Posts Tagged “feature”
The 2022-23 Michigan apple crop is shattering shipping records.
Riveridge Produce Marketing, Inc., Sparta, MI, reports it has surpassed its all-time production record by 20-25%. The grower/shipper packs more than half of Michigan’s fresh apple crop and has a presence in all but one of Michigan’s apple producing areas.
In August the Michigan Apple Committee announced a crop estimate of a whopping 29.5 million bushels. This is 10 million more bushels than in the 2021-22 season. Michigan apple growers produced 15.6 million bushels last year, according to the USDA. Informal estimates now place 2022-23 volume at about 34-38 million bushels!
Riveridge reports this banner season is especially good news because it follows three consecutive disappointing Michigan apple crops. Part of the reason the 2022-23 crop was so good is that the trees had not been stressed by large crops for a long time. It was a strong bloom and fruit set. This year, Michigan apple trees were tight on maturity, with the fruitlets on the trees ranging in maturity within three to five days. Some years that span can vary by two weeks.
Riveridge’s apple marketing position is stronger because of a short crop in the Pacific Northwest. The company plans on filling those voids.
A strategic move for Riveridge is growing apple varieties and strains wanted by consumers. Galas and Fujis are key varieties for Riveridge. A lot of the apple industry that has focused on expensive, proprietary varieties, which the company believes has confused many consumers.
The USDA formally authorized the export of avocados from the state of Jalisco in Mexico, to the U.S. last July. This is allowing the expansion of operations for some grower-shippers and helping to bolster supplies.
Mexican avocado imports contributed a record $11.2 billion to the U.S. economy in the 2021-22 growing season, according to a recent report from Texas A&M University.
The trade organization Avocados from Mexico of Dallas, TX has said “the sky is the limit” when describing potential growth of the Mexican avocado industry. Avocados grow year-round in the Mexican state of Michoacán, providing a steady supply. And with the addition of the state of Jalisco to the import program, there are even more avocados available for U.S.
Seald Sweet of Vero Beach, FL notes the approval of the Jalisco area has significantly changed its avocado business.
The company has partnered with Las Tarascas, a family-owned company that has grown produce in Mexico for more than 20 years. The two companies have aligned with providing sustainable and high-quality product to the U.S. market with a direct line to the grower and product.
While avocados from Jalisco still represent a modest contribution to the U.S. supply chain, they may help to break records in the future. Seald Sweet projects it will import a record amount of avocados this year.
“Pears are a healthy and nutritious selection for the whole family that can be enjoyed a bit longer, when stored properly,” says Jim Morris, marketing manager at Pear Bureau Northwest. “Simply move your ripe pears to the refrigerator to extend their life 3-5 more days. With food prices on the rise, choosing produce that keeps and that offers a nutritious bang for the buck is all the more important.”
Pears rank higher than almost any other fruit when it comes to dietary fiber, with 6 grams or 21% of the recommended daily value in just one pear. Fiber aids in gut health and supports bowel regularity. Fiber-rich diets can also help in the prevention of various conditions and diseases, such as heart disease and some types of cancer.
Further, pears contain other essential nutrients, such as vitamin C and potassium. These compounds are vital for normal metabolism, tissue repair, proper immune function and protection from infectious diseases.
How to Store and Ripen Pears
Pears are among the few fruits that don’t ripen on the tree. Rather, they reach maturity when stored at room temperature. This makes pears a perfect choice for decorative fruit bowls or weekend produce shopping that will last throughout the week. To determine when a pear is at its juiciest, USA Pears suggests to “check the neck.” If a pear yields when gentle pressure is applied with a thumb to its neck near the stem, then it’s ripe and ready to eat. Once ripe, pears can be stored in the refrigerator to slow aging and extend the fruit for a few more days.
To learn more about the health benefits of pears and explore recipes, visit USAPears.org.
About USA Pears
The Pear Bureau Northwest, promoted under the brand USA Pears, was established in 1931 as a nonprofit marketing organization to promote and develop markets for top-quality fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon. The organization represents nearly 900 grower families and 50 packers and shippers. Combined, Washington and Oregon are the nation’s largest pear producing region. They produce approximately 88% of all fresh pears grown in the United States, and more than 96% of all winter pears (non-Bartlett varieties such as Bosc and Anjou). They also account for 92% of America’s fresh pear exports.
California and Arizona citrus growers got off to a strong start in October and forecast a good performance for the 2022/23 season, predicting strong volumes of large fruit this winter.
USDA reports last season was down about 19%, but citrus growers in California and Arizona are optimistic. The California and Arizona citrus crop is anticipated to rebound from 2021/22’s off season.
Sunkist Growers of Valencia, CA reports this past season, California citrus had a shorter crop with most varieties. It is looking forward to a new season. Shipments of California-grown Sunkist Navel Oranges started in November, alongside the exceptionally large pummelo and Sunkist California Mandarins, followed by cara cara oranges, blood oranges and minneola tangelos.
