The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Florida

Quality: Quality is good for conventional and organic fruit. 

Volume: Production has slowed due to cold weather delaying ripening. Volumes are expected to increase as weather patterns return to normal. 

Pack Counts: Conventional: 18-22, 24-28 depending on ranch; Organic: 18-22, 24-28 depending on ranch 

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with occasional bruised fruit and green shoulders due to cold weather. 

Volume: Production is slightly increasing.  

Pack Counts: Conventional: 20-26, 26-28 depending on ranch

Oxnard

Quality: Plants are healthy with heavy blooms and some green fruit. Continued wet, cool weather is slowing the ripening of fruit. Rain is forecasted throughout this week.  

Volume: Light first harvests have started. Volumes are estimated to increase following a break in the weather.   

Santa Maria

Weather: Continued significant rain is projected this week. While fields are hooped, flooded furrows, mud and erosion have prevented harvesting. Harvesting will resume when a break in the weather arrives. 

Quality: Organic quality is good with some pin rot and green shoulders. Crews are working hard to turn in a clean pack. 

Volume: Production is decreasing for the season due to continued rain and cool temperatures.  

Pack Counts: Organic Fall Crop: 18-22, depending on ranch 

 

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Chile

Quality: Quality on arrival and at origin is excellent.  

Volume: Volume is increasing with conventional peak projected to start mid-January.

Mexico

Quality: Quality is great overall. Production is beginning to transition from fall crop to spring crop.  

Volume: Production is steady.

Oxnard

Quality: Quality is excellent with great size and bloom. Rain is forecasted for early this week.  

Volume: Volumes are increasing. 

Peru

Quality: Quality is good at origin.  

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

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with no major defects. 

Volume: Production is increasing each week. 

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is good with occasional red cell and leaky berries.  

Volume: Production will increase toward the end of January.

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:

“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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