Posts Tagged “feature”
American citrus shipments are expected to be down this season. Meanwhile, off the radar a bit, might be loading opportunities in Maine for – of all things – broccoli.
U.S. growers are expected to produce about 138 million boxes of oranges this season, down from 147 million boxes in 2014-15.
The drop continues a years-long trend in U.S. orange production, according to the July citrus forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
About 156 million boxes of oranges were produced in the U.S. in 2013-14, 190 million boxes in 2012-13.
By state, Florida orange shipments should hit about 81.5 million boxes this season, up from the June estimate of 81.4 million boxes but down from 97 million boxes last season, 105 million boxes in 2013-14 and 134 million boxes in 2012-13.
California’s orange shipments are projected to be 55 million boxes and Texas orange shipments are estimated at 1.7 million boxes in 2015-16.
About 19.6 million boxes of U.S. grapefruit are expected this season, down from the June estimate of 20 million boxes. It’s also fewer boxes than the 2014-15 total of 21.5 million boxes, the 2013-14 total of 25.2 million boxes and the 2012-13 total of 29 million boxes.
U.S. growers should ship about 23.4 million boxes of lemons this season, up from the June estimate of 22.5 million boxes, 22.6 million boxes in 2014-15, 20.6 million boxes in 2013-14 and 22.8 million boxes in 2012-13.
U.S. tangerine production also continues its upward trend. About 23.4 million boxes are expected in 2015-16, comparable to the June estimate and up from 20.9 million boxes last season, 17.8 million boxes in 2013-14 and 16.4 million boxes in 2012-13.
Southern California citrus and avocados – grossing about $5600 to Atlanta.
Maine Broccoli Shipments
Shipper Fresh from the Start expects to start shipping Maine broccoli anytime and continue through October out of Fort Kent Mills, Me.
Once the Maine broccoli is harvested, it is boxed and packed in the field. The product is then pre-cooled with a Slush Ice Injection System and the vast majority is shipped the same day. The company ships broccoli year-round between its broccoli crop in California and Maine program. The company is part of Hapco Farms LLC, headquartered in Riverhead, NY.
Hapco also ships potatoes year-round, as well as watermelons, vegetables and fruit year-round from all production areas, including California, Florida, Canada and offshore imported produce.
Grapefruit are not only known for being great for those on diets because of the low-calories, but grapefruit is also a great source of vitamins and nutrients.
Grapefruit is a relative newcomer among citrus fruits that wasn’t discovered until the 18th century in Barbados. Though its origins were a mystery for years, many historians agree that it is a natural hybrid of the sweet orange and pomelo. As for its curious name, a Jamaican farmer named the large orbs “grapefruit” for the way they grow in grape-like clusters on the trees.
As well as being a good source of dietary fiber (8 percent Daily Value) and potassium (5 percent DV), half a medium grapefruit provides 64 percent DV of vitamin C and 28 percent DV of vitamin A; it also contains the health protective plant chemicals naringenin, limonin, lycopene (in pink and red varieties) and beta-carotene.
Long associated with weight loss, grapefruit studies have shown mixed results. A recent review of studies on the effectiveness of grapefruit consumption on overweight and obese individuals showed no significant difference between those eating grapefruit and those who did not. However, the analysis, published in a 2015 issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, showed a significant decrease in blood pressure.
Regular grapefruit juice consumption also benefits arterial stiffness in middle-aged, post-menopausal women (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015), and adult consumption of grapefruit is associated with improved diet quality, including higher nutrient intakes of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and dietary fiber (Food and Nutrition Research, 2014).
Grapefruit is available in markets year-round, but its peak season is January through June.
Here are shipping updates on for Northwest potato shipments starting soon, as well as U.S apple shipments that are winding down before the new crop is ready.
Potato shipments from the Northwest could get underway a week or more earlier than usual this season.
Unlike a year ago when drought and triple digit heat was hitting potato fields, weather this year has been much more favorable. Columbia Basin potato shipments from Washington and Oregon should get underway in late July. That’s a significant change from last year when both potatoes and tree fruits suffered from heat stress.
While estimates have not yet been released on projected volume many see similar volume to last year and probably more. Because of great growing conditions there are concerns of oversupply as shipments take off in August and September.
