Posts Tagged “feature”
Pacific Northwest growers are experiencing a rebound this season, with USA Pears putting 2025’s harvest at 19 million boxes. The 78 percent from a year ago, follow a sharply reduced 2024 crop.
Oregon and Washington producers, who account for about 88 percent of US fresh pear volume, wrapped the season with broad varietal gains and heightened marketing plans heading into December.
Bearing acreage also saw an increase, with an estimated 41,000 acres, up two percent from last year, according to a May summary by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
USA Pears, which distributes ten pear varieties year-round, reports higher yields across all categories. However, Bosc pears lead the resurgence, with production up more than 250 percent over last year.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
The Almond Board of California says the state’s almond industry is contracting in part due to a year-over-year decrease in planted almond land area.
According to the organization’s 2025 annual almond standing-acreage survey, California’s total almond acreage is 1,505,997 acres this year, a 1.3 percent decrease from 1,525,638 acres in 2024.
While this decrease may seem modest, it is significant because it marks the fourth consecutive year of declining almond plantings.
Clarice Turner, President and CEO of the Almond Board of California, said this is one of the reasons for the contraction, which, in combination with sustained removals and fewer new plantings, “reflects structural changes in the California almond sector.”
“At the same time, global demand for California almonds remains strong, and the sector is well-positioned to provide a consistent and stable supply of California almonds around the world,” she added.
Productive acreage reached 1,401,097 acres, up from 1,383,332 acres in 2024. Of this total, 19,927 acres are considered potentially abandoned orchards, according to the board.
Non-productive acreage and plantings from 2023, 2024, or 2025 that have not yet entered full production declined to 104,900 acres, down from 142,306 acres a year ago.
Orchard removals in 2025 totaled approximately 49,197 acres. Removals totaled 66,794 acres in 2024 and 82,958 acres in 2023.
By Tamara Dardari, Marketing Assistant, ALC
With the holiday season in full swing, the demand for festive greenery is higher than ever, and so is the need to keep it fresh from farm to home. Christmas tree sales increase every year and are estimated at approximately 25–30 million trees sold annually. Sales of artificial trees continue to climb thanks to their convenience and durability. Wreaths and garlands have become increasingly popular over the years as people blend timeless tradition with modern decor. However, this does not compare to the demand for poinsettias around the holidays. An estimated 70 million poinsettias are sold nationwide annually, and they’re among the most delicate plants to ship. This includes transporting the plant at temperatures of 53°F-57°F and watering it enough to keep the soil moist during transport. Even brief exposure to cold or rough handling can cause leaf loss, making careful transport essential. Like poinsettias, Christmas trees require specialized transport in dry vans or refrigerated trucks with temperature control. The high demand and specific handling requirements for all Christmas greenery make the logistics industry’s services necessary to make the holiday season happen.
Fun Facts & Preservation Tips:
- Poinsettias don’t like cold weather – they thrive in humidity and are damaged when exposed to temperatures below 50°F.
- There are over 100 poinsettia varieties, though classic red remains the best-selling holiday choice.
- Keep garlands and wreaths fresher indoors by using a humidifier to maintain moisture in the air.
- Garlands were among the earliest Christmas decorations, originally made from popcorn and various types of fruit. Since then, they have evolved to include natural elements such as greenery, berries, pinecones, ribbon, and more.
- The top-producing Christmas tree states are: Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington.
Many behind-the-scenes logistics go into bringing cheer and decorations to life during the holiday season. Given the complexities of shipping Christmas greenery, it is essential to handle these products with care and understand how to navigate the transfer process. At ALC, we understand how delicate and time-sensitive the shipping of these plants and trees is. We move quickly and efficiently, providing the right temperature and living conditions as they are transported from the source to your home this Christmas season.
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Tamara Dardari graduated from Chapman University in May of 2025 with a BA in Strategic and Corporate Communication and a minor in Creative and Cultural Industries. She started her career with the Allen Lund Company in the Marketing department this past October.
tamara.dardari@allenlund.com
Peruvian blueberry exports were about 70 percent through its season in early November with shipments expected to continue at a steady pace until April 2026. The U.S. continues to the leading destination for exports.
Exports are on track to hit 360,000 tonnes, with shipments holding relatively consistent to ease logistical pressures, reduce market saturation, and provide a more stable supply to buyers across the globe.
