Keith Mixon, president of Sunnyridge Farm Inc., in Orlando, FL, told The Produce News that the company is one of the larger importers of Argentina blueberries in the United States.

“Almost 19 percent of the country’s volume moves through us,” said Mr. Mixon. “And we’re expecting a great program this year. The weather in Argentina has been wonderful for growing blueberries. Movement should start a little early or at least on time. We’re not sure at this point what a ‘normal’ start time is because there haven’t been two years that were alike in the past few.”

Nelly Yunta, general manager for Customized Brokers in Miami, told The Produce News that Argentina blueberries should ship early this year.

Sunny Valley International’s primary blueberry import programs are from Argentina and Chile, with some product coming from Uruguay, according to Phil Neary, director of operations and grower relations for the Glassboro, NJ-based company.

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

Farmers in Tucuman, Argentina, are busy setting up for the coming season, The Perishable Specialist Inc. President Frank A. Ramos told The Produce News on Sept. 8. Mr. Ramos and his partner-wife, Ana, are licensed customs brokers who work together at the Miami, business.

M&M Marketing in St. Louis, a division of Tom Lange Co. which is headquartered in Springfield, IL and has some two dozen branch and division locations throughout North America, “has been specializing in the distribution of potatoes and onion since 1973,” according to the Tom Lange Co. web site.

M&M provides “the finest quality and variety from all growing regions in the United States,” the web site states.

The harvest of Idaho Russet Norkotahs was still a few days away for Potandon Produce LLC in Idaho Falls, ID, when The Produce News talked Aug. 23 with Jamey Higham, the company’s vice president of market development for foodservice.

Some potato packers in the state were already “up and going,” he said. “But we will start shipping Norkotahs toward the first part of next week,” with Russet Burbanks expected to begin “probably toward the end of September.”