Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Decent loading opportunities for Yakima and Wenatchee Valley cherries are upon us. Meanwhile, California spud loadings are now available from Kern County.
Washington cherry shipments are now forecast to be up 7.5 percent from last year’s 19.3 million boxes. Strong volume of early varieties led by the Rainier is expected to be similar in volume to last year — 1.7 million 15-pound boxes.
Initial loadings got underway around May 23-25. About 200,000 boxes of cherries were expected to be shipped by the end of May.
The weeks mid-June through mid-July should produce the largest shipments. Producers are also talking about a compression of The 2016 Washington cherry season is expected to be somewhat “compressed” because different cherry varieties in different locations are seen maturitying at the same time.
To be more specific, Bing cherries will be getting underway on or about June 1st. Volumes in the Bing variety are light this season due to pollination problems. Peak shipments of Bings are expected from June 5th until June 20th.
Rainier cherries will being increasing in early June and peak loadings should occur between June 13 and June 25. Final shipments will take place in early July.
Kern County Potato Shipments
After a 20-year decline in russet potato shipments from Kern County, California, there’s zero acres this year. The area simply couldn’t compete with places like Idaho and Washington state. However, over the years Kern County has replaced russets with red, gold and white potatoes.
This season, the golds are up about 20 percent with an additional 300 acres, now totaling over 1,800-acres. Reds still lead the way with over 2,000 acres, followed by the white rose potato at about 1,100 acres. There’s also much fewer shipments of specialty potatoes, such as fingerlings.
Kern County is a major shipper of carrots and is currently averaging around 375 truck loads per week.
Kern County potatoes and carrots – grossing about $3600 to Dallas.
U.S. watermelon shipments continue to increase, plus an update on Salinas veggies, California cherries and almonds. Finally, did you know North Carolina ships potatoes?
Watermelon Shipments
Mexican watermelon shipments through Nogales easily leads volume in the U.S., hitting about 2,500 truck loads a week. Florida melon loadings are only about one-third this amount and Texas is even lighter.
Nogales rates on watermelons, grapes, tropical fruit ,up as much as 15% this week – grossing about $3800 to Chicago.
Salinas Valley Vegetable Shipments
It continues to be less than a steller shipping season for Salinas Valley vegetables. Various types of lettuce in particular are in a shipping gap, with low production coming out of the fields due to weather factors this spring. Vegetable shipments are not expect to show major improvements until the week of June 6th.
Salinas vegetables – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
California Cherry Shipments
California cherry loadings will come to a screeching shortly after Memorial Day. A once promising harvest of 8 to 9 million cartons has been decimated by rains. The final total for the product is estimated at only 4.5 million cartons. This compares to 6 million cherries shipped a year ago.
If you are picking up one of the final loads of the season, use caution. Cracking or splitting are among problems being reported with the fruit. New high tech grading equipment is supposed to catch this, but caution is still urged.
Almond Shipments
California almond movement should be up 5.8 percent over last year, according to the most recent forecast. In 2016, almonds totaled 2 billion pounds. This compares to 2015’s volume of 1.89 billion pounds.
North Carolina Potatoes
The Tar Heel state doesn’t even rank in the top 10 nationally for potato loadings. However, still has about 16,000 acres of plantings, although this is down from about 2010 when it had 21,000 acres. Shipping, primarily from the Elizabeth City area, will get underway the last half of June. Shipments are destined to receivers mostly along the East Coast, with some product going to Canada. About 30 percent of the loads are for table stock, with the balance going to processors. Around 30 percent of the product is red potatoes.
As we approach summer vegetables shipments have started from North Carolina. Meanwhile, Arkansas tomato shipments are coming soon, plus a glimpse at that state’s sweet potatoes.
North Carolina vegetable shipments are starting towards the end of May or early June. Both squash and cucumbers will get underway about a week to 10 days later than usual. Pepper loadings will have a more start, around June 25. Onion movement als should be on time, with a late June or early July start.
Cabbage shipments from the Faison, N.C., are will get underway in late May, with other regions of the state beginning in the first week of June. Cabbage acreage in North Carolina is estimated in the 8,000-9,000 range, which would be down a bit.
Romaine lettuce loadings started in early May and the season is just being completed.
Arkansas Tomato Shipments
Strong volumes with Arkansas tomatoes will occur in early June, originating from the Hermitage, and Hamburg, Ark areas in the Southeastern part of the state. Shipments will continue for about six weeks. Arkansas tomato shipments are expected to be best the state has had in several years. Shipments could be up 15 to 20 percent. While vine ripe tomatoes provide most of the volume, there also are significant amounts of roma and grape tomatoes.