The South American giant entered the blueberry market in 2015 and has since risen to the top of the export market with record sales that surpassed $2.27 billion last year. In 2019, Peru officially became the world’s top blueberry exporter.
As of early November over 250,000 tons had already been shipped, representing a 25 percent increase over the same period last year.
Initial projections put 2025’s volumes at 400,000 tons, but estimated volumes have been lowered approximately 7 percent to 360,000 tons due to weather factors.
The even distribution of volume supports smoother logistics and operational efficiency, particularly as the blueberry peak coincides with the table grape season, sharing port and operational resources.
Peru added roughly 8,648 new producing acres over the past year, with La Libertad continuing to account for about 48 percent of national output. Other key growing regions, such as Ica, show potential to reach 20 percent in the medium term.
Peru’s extended varietal portfolio, combining early and late varieties, has allowed shipments to remain steady at roughly 19,000–20,000 tonnes per week.
The United States remains the largest destination for Peruvian blueberries at 44 percent, though this share has declined due to the 10 percent tariff. Europe now accounts for approximately 32 percent, while China continues to grow to nearly 15 percent.
California produces about 99 percent of the persimmons consumed in the US, with imports from Chile and Israel supplementing the market during the spring months.
Giumarra Companies of Los Angeles reports strong persimmon volume and outstanding quality for the holiday season when consumer interest usually peaks.
Giumarra notes overall fruit quality across its product lines remains strong, with size and total volume tracking closely with last year.
As global persimmon shipments rebound and international suppliers prepare for stronger 2025 volumes, Giumarra maintains domestic and imported fruit play complementary roles rather than competing directly.
Giumarra is one of the largest shippers of persimmons in the United States. The company points out imported persimmons operate within a different shipping window and therefore do not compete directly with domestic volume.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIES: 1-800-404-5863.
After years of below-average production, Washington state frozen raspberry growers reported a bountiful 2025 crop of over 68 million pounds. According to Gavin Willis, Executive Director of the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC), this is the state’s highest volume since 2018.
Excessively high temperatures led to what Willis calls “a heat dome” during the 2021 and 2022 harvests, which hit the industry hard in both service and plant development. The result was a massive 30 percent dip in production in 2021 compared to 2020, followed by another 23 percent drop in 2022.
The damage was done, and the path back to peak performance was ahead. Patience and plant rotation were key to Washington’s frozen raspberry comeback. The executive explains that today, most of the plantings impacted during the 2021 heat dome are being cycled out of the fields, and those that still remain seem, for the most part, to have healed.
The executive says the year brought good weather through the pollination window and the six to eight-week harvest period. The absence of any persistent cloud cover kept good moisture levels in the field, curbing excess mold and resulting in what Willis calls an excellent yield for the frozen raspberry category.
Washington produces 90 percent of the United States’ frozen raspberries, with 99.8 percent of their crop going to this category.
Mexico is the biggest exporter of fresh raspberries into the country, with a largely unchallenged market share of 72 percent. In the frozen category, Mexico ranks second, behind Chile, with sales of almost $23 million in 2024. But the Aztec country is only diverting five percent of its production to the frozen raspberry category, so the opportunity for growth is ripe for the taking.
Willis explains that Washington frozen raspberries cannot compete with Mexico because, for them, there’s no price floor.
For the past five to seven years, he says, byproducts from the Mexican fresh market (fruit that didn’t make grade or diversions from higher-than-demand production) are being repackaged and folded into the US frozen market. This is significantly affecting the prices Washington growers can aspire to.
“It’s impossible to compete, and for buyers it’s really hard to turn down something that’s basically being offered to you at less than what it costs to produce it,” Willis says. “A lot of these producers or growers are selling this product when they’ve already made their profits in the fresh market, [so] they don’t need to make a profit on it.”
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
The Peruvian table grape season is progressing strongly.
As of mid November, nearly 40 percent of the Peruvian table grapes in Piura had been harvested, with quality described as high, especially impressive given the severe drought earlier this year.
Meanwhile, demand is surging for Autumncrisp®, the green grape brand that has rapidly become a consumer favorite in the US, with its larger size, crunch, and flavor.
