Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Phoenix, AZ — Arizona is known as the winter lettuce capital of the US providing Americans with an abundance of lettuce and leafy greens from November to March.
According to United States Department of Agriculture statistics Arizona farmers grow approximately 25% of the total U.S. lettuce supply each year. On an annual basis the leafy greens farming community in Arizona generates a $2 billion impact.
“Right now, Arizona farms are actively growing and harvesting some types of leafy greens including spinach, kale, arugula, spring mix, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce.” said Teressa Lopez, Administrator of the Arizona LGMA program.
To celebrate the start of harvest Arizona growers and shippers are celebrating the 12th annual Arizona Leafy Greens Month.
Since the first celebration, Arizona farmers have produced more than 100 billion servings of lettuce (based on the average production of 9 billion servings per year).
An estimated 30 million pounds of Colombian avocados are projected to be shipped to the U.S. market in the fourth quarter of 2024, the Colombia Avocado Board announced at a 2024 annual meeting.
This new milestone for the fourth quarter follows a record-breaking summer traviesa season and highlights the strong upward trend in Colombian hass avocado export to the U.S., according to a news release. By the end of 2024, exports are projected to reach approximately 95 million pounds for the calendar year, up from the 30 million pounds reported by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service in 2023.
Since gaining export approval in 2017 from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, Colombian hass avocado exports to the U.S. have experienced rapid growth, with double and triple-digit export volume increases each year, the release said. This growth is driven by new orchards reaching full production along with a strategic reallocation of the Colombia avocado supply from other global markets to meet the demand in the U.S., the Colombia Avocado Board said.
Colombia has nine avocado-growing regions and currently has approximately 29,000 acres of avocado orchards certified for the U.S. market. In addition, many Colombian growers have also made investments in third-party certifications including GlobalG.A.P. and Rainforest Alliance, the release said.
“Our mission is to supply the U.S. market with premium Colombia avocados,” said Manuel Michel, managing director for the Colombia Avocado Board. “With over 3,500 Colombian avocado producers, we’re proud to supply nutritious and flavorful avocados to American consumers. As U.S. demand for avocado continues to rise, we are committed to delivering high-quality fruit, while having a long-lasting and positive impact on the local communities and environment where we grow.”
Currently, avocados are Colombia’s third-largest fruit export, behind bananas and plantains, the release said. The industry supports nearly 240,000 jobs, providing year-round formal employment and economic benefits to individuals, families and communities across the country.
“As U.S. per capita consumption of fresh avocados increases every year, our goal is not only to meet but exceed consumer expectations at retail and beyond,” said Ricardo Uribe, chairman for the Colombia Avocado Board. “Consistent high quality, environmental and economic stewardship and social responsibility are at the heart of what we do. When consumers choose Colombian avocados, they are supporting a thriving industry that is helping to write a new chapter in Colombia’s history. Looking ahead, we expect 2025 to be another record-breaking year with volume expected to continue growing as we expand our market presence in the U.S.”
Colombia is a leading global avocado producer and exporter with a rapidly growing footprint, the release said. In addition to its expanding acreage in orchards, the country now has 30 certified packing houses that can export to the U.S.
The Colombia Avocado Board said the success of Colombia’s hass avocado industry is a direct result of its long history in agriculture, favorable climate with consistent rainfall, fertile lands at varied elevations and its rapidly expanding infrastructure, including improved seaports to streamline exports. The board said it has been a key driver in fostering partnerships between exporters, importers and buyers, ensuring the continued growth in demand for Colombia’s hass avocado program in the U.S.
California Citrus Mutual of Exeter, CA reports average volume is seen for the state’s citrus crop.
The non-profit association reports growing conditions for the winter citrus season have been ideal.
In the last decade, Mutual reports the state has seen a 13% decrease in navel acres planted and a 26% decrease in valencia acres, which is estimated to be between 25,000 acres and 28,000 acres.
As valencia and navel acreage declines in the state, they are being replaced by mandarins, which have increased by about 18,000 acres during that time.
Wonderful Citrus Cooperative of Delano, CA reports a strong summer citrus season with good quality which sets the state up for its winter season. Growth in mandarin shipments helped boost a strong summer shipping season.
Mandarins represent about 43% of all citrus sold at Wonderful.
The co-op expects a more normal winter citrus crop this season compared with last year’s crop. A Year ago there were quality problems with navels and sizing issues with mandarins. This year mandarins, lemons, navels should all have more normal supplies and quality.
The Maine potato harvest wrapped up in mid October and a bumper crop would have been made except for a dry period in August which reduced yields. Still, a 10 percent increase in volume over last year is predicted, which was a good crop.
The Maine Farmers Exchange (MFE) in Presque Isle, ME estimates Maine’s potato volume for the coming season at 18.5 million hundredweight, up about 10% from last year’s 16.8 hundredweight as a result of better weather during the growing season. Last season was a dry year.
