“Blueberries and raspberries from Chile complement our blackberry program out of Guatemala and Mexico,” Charlie Eagle, vice president of business development for Southern Specialties in Pompano Beach, FL, told The Produce News. “Chile plays an especially important role in our year-round blueberry program. Southern Specialties offers its berries in our ‘Southern Selects’ labels as well as other labels.”

Mr. Eagle said the company is again increasing its Chilean blueberry volumes this year, and that all signs are that the quality of the berries is outstanding.

Although quality is still high, dicey weather conditions during the apple-production season affected apple sizing for product marketed by FirstFruits Marketing of Washington state. The full-service grower cooperative is based in Yakima, WA, and provides year-round sales of top-quality product. Varieties marketed include Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Pink Ladies, Braeburn, Jonagold, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Sonya and Cameo. Two varieties, the Opal and Sweetie, are marketed under exclusive agreements, and other new varieties are in the final stages of development.

Frank Tangredi, president of Northeast Apple Sales in Newburgh, NY, told The Produce News that apple pricing is strong and movement is better than usual this season.

“Quality is also good this year thanks to the great growing conditions in the Northeast,” said Mr. Tangredi. “We’re moving a mixed bag of sizes, depending on the growers. Larger sizes are bringing higher prices and tote bags continue to be strong, but trays and loose apples are also at a premium.”

John Rice, president of Rice Fruit Co., which is located in Gardners, PA, told The Produce News that despite some weather-related problems to the company’s apple crop this year, the market has been good and prices are strong, and he is grateful for that.

“We won’t have one of our best years,” said Mr. Rice. “We are down by about 20 percent from last year, and 30 percent down from what we consider to be normal. It’s one of the shortest years we’ve had in several.”

“The quality and condition of our apples is very good this year,” Fred Hess, co-owner of Hess Bros. Fruit in Lancaster, PA, told The Produce News. “A few areas in Pennsylvania were hurt by late fall rains and the remnants of Hurricane Irene, and so they didn’t finish as well as they would have liked. But we were spared these factors. Our fruit quality is great, and the apples taste terrific. Movement is tremendous, and pricing is good. For those who have apples, it’s a very good time.”

Apple movement through the 2011 winter holiday season exceeded expectations, according to Scott Marboe, marketing director for Wenatchee, WA-based Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers.

Mr. Marboe told The Produce News in mid-December that demand going into the Christmas holidays “has been above expectations,” and he said, “we can’t seem to get the pipeline filled.”

He added that domestic support at retail “has been exceptional, and the demand from the overseas markets is strong as well in both price and movement.”