Posts Tagged “Mexico”
Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables! Right now there are good supplies 
of “grass” arriving in our local supermarkets from Mexico. Retails should even be offering special prices on it….There also is still some asparagus arriving from Peru, although volume is now seasonally down sigificantly.
Come the middle of March we should see asparagus grown in California starting to arrive in stores. This should mean even better prices for consumers since there is less expense with transportation than wilth product imported form other countries. However, there is currently of glut of asparagus which means the folks growing it are not making much. If this continues, there ars concerns some of the California farmers may disc under their crops if they’re not making enough to even harvest it.
Either way, asparagus should be a good buy in your store right on through Easter, which is April 8th.
With a glut of tomatoes due to over production both from Florida and Mexico,
tomatoes should be reasonably priced in your local supermarket. I emphasize “should be” as retailers too often love to see overproduction “blood baths” allowing them to buy product cheap, but too often these retailers are very reluctant to pass the savings on to the consumer.
Another good buy should be Chilean grapes. I’ve found the red seedless grapes to be of excellent quality, although often lacking in size. The green seedless grapes I’ve tasted have been a little tart, but not bad.
If you are looking for honeydew, expect to pay a premium as supplies from both Mexico and Central America are light. I find honeydew this time of year too often lacking in taste….Asian pears are a favorite of mine. They are a little pricey anytime, but expect this to be even more so now. Supplies are shifting from the U.S. to Chile, where the crop may be off as much as 15 percent.
My experience thus far with strawberries has been kind of erractic. I have had some fruit that didn’t look that good, but had better taste than some of the berries with great color. It’s hard to figure out.
There’s been the ongoing political fight involving the trucking aspects of the 
North American Free Trade Agreement since the Clinton administration. Several months ago the Obama Administration implemented a pilot program whereby Mexican trucking companies could begin operations in the United States.
Apparently about 20 trucking companies from south of the border are awaiting approval from the U.S. to begin operations here. Produce shippers are salavating at the prospects of access to more transportation and cheaper rates to move fruits and vegetables to markets across the U.S. and Canada. Meanwhile, many in the trucking industry are fighting made over the prospects of unsafe Mexican trucks undercutting freight rates.
February may be the slowest month of the year for produce shipments, and 
for the most part there’s plenty of trucks for hauling product from most shipping points nationwide. There are a few exceptions. Equipment appears to the tighest in Florida for hauling mixed veggies, tomatoes and strawberries; sweet potatoes out of Eastern portions of North Carolina and with potatoes out of Northwest Washington.
Nationally, it is reported there are four percent more apples remaining in storages compared to a year ago. Best apple loading opportunities are occuring from Yakima, WA and points in western and central Michigan….Mexican melons and mixed vegetables are crossing the border at Nogales, AZ in good volume…In California, December freezes have apparently reduced citrus shipments for the season from around 93 million cartons to about 74 million cartons. Mandarins were hit pretty hard, especially in the northern San Joaquin Valley. Although packinghouses sort out damaged product, it is a good idea to (as always) to watch what is being loaded.
Washington apples – grossing about $6000 to New York City.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – $2250 to Chicago.
Michigan apples – $2400 to Atlanta.
I’ve had plenty of disappointments buying fruit in the wintertime, but these fagile 
items just have a lot more obstacles to overcome, especially with a finicky Mother Nature. But I”ve got to say I’ve been pretty pleased with the winter strawberries and kiwifruit I’ve been purchasing.
Living here in Oklahoma I haven’t had any strawberries from California in a while, probably because of limited volume. However, I’ve been eating plenty of strawberries from Mexico. Latest brand is Fresh Kampo. I’ll give the brand a grade of B-plus. The Mexican berries have good color, quality, taste, and average size, plus have not had any break down for three days after purchase.
California is providing an excellent crop of kiwifruit now. Continues to be one of the best buys in the produce department, at least where I live — 3 kiwis for a buck. Happy shopping!
Thirty years ago you could only get certain produce items at particular times 
of the year. This has gradually changed over time as countries around the world have started growing fruits and vegetables, improving varieties, increasing volumes and exporting to countries such as the United States.
In 2011 the leading suppliers of veggies to America were Mexico, which accounted for 58 percent of imports, Canada 27 percent and Peru three percent. The top countries providing us with fruit was Mexico 34 percent, Chile 20 percent and Costa Rica 11 percent.
In most cases if these countries were not providing us these perishables, these items would not be available at all, or least in much less limited supplies, which would greatly increase the costs we pay for them. Their growing seasons differ from ours.
There are some exceptions, with perhaps the most drastic being the tomatoes available to us from Florida in the winter, which compete against tomatoes coming out of Mexico. Over the years the Florida tomato industry has complained out Mexico undercutting them on price and flooding the market with excess supplies.
There is some truth in these claims. At the same time, you’ll find Florida providing your supermarket with mature green tomatoes, while the Mexicans are supplying us with vine ripe grown tomatoes and in more recent years have greatly increased their greenhouse grown tomato supplies.
Outside of the folks who grow mature green tomatoes in Florida, I find it difficult to find people who like the taste of these tomatoes, especially when compared to vine ripe and greenhouse grown products.
California, Arizona and Texas are all importing winter produce from Mexico. There are Baja tomatoes coming into California. The biggest change is happening in Arizona where various types of veggies and melons are crossing
the border at Nogales. Volume is building and plenty of action should be taking place at the many distribution loading docks on this side of the border between now and the next three months or so….Still overall produce loads are not nearly as plentiful as other times of the year in the U.S. Too often produce truckers are facing multiple picks ups starting in Southern California, then proceeding to Yuma, AZ and possiblity even Nogales.
Mexico produce in crossing the border at McAllen, TX ranging from various veggies to citrus and tomatoes. You might have to fill out the load with Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus or cabbage from the Winter Garden District, just south of San Antonio.
Texas produce – grossing about $2600 to Chicago.
Nogales mixed loads – around $5500 to New York City;
$3500 to Chicago.
Strawberry loading opportunities are now available from three regions, 
Florida, Mexico and California. Currently, the heaviest volume, which isn’t that heavy, is out of the Plant City are of Florida, averaging around 250 truck load equivalents per week. Volume is much less right now with strawberries crossing U.S. borders from Mexico, as well as from the Oxnard district of California. Volume is less than half of Florida’s from these other two areas. Strawberries from California’s Santa Maria District is at a trickle, but will be increasing in coming weeks along with its sister district at Oxnard. California shipments should be in good volume leading up to Easter Sunday (April 8), barring unforseen adverse weather. Strawberry shipments tend to pay better than many other produce items due to their perishablity.
Berry and citrus from Southern California – grossing about $6500 to Boston.
It’s the slowest time of the year for produce shipments, but as usual, California which accounts for about 50% of the nation’s loads a year is your best best. So far, citrus from the San Joaquin Valley (as well as in Florida) have dodged damaging freezes. California has light shipments of strawberries from Oxnard, Santa Maria and Orange County. There also are light loadings of Mexician tomatoes crossing into Southern California….Western Arizona (Yuma area) is providing the best loading opportunities with head lettuce and romaine, and to a lesser extent with broccoli and cauliflower….In the Midwest, the Stevens Point, WI area may be your best bet with potatoes….In the Southeast, it’s pretty slim pickings, but check out mixed veggies from Southeastern Georgia, and citrus and strawberries from Central Florida.
Yuma lettuce – grossing about $6400 to New York City.