The Trade Buzz

CROP UPDATES

STRAWBERRIES

strawberry

Santa Maria

Region Update: A major rain event is anticipated. This weekend’s rain has the potential to disrupt operations and diminish fruit quality, which could cause a premature end to the 2024 Santa Maria Fall Crop. Crews will be evaluating. 

Quality: Conventional and organic fruit quality is good with some decay and pin rot present.

Volume: Production has now entered in a post-peak phase. Volumes are dependent upon upcoming weather challenges.

Pack Counts: Conventional fall crop 22-24. Organic fall crop, 24-30. 

Watsonville/Salinas

Region Update: Production has ended in Watsonville and Salinas for the 2024 season.

Florida

Quality: Fruit quality is good.

Volume: Production is increasing week-over-week.

Pack Counts: 26-30.

Mexico

Quality: Fruit quality is good.

Volume: Production is increasing week-over-week.

Pack Counts: 20-26 for California Giant label; 26-30 for Berry Sweet packs. 

BLUEBERRIES

blueberry

Mexico

Quality: Conventional and organic quality is good with minor occurrences of shrivel and leaky fruit.

Volume: Volumes are increasing.

 

Peru

Quality: Conventional quality is great with minor occurrences of shrivel and leaky fruit.

Volume: Volumes are steady with bulk containers and prepacked pints/18oz containers arriving in CGC once or twice a week almost every week through the rest of the year

 

Chile

Quality: Organic quality is great with minor occurrences of shrivel and leaky fruit.

Volume: No arrivals this week from Chile but we expect arrivals every week in December and on.

RASPBERRIES

raspberry

Mexico

Quality: Overall, fruit is looking good with a strong red color, sizes and firmness look good.

Volume: Volume for raspberries is staying steady through November.

Watsonville

Region Update: Production has ended.

BLACKBERRIES

blackberry

Mexico

Quality: Quality is fair but improving. 

Volume: Volume for blackberries is steady for the rest of the year.

Watsonville

Region Update: Production has ended.

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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:

“I’ve never written to a producer of any food, but I am compelled to let you know that your strawberries are consistently the best we’ve ever had. We’ve eaten so many that I’m surprised we haven’t grown stems. Thank you for making us believe again that fruit can be grown, packaged, and shipped and remain delicious.”

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