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Here’s some information on potato shipments you may not know….Plus, a new import item to the U.S. is coming – Argentina lemons.
Potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. This also means the nationwide spud crop contributes about 15 percent of farm sales receipts for vegetables each year. Annually over 30 billion pound of potatoes are grown and shipped in the nation.
More than 50 percent of potato sales are to processors for french fries, chips, dehydrated potatoes and other potato products. The balance goes to the fresh market.
Economists who crunch food consumption data collected by the USDA have come to the conclusion the average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a year, or almost 365 potatoes per person. That is an average of a potato a day. Potatoes are grown commercially in every state from Florida to Alaska, but about 30 states produce the commercial crop.
In terms of nutrition, the potato is best known for its carbohydrate content, about 26 grams in a medium potato. That potato, eaten with the skin, provides 27 milligrams of vitamin C, 620 milligrams of potassium, 0.2 milligrams of vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.
The fiber content of a potato with its skin is equivalent to that of many whole grain breads, pastas and cereals. But unlike most of its processed carbohydrate-cousins, that medium potato has just 110 calories and is sodium and cholesterol free.
San Luis Valley, Colorado potato shipments – grossing about $2150 to Chicago.
Argentina Lemon Imports
Lemons from Argentina are poised to win import approval from the USDA after officials visited the Northwest region of the South American country making sure certain standards are met.
Import permits will be issued to Argentine lemon exporters when agriculture officials provide six months of fruit fly trapping data and USDA verification of the data.
The USDA said annual imports of fresh lemons from Argentina are expected to range between 15,000 and 20,000 metric tons. Most Argentine lemon imports are projected between April 1 and August 31.
U.S. fresh lemon production averages about 497,350 metric tons per year.
by Biing-Hwan Lin and Rosanna Mentzer Morrison
Data on vegetable consumption broken down by income level reveal that individuals (children and adults) in households with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty level consumed smaller quantities of potatoes and tomatoes than people in households with incomes above that level. In 2007-08, lower income individuals consumed 49.3 and 28.1 pounds per person per year of potatoes and tomatoes, respectively, and those with higher incomes consumed 53.8 pounds of potatoes and 32.1 pounds of tomatoes per person. A bigger difference was observed in consumption of other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato): 85.8 pounds per person for higher income individuals versus 69.8 pounds per person for lower income individuals.
The more educated the adult, the more other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato) eaten. In 2007-08, college-educated adults consumed 187.4 pounds of total vegetables per person per year, of which 100.7 pounds were other vegetables. Adults with only a high school education ate 181.9 pounds of total vegetables per person, of which 87.6 pounds were other vegetables. Adults who had less than a high school education consumed 158.2 pounds per person of all vegetables, of which 76.3 pounds were other vegetables.
Consumption Trends Consistent Across Demographic Groups for Juice…
Total fruit consumption was lower in 2007-08 than in 1994-98 for all four age and gender groups. For example, girls’ consumption of fruit declined from 131.3 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 121.2 pounds in 2007-08. Some of the decline in total fruit consumption was due to less orange juice being drunk by all four groups. Orange juice is the largest fruit category in terms of consumption, and average U.S. consumption fell from the equivalent of 38.3 pounds of oranges per person per year in 1994-98 to 30.9 pounds in 2007-08.
Falling orange juice consumption, however, was not the only driver of declining fruit consumption—declines were common for other fruits as well. Apple juice, berries, and grapes were the only fruits and fruit categories that had higher average U.S. consumption in 2007-08 than in 1994-98. Every demographic group examined displayed the same patterns for apple juice and orange juice consumption—larger quantities of apple juice and smaller quantities of orange juice were consumed in 2007-08 versus 1994-98.
… But Not For Whole Fruits
Trends in whole fruit consumption were not consistent across demographic groups. In this study, whole fruits comprised all categories of fruits consumed, minus orange juice and apple juice. Thus, whole fruit consumption includes a relatively small amount of juices from other fruits, such as pineapple juice and grape juice, in addition to whole fruits. Federal dietary guidance advises that at least half a person’s recommended daily intake of fruits be whole fruits.
Whole fruit consumption declined for the age and gender groups between 1994-98 and 2007-08. For example, boys’ consumption of whole fruits fell from 71.9 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 65.4 pounds in 2007-08. For non-college-educated adults, consumption of whole fruits was relatively stable over the period, averaging around 65 pounds per person per year; for college-educated adults, it fell from 93.7 pounds in 1994-98 to 83.2 pounds in 2007-08.
Higher income consumers’ consumption of whole fruit fell from 81.2 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 75.7 pounds in 2007-08, whereas lower income individuals consumed similar quantities in both periods. Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics’ consumption of whole fruits declined between 1994-98 and 2007-08, while non-Hispanic Blacks’ consumption in the two periods rose from 65.5 to 71.4 pounds per person per year.
Multiple Factors Affect What We Buy and Eat
ERS’s food availability and loss-adjusted food availability data show that Americans are not increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, despite the exhortations of health and nutrition experts. Federal food intake surveys also point out lower fruit and vegetable consumption. The big question for future research is why? In some cases, one or two particular fruits and vegetables make up much of the decrease. For vegetables, U.S. potato consumption has fallen from 61.3 to 52.0 pounds per person between 1994-98 and 2007-08, with bigger relative drops for boys and no change in potato consumption for non-Hispanic Blacks. Declining orange juice consumption among all demographic groups is the largest contributor to lower fruit consumption.
