PHILADELPHIA - Anticipating that high-quality fruit and favorable ocean freight costs will make lemons from Turkey competitive with lemons from California and Arizona, where shippers face high truck rates, Twin Garden Sales Inc. in Harvard, IL, received its first load of Turkish lemons the second week of January. After a two-week voyage, the fruit arrived at the port of New York and then was shipped to Procacci Bros. Sales Corp., here, for distribution.

The large Turkish lemons were being handled by Twin Garden's Jack Lambke.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a ruling that clears the way for UglyRipe tomatoes to be shipped outside Florida, superceding standards set forth in the Florida Tomato Marketing Order and enforced by the Florida Tomato Committee.

SALINAS, CA -- Fresh Express, a leading producer of value-added salads in North America based here, announced Wednesday, Jan. 17 that it would provide up to $2 million to fund multidisciplinary research to help the fresh- cut produce industry prevent contamination by the deadly E. coli 0157:H7 pathogen.

Several successive nights of prolonged sub-freezing temperatures across much of California Jan. 10-14 have caused extensive damage to the state's Navel orange crop, which was already lighter than last year, and to other citrus varieties as well, with early estimates of losses in the range of 70-80 percent of the unharvested crop and dollar losses expected to top $750 million.

International citrus suppliers have managed to gain a strong foothold in the U.S. market, and the devastating freeze that hit the California citrus industry the second week of January immediately created a demand for global citrus sources.

Bill Weyland, director of imports for Seald Sweet International LLC in Vero Beach, FL, said Jan. 17, "Obviously, marketers here are looking toward the overseas markets for potential supply," he said, adding that citrus marketers are now looking to Spain, Morocco or both for sourcing.

With Chinese New Year just around the corner - starting this year on Feb. 18 and celebrated for 15 days - Tottori 20th Century pears are a good pick for retail promotion, according to David Nelley, pipfruit category director for The Oppenheimer Group.

Oppenheimer is North America's exclusive marketer of the unique Tottori fruit.

"Tottori 20th Century pears are a favorite among discerning customers who appreciate the meticulous care involved in producing this fruit," Mr. Nelley.