Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
California strawberry shipments are head of this time last year, while Washington state pear loadings are on a record setting course.
California strawberry shipments
Unlike much of the country, it has been an exceptionally mild winter thus far in California (unless you’re a California citrus grower). Temperatures into the mid-80s along the coast have brought on good strawberry shipments in the region. As of February 1, about 4.6 million cases of strawberries had been shipped, compared with 3 million cases at the same time in 2013. The 1.2 million trays shipped the week ending Feb. 1 was well above the 805,000-tray projection. Most of the berries are coming out of Ventura and Orange counties, and shipments are aided by the fact fewer strawberries have been loaded from Florida and Mexico due to cold weather.
There’s also decent strawberries volume coming out of the Baja California pennisula, where it is consolidated at warehouses in the San Diego area. The Baja California and Oxnard growing areas have similar climatic conditions.
Southern California berries – grossing about $4200 to Chicago.
Apple Shipments, Pear Shipments
While apples dominate Northwest fruit shipments, as of January 31st there has been a record number of pears had loaded out of the Pacific Northwest, mostly from Washington state’s Yakima and Wenachee valleys. We are talking around 14.2 million boxes of pears from Washington and Oregon.
There were over 1.3 million boxes shipped the first two weeks of January and 1.4 million boxes in the last two weeks. That compares to 1.2 million boxes in each of those two-week periods at the same time last year. The Northwest is on track to ship a record 22.2 million boxes of pears this year, 14 percent more than last season.
One important note is that both apples and pears ship well together in the same load.
Washington state apples and pears – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
If you’ve noticed fewer loading opportunities for Chilean fruit arriving by boat at U.S. ports on both coasts, you’re correct. However, less product has been coming mostly because of growing conditions in South America, not from a union port strike in Chile that has been on and off, but apparently is over, at least for now.
For exmple, Chilean blueberry exports are at 22,516 tons, compared to 34,000 tons the same time last year. However, blueberry exports are support to be increasing now.
Chile exported 8,356 tons of cherries this this season compared to 7,998 last year. Plum exports are unchanged from a year ago.
Stone fruits were hit harder by Chilean weather and the country has exported 2,252 tons of peaches compared to 6,425 tons last year. Nectarines are off 5,411 tons from a year ago compared to 2,828 tons this year. Apricots have also been down at 232 tons compared to 822 during the same period last year.
Last September several frosts hit Chile, with stone fruit and kiwifruit being hit the hardest. In mid-January, estimated losses 64 percent for Chilean peaches, 59 percent for nectarines and 63 percent for plums. Chilean kiwifruit losses were pegged at 60 percent.
Chilean grapes lead volume of that country fruit arrivals to America. Arrivals at ports is now peaking, but will taper off early than normal – probably March – due to later varieties being hit hardest by a freeze last September.
Over the past 25 years Chile has become a major player in global markets, in large part because its seasons are opposite that of the U.S. and a number of other countries. This allows it export to the U.S. for example, when many American produce items are out of season.
There’s big volume with Northwest produce shipments ranging from apples and pears, to potatoes and onions, providing a lot of loading opportunities.
Washington state each year ships about as many apples as all the other apple shipping states combined. And this is one of the state’s biggest volume crops. While pear volume is substantiably lower, it is still a good sized items. Both apples and pear shipments are originating out the Yakima and Wenachee valleys.
Washington state’s Columbia Basin along with the adjacent Umatilla Basin in nearby Oregon are moving good volumes of both potatoes and onions. Between these two areas, approximately 1,000 truck load equivalents are being shipped weekly.
Nobody grows and ships as many potatoes as Idaho – not even close. These guys are loading on average about 1,750 truck load equivalents each week.
With “hardware” items like these that are so promonient in the Northwest states, it makes for attractive hauls by the railroads, so you do have more competition from the rails here than from most areas. The rails also often offer a freight rates averaging around 10 to 15 percent less than trucks. But at the end of the day, trucks are still hauling over 95 percent of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables, although it’s a little less in places like Washington state and Idaho.
I’ve been asked several times recently why produce rates from several areas around the country, including California, have declined in recent weeks. Many factors seem to play into this going beyond just the demand for trucks and for produce shipments by the produce buyers.
