Imported Chilean blueberries begin arriving this month. Meanwhile, citrus imports from Mexico and Brazil are expected to fill a void of available Florida citrus this season.
Chilean blueberry production is down slightly from last season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean fewer berries arriving by boat at U.S. ports. The South American country is the largest producer of blueberries in the Southern Hemisphere, exporting a total of 103,000 tons in 2016-17. Of that amount, 65.7 percent, or 67,707 ton was exported to North America, which is the largest global market of Chilean “blues.”
For the 2017-18 shipping season, Chile’s fresh export volume is predicted to be at 101,700 tons.
Chilean blueberry shipments should be back on schedule this year, with the peak season running from mid-December through February. The country had an unusally early start in 2016.
Shipments on ocean vessels should begin in late November, and ramping up in December.
Early arrivals are shipped by air because of the lack of fruit volume to fill the large shipping containers used by ocean-going vessels.
Citrus Imports
The majority of oranges imported to Florida arrive from Brazil and Mexico, and that total volume is projected to surpass what is grown in the hurricane-damaged Sunshine State this season.
Last season, Brazil has accounted for 46 percent of the state’s orange imports, followed by 44 percent from Mexico. Costa Rica and Belize are among the other countries supplying citrus. Most grapefruit imported into Florida comes from California and Texas.
The Florida Citrus Commission has approved an adjusted $17.8 million budget that takes into account an increase in imports that will help cover crops lost in September to Hurricane Irma.
The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has projected a preliminary $2.5 billion impact to Florida’s agriculture industry from Irma, with estimated losses to the citrus industry at $761 million.
Even before Irma, the industry had suffered steady declines in production because of deadly citrus-greening disease.
The Florida Department of Citrus projects its revenue will come from nearly 59.3 million boxes of Florida citrus and 65 million boxes of imports.
Oranges will account for 53.7 million of the taxed boxes from Florida and 63.95 million of the imported boxes.
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 By USDA APHIS
Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the entry requirements for the importation of fresh blueberry fruit from Chile into the United States. After an operational evaluation, APHIS adds Savannah, Georgia, as an approved port of arrival through which fresh blueberry consignments from Chile may be imported while meeting phytosanitary safeguards and requirements. All other requirements in the January 27, 2014 (DA-2014-07), version of the Federal Order remain unchanged.
To prevent the introduction of European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana or EGVM) into the United States, APHIS requires blueberry shipments from regions VI, VII, and VIII destined to the United States to be fumigated with methyl bromide at the point of origin or at the first U.S. port of arrival under 7 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 305. In addition, consignments from regions in Chile other than VI, VII, and VIII, that do not require fumigation, are subject to an increased rate of preclearance inspection through the APHIS preclearance program at the port of export.
Chilean blueberries are allowed to be fumigated upon arrival at the following maritime ports of entry:
- Long Beach and Los Angeles, California;
- Wilmington, Delaware;
- Miami and Port Everglades, Florida;
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (to include ports in the New York City metropolitan area);
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
- Pharr-McAllen, Texas; and
- Savannah, Georgia.
Fumigation schedules are either the 2lb rate (at 60° or 70° F), in accordance with the methyl bromide label, or the 4lb rate (at 40° F). Due to the high EGVM population in Chile during recent seasons and the unexpected detection of the moth on fresh blueberries, APHIS has determined that these additional requirements are necessary to prevent the entry of EGVM into the United States.
For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist Tony Rom¡n at 301-851-2242 or at Juan.A.Roman@aphis.usda.gov.
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In a turn around from a year ago Red River Valley potato grower-shippers in North Dakota and Minnesota anticipate plenty of potato loads for hauling this season. It would be a terrific improvement for both growers, shippers and truckers from a rain-soaked 2016 season.
Last year during the 2017 growing season, dry soil made growing and harvesting difficult although the abundant rainfall from 2016 had created good planting conditions. The result was a 30 percent drop in potato shipments.
A couple of timely downpours this past September helped the digging get started on time.
The Red River Valley potato harvest generally runs for about six weeks in September and October, with shipments typically lasting through spring.
The Red River Valley includes about 80,000 acres in North Dakota and 45,000 in Minnesota. Potato volume for the fresh market typically totals about 7 million hundredweight (cwt).
A significant change in the valley this season is formation of H & S FreshPak in Hoople, ND, a new company created when J.G. Hall & Sons of Hoople and O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc. of Crystal, ND, who purchased Northern Valley Growers of Hoople and changed the name to H & S.
Truck availability has been a concern in the valley this season, a situation that has a history. Due to the low population of North Dakota, getting loads into the valley is often a challenge. Other factors such as the recovery from hurricanes in Texas and Florida hasn’t helped the availability of trucks.
