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CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Strategically bolstering its international presence in recent years, Oppy is among the first to offer South African plums to the North American marketplace following an eight-year hiatus.
As U.S. authorities tightened import regulations for Chilean plums following pest detection in early 2021, Sila Louw, who joined the leading grower, marketer and distributor in the interim to head its South African operations, proposed complementing Oppy’s plum offerings with fruit grown on his home soil — first arriving on the East Coast in late January.
The Oppy team is reporting excellent growing conditions and crop quality this season, with supplies planned through March. Varieties already in the market include Ruby Sun, Ruby Crisp, Fortune, Black Pearl and Midnight Gold, with African Delight, Angeleno and Larry Ann to follow in the coming months.
“While we have brought grapes and citrus from South Africa for many years, it’s a particularly exciting time to dive deeper into new items with a fresh edge, allowing us to offer exclusive options to our customers,” said Oppy’s Senior Vice President of Categories and Marketing James Milne.
Continuing to bring Chilean plums to market under strict protocols, Oppy is also currently importing cherries, nectarines, peaches, blueberries and table grapes from the South American country, with apples and kiwifruit arriving soon.
“This is an excellent opportunity to further diversify across growing regions, adding complementary varieties and volumes from Chile,” added Oppy’s Vice President of South American Operations Eric Coty.
About Oppy
Growing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for more than 160 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the world’s harvest. With over 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Over the years, Oppy has introduced North Americans to a number of items across its diverse produce range, including Granny Smith, JAZZ and Envy apples, as well as green and gold kiwifruit. Go to www.oppy.com to learn more.
Avocado inspections in Michoacan, Mexico has restarted and avocado exports to the U.S. have resumed, the USDA announced February 18.
The USDA, working closely with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico’s Regional Security Officer, Mexico’s national plant protection organization (SENASICA) and the Association of Avocado Producers and Packers Exporters of Mexico, or APHIS, has enacted additional measures that enhance safety for APHIS inspectors working in the field, following a threat made to an employee on February 11, according to the release.
“The safety of USDA employees simply doing their jobs is of paramount importance,” the USDA said. “USDA is appreciative of the positive, collaborative relationship between the United States and Mexico that made resolution of this issue possible in a timely manner.”
In 2021, the U.S. imported $3.0 billion avocados globally, with $2.8 billion coming from Mexico (92%). In terms of volume, the U.S. imported 1.2 million metric tons of avocados, with 1.1 million coming from Mexico (89%). For the last full calendar year (2020) of available data, Mexico reported exports of avocados of $3.2 billion, of which 79% went to the U.S.
In 2020 and 2021, approximately 80% of the avocados exported from Michoacán went to U.S. markets. The peak growing season for Mexican avocados is January through March, while the U.S production season for avocado fruit runs from April to September.
Mexico and the U.S. will continue working together to fortify the strong bilateral supply chains that promote economic growth and prosperity in both countries.
“We are grateful that both countries have come to a resolution so that the U.S. and Mexico can continue our positive trading relationship,” the IFPA said in the statement. “IFPA looks forward to continuing to work with businesses on both sides of the border and their respective governments to continue to monitor and address these issues, so consumers can continue to enjoy uninterrupted access to fresh produce.”
Florida is expected to produce 44.5 million boxes of oranges this year, which would be the smallest since the 1944-45 season when 42.23 million boxes were produced, according to the USDA. This will be an even smaller crop than when Hurricane Irma hit Florida several years ago.
Citrus disease and poor growing conditions are the primary factors. Meanwhile, demand for orange juice, which has been declining for years, has increased during the pandemic.
The result is higher orange juice prices, and those increasing costs are expected to continue: Frozen orange juice futures have surged more than 50% during the pandemic.
The anticipated spike in orange juice prices comes as consumers are already facing inflation across multiple sectors. The US consumer price index rose 7% over the past year before seasonal adjustments, the steepest climb in prices since June 1982, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported recently.
Over the past year, food consumed at home was 6.5% more expensive while prices at restaurants rose 6%. Fruit juice and nonalcoholic drink prices have already spiked 5.7% this year, and orange juice futures are up.
Florida supplies most of the country’s orange juice, but supplies have been dwindling for years.
Over the weekend, the U.S. government suspended avocado imports from Mexico “…until further notice.”
The Associated Press reported Mexico has acknowledged the U.S. government has suspended all imports of Mexican avocados after a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threat.
The decision, confirmed late Saturday, February 11, could have a major economic impact on the Mexican avocado industry. Mexico exports nearly $3 billion of avocados a year.
The U.S. government suspended all imports of Mexican avocados “until further notice” after a U.S. plant safety inspector in Mexico received a threatening message, Mexico’s Agriculture Department said in a statement, according to the AP report. The report named avocado exports and growers as the latest victims of the drug cartel turf battles in the western state of Michoacan, the only state in Mexico fully authorized to export to the U.S. market.