The great growing conditions in the Northwest includes Idaho, easily the nation’s largest potato shipper.
For Washington’s Skagit Valley potatoes, one of the later starting regions in the Pacific Northwest, is expected to start earlier this year. Harvesting could begin as early as August 15th. For the past few years, Labor Day has been a more typical kickoff.
Apple Shipments
About 238 million bushels of U.S.-grown apples were grown in the U.S. in 2015, 12% fewer the current season that is winding down in the next month or so.
The July estimate, the last one of the 2015-16 season from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, was also 1% lower than the five-year average and 2% lower than a preseason estimate, according to an analysis of the data by the Vienna, Va.-based U.S. Apple Association.
The estimate was higher, however, than the 235 million bushels forecasted at U.S. Apple’s 2015 annual marketing conference.
Shipments by industry leader Washington fell from 174 million last season to 142 million bushels this season.
Washington’s 2015 total was also 4% below the five-year average, and 8.3 million bushels lower than the 2015 USDA preseason estimate.
Shipments from industry No. 3 Michigan also fell, from 24.4 million to 23.7 million bushels. That was 3% less than last year but 14% above the five-year average and comparable to the preseason USDA estimate.
The second and fourth largest U.S. shippers, New York and Pennsylvania, both saw volumes increase in 2015.
New York jumped from 30.8 million to 32.4 million bushels, Pennsylvania from 11.7 million to 12.4 million bushels.
New York’s total was 5% above last season and 13% above the five-year average, Pennsylvania’s 5% above last season and 7% above the five-year average.
The final USDA estimate for New York was 6.2 million bushels, or 24%, higher than its 2015 preseason estimate.
Washington apple shipments – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
by Northwest Cherry Growers
Through July 5th, the Northwest cherry industry has shipped over 15 million boxes (20-pound equivalent), including 13.97 million boxes of dark sweets. Contributing to that was a June that finished even larger than predictions, with a total of 12.3 million boxes. That’s a 3 percent increase over last year’s new record of 11.9 million boxes.
Cherries were everywhere for the 4th of July. And with more retail ads breaking nationally, momentum for cherry shipments out of the holiday appears to be maintained. In fact, this July 5th saw more cherry shipments than ever before, topping 2012’s record of 523,000 by another 50,000 boxes. The 7-day shipment average through the 4th holiday (6/28-7/4) was the second highest on record at 452k boxes, with only 2009’s ultra-compressed season seeing more boxes per day at 505,652.
Total Rainier shipments are just below 1.47 million 15-pound boxes. Rainier shipments per day have decreased from a daily high this season of over 95,000 boxes to a weekly average ending on the 5th of 17,000 per day. However, beautiful cherries remain in some orchards and shipments of yellow cherries will continue to trickle out to displays worldwide.
A study performed by the Nielsen Perishables Group in 2014 found the biggest factor behind a late-season purchase decision by a consumer was, in fact, the awareness that it was the “late season” for cherries… Put another way, roughly 1 out of 3 cherry buyers don’t make their first purchase until they realize it’s their LAST CHANCE TO BUY CHERRIES FOR THE SEASON.
Top retailers each season use that to their advantage, and communicate the late season opportunity by communicating that at the shelf level. Participants in the North American in-store radio program will be hearing the switch from trivia & Holiday related ads to Buy Now, Freeze Now messaging to support multiple-unit sales. For those with an NWCG Promotional Ad Program in place, promotions are available for circular-inclusion of similar messaging.
Washington cherries – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
By Larry Oscar
Ever notice how election years really bring out the worst in the political clowns. For some strange reason politicians can really stir up the emotions in people. The entire scene reminds me of professional wrestling.
Not that there is anything wrong with professional wrestling mind you. After all a lot of good marketing ideas come from professional wrestling. There is always something in it for everybody. About 20 years ago I was watching TV and flipping through the channels when I landed on a show called Monday Night Raw. It was something to see. It was produced by what is known today as World Wrestling Entertainment, the WWE.
