Posts Tagged “Westside melon shipments”
California’s Westside melon season should get underway by early July, right on schedule, and growers expect ample supplies of melons this summer.
Cantaloupe volume should reach 14 million 40-pound cartons, up from just over 13 million cartons last year, according to the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board of Dinuba, CA.
Del Mar Packing in Westley, Calif., has a full line of conventional and organic melons. This year, the company has added organic seedless and seeded watermelons.
Harvesting of conventional honeydew and cantaloupe melons will start first week of July for Del Mar Packing the company expects to be shipping nationwide through October.
Because of the large number of watermelon growers throughout the nation, the company concentrates on West Coast customers for its watermelon program.
Volume will be the same as last year for many items, but there will be added supplies of organic and conventional hami melons and a few more conventional honeydews at Del Mar Packing.
Classic Fruit Co. of Fresno, CA is in the second year of an alliance with Westside Produce of Firebaugh, CA.
The alliance provides the companies with more opportunities to supply fruit to customers on a year-round basis.
The two companies had worked together for more than 25 years before forming an official partnership. Now they have an integrated sales, growing, harvesting, crewing and shipping operation that combines Classic Fruit Co.’s offshore program and Westside’s operations.
The companies will transition from Yuma, AZ, and start shipping cantaloupes and honeydews from the Firebaugh area July 1.
Turlock Fruit Co. Inc. of Turlock, CA grows cantaloupes, honeydews and several kinds of mixed melons.
Cantaloupes are just starting with honeydews following the first week of July. Specialty melons should be underway by July 10.
The Westside District in the Central San Joaquin Valley has just started shipments of cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew following a growing season marked by below normal temperatures and more than average rainfall.
Westside melon shippers are expected to load 20 million cartons this season, which is considered a normal volume.
Pacific Trellis of Los Angeles is the parent company of Dulcinea Farms harvesting its Tuscan-style cantaloupes, mini seedless watermelons and regular sized seedless watermelons. Shipments should continue into late September and possibly October.
Pacific Trellis expect more volume with both conventional and organic mini seedless watermelon, although volume will be off a little its Tuscan-style cantaloupe and yellow-flesh watermelon.
While some San Joaquin Valley melon shippers are a week to 10 days later this season due to weather, Turlock Fruit Co. Inc. of Turlock, CA had warmer than usual temperature in March and April. It launched its season the start of July with honeydews, orangedews, cantaloupes and varietal melons.
Acreage and supply for Turlock Fruit will be similar to last year for all fruit except for the orangedew, a honeydew with orange flesh, which has more acreage.
Legend Produce of Dos Palos, CA. has just started shipments of melons and should continue until October 10th when it shifts its harvest to Yuma, AZ.
Between the two regions, the company expects ship in excess of 7 million cartons this year, consistent with prior years.
Westside Produce of Firebaugh, CA has been shipping cantaloupe about two week and should continue until October. The company expects to ship around 2 million to 2.2 million boxes of melons from nearly 2,500 acres.
Cantaloupes account for about two-thirds of the melon shipments for Del Mar Farms of Patterson, CA, which also has honeydews and watermelons
Organic melons loadings start in mid-July and finish up in early October, while conventional melons should be available through October or possibly November.
Here is a glimpse at loading opportunities from a couple of districts in California, as well as from New Jersey and at U.S. ports.
Westside Melon Shipments
Melon shipments from the Westside district of California’s San Joaquin Valley got under way last week, with normal acreage and loadings predicted. The peak shipping period will be in July, August, September and into October. The biggest volume will be with cantaloupe and honeydew.
Sacramento Valley Prunes
The trend of removing Sacramento Valley prune orchards for more profitable nut crops continues. Prune production takes place in August and early September. California statewide should total to around 45,000 acres, amounting to about 95,000 tons of prunes. Last year volume was around 82,000 to 84,000 tons.. The 95,000 may also be close to what can be expected in the future. Typical volumes of a few years ago was in the 120,000 to 140,000 range.
California Pears
California pear shipments from the Sacramento River district and the mountain district get underway within the next week. While loadings may be off 10 to 15 percent from a year ago, there still will be decent volume.
New Jersey Peach Shipments
New Jersey’s peach crop has folks optimistic this year with about 30,000-35,000 tons of fruit forecast from the state’s 5,500 acres of trees. Peaches shippers are located near such towns as Bridgeton, Salem, Mullica Hill, and Glassboro. Good volume is expected by the second week of July with shipments continue through mid September.
New Zealand Kiwi
Arrivals of New Zealand kiwifruit began in mid-May and should be available for loadings at U.S. ports until mid-October.
Central San Joaquin Valley melons and vegetables – grossing about $5700 to Chicago.