Author Archive
You will find light to moderate shipments of produce from these states in the Eastern time zone: Michigan, New York, the Appalachian states, and Florida.
Michigan Produce Shipments
Michigan is shipping primarily apples in moderate volume, with lesser amounts of potatoes and onions. The state is averaging about 250 truck loads of apples per week. Potato and onion loadings are averaging only about 40 percent the volume of apples. The majority of the shipments are from Western Michigan.
Michigan apples – grossing about $4100 to San Antonio. Onions and potatoes grossing about 20 percent less.
New York Produce Shipments
New York apple shipments are averaging about 275 truck loads weekly, but are spread out from points ranging from the Hudson Valley to the Champlain Valley, as well as central and western New York. The Empire state is loading around 150 truck loads of storage onions per week. Orange County has the most shipments. There is limited volume coming from Long Island.
New York apples – grossing about $4100 to Miami.
Appalachian Apple Shipments
There is light volume with apples coming out of portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Florida Produce Shipments
Florida strawberries shipments began in mid-November in a light way with much greater volume becoming available next week (December 8-12). Shipments typically run through March. There are about 11,000 acres of strawberries, with the vast majority of it grown within 25-30 miles of Plant City, FL. (For more on Florida produce shipments, see our December 1st report).
Florida strawberries -grossing about $2400 to Chicago.
You know there’s a glut of potatoes available when you can go into your local supermarket and find a 10-pound bag of russets for $1.49, while a five-pound bag of the same spuds is selling for $2.47. That means plenty of potatoes for hauling this season. In fact, truck shortages are being reported in most of the major shipping areas, ranging from Idaho to Washington, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Idaho grows and ships about one-third of all U.S. potatoes each year. The state’s 2014 harvest, which recently completed, yielded about 13 billion pounds of potatoes from a little over 320,000 acres. That is enough potatoes to fill 500 football stadiums 10 feet high.
Idaho potato shipments should be pretty normal this season. Known for its russet potatoes, over the past decade, growers have diversified and now have an assortment of specialty potato varieties. The state is the number one shipper of fingerling potatoes, and Idaho is now the number two shipper of red potatoes.
Twin Falls, Idaho potatoes – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
U.S., Canada Potatoes
About 508 million cwt. of potatoes potentially will be shipped in the U.S. and Canada this season, 2 percent more than last season. U.S. fall production is estimated at 406 million cwt., Canadian production at 102 million cwt. The U.S. total is 3 percent higher than in Fall 2013. Canada’s production is down 1 percent. Production is up in the U.S. even though acreage is down. About 926,000 acres were harvested this fall, down from 934,000 acres last fall. Yields rose, however — from 425 cwt. to 439 cwt. per acre. Harvested acreage in Canada fell from 351,000 acres to 342,000 acres. Yields rose from 292 cwt. to 298 cwt. per acre.
San Luis Valley, Colorado potato shipments – grossing about $2700 to Atlanta.
Columbia Basin, Washington potato shipments – grossing about $3000 to Chicago.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin potato shipments – grossing about $3400 to Dallas.
Florida produce shipments
Florida isn’t exactly a hot bed for produce haulers this time of the year, but when you get right down to it, neither is Nogales, the Arizona and California deserts, or many other places. But here’s what’s happening in Florida, or will be occurring in the weeks and months ahead.
Grapefruit shipments provide some of the best loading opportunities. It started in October and will continue through April, although January through March provides the biggest volume. Florida typically ships 18 to 20 million boxes of grapefruit each season. Pink grapefruit comprises about 70 percent of the shipments, and Florida remains the world’s largest shipper of commercial grapefruit.
Winter veggies provide light to moderate loading opportunities out of Florida this time of the year. The state ranks second nationally in bell pepper shipments, which kicked off last October and should be available through June, Florida is number one in both sweet corn and snap bean shipments., which started in November and should continue through May. Typically April and May are the top two months for Florida veggies loadings.
Tomato shipments are just coming into decent volume and will be available through the spring. Loadings are originating from the Palmetto-Ruskin area, as well as Immokalee. There also is light volume with cherry and grape tomatoes from Central Florida.
