Latin American fruit and vegetable growers are primed for more growth according to a new 326-pagereport from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization.
Providing the outlook for 2019-2028, there are “strong growth opportunities” in the Latin America region to produce high-value fruits and vegetables. That trend, according to the report, will help provide better opportunities for small land holders.
Since 2000, the report said fruits and vegetables gained considerable importance in Central America, Mexico and Chile.
Research by INIA, Chile’s chief agricultural research institution, has contributed to a 1,000 percent increase in nut exports from 2001-2011 and a big increase in blueberry output. “From being practically an unknown fruit to farmers only two decades ago, today Chile is an important blueberry producer and exporter in the Southern hemisphere,” the report said.
U.S. trade statistics show that Chilean berry exports to the U.S. (excluding strawberries) rose from about $19 million in 2000 to $465 million in 2018.
Future growth
The report said Latin American and Caribbean production of fruits and vegetables have grown considerably in the last few decades, with most volume of exports bound for the U.S. and Canada. Free trade agreements have spurred that growth, according to the report.
In addition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S. has the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua) and separate trade agreements with Chile, Colombia, Panama and Peru.
While Mexico has traditionally been the main fruit and vegetable supplier to the U.S., the report said Central American countries and Chile have played an increasingly important roles in the U.S winter fruit and vegetable market.
For example, USDA trade statistics show that U.S. imports of fresh fruits and vegetables from Central America more than tripled from 2000 to 2018, rising from $920 million in 2000 to $2.94 billion in 2018.
Likewise, U.S. imports of fresh fruits and vegetables from South America more than tripled from $1.27 billion in 2000 to $4.37 billion in 2018.
U.S. imports of fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico from 2000-2018 grew at an even faster clip, rising from $2.04 billion in 2000 to $12.1 billion in 2018.
In 2017, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala and Costa Rica accounted for 75.4% of U.S. total fresh vegetable imports, according to the report.
For fresh fruits, the report said nine Latin American countries represented 92.3% of total U.S imports, led by Mexico, Chile, Guatemala and Costa Rica.
Over the past two decades, harvested area of fruits and vegetables in Mexico increased 26.2% to 4.6 million acres. That compares with increases of 42.2% in Chile and 45.8% in Central America.
“The region’s traditional fruit and vegetable production and exports (Mexican tomatoes and avocados, Chilean grapes and peaches, Central American bananas and pineapples, for example) have risen considerably and have expanded to include, for example, Chilean cherries and cranberries; Central American chillies and peppers, and eggplant; and Mexican blueberries and raspberries,” the report said.
Reflecting favorable weather and labor conditions, Latin American and Caribbean countries may continue to enjoy a comparative advantage in fruit and vegetable production in the future, according to the report. That could be further strengthened by improving storage technology, infrastructure and production practices, according to the report.
Looking ahead, the report said that global population growth and improvements in per capita incomes will help fuel a 1.4% annual growth rate for bananas and tropical fruit in Latin America and the Caribbean over the next ten years. Bananas will account for about half of tropical fruit output, according to the report. Exports will grow at an even faster rate.
“Preference changes towards higher consumption of tropical fruits in developed regions, particularly in the case of avocado, should meanwhile stimulate a further expansion in trade,” the report said. The report said banana and tropical fruit exports from Latin American and the Caribbean are projected to grow at 1.7% annually between 2019 and 2028.
“Latin America/the Caribbean will continue to be the main source of global supplies in bananas and tropical fruits, with its share in global trade projected to remain close to 80% by 2028,” the report said.
Mexican avocado shipments should pick up as fall progresses after experiencing a shortfall this summer.
Mexico’s flora loca — or off bloom — crop peaked recently, and this will be followed by the aventajada crop in September with good volume in October as main shipments get underway. Both California and Peru avocado seasons will be over by this time.
Calavo Growers Inc. of Santa Paula, CA reports peak flavor for Mexican avocados comes between November and June. The company expects Mexico to have a larger crop next year, with December through June looking good for big volume from Mexico.
Healthy Avocado Inc of Berkeley, CA report by October, Mexico will be trucking up to 1,400 loads of avocados per week into the U.S.
Eco Farms of Temecula, CA expects good, steady Mexican avocado volume until mid- to late September, which should be followed by big volume.
Mission Produce of Oxnard, CA agrees August and September were modest for Mexican avocado shipments with good volume arriving by mid- to late October, when the main crop matures.
