This may be the best onion crop from Peru in a decade, at least according to G&R Farms of Glennville, GA.
The company’s first Peruvian imports arrived in August and will continue into April when the Vidalia onion crop gets underway.
Bland Farms LLC of Glennville, GA also expects a good crop from Peru due to good growing conditions. A consistent crop, very comparable to past years past, with a nice, even size profile is seen. Volume from Bland Farms should be similar to last year, The company started started in September and will go through the spring.
Shuman Farms of Reidsville, GA emphasizes the importance Peruvian onions in it program. Shuman imports sweet onions through the Port of Savannah allowing the operation to maintain a full-time local workforce 12-months of the year.
Peru accounts for about 23% of imported onions, second only to Mexico, according to the USDA. In 2021, the U.S. imported nearly 357 million pounds of Peruvian onions, up from about 315 million pounds in 2020.
G&R notes Peru is a perfect climate and ecology to produce a great onion crop that mirrors the consistent quality and flavor you would find from Vidalia sweet onions. The Peruvian sweet onion crop provides a year-round option for fresh, sweet onions when the U.S. sweet onion industry is out of production.
Duane Hansen set a new world record to commemorate his 60th trip around the sun.
The Syracuse, Neb. resident grew a pumpkin that clocked in at 846 lb. (and appropriately named it Berta). He hollowed it out to create a makeshift boat.
Hansen jumped in his pumpkin and launched from the Missouri River boat ramp in Bellevue, Neb. at 7:30 a.m. on August 27. Eleven hours and 38 miles later, he docked in Nebraska City, Neb. Hansen’s 38 miles afloat in his orange vessel eclipses the previous record of 25.5 miles, which was set in 2018 by a man who paddled from North Dakota to Minnesota, according to Guinness World Record.
Hansen say he ad been dreaming of this feat and worked for five-years to grow a pumpkin that was large enough.
Youngstown Grape Distributors Inc. of Reedley, CA may ship fewer pomegranates this season due to a late bloom resulting in variable yields in California’s central valley.
Youngstown is a fifth-generation, vertically integrated pomegranate farming, packing, fresh-cut and high-pressure processing juice company.
The company notes the early varieties are lighter than the wonderfuls because the bloom was very late this year, and some blocks did not set normally with the late bloom. The result in inconsistency from block to block.
The company grows foothill, early wonderful and wonderful varieties.
The harvest looks fairly normal, beginning for Youngstown in early September and finishing in late November. Availability of fresh pomegranates is anticipated through the end of the year.
In general, the back end of the season may see fewer shipments because of reduced yields.
Youngstown has been packing and selling arils since 2008, and offers both organic and conventionally grown product.
When it comes to “Fresh for Everyone,” Kroger is poised to significantly extend its reach. The Cincinnati-based supermarket chain entered a definitive agreement with Albertsons Cos., Oct. 14, to purchase the Boise, Idaho-based competitor for approximately $24.6 billion.
The merger will expand customer reach and improve proximity to deliver fresh and affordable food to approximately 85 million households with a premier omnichannel experience, according to a release.
Together, Albertsons and Kroger currently employ more than 710,000 associates and operate a total of 4,996 stores, 66 distribution centers, 52 manufacturing plants, 3,972 pharmacies and 2,015 fuel centers. The combination creates a “premier seamless ecosystem” across 48 states and the District of Columbia, providing customers with a “best-in-class shopping experience” across both stores and digital channels, said the release.
Amid a climate of rising food inflation, Kroger said its “long track record of lowering prices” in combination with efficiencies gained from the merger, will help the company to lower prices for customers. Kroger said it expects to reinvest approximately half a billion dollars of cost savings from synergies to reduce prices for customers, as well as invest an incremental $1.3 billion into Albertsons stores to enhance the customer experience.
“We are bringing together two purpose-driven organizations to deliver superior value to customers, associates, communities and shareholders,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger chairman and CEO, who will continue serving as chairman and CEO of the combined company, in the release. “Albertsons Cos. brings a complementary footprint and operates in several parts of the country with very few or no Kroger stores. This merger advances our commitment to build a more equitable and sustainable food system by expanding our footprint into new geographies to serve more of America with fresh and affordable food and accelerates our position as a more compelling alternative to larger and non-union competitors.
“As a combined entity, we will be better positioned to advance Kroger’s successful go-to-market strategy by providing an incredible seamless shopping experience, expanding Our Brands portfolio, and delivering personalized value and savings,” McMullen continued. “We’ll also be able to further enhance technology and innovation, promote healthier lifestyles, extend our health care and pharmacy network and grow our alternative profit businesses. We believe this transaction will lead to faster and more profitable growth and generate greater returns for our shareholders.”
Albertsons agrees the merger will result in greater access to fresh food across the country.
