June 16,2014
Nut Exports Stay Strong In May
California walnut shipments to the world export markets stayed strong in May along with other nuts shipped in record amounts from the Golden State.
May walnut shipments totaled 30,660 tons and 426,280 tons for the marketing year – September through May. Last May saw 27,809 tons of walnuts shipped and 432,592 tons through May of last year.
Almond shipments are up 15% in the expanding export market while total shipments year to date are up 9.2%.
Pistachio shipments to date are down slightly with tonnage at 159,531 compared to 166,463 the year before.Pistachios are alternate bearing and 2014 is a light volume year.
Nuts are particularly popular in Europe and the Far East where exponential growth is expected.The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Office has estimated that demand for all food will double by 2050 because of increasing populations and rising incomes.
Opening of Australian Market For US Stone Fruit Good News
The ten year battle to open the Australian market to California stone fruit is good news here in California where exports will now grow in volume to consumers Down Under. Shipments have to get a methyl bromide dosing to enter the market but it will be worth it considering the business is expected to grow to $50 million within five years according to the USDA.
OLAM Supports Research At Fresno State
Global agribusiness leader Olam Spices and Vegetable Ingredients (SVI) has established a $200,000 endowment with the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology at Fresno State to support interdisciplinary research of food and wine.
University President Joseph I. Castro announced the gift June 13 during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Jordan Research Center, a new 30,000-square-foot interdisciplinary research center designed to foster collaboration among students and faculty in agricultural sciences and technology, engineering and science and mathematics.
Supreme Court Says Pom Can Sue Over Pomegranate Label
The Supreme Court in a a unanimous decision a few days ago gave Pom Wonderful permission to sue Coke for false advertising.
The ruling says the label on Coke’s Minute Maid brand “Pomegranate Blueberry” beverage are misleading since the juice has only a “minuscule amount of pomegranate and blueberry juices.”
Justice Kennedy wrote that the product actually contained “99.4% apple and grape juices, 0.3% pomegranate juice, 0.2% blueberry juice and 0.1% raspberry juice.”
Processed Cheese Exports Build
Demand overseas for processed cheese from the US has room to grow says a Dairy Export Council report.This variety of cheese – typically re manufactured close to the market once it arrives is the most consumed cheese in the world.
“New Zealand traditionally dominates raw material supply, but the United States has steadily raised its profile. We have moved into a strong No. 2 position, as our share of cheddar exports to the 10 nations jumped from 8 percent in 2008 to 26 percent in 2013.
With demand rising and market leader New Zealand signaling that cheddar for processing has taken a back seat to milk powder and other products, we now have a golden opportunity to take over the No. 1 position—if we decide to go after it.”