Citrus shipper Seald Sweet International of Vero Beach, FL is expanding into avocados with a partnership with Mexican grower Valvilla Produce.
Valvilla is a third-generation company in Uruapan, Michoacan, which has over 900 acres of conventional and organic avocados.
“Our initiative is to develop and strengthen our business by offering direct programs with the growers while adding value and supporting a transparent relationship that benefits all parties” Mayda Sotomayor, managing director of Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet, said in a news release.
Seald Sweet merged with Greenyard in 1998, to form Greenyard USA.
The partnership will focus on weekly retail and program business, with year-round imports; shipments begun crossing at McAllen, TX, in August, according to the release. Shipments could potentially arrive at Greenyard Logistics USA’s Swedesboro, N.J., cold storage and repack facility.
“We want to offer retailers product according to their needs, with flexible packaging and ripening options that adapt to their customers,” Michael Walsh, commodity manager at Greenyard USA/Seald Sweet, said in the release.
Luis Valencia, Valvilla Produce president, said the two companies share values.
“At Valvilla Produce we are convinced that the biggest sources of opportunities are collaboration and partnership, and we need to expose ourselves to that in order to succeed in our businesses,” he said in the release.
Colorado potato shipments could be off 10 percent or more this season due to less planted acreage and weather conditions during the growing season and harvest.
Rain and cool weather last spring delayed the potato harvest in the San Luis potatoes up to 2 weeks in some areas.
The Colorado Administrative Committee reports 8 percent less acreage has been planted this season. Even with favorable weather it is seeing 5 to 10 percent less volume and possibly more for the 2019 – 2020 shipping season.
Still, potato operations such as Fresh Farm Direct LLC of Monte Vista, CO insist quality will be good even with less product.
Skyline Potato Co. of Center, CO expects yields to be similar to last season.
Aspen Produce LLC of Center, CO expects a “really nice” crop for this season.
Potatoes from the San Luis Valley – grossing about $2150 to Chicago.
A new six-acre greenhouse expansion by Wholesum Family Farms in Nogales, AZ will produce an estimate of 3.5 million pounds of organic beefsteak tomatoess.
The expansion adds to the firm’s’ existing 18-acre facility in Amado, Ariz., according to a news release, and will use sustainable greenhouse technology. First harvest is expected in November.
The expansion adds 25 year-round employees and the new production will be Fair Trade certified, according to the release.
After the expansion, all of Wholesum’s beefsteak tomatoes will be grown in the U.S., according to the release.
“This expansion is very exciting for us at Wholesum,” Ricardo Crisantes, chief commercial officer, said in the release. “It keeps with our vision of creating an impact in the organic food industry through a sustainable business model that cares about its workers.”
The Ultra-Clima concept greenhouse offers energy-efficient control of climate conditions and features infared sensors to monitor plant growth, according to the release.
“We focus on social and environmental responsibility in every aspect of our operations and this greenhouse is a reflection of those efforts,” Crisantes said in the release.
The expansion concludes the second phase of Wholesum’s growth strategy, which began with a 12-acre facility built in 2011 and a six-acre greenhouse added in 2014. Two more construction phases are planned, according to the release.
The shipping season for Peruvian sweet onion lasts longer than any other sweet onion area – six to seven months. It starts in August as Vidalia sweet onions are winding down, and continues into February and sometimes March. A high percentage of those onions are exported to the U.S.
Bland Farms LLC of Glennvile, GA is the largest grower-shipper of Vidalia onions with 2,000 acres. It has nearly that much production from Peru. The company typically ships about 2 million 40-pound equivalent boxes of Vidalias, compared to 1.8 million out of Peru,.
Keystone Fruit Marketing Co. of Greencastle, PA points out due to the long onion season from Peru, the product is imported by the country 50 percent of the year.
L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc. of Lyons, GA notes Peruvian onions are particularly important to East Coast markets in the U.S. In the west during the Peruvian season there are sweet onions being shipped out of California and Nevada.
The company points out Chilean sweet onions would be exported to the U.S. in February and March, but in the past seven to eight years that volume is much less..
California grape shipments in the fall of 2018 were up 11.2 percent from September through December compared to the previous year. A similar pattern is expected again as we close out this year.
