Salinas, CA – Naturipe’s blackberry growing season in Georgia recently started mid-May and will last through early July with high-quality, delicious berries. Peak volumes are expected through the month of June.
Large volumes of this blackberry peak will come from Patten Berry Farm in South Georgia where Michelle Patten has been farming for 20 years. Michelle is a pioneer of blackberry growing in this region and has expanded her operations 10-fold since starting her business. When Michelle started growing blackberries, she had four children under the age of five and was inspired to instill in them the important lessons of hard work, pride of ownership and perseverance. Patten Berry Farms’ success comes from Michelle’s passion for, and dedication to, growing delicious Georgia blackberries. Michelle is proud to grow for Naturipe and bring high-quality blackberries to market. “These sweet, firm and jet-black berries are a crowd favorite. With a strong supply expected, production will be steady through early July with our growers anticipating their first pick in mid-May,” says Jim Roberts, President of Sales. “Summer blackberries are a key component of a retailer’s berry patch display and Naturipe is primed and ready to supply promotable volumes.”
About Naturipe:
Naturipe is a farmer-owned producer and marketer of nutritious, best tasting, premium berries and avocados that has been an industry leader for more than 100 years producing healthy, deliciously fresh, frozen, and value-added products.
A completion of integration of its platform with leading transportation management software (TMS) provider Freightflow was recently announced by Trucker Tools, which provides a full portfolio of digital freight management tools and mobile apps for truckload carriers and brokers.
Freightflow of Reno, NV is a cloud-based TMS built primarily for produce grower/shippers and brokers to manage the complex transportation needs of the perishable produce industry. Its software is currently used by grower/shippers, wholesalers and distributors, and produce-focused 3PLs to plan and execute timely transportation of goods to market while driving efficiencies and costs savings.
Trucker Tools provides trip planning, shipment visibility, predictive freight matching, automated booking and digital document management solutions for brokers and carriers involved in truckload transportation.
Freightflow notes the integration enables Freightflow customers to seamlessly post available loads in Smart Capacity and quickly find a matching carrier.
When using the Trucker Tools mobile driver app, capacity providers can then accept the load, book it automatically, set up automated tracking and submit electronic documents to speed load management and payment. Shipper and carrier also benefit from an expanded pool of available carriers, with both grower/shipper and carrier working on a common, proven digital management platform that automates many formerly manual tasks.
Over 95 percent of Freightflow’s traffic moves with refrigerated carriers.
Reliable, constantly updated in-transit visibility is critical for produce goods, and the Trucker Tools app updates shipment location status as frequently as every five minutes. That combined with predictive freight matching and one-click booking really helps customers streamline workflows, respond faster to the carrier, and reduce the overall time it takes to book and tender a load. That is a significant benefit to all entities, the grower/shipper, wholesaler, distributor, 3PLs and carriers.
Started in 2013, the Trucker Tools mobile driver app has been downloaded by some 1.7 million truckers and is actively used by nearly 190,000 small-fleet operators of 10 trucks or less. Nearly 350 freight brokerages and 3PLs use the Smart Capacity digital freight-matching, automated booking and load tracking suite.
Interest in the Trucker Tools mobile app remains strong among owner-operators and the small fleet truckload community, as it has continued to rank as one of the top downloaded apps in any given month in transportation.
The Trucker Tools mobile app is available for Android- and Apple-powered smartphones and is provided free of charge to independent truckers and small fleets. In addition to predictive load-matching, capacity visibility, automated booking and tracking, the all-in-one app has 17 of the most sought-after resources and tools drivers want for managing their business while on the road.
About Trucker Tools:
Trucker Tools, based in Reston, Va., is the leading provider of trip planning, shipment visibility, predictive freight matching and automated booking solutions for the transportation industry. Its ground-breaking Smart Capacity® platform uses accurate, real-time data and powerful algorithms to optimally match freight by predicting when and where capacity will become available, days in advance. The company’s popular driver smartphone app has been downloaded by over 1.7 million owner operators and small-carrier fleets to access information and services conveniently while on the road. Included in the smartphone app is Book It Now®, the industry’s first digital load booking app that automates and streamlines the load search and booking process for drivers and brokers, saving time and money. Trucker Tools load tracking solution is a robust feature in the app that connects drivers with carriers and freight brokers, automating the provision and collection of real-time shipment tracking and eliminating manual check calls. Visit Trucker Tools at www.truckertools.com
United Apple of Lyndonville, NY has been in the agriculture business for over four generations with orchards and growing partners in western New York.
The company came out of the winter season in a really strong, healthy position relative to the overall condition of the orchards after last fall’s harvest. The volume of the eastern regional crop was relatively modest last season.
This year there has been plenty of rain, keeping the soil and ground water table in a strong position. There also was not have excessive heat, which took its toll on the size and quality of the Northwest apple crop last season.
New York had relatively moderate conditions this winter and no harsh temperatures or frost in the spring. This resulted in trees full of buds that are ready to go into all out bloom in a few weeks. The company also expresses similar optimism for its growers in the Midwest.
