Posts Tagged “potatoes”
Potatoes are the fourth largest food crop grown in the world behind rice, corn and wheat. Most people think of Idaho when they consider potatoes — and 
rightfully so when it comes to russets. However, the Red River Valley, located on the borders of North Dakota and Minnesota are the leaders in red potato shipments.
If you haul produce, I wouldn’t suggest trying to get to the frozen tundra this time of the year. The folks are great, but the weather can be brutel. Besides, there’s no shortage of equipment to move the red potatoes. However, a friend of mine this week was in Fargo. You never know where the next load is going to take you sometimes.
The Red River Valley will be shipping red potatoes into the spring. Product is holding up well in storages. Most shipments are ususally to midwest and eastern markets.
Grand Forks, ND to Chicago – potatoes are grossing about $1800.
Loadings of potatoes from shipping points on Prince Edward Island in Eastern 
Canada are about 30 percent ahead of normal this season. Few spuds are shipped year around out of here, with most product finished by June. However, due to brisker than usual loadings, shipments will probably end weeks early than normal. This is primarily due to fewer potatoes and loadings originating from New Brunswick, as well from Aroostrock County, ME. Thus, buyers are ordering more potatoes from PEI.
Oranges, potatoes and sweet potatoes are among the larger volume produce items shipped during the bleak, cold winter months. In a 
recession (or is it a depression?) that has been going on for at least three years, big crops of potatoes mean good movement (loading opportunities) as cash strapped consumers look for something less expensive to eat.
Idaho easily leads the nation in potato shipments. Rails haul a lot of them, but there are only so many rail cars and tracks, so big rigs are still hauling the marjority of the product. Idaho potato shipments are expected to be up 6%, while the nation as a whole is up 7%…..As for sweet potatoes, eastern North Carolina has the most shipments, with loadings also available from California, Louisiana and Mississippi. Total loads are forecast to be up 13% over a year ago.
As for oranges, Florida expects to ship 147 million boxes compared to 58 million boxes for California. Florida is up some from the previous season, while California is down slightly. Florida’s forecast could eventually be reduced some if a recent freeze damages some of the citrus.
California sweet potatoes – grossing about $4800 to Atlanta.
North Carolina sweet potatoes – $2200 to Detroit.
Florida citrus – $2000 to Baltimore.
Idaho potatoes – $3400 to Dallas.
Upstate New York state is accounting for more produce shipments than the rest of the Northeast combined. New York’s biggest volume is with apples out of the Hudson Valley, as well as areas in the Central and Western part of the state. The Western half of New York also is significant for cabbage. Orange County New York has a moderate volume of onions, as does the Oswego area in the Central part of the state….There is also light shipments of apples from the Applachian District of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virgina….Aroostock County Maine is in the far northern part of the state and is shipping around 250 loads of potatoes a week. Overall, the Northeast certainly isn’t a hotbed of loading opportunities, but if you are needing a load, all options should be considered.
Maine potatoes – grossing about $2100 to Philadelphia.
Western New York cabbage – $2200 to Atlanta
When it comes to getting produce loads out of the Northwest this time of the 
year, we’re looking primarily looking at apples, pears, potatoes and onions. The fruit is primarily in Washington state, while the potatoes and onions are not only in Washington, but in Idaho and Oregon. When talking truck load equivalents, keep in mind this includes loads by rail, which are heavier from this region than most. In the Yakima and Wantchee valleys about 4,300 truck load equivalents of apples and pears are being shipped weekly. In Washington’s Columbia Basin and the Umatilla Basin in Oregon, both spuds and onions are being loaded. Potato movement from the Twin-Falls-Burley area of Idaho is around 2,000 truck load equivalents per week.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5700 to New York City.
Washington fruit – about $4100 to Chicago.
Washington potatoes – about $2300 to L.A.
Washington State apple shipments should be huge this season which continues through summer from storages when the new crop starts coming on in late
July or August. Over 104 million boxes are expected to shipped during the 2011-2012 season, primarily from the Yakima and Wantechee valleys. During the last week of December alone, 3.2 million 42-pound boxes of apples were shipped. Typically when you have a large fruit crop, it results in smaller sizing, but quality is reported as quite good. Shipments have been really heavy since the crop from the previous season had all been moved, leaving a gap between it and the new season. Thus, demand for apples has been strong.
Washington apples – grossing about $6400 to New York City.
Washington (Columbia Basin) potatoes and onions – about $4400 to Detroit
We are still four months away from Florida’s heaviest time of the year with spring produce loadings, but here are your best bets if in the Sunshine State. 
Central Florida tomatoes, whether mature greens, cherry, or grape tomatoes are averaging about 1,000 truck loads a week. Strawberry volume out of the Plant City area are increasing in volume. There’s also citrus ranging from oranges, to grapefruit, tangerines and tangelos. Potatoes from south Florida are still several weeks away from diggings and shipments…..Don’t necessarily be looking for freight to Florida this time of year, because overall loadings are scarace out of Florida. If it helps, South Georgia is shipping a few mixed veggies to help fill your load.
Central Florida Produce – about $1700 to New York City