Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Southeast berry grower-shippers are expecting good-quality blueberries and blackberries this spring with decent volume.
Florida Classic Growers, Dundee, FL., is primarily a citrus shipper but added blueberries and peaches to its product line about 10 years ago.
The company produces four kinds of blueberries in the Polk County region in the central part of the state. Some varieties kick off early, while others come on later in the season, providing the company with berries from mid-March until around early May. Volume similar to last year is expected.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami anticipates a good crop of blueberries and blackberries this season. The operation sources its Southeast berries from Alabama and Georgia. Southeast blueberries will start shipping at the beginning of April, and blackberries will get underway in June.
Crystal Valley Foods expects to have increased volume on Southeast blueberries compared to last year, and blackberry volume should be similar to previous years.
Naturipe Farms of Salinas, CA reports the start of it blueberries and blackberries from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina will be a bit later this year due to weather factors. Volume is expected to be up from a year when there was significant damage in Georgia due to frost.
Fresh Farms of Rio Rico, AZ who also grows produce in Mexico is increasing its grape volume by one million cartons this year.
The grower/shipper has a wide range of fruits and vegetables with year-round availability. The firm also produces conventional and organic produce.
The company is growing its grape volume both in Jalisco and Sonora.
Jalisco volume will start in late March with a green grape harvest. Total Mexican grape volume for the company should be nearly 6.5 million cartons in 2023, up about a million cartons from a year ago.
Most of that volume is in newer varieties, such as Cotton Candy, Candy Snaps, Candy Hears, Candy Dreams, Sweet Globes, Sapphires and more.
Fresh Farms also has soft and hard squashes, green peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, corn, watermelon and other items.
The company is growing its melons category dramatically due to increasing demand.
For all of its commodities the operation is seeking to expand availability. Last year the company shipped over 12 million boxes of produce, up from about 2.8 million boxes in 2009.
A 9.7% decrease from last season in table grape shipments is forecast by
Chile’s Association of Fruit Exporters (ASOEX) .
ASOEX reports the fifth estimate of the Table Grape Committee projects a significant increase in shipments of new varieties.
Shipments are expected to reach 67.1 million boxes of 8.2 kilos. This is a 9.7% drop compared to the 2021-2022 season, and a slight decrease with respect to the Committee’s fourth estimate of almost 1%.
The industry is optimistic about quality due in large part to new varieties, totalling 54% of total grape shipments for the upcoming season.
The new forecast exports predicts 67.1 million boxes. Of this amount, 36 million boxes will be of new varieties, while 19.5 million boxes will consist of traditional varieties.
The Chilean table grape industry is changing, which is highlighted this season, with the production increase of new varieties and improving quality.
In the 2012-2013 season, Chile exported more than 27 million boxes of Red Globe grapes and traditional grapes reached 75.6 million boxes. While in the same period, new varieties accounted for only 1.8 million boxes.
In the case of new red varieties, exports are expected to reach 18.4 million cases, including Timco, Allison, Sweet Celebration, Scarlotta Seedless, Arra 29, Jack Salute, Candy Hearts, and Ralli Seedless.
New white grapes are expected to ship 13.6 million cases, including Arra 15, Timpson, Sweet Globe, Autumn Crisp, Blanc Seedless and Cotton Candy.
Meanwhile, exports of new black grape varieties are expected to total 4.4 million cases, including Sweet Flavors, Sable Seedless, Sapphire, Maylen and Midnight Beauty.
The Peruvian avocado industry is looking to export an estimated 624,000 tons of the fruit in the 2023 season, an increase of nearly 13 percent, according to the Peruvian Association of Hass Avocado Producers (ProHass).
Despite political turmoil in Peru the last days of 2022, the industry managed to meet the estimates for the end of the season, recording only a delay in shipments due to the influence of La Nina on crops.
The growth in avocado production is the result of the investments the industry has made in previous years. Additionally, a significant number of trees that have reached maturity, boosting the current season’s production.
ProHass expects the huge U.S. market to have enormous potential for Peru.
The U.S. is close in proximity, although, Mexico’s closeness allows it to have the product on shelves practically two days after harvesting. This makes it a very challenging market for Peruvian avocados. However, ProHass points out its product has been well received during Mexico’s off months, from May to July, which is the peak for Peru.
Chile is also a natural market for Peruvian avocado, representing 10-15% of all exports.
This year in particular Chile has little production, so ProHass estimates 15 and 20% of its product will be exported to Chile.
Florida blueberry shipments got underway with limited volume in late February, but more consistent, heavier loadings are taking place moving further into March. Shipments will continue into May with peak loadings occurring in April.
Florida is expecting a 20 million pound crop during the peak six to eight-week timeframe.
This is a similar volume compared to last year, however, since so many new varieties are being planted, the current volume will consist of better genetic fruit.
The Peruvian season, which ended in December, had high-quality fruit, contrary to the Chilean fruit which is currently supplying the market For this reason, buyers are eager to get into the domestic volume as soon as possible.
H&A Farms of Mount Dora, FL reports the big growth of the blueberry industry in the southeast industry came between 2007 and 2013 with all the original varieties. However, those plants are aging out, causing a huge demand for new plants to go into the ground.
Now there are many new high-quality proprietary genetics going into the ground. An estimated 70% of all the acreage in the southeast was planted during a seven-year period of time and those plants are becoming less productive, and now it’s time to replant them.
