Market looks strong for California potato deal
As harvesting of new potatoes in California’s Kern County moves into peak production, the marketing outlook is strong — at least for red, whites and yellows.
Several growers and shippers began digging during the week of May 6, with virtually everyone joining the party by the following week. By the week of May 20, it was predicted that most sheds would be ramping up to full production. Typically, shipments of fresh potatoes from the southern region of the San Joaquin Valley go into early July.
CMI volume reflects state’s trends
Bob Mast, president of Columbia Marketing International, said he expects the company will supply approximately 11 percent of cherry volume coming from the Pacific Northwest this season. The company is headquartered in Wenatchee, WA.
Statewide trends show that 2013 cherry volume will return to more typical levels following the 2012 record-setting crop. He said crop reductions in the early districts are expected to be between 30 to 40 percent.
Return bloom, he went on to say, was lower. “We probably cropped some trees too heavily last year,” he said.
Cherry season countdown running at Oneonta Starr Ranch
Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, is counting down the days until its first shipments of Northwest cherries move into the pipeline. “Other than some cool days that hurt pollination in some areas, the weather has been really good,” said Marketing Director Scott Marboe. The heat wave in early May helped spur growth.
Oneonta projects marketing 2 million packages of cherries this season. “[This is] about the same as last year in total packouts,” Marboe commented.
Frost doesn’t put chill on Rainier Fruit’s cherry crop
Despite spates of cool, wet weather, which can give the Northwest cherry industry reason to suffer a little heartburn, Rainier Fruit Co. has moved into June and the beginning of its 2013 cherry season on a positive note. “We’ve had a fairly warm spring, which led to good crop development,” Director of Marketing Suzanne Wolter told The Produce News. “In the earliest blooming districts, we did get some frost damage, and a few areas experienced less-than-stellar pollination conditions, which could result in somewhat lighter supplies right out of the gate.
Hood River Cherry unscathed by recent weather events
Brad Fowler, president and owner of Hood River Cherry Co., said conditions are ripe for a quality cherry season in Oregon’s Hood River Valley. “In my little part of the world, production will be up 20 percent this year,” he said, noting that his orchards somehow missed the climatic drama experienced by other growers in the Pacific Northwest.
“The first half of the pollination season was rainy, so pollination wasn’t good in some areas. Warm weather was conducive to bee pollination in the second half of the season,” he said.
Frost, wind to affect early-season production for Borton
Ron Everts, fieldman for Borton & Sons Inc. in Yakima, WA, said the company’s Northwest cherry volume will track with statewide predictions for a reduced crop during 2013. “The overall cherry production will be down due to two factors: damage from frost in certain areas and the wind during bloom time causing poor pollination,” he told The Produce News. “The Northwest Cherry meeting that took place on May 15 stated they are projecting at this time that the overall cherry crop will be down about 20 percent.”
Shuman Produce promotes its ‘RealSweet’ onions with promotional products
Shuman Produce in Reidsville, GA, is giving away the ultimate grilling tool, its ‘RealSweet Sportula’ – a multi-use heavy duty spatula – in a spring promotion.
Here, Shuman spokesman The Fat Man, of Chef and The Fatman fame, shows off the sportula – and lets people know how to get their own.
On Sinatra, Don Quixote and Congress
Frank Sinatra sang about Chicago, claiming he saw a stereotype-shattering scene: “a man who danced with his wife.” In a recent trip to the City of Big Shoulders, I saw two related but groundbreaking quests.
One, by Ecuador’s Chicago trade office, sought to inspire action by the U.S. Congress, that remote source of inspiration and action, to extend U.S.-Ecuador trade agreements. By July 31, no less. Otherwise, flowers from Ecuador will have a 6.8 percent tariff when they enter this country. A long shot, getting a trade pact through, but Colombia did it not long ago.
Julia Stewart joins NYAA
The New York Apple Association, based in Fishers, NY, announced industry veteran JULIA STEWART as the association’s spokesperson.
Ms. Stewart assumed spokesperson duties in March and has been supporting NYAA’s public relations activities since May 2012.
In her new role, Ms. Stewart’s responsibilities include planning and executing media outreach activities to promote New York apples, representing the association to consumer and trade media and providing strategic communications counsel to NYAA senior management.
Tiger variety highlights Stellar Distributing’s fig line
MADERA, CA — Stellar Distributing introduced a new variety to its extensive California fig program several years ago.
The Tiger fig has striped green and yellow skin, a unique flavor and a bright red flesh that differentiate it from traditional figs.
Stellar is shipping figs with no break from now through mid-January due to volume from the southern California desert crop and central San Joaquin Valley crop.
The new Tiger variety will be available Aug. 1 during the main crop and will be the featured fig of the six varieties available.