Posts Tagged “Florida strawberry shipments”
There has been a small turn around in California strawberry fields following a three-year trend of declining acreage, while shipments are up significantly.
At least for this year, the trend for decreased acreage has been halted, with an estimate of a bit more than 36,000, on par with 2016 numbers, according to the California Strawberry Commission Acreage Survey for 2017.
In 2016, total strawberry shipments from California topped 196 million trays, representing about 3.4 percent gain over the previous year even with 5 percent fewer acres.
2017 has not gotten off to a very good start due to several rain storms having drenched California during the first six weeks of the season. However, it is still running ahead of 2016 though behind 2015. By mid-January, total California shipments were in the 750,000 tray range compared to half that in 2016, but 1.2 million in 2015.
However, shipments from both Mexico and Florida were well ahead of the past two years. In mid-January, Florida strawberry shipments loaded almost 3 million trays for shippin while Mexico topped 3.5 million. In 2016, by mid-January those two competing points of origin had only delivered a total of 2.5 million trays last year and about 3.8 million the previous year.
Central Florida strawberries – grossing about $1200 to Atlanta.
California growers continue to be the leading production region in the world and are expected to supply more than 79 percent of the volume shipped in the United States in 2017.
The acreage report is published two times a year with acreage information voluntarily provided by California strawberry growers and shippers. The first “Acreage Survey” for the 2017 harvest year includes acres that were planted in the fall of 2016 as well as the forecast of acreage that will be planted in the summer of 2017 for fall production. For 2017, the commission reports a total of 36,141 acres, with 30,074 planted last fall and an estimated 6,067 slated for summer planting. As a point of comparison, last year, fall plantings totaled 29,318 acres with a then estimate of 6,721 for summer planting.
In 2013, the CSC January acreage report revealed 35,670 acres of fall plantings and 5,146 summer plantings for a total of 40,816 acres. In 2014, total acreage dropped to just under 39,000 and in 2015, the total was 38,100. Last year saw another decline of about 5 percent to 36,039. This year represents a negligible gain, but it’s a gain nonetheless.
In its report about acreage, CSC noted that while acreage has declined in recent years production has actually remained stable or increased partially due to new varieties, which has led to higher yields per acre.
Ventura County strawberries – grossing about $3600 to Dallas.
As the Easter shipping period for a number of produce items approaches, here’s a look a few commodities coming out of California, Mexico and Florida.
Decent California strawberry volume is expected following a weeks of challenges regarding production. A wild winter for strawberries should stabilize enough to provide steady loading opportunities for Easter, which falls on March 27th.
The should mean steady volumes from the Oxnard and Santa Maria growing regions of California and from the Ruskin, FL area.
Because Easter is early this year, and based on the timing of this year’s crop, Florida strawberry shipments should be situated perfectly for Easter.
The past couple of Easters have fallen after peak Florida shipments.
Asparagus Shipments
Thanks to the early Easter this year, there should be enough asparagus shipments from Mexico and California. Mexican volumes will be declining for the season, but because of the early Easter, it should serve as a good supplement to California, which is having peak shipments.
Avocado Shipments
California avocado loadings should be plentiful this spring and summer, with volume expected to be up to 40 percent greater than last year’s. California is expected to produce 392.5 million pounds of avocados this season, up significantly from the 279 million pounds shipped last year. That would be approaching 10,000 truck load equivalents.
The California avocado harvest started in January, hit good volume by late March, with peak shipments occurring from April to July.
Most California avocado shipments are destined for markets are in the western U.S.,, while Mexico will continue shipping heavily into the Midwest and to the East Coast.
Kiwifruit Shipments
The California kiwifruit shipping season continues and about 40 percent of the six-million seven-pound trays remain. The fuzzy brown fruit is shipped out of California’s Central San Joaquin Valley. Loading will continue through May and as late as June.
California strawberry shipments are down this season about 40 percent compared to this time a year ago.
But the West Coast isn’t alone with lower volume on strawberries. Some are calling Florida’s strawberry season a crop failure. Florida strawberry shipments are down 50 percent, while Mexico is off by one-third.
Strawberries shipments are typically big for Valentine’s Day (which was February 14). This next big push is for Easter, which arrives early this year, March 27th. Although California strawberry shipments should increase for Easter, loadings are still expected to be well below normal.
Mexican strawberry shipments are also increasing. During the week of January 18-22 Mexico was averaging 160,000 to 180,000 trays. The following week there was at least 20 percent.
