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Blueberry supplies are extremely limited, as the California and Georgia seasons are off to slow starts. Expect elevated prices and low volume for the next three weeks, according to Markon of Salinas, CA.
The Mexican season is past its peak, as production is rapidly decreasing and is expected to end in late May.
The Georgia season has been delayed up to two weeks due to unseasonably cool weather. Florida volume is down 40 percent compared to this time last year. California’s San Joaquin Valley season is expected to start the week of May 5.
Demand far exceeds supply, and the industry will remain in a production gap for the next three weeks. Expect high markets and pro-rated orders for the next three weeks.
Berry grower and marketer Wish Farms says it is gearing up for a high-quality crop of organic Georgia blueberries, highlighting its south Georgia grower, Major League Blueberries. The high-density 160-acre organic farm is owned and operated by Malcolm McCoy and former major league outfielder and current Atlanta Braves television color analyst Jeff Francoeur.
“They are a top-quality producer that has invested heavily in the infrastructure of their farm,” Wish Farms Blueberry Grower Relations Manager Joel Whitehead said in a news release.
MLB uses automated harvesting and is an early adopter of the Netherlands-based FineField Harvy500, according to Wish Farms. The remote-controlled platform gives the farm flexibility to supplement its hand harvesting without sacrificing quality, the company added.
“Their attention to detail, as well as their clean, well-manicured fields are second to none; the innovative techniques they employ really set them apart,” Whitehead said.
MLB begin harvesting organic blueberries the third week of April and will continue into June. The farm features Farthing, Suziblue, San Joaquin, Spring High, and Legacy blueberry varieties. Wish Farm says weather has been ideal for the MLB farm and expects its crop to record strong yields.
“Jeff and Malcolm have both been very successful in their careers,” Whitehead said. “They bring the same excellence to their farming operation, and we have been proud to work with them for the last seven years.”
While avocados loadings spike leading up to Cinco de Mayo, Mission Produce of Oxnard, CA reports mango volume also jumps ahead of the holiday. Cinco de Mayo is the second highest peak each year for avocados following the Super Bowl. However, the holiday is the leading volume jumper for mangoes.
Shipments were big for both fruits for Cinco de Mayo last year: 32.4 million pounds of avocados and 12.4 million pounds of mangos were shipped, generating a combined $99 million in sales, according to market research firm Circana. Consumer insight and data company Numerator is projecting those numbers to increase this year.
The industry is looking at double-digit lifts in volume sales of avocados and mangos for Cinco de Mayo. In 2024, the celebration gave avocados an 18 percent volume lift and mangos a 25 percent boost in volume sales compared to the prior week, according to Circana.
Grape loadings from the California desert kick off domestic shipments each year and once again it will begin from the Coachella Valley.
California table grape growers shipped 91.5 million 19-pound boxes to 56 markets worldwide in 2024, according to the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission.
Though the first estimate for this year’s crop won’t be taken until late April, growers report another robust harvest. Coachella typically wraps up in late June or early July when the vast majority of shipments for the season will start coming out the San Joaquin Valley by mid-July.
Tudor Ranch in Mecca, CA., expects to start shipping grapes no later than May 12.
Two red varieties, Karizma and flame, launch the season. Other varieties from Tudor Ranch include sugraone; valley pearl, which is a large, round grape; black seedless varieties; and Timco, which starts midseason and continues until the season ends around July 10.
The company also will add the red seedless Torch variety this season and has planted an early green grape called ARRA Honey Pop, which should debut next year.
Fruitful of McFarland, CA will start its table grape seaspm in July and predicts a heavy crop, which will be larger than last year.
The company grows around 10 varieties, which include flame, sugraone, Ivory, Scarlet Royal, Sweet Globe, Autumn King and Allison.
Flame, the first variety to be harvested.
Tudor Ranch sees plenty of Coachella grape volume being available for Memorial Day.
The United States imported 22.7 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables in 2023, with Mexico being the largest supplier, accounting for 50 percent share of the total imported, followed by Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Canada, according to FEPEX.
Spain is the first EU country to supply the U.S. market with 29,674 tons; as reported by FEPEX.
