Posts Tagged “feature”
An expansion of of avocados in the global market has taken place at Naturipe with its first season distributing Colombia avocados in the U.S.
The company, a year-round grower-supplier of berries and avocados, says Colombia will contribute to the supply growth of avocados worldwide. Naturipe is also increasing the Colombian industry with “significant growing operations. In Colombia, we are executing a plan to have more than 2,500 acres of avocados farms in the next three years, mainly in the area of Caldas, Quindio and Antioquia to secure nearly year-round production of avocados from Colombia,” said Andres Carvallo, Board Chairman for Naturipe Avocado Farms.
“We have already planted 500 acres and have a global export business from Colombia of more than 6 million pounds. We expect our Colombian export business to grow to 45 million pounds annually in five years.”
Andrew Bruno, president of Naturipe Avocado Farms, says the company’s farms are located at various altitudes, ranging from 5,500 to 8,200 feet above sea level.
“This will give us a wider production window from October to March for our main harvest and from May to August for our secondary harvest,” he said.
“This allows us to provide our clients with quality, fresh fruit for 10 months of the year from Colombia.” Colombia gained access to the U.S. avocado market in August 2017. While volumes from the country in the U.S. market have been limited since then, it is expected to grow substantially as a supply origin over the coming years.
Light loadings of onions from Idaho and Eastern Oregon got underway in mid August and as diggings progress, shipments of storage onions are now going on.
Haun Packing of Weiser, ID cites nearly ideal weather and growing conditions resulting in an excellent quality onion crop this season. Some growers began harvest in July and full harvest throughout the region was underway by mid to late August.
RPE of Bancroft, WI ships red and yellow onions out of the region for a couple of growers and notes the season is on schedule.
Baker & Murakami Produce Co. of Ontario, OR points out the 2019 season was a rough one due to adverse weather, then onion loadings were stymied this spring due to COVID-19. The company sees a lot of uncertainty is shipments for the next 8 to 10 months because of the pandemic.
Wada Farms of Idaho Falls, ID notes onions in the Treasure Valley are looking great due to ideal weather and a bumper crop is expected. Shipments should continue into April.
Snake River Produce Co. LLC of Parma, ID ships onions from August until April and is optimistic about the shipping season. Similar views also came from Eagle Eye Produce of Idaho Falls, ID, as well as ProSource Inc. of Hailey, ID.
Vegetable imports notched a 10 percent increase, while ottal fruit imports to the U.S. fell by 2 percent in the first half of the year, recently released USDA data shows.
The drop in fruit imports to the US was driven by a 19 percent drop in fruit juices and a 1 percent dip in fresh deciduous imports to the U.S. Fresh citrus imports fell by 1 percent to the US. The predominant ‘other’ fresh fruit category – which includes avocados, bananas and berries – saw no change, holding steady from January through June.
Avocado imports fell by 3 percent during the period, while bananas rose by 1 percent and blueberries fell by 17 percent and strawberries declined by 6 percent. Table grape imports through mid-February were up 35 percent, following by a 9 percent rise through the end of March, and then a 17 percent drop in the next three months.
Apples were down 22 percent, while limes were down 13 percent, mandarins were up 42 percent and oranges were up 19 percent.
Meanwhile, the total vegetable category was up 10 percent, driven by a 10 percent increase in imports of fresh vegetables excluding potatoes. Frozen vegetables were up 8 percent, while prepared or preserved vegetables rose by 15 percent. Potatoes notched a 38 percent uptick.
By Northwest Pear Bureau
Pear growers and producers from Washington’s Wenatchee and Yakima valleys and Oregon’s Mid-Columbia and Medford districts have estimated this year’s fresh pear shipments at 16.6 million standard box equivalents, or approximately 366,000 tons of fresh pears. The estimate is coming in slightly above last season’s total.
Harvest started in mid August for early varieties Starkrimson and Bartlett in all regions, with growers to begin picking Green and Red Anjou and Bosc over the last two weeks of August. Specialty pears Comice, Seckel, Forelle and Concorde pears started near the end of August and into the first week of September.
Four leading varieties make the up 96 percent of the Northwest crop.
The industry is expected to ship 8.6 million standard boxes of Green Anjou pears, which will be more than 51 percent of the total crop. Other primary varieties include 4.2 million boxes of Green Bartlett pears at 25 percent of the crop, 2.3 million boxes of Bosc for 14 percent of the crop, and just under 1 million Red Anjou pears at 5.5 percent of the total volume.
The organic pear estimate is expected to come in at 1.96 million standard boxes – more than 43,000 tons which is nearly 12 percent of the total Northwest crop. Green Anjou and Bartlett combine for 74 percent of the organic crop, and Bosc and Red Anjou make up 14 percent and 6 percent respectively, with the remaining specialty varieties also available to fill out the crop year.
