Author Archive
Florida sweet corn and watermelon shipments are showing an increase, although moderate, while we take a look at onions shipments out of the Northwest.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Sweet corn shipments and other vegetables from Florida continue to be light due to the lingering effects of seven days of heavy rains the second week of December. Sweet corn loadings are expected to return to normal the week of January 18th, barring other adverse weather events. Only Florida and Mexico have sweet corn shipments during the winter months….South Florida watermelon loadings are underway, although volume is light.
Central and South Florida vegetables, tomatoes, watermelons and strawberries – grossing about $2800 to New York City.
Northwest Onion Shipments
The National Onion Association is reporting estimated nationwide production levels dropped by nearly 7.6 million bags so far this season from a year ago, a 7.7 percent decrease. Much of that decrease is attributed to Eastern Oregon and Malhuer County, Idaho, as well as Washington state, where production cumulatively fell by approximately 5 million bags.
While many onions that were harvested and placed into storage looking great. The product began to show flaws three to five weeks later. This is resulting in quality problems being higher than normal. It also could result in a number of northwest onion shippers finishing up in March instead of late May.
Oregon/Idaho onion shipments – grossing about $4600 San Antonio.
Columbia Basin potatoes and onions – grossing about $4100 to Chicago.
From Peruvian imported mangoes, to Oregon pears and Washington apples, here’s an update on opportunities to haul produce.
Peru plans to export 10.5 million boxes to the U.S. this season, up from 7.8 million boxes last season. An early start in Peru and continued big imports from Ecuador pushed mango volumes up in December, and fruit arrivals should remain in good volume through January.
Ecuadorian mango volumes peaked through the week of Dec. 21 before sliding and by mid-January Peru should account for most of the volume.
About 65 percent of the late December arrivals were slated for the East Coast, 35 percent for the West Coast, because of faster delivery times to the East Coast.
Oregon Pear Shipments
Jackson County, Oregon where Medford is located, is one of the state’s big pear-growing regions. The rest of the state’s commercial pear trees are mostly in the Hood River area. Together, those two regions account for about 25 percent of pear shipments in the U.S.
Washington Apple Shipments
Washington apple and fruit shipments were hit last season due to the 2015 drought. The Washington State Department of Agriculture reports drought caused 85 percent of the state to be in “extreme drought” status at the drought’s peak in late August. The result of the heat and lack of rain caused Washington apples to suffer a 5 percent drop in loadings and a 7 percent decline in blueberry shipments.
Early harvested varieties were most affected by low water availability and high temperatures in the Yakima basin. However, growing regions in the north were not hurt as badly by the drought. The 2015 Washington apple crop was first estimated at near 125 million cartons, but that estimate was reduced by 5 percent to 118 million cartons by the end of the summer. Shipments for the harvested crop should continue through most of the summer.
Washington state apple and pear shipments – grossing about $5500 to Atlanta.
by National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance
Hockessin, Del. – A new report card evaluates critical policies and programs impacting our food choices and their contributions to our nation’s health over the past 10 years.
Overall, the positive impact has been minimal despite proven scientific data continuously showing that a diet high in fruits and vegetables helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of several serious, chronic diseases that are the leading causes of death. In 2005, the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) – led by the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – developed a National Action Plan, providing a new and comprehensive approach for improved public health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
10 years later, the Alliance has released a second Report Card to evaluate progress made by schools, restaurants, supermarkets, and federal and state governments in its 2015 National Action Plan (NAP). Similar to the first Report Card released in 2010, the 2015 NAP Report Card utilizing survey data finds that the average American’s fruit and vegetable consumption remains far below recommended levels, with a 5 percent decline during the past five years.
The decline is largely driven by a decrease in 100 percent juice consumption, especially at breakfast, and a decline in the dinner side dish for vegetables. There were differences in consumption by age, with positive increases in fruit consumption among all children and vegetable consumption among teens.
In contrast, consumers over age 45, who typically eat the most fruits and vegetables, are trending downward in their consumption of both over time. Overall, only 4percent of individuals achieve their recommended target for vegetables and only 8 percent achieve their recommended target for fruit in an average day.
The Report Card assigned an ‘A’ grade to schools, given the doubling of fruits and vegetables in school meals as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. An ‘A’ grade was also offered to the Healthy Incentive Pilot program that demonstrated strong positive results at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among SNAP households, which helped justify the new USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program to test other methods of incentivizing SNAP participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.