Back then it was known as the World Wrestling Federation, WWF. When I happened upon the show they were selling cans of “Whoop Ass” that contained a T-shirt that read “Austin 3:16” for $50 dollars a can. And just in case you didn’t have a place to sit, watch the show, and drink your beer, they had a plastic blow up chair on sale for $60.
Then this wrestler by the name of Stone Cold Steve Austin came out and trash talked Vince McMahon, the WWF owner, for about 20 minutes. When Vince had all he could stand he strutted down the ramp and climbed into the ring to confront his nemesis. After a few words were exchanged the microphone was dropped and Vince was on the receiving end of a “Stone Cold Stunner”.
This left him floundering on the mat like fish out of water. Then Stone Cold Steve Austin grabbed the microphone trash talked Vince to his face, and stomped out of the ring. The crowd went wild. The cameras scanned the crowd, which had completely packed a huge stadium with standing room only. There were young boys and girls, old men and women, and every age, race, and nationality of American society.
In the short time span of 30 minutes the WWF had united a highly diverse crowd of Americans and had them cheering on their feet. The people had homemade signs they were waving that supported their favorite wrestler. And not a single face in the crowd was protesting.
No, instead they were all smiling and having the time of their lives. I have been a fan of pro wrestling ever since. It has to be one of the best action packed trash talking soap operas around. I think pro wrestling is a model of marketing unparalleled since the days of Ron Popeil with his Veg-O-Matic and Pocket Fisherman.
You just have to marvel at how Americans respond to different things, and some people just have a gift for inspiration and entertainment that hits home with the American people. You can’t say that this year’s political scene has been much different than pro wrestling.
And I for one hope it continues to liven us up. We need a good laugh. For the past eight years we have had nothing but a stagnant economy, world religious turmoil, wars, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, terrorism attacks, and those fat butted Kardashians to put up with.
We deserve a good knock down drag out of an election. Maybe they could throw in a good law suit to spice things up like they did in 2000. What ever happened to David Boies and his hanging chad? They could put old Bill Clinton back in the spotlight. Maybe dress him up in drag and let him go after the transgender vote. Lord knows Hillary is as boring as a sack of hail damaged lard.
Nothing like a presidential election to make our enemies shake in their turbans and burkas. But don’t take any of this too seriously folks. After all, nothing could be any worse than what we have had for the past eight years. So just sit back and enjoy the show.
And, just in the nick of time, Budweiser has come out with a series of strangely flavored light beers. Now it just doesn’t get any better than that!
Larry Oscar is a graduate from the University of Tulsa and holds a degree in electrical engineering. He is retired and lives with his wife on a lake in Oklahoma where he brews his own beer, sails, and is a member of numerous clubs and organizations.
California’s 2015 almond acreage is estimated at 1,110,000 acres, up 6 percent from the 2014 revised acreage of 1,050,000, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Of the total acreage for 2015, 890,000 acres were bearing and 220,000 acres were non-bearing. Kern, Fresno, Stanislaus, Merced and Madera were the leading counties in almond acreage, having 73 percent of the total bearing acreage.
In 2013, almonds took the top crop spot from dairy and earned the title as the county’s first $1 billion crop at $1.2 billion. It’s a testimate to the rising popularity of the almond. Almonds were also the top crop in 2014, with 164,314 harvested acres bringing in an overall value of $1.4 billion.
The almond industry has done a terrific job in marketing the almond to global consumers, which has created an increasing demand for the nut — 70 percent of the state’s almonds are exported out of the United States, According to Stanislaus County Farm Bureau Executive Director and almond grower Wayne Zipser.
Even with the historic growth in almond acreage, Zipser said state farmers still haven’t out-produced the demand. According to the NASS, preliminary almond bearing acreage for 2016 is already estimated at 900,000 acres, an increase of 10,000 over 2015.
A recent analysis by Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental consulting firm Land IQ confirms what Zipser is seeing locally.
Almond acreage growth across California over the last 10 to 15 years has replaced both perennial and annual crops. This includes cotton, vineyards, non-irrigated grasslands, alfalfa, grain and hay crops, tomatoes, corn, mixed field crops, irrigated pasture and more. Of the almond acreage planted during this time, 96 percent of it lies within the Central Valley’s historic irrigated area, most often replacing other irrigated crops. According to Land IQ, only 42,000 acres of growth over the last 10 to 15 years has occurred within previously non-irrigated grasslands.