United Apple anticipates traditional eastern varieties of Cortland and MacIntosh as well as mainline varietals of Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady and Red Delicious will be in good supply. Club varieties – EverCrisp, RubyFrost, and SnapDragon – will see a larger volume this season as young trees are maturing and producing more fruit.
United Apple Sales is a leading northeast grower, packer, shipper, and marketer of domestic apples, pears and cherries. The company started with its initial farm in 1905. Over the past 11 decades, it has evolved into an integrated produce company that also has import and export capabilities to offer full-year supply and merchandising services to retail, wholesale and canning and juicing companies. United Apple is a member of a select group of orchardists growing new apple varieties: EverCrisp, RubyFrost and SnapDragon.
“Nevertheless, we estimate that from May to mid-summer, prices will remain higher on average than in 2020 and 2021,” writes lead author David Magana, fresh produce analyst with Rabo AgriFinance, the part of the global Rabobank Group that serves U.S. agricultural producers.
“Starting from late summer, prices are likely to decline below the prices observed in 2021 but remain higher than those of 2020.”
The report says the second half of 2022 should see increased volume from Mexico, both from the main supplying state of Michoacan, but also new exports from Jalisco. Volume from South America should also increase.
This summer, California is expected to harvest higher volume than last year. Shipments from Peru to the U.S. will also likely rise considering the disruptions in Europe with the conflicts.
The report gives historical perspective, showing how availability has risen in the U.S. from 1 billion pounds in 2005-06 to 3 billion in 2020-21, and per capita consumption has grown to more than 9 pounds, more than three times of that in Europe, which has changed the strategies of supplying nations.
MONTEREY, CA — Total organic fresh produce sales for the first quarter of 2022 increased by 4 percent from the same period last year, topping $2.3 billion for the quarter, according to the Q1 2022 Organic Produce Performance Report released exclusively by Organic Produce Network and Category Partners.
While organic fresh produce sales continued to grow in Q1, overall volume declined due to elevated pricing. Conventional produce showed the same pattern, with sales up 7 percent for the quarter (totaling $16.8 billion) and volume declining by 2.7 percent.
Higher average retail pricing in Q1 is responsible for most of the sales gains of produce items, with conventional produce average pricing up more than 10 percent compared to Q1 of last year. By contrast, organic fresh produce pricing rose just below 5 percent, suggesting it has been able to absorb more of the increased costs related to the current inflationary environment.
“There are some strong takeaways from the Q1 data, most notably that overall volumes remain elevated from Q1 2019, before the Covid pandemic drove double-digit sales and volume gains at retail,” said Tom Barnes, CEO of Category Partners. “We believe the second quarter of this year will tell a similar story as we move further away from 2020 when the pandemic shuttered most foodservice, causing supermarket sales to soar.”
Packaged salads continued to dominate in total organic dollars, reaching nearly $400 million for the quarter, a gain of 1.5 percent year-over-year. The berry category (which includes strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) grew 9.3 percent in sales from Q1 2021, with strawberries posting gains in both dollars and volume of more than 16 percent. Blueberries, on the other hand, were down 7 percent in dollars and 19 percent in volume from the previous year.
“While organic fresh produce volume declined for the first time in a long while, organic dollar sales continue to grow even after consecutive years of growth due to higher prices across the entire produce department,” said Matt Seeley, CEO of Organic Produce Network. “There remains room for growth of organic fresh produce as long as suppliers remain aware of not only the rising costs of organic produce but also the opportunity presented by a significantly larger increase in conventional produce prices.”
The southern region of the US continued to show the most year-over-year improvement, with dollar growth rising 8 percent, and volume up 3.6 percent. The Northeast was the weakest region, with dollars declining 1.1 percent and volume down 7.7 percent.
The Q1 2022 Organic Produce Performance Report utilized Nielsen retail scan data covering total food sales and outlets in the US over the months of January, February, and March of this year. The full Q1 2022 Organic Produce Performance Report is available on the Organic Produce Network website here.
OPN is a marketing organization serving as the go-to resource for the organic fresh produce industry. The company’s mission is to inform and educate through a strong digital presence with an emphasis on original content and complemented by engaging live events that bring together various components of the organic produce community. The OPN audience includes organic producers, handlers, distributors, processors, wholesalers, foodservice operators, and retailers. www.organicproducenetwork.com
Heavy volume strawberry shipments continue from California following the Mother’s Day holiday and the trend is continuing this week as strong demand from retail sales continues.
In fact strawberry loadings are increasing this week from the Salinas/Watsonville are and are expected to continue at a similar pace next week, before showing a decline prior to Memorial Day, May 23 – 27. Quality is reported to be excellent with 90 to 95% color.
Shipments out of Santa Maria, CA, are increasings thanks to warm weather, Good quality is reports, although some “green shoulders” is being reported.