Substitution among some products is also evident. Head lettuce is down, but leafy greens—such as spinach and kale—are up. Between 1994-98 and 2007-08, consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables by women grew slightly from 85.5 to 87.7 pounds per person per year. For girls, boys, and men, small declines in consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables occurred. Less bananas and citrus fruits are being consumed, but consumption of berries has risen over the decade. Increases in some whole fruits were not enough to offset declines in other fruits, and whole fruit consumption fell for all age and gender groups.
Food choices are complex, and a multitude of factors affect what we buy and eat. Life style changes and time constraints can determine if we sit down with a glass of orange juice for breakfast, grab a banana on the way out, or forgo the meal altogether. Time for and interest in cooking play a role, too. More eating out could mean more fries on the side or consumption of vegetables not usually prepared at home. Dietary fads and widespread popularity of ethnic cuisines can cause shifts in food choices, including for fruits and vegetables.
The price of products and the income available to buy them can also affect a person’s food choices. Smaller food budgets over time or higher prices due to supply constraints or other factors can induce one to switch to a lower priced alternative food item. Observing national trends and patterns for demographic groups is a first step in analyzing what is driving food choice and potential changes over time.
Florida fall vegetable volume for the majority of items is expected to be pretty normal over all, although early season loadings will be lighter than usual.
While that is good news, keep in mind that these loadings of items ranging from bell peppers to cucumbers and squash, plus other southern vegetables is relatively light, especially compared to Florida’s primary shipping season for vegetables, which is in the spring. This also results in multiple picks and drops, so keep this in mind when considering produce freight rates.
After heavy September and October rains, pepper harvesting is expected to begin with variable yields and quality, while green bean loadings are expected to start with lower than normal volume. Last season, record winter rainfall harmed quality of many items.
Early indications point to Florida having over all good quality crop, with that quality being much better that last year. This year the weather is much improved, with warmer temperatures and rain, resulting in a very good growing season.
Florida Specialties Inc. of Immokalee is a grower and shipper of green beans, eggplant and peppers. It began harvesting bell peppers in mid-November right on schedule in Southern Florida and also like to looks of its vegetables in central Florida.
Branch: A Family of Farms, is based in South Bay, FL, began harvesting sweet corn in mid November. The company also handles many other vegetables ranging from green beans to cabbage, escarole, endive, cilantro, lettuce, celery, parsely and radicchio, among other items, with operations also in Georgia and Colorado, in season.
Tomatoes
The Florida tomato shipments got underway in late October for mature greens and grape tomatoes in small normal early fall volumes.
DiMare Co., of Homestead, FL is facing reduced tomato yields with early season volumes due to rains.
In central Florida, the cabbage harvest has just started, but decent volume is not expected until early January.
Florida tomatoes and vegetables – grossing about $1800 to Chicago.
Sprouts Farmers Market will hold a hiring day on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at all of its stores from coast to coast. Sprouts aims to fill more than 2,000 full- and part-time, non-seasonal positions to meet the demand of continued growth.
Open interviews will be held at each Sprouts location; no appointment is necessary. A list of local openings and online applications can be found at sprouts.com/careers.
As one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, Sprouts has created 4,350 jobs since the start of 2016 and promoted more than 20 percent of its workforce.
“Sprouts is a great place to grow a career. As we expand we’re focused on building future leaders and strengthening our reputation for outstanding customer service,” Dan Sanders, Sprouts chief operations officer, said in a press release. “Through our focus on training and education, new team members will learn everything they need to know to help our shoppers along their healthy living journey.”
Sprouts offers competitive pay, excellent benefits, team member discounts, a fun and rewarding culture and great career advancement opportunities. Last year, Sprouts team members saved more than $8 million through store discounts and received more than $1.5 million in additional incentives and scholarships.
Openings are available in all Sprouts departments, including specialized areas. Interested candidates can learn more during a one-on-one interview at the hiring event.
Employment opportunities include department managers and assistant department managers, clerks, cashiers, courtesy clerks (checkout assistants) and backup receivers, administrative coordinators and scan coordinators.
Sprouts opened its first store in Chandler, AZ back in 2002, and today is operating 250 stores across the U.S.
Sprouts is the grocery shopping experience that makes healthy living easy and affordable. Its bright and cheery neighborhood grocery stores offer fresh, natural and organic foods and products at incredible prices – and in an approachable setting that feels like an old-fashioned farmers market.
You will find mountains of colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables, barrels of wholesome grains, nuts and sweets, and full-service deli, meat and seafood counters—complete with handmade burgers and sausages.
There is good news for Florida citrus shipments as adequate volumes on most items are expected this season.
U.S. growers have been harvesting grapefruit and oranges for juices in high volumes while navels and tangerines were hitting the fresh market in limited, but increasing volumes.
The USDA projection for early, midseason and navel varieties in Florida is up 6 percent from October, at 36 million boxes, but down slightly from last season’s final shipments.
Some observers believe Florida citrus volume has finally bottomed out and is getting ready to increase again, although this could take five to 10 years. It was not indicated, but could this bottoming out be an indication the industry is turning the corner in fight citrus greening, which has been devastating Florida citrus groves?
Orange Shipments
The USDA has projected 2016-2017 Florida orange shipments at 72 million boxes, up 3 percent from October.
The USDA forecast of 72 million boxes was down 12 percent from last season’s final shipments.
The forecast of 36 million boxes of Florida valencia oranges for November was the same as the October forecast, down 21 percent from last season’s final volume.
