Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Zespri’s 2022 export program is underway, with the first 1.15 million trays of kiwifruit now on their way to Japan.
The MV Solent Star is the first of a planned 72 ships set to deliver a crop estimated to be over 190 million trays (or 680,000 MT) of fruit to Zespri’s global markets, according to a company statement.
Zespri Chief Global Supply Officer Alastair Hulbert said that “demand for Zespri Kiwifruit is incredibly strong across our global markets and this season we’re expecting another large and great-tasting crop of fruit,”
“We’re looking at exporting more than 115 million trays of SunGold kiwifruit and around 70 million trays of Green in 2022, and this season also marks our first commercial volumes of Zespri RubyRed kiwifruit which will be available to consumers in New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and China,” he added.
While global demand for kiwifruit remains strong, the industry is facing a number of headwinds this season given the ongoing impact COVID-19 is having on labor availability.
Port congestion is a matter that has company officials on alert, the statement said.
In total, Zespri expects to undertake four charter sailings to North Europe, 12 to the Mediterranean, six to the US West Coast and 50 to Zespri’s Asian markets, and to send around 20,000 containers of kiwifruit this season.
“The continued use of charter vessels will be important in our ability to avoid much of the congestion we’re seeing at container ports, and we’re also looking at new options this season such as partnering with T&G Global to co-ship fruit to North America,” Hulbert said.
The first shipment under these conditions is expected for April.
The 2022 season has the potential to be another record-breaking year with more kiwifruit produced than ever before. A forecast of at least 190 million trays will need to be harvested, overtaking last year’s record of over 177 million trays. On average, each tray has around 30 pieces of kiwifruit.
California navel orange shipments as winding down, although loadings are expected through the end of May.
Markon Cooperative Inc. of Salinas, CA reports supplies of smaller sizes (113s and 138s) are tightening, with elevated prices expected for the remainder of the navel season.
Valencias
- California’s Valencia harvest will begin around the first week of May and run through September
- Expect stocks to be dominated by larger 72- and 88-count sizes
Navels
- California Navels are expected to ship through the end of May
- Small sizes (113- and 138-count fruit) are diminishing as the crop matures. Quality and taste are exceptional Southern San Joaquin Valley oranges and other citrus – grossing about $9000 to New York City.
The Flavor Tree Fruit Company of Hanford, CA., is gearing up for good volume cherry shipments this season. Peak loadings will occur in May.
The company reports there have been ideal growing conditions in California in all of its cherry-growing regions.
Although the business doesn’t see the high yields of a year ago, it expects larger sized fruit. That still should translate into good volume overall.
The Flavor Tree Fruit Company has been preplaning as much as possible in all areas of logistics. This includes earlier than normal ordering of packaging and materials months in advance of the season before it was even know how big the crop would be.
The company also expressed concern over the availability of transportation during the season due to skyrocketing diesel fuel prices, etc.
Stemilt Growers LLC, headquartered in Wenatchee, Wash. kicks off its domestic cherry season in the Golden State and operates as Chinchiolo Stemilt California, which has a cherry-packing facility located in Stockton, CA. The company’s cherries are grown in both new and established districts in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
The company holds a unique position in the cherry industry, boasting the longest cherry season.
Stemilt expects to harvest cherries in late April, with good volume in early May. Peak volumes should run for three consecutive weeks beginning around May 9 through Memorial Day.
The company is looking forward to the possibilities of more 5 River Islands cherries from the Delta region in California.
With Florida spring vegetable shipments to peak later this month, Florida blueberry shipments are already there.
Florida’s blueberry harvest is in full swing and state officials estimate acreage at 5,200 and production near 20 million pounds.
Blueberries grow throughout the state of Florida, primarily from Hendry County in the south to Alachua and Putnam counties in the north, Doug Phillips, University of Florida’s blueberry extension coordinator, said in a news release. “There are some rabbit eye blueberries grown in the Florida Panhandle, mostly on smaller farms with U-pick operations,” he said. “Most blueberries grow in central Florida, although there is significant acreage in both the north-central and south-central regions.”
