Posts Tagged “blueberry loadings”
Salinas Valley vegetable shipments continue to struggle, while eastern blueberry loadings may finally get going this month.It has been a less than stellar spring for central coast vegetable shipments due mostly to weather conditions. In essence, Salinas Valley vegetable shipments are going to be trying at best heading into summer. You’ll need to be alert when loading product. There is everything from quality issues to inconsistent sizing of lettuce heads.
This situation is expected to continue through June, and perhaps through most of July. Salinas vegetable shippers tend to plant about 40 percent less product for summer because they face so much competition from various home grown season in the U.S. and Canada. Other vegetables ranging from broccoli to cauliflower also are being affected, but to a lesser extent.
Salinas Valley vegetable and berry shipments – grossing about $4600 to Chicago.
Georgia Blueberry Shipments
Warmer weather, poor pollinating conditions and labor issues are all contributing to fewer blueberries currently coming out of the Southeastern U.S. Georgia blueberry shipments will pick up by mid June. The state has shipped nearly 90 million pounds of blueberries per year in the past, but in 2016, it will be well short of that number. The longer growing season in this region may help offset an even greater decline in shipments. Georgia has one of the longest seasons in the U.S., from mid-April to the middle of July.
Georgia’s season nearly mirrors the blueberry shipping seasons in a few other states, such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.
Georgia blueberry shipments grossing about $2600 to Chicago. Georgia vegetables grossing about 15 to 20 percent less.
NJ Fruit Shipments
After fewer blueberry shipments in 2015, New Jersey expects to rebound this year. Initial loadings should get underway around June 10-11. In 2013 New Jersey shipped 65 million pounds of “blues”, followed by 55 million pounds in 2014. During those years (2013 and 2014) the state ranked seventh nationally in total blueberry volume. However, the state slipped to seventh place in 2015 behind shipments from California and North Carolina.
About 87 percent of New Jersey blueberry shipments are delivered for the fresh market.
New Jersey peach shipments should begin around June 18th and continue well into July. Loadings should continue through July and perhaps extend until the middle of August. New Jersey ranks fourth in peach shipments behind California, South Carolina and Georgia. While no forecast is out yet, weather factors are expected to reduce Jersey peach volume this season.
Spring Florida produce shipments are shifting towards high gear!
Florida produce shipments for this spring are shaping up to be a good one for produce haulers because of excellent weather and growing conditions.
Vegetables being harvested in the Sunshine State range from tomatoes to snap beans, sweet corn, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, celery, squash, lettuce and other leaf vegetables. Florida citrus shipments continue, while the strawberry harvest has concluded, but blueberry loadings are ramping up.
The state grows and ships over 350 commodities.
Weather didn’t pose any significant obstacles to growers this season as the state has experienced a mild winter.
Tomato shipments for both grape and cherry tomatoes from the Palmetto/Ruskin areas of Florida should get underway about April 10th, while romas and rounds should follow around April 17-20.
Tomato shipments should reach seasonal norms the week of April 6 or the week of April 13.
South Florida fresh potato shipments commenced in early February and will continue until early to mid-May. Peak Florida potato shipments are occuring during March and April.
Florida red, yellow and white potatoes – grossing about $2975 to Dallas.
Florida mixed vegetables – grossing about $3400 to New York City and about $3100 to Chicago.
Even with the recent lower estimates for Northwest cherry shipments, it is still being considered a decent amount of loadings. The best volume should occur through about Aug. 10.
Frost in the Northwest during April and heavy rains at the end of May reduced the initial season estimate of 18 million boxes to 16-17 million boxes.
By the end of June, that estimate was due for another downward adjustment. What was once a 17-million-box crop no longer exists. Shipments are now estimated to be down to as low as 13 to 16 million boxes.”
About 23 million boxes of cherries were shipped from the Northwest last year.
Blueberry loadings are picking up in both Washington state and Oregon….Washington state continues to ship late season apples from the Yakima and Wenachee Valleys.
The Walla Walla district in Washington is shipping onions, with volume increasing in the new season. A similar situation with onions is occurring from the Columbia Basin and Umatilla Basin along the Washington/Oregon border. The state line area also is shipping potatoes in light volume.
In Idaho, potatoes are averaging about 1,750 truckload equivalents a week, although a significant percentage of those spuds are being loaded in rail cars.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5500 to New York City.
Washington State cherries – about $6700 to New York City.