Latest News From Produce Crops

If Florida citrus growers are forced by disease or other pressures to cut back acreage on their first love, what other crops can serve as alternatives?

Inflation is resulting in higher dollar sales for fresh produce but lower volume moving through supermarkets. 

There's a stick, a big stick, with potentially big consequences for those involved in the value chain—all the way down to the farm gate.

Avocados From Mexico's Stephanie Bazan dishes on the new Guac N' Tacos program launching Sept. 16, in honor of National Guacamole Day.

These pests have colossal appetites but don’t tend to pack an economic punch.

The Packer’s Tom Karst visited in August with Nathan Pumplin, president of Norfolk Healthy Produce, about his company’s work on a genetically modified purple tomato.

Citrus utilized production for the 2021-22 season totaled 5.61 million tons, down 19% from the 2020-21 season, according to a new report from the USDA. 

Tom Spreen, professor emeritus at the University of Florida, came to Florida in 1977 as a “green” assistant professor of economics, fresh out of Purdue.

“Friend shoring means that, rather than just bringing everything [manufacturing] back to the U.S., which is feasible, let’s make sure our supply chains are with countries that are friendly to us,” Heidelberg says.

Drought response funding is needed now, according to the Western Agricultural Coalition.

The Pacific Northwest organic pear crop looks promising, as estimates point to an increase in volume over last year, according to Domex Superfresh Growers.

How to merchandise the dizzying number of Eastern apple varieties to drive sales in the produce department.

A new survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation reveals the increasing toll of the western drought on crop and livestock producers.

California's fresh fig season is officially underway, according to Madera-based California Fresh Fig Growers Association. 

Reed Searle, an Eastern Idaho potato farmer located in Shelley, Idaho is featured in this edition of Eagle Eye Produce's Grower Spotlight. 

Despite the exponential growth in agricultural carbon market options, most producers aren’t biting.

Reedley, Calif.-based Frutura has marked its first year of operation by finalizing the acquisition of the major Chilean fruit exporter, Subsole. 

A member of Fresh Solutions Network, the company has formed the Lykens Valley Grain Company through its acquisition of the Upper Dauphin Grain Center from Perdue Agribusiness.

"This first export of avocados from Jalisco will only improve the already positive economic benefits of avocado imports from Mexico," says Ron Campbell of Mexican Hass Avocados Importers Association.

Already with a U.S. East Coast presence, Costa Rica-based pineapple and banana supplier Kapi Kapi Growers is prepared to expand sales throughout the U.S.,  company officials say.

The Nipomo, Calif., company ships out of the Santa Maria, Calif., area year-round, and that business plan seems to be working out well for the company, said Will McCarthy, commodity manager.

New European Union rules governing imports of South African citrus are raising objections and a possible World Trade Organization action by the South African government, according to a news release.

The 2022 cherry season will bring the 10th year anniversary of fourth-generation cherry grower, Kyle Mathison’s, A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries.

This lab represents a $15 million investment in global seed health, expanding on the previous $30 million Trait Conversion Accelerator that opened at the site in 2019.

Naturipe Farms has celebrated National Blueberry Month 2022 with large volumes of fruit available from several North American growing regions and the company said promotable volumes will continue into August.

Chilean fresh blueberry exporters have reached an agreement to implement a charter service to the U.S. market called the "Blueberry Express.”

The condition of the U.S. corn and soybean crops are holding steady, at least for now. 

The Oppenheimer Group’s Oceanside Pole label is increasing its roma crop this season, according to a news release.

Driven by an increase in pricing, the value of U.S. avocado imports soared by 38% in the 12-month period ending May 31.

The USDA has drafted a pest risk assessment for the importation of fresh asparagus under a systems approach from Peru. 

The USDA has drafted a pest risk assessment for the importation of avocado (Persea americana) fruit for consumption from Panama.

The USDA has announced that additional commodities and features are now available on the free USDA Market News App, according to a news release.

New York State strawberries are flourishing this year, thanks to a cool, rainy and early spring that produced prime conditions for budding plants, says the New York State Berry Growers Association.

The USDA is taking additional steps to protect California citrus against citrus greening.

War, drought and a global pandemic aren’t exactly all the horsemen of the apocalypse, but three out of four are bad enough.

The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology recently assisted Inteligistics, a WGCIT partner, in the evaluation of Inteligistics’ InteliCool system at Fresh Del Monte facilities.

The melon harvest from the west side of California’s San Joaquin Valley may start a few days later than usual because of a cool spring, but quality should be good, grower-shippers said.

Despite some early unfavorable weather in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest growing regions, grower-shippers say blueberries, raspberries and blackberries should be plentiful this summer.

Unlike “organic,” which is clearly defined and regulated by the USDA, “regenerative” and “climate-smart” agriculture are currently loosely defined.

Shipments of South African citrus are arriving in the U.S. this week, according to the marketing group Summer Citrus from South Africa.

New Jersey peaches should be available in good volume from early July until mid-September, according to the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council. 

The stable, high-quality volumes of fruit expected throughout the summer, indicate strong opportunities for promotions at retail, say suppliers of Peruvian avocados.

California’s San Joaquin Valley grape harvest is ready to boom, and The Oppenheimer Group expects a substantial volume increase this season.

Oppy states Orchard View cherries offer a pickable crop through July.

Coral Gables, Fla.-based Fresh Del Monte, a vertically integrated grower and marketer of fruits and vegetables,  is entering the row-crop business.

Growing in multiple locations requires good relationships and communication at the grower level for Coastline Family Farms, even though the company mostly grows and markets its own produce.

Fresh fruit imports are running higher than expected in recent months, and the USDA has raised its import forecast for fiscal year 2022 to reflect higher unit values.

The U.S. Apple Association has joined more than 40 agriculture and food groups to call for the elimination or reduction of U.S. tariffs on foreign trading partners.

“Our diversified business model has once more proven itself to be resilient,” Dole plc Executive Chairman Carl McCann said of the results.

After seeing the rise in e-commerce, Seald Sweet is hoping to move more fruit through retailer platforms.