In its January report, trade association US Apple of Falls Church, VA unveiled its latest figures showing a 33% year-on-year rise in fresh apple remaining to be shipped and following a consistent upward trend during the past two months.
With volumes standing strong at 112.2 million 42-pound bushels, this shows a 23% rise compared to the January five-year average.
The entity represents the U.S. 26,000 apple growers, nearly 40 state and regional apple associations, and more than 3,700 apple-related companies.
Processing apple holdings totaled 44 million bushels, also showing an increase with volumes 20% higher year-on-year.
By volume, Gala is the largest fresh apple variety in storage this January, with 17.9 million bushels. Honeycrisp comes in second, at 15.5 million bushels.
The Idaho Potato Commission’s latest marketing outreach promotes the nutritional benefits of eating potatoes, which are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 and dietary fiber, according to a news release.
“Idaho potatoes are one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the produce aisle. Not to mention they’re versatile and affordable, making them the ideal staple for busy families focused on eating healthy,” Jamey Higham, president and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, said in the release.
According to the commission, here are the top 10 reasons to eat more potatoes:
Idaho potatoes are the first vegetable to participate in the American Diabetes Association’s Better Choices For Life program.
Potatoes’ versatility makes it a perfect vegetable to pair with many dishes.
When cooked and cooled, potatoes develop resistant starch, a type of fiber that acts similarly to soluble fiber, promoting gut health and metabolic benefits.
Thanks to a potato’s fiber content, it is a satisfying and filling food choice. Including potatoes in meals help consumers feel fuller for longer periods.
Potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates, providing a sustained energy source without causing rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels.
The American Heart Association certified potatoes as a heart-healthy food.
Potatoes are rich in antioxidants and beneficial compounds such as flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids.
Another way to increase potato consumption is through different cooking methods, such as steaming, roasting, baking or grilling.
Potato skins offer a significant amount of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins.
One potato has more potassium than a banana, which helps regulate blood pressure, nerve function and muscle contractions.
33 percent more apples remain in U.S. storages for shipping as of February 1st, compared to the same time last year, according to the U.S. Apple Association (USApple).
The total volume of apples remaining to be shipped was 137 million bushels This is 23% more than the five-year average, according to the report.
Fresh apple holdings, at 98 million bushels, were 36% more than reported on Feb. 1, 2023, USApple said. Processing apples, totaling 39 million bushels, were 26% higher than this time a year ago.
Washington state has the most fruit with 109,266,667 bushels of fresh and processing apples, up from the five-year average of 89,059,710 bushels. USApple reported Washington shipped 3.2 million bushels of apples from fresh storage and 12. 3 million bushels of apples in controlled atmosphere storage between the January and February report.
The total number of apples in storage was 137 million bushels, which is 23% more than the five-year average Feb. 1, according to the report.
Fresh apple holdings, at 98 million bushels, were 36% more than reported on Feb. 1, 2023, USApple said. Processing apples, totaling 39 million bushels, were 26% higher than this time a year ago.
Washington leads the February report with 109.3 million bushels of fresh and processing apples, up from the five-year average of 89 million bushels, according to the report. USApple said the state moved 3.2 million bushels of apples in fresh storage and 12.3 million bushels of apples in controlled atmosphere storage between the January and February report.
New York’s fresh and processing holdings stood at 10.1 million bushels, which is up from the five-year average of 8.4 million bushels. USApple said the state moved 529,872 bushels in regular storage and 299,999 in controlled atmosphere storage.
Michigan’s February fresh and processing holdings stood at 8.6 million bushels, which is up from the five-year average of 5,9 million. The state moved 518,000 bushels in regular storage and 962,800 bushels in controlled atmosphere storage.
For apple varieties, Honeycrisp fresh and processing holdings continue to lead USApple’s February report figures with 20.3 million bushels. The five-year average figure for Honeycrisp holdings is 12.8 million bushels.
Red delicious was in second with 20.3 million bushels of fresh and processing apples. The five-year average holdings for red delicious is 19.8 million bushels. Gala followed in third with 18.5 million bushels of fresh and processing apples, slightly lower than the five-year average for the variety of 19.1 million bushels.
Cosmic Crisp stood at 8 million bushels of fresh and processed apples, the report said.
bushels of apples in fresh storage and 12,290,295 bushels of apples in controlled atmosphere storage between the January and February report.
New York’s fresh and processing holdings stood at 10,135,297 bushels, which is up from the five-year average of 8,364,468 bushels. USApple said the state moved 529,872 bushels in regular storage and 299,999 in controlled atmosphere storage.
Michigan’s February fresh and processing holdings stood at 8,595,000 bushels, which is up from the five-year average of 5,963,000 bushels. The state moved 518,000 bushels in regular storage and 962,800 bushels in controlled atmosphere storage.