Distribution range for Arkansas tomatoes has increased over time. Loadings are destined for surrounding states, and as far as eastern Pennsylvania and throughout the Midwest.
Arkansas Sweet Potato Shipments
Arkansas may not be known for sweet potato production, but there is at least one large shipper in the Northeastern part of the state, Matthews Ridgeview Farms at Wynne, Ark. Plantings are underway, with the first loadings taking place in September. Shipments cover much of the Midwest and some Canadian markets. Only a small shipping gap is expected between the 2015-16 crop that will be winding down in a couple of months or so, and the new crop kicking off in September.
The leading sweet potato shipping states are North Carolina, California, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Here are shipping updates from different produce production areas on both the West Coast and the East Coast.
In the summer months, 1,600 trucks pass through the Nogales-Mariposa Port of Entry every day. About 1,500 of these 18-wheelers are carrying produce.
Whatever the cargo, each truck must be inspected for contraband. The produce gets another look for pests and disease that could damage U.S. crops.
Currently, there are heavy watermelon shipments, and good mango volume. Grapes are crossing the border and will hit peak shipments entering June and continue for most of the month.
Mexican produce shipments through Nogales – grossing about $2200 to Dallas.
California Desert Produce
Yellow, green and red bell peppers are among produce shipments coming out of the desert of Southern California. The peppers, as well as other vegetables, plus table grapes are being shipped out of the Coachella Valley for the next several weeks….In the nearby Imperial Valley, there is good volume with onions being loaded.
Oregon Cherry Shipments
While Washington state and California have larger volumes, Oregon also ships a significant amount of cherries. Loadings get underway with the start of June, particularly from the Dalles, OR area.
Nut Shipments
It is estimated that by 2020 as much as an additional 1.2 to 1.3 billion pounds of walnuts, almonds and pistachios could enter the market—up 35 to 38 percent from the 2015 crop. The vast majority of shipments will originate from California.
Georgia Peach Shipments
Georgia peach shipments are moving along as expected and should be steady through mid-July. Georgia should have its largest amount of peach shipments in at least 10 years.
Georgia peaches, blueberries and vegetables – grossing about $2600 to New York City.
South Carolina Peach Shipments
South Carolina peach shipments kicked off the first week of May with cling peaches that go primarily to processors, but now has moved into the free stone peaches for the fresh market. The Palmetto State ships about 40 percent of the nation’s peaches. FYI – palmetto refers to a tree, the sabal palmetto, which also happens to be the state tree, and appears on the state flag.
Here’s a look at spring produce shipments from across the United States.
Northwest Cherry growers released their second crop estimate of the season on Friday 13. In May — 19.8 million 20-pound boxes were forecast, and this should not have been affected by rains which hit Washington nearly a week ago.
Washington cherry shipments are still expected to occur ahead of normal schedule. Initial cherry shipments are expected about May 20 – 23 for the earliest varieties. Approximately 600,000 boxes of cherries are expected to be shipped by the end of May. In total, shipments are forecast to be in the 18.5 to 20.5 million box range, a slight increase from a year ago.
Blueberry Shipments
The eastern U.S. is currently providing the vast majority of blueberry shipments, with loadings taking place out of northern Florida, southern Georgia and North Carolina. Florida “blues” should quickly wind down next week….In Georgia, expected a shipping gap of just a few days as the season shifts from the highbush to the Rabbit Eye variety. Fair to good volume is continuing from Eastern North Carolina. Mexican blueberry shipments are light and erratic.
Georgia blueberries, sweet onions, and mixed vegetables – grossing about $2400 to New York City.
Cantaloupe Shipments
Melon loadings led by cantaloupe and honeydew are coming out the desert regions of California and Arizona. California produce shipments are coming out of the Imperial Valley and the nearby Palo Verde Valley. Just to the east, Arizona loadings are taking place from the Yuma area, as well as in the central part of the state closer to Phoenix.
Nogales Produce Shipments
Imported Mexican produce, led by watermelons and table grapes are crossing the border at Nogales, AZ. Most other imported Mexican produce commodities that crossed here are not available now. Watermelon crossing are averaging about 2700 truck loads per week. Table grape volume is around 750 truck loads weekly.
Mexican produce through Nogales – grossing about $3400 to Chicago.
Idaho Potato Shipments
Although we are entering the latter months of the 2015-16 shipping season, there are still over 1600 truck load equivalents be shipped each week.
Idaho potato shipments – grossing about $5100 to New York City.