“Almonds take up about 14 percent of the state’s irrigated farmland but uses 9.5 percent of California’s agricultural water, less than a proportionate share,” said Almond Board of California President and CEO Richard Waycott. “Because of the industry’s commitment to research and efficiency, growers use 33 percent less water to grow a pound of almonds than they did two decades ago.”
One of the ways the Almond Board is working to better the state’s water situation is through groundwater recharge. ABC partnered with University of California researchers, conservation nonprofit Sustainable Conservation, Land IQ and others to investigate leveraging California’s one-million acres of almond orchards for groundwater recharge.
Southeastern peach shipments will be wrapping up earlier than usual this season. In Texas, new funding should translate into more Mexican produce crossing the border.
Southeastern Peach Shipments
Georgia and South Carolina peach shippers expect to end peach harvesting earlier than normal due to winter growing conditions.
Most South Carolina peach shipments should be ending by late August, earlier than the typical September 10-12 end. A big production drop of late-season varieties is expected by July 15th.
For example, in a typical week in late July, Titan Farms harvests 180,000 cartons and ships 120 truckloads. This season, the company expects to harvest 70,000 boxes and ship 45 loads a week, 35 to 40 percent of Titan’s 2014 and 2015 production.
Georgia Peach Shipments
Fourth of July shipments were high for Georgia peach shipments, but due to dormancy issues, shippers expect to ship lighter than normal late season volume through late July before seeing a flush of production in early August. While strong August peach shipments are seen, loadings should be completed during the week of August 15th, a little earlier than normal.
Georgia peaches and vegetables – grossing about $2500 to New York City.
Texas Port of Entry
Loadings of fresh Mexican produce at warehouses in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are only expected to keep increasing in the years ahead, and new funding by the federal government will help spur this trend.
Pharr, Tx, is one of the three Lone Star State recipients of Donations Acceptance Program funding from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Pharr will use funds from the public/private partnership for expanded cold storage facilities; an agricultural identification and training facility, which will ultimately reduce waiting times on insect identifications; and expanded secondary inspection docking space.
The Pharr project is specifically focused on facilitating and expediting shipments of fresh produce from Mexico. This is seen as crucial in building trade and helping grow the Texas produce import industry.
The Texas produce industry contributed more than $475 million in economic activity and 4,500 jobs to Texas in 2015. Additionally, there are CBP funded projects in Donna, Tx, and at Red Hook Terminals.
Created in 205, the agency’s Donations Acceptance Program helps expedite U.S. port of entry improvements.
Mexican tropical fruits and vegetables at Pharr, Tx port of entry – grossing about $3800 to New York City.
By USDA
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced the availability of $22 million in grants to help citrus producers fight Huanglongbing (HLB), commonly known as citrus greening disease. This funding is available through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Citrus Disease Research and Extension Program (CDRE), which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
“Since 2009, USDA has committed significant resources to manage, research and eradicate the citrus greening disease that threatens citrus production in the United States and other nations,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Thanks to the continued, coordinated efforts between growers, researchers, and state and federal government, we are getting closer every day to ending this threat. The funding announced will help us continue to preserve thousands of jobs for citrus producers and workers, along with significant revenue from citrus sales.”
USDA has invested more than $380 million to address citrus greening between fiscal years 2009 and 2015, including $43.6 million through the SCRI CDRE program since 2015.
HLB was initially detected in Florida in 2005 and has since affected all of Florida’s citrus-producing areas. A total of 15 U.S. states or territories are under full or partial quarantine due to the detected presence of the Asian citrus psyllid, a vector for HLB. Those states include Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
USDA has employed both short-term and longer-term strategies to combat citrus greening. Secretary Vilsack announced a Multi-Agency Coordination framework in December 2013 to foster cooperation and coordination across federal and state agencies and industry to deliver near-term tools to citrus growers to combat Huanglongbing. The Huanglongbing MAC Group includes representatives from the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), USDA NIFA, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, Environmental Protection Agency, State Departments of Agriculture from California, Florida, Texas and Arizona, and the citrus industry
California pear shipments have gotten underway with volume expected to be down a little, but similar to a year ago.
