Vegetable and fruit markets, as well as many other areas of the food industry, have had to tackle a wide range of stressors and supply chain complications over these past two years. Weather-related factors, such as drought, flooding, colder than normal spring temps to name a few, have played a part in low crop production here in the Northeast.
Then of course with the pandemic, labor forces have had to deal with smaller than normal crews / staffs. The cost to the consumer has continued to increase to offset these factors, U.S. consumers paid increased prices for fresh / frozen vegetables and fruits from November 2019 to November 2021. Roughly an increase of 3.5% for frozen vegetables / fruits and approximately a 5.7% increase for fresh vegetables / fruits.
Over that same time period, you can start to see patterns for eating food at home as opposed to eating food away from home or a restaurant. Prices for food items eaten at home has increased by 10.4% overall and prices for food eaten out has increased 9.8%. These price patterns suggest that prices for vegetable and fruits here in the Northeast, have been less unstable, relative to other food sectors.
The Northeast is an economically important region for the production, and certainly the consumption, of many vegetable and fruit products, both fresh and processed. In the nine states that comprise the Northeast region, vegetable crops alone have generated an annual total farm value of approximately $800 million in recent years.
In 2022, as well as for the foreseeable future there are three major factors that will continue to shape the vegetable / fruit industry in the Northeastern United States.
First, at the farm level, the constant supply of productive and qualified labor continues to be the number one issue for all growers. Especially with fresh vegetable / fruit production, labor is the greatest factor in production costs. Of course, ongoing improvements in technology and the substitution of automated, robotic and intelligent machines for workers will continue to occur at the farm level. This change could lead to long run price reductions in production costs and improvements in crop quality.
Second, the consolidation of distribution and related businesses in the middle of the supply chain. There is widespread speculation that we will see additional structural change leading to greater industry concentration. This is part of a trend, but it has also been fueled by COVID-19, which has led to a reduction in the number of produce buyers and increased consolidation among major food retailers given their capacity to adapt to an evolving marketplace, including the expansion into online sales.
Farms in the Northeast will continue to have access to fewer and fewer buyers as more and more mergers and acquisitions occur. This will put added pressure on wholesale and farm-level prices. While at the same time, fewer buyers and increased consolidation among food retailers will increase market power for these food distributors when dealing with consumers. As a result, we could see higher prices for vegetables / fruits in supermarkets, throughout the “fresh” season.
Third, trends in the consumption of vegetables and fruit in the Northeast will be driven largely by income. Recessions and / or pandemics have the capacity to decrease nutritional intake and consumers would resort to more calorie-dense “comfort” foods. Although, some households during COVID-19 have shown to increase the time spent planning and preparing meals at home, there is evidence that this has led to an increase in overall dietary quality and a high vegetable and fruit consumption.
A large share of vegetables (approximately 40%) are typically consumed away from home in the foodservice sector, and any rebound of the foodservice industry is expected to increase overall vegetable consumption. As sited in the 2022 Northeast Vegetable Crop Outlook publication, “Frozen vegetable sales in the food retail market increased dramatically in 2020 and some of that increase was sustained in 2021; this suggests that COVID-19 allowed some consumers to rediscover frozen vegetables and that this category may end up having long run benefits from the pandemic.”
During the pandemic, many consumers became less interested in certain credence attributes (such as how or where the food was grown). It is expected that we will see a resurgence in demand for local and / or organic fresh produce, and this presents a real opportunity for Northeastern producers that are able to supply these markets.
Sacramento, CA — California pear farmers began harvest in early July kicking off the season in the River growing district. Most growers began harvest of light volume on July 7 with volume increasing the week of July 11th.
“After several years of late harvests for California pear farmers, it’s great to be back to normal crop timing in early July,” said Chris Zanobini, Executive Director of the California Pear Advisory Board. “It appears demand for California pears is strong this year in both the fresh and cannery markets. Growing conditions have been excellent this year to produce a uniform sized, high-quality crop.”
The California Pear Advisory Board met recently in Courtland to set its annual pre-season crop estimate. Total anticipated production for all varieties is predicted at 2,257,000 boxes. This volume includes Golden Russet Bosc and red pear varieties that are growing in popularity as well as over 200,000 boxes of organic Bartlett and Bosc pears.
The River growing district represents the largest volume of California pears, followed by the Lake County region, expected to begin harvest on August 1. The Mendocino region is the third-largest producer and will start harvest just after Lake County between August 1 and 5.
