Packer Stories

03/29/2013

Sunshine State growers are increasing vegetable acreage.

12/18/2012

The central Florida fall deal, which typically ends by late December, is finishing and growers expect to transition to south Florida production by early January.

In mid-December, Jim Monteith, sales manager for Myakka City, Fla.-based Utopia Packing LLC, said its parent company, Utopia Farms, was finishing central Florida harvesting of bell peppers and started harvesting light volumes from Immokalee, Fla.

Monteith said he expects Immokalee volume to increase by early January and characterized quality as high and said the crop is producing thick walled peppers with blocky shapes.

12/14/2012

With normal volumes and few weather issues for Central American and Caribbean crops through the first week of December, commerce was influencing the winter deal as much as nature.

11/07/2012

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Alpine Fresh and Driscoll Strawberry Associates Inc. have adopted HarvestMark 2013 features that support mobile marketing and freshness tracking, respectively.

11/02/2012

BELLE GLADE, Fla. — The opening of this season’s green bean deal should be variable with supply gaps in early shipments.

Market Scope - Beans — F.o.b.s as of May 13

CENTRAL AND SOUTH FLORIDA DISTRICTS — Shipments (47-63-41) — Movement expected to decrease as more shippers finish the season. Trading machine-picked active. Prices machine-picked generally unchanged. Includes palletizing and cooling. Bushel cartons and crates round green-type, handpicked supplies insufficient and in too few hands to establish a market, machine-picked mostly $18.85-20.85. Quality generally good.

COACHELLA VALLEY, CALIF. — Shipments (9-9-7) — Movement expected to decrease sharply as most shippers are finished for the season. Supplies insufficient and in too few hands to establish a market. Quality generally good. Lighter shipments were expected to continue through May 18. LAST REPORT.

CENTRAL AMERICA IMPORTS — Imports (12-12*-6) — Imports via boat from Guatemala. Movement expected to remain about the same. Port of entry: South Florida. Trading slow. Prices lower. 5-pound cartons haricots verts (French-type) mostly $4. Quality variable. *revised.

SOUTH GEORGIA — Shipments (0-0-2) — Very light shipments reported. Most shippers expect to begin harvesting around May 15. Supplies insufficient to establish market. No f.o.b. issued as of May 13.