Sunview Marketing International of Delano, CA credits a lot of this good volume to the firm’s mix of proprietary varieties.
Sun Pacific of Pasadena, CA notes their company has 19 varieties of grapes for shipping as they enter the fall. The operation has growing volume with organic grapes.
The official estimate for California grape shipments was adjusted downward from 116 million boxes to 110 million boxes. However, some observers believe the final packout could be even lower.
Top Brass Marketing of Bakersfield, CA cites excellent volume this season and does not believe loadings have been lagging as they were last year. The company sees the seasonal decline in shipments of cherries, stone fruit and melons as helping grapes take center stage from September through November.
San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $6300 to New York City.
Eagle, Idaho – For eight years, the Big Idaho® Potato Truck, a 4-ton spud on wheels, has been turning heads and stopping folks in their tracks everywhere it goes. This summer, there’s another reason why people are taking a second look at the oversized vegetable. The Tater Team, the trio that travels with the Truck promoting famous Idaho® potatoes, is all women, including the driver. According to CNBC, only 6 percent of all truck drivers are female. So if you think a giant spud is a rare sighting, so is a female truck driver.
This year marks Melissa Bradford’s first year driving the Big Idaho® Potato Truck, and she’s a natural. Born and raised in Idaho, Melissa grew up harvesting spuds with her dad. She became a commercial truck driver in 2008, and in 2016 upgraded to a Class A commercial license, allowing her to operate a vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds. Melissa says seeing people’s reaction to the Truck is the highlight of her job, and she’s amazed at how many people ask her if the potato is real. Melissa is also a spokesmodel for the Duluth Trading Company.
Accompanying her are the “Tater Twins,” Jessica Coulthard and Kaylee Wells, Idahoans and best friends who have been traveling with the Big Idaho® Potato Truck for three years. They’ve trekked across the country countless times promoting the health benefits of Idaho® potatoes to millions of folks who are thrilled to see the largest spud on wheels. “The Tater Team represents the heart and soul of the Idaho® potato brand, and I’m exceptionally proud of Melissa, Kaylee, and Jessica for demonstrating its values on a daily basis,” says Frank Muir, President & CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC).
This summer, the trio will travel approximately 25,000 miles and visit about 60 cities. Some highlights of the 2019 tour include participation in the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hot Springs, Arkansas; a zip around the Indianapolis Speedway track; a stop at the World’s Largest Ketchup Bottle in Collinsville, Illinois; and its annual and highly anticipated appearance at the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. In many of the markets it visits, the Truck supports local charities through its “A Big Helping” program by helping them raise funds and awareness based on their specific needs. The Truck’s complete tour schedule is available at bigidahopotato.com.
The Idaho® potato brand has a long legacy of trailblazing women, and the Tater Trio aren’t the first women to represent Idaho® potatoes. In 2013, the IPC shattered the glass ceiling with the appointment of the first female Commissioner, Peggy Arnzen, a shipper from Benchmark Potato in Rexburg. The first female grower, Mary Hasenoehrl of Gross Farms in Lewiston, was appointed to the IPC in 2017. As industry leaders for many years, both Peggy and Mary have long and impressive backgrounds in farming and agriculture. Their perspective and experience have contributed to building impactful marketing programs designed to reach the IPC’s primary target audience, women ages 25-54.
About the Idaho Potato Commission
Established in 1937, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is a state agency that is responsible for promoting and protecting the famous “Grown in Idaho®” seal, a federally registered trademark that assures consumers they are purchasing genuine, top-quality Idaho® potatoes. Idaho’s growing season of warm days and cool nights, ample mountain-fed irrigation and rich volcanic soil, give Idaho® potatoes their unique texture, taste and dependable performance. These ideal growing conditions are what differentiate Idaho® potatoes from potatoes grown in other states. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.
Chilean exports of fresh blueberries will hit record export volume in the 2019-2020 season, as the country expects to export 115,000 tons this season, 4 percent more than a year ago.
The export increase results from new plantations registered in recent years. Chile has increased by more than 9,880 acres in the last 4 seasons, which will reach full production in the coming years.
