Posts Tagged “feature”
Florida vegetable shipments should experince significant increases entering April, with peak spring shipments occurring from about April 15th to the second week of May. Good growing conditions should mean heavier volume loadings earlier this year than last year with items ranging from sweet corn to bell peppers and cumbers, along with tomatoes, watermelons and other items.
20 years ago, there were virtually no Florida blueberry shipments. It was mostly U-pick farms and berries grown for local markets. This year, up to 25 million pounds of Florida blueberries could be shipped, putting the state in the ranks of other leading shippers such as North Carolina, Georgia, California and Oregon.
Michigan and New Jersey still lead in domestic blueberry volume with more than 50 million pounds each,
Florida shipped 21.5 million pounds of blueberries in 2013, up 14 percent over 2012.
Blueberry loadings in Florida have started with the past couple of weeks in Southern and Central Florida growing areas. You can expect North Florida blueberry shipments to start in mid-April. The crop is in good condition and Braswell expects volumes to peak during the second and third weeks of April, just ahead of the Georgia deal coming on at the end of that month.
South Florida produce shipments – grossing about $3300 to New York City.
The harsh winter has not only been tough on us, it will also have an impact on Michigan fruit shipments.
It’s estimated the brutle Michigan winter will slash Michigan peach shipments and wine grapes by 50 percent.
A fruit tree, grape vine, or small fruit bush is hardy down to a certain temperature. Apple and cherry trees can take the coldest weather, while peaches are some of the most vulnerable to the cold.
However, with peaches and grapes, the losses may not be as bad as they appear. A grower usually will prune 50 percent of the peach blossoms to produce bigger fruit. Nature may have just saved peach growers some extra work. In wine grapes, the grower can adjust pruning methods later in the season, and still produce a nice amount of wine grapes.
Minus any more damaging weather conditions, the peach and wine grape shipments have the potential to be average to a little lower than average.
Michigan blueberries may also have some damage, but the losses will vary from variety to variety. Some blueberry varieties are more cold hardy than other varieties.
There is good news for Michigan’s apple crop and cherry shipments. These tree fruits are among the most cold tolerant. Right now very little damage is expected from the winter cold on apples and cherries.
Warm winter weather throughout California and south of the border is expected to bring shipments of Coachella Valley grapes, as well as Mexican grapes through Noglaes, earlie than usual this spring.
Mexico and Coachella typically start within days of each other, although Mexican grape shipments tend to be a few days earlier. Shipments of green grapes from Mexico should start in light volume in late April, with Coachella grape shipments getting underway by early May.
Loadings of red grapes will typically start within a week or so after the green fruit is underway. Good volume of both Mexican and Coachella Valley grapes are expected for Memorial Day. Peak shipments from both areas should occur from the last week of May through the middle of June.
While a forecast has yet to be made for the upcoming grape shipping season, during the 2013 season California shipped 117.4 million boxes of fresh grapes.
Over the past 10 years the volume has significantly increased. In 2003 California grape shipments were under 80 million boxes. In 2012 the 100 million box mark was crossed for the first time in history, and in 2013 another record was set with the crop totaling 117.4 million boxes.
Top shipments to export markets last year were Canada at 11.9 million boxes, followed by Hong Kong/China at 7.9, and Mexico at 6.6. The 2013 season started with shipments in early May and continued into February 2014.
Separating truth from fiction is not always easy these days. We have our politicians and the air-headed media to thank for the majority of confusion about reality. It’s easier to just accept what some bozo says rather than think about the truth behind what you hear. This is probably the reason we get so many people repeating the bogus statements the political class makes. However, if you are going to go through life repeating what these people say without thinking, you are going to look foolish.
Over the past several years we have seen more and more jealousy and envy surface than at any time in modern history. The so called “War on the rich” started during the first decade of the new millennium. This war has progressively gotten worse, and with the shrinking in the global economy it has reached epidemic proportions. One of the most notable comments by the liberal, or “left brain dead community”, as they are often called, is “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.”