About Pear Bureau Northwest
Pear Bureau Northwest is a non-profit marketing organization established in 1931 to promote the fresh pears grown in Washington and Oregon, home to 87% of the US commercial fresh pear crop. The Bureau represents over 800 grower families and partners with outlets throughout the world in an effort to increase overall success with the pear category.
About 40 percent of pumpkin acres in 2017 were grown in five States: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Texas, and California. However, all state produce at least some pumpkins.
At Turek Farms in King Ferry, NY the company observes people are not going on vacation, because they are staying home and spending more on landscaping and cooking,” said Turek ships hundreds of loads of traditional orange jack-o-lanterns to retailers in the Northeast.
The majority of Turek’s pumpkins are ready the last 10 days in September and the first 20 days of October.
At Jackson Farming Co. based in Autryville, N.C., pumpkins for carving are ready to be shipped in mid-September, although a few loads go out to retailers who set up their produce departments up right after Labor Day. Jackson’s peak shipping period is October 1 – 15.
Washington state is expecting plentiful supplies of pumpkins and ornamental gourds, according to Bay Baby Produce of Mount Vernon, WA. The operation grows over 550 acres of pumpkins in the Skagit Valley, including 15 pumpkin varieties from pie to ornamental and three varieties of long-stemmed, hard-shelled pumpkins for decoration.
Bay Baby expects to started harvesting the second week of August and continues until October 15, with product shipping from the first of September until October 25. Bay Baby’s designs are shipped across North America and down to Mexico, with some exported to Japan and Taiwan.
Frey Farms of Keenes, IL starts picking the last week of August and first week of September, stocking up building up its inventory. Then right after Labor Day it starts shipping to retail stores.
Frey’s ornamentals, from mesh bags of white, orange and striped mini pumpkins to gourds and decorative corn, start ramping up the second and third week of September. However, most loadings of its jack-type pumpkins take place in October.
Bancroft, Wis. — Potato innovation doesn’t happen overnight or even in one growing season. Agronomists are long at work in test fields across the globe with the goal of growing better-tasting, better-looking, and better-growing potatoes.
These trials take years and the number of test candidates at the onset of testing might start out at 200 different varieties with eventually one or two reaching commercial production. This is the story of how new potato varieties are born.
RPE, Inc. — a full service grower, shipper, marketer of fresh potatoes – is delighted to bring a new, premium red potato variety to potato consumers this fall.
“RPE Golden Red™ premium potatoes are the new gold standard in red potatoes,” says Tim Huffcutt, Vice President Sales & Marketing Operations for RPE. “Compared to common red potatoes, these superior stunners have a vibrant red skin with a rich yellow interior and a sweet creamy taste.”
This potato variety started out in the Netherlands where it showed early promise based on yield, internal and external quality as well as disease and insect resistance. Likewise, the variety performed well in growing regions of the U.S. and Canada. Sensory testing showed that not only does the Golden Red taste better than standard, mainstream red potatoes; its internal and external appearance outshines its commodity counterpart.
Beyond the appearance of the Golden Red is its performance in the kitchen and flavor. Research Chef Chris McAdams said of Golden Red, “I truly believe this potato was built for potato salad, it’s phenomenal in that application. Once it’s cooked, it holds its shape and texture much better than comparable potatoes. When you cut it after boiling it doesn’t break apart or get grainy, which is what makes it ideal for a potato salad.”
Chef Chris also recommends consumers prepare this potato either boiled, roasted or fried. “These methods,” he said, “highlight the creamy texture and sweet, mildly-earthy flavor.”
Custom-created recipes and more information about Golden Red can be found on RPE’s website, RPEspud.com/our-products/golden-red-potatoes/
Golden Red is an RPE exclusive varietal. RPE and parent company, Wysocki Family of Companies, since the 1950s have been potato industry innovation leaders. Innovation in storage longevity and crop management along with trial varietals are the bedrock of the company and remain a core value today.
Golden Red premium potatoes will be available this fall in a three-pound, poly light-blocker, bilingual bag.
About RPE
Category leader RPE is a grower/shipper of year-round potatoes and onions, providing category innovation and retail solutions. Varietal development is just one way we combine our progressive farming heritage and our visionary agronomy practices.
An expansion of the Walker River Cooling Facility in Yerington, NV has been completed by The Nunes Co. Inc. and Peri & Sons.
Onion company Peri & Sons, Yerington, and Nunes, Salinas, jointly opened the facility in 2017. The expansion added cooling and warehouse space and 6 more loading docks, according to a news release, and eliminates trips in and out of California, dropping 600 miles from truck routes.
“By tripling the size of our facility we can increase our forward distribution capacity to — not only be able to load more trucks directly to the eastern part of the U.S. — but to increase the distribution of our California-based crops in the summer months,” Tom M. Nunes, president, said in the release.