The United States imported 11.4 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico, which represented half of the total. After Mexico, the main non-national suppliers to the U.S. market are Guatemala, with 2.8 million tons; Costa Rica, with 1.9 million tons; and Canada, with 1.7 million tons. These four countries represent 78 percent of total U.S. fruit and vegetable imports.
After the top four, the next ranking U.S. supplier countries are Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Honduras, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, China, Panama, Brazil, Morocco, New Zealand, and Spain.
Spain ranks 18th in terms of countries from which the United States imports. However, it is the first in the EU and Europe, with 29,674 tons in 2023. It is followed by Italy, with 17,555 tons, coming in at number 23 in the list of suppliers to the U.S. market; Greece occupies 24th place, with 15,953 tons; and the Netherlands is ranked 29th, with 9,038 tons.
As explained in prior FEPEX news, Spanish and EU exports of fruit and vegetables to the United States are very limited, largely due to the phytosanitary barriers imposed by the American administration on the entry of certain products in the form of phytosanitary export protocols.
We are well into spring with melon loadings and summertime means peak shipments.
Here’s a round up from a few shippers on what they are expecting in the weeks and months ahead.
Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms, Los Angeles is starting the season with three different labels of melons, Pure Sweetness, Pure Sunshine and Pure Crunch. The company also will be shipping mini seedless watermelon, known as PureHearts. The firm grows organic and conventional full-size seedless watermelons called Sugar Daddy.
It also has a Tuscan Style extra-sweet cantaloupe and a great-tasting yellow mini seedless watermelon called SunnyGold.
Dixondale Farms in Carrizo Springs, TX, may be known for growing onions, but it also has the Navigator cantaloupe from early June until mid-July. It has been shipping the Navigator for nearly 30 years.
The company has significant production areas in Arizona and California.
MAS Melons & Grapes of Rio Rico, AZ has been shipping honeydews and watermelons since the company was started 28 years ago. It transitioned its melon program from the states of Colima and Nayarit in central Mexico to Sonora in the north in early April and has good volume.
Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI), through the National Agrarian Health Service, announced that the 2024-2025 table grape campaign registered exports of 562,093 tons, consolidating Peru’s position as world leader in exports for the second consecutive year.
Grape exports reached 44 international markets. Three key markets accounted for 83%: the United States with 46% share, European countries (24%) and Mexico (8%). Other important markets included the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Hong Kong, Colombia, China and Taiwan.
Peru’s export season runs from October to April of the following year. The country has more than 56 varieties of table grapes, the most exported being Sweet Globe, Red Globe, and Allison, which are also the most demanded in the international market.
A few weeks before the end of the export season, SENASA authorized 137 packing plants and certified more than 22,000 hectares of crops, mainly in the regions of Ica and Piura, followed by Lambayeque, La Libertad, Arequipa, and other regions such as Ancash, Lima, Moquegua, Tacna and Cajamarca.
In recent years, SENASA has gained access to Japan, China, and Ecuador in a joint effort with the Association of Table Grape Producers (PROVID), adding to the 92 international markets that already enjoy these Peruvian products.
Tomato shipments got underway in early April from Culiacan, Mexico and are now in good volume. Harvesting started from Florida’s Ruskin/Palmetto growing region in mid-April, according to a news release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Round
- Supplies are increasing in Florida, especially large-size fruit
- Growers are harvesting spring fields in Mexico’s Culiacan region
- Quality is good
- Large sizes (4×4 and 4×5) are most abundant
Roma
- East Coast supplies continue to increase
- Mexico’s Culiacan supply is more plentiful with the new crop
- All sizes are available
- Central Mexico began harvesting spring crops in late April
Grape & Cherry Varieties
- Florida volume has increased through April
- Stocks are increasing in Western Mexico
- Supplies have been tight but improving in Central Mexico and Baja
The Chilean/Peruvian offshore grape season will end in early May. Harvesting will transition to Mexico in early May. Expect pricing to gradually increase as the offshore season winds down, according to a news release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Offshore
- The Peruvian/Chilean green and red seedless seasons will end in early May
- MFC Lunch Bunch Grapes will ship through late May
- Quality is good; some soft/damaged fruit is being reported
- Expect tight supplies and rising markets through April
- Mexico
- Markon First Crop and Markon Essentials Seedless Grapes will be available soon
- Green and red seedless grapes are expected to begin shipping in early May
- The portioned grape season will begin in late May
- Expect elevated pricing in the early season; markets will gradually decrease as volume rises
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients found that daily mango consumption may lower insulin levels and enhance insulin sensitivity in overweight or obese adults experiencing chronic low-grade inflammation.
