Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Produce shipments can be a crap shoot anytime of the year, but the odds certainly increase when trying to grow and ship perishable products in the wintertime. Sometimes you dodge the bullet, sometimes not. The proverbial bullet was dodged recently in the California and Arizona deserts, although some vegetables may have been grazed. But shipments are pretty much back to normal…At the end of the report is an update on the California citrus freeze.
Vegetable volumes out of the California and Arizona deserts are returning to normal after freezes in the first half of December. Record lows slowed growth across the board, but broccoli and cauliflower were hit the hardest.
Desert lettuce shipments are warmer in the Imperial Valley from such places as Holtville, compared to the Yuma district in Western Arizona.
Iceberg or head letttuc, as well as mixed leaf mostly escaped the freezing weather but cauliflower, broccoli, spring mix, arugula and other leaf items suffered a little bit with damage such as tip burn.
It is too early to get a handle on whether desert celery plantings and its resulting shipments will come off later than their typical early January start because of the December cold.
Whether we are talking Imperial Valley vegetable shipments, or Yuma vegetables shipments, it is particularly wise to keep an eye on the weather, and when you do load, make sure your receiver knows the quality of the product. Winter veggies tend to get beat up by Mother Nature and are not always pretty.
California Citrus Shipments
Early inspections of freeze-damaged citrus in California’s Kern County pegged mandarin orange and lemon losses at around 20 percent, and navel losses at less than 5 percent.
Still, the toll of a Dec. 4-10 cold snap remains unclear in Kern County and in Fresno and Tulare counties…..We’ll still ring in the New Year before we start getting a significant feel for how much California citrus shipments will be affected.
U.S. potato shipments from the fall crop, which will be shipped well into next summer, is down 5 percent from 2012, but never fear, there are still plenty of spuds for hauling.
Idaho’s 2013 potato production is an estimated 132.9 million hundredweight (cwt) , down 6.3 percent from a year ago. In Washington, the crop is estimated at 96 million, up less than 1 percent. Wisconsin’s estimated potato production for the year is 27.9 million hundredweight, down 5.2 percent, and Oregon’s estimate is 21.6 million, down 5.9 percent. Colorado this year is down 1.5 percent to 20.3 million, and Michigan is up 5.4 percent to 16.8 million.
North Dakota’s 2013 potato crop will come in at 22.6 million cwt, down about 10.1 percent from last year. Some were forecasting shipments to be down more than double from last year.
Minnesota potato production dropped from 18.8 million hundredweight in 2012 to 17.5 million this year, a drop of just under 7 percent.
While Idaho potato shipments, and to a lesser extent, Washington state move a significant amount of tubers via the railroads, most shipping areas do not have access to rails. Most produce shipped by rail establish their shipping costs based on truck rates, and the rails tend to under cut those rates.
Meanwhile, trucks continue for the most part to deliver faster and better service, that includes providing a lot more flexibility.
Central Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $3000 to Atlanta.
Idaho potatoes – about $5500 to New York City.
California citrus shipments could very well will be hit even harder than rather than less from recent freezing temperatures. Initally, close observers in the Central San Joaquin Valley were talking slight to moderate damage, but now you are hearing more serious descriptions such as “moderate to severe” damage.
However, specific results on how bad navels and madrians were hit won’t be known until around New Years.
Temperatures in citrus-growing areas in California’s San Joaquin Valley once again dipped to potentially damaging levels for seven of eight days between December 5th and 11th.
Temperatures below 27 degrees for several hours can damage Navel oranges and lemons, while more sensitive Mandarins are susceptible to damage at 32 degrees.
Frost-protection measures such as wind machines and application of water to the groves can provide three or four degrees of protection.
Approximately 12 to 15 percent of the Navel crop and 20 percent of the Mandarin crop has been harvested, leaving a significant percentage of the crop at risk of damage.
There is no doubt that damage has occurred across the citrus belt.
Damaged fruit will be eliminated from the fresh market and directly shipped to juice plants. For California citrus, juice plants are, by design, a salvage operation for lower-quality fruit.
California citrus and berries – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
Florida strawberry shipments have started a little earlier than usual, and good volume shipments for the pre-Christmas deliveries are expected.