Hill believes that growers that don’t replant with new varieties and don’t commit to the long term will go out of business.
The number of growers has already decreased by more than half in Florida, and it will keep going down over the next 10 to 15 years.
Those 20 to 30 growers remaining are increasing their acreage with better genetics to compete on the quality side.
Freska Produce International, LLC, of Oxnard, CA recently started harvesting, packing and shipping Mexican mangos in Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico.
Harvested started in late January with large-sized Ataulfo “Honey” Mangos out of Chiapas. A plentiful supply will also come out of Oaxaca with more medium to smaller fruit.
A week or so ago the marketer began harvesting Red Mango Tommy Akins Variety out of Oaxaca. With the opening of Mexican Mango Season, Freska will supply customers with mangos both organic and conventional all the way through September.
The company claims to be one of the top one or two importers of mangoes from Mexico.
Mexico is a major player in the mango market, last year it produced 65 million lbs. of mangos for the US Market an increase of 12% over the previous year.
Freska Produce reports it will increase volume 30% over last year with a combination of a brand-new pack house that came on line first part of February along with added production from new groves coming into production.
USDA estimates harvested acreage in the U.S. for 2022 at 902,200 acres. That’s down from 935,700 in 2021, which itself had fewer shipments.
Many U.S. potato grower-shippers in 2023 are stretching their volume to last through the season.
Th Idaho Potato Commission of Eagle Idaho notes growers are shipping less in attempting to have supplies last through June and July.
O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc., Crystal, N.D. has an excellent crop this season of which 65% are red potatoes, but wishes it had more, especially with the strong demand and markets.
NoKota Packers Inc., Buxton, N.D., also reports a good crop, but would certainly like to have bigger volume this season.
Wada Farms Marketing Group, Idaho Falls, Idaho reports a good quality crop, but is bee care to be sure and manage it effectively to make supplies last throughout the storage season.
J.G. Hall & Sons of Hoople, ND reports a great crop this season with their storage bins being full.
Chilean citrus production and exports should bounce back in a big way in 2023, a new USDA report predicts. Exports plummeted last season due to frost.
U.S. imports of Chilean citrus peak from May through November. Between November 2021 through October 2022, U.S. imports of Chilean citrus were valued at $328.5 million, down about 20% from the same period the previous year, USDA trade statistics reveal.
Chilean citrus yields in 2022 decreased due to frost during the winter in the Valparaíso, Metropolitana and O’Higgins regions. Because of the frost, the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Santiago office estimated lemon production at 140,000 metric tons in the 2022 marketing season, down 30% from the previous season.
For 2023, the USDA report said Chilean lemon production should bounce back to 200,000 metric tons, assuming normal yields. Lemon acreage is estimated at 21,000 in Chile in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022 and up more than 40% from 2016.
In 2023, Chilean exports of lemons are expected to reach 100,000 metric tons, up from 60,000 metric tons in 2022. The lemon marketing year starts April, with the bulk of exports taking place between June and September. The U.S. is the top market for Chilean lemons, taking about 65,682 metric tons in 2021, or about 65% of total Chilean lemon exports.
Chilean orange production for 2023 will increase to 200,000 metric tons, up 22% from 164,000 metric tons in 2022, according to the report.
The report estimates Chilean orange planted area at 15,814 acres in 2023, up 0.5% from 2022. Central Chile is the main growing region for oranges, with the Metropolitana region accounting for 39.3% of the orange area planted and the O’Higgins region representing 31% of the orange area.
Chilean orange exports will reach total 105,000 metric tons in 2023, according to the report, up more than 20% from 2022, the report said. Chile’s orange marketing years starts in April, with the bulk of fruit shipped between July and September, the report said. The U.S. is the main export destination for Chilean oranges, the report said.
Mandarin citrus production in Chile will jump 39.4% in 2023 to 237,000 metric tons, according to the report. The planted area for mandarins was estimated at close to 33,400 acres in 2023, up from 27,600 acres in 2022.
IRVINE, Calif. – The California Avocado Commission estimate shipments of 257 million pounds of avocados, which is a slight decrease compared to the 2021-22 season crop volume of 276 million pounds.
“The recent California rainfall has been welcomed by our growers throughout all districts,” said Jeff Oberman, president of CAC. “Growers have related increased sizing and crucial replenishing of water sources, during my recent visits to all production regions. We do not yet know if there will be any change to the expected harvest timing, however excitement is building from our retail partners for the kick-off of the California season.”
Weather and market conditions will be key factors for when California avocado growers begin harvesting and some growers may delay picking to allow their avocados time to increase in size.
California avocado volume is expected to begin ramping up around March, with peak availability from April through July then tapering off through Labor Day.
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. California has about 3,000 avocado growers.
The majority of California avocado shipments are to destinations west of the Rocky Mountains.
Ciruli Bros. LLC, of Rio Rico, AZ reports winter vegetable movement and volume well below what it has been used to due to colder than normal weather.
However, they seem to be turning the corner with Mexico finally experiencing temperatures in the high 80s and 90s, which should really accelerate production.
Historically, Mexico doesn’t have freezes after Valentine’s Day, so the time has arrived for the Mexican spring season to surge.
For Ash Wednesday (February 22) eggplant shipments are expected to soar. The company expects new sets of cucumbers and zucchini will be coming into production resulting in good loadings for the spring.