An ‘A’ grade was also offered, once again, to the WIC Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers program, which was introduced in 2009 as part of a special supplemental program for Women, Infants and Children. Restaurants and cafeterias received a ‘B-‘ for providing greater availability and variety in fruit and vegetable choices on menus. Supermarkets and fruit and vegetable suppliers received a ‘C’ grade for some progress over the past five years at making fruits and vegetables more accessible and convenient.
A ‘D’ grade was given on the alignment of agricultural policy and research with nutrition policy. Last, a failing grade was once again assigned to the food marketing category given its continued low level of fruit and vegetable marketing (<1%) relative to all food marketing.
By Larry Oscar
The New Year is here, and, being an election year, you can count on a lot of laughs as the political clowns running for office get cranked up.
Over the past eight years we have seen a rapid decline in the United States economy and the standard of living for Americans. The average income for US households has fallen from $57k per year to $53k per year, a 7% decline.
We are still the leading country in average income per household, but if this trend continues future generations of Americans can expect to see their hopes for a better life than their parents evaporate. Not many people thought our country would decline so rapidly. However, it was President Ronald Reagan who said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. “
The poor leadership this country has suffered through for the past eight years has not only led to an economic decline, but our country is now in decline when it comes to worldwide leadership and influence with other nations. When our politicians started buying votes with promises of government handouts our fate was sealed. It was Thomas Jefferson who said “Democracy will cease to exist when people realize they can vote themselves more money“.
Tom was obviously right about that one. It is my belief that our politicians don’t realize the extent of the damage to our society that their behavior has caused. Our president is supposed to be the president of ALL Americans; not just the poor, or middle class, but all of us. That includes the poor, middle class, and yes even the rich.
Instead we have seen these politicians proclaim that they “ want to be for the middle class”, or “I am a champion of the poor and the downtrodden.” Then they proceed to make promises of big government handouts and entitlements in return for votes. It is illegal to offer money for votes, and it is immoral to offer government handouts for votes when they are funded with other people’s earnings.
These same politicians preach about immorality and fairness, and then the hypocrites turn around in the next breath and try to buy your vote with promises of monetary government handouts. Unfortunately, I don’t think Americans are smart enough to see through this and realize the damage it is doing to the fabric of this country.
The people who vote for these bozos are indeed selfish and unpatriotic. They are cutting off the opportunity for their children and grandchildren to have a prosperous and productive life. The future Star Trek movies will no longer have the Vulcan phrase “Live long and prosper”. It will be “Live long so you can pay for your grandfathers’ debt.”
Our founding fathers and ancestors would be appalled at what we have become.
Larry Oscar is a graduate from the University of Tulsa and holds a degree in electrical engineering. He is retired and lives with his wife on a lake in Oklahoma where he brews his own beer, sails, and is a member of numerous clubs and organizations.
Here’s an update on light to moderate Florida produce loading opportunities.
Florida strawberry shipments this season will come from product off of 11,000 acres in the Plant City area. Those plantings are expected to yield about 42 million flats of eight 1-pound clamshells, up from last season’s 38 million to 40 million flats.
Although a few farmers harvest through mid-April, most grower-shippers finish packing by mid- to late March.
More normal supplies and shipments of Florida strawberries are expected anytime now. In mid- and late December, shipments were only about two-thirds of normal due to warmer than normal weather.
Strawberry shipments are hitting about 200 truckloads per week now, but this number should increase significantly in the days ahead.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Meanwhile, tomato shipments easily lead the pack when looking a vegetable loadings. About 400 truckloads of tomatoes are being shipped per week from central and southern Florida locations.
There are a number other vegetables in Florida being shipped in light volume ranging from bell peppers to radishes and eggplant, among others. However, Florida certainly isn’t a panacea for finding produce loads this time of the year. But loadings overall in the Eastern time zone of the U.S. this time of year, prompts us to give you as much information as possible. At best, Florida loadings most likely will involve multiple pick ups and drops.
Florida produce – grossing about $2600 to New York City.
Capsaicin, the compound responsible for chilis’ heat, is used in creams sold to relieve pain, and recent research shows that in high doses, it kills prostate cancer cells. Now researchers are finding clues that help explain how the substance works. Their conclusions suggest that one day it could come in a new, therapeutic form. Their study appears in ACS’ The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.
