Posts Tagged “feature”
A handful of these new Florida University modified tomatoes a day could help you easily reach your recommended daily vitamin A intake.
Researchers at the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences introduced the CCS gene, found in peppers and involved in carotenoid biosynthesis, into tomatoes to increase beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.
Carotenoids are plant pigments responsible for yellow, orange, and red colors.
The research was published in March 2026 in the Oxford University Press journal Plant Physiology, and, according to the lead researcher and UF/IFAS Professor in the Horticultural Sciences Department, Bala Rathinasabapathi, it was conducted to increase Vitamin A intake worldwide.
The genetic modification resulted in orange tomatoes with over 1,000 micrograms of Retinol Activity Equivalents (RAE), or Vitamin A, 300 percent more than the 150-250 amount found in unmodified tomatoes.
The team introduced the trait into several tomato varieties, including the heirloom Flamme Jaune. All modified tomatoes turned orange, had higher ascorbic acid (vitamin C) levels, lower sugar levels, and, according to the researcher, matched the taste of unmodified tomatoes.
The hybrids were also larger, and the plants produced higher yields than the original varieties.
“The modified fruit turned orange upon ripening, while unmodified tomatoes were bright red,” Rathinasabapathi explains. “This is because the red pigment of the tomato was converted into beta-carotene because of the gene we introduced.”
He says that, in general, tomatoes accumulate lycopene, which gives the fruit its red pigment, but not high levels of beta-carotene.
“We can confidently say our improved tomatoes are nutritionally more valuable than commercially available tomatoes and some of the food materials known for beta-carotene, such as carrots and kale,” he adds.
Tomatoes are the perfect choice for this innovation, he notes, since they are beloved and enjoyed in kitchens around the world.
“Daily consumption of 50 to 100 grams of these tomatoes can efficiently address vitamin A deficiency,” Rathinasabapathi explains. “And when we, the researchers, tasted them, fruit from modified plants was pleasant – slightly less sweet, slightly tarter, and more flavorful compared to fruit from unmodified controls.”
The university highlights that this research aims to combat the rising tide of vitamin A deficiency, a condition that hinders growth, weakens immunity and eyesight, and impacts 345 million people in 79 countries.
Organic melons from the U.S. desert is underway and moving into good volume, according to Discovery Organics, based in Burnaby, BC.
While Mexican growers are concluding their seasons and the U.S. desert season started in early May. This is a little earlier this year due to the heat wave that the California desert had in April.
Production will continue for another three to four weeks before moving to Bakersfield, CA.
Discovery Organics is shipping certified organic watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, galia, hami and Honeysaurus melons. It also has black seedless watermelons.
Meanwhile, Discovery Organics is also starting with U.S. organic nectarines, peaches, apricots and cherries. The season has seen a great start and–like many California commodities–is early, with nectarines and peaches about a week to 10 days ahead of historical starts.
Orange supplies remain extremely limited, particularly for the 113- and 138-count sizes. This tight supply is being felt across all growing regions, and unfortunately, no improvement is expected until the Chilean and South African seasons start in July, according to a press release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Given these ongoing challenges, size and grade substitutions will be necessary to fill orders, with the 138-count oranges presenting the greatest difficulty.
California
- Markon First Crop (MFC) and Markon Essentials (ESS) Oranges are available
- Overall supplies of 113- and 138-count oranges will be extremely limited through the Valencia season, which runs until October
- Expect to make size and grade substitutions, as well as date changes, to fill orders of small fruit
- Quality is good; sugar levels range from 12-13 Brix
- Expect high markets for small fruit (113- and 138-supplies)
- Mexico
- The Valencia season will end the week of May 25
- Overall supplies of 113- and 138-count oranges are extremely limited
- Expect to make size and grade substitutions, as well as date changes, to fill orders of small fruit
- Quality is good; sugar levels range from 11-13 Brix
- Expect elevated prices as these stocks help fill the void in California
- Florida
- Growers will ship storage fruit through June
- Supplies are dominated by 113-count and larger sizes; 138-count oranges are limited
- Quality is fair; choice and standard grades are most abundant
- Expect steady markets through June
- Imported/Moroccan
- Expect the Moroccan season to end in mid-June
- Vessel delays and holdups from the USDA have further postponed loading schedules
- Valencia quality is very good; sugar levels range from 12-13 Brix
- Stocks are dominated by 113-count and 100-count sizes; 138-count fruit is extremely limited
- Expect elevated markets into mid-June
Imported/South Africa & Chile
- The season will begin in early July
- Current rain events have growers worried about size structure upon arrival into the U.S.
