Watermelon consumption is at its highest level in 50 years, watermelon prices are higher than ever, and the trade has nothing but good things to say about the effectiveness of the staff of the Orlando, FL-based National Watermelon Promotion Board. But the benefits of hiring experienced representatives will become further evidenced this summer, as a volume of watermelons will very likely be exported for the first time to Japan. Gordon Hunt, NWPB's director of marketing, spent the last full week of March in Japan with NWPB shipper-members Brent Harrison and Dan Van Groningen. The trio was

VIENNA, VA -- April 1 holdings of fresh apples were 48.2 million bushels, down from 62 million reported March 1, according to a report issue April 10 by the U.S. Apple Association, based here. The fresh market holdings reflect a 33 percent increase over March 2008 holdings and 25 percent more than the five-year average. Processing apple holdings of 21.4 million bushels were 6 percent below year earlier levels and 6 percent below the five-year average for the April 1 reporting period. The total number of apples in storage on April 1 was 69.6 million bushels, 19 percent less than last month, 23

SALINAS, CA -- D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of California and The Salad Farm, both based here, have entered into an agreement that has The Salad Farm shipping product through the new D'Arrigo Bros. facility here. For D'Arrigo Bros., the agreement primarily allows the company to expand its product line and offer products it was not already carrying -- such as spinach, spring mix and arugula -- to its customers. The primary benefit to The Salad Farm is that its product line is exposed to a broader customer base. The partnership launched April 1. Lex Camany, president of The Salad Farm, said that about 98

FRESNO, CA -- Crown Jewels Marketing LLC, here, will be marketing about 2.5 million cartons of cantaloupes and honeydews this summer from Perez Packing Inc. in Firebaugh, CA, a deal formerly sold by Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. in Coral Gables, FL. The Perez family has been farming on the West Side of the San Joaquin Valley, west of Fresno, for the last 70 years or so, said Atomic Torosian, a managing partner at Crown Jewels. "For the last 10 years, they have been working with Del Monte" on their melon program," Mr. Torosian said. "We have been talking to them off and on for the last three or

Naples, FL-based Naturipe Farms LLC said that the downturn in the economy will result in the company delaying plans to branch out beyond its non-core business. As a result of its plan to continue to focus on its berry programs, Naturipe laid off several employees including Michael McCartney, its vice president of operations. Three other employees who were laid off held support roles in human resources, information technology and logistics, said Robert Verloop, senior vice president of sales and marketing. Currently, there are no plans to fill the four positions, he said. The layoffs, which

SACRAMENTO, CA -- The California Department of Food & Agriculture and the University of California at Davis-based Center for Produce Safety have signed a no-cost agreement to enhance the department's food safety grants process and leverage additional funding. "The Center for Produce Safety's exemplary grant-review process adds substantial technical expertise to this program," CDFA Secretary A.G. Kawamura said in an April 8 press release. "Add to that their ability to provide matching funds for these projects, and it's easy to see how this agreement will help strengthen the safety of our food