Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
Another record-breaking year of exports is expected in 2021 as
New Zealand kicks off its kiwifruit season.
Last year’s record of 157 million trays of export Green and Gold is expected to be topped, reports New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated.
The Gold variety is usually picked first, followed by Green kiwifruit in late March. Harvest peaks in mid-April and runs through until June.
Following the Green and Gold kiwifruit, Zespri’s sweet, the berry-tinged tasting Red kiwifruit, which goes primarily to supermarkets in New Zealand, will be exported to some overseas markets this year.
New Zealand has some 2,800 growers who produce kiwifruit across more than 32,000 acres of orchards between Kerikeri in the north and Motueka in the south.
Volume with Mexican produce crossings at Nogales set a record in February and it should only increase in the coming weeks.
Ciruli Bros. of Rio Rico, AZ is shipping bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, some hot pepper varieties and tomatoes from the West Mexico growing region. The company says crossings at the border during February has set a record for volume.
The shipper also has launched its Champagne mango program a little earlier this year from Oaxaca, Chiapas and Michoacán. Volume is steady and the company hopes to keep this momentum for the next four months.
At MAS Melons & Grapes in Rio Rico, Ariz., it will continue with core items including several varieties of table grapes, honeydew melons, seedless watermelons.
The shipper also is increasing its volumes on soft squashes such as Italian, yellow and gray, as well as on cucumbers and hard squashes, mainly kabocha, butternut and spaghettis.
The company also is producing a new variety of melons it’s calling Orange Candy. The variety has bright yellow skin with light orange flesh.
Fresh Farms of Rio Rico, Ariz., is loading a wide array of dry vegetables, with increased volumes in varietal corn, green beans and watermelon.
The company will have increased volume of green and red grape varieties from the Jalisco growing region, which has been under development for several years. Jalisco grapes will enter the marketplace around Mid-March and ship to the end of April.
The early grapes are experiencing very strong demand from retailers. The early grapes from Mexico are especially well-timed this year, when Chile is expected to struggle with late season quality.
Grapes from the major production area in Sonora, Mexico, about 800 miles to the north of Jalisco, typically begin in early May. However, the Sonora harvest could be slightly later this year because of cooler weather there.
Orlando, Florida – The National Mango Board (NMB) projects the total volume of mangos shipped to the United States over the next two months to be 34 percent higher year-over-year. The 2021 Guatemalan season is expected to be about 40 percent higher year-over-year compared to 2020, which was cut short due to COVID-19.
The Guatemalan mango season began the last week of February and is expected to run until the first week of June, with a projection of approximately 4 million boxes. The 2020 season was cut about four weeks short due to the pandemic, resulting in 2.8 million boxes, or about 20 percent less volume than projected. From 2015 to 2019, the average shipment from Guatemala was about 3.8 million boxes.
“We usually see numbers around 4 million total boxes for Guatemala in any given season,” said NMB Executive Director Manuel Michel. “Since the 2020 season was impacted by COVID-19, it will obviously have an effect on year-over-year numbers, but when looking at the averages, our 2021 projection of 4 million boxes is very much comparable to what we usually see.”
Peru and Mexico are currently harvesting, packing, and exporting. The Peruvian season is projected to be about 6 percent lower year-over-year, while the Mexican season (through the end of June) is expected to be about 14 percent higher year-over-year. Mexico’s 2020 mango shipments were also affected by the pandemic during the months of March and April, but the 2021 mango volumes during the same period are projected to be normal when compared to prior years.
“We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about mango crop projections and shipment information to subscribe to the weekly Mango Crop Report via our website, Mango.org,” Manuel said.
Mission Produce, Inc. of Oxnard, CA (NASDAQ:AVO), a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, has announced a year-round mango program.
“We’re entering the mango category as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago– in a way it never has been done before,” Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Mission Produce, said. “Mangos offer a long runway with a lot of opportunity– as the number one consumed fruit in the world, adding mangos to our portfolio is a natural addition as we expand our footprint worldwide, without losing focus on avocados.”
“We are in a prime position for market expansion– Mission currently owns 740 acres of mangos in Peru and is on track to source additional fruit from other premier growing regions,” Stephen Fink, Vice President of North American Sales, said.
A 10% increase in Peruvian avocado exports for the 2021 season are estimated compared to last year.
The Peruvian avocado shipping season is from May through August.
A new report recently released by the USDA forecasts export volume will reach 450,000 metric tons (MT) in 2021, increasing 10 percent by volume compared to the previous year.
Avocado exports already increased 30 percent in 2020, in comparison to 2019, reaching a record of over 410,000 MT.
Although Peru’s avocado exports to the world increased in 2020, exports to the U.S. fell 22 percent by value and 9% by volume to $179 million and 78,665 MT.
International avocado prices in 2020 fell to US mainly due to oversupply.
This change was mostly driven by better pricing in other markets, however, the U.S. still made up 19 percent of total avocado exports last year.
Chilean rains hitting the central-southern zone of Chile have had widespread impacts, including damage to numerous fruit crops. However, the citrus industry appears to have been unaffected and is in fact forecasting a rise in exports in 2021 over the previous season.
Crispagold, a citrus and avocado reports on the industry’s export projections and its plans to increase its share of international markets such as China.
