GAINESVILLE, GA – Tribe Transportation is expanding its fleet with 111 new 53-foot trailers equipped with Carrier Transicold X4™ 7500 refrigeration units to help it meet demand in the fast-growing life sciences sector, which includes the transport of pharmaceutical products. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), a leading global provider of healthy, safe and sustainable building and cold chain solutions.
The acquisition includes Carrier Transicold TRU-Mount solar panels, which help to maintain the charge of the refrigeration unit batteries. Additionally, Tribe acquired 100 Carrier Transicold ComfortPro® diesel auxiliary power units (APUs) to help maintain cab climate control for its drivers.
“The new refrigeration units, with their high capacities, precise temperature control and proven reliability, are helping us to meet the exacting needs of our pharmaceutical and life sciences customers,” said Todd Gooch, Vice President of Transportation for the Gainesville, Georgia-based fleet.
Native American woman-owned Tribe Transportation is one of the fastest-growing minority carriers in North America. Now in its 16th year of operation, the fleet has more than 400 tractors and nearly 900 trailers, serving the refrigerated and deep-frozen freight needs of its expanding customer base.
“We haul everything from candy and produce to ice cream and cryogenic pharmaceutical products, and that unit serves us best over a wide array of customers,” Gooch said about the X4 7500 model, Carrier Transicold’s highest capacity trailer refrigeration unit.
For temperature monitoring and asset tracking, Tribe’s trailers are equipped with telematics devices powered by the refrigeration units’ batteries. Carrier Transicold’s high-performance TRU-Mount solar charging system supplements battery charging, helping to keep all trailers visible through Tribe’s telematics system. “That’s a big plus for us,” Gooch explained, noting that in a drop-type environment where a trailer may be parked without the refrigeration unit running, the battery could lose its charge without the support of the solar panel. Tribe considers the panel’s secure mounting to the top of the refrigeration unit an advantage because it stays with the unit if it is relocated to another trailer.
The fully featured ComfortPro diesel APUs provide air conditioning, heating, cab power, engine warming, and truck battery monitoring and charging. In addition to reducing engine wear and fuel consumption, the APUs improve comfort, which helps with driver retention.
“The APUs are rock solid and the drivers love them,” Gooch said, adding that Tribe’s commitment to the Carrier Transicold brand extends beyond the local dealership, MHC Carrier Transicold, to the entire Carrier Transicold dealer network, which provides service support to the fleet throughout the contiguous United States and Canada.
“Tribe’s fleet expansion moves the cold chain forward to help ensure that medicines reach the people who need them,” said Bill Maddox, Senior Manager, Product Management, Carrier Transicold. “We are pleased to support this effort, at a time when it matters most.”
South Texas onion yields have been reduced thanks to a mid-February freeze, as loadings are getting underway.
Various growers will start harvest mid- to late March. Texas 1015 sweet onions are available from the Rio Grande Valley from March through June, and from the Uvalde/Winter Garden area from May to July.
In recent years, 60% to 70% of Texas spring onions have been sweet and yellow onion varieties, with the remainder 30% to 40% white and red onion varieties.
The Texas International Produce Association of Mission, TX reports onions withstood the February cold much better than citrus and leafy greens.
Texas onions are traditionally harvested the first of March, but the cold weather very well could delay harvest until at least mid-March.
The Onion House LLC, Weslaco, TX expects to start harvesting around about March 25 and notes this year their crop is very late.
The company observes onion crop damage from the mid-February freeze could range from 25% to 40%.
Onion acreage for The Onion House is down around 20%, with total south Texas onion acreage at less than 4,000 acres.
Shipments of Texas onions in 2020 totaled 6.05 million packages, up from 4.99 million packages in 2019 and also higher than the 5.71 million packaged shipped in 2018.
The South Texas Onion Committee of Mission, TX in February, reported onion acreage in the 35 counties making up the regulated marketing order area was about 5,000 acres, off from about 6,000 acres last year.
