Blueberries were the most exported agricultural food in Mexico during the first quarter of this year, producing over 70,000 tons and representing 15 percent of Mexican berry exports, according to Horticultivos.
The crop has shown growth exceeding 20 percent in recent years, both in growing area and in production.
Currently, about 97 percent of production is exported, or 68,300 tons, to 31 destinations. The main market is the U.S., but it includes important developing countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, and the UAE, among others.
Organic production has taken great relevance globally, with a 15 percent of the blueberry area in Mexico (around 3,360 acres) currently produced organically. About 10,500 tons of organic blueberries have been exported during the current season.
Idaho-Eastern Oregon onion shippers are comparing this season’s shipments to the short crop of a year ago.
Treasure Valley yields are down due to unfavorable weather conditions during planting as well as continuing heat during the growing season. Still, the trade is report very good quality and sizing with onions now in storage.
Fort Boise Produce in Parma, ID, notes onion sizes have alot of mediums, with fewer jumbos, but the product looks very good. However, yields off by about 20 percent of normal.
Weiser Onion Produce in Weiser, ID, finished putting onions into storage in early October, reporting the short crop affects all varieties.
At Snake River Produce In Nyssa, OR, the company’s growers faced weather challenges of rain, wind, and cool temps from April to June. Then in July Mother Nature hit the area with extreme heat and high winds. Still, the operation maintains growers came through with a manageable crop which has produced great yields and quality.
Eagle Eye of Nyssa, OR reportsadequate supplies of jumbos and mediums. The earlier part of the season was seeing limited volume of colossals and super colossals, but sizing was expected improve as the season continued.
At Owyhee Produce in Nyssa, OR, the operation reports lower yields from a normal year.
Guam is a small island territory, 3,950 miles away from the nearest American state, 5,806 miles away from my office in San Francisco, and the place I call home. I was born and raised on Guam knowing that food was expensive and that if there were supposed to be six variations of one product, we’d only have two of them on the shelves, always marked up 31% or more. I never understood why romaine lettuce was $10 for a bag of three heads or why “real milk” from California was $9 a gallon. I knew fuel for the giant ships that brought them into the port was probably expensive, but I never considered what it took to get that food onto the ships in the first place.
I am brand new to this industry. I’ve been at ALC for only about five months now and I’ve jumped in headfirst working on one of the company’s largest accounts. This has completely shifted my perspective on what it takes, not only to get goods across the country, but whatit must take to get goods 5,000+ miles across the ocean.
Since my first in-person interview, I have been told many times that farmers and truck drivers are the backbone of America. The more time I spend learning about the industry and working with the many people that help move goods across the country, the more I’m discovering just how true that statement is and how many other people it takes to support them, including us here at ALC. During the height of COVID-19, while everyone was panic buying toilet paper and all the flour and sugar off the shelves to support our newfound baking hobbies; farmers, production line workers, truck drivers, and grocery store employees were working hard to keep the shelves stocked at the cost of their health and safety. I’ve heard so many stories about how my co-workers were working hard to find trucks
Whether it was buying pizza for their carriers, or sending candy and thank you cards, anything to show their appreciation for great service during a time when you would expect most people to be looking out for themselves and their families. ALC and their carriers and customers not only survived,
but they also thrived, enough that they could hire me this year! I’m proud that I am now a part of this team. I’m proud to know that the people I work with were a part of the network that helped keep America in business, and helped me perfect my banana bread recipe last year too. I’m proud to know that ALC, our carriers, and our customers were able to pivot and adapt to the circumstances of our world. They’ve proven more than ever that they are smart and hardworking people who are ready to take on tomorrow’s challenges and I am fortunate enough that I get to learn from their experiences and carry them with me towards the future as well. Guam is a faraway land for a mainlander and it’s beginning to make sense why that one bag of romaine and one gallon of milk might set me back $20. But who knows, with the experience I continue to gain at ALC, maybe I could be the one to figure out how to get the romaine and milk for $9 on Guam- or maybe all 15 flavors of Cheerios!