Above average rainfall in California from El Nino is expected to last into April, which could continue to make increases in strawberry volume a challenge.
A trend that is now adversely affecting early season shipments the past few years has been the shifting of strawberry field acreage away from Ventura County in Southern California, which is the earliest shipping district. Oxnard (Ventura County) has just over 6,800 acres of strawberries. That compares to the 10,300 acres planted just three years ago. Most of the grower/shippers have planted more strawberries in the Santa Maria district over the last few years, which is further north along the California coast.
The reason for the acreage shift relates to the varieties of the fruit. Oxnard needs a good short-day strawberry variety and there aren’t any good ones right now. Growers simply are not getting the yields in Oxnard.
Here’s an update on light to moderate Florida produce loading opportunities.
Florida strawberry shipments this season will come from product off of 11,000 acres in the Plant City area. Those plantings are expected to yield about 42 million flats of eight 1-pound clamshells, up from last season’s 38 million to 40 million flats.
Although a few farmers harvest through mid-April, most grower-shippers finish packing by mid- to late March.
More normal supplies and shipments of Florida strawberries are expected anytime now. In mid- and late December, shipments were only about two-thirds of normal due to warmer than normal weather.
Strawberry shipments are hitting about 200 truckloads per week now, but this number should increase significantly in the days ahead.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Meanwhile, tomato shipments easily lead the pack when looking a vegetable loadings. About 400 truckloads of tomatoes are being shipped per week from central and southern Florida locations.
There are a number other vegetables in Florida being shipped in light volume ranging from bell peppers to radishes and eggplant, among others. However, Florida certainly isn’t a panacea for finding produce loads this time of the year. But loadings overall in the Eastern time zone of the U.S. this time of year, prompts us to give you as much information as possible. At best, Florida loadings most likely will involve multiple pick ups and drops.
Florida produce – grossing about $2600 to New York City.
Growing and shipping fruits and vegetables in winter is risky business and weather conditions too often play havoc. For example, cold weather in the California and Arizona deserts are disrupting vegetable shipments. In Florida, southern vegetables have been pounded by heavy rains, literally wiping out crops. Strawberry shipments further north in Florida are being hurt by heat.
Desert Vegetable Shipments
Cold weather in the early season and variable weather since then has slowed vegetable growth – and shipments of cauliflower, broccoli, Iceberg lettuce, leaf items or Brussels sprouts. With temperature highs varying as much as 20 degrees from day to day, problems happen. Then there are nightly lows around freezing, that curtail early morning harvests. The result is volume running 25 to 50 percent below normal, which will continue through the end of the year. Farming operations are having to remove the outer leaves of lettuce with ice damage.
California, Arizona desert vegetables grossing about $3800 to Dallas.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
South Florida’s Redlands growing region was hit with torrential rains in early December, resulting in severe damage to winter yellow squash, zucchini and green beans.
The 15 inches of rain that pounded Florida City and Homestead, Fla., also hurt tomatoes and sweet corn, but the squash and beans sustained the most severe damage with losses in the 60 to 70 percent range. The excessive water killed many plants and caused serious quality issues that prevented vegetables from being shipped for the Christmas holidays.
The region grows product primarily mid-November through mid-April, similar to Belle Glade, Fla., and Immokalee.
Belle Glade ships corn and beans while Immokalee ships beans, tomatoes and squash.
Florida Strawberry Shipments
Higher than normal temperatures in the Plant City, FL area has resulted in strawberry shipments facing shipping gaps. Volume is less than normal due to the heat. Although volume is starting to increase, it will probably be the second full week of January before loadings are up to where they should be.
Florida vegetables and strawberries – grossing about $2000 to Chicago.
If you’ve noticed sky high strawberry prices in your local supermarket, there’s a reason. Shipments from California, Mexico and Florida are all low, but things are starting change.
November rains excellerated already seasonally lower volumes for California strawberry shipments, and volumes also have been below the three-year average. Volume will improve, but it’s going to take some time. El Niño predictions are still showing the strong probability of continuous rains and occasional heavy down pours in the west.
Some California shippers will rely on Florida and Mexico production to supplement California loadings, though bad weather in central Mexico in mid-November was complicating that crop.
This time of year California volume is unpredictable due to cold weather and number of daylight hours. With short days, cold nights and the threat of rain, volume is difficult to predict.
