In early March, Chip Jetter, president of Garden Fresh Distribution Service Inc. in Pompano Beach, FL, said that the company was gearing up to start its watermelon program in early April.

“We’re about to get real busy,” said Mr. Jetter. “We jokingly call the period from the first of May through July 4 the ‘100-day war’ because it is when the demand is the strongest. Watermelon consumption is directly related to the weather. If it’s 90 degrees, people are eating watermelon.”

In 2012, the New England Produce Council proudly announced that it had joined the “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” program. The idea for the Council to become involved began when Tom Stenzel, the president and chief executive officer of the United Fresh Produce Association, made his presentation at the Council’s end of calendar year meeting in May 2011.

New York apple growers are helping to ensure that 1,000 local families facing hunger have apples to make charoset for Passover Seder this year.

Kingston & Associates Marketing LLC announced that Nick Proia has joined the company and will fill the newly created position of vice president of business development. He will focus on developing new business, strengthening strategic relationships and expanding product lines and current distribution channels.

An early March freeze took a nip out of Florida's sweet corn, green bean and blueberry crops, but otherwise growing conditions have been excellent and the Sunshine State is primed for a fine spring, though there are concerns about labor availability as production ramps up.

Total U.S. mango imports have grown 400 percent over the last two decades, and even over the past five years they are increasing at an average rate of 5 percent per year.

While this is good news, longtime importer Larry Nienkerk, president of Splendid Products LLC in Burlingame, CA, believes there is still untapped potential.

He has been selling mangos in the United States for 37 years and has seen a tremendous change during that time. He said that mangos have gone from an exotic, specialty crop to a staple sold in virtually every market in the United States.