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Shelby Perez graduated from Saint Mary’s College in 2020 with a degree in Business and East Asian Studies. She started at ALC San Francisco in May 2022 as a Broker’s Assistant with the national retail store team.
During the past 10 years, the U.S. has imported $6.05 billion worth of pineapple with 85% of pineapple exports coming from Costa Rica. Colombia was the eighth-largest supplier for this fruit to the U.S. during the same period, according to ProColumbia data.
With industries in constant development and growth, Costa Rica and Colombia are seeking to consolidate pineapple consumption in the U.S. market. At the same time, they are aiming to grow exports to new destinations, such as Israel.
With more than 98,842 acres concentrated in the south and north, Costa Rica produces pineapples all year round. More than 52% of shipments are destined for the U.S., and led by Del Monte company. According to the National Chamber of Pineapple Producers and Exporters (CANAPEP), exports began in the late 1990s with a high quality fruit.
Per capita consumption in the U.S. currently stands at nearly 6 pounds per year. And 84% of pineapples consumed come from Costa Rica.
Abel Chaves, president of CANAPEP’s Board of Directors, says: “Since we started with exports and the development of MD2 pineapple along with phytosanitary work, we are the number one supplier in the U.S.
“In fact, in supermarket chains, consumers seek Costa Rican pineapple, which has led to an annual average shipment of 170 million boxes of 12 kilos (26.4 pounds), which is why there is such a large consumption in the U.S”. The association seeks to position Costa Rica as the leading pineapple supplier for global markets.
Colombian market
Along the same lines, Colombia has increased its pineapple production. ProColombia data in 2021, reveals national pineapple production closed at 927,050 tons, with a 3% growth over the previous year.
In 1989, the first pineapple exports to the United States began with a value of $122,191, equivalent to 388 tons. Since then, per capita consumption in the country has remained constant, creating annual increases of 9% in imports.
Colombia has the possibility of supplying pineapple all year round, as does Costa Rica. Between January and July this year, Colombia shipped 1.1 million dollars to the US, representing a 27% growth compared to the same period in 2021.
2022 Season
With a season marked by the logistics crisis, the pandemic and the increase in fertilizer prices in both countries, the Costa Rican pineapple industry is conservative when making projections. It predicts an average shipment of 190 million boxes for the entire industry, a figure that remains the same compared to 2021.
Of that percentage, 50% of the national industry is destined to the U.S. While between 40 to 43% is sent to Europe, with the rest of the exports destined to Chile and Asia.
According to figures from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) and analysis by ProColombia, Colombia exported more than 3 million net kilos of pineapple between January and July 2022. This represented 1.3% more than in the same period of 2021. In total, last year closed at 6.6 million net kilos.
Shipments similar to a year ago are seen by observers Maine’s 2022-23 potato crop. Good quality also has been seen based on early harvests.
The Maine Farmers Exchange of Presque Isle, ME describes the crop as “beautiful.”
Despite weather delaying spring planting a little, growers to completed harvest by mid-October.
The size of the spud are a little bit smaller than last year, but still described as good-size potato.
Shipments of table stock and seed potatoes are just getting underway and will continue until June.
Maine’s potato growers typically offer russet, white, yellow and red potatoes during the fall/winter season.
USDA reported 53,300 harvested acres of potatoes in Maine last season with total production of about 18.4 million cwt. Harvested acreage for the previous season was 50,800 acres with production of 13.4 million cwt.
Green Thumb Farms Inc., Fryeburg, ME, has been shipping since the third week of August. It reports growers were able to irrigate enough to achieve decent yields, but production of some varieties will be less this season.
SWORDS, Ireland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Thermo King®, a leader in transport temperature control solutions and a brand of Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), has completed initial testing of its innovative evolve™ electric trailer with retailers Walmart and Loblaws, and Martin Brower, a leading supply chain solutions provider for restaurants around the world. During more than 2,500 hours of operation, the battery-powered refrigerated trailer unit delivered excellent performance, ensuring high quality climate control to keep food and other goods fresh. With zero direct emissions, Thermo King’s electric trailer technology can help to significantly decarbonize the cold chain.
