Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
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.
Texas citrus shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley have moved into good volume…..In Florida, tomato loadings are underway, but will not hit decent volume until the end of November.
In Texas, there has been a major change in citrus shipping. Paramount Citrus of Delano, CA has acquired Rio Queen Inc. in Mission, TX and Healds Valley Farms Inc. in nearby Edinburg.
As a result, Paramount Citrus now owns 10,000 acres in the valley, plus is handling sales and marketing for 40 growers with another 10,000 acres.
About 60 to 70 percent of the Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus shipments this season will be through Paramount Citrus. Consolidations in south Texas have been occurring for the past 25 years. There are now just a handful or so companies that both grow and ship their own citrus.
About 85 percent of the valley’s citrus shipments are with grapefruit, with the balance being in oranges. Total citrus shipments from south Texas this season are expected to be slightly below that of a year ago, but still will be a good sized crop.
South Texas Citrus, plus Mexican produce – grossing about $2300 to Chicago.
Florida Tomato Shipments
Due to heavy September rains, Florida mature green tomato shipments will be down by about 25 percent from the Homestead and Palmetto-Ruskins areas. Loadings also are taking place later than normal this year. Shipments typically start in late October and hit volume in mid-November. This year, however, volume shipments are not expected to begin until late November. Florida tomatoes are shipped in 25-pound cartons.
South Florida produce shipments – grossing about $2400 to New York City.
It is another big season for apple haulers. There are about 120 million bushels of U.S. fresh-market apples were in storage as of November 1st, 10 percent more than last year at the same time.
The November total also is 10 percent higher than the five-year average.
The nation’s leading apple shipper, Washington state, has about 99 million bushels of apples still in storage…..Michigan has about 8.3 million bushels left to ship, while New York has 7.4 million and Pennsylvania 1.7 million.
Michigan apple shipments are expected to be 10 times as plentiful as last year’s puny output.
In a typical year, Michigan’s 9.2 million trees produce 20 million to 23 million bushels.
The state’s 2013 harvest is projected to be around 30 million bushels, which roughly equals out to 382 medium-sized apples for every state resident; 12 for every American.
Nationally, about 21.6 million bushels of galas have yet to be shipped, up from 20.6 million bushels. Granny smith holdings were up from 11.5 million to 14.5 million bushels.
Red delicious in storage dropped from 35.5 million to 35.2 million bushels, fujis from 15.5 million to 13 million bushels and golden delicious from 12.4 million to 10.8 million bushels.
Holdings of traditional Eastern varieties including mcintoshes, jonathans, empires, romes and cortlands were up significantly from 2012, when freezes devastated Michigan and New York crops.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Michigan apples – about $3000 to New York City.
Very light volume with vegetables from the California and Arizona desert areas have started, but it will December before any significant loadings occur.
The transistion from Salinas and Santa Maria to the Coachella and Imperial valleys should provide better volume than has occurred in recent months for up north, but we’re still talking mid December before this occurs — particularly with broccoli. Shipments should continue through March.
There has been limited volume underway since last week from the Coachella Valley with red leaf, green leaf, butter leaf, spinach and this week romaine is starting. There’s also other items becoming available soon from the Coachella Valley such as artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, and fennel.
A small amount of desert lettuce got undeway last week at Yuma, AZ, while more lettuce should start around Brawley, Calif., the first week of December.
In the weeks ahead keep a close eye on weather reports for the desert areas as the whims of Mother Nature in the winter can drastically affect available loadings.
Meanwhile, back in the San Joaquin Valley, table grape shipments continue steady in good volume averaging nearly 1,400 truck loads per week….A similar situation remains with carrots, primarily from Kern County, which are averaging about 450 truck loads each week.
Desert veggie loads (not accounting for multiple picks) – grossing about $6500 to New York City.