Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
As the summer berry season hits its stride, California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA is preparing for its annual transition to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) blueberry growing region. Harvesting in the PNW was right on track kicking off around mid-to-late June, paving the way for strong, promotable volumes spanning the month of July.
Meanwhile, the company is gearing up for the start of its blackberry and raspberry season from Watsonville, CA.
The upcoming Pacific Northwest harvest arrives at a time of peak consumer demand for fresh berries. The peak volumes align with July demand.
“Our Pacific Northwest growing regions are shaping up beautifully, and we anticipate an outstanding crop just in time for the heart of summer,” said Tom Smith, vice president of sales and marketing at California Giant Berry Farms.”
Alongside the conventional and organic blueberry volume, the GIANT™ jumbo blueberry program—featuring 20mm+ berries—continues to deliver strong retail performance, supporting premium price points and high-impact displays. With jumbo blueberries showing over 60 percent year-over-year growth (NIQ), the program offers retailers an opportunity to drive incremental sales and differentiate in a competitive category.
Watsonville Berries
Blackberry volumes are steadily ramping up towards a late-July peak while raspberry production is in its peak. “Our Watsonville blackberry and raspberry season is starting earlier than usual this year,” says Smith, adding that peak volume of raspberries is expected to continue through the next few months. “A warm winter and spring advanced plant development. We expect the season to run through November and then transition back to Mexico supply.”
While both berries are coming from Watsonville, along with Mexico, in early-August, San Diego, CA will also be providing a strong supply of organic blackberries.
The Washington State Tree Fruit Association’s storage report dated June 6 reveals Washington apples remaining in storage stand at approximately 35 million boxes, compared to 38 million boxes at the same time last year. However, inventory levels vary by variety. The reduced volume in certain varieties can be attributed to smaller crop yields and strong movement early in the season.
There is ample volume of varieties like Honeycrisp available across Washington State, according to Superfresh Growers of Yakima, WA.
Still, there are tighter supplies of Red Delicious and Gala apples compared to previous years. These reduced inventories are largely the result of crop size and steady movement throughout the season.
Superfresh Growers apples are harvested from throughout the Pacific Northwest, from northern Oregon to the southern Canadian border.
As for timing, the 2025-26 Washington apple season began on schedule, with Gala and Honeycrisp harvest starting in early August, with the other varieties following their typical harvest windows. As for the current crop, apples are expected to continue to ship until the transition to new-crop fruit, which begins in August via an expected smooth transition.
The company continues to ship all core apple varieties, including Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Red Delicious, as well as Cosmic Crisp® apples and its proprietary variety, Autumn Glory®, industry-wide, inventories are tighter for certain varieties than last year.
Growing conditions have been generally favorable across the company’s growing regions for the 2026-2027 apple crop.
Bell peppers are seeing an abundance of supply right now for shipping.
Maui Fresh International LLC of Los Angeles reports colored bells are especially abundant. The company’s main commodity is bell peppers which it ships from throughout the U.S. as well as Mexico, Canada and the Netherlands.
This follows a winter that saw more limited supply due to not only freezing temperatures in Florida which affected that crop, but also a hot winter in Mexico.
As for this season, mild weather has contributed to a later start in regions such as Coachella. Additionally, the Canadian bell pepper season also saw a delayed start.
The delays were caused by overcast and rainy conditions, and now product is producing at the same time.
In California, Maui Fresh has production from Coachella, Bakersfield as well as Oxnard and Santa Maria.
Meanwhile demand continues to be steady. Pepper consumption generally stays even throughout the year with fixed contracting for top items such as choice greens and reds in foodservice and bagged peppers at retail.
The Chilean citrus export season is projected to see an increase, with the U.S. being the primary export market.
According to data provided by the Citrus Committee of industry body Frutas de Chile, the current campaign is set to grow six percent in volume, reaching 530 thousand tons. In 2025, the South American country shipped 499,204 tons of citrus to international markets.
Local industry news outlet Diario Frutícola reported that the sector has been experiencing sustained growth since 2022, driven by lemons and oranges and strengthened by the stability of mandarins.
The United States remains the main destination for Chilean citrus, accounting for 80 percent of exports.
According to data provided by Frutas de Chile, lemons should establish themselves this season as the fastest-growing category in the country’s citrus portfolio, with shipments set to reach 131,000 tons. This represents a 14 percent increase over the 115,050 tons exported in 2025.
Oranges are also on the rise and are projected to grow 10 percent compared to 2025, reaching 134 thousand tons.
For clementines, the estimate is 75,000 tons, representing a five percent increase over the previous season, when the sector exported 71,550 tons.
Meanwhile, mandarin exports are projected to remain stable, reaching 190,000 tons. The estimate is less than one percent above the 2025 total of 190,910 tons.
Similar to a year ago, supplies of North Carolina sweet potato are tight in the final months of the 2025-26 shipping season.
Triple J Produce of Sims, NC reports volume close to that of last year.
Tight supply has also impacted exporting plans for sweet potatoes from the state, due to less volume and the need to supply domestic customers.
The lower supply traces back to sizing during the growing season. Cooler temperatures set in during October combined with a lack of rain resulting in the remaining part of the crop that hadn’t been harvested yet not sizing up. That part of the crop is shipping now.
Georgia sweet corn shipments started last month and peak volume should continue through mid July.
Shipments are expected to last through the end of the month.
Grower/shipper Rogue River Farms of Clewiston, FL has added acreage in Georgia so it would be able to go further into July with sweet corn supply from the region. That will allow it to have Georgia sweet corn throughout July and until production transitions to the local deals across the country.