Conducted at the Illinois Institute of Technology with 48 adults aged 20 to 60, the study compared the effects of fresh mangos to a calorie-matched control food, on inflammation and insulin sensitivity. Participants consuming mangos exhibited significant reductions in insulin resistance, as measured by the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Additionally, improvements in beta-cell function (insulin production and release) were noted using the disposition index (DI).
After a four-week intervention, the mango group showed significantly lower insulin concentrations during an oral glucose tolerance test compared to baseline, while no changes were observed in the control group.
“Our study indicates that incorporating fresh mangos into the diet may provide an accessible way for those who are overweight or obese to enhance insulin function and decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes,” Professor of Food Science and Nutrition Indika Edirisinghe, PhD, noted.
Importantly, while maintaining comparable caloric intake, participants in the mango group did not experience changes in body composition, whereas the control group showed a slight increase in weight.
Other markers of inflammation and glucose levels did not differ significantly between the two groups, suggesting that fresh mangos could be a healthier alternative to similar sweet treats.
Edirisinghe emphasized that the observed improvement in insulin sensitivity without corresponding weight gain challenges the perception that the natural sugar in mangos negatively impacts obesity and diabetes. While the specific mechanisms remain unclear, improved antioxidant status from mango consumption may play a role in regulating blood glucose levels.
These findings highlight the importance of incorporating fresh fruits, particularly mangos, into dietary habits that support heart health, blood sugar control, and overall wellness.
The mangos consumed were a combination of Kent and Keitt varieties, and aside from the intervention or control food, participants maintained their usual diet and lifestyle. The study utilized a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded design over four weeks in real-life conditions, enabling thorough evaluations of fasting and postprandial glycemic responses.
*This study was supported through an unrestricted grant from the National
Blueberry supplies are extremely limited, as the California and Georgia seasons are off to slow starts. Expect elevated prices and low volume for the next three weeks, according to Markon of Salinas, CA.
The Mexican season is past its peak, as production is rapidly decreasing and is expected to end in late May.
The Georgia season has been delayed up to two weeks due to unseasonably cool weather. Florida volume is down 40 percent compared to this time last year. California’s San Joaquin Valley season is expected to start the week of May 5.
Demand far exceeds supply, and the industry will remain in a production gap for the next three weeks. Expect high markets and pro-rated orders for the next three weeks.
Berry grower and marketer Wish Farms says it is gearing up for a high-quality crop of organic Georgia blueberries, highlighting its south Georgia grower, Major League Blueberries. The high-density 160-acre organic farm is owned and operated by Malcolm McCoy and former major league outfielder and current Atlanta Braves television color analyst Jeff Francoeur.
“They are a top-quality producer that has invested heavily in the infrastructure of their farm,” Wish Farms Blueberry Grower Relations Manager Joel Whitehead said in a news release.
MLB uses automated harvesting and is an early adopter of the Netherlands-based FineField Harvy500, according to Wish Farms. The remote-controlled platform gives the farm flexibility to supplement its hand harvesting without sacrificing quality, the company added.
“Their attention to detail, as well as their clean, well-manicured fields are second to none; the innovative techniques they employ really set them apart,” Whitehead said.
MLB begin harvesting organic blueberries the third week of April and will continue into June. The farm features Farthing, Suziblue, San Joaquin, Spring High, and Legacy blueberry varieties. Wish Farm says weather has been ideal for the MLB farm and expects its crop to record strong yields.
“Jeff and Malcolm have both been very successful in their careers,” Whitehead said. “They bring the same excellence to their farming operation, and we have been proud to work with them for the last seven years.”
While avocados loadings spike leading up to Cinco de Mayo, Mission Produce of Oxnard, CA reports mango volume also jumps ahead of the holiday. Cinco de Mayo is the second highest peak each year for avocados following the Super Bowl. However, the holiday is the leading volume jumper for mangoes.
