Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Asparagus loadings out of Michigan have started. Meanwhile, here’s an update on how many potatoes remain to be shipped for the 2017-18 shipping season.
Michigan asparagus shipments are just getting underway and will continue into late June with good volumes coming in time for the Memorial weekend, May 26 – 28.
One of the larger Michigan asparagus companies that grows, packs and ships is Todd Greiner Farms Packing LLC of Hart, MI. The company recently completed a 20,000-square-foot addition to its packinghouse, which is the second expansion in the last year. This includes two new controlled atmosphere/cold storage rooms and two new shipping and receiving docks. Greiner Farms also ships other vegetables and watermelons.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Vidalia certified sweet onions are grown in 20 southeastern Georgia counties by 80 farmers and available in the spring and summer months. However, the majority of the onions are located in only two counties. In 2017, Georgia shippers had almost 230 million pounds of Vidalia onions. Similar volume is seen this season, and shipments got underway April 20th.
U.S. Potato Shipments
U.S. potatoes remaining in storages to be shipped as of April 1st were up 2 percent from year-ago. The USDA reports the 13 major potato shipping states held 134 million cwt. of potatoes in storage. Potatoes in storage accounted for 33 percent of the fall storage states’ 2017 production, 1 percent more than last year.
Idaho potatoes remaining to be shipped totaled 50 million cwt. off 4 pecent from 52 million cwt. from last year. As a percent of production, Idaho potato stocks represented 38 percent of the state’s 2017 production, up 1 percent from a year ago.
In Washington, the state with the second-highest amount of potatoes remaining in storage, the USDA reported 30 million cwt. of potatoes. That was up 3.4 percent from 29 million cwt. the same time a year ago. Washington’s stocks accounted for 30 percent of 2017 potato shipments, up from 27 percent in 2016.
Idaho potatoes from Twin Falls area to New York City – grossing about $5300.
Washington potatoes from the Columbia Basin – grossing about $4500 to Chicago.
Here is a look at imports involving Mexican limes, Chilean citrus and Gooseberries from Ecuador.
Lime Shipments
By last March Mexico has provided 97 percent of the U.S. total lime shipments, with only light volume reported from Colombia. Lime supplies are finally improving after being in short supply due to weather factors. Pro*Act LLC of Monterey CA imports Mexican limes and sees retail prices dropping as supplies improve.
Chilean Citrus
Nearly 48 tons of Chilean clementines from Valparaiso departed for the West Coast of the U.S. April 2nd kicking off the new season.
The season was launched a week earlier than the season of 2017. Observers expect volume to increase quickly as more orchards begin harvesting, according to a news release from the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association in San Carols, CA.
The Chilean Citrus Committee expects a strong season with increased clementine volume, according to the release.
“We’re expecting consistently high-quality fruit this year. We had very favorable temperatures this autumn, with warm days and cooler nights, and last year’s strong rainfall has also provided plenty of water for irrigation,” Juan Enrique Ortuzar, committee president, said in the release.
Ecuadorian Gooseberries
The USDA has approved fresh Ecuadorian cape gooseberries being imported by U.S. under a new proposal from the ag department.
Comments on the proposal will be accepted until June 18, according to the USDA.
Imports of the fruit — also called ground cherries, goldenberry and physalis — will be allowed from Ecuador under what the USDA calls a systems approach.
U.S. import levels for fresh cape gooseberry fruit are not known, according to the USDA, because the fruit is combined in U.S. trade statistics with black, white, and red currants.
In 2015, the U.S. imported approximately 78.7 metric tons of gooseberries and currants valued at about $476,000.
The U.S. does not produce fresh cape gooseberry fruit commercially, according to the USDA
Patience is a virtue if you are wanting to get through the bureaucratic red tape and import South American lemons, at least those from Argentina. But the long wait is over as shipments are arriving at U.S. ports to be trucked across North America.
The first U.S. bound lemons in 17 years from Argentina’s Tucumán citrus growing region arrive this week after departing that South American country April 18th.
Argentina had been seeking to have exports of lemons to the U.S. allowed since 2001, when a U.S. District Court in California overturned a USDA rule from a year earlier allowing lemon imports from Argentina.
Argentina’s provinces of Tucumán, Salta and Jujuy will export between 15,000 and 20,000 metric tons of lemons to the U.S. during the 2018 season. Most of Argentina’s lemon shipments are expected in June and July.
Argentina’s lemon exports in 2017 totaled 241,000 metric tons, with the top destinations listed as Spain, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece and Canada.
Argentina Lemons
Argentia’s lemons will be arriving in the U.S. through Citromax, Carlstadt, N.J.