Strawberry shipments from the Plant City area provide some of the best Florida hauling opportunities during the winter. Light volume is under way and good volume will be available in the next week or two. Shipments will continue into the middle of March.
Florida blueberry shipments have seen dramatic increases in recent years, but won’t be available until March, continuing through May….Likewise, watermelon shipments will start in mid-March and continue to early June. In fact, Florida is the only state shipping watermelons during much of this time period.
Central and South Florida vegetables and tomatoes – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
Savannah, Georgia trails only New York City as an East Coast container port and ranks No. 4 nationally after Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, according to Datamyne and compiled by Bloomberg.
Now, the city, which as a modest population of 143,000, is opening another shipping market in the city’s emergence as a major trade hub with the Port of Savannah.
The Georgia Port Authority reports not only has Savannah been the fastest-growing port in the U.S. for the past 10 years, but it is now in a position to grow and become No. 1., something that was unfathomable a decade ago.
Ongoing improvements at the port are continuing to push it forward.
Bloomberg reports that the Port of Savannah’s September imports rose 21.7% compared to a 7% increase for New York. However, keep in mind that New York still imported nearly twice the cargo.
Of course, New York will always move large cargo volumes because of its massive consuming population.
One of the large selling points for Savannah is the port’s proximity to major expressways like I-20 and I-95. The port is currently working to deepen its waters to attract larger ships that may come through the expanded Panama Canal as well.
We take this opportunity to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving, and feel very blessed to live in the United States, which still offers so many opportunities. If you were not able to make it home this holiday, we wish you safe travels and to be with those closet to you soon.
Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated the fourth Thursday in November.
In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is commonly, but not universally, traced to a poorly documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. Pilgrims and Puritans who began emigrating from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England.
Several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England history that have been identified as the “First Thanksgiving”, including Pilgrim holidays in Plymouth in 1621 and 1623, and a Puritan holiday in Boston in 1631. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. In later years, religious thanksgiving services were declared by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford, who planned a thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s.
Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution. During the revolutionary period, political influences affected the issuance of Thanksgiving proclamations. Various proclamations were made by royal governors, John Hancock, General George Washington, and the Continental Congress, each giving thanks to God for events favorable to their causes. As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God”.
In modern times the President of the United States, in addition to issuing a proclamation, will “pardon” a turkey, which spares the bird’s life and ensures that it will spend the duration of its life roaming freely on farmland.
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated the second Monday in October. The first Canadian Thanksgiving is often traced back to 1578 and the explorer Martin Frobisher. Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean, held his Thanksgiving celebration not for harvest but in thanks for surviving the long journey from England through the perils of storms and icebergs.
The South American country of Chile exports more than 800,000 tons of fruit to the U.S. annually, and over half of that is supplied during our winter months.
As the largest fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile has everything from blueberries, to grapes and stone fruit — such as peaches, plums and nectarines — during the winter months. When you see these items in the produce department of your local supermarket, chances are the fruit is from Chile. This results in many fresh fruits being available the year around, something that did not exist, at least on today’s scale, 20 years ago.
Most of the Chilean produce items arrive by boat on both the east and west coasts of the United States.
Chilean cherries are available from November through January. Blueberries run from November through March. The grape arrivals from Chile runs from December through May, and peaches, plums and nectarines arrive in the U.S. from December through April.
Chile exports around 400,000 tons of grapes to the U.S. each year, representing about half of Chile’s entire export volume to the U.S.
Volume in tons of Chilean fruit imports has been fairly stable over the years, although the 2013-14 was certainly an exception.
Chile experienced its worst drought in 80 years, and the country also had a three-week port strike. With Chile continually expanding its global presence and selling to more international markets, one might expect to see decreasing volumes to the U.S., but that is not the case. Some commodities, like grapes, have seen decreased volumes, but others, such as blueberries and citrus, have had huge growth.
The potential fly in the ointment this season is the port strikes on the West Coast, particularly as L.A. and Long Beach, escalates.
More East Coast sweet potato loads are expected this season….As the California grape season finishes, be extra careful of loading fruit with quality problems.
