Posts Tagged “Northwest produce shipments”
Northwest produce shipments this time of the year are pretty much limited to apples, pears, potatoes and onions, with apples easily leading the pack in terms of volume.
Apple shipments, mostly from the Yakima Valley and Wenatchee Valley in Washington are providing most of the Northwest loads, averaging about 2,750 truck load equivalents each week. While the total volume is expected to be down this season, there are still plenty of loading opportunities.
Washington also is shipping pears, although on a much smaller scale. Originating from the same areas apples, about 400 truck loads are being hauled weekly.
Northwest organic pear shipments were about 900,000 boxes last season and is expected to be about 2 million boxes this time around.
Loading of Bartletts are starting to wind down, and shipments are now more focused on green anjou, bosc and red anjou, with plenty of supplies seen on all three types for the rest of the season.
The Northwest pear shipping season runs through June.
The largest volume of onions out of the Northwest are coming out of Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjacent Umatilla Basin in Oregon. Nearly 350 truck loads are being moved a week from sheds.
As for Northwest potatoes, the biggest volume is originating from Western Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon. Over 8oo truck loads of spuds are being shipped each week.
Washington apple and pears – grossing about $6500 to New York City.
Idaho-Oregon potatoes – grossing about $4700 to Atlanta.
As produce rates remain higher than normal for this time of the year and equipment and drivers are in short supply, here is a round up of several active shipping areas in the Western half of the United States.
At Nogales, watermelons crossing the border from Mexico are providing the heaviest volume as many winter vegetable items are nearing the end of a season. Over 800 truck loads of Mexican melons are being shipped weekly and volume is still increasing. Mexican tomato shipments are exceeding 600 truck loads a week, with a similar amount of cucumbers. A big crop of Mexican table grapes will be crossing the border in good volume within a couple of weeks….Lettuce from the Yuma area is quickly coming to a seasonal end.
Mexican produce through Nogales – grossing about $3600 to Chicago.
California produce shipments
Salina Valley vegetables lead by broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce are in light, but increasing volume. It will help test the ability of the produce trucking industry to supply the equipment and drivers necessary when the Salinas Valley hits full stride in May, along with fruits and vegetables from the San Joaquin Valley. There’s not numbers yet, but the valley’s stone fruit volume is expected to be down significantly from weather factors. Kern County carrots are averaging over 400 truck loads per week. Many other items will be available for loading in the coming weeks.
Northwest Produce Shipments
As usual Washington apples are the volume leader averaging over 3000 truck load equivalents per week…..Washington’s Columbia Basin and the adjacent Oregon Umatilla Basin are shipping nearly 700 truck loads of onions weekly and about 375 truck loads of potatoes….Meanwhile Idaho is shipping in excess of 1900 truck load equivalents of potatoes weekly.
Yakima Valley apples – grossing about $4000 to Dallas.
Texas Produce Shipments
Mexican avocados and watermelons continue to cross the border at Pharr in heavy volume. Mexican tropical fruits such as mangoes are increasing, as are Mexican tomatoes. Mexican sweet onions continue being imported, but its season will be winding down and sweet onions grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are increasing.
Mexican produce through South Texas – grossing about $5800 to New York City.