The company has over 13,000 acres of lemons in Tucuman, Argentina. .
“We are very proud to say that Citromax is the only American-owned lemon producer that is packing and selling lemons into the United States retail market,” Vivian Glueck, president of the Citromax Group, said in a news release. “We are thrilled that the recent lifting of trade restrictions has opened up the U.S. market, and we are moving ahead with bringing the highest-quality lemon fruit to American consumers.”
A February court decision in favor of the USDA’s approval of the import of Argentine lemons allows the fruit into the U.S. for the first time in 17 years.
The lemons will carry Citromax brands, and are being imported by Seald Sweet, The Oppenheimer Group and Vision Import Group; those companies will also market the lemons.
California desert shipments for fresh grapes and vegetables from the Coachella Valley are gearing up.
California’s Coachella Valley grape shipments should get underway in very light volume around May 10th, with loadings to be down only slightly from last season.
Table grapes are grown from 7,000-acres in the area located just east of Palm Springs. Volume should be about 4 to 4.5 million 18-pound cartons, down from about 4.8 million cartons a year ago. While some shipping operation finish earlier than others, some such as Richard Bagdasarian Inc. of Mecca, CA continue through the middle of July.
Early variety grapes in the Coachella Valley will have lighter volume due to inadequate chill hours. However, the midseason or later grapes in the Coachella Valley should have more normal volumes, which should start occurring by the end of May, just in time for shipments for Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28.
From Memorial Day into June Coachella grapes shipments should be at a peak. Coachella grape volume is miniscule compared to grape shipments from the San Joaquin Valley that will get underway by late June or early July as the Coachella season is winding down.
Vegetable Shipments
Coachella Valley vegetable shipments are expected to be average this season with items such as peppers, watermelons and sweet corn, with good volume during May and June.
Prime Time International, which is headquartered in Coachella, is expecting good shipments of colored red, yellow and orange peppers as well as watermelons and sweet corn during May and June. The Coachella Valley shipping season typically lasts about eight weeks and typically ends when the desert temperatures get too hot. Coachella watermelon shipments are expected to be heavier than normal this season..
Coachella Valley
The Coachella Valley is a desert valley in Southern California extending approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino MountainsS to the northern shore of the Salton Sea. It is approximately 15 miles wide along most of its length, bounded on the west by the San Jacinto Mountains and the Santa Rosa Mountains on the north and east by the Little San Bernardino Mountains. The San Andres Fault crosses the valley from the Chocolate Mountains in the southeast corner and along the centerline of the Little San Bernardinos. The fault is easily visible along its northern length as a strip of greenery against an otherwise bare mountain.
36287528 – rush trucking. speeding blue semi truck on the american highway. trucking concept.
California cherry shipments are just getting underway in light volume with early season varieties, with the total volume expected to be less this season.
Peak loadings for the early varieties should occur from May 8th to May 20th and good volume coming from the later districts in late May and early June.
While most observers agree total California cherry shipments will be down from last season’s record 9.6 million cartons, just how much of a decline seems open to debate.
Most observers are pegging shipments will fall between 4.5 million and 7 million cartons this season. Cherry shipper King Fresh Produce of Dinuba, CA has been quoted as expecting total loads to be around 6 and 7 million cartons. Some others see it being more like 4.5 million to 5 million cartons.
Average to above average cherry shipments are expected from the later producing cherry districts, but this won’t make up for lighter volume starting the season, according to Chinchiolo Stemilt Growers in Stockton, CA.
The five-year average for California cherry shipments is 6.7 million cartons.
Morada Produce of Linden, CA believes the lighter early season loadings may reduce shipments to about 6.5 million cartons this year. Bing cherry shipments should start about May 22nd, with the peak bing volume coming the last week of May and the first eight days of June.
Cherry shipments should be a little lighter from Frenso south although this isn’t quite set in stone yet.
The Patterson district, which is just a little southwest of Stockton, seems to have a strong crop. Cherry shipments in the coastal district of Hollister and Gilroy should finish about June 15.
Northwest cherry volume could start around June 8th.
Huron head lettuce in the San Joaquin Valley is in final weeks of season – grossing abut $8000 to New York City, $5800 to Chicago.
We are well into springtime and that means melon shipments are underway, or soon will be from shipping areas across the country. Decent volume is expected by at least some areas by the middle of May. Here is a brief look at the plans of a few melon shippers located in different area of the U.S.
West
For example Five Crowns Marketing of Brawley, CA plans to start shipping watermelons from the Imperial Valley about May 1st just as imported melons are wanning. It also will be shipping mini watermelons later in the season from Arizona.