About 10 years ago, researchers reported that capsaicin can kill prostate cancer cells in mice while leaving healthy cells unharmed. But translating that dose to humans would require them to eat a huge number of chili peppers per day.
Figuring out how capsaicin works could help researchers transform it into an effective drug in the form of an injection or pill. Researchers have figured out that the molecule binds to a cell’s surface and affects the membrane, which surrounds and protects the cell. That finding prompted Ashok Kumar Mishra and Jitendriya Swain to try to gain a deeper understanding of capsaicin’s effects so it might be harnessed in the future for new medicines.
The scientists were able to detect how the compound interacts with cell membranes by monitoring its natural fluorescence. The study showed that capsaicin lodges in the membranes near the surface. Add enough of it, and the capsaicin essentially causes the membranes to come apart. With additional research, this insight could help lead to novel tools against cancer or other conditions.
Produce shipments should start returning to more normal movement now that we are past the holidays and receivers are starting to replenish their stocks. Here’s a look at produce shipping from several areas around the country.
Western Lettuce Shipments
Lettuce shipments, led by Iceberg and romaine are originating primarily out of the Yuma district of Arizona. Other leading items are celery, broccoli and cauliflower, although cold weather has cut into volume. Loadings are much lighter from the California desert, primarily from the Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley and Palo Verde.
Apple Shipments
Washington’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys are averaging bout 2500 truckloads per week. New York state, led by the Hudson Valley, is shipping about 250 truckloads weekly. Michigan is third in volume about 175 trucks per week.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $4500 to Dallas.
Texas Produce Shipments
Overall, it’s still relatively light for produce items here. This is light to moderate shipments of grapefruit and oranges from the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The is better volume of Mexican tropical fruits and vegetables crossing the border.
South Texas citrus and Mexican produce freight rates were up 15 to 20 percent during the holidays, depending on the destination; for example, grossing about $2900 to Atlanta. Rates could drop with the holidays past us.
East Coast Produce Shipments
Pretty slim pickin’s over all. If you’re coming out of Florida with a partial load, there’s very light volume of cabbage and greens being shipped from Southern Georgia…Eastern North Carolinas is loading sweet potatoes in moderate volume….Dry onion shipments are coming out of Orange County, NY. Partial loads of cabbage are coming out of central and western New York. Apples are available from the Hudson Valley, Champlain Valley, plus central and western areas….Aroostrock County, Maine has light volume with potatoes.
North Carolina sweet potato shipments – grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2016!
It has been a memorable year for HaulProduce.com We’ll be noting, if not celebrating our 4th anniversary on January 12th, of providing you the most up to date information on hauling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as issues surrounding fresh produce that may affect you.
We posted our 1300th item on December 18th. Those taking advantage of our free subscription continues to grow. This is where you are automatically notified of new postings. We have now surpassed 350 subscribers.
I want to thank my sponsors, all of whom I’ve personally known 20 years or more. All of them represent the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and truly care not only about their customers, but the men and women behind the wheel of the big rigs that keep this nation moving.
There is Allen Lund and Kenny Lund (Allen Lund Company), Fred Plotsky (Cool Runnings) and Jimmy DeMatteis (Des Moines Truck Brokers). If you are an owner operator, small fleet owner or some other type of long haul carrier, you are in good hands with these folks.
TransFresh is another sponsor, but of a different nature. When you click on their ad it can open a lot of doors to valuable information for those involved with transporting perishables. Rich Macleod of TransFresh has a soft spot for the hard work ethic and the issues facing produce truckers, and he understands and appareciates the vital role they play.
The challenge of not only finding produce loads, but being paid a fair freight rate, is just the start. Delivering that perishable product from point A to point B in a timely fashion, and in good condition can be equally as challenging. Hopefully, through HaulProduce.com we can play a small part in making your business more successful.
In the meantime, here is wishing you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2016 – and of course, safe travels. God Bless. —Bill Martin
Apples sold at retail increased only slightly and sales were down, despite a record U.S. apple crop in 2014-15.
That indicates that while consumer preferences are shifting, it’s not translating into increases in total consumption, according to Nielsen data cited in a news release from Wenatchee, Wash.-based Columbia Marketing International.
From Sept. 1, 2014, to Aug. 28,2015, retail apple volume sales climbed 1.9 percent, according to Nielsen. The average retail price fell 3.9 percent, pulling overall sales down 2 percent.