Juice orange volume is expected to be substantially down the latter part of the season. Florida is expecting could Valencia movement as California’s valencia season has ended and the imported navel season has finished.
Grapefruit Shipments
The Indian River and central Florida citrus regions escaped serious damage from Hurricane Matthew, which rolled along the state’s East Coast in early October.
Florida is predicted to ship 9.6 million cartons — 11 percent lower than last season and the lowest level in 50 years.
Tangerines
There has been a shortage of tangerines, although volume has been increasing in recent weeks.
Coming in our December 5th post, a look at Florida fall vegetable shipments.
South and Central Florida citrus and vegetables – grossing about $2100 to New York City.
by AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.
PHILADELPHIA — An innovation from AgroFresh is bringing new life to bananas — with RipeLock – a technology proven to help consistently keep high-quality bananas at the optimal color on display at retail. While it’s important for retailers to stay up on consumer demands for new fruit varieties and packaging options, the quality of flagship items, such as bananas, remain a key indicator for overall consumer perception of the produce department.
Retailers recognize that a limiting factor in sales and consumption is that bananas ripen too quickly. With the new RipeLock™ Quality System from AgroFresh, suppliers, ripeners and retailers now have the tools to deliver bananas with greater consumer appeal and a broader window of freshness. At the same time, shrink and markdowns can be reduced, facilitating sales and inventory management.
“A trend we’re watching is how consumers are looking for healthy snacks and innovative packaging options,” said Kevin Frye, RipeLock North American sales manager for AgroFresh. “These are also the qualities that make RipeLock bananas the perfect option for both on-the-go snacking and increased at-home consumption.”
“RipeLock enhances the banana’s natural ripening process to maintain their bright, yellow color, fresh taste, creamy texture and appealing look significantly longer than traditionally ripened bananas,” Frye said.
RipeLock helps increase the demand for quality produce.
A recent study by MMR Research Worldwide in United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance. In the study, seven out of ten consumers preferred the quality of RipeLock bananas.
“When retailers can stock more appealing, longer-lasting bananas, it not only translates into more banana sales, it’s been proven to drive overall produce sales,” Frye said. “This is because consumers feel confident in the quality and freshness of the other fruit in the store.”
Craig Stephen, a leader in the banana industry for more than 20 years and past Produce Marketing Association Board member, agrees.
“Produce managers that can consistently offer bananas at color stage 5 generate higher consumption and more repeat customers. Until now, that was not possible due to the risk of high shrink.”
RipeLock helps reduce food waste.
The MMR Research Worldwide study also demonstrates the ability of RipeLock to reduce waste by maintaining fruit longer at the optimal color and flavor — both in the store and in the home.
“In talking with banana consumers all over the world, they’ve expressed for years that the biggest unmet need is longer shelf-life, that bananas ripen too quickly, leading to under consumption,” Stephen said.
RipeLock adds flexibility to the supply chain
The longer shelf-life also gives retailers the ability to have consistent, high-quality fruit on display longer with less frequent restocking and without extra deliveries. And in most back-room environments, RipeLock reduces the need to ‘air stack’ boxes.
“Many non-traditional outlets, like coffee shops and convenience stores, are not offering fresh fruit, resulting in a big missed opportunity for sales. Longer-lasting RipeLock bananas can make servicing these non-traditional outlets simpler and more economical, and can lead to increased sales and consumption,” Frye said.
A recent independent study with consumers in the United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance — both key factors in buying decisions.
What a difference a year makes when it comes to onion shipments across the nation.
Unlike last fall and winter, the 2016-7 shipping season for onions may not be better for growers and shippers, but it should mean a significant increase in loading opportunities for onion haulers. Okay, so onions not be offer prime freight rates.
Peri & Sons Farms, Yerington, N.Y., is an onion grower and shipper has sees plenty of global onion supplies. The company also has onion operations in the Mason Valley of Nevada and the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys of California. Yields this past growing season were phenomenal.
While Peruvian onion imports are up slightly year-to-date – about 20 percent, overall import volumes from Peru will be down being slightly down from last season. Peruvian sweet onions are imported from September to February.
It is too early to tell what imported Mexican volume will be.
Generally, Northwest onion shipments this season appears to be similar to last year. The Northwest sweet onions are harvested in August and September and sold in the winter months with best quality product available in September and October. The biggest volume area in the Northwest this time of year is in western Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. About 1,000 truck loads are being shipped weekly.
Western Idaho/Eastern Oregon storage onions – grossing about $3200 to Chicago; $5100 to New York City.
The Peruvian Mayan sweets are available from September to January, but because they aren’t storage onions, they’re continually harvested to provide fresh product.
Sweet onions from Walla Walla, WA has been declining in recent years and is down from its peak of 1,200 acres. However, some observers believe the decline has reached a low and is now stabilizing.
Vidalia sweet onions are grown in Tattnall and Toombs counties in Georgia and are shipped from late April to August.
Export volume at the Port of Oakland, CA hit a three-year high in October as the facility shipped the equivalent of 89,473 20-foot containers.
The total was the highest since October 2013 and the fourth-highest in the port’s history, according to a news release. Agricultural commodities account for 40 percent of the port’s total export volume so far this year. In 2015 agricultural commodities accounted for 38 percent of the total.
Those numbers come from Datamyne, a source of trade intelligence that uses U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, according to Mike Zampa, communications director for Port of Oakland. Exports of fruits and vegetables from California’s Central, Napa and Salinas valleys go through the port.
