Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Normal Thanksgiving produce shipments are occurring for such favorites as sweet potatoes and cranberries, but green bean volume will be light.
North Carolina sweet potatoes shipments for the new crop got underway in mid August this year, a couple of week earlier than usual. Fortunately, there was great weather for about six weeks that allowed harvesting to go pretty much uninterrupted.
It could have been a real disaster for North Carolina sweet potato shippers if Hurricane Joaquin hadn’t taken a right turn into the Atlantic. Otherwise North Carolina may have been pounded with rains and flooding like South Carolina.
Eastern North Carolina sweet potatoes – grossing $3000 to Boston and Chicago.
Cranberry Shipments
Wisconsin continues to the be leading state for fresh cranberry shipments, with Tomah, Wis.-based Habelman Bros. Co., of Tomah, WI being the largest grower/shipper. The Wisconsin cranberry harvest has been in full swing as it gears up for Thanksgiving shipments.
Green Bean Shipments
Green bean shipments for Thanksgiving out of the Southeast are expected to be very light due to heavy September rains. Some bean shippers will be down as much as 60 percent compared to last year. Excessive rains washed a lot of plantings out. Green bean shipments are not expected to rebound until after Thanksgiving.
Salinas Valley vegetable shipments will be transitioning this week to the Huron district in the San Joaquin Valley, while shipments from the desert will start in early November.
It’s been a roller coaster ride for Salinas veggies this season, with periods of heavy shipments, followed by shipping gaps, primarily due to hot weather affecting everything from Iceberg lettuce, to broccoli, cauliflower, celery and other crops. It’s unclear when, but shipping gaps are being predicted right into the Thanksgiving pull for product by receivers next month.
The Salinas Valley has had warmer than normal temperature since the first of August, resulting in early harvests, followed by shipping gaps.
The transition for Huron vegetable shipments in Central California is taking place this week, while the initial harvest from Yuma, AZ, in the desert begins next week. Yuma vegetable shipments will be increasing in the weeks to follow.
California’s Santa Maria Valley has experienced many of the same challenges found in Salinas.
With frost hitting eastern Canada and excessive rains on the east coast of the U.S., California is about the only place shipping vegetables now.
Central San Joaquin Valley produce items – grossing about $7000 to Boston.
Here’s a national shipping round up on imported bananas, grapes and avocados from California, as well as Eastern apples.
Banana imports, particularly from Gulfport, MS, are expected to increase as fall kicks in and summer peaches, strawberries and other fruit shipments decline. Banana imports are generally expected to be stable for the next several months from such countries as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Peru.
Among the larger banana handlers are Del Monte Fresh Produce NA Inc.; Turbana Corp. of Coral Gables, FL; and Dole Food Co. of Westlake Village, CA.
California Grape Shipments
Grape loadings in mid-October were similar to last year with about 79.8 million pounds of grapes shipped in the U.S. the week ending October 10th, up slightly from 79.1 million pounds in the same week in 2014. Season-to-date, about 2.34 billion pounds had been shipped through October 10th, up from 2.23 billion pounds last year.
Central San Joaquin Valley grape and other produce shipments – grossing about $5200 of Atlanta.
California Avocado Shipments
Avocado shipments were up significantly in mid-October with about 50.8 million pounds of avocados shipped in the U.S. in the week ending October 10th, up from 32.1 million pounds last year at the same time. Season-to-date volumes also are up, climbing from 706 million pounds through October 10th, 2014, to 795 million pounds this year.
Southern California avocado, citrus and vegetable shipments – grossing about $4300 to Chicago.
Eastern Apple Shipments
Apple shippers east of the Mississippi River are reporting brisk movement, in part, due to less volume expected out of Washington state this season.
As of mid-October, New York apple shipments were on schedule to meet, if not exceed, the preseason estimate of 27.5 million boxes. While no record shipments are being forecast, the volume is in line with the 5-year average for shipments.
Michigan also is having strong demand for its apples, and is running ahead of last year in terms of shipments. Harvest should be completed by the end of this month.