The United States imported almost 200 million pounds of fresh asparagus from Peru in 2018, according to a USDA report. This year’s volume is expected to be about the same as shipments have been fairly steady over the last five years.
While Peruvian imported asparagus is shipped to the United States throughout the year, its peak season is the fall months; basically now through December.
Research shows about one-third of U.S. consumers purchased asparagus within the past 12 months, with shoppers who live in the West being the most prolific consumers of the product. Surveys reveal 39 percent of those in the West purchase asparagus annually, while the Northeast checks in at 33 percent and both the Midwest and South figures show that about 28 percent of those respective populations purchased asparagus in the previous year.
Anti-cancer molecules have the largest numbers in carrots, celery, oranges, grapes, and cabbage among plant-based foods, according to new research from the Imperial College of London.
In a report titled HyperFoods, Intelligent Mapping of Cancer-Beating Molecules in Foods, researchers said they found that plant-based foods such as tea, carrot, celery, orange, grape, coriander, cabbage and dill contain the largest number of molecules with high anti-cancer likeness.
“Our large scale computational analysis further demonstrates more cancer-beating potential of certain foods calling for more tailored nutritional strategies,” the authors said. However, the research acknowledged limitations of the study’s methodology, including questions of how much bioactive molecules would be needed to fight cancer.
“Nevertheless, food represents the single biggest modifiable aspect of an individual’s health and the machine learning strategy described here is a first step in realizing the potential role for “smart” nutritional programs in the prevention and treatment of cancer,” the authors said. “Moreover, it will pave the way to the future of hyperfoods and gastronomic medicine, encouraging the introduction of personalized “food passports” to provide nutritious, tailored and therapeutically functional foods for every individual in order to benefit the wider population.”
Mushroom shipments for 2018-19 are the lowest in nearly a decade.
The USDA reports there was a drop of 8 percent in both sales and volume, which at 846.5 million pounds is the lowest production since 2009-10.
However, the actual downturn, is likely much lower. The National Agricultural Statistics Service, which compiles the data for the annual report, surveyed growers in just eight states (California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas) instead of all states.
Fresh-market agaricus mushroom sales, however, valued at $1.02 billion, aren’t far off of the past season’s $1.07 billion value, although volume dropped from 813 million pounds to 762 million pounds.
The American Mushroom Institute of Avondale, PA reports Mushroom growers have faced rising costs from adverse weather, labor issues, transportation expenses and consumer preferences changing to favor varieties that cost more to produce, according to the institute.
Fleming Gibson, a NASS statistician who compiles data for the report, said the 8 states in the report represent more than 90 percent of the value of sales from the USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture.
As in past reports, the 2018-19 report breaks out agaricus totals for Pennsylvania and California, the largest producing states. California’s total agaricus sales, for fresh and processing, in 2018-19 were $195.5 million, just slightly lower than the $195.7 million the previous year. The state produced 93.2 million pounds of agaricus mushrooms in 2018-19, down from 93.3 million pounds in 2017-18.
Pennsylvania’s 2018-19 agaricus crop was 556.6 million pounds, down from 572.2 million pounds in 2017-18, and the most recent crop was valued at $557.1 million, down from $572.2 million, according to the report.
According to the report, agaricus and specialty mushroom production was 846.5 million pounds in 2018-19, compared to 917.2 million pounds. The average price per-pound
A decline in U.S. citrus production land shipments during the next decade is predicted by the USDA, while increases with items such as nuts will increase.
Citrus production is projected to decline slowly over the ten-year projection period, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Projecions to 2018. U.S. citrus production will decline from 16.07 billion pounds in 2019 to 14.7 billion pounds in 2028, the agency said.
“The expected declines stem from the loss of bearing acreage in Florida and the continued spread of citrus greening, a citrus disease spread by insects for which no cure currently exists and which has the potential to threaten the entire citrus industry,” the report said. “Declines in citrus production are projected to be offset by increases in noncitrus production.”
Meanwhile, the USDA reported expanding acreage of tree nuts in response to rising demand will boost production and tree nut output will continue to grow over the next ten years.
Big picture
U.S. fruit, nut and vegetable production farm value is projected to grow 2.7 percent annually for the next decade.
The USDA said estimated total farm value of fruits, nuts, and vegetables will reach $68.2 billion by 2028, up from $53.9 billion in 2019.
According to the report, fruits contribute roughly 43 percent of the total value, tree nuts account for 18 percent, and vegetables nearly 40 percent.
