Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
by Pear Bureau Northwest
PORTLAND, Ore. – Pear growers and producers from Washington’s Wenatchee and Yakima districts and Oregon’s Mid-Columbia and Medford districts estimated this year’s fresh pear harvest at 18.9 million standard box equivalents, or approximately 415,000 tons of fresh pear shipments.
The estimate will mark an 18 percent increase from the 2017 harvest – an unusually small crop – and will be equal to the five-year average.
Pick dates for the coming harvest are projected to be roughly a week earlier than last season, staying close to the historical average. Starkrimson are expected to be picked in early August, with the Bartlett harvest expected in mid-August. Anjou is expected to happen in late August in all districts while Bosc and Comice varieties will be harvested beginning in September and span through early October. Finally, Concorde, Forelle and Seckel will be picked in September and October across the four growing districts.
Out of the leading varieties, the estimates for this season are 9.3 million standard boxes for Green Anjou (about 49.6 percent of total Northwest fresh pear crop), 4.6 million standard boxes of Bartlett (24 percent of the total crop), and 3.2 million Bosc (16 percent of the total crop). Red Anjou will represent 5.6 percent of the crop with a potential 1.1 million standard boxes.
The Green Anjou crop is showing a projected increase of 10 percent compared to the smaller crop in 2017, but down 5 percent from a five-year average. Growers estimate that the Bartlett pear crop will be up 24 percent compared to last season, marking a 5 percent increase over a five-year average. The Bosc crop is estimated to be 42 percent higher than last season’s small crop and 8 percent above the five-year average, while Red Anjou production is expected to be 7 percent higher than last year and 5 percent above the five-year average.
The organic pear estimate is expected to come in at 1.64 million standard boxes (36,000 metric tons), which is 8.7 percent of the total Northwest crop. Newly transitioned orchards and a strong pear crop overall have contributed to the growth in organic pears. Out of the entire organic crop, growers project 583,500 standard boxes of Green Anjou, with the Bartlett and Bosc crops sizes projected at 564,700 and 321,050 standard boxes, respectively.
Washington apples and stone fruit – grossing about $7700 to New York City.
A California heat wave that started two weeks ago in the coastal region has brought on lemon ripening much more quickly than usual and product is dropping from trees. Long story short, California lemon shipments will be much lighter than normal for the next two months.
Wonderful Citrus of Delano, CA has less than 20 percent of its lemons remaining on trees. Lemoneira of Santa Paula, CA reports the heat wave hit July 7th and has continued.
Overall, imported lemon volume has been down this summer and the situation will not improve anytime soon.
Imported Mexican lemons are expected to be off 15 to 20 percent due to a December cold front affecting trees in the colder regions of Mexico’s lemon growing regions in the north. At the same time Chile is projecting a lemon crop very similar to last season, but their shipments to the U.S. are down by 30 percent compared to the same time last season. Chilean adverse weather condition has slowed harvests and move back shipping dates. Additionally, Argentina lemon imports have been less this season than anticipated.
Domestic lemon shipments from the California-Arizona desert region by the end of August, but only in very light volume. Full volume from that area will not be available until the end of September.
Orange Shipments
The recently completed California orange shipping season has the last tabulation at 44 million boxes, down 1 percent from the USDA’s June projection. The estimate for valencias has been lowered 5 percent to 9 million boxes, on par with last season. The forecast for navels is steady at 35 million boxes, which is down 11 percent from the 2016-17 season.
The smaller navel crop — with that season normally running from October into June — was expected by the industry because of a couple of weather events.
The USDA forecast for the new season of California orange shipments will come out in September.
Mid-Atlantic watermelon shipments are expected to take a hit this summer resulting in reduced volume and possible shipping gaps….Meanwhile, Michigan blueberry shipments look promising this season and one operation is looking to significantly increase volume.
The mid-Atlantic watermelon shipping region includes Delaware, Maryland and the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Some watermelon fields were hit with saw 16 inches of rain during a 50-day period, reports Evans Farms LLC of Bridgeville, DEL. While there has been an increase in watermelon acreage, that may not mean much due to the excessive rains. This resulted in delayed plantings and probably has reduced watermelon acreage by 20 percent. Yields Might be off by double-digit percentage as well. Some say conditions are the worst they have in the past quarter of a century.
There are an estimated 20 to 25 watermelon growers in region. The harvest is just getting underway, which is about a week later than normal.
Shipments should continue into the last half of September.
2017 Watermelon Shipments
In 2017, total seedless watermelon shipments from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia totaled 18.42 million cwt., with 24 percent shipped in July, 62 percent shipped in August, 14 percent shipped in September, and less than 1 percent in October.
