Posts Tagged “feature”
Here’s an update on California strawberry shipments, plus a glimpse at the outlook for several other California fruit loadings.
As California strawberry shipments increase heading towards an April 5th Easter, acreage for 2015 is 37,438, which is about a 3 percent decrease from last year, but that may not result in less volume.
Newer varieties tend to yield better than older varieties, and weather factors can easily affect volume by at least 5 percent. Due to a mild winter and relatively dry spring, California growing conditions have been very good. This could result in total volume being near or above last year’s shipments of about 192 million trays.
The southern growing district of Orange County/San Diego, continues to lose acreage at a relatively fast clip. In 2012, those growers planted planted 1,446 acres, compared to plantings of 973 acre this year, nearly a 50 percent drop in four years. The region now represents only about 3 percent of the state’s total acreage, primarily due to urbanization and construction.
Another noteworthy trend is the increase in fruit planted in the summer for fall shipments. These plantings help California come very close to shipping year-round.
The Oxnard and Santa Maria areas now responsible for the increase in summer plantings. Growers are projecting summer plantings of over 5,700 acres. In 2011, 3,500 summer acres were planted. That jumped to more than 3,700 in 2012 and surpassed 5,000 acres for the first time two years ago. This year’s number represents a 10 percent increase over last year.
Ventura County berries and vegetables – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Summer Fruit Shipments
California’s hot weather will likely affect most summer produce shipments, including blueberries, cherries, stonefruit and table grapes.
The first blueberry shipments typically kicks off in mid to late April, with stone fruit and table grapes following in early May, but could start a few days earlier this year.
The high temperatures began March 13th. However, the San Joaquin Valley is susceptible to hail damage and frosts as late as May, so anything can happen. We’ll keep you posted.
JUPITER, FL – A Louisville man accused of stealing an 18-wheeler filled with Yokohama truck tires in Fort Pierce, FL. has been apprehended with the help of Locus Traxx’s GO unit.
The Florida Highway Patrol was notified that the truck had disappeared Saturday in Louisville. It was headed south on the Florida Turnpike. Troopers were able to locate the semi at mile market 174, thanks to the GO’s location reporting capabilities, according to a Locus Traxx press release.
Marvin Napoles Manzano was then arrested and charged with cargo theft valued at over $50,000 and the grand theft of a vehicle, totaling over $110,000 in stolen merchandise.
The GO is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and is capable of sending temperature, location, and door security information straight to the grower via smart phone or computer, providing access to critical data at any time, from any location. With real-time data available at one’s fingertips, produce deliveries can be safely monitored to prevent any potential transportation problems.
Locus Traxx is a fast-growing company focused on improving food safety and security of food shipments.
The SmartTraxx monitoring system wireless reports the temperature, security and location of shipments on the road. The OverSight system delivers real-time Intelligent Alerts text and emails based on the incoming shipment data. These timely alerts make sure shipment damage, theft or tampering can be prevented. All shipment data is also available online as intelligent maps, interactive graphs, cusomizable reports or one-click downloads.
The company was founded in 2005. Its objective is to use leading edge technolgies and best practice approaches to provide a cost-effective way to ensure the safety and freshness of every food shipment.
Its customers are global leaders in the food industry including: transportation providers, growers, farmers, ranchers, distributors, retailers, and food service companies.
After several years of planning, Abasto’s San Antonio Wholesale Produce Market plans to officially open for business this spring.
“The first phase that’s about to be finished consists of two buildings, each with 30 cold room equipped warehouse units, right at the front of the project facing Loop 410,” said Fernando Narvaez, sales director of McAllen, Texas-based Abasto Properties LLC.
Phase two is scheduled for 2016 and includes another 120 units, with cold room, freezer and dry storage. Designs include 3,100 square feet of main floor with cold room capacity for 156 pallets, or about seven truck loads of produce.
Each unit has an additional 900 square feet of office space on a second floor, plus 450 square feet of covered front dock with two access doors. “On the back of the warehouses are three dock-high doors and temperature controlled space for loading and unloading trucks,” Narvaez said.
