Asparagus is known as a springtime vegetable, but it is also available year-round and grows throughout the world with imports coming from Peru and Mexico. Once the seeds are planted, asparagus requires three years to be established before it reaches maturity. The plants can live up to 20 years while they continue to produce.

Though Chilean fruit imports, including its signature table grape crop, have seen declining volume to the U.S. market in recent years, New York-based William H. Kopke Jr. Inc. is maintaining a leading position it has earned for many decades.

Bosc pears are a favorite among pear lovers due to their crisp, sweet flavor as well as their versatility in recipes from salads to baking. Kicking off the new year, Pear Bureau Northwest highlighted the most popular Bosc pear recipes from 2023 in a social media campaign in January entitled, “Begin the Year with Bosc."

The recipes can all be found at usapears.org/top-bosc-recipes-of-2023 as part of USA Pear’s online collection of more than 400 recipes.

Bagged avocados continue to emerge as a preferred choice for shoppers during holiday gatherings. A recent Avocado Holiday Retail Recap report by the Hass Avocado Board noted a rise in sales of bagged avocados during the 2023 summer holidays.

United Natural Foods Inc. plans to implement an A.I.-powered robotic automation system in its soon-to-be-completed distribution center in Manchester, PA. This advanced system, manufactured by Symbotic, is the second installation for UNFI and part of the company’s commitment to further enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of its distribution center network.

Once installed, UNFI expects the system to enhance the customer experience, improve quality and service to customers, increase capacity within its facilities and lower overall costs to fulfill customer orders.

The official crop forecast for the California Avocado Commission’s fiscal year 2023-24 is 208 million pounds, compared to the prior year volume of 237 million pounds. Weather and market conditions will be key factors for when California avocado growers begin harvesting. The potential for a wet winter may encourage some growers to delay picking to allow their avocados time to increase in size, which could in turn increase the crop volume.