Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Schiller Park, IL – Optimal temperatures and growing conditions are resulting in peak production of Sun Belle blackberries and Green Belle organic blackberries from central Mexico through late May. Premium proprietary varieties Aketzali and Amelali, as well as the new Erandy variety, provide consumers with large, shiny, flavorfully sweet blackberries.
“The sunlight and beautiful spring weather on our farms are producing abundant volumes of extra sweet berries, sure to delight consumers and move retail sales,” said Sun Belle President and Founder Janice Honigberg. “Packed on the farm, our blackberries then go to one of our five distribution centers where they are carefully inspected to ensure the highest quality product for our retail partners and their customers.”
Sun Belle markets and distributes blackberries year-round. The company imports the Aketzali, Amelali and Erandy varieties from Mexico from August through mid-June, and markets excellent University of Arkansas varieties from Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey and Arkansas throughout the summer.
SUN BELLE and GREEN BELLE are leading brands of premium quality conventional and organic blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, golden berries, cranberries, pomegranate arils and red currants. Sun Belle operates five distribution centers nationally, including Schiller Park, Illinois; Jessup, Maryland; Oxnard, California; Miami, Florida; and Laredo, Texas.
Las Cruces, NM — National Onion, Inc. begins its 41st season marketing and selling onions for Agrocosa – a Gomez Farm company. This long-standing partnership brings high quality short-day and intermediate white, yellow, and red onions to the U.S. and Canadian summer markets.
“Our longevity is based on a combination of product quality and customers service. Agrocosa has the unique ability to grow and yield a consistent product year-after-year, which has allowed us to further the brand since 1982.” said Micah Smith, Vice President, National Onion Inc.
National Onion looks forward to selling its brands Rio Gold (yellow onions), Rio Pearl (white onions), Rio Ruby (red onions), and Rio Sweet (carton sweet yellow onions) nationwide and to the Canadian market. The company will sell Mexican onions until mid-July and then transition to other sales agreements with growers in the U.S.
Dinuba, CA — California cantaloupe farmers are overjoyed with the amount of rainfall received this winter and for the welcome relief to severe drought conditions that have impacted growing areas for the past several years.
Although rainfall was heavy throughout the winter, cantaloupe-producing districts have not experienced flooding that has impacted other parts of the state. Additionally, California cantaloupe fields had not yet been planted at the time of the state’s heaviest rainfall.
California cantaloupe growers are reporting that wet fields and rainy weather definitely delayed planting, particularly in the southern growing districts of the Imperial Valley. This means that promotable volume of cantaloupe from California will likely not be available until Memorial Day Weekend, with peak supplies expected throughout the month of June.
Cantaloupe plantings in the major San Joaquin Valley growing regions were also slightly impacted by wet fields. But this is not expected to significantly delay harvest of cantaloupe on the westside of California, which should peak in mid-July as it normally does.
“In short, we know the beginning of California cantaloupe season will be approximately two weeks later than normal this year,” said Garrett Patricio of Westside Produce in Firebaugh. “We’ll provide updates on the San Joaquin Valley harvest timing as harvest gets closer but, for now, we are not expecting major delays.
As the Northern Hemisphere citrus season comes to a close and the Southern Hemisphere season begins, Salix Fruits, a leading company in the import and export of fresh fruits, said shipments of citrus are arriving steadily.
According to Alejandro Moralejo, CEO of Salix Fruits, South Africa, the major citrus supplier in the Southern Hemisphere has grown in all citrus varieties.
“The first week of April, RSA (South Africa) started with lemon shipments to the Middle East, their most important market, and to Canada,” he said.
Currently, the U.S. is also sourcing the last shipments of lemons from Mexico while Argentina is starting its shipments to Canada, along with Russia and other parts of Europe. Moralejo said that despite the summer drought in Argentina, lemon volumes are guaranteed for all markets.
On the other hand, the mandarin market is the only one still covered by the Northern Hemisphere. The U.S. is sourcing the last shipments of mandarins from Morocco, while Chile and Peru are waiting for their crops to be ready.
“Peru will start the early mandarin season in the next few weeks. It will be the late mandarin supplier to Northern Hemisphere markets. The earliest fruit is waiting for market windows in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Moralejo.
In all, Moralejo noted that it is a season with an earlier window for the Southern Hemisphere citrus because of the lack of product from Spain, Morocco and Turkey, though later production will continue from Mexico, Spain, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco.