Sunkist anticipates peak citrus volumes by January with all varieties.
At shipper/packer Bee Sweet Citrus of Fowler, CA, the company is citing larger-than-average navel oranges registering higher-than-normal Brix levels for this this time of year. The San Joaquin Valley operation notes citrus volume in California is slightly up compared to the 2021/22 citrus season, while Florida’s harvest is down substantially.
While Florida Department of Agriculture’s early estimates of the total crop damage for the state’s citrus region totaled over 80% of acres impacted, because Florida produces a very small segment of the overall fresh citrus market, Bee Sweet Citrus believes Florida’s hurricane impact will have a minimal effect on the California shipments.
Potatoes are a nutrient-rich vegetable and one of the top sources of potassium in Americans’ diets, yet they are often singled out as a food to limit.
This recommendation is often based on misperceptions that eating potatoes is linked to increased cardiometabolic disease risk, even though potatoes contribute to overall fruit and vegetable consumption. However, a newly published study in the Journal of Nutritional Science finds that advice may be unwarranted.
Researchers at Boston University examined the impact of potatoes as part of overall diet and lifestyle patterns on cardiometabolic disease risk. They found no change in cardiometabolic risk factors associated with intake of either fried or non-fried potatoes in adults from the long-running Framingham Offspring cohort.
The Chilean Blueberry Committee, together with the consulting firm iQonsulting, have estimated a volume of 98,228 tons of fresh blueberries from Chile for the 2022-2023 season. Small shipments to the U.S. market have already begun and will continue through February.
Volume estimated for the 2022/23 season has declined eight percent from last year. This has resulted primarily from the Chilean blueberry industry’s intense focus on providing only the best quality blueberries to its export markets. The industry is undergoing extensive variety renewal, with some varieties being shifted into frozen exports and other industrial uses. At the same time, growers are planting new varieties with better post-harvest conditions that will allow the fruit to arrive with the full flavor and sweetness characteristic of Chilean blueberries.
The U.S. continues to be Chile’s main market for fresh blueberries, receiving 54% of total volume. It is followed by Europe with 34%, Asia with 11% and the remaining 2% within the Middle East and Latin America. Chile ships 75% of all fresh organic blueberries to the U.S. During the 2021/22 season, 22% of all blueberries shipped to the U.S. were organic, and 78% conventional.
With peak arrivals expected around the last week of December/first week of January, the U.S. marketing team is working with retail chains large and small to design programs that will drive Chilean blueberry sales. Trade promotions will commence by early January and continue through February.
States Andres Armstrong, Executive Director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee, “Our #1 priority is delivering the highest quality blueberries to our international markets. Planting and exporting the right varieties is key, but the industry is also strengthening logistics through new programs like the Blueberry Express. This service will begin in Week 49 and continue throughout the 2022-23 season, with less than 2 weeks transit time to the U.S. market. It guarantees the maintenance of the cold chain, which is crucial for protecting fruit quality.”
The industry anticipates better conditions for the export of fresh blueberries. Cooler temperatures have enhanced fruit quality, and there has been greater availability of labor for harvesting, packing and logistics operations, factors that made last season challenging.
Total Florida orange production for 2022-2023 on Nov. 9 was forecast to be 28.0 million boxes. According to USDA’s Agricultural Statistics Board, this estimate is down 32 percent from last season’s final production.
The total includes 11.0 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 17.0 million boxes of Valencia oranges.
The Navel orange forecast, at 300,000 boxes, accounts for 3% of the non-Valencia total.
The estimated number of bearing trees for all oranges is 44.0 million.
The forecast for all Florida grapefruit production is carried forward from October at 2.00 million boxes, 40% less than last season’s utilization of 3.33 million boxes. The total is comprised of 1.80 million boxes of red grapefruit and 200,000 boxes of white grapefruit.
The forecast for tangerine and tangelos is carried forward at 700,000 boxes, 7 percent less than last season’s utilization of 750,000 boxes. This forecast number includes all certified tangerine and tangelo varieties.
The USDA report notes that, on Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made its first U.S. landfall along the southwestern coast of Florida as a Category 4 storm. The storm traveled directly over four of the five largest citrus producing counties (Desoto, Highlands, Hardee, and Polk), at hurricane strength. The entire citrus area was inundated with heavy winds and excessive rainfall as it made its northeastward movement over the state. Normal grove operations were temporarily halted in all areas.
The crop season began with harvesting of Navel and Hamlin oranges, red grapefruit, and Fallglo and Early Pride tangerines, primarily for the fresh market.
While the amount of California grapes in storage on the West Coast was significnantly higher than the precious two seasons, the figure has now come down and is much closer to last year.
As of Oct. 31 there were 11.3 million boxes of inventories according to the USDA’s Grape Cold Storage Summary. This is up 8% from the 10.5 million boxes recorded at the same time last year.
The figure is also down 17% from the 13.7 million boxes registered at the end of October in 2020.
