Latest News From Shipping Profiles

With orchards spanning Washington state from the Columbia River to the Canadian border, Domex Superfresh Growers offers a full range of apple varieties.

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.

Smaller gala sizes in Washington state will open the door to increased retail promotions of bagged apples, according to Brianna Shales, director of marketing for Stemilt Growers, Wenatchee, Wash.

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

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

More erratic growing conditions in the last few years have captured the attention of Washington apple industry observers.

With an excellent quality crop now being harvested, Yakima, Wash.-based FirstFruits Marketing is looking forward to connecting consumers with Washington apples.

The Cosmic Crisp apple is a rising star for Washington apple marketers, but how high it will soar is still a question, marketers say.

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

The Fresh Produce Association of the Americas cries foul in response to a recent bi-partisan petition calling for investigation into Mexico’s trade practices.

Giving apple consumers great quality fruit goes a long way to ensuring repeat retail purchases, despite the friction of inflation in the produce department, Washington apple marketers say.

Wenatchee, Wash.-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers is expanding sales and distribution of the proprietary Juici apple variety, said Dan Davis, director of business development for Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers.

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.

The 2022 pear crop supply should line up well with demand for Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, says Dan Davis, director of business development.

Northwest pear volume could be up slightly for CMI Orchards, says Sarah Barkley, sales manager and pear lead for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based marketer.

The company has updated its facility and packinghouse in Peru, with new grading lines and sorting equipment that will enhance product quality and allow for a more efficient final repack in Georgia.

U.S. exports of fresh pears for the 12-month period from July 2021 to June 2022 totaled $148.1 million, down 1% from the previous year. 

Cold spring weather has hurt crop volume for Hood River, Ore.-based Duckwall Fruit, says Ed Weathers, sales manager.

The 2022 Northwest fresh pear crop estimate is 16.2 million standard box equivalents, close to the five-year average, according to the Pear Bureau Northwest.

Pears are skewing toward younger consumers and the Pear Bureau Northwest is designing media campaigns to speak to them, says Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest.

Bartlett pear harvest began in mid-August for Yakima, Wash.-based Sage Fruit, and the company’s other pear varieties will follow closely behind in early September, says Chuck Sinks, president of sales and marketing. 

With the purchase of the Stadelman Fruit operations in Odell, Ore., earlier this summer, Yakima-based Washington Fruit Growers expects its total pear volume to be up 25%, says Steve Smith.

With crop volumes expected similar to a year ago, Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers LLC will offer both organic and conventional pears this season.

The initial industry projection for the 2022 Northwest pear crop is close to last year’s in volume, according to Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest.

Season after season, Peru has proven to be a reliable source of good-quality sweet onions for U.S. consumers, and this year should be no exception.

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.

With new package and freight options for customers, Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Eagle Eye Produce is looking at the start of its yellow onion harvest in mid-August.

No matter how you slice it, Idaho and Oregon make up a big part of the U.S. onion supply.

Onion acreage is stable for Caldwell, Idaho-based Symms Fruit Ranch Inc.,  company officials report.

With new management in place, Nyssa, Ore.-based Snake River Produce is in a good position for the start of the Idaho-eastern Oregon onion season, says Joshua Frederick, general manager for the company.

The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee is reaching both domestic and foreign buyers to promote this year’s crop, says Candi Fitch, executive director.

Despite challenging growing conditions, Owyhee Produce expects onion harvested acreage and yields at similar levels to a year ago, says Bailey Myers, marketing director for the Parma, Idaho-based shippers.

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

Bushmans’ Inc. expects stable acreage for 2022, said Mike Carter, CEO of Rosholt, Wis.-based marketer.

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.

The largest apple producer on the East Coast, New York had a Hot Growing Summer. With the help of irrigation systems, the growing season did well for a fall harvest of apples sizing well in many varieties.

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

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

The Oberlin, Ohio association has come up with a half-dozen varieties that enable small growers to offer great-tasting apples without the expense of the pricey managed varieties marketed by larger growing operations.

Besides maximizing domestic sales,  Wisconsin potato marketers are looking to expand markets in Mexico and Canada, says Dana Rady.

The Wisconsin potato outlook is relatively strong, but industry leaders say the crop is running a bit behind schedule.

Friesland, Wis.-based Alsum Farms & Produce anticipates a very good quality crop of Wisconsin potatoes, says Christine Lindner, marketing manager for the company.

Seattle-based FC Bloxom Co. has welcomed three new members to its sales team, said William Bloxom, an owner of the company.

NEW YORK STATE — In the western part of the state, the lack of rain may be too lacking. But in the typically wet Finger Lakes farming region, Eric Hansen was happy with it.

Oregon potato acreage stayed in a range from 42,000 to 45,000 acres from 2019 through 2021, according to USDA estimates.

After a year of strong fresh potato prices, Washington potato marketers are looking at a favorable new crop outlook and strong demand for both processing and fresh potato supplies.

While the Northwest cherry season is likely to extend into September, crop volumes are getting smaller due to April’s cold and snow, said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers.

Richmond, Va.-based Seasonal Roots is filling a niche as a “dirt to doorstep” online farmers market serving Mid-Atlantic shoppers, said Duane Slyder, founder.

To put the magnitude of North Carolina’s sweet potato crop in context, picture more than 13,000 refrigerated truckloads lining up to distribute the crop all across the U.S.

Tomato harvest will begin in early June with stable acreage and good crop prospects for Hermitage, Ark.-based Gem Tomato & Vegetable Sales Inc.