Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
California Giant Berry Farms of Watsonville, CA, a leader in fresh berries, reports its has strong volumes now arriving from Peru.
The news release nots its harvest is a key part of the company’s year-round supply strategy, ensuring consistent availability of high-quality fruit.
The Peruvian blueberry season is now underway, with strong volumes expected to last through the end of the year. Conventional blueberry volumes are anticipated to reach their peak from the last week of October until mid December, offering a robust supply for the remainder of the year. Organic volumes from the region are forecasted to be steady and consistent throughout this same period.
This strong supply from Peru will be complemented by harvests from other key growing regions, including Chile and Mexico, further strengthening the company’s ability to provide a seamless, continuous supply of fresh blueberries.
“We’re extremely pleased with the start of our Peruvian blueberry season and the strong volumes we are seeing,” shares Tim Youmans, Vice President of Sales at California Giant Berry Farms. “Our focus remains on providing a year-round supply of the highest quality blueberries, and the ongoing harvests from Peru, complemented by other regions, allow us to maintain excellent availability for our retail and foodservice partners.”
To ensure optimum quality, California Giant’s quality control process is rigorous. The company ships directly from its Peruvian grower locations to its distribution sites, as well as its Santa Maria blueberry packing facility that features a state-of-the-art Unitec sorting line.
This advanced technology meticulously sorts blueberries for color, firmness, size, and other quality indicators, ensuring that only the highest-quality berries are packaged into each clamshell.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA GIANT BERRY FARMS
California Giant Berry Farms provides year-round supply of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries set the standard for quality and consistencyfor retailers, foodservice, and consumers. Over four decades as a privately held US family farming company, it has evolved into a global family united by a passion for delivering excellence.
Vancouver, B.C. — With import citrus at its seasonal peak, Oppy’s category continues to deliver premium quality and consistency from a deeply diversified global network of trusted growers.
Featuring dozens of varietals from over nine countries, Oppy’s citrus program brings the best of the Southern Hemisphere to shelves across North America. From juicy Murcott, Tango and Daisy mandarins to vibrant Navels and Cara Caras from Chile and Uruguay, the season is one of strong supply and standout flavor.
This season’s crop from the Southern Hemisphere has arrived with excellent quality and promotable volumes. Back-to-school timing aligns perfectly with the easy-peeling mandarin lineup now available, while the high-sugar Navels and Cara Caras offer eye-catching color and exceptional flavor for late summer citrus displays. South African grapefruit, increasingly recognized for its premium quality, has also arrived in good supply despite potential tariff challenges, noted Category Manager Michael Schaefer.
Oppy continues to focus on the varietals that drive success in the citrus category — easy peelers, Navels and lemons — while refining the mix within each to deliver even greater performance at retail. Investing in what works and doing it better each season means better flavor, improved shelf life and stronger partnerships from field to store shared Category Director Rodrigo Lopez.
Organic citrus remains a key area of expansion, particularly in the mandarin and grapefruit segments. Oppy is growing its organic lineup through trusted producers in South Africa, meeting increasing consumer demand for organic options.
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.
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The California avocado industry is having an extended shipping season with strong yields. The California Avocado Commission reports retail promotional volume through October.
While final season numbers are still pending, initial projections put the California harvest at 375 million pounds, which would bring production to a five-year high. In 2024, projections fell short as California growers surpassed the initial estimate of 208 million pounds by over 50 percent, ending the season with close to 350 million pounds harvested.
The season is expected to finish more quickly in some areas compared to last year’s longer tail-end harvest. The CAC attributes this to primarily to early-season demand and supporting programs.
There was strong demand around Cinco de Mayo, and more retailerss had supporting programs for California avocados early in the season. Despite an overall slowdown, many growers in the northern California region have paced their harvests to maintain volumes.
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As the 2025 harvest has pear orchards in the Pacific Northwest abuzz with activity, USA Pears is projecting a bountiful crop, with yields exceeding last year’s harvest by an estimated 60 percent. In a press release, the industry organization attributed the forecast to a relatively mild winter and favorable overall growing conditions.