- Supplies are expected to be dominated by 113-count and larger sizes
- Import palletization: 72 cases per pallet, Box weight is 33 pounds (15 KG)
- Domestic palletization: 54 cases per pallet (18 KG), Box weight is 40 pounds
Mexican table grape loadings started about two weeks early this spring and will be ending the season a couple of weeks early as well, according to Pandol Bros. of Delano, CA. Total volume also has been reduced from earlier forecasts.
Sonora Mexico loadings got underway in late April and are predicted to be finished the last half of June. As of May 19 about one-third of the crop had been harvested.
The first 10 to 14 days of the season, product hardly moved as retailers were still selling Chilean grapes. This resulted in very little Mexican product was selling during that time, and inventory started to accumulate at the border in Nogales, AZ Pandol reported. Around May 12 – 15, retailers finally started transitioning and since then, shipping volumes have been normal.
The grower/shipper noted yields have been disappointing and volume estimates have been revised down. The initial pre-season estimate was 18.2 million cartons, down from 22.7 million in 2025. However, revised estimates are in the 15-16 million carton range. Last year, the season was interrupted by rain on June 5, which caused production to drop and forecasts were adjusted downward. This year’s initial estimate was already lower than last year’s post-rain estimate and the revised 2026 estimates are even lower.
The market prefers grapes from Central California’s San Joaquin Valley and is eagerly waiting for the region’s harvest to begin around June 20 – 25, Pandol observes. Overall, Pandol Brothers expects to be finished shipping from Nogales before July 3rd.
Bell pepper shipments are underway from Southern Georgia, and round tomato loadings will begin soon, according to a press release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
- Harvesting of bell peppers began recently in Southern Georgia
- The season will run through July 1
- Production will increase this week
- Quality is very good
- Harvesting of tomatoeswill start in Southern Georgia over the next 10 days
- South Carolina and the Florida Panhandle will begin production on June 1
- Crops in these regions were planted after the Southeastern freeze earlier this year
South Texas is shipping its sweet 1015 onions in good volume, according to the South Texas Onion Committe of Mission, TX.
With ongoing loadings expected from the Rio Grande Valley through early-June and the Uvalde region continuing supply into mid-July, retailers still have significant opportunities to promote Texas sweet onions during key summer selling periods, such as with Fourth of July promotions. This availability allows retailers to keep Texas-grown sweet onions on the shelf during some of the highest-traffic grilling holidays of the year.
***
he South Texas Onion Committee (STOC) was founded in 1961 through Federal Marketing Order No. 959 to support and oversee the South Texas onion industry. Representing growers and shippers across 35 counties in South Texas, STOC works to maintain quality standards, support research and promotion efforts, and strengthen market opportunities for Texas-grown onions. The committee is dedicated to increasing awareness and demand for the TX1015 Sweet Onion as the first domestically grown sweet onion of the season.
Michigan asparagus loadings got underway this season in time for the May 10 Mother’s Day observance, which is considered a normal start.
The Michigan Asparagus Committee reports a good quality crop, with shipments lasting about six weeks, or the last half of June.
While the season began with the weather resembling a roller coast ride, in the end cooler temperatures and adequate rains contributed to quality being quite good.
Last year, the Great Lakes State produced approximately 23,590 tons of asparagus, according to data from the USDA. Traditionally, about 60 percent of the crop is sold fresh, and the remaining 40 percent is processed into products such as canned, frozen, or pickled.
Michigan remains the leading asparagus-producing state in the US, with more than 90 farm families involved in production.
The California table grape industry is navigating a period of contraction, according to the latest data from the US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
The report reveals a continued downward trend in total planted area, totaling 118,000 acres in 2025, a slight 1.7 percent decrease from the previous year.
Notably, while bearing acreage remained steady at 115,000 acres, non-bearing acreage, which generally represents future production, saw a 40 percent drop.
Released at the end of April, the survey was conducted in partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Table Grape Commission.
A closer look at the 2025 data shows a slight but consistent decline from the 125,000 total acres recorded in 2023, underscoring a tightening of the state’s table grape footprint.
