When the Fourth of July falls during the week, there’s no telling what may happen regarding refrigerated truck demand. Demand will be big – but how big? How big a factor will heat damage be to produce loads?
So many factors play into it. A significant factor, for example, in California’s Coachella and San Joaquin Valleys could the scortching temperatures. Coachella grapes and San Joaquin Valley stone fruit could develop quality problems. While temperatures are supposed to cool some over the long 4th of July holiday, triple digits were common this past weekend. So just be extra careful loading produce items that have been subjected to heat.
Washington state apricot shipments have joined other summer fruits such as cherries, peaches and blueberries. Loadings for apricots should continue through July.
Washington blueberries are in peak volume through July, with shipments continuing into October.
New York State
New York state ranks fifth in the nation for vegetable shipments and second with apples. Vegetable loadings will be cranking up in July from many parts of this huge state…..A big time rebound is being forecast for New York apples this season, which will get underway in August. Last season’s shipments were drastically cut due to weather factors.
Michigan
About 104 million pounds of Michigan blueberry shipments could wind up being the end-of-season total, up from 87 million pounds last year and the biggest since 2010’s total of 107 million pounds.
North American growers are expected to ship about 380 million pounds of fresh-market blueberries in 2013, up from about 330 million pounds in 2012.
Fresh blueberries loadings are expected to make up about 55% of U.S. blueberry production in 2013.
East Coast
North Carolina is shipping blueberries, South Carolina is loading peaches, while Georgia has everything from Fort Valley peaches, to Vidalia onions and a good variety of vegetables from the Southern part of the state.
California
Shipments and demand for refrigerated equipment can get pretty funky during the week when a holiday such as the Fourth of July falls on a week day. Produce buyers are already ordering post holiday fruits and veggies for deliveries to restock. Some eastbound coast-to-coast loads could concievably hit $10,000, but that’s simply a guess. You can bet $9000-plus is a good bet.