“We designed the layout with cold-chain management in mind as well as warehouse certifications key to the produce industry.” Phase one of the market is about half full, Narvaez said. The market is planned to not only serve the San Antonio market, but also be a consolidation center for importers from Mexico and companies that plan to export to Mexico
Florida citrus shipments continue on a steady pace, while the state’s blueberry shipping season is just getting underway.
The Sunshine State’s orange production has declined slightly with the issuance of the USDA’s March 10th report. However, production of grapefruit and tangerines has remained steady.
Late-season orange production, which includes navels declined 2 percent or 1 million equivalent cartons from the previous month’s report. The late season valencias, which ship primarily to processed channels, remained unchanged. Valencias account for 55 million cartons with the other oranges at 47 million cartons.
Final season navel shipments is reported at 1.4 million cartons. Navels ship primarily fresh while around 96 percent of the state’s oranges are harvested for processing.
Overall, Florida this season is expected to ship 120 million cartons of citrus, down from last season’s 124 million cartons.
Florida citrus – grossing about $3500 to Boston.
Florida, Georgia Blueberry Shipments
Florida blueberry shipments are just starting from the Southern and central parts of the state of the state and loading should be available into early May. Northern Florida blueberries normally start in early April and will be available through late May. That freeze which damaged Georgia blueberries several weeks ago, did little or no damage for Central Florida blueberries.
The amount of damage to Georgia blueberries is still be assessed, but the state will still probably have decent shipments this season.
In recent years Georgia has surged to become the biggest domestic producer. For the 2014 season, Georgia’s 56 million pounds topped perennial leaders Michigan and New Jersey.
For years, Michigan and New Jersey traded the top spot for fresh production, with New Jersey leading four out of five years. In the mid-2000s, Georgia’s fresh volume was double Florida’s, a pace that continued as both states boosted production.
In the most recent season, Georgia’s fresh volume was more than three times that of Florida.
Here’s an outlook for the new season with California avocado shipments, plus a round up of the huge amount of U.S. apples remaining in storages to be shipped between now and late summer.
California avocado shipments this year should be about 10 percent greater than last season, although in 2014 volume was the smallest it had been in a decade.
The 327 million-pound crop is coming on about a month a head of schedule in both the northern and southern shipping areas of California. Volume is light now, but it should improve significantly by the end of March and will continue through the summer.
In an extremely rare weather event, 6-8 inches of snow hit the Temecula area in late December and early January. The result the snow and wind was a thinning of the crop. The weight of the snow also snapped some tree limbs. However, there will be a significant increase in volume of California avocados from March to June, with peak shipment occurring prior to the Fourth of July.
Southern California avocados, berries, citrus and veggies – grossing about $5500 to Atlanta.
Apple Shipments
About 79 million bushels of U.S.-grown fresh-market apples had yet to ship as of March 1st, 28 percent more than last year at the same time. However, the March 1 total was a whopping 37 percent above the five-year average.
Washington accounted for 70.6 million bushels of those still in storage. Michigan accounted for 3.08 million bushels of the total, New York 3.05 million bushels and Pennsylvania 831,200 bushels.
March volumes of all major apple varieties were up over last year. About 29 million bushels of red delicious had yet to ship, up from 21.3 million bushels in March 2014.
Gala volumes increased from 9.4 million to 12.9 million bushels; granny smith from 8.5 million to 8.9 million bushels; golden delicious from 6.5 million to 8.1 million bushels; fuji from 6.1 million to 7.9 million bushels; Pink Lady from 1.9 million to 2.4 million bushels; and Honeycrisp from 652,000 to 1.2 million bushels.
Yakima Valley, WA apples – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Salinas, CA – TransFresh® Corporation reports that its custom tailored Tectrol® Storage Solutions for fresh blueberries has gained strong acceptance by the Grower-Shipper community following its fall 2014 debut.
TransFresh’s unique Tectrol Storage Solutions was launched following a multi-year research and development initiative and features Apio’s patented BreatheWay® Breathable Membrane Technology married with an easy-to-use zipper-sealed pallet system.
Tectrol Storage Solutions’ distinctive zipper-sealed all-in-one pallet bag ensures a secure seal with easy, efficient single-zip operation. It features a careful adaptation of Apio’s patented BreatheWay® Technology, creating an adjustable breathability to manage just the right rate of oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer required by the fruit.
