Archive For The “Trucking Reports” Category
British Columbia blueberry shipments are taking a hit this summer due to weather factors adversely affecting quality, as well as a labor shortage.
Caution is urged when loading the fruit due to possible rain related quality issues. Shipments normally last through September.
Westberry Farms of Abbotsford, B.C. reports blueberry growers in Canada’s British Columbia are facing serious challenges as poor weather and labor shortages have created difficult conditions for harvesting.
The harvest started in mid-July and producers have struggled to salvage their fruit and maintain normal production levels. B.C. blueberry shipments are forecast down significantly from 200 million pounds in 2019. While it may be hard to predict how low volumes may end up, weather-related issues from cool and wet weather along with serious flooding in some fields along the Fraser River have made it difficult for picking machines to get out and harvest.
Fraser Berry Farms has expressed concerns about the quality of fruit from excessive rainfall.
British Columbia’s blueberry industry has more than 25,000 acres in production and demands large amounts of labor. The Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Grower’s organization, has made labor availability few and far between. A dip in the workforce of more than 50 percent – especially for handpicking – has created real problems.
While total avocado volume is small compared to Mexico, California avocado shipments for 2020 is expected to reach nearly 400 million pounds — nearly an 85 percent increase over last year.
Loadings are expected to continue into September with limited volume extending into October.
This year’s crop has benefited both from naturally being a larger crop in the alternate-bearing cycle and excellent growing conditions.
This year’s crop has benefited both from naturally being a larger crop in the alternate-bearing cycle and excellent growing conditions.
Henry Avocado Corp. of Escondido, CA has finished its avocado program in the southern part of California, but will continue to ship from the north, in August through October.
Shipments will take place in Ventura County, transition to the Santa Barbara/Goleta area and then move northeast into the Santa Maria area and as far as Morro Bay and the San Luis Obispo.
The company points out it takes longer to grow in the northern area, so they have fruit available later in the summer and into the early fall, depending on the size of the crop.
Eco Farms of Temecula, CA, report loadings to retail supermarkets made up for the company’s drop in foodservice business that resulted from restaurant closures prompted by the corona virus pandemic.
California’s avocado season actually peaks in May and June, before the official start of summer. Peak weeks for California this year were the last week of April and the first week of May. May was the biggest month for California avocado shipments.
The market needed avocados at that time because Peruvian imports were late arriving in the U.S.
Del Rey Avocado Co. Inc. of Fallbrook, CA expects Del Rey to finish its California shipments in mid-October, about a month later than most other shippers.
U.S. imports of Peruvian asparagus arrive year-round, but peak supplies are expected beginning in September and continuing through the end of the year.
Importers say volume will be flat to slightly lower, in part because of COVID-19 stresses on labor and transportation.
Crystal Valley Foods of Miami, FL imports Peruvian asparagus from Peru year-round, although it typically peaks in the fall from September/October through December.
The USDA reports the four-year volume compound annual growth for Peruvian asparagus from September through January is relatively flat at 1.6 percent.
Southern Specialties of Pompano Beach, FL is receiving lower volumes from Peru compared to the same period last year, with blame pointed at the COVID-19 virus. However, the company has seen volume pick up in August.
Through mid-July, U.S. imports of Peruvian asparagus were 28.5 million pounds, down 40 percent from 48.4 million pounds.
Alter Produce of Calexico says the actions of the Peru government related to COVID-19 could affect the flow of product the balance of the year, because there is no real clear answer. The import outlook is really up in the air depending on how the Peruvian government decides to deal with the pandemic.
But the bottom line is Peruvian growers will be forced to harvest their fields, otherwise they will miss the window before Mexico comes in with big volume in early 2021.
Wisconsin potato shipments remain light as the harvest has recently started. Good, steady volume is expected in September.
Farmers Potato Exchange of Antigo, WI started digging chip potatoes in late July and tablestock potatoes about two weeks ago.