Now this typifies how a lefties brain works. They repeat this bit of tripe and misinformation, and most of us just listen and accept what they say as fact. Let’s step back and examine what they are saying. First, the rich are getting richer. That is a fact, and as long as the rich keep doing what made them rich in the first place we should not expect the rich to get poorer or remain the same. They should, indeed, be getting richer.
My answer to that is “SO WHAT”. Who cares if Bill Gates is worth $80 billion today and $800 billion next year? There is no shortage of money. Lord knows the government is printing billions of dollars more every day. If Bill soaks up more money the government will just print more. Bill’s net worth has no impact on us at all.
Now let’s examine the second half of their comment, “The poor are getting poorer”. Really, well I don’t think so! Just what brings these left wing do-gooders to that conclusion? The United States considers our poverty level for a family of four to be just under $25,000 per year. That is just under the average income of $26,000 in good old Greece, and just $13,000 less than the average income of $38,000 for France. The United States has the richest poor people in the entire world. The poor are NOT getting poorer in this country.
On the contrary, the poor in the United States are better off than the majority of the world’s middle income earners. Not only do they earn more, but they are given more government handouts to boot. When you add in the value of Medicaid, Welfare, WIC, Social Security handouts, HUD Section 8, Food Stamps, Lifeline free cell phones, and just about anything that our big government politicians can think of to buy votes, the poor in the United States are actually better off than almost all Europeans.
You know the Europeans don’t you. These are the big socialists from the old country that the idiot left wingers want us to be more like. By the way, the poverty rates in Europe are about 16%. The United States poverty rate is about the same as Europe if you consider $25,000 to be poverty level. However, if you consider $15,000 to be poverty level, as it is in Europe, our poverty rate drops to about 9%. Which begs the question, would you rather be poor in the United States or poor in Europe?
And when you compare the so called poor in the United States to the poor in Asia and Africa the difference in poverty and income is astounding. It’s time that the people in this country wake up. Screw Europe, and all those fools who want to make the United States a European clone. It’s time we told Europe to mind their own business. We are doing just fine here in “The Colonies” and we don’t need their advise. And the next time they get into a fight with each other they can look to some other country for help. No more European war involvement. In fact we are now approaching energy independence. When that happens Europe can send their own troops into the Middle East to look after their oil supply.
The truth is that the poor in our country are getting richer. The poor may not be getting richer as fast as the rich are getting richer, and that will continue to be the case, but they are definitely not getting poorer. The poor and the rich in this country are driving in the same direction. So the next time you hear some left wing feathered goose tell you “The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer” you can inform them that their low IQ is showing and indeed “Unlike Europe, the rich and the poor are both getting richer in the United States”. And you could also mention that they need more dentists in Europe. So long Piers Morgan, you left brain-dead bozo!!!
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.
by Joseph N. DiStefano, Philly.com
Mexican ocean shippers met with South Jersey vegetable growers and Philadelphia-area port executives at the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market on Essington Ave. in Southwest Philly recently to try and convince shipping lines to establish a regular sea import-export service between the Delaware River ports and Mexico’s chief Atlantic port of Vera Cruz.
The four-day Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic route would compete with deregulated North American trucking lines sending General Electric locomotive parts, Heinz pickles, Hersheys chocolates and Alcoa aluminum ingots and other Pennsylvania exports totalling $3 billion South to Mexico last year, while importing $3.4 billion of Mexican fruit, vegetables and electronics, including about one-quarter of the produce terminal’s yearly volume, says PennPORTS, the state-backed port advocacy group.
Mexico’s chief port administrator, Fernando Gamboa-Rosas, who calls Mexico “la panza del mundo” (Belly of the World) because of its Atlantic and Pacific ports and its high volume of farm exports; and Juan Ignacio Fernandez-Carbajal, director of the Veracruz port, which is the focus of a $5 billion expansion campaign designed to stimulate Mexican trade.
Florida vegetable shipments are gearing up, but will it be record loading opportunties? It certainly does not appear likely.
