Author Archive
Imported citrus and fruit from South Africa and Peru are now arriving at U.S. ports.
Fresh South African citrus is arriving from South Africa every 10 days through October at the Gloucester (NJ) Marine Terminal.
The season’s first break bulk ship bearing South Africa citrus discharged June 23 at the marine terminal, located on the Delaware River.
There were 3,400 pallets. South Africans will ship a total of about 30,000 or 40,000 pallets of citrus to the United States this season This is 15th season for South African summer citrus in the U.S. Beginning in 1999, the program had 50 tons of citrus, which has grown to around 41,000 tons per year.
Avocados from Peru
Avocado shipments are showing a significant increase this year with imported fruit from Peru. By mid June around 125 million pounds of Peruvian avocados had arrived in the U.S., primarily to ports at Los Angeles, Houston and Philadelphia. However the majority of avocados are destined for markets along the Eastern seaboard and in the Southeastern United States. This amount of avocados coming to the U.S. from Peru this season is more than double of a year ago.
Here’s an international glimpse at fresh produce loading opportunities, starting with Canadian vegetables from Quebec, Northwest cherries, and the up coming Mexican tomato shipping season.
Quebec Vegetable Shipments
While HaulProduce.com has reported on Ontario vegetable shipments (see June 25th report), here we go with what’s coming soon out of Quebec.
While there are still a few onions from the past season still being shipped, the new crop of onions will be getting underway in mid July, with cantaloupes to soon follow the third week of July, along with carrots, lettuce and peppers.
Broccoli shipments recently started and will continue into early November.
While Quebec ships vegetables to the upper Midwest and some East Coast markets in the U.S., most of its apples never leave this Canadian province – shipping regionally, if not locally.
Quebec also has a couple of fresh cranberry shippers. They shipped over one million pounds last year, and expect to load even more this fall.
Northwest Cherry Shipments
Northwest cherries, led by Washington state are cranking up shipments. It is estimated the Northwest will load 22 million boxes, which could be the region’s second-largest crop behind 2012’s record shipments of 23 million boxes.
Mexican Tomato Shipments
Looking ahead to the 2014-15 season for Mexican tomato shipments, of which a good percent cross the border into the U.S., shows a slight decline projected by the USDA. Around 2.28 million tons of tomatoes will be shipped this coming season, down from 2.35 million ton from the season that recently ended. Acreage for Mexican fresh tomatoes is projected at 106,000 acres, off from the 111,000 in the 2013-14 season.
However, produce haulers will notice little difference in tomato loadings because Mexican yields are up due to expanded plantings in greenhouses, shade houses, tunnels and other forms of protected measures for growing. Many tomato growing operations are financed or owned by major tomato shippers in the U.S., especially growers from California.
Washington state fruit – grossing about $4200 to Chicago.
By Bully Dog
American Falls, ID -July 18th at the Bannock County Fairgrounds, SCT/Bully Dog will look for the perfect blend of speed, raw power and unmatched performance. With $20,000 available in cash and prizes, it’s well worth the time to register as a participant in multiple events!
For instance, if the Dyno isn’t your style, maybe your true calling lies in the racing lanes with all the other drag racers, or maybe you can find that sweet spot between traction, speed and power when you hook up in the pulling class. Out there somewhere, we believe there could be a truck and driver that will win every event, and bring home the ultimate Triple Crown prize of $5000 cash!!
We hope that this is the year of the Dog Days Champion. Could it be you? Aside from the outrageous performance drivers looking to make their mark on the track, SCT/Bully Dog is sponsoring many more events for everyone else to enjoy. The whole family can look forward to rides on the Monster Truck, given out all afternoon.
Throughout the day, there are booths set up selling SCT/Bully Dog merchandize, giving out product information and plenty of opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of diesel racing. SCT/Bully Dog is the industry leader in developing full-featured aftermarket enhancements for an unprecedented number of vehicle applications. Founded in 1999 and guided by the idea that every vehicle possesses untapped potential, Bully Dog equips gas, diesel and heavy duty drivers with the tools to unlock their rides’ potential power and economy gains. Visit us online at www.bullydog.com
by Giumarra Companies
LOS ANGELES – As part of its effort to explore alternate transportation methods, Giumarra announces its first load of product delivered by railroad: watermelons.
