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This week weather is starting off in the high 70s with lots of sunshine in our immediate forecast. Nighttime lows will stay steady in the high 40s, and chances of creeping up into the 80s could occur as we end the week Thursday - Friday. Fruit looks very strong with nice blossom in our fields. San Andreas is 12-16 count, Fronteras 12-14 and Monterey 14-18. Our organic spring crop is set for harvest the 2nd week of February. Minor defects include green shoulders here and there. Organic fall crop looks nice with minimal bruising with counts in the high teens – low 20s. Numbers picked up last week, and with warm temperatures the next few days volume should continue to increase.
Oxnard:
We experienced record temperatures in this region the other weekend, with highs in the 85-87 range. Nighttime lows were consistent in the 50s. The remainder of last week consisted of temperatures in the high 70s range – perfect weather for our berries. This week, we foresee another warming trend with temperatures reaching the low 80s Wednesday-Thursday, with the remainder of the week in the high 60s low 70s. We anticipate a dry spell until mid-February at the very least in this region. Fruit quality looks good – with coloring at 95-100 percent. Fronteras are 14-16 count, while San Andreas are 16-18. The only challenges we are currently facing are mites due to previous Santa Ana winds and scattered hot days. We have been using micro sprinklers to keep up moisture levels in the fields to monitor and correct this concern. Aside from this minor setback – berries look strong and healthy.
Mexico:
Weather in our Mexico regions was starting warming up again toward the end of last week with temperatures in the high 70s low 80s into the weekend. This week, we foresee chances of showers and even thunderstorms in potentially both Zamora and Ziracuaretiro toward the middle of the week, with moderate temperatures back on the horizon following the storms. Strawberry quality is good with minor challenges including inconsistent coloring here and there. Counts are 20-22, 24-26 and the occasional 28. Blackberry quality is good with minimal wind damage seen from previous harsh weather conditions. Raspberries look great – well colored and firm, and are 28-30 count in 6 oz. clams.
Blueberries:
Chilean blues are looking good with full harvest of rabbiteye-varieties such as Brightwell, Tifblue and Ochlockonee, and increasing harvest of Aurora in some areas. Temperatures look very warm most regions – with Linares and Chillán seeing very high temperatures in the mid-high 90s. Temuco, Paillaco, and Osorno range between the 70s-80s.
We are also harvesting blueberries in Oxnard – half of the blueberry acreage is substrate potted plants, while the remaining acreage is all hooped. The substrate plants allow growers to have more plants per acre – and quicker harvest. Plants in the ground take up to 1-2 years to harvest, while in pots, plants can begin harvest anywhere between 6-12 months making this method of growing appealing to farmers. The remaining acreage of our hooped plants consist of all organic southern highbush varieties.
Florida:
This region was seeing some colder days last week, but this week we foresee warmer temperatures on the horizon. Highs should be in the high 70s – low 80s and nighttime lows in the 60s. Despite warmer temperatures, there are chances of showers this weekend into next week. Volume should stay steady through February – with a lot of bloom coming out and quality looking excellent. Fruit has 90-95 percent color with a few green tips, all of which we are monitoring closely as we pack. Radiance counts are 20-22, Sensation 12-14, and Florida Beauty 16-18 with some higher.
For up-to-date weather conditions in all of our growing regions, click on the region below. Wunderground.com is our go-to weather resource for fast and reliable weather updates.
Calling all customers! We know how valuable insights are to our retail and foodservice partners – and that’s why we are dedicated to bringing more data your way on a regular basis. That said, this week it’s all about the blues. We’ve added a whole new section on Blueberry Usage and Attitudes with insights straight from the US Highbush Blueberry Council, and you won’t want to miss out on the findings! For an in-depth report on consumers’ purchase intent, frequency, and how these habits allow us to better understand and predict consumers’ purchase behavior – head to our Trade Page or fill out the form here.
Who’s ready for the Olympic games?! This Friday kicks off the major international sporting event held every four years – with PyeongChang, South Korea being the 2018 hosts. We know the household excitement that surrounds the Olympic games, as families gather around the TV and cheer on their favorite athletes and sporting events. To encourage our active, sporty consumers to keep up with their own outdoor activities and go for the gold with their own health-inspired aspirations, we’ve created a Berry Winter Games Sweepstakes that gives our shopper’s the chance to win one of 5 $100 REI gift cards to support the sport in their life!
Consumers can virtually compete to win the Berry Winter Games by visiting our microsite landing page - launching today - where they can cheer on their ‘favorite berry’ and vote for the berry team they think will win the 2018 Berry Winter Games. On the microsite, visitors will find exclusive content about each berry team and energizing berry recipes. It’s time to get #poweredbyberries and go for the gold!
Feedback like this makes us smile! This week, a consumer all the way from Kansas City tips her hat to Cal Giant on quality, flavor and shelf life.
These Cal Giant blues are going fast at this Salinas Walmart!
