Posts Tagged “feature”
The USDA has estimated the U.S. national cranberry crop for 2023 at 7.62 million barrels, down 5% from the 2022 crop year. In Wisconsin, the largest growing state, the USDA forecast production at 4.6 million barrels, down 5% from last year.
Production in Massachusetts, forecast at 2 million barrels, is down 12% from last year, the USDA said.
Cranberry growers experienced cold temperatures, with below-normal precipitation and above-normal snowfall during the winter months.
In Wisconsin and Massachusetts, the winter freeze and early snow affected plant dormancy and froze out buds, the release said.
In the spring and early summer months, numerous frosts and hailstorms occurred during the growing season.
Growers in some areas reported severe frost damage, resulting in reduced crop growth and yield loss, according to the USDA.
In Oregon, the crop faced threats from the intensive heat and extreme weather in late June and mid to late July, and growers are concerned about fruit size. With good management practices, cranberry growers expect a good to average season despite the challenging weather during the bloom period, the USDA said.
The New York Apple Association expects nearly 28 million bushels for the upcoming fall harvest, about 4 million bushels less than a year ago. However, this year’s shipments should represent about the five-year average of volume.
Apple harvesting started in the Hudson Valley and immediate surrounding areas in mid-August, followed by central and western New York about a week or two later. Then comes northeastern New York.
Here is a round up on when to expect each variety:
- Early season varieties start in August with ginger gold and paula red, followed by jonamac and Zestar.
- Other varieties, such as mcintosh, gala, Honeycrisp, cortland, macoun, jonagold, empire, New York-grown SweeTango, SnapDragon and New York-grown EverCrisp, are typically ready in early September through October, depending on the geographical location.
- Other varieties, such as red delicious, Crispin, golden delicious, fuji, Cameo, rome and braeburn, follow soon afterward.
Passion fruit is native to Peru’s Amazon region, and its high nutritional value has granted it popularity around the world.
The seeds have high oil content and are easily digestible, and its peel is rich in pectin, which is a natural gelling agent that can also be used to combat constipation.
It is low in fat, and has tranquilizing and detoxifying properties.
“Because of its important nutritional properties, passion fruit is in demand by the juice and cosmetics industry, hence it is expected to be in the top 5 of the most exported Peruvian fruits,” reports the Peru Exporter’s Association.
Only about 30 percent of California’s table grapes had been shipped with Tropical Storm Hilary hit the San Joaquin Valley on August 20th. So about 20 percent of the remaining 70 percent of the grapes have been affected
The storm crossed Baja California, and also dropped rain in Sonora, en route to California.
Pandol Bros., Inc., of Delano, CA reports about 20% of the remaining California grape crop has been damaged. About 25-30% of the total fresh California table grape harvest was complete. So, of the remaining 70%, 20% was harmed by Hilary.
It was organic and white varieties that were most damaged. The later season red and black varieties have thicker skins and weathered the storm in better shape. So grape shipments from the middle part of the season, which is occurring now, will be affected most.
The 20% loss will be felt immediately, running to the middle of November. The crop should then be normal until it ends in late November.
Berries replaced beer as Mexico’s top agri-food export product in 2022. In the first two months of 2023, the industry confirmed its profitability with a revenue value of $777 million, according to the Bank of Mexico.
This means berries has surpassed other popular crops, such as avocados, and highly demanded products such as beer and tequila.
Berries are produced commercially in 22 of the country’s 32 states, and exported to 38 nations across the globe.
Mexico produces raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries, with the latter leading the export figures.
The U.S. is the biggest importer of Mexican berries, followed by the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Europe.
During the 10 years, strawberry, blueberry and raspberry production has tripled from 257,000 metric tons (MT) in 2011 to 754,000MT in 2020.
The total value of Mexican berry exports has increased fivefold during this period.
Víctor Manuel Villalobos, secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Government of Mexico, says that, in 2022, Mexico exported 560,000 tons of strawberries, and that the sector provides over 450,000 jobs.
Around 40% of these jobs belong to women in the industry.
Main producing states are Michoacán, where 58% of all berry production takes place, followed by Jalisco and Baja California with a 17% and 12% participation, respectively.
Since the Peruvian citrus campaign began, shipments have not been able to exceed those of 2022.
Following a bit over half of the season, Peruvian citrus exports have declined, instead of increasing a forecast, according to Agraria.
So far this season, Peru has exported 86,765 tons, reflecting a 15 percent decline when compared to the same period last year. Through July, citrus shipments totaled 7,126 tons, which was 58 percent less than the same period last year.
In this same week, the product reached 21 destinations, of which the three main ones concentrated 69 percent of all shipments. These were the U.S., with 44 percent participation; followed by China, with 13 percent; and the Netherlands, with 12 percent. It should be noted that, unlike last year, shipments to the U.S. decreased considerably, going from representing 70 percent in 2022 to 44 percent this year.
Shipments to the U.S. totaled 3,144 tons, which was 3 percent less than the previous week and 74 percent less than in 2022. As for Peruvian exporters, the ones that stood out the most in this place were Procesadora Laran S.A.C. (22 percent) and Consorcio de Productores de Fruta S.A. (15 percent).