Delaware accounted for 10.6 million cwt. in seedless shipments, with 26 percent shipped in July, 63 pecent shipped in August and 11 pecent in September.
Maryland accounted for 6.65 million cwt. in seedless watermelon shipments.
Virgina’s watermelon shipments in 2017 totaled 1.2 million cwt., with 63 percent shipped in August and 37 percent in September.
Michigan Blueberry Shipments
Wish Farms of Plant City, FL is expected to market about 30 percent more blueberries this season due to an expanded relationship with Michigan grower Leduc Blueberries. The Michigan season started earlier this month and blueberry shipments will continue through mid-September.
Volume is projected to hit 2 million pounds, and over the next five years could increase to 3 million pounds.
The Leduc family has been growing blueberries in Paw Paw, MI, since 1955. Roger and Jackie Leduc started with a 20-acre farm, and it has now grown to a 400-acre operation.
by Wawona Packing Company
Cutler, CA — Wawona Packing Company, the largest grower of organic tree fruit in the United States, has announced that its crop of organic yellow peaches is on track for the seasonal transition from clingstone to freestone peaches beginning July 1st. The stone (or pit) clings to the flesh of the peach in clingstone peaches; in freestone peaches, the stone separates effortlessly. This popular fruit will be featured in the company’s “Summer Sizzle” promotion.
“Peach enthusiasts get really excited at this time of the year,” said Wawona CEO Will Feliz. “Consumers just love freestone Sweet-2-Eat organic peaches. They’re perfect for baking, slicing, grilling and of course eating right out of your hand. And we have a terrific looking crop. Growing conditions have been ideal for the past few months, with warm days and cool evenings which has helped with color and sizing.”
Wawona estimates by the start of July its organic yellow peach crop will have large, promotable volume for its retail partners. The company will have a plentiful supply until the end of stone fruit season in late October.
Wawona Packing Company’s Sweet-2-Eat organic yellow peaches are grown with stringent farming protocols similar to those of its conventional fruit. As always, the focus is on flavor, eating quality, size, color and appearance, which ensures that the highest quality fruit ultimately makes its way to consumers.
“As good as this tree fruit season looks like it’s going to be, our organic freestone yellow peaches are going to be especially abundant,” Feliz said. “The fruit is on target to have an incredible flavor profile. And we’ll be packing freestone Sweet-2-Eat organic yellow peaches with full red blush.”
With thousands of acres of farmland in California’s central San Joaquin Valley dedicated to organics, Wawona has the largest organic tree fruit program in the United States. Offering organic yellow peaches and nectarines, white peaches and nectarines, black and red plums, and pluots, the program is the most diverse of its kind. All fruits in Wawona’s organic program are also offered conventionally, along with conventional apricots.
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About Wawona Packing Company:
Founded in 1945, Wawona Packing Company currently farms more than 10,000 acres in California’s central San Joaquin Valley. Wawona offers organic and conventional tree fruit and citrus and is the largest grower of organic tree fruit in the United States. The company’s brands include Sweet-2-Eat, Sweet-2-Eat organic, Harvest Sweet and Wawona. (400) (A2)
By The Northwest Cherry Growers
As the last of our mid-season shippers wind down their business for the year, the bulk of cherry shipments are shifting to the later producing regions. Packing lines are running around the clock as our industry gears up to finish the season in August with strong promotable volume for the next several weeks.
The 2018 shipped crop to date (in 20-pound box equivalents) stands at 19,473,061 million boxes.
Strong cherry shipments from the Northwest are expected, lead by Washington state, through July and into at least early August.
Since July 1st, the Northwest cherry industry has maintained an average of 529,491 boxes (20-pound) shipped per day, which has increased by a daily average of 9,000 boxes since this time last week. Two days ago on July 17th, was the 30th day in a row of shipments since we first shipped more than a half-million boxes of cherries in a day this season. The daily average for that 30-day period is 561,422 boxes daily.
In the past, we’ve reported on the number of days in row that our collective industry shipments exceeded 500,000 boxes on average. Sundays typically see lower shipment volumes than the other 6 days, so an average is a fair calculation of the overall pace of the industry. Our several days of exceptionally high volumes in June, however, make the count for this year a bit misleading. By the traditional math, June 17th was the 39th day in a row feeding into that cumulative daily (500K) average. But working backwards, that string of daily averages takes us all the way back to the 8th day of shipping this season, when shipments for the day totaled 216,000 boxes. No matter the math though, I think we can agree that it’s a lot of fruit. Likewise, many shippers continue to run double shifts just to keep up with the demand for the especially dark, extra sweet late-season cherries our industry is shipping right now.