Legend Produce Dos Palos, CA, located in the Merced area of the San Joaquin Valley, should start shipping within the next week as it transitions from importing melons from Guatemala and Honduras.
Likewise Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms of Los Angeles will begin cantaloupe shipments, as well as yellow personal watermelons from the Yuma, AZ area around the middle of May.
Del Mar Packing of Westley, CA. located about 15 miles southwest of Modesto, starts its melon season in early July.
Texas
Dixondale Farms of Carrizo Springs, TX, located about 115 miles Southwest of San Antonio, is the state’s largest grower and shippers of cantaloupes, with loadings to start in May.
Eastern
Jackson Farming Co. is headquartered in Autryville, NC, but ships from several areas on the East Coast plans It will kick off its seeded and seedless watermelon season with shipments out of Bradenton, FL the second week of May, and expects to have good volume leading up to Memorial Day. Then the company will be shifting production to Leslie, GA., with peak volume plans for loadings leading up for the Fourth of July with seedless watermelons. Jackson’s final stop of the season is the Autryville operation that ships watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydew melons through Labor Day.
The company plans to increase its North Carolina on seedless watermelon volume close 20 percent this season.
As produce rates remain higher than normal for this time of the year and equipment and drivers are in short supply, here is a round up of several active shipping areas in the Western half of the United States.
At Nogales, watermelons crossing the border from Mexico are providing the heaviest volume as many winter vegetable items are nearing the end of a season. Over 800 truck loads of Mexican melons are being shipped weekly and volume is still increasing. Mexican tomato shipments are exceeding 600 truck loads a week, with a similar amount of cucumbers. A big crop of Mexican table grapes will be crossing the border in good volume within a couple of weeks….Lettuce from the Yuma area is quickly coming to a seasonal end.
Mexican produce through Nogales – grossing about $3600 to Chicago.
California produce shipments
Salina Valley vegetables lead by broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce are in light, but increasing volume. It will help test the ability of the produce trucking industry to supply the equipment and drivers necessary when the Salinas Valley hits full stride in May, along with fruits and vegetables from the San Joaquin Valley. There’s not numbers yet, but the valley’s stone fruit volume is expected to be down significantly from weather factors. Kern County carrots are averaging over 400 truck loads per week. Many other items will be available for loading in the coming weeks.
Northwest Produce Shipments
As usual Washington apples are the volume leader averaging over 3000 truck load equivalents per week…..Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjacent Oregon Umatilla Basin are shipping nearly 700 truck loads of onions weekly and about 375 truck loads of potatoes….Meanwhile Idaho is shipping in excess of 1900 truck load equivalents of potatoes weekly.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $4000 to Dallas.
Texas Produce Shipments
Mexican avocados and watermelons continue to cross the border at Pharr in heavy volume. Mexican tropical fruits such as mangoes are increasing, as are Mexican tomatoes. Mexican sweet onions continue being imported, but its season will be winding down and sweet onions grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are increasing.
Mexican produce through South Texas – grossing about $5800 to New York City.
Here is a glimpse of some produce loading opportunities found east of the Rocky Mountains, stretching to the East Coast.
Florida is entering its last few weeks of spring vegetable shipments. Sweet corn is averaging 700 – plus truck loads per week primarily from central and southern areas of the state, while just under 700 truck loads of mature green tomatoes are being shipped weekly. There also is decent volume coming from red potatoes and cabbage, with lighter volume on cabbages and dozens of other vegetables. A biggie when it comes to shipments is yet to arrive. Watermelon loadings are in light volume but rapidly increasing.
Florida vegetables – grossing about $3300 to New York City.
Chilean imported grapes totaled around 1200 truck loads arriving by boat last week, primarily at the Ports of Philadelphia and Long Beach, CA. However, expected is a significant decline in volume as Chilean grapes come to a seasonal end.
Sweet potato shipments are pretty steady from the Eastern part of North Carolina averaging around 400 truck loads per week. This is triple the amount of volume coming out of California, Louisiana and Mississippi combined.
New York state is shipping light amounts of apples, but they are coming from scattered areas across much of the states. There also is light volume with cabbage and onions.
Michigan is moving about 100 truck loads of apples from the western half of the state, plus light amounts of potatoes and onions, many which are being brought in from other growing areas for repacking and distribution.
Michigan apples – grossing about $3800 to Boston.
The Red River Valley of eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota have light volume with red potatoes averaging about 200 truck loads weekly, while shippers in the Central area of Wisconsin are shipping similar amounts of russets.