“We’re stressing the fact that Bartlett pears can be ripened on the counter where they will turn from green to yellow, like bananas, and become softer, juicier and sweeter, “ said Zanobini. “But unlike bananas, when Bartletts reach the desired level of ripeness, they can be placed in the refrigerator where they will last for several more days. This unique characteristic of Bartlett pears can help consumers stretch their food dollars and reduce food waste – both important benefits in 2022.”
Cooler weather came to the Salinas Valley, but it didn’t last long as high temperatures is once again playing havoc with vegetable quality. The heatwave started Thursday, July 14 and will continue through the middle of this week.
Morning lows will range from the upper 40°s to low 60°s and daytime highs for inland areas will be in the 80°s to low 100°s; coastal areas should remain in the 70°s.
The heat increases has been occurring every two weeks as this cycle of rising high pressure has been going on since early June. It is not typical of Salinas Valley weather patterns and many crops have reacted poorly to the heat and elevated humidity levels. This is resultin in widespread quality and shelf-life concerns in commodity and value-added crops.
Produce haulers are urge to use caution when loading and to check quality being put on the truck. The shippers should letting receivers know what to expect.
The most common heat-related defects observed:
Baby Leaf and Other Lettuces:
Bolting/seeder
Growth cracks
Inconsistent growth/fluctuating density
Increased insect pressure
Internal burn/tip burn
Shortened shelf-life
Sun burn/sun scalding
Broccoli:
Accelerated growth/oversized crowns
Dehydration
Hollow core
Pin rot
Shortened shelf-life
Yellowing
Strawberries:
Decreased size
Lower volume
Increased bruising
Soft texture
Shortened shelf-life
Maintaining the proper cold chain throughout distribution is critical for maximizing quality and shelf-life.
U.S. imported Chilean lemon and mandarin by the U.S. is prompting ever greater numbers of producers in the regions of Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana and O’Higgins to switch to the citrus crops from avocados and table grapes, a new USDA report shows. The increase in lemon and mandarin volumes is continuing as orange production gradually declines, with demand in China also a major factor.
According to a newly-released USDA analysis, lemon export volumes to the key U.S. market increased by 20.6% between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, while exports to China rose by 15.5%.
Building on steady production and export gains over the past decade, Chile shipped 101,996 tons of lemons during 2020/21, including 65,682 tons to the U.S. In fact, the U.S. accounted for 64.4% of the total and represented by some way Chile’s biggest export market for lemons. Exports to China also grew to 6,532 tons in 2020/21 compared with 5,657 tons the previous season.
Exports to the U.S. during the 2020/21 period were worth $48.9m, up 11.8% from the $43.7m recorded during 2019/21. Revenue generated from exports to Chile’s third-biggest market for lemons, China, also reached $7.7m, a 145.6% rise from 2019/20’s $6.7m.
However, total global export revenue fell by 2.2% to $91.4m, while the export value of lemon volumes shipped to Japan – the second-placed market – also decreased to $15.4m from $17.1m, a 9.9% decrease.
As with lemons, mandarins experienced a productive 2020/21 season, with some 183,957 tons exported to the U.S., a 6.8% increase from the season before. Also in common with lemons, the U.S. is the dominant export market for Chilean mandarins, receiving almost 95% of the 193,821 tons exported worldwide. The other notable export increase was to Chile’s third-largest market for mandarins, the UK, where exports grew by over 71% from 2019/20 to 2020/21 to 2,795 tons.
The UK also proved to be the highpoint in terms of export revenue generated, with export value up by almost 47% to $3.3m compared with $2.2m the season before. However, the value of exports to the U.S. dipped by 2.2% to $177.1m from 181m, while overall worldwide export value also decreased by 3.3% to $188.3m from $194.7m.
Total mandarin (including mandarins, clementines and tangerines) planted area rose by 32.6% between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons to 11,194 hectares, continuing a significant increase in production during the past 10 years. By contrast, only 3,629 hectares were in production during 2011/12.
According to the USDA, Murcott has been the preferred variety for much of this time, however – with one eye on China – Chilean mandarin producers are reportedly diversifying into newer varieties, such as Orogrande, Clemenules and Tango.
Almost half of the total planted area is located in Coquimbo region (47%), totalling 5,309 hectares, with the remainder largely accounted for by growers in O’Higgins (21.9%) and Valparaíso (20.7%).
In the case of lemons, the planted area grew from 5,911 hectares in 2016/17 to 8,038 hectares in 2021/22, with production centered on central and northern areas from December to March for the domestic market and June to September for export.
Central Metropolitana region accounts for the bulk of production (41%), followed by Valparaíso and Coquimbo (25% and 20%) and O’Higgins (12%). However, planted area in O’Higgins has grown by over 69% in the past three years, thanks to moderate temperatures and high availability of water, the report said.