The Nielsen report covers about 19,000 supermarkets and 67% of U.S. supermarket sales.
Honeycrisp sales continued to rise in 2014-15. The average retail price of the variety jumped 25 percent. The average price of red delicious, however, fell 15 percent.
Gala, Honeycrisp, fuji, red delicious and granny smith accounted for 75 percent of all sales in 2014-15.
The average price of Ambrosia apples climbed 47 percent in 2014-15, the strongest performance of any variety, according to CMI. Ambrosias vaulted into the varietal top-10 last season, replacing braeburns.
Category growth is being driven by consumers shifting to premium varietals, Katharine Grove, marketing specialist at CMI, said in the release.
“Every retailer should take note that despite a record crop and cheap prices last year, category sales actually declined,” Grove said in the release. “Retailers that identified the opportunity to maximize performance of Honeycrisp, Ambrosia and some of the key emerging branded apples like Kanzi and Kiku probably had a pretty good year while their competitors lost market share.”
Weekly boat shipments between the Mexican ports of Veracruz and Altamira and the port of Philadelphia have been scheduled by Miramar, Fla.-based SeaLand of Miramar, FL.
The service will provide goods such as avocados, lemons and tomatoes, according to a Sealand news release. It is geared for producers and exporters of perishable goods to the U.S. and provides the economies of scale, security and reliability of an ocean service combined with expedited transit.
From Philadelphia, Mexican shippers can reach up to 40 percent of the U.S. population within a day’s drive by truck. The service features a six-day transit time, and its first sailing is planned for January 26 out of Veracruz.
The SeaLand Atlantico service will have the following port rotation: Veracruz-Altamira-Philadelphia, the release said.
“We are pleased to provide Mexican exporters an alternative to land transport with a high level of security and care for their products,” Jorge Monzalvo, SeaLand Mexico commercial manager, said in the release. “With the SeaLand Atlantico customers avoid transloading cargo, congestion at the border and limited truck power between countries.”
Florida sweet corn and watermelon shipments are showing an increase, although moderate, while we take a look at onions shipments out of the Northwest.Florida Vegetable Shipments
Sweet corn shipments and other vegetables from Florida continue to be light due to the lingering effects of seven days of heavy rains the second week of December. Sweet corn loadings are expected to return to normal the week of January 18th, barring other adverse weather events. Only Florida and Mexico have sweet corn shipments during the winter months….South Florida watermelon loadings are underway, although volume is light.
Central and South Florida vegetables, tomatoes, watermelons and strawberries – grossing about $2800 to New York City.
Northwest Onion Shipments
The National Onion Association is reporting estimated nationwide production levels dropped by nearly 7.6 million bags so far this season from a year ago, a 7.7 percent decrease. Much of that decrease is attributed to Eastern Oregon and Malhuer County, Idaho, as well as Washington state, where production cumulatively fell by approximately 5 million bags.
While many onions that were harvested and placed into storage looking great. The product began to show flaws three to five weeks later. This is resulting in quality problems being higher than normal. It also could result in a number of northwest onion shippers finishing up in March instead of late May.
Oregon/Idaho onion shipments – grossing about $4600 San Antonio.
Columbia Basin potatoes and onions – grossing about $4100 to Chicago.
From Peruvian imported mangoes, to Oregon pears and Washington apples, here’s an update on opportunities to haul produce.
Peru plans to export 10.5 million boxes to the U.S. this season, up from 7.8 million boxes last season. An early start in Peru and continued big imports from Ecuador pushed mango volumes up in December, and fruit arrivals should remain in good volume through January.
Ecuadorian mango volumes peaked through the week of Dec. 21 before sliding and by mid-January Peru should account for most of the volume.
About 65 percent of the late December arrivals were slated for the East Coast, 35 percent for the West Coast, because of faster delivery times to the East Coast.
Oregon Pear Shipments
Jackson County, Oregon where Medford is located, is one of the state’s big pear-growing regions. The rest of the state’s commercial pear trees are mostly in the Hood River area. Together, those two regions account for about 25 percent of pear shipments in the U.S.
Washington Apple Shipments
Washington apple and fruit shipments were hit last season due to the 2015 drought. The Washington State Department of Agriculture reports drought caused 85 percent of the state to be in “extreme drought” status at the drought’s peak in late August. The result of the heat and lack of rain caused Washington apples to suffer a 5 percent drop in loadings and a 7 percent decline in blueberry shipments.
