Packer Stories

05/14/2012

A partnership between the Kroger Co. and Jackson Farming Co., Autryvile, N.C., will mean locally grown strawberries and melons this season at 16 supermarkets in the Raleigh-Durham area known as the Triangle.

05/01/2012

Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. reported a 13% earnings increase for the first-quarter compared to 2011 despite decreases in net sales and gross profit, including a 7% drop in net sales of bananas, the company’s biggest commodity.

Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, chief executive officer of the Coral Gables, Fla.-based company, discussed the first-quarter numbers during a conference call May 1. He said he is optimistic about the rest of 2012, partly because of strategies he declined to detail.

04/27/2012

Melons harvested and packed in the Goodyear, Ariz., area for Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc. will soon have traceability labels created with software from TrueTrac LLC, Salinas, Calif.

04/27/2012

Melon production is heading west, from Yuma, Ariz., in May to California.

04/19/2012

California’s dry winter had many growers predicting early and ample supplies of summer fruit — until late-March rains came along, clouding the picture on some commodities.

Market Scope - Melons — F.o.b.s as of May 14

IMPERIAL AND PALO VERDE VALLEYS, CALIF., AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN ARIZONA — Shipments (CA 0-0-3, AZ 0-0-0) — Movement began in Imperial Valley late in the week of May 7 and is expected to increase seasonally. Harvest in western Arizona was expected to begin the week of May 14, followed by central Arizona and Palo Verde Valley the week of June 4. Quality generally good. The first f.o.b. report is expected to be issued the week of May 21.