As for the rest of the summer season, Rouge River Farms has production ahead in two other regions–Virginia and Ontario, Canada. The Canadian production is on schedule to start at the end of July/early part of August, while early assessments of the crop are positive. The plantings are strong right now. The company is hoping for more heat units in Canada to help keep the crop moving. The Virginia crop is looking very similar.
Oceanside, CA — Oppy and its grower partner Oceanside Pole are preparing for a well-paced and high-quality 2026 tomato season with strong volumes, an early start and continued demand for premium, vine-ripened tomatoes.
The 2026 crop is expected to deliver approximately 2.1 million cases of rounds and 750,000 cases of Romas, with harvest beginning in late June and volumes building steadily through July into peak production in August, September and early October. An earlier start this season is expected to help spread volume more evenly, creating greater flexibility week to week.
Grown in Oceanside, Southern California, Oceanside Pole tomatoes come from a multigenerational operation led by the Singh family, who have been farming in the region since 1939. As the only pole-grown tomato farm west of the Mississippi producing at commercial scale and the last remaining vine-ripe tomato grower in Southern California, the program offers a unique combination of heritage, scale and consistency.
Oceanside Pole tomatoes are vine-ripened and never gassed, harvested only when ready to ensure strong flavor and Brix. Packed once, they maintain quality and shelf life from field to customer. With an upgraded packing line and the ability to ship within 24 hours in many cases, the program supports retail, foodservice and wholesale customers across North America and export markets.
About Oppy
Growing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for over 165 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the world’s harvest. With over 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Over the years, Oppy has introduced North Americans to a number of items across its diverse produce range, including Granny Smith, JAZZ and Envy apples, as well as green and gold kiwifruit.
Blue Diamond Growers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) expect the 2026 California almond crop to remain close to recent seasons, although growers continue to face pressure from rising input costs, water restrictions, and weather-related challenges.
Blue Diamond Growers of Sacramento, CA estimates the 2026 crop could range between 2.675 billion and 2.72 billion pounds, with current conditions pointing to approximately 2.69 billion pounds. Separately, NASS forecast the California almond crop at 2.7 billion pounds, down 1 per cent from the previous year, with projected yields unchanged at 1,940 pounds per acre.
The estimates are based on grower surveys, orchard comparisons, field observations, acreage data, and regional yield analysis. Blue Diamond said its in-field assessments covered more than 19,300 kilometres of orchard observations across California.
According to Land IQ, California’s standing almond acreage for 2026 is estimated at 565,753 hectares, with bearing acreage at 560,812 hectares after accounting for projected removals. This marks the first decline in bearing acreage since 1995.
Blue Diamond noted that grower economics continue to affect orchard management. Returns remained below US$2 per pound in four of the past five years, often below production costs. As a result, some growers reduced spending on pest management and nutrition programs, while others abandoned orchards.
The cooperative also reported higher fuel, fertiliser, and groundwater pumping costs for the 2026 season, linked partly to conflict in the Middle East. Fertiliser costs are estimated to be up 30 per cent from last year.
Water availability also remains a factor. According to the report, Fresno, Kern, and Madera counties account for 44 per cent of projected orchard removals for the 2025/26 season. State and federal water allocations currently stand at 30 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively.
Bloom conditions also affected crop development. Blue Diamond said low chilling hours, elevated bloom temperatures, reduced bee activity, and rapid flower development limited pollination in some orchards. March temperatures may also affect kernel size, while crop development is estimated to be running around two weeks ahead of normal.
Regional differences remain across California’s production areas. Storms during bloom affected pollination in parts of the Sacramento Valley, while the Southern San Joaquin Valley continues to face variable orchard conditions linked to groundwater restrictions and uneven surface-water access.
“According to the polled growers, the industry is expecting a modestly smaller crop in 2026 compared to last year. This is an early estimate, and we will see how the crop progresses over the coming months,” said Almond Board of California President and CEO Clarice Turner.
A strong supply of romaine hearts is coming out of New Jersey this season, reports Consalo Family Farms of Egg Harbor, NJ.
Quality is described as excellent with nice size, color, and uniformity.
Quality is reported on par with last year, with the biggest difference being acreage has more than doubled this season.
This is Consalo’s first full season getting into romaine hearts as a value-added item, which is packed in 3-count bags and field-rinsed and packed right on the farm.
The harvest got underway about a week later than normal due to a cooler spring, although overal growing conditions have been favorable.
Steady loadings are expected through to early fall.
While the company has always grown romaine, this is the first year it has pushed heavily into hearts as a packaged item. On top of that, it also continues to expand across its vegetable program, which includes leafy greens, herbs, and bunched items. It’s also seeing a broader increase in organic acreage.
Orchard View Farms of Dalles, OR is in peak shipping mode with cherries as we head towards the nation’s 250-year celebration on the Fourth of July, according to Oppy, which handles marketing for the grower.
The fourth generation Oregon company anticipates handling approximately 1.2 million boxes of premium cherries during the season, which is expected to conclude by the end of July.
Oppy, of Vancouver, BC has handled marketing for the past 15 years.
America’s Independence Day is the company’s biggest sales event for cherries.
Oppy notes freight rates have risen, and factors such as currency exchange and tariffs are creating a more complex balance between domestic and export programs. Despite these headwinds, the quality and reputation of Pacific Northwest cherries continue to keep global demand high, the company reports.