Posts Tagged “feature”
by Pioneer Growers
Belle Glade, FL – Pioneer Growers has announced the near completion of their new facility expansion that includes expanded cold storage and processing facilities at their Belle Glade, FL location.
The facility became operational recently, and this is the third and final phase of a mid-term expansion plan that includes 64,000 additional square feet of space for processing, storage, and office space. The Florida facility now includes 13 docks and 700 new pallet spaces to aid in cooling incoming product and staging outgoing shipments.
Vice President and General Manager Gene Duff remarked, “As one of the largest fresh sweet corn growers in the U.S. it’s important that we continue to expand and improve our facilities to meet not only growing demand, but to maintain production efficiencies that continue to improve our product handling and quality.”
Construction of the phase three project began in August of 2016 and was part of a 5-year plan that included previous expansions of processing, receiving and packing areas and features Thermomass tilt wall construction.
Pioneer is currently shipping sweet corn, cabbage and radishes along with green beans which are processed in the new Phase 3 expansion.
In closing Duff remarked, “Pioneer Growers has always been an industry leader and our growers and employees are proud and excited to work in the most modern facility in the Glades where we produce and ship some of the freshest, best quality sweet corn and vegetables grown anywhere in the U.S.”
Pioneer Growers is a grower owned marketing cooperative specializing in fresh sweet corn and mixed vegetables including green beans, radishes, and cabbage. Today, Pioneer is a leader in the sweet corn industry offering year-round availability with more than 13,000 acres across Florida, Georgia and the Northeast with a focus on premium quality driven by their commitment to super sweet varieties packed in the Pioneer and Green Giant Fresh brands.
Florida tomato shipments and vegetable shipments – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
While everyone seems to be talking about Vidalia sweet onions, which won’t even start shipping for another month, there’s plenty of Mexican sweet onions crossing the border in South Texas, while an excellent crop of Texas 1015 variety sweet onions are now underway.
Onions from Peru are done, which is helping to bolster loadings out of the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
As of March 2nd shipments year to date out of Mexico a year ago were 2,667 truck loads in 2016. This year 4,523 truck loads have crossed the border into Texas by that same date. Mexican onion shipments got underway this year a month earlier than normal, which will result in loadings from Mexico ending earlier than usual. (A similar situation exists in South Texas and with Vidalia onions).
Mexican onion quality overall has been reported very good and is averaging over 700 truck loads crossing the border each week.
As Mexican onion shipments have entered the last half of its season, sweet onions out of the Lower Rio Grande Valley have just recently got underway. While no official acreage report has been issued, some believe there are fewer acres planted in the Rio Grande Valley than a year ago. Less than 75 truck loads of Texas sweet onions were shipped from the valley last week, but volume is increasing.
Imported Mexican tropical fruits and vegetables – grossing about $2800 to Chicago.
1015 Sweet Onion History
The sweet onions from Texas started when the Bermuda onion was introduced into South Texas in 1898 when a packet of onion seed was planted near Cotulla. The onions were shipped in 1899 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they were so enthusiastically received that a larger acreage was planted.
By 1904, approximately 500 acres of Bermuda onions were planted in South Texas. In spring, 1907, 1,011 carloads (rail) of onions were shipped from South and Southwest Texas; in 1908, production had more than doubled, and in 1909, 12 counties shipped 2,920 carloads. Shipments reached 6,735 carloads in 1917; this figure was not exceeded until 1928 and 1929 when the total movements were 7,055 and 7,232 carloads, respectively. The largest movement in 50 years for a single season was 10,164 carloads in 1946.
The Canary Islands, principally Teneriffe Island, produced most of the onion seed planted in Texas until about 1946. The two types of Bermuda onions generally grown in Texas were the Yellow Bermuda and White Bermuda and Crystal Wax.
More Texas grapefruit loads than usual are headed to the East Coast this season. Meanwhile, apples remaining in storages to be shipped remain significant higher than a year ago.
Florida grapefruit shipments have halted for the season, as much as three weeks ahead of schedule as volume declines continue, something that has been affecting all Florida citrus as citrus greening losses continue to mount.
Texas grapefruit shipments which have increased this season (by 10 percent) are now destined for some East Coast cities to fill the void left by Florida. Meanwhile, California citrus loadings are just getting underway.