Alsum Farms & Produce of Friesland, WI believes this may one of the best crops in years with 90 percent of the fields being average or above average for reds, gold and russets.
The company started with red and gold potatoes the last week of July and russets August 12th.
Okray Family Farms of Plover, WI reports Wisconsin’s potato production is located in the state’s 1.75 million-acre Central Sands region, which rests on deposits of sand and gravel.
Grower-shipper RPE Inc. of Bancroft, WI. expects a good potato crop, which has started on time.
Gumz Muck Farms LLC of Endeavor, WI notes potato quality is above average with good size and started harvest over a week ago.
California table grapes are in full swing for 2020 with fruit shipping a little faster than previous seasons and following slightly lower volumes in the Coachella Valley.
Grape shippers are looking at what it considers a new normal volume for 2020. The two major grape-producing regions of the state, the Coachella and San Joaquin Valleys ship 99 percent of the nation’s commercially grown table grapes.
The transition between the Coachella and San Joaquin Valleys was smooth with the demand likely a reflection of shorter volumes from the Coachella Valley and Mexico and excellent San Joaquin Valley fruit quality.
The California Table Grape Commission estimates 104.9 million 19-pound boxes will be shipped this year. This means the 2020 estimate is the same volume as was harvested in 2019.
This season there will be a few new table grape varieties, even if their availability doesn’t impact volume all that much over all. The top 15 varieties harvested in 2019 represented 75 percent of the shipments.
Grapes and stone fruit – grossing about $5400 to Chicago.
Mexican berry exports will be down from originally forecast to its leading market this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but is still expecting an increase over 2019.
National Association of Exporters of Berries (Aneberries), reports the country had expected a double digit rise in exports to North America. But in light of the pandemic, it now expects Mexico to see a 5 percent increase over last season in berry exports.
The industry currently has more than 116,000 acres of crops in 22 states and it exports over 400,000 metric tons (MT) each year, a figure that represents $2.5 billion to Mexico. However, 97.5 percent of exports are concentrated in the United States and Canada, so Mexico is looking to diversify into other markets, mainly in Asia and the Middle East.
The primary challenges to gain a foothold of these markets are logistics and commercial relationships. Berry exports must be shipped by air, especially raspberries and blackberries. However, the pandemic has interrupted intercontinental flights.
The Peruvian blueberry industry is expecting a huge 40 percent rise in exports this season to about 165,000 metric tons (MT).
The South American country overtook Chile last season becoming the world’s largest exporter of fresh blueberries, sending 120,000MT to overseas markets. The Peruvian blueberry association ProArandanos reports peak volumes were forecast for early November, when a little over 10,000MT of fruit is expected to be shipped.
Asian countries are set to receive the biggest increase in percentage terms, with exports to the region due to double over last year. Meanwhile, exports to Europe are expected to increase by 50 percent, and to the U.S. by 25 percent. Peru exports about half of its blueberry volume to the U.S., 30 percent to Europe, 15 percent to Asia and the remaining 5 percent to other countries in South America, as well as the Middle East and the Caribbean.
Peru expects to export to Taiwan for the first time this coming season, having gained market access in March. The country began its export season in May, with shipments to Brazil and Thailand.
New York apple shipments should total 30 million bushels this coming season, which would be on par with volume for the average of the last five seasons.
At Hudson River Fruit Distributors, Milton, N.Y., the company added about 25 acres of orchards in 2019 for a total of 500 acres of apples. The company has removed older varieties on 5 to 10 percent of the acreage to fuji and EverCrisp varieties, which keep growing in popularity. More gala and Pink Lady varieties continue to be planted every year.
Hudson River Fruit expects to start shipping for the 2020-21 season by mid-August — the start of the company’s 58th harvest.
Northwest potato shipments will be down this season from Oregon due to drought, and from Washington state because of too much rain. The COVID-19 virus also plays a role.