“By partnering with our customers, we can help accelerate the industry’s transformation to electrification by applying valuable insights from data collected during these trials,” said Karin De Bondt, president of Thermo King Americas. “With more than 2,500 hours of operation, the learnings bring us closer to a commercialized all-electric trailer unit, help our customers prepare their operations, an ultimately, together we can advance the industry forward.”
“With thousands of refrigerated trailers using diesel fuel today, we have the ability to make a meaningful difference when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Fernando Cortes, senior vice president of transportation, Walmart U.S. “We were pleased to work with Thermo King on the testing of our first-ever refrigerated trailer operated primarily on battery electricity in the U.S. as we look for solutions to achieve zero emissions by 2040.”
“Our goal is to deliver innovative and meaningful solutions that help restaurants and our business create a more globally sustainable, ethical, and responsible future,”, said Danny Fahey, Martin Brower’s vice president of US strategy and sustainability. “Piloting the Thermo King® electric trailer allows us to support new technologies, which is an essential step toward achieving our ambitious, long-term goal — significantly reducing our carbon emissions per ton and limiting our environmental impact.”
Leveraging Thermo King TracKing® telematics, customer operations data and learnings have been documented with each evolve™ trailer demonstration, directly contributing to future product optimization and innovation. In addition to its current portfolio of products, Thermo King has committed to delivering all-electric, zero-emission solutions for every segment of the end-to-end cold chain by 2023 in Europe and 2025 in the Americas. Through its evolve™ all-electric portfolio, the business will help advance Trane Technologies’ 2030 Sustainability Commitments, including its Gigaton Challenge to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons.
About Trane Technologies
Trane Technologies is a global climate innovator. Through our strategic brands Trane® and Thermo King®, and our environmentally responsible portfolio of products and services, we bring efficient and sustainable climate solutions to buildings, homes, and transportation. Learn more at tranetechologies.com.
About Thermo King
Thermo King – by Trane Technologies (NYSE: TT), a global climate innovator – is a worldwide leader in sustainable transport temperature control solutions. Thermo King has been providing transport temperature control solutions for a variety of applications, including trailers, truck bodies, buses, air, shipboard containers, and railway cars since 1938. For more information, visit www.thermoking.com or www.europe.thermoking.com.
This news release includes “forward-looking statements” which are statements that are not historical facts, including statements that relate to our commitment to deliver fully electric products in every segment of the cold chain and our other sustainability commitments and the impact of these commitments. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in laws and regulation, global economic conditions, the outcome of any litigation, our ability to develop new products and services and the acceptance of these products in the markets that we serve. Additional factors that could cause such differences can be found in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as well as our
North Carolina’s sweet potato harvest season is nearing completion with fresh pricing up substantially compared with a year ago.
The transition between old-crop and new-crop sweet potatoes was apparently lending support to pricing in early September. Harvest in North Carolina should continue to be active into November, and prices should ease with expanding supply and shipments.
USDA shipment statistics indicated that North Carolina accounted for two-thirds of total U.S fresh sweet potato shipments of 272 (40,000 truckloads) for the week ending Sept. 17
As of Sept. 3, the average fob price for U.S. fresh sweet potatoes was $60.56 per cwt (hundredweight), up 20.6% compared with the same time a year ago, according to numbers collected by the USDA. The Sept. 3 fob price of for sweet potatoes of $60.56 per cwt was nearly 30% higher than the $46.70 per cwt price in early August.
The USDA reported the average advertised retail price for fresh sweet potatoes was 94 cents per pound, down 8.7% from the same week a year ago.
Corey Produce of Bethel, N.C. reports increased moisture this year, should result in a slightly bigger sweet potato crop in 2022.
The company grows sweet potatoes in Martin, Pitt and Edgecombe counties in North Carolina, with its packinghouse located in Bethel N.C..
The company report this year’s crop looks a little better than last year’s crop, because last year was extremely dry in Martin County.