“U.S. health authorities … made the decision after one of their officials, who was carrying out inspections in Uruapan, Michoacan, received a threatening message on his official cellphone,” the department wrote.
One Michoacan grower notes to reach a faster resolution of the suspension, adding more security for USDA officials may be necessary because of Mexico’s ongoing security issues.
According to AP, many avocado growers in Michoacan — where the Jalisco cartel is fighting turf wars against a collection of local gangs known as the United Cartels — say drug gangs threaten them or their family members with kidnapping or death unless they pay protection money, sometimes amounting to thousands of dollars per acre.
The U.S. Embassy, which said in a social media post that it’s “working with the Mexican government to guarantee security conditions that would allow [its] personnel in Michoacan to resume operations,” has also said that “facilitating the export of Mexican avocados to the U.S. and guaranteeing the safety of our agricultural inspection personnel go hand in hand,” the AP report said.
This is not the first time that USDA officials have been threatened with violence in Mexico, said AP, pointing to a direct threat to U.S. inspectors in the town of Ziracuaretiro in August 2019 and the killing of a Mexican employee of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on Sept. 30, 2020.
Michoacan has been exporting avocados to the U.S. for about 25 years, and commercial shipments of Mexican fresh Hass avocados from the state have been imported since 1997, according to APHIS. Michoacan is the only state currently approved to send avocados to the U.S.
The vast majority of Mexican avocados were crossing the U.S. Border into the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas
Dominican Republic Avocados
Dominican Republic Desbry® Tropical Avocados are available in ample supply for immediate shipping, which are grown and distributed by WP Produce Corporation, headquartered in Miami, FL.
The company’s tropical avocados remain green when ripe, are about three times larger than the more familiar Hass variety, have a sturdy texture, and stay fresh longer after being cut (slower to oxidize and turn brown).
Dominican Republic avocados are well-known throughout the East Coast of the U.S., as well as the Caribbean and many parts of the world. They are gaining popularity throughout the U.S. as retailers expand the avocado category and shoppers and chefs learn about it.
The impending shortage of Mexican avocados is happening during peak season for W.P. Produce’s tropical avocados.
“We grow and pack Desbry® Tropical Avocados on our sustainable farms and facilities in Florida and the Dominican Republic, depending on the season, and ship throughout North America 365 days a year,” said Christopher Gonzalez, VP of Sales for WP Produce and nephew of founder Willy Pardo.”
Founded in 1984, WP Produce is a family-owned, multi-regional grower, packer and shipper of fresh, tropical fruits and roots. WP Produce has been a pioneer in the tropical avocado market since 1992 and is now the largest importer and distributor of Dominican Tropical Avocados worldwide. With farms and partnerships with growers in Florida and the Dominican Republic, WP Produce offers a wide variety of tropical produce and root vegetables under the premium Desbry® brand.
LGS Specialty Sales, a leading importer of citrus, avocados and grapes, has started its Moroccan W. Murcotts season with a strong supply of winter mandarins available now through April 2022.
LGS of New Rochelle, NY has been supplying Mandarins from Morocco to the U.S. for over 15 years between the months of January and April, and from the Southern Hemisphere in the summer until fall. These next few months will serve as the peak of their imported window with good tasting and quality fruit.
“As the largest importer of mandarins in the U.S. out of Morocco, supplying W. Murcotts has allowed us to keep up with this ever-growing demand for easy-peelers,” said Luke Sears, president and founder of LGS Specialty Sales.
“Mandarins are known for their overall excellent quality and taste, and this season’s fruit is nothing short of that. During this time of year, we see high consumption among shoppers looking for ways to incorporate more vitamin C and citrus into their lifestyle.”
The New Zealand apple and pear season is underway with light volume and reports show optimism for the season ahead.
The pear harvest started the last week of January, with apples getting underway the last half of February. Most packers will start running Galas at the end of Feburary with peak volumes expected the first half of March.
An official estimate has yet to be released, but the industry expects to easily match the 23million cartons of apples packed in 2022.
Vanguard International of Issauah, WA reports the spring was hotter than normal with fair amounts of rains to counter any of the potential negative effects of the heat. Recent weather has been hot and dry, but starting mid-January, there was milder weather and rain that should allow trees to catch a break from the heat, stabilize, and recuperate. Sizing is expected to be one size larger than in 2021 across all varieties.
Vanguard was founded in 1991 and is a leading global vertically-integrated fresh fruit growing, packing, marketing, and sales organization with several branches located around the world.
The 2022 pre-season forecast by the California Avocado Commission of Irvine, CA projects a 306-million-pound crop, which is nearly a 15% increase over the last fiscal year.
About 80% of the California avocado season volume is expected to occur from April through August, with the season winding down starting in September. The Commission’s fiscal year runs from November 2021 through October 2022.
