In 2012 California strawberry growers had record shipments and there has been an acreage increase of about 6.5 percent this year.
In the first half of April California strawberry loadings will really crank up as Ventura County hits peak movement. This is followed by a steady progression toward peak production in Santa Maria and then Watsonville. Heavy shipments are expected through the summer and into the fall.
Californa expects to have 40,192 acres of strawberries this year, which is over 2,400 acres above 2012.
Orange County’s fall-planted acreage for winter, spring and summer production is down this year nearly 7 percent at 1,348 acres, representing just 3.8 percent of the state total.
The Salinas/Watsonville district ships over 41 percent of the state’s strawberries, followed by Oxnard at nearly 30 percent and Santa Maria at 26 percent.
Kiwi shipments
California kiwifruit shipments are winding down and will be finished by late March or early April. The first Chilean fruit should arrive in the first or second week of April. Some of those arrivals will be at the Port of Long Beach.
California strawberries – grossing about $3700 to Dallas.