Total U.S. import volume was nearly 2.5 billion pounds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
The association expresses confidence it will break the record again this year (fiscal 2024, running from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.)
The state of Michoacan appears to have a crop for this current year similar to the previous year, and import volume from Jalisco is growing exponentially, which means another record year if all goes as expected.
Promotions tied into Super Bowl weekend in early February was the biggest tentpole moment of the year resulting in excess of 250 million pounds of Mexican avocados imported in the weeks leading up to the big event. AFM also saw record-setting Cinco de Mayo promotions and shipments, with volume up more than 60 percent from 2022 and up 18 percent from 2021, which produced the previous record.
Mexico accounts for 85 percent of the avocados consumed in the U.S.
The USDA has estimated the U.S. national cranberry crop for 2023 at 7.62 million barrels, down 5% from the 2022 crop year. In Wisconsin, the largest growing state, the USDA forecast production at 4.6 million barrels, down 5% from last year.
Production in Massachusetts, forecast at 2 million barrels, is down 12% from last year, the USDA said.
Cranberry growers experienced cold temperatures, with below-normal precipitation and above-normal snowfall during the winter months.
In Wisconsin and Massachusetts, the winter freeze and early snow affected plant dormancy and froze out buds, the release said.
In the spring and early summer months, numerous frosts and hailstorms occurred during the growing season.
Growers in some areas reported severe frost damage, resulting in reduced crop growth and yield loss, according to the USDA.
In Oregon, the crop faced threats from the intensive heat and extreme weather in late June and mid to late July, and growers are concerned about fruit size. With good management practices, cranberry growers expect a good to average season despite the challenging weather during the bloom period, the USDA said.
The New York Apple Association expects nearly 28 million bushels for the upcoming fall harvest, about 4 million bushels less than a year ago. However, this year’s shipments should represent about the five-year average of volume.
Apple harvesting started in the Hudson Valley and immediate surrounding areas in mid-August, followed by central and western New York about a week or two later. Then comes northeastern New York.
Here is a round up on when to expect each variety:
Early season varieties start in August with ginger gold and paula red, followed by jonamac and Zestar.
Other varieties, such as mcintosh, gala, Honeycrisp, cortland, macoun, jonagold, empire, New York-grown SweeTango, SnapDragon and New York-grown EverCrisp, are typically ready in early September through October, depending on the geographical location.
Other varieties, such as red delicious, Crispin, golden delicious, fuji, Cameo, rome and braeburn, follow soon afterward.
Passion fruit is native to Peru’s Amazon region, and its high nutritional value has granted it popularity around the world.
The seeds have high oil content and are easily digestible, and its peel is rich in pectin, which is a natural gelling agent that can also be used to combat constipation.
It is low in fat, and has tranquilizing and detoxifying properties.
“Because of its important nutritional properties, passion fruit is in demand by the juice and cosmetics industry, hence it is expected to be in the top 5 of the most exported Peruvian fruits,” reports the Peru Exporter’s Association.
Only about 30 percent of California’s table grapes had been shipped with Tropical Storm Hilary hit the San Joaquin Valley on August 20th. So about 20 percent of the remaining 70 percent of the grapes have been affected The storm crossed Baja California, and also dropped rain in Sonora, en route to California.
Pandol Bros., Inc., of Delano, CA reports about 20% of the remaining California grape crop has been damaged. About 25-30% of the total fresh California table grape harvest was complete. So, of the remaining 70%, 20% was harmed by Hilary.
It was organic and white varieties that were most damaged. The later season red and black varieties have thicker skins and weathered the storm in better shape. So grape shipments from the middle part of the season, which is occurring now, will be affected most.
The 20% loss will be felt immediately, running to the middle of November. The crop should then be normal until it ends in late November.
BEAVERTON, OR — Truckload freight volumes fell last month, and national benchmark spot rates for dry van and refrigerated (“reefer”) loads retreated from their gains in June, reported DAT Freight & Analytics, which operates the industry’s largest online freight marketplace and DAT iQ data analytics service.
