From Florida to Georgia and the Carolinas growers and shippers of berries are optimistic for an excellent shipping season.
Naturipe Farms of Salinas, CA grows blueberries in Georgia, North Carolina and Florida and blackberries in Georgia and North Carolina.
The company has blueberries from February through June in Florida, April through July in Georgia and May through July in North Carolina. Naturipe also grows blackberries from May through July in Georgia and June through August in North Carolina.
Excellent quality is expected.
Gem-Pack Berries of Irvine, CA grows strawberries in the Plant City and Dover areas of Florida and in Fort Meade from mid-November to mid-April.
Despite a few weather issues, the company is seeing a very good crop.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami sources blackberries and blueberries from Florida and Georgia from March through June. The company is just starting its Florida berry season and Georgia will start at the end of March or the beginning of April.
The company ships most of its berries to foodservice customers and some retail outlets.
Always Fresh Farms of Plant City, FL saw its strawberries peaking in February and had an early start on Florida blueberries a couple of weeks ago.
The company was seeing a nice crop set up in Georgia on blueberries and blackberries, but that was still a number of weeks away.
Colombian lime exporters see a window of opportunity during January to April when supplies from Mexico to the United States decline.
Exp. Group LLC reports Mexico typically dominates the U.S. lime market. When Mexican volume kicks in other countries producing limes tend to disappear since Mexico’s production volumes are so high no one can compete.
Mexico represents 95% of all limes arriving in the U.S., while most of the balance of 5% is mainly covered by Colombia and to a smaller extent, Peru.
In 2023, Mexico supplied 94.5% of U.S. lime imports.
The demographic shift in the U.S. has helped increase the consumption of Latin American products in the country. Latinos are one of the fastest-growing demographics in the United States. The U.S. Latino population grew 26% between 2010 and 2022, nearing 64 million people.
Colombia’s total volume to the U.S. this season will reach around 2 million boxes of limes. Mexico could hit 35 million boxes by the end of its season.
In 2023, Mexico exported just under 1.1 million pounds of limes to the U.S., while Colombian exports reached 86,815 pounds.
The Chilean grape industry has shipped 20 million boxes globally through Week 8 (March 4), and the Chilean Grape Committee estimates they will end the season very close to 62 million boxes. The U.S. will receive roughly 57% of the total volume…around 35 million boxes.
Chile has exported 15 million boxes to the U.S. through Week 8. Another 20 million will be shipped between Weeks 9 and 17, with the East Coast receiving approximately 15 million, and the West Coast five. Weeks 11 and 12 have been highlighted as the peak weeks for shipments.
Comments Ignacio Caballero, director of marketing of Frutas de Chile and coordinator of the Grape Committee, “More than half of the volume projected for the U.S. market has yet to be shipped, and weekly volumes will increase starting in Week 10. It’s looking like mid-March through April will be a great time for retailers to promote Chilean grapes.”
The Chilean grape industry has seen significant growth this season in exports of Sweet Globe, Allison, Timco, and Autumn Crisp. The variety experiencing the greatest drop in volume has been Thompson Seedless, with volume plummeting by fifty-two percent in response to market feedback. In terms of other export markets, Chile has shipped 11% to the Far East, eight percent to Latin America, and five percent to Europe.
Early season imported grapes from Chile have been reduced because of lack of volume from the Copiapo growing region. Most of those grapes that are normally harvested in November were delayed into December and January.
International Fruit Company of Hammonton, NJ reports during a recent three week period only 8 million boxes of grapes were harvested when it should have been 11 million under normal weather conditions. A year ago nearly 14 million boxes were loaded during that same period.
Frutas de Chile projected this season around 63 million boxes for export, but International Fruit believes the actual volume will be between 55 and 60 million boxes.
According to estimates, there should be about 10 million boxes left in the late season region, and that fruit is simply not there, the company notes.
So the peak of the Chilean season in the U.S. market is expected in mid-March through the end of the month. If the seasons progresses a little better than expected it may last until mid April.
Apparently the Panama Canal is now functioning better during the Chilean season because more water available. This should result in fewer problems for boats transiting the Panama Canal with Chilean grapes.
Kiwifruit and their tangy green flesh are routinely purchased and devoured throughout the year by people across the nation. This is no surprise. Kiwis are high in Vitamin C, dietary fiber, and potassium. The subtropical fruit is also a favorite of many southern U.S. producers since the delicious fruit is traditionally grown in warmer climates. California produces the vast majority of kiwis that are sold in our local grocery stores, but due to recent research advancements from U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists, this may no longer be the case.
