Category: Blog

U.S. citrus production in the 2018/19 marketing year (October–September) is rebounding from previous-year lows. The current citrus crop forecast of 8.02 million tons for 2018/19 is up 31 percent from the previous season, reflecting expected expanded national production across all major citrus commodities, excluding lemons, and overall larger crops in the four major producing States. The rebound is expected to be greatest in Florida, recovering from crop losses caused by Hurricane Irma in the 2017/18 season.

 

Orange and grapefruit crops are anticipated to have the largest year-over-year growth in national output, with increases of 42 percent and 24 percent, respectively. However, only orange production is projected higher than the earlier 2016/17 season, suggesting a continued long-term decline in other citrus varieties. Total citrus production still lags behind the levels reached in the early 2010s, when it exceeded 11 million tons. If the 2018/19 citrus production forecast is realized, it would be the first year since 2010/11 that production hasn’t declined. Expected increased 2018/19 supplies are lowering fresh citrus prices in the domestic market. This chart appears in the ERS Fruit and Tree Nut Outlook newsletter, released on March 29, 2019.

 

 

by Fresh Plaza

California cherry grower-shippers say they’re expecting bigger volumes in 2019 than a year earlier.

 

That shouldn’t be difficult, they were quick to add.

 

In 2018, cherry volume statewide was 3.96 million cartons, compared to 9.56 million cartons a year earlier, according to the Sacramento-based California Cherry Board.

 

Weather was a factor in the downturn, suppliers said.

 

“Last year was a disaster,” said Kyle Persky, sales manager with Lodi, Calif.-based Rivermaid Trading Co. “We’d had a stressful summer of ’17, and it stressed the trees in a hot summer.”

 

There also was a freeze early in 2018 that hit the trees “just as buds were beginning to swell,” he said.
The 2019 crop appears more promising, thanks to “more temperate” conditions, Persky said.

 

“We’ve had a gorgeous bloom over the last 10 days or so – a little later than the last couple of years, but when it did bloom, it popped,” he said.

 

Growing conditions leading to the 2019 crop improved considerably over a year ago, said Jim Hanson, managing director of Stockton, Calif.-based Grower Direct Marketing LLC.

 

“Coming through the winter, we had good chill hours, and we’ve had plenty of moisture,” he said. “Everything looks real good, at this point.”

 

Bloom was progressing south to north as March waned, Hanson said.

 

“We’re about a week later in our timing, compared to last year, and last year, we were a week late,” he said.

 

That delay may have aided this year’s crop, he said, noting that a freeze not unlike last year’s costly chill swept through the growing region in February,

 

“This year, we had the same type of freeze, but the buds were tighter,” he said.

 

“If you look at California cherries, normally you’ll have them on the market April 17-19; this year, it will be

 

April 30, just to get started.”Hanson described this year’s deal as a “May-June crop.”

 

“The bing crop, I don’t see starting in the Stockton-Linden and Lodi areas until May 1,” he said.

 

Growers expect to harvest 60% of the total crop in May and the rest in the first two weeks of June, Hanson said.

 

This year’s California cherry harvest could rival 2017’s take, said Mike Jameson, director of sales and marketing with Stockton, Calif.-based Morada Produce.

 

“All indicators are it’s going to be good, comparable to maybe two years ago — good chills, good moisture and a lot of buds on the tree,” he said.

 

Cool conditions likely will hold back the first harvest until around May 1, Jameson said. Brianna Shales, communications manager for Wenatchee, Wash.-based Stemilt Growers LLC, agreed.

 

“It’s been a slow start to spring in California with cool/moist conditions that have now turned to the normal dry/warm,” she said.

 

“Timing wise, we are expecting a nice spread between growing districts in California and a slow ramp up that will begin in May,” she said.

 

“Last year’s crop was great quality, but challenged from a volume standpoint. We still have quite a bit of time to go before harvest, but the industry is setting up to have good supplies from May 20 to mid-June.”

 

Francisco Ilic, export manager at Dinuba, Calif.-based King Fresh Produce LLC, voiced optimism about the upcoming deal.

 

“At this moment, the cherry crop seems to have plenty of potential to be large, if not very large, in volume,” he said.

 

“The winter seemed to have brought enough chilling hours for early varieties grown at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley — varieties such as royal tioga, brooks, tulare and coral. However, lingering rainy and colder-than-normal weather is pushing most varieties to start the harvest about a week to 10 days later than normal.”

 

Bing cherries in the northern region looked “very good,” Ilic said.

 

“However, not exactly knowing what the weather will be for the next 60 or so days, will always make it a difficult thing to predict a cherry crop,” he said.

 

Rich Sambado, sales manager at Linden, Calif.-based Primavera Marketing, voiced optimism about the crop.

 

“As far as potential cropload, the industry will not have much of a feel until early April. At this point, there is concern about crop set, but all the while there is optimism in the air,” he said.

 

by Jim Offner

 

by Fresh Plaza

Weather across the country appears to have been favorable so far for this year’s tree fruit crops, with seasons’ arrivals being slightly delayed.

 

Industry representatives describe their impressions of this season and recommendations for promoting tree fruit at retail.

 

2019 Outlook

Valhalla Sales & Marketing Inc., Kingsburg, California, grows 80% of its peaches, plums and nectarines within 60 miles of the Kingsburg area.

 

For the 2019 season, David Stone, president and CEO of the company, says as of March, everything looks good with no indications of problems, so he’s optimistic.

 

“We had a great winter with lots of water,” Stone says. “The bloom looks strong and spread out.”

 

Jeff Simonian, president of sales and marketing for Simonian Fruit Co., Fowler, California, says his company grows yellow peaches, yellow nectarines and red and black plums.

 

In March, Simonian said the bloom is about two to three weeks later than last season, which is an indication that everything will be later this year.

 

“We have received a lot of rain so far and the cumulative chilling hours are around 850 at this point (hours below 45° F),” he says. “Chilling hours are important because they lead to a stronger bloom and a good crop set.”

 

Stemilt Growers LLC, Wenatchee, Washington, grows three cherry varieties —  dark-sweet/red cherries, Rainier cherries and Skylar Rae cherries (its signature item) in the category.

 

Describing Skylar Rae cherries, Brianna Shales, communications manager for Stemilt, says: “It’s a premium offering to help retailers drive impulse cherry sales and is available from mid-June to mid-July. It’s a bi-colored cherry that is both the firmest and sweetest cherry we grow.”