“At Albertsons Cos., we are guided by an ambition to create customers for life,” said Vivek Sankaran, CEO of Albertsons. “Together with Kroger, our combined iconic banners will be able to provide customers with even more value and greater access to fresh food and essential pharmacy services. Given the similarities in the culture and values at Kroger and Albertsons Cos., I am confident that the combination will also have a positive impact on our associates and the communities we are proud to serve. We look forward to working together with Kroger to capture the compelling opportunities ahead.”
The transaction is expected to close in early 2024, subject to the receipt of required regulatory clearance and other customary closing conditions, including receipt of clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, according to the release.
An additional 1,400 acres of winter vegetables has been added by Lipman Family Farms of Immokalee, FL.
“This expansion of acreage compliments our spring, summer, and fall seasons by providing secure volumes of fresh veg year-round,” David Ackers, manager of procurement and sales, said in a press release. “This expansion allows us to leverage our supply network, distribution lanes and expanded packing capabilities in the east. Our goal is to be a one-stop-shop for our customers and provide a steady and controlled supply.”
The additional volume of winter vegetable production will complement Lipman’s existing relationships with local growers across the East coast, according to the release. The long-term partnerships include the largest bell pepper and cucumber growers in North Carolina, as well as one of the largest dry vegetable growers in New Jersey.
Lipman will focus on harvesting peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, and chili peppers, among other items, beginning in late October, the company said. Additionally, Lipman continues to upgrade its packing facilities to fit growing volume and continued customization with quick turnaround and shortened shipping time.
Product is picked and packed on the same day, the company said. After harvest, the product is funneled through their state-of-the-art packing facilities in Florida, offering the ability to deliver both bulk and specialty packs in full truckloads and partial truckload volume to their customer base on the East Coast.
Most of us have enjoyed cranberries one way or another. Whether drinking one of the varieties of cranberry juice, as a salad topping, as an ingredient in a dessert, or as the cranberry sauce staple in the holiday season meal in the U.S. We have all at least tried cranberries in one form or another. Have you ever thought about all it takes to get cranberries from the farm to our households? The season to harvest cranberries is upon us now in full swing to get them to us for the holiday and the remainder of the year in all varieties, we enjoy them on a regular basis.
Cranberries are one of the few types of berries native to the U.S, with Wisconsin and Massachusetts producing more than 90% of the cranberries grown in the country. As most in the transportation industry are aware, shipping produce is no easy feat, and
transporting cranberries is no exception. Cranberries need to be handled with care.
The cranberry harvest begins in mid-September for most cranberry-producing states and runs through mid-November. Harvesting dry and wet cranberries are accomplished in two ways. Dry harvesting is a popular way for many small farmers as it doesn’t require as much coordination and machinery as wet harvesting. A device similar to a lawn mower pulls the berries off of the vines and into burlap sacks. While this is an easier method, a greater percentage of cranberries do get damaged. Wet harvesting is a method used by
large farms that work with major juice companies like Ocean Spray. Bogs are closed off and flooded with about 18 inches of water. Water reels are sent off on the water to stir up the plants and knock the berries off the vine. Cranberries have little pockets of air in them, so they float to the surface of the water. Nets and floating barricades are then used to move the berries to where they can be collected.
Before cranberries can be shipped they need to be carefully packaged for their journey. Cranberries have tougher skin than most other berries, but they still need to be handled with care. There are a couple of methods used to package them. They can be packaged in plastic bags with holes to vent out excess moisture, or in clamshell packaging. They then need to be placed in sturdier boxes that can support the weight of them being palletized. If shipping cranberries in bulk, they are put in plastic or fiberboard bulk bins to be placed in the truck.
Cranberries do not typically require any temperature regulation if they are being transported short distances. Frequently cranberries are transported only short distances from the farm to where they are being processed. However, if transporting cranberries in very cold or hot temperatures, or if shipping directly to stores at greater distances from the farm, then cranberries need to be transported in a refrigerated (reefer) trailer. Cranberries transported in a reefer should be kept at a temperature of 36 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Cranberries generally can be stored for up to three to four months if kept at this temperature. Outside of these temperatures, cranberries can become damaged. If cranberries are kept too warm they will deteriorate and begin to rot within a few hours. If cranberries get too cold, they will turn brown and the inside will become tough and rubbery. It’s important that the temperature remains at the proper temperature to avoid any damage upon delivery.
As we get closer to the holiday season in the U.S., we think about all the good food we are going to enjoy with family and friends. More than likely, we will have cranberries in one form or another at the holiday meals. Enjoy and remember all it took to get cranberries from the farm to your dinner table.
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Dave Comber is the manager of ALC Madison and has been with the Allen Lund Company for eight years. He worked for three years as the assistant manager, before being promoted to his current role. Comber brought with him over 20 years of management and customer service experience within the transportation industry from Northern Freight Service, Inc. and Schneider National, Inc. Comber attended Lawrence Univercity in Appleton, WI and earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a Major in History.
