Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
As imports of melons from Central America begin to wind down, domestic loadings will become available from California and Arizona, as well as with melons crossing the border from Mexico.
Cantaloupe. honeydew and watermelon shipments from Arizona and Mexico are expected to start earlier than normal this year as imports from Guatemalan and Honduran come to a close in early May.
Various melons from California’s Imperial Valley should start shipping in late April and hit peak volume in May, perhaps its earliest start ever. This will be closely followed by melon shipments originating around May 10-15 from Yuma and Maricopa, Az. From there cantaloupe and honeydew loadings will start from California’s Westside district in the San Joaquin Valley around the 4th of July.
California Onion Shipments
California onion shipments from the Imperial Valley should get underway in mid April, lasting about five to six weeks. Normal acreage in the 10,000-acre range is being reported. The Imperial Valley should have onions through May, when the harvest shifts to the San Joaquin Valley. The central valley had less acreage last year, primarily to the California drought.
Southern California citrus and avocado shipments – grossing about $3700 to Chicago.
Southeastern blueberry shipments are running about two weeks later than normal.
Due to unusually warm winter, produce truckers can expect a later start for Florida and Georgia blueberries and good volume for both states is expected two weeks later than usual. In late March, harvest was light in the southern part of Florida near Wauchula.
Some operations started harvesting light volume in mid-March, but packing in volume isn’t expected until April 15. The transition to Georgia is expected to start in mid-April. Something different in Florida is a slow season with drawn-out shipments vs. a seasonal production peak. Florida should ship blueberries through late May, instead of the more typical mid-May finish. As for Georgia, peak loadings should start about May 7, later than the state’s typical late April peak.
This year, Florida expects to ship around 18 million pounds, down from last season’s 25 million pounds. Florida blueberry shipments will be light through early April with larger, truck load volume planned for April 15-20, about two weeks later than normal.
Early season Georgia blueberry shipments will be lighter because of cold weather during February in the Homerville, Ga. area. Up to 25 percent of Georgia’s early crop could sustain losses and good volume shipments are not expected until May.
In Florida, decent volume shipments are not expected until April. Florida will have its heaviest shipments in late April and in mid- to late April, when both states will be shipping.
Florida berries, veggies and tomatoes – grossing about $1000 to Atlanta.
Sweet onion shipments are lower this season from Texas and Mexico as we move closer to loadings out of Vidalia, GA. Red potatoes are picking up in one state, while showing disappointment in another.
Peruvian sweet onion imports ended in early March as imports began from Mexico. However, Mexican onion imports are lower this season and are now starting to wind down. At the same time, Texas onion shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley have started.
Initial reports indicate Texas acreage will be under 5,000 acres, down from the 6,000-acre industry norm. Still, Texas onion shipments are now in good volume.
However, the nation’s biggest volume sweet onions come out of the Vidalia, GA area. Vidalia onion shipments are scheduled to get underway April 25th. A near perfect growing season has been reported from Vidalia. This season, Vidalia should have production from about 11,600, down a little from a year ago, when there was over 12,000 acres.
The Vidalia region’s 65 growers in 2015, shipped 17% of Georgia onion shipments in April, 36% were moved in May, 27% in June, 16% in July and 3% in August. Total shipments of Georgia onions were about 4.2 million 40-pound cartons in 2015.
Red Potato Shipments
The Red River Valley (eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota) usually has its biggest shipments during November and December, but a bumper Wisconsin red crop and a weak Canadian dollar over-supplied a market resulting in fewer shipments. This year February and March are believed to be the two busiest months with 539,000 hundredweight (cwt.) shipped from the Valley in February, up over 13% compared to last year, and slightly more than either November or December. Some wash plants have added extra shifts to handle the demand and trucks have been in good supply thanks in part to the slowdown of the oil patch in western North Dakota.
Meanwhile, the later Florida crop is expected to be better, but who knows for sure considering the early Florida crop didn’t live up to expectations. South Florida red potato shipments are expected to increase in early April.
South Florida potatoes, tomatoes and vegetables – grossing about $2100 to New York City.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Dallas.
It is shaping up to be an overlap of grape shipments this spring from different parts of the world. Late season imported Chilean grapes will be overlapping imported grapes from Mexico, as well as grapes from the desert of California.
Unfavorable weather earlier in the season has made for tight supplies of red grapes coming from Chile as compared to the supply of green grapes. Chilean grapes are arriving by boat on both U.S. coasts. But that situation could flip next month, as more red grapes are expected in the U.S. market.
The supply of red grapes should pick up around late March or early April. By early May, red grapes from Mexico will be crossing the border into the U.S.
During the 2015 season 110.5 million boxes (109.3 million 19‐pound box equivalents) of California table grapes were shipped. The California grape industry surpassed the 100 million box mark for the first time in 2012. Since then, the total crop volume has seen three consecutive years over 110 million boxes.
The 2015 season total of 110.5 million boxes was the third-largest crop volume in the industry’s history, just below the 2014 total of 110.9 million. The largest crop to be shipped was in 2013 at 117.4 million boxes.