Year-to-date exports from the Port of Oakland are up 10 percent over 2015. Contributing factors to the increase include “a softer U.S. dollar and healthy agricultural harvests,” according to the release.
“Increased export volume is nothing new; we’ve reported gains in nine of the first 10 months of the year,” Port of Oakland maritime director John Driscoll said in the release, “but the amount of volume growth highlights just how strong this rally is.”
Port History
According Wikipiedia, originally, the estuary, 500 feet (150 m) wide, had a depth of two feet at mean low tide. In 1852, the year of Oakland‘s incorporation as a town by the California State Legislature, large shipping wharves were constructed along the Oakland Estuary, which was dredged to create a viable shipping channel. 22 years later, in 1874, the previously dredged shipping channel was deepened to make Oakland a deep water port.
In the late 19th century, the Southern Pacific was granted exclusive rights to the port, a decision the city soon came to regret. In January 1906, a small work party in the employ of the Western Pacific Railroad, which had just begun construction, hastily threw a crossing over the SP line to connect the WP mainline with trackage built on an area of landfill. This act, protested by the SP and later held up in court, broke the railroad’s grip on the port area. The courts ruled that all landfill since the date of the agreement did not belong to the SP. This ruling ended SP control and made the modern Port of Oakland possible.
(Port of Oakland photo by: Robert Campbell, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Check out where in the nation the biggest demand for produce truckers is….Also, there are reasons South Texas is becoming a bigger player for hauling Mexican imported produce. Plus, what’s up with pomegranates.
Idaho Potato Shipments
The biggest demand for produce trucking in the country is coming out of the Twin Falls, ID area. Easily, the largest potato shipping state, Idaho is currently averaging about 2000 truck load equivalents of mostly russet potatoes per week.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $2200 to Atlanta.
California Pomegranate Shipments
Most pomegranates for the holiday season have already been shipped because of a short crop due to heavy October rains. The USDA reports only 120,000 pounds of U.S. pomegranates shipped between November 6 – 12, off from 660,000 between November 8 – 14 a year ago. The year-to-date total for U.S. pomegranate shipments is 7.56 million pounds, down from 9.17 million pounds at the same point last year.
California’s Pom Wonderful accounts for about 60 percent of the pomegranate shipments, which normally lasts through January.
Crown Jewels Produce, of Fresno, normally ships through the second week of December, but finished its season a month early. Its volume is down about 30 percent.
Simonian Fruit of Fowler, CA typically ships pomegranates into January, or February, but will wrap up its season by Christmas if not sooner.
Mexican Import Growth
Mexico continues to play a pivotal role in the Texas produce industry.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in our Texas ports of entry on the import side,” Bret Erickson, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association, said recently. “It’s important to recognize also that many of our largest producers in Texas are also some of our largest importers, so the import industry plays a real critical role in the overall success of the produce industry in Texas.”
Import volumes were up nearly 25 percent in 2015 from the previous year, and a significant volume of fresh produce coming from Mexico now goes through Texas.
This has resulted in volumes of fresh produce coming through Pharr, TX just about equaling tonnage in Nogales, AZ.
Reasons for the increase in import volume include a new highway system in Mexico, which serves as a pipeline from the main production area of Mexico straight to south Texas.
Weather and labor issues in the U.S. have also contributed. However, the import growth rate is expected to slow in the coming years as the infrastructure in the area expands to handle the volume now being transported.
The boom in infrastructure in south Texas is certainly a positive economic impact to the state of Texas in terms of jobs and construction companies getting bids to build cold storage facilities, with some being as large as 100,000 square feet.
Mexcian imports through South Texas – grossing bout $3100 to Miami.
South American country Peru has become quite ambitious about the blueberry, even claiming it could become the world’s biggest blueberry producer within the next two years. That claim was made by Peruvian Minister of Agriculture Jose Hernandez.
Living in Peru recently had a commentary entitled Peru on Its Way to Becoming Leader in Blueberry Exports (November, 2014). The writer was optimistic about Peru’s blueberry industry, stating that “while Peru continues to successfully export staple-goods like coffee, potatoes, and quinoa, the blueberry market has, in the span of only a couple of years, made an important niche for itself.”
Peruvian blueberry growers are looking to grow as much as 20,000 ton of blueberries in 2016. This seems quite possible since just in the first three months of 2016 alone, Peruvian farmers grew 3,600 tons of blueberries, four times the amount during the same period in 2015. If this trend continues, by the end of the year, Peru could have exported as much as $200 million worth of blueberries.
A critical issue regarding the future of blueberry production is farming land. The good news is that according to Alfonso Velasquez Tuesta, president of Sierra Exportadora, the goal for this year is to have abut 7900 acres of land growing blueberries.. Most of the farming land is found in La Libertad region.
Peru’s avocado exports to China totaled 12,319 tons in 2015. This year, this figure is expected to rise by 84 percent to 22,764 tons, and by 2017 an additional 63 percent would it bring it to 37,075 tons.
Peru is now the 10th largest exporter of fruits in the world, having exported $2.714 million worth of fruits from January to August.
Additional Facts:
-Fruits accounted for 12.4 percent of all Peruvian exports during the same period. Peru also became the largest Latin American exporter of mandarins in the first eight months of 2016 (worth $106.8 million).
The country’s global exports of cranberries reached $41.3 million, up 125.6 percent from last year.
The Trade Bureau concluded by saying: Peru’s exports are expected to rise even further, since the US, Netherlands and Spain account for 53 percent of its non-traditional fruit exports.
Here’s some information on potato shipments you may not know….Plus, a new import item to the U.S. is coming – Argentina lemons.
Potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. This also means the nationwide spud crop contributes about 15 percent of farm sales receipts for vegetables each year. Annually over 30 billion pound of potatoes are grown and shipped in the nation.
More than 50 percent of potato sales are to processors for french fries, chips, dehydrated potatoes and other potato products. The balance goes to the fresh market.
Economists who crunch food consumption data collected by the USDA have come to the conclusion the average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a year, or almost 365 potatoes per person. That is an average of a potato a day. Potatoes are grown commercially in every state from Florida to Alaska, but about 30 states produce the commercial crop.
In terms of nutrition, the potato is best known for its carbohydrate content, about 26 grams in a medium potato. That potato, eaten with the skin, provides 27 milligrams of vitamin C, 620 milligrams of potassium, 0.2 milligrams of vitamin B6 and trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.
The fiber content of a potato with its skin is equivalent to that of many whole grain breads, pastas and cereals. But unlike most of its processed carbohydrate-cousins, that medium potato has just 110 calories and is sodium and cholesterol free.
San Luis Valley, Colorado potato shipments – grossing about $2150 to Chicago.
Argentina Lemon Imports
Lemons from Argentina are poised to win import approval from the USDA after officials visited the Northwest region of the South American country making sure certain standards are met.
Import permits will be issued to Argentine lemon exporters when agriculture officials provide six months of fruit fly trapping data and USDA verification of the data.
The USDA said annual imports of fresh lemons from Argentina are expected to range between 15,000 and 20,000 metric tons. Most Argentine lemon imports are projected between April 1 and August 31.
U.S. fresh lemon production averages about 497,350 metric tons per year.
by Biing-Hwan Lin and Rosanna Mentzer Morrison
Data on vegetable consumption broken down by income level reveal that individuals (children and adults) in households with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty level consumed smaller quantities of potatoes and tomatoes than people in households with incomes above that level. In 2007-08, lower income individuals consumed 49.3 and 28.1 pounds per person per year of potatoes and tomatoes, respectively, and those with higher incomes consumed 53.8 pounds of potatoes and 32.1 pounds of tomatoes per person. A bigger difference was observed in consumption of other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato): 85.8 pounds per person for higher income individuals versus 69.8 pounds per person for lower income individuals.
The more educated the adult, the more other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato) eaten. In 2007-08, college-educated adults consumed 187.4 pounds of total vegetables per person per year, of which 100.7 pounds were other vegetables. Adults with only a high school education ate 181.9 pounds of total vegetables per person, of which 87.6 pounds were other vegetables. Adults who had less than a high school education consumed 158.2 pounds per person of all vegetables, of which 76.3 pounds were other vegetables.
Consumption Trends Consistent Across Demographic Groups for Juice…
Total fruit consumption was lower in 2007-08 than in 1994-98 for all four age and gender groups. For example, girls’ consumption of fruit declined from 131.3 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 121.2 pounds in 2007-08. Some of the decline in total fruit consumption was due to less orange juice being drunk by all four groups. Orange juice is the largest fruit category in terms of consumption, and average U.S. consumption fell from the equivalent of 38.3 pounds of oranges per person per year in 1994-98 to 30.9 pounds in 2007-08.
Falling orange juice consumption, however, was not the only driver of declining fruit consumption—declines were common for other fruits as well. Apple juice, berries, and grapes were the only fruits and fruit categories that had higher average U.S. consumption in 2007-08 than in 1994-98. Every demographic group examined displayed the same patterns for apple juice and orange juice consumption—larger quantities of apple juice and smaller quantities of orange juice were consumed in 2007-08 versus 1994-98.
… But Not For Whole Fruits
Trends in whole fruit consumption were not consistent across demographic groups. In this study, whole fruits comprised all categories of fruits consumed, minus orange juice and apple juice. Thus, whole fruit consumption includes a relatively small amount of juices from other fruits, such as pineapple juice and grape juice, in addition to whole fruits. Federal dietary guidance advises that at least half a person’s recommended daily intake of fruits be whole fruits.
Whole fruit consumption declined for the age and gender groups between 1994-98 and 2007-08. For example, boys’ consumption of whole fruits fell from 71.9 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 65.4 pounds in 2007-08. For non-college-educated adults, consumption of whole fruits was relatively stable over the period, averaging around 65 pounds per person per year; for college-educated adults, it fell from 93.7 pounds in 1994-98 to 83.2 pounds in 2007-08.
Higher income consumers’ consumption of whole fruit fell from 81.2 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 75.7 pounds in 2007-08, whereas lower income individuals consumed similar quantities in both periods. Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics’ consumption of whole fruits declined between 1994-98 and 2007-08, while non-Hispanic Blacks’ consumption in the two periods rose from 65.5 to 71.4 pounds per person per year.
Multiple Factors Affect What We Buy and Eat
ERS’s food availability and loss-adjusted food availability data show that Americans are not increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, despite the exhortations of health and nutrition experts. Federal food intake surveys also point out lower fruit and vegetable consumption. The big question for future research is why? In some cases, one or two particular fruits and vegetables make up much of the decrease. For vegetables, U.S. potato consumption has fallen from 61.3 to 52.0 pounds per person between 1994-98 and 2007-08, with bigger relative drops for boys and no change in potato consumption for non-Hispanic Blacks. Declining orange juice consumption among all demographic groups is the largest contributor to lower fruit consumption.