Washington produce shipments play an integral part of the Evergreen state’s economy.
The state has rich soils, abundant fresh water, low cost hydropower, a favorable climate and hard-working people. Washington farm lands grow more than 300 varieties of crops, which is second only to California in crop diversity, according to a recently published report by the Washington Policy Center (WPC) .
Farms accounts for 13 percent of the state’s GDP and employ more people than Microsoft and Boeing combined. Some 160,000 Washington jobs associated with agriculture. Agriculture accounts for $51 billion in Washington yearly economic activity.
Over 200 food processors are supported by Washington farmers.
The apple is still rules in Washington. Two-thirds of the apples shipped in the U.S., originate from Washington state. One interesting fact coming out of the report is if the number of apples picked in Washington last year were placed side-by-side, they would circle the earth 29 times. Every apple is hand-picked.
While neighboring Idaho leads the nation in potato shipments, Washington also has significant potato loadings. Between the two states, they account for 44 percent of the nation’s potato shipments. When you order fries at a restaurant, you are likely to be served potatoes processed in the central part of Washington state.
The Washington Potato Commission reports that 99 percent of Washington potato farms are family businesses whose owners have deep roots in their communities.
Trucks move an estimated $42 million of freight on roadways in Washington state every hour of every day, yet many of them idle in traffic. The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) estimated traffic bottlenecks cost truckers $49.6 billion in 2014.
While the state has a prosperous agriculture sector, the Washington Policy Center believes farm families, similar to those in trucking, feel the pressure of harmful legislation and regulations.
In 2013, the agriculture community faced nearly a billion dollars tax increases from legislation introduced in Olympia. That would be on top of the estimated $230 million farmers and agriculture-related businesses pay in property taxes annually.
Finally, farmers will feel the cost impacts of the governor’s proposed greenhouse gas rules which hit fertilizer makers and food processing facilities hard.
The report’s bottom line is agriculture must be given equal priority with high-tech, software, aerospace and biomedical research when the state’s leaders set tax, regulatory and economic policies.
Columbia Basin potato shipments – grossing about $3800 to Chicago.
Yakima Valley apple shipments – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
From Florida in the East to California in West, to Canada in the North, here’s a look at opportunities for loadings in three different time zones.
Florida Avocado Shipments
South Florida avocado shipments will get underway nearly a month later than normal, beginning with light volumes in late May. Shipments will be light in June before heaviest loadings arrive in early to mid-July. Shipments should hit about 1 million-1.1 million-bushel this season with south Florida green-skinned varieties.
June is expected to bring considerably smaller volume than usual, but shipments are expected to catch up with bigger volume later in the season.
Southern and Central Florida watermelons, vegetables and tomatoes – grossing about $3300 to New York City.
Ontario Asparagus Shipments
Just North of the U.S. border, asparagus loadings are underway from Southern Ontario. An estimated 85 Canadian farmers in the province grow about 3,400 acres of asparagus. Norfolk and Elgin County have the bulk of Ontario’s asparagus farms, but there are others located in Chatham-Kent, Waterloo and in Essex County. The weather has been a little cool, but as soon as it warms up, asparagus grows really fast and volume will take off.
California Apricot Shipments
Last year California apricot loadings hit a record low. Only 35,000 tons were shipped. In a normal year like 2014, shipments totaled 55,500 tons.
Grown mostly in Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Merced counties, California apricots account for about 98 percent of all apricots produced in the United States. This year’s apricot shipments should top 50,000-tons.
California Fig Shipments
California fig loadings have been underway in light volume from the Coachella Valley. However, with the close of May primary volume will have shifted to the Southern San Joaquin Valley, although it will be mid June before shipments hit stride. Two primary fig shippers are Western Fresh Marketing and Stellar Distributing, both based in Madera, CA, the heart of fig country. About 35 percent of the fig volume goes to the fresh market, with the remainder being dried.
California fig growers produce 100 percent of the dried figs and 98 percent of the fresh figs grown in the United States.
California navel orange shipments are winding down for the season as loadings of Valencias are on the horizon. Meanwhile, Salinas Valley inconsistent vegetable shipments are enough to drive one nuts!
Shipments of California navel oranges from the San Joaquin Valley are is entering its home stretch, and volume is great than originally expected. Meanwhile, shipping gaps with Salinas Valley lettuce are occurring as predicted.
Orange shipments could surpass the 86 million cartons the National Agricultural Statistics Service predicted for the 2015-16 season.
