BOISE, ID — The Idaho Potato Commission’s retail programs for the 2012-13 marketing year are “not that dissimilar from historical components,” according to Seth Pemsler, vice president of retail and international marketing. Many of the programs are “things that we have done historically that we continue to do,” although they may fine-tuned, he said. “The reason we are doing them is because they have proven very effective.”

“We are happy to announce that Carole Opel has been appointed regional sales manager of the Giorgio Fresh sales team,” said Bill Litvin, also a regional sales manager for the Temple, PA-based company.

Mr. Litvin noted that in recent years, all categories of produce, including specialties, have witnessed growth due especially to specific consumer-driven trends that include the buy local movement where consumers favor locally grown produce to support the local and state economy.

Bob Von Rohr, director of customer relations for Sunny Valley International, headquartered in Glassboro, NJ, told The Produce News that the company’s primary blueberry import programs are from Argentina and Chile, and it brings some product in from Uruguay.

“Timing on our Argentina deal is similar to last year,” said Mr. Von Rohr. “Because we don’t source from the early production areas, we will start in early October with our first air shipments. Peak volumes will pivot around the few weeks before and few weeks after the mid-November time frame.

Ben Reilly, the Midwest business development manager for Los Angeles-based Giumarra Cos., said that the company is forecasting and planning for continued growth in its blueberry import program starting in Argentina early this year.

“The blueberry program will then continue through to Uruguay and Chile,” Mr. Reilly said. “We have additional imported blackberries from Guatemala, and we have also added a number of new growers in the northern states of the U.S., extending our volume to later in the season. Our Mexican imports will start during the week of Sept. 10.”

Ronnie Cohen, a partner at Vision Import Group LLC, River Edge, NJ, said the firm’s mango volume from its South American suppliers will be greater this year and will follow the company’s strategy of steady growth in that space.

“Currently we are bringing mangos in from Brazil and our Brazilian deal is larger than it was last year,” he said in early September. “And we expect to double the volume we had last year from Ecuador.”