North Carolina sweet potato shipments should be back to normal this season as the harvest for 2014 has pretty much wrapped up.
A return to normal yields after a rain-damaged 2013 shortfall caused many growers to run out of cured 2013 sweet potatoes and ship uncured or “green” potatoes in the early harvest weeks this year. An interesting side note this year is several North Carolina growers have formed a co-op, Yamco, which is making making sweet potato puree used in vodka, beer, jams, pastry mixes, and soon, whiskey…..Truck supplies are in short supply.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Lower volume California grape shipments are expected as 2014 comes to a close. Loadings are expected to be down from this same time a year ago. The persistent drought in California meant less water for grapes, resulting in smaller sized fruit and subsequently lower volumes, plus hot weather at times has been an issue. Due to the drought and heat, quality has been hit and miss this season. As the season winds down, grape haulers should pay extra attention to what is being put in the truck to help reduce your chances of claims at destination.
California grape shipments will continue through Thanksgiving and perhaps up to Christmas. The first South American grape imports from Chile are not expected on the East Coast until December 8th and on the West Coast until December 24th.
Central San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $6800 to New York City.
California vegetables are in a seasonal transition to more southern areas ranging from the Coachella and Imperial valleys, to the Yuma district….Also look for a big increase this season with Chilean cherries.
Western Vegetable shipments leading up to Thanksgiving have been modest at best, particularly for popular items such as romaine and the other lettuces as well as celery, broccoli and cauliflower.
As coastal California seasons for the various crops wind down, volume has been light, especially for romaine and broccoli. The meager supply situation will probably last at least through the week of December 15th. From Thanksgiving through Christmas produce shipments will be light as the transition has started to the California and Arizona deserts.
A side note is there are a lot more shipments of greens taking place than at other times of the year. These items range from kale, to chard, and collard greens, all of which are in the midst of a renaissance with consumers.
California and Arizona desert shipments ranging from lettuce, to peppers and cantaloupe – grossing about $5400 to Atlanta.
CHILEAN CHERRIES
Chilean cherry exports to North America could soar 45 percent this season. Total cherry exports from Chile should reach 100,00 tons in 2014-15. The South American country is bouncing back from a devastating freeze in 2013-14, which hit cherries and other fruits hard. Cherries will be available at U.S. ports in December and January.
By The U.S. Potato Board
DENVER — Research published recently in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition demonstrates how people can include potatoes as part of a weight management program.
The study, a collaborative effort between the University of California at Davis and the Illinois Institute of Technology, sought to gain a better understanding of the role of calorie reduction and the glycemic index in weight loss when potatoes are included in the diet.
“Some people have questioned the role of potatoes in a weight loss regimen because of the vegetable’s designation as a high glycemic index food,” explained Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, the lead investigator of the study. “However, the results of this study confirm what health professionals and nutrition experts have said for years: it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups, rather, it is reducing calories that count,” said Burton-Freeman.
Ninety overweight men and women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) reduced calorie/high GI, (2) reduced calorie/low GI, (3) control group with no calorie or GI restrictions. All three groups were provided potatoes, healthful recipes and instructions to consume 5-7 servings of potatoes per week. At the end of the 12-week study period, the researchers found all three groups had lost weight and there was no significant difference in weight loss between the groups.
“There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight loss program,” said Burton-Freeman.
Interestingly, even the control group reduced their caloric intake and lost weight despite not being provided with a specific calorie restriction. “The fact that all groups, even the control group, lost weight is a curious finding and provides cause for future research,” said co-investigator Dr. Tissa Kappagoda, MD, PhD.
The study results are good news for potato lovers and any consumer who craves the satisfaction of wholesome yet healthy meal options. One medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
This study was funded by the United States Potato Board. Visit www.PotatoGoodness.com for a wealth of potato nutrition information and healthy recipes.
For more information on the USPB as the nation’s potato marketing organization, positioned as the “catalyst for positive change,” and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. In an effort to enhance diversity of the Board, USDA encourages women, younger growers, minorities, and people with disabilities to seek positions on the board.
