National Summer Produce Shipping Update

National Summer Produce Shipping Update

California apple and pear shipments have started, joining bell peppers and host of other veggies, stone fruits and grapes being shipped.  Across the country, summer produce shipments also are moving in good volume as well, although few can match the volume coming from California.

California apples for the new shipping season are under way from the San Joaquin Valley, while the new pear crop is providing loads from the San Joaquin Valley as well as the Sacramento District.  Both items join a host of San Joaquin Valley produce  items ranging from peaches, plums and nectarines to veggies such as sweet corn, and bell peppers, among others, as well as table grapes and melons.

Looking ahead to fall citrus shipments, California volume is forecast to be pretty normal.  Mandarin loadings get underway by mid October, while navel oranges should start shipping in Novemember and continue through May 2013.  The 2011-12 navel crop amounted to 88 million 40-pound cartons being shipped.  The Valencia orange loadings are winding down and about 28 million cartons will have been shipped by the end of the season.

Michigan

Michigan is a leading shipper of blueberries, which are moving in good, steady volume.  There’s also a wide array of vegetables such as sweet corn, bell peppers and squash being loaded on trucks.

New York

Cabbage loads are now coming out of Western and Central New York.  Other vegetables will soon be available for hauling.

Eastern Shore

The tri-state area of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia have had a good growing season and steady shipments of vegetables and melons are now occurring.

Eastern Shore produce is grossing – about $1700 to Chicago.

Michigan produce – about $2700 New York and Hunts Point.

California’s San Joaquin Valley produce – about $7500 to New York City.