Substitution among some products is also evident. Head lettuce is down, but leafy greens—such as spinach and kale—are up. Between 1994-98 and 2007-08, consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables by women grew slightly from 85.5 to 87.7 pounds per person per year. For girls, boys, and men, small declines in consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables occurred. Less bananas and citrus fruits are being consumed, but consumption of berries has risen over the decade. Increases in some whole fruits were not enough to offset declines in other fruits, and whole fruit consumption fell for all age and gender groups.
Food choices are complex, and a multitude of factors affect what we buy and eat. Life style changes and time constraints can determine if we sit down with a glass of orange juice for breakfast, grab a banana on the way out, or forgo the meal altogether. Time for and interest in cooking play a role, too. More eating out could mean more fries on the side or consumption of vegetables not usually prepared at home. Dietary fads and widespread popularity of ethnic cuisines can cause shifts in food choices, including for fruits and vegetables.
The price of products and the income available to buy them can also affect a person’s food choices. Smaller food budgets over time or higher prices due to supply constraints or other factors can induce one to switch to a lower priced alternative food item. Observing national trends and patterns for demographic groups is a first step in analyzing what is driving food choice and potential changes over time.
Florida fall vegetable volume for the majority of items is expected to be pretty normal over all, although early season loadings will be lighter than usual.While that is good news, keep in mind that these loadings of items ranging from bell peppers to cucumbers and squash, plus other southern vegetables is relatively light, especially compared to Florida’s primary shipping season for vegetables, which is in the spring. This also results in multiple picks and drops, so keep this in mind when considering produce freight rates.
After heavy September and October rains, pepper harvesting is expected to begin with variable yields and quality, while green bean loadings are expected to start with lower than normal volume. Last season, record winter rainfall harmed quality of many items.
Early indications point to Florida having over all good quality crop, with that quality being much better that last year. This year the weather is much improved, with warmer temperatures and rain, resulting in a very good growing season.
Florida Specialties Inc. of Immokalee is a grower and shipper of green beans, eggplant and peppers. It began harvesting bell peppers in mid-November right on schedule in Southern Florida and also like to looks of its vegetables in central Florida.
Branch: A Family of Farms, is based in South Bay, FL, began harvesting sweet corn in mid November. The company also handles many other vegetables ranging from green beans to cabbage, escarole, endive, cilantro, lettuce, celery, parsely and radicchio, among other items, with operations also in Georgia and Colorado, in season.
Tomatoes
The Florida tomato shipments got underway in late October for mature greens and grape tomatoes in small normal early fall volumes.
DiMare Co., of Homestead, FL is facing reduced tomato yields with early season volumes due to rains.
In central Florida, the cabbage harvest has just started, but decent volume is not expected until early January.
Florida tomatoes and vegetables – grossing about $1800 to Chicago.
Sprouts Farmers Market will hold a hiring day on Tuesday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at all of its stores from coast to coast. Sprouts aims to fill more than 2,000 full- and part-time, non-seasonal positions to meet the demand of continued growth.
Open interviews will be held at each Sprouts location; no appointment is necessary. A list of local openings and online applications can be found at sprouts.com/careers.
As one of the fastest-growing retailers in the country, Sprouts has created 4,350 jobs since the start of 2016 and promoted more than 20 percent of its workforce.
“Sprouts is a great place to grow a career. As we expand we’re focused on building future leaders and strengthening our reputation for outstanding customer service,” Dan Sanders, Sprouts chief operations officer, said in a press release. “Through our focus on training and education, new team members will learn everything they need to know to help our shoppers along their healthy living journey.”
Sprouts offers competitive pay, excellent benefits, team member discounts, a fun and rewarding culture and great career advancement opportunities. Last year, Sprouts team members saved more than $8 million through store discounts and received more than $1.5 million in additional incentives and scholarships.
Openings are available in all Sprouts departments, including specialized areas. Interested candidates can learn more during a one-on-one interview at the hiring event.
Employment opportunities include department managers and assistant department managers, clerks, cashiers, courtesy clerks (checkout assistants) and backup receivers, administrative coordinators and scan coordinators.
Sprouts opened its first store in Chandler, AZ back in 2002, and today is operating 250 stores across the U.S.
Sprouts is the grocery shopping experience that makes healthy living easy and affordable. Its bright and cheery neighborhood grocery stores offer fresh, natural and organic foods and products at incredible prices – and in an approachable setting that feels like an old-fashioned farmers market.
You will find mountains of colorful, fresh fruits and vegetables, barrels of wholesome grains, nuts and sweets, and full-service deli, meat and seafood counters—complete with handmade burgers and sausages.
There is good news for Florida citrus shipments as adequate volumes on most items are expected this season.
U.S. growers have been harvesting grapefruit and oranges for juices in high volumes while navels and tangerines were hitting the fresh market in limited, but increasing volumes.
The USDA projection for early, midseason and navel varieties in Florida is up 6 percent from October, at 36 million boxes, but down slightly from last season’s final shipments.
Some observers believe Florida citrus volume has finally bottomed out and is getting ready to increase again, although this could take five to 10 years. It was not indicated, but could this bottoming out be an indication the industry is turning the corner in fight citrus greening, which has been devastating Florida citrus groves?
Orange Shipments
The USDA has projected 2016-2017 Florida orange shipments at 72 million boxes, up 3 percent from October.
The USDA forecast of 72 million boxes was down 12 percent from last season’s final shipments.
The forecast of 36 million boxes of Florida valencia oranges for November was the same as the October forecast, down 21 percent from last season’s final volume.
