Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Imports of Southern Hemisphere citrus continues to increase as American consumers are becoming more accustomed to purchasing citrus year-round. Improving quality and taste are cited as factors.
As navel oranges, minneolas and clementines experience increasing volume from the Southern Hemisphere, it opens up the window for more sales of citrus.
Seedless easy peelers such as Murcotts, and the mandarin varieties continue to be the most popular items in produce departments. Imported citrus primarily arrives at three major ports in the West (Long Beach), Southeast (Florida) and Northeast (Philadelphia), reducing logistic and distribution costs.
Chile’s first shipment of Navels to the U.S. — comprising 7,960 boxes arrived in early June, a earlier than in 2015.
Importers are very optimistic for the season ahead. Total global citrus exports from Chile (Navels, easy peelers and lemons) rose by 30 percent last year, and estimates are that volume is expected to climb another 10 percent in 2016. While the largest increase is expected for easy peelers, projected Navel volumes are also slightly higher than 2016, 68,261 tons compared to 67,644 tons in 2015.
Easy peelers are clearly the up and comers in citrus, because not only are they a great-tasting, but are convenient to eat.
Though just 9.9 percent of the citrus volume sold, Mandarins represented 36.4 percent of dollar sales in the U.S. retail market for the year September 2014 to September 2015. By comparison, oranges, which form 30 percent of the category volume, represented a lesser share — 29.2 percent — of the overall spent.
Through early June, Chilean citrus exports were at 25,906 tons (just over 1.6 million boxes), 80 percent of which were destined for the U.S. Exports to the U.S. market through early June included 121 tons of Navels, 14,069 tons of clementines and 6,349 tons of lemons.
The period June-August is the primary season for Chilean lemons. Of all the lemons entering the U.S. from the Southern Hemisphere, Chile had an astounding 95 percent market share last year, shipping nearly 34,000 tons to the U.S. This year, Chile’s exports of lemons totaled 20,372 tons by mid June, up 104 percent from last season. Out of this volume, 55 percent were destined for North America,
YTD volume shipped to the North American market is 119 percent greater than the same time in 2015. Despite the initial increase in volume shipped to this market, it is expected to slow down, as the total forecast of 60,000 tons is four percent less than last year’s volume of 62,196 tons.
Peru shipments are expected to start arriving the first week of July.
California citrus is nearly finished, opening the door for imports that will last from from July well into October.
South African clementines, Cara Caras and other varieties were beginning to arrive at U.S. ports. However, while South African citrus exports were running early and had good volumes, the total imported this season could be less than in previous years due to weather conditions.
Here’s a round up of North American blueberry shipments that are shifting areas in the coming weeks, plus we take a glimpse at upcoming Quebec apple shipments and western U.S. onions.
Blueberry shipments are making the seasonal shift to new areas and are hitting peak volume from British Columbia, New Jersey and Michigan.
While Georgia an California blueberries, as well as North Carolina blueberry shipments are nearly finished, Michigan got underway the week of June 27th and is now entering peak shipments.
British Columbia blueberry shipments started a little early this year and loadings are currently heavy.
Typically there’s a gap between Pacific Northwest and British Columbia blueberry shipments, but this year is an exception. However, Washington state, Oregon and British Columbia are all hitting good volumes at the same time, with peak shipments to hit in mid-July.
British Columbia was in full volume by about June 29 and New Jersey by the week of July 4th, while Michigan is expected to peak by the week of July 11.
New Jersey and Pacific Northwest blueberry shipments will likely start to taper off in the second half of July, when Michigan is expected to take over the lion’s share of blueberry loadings.
Washington state blueberries, and apples – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
Southern New Jersey blueberries, – grossing about $1900 to Boston.
Quebec Apple Shipments
Quebec apple shipments are expected to get underway the week of September 12th. Apple loadings for the province’s 2015-16 crop are expected to wind down during the last half of July.
