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There should be significantly more produce loading opportunities from the Rocky Mountain State, primarily due to a great snowpack and a lot of favorable growing conditions.
Depending on location, snow packs in the Rocky Mountains have been anywhere from 130 to 150 percent of normal, filling up reservoirs, and easing concerns over drought conditions.
Colorado Peach Shipments
Peach shipments from Colorado’s western slope have been underway since the last week of July. Loadings should continue until after Labor Day, and a few limited loadings could be available into the third week of September. Last year, peach volume was off 25 percent because of weather factors. This season loadings are expected to only be down 10 to 15 percent from what is considered a full crop. There also are some loadings available with apple and pears, although its is much smaller than with peaches.
Rocky Ford Melon Shipments
Cantaloupe shipments, as well as honeydew are now coming out of Colorado’s Rocky Ford area. Loadings should be available for another month.
Colorado Vegetable Shipments
San Luis Valley potato shipments could be up as much as eight percent this season. A combination of 54,200 acres of potatoes planted, combined with plentiful water supplies have helped. While limited potato shipments started from Northeastern Colorado a week ago, most volume comes out of the San Luis Valley. SLV harvesting generally gets underway after Labor Day and wraps up in October, with shipments continuing into following the summer.
The Northeastern part of the state also is shipping items ranging from onions to sweet corn and squash.
South Carolina produce peaches and vegetable loadings continue. We also take a look a upcoming Wisconsin cranberry shipments.
South Carolina Produce Shipments
There is good volume peach shipments from South Carolina that finally got going in July and will continue with nice volume through August, although a seasonal decline will begin soon. Loadings, however will continue into September.
South Carolina, despite being a small state (41st in size among the 50 states), ranks high in produce shipments. It is the nation’s second-largest shipper of peaches, behind California, and ahead of Georgia. South Carolina places in the top 10 for truck loadings of leafy greens, cantaloupe, peanuts, watermelons, tomatoes, mixed vegetables and sweet potatoes.
South Carolina peaches and vegetables – grossing about $3400 to New York City.
Wisconsin Cranberry Shipments
Cranberrries have experienced a 57 percent increase in shipments nationwide from 2002 to 2013. As a result, poor prices are resulting from too much fruit for the amount of demand. Many U.S. growers are struggling to create new markets to absorb a growing oversupply of the tiny tart berries grown in marshes. Wisconsin is at the center of the glut. Between 2012 and 2013, Wisconsin had a 25 percent boost in production, a record-breaking harvest of 6 million barrels of cranberries. The state produced 67 percent of all cranberries harvested in the United States in 2013, marking the 19th consecutive year as the country’s leader in cranberry shipper.
Central Wisconsin cranberry shipments will be starting in mid September in light volume. Heaviest volume occurs as we enter November leading up to Thanksgiving (Nov. 27th).
There should be excellent hauling opportunities for apples and pears from Washington this season.
Similar to most crops along the West Coast this year, Washington apple shipments got underway unusually early with the Gingergold variety in late July. It may have been the first time fruit was picked before August.
As the season is off and running it appears there will be record shipments this year, mostly by truck. Washington apple shipments are expected to be around 140 million cartons, which would easily surpass the previous record of just under 130 million cartons during the 2012-13 season.
Washington Pear Shipments
The green colored Bartlett pears started being shipped from Washington state in early August. As the Bartletts lead off pear loadings, other varieties are nearing being shipped as well.
Red Anjous and Starkrimson are getting underway this week. Soon to follow will be the Bosc, Forelle, Comice, Seckel, Asian and Red Sensation pears. Shipments of Bartletts, Starkrimsons and Red Sensations will continue through December. Seckels, Comice and Asian pears ship during the winter months, and Red and Green Anjous typically ship from late summer or early fall into the next summer.
Washington apples, pears and cherries – grossing about $4300 to Chicago.
