Latest News From Plums + Prunes

Specialty stone fruit offerings were a focus of attention for Pacific Trellis Fruit executives at the Associated Wholesale Grocers' seventh annual Innovation Showcase, March 25-26.

Chilean stone fruit growers and exporters believe that exports will reach 35.3 million boxes in 2023-24, an increase of 15% over last season.

Los Angeles-based Pacific Trellis Fruit will be adding Donut Peaches and Extra Sweet Nectarines this coming year to its successful inaugural offering of imported specialty plum varieties.

Pacific Trellis Fruit has become a full-year supplier of grapes, says Howard Nager, director of marketing and business development for Los Angeles-based Pacific Trellis Fruit and its Dulcinea brand.

The opportunity for South African plums in the U.S. market emerged when U.S. authorities tightened 2021 Chilean plum import regulations following pest detection.

The Los Angeles-based company says the varieties will begin arriving next month from Chile and South Africa and will be available for a limited time.

This will be the 10th winter season of lemon plums brought to market by The Oppenheimer Group.

The USDA has announced purchases of fresh and frozen stone fruit totaling more than $37 million.

Great news for U.S. retailers and consumers! As of January 25, the entry of Chilean Plums under Systems Approach has been confirmed and published in the Federal Register.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Japan has granted market access for California plums.

There were more shake-ups on PMG the second week of July, with cucumbers moving up to No. 1 and beans climbing from No. 6 the previous week to No. 2.

Prices for red or black plums around the nation ranged from 97 cents to $2.99 per pound on July 7, according to U.S. Marketing Services.

The first week of July brought a lot of shuffling of the top 20 produce items on Produce Market Guide, with some summertime specialties joining the ranks of standard favorites.

California’s peach, nectarine and plums crop should offer good volume and strong quality this year, according to Levon Ganajian, retail relations director for Trinity Fruit Sales  Co., Fresno, Calif.

Strawberries enjoyed a third week in a row at No. 1 on PMG, while pummelos bumped oranges down to take the No. 2 spot, landing oranges at No. 3.

The Roseville, Calif.-based California Prune Board has elected George Sousa Jr. of Mariana Packing Co. as its chairman for the 2020-22 term.

California nut, date and dried fruit crops all look healthy this year, with many categories experiencing sales boosts as a result of COVID-19 demand.

As the official start to autumn neared fall staples took more spots among the PMG top 20, but summer items and year-round favorites still held their own the week of Sept. 7.

The California prune harvest has wrapped up, with early forecasts of a short crop at 45,000 metric tons, a 37% drop from the previous season.

While peaches maintained their No. 1 spot on PMG the week of Aug. 24, the rest of the top 20 saw some shuffling as fall items rejoined the list.

Don't you wish you could put everything you need in a snack – convenience, flavor, and health – into one easy package? Well, now you don't have to thanks to my friends at Sunsweet®.

Don't you wish you could put everything you need in a snack – convenience, flavor, and health – into one easy package? Well, now you don't have to thanks to my friends at Sunsweet®.

Cucumbers took back the top spot on PMG the week of Aug. 10, knocking sweet onions to No. 2.

Sweet onions unseated cucumbers as No. 1 on PMG the week of Aug. 10, climbing from No. 10 the previous week, and bulb onions took No. 2.

The season for The Oppenheimer Group’s Blue Goose plum brand has started.

California Prune growers are facing a 28% drop in prices and a 23% cut in crop deliveries.

Cucumbers held on to No. 1 on PMG the week of July 20, but yellow plums vaulted into the No. 2 spot, bumping beans to No. 3 and okra to No. 4.

Cucumbers, beans, okra and peaches held onto the top four spots on PMG the week of July 13, and yellow plums moved up two places to complete the top 5.

Awe Sum Organics, Santa Cruz, Calif., is promoting the regenerative agriculture growing methods practiced by stone fruit supplier Frog Hollow Farm, Brentwood, Calif.

PureFresh Sales, Selma, Calif., will be using shelf life extending products from Hazel Technologies, Chicago, to keep its fruit fresher.

The California Prune Board, Roseville, reports the industry is projecting this year’s crop will be no larger than 68,000 metric tons.

California prune growers recently voiced unanimous support for the California Prune Board at a public hearing.

Homegrown Organic Farms, Porterville, Calif., has received Equitable Food Initiative certification for organic stone fruit grown in California.

The likelihood of a plum purchase climbed three percentage points from last year. While families with kids were slightly more likely to buy plums, at 27%, than those without kids, at 25%.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is planning on buying $470 million in surplus food, including $105 million worth of produce, as growers cope with disrupted supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A full bloom season is underway in California’s Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, according to the California Prune Board.

Sunsweet Growers Inc., Yuba City, Calif., has a number of ways for consumers to enjoy the company’s products, said Stephanie Harralson, director of marketing, North America.

The California Prune Board, Roseville, is postponing a trip to China because of the coronavirus, but says exporters are committed to the market and will reschedule its visit when possible.

Australian officials have asked the USDA to approve U.S. imports of Australian apricots, nectarines, peaches, European plums, and Japanese plums.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared the U.S. is free of the plum pox virus, which harms stone fruit trees like peaches, and almonds.

California stone fruit companies Gerawan Farming Inc., Fresno, and Wawona Packing Co. LLC, Cutler, have merged.

Compared to all other parts of the years, the fall selling season used to be an afterthought to produce merchandiser and retailers.

More than 14,000 stores promoted cantaloupes the week ended Aug. 9.

David Marguleas is the new CEO of Sun World International, succeeding Merrill Dibble, who takes on a new role at parent company Renewable Resources Group.

Figs maintained their No. 1 place on Produce Market Guide last week for the sixth week in a row, but chili peppers vaulted from the No. 5 spot to No. 2.

Figs and yellow plums continued to hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on Produce Market Guide the week of July 29, while okra and cucumbers traded places from the week before.

Figs have spent a month in the No. 1 spot on Produce Market Guide, but yellow plums gave them a run for their money last week, climbing two spots from the week before to land at No. 2.

How many shoppers can tell a peach from a nectarine from an apricot from a plum — and what happens when you throw plumcots and apriums and other hybrids into the mix?

After a couple of weeks of inching toward No. 1, figs secured the ranking of most searched item on Produce Market Guide during the week of July 1, switching places with cucumbers.

The California Dried Plum Board is once again embracing “prunes,” 19 years after changing its name and the way the dried fruit was marketed.