The last few months have been busy for WeisBuy Farms of Fort Myers, FL. The company consolidated its Florida operations into the single Fort Myers office, expanded its Dominican Republic presence and opened an office in McAllen, TX, to take advantage of the boom in produce traffic coming across the Mexican border.

While WeisBuy trades in a full line of products, it specializes in tomatoes. That business, said owner and industry veteran Chuck Weisinger, is changing every day.

As Christmas approaches, Florida Classic Growers of Lake Hamilton, FL, is taking advantage of a great crop of top-quality Florida citrus to boost its holiday gift and fundraising programs, according to Al Finch, vice president of sales and marketing.

“This has been an outstanding year and season to date,” Mr. Finch said. “We have had excellent arrivals on our citrus. Demand has definitely picked up — over the last month there has been a lot of retail promotion on bagged tangerines and bagged Navels as well as bagged juice oranges.”

Florida tomato growers have more reason for optimism this season than at any other time in recent years, said Louis Ledlow Jr., vice president and chief operating officer of Ledlow & Associates Inc. in High Springs, FL.

“We’re all looking forward to a great season. Hopefully we’ll avoid the perfect storm of last season where we had great weather here and in Mexico, and overproduction that held the price down on everybody,” Mr. Ledlow said.

The holiday season marks halftime for Florida citrus, and DNE World Citrus Sales of Ft. Pierce, FL, has had a terrific first half, according to Florida Citrus Sales Manager Kevin Swords.

Texas suffered much less than the other 49 states during the recent recession, but even so the state’s economic engine was sluggish compared to boom times. There is evidence in many sectors, including retail and restaurants, that even the minor slowdown in the Lone Star State economy is in the rear view mirror.

In October, statewide sales tax revenue was $2.03 billion, up 8.2 percent compared to October 2011, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Susan Combs, said Nov. 7.

If a trade show that draws 56,000 visitors from 125 countries and approximately 2,500 exhibiting companies from 80 countries sounds overwhelming, well it can be for first-time visitors to the annual Fruit Logistica in Berlin. In 2013, the expo is being held Feb. 6-8.

Despite the size and number of attendees, the Fruit Logistica committee goes to great lengths to ensure that all visitors can find their way to and from the show and through the halls with minimal confusion.