 

All of Stemilt’s cherry packs come in a variety of sizes and pack types (including pouch bags, clamshells and new top-seal packs) to help retailers carry items that work for their store needs, as well as for retail pricing, she says.

 

Washington is where Stemilt grows the bulk of its cherries and summer fruits (peaches, nectarines, apricots).

 

“We had a mild winter (in Washington) up until February when lots of snow fell,” Shales says. “This is welcome news but could have the potential to cause a later bloom. Time will tell on that!”

 

Stemilt’s Artisan Organics peaches and nectarines have been 100% certified organic for more than a decade, with their season running late July through September. The company grows a high percentage of its apricots organically as well, with a late-June through July season.

 

Stemilt grows cherries in multiple regions in Washington for a season that runs from June to September.

 

“Our late program (mid-August to September) is when our A Half Mile Closer to the Moon cherries come available,” Shales says. “This special brand packages high-quality cherries that were grown 2,640 feet above sea level and higher —  literally a half mile towards the moon.”

 

Jerry Frecon, a retired Rutgers University professor and horticultural consultant for the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council, says New Jersey harvests 5,000 acres of peaches from 75 orchards that offer more than 100 varieties.

 

These fresh peaches are yellow and white-fleshed and are mostly the freestone variety, which are available from the state from July 20 to Oct. 1. Clingstone peaches are available from June 20 to July 20.

 

“Right now, we appear to have a full crop of peach flower buds that appear to be on schedule to open in early to mid-April,” Frecon says. “This is very good, with lots of moisture and cold but not temperatures low enough to damage any peach buds.”

 

Promotion

At retail, product doesn’t move without promotion, says Stone of Valhalla Sales & Marketing.

 

“During summer, location and promotion are key to moving products,” he says, about July being the peak of the season with plenty of peaches, plums and nectarines available for promotion. “Big displays up front are key; price point is key.”

 

Simonian of Simonian Fruit Co. suggests promoting stone fruit as a grilling companion in cross-promotions with corn and produce and other items for the grilling season.

 

Pegi Adam, marketing consultant for the New Jersey Peach Council, says the group typically promotes New Jersey peaches directly to consumers, and when possible, works with supermarket nutritionists to do tastings and have them talk about the nutritional value and low calories of the fruit.

 

“We are experimenting with alternate ways to prepare peach dishes, which will be sent to supermarket nutritionists and farmers markets as flyers on what all you can do with peaches,” Adam says.

 

Consumers also are seeking treats with lower sugar and sodium, she says. “We promote peaches as fulfilling both these.”

 

Shales of Stemilt says frequent ads are a must —  given the seasonality of cherries and stone fruit.

 

“Generally, we see the first cherry ad on California cherries for Memorial Day, although the crop volume and timing dictates that,” she says.

 

Fourth of July also is a big promotional week for cherries that lines up well with Stemilt’s Washington crops, Shales says.

 

“July is a month where retailers can run several ads in a row, before slowing promotions to in-store offerings as volumes start to dwindle,” she says. “But the most important thing for retailers when it comes to cherries is to not miss a week —  and update ads and merchandising strategies along with the crop realities.”

 

Promoting quality and flavor is always a great strategy, Shales adds, “as it delivers a great consumer experience, which leads to repeat purchases and that’s where retailers win!”

 

Cherries also can be promoted as beneficial for those who suffer from arthritis/gout because of their anti-inflammatory properties and high antioxidant concentration, she says.

 

Displays

It’s important to promote multiple varieties, types and colors of stone fruit with big full displays, says Simonian of Simonian Fruit Co.

 

“For plums, you want to promote three or four colors; peaches and nectarines, promote both white and yellow-flesh varieties,” he says.

 

Some retailers even do secondary displays for stone fruit near the registers to catch the impulse buyers, Simonian says.

 

Adam of the New Jersey Peach Council says locally grown displays, such as those that play up “Jersey Grown” or “Jersey Fresh,” appeal to regional shoppers.

 

Cross-promotion displays for peaches can include vanilla ice cream; angel food cake/pound cake for a great dessert; plain yogurt with fresh sliced or pureed peaches mixed in (as opposed to commercially flavored “peach” yogurt with too much sugar, sodium); sliced and sautéed peaches accompanying pork roast/chops; or peaches in green salad instead of tomatoes, Adam says.

 

Cherries are an impulse purchase, so dedicating lots of display size to these fruits is important, says Shales of Stemilt.

 

“We’ve also seen success for retailers who use secondary locations to feature cherries,” she says. “We even have a display for Skylar Rae cherries that can go at check stands to further drive awareness and impulse sales of this cherry.”

 

Finally, Shales says retailers shouldn’t be afraid to get creative with their cherry and stone fruit displays.

 

“Greens, like arugula, could be a fun tie-in and would work with refrigerated displays,” she says. “There are also fresh cheeses, like chevre, that go great with both fruits. Of course, cherries and chocolate are always a hit!”

 

Supermarket Perimeter

By Chris Crawford

 

A large crop last season means that there is still ample pear volume coming out of the Pacific Northwest. Combined with the slow start in fall, the market is seeing softer prices compared with the previous few years. “We have more volume than at this time last year,” noted Ed Weathers of Duckwall Fruit. “This is mainly due to the larger crop the Northwest produced last season. Additionally, sales began slowly last fall and we have been playing catch up all season. The market has been down and prices are lower than they have been in previous years.”

 

Approaching the middle of April, early pear varieties have been exhausted and producers are now focusing on the mid-late season pears such as Green and Red Anjou and Bosc. “The remaining pears are all made up of later season varieties,” Weathers said. “All early
season pears including Comice and Starkrimson are all finished for the season.”

 

Mexico importing more this year
Even though the market is a little softer this year, one advantage of having a large crop is that there are greater opportunities for both promotions on the domestic market as well as being able to offer more fruit to export markets. This has been the case when it comes to Mexico – the largest US pear importer – which has seen a strong increase in imports.

 

“Overall, exports are mostly similar to what they were a year ago,” Weathers explained. “This however depends on the region. One notable exception is Mexico where exports are up by 20 percent on last season. A big part of this is because there is a larger crop. The Mexico market prefers Anjou pears in particular. Anjous ship well and Mexican consumers like them.”

