Archive For The “News” Category
The recent California wildfires have left a haunting mark on our communities and hearts. At the Allen Lund Company, headquartered in La Cañada Flintridge, our employees experienced this devastation firsthand. Between the Palisades and Eaton fires, many of our team members (and family and friends) faced mandatory evacuations as the fires blazed through the surrounding cities, threatening homes, beloved restaurants, and landmarks that have long been central to our lives. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ash, and the impact is felt in every corner of our community. Families are displaced, cherished memories lost, and the collective sense of security is shaken.
Yet, amid the destruction, we’ve witnessed incredible resilience and humanity. Neighbors helping neighbors, first responders risking everything to save lives, and countless acts of kindness remind us of the strength within our community. The transportation and logistics industry plays a critical role in ensuring resources like food, water, and building materials reach those in need. Together, we are not just moving freight but helping rebuild lives.
As we look to the future, we focus on coming together to heal and rebuild. The fires may have destroyed physical structures, but they cannot extinguish the spirit of our community. At the Allen Lund Company, we are committed to supporting our neighbors, customers, and team members as we navigate this recovery together. Whether through donations or simply showing up for one another, we know that unity is the foundation for rebuilding stronger than ever.
Between January and November of last year, Peruvian fresh blueberry exports set a new record.
Agraria reports for the first time, an agricultural product has surpassed the $2 billion mark in exports. Those exports totaled $2.1 billion in the first eleven months of 2024. This far surpassed the $1.72 billion reached during all of 2023. This signaled a return to the normal trend in the production of “blues” after weather related problems of the previous year.
This year, with stabilized production, the higher prices recorded after the 2023 shortage showed a downward trend, reaching levels closer to 2022.
In November 2024 alone, Peruvian fresh blueberry exports totaled 80,311 tons for $387 million, reflecting an increase of 106 percent in volume and 18 percent in value compared to what was reported in the same month of the previous year, although with a 43 percent drop in the average price, which stood at $4.82 per kilogram.
The Peruvian product reached 31 countries in November, of which the U.S. continued to be the main destination, with 41,269 tons exported for $190 million. This represented 49 percent of the monthly total with a 75 percent increase in volume, but a 10 percent drop in value compared to November 2023, when shipments reached $210 million.
The average price suffered a decrease of 48 percent, going from $8.92 in 2023 to $4.61 this year.
Among the main exporters to this market were Camposol S.A., with a 12 percent share, and Agrovisión Perú S.A.C., with 11 percent. In 2023, the leaders were Agrícola Cerro Prieto S.A. (13 percent) and Hortifrut – Perú S.A.C. (12 percent).
As for shipments, these were mostly sent by sea, where 41 percent of what was exported in November was through Euroandino Port Terminals, followed by DP World (28 percent), APM Terminals (25 percent) and the General San Martín Paracas Port Terminal (5 percent).
The remaining 1 percent was sent through Jorge Chávez International Airport.
Exports of Chilean avocados to all destinations will rise about 30% in the 2024-25 marketing year, the USDA reports.
In its annual report on Chilean avocados, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service said due to favorable climatic conditions in the country, avocado production is expected to total 200,000 metric tons in the marketing year from July 2024 to June 2025, a 33.3% increase from the previous season.
The report forecasts Chilean avocado exports in the marketing year 2024-25 at 116,000 metric tons, a 29.8% jump compared with 2023-24.
Chile harvests avocados year-round, but peak export months are typically October and November.
Chile’s avocado area planted in 2024-25 will top 81,000 acres in 2024-25, a 1% gain from 2023-24, according to the USDA. The planted area spans from the Coquimbo region in the northern part of Chile to the O’Higgins region in the central-south part of the country, the report said.
Hass is the main avocado variety produced in Chile, however, hass is sensitive to frost and excessive soil humidity, which limits its cultivation to hillsides and well-drained soils, the report said. Other avocado varieties produced in Chile in smaller quantities include edranol, negra de la cruz, fuerte and bacon.