For apple varieties, Honeycrisp fresh and processing holdings continue to lead USApple’s February report figures with 20,299,677 bushels. The five-year average figure for Honeycrisp holdings is 12,783,800 bushels.
Red delicious was in second with 20,356,741 bushels of fresh and processing apples. The five-year average holdings for red delicious is 19,880,729 bushels. Gala followed in third with 18,476,610 bushels of fresh and processing apples, slightly lower than the five-year average for the variety of 19,071,917 bushels.
Cosmic Crisp stood at 8,052,381 bushels of fresh and processed apples.
An 8 percent increase from 2023 is forecast for Mexican blueberry shipments, according to a new USDA report.
The U.S. is the top export market for Mexican blueberries, accounting for about 97% market share.
Mexico’s 2024 blueberry production is pegged at 81,000 metric tons, an increase because of sufficient water access and growing export demand, according to the report.
With more than 71,000 metric tons exported in 2022, Mexico ships more than 95 percent of their blueberries to the U.S. market.
The rate of production growth for Mexican blueberries is projected to be slower in 2024 than it was in 2023 due to competition from Peru, according to the USDA.
In 2023, Mexican blueberry production reached an estimated 74,800 metric tons, a 12 percent increase over the previous year due to production innovations and strong export demand.
Mexico’s blueberry industry has seen rapid growth in the past decade, with rising prices encouraging growers to expand production or switch from other crops to blueberries.
Mexican blueberry volume grew more than 80 percent between 2017 and 2022, with Mexico currently the world’s fifth-largest blueberry producer.
Mexico’s harvest use to start in early October, peaking between late April and early May. In contrast, for the 2024 harvest, producers have taken steps to delay the start of the harvest to early February in response to competition from Peru, which offers a similar product at lower prices during the October to January period, according to the USDA.
Producers are actively switching away from the biloxi blueberry variety to take advantage of the ongoing development of improved varieties that provide higher yields and better taste. 23 percent of the blueberry area is currently planted with the biloxi variety and 74 percent is planted with proprietary varieties.
The vast majority of Mexican blueberries are exported. Mexican blueberry exports totaled 71,509 metric tons in 2022, down about 2 percent compared to 2021.
Peru officially became the leading table grape exporter in the world in 2023, taking the top spot once held by Chile and commanding 16% of the global trade for this commodity. Now, holding the second place, the Chilean industry is betting on varietal change to make a comeback.
The Chilean Table Grape Committee posted its first 2024 estimate in late October, projecting over 60 million 180-pound boxes to be harvested this upcoming season. With harvest underway in most producing regions, projections remain optimistic.
Uvanova reports the central producing regions are significantly early, particularly in shorter vegetative cycle cultivars such as the white Superior and Thomson varieties.
Uvanova is estimating volumes of 62 million boxes, Cruz warns that yields could be later and lower than expected due to higher temperatures.
As for exports, Uvanova sees a possible increase.
During the second week of the season, three million boxes were shipped. This compares to 1.9 million boxes a year ago. In terms of percentage exported to date, Chile has exported about the 60 million boxes or 5 to 8% of the total.
Heavy rains in California plummeted strawberry shipments in early February. Additionally, volume out of other growing regions also are down significantly.A
Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA ships strawberries from the Oxnard, CA, area and reports loadings canceled for a few days as the area received more than five inches of rain in early February.
California strawberry shipments are typically lower this time of year, but other regions such as Florida and Mexico also are far behind usual volumes.
Agtools Inc. of Irvine, CA in its February 7 weekly volume report showed an increase of 163,000 pounds from Mexico, for a total of 16.6 million pounds year-to-date, but Florida production was down 2.5 million pounds (7 million year-to-date) and California was down 2.6 million pounds (286,800 pounds year-to-date).
The National Association of Berry Exporters (Aneberries) has kicked off the berry season in Mexico, projecting a total production volume of 900,000 tons of berries.
Currently, in Mexico, there is a total area of 170,500 acres of berry production, mainly in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Baja California, and Sinaloa.
In addition, the sector will generate more than half a million jobs during the season to bring berries to consumers’ tables.
The industry is expecting to export 460,000 tons of berries, which marks an 11% decrease from the volume exported last year. The value of the exported fruit to markets in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia will total approximately $3.8 billion, which keeps Mexico as the main exporter of this product.
Aneberries reports the blueberry is the only berry that participates in a truly global market, the other berries compete mainly in the North American market.
Maersk plans to eliminate Panama Canal vessel transits on a north-south service between Oceania and the U.S. East Coast, citing the ongoing drought that has reduced ship transits and container carrying capacity through the waterway, Journal of Commerce reports.