Giumarra Nogales shipped watermelons grown in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico to Jessup, Maryland by 50-foot refrigerated railcar in May. This marks the first time in decades produce grown in Mexico was shipped via train.
By working with Nogales-based Pacific Brokerage, Giumarra coordinated a full shipment of the melons, which arrived at their destination in good condition. One railcar will fit up to three truckloads of product.
“Although our delivery had a few challenges, we feel the overall success of the trip demonstrates that watermelons are sturdy enough to handle rail shipment, and it may be a viable option for us in the future,” says Gil Munguia, division manager of Giumarra Nogales.
Giumarra’s Cesar Pacheco, sales manager of Giumarra Nogales, worked with J.B. Manson of Pacific Brokerage for over three years to seek a railroad company that wanted to be involved with the project. Their efforts found traction with the state of Arizona’s “Arizona/Mexico Commission” and the Port of Tucson.
Through the efforts of Mr. Pacheco and Mr. Manson, Union Pacific and CSX Corporation agreed to participate in a pilot program with Giumarra.
“With the success of our first run, we hope to push skepticism to the side and grab the attention of the railroads for future projects,” says Mr. Pacheco. “We can move one ton of cargo more than 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel using rail. We believe this will help minimize the carbon footprint of long-haul shipping.”
Giumarra plans to ship honeydew melons, winter squash, and cucumbers within the rail pilot program. The next planned shipment is headed for Chicago, Illinois on a 64-foot railcar.
(Below is a press release from 2 potato organizations. However, since it was released, Mexican potato growers filed a lawsuit to stop U.S. spuds from entering Mexico and an injunction preventing such action was implemented. So for now, if you are planning to haul US potatoes to the Mexican border, it isn’t going to happen, at least for now.)
By National Potato Council and United States Potato Board
Washington, D.C./Denver, CO — The National Potato Council (NPC) and the United States Potato Board (USPB) are pleased that effective May 19, 2014; the Mexican government has implemented its final rule allowing U.S. fresh potatoes to enter all of Mexico. This action is part of a bi-lateral agreement that facilitates trade in fresh potatoes between the two countries.
The NPC and USPB support this bi-lateral trade agreement as it will benefit potato growers in Mexico and the United States, as well as the processing industries and consumers in both countries. Per capita potato consumption in Mexico is lower than the United States, so there is room for this market to grow. The USPB will conduct market development programs in Mexico which will be designed to increase consumption of all potatoes in Mexico.
Questions on the requirements for shipping to Mexico should be directed to the NPC or USPB.
The National Potato Council is the advocate for the economic well-being of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental, and trade issues.
The mission of the United States Potato Board is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. For complete information about the programs, visit www.uspotatoes.com.
Northwestern shipments of blueberries and apples will be ramping up in the next month or so.
Washington and Oregon will be shipping blueberries this month and loadings will continue into the fall. Both states consistently rank among the nation’s top in blueberry shipments.
Washington is expected to ship approximately 90 million pounds of blueberries this season — an increase of 10 million pounds when compared to 2013. The Evergreen state is a national trendsetter when it comes to organic blueberry production, with 75 percent of its overall volume falling into the category.
Oregon shippers are expected to load more than 80 million pounds of blueberries this year, which would be another record for the state.
The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries, harvesting a total of 564.4 million pounds of cultivated and wild blueberries in 2012. Of this total volume, approximately 84 percent of the harvest fell into the cultivated category. Blueberries rank as the second most important commercial berry crop in the United States, with a total crop value of $781.8 million in 2012.
Apple Shipments
The official estimate will not be announced until August 11, but observers are seeing the potential for a huge crop. starting with shipments in volume of Galas by mid-August. Regional shipping areas in the Eastern U.S. are running later than normal due to the very cool spring, while Washington state apple shipments will start several days earlier than normal. Washington apple shipments should be taking place in good volume starting sometime in August and really ramping up in September.