The season typically builds through December, with the decent volume hitting right after Christmas.
In early December, at least one Florida strawberry shipper had truckload quantities.
The quality of berries truckers were loading early in the season left something to be desire, but with the last two cold snaps received the strawberries were sweetening.
Florida strawberries – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
Peruvian Grapes
The Port of Miami received its first ever shipment of Peruvian grapes last month, it is believed to the first of the product to arrive at a Florida port for distribution directly to Southeastern states.
Prior to this shipment, Peruvian grapes could only be imported to the U.S. through ports in Los Angeles and New York. Each shipment must go through cold treatment before entering U.S. borders.
By importing directly to Miami it saves the shipper the cost of freight in having to bring the grapes from New York to Miami. This should translate into providing e consumers with fresher product at a lower cost.
We did a report on freezing temperatures in California, as well as Arizona last week, and to be honest there’s not a heck of a lot more to report on how Western produce shipments will be affected. But in case you missed that other report, here goes – with some additional information.
In California, freezing temperatures occurred for a few nights late last week and through Saturday a.m. It is known there will freeze damage to mandrians and navel oranges. How much freeze damage probably will not be known until the first of the year, if not the first week of January. There also a limited amount of vegetables being grown in the Central San Joaquin Valley, but no word on the veggies either.
The Salinas-Watsonville area had already completed its vegetable and strawberry shipments for the season when the freeze hit. The Santa Maria area was on the tail end of the strawberry season and the cold quickly ended what product was left.
Strawberry shipments have now shifted to Ventura County. While the cold may actually be beneficial to the berries in some areas of the county, others located in hilly, higher elevations of the county probably will suffer losses. We’ll also have to keep an eye on Southern California strawberries, particularly in Orange County.
It also got pretty frosty in the desert areas of California and around Yuma, AZ for desert vegetable shipments. It is believed items such as head lettuce, leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower will make it okay, although it will not be surprising if it looks a little like it has been in a fight with Mother Nature.
Southern California strawberries, citrus – grossing about $6600 to New York City.
Normal volume of winter vegetables from West Mexico crossing the border at Nogales, AZ is expected this season.
While limited volume with winter veggies has been occuring for over a month, crossings are gradually increasing in December. Heaviest volume typically occurs after the first of the year and remains heavy through March. As vegetable volume declines, table grapes typically start crossing the border in April.
Among the larger Mexican produce shipments this time of the year are watermelons, squash, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers. However, it is tomatoes that really get shipments going. Tomatoes, along with green beans, are just getting started.
While overall volume this winter should be fairly normal, there apparently are a lot more Mexican watermelons crossing the border.
A trend produce truckers are likely to notice, especially in coming years, is that produce crossing the border at Nogales is on the decline, while increasing in South Texas.
One reason is that central Mexico grows fresh produce on a year around basis, and most of that product is distributed to the U.S. and Canada through South Texas. As the same time produce grown in the Sinaloa and Sonora ares of West Mexico is grown on a seasonal basis. This product has historically crossed the border through Nogales.
It was more than a decade ago that construction of the long awaited Mazatlan-Durango Highway started. Completion of the road is behind schedule, but expected to be ready in the first half of 2014. West Mexican produce being shipped to the eastern half of the U.S. is expected to be funneled to Texas instead of going through Nogales, using the new 143-mile highway that has 63 tunnels.
Mexican produce at Nogales – grossing about $3500 to Chicago; $5800 to New York City.
Freezing temperatures are slated to hit California’s Central Valley tonight (December 4) and stick around through Saturday. Whether this is a serious threat is too early to tell, and even if it is we’re looking at next week for any initial damage assessments.
The fruit needs a cold snap to finish ripening, but that typically comes during Christmas week. Growers will be watering the fields and getting the ground moisture up as a precaution.
Desert Vegetable Shipments
Good supplies of desert vegetables were available on basically all vegetables for the Thanksgiving and the same is expected through December, assuming the weather cooperates.
Produce truckers and growers are hoping warm weather continues and keeps the crops and shipments on schedule and produce good volume moving into the Christmas pull in mid-December.
Favorable weather actually has the crops are running a little bit ahead of schedule, but if it turns cold, things could change quickly.