The valley has over 250 growers producing more than 40 million cwt. of potatoes annually, with about 17 percent of the product shipped to the fresh market. The region is the third largest potato growing area in the U.S.
Yellow variety potatoes continue to increase in popularity, mostly at the expense of Russets and whites, neither of which valley growers have produced in a number of years.
While U.S. red potato shipments increased about 14 percent between 2009 – 2015, white potato shipments plunged 43.3 percent.
The co-op Associated Potato Growers Inc. of Grand Forks, ND continues to be the valley’s largest potato shipper. Of the dozen wash plants in the valley, two of the other largest shippers are NoKota Packers, Inc. of Buxton, ND and J.G. Hall of Hoople.
Potato shipments from Grand Forks – grossing about $4800 to New York City.
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 By The Union Pacific
Here we grow again!
Union Pacific Cold Connect will be adding departure days on all eastbound California and Washington trains — effective today, October 31, 2017.
We will begin originating trains Tuesday through Saturday, departing at 9:00 PDT, with 7th and 8th day availability in the Northeast. Priority handling will be reserved for committed customers first.
With additional train starts, we will continue with our current arrival cutoffs as follows:
*All loads must be received into the Cold Connect terminals at Delano, California, and Wallula, Washington, by 10 p.m. PDT the evening prior to train departure. Any loads arriving after 10 p.m. PDTÂ may be rescheduled to the next available train.
- Load tenders must be received 24 hours in advance of pick-up appointment.
- A minimum of 24 hours lead-time is required for all full-truckload orders shipping out of Rotterdam, New York for final delivery. This includes changes to any existing sales order.
- All less-than-truckload orders will require 48 hours notice to ensure truck availability.
Schedules on westbound Cold Connect trains departing Rotterdam, New York, are not impacted by this newly expanded service.
Thank you for shipping with Union Pacific Cold Connect. We appreciate your business and are dedicated to providing you with valuable, competitive transportation services for all of your food and beverage shipments, the news release said.
If you have questions, please contact your Union Pacific Cold Connect representative. Or, for more details, please visit the Union Pacific website at [www.upcoldconnect.com or www.upcoldconnect.com.
The Union Pacific Railroad is a freight hauling railroad that operates 8,500 locomotives over 32,100 route-miles in 23 states west of Chicago and New Orleans. The Union Pacific Railroad system is the largest in the United States and it is one of the world’s largest transportation companies. The Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of the Union Pacific Corporation; both are headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
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California navel orange shipments will be down this season, but just how much is not yet known. Additionally, Pacific Trellis announces plans to import Brazilian grapes.
The first California navels were only shipped within the past week or so, with pretty good volume occurring by early November.
Still, decent shipments are expected with the early forecast of 70 million cartons for the 2017-18 shipping season, of which 68 million will come out of the Central San Joaquin Valley.
The total volume has conventional, organic and specialty navel oranges, including pigmented varieties, such as cara cara and blood oranges.
Among the reason many observers give for fewer navel orange shipments relates to a survey of growers indicating a fruit set per tree of 273, below the five-year average of 348. The average September 1st diameter size was 2.34 inches, above the five-year average of 2.24 inches.
The lighter fruit set also is on fewer acres due to drought and storms last spring.
Acreage is 115,000 this year, down from 120,000 bearing acres a year ago and 135,000 from 2006-09.
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Pacific Trellis to Import Grapes
By Pacific Trellis Fruit
Pacific Trellis Fruit, Los Angeles, CA has announced a partnership with Labrunier, the largest table grape producer in Brazil. With over 900 hectares (2223 acres) in production Labrunier, located in the state of Bahia, has one of the world’s largest areas for growing and testing new table grape varieties selected for flavor, crop yield and adversity to disease. Labrunier’s entire production is internationally certified by Rainforest Alliance.
With the first arrivals of green seedless varieties available at the end of October, these premium quality grapes will be in good supply for the holiday shipping season.
New varieties include Francis, Sweet Mayabelle, Candy Snaps, Timco, Sweet Celebration, Sugar Crisp and Sweet Globe. The program from Brazil provides North American retailers the opportunity to continue the offerings of new variety grapes to consumers as the California crop winds down.
Fazendas Labrunier and Pacific Trellis Fruit have teamed up to provide the premium and new grape varieties with strong early season import volume,” explains Aryan Schut, Commercial Manager.
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Florida citrus losses are reported the worst in 75 years between Hurricane Irma and citrus greening, plus nearly two dozen Florida counties are declared disaster areas.
by Malena Carollo, Tampa Bay Times
After a decade of fighting a losing battle against a tree-killing disease (citrus greening) and declining yields, growers thought this year’s abundant crop promised a turnaround. Then, just weeks before harvest, Hurricane Irma hit.