Early harvested varieties were most affected by low water availability and high temperatures in the Yakima basin. However, growing regions in the north were not hurt as badly by the drought. The 2015 Washington apple crop was first estimated at near 125 million cartons, but that estimate was reduced by 5 percent to 118 million cartons by the end of the summer. Shipments for the harvested crop should continue through most of the summer.
Washington state apple and pear shipments – grossing about $5500 to Atlanta.
by National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance
Hockessin, Del. – A new report card evaluates critical policies and programs impacting our food choices and their contributions to our nation’s health over the past 10 years.
Overall, the positive impact has been minimal despite proven scientific data continuously showing that a diet high in fruits and vegetables helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces the risk of several serious, chronic diseases that are the leading causes of death. In 2005, the National Fruit & Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) – led by the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – developed a National Action Plan, providing a new and comprehensive approach for improved public health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
10 years later, the Alliance has released a second Report Card to evaluate progress made by schools, restaurants, supermarkets, and federal and state governments in its 2015 National Action Plan (NAP). Similar to the first Report Card released in 2010, the 2015 NAP Report Card utilizing survey data finds that the average American’s fruit and vegetable consumption remains far below recommended levels, with a 5 percent decline during the past five years.
The decline is largely driven by a decrease in 100 percent juice consumption, especially at breakfast, and a decline in the dinner side dish for vegetables. There were differences in consumption by age, with positive increases in fruit consumption among all children and vegetable consumption among teens.
In contrast, consumers over age 45, who typically eat the most fruits and vegetables, are trending downward in their consumption of both over time. Overall, only 4percent of individuals achieve their recommended target for vegetables and only 8 percent achieve their recommended target for fruit in an average day.
The Report Card assigned an ‘A’ grade to schools, given the doubling of fruits and vegetables in school meals as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. An ‘A’ grade was also offered to the Healthy Incentive Pilot program that demonstrated strong positive results at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among SNAP households, which helped justify the new USDA Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program to test other methods of incentivizing SNAP participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.
An ‘A’ grade was also offered, once again, to the WIC Fruit and Vegetable Vouchers program, which was introduced in 2009 as part of a special supplemental program for Women, Infants and Children. Restaurants and cafeterias received a ‘B-‘ for providing greater availability and variety in fruit and vegetable choices on menus. Supermarkets and fruit and vegetable suppliers received a ‘C’ grade for some progress over the past five years at making fruits and vegetables more accessible and convenient.
A ‘D’ grade was given on the alignment of agricultural policy and research with nutrition policy. Last, a failing grade was once again assigned to the food marketing category given its continued low level of fruit and vegetable marketing (<1%) relative to all food marketing.
By Larry Oscar
The New Year is here, and, being an election year, you can count on a lot of laughs as the political clowns running for office get cranked up.
Over the past eight years we have seen a rapid decline in the United States economy and the standard of living for Americans. The average income for US households has fallen from $57k per year to $53k per year, a 7% decline.
We are still the leading country in average income per household, but if this trend continues future generations of Americans can expect to see their hopes for a better life than their parents evaporate. Not many people thought our country would decline so rapidly. However, it was President Ronald Reagan who said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. “
The poor leadership this country has suffered through for the past eight years has not only led to an economic decline, but our country is now in decline when it comes to worldwide leadership and influence with other nations. When our politicians started buying votes with promises of government handouts our fate was sealed. It was Thomas Jefferson who said “Democracy will cease to exist when people realize they can vote themselves more money“.
Tom was obviously right about that one. It is my belief that our politicians don’t realize the extent of the damage to our society that their behavior has caused. Our president is supposed to be the president of ALL Americans; not just the poor, or middle class, but all of us. That includes the poor, middle class, and yes even the rich.
Instead we have seen these politicians proclaim that they “ want to be for the middle class”, or “I am a champion of the poor and the downtrodden.” Then they proceed to make promises of big government handouts and entitlements in return for votes. It is illegal to offer money for votes, and it is immoral to offer government handouts for votes when they are funded with other people’s earnings.
These same politicians preach about immorality and fairness, and then the hypocrites turn around in the next breath and try to buy your vote with promises of monetary government handouts. Unfortunately, I don’t think Americans are smart enough to see through this and realize the damage it is doing to the fabric of this country.
