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MARCH 10, 2023 LIPMANFAMILYFARMS.COM
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CROP &
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INDUSTRY INFO
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UPDATES
ROUND TOMATOES
Quality has been very good for us and most others. There are
FL's round tomato production is up this week as really warm only issues with softness and high color when growers are
weather is bringing on crops. . Lipman is currently harvesting backed up with inventory. Since Lipman picks and packs to
crown picks from the new Estero crops and will continue with order, that is not a problem for our product. West Mexico's
2nds from Naples for another 2-3 weeks. Because of this dual growers continue to have plenty of fruit to offer with no major
harvest, we have a good mix of sizing. It seems that other quality issues on fresh product. This should continue at least
growers either have big or small fruit with not much in between. through the month of March.
Quality has been very nice and should continue to be.
Meanwhile, Mexico has ample supplies to offer. West Mexico COLORED BELL PEPPERS
will have steady supplies throughout March with sizing dropping
off from the really big fruit to more mid-sized flats. East Mexico Although most of Central Mexico's houses will start new crops
will continue with moderate supplies from Winter plantings in in April, a few have already come online, bringing better
Jalisco and San Luis Potosi. Spring acreage is still a ways off. availability to McAllen. Red bells are coming with the strongest
numbers, while yellow volumes are moderate. . Orange bells
ROMA TOMATOES are the short suit on the larger sized-fruit this week. Culiacan's
low and mid-tech growers have a decent amount of product
FL's roma production continues to be on the light side as we wait
available, but quality is varied so one must pick and choose
for new areas to come online. Lipman is currently harvesting
carefully. Looking to the north, red and yellow bells are now
some of the final plantings in Naples, but should break into the
available in light volumes in Canada. Orange should follow in
Estero crop by the end of next week. Sizing is down for us and
the next week or so. Look for volume to strengthen by April as
most other growers, as we are harvesting more 2nds from older
more growers get started for the season.
crops. We should see a little bigger sizing when we move into
Estero and a significant change in volume once Ruskin/Palmetto
starts in 2-3 weeks. Mexico still has plenty of romas available
GREEN BELL PEPPERS
with the bulk coming out of the Culiacan area. West Mexico FL's bell pepper supply is in a light spot as we undergo the
(including Culiacan and La Cruz) could see a slight dip in transition between Winter and Spring crops. Cold weather
production as some growers transition from Winter to Spring earlier in the growth cycle and now unusually high
acreage. We're likely to see less really big fruit and a better run temperatures have affected the start of Spring crops and will
of sizes as this happens. Eastern Mexico (Jalisco, San Luis likely have some impact on yields. New-crop fruit will start in
Potosi, Michoacán and Nayarit) also has romas but are South FL over the next few weeks, but volume may stay on the
harvesting from lighter Winter plantings as they await Spring light side until Plant City gets up and running in April. The
acreage later in April/May recent extreme heat has caused a few problems with sunburn
TOV and winds have created some scarring, especially on bigger
fruit, both of which have affected packouts and available
Central Mexico continues with steady production and good
volumes for the time being. The West has fruit but is in a tight
quality on TOV's. Canada is about 4 weeks away so the future
spot for retail sizing on bell peppers. New crops are still
looks bright for TOV's.
running behind, so harvests are limited to mostly L and M fruit
this week. Although Spring crops are running behind, we
GRAPE TOMATOES should start to see a little more in the next week or so. Overall,
Warm weather has brought along grape tomatoes in FL and quality is still good out of Mexico, but we'll stay on the lookout
supply is good this week. Lipman has now finished up in as the light availability could cause growers to relax their
Naples and is harvesting solely in Estero now. Although our standards to meet demand.
yields have been a little lighter on the early plantings, we CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE
expect that to improve as we get a little further into the crop.
CUCUMBERS EGGPLANT
FL's Spring cucumber crops have started in a light way. We'll There are finally a few new-crop eggs in FL but volume is still
see volume pick up in about 10 days as Lipman and others very minimal. We should begin to see at least some increase
move further into the crop. Meanwhile, there's still some over the next week or so as more plantings come online.