In 2023-24, Chile’s top export market for avocado was the Netherlands, followed by Spain and the United Kingdom. Buying 4,800 metric tons, the U.S. ranked eighth as a market for Chilean avocados in 2023-24, the report said.
So far in the 2024-25 marketing year, the USDA Market News Service reports that U.S. imports of Chilean avocados topped 5,290 metric tons through early December, up 19% from the same time a year ago.
Peru became the third-largest exporter of Brazil nuts—also known as Amazon nuts—last year, following Bolivia and Germany, according to the Global Economy and Business Research Center of the Exporters Association (CIEN-ADEX).
Peruvian shipments totaled $30 million in 2023, accounting for 12.4% of the global total, despite a 17.8% drop in demand. Bolivia ranked first with a 47.5% share of shipments ($115.4 million), while Germany, acting as a re-exporting country, took second place with 14.8% ($36 million).
The CIEN-ADEX commercial report indicated the global Brazil nut market shrank by 28.8% in 2023, with a total value of $229 million.
Germany solidified its position as the world’s largest importer, accounting for 17.2% of all imports ($39.5 million), followed by the United States ($37.7 million) and the United Kingdom ($21.5 million).
Between 2019 and 2023, shipments decreased by an average of 3.2% due to excess stock in key destinations and changing consumption trends, which led to reduced demand and falling prices.
Claudia Solano Oré, manager of agroexports at the trade association, highlighted the recovery of Peru’s Brazil nut industry, noting that exports totaled $34.6 million between January and October 2024, reflecting a 29% increase compared to the same period in 2023 ($26.8 million).
“As of October, exports have already surpassed the total recorded for the entire previous year,” she added.
Solano also emphasized the importance of signing phytosanitary protocols by the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation to initiate exports of Brazil nuts and other products to China, a market expected to grow in importance with the opening of the Chancay mega-port.
The commodity reached 46 countries. South Korea led the ranking with $9.66 million, reflecting a 21.8% increase and accounting for 27.9% of the total. The United States followed with $7.78 million, a 23.5% rise, representing 22.5% of total exports.
The top ten destinations also included Spain, Germany, New Zealand, Turkey, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Greece. For the first time, exports were made to Belarus, Croatia, Uruguay, and Guatemala.
U.S. fresh potato exports to Mexico continue to soar, according to a USDA report.
From the period October 2023 to September 2024, the USDA reported U.S. fresh potato sales to Mexico were $134.9 million, or about 41% of the value of total U.S. fresh potato exports for the period.
Total U.S. fresh potato exports for the period were down 1% in value but up 2% in volume, according to the USDA.
The volume of U.S. fresh potatoes sent to Mexico was up 55% for the October through September period, while the value of U.S. potato exports to Mexico was up 21%.
Canada was the second-largest market for U.S. potatoes, claiming $68 million of U.S. potatoes, down 32% in value from the previous year.
The following are the top export markets for U.S. potato exports for October 2023 through September 2024, with percentage change in value compared with a year ago:
- Mexico — $331.9 million, up 21%.
- Canada — $68 million, down 32%.
- Japan — $19.3 million, down 8%.
- Taiwan — $15.1 million, down 12%.
- Honduras — $15.1 million, down 8%.
- South Korea — $15.1 million, down 16%.
- Dominican Republic — $13.5 million, up 106%.
- Philippines — $12.2 million, up 24%.
- Guatemala — $9.9 million, up 74%.
- Malaysia — $4.8 million, up 16%.
- The Bahamas — $3.4 million, up 15%.
- Costa Rica — $3.1 million, up 19%.
- Singapore — $2.6 million, down 3%.
U.S. imports of Mexican fresh tomato value rose 10% in 2023, while the quantity imported rose 1%.
USDA trade numbers show Mexico accounted for 91% of total U.S. fresh tomato imports in 2023, the same as 2022 and up slightly from 90% in 2021, according to USDA trade numbers.
