Initial California kiwifruit shipments got underway in early October and normal shipments are expected through April.
Preliminary estimates has the crop at 10.9 million, 7-pound trays for the hayward variety. For non-hayward green or gold varieties, the forecast is 1 million units.
Trinity Fruit Sales Co. Inc. of Fresno started shipping the first week in October and has described the crop as “really good.”
Greene & Hemly Inc. of Courtland notes shipping of gold varieties of kiwi has just gotten underway. The company is a grower for Sun Pacific Marketing of Pasadena. The operation is reporting no quality problems with kiwi despite the excessive daytime heat this year, describing San Joaquin Valley temperatures this season as normal. Gold kiwis are said to be more sensitive to hot temperatures or dry humidity that is common with 100-degree heat, but many operations are putting the fruit under shade structures to reduce the effects of the temperatures.
In upcoming seasons greater green kiwifruit shipments from California are seen because of increased acreage.
San Joaquin Valley kiwi and table grapes – grossing about $5200 to Chicago.
Rivermaid
Rivermaid Trading Co. of Lodi, CA has added two new growers to its Northwest pear program this season, which should increase it’s pear shipments by 18 percent. The company expects to market more than 1 million 44-pound carton equivalents of pears out of the Northwest this year.
Overall company pear shipments, including California, should exceed 2 million units.
Rivermaid Trading has described its California and Northwest pear season as really unique to the apple and pear industrys. What makes is so unique is the operation says it has figured out how to do it without the two areas competing with each other.
Rivermaid now has nine growers and is looking to add two more next season.