Here is a glimpse at loading opportunities from a couple of districts in California, as well as from New Jersey and at U.S. ports.
Westside Melon Shipments
Melon shipments from the Westside district of California’s San Joaquin Valley got under way last week, with normal acreage and loadings predicted. The peak shipping period will be in July, August, September and into October. The biggest volume will be with cantaloupe and honeydew.
Sacramento Valley Prunes
The trend of removing Sacramento Valley prune orchards for more profitable nut crops continues. Prune production takes place in August and early September. California statewide should total to around 45,000 acres, amounting to about 95,000 tons of prunes. Last year volume was around 82,000 to 84,000 tons.. The 95,000 may also be close to what can be expected in the future. Typical volumes of a few years ago was in the 120,000 to 140,000 range.
California Pears
California pear shipments from the Sacramento River district and the mountain district get underway within the next week. While loadings may be off 10 to 15 percent from a year ago, there still will be decent volume.
New Jersey Peach Shipments
New Jersey’s peach crop has folks optimistic this year with about 30,000-35,000 tons of fruit forecast from the state’s 5,500 acres of trees. Peaches shippers are located near such towns as Bridgeton, Salem, Mullica Hill, and Glassboro. Good volume is expected by the second week of July with shipments continue through mid September.
New Zealand Kiwi
Arrivals of New Zealand kiwifruit began in mid-May and should be available for loadings at U.S. ports until mid-October.
Central San Joaquin Valley melons and vegetables – grossing about $5700 to Chicago.
San Joaquin Valley grape shipments got an early start this year, when the Arvin District in the Bakersfield area began shipments nearly two weeks ago. It is now shipping in good volume.
Spring grape loadings out of Sonora, Mexico, and California’s Coachella Valley both got off to an early start this year and are finishing earlier than usual. Early Arvin District grape shipments have made for a smooth transition from Mexico and Coachella into the San Joaquin Valley.
At this point, it looks like the San Joaquin Valley will be shipping into February 2015 as the harvest spreads northward.
Loading opportunities for California grapes continues to become spread out over a longer period of time as new grape varieties are developed, which extend the season. It started in Coachella Valley this year on April 28. It has just finished.
2013 California fresh grape shipments exceeded expectations and came in at a record 116.2 million 19-pound boxes. The 2014 crop is officially estimated at 116.5 million boxes, which, if realized, would just edge out last year’s record.
One of the nice aspects of hauling California grapes, is the growers have been successfully producing quality fruit that makes for good deliveries. This results in fewer claims and rejected loads at destination.
San Joquin Valley stone fruit, berries and grapes – grossing about $8500 to New York City.
No one doubts cargo theft is a big problem, but do you know what type of cargo is the biggest target, which states lead in these type of thefts and when they are most likely to occur?
These are some of the questions that were answered by Sal Marino, vice president of CargoNet, who is based in New Jersey. He was speaking at the 2014 United Fresh Produce Association’s annual convention and exposition in Chicago recently.
The leading target for thieves are food and beverages, accounting for 25 percent of cargo thefts, followed by electronics at 14 percent. Others include household goods (11 percent), apparel and accessories (10 percent), containers (9 percent), metals (8 percent), with miscellaneous items making up the balance.
Leading America in cargo thefts is the state of California (23 percent), followed by Texas (19 percent) and Florida (10 percent).
When is cargo theft most likely to occur? 21 percent of the incidents happen on Friday, 19 percent on Saturday and 14 percent on Sunday. Marino says the weekends are more risky because a lot of trucks have to wait to get unloaded in the upcoming week. It also depends where the truck is parked over the weekend.
Marino said most thefts occur at warehouses and distribution centers. Truck stops ranked fourth as locations for cargo theft.
When it comes to cargo theft of produce items, nuts make up a third of the top 10 items. Almonds ranked first as the primary target for theft, followed by tomatoes, avocadoes, grapes, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, pistachios and walnuts.
When a cargo theft occurs, Marino said it is very important report the theft to authorities as soon as possible and get the word out about the loss. The more specific details you provide the better.