Moralejo said there is strong demand in the U.S. and Canada for imported citrus, and Salix will continue offering citrus from its sourcing regions including Argentina, South Africa, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
“We are very pleased with the supply from our Egypt office, which will give us a large volume for the next season in the Northern Hemisphere,” he said. “This is in addition to the excellent quality product from Spain and Morocco, where Salix has been present for the last two years.”
U.S. importers report heavier imported mango supplies will be coming this summer, while 2023 so far has had lighter than normal volume.
Mexico is the primary source of mangoes during spring and summer months, providing over 90% of the total supply, according to the National Mango Board, Orlando, FL.
The supply of mangoes to the U.S. from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Brazil and Ecuador for 2020-22 has been on average 135 million boxes.
Mission Produce Inc. of Oxnard, CA notes rain early this year led to a slightly delayed start to the Mexico mango harvest. Mission Produce receives several varieties of mangoes from multiple growing regions.
The company reports high-quality tommy atkins and honey mangoes from Mexico have been arriving at its North American forward distribution centers, although in limited volumes. Mission also is sourcing tommy atkins mangoes from Nicaragua and Guatemala.
As summer approaches, the harvest of fibreless varieties, such as kent and keitt mangoes, generally begins in northern and central Mexico. Mission will start sourcing kent mangoes from Mexico this month. It also plans to source organic tommy atkins, kent and keitt mango varieties from Mexico.
Central American Produce, Pompano Beach, FL., will import mangoes from Central America until around mid-May and will continue to source from several areas of Mexico throughout the summer. The company offers tommy atkins, haden and honey mangoes.
Central American Produce also imports a few organic mangoes.
Vision Import Group of River Edge, NJ, which early this year formed a joint venture called Vision Global Group with William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. of Great Neck, NY, is importing mangoes from Mexico and Guatemala this spring.
The company handles mostly the tommy atkins variety, some honey mangoes and a few hadens. A few kents should be available from Guatemala.
A difficult California growing season characterized by rain, snow and unusually low winter temperatures is finally giving away to more promising weather and more shipments of table grapes, strawberries and cherries.
Grape Shipments
The California table grape season starts in the Coachella Valley with harvesting just getting underway.
Harvesting in the San Joaquin Valley (Arvin) should begin in late June or early July. Early expectations are the 2023 crop will be similar or slightly larger than last season’s 95.1 million 19-pound boxes.
Autumn King, Scarlet Royal, Sheegene-20, flame and Sheegene-21 varieties accounted for 47% of the total volume in 2022. Exports accounted for 30% of the volume last season. The top three markets included Canada, Mexico and Taiwan.
Strawberry Shipments
Strawberry volume began recovering from adverse weather in early April, with shipments much lower than last year.
As of the week ending April 1, California shipments of conventional and organic strawberries totaled 8.5 million trays, down from 20 million at the same time in 2022.
Fall-planted acreage for 2023 winter, spring and summer production was 31,852 acres, up from 30,499 in 2022. About 45% of the acreage is in the Watsonville growing region, 34% is in the Santa Maria area and 20% is in Oxnard. Although some acreage was lost due to a levee break along the Pajaro River in March, about 95% of the strawberry crop was undamaged from the storm.
Cherry Shipments
California’s cherry crop will come on seven to 10 days later than usual, with picking beginning in late April or early May. California is the first state to ship cherries each year.
King Fresh Produce LLC of Dinuba, CA expects there will be good volume by May 20, with loadings continuing until about the third week of June.
Growers project this year’s crop will be slightly larger than last year’s 5.2 million 18-pound boxes, which is down from about 10 million boxes the year prior, mostly because of an unusually warm winter.
The Argentine Citrus Federation reports weather issues could delay Argentina’s citrus production in 2023.
Crops have been significantly affected by the changing weather conditions, including high temperatures causing heat stress. This is adversely affecting fruit size.
AFC is forecasting a 20 percent drop in production with lemons and as much as a 35 percent decline in oranges and mandarins.
Late rains have also caused growers to postpone harvest, hoping to improve fruit size.
About 70% of Argentina’s citrus production is exported, with 296,526 growing acres planted to date.
Main export markets for Argentine citrus include the EU, Russia and the U.S., with a very small percentage going to China, an emerging market for the category.
California growers and shippers are saying there should be good supplies and good-quality tree fruit, melons and other commodities this summer, despite a winter filled with unusually cold weather, combined with record rain and snow.
At the same time there will some items getting off to a later start than usual, and early volume on others may be less.
Trinity Fruit Sales Co. of Fresno, CA notes despite the rains, it really didn’t damage the product. However, the start of the season is experiencing a little lighter volume.