“This was a real punch in the face,” said Andrew Meadows, spokesperson for citrus trade organization Florida Citrus Mutual.
Overcome by almost $800 million in losses from the hurricane, the state’s citrus industry is suddenly facing its lowest orange yield in 75 years, far worse than forecasts expected just a couple of months ago.
Although damage is still being assessed, the latest numbers released by the state put expected losses at roughly $761 million. Early estimates suggest that this year’s crop will be the single lowest yield since 1942.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Tampa Bay Times
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19 Florida Counties Declared Disaster Areas
A natural disaster declaration for 19 Florida counties issued by the USDA acknowledges widespread damage by Hurricane Irma.
As a result of the declaration farmers and ranchers in those areas are able to seek support, including emergency loans, from the Farm Service Agency, according to a news release.
“I thank U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for taking action to support Florida’s farmers and ranchers still picking up the pieces from Hurricane Irma, Florida agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam said in the release. Our preliminary estimates peg the total damage at more than $2.5 billion, but it’s important to recognize that the damage is still unfolding.
“The disaster declaration provides much needed support, and I will continue working with (Florida Gov. Rick Scott) and our leaders in Washington to get Florida agriculture the relief it needs to rebuild,” Putnam said.
The USDA released its first citrus crop estimate recently, but industry members say the department grossly understated the extent of the damage from Irma.
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In typical fall fashion here are some of the better loading opportunities from four important produce U.S. shipping states.
Washington:
While apple shipments may not set a record this season, plenty will be available for hauling as another big crop is forecast. Last season harvest was so huge, believe it or not, some shippers are still loading “old” apples from last season. That’s okay, if your receiver is aware of it. Just make sure they know what is being loaded. Nearly 1800 truckload equivalents of apples are being loaded weekly primarily from the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys. Around 400 truckload equivalents of Washington pears are being shipped as well, with the best volume yet to come.
Idaho and Oregon
Another big crop of Idaho potatoes will be shipped between now and late next summer. Nearly 1600 truckload equivalents of primarily russet potatoes are being loaded weekly from the four primarily Idaho shipping areas lead by the Idaho Falls area.
Western Idaho and Malhuer County Oregon are shipping over 600 truckloads on storage onions per week. Last winter a number of onion storage sheds and other buildings were heavily damaged in Nyssa and Ontario, Oregon due to two separate winter storms, but adequate facilities appear to be in place for the new shipping season.
South Texas Produce Shipments
Literally dozens of tropical fruits and vegetables are crossing the border from Mexico at Pharr, Texas, but a majority of the are in light volume at this point. Vine ripe tomatoes are perhaps providing the heaviest volume with about 500 truckloads per week. Limes may be among the heavier volume tropical fruits with nearly 350 truckloads weekly.
Many Mexican items are just getting underway and in the coming weeks will provide better hauling opportunities ranging from strawberries to raspberries, honeydew, papayas and pineapples among others.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley grapefruit harvest is barely underway with good volume arriving in November.
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Asparagus imports are rising. Meanwhile, a diet avocado is being introduced.
Imported Peruvian asparagus is now arriving a U.S. ports in normal volume after experiencing tight supplies, at least compared to this time last year. .
Now both Peru and Mexico are hitting stride when it comes to volume. As a rule, Peruvian asparagus imports move into good volume in May, which continues through the middle of January. At this time there will be heavier imports of Mexican asparagus from Caborca and central Mexico in the winter and summer.
This year, imports of Peruvian asparagus have been lower compared with year-ago levels due to adverse weather conditions earlier in the year, which took a toll on yields. Season-to-date volume from Peru is down 800,000 to 1 million boxes compared with a year ago. Through September 30th, the USDA reported total imports of Peruvian asparagus totals 6.01 million 11-pound cartons, off from 7.35 million cartons at the same time a year ago. The U.S. receives about 70 percent of Peru’s fresh asparagus exports.
So far this year, Mexican asparagus shipments to the U.S. were 5.8 million cartons through September 30th, up seven percent from the same time a year ago.
Peruvian Avocado Imports
The United States received a record 145 million pounds of Peruvian avocados this year, helping meet demand in a market short of domestic supplies.
Diet Avocados
A Spanish fruit company has invented a diet avocado with 30 percent less fat.
Eurobanan has introduced a diet avocado under its Isla Bonita brand. It is describe as having a mild flavor and juicier pulp, and also ripening fast yet oxidizing ie, turning so a shade of gray much more slowly. This means it should outlast a full-fat conventional avocado. It is said to be great for the preparation of smoothies, cold soup, gazpachos, cocktails, and many other dishes.