Light volume and later shipments have marked many produce shipments from Florida, but as we progress into spring it is gradually improving.
Following a disappointing winter, grower-shippers are seeing improved supplies as Florida’s vegetable growers transition to the new spring crop. Florida produce shippers are eyeing improved supplies of bell peppers as the Sunshine State transitions to the new spring crop. Unfavorable winter weather has delayed bigger spring volume by a week the first half of March.
However, you can expect a lot more April and May vegetable loadings. This will also be spurred by the fact Mexican vegetable shipments will be finishing earlier than normal due to unusually warm weather. This will increase demand for Florida green beans, cucumbers, bell peppers and cucumbers, which are just starting in very light volume. You can also look for shipments of tomatoes, celery, sweet corn, lettuce, radish, cabbage and watermelon. Good volume will arrive in early to mid-April. However, some shippers predicting their volume will be down as much as 30 to 40 percent on some items.
While Florida spring vegetable loading opportunties will be good, I’m not expecting it to be great this season. Few, if any, bumper crops are seen.
Florida blueberry shipments have recently started and are moving into volume. Peak loading oppportunties will be around the third or fourth week of April.
Florida strawberry shipments from the Plant City area are winding down and should be finished by early April.
Florida produce – grossing about $2800 to Chicago.
While California vegetables and citrus have been struggling this season to get going, California strawberry shipments got off to an early and fast start it looks to continue strong throughout the season. Unlike much of the nation, credit unusually warm weather during the winter on the West Cost, which hastened plant maturity.
We’ll also take a glimpse at Mexican imports through Nogales, AZ.
For the week ending March 1, the California Strawberry Commission reported 11.16 million 9-pound tray equivalents had been shipped fresh so far this year compared to 6.89 million at the same time last year and 9 million in 2012. California produces almost 90 percent of U.S. strawberries. The state’s 400 strawberry farms grow fruit on fewer than 40,000 acres.
California avocado shipments
This year, California avocado shipments should be at its peak from mid- to late April and continue through Labor Day. Volume should be about 300 million pounds. The 300 million pounds is more on par with the 10-year average. Loadings originate from various shippers in Southern California.
Southern California produce shipments – grossing about $6600 to New York City.
Nogales Produce Shipments
While Mexican vegetable shipments through Nogales, AZ are on a seasonal down swing, an exception are watermelons being imported from West Mexico. The spring season has started three weeks earlier than last year. The early time frame is attributed to earlier transplanting, improved growing practices and ideal weather conditions. Watermelon shipments from West Mexico should continue in good volume through June.
Arrivals of Mexican grapes will start crossing the border within the next month.
Mexican produce through Nogales – grossing about $3800 to Chicago.
I’m in Georgia this week checking out the crops and visiting with shippers to give you a better idea of loading opportunities as we progress into spring. I’m also visiting with some of you at truck stops along the Interstate 75 corridor.
Vidalia sweet onion shipments were not to legally start before April 21st (at least until a Georgia court ruled otherwise and struck it down), which was the date set by the state’s ag commissioner. Colder weather has put the onions behind schedule. Don’t expect good volume before May. While some observers are predicting shipments could be off as much as 25 percent this season, others are taking a wait and see attitude to measure yields.
Overall, you probably won’t be getting loaded in the Southeast without having multiple pick ups. That could mean starting with pick ups in Florida and finishing off the load with additional pick ups in Georgia. The volume is just not there.
Meanwhile, there is light to moderate shipments of various greens from central and southern Georgia. Items ranging from vegetables such as cucumbers and squash are still a month or more away from being harvested.
Georgia has become a major shipper of blueberries with volume increasing each year. Intial loadings of “blues” will start in April, with good volume arriving in early May.
Another big item for Georgia are watermelons. While current loadings are occurring in Florida, where the harvest gradually moves northward, and usually ends by early June. This is about the time George watermelon shipments get underway.