Shipments were big for both fruits for Cinco de Mayo last year: 32.4 million pounds of avocados and 12.4 million pounds of mangos were shipped, generating a combined $99 million in sales, according to market research firm Circana. Consumer insight and data company Numerator is projecting those numbers to increase this year.
The industry is looking at double-digit lifts in volume sales of avocados and mangos for Cinco de Mayo. In 2024, the celebration gave avocados an 18 percent volume lift and mangos a 25 percent boost in volume sales compared to the prior week, according to Circana.
Grape loadings from the California desert kick off domestic shipments each year and once again it will begin from the Coachella Valley.
California table grape growers shipped 91.5 million 19-pound boxes to 56 markets worldwide in 2024, according to the Fresno-based California Table Grape Commission.
Though the first estimate for this year’s crop won’t be taken until late April, growers report another robust harvest. Coachella typically wraps up in late June or early July when the vast majority of shipments for the season will start coming out the San Joaquin Valley by mid-July.
Tudor Ranch in Mecca, CA., expects to start shipping grapes no later than May 12.
Two red varieties, Karizma and flame, launch the season. Other varieties from Tudor Ranch include sugraone; valley pearl, which is a large, round grape; black seedless varieties; and Timco, which starts midseason and continues until the season ends around July 10.
The company also will add the red seedless Torch variety this season and has planted an early green grape called ARRA Honey Pop, which should debut next year.
Fruitful of McFarland, CA will start its table grape seaspm in July and predicts a heavy crop, which will be larger than last year.
The company grows around 10 varieties, which include flame, sugraone, Ivory, Scarlet Royal, Sweet Globe, Autumn King and Allison.
Flame, the first variety to be harvested.
Tudor Ranch sees plenty of Coachella grape volume being available for Memorial Day.
The United States imported 22.7 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables in 2023, with Mexico being the largest supplier, accounting for 50 percent share of the total imported, followed by Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Canada, according to FEPEX.
Spain is the first EU country to supply the U.S. market with 29,674 tons; as reported by FEPEX.
The United States imported 11.4 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico, which represented half of the total. After Mexico, the main non-national suppliers to the U.S. market are Guatemala, with 2.8 million tons; Costa Rica, with 1.9 million tons; and Canada, with 1.7 million tons. These four countries represent 78 percent of total U.S. fruit and vegetable imports.
After the top four, the next ranking U.S. supplier countries are Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Honduras, Colombia, Argentina, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, China, Panama, Brazil, Morocco, New Zealand, and Spain.
Spain ranks 18th in terms of countries from which the United States imports. However, it is the first in the EU and Europe, with 29,674 tons in 2023. It is followed by Italy, with 17,555 tons, coming in at number 23 in the list of suppliers to the U.S. market; Greece occupies 24th place, with 15,953 tons; and the Netherlands is ranked 29th, with 9,038 tons.
As explained in prior FEPEX news, Spanish and EU exports of fruit and vegetables to the United States are very limited, largely due to the phytosanitary barriers imposed by the American administration on the entry of certain products in the form of phytosanitary export protocols.
We are well into spring with melon loadings and summertime means peak shipments.
Here’s a round up from a few shippers on what they are expecting in the weeks and months ahead.
Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms, Los Angeles is starting the season with three different labels of melons, Pure Sweetness, Pure Sunshine and Pure Crunch. The company also will be shipping mini seedless watermelon, known as PureHearts. The firm grows organic and conventional full-size seedless watermelons called Sugar Daddy.
It also has a Tuscan Style extra-sweet cantaloupe and a great-tasting yellow mini seedless watermelon called SunnyGold.
Dixondale Farms in Carrizo Springs, TX, may be known for growing onions, but it also has the Navigator cantaloupe from early June until mid-July. It has been shipping the Navigator for nearly 30 years.
The company has significant production areas in Arizona and California.
MAS Melons & Grapes of Rio Rico, AZ has been shipping honeydews and watermelons since the company was started 28 years ago. It transitioned its melon program from the states of Colima and Nayarit in central Mexico to Sonora in the north in early April and has good volume.
Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI), through the National Agrarian Health Service, announced that the 2024-2025 table grape campaign registered exports of 562,093 tons, consolidating Peru’s position as world leader in exports for the second consecutive year.