It was in early June that truck broker Kenny Lund saw the spot market on produce freight rates hit $10,000 for loads between California and the East Coast. While part of the reason was seasonal volume increases for fresh fruits and vegetables, and truck availability, he saw other factors contributing to the rise in rates.
Lund was speaking at the 2014 convention and exhibition of the United Fresh Produce Association in Chicago June 11th.
The vice president, support operations, for the Allen Lund Co. Inc. of LaCanada, CA cited the recently completed 72-hour U.S. Department of Transportation check points held across the country. This was delaying truck schedules.
Another factor was the CARB (California Air Resources Board) regulations, which Lund said were resulting in more truckers refusing to come to California. It takes a minimum investment by truckers of $8,000 to comply with CARB regulations.
“It is impossible to be compliant and move significant amounts of refrigerated product into and out California,” Lund stated
He noted less than 30 percent of refrigerated carriers are compliant with CARB and truckers simply do not have the money to become compliant.
In an effort to assist produce haulers, he noted Allen Lund Co. provides $1.5 million a week in advances to drivers.
Lund, who has been with company founded by his father and namesake 25 years, said there were over 50,000 carriers in the United States, but the average trucking company has less than six trucks.
“90 percent of the trucking companies have six or less trucks,” he noted. At the same time the percentage is very low of trucks having team drivers.
Getting more specific, Lund said refrigerated carriers are dominated by owner operators and companies with less than five trucks.
As for CARB, Lund said he has “fought tooth and nail with them” (California bureaucrates). Since the CARB rules were implemented in 2004 fines have been extended to brokers, shippers, receivers and specifically to drivers.
“It (CARB rules) has driven a lot of drivers away from California,” Lund stated.
He also was critical of hours-of-service regulations, and particularly the 34-hour restart. While the restart requirement may be okay for local trucking, it is not good for long haul drivers.
During a question and answer session, Lund said the reason more large refrigerated carriers do not haul produce is because “it comes down the driver having a stake in that load. I see a lot of large carriers get in and out of hauling produce. It comes down to not having enough good drivers,” Lund concluded.
Imported citrus and fruit from South Africa and Peru are now arriving at U.S. ports.
Fresh South African citrus is arriving from South Africa every 10 days through October at the Gloucester (NJ) Marine Terminal.
The season’s first break bulk ship bearing South Africa citrus discharged June 23 at the marine terminal, located on the Delaware River.
There were 3,400 pallets. South Africans will ship a total of about 30,000 or 40,000 pallets of citrus to the United States this season This is 15th season for South African summer citrus in the U.S. Beginning in 1999, the program had 50 tons of citrus, which has grown to around 41,000 tons per year.
Avocados from Peru
Avocado shipments are showing a significant increase this year with imported fruit from Peru. By mid June around 125 million pounds of Peruvian avocados had arrived in the U.S., primarily to ports at Los Angeles, Houston and Philadelphia. However the majority of avocados are destined for markets along the Eastern seaboard and in the Southeastern United States. This amount of avocados coming to the U.S. from Peru this season is more than double of a year ago.
Here’s an international glimpse at fresh produce loading opportunities, starting with Canadian vegetables from Quebec, Northwest cherries, and the up coming Mexican tomato shipping season.
Quebec Vegetable Shipments
While HaulProduce.com has reported on Ontario vegetable shipments (see June 25th report), here we go with what’s coming soon out of Quebec.
While there are still a few onions from the past season still being shipped, the new crop of onions will be getting underway in mid July, with cantaloupes to soon follow the third week of July, along with carrots, lettuce and peppers.
Broccoli shipments recently started and will continue into early November.
While Quebec ships vegetables to the upper Midwest and some East Coast markets in the U.S., most of its apples never leave this Canadian province – shipping regionally, if not locally.
Quebec also has a couple of fresh cranberry shippers. They shipped over one million pounds last year, and expect to load even more this fall.
Northwest Cherry Shipments
Northwest cherries, led by Washington state are cranking up shipments. It is estimated the Northwest will load 22 million boxes, which could be the region’s second-largest crop behind 2012’s record shipments of 23 million boxes.