In seasonal decline, Oxnard, CA, strawberry shipments are all but finished as the season concludes. Quality is reported to be only fair, with some bruising.
BOGOTA, CO – Goldenberry Farms™ has begun shipping the initial boxes of Sweet Sugar Mangos™, an ultra-sweet and miniature mango variety, trademarked by the company. These naturally grown tree mangos easily fit in the palm of your hand and are unique due to their ability to be eaten with their skin, giving it the nickname of “lunchbox mango.”
The Sweet Sugar Mango has a red, fragrant flesh with a sweet juicy taste and a brix level of 22. Unlike some other exotic mangos, Sweet Sugar Mangos™ do not have a fibrous taste. These miniature mangos are grown naturally, non-GMO, and have a peak harvest season of April through September.
Sweet Sugar Mangos™ are exclusively grown commercially in the Magdalena Region of Colombia, close to Santa Marta on the Caribbean Coast. The tropical environment and unique locale create an ideal microclimate for this specialty fruit. The small fruit is highlighted for its extreme popularity in the region.
“This variety is really special, it is smaller and more sweet and fragrant than the Ataulfo and Honey mango, and much more convenient to eat. It’s very popular with parents and children who really love the fact that they can be eaten without peeling,“ commented brand Development Director Christopher Palumbo.
Sweet Sugar Mangos™ are offered commercially in 2 kilo (4.5 pound) cases, which hold between 18-24 mangos each. Specially branded retail kits and mini boxes are available to merchandise the Sugar Mangos™ in store.
Goldenberry Farms™ expects to offer up to 6,000 cases weekly of Sugar Mangos™ and Sweet Sugar Mangos™. The fruit is available to customers globally, and pending the final permissions for entering the USA market, which is expected for this season.
Several factors are expected in a significant drop in Chilean citrus exports, most of which typically are bound for the U.S. Among the challenges this season because there are the
increasing cost of logistics, which have practically doubled. Added to this are the problems arising from COVID. In the Chinese market there are still many restrictions, and although in other countries they have been decreasing, Chile is still facing the consequences of the pandemic. And last, but not least, is the drought that has been dragging on in Chile for more than a decade.
Clementines will be the most affected, for this season an export volume of 45,000 tons is expected, which represents a 35 percent decrease when compared to 2021, due to the drought in Chile.
The U.S. received 88 percent of all Chilean citrus exports in 2021, with 97 percent of clementines and mandarins shipped to the U.S.
In the case of mandarins that are later, the The Chilean Citrus Committee projects a season not very different from the previous one, and although it is not growing much in volume, there are new plantations, so it is estimated that it will reach 120,000 tons this year, 5 percent less than the previous season.
With lemons, it is a little early to provide precise estimates, however, a volume of 90,000 tons is currently projected, which is equivalent to 11 percent less than the previous season.
For oranges, an export volume of 90,000 tons is projected, which would represent 13 percent less when compared to 2021.
Plenty of domestic pears remain in storages this season. There are more apples as well, but the percentage of amounts remaining pale compared to pears. The vast majority of the fruit remaining to be hauled is in the Pacific Northwest.
Pear stocks have increased significantly compared to April 2021 in the U.S., while apple stocks have also increased in the U.S., although at a slower rate.
The World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) released its apple and pear stock figures from April 1, 2022, which showed that pear stocks increased by 45.6 percent, hitting 73,215 tons in April 2022.
In particular, Anjou and Red Anjou pears increased their stocks by 45.2 percent and 93.3 percent respectively, while Bosc pears also saw inventories grow by 15.1 percent compared to figures recorded in the same month last year.
In the U.S., apple stocks were up 4 percent on the previous year too, standing at 1,014,826 tons. Increases in supplies of varieties such as Cosmic Crisp (+290 percent), Granny Smith (+48.8 percent), and Pink Lady (+24.1 percent) balanced out the decreases detailed in other important varieties, namely Fuji (-22.7 percent) and Red Delicious (-11.3 percent).
Hunts Point Produce Market, the largest wholesale produce facility of its kind in the US, is receiving $100 million for improvements from New York City. Some describe Hunts Point as the filthiest and most congested produce terminal market in the country. That should change for the 105-acre market with the funding initiative within New York Mayor Eric Adams’ Executive Budget.
The Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market sublets space to private distributors and vendors and transacts $2.3 billion in sales annually, accounting for 60 percent of fresh produce deliveries in New York City. Three thousand people work in the facility, which is part of the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center.
Alas, miles of trash cover the floors of the four warehouses, surrounded by seemingly endless lines of trucks. No one seems to know who is responsible for trash collection. “I have no idea why it’s always so dirty,” said Herman Brave, director of global procurement at Nathel & Nathel, which imports from 23 countries across six continents.
The mayor’s initiative comes after many failed attempts to revitalize Hunts Point’s aging infrastructure, which has remained the same since the 1960s. Joshua Gatcke, general manager for Nathel & Nathel, said that $100 million is not much to support all the necessary changes, but still, it’s a great start.