The DAT Truckload Volume Index (TVI), a measure of loads moved during a given month, was lower in July for all three equipment types:
• Van TVI was 226, down 7.0% from June and 3.0% lower year over year. • Reefer TVI slipped to 169, 3.4% lower than in June but 1.2% higher year over year. • Flatbed TVI was 238, 12.8% lower compared to June but 3.5% higher year over year.
“Shippers faced service disruptions at the ports and in the less-than-truckload sector but were able to secure van capacity without causing the needle to move on spot rates and volumes,” said Ken Adamo, Chief of Analytics.
Despite month-over-month declines, the reefer and flatbed TVI numbers were the highest on record for July as fresh and frozen food, metals, machinery, construction materials and other seasonal freight moved through supply chains.
Demand for trucks slowed
National average load-to-truck ratios for van and reefer freight have been virtually unchanged for three straight months:
• The van ratio was 2.6, equal to June and down from 3.8 in July 2022. • The reefer ratio was 3.8 – unchanged from June and down from 7.2 a year earlier. • The flatbed ratio was 7.1, down from 9.7 in June and significantly down from 21.8 in July 2022.
Spot, contract rates dipped
Reflecting flat demand, DAT’s benchmark spot rates slipped in July:
• The spot van rate was $2.07 per mile, down 1 cent compared to June and 56 cents lower than in July 2022. • The spot reefer rate dipped 3 cents to $2.44 per mile and 60 cents lower year-over-year. • The spot flatbed rate was $2.54 a mile, down 7 cents month over month and 72 cents lower year-over-year.
Line-haul rates, which subtract an amount equal to a fuel surcharge, declined as well. DAT’s benchmark van line-haul rate was $1.63 per mile, down 2 cents compared to June. The reefer line-haul rate fell 5 cents to $1.96 per mile and the flatbed line-haul rate dropped 9 cents to $2.01 per mile. The average fuel surcharge increased by 2 cents to an average of 44 cents a mile for van freight, 48 cents for reefers and 53 cents for flatbeds in July.
“Spot rates, as a reminder, are ‘all-in’ rates, meaning no separate fuel surcharge to help mitigate the risk of fuel price fluctuations. You have to negotiate each individual load with fuel and operating costs in mind, which is not always easy,” Adamo said. “The sudden increase in fuel prices is testing the wherewithal of small carriers at a time when freight volumes are in a seasonal lull.”
DAT’s benchmark rates for contracted freight strengthened compared to pricing on the spot market. The van rate fell 1 cent to $2.57 a mile, the reefer rate gained 3 cents to $2.91 a mile and the flatbed rate rose 5 cents to $3.29 a mile.
After closing for three straight months, the spread between contract and spot rates was unchanged for van freight and increased by 6 cents for reefers and 12 cents for flatbed loads. The size of the gap is an indicator of bargaining power among shippers, brokers and carriers, Adamo explained.
About the DAT Truckload Volume Index The DAT Truckload Volume Index reflects the change in the number of loads with a pickup date during that month; the actual index number is normalized each month to accommodate any new data sources without distortion. A baseline of 100 equals the number of loads moved in January 2015, as recorded in DAT RateView, a truckload pricing database and analysis tool with rates paid on an average of 3 million loads per month.
Spot truckload rates are negotiated for each load and paid to the carrier by a freight broker. DAT benchmark rates are derived from payments to carriers by freight brokers, third-party logistics providers and other transportation buyers for hauls of 250 miles or more with a pickup date during the month reported. DAT’s rate analysis is based on $150 billion in annualized freight transactions.
Load-to-truck ratios reflect truckload supply and demand on the DAT One marketplace and indicate the pricing environment for truckload freight.
About DAT Freight & Analytics DAT Freight & Analytics operates the largest truckload freight marketplace in North America. Shippers, transportation brokers, carriers, news organizations and industry analysts rely on DAT for market trends and data insights based on more than 400 million freight matches and a database of $150 billion in annual market transactions.
Founded in 1978, DAT is a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the S&P 500 and Fortune 1000 indices.
Berries replaced beer as Mexico’s top agri-food export product in 2022. In the first two months of 2023, the industry confirmed its profitability with a revenue value of $777 million, according to the Bank of Mexico.