Mexican Tomato Shipments
Looking ahead to the 2014-15 season for Mexican tomato shipments, of which a good percent cross the border into the U.S., shows a slight decline projected by the USDA. Around 2.28 million tons of tomatoes will be shipped this coming season, down from 2.35 million ton from the season that recently ended. Acreage for Mexican fresh tomatoes is projected at 106,000 acres, off from the 111,000 in the 2013-14 season.
However, produce haulers will notice little difference in tomato loadings because Mexican yields are up due to expanded plantings in greenhouses, shade houses, tunnels and other forms of protected measures for growing. Many tomato growing operations are financed or owned by major tomato shippers in the U.S., especially growers from California.
Washington state fruit – grossing about $4200 to Chicago.
By Bully Dog
American Falls, ID -July 18th at the Bannock County Fairgrounds, SCT/Bully Dog will look for the perfect blend of speed, raw power and unmatched performance. With $20,000 available in cash and prizes, it’s well worth the time to register as a participant in multiple events!
For instance, if the Dyno isn’t your style, maybe your true calling lies in the racing lanes with all the other drag racers, or maybe you can find that sweet spot between traction, speed and power when you hook up in the pulling class. Out there somewhere, we believe there could be a truck and driver that will win every event, and bring home the ultimate Triple Crown prize of $5000 cash!!
We hope that this is the year of the Dog Days Champion. Could it be you? Aside from the outrageous performance drivers looking to make their mark on the track, SCT/Bully Dog is sponsoring many more events for everyone else to enjoy. The whole family can look forward to rides on the Monster Truck, given out all afternoon.
Throughout the day, there are booths set up selling SCT/Bully Dog merchandize, giving out product information and plenty of opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of diesel racing. SCT/Bully Dog is the industry leader in developing full-featured aftermarket enhancements for an unprecedented number of vehicle applications. Founded in 1999 and guided by the idea that every vehicle possesses untapped potential, Bully Dog equips gas, diesel and heavy duty drivers with the tools to unlock their rides’ potential power and economy gains. Visit us online at www.bullydog.com
by Giumarra Companies
LOS ANGELES – As part of its effort to explore alternate transportation methods, Giumarra announces its first load of product delivered by railroad: watermelons.
Giumarra Nogales shipped watermelons grown in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico to Jessup, Maryland by 50-foot refrigerated railcar in May. This marks the first time in decades produce grown in Mexico was shipped via train.
By working with Nogales-based Pacific Brokerage, Giumarra coordinated a full shipment of the melons, which arrived at their destination in good condition. One railcar will fit up to three truckloads of product.
“Although our delivery had a few challenges, we feel the overall success of the trip demonstrates that watermelons are sturdy enough to handle rail shipment, and it may be a viable option for us in the future,” says Gil Munguia, division manager of Giumarra Nogales.
Giumarra’s Cesar Pacheco, sales manager of Giumarra Nogales, worked with J.B. Manson of Pacific Brokerage for over three years to seek a railroad company that wanted to be involved with the project. Their efforts found traction with the state of Arizona’s “Arizona/Mexico Commission” and the Port of Tucson.
Through the efforts of Mr. Pacheco and Mr. Manson, Union Pacific and CSX Corporation agreed to participate in a pilot program with Giumarra.
“With the success of our first run, we hope to push skepticism to the side and grab the attention of the railroads for future projects,” says Mr. Pacheco. “We can move one ton of cargo more than 500 miles on a single gallon of diesel using rail. We believe this will help minimize the carbon footprint of long-haul shipping.”
Giumarra plans to ship honeydew melons, winter squash, and cucumbers within the rail pilot program. The next planned shipment is headed for Chicago, Illinois on a 64-foot railcar.
(Below is a press release from 2 potato organizations. However, since it was released, Mexican potato growers filed a lawsuit to stop U.S. spuds from entering Mexico and an injunction preventing such action was implemented. So for now, if you are planning to haul US potatoes to the Mexican border, it isn’t going to happen, at least for now.)