By TransFresh Corporation
Salinas, CA — TransFresh Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, has announced that its flagship technology, Tectrol® Modified Atmosphere Packaging Systems, recognized worldwide for delivering an added level of protection to help ensure the quality and marketability of fresh strawberries, has now significantly modified the Tectrol System to help deliver more consistent supplies of fresh blueberries.
TransFresh has successfully completed a multi-year research and development initiative resulting in a unique Tectrol Storage Solution that utilizes Apio’s patented BreatheWay® Technology to deliver a sealed package system with adjustable oxygen transfer rates that react dynamically to changes in temperature and berry respiration for more reliable fresh blueberry storage. Apio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation.
According to TransFresh, the breakthrough sealed pallet process delivers to customers a unique storage solution with stable oxygen and carbon dioxide. “What’s remarkable about the Tectrol Storage Solution for fresh blueberries is that the innovative zip-sealed pallet system combined with the patented breathable membrane allows just the right amount of oxygen transfer needed by the fruit, resulting in greater atmosphere control than previously possible and a virtually fool-proof packaging operation,” stated Rich Macleod, TransFresh Corporation vice president (in photograph). “Customers who may have struggled in the past to meet the specific atmosphere needs of fresh blueberries are now finding they have a new solution available with higher consistency and a more stable atmosphere for greater storage reliability,” he said. Macleod further commented that customers may now have much more confidence in their storage solutions by being able to more effectively match supplies with market demand. TransFresh expects that its new storage solution can be adapted to other commodities such as fresh cherries and grapes.
To develop the unique Tectrol Storage Solution for fresh blueberries, TransFresh looked more closely at storage needs versus shipping needs. According to Reilly Rhodes, TransFresh Tectrol business manager for fresh blueberries who spearheaded the multi-year development project, the “A-ha” moment came when the pallet sealing method used for fresh strawberries was “turned on its head.” “We redesigned our seal system for the fresh blueberry market and then married the redesigned seal and bag with the Apio BreatheWay® technology,” he explained. The new Tectrol Storage Solution for blueberries is not only high-performance operationally, but is also fully “adjustable” to blueberries and their storage conditions. “At that stage,” Rhodes said, “we were no longer simply adapting a successful program for fresh strawberries to fresh blueberries, we were actually creating a new and highly adaptable solution designed specifically for fresh blueberries.”
In completing the initiative, TransFresh drew upon the extensive expertise of Apio’s BreatheWay® Technology team and also worked alongside several of the key customers who participate in the fresh blueberry industry. BreatheWay® Technology is a trademark of Apio, Inc.
Domestic markets have sold 15 percent more blueberries this year than last and represent a fast growing berry segment. As these markets have grown, the demand for a more effective storage solution has accelerated. Because blueberries are grown in a variety of countries and districts, and varieties tend to have steep production peaks, the ability to hold blueberries in modified or controlled atmosphere conditions helps to smooth out the bumps in market supply and demand. A pallet-sized atmosphere package such as the Tectrol Storage Solution gives suppliers the flexibility to market a quality product through the peaks and valleys of the distribution system.
Customers who are interested in more information may contact Reilly Rhodes, TransFresh Corp., at (949) 279-5084.
About TransFresh®
TransFresh Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, is a pioneering and established global company with nearly 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh® family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh. The Tectrol Service Network™ services, markets and supports the Tectrol Pallet Systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol as the industry standard. For more information, please visit www.transfresh.com.
About Chiquita Brands
Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB) is a leading international marketer and distributor of nutritious, high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas, blends of convenient green salads and other fruits to healthy snacking products. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of more than $3 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 20,000 people and has operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.chiquita.com.
About Apio
Apio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation (LNDC). Landec, through Apio, is a market leader in the commercialization of specialty packaged vegetable products using Apio’s BreatheWay® patented technology. Landec also develops and commercializes injectable medical materials for ophthalmology and orthopedic applications. Landec’s Apio food subsidiary sells its products nationwide under the Eat Smart® and GreenLine® Brands. For more information visit www.apioinc.com.
