Posts Tagged “Florida strawberry shipments”
Florida strawberry shipments have started a little earlier than usual, and good volume shipments for the pre-Christmas deliveries are expected.
The season typically builds through December, with the decent volume hitting right after Christmas.
In early December, at least one Florida strawberry shipper had truckload quantities.
The quality of berries truckers were loading early in the season left something to be desire, but with the last two cold snaps received the strawberries were sweetening.
Florida strawberries – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
Peruvian Grapes
The Port of Miami received its first ever shipment of Peruvian grapes last month, it is believed to the first of the product to arrive at a Florida port for distribution directly to Southeastern states.
Prior to this shipment, Peruvian grapes could only be imported to the U.S. through ports in Los Angeles and New York. Each shipment must go through cold treatment before entering U.S. borders.
By importing directly to Miami it saves the shipper the cost of freight in having to bring the grapes from New York to Miami. This should translate into providing e consumers with fresher product at a lower cost.
We’re entering that time of the year when overall produce volume is declining and it will only get worse during the first few months or so in the New Year. For example, Florida is nothing to get excited about for produce haulers, and will remain that way until spring vegetable shipments take off in April.
Still there are some loading opportunities in the Sunshine state, with vegetables, strawberries and citrus.
Florida Vegetable Shipments
Grape tomatoes and cherry tomato shipments started in mid October from the Palmetto-Ruskin area.
Mature green tomatos should get underway from Central Florida in early November.
Bell peppers, grean beans and cucumbers should begin in light volume in early November from Homestead and Belle Glade.
Sweet corn is running late and is not expected to kick off until about a week before Thanksgiving, which is November 28th.
Georgia Vegetable Shipments
Southern Georgia has light supplies of sweet corn, and bell peppers. Loading should continue until about a week before Thanksgiving. It is around this time, the items will get started in Florida.
Florida Strawberry Shipments
Looking ahead, we’re only about five weeks or so away from the intial Florida strawberries coming on in late November, primarily around the Plant City area. Loadings will gradually build in December and January befor peak shipments hit in February.