial loads of cabbage are coming out of central and western New York. Apples are available from the Hudson Valley, Champlain Valley, plus central and western areas….Aroostrock County, Maine has light volume with potatoes.
North Carolina sweet potato shipments – grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Washington state has finished its apple harvest and is looking to ship 118.5 million boxes of fruit for the 2o15-16 shipping season, which would be the third largest on record.
If apple shipments hold for the season this would be about 15 percent smaller than last year’s monstrous 140 million boxes of apples.
As of December 1st, packing houses have shipped about 25 percent of the crop, a higher than average share by that point of the season.
The early 2015 harvest caused some extra overlap with 2014 storage apples, especially Red Delicious apples. The 2014 crop cleared warehouses at about the same pace as the 2012 crop, the previous record. The industry shipped 6.7 percent of the 2014 crop after September 1st this year, compared to 8 percent, of the 2012 crop after Sept. 1, 2013.
A word of caution for apple haulers this season, some Washington state apple growers are expressing concerns about storage quality due to water shortages and extra hot weather over the summer. This could require even more attention to detail for truckers to what’s being put in the truck at loading docks as the season progresses and apples have been in storage for a longer amount of time.
We’ll try to keep you apprised as the apple season moves forward.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $6600 to Boston.
Apple shipments from West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania are forecast to increase over 41 million pounds this year across the three states, according to the USDA. Meanwhile, imports of Chilean blueberries continue to increase.
Pennsylvania apple shipments should see a 32-million pound increase over 2014.
Meanwhile, West Virginia apple shipments are expected to increase by 8 million pounds, while Maryland apple shipments are projected to have a 1.6 million-pound hike.
Pennsylvania, which had 493 million pounds of apples in 2014, ranked fourth among 29 major apple-producing states. West Virginia ranked ninth, with 82 million pounds last year.
Chilean Blueberry Imports
Chilean blueberry production will continue to grow during the 2015-16 season, and global exports of fresh blueberries will be in the range of 218 million to 241 million pounds. This means an increase of 7 to 19 percent over the previous season’s exports of 203 million pounds.
North America is by far the largest export market for Chilean blueberries, with 67 percent of Chilean blueberry exports landing in this market during the 2014-15 season. Europe comprised 23 percent of Chile’s fresh blueberry exports and Asia 10 percent.
Chile’s blueberry acreage continues to expand, with about 39,289 acres currently planted. In 2014-15, Chile exported a total of 34.1 million boxes, with over 19 million boxes shipped to North America. In 2015-16, exports to America are projected to exceed 20 million boxes and reach new historic highs.
The first export peak is expected to be similar in timing to 2014, with projected exports of 9-13 million pounds in December.
The New York state apple harvest is in full swing and New York apple shipments should pick up once the harvest is completed in a few weeks.
The Empire state is expecting normal apple shipments and volume this season from the state’s 700 growers.
The Hudson Valley is the largest volume provider in the state. However there also are shipments originating near the western shores of Lake Champlain in the Champlain Valley. Further west in New York, the primary shipping areas for apples are Utica, Ithica, Syracuse and Rochester.
New York is the nation’s second largest apple shipper and is forecast to have 26.2 million cartons this year, or about 13 apples for each of the state’s 19.75 million residents, if those apples stayed in state. However, the state’s apples are shipped from New England to Florida.
The 2015 crop is expected to be slightly smaller than the state’s average over the past five years of 30 million cartons, but produce truckers won’t notice the difference. New York has new apple plantings resulting in new apple varieties such as Honeycrisp – alongside their old New York state standards such as McIntosh and Empire. The new varieties like RubyFrost® and SnapDragon® can only be grown by select New York state growers.
Hudson Valley apples – grossing about $2600 to Atlanta.