 

Consumer bags and pear conditioning
There hasn’t been too much innovation in the past year when it comes to consumer packaging for pears. Rather, retailers are consolidating on what is available. Producers have noted that demand for consumer bags – especially the stand-up pouch bags – continues to increase, as Weathers observed, “Stand-up pouches continue to get more play in the US market.”

 

He also said that the industry is embracing the conditioned pear program that was encouraged by USA Pears. The idea is to condition pears to ripen further before arriving on the store shelf, enabling consumers to have ready-to-eat pears, with the thought that greater consumer satisfaction and faster fruit movement will be the result. “Duckwall Fruit as well as the wider pear industry is doing more pear conditioning. It’s a long-term project that will likely take years for feedback to be assessed and shown how the market has
reacted to it.”

 

Author: Dennis Rettke
© FreshPlaza.com

 

Author: Astrid Van Den Broek
© FreshPlaza.com

Temperatures in the Coachella and Yuma areas peaked in the upper 90s early this week, serving as a reminder that summer is around the corner. High winds also accompanied the higher temperatures and were felt throughout California. No damage was reported from the windy conditions, but the high temperatures certainly had an effect on produce.

 

For grape growers in the Coachella district, the heat was very much welcomed, given the overall cool winter which resulted in minimal warmth in the area up until now. Growers were looking at a delayed start but the hot weather has come just in time.

 

“The hot weather at the start of this week has helped the plants to grow faster,” noted Franz DeKlotz of Richard Bagdasarian Inc, synonymous with the Mr. Grape label. “It provided a lot of heat summation units, which build when the average temperature is above 50 degrees. Recently, we have experienced cooler than average temperatures which has pushed the start of the grape season back a little. The higher temperatures will hopefully bring the start date closer to what we are used to. So overall, we are quite happy.”

 

DeKlotz said the company also grows peppers and eggplants and with the season just about to start, the heat provided an impetus for these commodities as well. “Our season for peppers and eggplants is due to start on April 22 and it typically goes through June,” he shared. “More heat extends the growing period. When we have temperatures averaging above 65 degrees at night, the plants essentially grow 24/7.”

 

Leafy greens in midst of transition to Salinas
If the lettuce and leafy green season wasn’t already finishing up in the desert districts, it certainly would be now. Growers of lettuces and other leafy greens are currently in the process of transitioning to Salinas this week. Therefore, the heat this week will only serve to speed this up. “Anytime you get a spike in temperatures like we just had, it accelerates the growth of plants,” noted Mark McBride of Coastline Family Farms. “The volume switch between Salinas and the desert has already been flipped and we expect there to be very little remaining down there in the front part of next week.”

 

Although temperatures are lower again now, the process is not going to be reversed, as growers note that at this time of year, it’s only a matter of time when 100 degrees is on the cards again. The reported windy conditions have not caused any damage even in the new growth up in Salinas. “Tuesday we certainly had gusty winds up and down the entire West Coast, including Salinas,” McBride observed. “However, the younger plants are in better shape to handle these conditions and there hasn’t been any damage reported. We are looking forward to getting going in Salinas after the difficulties Mother Nature presented to us during the winter.”

 

McBride did however, note that the market can expect some supply disruption in the coming weeks when the effects of the heavy rain earlier this year will make a mark on production. “After a smooth start, we can expect some swings in volume as well as quality a few weeks into the Salinas season,” he said. “Everything was planted according to schedule for the early product, but the rains did cause some delays in subsequent planting and this will likely lead to some disruption in supplies in a few weeks’ time.”

Author: Dennis Rettke 
© FreshPlaza.com

Grape supplies continue to be even and volume will start to build by the end of April.

 

“Both districts from Mexico and California’s Central Valley will have promotable supplies. It also looks like a great quality grape year so far,” says Keith Wilson with King Fresh Produce LLC in Dinuba, Ca.

 

Wilson attributes the good crops to a variety of factors. “We had adequate chill hours this past winter which puts the grape vines into dormancy. Also–more and more–new, high-producing varieties are coming into production on a lot of ground both in California and Mexico.” He also notes that Mexico may start five to seven days later than normal.

 

Chile winding down
At the same time, the Chilean season for grapes is wrapping up with good supplies of red seedless grapes, but tighter availability on green seedless grapes.

 

Meanwhile demand on imported grapes is good currently with growers and shippers having an eye to promote fruit for the next few weeks.

 

As far as upcoming Holidays that fit well with Table Grape promotions. “The most important is Memorial Day. Memorial Day has always matched well with supplies from Mexico and Coachella, CA.,” notes Wilson.

Green pricing up
All of this means pricing right now on red grapes out of Chile are sitting at about $18-$20 while green grapes are in the $30 range. Wilson also notes that red grapes out of Chile may rise $2-$4/box. “Out of Mexico, we think the prices will be in an acceptable range to compel retailers to  promote,” says Wilson.

 

What could continue to affect pricing on California grapes are labor rates. “We have a decent amount of people to work in the vineyards currently but our wage increase will be another $1/hour annually until January 1st 2022. By increasing $1/hour per year, that works out to an extra $.80 cents/box,” he says, noting that the industry continues to push in the direction of automation to handle a labor-intensive product such as grapes.

 

But for now, the industry transitions away from Chilean imports, which continue to trickle in, to more domestic supplies. Mexican grapes will come in slowly in late April and by May 10th, the supplies should increase in volume.

 

By Freshplaza

Yesterday, FreshPlaza published an editorial on waiting times at the Mexico-US border. This article from El Financiero talks more about waiting times. The northern border is not closed, but it is already a mess for the trucks that transport goods from Mexico to the United States, clogging the traffic in some of the busiest border crossings in the world.

 

Following Donald Trump’s threats of a border closure, Mexican companies are rushing to send as much merchandise as possible to the United States in the event of a closure. Meanwhile, up to 750 US Customs and Border Protection officers were reassigned to border patrol sectors at the end of March, limiting the personnel dedicated to the flow of goods from south to north.

 

As a result, waiting times to cross the border have skyrocketed and can take up to 10 hours longer than usual.

 

Trump acknowledged on Saturday in a tweet that there will be delays in traffic and trade due to “the large-scale wave of illegal immigrants trying to enter the United States,” adding that the US will focus on border security, not ports of entry, until Mexico stops the ridiculous and massive migration.