Florida has the first U.S.-produced blueberries to reach the domestic market in early spring. Harvest generally begins in March in the south-central and central regions and continues through early May, when market prices decline. Phillips said the state’s market window is when prices are typically the highest, which is an advantage for Florida growers. The state ranks eighth in the U.S. in terms of utilized blueberry production.
“We are not very large, but we do produce the first fresh fruit of the country and that makes us very relevant,” Phillips said.
Shipments of Chilean table grapes and other fruits do not have sufficient coverage from shipping lines to reach the United States market at the height of its growing season.
According to a statement from the Chilean fruit growers association Fedefruta, a lack of cargo space for fresh fruit in the Valparaiso port is generating the problem.
Fedefruta president Jorge Valenzuela said that growers are asking that “for these two weeks they give us space with cold storage that can operate with greater frequency”. The timeframe is particularly tight since “we are looking at the last shipments before the marketing order takes effect in the United States”.
The scenario is affecting table grapes to the greatest extent, as they are subject to market controls in April, and also when the industry is harvesting at its highest level.
“We are talking about a very perishable product, and this dictates the timeframe for when it is harvested, packed and transported. We thought that the fruit would have shipping priority in these weeks of the year:, Valenzuela added.
He also called on the port operators, TPS and TPV, to make greater commitments in future seasons to offer conditions that allow the industry to return to the full shipping capacity required to export this crop.
While table grapes have the biggest impact, stone fruit and the last of blueberry shipments from the central growing regions are also impacted. Valenzuela said that the weekly shipping frequency is about half of what it used to be, which “is having an important affect on most table grape growers that depend on these weeks to get their product to the North American market”.
The statement clarified that this issue is independent from delays in arriving to the market, which have also led to problems in meeting commitments with the supply chain to the north.
He also said that there must be an understanding that fruit must ship in a certain timeframe, despite that the ports are under high pressure to receive imported goods and products which are exported year round.
Texas onion shipments are underway with spring underway, just in time as Northwest storage onions are running low on supplies.
In fact Northwest storage shipments are expected to finish the season sooner than normal. Washington state onion loadings should be finished in early April, instead of lasting through May.
Texas yellow onions are in good supply, along with red onions from the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Idaho/Oregon onion shipments will continue into April, although some suppliers have completed their season. Stocks typically ship into May.
California onions will be available from the Imperial Valley beginning the week of April 18.
New Mexico onion shipments will open in early June.
Keystone Fruit Marketing based in Greencastle, PA. will start Vidalia onions April 12th and Walla Walla, WA onions in June.
Texas and Mexican onions – grossing about $5000 to Chicago.
Murrieta, CA – With California avocado season officially underway, West Pak Avocado, a California-based avocado supplier, saw record volume in February.
“Between a later big game this year and the week-long hiccup in supply from Mexico, California fruit saw a record 10.2 percent market share in February,” said Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Doug Meyer. “At this point, over 10 percent of the California fruit for the season has been harvested, which is typically only a few percent by the end of February.”
Early preseason forecasts by the California Avocado Commission (CAC) project a 15 percent increase in volume over 2021 with a 306-million-pound crop in 2022, with the Hass variety making up the majority of the harvest. Most of the California avocado season volume is expected to occur from mid-April through mid-July, with the season winding down during the months of August, September, and October.
West Pak is looking to have a good variety of sizes by mid to late April, which is when the company typically sees the first major uptick in harvest volume of locally-grown avocados in preparation for Cinco de Mayo (May5th).
For 2021, the Hass Avocado Board lists the volume of California avocados at nearly 251.6 million pounds, which is just under 9 percent of the almost 3 billion pounds total incoming volume of avocados arriving in the U.S. market from all suppliers.
California has nearly 3,000 commercial avocado growers and according to Rabo Research, per capita consumption of avocados in the U.S. currently stands at 9 pounds but could surpass 11 pounds by 2026.
