Posts Tagged “feature”
Domestic melon shipper Westside Produce of Firebaugh, CA is a grower that ships cantaloupes and honeydews the year around.
Due to its partnership with Classic Fruit, from November to mid-May, cantaloupes, honeydews, and watermelons come from Guatemala—before California’s season starts.
Most of the company’s melons are grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley and the deserts of Yuma, Arizona, and Southern California.
Westside’s first harvest begins in the southern desert areas, either in Southern California or Yuma, Arizona around late May to early June. Then the operations move into the Central Valley of California around the 1st of July, and will be here until the middle of October, before returning to Arizona for October and November shipments.
Yields are expected to be above average this year based on weather conditions so far—around 900 cartons per acre for cantaloupes and 1,200 to 1,300 cartons per acre for honeydews, which are typical for Westside Produce.
Last year, the company averaged about 850 cartons per acre for cantaloupes and between 1,100 and 1,200 cartons per acre for honeydews.
The crop grows in a relatively short cycle of about 75 to 90 days.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
By Sarah Stone ALC Atlanta
Everyone is talking about freight fraud and cargo theft. I recently attended the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), the largest trucking show in North America, where fraud and theft were the primary topics of discussion among the carriers and drivers in attendance. Held annually in Louisville, KY, MATS attracts everyone from large carrier owners looking to expand their fleets to the owner-operators who drive the trucks.
While concern is growing among those on the road, combating fraud requires support from every corner of the supply chain, including shippers. Freight fraud is a broad term encompassing various forms of theft, deception, or misrepresentation throughout the shipping process. It is more than just stealing cargo, it can involve identity impersonation (using fake MC/DOT numbers), double brokering, and fake carriers using spoofed websites to book loads. As a shipper, this can lead to the theft of cargo, supply chain disruptions, damage to reputation, and financial loss.
Preventing freight fraud isn’t just a broker or carrier issue, it’s a supply chain issue. For shippers, it is important to include your vendors and contracted warehouse groups on the plan to protect your freight. It will take everyone in the chain to fight fraud and theft. Establish a verification process for confirming carrier and driver information before loading a truck, and make certain that the carrier is providing the correct pick up information. This may sound simple, but it can often be overlooked at a warehouse that is backed up, or short staffed, and just wants to get the freight out the door.
Customers can play a vital role in building a more secure industry by following best practices such as:
- Partnering with fraud-aware brokers and carriers.
- Requiring load-tracking apps or systems.
- Verifying pick up numbers and driver names prior to loading.
- Embracing technology and data-driven security measures.
- Engaging in industry discussions and education.
By working together and staying informed, we can strengthen our defenses and keep freight moving safely and securely.
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Sarah Stone graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing). She started working at the Allen Lund Company in December 2010 after several years in the international air and ocean freight industry. She is the Senior Transportation Broker for ALC Atlanta.
sarah.stone@allenlund.com
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
U.S. domestic sweet potato shipments continue entering the last half of the shipping season which will wind down in late summer, just a the new harvest gets underway.
U.S. sweet potato harvested acreage rose by 23,300 acres in 2024 to 148,200, according to the USDA. And the U.S. Sweet potato Council Inc. of Dillsburg, PA, is expecting 2025’s acreage to be similar to last year’s.
North Carolina, Mississippi and California continue to be the leading U.S. producers of sweetpotatoes.
Vick Family Farms of Wilson, NC is celebrating 50 years.
The company broke ground last year for a new storage facility that should be in operation when new-crop potatoes arrive in the fall. The new crop will start planting in May, but the company has sweet potatoes stored in controlled-atmosphere buildings year-round.
During the 2024 season there was a drought early in the growing season, followed by excessive rain. As a result some areas reported from a 10% to 50% reduction in yields, the company reported.
USDA said the North Carolina harvested acreage rose to 86,500, up from 76,900 in 2023, but yields dropped to 150 cwt per acre, down from 195 cwt per acre.
Mississippi State University of Starkville, MS reported growers in Mississippi have tried to capitalize on the diminished yields in North Carolina this season.
MSU said harvested acreage should be the same or more this year than last year’s 31,500 acres, which was up from 29,000 acres in 2023.
AV Thomas of Livingston, CA ships sweet potatoes year-round but had sold out of its specialty Stokes purple sweet potatoes.
The company still had its four primary varieties on hand: red, orange, white and Japanese sweetpotatoes.