Industry leaders have estimated yield damage of 15% to 30% to south Texas onions due to the mid-February freeze.
Eating avocado as part of your daily diet can help improve gastrointestinal system health, a new study from the University of Illinois, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences shows.
It is well known that avocados are a healthy food that is high in dietary fiber and monounsaturated fat, which is a heart-healthy fat. However, it was unclear how avocados impact the microbes in the gut.
Researchers found that people who ate avocado every day as part of a meal had a greater abundance of gut microbes that break down fiber and produce metabolites that support gut health. They also had greater microbial diversity compared to people who did not receive the avocado meals in the study, according to the paper.
Avocado is an energy-dense food, but it is also nutrient-dense, and it contains important micronutrients that Americans don’t eat enough of, like potassium and fiber.
“We know eating avocados helps you feel full and reduces blood cholesterol concentration, but we did not know how it influences the gut microbes, and the metabolites the microbes produce,” said Sharon Thompson, a graduate student in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at U of I. “Microbial metabolites are compounds the microbes produce that influence health,” Thompson said.
“Avocado consumption reduced bile acids and increased short-chain fatty acids. These changes correlate with beneficial health outcomes.” While other research on avocado consumption has focused on weight loss, participants in this study were not advised to restrict or change what they ate. Instead, they consumed their normal diets with the exception of replacing one meal per day with the meal the researchers provided.
The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of avocado consumption on the gastrointestinal microbiota, said Hannah Holscher, assistant professor of nutrition in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at U of I. “Our goal was to test the hypothesis that the fats and the fiber in avocados positively affect the gut microbiota,” she said.
Soluble fiber content is important and a medium avocado provides around 12 grams of fiber, which goes a long way toward meeting the recommended amount of 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day. “Less than 5 percent of Americans eat enough fiber. Most people consume around 12 to 16 grams of fiber per day,” Holscher said. “We can’t break down dietary fibers, but certain gut microbes can. When we consume dietary fiber, it’s a win-win for gut microbes and us,” she said.
Consuming grapes protected against ultraviolet (UV) skin damage, according to a recent human study published in the Journal of the Academy of Dermatology.
The study, conducted at the University of Alabama, Birmingham and led by principal investigator Craig Elmets, M.D., investigated the impact of consuming whole grape powder – equivalent to 2.25 cups of grapes per day – for 14 days against photodamage from UV light.
Subjects’ skin response to UV light was measured before and after consuming grapes for two weeks by determining the threshold dose of UV radiation that induced visible reddening after 24 hours – the Minimal Erythema Dose (MED). Grape consumption was protective; more UV exposure was required to cause sunburn following grape consumption, with MED increasing on average by 74.8%.
Analysis of skin biopsies showed that the grape diet was associated with decreased DNA damage, fewer deaths of skin cells, and a reduction in inflammatory markers that if left unchecked, together can impair skin function and can potentially lead to skin cancer.
It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.5 Most skin cancer cases are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun: about 90% of nonmelanoma skin cancers and 86% of melanomas, respectively. Additionally, an estimated 90% of skin aging is caused by the sun.
“We saw a significant photoprotective effect with grape consumption and we were able to identify molecular pathways by which that benefit occurs – through repair of DNA damage and downregulation of proinflammatory pathways,” said Dr. Elmets.
“Grapes may act as an edible sunscreen, offering an additional layer of protection in addition to topical sunscreen products.”
Another record-breaking year of exports is expected in 2021 as New Zealand kicks off its kiwifruit season.
Last year’s record of 157 million trays of export Green and Gold is expected to be topped, reports New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated.
The Gold variety is usually picked first, followed by Green kiwifruit in late March. Harvest peaks in mid-April and runs through until June.
Following the Green and Gold kiwifruit, Zespri’s sweet, the berry-tinged tasting Red kiwifruit, which goes primarily to supermarkets in New Zealand, will be exported to some overseas markets this year.