Although the report found that Chile’s total orange producing area increased by 07% to 6,371 hectares, it was not enough to reverse the downward trend that has been evident over the past 10 years. In the 2011/12 season, the country’s orange planted area spanned some 7,389 hectares, however this has gradually decreased as producers have shifted to mandarins and lemons because of their higher profitability.
In recent months fresh fruit imports are running higher than expected, and the USDA has upped its import forecast for fiscal year 2022 to reflect higher unit values.
The USDA reported in its May 26 trade forecast U.S. agricultural imports from October 2021 through September 2022 (fiscal year 2022) are expected to increase to a record $180.5 billion, up $8 billion from the February forecast.
The USDA’s May forecast said import values are up more than 20% for the first half of fiscal year 2022 compared the previous year.
The updated fiscal year 2022 forecast for horticultural product imports is $92.2 billion, $3.2 billion above the previous forecast in February.
Fresh and processed fruit imports are expected to rise by $1.2 billion and $1 billion, respectively, as import quantities of these products continue their long-running upward trend and unit values continue to increase, the USDA said.
The May forecast calls for U.S. fresh fruit imports at $17.5 billion, up 7.3% from the February forecast of $16.3 billion and 13% higher than $15.5 billion in fresh imports in fiscal year 2021.
The USDA reported import values of fresh produce commodities for the 12-month period from April 2021 to March 22, with percent change from a year ago:
Berries (excluding strawberries): $4 billion, up 21%;
Ohio farmers grow over 200 types of produce, ranging from grapes to peaches and apples on the fruit side, to tomatoes, sweet corn, squash and pumpkins in the vegetable family. The leading crops are corn and soybeans.
The USDA reports the state has 14.9 million acres of farmland. Food and agriculture make up the top industry, with 44% of the state considered prime farmland. In Ohio, there are around 80,000 farms, 99% of them owned by families, most of them in the Northwest section of the state.
Buurma Farms grows a variety of vegetables, including radish and beets, at its farms in Willard, Ohio, and Gregory, Michigan. About half of its produce comes from each state.
The company reports a very diversified business with no one product standing out. Buurma grows 30 different items, making it easier to fill a truck. They refer to it as one-stop shopping and it’s a niche that helps the company move product.
This year, the weather has been good and production now on schedule for harvesting and shipping.
Buurma sells most of its produce within a 400-mile radius of Ohio but does cover most of the East Coast.
D.R. Walcher Farms in North Fairfield specializes in bell peppers, cucumbers, summer squash, eggplant, winter squashes and fall ornamentals.
The operation sizes, grades and markets its produce. About 40% goes to large grocery chains, either directly or through wholesale brokers; another 40% is for foodservice, mostly to distributors who slice and dice it; and the remaining 20% goes to the commission market, which sells to restaurants and mom-and-pop stores.
One-third to half of the produce grown by D.R. Walcher remains in the Midwest, particularly Ohio, Michigan and Indiana, although does ship further east of the Mississippi.
The farm packs and ships vegetables from its own fields, as well as from other local contracted growers in six states. Then, the produce is all sent out under the D.R. Walcher name.
Per-capita availability of fresh bell peppers has increased fivefold since 1970, and the long-term rise in consumption doesn’t show signs of stopping, according to statistics from the USDA.
The agency reports farm-level, per-capita availability in 1970 was just 2.16 pounds per person, rising to 2.89 pounds by 1980, 5.88 pounds by 1990, 8.19 pounds by 2000, 10.33 pounds by 2010 and 11.33 pounds in 2019.
The extra bell pepper apparently appear is coming from the U.S. imports since the acreage of bell peppers grown in the U.S. has declined in recent years.
The acreage of bell peppers in the U.S. was 31,200 acres in 2021, down from 34,100 acres in 2020, off from 40,900 acres in 2015 and down from 46,400 acres in 2011.
Instead, imports of bell peppers have helped fuel the growth in consumption, according to USDA trade numbers.
The percentage of the U.S. fresh bell pepper crop accounted for by imports rose from 33.8% in 2000 to 46.92% in 2005, 53.3% in 2010, 59.28% in 2015 and 70.51% in 2020.
U.S. imports of bell peppers rose from $455.7 million in 2000 to $917.4 million in 2010, $1.22 billion in 2015 and topping $1.94 billion in 2021.
Mexico accounted for 74% of total U.S bell pepper imports in 2000, and that share of imports increased to 78% by 2021.