The California drought is hurting everyone from growers to shippers – and produce truckers – to the consumer, who ultimately is paying more for their food.
Groundwater supplies pumped from wells will make up most of the shortfall in agricultural water caused by the California drought.
A new study says the drought will still result in $810 million in lost crop revenues this year. The study, “Economic Analysis of the 2014 Drought for California Agriculture,” published by the University of California at Davis Center for Watershed Schiences, the study estimated the total statewide economic costs of the drought at $2.2 billion, including the loss of 17,100 seasonal and part time jobs.
Crop values of the state’s fruit and nut trees will decline by $277 million because of the drought, while losses to vegetables and non-tree fruit are estimated at $47 million in 2014.. The drought is expected to decrease cropland in California by 428,000 acres in 2014. Of that total, fruit and nut trees account for 41,000 acres of the total reduction, with vegetables and non tree fruit representing 10,000 acres of idled ground.
The surface water reduction caused by the drought, according to the report, is estimated at 6.6 million acre-feet. The increase in groundwater pumping of water was estimated 5.1 million acre-feet, leaving the net water shortage of 1.6 million acre-feet. Besides crop revenue losses of $810 million, other costs include additional water pumping expenses of $454 million and $203 million in livestock and dairy revenue loss. That totals $1.5 billion in direct costs.
This is an update on produce shipments from Washington, Oregon and California.
Northwest Onion Shipments
Potato shipments for the new season have recently got underway from the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Washington state. They are now moving into good volume.
In Walla Walla, WA, shipping of Walla Walla sweet onions have been ongoing for serval weeks and will continue until around Labor Day.
Northwest potato shipments from the old crop are still happening, but declining in volume as the season concludes.
California Produce Shipments
Strawberry shipments have been on a steady keel for a while now out of the Watsonville area averaging about 900 truck loads per week. Volume also is steady from the Santa Maria district, although volume is only about 25 percent of that from Watsonville.
Meanwhile moderate loadings of broccoli, cauliflower and celery continues. Lettuce, not surprisingly, leads Salinas Valley vegetable shipments. Head lettuce and romaine alone, are averaging over 1800 truckloads per week. There also are other types of lettuce and a few dozen different other veggie items being shipped.
Tomato loadings are available from the Central San Joaquin Valley, as well as the Oceanside area, and from Baja crossing the Mexican/US border at Otay Mesa.
Pear shipments are now ongoing from the Sacramento area and the northern San Joaquin Valley.
California pears – grossing about $4900 to Dallas.
Salinas Valley produce – grossing about $5600 to Cleveland.
Labor Day (September 1st) is less than a month away and here is a quick view of some items that should be available for hauling between now and then.
Michigan sweet corn shipments are currently at a peak, and there is decent volume coming out of the Goshen, IN area…..Michigan also continues with good volume blueberry shipments and summer vegetables.
.
Sweet Corn Shipments
Western North Carolina sweet corn shipments should still have good volume by Labor Day, along with tomatoes.
California sweet corn should have good volume out of the San Joaquin Valley for Labor Day, although shipments will be ligher than Memorital Day or the Fourth of July. Melons out of the Westside District will continue in steady volume, as will as grape shipments, whose volume has been excellent, but the majority of the loadings will take place after Labor Day through the end of the year.
Sweet Potato Shipments
With a short sweet potato crop nationally for the 2013-14 season, limited loading opportunities are available as the seasons comes to an end. However, the 2014-15 sweet shipments should improve, particular since leading producer North Carolina has increased its plantings from 54,000 acres a year ago to 66,000 acres this year.
Here’s hoping sweet potato shippers don’t get in such a hurry to ship product in the new season that they don’t take time to cure first. Curing sweet potatoes, which doesn’t take that long, are much better. North Carolina shipments should get underway after Labor Day, while Mississippi may start the last week of August.