Honduran product making its way into the US, but the crops Eggplant supply has been steady out of Mainland Mexico, but
are winding down and it's been mostly selects and offgrades demand is elevated for the Lent season. Expect to see
from older fields this week. In another two weeks, they'll be adequate but more expensive supply through the month of
finished. The West is into good supplies, and will remain March. Mainland Mexico will continue harvesting until mid-late
steady, weather permitting, through the month. We are seeing April, then supply will transition to the CA desert and the
some cucumbers start up out of Baja now, but expect to be in Central Valley/Fresno area for the summer months.
full swing of summer supplies by May/June. The Honduran
fruit is questionable on quality, but there are no major issues SALAD CUCUMBERS
on the FL or MX product. Supplies remain good on pickles, and we anticipate things to
hold steady for another month, weather permitting. Once we
GREEN BEANS hit April, MX's offerings will be more limited. Quality and sizing
FL has strong supplies of green beans as multiple areas are are currently nice.
harvesting new Spring crops. Unless there's a weather event,
availability should be strong for at least the next month. Any MINI SWEET PEPPERS
previous product issues caused by cold weather have corrected
themselves and quality is good. Mexico's supplies are mostly With slightly warmer weather and increasing daylight hours we
adequate but on the lighter side. We are not expecting any big should finally start seeing a slight surplus of mini sweets
increases in our production but should continue with moderate crossing the border. There are still some issues with fruit sizing
supplies through the Easter holiday. and green cast but we look for that to improve.
YELLOW & ZUCCHINI SQUASH CALABACITA
Supply is on the lighter side, but is adequate as we work
There's a flush of zucchini in FL, so availability is strong from through the Spring transition. Sonora growers should get
the new Spring crops. However, yellow squash is a different started next week, which will bring nice, fresh crop to the
story. In general, there's less acreage of yellow, and quality is border. Farms in the northern growing areas have more
really impacting availability. You can find some decent-quality acreage in the ground this season, so once they get rolling
fruit, but it's definitely based on weather in the specific growing supply and quality should be very consistent.
location and varies by lot. Hopefully when Plant City gets rolling
in a few weeks, we'll have better volume and quality on yellow ORGANIC GRAPE TOMATOES
squash. As Mexico works through the transition from Sinaloa
to Sonora, Western supplies are limited and quality is a Organic grape tomatoes are still plentiful in Nogales, with the
challenge. Older fields are playing out in the southern district fruit coming mostly from the Culiacan area. Quality has been
but these older fields will be worked for the next 7-10 days. good with no major issues.
The new northern fields in Hermosillo will break in a limited
way by the beginning of next week and should be pumping out ORGANIC ROMA TOMATOES
some good volume and better quality by the following week .
Organic roma availability continues to be strong. Quality has
improved and is good overall.
HARD SQUASH
Eastern hard squash is status quo- a little local FL product and
ORGANIC MINI CUCUMBERS
a few butternuts and spaghettis from the Honduran imports.
Supply has improved and should continue at adequate levels
We won't see much change until GA comes online in May and
for at least the next 3-4 weeks. Quality is varied, especially if
then others follow suit in June/July. Looking to Mexico, new
there's any age on the product. We are seeing some occasional
fields are behind and demand is blowing through storage
issues with shriveled ends.
supplies. Butternuts are very snug, with mostly small and
medium fruit available. Quality has been good on butternut
and spaghetti, but there have been some reports of stem mold ORGANIC MINI SWEET PEPPERS
on acorn. We will be watching quality closely on the remaining Organic mini sweet supply is improving as the weather does
storage crops as we wait for new crops to get going. and is adequate. Some of the recent problems with greening
are also clearing up as production increases a notch.
CHILI PEPPERS
There are a few more chilies available in FL as light acreage of
Spring crops begins to come online in the southern part of the
state. Expect supplies to remain light until Plant City gets
started in April. MX's supply is also on the lighter side but is
definitely stronger when compared to FL. Production should
increase in the coming weeks as warmer weather enters the
picture. We are able to cover orders on all varieties, but Lent
demand is strong on Anaheims and poblanos. Quality has
been pretty consistent on all varieties.
CURRENT INDUSTRY NEWS ARTICLES
NEWS IN THE PRODUCE INDUSTRY
Inflation dings sales of organic produce,
report says By Heather Lalley
WINSIGHTGROCERYBUSINESS.COM Mar. 06, 2023
Sales of organic produce tumbled during 2022 as On the flip side, however, shoppers are looking for ways to
consumers sought out less-expensive fruits and save time and 68% said they’d like to see more value-added
vegetables amid soaring inflation, according to the 2023 produce at their local grocery stores.
Power of Produce report from FMI – The Food Industry
Association released earlier this month. “Shoppers are searching for deals but also willing to pay more
for convenience—like pre-cut and washed products,” Stein said.