The people who vote for these bozos are indeed selfish and unpatriotic. They are cutting off the opportunity for their children and grandchildren to have a prosperous and productive life. The future Star Trek movies will no longer have the Vulcan phrase “Live long and prosper”. It will be “Live long so you can pay for your grandfathers’ debt.”
Our founding fathers and ancestors would be appalled at what we have become.
Larry Oscar is a graduate from the University of Tulsa and holds a degree in electrical engineering. He is retired and lives with his wife on a lake in Oklahoma where he brews his own beer, sails, and is a member of numerous clubs and organizations.
Here’s an update on light to moderate Florida produce loading opportunities.
Florida strawberry shipments this season will come from product off of 11,000 acres in the Plant City area. Those plantings are expected to yield about 42 million flats of eight 1-pound clamshells, up from last season’s 38 million to 40 million flats.
Although a few farmers harvest through mid-April, most grower-shippers finish packing by mid- to late March.
More normal supplies and shipments of Florida strawberries are expected anytime now. In mid- and late December, shipments were only about two-thirds of normal due to warmer than normal weather.
Strawberry shipments are hitting about 200 truckloads per week now, but this number should increase significantly in the days ahead.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Meanwhile, tomato shipments easily lead the pack when looking a vegetable loadings. About 400 truckloads of tomatoes are being shipped per week from central and southern Florida locations.
There are a number other vegetables in Florida being shipped in light volume ranging from bell peppers to radishes and eggplant, among others. However, Florida certainly isn’t a panacea for finding produce loads this time of the year. But loadings overall in the Eastern time zone of the U.S. this time of year, prompts us to give you as much information as possible. At best, Florida loadings most likely will involve multiple pick ups and drops.
Florida produce – grossing about $2600 to New York City.
Capsaicin, the compound responsible for chilis’ heat, is used in creams sold to relieve pain, and recent research shows that in high doses, it kills prostate cancer cells. Now researchers are finding clues that help explain how the substance works. Their conclusions suggest that one day it could come in a new, therapeutic form. Their study appears in ACS’ The Journal of Physical Chemistry B.
About 10 years ago, researchers reported that capsaicin can kill prostate cancer cells in mice while leaving healthy cells unharmed. But translating that dose to humans would require them to eat a huge number of chili peppers per day.
Figuring out how capsaicin works could help researchers transform it into an effective drug in the form of an injection or pill. Researchers have figured out that the molecule binds to a cell’s surface and affects the membrane, which surrounds and protects the cell. That finding prompted Ashok Kumar Mishra and Jitendriya Swain to try to gain a deeper understanding of capsaicin’s effects so it might be harnessed in the future for new medicines.
The scientists were able to detect how the compound interacts with cell membranes by monitoring its natural fluorescence. The study showed that capsaicin lodges in the membranes near the surface. Add enough of it, and the capsaicin essentially causes the membranes to come apart. With additional research, this insight could help lead to novel tools against cancer or other conditions.
Produce shipments should start returning to more normal movement now that we are past the holidays and receivers are starting to replenish their stocks. Here’s a look at produce shipping from several areas around the country.
Western Lettuce Shipments
Lettuce shipments, led by Iceberg and romaine are originating primarily out of the Yuma district of Arizona. Other leading items are celery, broccoli and cauliflower, although cold weather has cut into volume. Loadings are much lighter from the California desert, primarily from the Imperial Valley, Coachella Valley and Palo Verde.
Apple Shipments
Washington’s Yakima and Wenatchee valleys are averaging bout 2500 truckloads per week. New York state, led by the Hudson Valley, is shipping about 250 truckloads weekly. Michigan is third in volume about 175 trucks per week.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $4500 to Dallas.
Texas Produce Shipments
Overall, it’s still relatively light for produce items here. This is light to moderate shipments of grapefruit and oranges from the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The is better volume of Mexican tropical fruits and vegetables crossing the border.
South Texas citrus and Mexican produce freight rates were up 15 to 20 percent during the holidays, depending on the destination; for example, grossing about $2900 to Atlanta. Rates could drop with the holidays past us.
