Posts Tagged “feature”
Fresno, CA – Hurricane Hilary delivered wind and rain to many of California’s table grape vineyards at peak harvest time for most of the 90 varieties grown in the state. The immediate aftermath of the hurricane brought additional rain and humidity to many growing areas, compounding problems and loss.
“The impact of the hurricane and its aftermath is devastating
and heartbreaking,” said Kathleen Nave, president of the California Table Grape Commission. “To say that the grower and farmworker community is in shock is an understatement.”
With approximately 30 percent of the crop harvested when the hurricane hit, it is projected that 35 percent of the remaining crop – 25 million boxes – has been lost.
“The revised estimatefor the California crop is 71.9 million 19-pound boxes,” said Nave. “The last time the crop was
under 75 million boxes was 1994.”
Noting that it is typical for California to ship over 65 percent of its crop after September 1, Nave said that based on the revised estimate there are still over 45 million boxes of grapes the industry plans to ship.
“Reaching consumers at retail stores is a major focus of the work done
by the commission,” Nave said. “Partnering with retailers to get grapes on store shelves and to promote them to consumers is work that will continue throughout the season.”
The California fig harvest started several weeks ago and observers are reporting strong volume and high quality. Harvest will continue through November, according to the California Fresh Fig Growers Association.
Commercially grown fresh and dried figs in the U.S. are produced in California, where over 100 producers, marketers, farm managers and processors cultivate 9,300 acres of California figs around Madera, Fresno and Merced.
Trade association Avocados From Mexico has topped its previous record by over 2 percent for U.S. import volume.
Total U.S. import volume was nearly 2.5 billion pounds for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
The association expresses confidence it will break the record again this year (fiscal 2024, running from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.)
The state of Michoacan appears to have a crop for this current year similar to the previous year, and import volume from Jalisco is growing exponentially, which means another record year if all goes as expected.
Promotions tied into Super Bowl weekend in early February was the biggest tentpole moment of the year resulting in excess of 250 million pounds of Mexican avocados imported in the weeks leading up to the big event. AFM also saw record-setting Cinco de Mayo promotions and shipments, with volume up more than 60 percent from 2022 and up 18 percent from 2021, which produced the previous record.
Mexico accounts for 85 percent of the avocados consumed in the U.S.
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