Early volume of peaches and nectarines is down because rain prevented bees from pollinating the flowers.
Trinity Fruit is optimistic about getting past early May and when it enters the main part of the season in June, July and August, when it expects a full crop and good volume on everything.
An early freeze affected the apricot crop, so it will get a later start. Supplies during May will be lighter than usual. However, good volume will be available in June continuing into early September.
Westside Produce of Firebaugh, CA reports California’s melon crop dodged the state’s cold, rainy winter.
Though the California melon industry has had a reduction in acreage over the past 20 years, things seem to have stabilized during the past five years. Volume has stayed the same due to better yields, even as some acreage has fallen off.
The company expects similar volume of cantaloupes, honeydews and mixed melons planted as in 2022 as in 2023.
As with other commodities, the season may get a later start, about late May, rather than usual for California’s Imperial Valley spring melon deal and the Westside summer program.
“I anticipate there will be some gaps throughout the spring, summer and fall based on the weather, water and environmental impacts we’ve seen,” he said.
Westside Produce recently joined with Classic Fruit Co. of Fresno to offer melons year-round.
Crown Jewels Produce of Fresno started its melon program in late April. The company offers cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons as well as grapes, pears and pomegranates. All commodities will start 10-14 days later than usual because of rain and cold weather, but size and quality should be good. Volume should be similar to last year.
Grapes will start the last half May, pears will get underway the second week of July and pomegranates in September.
Nogales, AZ – The spring season and warmer weather is upon us, and for Divine Flavor, the grower, shipper will be in full swing with its melon program for the next 7 weeks. With watermelon (regular seedless and mini seedless), cantaloupe, and honey dew, grown both organic and conventional, the company anticipates a strong month of May with volume for their expanded melon program in Mexico.
Divine Flavor’s melon program, which is based in the northern state of Sonora on the outskirts of Hermosillo, normally starts around the first weeks of April but the season was delayed this year by a few weeks due to cooler weather in the late winter. Although the programs were pushed slightly, the company anticipates rebounding quickly for a strong month of May.
Elizabeth Smart, Melon Category Manager for Divine Flavor shares the importance this season will need to continue availability and dependability throughout the next month. “The season started now, and quality looks good and promising,” said Smart.
“We’ve added to all sides of our melon deal expanding our organic and conventional melon commodities which will be essential for breaking new ground with our customers and their needs. Each season we continue to grow with this commodity, and this adds to our ability to be a dependable source of quality melons of each variety all in one shot.”
Shipping continues until mid June.
ELTOPIA, Wash.–From the first spears poking up, to picking and packing, Washington State’s 2023 asparagus season is underway. Consumers can expect the harvest in stores starting this week, carrying into mid-to late-June.
Last year brought a shorter season of approximately 15 million pounds of Washington asparagus, with an economic impact of $27 million. These numbers reflect a tougher year that saw continued pressure from imports, a delayed harvest start, an unusually cool growing season, and increased domestic labor costs. Looking to the 2023 season, however, industry experts remain positive.
“Our growers are optimistic and off to a strong start. The organic asparagus production continues to tick up, currently at about eight percent, and newer asparagus varieties are naturally more resistant to soil disease,” said Washington Asparagus Commission Executive Director Alan Schreiber.
The local asparagus industry faces competition from year-round imports, especially from Peru and Mexico.
Washington fresh asparagus exceeds USDA U.S. Number One standards with Extra Fancy-designated stalks, evident in more tightly and evenly packed bundles. Washington asparagus also means a far smaller carbon footprint with quicker farm-to-market transit times, and more freshness, flavor, juiciness and quality over imported counterparts.
Asparagus also packs in the nutrients. It naturally contains a built-in detoxifier, an amino acid called aspargine, vitamins A, C, K, E, folate, fiber, and glutathione (an anti-carcinogen and antioxidant). It can aid in protection from chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease and is fat-free and cholesterol-free.
When shopping, choose odorless, green (or purple) firm asparagus stalks with dry, compact or barely-opened tips. Wrap the bases of the stalks in a wet paper towel, placed inside a plastic bag, then refrigerate. Before eating, rinse the spears under cool water and snap off or cut the lighter stalk base. Find tips and recipes at waasparagus.com/recipes.
Washington Asparagus Commission – Established in 1991, The Washington Asparagus Commission promotes Washington asparagus domestically, monitors and addresses trade issues, and advances environmentally sound production practices through research. The Washington Asparagus Commission represents the growers’ interest in areas and issues relating to the asparagus industry. Learn more waasparagus.com.