East Coast Produce Shipments
Pretty slim pickin’s over all. If you’re coming out of Florida with a partial load, there’s very light volume of cabbage and greens being shipped from Southern Georgia…Eastern North Carolinas is loading sweet potatoes in moderate volume….Dry onion shipments are coming out of Orange County, NY. Partial loads of cabbage are coming out of central and western New York. Apples are available from the Hudson Valley, Champlain Valley, plus central and western areas….Aroostrock County, Maine has light volume with potatoes.
North Carolina sweet potato shipments – grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Happy New Year and welcome to 2016!
It has been a memorable year for HaulProduce.com We’ll be noting, if not celebrating our 4th anniversary on January 12th, of providing you the most up to date information on hauling fresh fruits and vegetables as well as issues surrounding fresh produce that may affect you.
We posted our 1300th item on December 18th. Those taking advantage of our free subscription continues to grow. This is where you are automatically notified of new postings. We have now surpassed 350 subscribers.
I want to thank my sponsors, all of whom I’ve personally known 20 years or more. All of them represent the highest standards of honesty and integrity, and truly care not only about their customers, but the men and women behind the wheel of the big rigs that keep this nation moving.
There is Allen Lund and Kenny Lund (Allen Lund Company), Fred Plotsky (Cool Runnings) and Jimmy DeMatteis (Des Moines Truck Brokers). If you are an owner operator, small fleet owner or some other type of long haul carrier, you are in good hands with these folks.
TransFresh is another sponsor, but of a different nature. When you click on their ad it can open a lot of doors to valuable information for those involved with transporting perishables. Rich Macleod of TransFresh has a soft spot for the hard work ethic and the issues facing produce truckers, and he understands and appareciates the vital role they play.
The challenge of not only finding produce loads, but being paid a fair freight rate, is just the start. Delivering that perishable product from point A to point B in a timely fashion, and in good condition can be equally as challenging. Hopefully, through HaulProduce.com we can play a small part in making your business more successful.
In the meantime, here is wishing you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2016 – and of course, safe travels. God Bless. —Bill Martin
Apples sold at retail increased only slightly and sales were down, despite a record U.S. apple crop in 2014-15.
That indicates that while consumer preferences are shifting, it’s not translating into increases in total consumption, according to Nielsen data cited in a news release from Wenatchee, Wash.-based Columbia Marketing International.
From Sept. 1, 2014, to Aug. 28,2015, retail apple volume sales climbed 1.9 percent, according to Nielsen. The average retail price fell 3.9 percent, pulling overall sales down 2 percent.
The Nielsen report covers about 19,000 supermarkets and 67% of U.S. supermarket sales.
Honeycrisp sales continued to rise in 2014-15. The average retail price of the variety jumped 25 percent. The average price of red delicious, however, fell 15 percent.
Gala, Honeycrisp, fuji, red delicious and granny smith accounted for 75 percent of all sales in 2014-15.
The average price of Ambrosia apples climbed 47 percent in 2014-15, the strongest performance of any variety, according to CMI. Ambrosias vaulted into the varietal top-10 last season, replacing braeburns.
Category growth is being driven by consumers shifting to premium varietals, Katharine Grove, marketing specialist at CMI, said in the release.
“Every retailer should take note that despite a record crop and cheap prices last year, category sales actually declined,” Grove said in the release. “Retailers that identified the opportunity to maximize performance of Honeycrisp, Ambrosia and some of the key emerging branded apples like Kanzi and Kiku probably had a pretty good year while their competitors lost market share.”
Weekly boat shipments between the Mexican ports of Veracruz and Altamira and the port of Philadelphia have been scheduled by Miramar, Fla.-based SeaLand of Miramar, FL.
The service will provide goods such as avocados, lemons and tomatoes, according to a Sealand news release. It is geared for producers and exporters of perishable goods to the U.S. and provides the economies of scale, security and reliability of an ocean service combined with expedited transit.
From Philadelphia, Mexican shippers can reach up to 40 percent of the U.S. population within a day’s drive by truck. The service features a six-day transit time, and its first sailing is planned for January 26 out of Veracruz.
The SeaLand Atlantico service will have the following port rotation: Veracruz-Altamira-Philadelphia, the release said.
“We are pleased to provide Mexican exporters an alternative to land transport with a high level of security and care for their products,” Jorge Monzalvo, SeaLand Mexico commercial manager, said in the release. “With the SeaLand Atlantico customers avoid transloading cargo, congestion at the border and limited truck power between countries.”