Eastern North Carolina sweet potatoes – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Mississippi sweet potatoes – grossing about $2100 to Chicago.
Here is a look a new season shipments for New York and California apples, plus some other loading opportunities in both of these states.
New York Apple Shipments
New York state’s apple harvest is scheduled to begin August 15th, with shipments getting underway shortly thereafter. The Empire State expects to ship about 30 million bushels of fruit this season, down only slightly from the 32 million bushels shipped during the 2013-14 season. However, total volume is still expected to stay above the state’s five-year averages of 29.5 million bushels. Although the apple harvest should end in November, loading opportunities will continue well into next spring, if not summer. The Hudson Valley is New York’s leading area for apple shipments, although several other areas of the state also have the fruit in significant volume.
New York vegetable shipments are moving in steady volume, especially from western and central areas of the state.
Western New York vegetables – grossing about $1600 to New York City.
California Apple Shipments
Apple shipments out of California’ San Joaquin Valley got underway a couple of weeks ago, but are only entering volume loadings now. This is one of the earliest maturing crops on record. Overall, California expects to ship about 2.4 million boxes of apples this season, which is fairly normal.
While gala shipments started in mid July, granny smiths should get underway the week of August 11th, followed by fujis around August 18th. followed by Pink Lady apples in the middle of October.
California’s San Joaquin Valley produce shipments are in good volume with everything ranging from grapes to tomatoes, stone fruit and vegetables.
San Joaquin Valley vegetables and melons – grossing about $7500 to New York City.
India Globalization Capital, Inc. based in Bethesda, MD is working with TerraSphere Systems and Greenlife Ventures to develop multiple facilities to produce organic leafy green vegetables, with plans to eventually transition the facilities to produce legal cannabis, according to a news release from the company.
The facilities, planned for unspecified locations in the U.S. Northeast and Canada, will utilize TerraSphere’s advanced pesticide free organic indoor farming technology. The transition to support the legal cannabis industry will occur when there are clear rules on the cultivation of cannabis in each region.
TerraSphere designs and builds contained vertical farming systems, according to the release. “We are excited to partner with TerraSphere as we look to both develop proven pesticide-free organic growing intellectual property and secure a meaningful footprint of high tech facilities, in important states, for ultimately growing legal cannabis,” chief executive officer Ram Mukunda said in the release. “In the interim, we expect these facilities to generate accretive revenue from other plants as part of our strategic short-term goal of building profit, while simultaneously moving IGC closer towards meeting our long-term goal of becoming a dominant player in the emerging legal cannabis space.”
The release did not say what organic vegetables will be cultivated or when the facilities would be operational, and a spokesman for the company. Each of the four planned facilities will range in size from 10,000 to 30,000 square feet and will feature LED lighting for developing faster growing plants with additional yields of up to 20 percent. When the facilities are operational, India Globalization Capital will own 51 percent of each venture. The company will make a cash investment in the venture and will receive a seven-year option to purchase the venture for cash and shares of its common stock, according to the release.
A planned fall rollout at U.S. retail supermarkets of the vegetable Kalettes is planned, which is a cross between kale and brussels sprouts.
It is spearheaded by based sales manager of Tozer Seeds America, said in a news release.
“We started selling seed in the U.S. in 2012 and quickly realized that this new vegetable was going to be a huge hit with consumers due to the popularity of both vegetables,” Kuykendall said. So far, Kalettes has appeared in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It was developed over more than a decade of research by cross-pollinating brussels sprouts with kale through traditional methods.
Plans for the U.S. launch include consumer and social media activity. A website offers recipes; a Facebook page and other outlets have been established. Rock Garden South, a Miami-based grower and subsidiary of Miami-based specialties distributor Coosemans Worldwide, introduced organic BrusselKale — a cross between brussels sprouts and red kale — last year.
