Posts Tagged “feature”
Even in the midst of winter when produce loading opportunities in most areas of the country are nothing to get excited about, Florida still offers the best opportunities, at least in the Eastern time zone.
Some things never change, and multiple pick ups and drops is the norm. There’s a tremendous variety of produce for hauling in Florida, but none of the items are in big volume.
Imports from around the world continue to increase and south Florida ports are beneficiaries. Boats frequently arrive with containers from Chile to Peru, Guatemala, Central America, Brazil and the Caribbean.
Domestic loadings of dozens of vegetables are available, mostly out of Central and Southern Florida. Mature green and grape tomatoes are probably the heaviest volume items offering around 700 truck load equivalents per weeks. After this there is much lighter volume with items ranging from cabbage, to squash, peas and citrus, among numerous others.
South Georgia has light loadings of cabbage, carrots, sweet corn and greens. The Port of Savannah is becoming a bigger player with produce imports.
However, the ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington, NC are much higher volume ports handling imports from countries such as Chile, Peru, Italy, Brazil and Ecuador.
From January through September U.S. fresh vegetable imports totaled $7.56 billion, up 13 percent compared with the same period in 2019.
In contrast, U.S. fresh fruit imports (excluding bananas and plantains) totaled $8.99 billion from January through September, down 2 percent.
2020 U.S. imports of bananas and plantains during that period totaled $1.84 billion, up 2 percent compared with the same months in 2019.
Through the first six months of 2020, port volume , compared with a year ago, shows mixed trends, according to data from the USDA.
Here are cargo trend highlights from selected ports.
Port of Seattle
Port of Seattle 2020 imports through June, compared with the same period in 2019:
- Bananas: 58,301 metric tons, up 19 percent from 49,189 metric tons;
- Pineapples: 1,366 metric tons, down 52 percent from 2,859 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 35,399 metric tons, up 9 percent from 32,490 metric tons;
- Vegetables: 20,420 metric tons, up 27 percent from 16,035 metric tons;
- Onions/shallots: 4,125 metric tons, up 135 percent from 1,231 metric tons.
Port of Seattle 2020 exports through June, compared with the same period in 2019:
- Vegetables; 273,292 metric tons, down 16 percent from 326,183 metric tons;
- Onions/shallots: 1,023 metric tons, down from 8,309 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 76,340 metric tons, unchanged from 76,364 metric tons; and
- Berries: 2,396 metric tons, up 58 percent from 1,517 metric tons.
Port of Wilmington, Del.
Port of Wilmington 2020 imports through June, compared with the same period in 2019:
- Bananas: 774,459 metric tons, up 4.6 percent from 740,266 metric tons;
- Pineapples: 139,911 metric tons, down 10 percent compared with 154,957 metric tons;
- Vegetables: 11,629 metric tons, down 12 percent compared 13,090 metric tons;
- Berries: 2,848 metric tons, up 44 percent compared with 1,975 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 128,876 metric tons, down 4 percent compared with 134,040 metric tons;
- Mandarin oranges: 18,518 metric tons, up 67 percent compared with 11,094 metric tons; and
- Lemons: 953 metric tons, up 20 percent compared with 791 metric tons.
Port of Los Angeles
Port of Los Angeles 2020 exports through June, compared with same period in 2019:
- Deciduous fruit: 8,074 metric tons, down 57 percent compared with 18,699 metric tons;
- Vegetables: 8,373 metric tons, down 69 percent compared with 27,043 metric tons;
- Oranges: 29,940 metric tons, down 22 percent compared with 38,372 metric ton;
- Lemons: 6,503 metric tons, down 72 percent compared with 23,315 metric tons;
- Edible nuts: 25,250 metric tons, down 60 percent compared with 63,343 metric tons; and
- Cherries: 113 metric tons, down 62 percent compared with 294 metric tons.
Port of Philadelphia
Port of Philadelphia 2020 imports through June, compared with 2019:
- Pineapples: 102,507 metric tons, up 39 percent compared with 73,665 metric tons;
- Oranges: 42,980 metric tons, up 298 percent compared with 10,791 metric tons;
- Onions/shallots; 10,774 metric tons, up 145 percent compared with 4,406 metric tons;
- Mandarins: 15,528 metric tons, down 24 percent compared with 20,513 metric tons;
- Lemons: 19,908 metric tons, up 59 percent compared with 12,504 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 350,412 metric tons, up 31 percent compared with 267,418 metric tons;
- Berries: 46,647 metric tons, up 156 percent compared with 18,169 metric tons;
- Bananas: 296,196 metric tons, up 42 percent compared with 207,522 metric tons; and
- Vegetables: 16,625 metric tons, down 37 percent compared with 26,239 metric tons.