 

Despite Trump’s threats, or because of them, Mexico has been cooperating. “I don’t think we’re going to have an official closure,” said Larry Kudlow, the White House’s chief economic adviser, on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday.

 

Kudlow also said he does not believe the border conflict will interfere with efforts to approve a renegotiated NAFTA trade agreement with Mexico and Canada.

 

Since the trucks are stuck at the border, Mexican companies have to pay more for additional vehicles to load the shipments. Even though the United States has not yet experienced a significant shortage of products from Mexico, the prices of at least one product, avocados, have skyrocketed amid worries about a border closure. Buyers of berries, limes, and asparagus are making plans to limit the potential consequences of such closure.

 

Waiting times are especially long in El Paso, Laredo, and the San Diego area, said Ben Enriquez, Mexico’s senior vice president for Transplace, a logistics service provider. It now takes 12 hours to cross into the United States through El Paso. On a normal day it would take 1 or 2 hours, he said.

 

by Fresh Plaza

A stoppage by transporters in Tucuman – for an indefinite period of time and in support of an improvement in freight rates – is affecting the start of the lemon export campaign: a business that in 2018 achieved an income of 1 billion dollars.

 

It is the main economic activity in the area and 40 to 45 thousand workers depend on it. The protest, which began last on Wednesday April 3, is being carried out by the Cargo Carriers Association of Tucuman (ATCT).

 

Producers, industrialists, packers, and exporters of citrus fruits grouped in the Association of Citrus Producers of the NOA (ACNOA) demanded that the strike be ended and social peace reestablished, as they denounced threats on the part of the truckers. They also said that “they have to resile from their illegitimate position and respect individual liberties.”

 

The ACNOA also made a strong claim to the security forces of the province, demanding that they guarantee “the right to free movement on routes, access to private property, free trade, industry, and the workers’ physical integrity.”

 

Finally they sent a message to the Judiciary authorities: “It is the duty of Justice to enforce laws to avoid chaos.”

 

Martin Carignani, the president of ACNOA, said that the carriers “should let the different actors of the chain work freely, while looking for an exit to their conflict. The rates must be agreed upon without any coercion. The free fixing of tariffs is a right and responds to the law of supply and demand.”

 

by Fresh Plaza

SALINAS, CA – As far as the spotlight goes, this should be a high time for celery, which is branching out from its reputation as a vehicle for peanut butter and cream cheese. Low supplies and uncharacteristically high demand, however, has created the perfect storm for a tight market. Sammy Duda, among the fourth generation to help lead Duda Fresh Farms, took some time to walk me through the current climate.

 

“Supply is significantly short due to the amount of volume and yield we lost from weather on both coasts,” Sammy shares, telling me that weather anomalies on both the East and West Coast growing regions made it impossible to offset one another. In other words, we are in the midst of a change, with the experts already working to bring balance back. “Change does not happen overnight—supply will improve once we respond and adjust to this new normal of celery consumption. Working with Mother Nature, this will take roughly 6 months for supply to meet the new demands of the category. It’s important to note that supplier and retailer communication is key to capitalizing on trends like this.”

 

The new demand spike is at least in part thanks to celebrity interest inspiring a new prospective fanbase.

“The celery market as a whole is afflicted with considerable crop/yield loss. Towards the end of 2018, the celery market supply was flat, but aligned with typical industry demand. Then in late December, we saw demand go through the roof with celebrity endorsements for celery juice,” Sammy says. “The market was unable to react because the supply was still aligned with historical demand patterns. Erratic weather coupled with this exponential increase in demand has caused prices to skyrocket, and new consumers who’ve never bought celery before are beginning to buy at this never before seen retail price.”

 

Per capita consumption of fresh celery in the U.S. was recently decreasing after remaining steady. The Duda team shared that USDA Economic Research Service showed in 2017 per capita consumption of fresh celery was 4.6 pounds per person. The high of 6.4 pounds per person was reached in 2001.

 

 

Celebrity interest has caused celery demand to go through the roof “Never did we ever anticipate such an increase in demand. With this historical spike in demand, we as farmers can’t react quickly enough to increase supply. It takes roughly 6 months from planting to harvesting, so we did not have time nor could we really react to this top consumer trend,” he explains.

 

Even so, as the industry looks to put steps in place to tip the scales back, Sammy says we need to entice a younger demographic to purchase celery and encourage consumers to utilize it. According to IRI data, national total celery dollar sales showed an increase of 3% over the same period a year ago for the 52-weeks ending Dec. 30, 2018 and volume showed a 5% increase over the same time period. Snacking and convenience, he adds, have both been factors in increasing demand across retailers all over the country.

 

 

With demand on the rise, celery supply isn’t expected to rise until this summer “We continually look at the category to determine movement and consumer interests,” Sammy tells me. “When celery production decisions are made, it takes about a year to turn it around. While demand continues to rise, supply is not expected to increase until summertime. We have never seen market conditions like this in the celery category and the Duda family has been farming celery since 1926.”

 

AndNowUKnow 

 

by Duda Farm Fresh Foods

Plentiful rain over the winter quenched thirsty fields across California, but will delay fruit and vegetable supplies out of Santa Maria during the spring season.

 

The winter precipitation altered planting schedules for the numerous spring vegetables Durant Distributing Inc. grows on 2,500 acres in Santa Maria, said Tom Cline, sales manager for the company. Durant’s major commodities are broccoli, cauliflower and celery.

 

The company wasn’t able to plant some items on schedule, and crops didn’t grow as fast as hoped for, Cline said. While there were steady supplies in mid-March, he expects issues going forward. It’s still too early to tell if the spring vegetables will start as usual at the end of March.

 

“The January rains are going to affect April and May harvests,” Cline said. “There are going to be gaps, and the market is going to fluctuate up and down.”

 

Broccoli, however, fared better than expected through the rain for the company after trying a new way of planting that allowed more air flow around the vegetables and mitigated rain-related problems.

 

“We didn’t have quite as many water spots and water damage from rain as other people did, so we were lucky that way, because the plants were able to dry out quicker,” Cline said.

 

The rain has caused inconsistent supplies between growers and also between shippers, so Cline said he expects pricing will be higher in the beginning of the season.

 

Excess mud kept Santa Maria-based Babé Farms Inc. out of its fields in the area at times over the winter, and as a result, it will have some “intermittent gaps” in supply, said Ande Manos, marketing manager for the specialty vegetables grower.