In the Southeastern part of Colorado, around 625 truck loads of russet potatoes are being loaded each week.
Colorado and Wisconsin potatoes – both averaging about $3000 to Atlanta.
Sandwiched in between Ventura County to the south and the Watsonville area of the Salinas Valley to the north is Santa Mara. It’s strawberry season typically overlaps with the other two neighboring growing districts and plays a significant role in the state’s total volume.
While weather delays cut volume for Easter, Santa Maria strawberry shipments are expected to play a key role.
Through March 24th, total volume for the year-from Santa Maria stood at 2.43 million trays, up from 1.89 million trays last year at the same time. However, it was down from 4.04 million crates in 2016.
Total California strawberry shipments the week of March 24 were 907,000 crates, down about 70 percent from 3.31 million trays the same week last year and 80 percent less than the 4.27 million two years ago. In fact, total California strawberry shipments the week of March 24 were 907,000 crates, down about 70% from 3.31 million trays the same week last year and 80 pecent lower than the 4.27 million two years ago.
A freeze a few weeks ago damaged blooms in Santa Maria, followed by rain during much of March, which cut volume for shippers such as Gold Coast Packing Inc., of Santa Maria.
Total California strawberry shipments last year hit a record 206 million trays, up from the 2016 record of 197 million trays. The Santa Maria district shipped 66.7 million trays in 2017, up from 60.8 million trays in 2016.
Projected acreage for the Santa Maria district this season is 11,292 acres, down from 12,209 acres in 2017 and 11,817 acres in 2016.
Santa Maria’s fall planted acreage of 8,506 for winter, spring and summer production was off 3.4 pecent compared with 2017. As a whole, Santa Maria accounted for 30.6 percent of California’s fall planted acreage for winter, spring and summer production, compared with 29.6 pecent last year.
Total fall planted acreage for winter, spring and summer production was estimated at 27,804 acres, down 6.5 percent from 2017.
Meanwhile, Santa Maria accounted for 2,786 acres for projected summer planted acreage for fall production, down 18 percent from 2017. Santa Maria accounts for 46.5 pecent of California’s projected summer planted acreage for fall production, down from a 51.1 percent share a year ago.
The estimate for California’s total summer planted strawberry for fall production in 2018 is 5,998 acres, down 10.1 pecent compared with a year ago.
Here are updates on strawberry, avocado and apple shipments.
As of April 7th California strawberry shipments had totaled around 17.5 million trays, which is over 3 million fewer trays than at the same time in 2017. Likewise, at the same time two years ago 27.4 million trays of strawberries had been shipped. Factors ranging from heavy rains to cold weather have been blamed for the lighter volume thus far this season. Assuming improved growing conditions are ahead with the arrival of spring, California shipments are expected to increase soon to over 5 million trays per week and eventually exceed 8 million trays on a weekly basis.
Ventura County strawberries and vegetables – grossing about $7500 to New York City.
Avocado Shipments
If estimates hold about 60 million pounds of avocados will be shipped weekly during the month of April Over 80 percent of the volume will be imports from Mexico. With this kind of volume, avocado shipments leading up to Cinco de Mayo (May 5) will comparable to those weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. The “Big Game” last February resulted in 200 million pounds of the fruit shipped in the four weeks leading up to the football game.
Mexican is in it second half of the season for shipping avocados. More No. 2 product, is typically shipped this time of the season, but no significant quality issues are being reported.. California’s new season is well underway.
Mexican avocado and vegetables crossing through South Texas – grossing about $5800 to New York City.
Apple Shipments
Significantly more apples remain in U.S. storages as of early April than at this time a year ago. About 61.3 million (42-pound) cartons of fresh apples were stored as of April 1st, up 16 percent from 2017 when there were 53.1 million cartons remaining to be shipped, which is 18 percent greater than the five-year average of 51.8 million cartons.
Gala apples remaining is storage were 10.76 million cartons, up 11 percent from 9.6 million cartons in 2017 and 62 percent greater than 6.67 million cartons in 2016.
Fresh Honeycrisp available was at 3.38 million cartons, more than double the 1.45 million cartons in 2017 and 1.61 million cartons on hand two years ago.
Red delicious remaining to be shipped were pegged at 15.65 million cartons, down 23 pecent compared with 20.2 million cartons in 2017 and up 7 percent from 14.6 million cartons two years ago.
Granny smith apples available were 10.1 million cartons, more than double the 4.8 million cartons in 2017 and 13 percent higher than 7.8 million cartons two years ago.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $6700 to New York City.