Washington cherries – grossing about $4700 to Chicago.
From New Zealand apples, to Mexican raspberries and Dragon Fruit in Florida, here are some loading opportunities.
The Oppenheimer Group of Vancouver, B.C. is importing New Zealand fruit and for the first time it will have no gaps between domestic, US grown product and New Zealand fruit.
The first arrivals came in early June. Zealand-grown Jazz apples are experiencing bigger demand from some retailers on the East Coast. They have switched to the new crop Jazz apple already because of the higher truck rates to haul fruit from Washington, Oppenheimer reports.
New Zealand fruit should have bigger volumes this year, which is expected to be 15 percent above the 2016 imports.
Mexican Raspberry Imports
California Giant of Watsonville, CA will be shipping raspberries from Central Mexico starting in mid-September and continuing into June. The company has been handling California raspberries for years during the spring and summer.
“We are so excited to be planting this new crop in Mexico, providing our California Giant customers with promotable raspberry volume that consumers will enjoy
beginning this fall and continuing through the winter months, coming from our regions here in central Mexico,” Rodrigo Aceves, director of operations for California Giant Berry Farms de Mexico, said in a news release.
Over the years, California Giant has also been increasing its acreage of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries to create year-round shipments of fruit.
Dragon Fruit
By J&C Tropicals
Miami, Fl. – J&C Tropicals has announced the release of its new Dragon Fruit brand ‘Dragon Fuel.’
In the last five years, Dragon Fruit has become a top selling item and a staple of J&C’s Florida Grown Tropicals product line! Available in both White & Red Varieties, Dragon Fruit is sweet and crunchy with a flavor that is a cross between kiwi and pear. Most importantly research has shown that South Florida grown Dragon Fruit yields 30 percent more oil containing Omega-6 fatty acids and is higher in antioxidants.
“Last year we saw exponential growth in Dragon Fruit. Dragon Fuel will be key to taking sales to the next level” said Adrian Capote, Vice President of Sales.
J&C Tropicals is a third-generation, family-owned grower, packer and distributor of tropical fruits, roots and vegetables based in Miami, FL.
Heavy rains last spring set back vegetable crops and shipments from the mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, which in some cases will result in shipping gaps. Still, growers are expressing optimism for a strong year.
Some farmers reported actually pumping off more water in May from the field than they pumped in for irrigation. The result could be shipping gaps in July.
Fifer Orchards of Wyoming, DE is an exception claiming the rains did not prevent normal planting of crops and the season’s shipments should be on schedule for vegetables, although a little later than usual.
Fifer Orchards also is expecting a full crop of peaches, with no injury from cold weather. Peach shipments start in mid-July and continue through mid-September.
Papen Farms of Dover, DE report cool and wet weather during March, April and May set crop progress back, but weather in June was favorable. However, yields could be off because of growing conditions.
Papen Farms cabbage shipments started in mid-June, about two weeks later than normal. Sweet corn shipments were about a week late and got underway in early July and will continue into September. Green bean loadings will get started started the last week of July.
Papen Farms will be shipping vegetables to markets ranging from Maine to Florida. The company’s early shipments tending to go north because the Delaware harvest is running ahead of those northern regions. Later in the season, the pattern is reversed, with more shipments to Southern states.
Potato Shipments
As for the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the spring was cold and wet at Dublin Farms of Horntown, VA. The operation ships red potatoes, white potatoes, and yellow fleshed potatoes. Some shippers also have russet potatoes. Shipments will continue until mid-August from acreage similar to a year ago. Potato acreage in the area is normally between 3,000 and 4,000 acres.
Most Eastern Shore of Virginia vegetable shipments consist of potatoes, green beans and tomatoes.
California strawberry shipments are on track to break another record this season….New Mexico onion shipments are going strong….There’s a lot more potatoes remaining in U.S. storages for shipping compared to last year.
While it may be too early to tell whether California will have its third record year of strawberry shipments, if volume shipped mostly by truck in early June is any indication, it could be another one for the books.
There were plenty of supplies for shipments leading up to the Fourth of July. Loadings for Labor Day and beyond are looking to be just as good as shipments are way ahead of a year ago.
As of the week ending June 2, the state’s growers had harvested 82.3 million trays of strawberries.
A year ago, that figure was about 79 million trays, and two years ago the number also was in that range. Naturipe Farms LLC of Salinas, CA is experiencing record volume and record production.
Salinas Valley strawberries and vegetables – grossing about $8900 to New York City.