Juice orange volume is expected to be substantially down the latter part of the season. Florida is expecting could Valencia movement as California’s valencia season has ended and the imported navel season has finished.
Grapefruit Shipments
The Indian River and central Florida citrus regions escaped serious damage from Hurricane Matthew, which rolled along the state’s East Coast in early October.
Florida is predicted to ship 9.6 million cartons — 11 percent lower than last season and the lowest level in 50 years.
Tangerines
There has been a shortage of tangerines, although volume has been increasing in recent weeks.
Coming in our December 5th post, a look at Florida fall vegetable shipments.
South and Central Florida citrus and vegetables – grossing about $2100 to New York City.
by AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.
PHILADELPHIA — An innovation from AgroFresh is bringing new life to bananas — with RipeLock – a technology proven to help consistently keep high-quality bananas at the optimal color on display at retail. While it’s important for retailers to stay up on consumer demands for new fruit varieties and packaging options, the quality of flagship items, such as bananas, remain a key indicator for overall consumer perception of the produce department.
Retailers recognize that a limiting factor in sales and consumption is that bananas ripen too quickly. With the new RipeLock™ Quality System from AgroFresh, suppliers, ripeners and retailers now have the tools to deliver bananas with greater consumer appeal and a broader window of freshness. At the same time, shrink and markdowns can be reduced, facilitating sales and inventory management.
“A trend we’re watching is how consumers are looking for healthy snacks and innovative packaging options,” said Kevin Frye, RipeLock North American sales manager for AgroFresh. “These are also the qualities that make RipeLock bananas the perfect option for both on-the-go snacking and increased at-home consumption.”
“RipeLock enhances the banana’s natural ripening process to maintain their bright, yellow color, fresh taste, creamy texture and appealing look significantly longer than traditionally ripened bananas,” Frye said.
RipeLock helps increase the demand for quality produce.
A recent study by MMR Research Worldwide in United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance. In the study, seven out of ten consumers preferred the quality of RipeLock bananas.
“When retailers can stock more appealing, longer-lasting bananas, it not only translates into more banana sales, it’s been proven to drive overall produce sales,” Frye said. “This is because consumers feel confident in the quality and freshness of the other fruit in the store.”
Craig Stephen, a leader in the banana industry for more than 20 years and past Produce Marketing Association Board member, agrees.
“Produce managers that can consistently offer bananas at color stage 5 generate higher consumption and more repeat customers. Until now, that was not possible due to the risk of high shrink.”
RipeLock helps reduce food waste.
The MMR Research Worldwide study also demonstrates the ability of RipeLock to reduce waste by maintaining fruit longer at the optimal color and flavor — both in the store and in the home.
“In talking with banana consumers all over the world, they’ve expressed for years that the biggest unmet need is longer shelf-life, that bananas ripen too quickly, leading to under consumption,” Stephen said.
RipeLock adds flexibility to the supply chain
The longer shelf-life also gives retailers the ability to have consistent, high-quality fruit on display longer with less frequent restocking and without extra deliveries. And in most back-room environments, RipeLock reduces the need to ‘air stack’ boxes.
“Many non-traditional outlets, like coffee shops and convenience stores, are not offering fresh fruit, resulting in a big missed opportunity for sales. Longer-lasting RipeLock bananas can make servicing these non-traditional outlets simpler and more economical, and can lead to increased sales and consumption,” Frye said.
A recent independent study with consumers in the United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance — both key factors in buying decisions.
What a difference a year makes when it comes to onion shipments across the nation.Unlike last fall and winter, the 2016-7 shipping season for onions may not be better for growers and shippers, but it should mean a significant increase in loading opportunities for onion haulers. Okay, so onions not be offer prime freight rates.
Peri & Sons Farms, Yerington, N.Y., is an onion grower and shipper has sees plenty of global onion supplies. The company also has onion operations in the Mason Valley of Nevada and the Imperial and San Joaquin Valleys of California. Yields this past growing season were phenomenal.
While Peruvian onion imports are up slightly year-to-date – about 20 percent, overall import volumes from Peru will be down being slightly down from last season. Peruvian sweet onions are imported from September to February.
It is too early to tell what imported Mexican volume will be.
Generally, Northwest onion shipments this season appears to be similar to last year. The Northwest sweet onions are harvested in August and September and sold in the winter months with best quality product available in September and October. The biggest volume area in the Northwest this time of year is in western Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. About 1,000 truck loads are being shipped weekly.
Western Idaho/Eastern Oregon storage onions – grossing about $3200 to Chicago; $5100 to New York City.
The Peruvian Mayan sweets are available from September to January, but because they aren’t storage onions, they’re continually harvested to provide fresh product.
Sweet onions from Walla Walla, WA has been declining in recent years and is down from its peak of 1,200 acres. However, some observers believe the decline has reached a low and is now stabilizing.
Vidalia sweet onions are grown in Tattnall and Toombs counties in Georgia and are shipped from late April to August.
Export volume at the Port of Oakland, CA hit a three-year high in October as the facility shipped the equivalent of 89,473 20-foot containers.
The total was the highest since October 2013 and the fourth-highest in the port’s history, according to a news release. Agricultural commodities account for 40 percent of the port’s total export volume so far this year. In 2015 agricultural commodities accounted for 38 percent of the total.
Those numbers come from Datamyne, a source of trade intelligence that uses U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, according to Mike Zampa, communications director for Port of Oakland. Exports of fruits and vegetables from California’s Central, Napa and Salinas valleys go through the port.