There should be significantly more produce loading opportunities from the Rocky Mountain State, primarily due to a great snowpack and a lot of favorable growing conditions.
Depending on location, snow packs in the Rocky Mountains have been anywhere from 130 to 150 percent of normal, filling up reservoirs, and easing concerns over drought conditions.
Colorado Peach Shipments
Peach shipments from Colorado’s western slope have been underway since the last week of July. Loadings should continue until after Labor Day, and a few limited loadings could be available into the third week of September. Last year, peach volume was off 25 percent because of weather factors. This season loadings are expected to only be down 10 to 15 percent from what is considered a full crop. There also are some loadings available with apple and pears, although its is much smaller than with peaches.
Rocky Ford Melon Shipments
Cantaloupe shipments, as well as honeydew are now coming out of Colorado’s Rocky Ford area. Loadings should be available for another month.
Colorado Vegetable Shipments
San Luis Valley potato shipments could be up as much as eight percent this season. A combination of 54,200 acres of potatoes planted, combined with plentiful water supplies have helped. While limited potato shipments started from Northeastern Colorado a week ago, most volume comes out of the San Luis Valley. SLV harvesting generally gets underway after Labor Day and wraps up in October, with shipments continuing into following the summer.
The Northeastern part of the state also is shipping items ranging from onions to sweet corn and squash.
South Carolina produce peaches and vegetable loadings continue. We also take a look a upcoming Wisconsin cranberry shipments.
South Carolina Produce Shipments
There is good volume peach shipments from South Carolina that finally got going in July and will continue with nice volume through August, although a seasonal decline will begin soon. Loadings, however will continue into September.
South Carolina, despite being a small state (41st in size among the 50 states), ranks high in produce shipments. It is the nation’s second-largest shipper of peaches, behind California, and ahead of Georgia. South Carolina places in the top 10 for truck loadings of leafy greens, cantaloupe, peanuts, watermelons, tomatoes, mixed vegetables and sweet potatoes.
South Carolina peaches and vegetables – grossing about $3400 to New York City.
Wisconsin Cranberry Shipments
Cranberrries have experienced a 57 percent increase in shipments nationwide from 2002 to 2013. As a result, poor prices are resulting from too much fruit for the amount of demand. Many U.S. growers are struggling to create new markets to absorb a growing oversupply of the tiny tart berries grown in marshes. Wisconsin is at the center of the glut. Between 2012 and 2013, Wisconsin had a 25 percent boost in production, a record-breaking harvest of 6 million barrels of cranberries. The state produced 67 percent of all cranberries harvested in the United States in 2013, marking the 19th consecutive year as the country’s leader in cranberry shipper.
Central Wisconsin cranberry shipments will be starting in mid September in light volume. Heaviest volume occurs as we enter November leading up to Thanksgiving (Nov. 27th).
There should be excellent hauling opportunities for apples and pears from Washington this season.
Similar to most crops along the West Coast this year, Washington apple shipments got underway unusually early with the Gingergold variety in late July. It may have been the first time fruit was picked before August.
As the season is off and running it appears there will be record shipments this year, mostly by truck. Washington apple shipments are expected to be around 140 million cartons, which would easily surpass the previous record of just under 130 million cartons during the 2012-13 season.
Washington Pear Shipments
The green colored Bartlett pears started being shipped from Washington state in early August. As the Bartletts lead off pear loadings, other varieties are nearing being shipped as well.
Red Anjous and Starkrimson are getting underway this week. Soon to follow will be the Bosc, Forelle, Comice, Seckel, Asian and Red Sensation pears. Shipments of Bartletts, Starkrimsons and Red Sensations will continue through December. Seckels, Comice and Asian pears ship during the winter months, and Red and Green Anjous typically ship from late summer or early fall into the next summer.
Washington apples, pears and cherries – grossing about $4300 to Chicago.
