Packer Stories

05/16/2012

Putting their potatoes and seasonings where their customers’ mouths are, Potandon Produce LLC and Johnny’s Fine Foods launched a two-year Midwest tour in early May that features a custom-built concession trailer disguised as a 1950s diner.

05/15/2012

RPE has added Mark Bucek and Scott Keyser to its sales staff.

05/10/2012

Onions are not just a sweet business, even though conversations about the product often turn toward one sweet variety or another.

05/10/2012

Growers and shippers of onions and other commodities say they once could highlight their food safety programs in their marketing initiatives, but that’s no longer the case.

05/10/2012

Hatch, N.M.-based Adams Produce Inc. is observing its 30th anniversary in 2012, said Scott Adams, company owner.

Market Scope - Onions, dry — F.o.b.s as of May 14

U.S. — Shipments (including imports, 851*-935*-946) — The top shipping areas for the week, in order, were Imperial Valley, Calif.; Columbia Basin, Wash.; Georgia; Mexico crossings; and San Antonio-Winter Garden, Texas. *revised.

IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIF. — Shipments (40-152-242) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading very active. Prices yellow higher, red generally unchanged. Yellow grano 50-pound sacks supercolossal $10-12, colossal $8-9, jumbo mostly $7, medium mostly $6. Red globe-type 25-pound sacks jumbo mostly $16, medium $12.

COLUMBIA BASIN, WASH., AND UMATILLA BASIN, ORE. — Shipments (183-181-190, includes export of 36-29-25) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Trading moderate. Prices generally unchanged. Yellow hybrid 50-pound sacks jumbo $3-5, medium mostly $3-3.50.

VIDALIA DISTRICT, GA. — Shipments (167-178-172) — Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading moderate. Prices generally unchanged. Yellow granex marked sweet 40-pound carton U.S. 1 jumbo mostly $14-15, medium mostly $12-13; organic jumbo mostly $24. A few growers expected to be finished with harvest by mid-May. Supplies will then come out of storage.

MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS — Crossings (53-59-102) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Remaining supplies in too few hands to establish a market.

SAN ANTONIO-WINTER GARDEN-LAREDO DISTRICT — (67-118-88) — Movement expected to decrease. Trading active for available supplies. Prices higher. Yellow grano 50-pound colossal $12, jumbo $10, medium $8-10; red globe-type 25-pound sacks jumbo $18-20, medium $16.

LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS — Shipments (184-130-84) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Trading active on light supplies. Available supplies in too few hands to establish a market.

IDAHO AND MALHEUR COUNTY, ORE. — Shipments (127-90-53) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Remaining supplies in too few hands to establish a market. Shipments are expected to continue through the month of May.

ARIZONA — Shipments (0-0-11) — Movement expected to increase as remaining shippers are expected to start marketing onions. Unofficial prices for May 14, yellow grano-type 50-pound sacks jumbo $9, medium $8, repacker size $8.

NEVADA — Shipments (23-15-3) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally.

SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIF. — Shipments (0-0-0) — Movement expected to increase as the first 2012 season red granex-type onions were expected to be shipped the week of May 14.