 

“There were some planting gaps, so there will be a few gaps in production throughout spring on certain items,” Manos said, such as some root vegetables and baby lettuces.

 

Mildew affected some vegetables because of the rain, she added, but recent warm and dry weather is improving quality. Babé Farms will have mostly good availability, Manos said.

 

Gold Coast Packing is currently harvesting conventional broccoli, cauliflower and cilantro in Santa Maria, said Crystal Chavez, marketing coordinator for the Santa Maria-based grower, but it has also experienced rain-related delays.

 

“We will have some peaks and valleys from April to May because rain interrupted some of our planting schedules, but overall quality and volume is great,” Chavez said.

 

Strawberries planted last fall on 500 acres by Better Produce Inc., a mostly organic grower in Santa Maria, were also affected by the rain and cold temperatures, and as a result, the fruit was about a month behind as of mid-March, said Sal Barajas, who handles sales for the company.

 

He expects volumes to start toward the end of March, and to have decent numbers for Easter.

 

“Usually when it’s cold, the plants come up strong,” Barajas said.

 

There have been no quality issues despite the rain, he added.

 

Last year, Better Produce produced 6 million cartons of strawberries, and Barajas expects the same amount or better this year. But it’s too early to know for sure, he added.

 

The company also grows summer squash and 12 varieties of chili peppers. Barajas anticipates to start harvesting those the first week of June and continue through mid-November.

 

This year, rain, cold and freezing weather ruined most of the first flush of strawberry flowers for Providence Farms in Santa Maria that bloomed in the early winter months. That has delayed the fruit harvest, said Tom Jones, president of the company.

 

The mostly organic grower started harvesting small quantities of strawberries in early March, and Jones expects full harvesting by the end of March and early April. He grows organically on 200 acres and conventionally on 60 acres. Organic strawberries account for 70% of production.

 

“We’ll be picking in the neighborhood of 600-700 trays (a tray equals eight 1-pound baskets) an acre,” he said. “With good weather, we’re expecting really nice, high volume with excellent quality.”

 

Despite the delays, rain benefits the fruit.

 

“Colder weather stores up starch in the plant, so that once we get warm, these plants are really healthy and taking off, and the rain washes out salt,” Jones said.

 

“Now, we’ll just have beautiful, strong, vigorous plants putting out really high-quality flowers and fruit.”

 

by Carol Lawrence

All eyes in the kiwifruit sector are now on the southern hemisphere, which is now slowly taking over the world market. The first New Zealand kiwis are already at sea. European and North American traders look back on a predominantly positive season, with Italy as a major exception. The kiwifruit sector has had a difficult month there. The French sector also suffered a blow last month, when it turned out that some of the kiwis sold as French were actually Italian.

 

New Zealand: Early start for Zespri SunGold
The Zespri SunGold season has started early. The first shiploads left for China and Japan a week ago. It is the beginning of what seems to be a big harvest. Zespri expects to export more than 600,000 pallets to overseas destinations this year. The company says it shipped 76 million green kiwifruit trays and 65 million SunGold trays last year. According to the latest estimates, Zespri will supply more than 75 million SunGold trays this year. For green kiwifruit, the figure is expected to stand below the 75 million trays. Most production areas have had a dry summer. Zespri hopes that this will turn out positively and result in fruit with a good taste.

 

Australia: Kiwifruit value still on the rise
Statistics from Hort Innovation show that 9,582 tons of Australian kiwifruit were grown in the 2017-2018 season. This entailed a 2% drop compared to the previous year. Still, the total value went up by a whopping 28%, reaching a total of $ 26.3 million. The domestic season has just kicked off and will peak in the fall. Last year, exports increased by 9% in terms of value and by 20% in terms of volume. Most exports are intended for the German market (49%). At the same time, Australia imported 21,772 tonnes, mostly from New Zealand.

 

Germany: Stable kiwifruit market
In Germany, the kiwifruit season is currently satisfactory. The prices have remained stable for several months, as have the available volumes from Southern Europe. “The last Zespri kiwis from New Zealand were already traded in mid-December. After that, the market switched seamlessly to French kiwifruit. As long as Zespri is on the market, other brands and origins are hardly to be found, even if the quality is good,” says a wholesaler.

 

The first arrivals of Seeka kiwis from Australia are also expected in the German market at the end of April / beginning of May. Traders say that kiwifruit is mainly a by-product on the wholesale markets. It is mainly offered in three calibres (20, 25 and 27), whereby caliber 20 is usually slightly more expensive. Lastly, it is also worth noting that the supply and market situation have remained virtually unchanged throughout the year.

 

Belgium: New Zealand on the market soon
The first New Zealand kiwis are already en route to Zeebrugge. The first boat is expected to arrive at the end of April / beginning of May. The volume harvested is greater than last year’s. There is a lot of SunGold coming to Belgium this season, but also more green kiwifruit. In recent months, the Belgian market has felt the shortage of French kiwifruit. The prices of French kiwis have reached record high levels in recent times, but this has had little or no influence on sales. Despite the shortage, traders are convinced that they will be able to deliver fruit until the start of the New Zealand season.

 

France: Market startled by Kiwigate
At the end of March, the French market was startled by the disclosure that 12% of French kiwis sold in France over the last three years were actually Italian. The total figure amounts to around 15,000 tons. The fraud came to light because there were still many French kiwis on the market while the season was already coming to an end. Both growers and consumers were shocked by the news. France grows 45,000 tons annually, while the Italians have an annual yield of 400,000 tons. Consumers pay around € 0.70 per piece for French kiwis, while Italian kiwis are sold for € 0.50 per piece. The illegally earned money amounts to € 6 million. Also worth noting is that fact that a crop protection product was detected on the Italian kiwis that were sold as French which is not permitted in France.

 

Apart from ‘kiwigate’, the sector has had a good season. Both the prices and the quality have been satisfactory. Growers currently have less than half of their stocks left. The last French kiwis are usually marketed around May and the harvest from the southern hemisphere is gradually taking over the market.

 

Italy: All hope rests on April
March was a bad month for the kiwifruit sector. Normally, the prices go up then, but that did not happen this year. Growers hope that the market will pick up again this month. The quality of the kiwifruit is good and the shelf life is, in fact, excellent. The quality of the kiwis from Latina and Calabria is particularly high, although there are always differences per individual grower. For some time, the supermarkets have been demanding kiwis that are ripe enough for consumption. A number of years ago, many hard kiwis were put on the market and that led to dissatisfied customers. Now the fruit that is on the shelves is as good as ready to eat. After 4 or 5 months in the cold store, the fruit’s quality is still good.