By The National Watermelon Promotion Board
Winter Springs, FL – At 92 percent water and chock full of nutrients, watermelon is a naturally hydrating food fit for the finish line. That’s the message National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), along with its entourage of watermelon queens from National Watermelon Association (NWA) and mascot J. Slice, shared during the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) festivities in Washington, D.C., last month 24-26 where it served a truckload of healthy watermelon to athletes and families.
“From watermelon queens decked out in crowns and sashes touring D.C. landmarks to hydration tips shared via social media and 10 tons of refreshing watermelon at the finish festival, watermelon made a showy appearance at the Marine Corps Marathon during the Board’s second year as a sponsor,” says Stephanie Barlow, NWPB director of PR and social media.
Starting with the three-day Health & Fitness Expo where runners picked up their registration packets, NWPB shared recipes and nutrition research showing why watermelon is nature-made for athletes – offering replenishing electrolytes, like potassium, and sore-muscle relief from the amino acid citrulline.
At Saturday’s MCM Kids Run, nearly 3,600 D.C.-area youth ran one mile at the Pentagon parking lot. National Watermelon Queen Brandi Harrison and mascot J. Slice acted as official race starters for one wave of youth runners.
“The Kids Run fosters a healthy family lifestyle. To that end, NWPB is sponsoring five ‘Jump with Jill’ shows – a music-based health program – next spring for five local schools that had the most participation and won the ‘Healthy School Award,’” shares Barlow. During the event, watermelon queens met with families and handed out 1,200 pounds of fresh watermelon slices while distributing recipe cards, coloring sheets and stickers. At the Mascot Games, J. Slice joined the Marine Corps’ bulldogs Miles and Molly and others to compete in the 100-yard dash.
Known as the “People’s Marathon” and the third largest marathon in the U.S., more than 30,000 athletes participated in the Marine Corps Marathon this year. On Sunday at the MCM Finish Festival in Rosslyn, Va., NWPB served 20,000 samples of refreshing watermelon to athletes and their supporters.
You will find light to moderate shipments of produce from these states in the Eastern time zone: Michigan, New York, the Appalachian states, and Florida.
Michigan Produce Shipments
Michigan is shipping primarily apples in moderate volume, with lesser amounts of potatoes and onions. The state is averaging about 250 truck loads of apples per week. Potato and onion loadings are averaging only about 40 percent the volume of apples. The majority of the shipments are from Western Michigan.
Michigan apples – grossing about $4100 to San Antonio. Onions and potatoes grossing about 20 percent less.
New York Produce Shipments
New York apple shipments are averaging about 275 truck loads weekly, but are spread out from points ranging from the Hudson Valley to the Champlain Valley, as well as central and western New York. The Empire state is loading around 150 truck loads of storage onions per week. Orange County has the most shipments. There is limited volume coming from Long Island.
New York apples – grossing about $4100 to Miami.
Appalachian Apple Shipments
There is light volume with apples coming out of portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Florida Produce Shipments
Florida strawberries shipments began in mid-November in a light way with much greater volume becoming available next week (December 8-12). Shipments typically run through March. There are about 11,000 acres of strawberries, with the vast majority of it grown within 25-30 miles of Plant City, FL. (For more on Florida produce shipments, see our December 1st report).
Florida strawberries -grossing about $2400 to Chicago.
You know there’s a glut of potatoes available when you can go into your local supermarket and find a 10-pound bag of russets for $1.49, while a five-pound bag of the same spuds is selling for $2.47. That means plenty of potatoes for hauling this season. In fact, truck shortages are being reported in most of the major shipping areas, ranging from Idaho to Washington, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Idaho grows and ships about one-third of all U.S. potatoes each year. The state’s 2014 harvest, which recently completed, yielded about 13 billion pounds of potatoes from a little over 320,000 acres. That is enough potatoes to fill 500 football stadiums 10 feet high.
Idaho potato shipments should be pretty normal this season. Known for its russet potatoes, over the past decade, growers have diversified and now have an assortment of specialty potato varieties. The state is the number one shipper of fingerling potatoes, and Idaho is now the number two shipper of red potatoes.