Onion Shipments
Onion shipments from the new crop are expected to get underway during the middle of August from Western Idaho and Mulheur County, OR. Volume should be up this season as a slight increase in acreage is reported. Onion shipments typically last through April. The area is known for its sweet Spanish onions, as well as whites, reds and yellows.
Here’s a glimpse of cherry shipments from around the U.S., as well as blueberry loadings from the Northwest. There also is a final outlook at late season sweet corn shipments from Georgia, and some states that will follow.
Cherry Shipments
U.S. sweet cherry production is projected to be down 6 percent this year.
About 318,000 tons are likely to ship in 2016, down from 338,000 tons in 2015, according to the June 22 Cherry Production report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Production is down this year in both industry leader Washington and in California, which produces the second most sweet cherries, according to the report. Washington cherry shipments are now hitting a peak, while California cherry shipments are virtually finished for the year.
Washington production is expected to fall from 210,000 tons to 195,000 tons. Shipments from California, which was hit hard by spring rains, decreased from 68,000 to 60,000 tons.
Production in industry No. 3 Oregon is expected to increase from 41,000 to 42,000 tons. Michigan production also should be up, from 15,900 to 21,000 tons.
Washington cherries – grossing about $5500 to Atlanta.
Blueberry Shipments
Oregon’s 350 growers grow and ship blueberries from 11,000 acres.
Looking at 2016 production, the Beaver State is expecting to break 100 million pounds for the first time.
Washington’s 275 growers in the Evergreen State farm blueberries on 15,000 acres. The Washington blues harvest ramped up on May 30 in eastern Washington, and production started from Skagit around June 20 with shipments picking up in Whatcom a few days later.
The state’s producers are looking at production of 118 million pounds of blueberries, up from 103 million a year ago.
Sweet Corn Shipments
This is the last week of peak shipments of sweet corn out of Georgia. However, declining volume will be available until mid July.
Corn loadings then switch to Delaware in mid-July, in Ohio about July 20th and in New York about July 25th . Once Georgia finishes shipping, most of these other area are typically shipped regionally.
Southern Georgia corn, blueberries and vegetables – grossing about $3200 to Boston.
Here’s a produce shipping outlook from around the nation. We’ll cover everything from California tomatoes, strawberries and melons, to watermelon shipments in the Eastern half of the U.S.
California tomato shipments are gaining steam from the San Joaquin Valley to the southern coastal area.
For example, tomato loadings from Firebaugh, CA got underway June 1st and within two weeks all the tomato shippers in the San Joaquin Valley were moving product.
If the weather cooperates, the valley could be shipping tomatoes through Halloween.
On the Southern California coastline, pole tomato shipments got underway around June e13th from the Oceanside area. Shipments of roma tomatoes will start July 1. Round tomato volumes will likely peak from mid-August through October, with roma peak shipments taking place from July through September.
Good volume with cherry tomatoes should be shipped this summer from Baja, California. However it will be the middle of October before there are rounds and vine-ripes from the region.
California Strawberry Shipments
Heavy shipments of strawberries from the Salinas-Watsonville area are taking place. On average, about 950 truck loads of strawberries are being shipped weekly. The Santa Maria district is shipping roughly one-half the volume of Salinas-Watsonville.
Watsonville strawberries and Salinas Valley vegetables – grossing about $7200 to New York City.
Cantaloupe Shipments
It’s getting awfully hot in the desert region, but cantaloupe shipments are still on track. About 825 truck loads of cantaloupe are being loaded weekly from the Imperial Valley, as well as the Yuma area and central Arizona.
Watermelon Shipments
Georgia is easily leading the pack of states currently shipping watermelons. Heavy volume should continue through the Fourth of July before a seasonal decline begins. Meanwhile, very light volume has started with South Carolina watermelon shipments. North Carolina gets underway the first week of July. Another big state for watermelons is Missouri. Watermelon shipments from the boot heel of Missouri get start in mid July.