In 2022-23, Maine growers produced 18.4 million hundredweight of potatoes.
MFE notes russets are the most popular, because they are preferred by some major processing plants. The caribou russet and norkotah russet are the most popular table varieties.
The Pine Tree State also produces round whites, reds, yellows and russets.
Cambridge Farms of Presque Isle also reports a good harvest without delays from rain or frosts.
The company completed harvest in mid October. It grows red, yellow, white and russet potatoes, but yellows and russets seem to be the most popular.
Cambridge is growing more russets and yellows, but fewer white potatoes. The operation has become a year around potato shippers by working with other growers in the U.S. and Canada.
Irving Farms of Caribou, ME reports great growing conditions and ships russet, red, white and yellow potatoes in consumer packs.
The company ships throughout the East Coast, but focuses on the Northeast because of the company’s proximity to those markets. The firm also ships some potatoes to the Midwest and Southeast.
Irving Farms will started shipping in early November for the Thanksgiving holiday. The heaviest shipping period will be two weeks before Thanksgiving.
Other than the holidays, potato loadings are consistent throughout the year.
A projected 2.4% increase in exports compared to the previous season is predicted by The Chilean Table Grape Committee which has released its first industry estimate for the 2024-25 season.
Exports are expected to amount to 66,006,178 boxes.
The executive director of the Chilean Table Grape Committee, Ignacio Caballero, stated the projection was made in collaboration with 85% of the industry and this is the second consecutive season the Committee expects growth in table grape shipments.
He added “the growth also repositions us (Chile) as an industry with a great quality and variety of grapes.”
The estimate anticipates an increase in new variety shipments, a trend that continues to gain ground in international markets and represents 65% of exports, or 42,866,374 boxes, during the 2024-25 season.
Caballero explained ‘having a greater supply of new varieties of Chilean grapes makes Chile increasingly attractive to destination markets since consumers are looking for more flavor, firmness, and crunchy texture.’
Systems Approach
The United States will continue to be the primary destination market for the Chilean table grape industry, with nearly 60% of shipments arriving to the country. Asia follows in second place with 16%, followed by Europe (14%) and other markets (10%).
This season is very significant for the industry, this will be the first Chilean table grapes shipment to the United States under the Systems Approach protocol. This will allow the shipment of table grapes from the Tarapacá, Coquimbo, and parts of Valparaíso regions, without the need for fumigation.
It took a few weeks for digging potatoes to get back on schedule in the Red River VAlley following a mid-September heatwave, but fall weather is now well established.
Northland Potato Growers Association, East Grand Forks, MN reports favorable weather for the 300-mile valley in upper Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota.
Acreage was up in Minnesota this year and down in North Dakota.
Growers planted 74,000 acres of red and yellow potatoes in North Dakota, about 2,000 acres less than last year, and expected to produce about 24 million hundredweight — 9% less than in 2023. Minnesota growers look to harvest up to 46,000 acres, down about 100 acres from last year, and should dig about 19 million hundredweight, up 3.6% from 2023.
O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc., Crystal, N.D., started its harvest Sept. 10 but was putting digging on hold until the heat subsided.
The company plans to ship until early May, depending on crop size and demand, with an average to above-average crop with good quality.
NoKota Packers Inc., Buxton, N.D., had harvested 15% of its crop before shutting down temporarily during the heatwave, but it was not expected to affect the quality of the crop.
“The company expected a normal-size crop with about 75% red potatoes and 25% yellow.
Associated Potato Growers Inc., Grand Forks, N.D. reports potatoes could lose a little color after exposure to the hot sun, but is still optimistic for the overall crop.
The co-op expects volume to be up slightly this year because of good rainfall.
Although red potatoes account for the majority of Red River Valley spuds, yellows are gaining in popularity.
Ben Holmes Potato Inc., Becker, MN points out everyone in central Minnesota has increased their acreage and yellow potatoes now make up a big portion of the acres grown.
The company markets most of the potatoes produced by Peatland Reds Inc., Trail, MN., where growing conditions were mostly optimal this year, with timely rains and good weather.
Pear Bureau Northwest reports Northwest pear orchards were hit by low temperatures this year causing a decline in production.
The northwest pear industry in the U.S. is seeing a huge decline in volumes of 31%, compared to the five-year average. In the past five years, the average shipments have been closer to 15 million 40-pound boxes, but this year’s output is a little over 10 million boxes.
This plunge is due to adverse weather hitting most northern regions of the country, especially around the area of Wenatchee, WA.
The Pear Bureau Northwest represents 11 pear varieties grown in Oregon and Washington in Wenatchee, Yakima, Mid-Columbia Valley, and Medford.
