A 5 percent decline in mango volume from Ecuador as being forecast from last season.
The Mango Ecuador Foundation reports last season there were about 13 million boxes exported, but this year it is expected to be around 12.4 million boxes. Approximately 80 percent of production is exported to the U.S., with most of the rest going to Canada, Europe, Mexico and Chile.
The main factor behind this decline is the weather, especially the low temperatures in growing regions over recent months. In addition, the industry is experiencing an off-bearing year, he said.
The peak export weeks are expected to be the last half of November. Peak shipments are forecast to be flatter than normal. Although there will be a volume peak, it will be less of a peak than in previous seasons.
With Mexico finishing up earlier than normal, which created an attractive window for Brazilian mangoes, a good transition without any oversupply in the market is expected. The main varieties produced by Ecuador are Ataulfo, Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Keitt.
A Guinness World record for the Ozblu blueberry variety has again been set, breaking a record for an Ozblu berry 2 ½ years ago.
The 16.2-gram (0.57-ounce) berry breaks the previous record of 12.39 grams, according to a news release, and was grown by Dave and Leasa Mazzardis, founder of Natures Select breeding program in Wibinga, Australia.
The Mazzardis work to produce low-chill evergreen blueberry genetics that are viable for growers and offer consumers juicier, crunchier and tastier berries, according to the release.
“While larger blueberries are a result of this natural selection process, and although some markets do prefer ‘jumbo’ size berries, our focus amongst other agronomical traits remains delivering a consistent and quality eating experience to the consumer,” Dave Mazzardis said in the release.
The record was officially recorded by the Guinness organization on Sept. 20.
At 36.3 millimeters, the record-setting berry is more than twice the diameter of the average 18 millimeters of an average Ozblu.
Berry size is not the most important attribute, said Roger Horak, founder of United Exports, which licenses the Ozblu variety.
“We are intent on growing the best blueberries on the market and this means that taste, crunch and flavor are our priorities,” he said in the release. “Dave and Leasa just happen to grow record-sized.”
By Veronica Marshall Broker’s Assistant, ALC Boston
Everyday there are millions of drivers on the road in the U.S. Unfortunately many of these drivers see or experience the dangers of driving while fatigued.
We have to take responsibility for our own actions. If we feel tired but think we could go another five miles or so, don’t do it. Some people are unaware of how tired they are and begin to fall asleep behind the wheel.
Truck driving is a popular industry and can become competitive. It is important for us to remember that the safety of everyone on the road is our top priority.
Can you imagine if all our truck drivers were tired, set the wrong temperature or crashed and never made it to their destinations? Not only is being alert important for driving but you also need to be attentive to temperature controls, especially with refrigerated freight.
The produce cannot be too cold or hot during the trip. Every product, especially produce, is different when it comes to temperature requirements. The products have a limited time to stay fresh in our trucks, which is why we must be vigilant.
If deliveries are late, the integrity of the produce could begin to deteriorate. With everything going on in the world today we need our produce delivered in the shape that it was picked up in. This is why truck drivers need to be alert and attentive when transporting produce. Here are some tips on how to remain alert and attentive while driving:
Ensure you are getting adequate sleep on a daily basis.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Avoid taking medications that may cause drowsiness.
Be aware of warning signs to know when you should take a break. Warning signs can include frequent yawning, eyelids feeling heavy, blurred vision, inability to concentrate, feeling your head start to tilt or fall to one side.
Overall, its is important for all truck drivers to sleep well before long hauls, follow hours of service regulations, and recognize and acknowledge feelings of fatigue. If needed, find a rest stop or safe place to pull over and rest. The safety of truck drivers and other drivers on the road is a top priority.
Veronica Marshall began working for the Allen Lund Company in April of 2019, as a broker’s assistant for the Boston office. Marshall earned a degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Peru’s mango export volumes are expected to be heavily affected by the ongoing drought in the country.
The Peruvian Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (APEM), reports Peru could export about 200,000 metric tons (MT) of mangoes in the 2020-21 shipping season, which will begin in November. This volume would be much lower than the record 234,000MT exported in the previous year, and cannot be completely explained by having high volume one season and lower volume the next.
There are other other variables in the forecast such as drought. The reservoirs are reaching historical minimum levels, with a lack of rain on the Peruvian coast, especially on the north coast, that could affect all the crops on the coast, including mangoes.