Twin Falls, Idaho potatoes – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
U.S., Canada Potatoes
About 508 million cwt. of potatoes potentially will be shipped in the U.S. and Canada this season, 2 percent more than last season. U.S. fall production is estimated at 406 million cwt., Canadian production at 102 million cwt. The U.S. total is 3 percent higher than in Fall 2013. Canada’s production is down 1 percent. Production is up in the U.S. even though acreage is down. About 926,000 acres were harvested this fall, down from 934,000 acres last fall. Yields rose, however — from 425 cwt. to 439 cwt. per acre. Harvested acreage in Canada fell from 351,000 acres to 342,000 acres. Yields rose from 292 cwt. to 298 cwt. per acre.
San Luis Valley, Colorado potato shipments – grossing about $2700 to Atlanta.
Columbia Basin, Washington potato shipments – grossing about $3000 to Chicago.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin potato shipments – grossing about $3400 to Dallas.
Florida produce shipments
Florida isn’t exactly a hot bed for produce haulers this time of the year, but when you get right down to it, neither is Nogales, the Arizona and California deserts, or many other places. But here’s what’s happening in Florida, or will be occurring in the weeks and months ahead.
Grapefruit shipments provide some of the best loading opportunities. It started in October and will continue through April, although January through March provides the biggest volume. Florida typically ships 18 to 20 million boxes of grapefruit each season. Pink grapefruit comprises about 70 percent of the shipments, and Florida remains the world’s largest shipper of commercial grapefruit.
Winter veggies provide light to moderate loading opportunities out of Florida this time of the year. The state ranks second nationally in bell pepper shipments, which kicked off last October and should be available through June, Florida is number one in both sweet corn and snap bean shipments., which started in November and should continue through May. Typically April and May are the top two months for Florida veggies loadings.
Tomato shipments are just coming into decent volume and will be available through the spring. Loadings are originating from the Palmetto-Ruskin area, as well as Immokalee. There also is light volume with cherry and grape tomatoes from Central Florida.
Strawberry shipments from the Plant City area provide some of the best Florida hauling opportunities during the winter. Light volume is under way and good volume will be available in the next week or two. Shipments will continue into the middle of March.
Florida blueberry shipments have seen dramatic increases in recent years, but won’t be available until March, continuing through May….Likewise, watermelon shipments will start in mid-March and continue to early June. In fact, Florida is the only state shipping watermelons during much of this time period.
Central and South Florida vegetables and tomatoes – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
Savannah, Georgia trails only New York City as an East Coast container port and ranks No. 4 nationally after Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, according to Datamyne and compiled by Bloomberg.
Now, the city, which as a modest population of 143,000, is opening another shipping market in the city’s emergence as a major trade hub with the Port of Savannah.
The Georgia Port Authority reports not only has Savannah been the fastest-growing port in the U.S. for the past 10 years, but it is now in a position to grow and become No. 1., something that was unfathomable a decade ago.
Ongoing improvements at the port are continuing to push it forward.
Bloomberg reports that the Port of Savannah’s September imports rose 21.7% compared to a 7% increase for New York. However, keep in mind that New York still imported nearly twice the cargo.
Of course, New York will always move large cargo volumes because of its massive consuming population.
One of the large selling points for Savannah is the port’s proximity to major expressways like I-20 and I-95. The port is currently working to deepen its waters to attract larger ships that may come through the expanded Panama Canal as well.
We take this opportunity to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving, and feel very blessed to live in the United States, which still offers so many opportunities. If you were not able to make it home this holiday, we wish you safe travels and to be with those closet to you soon.
Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated the fourth Thursday in November.
In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is commonly, but not universally, traced to a poorly documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. Pilgrims and Puritans who began emigrating from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England.
Several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England history that have been identified as the “First Thanksgiving”, including Pilgrim holidays in Plymouth in 1621 and 1623, and a Puritan holiday in Boston in 1631. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. In later years, religious thanksgiving services were declared by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford, who planned a thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s.
Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution. During the revolutionary period, political influences affected the issuance of Thanksgiving proclamations. Various proclamations were made by royal governors, John Hancock, General George Washington, and the Continental Congress, each giving thanks to God for events favorable to their causes. As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nation-wide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God”.
