CORRECTED: Cottle Farms expands into Florida blueberries

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WATERMELON — F.O.B.S AS OF MAY 13

MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH NOGALES, ARIZ. — Crossings (705-766-766, seedless 683-751-759, seeded 22-15-7) — Movement expected about the same. Trading seeded slow, others moderate. Prices seedless 35-60 counts lower, others generally unchanged. Red-flesh seedless-type per pound 24-inch bins approximately 35-60 counts mostly 20 cents, 75-80s 14-16 cents; red-flesh seeded-type approximately 35-55 counts 12-14 cents. Flat cartons red-flesh seedless miniature 6-9s $7-9. Quality variable. Many present shipments from prior bookings and/or previous commitments.

LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS — Shipments (29-96-255, seedless 26-83-223, seeded 3-13-32) — Movement expected to decrease slightly. Trading very active at slightly lower prices. Prices 24-inch bins per-pound red-flesh seedless-type approximately 35-60 counts 28 cents, seeded-type approximately 28-35 counts mostly 21-22 cents. Quality generally good. Most present shipments from prior bookings and/or previous commitments at lower prices.

FLORIDA — Shipments (124-159-233, red-flesh seeded 16-29-53, red-flesh seedless 51-130-180) — Movement expected to increase as more growers start the season in central Florida. Harvesting slowed. Trading very active. Prices generally unchanged. 24-inch bins per-pound red-flesh seeded-type 35s 24-25 cents; red-flesh seedless-type 45 count 29-30 cents, 60 count 29-30 cents. Quality generally good.

IMPERIAL AND COACHELLA VALLEYS, CALIF., AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN ARIZONA — Shipments (AZ seedless 0-23-16, CA 0-26-78, seedless 0-24-73, seeded 0-2-5) — Movement from western Arizona, Imperial and Coachella valleys expected to increase seasonally. Trading fairly active at slightly lower prices. Prices slightly lower. Red-flesh seedless-type per pound 24-inch bins approximately 35 and 45 counts mostly 22 cents. Organic red-flesh seedless 24-inch bins per pound approximately 35 and 45 counts 35 cents; miniature carton 6s and 8s $20.50. Quality generally good. Harvest central Arizona expected to begin the week of May 27.

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Home > Fruits > Blueberries > CORRECTED: Cottle Farms expands into Florida blueberries

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CORRECTED: Cottle Farms expands into Florida blueberries

02/07/2013
Doug Ohlemeier

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(CORRECTED): HAINES CITY, Fla. — Cottle Strawberry Nursery Inc. is boosting its Florida blueberries business by selling for a central Florida grower that built a new packing shed.

Jason Watts (from left), partner with Florida Best Farm Inc., a joint venture with Ron Cottle, president and co-owner of Cottle Strawberry Nursery Inc., and Matthew Green, a grower and consultant, wil Doug OhlemeierJason Watts (from left), partner with Florida Best Farm Inc., a venture with Ron Cottle, president and co-owner of Cottle Strawberry Nursery Inc., and Matthew Green, a grower and consultant, will pack berries in a blueberry packinghouse in Haines City, Fla. The Faison, N.C.-based grower-shipper of strawberries and blueberries is set to begin marketing for Florida Best Farm Inc., which plans to begin packing from its new 20,000 square foot packing shed in mid-February.

Owned by central Florida citrus and blueberries grower Jason Watts and his father Jim Watts, Florida Best plans to pack and market its fruit under the Cottle Farms label, a Cottle division.

“We now have some of our own fruit and have a lot more control over it,” said Ron Cottle, Cottle’s president and co-owner. We have always brokered berries out of Florida. The broker is always on the back end of the pole. This will help keep chain stores supplied more steadily as they’re demanding direct.”

The operation plans to pack from Watts’ 70 acres as well as from some other growers, expanding to 100 acres next season.

The building is designed to pack berries from 500 acres, Cottle said.

“Some of us have property already that’s just waiting to plant blueberries,” said Watts, a fourth-generation citrus grower.

Florida Best Farm plans to pack up to 1 million pounds of Cottle Farms-brand berries from Florida.

Cottle grows and packs blueberries from North Carolina, British Columbia and Chile and sources from other areas including Georgia, New Jersey and Michigan.

Grower Matthew Green, a caretaker and consultant, is also involved.

(Note on correction: This article originally incorrectly mischaracterized the ownership of the Florida Best Farm Inc., blueberry packing shed.

Cottle Strawberry Nursery Inc. is marketing for the packing shed owned by Jason Watts and his father Jim Watts.)

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CORRECTED: Cottle Farms expands into Florida blueberries

02/07/2013Doug Ohlemeier

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02/07/2013
Doug Ohlemeier