Search - The Packer

North Carolina was by far and away the no. 1 state in fresh sweet potato shipments in 2021, according to USDA data.

About one in three consumers say they have purchased sweet potatoes in the last year, The Packer’s 2022 Fresh Trends survey reveals.

Sand Candy Produce LLC will feature good volume of sweet potatoes during the 2022-2023 marketing season, says Delbert Bland, Sand Candy partner and owner of Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms owner.

Nashville, N.C.-based Nash Produce expects to have a strong sweet potato supply this year, says Thomas Joyner, president.

The Washington fresh apple crop is projected at 108.7 million standard forty-pound boxes, an 11.1% decrease from 2021’s 122.3 million boxes, according to the Washington State Tree Fruit Association.

Evans Fruit has remodeled its Yakima plant with a new 40-lane advanced packing line, said Scott Hennessey, sales representative for Evans Fruit, Yakima, Wash.

While the state’s 2022 fresh apple crop may be shorter than some years, the Wenatchee, Wash.-based Washington Apple Commission is gearing up for another big year of promoting fresh apple exports.

Finding varieties that appeal to consumers is one way the leading state for U.S. apple production continues to innovate and evolve.

Yakima, Wash.-based FirstFruits Farms has started its 10th year of growing and selling the Sweetie branded apple.

Oppy expects a good quality season for its proprietary apples, says Roger Aguirre, director of apples and pears for the Oppenheimer Group (Oppy).