The Copenhagen-based carrier said Wednesday that its OC1 service linking Australia and New Zealand with the ports of Philadelphia and Charleston will instead use a 50-mile rail service across the Isthmus of Panama to handle cargo between the Atlantic and Pacific.
As a result, the OC1 service will be broken into two loops, Maersk said. The Pacific loop will drop off northbound cargo at Balboa for the land bridge service via rail to Manzanillo, where the Atlantic loop will retrieve the cargo and resume waterborne service.
The carrier did not say whether the nearly 26-day transit time from New Zealand to Philadelphia would change due to the land bridge. It said that while northbound cargo will not be delayed, southbound cargo may see some delays.
Other Maersk services from Asia to the US East Coast will continue to use the Panama Canal.
Along with the Panama Canal, Maersk said the OC1 would omit Cartagena, Colombia, as a call. It also directed shippers to the option of its PANZ service between Oceania and the US West Coast.
Maersk said the decision to omit the Panama Canal crossing on OC1 was “based on current and projected water levels in Gatun Lake,” which provides the water to raise and lower vessels in the canal’s locks. As of Wednesday, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said Gatun Lake was at 81.6 feet, compared with a five-year average water level for January of 86.9 feet.
Low water levels have forced the ACP to only allow 24 ships of any size to transit the Canal daily, down from the 35 to 40 ships it could handle before the ongoing drought that has reduced Gatun’s water levels. Ships must also carry less cargo as the Canal is limiting the maximum depth of neo-Panamax vessels to 44 feet from 50 feet. Smaller Panamax vessels, such as the ones in the OC1 service, are restricted to a 39.5-foot depth versus the typical 45 feet.
In early December, ocean carriers in THE Alliance said they were preparing to divert east-west vessel services from the Panama Canal due to the potential for transits being reduced to as few as 18 by February. But with better-than-projected water levels on Gatun Lake, the ACP did not implement that further reduction.
(Note: Since this press release the state of California has issued a state of emergency that covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in Southern California due to torrential rains and flooding. Strawberries could be a primary crop adversely affected by this weather. An update will be provided on how crops and shipments are affected.)
By Bobalu Berry Farms
Oxnard, CA — As the company heads into the 2024 strawberry season, partners at Bobalu Berry Farms are reviewing how the crop looks today compared to the very unsettled beginning at this same time last year.
Thankfully, January has been much more forgiving in 2024 than 2023 with the volume coming out of Oxnard, currently double of what it was at this time in 2023. The plants are healthy, staying somewhat dry, and providing excellent fruit, even though we are still technically in Winter.
The Oxnard region has received its share of rain already, but with dry days in-between and nice breezes, the plants are thriving. Additionally, Santa Maria is showing some signs that the spring season there will begin very soon.
“While this is all very good news for our strawberries, the challenge we are facing now is the inclement weather in our receiving markets”, says Anthony Gallino, VP of Sales. “When you can’t get trucks to the east coast due to blizzard conditions and flooding rain, that affects all of us”, he adds.
Consumers typically begin filling up their shopping carts at this time of year with fresh strawberries from California to help them get that taste of Spring during the winter across the country. However, when they can’t get to the store due to weather conditions, demand takes a hit, so the Bobalu team is working to keep the pipeline full, and is diverting some fruit to markets that are not impacted by weather at this time.
“The fruit from our ranches here in Oxnard and from our partner fields in Mexico is excellent right now and we are ramping up for the Valentine’s Day demand”, says Gallino. The company expects to have promotable volume to supply their partners with high quality fruit and stems for the upcoming holiday.
Once Bobalu Berry Farms gets into February, the sales team will be focused on promoting the Spring crop from Oxnard, Mexico and Santa Maria as they prepare for an early Easter this year.
CASTROVILLE, CA – Ocean Mist Farms, the leading grower and marketer of fresh artichokes in North America, announced their winter artichoke season in Coachella is well under way peaking with harvests of their Gold Standard (green globe) artichokes, as well as first picks of highly sought-after purple artichokes. Peak season on artichokes means promotable volumes to retailers through February.
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The first Frost-Kissed® crop of the season was also being harvested a couple weeks ago out of their southern growing region in Coachella, Calif. According to Director of Sales, Joe Angelo, “These exclusive artichokes were not available last year as they only occur after frosts, much to the disappointment of artichoke aficionados who know that the darkened skin on the outer leaves is strictly cosmetic, doesn’t affect the eatability or quality of the artichoke and, in fact, the frost seems to seal in a more intense and distinctive nutty flavor.” Continuing, “A possible second wave of Frost-Kissed artichokes may be available next month, weather contingent.”
About Ocean Mist Farms
Ocean Mist Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned business in Castroville, Calif., the largest grower of fresh artichokes in North America. The company’s full line of 30+ fresh vegetable commodities include their Gold Standard green and purple artichokes, as well as a valued-added and Season & Steam product line.