Corey Produce acreage is about the same as last year.
The operation began harvest September 12 and will be finishing harvest any day now.
Lancaster Farms of Wilson, N.C.-based reports a strong, quality sweet potato harvest. While acreage for the company is down, yields may be up 10%.
R.B. Lancaster and Sons Inc. family has lived and farmed in Wilson County, N.C., and the surrounding counties for seven generations, since the late 1700s.
The company has a four-year crop rotation, farming between 1,400 and 1,800 acres annually.
Harvest for Lancaster Farms started harvest Aug. 26 for early plantings and began harvest again Sept. 16, and wrapped up the harvest expected in late October.
The USDA reports citrus volume for the 2021-22 season totaled 5.61 million tons, down 19% from the 2020-21 season.
California accounted for 62% of total U.S. citrus production; Florida totaled 36%, and Texas and Arizona produced the remaining 2%. Utilized citrus production in California was down 16% from the 2020-21 season.
California’s all orange production, at 40.4 million boxes, is 18% lower than the previous season. Grapefruit production is down 2% from the 2020-21 season and tangerine and mandarin production is down 40%.
Florida’s orange production, at 41.1 million boxes, is down 22% from the previous season, the report said. Grapefruit utilization in Florida, at 3.33 million boxes, is down 19% from last season’s utilization. Florida’s total citrus utilization was down 22% from the previous season.
Utilized production of citrus in Texas is down 46% from the 2020-21 season.
Orange production is down 81% from the previous season and grapefruit production is down 29%. Arizona’s production of lemon up 27%.
The value of the 2021-22 U.S. citrus crop was down 13% from last season, to 2.91 billion packinghouse-door equivalent. Orange value of production decreased 9% from last season and grapefruit value is down 27%.
Tangerine and mandarin value of production is down 18% from last season and lemon value of production is down 13% from last season.
Fall is in full swing, and fresh Pacific Northwest–grown USA Pears are available now in produce sections from coast to coast.
As the leaves change colors, Oregon and Washington growers are harvesting an estimated 16 million standard box equivalents of fresh, USA-grown pears. The versatile, high-in-fiber fruit boasts an extended shelf life, helping consumers avoid food waste, and is the perfect complement for any meal — from charcuterie boards and salads to main dishes, baked goods or desserts.
“This year’s harvest was slow to start, due to a prolonged cold and wet spring, but the pears coming off the trees were worth the wait,” said Jim Morris, marketing manager at Pear Bureau Northwest.
Despite the wet spring, USA Pears anticipates a crop on par with its five-year average.
The harvest was bolstered by the Pacific Northwest’s extra-long stretch of dry, warm weather. With 10 varieties of fresh pears grown in the Northwest fresh pears can be found in the store almost year-round, from Anjou to Starkrimson.
Weather problems have turned a previously optimistic fall shipping season for California strawberries into one with less volume and truckers should be aware of potential issues with quality.
Fewer than normal shipments are now expected through November.
The Santa Maria/Oxnard growing region currently produces roughly 80 percent of marketed strawberries in the U.S. Supplies are extremely limited through most of November. Quality is only average; strawberries will see upwards of 25% bruising and 4% decay upon arrival. Maintaining the cold chain will be vital for shelf-life to reduce chances of claims at destination. The Salinas/Watsonville growing region currently produces roughly 10-15 percent of marketed strawberries in the U.S. Volume is extremely limited; quality is average at best. Production will be completed in the next 10-14 days.
The Salinas/Watsonville growing region currently ships roughly 10-15 percent of the strawberries in the U.S. Volume is extremely limited; quality is average at best. Production will be completed in the next 10-14 days.
South Texas volume is very low as the season is just beginning. Currently less than 5 percent of strawberries shipped in the U.S. are grown in Mexico coming through South Texas. Volume is expected to gradually increase over the next two to three weeks. Quality is good; green shoulders and small sizing have been reported.F
Florida loadings will begin after Thanksgiving in a very limited manner. Orders are estimated to begin shipping the week of December 5.
