Salinas Valley vegetable shipments continue to struggle, while eastern blueberry loadings may finally get going this month.It has been a less than stellar spring for central coast vegetable shipments due mostly to weather conditions. In essence, Salinas Valley vegetable shipments are going to be trying at best heading into summer. You’ll need to be alert when loading product. There is everything from quality issues to inconsistent sizing of lettuce heads.
This situation is expected to continue through June, and perhaps through most of July. Salinas vegetable shippers tend to plant about 40 percent less product for summer because they face so much competition from various home grown season in the U.S. and Canada. Other vegetables ranging from broccoli to cauliflower also are being affected, but to a lesser extent.
Salinas Valley vegetable and berry shipments – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
Georgia Blueberry Shipments
Warmer weather, poor pollinating conditions and labor issues are all contributing to fewer blueberries currently coming out of the Southeastern U.S. Georgia blueberry shipments will pick up by mid June. The state has shipped nearly 90 million pounds of blueberries per year in the past, but in 2016, it will be well short of that number. The longer growing season in this region may help offset an even greater decline in shipments. Georgia has one of the longest seasons in the U.S., from mid-April to the middle of July.
Georgia’s season nearly mirrors the blueberry shipping seasons in a few other states, such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
Georgia blueberry shipments grossing about $2600 to Chicago. Georgia vegetables grossing about 15 to 20 percent less.
NJ Fruit Shipments
After fewer blueberry shipments in 2015, New Jersey expects to rebound this year. Initial loadings should get underway around June 10-11. In 2013 New Jersey shipped 65 million pounds of “blues”, followed by 55 million pounds in 2014. During those years (2013 and 2014) the state ranked seventh nationally in total blueberry volume. However, the state slipped to seventh place in 2015 behind shipments from California and North Carolina.
About 87 percent of New Jersey blueberry shipments are delivered for the fresh market.
New Jersey peach shipments should begin around June 18th and continue well into July. Loadings should continue through July and perhaps extend until the middle of August. New Jersey ranks fourth in peach shipments behind California, South Carolina and Georgia. While no forecast is out yet, weather factors are expected to reduce Jersey peach volume this season.