We’ll keep an eye on the cold weather in the San Joaquin Valley and see if it not affects citrus shipments there, but grapes, as well as strawberries and other items in Southern California, plus the vegetables coming out of the California and Arizona deserts.
While pear volume in the Northwest is much less than apples, one of the important facts is pears mix well with apples in loads. Northwest onion loads are another big item, but few things load well with onions – garlic being an exception. Potatoes are much more compatible for mixing with numerous items in the same trailer.
About 70 percent of Northwest pears remain to be shipped, which is very similar to this time last year. Over 6.5 million boxes of pears have already been loaded this season. Northwest shippers are on track to ship about 22.2 million boxes of pears, which would be the largest on record and 14 percent more than last season. Most pear varieties should be available for hauling through January.
Quality is good this season, with about 88 percent the of fruit grading out at No. 1-quality. The Yakima and Wenachee valleys in Washington state are averaging about 600 truck load equivalents of pear shipments weekly.
By contrast, from the same area in Washington state, about 2,500 truck load equivalents of apples are being loaded each week. It is another huge apple crop to say the least.
Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjacent Umatilla Basin in Oregon have both potato loads and onion loads in good volume, but the amount does not approach the state’s fruit totals.
Washington apples and pears – grossing about $6800 to New York City.
Columbia Basin potatoes and onions- about $6300 to New York City.
When talking potato shipments, one has to start with Idaho, since it is the “Washington apples” of the spud industry in America. Here’s a round up of several of the larger potato shipping areas across the USA.
Idaho’s 315,000 acres yielded more than 12.5 billion pounds of potatoes, about average for the past five years. The state is averaging about 2,000 truck load equivalents per week. A higher percentage of tubers goes by rail than with most fresh produce commodities.
Idaho potato shipments – grossing about $6000 to Boston.
In Colorado, the San Luis Valley has ended up with one of its best crop we’ve had in many years in terms of appearance, size and overall quality. The valley is averaging abouot 750 truck loads of potatoes a week.
San Luis Valley potato shipments – grossing about $1300 to Oklahoma City.
The third heaviest movement of potatoes is coming out of Central Wisconsin, which is averaging about 500 truck loads weekly. There’s also the Columbin Basin in Washington state and the adjancent Umatilla Basin in Oregon, which has similar volume to Wisconsin right now.
Wisconsin potato shipments – about $3000 to Atlanta.
Loading opportunities experience a pretty big drop in the following areas, compared to what was just covered.
Potatoes are being shipped out the Hereford district of far Western Texas. In Nebraska, two distant towns – O’Neill and Imperial, have light volume. Michigan also has light volume with spuds.
Finally, in the far upper northeast, Aroostrock County, Maine is loading about 150 truck loads of potatoes a week.
Even though Thanksgiving is a couple of days away, most orders by receivers now involve restocking after the big turkey feast.
Desert Vegetable Shipments
Here’s an update on desert shipments from Yuma, AZ and California’s Imperial Valley. Plus, here’s a glimpse at loading opportunities regarding Washington state apples and Idaho potatoes.
With San Joaquin Valley lettuce from the Huron district all but history, the head lettuce harvest has just started from Yuma, AZ, although shipments remain minimal. Yuma typically about starts about a week or two ahead of shipments from the Imperial Valley. Lettuce from there won’t get underway until around December 9th.
However, cauliflower, as well as some leafy greens have just started from Brawley in the Imperial Valley, with broccoli following in early December.
Celery will continue to be shipped out of Ventura County through the end of the year, when loadings then shift to the Imperial Valley.
Desert veggies, plus cantaloupe – grossing about $5200 to Atlanta.
Washington Apple Shipments
Never mind Washington apple shipments are down this season, it is still a huge crop and plentiful loading opportunities remain for at least the next six months. Yakima Valley apple shipments, as well as the Wenatchee Valley are shipping on average about 2,500 truck load equivalents of apples a week, and this doesn’t even include pear loadings.
Washington apples and pears – about $7000 to New York City.
Idaho Potato Shipments
Idaho also has fewer potato shipments this season, but there’s still plenty of tubers for hauling. Idaho is averaging about 2,000 truck load equivalents per week of potatoes.
Idaho spuds – about $2900 to Chicago.