This means berries has surpassed other popular crops, such as avocados, and highly demanded products such as beer and tequila.
Berries are produced commercially in 22 of the country’s 32 states, and exported to 38 nations across the globe.
Mexico produces raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, with the latter leading the export figures.
The U.S. is the biggest importer of Mexican berries, followed by the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe.
During the 10 years, strawberry, blueberry and raspberry production has tripled from 257,000 metric tons (MT) in 2011 to 754,000MT in 2020.
The total value of Mexican berry exports has increased fivefold during this period.
Víctor Manuel Villalobos, secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Government of Mexico, says that, in 2022, Mexico exported 560,000 tons of strawberries, and that the sector provides over 450,000 jobs.
Around 40% of these jobs belong to women in the industry.
Main producing states are Michoacán, where 58% of all berry production takes place, followed by Jalisco and Baja California with a 17% and 12% participation, respectively.
Since the Peruvian citrus campaign began, shipments have not been able to exceed those of 2022.
Following a bit over half of the season, Peruvian citrus exports have declined, instead of increasing a forecast, according to Agraria.
So far this season, Peru has exported 86,765 tons, reflecting a 15 percent decline when compared to the same period last year. Through July, citrus shipments totaled 7,126 tons, which was 58 percent less than the same period last year.
In this same week, the product reached 21 destinations, of which the three main ones concentrated 69 percent of all shipments. These were the U.S., with 44 percent participation; followed by China, with 13 percent; and the Netherlands, with 12 percent. It should be noted that, unlike last year, shipments to the U.S. decreased considerably, going from representing 70 percent in 2022 to 44 percent this year.
Shipments to the U.S. totaled 3,144 tons, which was 3 percent less than the previous week and 74 percent less than in 2022. As for Peruvian exporters, the ones that stood out the most in this place were Procesadora Laran S.A.C. (22 percent) and Consorcio de Productores de Fruta S.A. (15 percent).
Peru shipped 916 tons to China, 10 percent less than the previous week, but 64 percent higher than last year. This has been a market in which little by little Peruvian citrus has been able to gain more of the market.
Finally, exports of 861 tons were shipped to the Netherlands, which was 5 percent higher than the previous week and 12 percent higher than 2022.
The California stone fruit season is at its peak. Favorable growing conditions have increased supplies compared to years past, according to Markhon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Peaches
The season will wrap up in mid-October
Size is dominated by large sizes (54- and 56-count fruit)
Quality is very good: sugar levels typically range from 10 to 11 Brix
Expect steady markets and ample supplies over the next four to six weeks
Plums
The California season is at its peak
California supplies are expected to run through the first week of October
Size is dominated by small fruit (60- and 64-count stocks)
Expect very good quality; sugar levels typically range from 14 to 17 Brix
After the California season wraps up, plums will be sourced from Chile until mid-January
Nectarines
The season will wrap up in mid-September
Size is dominated by large sizes (54- and 56-count fruit)
Quality is very good: sugar levels typically range from 11 to 12 Brix
Expect steady markets over the next three to four weeks
Average volume for onion shipments are expected this season from the Columbia Basin, as well as from Treasure Valley, according to extension personnel at Washington State University and Oregon State University.
With total acreage virtually unchanged from a year ago, yellow onions account for about 80% of total onion acreage. Red onions now account for 15% of total Columbia Basin onion acreage, with white onions totaling about 5%.
Columbia Basin’s early onion harvest will likely start in early August, with storage onions beginning at the end of August or early September. Onions will be harvested and put in storage through September and into October.
Most of Washington’s storage onions are grown in the Columbia Basin, with the majority planted in Grant, Franklin and Adams counties.
Onion acreage in the Columbia Basin shared by Oregon and Washington totals about 25,000 acres. Onion harvest begins in the region begins in the late summer and can extend into the fall. Storage onions can be marketed from storage for up to eight months.
Storage onion acreage in the eastern part of Oregon and southwest Idaho, called the Treasure Valley region, accounts for about 20,000 to 25,000 acres.
Many onions in the Treasure Valley will be shipped to the East, while many of the Columbia Basin onions will move north and south, as well as to export markets.
