As we plow right into the holiday shipping season, here’s a look at loading opportunities from South Texas and Mexico to the Red River Valley.
Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas fruit shipments began in early October with grapefruit, but volume has been increasing leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. A significant increase in loadings is expected after Thanksgiving and leveling off to more steady shipments through January.
South Texas orange shipment also got going in October and were in full swing with the arrival of November. However, Texas orange shipments only account for about 25 percent of the total citrus volume.
Mexican avocado Imports
Mexican Avocado Imports are Increasing through South Texas and big volumes are seen again through the winter months. During the 2016-17 shipping season, Mexican avocado shipments should hit about 2 billion pounds, similar to a year ago.
Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus, plus crossings from Mexico of tropical fruits and vegetables – grossing about $2600 to Chicago; $4100 to New York City.
Red River Valley Potato shipments
Red potato shipments from the Red River Valley, the nation’s largest red potato producer, will be down more than one-third from last year’s big crop, and 20 percent less than the five-year average. There were thousands of acreage lost to excessive rains ranging from Grand Forks, ND to the Canadian border.
It is estimated only 64,000 out of 80,000 planted potato acres in North Dakota will be harvested. One potato production forecast is at 19.8 million hundredweight (cwt.), down 28 percent from last year. However, another forecast believes an additional 4 million cwt. has been lost. Most of the acres lost were in northeast North Dakota on non-irrigated land. The state’s processing crop which yields much higher was largely unaffected by heavy rains.
Whichever estimate turns out to be more accurate, red potato volume from the Red River Valley will be far less than 2015-16 when 27.6 million cwt. of potatoes were shipped.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1700 to Chicago; $2600 to Dallas.