New Zealand has some 2,800 growers who produce kiwifruit across more than 32,000 acres of orchards between Kerikeri in the north and Motueka in the south.
U.S. fruit imports into the U.S. for 2020 lost a decade of momentum, although there were gains for fresh citrus and frozen fruit, according to new USDA data.
Imports under the ‘Fruits and Preparations’ category – which includes all fresh, frozen and processed fruit – rose marginally to $19.9 billion in 2020 from $19.8 billion in 2019.
The minor increase comes in contrast to the impressive and steady annual growth the category has witnessed since 2010, when imports were registered at $10.4 billion.
The largest category, ‘Other Fresh Fruit’ – which includes avocados, bananas, and berries – held steady at $10.1 billion. Avocados dropped by 12 percent to $2.3 billion, bananas dropped by 2 percent to $1.9 billion, blueberries fell by 5 percent to $982 million, and strawberries declined by 2 percent to $819 million.
Deciduous fruit imports also remained flat at $2.2 billion. Table grapes rose by 4 percent to $1.7 billion, but apples fell by 18 percent to $110 million.
Meanwhile, fruit juices fell by 13 percent to $1.8 billion and processed fruit rose by 2 percent to $1.8 billion.
Citrus imports rose by 11 percent to $1.4 billion, driven mainly by growth in mandarins and to a lesser extent in oranges.
Frozen fruit rose by 26 percent to $1.1 billion, fresh melons fell by 12 percent to $607 million, while dried fruit rose by 10 percent to $520 million, and prepared fruit grew by 14 percent to $504 million.
Looking at the different supplying countries across the total fruit category, imports from Mexico and Chile both fell by 3 percent to $8.2 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively.
Peru was the biggest winner of the top five countries, with imports into the U.S. growing by 17 percent to $1.7 billion. Meanwhile, imports from Guatemala fell by 2 percent to $1.9 billion, while from Costa Rica they rose by 2 percent to $1.1 billion.
Volume with Mexican produce crossings at Nogales set a record in February and it should only increase in the coming weeks.
Ciruli Bros. of Rio Rico, AZ is shipping bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, some hot pepper varieties and tomatoes from the West Mexico growing region. The company says crossings at the border during February has set a record for volume.
The shipper also has launched its Champagne mango program a little earlier this year from Oaxaca, Chiapas and Michoacán. Volume is steady and the company hopes to keep this momentum for the next four months.
At MAS Melons & Grapes in Rio Rico, Ariz., it will continue with core items including several varieties of table grapes, honeydew melons, seedless watermelons.
The shipper also is increasing its volumes on soft squashes such as Italian, yellow and gray, as well as on cucumbers and hard squashes, mainly kabocha, butternut and spaghettis.
The company also is producing a new variety of melons it’s calling Orange Candy. The variety has bright yellow skin with light orange flesh.
Fresh Farms of Rio Rico, Ariz., is loading a wide array of dry vegetables, with increased volumes in varietal corn, green beans and watermelon.
The company will have increased volume of green and red grape varieties from the Jalisco growing region, which has been under development for several years. Jalisco grapes will enter the marketplace around Mid-March and ship to the end of April.
The early grapes are experiencing very strong demand from retailers. The early grapes from Mexico are especially well-timed this year, when Chile is expected to struggle with late season quality.
Grapes from the major production area in Sonora, Mexico, about 800 miles to the north of Jalisco, typically begin in early May. However, the Sonora harvest could be slightly later this year because of cooler weather there.
Orlando, Florida – The National Mango Board (NMB) projects the total volume of mangos shipped to the United States over the next two months to be 34 percent higher year-over-year. The 2021 Guatemalan season is expected to be about 40 percent higher year-over-year compared to 2020, which was cut short due to COVID-19.
The Guatemalan mango season began the last week of February and is expected to run until the first week of June, with a projection of approximately 4 million boxes. The 2020 season was cut about four weeks short due to the pandemic, resulting in 2.8 million boxes, or about 20 percent less volume than projected. From 2015 to 2019, the average shipment from Guatemala was about 3.8 million boxes.