Port of New York
Port of New York 2020 imports through June, compared with 2019:
- Vegetables: 298,760 metric tons, up 17 percent compared with 254,456 metric tons;
- Oranges: 16,375 metric tons, up 31 percent compared with 12,469 metric tons;
- Onions/shallots: 26,270 metric tons, up 376 percent compared with 5,512 metric tons;
- Mandarins: 1,217 metric tons, down 85 percent compared with 8,188 metric tons;
- Lemons: 13,780 metric tons down 6 percent compared with 14,660 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 86,918 metric tons, down 5 percent compared with 91,534 metric tons;
- Asparagus: 5,048 metric tons, up 386 percent compared with 1,037 metric tons; and
- Bananas: 62,489 metric tons, down 7 percent compared with 67,151 metric tons.
Port of Everglades, FL
Port of Everglades 2020 imports through June, compared with 2019:
- Asparagus: 14,464 metric tons, up 226 percent compared with 4,428 metric tons;
- Bananas: 170,861 metric tons, up 17 percent compared with 146,316 metric tons;
- Berries: 94,693 metric tons, up 562 percent compared with 14,288 metric tons;
- Deciduous fruit: 108,797 metric tons, down 40 percent compared with 180,496 metric tons;
- Lemons: 3,897 metric tons, up 31 percent compared with 2,983 metric tons;
- Onions/shallots: 3,125 metric tons, up 105 percent compared 1,522 metric tons;
- Oranges: 2,897 metric tons, up 626 percent compared with 399 metric tons;
- Pineapples: 26,156 metric tons, down 8 percent compared with 28,526 metric tons; and
- Vegetables: 58,064 metric tons, up 7 percent compared with 54,320 metric tons
Everything concerning logistics and transportation has been difficult during the pandemic and it wasn’t any easier during the holiday season. Produce shipments are expected to return to more normal patterns (whatever that is). Restocking of retail supermarket shelves should translate in to an increase in shipments on many items before leveling off as we progress into the New Year.
Here’s a round up of some major winter shipping areas in the western half of the U.S. and the biggest volume items being shipped.
Arizona
Western Arizona in the Yuma district is loading about 1,000 truck loads of head lettuce and romaine each week, plus lesser amounts of numerous other winter veggies….Many Mexican produce items crossing at Nogales will be reaching peak volume in the weeks ahead. Lots of mixed loads here. More than a half dozen different types of squash combined are accounting for about 500 truck loads weekly. Cucumbers and bell peppers are gaining in volume, along with watermelons and tomatoes.
Mexican veggies from Nogales – grossing about $4500 to Chicago.
California
California at one time was the most exciting place for picking up produce loads, but a lot of the shine has shifted to other areas, led by Mexico due to left coast taxes and other political decisions. Many of the best loading opportunities are now in the desert of the Imperial and Coachella valleys with many items mirroring those found in the Yuma district….In Ventura County there are around 450 truck load equivalents weekly of celery. Over in Kern County about 300 truck load equivalents of carrots are being shipped.
Idaho
Russet potato shipments from the Twin Falls region are averaging around 1250 truck load equivalents weekly….In Western Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon they are loading nearly 600 truck load equivalents.
Texas
South Texas continues to become one of the most attractive areas for loading produce, as more and more Mexican fruits and veggies are crossing the border. Nearly 900 truckloads of avocados are being loaded weekly and this should be increasing as we approach the Super Bowl in early February. Other volume items range from tomatoes to limes, watermelons, strawberries and broccoli.
Mexican produce crossings from South Texas – grossing about $4800 to Atlanta.
Washington
Apples and pears are the most obvious opportunities this time of year from the Yakima and Wenatchee valleys with over 2100 truck load equivalents each week. There is also moderate shipments of potatoes and onions from Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjacent Umatilla Basin of Oregon.
Washington apples grossing – about $8400 to New York City.
2020 has come to close and for many of us, and not too soon.
It proved to be a very challenging year for everyone. Few have been challenged more than the patriotic driver of the United States of America.
2021 has got to be better. Among the reasons for optimism is President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed (OWS), the public-private partnership to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Warp Speed program that resulted in vaccinations now becoming available in record time.
The trucking industry came through as never before during the past year delivering the vast majority of the nation’s freight to keep this great country moving.
For this reason, we are dedicating the New Year to America’s truck drivers. Despite the enormous challenges created by the China virus, you keep delivering us fresh fruits and vegetables, countless other perishables, as well as just about anything else one can think of.
Thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and perseverance during all of the adversity.
Wishing a prosperous 2021, full of success and good health for each of you and your family!
U.S. vegetable per capita availability increased 2.7 percent, excluding melons to 153.32 pounds in 2019, according to the USDA.
