Retail lettuce and tomato prices - then and now

From the Dec. 18 Vegetable and Melon Outlook:


This winter (largely January-March), fresh-market vegetable and melon area for harvest is expected to remain at or just above that of a year earlier (winter acreage estimates will be released on January 8). Barring an early winter freeze in Florida,Mexico, or California, supplies should be improved over a year earlier. This should be especially true for storage onions and the cool season crops produced in western states (such as lettuce, broccoli, celery, and carrots), which suffered yield reductions a year ago from an unusually severe January freeze. Import volume of warm season crops is expected to range from average to above average this winter due largely to favorable weather and improved yields in West Mexico. Mexico, like Florida, largely ships warm-season crops such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and squash during the winter months. With supplies expected to be improved from the freezeaffected levels of a year ago and no major changes in employment and demand in prospect, grower prices for commercial fresh-market vegetables over the winter quarter should average below those of a year earlier. Thus, the outlook for the winter season is largely dependant on the weather in southern Florida, various areas in Mexico (particularly Sinaloa), and the desert growing regions of California and Arizona.

To Russia with love

Here is a 22-page pdf report published in late December by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on the remarkable growth of Russia as an importer of fresh fruit. Russia is now the biggest importer of apples in the world.

Some USDA perspective on the U.S. position in Russian Far East:

According to import statistics, apples are the preferred favorite fruit in the RFE. The market share for apples, citrus and bananas, and pears is 34%, 25%, and 12%, respectively. China and the U.S. are the main suppliers of apples to the RFE. In 2006 China increased apple exports to the RFE 14% over 2005 totals, and exported 38.8 million metric tons of apples valued at $18.6 million. Chinese varieties of Granny Smith, Gala, Golden, Delicious, and Red Delicious are similar to American varieties, and more competitive on price relative to fruit exports from other countries. The U.S. is the 2nd largest exporter of apples to the RFE, and in 2006 U.S. apple exports to the region increased 27% to 2,048 metric tones. U.S. apples are competitively priced and slowly replacing apples from European countries. Chile is steadily increasing export volumes to the REF, and the Vladivostok ATO is monitoring the RFE to see how the market responds to Chilean apples.

It's a new year - #1 post of 2008

It's hard to believe that 2008 is here already, but here we are. Thanks to the many readers, select guest bloggers and always appreciated anonymous commenters that enlivened this space in 2007.

For the record, here is what last year saw:
1,576 posts - an average of 4.31 posts per day
About 300 comments on the posts
19 Fresh Talk polls
About 90.9% of Fresh Talk readers were from the U.S.
Canada: 2.41%
United Kingdom: 0.85%
Mexico: 0.61%
India, Australia and Chile were next in frequency

The Fresh Produce Industry Discussion Group, a companion online forum to Fresh Talk, now has 99 members and has more than 1,600 posts since its formation last March.

Thoughts and suggestions? Feel free to comment on this post or email me at tkarst@thepacker.com.