The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Oxnard

Quality: Quality is good with a nice sheen, firm fruit, and 90-100% coloring. Crews are working hard to keep water-damaged and botrytis-impacted fruit out of packs from recent rain storms.

Volume: Volumes are steady due to significant wet weather events but are forecasted to increase with warmer, sunny weather this week.

Pack Counts: 14-16, 18-20, depending on ranch

Santa Maria

Quality: Conventional and organic quality is good with some occurrences of split tips, button nose and water-damaged due to significant ongoing wet-weather events. Fruit has a nice shape, sheen and flavor. Crews are working hard to keep packs clean.

Volume: Production is steady due to rain storms and cool weather. Volumes are anticipated to increase toward the end of the month.

Pack Counts: Organic 14-16; Conventional 12-14

Watsonville/Salinas

Quality: Quality is good overall with some early season and wet-weather related defects of burnt calyx, pinrot, and crooked fruit. 

Volume: The region has begun light harvests for the season. Intermittent rain and hail events have slowed production. Volumes are anticipated to increase quickly through April as weather improves.

Pack Counts: Organic 14-16; Conventional 12-16

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Central Valley

Quality: Organic quality is good as the season gets underway

Volume: Production is light but increasing. Peak production is projected for early June. 

Florida/Georgia

Quality: Quality is great

Volume: Production is increasing with peak production estimated for mid-April through mid-May.

Oxnard

Quality: Organic quality is great

Volume: Volumes are in peak production.

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good overall. 

Volume: Volume will steadily increase over the coming months.

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good overall with some red mite and thrip pressure from windy, dusty conditions. 

Volume: Volumes are steady. 

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good overall with some red mite and thrip pressure from windy, dusty conditions. 

Volume: Volumes are steady. 

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SEPC Southern Exposure

March 6 – 8th
Orlando, FL

USHBC/NABC Blueberry Hill Climb

March 24 – 28th
Alexandria, VA

CPMA

April 8 – 10th
Montreal, Canada

IFPA Retail Conference

April 30 – May 1st
Dallas, TX

IFPA Washington Conference

June 9 – 11th
Washington, DC

Organic Produce Summit

July 9 – 11th 
Monterey, CA

IFPA Foodservice Conference

July 31 – August 1st
Monterey, CA

SEPC Southern Innovations

September 10 – 13th
Charlotte, NC

USHBC/NABC Blueberry Convention

October 8 – 10th
Seattle, WA

IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show

October 16 – 18th
Anaheim, CA

A berry nice note from a California Giant Berry Farms shopper:

“Absolutely delicious! Unbelievable life span (refrigerated)! Just as good today as when purchased 5 days ago!”

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