Florida grapefruit acreage has plunged from more than 124,000 acres in 1970 to about 40,300 acres this past season. The estimated end-of-season shipments this season is 9 million 85-pound cartons, compared to 10.8 million a year ago and 12.9 million in 2014-15.
There were no quality problems with the Florida grapefruit that could be shipped, but there was a much lower quantity. The blame is laid on citrus greening and not weather. It’s the lowest volume in possibly three decades.
As for Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, grapefruit shipments have yet to be effected by citrus greening. Lone Star State Loadings should continue through mid-April.
California citrus shipments should be in good volume leading up to Easter, which is April 16th.
Texas grapefruit, and imported Mexican produce – grossing about $4200 to New York City.
Apple Shipments
Fresh apples remaining in U.S. storages as of March 1st stood at 69.7 million (42-pound) cartons, 12 percent more higher than last year and 8 percent over the five-year average.
Washington state accounted for 90 percent of the remaining apples, amounting to 62.7 million cartons. Red delicious storage apples totaled 24.4 million cartons, up 33 percent from 18.4 million cartons in 2016. However, this was down 16 percent from 29 million cartons from March 2015.
Gala variety fresh apples in storage stood at 12.9 million cartons, up 36 percent from 9.5 million cartons a year ago and about the same as two years ago.
Washington’s Yakima and Wenatchee Valley apples and pears – grossing about $6200 to New York City.
As the month of March progresses, produce shippers will be transitioning to the coastal valleys of California as well as the Huron district on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. However, for now primary vegetables shipments continue from the desert regions of California and Arizona. But shipping gapes in the weeks ahead are certain.
Loadings for some early season cauliflower and broccoli should start from the Salinas Valley in mid-March. Meanwhile desert lettuce shipments will shift to Huron (San Joaquin Valley) by the end of March. However it be early April before lettuce and leaf items are shipped from Salinas. This is when the shipping gaps will start and the issues will continue at least until May.
A couple of hours drive to the south a very similar scenario is seen in Santa Maria. The broccoli and cauliflower currently being harvested has quality issues due to relentless recent rains.
Quality is expected to gradually improve along with volume throughout March, but yields and loadings will be down along with supply gaps.
Vegetable shipments from the California and Arizona deserts should finish during the third week of March.
In Southern California, rains hit strawberry fields and volume is slowly improving, but still struggling to get back to normal. Decent strawberry shipments are expected by the third week of March from Ventura County. While Southern California strawberries are working to regain good volume, shipments from Florida and Mexico are starting to decline. Both those areas of origin are well above their shipping levels compared to the same time in 2016.
Florida and Mexico had a combined volume of about 36 million cartons compared to about half that in late February 2016. For the past two years, those two production areas have combined to ship around 50 million trays to U.S. markets.
In late February, California had shipped just 3 million crates compared to the close to 200 million it typically ships in a calendar year.
U.S. federal regulators are preparing to clamp down on those in the food supply chain ranging from shippers to truckers who do not comply with the federal government’s new food transportation safety rule coming in April.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply, from the way it is grown, harvested and processed, to ensure it is safe by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to contamination to preventing it.
Many businesses have been slow to prepare for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s regulation on the sanitary transportation of human and animal food, implemented in response to the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act. Some industry experts see the transportation industry as being pretty clueless about the rules. Tough talk has been coming from those who are to enforce the new act.
The law was prompted after many reported incidents of foodborne illnesses during the first decade of the 2000s. Tainted food has cost the food industry billions of dollars in recalls, lost sales and legal expenses.
This bill is similar to the Food Safety Enhancement Act which passed the House in 2009. It is considered the first major piece of federal legislation addressing food safety since 1938. ] It is also the first piece of legislation to address intentional adulteration.
The changes are expected force shippers and carriers to have some serious talks involving new contracts or adjusting tweaks to existing agreements.
The new act will effect everything from the loading dock to the receiver’s dock and will need to document procedures, processes, training and records.
Transport Topics recently quoted Leonard “Bud” Rodowick, an executive at transport refrigeration unit supplier Thermo King Corp as saying, “It’s government on steroids.” Indeed, the scope of the new rule is broad, requiring shippers, carriers, brokers, receivers and loaders to hone their best sanitary food transportation practices. The 283-page rule places the primary burden on shippers and manufacturers to ensure that the proper written procedures and data collection are in place to keep food properly cooled and trailers cleaned between loads.
However, it also requires carriers to make good on their promises to shippers. The new FDA requirements are part of the federal government’s larger effort to prevent food safety problems, rather than reacting to crises when food becomes contaminated.