- First of all, it is February, perhaps the slowest time of the year for over all fresh fruit and vegetable volume – and shipments.
- It has been one hellacious winter over much of North America. When it is bitter cold, with ice and snow covered streets, people tend to hibernate. They go to their supermarket less frequently and when they do, often purchase less.
- With a hard winter, come added expenses, whether you stay warm by using home heating oil, propane, natural gas or electricity, or a combination of these items. This is resulting in some record setting utility bills for consumers. The more one spends on necessities such as these, the less cash consumers have to spend on food. While food is certainly a necessity, it still can mean fewer purchases, as well as more selective buying of fresh produce items that are cheaper than others.
Hang in there; we’ve got at least another month or so of winter weather. Until the weather improves, winter vegetables quit shivering so much, and start growing more, the winter doldrums will continue.
California and Arizona winter vegetables – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
Central Florida tomatoes and vegetables – about $2500 to New York City.
Here’s a glimpse of produce loading opportunities from across the country, ranging from Florida, to Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and California.
Florida Produce Shipments
There has been a decline of about 14 percent for orange shipments this season compared to a year ago. Florida’s decline is primarily due to the disease citrus greening. So far, Florida has pretty much dodged the winter freezing weather bullet of Mother Nature.
As for Florida strawberries, warmer temperatures in the first week of February, with highs in the 70s and 80s, expects to boost production – and shipments – just in time for shipments for Valentine’s Day. January cold fronts had caused strawberry shipments from the Plant City area to be slashed by about 25 percent.
Florida citrus and strawberries – grossing about $2000 to New York City.
Colorado Potato Shipments
San Luis Valley potato shipments are fairly steady from week-to-week, averaging about 750 truck loads weekly.
Colorado potatoes – grossing about $1750 to Dallas.
Idaho/Oregon Onions
Onions are being shipped from Eastern Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. Volume is averaging over 800 truck loads per week.
Idaho-Oregon onion shipments – grossing about $510o to Atlanta.
Desert Produce Shipments
Most of the nation’s winter veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, head lettuce and romaine are being shipped out of the desert area of California’s Imperial Valley and at Yuma, AZ. Moderate volume is reported.
Desert vegetable shipments – grossing about $6300 to New York City.
California Citrus Shipments
California shipping estimates will undoubtedly plunge as more information is becoming available on that December 4-10 freeze in the San Joaquin Valley.
The USDA January estimate lists numbers three to five percent lower than December estimates for oranges and tangerines. But it is worse. The heaviest damage is in Kern County, while other citrus areas in the valley saw only minor effects. The reason – Kern County doesn’t have wind machines to fight the freezing temperatures.
Preliminary damage estimates for the Kern County’s citrus crop may exceed $100 million following the harrowing freeze in the area this last December. Official loss estimates won’t be available until April.
Kern County growers of lemons, tangerines, and mandarins have lost as much as half their crop to freeze damage. One estimate has losses of 15 percent of Kern County’s Valencia orange crop and 35 percent of other large orange varieties being damaged. Lemons took the largest hit, with an estimated 50 percent of the total not meeting fresh market standards. Tangerine and mandarin losses are estimated between 40 and 50 percent.
The cold weather has also changed the timeline for shipments. Normally the valley has navels into June and occasionally into July, but loadings this year will probably end in May, or at the latest by early June.
Southern California citrus and berries – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Here’s a look at produce loads that may be available for Mexician produce at border crossing locations in California, Arizona and Texas.
Mexican Produce Shipments
In large part because of yesterday’s Super Bowl, more avocados were shipped in the U.S. the week of Jan. 19 than in any other week on record. Nearly 48 million pounds of avocados — almost 44 million of them from Mexico — were shipped during the week. A big marketing campaign on avocados for a number of years now, geared toward the Super Bowl, has significantly increased shipments – and consumer consumption of guacumole at parties surrounding the big game.
Footnote: The Seahawks plummeted the Broncos 43 to 8.
California Produce Shipments
Mexico is sending a lot of produce across the border into the U.S. this time of the year, such as Baja California pennisula tomatoes crossing into the state of California.
Texas Produce Shipments
Most of the avocados mentioned in the opening paragraph are coming into the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. South Texas also is receiving a lot of tropicals from Mexico, as well as vegetable items.