Its official launch is later this month at a trade show in Madrid. However, but unfortunately for Americans, the diet avocado will only be sold in Spain for the time being.
Spanish heart-health advocates tested the fruit’s nutritional claims, and have since affixed seal certifying it does have almost one-third less fat and can be grown almost year around.
Avocados have the type of fat deemed good by doctors because it is monounsaturated, and helps lower bad cholesterol if eaten in moderation.
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Increased shipments from Mexico with ocean carrier World Direct Shipping is coming to Port Manatee in Central Florida with addition of another weekly stop to the port. At the same time, damage estimates to Florida produce are coming from the state.
World Direct Shipping has announced the increase in service to the port by the company, which was first established in 2014. Ships depart from the north-central part of Veracruz, from Port Tuxpan, in a service starting January 12th.
“We couldn’t be happier with how the initial service has thrived, with our 2 ½-day transit time offering the fastest short-sea connection between Mexico and the U.S. Southeast, Northeast and Midwest for refrigerated produce and other cargos,” said Carlos Diaz, director of Palmetto, Fla.-based World Direct Shipping, in a news release.
The new service complements the other World Direct Shipping arrival at the port, starting from Coatzacoalcos, Diaz said. Tuxpan is the closest commercial port to Mexico City, providing for more opportunities for fruit exports.
The weekly schedules call for Friday departures and Monday arrivals for the new service. Currently, ships leave Coatzacoalcos on Saturday and arrive at Port Manatee on Tuesdays.
Florida vs. Hurricane Irma
While Florida isn’t exactly a mecca for produce loads during the fall and winter, there are going to be less opportunities than ever in the coming months as the state works to recover from the damages resulting from Hurricane Irma.
The early assessment of total damages to agricultural production in the state is $2.5 billion.
Over 420,000 acres of citrus production were hit, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Losses were heaviest in Collier and Hendry counties, which estimated losses at $2,500 an acre for about 94,000 acres. Eleven other counties projected losses of $1,750 per acre for about 254,000 acres, and Polk and Martin counties estimated damages at $1,100 per acre for about 72,000 acres.
Many trees were just a few weeks from harvest when the storm hit.
Along with fruit loss and infrastructure damage, growers are worried over trees dying due to flooding, which is not included in this initial estimate.
Florida citrus sales still hover near $1 billion, despite the downturn in the last decade due to citrus greening disease.
Damage to the other fruit and vegetable crops in Florida, were found on over 163,000 acres.
Because the planting season was just beginning for most vegetables, the crop losses will result in shorter seasons, market distortions and lower yields because of the storm diluting the pesticides that had been applied to fields.
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Californa prune shipments are expected soar by nearly 100 percent this season. Meanwhile, a significant expansion involving two produce companies is taking place in North Carolina.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service believes the 2017 California prune harvest will total 105,000 tons, a 99 percent increase over 2016’s 52,851-ton crop.
This year, the industry is returning to a more normal size harvest. Harvest concluded about a month ago. Weather in recent years has created challenges for prune growers, but growers say the trees are rebounding this year. California is the world’s largest producer of prunes, accounting for 40 percent of the world’s supply and nearly of all the supply in the U.S.
LIPMAN EXPANDS FARMING NETWORK
By Lipman
TABOR CITY, N.C. — As a part of its commitment to sustainability and high-quality farming, Lipman Family Farms, North America’s largest field tomato grower, has partnered with North Carolina-based Table Fare Farms. Lipman will be the exclusive marketer for the farm, which currently grows watermelons in Tabor City, N.C., and is owned by Larry and Tammy O’Ferrel.
Currently affiliated with more than 50 local farmers in more than 20 states, Lipman partners with growers around the country through its Lipman Local program in order to bring its customers local, quality produce year-round.
“We are very excited to partner with Larry and Tammy O’Ferrel,” said Scott Rush, director of Lipman Local. “Table Fare Farms will be a great addition to the Lipman family and will allow us to expand our local produce offerings to our customers.”
Lipman plans to expand this partnership to include other commodities in the future.
“Working with Lipman is the ideal next step for us” said Table Fare Farms owner Larry O’Ferrel. “We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”
About Lipman
Based in Immokalee, FL., Lipman is the largest open-field tomato grower in North America, providing year-round fresh produce through an integrated network of research and development, farming, processing, and repacking. Farms in Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, California and Mexico are totaling tens of thousands of acres, allowing Lipman to grow and ship fresh produce 365 days a year. For more information, visit www.LipmanProduce.com.
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