As a leading importer of mangos from Peru, Ventura, CA-based Freska Produce International is experiencing heavy volumes, said the firm's Chuy Loza. "So far, Peru exports are ahead of schedule," Mr. Loza said. "Now through the latter part of the season, the market should stay very strong." Mr. Loza said that there are good market conditions for February and March. Typically, the company's Peruvian mango deal runs from late December through early March. Its deal in Ecuador runs from the second week of October through mid-January, and its Brazilian mango deal runs from mid- August through late

One might say it all depends on how you look at it. Any way you look at it, California's week-long deep freeze was costly to citrus growers and packers. It will mean missed sales opportunities for retailers. And it will be a hardship on thousands of workers on farms and in packinghouses who will be out of work or have their hours curtailed because of the short crop. But as growers continue to assess the damage to their citrus groves in the wake of January's Arctic Express, some are expressing optimism that they may find a little more marketable fruit out there than they at first supposed. More

BASILICATA, ITALY -- Produce, food and wine distributors, importers, and buyers from around the world toured production facilities and farms throughout the Basilicata region of Italy Jan. 16-20. Members of the group of approximately 25 people came from nearly every corner of the world, such as France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Abu Dhabi, the United States and Russia, and included national officials from some of the countries and several journalists. The workshop and mission were a collaborative effort stemming from the 2004 formation of the Institute of International Commerce for the Region

PLEASANTON, CA - A capacity crowd of more than than 200 industry professionals attended a special Fresh Produce & Floral Council Northern California luncheon Jan. 30 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, here. Master of ceremonies for the event was Geoff White of Safeway Stores Inc., and Tony ("The Fresh Grocer") Tantillo of Farm Fresh LLC was the guest speaker. The FPFC will hold its Southern California membership luncheon Feb. 7 at the Holiday Inn Select in La Mirada. The speaker for that event will be Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the Produce For Better Health Foundation, while Jan DeLyser of the

The cold front that moved through California in mid-January has resulted in higher f.o.b. prices for many vegetables, citrus and strawberries, which are being reflected at retail across the country. "We don't jump our prices right away," said Mark Maxwell of H.G. Hill Stores, a small chain in Nashville, TN. "We wait until our costs go up and then we do pass the increases on to our customers." For the most part, however, Mr. Maxwell said that he cuts the percentage of the margin as prices rise. For example, if he is making 30 cents per unit markup on an item wholesaling for $1, he tries to keep

Carolina Tomato Inc. in Columbia, SC, has ceased operations and owes its creditors as much as $15 million. The firm's attorney, O. Max Gardner III, sent a letter dated Jan. 23 to many of the firm's produce creditors asking that they do not take legal action and instead consider a yet-to-be determined settlement offer. In his letter, Mr. Gardner said that he expects to have a disclosure ready in 10 days, which is expected to detail assets and debts. Mr. Gardner said that there was potentially $6 million of debt that would be forgiven by two different creditors if the other creditors would agree