This was not a snap decision. The research actually began in 1995 when scientists from the Agricultural Research Service’s Appalachian Fruit Research Service (AFRS) planted second-generation seedlings that originated in Rome, Italy. Only two vines survived the cold winter temperatures between 1995 and 2015, with a record low temperature during that period of –5.8 F. Of those two vines, ‘Tango’ (female) and ‘Hombre’ (male) were planted and evaluated in the AFRS’ orchards before a new crop proved that these particular cultivars could grow and thrive in traditional Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern winter climates.
In a recently published study, researchers noted that both vines grew vigorously, and received little pruning before bearing fruit. There was also no need for supplemental irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, or a warm climate for growth.
“This cultivar isn’t currently found in the grocery store,” said Research Biologist Scientist Chris Dardick. “The flesh and texture are very similar to the kiwifruit that people already enjoy and so is the flavor. It’s easy to grow, extremely pest and disease resistant, and readily available for use by producers and nurseries in colder climate conditions.”
Tango’s fruit yields high quality in terms of size and soluble solids and are comparable to the commercial A. deliciosa cultivar Hayward. It can also remain in cold storage for extended periods of time.
The male pollinizer ‘Hombre’ is not patented and can be publicly made available upon request. The female kiwi ‘Tango’ is patented by the USDA-ARS and can be distributed to nurseries or producers once they obtain a licensing agreement. Both plants (‘Hombre’ and ‘Tango’) are essential to produce the kiwifruit. Limited quantities of budwood and/or plants from ‘Tango’ and ‘Hombre’ are also available upon request for evaluation. For more information, please contact AFRS@usda.gov.The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.
The Chilean Kiwifruit Commission expects similar production volumes this year compared to 2023, which is approximately 130,000 tons.
With sizing of the fruit expected to be similar to a year ago, it was pointed out last year’s shipments to the United States grew enormously.
Looking at the global industry, the agency indicated the northern hemisphere will close a little earlier because there is less fruit. The southern hemisphere season is going to have considerably more fruit than last year because New Zealand grew by 40% in yellow kiwis and 30% in green kiwis compared to 2023.
The volume of yellow and green fruit represents almost 150,000 tons more supply, which is almost all of Chile’s production, “therefore, the volume of supply from the southern hemisphere, although in the case of green, is below historical levels, when adding the growing volume of yellow fruit, will show significant supply from the southern hemisphere.”
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), charged with promoting consumer rights, sued to block what could be the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history. A merger of Kroger and Albertsons, the FTC said, would lead to higher prices, store closures, and job losses.
The $25-billion deal, announced in November 2022, has seen opposition from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, as well as multiple senators and attorneys general. The FTC suit is one of the merger’s greatest challenges so far.
“Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today,” said Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, in a public statement.
“Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.”
As part of the merger plans, the companies intend to divest 413 stores, eight distribution centers, and five private label brands to C&S Wholesale Grocers. The FTC suit has deemed the measures “inadequate”.
“The combined Kroger and Albertsons would have more leverage to impose subpar terms on union grocery workers that slow improvements to wages, worsen benefits, and potentially degrade working conditions,” an FTC statement said.
Kroger responded Monday, stating it would challenge the suit in court and stand behind the merger. Kroger said it would not negatively impact grocery competition and would result in lower prices for consumers and more investments in employee wages.
The company notes mushrooms are a natural meat extender or substitute.
Instead of eating processed meat alternatives, diners can choose healthy mushrooms, which have a meaty texture and umami flavor.
The company notes eating meat can be reduced or replaced by adding mushrooms to recipes. Chefs can use half the amount of ground beef in tacos and add diced mushrooms, which reduces the cost, increases the nutritional value and adds to the flavor.
At Monterey Mushrooms Inc., of Watsonville, CA mushrooms are recognized as a more important part of a balanced, nutritious diet that is high in vitamin D and has numerous cancer-fighting properties, [three times] the vitamin D of fortified milk and more selenium than any other fruit or vegetable.
Zespri, the New Zealand kiwifruit shipping giant, reports the 2024 kiwi season has the potential to be a year of strong growth across all kiwifruit offerings this year. The company is expecting to export about 193 million trays of kiwifruit to markets around the world.
While still early in the season, Zespri’s latest supply estimate reflects the positive growing conditions seen across New Zealand in recent months. This season’s crop will significantly increase the 133 million New Zealand trays shipped last season and up on the 175 million trays shipped in 2021.
“It’s been a far more settled growing environment compared to the last couple of seasons when growers were facing several challenges, including the impact of COVID-19, the significant labor shortage in 2022, and the many climatic events that New Zealand experienced in 2023,” Zespri reports.