Peru, the world’s largest producer of the Sugra35 variety known as Autumncrisp®, has seen exports double since last season, with more than 17 million boxes expected to ship this year. Despite a later start due to weather and import tariff concerns, shipments of Peruvian table grapes are now underway and began arriving in the US around Thanksgiving.
Currently, Piura is harvesting, but the main volume will come from Ica, followed by newer arrivals from the emerging Nazca region, which offers an earlier Peruvian table grape harvest window thanks to its unique microclimate.
With Autumncrisp® making up around 20 percent of Peru’s projected 87 million box total for the 2025/2026 season, and peak volumes expected by February, the outlook is robust.
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ALLEN LUND COMPANY, TRANSPORTATION BROKERS, LOOKING FOR REEFER CARRIERS: 1-800-404-5863.
Everyone’s favorite toast topping may soon claim even more space on US produce shelves, with the Hass Avocado Board (HAB) projecting that shipments will bring avocado volumes to surpass three billion pounds by the end of 2025. The unprecedented avocado volumes signal just how deeply the “green gold” has rooted in American eating habits.
“This is a landmark moment for the avocado industry,” says HAB Executive Director Emiliano Escobedo. “Surpassing 3 billion pounds is not just a number—it’s a testament to the tireless efforts of producers, importers, and marketers who have worked together to meet the growing demand for avocados in the US market.”
HAB says the projected avocado volume represents a four percent increase from 2024 and reflects the ongoing consumer interest in avocados as a versatile, nutrient-dense product. The organization attributes the growth to coordinated promotions, enhanced supply-chain management, and sustained work to ensure year-round quality and availability.
An early production surge is giving importers in the United States and Europe a head start on the winter Chilean cherry import season.
The Chilean cherry is considered a premium fruit in China, and producers are hoping to charm shoppers worldwide as the Andean country looks to diversify one of its star products.
Honeybear Brands, based in Minnestoa, is already moving fruit into retail, while Spain’s CMR Group recently unloaded Europe’s first sea container of off-season Chilean cherries. Both companies report strong crop conditions in Chile and expect steady volumes through the holidays.
Honeybear Brands, reports the company is estimating shipments at approximately 125 to 150 loads.
Honeybear Brands continues to position itself as a key supplier for cherry winter demand, highlighting the fruit’s versatility and convenience. The company only imports Chilean fruit; believing it is a superior product to other growing regions in South America.
The company brings Chilean cherries into Washington state and Philadelphia, and says the dual-port model allows it to co-load imported cherries with its domestic apple programs.
The importer expects to expand its cherry program in the coming weeks with additional origins and other stone fruit items.
Chilean exporter Copefrut over 70 years of experience with cherries, apples, kiwifruit, and plums as strategic crops in Chile and foreign markets such as the US.
The company shipped over 3,000 tons of fruit to the US in 2024, with apples accounting for nearly half and cherries for 831 tons.
The firm works directly with some US and Canadian retailers, but that the majority of the crop enters the market through importers on both coasts. Copefrut’s plan in the mid- and long-term is to grow across all fronts, but apples are already ahead, with the company observing a 30 percent year-on-year increase in market share in 2024.
Pineapple has made Costa Rica the world’s leading pineapple exporter and a symbol of the country’s commitment to quality, innovation, and responsible production, according to the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER).
Between January and September 2025, pineapple exports reached $992 million, with more than 1.5 million tons shipped worldwide. The fruit accounts for 35 percent of Costa Rica’s agricultural exports and reaches 44 international markets, with the United States (54 percent), Belgium (12 percent), and Spain (8 percent) among the top destinations. Its strong presence in Europe reflects a growing preference for products that combine flavor, traceability, and wellbeing.
“Costa Rican pineapple today stands as a global benchmark for excellence. Its taste, quality, and innovation have positioned it as a favorite in the world’s leading markets. In an increasingly competitive environment, at the Trade & Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica we work to sustain and expand this leadership, opening new opportunities for our exporters and sharing with the world a product that embodies the best of Costa Rica: health, sustainability, and trust,” said Laura López, CEO of PROCOMER.
Costa Rican pineapples are cultivated mainly in the northern, southern, and Caribbean regions of the country, where tropical climates and fertile soils create ideal growing conditions. The industry generates over 81,000 direct and indirect jobs, stimulating rural economies and strengthening the livelihoods of agricultural communities united by a shared principle: producing with care and quality.