California is forecast to ship about 2 million 36-pound boxes of Bartlett pears, the leading variety.
However, Bosc and golden bosc are down about 30 percent from 2015, with most of the reduction in the early shipments coming out of the Sacramento River district. Red pears are also down from last year, particularly from the early district.
Bartlett pear shipments started the week of July 3rd. Rivermaid Trading Co. ships over half of California’s fresh pears, and expects to load over 1 million boxes of bartletts. The other three California pear packers are Scully Packing, David J. Elliot & Son and Greene & Hemly. The California pear industry has experienced considerable consolidation. Just a few years ago there were over a dozen packers.
Pear loadings have gotten off to a fast, early start, beginning with Lake County.
Mountain bartletts are expected to begin around July 25th in Lake and Mendocino counties, and boscs by August 1st. Remaining pear varieties pears will be available by mid- to late-August.
The northern reaches of California production will overlap with Pacific Northwest production, with bartletts available all the way into October from the Golden State. The Yakima Valley in Washinton state typically starts with pear shipments in the second week of August,
Last year’s combined volume for all California pear varieties was 3.1 million boxes.
The crop might be down a little, possibly 5 to 7 percent on the bartletts from last year. The red pears are going to be very comparable to a year ago with the new varieties coming on. Golden bosc pears will probably be off 15 to 20 percent due to a severe blight problem on the river that hit the crops. Lake and Mendocino counties will have significantly less pear volume than last year, when a bumper crop materialized.
Southern and Central San Joaquin Valley stone fruit and tomatoes – grossing about $5800 to Atlanta.
Imports of Southern Hemisphere citrus continues to increase as American consumers are becoming more accustomed to purchasing citrus year-round. Improving quality and taste are cited as factors.
As navel oranges, minneolas and clementines experience increasing volume from the Southern Hemisphere, it opens up the window for more sales of citrus.
Seedless easy peelers such as Murcotts, and the mandarin varieties continue to be the most popular items in produce departments. Imported citrus primarily arrives at three major ports in the West (Long Beach), Southeast (Florida) and Northeast (Philadelphia), reducing logistic and distribution costs.
Chile’s first shipment of Navels to the U.S. — comprising 7,960 boxes arrived in early June, a earlier than in 2015.
Importers are very optimistic for the season ahead. Total global citrus exports from Chile (Navels, easy peelers and lemons) rose by 30 percent last year, and estimates are that volume is expected to climb another 10 percent in 2016. While the largest increase is expected for easy peelers, projected Navel volumes are also slightly higher than 2016, 68,261 tons compared to 67,644 tons in 2015.
Easy peelers are clearly the up and comers in citrus, because not only are they a great-tasting, but are convenient to eat.
Though just 9.9 percent of the citrus volume sold, Mandarins represented 36.4 percent of dollar sales in the U.S. retail market for the year September 2014 to September 2015. By comparison, oranges, which form 30 percent of the category volume, represented a lesser share — 29.2 percent — of the overall spent.
Through early June, Chilean citrus exports were at 25,906 tons (just over 1.6 million boxes), 80 percent of which were destined for the U.S. Exports to the U.S. market through early June included 121 tons of Navels, 14,069 tons of clementines and 6,349 tons of lemons.
The period June-August is the primary season for Chilean lemons. Of all the lemons entering the U.S. from the Southern Hemisphere, Chile had an astounding 95 percent market share last year, shipping nearly 34,000 tons to the U.S. This year, Chile’s exports of lemons totaled 20,372 tons by mid June, up 104 percent from last season. Out of this volume, 55 percent were destined for North America,
YTD volume shipped to the North American market is 119 percent greater than the same time in 2015. Despite the initial increase in volume shipped to this market, it is expected to slow down, as the total forecast of 60,000 tons is four percent less than last year’s volume of 62,196 tons.
Peru shipments are expected to start arriving the first week of July.
California citrus is nearly finished, opening the door for imports that will last from from July well into October.
South African clementines, Cara Caras and other varieties were beginning to arrive at U.S. ports. However, while South African citrus exports were running early and had good volumes, the total imported this season could be less than in previous years due to weather conditions.