California grape shipments are available from May through January. With the 2016 season only about six weeks away, Mexican grape shipments typically start anywhere from a few days to two weeks earlier than California’s first grapes that come out of the Coachella Valley. Most Mexican grapes cross the border at Nogales.
As the Yuma, AZ lettuce season winds down and Salinas prepares to gear up, use caution loading desert vegetables as quality problems are being reported.
Yuma lettuce shipments in particular are having quality issues due to higher than normal temperatures. The produce is showing some rib blight, rot and sclerotinia. This is occurring as there is up to a 20 percent increase in shipments for Easter. Easter is March 27, essentially coinciding with the start of the Salinas, CA. season for many grower-shippers. Until then, unusually warm weather in Yuma, AZ, is likely to affect quality for all lettuce items.
While Yuma, as well as the Thermal, CA area is finishing up on head and mixed lettuce, Santa Maria mixed leaf shipments have started about two weeks earlier than normal.
Salinas mixed lettuce and other vegetable shipments should get underway in light volume the week of March 28th, about a week ahead of schedule.
Huron lettuce shipments out of the San Joaquin Valley starts the last week of March and will continue for about three weeks.
The Salinas Valley has had a lot of rain recently that interrupted plantings of vegetables. Down the road apiece, this is expected to result in some shipping gaps in late May and early June.
Yuma, Iceberg, romaine, leaf, broccoli and cauliflower shipments – grossing about $5600 to New York City.
Will South Texas surpass Nogales, Az with imports of fresh produce from Mexico n a year?
Mexican fresh produce imports entering the U.S. through the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas increased 21 percent from 2014 to 2015, and 108 percent over the past eight years. And Pharr, Tx, will likely surpass Nogales, as the busiest U.S. port of entry late this year or in early 2017.
These are some highlights of a recent study of USDA data by Texas A&M University’s Center for North American Studies.
By comparison, Arizona crossings were up 13 percent and California crossings 12 percent from 2014 to 2015.
Over the past eight years, Arizona crossings are up 31 percent, California’s 50 percent.
In 2015, about 210,000 Mexican produce loads crossed through Texas, 147,000 loads through Arizona and 65,000 loads through California. Crossings at some Texas ports were particularly high in 2015. Imports through Pharr rose 36 percent, imports through Laredo 22 percent.
The big jump over the past eight years, meanwhile, can be attributed to a number of factors: improvements in Mexican infrastructure and highways; lower production in the U.S. (due to labor, water and other issues), higher U.S. demand for fresh produce; the Mexican government’s investment in the country’s produce industry; and U.S. shippers’ investment in Mexican production.
“Importers and distributors have been business savvy in shifting volumes to Texas to be in position to take advantage of the time and cost savings for delivery to Midwest and East Coast markets when coming through Texas,” said Bret Erickson, president and CEO of the Texas International Produce Association, in Mission, Tx.
The biggest highway improvements in Mexico is the 143-mile Autopista Durango-Mazatlan, which connects the growing regions of west Mexico to McAllen, Tx. The new highway opened in 2013.
The surge in Texas crossings has meant more Nogales-area distributors building facilities in Texas, as well as new companies opening up shop near Texas ports.
More infrastructure is needed, handle the bigger loads in South Texas. There’s also are complaints that produce warehouses there need to become more efficient in having loads ready for trucks that arrive on schedule for pick ups.
Shipments of many Mexican fruits and vegetables through Texas have increased significantly in recent years, but none more than avocados. Tomatoes are the volume leader, but avocados are now the second-largest commodity in terms of volume.
In 2015, 1.69 billion pounds of Mexican avocados were imported through Texas ports and were the top commodity coming through Pharr in seven months of 2015.
Texas isn’t the only U.S. state benefiting from increased production in Mexico. .
“For the Mexican produce industry, the growth in the import numbers across all states is impressive. With the sustained drought problems in the Western U.S., we expect to see even more growth in Mexico in the coming years, which should mean even more produce will be imported through west Mexico into Nogales,” said Lance Jungmeyer, president of the Nogales-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.
South Texas and Mexican produce – grossing about $2900 to Chicago.
Here’s an update on Washington apples shipments, as well as Florida tomato shipments and Florida orange shipments.
Washington apple shipments now shows the total crop remaining in storages at 116.7 million boxes, down a fraction from 116.9 million a month ago and 117.1 million on January 1st. Record apple shipments occurred in 2014 totaling 141.8 million boxes.
The 2015 crop is 54 percent, 62.9 million boxes, shipped versus 54 percent a year ago and 56.7 percent two years ago. Weekly shipments are averaging a healthy 2.5 million boxes.
Florida Tomato Shipments
Abnormal winter storms have caused shortages of all Florida grown produce. Damaging winds, heavy rains and even tornadoes have crossed the state nearly every week since the holidays. About 80 percent of the tomatoes in the U.S. are currently coming from Mexico. Meanwhile, Florida production and shipments of tomatoes should increase significantly by Mid April.