The company was finishing its hotbeds in mid-March. That’s where it grows transplants that will produce cuttings to be planted six or eight weeks later for its sweet potato crop, which will be harvested 90 to 120 days later.
The 2024 storage crop still was putting out good quality.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
According to Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) President and CEO Griff Lynch, Georgia’s Savannah Port is the fastest-growing container gateway on the U.S. East Coast, with container volumes up 12.5% compared to 2023.
GPA handled nearly 5.6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units (TEUs) last year, an increase of approximately 618,000 TEUs compared to 2023.
In a presentation at the annual Savannah State of the Port Address, the CEO explained that what sets the ports of Savannah and Brunswick apart is building strong partnerships, superior connectivity, ample capacity ahead of demand, and a responsible approach with communities.
He also laid out plans to increase capacity in Savannah, add berth space over the short and long term, boost container yard and rail capacity, and grow the truck gates at the Port of Savannah before an audience of more than 1,700 business leaders and elected officials at the Savannah Convention Center.
To stay ahead of demand, Lynch announced the opening of a new lay berth effective immediately at Ocean Terminal. A second lay berth at Ocean Terminal will come online in 2026.
Phase I of the Ocean Terminal yard renovation will be completed in mid-2027; and the second phase will be by mid-2028. This will increase capacity by up to 1.5 million TEUs per year.
The expansion, he explained, is needed to handle growing business, “Growth at the nation’s gateway terminals outpaced all other ports in the nation, and Savannah is the gateway port for the U.S. Southeast,” Lynch said. “We see this pattern only continuing to accelerate.”
April through September is the primary shipping season for growers in the Santa Maria Valley who produce a wide variety of produce commodities on about 50,000 acres, according to the Grower Shipper Association of Santa Barbara & San Luis Obispo Counties, based in Santa Maria, CA.
The growing region supplies a wide variety of of fresh fruits and vegetables to the United States and beyond.
Strawberries, wine grapes, broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce are the top five items produced in the Santa Maria Valley. With spring season underway, grower-shippers ramp up production.
Babé Farms in Santa Maria is featuring its Pink Rhone Little Gem lettuce, which was launched last summer.
This spring and summer, Babé Farms is shipping a mix of specialty vegetables, including colorful root veggies, baby head lettuces, its signature Blonde Frisée, romanesco cauliflower, fennel, celery root and more.
Babé Farms typically grows and ships over 60 items at any given time.
The company ships year-round, and expects to have an increase in volume this year.
Pacific Coast Produce of Santa Mara has good volume of conventional and organic soft squash, including green Italian, yellow straightneck and Mexican gray squash from May through November. In mid-June, the company will kick off its chili pepper program, which will run through December.
Pacific Coast Produce ships broccoli, celery and cauliflower year-round.
Gold Coast Packing Inc. in Santa Maria continues to ship its legacy items such as broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, spinach, cilantro, Brussels sprouts and other value-added vegetables.
The company’s Santa Maria harvest is now underway and will continue until the season returns to the desert.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Green leaf and iceberg markets remain depressed amid abundant supplies and weak demand. Romaine prices are slowly rising as quality issues are more prevalent following recent humid, windy weather, according to a news release from Markhon of Salinas, CA.
Markon First Crop (MFC) Premium Green Leaf, Iceberg, and Romaine are available; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted sporadically due to low weights.
Green leaf and iceberg quality are very good; mildew, fringe burn, and sun scalding are being avoided or trimmed at harvest.
Romaine quality has been impacted by high temperatures and humid weather, followed by windy days; fog burn, internal burn, and fringe burn are reducing harvestable supplies.
Expect fairly steady green leaf and iceberg markets through May; Romaine will continue inching up in the near term.
In a May 6 report, the company said Markon First Crop (MFC) Romaine is limited in California’s Salinas Valley; Markon Best Available (MBA) is being substituted as needed.
Markon inspectors are currently reporting an abrupt shift in romaine quality over the past two to four days. Last week the Salinas Valley region experienced a heavy marine layer that quickly gave way to clear skies and warm afternoons. These conditions caused the development of fog burn in many crops. Strong winds and elevated humidity were also recorded, causing fringe burn and sporadic mildew pressure.
Commodity and value-added supplies are expected to exhibit some of the above-mentioned challenges for the next several weeks, possibly longer. Some iceberg and green leaf supplies are experiencing these challenges, but these commodities are easier to manage than Romaine.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER HAULERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Domestic blueberry shipments are expected to reach about 721 million pounds this year, down a bit from 740.5 million pounds in 2024, according to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council of Folsom, CA.
