Production numbers for California apples may come in a little lower than the 3.6 million boxes of fresh apples shipped last year, according to Alex Ott, executive director of the California Apple Commission.

Mr. Ott said that estimates have this year's shipments at 3.3 million to 3.6 million boxes to be shipped for the 2006-07 season. The final tally for the 2005-06 season wrapped up at 3.6 million boxes; 2004-05 was 3.9 million boxes.

Potato and onion marketing firm Spud City Sales LLC in Stevens Point, WI, recently partnered with Midwestern Farms Inc., a warehouse and grading facility located near Plainfield, WI.

Spud City Sales President Tom Lundgren said that the move is great news for Spud City Sales existing and potential customers. "I really feel this will enhance our ability to serve the customer. With this partnership, we should have greater product availability throughout the season."

SALINAS, CA -- Green Onion Fresh Cut, which was created to specialize in processing fresh-cut green onions for sale exclusively to larger fresh-cut processors, is preparing for a November opening of its new facility in Mexicali, Mexico, after relocating from here.

GOFC launched here in 2004 in an 800-square-foot prototype production room in a 4,000-square-foot building. The new facility will be a 4,000-square-foot production room in a 30,000-square- foot building in Mexicali, with separate coolers for organic and standard products.

Although early-season hail hit some growers particularly hard in the Wenatchee Valley of Washington state, Northwest Pear Bureau Executive Director Kevin Moffitt said that losses to this year's pear crop will not be as great as originally thought.

"The original [crop] estimate from June called for 17.8 million boxes," Mr. Moffitt said. "The new estimate is a reduction of about 1.4 million boxes with about 1.1 million reduction due to weather and the rest due to the usual June drop."

Demand for avocados in the United States has increased dramatically over the last two decades. Twenty years ago, the notion that the market could absorb as much as 22 million pounds of avocados in a single week would have been almost beyond comprehension. But that has been happening this year. And, according to industry sources, demand still outstripped supply.

When W. Newell & Co. opened its doors one year ago this week in Champaign, IL, its principals did not believe its Supervalu affiliation would hinder the company in its efforts to attract independent retailers as customers. And it hasn't, according to John Aune, vice president of national operations for the specialty produce company.

"We never thought that being a part of Supervalu would be a problem," he said. "And I'd have to say that not one customer has brought that up in the past year."