In modern times the President of the United States, in addition to issuing a proclamation, will “pardon” a turkey, which spares the bird’s life and ensures that it will spend the duration of its life roaming freely on farmland.
Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated the second Monday in October. The first Canadian Thanksgiving is often traced back to 1578 and the explorer Martin Frobisher. Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean, held his Thanksgiving celebration not for harvest but in thanks for surviving the long journey from England through the perils of storms and icebergs.
The South American country of Chile exports more than 800,000 tons of fruit to the U.S. annually, and over half of that is supplied during our winter months.
As the largest fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile has everything from blueberries, to grapes and stone fruit — such as peaches, plums and nectarines — during the winter months. When you see these items in the produce department of your local supermarket, chances are the fruit is from Chile. This results in many fresh fruits being available the year around, something that did not exist, at least on today’s scale, 20 years ago.
Most of the Chilean produce items arrive by boat on both the east and west coasts of the United States.
Chilean cherries are available from November through January. Blueberries run from November through March. The grape arrivals from Chile runs from December through May, and peaches, plums and nectarines arrive in the U.S. from December through April.
Chile exports around 400,000 tons of grapes to the U.S. each year, representing about half of Chile’s entire export volume to the U.S.
Volume in tons of Chilean fruit imports has been fairly stable over the years, although the 2013-14 was certainly an exception.
Chile experienced its worst drought in 80 years, and the country also had a three-week port strike. With Chile continually expanding its global presence and selling to more international markets, one might expect to see decreasing volumes to the U.S., but that is not the case. Some commodities, like grapes, have seen decreased volumes, but others, such as blueberries and citrus, have had huge growth.
The potential fly in the ointment this season is the port strikes on the West Coast, particularly as L.A. and Long Beach, escalates.
More East Coast sweet potato loads are expected this season….As the California grape season finishes, be extra careful of loading fruit with quality problems.
North Carolina sweet potato shipments should be back to normal this season as the harvest for 2014 has pretty much wrapped up.
A return to normal yields after a rain-damaged 2013 shortfall caused many growers to run out of cured 2013 sweet potatoes and ship uncured or “green” potatoes in the early harvest weeks this year. An interesting side note this year is several North Carolina growers have formed a co-op, Yamco, which is making making sweet potato puree used in vodka, beer, jams, pastry mixes, and soon, whiskey…..Truck supplies are in short supply.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Boston.
Lower volume California grape shipments are expected as 2014 comes to a close. Loadings are expected to be down from this same time a year ago. The persistent drought in California meant less water for grapes, resulting in smaller sized fruit and subsequently lower volumes, plus hot weather at times has been an issue. Due to the drought and heat, quality has been hit and miss this season. As the season winds down, grape haulers should pay extra attention to what is being put in the truck to help reduce your chances of claims at destination.
California grape shipments will continue through Thanksgiving and perhaps up to Christmas. The first South American grape imports from Chile are not expected on the East Coast until December 8th and on the West Coast until December 24th.
Central San Joaquin Valley grapes – grossing about $6800 to New York City.
California vegetables are in a seasonal transition to more southern areas ranging from the Coachella and Imperial valleys, to the Yuma district….Also look for a big increase this season with Chilean cherries.
Western Vegetable shipments leading up to Thanksgiving have been modest at best, particularly for popular items such as romaine and the other lettuces as well as celery, broccoli and cauliflower.
As coastal California seasons for the various crops wind down, volume has been light, especially for romaine and broccoli. The meager supply situation will probably last at least through the week of December 15th. From Thanksgiving through Christmas produce shipments will be light as the transition has started to the California and Arizona deserts.
A side note is there are a lot more shipments of greens taking place than at other times of the year. These items range from kale, to chard, and collard greens, all of which are in the midst of a renaissance with consumers.
California and Arizona desert shipments ranging from lettuce, to peppers and cantaloupe – grossing about $5400 to Atlanta.
CHILEAN CHERRIES
Chilean cherry exports to North America could soar 45 percent this season. Total cherry exports from Chile should reach 100,00 tons in 2014-15. The South American country is bouncing back from a devastating freeze in 2013-14, which hit cherries and other fruits hard. Cherries will be available at U.S. ports in December and January.