Mango plants needed to be constantly watered at this stage of their growth so that the fruit reaches the size the market requires. There also was a La Niña phenomenon in development, reducing rain falls.
The San Lorenzo reservoir, which is currently at half its capacity, stores the water to irrigate all the crops installed in the San Lorenzo Valley (Piura), which is the main mango producing area.
The harvest is over in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota and shippers are expected make a big rebound from a disastrous season a year ago thanks primarily to too much rain.
The Northern Plains Potato Growers Association of East Grand Forks, MN estimates 30 percent of the association members’ crops were lost, and some individual growers lost nearly their entire acreage. This year is expected to be totally different.
A & L Potato Co. of East Grand Forks expects to be at full capacity for the first time in years. Last year, the company, lost 95 percent of its red and yellow potatoes.
Nokota Packers Inc. of Buxton, N.D., started digging potatoes the week of Sept. 14, with ideal digging conditions. The company has finished it red potato harvest a couple of weeks ago.
Lone Wolf Farms of Minto, N.D., reports similar conditions and started shipping in mid-October.
Folson Farms Corp. of East Grand Forks, ships red and yellow potatoes and had some digging delays due to dry conditions.
J.G. Hall & Sons, Edinburg, N.D., along with O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc., Crystal, N.D., will started shipping potatoes out of storage from H & S FreshPak Inc., Hoople, N.D., in October. Hall & Sons is just now start to ship its own potatoes.
Growers have been shipping about 80 percent of their potatoes to retail stores and 20 percent to foodservice. Foodservice business has been hit much harder by COVID-19.
Up to $1 million for a solution to the 50,000 tons of pomegranate husks is being offered by The Wonderful Co. of Los Angeles. Each year this amount of husks are for the production of Pom Wonderful juice.
ReFED, a nonprofit working to end food loss and waste, is an advisor and managing partner for the challenge, according to a news release. Dubbed the Wonderful Innovation Challenge, the program offers up to $1 million in funding and development resources for environmentally friendly solutions to the rind, pith and seeds left from the juicing process.
“The Wonderful Innovation Challenge was born out of our mission to continually push the boundaries of sustainability by embracing bold, innovative ideas,” Steve Swartz, vice president of strategy at The Wonderful Co., said in the release. “This competition will provide a select group of winners the resources they need to grow their business, make a positive impact, and help us fulfill our environmental mission.”
Registration is open through Dec. 7 to apply for the program, which has four review stages:
“The Wonderful Innovation Challenge was born out of our mission to continually push the boundaries of sustainability by embracing bold, innovative ideas,” Steve Swartz, vice president of strategy at The Wonderful Co., said in the release. “This competition will provide a select group of winners the resources they need to grow their business, make a positive impact, and help us fulfill our environmental mission.”
Registration is open through Dec. 7 to apply for the program, which has four review stages:
Submission of a short application with a proposal;
Qualified applicants will submit a detailed plan;
Semi-finalists will participate in a virtual interview; and
Finalists will pitch their solutions virtually to judges.
The finalist will compete for the $1 million award pool and request the amount needed for their proposal, according to the news release.
The competition will generate ideas for the company to help it solve other sustainability issues, according to the release.
“Innovation can play a critical role in driving efficiency and value, as well as in addressing environmental challenges,” Alexandria Coari, director of capital and innovation at ReFED, said in the release. “The Wonderful Innovation Challenge is a call for inventive solutions that can create value from this byproduct.”
The Wonderful Co. has invested more than $1 billion in environmental sustainability and climate change projects, including $400 million in water-efficient irrigation, cutting energy use and $60 million in solar energy projects.
A year ago, The Wonderful Co. owners Stewart and Lynda Resnick pledged $750 million to Caltech to support its environmental sustainability research.
Mexican tomato exports to the U.S. in 2020-21 are expected to increase 2 percent compared with 2019-20 levels, according to the USDA.
Mexico tomato exports tomatoes have increased from $406 million in 1995 to $2 billion in 2019, and the U.S. accounts for 99.7 percent of all Mexican exports. Mexico’s tomato planted area from October 2019 to March 2021 is forecast at 114,928 acres, 3 percent higher than the previous year.
The USDA annual report on Mexican tomatoes forecasts exports to the U.S. from October to September 2021 will total 1.87 million metric tons, 2 percent above the previous year.