According to TransFresh, the breakthrough sealing process delivers to customers an easy storage solution with minimal impact to the other aspects of their processes.
“What’s so remarkable about Tectrol Storage Solutions for fresh blueberries is that the innovative zip-sealed pallet system combined with the patented breathable membrane allows just the right amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer needed by the fruit, for the storage of blueberries,” said Rich Macleod, TransFresh vice president. “Customers who have struggled in the past to meet the specific atmosphere needs of fresh blueberries are finding they have a new solution available for storage,” he said. “It’s the cost-effective storage tool they’ve been looking for.”
Macleod further commented that customers are reporting much more confidence in their storage solutions because they are able to more effectively match supplies with market demand. A pallet-sized atmosphere package such as the Tectrol Storage Solutions gives suppliers the flexibility to market a quality product through the peaks and valleys of the distribution system.
Customers who are interested in more information may contact Reilly Rhodes, TransFresh at (949) 279-5084.
About TransFresh®
TransFresh is a pioneering and established global entity with nearly 50 years of experience in perishables transport. Tectrol® is the trademarked brand name for the TransFresh® family of proprietary modified and controlled atmosphere systems and processes developed and owned by TransFresh. The Tectrol Service Network™ services markets and supports the Tectrol pallet systems operations and technologies. Since inception, TransFresh’s innovations in packaging, equipment and sealing processes have established Tectrol as an industry standard. For more information, please visit www.transfresh.com.
About Apio
Apio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Landec Corporation (LNDC). Landec, through Apio, is a market leader in the commercialization of specialty packaged vegetable products using Apio’s BreatheWay® patented technology. Landec also develops and commercializes injectable medical materials for ophthalmology and orthopedic applications. Landec’s Apio food subsidiary sells its products nationwide under the Eat Smart® and GreenLine® Brands. For more information visit www.apioinc.com.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced plans to invest $150 million to revitalize the Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx, NY, over 12 years, “fortifying a vital aspect of our infrastructure: our food supply,” he said Thursday, March 5, at an Association for a Better New York event.
de Blasio said the plans will modernize the buildings and infrastructure that are currently at Hunts Point and open up new space for small businesses. “More than that, this is a bold vision, with a major financial commitment that will make the site resilient and sustainable, improving New York’s readiness for natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy,” he said.
“It’s hard to overstate how important this facility is for our city,” the mayor noted.
The Hunts Point Terminal Market occupies 329 acres and supports 115 private wholesalers that employ over 8,000 people. “These are good, decent-paying jobs for New Yorkers at every education level,” de Blasio said. “Our plan protects those jobs and positions the site to create many more jobs for New Yorkers in the future.”
The plan will also include dedicated space to better link New Yorkers to food that is grown and produced in upstate New York, strengthening the city’s partnership with upstate communities, farms and businesses.
Mail-order beef specialist Omaha Steaks is getting into the vegetable business. Omaha, Neb.-based Omaha Steaks is now selling vegetables grown by Huron, Ohio-based specialty and heirloom vegetable grower-shipper The Chef’s Garden, according to an Omaha Steaks news release. Five different vegetable mixes are now available at OmahaSteaks.com:
- Roasting, 11 pounds, $99.99, featuring mixed potatoes, young mixed carrot, young mixed beets, celery root and mixed fall radish;
- Nature’s Color, 10 pounds, $99.99, featuring mixed baby carrot, mixed fall radish, demi cucumber and celery root;
- Beauty, 7 pounds, $165, featuring garlic root, garlic shoot, micro popcorn shoot, crystal lettuce quartet, petite salad sensation, pea tendrils, mixed flowers, mixed potatoes and cucumber blooms;
- Roots & Shoots, 9 pounds, $99.99, featuring mixed potatoes, garlic shoots, celery root and baby leeks; and
- Juicing, 9 pounds, $99.99, featuring young mixed beets, young mixed carrots, celery root, mixed fall radish, petite salad sensation and petite herbal sensation.
