Inclement weather has delayed the start of this year's West Side melon deal in California, and production will be slightly off that of 2005, according to those involved with the deal.

J.D. Allen, assistant manager of the Cantaloupe Advisory Board, said that this year's estimate on the West Side melon deal is 20 million cartons of cantaloupes in 30- or 40-pound cartons, down from last year's production of 22.2 million cartons.

DNE World Fruit Sales will soon kick off the 2006 summer import season with high-quality Australian citrus. Initial shipments of Aussie Navels will begin June 28.

"Charter loads usually begin shipping July 6," Stu Monaghan, national sales manager for DNE, said in a statement. "This season, early fruit maturity is resulting in the first June startup in the program's history, and DNE is taking advantage of the window with container shipments."

About halfway through the season in mid-June, the Sonora spring grape industry is looking ahead at a longer season and optional grading.

About 20 spring grape distributor-members of the Nogales, AZ-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas and grower-partners from Hermosillo and Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, held their annual mid-season meeting June 7. The objective was to review current and projected spring grape shipments and to review U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ -- New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus led a delegation of produce specialists to the June 13 meeting of the Eastern Produce Council, updating EPC members on how the state's crops were looking as the 2006 season was ramping up.

In summary, the season for most items started a bit early, quality on the early vegetables has been very good, and the forecast for later vegetables and all fruit items is for continued excellent quality and sizing.

Bengard Ranch, a leading provider of premium vegetables based in Salinas, CA, announced that it has hired Jesse Gomez as executive vice president of sales and marketing. He will be responsible for managing the daily sales and marketing functions of the company and will be charged with leading Bengard Ranch to a stronger national position across various segments of the industry.

Watermelons, cantaloupes and Delaware and Maryland truck crops were generally looking good late this spring, as the Laurel Farmers' Auction Market in Laurel, DE, was anticipating a normal opening around July 7.

Auction manager Tom Wright said that most growers in his region have irrigation that has overcome very dry production weather. But one precipitation matter that cannot be solved by irrigation is the local wild and commercial bee population.