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Though hot temperatures in Washington state orchards last summer held back organic output for the 2021 crop, Yakima, Wash.-based Sage Fruit Co. is planning for long-term expansion of its organic program.

The California Avocado Commission’s 2022 pre-season forecast projects a 306-million-pound crop, which is nearly a 15% increase over the last fiscal year.

Chile doubles volume to the U.S. and implements enhanced marketing campaign.

Country Sweet Produce’s Bako Sweet sweet potatoes are now certified by the American Heart Association just in time to celebrate American Heart Month and National Sweet Potato Month..

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers expects strong demand for organic apples and pears for the balance of the 2021-22 marketing season, said Dan Davis, director of business development.

Ocean Mist Farms is seeing strong growth in year-over-year performance of several of its organic commodities, said Katie Tossie, organic commodity account manager for the Castroville, Calif.-based marketer.

Atlanta, Ga.-based EarthFresh LLC is seeing good quality potatoes coming out of storage, said Libby Massey, marketing manager.

U.S. sweet potato area harvested in 2021 totaled 152,700 acres (data collected only in California, Mississippi and North Carolina), off just 2% from 155,300 acres in 2020 and 4% higher than 146,700 acres in 2019.

The Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission is celebrating its 70-year anniversary in 2022, a milestone that doesn’t even tell the complete story of the roots of sweet potatoes in the state.

One in three people surveyed in The Packer’s 2022 Fresh Trends report said they purchased fresh sweet potatoes in the past 12 months.