Truck rates increased for Florida produce growing districts for the week ending April 16, though most U.S. shipping districts reported an adequate supply of trucks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s truck rate report on April 16 reported a shortage of trucks for tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and melons from central and south Florida.
In response, central and south Florida truck rates rose between 19% and 29% for the week ending April 16, the USDA said.
In other districts, truck rates increased about 12% for refrigerated shipments to Chicago from Nogales, Ariz., and rose 18% for shipments from Nogales to Los Angeles.
The USDA said truck rates in the San Joaquin Valley and the Kern District rose between 2% and 6%, depending on destination, for the week ending April 16.
Rates from Oxnard rose between 1% and 4%, according to the USDA. Southern California rates for citrus and avocados rose between 1% and 6%, according to the USDA.
Other produce districts were mostly unchanged, according to the USDA.