Measured by farm weight, the USDA said production of fruit and tree nuts, and vegetables, are projected to rise at an annual growth rate of 0.52% and 0.54 percent per year, respectively.
The USDA said:
Overall fruit and tree nut production is expected to reach roughly 63 billion pounds in 2028;
The value of farm production of fruit and tree nuts is projected to grow at roughly 2.7 percent annually, with tree nuts expected to grow 3% per year, citrus at just under 3 percent, and noncitrus at 2.5 percent per year;
Over the next 10 years, the shares of vegetable production for fresh use and processing are expected to remain at current levels, according to the USDA;
Fresh use is expected to account for roughly 28% of total vegetable production while processed vegetables are projected to make up about 30% of total production;
U.S. fresh vegetable production is projected at 39.5 billion pounds in 2019, and is predicted to rise slightly to 39.8 billion pounds in 2028;
U.S. noncitrus fruit production will grow from 37.6 billion pounds in 2019 to 40.3 billion pounds in 2028;
U.S. tree nut production will rise from 6.8 billion pounds in 2019 to 8.3 billion pounds in 2028; and
U.S. potato production will grow from 46.1 billion in 2019 to 47.4 billion pounds in 2028.
Retail prices for avocados have nearly doubled amid a global shortage of the fruit, but there’s a farm in Florida that’s got those prices beat by a long shot.
Miami Fruit in Florida is growing Pura Vida avocados with long necks and selling them for as much as $47 for a box.
The avocados – that have the normal marble, dark green skin, light green flesh and hard seed center, but with a long neck that starts where the basic avocados come to a point – have been going viral since the farm posted a video to Instagram in early August.
Each of the long-neck avocados weigh between 1-3 pounds, according to NBC’s Today Show reportt on the viral fruit, while California Haas avocados typically weigh 1/3 of a pound. California Haas avocados reached a high price earlier this year at $3.37 each, but per fruit price for the Pura Vida avocados range between $4.38 and $$15.66.
It’s that time of year when light volume in cranberry shipments is getting underway leading up Thanksgiving in late November.
The USDA predicts there will be 1 percent more loadings this season compared to a year ago.
U.S. total cranberry production is forecast at 9.04 million (100-pound) barrels, up 1% from 8.93 million barrels in 2018, according to the forecast.
In Wisconsin, a cold, wet spring put the crop one to two weeks behind normal, but warmer temperatures in July helped the crop catch up. Wisconsin is the leading state for cranberry shipments, with 2019 output forecast at 5.6 million barrels, up about 1% from a year ago.
In Massachusetts, some growers reported excessive moisture, but production was pegged slightly above 2018. Massachusetts is the second ranked leading shipper of cranberries, with 2019 output of 2.3 million barrels, compared with 2.29 million barrels a year ago.
The first-ever North American marketing campaign for the Chilean Kiwifruit Committee is now in full swing and set to continue through the end of September. As of the week of August 5th, more than 19,000 tons of kiwifruit had been shipped to North America, with shipments expected to continue through September.
The Port of Philadelphia is a major receiver of Chilean kiwi.
Karen Brux of the association noted that while retail marketing and merchandising support is crucial, so is ongoing consumer communication. “There are so many choices in the produce department, so we need to make it as easy as possible for consumers to choose Chilean Kiwifruit. How does it taste? What role does it play in a healthy lifestyle? How do you choose a ripe kiwifruit? If it’s not ready to eat, how do you speed up the ripening process?”
The newly formed joint sales alliance of Michigan Fresh Marketing of Grand Rapids and BelleHarvest Sales Inc. of Belding, MI has added Elite Apple of Sparta, MI as another supplier.
The 500,000 cartons Elite Apple has committed to Michigan Fresh Marketing and BelleHarvest represents about half of Elite Apple’s 2019 projected volume, according to a press release.
“After having more than doubled our packing capacity, we’ve decided to add Michigan Fresh and BelleHarvest to our sales group,” Rich Kent, Elite Apple partner, said in the release.
Recently, Elite has added a second packing line to their facility.
“In order to keep up with retail consolidation and industry changes, this allows us the versatility to pursue larger programs for sustained periods of time,” Elite partner Ken Hubert said in the release.
Selling fruit from 8 packing facilities, Michigan Fresh Marketing and BelleHarvest project that they will ship over 3 million cartons of Michigan and Wisconsin apples in the upcoming season.
“We are looking at a favorable apple crop in the Midwest and are excited to work with the exceptional team and partners at Elite,” Michigan Fresh CEO Joe D’Ottavio said.
