Produce Crops
The Packer’s Tom Karst visited in August with Nathan Pumplin, president of Norfolk Healthy Produce, about his company’s work on a genetically modified purple tomato.
North Carolina’s sweet potato harvest season is starting with fresh pricing up substantially compared with a year ago.
Wilson, N.C.-based Lancaster Farms has a strong quality sweet potato harvest coming on, says Derek Lancaster, grower with the company.
After a tough year last year, potato crop prospects are much improved for Crystal, N.D.-based O.C. Schulz & Sons.
After Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Michael in 2018 and six other hurricanes since 2000, Florida farmers are hyper-aware of the potential impacts of Hurricane Ian.
St. Paul, Minn.-based Northwestern Fruit Co. Inc. will kick off the fall with an extensive assortment of products, including local and homegrown zucchini, yellow squash, corn, green beans and peppers.
North Carolina sweet potato acreage is down but the quality is very good, reports Norman Brown, director of sweet potato sales for Wada Farms Marketing Group, Raleigh, N.C.
Naturipe’s Chilean blueberry season will run from October to April, says Jim Roberts, president of sales, and the company will offer strong volume most of that time.
Hurricane Ian struck Florida in late September, creating a path of destruction for crops in southwest Florida that agricultural leaders are still tallying.
Fueled by increasing demand, imports of Mexican Hass avocados continue to make powerful contributions to the U.S. and Mexican economies, according to a new report from Texas A&M University.
The Santa Cruz, Calif.-based company is set to offer organic and fair trade avocados from Colombia and Mexico year-round, under the Awe Sum Organics label.
Volumes are steady and should remain this way with no interruptions through October, says Marco Serrano, sales rep for Fresh Farms.
Stronger-than-expected yields have been reported for New York’s apple harvest, according to Lyndonville, N.Y.-based United Apple Sales.
With fresh production expectations similar to a year ago, Chilean blueberry production has begun in the northern regions and will progress through the south as the season advances.
Volume of Maine’s 2022-23 potato crop should be similar to last season’s, and quality will be excellent, judging from early harvests.
Buyers got to witness Idaho potato growers in action in early October, said Ross Johnson, vice president of retail and international for the Idaho Potato Commission.
Acreage and yield might be down for Idaho potatoes, but higher fresh packouts could help to counter those realities, said Ross Johnson, vice president of retail and international for the Idaho Potato Commission.
Wada Farms Marketing Group has concluded its potato harvest, with quality looking very good for the 2022/23 season, said Kevin Stanger, president of the Idaho Falls, Idaho-based company.
Shelley, Idaho-based GPOD of Idaho has just completed the largest renovation in its history relative to its grading, sorting and sizing capabilities, said Kevin Searle, general manager.
With reports of above-average quality, fresh potato harvest for NoKota Packers will likely continue into the third or fourth week of October, says Carissa Olsen, president and CEO of the Buxton, N.D.-based marketer.
Heimbuch Potatoes has purchased a trucking company, said Chad Heimbuch, owner of the Cogswell, N.D.-based potato marketer.
Red River Valley potatoes are promoted in a big way by the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association.
Drawing comparisons to the damage wrought by Hurricane Irma in 2017, Hurricane Ian’s damage to Florida crops and livestock has been estimated from $787 million to $1.56 billion.
Florida was a drag on U.S. citrus production in new estimates released by USDA on Oct. 12.
Sugar City, Idaho-based Sun-Glo of Idaho has finished construction on a new addition to its plant, said Jill Crapo Cox, vice president of sales.
Acquired by Wilcox Fresh this year, Southwind Farms, in Heyburn, Idaho, specializes in gourmet fingerling potato production, said Juan Juarez, general manager of Southwind Farms by Wilcox.
Kingsville, Ontario-based Mastronardi Produce has added more North American acreage in one year than ever before in the company’s 70-year history.
Starting immediately, USDA has authorized U.S. imports of fresh pummelo fruit from Vietnam.
Oppy is set to showcase its expanding greenhouse-grown offerings as well as reintroduce Category Director of Greenhouse Kevin Batt at the IFPA Show.