 

There are many reasons for the difficult situation on the Italian kiwifruit market. Firstly, the Greek green kiwifruit is putting a lot of pressure on the European market, as the season overlaps with that of the Italian kiwifruit. The Greek techniques to extend the fruit’s shelf life are a lot better than three to four years ago. Greece exported less up until February.

 

Secondly, there is pressure from other cheap European fruits, such as apples from all over Europe and pears from the Benelux. Furthermore, the economic situation does not stimulate consumption (this even applies to the domestic market). Also, the popularity of yellow kiwifruit is increasing at the expense of green kiwifruit. The yellow kiwi was still fully available on the market until mid-March.

 

On March 31, the Italian Hayward kiwifruit stocks were 16-17% greater than on the same date in 2018. Yet, the total volume is still 20% lower than the average of recent years. The demand should grow in the pre-Easter period, especially on the Italian market. Currently, the prices for larger kiwis amount to around € 0.50 – € 0.60 per kilo. This is lower than in the same period of 2018, and even € 0.30 – € 0.40 lower than in 2017.

 

Spain: Higher prices for small sizes
The Spanish season is coming to an end this month. A grower and exporter from Galicia says that the harvest was plentiful this year, with a good balance between small and larger sizes. This ensured reasonable and stable prices. The prices for small sizes are higher than a few years ago. This is due to an increasing demand from retailers, which want to sell small packages. African countries also demand small sizes due to the lower price. The local market is important for Spanish kiwifruit. The domestic market may even have the potential to consume all Spanish kiwis, because nowhere in Europe do people eat as many kiwis per inhabitant as in Spain. Nevertheless, it is difficult for Spanish growers to compete with the low prices of kiwis from Greece, Italy and New Zealand.

 

The season started in September in the region of Valencia, where not a lot is grown. At the end of November, the season kicked off in Galicia and Asturias, the largest Spanish growing areas. The acreage remains largely stable and shows a slight growth.

 

China: Domestic product available until August
There are still Chinese kiwis on the market. These now come from the cold stores. For the somewhat smaller plantations, the season comes to a close in April, but the larger ones still have enough supply until August. In 2018, the production volume fell in some growing areas. This was due to the severe frost recorded in the spring of 2018, just during the flowering. The weather is currently good, so the current flowering period is going well.

 

Since the beginning of January, quite a few imported kiwis have also come on the market. The most important import countries are Greece, Chile, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. The New Zealand season has just started. Zespri kiwis are on their way to China and will probably arrive in early April. Zespri is a very popular kiwifruit brand in China and the SunGold has gained a lot of popularity in recent years.

 

North America: Good domestic season is coming to an end
California is closing a good kiwifruit season. The season started on October 1 with a big harvest, and there was a lot of export. The domestic season overlapped with the Italian import season. An importer says that there was a continuous supply from Italy. “I think they had a big harvest in Italy, because the season is still going on.”

 

The importer will soon make the switch to the production from Chile and New Zealand. “Chile and New Zealand are just starting. The Chileans deliver better quality and try not to pick any unripe fruit. I have also heard that a large yellow kiwifruit harvest is coming from New Zealand, so I expect large volumes on the North American market in the coming season. ”The good supply coincides with a rising demand. American supermarkets have more kiwis than before on the shelves and are making a good profit from them.” The prices have been slightly lower than normal due to the great supply, although they increased again with the end of the domestic season. “The prices have remained fairly stable, until they rose in week four due to the reduction of the supply.”

 

by Fresh Plaza

Tom Bellamore, president of the Industry Affairs for the California’s Avocado Commission (CAGC), has stated that for Californian avocado growers, China holds a lot of appeal as an export destination due to the strength of its economy and the size of its population,

 

Foodwise, the meaty green California avocado has become as iconic a symbol of the fresh quality of California’s homegrown products as the state’s fine wines and wrinkled raisins. About 3,000 growers, many of whom are multi-generational families who have farmed avocados for over 100 years, work the land themselves and take tremendous pride in their harvest.

 

The California Avocado Commission first raised the idea of introducing their premium avocados to China back in 2005 and have been steadily working toward an agreement that would allow them to obtain the required Chinese certifications.

 

“We’re still finalizing the correct protocol and these things take time. That’s just part of the process,” Ken Melban, CAGC vice president, said. “We see tremendous opportunity in the Chinese market,” Melban said, adding that “the level of avocado imports going in from other parts of the world has increased exponentially year after year.”

 

“In anticipation of access approval, we did a market assessment in three Chinese cities, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou … Our premium avocados are a very nice fit for consumers in those three cities,” Melban added.

 

“The quality of California’s crop year-to-year is consistently good. And another important quality is it ships well,” said Bellamore. And that makes all the difference to Chinese consumers eyeing for California’s avocados from afar. We greatly appreciate the efforts of the Chinese officials on our market access request and are hopeful it will be completed soon so we can share our premium California avocados with Chinese consumers as soon as next year.”

 

Source: xinhuanet.com

Growers in the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement will soon be sanitizing “open-source” water used on their crops, which has been the focus of at least two recent E. coli outbreaks traced to leafy greens.

 

Scott Horsfall, the group’s CEO, said the new water treatment rules could be implemented as early as late April, or as late as mid-May. It’s the latest change in how the industry grows lettuces, herbs and other leafy greens in the wake of three E. coli outbreaks.

 

Open-source water includes groundwater, water transported by canals, or held in irrigation reservoirs  — basically water that comes into contact with the environment. The Food and Drug Administration’s report on an outbreak that led to all romaine being removed from commerce in November targeted a reservoir on land owned by Adam Bros. Farming Inc. in Santa Barbara County, Calif. The FDA found a genetic E. coli match to the romaine lettuce in sediment in the reservoir.

 

According to the FDA report, the water was “most likely not effectively treated with a sanitizer and this may have led to contaminated water directly contacting romaine lettuce after harvest or by the washing/rinsing harvest equipment food contact surfaces.”

 

During an investigation into a similar outbreak in April 2018, the FDA found E. coli in canal water for irrigation that passed by a large cattle-feeding operation. The E. coli was a genetic match to the tests from patients.