Dollar-wise, fresh produce sales increased last year, due “This shows how complicated the consumer decision process is.
to inflation. But sales decreased on a per-pound basis. On one hand, shoppers are saying price is important, but when
Fresh produce, though, remained the second-largest it comes to convenience, they are willing to pay.”
grocery perimeter department, behind meat. Sales of organic produce have increased steadily in recent
years, but decreased in pound sales in 2022, the report found.
Produce department sales grew 4.8%, to $74.5 billion, in
2022, the report found. And fruit was the big winner, Twenty-five percent of shoppers said they are buying cheaper
with sales increasing 6.8% to $37 billion. Citrus and fresh produce because of rising grocery prices.
tropical fruits led dollar growth and berries were the Consumers tend to think fresh produce is even more expensive
biggest seller, with 23% of the department’s total sales. than it really is. Nearly 90% of shoppers said they were
somewhat or very concerned about produce prices, the highest
Fresh vegetable sales grew 2.8%, to $36.4 billion. But of all grocer departments along with meat. And most
vegetable prices rose 7.9% in 2022, leading to unit and consumers said fresh fruits and vegetables were more
volume declines that were especially evident in expensive than the year before when produce has actually
categories such as asparagus, corn and squash, the seen below-average inflation. Traditional supermarkets were
report said. favored by 72% of shoppers for fresh produce buying, while
50% said they shop at mass/supercenters for fruits and
“Consumers are continuing to purchase produce at vegetables, 34% favored club stores, 30% favored hard
roughly the same volume as in 2021 despite rising prices discounters and 17% said they head to dollar stores and
due to inflation,” Rick Stein, FMI’s VP of fresh foods, said natural/organic markets, the report said.
in a statement. “The shift we’re noticing is that shoppers
turned to more-affordable conventional fresh fruits and Just 46% of consumers are buying fresh produce online, though
vegetables and canned and frozen vegetables rather millennials, hybrid workers, high-income households and
than buying pricier organic items.” people living in the Western U.S. over-index on that metric.
Continue to read the rest here
NEWS IN THE GROCERY WORLD
LIPMAN FAMILY FARMS PREPARES TO CELEBRATE
75TH ANNIVERSRY AT SOUTHERN EXPOSURE
WWW.ANDNOWUKNOW.COM Feb. 27, 2023
“This year is Lipman’s 75thanniversary. That means 75
years of family farming and feeding America with fresh distributors on the East Coast,” explains Morgan. “We
tomatoes and vegetables. We will celebrate with are excited about the growth we’ve seen in our
customers at the booth and will showcase our special vegetable category, in both field and greenhouse-grown
edition retail displayscommemorating the milestone veg, and we are always looking for better, more efficient
year,” Morgan details. “We will also showcase our full ways to offer a one-stop shop for our customers.”
commodity lineup of tomato and vegetable offerings.
This includes our Florida-grown Crimson tomato, Grown That’s not the only expansion that Lipman has in the
True organic compostable packaging, Suntastic line of works. Later this year, the grower has other plans to
greenhouse-grown tomatoes and vegetables, and our expand its fresh-cut offerings in the east and to
fresh-cut offerings available for national distribution.” introduce new items from its greenhouses in Canada
and Mexico.
Lipman has been growing in Florida since the first
tomato was planted in 1948 and is proud to continue As the company continues to widen its scope of
practicing regenerative farming in the state today. The offerings and capabilities, Lipman is ready to provide a
company is now in its fourth generation of family steady and seamless supply of products year-round
ownership and is looking back at the partnership and with quick turnaround and shortened shipping times.
innovations that got Lipman to this point and will
continue to help it grow in the future. Want more details? Make booth #901 a stop on the
show floor.
Some of that growth includes the expansion of its
growing areas.
READ ARTICLE HERE
“With more vegetable acreage this season for our green
bell pepper, squash, and European cucumber, Lipman
has become one of the largest dry vegetable
UPCOMING PRODUCE
EVENTS: BAROMETER:
ITEM QUALITY PRICING
Bell Pepper Good Steady
March 2-4, 2023
Southern Exposure Produce Show
Cucumber Good Lower
Orlando, Florida
seproducecouncil.com Eggplant Varied Lower
July 12-13, 2023
Green Beans Good Lower
Organic Produce Show
Monterey, California Chili's Varied Lower
organicproducesummit.com
Squash-Hard Good Higher
Squash-Soft Good Lower
Tomatoes Good Steady to Lower
LIPMAN
CELEBRATES 75
YEARS THIS YEAR!
lipmanfamilyfarms.com
QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEWSLETTER? EMAIL: MAGGIE.BARTHOLOW@LIPMANFAMILYFARMS.COM
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