California produce rates have been showing strength with an increased demand for refrigerated trucks in areas ranging from the Salinas and San Joaquin Valleys to Santa Maria and down south in Ventura County. The increases have generally been around one to five percent.
With the official arrival of fall occurring September 22d, which is the arrival of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. It also means the transition of many produce shipping areas, if not from one hemisphere to another, but at least from one country to another, or in some cases, especially in the Western U.S., shifting locations in the same state or a neighboring state.
California certainly is the best example of the changing season.
As Watsonville strawberry shipments decline the red berry’s volume is now increasing to the south in Ventura County. In California’s Central San Joaquin Valley, nearly 900 truck loads of cantaloupe are being shipped weekly from the Westside District, but this will soon be in a seasonal decline. At the same time, very light loadings of melons have started from Central and Western Arizona and are increasing. California honeydew volume already is in a seasonal decline with the new season barely underway in Central Arizona and will start in Western Arizona in the next week or so.
San Joaquin Valley table grapes is probably the state’s single biggest volume item averaging around 1750 truck loads weekly. The combined volume of head lettuce and romaine from the Salinas Valley has recently had similar volume to grapes, but lettuce volume will start sliding soon, to eventually give away to desert shipping areas in California and Arizona. Salinas also is offering around 600 loads of celery per week. To the south in Kern County, carrots are totaling about 750 loads.
Salinas vegetables – grossing about $5100 to Chicago; San Joaquin Valley fruit – grossing about $6200 to Baltimore.