Washington and Oregon rank second and third, respectively, among the 50 states in potato production, with processing accounting for as much as 90 percent of shipments. Demand is reported strong, for both processed and fresh product.
An estimated 80 to 85 of Oregon grown spuds go to processing, and the hard hit foodservice industry has affected all potato growers in the Northwest and the nation.
Riverside Potato Inc. of Merrill, OR reports no snow pack, and a lack of rain resulting in 300,000 to 330,000 acre feet of water being cut to 140,000. The result is the company estimating it will be down 30 to 35 percent in potato acreage in the valley this season.
Riverside will ship product from 200 to 250 acres this year, compared to 550 to 580 acres a year ago.
Wong Potatoes Inc. of Klamath Falls, OR reports drought conditions were worse than any since 2006. Last season, the operation planted over 900 acres, compared to this year, which totals a little over 600 acres.
To the north in the Columbia Basin, along the Washington-Oregon border, rainfall wasn’t a problem, but acreage likely will be down, according to Potandon Produce of Idaho Falls, ID.
Overall, Potandon sees its fresh potato loadings basically being down, although volume might be up slightly in August. However, September and October, product coming out of storage will definitely be up lower.
In Northwest Washington, Valley Pride Sales of Burlington, WA has had too much rain.
The USDA says production in 2019 totaled 11.6 million pounds, compared to 11.3 million in 2018. Potatoes in storage accounted for 17 percent of 2019 production, compared to 18 percent a year earlier.
Oregon production in 2019 totaled 2.82 million pounds, compared to 3.02 million in 2019. Potatoes in storage accounted for 14 percent, unchanged from the previous year.
Northwest region potatoes remaining to be shipped out of storage on June 1, 2020, totaled 5.3 billion pounds.
June 1 potato stocks in Oregon totaled 403 million pounds. Shipments to date was 2.41 billion pounds. In Washington, June 1 potato in storage totaled 1.97 billion pounds. Loadings to date totaled 85.6 million cwt., or 9.6 billion pounds.
Nationally, the 13 major potato states held 7.5 billion pounds on June 1, 2020, down 4 percent from last year.
Potatoes in storage accounted for 16 percent of the states’ 2019 production, compared with 17 percent for a year earlier.
Potato diggings have just got underway, which is normal.
Following Labor Day, growers will be putting some product in storage and still pack out of the field. Packing out of the field continues until October 10. Potandon will finish on a Friday, packing old crop, and start a new crop Monday or Tuesday and continue on with the crop out of the field. The company then switches into storage and continues to the next July.
South Basin Packing of Gresham, OR notes the crop is coming along for shipments to retailers, although foodservice is certainly down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Norman Nelson Inc. (Double-N Potatoes) of Mount Vernon, WA reports acreage in the Skagit Valley, whose season will start around September 1, appeared to be about normal. Acreage is expected to be similar to a year ago.
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California strawberry shippers had shipped 121.8 million trays of the fruit by mid July, up from 112.2 million trays last year at the same time, but down from the 128 million trays shipped in 2018, according to the California Strawberry Commission.
Well-Pict Inc. of Watsonville, CA reports the season peaked around July 1, although plenty of berries remain.
Strawberry shipments were strong in part due to a shorter-than-usual early-season crops of some other summer fruits such as watermelons and cherries. Since then increased volume from watermelons and cherries as well as other summer fruits like peaches, plums, nectarines and grapes, strawberry are providing more competition.
Watsonville-Salinas strawberry loadings are seasonally declining and Well-Pict will pick up its new fall strawberry crop out of Oxnard from mid-September through mid-November.
Bobalu Berries of Oxnard is gearing up to kick off its fall crop from Santa Maria. The grower-shipper loads out of an area that is actually north of the main Santa Maria growing region in a coastal location similar to Salinas.
Picking should start this week and continue until early November.
Salinas Valley berries and vegetables – grossing about $5700 to Chicago.