Southern Georgian watermelons and vegetables – grossing about $2600 to New York City.
Mexican Mangoes
Imported Mexico mango volumes have been trailing last year, but that is changing. Record shipments from Mexico are now occurring. For example, during the week of June 6th, 3.6 million cartons of mangoes were shipped. This was 6 percent more than projected.
California table grape shipments could be on track to match the record volume of 2013.
Loadings are currently forecast to hit 117.4 million 19-pound box equivalents. This would equal the amount shipped three years ago and outstrip last year’s 109.6 million. A final estimate is due in late July,
Many of the newer grape varieties are yielding anywhere from 1,400 to 2,200 boxes more per acre or better. Couple that with a lot of new plantings and there will be increasing shipments out of California for the next three or four years. A lot of it has been transitioned out of older varieties like crimsons. Growers pulled them out and replanted.
Grape shipments will get underway this coming week from the southern San Joaquin Valley and continue into November.
The Coachella Valley always kicks off California Grape shipments around May 1st. Early reports of reduced volumes in the desert may have been exaggerated. Coachella is now winding down grape shipments as the San Joaquin Valley is getting started.
Meanwhile Mexican grape shipments are also declining. Red grapes have finished and white grapes (Sugraones) are on their final leg.
In essence all San Joaquin Valley districts will be picking within about 10 days of each other. This includes McFarland and Delano coming on July 1st.
One major grape shipper, Crown Jewels Produce, say it will upwards of 1 million boxes out of the valley from Bakersfield to Madera this season.
The company started with a few flames out of Arvin around June 21. Then it will have grapes out of Fresno County just south of Fresno, June 28.
Crown Jewels then will have some summer royal black grapes in the first week of July. These will be followed by Thompson green grapes, as well as some princess grapes in mid- to late-July. August, September and October should be big months for California grape shipments.
Coachella Valley grapes – grossing about $4900 to Chicago.
Kern County carrots, potatoes, – grossing about $3800 to Dallas.
by Northwest Cherry Growers
June was a big month for Northwest cherry shipments, and July is looking great as well.
Here in the Northwest we have been graced with mild growing weather the past 10 days. A cool weather system pushed hot weather out of the region on June 7th. Growers are reporting that the mild temperatures (70-75 Fahrenheit) during the day and at night (mid 40’s F) have produced large, firm fruit that is loaded with sugars!
This recent run of cooler temperatures has resulted in later varieties being pushed back – some growers are expecting to harvest their Canadian varieties 4 to 5 days later than they did last year. The Bing Harvest continues at mid-elevation levels throughout Washington, Oregon, Utah and Idaho. Montana is looking at a June 25th start date this year. With plenty of Bings left to harvest in the later districts, the earlier growing regions are starting on Skeena and Lapins June 25th. Significantly, most all of our later growers expect most of their crop in July this year.
Through June 15th the industry has shipped 5,581,665 million 20 lb. equivalent boxes. Included within that total are 453,909 fifteen-pound boxes of Rainiers. This will certainly be one of the largest Junes on record for a variety of statistics, and retailers who took an early lead with strong promotions are sharing stories of correlating records as well.
With cherry shipments at a full but not yet peak rate, displays and circular ads should be geared to pull in the occasional and impulse-cherry buyers who are more likely to repeat-purchase cherries with earlier exposure.
Consumer media efforts accelerated in conjunction with our season, and the initial results are hitting shelves & inboxes around the world. Nielsen research indicates that heralding the start of the cherry season is an impactful boost to consumer awareness, even in today’s headline-saturated and social media-driven world.
Shipments of Michigan vegetables were steady this spring and it appears the heavier volume fruit and vegetable crops coming on in summer should also do well.
Not known for a particularly long growing season anyway, there’s a mindset that if you have a good crop of something, normally the rest of the crops will follow. Heaviest vegetable volume should occur during July and August.