“We usually see numbers around 4 million total boxes for Guatemala in any given season,” said NMB Executive Director Manuel Michel. “Since the 2020 season was impacted by COVID-19, it will obviously have an effect on year-over-year numbers, but when looking at the averages, our 2021 projection of 4 million boxes is very much comparable to what we usually see.”
Peru and Mexico are currently harvesting, packing, and exporting. The Peruvian season is projected to be about 6 percent lower year-over-year, while the Mexican season (through the end of June) is expected to be about 14 percent higher year-over-year. Mexico’s 2020 mango shipments were also affected by the pandemic during the months of March and April, but the 2021 mango volumes during the same period are projected to be normal when compared to prior years.
“We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about mango crop projections and shipment information to subscribe to the weekly Mango Crop Report via our website, Mango.org,” Manuel said.
Mission Produce, Inc. of Oxnard, CA (NASDAQ:AVO), a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, has announced a year-round mango program.
“We’re entering the mango category as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago– in a way it never has been done before,” Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Mission Produce, said. “Mangos offer a long runway with a lot of opportunity– as the number one consumed fruit in the world, adding mangos to our portfolio is a natural addition as we expand our footprint worldwide, without losing focus on avocados.”
“We are in a prime position for market expansion– Mission currently owns 740 acres of mangos in Peru and is on track to source additional fruit from other premier growing regions,” Stephen Fink, Vice President of North American Sales, said.
The USDA in a new report has expanded the variety of vegetables Americans eat over in the last 20 yearst.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service, said from 2000 to 2019, dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables (excluding tomatoes), and legumes increased their combined share of the vegetables available to eat in the U.S. from 16% to 22%.
The total amount of vegetables available decreased by 4% from 417.4 pounds per capita to 400.1 pounds, coming off the low of 369.6 pounds in 2015, said researchers. The USDA’s food availability data for vegetables include fresh, frozen, canned and dried forms, all measured in fresh-weight equivalents, the report said.
Subgroups of vegetables seeing declines, included white potatoes and “other vegetables,” a subgroup containing 16 different vegetables. Availability of white potatoes fell from 138 pounds per capita to 119.1 pounds between 2000 and 2019, and other starchy vegetables fell from 31.3 to 21.2 pounds.
Availability of other vegetables fell from 93.6 pounds per capita to 83.7 pounds; the report said declines in head lettuce, cabbage, and beets in that subgroup were partially offset by increased availability of onions and cucumbers.
Other vegetable subgroups posted increases in supplies available to eat between 2000 and 2019. The red and orange subgroup (minus tomatoes, for which the USDA said availability has remained flat) had the largest increase in availability, growing from 35.1 pounds per capita to 49.0 pounds.
“In terms of growth in availability, sweet potatoes, chile peppers, and bell peppers were the leaders,” the report said.
The increase availability of dark green vegetables from 2000 to 2019 — led by a 47% jump in romaine and leaf lettuce — added variety to American’s vegetable choices.
Higher supplies of kale, spinach, and broccoli also helped boost availability of dark green vegetables from 21.7 pounds per capita in 2000 to 27.5 pounds in 2019, the report said.
A 10% increase in Peruvian avocado exports for the 2021 season are estimated compared to last year.
The Peruvian avocado shipping season is from May through August.
A new report recently released by the USDA forecasts export volume will reach 450,000 metric tons (MT) in 2021, increasing 10 percent by volume compared to the previous year.
Avocado exports already increased 30 percent in 2020, in comparison to 2019, reaching a record of over 410,000 MT.
Although Peru’s avocado exports to the world increased in 2020, exports to the U.S. fell 22 percent by value and 9% by volume to $179 million and 78,665 MT.
International avocado prices in 2020 fell to US mainly due to oversupply.
This change was mostly driven by better pricing in other markets, however, the U.S. still made up 19 percent of total avocado exports last year.