By TransFresh Corporation
Salinas, CA — TransFresh Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, has announced that its flagship technology, Tectrol® Modified Atmosphere Packaging Systems, recognized worldwide for delivering an added level of protection to help ensure the quality and marketability of fresh strawberries, has now significantly modified the Tectrol System to help deliver more consistent supplies of fresh blueberries.
TransFresh has successfully completed a multi-year research and development initiative resulting in a unique Tectrol Storage Solution that utilizes Apio’s patented BreatheWay® Technology to deliver a sealed package system with adjustable oxygen transfer rates that react dynamically to changes in temperature and berry respiration for more reliable fresh blueberry storage. Apio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation.
According to TransFresh, the breakthrough sealed pallet process delivers to customers a unique storage solution with stable oxygen and carbon dioxide. “What’s remarkable about the Tectrol Storage Solution for fresh blueberries is that the innovative zip-sealed pallet system combined with the patented breathable membrane allows just the right amount of oxygen transfer needed by the fruit, resulting in greater atmosphere control than previously possible and a virtually fool-proof packaging operation,” stated Rich Macleod, TransFresh Corporation vice president (in photograph). “Customers who may have struggled in the past to meet the specific atmosphere needs of fresh blueberries are now finding they have a new solution available with higher consistency and a more stable atmosphere for greater storage reliability,” he said. Macleod further commented that customers may now have much more confidence in their storage solutions by being able to more effectively match supplies with market demand. TransFresh expects that its new storage solution can be adapted to other commodities such as fresh cherries and grapes.
To develop the unique Tectrol Storage Solution for fresh blueberries, TransFresh looked more closely at storage needs versus shipping needs. According to Reilly Rhodes, TransFresh Tectrol business manager for fresh blueberries who spearheaded the multi-year development project, the “A-ha” moment came when the pallet sealing method used for fresh strawberries was “turned on its head.” “We redesigned our seal system for the fresh blueberry market and then married the redesigned seal and bag with the Apio BreatheWay® technology,” he explained. The new Tectrol Storage Solution for blueberries is not only high-performance operationally, but is also fully “adjustable” to blueberries and their storage conditions. “At that stage,” Rhodes said, “we were no longer simply adapting a successful program for fresh strawberries to fresh blueberries, we were actually creating a new and highly adaptable solution designed specifically for fresh blueberries.”
In completing the initiative, TransFresh drew upon the extensive expertise of Apio’s BreatheWay® Technology team and also worked alongside several of the key customers who participate in the fresh blueberry industry. BreatheWay® Technology is a trademark of Apio, Inc.
Domestic markets have sold 15 percent more blueberries this year than last and represent a fast growing berry segment. As these markets have grown, the demand for a more effective storage solution has accelerated. Because blueberries are grown in a variety of countries and districts, and varieties tend to have steep production peaks, the ability to hold blueberries in modified or controlled atmosphere conditions helps to smooth out the bumps in market supply and demand. A pallet-sized atmosphere package such as the Tectrol Storage Solution gives suppliers the flexibility to market a quality product through the peaks and valleys of the distribution system.
Customers who are interested in more information may contact Reilly Rhodes, TransFresh Corp., at (949) 279-5084.
About TransFresh®
TransFresh Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chiquita Brands, is a pioneering and established global company with nearly 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh® family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh. The Tectrol Service Network™ services, markets and supports the Tectrol Pallet Systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol as the industry standard. For more information, please visit www.transfresh.com.
About Chiquita Brands
Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB) is a leading international marketer and distributor of nutritious, high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas, blends of convenient green salads and other fruits to healthy snacking products. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of more than $3 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 20,000 people and has operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.chiquita.com.
About Apio
Apio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation (LNDC). Landec, through Apio, is a market leader in the commercialization of specialty packaged vegetable products using Apio’s BreatheWay® patented technology. Landec also develops and commercializes injectable medical materials for ophthalmology and orthopedic applications. Landec’s Apio food subsidiary sells its products nationwide under the Eat Smart® and GreenLine® Brands. For more information visit www.apioinc.com.
