The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Florida

Quality: Quality is great for both conventional and organic fruit. Size is increasing.  

Volume: Production is rapidly increasing.  

Pack Counts: Conventional: 22-26, 26-30 depending on ranch; Organic: 18-20, 28-30 depending on ranch 

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some bruised or overripe fruit.  

Volume: Production is increasing with peak volumes forecasted for early January. 

Pack Counts: Conventional: 24-28 

Oxnard

Harvest Status: Plants are healthy with heavy blooms and some green fruit.  

Santa Maria

Quality: Organic quality is good with some pin rot, green shoulders and damaged fruit on edges of hoops as a result of recent cold/wet weather.

Volume: Conventional fall crop production is finished. Organic production will remain steady.

Pack Counts: Organic Fall Crop: 18-20, 20-24 depending on ranch 

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Chile

Quality: Quality on arrival and at origin is excellent.  

Volume: Volume is anticipated to increase significantly over the next several weeks. 

Mexico

Quality: Quality is excellent with great bloom and flavor. The only defects are occasional ripped calyx and shrivel.  

Volume: Production is starting to slightly decrease from peak volumes before ramping up again mid-January.

Oxnard

Quality: Quality is excellent.  

Volume:Volumes are lower than anticipated due to mild weather and slow ripening.

Peru

Quality: Quality is good at origin.  

Volume: The last organic container is estimated to arrive in mid-January of 2023. Political unrest has caused slowing at the ports.

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some soft and broken fruit due to fluctuating temperatures.  

Volume: Production is increasing with peak production estimated for mid to late January.  

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with some overripe fruit.  

Volume: Production is anticipated to be steady through the end of the year.

CPMA

Apr 23rd – 25th
Vancouver, BC

Organic Produce Summit (OPS)

July 10th – 11th
Monterey, CA

IFPA Foodservice Conference

July 25th – 26th
Monterey, CA
Booth #617

SEPC Southern Innovations

Sept. 12th – 14th
Nashville, TN

 

IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show

Oct. 17th – 18th
Atlanta, GA

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

“I am in Quebec, Canada. I just opened a box of your raspberries. They are the best that I have ever tasted. They are huge, deep red, and sweet just like the berries my aunt used to grow in her garden back in the 50’s and 60’s. When the berries were ripe I would walk about her raspberries and pluck them right off of the bushes. You brought back a wonderful memory to me. Thank you so much. Please pass my message on to the workers in the fields so they know their work is appreciated. Thank you and happy harvesting!”

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