Market conditions will be a key factor for when California avocado growers begin harvesting; although some growers have already begun to pick. Volume is expected to ramp up in earnest around March.
California avocado growers received welcomed rains in December and January. This moved the region from severe drought to moderate drought conditions, and rain usually has a positive impact on tree health and avocado sizing.
The majority of the harvest will be the Hass variety; Lamb Hass, GEM and other varieties also are being commercially grown.
California has about 3,000 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.
The updated Florida citrus shipping forecast released by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reveals a decline.
All Oranges 44.5 Million Boxes
The 2021-2022 Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is 44.5 million boxes, down 1.50 million boxes from the December forecast. If realized, this will be 16 percent less than last season’s final production.
The forecast consists of 17.5 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, and Navel varieties) and 27.0 million boxes of Valencia oranges. A 9-year regression has been used for comparison purposes. All references to “average”, “minimum”, and “maximum” refer to the previous 10 seasons, excluding the 2017-2018 season, which was affected by Hurricane Irma. Average fruit per tree includes both regular and first late bloom.
Non-Valencia Oranges 17.5 Million Boxes
The forecast of non-Valencia production is lowered 500,000 boxes to 17.5 million boxes. Final fruit size is close to the minimum, requiring 326 pieces to fill a 90-pound box. Final droppage of non-Valencia oranges (excluding Navels) at 39 percent is close to the maximum. The Navel forecast, included in the non-Valencia forecast, is unchanged at 450,000 boxes, and is 3 percent of the
non-Valencia total.
Valencia Oranges 27.0 Million Boxes
The forecast of Valencia production is lowered 1.00 million boxes from the December forecast to 27.0 million boxes. Current fruit size is close to the minimum and is projected to be close to the minimum at harvest. Current droppage is above average and projected to be above average at harvest.
All Grapefruit 4.10 Million Boxes
The forecast of all grapefruit production is unchanged from December at 4.10 million boxes. If realized, this will be equal to last season’s final production. The red grapefruit forecast is held at 3.30 million boxes. Fruit size of red grapefruit at harvest is projected to be average, and droppage is projected to be average. The white grapefruit forecast is unchanged at 800,000 boxes. Projected fruit size of white grapefruit at harvest is above average. White grapefruit droppage is projected to be below average.
Tangerines and Tangelos 800,000 Boxes
The forecast for tangerines and tangelos is reduced 100,000 boxes from December and is now 800,000 boxes, 10 percent less than last season’s utilization of 890,000 boxes. This forecast number includes all certified tangerine and tangelo varieties.
An increase in imports of Chilean nectarines by the U.S. and Europe are expected this season. A primary reason is due to the availability of 60 to 80 count size fruit, which are popular on both continents. The high volume in these sizes of nectarines is attributed primarily to the drought in Chile.
The first varieties available are Garcica, White Royal, Magique and Boreal followed later in mid-January with all the Pearl varieties. Harvest is 10-days later this season compared to the 2021 season.
To date, the entire Chilean industry has shipped 7,400 tons, which is approximately 30% less than last year during the same period. The decrease in volumes to date has been caused by challenging weather conditions. Growers expect to be catching up in 2022 with the total expected volume shipped to be very similar to last year, with an export volume of Chilean nectarines of 70,500 tons.
Tons per market estimates look like:
• Far East: 30,000 tons
• Europe: 12,000 tons
• USA East Coast: 11,000 tons
• USA West Coast:6,500 tons
• Canada: 2,000 tons
• Latam: 9,000 tons
As seen with other commodities this year including cherries, labor costs have increased 30% – 40% in packaging and packing costs. In addition, we are seeing freight rates almost double in particular to Asian markets.
As the season is just beginning, we are hopeful the freight and labors costs decrease once the Chilean Cherry season concludes.
A growth of eight to 10 percent in Mexican berry shipments is expected in 2022, according to a study by Agroberichten Buitenland.
The industry has grown significantly in recent years and will continue to do so this year.
Half of Mexico’s berry exports come from the state of Jalisco represent the third highest volume in the country behind beer and avocados.
During the past decade, strawberry, blueberry and raspberry production has tripled from 257,000 metric tons (MT) in 2011 to 754,000MT in 2020.
The total value of Mexican berry exports has increased fivefold during that time from $516 million in 2011 to $2.4 billion in 2020.
Raspberry exports have risen especially quickly from $180 million in 2011 to $1.1 billion in 2020. The National Association of Berry Exporters expects that in 2022, the total value of raspberry exports will exceed $3 billion.
Berries are grown in 22 of the 32 states in Mexico with Michoacán, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Sinaloa and Baja California being the main producing areas.
Jalisco has some 24,710 acres of berry farms and contributes 50 percent of the total export volume. Technology is used heavily in the state and growers obtain higher yields per acre.