Since Mexican tomatoes are produced in a fall/winter cycle and a spring/summer cycle, the USDA measures the agricultural production year over 18 months to capture all growing areas.
Mexican tomato production for agricultural year 2020 (October 2019 to March 2021) is forecast at 3.33 million metric tons according to Mexico’s Agrifood and Fisheries Information System. That is 3 percent lower than the previous agricultural year because of volatile weather in Sinaloa during the fall and winter cycle and acreage reductions.
The forecast for agricultural year 2021 (October 2020 to March 2022) is 3.47 million metric tons.
Since public health restrictions for COVID-19 were put in place, potato sales at retail have been well above historical levels. This has continued throughout the summer, even as some of these restrictions have been relaxed. For the period from March 16 – September 6, 2020, sales of potatoes have been up every week, and the total value and volume are up 22 percent over the same period in 2019.
All categories, except prepared sides at the deli (many of which have been closed or refigured), have shown increases but the largest gains were for canned, dehydrated, and frozen potatoes. Fresh potatoes have also fared very well, with a 24 percent increase in volume and a 33 percent increase in value. Potato chips, the largest category at retail, has also performed well; up 8 percent in volume and 15 percent in value.
The greater increases in the dollar sales over volume reflects significant increases in the price per pound through the summer. The largest increases in price per pound were refrigerated and fresh potatoes, up 7.6 percent and 7 percent compared to the same timeframe in 2019.
Fewer table grapes remain in storage in California than at the same time during the previous two seasons, according to a USDA report.
There were 9.3 million boxes in storage as of Sepember 30, according to the Western Fruit Report Grape Cold Storage Summary. This compares with 10.4 million boxes on the same date last year, and 12.9 million boxes in 2018.
The Scarlet Royal variety had the highest number of grapes in storage with 2.2 million boxes – 50 percent of the 2018 figure and 1 million below 2019. The next biggest variety was Autumn King. But unlike Scarlet Royal, the storage numbers of this variety on September 30 have been showing an upward trend over the last three years, with 1.7 million boxes this year compared with 1 million in 2018.
The next two largest varietal categories – ‘other white’ and ‘other red’ – have both seen downward trends over the last three years, now registering 1.5 and 1.4 million boxes respectively. Alison and Red Globe have also been declining, while Sweet Globe has been rising.
WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON – Washington state, the nation’s leading producer of apples, is expecting a smaller crop yield this year. Washington produces 65 percent of the fresh apples grown in the U.S., and as growers are reaching the midway point of harvest, they are observing an approximately 10 percent lighter crop load on the trees than the original estimate released in August.
The first forecast released by the Washington State Tree Fruit Association on August 1st, predicted a 134 million box (40 lb.) crop based on grower estimates. Apple harvest begins in August and ends in early November. Currently, growers and orchard crews are about 70 percent through picking.
At the October 8th Washington Apple Commission Board of Directors virtual meeting, industry members discussed the progress of the crop and contributing factors to the lower volume; alternate bearing season lightening the number of apples per tree, a recent windstorm, and more selective sort-picking happening in the orchard as growers work to improve pack outs in the warehouse.
“It is the growing consensus that the 2020 apple crop will be lower than earlier published estimates. This can be attributed to both a reduction in the quantity of bulk bins harvested, as well as lower conversion yields to packed boxes,” says James Foreman, Chairman for the Washington Apple Commission Board of Directors.
Sizing appears to be smaller this year compared to last season as well, but it is region dependent. Washington’s growing regions spread along the state’s major river from the bottom of the state to the north Canadian border.
The apple category is experiencing an uptick in demand due to COVID-19 bringing health and nutrition to the forefront in the minds of consumers, and as result, an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption.
The 1,260 apple growers in the state produce eight core varieties: Gala, Red Delicious, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cripps Pink, Golden Delicious and Cosmic Crisp®. Over 50 other ‘club’ or proprietary varieties are also grown in Washington. In addition to being the top producer of apples in the country, Washington represents 85% of all U.S. organic apple production. Apples are the number one produced commodity in Washington and have a $3 billion state economic impact.
The Washington Apple Commission is a non-profit, promotional organization dedicated to marketing and advertising fresh Washington apples internationally. For more information on the Washington Apple Commission, visit www.bestapples.com.