By The U.S. Potato Board
DENVER — Research published recently in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition demonstrates how people can include potatoes as part of a weight management program.
The study, a collaborative effort between the University of California at Davis and the Illinois Institute of Technology, sought to gain a better understanding of the role of calorie reduction and the glycemic index in weight loss when potatoes are included in the diet.
“Some people have questioned the role of potatoes in a weight loss regimen because of the vegetable’s designation as a high glycemic index food,” explained Dr. Britt Burton-Freeman, PhD, the lead investigator of the study. “However, the results of this study confirm what health professionals and nutrition experts have said for years: it is not about eliminating a certain food or food groups, rather, it is reducing calories that count,” said Burton-Freeman.
Ninety overweight men and women were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) reduced calorie/high GI, (2) reduced calorie/low GI, (3) control group with no calorie or GI restrictions. All three groups were provided potatoes, healthful recipes and instructions to consume 5-7 servings of potatoes per week. At the end of the 12-week study period, the researchers found all three groups had lost weight and there was no significant difference in weight loss between the groups.
“There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight loss program,” said Burton-Freeman.
Interestingly, even the control group reduced their caloric intake and lost weight despite not being provided with a specific calorie restriction. “The fact that all groups, even the control group, lost weight is a curious finding and provides cause for future research,” said co-investigator Dr. Tissa Kappagoda, MD, PhD.
The study results are good news for potato lovers and any consumer who craves the satisfaction of wholesome yet healthy meal options. One medium-size (5.3 ounce) skin-on potato contains just 110 calories per serving, boasts more potassium (620g) than a banana, provides almost half the daily value of vitamin C (45 percent), and contains no fat, sodium or cholesterol.
This study was funded by the United States Potato Board. Visit www.PotatoGoodness.com for a wealth of potato nutrition information and healthy recipes.
For more information on the USPB as the nation’s potato marketing organization, positioned as the “catalyst for positive change,” and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. In an effort to enhance diversity of the Board, USDA encourages women, younger growers, minorities, and people with disabilities to seek positions on the board.
By The National Watermelon Promotion Board
Winter Springs, FL – At 92 percent water and chock full of nutrients, watermelon is a naturally hydrating food fit for the finish line. That’s the message National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), along with its entourage of watermelon queens from National Watermelon Association (NWA) and mascot J. Slice, shared during the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) festivities in Washington, D.C., last month 24-26 where it served a truckload of healthy watermelon to athletes and families.
“From watermelon queens decked out in crowns and sashes touring D.C. landmarks to hydration tips shared via social media and 10 tons of refreshing watermelon at the finish festival, watermelon made a showy appearance at the Marine Corps Marathon during the Board’s second year as a sponsor,” says Stephanie Barlow, NWPB director of PR and social media.
Starting with the three-day Health & Fitness Expo where runners picked up their registration packets, NWPB shared recipes and nutrition research showing why watermelon is nature-made for athletes – offering replenishing electrolytes, like potassium, and sore-muscle relief from the amino acid citrulline.
At Saturday’s MCM Kids Run, nearly 3,600 D.C.-area youth ran one mile at the Pentagon parking lot. National Watermelon Queen Brandi Harrison and mascot J. Slice acted as official race starters for one wave of youth runners.
“The Kids Run fosters a healthy family lifestyle. To that end, NWPB is sponsoring five ‘Jump with Jill’ shows – a music-based health program – next spring for five local schools that had the most participation and won the ‘Healthy School Award,’” shares Barlow. During the event, watermelon queens met with families and handed out 1,200 pounds of fresh watermelon slices while distributing recipe cards, coloring sheets and stickers. At the Mascot Games, J. Slice joined the Marine Corps’ bulldogs Miles and Molly and others to compete in the 100-yard dash.
Known as the “People’s Marathon” and the third largest marathon in the U.S., more than 30,000 athletes participated in the Marine Corps Marathon this year. On Sunday at the MCM Finish Festival in Rosslyn, Va., NWPB served 20,000 samples of refreshing watermelon to athletes and their supporters.