South Texas produce – grossing about $4600 to New York City.
Nogales Produce Shipments
Nogales, AZ continues to be a big importer. Currently about 900 truck loads of vine ripe and plum tomatoes are crossing the border weekly. There’s also melons, cucumbers, squash, eggplant and other veggies being imported.
Nogales mixed vegetables – grossing about $3500 to Chicago.
About 91 million bushels of fresh-market U.S. apples were in storage on Jan. 1. That is one percent more than last year at the same time. The January total also is eight percent higher than the five-year average for remaining apple shipments.
The nation’s biggest shipper, Washington state, accounted for about 76 million bushels of the total.
Michigan still had about 6.5 million bushels in storage and has been setting weekly volume shipping records. The estimate for total Michign apple shipments this season still remains at 30 million bushels.
New York apple shipments have 5.4 million bushels and Pennsylvania apple shipments 1.3 million bushels of apples remaining to be hauled.
January apples remaining in storage are up over last year despite holdings for several leading varieties being lower.
About 28.6 million bushels of red delicious were in storage, down from 31 million bushels last year. Fuji holdings fell from 14.9 million to 9.7 million bushels, golden delicious from 9.9 million to 8.7 million bushels and cripps pink from 2.9 million to 2.8 million bushels.
Gala holdings increased from 15.1 million to 15.6 million bushels and granny smith holdings from 9.2 million to 11.4 million bushels.
Much higher volumes of mcintoshes, empires and other traditionally Midwestern and Eastern varieties had yet to be shipped as of Jan. 1 compared to last year at the same time, as Michigan, New York and other states east of the Mississippi continue to bounce back from devastating 2012 freezes.
Washington state apples grossing – about $4600 to Clevelnd.
Michigan apples – about $2200 to Atlanta.
New York state apples – about $1900 to Orlando.
Florida produce shipments have been even slower than normal for winter, primarily due to a prolonged cold weather period that also included some freeze damage.
South Florida growers are recovering from late January freezes that have cut shipments of sweet corn and green beans. In freezes that struck Jan. 19-24, temperatures dropped to the mid-20s in Palm Beach County, the major growing region for beans and corn and hit 31 degrees in Immokalee.
Freezing temperatures also hit central Florida’s strawberry growing region located just West of Tampa. South Bay, Fla.-based Hugh H. Branch Inc., reportedly lost up to 700 acres of winter corn.
The freeze struck the Pahokee, Fla.-area next to Lake Okeechobee. Florida corn loads in other growing regions were not hurt by the cold, including Indiantown and Homestead Homestead ships most of Florida’s winter production.
Florida vegetable shipments are anything bu heavy this time of the year, but what production there is has faced tremendous reductions in yield — well below 50 to 60 percent.
Beans in the south Florida are of Immokalee were hit by the freeze,but are not showing significant damage, with a few exceptions. However, iIt will just lessen the yields and shipments, which are down 30 percent.
It’s recommended you take a closer look than normal at what is being loading into your truck.
Central and South Florida vegetables – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
F
rom California strawberry shipments to Maine potato loadings, here is a round up of several areas across the nation shipping fresh produce.
Strawberry volume from California’s Ventura County has picked up, but won’t be peaking until spring. Mexican strawberries from Baja California are also being loaded at San Diego packing sheds. Both areas will be shipping strawberries through June.
A heads up, if you haul Huron district head lettuce and romaine out of the San Joaquin Valley in the spring and fall. Due to water rationing, at least one major shipper will not ship this spring, and other major shipper is significantly cutting back acreage. There are some plans to attempt extending the Imperial Valley and Yuma district lettuce loadings in a attempt to make up the difference.
Southern California berries and citrus, grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Red River Valley potatoes in North Dakota and Minnesota is reporting steady shipments of red potatoes, averaging around 375 truck loads per week.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1900 to Chicago.
Upstate New York apple loads are totalling about 250 truck loads weekly, while New York onion shipments are hitting around 200 loads each week.
Aroostrock County potato shipments in Maine are averaging about less than 200 truck loads weekly.
Maine potatoes – grossing about $1750 to New York City.
Chilean grapes have replaced season ending California grapes within the past week. Arrivals by boat are occurring at ports on both the East and West coasts. March and April are expected to provide the heaviest loading opportunities.