 

Horsfall said that testing and treating water used for overhead irrigation is of particular interest.

 

“The consensus right now is that overhead irrigation is a practice that needs to be particularly controlled and treated before use,” he said.

 

Taylor Farms, Salinas, Calif., announced it would purchase product only from growers that treat open source irrigation water starting May 1, because it has been “identified as a meaningful risk factor for promoting the harborage and transmission of pathogens when not managed properly.”

 

“The tragic illnesses and persistent negative publicity surrounding these (recalls) has eroded confidence in the healthy products the leafy greens industry produces every day and draws attention away from the food safety advancements made by many members of the leafy greens industry,” Taylor Farms President Mark Borman said in a news release.

 

In most cases, Borman said, chlorine or chlorine dioxide will be use to treat the water.

 

Horsfall said just 1%-2% of growers in California are not members of the LGMA. That includes Adam Bros., according to the organization.

 

Taylor Farms supports continued research in farming, manufacturing and transportation processes to address potential outbreaks, according to the release.

 

“The success of our industry is dependent on the industry delivering safe and wholesome products,” Borman said in the release. “This is a critical next step.”

 

Horsfall said the next step for the LGMA is to educate the industry on what the new standards are and how to comply, through workshops and other educational outreach.

 

by Farm Journal

March 27, 2019 08:19 PM

The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) is calling the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list, released today, both “inaccurate” and “harmful” to Americans. The report, issued annually, offers consumers an extremely biased view of various fruits and vegetables to avoid based on misleading and flawed reporting by the activist group.

 

“Mom was almost always right, especially when she taught us to eat our fruits and vegetables,” said USApple President and CEO Jim Bair. “With so much diet and wellness advice out there it’s hard to know whom to trust, but when activists with an agenda tell us to eat less of wholesome foods like apples, and not more, it not only sounds wrong, it is wrong.”

 

According to the Safe Fruits and Veggies pesticide calculator, a child could eat 340 servings of apples every day without effect from pesticide residues. A woman could eat 850 apples a day and a man 1190 apples a day with no effect.

 

When making dietary choices, USApple urges consumers to follow the advice of the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, who all say eat more fruits and vegetables.

 

“USApple’s consumer education efforts focus on science-based reasons to eat more wholesome foods like apples – not less,” said Bair. “The Surgeon General and leading health organizations agree there is far greater health risk from not eating fruits and vegetables than from any theoretical risk that might be posed by consuming trace amounts of pesticide residues.”

 

According to the CDC, only one in 10 adults get enough fruit and vegetables, putting them at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Further, a study in the Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology found that if half of Americans increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables by a single serving each day, 20,000 cancer cases could be prevented annually.

 

The Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list misleads consumers and is based on inaccurate reporting:

 

1. EWG’s source for its list – the USDA – finds no safety concerns.The U.S. Department of Agriculture report that is the basis for EWG’s latest “Dirty Dozen” notes, “One-hundred percent of the apples sampled through PDP had residues below the EPA tolerances.”

 

2. EWG’s misleading information affects the health of low-income families. Peer-reviewed research published in Nutrition Today shows messaging tactics that invoke safety concerns about non-organic produce may have a negative impact on consumption of fruits and veggies among low income consumers.

 

3. EWG’s report is not peer reviewed. Unlike other health reports submitted to media, EWG’s list is not peer reviewed by an independent body of scientists, academia or other review boards. We encourage media to instead review these four peer-reviewed studies: Journal of Toxicology, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, British Journal of Cancer and Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology.

by Tracy Grondine
USApple

A wet winter and plenty of rain have changed the landscape of California. The latest Drought Monitor shows it is free of drought for the first time in more than seven years. Officials estimate more than 93-percent of California is free of drought or dryness. They say only an area along the Oregon border in parts of four southern counties still have an issue.

 

At the beginning of the year, more than 75 percent of the state was at some level of drought. Since that time, storms have improved water supplies but have also brought flooding to parts of wine country in Sonoma County.

by The Packer

The situation on the European orange market is mainly dominated by the massive Spanish production. Prices are low, the demand is limited and there is a lot of competition from Egypt and Turkey. Despite the import duties, China continues to import US fruit, while growers in California are eager to find out how much of an impact the many rains will have on the harvest.

 

Spain: Fruit left unharvested
The low orange prices have resulted in a lot of Spanish fruit being left unharvested. The volumes are around 23% higher than last year and the sizes are generally smaller. This, combined with the greater competition from countries such as Egypt and Turkey, has led to prices not being profitable.

 

At the moment, there is no demand for varieties such as the Late and Lane Late, as there is an oversupply on the European market. Sales have ground to a halt. Traders are now focusing on varieties such as the Powel, Barsfield and Midnight. The harvest starts in May, when the Egyptian and Turkish oranges are no longer present on the European market. Depending on the quality, the prices of these varieties in Andalusia amount to around 16 cents per kilo, and around 18 to 24 cents in the region of Valencia. Only the largest brands manage to sell their oranges while making a profit. According to some traders, most retailers prefer the prices of Egyptian and Turkish oranges, although they acknowledge the better quality of Spanish oranges. “Given the disappointing results, a lot of small growers are giving up. Medium-sized growers will also be greatly threatened in the coming seasons.”

 

Italy: Fewer Sicilian blood oranges available
The harvest of Sicilian blood oranges has been drastically reduced, partly due to the floods of October and November 2018. “The market for the Sicilian Tarocco goes its own way,” explains an export manager. “This year, the limited volumes on the shelves and the abundant presence of cheap Spanish products on the European market have had a great influence on consumer choices.”

 

Competition has been particularly strong in the United Kingdom, mostly thanks to the unfavorable exchange rate, which the Spanish product has benefited from. Throughout the season, Sicilian growers face the challenge of constantly delivering volumes to ensure that the product remains present on the European supermarket shelves. Despite the disappointing production volumes, the season is going well. The campaign is expected to last until the end of April, ending one month earlier than in previous years.

 

The export has recently been a big topic of conversation in the Italian citrus sector. This is partly due to the media attention to blood oranges and the start of trade relations with China. Several containers have already been shipped to China. More volumes could soon follow, also by plane, thanks to the bilateral approval of the phytosanitary protocols.

