Traceability, a hot issue in the produce industry, made for an appropriate topic for the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's first ever webinar held June 13.

Utilizing the purchasing power it has gained from representing over 30 percent of the U.S. watermelon supply, Sundia Corp. has signed an agreement with Weyerhaeuser on behalf of Sundia's grower-partners.

Inclement weather has delayed the start of this year's West Side melon deal in California, and production will be slightly off that of 2005, according to those involved with the deal.

J.D. Allen, assistant manager of the Cantaloupe Advisory Board, said that this year's estimate on the West Side melon deal is 20 million cartons of cantaloupes in 30- or 40-pound cartons, down from last year's production of 22.2 million cartons.

DNE World Fruit Sales will soon kick off the 2006 summer import season with high-quality Australian citrus. Initial shipments of Aussie Navels will begin June 28.

"Charter loads usually begin shipping July 6," Stu Monaghan, national sales manager for DNE, said in a statement. "This season, early fruit maturity is resulting in the first June startup in the program's history, and DNE is taking advantage of the window with container shipments."

About halfway through the season in mid-June, the Sonora spring grape industry is looking ahead at a longer season and optional grading.

About 20 spring grape distributor-members of the Nogales, AZ-based Fresh Produce Association of the Americas and grower-partners from Hermosillo and Caborca, Sonora, Mexico, held their annual mid-season meeting June 7. The objective was to review current and projected spring grape shipments and to review U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ -- New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus led a delegation of produce specialists to the June 13 meeting of the Eastern Produce Council, updating EPC members on how the state's crops were looking as the 2006 season was ramping up.

In summary, the season for most items started a bit early, quality on the early vegetables has been very good, and the forecast for later vegetables and all fruit items is for continued excellent quality and sizing.