Canada is the second-largest supplier of bell peppers to the U.S. and accounted for 19% of total U.S. imports in 2021, up from 11% in 2000. Other global suppliers of bell peppers to the U.S. market include the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, the Netherlands, Israel and El Salvador, according to the USDA.
Delano, California — Four Star Fruit is a premier grower of year-round conventional and organic table grapes, committed to innovation and sustainable farming. The company forecasts an increase in red, green, and black grapes this year during the California season. Four Star recently started harvest in the most southern region of Arvin.
“We are excited to add both conventional and organic acreage to our portfolio in the Southern Valley of California,” said Doug Rossi, sales executive of Four Star Fruit. “The increased volume of production with help our retail partners transition smoothly into the season.”
The California table grape season is following the lead of the Mexican production, resulting in increased volume and movement after a tough import season. The current weather in Southern California has been mild, creating the ideal environment for the fruit to develop, resulting in exceptional eating quality for consumers this summer.
Four Star Fruit, Inc. has been in table grape production since 1987, family-owned and operated for three generations by the Campbell family. Its fields are located throughout the San Joaquin and Coachella Valleys, as well as Mexico. Four Star Fruit, Inc. provides several grape varieties, including its trademarked Pristine®. Four Star caters to all customers, offering both conventional and organic table grapes.
North Carolina grows and ships nearly 70% of sweet potatoes, according to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
North Carolina growers normally start harvesting sweet potatoes in August.
A combination of soils and temperatures are primary reason sweet potatoes in eastern North Carolina lead the nation in production.
The Interstate 95 corridor, around Wilson, Nash, Johnston and Sampson counties, is the heart of sweet potato country.
The growing region includes part of the Piedmont region and a small portion of the eastern part of the state, but not too far east.
The farther east in the state you go, the soil is blacker and not as well suited for sweet potatoes.
2021 harvested area for fresh and processing sweet potatoes combined was nearly 105,000 acres, up from 92,000 acres in 2017 and more than double the acreage of about 40,000 in 2007, according to USDA statistics.
In 2021, about 88% of the entire North Carolina sweet potato crop value was derived from the fresh market.
All of the research and infrastructure investments in North Carolina sweet potatoes have allowed North Carolina sweet potatoes to be available all year long, both for domestic and export.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Despite overwhelming public acceptance of fruits and vegetables as essential to the health of their families, kids and the future of the planet, close to half of all Americans largely ignore the benefits of eating produce.
These are among the highlights of a March 2022 survey conducted by Dole Food Company, Inc., to examine public opinions about the preparation, consumption, motivations and nutrition and environmental benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables. Released today on National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day, an annual holiday created in 2015 to raise awareness and encourage more Americans to adopt a produce-rich diet, the survey results offer a glimpse into the public’s often-contradictory views on healthier eating.
According to the Dole Fresh Produce Survey, which polled 1,038 adults, almost three-fourths of respondents (73%) agree that fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice for their family, while 68% think they taste great, 63% say they are necessary for kids’ lunches and 60% believe they add flavor to any meal. Just over half of respondents (51%) also associate eating more fruits and vegetables with positively impacting the environment.
Almost the same percentage of survey-takers (45%) consider health and nutrition to be the most important factor determining their eating habits, and more than a third (37%) say they consume produce as part of a larger strategy of adopting a plant-based diet or lifestyle.
Finally, on the subject of fruit and vegetable recipes and preparation, close to half believe they can prepare produce in little or no time (48%) and insist they have a meal or recipe in mind when buying from the produce department (46%).
Despite these mostly positive associations with fruits and vegetables, the survey found that almost half (48%) of participants think the general public is still ignorant about the health and environmental impacts of fresh produce, which ultimately limits consumption.
“This survey is more proof of the disconnect between Americans’ desire to eat healthier, including a produce-rich diet, and their ability to make that lifestyle a reality, given all of life’s demands,” said William Goldfield, Dole director of corporate communications. “At Dole, we realize that healthy living can be a challenge – which is why we’re committed to continually providing the highest quality fresh produce, fantastic plant-forward recipes, serving suggestions, education and wellness advice that can transform the desire for increased nutritional health into a daily routine for anyone, regardless of where they are on their personal health journey.”
Goldfield said that past Dole research has helped shape healthy-living campaigns such as this year’s “Healthier by Dole” monthly recipe series that provides healthier, easier and tastier menu alternatives for big and small holidays and eating occasions and new Dole products, including the industry-leading DOLE® Chopped Salad Kit, DOLE® Fresh Takes Ready-to-Eat and DOLE® Sheet Pan lines.