Peru shipped 916 tons to China, 10 percent less than the previous week, but 64 percent higher than last year. This has been a market in which little by little Peruvian citrus has been able to gain more of the market.
Finally, exports of 861 tons were shipped to the Netherlands, which was 5 percent higher than the previous week and 12 percent higher than 2022.
The California stone fruit season is at its peak. Favorable growing conditions have increased supplies compared to years past, according to Markhon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
Peaches
- The season will wrap up in mid-October
- Size is dominated by large sizes (54- and 56-count fruit)
- Quality is very good: sugar levels typically range from 10 to 11 Brix
- Expect steady markets and ample supplies over the next four to six weeks
Plums
- The California season is at its peak
- California supplies are expected to run through the first week of October
- Size is dominated by small fruit (60- and 64-count stocks)
- Expect very good quality; sugar levels typically range from 14 to 17 Brix
- After the California season wraps up, plums will be sourced from Chile until mid-January
Nectarines
- The season will wrap up in mid-September
- Size is dominated by large sizes (54- and 56-count fruit)
- Quality is very good: sugar levels typically range from 11 to 12 Brix
- Expect steady markets over the next three to four weeks
Average volume for onion shipments are expected this season from the Columbia Basin, as well as from Treasure Valley, according to extension personnel at Washington State University and Oregon State University.
With total acreage virtually unchanged from a year ago, yellow onions account for about 80% of total onion acreage. Red onions now account for 15% of total Columbia Basin onion acreage, with white onions totaling about 5%.
Columbia Basin’s early onion harvest will likely start in early August, with storage onions beginning at the end of August or early September. Onions will be harvested and put in storage through September and into October.
Most of Washington’s storage onions are grown in the Columbia Basin, with the majority planted in Grant, Franklin and Adams counties.
Onion acreage in the Columbia Basin shared by Oregon and Washington totals about 25,000 acres. Onion harvest begins in the region begins in the late summer and can extend into the fall. Storage onions can be marketed from storage for up to eight months.
Storage onion acreage in the eastern part of Oregon and southwest Idaho, called the Treasure Valley region, accounts for about 20,000 to 25,000 acres.
Many onions in the Treasure Valley will be shipped to the East, while many of the Columbia Basin onions will move north and south, as well as to export markets.
Daily strawberry consumption was linked to improved cognitive function, lower blood pressure and higher antioxidant capacity in a randomized clinical trial presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition (ASN).
The study, conducted at San Diego State University, builds on previous research demonstrating the cardiovascular, metabolic and cognitive health benefits of strawberries.
The double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 35 healthy men and women, aged 66 to 78. Participants consumed 26 grams of freeze-dried strawberry powder, equivalent to two servings of strawberries daily, or a control powder for eight weeks each.
Following strawberry consumption, cognitive processing speed increased by 5.2%, systolic blood pressure decreased by 3.6% and total antioxidant capacity significantly increased by 10.2%. Waist circumference decreased by 1.1% during both the control and intervention arms of the trial. While consuming the control powder, participants experienced increased serum triglycerides.
“This study demonstrates that consuming strawberries may promote cognitive function and improve cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension,” said Shirin Hooshmand, professor in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at San Diego State and principal investigator on the study. “We’re encouraged that a simple dietary change, like adding strawberries to the daily diet, may improve these outcomes in older adults.”
Strawberries are a source of many bioactive compounds. In addition to providing 100% of our daily vitamin C needs, strawberries contain heart-healthy nutrients like folate, potassium, fiber, phytosterols and polyphenols.
Previous clinical trials have connected strawberry consumption to improvements in several markers for cardiovascular disease, including reduced total and LDL cholesterol (TC) and lower blood pressure.
The link between strawberry consumption and brain health has also been well explored in both clinical and population-based studies. Strawberries and pelargonidin, a biochemical primarily found in strawberries, were associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s dementia in studies conducted at Rush University. Long-term observational studies, including the Health Professionals Study and the Nurses’ Health Study, found that strawberry consumers had lower rates of cognitive decline.
Strong imports of Mexican mangoes are predicted amounting to nearly 3 percent on a weekly basis, according to The National Mango Board.
Imports reached a peak in the second week of May with 17,900 tons, a 50% increase over the same period in 2022.
The highest volume of mango imports by the U.S. from Mexico is from February through September.
Imports from Brazil usually start in August, followed by supplies through March from Central America, Ecuador, Peru, Haiti, Australia, and more recently Jamaica and Colombia.
This results in mangoes being a year-round product in the United States.
In the NMB’S latest crop report, the Kent variety leads with a 56% share of total shipments into the U.S., reaching 969,090 boxes by the last week of June.
It is followed by Ataulfo, with 22.5%, and Tommy Atkins, with 19%.
Mexico is the leading mango exporter into the U.S., with over four million 8.8 pound boxes shipped.
Weekly mango volumes to the U.S. rose by 17.72% marking a 565,866-box increase at the end of July with over 3.7 million boxes.
Ciruli Bros. of Rio Rico, AZ, reported recently there was six consecutive weeks of at least four million boxes in sales, and the Mexican season should conclude in late September for the company.
The Mexican mango season began the first week of January and will run until the first week of October with a projection (up to week 40—Oct. 7, 2023 – ) of approximately 101 million boxes.