By National Potato Council and United States Potato Board
Washington, D.C./Denver, CO — The National Potato Council (NPC) and the United States Potato Board (USPB) are pleased that effective May 19, 2014; the Mexican government has implemented its final rule allowing U.S. fresh potatoes to enter all of Mexico. This action is part of a bi-lateral agreement that facilitates trade in fresh potatoes between the two countries.
The NPC and USPB support this bi-lateral trade agreement as it will benefit potato growers in Mexico and the United States, as well as the processing industries and consumers in both countries. Per capita potato consumption in Mexico is lower than the United States, so there is room for this market to grow. The USPB will conduct market development programs in Mexico which will be designed to increase consumption of all potatoes in Mexico.
Questions on the requirements for shipping to Mexico should be directed to the NPC or USPB.
The National Potato Council is the advocate for the economic well-being of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental, and trade issues.
The mission of the United States Potato Board is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. For complete information about the programs, visit www.uspotatoes.com.
Northwestern shipments of blueberries and apples will be ramping up in the next month or so.
Washington and Oregon will be shipping blueberries this month and loadings will continue into the fall. Both states consistently rank among the nation’s top in blueberry shipments.
Washington is expected to ship approximately 90 million pounds of blueberries this season — an increase of 10 million pounds when compared to 2013. The Evergreen state is a national trendsetter when it comes to organic blueberry production, with 75 percent of its overall volume falling into the category.
Oregon shippers are expected to load more than 80 million pounds of blueberries this year, which would be another record for the state.
The United States is the world’s largest producer of blueberries, harvesting a total of 564.4 million pounds of cultivated and wild blueberries in 2012. Of this total volume, approximately 84 percent of the harvest fell into the cultivated category. Blueberries rank as the second most important commercial berry crop in the United States, with a total crop value of $781.8 million in 2012.
Apple Shipments
The official estimate will not be announced until August 11, but observers are seeing the potential for a huge crop. starting with shipments in volume of Galas by mid-August. Regional shipping areas in the Eastern U.S. are running later than normal due to the very cool spring, while Washington state apple shipments will start several days earlier than normal. Washington apple shipments should be taking place in good volume starting sometime in August and really ramping up in September.
Here is a glimpse at loading opportunities from a couple of districts in California, as well as from New Jersey and at U.S. ports.
Westside Melon Shipments
Melon shipments from the Westside district of California’s San Joaquin Valley got under way last week, with normal acreage and loadings predicted. The peak shipping period will be in July, August, September and into October. The biggest volume will be with cantaloupe and honeydew.
Sacramento Valley Prunes
The trend of removing Sacramento Valley prune orchards for more profitable nut crops continues. Prune production takes place in August and early September. California statewide should total to around 45,000 acres, amounting to about 95,000 tons of prunes. Last year volume was around 82,000 to 84,000 tons.. The 95,000 may also be close to what can be expected in the future. Typical volumes of a few years ago was in the 120,000 to 140,000 range.
California Pears
California pear shipments from the Sacramento River district and the mountain district get underway within the next week. While loadings may be off 10 to 15 percent from a year ago, there still will be decent volume.
New Jersey Peach Shipments
New Jersey’s peach crop has folks optimistic this year with about 30,000-35,000 tons of fruit forecast from the state’s 5,500 acres of trees. Peaches shippers are located near such towns as Bridgeton, Salem, Mullica Hill, and Glassboro. Good volume is expected by the second week of July with shipments continue through mid September.
New Zealand Kiwi
Arrivals of New Zealand kiwifruit began in mid-May and should be available for loadings at U.S. ports until mid-October.
Central San Joaquin Valley melons and vegetables – grossing about $5700 to Chicago.
San Joaquin Valley grape shipments got an early start this year, when the Arvin District in the Bakersfield area began shipments nearly two weeks ago. It is now shipping in good volume.
Spring grape loadings out of Sonora, Mexico, and California’s Coachella Valley both got off to an early start this year and are finishing earlier than usual. Early Arvin District grape shipments have made for a smooth transition from Mexico and Coachella into the San Joaquin Valley.
At this point, it looks like the San Joaquin Valley will be shipping into February 2015 as the harvest spreads northward.
