What a difference fall weather can make from one year to the next. That is translating into more hauling opportunities for produce truckers with Florida strawberries and tomatoes.
While very light Florida strawberry shipments began in early November, a slow but steady increase in volume has been occurring. Better growing conditions have the crop well ahead of a year ago. The cold temperatures have been much more frequent this Florida season, than in 2015, which is good for berries.
Florida fresh strawberry hauling will be available into March and April. A good jump in volume is expected in late December, continuing well into January. Then a bit of lull is expected before volume ramps up again in early February and into March. There should be peak shipments in time for Valentine’s Day deliveries.
Currently Florida is averaging about 200 truck loads of strawberry shipments a week, primarily from the Plant City area.
Tomato Shipments
Unlike a year ago Florida tomato hauling should be more normal this year after experiencing a weather-related plunge last year. Last season, Florida shipped about 28 million, 25-pound boxes of round (mature green) tomatoes. This year, volume should be around 35 million range cartons. Florida tomato acreage is similar to last year, about 30,000 acres, making the Sunshine state the largest tomato-producing state in the U.S.
Of significance is some growers also produce grape, cherry and roma varieties, in addition to round tomatoes, but those numbers are not tracked because they’re not regulated by a marketing order. So in essence, actual Florida tomato shipments of non-round varieties increase the volume reported by about 25 percent, assuming this year’s volume remains typical of past years.
Meanwhile, Florida tomato shipments are about the only game in town for the next few weeks, especially since Mexican tomato imports won’t be providing much volume until after the New Year. Then Florida tomato shipments typically take a dip from January to March.
Shipments of tomatoes, vegetables and strawberries from South and Central Florida – grossing about $2100 to New York City.