“We’ve got a couple of new items this year,” said Steve Yubeta, vice president of sales at Farmer’s Best International LLC in Nogales, AZ. “They are European cucumbers and tomatoes-on-the-vine.” The company has been offering those new items through the winter, and they will continue into spring. “Thus far, we have had very positive feedback from all of our customers that have been receiving them,” he said Feb. 9. “It looks like it has worked out very well.”

Suntreat has begun shipment of its exclusive Sumo citrus, which continues through April. This year marks the third commercial crop by the same group of citrus growers who originally brought the wildly popular fruit to California from Japan, where it is known as Dekopon or Shiranui.

A decade ago, the still-new Southeast Produce Council held its first Southern Exposure trade show with less than 100 businesses participating. This year, hundreds from the industry will gather at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, FL, Feb. 28-March 2, more than 230 companies will be exhibiting on the trade show floor and there is a waiting list both for booth space and entrance to this year’s keynote luncheon.

When Richard Ruiz, president of Ruiz Sales, an Edinburg, TX-based importer and distributor of tropical items from Mexico, was approached by Texas retailer H.E.B. about running a Super Bowl-themed lime promotion, he gladly accepted the challenge.

After all, the promotion presented an opportunity to move more fruit and to give consumers what he believes are the highest-quality limes in the area.

A California Air Resource Board regulation that became effective Jan. 1 could soon be used to fine California shippers or receivers that allow non-compliant trucks to load or unload at their facilities.

That was one of the take-home messages of a “2013 Transportation Preview” webinar conducted Feb. 20 by C.H. Robinson officials and hosted by Western Growers Association.

Del Fresco Produce Ltd. will be a part of an educational segment featured on “American Farmer.” The first broadcast will be Feb. 24 on Fox Business at 4:30 p.m.