“While it’s still early, the crop looks excellent and there’s a lot of excitement and optimism in the industry.
The company notes managing the increased volume of fruit throughout the supply chain and delivering consistently good quality fruit was the key consideration in the industry’s season planning process.
Zespri was closely monitoring the disruption to international shipping though Zespri was not affected by the disruption in the Red Sea, instead shipping via the Panama Canal.
MODESTO, CA — A new study found that eating almonds reduced some feelings of muscle soreness during exercise recovery which translated to improved muscle performance during a vertical jump challenge. These results expand on prior research1 which looked at how almonds affect muscle recovery after exercise.
In the research study2, published in Frontiers in Nutrition and funded by the Almond Board of California, 25 mildly overweight middle-aged men and women performed a 30-minute downhill treadmill run test after eight weeks of consuming 57 g (two ounces) of whole raw almonds daily. The control group ate a calorie-matched (86 g/three ounces) snack of unsalted pretzels. The treadmill test was designed to cause muscle damage to see how almonds affected muscle recovery.
Researchers measured participants’ muscle function; blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation; and perceived muscle soreness using a visual scale, before, during and at three timepoints after the treadmill test. They also measured markers of cardiometabolic health, body composition, and psycho-social assessments of mood, appetite, and well-being at baseline and after eight weeks of almond snacking.
The results: Study participants who ate almonds experienced an almost 25 percent reduction in muscle soreness when performing an explosive power exercise (a vertical jump challenge) over the cumulative 72-hour exercise recovery period. The perceived reduction in soreness translated to better muscle performance during the vertical jump challenge in the almond group versus the control. No significant differences were observed in measures of cardiometabolic health, muscle damage/inflammation, mood state, or appetite for the almond group or the control group.
This study included non-smoking participants who were mildly overweight and occasionally physically active but were not trained athletes. A limitation of this study is that the results are not generalizable to populations with other demographic and health characteristics.
“Our study suggests that snacking on almonds can be recommended to occasional exercisers as a go-to food to help fitness recovery after strenuous exercise,” said Dr. Oliver C. Witard, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition at Kings College London. “Almonds are naturally nutritious with protein, good fats and the antioxidant vitamin E. They can be considered an ideal food for fitness.” One serving of almonds (28 g) has 4 g of plant protein, 13 g of good unsaturated fat and only 1 g of saturated fat.
Dr. Witard’s study joins previous research which examined how regular almond snacking affected exercise recovery for healthy adults who exercise occasionally.
“Sticking to an exercise routine is not easy, so finding dietary strategies to help people be – and stay – physically active is important for public health. Our preliminary findings are encouraging in showing that almond snacking may promote adherence to new training programs among people who are unaccustomed to exercise,” said Witard.
One ounce (28 g) of almonds provides 4 g of fiber and 15 essential nutrients, including 77 mg magnesium (18.3% DV), 210 mg potassium (4% DV), and 7.27 mg vitamin E (50% DV), making them a great snack for healthy active lifestyles.
25 mildly overweight middle-aged, physically active but untrained men and women performed a 30-minute downhill treadmill run test after eight-weeks of consuming either 57 g/day (two ounces) of whole raw almonds or a calorie-matched (86 g/day) carb snack of unsalted pretzels (control).
Researchers measured participants’ perceived muscle soreness, muscle function (measured via a muscle contraction test and a vertical jump physical task) and blood markers of muscle damage/inflammation (creatine kinase and c-reactive protein) before and at 3 timepoints (24, 48 and 72 hours) after the treadmill run.
Over the cumulative 72-hour period after the downhill treadmill run, muscle soreness measured during the vertical jump physical task (an explosive power exercise) was reduced by ~24% in the almond group versus the control, which translated to an improvement in vertical jump performance during exercise recovery. No significant differences were observed in measures of muscle soreness and performance during the muscle contraction tests.
Researchers also measured markers of cardiometabolic health (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol), body composition and psycho-social assessments of mood, appetite and well-being at baseline and after 8 weeks of almond snacking. No significant differences were observed in measures of cardiometabolic health, muscle damage/inflammation, mood state, or appetite for the almond group or the control group.
Study Conclusion: Snacking on almonds for eight weeks reduced perceived feelings of muscle soreness during recovery from muscle-damaging exercise, resulting in better maintenance of muscle functional capacity. This study suggests that almonds are a functional food snack to improve exercise tolerance in mildly overweight, middle-aged adults.
ABOUT THE ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research, and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture.
