Blueberries Continued from Page 1 Don Bowden, senior vice president of blueberries and nuts for Stockton-based AC Foods, said mild temperatures in December and January helped produce plenty of blossoms on the plants, but some cold and rainy days in early spring slowed fruit sizing and ripening. This year’s crop not only represents a re- cord for the state, but the fruit is of “amaz- ing” quality, Sanders said. That should help California growers distinguish their prod- uct from the increasing volumes of fruit be- ing shipped from Peru, Mexico and Chile, he added. The three countries account for 88% of the fresh blueberry imports that come into the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mexico—the world’s fifth-largest blue- berry producer—continues to extend its blueberry season well into California’s, “and their fruit is significantly cheaper,” Sanders said. That has diminished much of the early-season advantage for California growers, whose harvest increasingly bumps into Mexico’s peak season. Rising prices for blueberries have encouraged Mexican growers to expand their produc- tion more than 80% between 2017 and 2022, USDA reported. The U.S. remains the top export market for Mexican blueberries, with a nearly 97% share, according to USDA. Mexico’s 2024 blueberry production rose 8% compared to last year, the department reported. “The United States is the largest con- sumer of blueberries in the world, so ev- erybody’s putting their blueberries into this market, which then saturates the mar- ket and depletes the price,” Sanders said. It doesn’t help that other blueberry-pro- ducing states—including Georgia, Florida, the Carolinas, Oregon and Washington— also have bigger crops this year. Growers in the San Joaquin Valley, who
produce the bulk of the state’s commercial blueberries, are expected to hit their peak production next week, with harvest run- ning through June. Other state growing re- gions such as the Central Coast have been harvesting berries since last fall, while growers with production in hoop houses also pick fruit before the San Joaquin Valley crop ramps up. Prices will dictate whether growers will switch to harvesting more of their fruit mechanically in the coming weeks, as the market may not justify the high cost of hand labor, said Jayson Scarborough, a fruit marketer in Fresno County. That could lower the overall pack-out by 10% to 20%, he said, as the machines tend to beat up some of the fruit and harvest un- ripe ones, all of which must be sorted out during packing. “There’s always anxiety about (market conditions), especially with a big crop,” Scarborough said. “The key…is trying to figure out when the California peak is and getting out in front of the retailers and get- ting the promotions in place to move that large crop.” At this point in the season, growers are more concerned about a potential heat wave that could soften the berries, mak- ing them unsuitable for the fresh market, Scarborough said. Last year, fresh blueber- ries were valued at $4.83 a pound compared to 48 cents a pound for berries going to the freezer or processing, according to USDA. With San Joaquin Valley’s blueberry season typically lasting six to eight weeks, Mandy Critchley—who grows blueberries with her husband Scott in Tulare, Fresno and Kings counties—emphasized the im- portance of daily communications with buyers about the status of their crop, har- vest timing and peak volumes. Having this dialogue, she said, also allows her to un- derstand buyers’ needs. Because blueberries are grown year-
round worldwide and California’s season sometimes overlaps with other growing regions, Critchley said her farm uses the California-grown license plate logo on packaging so that retailers can promote the local berries when they’re in season. Many of her customers “truly do value” lo- cal agriculture, she said, and they will shift to buying from California when the local product is available. “It does come down to price, but at the end of the day, cheap isn’t always the best fruit if it’s coming out of Mexico when you have California,” Critchley said. Though most of the state crop is sold do- mestically, Sanders said the commission has been developing and expanding ex- port markets. With a bigger crop this year, he said California will “lean on” overseas markets even more. Canada remains the state’s top export destination for blueber- ries. Japan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia also buy U.S. and California blueberries, while the Philippines is a newer market that opened to American blueberries during the past few years. With so many countries growing blue- berries, marketer Scarborough said the export arena has become more challeng- ing and “not as strong for California as it used to be.” He noted California has lost a lot of its market share in countries such as Spain and Morocco, both of which have the same harvest season as the Golden State, sometimes harvesting sooner, with “very cheap fruit.” Australia is a target market for
California, but it remains closed, he added. To be competitive against imported fruit, Sanders said more California blue- berry growers have become certified or- ganic. Organic blueberries now make up 45% of the state crop. AC Foods, for exam- ple, markets its regenerative organic certi- fied blueberries—grown in California and Oregon—under the brand Betterful. Grower Marthedal said he tried to grow organic blueberries but found that his op- eration was not well suited for the practice. Because of the added cost, he said, “we didn’t feel like we were geared up appropri- ately to continue with organic production.” With Mexico’s increased production and berries entering the market ahead of California, he said growers here have begun to move away from what was once a more lucrative early market. Instead of planting varieties that allow California to start earlier, he said he thinks growers will be driven more by varieties that lend them- selves to better mechanical harvesting. Plant breeders will help facilitate the move, he said, as blueberry harvesters continue to improve and packing equip- ment becomes better at sorting. “If you develop a variety that you can go in and machine pick from day one,” Marthedal said, “that’s going to be much more important than anything as far as timing goes.” (Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.)
Agricultural Market Review
Quotations are the latest available for the week ending May 17, 2024 Year Ago
Week Ago Latest Week
Livestock
Slaughter Steers – 5-Area Average Select & Choice, 1250–1450 lbs., $/cwt. Hogs – Average hog, 51-52% lean, Iowa-Minn. market, $/cwt. Slaughter Lambs – $ per cwt. 68-160 lbs. National weekly live sales Field crops – basis prompt shipment Cotton – ¢ per lb., Middling 1 3/32” Fresno spot market Corn – U.S. No. 2 yellow $/bu. trucked Alfalfa Hay – $ per ton, quality * , FOB Region 1, Northern Inter-mountain
170
183-188
186-191
77.68
89.44
90.41
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152
180-230
216
78
74.38
74.66
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7.85
6.45
6.37
No quote
270 (S)
220 (P)
Region 2, Sacramento Valley
No quote
200 (G/P)
16 (P, per bale)
Region 3, Northern San Joaquin Valley
330 (G/P)
230-260 (S)
310 (S)
Region 4, Central San Joaquin Valley
400 (S)
43 (G)
222-225 (P)
FRESNO CLAWSON MOTORSPORTS 559-435-5020 www.clawsonmotorsports.com MODESTO KAWASAKI OF MODESTO 209-529-5424 www.hkmodesto.com
Scan with camera to view videos, key features and more. SALINAS COASTAL TRACTOR 831-757-4101 www.coastaltractor.com
Region 5, Southern California
23 (P, per bale)
240 (S)
No quote
Region 6, Southeast Interior
318 (P)
210-220 (S)
220 (P)
Rice – Milled #1 Head, FOB No. Calif. mills Medium grain, $ per cwt.
70-72
30-32
30-32
KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off- highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped or manufactured for use on public streets, roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. © 2022 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off- highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped or manufactured for use on public streets, roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. © 2022 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. KAWASAKI CARES: Read Owner’s Manual and all on-product warnings. Always wear protective gear appropriate for the use of this vehicle. Never operate under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Protect the environment. The Kawasaki MULE™ side x side is an off- highway vehicle only, and is not designed, equipped or manufactured for use on public streets, roads or highways. Obey the laws and regulations that control the use of your vehicle. © 2022 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. Scan with camera to view videos, key features and more. Scan with camera to view videos, key features and more.
Provided by the California Farm Bureau as a service to Farm Bureau members. Information supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market News Branch.
*ADF=Acid detergent fiber; (S) = Supreme/<27%ADF; (P) = Premium/27-29; (G) = Good/29-32; (F) = Fair/32-35.
May 22, 2024 Ag Alert 13
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