The robust supply initially generated some market stability-related anxiety among growers, due to the recent closure of the industry’s largest canner. Fortunately, a USDA relief effort for up to $20 million for Northwest Bartlett pear growers is setting the stage to make 2025 an excellent year for USA Pears.
“Our growers in Washington and Oregon are excited about the quality and quantity of this year’s crop, and their enthusiasm is contagious as they bring more than 10 varieties and an abundant volume of fruit to market well into 2026,” says CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of USA Pears.
The pear harvest will continue through fall, which, combined with proper storage, means the fruit will be available to American consumers nearly year-round.
This last harvest report from USA Pears brings some long-awaited hope to growers in the country. Last year, the industry reported a historically low production volume, with a whopping 20 percent drop, totaling 470,000 metric tons—the smallest harvest since the 1967/68 season.
The organization attributed the 2024 decrease to damaging January freezes and a cold spring that impacted major producing states like Washington, Oregon, and California.
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Idaho and East Oregon onion acreage will continue its upward trend in 2025.
Growers in the Snake River Valley, which runs through southwest Idaho and Malheur County in Oregon, planted 23,592 acres of onions in 2025, up from 22,583 acres in 2024, according to the National Onion Association. Annual production averages about 20 million 50-pound units.
Eagle Eye Produce of Iona, ID began its onion harvest the week of Aug. 4 in Idaho, Oregon and Washington, which was a little earlier than usual. Harvest should continue into early October.
The company, which has a year-round onion program, will have a complete line of red, yellow and white onions as well as sweet yellow onions this season. Acreage at Eagle Eye Produce is up slightly this year due to the acquisition of the Baker and Murakami warehouse in Ontario, OR.
Snake River Produce of Nyssa, OR, sees a very nice crop this year that is on schedule with similar acreage to last year.
The company ships mainly yellow Spanish sweet onions and also has some red and white varieties.
The season started after mid-August, and the company will ship storage onions into mid-April.
Owyhee Produce of Parma, ID, which grows, packs and processes potatoes, started harvesting onions July 1 and expects to have onions coming from Idaho year-round. Volume should be up a little from a year ago.
Owyhee Produce offers red, yellow and white potatoes and has a sweet red variety.
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The Illinois Farm Bureau Associate reports despite adverse weather, this year’s production increased over 30 million pounds, and pumpkins are ready for shipping.
Previous seasons ranged from 652 million pounds in 2021 to 690 million pounds in 2023, an increase of approximately 15,000 acres. Total loadings this season are expected to be average to a bit above average.
Despite positive projections, weather conditions varied across Illinois this year, leading to disparities in pumpkin size and yield. Scavuzzo says some growers faced delayed planting due to wet conditions, while others contended with drought.
Illinois leads US pumpkin production, particularly for processing. Between 70 and 80 percent of the state’s pumpkin acreage is dedicated to canning and food ingredient uses, with most crops grown under contract with processors.
Canned pumpkin or pumpkin pie mix from processed pumpkins accounts for 85 percent of the volume. This is led by pumpkin puree, which serves as the base for products ranging from pie filling to baked goods and beverages.
However, ornamental pumpkins used for seasonal retail displays also make up a significant share of Illinois’ production. Growers continue to see increasing demand for specialty varieties such as White and Bumpy gourds.
The state is also home to high-profile producers such as Sarah Frey, known for pioneering large-scale pumpkin supply to major retailers and for her role in promoting Illinois as a national pumpkin leader.
While processing contracts bring a level of stability to growers, the ornamental market remains highly sensitive to consumer trends and weather conditions. There are six to eight weeks to sell pumpkins.
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A four percent increase is predicted for Peruvian table grape exports for the 2025-26 season. The forecast reveals 86,123,321 8.2-kilo boxes (39,872 containers), compared to the 82,890,138 boxes (38,375 containers) shipped in the previous season (2024-25). This is according to Agraria, the Association of Table Grape Producers and Exporters of Peru (Provid).