Michigan, Oregon and Washington will be shipping fruit into September, while California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey and North Carolina generally will wind down by June or July, according to USHBC.
In the Southeast, Florida started late this year, but Georgia continues to see production growth from new plantings, and that should support stable volume overall.
Naturipe Farms of Salinas, CA sees the blueberry season is shaping up to be one of the best yet due to ideal weather and growing conditions.
Naturipe will offer consumers exclusive proprietary varieties this season: Rocio (California), Envoy and Keepsake (New Jersey and Michigan).
May 5–26 will be peak season for Naturipe’s organic blueberries out of California.
While total volumes are down from prior years, there are still good volumes.
Peak weeks in Florida and Georgia on organic blueberries will be May 5–21. Georgia organic blueberries will go through June with steady shipments.
There will be ample supplies of conventional blueberries from Michigan, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia during the heart of the summer in July and August.
Peak blueberry season for California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA will run from July through August out of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and California.
North Bay Produce of Traverse City, MI sources blueberries from Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Michigan and British Columbia during the summer.
The company notes Florida and Georgia blueberries have suffered thus far in the season due to last year’s hurricane effects as well as cooler nightly temperatures.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Between weeks 34 and 10 of the 2024-2025 campaign,
Peruvian shipped a total of 81.4 million boxes (8.2 kilos each) during the 2024-25 season representing a 31 percent increase compared to the 2023-2024 season, according to Agraria.
The Ica region is the main table grape producing region, with a 49 percent share, followed by the Piura region with 36 percent.
The Ica region shipped 40.5 million boxes of table grapes, registering a 17 percent increase compared to the previous season, and Piura exported 30 million boxes, representing a 49 percent increase compared to the 2023-2024 campaign.
The south leads exports with 52.8 percent of the total, while the north accounts for 47.2 percent.
Volumes shipped to North America increased by 30 percent, and those destined to Latin America increased by 16 percent. In contrast, shipments to Asia decreased by 35 percent compared to the 2023-2024 season,”
Western green bell pepper production is decreasing in Mexico; growers will transition to California in May. Mexican red bell pepper supplies are sufficient. Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Green and Red Bell Peppers are available.
Green Bells
- Florida’s production is adequate
- All sizes are available
- Quality is good
- The South Florida season will wind down in the next three to four weeks
- Mexico’s Sinaloa season is past peak production
- Growers are harvesting the last of their spring fields in April
- Small and medium sizes are most common
- Quality is fair
- The California desert season will start with light harvests on April 21; full production is forecast by mid-May
- Expect higher prices over the next week
Red Bells
- Mexican volume is steady
- Quality is mixed depending on the age of the field
- All sizes are available
- The California desert will start getting underway in early June
- Canadian greenhouse volume is increasing; large sizes are most plentiful
- Expect steady prices this week
California’s avocado shippers plan to move their third-largest crop in a 10 years during the 2024-25 season, with an estimated production of 375 million pounds. This amounts to a 44% increase from the previous three-year average and a 3% increase from the previous year.
The Hass variety will make up about 95% of California’s crop, which totals approximately 355 million pounds. The remaining 5% will consists of Lamb, Gem, and other varieties. California typically supplies approximately 90% of the avocados produced in the United States.
However, the nation’s total domestic production only accounts for about 10% of the total avocado availability in the country, highlighting the country’s significant dependence on imports.
The United States imported a record $3.8 billion worth of fresh avocados in 2024, the highest amount ever reported in both nominal and inflation-adjusted terms. The majority of the value, approximately 91%, was sourced from Mexico, with the majority being classified as Hass-like (both conventional and organic).
The majority of these avocados were imported through the Laredo district in South Texas, while lesser volumes were imported through Philadelphia (primarily from Peru and Colombia) and Miami (primarily from the Dominican Republic and Colombia). A transportation problem in the U.S. market was caused by lower shipments from Mexico and Peru earlier in the year, despite the improved crop in California.
California’s 2024/25 shipments commenced in mid- January (earlier than is customary) and had already reached 8% of the projected crop by early March, surpassing the 4-year average of 5%. The state’s season may conclude prematurely if this tempo persists, as was the case in 2022. Meanwhile, Mexican shipments are expected to continue as harvest moves to higher elevation orchards in Michoacán and Jalisco, but overall volumes may ease through the middle of the year.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.