 

In week 9, oranges were sold at stable, slightly rising prices. The first transactions with the Sanguinello variety also took place in the Syracuse area. The variety is meeting the expected quality requirements in terms of both color and size. Prices are higher than in previous seasons. Negotiations in the Catania region have been carried out satisfactorily. There is a good demand and prices are stable. Only in the area of Taranto has there been a price increase, thanks to a stable supply in combination with a rising demand.

 

Italian families bought 1,140,000 tonnes of citrus fruits in 2018 (1% more than in 2017). Of this, 50% corresponded to oranges. The orange production grew by 5,000 tons compared to a year earlier and amounted to a total of 570,000 tons.

 

Germany: Spain dominates; Egyptian season just starting
While the volume of Spanish Navelinas has declined considerably in recent weeks, the Lane Late is on the market in large volumes. The Spanish Navel, Navelate and Salustiana also play a relevant role in the current wholesale market. The demand for Turkish and Moroccan varieties, however, has fallen because of their poor quality. Egypt is also gradually coming onto the market: These oranges are in great demand in the German wholesale market because of their relatively low price (0.50 Euro per kilo). In the case of organic oranges, Italy and Greece are the ones determining the supply. Italy (Sicily) is currently supplying a new (red-colored) variety in southern Germany under the name Fischer Navel. For its part, Greece is going through a difficult season, with low volumes due to exceptionally bad weather in January and February.

 

Although Italy is hardly mentioned when it comes to normal oranges, the blood oranges from the Italian growing areas are particularly sought after. The Moro and Tarocco are traded in large volumes and at good prices. The Spanish and Moroccan Sanguinelli complete the range of blood oranges. Lastly, the Cara Cara variety is also worth mentioning, especially since this cross between regular and blood oranges is steadily gaining ground in the German wholesale market.

 

Belgium: Trade revives due to colder weather
The citrus trade has revived with the colder weather. The too warm winter temperatures recorded so far had not done much for it. The quality of the oranges is good and stable throughout the season. Prices are currently good, while not on the very high side. According to a trader, Belgian customers prefer Spanish fruit to the Moroccan and Egyptian, despite the fact that the quality of the latter is improving. The prospect is that demand will remain stable in the coming period.

 

France: A season to forget
A trader from Perpignan says that this citrus season has been one they hope to forget quickly. “It was very, very bad. The prices were low throughout the year. This resulted in unsatisfied growers, who did not receive much money for their products. Some are now in very difficult financial circumstances. ”The trader himself mainly sells Spanish oranges from the region of Valencia. Calibers 1 and 2 are currently being sold in Perpignan for € 0.65 to € 0.70 per kilo. There is little demand for oranges and the supply is currently not that great. In addition to the Spanish, there are also some Portuguese and Tunisian products on the market.

 

US: Waiting to see how much of an impact the rains have had
“There is an above-average supply of Navels at the moment, but the calibers are much smaller than normal,” says a California-based grower. It has rained a lot in California. There have also been more frosts than usual, and it remains to be seen how the harvest will be affected by this. “The extreme weather may have taken a toll on the harvest. This could bring us back to a normal demand-supply position.” The bad weather in North America not only influences the harvest, but also consumption. “Consumers now think of soup rather than oranges. Fortunately, the demand is satisfactory on both the local and the export markets. ”The grower also says that in Florida, the majority of the harvest consists of juicing oranges, and that there are concerns about the quality of the Mexican harvest. The company is currently making the switch to Washingtons, Cara Cara’s and late Navel varieties.

 

Australia: Value of exports increased last season
The Australian grower organization Hort Innovation recently announced the figures corresponding to the previous orange season. During that campaign, which came to a close in June 2018, more than 526,000 tons were harvested. This represented an increase of 4% compared to the previous year. At the same time, the total value of the harvest increased by 12%, rising to $ 373 million. Export volumes increased to 190,000 tons and their value grew by 25%. Nationwide, oranges were the third largest export product for Australian agriculture, only behind almonds and table grapes.

 

Navel oranges represented 87% of the total orange production, with a production peak in the middle of the Australian winter. The summer Valencia orange accounted only for 13% of the total harvest. Although oranges are harvested all year round in Australia, the beginning of autumn is a quiet period for the sector. Blood and Cara Cara oranges represent less than 1% of the harvest, and 42% of all oranges were intended for the processing industry.

 

China: Imports of US production continues
Chinese growers are in the middle of the production season. In February, some orange production areas in China suffered from low temperatures, rain and snowfall, but this didn’t have too much of an impact on the overall production. The Shatang orange season is now over, which means that the price of the Orah oranges is a bit higher again. The supply of oranges is still high, because a lot is also imported, especially from Spain, Egypt and the US. Despite the tariffs imposed on US oranges, the import continues, although to a lesser extent than in previous years.

 

The demand for blood oranges is high this year, and prices are therefore good. The quality is better than last year. Mandarins are now also doing well on the market and at the moment they are supplied mainly by Sichuan.

For the past six months, a cargo surge stressed West Coast seaports. Strong U.S. consumer spending, coupled with tariff fears, sent unprecedented import volume across the docks. The phenomenon was seen here at home. The Port of Oakland set an all-time volume record in 2018. It began 2019 with the busiest January in its history. Now, it may be time for a ceasefire. Industry analysts expect container volume to moderate in the months leading up to the late summer peak season. That could be a good thing. West Coast ports – including Oakland – are still recovering from the cargo onslaught. Here’s what they’ve faced:

• Pressure on the labor supply;

• Slower vessel operations;

• Ships at anchor awaiting berth openings;

• Imports unavailable for rapid pick-up;

• Increased turn times for harbor truck drivers.

Vessels delayed in Southern California have been arriving late – and in bunches – at Oakland. That has magnified the challenge created by the import surge. However, relief should be on the way. The Port said ocean carriers have omitted some West Coast sailings in anticipation

of lower cargo volumes. That could help ease the cargo crunch, eliminating the vessel backup in San Francisco Bay while accelerating import deliveries. At the same time, additional longshore labor is being trained to work on the docks. It could be several months before labor reinforcements are ready for duty, but they should be available at peak season. After a 5 percent increase in 2018, the Port said it wouldn’t forecast cargo volume growth for 2019. It explained that global trade uncertainties continue to cloud the outlook. It added, however, that if the consumer-driven U.S. economy remains strong, further import gains could be realized.

 

From Port of Oakland Maritime Newsletter – March 2019