The increase in last year still left the total 2.5 percent lower than 2017, when per capita vegetable availability was 157.10 pounds.
By 2019 commodity per capita availability and percent change from 2018:
- Asparagus: 1.75 pounds, down 0.12%;
- Artichokes: 1.38 pounds, up 1.92%;
- Snap/green beans:1.78 pounds, up 8.94%;
- Broccoli; 6.14 pounds, up 3.59%;
- Cabbage; 6.46 pounds, up 13.76%;;
- Carrot: 13.61 pounds, up 11.55%;
- Cauliflower; 3.02 pounds, up 20.50%;
- Celery; 5.34 pounds, up 9.18%;
- Sweet corn; 6.77 pounds, down 0.46%;
- Cucumber: 8.01 pounds, up 0.23%;
- Eggplant; 0.88 pounds, down 3.03%;
- Escarole/endive: 0.17 pounds, down 1.17%;
- Head lettuce: 12.72 pounds; up 3.15%;
- Romaine/leaf lettuce; 12.33 pounds; up 1.71%;
- Garlic; 1.92 pounds, down 19.90%;
- Onions: 20.39 pounds, down 0.54%;
- Bell peppers: 11.31 pounds, up 1.31%;
- Pumpkin: 5.83 pounds, down 6.89%;
- Radish; 0.54 pounds, down 1.26%;
- Spinach; 2.48 pounds, up 32.50%;
- Squash; 5.87 pounds, up 3.98%;
- Southern Greens: 2.87 pounds, down 0.65%;
- Tomatoes: 20.3 pounds; up 0.09%;
- Total without melons: 153.32 pounds, up 2.74%.
By Iyer Amruthur, Business Development Specialist, ALC San Antonio
The Legend of Topo Chico has a near and dear place in every Texan’s heart as the premier choice for natural sparkling mineral water. From an ancient story of an ailing Aztec princess whose father, Movtezum I Ilhuicamina, searched far and wide for a cure; wise priests told the king his daughter must bathe in the mystical waters to the north of them. The tribe embarked on a search, for health.
The king took his daughter to the springs by a mole-shaped hill called Topo Chico. After bathing in, and drinking the waters, legend has it that she was immediately cured. Now we see this same spring as one of the most popular sources of beverages in the world! Topo-Chico began selling its mineral water to the U.S. in the 1980s, with its primary market being the Mexican-American communities.
Texas was the biggest consumer of the Topo Beverage, and soon it developed a cult following which exploded in 2010. With retro-green-tinted bottles, and a mythical location in one of Monterrey, Mexico’s inactive volcanoes, they took the market by storm. That is until they closed one of the biggest deals in their history.
In 2017 Coca-Cola, the world’s largest soft drink company acquired Topo Chico for 220 Million Dollars. With the added supply chain, marketing, and business expertise they were able to expand their sales by 25% in the first quarter. Before the acquisition, 70% of all Topo Chico sales were in Texas but with Coke’s distribution network, they were able to easily reach areas they were unable to before. Soon they started to pop up in convenience stores, additional Walmart’s, and even Costco.
Coke understands the effect the supply chain can have on companies. One thing that the company recognized about Topo-Chico is that the following was cult-like, it was based in certain demographics, and it had a certain image people loved. As Kellam Mattier, a VP of innovation at Coke said, “It’s important for us to maintain the relevance with the core Topo Chico fan base while introducing the brand to new people.” This helps the original company, traditionally regional, to bring that same company feel to the whole nation.
Now with 2021 on the horizon, Coke will debut Topo Chico’s first Hard Alcoholic Seltzer in Latin American cities and will be launching in the U.S. in 2021. This shows the perfect synergy, and what happens between a loved brand, and an expert distributor. Logistics has a lot of the focus on trucks, but before trucks even hit the road, someone needs to make routes, orders, and deals. This is what Coke brings to the table, and why you may see Topo Chico in a store near you soon.
With the bottled-water industry booming to $16 billion in 2017, the market was shifting slightly away from soda. In this gap today, Topo-Chico fits perfectly and is growing just like the legend from long ago.
Iyer Amruthur is a business development specialist in the ALC San Antonio office and has two years of logistics experience. Iyer attended The University of Georgia where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, with a minor in Communications.
A 25 percent decline in Argentine lemon exports are estimated compared to a year ago. This would result in producing only 190,000 metric tons (MT) this coming season, according to a report by the USDA.
Reasons for the projected decline is due to a decrease in production, available fruit supply in the Northern Hemisphere’s fruit-producing countries and strong competition from South Africa.
Exporters are also concerned about the continued threat of fruit rejections by the EU due to the presence of Citrus Black Spot (CBS) as occurred in the 2019-20 season.