This year’s estimates show nearly a 20 percent growth, including at least four million boxes of clementines in the industry.
In 2020, the Chilean citrus industry had a decrease in orange volumes of 5.8 million boxes versus 6.5 million the previous year. This year 15 percent more fruit is seen, which would reach the same level as 2019, over 6 million boxes as an industry.
The U.S. will import 85 and 90 percent of Chile’s clementines and oranges respectively. The U.S. imports 50 to 60 percent of Chilean lemons, with 40 to 50 percent going to Japan and Korea.
Each year Chile exports about 550,000 boxes of oranges, 180,000 boxes of mandarins, 120,000 boxes of clementines, and 35,000 boxes of lemons.
Total imported mango volume by the U.S. over the next two months is expected to be 37 percent higher than last year.
The National Mango Board reports Peruvian mangoes for the 2020-21 season is projected to be about 6 percent less than a year ago. However, two other key origins are expecting increases.
The 2021 Mexican season up to the week of June 12th is projected to be about 15 percent higher than last year.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Guatemalan season is projected to be about 40 percent higher than last season.
Peru and Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca & Michoacán) are currently harvesting and packing, while Guatemala is getting ready to start its season.
There are currently two main mango varieties available in the market: Kent (75 percent) and Ataulfo/Honey (17 percent). There are also limited supplies of Tommy Atkins and Haden.
California avocado loadings will be 8 percent less for the 2020-21 season and stand at 292 million pounds, compared to a pre-season crop estimate by the California Avocado Commission. This still would be considered an average size crop.
Fall and winter weather events including heavy winds resulted in the slight forecast change, with the reduction occurring in the pre-season months.
The California avocado peak shipping season starts in late April and continues through August, with available volume before and after the peak period.
Following a week of freezing temperatures, vegetable and
citrus farmers across Texas are assessing the, with widespread losses.
During the weekend of February 19-29, Texas Citrus Mutual, reports losing
55% of grapefruit crops because of the freeze. Grapefruit and other Crops in
Rio Grande Valley were devastated by the arctic blast, with citrus industry
losses estimated to be at least $300 million.
Out of more than 40 vegetable crops grown in the southern Rio Grande Valley,
only three are hopeful to survive, onions, cabbage, and potatoes.
Most South Texas citrus is shipped from September through May. However, the
reason this season is wiped out, and little to no citrus production will occur
during the 2021-2022 season.
There has been long-term damage due to the ice storm, which resulted in
numerous trees dying or being seriously damaged.
Grapefruit will be affected most because Texas is an important supplier.
Oranges are now a big a crop in Texas and are primarily grown in Florida and
California.
There
also was 200 or so acres of lemons and limes produced in the Rio Grande Valley
which were completely destroyed
International grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries, Wish Farms, headquartered in Plant City FL, is pleased to announce that it has established a growing operation in Oxnard, CA.
“This is a move that aligns well with our strategy of smart, controlled growth,” said James Peterson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
With its first season in Oxnard underway, Wish Farms began harvesting strawberries mid-January and expects volume to flow into May.
Darwin Reich, Director of California Operations: “The Frontera will be our exclusive variety for Oxnard. Quality and volume has proven favorable and in-line with our expectations.”
With this addition, the company now has operations in the three major strawberry growing regions of California: Salinas, Santa Maria and Oxnard.
Peterson: “By expanding our footprint to this third region, it solidifies our position as a California grower, streamlines supply and opens the door for a more consistent brand presence west of the Mississippi.”
About Wish Farms
Founded in 1922, Wish Farms is a fourth-generation, family operated company. As a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, it grows both conventional and organic varieties.
Chilean grapes will be down 25 percent this season following damaging rains a few weeks ago, according to importer/exporter Vanguard Direct, LLC. of Issaquah, WA.
If this estimate is correct it would be 10 percent less than the 35 percent estimated two weeks ago by the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association.
Expectations are now for exports of 65 million boxes, compared to original forecasts of 85 million boxes, with mid-season varieties most heavily damaged.
The development comes during the first season in years in which Chile was expecting an increase over the previous season in its total grape volume.
Peru
The situation is very different in Peru, which by week 5 had shipped 48 million boxes, 12 million more than at the same time in the 2019-20 season.
Peru is now projecting a total crop of 52-54 million boxes representing a 12 percent increase.
Vanguard points out 16 million boxes of Peruvian green seedless grapes have been shipped season to date, which is up 31% over last season. Sweet Globes are up 48% more than last season representing 60% of the total green seedless. The green seedless variety showing the largest decrease from last year has been Sugraone with 30% less shipments than last year.
Meanwhile, 12 million boxes of Peruvian red seedless have been shipped season to date, which is up 13% over last season. The varieties with the most significant increases are Allison Reds at 141% and Sweet Celebrations with an increase of 51%.
Ica has shipped thus far 14 million boxes of table grapes and is predicted to ship approximately an additional 12 million boxes over February and March. Overall, the Ica crop is down 2%.
Vanguard notes Peru and Chilean grape demand is strong in Mexico, and increasing in Canada, the U.S., and Asia with California completing its storage season.
It’s been extremely difficult to get containers in and out of port due to congestion and delays.