Chilean blueberry producers created the winter market for blueberries in the United States, however in recent years there has increasing competition from other couinries including Peru and Mexico.
While Chile was still the number one supplier of imported blueberries to the U.S. market during the 2018-19 season, Chile had a 52 percent market share with Peru at 38 percent and continuing to gain.
ATHENS, GA — The new Carrier Transicold Vector® 1550 domestic intermodal refrigeration system features a thin profile enabling greater capacity utilization within a standard 53-foot North American intermodal container. As a result, up to 7 percent more cargo can be carried for greater shipping efficiency over rail and highway.
“With the Vector 1550 unit, Carrier Transicold engineered a space-efficient transport refrigeration system that fits within a trim envelope that is a third thinner than a traditional transport refrigeration unit in the U.S.,” said Patrick McDonald, trailer product manager, Carrier Transicold. The Vector 1550 unit allows a domestic intermodal refrigerated container to accommodate an extra row of pallets, resulting in cube loads similar to 53-foot over-the-road trailers. The thin-profile Vector 1550 unit also reduces total weight by as much as 570 pounds compared to competitive standard-size refrigeration systems, and by 200 pounds compared to competitive slim-profile designs.
“Compared to its competitive counterpart, the Vector 1550 unit is thinner and lighter, while also being a high-efficiency performer with lower engine run speeds producing as much as 27 percent more cooling per hour per RPM,” McDonald said.
As part of Carrier Transicold’s Vector family, the Vector 1550 unit takes advantage of E-Drive™ technology. Unlike conventional mechanical transport refrigeration units, those with E-Drive technology use a high-output generator direct-coupled to a diesel engine to power a uniquely all-electric refrigeration system. Using intelligent controls, the system can automatically turn on and off individual components, such as the compressor and fans, running only what it needs, precisely when needed. As a result, components run fewer hours and last longer than traditional counterparts.
The simplified, clean refrigeration architecture eliminates most of the serviceable items found in conventional mechanical transport refrigeration systems – traditional parts, such as vibrasorbers, clutches, shaft seals, alternators, drive belts and pulleys that require routine maintenance. As with other units in Carrier Transicold’s Vector platform, the Vector 1550 unit offers integrated electric standby, enabling the unit to be plugged into a power source when parked. This eliminates emissions and noise from the refrigeration unit engine, conserves fuel and reduces operating costs.
The Vector system provides the unit’s full rated refrigeration capacity when on standby, unlike some add-on standby systems that add weight and complexity, without delivering full capacity. The Vector 1550 system also can be coupled with Carrier Transicold’s eSolutions™ telematics system for remote monitoring of system operation and container temperatures, generation of automatic “proof of temperature” compliance reports to maintain food safety standards, and providing enhanced control features, such as remote software updates and data downloads.
For additional details on the new thin-profile Vector 1550 domestic intermodal refrigeration system, turn to the experts in Carrier Transicold’s North America dealer network.
About Carrier Transicold Carrier Transicold helps improve transport and shipping of temperature-controlled cargoes with a complete line of equipment and services for refrigerated transport and cold chain visibility. For more than 45 years, Carrier Transicold has been an industry leader, providing customers around the world with advanced, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable container refrigeration systems and generator sets, direct-drive and diesel truck units, and trailer refrigeration systems. Carrier Transicold is a part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative HVAC, refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies. For more information, visit www.transicold.carrier.com.
WASHINGTON — Lower harvested area and yields pushed fresh vegetable production down 10% last year, to 35.9 billion lbs, the lowest in 19 years and the largest year-over-year drop during that time, the U.S Department of Agriculture said in its Vegetables and Pulses Outlook. In contrast, 2018 production of processing vegetables was estimated at 35.7 billion lbs, up 7% from 2017.
The four largest fresh crops — onions, head lettuce, romaine lettuce and tomatoes — accounted for 46% of total fresh production and 70% of the decline, the U.S.D.A. said. Planted area of onions, head lettuce and romaine lettuce was the lowest in 17 years. In contrast, fresh-market production of carrots, snap beans, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, garlic, spinach and artichokes increased.
Fresh vegetable prices declined about 5% in 2018 “in spite of lower domestic supply and slightly rising exports, which should put upward pressure on the price,” the U.S.D.A. said.