Michigan Vegetable Shipments
Rhubarb got underway in early May, with the radish harvest starting in late May.
Buurma Farms of Willard, OH, grows and ships a full line of vegetables on about 1,000 acres in Gregory, MI. Turnip and mustard greens, cilantro and dill got going the first week of June, and were followed a couple of weeks later by collards, kale and parsley.
In a few days, if not weeks, there will be cucumbers, pumpkins, green peppers, organic kale and ornamentals, as well as acorn squash, sweet corn, carrots and chili peppers. Cabbage and zucchini have just started being shipped, with zucchini finishing in mid September. This is when hard squash takes over, and along with cabbage, which will continue through Thanksgiving., Cucumber loadings will start in early July.
Grape tomatoes should begin around mid-July. Romas and cantaloupes will follow, about July 20, with round tomatoes coming around August 1.
Celery was to start around the end of July, with shipments ending during the first half of October.
Sweet corn loadings begin in late July and continue through September.
Michigan Fruit Shipments
Peach shipments kick off Michigan’s fruit season, starting around the third or fourth week of July.
At Greg Orchards and Produce Inc., of Benton Harbor, MI, a good crop of pie cherries was seen as a sign of positive for blueberry, grape, apple and peach crops to come. Michigan blueberry shipments get underway in late June and run through late September.
F
rom the first arrival of South African citrus this week, to a better than expected loadings of Mexican grapes, here’s a shipping update. It also includes New Jersey blueberry shipments and California strawberry shipments.
The first boat with summer citrus from South Africa is scheduled to arrive at the port of Philadelphia on June 24th, on schedule with past years.
The arrival of South African citrus plays an important role in the availability of easy peelers, Navel oranges and grapefruit during the summer months.
Mexican Grape Shipments
After exporting its 14 millionth box during the week of June 14, Mexico is on track to surpass the initial preseason total estimate of 14,171,000 boxes.
The industry is currently seeing around 15 to 20% extra volume this season, according to a Fresh Produce Association of the Americas press release. The revised crop estimate for the state of Sonora is now in the 16 to 18 million box range. Crossings at Nogales, AZ, are occurring daily, with over 300,000 boxes a day, and are expected to continue for the next two to three weeks.
Mexican grapes crossing at Nogales, AZ – grossing about $3800 to Chicago.
Blueberry Shipments
New Jersey blueberry shipments have started for Atlantic Blueberry Company, a major blueberry shipper in the state.
Established in 1935, Atlantic Blueberry Company, fully owned by the Galletta family, is a local family farm. Art Galletta, president of the blueberry operation, works hand in hand with second, third and now fourth generation Galletta grandchildren too work the farm. “We were taught to always get along with each other and to work hard. With this, good things happen,” says Art.
Total production, volume and shipments out of New Jersey looks to be similar to last year.
Strawberry Shipments
Improved weather conditions over last year has many optimistic California strawberry shipments will be much improved this year.
Strawberry shipments are now consistent with last year even though there was a later start this spring due to rain. While the cumulative volume is below the totals from 2015, the weekly volume shipments are about the same as last year moving heading towards July. This is good news for projected shipments as the season moves further into summer.
Watsonville strawberries and Salinas vegetables – grossing about $7300 to New York City.
by Pear Bureau Northwest
PORTLAND, Ore. – Northwest pear growers are releasing fresh pear harvest projections following their recent annual meetings in Portland. Collectively, Washington’s Wenatchee and Yakima regions and Oregon’s Mid-Columbia and Medford regions estimate a fresh pear harvest of 18.7 million standard box equivalents, or 414,000 tons of fresh pears. These figures are up 2% from 2015 final harvest figures, but represent a 7% decrease from the five-year average.
Warm spring weather and good pollination led to a full bloom, with no significant weather events to hurt the fruit finish. “Growers are reporting beautiful, clean fruit that is filling out nicely in terms of fruit size,” stated Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest (PBNW).
