Posts Tagged “Chile”
Avocados should be one of the best buys in your local produce department as produce continues to arrive from Mexico and will continue to do so into May. 
There’s also Chilean avocados which will be on retail shelves into late March. California avocados also are available and will continue well after the imported fruit is no longer available — into September. Even when California has sole possession of the market, prices should remain reasonable. The state expects to produce as much as 415 million pounds of avocados this season, 25 percent more than a year ago.
During the last quarter of 2011 the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables actually declined overall by eight percent, but we may not have necessarily have seen the benefits in our retail stores. Why? A major reason is the cost of fuel keeps rising to get the product delivered.
That means you may not have noticed the savings, for example, with oranges which had an average price of 93 cents per pound in January, compared to 98 cents per pound in December. Another example are tomatoes, which were costing on average $1.54 per pound in January, down a penny from December, but off five cents from the same time a year ago.
When shopping in your favorite supermarket, here’s a few things to be check out.
Chilean grapes – Although the Chilean table grapes I’ve had this season have 
been pretty tasty (sweet), there are reports of quality issues with some of the fruit lacking in size (which I’ve seen plenty of), to lack of color and quality. I can live the smaller sizes of the individual grapes, and even if they don’t look as pretty as usual. In fact, with too many fruits and vegetables, there is way too much emphasis on beauty, or color. The old saying beauty is only skin deep applies here.
It is the taste; the quality; that really matters. One reason there are so many disppointments with tomatoes, for example, is too much emphasis over the years has been placed on “glamour” or beauty. You take home these gorgeous looking items, but find the taste is lacking.
One other note. There have been about 10 percent fewer Chilean grapes arriving this season into the U.S. than a year ago. There has been a lot more competition of the fruit from such world markets as Europe and Asia. That means less supply here in America, and you end up paying more……Does this remind anyone of our soaring gasoline and diesel fuel prices? Part of the reason is oil is being shipped to the U.S, then it is refined. However, instead of you and I buying and using it; other countries such as China are purchasing it. Sure it’s free market at work, but we as consumers are getting the shaft at the same time. But that is another story for another time.
Asparagus –
Some quality problems with imported grapes from Chile have been reported. 
It’s not believed to be a major problem, but it IS major, if you are the one delivering those grapes and end up in a claims dispute over quality. The issues on both red and green varieties range from the size of the individual grapes to color and quality. So be extra careful in observing and checking what is being loaded onto your truck. These quality problems are expected to last until the end of the season in April.
By mid April imports of Chilean grapes are expected to drop off quickly.
Chilean grapes from the Port of Long Beach to Chicago – grossing about $3700.
The Port of Philadelphia has long been the major port in the United States for the arrivals of imported produce and other items from around the world. 
Central American and Chilean imports are among the leaders.
Chilean table grapes and stone fruit are big items this time of the year. Despite economic conditions in the United States the port is reporting total imports at its facilities were up in 2011 over the previous year. Initial Chilean fruit imports apparently are causing optimism that 2012 could be even better.
Much of the fruit being unloaded off of boats arriving at the Port of Philadelphia are stored in local refrigerated warehouses, then delivered by truck to points primarily in the midwest, east and to eastern Canada. However, some arrivals at the Port of Philadelphia eventually are trucked to the West Coast when necessary.
Thirty years ago you could only get certain produce items at particular times 
of the year. This has gradually changed over time as countries around the world have started growing fruits and vegetables, improving varieties, increasing volumes and exporting to countries such as the United States.
In 2011 the leading suppliers of veggies to America were Mexico, which accounted for 58 percent of imports, Canada 27 percent and Peru three percent. The top countries providing us with fruit was Mexico 34 percent, Chile 20 percent and Costa Rica 11 percent.
In most cases if these countries were not providing us these perishables, these items would not be available at all, or least in much less limited supplies, which would greatly increase the costs we pay for them. Their growing seasons differ from ours.
There are some exceptions, with perhaps the most drastic being the tomatoes available to us from Florida in the winter, which compete against tomatoes coming out of Mexico. Over the years the Florida tomato industry has complained out Mexico undercutting them on price and flooding the market with excess supplies.
There is some truth in these claims. At the same time, you’ll find Florida providing your supermarket with mature green tomatoes, while the Mexicans are supplying us with vine ripe grown tomatoes and in more recent years have greatly increased their greenhouse grown tomato supplies.
Outside of the folks who grow mature green tomatoes in Florida, I find it difficult to find people who like the taste of these tomatoes, especially when compared to vine ripe and greenhouse grown products.
Peaches, nectarines, plums and table grapes from Chile are now arriving at ports by boat on both the East and West coasts. That fruit is distributed all over North 
American via truck. The stone fruit arrivals should start arriving in larger volume by the end of January….The heaviest volume for grapes should begin by late January as well and continue through March, when a seasonal decline will start, with the season ending by May.
The East Coast ports at Wilmington, N.C. and Philadephia receive a majority of the Chilean produce. The primary port on the West Coast is at Long Beach, CA.
Sadly, the California table grape season is all but over. The red grapes,
particularly the last half of the season have been fantastic — so firm and sweet! We’re fortunate, because some seasons the fruit has been history before the end of the year….We’ll now starting getting imported grapes. As it typical with early season grapes from just about anywhere, you’ll be disappointed in the first arrivals in your stores. They normally lack the sugar content. Perhaps Chile will prove me wrong this season. Let’s hope. But get prepared for sour grapes at the get go.