Produce Crops
A shorter crop of Washington apples and higher costs for growers this year has caused elevated pricing and new ways to move the crop.
As a 21st century farm manager, you’ve invested in high-tech options. But what about your farm office?
A partnership with the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills team has raised awareness of SnapDragon apples in Eastern markets, says Jessica Wells, executive director of Crunch Time Apple Growers, Lockport, N.Y.
Emerging branded apple varieties should keep the excitement level high in retail produce departments despite lower overall volume from Washington state, say officials with CMI, Wenatchee, Wash.
Michigan’s apple crop enjoyed a great growing season that has resulted in better volume and a larger size profile for many varieties, said Trish Taylor, marketing manager for Riveridge Produce.
Wenatchee, Wash.-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is enjoying growth in its proprietary varieties as more trees come into production, said Dan Davis, director of business development.
Communicating with truck drivers, treating them well when they arrive at Chelan Fresh facilities and getting them loaded quickly are some ways the company is helping drivers, says Mac Riggan, director of marketing.
The Kennett Square, Pa.-based mushroom company is opening the most modern, state-of-the-art mushroom farm in the U.S. on Jan. 19 and will increase overall production by 20%, said Michael Richmond.
The Belding, Mich.-based company is promoting higher-end, high-flavor varieties like SweeTango, Smitten, and Honeycrisp, says Casey Jarrard, vice president of sales.
Pacificpro Sales LLC has partnered with Glacier Peak Cold Storage to provide packaged fruit options.
The ability to promote up-and-coming varieties like Cosmic Crisp is one reason that Brianna Shales is optimistic about the 2022-23 season.
Temperatures cooled significantly in Florida’s citrus growing region last week, with average highs ranging from the low 60s to the low 70s, according to a USDA report.
A pair of California-based organizations were recently awarded $1 million to establish a new, federally funded citrus breeding program in Parlier, Calif.
With the exception of lemons, the volume of the California citrus crop is up this season, said Zak Laffite, president of Wonderful Citrus.
The USDA’s January crop production report knocked down Florida orange and grapefruit estimates compared with the December forecast.
A doubling of domestic production and a quadrupling of imports has helped the retail per capita availability of fresh tangerines/tangelos and mandarins rise 187% since 2000, USDA statistics show.
The group is launching a series of Snack Responsibly-themed ads through social media platforms.
Sales on SnapDragon this year were up 70% by Oct. 31 compared to last year, says owner and operator Alisha Albinder Camac.
The Washington apple crop is surprisingly short this year, but Chuck Sinks says retailers still have solid promotional opportunities.
The combination of the shorter crop nationwide and Michigan’s large crop provides the state’s growers with many opportunities, said Diane Smith, executive director of the Michigan Apple Committee.
A challenging apple marketing season has meant more focus on assuring supplies and preventing gaps in fresh apple availability in 2023, says Don Roper, vice president of sales and marketing for Honeybear Marketing LLC.
Fresh apple holdings on Jan. 1 totaled 84.2 million bushels, 4.1% less than the inventories reported last January, according to statistics from the U.S. Apple Association.
In a year when many Washington apple varieties saw reduced output, the Cosmic Crisp apple has given buyers bigger volume and promising potential, marketers say.
Is inflation creating changes in consumer behavior toward apple purchases?
Despite the leaner crop of apples in Washington, Envy and Jazz variety apples should be good for promotion in the next few months, says Roger Aguirre, director of apples and pears for Oppy.
U.S. citrus exports dropped 14% in the period from December 2021 through November 2022 but citrus imports surged 15%, according to USDA trade numbers.
Grapefruit, however, has seen a big decline in per capita fresh availability, dropping from about 4.9 pounds in 2000 to just 1.4 pounds in 2019, USDA statistics show.
The Table Grape Committee of ASOEX (Chilean Fruit Exporters Association) said Chilean grape exports in 2022-23 will total 555,483 tons, equivalent to 67.742 million (8.2kg) boxes, up 1.2% from the December estimate.
Companies increasingly look to fruits and vegetables grown in other countries that provide ideal growing conditions and a year-round supply of fresh produce.
Cautious consumers continue to place value in healthy food options, such as citrus, as economic pressures cause some to reconsider their purchasing decisions.