With the widespread and growing demand for sweet potatoes, states are working hard to pump up production to meet the U.S. and offshore appetite with both fresh-market and processing supplies.

(Updated story) Sunkist Growers Inc. in Sherman Oaks, CA, which has been a leading marketer of citrus for more than 117 years, will now be expanding into another fresh produce commodity. "This year, we will also be providing premium ‘Sunkist’-branded table grapes," Sunkist President and Chief Executive Officer Russ Hanlin said in a March 15 press release.

The 2010 California Hass avocado crop was the fourth largest on record, at around 530 million pounds. By contrast, the 2011 crop is estimated to be about half of last year's crop or a bit less, in the area of 250 million pounds, according to the California Avocado Commission.

Harvest had begun in a light way as of mid-March, but shippers did not expect to see significant volume until around mid-April, with most of the crop coming off between then and August.

RUTHVEN, ON -- Chris Jacobs, president of Clifford Produce, announced in mid-March that the greenhouse grower

Americans really do want to eat more fruits and vegetables, and making them taste better is a key factor toward achieving that goal, according to a February workshop held at the University of California-Davis.

Sponsored by a grant to UC Davis and the University of Florida from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative, a workshop titled Delivering More Flavorful Produce, led by Beth Mitcham of UC Davis and Jeff Brecht of the University of Florida, covered a variety of in-depth topics on how to increase flavor quality of produce.