This is the association’s first estimate, and it will be progressively updated as the 2025-26 season progresses.
Peru’s table grape campaign can be divided into four stages: August-October (week 34 to week 42), where 5 percent of the projected volume is expected to be shipped; October-December (week 43 to week 51), where 57 percent would be shipped; December-February (week 52 to week 8), where 34 percent would be exported; and February-March (week 9 to week 17), where the remaining 5 percent would be allocated.
The total projected volume for the 2025-26 campaign, the northern region (Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, and Áncash) would ship 39.6 million boxes, which would represent an increase of 1.5 percent compared to the 39.0 million boxes shipped in the previous campaign. The north would account for 46 percent of the total.
Meanwhile, shipments from the south (Lima, Ica, Arequipa, and Moquegua) would total 46.6 million boxes, representing a 6.4 percent increase compared to the 43.8 million boxes exported in the 2024-25 campaign. This region would account for 54 percent of the total.
In the northern campaign, the largest volumes to be shipped would be reported in the second period. From August to October (week 34 to week 42), 10 percent would be shipped; from October to December (week 43 to week 51), 83 percent would be shipped; from December to February (week 52 to week 8), 7 percent would be exported; and from February to March (week 9 to week 17), only 0.01 percent of the total would be shipped.
In the southern campaign, being later than the northern one, the peak would be recorded in the third period. From August to October (week 34 to week 42), 1 percent would be shipped; from October to December (week 43 to week 51), 34 percent would be shipped; from December to February (week 52 to week 8), 57 percent would be exported; and from February to March (week 9 to week 17), the remaining 8 percent would be shipped.
Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA released this strawberry market report September 22, 2025:
Rain is forecast for the Santa Maria and Oxnard, California regions on Tuesday, September 23. Growers will pack ahead of the rain to ensure better quality. Expect tight stocks and strong markets through next week.
Santa Maria/Oxnard
- Markon First Crop (MFC) Strawberries are available
- Quality concerns include decay, pin-rot, and water damage
- Maintaining the cold chain will be vital for shelf-life; Markon recommends ordering for quick turns
- Size is small-medium (18 to 24 per one-pound clamshell)
- Elevated markets are forecast for the next 7-10 days
Salinas/Watsonville
- MFC Strawberries are available; quality and color are good
- Size is currently 16 to 25 berries per 8/1-pound clamshell
- Some bruising, white shoulders, and light mildew are being reported
- Maintaining the cold chain will be vital for shelf-life; Markon recommends ordering for quick turns
- Elevated markets are forecast for the next 7-10 days
Mexico/South Texas
- New crop harvesting is expected to start in mid-November
- Product will cross into South Texas
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After two straight years of above-average production, apple growers expect another high-performing year, according to a new report released by the U.S. Apple Association (USApple) BB #:145473 at the organization’s 130th annual Outlook Conference in Chicago.
Authored by USApple Vice President of Insights and Analytics, Chris Gerlach, Industry Outlook 2025* provides the most up-to-date data and analysis on U.S. and global apple production, utilization and trade.
*The Outlook Report features the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates. Following the presentation of these figures, USApple members met in person to discuss current growing conditions and develop a more up-to-date production forecast — the numbers below reflect that adjustment.
U.S. Production
According to USApple’s analysis, total U.S. apple production for the 2025/26 crop year (CY) is forecast at:
• 11.7 billion pounds / 278.5 million bushels
• Up 1.3% from last year
• 3.6% above the five-year production average
These figures are more comprehensive than the USDA data, which only reflect the top seven apple-producing states. USApple analyzes production from states outside of the top seven and adds that into USDA’s figure. It also incorporates feedback from growers based on what they’re seeing in the field every day.
“The U.S. grows the best apples in the world, and this year we will certainly have plenty for domestic and global consumption,” said Gerlach. “That said, growers carefully select what comes off the tree to ensure only the highest quality fruit makes it to the store. And with skyrocketing labor costs, growers are having to be even more disciplined in their harvest decisions.”