Loading opportunities for California grapes continues to become spread out over a longer period of time as new grape varieties are developed, which extend the season. It started in Coachella Valley this year on April 28. It has just finished.
2013 California fresh grape shipments exceeded expectations and came in at a record 116.2 million 19-pound boxes. The 2014 crop is officially estimated at 116.5 million boxes, which, if realized, would just edge out last year’s record.
One of the nice aspects of hauling California grapes, is the growers have been successfully producing quality fruit that makes for good deliveries. This results in fewer claims and rejected loads at destination.
San Joquin Valley stone fruit, berries and grapes – grossing about $8500 to New York City.
No one doubts cargo theft is a big problem, but do you know what type of cargo is the biggest target, which states lead in these type of thefts and when they are most likely to occur?
These are some of the questions that were answered by Sal Marino, vice president of CargoNet, who is based in New Jersey. He was speaking at the 2014 United Fresh Produce Association’s annual convention and exposition in Chicago recently.
The leading target for thieves are food and beverages, accounting for 25 percent of cargo thefts, followed by electronics at 14 percent. Others include household goods (11 percent), apparel and accessories (10 percent), containers (9 percent), metals (8 percent), with miscellaneous items making up the balance.
Leading America in cargo thefts is the state of California (23 percent), followed by Texas (19 percent) and Florida (10 percent).
When is cargo theft most likely to occur? 21 percent of the incidents happen on Friday, 19 percent on Saturday and 14 percent on Sunday. Marino says the weekends are more risky because a lot of trucks have to wait to get unloaded in the upcoming week. It also depends where the truck is parked over the weekend.
Marino said most thefts occur at warehouses and distribution centers. Truck stops ranked fourth as locations for cargo theft.
When it comes to cargo theft of produce items, nuts make up a third of the top 10 items. Almonds ranked first as the primary target for theft, followed by tomatoes, avocadoes, grapes, apples, bananas, mangoes, pineapple, pistachios and walnuts.
When a cargo theft occurs, Marino said it is very important report the theft to authorities as soon as possible and get the word out about the loss. The more specific details you provide the better.
It was in early June that truck broker Kenny Lund saw the spot market on produce freight rates hit $10,000 for loads between California and the East Coast. While part of the reason was seasonal volume increases for fresh fruits and vegetables, and truck availability, he saw other factors contributing to the rise in rates.
Lund was speaking at the 2014 convention and exhibition of the United Fresh Produce Association in Chicago June 11th.
The vice president, support operations, for the Allen Lund Co. Inc. of LaCanada, CA cited the recently completed 72-hour U.S. Department of Transportation check points held across the country. This was delaying truck schedules.
Another factor was the CARB (California Air Resources Board) regulations, which Lund said were resulting in more truckers refusing to come to California. It takes a minimum investment by truckers of $8,000 to comply with CARB regulations.
“It is impossible to be compliant and move significant amounts of refrigerated product into and out California,” Lund stated
He noted less than 30 percent of refrigerated carriers are compliant with CARB and truckers simply do not have the money to become compliant.
In an effort to assist produce haulers, he noted Allen Lund Co. provides $1.5 million a week in advances to drivers.
Lund, who has been with company founded by his father and namesake 25 years, said there were over 50,000 carriers in the United States, but the average trucking company has less than six trucks.
“90 percent of the trucking companies have six or less trucks,” he noted. At the same time the percentage is very low of trucks having team drivers.
Getting more specific, Lund said refrigerated carriers are dominated by owner operators and companies with less than five trucks.
As for CARB, Lund said he has “fought tooth and nail with them” (California bureaucrates). Since the CARB rules were implemented in 2004 fines have been extended to brokers, shippers, receivers and specifically to drivers.
“It (CARB rules) has driven a lot of drivers away from California,” Lund stated.
He also was critical of hours-of-service regulations, and particularly the 34-hour restart. While the restart requirement may be okay for local trucking, it is not good for long haul drivers.
During a question and answer session, Lund said the reason more large refrigerated carriers do not haul produce is because “it comes down the driver having a stake in that load. I see a lot of large carriers get in and out of hauling produce. It comes down to not having enough good drivers,” Lund concluded.