As it is, an 86-million carton haul would be a more than 8 percent increase from last year’s 76 million cartons harvested. This would come with at least 2,000 fewer acres of bearing trees in the ground.
The amount of fruit that has been shipped as fresh and not diverted to juice — have consistently scored above 80 percent all season.
Shipments should continue through June.
Meanwhile, some Valencia orange shippers are beginning to pick what is expected to be a 21 million-carton crop as packing houses are shipping exports. Most shipments will begin after navels are completed. California had about 20 million cartons of Valencias last year. This was a little more than half the 39 million cartons produced in 2001-02 season.
Southern California orange shipments from grossing about $5300 to Atlanta.
Bell Pepper Shipments
Meanwhile bell pepper shipments have hit stride in the California desert from the Coachella Valley. Red, green and yellow peppers should be shipping into June, before loadings will shift to the Selma, CA area.
Lettuce Shipments
Just when really good vegetable volume should be building in the Salinas Valley, the leading items — various types of lettuce — are experiencing serious shipping gaps. The cause is weather, ranging from heat in the mid 90s, to ice on the product due to cold nights, plus winds up to 40 mph.
The only sure thing from now until we get into June, is much lighter volume than normal, plus quality issues. Just make sure you and your receiver know what’s being placed in the truck.
California Cherry Shipments
Reports are coming in from heavy rains that hit the California cherry crop a week ago. Anywhere from 20 to 50 percent of the of the remaining shipments will be knocked out.
The good news is loadings were actually up over last year in California through May 7th. Around 23 million pounds were shipped the week ending May 7th, up from 10.9 million pounds from last year in the same week.
Season-to-date, about 32 million pounds had been shipped, up from 15.5 million pounds in 2015.
California cherry shipments are expected to be finished by around May 20th.
San Joaquin Valley cherries and vegetables – grossing about $4500 to Chicago.
From Georgia peaches, to sweet onions loadings around the country, to potatoes and sweet potatoes, here are some produce loading oppportunities.
Vidalia onion shipments have gotten off to a fast start. Much of the reason is due to light supplies from areas creating a larger demand for the sweet onion from Southeastern Georgia…. Onions also are experiencing brisk shipments out of the California desert area of the Imperial Valley…..Sweet onion shipments out of Walla Walla Washington are expected to get under way about June 20th.
Georgia Peach Shipments
Peach shipments from Georgia are expected to get underway the third week of May from the Ft. Valley area. Georgia is expecting its best season in a decade.
Colorado Potato Shipments
Walked into my local Wal-Mart supermarket in northeastern Oklahoma May 5 and the first thing customers saw were of bins of Colorado russets. They were priced at 75 cents for a 5-pound bag. Why don’t they just give them away! The San Luis Valley of Colorado is shipping over 600 truck loads of potatoes a week.
Colorado potatoes – grossing about $1600 to Dallas.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Potato loadings are coming out of Central Wisconsin. Volume is averaging around 250 truck loads per week.
Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $950 to Chicago.
North Carolina Sweet Potato Shipments
Sweet potato shipments, primarily from Eastern North Carolina, are having pretty steady volume from week to week. The Tarheel State is averaging about 250 truck loads being shipped a week.
The Northwest United States, including British Columbia, is shaping up to be an excellent season for produce haulers to haul cherries.
With a very early start expected for Northwest cherry shipments, the prognosticators expects to ship 20.7 million 20-pound boxes this season. Initial cherry shipments from the Northwest should get underway between May 23 and May 25. A total of 200,000 boxes could be shipped in May alone.
If this estimate holds, Northwest cherry loadings would be 7 percent above last year’s 19.3 million boxes, but short of the record 23.2 million boxes shipped in 2014. Rainier cherry shipments in 2016 are expected to total 1.7 million 15-pound boxes, about the same as last year.
The total Northwest cherry industry has the potential to ship 11 million boxes in June and another 9 million in July. Good volume cherry shipments are expected to start in early June, with significant cherry volume by the week of June 15th. Peak cherry shipments are expected between the middle of June and continue through the middle of July.
Yakima Valley apple shipments – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
B.C. Cherry Shipments
British Columbia cherry shipments will start in early June. Record shipments are predicted this season with 12 million pounds being estimated. This volume would be up from the 10.5 million pounds in 2015. Most British Columbia cherry shipments are destined for markets in Western Canada and the United States.
California Cherry Shipments
California cherry shipments are now in full throttle from the San Joaquin Valley. A good, but not record crop is now being shipped and will continue for another couple of weeks.
San Joaquin Valley produce shipments- grossing about $4400 to Chicago.