The 2023 value of U.S. imports of Mexican tomatoes totaled $2.71 billion, up 10% from $2.48 billion in 2022 and up 14% from 2021.
The volume of U.S. imports of Mexican tomatoes totaled 1.82 million metric tons in 2023, up 1% from 2022, up 4% from 2021 and up 8% from 2020.
The average shipping point price for Mexican tomato crossings through California, Arizona and Texas was $14.46 per carton in 2023, down 12% from $16.37 per carton in 2022 but up 11% from $12.98 per carton in 2021.
We want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. 2024 has been a constant reminder of how special and challenging produce trucking and perishable hauling can be. We continue to strive providing valuable information and look forward to serving you in the coming year.
Here is wishing you, your friends and family, happiness and health as we reflect on our reasons to be thankful.
Bill Martin
On Saturday, December 14th, the Allen Lund Company coordinated logistics for the delivery of donated food and joined volunteers to assemble and distribute grocery bags.
“20 years is a big commitment, and that’s how long the Allen Lund Company has supported Navidad en el Barrio. It started with a few trucks moving donations. Now, we coordinate almost all the donated food, plus provide the logistics to the warehouse. We even organize volunteers at several locations on Saturday, December 14th, to assemble and hand out the grocery bags to thousands of the most in-need families in Southern California thanks to the generous donations of many individuals and companies,” said Nora Trueblood, Director of Marketing and Communications at ALC.
“At Allen Lund Company, logistics is what we do best – but our favorite logistics services are those done to help others through our ‘Acts of Kindness’. For 20 years now, we have been working with great organizations, including Catholic Charities, St. Vincent De Paul, Navidad en el Barrio, many customers, and our employees who volunteer to build and distribute tens of thousands of grocery bags full of much-needed food for members of the community. As a member of the Catholic Charities board, I see firsthand how this labor of love impacts the families and strengthens all involved in this wide-ranging endeavor. We look forward to many more years of putting the ‘Happy’ in Happy Holidays,” said Kenny Lund, Executive Vice President of ALC Logistics.
We couldn’t have done it without you. A heartfelt thank you to all our donors:
Cacique | Coca-Cola | Costco | Faribault Foods | The Farmlink Project | Grimmway Farms | Minute Maid | Mission Produce Inc. | Mother’s Nutritional Center | Northgate Market | Penske | PepsiCo | Randall Foods | R.W. Zant | The Salvation Army | Taylor Farms | Wada Farms | WM Ground Beef | Wonderful Citrus
We are grateful for your support and are making a real difference together. Here’s to many more years of spreading holiday cheer!
*****
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| Since 2004, the Allen Lund Company has supported the efforts of Navidad en el Barrio. Established in 1972 by former NFL player Danny Villanueva, local Hispanic radio, and students from UCLA, the organization is dedicated to helping underserved families around the Los Angeles area by providing the makings for a Christmas dinner. |
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reports that global shipping costs surged in the first half of the year due to disruptions in maritime routes and rising operational expenses.
The high costs, the organization adds, are straining the supply chain and may threaten vulnerable economies, raising concerns over trade sustainability, economic growth, and the global effort to achieve sustainable development goals.
UNCTAD attributes much of the increase in freight rates to rerouted vessels, port congestion, and higher operational costs. The report highlights examples like the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI), where congestion reportedly more than doubled compared to late 2023.
“As of 18 October 2024, the SCFI was down 45% from its 2024 high and 60% below its record level during COVID-19,” the organization states. “However, it remained 115% above the pre-pandemic average and more than double the 2023 average.”
Due to these conditions, the average rate on the SCFI Shanghai–South America route more than doubled to $9,026 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), marking the highest level since September 2022 from January to July 2024.
“During the same period, the SCFI Shanghai–South Africa route saw its average rate almost triple to $5,426 per TEU (the highest since July 2022), while the SCFI Shanghai–West Africa average rate jumped 137% to $5,563 per TEU (the highest since August 2022),” UNCTAD reports.