The sharp reduction in non-bearing acreage, which fell from 5,000 acres in 2024 to just 3,000 in 2025, suggests a cautious approach to new plantings among California growers, though the USDA doesn’t provide an interpretation of this number in particular.
Despite the overall reduction, Flame Seedless remains the state’s leading table grape variety with a total of 10,506 planted acres, a slight dip from the 10,547 acres reported in 2024.
Other dominant traditional varieties also experienced marginal declines compared to the previous year, but remained steady overall. Autumn King went from 6,338 to 6,312 acres, while Scarlet Royal reached 6,047 acres, down from 6,056. Red Globe decreased slightly to 5,205 acres from 5,255, and Crimson Seedless remained nearly flat at 4,692 acres.
While many well-established varieties saw reductions, a few newer or proprietary varieties showed resilience or modest growth, consolidating the shift toward green cultivars over reds. Sweet Globe acreage increased slightly to 1,748 acres, up from 1,712, while Great Green (also known as Green Envy or Big Green) grew to 1,146 acres from 1,125.
Finally, the consumer-favorite Autumn Crisp kept a steady footprint at 4,154 acres, matching its 2024 total. However, with 448 non-bearing acres, the cultivar was Golden State growers’ main choice for new plantings, reflecting its already widely reported commercial success.
he USDA noted that the data reflect significant vine removals, with over 21,000 acres pulled across all grape types in the past 12 months.
As the industry moves forward, these figures signal a strategic consolidation focused on maintaining existing bearing vines while significantly scaling back on new development.
California apricots got an early start to the season, similar to many other West Coast produce items, according to Bari Produce of Fresno, CA.
The state’s Central Valley started production about 10 days earlier than last year and Bari Produce was already about one-third of the way through it’s crop in early May.
Apricot harvesting started around April 15th and following that earlier start, an earlier end to the season is also anticipated for around June 15th.
As for the quality of the fruit, reports are positive, brix levels are exactly where they should be and the fruit tastes sweet, the company notes. The first variety was a bit smaller in size, just due to less time on the tree to get ripe. Better sizing of fruit has arrived as the season progresses.
Ships for Memorial Day is typically a big time for volume.
Meanwhile the company is shipping peaches and nectarines and plums will start by the end of the month.
Total peach production is projected to decline nearly 10 per cent to 480,000 tons, down from 532,000 tons last year.
California produced 320,000 tons of freestone peaches in 2025, with 2026 production estimated at 310,000 tons. Cling peach production is projected at 170,000 tons this year, down from 212,000 tons in 2025.
Most California Pear Growers will continue to have a dependable market for their crop as Pacific Coast Producers (PCP) of Sacramento, CA has announced it plans to maintain canned pear volume following its recent acquisition of Del Monte’s shelf-stable fruit assets.
The development provides some continuity for pear processing volumes that have long been a cornerstone of the industry.
“In recent years, Del Monte had contracted for nearly 40 percent of the pears used in canned products,” said Chris Zanobini, Executive Director of the California Pear Advisory Board. “With the closure of their Modesto facility, maintaining that tonnage in the system was critical. Pacific Coast Producers’ plan to contract a significant portion of that volume, will help keep the industry operating at sustainable levels and provide some certainty for growers heading into the season.”
Approximately two-thirds of California’s pear crop is utilized in processed products such as canned pears and fruit cocktail. While processing capacity in the state has consolidated in recent years, PCP’s expanded role helps ensure a continued outlet for that fruit.
Pacific Coast Producers is an agricultural cooperative owned by 160 family farmers in Northern California. The company operates facilities in California and Oregon and employs more than 4,000 people. Since 1971, PCP has focused on delivering quality fruit products while supporting the long-term viability of its grower-owners and partners.
PCP is expected to contract with both cooperative members and independent growers, providing flexibility and continuity across the industry.
In a recent statement, PCP said: “We are committed to a viable agricultural community in our state. We have increased our purchases of West Coast fruit to ensure a reliable supply for our customers while maintaining the quality consumers expect.”
California pear growers continue to navigate a competitive global market, with imports—particularly from Argentina—remaining a factor. Industry leaders are actively working on trade policy to support fair market conditions.
Approximately 60 pear farming families remain in California today, continuing a long-standing tradition of pear production. The 2026 crop is expected to be early and plentiful, and growers are well positioned to supply both fresh and processed markets.