Western Michigan apple shipments – grossing about $800 to Chicago.
Hudson Valley New York apple shipments – grossing about $2400 to Orlando.
by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Following the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first citrus crop forecast for the 2015-2016 season, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released this statement:
“On the heels of the smallest orange crop in nearly 50 years last season, this initial citrus crop estimate confirms that Florida’s citrus industry is in a fight for its life. The health of Florida citrus is important to every Floridian – not just those who depend on it for their livelihoods. We will continue to fight to save the industry, its more than $10.7 billion economic impact and the more than 64,000 jobs it supports.”
Commissioner Adam H. Putnam has requested $18,700,000 from the Florida Legislature this year to support critical research, grow clean citrus stock, remove and replant diseased trees and more.
The USDA’s initial forecast of 80 million boxes of oranges, weighing 90 pounds each, is down 17 percent from last year season. This represents a decline of more than 67 percent since the peak of citrus production at 244 million boxes during the 1997-1998 season.
Heavy rains should keep pumpkin shipments lighter than usual around much of the country heading into Halloween (October 31st).
For example, Mike Pirrone Produce Inc., based in Capac, MI expects just 300 loads of pumpkins to be shipped this year This would be down from the 500 loads of pumpkins normally shipped.
West Texas pumpkin shippers have a similar story. If the prediction of 50 percent fewer shipments this season holds, it would be the lowest production in 20 years.
At Lusk Onion Co. of Clovis, N.M., average shipments are expected, but the product is maturing in smaller sizes than usual. The overall crop is being described as pretty average in volume, but the size is a little smaller.
There also have reports of pumpkin shippers in Indiana being particularly hit hard due to excessive spring rains.
Both North Carolina and South Carolina have taken hits in production thanks to Hurricane Joaquin and it’s drenching rains.
It’s difficult getting any current national production, or shipping numbers for pumpkins since about 40 states grow and ship the item, but mostly on a local and regional basis.
Apple shipments from West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania are forecast to increase over 41 million pounds this year across the three states, according to the USDA. Meanwhile, imports of Chilean blueberries continue to increase.
Pennsylvania apple shipments should see a 32-million pound increase over 2014.
Meanwhile, West Virginia apple shipments are expected to increase by 8 million pounds, while Maryland apple shipments are projected to have a 1.6 million-pound hike.
Pennsylvania, which had 493 million pounds of apples in 2014, ranked fourth among 29 major apple-producing states. West Virginia ranked ninth, with 82 million pounds last year.
Chilean Blueberry Imports
Chilean blueberry production will continue to grow during the 2015-16 season, and global exports of fresh blueberries will be in the range of 218 million to 241 million pounds. This means an increase of 7 to 19 percent over the previous season’s exports of 203 million pounds.
North America is by far the largest export market for Chilean blueberries, with 67 percent of Chilean blueberry exports landing in this market during the 2014-15 season. Europe comprised 23 percent of Chile’s fresh blueberry exports and Asia 10 percent.
Chile’s blueberry acreage continues to expand, with about 39,289 acres currently planted. In 2014-15, Chile exported a total of 34.1 million boxes, with over 19 million boxes shipped to North America. In 2015-16, exports to America are projected to exceed 20 million boxes and reach new historic highs.
The first export peak is expected to be similar in timing to 2014, with projected exports of 9-13 million pounds in December.
Texas citrus shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley are underway.
Shipping started the first full week of October and will continue until April. While volume is still light, it is increasing and should be “normal” heading into November.
The Lower Rio Grande Valley has about 28,000 acres of citrus trees. With new plantings, over 30,000 of trees or expected in the next few years. These new plantings should result in greater yields, which could mean a 10 percent increase in potential shipments over the next several years. About eight million cartons are expected to be shipped this year.
Broken down, those eight million cartons are comprised of about 75 percent red grapefruit and 25 percent oranges. Last year, Texas shipped about 7.8 million cartons of citrus.
Though some groves are still coming out of production, the Texas citrus industry is gaining acreage.