This year’s decrease is not only attributed to this blossoming season’s weather since pear trees enjoy cold weather, but pear growers had already seen a few years of colder-than-normal temperatures, which led to stressed trees and fewer blossoms.
So, when you factor in this year’s frosts happening during blossom, around April-May, which led to a decrease in bee pollination, and fewer blossoms initially especially in Wenatchee, this year was particularly hard for pear growers.
The Bosc variety and the Green Anjou were the two most impacted by adverse weather.
Bosc had a large crop last year, so it’s not surprising to see a drop this year, but it was still a steep drop even if you consider last year’s larger crop. The other variety most impacted from a volume standpoint was the Green Anjou, which was down 36% from the five-year average.
The Green Anjou variety decrease is pretty significant, since this is the crop most planted out of all varieties. Pears will be shipped all year round but not as many as there typically would be.
Additionally, there may be a frost ring on the pears this year. The blemish, caused by the freezing events in the northern region, is a ring around the pear that doesn’t affect the fruit’s flavor and texture.
The previous two seasons Washington state has had big and small volume apple crops, but this time around it appears to be more normal.
Washington Fruit Growers of Yakima, WA questions anymore what is “normal” but acknowledges this year the volume appears to large, nor is it small.
Shipments were down in 2022, but were large last season.
CMI Orchards of Wenachee, WA noted the extreme differences in volume in recent seasons, but describes this year as reaching as “sweet spot.”
Rainier Fruit of Shelah, WA notes it is no surprise there is a smaller crop this time around since last season set a record for volume.
Stemilt Growers of Wenatchee, WA notes the 124 million boxes forecast for Washington state is down 9 percent from last year’s record setter.
River Valley Fruit of Grandview, WA relates weather issues is resulting in more smaller sized apples this season, but this will be good for marketing bagged fruit.
Stemilt Growers attributes the 9 percent volume decline this season due to there being 26 percent fewer Honey Crisp. It can be biennial bearing. Honeycrisp experienced 30% volume growth year over year in 2023j.
Honeybear Brands of Brewster, WA notes some carry over of product from the 2023 but is encouraged by the good demand early in the new season.
Total U.S. grape shipments were significantly higher in late August than year-ago levels in part due to lower prices at shipping point.
California storage grapes are above of a year ago, largely because of last year’s early August rain that wiped out a significant part of the 2023 crop, notes Bari Produce of Fresno, CA.
However, with good movement the company expects supplies to continue to tighten moving into the fall. The early season heat seemed to push a few varieties up in harvest, which also leads shippers to expect to finish a little earlier than last year.
Bari Produce expects South American imports to arrive by the middle of November, which would overlap with some growers’ late season in California.
Bari Produce usually markets grapes into early November.
USDA shipment numbers for the week of Aug. 25-31 showed total U.S. grape shipments of 4.52 million 19-pound cartons (85.87 million pounds), up 15% from the same week a year ago. California provided more than 99% of all fresh grape shipments, according to the USDA, with very light volume provided by Canada, Mexico, Italy and South Korea.
Through the end of August, season-to-date domestic shipments of central California table grapes totaled 25.4 million containers (482.6 million pounds), up 20% from the same time a year ago. Total truck shipments of California domestic grape shipments in the 2023 season were 61.5 million containers (1.17 billion pounds), according to the USDA.
Export shipments of central California grapes also were way up in 2024.
The USDA reported season to date export truck shipments central California grapes were up 42% compared with a year ago, with export air shipments up 72% and export boat shipments up 4%. Altogether, central California season to date grape export shipments of 2.64 million containers (50.2 million pounds) were up 17% from 2.25 million containers (42.9 million pounds) at the same time a year ago.
Northwest pear shipments for 2024 are expected to be off due to cold damage over the winter, industry leaders say.
The USDA has predicted total Northwest pear production at 520,000 tons, down 22% from 2023.
Oregon pear production, forecast at 200,000 tons, is down 15% from last year, the forecast said; total Washington pear production, at 185,000 tons, is down 31% from 2023.
Tianna DuPont, a tree fruit extension specialist with Washington State University, said Wenatchee-area pear growers experienced cold temperatures in mid-January this year that resulted in winter damage.
In addition, she said there was winter damage from November in the previous year, which resulted in less fruiting wood compared to normal.
“We started off the season with lower-than-average crop estimates, and then we had a frost in the middle of March that has also damaged fruit with frost rings in some areas,” DuPont said. The damage is variable through the valley, but growers expect about half a crop in the Wenatchee River Valley this year, she added.
On the other hand, other pear-growing areas, such as the Yakima region, are looking good.
While it is impossible to say how winter damage could impact future production, DuPont said it will probably take a couple of years to return to average yield in the most damaged areas.
Harvest of bartlett pears had begun by Aug. 21. DuPont said pear harvest in the Wenatchee River Valley continues into October, but the shorter crop may accelerate timing.