A packing date is set for Vidalia sweet onions. Otherwise, primary onion loadings a taking place from two western U.S. areas. Finally, here’s the outlook for imported mangoes.
An April 12th pack date for Vidalia onions has been set by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which is about two weeks earlier than the pack dates during the past three seasons.
GDA rules mandate that no Vidalia onions can be packed or sold before the April 12 pack date. The pack date is established prior to each season to ensure the highest quality onions are delivered to retail stores for consumers across the country. The 2017 Vidalia onion crop is ahead of schedule because of the mild temperatures this winter thus resulting in the earlier pack date. Any sweet onions shipped from the Vidalia growing district prior to April 12th cannot be sold and shipped as Vidalia onions.
This is a very quiet time of year for Georgia produce shipments, with very light volume on a few items such as carrots and greens. Peach shipments are a couple of months away.
Storage Onion Shipments
The largest amount of onions coming out of domestic storages, averaging about 800 truck loads per week, is from western Idaho and nearby Malheur Co. in eastern Oregon. Similar onion volume also is be loaded from the Columbia Basin in Washington state and the adjacent Umatilla Basin of Oregon.
Idaho/Oregon onions – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.
Southern Washington/ Northern Oregon onions – grossing about $4800 to New York City.
Mango Imports
Mango imports for markets in the U.S. are expected to be similar in volume to last year. Peruvian imported mangoes are rapidly declining as the season comes to a close, while it will be April before there is big volume crossing the border from Mexico.
U.S. consumption of mangos continues to increase as the tropical fruit becomes more mainstream than ever. Since 2005, mango volume has increased over 75 percent, from 62 million boxes in 2005 to 109 million boxes in 2016. U.S. per capita consumption has grown 58 percent since 2005 to almost three pounds per person in 2016.
All of the units are now full on the San Antonio Wholesale Produce Market, and now it is starting its next phase of development.
With all 50 of the produce market’s spaces available for lease being occupied, and it is now pre-selling lots in an industrial park scheduled to be completed in late 2018.
Once a company purchases a lot, which is about 10,000 square feet, it can build a warehouse there to its specifications.
Companies can start construction on their individual warehouses after the completion of the infrastructure of the industrial park, which will include streets and parking, water, sewer and electric services, and security, cleaning and maintenance of common areas.
“Our business is definitely moving in the right direction,” said Luz Moreno, sales and marketing director for San Antonio Wholesale Produce Market.
“The interest is definitely very good.”
Warehouses built on lots in the industrial park will allow for significantly more storage than current units, which are about 4,000 square feet.
Those hold about 150 pallets, while the warehouses built on the lots in the industrial park should be able to hold nearly 650 pallets.
San Antonio Produce Terminal Market is located at the address 1500 S Zarzamora St in San Antonio, Texas 78207. They can be contacted via phone at (210) 223-1235 for pricing, hours and directions. It was founded in 1948.
San Antonio Produce Terminal Market has an annual sales volume of $5 to 10 million. For more information contact Tom Preston, Executive Director
While rain drenched California citrus isn’t having significant quality problems, that could change during the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, here’s a look at avocado shipments from Mexico and California.
The bottom line is citrus growers don’t know what long-term effect the recent rains will have on the crop as navels and cara cara navels hit peak loadings. Excessive rain and moisture can adversely affect low-hanging fruit on trees, so packinghouses are running a little slower to monitor spoilage.
Gold nugget variety mandarins and Ojai pixie tangerines — late season specialty varieties, also recently got underway by Sunkist Growers. Additionally, California Star Ruby grapefruit shipments are about to start.
While quality issues down the road are a question mark, more certainty is that the 2017 harvest will end earlier this season. Instead of lasting until the Fourth of July, shipments will end in early June.
Total tonnage harvested in 2017 is expected to be 15 to 19 percent less than a year ago.
Southern California citrus, avocados – grossing about $4500 to Atlanta.
Avocado Shipments
Shipments of Mexican avocados through south Texas in February this year totaled about 135.1 million pounds (3,3375 truck loads), compared with 166.25 million pounds (4,150) shipped in February last year.
U.S. volume of hass avocados from all sources (California and Mexico) in March will total about 187 million pounds (4,675 truck loads), down from about 199.3 million pounds (4,975 truck loads) in March 2016.