“Two foodborne illness outbreaks occurred in 2018, substantially slowing the market for fresh leafy greens,” the U.S.D.A. said. The four largest price drops were 31% for romaine lettuce, 16% for head lettuce, 15% for leaf lettuce and 14% for spinach.
Production of most processing vegetables declined in 2018, but the total was skewed by a 17% increase in tomatoes (technically a fruit), to 25.6 billion lbs, which accounted for 75% of processing vegetable production. Tomato production fell sharply in 2017 due to drought in California and high carry-in stocks from 2016, the U.S.D.A. said.
Per capita availability of fresh vegetables also declined while that of processing vegetables increased in 2018. But the gap between fresh and processed vegetable availability has widened significantly since the 1980s, with considerably more processed vegetables available relative to fresh market produce prior to the 1980s.
Prices for processed vegetables increased about 11% from 2017 but were down 6% from 2016, the U.S.D.A. said, “despite increased domestic supply and slowing export volume, which should put downward pressure on the price.”
Per capita (domestic production and imports) availability of fresh vegetables (excluding mushrooms, potatoes and sweet potatoes) was 144.8 lbs in 2018, down 8% from a year earlier, and totaled 183.8 lbs when all items were included, down 9%, the U.S.D.A. said. It was the largest annual decline on record. Of the 24 fresh items included in the total per capita availability list, 15 declined, 8 increased and 1 (mushrooms) was unchanged. The largest declines were sweet potatoes (31%), squash (22%) and head lettuce, romaine/leaf lettuce and bulb onions (19% each). The largest increase was carrots (16%).
Processing vegetable per capita availability (domestic production and imports) was 112.8 lbs, up 8% from 2017, including canning vegetables at 89.96 lbs, up 8%, and freezing vegetables at 22.88 lbs, up 7%. The total jumps to 198.5 lbs per capita, up 5% for the year, when mushrooms, onions (for dehydrating) and potatoes for processing are added.
Total U.S. vegetable imports were a record 23.3 billion lbs in 2018, the highest in about three decades, the U.S.D.A. said. Exports were 11.4 billion lbs. The value of imports was $13.9 billion in 2018 compared with the value of exports at $6.5 billion.
“The United States has experienced an increasing trade volume deficit in total vegetables since 2001,” the U.S.D.A. said. “Based on early trade data, 2019 seems poised to fall behind 2018 vegetable trade levels for imports.”
The U.S.D.A. forecast fresh market vegetable production at 38.5 billion lbs in 2019, up 7% from 2018, and processing vegetable production at 35.4 billion lbs, down 0.8%.
Mushroom shipments are expected to be down this fall due to problems with compost and limited labor availability from some areas.
Phillips Mushroom Farms of Kennett Square, PA had adequate supplies last summer but now has less production because it is using new composting materials that are fresh off the fields. The problems resulted from excessive rains or the past two years. This caused deterioration with hay and straw to the point it could not be used. This has resulted in increasing prices for compost.
Ideally, hay and straw weather in the field for up to a month before going into the compost pile. Due to tight supplies, hay and straw are going directly from the field to the compost pile, which can delay optimum production for up to 6 weeks.
Even with optimum production in the weeks ahead the Phillips Musrooms is uncertain it will be able to have enough production for the holidays. There also have been issues with compost, mold, weather and yield issues in British Columbia as well.
Ponderosal Musrooms & Specialty Foods of Port Coquitlam reports continuin issues with its white and brown ,mushrooms., plus problems with adequate labor supplies.
Ostrom Mushroom Farms of Olympia, WA has taken two grow rooms out of production because of a lack of labor, The company also cites the rising cost of labor in Washington since 2017. In 2020 labor costs will increase an additional $1.50 per hour,reaching $13.50.
Ostorm also reports heavy demand for mushrooms during the spring and summer, when consumers usually cut back somewhat in favor of local berries or stone fruit, also has put pressure on supplies.
Monterey Mushrooms Inc. of Watsonville, CA is more optimistic stating it has 10 farms throughout the U.S. and expects to supply is costomers.
Likewise, To-Jo Mushrooms of Avondale, PA. expects to ship adequate supplies to customers into next year.
