The international fruit business along the Delaware River continues to grow, and Lucca Freezer & Cold Storage Inc. is expanding to meet demand.

“We are just finishing up another expansion. We added another 32,000 square feet,” owner Rusty Lucca told The Produce News July 14.

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ — Marc Solomon, president of Fisher Capespan, said that the late-California citrus deal lingered until the end of June.

“July 4 is now in the past, and we expect good movement from here on out,” Mr. Solomon said in a July 6 interview.

The South African citrus season’s second refrigerated breakbulk vessel discharged at the Gloucester Marine Terminal July 5-6. The 3,500 pallets of clementines and Navels “look really nice. They have good color and good Brix,” Mr. Solomon noted.

Dulcich & Sons in Delano, CA, along with its marketing arm, Sunlight International Sales Inc., said that it is experiencing one of the better years for its California grape deal due to ideal growing conditions in the San Joaquin Valley.

Dulcich’s “Pretty Lady” Flames, which are currently being packed and shipped, are showing excellent color and flavor, according to Nick Dulcich of Sunlight Sales.

TRAVER, CA — “We’ve increased our acreage about 40 percent across the board, all varieties,” said Louis Scattaglia, managing partner of Scattaglia Growers & Shippers LLC, here, in an interview with The Produce News July 7. Much of that acreage will be in production this year, with “the balance coming on next year.”

With the new acreage coming on line this year, the company expects “about a 30 percent increase in volume over last yea” for the 2011 season, he said.

“All of which is in response to strong customer demand,” added Dave Parker, marketing director.

STRATHMORE, CA — Homegrown Organic Farms, here, which has been handling a wide assortment of certified organic fruits and vegetables, has made the decision to “step out of any of the veg items we were doing previously” as well as other row crop items such as melons, and to focus “specifically on our permanent crops,” said Scott Mabs, director of marketing.

Longtime produce veteran Christopher (Chris) Gardella, who has been in the produce business since 1977 and was most recently director of business development for Unifrutti of America Inc. in Philadelphia, has joined R.B. Sandrini Inc. in Delano, CA, as director of sales and marketing. He started in April.