Posts Tagged “asparagus shipments”
Here’s a look at loading opportunities for two favorite St. Patrick’s Day vegetables. We also take a look at Yuma vegetable shipments, and California asparagus.
Cabbage and potato volume should be very good for shipments leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, which is March 17th.
South Florida cabbage shipments have started and will be in good volume heading into March. Shipments will continue through May.
Potato Shipments
There will be plenty of spuds available for the holiday with new crops of red potatoes and white potatoes from South Florida as well as late season storage red potatoes from the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota. Idaho continues to heavily ship russet potatoes, but reds and whites are an Irish favorite.
Yuma Vegetable Shipments
Winter Yuma vegetables shipments are always a roll of the dice and this season seems no different, except maybe the issues are different. Many of the same shippers out of Salinas also farm in Yuma, AZ. In Salinas they are used to dealing with mildew. The problem is rare in the desert, but has been a major problem this season, especially with head lettuce and romaine. Mildew is caused by rain, warm temperatures and humidity. The result has been a lot of fields have been disced.
The result will be lighter volume for the last month or so with Yuma vegetable shipments. There’s also growing concerns with Yuma tending to finish up a few weeks early, that Salinas may get off to a slow start this season and there could be major shipping gaps from late March, through April and perhaps into May.
Yuma vegetable shipments – grossing about $3800 to Chicago.
Asparagus Shipments
California asparagus shipments should get underway in early to mid-March, from the Stockton-Delta area. It is estimated the state has 9,000 to 10,000 acres of “grass” and volume is expected to be similar to last season. There also is good news in that water supplies have improved a lot over a year ago with reservoirs continuing to rise.
Asparagus shipments typically get a boost from the Easter observance (April 16th), which is one of the most popular times of year for the vegetable.
Last week in our report on the growing volume from Mexico with many vegetables, we noted it often comes at the expense of California. An excellent example of this is labor costs.
California’s minimum wage is headed to $15 per hour by 2023. A new law also requires agricultural workers to be paid overtime after eight hours, down from 10 hours previously. Asparagus is cut by hand and is one of the most labor intensive crops in the produce industry.
Here’s a shipping update that includes New Jersey vegetables to Georgia onions and avocados from California and Mexico.
Cool spring weather in New Jersey has led to a slow start with vegetables, but warmer weather is resulting in progress. For example, asparagus shipments have been about one-half of what there were this time a year ago – only about 6,000 cartons a week. Asparagus loadings should continue through June.
Over 100 different New Jersey fruits and vegetables are shipping from spring to fall. Among the leading items in the weeks and months ahead are lettuces, parsley, leafy and cilantro, in addition to asparagus. There’s also vegetables ranging from lettuces, to parsley, leafy greens and cilantro.
How availability of peaches will be is still up in the air due to some adverse growing conditions, but initial reports indicate volume will be down this year. Likewise, blueberry volume is still too early to predict, although it sounds as if Jersey “blues” may fare better than peaches.
Much of New Jersey’s produce shipments originate from Southern areas of the state such as Cedarville, Hammonton, and Buena.
Vidalia Onion Shipments
Many are calling the Vidalia sweet onion crop the best in decades. Fresh shipping have been completed and storages in Southeastern Georgia are reported full. Onion shipments from storage should continue through August.
Vidalia onion shipments – grossing about $2800 to New York City.
Avocado Shipments
In late May, those California growers were sending about 18 million pounds per week to the market. Mexico was around 30 million pounds and expected to drop to closer to 25 million pounds per week for much of June. He expects California production to peak at around 19 million to 20 million pounds and stay in that arena through maybe mid-June.
In July, Calavo has estimated that California’s production will drop into the 15 million-pounds-per-week level and August will see a further decline.
By around May 20, California had shipped close to 40 percent of its estimated 2016 volume of 390 million pounds. Another 100 million pounds should be shipped by the end of June, leaving a very manageable volume for the final few months of the season.
Southern California avocados – grossing about $6700 to New York City.
A number of states are just getting underway with spring produce shipments, plus we through in some updates on a few that have been shipping all along.
Cherry Shipments
California cherry shipments have been underway for a week or more out of the San Joaquin Valley. Good volume is expected next week (May 2-6). Good loading opportunities will continue for several weeks, before being replaced by shipments out of the Yakima Valley in Washington state.
Asparagus Shipments
Asparagus loadings from three separate regions should be good leading up to Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8th. California, Washington and Mexico have all been shipping in the second half of April.
California volume remains steady, and Washington state came out of the gate with good supplies. Baja California and other Mexican shipping areas have been ramping up in April and should have good supplies for about the next six weeks.
Idaho Potato Shipments
Idaho potato shipments are remaining fairly steady from week to week, averaging over 1600 truck load equivalents, primarily out of the Upper Valley and the Twin Falls areas.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $4000 to Atlanta.
Colorado Potato Shipments
The Rocky Mountain state is the nation’s second largest potato shipper. The San Luis is averaging over 600 potatoes being shipped weekly.
Colorado potato shipments – grossing about $1500 to Dallas.
Washington Apple Shipments
Washington state is shipping more apples and pears than the rest of the nation combined. Both apples and pears are being loaded from the Yakima and Wenatchee Valleys.
Washington apples – grossing about $5000 to Orlando.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
Southern Georgia remains pretty dormant right now, but spring vegetables shipments will be picking up in the next few weeks. Look for light to moderate volume with everything from beans, to cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, greens and more in early May. Vidalia onions shipments just started this week.
Georgia vegetables – grossing about $2200 to New York City.
New Jersey Blueberry Shipments
New Jersey blueberry shipments should get underway in mid June. New Jersey produced 57 million pounds of blueberries in 2014. Approximately 82 percent of the state’s blueberry acreage is in Atlantic County.
As the Easter shipping period for a number of produce items approaches, here’s a look a few commodities coming out of California, Mexico and Florida.
Decent California strawberry volume is expected following a weeks of challenges regarding production. A wild winter for strawberries should stabilize enough to provide steady loading opportunities for Easter, which falls on March 27th.
The should mean steady volumes from the Oxnard and Santa Maria growing regions of California and from the Ruskin, FL area.
Because Easter is early this year, and based on the timing of this year’s crop, Florida strawberry shipments should be situated perfectly for Easter.
The past couple of Easters have fallen after peak Florida shipments.
Asparagus Shipments
Thanks to the early Easter this year, there should be enough asparagus shipments from Mexico and California. Mexican volumes will be declining for the season, but because of the early Easter, it should serve as a good supplement to California, which is having peak shipments.
Avocado Shipments
California avocado loadings should be plentiful this spring and summer, with volume expected to be up to 40 percent greater than last year’s. California is expected to produce 392.5 million pounds of avocados this season, up significantly from the 279 million pounds shipped last year. That would be approaching 10,000 truck load equivalents.
The California avocado harvest started in January, hit good volume by late March, with peak shipments occurring from April to July.
Most California avocado shipments are destined for markets are in the western U.S.,, while Mexico will continue shipping heavily into the Midwest and to the East Coast.
Kiwifruit Shipments
The California kiwifruit shipping season continues and about 40 percent of the six-million seven-pound trays remain. The fuzzy brown fruit is shipped out of California’s Central San Joaquin Valley. Loading will continue through May and as late as June.