Posts Tagged “California produce loads”
While mixed loads of fresh produce have become more common than ever over the years as distribution warehouses and other receivers look for ways to reduce inventories, there are even fewer straight loads of fresh fruits and vegetables this time of year. California and other areas tend to have less volume in winter. Translated – this often means multiple picks and drops. Those multiple pick ups too often are spread over hundreds of miles.
During the past decade or so a number of wholesale distributors have got into cross docking, particularly in the Los Angeles area, where product is consolidated at a central warehouse. This has helped some in reducing the number of pick ups, and ultimately helps deliver product faster to destination.
We’re entering a transition period with California produce loads where there’s light volume with lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and berries from the Salinas Valley. There’s also light shipments of Huron district lettuce in the San Joaquin Valley.
Two of the heaviest volume items are California grapes and carrots out of the SJV. Grape shipments are averaging over 1,500 truck loads per week while carrots loads are hitting about 325 loads per week.
Moderate strawberry volume is originating out of the Watsonville district, as well as Santa Maria, but volume will soon be declining from those areas. Limited volume of strawberries have started from Ventura County and Southern California.
There’s a few vegetables coming out of the California desert and Yuma, but measurable volume is still several weeks away.
San Joaquin Valley produce – grossing about $7000 to New York City.
Southern California citrus – about $4000 to Chicago.
Summer is here and that means opportunities for produce loads are available not only in California, but pretty much coast-to-coast. Not only the West Coast, but in Idaho, Colorado, and on the East Coast.
East Coast
For example, peach shipments have moved into good volume from the Fort Valley area of Georgia, as well as from South Carolina. SC shippers are located primarly south of Columbia.
New Jersey is shipping blueberries, and soon there will be mixed veggies and peaches to haul.
Georgia continues to ship Vidalia onions, with the good news being the quality problems early the season are pretty much out of the way. At the same time, southern Georgia now has good volume with mixed vegetables. Watermelons are still being shipped from the northern half of Florida, and are now getting started in Georgia.
Colorado/Idaho
In Colorado, the San Luis Valley is shipping about 750 truck loads of potatoes a week. However, the big spud volume, as always is Idaho, where around 1750 truck load equivelants are moving to market each week – although a fair amount is being loaded onto the rails.
Imports
Imports of citrus from Chile, South Africa and Australia will begin arriving at USA ports in early July and provide good volume through August….Mexican avocados should be providing heavy crossings into the USA this summer and into the fall.
California Produce Loads
In California, between the Watstonville district and Santa Maria an estimated 1300 truck loads of strawberries are being shipped weekly. Add to this, Salinas vegetables and San Joaquin Valley stone fruit, tomatoes, veggies and other items – and they don’t call California the nation’s bread basket, or is it produce basket, for nothing.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $1500 to L.A.
Salinas Valley produce – about $9000 to Boston.
Colorado spuds – about $1700 to Dallas.
Georgia vegetables – about $3300 to New York City.
California is the hotbed for produce loads right now and it will probably only get better for the next month or so. Strangely, some loads out of the San Joaquin Valley have been paying a higher rate than the Salinas Valley, even though it’s a shorter haul to eastern markets.
The SJV is rockin’ with increasing volume on a variety of stone fruit, some veggies, while table grapes are about to get started….Meanwhile, Salinas has plenty of mixed vegetables and berries for hauling.
California pears will join the fray when shipments get underway from the Sacramento River district in early July, which is nearly two weeks earlier than last year.
California also has another large avocado crop to ship, with peak loadings now underway from Southern areas ranging from Ventura County down to San Diego. Strong shipments should continue through August, with volume easing in September.
Washington State
Meanwhile, the new crop of Northwest pears could be the third-largest on record. Most loads originate from the regions around Wenatchee and Yakima, WA, plus Mid-Columbia and Medford, OR. Total shipments should amount to about 19.8 million 44-pound box equivalents of pears for the fresh market. This estimate is 4 % larger than the five-year average and 2 percent larger than last year’s crop.
Northwest pear shipments should start in early August.
British Columbia Pears
Orchards in the Southeast region of the Okanagan Valley, around Oliver and Osoyoos were clobbered by spring frost damage and shipments on BC cherries, peaches, nectarines, and apricots could be reduced by 30-40% on all items.
San Joaquin Valley stone fruit – grossing about $8700 to New York City.
Salina Valley produce – about $8600 to New York City/about $6200 to Chicago.