Finally, the Georgia peach bloom in the Fort Valley area is beautiful. Shipping should get underway the last half of May. If weather conditions hold over the next month there could be up to 2.2 million boxes of Georgia peaches shipped this season. However, there is a freeze forecast for Tuesday night, March 25th. It will take a bit to assess any damage.
— Bill Martin
A new survey conducted by the Idaho Potato Commission revealed that 97 percent of Americans said they eat potatoes and more than 81 percent enjoy them as a side dish, snack or main course on average of three days per week.
“The Idaho Potato Commission’s marketing programs have one main objective – to increase Idaho potato consumption nationwide,” Frank Muir, president and chief executive officer of the IPC, said in a press release. “We were thrilled with the survey results, which found consumer attitudes toward potatoes shifting. America’s favorite vegetable is now consumed three times a week, up from two times per week in 2009.”
The survey also revealed that more men than women (84 percent vs. 78 percent) eat potatoes once a week, and that Midwesterners are more likely than those in other regions of the country to eat potatoes at least once a week (88 percent vs. 78 percent).
Regarding how consumers eat their potatoes, the survey showed that baked (29 percent) led the way, followed by mashed (25 percent), French fries (17 percent), hash browns (9 percent) and potato chips (5 percent).
Baked potatoes are favored more by those who are age 45 and up than by 18-44 year-olds (36 percent vs. 23 percent). More 18-44 year-olds than those who are 45 and older prefer French fries (21 percent vs. 12 percent).
When survey participants were asked which vegetable they crave most, potatoes were the clear winner. Nearly one quarter (24 percent) of the Americans chose spuds, followed by leafy greens such as lettuce, kale or spinach (20 percent), broccoli (14 percent), tomatoes (13 percent) or corn (11 percent).
Despite the growing “buy local” movement, 72 percent of Americans would eat Idaho potatoes over potatoes from other states, according to the survey.
The Idaho Potato Commission survey was conducted by Kelton between Jan. 7 and Feb. 3 among 1,000 nationally representative Americans ages 18 and over using an email invitation and an online survey.
By Larry Oscar
Today, March 20th, is the first day of spring. This means potential treacherous trucking due to weather.
The long cold winter of 2104 will be sorely remembered and it will be one for the record books for much of the country. The extremely cold temperatures coupled with high winds and a series of relentless cold fronts are nothing. It was Mark Twain who said, “If you don’t like the weather just wait awhile.”
It has been rather humorous to listen to the global warming lemmings droll on about “Climate Change.” With the history of Earth dating back over 4.5 billion years, and our entire sample of weather records only dating back about 100 years, it doesn’t take much in the way of common
When you see cirrus clouds, it usually indicates that a change in the weather will occur within 24 hours.
sense to realize that we are in no position to make any long range weather predictions.
But one thing we can predict is the unpredictable. When spring finally arrives we will be in a changing weather pattern that will go from one of the coldest winters on record to a period of warming. There will likely be a larger temperature change because of the lower winter temperatures, and this will mean a larger temperature difference in the arrival of warm fronts.
Spring storms will probably be more severe this year. There isn’t anything you can do to control the weather, but there is something you can do to be prepared. The first thing to do is to know the signs of potentially severe weather. Cool days with very warm humid fronts moving in are dangerous signs.
When you are trucking in the months from April through June you must observe the weather patterns, forecasts, and cloud formations. Very few things in life are more terrifying than being caught in the middle of severe and violent weather. Whether it is tornadic storms or high, straight winds, and 80,000 pound big rig can be tossed around like a toy.
One of the best ways to stay on top of the weather is to get your kids or grandkids involved in weather forecasting. Fortunately, there is a host of information on the web. The best website for learning the weather is a website developed especially for children. As it turns out this
If you see altocumulus clouds on a warm, sticky morning, be prepared to see thunderstorms late in the afternoon.
website was developed by meteorologist Crystal Wicker for children of all ages, and it is very informative for adults as well. Check it out, and learn a little forecasting. It just may keep and your family safe this spring, whether at home or on the road.