The California drought is hurting everyone from growers to shippers – and produce truckers – to the consumer, who ultimately is paying more for their food.
Groundwater supplies pumped from wells will make up most of the shortfall in agricultural water caused by the California drought.
A new study says the drought will still result in $810 million in lost crop revenues this year. The study, “Economic Analysis of the 2014 Drought for California Agriculture,” published by the University of California at Davis Center for Watershed Schiences, the study estimated the total statewide economic costs of the drought at $2.2 billion, including the loss of 17,100 seasonal and part time jobs.
Crop values of the state’s fruit and nut trees will decline by $277 million because of the drought, while losses to vegetables and non-tree fruit are estimated at $47 million in 2014.. The drought is expected to decrease cropland in California by 428,000 acres in 2014. Of that total, fruit and nut trees account for 41,000 acres of the total reduction, with vegetables and non tree fruit representing 10,000 acres of idled ground.
The surface water reduction caused by the drought, according to the report, is estimated at 6.6 million acre-feet. The increase in groundwater pumping of water was estimated 5.1 million acre-feet, leaving the net water shortage of 1.6 million acre-feet. Besides crop revenue losses of $810 million, other costs include additional water pumping expenses of $454 million and $203 million in livestock and dairy revenue loss. That totals $1.5 billion in direct costs.
This is an update on produce shipments from Washington, Oregon and California.
Northwest Onion Shipments
Potato shipments for the new season have recently got underway from the Columbia Basin in Oregon and Washington state. They are now moving into good volume.
In Walla Walla, WA, shipping of Walla Walla sweet onions have been ongoing for serval weeks and will continue until around Labor Day.
Northwest potato shipments from the old crop are still happening, but declining in volume as the season concludes.
California Produce Shipments
Strawberry shipments have been on a steady keel for a while now out of the Watsonville area averaging about 900 truck loads per week. Volume also is steady from the Santa Maria district, although volume is only about 25 percent of that from Watsonville.
Meanwhile moderate loadings of broccoli, cauliflower and celery continues. Lettuce, not surprisingly, leads Salinas Valley vegetable shipments. Head lettuce and romaine alone, are averaging over 1800 truckloads per week. There also are other types of lettuce and a few dozen different other veggie items being shipped.
Tomato loadings are available from the Central San Joaquin Valley, as well as the Oceanside area, and from Baja crossing the Mexican/US border at Otay Mesa.
Pear shipments are now ongoing from the Sacramento area and the northern San Joaquin Valley.
California pears – grossing about $4900 to Dallas.
Salinas Valley produce – grossing about $5600 to Cleveland.
Labor Day (September 1st) is less than a month away and here is a quick view of some items that should be available for hauling between now and then.
Michigan sweet corn shipments are currently at a peak, and there is decent volume coming out of the Goshen, IN area…..Michigan also continues with good volume blueberry shipments and summer vegetables.
.
Sweet Corn Shipments
Western North Carolina sweet corn shipments should still have good volume by Labor Day, along with tomatoes.
California sweet corn should have good volume out of the San Joaquin Valley for Labor Day, although shipments will be ligher than Memorital Day or the Fourth of July. Melons out of the Westside District will continue in steady volume, as will as grape shipments, whose volume has been excellent, but the majority of the loadings will take place after Labor Day through the end of the year.
Sweet Potato Shipments
With a short sweet potato crop nationally for the 2013-14 season, limited loading opportunities are available as the seasons comes to an end. However, the 2014-15 sweet shipments should improve, particular since leading producer North Carolina has increased its plantings from 54,000 acres a year ago to 66,000 acres this year.
Here’s hoping sweet potato shippers don’t get in such a hurry to ship product in the new season that they don’t take time to cure first. Curing sweet potatoes, which doesn’t take that long, are much better. North Carolina shipments should get underway after Labor Day, while Mississippi may start the last week of August.