Southern California avocados shipments have been delayed by rains this season, although the state’s volume is light compared with Mexico. Only about 4 percent of total shipments in late came from California.
Mexico’s crop estimate has been reduced to 1.6 billion pounds (55,000 truck loads) and final estimates may be even less.
Mexico is shipping about 30 million pounds per week (750 truck loads) compared with normal volumes in the 40 million pounds (1,000 truck loads) per week range as supplies are quickly running out.
Still, Mexico is expected during the next six to eight weeks to ship between 27 million (675 truck loads) to 32 million pounds per week,
California avocado shipments should end its season with about 195 million (4,875 truck loads) compared to nearly 400 million pounds in 2016. Larger avocado crops are often followed by smaller crops the next year.
California loadings could increase by mid-March and into April to 8 to 10 million pounds per week. This would compare to shipments as high as 15 million pounds per week a year ago.
Imported Mexican avocados, tropical fruits and vegetables through South Texas – grossing about $2700 to Chicago.
California citrus shipments are getting back on track after days of rains. Meanwhile, weather is expected to have a significant impact of Salinas vegetable shipments, but not affect California almonds, nearly as much.
The effects of the rain in citrus groves about a week ago, which hinders harvest and shipments when the ground is too muddy, could have been worse. It helps we are talking citrus and not something more perishable like strawberries (See March 1st report). Of note as we’ve previously reported, orange shippers had a bigger-than-normal pre-Christmas loadings, shipping about 30 percent of crop before the holiday, compared to a normal 20-25 percent. This is expected to result in season ending shipments occurring earlier than usual.
While harvest and shipments have been significantly slowed down, with it being too muddy for heavy equipment, the citrus industry is estatic over the great improvements in the water supply. Even better, the excess rain has not created any quality-related issues – thus far.
Southern California oranges and specialty citrus – grossing about $3600 to Chicago.
Vegetable Shipments
Vegetable growers love the big rains that have recently occurred, but the trade off is plantings have been delayed in the Salinas Valley. This will be some shipping gaps, which will be felt even more because vegetable shipments from the California and Arizona deserts are going to end early than usual.
Not only are Salinas Valley spring vegetable shipments to be later this year, but there’s an excellent chance yields will be off due to wet-weather planting and generally adverse conditions. This of course, will translate into fewer vegetable shipments.
Imperial Valley and Yuma vegetables – grossing about $4600 to Atlanta.
Almond Shipments
Because of recent rains and storms in the San Joaquin Valley, some almond trees were blown down by strong winds recently. However, tree losses aren’t as bad as initially feared and optimism continues for good shipments when the season starts the latter part of August.
Mexican Grape Shipments
It’s a bit early, but initial estimates for the Mexican grape shipments are expected to be pretty much on time, which should mean fruit starting to cross the border at Nogales in late April.
Starting this month produce shipping company Del Monte will add container shipping vessels to its Port Manatee itinerary, it was announced recently by the port.
Arrivals of Del Monte container vessels will be “periodically in a controlled growth,” according to the port.
While Del Monte isn’t completely switching to containerized cargo, the company will use container vessels at Port Manatee about every three weeks. Container vessels can hold 350 containers, compared to 96 containers on a breakbulk ship, according to the port.
Breakbulk differs from containerized cargo because loose materials or products are loaded, shipped and unloaded individually. When it comes to container shipping, storage units are used to encase the cargo.
At a recent Manatee County Port Authority meeting, it was revealed the port is considering updating Port Manatee’s crane technology with the increase of containerized cargo.
The Port Authority also approved a recorded easement and installation agreement with Florida Power and Light to install a transformer in the port’s container yard. The transformer will power 124 new refrigerated plugs that are necessary for cold containerized cargo storage.
While the port does seek to boost its container volume in the upcoming year, Port Manatee doesn’t plan to stop accepting breakbulk shipments.
Port officials have expressed the need for the capability to handle both breakbulk and container. While Port Manatee can handle breakbulk, most ports in Florida are not ready to handle breakbulk for fruits and vegetables. Containerization allows the port to reach further because now you don’t have to break the cold chain.
About Port Manatee
Port Manatee is the closest U.S. deep water seaport to the Panama Canal, serving bulk, break bulk, container, heavy lift, project and general cargo customers. The port generates more than $2.3 billion in annual economic impact for the local community, while supporting more than 24,000 jobs, without the benefit of ad-valorem taxes.