New Mexico Onion Shipments
While the New Mexico onion volume estimate will not come out until August, strong volume is expected again this year. Shipments have been occurring since May and are now averaging about 875 truck loads per week. Loadings will continue through August and this time of the year has typically provided the most onion shipments in the U.S. Carzalia Valley Produce Inc. of Columbus, N.M. and Billy the Kid Produce LLC of Deming, N.M are both experiencing a normal shipping season.
New Mexico onions – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
U.S. Potato Shipments
There are 9 percent more potatoes remaining to be shipped in U.S. storages than at this same time a year ago.
The top producing potato states had 59 million cwt. of potatoes in storage June 1.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports 15 percent of the fall 2017 crop was still in storage at the beginning of the month, which is 2 percentage points more than last season.
The top three potato shipping states, and the percent of their 2017 fall crop production left in storage, are:
- Idaho — 23 million cwt. (18 percent)
- Washington — 13 million cwt. (13 percent)
- Wisconsin — 5.3 million cwt. (18 percent)
by Index Fresh
Riverside, C.A. — California avocado shipments are is well underway, with strong weeks occurring since March and promotable volumes ahead for the remainder of the season. Excellent quality has been driving strong demand as California Hass fills retailer shelves and enhances restaurant offerings.
The California harvest is estimated to be about a third complete, leaving Hass volume for the summer into September. Volume was available for strong shipments leading up to the key avocado holidays of Memorial Day and the 4th of July and will be good as well for Labor Day. Index Fresh is excited about providing quality fruit and promotional support for these summer celebrations.
Index Fresh rolled out the first GEM program in mid-April with positive support from retail and growers. The GEM is a new variety with exciting visual, flavor and peelability attributes, that presents an opportunity to excite the consumer and expand the avocado category as a complement to Hass.
The 2018 California season is off to a strong start, with tremendous opportunity ahead for the rest of the year.
ABOUT INDEX FRESH
Index Fresh is a worldwide marketer of avocados, sourcing from all major growing regions around the globe, including California, Mexico, Peru, and Chile. Through its dedication to quality, consistency, and innovation, Index Fresh continues to be a leader in the industry. Over the years the company has earned its reputation for quality and integrity with an unwavering commitment to honesty, hard work, and providing outstanding results to their partners — growers and trade alike.
Headquartered in California, the company has facilities spread across Texas, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado, and Illinois. Early this year, Index Fresh also started operations at its new packing, bagging, and ripening facility in Pharr, TX.
California has avocados commercially produced by more than 2,000 growers in the golden state.
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Southern California avocados – grossing about $8300 to New York City.
New Jersey blueberry shipments are in good volume, while peach shipments have started in the last few days….Meanwhile, Northwest pear shipments should be the best in four years.
Blueberry shipments got underway in mid-June and will run through the end of July for Sunny Valley International Inc. of Glassboro, NJ.
In 2016, the most recent year where statistics are available, New Jersey’s 30 million pounds accounted for 12 percent of total domestic blueberry shipments. New Jersey’s share of the U.S. market was 20 percent of domestic production in June and 26 percent in July.
Fresh blueberry output in New Jersey accounts for about 80 to 85 percent of the crop, with the most of the production coming out of Atlantic and Burlington counties.
Long term acreage trends show 2016 harvested acreage of blueberries in New Jersey was 9,300 acres, down from 10,000 in 2015 and 9,300 acres in 2014.
NJ Peach Shipments
New Jersey peach shipments started this week and should have decent volume until the season ends in mid-September.
Peach shipments in 2016 came from 4,700 acres, according to the USDA, unchanged from 2016 and up 100 acres from 4,600 acres in 2014.
Peach shipments from New Jersey in 2016 totaled 5.2 million pounds, or about 1 percent of domestic peach shipments that year. New Jersey’s share of the domestic peach market was less than 1 percent in July, 3 percent in August, and 2 percent in September.
Northwest Pear Shipments
Pacific Northwest pear shipments are expected to be average this season with 18.8 million, 44-pound boxes following lighter crops four years in a row.
Pear shipments hit a record 21.69 million boxes in 2013, but every year since then the yield has been much lighter. Hot weather causing fruit drop and contributing to decay called cork is blamed for at least partially being responsible for the lighter crops.
The 18. 9 million-box estimate is just 58,345 boxes less than the five-year average of 18.9 million boxes. It is 18 percent bigger than the 2017 crop, which will soon finish at close to 15.9 million boxes.
The forecast will be updated in mid-August. Right now, the breakdown by growing district is: Wenatchee, 8.6 million boxes; Hood River, 7 million; Yakima, 2.4 million; and Medford, 751,200 boxes.
Harvest is forecast to start with Starkrimson in Hood River on Aug. 3 and will finish in late September or early October in higher elevations of Hood River and Leavenworth at the upper end of the Wenatchee Valley.