Posts Tagged “imported melons”
Los Angeles, CA – Pacific Trellis Fruit, LLC. dba Dulcinea Farms, the owner of the Dulcinea® brand, announced that after several years of successful production trials, they will be expanding the sourcing of their PureHeart® Mini Seedless Watermelon from Guatemala beginning in January 2024 and extending into April.
Product shipped will arrive via the West Coast Port Hueneme, California, as well as to the East Coast, through Port Everglades, Florida.
“We are extremely excited about this development as it will expand our ability to deliver Dulcinea PureHeart mini watermelons 52 weeks per year, “explained Rob Markel, VP of Sales – Melons at Pacific Trellis Fruit. “At this time, we are also growing the melons in both Los Mochis and Colima, Mexico, and the fruit to market ships through Nogales, AZ.”
“In addition, the watermelon from Guatemala is currently undergoing Fair Trade Certification, which is a rigorous and globally recognized sustainable sourcing model that improves livelihoods, protects the environment, and builds resilient, transparent supply chains” added Markel.
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About Pacific Trellis Fruit
Pacific Trellis Fruit® is one of North America’s top year-round importers, growers, and marketers of premium fresh fruit, including melons, grapes, stonefruit, cherries and citrus. In 2014, Dulcinea® was acquired by Pacific Trellis Fruit and became their consumer-facing brand. Dulcinea is the pioneer of the PureHeart® personal seedless watermelon, the Tuscan-Style® cantaloupe and SunnyGold® yellow mini seedless watermelon. Pacific Trellis Fruit also features Kiss Melons, a line of high quality, great tasting melons. Pacific Trellis’ corporate headquarters is in Los Angeles, CA, with sales offices in Fresno, CA, Gloucester, NJ, and Tucson, AZ.
Imported citrus from Morocco is now arriving by boat on the East Coast, while imported melons are about to take center stage as the domestic season comes to a close.
The season’s first breakbulk shipment of fresh Moroccan citrus to arrive in the United States took place November 7th at the port of Wilmington, DE.
The M.V. Belgie Reefer, a specialized refrigerated vessel delivered the citrus to port of Wilmington customer Fresh Fruit Maroc.
The Belgie Reefer was carrying over 574,800 boxes of fresh clementines. Wilmington is a major port of entry and distribution center for the seasonal importation of fresh Moroccan citrus, including Nour and Nadorcott clementine varieties.
During this season which runs through March, the port expects to receive about 12 shiploads of fruit from the Moroccan Atlantic port of Agadir. The arrival of the Belgie Reefer marks the 19th consecutive year the port has been receiving express, breakbulk shipments for Fresh Fruit Maroc.
Cargo is stored in the port’s 800,000-square-foot on-dock refrigerated warehouse complex, one of North America’s largest facilities, before distribution to markets throughout the United States and Canada. The port of Wilmington will handle over 10.7 million boxes of Moroccan citrus in the 2018-19 season.
Imported Melons
Domestic melon shipments are winding down and now U.S. importers are looking to the offshore season. Much of the winter melon imports come from production areas in Mexico as well as Guatemala. Offshore fruit is expected to arrive on the West Coast in early December, a little behind the first East Coast arrivals.
Vision Produce Company of Los Angeles starts its Central American season from Guatemala in early December on the West Coast and will continue through April. The company is expecting steady supplies.
Both California and northern Mexico have experienced some adverse growing conditions, which reduced shipments and is increasing demand for imported melons as the new season gets underway.
Consistent loading opportunities for imported melons are expected in coming months. However, an expected bump in avocado shipments leading up to the Super Bowl will not be as big as originally thought.
Steady imports of imported melons are seen throughout the winter season for distribution throughout the U.S. and Canada by truck.
Guatemala’s imports finished in late January, but will be ramping up again in March.
Imported Mexican watermelon volume is much better this winter and are dealing with El Niño-affected volumes like last year. Current Colima production will shift to Sonora from May through July.
Excellent fall and winter growing conditions in Guatemala have been very good for record melon yields and imports.
Mexican melons, tomatoes, vegetables crossing at Nogales, AZ – grossing about $3400 to Chicago.
Mexican Imported Avocados
There will not be any increase in imports of Mexican avocados for U.S.. produce truckers anytime soon from the state of Jalisco, which was planned for shipping in time for the February 5th Super Bowl. Avocado shipments typically increase significantly prior to the big game since it so popular with Super Bowl parties, etc. Still, there should be enough avocados to meet the demand.
Shipments from Mexico’s state of Jalisco — thought to be on track in mid-January — are expected to be delayed for three or four months. However, final clearances have not been approved and some issues apparently have to be resolved.
Jalisco’s share of Mexico’s 3.4 billion pounds of output is estimated at about 5 percent. The USDA reported that 2016-17 acreage of avocados in Jalisco totaled 44,000 acres, about 9 percent of Mexico’s total avocado acreage of 503,000 acres.
Mexico accounted for about 95 percent of U.S. avocado supply in mid-January, with light volume also noted from Chile, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.
Mexcian avocadoes crossing through the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas – grossing about $4200 to New York City.