Florida Orange Shipments
The USDA 2015-16 Florida orange shipping estimate has increased 3 percent to 71 million, though it is still well below the 96.8 million boxes of oranges moved during the 2014-15 season. A 2 million box rise in Valencias to 35 million accounted for the increase, while early and mid-season varieties stayed at 36 million boxes. Florida citrus officials say its citrus crops remain in a “crisis” situation due to disease issues.
The USDA’s estimate of the 2015-16 Florida grapefruit crop also rose slightly to 10.7 million boxes from 10.5 million. Specialty citrus decreased a fraction to 1.8 million boxes.
Here’s a look at loading opportunities with New York apples, Florida blueberries, plus citrus and artichokes from California.
New York apple shipments have been steady from week to week shipments for the most part. The Empire state has between 550 and 600 primary apple growers that produce an average of 29.5 to 30 million bushels a season. That average is nudging up over time as orchards become more productive.
Florida Blueberry Shipments
A very limited amount of Florida blueberry shipments are underway, but due to an excessively warm winter, volume is expected to be much lower this season. Florida has about 8,000 acres of blueberries and is the first state to ship the fruit each year. It is closely followed by Georgia blueberry shipments. Georgia has about 25,000 acres of blueberries, with the harvest starting in a few weeks. We’ll provide more information on Georgia “blues” as it becomes available.
Central Florida berries, veggies – grossing about $2100 to New York City; Southern Florida potatoes and melons, about $2500 to New York City.
California Artichoke Shipments
Ocean Mist Farms of Castroville, CA is entering the peak season for its artichoke shipments. Peak loadings should continue through May. Ocean Mist is the largest grower shipper of the product.
California Orange Shipments
Navel orange shipments out of the San Joaquin Valley should be about 10 to 15 percent higher than originally estimated. The harvest is about 50 percent completed and shipments have been steady.
San Joaquin Valley oranges, kiwifruit and carrots – grossing about $4400 to Atlanta.
An estimated 170,000 Mexican trucks hauling mostly fresh fruits and vegetables are expected to cross into the United States during 2016. These big rigs arrive from Mexico across the international bridges on the southern border and agricultural trade between the two countries has increased significantly the past 10 years.
Demand on inspectors at the Pharr, McAllen and Brownsville, Texas land ports is expected to increase in the future as the Mazatlan-Matamoros superhighway, also dubbed Supervia, is drastically changing the fresh produce industry in South Texas and in the U.S. Connecting Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico to Pharr and Brownsville, Texas, this new route for produce transportation provides a more direct route to receivers in the eastern half of the U.S from agriculture-rich regions in Mexico.
As a result multi-million dollar refrigerated storage facilities have opened in the McAllen-Edinburg area to accommodate the inflow of these fresh food products. However, Rio Grande Valley wholesalers and warehouse owners have complained a lack of agriculture inspectors at the border has dramatically increased inspection wait times.
As a result, the agriculture and transportation industry in South Texas is calling for more USDA inspectors, and they are wanting the state of Texas to pay for it. However, budget constraints has resulted in only a handful of additional inspectors being added.
Already the Texas Legislature authorized a $652,500 grant that should substantially reduce wait times at ports between Texas and Mexico. The grant requires matching funds, so collectively about $1.3 million will soon be available to add inspectors at land ports in South Texas to handle the elevated flow of fresh foods from Mexico.
Another problem, is that once Mexican produce has passed inspection and delivered to warehouses, significant delays are being reported. Often a truck will have to pick up partial loads at different warehouses, and too often the product is not ready for pick up, resulting is significant delays for truckers.
South Texas citrus, Mexican produce – grossing about $4000 to New York City.
South Texas onion shipments could be down at least 10 percent this season. Plus, here’s an update on U.S. russet potato shipments.
A year ago Texas onion acreage had declined to less than 6,000 acres. This year, under 5,000 acres are believed plantedL.
Last season it rained almost non-stop for two months, resulting in less than half a crop, while some growers were literally rained out for the season. Much acreage was abandoned and couldn’t be harvested. The 2016 Texas onion harvest should get undeway in late March.
In late February, onion volume coming from Mexico and crossing the border in South Texas was lighter than normal, but it now showing substantial increases in volume.
Meanwhile, storage onions shipped from Idaho and Oregon warehouses will be declining soon. Also, California’s Imperial Valley was the only area with good supplies in April last year, but no estimates have been released on this area yet.
Potato Shipments
Russet potato shipments have been steady, with the vast majority coming from Idaho, Colorado, and Wisconsin. Wisconsin russet shipments should continue until around mid-July. At this time some Wisconsin potato shipments then buy and sell spuds from growers in mid-Southern states.
While volumes are similar to last year in Wisconsin, 2015-16 shipments will likely be up from the five-year average and up significantly from the average over the past couple of decades.
As always, Idaho easily lead U.S. potato shipments and is averaging about 1750 truckloads per week. Colorado’s San Luis Valley is shipping about 750 truck loads of potatoes a week, while Central Wisconsin is loading about 400 truck loads each week.