“Through the expansion of this facility we also set ourselves up to be in great shape for expanding our acreage for future growth,” he said in the release. “Having the ability to consolidate loads gives us the opportunity to offer a heightened level of quality and consistency while still giving our customers a diversity of produce options.”
The Nunes Co. and Peri & Sons have worked together since 2008, growing and selling organic vegetables in Lyon County, of which Yerington is the county seat. Starting with 16 acres, the companies now grow and ship more than 40 million pounds of organic baby greens and 50 million pounds of organic vegetable every year, according to the release.
“Seeing the impact of the Walker River Cooling Facility, not only on the customer level, but also at the community level to the people of Lyon County, goes to show that great accomplishments can be made when two product giants join teams and share a common vision,” David Peri, owner and founder of Peri & Sons, said in the release.
Avocado imports from Mexico have been similar to a year ago, and shipments will continue to increase over the next several weeks.
Del Rey Avocado Co. Inc. of Fallbrook, CA notes the country’s flora loca crop started in mid-July with a limited number of trucks coming into the U.S.
Volume had dropped to 600 truckloads — about 25 million pounds — per week for a few weeks, but movement increased to about 30 million pounds per week and nearing 40 million pounds by the end of September.
Volume from Mexico will gradually increase over the next few months with the aventajada crop and then the regular crop peaking in January.
Calavo Growers Inc. of Santa Paula, CA sees the estimate for Mexico’s summer crop being strong, with an estimated 20 percent more avocados than last year.
Volume of avocados from Mexico in August has been 50 percent greater than July’s volume.
In all, Mexico supplies 75 to 80 percent of the avocados shipped to the U.S.
Colorado vegetable shipments are moving in pretty normal, steady volume, while the majority of the state’s peach crop was hit hard by a hard freeze during the growing season.
Tuxedo Corn Co. of Olathe, CO, as well as others, began shipping sweet corn early August. The company has about 1670 acres of corn.
Fagerberg Produce Co. of Eaton, CO began loading red, white, yellow and sweet onions in mid-August. The company has 1,500 acres of onion and should be shipping through February.
At Sakata Farms of Brighton, CO, onion loadings have just started from its 400 acres. About 80 percent of the company’s product is yellow onions, with the balance being with red and white onions.
Hirakata Farms of Rocky Ford, CO lost some of its cantaloupe to hail, but the remainder of the melons are in good shape. The company’s watermelon crops will lack yields in some fields this season, but have great yields in others. Still, volume will certainly look good after losing 60 percent of their melons last year to weather.
Hungenberg Produce Inc. of Greeley, CO got underway July 10 with its conventional and organic carrots being shipped through November. The company has 1,200 acres of carrots, with 250 acres being organic.
At Mountain Valley Produce in Center, CO is starting to harvest potatoes this week in the San Luis Valley. Diggings should be complete by October 10th, with loadings taking place into the summer of 2021.
A freeze that dipped into the low 20s last April has resulted in peach shipments being down 85 to 90 percent at Talbot Farms Inc. in Palisades, CO. Instead of shipping 8 million pounds of peaches this season, the grower/shipper will only have about 800,000 to 1 million pounds.
Overall, Colorado peach shipments are expected to be down 65 percent from normal.
Talbot reports some orchards had full or near-full crops through the Mesa County growing area, although Talbot was not among that fortunate group. Delta County is just to the south are has a better crop. Crops there were less advanced during that April freeze.
Port Manatee, Palmetto, FL., has received approval for an $8.3 million project that will nearly double the size of its dockside container yard.
The project, through a construction contract approved by the Manatee County Port Authority on July 28, will add 9.3 acres to the 10-acre paved facility adjoining the port’s berth 12 and 14 docks, according to a news release.
“Expansion of the dockside container yard to encompass 19.3 acres not only will accommodate dynamic demand from such longtime users as Port Manatee-based World Direct Shipping and Del Monte Fresh Produce Co., but also will literally and figuratively pave the way for further global commerce opportunities at our flourishing seaport,” Carlos Buqueras, the port’s executive director, said in the release. “The expansion project is a cornerstone of the two-year, $38 million capital enhancement initiative under way at Port Manatee.”
World Direct Shipping has imported produce and other goods from Mexico since 2014, and Del Monte is in its fourth decade at the facility, importing bananas, pineapples and avocados from Central and South America, according to the release.
The project includes installation of 150 electrical receptacles for plugging in refrigerated cargo containers, bringing the port’s total reefer plugs to 600.
“In these challenging times for our nation, Port Manatee continues to thrive as a vital economic engine for our region and beyond, serving as a preferred gateway for numerous key commodities,” Priscilla Whisenant Trace, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, said in the release.