Harvest is expected slightly earlier than historical average, but similar to the last two years, with Starkrimson expected in the last days of July, Bartlett in the first days of August, and Anjou, Bosc, and Comice in the last two weeks of August, across the four growing regions. Concorde, Forelle, and Seckel will be picked from late August through September.
The top three varieties produced by Northwest growers remain the same as in previous years: Green Anjou pears are anticipated to make up 50% of the total 2016 crop, and Bartlett and Bosc pears are expected to yield 23% and 17%, respectively.
Green Anjou pears are showing a projected crop decrease of 3% compared with 2015, and a 13% drop compared to the five-year average. Growers estimate that the Bartlett pear crop yield will increase by 9% compared with last season’s results, matching the five-year average. The Bosc pear crop increase is expected to be 4% over the 2015 harvest, 3% higher than the five-year average. The size of the Red Anjou pear crop is expected to be 3% higher than last year, but down by 3% compared to the five-year average.
Harvest of certified organic pears in the Northwest is projected to make up about 6% of the crop, with 1,103,600 standard boxes (24,279 tons) for 2016, up 14% compared with 2015. The organic Green Anjou crop is expected to be 430,000 standard boxes, while the Green Bartlett and Bosc crop sizes are estimated at 310,000 and 235,000 standard boxes respectively.
Throughout the season the PBNW team is a resource for retailers, sharing cutting-edge consumer and trade research results and trade best practice techniques on the Trade.usapears.org website. The new trade focused site is rich with tools to support pear category sales as well as a section to train produce personnel on handling and merchandising of fresh pears.
Exports remain a vital part of the success of the industry and typically account for around 40% of the total sales in a given season (including Canada), according to Global Trade Atlas. Export activities for PBNW are spread across nearly 30 countries worldwide, supporting a diverse portfolio of markets for greater grower returns.
About Pear Bureau Northwest
Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh USA Pears grown in Washington and Oregon, home to 84% of the US fresh pear crop. The Bureau represents nearly 1,600 growers and develops national and international markets for Northwest pear distribution. “The Pear Bureau Knows Pears.” For more information, visit www.usapears.org or www.trade.usapears.org.
Yakima and Wenatchee Valley apples and soft fruit – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
California melon shipments will be ramping up soon from the San Joaquin Valley, while further south in this valley, various colored potato shipments are picking up. Finally, we take a look at the season closing shipments for Florida Valencia oranges.
California’s Westside district of the San Joaquin Valley should have normal shipments this season, with loading underway by the end of June. Most shippers will begin packing between June 20 and July 1. California desert produce shipments are winding down, which means most of the nation will be receiving its supplies of cantaloupe, honeydew and other melons from and the Central San Joaquin Valley.
Consistent shipments of California melons are now expected through Labor Day. This will follow a trend for this year’s spring melon shipments that started from Arizona and California’s Imperial Valley where there good supplies and steady loadings of trucks.
Potato Shipments
Potato shipments have been decent from the Bakersfield (Kern County) area this spring, but are expected to get even better now that loadings out of Florida and Arizona are winding down. This Southern San Joaquin area is shipping primarily yellow and red potatoes, with lesser amounts of white potatoes. Shipments of white potatoes are just finishing, while reds will go through July 4th and yellows through mid-July.
Kern County potatoes, carrots – grossing about $4500 to Chicago.
Florida Valencia Shipments
Florida has slightly increased shipments of valencia oranges and honey tangerines. The USDA reports late season valencia oranges increased production by 300,000 equivalent cartons while honey tangerines increased by 10,000 cartons. Grapefruit and non-valencia orange shipments remain unchanged from the previous month’s report. In its June 10 report, the USDA reported all oranges at 81.4 cartons compared to 81 million cartons the previous month and 96.9 million cartons the previous season.
Florida Valencia orange shipments are 97 percent complete, while growers have finished grapefruit and tangerine shipments.