Two devastating freezes in the 1980s, urbanization, marketing conditions and other factors drastically reduced the number of acres devoted to citrus in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, where grapefruit flourished for decades. But in the past decade, investment in the industry has been on the rise, which has led to some consolidation and increased plantings.
Mexican fruit and vegetable imports at Pharr, Tx, plus South Texas citrus – grossing about $2400 to Chicago.
The California navel forecast of 86 million 40-pound cartons — up from 76 million last season — is larger than originally predicted. Shipments are just starting out of the San Joaquin Valley. Volume will be increasing as we get latter into October.
Central San Joaquin Valley fruits and vegetables – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Lemon Shipments
Lemon shipments out of California and Arizona from the desert growing region, which will provide most loadings for the next few months, with volume expected to be off by 15 to 20 percent compared to a year ago. However, volume out of the San Joaquin Valley should be similar to a year ago. Lemons shipments will continue out of the desert until December before moving to the San Joaquin Valley.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
Wisconsin potato yields are expected to average 440 to 460 hundredweight per acre, which is considered very good. A year ago, the Badger State averaged between 410 and 420 per acre, which also is considered to be good. (add # shipments per week) Harvest continues.
Central Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $1000 to Chicago.
Red River Valley Potato Shipments
90 percent of the Red River Valley crop from North Dakota and Minnesota will be harvested in October. Some potatoes have been going directly into the fresh market, but most are being placed into storage. Average yields and shipments are seen for this season.
Grand Forks, ND red potatoes – grossing about $1750 to Chicago.
Most Florida fall vegetable shipments should be normal, except for sweet corn and green beans, which could see shipping gaps during the start of their seasons.
Keep in mind Florida vegetable shipments in the fall are much lighter than during the more active spring shipping season. Still, what product that is available will see brisk movement in light of the early October losses from rains that pounded South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
Florida sweet corn loadings in the Belle Glade area normally start in mid November, but due to heavy rains that disrupted early fall plantings, most shipments will not start until after Thanksgiving (November 26). Georgia corn shipments, which began shipments in late September, should be finished by mid November.
Meanwhile, Florida bean loadings should get underway the second week of November, with light volume continuing through mid-December. South Florida cucumbers started about a week ago, with bell peppers starting around October 20th, with eggplant getting underway about the third week of November.
“With all the rains, this season started tough and it’s been the toughest one I’ve ever seen,” he said in early October. “So far, we’re not behind on anything. Weather can change, but we are where we want to be. We should have consistent availability if the weather cooperates.”
South Florida vegetables – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Costa Rica pineapple exports to the U.S. and domestic Florida grapefruit shipments are facing their own problems, but for different reasons.
Adverse weather conditions and unfavorable exchange rates contributed to the decline in Costa Rican pineapple exports the first half of 2015 compared with the previous year. The drop was 15 percent less in volumes of the tropical fruit shipped between January and June, amounting to 933,800 tons.
In June there was severe fl0ooding in Costa Rica and estimated pineapple losses could reach 20 million boxes, with nearly 45,000 acres of fields damaged. Exchange rates have also hit exports over the past year, with the Costa Rican colón rising against the euro and, to a lesser extent, against the US dollar since August 2014.
The U.S. is easily the biggest export market for Costa Rica. However, those exports to American plunged by 19 percent over the period, totalling 473,000 tons.
Florida Grapefruit Shipments
Florida had a hot and relatively wet summer resulting in poorer quality grapefruit as the minimum maturity standards for brix and acid levels were lacking early in the season. This delayed harvest by about two to three weeks.
The Florida grapefruit harvest recently started and shipments are expected to remain strong through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season. After the holidays, demand declines. In general, US grapefruit consumption is going down. Older people tend to like grapefruit, but because of changing demographics, the industry is losing the older customer base. Younger people do not prefer the taste of this citrus variety. Consumption is also suffering from bad publicity during the past five years as the fruit is believed to interact with certain medications.
Florida grapefruit shipments – grossing about $2100 to Chicago.