West Pak Avocado is a family owned and operated company that has been growing, packing, shipping, and distributing premium avocados for nearly 40 years.
Mas Melons and Grapes of Rio Rico, AZ has spring shipments of honeydew, seedless watermelon, orange candy melons and hard squash. The company also ships a broad variety of table grapes, including early sweets, sweet celebrations, sweet globes, Ivory, perlette, sugraone, flame and some other new late reds.
The fruit and vegetable shipper has over 25 years of experience in the industry and its core items are melons and grapes. This also will be the first time for handling spring hard squash.
Mas has just wrapped up its winter season and is transitioning to northern Mexico for the start of its busy season in early April. This is when the company offers all of its commodities.
The shipper’s seedless watermelon and table grape programs will be in peak volume following ideal growing conditions last winter. It will be loading trucks with both cartons and bins of seedless watermelon and a whole lineup of table grapes through spring and summer. Honeydew and orange candy melons should have supply until early July.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced April 12th as the official pack date for the 2022 Vidalia onion season. Shipments can begin that day.
“In the 2022 season, approximately 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions were planted by 60 registered farmers across 20 southeastern Georgia counties,” said VOC Chairman Cliff Riner. “Representing about 40% of the sweet onion market across America, Vidalia onions are sold in all 50 states and most of Canada.”
Originally discovered by accident in the 1930s during the Great Depression, Vidalia onions have grown to be considered as a favorite across America. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 granted the trademark of the name “Vidalia onions” and defined the growing region in South Georgia. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.
Only available for a limited time each year, Vidalia onions hitting grocery store shelves often signals spring has sprung for fans near and far from the onions’ home state of Georgia. The pack date is determined by growing season soil and weather conditions to ensure the highest quality Vidalia onions. The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel unanimously voted April 12th as the 2022 pack date.
The pack date rings in the start of the Vidalia onion season, where shoppers can get their hands on the famous seasonal treat between April to August. Known for their sweet, mild flavor, these onions compliment any dish – from soups to salads and even desserts.
Shuman Farms of Reidsville, GA reports collectively with its family of farms, it grows, packs, and ships 2,200 acres of Vidalia onions in a roughly 10,000-acre industry.
The company notes this year’s crop has good quality with a variety of sizing available. Shuman Farms is a year-round grower, packer, and shipper of premium sweet onions from Vidalia, Peru, and Texas.
California Giant Berry Farms is expecting big volumes of a full berry patch led by the vigorous Florida and Southern California strawberry shipments.
“Florida strawberries are currently hitting their peak. We’re seeing a week-over-week increase in top quality fruit, and we’re expecting solid volumes out of Florida through late March,” said J.T. Tipton district manager at California Giant Berry Farms.
“Simultaneously, mild winter weather conditions, coupled with healthy plants have pushed our Southern California strawberry supply about 15% ahead of where it was last year at the same time.”
However, Tipton echoes industry-wide challenges that have plagued produce since the start of the pandemic. Inflation, labor issues and logistics are still problematic, despite Florida peaking and Southern California’s peak volumes being on the horizon.
“We’re anticipating peak volumes out of Oxnard to start in late March and throughout April. Santa Maria is not far behind with their peaks anticipated in April throughout May,” he said.
Watsonville and Salinas started harvesting in early March and is expected to hit its peak in June. Overall, very strong volume in is expected in May.
For California Giant Berry Farms’ director of bushberry supply, Markus Duran, the optimistic outlook is shared.
The Florida blueberry season is just getting underway a potential loss of 10-15% looming. However, the company still expects a strong domestic blueberry season.
Additionally, California Giant Berry Farm’s Oxnard organics program has increased production every week since the beginning of December, with its peak strategically planned earlier than ever, perfect for meeting ever-growing consumer demand for stateside blueberries. Peak volumes out of Oxnard will occur from mid-March through May.
For the remaining berry patch — raspberries and blackberries — positivity is shared. California Giant’s acreage of bush berries has increased across the board, making a consistent supply of exceptional fruit available year-round.