Eastern North Carolina sweet potatoes – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Mississippi sweet potatoes – grossing about $2100 to Chicago.
Here is a look a new season shipments for New York and California apples, plus some other loading opportunities in both of these states.
New York Apple Shipments
New York state’s apple harvest is scheduled to begin August 15th, with shipments getting underway shortly thereafter. The Empire State expects to ship about 30 million bushels of fruit this season, down only slightly from the 32 million bushels shipped during the 2013-14 season. However, total volume is still expected to stay above the state’s five-year averages of 29.5 million bushels. Although the apple harvest should end in November, loading opportunities will continue well into next spring, if not summer. The Hudson Valley is New York’s leading area for apple shipments, although several other areas of the state also have the fruit in significant volume.
New York vegetable shipments are moving in steady volume, especially from western and central areas of the state.
Western New York vegetables – grossing about $1600 to New York City.
California Apple Shipments
Apple shipments out of California’ San Joaquin Valley got underway a couple of weeks ago, but are only entering volume loadings now. This is one of the earliest maturing crops on record. Overall, California expects to ship about 2.4 million boxes of apples this season, which is fairly normal.
While gala shipments started in mid July, granny smiths should get underway the week of August 11th, followed by fujis around August 18th. followed by Pink Lady apples in the middle of October.
California’s San Joaquin Valley produce shipments are in good volume with everything ranging from grapes to tomatoes, stone fruit and vegetables.
San Joaquin Valley vegetables and melons – grossing about $7500 to New York City.
India Globalization Capital, Inc. based in Bethesda, MD is working with TerraSphere Systems and Greenlife Ventures to develop multiple facilities to produce organic leafy green vegetables, with plans to eventually transition the facilities to produce legal cannabis, according to a news release from the company.
The facilities, planned for unspecified locations in the U.S. Northeast and Canada, will utilize TerraSphere’s advanced pesticide free organic indoor farming technology. The transition to support the legal cannabis industry will occur when there are clear rules on the cultivation of cannabis in each region.
TerraSphere designs and builds contained vertical farming systems, according to the release. “We are excited to partner with TerraSphere as we look to both develop proven pesticide-free organic growing intellectual property and secure a meaningful footprint of high tech facilities, in important states, for ultimately growing legal cannabis,” chief executive officer Ram Mukunda said in the release. “In the interim, we expect these facilities to generate accretive revenue from other plants as part of our strategic short-term goal of building profit, while simultaneously moving IGC closer towards meeting our long-term goal of becoming a dominant player in the emerging legal cannabis space.”
The release did not say what organic vegetables will be cultivated or when the facilities would be operational, and a spokesman for the company. Each of the four planned facilities will range in size from 10,000 to 30,000 square feet and will feature LED lighting for developing faster growing plants with additional yields of up to 20 percent. When the facilities are operational, India Globalization Capital will own 51 percent of each venture. The company will make a cash investment in the venture and will receive a seven-year option to purchase the venture for cash and shares of its common stock, according to the release.
A planned fall rollout at U.S. retail supermarkets of the vegetable Kalettes is planned, which is a cross between kale and brussels sprouts.
It is spearheaded by based sales manager of Tozer Seeds America, said in a news release.
“We started selling seed in the U.S. in 2012 and quickly realized that this new vegetable was going to be a huge hit with consumers due to the popularity of both vegetables,” Kuykendall said. So far, Kalettes has appeared in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. It was developed over more than a decade of research by cross-pollinating brussels sprouts with kale through traditional methods.
Plans for the U.S. launch include consumer and social media activity. A website offers recipes; a Facebook page and other outlets have been established. Rock Garden South, a Miami-based grower and subsidiary of Miami-based specialties distributor Coosemans Worldwide, introduced organic BrusselKale — a cross between brussels sprouts and red kale — last year.