Varietal Mix
At the varietal level, Gala is expected to retain the top spot with nearly 47 million bushels, accounting for 16% of the market.
The top five:
• Gala – 47 million bushels (16% of U.S. production)
• Red Delicious – 39 million bushels (13%)
• Honeycrisp – 34 million bushels (12%)
• Granny Smith – 32 million bushels (11%)
• Fuji – 25 million bushels (9%)
Varieties on the rise include Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cosmic Crisp® and Pink Lady/Cripps Pink. Gala, Fuji and Rome are trending down.
Trade
While fresh apple exports declined 5% year over year, the U.S. maintained a strong trade balance in 2024/25 (July–June):
• Exports: 44M bushels
• Imports: <5M bushels
• Net exports: ~40M bushels valued at $900 million
“With another large crop on the way, maintaining and expanding exports is essential,” said Gerlach. “We’re exploring all avenues to strengthen our presence in established markets like Taiwan, Thailand, and India, while pushing to open new high-value markets such as South Korea and Japan.”
State Production
At the state level:
• Washington remains the nation’s top producer with a forecasted record crop of more than 180 million bushels valued at nearly $2.3 billion, up 1% from 2024/25.
• New York holds the No. 2 spot at 30.5 million bushels, a 0.7% decrease from last season.
• Michigan up 10% to about 30 million bushels.
• Pennsylvania up 2% at 10.5 million bushels.
• Virginia down 50% to 2.75 million bushels.
• Oregon up 40% to 3.9 million bushels.
Global Context
According to United Nations (UN) data, worldwide apple production is more than 5 billion bushels. In 2023 (latest data point), China alone was responsible for producing 51% of the world’s total supply, with the U.S. producing the second-largest share of the global crop.
• China – 2.6 billion bushels (51% of global supply)
• United States – 5.3% of global supply
• Turkey – 4.7%
• Poland – 4%
• India – 3%
“With China down 100 million bushels and Turkey’s crop off by 40%, the U.S. has a real opportunity,” said Gerlach. “Given Turkey’s role as a major supplier to India, this could open the door for us to regain market share there.”
US APPLE
USApple is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 36 state and regional apple associations, representing 26,000 apple growers throughout the country and more than 3,700 apple-related companies. Our members collectively grow more than 10 billion pounds of apples a year on average, supporting about 150,000 jobs and generating more than $8 billion in total wages and almost $23 billion in economic activity.
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As the second half of summer unfolds, Creekside Organics of Bakersfield, CA is delivering a fresh, flavorful lineup of organic fruit designed to bring energy and momentum to produce departments nationwide.
With organic grapes and melons now shipping in peak volumes, Creekside is meeting the moment with consistent availability, strong varietal diversity, and packs that align with retail execution strategies.
Fruit World, a part of the Creekside Organics family of brands, is currently shipping its seasonal grape program through late September. This year’s standout offerings include organic Thomcord and conventional Kyoho varieties.
The company’s signature Thomcord grapes—a cross between Concord and Thompson Seedless—are beloved for their nostalgic, intensely “grapey” flavor and wide consumer appeal. These are available in one-pound clamshells and two-pound paper totes to meet a variety of merchandising needs.
Creekside Organics is also in the heart of its organic melon season, with cantaloupes, honeydews, Hami, and mini seedless watermelons now shipping in promotable volumes through the end of October.
About Creekside Organics, Inc.
Creekside Organics, Inc. is a leading, certified organic grower-shipper in California, sourcing from organic farms across California and Mexico. Creekside entered into a 50/50 merger with Fruit World in 2025; a move that amplified its commitment to sustaining a prosperous future for family farms. Offering year-round organic fruit and vegetable programs, Creekside remains committed to expanding market reach for its growers, preserving family farms, and upholding the highest standards of environmental sustainability. For more information visit creeksideorganics.com.
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