Omaha Steaks plans to eventually also sell the mixes through its mail-order catalog and at its more than 70 retail locations in the U.S. “Bringing these beautiful restaurant-quality vegetables to our customers aligns perfectly with Omaha Steaks’ commitment to creating and providing wholesome and delicious food that brings people together,” Todd Simon, Omaha Steaks’ senior vice president and family owner, said in the release.
Just four years after it delivered its first load, Scout Logistics Corporation – whose name and principles are inspired by the characters Scout and Atticus Finch in the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird – has won recognition as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. This prestigious award highlights the company’s tremendous growth and affirms its fresh, market-leading approach to transportation management.
“We operate on ‘Scout’s honour,’” says Lorne Swartz, founder and president of the Toronto, ON based company, which has 33 employees, almost double its workforce in 2011. “We do what we say we’re going to do, and we treat our customers, carrier partners and team members fairly, honestly and with integrity. Not only is it the right thing to do but we believe it’s also essential to the success of our business.”
Sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Queen’s School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums, the Best Managed award recognizes Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million for sustained growth, financial performance, management practices and the efforts of the entire organization. 2014 winners of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies award, along with the Gold Standard winners, Requalified and Platinum Club members will be honoured at a gala in Toronto on March 31, 2015. On the same date, the symposium will address leading-edge business issues that are key to the success of today’s business leaders.
“I would like to congratulate Scout Logistics Corporation and its entire workforce. Achieving this standard of excellence takes a united effort from a dedicated team,” said Peter Brown, National Co-Leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program and Senior Practice Partner at Deloitte.
“Scout Logistics invests in their team to build up a strong and stable company,” says Mike Runia, National Co-Leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies Program and Ontario Managing Partner at Deloitte. “Best Managed companies are home grown companies making smart investments to achieve above average returns.”
Scout has built a strong team by giving team members industry-leading compensation, access to a company bonus pool, and a dynamic work environment. There are no strict dress codes or cubicles at Scout Logistics, only a state-of-the-art workplace with an onsite gym, full kitchen and foot-thumping music that adds a fun vibe to the workday.
The management team at Scout also believes in investing in innovation. It developed proprietary systems for monitoring loads, carriers and sales – innovations that put the company ahead of its competition. Recently Scout upgraded its dispatch system to include cutting-edge tracking technology, which enables tracking of each and every truck via cell towers across Canada and the United States, even when GPS units are not enabled. This ensures 100 per cent transparency throughout the supply chain.
“Earning a spot among Canada’s Best Managed Companies confirms that we are taking the right approach and making smart investments in our people, partners and processes,” says Swartz.
About Scout Logistics
Scout Logistics is one of Canada’s largest non-asset based transportation providers. Founded in 2011, Scout has built a reputation for providing customers with best-in-class customer service, superior on-time delivery, and transformative technological applications. Scout transports over 500 million pounds of refrigerated goods each year, and has quadrupled its revenue since inception. To learn more about Scout, visit www.scoutlogistics.com.
January and February are typically peak volume months for Mexican vegetable shipments through Nogales, AZ. While volumes will soon start declining, there is still a substantial amount of produce crossing the border for shipments destined throughout much of the U.S. and Canada.
No doubt about it, Mexican tomatoes will continue to be the driving force for product grown in West Mexico and shipped through the port at Nogales. This is led in large part by vine ripe tomatoes, the product that drives Florida tomato shippers absolutely crazy, because the vine ripe are largely viewed as having much better flavor than the Florida grown mature green tomatoes. There also is decent volume with romas coming out of Mexico.
Besides tomatoes, there remains good volume with green bell peppers, cucumbers, watermelon and various squash, ranging from zucchini to yellow, butternut, acorn and spaghetti. Most of the vegetable shipments will continue into late May or early June before hot weather in Mexico ends the season.
A trend often referred to as “protected agriculture” continues to grow in popularity in the farming areas of Mexico. Called “mesh houses,” or shade houses, vegetables receive more protection from Mother Nature’s weather whims. Better quality vegetables also reduce the chances of claims and rejections by produce haulers at destination. Among the more popular vegetables being grown this way are tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Squash and watermelons still are mostly grown in open fields.
Nogales vegetable shipments – grossing about $1300 to L.A., $3700 to Chicago.