Year-to-date exports from the Port of Oakland are up 10 percent over 2015. Contributing factors to the increase include “a softer U.S. dollar and healthy agricultural harvests,” according to the release.
“Increased export volume is nothing new; we’ve reported gains in nine of the first 10 months of the year,” Port of Oakland maritime director John Driscoll said in the release, “but the amount of volume growth highlights just how strong this rally is.”
Port History
According Wikipiedia, originally, the estuary, 500 feet (150 m) wide, had a depth of two feet at mean low tide. In 1852, the year of Oakland‘s incorporation as a town by the California State Legislature, large shipping wharves were constructed along the Oakland Estuary, which was dredged to create a viable shipping channel. 22 years later, in 1874, the previously dredged shipping channel was deepened to make Oakland a deep water port.
In the late 19th century, the Southern Pacific was granted exclusive rights to the port, a decision the city soon came to regret. In January 1906, a small work party in the employ of the Western Pacific Railroad, which had just begun construction, hastily threw a crossing over the SP line to connect the WP mainline with trackage built on an area of landfill. This act, protested by the SP and later held up in court, broke the railroad’s grip on the port area. The courts ruled that all landfill since the date of the agreement did not belong to the SP. This ruling ended SP control and made the modern Port of Oakland possible.
(Port of Oakland photo by: Robert Campbell, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)
Check out where in the nation the biggest demand for produce truckers is….Also, there are reasons South Texas is becoming a bigger player for hauling Mexican imported produce. Plus, what’s up with pomegranates.
Idaho Potato Shipments
The biggest demand for produce trucking in the country is coming out of the Twin Falls, ID area. Easily, the largest potato shipping state, Idaho is currently averaging about 2000 truck load equivalents of mostly russet potatoes per week.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $2200 to Atlanta.
California Pomegranate Shipments
Most pomegranates for the holiday season have already been shipped because of a short crop due to heavy October rains. The USDA reports only 120,000 pounds of U.S. pomegranates shipped between November 6 – 12, off from 660,000 between November 8 – 14 a year ago. The year-to-date total for U.S. pomegranate shipments is 7.56 million pounds, down from 9.17 million pounds at the same point last year.
California’s Pom Wonderful accounts for about 60 percent of the pomegranate shipments, which normally lasts through January.
Crown Jewels Produce, of Fresno, normally ships through the second week of December, but finished its season a month early. Its volume is down about 30 percent.
Simonian Fruit of Fowler, CA typically ships pomegranates into January, or February, but will wrap up its season by Christmas if not sooner.
Mexican Import Growth
Mexico continues to play a pivotal role in the Texas produce industry.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in our Texas ports of entry on the import side,” Bret Erickson, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association, said recently. “It’s important to recognize also that many of our largest producers in Texas are also some of our largest importers, so the import industry plays a real critical role in the overall success of the produce industry in Texas.”
Import volumes were up nearly 25 percent in 2015 from the previous year, and a significant volume of fresh produce coming from Mexico now goes through Texas.
This has resulted in volumes of fresh produce coming through Pharr, TX just about equaling tonnage in Nogales, AZ.
Reasons for the increase in import volume include a new highway system in Mexico, which serves as a pipeline from the main production area of Mexico straight to south Texas.
Weather and labor issues in the U.S. have also contributed. However, the import growth rate is expected to slow in the coming years as the infrastructure in the area expands to handle the volume now being transported.
The boom in infrastructure in south Texas is certainly a positive economic impact to the state of Texas in terms of jobs and construction companies getting bids to build cold storage facilities, with some being as large as 100,000 square feet.
Mexcian imports through South Texas – grossing bout $3100 to Miami.
South American country Peru has become quite ambitious about the blueberry, even claiming it could become the world’s biggest blueberry producer within the next two years. That claim was made by Peruvian Minister of Agriculture Jose Hernandez.
Living in Peru recently had a commentary entitled Peru on Its Way to Becoming Leader in Blueberry Exports (November, 2014). The writer was optimistic about Peru’s blueberry industry, stating that “while Peru continues to successfully export staple-goods like coffee, potatoes, and quinoa, the blueberry market has, in the span of only a couple of years, made an important niche for itself.”
Peruvian blueberry growers are looking to grow as much as 20,000 ton of blueberries in 2016. This seems quite possible since just in the first three months of 2016 alone, Peruvian farmers grew 3,600 tons of blueberries, four times the amount during the same period in 2015. If this trend continues, by the end of the year, Peru could have exported as much as $200 million worth of blueberries.
A critical issue regarding the future of blueberry production is farming land. The good news is that according to Alfonso Velasquez Tuesta, president of Sierra Exportadora, the goal for this year is to have abut 7900 acres of land growing blueberries.. Most of the farming land is found in La Libertad region.
Peru’s avocado exports to China totaled 12,319 tons in 2015. This year, this figure is expected to rise by 84 percent to 22,764 tons, and by 2017 an additional 63 percent would it bring it to 37,075 tons.
Peru is now the 10th largest exporter of fruits in the world, having exported $2.714 million worth of fruits from January to August.
Additional Facts:
-Fruits accounted for 12.4 percent of all Peruvian exports during the same period. Peru also became the largest Latin American exporter of mandarins in the first eight months of 2016 (worth $106.8 million).
The country’s global exports of cranberries reached $41.3 million, up 125.6 percent from last year.
The Trade Bureau concluded by saying: Peru’s exports are expected to rise even further, since the US, Netherlands and Spain account for 53 percent of its non-traditional fruit exports.