Lemon exports to the U.S. for the 2020-21 season are estimated to be about 40,000MT. However, this is an uncertain estimate due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on consumption patterns.
Argentine lemon production forecasts at 1.03MMT, a 30 percent decrease in comparison to last year, due to cold damage early in the season and dry growing conditions. A drought is restricting production of all citrus fruit in Argentina by reducing fruit size. This season fresh lemons for processing are forecast to decrease significantly to 731,000 MT, down 31.5 percent compared to 2019-20, as a result of the decrease in production.
U.S. citrus imports grew significantly during the third quarter of the year while volumes of other key fruits during the period such as avocados and bananas saw declines, according to the USDA.
Total imports of fresh citrus between June and September this year rose by 20 percent over 2019 to $682 million. Easily the largest increase in citrusy came from mandarins with imports soaring by 55 percent to $225 million.
Both Chile and Peru were responsible for the dramatic increase. Both have seen strong growth in soft citrus volumes in recent years. South Africa and Uruguay also increased shipments. Limes and oranges both rose by 10 percent to $134 million and $123 million, respectively, while lemons saw a 3 percent decline to $95 million.
Limes came almost entirely from Mexico, while the increase in oranges was driven by South Africa and partially offset by a decline from Chile.
Meanwhile, avocado imports experienced a huge decline of 26 percent to $531 million during the quarter. This decline was driven both by Mexico, whose volumes fell by 24 percent to $424 million, and Peru, whose shipments fell by 22 percent to $102 million.
Chilean imports in the third quarter last year were $20 million, just $1 million. Colombia, meanwhile, managed to roughly double its shipments from 2019 to $4 million. Banana imports fell by 7 percent to $457 million, driven by Guatemala’s volumes falling by 9 percent to $220 million.
Costa Rica and Ecuador saw declines of 11 percent each to $91 million and $43 million, while Honduras saw a 15 percent increase to $41 million. Blueberry imports remained stable at $183 million, with a sharp increase from Peru offset by an equally sharp decrease from Canada.
Avocado shipments are expected to be strong with stable volumes over the coming weeks, with an increase in the run-up to the Super Bowl.
The Del Rey Avocado Company reports supplies have been steady over recent weeks, hitting around 50 million pounds per week into the U.S. market.
This pace is likely to continue as volumes are expected to pick up in the new year. A weekly increase in volume to match the demand for the Super Bowl is seen from the middle to the end of January. However, it remains to be seen whether the U.S. market will see volumes of up to 78 million pounds per week for two or three weeks as in previous years.
Mission Produce notes Mexico is producing good volumes through December and leading into the Super Bowl on February 7, the biggest avocado sales period of the year. Volumes over 50 million pounds through December and will continue to grow as we get closer to the Big Game.
Pelion, S.C. – WP Rawl, the premier grower, processor and shipper of leafy greens honored fallen military heroes by participating in Wreaths Across America Day this December.
WP Rawl’s dedicated truck and trailer traveled from Pelion, South Carolina to Columbia Falls, Maine to pick up thousands of fresh evergreen wreaths to be placed on the headstones of veterans – a symbol used for centuries to recognize and honor the fallen.
Each year National Wreaths Across America Day takes place in over 1,600 locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad continuing the tradition by participating in annual wreath-laying ceremonies.
For the first time in five years of participating, the company picked up wreaths for two national cemeteries in their home state of South Carolina. Over 28,500 wreaths were delivered to Fort Jackson and Beaufort National Cemetery for the headstones of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Beaufort National Cemetery held a parade on Saturday, December 19th where trucks were escorted into the cemetery with a crowd of cheering volunteers. WP Rawl driver and Army veteran, Craig Ruff had the honor of delivering both loads of wreaths. “It was an honor as a peace time veteran to retrieve a load of wreaths from Maine and then to deliver them to the two national cemeteries,” said Ruff. “It was a humbling experience and great joy meeting all of the folks that want to honor our military heroes. I am grateful for WP Rawl for giving me the opportunity as an employee and veteran. Thank you! I am packed and ready for next year!”
“In a year of so many uncertainties, we were happy to be able to continue the tradition of supporting Wreaths Across America.” said Ashley Rawl, vice president of sales, marketing and product development. “What better way to support our local heroes then by showing our thanks to the many men and woman who are to thank for the many freedoms we have today.”
WP Rawl has supported the Wreaths Across America organization throughout the years by donating services, sponsoring wreaths and sending employees who volunteered to lay wreaths on fallen veterans’ graves.
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About WP Rawl
Dating back to 1925, WP Rawl is a fourth generation family farm which has grown to become a grower/shipper/processor, specializing in year-round bulk and value-added leafy greens and vegetables in the Rawl®, Nature’s Greens® and Palmetto Gardens® brands.