Florida strawberry shipments are increasing and should hit decent volume by next week from the Plant City, Fla. area. However, it will be the first of the year before peak volumes occur.
By the week of November 23rd, shipments from Watsonville, CA had mostly wound down for the year, as production shifted to Southern California. Ventura County is ramping up and Orange County will get underway soon.
Southern California citrus shipments – grossing about $4200 to Chicago.
Central and Southern Florida tomatoes, vegetables – grossing about $2300 to New York City.
Now is the heaviest time of the year for shipments of California dates….Plus here’s news on an expansion of a major Florida strawberry shipper.
With the harvest in storage, California has a bumper date crop this year. Although dates are shipped year around, the November-December holiday season is the heaviest. Dates are a great fall item and common on holiday menus. A significant change has occurred in recent years with date shipments. Retailers used to order a heavier volume in early November, stack up the date cartons in their warehouse and keep an inventory for the two end-of-the-year holiday months. Now many retailers want weekly shipments on date and many other items as they seek to cut warehousing costs.
SunDate LLC of Coachella, CA is a major date shipper in the Coachella Valley where most of the product is grown and shipped.
Florida Strawberry Sipments
PLANT CITY, FL – Family-owned and operated Astin Farms, is continuing to expand its operations on the heels of a recent 200-acre farmland acquisition in Plant City, FL.
Astin, which was formed in 2001, has begun to make its mark in the produce industry. Recently the company added 10,000 square-feet of refrigerated old storage space and two new cooling units to address the growth of Astin’s conventional and organic strawberry program.
New expansion will now allow the company to pre-cool about 13,000 cases at a time. The new cooling space is slated to be in operation by mid-December.
In addition, Astin will have 160 acres of blueberries this spring and just recently planted another 100 acres. Astin produces over 40 million pounds of fruit each season which is shipped across and to Canada.
Valentine’s Day (February 14th) is the one of the most popular days of the year for strawberries and shipments soon will be ramping up for the occasion.
Florida strawberry shipments are steady with adequate volume expected. About 90 percent of some shipper’s supplies from the Plant City, FL have already been pre-sold.
Still, the strawberry industry says there are never enough berries for Valentine’s Day, especially stem berries. These are always popular as a Valentine’s Day gift. Both Florida, as well as Mexican strawberry shipments are running ahead of last year’s totals, while California strawberry shipments are down a bit. Mexican strawberries are crossing the border in south Texas, as well as border crossings into California.
California reached the 1 million tray-per-week level in mid-January, but by the end of the month supplies had dropped below that threshold. However, California berry loadings are expected to increase each week in February as volume builds from Orange and Ventura counties.
Meanwhile, Southern California also has lettuce shipments as well as some other vegetables from the Coachella and Imperial valleys, plus from the nearby Yuma (AZ) district.
In south Texas, besides Mexican strawberries, there are a number of other items available ranging from vegetables, tomatoes, citrus and tropical fruit.
While Florida strawberries are coming out of the growing area just west of Tampa, Central Florida also is shipping in light volume vegetables, tomatoes and citrus.
Southern California berries – grossing about $4000 to Dallas.
South Texas/Mexican produce – grossing about $2400 to Atlanta.
Central Florida berries, veggies – grossing about $2200 to Chicago.
Increased loading opportunities are taking place for Florida strawberries from the Plant City area, while arrivals of Chilean imported stone fruit are occurring on both coasts of the United States.
Florida strawberry shipments got off to a show start this season but good volume finally arrived the week of December 22nd. While volume in late December and early January was high, produce haulers should expect a significant slowing of shipments to begin in mid-January. Volume for Florida strawberry shipments could be off for a couple of weeks before picking back up towards the end of January. Heading into Valentine’s Day (February 14th), truckers should expect bigger volume.
Florida strawberries, vegetables and tomatoes – grossing about $2800 to New York City.
Chilean Fruit
Importers of Chilean stone fruit expect a strong rebound from last season’s freeze-damaged crops. Break bulk shipments of Chilean peaches, nectarines and plums began arriving early the week of December 29th at the Port of Long Beach.
Shipments were running seven days ahead of last year. Volumes this season should be at least in line with the 5-year average but much higher than last season, when fruit was hard hit by freezes.
Philadelphia received its first shipments for Chilean peaches, nectarines and plums the weekend of Jan. 3rd. Early varieties of Chilean peaches would start arriving at East Coast ports this week, with nectarine volumes following in early February and plum volumes in mid-February.
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.