Peru has exported 110,000 tons of fresh blueberries this season, representing a 38 percent increase compared to the same period klasst season, according to Agraria.
Shipments of fresh blueberries from Peru were as follows: July 10,786,191 kilos, August 38,797,086 kilos, September (as of the 25th) 57,644,854 kilos. While in the same months the previous campaign it recorded: July 4,806,005 kilos, August 25,636,702 kilos, September 58,108,202 kilos.
Inform@ccion reports the current season (July and August) has had excellent volume, while in the peak months of September and October growth will slow some, with more late blueberries in November, December and January.
It is believed by many blueberries will likely to become Peru’s main agro-export product this season, surpassing grapes.
The 110,000 tons represent half of all that was exported in the previous year.
Continuing lousy growing conditions in California is limiting supplies of iceberg and romaine lettuce, as well as green leaf varieties. The problems are expected to continue through the end of the season in the Salinas Valley until the seasonal shift to growing areas in the desert areas of California and Arizona in mid-November.
Iceberg and romaine shipments continue to be extremely limited due to erratic weather patterns of extreme heat followed by rain, which have adversely affected quality. These issues range from bottom rot, to fringe burn, mildew pressure, seeder, and sun scald.
There also are varying densities and light weights prevalent industry wide.
Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV) and Sclerotinia disease has forced growers to cut ahead of their scheduled harvests to minimize crop loss. This has led to higher f.o.b prices until transitions to Yuma, AZ and California’s Imperial desert are completed in mid-November.
The worst congestion is plaguing U.S. seaports “since the age of containerization”, according to Logistics Management.
The publication credits backlogs of imports coming into the country, a shortage of equipment, and inland blocks as the main causes for this situation.
“U.S. seaports face the unprecedented situation where they’re now in their 17th straight month of record container import volume,” says Chris Jones, executive VP of industry and service at Descartes Datamyne.
“Consequently, continuous and shifting congestion and delays, and unpredictable lead times for importers has resulted”, Jones shared.
Presently, the ports of Los Angeles (POLA) and Long Beach (POLB) handle approximately 40% of U.S. imports. On the other hand, the port of New York and New Jersey processed 4,651,094 TEUs in 2021, ranking in third.
Consistent problems
Schedule reliability remains a significant problem for carriers, the outlet states. During 2021, West Coast ports reported long delays, with the East and Gulf coast ports now experiencing the same.
Meanwhile, seaports remain flooded with containers as labor negotiations on the West Coast are ongoing. Discussions have significantly affected shippers who remain concerned about slowdowns and potential strikes, Logistics Management reports.
The Chilean Exporters Association has released its first estimate for table grapes for the up coming season.
The estimate shows 70.6 million 8.2 kg. boxes, a 5.7% reduction from last season. However, it is still early in the season and variables such as weather and logistics could impact total volume.
Shipments of new varieties are expected to exceed 36 million boxes, followed by traditional varieties with more than 22 million boxes, and Red Globe with a little more than 12 million boxes. The Chilean table grape industry is focusing on new varieties, which arrive in better condition.
The first estimate shows a significant volume of red grapes, exceeding 28 million boxes, which are highly desired by international markets such as the United States and Asia. Green varieties exceed 23 million boxes, followed by Red Globe with more than 12 million and black varieties with just over 6 million boxes.
The president of The Chilean Fruit Exporters Association, Iván Marambio, together with Ignacio Caballero, Coordinator of the Table Grape Committee and Director of Marketing of ASOEX, announced a strategic plan for a newly formed grape committee. This is an important step in enhancing the competitiveness of Chile’s grape industry in international markets.
In July, the ASOEX Board of Directors ratified the formation of a new Table Grape Committee, to generate strategies to face the various challenges that have been affecting this sector for some time. “Last season was one of the most complex for the Chilean fresh fruit industry, but especially for the grape sector. We formed the Chilean Table Grape Committee to generate a strategic plan to improve quality and strengthen our competitiveness in international markets. The industry is committed to working together as a sector. As the world’s premier supplier of table grapes, we will move forward with greater force than ever,” Caballero stated.
He indicated that the strategic plan includes three pillars:
Lead, coordinate, unite and communicate
Improve the condition of the fruit
Improve competitiveness
Caballero added that, to achieve these pillars, “the Committee has established 16 initial actions, among which the development of an estimation program stands out, in order to deliver accurate and ongoing updates on export volumes throughout the season. This is already being implemented, with the first estimate ready.”
He added that the Committee will release at least four estimates during the 2022-2023 season. A second will be delivered on October 21, a third at the end of November and a fourth at the end of December 2022.
Ivan Marambio, President of ASOEX, released the first 2022/23 export estimate of the Chilean grape industry from ASOEX Table Grape Committee. The estimate was built with information provided by 40 companies representing 68% of the total exported during the 2021-2022 season. All are members of the grape committee.