By contrast, at the end of September there were there were 10.9 million boxes in storage, which was up 18% over the figure recorded at the same point in the 2021 and 2020 seasons.
DALLAS — Imports of Mexican Hass avocados continue to make substantial contributions to the U.S. and Mexican economies according to the latest economic contribution analysis conducted by Texas A&M University1 during the 2021-2022 growing season. Since 1997, the avocado supply from Mexico in the U.S. has jumped to more than 2 billion pounds annually1, and more than 4 billion pounds in the last two years alone2 – fueled by consumers’ love of the healthful fruit while also positively benefiting U.S. national and state economies.
The economic analysis1 identifies numerous contributions from U.S. imports of Mexican Hass avocados to the U.S. economy as avocado trades move through the food supply chain and stimulate various market activities. The contributions include:
- $11.2 billion in economic output
- $6.1 billion to the U.S. GDP (value-added)
- 58,299 U.S. jobs
- $3.9 billion in labor income
- $1.3 billion in taxes
“The new data is a testimony to the positive impact the trade relationship between the two countries can have on the overall economies,” said Ron Campbell, Executive Director of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA). “The analysis by Texas A&M University clearly shows how the collaboration between the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and MHAIA is contributing not only to the economic growth of both nations, but also to a localized impact within communities through added jobs, labor income and taxes.”
When comparing results from previous years, this new report reveals the persistent growth and importance of Mexican avocado imports to the U.S. economy. The contribution to total U.S. output increased nearly 560% from $1.7 billion in 2012 to $11.2 billion in 2022. At the same time, the contribution to U.S. GDP (value added) has increased by nearly 410% from $1.2 billion in 2012 to $6.1 billion in FY 2022. The contributions to U.S. labor income, U.S. tax revenues, and employment from 2012 to FY 2022 have also registered dramatic increases3 (465%, 665%, and 418%, respectively).
“The avocado import growth is attributed to two factors – dramatic growth in U.S. demand for avocados and equally dramatic growth in U.S. import supply,” said Dr. Gary Williams, Emeritus Professor at Texas A&M University. “U.S. per capita consumption of avocado fruit has grown to more than 9 pounds1 and promotion programs like Avocados From Mexico have been instrumental in increasing avocado consumption in the U.S.”
The growth of Mexican avocado imports has also had a positive impact on growers in the U.S. and Mexico. The Texas A&M University analysis shows domestic avocado growers have benefited from higher price points and a larger market for their products. In Mexico, avocado farming continues to be a feasible and reliable business venture as the Mexican avocado industry creates approximately 78,000 direct and permanent jobs and more than 300,000 indirect and seasonal jobs, with more than 30,000 growers and 74 packers.
“It’s rewarding to see the economic impact Mexico’s strong partnership with the U.S. has had in meeting the ever-increasing demand for Avocados From Mexico. This partnership has become an economic engine that supplies the growing demand for avocados in the U.S. and opens opportunities for small avocado farmers in Mexico that allows them and their families to thrive,” said Alvaro Luque, CEO of Avocados From Mexico (AFM).
Avocados From Mexico represents a unique collaboration between the two countries: AFM is a non-profit marketing organization that brings together the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) to promote the consumption of Mexican avocados in the U.S. This has helped fuel the United States’ love for the avocado fruit and builds a bond which benefits both countries economically.
This partnership also benefits consumers. Through AFM, consumers receive healthful avocados that are the freshest, arriving from Mexico in three to five days, and are the highest quality product, with every avocado exported to the U.S. meeting strict dry matter testing requirements. The dry matter test ensures avocados in the U.S. have an adequate oil percentage, which provides the fruit with optimal consistency and delicious taste. The microclimate, volcanic soil and timely rainfall of Michoacán, Mexico, allows avocado trees to bloom year-round in Michoacán, the only region sending Hass avocados to the U.S. 365 days a year. Now, with the recent addition of avocados from the Mexican state of Jalisco, the industry’s ability to meet year-round demand of avocados in the U.S. is further enhancing. Hass avocados now comprise about 95% of all U.S. avocado consumption and are the most widely available1.
A deep dive into all facets of the Mexican avocado industry is available at the Avocado Institute. The one-stop digital resource was created by the parent organizations of AFM, the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA).
About Avocados From Mexico
Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico. Under agreements, MHAIA and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers & Packers of Mexico (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage AFM, with the intent to provide a focused, highly- effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. AFM is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
1 2022 Update: The Economic Benefits of U.S. Avocado Imports from Mexico
This analysis utilizes the Impact Analysis and Planning Model (IMPLAN) to measure the jobs, revenues, wages and taxes generated by the imports along the value chain on the national and state economies. IMPLAN is an input-output model of the entire U.S. economy that captures the relationships between industries and estimates the economic effects (direct, indirect, and induced). The IMPLAN model reports on four specific types of economic effects: employment contribution, labor income, value-added, and output or gross sales contribution.
2 Hass Avocado Board Volume Data
3 Economic Benefits of the Expansion of Avocado Imports from Mexico, February 2014