Grape exports reached 44 international markets. Three key markets accounted for 83%: the United States with 46% share, European countries (24%) and Mexico (8%). Other important markets included the United Kingdom, Spain, Canada, Hong Kong, Colombia, China and Taiwan.
Peru’s export season runs from October to April of the following year. The country has more than 56 varieties of table grapes, the most exported being Sweet Globe, Red Globe, and Allison, which are also the most demanded in the international market.
A few weeks before the end of the export season, SENASA authorized 137 packing plants and certified more than 22,000 hectares of crops, mainly in the regions of Ica and Piura, followed by Lambayeque, La Libertad, Arequipa, and other regions such as Ancash, Lima, Moquegua, Tacna and Cajamarca.
In recent years, SENASA has gained access to Japan, China, and Ecuador in a joint effort with the Association of Table Grape Producers (PROVID), adding to the 92 international markets that already enjoy these Peruvian products.
Tomato shipments got underway in early April from Culiacan, Mexico and are now in good volume. Harvesting started from Florida’s Ruskin/Palmetto growing region in mid-April, according to a news release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Round
- Supplies are increasing in Florida, especially large-size fruit
- Growers are harvesting spring fields in Mexico’s Culiacan region
- Quality is good
- Large sizes (4×4 and 4×5) are most abundant
Roma
- East Coast supplies continue to increase
- Mexico’s Culiacan supply is more plentiful with the new crop
- All sizes are available
- Central Mexico began harvesting spring crops in late April
Grape & Cherry Varieties
- Florida volume has increased through April
- Stocks are increasing in Western Mexico
- Supplies have been tight but improving in Central Mexico and Baja
The Chilean/Peruvian offshore grape season will end in early May. Harvesting will transition to Mexico in early May. Expect pricing to gradually increase as the offshore season winds down, according to a news release from Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Offshore
- The Peruvian/Chilean green and red seedless seasons will end in early May
- MFC Lunch Bunch Grapes will ship through late May
- Quality is good; some soft/damaged fruit is being reported
- Expect tight supplies and rising markets through April
- Mexico
- Markon First Crop and Markon Essentials Seedless Grapes will be available soon
- Green and red seedless grapes are expected to begin shipping in early May
- The portioned grape season will begin in late May
- Expect elevated pricing in the early season; markets will gradually decrease as volume rises
A recent study published in the journal Nutrients found that daily mango consumption may lower insulin levels and enhance insulin sensitivity in overweight or obese adults experiencing chronic low-grade inflammation.
Conducted at the Illinois Institute of Technology with 48 adults aged 20 to 60, the study compared the effects of fresh mangos to a calorie-matched control food, on inflammation and insulin sensitivity. Participants consuming mangos exhibited significant reductions in insulin resistance, as measured by the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR). Additionally, improvements in beta-cell function (insulin production and release) were noted using the disposition index (DI).
After a four-week intervention, the mango group showed significantly lower insulin concentrations during an oral glucose tolerance test compared to baseline, while no changes were observed in the control group.
“Our study indicates that incorporating fresh mangos into the diet may provide an accessible way for those who are overweight or obese to enhance insulin function and decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes,” Professor of Food Science and Nutrition Indika Edirisinghe, PhD, noted.
Importantly, while maintaining comparable caloric intake, participants in the mango group did not experience changes in body composition, whereas the control group showed a slight increase in weight.
Other markers of inflammation and glucose levels did not differ significantly between the two groups, suggesting that fresh mangos could be a healthier alternative to similar sweet treats.
Edirisinghe emphasized that the observed improvement in insulin sensitivity without corresponding weight gain challenges the perception that the natural sugar in mangos negatively impacts obesity and diabetes. While the specific mechanisms remain unclear, improved antioxidant status from mango consumption may play a role in regulating blood glucose levels.
These findings highlight the importance of incorporating fresh fruits, particularly mangos, into dietary habits that support heart health, blood sugar control, and overall wellness.
The mangos consumed were a combination of Kent and Keitt varieties, and aside from the intervention or control food, participants maintained their usual diet and lifestyle. The study utilized a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blinded design over four weeks in real-life conditions, enabling thorough evaluations of fasting and postprandial glycemic responses.
*This study was supported through an unrestricted grant from the National